Chapter 148148 Farewell with Tears
In the main hall of Binxing Hall, Yao Jingzhou bowed gracefully and said in a clear voice, "Uncle Master."
Du Qingtang's eyes lit up with a smile as he stepped forward to support her. "I thought you wouldn't arrive in Shaoqing Prefecture until mid-month at the earliest."
Yao Jingzhou said with a smile, "Master Uncle summoned me, how dare I not come?"
Moreover, he returned to Beijing to report on his work in early March, received the appointment from the Ministry of Personnel in mid-March, and set off to take up his post the next day. It has been a month and a half so far, which is not too fast.
Du Qingtang raised his hand, motioning him to sit down, and asked slowly, "Did everything go smoothly on this journey?"
"With the guards accompanying us, everything went smoothly." Yao Jingzhou did not take a seat, but instead bowed to Du Qingtang again, "Thank you, uncle-master, for the promotion."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly: "You know?"
Yao Jingzhou nodded and said, "On the day I received the appointment document, Eunuch Yujue, who was serving in the imperial court, told me."
Eunuch Yujue said that he was able to be promoted from the fifth-rank Tongzhi to the fourth-rank prefect because of the strong recommendation of his uncle.
Eunuch Yujue also said that His Majesty highly values him and hopes that he will perform his duties conscientiously after going to Shaoqing Prefecture, relieve the people's worries, and not bring shame to his uncle.
Eunuch Yujue is the godson of the Imperial Household Manager. Yao Jingzhou knows that he came here on the emperor's orders, and reminds himself that his promotion is thanks to his uncle.
Yao Jingzhou did not feel ashamed, but was deeply moved.
Apart from his grandfather, only his uncle treated him well without asking for anything in return.
Yao Jingzhou poured a cup of tea, held it in front of Du Qingtang, and said respectfully, "Uncle Master, please have some tea."
Du Qingtang accepted it calmly: "Sit down, no need to be so polite."
Yao Jingzhou agreed and returned to his original place to sit upright.
Du Qingtang took a sip of tea and said seriously, "Shaoqing Mansion is my hard work. I don't trust anyone else except you."
The war subsided in December last year.
Du Qingtang sent someone to escort Wu Yi to Beijing and sent a letter to Emperor Qingyuan.
In addition to announcing the good news, another thing was to recommend Yao Jingzhou to serve as the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture.
Not to mention that Emperor Qingyuan ignored... or condoned Du Qingtang's decision to open a women's class and form a women's barracks, Emperor Qingyuan would also agree to her recommendation based solely on her merits in leading all the soldiers and civilians to defeat the Qi army with a smaller force.
Du Qingtang still remembers that when he returned home in triumph after the imperial examination, he passed through Zhending County and happened to meet a woman who was debating with a group of scholars on the issues of the Qiongying English Society.
Du Qingtang and Yao Jingzhou attended the entire hearing, and afterwards they talked at length about the issue of women's education.
Because of the influence of his mother in his childhood and what he saw and heard during his study abroad, Yao Jingzhou strongly supported women's study and education.
Du Qingtang always remembered that conversation, and as his term was about to end, he recommended Yao Jingzhou without hesitation.
Looking at all the civil and military officials in the court, only Yao Jingzhou, as the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture, would not close the women's class and disband the female barracks.
Yao Jingzhou's succession bought Du Qingtang another three years. She was 90% sure that in these three years, it would become a reality for women to take the imperial examinations and become officials.
Yao Jingzhou thought about what he had seen and heard since entering Shaoqing Prefecture, and suddenly understood. He vowed, "Uncle Master, don't worry. I will definitely carry on your wish and encourage women to go out to work, study, or even join the army."
Du Qingtang was deeply relieved: "I believe you."
Just three words, expressing absolute trust.
Yao Jingzhou was a little embarrassed, yet unable to conceal his excitement, and spoke rapidly, "Master, you have governed Shaoqing Prefecture very well. T years ago, I traveled extensively to study and study, and I have never seen a prefecture like Shaoqing Prefecture, with its favorable weather, abundant harvests year after year, and the people living and working in peace and contentment."
No one dislikes hearing good words, and Du Qingtang was no exception. He raised the corners of his lips and said, "To be honest, Shaoqing Prefecture's current status is not entirely due to me alone. It is also the result of the joint efforts of the people and the government officials."
Yao Jingzhou deeply agreed: "Master, what you said is absolutely right. The saying that people can carry a boat but can also overturn it is true."
This sentence is not only applicable to governing a country, but also to governing a county, a prefecture, or a province.
......
"The prefect laughed!"
"The prefect is laughing again!"
In the corridor not far from Binxing Pavilion, the four kings of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng and their minor officials were looking around and reporting in real time.
"It seems the prefect and the future prefect are having a very pleasant conversation."
"The future prefect looks like he's not even thirty years old yet, and he has a clear and upright face and an extraordinary demeanor. He should be a good official."
