Chapter 141 Qin Er, do you want to achieve great things? ...
"Is the imperial court trying to repeat what happened years ago?"
Many years ago, when the late emperor was in charge of the government, the court ordered Qin Youzhou's son to come to the capital to study with him. Later, Qin's father used the tactic of "delaying," and just then, the northern kingdom invaded. Qin's father led his two sons into battle.
In that battle where he was attacked from both sides, Qin Shaozong lost his elder brother and harbored resentment for over a decade. Now, many years later, this same tactic has resurfaced, this time targeting his wife and children.
It's obvious to everyone that this is a setup, and even more so, a blatant provocation.
Sitting behind the long table, Qin Shaozong's face was extremely ugly, and his whole body exuded a heavy aura. "He's courting death."
Nalan Zhi frowned. “My lord, although the edict only mentions the dragon bone waterwheel, I personally believe that the court is also aware of the matter of the mistress making fat buns last winter.”
Compost has to be piled up in the fields; there's no way to hide it. And since this process spans the entire winter, it's not hard to spot if you pay close attention.
It's impossible that such a large prefecture as Yuyang has no spies from other prefectures.
"Going to Chang'an to receive the title sounds nice, but it's probably a trap, a one-way trip. Should we postpone it a bit longer?"
"What excuse can you use to stall? The summons sets a time limit, and the messengers are all here, watching closely. We can't just... kill them all."
The slightly off-key ending of that sentence was like piercing a layer of disguise. The atmosphere in the study noticeably changed.
Qin Shaozong turned the jade thumb ring.
“That’s not right. It’s not just one or two people; it’s a team of twenty. How can we just kill them like that? Besides, that might only be the number on the surface. How many are there in secret? Is there another group of people waiting for news in other counties? We don’t know.” Cui Shengping shook his head.
"This trip to the capital to receive an official appointment is an honor. If we rashly kill the messenger, it would appear arrogant and ungrateful in the eyes of the people..."
Sheng Ran sighed, "Even if our lord is very powerful in the north, he is still a subject of the Great Yan after all. We cannot give others a reason to 'punish the disobedient.' We cannot be the ones to stick our necks out."
No matter how young or incompetent the young emperor may be, as long as he wears the dragon robe and sits on the throne, he is the rightful heir.
All the true and false royalists in the world would support him, not to mention the oath that Emperor Gaozu and his ministers swore an oath of blood, promising that "whoever succeeds to the throne is not of the Han family, the whole world will attack him."
Dai Li was also in the study. After the imperial edict was issued, Qin Shaozong did not avoid her and allowed her to listen in on subsequent discussions.
Listening to the conversations between her advisors and military officers, Dai Li seemed to be deep in thought.
I have to admit, they were right.
It's a fact that dynasties are nearing their end, and it's also a fact that the world is about to descend into chaos, but it's even more true that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Throughout history, those who initially jumped the highest have almost never had a good ending.
However, Qin Shaozong was not a compliant person; he had a rebellious streak. Dai Li felt that he wouldn't obediently follow orders.
They stayed in the study for an entire afternoon, until the sun set and the sky was shrouded in darkness, before finally leaving the study, but instead of going home, they went their separate ways.
It was mealtime, and the Marquis's residence had prepared food for them. After the meal, everyone returned home before curfew.
After a satisfying meal, Dai Li and Qin Shaozong returned to the main courtyard together.
There were quite a few people in the study in the afternoon, but she just listened without asking any questions or offering any opinions. Now that there was no one else around, Dai Li asked him, "Qin Changgeng, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Qin Shaozong looked up at the sky. Dusk had passed, and the stars were faintly visible in the dark sky. "About ten years ago, Nalan Wugong told me that the imperial star was hidden and the fate of the Great Yan Dynasty was only a little bit left. There might be a major change in another ten years."
He suddenly chuckled softly, "At the time, I thought he was just saying it casually, but now it seems that this might be the case."
He didn't say it explicitly, but his words were menacing. Dai Li guessed, "So you plan to go south? But local governors and border generals are not allowed to enter the capital without an imperial edict."
Qin Shaozong: "There is an imperial edict. Several explosions have occurred in Chang'an, suspected to be caused by thieves. Therefore, His Majesty sent another edict to the north. I was ordered to go to the capital, but when I passed through Yanzhou, I encountered a group of bandits. During the suppression of the bandits, I accidentally lost another edict."
