Agente secreto Wind Boy

Capítulo 76

Qin Hui, who was living in Western Xia, naturally wouldn't sit idly by and wait for his death. He immediately sent someone to contact his informants in Western Xia to get a general understanding of the situation. Just as he was waiting for news in his room, a flying arrow grazed his cheek and embedded itself in the pillar behind him with a "thud".

He cautiously looked around, but saw no one. He pulled the arrow from the pillar. A short letter was tied to it. When he unfolded it, his legs went weak with shock.

"Your Majesty, my adopted daughter Nongying, and I humbly request that Lord Qin grace us with his presence at Taiqing Tower this evening at 7 PM." The inscription was signed with the phoenix seal of the Empress of Western Xia!

Yelü Yazhu, this woman who harbored hatred for the Song Dynasty, actually invited Qin Hui to a banquet before the Crown Prince. Should Qin Hui go or not? His heart was burning with anxiety.

If the letter hadn't mentioned the name "Nongying," he might have dared to refuse the banquet outright. But Nongying… He had previously only considered Nongying to be one of Qin Zhen's subordinates, someone he could trust. Therefore, in the plot to frame Zhao Huan, Nongying knew many secrets about Qin Hui (see Chapter 109). He never imagined that Nongying could be Yelü Yazhu's adopted daughter!

As darkness fell, Qin Hui paced back and forth in his room countless times. Around dusk, a servant came to ask Qin Hui where he wanted to have dinner. He waved his sleeve, sighed, and said, "I've heard that there's a restaurant called Taiqinglou in Zhongxing Prefecture with exceptionally good food. I'll go and try it tonight to see what it's like."

The servants responded and went to prepare the sedan chair. Liu Qi, who was accompanying the emperor, heard about this and asked, "Shall I accompany Lord Qin to ensure his safety?"

"Oh, no need, no need. I think Zhongxing Prefecture is very peaceful. There's no danger here. Commander Liu, you don't need to come along. If the Crown Prince of Xixia sends someone, you can keep an eye on things here so you won't be unable to find them. I'll be right back."

Liu Qi was skeptical, but could only watch as Qin Hui rode away alone in a sedan chair. He hesitated for a moment, then immediately assigned several trusted subordinates to secretly follow him, for he hadn't forgotten Qin Zhen's instructions before his departure. Qin Zhen had demanded that Liu Qi keep a close eye on Qin Hui's movements at all times, and not allow him to pull any tricks.

Meanwhile, Qin Hui arrived at Taiqing Tower in a sedan chair. Taiqing Tower was a famous restaurant in Western Xia, bustling with people. After he entered, he had only looked around when a waiter bowed and asked, "Are you Master Qin? Please come upstairs with me. Your honored guest has been waiting for you for a long time."

Qin Hui dismissed his servants and went upstairs alone. Entering a private room, he found a noblewoman and a beautiful woman waiting for him. They were the Empress of Western Xia and Nongying.

Half a month after this incident, the Western Xia government was stabilized, and the negotiations with the Crown Prince were settled. Western Xia designated three large horse pastures near the Western Capital as war reparations and promised not to arbitrarily provoke war again. Everything proceeded smoothly.

As a military general, Liu Qi was extremely satisfied with the compensation. Even if it was in silver, it was not as good as the compensation of a horse farm. With the horse farm, the Song army's cavalry would develop significantly, and a prosperous country and a strong army would be just around the corner!

However, at the same time, Qin Hui and his entourage remained shrouded in gloom on their journey back to China, because Qin Hui had made an unexpected condition during the negotiations. He demanded that Western Xia send Princess Yunluo to the Song Dynasty for a marriage alliance as a gesture of goodwill! Meanwhile, Li Yunluo's entourage followed behind Qin Hui's entourage, heading towards Bianjing (Kaifeng).

Liu Qi asked Qin Hui privately more than once why he suddenly made this request. Qin Zhen was his daughter, so why did he want to put other women between Qin Zhen and Zhao Gou? Whenever Qin Hui encountered this question, he would always say, "How can personal feelings between men and women be compared with the greater good of the country?"

Qin Hui was well aware that his actions would provoke opposition from both Zhao Gou and Qin Zhen, but he had no choice but to do so, as it was a demand imposed on him by Yelü Yazhu. By sending Li Yunluo to Zhao Gou's side, Qin Zhen would remain Empress, and he could still be his father-in-law; if he refused the Western Xia Empress's request, he would become a criminal accused of murdering the late emperor the next day, and not only would his own head be in danger, but Qin Zhen's position as Empress would also be jeopardized…

Qin Hui felt as if a million ants were gnawing at his heart, and for the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do!

