Chapter 65
The maid came to report, "Master, Han Jinan is outside and has not seen you yet."
"No." The incident of the people from Cheng'en Mansion contacting Han Jinan happened in the military settlement, right under their noses. Yao Chunnuan knew about it. At that time, she felt that the Han family was doomed.
If they knew the news, how much more so would the Third Prince, who was keeping a close watch on them? The word "Crown Prince" was enough to irritate the Third Prince's nerves. He would definitely kill them all. Wei Qiuyu and the Han family would die. Why would she want to see Han Jinan at this critical moment?
Wei Qiuyu was lucky enough to escape the Han family's trap before the Third Prince's men could make a move. This coincidence was enough to convince the Third Prince that Wei Qiuyu was a calculating person, and he would definitely pursue her relentlessly.
"Master, he's kneeling outside the door, saying he won't get up if you don't see him."
Yao Chunnuan raised an eyebrow. He actually knelt down just to beg to see her? "Then leave him alone. If he likes to kneel, let him kneel." What a joke. Could she be someone who was so morally abducted?
When she woke up from her nap, she found out that he was still kneeling outside. Yao Chunnuan looked at the sky and thought, "He has been kneeling for more than an hour, right?"
"Master, he and his brother were kneeling there, attracting a lot of people pointing and talking."
Yao Chunnuan thought about it and asked someone to invite him in.
When Han Jinan came in, he was shivering from the cold, his face pale. He was followed by another person, even thinner than him, who had been kneeling for an hour, but his eyes were bright.
"Okay, Han Jinan, you are really adaptable."
Han Jinan's expression was very unnatural, and he felt even more uncomfortable when faced with Yao Chunnuan's teasing.
The thin, bamboo-like figure behind Han Jinan poked his head out and said, "Things are different now, Master Yao, you certainly deserve our kneeling."
"Are you his brother?"
"I am Han Chaosheng, a bastard of the Han family."
Bastard, no wonder he had a low presence before, and he was even more difficult to bend and stretch than Han Jinan. Yao Chunnuan just smiled at his compliment and said, "Tell me, why do you have to see me?"
Han Chaosheng marveled inwardly. He'd actually been paying attention to her expression as he spoke. She truly didn't seem like someone from a humble background. She didn't possess the arrogance that comes with success. He knew his current status wasn't equal to hers, but he had been from a prominent family before. He'd assumed Yao Chunnuan would remain impassive in the face of his compliments, or at least show a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. But she didn't.
Han Chaosheng said, "Master Yao, I want to ask you to save our Han family."
"You're joking. Aren't you and your family doing fine now?" Yao Chunnuan pretended not to understand. She didn't want to get involved in this mess.
Han Chaosheng looked at him.
Han Jinan didn't believe her if she said she didn't understand. He said awkwardly, "Master Yao, if you can save the Han family once, I and the men in the Han family will be your minions and serve you wholeheartedly."
Yao Chunnuan was shocked when she heard this. She hadn't expected Han Jinan to bring the Han family back to acknowledge her as their leader. Could this man have Stockholm syndrome? She believed that she had been very ruthless towards the Han family and had never shown mercy.
Yao Chunnuan asked him, "Do you think I'm someone who needs work? You don't think that if you kneel down and express your loyalty, I'll wipe out the grudge between us, right?"
"In fact, before I came to see you, I thought about it carefully. Our family is now in this situation for many reasons. You are partly responsible, but it is also because our Han family plotted against you first. No matter how you retaliate against our Han family, it is not unfair. But Yao Zhubo, you are not an ordinary woman. There is no life between you and our Han family, so it is not a life-and-death feud. Why not smile and forget the grudge?" This is what Han Chaosheng really said. When Wei Qiuyu was still there, they really hated Yao Chunnuan, but the lower he got, the deeper he reflected. Was it really because of Yao Chunnuan alone that their Han family fell into this situation? The coercion of the third prince and the inaction of the prince were the important reasons for the difficult situation of their Han family.
"Haha, Han Chaosheng, you are really broad-minded."
"And I know you hate Wei Qiuyu, and I hate her too. Our whole family hates her. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?" Han Chaosheng racked his brains to prove that their Han family was useful.
Yao Chunnuan said calmly, "Wei Qiuyu can't get out of my control, so I don't need you."
