Impératrices transmigrantes (hommes et femmes)

Chapitre 10

What are your thoughts, Lord Jiang?

"Six months ago, the old master and his wife went on a strange trip. They must have discovered something and were imprisoned by Qingfeng. If what you say is true, then Qingfeng has truly lost his mind!"

...

"How does Your Highness intend to handle this matter?" Hua Lian asked softly.

"Lord Jiang, you should know the Sima family better than I do. When the founding emperor tried to retain the Yuezhi clan, he was refused. In response, he ordered all Yuezhi descendants to sever their own blood vessels before the age of eight, thus preventing them from ever practicing martial arts again. The current emperor dotes on Consort Dan, yet he allows her to die in despair in the palace rather than let her go."

“If a superior item cannot be used by oneself, it must be destroyed! I’m afraid the superior items in the Prince’s mind are not limited to the Bu family!” Hua Lian sighed.

"Lord Jiang, there's no need for that. Since His Highness has the patience to wait for your sister to grow up, he will naturally have the patience to wait for the Jiang family to see their own strength. This time, he just wants a small reward."

"A small prize?" Hua Lian asked with a wry smile.

"The prince will discuss the specifics with your father. He probably wants your father to recommend the prince to lead the Xicang army."

"Prince Li has been busy for ten years with no results, and Prince Qing wants to get involved in this mess?!"

"Hehe, there's a saying among the common people: fortune favors the bold. Besides, the Emperor's age waits for no one!"

Hua Lian pondered for a moment, then made up his mind. He solemnly said to Xing Ge:

"Qin Dailang and the Qi family have both mobilized; it seems the Wang family is also going to get involved."

"Please take care of Qin Dailang, sir. I will go and rescue Master Bu and his wife first."

Do you know where it is?

"Lord Bu is so righteous and loyal, he would never let the two elders suffer outside. His bedroom has a secret passage!"

"You've already been there!"

"Not yet. The dormitory is usually heavily guarded. That day, when I performed a piece, I heard the sound of the zither reversed, and I concluded that there must be a cavity under the dormitory."

“Alright, I will find a way to get the two Bu family sons out of the fort.” Hua Lian said with relief.

"However, it seems that Lord Jiang will have to indulge in pleasure here for the next two days!"

A red mark appeared on Hua Lian's pale face. "Miss Ye, I'm truly sorry that your reputation was damaged this time because you saved me. I'll have to trouble you again these next few days."

Xingge replied with a sly smile, "Lord Jiang is too kind, hehe, my wife is not tired at all!"

When Hua Lian saw her teasing him for his awkwardness and loss of composure last night, he was so embarrassed that he couldn't speak and could only glare angrily at Xing Ge.

Xingge chuckled and rose, covering Hua Lian with a brocade quilt. "I'm going to catch up with an old friend. Lord Jiang, please get some rest!"

17. Emotional Debt

In the study of the Qing Prince's residence, Jiu Ru finished reading the secret document from Fanzhou and chuckled with satisfaction. Last time it was about Cha Xicang's beauty, and this time it was about saving Hua Lian. He must have accumulated quite a few favors. He picked up his pen to reply, the image of that unrestrained figure, always in flowing robes and with disheveled hair, appearing in his mind. Without that lively fellow to gamble on wine and sword, it was truly lonely!

In Fanzhou, at the Chenxiang Pavilion, Bu Qingyun stared at the two people in front of him in disbelief after hearing Hua Lian's words.

"My brother wouldn't do such a thing. He has always regarded the Bu family as his life. How could he!"

"Oh, Young Master Bu is so righteous and sentimental, he values beauty more than life itself," Xingge said with a smirk.

Hua Lian glared at Xing Ge with annoyance, then turned to Qing Yun and said in a deep voice, "We can ask about the specific reasons after we bring out the two elders. This matter is of utmost importance. There are already rumors in the court that if it is thoroughly investigated, it could be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family! You must believe that everyone here is here to protect the Bu family!"

After a moment of silence, Hua Lian continued, "Tomorrow, the two of us will work together to invite your brother here. Please have your escort team split into two groups: one to guard outside Chenxiang Tower, and the other to deal with the guards in Qingfeng's quarters. Miss Ye will inform us after she rescues the two elders."

"Wouldn't it be better for me to go and rescue Father and the others?"

"Qingfeng has become suspicious of me. Without you by his side, he will have a hard time leaving the fortress. You don't need to worry. This Miss Lu, whom you chivalrously rescued, is someone that even the two of us combined might not be a match for.

