On the first day of the sixth lunar month, Emperor Zhu Rui of the Ming Dynasty received two messages at the same time in the Qianqing Palace.
One good news, one bad news.
The good news isn't really that great, but given the current frustrating situation, it's at least a glimmer of hope.
When Qingchen was summoned to the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Rui, dressed in light clothes and a loose fur coat, was sitting on a couch by the window, looking like he had been ill for a long time and was in poor spirits.
The two secret letters were placed on the emperor's desk. The eunuch Huang Heng soaked a handkerchief in water in a golden basin and knelt on the couch to wipe the cold sweat from his back.
She hadn't been to the Qianqing Palace for almost half a year. Since the court assembly at the end of last year that shocked the entire court, Zhu Rui's condition had been fluctuating, and he had basically ignored state affairs. The affairs of the court were handled by the heads of the Six Ministries, and the matters of war were left entirely to the generals stationed in various regions and Lu Shenyun.
He was too lazy to manage it, and also lacked the ability to do so, because he was not a wise ruler to begin with. His subordinates were all smarter than him, so he didn't need to give orders blindly.
It's certainly leisurely, but there's a sense of powerlessness, like your fate is entirely in someone else's hands. But what else can you do?
Qingchen nodded, bowed to the emperor, and said, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."
Zhu Rui beckoned her closer and had Huang Heng bring her a chair to sit on. "Sit down."
"You must know about the situation in the capital, right?" He spoke after Qingchen sat down, his voice weak and feeble. "The traitor Meng Gexing has already led the White Lotus Sect to Baoding, and they're about to reach the capital. They have a lot of people, and they're all brave and reckless... They won't be easy to deal with."
He was, after all, the emperor, and Zhu Rui; even with defeat already inevitable, he still needed to save face in his words.
Qingchen nodded without revealing his expression. "Your Majesty, I have heard about this recently."
"I have already sent someone with a document to offer amnesty." Zhu Rui seemed to be unwell and did not elaborate further. "The traitor is willing to negotiate with us, but he has one condition."
"May I ask, Your Majesty, what are the conditions?"
Zhu Rui glanced at her. "He only talks to you."
“...I know you are the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and this matter should have been handled by someone from the Ministry of Rites. But I suppose it's because you once served in Yunnan and had dealings with him that he was willing to speak with someone he knew.”
Qingchen was a talent personally promoted by Zhu Rui. In Zhu Rui's more than 20 years as emperor, no one had given him such a sense of accomplishment as she had, so Zhu Rui had a special regard for this subject.
It's hard to explain this special feeling. It's like you've clicked with someone and just like them. It's also like they've always lived up to his expectations and never let him down, which makes him feel gratified and willing to pamper them.
So even though he knew Qingchen would definitely go, he was still willing to take the time to talk to her properly.
Before she could speak, he continued, "I know that man is ruthless and vicious, and there will be some danger for you going this time. Therefore, I will have Lu Shenyun accompany you. I believe that with your intelligence and his skills, even if Meng Gexing is extremely shameless and untrustworthy, you can still escape unscathed... Alas, do you know how I feel right now? I truly feel somewhat guilty towards you..."
Meng Gexing agreed to the negotiations, specifically requesting that Qingchen go. To be honest, Qingchen wasn't too surprised.
She knew that person's personality; he was extremely intelligent and arrogant, and the more unattainable something was, the more he would try to get it.
This time, it was the Ming Dynasty that took the initiative to request peace talks. He probably disdained it and agreed to the negotiations, but it was probably not sincere. He just wanted to force her, a loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty, to go and see how arrogant he was now.
"Your subject will proceed immediately," Qingchen nodded in acceptance of the order.
Zhu Rui was willing to say more polite words, but she wasn't too keen on listening. With internal and external troubles looming, as a subject, it was her duty to contribute to the court—that was one reason.
Furthermore, Song Yue is still in prison, and Zhu Rui's intention to sacrifice him is an open secret. She is unwilling to continue to feign compliance with him.
"Okay!" Zhu Rui felt deeply gratified to see that she agreed so readily.
As expected of the person he chose, he is sensible and understands the bigger picture.
"Let me tell you another piece of news," Zhu Rui said, glancing at the secret letter on his desk. "The Prince of Shu has already gathered 100,000 troops and, under the pretext of defending the emperor, is heading towards the capital. He should arrive in Kaifeng in less than a month, followed by Jinan and then the capital. Once the White Lotus Sect and I are both exhausted, he can reap the benefits. It seems my brother has been coveting my throne for a long time, and I've only just realized it."
