Chapter 98098 The Reborn
That night, in the Ministry of Justice prison.
Qi Heming lay on his back on a tattered straw mat. The coldness penetrated into his bones, but he seemed unaware of it. He looked at the rising moon through the square window.
By this time, his confidants should have collected Atang's body and buried it in a secret residence known only to him and his confidants.
When he dies, his confidants will bury him together with Atang.
We may not share the same bed in life, but we will study together after death.
It’s a pity that Atang passed away ten days before him.
But it doesn’t matter. When he gets to the underground, he will go find Atang.
He is not as cruel as Atang, who hurts his body and heart again and again.
Qi Heming tapped the straw mat rhythmically with his fingers and slowly closed his eyes.
The bright silver light came in through the window, making his face pale as paper, like a living dead who couldn't breathe, eerie and strange.
"clatter."
"clatter."
The sound of barely audible footsteps came closer from afar.
Qi Heming's ears twitched.
The footsteps stopped and silence returned, with only the prisoner's snoring remaining.
"Second Master Qi."
Qi Heming opened his eyes and saw a tall figure standing outside the cell. He was wearing a cloak and his face could not be seen clearly.
Qi Heming just glanced at it and closed it again in boredom.
A mouse that hides its head and shows its tail.
"Du Qingtang is not dead."
Qi Heming suddenly opened his eyes, and sat up with a somersault, but he choked because of the excessive movement. He coughed hard and gasped for breath, and his face became even paler.
"You...ahem...what did you say?"
The corners of the man's mouth, hidden beneath his hood, curled up slightly as he spoke in a gentle yet cruel tone, "The Great Qi army launched an attack on Loushan Pass. Du Qingtang invented gunpowder and muskets, powerful weapons that strengthen the army. Your Majesty has pardoned her death sentence and ordered her to proceed to Loushan Pass immediately to assist the soldiers there in repelling the Qi army."
"Second Master Qi, your plan has failed."
"Your Majesty has allowed Du Qingtang to make meritorious contributions while serving his sentence. When the war is over, Du Qingtang might even be reinstated, and promotion is not impossible."
"And you, Second Young Master Qi, will be beheaded in public in February."
Every word the man said was like a sharp knife, piercing Qi Heming's chest, gouging out his flesh and blood, causing him to bleed profusely and suffer excruciating pain.
"Shut up! Shut up right there!"
The man laughed softly: "From now on, you and Du Qingtang will be separated by Yin and Yang..."
"I told you to shut up! Are you deaf? Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
Qi Heming roared hysterically, veins popped out on his forehead and distinct blue veins appeared on the sides of his neck.
The roar woke up the prisoners and curses broke out.
Qi Heming turned a deaf ear, gritted his teeth and sneered.
"You're such a coward? Why should I believe you?"
"You're lying to me! I don't believe a word you say!"
Daxia is a vast country with abundant resources and many talented people. Even if Du Qingtang is very talented, she is not the only one who can help him.
Not to mention that a king never jokes, Emperor Qingyuan would never do such a stupid thing that would give people a chance to talk about him.
That’s right!
That's it!
Qi Heming's nostrils flared and he was breathing heavily. His head was a mess. He tried to convince himself over and over again in his mind, forcing himself to calm down.
The man saw through his thoughts immediately and chuckled, "You spent so much effort scheming and planning every step of the way, but in the end, you only helped Du Qingtang, and now you're still deceiving yourself... Tsk tsk, how pitiful."
Qi Heming felt as if he was slapped in the face from a distance. His face was burning with pain. He closed his eyes in embarrassment, and his rapidly rolling eyeballs showed his inner unrest.
The man changed the subject: "But I'm curious, how did you know Du Qingtang was a woman?"
Du Yuanshi beat the drum to file a complaint to the emperor, but after that night she seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, disappearing without a trace.
He sent people to investigate and unexpectedly discovered that Du Yuanshi had been detained by Emperor Qingyuan. Emperor Qingyuan also sent people to investigate Du Yuanshi's whereabouts before she came to Xiajing.
Following the clues provided by Emperor Qingyuan, he traced the case back to Qi Hezhang, the second son of the Duke of Changguo.
Du Yuanshi was able to come to Xiajing from Baoding Prefecture, thousands of miles away, thanks to Qi Hezhang's people who escorted her.
The man was puzzled, so he went to the Ministry of Justice prison at night to find out the truth.
Qi Heming sneered, "Who do you think you are? How dare you ask me that?"
