La vie des gens de la campagne en ville sous la dynastie Song

Chapitre 57

Qin Zhen grasped Liang Hongyu's hand and said, "Sister Hongyu, I will definitely find a way to free you from your slave status. Leave this to me!"

Liang Hongyu naturally knew that Qin Zhen was the daughter of a high-ranking official and had connections with many powerful figures. She said gratefully, "Then thank you very much, sister!"

Han Shizhong was a brave and fierce fighter, capable of taking on a hundred men single-handedly. The rebel army was quickly routed. Although there were several tough battles along the way, the Song army did not suffer too many losses. Han Shizhong only suffered minor injuries in many battles.

With limited medical staff in the army, Han Shizhong, showing compassion for his soldiers, allowed the doctors to treat the seriously wounded first. Liang Hongyu noticed the blood flowing continuously from his arm and volunteered, saying, "Because I often bandage my father's wounds, I know a little about how to treat external injuries. Why don't I bandage the general's wound first?"

Seeing her kindness, Han Shizhong said gratefully, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Liang!"

The war progressed gradually, and finally, Han Shizhong captured the fleeing "rebel" leader Fang La in a mountain cave, ending more than a year of war in the south.

In front of the Kang Prince's Mansion in Lin'an, Han Shizhong safely escorted Qin Zhen back and bid her farewell, saying, "The war is over, and I will return to the capital tomorrow to report back. You two girls should stay in the manor and wait for my good news!"

After seeing Han Shizhong off, Qin Zhen and Liang Hongyu entered the Prince's Mansion. Qingmei rushed forward and called out, "Miss!"

She grabbed Qin Zhen and shook him vigorously, looking him over from side to side to make sure he wasn't missing any limbs. Then, in a reproachful tone, she said, "How did you manage to get separated from us? It's really worrying. Luckily, this hasn't reached the Prince's ears yet, or how would I explain it!"

Qin Zhen stuck out his tongue and said, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to see what the lives of ordinary people were like and what drove them to revolt. If I told you, you definitely wouldn't let me go."

She took Liang Hongyu's hand and said, "Thanks to this trip, I met a good sister, Sister Qingmei. Sister Hongyu will be staying at the Prince's Mansion for now. You should treat her like one of your own from now on."

"Yes, Miss."

Qingmei called over two maids from the Prince's mansion to take Liang Hongyu to rest first, and then said to Qin Zhen, "New news came from the capital yesterday."

Qin Zhen lowered his head and smiled, "More than a month, that's about the right amount of time. Has something happened at the Prince of Yun's residence?"

Qingmei smiled and said, "Miss Qin is incredibly resourceful. It's true that something has happened to Prince Yun. He first wrote a memorial to impeach you, but instead of getting away with it, he aroused the Emperor's suspicion. The investigation uncovered his accomplice in Jin. It turns out that Zhao Liangsi, who was said to have died unjustly in the war, is still alive. He changed his name and stayed in Jin. The Emperor is now going to punish Prince Yun for treason!"

Qin Zhen listened to Qingmei's words with a light laugh, his mind wandering to various questions. If he hadn't asked his father to give Zhao Huan some pointers before leaving Bianjing, he might have missed the perfect opportunity to eliminate the Prince of Yun.

Qingmei kept saying, "The imperial court acted really fast this time. In just over a month, they managed to find the Prince of Yun's inside agent in the Jin Kingdom. Now they're looking for other evidence. It seems the Prince has lost even his last trump card. Miss Qin, did you arrange this?"

Qin Zhen smiled faintly and remained silent. He wouldn't offend others unless they offended him. He hadn't wanted to drive Zhao Kai and Yi Ge to the brink of despair, but since they were trying to harm him, there was no reason for him to keep a ticking time bomb by his side. He could get some of Zhao Kai's secrets from his fourth senior brother and then have his father put in a good word for him with the easily swayed Zhao Huan. It would be beneficial for him, so there was no reason for him not to do it.

However, Zhao Huan was much more anxious than she had imagined. She had thought this matter would take at least two months, but it happened so quickly.

