Chapter 100 Killing the Chicken to Frighten the Monkey
A captain of the Qi army was provoking and insulting the Xia army in front of the battle line when he was suddenly shot in the head and died.
The exploding blood mist splashed all over the heads and faces of the soldiers on both sides, and the laughter and cheers in the Qi army camp came to an abrupt end.
After a brief silence, the soldiers were in an uproar.
"What's going on?"
"Haven't you been missing the target? Why is it suddenly..."
"What the hell is this projectile? Why is it shot so far? I can't even tell where the enemy is hiding!"
The lieutenant general leading the Qi army looked around vigilantly, and just as his captain had said, he could not find the hiding place of the Xia army that had launched the sneak attack.
The horse under him may have sensed the danger and kicked its front hooves restlessly.
The Qi army lieutenant general held the reins, his face sullen: "Be alert!"
Upon receiving the order, the Qi army tightened their grip on their scimitars and spears, keeping their eyes and ears alert, guarding against another sneak attack by the Xia army.
In the opposite Xia army camp, everyone saw the captain who had challenged them lying dead on the spot, and they all applauded.
"Good death!"
"But how did this man die? I only heard a few loud bangs, and then his head exploded."
"Could it be a secret weapon developed by the general?"
Ma Teng and Liu Jin looked at each other and saw shock and disbelief in each other's eyes.
"Is it her?"
Liu Jin looked back at the city wall, feeling mixed emotions: "That should be it."
Ma Teng opened his mouth and uttered after a long pause: "What a show of power!"
Liu Jin remained silent.
The two men stared at each other again, suppressing their complicated emotions. They raised their arms with their scimitars and shouted, "Kill!"
The enemy was thrown into disarray by the sudden death of the challenger commander. If we don't kill him now, when will we?
The two armies immediately engaged in a melee, with swords flashing and shouts of killing shaking the sky.
......
On the city wall of Loushan Pass, there is a completely different scene.
Du Qingtang raised his musket and aimed it at General Tian and the several generals standing beside him.
"Now, apologize to me for the trash talk you guys said."
White smoke rose from the muzzle of the gun and sprayed onto General Tian's face. He felt the scorching residual heat, which made his face slightly hot.
Somehow, General Tian recalled the scene where the Qi army's challenger was hit by a bullet.
The man's head exploded with a "bang" like a ripe fruit, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.
General Tian suddenly realized that he had underestimated Du Qingtang.
He thought Du Qingtang was a soft persimmon that could be manipulated at will, and that the Firearm Battalion would be his sooner or later.
But they forgot that Du Qingtang was able to survive despite committing the crime of deceiving the emperor, and as a woman she was appointed as the commander of the firearms battalion and concurrently served as a fourth-rank prefect. How could she be a good person?
General Tian allowed his generals to humiliate Du Qingtang. Du Qingtang did not say a word the whole time. Everyone thought that she was just swallowing her anger and did not dare to conflict with these grown men.
Little did they know that Du Qingtang was the most vengeful person. When they tried to intimidate her, she gave them a warning in return by shooting and killing the Qi army soldiers who had spoken rudely to the Xia army on the spot.
After the show of force, it’s time to settle the score.
In late February, Loushan Pass, located in the northwest, was still very cold and the wind was so strong that water would freeze into ice.
At this moment, cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of several generals, including General Tian.
The black muzzle of the gun pointed at them, and Du Qingtang's finger fell on the mechanism.
Just press the button lightly and it will make a "bang" sound, making their heads explode.
“Gudong——”
Someone swallowed, and the sound was clearly audible through the shouting and screaming below the city wall.
"Commander Du, calm down, we were just joking with you."
"Yes, we are just joking with you, you won't take it seriously, right?"
"Commander Du, please put this thing down immediately. If it goes off accidentally, we'll be doomed."
Several generals said this while winking frantically at General Tian.
General Tian is guarding Loushan Pass. He is not only a second-rank official but also the grandfather of the third prince. Du Qingtang, a narrow-minded woman who can't take a joke, will definitely give him face.
It just so happened that General Tian thought the same.
The commander of the firearms battalion is just a nominal position. Even if Du Qingtang holds the military order and uses the name of Emperor Qingyuan as a pretext, she is ultimately just a fourth-rank prefect.
He was also the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture.
Shaoqing Prefecture is not far from Loushan Pass. Doesn’t General Tian know the situation in that place?
