As he spoke, he suddenly drew his sword halfway out of his hand, revealing its gleaming silver blade.
In all her life, Yao Youqing had never been spoken to so fiercely before. She shrank back in fright, grabbed Zhou's mother's sleeve, and her eyes immediately reddened.
Madam Zhou was furious. She shielded the young man behind her and shouted at him, "How dare you! Our young lady is the late Emperor's chosen Princess Consort of Qin, and the Prince of Qin himself has given his consent! Who do you think you are, daring to draw your sword in front of our young lady? Are the weapons of the Jingyuan Army meant to be used against our own people?"
The commotion attracted the attention of many people around. The young general had only drawn his weapon on impulse, and now, holding the hilt of his sword, he stood there in a dilemma. He didn't want to admit defeat so easily, but he also didn't dare to do anything to them.
Just then, someone came to deliver a message, saying that the prince had ordered them to continue on their way. A man who looked more amiable walked over, patted the young general on the shoulder, and pushed his sword back to him. He whispered in the young general's ear, "Alright, if this gets out of hand and disturbs the prince, no one will be happy. Hurry up and pack your things and let's go."
The man snorted coldly, glared at Zhou's mother, and turned to leave.
Zhou's mother and Yao Youqing stood there, watching as the people who had just been scattered everywhere mounted their horses and the procession was about to set off, but they still hadn't seen the King of Qin.
The person who had persuaded the young general to leave saw that they seemed really anxious, so he went over and said, "Miss Yao, please get in the carriage first. I'll go to the front and ask Douzi if he can come over and take a look at your maid."
Yao Youqing and Zhou's mother did not know who the "bean" he was talking about was, but it sounded like someone who knew medicine, like a military doctor.
In other words, there are actually military doctors in this team, but the person just now didn't pass on the message to them not to let them come and see.
When Zhou's mother turned to look ahead, she saw that the commotion hadn't alerted the people in front, so she knew that their cars must have been deliberately separated.
This team belongs to the King of Qin. Who else but him would give such an order?
Feeling helpless, she could only nod and say, "Then thank you very much, soldier. May I ask your honorable name?"
The man waved his hand: "My name is Feng Mu, but everyone calls me Wood. You'd better get in the carriage quickly, or the prince will be really angry if we delay our journey."
After saying that, he turned his horse around and returned to the group.
Only then did Zhou's mother take Yao Youqing into the car. Yao Youqing's eyes were red and she didn't say anything. Zhou's mother thought she was frightened, so she patted her shoulder and said, "Miss, don't be afraid. That person just looks fierce. He wouldn't dare to do anything to us."
Tears welled up in Yao Youqing's eyes after those words, and she said with self-reproach, "I'm sorry, Aunt Zhou, I couldn't protect you..."
Mrs. Zhou was taken aback, and then pulled her into her arms with a tender feeling.
"What nonsense are you talking about, Miss? We should be the ones protecting you."
Yao Youqing shook her head: "It's my fault, it's all my fault..."
The master and servant embraced, one sobbing and weeping, the other gently comforting her.
Looking at the pampered young lady in her arms who had never suffered hardship since childhood, Madam Zhou felt an increasing hatred for the late emperor and the Prince of Qin.
She resented the late emperor for arranging this marriage, and she resented that the Prince of Qin took his anger out on the eldest daughter because of his disagreement with the master.
These men spout platitudes about morality and righteousness, acting as if they're invincible, yet they turn around and exploit women, taking their anger out on them. What kind of skill is that?
The two sat in the carriage for a while, then Feng Mu slowed down his horse and came to their carriage. He said through the window, "I'm sorry, Douzi can't come, but I got a bottle of medicine from him. It should be the right medicine. You can give it to the maid first and see. If it doesn't work, I'll think of something else."
As he spoke, he threw the medicine in through the car window.
Madam Zhou caught the medicine, thinking that even the best medicine couldn't compare to the one bestowed by His Majesty, but for now she could only try it. She thanked him and had someone take the medicine to Ling Shuang.
About half an hour later, the people behind said that Ling Shuang was feeling better after taking the medicine, and Zhou's mother and Yao Youqing were finally relieved.
But when the team stopped to rest again, they realized that Ling Shuang had not improved at all, and that what she said before was just to comfort them.
