43. A storm is brewing.
◎“She is the mistress of the General's Mansion, and she is me.”◎
After seeing Pei Tingfeng off, Xiao Pingchuan sat alone in the hall for a long time.
When he met Shi Ye and Pei Tingfeng, he was only a teenager. However, by then, he had already been fighting against the Shatuo for several years with his men and had made a name for himself.
These two, mixed in with the group, had fair skin and small frames, clearly indicating they were raised with meticulous care.
He rode past them several times on his warhorse, but didn't really look at them.
Until one day, Shi Ye returned carrying the head of a Shatuo man, the blood from the severed neck dripping all over his body.
It was only after that that he began to take these two people seriously.
Later, after they became close, they insisted on becoming sworn brothers. Although they didn't end up becoming sworn brothers, they called each other "elder brother" and "second brother" haphazardly for several years.
Back then, those two would talk about national peace and prosperity all the time. He didn't like listening to it, thinking it was just empty talk and useless. But after hearing it so many times, he started to take it to heart.
They told him to focus on the war and conquer the Shatuo; they told Shi Ye to be a good Crown Prince and Emperor, with Pei Tingfeng assisting him, and to work together to create a peaceful and prosperous era.
Ha, we haven't even started doing anything yet, and we've already become enemies.
Xiao Pingchuan thought.
Shen Suqin came to find him carrying a lantern. It was one of the two lanterns hanging on the door of the side courtyard of the Shen residence, which she had asked for.
The small lantern emitted a faint, warm yellow light, pushing aside the darkness and creating a small patch of sky.
Shen Suqin paused at the entrance of the hall, hung the lantern on the door, and then went inside.
"Why are you sitting here all alone?" she asked Xiao Pingchuan.
Xiao Pingchuan: "I need to think about something."
Shen Suqin sat down next to him. "What are you thinking about?"
"Thinking back to the past."
Shen Suqin bent her legs, covering her feet with her skirt, and said softly, "Is it difficult?"
"No."
"Pei Tingfeng didn't really come here to ask you for someone?"
"No, he came to remind me to hurry back to the North and take you with me."
"oh?"
“The Pei family has already decided to give up on the Crown Prince, and you and I are both on the Crown Prince’s side.”
"...I didn't expect the aristocratic families to react so strongly. They were probably frightened by the land tax reform."
“Yes, Pei Tingfeng said that the Crown Prince’s Palace has their spies.”
"No wonder." The chair was a bit hard, and Shen Suqin was uncomfortable sitting in it, so she leaned towards Xiao Pingchuan. "What are you planning to do next?"
"Let's bring the Crown Prince out of the Eastern Palace first."
What happens after you get them out?
Xiao Pingchuan shook his head. "I don't know."
Shen Suqin thought for a moment, "Should we give up?"
"Give up what?"
"Give up opposing the powerful families."
If she withdraws her encouragement of the poor and her land tax reform, and then goes out of the pass and lives in anonymity, Shi Ye can still be his crown prince, and Xiao Pingchuan can perhaps continue to be his general.
"Do you want to give up?" Xiao Pingchuan asked in return.
Shen Suqin shifted her body again. "I don't care. I can bring Shen Jinghe and Jiang Yao out of seclusion with me, if they're willing."
Xiao Pingchuan took a deep breath and turned to look at the dimly lit lantern by the door.
“Shen Suqin”.
"Um?"
"You can leave now."
"What!" Shen Suqin suddenly turned to look at him, her tone slightly raised.
"The capital is no longer safe for you, and I may not be able to protect you. Go out of the pass."
As he spoke, his gaze was fixed straight ahead, and the contours of his profile were sharply defined and coldly sculpted by the light and shadow.
For some reason, Shen Suqin didn't feel happy when she heard this; instead, she felt a strange sense of irritation. "And what about you?"
"I must protect Your Highness."
“You know that if you abandon him and go back to the North, you can still fight the Shatuo.”
"Too slow, I can't wait."
Shen Suqin did not delve into the matter further, but instead said, "What if we send the Black Flag Army south?"
Xiao Pingchuan remained silent for a long time before slowly replying, "That would mean the Black Flag Army is going to war with the Great Liang, which is not a good idea."
"But right now, without the Black Flag Army's deterrent, how are you going to survive?"