The man wasn't upset. He casually rolled the walnuts, making a crisp clinking sound. "Second Master Qi, have you ever seen Lady Du in her wedding gown? Her eyes and eyebrows are as beautiful as a painting. She's truly breathtakingly beautiful."
These words undoubtedly touched Qi Heming's sore spot.
In his previous life, he prepared a wedding dress for Du Qingtang, but Du Qingtang drank poison and died before she could put it on.
In this life, he asked Qi Ping to deliver the wedding dress, but Du Qingtang burned it together with Qi Ping's body.
Thinking carefully, he had never seen Du Qingtang wearing a wedding dress.
Never.
Never!
Qi Heming's heart felt like it was being gnawed by thousands of ants. The severe pain made him lose his mind. He slammed his fist on the straw mat and said in a voice as cold as ice: "She is my wife. Of course I have seen her."
The man sighed, still being stubborn even when facing death.
However, from Qi Heming's words, he had already gotten the answer he wanted. He dusted off the non-existent dust on his cloak and turned away.
After leaving the Ministry of Justice prison, the man leaned over to enter the carriage, took off his cloak and threw it at his feet.
Under the dim candlelight, the face was the second son of the current emperor and empress - the fifth prince Xia Qixuan.
The fifth prince leaned lazily against the carriage, looking tired.
"Your wife..." He was crunching the walnuts, "She's clearly mine."
"Second Master Qi, did you also meet her in a dream?"
"Master Du, what little secret are you hiding?"
The low whispers echoed in the carriage, like smoke and fog, dissipating into the air.
......
The cloaked man left, but his words were like a magic sound, echoing in Qi Heming's ears over and over again.
He said, Atang is not dead.
He said that Atang would soon redeem himself for his crime and his future would still be bright.
Qi Heming clenched his fists, causing the straw mat to creak.
Then what does it matter if he gambles everything on his death?
"No." Qi Heming shook his head and murmured, "If I die, you can't live either."
Why should I die while you live on in glory?
Atang, this is not fair.
No.
Maybe she is not Atang.
Atang would not be so heartless to him.
They fell in love in Yan'an Prefecture. Atang was deeply in love with him and gave up her official career to marry him.
Atang was so gentle and considerate, treating him as her heaven, cooking for him, and giving birth to children for him.
Like a kaleidoscope, frames of scenes of him and Du Qingtang playing the piano and singing in harmony flashed through Qi Heming's mind.
Look at Du Qingtang now.
From beginning to end, he was treated with disdain, as if he were the dirt at the edge of a muddy pond under his feet.
She is not Atang at all.
She is a lonely ghost attached to Atang.
That’s right!
She is a lonely ghost!
The more Qi Heming thought about it, the more he felt that this was the truth. He rolled to his feet, rushed to the prison door, and shouted at the top of his voice: "Someone come! Someone come! I want to see His Majesty!"
Du Qingtang is now a wandering ghost. As long as we kill him, the real Atang will come back!
The prisoner who had been woken up by Qi Heming not long ago had just fallen asleep, but was woken up again. He was so angry that he cursed and cursed his ancestors.
Qi Heming pretended not to hear anything. His mind was filled with the description of Du Qingtang in her wedding gown given by the cloaked man. He banged hard on the iron chain locking the door: "Someone! Someone come quickly! I want to see His Majesty!"
Several jailers were drinking and chatting, but Qi Heming's loud shouting ruined their interest. They picked up a wooden stick, walked over and started hitting him.
"What are you arguing about? Do you think you can see His Majesty whenever you want? Do you really think you're still the second son of the Duke of Changguo's mansion?"
Qi Heming was so shocked that he retracted his hand: "It's related to Du Qingtang!"
Du Qingtang?
The jailer cursed.
He knew Du Qingtang, or rather, everyone in Xiajing City knew Du Qingtang.
She disguised herself as a man to take the imperial examination and later became an official in the court.
He committed such a serious crime of deceiving the emperor and should have been punished with the punishment of his entire clan, but he escaped from the ghost-head knife at the critical moment of his life and returned home safely.
A woman who is bold and extremely lucky.
The jailer stared at Qi Heming and found that his expression did not seem to be fake. He hesitated for a moment and said, "It's too late today. Let's talk about it tomorrow."
"No." Qi Heming emphasized, "This is a matter of utmost urgency!"
The jailer discussed with his companions and finally reported Qi Heming's words to the palace.
It was the hour of Xu and the palace gates were about to be locked.
After being passed through various channels, it finally reached the emperor.
Emperor Qingyuan did not go to the harem tonight, but stayed in the Qianqing Palace. He was sitting under the lamp reviewing memorials.
