Chapter 141 Only One Emperor Needed
midday
The family of three sat in the courtyard. Six dishes and two soups were laid out on the square table. Many families couldn't even put together such a meal for the New Year, but it was just an ordinary meal for them.
This is what we strive for in our lives.
Niu Tielan doesn't like to eat meat. In previous years, she ate too much meat to maintain her health. She prefers to eat vegetarian food, especially now that winter has just passed, and a bunch of crisp and tender green vegetables are incredibly fresh.
In comparison, Song Jin is a pure carnivore; she sits there, chewing a single leaf of vegetable for ages without being able to swallow it.
The mother and daughter present a stark contrast.
Qu Maoze, on the other hand, became the most normal person. He ate meat and vegetables, and as he ate, there would always be more meat and vegetables in his bowl. He didn't say anything, but slowly finished eating them and then gave them to the others.
A balanced diet of meat and vegetables is essential for good health.
He was dressed in white, sitting upright at the table with his back straight yet relaxed and at ease. His robes were loosely tied, and he picked up the dishes in front of him with delicate touches. His eating movements were very elegant, chewing slowly and carefully. He looked like a gentleman, as bright and clear as the moon.
Song Jin sat opposite her, one hand supporting her chin, the other hand clutching an old, bloodstained sachet. She absentmindedly chewed on a vegetable leaf, her phoenix eyes blazing with a fiery intensity, even more so than usual.
After a long while, she came to her senses and asked, "What was the previous dynasty like?"
The couple both froze and looked at her.
Niu Tielan put down her chopsticks, her almond-shaped eyes filled with complex emotions: "Why are you asking about this?"
Speaking of the previous dynasty, she was a typical victim.
The dog emperor only cared about his own carefree life and didn't care about the lives of the people. As a result, those below him were also fearless, leading to layer-by-layer collapse and rampant corruption. There were many people who would destroy an entire family just to please someone.
That is why, even if they knew of the Yu family's crimes, they could not act on them—the resentment of the previous dynasty would lead to the disintegration of the new dynasty, and if the source were truly traced, the court would be thrown into turmoil again, and only the common people would suffer.
They can only search for evidence under the new regime and new laws to reform the system.
Of course, if you want to settle a personal grudge, you can quietly send someone to silence them to vent your anger. These days, there are too many things that have no beginning or end, and sometimes the higher-ups don't necessarily have to trace the root of the problem.
However, the Yu family is not an ordinary family, and it wouldn't be good if things got out of hand.
Moreover, death does not mean the end of resentment. Compared to simply erasing a tall building, Niu Tielan and Ruan Donglin, father and daughter, tacitly agreed that they would rather see the tall building collapse, crumble, and be annihilated along with the city.
Song Jin, on the other hand, prefers the former.
The mother and daughter are very different in every way. One is as gentle as water, using softness to overcome hardness and surrounding with layers of strength; the other is as hard as steel, charging forward and sweeping away everything.
Therefore, Niu Tielan did not intend to tell Song Jin about the Chu family's affairs. Besides the inherent mindset of a parent taking responsibility, she genuinely disliked the way people caused trouble and did not intend to conspire with them.
Song Jin is straightforward and honest, so when her mother suddenly asked her this, she knew Song Jin was up to something.
Niu Tielan glanced at her: "What trouble are you going to get into this time?"
Song Jin clutched the brocade pouch and muttered, "I wouldn't understand even if I told you. You guys should answer my questions first."
What exactly was the situation with the previous dynasty?
When Song Jin was born, the new dynasty had been established for four or five years. Although the economy had not yet recovered, the political situation was orderly. There were some scoundrels, but the laws were strict and the overall situation was acceptable. People followed the rules and were well-organized.
Humans, though their lives are as fragile as grass, are also as resilient as wild grass. With a little spring rain, they sprout everywhere, covering the earth in just a few years, hiding the decay of the past and sprouting new shoots.
Song Jin couldn't quite imagine the situation in the previous dynasty. After all, in the apocalypse she lived in her previous life, power was intertwined and powerful figures stood everywhere. Whoever wanted to be the only one in charge could issue an order and everyone from top to bottom would follow suit.
You can usually only find it in dreams.