Looking at Ling Shuang, who was nearly unconscious, Zhou's mother angrily questioned Qiong Yu: "Didn't I tell you to take care of Ling Shuang? Didn't I tell you to tell us if anything happened? Why did you keep it from us!"
Qiongyu's eyes were red from crying, and she tried to explain in a trembling voice, but Ling Shuang, pale as a ghost, took advantage of her brief moment of clarity to slowly speak: "Mom, don't blame Qiongyu, I told her not to say it."
Although the young lady is called the Princess Consort of Qin, she is actually not favored by the King of Qin and is even quite disliked, as can be seen from the journey.
She was just a maidservant, an insignificant servant in the eyes of the King of Qin. If the young lady were to be troubled by the King of Qin again because of her, the King of Qin would be even more displeased.
She didn't want to put her mistress in a difficult position because of her.
Seeing that she was still thinking about these things even in her current state, Zhou's mother couldn't help but tear up and said in a hoarse voice, "Wait here, I'll think of another way!"
After saying that, he got out of the car.
She first went to find Feng Mu, who, upon hearing that Ling Shuang's condition had not improved, frowned and went to find the man named Douzi, but still could not get him to come. He only brought another bottle of medicine.
"He can't come. Try this medicine again. He said it's better than the previous one..."
“We can’t wait any longer,” said Madam Zhou. “Ling Shuang really can’t wait any longer! General Feng, could you please pass on a message to this military doctor? Doctors are compassionate, and although Ling Shuang is just a maid, she is still a human being! Please, for the sake of an innocent life, let him examine Ling Shuang! Ling Shuang is only fifteen years old, she is only fifteen years old!”
Feng Mu quickly explained, "You misunderstood. It's not that he didn't want to come, it's just that someone was watching him and he couldn't come. He even secretly gave me these two bottles of medicine."
This proves Zhou's mother's previous guess: the people of the Yao family were indeed separated; they could not get close to the front, and the people in the front were not allowed to come over.
She nodded and murmured, "I understand."
After saying that, he turned and dragged his heavy steps away.
Feng Mu watched her retreating figure, scratched his head, and really couldn't understand why Lord Guo hated the eldest daughter of the Yao family so much.
I heard that Master Yao and the Prince have a grudge. What grudge could make Lord Guo so angry?
He didn't know what was going on, and couldn't bear to see the women in such a predicament, so he tried to go to the front to see if he could find a way to get Douzi to come over secretly.
But before he could come up with a solution, trouble struck.
...
After returning home, Zhou's mother thought and thought, but she couldn't think of any other way except to take out the imperial edict of marriage bestowed by the late emperor and hold it above her head to go to the prince.
The late emperor's edict was a gift from the emperor; these Jingyuan troops couldn't just chop it up with a single blow, could they?
However, to do so, one must first obtain the young lady's consent.
She knew that her mistress would agree, but if she did, the prince would inevitably dislike her even more, and her mistress's future would be even more difficult.
She returned to the car with a worried look on her face, wondering whether she should discuss the matter with her mistress, but when she got back, she found that her mistress was not in the car where Ling Shuang was resting.
Where is Miss?
"Mother Zhou asked."
Qiongyu was wiping Ling Shuang's mouth with a wet cotton cloth when she heard this, and replied, "Miss has gone to the carriage ahead to wait for you."
Zhou's mother nodded and went to the carriage in front, but found that Yao Youqing was nowhere to be seen.
She was startled and was about to look around when she turned around and saw Yao Youqing talking to the young man who had contradicted them earlier not far away.
The other party seemed very impatient, with a sullen and unfriendly expression, looking as if he might draw his sword again at any moment.
Madam Zhou couldn't bear to see her young mistress behaving so humbly in front of others, so she stepped forward to bring her back. As she got closer, she heard her repeating the same sentence to that person: "I want to see the Prince."
When the other party ignored her, she continued, "I want to see the prince."
The man was extremely annoyed. When he saw Zhou's mother coming over, he assumed she was going to bother him again, so he turned around and tried to leave.
Just then, Yao Youqing suddenly stepped forward and drew the sword from his waist.
But she hadn't expected the knife to be so heavy; she almost dropped it as soon as she pulled it out.