"Qi Hezhang?" Emperor Qingyuan paused after hearing this. "Is what he wants to say related to Lord Du?"
Fury bowed slightly and chose his words carefully: "That's what the people below said."
Emperor Qingyuan inexplicably thought of Yuanshi, his eyes flickering. He put down his red brush and stretched lazily: "I've been reviewing memorials all day and am tired. Summon him to see me so I can rest for a while."
"yes."
About two incense sticks later, the eunuch came to report: "Your Majesty, the prisoner Qi Hezhang has been taken to the side hall."
Emperor Qingyuan stood up, Fu Rui straightened his clothes, and the master and servant went to the side hall.
Qi Heming knelt in the hall. Looking at his pale face, it was hard to tell whether his face or the prison uniform was paler.
Emperor Qingyuan sat on the high seat, with Fu Rui standing beside him.
Qi Heming bowed and saluted, his handcuffs and leg irons rattling. "The guilty minister Qi Heming pays homage to Your Majesty."
Qi Heming is not Qi Hezhang.
Emperor Qingyuan remained calm, obviously already knowing his true identity.
Logically speaking, Qi Heming's changing his name and appearance and recommending him for an official position constituted a crime of deceiving the emperor, and he should be executed according to the law.
However, Emperor Qingyuan needed Qi Lianmao to check Cao Yuan, and he also needed the second prince to check the fourth prince, so he turned a blind eye and pretended to be ignorant of the matter.
What Emperor Qingyuan did not expect was that the second son was so stupid that he dug his own grave by colluding with the spies of Da Qi in an attempt to steal military secrets.
Emperor Qingyuan was so disappointed that he stripped him of his status as a prince and demoted him to a commoner.
Emperor Qingyuan's mind raced as he intertwined his fingers and clasped them together. "Tell me, why did you come to see me so late at night?"
Qi Heming banged his head on the ground and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I want to say... Du Qingtang is not Du Qingtang."
Emperor Qingyuan remained calm and asked, "What do you mean?"
Qi Heming's heartbeat quickened as he thought, "This guilty minister is actually reborn."
Emperor Qingyuan narrowed his eyes slightly: "Rebirth?"
Qi Heming explained: "It means living a new life."
Emperor Qingyuan raised his eyebrows and asked, "What does this have to do with Lord Du?"
The cloaked man did not lie to him, and Emperor Qingyuan really revoked his order and spared Du Qingtang.
Qi Heming became more and more certain of his suspicions, and said confidently, "Your Majesty, the real Du Qingtang is deeply in love with this guilty minister. For this guilty minister, she is willing to give up her official career and even her life."
"I, a sinner, was reborn, hoping to rekindle my former relationship with my first wife. Unexpectedly, she treated me with indifference and even hurt me many times."
"She must be some wandering ghost who has taken over the body of my guilty wife!"
"I am concerned that she will disrupt the fate of the Great Xia nation and harm Your Majesty's dragon body. I request Your Majesty to immediately summon the master to the palace to perform a ritual to drive her out of the body of my first wife and scatter her soul. Only in this way can the fate of the Great Xia nation be protected from the evil spirit!"
Fu Rui's pupils trembled violently, and he held the whisk with a dull expression, as if his soul had flown away into the sky.
Emperor Qingyuan's eyes flickered, and he raised his hand to support his chin. "So that's why you asked Du Yuanshi to beat the drum to accuse Du Aiqing of deceiving the emperor?"
Qi Heming nodded: "Exactly."
Actually, it is not.
He originally wanted to die with Du Qingtang, but now that he discovered her true identity, he naturally wanted to let that lonely ghost fly away.
Emperor Qingyuan pondered for a moment: "What evidence do you have to prove that you are reborn?"
Qi Heming thought for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up. He spoke quickly, "In July of this year, a drought will hit Linjiang Prefecture. The Fourth Prince and Cao Xingxuan withheld the relief funds and later made Cao Xingcan take the blame."
"Your Majesty can then send someone to investigate and the truth will be revealed."
Emperor Qingyuan lowered his right hand and tapped the armrest lightly: "In this case, does that mean I have to keep you until July?"
Qi Heming knelt and said, "Your Majesty, I know what will happen in the future. I can help you overthrow Cao Yuan and conquer the Great Qi."
"I have only one request. Once the master has eliminated that wandering ghost, please grant me and Du Qingtang a marriage."
Emperor Qingyuan paused, "How come I remember that you were engaged to the daughter of the Xue family?"
