Chapter 86 086 Goodbye Song Zhang
Meng Qingshan returned to the Meng residence in the evening. Although the house was new, having only been occupied for two years, Meng Qingshan still had the steward renovate it and purchase a whole set of pear wood furniture. The curtains fluttered, and the windows were half-closed, creating an exceptionally elegant atmosphere.
"That's thoughtful of you."
Steward Chen hurriedly declined, "Sir, these are all your orders. This old servant is just a purchasing agent."
Meng Qingshan's expression was unusually amiable. He looked around, and the image of Qingli bustling about came to mind. She often reclined on the couch, reading miscellaneous notes. Beside her was a small table with a pot of tea and two fresh flowers. When her eyes got tired, she would go to the table, where two newly released colorful carp were swimming happily. The window was open, revealing a garden full of blooming flowers, flowers of all four seasons, never showing any signs of fading. Two rows of green bamboo along the wall rustled in the wind, a lush and verdant sight.
She was all alone in Chuzhou, and he couldn't rest easy about her, unable to sleep day and night. He regretted letting her go out because he had been soft-hearted back then, and that was the thing he regretted most in recent days.
The officialdom in Chuzhou was a den of snakes and rats; he wouldn't feel at ease unless he went there personally. The night was deep, but it couldn't compare to the intensity of his gaze.
The butler glanced at the figure that flashed past the doorway and whispered, "Sir, the old lady has sent someone again."
Meng Qingshan seemed not to hear, and just waited quietly. In the late autumn night, the cold air was sharp, and it stung a little when you breathed it in.
An hour later, a few hurried footsteps arrived at the courtyard. The man clasped his hands and whispered, "My lord, His Majesty has issued a secret edict summoning you to Chuzhou immediately."
It's here! This is the moment Meng Qingshan has been waiting for these past few days.
The steward felt a gust of wind before his eyes, and when he looked again, the master had already reached the door. Jiang An peeked in at the door, met the steward's eyes, and then disappeared in a flash. The steward didn't have time to call her back. That girl must have gone to inform the old lady. Just as he thought this was bad, his eyes lit up and he understood the strange things that had happened today.
In just three short days, things seemed to have changed again in the palace. The Empress fell ill again, Consort Liu was summoned by the Emperor again, and news of her return to favor spread like wildfire. People in the palace began to curry favor with Shang Qichun Palace again, but they dared not do so openly. Emperor Mingkang severely punished many officials for some unknown reason, and for a time, there was a sense of unease and everyone was on edge.
Twenty miles outside Chuzhou City, the messenger who had inquired about the situation reported back, "Sir, Songjiapo stretches for dozens of miles, and it is guarded by government troops. There is no way to get around it."
Some people were indignant, saying, "If we can't get around it, then we'll force our way through! This is the land of the Great Jin Dynasty, not the land of corrupt officials from Chuzhou!"
Someone criticized, "What nonsense!"
The remaining men all wore angry expressions. They were all imperial guards specifically chosen by Meng Qingshan, bearing imperial authority, and coming from noble families. They were of high status and were pampered, and had never experienced such tense pressure before.
This is tantamount to rebellion! Some people don't believe it, but they can't help but believe it. The facts are right in front of them. What about their self-righteous pride? After a moment, they all calmed down. The descendants of aristocratic families have been instilled with the idea of life-or-death struggle since childhood. A certain thought rose in their hearts.
Everyone looked at Meng Qingshan, who was inside with his eyes closed and pretending to be asleep. What was he thinking?
As the last rays of sunlight faded on the third day, Meng Qingshan opened his eyes. His gaze was firm and cold, and with a single sweep, he suppressed any unease.
Chuzhou is located in the south. While the capital city has already declined, Chuzhou remains damp, and the stench of blood lingers in the thick air. This place is still thirty miles away from Chuzhou, indicating that it is fraught with danger.
Meng Qingshan came from the lowest social class among these people, but as soon as he spoke, everyone else held their breath: "Is there a way around Songjiapo?"
"Yes, there is..."
Meng Qingshan looked over, and the man immediately said, "There is a mountain in the northwest of Songjiapo called Maishan. It has towering cliffs and is surrounded by miasma all year round. If you take a wrong step, you will die. If you cross it, you can enter Chuzhou."
Meng Qingshan tied up the bundle and ordered, "You all stay here and guard this place."
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then stood up and surrounded him, saying in unison, "No, sir!"
Meng Qingshan lifted his eyelids, drifted over, and said indifferently, "Why not?"
Such composure is like taking a leisurely stroll, rather than venturing into an unpredictable abyss.
"We are all acting under your orders, sir. How can we let you be in danger while we enjoy the benefits in the rear?"
“Sir, Haze Mountain? Just from the name, one can tell it’s a desolate and barren place. There must be another way.”
"Yes, sir, His Majesty only ordered us to come to Chuzhou to investigate, not that we have to enter Chuzhou."
This was pure deception, and some people blushed and lowered their heads.
Meng Qingshan patted the man on the shoulder and said frankly, “Now that the situation in Chuzhou has come to this point, you have all thought about it. This matter involves many things and is beyond our control. Even if we report that we can’t get in, we can still get by. But I must go into Chuzhou. And it’s not all for Chuzhou’s sake. You know that my wife is trapped in Chuzhou. Even if it’s a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair, I will still go.”
If it were just a grand and respectable statement, no one would believe it. They're not three-year-olds; why should they be ordered to risk their lives based on a few words from you? But Meng Qingshan spoke frankly, not out of deceit or treachery, but out of love and affection for his children, which deeply moved everyone.
