Chapter 25 025 Lord Garrison Commander, are you here to pick up the girl?
Fifteen miles outside the capital, in a camp, thick candles, as thick as an arm, burned brightly in the tents, flickering in the wind and casting dim light on everyone's faces.
General Feng Wuxiu sat in his tent, staring intently at Meng Qingshan. He was extremely displeased, even furious. The wolf cub he had personally promoted had become wild and dared to disobey him.
The only option is to tighten the reins and guide him back to the right path.
Qi Zhaoxin looked indignant. He had just taken a step when Meng Qingshan moved a step away, casting half of his shadow on Qi Zhaoxin. Meng Qingshan clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "I will obey the general's orders."
"In that case, you shall pass on the message. Do not let a small matter cause a major loss and delay your journey to the capital tomorrow."
"Yes!" Meng Qingshan left the tent, and Qi Zhaoxin and the other five left together. When they entered the tent, only Qi Zhaoxin remained, with all the brothers of the Yan Yun Iron Guard standing inside.
They were all clad in armor, ready for battle, and surrounded him, as if he could launch a swarm attack at any moment with a wave of his arm.
Qi Zhaoxin, panting heavily, glared angrily and said in bewilderment, "General, your actions have completely dampened the spirits of the soldiers below. We are hot-blooded young men who have risked our lives to make a name for ourselves, and yet at this crucial moment, you are being sent back to Yunzhou. I am not satisfied!"
A chorus of agreement erupted, "We refuse to accept this! We refuse to accept this!"
"alright!"
Meng Qingshan glanced around and calmly questioned, "Think about those brothers who will stay in Yunzhou forever. They swore to share honor and disgrace, and now you're handing over the promotions and wealth that are within your grasp. How can you face them?! This reward doesn't belong to you alone."
"Furthermore, I hold an official position, so why should I worry about not returning?"
The Yan Yun Iron Guards were fierce and invincible in battle, and they only recognized Meng Qingshan. After being reprimanded by him, they all quieted down.
Qi Zhaoxin, however, was unwilling to give up. He sat to one side and said resentfully, "You old codger, isn't it because you're too powerful that you overshadow the emperor?"
Qi Zhaoxin was always cautious in his words and actions, but it seems he was suppressed too much this time and actually said these things. Meng Qingshan smiled and said that Feng Wuxiu came from a family with a hundred-year history and had made great military achievements. He considered himself the legitimate heir and was a supporter of the eldest prince who came from the empress's palace. From the day he stopped paying his respects to the eldest prince, punishment would always fall on his head.
Without the backing of powerful families, he ventured into the vortex of power alone. The shortcuts he took might lead to an abyss, so he might as well harden his heart and fight his way out.
He stepped forward and patted Qi Zhaoxin on the shoulder, saying, "Since you know that acting impulsively will only play into his trap, stop thinking about it and come with me to go horseback riding."
Qi Zhaoxin drew his leather whip from his waist, called to the two men, and the horses neighed. The four of them sped into the thick darkness like arrows released from a bow.
Tonight, dark clouds shrouded the area, with a light mist drifting by, veiling the already dim moonlight like a gauze, making everything extremely dark. A layer of frost had formed on the ground, and the horses' hooves clattered softly on it.
Meng Qingshan stopped his horse, but the rustling sound grew clearer. He stood up, looked over, dismounted, and said, "Hide."
The two led their horses to a distance, where Meng Qingshan and Qi Zhaoxin hid in a hollow. Frost clung to their armor, and the autumn chill seeped in, causing Qi Zhaoxin to shiver and mutter, "It's colder than Yunzhou."
As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of horses appeared before them, their hooves moving swiftly and lightly, their horseshoes gleaming coldly—the kind of horses only found in military camps.
The appearance of military cavalry on the outskirts of Kyoto was indeed unusual. Qi Zhaoxin sensed something was amiss and carefully tucked himself in. Meng Qingshan looked at the solemn and calm face of the leader and wondered what he was doing here and where he was going.
A sudden thought flashed through his mind, and he paused for a moment before slowly saying, "The main camp outside the capital."