Qi Heming readily replied, "My cousin is seriously ill, and our two families have privately discussed the cancellation of the engagement."
He originally planned to have his confidants kill Xue Yishu after his death, so that he could give an explanation to his mother and Atang in the underworld.
Now......
He realized that there was something wrong with his memory.
Since he and Atang had been in love with each other in his previous life, and Xue Yishu had never poisoned Atang, let her fend for herself.
Emperor Qingyuan looked at Qi Heming steadily, as if thinking about the feasibility of this matter.
Qi Heming was confident that Emperor Qingyuan would definitely agree.
But many times, some things always go against our wishes.
Emperor Qingyuan suddenly chuckled and met Qi Heming's puzzled eyes: "Do you think that I will choose you and give up Lord Du?"
Qi Heming answered irrelevantly: "Your Majesty, Du Qingtang is a wandering ghost."
Emperor Qingyuan stood up, and his tall and thin figure cast a shadow, enveloping Qi Heming.
"So what if she is Du Qingtang? So what if she is not Du Qingtang?"
"I don't care."
"I only know that Lord Du has great talent and can be used by me to repel the Qi army and ensure that the people of Great Xia are prosperous and strong, and that the people are safe and peaceful."
"A wandering ghost? Disrupting the nation's destiny?"
"I only saw Du Aiqing offering the new accounting method, cowpox, Tianju Drink, and masks and isolation suits, to catch corrupt officials for me and save the people for me."
Emperor Qingyuan paced a few steps, and suddenly a white light flashed through his mind.
He caught the white light and exposed Qi Heming's self-deception: "Rather than being possessed by a lonely ghost, I feel that Du Aiqing and you are both reborn people. Du Aiqing sees through your character and that's why he keeps his distance from you."
"That you're deeply in love with me, that you're willing to sacrifice your life for me, is all fake. It's just your fantasy, Qi Heming."
The more Emperor Qingyuan thought about it, the more he felt that this was the truth.
Otherwise, Qi Heming would not have let Yuanshi file a complaint with the emperor, sending Du Qingtang to his death.
Since I can't get it, I just destroy it.
Just like he had done before, because Cao Yuan was impressed by Du Qingtang's ability, he asked him to give Du Qingtang to the fifth prince.
He was unwilling to add support to Cao Yuan, so he reluctantly sentenced Du Qingtang to beheading.
"No, it's not!"
"She is my wife, we will love each other till old age and have many children and grandchildren."
"I never imprisoned her, and my mother never instructed Xue Yishu to poison her."
"That's right! That's it!"
"There's something wrong with my memory. Maybe that ghost cast a spell on me, turning me against her, so it can continue to occupy her body..."
Qi Heming spoke incoherently, with a hint of madness in his expression.
——He may not even know what he is talking about.
He can no longer distinguish between truth and falsehood.
He was immersed in the beautiful dream he had woven for himself and never wanted to wake up again.
Emperor Qingyuan summoned his secret guards and said, "Take him away for interrogation. Make sure he reveals everything about the future."
The secret guard took Qi Heming away, and the side hall became quiet.
Fu Rui lowered his head tightly, not daring to breathe.
Emperor Qingyuan leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtfully at the cloud pattern on the lampshade.
Poisoning?
It's tragic.
In fact, if Qi Heming had confessed to him earlier - before Zhecha delivered the urgent report to Loushan Pass, perhaps he would not have sided with Du Qingtang.
To live your life again is an opportunity that comes rarely in the world.
He would most likely choose to force the person to tell him everything, record future events in detail, and then silence him.
——If someone else gets it, it will definitely become a sharp blade pointing at him and Daxia.
But now it's different.
Emperor Qingyuan needed the gunpowder and muskets in Du Qingtang's hands, and needed her to lead the firearms battalion to Loushan Pass.
"Fury."
"The servant is here."
Emperor Qingyuan removed the jade ring from his thumb and held it up to the candlelight, the dragon pattern faintly visible. "Tell me, can I still trust Lord Du?"
Thinking about it now, it seems that Du Qingtang has never told him the truth.
From the story of a woman disguising herself as a man to her rebirth, he learned everything from what others heard.
Fu Rui was sweating profusely and complaining in his heart.
What is going on?
He is just a servant. What has he done to deserve this? He keeps running into these bad things all day long!
Fu Rui swallowed his saliva and spoke carefully: "Your Majesty, I think that everyone has secrets and things that are difficult to say..."
Emperor Qingyuan tilted his head and looked at him: "Do you have any too?"
Fu Rui's hair stood on end. He pursed his lips in embarrassment and said in a low voice: "I have hidden some private money without your knowledge."