"That's not necessarily true. You can only judge a person by their appearance but not by their true heart. Some people are the best at disguising themselves."
"Don't panic, everyone. We'll ask the prefect later. He has a pair of sharp eyes and will definitely be able to tell whether this person is good or evil."
"Master Zheng, what a great idea!"
"Hey, how's the construction going over there?"
"It just started the day before yesterday. Who would have thought that the new governor would be here so soon?"
"The government office has a lot of affairs to deal with, and the prefect has always been conscientious and responsible. It will take at least ten days or half a month to complete the entire handover. We need to assign more people and pay them more wages."
"I see. Sir Zhou, why are you becoming more and more long-winded..."
"Know what?"
Wang Tongpan replied instinctively, "Tell them to hurry up and build... Ouch! Why are you pinching me?"
Tongpan Wang screamed strangely, covered his arm and glared at Tongpan Zheng.
Judge Zheng winked at him, his eyes darting around.
Wang Tongpan looked puzzled. "What's wrong with you? Are you having an eye cramp?"
Zheng Tongpan: “…”
Other officials: “…”
Zhou Tongzhi resisted the urge to hold his forehead and shouted, "Sir!"
The others followed suit and shouted, "Master Prefect!"
Wang Tongpan's body trembled, and he turned his head stiffly. One could even hear the crackling sound of his neck turning.
Who else could that person wearing a crimson official robe and standing under the eaves with his hands behind his back be but the prefect?
Wang Tongpan: “…”
The thief Zheng harmed me!
Wang Tongpan forced out a flattering smile and nearly bit his tongue as he spoke, "Your Excellency, we were just discussing official business when Lord Zhou told me not to forget to visit the orchard. I understand, Lord Zhou."
Du Qingtang glanced at his subordinates, who were huddled together, their left face showing guilt and their right face showing panic. He didn't bother to say more: "If you hadn't been watching the fun here, you would have finished your official business long ago."
"Yes, yes, I think so too. I will go and handle my official duties now. I'll take my leave!"
"I am going there too."
"Sir, please take care. I'll take my leave!"
Du Qingtang: “…”
Yao Jingzhou watched the whole thing and couldn't help laughing: "It looks like the next three years will be very exciting."
"They're a bunch of restless people. When the time comes, just punish them by having them write self-criticisms. 30,000 to 50,000 words will make them behave themselves." Du Qingtang led Yao Jingzhou to the third hall. "It's just me and Seventh Sister in the inner house. I'll have to bear with you staying in the east wing for the next few days. After I leave, you can move into the main house, okay?"
Yao Jingzhou naturally responded with a smile: "Thank you, uncle."
Du Qingtang said it was okay, and the two of them entered the inner house. Youyou, who was chasing butterflies in the yard, heard the footsteps and looked over. Seeing a stranger, he immediately became angry and pricked up his ears.
“Meow meow meow!”
The cat's round pupils widened, and it knew the scolding was very fierce.
Yao Jingzhou looked at the fierce little Lihua and stopped in his tracks. "She doesn't seem to welcome me...how about I stay at the inn?"
"No need." Du Qingtang took three or two steps forward, picked up the little raccoon, and rubbed his head gently, "This is one of our family, don't yell."
The little tabby purred in comfort, and its tail wrapped around the wrist of owner number three.
Du Qingtang smoothed her fur again before putting her on the ground: "Go play, be good and don't make trouble."
"Meow~"
Youyou glanced at Yao Jingzhou and walked away proudly.
"This way." Du Qingtang led Yao Jingzhou into the east wing. "You can choose any of the rooms. You've been traveling all the way here. It's best to rest for a day or two after you settle in. Then we can make the handover."
Yao Jingzhou responded gently and watched Du Qingtang leave.
......
Back in the duty room, Du Qingtang continued to handle official business.
Not long after, Wang Tongpan came to report on the profit of the fresh fruit orchard last month.
After finishing his report, Wang Tongpan did not retreat. He grumbled for a while and then boldly asked, "Sir, what do you think of the next prefect?"
Du Qingtang raised his head from the documents: "Did they ask you to come and ask?"
Wu Tongzhi chuckled dryly and betrayed his colleagues without hesitation: "I lost the game of rock-paper-scissors, so they pushed me out."
Du Qingtang: "...Lord Yao is my nephew. He entered the court in the same year as me. I was the top scholar, and he was the third."
Nephew?
Wu Tongzhi smacked his lips, then was speechless for a moment: "Master Yao is the grandson of Master Yao?"
Du Qingtang nodded, reassuring him: "Master Yao is very capable, not inferior to me at all."
Wu Tongzhi felt relieved. "That's good. Thank you for telling me, sir. I'll tell Lord Zhou and the others right away."
Now there is no need to worry at all.
Yao Daru’s grandson must be a good official!
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes, stamped the document, and spoke slowly, "By the way, inform them that those who neglected their duties and gathered together to laugh and joke will be fined 2,000 words for self-criticism."