Qi Zhaoxin repeated in surprise, feeling a chill run down his spine. The imperial camp in the suburbs of the capital was the emperor's personal army, protecting the safety of the capital region. Without the emperor's personal order, not a single soldier could be sent out.
This... Kyoto is indeed a deep and dangerous place.
"Let's follow them and see."
Meng Qingshan whistled, removed his armor and hid it in his bundle, covered his face with a black cloth, and after everything was ready, he followed behind at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Before even approaching the main camp on the outskirts of the capital, shouts of battle and the sounds of swords clashing echoed through the sky, flames soared into the heavens, and it was clear that people were fighting fiercely inside. Meng Qingshan calmly observed the scene, with no intention of rushing in.
The horse was slightly uneasy from the strong smell of blood and could not be calmed down. Meng Qingshan turned his gaze to the group of people standing on the other side of the mountain. Faced with this scene, the warhorses under them only swayed slightly.
They either adapted to the fierce battle before them, or they were skilled horse trainers who could control their horses exceptionally well.
"This horse was brought up halfway; it needs extra training when we get back," Qi Zhaoxin whispered to himself.
Through the thick darkness of the night, Meng Qingshan glanced at the man and sighed inwardly at his detached observation. He thought to himself that the man was not someone to befriend. After a moment's thought, he waved his hand and stepped back.
The camp outside the capital was unusually lively tonight. A group of people escorted a carriage and sped into the camp. They quickly quelled the disturbance. The Fourth Prince, Ling Zizhan, rode back. When he passed a corner, he stopped his horse to take a look and then gave up.
The commotion and excitement of the army entering the capital reached even Qingli in the backyard. The servants below were beaming with joy, each receiving three months' worth of bonuses, including Jiang Yue and the others.
Qingli let out a wail; being able to see it but not be able to touch it was too torturous.
These past few days she had been planning to use the same method she used at the Prince of Dingxi's mansion: to pass off a fake as the real thing. Since he wouldn't ask for it back once she had it on her person, she lazily thought that it would be nice if she had a monthly allowance.
She heard that the Emperor was overjoyed and rewarded all the soldiers, but for some reason the reward did not reach the Meng residence. These past two days, she had been listening to news more closely and heard rumors circulating in the palace that the Crown Prince had behaved improperly in court and had been severely reprimanded by the Emperor.
Meng Qingshan personally experienced this matter, but it was really nothing special. At first, he did not understand the reason behind it, until a few words led him to the camp in the suburbs of the capital. He suddenly became alert, and then the emperor appointed him to the camp in the suburbs of the capital as the acting commander.
After accepting the offer, Meng Qingshan couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself. Feng Wuxiu had failed, and so had he, who didn't want to get involved.
On the day of the banquet at Feng Mansion, Qingli was helped up early. Her head was still foggy, and as they fussed over her, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. It wasn't until a cool handkerchief fell on her face that she jolted awake.
Jiang Zhao chuckled.
It wasn't that she was being lazy; she was just thinking about being able to leave the manor today, and she felt a little restless and wanted to go find her grandfather. However, she was worried that her grandfather hadn't sent her a message and that going there rashly would attract attention. She was conflicted and didn't go to sleep until midnight.
The autumn sun shines brightly, and even though the reds and greens have faded everywhere, it still shines with brilliant light.
Three carriages were parked in front of the Meng residence. When Qingli stepped out of the gate, she could only see the corner of Li Qingwu's bright red skirt before she heard the loud sound of horses' hooves.
She stopped in front of the carriage and turned her head to look. Meng Qingshan was riding back to the mansion. His wide official robes made his figure look particularly tall and straight. Sitting high on his horse, he looked down at her like a young master from a noble family who should be playing with power in the capital, rather than a rough general from the frontier.
Meng Qingshan dismounted and looked at her in a bright orange-red embroidered floral dress, reminiscent of the afterglow of a sunset, perfectly matching the height of autumn. He observed her complexion; her porcelain-like skin was flushed with a rosy glow, and her whole being exuded warmth and elegance, far surpassing the beauty of flowers.
Li Qingwu jumped down from the first carriage. Qingli, unwilling to get involved, helped Jiang Zhao onto the carriage. Jiang Zhao, seeing the general looking over, consciously retreated to the last servant's carriage.
