Chapter 67: The Expedition.
From that night on, Qin Lie lived in constant fear, and even had nightmares again.
But when she woke up, everything was as before, and she showed no signs of remembering anything, as if that night was just a chance accident.
Several days later, Qin Lie finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Lantern Festival had already passed, and officials returned to their posts. Imperial decrees were issued simultaneously from both the imperial court and the inner palace.
The Emperor ordered Prince Duan to command 50,000 troops to suppress the rebels in Shu Prefecture.
The Empress then bestowed two concubines upon the Crown Prince: one was a concubine who had just given birth to the Crown Prince's third son, and the other was a concubine's daughter from the family of the Emperor's maternal uncle.
Imperial power is a power that even the way people address each other must be different; the word "朕" (zhen, meaning "I" or "the emperor") separates the emperor from others.
How can we tolerate people coveting and overstepping their bounds?
Both emperors and empresses are like this, especially the current empress, who is not a magnanimous person.
The Crown Princess acted too hastily before.
The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden saves all living beings; if she is there to save all living beings, what use is there for the Empress?
Even though she had no intention of overstepping her bounds, the Empress was still a potential threat to the Empress.
In a sense, the empress cared more about power than the emperor. The emperor could sit on the throne until his death, but the empress depended on the emperor, and once the emperor passed away, she would become the empress dowager.
—And the mistress of the palace has always been only the empress.
She is not yet the Empress Dowager, yet the Crown Princess is already trying to surpass her. If she becomes the Empress Dowager one day, the Empress will not take her seriously at all!
Even though the Empress was once stubborn and inflexible, there were still people who could offer her advice.
Unfortunately, this time, the person who could advise the Empress was the Empress Dowager, an awkward position that made it difficult to say much.
Furthermore, given Qin Lie's questioning in the Empress's palace that day, how could the Empress Dowager not have taken note? Upon investigation, she was fully aware of the Crown Princess's plot to assassinate Qin Lie. Although she remained outwardly calm, how could she not feel resentment? She certainly wouldn't try to reconcile them.
The Crown Princess never imagined that a simple act of distributing porridge would create such a huge rift between her and the Empress—her own aunt. She didn't even know how to protest her innocence, since the Empress would never admit to being such a petty person.
The only saving grace was that the Crown Prince was released from confinement because he was going to marry a concubine.
The Crown Princess was extremely virtuous and handled all the matters related to the Crown Prince's marriage to a concubine with meticulous care and in an orderly manner.
On February 20th, the day the newlyweds entered the house, after all the guests had left, she returned to her room, dismissed the servants, and found that her closest old nanny had already committed suicide in prison, leaving her all alone. She sat alone, quietly watching the cold moonlight fall on the bed.
She didn't turn around until she heard the door being pushed open, but instead shouted angrily, "You insolent servant! How dare you disobey orders and enter without permission!"
"Rong'er, it's me." The Crown Prince's voice came from behind.
The crown prince sat down opposite her and chatted with her about old times.
Back then, the spirited young general of Jizhou had just gone to war after his engagement, believing he was destined to establish a great legacy. Unexpectedly, he was betrayed by the imperial court, waited in vain for reinforcements, his elder brother died in battle, and he himself was severely wounded and bedridden. Many renowned physicians were consulted, but they all said he might never stand again. Even the general's wife considered annuling the engagement; after all, she was her own niece, and her son was already crippled. How could she bear to let her family be trapped by a cripple for the rest of their lives?
However, Zhen Rong still married into the family, disregarding the objections of her father and brothers, and insisted on marrying Qin Xu.
That was when Qin Xu was at his most desperate and irritable.
He cursed her, chased her away, mocked her, and ridiculed her, saying that he only agreed to marry her for his mother's sake and that he didn't really care for her. But no matter how much he cursed, chased her away, or how sarcastic and unreasonable he was, she just stayed with him silently, never indulging him. She forced him to get up again and again, taking small steps, and it took so much blood, sweat, and tears for Qin Xu to be able to stand and move normally now, though he only appears a little weak.