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Emperor Qingyuan was so angry that he laughed. Fortunately, the stagnant air in the hall began to flow again.
Fu Rui breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Your Majesty, there is still a long time to come. You have plenty of time to verify Lord Du's loyalty. Why rush it?"
"That's true." Emperor Qingyuan stood up and walked out slowly. "If she is loyal to me, I don't mind giving her a high position, a high salary, and status. She can also pick any man in the world."
Fury's mouth twitched and he hurried to catch up.
-
But last night, Du Qingtang, Fu Ci and Yao Jingzhou were drinking and chatting happily.
The first two were unemployed at home, and the latter took leave to recuperate. They were lucky enough to be saved from a desperate situation, so they were inevitably happy and drank a few more glasses, and did not leave until late at night.
Du Qingtang slept until he woke up naturally, and Du Yi had been waiting outside the door for a long time.
"Master, your foresight is remarkable. Someone indeed visited the Ministry of Justice's prison last night. However, he was wearing a cloak, wrapped very tightly, and I and others were unable to discern his identity."
Du Qingtang took a sip of water and said, "No need to check further."
Du Yi didn't suspect anything and replied respectfully, continuing, "After that, Qi Hezhang entered the palace, and Du San and Du Si stayed there all night, not coming out until dawn."
Du Qingtang hesitated for a moment and said, "No need to stare at that place anymore."
Du Yi retreated immediately.
Du Qingtang put down the teacup and went to the dining room.
She could vaguely guess why Qi Heming entered the palace.
This bastard was already crazy, and the prison of the Ministry of Justice was infested with rats, cockroaches and fleas. It was possible that his brain had been eaten by him.
Qi Heming learned from the fifth prince that she was still alive, and he would kill her at all costs.
The woman's identity is no longer a secret, so there is only one left.
Du Qingtang didn't think rebirth was a secret.
That was her failure, her shame.
But since they are king and subject, they must always entrust each other with some trust.
Under the premise that Du Qingtang's credibility is zero, it can win sympathy, but it can also be used as a handle.
"Offer jade!"
Hearing an urgent call from behind, Du Qingtang stopped and looked back.
Fu Ci trotted towards her with a bright smile: "Xianyu, wait for me, let's go eat together!"
Du Qingtang waited for her to come over, and the two walked towards the dining room side by side.
......
In the Golden Palace, Emperor Qingyuan mentioned the battle of Loushan Pass and said that he would form a firearms battalion with Du Qingtang as the commander of the firearms battalion.
The important officials in the court had witnessed the power of gunpowder and muskets yesterday. For the sake of the overall situation, they had to accept defeat.
At the morning court, one or two of them held their tablets and lowered their heads, pretending to be dead, so that Emperor Qingyuan, who was sitting in a high position, would not see the opposition and frustration in their eyes.
Seeing that they had no objection (important officials in the court:...), the other officials remained silent out of a strong desire to survive, even though they thought Du Qingtang was a woman and not worthy of being on equal footing with them.
There were also a very small number of people who strongly opposed it, such as several censors in the Censorate who were known for their stubbornness.
"Women's participation in politics is against ancestral rules. Du Qingtang and Fu Ci should be dismissed from their posts and dealt with strictly according to the law!"
"If Your Majesty insists on appointing Du Qingtang as the commander, I will die in this Golden Palace!"
"Your Majesty, please revoke your order and execute Du Qingtang and Fu Ci!"
A faint smile graced the round, elegant face of Emperor Qingyuan, and he spoke in a casual tone, "I can ask Lord Du not to go to Loushan Pass, but there's no one in charge of the Firearms Battalion. How about choosing one of you to take the position?"
The censor was horrified: "Your Majesty, I am a civil servant!"
Emperor Qingyuan smiled and twirled his beard. "Lord Du is also a civil servant. She went to Loushan Pass to redeem herself from her crimes and make meritorious contributions. I need her, and Daxia needs her."
The censors wanted to say something else, but Emperor Qingyuan interrupted them: "There is no need to discuss this matter further. It is settled."
Among the civil officials, Yan Tiande gave Shi Zishan a look, and the latter understood and stepped out with his tablet in hand: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
"allow."
Shi Zishan said respectfully, "Your Majesty, as of now, local officials have raided eighty-nine kidnapping dens and rescued a total of seven thousand five hundred and forty kidnapped people..."
After the morning court ended, all officials dispersed and Emperor Qingyuan returned to the imperial study.
