Chapter 185 Staying Together - End of Main Text...
Transporting grain was not a spring outing; it had to be done close to the front lines, and the troops couldn't afford to move slowly. Therefore, Dai Li and the logistics team traveled day and night, rushing for six days, and finally arrived at Gengshui in Jingzhou.
Gengshui City was not on the outskirts of Jingzhou; it was located in the heartland. This shows that Qin Shaozong had made outstanding military achievements by conquering cities and plundering territories all the way south over the past six months.
Gengshui City had fallen, and the city could not accommodate the Northern Army. Qin Shaozong had no intention of disturbing the people, so the army remained encamped in the suburbs.
The arrival of the supply convoy at the front-line camp immediately sparked a wave of excitement. Who wouldn't be overjoyed to have supplies delivered? The great victory they had just won could now be celebrated with a celebratory feast!
only……
"The mistress?" Mo Yanyun thought he had misread it, but upon closer inspection, the woman in the black riding outfit had a bright face, fair skin and red lips. Who else could she be but their mistress?
"Madam, what brings you here?" Mo Yanyun hurriedly went to greet her. "Was the journey arduous? Shall I brew you some tea?"
Dai Li cut to the chase, asking, "Where is Qin Changgeng? Is he in the main tent?"
Mo Yanyun's expression changed slightly, as if he was troubled and hesitant, "...Yes, I am."
Upon hearing his words, Dai Li immediately headed towards the large military tent in the camp, which was adorned with red tassels. Mo Yanyun hurriedly followed closely behind, saying, "Ah, Madam, please don't worry. Actually... actually, the Marquis is no longer in any danger."
Dai Li's breath hitched, her heart felt like it had been thrown into a dye vat or a bonfire, she couldn't even tell if it was bitterness or pain, "If it's not there now, does that mean it was there before?"
Mo Yanyun's eyes flickered, and he dared not speak.
Dai Li didn't want him to say anything, so she quickened her pace and went over.
It was noon, and the soldiers were eating three meals a day, provided they had enough food. Dai Li happened to see a cook carrying a food box toward the main tent, so she stopped him and took the food box from his hand.
As soon as Dai Li lifted the curtain and entered, a very strong medicinal smell hit her nose, making her feel for a moment as if she had fallen into a large medicine vat.
The main tent had limited space, unlike the master bedroom of the Marquis's mansion which had an inner and outer section. Therefore, Dai Li could see the man lying on the soft couch not far away at a glance.
He was wearing a black undergarment, with a thin blanket draped over his stomach, and was asleep with his eyes closed. Judging from his appearance alone, apart from being a little pale, Qin Shaozong did not appear to be injured anywhere.
But she knew him. Qin Changgeng was extremely energetic. He could be full of energy even after sleeping for only two hours a day. She had heard Qiao Wangfei and the others say that when he led troops, it was common for him to go a whole day and night without sleep.
It was still broad daylight, and the fighting had temporarily subsided, so he had nothing to do and actually fell asleep...
Dai Li looked at it for a while, then quietly walked over and placed the food box on the table. The wooden food box collided with the table of the same material, and even though Dai Li had moved very gently, it still made a slight sound.
Having apparently not heard any footsteps, the man on the couch twitched his brow. He said with his eyes closed, "Put the things down and then leave."
Dai Li heard that his voice was not as strong as usual, but it was not as weak as a whisper, so she breathed a sigh of relief. "Eat your food while it's hot."
The man on the couch suddenly opened his eyes and sat up abruptly. He stiffened for a moment, his face turning pale for a second, but his lips twitched slightly, and his face remained expressionless.
Dai Li was startled by his actions. "What are you doing? Lie down properly!"
Qin Shaozong's eyes gleamed as he looked her up and down, as if confirming that this wasn't a dream. Once he was sure, he beckoned Dai Li over, "Madam, what brings you here?"
“Of course I came to see you. You only wrote nice things in your letter, but you didn’t tell me the truth at all. How can you only report good news and not bad news?” Dai Li walked over, but did not sit down on the couch, even though Qin Shaozong moved over to make room for her.
Qin Shaozong smiled without saying a word and took her hand, intending to lead her to the bed.
Dai Li stood still, not wanting to push him. "I heard you were shot by an arrow on the battlefield and didn't leave your tent for several days after being wounded. Where were you injured? What did Mr. Ding say? Is there a problem with your bright armor? Otherwise, how could you be so badly injured?"
A barrage of questions came at him, but the man didn't answer any of them. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled up higher and higher, and finally he chuckled softly.