Volume Two: Soaring Eagle 143: Shattered Jade or Survived Tile?

Dark clouds hung heavy over the capital, the air pressure so low it was hard to breathe. Everyone in the palace acted and spoke with extreme caution, fearing they might inadvertently anger the already furious emperor.

Zhao Gou was furious, but had nowhere to vent his anger. Qin Hui acted recklessly and brought Princess Yunluo of Western Xia back to the palace without authorization. He was so angry that he stomped his feet and wanted to send Yunluo back to Western Xia, but he couldn't. Qin Hui represented his will during the negotiations, and since the person was brought by the Song Dynasty, how could he go back on his word and send her back?

If it were anyone else, Zhao Gou would probably have thrown them into prison. But was Qin Hui anyone else? He was Qin Zhen's father, and the special envoy he himself insisted on sending to Western Xia!

Zhao Gou suddenly felt like he had shot himself in the foot.

This was the seventh time he had reached the gates of Yuxiu Palace. Li Yan, who was accompanying him, asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, we've walked for so long, why don't we go into the Empress's Yuxiu Palace to rest for a while?"

Zhao Gou lowered his head, took a breath, and said, "Then let's go in."

When Qin Zhen heard Wan Qiu say that the Emperor had finally entered the room, she suppressed a laugh and went out to greet him.

Qin Zhen joked, "I thought you didn't want to see me and would never enter my palace again."

Zhao Gou slumped weakly in the soft chair and sighed, "Zhen'er, I have no face to see you."

"Why do you say that? It's not a big deal."

"I regret not listening to you back then. I should have known better than to send Lord Qin to Western Xia. What are we going to do now? He's already been brought to the palace."

Qin Zhen leaned towards Zhao Gou and said, "You and Yunluo have a deep connection. You've kept your doors closed to her for years, but you can't escape her again today, can you? The banquet is almost here, aren't you going to change your clothes?"

Zhao Gou was somewhat angry and said defiantly, "Aren't you worried? Are you really happy for me to marry her?"

"Who said you have to marry her? Don't even think about it. So what if it's a marriage alliance? Who said you have to marry her? We've won the war. Although she was brought back by my father, we're not seeking peace. We're just giving Western Xia a chance to cease hostilities. They're sending a princess, and we're sending a prince. We're both royalty, so no one loses out. If Western Xia doesn't agree, that's fine. They can leave on their own, and we don't need to worry about them."

After Qin Zhen finished speaking, he looked at Zhao Gou. Zhao Gou was stunned for a long time before laughing and saying, "So that's how it can be..."

Qin Zhen tapped his forehead and said, "You're so stupid. We're the winners, so it's up to you to decide what to do! Look how anxious you are."

"I was just confused because I was worried..."

The two chatted and laughed for a while longer, and then Zhao Gou called out excitedly, "Li Yan, return to the palace, change your clothes, and go to the banquet!"

The lights flickered in the Zichen Palace. Palace maids moved back and forth, arranging the dishes for the evening banquet. Many male faces that Qin Zhen was not yet familiar with appeared in the palace; they were all Zhao Gou's brothers.

The banquet was naturally attended by ministers, but Qin Hui was not among them. Everyone clearly sensed something was amiss, even the minister who had sent the princess from Western Xia and the commander of the guards noticed it.

The main hall was filled with men. In a small hall in the southeast corner, separated by a curtain, sat several elegantly dressed women. Unmarried women rarely showed themselves. Qin Zhen was only there to greet Li Yunluo, accompanied by several princesses and wives of high-ranking officials.

Qin Zhen smiled as she looked at Li Yunluo, who had lifted the curtain and walked in gracefully. She was truly surprised that the impetuous little girl from a few years ago had grown into such a charming and alluring woman.

Li Yunlu smiled radiantly. She bowed gracefully to Qin Zhen and said, "Yunlu greets Your Majesty the Empress." Then she rose and bowed to the rest of the group, saying, "Yunlu greets all the princesses and ladies."

Amidst laughter, Qin Zhen led Li Yunluo to sit down and, after making some remarks about the long journey, urged her to drink. They were drinking flower-infused wine, which wasn't very strong, but even so, after several princesses offered toasts, Li Yunluo's face was flushed and her eyes were unfocused.

