Chapter 281 Impermanence

The sheer number of people and the level of detail clearly indicate that this was not accomplished in a single day.

Meng Xingyuan said he hadn't decided whether to hand it over to them yet, but in fact, after being rescued by Wen Zhiming, he spent all his time, except for traveling and resting, recording this register of officials.

He knew that Wen Zhiming's troops were inferior to the Emperor's, and if he wanted to win, he could not rely solely on military strength; he would also need to use some unusual methods.

Now that he has lost his official position and has no power to lead the battle, the only thing he can do is to provide all the connections and resources he has accumulated over his decades in office to his son-in-law, so that he can choose the appropriate ones to conquer one by one.

Meng Lingge glanced at it curiously a few times, and was immediately attracted by the list of items inside.

With a major battle imminent, the help such detailed and accurate information about officials would be to Wen Zhiming is self-evident. Meng Xingyuan entrusting them with such an important matter shows that he has already made up his mind and chosen to stand on Wen Zhiming's side.

Thinking of Meng Xingyuan's long and tiring journey, and how he still made time to plan for them, Meng Lingge was deeply moved. On the surface, she smiled and said, "Father has never liked to meddle in other people's business in the court. He only cares about being loyal to the emperor and loving the people. I didn't expect him to know so much about the civil and military officials."

The officials here are afraid of their wives, keep mistresses, are addicted to gambling, lust, and homosexuality... they have all sorts of bad habits and quirks, many of which are private matters unknown to outsiders.

Meng Xingyuan said, "Ever since your marriage to Guan Yi'an turned into a farce, I have come to deeply understand the saying 'You can know a person's face but not their heart.' It was from that time that I began to secretly send people to investigate the secrets of the officials in the capital, and I memorized them all. I was afraid that I would be deceived again in the future. At the time, I never thought that one day, the information I found out would have another use."

So that's how it is.

For some reason, when Meng Xingyuan mentioned Guan Yi'an, Meng Lingge thought of Zheng Qingshan.

Or perhaps it was because she had a bad impression of both men.

Meng Lingge asked at the opportune moment, "Father, I wrote to you before, asking you to keep an eye out for a man named Zheng Qingshan. Later, you told my guards that they had already made arrangements for him. Where is he now?"

Meng Xingyuan faked his death, and his state of mind has changed drastically.

Hearing this, his anger subsided, and he spoke the truth.

"Shortly after I received your letter, I received another letter from Princess Qiongxiao, saying that this man was wicked and intended to report your pregnancy to the Emperor. So I sent men to arrest him and bring him to my residence. He was tortured for several days, but he only said that he had a grudge against you and was seeking revenge. I didn't want to take his life, but I didn't dare let him go either. So I went to a pharmacy and got a drug that would make him mute, rendering him unable to speak for a year. Then I sent two people to escort him to a remote place and imprison him for a year. Judging by the time, he should be in Tongyue City by now."

"Only two people were sent?"

Meng Lingge sighed inwardly, knowing that Zheng Qingshan was cunning and shrewd, he had probably already escaped the guards' pursuit and fled long ago.

If he were to return to the capital at this critical moment and try to find the emperor to file a complaint, the Meng family members remaining in the capital would once again be in danger.

Meng Xingyuan asked in confusion, "This person has no martial arts skills and can't speak now. Aren't two guards enough to watch over him?"

He believed he had done a good job, but judging from Meng Lingge's tone, she was clearly dissatisfied.

Meng Lingge nodded very seriously.

“Not enough. Father, you don’t know, this man is just as cunning and scheming as Guan Yi’an. I suspect Dong Qing is already dead at his hands. He’s impatient for quick success and will stop at nothing. In short, he’s a very dangerous person.”

Wen Zhiming knew what she was worried about, and took her hand, saying, "We'll be in the capital in just a few days. Then we'll find a way to rescue the Meng family, and we won't have to worry about Zheng Qingshan going to the Emperor anymore."

Meng Lingge said, "I'm afraid Zheng Qingshan will arrive before us. If he really returns to the capital, I don't know if Jiang Lin will be able to find him and stop him."

Seeing Meng Lingge's worry, Meng Xingyuan couldn't help but doubt his own arrangements and felt quite at a loss.

Seeing this, Meng Lingge comforted him, "This is just my guess. It's possible that Zheng Qingshan didn't escape. Father, provide me with the route and destination of those two guards, and I'll arrange for someone to investigate."

Wen Zhiming agreed.

"After I get back, I will send an urgent message with my secret guards, instructing those remaining in the capital to keep an eye out for this person. Father-in-law, please rest well here for now, and we will send someone to fetch you once we are all settled."

No one here recognized Meng Xingyuan, and the distance from the capital was far enough.

It's safer and more comfortable for Meng Xingyuan to stay here than to follow him to the military camp.

Meng Xingyuan immediately wrote down the route and destination that the two guards were taking to escort Zheng Qingshan and handed it to Meng Lingge.

"This man was previously a male favorite in Princess Qiongxiao's household. He doesn't know many people in the capital. If he really escapes back to the capital, he might still be able to find someone from Princess Qiongxiao's household. You can ask Princess Qiongxiao for information."

“Princess Qiongxiao has a past grudge against the Emperor. Her tipping off the Meng family this time confirms that she doesn’t want the Emperor to be well. She probably hopes you will win your battle against the Emperor. Ask her for information; she will be happy to tell you.”

Wen Zhiming had already helped Meng Lingge to her feet, and Meng Lingge nodded in agreement.

"Okay, I've got it. Take care, Father. We need to go back now."

Meng Xingyuan escorted the two to the door until they were out of sight before returning to his room.

Having served as an official for decades, he never imagined that one day his family would turn to rebellion, let alone that he would help the rebels fight against the emperor.

Life is unpredictable, and life is like a dream.

It turned out that taking off that official robe was not as painful as I had imagined. On the contrary, I felt a sense of relief I had never experienced before. I no longer had to worry about being suspected by the emperor or about losing my life.

On their way back, Meng Lingge held the book of officials and kept thinking about Zheng Qingshan.

Meng Xingyuan's deliberate reminder reminded Meng Lingge that Zheng Qingshan and Guan Yi'an, besides their treacherous and cunning personalities, had another thing in common.

Both of them were male lovers of Princess Qiongxiao.

Is it a coincidence, or is there more to it than meets the eye?

Could it be that Guan Yi'an knew he couldn't leave Princess Qiongxiao's mansion because of his criminal status, but still harbored hatred towards her? So, after meeting Zheng Qingshan, he asked Zheng Qingshan to deliberately get close to her and take revenge.

It seems the only way to find the answer is to either find Zheng Qingshan or go to Princess Qiongxiao's residence.

Lu Shui is still waiting for news from Zheng Qingshan. Once she finds him, she will let them meet first, and then settle the score with Zheng Qingshan.

When Wen Zhiming and Meng Lingge returned to the military camp, Cao Ran excitedly came looking for them.

"Your Highness, while you were away, a junior military officer arrived in the capital. He said he came to seek refuge with you."