Hearing him still laughing, Dai Li, who had been tormented by anger the whole way, became annoyed and said in a more serious tone, "I'm talking to you, Qin Changgeng. Stop grinning and be serious! These are very serious issues!"
"It's just a minor injury." Qin Shaozong pulled her to sit on the couch. "When did you set off for Jingzhou, Madam? Did you encounter anything on the way?"
He brushed it off lightly with a simple "It's just a minor injury," saying nothing more, as if the stiffness he felt when he stood up had never existed, and even asked her about it.
Dai Li felt a tightness in her chest. The worries, anxieties, and fears she had experienced on the road, along with the uncontrollable fantasies she had during sleepless nights, were now fermenting and surging in her veins, finally turning into a surge of hot blood that rushed to her face and into her eyes.
She didn't want to sit down at all, and stood up abruptly. "Qin Changgeng, why are you still the same?! You never tell me anything. I didn't ask before, but now even when I ask, you still won't tell me. You shoulder everything yourself, big and small. Have you ever considered my feelings? Is this how a husband should act?!"
Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, Qin Shaozong felt like his head was about to explode. "Madam, don't cry, I didn't..."
He wanted to stay overnight.
"Don't move! Who told you to get up? Who gave you permission to get up? You stay in bed!" Dai Li scolded him.
The man stopped moving helplessly. "Alright, alright, I won't move. Don't cry, madam. I feel uncomfortable all over when you cry."
"Don't try to smear me! You're clearly uncomfortable because you're injured, what does that have to do with me?" Dai Li turned her eyes away.
Qin Shaozong sighed and reached for her hand again. Dai Li tried to shake him off, but as soon as she moved her hand, she heard a very exaggerated gasp.
Dai Li pursed her lips tightly, knowing he was faking it. He was genuinely uncomfortable when he got up earlier, but he barely showed it. She had only moved a little, not punched him, so stop with the self-inflicted injury act.
One dissatisfaction after another welled up inside her, but Dai Li didn't pull her hand away, letting him pull her back onto the couch.
Dai Li sat sideways, not facing him.
“I have fought on the battlefield for many years, and those wounds are nothing more than superficial injuries to me. But my lady…” Qin Shaozong raised his hand to touch the corner of her red eyes and gently stroked her wet black eyelashes, “Your tears feel like a thousand arrows piercing my heart, and I can’t sit still when I see them.”
"You're restless? I saw you lying to me with a clear conscience." Dai Li turned and glared at him.
Qin Shaozong said in a low voice, "I didn't mean to lie to you. I just wanted to tell my wife after I returned in triumph..."
Under her angry glare, Qin Shaozong remained unfazed. "Dai Li, I am your man. What kind of man lets his woman cry every day? Even if the sky falls down, you don't need to care. I will hold it up myself."
Dai Li gritted her teeth, "Qin Changgeng, can't you tone down your damn male chauvinism? We're husband and wife, and husband and wife should be honest with each other. You're so badly injured you can't even leave the military tent, and you're still saying it's just a minor injury? What if..."
She couldn't continue, her voice choked with sobs, and her vision became severely blurred.
Qin Shaozong was not afraid of her harsh scolding or her ignoring him, but he was completely helpless when it came to her tears. He hurriedly took something from the bed to wipe her tears, saying, "Don't cry, there's no 'what if,' I promise there won't be. Your husband is very healthy and will live to be a hundred years old with you."
Dai Li felt that the handkerchief was too big, it could even cover her face. She grabbed his wrist and pushed him away a little. The more she looked at the "handkerchief", the more familiar it seemed.
Several thin ribbons hung down, apricot-colored, one side of which was embroidered with delicate peony patterns.
It was clearly her undergarment!
This little garment is terribly wrinkled, like pickled vegetables, and the taste is a bit off. I wonder how many times it has been secretly ruined.
The sadness was abruptly interrupted; the emotion was stuck, neither rising nor falling, giving Dai Li a headache. She pinched the bridge of her nose, then snatched the handkerchief from Qin Shaozong's hand, quickly folded it, and stuffed it under his pillow.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Qin Shaozong laughed upon seeing this, "Why are you so disgusted with your own things?"
Dai Li didn't want to recall the fact that something had just been smeared on her face. "Qin Changgeng, where are you hurt?"
Qin Shaozong: "Right scapula."
Therefore, his right arm was not very mobile, making it difficult for him to write letters.
"Didn't you wear the Bright Armor when you went into battle?" Dai Li asked him, frowning.
The Mingguang armor has shoulder guards, providing excellent protection for the shoulders. There's no reason why Qin Changgeng, a veteran of countless battles, could be bedridden for days after being shot by a stray arrow while fully armed.
