Chapter 6: Being attacked from both sides is great, this is the effect she wants...
In the quiet pavilion by the pond, the breeze blew up the white bead curtain, and the pavilion was surrounded by guards and eunuchs without anyone noticing.
"Good move." A deep and steady voice sounded in the pavilion. The guard put down his hand holding the hilt of the sword and hid in the dark.
A hint of approval flashed in the emperor's eyes. Chess games can best reveal a person's mind and awareness of the overall situation, and at this moment he saw what he wanted on the chessboard.
Speaking of which, he had a sudden idea to come here today because he was in a bad mood. Recently, the famine in the south has become more and more serious. Many batches of relief grain have been sent but there has been no response. The war in the north is tense. Just like this chessboard, the Great Yin Dynasty is attacked from both sides.
"But what if we ambush them here?" The emperor wanted to test him, so he asked after leaving one child behind.
Qin Yuqing stared at the chessboard, thinking to himself that this was a dilemma. Although it was not a dead end, he would lose pieces whether he retreated or attacked.
Someone is bound to pay with his life for this.
Qin Yudan turned the chess piece in his hand with one hand. It seemed that there was no way out in this game, but in fact it was not. Necessary sacrifices could take the overall situation into consideration, so why not sacrifice that small number of chess pieces?
"What about this place?"
The emperor couldn't help but look at Qin Yuqing in surprise. He didn't expect that a woman could have such courage and strategy to directly use the surrounded chess pieces as a trap. This tactic of luring the enemy into a trap was well used.
Qin Yuqing smiled confidently and extended his hand, saying, "Please place your move."
The emperor then looked carefully at the woman in front of him. Her eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to his own, and she appeared in the harem. Could she be his child?
But if she was his child, why didn't he know of her existence? It was impossible that he had never noticed her. The emperor was filled with doubts and confusion.
"Sacrificing the small to save the big is good." The emperor's lips curled up into a barely perceptible smile. His voice, though soft, carried unquestionable authority. "But on the battlefield, sacrificing the small could also fall into the enemy's calculations."
The emperor took back Qin Yuqing's chess piece and then placed another one on the side. What should have been a situation of being attacked from both sides was connected to a way out because of this inconspicuous chess piece, and he became the only survivor.
"My chess skills are not very good." Qin Yuqing admitted frankly, "A chess game is like a battlefield. The life of every soldier should not be a gamble."
After saying that, Qin Yuqing stood up, bowed respectfully to the emperor, and then prepared to turn around and leave.
"Wait a moment." The emperor looked at the eunuch not far away and motioned him over. Qin Yuqing's back felt very familiar to him. Once upon a time, there was also a woman like this who had talked to him in this way, but he was old and could not remember it clearly.
"Who are you?"
Qin Yuqing turned around, saluted the emperor with neither arrogance nor servility, and replied, "My name is Qin Yuqing."
Upon hearing this, the emperor felt that the name was extremely familiar. He seemed to have named the child Yuqing in his memory, but he did not have the chance to live to see the child born. Judging from his age, he should be over eighteen years old.
Upon seeing this, the eunuch hurried forward and whispered in the emperor's ear, "This is the sixth princess born to Concubine Chen. Concubine Chen unfortunately passed away thirteen years ago, leaving only one daughter."
"Chen Cairen?" The emperor was surprised and confused. He didn't know whether he was surprised because this was Chen Cairen's child, or because he was shocked by the news that Chen Cairen had passed away.
He clearly remembered letting Concubine Chen leave the palace, having released her when the pregnancy was stable. So why was her child here? And why was she so pale and thin? What had happened all those years ago?
It was the same when he and Chen Cairen first met. At that time, she also put forward the view that "the game of chess has gains and losses, and advances and retreats are called Tao". If she were not a woman, if she were not so eager for freedom, if there were no criticism in the court, she would have become an important official in the court, and the situation in Dayin might be completely different now.
"Qing'er, come here." The emperor stood up and stretched out his hand towards Qin Yuqing, saying, "It's my father's fault. You have suffered so much over the years."
Qin Yuqing breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. She was worried when she came here. If the emperor and Concubine Chen really had a feud, then her initiative to find the emperor would completely ruin her life. But if she didn't find the emperor, how would she gain a foothold in this harem?
"Greetings, Father. Your words are too kind." Qin Yuqing replied respectfully, "Mother once told Qing'er that you, Father, are a wise ruler. A wise ruler should be busy with the people, not trapped in his house."
This was what Concubine Chen said to the original owner, and it was also the most important reason why Qin Yuqing decided to take the risk and come to the emperor to show his presence. How could he give birth to a child without raising it when he had such a considerate woman? Something unknown must have happened during this period.
"Qing'er was rude just now. I hope your Majesty can forgive me." Qin Yuqing bowed again.
The emperor shook his head slightly and glanced at the chessboard again. Suddenly, he remembered what the ministers had reported at the morning court. He was quite dissatisfied with the solutions proposed by the court at that time. Even the solution proposed by the prince, who had been taught since childhood, seemed too weak.
No one in the court, whether civil or military, could come up with an effective solution, which made him even more worried about the future of Dayin.
