Chapter 297 Sisters Meet
The news of the murder of the envoys, both the chief and deputy, shocked everyone. Everyone knew it was Zhao Xiaofei's men who had done it. It was a universally acknowledged rule that envoys should not be executed during a war between two nations. Zhao Xiaofei's actions were simply a way of signaling his determination to fight the Jianlu to the bitter end.
Nanjing had originally hoped to ease relations with Prince Li, but now it was in an awkward position. If they didn't issue an imperial edict to reprimand him, the Nanjing central government would lose face. But if they did, what would happen if Zhao Xiaofei started a rebellion to quell the rebellion?
Before Nanjing could issue an edict! Almost overnight, across the country, in every provincial capital, a notice was posted to the people of the Ming Dynasty. It read: "I, the King Zhao Xiaofei, will never compromise with the enemy." The Jianlu were originally slaves of Li Chengliang in Liaodong, and later rebelled against the Ming Dynasty. How could there be talk of a war between two countries? Li Zicheng was originally a minor official at the Ming post station, and later took advantage of the uprising to rebel against the Ming Dynasty. It is not the same as two countries! And Wu Sangui and Kong Youde were surrendered generals and traitors. Everyone can kill them! Our Ming Empire has been established for more than 200 years. We have never submitted to the country, never paid tribute, never ceded territory, and never married off princesses. Who in the world does not know this? Our late emperor would rather die for his country than negotiate with the enemy. Anyone who now proposes submission, tribute, ceding territory, and seeking peace would be a disgrace to our ancestors. The emperor guards the national border, and the king dies for the country.
This announcement instantly ignited the flames of patriots throughout the Ming Dynasty. Especially the phrase "no submission, no tribute, no cession of territory, no marriage alliance, unwavering resolve" excited everyone who heard it!
After reading it, Empress Dowager Zhou had the imperial edict she had originally intended to issue burned. How did her husband die? She knew better than anyone else: the emperor guards the country's gates, and the king dies for the nation. Her husband had upheld his dignity with concrete actions. And she, on the other hand, wanted to negotiate peace with the rebels. She might die without ever being able to face her husband.
For the first time, Zhao Xiaofei gained the upper hand in public opinion, but some scholars still accused him of being unable to bear the consequences, provoking others without authorization, and starting a war.
Xiao Si stood there watching Zhao Xiaofei pace back and forth. Zhao Xiaofei stopped and asked, "Who else?"
"Here is the list!" Xiao Si handed over a piece of paper.
Zhao Xiaofei took the list and took a look at it. It listed the personnel, family background, occupation, and who was in the court.
Zhao Xiaofei smiled and said to Xiao Si, "Why keep this kind of person? For the New Year?" Then he made a gesture of wiping his neck.
Xiao Si understood what he meant and went down to make the arrangements. Zhao Xiaofei didn't care who you were or what your connections were. He would kill you, regardless of whether you were a Ming Dynasty scholar or a great scholar. Even if this knowledge was lost, so what? Aren't there many knowledge items that have been lost to later generations?
Late at night, countless men in black rushed into a large mansion. A night watchman, just emerging from the toilet, saw countless men in black throwing torches into the master's room. The people inside, realizing the fire, cried out. Many servants also rushed to the master's room to put out the fire, but were killed one by one by the men in black.
He covered his mouth, trembling with fear. Seeing the fire growing bigger and bigger, the master and his wife in the house, seeing no one to help, had to try to rush out of the sea of fire. As soon as they left the house, they were slashed in the neck by the ambushing men in black.
The next day, the Chen Mansion was in a mess, with dozens of charred bodies left in the house after the fire.
Such things happened one after another in Jiangnan. Xiao Si has now trained countless internal guards and his influence is growing.
In the courtyard of the Prince of Shu's mansion, Xiao Tao brought Qin Xiaomi, who had recovered from his injuries, to Qin Baobao.
Qin Xiaomi saw her elder sister dressed like a princess. She was sitting on a chair in the main hall drinking tea and did not see her younger sister come in.
Xiao Tao saw that the maid was stunned and did not greet the young lady, so he immediately said, "Why don't you greet our young lady quickly?"
Hearing Xiao Tao's words, Qin Baobao put down his teacup and said, "Didn't I tell you? I don't need it here..."
Before he could finish his words, he found his sister kneeling on the ground and bowing to him.
"Xiaomi! Xiaomi, I finally see you! Are you okay?" Qin Baobao immediately walked over and prepared to hug her.
Xiaomi finally reacted. She instantly had a mental breakdown and fell into her sister's arms crying.
"Sister, I finally see you, I finally see you! I was wrong, I was wrong! Wuuuuuu..." Qin Xiaomi kept crying.
Qin Baobao held his sister in his arms to comfort her, gently patting her back. She had been crying for a long time, her throat dry and her strength gone. Qin Baobao helped her up and asked Xiao Tao to get some water.
Xiao Tao knew that his previous attitude was bad, so he served carefully now.
Qin Xiaomi finished drinking some water, then calmed down and said, "Sister, tell my brother-in-law that I was wrong. I know I was wrong! We are still family, and I won't go back. Going back would be a dead end for me. Just ask him to find me a house in Nanjing and give me some money every year. I want to live the rest of my life in peace and quiet, and that's all!"
Qin Xiaomi finished speaking, but her sister didn't respond. Qin Xiaomi said, "Sister, what's wrong? Speak!"
"I can't possibly beg him. I just finished writing an agreement with him. If I can go back one day, we'll get divorced. It's no different from getting a divorce now!" Qin Baobao said a little frustrated.
"Sister, you are silly! What is his status now? A prince! It's normal for him to have three wives and four concubines. No matter how he wronged you in the past, we have to accept the reality. It's good for you to be a concubine now. At least we have a big house to live in and servants to serve us. It's not much worse than going back to the modern times." Qin Xiaomi said.
"It's impossible for us to be together. Once we break up, we're separated. He married Princess Kunxing here before he married me. I can't accept this kind of deception!" Qin Baobao said.
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