Qin Shaozong: "Yes, I'm wearing it."
“Then tell me the truth, and don’t hide anything. I’m in the military camp right now. Even if you don’t tell me, I can ask Mr. Ding, or Zhouzhou and the others,” Dai Li said seriously.
Qin Shaozong didn't want to talk about it, afraid it would upset her, but he knew that if he kept quiet, she would definitely ask others. So he tried to downplay it, "In the previous battle, Liu Zhan sent all his fiercest generals. First, they fought me head-on in a narrow passage, and then they dueled me under the city walls. In several smaller skirmishes, all the soldiers who fought me mainly attacked my right shoulder. After all, it's a weapon-wielding hand, and it's common for them to choose a secondary target since they can't hurt my heart. I didn't think much of it at the time..."
They attacked, but he was no pushover either, defending and then counterattacking. However, on the battlefield, with so many people and swords that have no eyes, it was impossible to cover every angle.
The enemy attacked again and again, and those fierce generals, like mad dogs, fought as if they had taken the wrong medicine, completely reckless. Even though there were many generals around him, they were still repeatedly swept away by the tail of the blade. But that was nothing, because he had deflected more than 70% of the force of each blow beforehand, and transferred the remaining force to his Bright Light Armor.
However, after blocking attack after attack, the right shoulder guard inevitably developed damage. While not completely rotten, it certainly wasn't as good as it was initially.
"...Later, she was shot with several arrows by others using heavy bows, and one of them was not blocked." Qin Shaozong saw that her face was slightly pale and quickly said, "It was just one arrow. Before your husband married you, he fought in many battles and had many arrow wounds. Besides, he was protected by the Bright Armor. That arrow was not actually stuck very deep."
He spoke calmly, but Dai Li was terrified. Seeing that he was still trying to gloss over the situation, she said angrily, "You're not telling the truth again, are you? If the arrow really wasn't that deep, why haven't you left the military tent since you were shot? Tell me everything, don't hide anything from me."
Qin Shaozong stroked her back as if he were petting a small animal, "I haven't left the military tent, firstly to make Liu Zhan think that my plan has succeeded, and secondly to mislead the Qinglian Sect."
As he finished speaking, Qin Shaozong sneered, "The biggest rats hiding in plain sight are the hardest to catch. They run away as fast as the wind blows or they sense something is wrong. If I'm safe, that Liudao guy Qin Er mentioned will definitely withdraw from Geng City quickly."
Hearing from Qin Er that the leader's two nephews had been eliminated, which was equivalent to losing his most important left and right arms, he did not believe that Liu Zhan could sit still now that he was at war with him, given the old and new grudges.
There's a very high chance that Liu Dao is in Gengcheng!
After Gengcheng fell, he immediately ordered the city to be sealed off and Qin Er to lead the search and arrest.
Dai Li's brows remained furrowed. Although he gave various reasons, she still felt something was amiss.
This person was clearly in great pain when he got up, and his daytime rest was genuine, not to mention the hesitation on Mo Yanyun's face at the time...
"You're still planning to keep it from me? Fine, then I'll go ask Mr. Ding myself. My lord, please rest." Dai Li stood up again.
Qin Shaozong's expression changed slightly.
Just then, Ding Lianxi's voice came from outside, "My lord, I've come to change your dressing."
Dai Li thought to herself that she had come at the perfect time and quickly welcomed Ding Lianxi inside. When the latter saw that she had actually come to the military camp, she was taken aback for a moment and then subconsciously looked at Qin Shaozong.
This small action was noticed by Dai Li.
She immediately stepped aside, blocking Ding Lianxi's view. "Mr. Ding, the Marquis just told me that his injuries are not serious and he doesn't want to continue lying down. He also said that after so many days, his injuries have almost healed and he doesn't want to go through the trouble of changing his dressings again."
"How can that be? Scraping the bone to remove the poison is no small matter!" Ding Lianxi blurted out.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Dai Li's face turn completely pale, all color draining from her face. Ding Lianxi was stunned and quickly went around to look at Qin Shaozong, only to see his lord glaring at him fiercely.
His heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong.
The mistress tricked him!
Just as she was about to say a few words of advice, Dai Li suddenly turned around, "Qin Changgeng, you're really something..."
Before she could finish her sentence, tears began to stream down her face.
Qin Shaozong was sitting on the couch, but when he saw the hot tears rolling down her cheeks, it felt like needles were pricking him. He could no longer stay still and got up.
"Lie back down! You won't listen to the doctor, and you won't listen to me either. Why don't you just sprout wings and fly away?" Dai Li scolded him.
