Agente secreto Wind Boy

Capítulo 86

After a long silence outside the door, Qin Zhen realized something was wrong. She sat up alertly, staring out the window. Finally, a woman emerged from the doorway. Seeing her, Qin Zhen exclaimed in surprise, "Nong Shuang?"

Nongshuang was once her "friend," but she had also once attempted to assassinate Qin Zhen and Zhao Gou. Now, facing each other, they were unsure whether she was friend or foe. Qin Zhen, looking at the child behind her and worried that Nongshuang might harm someone, drew a phoenix wing from her sleeve, carefully preparing herself.

Nong Shuang's face was expressionless; she just bit her lip and didn't say anything. Fortunately, someone rushed in from outside the door at that moment, easing the awkwardness between them.

"Zhuo Yiyi, what's going on?"

Qin Zhen saw Zhuo Yiyi rush in and his protective stance in front of Nong Shuang, and asked in confusion.

Zhuo Yiyi said, "Don't be nervous. Nongshuang has already figured it out. She won't assassinate you again, and she won't hurt the child."

Hearing Zhuo Yiyi say this, Qin Zhen put away her whip and asked, "How come she's in the manor? Have you been here the whole time?" Thinking of this, Qin Zhen became a little uneasy. After all, Nong Shuang had done things for Yelü Yazhu, and unlike Nongying, she was still thinking about avenging Yelü Yazhu.

Zhuo Yiyi pulled Qin Zhen outside and said, "Uncle-Master, Nongshuang gave up a long time ago. She's been taking care of Zhao Jiu all year, treating him like her own son and feeling very sorry for him. Every night, she and Yuqin put the child to sleep. These past few days, because you were coming, Master and the other uncles were worried that you wouldn't trust her, so they asked me to take her to stay in the back mountain so she wouldn't have to meet you. But she wanted to come and see you, so she asked me to come with her. I didn't expect..."

After hearing the explanation, Qin Zhen looked at Nong Shuang with surprise. Nong Shuang felt uncomfortable under Qin Zhen's gaze and only said, "Each generation has its own grudges and hatreds. I will not hurt the child." After saying that, she ran away.

Zhuo Yiyi added from behind, "Uncle-Master, don't listen to her. She's not seeking revenge; she's just being stubborn." Then, she followed them away. Qin Zhen watched them leave and gradually smiled.

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky, Chapter 163: The Master Was Truly Right

As the days drew to a close, Qin Zhen had been staying at Fuyun Manor for two months. Zhao sent someone to urge her to return, but Zhao Jiu suddenly developed a high fever midway through the trip, which delayed things.

In mid-May, Zhao Jiu was in better condition, so Qin Zhen and Ji Wuhuan took the opportunity to take him down the mountain. By early June, the group had finally arrived safely in Bianjing.

When Zhao Gou saw that his son was relatively healthy, he was overjoyed. Then, when he heard Zhao Jiu call out "Father Emperor," a thunderous laugh echoed throughout the palace. Qin Zhen covered his ears and said, "You, you, I've never seen you this happy when the child was born."

"That's naturally different. I was worried about Jiu'er's health back then and wasn't in the mood to be happy. But now that I've heard him call me, I feel like I've really become a father!"

Zhao Gou thanked Ji Wuhuan for his years of care for Qin Zhen and his mother, and insisted on bestowing upon him the title of "Marquis of Xinglin." Qin Zhen disliked the title and wanted to change it to "Marquis of Xinling," which Zhao Gou agreed to. Ji Wuhuan was initially reluctant to accept the honor, but considering that his younger sister was about to get married and that Liu Qi's family was also an official family, he feared that Wushuang would be bullied if she didn't have a certain status, so he accepted it.

Less than half a month after they returned to the capital, Liu Qi proposed marriage to Ji Wuhuan with betrothal gifts. Looking at his sister's happy and smiling face, what could Ji Wuhuan say? He could only hope that all the misfortunes of his sister would disappear with her bad memories and wish her happiness in the future.