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky, Chapter 106: A Dazzling Display of Jiangnan

One of the most important things Qin Zhen did on this trip to Jiangnan was to urge the Wei Factory to finish producing a batch of goods ordered before the New Year. So after resting for a few days, Qin Zhen entrusted Liang Hongyu to his second senior brother's maid, Nongying, and then drove with Qingmei to Lingyin Temple on the outskirts of Lin'an.

Lingyin Temple is located in the dense foothills between Feilai Peak and Beigao Peak. The dense forest makes the ancient temple, as its name suggests, appear and disappear among the trees.

Even if someone were following them, they would probably assume that Qin Zhen and Qingmei had come to the temple to offer incense. They followed the young novice monk to the abbot's room, where an old monk with white eyebrows chanted a Buddhist prayer for them and then asked, "It's been a long time since you two have come. How are the young prince and benefactor Tang?"

"Thank you for your concern, Abbot. Your Highness and Second Senior Brother are both well."

The old monk nodded and led them into the inner room. The abbot activated some mechanism, and the Buddhist shrine in the inner room slowly slid open, revealing a hidden door on the wall behind it.

"Please make yourselves at home, both of you."

They bowed to the abbot, then entered the secret passage and walked down the stairs inside to descend the mountain.

This secret passage leads all the way to a large cave at the foot of the mountain behind Lingyin Temple. The cave has been transformed into a hidden factory, which is the location of Wei Factory.

There are naturally passages to and from the guard factory at the foot of the mountain, but in order to avoid being noticed and tracked, the people in the palace usually choose to enter and exit through the secret passage in the temple. Even if the factory is exposed, they will not be implicated.

Walking up the long mountain path, Qingmei said, "Every time I walk on this path, I always think of the surprise that Miss and Prince were when they first brought me here. Only a genius like Brother Tang could have created such a wonderful place."

Qin Zhen smiled and said, "You flatter him. This is a secret place of the Tang Clan for a hundred years. It was built specifically to avoid disaster and gathers the skills of our ancestors for a hundred years, so of course it is hidden." At this point, Qin Zhen sighed, "It's just a pity that the entire Tang Clan was unjustly killed in the end, and they didn't even have the chance to hide here."

When Qingmei first heard Qin Zhen mention Tang Erge's past, she saw Qin Zhen stop talking and didn't press him further. She knew the importance of doing more and talking less.

Upon reaching the garrison at the foot of the mountain, Qin Zhen summoned the garrison manager and gave him some instructions on things to be careful about. He also visited some of the craftsmen before retracing his steps.

Seeing that Qin Zhen had been frowning and silent since leaving the guard factory, Qingmei asked, "Miss, is there something they did wrong? Tell me, and I'll have them pay more attention."

Qin Zhen shook his head and said, "No... Do you know what they're making, and what their purpose is?"

"Qingmei doesn't understand this. The prince didn't tell me either, but it looks very dangerous."

Qin Zhen said, “The wheeled bronze objects made in the south are ‘cannons.’ The slightly smaller, thick-tubed iron objects in the west are ‘firearms.’ The long, rod-shaped weapons in the north are ‘fire lances.’ If the black powder prepared in the east is stuffed into these things, once ignited and fired, their power will be immense. They will be a hundred times more terrifying than swords when used to kill people.”

"Oh. It really is a dangerous thing."

"Zhao Gou sent me here this time to wait for this batch of firearms to be completed and transported to the northern front. However, once these things are put on the battlefield, I don't know how many lives they will take."

Seeing that Qin Zhen was troubled by this matter again, Qingmei comforted her, saying, "People always die in war. As long as these things can help the prince win the battle and pacify the four directions as soon as possible, then they are good things. Miss, you don't need to worry about the casualties of war."

Qin Zhen nodded. She understood the reasoning Qingmei was giving, but knowing it didn't mean she could accept it with a clear conscience. However, she felt helpless at the moment and could only do so.

On the way back to the manor, Qingmei suggested to Qin Zhen, "It's still early, why don't we go and visit the various branches of Linlang Pavilion?"

Qin Zhen thought she could take the opportunity to visit Fan Tianxiang and Li Shishi, so she readily agreed.

