Jiang Shuisheng and Qin Weixi laughed heartily: "Traitor! Today..."
"Back when the Qin family was bustling with visitors, Madam Liang repeatedly sought Grandmother Zhao's permission to arrange for her eldest son, Liang Xu, to marry her seventh sister. Grandmother Zhao refused. But when she learned of the Qin family's downfall and how the Qin family members drank poison to prove their innocence, and how her seventh sister also perished in the river, what were her thoughts? She was filled with regret yet also felt fortunate."
Tao Qingyun's eyes were full of sarcasm, and her voice was cold: "Before the Qin family has reached the seventh term, this Madam Liang, Madam Qian, has already started arranging a marriage for her eldest son."
That year, it so happened that Xiao Ci, the wife of the Duke of Dingguo, had a son in her younger brother's family, who was middle-aged. The Qin siblings' maternal grandfather wrote a letter expressing his joy. Xiao Ci replied with congratulations, but also considered taking her youngest daughter to Jiangnan to offer her congratulations, leaving her eldest son in the capital to care for the pregnant Zhu Ruo. However, for some reason, things changed as the date approached. Xiao Ci decided to stay in the capital, sending only her youngest daughter to Jiangnan to offer her congratulations. She would return to the capital after her nephew's one-month celebration.
Because of her pregnancy, Zhu Ruochang had no appetite and was often worried, she lost a lot of weight. Qin Shuoguang was so anxious that he didn't know what to do, so he invited a series of doctors from the city to treat her.
He was perceptive and knew that Zhu Ruo loved lychees but didn't show it, so he brought home a few from somewhere. The fruit was crystal clear, sweet with a hint of sourness, and Zhu Ruo felt much better after eating it. However, lychees were a rare commodity in the north, with only a small amount transported from the south as tribute to the royal family, and only the royal family and nobles could enjoy them.
The emperor and empress bestowed gifts upon various princes and ministers, and also secretly filled a small basket to the brim and gave it to the Qin family.
The emperor's gift was not to be refused. In the end, the Qin family used some unknown method to please Emperor Kang Le, who then had the small basket of fruit sent to Xia Guang Ding by palace eunuchs.
Just as her maternal grandfather was celebrating a happy occasion, Qin Weixi was about to embark on her journey to Jiangnan. Upon learning of this, Crown Prince Jiang Yuanjun immediately prepared generous gifts and sent the Qin siblings along to offer their congratulations.
Zhu Ruo was worried when she learned that her younger sister was going to go alone, so she informed her husband that she would go to Jiangnan with her younger sister. Qin Shuoguang was worried about her pregnancy and also worried about her going to Jiangnan alone.
Zhu Ruo laughed, "It's only summer, there's still plenty of time. Even if we travel by water, we can make it in time for my delivery. My younger sister is so young, traveling alone from the capital for over a thousand miles, she needs someone to accompany her. There must be a reason why my mother-in-law didn't go. I saw the Pei family's daughter the other day; she's not the Empress's niece. From what she said, the Empress has recently suffered from a headache that hasn't subsided. But I don't know why the palace is keeping it a secret. I think my in-laws must have found out and feel that going to Jiangnan in such a grand manner is inappropriate at this time."
Qin Shuoguang looked at Zhu Ruo with doting eyes and held her in his arms, saying softly, "Look, my wife is just like my sister, so meticulous."
Qin Weixi, upon learning of this, was also concerned about Zhu Ruo and repeatedly refused. That night, he rummaged through his belongings, packing up all sorts of boxes and clothes.
But this time, Qin Shuoguang, who always doted on his younger sister, did not respond to her.
Qin Weixi knew that her brother was worried about her going to her maternal grandparents' house alone, and he also had some ulterior motives.
One day, after drinking with his elder brother from the Luo family, they returned home and, in a daze, began to talk about lychees. He said that if he could visit his maternal grandfather's house and then travel to Fujian, he could secretly bring some lychees back to the capital.
