Chapter 50: Qingzhong and Wan'er become a pair of doomed lovers. ...
Seeing the person on the bed's eyelashes flutter, Zhang Xun knew she had woken up. He pressed the blade even closer, and Shi Wan had no choice but to open her eyes and look at him.
In the darkness, the man in front of me was vaguely outlined, with a straight nose, thin lips, and a fierce look in his eyes.
The cold blade pressed against her neck, but Shi Wan's expression remained unchanged, only her heart suddenly pounded. She smiled at him, "Your name is Zhang Xun, right?"
"The poison in my medicine, was it your doing?"
Zhang Xun was taken aback. He hadn't expected that the young woman's surprise would only last a moment, and that she would catch him off guard right from the start.
Before he could answer, Shi Wan continued, "Moreover, you came to kill me secretly tonight, were you trying to frame someone else?"
After speaking, seeing Zhang Xun's surprised and uncertain expression, Shi Wan smiled and said, "Are you curious about how I know?" Wan Hou Fulin wanted to protect her life for the time being, so the only remaining possibilities were the other two people who were at odds with him. After observing them carefully these past few days, it was not hard to see that Zhang Xun was the leader between the two.
Shi Wan rested for a while, but her head still ached slightly. When she heard the noise around her, she immediately cleared her mind. Under the dim gauze curtain, her eyes were bright and her brows were slightly furrowed, making her look quite endearing.
However, Zhang Xun couldn't muster the slightest pity at this moment. He figured that the concubine of the Prince of Jingbei was no ordinary woman who only knew how to cry and whine. No wonder such an outstanding man still had his eye on her.
He lowered his voice and said, "What does our internal business have to do with you?" As he spoke, a jade pendant hanging from his waist swayed gently. It was a single piece of white jade, as lustrous as fresh snow, and under the moonlight, some unique patterns on it were faintly visible.
Shi Wan had only been able to catch a glimpse of him from afar a few days ago, but now that she had the opportunity to admire him up close, she was momentarily shaken. Seeing Zhang Xun staring at her, she looked up and smiled at him.
In the darkness, Zhang Xun saw her smiling face and was momentarily surprised. Having dealt with people of different temperaments over the years, he instinctively felt that she might have seen through something, so he said sternly, "Are you questioning me like this because you know something?"
Shi Wan glanced at her, the blade held to her neck, and decided not to answer. She just stared at the jade pendant, looking at the pendant and then at him, a knowing look on her face.
Zhang Xun: "......"
"You say it," he said through gritted teeth, while moving the blade a few inches away.
Seeing this, Shi Wan slowly said, "The pattern on your jade pendant is a floral and bird pattern. I've seen it before." She spoke with great certainty and familiarity.
Zhang Xun hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. After staring at it for a while, he suddenly put down the dagger. "This is something belonging to my closest relative."
Close relatives? This belongs to the inner palace of the Southern Yuan royal family. How did it end up in the hands of a mere soldier? Shi Wan pondered for a moment, then suddenly guessed, "Could your relatives have served the concubines in the harem?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Xun's gaze deepened, and he withdrew the dagger that had been held against her neck.
Realizing she had the upper hand, Shi Wan sighed inwardly, then said slowly and deliberately, "Framing won't work, why not cooperate with me?" Although she desperately wanted to escape Jiang Xu, she couldn't afford to do it passively. Besides, her life was in the hands of these people, much better than being in Jiang Xu's hands...
For her, there was no difference.
Now that we have suddenly glimpsed a turning point, we must seize the opportunity.
The curve of her lips widened, her voice subtly seductive, completely unaware that her face bore a subtle resemblance to Jiang Xu's.
After a moment, he raised his lips and said coldly, "The other three are no pushovers. They outnumber you and have considerable resources and information. It would be difficult for one of you to win. Besides... you're at odds with them. Once you've dealt with me, you'll be next."
"If that's the case, why not come with me?" After saying that, seeing the faint curiosity and struggle in Zhang Xun's eyes, he said even more sincerely, "Only by cutting the weeds at the root can we prevent future troubles."
......
*
Luoyang, the majestic imperial city, stands silently in the cold wind.
After the heavy snow cleared, the palaces stretched endlessly.
Upon receiving news from the north, the eunuch hurried to the imperial study.