"Cousin, you're back? Your aunt has been missing you for days."
His words were filled with excitement and anticipation, followed by a series of concerns, even asking if his clothes were appropriate for the day.
Qingli sat inside the carriage, wondering how he would respond. She heard footsteps fading into the distance and heard him whisper a few words. The next moment, the curtain was lifted and he strode in.
Yunxiu carried a bundle through the hem of the carriage curtain.
His legs were long and slender, and as the car swayed, the hems of their clothes inevitably brushed against each other. Qingli tightened her skirt slightly as he asked, "Is everything alright?"
The two were an arm's length apart. She lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, "Everything in the mansion is perfect, but it's so stifling."
Her eyelashes were thick and curled, and her eyes were clear and bright. Meng Qingshan liked it when she looked at him while talking. There was still no news from Hezhong Prefecture. The guards reported that there were people spying around the prefecture. He was worried if she left the prefecture.
I was worried that she might disappear again if I wasn't careful.
Qingli hadn't heard him speak for a while, and felt inexplicably nervous. She heard the sound of clothes rustling in her ears, looked up, and then immediately lowered her head again.
This person... doesn't take her seriously at all.
Once the noise subsided, he had changed into a dark brown brocade robe. Looking at her slightly red ear tips, he felt inexplicably pleased. "Take the people and go out through the east gate."
Qingli was overjoyed, not expecting him to agree so readily. When they were young, he would not have allowed her to go out for no reason.
"Thank you, cousin." She was happy and became more talkative. "Cousin, is everything going smoothly?"
"It was a bit of a surprise, but it's better than I expected."
"That's good."
"Once you enter the Feng residence, be careful with your words and actions. If you need anything, have your maid come to me."
Although Qingli didn't think anything was a big deal, she still answered "yes" in a crisp voice. However, when she entered the backyard of the Feng residence and saw the petite woman standing in front of her, showering Meng's mother with compliments, she began to feel wary.
From the moment she entered the Feng residence, Madam Meng wore a warm smile, maintaining just the right distance from others. Turning around, she said, "Qingwu, Qingli, come and meet Miss Feng."
Feng Yuchan was dressed in a fiery red dress, with a full set of red agate hairpins on her head, exuding wealth and passion. When she looked at the two people behind her, she looked them up and down and said cheerfully, "I am Feng Yuchan. Since you are General Meng's cousins, you can ask me for advice anytime if you don't understand anything."
Qingli lowered her head, finally understanding why the darling of the powerful General of the Nation's mansion treated them differently—it turned out she had ulterior motives. Judging from her words, although they were friendly, her tone was arrogant and condescending, suggesting she was not someone easy to get along with.
Whether Li Qingwu truly didn't understand or was pretending not to, Li Qingwu stepped forward, grabbed Li Qingwu's hand, and said with a smile, "Okay, Yu Chan."
Feng Yuchan forced a smile as she looked at Qingli. Seeing that Qingli was stunningly beautiful but had a submissive and meek demeanor, she lost interest. She nodded slightly, watched Meng's mother enter the flower hall, then withdrew her hand and went to Qingli's place.
Before she could stop her, Li Qingwu followed her, so she had no choice but to give up and let her go, turning around and walking towards the corner.
"Are you General Meng's cousin?" A soft voice sounded from behind.
Qingli turned around, revealing a slender beauty who smiled shyly, "I am Tang Shuqing from the Imperial Censor's residence."
It turned out to be the young lady from the neighboring family. Qingli looked up and smiled, "Qingli."
The two hit it off immediately and became increasingly relaxed as they talked.
Feng Yuchan sat under the pavilion, staring at her with a sinister look. The bright smile on her face only made her more and more irritating.
Chen Lihui and Chen Lie, daughters of the Minister of Personnel, and An Shulan, the younger sister of An Pingtai, the commander of the Imperial Guards, sat around her. An Shulan was domineering and spoke without any mercy, "I don't know which poor and remote place she came from, she has a lot of shabby air about her."
Chen Lihui chuckled, "You can't say that. After all, she's General Meng's cousin. It wouldn't be good if General Meng heard that."