"To tell you the truth, I believe you should understand the story of the city gate establishing trust. Your Han family is like the piece of wood I stand on the city gate to demonstrate my prestige. If I accept you, I will be slapping myself in the face, which will not benefit me at all. So, please go back."
"Master Yao, if our Han family had come to you before today, it would have damaged your prestige. But you accepted our Han family after Wei Qiuyu became mute. Every grievance has its perpetrator, and if you only punish the main culprit, it will appear that you are forgiving and magnanimous. After outsiders hear about this, more people will come to you. And, most importantly, we will not make things difficult for you. We just need a way to survive, and this way of survival does not have to be lived in front of others. And Master Yao is not short of people, but there are some things that I think are more appropriate for us who have given us a way to survive, isn't it?" Han Chaosheng said suggestively.
Yao Chunnuan's eyes flashed. Did he mean that the men of the Han family could move to the dark? "Do you know what you're talking about?"
"I know." Han Chaosheng said proudly, "Master Yao, although my Han family is not talented, we are still useful." As he said that, at Han Chaosheng's signal, Han Jinan took out a piece of parchment from his arms and handed it to Yao Chunnuan. Yao Chunnuan refused to take it, so he put it on the table beside him.
Seeing his cautious look, Yao Chunnuan was not in a hurry to open the sheepskin, but said to Han Chaosheng, "Didn't the prince's people contact you privately? Now that you and your family have come to surrender to me, how are you going to explain to the prince?" This Han Chaosheng was a bit interesting. Compared to Han Jinan, she was more willing to deal with him.
Han Jinan thought to himself that she really knew that people from Cheng'en Mansion had private contact with him.
Han Chaosheng said disapprovingly, "Although I have learned civil and martial arts and can serve the emperor, the people in power are cruel now, and our Han family is in danger. We can't care about so many things. Master Yao, if you are willing to save the Han family, the Han family will only recognize you as their master in the future!" As he said that, he knelt on one knee. This is the etiquette of soldiers to their masters to show their loyalty.
Yao Chunnuan was stunned. She hadn't expected Han Chaosheng to actually want to be her traitor. And with his outrageous remarks, was he trying to give her a handle?
Yao Chunnuan looked at Han Jinan beside him. Was this Han Chaosheng's decision alone, or the Han family's? He slowly knelt under her gaze, laughing at himself in his heart. Wasn't this agreed upon before coming here?
Upon learning that the Third Prince intended to kill his Han family, he desperately sought help from the Crown Prince's forces, but to date, he has received no response or assistance. It's not that he doesn't want to be loyal, but rather that his entire family's lives are threatened. Looking back now, since he secretly joined the Crown Prince's camp, he's received very little help. He can only say that he was disappointed, and that the Crown Prince betrayed his trust.
Yao Chunnuan was silent for a long time before she said, "Have you all thought it through? I'm telling you the truth, it's impossible for me to trust you. I will only use you, including your Han family, but I won't trust you. As for when I will trust you, it's hard to say. Perhaps you will never gain my trust in your entire life."
"Then will you protect the lives of our family?"
"If I could do it."
"That's enough."
Her confession made Han Jinan feel relieved. He had made the right move, and their Han family had hope. Yao Chunnuan could say this because she was actually a very frank person. She was most afraid of someone who agreed with a smile on their face but didn't agree at all in their heart.
Yao Chunnuan rubbed her eyebrows. She was a little unsure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing to accept Han Jinan and others.
Yao Chunnuan said nothing and picked up the parchment on the table.
Han Jinan's heart was lifted.
Han Chaosheng felt happy instead. This meant that she had already leaned towards them in her heart. Didn’t he see that she didn’t even look at the parchment before?
As soon as Yao Chunnuan opened it, she couldn't help but sit up straight. It was a military defense map of the northwest border! Now Yao Chunnuan could feel even more the Han family's sincerity and determination to join her. They couldn't use this military defense map of the northwest border yet, but no one could deny its value.
Yao Chunnuan snapped the door shut and said, "You're going to turn the tables and use the Third Prince's tactics against you. When the Third Prince's men attack, that's when you leave. Only one adult male can stay. You decide who will stay. Forget it, I'll make the arrangements. Han Jinan, you must disappear. It's best if your youngest brother stays. After that, I won't make things difficult for the women of the Han family."
Yao Chunnuan's arrangement was reasonable and logical, so the Han brothers could only respond, "Yes."
Yao Chunnuan waved and asked them to go back.