As the evening glow painted the sky, a golden light shone down into the imperial study, seemingly adding a touch of warmth to the child at the head of the table. After reading the memorial handed to him by the eunuch, his clear voice rang out, "Uncle, a memorial from the Governor of the Northern Mausoleum, Wang." Upon seeing this, the eunuch immediately understood and took the memorial, respectfully handing it to a middle-aged man on the other side below.
The hall was silent for a long time before the Emperor's brother-in-law, Ning Hong, finally spoke, "The Prince of Jingbei is making a great fuss about searching for his lost concubine. What does Your Majesty think... should be done?"
Food was scarce, and the people were filled with sorrow. Both the former governor of Yuanling and the former governor of Taoyuan perished in the chaos. In the north, apart from the area under the rule of the Prince of Jingbei, the only force that could rival him was the Grand Marshal of Youzhou. However, three of the thirteen prefectures had already been lost, and now the Prince of Jingbei was clearly in a stronger position.
The emperor's name was Yuan Hechen. He had only been studying in the Imperial Study for a little over a year, but he already had his own ideas about these matters. Children in the palace were always much more mature than those in ordinary families. He was not completely unaware of the many undercurrents in the court and the rumors circulating among the people.
When Ning Hong asked, Yuan Hechen concealed the dark light in his eyes, feigning deep thought, before saying with some hope, "I believe that the Prince of Jingbei genuinely cherishes this concubine, but also, he wants to take this opportunity to thoroughly investigate the spies around him." After speaking, he looked down at the head of the room with some nervousness, "Uncle, am I right?"
Ning Hong just smiled and didn't say anything.
The Prince of Jingbei is twenty-three years old this year. In just five or six years, he has seized power and completely subdued most of the northern regions. He is now enjoying great prosperity and prosperity. The more chaotic the world becomes, the more refugees will flock to his territory. People are pouring in from various small towns and through various channels. Inevitably, a few people with ulterior motives will infiltrate his territory. This is unavoidable.
When it comes to finding a concubine, opinions vary. Some might think he's infatuated with her and there's an opportunity to take advantage of him, while others might think he's deeply devoted. But regardless of the reason, it can be used to investigate the cause and wipe out spies in the army.
It took the imperial court and Youzhou two or three years to gradually infiltrate the area. Now, the Prince of Jingbei has firmly grasped power and is no longer the person they could so easily place when he first came to power.
Secondly, it was the dead of winter, and the three main forces on the grasslands—the Turks, Tatars, and Jurchens—were locked in a fierce battle. The Prince of Jingbei could not leave the blood feud between him and the Turks unavenged. Going to find his concubine at this time would allow him to venture deep into the grasslands and stir up trouble, preparing for any eventuality.
Thirdly, it could also lull the court into a false sense of security and allow them to bide their time. Even if Youzhou and the foreign tribes still kept the Prince of Jingbei trapped in the middle region, leaving him vulnerable from both sides, they might not be able to achieve much more.
"Your Majesty's words are reasonable. However, I believe there may be spies from the north in the court, and a thorough investigation is necessary."
To secure the capital, we must first secure the home front. The Turks still have the strength to fight, and they are a balance between Youzhou and the Jingbei Army. The Jingbei King is a loyal subject, and with him around, the capital can remain safe for the time being.
But if it were His Majesty… Thinking of the face of Pei Sheng, the Minister of Personnel, Ning Hong bowed with his hands clasped, “This is also to prepare for your personal rule in a few years.”
......
*
January.
Snowflakes fell softly from the sky, the bronze lamp was half-dim, and frost flowers covered the window lattice.
Since the Tatar attack, there has been no fighting for more than ten days. With the Lunar New Year approaching in February, the entire border defense area is filled with a festive atmosphere.
Not far from the Jingbei Army camp, the mansion had been completely renovated inside and out, a grand undertaking that led many to speculate that it was for the purpose of preparing for the marriage of a principal wife.
Xuanmin sat upright at the desk. He had been "invited" from Jichuan to guard the border, but his expression remained extremely calm, as if he didn't care much about anything.
Jiang Xu sat opposite, leisurely reading a book. Knowing the monk was displeased, he simply left him to his own devices for a while before saying, "I know that you have extensive connections, which is why I took such a rash step to keep you here. But these past few months, you have been residing in the Jichuan Prefectural Governor's Mansion, chanting Buddhist scriptures daily on the territory of the Jingbei Army. I privately believe that... although we are not close, we are at least friends who can chat for a while."
