Chapter 73, first published on Jinjiang Literature City (1st update), is a good thing for my Wei family...
When Chao Lu and Ruan Yu returned, Madam Qiu had already been confined to her quarters for two days.
Outside, the arguments raged on, while inside the golden tent, people from various tribes came and went, leaving Hurile with no way to avoid them.
Naren insisted that Saren was murdered, while Damu was like a walking corpse. The next day, all the people of the Kereit tribe gathered at the Chaha tribe, Saren's maternal home.
The leader of the Kereit tribe is named Black Stone, who is the grandfather of Saren and Naren. Although he is an elderly man, he still retains his dignified presence.
Sarin's death is no small matter; an explanation must be given to the Chaha tribe and all the Kereit people.
The Khan suppressed the news of Lady Qiu's confinement, but Chao Lu and Ruan Yu were no ordinary people. Having just returned to their tribe, they could barely catch their breath before heading straight to Lady Qiu's tent.
"Mother?!"
Madam Qiu has looked rather unwell these past two days.
"Oh, you're back?" She tried to sit up, and Ruan Yu quickly went to help her.
"An'an... are you alright?" Ruan Yu asked with concern. "I'm fine... Mother."
Madam Qiu sat up: "That's good. I've been thinking about you these past two days, figuring you should be back by now..."
Chaolu, being impatient, demanded, "Mother! What on earth is going on?!"
Madam Qiu: "You know everything?"
Ruan Yu: "Mother...it wasn't you, was it..."
Hela said urgently, "Actually, my mother and I did go to see Saren that day! She attacked you, and my mother was furious! But she wasn't dead when we left!"
Hela has a fiery temper, and besides, there's no need to hide these things from her family.
Ruan Yu quickly grasped the key information: "So... Mother, you didn't harm her..."
Madam Qiu shook her head: "No, that was indeed my goal. I may not have succeeded at the time, but later... it should be me..."
Chaolu became anxious: "How can there be any talk of 'should'?! Mother, if it's not you, then it's definitely not you! I must report this to the Great Khan! You cannot be confined until the matter is thoroughly investigated!"
“Chao Lu…” Madam Qiu grabbed Chao Lu’s arm: “Don’t go, my good child, your mother has something to tell you.”
Chaolu was taken aback. Madam Qiu glanced at Ruan Yu and Haila and said, "You two go out first. There are some things I want to say to Chaolu alone."
Ruan Yu and Haila exchanged a glance and nodded: "Yes, Mother."
Haila and Ruan Yu went out.
Ruan Yu was also about to ask what exactly happened.
Hela was both angry and anxious, and now she finally had someone to confide in—
“That day, when Chaolu returned with the wheat seeds, Mother learned that you had been poisoned again. She was so angry that she almost fainted. After she woke up, Mother said that she must go to Saren to find out what happened. I was worried about Mother, so I went with her.”
Hela, with Ruan Yu by her side, slowly recalled what happened that day.
*******
Night had fallen, and since Saren had been confined to his quarters, there were far fewer maids in his tent.
Three meals a day were just enough to keep her alive.
Naren would occasionally come to visit and bring some things, but at this moment the tent was empty, and Madam Qiu and Hela entered without any trouble.
Saren opened his eyes and, upon seeing the person who had come, suddenly became agitated: "It's you? What are you doing here?"
Madam Qiu said expressionlessly, "I'm here to ask you, how many times are you going to lay a hand on my son!"
Saren was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "What, you succeeded? Hahaha, heaven has eyes."
Enraged, Hela stepped forward and shouted, "You vicious woman! Why did you do this?!"
"Why?" Saren glared at Madam Qiu. "It's because I hate you! I've hated you for twenty years, don't you know that!"
Madam Qiu looked at her pitifully: "I know, but for the sake of a man, all these years, I have no intention of competing with you, yet you insist on going to this extent?"
"The thing I regret most in my life is not killing you when Chaolu was thirteen! I let you, this mother and son with your wolfish ambitions, grow up!"
"Is it that you don't want to kill me, or that you can't kill me? You know perfectly well in your heart." Madam Qiu said coldly, "Have you forgotten Yi Min's death so quickly? Back then, it was just that Yi Min was attacked by Gu worms. You wanted to kill her, but you couldn't!"
"I could kill you in a million ways! It's you, you're too cunning! Wei Wan, you alienated the Khan, making me lower my guard, and you even sent Chao Lu away as a hostage, you heartless woman!"
Do you even remember your own name...? I'm afraid you've forgotten it after all these years, but I remember it very clearly! You only act recklessly because the Khan likes you. You trample the Khan's heart on the ground, humiliating me time and time again. Your feigned distance is nothing but a tactic!
Madam Qiu shook her head sadly: "You're a madwoman, forever living in a man's world."
"The Khan is my husband... You women of the Central Plains, of course, don't understand the loyalty of us grassland women... You just can't forget your fiancé, right? All these years, Wei Wan, you haven't had it easy either..."