Wu Tongzhi: “???”
Du Qingtang emphasized again: "Including you."
Wu Tongzhi: “…”
When I returned to the third hall in the evening, Du Qingzhu was playing with the cat in the yard. Yao Jingzhou was nowhere to be seen. I guess he was staying in the east wing.
Du Qingzhu scratched Little Lihua's chin and said with a smile, "I didn't expect His Majesty would send Master Yao to take over. This is truly a happy event."
Yao Jingzhou has always respected his uncle Du Qingtang and would never close the girls' class in the school.
In this way, the girls in Shaoqing Prefecture can continue to read and learn to read.
Du Qingtang remained silent and did not mention her recommendation of Yao Jingzhou to Emperor Qingyuan.
It is better if fewer people know about this kind of thing, so that no one will think that Yao Jingzhou relied on connections to climb up the ladder, which would be difficult to convince the public.
Du Qingtang went back to his room to change into casual clothes, then went to the study and handed the buyer's information to Du Qingzhu: "Du Yi sent it this morning."
At that time, Du Qingzhu had already gone to Shixiang Pavilion, so Du Qingtang put it in the study and gave it to Du Qingzhu now.
"Thank you for the jade." Du Qingzhu pinched Youyou's paw and waved it twice, then spread the information on the stone table and flipped through it as if no one was around. He muttered, "Let me see which buyer is more reliable."
"Meow~"
Youyou called softly, as if in response.
Du Qingtang poured a cup of tea, took a sip, and held it in his hand. "Seventh sister, I will be returning to Beijing to report on my work in a few days. You should quickly deal with the matter at Shixiang Pavilion in the next two days, and then let Du Yi and Du Er escort you away."
Du Qingzhu suddenly raised his head, his face full of shock: "Why can't I go with you?"
Last month, Pei Yuchun sent two secret guards from the Cheng'en Mansion. Du Qingtang learned of their purpose and that Emperor Qingyuan was watching from the sidelines, and took the opportunity to test her sinister intentions.
Last year, in order to force the palace soldiers who were bribed by Ma Boren to spread the plague in the city to confess, Du Qingju developed a pill that can cause a false pregnancy reaction in people.
As soon as you take the pill, your belly will soon become as big as if you were nine months pregnant, accompanied by pregnancy reactions such as morning sickness, urinary incontinence, and swollen limbs.
Du Qingtang didn't know how Du Qingju developed it, but the fake pregnancy pill was very effective in forcing confessions. This time, she followed the same method and fed the fake pregnancy pill to two secret guards, asking them to warn Cao Yuan.
Of course, this is just the surface.
In fact, Du Qingtang intended to use them to achieve a plan of killing three birds with one stone.
One is to show loyalty, two is to avenge personal vendetta, and three is to test.
The two secret guards were tortured by her until they were no longer human. They must be holding a grudge against her. At the very least, they would assassinate Cao Yuan in her name, and at the worst, they would assassinate the fourth and fifth princes.
Cao Yuan and Emperor Qingyuan have been at odds with each other for a long time, and the hatred between Du Qingtang and the fifth prince can be traced back to previous lives.
Cao Yuan was injured as a sign of his loyalty.
The fifth prince was injured in order to avenge a personal vendetta.
As for the test, it was naturally to test whether Emperor Qingyuan preferred the fourth or fifth prince to be the crown prince, or even the next emperor of Daxia.
The heart of an emperor is hard to predict, especially an old fox like Emperor Qingyuan, whose heart is deeper than the sea and who is suspicious by nature.
If the Fourth Prince or the Fifth Prince were injured and Emperor Qingyuan did not hold Du Qingtang accountable, then these two would definitely not have a chance of becoming emperor.
Combined with Emperor Qingyuan's connivance of Du Qingtang's behavior in Shaoqing Mansion, the speculation about the hidden crown prince will be one step closer to the truth...
"Offer jade? Offer jade?"
Seeing that the youngest girl didn't say anything and her eyes were blank, obviously distracted, Du Qingzhu couldn't suppress her curiosity and waved in front of her.
Du Qingtang's thoughts were interrupted. He put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly: "I have offended some people in the court. Seventh sister, if you leave first, I will have nothing to worry about."
Instead of letting Du Qingzhu have wild guesses, it is better to tell him the truth.
Du Qingzhu suddenly became anxious: "Did you offend someone? Could it be that they want to kill you? Xianyu, tell me quickly, what did you do? Why did they..."
Because he was too impatient, he didn't use enough force with his hands and pinched the little tabby cat, making it meow and fangs ready to show. Du Qingzhu was so scared that he quickly apologized, hugged the little cat in his arms, rubbed it tightly, and comforted it in every way possible before he was done.
Du Qingtang shook his head: "Seventh sister, don't panic, it's just a precaution."