However, a waterway that takes more than a month to traverse can be disrupted by bad weather or other delays. Not to mention, in the height of summer, it can break down in just two days.
Lychees were highly prized, and the royal family had to rack their brains and go to great lengths to obtain them. How could anyone outside the royal family, even those from prominent families or high-ranking officials, even dream of having them?
But Qin Weixi knew that her brother was joking with her again.
At that time, Qin Weixi laughed at him for traveling thousands of miles to pick the "king of fruits" just to win a smile from the beauty.
Qin Shuoguang chuckled and pinched her nose: "I know, I know. Am I really that stupid, your brother? Can I just dream about it?"
Life is unpredictable.
Before the Duke of Dingguo's heir, Qin Shuoguang, had even received the full-month celebration from his maternal uncle's family, and after only half a month of temporary residence at the Xiao family residence in Jiangnan, he suddenly led dozens of Qin family guards who had accompanied him south, rushing back to the capital without leaving a single word with the Xiao family. Then, unexpectedly, instead of entering the city first, he ascended to the top of Penglai Mountain, where he shot and killed several court soldiers and generals, ultimately dying at the hands of Liang Xu.
Little did they know, their younger sister Qin Weixi, far away in Jiangnan, also missed the full-month celebration at her maternal uncle's house. Suspecting someone was following her in the market, she decided to use a ruse to trap them. She caught the two people following her in a large net, and the two men seemed to be holding poison in their mouths, intending to die.
The shrewd Qin Weixi didn't wait for the two men to commit suicide; she had already pulled out the gold hairpin from her hair and stabbed one of them hard in the abdomen, then twisted it violently.
The sudden, sharp pain caused the man to scream "Ah!" followed by an instinctive cry of "It hurts!"
He spoke with a northern accent, his voice trembling. Yet, Qin Weixi heard those two short words clearly.
Her expression immediately changed, and she suspected that something might have happened in the capital. Thinking of her brother's carefree demeanor when he left, she couldn't calm down. She also had no interest in a mere assassin kept by someone else.
So he hastily bid farewell to the Xiao family and secretly left the capital.
Grandfather Xiao Wenhong initially thought it was a dispute caused by a colleague in the capital who had a long-standing feud with the Duke of Dingguo. With Lady Jiang in the picture, the Qin family would surely be safe. Therefore, he instructed his cousin to accompany her back to the capital.
Because her uncle held an official position and her cousin was making progress in his studies, she feared that this would bring trouble to her maternal grandparents' family. Therefore, she did not agree to her grandfather's request. Instead, Xiao Wenhong sent many of his family guards to escort her back to the capital.
The boat sails on the rolling river, the water sparkles, eagles soar across the sky, and emerald-like mountains surround the area. Everything seems peaceful and serene, with calm waters and gentle waves.
But Qin Weixi's heart was already in turmoil because of the two people he saw.
At that moment, she really wanted to shrink into a tiny person and ride on the back of an eagle to fly to the capital in an instant.
On a river at night, the absence of her brother instilled a sense of fear, and as the lanterns were lit, one longed for a sweet slumber. Contrary to her usual behavior, Qin Weixi ordered all the boat lanterns bearing the character "Qin" to be destroyed, and replaced with lanterns bearing the character "Jiang" that had just been written on them, hanging them on either side of the bow. She then ordered the dozen or so Qin family guards and Xiao family guards left to her by her brother to be on high alert, guarding the entire perimeter of the ship.
As night approached, the moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the river surface brightly. Everything around was clearly visible. Yet, Qin Weixi felt as if his heart was pounding in his throat, his face tense.
Before long, several small boats quietly approached from the opposite side.
The newcomers didn't ask about their identities, nor did they inquire about anything else. Countless arrows shot simultaneously towards the large ship adorned with lanterns bearing the character "Jiang" (姜).
Soon, someone fired a whistling arrow into the sky. The Xiao clan members in the south could see the signal for help.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the helmsman, cook, and servants on the boat all perished in the river. Several small boats on the opposite side also suffered countless casualties.
