002
The princess suddenly realized something and turned to look at Song Ling, only to find that the spot where she had just been was now empty.
She sneered, "You're quick on your way."
When the commander of the Imperial Guard strode in, the Princess was leisurely brewing tea.
"If you want to go and do whatever you want, Commander Yuan is really not taking me, the eldest princess, seriously enough."
"Hahaha!" Commander Yuan sat down opposite her with a flourish. "Princess, please forgive me. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to present my visiting card."
The man glanced at the two teacups on the table, his tone playful: "I've arrived at an inopportune time; does the princess have guests to entertain?"
The eldest princess remained expressionless, lowering her eyes to sip her tea. "If you want to investigate, then investigate. Why waste words, Commander Yuan?"
"Then I... thank you, Princess."
On the other side, the Wu'an Marquis's Mansion, which everyone was talking about
In the study
"Who's out there!" A calligraphy brush suddenly pierced through the window paper and rushed out of the room. "Come out!"
“My lord, you are a man of high status and may have a short memory,” Song Ling said, holding a calligraphy brush behind his back in one hand and pushing open the study door with the other. He then bowed and asked, “Do you still remember me?”
"It's you?"
Marquis Wu'an frowned deeply. "How did you get in?"
Although the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion was not exactly an impregnable fortress, it was still guarded by layers of servants, making it a place where anyone could come and go freely.
"My mansion is not your marketplace!"
"In urgent circumstances, we must act expediently. Please forgive me, Your Highness." Song Ling bowed deeply and said, "His Majesty intends to appease the northern border through a marriage alliance. I'm sure Your Highness has already heard about this."
Marquis Wu'an grew increasingly dissatisfied with Song Ling. "No need for further words. Such matters will be decided by His Majesty and the court. What exactly is your purpose in coming here?"
"You jest, my lord. I wonder if you are displeased that I trespassed into the inner quarters, or annoyed that I revealed your feelings for the Fourth Princess that day?"
The murderous intent instantly filled the entire study, and a short, sharp dagger was instantly placed against her neck; any closer and its edge would pierce her delicate skin.
Song Ling seemed oblivious, and said calmly, "The deal I made that day is still valid."
"His Majesty knows in his heart whether the eldest princess or the fourth princess is more important."
"My lord, you might want to consider carefully whether you can bear to watch this beauty perish in this desolate land."
Feeling the dagger at her neck lessen in pressure, Song Ling gently brushed it away with her brush. "At that time, I hope you won't regret it, my lord."
As Song Ling turned around without hesitation, she was suddenly called back.
"etc……"
A fleeting smile played at the corners of her lips.
"What do you want?" Marquis Wu'an slumped into the main seat with a grand air. "People? Money? Or status?"
“I know that you, Lord Marquis, are a man of noble character and a gentleman in the army. Therefore, I would like to ask for your help in the future…” Song Ling stood still and, seeing him frown, added, “Of course, it will be within your power, in accordance with morality and reason.”
"And, once this matter is accomplished, I would like to ask the Marquis to send someone to help escort a few people out of the city."
"These must be extremely simple for Lord Marquis." Song Ling's expression was calm, making it impossible to discern her true intentions.
“Alright,” Marquis Wu’an stood up, “tell me your thoughts first.”
She said leisurely, "If I were to ask Your Excellency to exchange your many military achievements for the freedom of your beloved, would Your Excellency be willing to do so?"
………
The next day
In the imperial court
"Speak if you have something to say, otherwise the court is adjourned—" A sharp voice rang out, but no one spoke and no one moved an inch.
With Su Zhengze dead, everyone in the court and the country is now in a state of fear, afraid of losing their lives for no reason if the Emperor dislikes them.
"Your subject has something to report!"
The eldest princess stepped forward. As the only woman in the Later Jin Dynasty to be granted a formal official position and allowed to attend court since the founding of the dynasty, her existence displeased many officials in the court, even though she held the status of an eldest princess.
“Recently, the northern barbarians have repeatedly harassed the people of our northern border, and there is a hidden threat that they will break through our border defenses and move south. However, the war in the southern border is now critical, and our army and supplies are insufficient. Your subject proposes to send envoys to negotiate peace and establish friendship between the two nations.”
In the past, when the Eldest Princess appeared, she would impeach this person or criticize that person. Today, however, she's acting quite strangely, proposing a marriage alliance? Does she know that she herself will be among the candidates for a marriage alliance?
The ministers, who had been quietly standing there making radishes, all stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I second that proposal."
"I second that proposal."
...