The secret guard had been waiting for a long time and presented a booklet with both hands: "I have recorded all of Qi Hezhang's predictions about the future. However, because Qi Hezhang is unconscious, I gave him medicine, but it has little effect. Therefore, I cannot guarantee their authenticity."
Fury walked down, took the booklet, and the secret guard disappeared into the darkness silently.
Emperor Qingyuan read through the book word by word, and when he saw "In the 25th year of Qingyuan, Da Qi beheaded the second princess and displayed her head on the city wall, starting a five-year war against Xia", his pupils suddenly shrank, and the hand holding the book trembled slightly.
Fu Rui noticed something was wrong and his heart tightened. "Your Majesty, do you want to summon the imperial physician?"
Emperor Qingyuan took a deep breath and raised his hand to stop him: "No need, I... I am fine."
After reading the booklet from beginning to end, Emperor Qingyuan sighed deeply, feeling mixed emotions.
After a long silence, Emperor Qingyuan said in a deep voice, "Send someone to inform Minister Qi that Qi Hezhang has passed away. Tell him to go to the Ministry of Justice's prison and take his body back."
Considering that he has revealed many things about the future, let's give him some respect.
Fu Rui was not surprised by this. Since he was an outsider, he had to either eradicate him completely or take complete control of him.
"I will send someone to inform Master Qi right away."
After Fu Rui left, Emperor Qingyuan hid the book in a place only he knew, and then took out a blank imperial edict.
When Fu Rui returned, Emperor Qingyuan handed him the imperial edict: "You go to the Du family in person to announce the edict."
When he saw the imperial edict, Fu Rui couldn't help but think of the last time. He thought it was an edict of pardon, but he didn't expect it was a sentence of beheading.
His eyelids twitched twice, and he took the imperial edict respectfully and rushed to the Du family without stopping.
Arriving at the Du residence, Fu Rui knocked lightly on the door three times and told the servant who opened it why he was there: "I am here to announce the decree of His Majesty."
The servant was startled, and respectfully welcomed the person in, served him good tea, and hurried to inform the two masters of the house.
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci were playing chess in the study. When they learned that Fu Rui had arrived, they looked at each other and put down their chess pieces at the same time.
Fu Ci was a little uneasy: "Is it another imperial decree like last time?"
Du Qingtang: "...Probably not."
Emperor Qingyuan had already made his position clear yesterday: the death penalty can be avoided, but the punishment of life imprisonment cannot be escaped.
At most, you will be demoted, but your life will not be in danger.
Fu Ci breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest: "That's good. I don't want to go through this again."
The two talked as they walked and soon arrived at a courtyard.
Fu Rui put down his teacup and stood up, bowing with a smile: "Your Majesty has ordered me to announce the decree."
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci returned the greeting.
Fu Rui took out the imperial edict: "Du Qingtang, Fu Ci, receive the edict."
The two men lifted the corners of their robes and knelt calmly: "Your humble servants accept my order."
Fu Rui opened the imperial edict and read aloud: "By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that Du Qingtang and Fu Ci, guilty of deceiving the emperor, should be executed according to the law. However, in consideration of their hard work and contributions to Great Xia, their death sentences are pardoned. Du Qingtang is appointed Commander of the Firearm Battalion and sent to Loushan Pass to participate in the battle. After the battle is over, he will be appointed Prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture. Fu Ci is appointed Deputy Supervisor of the Hangzhou Shipyard and will supervise the construction of seagoing vessels. Once the vessels are completed, he will lead the fleet out to sea. This will allow him to redeem himself for his crimes and make meritorious contributions. This is my decree!"
It was a cold month in the first month of the year, with a biting wind that made clothes rustle.
The cold air poured in through the lapels and wide sleeves, and my whole body felt as if it was soaked in ice water.
However, at this moment, Du Qingtang did not feel cold.
Her heart was beating like a drum, every beat hitting her chest. The excitement flowed through her blood, gushing out like a volcanic eruption, making her tremble uncontrollably.
When Emperor Qingyuan appointed her as the commander of the Firearms Battalion, he did not grant her the second-rank official position as Commander Yang did.
So even though she was appointed commander, she still held an empty title.
Until now——
Emperor Qingyuan drafted an imperial edict to appoint her as the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture.
The prefect was of the fourth rank.
Compared with the original third-rank assistant minister, he was only demoted one level.
Emperor Qingyuan could be said to be very kind in demoting an official by one level for the crime of deceiving the emperor.
Du Qingtang took the imperial edict with both hands and raised it above his head: "I thank you for your grace!"