Although he managed to grab it in the end, the tip of the knife stuck to the ground and embedded itself in the soil.
The man was startled and shouted, "What are you doing!"
He then tried to snatch his knife back.
Zhou's mother, who was walking this way, was also startled. She exclaimed "Miss!" and took a step to run over.
Yao Youqing frowned deeply, dragged the knife back two steps, and used all her strength to hold it to her own neck: "Stop!"
She was petite and had a soft voice. Even when she shouted what she thought was fierce, it sounded crisp and childish, lacking any real threat.
But there was a knife in her neck.
Both Zhou's mother and the man were too frightened to go any further. Yao Youqing, gripping the knife, repeated, "I want to see the Prince!"
Many people around were stunned by this scene, and instead of just watching from afar as before, they gathered around.
The young general whose knife had been snatched turned pale and then red, gritting his teeth as he said, "Put the knife down first!"
Fearing that she might accidentally hurt herself, Zhou's mother advised, "Miss, put the knife down first, let's talk things over slowly!"
Yao Youqing shook her head: "No, they won't listen to me if I let them go, and Ling Shuang can't wait any longer."
Zhou's mother had never shed a tear, no matter how difficult the journey was, but at this moment she could no longer hold back, and a tear slid down from the corner of her eye.
Ling Shuangqiongyu was a servant born into the household and grew up with the young lady from a young age; their bond was extraordinary.
Now that Ling Shuang is so ill, how could Miss not be anxious? If there were any other way, she would never have done such a thing! It's hateful that the Prince of Qin has driven her to such a point!
The young general never expected that this weak, rabbit-like young lady would do such a thing. He was terrified, but he also felt that she couldn't possibly risk her life for a maid.
Seeing that she seemed to lack strength, her hand holding the knife was trembling, and the blade was still some distance from her neck, he mocked, "Stop pretending here. You, the eldest daughter of the Yao family, do you really think you would risk your life for a maid?"
As he spoke, he cautiously moved closer, hoping to take the opportunity to snatch the knife back.
Yao Youqing saw through his intention. Since she was too weak to move the knife, she raised her head and leaned her slender neck forward.
The blade was extremely fast, and she hadn't held back, so she scraped her neck, drawing blood.
"Miss!"
Qiongyu and the others also heard the commotion and rushed over. They exclaimed in surprise along with Zhou's mother, but dared not take a step closer, for fear that she would hurt them again.
Yao Youqing was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes. She instinctively wanted to back away, but she stubbornly held on to the position and said to the young general, "The late emperor bestowed this marriage upon the Prince of Qin, and he accepted it in court. If I were to die on the way to my fiefdom, it wouldn't be good for him, would it?"
The Jingyuan Army members were naturally aware of this, which is why Cui Hao had told Wei Hong that he still had room to back out before leaving the capital.
But once you leave the capital, things are different.
Before leaving the capital, Yao Youqing lived in the Yao residence, and any incidents that happened to her had nothing to do with them.
Now that Yao Youqing has been taken away by Wei Hong, her life is inextricably linked to Wei Hong's.
If she were to die of illness many years later, the criticism in the court might be less, but if she were to die on the way, Wei Hong would have no way to defend himself.
The young soldier clearly understood this as well, and his face turned extremely ugly.
While the situation remained deadlocked, the group at the front finally made a move. A tall man dressed in a dark robe walked over, accompanied by several attendants.
This man was handsome, but because of his cold and aloof expression and infrequent smiles, he appeared very cold and unapproachable.
It turned out that when Yao Youqing drew her sword, someone was worried that something might happen and had already gone to inform Wei Hong. Upon hearing the news, he rushed over with a grim face.
Before leaving the capital, Yao Youqing went to the palace with him to bid farewell to the emperor. She recognized him at a glance as the Prince of Qin, her future husband.
Although Wei Hong had seen her once before, he hadn't paid any attention to her and didn't even remember what she looked like. This was the first time he had seriously looked her over.
The girl in front of him was at least a head shorter than him, and even in her heavy winter clothes, she looked thin and frail, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.
Yet this same woman, her hands trembling, held a large knife weighing several tens of kilograms, looking up at him timidly yet stubbornly.