Du Qingtang, a woman, was like a rabbit in a den of wolves when she went to Shaoqing Prefecture. Even if she had some abilities, she would still be eaten up without leaving a bone.
Not to mention, his grandson was the third prince, and the queen in the palace was promoted to noble concubine.
Anyone with a bit of common sense would not rashly offend him.
Thinking of this, General Tian calmed himself down and stepped forward to smooth things over.
"Commander Du, these men of mine are not very careful with their words. They just like to joke around. I will ask them to apologize to you. Please give me some face and take back the musket."
Apologize?
Several generals curled their lips in their hearts.
How can a man apologize to a woman?
No apology!
Never apologize!
If Du Qingtang had been more sensible, he would have accepted this opportunity and generously forgiven them...
"I'm sorry, you don't have the face."
General Tian: “???”
What did you say?
General of Loushan Pass: “???”
Are you crazy?
Deputy Commander Lu: "!!!"
The commander is mighty!
With a "click", Du Qingtang slowly pulled the trigger.
Just one more shot and the bullet will shoot out of the barrel and hit the person on the opposite side.
The hairs of several generals stood on end.
"Du Qingtang, what do you want to do?"
"I'm telling you, I'm a second-rank official in the imperial court. If you dare to kill me, I won't let you go even if I become a ghost!"
"This is outrageous! This is outrageous! I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
One of the generals was furious and swung his fist as big as a casserole at Du Qingtang.
Deputy Commander Lu was shocked: "Commander!"
The general with dark skin and body as big as a bear was getting closer and closer. Du Qingtang held up the musket and raised a sarcastic arc at the corner of his lips.
Some people won't cry until they see the coffin.
Since no one taught them to respect women, she would teach them.
She would teach them a lesson they would never forget.
"Bang!"
Accompanied by a deafening sound, the bullet flew out of the barrel at a speed that was difficult to capture with the naked eye, heading straight for the general who was nearby.
The generals and soldiers on the city wall were furious.
"Du Qingtang, how dare you!"
"Old Feng!"
General Feng did not expect that Du Qingtang would actually dare to take action. A loud noise exploded in his ears, and for a moment, he had hallucinations of himself being killed by a headshot.
"ah!"
General Feng felt a sharp pain on his cheek, and the scorching heat made him scream uncontrollably.
There was a deathly silence on the city wall, and you could hear a pin drop.
General Feng closed his eyes tightly, and his strong body shook like a sieve.
Is he dead?
Has he already returned to the underworld?
"I'm new here, so today I'm just giving you a small punishment and warning. If you dare to speak rudely to me again..."
General Feng suddenly opened his eyes and groped around with his hands covering his head.
He is not dead?
Is he still alive?
"A musket has twenty bullets, enough for me to shoot through your head."
General Feng touched his face, his fingers were wet, and when he looked down, he saw bright red blood.
——The bullet just now flew past his face and embedded itself in the brick behind him.
"Say it again."
"Now, apologize to me for the trash talk you guys said."
The muzzle of the gun was against his forehead, and General Feng's eyes became cross-eyed as he looked at the gun barrel flashing with cold metallic light, and then at his hands covered in blood.
Then his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
The bear-like general named Feng fell down, revealing Du Qingtang who was blocking him.
The curl of white smoke had not yet dissipated, blurring Du Qingtang's face.
The cold gaze was as solid as a blade, piercing through the white smoke and cutting into them.
It was not until then that General Tian and others realized that they had provoked not an ordinary woman, but a crazy woman.
He was a fourth-rank official, yet he dared to challenge a second-rank general.
Armed with a musket of astonishing lethality, he dared to attack from a distance of only a few feet.
——If the shot had gone astray even a little, guerrilla general Feng Zhaoxing would have lost his head.
General Tian's heart was pounding so hard that it was about to jump out of his throat.
He had a premonition that even if Du Qingtang really shot and killed General Feng, and the news got back to Xiajing, Emperor Qingyuan would never punish Du Qingtang.
The crime of deceiving the emperor can be pardoned, but Du Qingtang was shot and killed a military general who spoke rudely at a critical moment when the two armies were fighting. Emperor Qingyuan might even praise him for his good work.
General Tian: "...Apologize."
The deputy general glared, looking reluctant: "General!"
General Tian lowered his voice and said, "This is a military order!"
Several generals took a deep breath, looked at each other for a while, and walked forward with clenched fists.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those words. Commander Du is magnanimous, please forgive me."
The deputy general apologized first, and the others took over in turn.
