Chapter 97 Miss Xiao
Zhao Xu grabbed the cold, newly made talisman from beside his pillow, and his muddled mind suddenly cleared!
Before he could think about the strangeness in his body, he got off the bed barefoot and ripped open the lining of his armor—the hidden compartment was empty, and the tiger-striped talisman he had worn since the beginning of the Northern Expedition had vanished!
Overnight... the young general was seriously injured, and power in the army changed hands.
He wanted to summon his personal guards, but found his once obedient subordinates all bowing their heads and avoiding his gaze. Even Helan Rong testified personally, yet Zhao Xu's suspicions still surged like waves. It wasn't until he was stopped outside Wang Fei's courtyard by his former Iron Cavalry brothers that his fragile trust instantly vanished.
The only person he could seek an audience with was the young emperor who had seized control of the entire situation overnight.
Unexpectedly, after waiting outside the council hall for half a day, instead of being summoned by Yan Dibai, they were met by Wang Shu, who was slow to move and had a pale face.
Under Zhao Xu's surprised and suspicious gaze, Wang Shu finally revealed the truth.
It turned out that Wang Shu had secretly escaped from Yangzhou. She came to Liangzhou thinking that Zhao Xu would surely be promoted after making great contributions, so she coerced Wang Du's confidants to secretly hide in the emperor and empress's reward carriage and sneak into Liangzhou. All she wanted was to force him to submit and break free from the arranged marriage between their families.
But when he woke up from a daze, he heard the devastating news that his second brother had broken his leg and that things had changed drastically in the army.
Wang Shu immediately went to see the young emperor, who, who had previously been a servile and obsequious boy, seemed to have acquired an imperial aura overnight, looking down at her with disdain.
"Do you want the whole world to know that you've offered yourself to Zhao Xu, or do you want to marry him here and become his wife?"
“He knew all along that I was hiding in the car…” Wang Shu trembled. “He said… if I chose the latter, my second brother would live.”
Zhao Xu's body went limp.
What a grand game... From beginning to end, they were all just pieces!
"Your Majesty, what ruthless methods!"
-
Ten days later, the military report was presented to Wang Du.
The document appeared flawless, yet a strange gloom lingered in Wang Du's heart. Just as he was about to summon Zhang Bian for discussion, his confidant reported that the Cui family's revenue had plummeted in the first half of the year.
Wang Du's eyes darkened: "Since the relationship between the Wang and Cui families is over, I have no need to show any mercy." He coldly ordered: "Summon Cui Shenxiu and tell her to personally kill Cui Xun, and then come to marry Miao'er."
Half a month later, a merchant ship sailed north with the wind.
Upon hearing the news, Wang Miao rushed from the training ground without even bothering to tidy his clothes. Seeing the graceful figure below the city walls, a satisfied smile appeared on Wang Miao's now rougher face.
"Seventeenth Sister".
Cui Shenxiu seemed slightly startled, his brows furrowing slightly, as if shrouded in endless sorrow.
"Why is my lord here?"
Amidst the clash of swords on the battlefield, how delightful it is to suddenly see a gentle and beautiful woman. Compared to usual, Wang Miao's attitude was even more tender.
"I heard my uncle has passed away... How are you?"
Choi Shin-soo nodded: "Everything is fine, except..."
Wang Miao, wanting to get closer to him, pressed on, "If you have any difficulties, tell me. Our marriage is still in the air, so... there's no need to be so distant."
Cui Shenxiu looked at him gratefully, but still shook his head: "This matter is of great importance. Could you please help me and take me to see the governor?"
Wang Miao hesitated, but seeing the beauty's eyes glistening with tears, he asked, "Is it really that important?"
Cui Shenxiu looked around: "It concerns...Shunniang."
"Insolence!" Wang Du slammed his fist on the table in the council chamber.
“Fei’er’s letter made no mention of Shuniang…that’s impossible!” He knew his son too well; if Wang Fei knew that his sister had trespassed into the military camp, he would definitely send a letter to report it immediately.
There's been no news of Zhao Xu either; something terrible must have happened in Liangzhou!
"Summon Mr. Zhang—" Wang Du was eager to discuss the matter with Zhang Bian when Cui Shenxiu suddenly knelt down.
“Shenxiu also bears responsibility for this matter. Shenxiu is willing to atone for his sins by going to Liangzhou to find Shuniang.”
How could Wang Miao agree? "Seventeenth Sister, what are you saying? You're a woman!"
“Shuniang is my best friend since childhood. If something happens to her, I will be heartbroken. I have already lost my only family member, and I cannot lose my best friend as well.”
Cui Shenxiu raised his eyes, his gaze shimmering with tears, yet his expression was unusually firm: "Shuniang's actions are entirely my fault. If I cannot bring her back safe and sound, I will have no face to wear my wedding dress."
Her resolute stance, coupled with her status as Wang's future daughter-in-law, was for the best. A woman could both uphold the Wang family's reputation and test the waters of Liangzhou.
He immediately replied, "Shenxiu's heart is truly worthy of being a member of the Wang family!"
"Miao'er, carefully select some reliable guards to escort Shenxiu on this trip."
Wang Miao wanted to offer further advice, but was deterred by Wang Du's stern gaze and could only agree. Reluctantly, she accompanied Cui Shenxiu as they left.
Wang Du gritted his teeth, "Where is Zhang Bian? Why hasn't he arrived yet!"
He wanted to know what this scheme of rewarding the army was all about!
"My lord, something terrible has happened!" The servant scrambled in, "Mr. Zhang's residence is completely empty!"
The attendant nervously presented a scroll of bamboo slips: "Mr. Zhang only left a letter saying...saying..."
Wang Du snatched it away and saw four characters written in a flamboyant style: "Go with the flow."
