Hier gibt es Liebe für dreihundert Tael

Kapitel 60

"And..." Qin Zhen hesitated, thought for a moment but ultimately didn't say what was on his mind. He just waved his hand and told him to leave.

After Xu Hanwen left, Qin Zhen walked out of the palace alone and went to a weapons shop in the South Market. He said to the man who was forging iron by the furnace, "Send a few experts to Tokyo to find Zhao Yong and Shuihen and bring them to me."

This burly blacksmith was actually the infamous "Iron Hammer Zhang" of the martial arts world. His pair of massive hammers were not only capable of forging unparalleled weapons, but also incredibly effective at killing. Since Qin Zhen arrived in Nanjing to care for Yelü Chun, "Iron Hammer Zhang" had been entrusted by Su Mufei to oversee Qin Zhen's operations in the area.

He wiped the sweat from his face, brandishing the hammer in his hand as he asked, "They've appeared in Tokyo? The Alliance Leader has been searching for them for years without success, but we've received news today."

Qin Zhen nodded and said, "Don't tell my third senior brother this news yet. It's not too late to give it to him after I've met with them and finished questioning them."

Iron Hammer Zhang nodded and said, "The Alliance Leader is looking for them because of you. You can do whatever you want."

Qin Zhen clasped his hands in thanks to Iron Hammer Zhang and was about to leave when Iron Hammer Zhang put down his work and called out to Qin Zhen.

"Seventh Miss, wait a minute, I almost forgot something." People in the martial arts world are used to calling Qin Zhen "Seventh Miss." After all, she is the seventh among her fellow disciples.

Qin Zhen turned around in surprise. Iron Hammer Zhang had already taken out a thin, silver whip from the shop. The whip was only about the thickness of a little finger, but it was more than seven feet long!

He handed the whip to Qin Zhen and said, "This is a nice gift that the Alliance Leader sent a few days ago. He said that Seventh Miss's birthday is coming soon, so he gave this to you as a birthday present."

Qin Zhen happily took the whip and began to stroke it repeatedly.

Iron Hammer Zhang said, "Be very careful when using this whip. It is made of the skin of the Tianshan Ice Serpent. Although the skin is inanimate, the whip still has a deadly venom because the Ice Serpent is extremely poisonous. You must not hurt yourself."

Although he didn't know what the Heavenly Mountain Ice Serpent was, Qin Zhen noticed the whip gleamed as if inlaid with silver threads. Furthermore, it was a gift from someone as "extravagant" as Su Mufei. He deduced it was a top-grade weapon and asked, "Master Zhang, does this whip have a name?"

A phoenix-shaped piece of black jade dangled from the handle of the slender whip, tied with a cord woven from black silkworm silk—an extremely luxurious piece. Iron Hammer Zhang picked up the pendant and said, "This is the famous 'Phoenix Wing'!"

Only then did Qin Zhen exclaim in surprise. The "Phoenix Wings" was the fourth-ranked treasure among the Ten Divine Weapons of the Martial World, and the only one designated for use by a woman. She hadn't expected Su Mufei to be so generous as to find it and give it to Qin Zhen!

"Thank you so much, Third Senior Brother. I must thank him in person another day!"

Putting away her silver whip, Qin Zhen bid farewell to Iron Hammer Zhang. Looking at Qin Zhen's already slender figure, Iron Hammer Zhang murmured, "'Phoenix Wings' has eradicated all evil in the world; the fledgling phoenix has grown up and is ready to leave the nest..."

The following evening, Liang Hongyu went to the Qin Jin King's Palace to see Qin Zhen. Qin Zhen had troubled Liang Hongyu for months, and seeing her exhausted appearance, he felt very guilty and thanked her repeatedly.

Liang Hongyu smiled and said she didn't deserve it: "If it weren't for you pleading for me, sister, I would still be a servant girl doing small things for you. How could I dare to accept such a favor?"

Qin Zhen also laughed and said, "Speaking of this matter, I feel like I've been meddling. Brother Han originally wanted to use his military merits to get your pardon, but who knew I would stir up trouble. I really deserve to die."

A blush appeared on Liang Hongyu's face; it seemed she had already appreciated Han Shizhong's kindness towards her.

The atmosphere turned cold after they exchanged only a few words. Seeing Qin Zhen's increasingly serious expression, Liang Hongyu tentatively asked, "You've already read the letter I wrote to you earlier, haven't you?"

Qin Zhen nodded heavily and asked, "What's the situation in Tokyo now?"

"Major General Yue and Brother Han have taken over the defense of Tokyo. The Liao army has also received the news and is sending people to fill the vacancies. However, there is still no news of Ji Wushuang. I'm afraid he has already met with misfortune..."

Qin Zhen was deeply moved, suppressing his grief, and said, "Fifth Senior Brother will definitely find Sister Wushuang, she will be alright. If anything happens to her... if anything happens to her, I will never forgive Zhao Gou!"

Liang Hongyu was startled and said cautiously, "He is a prince, and you two are so close. You should ask him first before you speak."