The court now criticizes the Crown Princess for being unable to bear children, but little do they know that in the years before their marriage, the Crown Prince was completely impotent.
Eventually, the pregnancy was successful. The Crown Princess was unaware that she was pregnant. She accidentally fell and miscarried. She was already twenty-eight years old at the time. After that, she sought out famous doctors everywhere, but she never conceived again.
The Crown Prince is five years older than Qin Lie, but his eldest son is younger than Qin Shuo.
He had never had another woman before the Crown Princess turned thirty.
At this point in their recollections, both fell silent.
After a while, the Crown Princess advised, "Your Highness, it's getting late. You should go and keep your bride company."
The Crown Prince stood up and stopped at the door without turning around. His voice was as gentle as ever. “I know you have always been strong-willed, but this is the capital, not Jizhou. Your father and mother are no longer the general and wife they once were. Rong’er, it’s better to stay still than to act rashly. You must be patient in everything.”
After saying that, he pushed open the door and left, making sure to gently close it for her before leaving.
Meanwhile, Prince Duan, Qin Lie, had already assembled a large army and would set off once the ice on the river thawed.
Qin Lie was an invincible general who had conquered most of Daxian's territory, a fact known to Ling Yi. Yet, on the day before his departure, no matter how many promises he made, she remained uneasy, only managing to conceal her feelings from him. But how could Qin Lie not perceive her subtle thoughts? Usually, after their lovemaking, he would cling to her and hold her close. This time, though still exhausted, she clung tightly to his strong waist, her cheek pressed against his chest. Though she said nothing, her reluctance and longing were evident.
Qin Lie's heart overflowed with tenderness, and he promised again: "Don't worry, those few rats in Shu Prefecture are all defeated by me. I will return immediately after the battle and will not keep you waiting for long. If you really can't wait and miss me terribly, just write a letter to Qin Xiaoshan, and he will send someone to deliver the letter to me in time."
Lingyi, naturally shy and always unable to shake off the demeanor and propriety of a princess, retorted softly, "I wouldn't miss you..."
In matters of great importance like military campaigns, all that is transmitted are battle reports; how could she act like a child?
Apart from that night in the palace, she never expressed her feelings again. Although Qin Lie knew it was due to her nature, he was still disappointed and deliberately sighed, "The princess may not miss me, but I will think of her day and night, without ever stopping."
Lingyi couldn't understand how the man who had seemed so cold and aloof at their first meeting, inspiring fear in everyone he met, could now utter such sweet words so easily. Even though she had heard it many times before, she still blushed slightly and said, "The war is dangerous, you must not be distracted. Take good care of yourself and be careful in everything you do. I... I will wait for you to return to the palace."
Qin Lie knew that saying this was her limit; in fact, this was what he had always needed.
She waited patiently for him to return to their home.
Prince Duan, Qin Lie, was a brilliant strategist who never suffered a defeat.
Moreover, the adopted sons of General Song in Shu Prefecture this time were all his defeated opponents. Both the court and the people thought he would also achieve a quick victory this time. However, by June, the battle was still undecided, or rather, both sides had their wins and losses.
For the Shu army, they had both geographical and popular support, and the weather was getting hotter, which the Northern army couldn't tolerate. Even the weather seemed to be in their favor. On the other hand, the longer the conflict dragged on, the harder it was to supply provisions, and the more doubts arose in the court. Countless memorials were piled up on the emperor's desk. If it weren't for the emperor's intervention, they would at least be accused of incompetence.
Under various circumstances, Qin Lie had no choice but to take a desperate gamble, attempting to enter the mountains via a mountain path and ambush the Shu army from behind.
Unexpectedly, this move played right into the Shu army's hands. The vanguard was surrounded and ambushed on the mountain path. Qin Lie, who was at the forefront, was also hit by a stray arrow and fell off his horse. He was seriously wounded and his fate is now unknown.
Upon hearing the news, Lingyi fell ill that very night.
