Chapter 75: They swapped carriages with Tao and continued on their journey...
Qin Song had lost count of how many times he had done this, until finally he was so exhausted that he collapsed onto Tao Qingyang's shoulder and lost consciousness.
She didn't even know if she was asleep or had passed out.
When Qin Song woke up again, only Chunhe was in the room with him. He felt a dull ache in his lower body, which was even more pronounced than the strange feeling after the first time.
Seeing that she had woken up, Chunhe quickly helped her up.
Qin Song looked at himself; his body was dry and comfortable, his clothes were neat, and his demeanor was impeccable.
She gently rubbed her arm, and Chunhe suddenly sniffed, "Miss, let's run away."
She lowered her head as if she were sobbing softly.
Qin Song was a little surprised. "What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Chunhe suddenly raised her head, her delicate brows furrowed as she looked at Qin Song in disbelief: "Miss, I am sad for you. General Tao is a great general who has fought in many battles. How could he, how could he treat you like this?"
Qin Song was somewhat embarrassed: "You knew all along?"
Chunhe said indignantly, "Yes, I saw everything."
Qin Song was astonished: "You saw everything?!"
"Not entirely." Chunhe was still indignant. "General Tao wouldn't let me near you at all. He only told me to prepare hot water and clothes. At dinner time, he told me to bring the food into the room. By then, you had already changed your clothes and were covered up tightly with the blankets. I thought you were fast asleep. Who would have thought that I would see red marks all over your neck and behind your ears? Did he pinch you?"
Oh, so that's what I saw. Qin Song breathed a sigh of relief.
Chunhe, however, thought she was feeling down and reached out to touch her neck again, wanting to check her injuries. "Why didn't you call out? This is the Qin family's estate. If you had called out, they wouldn't have dared to bully you like this!"
Well, she called out.
But it's clearly not the kind of call Chunhe described.
I must find this girl a good man in the future, so she can finally see the light.
No, give her ten.
Qin Song sighed, "He didn't bully me, I'm fine. What about Tao Qingyang?"
"Ah Song, you're awake?"
No sooner had I asked than a tall, long-legged man, tall in every way, appeared outside the door.
Tao Qingyang carried the steaming hot breakfast into the house quickly. "You went to sleep before it got dark last night and haven't eaten a single grain of rice since. I've prepared some food for you. Come on, have something to eat."
Tao Qingyang entered Qin Song's residence without any hesitation, acting as familiarly as an old couple who had been married for over ten years.
He put the things on the table and went straight to help Qin Song, only to hear Chun Xiao laugh and mutter, "Such fawning, she must have ulterior motives."
"You have a problem with me?" Tao Qingyang glanced at Chunhe.
Chunhe immediately lost her momentum, lowered her head, and remained silent and unyielding.
Qin Song quickly stood up, taking Tao Qingyang's arm. "Alright, Chunhe, you can step back now. Let's set off early."
Chunhe still harbored some resentment, but she didn't disobey Qin Song's orders and obediently went out.
The food on the table smelled delicious. "Did you make this?"
"Okay, you should try it." Tao Qingyang carried her directly to the table, bent his leg, pulled out a chair, and sat down with her in his arms.
"Still hugging?" Qin Song asked, wrapping his arms around his neck and looking up at him.
Tao Qingyang put one arm around her back and used the other hand to scoop porridge: "I'll feed you."
"Alright." Qin Song sat on his lap with a clear conscience and opened her mouth to accept his feeding.
After eating a few spoonfuls, I felt uncomfortable. "I want to get down, your legs are so hard."
She was still feeling unwell, and his leg was pressing against her so painfully that she tried to get down.
Tao Qing's hand, which was resting behind her back, tightened slightly, stopping her from escaping: "Are you sure it's a leg?"
Qin Song instantly understood what he meant, and immediately put her hands on his shoulders, "Thinking about it first thing in the morning, didn't you have enough last night?!"
"We didn't do it last night, that was yesterday during the day." Tao Qingyang domineeringly captured her lips, and the two became entangled.
