Chapter 156: Old Stories
[The previous chapter has been slightly adjusted. I added a plot where Guo Qian planned to ask Atang to get him an official position, but the fifth sister didn't have time to mention it to Atang. It's only a few sentences, so you don't need to look back and it won't affect the reading experience.]
After the earth-shattering roar, the entire imperial farm fell into complete silence.
All the officials looked at each other in confusion.
Those officials who had accused Du Qingtang were even more dumbfounded. They were terrified by her half-smile and dared not breathe.
Who on earth was the idiot who said Du Qingtang could never create a weapon more powerful than gunpowder and muskets to strengthen the army?!
If she can't build it, what's the use of a pit that's dozens of feet deep?
Just as they enjoyed scolding Du Qingtang just now, they were so scared now.
If this thing hits them, I guess... no! They will definitely be killed without a trace left!
——They had no doubt that with Du Qingtang's cruelty and arrogance, she would really do such a wicked thing that would lead to people digging up her ancestors' graves.
Not only will Your Majesty not stop it, he may even find ways to excuse it.
This is what a treacherous and cunning villain should be like!
On the other side, Emperor Qingyuan's head was buzzing due to the previous bombing, and he felt a little nauseous, but this did not affect his heartbeat, which was as rapid as a drum, as if it was about to jump out of his chest with every beat.
Emperor Qingyuan covered it with his wide sleeves and pinched his fingertips to make sure it wasn't an illusion. He turned to look at Du Qingtang, his face also filled with uncontrollable excitement and excitement: "My dear Du, I have never seen anything like this before."
Crazy Hint.jpg
Du Qingtang: "...Your Majesty, this thing is called a cannon, a new type of firearm."
"It has a range of up to a thousand meters, can adjust its firing angle, and is incredibly accurate and powerful. Wherever it reaches, it's indestructible."
There were exclamations from the crowd.
"A thousand meters away? And the angle can be adjusted? Doesn't that mean we can just point and hit wherever we want, annihilating the enemy in an instant?"
"During sieges, there's no need to pound the city gates with battering rams anymore, just use artillery!"
"That's great! Our dynasty has another trump card!"
Cao Yuan narrowed his eyes, feeling deeply regretful.
Du Qingtang succeeded again.
However, the birth of artillery may not be a bad thing.
With artillery, other countries would not dare to provoke them easily, Daxia would be able to prolong its rule, and the Cao family would also be able to...
Emperor Qingyuan clapped his hands and praised: "Well done! Lord Du, you did an excellent job!"
Du Qingtang asked calmly, "Is Your Majesty satisfied?"
Emperor Qingyuan nodded: "I am very pleased."
In fact, he shared the same view as all the officials. He personally believed that gunpowder and muskets were the limit of Du Aiqing.
Although it was a pity, he was already satisfied with these two things.
During this period, he let Du Aiqing busy himself in the imperial farm, and had speculated many times that it was either a tool to enrich the country or something that would benefit the people.
Who would have thought that Du Aiqing would give him such a big surprise——
Artillery!!!
The power is far greater than gunpowder and muskets, an indestructible cannon!
Emperor Qingyuan was full of ambition and was thinking about how to arm the army of Daxia with firearms.
After three years of development and growth, the Firearms Battalion has expanded from the original 5,000 people to the current 40,000 people.
These 40,000 people have all gone through layers of screening, and their families are all under the surveillance and control of Emperor Qingyuan. There is no way they would betray him.
Commander Lu Ping was originally the deputy commander under Du Aiqing. Later, when the battle at Loushan Pass subsided, Du Aiqing went to Shaoqing Prefecture to take up his post. After the firearms army returned to Beijing, Emperor Qingyuan promoted Lu Ping to the position of commander-in-chief.
He and the deputy commander were both close confidants of Emperor Qingyuan, and the hundreds of firearms craftsmen responsible for the research and development of muskets were also loyal to Emperor Qingyuan and had no second thoughts.
In Emperor Qingyuan's original plan, he intended to send firearms troops to the border next year as non-staff personnel to assist the generals in guarding the border and deterring other countries.
Now that Du Aiqing has invented the artillery, it seems that the plan can be brought forward.
Emperor Qingyuan's thoughts turned, and a deep smile appeared on his round and elegant face: "Tell me, what reward do you want?"
All the officials gasped and felt sour in their hearts.
Du Qingtang has done something great again!
Your Majesty is going to reward her again!
What reward will Du Qingtang ask for from His Majesty?
