Chapter 117 No Face
Knowing that Qin Sheng had returned in time and the wedding could go on as planned, Lu Desheng felt relieved. He walked out with his hands behind his back and strolled around the yard. Then he felt something was wrong. Were there not enough guests? He had sent out so many invitations!
After taking a closer look, he found that there were very few court officials who came. After counting, there were less than ten of them.
After discovering this, Lü Desheng couldn't help but wonder: Was his popularity at court so bad that they wouldn't even bother with respect? Or had word of his impending fall from grace spread?
These bastards, he is marrying off his daughter today, and none of them came. He is so pissed off!
Wait, he will get his little notebook and write down everything that dares not give him face.
He had to get rid of this anger while the emperor was still around. Otherwise, he'd probably have to hold it in for the rest of his life. Thinking about the Fourth Prince ascending the throne in the future made Lu Desheng feel uncomfortable. He was going from being a favored minister to a marginalized figure. The gap was too big, and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to adapt.
The steward in charge of registering the gift money saw that his master looked unhappy, and hurriedly told him that although many officials in the court did not come, they all sent gifts.
Moreover, the housekeepers from various mansions who came to deliver gifts pulled him aside and asked him to tell Lord Lu that their master was ill and could not come to the Lu family, but he could not go to the Xie family either.
Lü Desheng listened and said: ...
"What's wrong with them?"
Steward: "Diarrhea."
"Can he not come if he has diarrhea? He just has diarrhea by himself. Doesn't he have a wife and a son? Why don't they come?"
"The managers said that the whole family had diarrhea and their legs were weak, so they couldn't come."
Lü Desheng was finally speechless. Well, I guess the price of croton in Chang'an City will be a few cents higher today.
After hearing these explanations, Lu Desheng decided to let it go because they hadn't come to the Lu family or the Xie family. He was happy when he thought about the fact that the Xie family's wedding banquet was also deserted and the guests were sparse.
In fact, these ministers didn't come, not only because they didn't want to take sides, but also because the emperor hadn't attended court for a long time, and rumors of his serious illness had been circulating, and they didn't want to attract the emperor's attention at this moment. It was only because Lü Desheng, favored and favored, had been in the palace every day to attend to the emperor's illness, bah, and accompany the emperor, that he dared to hold a lavish wedding banquet in such an atmosphere!
Lu Desheng returned to the main hall with his hands behind his back.
The messenger said: "Here he comes, the bridegroom is coming. The bridegroom is walking into the gate."
Lu Songli came to bid farewell to his parents.
"Mom and Dad, I'm getting married today. I won't be with you anymore, so you must take good care of yourselves." Lu Songli knelt down to pay homage to Lu Desheng and Jiang, along with the original owner's tribute, to thank them for their upbringing and protection.
"Get up quickly, get up quickly." Lu Desheng and Jiang came forward at the same time to help her up. Jiang's eyes were red. After Lu Desheng helped her up, he turned his back and wiped away his tears.
"The groom is at the second gate!"
The official media urged them to cover the bride's head with a veil.
Lu Desheng took a brand new red veil that was folded aside and covered her with it, advising her, "If you are unhappy living in the Qin family in the future, just come back and live here. This will always be your home."
These words were heard by Qin Sheng who had just stepped into the yard. Should he go out and come in again?
Next, the groom Qin Sheng needs to pay his respects to his father-in-law and mother-in-law before he can take the bride away.
Qin Sheng took a deep breath, then lifted his robe, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed. "Father and mother-in-law, please rest assured and leave Ah Li to me. I will treat her well, love her, and cherish her."
Lu Songli had a veil on her head, and when he knelt down, she finally saw what he looked like now.
There was an unconcealable fatigue on his face, but fortunately he was good-looking and didn't look ugly.
Lu Songli calculated that he had set out directly from the day he proposed, which was the sixth day of the first lunar month, after returning from his family's home. In other words, he had spent nine days on horseback, and even fought a day-long battle with a group of Qiang and Hu soldiers who had been stranded in Baihe Town, killing over a hundred of them.
She thought it was impressive. After all, the number of Qiang and Hu soldiers entering Dali wouldn't be that large, and they were definitely elite. Only Qin Sheng, young and in good physical condition, could handle it; otherwise, many would have simply collapsed from exhaustion.
Suffering makes people mature. He now looks a little bit like a young man. Before, he was a young man who was favored by his family and full of vigor.
Lu Songli looked at this and felt a little uncomfortable. Growing up is painful.
Everything that followed was led by Qin Sheng, and she just had to follow Mo Bing's instructions.
Back at the Qin residence, Qin Sheng took the bow and arrow from the servant and shot three arrows in quick succession, one each toward the sky, the ground, and the distance. After shooting three arrows, Qin Sheng helped the bride out of the sedan chair, over the fire basin, and into the hall...
Worship heaven and earth, worship parents, husband and wife worship each other, and finally the ceremony is complete!
Mrs. Qin forced a smile as she paid her respects to her parents. She had already learned of Qin Ming's death and had even gone to the side hall to see his remains. She was keeping it a secret from Nie Yunniang because she was about to give birth and was afraid she would be frightened if she knew.
After completing all the procedures, they will be sent to the bridal chamber.
Mrs. Qin found an opportunity to remind them, "You are still young. Wait until after the New Year, when you are sixteen, to consummate your marriage."
Qin Sheng: ...
Lu Songli lowered her head.
"Just listen to me anyway." Mrs. Qin felt embarrassed to say this to her daughter-in-law and son, and left quickly after she finished speaking.
In fact, even if Mrs. Qin didn't tell them, they wouldn't do anything. Don't forget, their fourth brother's coffin is still kept in the side hall, with no funeral or burial.
