Chapter 72 Tao and Lu's Shura Field
"Miss, what should we do? Lord Lu's leg has been kicked, and General Tao's arm has been broken. Tsk, both of them have been slapped in the face."
Chunhe squinted and shrank her neck, unable to bear watching the scene of the two fighting to the death.
Qin Song leisurely sipped his tea, seemingly unmoved.
Only those who know her very well can notice that her hand, which is holding the cup, is unconsciously stroking the rim of the cup.
She was someone who had never seen war, and she loved peace more than anything. She didn't like fighting.
The reason she let them take action was simply because she discovered that Lu Youchuan and Tao Qingyang had been secretly vying for power for a long time, and she had been pushed step by step to this situation. From now on, she must proceed with extreme caution.
If Lu Youchuan and Tao Qingyang are to work for her at the same time, then there can be no gaps between them.
Therefore, when she discovered that Tao Qingyang intended to place her under house arrest, she asked Tao Yao about the past conflict between Lu Youchuan and Tao Qingyang.
It turns out that even Tao Yao had suspected the relationship between Tao Qingyang and her, so how can you blame Qin Song for being wary of him?
However, Tao Yao was unaware of Tao Qingyang's full plan. She only said, "I also investigated this matter before. After the defeat in Yunzhou, my brother investigated A-Chuan's whereabouts in detail. He found out that A-Chuan broke into the Lei family's villa at night for a woman and used private torture to castrate the Lei family's eldest son. And that woman was you. I guess my brother approached you mainly to take revenge on A-Chuan."
"What?" Qin Song could not hide his shock, not because of Tao Qingyang's purpose, but because Lu Youchuan had done the work on Lei Heyang's lower body.
No wonder the assassins arranged by the Empress attempted to kill Lu Youchuan on the night of the Winter Solstice Banquet.
So, was the Censorate's relentless pursuit of the Lei family also because of her? Did Lu Youchuan already have feelings for her so long ago?
Qin Song fell into deep thought, and Tao Yao immediately explained, "I'm sorry, Ah Song, I apologize for approaching you with ulterior motives on behalf of my brother. But Ah Song, believe me, my brother has never harmed an innocent person, nor has he ever belittled any woman. I don't know what he did to you, but Ah Song, personally speaking, I hope..."
Tao Yao paused, took a deep breath, and then solemnly said, "I hope you can accept my brother. He has suffered a lot these past few years. The imperial physician diagnosed him with a mental illness. He can't help but lose control after being overstimulated. Last time, after he returned from disappearing with you, he was unconscious. The military doctor in the tent treated him and learned that he had a seizure before he fell into a coma. When he woke up, he heard the military doctor ask him what had happened that made him calm down. He said it was you."
"Ah Song." Tao Yao moved closer to Qin Song, looking at her expectantly, "Can you accept my brother?"
Qin Song was naturally willing to accept any clean and handsome man who sincerely came to her side.
The key is sincerity. She needs to find out whether Tao Qingyang has feelings for her or is just obsessed with using her to get revenge on Lu Youchuan.
Instead of giving Tao Yao a direct answer, she asked her another question, "As far as I know, Lu Youchuan's mother and your mother are sisters from the same mother. Given their close relationship, why are your brother and Lu Youchuan so hostile towards each other?"
Tao Yao's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and her previous expectations turned gloomy. "He submitted the memorial that led to the extermination of the entire Tao family. Because of the case of the Tao family's destruction, he was promoted three ranks and became the most favored and trusted minister in the imperial court. Later, he rose to the position of head of the Censorate as if walking on flat ground."
Lu Youchuan impeached the execution of the entire Tao family.
Qin Song got goosebumps all over; they actually had such a deep connection.
Since that's the case, they'll have to fight sooner or later. If they can't put aside their differences or if Qin Song isn't sure they can put an end to the fighting for the greater good, then they can't work together to achieve something big.
Qin Song's thoughts drifted away, and just then, Tao Yao, who had heard the commotion, rushed over.
The door was wide open, and Tao Yao could see the scene inside at a glance.
Her beloved brother and her most feared cousin actually fought to the death with their bare hands.
She was greatly alarmed and suddenly became anxious.
After stepping into the house, she originally wanted to go forward and pull her two brothers apart, but when she glanced around, she saw Qin Song suddenly stand up and look at her with obvious unease in his eyes.
Tao Yao frowned and strode towards her: "A-Song, are you there?"
Qin Song licked his lips, unable to suppress his nervousness, "I... I've always been here."
In a moment of desperation, Tao Yao couldn't help but accuse: "Then why did you just stand by and watch them fight each other? You clearly knew they had a grudge against each other, weren't you afraid they would kill each other?"