Linlang Pavilion is actually composed of three branches: Zhenlongfang, Tianxing Inn, and Jinwei Escort Agency. Zhenlongfang provides food, Tianxing Inn provides lodging, and Jinwei Escort Agency provides transportation. It was not originally for making money, but Zhao Gou and Qin Zhen traveled around and always felt that the food, lodging and transportation were not satisfactory. So, with the help of Fan Tianxiang, they started to run it themselves, and unknowingly it has grown to its current scale.

When the carriage swayed and came to a stop in front of Zhenlongfang, the restaurant was already bustling with guests. The waiter didn't recognize them as the real owners, but thought they were some young ladies coming out to dine. Fortunately, he was quick-witted and figured they wouldn't sit in the main hall, so he said, "There are empty rooms upstairs. Please come upstairs, ladies."

They went upstairs and sat down with smiles on their faces. Qingmei said, "I heard that your manager is from Shaoxing, which is my hometown. I wonder if you could invite your manager upstairs to chat with me in our hometown dialect?"

The waiter replied with a smile, "Please wait a moment, Miss. I'll go down and take a look for you right away. If the manager is available, I'll definitely call him up for you."

A middle-aged man entered the private room shortly after. Upon seeing the two women, he bowed and said, "Boss, why have you come in person today?"

Qin Zhen said, "I just stopped by to take a look. Has your new boss not been to the store these past few days?"

The shopkeeper assumed the owner had come to check on the business and said, "The master's wife is not feeling well, so the master has not come to the shop much these past few days, but he goes to the accounting office every night to check the accounts and has not been negligent."

Qin Zhen asked some more questions about Li Shishi's condition. Seeing that the shopkeeper didn't know much about it, he ate a few bites of food and then went to visit Fan Tianxiang and Li Shishi.

Li Shishi's health gradually deteriorated due to the accumulation of toxins in her body. After arriving in Lin'an, she moved into the courtyard purchased by Fan Tianxiang and rarely left the house. To outsiders, the two appeared to be like husband and wife, but Qin Zhen knew that Li Shishi always felt she was not good enough for Fan Tianxiang, and even though she had feelings for him, she was unwilling to marry him.

When Fan Tianxiang saw his junior sister come to visit them, he happily welcomed them inside. However, Li Shishi was exhausted and almost fainted after only a few words. They quickly moved to the outer hall to talk.

"Senior Brother, didn't you ask a doctor to take a look at Sister Shishi?"

Fan Tianxiang said with a bitter expression, "Why didn't we invite her? But Shishi's condition is beyond the cure of medicine, it's really distressing."

"Fifth Senior Brother, let's ask him for help. He's the expert when it comes to detoxification, he'll definitely have a way!"

"But Wuhuan is currently defending Tokyo City to the death, and the war is tense. How can he spare the time to leave?"

Qin Zhen thought for a moment and said, "You ask Sister Shishi to give me the prescription for the poison she took. I will be going north soon. After I find Fifth Senior Brother, I will ask him to come up with a cure and then bring it back to tell you."

"In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Junior Sister."

Qin Zhen said unhappily, "Senior Brother, why say that to me? I've troubled you enough before, and I haven't been able to help you in any way!" Fan Tianxiang patted Qin Zhen's head, smiling faintly without saying a word.

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky 107 The Mountain Collapses and the Earth Cracks More

This chapter contains a lot of descriptions of battle scenes. If you don't like that, you can skip to the last two lines.

Nanjing, also known as Qijin Prefecture, was in the Liao Kingdom. Jizhou, located in the northeast corner of the prefecture, was originally one of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun in the Song Dynasty. It was a strategic location that was contested by military strategists. At this moment, the Liao-Song allied forces and the Jin army were facing off in Jizhou.

Zhao Gou, dressed in armor with a sword as thick as his arm at his waist, stood on the city tower, gazing into the distance. Liu Qi, who was accompanying him, said worriedly, "Your Highness, stray arrows are flying over the city tower from time to time. You should go back inside."

Zhao Gou asked, "Is General Zhong's shoulder injury any better?"