Du Qingtang took back the musket. Deputy Commander Lu, who was watching the battle enthusiastically, stepped forward, took the musket from his own commander with both hands, and stepped aside holding it.
"Thank you all for your cooperation. I am not a petty person. If you all apologize, today's incident will be written off."
Du Qingtang stood with his hands behind his back, his brows full of vigor. "I'm a little tired after such a long journey. I'll go back and rest first."
She glanced at the battle situation below the city wall. The outcome was still undecided, but the Qi army had already sounded the retreat.
"The next time the Qi army attacks, General Tian must inform Du. I, along with 5,000 firearms soldiers, will be at General Tian's disposal."
General Tian: “…”
Generals: “…”
You give me a candy after hitting me with a stick. Do you really think we will appreciate your kindness?
Du Qingtang left with Deputy Commander Lu, leaving the generals on the city wall, feeling angry and helpless.
After the two armies finished fighting, the green-eyed young general who had been silently watching the battle in the corner stepped forward and said, "I have military duties to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
General Tian looked at the green-eyed young general in front of him with an expressionless face.
The young man was over eight feet tall, much taller than him, the general.
Her slightly curly long hair was tied up with a dark headband, and her green eyes were as deep and clear as a lake, with a melancholy look in them, like a damp forest.
Honey-colored skin reminds people of honey flowing in the sun, full of health and vitality.
General Tian looked at him and for some reason thought of another face.
His former superior was General Pei Heng.
General Tian's eyes flickered slightly: "Military affairs are urgent, Lieutenant General Pei should go and do his work."
"I will take my leave."
The green-eyed young general bowed slightly, turned around and walked down the city wall.
The deputy general spat at his back, "I'm so unlucky today. I've been made a laughing stock by some foreigners."
General Tian ignored him.
If the deputy general hadn't started it first, the others wouldn't have followed suit and made him lose face.
"Send someone to clean up the battlefield and take him back."
General Tian didn't even look at General Feng, who was lying on the ground with blood all over his face and unconscious, and left without looking back.
The remaining generals looked at General Feng's miserable appearance, feeling both aggrieved and contemptuous.
"What a coward! He's twice as big as Du, yet he was frightened to the point of fainting."
"I've never been threatened by a woman like this in my life. Do we have to depend on her for everything from now on?"
"If this is the first time we meet, won't you be able to poop and pee on our heads in the future?"
"Isn't she just relying on the Firearms Battalion being in her control? Once the Firearms Battalion falls into the hands of the general, we'll see how she can still act so arrogantly."
"But... can the general really snatch the Firearms Battalion from her?"
Several people's faces turned red in an instant, like chickens with their necks strangled.
They don’t know whether they can snatch it away in the future.
Anyway, today was a failure.
Not only did he fail, but he was also humiliated by that crazy woman.
"Oh, let's not talk about these unlucky things. Get him out of here quickly. There's still blood on his face."
"But the fire gun is really powerful. Such a tiny bullet can actually kill someone. I wonder if we will have the chance to test the power of the fire gun."
"Even if there is, we just offended Du Qingtang. Do you think she will let us enter the Firearm Battalion's territory?"
“…Stop talking.”
Two generals lifted up General Feng, dragged him down the city wall like a dead dog, and sent him back to his residence.
After today's battle, the Qi army will have to rest for at least three to five days. They don't need to stay in the camp all day and can take a break.
Thinking of the fleeting glimpse they had just taken, which showed corpses scattered all over the ground outside the city wall, both from the Xia army and the Qi army, they felt a little heavy-hearted.
It's been two months.
According to incomplete statistics, there were more than ten thousand Xia soldiers who died in battle, and countless more were injured and disabled.
Although they looked down on women, they also harbored a subtle hope that the Firearms Battalion could end the war as soon as possible.
-
"Commander, you are truly magnificent today!"
"You didn't see it. Those who spoke rudely to you were all blue in the face. They were so angry that their fingers were shaking when they apologized to you, afraid you would hit them again."
Deputy Commander Lu's face was full of excitement and reverence, and he kept talking while holding the musket.
"By the way, Commander, the range of this musket seems to be much longer."
Du Qingtang walked down the stairs and said casually, "I was bored a few days ago, so I improved it a little bit. The range is now twice as long as before."
Deputy Commander Lu: "!!!"
Haven’t you been on the road the past few days?
Where does the commander find the time to improve the musket?
etc!
Could it be at night when they are sleeping?
Deputy Commander Lu opened his mouth and stood in awe.