A thousand taels of gold?
Promotion?
Or a promotion to a higher rank?
Neither of them is what they want to see.
They are envious, jealous, and unwilling.
Why should Du Qingtang get all the benefits alone?
Why is it that Du Qingtang is just a woman, while they, as upright men, are compared to dust by her?
They wished they could snatch Du Qingtang's credit and take it for themselves, so that they could occupy high positions and be granted titles from then on, and be so proud of themselves!
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Du Qingtang bowed and said calmly, "Your Majesty previously promised that if I could create something that satisfied you, you would allow me to establish a research institute. I wonder if this promise is still valid?"
"Your Majesty, your words are true, and they count." Emperor Qingyuan waved his hand and announced, "From today on, the imperial court will establish a research institute under the Ministry of Works. We will announce it to the public on a certain day and recruit skilled craftsmen to develop products that benefit the country and the people!"
"In addition, Lord Du will be appointed as the head of the research institute and awarded a thousand taels of gold as a reward."
Du Qingtang bowed and thanked: "Thank you for your grace, my Lord."
All the officials looked at the thin figure standing beside His Majesty, feeling mixed emotions.
Although Du Qingtang did not ask for any reward, but only reminded His Majesty to fulfill his promise, and His Majesty did not give too much reward, they knew in their hearts that the reward Du Qingtang deserved would not be less.
Your Majesty will only accumulate a certain amount and then give it away as a reward.
Last time it was the Earl, what will it be next time?
"She's quite capable. She's done us a disastrous harm, yet she's feeling quite proud of herself."
"It's a pity that her path to advancement cannot be replicated, otherwise I would definitely... humph!"
"So the official status issue is just over?"
"His Majesty is in high spirits right now. If we try to persuade him to think twice, wouldn't that be like trying to catch a louse on a tiger's head? It's courting death."
"I will always keep an eye on her. When she makes a big mistake, I will send people to beat drums and gongs to celebrate at the Wen'an Marquis's residence!"
The old man with white hair and beard was furious and helpless, and the other officials felt both sympathy and amusement when they heard it.
However, they all made up their minds to keep a close eye on Du Qingtang's every move and never give her the opportunity to destroy evidence if she made a mistake.
......
After the artillery review, Emperor Qingyuan returned to the palace and all officials returned to their respective posts. After roll call, they began a new busy day.
Since Emperor Qingyuan had approved the institute's application, Du Qingtang spent two hours handling official business, and then went to the imperial farm with Zhang Langzhong from the Ministry of Works and Maintenance and a group of craftsmen.
There are workshops in the imperial farm for making cosmetics, skin care products and glass. In order to prevent the secret recipes from leaking, the court has also sent heavy troops to guard it.
Due to the special nature and confidentiality of the research institute, Du Qingtang decided to build it in the imperial farm to avoid asking Emperor Qingyuan for additional manpower.
Du Qingtang walked around the imperial farm and finally circled a piece of land to build a research institute.
He then took out a thick stack of pre-drawn drawings - including but not limited to the interior furnishings of the institute and various experimental equipment, and handed them to the craftsmen.
She never underestimated the wisdom of the ancients. As long as the drawings were detailed enough, the craftsmen employed by the court would find a way to make them.
Du Qingtang informed the craftsmen of her requirements one by one, left Doctor Zhang to supervise the work, and then left the imperial farm.
As the Minister of Works, she had to handle many official tasks personally every day.
It took only an hour, but Du Qingtang could imagine that the documents on her desk were probably half a person's height by now.
Thinking of this, Du Qingtang couldn't help but respect Emperor Qingyuan.
Even though the cabinet handled some of the memorials on his behalf, the number of memorials that Emperor Qingyuan needed to review every day was still not to be underestimated. It started with at least several hundred, and each memorial was no less than a thousand words.
No wonder there were emperors in history who died of exhaustion on the throne.
Du Qingtang was lost in thought when she suddenly heard someone calling her courtesy name: "Xianyu!"
Following the sound, Princess Zhaoyang was standing outside Ningxiang Tower, wearing a dress made of floating brocade, looking at Du Qingtang with a smile on her face.
Du Qingtang tightened the reins, dismounted, and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant pays respect to His Highness."
Princess Zhaoyang said angrily, "Didn't we say before that we should address each other by our names? 'Your Highness' and 'Your Highness' sound so awkward."
Du Qingtang readily changed his words and said, "A Rong."