Age catches up with everyone. The once invincible general Zhong Shidao, who had dominated the battlefield, was wounded by the Jin general Zong Han in the last battle. This injury not only hurt the old general's pride but also affected the morale of his troops.

"General Zhong's shoulder was nearly split in two. Although the wound has stopped bleeding, it will still take some time before he can mount a horse and fight."

Zhao Gou gazed into the distance and sighed, saying, "The old general has suffered. Let's go see him."

The two descended from the city tower and arrived at their encampment below the city tower of Jizhou. Zhong Shidao, with his white beard, was leaning to one side, wearing a cloth robe, looking at the map on the table.

"General Zhong, you should get some rest."

Upon hearing Zhao Gou's voice, Zhong Shidao looked up and saw a young man in silver armor walking confidently toward him, his wheat-colored skin already covered in a layer of sweat.

"Your Highness, wearing armor in the sweltering heat will make you sick. You should take a rest."

As Zhong Shidao interacted with Zhao Gou, he grew increasingly fond of this prince who was not afraid of hardship or fatigue. Moreover, Zhao Gou was quick-witted, bold yet meticulous; he was indeed a promising talent.

Zhao Gou sat down next to Zhong Shidao and looked at the map marked with red ink. He said worriedly, "Although the great battle five days ago dampened the Jin people's morale, the old general was also seriously injured. I think the Jin people have been regrouping and provoking us these past two days. They will probably attack the city again soon. So put on your armor and be ready to fight at any time."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao was greatly alarmed and said, "Your Highness, are you going to lead troops into battle?"

"That's right," Zhao Gou replied solemnly.

Zhong Shidao hesitated to speak. Although he admired Zhao Gou, he didn't believe such a young boy possessed the ability to lead troops into battle. He was good at comforting the soldiers and boosting morale as an imperial censor, but who could predict what would happen if he were sent to the battlefield!

Seeing that the old general did not agree, Zhao Gou said, "General, you are seriously wounded. The only one in the city who can replace you in battle is Deputy General Liu Qi. However, if he takes command of the central army, then there will be no one to replace the right wing army he leads. After much consideration, I implore the old general to allow me to give it a try!"

Zhong Shidao was also deep in thought. What Zhao Gou said was true. The situation in Jingzhou, near Lincheng, was critical, and several capable deputy generals had been sent to Jingzhou to support the Liao army. But unexpectedly, Jizhou was now stretched thin and had no one to use.

Liu Qi had a much deeper understanding of Zhao Gou. Knowing that he was now capable of serving as a deputy general, he said, "The right wing is not under heavy pressure; its main task is to cover the central army from being attacked. Your Highness has been well-versed in military strategy since childhood, and I have watched you practice your skills. Why don't you let Your Highness give it a try, General?"

Seeing that Liu Qi also made this recommendation, Zhong Shidao tapped the map and said, "In that case, the battle plan needs to be changed..."

Although Zhong Shidao adjusted the battle plan to minimize the enemy's direct attack on the right wing army, Zhao Gou was already quite pleased to be able to lead the troops into battle. After agreeing on the tactics, Liu Qi took the excited Zhao Gou to the right wing army's camp to take over the tasks at hand.

Before dawn the next day, a horn suddenly sounded from the city wall. Zhao Gou jumped out of bed, quickly got ready, and rushed up to the city wall. On the way, he heard people shouting, "The beacon fires have been lit! The Jurchens are coming soon!"

There is a Great Wall defense line outside Jizhou City. If the Jin army breaks through the defense line, the beacon fire can send the message to the city in the shortest possible time, giving the army time to prepare for battle and preventing a surprise attack by the enemy.

Zhong Shidao, also injured, came to the city wall. After looking at the faintly visible beacon fires in the darkness, he said, "Immediately prepare the army for battle. We cannot allow the Jurchens to besiege the city!"

The Jin dynasty's catapults were several times superior to those of the Song dynasty, making them incredibly powerful for sieges. If the Jin army were to approach the walls of Jizhou, even with its high walls, Jizhou would not be able to withstand the relentless bombardment of hundreds of catapults. Therefore, when the Song army clashed with the Jin, they would always move the battlefield to the open fields several miles outside the city.