Chapter 67: Became a Prisoner
Song Jin went up the city wall just to join in the fun.
They were supposed to wait at the restaurant outside the East Gate, but it was cleared out and empty, with nothing to see. She then had the carriage driver stop at the Northeast Gate.
Qi Ye was a good emperor. In order not to affect the travel of most people, he only closed the main east gate, while the northeast and southeast gates remained open.
Of course, there were guards at the entrance to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering, but who was Song Jin?
She is the daughter of the current Grand Secretary, and also the Princess Mingguang who remained unscathed after hanging upside down the Duke of Ying's heir and cursing the Dowager Empress.
She also held three tokens: one was a gold token that allowed Song Shangna to enter the palace directly at crucial moments, one was the token of the Prince of Qi, and one was the token of the Princess.
Who would dare to stop them?
Anyway, the surrounding guards didn't dare to stop them. What could these lowly henchmen do about the disputes above? They figured if the sky fell, the taller ones would hold it up; there were still guards above, so let them try to stop them—that's what everyone thought.
So the mother and daughter climbed the tall city wall, layer by layer.
They had originally planned to watch the army enter the city, but once they were on the walls, that didn't seem so important anymore, because the scenery from the top was breathtaking.
The city walls of Yong'an City were undoubtedly the tallest in the Dayan Dynasty. The walls were high and thick, and standing atop them, a cool autumn breeze would blow. Looking out, the vast mountains and rivers stretched as far as the eye could see.
That was a completely different scene from what I saw while climbing the mountain.
The mother and daughter walked slowly along the wall, gazing at the magnificent landscape, their hearts filled with emotion. They were truly different from before.
Back in Si'an County, they were ordinary people, treated with utmost caution even by the lowest-ranking soldiers and officials. Now, in Yong'an City, with the Song family as their backing and the imperial family as their support, even though trouble and malice have increased considerably, they truly have no one to fear when they're out in the world.
This was a magical experience for both the arrogant and flamboyant Song Jin and the cautious Niu Tielan.
Because the city walls were high, the mother and daughter weren't afraid of being heard by the people below, and they played and joked around the walls as they walked.
When you're about a mile from the East Gate, you need to be more cautious. The guards are noticeably denser here, with each guard fully armed and sharp-eyed.
However, as mentioned before, Song Jin's nameplate was too important, and no one stopped her. After all, it wasn't a big deal; with so many officials present, couldn't a mere princess like her even be allowed to observe?
These people turned a blind eye, and Song Jin was happy to have an easy time.
She dragged Niu Tielan along, showing him around and peeking out at the city walls—the exit routes, hiding spots, escape routes, and especially the powerful crossbows and cannons.
Looking around
She stopped in front of the cannon barrel, which was covered by tarpaulin.
While called a cannon, it was essentially a bombardment machine. Although more powerful and easier to operate than a catapult, it was too cumbersome for offensive purposes and was primarily used for defense. The Great Yan Dynasty's continuous expansion and defense of its borders in recent years owes much to this device.
This thing serves as a deterrent; it's usually covered with a tarpaulin.
But there were breathing sounds inside.
Song Jin quickly sensed something was wrong and gave her mother a look.
Niu Tielan, who had been chasing the brat, stopped upon seeing this. She pursed her lips, her face filled with worry, but still resolutely ran towards the guards ahead.
Her staying would only be a hindrance.
Seeing that she had walked away, Song Jin's dagger fell from her sleeve and landed in her hand. She kicked the cannon barrel, and as a muffled groan came from inside, she immediately took the oilcloth from her hand and used it as a shield to block the attack from the person inside.
Having made a rough judgment, she sheathed the dagger in her hand, took a step forward, jumped back, grabbed the man, and slammed him to the ground. Then she broke his arm and pinned him down. She raised an eyebrow at the gray-clad man in front of her.
"Where did this little thief come from?"
The man in gray was not tall, even somewhat petite, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to hide amidst the gunfire. However, his arms were exceptionally strong, indicating he was skilled with a bow.
At this distance, ordinary arrows and archers simply couldn't reach it, but this person in front of them...
Can
Song Jin glanced at the giant crossbow sliding down the cannon barrel, then kicked it away, his expression becoming more serious.
Choosing to assassinate from the city wall at this time, if he were alone, he would be fine if caught; but if he were part of a group...
While he was thinking, the gray-clad man who had been captured reached out, and white ash exploded from his hand.
Song Jin instinctively dodged and retreated. In that instant, the gray-clad man leaped off the city wall. At that height, he would definitely die; he was indeed seeking death, suggesting he knew quite a bit.
Song Jin's expression changed when she thought of the assassins who attacked them when they left town. Without thinking, she leaped after them.
