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

Chapitre 69

Qin Zhen then realized with a start that he had been drinking too much and babbling incoherently. Why was his third senior brother here? Shouldn't he be on Kunlun Mountain right now?

Seeing Zhao Gou arrive on horseback in plain clothes, she had no choice but to stop chasing Su Mufei, thinking she would send someone later to ask him what business he had in coming to the capital.

Zhao Gou saw Qin Zhen leaning alone against the carved railing by the street from afar, looking quite lonely. He quickly spurred his horse and rode over, waving to Qin Zhen from downstairs and calling out, "Come down quickly, I'll take you to a good place!"

Qin Zhen didn't get off, but looked down and asked, "Does that mean I'll ride with you?"

Zhao Gou said with a smile, "We can sleep in the same bed, so why can't we ride together?"

Qin Zhen was furious. He actually brought up childhood memories in the street, causing misunderstandings. After looking around and seeing no one, she felt relieved. Fearing that Zhao Gou might say something crazy again, she had no choice but to leap down and land lightly on her horse, sitting down in front of Zhao Gou.

Where to?

"You'll know once you go."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhao Gou spurred his horse into a gallop. His horse was swift and agile, and Qin Zhen, caught off guard, stumbled into Zhao Gou's arms, eliciting a burst of laughter from him. Qin Zhen glanced at Zhao Gou, then nestled in his embrace, letting him carry her out of the city.

Bianjing was a vast city. It took them a long time to reach the outer city. Qin Zhen hadn't put on her cloak when she came downstairs. Now, a gust of wind blew through her, and she shivered slightly. Zhao Gou tossed his cloak forward, wrapped it around Qin Zhen, tightened it, and then kissed her forehead, saying, "We'll be there soon."

Qin Zhen was taken aback by his intimate actions tonight and was momentarily stunned. When she came to her senses, Zhao Gou was as natural as ever, as if the kiss that had burned her forehead had never happened.

Her heart was pounding. She only came to her senses when they reached the outskirts of the city and Zhao Gou carried Qin Zhen down.

Zhao Gou draped a silver cloak over Qin Zhen's shoulders. Qin Zhen was much smaller than him, and the cloak trailed on the ground. This silver cloak was made of the pelt of a silver wolf from beyond the Great Wall, and was extremely precious. Qin Zhen declined, but Zhao Gou pretended to be angry and said, "What is this cloak? Do you want to freeze? You are more precious than anything!"

Qin Zhen's face was burning, so he could only put on his cloak and walk side by side with Zhao Gou across the field, letting that good thing rub against the ground.

"How come you have time to leave the palace today?" Qin Zhen asked.

Zhao Gou looked at her with affection and said, "I know those four people won't be able to take care of you today, how can I just stand by and watch you be neglected?"

Qin Zhen looked at Zhao Gou with suspicion. It had been a long time since they had spoken such sweet words to each other. Usually, when they met, they would only discuss strategies and tactics. When had things turned out like this? However, this feeling was really not bad.

Looking at the endless plains before him, Qin Zhen asked, "Where are we going?"

"Shh..."

Zhao Gou suddenly fell silent, shot a whistle arrow from his sleeve, and then held Qin Zhen's shoulder, making her look due east: "Look there."

Qin Zhen looked over in confusion, and suddenly saw clusters of fire shooting out from the edge, swirling and flying high into the air.

Then it exploded with a "bang," scattering starlight all over the sky!

"This is..." Qin Zhen was pleasantly surprised. This was the first time she had seen fireworks in the Song Dynasty. It must have been specially arranged for her by Zhao Gou. She felt very warm and excited.

Zhao Gou and Qin Zhen stood face to face, gazing into each other's eyes, their hearts pounding.

Slowly, Zhao Gou finally spoke: "There are some things I must tell you in person; what others relay does not count."

Qin Zhen vaguely guessed what Zhao Gou was going to say, and asked in a trembling voice, "What... thing?"

"I know I've done many things that made you unhappy in the past, and I know you're not satisfied with many aspects of me. I will try my best to correct these, but my love for you is absolutely sincere... This is the only heart left in the world, would you accept it?"

