Chapter 78 With Tao and Li
The next morning, the Qin clan patriarch sent fifty million silver notes packed into a box and wrote a letter to Qin Song to take back to Kaifeng. He specifically instructed Qin Song that all the money in the bank in Kaifeng could be used by her.
As expected, Qin Ya's mere 500,000 taels was just enough to appease a beggar; the cart full of silver notes was something Qin Song found hard to believe.
They were delayed for two nights on their journey south, and they didn't know where Tao Yao's troops had gone. They had to hurry back to Kaifeng.
Although Tao Qingyang still couldn't control his bestial nature along the way, fortunately the journey was smooth and unimpeded, and ten days later, Qin Song and his party arrived in Kaifeng without incident.
By the time they arrived, the Zhenbei Army had already rested for a day about fifty miles from Kaifeng.
To avoid any mishaps, Tao Qingyang wanted to lead Qin Song to meet with him.
Just as she was about to set off, someone called her from behind.
"Songniang".
Qin Song was overjoyed; it was Li Yu's voice.
Qin Song turned around and looked over. In the crowd, a young man with extraordinary appearance had disguised himself, concealing his noble and outstanding temperament as he blended in.
Li Yu strode closer to Qin Song. He suppressed his excitement and did not hug her in the street. Instead, he silently reached out and intertwined his fingers with hers.
“Songniang, over here.”
He held Qin Song's hand tightly and discreetly led her toward the west of the city.
Tao Qingyang was burning with jealousy, but knowing she couldn't make a scene, she forced herself to follow behind Qin Song. Chunhe and several experts sent by the Qin clan temporarily guarded the carriage at the city gate.
The three strode forward and soon entered a secluded courtyard deep in an alley.
"Let go!" Tao Qingyang followed closely behind Qin Song, his eyes fixed on Li Yu's dirty hand tightly gripping Qin Song's palm, his glare fierce.
Li Yu frowned, glared back at Tao Qingyang, and instead gripped Qin Song even tighter.
What's going on? Why are you fighting amongst yourselves here?
Qin Song quickly freed his other hand and grabbed Tao Qingyang's wrist, saying, "The important thing is to get things done."
She pulled the two of them tightly with both hands, focusing only on keeping up with her pace, leaving them no time to glare at each other.
This is the private residence of one of Master Shen's students, who was temporarily given a place to stay because of Master Shen's influence.
As they approached the side courtyard, the study door opened from the inside as soon as the footsteps drew near.
The person who opened the door immediately came out to greet the newcomer, their voice almost breaking with joy: "Miss."
Qin Song was overjoyed, "Yun Qian."
While still at the door, the two embraced each other tightly like sisters.
"That's wonderful, Miss, I've finally met you." At this moment, Yun Qian seemed to no longer care about the difference between master and servant, letting her tears soak Qin Song's shoulder.
Qin Song patted her gently, both pleased and worried, "It's alright, it wasn't for very long. How did you get through this time? Did you suffer?"
"It's alright, Miss, it's not bitter at all. I was kidnapped along the way when I followed the refugees north. I was sold into a medicine merchant's workshop in Qingze and became a medicine-making worker..."
"Songniang, it's not convenient to chat here. Let's go inside and talk." Yun Qian said a few words, and Li Yu reminded her from the side. Only then did the two let go of each other and go into the house with tears in their eyes.
Inside the house, a young boy stood to one side, solemnly awaiting the arrival of the "distinguished guest".
When Qin Song saw that person, a slight ripple stirred in his heart.
The young man, once a prince, had suffered a change of fortune. When they met again, he was dressed simply, his hands were rough, and his eyes were gentle. He had long lost his former nobility and composure, but he still maintained the demeanor of a gentleman as steadfast as a pine tree and as elegant as an orchid.
He remained silent, calmly gazing at the three people before him, and nodded in acknowledgment.
Qin Song curtsied and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
With Qin Song taking the lead, the other three also bowed and clasped their hands in greeting.
The usually calm and composed young man seemed startled, his expression changing slightly. He immediately raised his hand to help Qin Song up, saying, "You flatter me. I am a guilty man and there is no need for such a grand gesture."
Indeed, there was no need for formalities; she was merely going through the motions. Before he could even finish speaking, Qin Song had already straightened up.
Li Xu's hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, naturally turned to the other side. It was hard to tell whether to express pity and dependence or a hint of fear and respect. He then pulled Yun Qian up by the arm.
Just as Yun Qian straightened up, he abruptly withdrew his hand, pretending to be nonchalant.
Yun Qian didn't look at him much, and habitually moved behind Qin Song, quietly standing aside.
Qin Song looked at Li Xu and said, “Your Highness, please do not be distressed. The Princess’s ascension to the throne was illegitimate. You are a direct descendant of the royal family. We have been taught by sages and will not kneel before those who plot to seize power. I urge Your Highness to take care of your health and enter the capital as soon as possible to restore a legitimate and peaceful life for the people.”