Commander Du, so terrifying!
"With this kind of musket, the firearms army can also shoot down the Qi army from the city wall, one bullet at a time, it's so cool!"
Du Qingtang ruthlessly shattered Deputy Commander Lu's beautiful fantasy: "The Qi bandits are cunning. This kind of trick may be okay once, but if it happens twice or three times, they will definitely be on guard."
Deputy Commander Lu, feeling completely chilled by the cold water, said: "...Oh."
Du Qingtang walked down the city wall and happened to meet soldiers and military doctors carrying the wounded into the city on stretchers.
The weapons of the cavalry were mostly scimitars and spears.
The scimitar has a strong armor-piercing ability and can easily cut through solid armor.
The spear has a hook, which can drag the enemy off the horse and easily pierce armor.
The two armies fought, and one thousand enemies were killed while eight hundred of their own men were killed.
Du Qingtang stood at the foot of the stone stairs of the city wall, looking at the Xia army soldiers on the stretcher, their armor incomplete and their bodies covered with wounds.
Some people's problem is just skin and nail, it will be fine after some care.
But some people had their arms and legs chopped off by the Qi army, or had their stomachs pierced. Blood was gushing out, staining the stretchers red. They were already unconscious, and were still groaning in pain.
Deputy Commander Lu had a heavy expression on his face and sighed, "War is cruel, and it is the people who suffer."
Every time someone died on the battlefield, a family in Daxia would receive an obituary.
The pain of seeing a young person die is imaginable.
Du Qingtang said expressionlessly, "As long as the rulers have ambitions and desires, the war will never stop."
Even in modern times, there are many places ravaged by war.
Deputy Commander Lu was speechless.
The commander was right. Ambition and desire drove them to wage war and invade and expand without any bottom line.
Deputy Commander Lu originally planned to go back and have a good sleep, but now he has given up the idea.
He is going to practice with his musket.
Every time a Qi soldier is shot dead, the war can be ended sooner.
"You go back first, I'll go check on the wounded."
Deputy Commander Lu came to his senses and found that the commander had already walked away.
He swallowed the question that was on the tip of his tongue, scratched his head, and returned to the camp where the Firearm Battalion was stationed with his musket.
......
Du Qingtang came to the wounded soldiers' tent.
Just standing outside, you can hear the wailing sounds one after another.
The rich aroma of mugwort could not suppress the foul stench that filled the wounded soldier's tent. It was the smell of wounds that had not healed for a long time and had rotted away over time.
"Make way! Make way!"
Du Qingtang turned sideways, and the military doctor carried a wounded soldier into the wounded tent.
The wounded soldier was seriously injured. His armor was torn and there was a cut on his waist and abdomen as long as an adult's forearm. Blood was gushing out and his intestines were hanging out.
He had lost consciousness, his face was pale, and he looked like he was about to die.
Du Qingtang heard the military doctor say, "The wound is too big, there's no way to treat it. Give him some painkillers so he can walk more comfortably."
"What a pity, the child is only in his teens."
"So what if you're a teenager? Once you go to the battlefield, you must be prepared not to come back."
The military doctor put the wounded soldier down and walked out of the small and tattered tent that was crowded with wounded soldiers with a heavy face.
"Please stay, both of you."
The military doctor looked at Du Qingtang. They had been in Loushan Pass for many years and had never seen this person before. He frowned and asked, "Who are you? How dare you trespass into the military camp?"
Du Qingtang took out a tiger talisman with nine lines of forty-character inlaid gold inscriptions, identified himself, and said, "I saw that wounded soldier just now. He was seriously injured, his intestines were spilling out. Why don't you try to sew up the wound?"
"Sew? How do you sew?"
"Please forgive my limited knowledge. I have been practicing medicine for many years and have never heard of a wound being sutured."
Du Qingtang didn't find it strange.
Even the imperial physicians who were good at orthopedics in the Imperial Hospital heard about suturing for the first time. These military doctors were far away in Loushan Pass, and even if the news spread from the Imperial Hospital, it would not reach here in just two months.
"It's like sewing clothes, threading the needle, so that the wound can heal faster."
The military doctor frowned and shook his head. "Threading a needle? That's ridiculous! How can you treat a wound like that?"
Du Qingtang responded fluently: "Last December, my nephew was trampled by a horse and his leg was broken. The bones were shattered. The imperial physician of the Imperial Hospital removed the flesh and bones, and then sewed them together. When I left the capital, he was able to walk freely without crutches."