Nighttime, Yuxiu Palace.

Zhao Gou spent the whole day playing with the children. Just as Zhao Jiu was being carried away by a palace maid, Qin Zhen took out a stack of papers from a wooden box and said, "Come, see what good things my second senior brother asked me to deliver."

The two of them spread out the papers on the large table, which were mostly water conservancy maps of rivers and canals.

"My second senior brother said that these were designed by combining examples from ancient books with his own ideas. However, since they have not been tested, whether they are effective in controlling the Yellow River still needs to be carefully considered by the officials of the Ministry of Works."

Zhao Gou exclaimed in admiration, "Tang Erge's creations are always so exquisite, truly breathtaking!"

Qin Zhen then said, "I've also made some progress on the maritime trade route. Do you want to hear about it?"

"Of course I'll listen, tell me quickly."

"The maritime forces are not as simple as we think. Even private merchants who go to sea belong to gangs. I found this out from my third senior brother. The most powerful maritime force is the Zhenhai Gang. They can dominate the Southeast Sea. I heard that the navy in that area has to pay their respects to them."

Zhao Gou's reaction differed from Qin Zhen's. He felt that the imperial navy was so incompetent that it was a disgrace.

Qin Zhen added, "I've thought about it. If we can reach an agreement with the Third Senior Brother and several major maritime gangs, it will be easy to open up maritime trade with the imperial court."

"This is probably not easy. The imperial court often issues announcements to martial arts practitioners offering amnesty, but no one responds. They still oppose the government at every turn," Zhao Gou said worriedly.

Qin Zhen replied, "Although it's not easy, there's some progress. I'll discuss it in detail with my third senior brother, and maybe we'll find a solution. As for the matter of recruiting naval commanders, I haven't thought of a solution yet. Have you?"

Zhao Gou immediately perked up and said, "I have a method, but it will take a long time to be effective. My idea is to set up naval academies along the coast, specifically for training naval forces. What do you think?"

This suggestion made Qin Zhen realize her mistake. Education is fundamental to a nation's long-term development; how could she have overlooked this? This realization suddenly made Qin Zhen realize that not only should the naval academy be established, but many other specialized schools also needed to be opened. However, this raised the issue of funding for education—money was needed everywhere!

"No matter how tough things get, we can't let our children suffer; no matter how poor we are, we can't neglect education. We must withstand the pressure and move forward!"

When Zhao Gou saw Qin Zhen striking a strange pose as if charging into battle, he laughed heartily. Qin Zhen, realizing his mistake, quickly straightened up and continued discussing other matters with Zhao Gou.

As they talked, Qin Zhen suddenly exclaimed with great emotion, "That's absolutely true!"

"Who hasn't lied to you about anything?"

Qin Zhen said, "A wise man once said that to build a good country, we must focus on economic development. That still applies today!"

"Uh? Economic development?" Zhao Gou was taken aback by Qin Zhen's words. After Qin Zhen explained, Zhao Gou's eyes lit up as he asked, "Where is this expert?"

Huh? This time, Qin Zhen was stunned. Did Zhao Gou want to discuss national affairs with Comrade Xiaoping?

"Um... we can't find the expert. You don't need to look for him, just look for me. I basically know what he's thinking." Qin Zhen gave a perfunctory reply and then discussed things with Zhao Gou for a long time before finally resting.

As autumn approached, Ji Wuhuan took Zhao Jiu back to Kunlun Mountain. Zhao Gou sent another thousand men there, hoping to find the Eight-Leaf Lotus Grass in Kunlun Mountain to cure his son's illness.

Meanwhile, in the court, everyone was discussing Zhao Gou's proposed plans. The Yellow River management project was far too massive; the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Works calculated the total cost of the project to be astronomical. Excessive military spending over the past decade, coupled with the need to revitalize all sectors of the economy after Zhao Gou's ascension to the throne, meant the national treasury simply couldn't support such a massive project. Qin Zhen had no choice but to abandon the plan, hoping that everything would be alright once the country had the funds.