Between kisses, Qin Song couldn't take it anymore and pressed her forehead against his, breathing heavily, "Stop kissing, aren't we in a hurry to get going?"
"Hurry up." Tao Qing tilted her head back and nuzzled her nose, revealing a cryptic smile. "Continue on the way."
Qin Song didn't think much of his words until she started over and realized what a big surprise he had prepared for her.
However, the departure was delayed for a while.
A man who has just tasted the sweetness of sex is insatiable and once he starts kissing someone, he can't stop. Even during breakfast, he can kiss and rub against someone for a long time without finishing.
Only when there was a knock on the door did Tao Qingyang release her. Without asking who it was, he gestured, "Come in."
The door was pushed open, and the little girl's eyes widened, her face blushing like a red apple.
Actually, they weren't being too intimate; they just sat together and kissed for a while.
In Qin Song's original world, it wouldn't even be as crazy as college couples going outside their dorms, but that was enough to pollute Chunhe's clear mind.
"Miss, your uncle is back." Chunhe turned around quickly and announced awkwardly, "He, he's waiting for you downstairs, saying he wants to see you."
"Which paternal uncle?" Qin Song stood up calmly and straightened his clothes.
Chunhe replied: "This house belongs to the eldest son of the clan elder, who was born out of wedlock."
By sheer chance, I stumbled upon this wonderful candidate.
When Qin Song last set off for Qingze, he had thoroughly studied the Qin family genealogy, especially the families with prominent power, and had investigated their backgrounds in detail.
The patriarch of Qin Song's clan is over ninety years old, highly respected, and has three sons.
The eldest son held the official position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and resided in the capital for a long time.
The second son was born out of wedlock and was the owner of this house, Qin Yazhi. His lineage was particularly good at business, with his businesses and land holdings all over the Great Yu, and even extending to neighboring states. However, he was a smooth talker and it was impossible to fathom how much wealth he had.
Borrowing money from him might not guarantee he'll come to your rescue, but there's another thing he'd be perfect for.
Qin Song instructed, "Please ask him to wait a moment, I'll be right down."
"yes."
Chunhe bowed and stepped back, but after taking only two steps, she called out to her again with ease: "By the way, go to the carriage and bring over the little box my father left behind."
As Qin Song and his companion descended the stairs, before they had even reached the first floor, a middle-aged man in a brown brocade robe, guided by the old butler, greeted them with a smile.
His clothes were understated yet expensive, and he exuded composure, speaking with a smile: "I was so sorry for the oversight. I was busy with business at the shop yesterday and didn't even know that my nephew was staying. I have failed to provide adequate hospitality."
"Second Uncle, what are you saying? It's me who has bothered you."
Qin Song bowed in greeting, and Qin Yazhi raised his hand to help him up, saying, "Nephew, there's no need for such formalities. And who is this gentleman?"
"Tao Qingyang, commander-in-chief of the Zhenbei Army."
Qin Song introduced himself calmly, and Tao Qingyang also bowed and greeted him, saying, "This junior greets Mr. Qin."
Upon hearing that the commander of the Zhenbei Army had come here in private, Qin Yazhi was not surprised, as if he already knew his identity.
"It's an honor, an honor. I'm just a merchant, I can't accept such a generous gift from you two. Come, let's chat over here." Qin Yazhi greeted them and led them to the main hall.
Qin Yazhi was very polite. After exchanging pleasantries, he insisted that the two stay for a few more days, and that he would personally accompany them to tour the surrounding area.
Qin Song reluctantly dealt with him, then pretended to be mysterious and asked him to speak privately.
Qin Yazhi immediately understood her meaning and dismissed all the servants, saying, "Nephew, please speak."
"To be honest, Second Uncle, General Tao and I came south to seek help from our family. It's quite a coincidence that we met you here."
Qin Ya held the teacup in one hand and gently skimmed the tea foam with the other, asking, "Nephew, are you short of money?"
"As expected, nothing can escape the eyes of Second Uncle."