Although she had diverted the blame away, Cao Yuan and the Fourth Prince were by no means good people. They were both unreasonable people. There was no guarantee that they would not vent their anger on her because of her injury and send people to kill her on the way.
Du Qingtang has the ability to protect himself, but Du Qingzhu does not. She cannot let Du Qingzhu be implicated with her.
Seeing that the youngest refused to say anything, Du Qingzhu frowned and sighed for a while before softening his tone: "Forget it, it's not enough for you to listen to me."
If someone really wanted to seek revenge, she had never learned martial arts and would be a burden, and would need the youngest brother to send people to protect her.
It’s better to leave early, at least the youngest can feel at ease.
Du Qingtang's expression relaxed slightly. Although Du Qingzhu seemed to be laughing all day long, she was actually very stubborn. She was really worried that Du Qingzhu would not agree.
At this moment, a gust of wind blew and almost blew away the buyer's information.
Du Qingtang pressed it down with a teacup and asked casually, "Seventh sister, are you sure you want to go to Xiajing with me?"
Du Qingzhu nodded without hesitation: "Xiao Ba and you are both in Xiajing, and Xiajing is prosperous. Once the Shixiang Pavilion is opened, it will definitely make more money than Qingyuan County."
Du Qingtang didn't try to persuade her and readily agreed: "If the journey is safe, I will go to Baoding Prefecture to pick you up. If not, wait until I settle down in Xiajing first, and then send someone to pick you up."
Du Qingzhu was stunned: "Why go to Baoding Prefecture?"
Du Qingtang said as a matter of course: "Eighth sister was in a hurry to go to Beijing to take up her post, so she never returned home to visit her relatives. You have been in Shaoqing Prefecture for more than two years. Don't you want to go back and see your eldest sister and the others?"
"Look at my brain, it's really confused. I really need to go back. I miss my elder sister and the others." Du Qingzhu then shook his head. "But you don't need to send someone to pick me up. Just hire some more escorts."
Du Qingtang didn't force it: "Then it's settled. Take care of everything you need to do in the next two days and leave as soon as possible."
Du Qingzhu readily agreed and continued to look through the documents. After a long while, he said, "I have already selected the buyer. I will send someone to contact him tomorrow to complete the handover as soon as possible and try to leave the day after tomorrow."
"Oh, I almost forgot about Sister Wang!" Du Qingzhu slapped his head, "They came to Shaoqing Mansion with me in the first place, so I have to be responsible for them until the end."
Du Qingtang pushed away Youyou's claws that were trying to tug at her sleeves, so as not to smear her official robes. "Then go ask. If you decide to leave with you, I'll send more people. If you decide to stay in Shaoqing Mansion, I'll tell Wen Jing to take care of them."
"And my eldest sister and the others. His Majesty has bestowed upon us the Earl's Mansion, but it would be too lonely for just the three of us to live there. When we get back, remember to ask them if they want to go to Xiajing together."
Du Qingzhu nodded, indicating that she had remembered it. Suddenly, she remembered something and frowned, "If my eldest sister and the others go to Xiajing, then wouldn't my brother-in-law and nephews and nieces have to go with them?"
Du Qingtang said as a matter of course: "Husband and wife are one body, they can't be separated from each other, it will easily cause problems. The children can't be too far away from their mother, so why not go to Xiajing together? If I have time, I can teach them."
"Xianyu, have you forgotten about Guo Qian?" Du Qingzhu gritted her teeth and hummed, "He's an ungrateful person. He even led Fifth Sister astray and alienated her from us. I don't want a filthy fellow like him living in the Earl's Mansion. I feel like even his very breath would pollute your territory."
Du Qingtang was speechless. She had really forgotten about that bastard Guo Qian.
Even Du Qingmei subconsciously ignored it.
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment and said, "If it really doesn't work, then we can find a place to stay outside."
She studied hard for many years, firstly to realize her dream, and secondly to provide support for the girls of the Du family.
It is impossible for her and Zhuju to live in the Earl's Mansion in Xiajing and leave the others in Qingyuan County.
"It can only be done this way." Du Qingzhu sighed and continued to grind his teeth, as if he wanted to chew that villain Guo Qian to pieces. "It's all his fault. Otherwise, our whole family could have a happy reunion."
Du Qingtang said nothing.
Ultimately, it was because she had misjudged the Du family and brought such a bad person into the family.
Fortunately, Du Qingzhu's anger came and went quickly. He soon put Guo Qian out of his mind and whispered to Du Qingtang.
"Xianyu, let me tell you, when I came back from outside, Master Yao was reading in the yard. When he saw me, he hurriedly bowed and fled into the house, making me feel like I was some kind of monster."
Du Qingtang's ears were tickled by Du Qingzhu's breath. He raised his hand to push her away and said unhappily, "There are only two of you in the inner house. Wen Jing is trying to avoid suspicion."
Unlike them, who are used to being casual and free, Yao Jingzhou is a serious native. Under the teachings of his parents and grandfather, his upbringing has been ingrained in his bones, and he is very disciplined and polite.