In the apocalypse, might makes right, and those with power shouldn't expect others to obey them.
Just like Song brocade.
She would still carry out the mission from her past life, but no one in the base leadership dared to dream of her following the steps exactly as they were told.
Therefore, Song Jin found it hard to imagine that someone, in the midst of a happy and leisurely life, would reminisce about the days when they were a lackey, willing to bleed, exert themselves, or even risk their life, just so that the master who enslaved them could live a better life.
He was indeed quite ill.
Song Jin didn't understand. If it were her, she would feel guilty for not killing her master, given all the suffering she had endured. She looked at her mother with a puzzled expression, trying to find the logic in her words.
Looking into her bright eyes, Niu Tielan thought for a moment and said, "In the previous dynasty, the one that impressed me the most was a county that suffered from a locust plague. The crops had failed completely, and the authorities not only failed to provide disaster relief but also allowed the local authorities to increase taxes, causing tens of thousands of people to sell their children, starve to death, die of disease, and then a plague broke out, eventually forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee everywhere."
She heard this when she was in the girls' garden. They said these things to keep the girls in line. After all, without the girls' garden, they might have been among those who suffered, instead of enjoying good food and drink there.
But what was Niu Tielan thinking at the time?
She thought that if it weren't for people like the women in the garden, the world wouldn't be in such chaos. If there were more gentlemen and heroes who could rebel against the world and wipe out these bastards, the world would be different.
It really is different now.
Niu Tielan sighed with some emotion: "Although Dayan has many problems now, compared with the previous dynasty, it is like heaven and earth. Our emperor is truly wise."
"Only His Majesty is wise?" Qu Maoze swallowed his food, put down his chopsticks, stared at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said in a leisurely tone, "Is he the only one who is capable?"
Niu Tielan: ...
Qu Maoze smiled and said, "Litai Prefecture suffered from continuous drought, and locusts also swept through the area. Some counties and districts had no harvest. Local officials took advantage of the situation and tried to seize the extra land, so they increased taxes. In the end, this led to a rebellion among the local people. Led by a young man surnamed Song, they occupied the county and prefectural cities. Unfortunately, there was no surplus food, and a plague broke out. So they went north to search for food and eventually came to Qijia in the north, thus beginning a new chapter in the history of Dayan."
Song Jin's lips twitched, and he slowly added, "This is also the beginning of Song Shang's path as the chief minister."
The mother and daughter looked at him with mixed feelings, and said in unison, "Shameless."
Qu Maoze laughed: "Isn't that how it is? That's what everyone in the teahouses outside says."
Song Jin rolled her eyes at him and added bluntly, "We should also add that it was also the main reason why he was arrogant and overbearing. We are grateful for His Majesty's wisdom. Otherwise, a treacherous minister like him should have been exiled to Lingnan and the northern desert long ago."
Qu Maoze raised an eyebrow: "Then you went back to your hometown?"
The mother and daughter rolled their eyes in unison.
Putting aside everything else, this person is incredibly shameless.
Seeing the mother and daughter like this, Qu Maoze chuckled softly, took a sip of soup, and said leisurely, "The former dynasty, any normal person would spit on it. If you put a tombstone of the former dynasty on the road, it would be trampled into a pit in no time. But if you put up a monument that says 'Restore the former dynasty, destroy the Great Yan,' then some fools will be unable to resist adding a line."
"After all, if you succeed, you'll become a duke or marquis, and you can also wreak havoc on the people and become a superior person. It's a great deal. As for failure, you'll just lose your life. A fool can't think that far ahead."
Concise and to the point.
Song Jin suddenly realized.
This is because, for normal people, the previous dynasty was inhumane. But for scoundrels, the previous dynasty was paradise, a place where they could commit evil deeds, oppress the people, and rule as kings, satisfying their vanity.
However, despite her understanding, Song Jin still had a question. Clutching the brocade pouch, she asked, "Then, what if someone really wanted to restore the previous dynasty?"
Qu Maoze chuckled softly and pointed to the crabapple blossoms beside him, saying, "Two months ago you were still clinging to the crabapple blossoms, do you still want to cling to them now?"
Song Jin looked over and saw that the crabapple blossoms had almost all withered and were scattered everywhere. She had no intention of hugging them. Even if she really liked them, they would be next year's crabapple blossoms.