Everyone was hoping that the Xiao clan members would see the distress signal he had sent out and come to their rescue immediately.
Unexpectedly, several small boats approached from all directions in a short while, with long swords at their waists and torches in their hands.
Qin Weixi stood with his hands behind his back on the deck at the bow of the ship, facing the wind, and shouted angrily at the opposite ship: "What kind of hero comes to me and kills innocent people? Release this ship of people and I will go with you."
The dozens of men in black robes opposite them ignored them. After a short while, the leader, wearing a bamboo hat and a black veil, unfurled a scroll and nodded secretly. He then said, "Young lady, what a pity, such a beautiful young woman. But we are acting on our master's orders..."
"Leave no one alive!"
It was only then that Qin Weixi realized that someone wanted to kill her, because she had seen their faces, and they wouldn't let her live to the capital safely.
Thinking of her brother, who might be imprisoned like her, and her father and mother, who might be suffering terribly, the Qin family members...
Qin Weixi tilted her head back, determined not to let those damned tears spill out.
She glanced at the man sideways, sneered, and said, "I really want to know who my Qin family has offended, but it's too late now."
Soon after, she casually added, "When my soul returns to the underworld, I will avenge all wrongs and settle all scores! I will not let any of you go."
Under the moonlight, her gaze was clearly visible, sharp as a knife, her eyes cold and frosty.
Four powerful maids and the remaining guards, struggling desperately, carved a bloody path, attempting to surround Qin Weixi inside the cabin and find a chance to escape.
Suddenly, danger lurked everywhere.
However, they were outnumbered. Dozens of guards died one after another from enemy arrows. Of the four skilled maids, one fell into the river with several arrows in her body, one fell laughing in front of her, and one knelt on the deck, dying with her eyes wide open.
She picked up her bow and arrow and shot at the enemy assassins who had killed her three maids. The assassins then moved their ships closer to the Qin family's large ship and jumped onto the bow.
When she was young, a boy taught her how to shoot arrows, but before she could learn, he went to the border.
Rain began to fall on the river, and corpses littered the boats. The leader, dressed in black, threw a short dagger at her and said coldly, "Little girl, I won't make things difficult for you. End it yourself."
She gave a bitter laugh, gripping the bow and arrow tightly in her hand. Her gaze casually drifted to a corner on the ground, where a painting lay scattered, before fixing itself on the man's eyes.
She said to the last remaining maid, "Ah Xia, in the next life, do not meet me."
Xia, her eyes red, shook her head and held her hand tightly. Qin Weixi smiled, and at the critical moment, she drew her longbow and fired wildly at the masked man. Immediately, there was a splash, as if someone had fallen into a river, and then people began to cry out.
She grabbed Ah Xia and jumped into the river.
Qin Weixi had intended to shoot off the leader's hat to see his true face. Even if she were to die today, she didn't want to die without knowing why. But whether it was heaven's mercy or the meticulous archery lessons the boy had taught her in her youth, her arrow struck the man in the chest. The man hadn't expected that an eight-year-old girl could still outwit him when disaster struck. With an arrow in his chest, he fell into the vast river.
Qin Weixi laughed heartily: "Traitor! Today is also your death day!"
The constant whooshing of arrows filled my ears, and a heart-wrenching pain shot through my back.
She remembered the snow in her hometown.
I remembered my mother's smiling face as she looked out the window at my father and brothers in the winter snow.
The pain in my back was nothing compared to the pain in my heart, which felt like being torn apart by a thousand knives, spreading through my very bones.
Memories of my eight years of youth flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
A tear welled in her eye; she never imagined she would die here.
She closed her eyes.
But what I was thinking was: Oh, Bodhisattva! The compassionate and merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva! I really, really want to go back to the capital, to see the people I long to see one more time.
In the dim light, I seemed to hear someone say, "Someone's coming! How could this be? Quick! Let's get out of here!"
A note from the author:
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