Chapter 319 Upright and Honest
The servant of the Pei family said anxiously to the two of them, "Master, the family physician is helpless, so the eldest young master sent someone to the princess's residence to ask the princess for help. The princess said she would bring the imperial physician with her to the Pei residence."
The Crown Prince was taken aback upon hearing this, as he did not want Qin Jinzhi to know about his meeting with Pei Qing.
Pei Qing breathed a sigh of relief, "That's great, let's go back to the manor quickly!"
As the group walked to the entrance of the restaurant, Pei Qing came out and saw Pei Jinnian waiting outside.
Pei Jinnian frowned slightly when he saw the Crown Prince clearly.
"Jin Nian, what are you doing here?"
Seeing Pei Qing's flustered expression, Pei Jinnian quickly asked, "I just finished my shift. What happened? Why is Grandfather so flustered?"
Pei Qing said anxiously, "Your grandmother's heart condition has flared up again. Come home with me quickly."
Pei Jinnian's expression changed drastically, "What!"
The Crown Prince then spoke, "Since I have encountered Jin Nian, I will not disturb the Pei residence for now. I will visit my master's wife when she is feeling better."
Pei Qing nodded, "Thank you, Your Highness."
The grandfather and grandson hurriedly boarded the carriage.
The moment the car started, the panicked look on Pei Qing's face vanished.
"Guanyan, go to South Street."
The servant outside the carriage immediately replied, "Master, are you going to South Street to buy Nan Si wontons for Madam? Zhang Da Sao's shop has moved to North Street, so we need to go there to buy them."
Pei Qing hummed in agreement, "Let's go to North Street."
Pei Jinnian looked puzzled. "Grandfather, let's go back to the manor to visit Grandmother first."
Pei Qing said calmly, "Your grandmother is fine, it's me who's in trouble if I can't take these wontons back."
Pei Jinnian suddenly looked at Pei Qing, "Are you trying to deceive His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Pei Qing calmly asked, "What kind of person do you think the Crown Prince is?"
Pei Jinnian had no prior experience with the imperial court, but he had heard rumors of the Crown Prince's incompetence.
After entering the imperial court and the Crown Prince came to court, Pei Jinnian felt that the rumors were untrue.
At least the Cui and Du families wouldn't have fallen so quickly if it weren't for the Crown Prince's relentless attacks.
"While His Highness the Crown Prince may not be a wise and powerful ruler, he is unlikely to be the incompetent heir apparent as rumored."
Pei Qing said, "The world only knows that I lost interest in the court because of Yunxiao's death and resigned to go home. But there is another reason that no one knows: I discovered that the Crown Prince had deceived me."
Pei Jinnian looked at Pei Qing with some disbelief.
Pei Qing's gaze deepened. "The one who sits on the dragon throne now has climbed to the top after going through countless mountains of corpses and seas of blood. What's so surprising about his son being able to deceive me?"
He initially wanted to teach the deposed crown prince a lesson, but the crown prince played along, pretending to be a crown prince who was estranged from the emperor and empress.
Pei Qing never discovered the flaw in it all these years.
However, he deliberately revealed a flaw after Pei Yunxiao's death.
It can be said that the last straw that broke Pei Qing's back was the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince's cunning and ruthlessness are evident.
Pei Qing has now joined Qin Jinzhi's tutelage.
But after such a long period of observation...
There always seemed to be a barrier between the Crown Prince and Qin Jinzhi.
It was like being on guard, like being afraid.
Logically speaking, the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion is the royal family's support, and Qin Jinzhi's actions also show that she will support the crown prince's ascension to the throne without hesitation.
The prince's little schemes are worth pondering.
Therefore, the Crown Prince arranged to meet him at the restaurant because he did not want Qin Jinzhi to know.
He probably guessed why the Crown Prince wanted to see him, so he arranged for someone to call him away under a pretext.