Princess Zhaoyang curled her lips and said, "I heard from my father that you, Xianyu, invented a cannon. That's truly remarkable."
Du Qingtang said modestly, "Arong, you're too kind. I just had a sudden idea and tried to shoot the gunpowder farther. I didn't expect it to actually work. There was a lot of luck behind it."
"Xianyu, don't underestimate yourself. Looking at all the civil and military officials in the court, you are the only one who has this ability." Princess Zhaoyang then changed the subject, "By the way, Xianyu, the charity hall has been built. When you are free, come with me to take a look."
After the thank-you banquet at the princess's mansion, Du Qingtang ran between the Ministry of Works and the imperial farm every day, so busy that he had long forgotten about the charity hall.
Princess Zhaoyang mentioned this, and Du Qingtang finally remembered. He put his fist to his lips and coughed softly, "Tomorrow is a day off. I will be on call at any time."
"Then it's settled. I'll pick you up at the Bo's residence at 9:00 PM tomorrow. We'll visit the charity hall and have a meal together, then I'll take you back."
Princess Zhaoyang's heroic eyes were filled with smiles. Like a magic trick, she took out a jade pendant from her sleeve, pinched it between two fingers and shook it lightly twice, and the tassel swayed in the wind.
"I was just getting a massage at Ningxiang Tower and topped up five thousand taels. The shopkeeper gave me this jade pendant. Does it look nice?"
The jade pendant had a warm color and a fine texture. It was obvious that it was good jade. Du Qingtang said without hesitation, "It looks good."
Princess Zhaoyang was delighted. She took a step forward and fastened the jade pendant around Du Qingtang's waist with her slender white fingers. "Since you like it, I will give it to you as a gift."
Du Qingtang looked down at the jade pendant, then looked up at Princess Zhaoyang, who was so close that he could even see her eyelashes and light-colored eyeshadow clearly. He immediately said, "..."
A bit strange.
Not sure, take another look.
Du Qingtang lowered her head and then looked up again. Princess Zhaoyang saw it and teased her with a rather malicious tone, "Beauty is like jade, and jade is like beauty. Xianyu and this jade pendant are a perfect match. I am delighted by the sight of you. Why don't you come back to the Princess Palace with me? I can also imitate Emperor Wu and keep a beautiful girl in my golden house."
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang's face was wooden, and he was somewhat helpless: "A Rong."
Princess Zhaoyang covered her mouth, overjoyed, took two steps back and said, "Xianyu is busy with official duties, I won't waste your time, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow." Du Qingtang subconsciously fiddled with the jade pendant with his fingertips and nodded to Princess Zhaoyang. "I'll take my leave."
Princess Zhaoyang waved her hand, watched the man and horse go away, and then got on the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Yuan Shuang knelt beside the small table and offered cold tea with both hands: "Your Highness, we have checked and found out that the person is the eighth household in the back alley of Ningxiang Tower."
Princess Zhaoyang pinched the teacup with two fingers, took a sip slowly, and responded lightly.
Yuan Shuang folded her hands in front of her stomach and asked softly, "When does Your Highness plan to take action?"
Princess Zhaoyang closed her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting a light shadow under her eyelids, giving people a sense of indifference and coldness: "Tonight."
I have to thank Lord Du.
If Lord Du had not extracted many secrets about Da Qi from the spies lurking in Shaoqing Prefecture, and then escorted the chief general of the Qi army that attacked Shaoqing Prefecture to the capital, how could she have known that tens of millions of cockroaches and bedbugs were hiding in the dark corners of the 140 prefectures of Da Xia?
Since they are pests, they must be eradicated as soon as possible.
At this moment, a clear male voice came from outside the carriage: "The humble official Lu Jianshan requests to see Your Highness."
Yuan Shuang paused while sorting out the letters.
Princess Zhaoyang didn't even raise her eyes, and simply ordered in a calm voice: "Return home."
The guards of the princess's mansion cracked their whips, and the carriage rumbled towards the east of the city.
A handsome man in his thirties stood by the street, watching the carriage go away in a cloud of dust. He coughed several times because of the flying dust.
The servant beside him said worriedly, "My Lord, if your wife knew..."
Lu Jianshan's eyes were as sharp as a knife. The servant was speechless but muttered in his heart.
The prince knew very well that his wife was jealous and especially could not stand to hear the name of Princess Zhaoyang, but he insisted on asking to see this beautiful princess behind his wife's back.
Madam even dared to attack the Crown Prince, let alone those who served him.