North, Zhuanglang
The Qiang and Hu official camp was surrounded tightly by the army led by Qin Yue.
This area had clearly been the scene of several major battles. Lying on the ground were corpses of Qiang and Hu people, as well as Dali soldiers. The snow was stained red with blood, and the stench of blood wafted far and wide.
Bu Chang, the leader of the Qiang and Hu tribes, hid in the official camp and shouted outside, "Qin Yue, I have news for you. How about you withdraw your troops?" He was truly frightened. Previously, when his tribes were united, he hadn't felt any fear for Qin Yue. But now, being chased and beaten by him, it really hurt. After several battles, more than half of his Qiang and Hu warriors had been killed.
Dali replied, "We will not retreat unless you hand over the prince!"
Bu Chang jumped up and down, "I've already told you, there's no prince from your Dali clan!" He regretted sending people to rob and kill the prince just for the grain and salt and iron. Even if he had gone, he shouldn't have done it right then and there. Now, without the prince, it was clear that Qin Yue would not withdraw his troops.
Every soldier of the Beijing army maintained an offensive posture.
"Hand over the prince!"
There was a sudden silence in the official camp.
Qin Yan was a little disappointed. After fighting to this extent, Bu Chang still didn't hand over the prince?
"General, do you want to continue fighting?"
Qin Yue swung his sword, "Continue the attack!"
The attack horn blared, and an exasperated voice suddenly rang out from within the official camp. "Qin Yue, I'm telling you the truth, the Crown Prince is dead. He died a long time ago!"
Hearing this, Qin Yan looked at his father in horror.
Because of this sentence, the Northern Army also caused some commotion.
Only Qin Yue remained unmoved, not even blinking. "Prepare for attack! Whoever kills Bu Chang will be rewarded with a thousand gold coins!"
Qin Yan: Didn’t his father guess it a long time ago?
As the attack horn sounded, Qin Yue rushed forward first.
Crazy! Bu Chang cursed under his breath, and then his wildness was also aroused, leading the tribal warriors to meet them.
A fight begins.
More than an hour later, as night fell, the battle was over. Bu Chang was killed, and his generals were also slaughtered. Those in the Qiang and Hu official camp were either dead or fled...
It can be imagined that it would take the Qiang and Hu people ten years to recover. At least in these ten years, they would not be able to become a force to be reckoned with, nor could they threaten the cities on the border of Dali.
The Northern Border Generals also paid a heavy price. Not to mention the soldiers who died in this battle, just take the Great General Qin Yue, who was seriously injured in the attempt to kill Bu Chang.
The surviving Northern generals who still had the strength were slowly cleaning up the battlefield.
Qin Yue was lying on the ground simply covered with horsehide.
Qin Yan untied his father's torn armor, tore off his blood-stained clothes, and sprinkled the hemostatic medicine in his hand on the wound. His hands were shaking as he sprinkled the medicine.
"Dad, you could have easily dodged that blow. It was only a matter of time before we captured Bu Chang. There was no need to resort to such a life-for-life fighting tactic!"
Qin Yue smiled and said, "Second Brother, you are right, but how long will it take? And how many soldiers will have to sacrifice their lives?"
"Great General!"
"My Lord!"
All the soldiers knelt on the ground.
Qin Yan was now convinced that his father was truly seeking death. "Dad, why?"
"The Crown Prince died in Beijing. Someone must be held accountable. This is the Qin family's explanation to the Emperor!" He was Qin Yue, the Grand Commander of the Northern Territory. Only by his death, his merits atoning for his crimes, and his death as an apology, could he give an explanation to the Song royal family, the court, and the world. Only with his death could he shoulder the bulk of the responsibility, leaving the rest of the Qin family a chance to survive.
"Someone should be held responsible. It was clearly Qiang or Hu people who killed the prince. We have already taken the head of the Qiang or Hu leader Bu Chang. Isn't that enough of an explanation?" The real murderer who killed the prince was obviously someone else. Why should the Qin family be held responsible?
Qin Yan had followed his father in this attack on the Qiang and Hu tribes, fighting with greater dedication than ever before, all in his quest to rescue the Crown Prince. Having just learned that the Crown Prince was dead, his only thought was to annihilate the Qiang and Hu tribes and take Bu Chang's head, thereby atonement for his sins.
"Silly son, guarding the border is the responsibility of my Qin family." It is our duty to resist foreign invasions and win battles.
"That's not the case. It can't be like this."
"Second brother, I'll leave the rest to you. Do you know how to write a battle report?" Qin Yue's voice gradually faded as blood continued to flow. Hmm, the snow is a bit cold tonight.
Qin Yan shook his head, "Dad, I don't understand, I don't understand." So, don't die.
"Ayan is very smart, Dad believes in you. If you have the chance to meet Xiaoliu's wife, thank her for Dad." Qin Yue said with a smile, then looked into the distance, which was the direction of Chang'an City.
Today is the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, a good day for his youngest son's wedding, but unfortunately he can't see it. He didn't want to have to do this today, but he can't put it off any longer.
In the original novel, Qin Yue, Qin Ming, and Qin Yan all perished in the conspiracy. Qin Ming, while leading his team in the wilderness, encountered elite Qiang and Hu tribesmen who were out to rob and kill the crown prince. Determined to save the crown prince, Qin Ming desperately fought them and was ultimately killed. Qin Yan was defeated and killed in the battle to capture Bu Chang, who escaped. Qin Yue later realized the Fourth Prince's plot and personally led his troops to encircle Bu Chang and the Qiang and Hu tribes, ultimately dying as an apology.
Lu Songli's reminder made Qin Yue the first to realize the Fourth Prince's conspiracy. After weighing the pros and cons, he finally went into battle personally to encircle and suppress Bu Chang, thus avoiding Qin Yan's sacrifice.
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