Qingyun carefully considered the strange phenomena he had witnessed upon returning home, then sighed, "Alright, I will make arrangements. Qingyun thanks you both for your great help. Miss Ye, the secret chamber beneath my brother's room was abandoned before. I will draw a diagram for you from memory." He paused, then added softly, "My brother must have added many traps to it, Miss Ye, please be careful!"

The next day, a banquet with singing and dancing was held at Chenxiang Tower. Hua Nian invited the two young masters of the Bu family to attend. Qing Feng had no choice but to go because of his feelings and his younger brother's strong persuasion.

Following the map drawn by Qingyun, Xingge successfully descended into the secret chamber, easily dismissed the servants, and arrived at the residence of the Bu family elders.

"Who are you?!" Old Madam Bu looked at the girl's face in astonishment.

"I am!"

"You really are the daughter of Xiaomei and Young Master Jing!"

"Xingge has met the two elders! My mother has mentioned you two many times in her diary. Thank you both for taking care of my parents back then!"

"Yes, yes, my sister said that if she had a daughter, she would name her Xingge. How are your parents?" The old lady did not understand the hidden meaning in Xingge's words.

“My mother died in childbirth, and my father, not wanting to live alone, followed her in death,” Xingge replied calmly.

Master Bu, who had been silently observing, said coldly, "What are you doing here!"

"The news of Lord Bu's actions has reached the imperial court. Prince Qing has tried his best to suppress it and sent me to handle the matter."

"A Yuezhi woman working for Prince Qing?"

"My father was expelled from the clan back then... Please come with me first, elders. I will do my best to repay the kindness you have shown to my family back then!"

After a moment of silence, Master Bu sighed and said to his worried wife, "Let's go. What's coming will come. The Bu family has been ruined by that wretched child!"

"Please keep my background a secret, elders," Xingge pleaded softly.

The Bu family, the head of the town, made a key promise.

Xingge led the two elders out of the mansion through a secret passage, and then returned to the mansion through the main gate of Bujiabao.

As the three men at Chenxiang Tower were enjoying the music and dance, Qingyun's bodyguards entered to report that Master Bu and his wife had returned from their trip and requested that the two young masters of the Bu family return to the manor. Upon hearing this, Qingfeng's expression changed drastically, and he immediately understood. He could only silently hurry back to Bu Family Fort with the two men.

In the front hall of the Bu family residence, after dismissing all the servants, Master Bu's face was filled with grief and indignation.

"What sins did I commit in my past life to give birth to such a wicked creature like you! You're going to sacrifice thousands of people in Bujiabao for that witch!"

“Father, your son is unfilial. Please expel me from the Bu family. I will bear all the blame! I have no regrets!”

"You!" Master Bu was speechless with anger.

Old Madam Bu stood to the side, tears streaming down her face, while Qingyun remained silent, his face somber. Xingge and Hualian exchanged a glance, and Xingge spoke up.

"Young Master, did you do this simply because Miss Qilian is beautiful? Please speak plainly, perhaps there is room for negotiation."

Qingfeng remained silent.

"Speak now!" Master Bu roared.

Qingfeng smiled sadly, "Father, do you still remember? Four years ago, when I was escorting a caravan through the Xicang Desert, we encountered a storm. The entire caravan perished, and I was the only survivor. I only said at the time that I was rescued by a kind person, but you don't know that this kind person was Qilian! Qilian rescued me from a pile of corpses and concealed my identity as an official caravan escort while I recuperated at the Northern Jurchen General's Mansion. That's how I survived to this day! I've maintained contact with her ever since. A year ago, Qilian's father, General Nacuo, was framed and executed by the Fourth Prince of Northern Jurchen, and Qilian was to be escorted back to the north..." "She was a slave, and I rescued her by attacking the escort team. A few days later, the Fourth Prince sent someone to find me, and I learned that he had known about Qilian's relationship with me all along, and had secretly poisoned her with the 'Iron-Blooded Loyalty' poison, waiting for me to save her. It was me! It was me who harmed Qilian! He demanded that I exchange two years' worth of official documents from the Northwest for the antidote to 'Iron-Blooded Loyalty.' Putting aside my admiration for Qilian, just because she saved my life, and because I was poisoned, I couldn't let her die from the poison!" At this point, Qingfeng's eyes were already red.

"How did Qilian survive that year?" Xingge pressed.

“They give you a life-saving pill every month when you pick up your official documents.”

Xingge pondered for a moment and then asked, "Does Qilian know about your exchange of official documents for the antidote?"

"She doesn't know that, given her personality, she would rather die from poison than make things difficult for me to work for the Fourth Prince!"

"Who else knows about this? How do you submit official documents every month?"