Dai Li was stunned by these words.
An explosion in Chang'an? What explosion? Wait, could he be talking about a dust explosion? Is this guy trying to emulate the Green Lotus Sect and cause a few dust explosions in Chang'an?!
Thinking this way, she asked the question.
"Why not?" Qin Shaozong did not deny it. "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures can be taken. We can avoid the common people, have our spies blow up a few houses, and leave some 'divine pronouncements' on the ground about the birth of a new king. We won't have to worry about Chang'an not being in chaos."
He not only wanted to blow up houses, but also to frame someone else. And the scapegoat would naturally be chosen from the governors of the states of Si, Yu, and Xu, who on the surface still had a relatively high degree of obedience to the imperial court.
He couldn't believe that Empress Dowager Wang and Chancellor Dong Zhou would remain unmoved by associating someone there with the Imperial Guard in charge of the capital's security.
The muddier the water in Chang'an, the better!
With Kyoto in chaos, it's quite reasonable for a border general like him to be ordered to enter the capital to protect the emperor.
Dai Li exclaimed, "So you listened to their discussion all afternoon and already had your own idea."
Qin Shaozong truthfully replied, "It wasn't exactly a plan I'd come up with early; I came up with the method after listening to their discussion this afternoon. Actually, now isn't a good time to march, because spring is the most important farming season, and I originally wanted to wait until autumn to act. But with the fertilizer my wife developed, this autumn will surely be a bountiful harvest, and the army won't have to worry about food. Unfortunately..."
Unfortunately, we can't wait until autumn.
Dai Li walked forward with him, saying, "You must be absolutely meticulous about the dust explosion, otherwise you'll be handing over your weaknesses to the court."
Qin Shaozong laughed and said, "If it weren't for Madam's guidance, I wouldn't have known the inside story of the dust explosion. Those parasites in Chang'an are short-sighted and wouldn't know either. However, I still need to discuss the specifics with the gentlemen to ensure that this matter goes smoothly."
Dai Li said worriedly, "The Qinglian Sect is widely distributed, and there must be some of their followers in Chang'an. After the houses collapsed, it won't be long before they find out the real reason."
Qin Shaozong was silent for a moment: "Knowing is one thing, having evidence is another. Words are not enough, I will definitely not admit to this mudslinging, and by then I will probably have already entered the capital."
The two walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had returned to the main courtyard.
As night fell, candles were embedded in the white jade lamps placed on either side of the main house in the front yard, casting a soft halo of light around them. At a certain moment, two figures, one tall and one short, entered the halo together, moving from back to front, gradually approaching a state of perfect harmony that no outsider could penetrate.
After finishing her dinner and digesting her food, Dai Li, who hadn't taken a nap that day, yawned and planned to wash up and go to bed.
Oh, right, the bed!
Dai Li strode into the inner room, and sure enough, the large bed that Qin Shaozong had previously destroyed into pieces had its broken carved bed frame replaced without anyone noticing.
It's brand new, as if everything before was just a bizarre dream.
Dai Li smiled with satisfaction.
Okay, let's not use "seems," it was just a ridiculous dream! Anyway, no one else would know about it except for Biber, the supervisor.
“Madam, when the carpenter came to repair the couch today, Commandant Mo came in…” Bi Po’s voice was very soft.
Dai Li seemed to have been struck by lightning, frozen in place. After a long while, she slowly turned her head like an old machine, "What...what did you just say?"
Qin Shaozong was also stunned.
Bibo forced herself to repeat it, and also told the whole story she had learned from Hu Bao later.
Dai Li recalled Mo Yanyun's strange behavior this morning, closed her eyes in despair, walked towards the bed with her eyes closed, and collapsed on it with a "plop". She then pulled the blanket next to her and wrapped herself up, including her head, like a silkworm cocoon.
After his initial surprise, Qin Shaozong laughed.
He stepped forward, grabbed a corner of the brocade quilt, and gently tugged at it. "Madam, since that matter is already settled, let it pass like a gentle breeze. There's no need to dwell on it."
The person wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon didn't speak, but the blanket he was holding clearly had a pulling force towards it.
Qin Shaozong turned to Bi Po beside him and said, "I don't need you to serve me, you can leave."