An Shulan knew that Chen Lihui was provoking Feng Yuchan's dissatisfaction with her, but what could she do? She hadn't chosen any of the young men in the capital, but instead chose that cold-hearted general. She retorted, "With your foxy appearance, if you were to get involved with General Meng, wouldn't that be disgusting?"
"Alright!" Feng Yuchan was annoyed and didn't want to listen to their banter.
A call rang out from the courtyard gate, "Eldest Princess, Second Princess, Third Princess, here!"
A large crowd surrounded the three of them. When Qing Li stood up, she only saw their backs. Feng Yuchan glanced at her and then entered the flower hall.
Provocative and smug, exceptionally unfriendly.
The courtyard fell silent as all eyes turned to Qingli, followed by soft gasps of surprise.
Tang Shuqing took a step forward, pretending to be casual, thus blocking part of the view.
Qingli felt a warmth in her heart and whispered, "It's alright."
"She has a bad temper, is arrogant and domineering, and you'll be in trouble if you cross her."
"Okay, I'll be careful to avoid her."
A moment later, the First Lady of the Feng family spoke up, inviting the group of young ladies to the backyard, where a stage was set up, decorated with flowers and various trinkets. There was even a sizable flat area at the far end where they could shoot arrows and play football.
Qingli was pulled by Tang Shuqing to the edge of the flat ground. There was no one around. The two wanted to imitate the general's heroic act of shooting an arrow with a full bow. After a lot of effort, they took out the bow. She went to get the arrows, but the bow was so heavy that Tang Shuqing had to back away. She dropped the arrows and hurriedly went to help her up.
After stumbling several times, the two regained their balance and looked embarrassed.
A short laugh.
Qingli looked in the direction of the sound and saw a rockery above her, rugged and winding, hidden by trees and grass, not particularly noticeable. But there was a person standing on it, wearing a brocade robe embroidered with gold thread, which shimmered in the sunlight. He had regular features and a gentle smile in his eyes that made people inexplicably lower their guard.
"Greetings to the Second Prince." Tang Shuqing pulled her along to pay her respects.
Qingli lowered her eyes.
People had already heard the commotion and came over. Soon, a number of people stood up on the quiet ground, greeting each other with sweet voices.
She slowly retreated to the outer circle.
When she glanced up unintentionally, she met his smiling gaze. Qingli misjudged and saw Meng Qingshan standing behind her.
He glanced at her with a dark look, then turned his face away. Meng Qingshan felt a little impatient, but on the surface, he listened respectfully to the conversation between the eldest prince and the general, appearing very approachable. At this moment, his demeanor was very much in line with the image of a general from a humble background, taciturn and reserved.
Second Prince Ling Zizhou felt awkward, turned around and walked over, smiling as he said, "General Feng, the Feng family's autumn banquet won't just be for people to talk, will it?"
"Second Prince, you jest."
"Really?" Ling Zizhou glanced at his older brother with amusement, then finally complained, "This is incredibly boring."
"I'll accompany the Second Prince for a walk!" Meng Qingshan volunteered. The Second Prince nodded and walked ahead.
The eldest prince, Ling Zixu, gave him a cold stare, and finally said meaningfully, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. It seems that it is a bit too much to force things."
Feng Wuxiu's plans went awry. He didn't know how the Emperor had seen him, but now that the Emperor had entered the camp outside the capital, it was not a good idea to break off relations with him.
"Your Highness, rest assured, those who should be kept quiet have been kept quiet, he will not notice anything amiss."
"That would be best!"
Ling Zizhou led Meng Qingshan around the artificial hill in silence, a rare moment of perfect harmony between them.
Beside them stood a tall Chinese tallow tree, its shape upright, its crown broad, its branches and leaves lush. Gradually tinged with frost, its delicate and light leaves had turned from green to red, with a warm yellow hue, like a colorful brocade. The two of them could reach out and touch it.
Parting the overlapping branches and leaves, one could see a group of noble ladies gathered below.
Ling Zizhou immediately spotted the proudly standing eldest princess, Ling Shuzhi, dressed in a crimson phoenix-tail dress adorned with a hundred flowers. Her face was tense as she stared at the two people below her. "Raise your head and take a look."
Qingli lowered her eyes, raised her head, and gestured forcefully to Tang Shuqing with her palm.