Wang Du was utterly shocked and suddenly lost his balance: "This is outrageous!!"
-
Inside Liangzhou City, Qingqing's Sorrow Hospital has taken root amidst the ruins.
At first, the women and children who had lost their support in the war simply watched from afar, unable to believe that in this chaotic time, there really was a living bodhisattva who provided porridge and medicine and taught people skills. It was only after Qingqing, dressed in simple clothes and wearing a plain hairpin, went around to find people and patiently explained things again and again that the first group of bold women hesitantly stepped across the threshold.
Today, the courtyard houses over a hundred people. The dozens of looms Qingqing purchased hum constantly, and the dried herbs emit a bittersweet fragrance under the sunlight. This place not only provides them with shelter from the wind and rain, but also gives them hope for survival.
The spun cloth, sewn military uniforms, and processed medicinal herbs could all be exchanged for food rations and even a little bit of wages.
However, among all these women, there was still no "white moonlight" that Qingqing could perceive.
She couldn't help but doubt the system, but the system insisted that it existed.
Qingqing remained silent. Then she would continue to wait. Although she didn't understand what role this "white moonlight" played for Yan Dibai and the mission.
"Your Majesty, has His Majesty gone to war again?" Aunt Wang, who was in charge of the loom, stopped spinning the shuttle and asked loudly when she saw her arrive. The women around her also cast concerned glances at her.
"Yes, they've been fighting on the border lately, and it'll probably be a while before they can come back."
Yan Dibai has been going out frequently lately. Each time she conquers a small city, her "Emperor's Aura" value increases by 5-10. It's already reached 55, a level she's never reached before. She has a feeling it should be soon.
Qingqing smiled and placed the scraps of cloth and needles and thread she had brought on the stone mill to the side. "Same as always, come and get what you need."
Before she finished speaking, several teenagers rushed over with cheers, scrambling for the brightly colored scraps of cloth to patch their worn-out elbows.
A child named Radish Head stared longingly at Qingqing. She magically pulled a slightly rough clay figurine from her sleeve and handed it to her: "Grandpa Jiang's hands are shaking, so it's not very well made. You can make do with it for now."
The crowd burst into good-natured laughter.
After the supplies had been mostly distributed, Qingqing went to Sister You's side and watched as she instructed several new women on how to identify herbs. Sister You had once been a concubine of a medicine merchant and had some knowledge of pharmacology; now she was an indispensable assistant at the Bei Hospital.
"Your Highness's hands..." Sister You glanced at the even and bright red on Qingqing's fingernails and couldn't help but pick them up for a closer look, exclaiming in amazement, "This balsam dye is so beautiful! So even and translucent! I heard... His Majesty dyed it for Your Highness himself the night before last?"
A low chuckle rippled through the room. Qingqing felt embarrassed. Yan Dibai, having nothing better to do, would dress her up, even digging out the silk shoes that had been hidden in the trunk and forcing her to wear them in the room. She didn't know what he was thinking that night, but he returned, his body stiff and covered in night dew, and silently pulled out half a box of floral foam, then, by candlelight, used a silver hairpin to gently apply it to her skin.
...Thinking about it carefully, Yan Dibai is actually quite vain. It's just that she's using a different persona.
"It's our blessing that Her Majesty and His Majesty have such a good relationship," Aunt Wang joked loudly while weaving. "When my dead husband was alive, he also said he would find balsam flowers for me... Ah, we'll talk about that in the next life."
Her words drew sighs of dismay.
Which of these women hasn't lost a loved one in the chaos of war? The peace in this morgue is bought with the fragmentation of their early lives. And that's why painting their nails, using hair oil, and talking have become the pillars that keep them going.
As Qingqing listened, she sighed repeatedly. She squatted down and carefully examined the medicinal herbs drying in the yard, her brows gradually furrowing.
"Is the quality still not good enough?" she whispered to Sister You. "These medicines are mild and can't cure acute illnesses and serious injuries."
Sister You shook her head: "The best medicinal herbs in Liangzhou are all in the hands of a few major pharmaceutical merchants. Even if Zhu Rong wants them, he either has to spend a lot of money to buy them or just take them by force."
This is exactly what's giving Qingqing the biggest headache right now.
Li Si and his men will surely bring back a large amount of supplies before heading north, but that's too little to solve an immediate problem. If there's an epidemic or mass casualties in the army, relying on these inferior medicines will cause serious trouble. She must come up with a solution as soon as possible.
Qingqing pondered for a while, and another day passed.
That evening, as she was walking Little Grey past the hospital, the now-grown Little Grey suddenly stopped, its neck hairs twitching slightly, its dark, wet nose twitching rapidly in the air, emitting a threatening growl.
He then exerted force suddenly, dragging the unsuspecting Qingqing, and slammed open the half-closed courtyard gate with a "bang".
"Little Grey!" Qingqing stumbled as she was pulled, and just as she scrambled to regain her balance, she heard a furious and angry shout coming from the direction of the kitchen:
"Get out of here! You beast!"
Her heart tightened, and without thinking, she rushed over and swiftly lit the tinderbox in her hand—
In the flickering firelight, a ragged, overweight woman, clutching a handful of raw noodles, was kicking at Little Grey, who was biting her hem.
Seeing Qingqing rush in, the woman angrily flung her clothes aside, "Yang Liuqing, what a fine dog you've raised! Just as annoying as you!"
The flickering firelight illuminated the woman's beautiful face beneath her disheveled hair. Horrifyingly, a gruesome purplish-black scar pierced through this delicate face, the blade slicing diagonally down from her left temple, across her nose, and down to her right jaw.
Their eyes met.
Even though Qingqing was prepared, her throat still felt swollen and painful.
"Miss Xiao..."
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