He will eventually grow old, and this country cannot be without a master for a day.
"Qing'er," the emperor asked after a moment's silence, "I have a question. The famine in the south is severe, and the relief grain has not improved the situation. Do you have any solution?"
Qin Yuqing was a little surprised when she heard this. It was a pleasant surprise that the emperor would ask her a question. She tilted her head to think about it, and answered carefully: "Your Majesty, this is an immature idea of yours. If I am wrong, I hope Your Majesty will correct me."
"Speak freely, but don't worry, this is not the court."
"I believe Father has long understood the fundamental reason. If food doesn't reach the people at the bottom, no matter how generously you donate to famine relief, the people won't remember your kindness. Instead, they'll continue to complain about why you're forcing them to work and pay taxes, and why you can't see their suffering."
"Go on." The emperor's eyes darkened. Qin Yuqing's words hit the mark. This was his primary concern. He wasn't worried about the treasury being empty; he was more concerned about the people not having enough food and clothing. However, as an emperor, he had to stay at court. He couldn't personally supervise the transportation of relief grain. Furthermore, with the war raging in the north, he couldn't leave the court easily.
"The root cause is that there are too many corrupt officials and rampant corruption. From the imperial court down to local officials, disaster relief food and money are being embezzled at every level, leaving very little for the people."
"Besides, if I remember correctly, the war in the north is intense. A large-scale reshuffle of officials at this moment could destabilize the government. Great Yin cannot afford such a risk, and we must not act rashly." Qin Yuqing's gaze fell on the spot on the chessboard where the emperor had placed his piece. "But father has a good plan in mind, doesn't he?"
"Just like this chess piece, though insignificant, it has become a path to survival under the Emperor's clever layout. And the Emperor can also find someone like this chess piece." Qin Yuqing sketched a portrait of this type of person in his mind and said, "This person in the capital is considered the most cold-blooded and ruthless, but in fact he is loyal and devoted. Everything that happens in the family is as easy for the Emperor to control as a finger."
"The best thing is that this family is despised by the wealthy families in the capital. It can be that the children in the family behave rudely, or have a strange personality, or even have a disability, but what is most important is that they are loyal, not blindly loyal."
After hearing what Qin Yuqing said, the emperor looked at his child seriously. Whether it was the previous chess game or these remarks, the daughter of Ning Cairen showed more foresight and skill than his other children. She was a rare talent.
Qin Yuqing was about to bow after she finished speaking when her stomach suddenly started to rumble, causing her cheeks to turn red.
The emperor looked at Qin Yuqing's pale lips, and a trace of heartache rose in his heart. Such a talented and strategic child was buried in the harem and no one cared about him.
It seems that some people in the harem have been restless for a long time, otherwise how could they dare to deceive him.
The emperor was about to say something when the eunuch reminded him, "Your Majesty, it's getting late. The birthday banquet for the Fourth and Fifth Princesses should begin soon."
The emperor reached out and took Qin Yuqing's hand, saying distressedly, "Come on, father will take you to eat something delicious." Then he turned to the eunuch and ordered, "Move the Sixth Princess's seat next to me."
The eunuch took the order and left in a hurry.
"See? This is the position I want." Qin Yuqing said to the system in his heart.
“Everything has just begun.”
Inside the palace, everyone was eagerly waiting. The time was approaching, but the emperor was still not here. Instead, a chair was added next to the emperor's seat. Everyone looked at the eunuch to ask, but they only received a brief reply.
"This is the Sixth Princess's seat."
Everyone was talking about who this Sixth Princess was and why they had never seen her before.
Qin Youran lowered her eyes slightly, her fingertips stroking the exquisite wine glass on the table, jealousy surging in her heart. She had worked hard for eighteen years to get to her current position. Why should Qin Yuqing, that waste, the child of an unfavored genius, be qualified to sit next to her father?
And there was Qin Qinqin, who said that she had just returned from the National Master Tower yesterday and felt a little tired today so she participated later. Wasn't it just to divert everyone's attention to her? Within half a year, she and Qin Qinqin would move out of the harem, and then some things would be inconvenient to do.
Qin Youran's nails dug deep into her flesh, but she was completely unaware.
Qin Yuqing followed the emperor into the hall and sat on a high seat. She felt the inquiring eyes focused on her.
"Father, this sister is so lovely. I wonder which sister she is?" Qin Youran walked forward affectionately, holding Qin Yuqing's hand, and his eyes could not hide the joy for Qin Yuqing.
If Qin Yuqing didn't have all the memories of the original owner, seeing Qin Youran's warm attitude, she would have suspected that she had misjudged the person before.
"This is your sixth sister, Qin Yuqing. She has been frail since childhood and has been recuperating in a temple. She was just brought back to the palace today." The emperor explained and extended his hand towards Qin Yuqing, "Come, Qing'er, come to your father."
Qin Yuqing withdrew her hand from Qin Youran with a smile and whispered to her, "Fifth sister, did you expect this day to come?"
Regardless of Qin Youran's reaction, Qin Yuqing walked calmly to the emperor and sat down, his eyes scanning everyone at the banquet one by one.
This time, she read fear in those eyes.
Great, that's the effect she wanted.
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