"I...I..." Qin Zhen could only utter "I" and nothing else. Whether in her past life or this life, this was the first time she had ever heard such a sweet confession, which left her at a loss.

Zhao Gou took a deep breath and waited for a long time without receiving a reply from Qin Zhen. Anxious, he pressed on, "Just accept it..." There was a hint of pleading in his words.

He was a little nervous, afraid that Qin Zhen would say "no". Only when he saw Qin Zhen nod heavily did he feel overjoyed, and he picked Qin Zhen up and spun her around.

Zhao Gou was very strong and healthy, and lifting Qin Zhen was a piece of cake for him. After spinning her around for a while, he finally put the dizzy Qin Zhen down. Before Qin Zhen could recover, a passionate kiss suddenly descended upon her. The moment their lips touched, Qin Zhen's heart stopped beating again, and she almost suffocated.

His kisses began gently, a series of light pecks and nibbles, then became as fierce as a siege, scattering Qin Zhen's mind. Her heart swayed wildly, her hands reaching out unconsciously, trying to grasp something but unable to find their place, only clinging tightly to Zhao Gou's chest.

Sensing Qin Zhen's panic, Zhao Gou slowly took her delicate hands in his own and placed them against his heart. After a brief moment of catching their breath, Zhao Gou whispered hoarsely, "This heart will always belong to you..."

Just as the two were about to lose control of their passion, Zhao Gou removed Qin Zhen's cloak. As he was about to take things further, a gust of cold wind startled Qin Zhen awake. She quickly took two steps back, lowered her head, and said, "It's...it's too late. The city gates should be closing. Let's go back to the city soon..."

Zhao Gou was displeased by Qin Zhen's sudden rejection, but he was quite understanding and regretted his abruptness. So he stepped forward, took Qin Zhen's hand, and said, "Come, I'll take you back."

Qin Zhen didn't know how she got back to the Qin residence. When she arrived, Liang Hongyu had already returned and was anxiously looking out at the gate. When she saw that it was Zhao Gou who had brought Qin Zhen back, she smiled secretly and then stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty."

Zhao Gou, not wanting to disturb others, sent Qin Zhen off and returned to the palace on his own. Qin Zhen hurriedly sorted out her thoughts and suddenly remembered that she had seen her third senior brother that evening. So she said to Liang Hongyu, "I saw my third senior brother tonight. He must have come to the capital on urgent business. Why don't you send someone to ask him?"

After Liang Hongyu left, Qin Zhen returned to her room alone. After washing up briefly, she went to bed. As she lay in bed recalling that lingering kiss, her face flushed again. Smiling, she drifted off to sleep.

Qin Zhen, who had fallen asleep in the middle of the night, was suddenly woken up by Liang Hongyu. Qin Zhen wasn't annoyed; this must mean something urgent. Liang Hongyu's face was pale, even more terrifying in the darkness. Qin Zhen's heart sank, and he asked, "What happened?"

Liang Hongyu seemed to have mustered all her courage before saying, "The late emperor has passed away..."

Qin Zhen was stunned. Zhao Huan should be living a perfectly good life in Fuyun Manor in Kunlun Mountain. How could he have suddenly died? She had never ordered anyone to do such a thing, and her senior brothers would not have done it without informing him. So, it was Zhao Gou?

He was still worried!

Suddenly, Qin Zhen felt very cold, as if she had sunk into an icy pool, the cold was bone-chilling and she was shivering. Zhao Gou had clearly promised her that he would let them go, and tonight he had said that he would try to change. All of this was a lie.

Suddenly, tears streamed down her face. Everything that happened tonight was just a dream!

Inside the palace, with a "crack," Zhao Gou's precious sword, which he was wiping, suddenly fell to the ground. He stared blankly at Liu Qi, who had come to deliver the message, and asked incredulously, "Dead?"

Liu Qi's expression darkened, and he nodded, saying, "What Miss Wu said is indeed true." After a long pause, Zhao Gou finally uttered two words: "Investigate thoroughly!"