For him, even if they were in an open-air yard, they were still in the same room, so he would naturally stay away from them.
Du Qingtang warned: "You are half his elder, so don't be disrespectful."
Du Qingzhu choked and curled her lips in dismay: "I know, I will pay attention."
Du Qingtang was finally satisfied: "Hurry up and put the information away. I'll go call people and prepare dinner."
Du Qingzhu wrinkled her nose and said in a long tone: "Then I have to eat in the kitchen?"
Du Qingtang: "...If you want to go, go."
Du Qingzhu choked, holding the cat in one hand and the documents in the other, and went back to the west wing in a huff.
But in the end, the three of them still had dinner at the same table.
With Du Qingtang around, it’s not considered rude.
......
The next day, Du Qingtang began to hand over his work.
First, he took Yao Jingzhou to familiarize himself with all the affairs of the government office, and then handed over the affairs at hand to him bit by bit.
Because the government affairs are numerous and complicated, it will take at least ten days to complete the handover.
Du Qingju asked someone to contact the buyer, and the deed was signed that morning and submitted to the government for stamping, only then was the contract established.
In the afternoon, Du Qingju sent the 1,800 taels she earned from reselling Shixiang Pavilion back to the government office and went to find Wang Nianzhi and other women.
It just so happened that the school was closed today, and all the girls were resting at home.
Du Qingju came to the door and explained her purpose.
The women looked at each other and fell into deep thought.
Wang Nianci spoke first: "Sister Ju, I want to stay in Shaoqing Mansion."
It is true that she was reluctant to part with the Du sisters, but compared to Baoding Prefecture and other places in Daxia, Shaoqing Prefecture was more suitable for her.
Here, she can live as she pleases, teach in school, or compose poetry in the Qiong English Society.
No one would think that a woman is virtuous if she is not talented, and no one would urge her to get married and have children.
Here, she is just Wang Nianci.
Free and happy Wang Nianci.
Gu Ran agreed: "I also want to stay in Shaoqing Mansion."
The other women gave their answers one after another, and they all decided to stay in Shaoqing Prefecture.
Du Qingju felt a little disappointed, but more proud.
This just shows that the youngest son managed Shaoqing Prefecture very well, which is why it became the first choice of paradise for these girls.
Du Qingju smiled and said, "Well, if I have the chance someday, I will come back to see you."
"Take care on your journey."
"See you later."
Du Qingju hugged them one by one and went home in the bright sunset sky.
-
The next day, Du Qingju tied her hair into a bun, put on a round-necked robe, dressed like a man, and went to Baoding Prefecture under the escort of Du Yi, Du Er and the bodyguards.
On the other side, Xia Jing.
The news that the Fourth Prince plotted to murder the Second Prince, defied His Majesty, was stripped of his status as a prince, and changed his surname to Cao spread, causing an uproar in the capital of Xia.
When Rong Fei learned that her only son did not die suddenly of a serious illness, but was killed by the former Fourth Prince, now Cao Qikun, she cried so hard that she fainted. After waking up, she took the palace servants and broke into Kunning Palace.
"Give me back my son's life!"
"The little bitch born by that old bitch killed my son. I can't do anything to that little bitch, so you, the bitch, must pay for my son's life!"
Rong Fei was of the same age as Empress Cao. She somehow found the strength to overturn all the palace maids who were protecting Empress Cao, and used the Nine Yin White Bone Claw to scratch several bloody marks on Empress Cao's face.
"Empress!"
"Empress!"
The palace maids of Kunning Palace wanted to pull Rong Fei away, but were stopped by the palace maids brought by Rong Fei, and the two sides started to fight.
Rong Fei herself threw away her gentle and dignified manner and sat on Empress Cao, cursing and scratching her.
At this moment, Empress Cao had also lost her dignity as a queen mother. The pain made her face grim and her voice was sharp: "Come, pull her away from me!"
Rong Fei sneered and added another bloody mark on Empress Cao's chin.
The farce lasted for the time it took to stick up an incense stick, until Concubine Yi arrived after hearing the news and separated the two people and their respective palace maids.
"...The Empress suffered a facial injury. After hearing Dean Lan say the scar would be difficult to heal, she fainted on the spot. Sister Rong Fei fell ill after returning home and has not woken up to this day."
In the imperial study, Concubine Yi stood at the bottom and spoke softly.
Emperor Qingyuan wrote non-stop: "The Empress and Concubine Rong disturbed the order of the harem and were punished by being confined for three months and ordered to copy the "Female Rules and Female Instructions" one hundred times each."
"In addition, during the Queen's confinement, the Imperial Concubine will take charge of the palace affairs."
Concubine Yi lowered her head, revealing her fair neck, and the smile on her lips disappeared in an instant.
When Empress Cao woke up, she learned that she was under house arrest. She ignored the presence of Concubine Yi and laughed heartily: "How dare you disrupt the order of the harem! How dare you murder the prince!"