Fu Ci bowed and saluted, his voice trembling: "Thank you, my Lord, for your grace!"
From today on, they will become the only two women in Daxia to serve as officials in the court.
From today on, they will walk in the court with dignity as women.
......
Fu Rui did not expect that His Majesty would appoint these two people in this way.
Lord Du was only demoted one level, and Lord Fu was still of the sixth rank, but he was changed from a Beijing official to a local official.
However, Shaoqing Prefecture...
Fu Rui's eyes flickered slightly, and he had a vague guess.
This is a test from His Majesty for Lord Du. At the same time, it can also keep him away from Xiajing and the wolves and tigers who want to win over Lord Du.
"Congratulations, my Lords." Fu Rui smiled and bowed. "It's getting late. I should return to the palace to report."
Du Qingtang held the imperial edict in his hand and said, "I'll see you off, eunuch."
"Master Du, please stay." Fu Rui hurriedly stopped him. Thinking of Qi Heming's rumors last night, the word "poisoning" came to his mind. He looked at Du Qingtang with a little more pity that he himself didn't even notice. "Remember to go to the palace to express your gratitude. Don't let His Majesty down."
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci responded in unison and watched Fu Rui leave.
"Ahhhhh!" Fu Ci covered his mouth and screamed softly, his eyes sparkling. "Did I hear correctly about Xianyu? And from the sixth rank? I thought it would be promoted all the way to the eighth or ninth rank!"
She grabbed Du Qingtang's arm and shook it vigorously, jumping up and down with joy: "Your Majesty is so generous! When I go to Hangzhou Prefecture, I will definitely build a good ship, and I will never bring shame to Daxia when I go to sea in the future!"
Du Qingtang was shaken by her and his body was unstable. He raised the imperial edict in his right hand and said, "Calm down, calm down. I still have the imperial edict in my hand."
Seeing the bright yellow imperial edict, Fu Ci calmed down immediately and said impatiently, "Let someone tell Wen Jing the good news first. Let's pack up and hurry to the palace to express our gratitude."
Du Qingtang had exactly this intention.
So the two of them went back to their rooms and tidied their clothes.
They were still wearing round-necked robes. Du Qingtang had not yet reached the age of adulthood, so he tied his hair with a hairband. Fu Ci had already reached the age of adulthood, so she tied her hair with a silver hairpin.
The two men rode a carriage to the palace, got off at the palace gate, and entered the palace on foot.
On the palace road, Du Qingtang met several officials from the Ministry of Rites.
"Who could have imagined that Second Young Master Qi would die of illness in prison before February? The Second Assistant Minister couldn't bear the blow and fainted from grief..."
Before he could finish his words, he saw Du Qingtang and Fu Ci walking towards him.
Noticing that the two of them were dressed like men, the officials from the Ministry of Rites curled their lips with a look of contempt.
"Neither male nor female, neither fish nor fowl."
"I really don't know what His Majesty was thinking. He only demoted Du Qingtang by one rank."
Fu Rui left the palace to announce the decree, and Emperor Qingyuan sent someone to deliver the appointments of Du Qingtang and Fu Ci to the Ministry of Personnel.
The six ministries were adjacent to each other, and information flowed quickly. Soon, all officials from the six ministries knew about it.
Word spread from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, and now everyone in the court knows about it.
"A woman who is so immoral should be dragged into a pig cage!"
They did not hide their feelings when they said these words, and Du Qingtang and Fu Ci heard them.
Fu Ci's face flushed instantly.
Du Qingtang's face was expressionless. "Our appointments are all based on the will of His Majesty. If you are dissatisfied, you can report it to the Emperor. I am planning to go and express my gratitude to His Majesty, and I can also convey your wishes."
The faces of the officials from the Ministry of Rites turned pale and blue, which was more exciting than a dyeing factory.
They only dared to grumble behind her back, and never dared to shout in front of the emperor. They glared at her fiercely but weakly, and almost fled in panic.
Fu Ci snorted: "You are going too far, bullying the weak and fearing the strong."
Du Qingtang turned to look at her and said, "When we get to Hangzhou, you need to be more assertive. If that doesn't work, go find the shipyard supervisor. He's a doctor in the Ministry of Works. He's upright and fair."
Fu Ci nodded and muttered, "I'm not as weak as you think."
Du Qingtang hummed in an ambiguous tone, and the two of them quickly arrived at the imperial study.
The eunuch went in to announce it, and soon came out: "My two lords, His Majesty invites you in."
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci entered and bowed to express their gratitude.