The servant couldn't help but think of the time a while ago when the Crown Prince accidentally learned that his wife had instructed Censor Zhang to impeach Princess Zhaoyang through Madam Zhang, so he ran to ask his wife why she did so.
The lady was furious and not only beat to death several maids serving in her yard, but also beat to death two concubines serving in the prince's study on a random pretext.
Thinking back to the two concubines lying in a pool of blood with their eyes open, the servant felt a chill of fear and groaned in his heart.
He made up his mind that he must not let his wife know about this, otherwise he would be in big trouble.
At the very least, you will be beaten with a stick, with your skin torn and flesh exposed; at the worst, your life will be in danger!
The luxurious-looking carriage had already driven away, but Lu Jianshan was still staring at it, feeling melancholy.
If Daxia had not been defeated, if Cao Yuan had not been so powerful and the imperial power had not declined, if Cao Yuan had not proposed that the second princess marry into the Qi Kingdom to ensure the peace and tranquility of Daxia, perhaps he would have married His Highness long ago, and they would have lived in harmony and had both sons and daughters.
Instead of marrying Cao Xuanjiao, that fierce woman, as his wife, he suffered oppression for more than ten years. He was not allowed to have any concubines in the room, and he could not even control the life and death of his mistress.
Lu Jianshan hated Cao Xuanjiao very much, but the Wenyuan Marquis Mansion had already declined. Even if the Cao family declined, the Wenyuan Marquis Mansion would be unable to compete with it.
Lu Jianshan sighed deeply and murmured, "After all, it's just not meant to be."
but--
"Why is Your Highness so close to that Wen Anbo?"
Wen Anbo was a woman, but she was always out in public, mixing with men, and had no idea what propriety, righteousness, integrity, and the three obediences and four virtues were.
Lu Jianshan felt deeply ashamed and whenever he met her, he would take a detour, for fear of being entangled by that vicious woman and having his reputation ruined.
If Your Highness is close to Wen Anbo, he will inevitably be implicated by her and his reputation will be damaged.
As for the rumor that was widely spread in the capital about His Highness keeping a lover, Lu Jianshan did not believe a single word of it.
His Highness is a very well-behaved and polite person. He didn't dare to look him in the eye easily back then. Once they did, his cheeks would turn red, as beautiful as peach blossoms. How could he keep a lover?
Lu Jianshan was certain that it must be Cao Xuanjiao who was deliberately slandering him.
Thinking of Cao Xuanjiao's arrogant face, Lu Jianshan gritted his teeth and hoped that His Majesty would get rid of the treacherous villain as soon as possible.
After Cao Yuan was completely overthrown, he divorced the fierce woman Cao Xuanjiao and resumed his relationship with His Highness.
Lu Jianshan did not mind that His Highness was not a virgin.
They both had their own difficulties back then, and he didn't blame her.
-
Princess Zhaoyang didn't know what Lu Jianshan was thinking, otherwise she would have regretted leaving immediately. She should have let the guards drive the carriage into him, regardless of life or death.
Are the musicians she keeps in her house not well-behaved and sensible enough, or are all the handsome men in their twenties in the world dead?
She finds an old man who is nearly thirty years old dirty at the first sight.
That night, in the back alley of Ningxiang Tower.
The royal secret guards appeared silently and surrounded the second courtyard of the eighth household like an iron barrel, ensuring that not even a fly could fly out.
"Bang!"
A loud noise broke the silence of the night, and the secret guards rushed in one after another.
The Da Qi spy lurking in the second courtyard was caught off guard and it was too late for him to escape. After a desperate fight, he was defeated and tied up and thrown into the yard.
Torches were lit in the yard, dispelling the darkness and making it as bright as day.
The secret guard counted the number of people and then walked towards the woman in black in the yard.
The woman covered her face with a veil, leaving only her eyes exposed, and her true face could not be seen underneath the veil.
"Master, everyone is here."
A Da Qi spy suddenly raised his head and stared at the woman whom the secret guard called "Master".
He inexplicably felt that the woman's eyebrows and eyes looked very familiar. After racking his brains for a long time, a white light suddenly flashed in his mind, and he said in a firm tone: "Xia Fei!"
Concubine Xia.
This was the title bestowed upon Princess Zhaoyang of Great Xia in the Qi Emperor's harem when she married into the Qi Empire.
Although they were all concubines, all the other concubines had titles, such as Hui, Yi, De and Rong, but she was the only one who was Concubine Xia.