Even if I want to die, I have to see her opinion.
Just as the chase was taking place, a series of assassinations erupted from the previously calm area below.
Song Jin quickened her pace, descending the city wall. She loosened her belt and used it to restrain the assassin about to land, pulling him up and, to his astonishment, severing his tendons with a swift dagger. She then slammed the assassin's head against the wall, knocking him unconscious.
Then
"Ache"
"Ache"
"Damn it!" Song Qing squinted, pulling out her belt and re-tying it while yawning violently, her eyes burning.
Qi Zheng is right, these people in the underworld are dirty.
She thought it was some kind of poison if a kind person prepared pepper powder and chili powder.
Bastard
Song Jin gritted her teeth in anger, her eyes bloodshot, and strode towards the chaotic crowd. By the time she arrived, her guards had already surrounded Qi Ye, with shields raised on either side to ensure that even an attack of arrows could not penetrate them.
His safety is not a concern.
Seeing that they had been exposed and could not retreat, the assassins disregarded everything else and attacked the other court officials present, causing chaos at the scene.
Those with average martial arts skills fared well, while those with higher martial arts skills were locked in a stalemate with the guards.
Song Jin squinted, ignoring everything else, walked into the group of guards, grabbed a longsword, and charged forward, stabbing at one of the men who looked skilled. He shouted at the surrounding guards.
"Get out of the way, let me handle this! You damned thing, take this!"
Royal Guard: ...
Song Jin's eyes were red, his squinting eyes and a cold smile playing on his lips. His long sword pointed forward, his menacing aura suggesting he was ruthless and unapproachable. The guards instinctively stepped aside, and then they couldn't get in.
Song Jin's swordsmanship was incredibly bold, powerful, and chaotic.
The man in the fight remained expressionless under the siege of his guards, his face showing no sign of retreat, though he was actually considering withdrawing.
His bodyguards were no match for him in martial arts, but they were all well-trained and had various formations and moves. If this continued, he definitely wouldn't be able to hold out.
He was just thinking about finding a chance to escape when this reckless, crazy woman showed up.
Seeing Song Jin's arrogant "paper tiger" demeanor and her swordplay riddled with counters, the man felt a surge of joy. He drew his sword and charged forward, having already planned her escape route. Thinking it was this woman's doing, he decided to give her a quick and painless death.
He thrust his sword forward, and with a flick...
Choose again
Still picky
Can't lift it?
The man stared at Song Jin in astonishment.
Song Jin didn't care about anything else. Seeing the man in a daze was an utter disgrace. She tightened her grip, took a step forward, and with great force, kicked the man's wrist hard.
Click
The man's hand bones snapped and twisted, and with a scream, the longsword fell from his hand.
The guards were also taken aback. They didn't recognize Song Jin either, but judging from the string of badges hanging from his waist, well, he probably wasn't an assassin.
They immediately stepped forward and seized the assassin, a soldier who was also a seasoned warrior with exceptional martial skills and a deep understanding of troop deployment, making him particularly difficult to defeat.
While they were making arrests, Song Jin set his sights on other people.
Disliking the longsword, she snatched a halberd from someone and used it as a club, striking and hitting the assassin repeatedly. Whether the assassin fared well or not is debatable, but any soldiers or guards rushing to apprehend her were easily struck a couple of times if they weren't careful.
They fought so fiercely that they couldn't distinguish friend from foe.
Fortunately, the chaos didn't last long, because the number of assassins was indeed not large. The two strongest assassins who first appeared were killed by Qi Zheng, and the rest were captured by his personal guards and posed little threat.
The biggest threat, in fact, was the gray-clad man falling from the city wall.
Unfortunately, he ran into Song Jin, who stirred up trouble, before the operation even began, rendering him incapable of action from the start. He's still lying under the city wall now.
The guards systematically gathered all the assassins together, including the one on the wall.
There were a total of sixteen assassins in this group. Eleven of them were guards sent by Qingjun Prefecture, three were soldiers brought back by Song Shenzhi, one was a city guard, and the last one was the gray-clad man from earlier.
In the previous attack, four of the sixteen people died, four were seriously injured, and two were slightly injured. They are now all being led to the ground, lined up in a row.
Qi Ye's face turned ugly.
Right at the foot of the imperial city, there were assassins among his guards and soldiers stationed on the border. How many more traitors were there in other unseen places?
Ultimately, it was because he had been too soft-hearted in the past that these people had such intentions. Song Shang was right: without destruction, there can be no construction. Without crushing the backbone of this rebellious former dynasty, this land will forever remain in turmoil.