"To tell you the truth," he continued, "the Tatars and Oirats in the north are also keeping a close eye on us, so the 100,000 troops guarding the northern border cannot be moved at all. The battle with the Japanese pirates along the Fujian coast is fierce, and those tens of thousands cannot be withdrawn either. Even with internal strife, the Ming Dynasty cannot be handed over to outsiders in my hands. Therefore, I have no more reinforcements to send to the capital. This time, if the White Lotus Sect is willing to accept the amnesty, then the Prince of Shu's army will have no legitimate reason to act and will not dare to move rashly. I still have a chance. But if the White Lotus Sect is unwilling to accept the amnesty…"
Zhu Rui stopped there. Qingchen was a smart man; he had already laid everything bare to her. He only hoped that she could do her best to persuade Meng Gexing when they faced each other, although he knew it wouldn't be an easy task.
Hearing these words, Qingchen felt a heaviness in his heart. The Ming Dynasty had long been plagued by deep-seated problems, and now, with multiple ailments flaring up, it was almost incurable—a consequence of historical development. It was the common people of the Ming Dynasty who suffered the most, regardless of how the wars were fought or who won or lost; those who had nowhere to hide in the chaos of war were the ones who suffered the most.
She took a light breath and replied, "Your Majesty's favor and appreciation have earned me your utmost respect. However, may I ask Your Majesty for a favor?"
"you say."
"Your Majesty, I dare to say that Your Majesty will not order the three judicial departments to begin the trial of the Shandong corruption case until I return."
Zhu Rui didn't think much of it and quickly agreed.
When Qingchen left the Qianqing Palace, it was already dark. As she stepped down the white marble steps, she felt her steps were unusually heavy.
To be honest, although she had promised to do her best, she had no confidence at all.
This crisis was unlike any she had faced before. Although she had managed to overcome challenges such as repairing the dike, horse racing, the "crown prince's interrogation," and the hailstorm, which everyone thought were impossible, this was the time when she felt most insecure and lacked confidence.
Negotiations require having a trump card. Zhu Rui had already played her trump card; she had no trump cards left to negotiate with Meng Gexing.
The journey to Baoding takes two days, and she needs to use those two days to think things through.
The next day, Qingchen set off.
When the carriage reached the outskirts of the capital, she met up with Lu Shenyun.
Lu Shenyun went to investigate the movements of the White Lotus Sect on the sixth day of the first lunar month and did not return to the capital until April. After returning to the capital, he was busy setting up defenses in the suburbs and other places, and leading cavalry to spy on the strength of the White Lotus Sect. He was basically not in the government office.
So Qingchen hasn't seen him for several months.
She kept that golden book and iron certificate, and whenever she thought of it, she felt conflicted and knew she should talk to him face to face to make things clear.
In June, the outskirts of Beijing were lush with vegetation, and wildflowers bloomed one after another. Lu Shenyun, dressed in military uniform, looked dusty and thinner than he had a few months ago.
He sat in her carriage, thinking that he should smile since they hadn't seen each other for several months, but he couldn't manage a smile.
Going to accept the amnesty is no different from attending a trap. He was worried ever since he learned that Meng Gexing specifically asked Qingchen to go.
But with imperial orders above and the common people below, what could he do, no matter how reluctant he was?
He only regretted that he didn't have the ability to cut off Meng Gexing's head with one stroke, so that Meng could not only cause the Ming Dynasty to collapse, but also humiliate the woman he loved.
Seeing that he was preoccupied, Qingchen spoke first, "Lu Shenyun, you've lost weight. It must be tough on the front lines."
He looked up at her, his thin lips slightly pursed, "...I'm fine."
"Don't be like that, I know you're worried about me." She directly exposed his terrible habit of keeping things to himself. "We'll be fine this time. Regardless of whether Meng Gexing really wants to negotiate, in war, envoys are not to be killed. I know him. He's so proud and arrogant, all he wants is to win a perfect victory. He wouldn't do something so meaningless."
He blinked, pondered for a moment, as if making up his mind, and said, "Don't go. I'll send you back to the capital and apologize to the Emperor."
Meng Ge is ruthless and has no bottom line; this time, he's clearly up to no good. Even if he doesn't kill them, he'll likely do everything in his power to humiliate her. He doesn't want her to suffer such humiliation.