Tang Shuqing was just keeping her company in a secluded spot when she unexpectedly ran into Feng Yuchan. Feng Yuchan was filled with comments marveling at her appearance, and gave her a disgusted look before beckoning Li Qingwu forward. Qingli could see clearly that An Shulan had tripped her, causing Li Qingwu to stumble forward.
Qingli cleverly turned to the side, but forgot that Tang Shuqing was behind her. She was pulled backward and stepped right on the princess's skirt.
Qingli looked at the mark on the hem of the eldest princess's skirt, which was particularly clear on the precious Yunling brocade. But if you really looked into it, the person opposite was Li Qingwu, and the person on this side was Tang Shuqing. It had nothing to do with her.
It's absolutely flawless.
Li Qingwu was being used without realizing it, and fearfully hid at the back.
"She is indeed beautiful, but she has no brains," the eldest princess mocked.
A low chuckle rippled through the crowd. Tang Shuqing's face flushed red, tears welling in her eyes. Qing Li raised her gaze, coldly sweeping it across everyone's faces. Some suppressed their laughter, while others wisely turned away. Finally, her gaze landed on Feng Yuchan's face. The methods of a young lady from a noble family were nothing more than this.
"This humble woman has just arrived in the capital and has witnessed the people living in peace and prosperity. She has seen the bustling city and its flourishing prosperity. She has also heard that His Majesty is lenient and kind to the people, and loves them like his own children. She is deeply moved by this and hopes that the Princess will atone for her sins."
The eldest princess's face was filled with anger, revealing a sharp tongue. If she were to pursue the matter further, she would appear arrogant and conceited, showing no mercy to the families of loyal ministers. Thinking of this, she snorted coldly, "You keep talking about the greater good of the nation, yet you dare not even admit what's happening right now. You're nothing but a hypocrite!"
"I still recognize the guilt of being a collateral victim."
"Oh? Tell me, who is the main culprit?"
Such targeting of her was merely taking advantage of her naivety and reluctance to speak out. Little did they know, she utterly despised the constraints imposed on women by worldly conventions. With a slight smile, her pearly cheeks glowed, and her slender fingers pointed directly at An Shulan. Just as An Shulan was about to retort, she suddenly saw her delicate pink fingertip shift, pointing at Feng Yuchan.
There were already quite a few gasps behind her, sighing that she was ignorant and fearless, but some people began to look at Feng Yuchan with great interest.
Knowing that she admired the poor but talented general Meng Qingshan, he watched with amusement.
The Feng family mansion has been in an uproar these past few days. As the eldest daughter of the Feng family, Feng Yuchan was used to being flattered and fawned over. When had she ever been ridiculed like this to her face? Her face twisted slightly, and she sneered, "Do you know that arbitrarily implicating others is an even greater crime?"
"Who knew they saw us?" An Shulan retorted, calmly waiting for her response.
"I saw it." The second princess, Ling Shuyao, took a step forward and brushed away the third princess, Ling Shupei, who was pulling at her. "You tripped that person."
The second princess frowned as she looked at Li Qingwu's timid appearance, clearly disliking her hesitant manner.
"Don't you think so?"
The Second Princess, Ling Shuyao, was deeply favored by the Emperor. Upon reaching marriageable age, she was bestowed with a princess's mansion and thousands of acres of land. Now, with her imposing presence and the shift in circumstances, An Shulan no longer dared to act so boldly. She turned her face away from Feng Yuchan, her cheeks flushed, and murmured a few words.
The Third Princess, Ling Shupei, stepped in to ease the tension, saying, "Among all these women, it's inevitable that there will be some minor squabbles. It was all unintentional."
Ling Shupei walked towards the eldest princess, "Sister, what do you think?"
The tide has turned, so let's all disperse.
When the princess spoke, even those who were curious dispersed, leaving only a few people standing in the open space in the middle.
The second princess, Ling Shuyao, curled her lips and said, "It's pointless. You're the ones who take it so seriously, and you're the ones who give up. You've got all the words to say."
"I wonder what you mean, sister."
"It doesn't mean anything. I just feel that there's nothing to hide. It's nothing more than some petty, shameful thoughts."