Qin Song inexplicably swallowed hard, his hands clenched tightly, wanting to explain to her, but Tao Yao was thinking about her two brothers' situation, and before Qin Song could speak, she rushed into the middle of her two brothers who were fighting.
Ignoring the risk of being accidentally injured, she first placed a hand on Lu Youchuan's left shoulder, then bent down and hugged Tao Qingyang's waist tightly: "Brother, calm down."
Thanks to Tao Yao's appearance, the two finally managed to distance themselves from each other.
Tao Yao hugged her brother tightly, then immediately looked at Lu Youchuan and questioned him angrily, "Cousin Achuan, are you even going to wipe out the last bloodline of the Tao family?"
Lu Youchuan's breath hitched, and a complex emotion instantly filled his eyes as he stared at Tao Qingyang. He moved his throat, but ultimately remained silent.
Tao Qingyang touched his flushed cheek with his tongue, calmly pulling away Tao Yao's arms that were wrapped around his waist, "Someone come here."
The guards stationed in the front hall had already heard the fighting in the back hall, but because Tao Qingyang had specifically instructed that no one was allowed to enter the back hall without his permission, they could only remain still and wait for Tao Qingyang's instructions.
At Tao Qingyang's command, more than a dozen elite soldiers responded and surrounded Lu Youchuan, brandishing guns and swords.
The time was right, and Qin Song took action.
She hurried to Tao Qingyang's side and asked anxiously, "Brother Tao, are you alright?"
The woman's worried voice rang out, and Tao Qingyang, Lu Youchuan, and even Tao Yao all turned their gazes toward Qin Song at the same time.
Tao Qingyang raised her hand to touch the slightly stinging corner of her mouth, then raised her eyebrows to meet her gaze. "Ah Song, are you concerned about me?"
“Of course,” Qin Song took out an embroidered handkerchief from his bosom and handed it to him, “Your arm is bleeding again.”
She had her back to Lu Youchuan, and if you didn't see her affectionate expression, her behavior wasn't particularly intimate.
She wanted to see how Tao Qingyang would react.
Tao Qingyang's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes trembled slightly as he stared at her, as if he had gone through a difficult internal struggle.
After a long while, he reached out and took the embroidered handkerchief from her hand, covering the wound on his shoulder with it, and without even raising his head, ordered, "Take him away."
Such a reaction... was exactly what she wanted.
Qin Song smiled knowingly, raised his hand to wipe the blood from Tao Qingyang's mouth, and stopped him from giving the order, "General Tao, wait a moment."
Tao Qingyang lingered on her face, fixated on her address: "Call me Brother Tao."
He did not change any of his orders, but the guards all stopped what they were doing and waited for his further instructions.
Qin Song obediently changed his tune: "Brother Tao, are you going to punish Lord Lu?"
"You're going to speak up for him?"
Tao Qingyang's relaxed brows furrowed slightly, and Lu Youchuan, who had not received Qin Song's attention, also shifted his gaze, staring intently at her reaction.
Qin Song tugged at Tao Qingyang's sleeve: "I just said that Lord Lu's return to the capital cannot be delayed, and I also have something to ask him."
Tao Qingyang ultimately couldn't do anything about her, so he didn't respond and tacitly allowed her to talk to Lu Youchuan.
Qin Song then turned around, still standing close to Tao Qingyang, and asked Lu Youchuan from a distance of five steps: "Lord Lu, since returning from Qingze, you have been in charge of keeping an eye on the situation in Yunzhou City. Do you know anything about Xue Ci's situation?"
Lu Youchuan had many bruises and a dull ache in many places, but he didn't care about the pain at all. The disappointment he felt from the intimate reaction between the person in front of him and Tao Qingyang made him feel even more bitter.
“I did not find Xue Ci that day, but I caught Gong Shiliang’s men who were trying to poison the city again, and then I rushed to the city tower.”
Lu Youchuan stood like a statue gazing at his wife, his eyes fixed on Qin Song not far away. But she never took a single step closer to him, remaining firmly standing beside Tao Qingyang.
Lu Youchuan lowered his head and gave a bitter laugh, then suddenly asked, "Does A-Song suspect that I have some connection with Xue Ci?"
Of course not!
She only wanted to discuss Xue Ci's matter with him. The letter left by her father told her that Xue Ci's collusion with the Northern Barbarians was not his own intention, but because his family had been kidnapped.
Xue Ci knew all the inside stories of Yunzhou, but he was only willing to tell them when he saw his family.
Qin Song was misunderstood by her, his steps faltered, and he couldn't help but move forward, taking a few steps to the back of the guards surrounding him. "How could that be? I just wanted to ask you to find Xue Ci's family."
Qin Song spoke sincerely, but his attitude was somewhat eager.
Lu Youchuan's gloomy expression dissipated considerably, and his dark, deep eyes suddenly brightened considerably.