"...And then what?" She looked at his stubborn eyes and cold face and pressed him for an answer. "Then wait for the Emperor to punish you and have someone else send me back, or wait for Meng Gexing to march into the capital? If you were a selfish person, I would believe you would send me back."
The situation was extremely complex, and the man was deeply conflicted; even someone like Lu Shenyun could utter such resentful words. She understood, but she had to remind him to remain calm.
Lu Shenyun remained silent.
There was truly nothing to say.
After a while, he stretched out his arm and suddenly put his arm around Qingchen's shoulder.
She quickly felt the warmth of his palm and blinked gently.
Actually, they were both sitting upright, and he was only putting his arm around her shoulder. This silent contact was a way of conveying feelings and a form of self-comfort.
The two of them were colleagues, comrades-in-arms, and close friends; many things no longer needed to be said aloud.
Just sitting quietly next to each other is enough.
Two days later, the carriage arrived in Baoding.
When they were still some distance from the White Lotus Sect's camp, Qingchen said, "I can't accept that golden book and iron certificate. It was earned by the Lu family through generations of hard work, not just for you."
Lu Shenyun lifted the curtain and looked out the window, the shadows of the trees shimmering on his face. After a long while, he replied, "I can't beat Meng Gexing, and I can't do anything for the Ming Dynasty. All I have left is this plaque."
After saying that, he slowly turned his head, his dark eyes looking at her. "Saving a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty and relieving your sorrow is the only thing I can do. Please grant my request."
Qingchen lowered her head, her lips slightly parted, "I can't pay you back."
"I won't ask you to pay it back."
"We still can't pay it back."
"Then we're not going to save Song Yue?" he suddenly asked her in a slightly teasing tone, which was quite unusual for him.
With negotiations imminent, the aim was to ease her tension and also to avoid discussing this topic that would cause her distress.
"..."
After that, the two said nothing more, and the carriage soon arrived at the White Lotus Sect camp.
Outside Meng Gexing's main tent, the guards seized Lu Shenyun's embroidered spring knife.
Although only two of them came as agreed.
As long as he was alive, he would keep his sword with him. Ever since becoming a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lu Shenyun had never been without his sword for a moment. Although he was reluctant at the moment, he could only hand over the sword without showing any emotion.
No matter what, he still has his own flesh and blood body, which he can use to protect her.
Inside the tent, Meng Gexing, dressed in a plain, loose-fitting robe, leaned back in his chair with a relaxed posture, waving a fan in his hand.
His attire was exactly the same as when Qingchen first met him, without any difference.
When Meng Gexing first looked up and saw the person bringing in the money, his heart skipped a beat, but he quickly put on his usual nonchalant smile and said, "You've arrived?"
Qingchen and Lu Shenyun stood side by side, glancing at the six burly men guarding him, without saying a word.
Meng Gexing didn't care about Lu Shenyun. He had initially refused when he learned that Lu Shenyun wanted to come along. But then he thought, it would be quite interesting to let the number one military general of the Ming Dynasty see how he flirted with their third-rank official. So he let him come along.
"Qingchen, it's been a long time." He called her by her name familiarly, and then said, "Come closer, let me take a good look at you."
As she was about to walk forward, Lu Shenyun blocked her way with half his body. "If you want to talk, then just say what you have to say."
Meng Gexing lazily curled the corners of his lips, "Oh, so you're protecting her already?"
"Lord Lu, Commander Lu, it's not your turn to speak yet."
Qingchen tugged at Lu Shenyun's sleeve, signaling him to let her handle it, "Meng Gexing..."
But before she could speak, Meng Gexing interrupted her, "Wait a minute."
After saying that, he stood up again, flicked the sleeves of his loose robe, slowly walked to her side, and whispered in her ear, "It seems that this commander knows you are a woman, right? He cares about you quite a bit?"
She frowned slightly. "We've come here today to..."
He quickly picked up where she left off, "You want to negotiate amnesty, right? I know!"
As he spoke, he glanced at the surrender document in Lu Shenyun's hand and casually extended his hand to him, "May I take a look at the document?"
Lu Shenyun handed it over, but after taking it, he immediately threw the document on the ground without even looking at it.
"What exactly do you want?" Lu Shenyun finally couldn't help but ask.
Meng Gexing stomped to the edge of the table, lifted one leg and put it on the table, then slowly lifted the hem of his clothes and laughed, "If you want me to crawl between my legs, then I'll talk to you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