Everyone crowded around, exclaiming, "I'll go! I'll go!"
After a brief pause, Meng Qingshan solemnly replied, "Okay!"
A burst of excitement ensued, everyone rubbing their hands together, their spirits soaring.
Inside Chuzhou City, corpses lay strewn across the streets, emitting the stench of blood and rotting flesh. Outside, soldiers continued their looting. The door of an inn was kicked open, and a soldier used a knife to pry open the bedding and bundles, searching the area. "Sir, no one's here."
"The register records dozens of people staying here." The leader's face was sinister. Because of the countless murders he had committed in recent days, his eyes were bloodshot, as if possessed by an evil spirit. He flipped through the register in his hand and said in a low voice, "Even the manager is not here. He must have been hidden away."
"But we've ransacked the city, and there aren't many people left."
"Damn it!" the leader cursed. "If they still manage to get away like this, things will get really bad. Keep searching!"
The inn was already deserted, with its doors and windows wide open. It had rained all night yesterday, and the road was flooded with blood, which was being swept up by the soldiers' hurried march.
Outside the Chuzhou Kiln, Yun Li and Yun Xiu returned to the secret passage. "Miss, the road is passable."
The shopkeeper's face lit up with joy, but he put on an arrogant expression and said, "Would I lie to you?"
The dagger was withdrawn from his neck, and the shopkeeper breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the young lady beside him, he felt a little scared. He thought that although this person was a woman, she was incredibly bold. Not only did she see through the sleeping potion he had secretly put there, but she also locked him up and used all sorts of means to coerce and entice him, leaving him no choice but to reveal this place. He didn't expect there to actually be a secret passage.
Yun Li rebuked, "You still have the nerve to claim credit? You have ulterior motives and want to sell us to the government soldiers. Aren't you afraid of being locked up in the middle of the night?"
"Every man for himself, or the world will destroy him. How can I escape unscathed if I don't hand you over?"
"You are aiding and abetting a tyrant."
"That's because the officials of the Great Jin Dynasty disregard human life. What can I, an ordinary citizen, do?"
Yun Li glared angrily, wanting to beat the shopkeeper up.
Qingli waved her hand to stop them, thinking to herself that it had never seen the light of day for many years. As soon as they opened it, dust flew up and a musty smell pungently wafted in. Combined with the dampness and bloody stench that rushed in, it was nauseating. To save time, she braided her hair and wrapped it in a handkerchief. Her face was solemn and her complexion was cold and clear, exuding a kind of righteous aura that had purged the evil spirits.
The shopkeeper fell silent, looking dejected. His neighbors, who had been laughing and joking just a few days ago, had been killed so easily. He was ruthless, but this was the way of Chuzhou; he had no say in the matter. He could only live one day at a time.
Qingli stood up. Song Zhang didn't recognize anyone else but her. "I'll go there myself."
"Miss, no! There are guards every three steps inside the kiln, with a hundred soldiers stationed there. They are all fully armored and clearly have ill intentions. They are not easy to deal with."
Qingli hesitated for a moment, then continued walking forward and slowly asked, "How many days has this kiln been firing?"
Yun Xiu replied, "The fifteenth."
"How many days will it take to fire the porcelain needed for the palace?"
The shopkeeper answered quickly, "The fifteenth."
Everyone gasped. Regardless of whether the porcelain was genuine or not, it needed to be loaded onto an official ship and sent to the capital tonight. As for the people outside... no one dared to think about it further.
Qingli wanted to rescue Song Zhang, and not just him alone. His life hung by a thread, but she had to go no matter how difficult it was. "How are the preparations outside going?"
Yun Xiu and Yun Li have been circling around Chuzhou Kiln these days, exploring every corner thoroughly. They're not just staring blankly; they found an old man who guided them through the Misty Mountain. The old man was once a craftsman in charge of fireworks and firecrackers for the Chuzhou government. He had some inside information and had taken his family to hide in the mountains in advance to make fireworks and firecrackers to smuggle and resell outside the Misty Mountain.
In the past, several people would make the trip every three months. Half a year ago, the Haze Mountain began to descend into chaos, and the timing of the trip became irregular. To prevent trouble, the old man had not left his house, leaving his goods unsold. However, his daughter-in-law fell seriously ill, forcing him to risk a trip with his son. They happened to run into them, and upon hearing this, Yun Xiu bought all of the old man's goods, paying extra for them.
Qingli praised him for his intelligence, saying that fireworks and firecrackers were a kind of explosive. She instructed the two of them to bury the items around the Chuzhou kiln, as they would be used that night.
"Don't worry, Miss."
Yun Xiu was reliable and trustworthy. She took the crossbow and led the group out of the secret passage. All ten of them were dressed like patrolling soldiers. Along the way, they passed by password tokens at every checkpoint. Everywhere they looked, soldiers had already thrown corpses into the furnace, a cruel act.
The surviving craftsmen were all hesitant and kept their heads down, not daring to make the slightest move. They mechanically went about their tasks, and if anything went wrong, the besieging soldiers would immediately lash out with their barbed whips. The craftsmen did not make a sound, biting their lips as they got up and quickly got back to work.
Qingli closed her eyes briefly and continued walking forward. Song Zhanghui possessed exquisite carving skills, and according to Meng Qingshan, he would definitely include the intricate patterns on the swords and blades.
Sure enough, Qingli saw Song Zhang, whose face was thin and sallow, his head bowed over his weapon. As if sensing something, he glanced at her, his eyes widening instantly before turning away.
But it was too late.
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