As winter approached that year, Han Shizhong returned from the Western Regions with Sun Yuanshan. All the checkpoints along the way had been cleared, allowing for import and export trade the following year—truly great news. This news immediately attracted many merchants, and the Linlang Pavilion, secretly controlled by Zhao Gou, prepared a large caravan to head to the Western Regions. While maritime trade was not progressing smoothly, further negotiations were underway.

Zhao Gou held the person in his arms and said tenderly, "It's really wrong of me to make you worry about all this every day, alas..."

Qin Zhen shook his head and said, "What were we fighting on the battlefield for before? Wasn't it for today? This world is our home. I don't feel tired at all about working hard to build our home."

"Well, since it's not too hard, for the sake of our family, why don't you work a little harder and help Jiu'er have a little sister..."

Qin Zhen blushed, not expecting Zhao Gou to bring this up suddenly. Just as she was about to say something, Zhao Gou sealed her lips with a kiss.

Volume Two: Soaring Eagle Chapter 164 The Children's Promise

Five or six years have passed since last autumn, and many things have changed, but Zhao Gou's attitude towards Qin has remained unchanged.

In the early spring of the eighth year of the Jingkang era, the clear voice of a child reciting his lessons came from the study of the palace. Everyone in the palace knew that the legitimate prince was in poor health and had been taken to Kunlun Mountain by the Marquis of Xinling to recuperate. The boy who often appeared in the palace at this time was Fan Nianjing, the beloved son of Minister of Revenue Fan. This boy was very intelligent and was greatly favored by the emperor and empress.

Zhao Gou put down the book in his hand, looked at Fan Nianjing with approval and said, "Jing'er has now learned all the books that should be learned. Your teacher must be having a headache now, right?"

Fan Nianjing stood straight in front of Zhao Gou and said, "Uncle, you are wrong. The book says that there is no end to learning. I have only studied these few dozen books. How can you say that I have finished learning them?"

"Alright, since you enjoy showing off your knowledge so much, go to the Hanlin Academy and get another ten or so books. You're not allowed to come to the palace to play until you've finished reading them."

"Oh... well... Uncle, that's not what Jing'er meant..."

Seeing that he immediately changed his expression, Zhao Gou laughed and said, "I knew you were just thinking about playing around, but you insisted on pretending to be diligent and studious in front of me. If you hadn't really studied well, I would have punished you!"

Fan Nianjing said ingratiatingly, "Jing'er is so smart, and she listens to her godfather and uncle, it would be hard for her not to learn well. I didn't come to the palace to play, I came to see my aunt and sister, didn't I?"

At this point, Zhao Gou's smile softened even more, and he said, "Your aunt just had a baby sister and needs to rest in bed for a while longer, so don't bother her."

Fan Nianjing nodded and said, "I know, I'll just take a few glances to see if my sister is as pretty as my aunt!" After saying that, she disappeared like a whirlwind.

Zhao Gou summoned Fan Tianxiang and said, "Lord Fan, I have recently checked Jing'er's studies in many aspects. You have taught him very well."

Fan Tianxiang stood below with neither arrogance nor servility. Despite his many years as an official, he still exuded an air of refinement, truly a good temperament that neither the stench of money nor the pressure of officialdom could taint him.

"Your Majesty flatters me. Jing'er is exceptionally talented. If she were to be misled, it would be a grave offense for me."

Zhao Gou ordered someone to bring him a seat, and then dismissed all the palace servants. He said, "I have something important to discuss with you today. Jing'er is thirteen years old now, and in two more years he will be of marriageable age. I am thinking that we should announce his true identity to the world before he turns fifteen."

Fan Tianxiang frowned and said, "Now that everything is just getting on track, Your Majesty needs to consider this carefully. Jing'er is still lacking in experience and cannot shoulder such a great responsibility."

“That’s what I think too. So for this Yellow River management project, I plan to have you take him along for a few years of experience.”