The two military doctors looked at each other, half believing and half doubting.
"In addition, Du's sister, the Deyang Township Lady personally appointed by His Majesty, once performed a cesarean section on a woman in labor. She then used catgut to suture the wound, and the wound healed quickly without any sequelae."
The military doctor's pupils trembled violently.
They knew that the village chief of Deyang had developed the Tianju Drink that could cure smallpox.
They also lamented in private that it was a pity that the head of Deyang Township was a woman, otherwise she would have achieved great success.
One of the military doctors hesitated for a moment, then finally made up his mind: "We need to discuss this with the others."
Take the wounded soldier just now for example. He was seriously injured and there was no cure. He could only lie there and wait to die.
If the suture is really effective, it means that a young life has been saved.
Things can't get any worse than they already are, can they?
The military doctor ran away madly. Du Qingtang watched them leave and prepared to return to the firearms camp.
She suddenly had a new idea. She decided to take advantage of the time when Da Qi was about to retreat and make the thing.
As soon as I turned around, I was surprised to find someone standing not far away.
She has green eyes, nectar-like skin, and facial features so delicate that it is almost difficult to tell whether she is male or female. Her black hair is slightly curly, making her look like a beautiful big cat.
Pei Yuchun.
The grandson of General Pei Heng.
He was brave and good at fighting, but unfortunately he died young.
A shallow emotion flashed through Du Qingtang's mind and he nodded slightly.
"Commander Du." Pei Yuchun's green eyes were bright as he bowed. "I am the Lieutenant General of Loushan Pass, Pei Yuchun."
Du Qingtang readily complimented him and said, "Commander Pei."
Pei Yuchun tilted his head slightly and looked at the tent filled with a strange smell. "That man just now... he was stabbed by the Qi army's scimitars while trying to protect the people around him."
The bloody wound appeared in front of Du Qingtang's eyes again, and he pursed his lips.
"Commander Du, I heard everything just now." Pei Yuchun's green eyes were filled with hope. "Can suturing save him?"
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment: "If we sew it up and then give it medicine, there's a chance he'll survive, but if we don't sew it up, he'll definitely die."
Pei Yuchun nodded in understanding, pursed his lips and chuckled softly, his voice low and gentle, like a spring breeze brushing past his ears: "I thank Commander Du on behalf of the soldiers at Loushan Pass."
Du Qingtang hummed softly, accepting his gratitude. "The Firearm Battalion still has things to do, so I'll leave first."
After saying this, he nodded and walked away past Pei Yuchun.
Pei Yuchun stepped into the wounded soldier's tent and suddenly looked back before opening the tent door.
In front of my sight, a thin figure is walking away.
Pei Yuchun's eyes flickered slightly as he locked onto the enemy through the observation hole. The calm and composed yet sharp-eyed woman completely matched the figure.
The green-eyed young general raised his hand to touch his ear, opened the tent door and walked into the wounded tent.
The tent door fell, blocking out the cold wind, and the blush on the tip of the ear disappeared in an instant.
......
The firearms army had already set up camp, and Du Yi and others also set up tents for Du Qingtang.
Du Qingtang took a short rest and then went straight into the tent next door.
During this period, Deputy Commander Lu led the firearms troops in training.
The five thousand firearms soldiers were divided into five groups, each group was divided into twenty rows, and they took turns shooting at the targets.
The continuous loud noises completely aroused the curiosity of the soldiers at Loushan Pass.
However, military regulations are strict and no one is allowed to move around freely in the military.
Even though they were as anxious as if they were being scratched by a cat, they did not dare to come forward to find out what the legendary musket that killed the challenger from the Qi army looked like.
"Anyway, no matter what it is, it must be good stuff."
"If each of us had a musket, we wouldn't have so many casualties in every battle."
The soldiers' eyes dimmed as they thought of their comrades who had died in the battlefield or were seriously injured not long ago.
This time it’s their companions, will it be their turn next time?
General Tian was sitting in the main tent, listening to the incessant noises outside. He actually had the illusion that a musket was pointed at his head. His eyelids were twitching so fast that he had no time to read the secret report from the spy.
The deputy general slammed the table in anger: "Damn it, she is warning us!"
General Tian glanced at him and said, "Hasn't your lesson been enough? If you don't want to cause trouble, behave yourself and don't clash with her again."
Du Qingtang is vindictive and ruthless, and is definitely not an ordinary woman. He doesn't want Du Qingtang to cause chaos in Loushan Pass.