"It's just me, Chief Steward Wu who was killed by Qi Men a few days ago, and two trusted confidants who are responsible for copying. Every month I give the letters to a rice shop owner in Fanzhou City, who then contacts the Fourth Prince's people."

Xingge and Hualian discussed in hushed tones for a moment, then Hualian stood up and bowed to Master Bu.

“Master Bu, things have come to this point. I have a suggestion, and I would appreciate your decision.”

"Hua Lian, you should make the decision about this."

"To ensure this matter is kept secret, Qingyun, please immediately lead men to kill the two scribes. Qingfeng, please also meet with the rice shop owner and eliminate him and his associates. Afterwards, Qingfeng needs to fake his death and leave Fanzhou under an assumed name. Prince Qing and my father will find a way to suppress this matter at the court."

"Those two scribes are following my orders, is that alright...?"

"Qingfeng, sacrificing personal gain for the greater good is what a true man does," Hua Lian said firmly.

"What about Qilian? If anything happens to her, I will not stand alone..." Qingfeng whispered.

"Shut up!" Master Bu roared.

"Master Bu, please calm down. The eldest son is kind and compassionate, which is the true nature of a man." Xingge smoothed things over and then said to Qingfeng, "Eldest son, when you kill the rice shop owner, you must first obtain next month's life-extending pill and bring it back to me. Whether Qilian's poison can be cured depends on her fate."

18. Loyal Heart and Unwavering Devotion

Three days later, in the evening, a fire broke out in the accounting office of the Chen family rice shop at the end of the south street of Fanzhou City. The dry weather and strong winds quickly spread the fire to the backyard and storeroom. By the time neighbors rushed from their homes to help put out the fire, the Chen family rice shop was already engulfed in flames, with flames reaching the sky, making it impossible to get close. They could only watch helplessly as the building collapsed and turned to ashes. After about half an hour, the fire gradually subsided. At this time, a large number of servants from the Bu family fortress arrived from the east of the city and searched through the ruins. The next day, rumors spread that not only had no one survived the fire at the Chen family rice shop, but even the young master of the Bu family, who happened to be there to discuss a security escort business, had perished. The Bu family was the most powerful clan in the city, and this young master, a talented young man, had suffered such a tragedy. The people of the city sighed with sorrow.

In a secret room within the Bu family compound, Xing Ge gently twirled a luminous green pill in his hand for a moment, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his face. He then reached out and returned the pill to Qing Feng.

"'Iron-Blooded Loyalty' is a strange poison used by the Northern Jurchens to control assassins on missions. If the antidote is not taken by the deadline, the blood in the body will coagulate, and the body will be stiff as iron when death, causing extreme pain. What are your plans, Young Master?"

"I have a month and a half left, and I will take Qilian to Xicang to find the antidote."

What if we can't get it?

"I will personally send Qilian away, and then go with her!" Qingfeng's face was sorrowful, but his tone was resolute.

Hua Lian, standing to the side, didn't know how to comfort him and remained silent in despair.

"Lord Jiang, you and the eldest son can chat for a while. I'm going to check on Qilian." Xingge got up and left the secret room, heading straight for the corner courtyard.

After hearing Xing Ge recount the whole story, Qi Lian wept uncontrollably.

"Back then, when I was to be enslaved by the Northern Jurchens, I was prepared to end my own life. Fortunately, Brother Bu saved me, but it has caused him so much trouble..."

"If you don't blame him, you wouldn't have been poisoned!"

"I don't resent it. I know Brother Bu won't hate me either!" Qi Lian's eyes shone with a clear light.

"The young master wants to take you to Xicang to find the antidote. What are your plans?"

"If I go to Xicang, I will definitely be captured by the Fourth Prince. I will not let Brother Bu risk his life for me again." Qi Lian smiled sadly, and Xing Ge understood.

"Are you willing to let him go?"

"Meeting Brother Bu in the desert back then was already a blessing from heaven. To have him go to such lengths for me, Qilian is content for this lifetime!"

Xingge gazed at the radiance on Qilian's face, his heart filled with complex emotions. After a long while, he finally spoke, "Alright, come with me!"

Qilian, in a daze, was pulled by Xingge into the secret room where he met Qingfeng. They were speechless, only tears streaming down their faces.

"Cough cough, there's still a month and a half left, and there's still the exceptionally talented and brilliant me!" Xingge couldn't bear the miserable atmosphere any longer and spoke up to comfort her.

Ignoring Hua Lianfei's disdainful look, Xingge continued, "'Iron-Blooded Loyalty' is a deadly poison. I've never heard of any 'life-extending pill.' Young Master, you've traveled to Xicang for many years. What are your thoughts?"