Qin Shaozong didn't lie down. He went over and took her hand, whispering, "Madam, give me some face. Cong Jian is still here. Once he leaves, you can scold him however you want."
"What's the use of saving face? You're about to die, why bother with all that nonsense?" Dai Li sneered.
Ding Lianxi kept his eyes down, completely silent, and even wanted to disappear on the spot.
Qin Shaozong raised his hand to wipe away her tears. "You won't die. It would have been dangerous if you hadn't received treatment. Now that you've pulled through, everything is fine. Madam, please don't cry. It really breaks my heart to see you like this. Speaking of which, it's all thanks to that set of Bright Armor. Otherwise, the arrow would have gone in even deeper, and the poison would have been even harder to remove."
Dai Li ignored him and turned to Ding Lianxi, saying, "Please trouble you to change his dressing, sir."
"Madam, please wait for me outside." Qin Shaozong knew she was afraid to see those things.
Dai Li didn't leave the tent, but turned her back. There were rustling sounds behind her, but Qin Shaozong didn't utter a single snort. It was as if he didn't exist.
Ding Lianxi changed the dressing quickly, and soon finished. After giving some important instructions, he left quickly, afraid that if he was a step too slow, he would hear something he shouldn't have.
“Madam,” he called out.
Dai Li didn't want to talk to him, but she was worried that he would hurt his wound by getting off the bed without permission, so she had to turn away.
"Qin! Chang! Geng!" Dai Li looked at the man who was indeed about to get down and went over to him in a hurry and anger. "Where are your ears? Why don't you listen to a word Mr. Ding said? Do you want to die? Let me tell you the truth, I have no bottom line. I am not chaste. If I become a widow again, I will not resist having a new man."
"You dare?!" He didn't react to the other words, but the last sentence made him furious.
“Why wouldn’t I dare? You always say I’m full of the courage of a bear and the guts of a leopard, so what’s the big deal about finding a new man?” Dai Li pressed him back onto the bed. Seeing his fierce anger, she worried that his wounds would reopen, so she added, “So you have to live a long life, preferably a hundred years old, so we can grow old together.”
Qin Shaozong held her hand tightly, unsure whether it was anger or comfort, intense emotions surging in his chest, making it hard for him to calm down. He could only kiss her wrist heavily, "Don't worry, I will keep my word!"
Just as Dai Li was about to ask him about his injuries, someone outside reported, "Father, Liu Dao has been arrested."
It was Qin Yanzhou's voice.
Dai Li froze, about to get up to look, when she heard Qin Shaozong say, "After searching for a needle in a haystack for almost half a month, we finally caught them. Bring them in!"
Someone outside said, "Bring a rope over and tie it up a few more times. Even though his hands are useless, it's better to be safe than sorry."
Soon after, the curtain was lifted, and Dai Li saw Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian each pulling one person in from the left and right.
The man was dressed in a white robe, and was thin. His robe was stained with large patches of dark blood. He looked about six-tenths like Di Ting. Both had fair skin and handsome faces. Even though time had left some marks on his eyes, he still had a strange air of otherworldly elegance.
After Liu Dao entered the tent, he found that Qin Shaozong was not alone. He looked at Dai Li and instantly understood her identity. He suddenly chuckled and shook his head, "I thought you were like me, yearning for that blissful realm where everyone is equal. Now it seems I misjudged you."
He didn't name names when he said this, but the answer was in Liudao's eyes.
The veins on Qin Shaozong's forehead were taut.
"Who do you think you are, daring to speak to my mother like that!" Qin Qinian was furious and kicked him.
Liu Dao took the kick head-on, spitting out a mouthful of black blood. "Dai Nu, you are blinded by power. One day you will regret standing by his side. What is the Empress's position? How can it compare to the power to change the world?"
"Bring me the list of Qinglian Sect's core members, and I'll give you a quick death," Qin Shaozong said coldly.
However, from beginning to end, Liu Dao seemed disdainful and indifferent. He didn't even glance at Qin Shaozong, only looking at Dai Li, "I was just a step too late. If you had met me first, what would the situation be like today is still unknown..."
If Qin Shaozong could still hold back just now, he couldn't now. He got up in a rage, drew the sharp sword in front of the bed with his left hand, and went over to cut off Liudao's head with one stroke.
Qin Yanzhou hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, "Father, the list has not yet been received."
Qin Shaozong pushed the man aside, saying, "This man's left and right arms have been eliminated, and the Qinglian Sect has suffered a great loss of strength. Moreover, Qin Er, you are familiar with the sect's operating rules. Even if we can't get the list, it will only take a little more effort afterward, and they won't be able to cause any trouble! Get out of the way, I will kill him today!"