She paused, then muttered, "It seems I've never actually heard of any successful examples of restoring a nation."
Qu Maoze raised his lips: "The rise and fall of a nation depends on the right timing, the right place, and the right people. How can it be so easy? You can't just let it fall or rise again as you please. What kind of waves can a rat in the gutter stir up?"
Song Jin pouted: "That's hard to say. If there are too many rats, it could turn into a plague, which would be a real problem."
Qu Maoze looked at her and found her adorable no matter how he looked at her. She was indeed his daughter. He stroked his chin and chuckled, "Then someone else will take care of it."
Song Jin rolled her eyes at him, put away the brocade pouch, put away her idle thoughts, picked up the bowl and started eating heartily.
There was a lot of food on the table, but both the father and daughter had big appetites and always managed to finish it all.
Seeing that she had regained her appetite, Qu Maoze smiled and picked up his chopsticks again. He looked at Niu Tielan, who was frowning and looking worried, and gently shook his head.
As children grow up, how can parents manage everything?
Niu Tielan pursed her lips and began to eat absentmindedly.
**
It was late at night.
With a creak, the tightly closed door opened gently.
Song Jin changed into a jet-black night outfit, and her head was also wrapped in a black cloth, revealing only a pair of narrow phoenix eyes. In addition, she held a mask in her hand, hung it on her head, and then she would not recognize anyone.
She was tall, and with a little disguise, she looked like a man standing there. When she walked, she strode with long strides and swaggered around. No matter how you looked at her, she was a slightly thin young man, and it was hard to match her with a woman, let alone a princess.
She walked out with her chin tilted back, her eyes fixed straight ahead.
Qu Maoze stood under the courtyard gate, suppressing a laugh, and coughed lightly.
Song Jin's composure was shattered. She glared fiercely and gritted her teeth: "Be careful, or I'll kill you to silence you."
Qu Maoze chuckled softly, then stretched out his hand. Under her wary gaze, he opened his palm, revealing a golden beetle-like creature in his hand, its entire body golden, like gold, glittering and shining.
He laughed: "Little golden worm, when you pinch its belly it will release a special smell, and even with special methods it is difficult to track."
Song Jin grabbed the insect and held it in her palm, then looked up at him: "That's it?"
Qu Maoze leaned against the wall, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Come back early, or your mother definitely won't be able to sleep."
Song Jin pouted and muttered, "It's so annoying how they meddle in everything."
Qu Maoze looked at her with a smile, without saying a word, and simply stood in front of her.
After a while, Song Jin looked away and said, "I know, I'm not stupid."
Qu Maoze smiled and gently patted her head: "Go ahead, be careful."
Song Jin pressed down on the corners of her mouth, tilted her head back, hummed softly, and then flew up to the top of the wall, disappearing in no time like a night hawk.
Her target this time is the Chu family.
Lao Luo was a good yamen runner, but not a good friend, nor could he be considered a good subordinate.
He once fought Song Jin with swords for his master, but before his death, he broke with his master, revealing his true identity.
So incredibly stupid, it makes you both hate and pity them.
Their lives, their fates, were like kites, bound to others' hands for their entire lives. Once the string broke, they were swept away by the wind.
In the final moments of his life, Lao Luo also passed away amidst inner turmoil.
On the one hand, he was worried about his master and dared not write too clearly; on the other hand, he was also worried about Song Jin and left several names, among which the name Chu Cheng'an appeared several times.
At the same time, there is another name for him.
Qu Chengan.
Qu was the surname of the previous dynasty's emperor. The old emperor of the previous dynasty was licentious and feared that his own children would seize the throne. He killed several of his sons and grandsons, leaving behind some young and weak children. Although they died one after another on the way to exile after the establishment of the new dynasty, Qu was the surname of the previous emperor.
But it's normal for one or two to slip through the net.
Small fish and shrimp can't make waves on their own, but if there's a big fish hiding behind them, you never know.
Song Jin didn't care about all that. In the end, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good soldier, and an ambitious person who doesn't want to be an emperor is a coward. There are always people like that in every era. As long as they don't cross her line, it's none of her business.
The premise is that you don't offend her.