Li Xu remained silent for a long time after hearing this.
It is said that it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Li Xu had enjoyed a life second only to the emperor, and now that someone had taken the initiative to help him return to a high position, he should be happy. However, he showed no joy at all, and instead, his mood became increasingly gloomy.
After a long while, he murmured, "Is the next step to make you my concubine?"
Having received instruction from the imperial tutor for several years, he immediately saw through his usefulness.
Qin Song enjoyed talking to intelligent people, and his question made him feel much more at ease.
But the two men behind her were unhappy. They both frowned and stared at the little boy, their jealousy burning brightly.
Fortunately, Qin Song had his back to them and couldn't see their hostility.
Qin Song smiled gently, "Yes, Your Highness."
This was her father's plan, and she had to continue following it until her own plans were finalized.
"But I remember that Miss Qin was once the fiancée of Imperial Censor Lu, and later she was engaged to General Tao. I never thought it would be my turn."
Li Xu said something meaningful, then looked at Li Yu with an inscrutable expression.
It had been so long that Qin Song had almost forgotten. At their first meeting, she offended Li Xu, who was then the crown prince, and almost exposed her identity. Lu Youchuan covered for her and she managed to get away with it.
Li Xu's memory is surprisingly good.
Qin Song remained calm and composed: "Does His Highness the Crown Prince despise this humble woman for her improper conduct?"
"How dare I? I just wonder what General Tao and Junior Chamberlain Li think?" Li Xu had actually dragged Li Yu into this again.
Qin Song was speechless and glanced at the two men behind him for no apparent reason.
She turned her head, and the two men immediately looked at her.
Tao Qingyang looked sinister and wicked, while Li Yu felt wronged and displeased. However, after Qin Song raised an eyebrow at them, they both said soullessly, "Miss Qin is worthy of a noble man."
That's a good boy/girl.
Qin Song then looked at the Crown Prince, "Your Highness has not yet come of age; I will wait for you to come of age."
Now that the troops, money, and the person in charge have all arrived, we can stay in Kaifeng in peace for a while.
Although, she alone could not find peace every night.
·
There was no doubt that His Highness the Crown Prince would raise the banner of orthodoxy, but they still postponed the plan for five days.
During this period, a group of people were secretly sent to the capital. Before the news of the flag being raised in Kaifeng reached the capital, they moved all the relatives and servants of the Qin and Tao families and the Duke of Anguo's mansion.
Five days later, Tao Qingyang led his troops and the Crown Prince into the government office, and the magistrate made room for Tao Qingyang overnight.
The news of Tao Qingyang's rebellion spread like wildfire and quickly reached the capital. The whole country seemed to have expected it, but was still shocked.
Next, in his capacity as Junior Chamberlain, Le Yu wrote more than a dozen impassioned petitions. Once copied and circulated, the male members of the royal family quickly gained the support of millions of people, reversing the public's perception of the rebellion.
Just when countless people were expecting the Zhenbei Army to lead its troops into Beijing to restore order, the entire princeling faction remained inactive, with the entire army safely stationed in Kaifeng.
Although the magistrate of Kaifeng Prefecture was very pragmatic, he was a man of real ability. Qin Song chose to be stationed in Kaifeng without intending to destroy it, and since she needed manpower at the moment, she invited him back to handle the affairs of the Kaifeng government.
Seeing that the Crown Prince and the Zhenbei Army had been lingering in Kaifeng for a long time, he tentatively said, "Your Highness, you are the rightful heir of the Great Yu Dynasty and should be sitting on the dragon throne. Now the Zhenbei Army is powerful and the capital is poorly defended. Moreover, the emperor has just changed hands and is unstable. Why not launch an attack and take over the throne?"
Li Xu sat calmly at his desk, casually glancing at a memorial, though in reality, all of this had been reviewed by Li Yu and Qin Song.
Qin Song got up and pretended to hand Li Xu a cup of tea without saying a word, but Li Xu understood immediately.
He accepted the tea with composure and said calmly, "I am still young and need more experience. Regardless of who rules the palace, fighting among ourselves will only result in innocent bloodshed. Give my elder sister some more time. If she can govern the country well, I will naturally grant her my wish."
Excellent, this is exactly what Qin Song wanted. It turns out that the experience of controlling a puppet is so wonderful.
Qin Song casually took back the cups and saucers that Li Xu had used, feigning a respectful and virtuous demeanor.
The prefect glanced at her, a slightly unsettling feeling in his eyes.
Qin Song roughly guessed what he was thinking, but didn't explain much. He put away the teacup, handed it to Yun Qian, and left.
No sooner had Qin Song left than he lowered his voice and offered his advice, which sounded like harsh but honest advice: "Your Highness, there has never been a reason for a woman to rule. How can you allow a woman to become emperor? Besides, you have countless capable ministers and generals around you. You can find a person of high moral character and great talent to assist you in governing the country. How can you allow Miss Qin, a mere woman, to interfere every day..."