After the maid left, Qin Shaozong pulled Dai Li out of the quilt and made her sit on his lap. "It was Mo Yanyun who broke the rules first, so he is the one who is wrong. Why should Madam punish herself for someone else's mistake?"
Dai Li stared at Qin Shaozong in astonishment. Seeing that this culprit was not lying at all and had pinned all the blame on Mo Yanyun in just a few words, she couldn't help but ask, "Qin Changgeng, are you missing a piece of your memory?"
Qin Shaozong knew exactly what she meant, but he didn't respond. "Intruding into the residence of a superior is a breach of etiquette. Tomorrow I will punish that scoundrel Mo Yanyun severely."
Dai Li: "..."
Dai Li exclaimed in admiration, "You truly are a genius who came up with a solution in just one afternoon. If you ever find it difficult to continue as the ruler of the North, you could become a persuader. With your eloquent and persuasive skills, you would surely be renowned throughout the world."
He suddenly raised his eyebrows, "Why wait until later? I will persuade you tonight."
After saying that, he pounced on the man like a hungry tiger and pinned him down.
Dai Li's eyes widened for a moment, then she grabbed his belt with her other hand. "You're the one who persuades people, right? Then I'll be the assassin who specializes in killing you."
*
The procession carrying the imperial edict naturally moved into the Marquis's residence, and they received a reply the day after the edict was issued.
Lady Junhou and her son will be summoned to the capital, but the journey is long and arduous, and they will need some time to pack their bags.
The leader of the procession was Shen Tianming, who was personally appointed General of the Cavalry by the young emperor; while the adjutant in the procession was Guo Nai, who held the rank of Attendant-in-Ordinary.
The imperial edict-bearing team consisted of both civil and military officials, including a general of equal rank to the Three Dukes and close advisors to the young emperor—a truly grand arrangement.
They were determined to invite him to Chang'an.
Shen Tianming and Guo Nai both breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that Qin Shaozong had agreed to allow his new wife and son to come to the capital.
"It's good that he's willing to accept the order. I'm just afraid he'll cause some trouble." Guo Nai hid behind him.
Shen Tianming snorted coldly, "Letting his wife come to the capital to receive her title is an honor, how dare he refuse? Besides, as long as Qin Shaozong is still a subject of Great Yan, he must obey orders. But he said he needs some time to pack his bags, tsk, let's hope nothing unexpected happens."
Guo Nai: "Let's wait and see, anyway, it's not the date specified in the imperial edict yet."
Qin Shaozong spent two days planning the dust explosion in Chang'an with his advisors. At the end of Shenshi (3-5 PM) on the second day, a convoy of fast horses carrying a secret order quickly left the city through the south gate of Yuyang.
They headed south, straight for Chang'an.
...
Qin Yanzhou should be summoned to the study.
When he arrived, the study door was ajar. Looking through the half-open door, he saw no one else. He stepped inside.
There was indeed no one else in the study. A burly man sat behind his desk, playing with a tiger-shaped pen rest. Hearing his footsteps, he looked up.
It was dusk, and there were no lights in the room except for a sliver of light coming in through the window, which made the room slightly dim.
Qin Yanzhou bowed respectfully, saying, "Father."
"The imperial court has issued an edict ordering you and Madam to come to the capital to receive your titles. I have already agreed to this. Once Madam has roughly finished dealing with the fertilizer matter, we will head south to Chang'an," Qin Shaozong said.
These past two days, Qin Shaozong has been holding small meetings with his staff, but Qin Yanzhou has not participated. Therefore, he only knows that they will be going to Chang'an in a few days, and he knows nothing else.
Now that Qin Shaozong had brought it up, Qin Yanzhou knew that what the other party was about to say was related to both the journey south and him.
"Local officials are not allowed to enter the capital without an imperial edict. However, some things will happen in the capital at that time, and I will be summoned to the capital to protect the emperor." Qin Shaozong turned the pen rest in his hand. "There are mountain bandits in the border area between Yan and Ji provinces. My imperial edict to enter the capital will be lost there. Whether it is to find the edict or to eliminate the scourge for the people, there will be a bandit suppression operation."
Qin Shaozong's eyes shone brightly. "Qin Er, do you want to achieve great things?"
Author's Note: Undercurrents are swirling in all directions; there will be another update tomorrow. [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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