In a guest room in Qingshan Village, Qin Zheng, with bandages still wrapped around his chest and arms, was sitting fully clothed.
"You're really lucky to have survived such serious injuries."
Xiao Shuang, the maid who had been serving him these past few days, smiled and looked at him.
Who are you?
Qin Zheng frowned as he looked at the two women in front of him, clutching his head as if in a headache. "Who am I?"
Yan Yueniang, who was opposite him, was taken aback when she heard this, and she and her maid Xiaoshuang looked at each other.
After a moment, Yan Yueniang spoke, "Young Master Qin, you don't remember anything?"
"Young Master Qin? My surname is Qin?" Qin Zheng asked, bewildered.
Yan Yueniang nodded. She remembered that when she had Qin Zheng arrested that day, the young master who was riding with him called him "Qin Zheng".
"Qin Zheng, Young Master Qin."
"So my name is Qin Zheng..."
A slight smile appeared on Qin Zheng's handsome face, but then he looked confused again. "Who am I? Where am I?"
Xiao Shuang suddenly giggled and said, "This is Qingshan Village, and you are our wife's dear husband!"
"Xiao Shuang, you! Don't talk nonsense!" Yan Yue Niang suddenly blushed and stomped her foot.
Xiao Shuang giggled, "I'm not talking nonsense, my wife is clearly..."
"You're lying," Qin Zheng suddenly interjected.
The two women froze at the same time and turned to look at him.
Qin Zheng glanced at Yan Yueniang, who was dressed in a black dress and had a pretty face, and said, "This lady has her long hair tied up and white flowers in her hair. This is the attire of a married woman in Yun Kingdom who is keeping vigil for her husband. It means that her husband has been dead for less than a year. I could not possibly be her husband."
The smile on Yan Yueniang's pretty face vanished instantly, and she swayed, her face pale.
"How dare you talk like that! Our lady saved your life, and this is how you treat your savior?" Xiao Shuang said angrily, supporting Yan Yue Niang.
Qin Zheng was taken aback, and an apologetic look appeared on his face. "Sorry, I spoke without thinking..."
"It's alright, what Young Master Qin said is true. It was Xiao Shuang who was naughty and offended you." Yan Yueniang waved her hand.
“My name is Yan Yueniang, and I am the leader of Qingshan Village. Young Master Qin’s injuries have not yet healed, so please rest and recover first. Yueniang has some village affairs to attend to, so I will take my leave now. If you need anything, please feel free to ask Xiaoshuang.”
After speaking calmly, Yan Yueniang gave Qin Zheng a slight bow and turned to leave the room.
She went out the door and took a few steps, but suddenly stopped. She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Then she tried to compose herself and made her expression return to its indifferent state.
After Yan Yueniang left, Xiao Shuang glared at Qin Zheng, snorted, and left.
Qin Zheng only breathed a sigh of relief after her footsteps faded into the distance, and then said to the window, "Little Princess, come out."
Zhang Caixing fell out of the window and jumped into the room.
"I never knew you were such a good actress," Zhang Caixing said, arms crossed, her tone slightly mocking.
Qin Zheng smiled helplessly: "Why does the young princess have to mock me? I am seriously injured and trapped in the enemy's lair. This is only to protect myself."
"But what about you, Princess? Why are you here?" Qin Zheng asked her with a puzzled look.
Looking at his handsome face, even though he was injured, Zhang Caixing realized that Qin Zheng must have bewitched her brother because of that face!
She couldn't help but snort coldly, "It's all because of my silly little brother, who cried and begged to come and save you, so I had no choice but to make the trip in his place."
"A-Yun... How is the young master? Is he alright?"
The moment Zhang Yun was mentioned, Qin Zheng's expression changed instantly, his dark eyes lit up, and his charm increased significantly.
"If something happens to him, how can I come to save you?"
"Besides, even if he's not good, what can you do for him in your half-buried state?"
Zhang Caixing found it amusing.
Not wanting to talk to him about her brother, she took a yellowed piece of paper and a ring from her purse and threw them onto the small table next to Qin Zheng's bed.
“This is your slave certificate, and this is the ring you once gave to my brother.”
“Xiao Bao said that the ring is being returned to you. From now on, whether you are in good times or bad, rich or poor, healthy or sick, happy or sad, he will never have anything to do with you again.”
She frowned slightly and repeated the awkward and difficult words somewhat stiffly.
He added, "After I rescue you, the Northwest Prince's Mansion will have nothing to do with you anymore. Don't bother my brother anymore. Xiao Bao said he also has a ring with you. Give it to him."
Qin Zheng's expression turned somewhat strange.
Xiao Shuang had packed all the things he was carrying into a box and placed it on the small table by his bedside.
Qin Zheng glanced at it, opened the box, and took the ring out.
