Chapter 75: Transitional Chapter in the Capital (No Main Character)

The capital city.

Early winter was bleak. The north wind swept across the towering rooftops and gables of the Duke of Wei's mansion, howling and whistling, before swooping down and penetrating the corridors and courtyards. It whistled and stung people's faces, the cold sharp and painful like needles.

It was midday, the sky was gloomy and unclear, the sunlight was blocked by thick clouds, leaving only a bleak bluish-gray.

When Cui Yan returned from court, he looked anxious. He didn't even wait for the servant to put down the footstool before bending down and getting off the carriage.

"Has any news arrived today? Has there been any word from the Third Miss?"

Cui Yan's brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes were bloodshot, and his cheeks were sunken from months of sleepless nights.

The servant hurriedly replied, "Reporting to you, sir, the letter arrived this morning! It has already been delivered to Madam's courtyard!"

Cui Yan's eyes lit up, as if he had grasped at a straw. He even forgot to take off his official hat and strode towards Jixiu Pavilion, where the Kong family lived, almost running.

Inside Jixiu Pavilion.

Kong Shi clutched the envelope tightly in her hand, pacing anxiously back and forth in the courtyard. As soon as she saw Cui Yan appear at the gate, she disregarded all decorum and rushed to greet him, her eyes red-rimmed, clearly having been crying.

"You're finally back! Quick, quick, look at what's written in this letter!" Kong's voice trembled, thick with sobs, as she shoved the letter into Cui Yan's hand.

Cui Yan took the letter, his fingers flying across the paper, and said anxiously, "Since you received it long ago, why didn't you open it beforehand? Why did you have to wait for me?"

Kong's tears welled up again: "How could I dare to open it alone? What if... what if the letter says something bad about Tuantuan? I'm afraid I'll faint on the spot." She became more and more frightened as she spoke, her body trembling slightly.

"Pah! Pah! Pah! Stop saying such unlucky things!" Cui Yan hurriedly interrupted her, but his tone was full of reassurance. "Our Tuantuan will surely turn bad luck into good and misfortune into good fortune!"

The couple ignored the cold and opened the letter right there in the yard.

Cui Yan took a deep breath and unfolded the thick letter. Kong Shi gripped his arm tightly and couldn't help but hold her breath.

"Father, Mother, don't worry, your daughter is doing well. I'm eating well, sleeping warmly, haven't suffered any hardship, and am in good health—"

Upon reading this sentence, Cui Yan and his wife both breathed a sigh of relief, their nerves, which had been tense for months, seemed to relax instantly.

Kong's legs went weak, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, a mixture of joy and lingering fear. She clasped her hands together and, in a trembling voice, made a vow: "Thank you, God! Thank you, Bodhisattva..."

Cui Yan helped Kong Shi steady herself and continued reading.

"The bandit suppression has made progress. Xiao Qiyu disagreed with Lord Chen Fengnian and did not follow the army in a forced attack on the bandit stronghold, thus avoiding danger. However, with my parents above me, although I know I am guilty, I still have a request—"

As the letter was turned over, Cui Ying wrote in detail about Xiao Qiyu's strategy for suppressing bandits.

He secretly recruited local militia, promising them handsome rewards, and incorporated them into the army as guides. He then sent trusted confidants to contact bandits in the stronghold who were coerced by the bandit leader or resentful of unfair loot distribution, secretly persuading them to defect and promising them the chance to atone for their crimes through meritorious service, hoping for a coordinated attack from within. Furthermore, he had already discovered several hidden paths leading to the sheer cliffs behind Black Cloud Stronghold, where he would personally lead an absolutely loyal elite force to scale the treacherous paths and directly attack the bandits' lair…

At first, Cui Yan's brows were tightly furrowed, but as he read, his eyes grew brighter and brighter. When he reached the end, he couldn't help but slap his thigh and exclaim in a low voice, "Excellent! Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, and surprise is the key! This is the true way to break the deadlock! My son-in-law is indeed courageous and resourceful, no ordinary person!"

Although Kong Shi did not understand specific military strategies, seeing Cui Yan's reaction, he knew that this was an excellent strategy. His heart, which had been clenched with anxiety, relaxed a little. He put his hands together and repeatedly chanted, "May Heaven protect us."

But after closing the letter, Cui Yan's joy didn't last long. His brows quickly furrowed again, and he sighed, "It's true what they say, a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup. Tuantuan has given me a huge problem. All she's said is to ask me to help Qiyu petition His Majesty for the power to suppress bandits. But isn't that easy? She's really making things difficult for me, her father. I've spoiled her too much in the past."

Knowing that her daughter was safe and sound, Madam Kong was relieved and said to Cui Yan, "It's cold outside. Come inside with me and think things over. Don't get cold outside."

Cui Yan sighed, resigned to his fate, and, supporting each other, walked into the house.

But as soon as he stepped onto the threshold, he suddenly stopped, as if he had suddenly realized something. The next moment, he turned around abruptly and walked towards the gate without a care in the world.

"Why!"

Startled by his sudden action, Madam Kong asked anxiously, "I've read the letter, and he's safe. Can't you come inside and warm up before discussing something so important? Where are you rushing off to again?"

Cui Yan stopped and turned around. The relaxation on his face after learning that his daughter was safe had vanished, replaced by a resolute determination. His eyes were blazing as he lowered his voice and said, "Hand over the plaque and request an audience with the Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Madam Kong gasped in shock and exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind? Even if it's for your son-in-law, you're going too far!"

"I didn't do it for Xiao Qiyu!"

Cui Yan interrupted her, his eyes red and his tone urgent: "I'm doing this for our Tuantuan! Don't you understand yet? The letter clearly states that Qiyu has a good plan to defeat the enemy, but he lacks the legitimate authority to command troops. He can only return when the bandit suppression is over, and only when he returns can our Tuantuan return! If I don't petition His Majesty, am I supposed to let my daughter stay in that poor, desolate place, living in fear forever!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, his voice slightly choked with emotion: "I'm doing this so that my daughter can come home as soon as possible!"

Speechless after hearing his words, Kong stared blankly at her husband, her eyes reddening again. Finally, she sighed and said, "What a tragedy! If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have let them get married in the first place. Neither of them is easy to deal with; they are a pair of troublemakers."

Cui Yan waved his hand irritably, then forced himself to calm down and said in a deep voice, "My mind is made up. I'm going to the palace. I can't keep it from my mother anymore. The news will leak out sooner or later. Go to Fushou Hall now and comfort her. Tell her that Third Sister is safe and sound and that she should take good care of herself and not worry."

Knowing she couldn't stop him, Madam Kong could only nod with tears in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion: "I understand, I'll go right now."

She still hesitated, looking at her husband with worry in her eyes: "But can this really be done? Qi Yu will only be seventeen after the New Year. Does he have the ability to shoulder this heavy responsibility?"

"His grandfather was only eighteen years old when he first took command of the army and guarded the northern desert after quelling the rebellion of the southeastern princes," Cui Yan said decisively. "A tiger cub from a military family is no ordinary child."

After saying that, he didn't linger. He straightened his clothes, which were slightly disheveled from his haste, turned around and strode away. His figure quickly disappeared outside the moon gate of Jixiu Pavilion.

Kong stood alone in the cold wind of early winter, gazing in the direction he had gone, his heart in turmoil, and could only pray silently.

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Author's Note: Today's post was a bit short, but I'll make up for it with a Saturday post tomorrow [Let me see].