Xiao Pingchuan didn't want to continue the topic and instead asked, "Are you very concerned about my life or death?"
"What time is it, Xiao Pingchuan!"
Shen Suqin lowered her legs and said in a serious tone.
Xiao Pingchuan chuckled softly, "I was just asking casually."
His laughter sounded low and hoarse in the empty hall; it was so soft and faint that it was almost inaudible if you didn't listen carefully.
“Actually, as long as we find a good excuse, the Black Flag Army’s southward march doesn’t necessarily mean rebellion; it could also be…” Shen Suqin’s eyes lit up, “…protecting the emperor.”
Xiao Pingchuan's smile gradually faded.
As a precaution, he and Shi Ye had replaced most of the imperial city guards with their own men. This was their backup plan, but such a small force was utterly insignificant in the face of overwhelming power.
If what Shen Suqin said is true, then it wouldn't be impossible to stage a show that one directs and acts in himself.
“But even the fastest cavalry of the Black Flag Army would need four days and four nights to march south, let alone the infantry,” Xiao Pingchuan said. “Add to that the time it takes to send messages north, and the round trip would take at least ten days. Do we have that much time?”
"Four days and four nights, that's traveling on the official road, right? Do you know that the fastest route in the Great Liang is not the official road, but the trade route?"
"What's the meaning?"
"The official roads connect various counties and prefectures, and they are not the shortest routes to begin with. In addition, with checkpoints set up to collect taxes, merchants like us rarely take the official roads. Instead, we take the roads we have built ourselves."
She frequently exchanged goods between her various branches, unlike itinerant merchants who needed to stay in counties and prefectures; she only needed to directly connect with each branch.
Therefore, it can be said that she has her own roadmap in Daliang.
"Follow my route, and you can reach the North in three days and nights on horseback. As for delivering messages, that goes without saying; it will take two days."
Xiao Pingchuan was quite surprised; others might not understand what this meant. But for someone who had overseen the transportation of provisions and supplies, he knew better than anyone the significance of it.
"Then... would you like someone to guide us?"
"No need, I'll have Ju Tao handle the contacting of Xingyuan restaurants along the way."
At this point, Xiao Pingchuan felt much more at ease. "You really are..."
He really hadn't thought it through.
"Thank you."
Shen Suqin shook her head: "Why thank me? If I hadn't caused all this mess, you and the Crown Prince wouldn't be considered thorns in the side by the aristocratic families."
"It's not entirely because of you." Xiao Pingchuan was interrupted as soon as he started to speak.
"General, General, someone from the palace has arrived."
"Let him in," Xiao Pingchuan said.
Soon, a guard led in an unfamiliar eunuch.
The newcomer glanced around discreetly.
Xiao Pingchuan dismissed his personal guards, leaving only Shen Suqin behind.
“This…” The eunuch looked at Shen Suqin and hesitated.
Xiao Pingchuan: "She is the mistress of the General's Mansion, and she is me."
"Yes, yes. I am under Eunuch Yan's command. He sent me out quietly to deliver a message to the general."
Xiao Pingchuan: "Please speak, sir."
"The Crown Prince was placed under house arrest by His Majesty in the Mingde Hall after the court session this morning, and no one is allowed to visit him."
"Why?"
“This servant does not know. Eunuch Yan did not explain. I only know that all the people around His Highness have been executed, and not a single one has been left alive. It seems that people have also been sent from the Eastern Palace, but I do not know any more details.”
Xiao Pingchuan frowned: "I'll trouble you to pass on the message, Eunuch."
Shen Suqin stepped forward, took out a silver ingot from his sleeve, and handed it to the man, saying, "Thank you, sir."
The visitor beamed and said, "It's alright, it's alright."
Shen Suqin: "I'll see my father-in-law out."
"Thank you for your trouble."
Before long, Shen Suqin returned and saw that Xiao Pingchuan had already put on a black cloak and seemed to be preparing to go out.
"You want to enter the palace?" Shen Suqin asked.
"Yes. I'm worried they might try to kill His Highness."
"Your Majesty is willing to do this?"
Xiao Pingchuan said in a deep voice, "Even if he's reluctant, there's nothing he can do; he can't control it anymore."
"So you think you can manage it if you go in alone?"
"Most of the guards in the imperial city are my and the Crown Prince's men, so it shouldn't be difficult to get him out."