A burst of laughter came from above, and everyone immediately looked up nervously. A head peeked out from among the branches and leaves, echoing, "That's right, we can't get enough of the show."
Qingli lowered his eyes. Others' troubles became amusement in his mouth; his behavior was truly unrestrained.
Ling Shuyao scoffed, "Lu Yunye, eavesdropping is not the behavior of a gentleman."
"In broad daylight, do you think you can just cover your ears?" Lu Yunye shifted his position on the tree branch and pushed the leaves aside with his feet. "Look, I'm not the only one."
Amidst the red and yellow hues, Qingli caught a glimpse of that gentle smile, followed by a pair of deep, dark eyes. She averted her gaze. She had suffered all because of him, yet he had stood by and watched—how hateful!
"Second Prince, if you continue to obstruct General Meng, his face will turn as black as the bottom of a pot."
Ling Zizhou chuckled, showing no annoyance whatsoever.
The man first joked with the Second Princess, then made fun of the Second Prince. Tang Shuqing whispered, "That's the young master of the Lu family."
"The Lu family?"
"His grandmother was a princess of the previous dynasty. Her husband died in the chaos of that year. Later, the emperor bestowed her with the Grand Master Lu, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. His father was the child of the previous princess."
It's really complicated. He was able to obtain the position of heir apparent, so I'm afraid that princess is not a kind-hearted person.
Lu Yunye tumbled down from under the tree and said sarcastically, "Princess, if you're always so temperamental, you'll become ugly."
Ling Shuyao gave a thumbs up.
The eldest princess flicked her sleeves. "It's just a dress. You can't judge a book by its cover. I'll just offer a few words of advice."
Meng Qingshan appeared behind Qingli without her noticing, took a step forward, and shielded her behind him. His brows were deep, and he gave the eldest princess a cold, sharp look before saying in a deep voice, "As for the family's affairs, there is no need for the eldest princess to worry about them. If the eldest princess demands compensation, this humble subject will return three times the amount."
The words were utterly merciless, and the eldest princess's expression changed.
Ling Zizhou slid over Meng Qingshan and Qing Li, "Alright, I'll give the eldest princess's dress to you as a favor."
Li Qingwu narrowed her eyes and recounted everything in detail on the return journey in the carriage. Only when she got off the carriage did she change to a gentle demeanor when looking at her cousin.
Jiang Zhao got off the last carriage, holding the young lady tightly, his face somewhat uneasy. As soon as they entered the house, before Jiang Yue could enter, he closed the door, opened his palm, and there was a piece of paper stained with sweat.
Qingli took it and read it, her face lighting up with delight. She asked, "Who gave it to you?"
"This servant doesn't know. I was just bumped into by an ordinary servant, and this is what I have now." Jiang Zhao couldn't remember the servant's face at all, and asked worriedly, "Miss, is everything alright?"
"It was my grandfather who arranged to meet me at the Moxiang Bookstore in Shuangbai Lane tomorrow."
"But how do we get out of here?"
Qingli paused. The note said that there were guards around her and she could not get close. She simply said, "It's alright, we can go out whenever we want. We just need to shake off the people following us. Go find Wang Da and Wang Er."
Jiang Zhao bowed and retreated. Qing Li felt relieved. She would see her grandfather tomorrow. She was excited and wondered what her grandfather looked like, what had happened back then, why she had come to Taiyuan Prefecture, and whether he had any other relatives.
As she pondered each thing, her dreams became increasingly chaotic. The next day, she splashed a handful of cold water on her face to finally wake up.
Before leaving, she went to see Meng Qingshan. "Cousin, I've been in Kyoto for a while now, and I'd like to go out and relax."
"I'm off duty today, I'll keep you company."
"No need!" Qingli waved her hand. If he followed, how could she shake him off?
Meng Qingshan said calmly, "Alright, take good care of the guards."
As she walked out the door, his expression suddenly turned cold and stern. He then instructed Yun Xiu behind him, "Tell them that if they lose sight of you, they will be killed."
Yun Xiu should be right.
"Has any news been sent back from Hezhong Prefecture?"
"Miss only stayed in Hezhong Prefecture for two days, and only went to the study. She did not find anything unusual."
"Who is it?"