Because she was a princess married into a foreign kingdom.
Because she was a gift from Daxia to Emperor Qi.
Everyone looked down on her.
Everyone mistreats her.
The Da Qi spy once saw Concubine Xia from afar.
It was the coldest time of the year, with heavy snow falling. However, Concubine Xia was wearing a tattered dress that was even worse than that of a palace maid. She knelt in the snow and swept the snow with her bare hands.
Seeing how beautiful she was, the Da Qi spy couldn't help but ask the patrolling imperial guards, "Who is she?"
The imperial guard confessed, "She is a princess sent from Great Xia. Two hours ago, while sweeping snow, her broom accidentally bumped into the embroidered shoes of a maidservant beside Imperial Concubine Mei. The maid complained to Imperial Concubine Mei, who then punished her by making her sweep the snow with her bare hands. She was told she could leave only when she had cleared all the snow from the palace path."
The Da Qi spies still remember Concubine Xia's hands, which were red, swollen and cracked due to frequent contact with snow.
The blood dyed the snow red, making it inexplicably gorgeous.
Many years passed, and he was ordered to sneak into Daxia and steal its secrets.
There were times when he thought of Concubine Xia and couldn't help feeling sorry for her.
Such a beautiful woman was born in the wrong place and was exiled to a foreign country, suffering humiliation. She would have been tortured to death by those heartless concubines in the harem.
Unexpectedly, the situation changed and Da Qi was defeated. Not only did it sign a peace agreement, it also returned Concubine Xia and the five southwestern cities.
The spies lurking in Daxia were forced to lie dormant and only gradually began to resume their activities last year.
He was sent to Xiajing to steal the formula of firearms.
Who would have thought that before he could take action and try to sneak into the firearms camp, he was caught red-handed.
The Great Qi spy stared at Princess Zhaoyang intently, speaking sharply, "Concubine Xia was a slave in our dynasty, but upon returning home, she unexpectedly became the master."
He looked at the secret guards around him, grinned, and said maliciously: "Did you know that your master once cleaned toilets and served as a horse stool in our dynasty?"
Princess Zhaoyang stood with her hands behind her back, her brown eyes expressionless.
So what if I’m a slave?
So what if you use it to clean the toilet and use it as a stool?
The suffering and hatred of the past kept her alive until the 18th year of Qingyuan, until Lord Du welcomed her home.
She is not Concubine Xia.
She is Princess Zhaoyang of Daxia.
She is in charge of the Royal Secret Guard and the Three Thousand Battalions.
She participated in the government affairs behind the scenes and made decisions with great force.
That's enough.
On the contrary, Yuan Shuang, the usually amiable woman, suddenly had a cold look in her eyes. She walked forward steadily, slapped Da Qi's three teeth away with a slap, and dislocated his jaw. She retreated behind Princess Zhaoyang and returned to her gentle and quiet appearance, with a very low sense of presence.
The Da Qi spy had blood in his mouth and stared at Princess Zhaoyang with disgust.
Princess Zhaoyang chuckled: "Regardless of the past, let's focus on the present. You are my prisoner."
"Your lives are in my hands."
After saying that, he turned and left, his back straight as a pine tree: "Take it away."
"yes!"
It was already late at night when we returned to the princess's mansion.
After taking a bath, Princess Zhaoyang leaned on a soft pillow and let Nanny Fang wipe her wet hair. After drying it, she applied hair care oil and combed it carefully with a wooden comb.
After combing the last strand of hair, Nanny Fang looked down and saw that her prince had fallen asleep. His sleeping face was peaceful, with a hint of fatigue lingering between his brows.
Nanny Fang's eyes were full of love, and she could not hide her heartache. She extinguished all the candles in the room, leaving only one, and retreated quietly.
On the other side, Emperor Qingyuan sat on the dragon couch in the Qianqing Palace, like a silent and dead statue.
The secret guard who reported on tonight's operation had already retreated, but the words of the Da Qi spy were like a devil's sound, torturing Emperor Qingyuan's ears and heart over and over again.
Although he was in excruciating pain, he was torturing himself, repeating the past events over and over again while constructing images in his mind.
Fu Rui stood by, even his breathing was extremely light.
Fu Rui glanced at the sky, watching the Jade Rabbit sink to the west, and boldly advised: "Your Majesty, your dragon body is more important. It will be dawn in an hour and a half. You should go to bed early."
Emperor Qingyuan's eyes moved slightly, and he looked outside the palace through the glass.