Song Shenzhi stood rooted to the spot, long sword in hand, his face icy cold. He silently watched Song Jin, who was rubbing his eyes, furiously muttering to Qi Zheng. His gaze fell on a strikingly familiar face, and in an instant, he knew who it was.
Thinking of her father, whose fate was still unknown, she felt a pang of sorrow and wanted to say something, but reason ultimately prevailed over emotion, and her gaze fell upon the panicked and weary soldiers.
He was the one who brought back these two hundred soldiers, and then three assassins appeared. As their commander, he cannot escape responsibility.
More than the worry of punishment, what weighed heavily on his mind were these three men. They were all valiant soldiers who had fought on the battlefield and contributed greatly to protecting their country. It was just a pity that they were protecting someone else's home.
Looking at the three soldiers who had been pinned to the ground, Song Shenzhi said in a deep voice, "Kong Gan, in the battle against the Northern Jin, you went alone into the enemy's territory in the dead of winter and burned their supplies, leaving them unable to fight and with no choice but to surrender. Now that you have returned, you have been awarded a second-class merit, which is at least equivalent to a sixth-rank general. Do you deserve it?"
"Pan Laosan, do you still remember your good brothers who fought alongside you through thick and thin and were ultimately killed by the enemy? They risked their lives to protect the country, yet you attempted to assassinate His Majesty. How can you face your wife who is seven months pregnant and your unborn child?"
"Zhao Gensheng, in the first half of the year, Amurin led a group to launch a surprise attack on the border town. You led an eight-man squad to deal with them and returned to inform them, preventing other brothers from being killed. Have you forgotten all of this?"
Under his stern shout, the three men lowered their heads, not daring to look him in the eye, nor to meet the disappointed and reproachful gazes of the other soldiers.
A group of two hundred people returning to the city would normally be granted titles and ranks, or at least receive rewards. But now that they've arrived, forget about any rewards; they'll be lucky if they aren't implicated and demoted.
Song Shenzhi didn't expect that a few words would be enough to make them confess. He just wanted to tell the others that even though they were now assassins and criminals, they had once risked their lives to protect their country and guarded the borders, protecting countless people.
After speaking, he looked at the soldiers behind him, then at the civil and military officials in front of him, decisively removed the long sword from his waist, knelt directly on the ground, and spoke in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, I have failed to properly educate your subjects, thus endangering Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
As he knelt down, the soldiers behind him hesitated for a moment, then quickly removed their swords and knelt down as well.
"Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Qi Ye stood there, looking at the scattered assassins, then at the unyielding soldiers before him, sighed inwardly, and then hardened his expression.
"The soldiers risked their lives on the frontier, and what wrong have you done? The rewards for your merits should still be given. However, General Song, as the commander, not only failed to identify the traitor among them, but also brought him before me, putting me and the officials in danger. His crime is inescapable, so he shall be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice along with the assassin."
...
I watched his tall building rise, and I watched his tall building collapse.
Who could have imagined that in the blink of an eye, Song Shenzhi, who was just a triumphant general about to be promoted and ennobled, would become a prisoner, as the assassins were led into the dungeon?
The rewarding of those soldiers for their merits is still a long way off, so for now, they'll return to Yunhe Garden to wait—but this time, they'll certainly be heavily guarded.
Song Jin stood to one side, her lips tightly pursed.
Before this, she hadn't really grasped the meaning of the Song brothers' words about being cautious, but at this moment, she understood why they had been telling her to be careful.
There are just too many places to set traps and frame someone.
The chances of success for such a small group of people were extremely low; a rash attack would only result in certain death. The person behind it, capable of maneuvering so many people, was clearly not stupid; he would still act in this manner.
That means they're only after Song Shenzhi.
Following Song Shang, this was another pillar of the Song family, and also a pillar of the Dayan Dynasty. If anything happened to him, the border military camps would have far too many options.
Song Jin could think of these things, and many others could too, but while they could think of them, the real decision still rested with Qi Ye.
Life or death, it all depends on his word.
If he wanted the Song family to live, he could weather this accident safely; if he wanted to take advantage of the situation to deal with the Song family, this was also an excellent opportunity.
Thinking of all this, Song Jin tensed up. She glanced around cautiously, searching for an escape route, but the feasibility was slim. Not only were there so many guards around, but her mother was still on the city wall.
Unable to escape
She quietly took a small step back, trying to minimize her presence and avoid being held accountable along with the others.
Qi Zheng stood to one side, his eyes lowered, and took a step forward subtly, his tall figure obscuring most of the view, but with little effect.
After Song Jin's arrogant and aggressive attack just now, it's too late for him to lower his profile now.
Qi Ye turned his head and only saw a small sleeve of the person. He said irritably, "Mingguang, don't think that just because you're hiding your head, I can't see you. Come out here."