The Crown Prince now wants to consolidate his power, but he's poaching people from Qin Jinzhi's side, who has always helped him. This is something to think about.
When Qin Jinzhi finished her shift that day, the Chen family's carriage was waiting outside her door.
The servant boy from the city government stepped forward with a smile, "This humble servant greets Your Highness. Miss sent me to fetch you."
Qin Jinzhi arrived at the Chen residence and went to Chen Ning'an's courtyard.
For once, Chen Ning'an, who was usually frail, had a rare flush on his face.
She stepped forward and pulled Qin Jinzhi over, saying, "Jinzhi, come here quickly."
Qin Jinzhi followed her into the room.
Inside the room, there was a wedding dress that had already been embroidered.
Chen Ning'an said with a delighted expression, "The craftsmanship of the masters at Rongxiu Workshop is truly excellent."
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it."
Chen Ning'an said, "My wedding with the Nineteenth Prince will be in three days. I don't know when we will meet again after leaving the capital. Jinzhi, you must stay safe and sound in the capital."
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "I know, take good care of yourself in Kaizhou."
Chen Ning'an coughed twice, walked to the dressing table next to him, and took out a purse from a box.
"This is the only embroidered pouch I've ever successfully made; I put a good luck charm inside."
Qin Jinzhi looked at the embroidered pouch and couldn't make out what kind of purse it was. She pursed her lips and said, "I will definitely carry it with me at all times."
As he spoke, he tied the purse around his waist.
It looked strangely out of place hanging next to the jade pendant and jade ornaments at Qin Jinzhi's waist.
Chen Ning'an looked at it, a slight look of disdain on his face, "It is a bit ugly, huh."
Qin Jinzhi smiled and then said, "You will be married in the palace in three days and then leave the capital. Take good care of yourselves."
The two stayed in the courtyard for a while, and then General Chen sent someone to invite Qin Jinzhi.
Qin Jinzhi arrived at General Chen's courtyard.
General Chen stepped forward and was about to kneel down, "Greetings, Young Master!"
Qin Jinzhi quickly helped him up, saying, "General Chen, there are no outsiders here, so let's not stand on ceremony."
General Chen was beaming with joy at the thought of his granddaughter getting married.
He stepped forward and said, "Young Master, I have a question I would like to ask you to answer."
Qin Jinzhi nodded. "Please go ahead."
General Chen's expression turned serious. "Although Dian Fengyang betrayed his master, he would never be a traitor within the army. He doesn't have that ability. So, is Huo Tingshan the traitor or not?"
Qin Jinzhi chuckled lightly, "General Chen is indeed wise, but Uncle Huo is not the mole."
General Chen looked at Qin Jinzhi: "Does the young master intend to use Dian Fengyang's death to quell the rumors in the army? This is not the behavior of a gentleman."
Qin Jinzhi chuckled upon hearing General Chen's words, "A gentleman? Is my father a gentleman?"
General Chen's expression shifted. "Ziyi is indeed a gentleman!"
Qin Jinzhi stopped smiling. "But his fate was to be pierced by a thousand swords."
General Chen was taken aback, and then he heard Qin Jinzhi say, "Being upright and honest is certainly a quality that a general should have, but has General Chen ever thought about whether being upright and honest can actually protect the Zhenbei Army?"
Qin Jinzhi looked at General Chen.
"The battlefield is dangerous, but the struggle in the imperial court is even more dangerous than that. If you are not careful, a million-strong army will become a pawn in the struggle for power."
They are warriors who defend their country; they can die on the battlefield, but they cannot die amidst the intrigues and schemes of the court.
"Isn't it naive of General Chen to expect me to be upright and honest?"
Qin Jinzhi's words made General Chen's eyes flicker.
This is the last child in the Qin family, and he is only eighteen years old now.
Yet, amidst the turbulent political landscape of the imperial court, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of being the young master of the Zhenbei Army with his frail body.
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