Of course, it couldn't be kept secret. The sect couldn't possibly be completely unaware of the schemes Qin Daoji had devised for her; it's just a matter of how everyone reacted.
This merchant uncle was always driven by profit; if she had come alone, he certainly wouldn't have thought much of her, much less come to see them in person.
But it's different when Tao Qingyang is by her side. The army is one of her chances of success. With him there, even if Qin Yazhi has no hope for her, he will inevitably waver.
However, Qin Yazhi was shrewd enough to know how to assess the situation. After a moment's thought, he said with difficulty, "I have been a businessman for many years and can certainly provide some support to you and the Zhenbei Army. But as you know, business inevitably involves cash flow. Right now, I have just imported a large quantity of goods from foreign countries, and most of my cash has already been invested. I can allocate all my daily expenses, and once the cash is available, I will definitely do my best to help you."
What's the problem? It's just a matter of waiting and seeing how things develop, and then choosing the best option.
He'll offer a small, insignificant amount as a show of support. If things go well, he'll fully commit. If things turn bad, it won't be considered a loss.
"Then thank you very much, Second Uncle." Qin Song pretended not to understand his excuse.
She had anticipated his reaction, but she was not discouraged. Instead, she planned to give him a great benefit.
"Uncle, you are so considerate of your juniors, so I must remember you." Qin Song shrugged at Chunhe, who quickly handed him the box she had brought from the car.
Qin Song opened the box and took out several pictures of sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and corn. These were old pictures left by Qin Daoji, and the original owner's mother obtained them from the system. The pictures were as clear as modern prints.
"Second Uncle, please look. These are the designs of excellent crops that I learned about by chance. These crops are easy to grow, have stable yields, and taste excellent. They are very suitable for being introduced to our country. Whether for filling one's stomach or for making delicious food, they will surely be popular among the masses."
Qin Yazhi took the drawings and his eyes lit up slightly: "Where did these things come from?"
Sure enough, businessmen can always spot opportunities; with just a tap, they can take the bait.
Qin Song followed up, saying, "This will have to do with Second Uncle. These things are all foreign crops. Since Second Uncle has trade relations with foreign countries, it shouldn't be difficult for him to find these things. When the time comes, if we put them in the market, we will definitely make a lot of money, which will also repay Second Uncle for the favor he did for me today."
The main problem was that Qin Song had little experience and couldn't remember which country or dynasty these crops came from. Otherwise, it would have been much simpler if she had just told him the place.
"Nephew, you're too kind. Introducing superior crops is a good thing, and I will do my best to help." Qin Yazhi smiled broadly, said a few polite words, and then waved his hand to summon the steward, "Go, fetch 500,000 taels of silver from the estate and send it to your carriage, nephew."
Qin Song quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your generosity, Second Uncle."
Qin Song lowered her head, secretly pleased. She knew that this favor was just a small amount of silver that her second uncle had casually slipped through his fingers.
But this was beyond her expectations.
Qin Song could hardly imagine just how strong the foundation of the Qin family's main branch was.
It was noon when they brought the money. After having lunch at the estate, Qin Song and his party set off again.
Once he stepped into the carriage, Qin Song realized that it was no longer the same one.
This carriage is exquisitely crafted, extremely stable, and spacious, divided into three small spaces of varying sizes. The rear carriage is separated from the front throne by two padded wooden boards, which not only provide sound insulation but also allow for the cooking of simple meals.
After taking their seats in the carriage, the two men would need to ring a bell to summon the driver.
In other words, as long as they don't cause the carriage to collapse from behind, it would be difficult for the people driving the carriage at the front and those resting in the first small room to notice what was happening.
Qin Song finally understood the deeper meaning behind Tao Qingyang's words that morning, "Continue on the road."
She suddenly felt a chill of fear; given Tao Qingyang's insatiable desires, she probably wouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep in the car.
Sure enough, before she could even stand up straight, the carriage started moving, and the person behind her closed the door and pulled her into their arms.
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