Madam Qiu smiled and said, "Yes, but I'm still a little better than you. Saren, believe it or not, I, Wei Wan, have never had any interest in the position of Great Hadun. Never. It's you who have always treated me as a rival. In the past, you only targeted me, and I tolerated that. But now, you've targeted my son more than once. This is intolerable."
"I should have been earlier, much earlier..."
Saren was so emotional that he could barely speak.
Suddenly, Madam Qiu squatted down in Saren and pinched her chin.
"It's time to kill us, mother and children, sooner rather than later, right... just like you did to He Na and Wu Taiji, right...?"
After Madam Qiu finished speaking, Saren suddenly looked up.
"W-what did you say?"
"Wasn't it you? After Turing and the others were born, you were afraid of Hena, the Twin Stars of the Grasslands. You were terrified of her. You used that plague to kill Hena, and later you killed Wutaiji. If I hadn't retreated then, I'm afraid Chaolu and Haila would have become wronged souls on the road to the underworld long ago!"
After Madam Qiu finished speaking, she suddenly waved her hand, and Saren's head slammed against the wooden pillar at the head of the bed.
The bracelet on her wrist was also ripped off by Saren and held tightly in his hand.
“No, you’re spouting lies!” Saren shouted.
Madam Qiu looked at her coldly: "Still acting, Saren? You've harmed so many Haduns and so many children. Today, you have only yourself to blame. Let me tell you the truth... Going to Karl back then was intentional. Over the years, I have indeed maintained a facade of distance while secretly gathering evidence against you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about the good deeds Yimin committed. After that, without Yimin as your accomplice, you became enraged and attacked my son while he was being treated for poison. Speaking of that poison, that was the first time you attacked him. This is the second time. There's no such thing as a third or fourth time, yet you've resorted to the same old tricks!"
Saren seemed to understand something and let out a strange laugh.
"So that's how it is... Over the past ten years, your arguments with the Khan and your repeated pushing him away were all for your own protection, secretly exerting your influence... Wei Wan, you are truly cunning!"
"Scheming? I'm scheming to protect myself and my two children, is that scheming? What, you're allowed to pave the way for Damu by hurting others, but others can't fight back!"
As Madam Qiu became increasingly agitated, her anger surged, and Hela quickly stepped forward to support her, saying, "Mother..."
Saren looked up at the sky, closed his eyes, and tears streamed down his face.
Hela pursed her lips: "Saren, if you truly care about Damu, I'll give you a choice."
After saying that, she threw a dagger over.
Saren opened his eyes.
“Damu is the eldest son of the Khan, but having a mother like you is a disgrace to him.” Haila’s hint was very clear, but Lady Qiu did not move, obviously mother and daughter were of one mind.
“If you were smarter, you would understand what I’m saying. You want to remarry Damu because you look down on Una, but what about yourself? Now, it’s you whom Father Khan despises!”
Disdain.
A look of pain flashed in Saren's eyes.
She repeated the two words and slowly picked up the dagger.
"Yes, it's disgust. My husband has long since disgusted with me, but you ruined the best times we had together... Wei Wan, I can die, but before that, I must kill you!" With that, Saren raised his head fiercely and suddenly thrust his dagger at Madam Qiu!
Hela was shocked!
He immediately stepped forward and kicked Saren away, while protecting Madam Qiu as they retreated. However, Madam Qiu's arm was still stabbed by Saren, and she herself leaned back, her head hitting the corner of the bed heavily...
Then, all my strength just left me...
"Mother, are you alright?" Hela was extremely anxious.
Madam Qiu covered her arm and shook her head: "I'm fine..."
She looked at Saren, then suddenly her eyes widened, and Hela slowly looked over as well.
There was a moment of silence in the tent. Hela went over and tentatively checked Saren's breath. Then she slowly turned her head and said, "Mother... is dying."
Madam Qiu suddenly closed her eyes.
Hela slowly stood up as well: "It's her own fault, it has nothing to do with anyone else. I'll go clean up the scene, tomorrow..."
“No need.” Madam Qiu suddenly opened her eyes.
"Hela, no treatment needed."
"Mother?" Hela asked, puzzled.
Madam Qiu looked at her and smiled gently.
Trust your mother.
******
“After that, my mother and I returned to our tent and didn’t sleep all night. Then, the next day, we heard the news of her death.”
After Hela finished recounting her story, Ruan Yu understood perfectly: "So when you left, Da Hadun was still alive?"
"That's about it. He hit the back of his head, so he's exhaling more and inhaling less."
“No, that’s not true either,” Ruan Yu said, frowning.
"Besides, in that situation, wasn't it Great Khatun who wanted to attack you again? How could that be considered premeditated murder?! Why didn't you tell Father Khan the truth!"
Hela also became anxious: "Mother won't allow it! That's what I'm wondering about too!" Ruan Yu paused for a moment and looked into the tent.
She seemed to have a vague idea of the reason, but she wasn't sure.
...
Inside the tent.
Chaolu looked at his mother with a puzzled expression.
"You said you don't want me to compete for the position of Great Khan, why?"
Lady Qiu smiled at him: "Because I understand my son. Chaolu... you always thought that your father disliked you because he was afraid of my Han blood, right?"