She still cares about him.
Lu Youchuan was certain of his reasoning. He glanced past Qin Song at Tao Qingyang and his sister behind him and figured out the reason.
—Tao Qingyang is in charge of the troops, and Asong is not free now. She doesn't care more about Tao Qingyang, but relies on him more.
It's alright, he's no worse than Tao Qingyang.
Lu Youchuan calmly replied, "Don't worry, I know where Xue Ci's family is. Yesterday, the Censorate sent word that they found Xue Ci's family in the capital. Pan Chengjie has hidden them away, and they are safe now."
“That would be wonderful,” Qin Song said with a smile, looking up at him. “Then I will bring Xue Ci to Kaifeng as well.”
She meant to ask the Inspectorate to hand the person over to her.
"Okay," Lu Youchuan replied.
"Then what are we waiting for?!" A clearly angry shout came from afar. "Get out of here!"
Tao Qingyang had already shown him leniency today, but she could no longer tolerate his affectionate relationship with Qin Song.
He couldn't guarantee that Qin Song would leave alive unless Qin Song consented.
Lu Youchuan's shoulders remained straight. He did not intend to leave easily. He looked up and said, "I will leave the city with Asong."
"Did I agree?" Tao Qingyang took a few steps to stand behind Qin Song, his gaze sharp as he looked at Lu Youchuan.
After he finished speaking, the guards surrounding Lu Youchuan gathered around him.
Sensing something was amiss, Tao Yaoxian feigned a stern tone and said, "Lord Lu, as a high-ranking official of the second rank, shouldn't you prioritize the overall situation? The mission in the capital is urgent; you should hurry back."
Tao Yao was too eager; she clearly didn't want Tao Qingyang and Lu Youchuan to clash again.
Tao Qingyang didn't interrupt Qin Song's attempt to get rid of Lu Youchuan, so he certainly wouldn't want Lu Youchuan's life. But Qin Song was very concerned about Tao Yao's feelings right now.
She also urged Lu Youchuan: "Yunzhou and the capital have both suffered misfortunes, and the court affairs are extremely complicated. The Censorate is probably already overwhelmed with cases. Lord Lu, please return to the capital first. I hope you can see Xue Ci's family in Kaifeng as soon as possible. Also, please take care of the people in the Qin and Tao mansions."
Urged on by Tao Yao and Qin Song, Lu Youchuan finally left the city and headed back to the capital.
The guards then left the inner hall. Tao Yao was still angry and returned to her room without saying a word.
Qin Song watched Tao Yao's unhappy departing figure and felt uneasy. She wanted to chase after her, but Tao Qingyang pulled her back by her shoulder.
Chunhe stood still, and seeing that things were not going well, she quickly chased after Tao Yao's figure and ran away.
Tao Qing leaned on Qin Song's shoulders, making her face him.
"Ah Song, you care about me, don't you?" Tao Qingyang's peach blossom eyes showed a hint of insecurity. "You were concerned about me just now, and you were the first one to approach me."
Qin Song met his gaze, recalling how he had used her. It seemed the mystery had been solved; it wasn't such a big deal after all, and he had performed very well.
She was preoccupied with other things and didn't have time to respond immediately; Tao Qingyang's panic in her eyes intensified.
Just as Qin Song was about to speak, he suddenly lowered his head and kissed her, forcefully capturing her lips to prevent her from speaking.
She attacked with her lips and tongue, her movements slow but forceful, her hands gradually moving up her shoulders and back, pulling her into her arms.
Blood was still seeping from his exposed shoulder wound, but he ignored it and pulled her close to him, as if he wanted to press her into his chest and become one with her.
Tao Qingyang's performance put Qin Song in a great mood. She didn't resist at all, and instead stood on tiptoe to respond to him.
His movements became even more ferocious, his soft, wet lips sometimes capturing her lips, sometimes sucking on her tongue, gently biting and teasing her like a master of love.
Last time, Qin Song harbored resentment and her body still instinctively trembled at his kiss, which prevented her from truly appreciating it. This time, after she decided to accept him, she discovered that his kiss was so intense that it was addictive.
It seemed that without any special skills, he could make her body go weak and her legs feel unsteady, making her want to cling to him even more, to be entangled with him until the very end.
However, just as Qin Song was lost in his own world, he stopped, breathing heavily. He didn't bother to look at her misty, wet eyes. He held the back of her head, pulled her into his arms, rested his chin on the top of her head, and stroked the back of her neck with his fingers.
"It's okay, no need to say anything, we can take it slowly, take it slowly."
A hoarse voice came from above, and Qin Song realized that he still hadn't understood what she meant.
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The author's note: Going to Jiangnan is like going on a honeymoon with Tao.
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