Qin Zhen turned his head away and said, "If things are really as Zhao Yong told you, then Zhao Gou and I have nothing to say to each other. He actually sent Zhao Yong to assassinate Sister Wushuang for his own benefit. Brother Zhao accidentally killed Sister Qiuye. This muddled blood debt should not be borne by Brother Zhao. This is a debt that Zhao Gou owes!"

In order to create chaos within the Liao Kingdom and plunge it into trouble, Zhao Gou sent Zhao Yong to do some unjust things behind the scenes. After Zhao Yong accidentally killed Qiu Ye, he not only did not return to Zhao Gou to report back, but also disappeared with Shui Hen and Qiu Ye's body. Now they reappear in Tokyo and cause Ji Wushuang to be seriously injured and disappear. The reason is unknown!

"Never mind, it's not too late to ask Zhao Yong and Shuihen when they are brought before me in a few days."

Liang Hongyu was secretly surprised. She hadn't expected Qin Zhen to have already sent people to find those two people. How fast!

Just then, Xu Hanwen knocked on the door and came in to report, "Princess, Prince Jin has sent an invitation to tomorrow's banquet. His Majesty has accepted it on your behalf and asked you to remember to attend the banquet tomorrow."

Qin Zhen was embarrassed. She had completely forgotten about the marriage arranged for her by Yelü Chun because of what happened in Tokyo! Tomorrow's banquet... sigh!

This was the first time she had ever been so upset. She turned around and accidentally knocked her teacup to the ground, where it shattered.

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky 112 A Precious Birthday Gift

Sitting swaying in the carriage, Qin Zhen unconsciously clutched the hem of her clothes. The thought of this arranged meeting, which felt like a blind date, gave her a very unpleasant feeling. Recalling Yelü Chun's wrinkled eyes, Qin Zhen felt she had no choice but to attend this banquet.

Oh well, I'll just treat this as a way to clear my head, she thought to herself.

The Prince of Jin's mansion was bustling with preparations for a banquet. The servants were all curiously anticipating the arrival of the rumored favored Princess Dingguo, while Ao Luwo and his several concubines felt somewhat nervous.

Like other princes, Ao Luwo had a concubine at the age of sixteen, but he had never married a princess. Although Consort Wen had mentioned that she would find him a princess as soon as possible, he never expected that she would suddenly tell him to marry Princess Dingguo, Yelü Mingzhen.

This was naturally something that Yelü Chun and Consort Wen had discussed and agreed upon.

He paced back and forth in the flower hall, thinking of the clever and adorable little girl, and couldn't help but chuckle; she was still just a child.

He understood the deeper reason why Consort Wen wanted him to marry Qin Zhen—it was simply to increase his political leverage. But… as he thought about it, he chuckled helplessly. What he thought didn't matter; he'd just have to see what Mingzhen had to say later.

The doorman announced that Princess Dingguo's carriage had arrived at the manor, so Ao Luwo personally went to the front yard to greet her.

Qin Zhen stepped down from the carriage and went to the front yard. Because she hadn't yet finished her training, her long hair wasn't tied up; she simply had a few small braids hanging down in front of her chest. The brisk autumn wind lifted her black hair, her dark strands fluttering, and her light green dress swayed gently. The soft fabric moved with the wind, showing that the little girl had grown into a graceful young woman.

Ao Luwo, seeing the youthful Qin Zhen from inside the house, was momentarily stunned. She was no longer a little girl…

“Brother Prince Jin.”

Qin Zhen saw Ao Luwo and was the first to call out.

Ao Luwo's unremarkable appearance was softened by a smile, adding a touch of warmth to his otherwise plain face. He beckoned to Qin Zhen and said, "Little sister is here, come in quickly."

The two sat in the flower hall, chatting idly. Qin Zhen saw that he had almost finished his tea, but he still couldn't find a topic to talk about with Ao Luwo.

Ao Luwo must have sensed the awkwardness between the two, so he suggested, "This is your first time visiting my residence, isn't it? Why don't I take you for a walk in the backyard? Although there's nothing particularly special about it, there's a pond of late-blooming lotuses that are blooming exceptionally well. You might want to take a look."

Qin Zhen naturally agreed, and the two got up and went to the backyard.

Having just entered the backyard, Qin Zhen could see a shimmering expanse of water in the distance. The pond, reflecting the autumn sun, shimmered with golden light, resembling a golden pool. And within this gilded pond, several large clusters of pale pink, multi-petaled evening lotuses bloomed sparsely.

The full, elegant lotus flowers, reflected in the pond water, appeared even more noble. Qin Zhen couldn't help but exclaim, "They are truly beautiful."

Seeing that Qin Zhen liked it, Ao Luwo said happily, "This kind of late-blooming lotus is different from ordinary lotuses. Its petals and posture make people feel holy. It's just a pity that it is very difficult to grow. The gardener has carefully cultivated it for several years before he was able to grow these few."