A complex emotion flashed in Chao Lu's eyes: "Hmm..."
"Actually, that's what your mother wanted you to think, but now, you shouldn't think that way anymore."
"Um."
“You are straightforward and honest, but kind-hearted by nature. You are a fine son of the Wei family. There are many things your mother has not told you before. Your maternal grandfather... fought alongside the late emperor on the battlefield. He was a renowned cavalry general in the southwest, Wei Yongqing.”
Chao Lu's eyes widened.
Madam Qiu touched her son's eyebrows and eyes: "Your eyes look a lot like your maternal grandfather's."
Chaolu grew up on the grasslands and knew little about the history of the Central Plains, but from his mother's tone and expression, he understood—
His maternal grandfather was quite remarkable.
His mother was not merely a merchant's daughter, as his father described.
"Yes, I am the legitimate daughter of the General's family, and I grew up in Yangzhou Prefecture in Jiangnan. When the late emperor ascended the throne, my father became the Governor of Jiangnan and a First-Rank Military Marquis, enjoying unparalleled prestige..."
I grew up surrounded by love and affection.
I thought life would continue like this forever, until…
That year…
Madam Qiu's eyes gradually dimmed.
"That year, there was a flood in Jiangnan, which killed many people. My father worked day and night to provide disaster relief, but in return, he received neither gratitude from the people nor any reward from the court. Instead, he received an imperial edict and a completely unfounded charge."
Overnight, my father's hair turned completely white. I had no idea what had happened, and he sent me away that very night—”
“A-Wan, go to Suizhou and find your Uncle Chen. This is the token, remember it…”
“I was forced to embark on a journey north with my mother. It was only on the way that I learned that this was a huge conspiracy, a slander! A label of corruption! It was pinned on the innocence that my father had so carefully protected! This is not fair!”
After Madam Qiu finished speaking, she suddenly coughed. Chao Lu's expression was complicated, but he immediately patted her back gently: "Mother... what happened next...?"
“The journey north is too long. Even though Father has made arrangements, there have been too many unexpected events along the way… In addition, the world is in turmoil, and the north has suffered disasters. Your maternal grandmother fell ill on the way and passed away…”
Chao Lu was suddenly shocked and looked up in disbelief: "Mother, what happened to you!"
Madam Qiu paused for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "Back then, you had an uncle who defied family orders all the way to find me, which saved my life. At the same time, I also met your father, the Khan, in Suizhou..."
At this point, Madam Qiu clenched her hand tightly, as if... she was recalling something very bad.
Chao Lu saw it, and a complex mix of emotions and worry flashed in his eyes. "Mother?"
Madam Qiu closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, her eyes clear and bright.
"Chaolu, promise me, don't fight for that cold and treacherous position. People become crazy and twisted for power... Mother is so glad you married An'an. My son is blessed, so blessed..."
Madam Qiu reached out and patted Chao Lu's head.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door, and the curtain was abruptly pulled up—
"Chaolu, you're back?"
Chao Lu turned to look at himself and slowly stood up.
"Father Khan."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Regarding Saren's death, I deliberately used reverse chronological order in the previous chapter, so it might not be clear. This chapter, however, should make the cause and effect quite clear.
Of course, it's still not clear at the moment, but believe me, the outline has already been written.
Actually, before I started writing this book, it was a very large story. It involved two places, the grasslands and Chang'an, and many causes and effects of two generations. But these things were intertwined, so I had to narrate, interweave, and foreshadow at the same time.
The first storyline, the main one and currently the explicit one, is clearly the grassland turmoil. This storyline isn't actually finished yet. In this storyline, the Saren, Yimin, and Damu family are all gone, but you've probably already realized that I have secrets about Baoyin, Turing, Yuzhuchar, and Naren, who appears later. In the last chapter, Baoyin and Turing revealed their secrets, but Baoyin's origins remain a mystery. Don't worry, this storyline will conclude within the next 50,000 words, and you'll understand everything after reading it.
The second, hidden plotline is the female lead's fake heiress identity. This plotline will not be fully revealed until around the 400,000-500,000 mark, which will be close to the end of the second half. I can only give away a small spoiler: I have already planted some small foreshadowing. The female lead's background will definitely involve the previous generation, so don't worry, there are still very important characters who haven't appeared yet.
I've said a bit too much, actually.
Let's pick up a few small foreshadowing elements.
The first is that Yuzhu disliked Baoyin from the beginning, disliking Baoyin's handling of herbs in the carriage, but little did she know that Baoyin had already taken the medicine at that time, as seen in the dialogue between Baoyin and Turing in the previous chapter: "I had already taken the medicine."
The second instance is when Baoyin first appears. Turing smiles, seemingly unaware that he has a younger sister, which is clearly a lie. Also, during the Lantern Festival, I hinted that they were together, and Baoyin says, "Sixth Brother, it's not over yet."
The relationship between Turing and Chaolu has already been explained, so I won't go into detail again. I'm going to focus on writing this article now.
[Kiss][Kiss][Kiss]
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