Chapter 60 060 Openly and Righteously Bringing Her Back
On that day, Qingli, accompanied by a three-horse carriage full of people, went to the new mansion in a lively and bustling manner.
These were just the commonly used items. Looking at the empty Liufeng Garden, she felt somewhat ashamed. Granny Huaying advised, "Miss, these were originally prepared for you. If you hadn't ordered that the tables and chairs not be moved, there would have been even more."
The butler wiped away his tears with his sleeve and said pitifully, "Miss, you must come back to visit often."
Qingli nodded in agreement.
Meng Qingshan held her tightly, afraid that he would impulsively pull her into his arms and hide her in the house so that she would never leave. He lowered his eyes, the churning emotions within them like a deep black hole about to drown her. "Don't promise if you can't do it."
Qingli felt a little flustered, looked away, and said to the butler, "I will come back."
Meng Qingshan pursed his lips. The closer it got to the time of departure, the less he could control himself. He thought that no matter how that old scoundrel tried to provoke him, he would just keep her by his side and watch over her. But seeing how she avoided him like the plague, like a sharp blade hanging over his eyes, made him uneasy.
He will see her off, but he will also openly and honestly welcome her back!
Unaware of Meng Qingshan's thoughts, Qingli looked at the small three-courtyard house and, like a jubilant little bird, felt that her long-awaited dream had finally come true.
She would no longer depend on others or live at their beck and call. She had to do even better to support Jiang Yue, Jiang Zhao, and the nannies who followed her. That day would not be far off.
Kitani, the envoy of the Great Di, also arrived at the post station outside the capital on a day in February.
Emperor Kang of Ming did not choose the guards from the main camp outside the capital, but instead chose the Imperial Guards. Meng Qingshan led his men to surround the post station completely. Meng Qingshan had once killed the second King of Hugu, who was also the uncle of the current King of Beigu. Among the envoys who came this time was the son of the second King of Hugu, who was already red-eyed when he saw Meng Qingshan.
Da Di hid behind and watched the show, hoping that the two sides would fight and the fisherman would benefit.
Meng Qingshan remained unmoved. On the frontier battlefield, his blade struck the northern valley, and the souls of the Di people were countless. The sharp and murderous intent emanating from his drawn blade shattered the ambitions of both sides.
Although he did not lead the Yan Yun Iron Guard, the Imperial Guards had been trained by him for some time, and the bandits and local tyrants within a hundred miles of the capital had been wiped out one by one. They operated in secrecy, acting quietly, with deadly precision and ferocity.
Before the negotiations even began, the arrogant attitude of the Great Di in Beigu had already been suppressed by the guards of the capital's palace.
The Second Prince, acting on behalf of the Emperor, received the envoys from both countries on behalf of the Court of State Ceremonial. He behaved appropriately, neither arrogant nor humble, and many court officials wrote letters praising the Second Prince's outstanding virtue, saying it was a blessing for the Great Jin Dynasty.
Emperor Mingkang looked at the stacks of memorials on his desk, and with the same words, he sneered. Looking at Dexi, who was cowering to one side like a quail, he became even angrier. "Are you scared out of your wits too?"
De Xi smiled obsequiously. He had caused such a huge mess last time and had been worried about losing his head. Hearing Emperor Ming Kang's mockery, he stepped forward with a fawning smile and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant has done something terrible and has been reflecting on it ever since."
Emperor Mingkang snorted and scolded, "Stop with your useless thoughts. You'll only end up losing more than you gain. If you're bored, go stay in the imperial kitchen."
The Imperial Kitchen, smoky and fiery, was the easiest place for things to go wrong and for people to be framed. If Emperor Mingkang continued to ignore him, Dexi would be restless and unable to eat or sleep. Hearing Emperor Mingkang speak angrily, he knew this was his chance. He quickly slapped his face twice and said dejectedly, "Your Majesty, this old servant is a worthless person. Please don't be angry with this old servant. I regret it so much that my intestines will turn green."
Emperor Mingkang glared at Dexi, knowing that his old servant, who had served him for many years, was always self-disciplined. If he knew that the eldest prince was so outspoken, he would want to stay far away from him.
Dexi's eyes darted around, his heart pounding wildly. He didn't know what was wrong with him these days; he kept making small, seemingly random mistakes. But when he looked closely, they seemed perfectly logical and flawless. He saw the Emperor watching him and a bitter smile crept into his eyes.
What do you think of the Second Prince?
Dexi felt a chill run down his spine, and a wry smile appeared on his face. After stammering for a while, he finally managed to say, "It's...it's fine."