The candlelight reflected into his cloudy yet shrewd and sharp eyes, and the color of the water disappeared in an instant.
-
Since it was a day off and he had fulfilled a wish, Du Qingtang was rarely lazy and let himself sleep until he woke up naturally.
The so-called natural awakening is just delayed from 3:15 pm to 1:15 pm.
At the end of July, the heat is still oppressive.
Du Qingtang opened his eyes, his whole body was sweaty, his underwear was sticking to his body, and he felt very uncomfortable.
I couldn't lie down anymore, so I just got up.
The ice in the basin beside the bed had long since melted, and the cool water was gathered at the bottom of the basin, and the cool air could no longer dissipate.
Du Qingtang asked the maid to prepare water, washed off the sticky clothes, and went to the dining room to eat in casual clothes.
The house was quiet, with only the sounds of maids and servants moving around and whispering.
Du Qingtang asked Meng Fang and was told that the four people, Qin, Qi, Shuhua and their husbands, had gone out to find a shop. Du Qingzhu went to Shixiang Pavilion to watch the craftsmen repair the house to prevent them from cutting corners.
As soon as I sat down in the dining room, the maid put breakfast on the table and Youyou came over after smelling the food.
"Meow~"
The little tabby cat calls out in a coquettish voice, which is too sweet.
Du Qingtang glanced at her and lowered his head to concentrate on eating.
"Meow~"
Youyou stretched out its claws to fiddle with the corner of Du Qingtang's robe, and its round cat pupils were full of "want to eat".
Du Qingtang pushed the spicy beef noodles towards the table, his eyes passing over the little chubby cat's body without leaving a trace: "If you want to eat, come up here yourself."
It was impossible to give her food. Du Qingtang simply wanted Xiao Lihua to exercise more.
When it was in Shaoqing Prefecture, it was still a graceful little kitten. It was taken back to Qingyuan County by Du Qingzhu for a few months. When it came to Xiajing again, it had turned into a gas tank.
The whole cat became fatter, with a round belly, and became a little pig.
Excessive obesity is harmful to both humans and cats. Du Qingju tried to help her lose weight by reducing her nighttime food ration by half. As a result, the little tabby cat was so hungry that she ran around everywhere, meowing most of the night, making everyone unable to sleep well.
There was really no other way, so I had to resume my normal food intake.
Du Qingtang would not tolerate the little lihua and watched her actions coldly.
Youyou circled around Du Qingtang, gathered strength in her four claws, and jumped onto the embroidered stool—
"Bang!"
He failed to jump and fell to the ground with a thud.
Xiao Lihua attributed it to an unexpected mistake and gathered his strength again.
"Bang!"
Its front paws touched the edge of the embroidery stool and it slid down with all four paws facing the sky.
The little tabby rolled over and lay on the ground, licking its paws as if nothing had happened.
Du Qingtang: “…”
People pretend to be busy when they are embarrassed, and kittens are no exception.
After a while, the awkwardness faded, and Little Lihua gathered his strength for the third time——
"Bang!"
The upper body fell on the embroidery stool, and when success was only one step away, the gas tank slowly slid down.
“Meow meow meow!”
Little Lihua was anxious and tried to hook the embroidery stool, but she was overweight and all her efforts were in vain. She could only watch the embroidery stool getting farther and farther away from her.
Little Tabby collapsed on the ground like a sad cat, motionless.
Du Qingtang: "...Go get a small dried fish."
Meng Fang suppressed her laughter and sent her maid to get the dried fish.
After eating the dried fish, Youyou instantly recovered to full health. Du Qingtang threw a ball of wool to her, and she meowed and chased after it.
Very good, my ears are finally quiet.
Du Qingtang filled his stomach, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and ordered, "Call Sister Ran and the others."
It happened to be a day off, so I took this opportunity to test them.
Meng Fang asked the maid to call for help. In less than half an incense stick of time, Ruan Ran and several nephews and nieces came running over.
"Ninth Sister."
"aunt."
The young girls and boys were all shouting, full of energy, with their heads held high and chests puffed out, full of vigor and vitality.
Du Qingtang crossed his arms and got straight to the point: "The last time I tested you was ten days ago. Let me see how you've been studying lately."
The girls and boys immediately put on a serious face, trying to look serious, ready to be tested at any moment.
After several people finished their tests one by one, Du Qingtang gave a fair review: "Not bad, keep up the good work."