Thinking about the third prince's request, General Tian became even more troubled.
Du Qingtang holds the tiger talisman in her hand, and the firearms army only obeys her orders. Now they can only take it step by step.
The deputy general didn't know what General Tian was thinking, so he sneered and said, "I'll listen to the general. Let's see what tricks the firearms battalion can come up with when the two armies clash again!"
-
However, after Du Qingtang left Beijing, Fu Ci also went to Hangzhou Prefecture with the appointment documents.
Immediately afterwards, Yao Jingzhou asked to be transferred to another post.
Within two days, the Ministry of Personnel appointed him as the sixth-rank magistrate of Gunzhou Prefecture, Shandong.
The day before leaving Beijing, Yao Jingzhou presented the evidence of the crimes of the second prince Xia Qilin and Qi Changtai to Emperor Qingyuan.
After reading the evidence, Emperor Qingyuan was furious: "The second son has really gone from bad to worse. Even the seventh son is not as capable of causing trouble as he is."
Fu Rui held his breath and concentrated, his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, thinking of himself as a round ornament in the imperial study.
At this moment, the eunuch came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Concubine Qi requests an audience."
Concubine Qi, Xia Qilin's biological mother.
One can guess with one's toes that this person has come to ask His Majesty to revoke his order and restore Xia Qilin's dignity as a prince.
Originally, for the sake of Qi Lianmao, Emperor Qingyuan had no intention of taking action against Concubine Qi.
But she was too ignorant of the seriousness of the matter and kept on making trouble, lacking the virtues of a queen.
Emperor Qingyuan threw the so-called evidence aside and said calmly, "Noble Concubine Qi has been disrespectful in front of the emperor and has failed to educate her children. From this day forward, she will be demoted to Concubine Qi and confined to Chuxiu Palace."
Concubine Qi's cries faded away. Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand and rubbed his brows: "Send these to the Ministry of Justice and deal with them according to the rules."
"yes."
That afternoon, Qi Changtai was drinking and having fun with his favorite concubine in his mansion when the officers and soldiers broke into his house, tied him up like a pig, and threw him into the Ministry of Justice prison.
Qi Changtai's second wife went to her father-in-law and begged him with tears in her eyes: "Please save my husband's life!"
Qi Lianmao kept waving his hands: "I can't save him, I can't save him."
First, the second prince was demoted to a commoner, then the most valued grandson "died of illness", and now the imperial concubine in the palace has also been demoted to a concubine. Each and every one of these things has dealt an extremely heavy blow to the Changguo Mansion, which has been glorious for a hundred years.
The reason why Your Majesty kept him was simply to have him check and balance Cao Yuan.
Once he died, the Qi family had no more talents to cultivate, and its decline was only a matter of time.
Qi Lianmao's back was hunched and tears glistened in his cloudy eyes.
"Retribution! It's all retribution!"
......
Just when Qi Lianmao was heartbroken because the Duke of Changguo's Mansion was doomed and on the decline, Qingyuan County was filled with joy.
The reason was simple. The news that Du Qingtang was pardoned from the death penalty, appointed as the commander of the firearm battalion, and concurrently served as the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture had spread from Xiajing to here.
The first person to find out was Du Qingju, who was working at Huimin Medical Clinic.
"Doctor Du, have you heard? His Majesty has pardoned the death penalty for Master Du and Master Fu, and has also given them official titles."
Du Qingju's eyes widened for a moment and she hurriedly asked what was going on.
The other party told everything he knew, and Du Qingju burst into tears of joy on the spot: "That's great, Xianyu and Zizhan are fine!"
Doctor Qu listened to the entire process, smacked his lips and sighed.
The youngest child of the Du family is really capable.
In his early years, he fooled the county magistrate and now he can continue to serve as an official even though he has committed the crime of deceiving the emperor.
He is truly a ruthless person who has stopped menstruating.
admire!
I really admire you!
Doctor Qu looked at his disciple who was smiling with tears in his eyes, and smiled too.
After finally making it to the evening, Du Qingju returned home with a cheerful step.
Eight sisters gathered here. They all heard the good news that Du Qingtang and Fu Ci were out of danger. They all smiled from ear to ear.
Du Qingqin wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling happy but also a little sad. "A fur trader from out of town came to the shop this afternoon. He heard people talking about Shaoqing Prefecture and said that no one would go there."
Then she truthfully recounted what the fur traders had said about the situation in Shaoqing Prefecture.