"Xia Ming, Xia Ming, you are a cold-blooded monster!"
"My poor son has become your murderous weapon. Why do you want to humiliate him to this extent..."
Concubine Yi walked out of Kunning Palace, looked up at the sky, and a glimmer of light flashed in the corner of her eyes.
We are all just wanderers in this world.
......
In a villa outside the city, Cao Qikun was drinking to drown his sorrows.
"He's the queen's legitimate son, yet he actually murdered his brother. He's worse than an animal."
"A son from an ordinary family who contradicts his father would be beaten, let alone a son from the royal family. Your Majesty has done the most benevolent thing by not killing him."
"No wonder His Majesty has been so hesitant to appoint a crown prince. This kind of person is just lucky, born into the right family, and became the legitimate son of the royal family."
The people's contemptuous words were everywhere. Even if you covered your ears or were drunk, they still echoed in your ears over and over again.
Cao Qikun drank the wine in big gulps and accidentally choked. The wine flowed out of his nasal cavity and he coughed hard, gasping for breath.
He coughed and coughed, and then burst into tears.
"Father, you clearly misled me, making me think you were going to elevate the second son and make him the crown prince. I had no choice but to let my grandfather silence me. How could you put the blame on me?"
"I just said a few angry words, and you demoted me to a commoner. To humiliate me, you even changed my last name... cough cough cough... I am your son!"
"You even announced it to the world, making me a laughingstock for generations to come... burp!"
Cao Qikun raised the wine jug and poured the wine into his mouth while crying.
At this time, a confidant came in and said, "Master, find out who did this."
Cao Qikun burped and instantly came to his senses: "Who is it?"
Who ordered the secret guards of Duke Cheng'en's Mansion to assassinate him?
Du Qingtang?
Or someone else?
If he had not been seriously injured in the assassination, why would his father have ordered him to go to the palace to recuperate, and the subsequent events would not have happened.
This is the culprit who caused him to become a stray dog and couldn't even enter Xia Kyoto. He will tear him into pieces!
"It's the Fifth Prince."
"......who?"
Cao Qikun's facial features were distorted by hatred and disbelief, making him look extremely funny.
The confidant bowed his head: "It's the Fifth Prince."
Cao Qikun was stunned for a moment, then shook his head like a rattle, almost revealing an afterimage: "It can't be Lao Wu, it can't be him, I am his brother from the same mother, we have a deep friendship..."
The objections stopped abruptly.
Cao Qikun suddenly remembered that before he intended to take Du Qingtang as his concubine, the fifth brother also intended to take her as his concubine.
His lips trembled and his face became increasingly pale.
"Fourth brother! I'm here to see you!"
Just at this moment, the voice of the fifth prince was heard outside the house.
His tone was extremely light and his smile was very bright, as if he had just experienced a happy event.
Isn't it a happy thing that the biggest threat in the fight for the throne has been eliminated?
Cao Qikun suddenly realized, stood up with the wine jug, and staggered towards the fifth prince.
"Fourth brother, I got a parrot yesterday and brought it to you..."
"Bang!"
The wine jug hit the fifth prince's head hard, wine splashed everywhere and blood flowed.
The fifth prince was stunned. The birdcage fell to the ground with a thud, and blood blurred his vision: "Fourth brother, you..."
"Seeing me like this, you are very proud, aren't you?"
"I suspected Du Qingtang, the eldest brother, the sixth and seventh brothers, and even my father, but I never suspected you, Xia Qixuan!"
"Xia Qixuan, has your heart been eaten by a dog?"
"When have I ever wronged you? How could you harm me?!"
Cao Qikun cried bitterly and questioned hysterically.
Taking advantage of the Fifth Prince's distraction, Cao Qikun threw him to the ground and punched him in the face.
"Die! Die! Die!"
After a few punches, the corner of the Fifth Prince's mouth cracked, and the blood that flowed out mixed with the blood on his head, creating a shocking red.
"I'm so good to you, why do you treat me like this?"
"Is the bond between us brothers, spanning more than twenty years, not as strong as that of a woman?"
"I'll beat you to death, you bastard!"
Fists rained down on his body and face, and the severe pain made the Fifth Prince more awake.
He looked at Cao Qikun's tearful face and burst out laughing.
Cao Qikun pounded his fist: "What are you laughing at?"
The fifth prince ignored him and laughed so hard that his whole body was shaking.
Cao Qikun punched him. "Are you pleased to see me like this? I'm telling you, as long as you have Cao's blood flowing in your veins, you'll never be able to hold that position! Not in this lifetime!"
However, the punch missed.
The Fifth Prince raised his hand to block Cao Qikun's fist, his expression mocking: "Fool, who can you blame if you are not as skilled as others?"
Cao Qikun became furious and said, "How dare you scold me?!" and made as if to punch again.