She appears frail, yet she rarely falls ill. This is partly due to the foundation laid for her by the Fifteenth Princess in the palace, and partly because she is good at suppressing her emotions and resolving them on her own, making it difficult for her to develop any ailments.
This time was different, though. She had no family left, and her life depended entirely on Qin Lie.
She had been extremely worried for the past hundred days. If he were not here either, she would be all alone in this world, and she would not know why she was alive.
Her illness came on suddenly, but she still remembered to give Qin Xiaoshan some instructions.
The news of Prince Duan's injury was only found in the battle reports, and only a few people knew about it. Now that so many people are watching Prince Duan's residence, it is necessary to avoid any unrest. We must not try to find any flaws in her. Therefore, we should just secretly take some medicine and never call a doctor, let alone the imperial physician.
She managed to finish her explanation, then became delirious with fever. Others, seeing her burning hot body and the difficulty in taking medicine, felt she was in grave danger, but she herself did not. She was dreaming, in which she was standing by a river, with her mother and her elder brother, the Crown Prince, watching her from the opposite bank.
Although it was a dream, she knew everything. She knew that her mother and crown prince brother were long gone. Far from being afraid, she happily asked: "Am I in the Yellow Springs? Mother, Crown Prince brother, have you come to take me away? My fifteenth sister and Aunt Liu Cui are not here. Are they still alive? Qin Lie, is he still alive too?!"
The Crown Prince said, "Yes, only the dead come to us. They are all still alive. You should go back too."
Lingyi stared blankly at him. Qin Lie wasn't dead yet, and her fifteenth sister and Aunt Liu Cui were still alive. She shouldn't have left, but now she wanted to cross the river. Qin Lie had always been very obedient to her, and their life was extremely happy, but seeing her Crown Prince brother and mother at this moment, she felt inexplicably tired, a weariness that came from the bottom of her heart. She didn't want to turn back; she just wanted to lie down in the warm water in front of her and drift with the wind, going wherever she pleased.
She took a step forward and stepped into the water.
The Crown Prince smiled and asked her: "Little Seventeen, are you really willing to leave? Think carefully, have you forgotten some very important people or things?"
She turned her head to recall, but as soon as she thought about it, she felt a splitting headache. Her mother said with heartache, "Don't think about it anymore. If you want to leave, then leave. There is nothing in this world worth staying for. Come here and let your mother take good care of you."
These words brought tears to Lingyi's eyes. She quickly took a few steps inside, wanting to return to her mother's side.
She wanted to become a child again and run into her mother's arms, but the next moment she was pulled out of the river.
She couldn't open her eyes, only feeling someone gripping her chin and forcing her mouth open. Then, her lips went soft, and bitter medicine was poured into her mouth. She refused to swallow, and the medicine flowed out of the corners of her mouth. But the person administering the medicine was extremely patient, pouring it in little by little. She didn't know how much time had passed, how many mouthfuls and bowls had been poured, and how much of the bedding had been soaked. In the end, she had drunk quite a bit, and her high fever finally began to subside slowly.
She slept for several more hours before weakly opening her eyes.
When she first saw a man sleeping by the bed, she was startled, but before she could call for help, the man opened his sharp eyes. Although his eyes were bloodshot, he was travel-worn, his cheeks were sunken, and he had a stubble beard, how could she not recognize him? This man was Qin Lie.
Before she could speak, tears streamed down her face. Qin Lie bent down and hugged her, comforting her, "Don't be afraid, I'm back!"
Despite being covered in dust, the smell of blood still lingered. Lingyi asked worriedly, "Aren't you injured?"
Qin Lie said, "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."
Lingyi didn't believe him and forced him to take off his clothes. She then saw that the bandage on his shoulder was faintly stained with bright red blood.
Suppressing the urge to cry again, Lingyi asked, "Did you win? Even if you did, you should rest and recuperate if you're injured. Why did you rush back?"
The two armies remained locked in a stalemate. Upon learning of her illness, Qin Lie disregarded everyone's attempts to stop him and rode back at top speed. Fortunately, he traveled day and night without a moment's rest, otherwise, as the imperial physician had said, the princess might not have survived the night.