Qin Zhen said dismissively, "These few birds add a special touch to the pond; too many would just make it look tacky."

“My sister is right. I’m just an ordinary person and don’t understand these things.”

The two looked at each other, walked a few steps nearby, and then sat down to rest in the pavilion by the pond. As if by magic, Ao Luwo took out a long box from his sleeve, handed it to Qin Zhen, and said, "The fifth day of the tenth month is your birthday. Consider this a small gift for your sister. I hope you like it."

Qin Zhen was surprised. Her birthday was clearly the eighth day of the tenth month, so why did he say it was the fifth? Then she realized that the fifth day of the tenth month was the real Yelü Qin Zhen's birthday, not hers as the fake princess. However, the fact that their birthdays were so close together was a kind of fate.

Pushing the box back, Qin Zhen said to Ao Luwo, "Your Highness Prince Jin, you know my identity. I cannot accept this gift."

Ao Luwo had met Qin Zhen at Xiangguo Temple before Qin Zhen came to Liao, and knew very well about her relationship with Yelü Huandi, so Qin Zhen spoke frankly about it.

Ao Luwo still stuffed the long box into Qin Zhen's hands and said, "You should still call me brother. No matter who you were before, I will only consider you my cousin now. Isn't that better?"

Qin Zhen accepted the box, but said something that saddened Ao Luwo: "I'm honored and happy to be your sister, but I only want to be your sister, is that alright?"

Ao Luwo hesitated for a moment before saying, "What's wrong with that... Don't take what others say to heart, I will never force you."

Qin Zhen looked at Ao Lugan with delight, his eyes so bright they were almost blinding. Having received Ao Lugan's promise, Qin Zhen became much more carefree, no longer as reserved as before, and happily spent the whole day playing in the Prince of Jin's residence.

When Qin Zhen returned to her room that evening, she realized she hadn't opened her "birthday present." When she finally did, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

The box contained nothing but a few colorful hair ribbons, yet these ribbons were shimmering with iridescent colors, like flowing, colorful liquid.

Qin Zhen picked it up and examined it closely. The shimmering silver and gold parts were inlaid with silver and gold wire, while the other colorful glitter was the light refracted by tiny gemstones. My goodness, such precious materials and such exquisite craftsmanship couldn't help but amaze her, even though she had seen many treasures.

This gift is quite heavy!

When Yelü Chun heard the servants in his household report on everything that had happened to Qin Zhen at the Prince of Jin's residence that day, his brows naturally relaxed. It seemed that what he had worried about had not happened, and the two children seemed to be getting along very well.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the Prince's mansion, Xu Hanwen secretly released a carrier pigeon containing Qin Zhen's recent words and actions, only this time the recipient was Zhao Gou.

Qin Zhen secretly watched Xu Hanwen's every move, smiled faintly, and turned to walk away.

Three days later, on the seventh day of the tenth month, a short arrow with a letter attached appeared in Qin Zhen's room. After she opened the letter and read it, she quickly went to the weapons shop in the south of the city. Iron Hammer Zhang had already captured Zhao Yong and Shuihen!

Qin Zhen's long hair was blown into disarray because she had arrived in a hurry. Seeing her anxious appearance, Tie Chui Zhang knew she was in a hurry and took her to the basement without saying a word.

In the dimly lit but fairly tidy basement, six burly men guarded two people wearing black hoods. The two men were tied to two large chairs and could not move at all.

"What have you done to those two?" Qin Zhen asked, somewhat worried upon seeing the scene.

Iron Hammer Zhang said, "Seventh Sister, don't worry, they are fine. They just resisted fiercely when they were captured, so we had to take some measures."

Hearing him say that, Qin Zhen was relieved and stepped forward to remove the hoods from the two of them.

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky 113 A Tragedy Born of Cruelty

The colored hood was removed, and Zhao Yong's pale face appeared in front of Qin Zhen. He glanced at Qin Zhen, and then lowered his head.

Qin Zhen removed the rope binding Zhao Yong's tongue and had the people around him untie him. Seeing Zhao Yong's disheveled appearance with his hair and stubble, Qin Zhen felt heartbroken.

"Brother Zhao, are you... alright?"

Zhao Gou remained expressionless and did not reply, leaving Qin Zhen at a loss for what to do.

Iron Hammer Zhang said from the side, "Hey, that's strange. A few days ago, when he knew we were going to bring him to see you, he resisted like crazy, but now that he's seen you, he doesn't react at all."

Shuihen, whose head was still covered, recognized Qin Zhen's voice and struggled violently. Seeing this, Qin Zhen quickly told everyone to untie Shuihen.

With red eyes, Shuihen glared at Qin Zhen and said the first thing: "Kill Zhao Gou!"

Qin Zhen's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at the watermark, then turned to Zhao Yong and asked bitterly, "Did you really kill Feng Ye? Did Zhao Gou send you?"

Upon hearing her question, Zhao Yong trembled, his face contorted in pain. Shuihen also became agitated, and the burly man beside him quickly restrained him.