However, before Qin Shaozong could raise his sword, a large amount of black blood gushed from Liudao's seven orifices, just like when Bai Xiang died suddenly.
He took poison beforehand and died instantly from the poison.
Qin Shaozong angrily threw his sword to the ground, "He got off too easy! Cut this man's corpse into eight pieces and throw them into the mass grave to feed the dogs!"
Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian carried the corpse down together. The military camp was in the suburbs, not far from the mass grave.
When Qin Yanzhou arrived, he did not dismember and discard the body as Qin Shaozong had said. Instead, he had a deep pit dug and placed the six dead bodies inside intact.
"Second brother, why did you leave him with a whole body and even let him be buried? He deserves to be buried in peace." Qin Qinian was reluctant.
After burying the last clod of earth, Qin Yanzhou calmly said, "Consider it my way of repaying his last bit of kindness."
After the matter was over, Qin Yanzhou led everyone away.
He didn't turn around. A gust of wind carried withered leaves, swirling and rustling past. The lonely grave remained silent.
*
In the Battle of Gengshui, several fierce generals of the Jingzhou army were killed one by one by Qin Shaozong. The city fell and the army was defeated. Liu Zhan led his army to retreat again and again.
As if by prior arrangement, Nangong Xiong led his troops from Yizhou into the area at this time, joining forces with the Beidi army to launch a pincer attack on the Jingzhou army.
The ensuing war between the North and the South lasted for four months before a victor emerged, ending with Liu Zhan's defeat and suicide, and the complete collapse of the Southern forces.
At this point, looking around, apart from Qingzhou, the stronghold of Nangong Xiong, the whole world was in Qin Shaozong's hands.
Before Qin Shaozong could continue playing chess, Nangong Xiong arrived at the Northern Army overnight. The two talked in the tent for more than an hour, and finally, both host and guest left with smiles on their faces.
When news of the recapture of Jingyi reached the court, Empress Dowager Wang was restless.
With Liu Zhan's defeat, no one in the land could now check Qin Shaozong. The question was no longer whether the emperor had lost power, but whether his life could be saved…
If you don't retreat, you will die.
If I retire, I might still be able to live a comfortable life for the rest of my days.
This was not a difficult decision. When Qin Shaozong returned to the capital in triumph, an imperial edict of abdication was issued.
"...The world does not belong to one person, but to all people. It must be ruled by a virtuous person to ensure the eternal peace of the state and the well-being of the people. Now, there is Marquis Wu'an, Qin Changgeng, who is capable of both civil administration and military prowess in governing the country. Throughout the land, people look up to him with admiration. This is truly the mandate of heaven and the will of the people..."
Historical records indicate that Emperor Ren of Yan abdicated in 1846 to Emperor Taizu of Ning, marking the end of the Great Yan Dynasty and the beginning of a new, renowned, and dazzling Great Ning Dynasty.
In the 45th year of Yongde, which was the 1st year of Shengjing, Emperor Ning Taizu ascended the throne. On the same day, month, and year, Empress Daili, the birth mother of Emperor Ning Chengzong, was bestowed the title of Empress Shengwu, and thereafter the two emperors ruled together.
...
Wearing the Empress's court robes, Dai Li ascended the Star Gazing Platform in the palace with Qin Shaozong. From this vantage point, one could clearly see the entire imperial city and the distant mountains and rivers.
Looking at the beautiful scenery of the city, Qin Shaozong put his arm around the person next to him and said with a smile, "My lady, our country is as beautiful as a painting."
"You're speaking too soon. The new dynasty is in dire need of rebuilding. Only after everything is repaired can we say that the country is as beautiful as a painting," Dai Li said with a smile.
"Too……"
Having weathered many storms, I no longer possess the recklessness and impulsiveness of youth. I know that a vast chasm separates us, and I fully understand the price we must pay to know and stay together. But even so, I still want to overcome all obstacles and grow old with you.
Author's Note: Dengdeng likes to write about middle-aged love, which is actually what I mentioned in the last paragraph. They're no longer naive young men; they've become shrewd, adept at weighing pros and cons, and even indifferent through the trials of time.
He knows everything, understands everything, and is fully aware of the sacrifices and losses involved, but even so, he still wants to be with her no matter what. It's like the old house is on fire and he's determined to be with her!
Thank you all for your continued support. That concludes the story of Dai Dai and Lao Qin. ^_^
I'll mark this as complete for now. The number of bonus chapters (mostly slice-of-life) to be released will depend on the number of ratings and the overall reception. Please rate it as much as you can! (Shamelessly emphasizing this!)
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