As Tang Huan walked out of the palace, Wu Lanxi's last words kept echoing in his mind.
In the war in the northern regions, Daqing did not gain any advantage...
This matter can be considered a big deal, or it can be considered a small deal.
However, considering Gongyang Tingbai's sudden arrival in the past few days and what she had done in Daqing, Tang Huan believed that this was an extremely important matter.
"Judging from Gongyang Tingbai's arrogant attitude, this matter is not simply a matter of not gaining an advantage; it is very likely that Daqing suffered a considerable loss..."
Otherwise, how could Gongyang Tingbai dare to do these things so recklessly?
Thinking about when the Northern Region delegation would arrive, Tang Huan began to feel a headache coming on.
If even a county magistrate felt this way, he seemed to understand the Empress's feelings to some extent; under these circumstances, she would definitely not be happy.
Tang Huan made up her mind to stay far away from the palace for the next few days, lest she be caught in the crossfire.
As for what will happen after the Northern Region delegation arrives, that's not something Tang Huan needs to worry about for the time being. Even if the Empress is helpless in this matter, there are still prime ministers and ministers such as Cui Renshi, Wang Tianze, and Lei Ding above him.
When it really comes down to me, the county magistrate, that means Daqing is finished.
After returning home, the weather remained gloomy and unpredictable.
The sun was no longer visible overhead, and there was a chill in the air.
Therefore, Tang Huan could only move the armchair that was originally placed in the courtyard into the house, and sit on the edge of the bed drinking and staring blankly.
In the afternoon, Li Daikui finally returned, beaming with joy and happiness.
When he noticed that Tang Huan and Xue'e looked a little off, Li Daikui slowed his pace and asked with some concern, "What happened? Why do you both look like that?"
He suspected that something major had happened at the manor while he was away for only one afternoon.
"It's alright, they're just small things."
Tang Huan only replied briefly and then said nothing more.
Li Daikui dared not disturb Tang Huan, so he went to Xue'e's side in high spirits and began to talk to himself about how he was treated to a banquet with wine and meat at noon, and how he was fawned over by many people, which was extremely enjoyable.
It's clear that this made him very happy.
Xue'e was not happy at all. She had already learned the news from Tang Huan, and her eyes were filled with complicated emotions as she looked at Li Daikui.
That was sorrow, and pity.
The Northern Region delegation is about to arrive, and as the only one who has gained an advantage over A'da, Li Da Kui will likely become the target of everyone's criticism.
One A-Da-Jiu was already enough to keep him busy; if a few more hot-tempered people joined the delegation, Li Da-Kui would probably have to stay in bed for half a year to recover.
If they can save their lives, they are already considered lucky.
Li Daikui didn't notice Xue'e's emotional change; he was a rough and unrefined man, not very perceptive.
After talking for a while and getting thirsty, Li Daikui picked up a cup of cold tea and took a sip. Suddenly, he remembered something and said, "By the way, sir, I saw Xiao Qin when I returned to the manor."
"Qin Yuyang?"
It has been quite some time since she left the capital with Xue Qi. Has she finally returned to the capital?
"Yes, she must have traveled for a long time. She was covered in dust and dirt. She must have gone to take a bath and change her clothes first. She will come to see the adults later."
"Where is Xue Qi? Has he seen that person?"
Li Daikui shook his head vigorously. "I didn't see her. She might be hiding again, or she might not be with Xiao Qin."
The two left together, but returned separately.
It is highly likely that the two have reached a consensus, and the answer to whether they will agree to their conditions may already be known.
Qin Yuyang arrived an hour later. She changed into her previous maid's clothes and walked naturally to Xue'e's side, talking about the people she had met and the things that had happened since she returned to Qihuai County.
The two of them standing together actually looked very close, as if they were both Tang Huan's maids.
Li Daikui listened casually for a while, then, finding it boring, sat down outside the door.
Tang Huan propped her head up with one hand, her eyes lowered, ignoring what the two were saying.
Tang Huan didn't know how much time had passed, but she felt herself drifting off to sleep.
"We agree to your conditions."
Tang Huan jolted awake, straining to open her eyes and try to banish the drowsiness from her mind.
"No lunch break?" Qin Yuyang was surprised to see Tang Huan nodding vigorously.
"I went to sleep, but I heard some bad news, and I can't help but think about it whenever I have free time. And then I get sleepy." Using your brain is such a frustrating thing.
"What news?"
Tang Huan didn't answer, but instead asked, "Why did it take you so long?"
“I arrived outside the capital a few days ago, but I couldn’t enter the city because of the city’s martial law, so I simply went to the north for a walk. I originally planned to take this opportunity to travel around for a few more days, but I met some special people, so I rushed back.”
"Really? Who did you encounter that dared to sneak in despite the city's martial law? Aren't you afraid of being arrested by the Empress's people?" Tang Huan smiled.
“I think this news might be very important to you, and I feel that I should inform you in advance no matter what.”
Tang Huan gestured for Qin Yuyang to continue.
Qin Yuyang said in a deep voice, "We found Pang Conglong at a post station in the north. He is accompanied by people from the Northern Region. They should be able to return to the capital in three days at most."
After discovering the trail of those people, Qin Yuyang and Xue Qi rode back at full speed, much faster than the entire delegation.
"Three days?" Tang Huan scratched his right cheek. "This is different from what the Empress said. She told me that the Northern Region delegation would arrive in five or six days."
This really caught people completely off guard.
Upon meeting the Northern Region delegation and Pang Conglong, Xue Qi wavered from his previous decision and tried to persuade Qin Yuyang to find a way to cooperate with the Northern Region people.
However, Qin Yuyang had already made up his mind and was not swayed by Xue Qi.
The appearance of the Northern Region delegation was like a signal, a bad signal.
Perhaps this incident will bring temporary peace to both sides, but it may also lead to a greater conflict. If war breaks out, the best option for the remnants of the Qin Dynasty would be Qihuai County.
Only by hiding there could they escape the war and survive.
That's why Qin Yuyang rushed back on horseback, just to show his sincerity.
Since he was to serve Tang Huan, he had to do something; otherwise, Tang Huan would have no reason to help him take care of those people.
"The situation is not favorable for you. The Pang Conglong I saw was no longer as imposing as before; he looked quite dejected. On the contrary, the Northern Region delegation was all smiles and seemed very happy."
Qin Yuyang told Tang Huan in detail what he had seen, and as for what to do next, that was something Tang Huan needed to consider.
Tang Huan's headache was getting worse.
He looked out the window at the white snowflakes falling silently, which had unknowingly covered the earth.
“Winter is coming…” Tang Huan murmured.
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