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky Chapter 130 Qin Zhen Leaves the Capital

Amidst the vibrant spring flowers and meadows, a white horse carried a woman in a green dress and wearing a bamboo hat, leisurely heading west. This woman was none other than Qin Zhen. Aside from her attire, she carried only a small bundle containing two sets of clothes, clearly indicating she was about to embark on a long journey.

After walking slowly through the woods for a while, she suddenly threw several darts with her backhand. They landed on several large trees behind her with a series of "thud, thud, thud" sounds. In an instant, several dark figures flew down and knelt down in unison before her.

Through the thin veil on her hat, one could not see Qin Zhen's expression, but she said coldly, "If you continue to follow me, these darts will not be obedient."

One of the men in black said with difficulty, "Miss Qin, the wedding is imminent, and the Emperor requests your return."

"Go back and tell him that I know what I'm doing. If you continue to pester me like this, don't blame me for being ruthless." Qin Zhen's expression must have been unpleasant, and his voice was even tinged with coldness.

The man in black lowered his head and thought for a long time before bowing and walking up to Qin Zhen. He presented her with a gilded token and said, "His Majesty said that if Miss insists on not returning, please keep this token with you. You may need it. Please be careful on your journey."

Qin Zhen silently accepted the token, turned around, and rode away. The men in black behind her disappeared into the woods as she rode away.

She headed west, her destination the Floating Cloud Manor in the Kunlun Mountains. She had secretly left before her wedding, naturally wanting to investigate Zhao Huan's affairs herself; Liang Hongyu at home would naturally help her find a way to deal with things. However, the Floating Cloud Manor was located deep in Tibet, and it would be quite dangerous for Qin Zhen to go there alone. Therefore, she needed to find someone first…

After traveling for three days, Qin Zhen arrived at Lintao Prefecture (present-day Lanzhou area), the westernmost point of the Song Dynasty. Lintao bordered Western Xia and Tibet. There were many merchants from foreign vassal states here, making this small border town quite lively.

The city was filled with all sorts of people, so Qin Zhen didn't find it strange that she was wearing a veil. Leading her horse, she looked at the shops and stalls along the street, searching for an inn called "Shabangzhai." After wandering around several streets, Qin Zhen couldn't find the inn. Instead, she saw Zhenlongfang, Tianxing Inn, and Jinwei Escort Agency, which surprised her slightly. Zhao Gou's power was indeed expanding rapidly.

As she passed by the Tianxing Inn, a sharp gaze locked onto her. The person who gave the gaze said succinctly to a follower behind him, "Report to the lord that the young lady is safe."

Qin Zhen was getting tired from walking around the streets. Since he couldn't find any "Shabang Village" anywhere, he simply found a noodle shop, sat down, and prepared to eat something.

Qin Zhen ordered a bowl of ramen and some pickled vegetables, and ate it quickly. It wasn't that she was being stingy with herself. It was just that she wasn't used to the local cuisine, and ramen was the only thing she could tolerate.

Qin Zhen stopped the waiter and said, "Waiter, I have a question for you. Is there an inn in town called 'Shabangzhai'?"

The waiter was taken aback and said, "Miss, are you looking for lodging? Please don't go to Shabang Village, the Tianxing Inn next door is much better. Go there."

Qin Zhen asked in confusion, "What's wrong with Shabang Village? Is it some kind of shady inn?"

The waiter hesitated for a moment. He moved a little closer and said, "I only said this because I was worried about you coming alone. Anyway, it's too unsafe for you to go there alone. You should go to Tianxing Inn instead."

"Thank you for your kindness, brother. I'm going there to find someone, and I have no choice but to go. Just tell me how to get there."

Seeing Qin Zhen's insistence, the waiter had no choice but to tell her the location. After finishing her ramen, Qin Zhen quickly went to find it.

She had assumed that a place with a name like "Shabangzhai" would be a dilapidated, mountain-like place, but when she arrived, she found out that Shabangzhai was actually an inn with a semi-brothel-like atmosphere.