The smiles of the seven sisters were frozen on their faces.
Du Qingqi's joy turned into worry, tears welling up in her eyes: "Shaoqing Mansion is in great danger, what if the jade is offered..."
Du Qingshu grabbed her mouth and said, "Go away, shut up! Xianyu will be fine!"
Du Qingzhu's eyes rolled. "Why don't I wait until the battle at Loushan Pass is settled, and then go to Shaoqing Prefecture to find Xianyu?"
Du Qingju agreed: "There's nothing much to learn in Qingyuan County. I'm planning to travel around and then go to Shaoqing Prefecture."
"Xianyu works very hard, and my seventh sister and I will go over and take care of her."
The six sisters looked at each other.
After some ideological struggle, Du Qingqin made the final decision: "Bring more people. That place is full of wolves, tigers and leopards. You must protect yourselves well."
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju looked at each other and laughed at the same time.
Du Qingzhu snorted twice: "I have to go to Hujia Village later and tell that woman the good news that Xianyu has been reinstated as an official."
Du Wu and Du Liu transported Yuan's coffin back to Qingyuan County and buried it next to Hu Laosan in Hujia Village, then hurried to Loushan Pass.
The eight sisters only found out about this today. Instead of being sad, they felt extremely regretful that they couldn't scold Yuan in front of her.
But it doesn’t matter, it’s the same if I curse her at her grave.
She's so angry!
——It’s not that they are disobedient or unfilial, but that Yuanshi is really hateful.
Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs. She almost killed the youngest child, so there's no need for them to consider the mother-daughter relationship.
......
Qingyuan Academy.
Yao Xuan and Wen Boqing are playing chess.
Yao Xuan placed a black piece and said, "Now that the news is confirmed to be true, Xing Rang should be relieved."
Wen Boqing placed a white piece down, looked up and smiled kindly: "Of course."
Yao Xuan raised his eyebrows slightly.
"I'm sending fifty arithmetic problem books to the principal of the Hangzhou Academy. I'll deliver them to her when Zizhan arrives in Hangzhou."
"From now on, I will send arithmetic problem books to Zizhan every once in a while, so that she can deeply feel the care and concern of her as a teacher."
Yao Xuan: “…”
Fu Ci: “!!!”
......
Members of the Qiongying English Society in Qingyuan County also received the good news that Du Qingtang and Fu Ci were out of danger.
Meng Qingyan finally felt relieved after a month of worry. She held the ink stick and slowly ground the ink: "Now, the Du sisters can rest assured."
The members chattered in agreement, their faces full of admiration for Du Qingtang and Fu Ci.
"I still can't believe that our Qingyuan County's renowned Sixth and Third Place Scholars are actually women."
"Who isn't? They are truly two remarkable women, bringing honor to us women!"
"Lord Du and Lord Fu are the only two women who have served as officials since ancient times. What do you think? Will the imperial court one day establish an imperial examination for women?"
Li Wei thought of Mr. Du, who was currently teaching Huang's daughter, and chuckled softly, "No one knows what the future holds. Perhaps it will actually come true."
Zhang Xiaoxue's eyes sparkled, and she quietly clenched her hands. The seed of hope took root in her heart.
......
"I can't believe His Majesty actually let them go."
"Your Majesty is foolish! Women serving as officials is against the principles of yin and yang. It would be fine if they weren't killed, but how can you allow them to continue holding office?"
In a streetside teahouse, several scholars were filled with righteous indignation and slammed the table in anger.
At this moment, someone sneered, "Why can't they become officials? They have real talent and knowledge. They all passed the imperial examinations and were promoted based on their own abilities."
"You all keep saying they're unworthy, so why don't you go to Loushan Pass to defend the country and defend the enemy?"
The scholars looked embarrassed and stiffened their necks, saying, "You are just making up stories! Every profession has its own specializations. We are all scholars, not vulgar warriors."
The man scoffed, "But Lord Du can."
The scholars' faces flushed instantly.
The man felt bored, paid for the tea and left the teahouse.
Who would have thought that Du Qingtang, whom he had targeted so harshly at Qingyuan Academy, was actually a woman.
Thinking of the achievements Du Qingtang had made after entering the court as an official, Xie Guang sighed and felt filled with shame.
Many years passed, and now he had achieved the title of Juren, but he still felt that he was not good enough, so he bid farewell to his parents, wife and children and traveled around to study.
I hope that when he becomes an official in the court, he can become a good official like Du Qingtang, who loves the people like his own children.