"Whether he is in good times or bad, rich or poor, healthy or sick, happy or sad, I am willing to stay by his side forever."
Qin Zheng held the ring and recited it as if making a vow.
Zhang Caixing suddenly understood upon hearing the original version of the oath.
No wonder her brother insisted that she repeat every word to Qin Zheng; this was probably the vow they made when they got engaged.
These two grown men are quite the ladies' man!
Looking at Qin Zheng's deeply affectionate and unwavering expression, and recalling the heartless look on her younger brother's face when he handed her the ring, Zhang Caixing suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
Sigh, what a pitiful man, tormented by love...
No, no, no, Zhang Caixing quickly shook her head to shake off this terrible thought.
That scumbag who corrupted her brother is not pitiful at all!
She took the "Zhang Yun" ring from Qin Zheng's hand and said, "Put your clothes on, and I'll take you away from here."
Zhang Caixing herself didn't realize that her cold voice had become more sympathetic and gentle.
"Thank you, Princess, but I don't need your help."
Qin Zheng carefully put the ring that was "his own" on the ring finger of his left hand, and then spread his fingers to admire it.
"Please pass on a message to A-Yun for me, little princess: I will personally collect what he owes me in the future."
Upon hearing this, a vein bulged on Zhang Caixing's forehead, and he suddenly drew his sword, pointing it directly at Zhang's face: "You still want to go find him? Do you believe I can kill you with one sword right now!"
Qin Zheng remained unmoved: "I believe the young princess of the Northwest Prince's Mansion is not the kind of person who repays kindness with enmity."
"you!"
Zhang Caixing felt like her lungs were about to explode with anger. None of these guys were easy to deal with!
"You can leave or not, it's up to you! I advise you not to ever appear in front of Xiaobao again, otherwise if my father finds out, you will surely die!"
"I've delivered Xiao Bao's message. It was your own choice not to leave, not that I didn't try to save you!"
Zhang Caixing turned around, but before leaving, she couldn't help but tilt her head and say, "You should know that there is a world of difference between your status and Xiaobao's. If you were to become an outlaw, you would be even less worthy of him."
"Isn't that exactly what the young princess wants to see?"
"Hmph, you don't need to shut me up. I just admire your talent for martial arts and can't bear to see you give up on yourself. I'm just offering a piece of advice. Whether you listen or not is up to you. That's all I have to say. You'd better take care of yourself."
After saying that, she jumped out of the window and left.
After Zhang Caixing left, Qin Zheng's forced composure immediately deflated. He coughed for a while while holding onto the bed board, and then lay back down on the bed, feeling somewhat weak.
He brought his left hand, adorned with the ring, to his lips, closed his eyes, and kissed it reverently, murmuring, "Ah Yun, I missed you so much..."
I want to kiss you.
His hands suddenly clenched into fists, and the tenderness in his eyes vanished, hidden deep within his heart.
Qin Zheng looked up at the simple wooden beams above his head, a smile full of ambition spreading across his lips: "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?"
...
Four years later, at the Northwest Prince's Mansion.
"The prince is back!"
The entire Prince's mansion was filled with joy, and lanterns and decorations were hung everywhere.
After the banquet, Zhang Yun declined his family's offer to stay and, surrounded by a group of servants, went to his villa in the city, which he had purchased elsewhere.
Upon returning home, the servants removed his outer garment and then quietly withdrew.
Those servants who attended to Zhang Yun all knew that the young master did not like outsiders to be present when he bathed.
Four years ago, for reasons unknown, a large number of servants in the Prince's mansion were replaced.
Especially those who followed the Crown Prince, apart from a few old men, almost all of them were replaced.
Not long after, the crown prince left home with several newly promoted confidants and moved into a separate house.
After Princess Changning returned and had a long talk with the heir apparent, he went alone to the Northwest Camp to gain experience by the Prince's side.
That departure lasted for four years.
Today, he finally returned home and reunited with his family. He should have been overjoyed and stayed overnight, but for some reason, the prince returned without even finishing his meal.
Although they didn't know the reason, the servants could tell that their master was in a bad mood, so they all moved with utmost care, afraid of disturbing Zhang Yun and being punished for nothing.
Zhang Yun took off his clothes and immersed himself in the pool, which was at the perfect temperature.
With her head tilted back, a red rope necklace adorned her elegant, slender swan neck, upon which hung a ring made of mutton-fat jade.
Four years ago, Zhang Caixing returned from Qingshan Village and told him that Qin Zheng was unwilling to leave Qingshan Village and only returned the ring to him.
Zhang Caixing did not tell Zhang Yun the message Qin Zheng asked her to convey: "Go find him personally and get it back one by one."
For four whole years, Zhang Yun never heard any news about Qin Zheng again.