Thinking of this, Qin Lie felt a chill of fear. His hand trembled as he stroked her thin cheek. "This is a long story. You should have some plain porridge to tide you over, and then drink another bowl of medicine. This high fever will probably take several relapses to completely subside."
Lingyi obediently let him feed her porridge and give her medicine, and only then did she hear him tell her the whole story.
Ling Yi immediately became anxious: "General, you have abandoned your post and returned to the capital without authorization. This is a capital offense! You, you must go back immediately!"
She was still weak and gasped for breath when she got anxious. Qin Lie quickly supported her, "How can I leave you in this condition? Even if I went back, I would be distracted, so how could I command the army? Don't worry, no one will know that I'm back this time. You should take good care of yourself and leave as soon as you feel better!"
Ling Yi said, "But what if the Shu army launches a surprise attack if you, as the general, are not here?"
Qin Lie said, "They are already surrounded by us and can't take care of themselves. My inability to break through and my injury were just an act for others to see. I didn't expect it to make you so worried. It's my fault."
Lingyi blamed herself, saying, "It was my weakness that caused you worry. But as a general leading troops, who are you putting on this show for?"
Qin Lie said, "Last year, my father sent his trusted general, thinking victory was assured, but he suffered a humiliating defeat. If I were to go and return victorious in a month or two, what would they think?"
Lingyi said, "Of course, it's because Prince Duan is a brilliant military strategist who has removed a major threat to the court. Shouldn't they be happy?"
Qin Lie said slowly, "They won't be happy; they'll just think I'm dangerous."
He joked, "If I don't suffer a few defeats first, how can those people in the court feel at ease? Where will General Pang's face be?"
Ling Yi frowned: "When soldiers go to war, they don't think about how to win, but instead plan how to lose. It's absurd! Is this how you conquered the country?"
Qin Lie said, "Before, we fought to conquer the country; now, we rule it. Father Emperor used to seek victory; now, he seeks stability."
Lingyi was silent for a moment, then said, "You all have your own considerations, but those soldiers who died unjustly on the battlefield because of this are truly innocent."
The Liu family, such a corrupt and decadent royal family, actually produced such a compassionate and kind princess.
Qin Lie loved her dearly, but worried that she was overly anxious, so he quickly said, "If it weren't for that, not only me, but I'm afraid those soldiers who followed me in my campaigns would also be feared, ostracized, or even slaughtered. I will take good care of their families, and as for their grudges..." Qin Lie paused, then spoke again, his tone sharp and menacing: "I will make those people pay the price!"
Qin Lie stayed in the mansion for three days until Lingyi's condition stopped recurring.
Before leaving, he repeatedly told her not to worry about him and to take good care of herself.
He had been on countless campaigns since childhood, but this time he was most worried and reluctant to part with her, especially when he thought about the dream she had told him about, which sent chills down his spine just hearing about it. He even dreamt that she was about to walk into the water without looking back, and he could only watch helplessly, unable to stop her no matter what he did.
He could feel something slipping away from his fingertips.
It's like carrying something stolen, with the time until it's returned getting shorter and shorter.
He was unwilling to accept this, and he didn't believe he was helpless.
As long as he stays by her side, allowing her to live a carefree life, she won't think about those messy things.
Therefore, he returned to Shu Prefecture as quickly as possible, launched a general offensive, and then led several hundred guards back to the palace to report back without stopping.
Although the battle was won, it dragged on for several months, so it can hardly be considered a great achievement. What happened in the palace afterwards made Prince Duan's merits even less significant, and he should even be punished.
—An imperial censor, acting on the orders of the Crown Prince, accused Prince Duan of atrocities against surrendered generals. The accusation stated that Geng Qing of Shu Prefecture had already surrendered, submitting three letters of surrender, but Prince Duan refused to accept them, insisting on trapping him like a turtle in a jar. He even risked his life to engage Geng Qing in a one-on-one duel, ultimately stabbing him repeatedly and torturing him to death. Not only Geng Qing, but also the other adopted sons of General Song of Zhuo Prefecture, who had surrendered on the battlefield, were ignored by Prince Duan and executed one by one.