The Fifth Prince pushed Cao Qikun back with his backhand, and he fell backwards. "As for whether I can sit in that position, please don't worry about it, Master Cao."
Cao Qikun sat on the ground in a panic, shouting angrily, "Don't call me Master Cao! Xia Qixuan, I'm your brother, how dare you?!"
The fifth prince took out a handkerchief from the hidden pocket of his wide sleeve and slowly wiped the blood off his face.
The cold gaze fell on Cao Qikun, making him shiver involuntarily.
"Brother won't take away what others like."
The fifth prince threw the blood-stained handkerchief on the ground and walked away without looking back.
Cao Qikun sat on the ground for a long time until a childish voice came from the door, pulling him back to reality.
"Idiot! Idiot!"
Looking closely, it was the parrot sent by the fifth prince.
Cao Qikun was so angry that he climbed up using his hands and feet and kicked the bird and its cage away: "Kill it for me! Kill it!"
The confidant did not dare to hesitate, picked up the birdcage and was about to leave, but was stopped by Cao Qikun: "Go find my grandfather and tell him that His Highness has something important to discuss with him, and ask him to come quickly."
"yes."
The confidant soon returned. Cao Qikun heard the footsteps and said impatiently: "Grandfather, Lao Wu..."
The next moment, an anxious expression froze on his face.
Cao Qikun rushed to the door and looked around: "Where is my grandfather? Didn't you go to find him? Well, it's really like a tiger in plain land being bullied by a dog. You, a servant, dare to pretend to obey His Highness but actually disobey Him. Wait until His Highness ascends to the throne..."
"Master, Master Cao said that the Cao family is in a precarious situation. The Fifth Prince is the only hope for the Cao family and the Empress. Please do not cause any more trouble."
Cao Qikun's expression went blank for a moment, and he slid down to the ground, holding onto the door frame.
So... he was abandoned?
He became a discarded pawn?
Cao Qikun felt a surge of blood in his chest, a sweet taste in his throat, and he vomited a mouthful of blood.
“Huh—”
Cao Qikun let out a muffled sound and fell straight back.
"master!"
The confidant was horrified and rushed forward to help the man up, but found that Cao Qikun was already dead.
......
That night, the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
"The Fifth Prince was severely injured by that person. After he left, that person sent someone to find Duke Cheng'en. Duke Cheng'en refused to meet him, so that person vomited blood and died."
After the secret guard finished his report, he disappeared silently into the darkness.
Emperor Qingyuan's eyes were dazed for a while, but the cool touch of his fingertips made him focus again.
Emperor Qingyuan put down the white porcelain bottle in his hand and his eyes fell on the secret letter from Shaoqing Mansion.
It has been half a month since Cao Yuan and the fourth and fifth brothers were assassinated, and Du Qingtang's "complaint letter" only arrived in Xiajing today.
If we didn't know that there was a long distance between Xiajing and Shaoqing Prefecture, this secret memorial would have seemed a bit hindsight.
"Send this so-called fake pregnancy pill to my warehouse." Emperor Qingyuan paused, then said, "Give her a proper burial."
It can be considered as the fulfillment of the father-son relationship in this life.
Fu Rui retreated holding the white porcelain bottle. Emperor Qingyuan sat there for a while, then took out a booklet from a secret compartment that only he knew about, and sat under the lamp to read it.
I flipped through the pages from the first to the last, but found nothing.
Emperor Qingyuan stared at the flickering candlelight and muttered to himself, "Lord Du, why did you bring disaster upon Old Five?"
Is there any story that he doesn't know?
-
Du Qingtang took half a month to hand over all the affairs at hand to Yao Jingzhou.
On May 18th, at dawn, Du Qingtang left a farewell letter to Yao Jingzhou and boarded the carriage back to Beijing.
Du Qingtang has never liked making a big fuss, and she even more dislikes the reluctant farewells when parting. After careful consideration, she plans to leave quietly.
It wasn't really a quiet departure.
Just on a quiet morning, I chose to quietly leave Shaoqing Prefecture and start a new journey.
The carriage rumbled as it headed east.
The city gates of the prefectural government were opened at the hour of Mao, but it was already past that time, so people could enter and exit the city gates without any obstruction.
It took some time to pack the luggage last night. He didn't go to bed until nearly midnight and woke up after only two hours of sleep. Du Qingtang felt a little sleepy and dozed off with his head propped up.
When I was half asleep and half awake, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Du Qingtang leaned forward, frowning slightly: "What's going on?"
After a few breaths, Du San, who was in charge of driving, said, "Master, you'd better come out and take a look."
The wrinkles between Du Qingtang's eyebrows deepened, and he lifted the curtain to look outside.
The carriage had reached the city gate, but stopped because there were huge crowds of people outside the city gate, and the huge crowd blocked the only way out.
"Your Excellency the Prefect!"
"The prefect has come out!"
The crowd, which was originally so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, burst into enthusiastic cheers when Du Qingtang appeared.
