Chapter 23 Where to Go
With the instruction from the King of Kucha, Qian Deng and his companions immediately discussed with General Yuchi and dispatched the main force that was chasing her back to keep a close eye on the movements on the Western Border.
After returning from the palace, Qiandeng and Cui Fufeng went to see the Crown Prince and explain the situation. After all, she still had to rely on the power of the Tang Dynasty in Anxi and could not act without the Crown Prince's knowledge.
While waiting, Qiandeng discussed with Cui Fufeng: "Sir Cui, if possible, should we check Xue Xiyang's whereabouts?"
Cui Fufeng, who knew all the men's backgrounds intimately, was somewhat surprised to hear her words. "But Xue Xiyang's background is clear. He comes from the Xue family of Pei County. He's been intelligent since childhood, and is proficient in every musical instrument. He entered Chang'an seven years ago, and after being recognized by the princes and princesses, he took the Jingzhao Prefecture examination. At the age of twenty, he passed and was appointed Minister of Music. Doesn't this resume seem amiss?"
Qian Deng also nodded. "Yes, the thread is very clear. But... he is too proficient in the music and dance of the various tribes in the Western Regions, and he is a bit too familiar with some of the details of the Northwest."
If the water tune "Su Mu Zha" they sang when they first met was Taiyue Cheng's specialty, and the songs he later used to describe the scenery of his homeland of Kucha and praise his grandfather were also within the realm of possibility, but the picture of Kucha he had painted for her in his imagination was something she was quite concerned about.
After all, although the face in the portrait was hers, her clothes and posture were too similar to the portrait of her great-grandmother.
The moment she saw the portrait in the shrine, she felt a little strange.
Now that I think about it, he must have seen the painting before, otherwise, it would be impossible for him to convey the charm that she had never had before.
The portrait of Queen Guishan was painted by her husband. Because something happened in Sunali's family, it was usually kept in the warehouse and was only temporarily displayed on that day.
Even a descendant of the Kucha royal family like her could only see its elegance for the first time when she returned to her homeland. How did Xue Xiyang see it?
However, these trivial and ordinary matters are not even suspected, and are not even related to the mysteries in Kucha.
So she simply said to Cui Fufeng, "I've always felt that there was something amiss with Xue Xiyang. After all, when the three sacred vessels disappeared from the Spirit Hall, Xue Xiyang was leading the group in music on the high platform, not far from the sacred vessels—although the sacred vessels were still on the altar after they left."
Cui Fufeng nodded silently and said, "We took a special look at it at that time. The golden cage and the Dharma wheel were both there. Only the vajra was too small, so I couldn't see it clearly."
"Also, the sudden appearance of the funeral bells in the palace this time has given me... some strange associations. Bells are ritual vessels, but they are also musical instruments. When it comes to attainments in ritual and music, perhaps no one in the world can surpass Grand Secretary of Music Xue Xiyang. What do you think, Mr. Cui?"
"I understand what the county lady is thinking." Cui Fufeng naturally understood her thoughts and immediately responded, "Although he is not a suspect, it is still necessary to find out his background."
The two men reached a consensus in just a few words, and the person who summoned them from the prince's side had already arrived.
Seeing Qiandeng appear in front of him in disguise, the prince was both surprised and delighted, and hurriedly asked her how she escaped danger and how she came back so safely.
"I heard you had a dispute with the Kucha soldiers at the city gate. I was worried. Fortunately, Lingling, you are smart and resourceful and returned so quickly."
Qian Deng replied, "Yes, after I escaped from the city gate, I was pursued by Western assassins. Thanks to the imperial court's kindness, I met a group of Northern Court soldiers who rescued me and helped me return to the city safely."
Since the prince already knew what happened at the city gate, she certainly couldn't hide what happened next. She simply told him the truth, but blurred the fact that Li Yingshang personally rescued her. She also reported to him in detail about her inspection of the spirit hall and her entry into the palace.
Hearing that she had basically identified the murderer as a Xifan spy and had a direction for investigation, the prince nodded with relief and asked, "So, how do you plan to proceed with the investigation?"
"The mystery of the disappearance of the three sacred artifacts remains unsolved. I believe the answer lies in the Western Regions. As long as there is progress there, clues to the mystery will eventually emerge."
"Hmm...but Kucha is now beset with internal and external difficulties. Can you hold on by yourself?" The prince wasn't particularly concerned with the case. He simply asked, "I heard that the Kucha court is leaderless. The king is seriously injured, the imperial preceptor is dead, and neither the Grand Commandant nor the Grand General can control the situation. In your opinion, what should Kucha do next? Who will take charge?"
Qiandeng was confused for a moment, not knowing what he meant by suddenly asking himself this question.
After just a few days in Kucha, she was quickly caught up in the vortex and encountered too many things.
The sacred treasure of the country was stolen, the King of the North was killed, the royal family was massacred, Bai Zhaosu was assassinated... In addition, she had to keep vigil and pray for her ancestors in the temple, be under house arrest in the palace, and stay up all night in fear in the abandoned house waiting for dawn - she had not slept properly for many days, and her mind was already in chaos. How could she have the energy to think about such a big thing as the future of Kucha.
So she just said subconsciously: "Although the royal family suffered, fortunately the king escaped the fire. Now we can only wait for him to recover and resume the administration of state."
"But I heard that Kucha is in chaos right now, with even the death knell of the royal palace being rung. Rumors are circulating that the King of Kucha may not hold out for much longer." The Crown Prince looked at Qiandeng with a complicated expression. "I also sent the imperial physician who accompanied me to visit the King of Kucha. He came back with a diagnosis and reported the condition, which doesn't seem optimistic."