Song Jin was still getting used to the name and it took her a while to realize it was her, thanks to Qi Zheng's prompting. She peeked out, her face full of flattery.
"Your Majesty, you called me? Oh dear, I was so scared! I'm so glad you're alright."
Qi Ye glared at her: "Don't give me that. You're flying and jumping around like a grasshopper. What scared you? The city wall is so high. If you, this audacious little thing, were to lose an arm or a leg, how would I explain it to your father?"
Upon receiving the signal, Song Jin immediately breathed a sigh of relief, patted his chest, and said smugly, "Go ahead and release it. I know what I'm doing. Besides, I was just worried about you. You wouldn't believe it, I was just strolling around up there, and guess what? There was an archer hiding in that cannon! Of course, I couldn't let him go. I grabbed him, and he jumped out. It was obvious he knew a lot and wanted to commit suicide. Of course, I couldn't let him get away with that!"
"You talk a good game. Alright, stop wandering around here. It's not safe outside. Go home and stay there." Qi Ye waved his hand dismissively, but the smile on his face was unmistakable, revealing his fondness for the newly appointed princess. After speaking to Song Jin, he continued...
"Minister Song"
From the crowd, a slightly haggard-looking Song Xingzhi stepped forward. The usually suave man showed no sign of a smile at this moment.
During this period, he first followed Qi Zheng to investigate the gold mine, then dealt with the Liang family, keeping himself constantly busy. Upon returning, he traveled day and night again, leaving him no time for romance. Especially seeing his third brother, whom he rarely saw again, imprisoned because of his subordinates, weighed heavily on his mind.
He bowed, forcing a smile, and said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject pays his respects and begs for forgiveness."
Qi Ye: "What crime should I punish? Your third brother was for failing to manage his subordinates properly. You have done a good job in thoroughly investigating the Liang family's affairs. You have worked hard during this time. The rest will be handled by the Ministry of Justice. Take Mingguang back and get some rest. Remember to report to the court tomorrow."
Song Xingzhi had been staying in Qingjun Prefecture and naturally knew nothing of the matter of being granted the title of Princess. Hearing the name Mingguang, he was slightly puzzled. Glancing at the person who seemed more flamboyant than usual, he didn't ask further and simply replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
...
And that was it. Qi Ye led his officials back to the palace, while the guards, fully armed, carefully patrolled the area to prevent another attack.
Qi Zheng paused for a moment, then whispered to Song Jin, "Don't worry, I'll send someone to find you if anything happens."
Song Jin's nervousness subsided considerably. She took a wrapped piece of candy from her pocket and handed it over, her eyes bright, and whispered, "I just bought this on the street. It's salty and very delicious."
Qi Zheng looked down at the candy wrapped in oil paper. The candy was in her palm, her hands calloused and her knuckles slightly protruding. Her hands were much rougher than those of an average girl, yet she could easily break someone's bones.
Brave and fearless
Recalling the image of her falling from the city wall, he gently picked up the piece of candy. His knuckles accidentally brushed against his palm, a tingling, slightly hot sensation. He withdrew his hand, lowered his eyes, and whispered, "Don't be so impulsive in the future. If the clue is lost, it's lost. Think of yourself first."
After saying that, he strode to catch up with the group in front of him.
Song Jin looked over and saw him carefully put away the candy. In an instant, his long sword stood upright in front of him, beside the carriage. He was cold and composed, with the demeanor of a swordsman, yet also possessing a touch of nobility.
handsome and dashing
At first glance, she thought he was a cold, hard bamboo, but after spending time with him, she found he was a soft-hearted, wooden bamboo.
Song Jin's lips unconsciously curved into a smile, her phoenix eyes sparkling and bright.
Song Xing had last seen Song Jin a little over a month ago. Although they hadn't spent much time together, as a seasoned player in the dating scene, he was no stranger to her appearance and immediately became alert. Coupled with his unease from what had just happened, he couldn't hide his sarcastic tone as soon as he spoke.
"Oh, it seems our Miss Song has been doing quite well in the capital these past few days."
Song Jin glanced over.
Of the five Song brothers, she hated this nagging, pretentious playboy in front of her the most. If he hadn't toned down his behavior later, she would have given him a good beating. And now he dared to speak ill of her.
Song Jin glanced at his haggard appearance and clicked her tongue in response: "He's certainly not like Minister Song. He looks weak and exhausted. He's been living a carefree life in Qing County these past few days, unlike me. I just attended some Mid-Autumn Festival banquet and got a trivial title of princess tattooed on my head. I can't compare, I can't compare at all."
Song Xingzhi, who was practically working himself to death during this period: ...
Where is justice?
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