Before he could finish speaking, Li Xu closed the memorial and interrupted him: "My dear minister, you are overthinking it. Why can't a woman become emperor? Besides, Miss Qin is the widow of my Grand Tutor and is my future Crown Princess candidate. Seeing her is no different from seeing me."
For some reason, the mention of the Crown Princess stirred a ripple in Li Xu's young heart. He inexplicably longed to see his sister, who appeared resolute and unyielding, seemingly disliking to be near him, yet coldly caring for him.
He got up and went out, intending to take a leisurely stroll to clear his mind, but he ended up heading towards the courtyard where Qin Song lived.
As a subject, Li Xu did not order anyone to leave, so the prefect had no choice but to follow.
He hunched over, accompanying Li Xu, but could only watch helplessly as his legs followed Li Xu all the way to the courtyard of the woman she had mentioned.
Before even reaching the door, one could hear the sounds of a fierce battle coming from afar.
"You must have heard that I am a master archer, and if you don't get out of here soon, this arrow will make it so that you can never touch a woman again."
"General Tao, are you getting anxious? I think you're just jealous that Songniang has feelings for me, and you're afraid I'll beat you, aren't you?"
"So what if she beat me? She can't possibly love a dead man, can she?"
"You may take action. Even if you kill me, I will never abandon Songniang. And I will trouble General Tao to do the work for the new emperor."
"Ha," Tao Qingyang seemed to laugh in anger, "You're really despicable..."
"Your Highness, he, they..." The prefect of Kaifeng followed behind the crown prince, so shocked that he dared not even breathe.
Song Niang? Then it can only be Qin Song.
The Junior Chamberlain, the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army, and the Crown Prince's preferred Crown Princess...?
It's chaotic, so chaotic.
His mind was buzzing, and he couldn't help but glance at the boy in front of him.
He stood there, stunned, his shoulders slightly tense. Hearing the sounds of an impending conflict in the courtyard, he couldn't help but take a half step forward, but instead of rushing in, he stopped and calmly ordered, "Step back. It's not surprising that Miss Qin, being of noble birth, is favored by others."
"Uh, yes, yes, I'll take my leave now."
After the prefect left in a daze, there seemed to be some movement inside, and Li Xu, disregarding his status, barged in.
Before he could even enter the inner courtyard, a woman in a green dress blindfolded him and pulled him out. "Your Highness, what are you doing in Miss's courtyard?"
Yun Qian's hands had become much rougher from grinding medicine in Qingze, and the sensation was even more noticeable when she touched Li Xu's face.
He grabbed Yun Qian's hand and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"
Yun Qian found it unbelievable: "What could possibly be wrong with me?"
"I'm glad my sister is alright. I was worried they might accidentally hurt you."
Li Xu looked up at her and smiled faintly. He had seen too much in the palace: the conflicts between masters leading to the tragedies of innocent subordinates.
Yun Qian glanced at him dismissively, as usual: "Mind your own business. Don't come to the young lady's courtyard so often, lest you run into something else."
Li Xu understood immediately: "Then I'll wait until they leave before I come back."
Yun Qian smiled bitterly to herself.
She never expected that in just a few months, her mistress would become a completely different person, and what she had seen and heard in the past few days almost made her jaw drop.
Even Chunhe, who used to be obedient and timid, no longer makes a fuss.
She glanced into the courtyard. "They won't be leaving tonight, and they won't be in the future either. Just don't come here so often."
Li Xu wasn't very shocked, but asked anxiously, "Then how will I find my sister in the future?"
"What do you want? Also, we're not that different, so don't call me 'sister' anymore." Yun Qian said this and tried to leave, but Li Xu grabbed her sleeve.
"Sister, don't leave me."
Yun Qian stopped in her tracks, turned around, and saw him looking up at her with his bright red eyes.
Is she about to cry?
Yun Qian relaxed her attitude a bit, but still felt annoyed. What kind of behavior was this, pulling and tugging at each other?
She tried to pull her sleeve back, but Li Xu gripped it even tighter, appearing very dependent: "Sister, you haven't given me the clothes you mended for me yet."
Yun Qian grasped his hand, trying to pull him away: "Your Highness, you are now of noble birth, so you don't need to wear your torn clothes anymore. I will take care of them for you."
"But that was the last piece of clothing my mother left me."
He lied; he had never even seen his mother's face, and she had left him nothing.
But he just didn't want to let go. He felt like he was going to be kicked away again. If he lost those last remaining connections, the sister who depended on him for survival would never look at him again.
Thinking of this, he felt a dull ache in his heart, and tears instantly welled up in his eyes.
Yun Qian's heart softened completely, and she sighed helplessly: "With Miss's permission, I can go to Master Shen's school to listen to lectures every afternoon. Come find me there when you have free time."
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