Qin Lie smiled slightly, displaying great magnanimity, "The situation on the battlefield is ever-changing. They are merely feigning surrender to lure our army deeper into the territory. The Imperial Censor has never fought a war and does not understand the intricacies of the matter. I will not hold it against you."
The censor was almost driven mad with anger by him, but fortunately his companion chimed in, "Prince Duan must be telling the truth, otherwise why would he torture and kill those people who had no grudge against His Highness?"
Qin Lie raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, and the imperial censor began to answer, "I've heard that when Princess Duan was in Zhuozhou, she was originally honored as a princess by the false dynasty. It was only after Geng Qing publicly harassed and coerced her that she was forced to submit to Song Pingkou. I presume His Highness Prince Duan has long harbored resentment, which is why..."
The man who had spoken up deliberately shouted, "How dare you! Princess Duan is the daughter of the Chen family of Jiangnan. Why does Imperial Censor Sun spout such nonsense?!"
Imperial Censor Sun sneered: "The truth cannot be hidden, and falsehood cannot be made true. Who in the court doesn't know who Princess Duan is? If she were just Princess Duan, it would be one thing, but she had a son with Song Pingkou in the past, and now..."
He couldn't finish his sentence before he could utter another sound.
Qin Lie strode forward and, with a single twist and turn, snapped his neck.
Most of the officials in the court were civil officials, and even those who had taken many lives rarely saw anyone die in front of them like this.
Moreover, this person was the same censor who had just been speaking eloquently, and this was the morning court session!
The Prince Duan, who had committed the crime, showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, he calmly knelt down and begged for forgiveness.
The Emperor was the first to react. He sighed deeply, “Prince Duan committed violence in front of the palace, showing no respect for his elders and acting recklessly. He should be severely punished. However, he has just returned victorious, and the censor made slanderous and provocative remarks against Princess Duan first. His merits and demerits cancel each other out, and there is room for leniency. He shall be stripped of his military power and fined five years’ salary!”
"After a battle, Prince Duan brought back so much spoils that it was measured in cartloads, yet he was fined five years' salary and didn't even get a moment's rest in seclusion. It's really... far too lenient. Look at that carriage, tsk tsk, he's certainly wealthy and doesn't care at all. After court, he even remembers to buy food for the Princess Consort; he can't be separated from her for a moment. It's a pity that we've wasted ten years of hard study on the imperial family; it would have been better if we were born as daughters..."
After the court session ended, the vice minister grumbled sourly, and Xie Yu listened with a smile until the two parted ways at the crossroads.
The former Grand Secretary came from a humble background and was incorruptible. He still lived in the mansion bestowed by the Empress when he was the Grand Tutor and tutor to the Crown Prince. It was originally a three-courtyard house, and although it was expanded several times, it was no more than five courtyards. Later, when the Jiahe Emperor wanted to bestow honors upon him, the former Grand Secretary declined them all.
Compared to the mansions of high-ranking officials and nobles that occupied the entire street, the Xie family mansion was located in a small alley, with many ordinary people living nearby.
He got off the carriage and walked back into the alley, but instead of entering the Xie residence, he pushed open the door to a neighboring courtyard and bowed to the person sitting at the stone table: "Prince Duan."
This was the first time the two had met since they parted ways in Zhuozhou, but the situation in the court was much as they had predicted.
Once the Crown Prince's family gains too much power, the Emperor will inevitably become wary and will have no choice but to rely heavily on Qin Lie to restrain them.
But Qin Lie's ambitions were never limited to just making a knife.
With the emperor so suspicious, how could Qin Lie dare to command the army? Therefore, after returning from the last victory, he voluntarily relinquished his military power.
His subordinates, who had fought alongside him in the north and south, were scattered by the emperor and assigned to border fortresses such as Jizhou, all far from the capital.
However, in the past year, Qin Lie has served as the commander of the Imperial Guards and led the army in the capital region to capture Shu Prefecture.