Xuanmin remained expressionless, bowed, and said, "Amitabha, it seems... Your Majesty has something to say to this humble monk."
Jiang Xu hurriedly smiled and said, "I dare not," then exchanged a few pleasantries before casually saying, "As the saying goes, it is not kind of an ordinary person to do deception. As a highly accomplished monk, I wonder if there is some misunderstanding in this matter?"
His assassins had been keeping watch for two whole months, and the information they had just gathered was easily obtained by Xuan Min. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but become suspicious again.
"My desire to save all living beings is the same as that of the Buddha." Having settled his doubts, Jiang Xu spoke more frankly, "However, if the Buddha insists on pursuing the imperial court, I'm afraid he will not be able to achieve his wish."
Xuanmin listened quietly, then suddenly said, "Your Majesty loves the people like your own children, and this humble monk is truly convinced." Seeing that Jiang Xu was referring to something, he raised his eyes to meet his gaze, "This humble monk once met Miss Shiwan at the residence of the Prefect of Jichuan."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu subconsciously pursed her lips and looked at him.
"I heard that Your Majesty recently achieved a great victory over the barbarians, and seeing your rather temperamental nature, I was simply moved by what I heard." Xuanmin smiled at him and returned the bow once more.
"Between romantic love and achieving great deeds, Your Majesty's actions are truly wise and upright."
Jiang Xu was taken aback, clearly not expecting that the first serious question he asked after bringing this monk here would be about this matter. After a long pause, he smiled and said, "Indeed, as the Buddhist disciple said, now that my beloved concubine has been captured, I have no heart to fight anymore." Whether you say he had ulterior motives or was indulging in love, in this world, if one seeks to be upright and honest in everything, one will be devoured by all sides in a few days.
He still has feelings for Yu Wan'er, but as a man, he cannot act solely based on his own preferences. If he were to disregard everything because of her, blindly trying to please her, and even end up surrounded by wolves and unable to do anything about it, ultimately losing power, that would be truly terrible.
Without power, one is like a sparrow on the eaves, chirping and startling. If one has no power, one may never have the chance to meet again in this life. After convincing himself, Jiang Xu glanced at Xuan Min and said, "I'm afraid I can't reach the Buddha's level of insight."
"I was born into this mortal world, and I fear I cannot escape worldly desires." Jiang Xu has already experienced the taste of power in the past few years. As the saying goes, there are gains and losses, and so far, he has never regretted it.
All he ever sought in his life was to ask himself a few questions before he died: whether he had lived up to his parents' teachings and the people he had ruled. As for anything else, he had no time to worry about it now.
Coming to his senses, the gloom in his eyes eased slightly. "The army will set off tomorrow. At that time, the Buddha can accompany me to see how these foreign tribes invade and how the court acts."
Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the roads lie the frozen bones of the dead. When the imperial relatives and nobles of Luoyang were laughing and singing and dancing, did they ever think about the widespread poverty and desolation in other places, where people had nowhere to bury their dead?
"I have no other choice." Jiang Xu's gaze dimmed slightly. He glanced at the old plum tree by the window, its branches as black as ink, and felt a pang of emotion. When he looked at the secret letter on the table again, his eyes were filled with a resolute and cold expression.
The Jurchen people have arrived at just the right time. Some people in Luoyang have already gone ahead, so he can't wait until the spring of next year.
If he doesn't return from this trip, perhaps... he and Wan'er could become a pair of star-crossed lovers.
Otherwise...
When he returns safely, he will surely take down the scroll from the high table in his study, and with the help of his paintings, he will compose another poem, "The Test of Love," for her every winter.
This is a small token of my condolences.
-----------------------
The author's note: 1. "Behind the red gates, wine and meat go to waste, while on the road, frozen corpses lie." This is from "A Five-Hundred-Word Poem Written on the Way from the Capital to Fengxian County," written by Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty.
2. The play "The Love Trial" mentioned at the end of the chapter is a Yue Opera piece, in which the male lead is a heartless man. (A subtle allusion)
3. “Relying on paintings to re-recognize” comes from “Nanxiangzi: A Poem for My Deceased Wife”, written by Nalan Xingde of the Qing Dynasty.
Finally! The female lead is about to run away again and start a new life! [Sprinkling flowers]
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