Du Qingtang tightened his fingers holding the car curtain and took a deep breath. It seemed that he couldn't leave quietly today.
Du Qingtang got off the carriage and saw the four people, King Zhou, King Wu, and King Zheng, standing at the city gate.
Zhou Tongzhi cast a disapproving look at her and said loudly, "Sir, why did you leave secretly without informing us?"
"Yes, if we hadn't waited here in advance, we would have found that you hadn't come to work when we went to the government office. Then we would have gone to the third hall and found that it was empty."
"Sir, you actually left without saying goodbye. Do you even take us seriously?"
Du Qingtang: “…”
Putting aside the question of whether I take you seriously or not, judging from your tone, it is very obvious that you don't take me, the former prefect, seriously.
Du Qingtang looked at Wang Tongpan expressionlessly. The latter felt his scalp tingling. He knew that he had become too proud of himself. His body was faster than his brain and he dodged behind Zheng Tongpan.
Du Qingtang: “…”
There were bursts of good-natured laughter from the crowd.
Wang Tongpan's old face turned red, and he wished he could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
Zhou Tongzhi didn't even want to give Wang Tongpan a sidelong glance. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "We expected that you would leave without saying goodbye, so we have been waiting here since before the hour of Mao."
"As expected, I only waited for an incense stick of time and you're here."
Du Qingtang: "...I do not wish to mobilize a large army."
Someone shouted, "But sir, we still have something to give you!"
Du Qingtang thought that the people would send eggs, vegetables and the like as they had done many times before, and was about to refuse them sternly when a bright color caught his eye.
"We know that you are honest and upright, and you don't accept a single needle or thread from the people. We have asked the scholars living nearby how we can express our gratitude to you."
"Sir, you have protected the people of Shaoqing Prefecture like a giant umbrella. You have served as an official and benefited the people. Today, we would like to present you with this umbrella as a token of our gratitude."
Du Qingtang looked at the brightly colored Wanmin umbrella, and his eyelashes trembled slightly.
"besides--"
The crowd spontaneously separated into a path.
Outside the East City Gate, stands a towering ancestral temple.
There is a portrait hanging in the Changsheng Temple. The woman in the portrait is wearing a crimson official robe. Her eyes are as cold as the moon, as cold as ice, and her majesty is inviolable.
It was Du Qingtang himself.
Zhou Tongzhi twirled his beard and said, "The construction of this Changsheng Temple will begin on the first day of May. It will be renovated inside and out according to your preferred style."
"I thought you couldn't see it, but luckily I caught up."
Du Qingtang's eyes flickered slightly: "You asked me to choose the materials and patterns for you before, but for..."
Zhou Tongzhi nodded and said, "Yes, it is for this Changsheng Temple."
Wu Tongzhi smiled and said, "Since it is built for you, everything must be done according to your preferences."
Du Qingtang pursed her lips, feeling a tingling sensation in her heart, as if she had been electrocuted.
After a while, she answered seriously: "I like it very much."
Everyone smiled at the same time.
At this time, Zhou Tongzhi said again: "And——"
Another group of people separated a path.
Du Qingtang looked over as if he had noticed something, and right in front of him stood a statue.
The statue is about ten feet tall. He is dressed in an official robe and an official hat, holding a tablet in his hand. He stands on the official road facing the east city gate with a solemn expression and full of righteousness.
There is another stone tablet next to the statue, which is engraved with Du Qingtang's achievements in detail.
"The craftsmen in the workshop built a total of four statues, one each outside the four city gates: east, west, south, and north."
"Just like when the Qi bandits invaded, you, my lord, swore to defend Shaoqing Prefecture to the death. Your statue will forever guard Shaoqing Prefecture and its tens of millions of people after you leave."
"In addition, there are four longevity ancestral halls, which, along with the statue, are admired by the people day after day."
"Even though you're gone, we will always remember you and love you forever."
Du Qingtang felt a sour taste rising up in his nose, and it was hard not to be moved. He took a deep breath and said, "Thank you very much, everyone. I have never been worthy of your kindness."
"Because you are worthy, my lord."
"It was you who saved Shaoqing Prefecture and saved us!"
After a burst of joy, Du Qingtang bowed deeply and said, "Everyone, take care."
After saying that, he turned around and got on the carriage.
Du San raised the whip, and the horse neighed and galloped forward.
A gust of wind lifted the curtain of the carriage, and the face of the prefect was vaguely visible.
This was the last time they saw each other.
We will never see each other again for the rest of our lives.
Realizing this, the people burst into tears.
"Sir, we will always remember you!"
"Sir, you must remember us too!"
"I wish you smooth sailing and a meteoric rise!"
The carriage rumbled as it headed east along the official road.
Tens of millions of people spontaneously followed the carriage, shedding tears and seeing it off for dozens of miles until they reached the border of Shaoqing Prefecture.
"Have a safe journey, my lord!"
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