"Oh? You think so too?"
"Oh? Is that so?" Dexi's heart alarm bells rang, and he hurriedly added, "The Second Prince's filial piety is evident. When His Majesty caught a cold last time, the Second Prince stood outside the palace every day, waiting for you to finish your medicine before leaving the palace."
"Oh? Why don't you report it?"
"This servant must report that the Second Prince was worried about causing you further concern, so he stopped this servant."
Emperor Mingkang's expression softened slightly. It wasn't that Dexi was praising the Second Prince, but rather that he couldn't get involved in the vortex of choosing an heir, so he could only steer the matter in another direction.
"Enough with the reprimands. Summon Meng Qingshan back."
The last assassination attempt by the eldest prince failed, but Emperor Mingkang has become wary of his sons. If it weren't for the fact that these two small country traitors are still plotting against him, he wouldn't have used Meng Qingshan to intimidate them. He can't live without Meng Qingshan's protection now, and he has been feeling uneasy for several days.
Finally, on the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival of the Great Jin Dynasty, a time when all things are reviving and spring is in full bloom, the envoy of the Great Di paid homage to Emperor Mingkang of the Great Jin Dynasty at the royal manor on the banks of the Pangshui River on the outskirts of the capital, Beigu. Officials and their families attended the banquet.
On the Shangsi Festival, people would go to the water's edge to bathe, and dip willow branches in water to ward off evil spirits. Then, dressed in new clothes, they would go to the countryside for a spring outing, participate in sacrificial banquets, and seek good fortune in marriage or having children. From high-ranking officials to ordinary people, everyone was very lively. Emperor Kang of the Ming Dynasty chose this day to demonstrate the prosperity and peace of the Great Jin Dynasty and the abundance of talented people.
The Pangshui River originates from Shizhe Mountain, at the border of the Northern Di Kingdom, and flows eastward into the sea. The two small countries suffer from severe droughts in summer and winter, with the sky freezing and the earth closing in. They are always short of water and food. The snowmelt from the high mountains is like a divine gift. When the snow melts in spring, it nourishes the vast grasslands, making the horses fat and the sheep strong. It is a resource that the two countries are vying for.
The envoys from both countries, seeing the sacred water they regarded as a treasure become a source of amusement for those who spouted benevolence and morality in the capital, felt a mixture of inferiority and rage, and their expressions changed drastically.
The Pangshui River flows through the royal manor, and it is a section of the river with a calm current. The peach blossoms are in full bloom, with pink and white flowers intertwined and a sweet fragrance filling the air. On both sides of the river, there are banquets set up along the winding stream, where men and women gaze at each other in a hazy, dreamlike way, without losing their composure.
Emperor Kang of Ming was delighted to see this and praised Consort Liu for her cleverness.
Qingli frowned slightly as she listened to the long list of gifts bestowed upon Consort Liu by the head eunuch. Consort Liu was dressed in a bright red imperial concubine's palace gown, with a red-gold hairpin swaying slightly on her elaborate phoenix hair bun, making many of the officials' wives and concubines dare not look directly at her. Consort Liu's attire was indeed somewhat inappropriate, but the Empress had been ill for a long time, and in just two short months, the entire palace had reached the point where they only knew Consort Liu and not the Empress.
Qingli knew the truth and felt that the Emperor was intentionally praising her and slapping the Empress in the face.
The crowd scattered. Qingli pulled Tang Shuqing to find the Second Princess. The Second Princess forced herself to stay awake, her smile somewhat stiff. "Qingli, Shuqing."
The three exchanged sachets of fragrant herbs, which are believed to ward off evil spirits during the Shangsi Festival. Qingli took her hand, which was icy cold, and felt a pang of heartache. "Don't worry, it won't happen."
Tang Shuqing also warmed the second princess's other hand in his own, and nodded emphatically.
"snort!"
A soft snort came from the side. Qingli looked in the direction of the sound and saw the eldest princess dressed in a pale yellow brocade dress. She was looking at Chen Lihui with some dissatisfaction. Her clothes were very low-key, but there was no worry in her eyes. Her eyes were even more arrogant and domineering. Qingli couldn't help but frown.
Ling Shuyao, who had been anxious for many days, felt her eyes well up with tears after being comforted by her friend. Qing Li noticed that someone was watching them and turned around to block the gaze.
Qingli raised her voice and asked, "This is my first time visiting this royal estate. Would the princess please accompany me for a walk?"