Fan Tianxiang was somewhat surprised, but this was something Zhao Gou had been planning for many years, and he couldn't stop him. He could only suggest, "Your Majesty needs to put more effort into the way you announce this to the world, so that no one can take advantage of the situation."

Zhao Gou nodded, indicating that he understood. He then dismissed Fan Tianxiang.

When he arrived at Yuxiu Palace to visit Qin Zhen, who was still in confinement after childbirth, Fan Nianjing had already left. He tapped the baby's nose in the swaddling clothes and said, "Jin'er is much fatter than her brother, hehe."

Qin Zhen sighed and said, "She suffered much less than Jiu'er, so naturally she's prettier. Sigh... Seeing her reminds me of Jiu'er, and I feel like I owe him so much..."

Zhao Gou looked at his wife and daughter and said, "Don't worry, wait another four years, and Jiu'er will be ten years old when he can go down the mountain. We will make it up to him properly then."

With a son and a daughter by his side, Zhao Gou would have no more desires...

Another hundred days passed, and it was Princess Zhao Jin's hundred-day celebration. What made Qin Zhen happiest was that Zhao Jiu actually came back. Qin Zhen hugged the six-year-old Zhao Jiu and said, "If you're not feeling well, don't go running around. Wait for your mother to come see you."

Zhao Jiu smiled and said, "My son is much better now, Mother, don't worry too much. Please take good care of yourself. I heard you had a little sister, so of course I had to come back to see her."

Everyone saw that although the prince had an eye ailment, the six-year-old boy spoke and acted with propriety and grace befitting royalty. They all praised him.

Qin Zhen hugged her daughter Zhao Jin and took Zhao Jiu's hand, saying, "Come here, this is your little sister, Jin'er."

Zhao Jiu carefully reached out and touched Zhao Jin's face, stroking it little by little. When he reached Zhao Jin's lips, she unexpectedly sucked on his index finger, causing everyone around to burst into laughter. Zhao Jiu adored his little sister even more and asked tentatively, "May I hug her?"

Qin Zhen placed the swaddled baby in Zhao Jiu's hands, but remained protectively nearby to prevent the child from falling. However, Zhao Jiu held the baby very carefully, so Qin Zhen didn't need to worry at all. At this moment, Fan Nianjing suddenly appeared, anxiously pulling Qin Zhen's arm and saying, "Auntie, what if he drops Jin'er?"

Zhao Jiu suddenly heard a little boy call his mother "aunt." Before he could figure out who it was, he said defiantly, "Jin'er is my sister. Even if I fall down, I won't hurt her!"

Fan Nianjing looked at the blind child in front of her, who was much younger than herself but whose face was full of pride, and said, "So you are His Highness the Prince."

Qin Zhen took Zhao Jin from Zhao Jiu's arms and handed him to a palace maid. Then she pulled the two children over and said, "You two must get along like brothers, understand?"

Fan Nianjing smiled and replied, "Okay, Auntie." Zhao Jiu simply nodded silently beside her.

Zhao Jiu spent over two months in the palace after his trip down the mountain. During this time, he frequently encountered Fan Nianjing, who had also entered the palace. For some reason, Zhao Jiu simply didn't like Fan Nianjing. Was it because of his close relationship with his mother? Perhaps…

As early autumn approached, Zhao Jiu was to return to Kunlun Mountain, and Fan Nianjing was to accompany his adoptive father to participate in the Yellow River management project. The feelings of parting gave them something in common.

Fan Nianjing asked Zhao Jiu, who was sitting in the garden with a hair ribbon, "Are you going back to Kunlun Mountain tomorrow?"

Zhao Jiu nodded, feeling depressed at the thought of Fan Nianjing being able to stay with his mother and sister.

Fan Nianjing added, "I'm leaving the capital in a couple of days, and I don't know when I'll be able to come back."

"Where are you going?" Zhao Jiu asked Fan Nianjing, rarely taking the initiative to speak to her.

"I went with my father to manage the Yellow River. The Yellow River floods every year, destroying people's houses and inundating crops. We must manage it well!"