He even secretly left the Northwest Camp behind the back of the Northwest King and went to Qingshan Village once, but the village was already deserted.
Over the past four years, he has worked diligently in the Northwest Camp and gained the recognition of the entire army. The Northwest King had long ago handed over all military and political power to him and returned home to treat his long-standing illness that required quiet recuperation.
In his previous life, Zhang Yun was able to become a movie star at a young age and become a world-class celebrity. Besides his good looks, his intelligence, emotional intelligence, perseverance, and patience were all equally outstanding.
Once he gets serious about something, he's bound to achieve results.
This year, the princess fell ill and sent dozens of letters home urging Zhang Yun to return and attend to her.
But as soon as Zhang Yun saw the princess greeting him at the door, he knew he had been fooled by his kind-hearted mother.
His already bad mood was completely ruined, and Zhang Yun left the palace and went to live in a villa.
Now that Zhang Yun is in the Northwest, the Princess no longer needs to worry about managing the Prince's business and raising military funds.
As a time traveler, he could easily make a fortune by casually acquiring soap, glass, cement, and cosmetics.
Not to mention that Zhang Yun also possessed the original script, and he could recruit any future famous ministers and generals he encountered.
We need to reform some outdated practices in the military and incorporate some modern scientific training methods.
This greatly increased the overall strength of the already powerful Northwest Army.
After becoming wealthy, Zhang Yun specially ordered the construction of a special military battalion to research and improve weapons such as gunpowder, crossbows, and catapults.
Zhang Yun now has money, grain, manpower, and troops. The Northwest is countless times stronger than it was at the same time in the original story, and naturally, everyone in the Northwest admires and respects him.
Sometimes, Zhang Yun thinks he's pretty awesome, but even with all that awesomeness, he can't find a Qin Zheng. It's so frustrating.
After bathing and changing, Zhang Yun went to his study, sat down, and began to handle affairs.
He had only been sitting for less than fifteen minutes when a servant brought in a pile of scrolls and placed them on the desk in front of him.
"Your Highness, these are scrolls of paintings of unmarried young ladies from various families, sent by Her Majesty through this servant."
Zhang Yun put down the letter in his hand and rubbed his temples. "Leave it."
The servant placed the scroll on the side of Zhang Yun's desk, knelt down tremblingly, and said, "Your Highness, the Empress said that you must choose one for me to take back today. Please, Your Highness, have pity on me."
After a moment of silence, Zhang Yun casually pulled out a scroll, didn't even unfold it to look at it, and tossed it to him.
The man felt as if he had been granted a pardon, kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude, and ran out with the scroll in his arms.
Zhang Yun picked up the letter from the table again and continued reading.
Although his third sister didn't tell him where Qin Zheng went four years ago, Zhang Yun had a feeling that Qin Zheng should still be in Yan Yueniang's group.
Otherwise, given Yan Yueniang's abilities alone, her village should have been completely annexed after the defeat at Luming Town.
The latest news about the Yan Niangzi Army is that it was scattered by the imperial army three years ago. Several leaders were killed, and only some remnants escaped. Yan Yueniang's whereabouts are unknown.
Although there were no clues about Qin Zheng, it was clear from the actions of the Yan Women's Army that Qin Zheng was directing them from behind the scenes.
Look at who those leaders of the Yan Niangzi Army were who were captured and killed by the imperial court.
Aren't they just those scheming uncles and elders from the original story who have always wanted to seize Yan Yueniang's position as the leader of Qingshan Village?
Their killing and capture were clearly a scheme to use someone else to do their dirty work.
If Yan Yueniang had been so ruthless and cunning, she would have led Qingshan Village to rise to prominence in the chaotic world long ago, instead of lingering in that barren mountain village for so long.
Why is he so dedicated to helping Yan Yueniang consolidate her power? Has he fallen in love with her over time?
Thinking back to the original novel, although Qin Zheng was cold-blooded and ruthless, and many of the women in his harem were merely tools for him to win over other forces on his path to power, there were still a few women who had captured his heart.
Yan Yueniang was one of them.
Zhang Yun felt a pang of sadness.
No, in the original novel, even if Qin Zheng had feelings for those women, it was mostly for the purpose of marriage alliances and mutual benefit.
If Qin Zheng really became so unscrupulous, he should have come looking for me even more!
After all, in terms of benefits and value, all the women in Qin Zheng's harem combined couldn't compare to him, the Crown Prince of the Northwest who already held power in the Northwest.
They have such a deep bond that if Qin Zheng really wants power, the fastest way is to come back to him!
Conversely, could it be that Qin Zheng didn't come to him because he didn't want their relationship to be tainted by other things?
"Idiot, fool..." he muttered to himself.
Why don't you come to find me?
As long as you come back to me, I can give you anything you want!
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