"call--"
The girls and boys breathed a sigh of relief and grinned.
At this time, Meng Fang walked in: "Master, His Highness's carriage has stopped outside the Earl's Mansion."
Du Qingtang: “…”
I really don't even want to pretend anymore.
Du Qingtang didn't bother to look at Meng Fang and waved him away: "I'm going out for a while. You guys go back and study hard. Pay attention to the balance between work and rest, but don't waste your time."
"Yes, Ninth Sister/Aunt."
Du Qingtang ran back to the main courtyard, straightened his clothes, and made sure he looked decent before heading towards the main gate of the Earl's Mansion.
With one foot already out of the bedroom threshold, Du Qingtang stepped back, found the jade pendant given to him by Princess Zhaoyang yesterday, tied it around his waist before leaving.
Princess Zhaoyang changed into a carriage. Compared with the luxurious one of yesterday, this one was more low-key, and the emblem of Princess Zhaoyang's mansion was not engraved on the carriage.
Yuan Shuang stood beside the carriage. Seeing Du Qingtang, she smiled and saluted: "This servant greets Master Du."
"Aunt Yuanshuang." Du Qingtang greeted her and stepped onto the horse stool to enter the carriage.
Princess Zhaoyang leaned lazily against the carriage, with a basin full of ice cubes at her side. The whole carriage was as cool as late autumn.
In addition to the ice basin, there is also an ice jar on the side.
There are various fruits and vegetables in the ice container, the colors are bright and very tempting.
Princess Zhaoyang propped up her chin, her brows relaxed and carefree: "Xianyu, these are fruits shipped from Shaoqing Prefecture, come and try them."
Du Qingtang didn't bother to be polite with her and ate a piece of watermelon.
It’s icy cool and as sweet as honey.
Princess Zhaoyang noticed the jade pendant on Du Qingtang's waist and smiled. "Shaoqing Prefecture's melons and dried fruits are very popular in Xiajing. I was originally planning to discuss cooperation with you, but considering the high losses along the way, I had to give up the idea."
"Fruits are very precious and can't withstand being bumped or dented." Du Qingtang poked at the ice, and the crackling sound was quite pleasant to the ear. "That's why fresh fruit orchards are only opened in the northwest, and only dried fruits are sold far and wide."
The two chatted idly, saying whatever came to mind, and in the blink of an eye they arrived at the charity hall.
The charity hall is located at the junction of the west and north cities and covers a large area.
There is a plaque hanging above the door, with the word "Shan Tang" written on it in silver hook and iron painting, and the sharpness of the strokes cannot be concealed.
Du Qingtang guessed that this was most likely written by Princess Zhaoyang herself.
Yuan Shuang unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped aside. Princess Zhaoyang raised her hand and called out, "Xianyu, come with me."
Princess Zhaoyang took Du Qingtang on a tour of the charity hall, from the dormitory to the study and then to the kitchen.
Returning to the main gate of the charity hall, Princess Zhaoyang asked, "Xianyu, what do you think of this place? Is there anything that needs improvement?"
Du Qingtang shook his head: "It's very comprehensive, no need for improvement."
The children have no worries about food and drink, and there are all kinds of books in the library. When they grow up and learn to read, they can come and borrow them to enrich their knowledge and gain experience.
Princess Zhaoyang gazed at the flowers blooming in the corner and whispered, "I know there are many children in Xiajing who have been abandoned due to various illnesses or gender differences, and there are also many children who have lost their families and are left alone. From now on, this will be their safe haven."
"I also know that there are many similar cases outside of Xiajing."
"Those abandoned children will starve to death or freeze to death. Many of those who survive will go astray in order to survive and become criminals and unforgivable heinous criminals."
"Lord Du, I can't guarantee that all abandoned children in the world will have homes, but I will do my best to take in those homeless children and change the people's distorted and deeply rooted ideas."
Princess Zhaoyang looked serious as she stared at Du Qingtang.
She didn't ask Du Qingtang: "Master Du, do you believe me?"
She just said, "I will do it."
Every word is sonorous and thought-provoking.
Like taking an oath.
......
After leaving the charity hall, Princess Zhaoyang took Du Qingtang to the restaurant under her name for dinner.
The dishes are plentiful and the wines are delicious.
The guests enjoyed the meal very much and left the restaurant together.
As they approached the carriage, a clear male voice suddenly came from behind them: "Your Highness!"
Du Qingtang was about to turn around to look, but Princess Zhaoyang patted her back gently: "Xianyu, you go up first."