Having just returned to the land of his ancestors, Qian Deng encountered such a sudden turmoil. He didn't know what to do for a moment.
After a long moment, she finally managed to piece together her chaotic thoughts. She said, "After all, I'm new here, and my position in Kucha is awkward. All I can do for my country now is to do my best to uncover the culprit behind this, thwart the Xifan conspiracy, and do my best to protect the northwest defense line for Kucha and the Tang Dynasty."
Seeing that she had no distracting thoughts in her mind, the prince remained silent and turned his gaze to Cui Fufeng.
Cui Fufeng gazed at Qiandeng, his tone low but cautious, "Prince Changhua was the uncle of the current ruler of Kucha, but he fled to the Tang Dynasty due to turmoil. Now that his soul has returned to his homeland, Kucha should grant him all he lost. Moreover, since the royal family has been devastated by this disaster, it's time to strengthen our family."
This proposal clearly hit the spot for the Crown Prince. A barely perceptible smile appeared on his face as he asked Qian Deng, "Lingling, what do you think of what Cui Shaoqing said? If it's feasible, I'll prepare a memorial and return to the capital in the next few days, stating the wishes of the people of Kucha and requesting that the court posthumously confer the title of King of Kucha and Grand Commander of Anxi on Prince Changhua, to comfort the people of Kucha and honor Prince Changhua's spirit."
Qiandeng looked at Cui Fufeng, and when he saw the meaningful light in his eyes, he suddenly understood the purpose of their arrangement of all this.
If her grandfather was posthumously conferred the title of King of Kucha, she would legitimately become a princess and the heir closest to the throne among the Kucha royal family, which is now almost extinct.
As long as she nodded, with the great changes in Kucha and the support of the Tang Dynasty, she would seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, ascend the throne, and control Kucha as an orthodox king.
She will become a legend like her great-grandmother, immortalized in the Western Regions and in history books; and like her grandfather, her own hymns will flow under the northwest sky.
But in the end, she just shook her head and lowered her eyes, saying, "No, I am still a suspect in the massacre of the Kucha royal family. If I take advantage of Kucha's disaster to seize power, the people of Kucha will be uneasy, and the country will be in turmoil. That would not be a good thing for Kucha and even the northwest."
The prince said, "You have the support of the Tang Dynasty, and the troops of Anxi and Beiting. Why should you fear unrest?"
"Even if the imperial court can help me suppress my opponents, it's hard to silence the public. Especially now, when the situation is at its peak, if I insist on taking that position, I'm afraid it will only end with a huge uproar. Kucha is located at a strategic point and is already prone to frequent unrest. Adding this incident is definitely not a good thing. If my father and ancestors knew about this, they would probably be heartbroken."
As she spoke, she solemnly addressed the Crown Prince, "Although the King of Kucha has been gravely injured, I believe he will be able to overcome this calamity and regain control of the situation. In this time of distress for the entire Kucha people, I only wish to do my utmost to help Kucha overcome this difficult time and will never covet what is not mine."
"Lingling, sometimes, when something is of great benefit to you, you don't need to worry about how to obtain it, and you don't need to worry about the public opinion." Seeing her determination, the prince's face was clearly disappointed. But seeing Qiandeng's resolute expression, he could only helplessly say, "I hope you will think it over carefully. I will wait for your final response."
After Qiandeng left, he walked in silence for a long time and looked up at the sky.
The summer sky in Kucha was dazzlingly blue, and the sunlight poured down so brightly that it hurt her eyes.
She stood on the land where her grandfather was born, grew up, and ultimately failed to return, raised her head and closed her eyes tightly.
The sunlight filtering through her eyelids cast a blood-red hue. That was the blood coursing through her body, a part of which belonged to Kucha.
Cui Fufeng's voice came to my ears, gently consoling me: "The county lady can actually consider the proposal of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Qian Deng didn't open his eyes, but only said softly: "This proposal is good for me and for the Tang Dynasty, but it may not be good for Kucha."
"Perhaps not," Cui Fufeng said slowly. "Kucha's foundation is currently weakened, and its future is uncertain. The County Princess is the best candidate among the royal bloodline. I also believe that with the County Princess's abilities, although there will be setbacks, she will ultimately be able to maintain stable control of Kucha. Once this disaster is over, with the County Princess's careful work, Kucha will surely recover."
"But Mr. Cui, once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back. My grandfather long ago left the Kucha regime, and I'm now the Princess of the Tang Dynasty. While the Tang Dynasty can certainly help me control Kucha, this will undoubtedly change Kucha's current situation. In the future, Kucha may no longer be Kucha, but instead become a dependent land, its ups and downs controlled by others."
"As the saying goes, 'there is no construction without destruction.' How do you know this isn't a better option for Kucha?" Cui Fufeng continued to try to persuade her. "Although Kucha has been annexed by the Tang Dynasty, its people have been wavering and haven't completely stabilized. Since you're so suspicious of Kucha and struggling, why not take this opportunity to change the dynasty? This will pave the way for you, bring glory to your ancestors, and secure a solid ally for the Tang Dynasty. It wouldn't be a bad idea."
Qian Deng raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight, muttering, "But for the people of Kucha, this land isn't a strategic point, nor a military barrier. It's a place of birth and nurturing, a homeland we'll defend to the death. I can't... for my own selfish reasons, arbitrarily seize it, alter it, or even plunge it into chaos. If I do, not only I, but also my grandfather, will become sinners."
She was stubborn and obstinate. Cui Fufeng knew that she would be hard to persuade, so he just sighed and said nothing more: "Since that's the case, County Lady, please wait and see how things develop. I believe that you will make the best decision soon."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com