One on the left and one on the right, they protected the second princess as they walked not far away. The best strategy today was to hide in the crowd and not attract attention. The three of them found a secluded spot under the trees, and Ling Shuyao finally relaxed and leaned on Qing Li's shoulder and cried her heart out. But even when she cried, she didn't dare to let go and could only sob softly.
For a moment, Qingli was speechless, her throat felt blocked, and she choked up, unable to persuade her. She hugged her tightly and swore, "Don't worry, it won't go that far."
Tang Shuqing's eyes were red as she hugged the two of them. The three of them embraced and cried, but then they looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Qingli encouraged them, "Defeat before the battle even begins is not our style!"
After crying, Ling Shuyao regained some of her energy and said, "Yes, I was worrying unnecessarily. My father loves me dearly and will definitely not want me to go... but someone has to go..."
Ling Shuyao is kind-hearted and always wants the best of both worlds. Qingli feels a pang of sadness at the thought of an unmarried girl, in the prime of her life, going to a foreign land with sandstorms.
For some reason, she desperately wanted to see Meng Qingshan at this moment. He always had a solemn and indifferent expression, but in fact, he had strict bottom lines in everything. She was afraid of his domineering and fierce nature when she was young, but she also inexplicably relied on him in her heart.
She thought that a proud man like him would never stoop to exchanging women for personal gain.
When they first met in Yanmen City, the dancer was half-naked and almost pressed against him. He looked at her coldly, which frightened her so much that she dared not approach. Instead, he threw the tablecloth at her as if annoyed. Only when he saw the woman's shivering body did he slowly calm down.
From that time on, she planned to use him to escape from the Prince of Dingxi's mansion. As expected, things went as planned. She herself did not realize that she had an extraordinary level of trust in him, and even sometimes doubted what happened back then. In fact, he did not know either.
A series of heavy footsteps brought Qingli back to her senses. A group of imperial guards walked across the stone bridge over the Pangshui River. Qingli's eyes flickered slightly, and then met Meng Qingshan's gaze. She saw that his brows were very heavy and his expression was somewhat displeased.
Qing Li's heart skipped a beat. She thought that there hadn't been any problems between the two of them in recent days. Could it be something that happened today?
They were heading north, and they could clearly hear the women laughing and talking under the trees to the south. They didn't expect them to come this way, but Lu Yunye quickly walked over the moment they stepped off the bridge, grabbed Ling Shuyao, and led her to the back of the palace.
After Tang Shuqing reacted, she wanted to chase after Ling Shuyao, but Ling Shuyao stopped her.
"What’s wrong with you?"
A loud thud sounded above her head, startling Qingli. She asked blankly, "What happened to me?"
Meng Qingshan's eyebrows were prominent, and his armor made his face appear even more cold and stern. With such deep eyes staring at him, Tang Shuqing was startled and hid behind her. Qingli touched her face and found nothing wrong.
Meng Qingshan had excellent eyesight and had seen the three of them embracing just now. This place was not within his patrol area, but he still made the trip before the banquet started because he was really worried about her. The Second Princess was her cousin, and she valued family ties. This matter was not easy for her to bear.
Even he couldn't be sure what the Emperor would decide. In his opinion, Beigu and Dadi were not to be feared. Sending women to marry foreign rulers would not eliminate their wolfish ambitions. It would be better to fight to the death on the battlefield. Why add innocent people to the mix?
Judging from the incident involving the eldest prince, Emperor Mingkang may be diligent and love his people, but he is too indecisive when it comes to the throne. Furthermore, Meng Qingshan vaguely felt that Emperor Mingkang was narrow-minded.
But when he got closer, he saw that her eyes were red, which made him feel angry towards the Second Princess and even Lu Yunye.
Qingli suddenly realized what had happened and wanted to ask him for help, so she briefly explained what had just happened.
"Be careful, I'll send someone to inform you if anything happens."
Qingli was overjoyed; this was the help he was going to provide.
The resounding drums and horns shook the very soul, and for a moment, heaven and earth seemed to fall silent.
Meng Qingshan turned and strode away. Qingli's heart clenched, and she said urgently, "Be careful too."
Lu Yunye ran out quickly from behind the hall and caught up with Meng Qingshan. Meng Qingshan lowered his head and clearly scolded him a couple of times. Lu Yunye stopped joking around and Qingli knew that things were probably not as easy as she thought.
Amidst toasts and laughter, perhaps war can be stopped, battles can cease, and countless people can live happily and peacefully in a prosperous era. Or perhaps it requires an exchange of interests, in which case who will be sacrificed?
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