She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and glanced sideways at Zhao Gou, who sat in the seat of honor outside the gauze curtain. This was probably the first time she had ever seen Zhao Gou in person. She paused for a moment, then raised her cup to Qin Zhen and said, “Sister, can I still call you sister? The first time I met you, we weren’t like this. How… how did things turn out like this…” As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.

Qin Zhen felt a pang of heartache seeing her like this. Li Yunluo had been sent here for a political marriage, and to the very person who had rejected her in the past; she must be heartbroken… Moreover, what if she overheard Zhao Gou outside later…

Wouldn't it be even more unbearable for her to find a husband for the prince?

“You are still my sister, of course. That won’t change just because I’ve become Empress.” Qin Zhen finished speaking and leaned over to wipe the wine stains from Li Yunluo’s chin. Li Yunluo looked at her with teary eyes, took Qin Zhen’s outstretched hand, and said, “Ever since I learned that my sister married the Emperor, I’ve forgotten about the betrothal I was promised. I never thought of competing with my sister for her husband… But, but this time…”

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Gou's steady voice came through the gauze curtain: "The Western Xia princess's trip to the Song Dynasty to marry into our Great Song is a symbol of harmony between the Song and Xia, and I am very pleased about it. Naturally, I will not mistreat her. So, while all my brothers, ministers, and sons are here, I will choose a good consort for her. You must not miss this opportunity!"

The words had barely left his lips when a commotion erupted both inside and outside, like a bustling marketplace. It seemed no one had expected Zhao Gou to treat Li Yunluo this way. A wine cup shattered, and the hall fell silent. Zhao Gou coldly stared at the Western Xia guards commander who had risen to his feet after smashing the cup, and asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

The Western Xia commander, being a military general, was too impulsive. He pressed his hand on the empty scabbard at his waist and said, "My Great Xia princess is of incomparably noble status. How can you humiliate her like this? This is outrageous!"

—

Seeing his disrespectful words, Liu Qi, along with a group of guards, stepped forward to surround him. Zhao Gou, however, remained unperturbed and said to him, "Could it be that I misread the document? The official letter states, 'Please marry the princess to our Song Dynasty to establish friendly relations.' I have gathered the finest men of the Song Dynasty to carefully select a husband for the princess; how could this be considered an insult?"

The Western Xia guard blushed and said, "It should have been..." He couldn't finish his sentence. If he were to say, "It should have been the Song emperor who married my Western Xia princess," he would only humiliate himself.

Zhao Gou calmly looked at him, waiting for his expression to gradually return to normal, and asked, "Your Excellency has not yet answered my question. What exactly is the meaning of your Great Xia? How can you go back on your word?"

A Western Xia minister standing nearby, who was more composed, stepped forward and said, "This matter needs to be discussed. There are differences in our understanding of the official document, so we cannot make a hasty decision."

"Oh? Then what do you intend to do? Take your princess back to your country and come back after we've discussed it?" Zhao Gou's tone grew colder and colder, leaving the people from Western Xia present at a loss for what to do.

Qin Zhen frowned deeply, not because of what was happening outside, but because her hand was being gripped painfully by Li Yunluo, whose long nails had even scratched the back of Qin Zhen's hand!

Li Yunluo lowered her head, her long, curled eyelashes trembling slightly, but her eyes were unreadable, and it was unclear what she was asking. Qin Zhen gently tried to pull her hand away, but failed, catching Li Yunluo's attention. Li Yunluo abruptly released her hand, letting out a soft cry. Seeing the scratch on the back of Qin Zhen's hand, she panicked and grabbed her handkerchief to wipe away the seeping blood.

Qin Zhen grasped her hand and said, "Don't worry about it, it's just a little scratch." Li Yunluo raised her eyes, which were now brimming with tears. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and the tears streamed down her face. "Sister... my heart aches so much... I never imagined he would hate me so much..."

Qin Zhen felt somewhat guilty, after all, it was her idea to shift the blame. Li Yunluo had been repeatedly rebuffed by Zhao Gou, and her heart must have been bleeding...

"younger sister……"

Li Yunluo wiped away her tears, straightened her robes and hair, and gracefully walked towards the outer hall...

With delicate hands, she parted the silk curtains, and the slender, graceful woman walked to the center of the hall, looking directly at Zhao Gou. Everyone in the hall held their breath, watching the two locked eyes. The commander of the Western Xia guards, seeing the princess emerge, stepped forward in surprise, only to be quickly pulled back by the civil official beside him.

