April 23, 1944
The capital.
Reports came from southern Xinjiang that several small tribes in the southern border have been hiding in the mountains and forests for years, and have always lived by looting. In the past, they were just minor fights, but now they are getting more rampant and colluding with each other. They even dared to rob the food and grass shipped to southern Xinjiang by the court, and openly raised the banner of "Southern People's Self-Government". They repeatedly provoked and caused trouble. General Xu Chengjin of Zhennan asked for permission to send troops to suppress this mob.
Zhong Zhiheng immediately approved it in red, and allowed Xu Chengjin to select capable generals to go to the battle soon.
…
Qin Mansion.
When Qin Lu came back, it was already dark. During this period, he was ordered by the Queen Mother to take care of Hui Guiren's body to prepare for pregnancy. This was not a difficult task, but Hui Guiren was a vegetarian since childhood. Although she was now a concubine in the palace, she still did not change her vegetarian habit. This made Qin Lu embarrassed. For a woman who had not been a vegetarian for more than 30 years, it was impossible for her to get pregnant. It was even more difficult for Hui Guiren and the Emperor to be young. This made it even more difficult. The Queen Mother urged him from time to time. Qin Lu tried every means to formulate prescriptions all day long. He was so worried that he could not sleep for several nights.
"Master, you are finally back!" Madam Qin had been waiting anxiously since the afternoon. Seeing Qin Lu coming back, she hurried out to greet him and whispered, "Someone from Southern Xinjiang is coming today!"
"Where is the person?" Qin Lu was startled, and immediately all his tiredness disappeared. He asked Mrs. Qin with a serious face.
"Of course he left a long time ago. Wouldn't it be a nuisance to keep him in our house?" Madam Qin said hurriedly, while helping Qin Lu into the main hall and pouring tea for him, she added, "Even so, he had to pretend to be Aunt Bi Qiao's follower to successfully enter our house. Our Qin family has been practicing medicine for generations. If people find out that we have dealings with Southern Xinjiang, wouldn't that be a disaster?"
"Chong'er is a military doctor in Southern Xinjiang, so it's natural for our Qin Mansion to have contacts with Southern Xinjiang. It's not good to be so secretive," Qin Lu frowned and took a sip of tea while suddenly asking, "You said just now that Aunt Bi Qiao is here today too?"
"Yes, it is said that the newly delivered Mingqian Biluochun from Suzhou is delicious, so the Queen Mother asked her to send a jar over to you, Master," Mrs. Qin said with a smile, pointing at the cup, "Why? Master didn't even notice that the tea was changed today?"
"How can I have the time?" Qin Lu looked at the rich tea in the cup. Although it was fragrant, he couldn't drink it anymore. He asked Madam Qin, "Did that person leave any words?"
"He didn't leave a message, but he did leave a letter, saying it was written by Chong'er, asking him to bring it to the capital." Madam Qin hurriedly took out the letter from her sleeve and handed it over, saying, "Master, please take a look at what Chong'er said."
Before Mrs. Qin could finish her words, Qin Lu had already torn open the envelope. As soon as he saw the familiar handwriting, his eyes became moist. However, the more he looked down, the uglier his expression became, and finally his hands began to tremble.
"Master, what did Chong'er say in the letter?" Madam Qin asked urgently. She and Qin Lu only had this one precious son. Since Qin Chong was sent to southern Xinjiang as a military doctor twelve years ago, the old couple have never seen Qin Chong again. They can only comfort their longing for their son through short letters home.
"Chong'er said..." Qin Lu took a long time to speak. As soon as he opened his mouth, his gray beard began to tremble. "He said that the Southern Xinjiang camp is going to send troops to fight against the mountain bandits in the southern border. This time, he...he wants to go with the army."
"Ah? How could this happen?" Madam Qin seemed to have been hit hard on the head. She sat down on the chair with one buttock. She was stunned for a long time before she reacted. She shed tears and sobbed, "Didn't the Queen Mother promise not to let Chong'er go to the battlefield? Why are you going back on your word now? With Chong'er's physique... Wuuuu! What if something unexpected happens? Wuuuu!"
Qin Lu's face turned pale. He stared at the thin piece of paper, then slammed the table hard and shouted coldly: "Cry, cry, cry! You only know how to cry!"
"Chong'er is about to go to the battlefield, I'm so anxious! What else can I do except cry? What use can I, a woman, be?" Madam Qin cried and yelled at Qin Lu, "It's all because of you! The Queen Mother has been staring at Concubine Hui's belly, but she just can't get pregnant! If Concubine Hui was pregnant, the Queen Mother would be grateful to you, why would she let Chong'er go to the battlefield to take risks?! In the final analysis, it's all because of you!"
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