Such dirty things must not pollute Lord Du's eyes.
Du Qingtang responded and stepped onto the horse stool to enter the carriage.
When Lu Jianshan strode up to her, the curtain had just fallen, leaving Du Qingtang with only a piece of green clothing.
"Your humble servant greets His Highness."
Lu Jianshan bowed and looked at Princess Zhaoyang with burning eyes: "Your Highness, I haven't seen you for a long time. You have lost a lot of weight. It seems that you are still as bitter as you were in the summer. I still remember..."
Princess Zhaoyang lost all interest due to his appearance and gently stroked the jade bracelet on her wrist: "Master Lu, you have overstepped the boundaries."
The cold words showed his aloofness and superiority, which made Lu Jianshan's expression blank for a moment.
His Highness used to treat him with the utmost tenderness and care, but why is he like a different person now?
Lu Jianshan suddenly thought of Wen Anbo.
Wen Anbo had a very bad reputation among civil servants, especially some pedantic and conservative officials. He was rude and domineering, and had none of the gentleness and virtue of a woman.
Princess Zhaoyang's cold and sarcastic manner was surprisingly similar to that of Wen Anbo.
Thinking of the last time Princess Zhaoyang and Wen Anbo had such a pleasant conversation, Lu Jianshan frowned and advised earnestly, "Your Highness, Wen Anbo is a heretic and unruly person. You should cut off all ties with her as soon as possible to avoid being infected by her bad habits."
In the carriage, Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly.
Princess Zhaoyang listened to his crazy talk and said with a smile: "Lu Jianshan, who do you think you are? How dare you point fingers in front of me?"
The wrinkles between Lu Jianshan's eyebrows deepened, and he wore a look of disapproval: "Your Highness, you have indeed been led astray by that Wen Anbo."
"Mr. Wen An has always been ruthless and will do anything to achieve his goals. She must have known that you are His Majesty's favorite princess and deliberately approached you..."
Du Qingtang couldn't stand it any longer. He lifted the carriage curtain and stared at Lu Jianshan expressionlessly, "This... Prince Lu, you are making irresponsible remarks about an official in public. Do you think the censor is dead? Or do you think Du is dead?"
Lu Jianshan was trying earnestly to persuade Princess Zhaoyang and lead her back to the right path, when suddenly a face that he could not avoid appeared in front of him. He screamed in fear and stepped back repeatedly.
"Du, Du Qingtang?!"
"Lu Jianshan!"
Two voices sounded almost simultaneously, one full of shock and the other full of anger.
Du Qingtang looked in the direction of the voice and saw the person coming in with heavy makeup and fancy clothes. Judging from his facial features, he actually looked somewhat like Cao Xingcan.
Princess Zhaoyang tutted softly, kicked Lu Jianshan aside, and stepped directly onto the horse stool: "I didn't check the almanac when I went out this morning, and I ran into two mad dogs."
As he spoke, the woman had already arrived. Regardless of the presence of Du Qingtang and Princess Zhaoyang, she grabbed the flesh on Lu Jianshan's arm and twisted it hard.
Lu Jianshan cried out in pain, attracting the attention of passers-by.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Princess Zhaoyang: “…”
Lu Jianshan's face turned pale and blue, and he felt extremely embarrassed. He growled, "Cao Xuanjiao! Are you crazy?"
Cao Xuanjiao sneered, wishing she could kill this man.
Not long ago, a handkerchief dealer came to my door and said that Ningxianglou had released a new product.
Cao Xuanjiao has always liked Ningxianglou's products, so she went out with her handkerchief friend.
Who knew that halfway through the journey, he found Lu Jianshan talking to a woman on the street.
Looking closely, the woman was actually Princess Zhaoyang.
Cao Xuanjiao was immediately furious. She rushed up without saying a word and gave Lu Jianshan a lesson in front of Princess Zhaoyang.
Just as he was about to warn Princess Zhaoyang, he saw her already sitting in the carriage, lifting the curtain and looking down at him condescendingly: "Cao, tie up your dog. If it happens again, I don't mind killing him for you."
After saying this, he lowered the curtain, the guard shook the reins, and the carriage drove out.
Lu Jianshan and Cao Xuanjiao were right next to the carriage, and they couldn't dodge in time and fell flat on their backs.
A woman passed by with her babbling daughter, and the little girl pointed at the two of them and giggled.
"Mother, bastard!"
Amidst laughter, the carriage drove away.
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