"He was skilled in disguise and only followed us to the vicinity of the palace before disappearing without a trace."
Meng Qingshan pursed his lips. All these things revolved around her, elusive and confusing, making it hard to say whether she knew them or not. The thought that she was hiding a secret from him made him feel suffocated.
The steward rushed in from outside, shouting, "General, an imperial decree has arrived from the palace!"
The carriage entered the bustling city center, where people were so crowded that it was almost impossible to move forward.
The coachman apologized, "Miss, we can't walk anymore."
The curtain was lifted, and Qingli, wearing a veiled hat, looked at the crowded people. "Could we leave?"
It's difficult to turn around right now, and it's only a few dozen steps from the street, so retreating is indeed an option.
"Go keep watch from the back, Wang Da, drive the horse." After the coachman dismounted, Qingli cautiously asked, "Did you notice anyone?"
Wang Da's martial arts skills were decent, but he could only vaguely sense the presence of the highly skilled bodyguards. He said with some shame, "There should be one."
"Okay, proceed according to plan."
The coachman called out from behind, completely unaware that a maid had stepped down from the carriage, her head bowed as she disappeared into the bustling crowd. In an instant, the crowd seemed to boil over, pushing and shoving her forward.
A man approached her ear and said, "Miss, I am Song Li. Please come with me."
Qingli nodded emphatically and followed him quickly to a carriage. They entered the study through the back door. When her hand touched the door frame, it trembled. She let out a long breath and heard two loud thuds.
The door opened in response.
Inside sat an old man with a silver beard and white hair. Although he tried to straighten his back, he was already hunched over. The bitter smell of medicine filled the whole room. His face was an unnatural red, and he was covered with wrinkles, but his eyes were bright and piercing.
Song Yuan once said that she resembled her grandfather the most, and anyone who had seen her grandfather's youthful appearance would recognize her at a glance.
Tears welled up in Qingli's eyes. Like a weary bird returning home, she quickly stepped forward, but stopped abruptly a step away. Her nose stung so much that she could barely speak. "Grandfather."
Huang Pu was just as excited, his hand trembling as he reached out.
Qingli suddenly knelt down, and the old man's warm hand landed on the top of her head.
The old man and the young man smiled at each other, and the longing they had felt for each other across thousands of miles, and the twists and turns of their reunion, were all relieved at this moment.
All her efforts have now been transformed into new life and vitality.
She was reborn.
"Get up quickly."
Qingli stood up and sat down beside her grandfather, but she didn't know how to ask the questions she had so much to say.
"Are you doing well at the Meng residence?"
She hadn't expected her grandfather's first words to be of concern for her well-being. But then she thought, that's how family is; good or bad, it all matters.
"Grandfather, don't worry, everything is fine."
"I am not well and have not yet met this person." Huang Pu, who had seen many ups and downs in his life, as well as many demons and monsters and conspiracies, said slowly, "Things always have many sides. As for the kindness of adoption and the grudges of the past, Grandfather will not make a final judgment at the moment, but only consider whether it is beneficial to you at present."
"He's very good to me." Indeed, he is. After one banquet, her food, clothing, and daily necessities are even comparable to Feng Yuchan's. How could he not be good to her? But she always keeps a guard up against him and can never truly let her guard down.
"That's good. I'm in the midst of the turmoil of the court's reforms. One wrong step could lead to utter ruin. You still need to protect yourself."
A box was pushed in front of her, filled with stacks of silver notes. She panicked slightly, "Grandfather..."
"It's alright, it's just that I had no choice. I used to want to escape trouble, but after you came into my life, I thought it was time to find out the truth for your parents and give you an explanation."
Qingli felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart and asked, "Parents..."
“Back when the new dynasty was first established, I wrote to your parents to go to the capital. On the way, they encountered bandits, and your maternal grandfather’s family was also killed.”
The old man still felt excruciating pain when he spoke of the loss of his son. He understood that the natural disaster was nothing but a man-made one. He was deeply mired in grief back then, and when he finally tried to find out the truth, unexpected twists and turns occurred.
Despite being constantly hampered and forced to retreat, they managed to preserve the last remaining family ties in the world.
Now that his granddaughter has returned home, he should start making plans for her.