He may seem to have nothing now, but the key is not whether he has military power, but whether his people have been placed in the right positions.
Upon being suddenly notified to meet today, Xie Yu naturally knew why, and went straight to the point: "The censor who is impeaching me today is not someone I arranged."
The censors he appointed would only impeach Prince Duan for abusing and killing surrendered generals and missing opportunities in battle; they would never involve the princess.
Qin Lie's face was ashen. "I believe you. I'm here to have you investigate a few people."
He had planned everything perfectly, but the princess still found out that something had gone wrong with one of his close associates. His deliberate concealment had allowed them to harbor inappropriate thoughts. The Xie family's secret agents, who monitored all officials, dared not extend their reach to his subordinates, but now they had to make an exception.
.
In recent years, Hei Laozhuang sometimes wakes up laughing in his sleep, wondering what kind of good fortune he has encountered.
Born into a poor family, he only joined the army because of his strength, just to fill his stomach. But during a competition, he inexplicably gained a brother. He followed that brother and fought all the way from Jizhou to Ningzhou and then to the capital. He became a fifth-rank military officer, bought a house and land, married a wife, took a concubine, had several children, and brought his parents to live with him. The family lived happily and peacefully.
But that day, he had just fallen asleep in his concubine's room when he was woken up by a servant. Upon hearing that it was his brother, he came out without fastening his belt properly. Sun Yuebin hadn't come alone; he handed him a newborn baby in swaddling clothes.
Although Hei Laozhuang was simple-minded, he wasn't stupid. Since Sun Yuebin arrived in the capital, he had been adept at currying favor with everyone, especially after the prince married. He had been associating more and more with the people of the Eastern Palace. Others might not know these things, but he, being concerned about his own brothers, couldn't help but notice. Seeing Sun Yuebin's demeanor and recalling the rumors circulating in the army, he guessed what had happened. His eyes immediately turned red. "Life was getting better and better, how did it come to this? The prince has treated us well, are you confused?!"
Sun Yuebin's face was dejected. He rarely explained, "Originally, I wanted to be content with what I have like you, but my ancestors were generals! Over the years, I've never forgotten the family motto of restoring the Sun family's former glory, but only the Emperor can bestow that glory! Your Highness..." Sun Yuebin sighed, "I originally intended to wholeheartedly assist Your Highness; even if I failed, I would simply die. But I never imagined he would do this for a woman..." He slammed his fist on the table in extreme anger, "Since things have come to this, I have nothing more to say. It's simply a matter of the victor being king and the loser being a bandit!"
He gazed longingly at the infant, "For years you've urged me to marry and stay away from those sleazy women. But my life is destined for either ultimate glory or utter ruin. How could I risk marriage and children before the outcome is clear, only to find out later? This child was born behind my back by one of my lovers. I'm entrusting him to you now. If I win, I'll return to you. Otherwise... please raise him for me. I've spent my days scheming and plotting, seemingly having many friends, but when it comes down to it, you're the only one I can truly trust!"
After giving his instructions, he turned and walked into the night.
Hei Laozhuang suffered from insomnia for the first time that night. The next day, he heard that Prince Duan had sent troops to surround Sun Yuebin's mansion, and everyone in the mansion perished overnight, except for Sun Yuebin, whose whereabouts remained unknown. Afterwards, many people who knew Sun Yuebin were questioned, and Hei Laozhuang was filled with anxiety, but no one came to question him.
He thought he was Sun Yuebin's brother, but to others, Sun Yuebin was shameless and ruthless, only interested in associating with those in high positions. He was nothing more than mud beneath Sun Yuebin's feet, summoned and dismissed at will, utterly brainless, merely someone for Sun Yuebin to tease and amusement. Moreover, he was utterly loyal to Prince Duan, so even if Sun Yuebin had any schemes, he wouldn't tell him.
Thanks to this good fortune, he lived a life of constant anxiety and fear without incident for a while. Just then, one of his concubines gave birth, and he made a tough decision: he sent his own child to the countryside and raised Sun Yuebin's child instead.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com