"Is this your and his backup plan?"
"I guess so."
His answer was reluctant, and Shen Suqin knew that he himself was probably unsure.
The powerful families acted too quickly, even faster than she had anticipated.
This was her mistake; she underestimated the audacity of the powerful families, who dared to even dabble in imperial power.
"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Shen Suqin asked.
"Send a message to the northern border for me, requesting two thousand cavalry and eight thousand infantry to march south. Cavalry are fast, and if anything goes wrong on my end, you can have Xu Youcai lead men directly into the palace to pick me up."
"Yes, is there any more?"
"I will leave you enough guards. I will be away from the manor for the next few days, so do not go out and wait for me to return."
Shen Suqin did not respond to him.
Is there anything else?
Xiao Pingchuan thought for a moment, then went back to his study. When he returned, he had a letter of divorce in his hand.
He handed the divorce papers to Shen Suqin, saying, "I've already written the signature. If I don't come back, you can take these divorce papers with you."
After saying that, he paused, then said with a stern face, "Divorce is better than losing your husband."
Shen Suqin lowered her eyes and glanced at Xiao Pingchuan's calligraphy. The characters were powerful and vigorous, and had their own unique style.
After reading it, she put away the divorce papers and said, "If you don't come back, I won't avenge you."
Xiao Pingchuan shook his head, looked at her seriously and said, "No need. I can't come back. Just pretend I don't exist and live your own life."
Dark clouds loomed over the city, and a cold wind rose from all sides.
At the entrance of the General's Mansion, Xiao Pingchuan mounted his horse, flung the reins, and galloped headed toward the Imperial City, his black cloak fluttering in the wind.
Shen Suqin stood under the eaves watching his departing figure, her expression cold and solemn.
After about half an incense stick's time, Xiao Pingchuan stopped alone in front of the palace gate.
Above them stood towering city walls, pressing down like a mountain.
"General, please leave your weapons behind," said the palace guard at the gate.
Xiao Pingchuan didn't bring his usual heavy sword, so he handed over a knife he had grabbed haphazardly.
"Take me to Mingde Hall," he instructed the palace servants.
"General, this way please." A palace attendant led the way.
Xiao Pingchuan followed behind, and surprisingly no one stopped him. Wasn't it said that the Crown Prince was under house arrest?
Is His Highness the Crown Prince in the Mingde Hall?
"Yes, General."
"May I see His Highness?"
"Yes, His Majesty instructed that if the general comes to see Your Highness, there is no need to stop him."
"Um."
Xiao Pingchuan's expression shifted slightly, wondering what His Majesty meant.
Upon arriving at Mingde Hall, one finds it heavily guarded by soldiers, with the hall doors tightly shut.
"General, please make yourself at home," the palace attendant said.
Xiao Pingchuan nodded.
The Mingde Hall has been abandoned for a long time, and the snow in the courtyard has accumulated to a thick layer, almost reaching the calves.
Xiao Pingchuan walked as if on flat ground, passing through layers of guards, and pushed open the palace door to enter.
"Your Highness," he called out.
There was no charcoal fire inside the hall; it was cold and damp, and the light was dim.
"Hmm..."
The sound came from the inner hall.
Xiao Pingchuan followed the sound, turned around a screen, and saw a person lying on the bed, pale-faced and breathing weakly.
"Your Highness?"
Shi Ye looked up and said with difficulty, "So you really came." He aggravated his wound and hissed coldly.
Xiao Pingchuan strode over and asked, "Where are you hurt?"
"Back".
Xiao Pingchuan reached out and touched his bones. "Luckily, your back isn't broken."
Shi Ye chuckled self-deprecatingly, "He's really getting old and soft-hearted. If it were before, he would have beaten me to death long ago if I openly contradicted him like this."
Xiao Pingchuan frowned, worried that someone might be listening in.
"What's there to be afraid of? Could things get any worse?"
"Too."
At this moment, the light inside the room became even dimmer.
A heavy shadow loomed over the two of them, reducing the remaining light by the window to a narrow beam.
Xiao Pingchuan walked to the window and looked out through the crack. Through the thicket of thorns and arrows, he saw the heavy snow falling from the sky.
"What do we do next?" he asked Shi Ye, turning around.
Let's take a gamble.
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