"Hmph," the emperor sneered, "then are you willing to go to the northern frontier for a marriage alliance?"
The eldest princess deftly lifted her robe and knelt down, replying in a firm and powerful voice, "To share the burdens of my father and my Great Jin, I would gladly die a thousand deaths!"
The emperor remained silent, looking at his eldest daughter who was kneeling below him. His fingertips lightly tapped the armrest of the dragon throne, his expression unreadable. "Rise," he said.
"You are the only female general in our Great Jin Dynasty. You will be the one to conquer the northern border for our Great Jin Dynasty in the future. Why do we need you to go?"
The speaker meant something, and the listener meant something too. Everyone in the world knows that ten years ago, the northern barbarians invaded the Central Plains and slaughtered the people of the Later Jin Dynasty. It was Marquis Wu'an who led his army north to quell the rebellion and guarded the northern border for eight years before being recalled by the Emperor two years ago.
Several military officers glanced at Marquis Wu'an, only to see that his expression remained unchanged, as if he had not understood the deeper meaning of the emperor's words.
The eldest princess seemed unconcerned and added fuel to the fire, saying, "Your subject will certainly not disappoint Father's expectations."
The emperor moved his unsteady body, still savoring the intoxicating beauty that had been presented to him the night before, wishing he could fly to the inner palace immediately.
His tone was nonchalant, "If that's how it is, then so be it..."
As he paused slightly, the old eunuch beside him leaned forward, "Master, the Fourth Princess..."
"Then he ordered the fourth princess to go to the Wulesu tribe for a marriage alliance, and..."
"His Majesty!"
The moment he heard the name of the Fourth Princess, Marquis Wu'an's heart skipped a beat. Before he could even make a decision, his body acted first, stepping forward and kneeling before the palace.
"Your subject humbly requests permission to lead troops to the northern frontier to pacify the northern barbarians."
The hall fell silent instantly. The emperor's cloudy eyes swept lightly over him. "Oh?"
"I have fought against the Northern Barbarians for many years and have rich experience. I will certainly eliminate the threat to the northern border for Your Majesty, and I will not return until the Northern Barbarians are defeated!"
"Marquis Wu'an is indeed experienced in battle..."
The emperor neither permitted nor prohibited it, saying, "This matter will be discussed later. Court is adjourned!"
As the crowd dispersed, the eldest princess looked at Marquis Wu'an, who was still kneeling in the distance, the shock she felt when she saw him step forward had not yet subsided.
He walked up to him in a few steps and said, "My lord, someone asked me to pass on a message to you."
"No destruction, no construction; how can we know we can't obtain what we desire if we let go?"
Marquis Wu'an suddenly raised his head, "May I ask, Princess, what is that person's surname and given name?"
The eldest princess did not give him a direct answer, but instead looked meaningfully at the empty dragon throne above, "My lord, only the person in that position can be the player. As for us... we should just be good pieces."
"What Father Emperor is worried about and what he needs, how could the Marquis not know all these years? Or does the Marquis really have some ulterior motive?"
piece……
When the ministers received the latest news, they were still unaware of why the situation had changed.
All that could be found out was that on that afternoon, Marquis Wu'an knelt in front of the Imperial Study for more than two hours before being summoned by the Emperor.
Then two imperial edicts were issued.
First, Marquis Wu'an was appointed as General Who Conquers the North, and two months later, troops were dispatched to the northern frontier.
Secondly, the fourth princess was betrothed to the Marquis of Wu'an, and the wedding was to take place at the end of the month.
*
"What a wonderful Song Ling!"
The eldest princess slammed her sword onto the table. "I paid the money to bribe the Marquis of Wu'an, and he did the work to quell the rebellion. She, on the other hand, is so carefree, getting something for nothing with just a few words."
Lord Liu said with a worried tone, "Then what she said about saving Lord Su..."
"Talking nonsense and putting on airs." The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, angry at herself for having delusions, and angry at Su Zhengze for deceiving her. She was just like those sanctimonious literati.
Where are they?
Lord Liu wiped his sweat and said awkwardly, "Our men couldn't find it, so they must have already left the city."
"Go and get them back!" the princess roared.
Just then, a servant from the manor suddenly came to report: "Your Highness, a beggar has slipped a letter into the manor."
"What letter?" The princess took the letter suspiciously and opened it. The envelope was bulging, and a dark green jade pendant suddenly slipped into her palm after she opened it.
Her lips trembled slightly as she hurriedly opened the letter, only to find two words written in that familiar handwriting.
He said: "Cherish it."