......
The news reached Shanxi Province.
"Madam! News has come from Xiajing that His Majesty has pardoned their death sentences and ordered them to make meritorious contributions while serving their sentences. Now one has gone to Hangzhou Prefecture, and the other to Loushan Pass!"
Cao Xingcan, dressed in a dark green official robe, walked in with swift steps.
Liang looked up from the account book, surprised and delighted: "Really?"
Cao Xingcan nodded: "Absolutely true!"
Liang put down the brush and let her husband hold her hand. She smiled and said, "Then you can rest assured."
Inadvertently glancing at him, Liang noticed that Cao Xingcan looked a little strange, so she asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
She vaguely remembered that her husband had also shown this expression when he learned that Lord Du and Lord Fu were women.
Cao Xingcan put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly: "I once said that if Xianyu were a woman, my name would be written backwards."
Liang burst out laughing.
Cao Xingcan was a little annoyed: "Who would have thought that after so many years, she would actually become a woman."
Liang couldn't help laughing and continued, "What was said in the past can't be taken seriously. It doesn't count."
Cao Xingcan patted his wife's hand and sighed, "Thinking about it now, it's really not easy for them to get to where they are today."
Liang suddenly held Cao Xingcan's hand, and the latter gave her a puzzled look.
Liang smiled gently: "I just feel that having my husband and Sister Nuan is enough for my life."
She was very glad that her husband was different from those people outside.
My husband saw the difficulties behind the glamorous identities of Lord Du and Lord Fu, instead of simply criticizing and belittling them, thinking that women are inferior to men.
When Cao Xingcan thought of Yuxue's lovely daughter, his eyes softened a little and he held his wife's hand tightly.
......
The news reached Henan Province.
"Madam, it's all spread out there. His Majesty has pardoned Du Qingtang and Fu Ci, and ordered them to make meritorious contributions while serving their sentences."
Yuan Xue raised her head from the book.
The daughter next to her also looked up from her book.
Yuan Xue asked: "How can I redeem myself from my crimes?"
The maidservant told the truth: "Your Majesty appointed Du Qingtang as the commander of the Firearms Battalion and the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture, and appointed Fu Ci as the deputy director of the Hangzhou Prefecture Shipyard."
"They are all officials of high rank." Yuan Xue murmured, "This day has finally arrived."
My daughter, Sister Yuan, tilted her head and asked, "Mom, when will it come?"
Yuan Xue smiled slightly: "Men can be role models, and women can too."
She stroked Sister Yuan'er's budding hair and said, "Study hard, good days are ahead."
Sister Yuan nodded obediently: "Sister Yuan will study hard. Sister Yuan loves reading the most!"
Yuan Xue smiled gently, waved away the maid, and continued reading.
She always believed that a single spark could start a prairie fire.
Now that we have a spark, are we afraid that we won’t see the day when it becomes a prairie fire?
-
Da Qi, Changping Pass.
In the main tent of the Qi camp, the generals of the Qi army gathered together.
General Fang Xing of the Qi army looked down and asked, "Have you found out?"
"General, I have compared the bullet removed from Zhang Guang's head with the secret report sent back by the spies from Daxia, and I can confirm that it was a firearm that shot Zhang Guang."
"The firearm was invented by Du Qingtang, the former Minister of Works and current prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture. The dog emperor of Daxia even formed a firearms battalion and gave Du Qingtang full responsibility. The firearms battalion arrived at Loushan Pass a few days ago."
General Fang frowned, "The range of a fire musket is comparable to that of a powerful crossbow?"
The person below nodded in agreement.
General Fang sighed, "It's a pity those people were exposed. Otherwise, if the Great Qi had obtained the fire gun, we would be invincible."
The generals of the Great Qi gave him advice.
"Why not send someone to Loushan Pass, infiltrate the firearms camp, and bring back those useless gunpowder and muskets? We in Great Qi have many talented people, and we will definitely be able to decipher the mystery behind it."
"I think this plan is feasible. Gunpowder and muskets are extremely powerful and will be very disadvantageous to us."
"It would be great if only our Great Qi had gunpowder and muskets, and Great Xia didn't."
"It is said that these two items were created by Du Qingtang. No one else has this ability. General, why don't we..."
The general who spoke gestured at his neck.
General Fang pondered for a moment, his tiger eyes filled with viciousness.
"Da Qi must have gunpowder and firearms. As for the people who create them... they have no need to live in this world."
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