Qin Zhen looked a little embarrassed, but since she had arranged to meet the person from Fuyun Manor here, she had no choice but to go in and ask the innkeeper, "Is there a guest named 'Zhuo Yiyi' who is staying here?"

The shopkeeper noticed Qin Zhen as soon as she entered. Although she wore a bamboo hat, she possessed an extraordinary air about her. Despite being covered in dust and looking slightly tired, she seemed to stand out from the gloomy atmosphere around her. Now, hearing her inquire about Zhuo Yiyi, the shopkeeper's expression tightened, and he asked in a low voice, "Is your surname Qin, young lady?"

"Exactly."

The shopkeeper respectfully stepped out from behind the counter. He led Qin Zhen upstairs and said, "Young Master Zhuo has been waiting for you for many days. Please follow me."

"Young Master Zhuo?" Qin Zhen was taken aback. The name Zhuo Yiyi... was actually used for a man. She had thought it was "Miss Zhuo"...

Upon reaching the private room on the second floor, the innkeeper knocked twice on a mahogany door and said, "Master, the Seventh Miss has arrived."

Qin Zhen was stunned again; Zhuo Yiyi was still the old lady here.

The man in the inn, which resembled a brothel, gave Qin Zhen a very unsafe feeling. Why hadn't he told her about this before?

The wooden door was suddenly opened, and a gust of wind made Qin Zhen's straw hat sway. Before she could see who the man inside looked like, she heard a clear voice say, "Ah, Seventh Uncle has finally arrived! Please come in, please come in!"

Qin Zhen looked at Zhuo Yiyi. The young man had handsome features and a pure smile; he didn't seem like a lewd person at all. She smiled inwardly. It seemed she had been overthinking it. How could a disciple taken in by her third senior brother be of such low character? There must be another reason why this inn had become half a brothel…

As Zhuo Yiyi watched Qin Zhen gracefully walk in, she was filled with excitement. She wondered what her seventh uncle's temperament was like, whether he was easy to get along with, and how much her master valued her, so she mustn't mess things up!

Zhuo Yiyi waved away the shopkeeper and personally poured tea for Qin Zhen. At the same time, she secretly glanced at Qin Zhen, her curious eyes wishing she could take off Qin Zhen's bamboo hat.

"Uncle-Master, please have some tea."

He respectfully handed her the tea, but just as Qin Zhen was about to take it, the teacup suddenly fell! Qin Zhen dodged quickly, lifting it lightly with her toes, and the teacup landed steadily on the instep of her foot. She looked at Zhuo Yiyi with slight annoyance. What was he doing?

But when he looked up, Zhuo Yiyi looked panicked, like a child who had done something wrong. He quickly apologized, "Uncle-Master... I accidentally slipped, I..."

Qin Zhen sighed, thinking, "What a thick-skinned person." He then said, "Fine, I won't drink tea anymore. Let's talk about serious matters. When are we going into the mountains?"

Qin Zhen's soft and tender voice made Zhuo Yiyi's mind go blank. Although he guessed that his martial aunt was not very old, this voice... clearly belonged to a very young woman!

"Nephew Zhuo?"

He quickly regained his composure and said, "Everything is ready, and we can set off at any time."

Qin Zhen nodded and said, "We're pressed for time, let's set off tomorrow."

Zhuo Yiyi gave the room to Qin Zhen, then drifted out and, after finding the innkeeper downstairs, asked, "Uncle Zhong, have you ever seen my martial aunt's true face? How old is she?"

“Well…Young Master, I only saw her once when she was still a baby, when I was with the Alliance Leader. I’d say she was around eighteen years old.”

"Tsk tsk, she's two years younger than me. It's really a disadvantage to call her 'Shishu' (a term of respect for a senior female disciple).

Uncle Zhong reminded him, "Young Master, you mustn't mess up the seniority system. Besides, Seventh Miss is not someone to be trifled with. The Alliance Leader and his fellow disciples all dote on her."

"Okay, okay."

At this moment, Zhuo Yiyi had completely lost the respectful expression she had shown in the room earlier; her demeanor was like that of a... spoiled brat!