What Lao Luo left behind couldn't be considered evidence, but Song Jin wasn't some proper yamen runner or inspector, so he only took action when the evidence was conclusive.
She walked skillfully across the rooftops and courtyard walls, bypassing the patrolling soldiers and yamen runners, acting as an outlaw as always, and thus arrived at the Chu family's territory.
Compared to the university-level guards at the Prince Qi's Mansion, the guards here are only kindergarten-level. Although the cowardly headmaster has some skills, who would kidnap a child in front of the headmaster?
She slipped into the room as quietly as an eel.
Chu Cheng'an had already fallen asleep. He had fair skin and an elegant demeanor, making him a truly handsome man. However, his health was indeed poor, with a pale complexion, likely due to a heart problem. But if he took good care of himself, given his family background and status, he would be able to live a normal life, aging, sickness, and death without any issues.
What a pity.
Song Jin crossed her arms, looked at the person lying on the bed, took out some medicine powder from her brocade pouch, poured it into the person's mouth, and then sat down to wait.
When it was almost time, she went over and shook the person awake.
In a daze, Chu Cheng'an saw himself wearing a yellow robe and sitting on the throne. The entire hall was empty, and his most trusted uncle was kneeling at his feet.
He was inwardly excited, but kept a calm expression: "Uncle, we succeeded."
Uncle Chu Shao also laughed: "We have succeeded, Your Majesty, the world is yours."
Chu Cheng'an humbly replied, "Uncle, you're being too polite. Without you, where would I be today? This world belongs to us, uncle and nephew."
Chu Shao was moved: "Your Majesty, I knew it was right to help you. This world belongs to the Qu family, and you are the ruler of the world. That wretched girl Song Jin is already imprisoned. What are you going to do with her?"
Although the turn of events was somewhat abrupt, the thought of the woman who had rejected his marriage proposal and looked down on him filled him with a sinister smile: "Didn't she prefer women with strong bodies? Cripple her martial arts, throw her into prostitution, let her be slept with by a thousand men and trampled by ten thousand..."
Chu Shao smiled and said, "I'll arrange it."
With such deep-seated hatred, if he doesn't die, who will?
She clenched her fist and asked again, "Now that the realm is at peace, how should we arrange the bestowal of titles and promotions? Those loyal soldiers are still waiting for your decree."
Chu Cheng'an had been waiting for this scene for far too long. He could no longer contain his excitement and said without thinking, "Uncle, you have treated me like your own father, so you shall be granted the title of Prince Kang. My brothers and sisters, though they haven't contributed much, shall be granted the titles of Marquis and Princess. General Shen, who has endured hardship and humiliation, shall be granted the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery. As for the fools of the Liang family, they cannot be touched for now. Since they are hiding in Yunlu Prefecture, let's make do with the title of Marquis of Yunlu to appease them, and deal with them later..."
Without the slightest hesitation, he meticulously arranged the positions of each of his relatives and subordinates based on their known achievements. Seeing his uncle's astonished and admiring gaze, as if he were looking at some unparalleled talent, he became even more enthusiastic.
See, Uncle always treats himself like a child, even suppressing his studies and exams. Now you know he's not a child, right?
He knows what's good and bad, and he knows what he should do.
Old grudges from the previous dynasty, family feuds and national hatred—for the sake of restoring the country, Chu Cheng'an has suppressed too much in his heart over the years, living cautiously every day, only able to indulge in his dreams. Now, his dream has come true.
Overjoyed, Chu Cheng'an also felt tired and exhausted. As he spoke, he closed his eyes and murmured, "Uncle, we succeeded..."
"It can be considered a success." Song Jin looked at his closed eyes, placed her palm on his chest, and used her inner force like a shockwave to shatter his heart meridian. She sighed, withdrew her hand, and smiled slightly, "At least it was a success in the dream."
To die so quietly is too good for him.
Forget it, I'll do it for Lao Luo's sake.
Song Jin murmured, "Old Luo, you can reunite down here. In a few days, the others will come to join you."
This can be considered a small token of her appreciation from her old friend.
She stood at the head of the bed, watching the former prince completely lose his life, before turning back.
The victor is king, the loser is villain; this world only needs one emperor.
It's fine as it is now.
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