Emperor Qingyuan looked at the black hair of the two people below him, and his eyes flashed slightly when he thought of Du Qingtang's experience mentioned in the booklet.
It has to be said that Qi Heming is not worthy of his Du Aiqing.
He could have spread his wings and soared into the sky, but his wings were abruptly broken, and he was trapped in a corner, with no good end.
"When you get there, do your best and don't let me down."
Don't let me down and regret the decision I made today.
The two of them responded respectfully.
Du Qingtang raised his head slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I want to see my mother."
Emperor Qingyuan responded simply: "Furui, have your godson take Lord Du over there."
Du Qingtang bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
......
Yuanshi was placed in a private house in the west of the city.
Yu Jue pushed open the door and turned sideways: "Master Du, your mother is inside."
Du Qingtang thanked him, stepped over the threshold and walked into the slightly dim room.
Yuan was lying on the bed, drowsy.
She looked much older than she had on the New Year's Eve palace banquet. Her originally gray hair had turned completely white, her cheeks were sunken, and her cheekbones were high and protruding, as if only a layer of skin was left covering her skull, which was inexplicably creepy.
Yuanshi was not sleeping well. Perhaps she noticed someone in the room and woke up slowly.
She squinted, unable to see the person clearly, her skinny body shrank inwards, unable to hide her vigilance: "Who?"
Du Qingtang stood with his hands hanging down, and said calmly: "It's me."
Yuanshi froze in place as if she had been electrocuted, but the next moment she became excited and struggled to get out of bed.
But her limbs were weak, and she could only lie on the bed in a mess, shouting hoarsely: "Tang Ge'er, save me! Get me out quickly!"
On the night of the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, she followed Fu Rui and left, thinking that they were going to another magnificent palace. Unexpectedly, when they were in a deserted place, a black cloth was put over her head, and when she opened her eyes again, she was here.
Someone interrogated her day and night, asking her to tell who had instructed her to go to the city to file a complaint with the emperor.
Yuanshi didn't want to harm her benefactor, so she refused to give in.
They refused to feed her, locked her in a dark room, and made her drink bitter medicine.
Five days passed like this, and Yuanshi could no longer bear the hunger, so she gave Qi Heming away.
However, she did not expect that after she confessed, these people did not let her go, but continued to detain her.
"I regret it! Tang'er, I regret it! I shouldn't have beaten that drum and put you in jail!"
Yuanshi didn't have time to think about why Du Qingtang was still alive and appeared here. She cried out of breath and her thin body trembled constantly.
"Tang'er, Mom was wrong, please rescue her quickly."
Yuan said a lot.
She admitted her mistake.
She asked for help.
But Du Qingtang didn't say a word the whole time, which made Yuanshi feel even more uneasy.
"Tang'er, I'm your mother, you can't just stand by and watch someone die!"
Du Qingtang looked down at Yuan Shi and said lightly, "This imprisonment has repaid your kindness in giving birth to me. From now on, you and I have nothing to do with each other."
Yuan was horrified. She squirmed forward and fell heavily off the bed. She ignored the pain and cried out, "What do you mean by no relationship anymore? I'm your mother! I gave birth to you and raised you. You can't just ignore me!"
Du Qingtang said expressionlessly: "Now you have two choices, one is to return to Qingyuan County, the other is to stay in Xiajing."
Yu Jue heard these words outside the door and couldn't help but sigh.
Lord Du finally softened his heart.
Yuan Shi made her choice without hesitation: "Xia Jing! Stay in Xia Jing!"
She didn't want to go back to Hujia Village to work like a slave. She wanted to stay in Xiajing and enjoy herself.
Du Qingtang was not surprised by her choice. A hint of emotion flashed across his eyes: "I understand. I will plead with His Majesty."
"Thank you, Tang'er. You are such a good son to me. I love you so much."
After Du Qingtang left, Yuan Shi struggled to climb onto the bed, laid flat on her back, and pulled the quilt over her, mumbling, "It would have been great if it was a boy, but it's a pity he's a money-loser and can't carry on the family line."
"It would be great if Yaozu was still here. I have a son now, so why would I need to care about her mood?"
Yuanshi waited for a long time but Du Qingtang didn't show up, so she fell asleep in a daze.
She seemed to have traveled back many years.
When she heard the sad news that her husband had fallen to his death, she suffered from stomachache for a whole day and night and almost died on the kang.
Fortunately, she gave birth to the child safely in the end.
The midwife placed the baby on her pillow and congratulated her joyfully: "Congratulations, it's a boy!"
Yuanshi smiled with satisfaction and her breathing stopped abruptly.
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