Soft words slowly escaped from between her red lips and white teeth: "Your Majesty, since the day I left Xixia, I have never thought of returning, nor have I had the face to return... However, I never imagined that things would turn out like this. I don't care about being wronged, but I will never agree to anything that would damage the reputation of Great Xia! I am truly caught between a rock and a hard place... So... perhaps, only death can save both!"

No one expected that a woman as gentle as a willow would say such a thing as "I'd rather die than live in dishonor," and no one expected that he would pull out the gold hairpin from his hair and stab it into his own chest on the spot!

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky Chapter 144 The Gentle Yet Femme Fatale

"No!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise. A wine cup flew past and struck her wrist hard, causing her to fall to the ground. The gold hairpin in her hand also fell to the side.

Li Yunluo struggled to her feet, staring at Zhao Gou who had thrown the wine cup, and the two remained silent.

At this moment, Qin Zhen rushed out from inside, reaching out to help her while instructing the palace maids to help Li Yunluo down to rest.

The officials of Western Xia were furious. The commander stopped the palace maid and shouted, "Where are you taking the princess?"

His burly man roared, and the frail palace maids hurriedly retreated in fright. Qin Zhen stepped forward and said, "My lord, please don't be anxious. Yunluo is, after all, my sister. She can stay in the palace today, and I will take good care of her. Otherwise, if you big men take her back, who will take care of her and comfort her? Aren't you afraid that what just happened will repeat itself?"

Qin Zhen possessed an extraordinary aura, and the Empress's imposing presence left him speechless. He could only step back two steps and let the palace maids pass. Afterward, Qin Zhen turned to Zhao Gou, nodded to him, and then also withdrew.

Qin Zhen didn't need to worry about how the banquet in the palace would continue; Zhao Gou would handle it. When she arrived at the side hall of the Xiu Palace, a royal physician was already waiting to examine the treasure in Li Yunluo's hand. Since the main mistress of the Yuxiu Palace hadn't spoken, he had been waiting at the door.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go in to check on her hand!"

The imperial physician, accompanied by a young eunuch carrying a medicine box, entered the side hall and soon returned to the main hall to report to Qin Zhen: "Your Majesty, the Western Xia princess has some bruises on her wrists. I have already applied medicine to them. As long as she doesn't put too much pressure on her hands, she will be fine after a couple of dressing changes and some rest."

"Just bruises?" Qin Zhen asked in surprise, and the imperial physician nodded honestly. After the physician left, Qin Zhen sat in the hall for a long time, his doubts growing stronger.

At the previous banquet, Li Yunluo had held Qin Zhen's hand, and Qin Zhen clearly felt the chilling aura emanating from her. It turned out Li Yunluo had also studied martial arts. For Zhao Gou to be able to knock down a martial artist by smashing a cup must have been incredibly powerful; Qin Zhen was worried her hand might be broken, but strangely, she didn't suffer any serious injuries.

Was she deliberately feigning weakness in the main hall? Was she trying to coerce Zhao Gou by threatening to commit suicide?

Thinking of this, Qin Zhen suddenly sneered. She had been a fool again. She had watched others put on a brilliant show without even realizing it. She slowly rose from her seat and said to Wanqiu, "Let's go see how my dear sister's injuries are!"

Wanqiu was surprised. Even in front of ministers, Qin Zhen rarely referred to herself as "this palace". Was she angry?

The two arrived at a side hall in the blink of an eye. Passing through layers of gauze curtains, Qin Zhen saw Li Yunlu lying on the bed, tears still streaming down her face. She was truly a pitiful sight, her face streaked with tears.

Qin Zhen walked to the bedside and asked softly, "Is my sister asleep?"

Li Yunluo opened her eyes and was about to get up, but Qin Zhen stopped her and said, "There's no need to get up. Be careful with your injured hand."

Li Yunluo lay down with the force of Qin Zhen's hand, and then cried as she turned her head, "What's the point of treating this damn injury? It would be better if I died."

"Why do you say that, sister?" Qin Zhen comforted her, "His Majesty's actions today must have broken your heart, but on second thought, it would be a disservice to you to bring you into the palace. There are several unmarried princes in the court. A wonderful person like you should be a princess consort."

Li Yunluo trembled, looked at Qin Zhen in surprise, and said resentfully, "Sister, are you going to humiliate me like this too?" Then she turned her face away.

"Don't be angry, sister. Listen to me. The most important thing for a woman in this life is to have a loving husband. I don't ask for the best in the world, I only ask that he is the best for me. Why ruin your life for the sake of so-called face?"