"Let's withdraw the people. There's no need to pursue them," the princess said, gripping the jade pendant tightly, her expression complex.
He read the letter over and over again several times before his hands trembled as he watched it burn out over the candlelight.
Song Ling and his party had already left the city with the deliberate permission of the guards and were resting temporarily in the outskirts of the capital.
"Your relatives have been settled in Jiangnan. Since you're on the way, you might as well travel with us."
Su Zheng shook his head slightly, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss. I would like to go and see for myself... the people of my Later Jin."
The man before her was clearly only in his twenties or thirties, but his face was pale, and there were still unhealed wounds on his cheeks and neck, making him look ferocious. He was thin, and the white robe he wore was slightly too big for him.
"You've suffered, my lord," Song Ling said sincerely, bowing deeply. "The journey ahead is long and arduous; please take care."
"Thank you for your trouble in saving me, young lady." Su Zhengze bowed deeply. "Take care, young lady."
On the carriage, Su Zhengze watched the figures and city walls gradually disappear behind him, his heart filled with a thousand wounds and deep emotions.
I should have died a few days ago, but now I'm alive and well, as if it were all a dream.
He came from a poor family and had not experienced many setbacks since passing the imperial examination at a young age. He was also not a sentimental person.
Six months ago, he was framed by his colleagues and imprisoned by His Majesty out of fear, but he did not shed a tear.
He endured extreme torture in prison but did not shed a tear.
When Ms. Song appeared in prison and convinced herself, she did not shed a tear.
But on that day, when he witnessed Su Zhengze being beheaded in the market and the people sharing the food, he burst into tears.
He prided himself on being loyal to the emperor and loving his country, vowing to die for the nation and its people. But considering that the Later Jin dynasty lasted only a little over two hundred years, how did it come to this state?
He was indifferent to life and death; the scholarly spirit ingrained in his bones made him determined to "prove the Way through death."
That day in prison, after he had been tortured and was sitting cross-legged against the wall with his body covered in wounds, Miss Song suddenly appeared in front of him.
What did she say when she squatted down?
She said, "Even if a thousand or ten thousand Su Zhengzes die, no one will think you are righteous."
"Justice is the armor of those in power, and also the robe that covers power."
"And who will care whether you are righteous or not, in the future?"
"My lord, history is written by those in power. Under a wise ruler, you are the epitome of justice and a model of virtue; but now, what can you be? If the ruler says you are wrong, you are a treacherous villain. Even if countless scholars in later generations are willing to clear your name, what about the people of this era? What about those who, like you, were framed and died with resentment? If you have the knowledge to govern the world, you should put it to use. Moreover, in this world, the people need people who speak the truth and plead for them the most."
As his thoughts returned to their source, Su Zheng clenched his fist, his eyes seeming to hold a firm resolve.
………
"girl!"
An old eunuch-looking man walked up to Song Ling and painstakingly tore off the human skin mask from his face.
"What's it like being a eunuch by the emperor's side, Eunuch Wu?"
"Hahahaha," the woman next to Song Ling couldn't help but laugh at him, "Why don't you try saying a few words in a high-pitched voice so I can hear it?"
"Seven, shut up!"
The man, embarrassed and angry, threw the human skin mask into her arms.
"Alright," Song Ling sighed, rubbing her forehead, "Can you two just shut up for a bit? Wu Sheng, you should be more accommodating to her."
"yes."
"oh."
"Master, we went to great lengths to rescue him, are we just going to let him go like this? What if he regrets it later?"
Song Ling sneered, "Am I such a kind person?"
Qi Man puffed out her cheeks and shook her head. "No."
"Should we head south immediately?" Wu Sheng paused abruptly as he squatted down, his ears twitching, and his tone became somewhat grave. "There's a group of people coming this way, about... twenty horses."
Wu Sheng asked worriedly, "Could it be the eldest princess?"
Song Ling shook her head slightly, "With the Princess's character, she is open-minded and adaptable, not bound by the moment, and is a model among women. Since I have fulfilled my promise, she will naturally not pursue the matter."
“The Marquis of Wu’an is different. He was a general who took to the battlefield in his teens. Now he has everything tied to the royal family. How can we not be suspicious?”
At this moment, one could even faintly hear the cracking of whips as horses galloped by.
Ignoring the strange feeling in her body, Song Ling mounted her horse and said, "Let's shake them off first and head to the southern border."
"drive--"
Clang, clang, clang... The three men and three horses galloped southward at breakneck speed.
"stop!"
"Quick, after them!"
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