"Do we still have relatives?"
The old man withdrew his hand, saying, "We, a grandmother and granddaughter, depend on each other for survival. She is not our relative."
Qingli nodded emphatically, and the two continued talking for a while. She omitted the twists and turns in the story, but it still brought tears to her grandfather's eyes. "It's my fault."
“Grandfather, I feel so fortunate to have found you.”
As the time drew to a close, hearing the cheerful laughter inside, He Tai also felt happy. He wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and whispered, "Master, Miss, it's time."
Qingli was reluctant to part with him, while Huang Pu felt as if he were being cut in half, glaring at He Tai and ruining the mood.
He Tai shrank back.
As the time for parting finally came, Qingli boarded the carriage carrying dozens of books. Looking at Song Li ahead and thinking of Song Zhang, who had disappeared without a trace, she felt a little depressed. "I will find Song Zhang."
Song Li gripped the reins tightly, his eyes fixed ahead as he weaved through the alleyways. He solemnly replied, "Master once divined that my elder brother is alive and has been searching for him. I trust you, Master."
Divination? Qingli looked at the book her grandfather had given her in her arms, thinking of how her grandfather praised her for her intelligence and photographic memory. He said that although she started learning late, she would surely surpass her father in time.
Jiang Zhao and Jiang Yue waited anxiously in the restaurant. When they saw that their young lady's face was free of worry, they were overjoyed but then their faces fell into a long cry. "Miss, if you don't come back soon, this servant will be doomed."
She playfully pinched Jiang Zhao's nose. "I won't let you get away with this. Let's go back to the manor!"
"yes!"
Inside the carriage, Jiang Zhao clutched the box tightly in her arms. She had never seen so much money before; how could she be at ease?
Suddenly, the coachman shouted to stop, and then a commotion was heard outside.
Jiang Yue lifted the carriage curtain, and Qing Li looked up to see that two carriages had collided ahead. One carriage had its walls broken and its roof sheared off, and the servants were arguing so loudly that they had already started fighting.
"Turn around." Qingli didn't want to cause trouble.
Unexpectedly, the master of the house heard the noise, rested his head on the carriage wall, and called out, "Miss Qingli."
Qingli glanced over and saw Lu Yunye dressed in a dark blue brocade robe with flying crane patterns, his hair tied up with a golden crown, which was particularly dazzling. He was twirling a white jade thumb ring in his hand and grinning, looking extremely arrogant and unrestrained.
Qingli didn't want to pay any attention to him, and only nodded slightly before leaving. Unexpectedly, he jumped off the carriage, pulled Wang Da down, and sat on the carriage shaft, pitifully saying, "I hope that Miss will see me off for speaking up for justice. I would be extremely grateful."
"I'll sit here!"
This isn't just about where you sit; "we're probably not on the same route."
"It's alright, I'm not in a hurry."
Qingli was speechless. She watched as he bent one leg and let the other dangle down, swinging it casually. He stubbornly lifted the carriage curtain and instructed, "Put on your veil, be careful of thieves spying on you."
Qingli had no choice but to put on her veil, and then she heard him ramble on and on, “Miss, you remained calm in the face of danger. You argued with reason in the face of the eldest princess’s arrogance and domineering behavior. You are a role model for us all. However, you shouldn’t have said so much. Your cousin wanted to go down and protect you when he said the first sentence, but he was stopped by the second prince. The second prince just wanted to watch the show. Meng Qingshan’s face was calm, but there was a murderous aura about him. I reckon he was going to kill someone.”
His words were incoherent, and he spoke of princes and princesses so casually. Qing Li was even less willing to engage with this troublemaker. She could only think that when Meng Qingshan was extremely angry, his face was expressionless, but he stared at people with a fierce look in his brown eyes that was terrifying.
Her ears were ringing with noise, and when she looked up, she saw Meng Qingshan sitting upright on his horse in front of the carriage, looking her over.
Lu Yunye's mouth was dry from talking, and he was just about to take a sip of water when a horse-like face snorting loudly loomed in front of him. He roared, leaned back, and saw Meng Qingshan. An awkward expression flashed across his face, and he clasped his hands and said, "General, have you come to pick up your sister?"
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