Han Jinan breathed a sigh of relief and slowly withdrew. Only then did he vaguely feel that his back was wet with juice. Yes, she was not easy to convince.
As they were about to retreat to the door, Yao Chunnuan's voice came from inside, "Cherish this opportunity. Don't try to please both sides. You dare to betray me? You know my methods."
Han Chaosheng laughed.
Han Jinan: He not only knows it, he has experienced it deeply, okay?
*******
In the ice and snow, Yao Chunnuan stood outside the gate of the Yichun camp, looking into the distance.
It was a snow-white world, and gradually a few black dots appeared in the distance, and then they got closer and closer.
"Master, I saw five, six, seven or eight carriages. They must have arrived." Luo Suyi supported Yao Chunnuan and said excitedly.
Sure enough, ten carriages in front and behind slowly stopped in front of them.
Kang Xiaodong led the way. After the carriage stopped, he jumped down from the shaft, took two steps at a time, and came to Yao Chunnuan, saluting him. "Master Yao, I, Kang Xiaodong, have returned to report!"
"Thank you for your hard work, Captain Kang." Yao Chunnuan said to Kang Xiaodong and others.
Kang Xiaodong grinned, "It's not hard."
"The welcoming banquet has been prepared for you. Take your brothers with you."
"Thank you, Chief Clerk Yao." Kang Xiaodong was very good at reading people's expressions and immediately stepped aside.
The people on the carriage got off one after another. The Yao family was shocked when they saw the solemn and majestic gate of the military settlement.
The gate of the Yichun military settlement was demolished and rebuilt. The drawings given by Yao Chunnuan were based on drawings of military camps in later generations. It is hard for people who see it for the first time not to be shocked.
"Is this the Yichun military settlement?" After getting off the carriage, Grandfather Yao, Uncle Yao and others squinted their eyes and looked at the solemn gate of the military settlement.
Yao Chunnuan, holding her belly, went forward with the support of Luo Suyi. Axia stood diagonally behind Yao Chunnuan, keeping an eye on all directions, ready to rush forward if there was any danger.
Yao Chunnuan was the first to come to Yao's parents and said with a smile, "Dad and Mom, you've finally arrived."
"Your belly looks like you're about to give birth, right?" Yao's mother stared at her belly.
Yao Chunnuan said, "Well, I'm just waiting for you to come."
Yao's mother patted her chest and assured, "Don't worry, I'm here. You can give birth peacefully. I will definitely take good care of you during the confinement period."
Yao Chunnuan looked at Yao Erge who was standing next to Yao's mother, "Second brother."
"Ah Nuan."
It was Yao Erge who had just helped his parents down, and now he was impressed by his mother's energetic appearance. His mother was really amazing. The bumpy road was a bit too much for even a grown man like him, but his mother didn't complain at all, and she just wanted to get to Yichun to see his sister as soon as possible.
Aside from Uncle Yao, who accompanied Grandfather Yao on his rounds, nearly all the Yao family women's eyes were fixed on Yao Chunnuan. Their eldest niece had a rosy complexion, was well-dressed, and had a maidservant and a burly female guard guarding her. It looked like she had truly made it big and wasn't lying. For a moment, the worries of the aunt and the others finally settled down. It wasn't their fault; leaving home made them feel inferior, and they had been extremely nervous all this way.
After Yao Chunnuan said a few words to Yao's father and mother, she walked towards Yao's grandfather, Yao's uncle and others, "Grandpa, uncle and aunt, welcome to Yichun. At the same time, A Nuan thanks you for your trust." It was indeed a deep trust, otherwise the whole family would not have been able to leave their hometown and migrate thousands of miles away.
Grandfather Yao patted her little arm and said, "Your arrangement this time is very good."
Uncle Yao said, "We are all family, so we should keep our distance. If you insist on being polite, we will cause you more trouble."
"Grandfather, uncle, aunt, father, mother, brothers and sisters-in-law, I've had the house cleaned up and the kang lit. It's too cold outside, let's go in first." Yao Chunnuan noticed the children in the carriage peeking out. The adults were the ones getting out of the carriage now, so they could get some fresh air and stretch their legs. The children, confined to the carriage, probably couldn't stay any longer.
"Okay, okay, let's go in first." When they heard that the house had been cleaned up, they couldn't wait to see what the house they were about to move into looked like, whether it was better or worse than their hometown.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
