La vie parfaite sous la dynastie Song

Chapitre 117

"Just because of one battle!!" Mu Shuangshuang roared uncontrollably, her voice shrill, "Just because of one battle, you're accusing me of treason and collusion with the enemy?!"

"Palace Master! Palace Master!" Chun'er's worried voice came from outside the tent. She disregarded the soldiers blocking her way and rushed to Mu Shuangshuang, supporting her as she swayed. "Palace Master, are you alright?"

She abruptly raised her head, her bloodshot and fierce eyes glaring at everyone present: "You bunch of cowards! You couldn't even withstand Qin Luo, and now you're doubting the Palace Master just because of a little provocation. How many days has the Palace Master been working so hard for this country without a proper rest? You...you've gone too far!!"

Chun'er's words were sharp and forceful, making some in the tent feel ashamed and others furious. A reckless young general stepped forward and said disdainfully, "We admit that Marshal Mu is powerful. He was able to defeat Yang Qian's army of 160,000 with only 80,000 soldiers. However, why has such a powerful Marshal Mu, with an army of 140,000, failed to achieve anything against Qin Luo, who only has 100,000 troops? If there were no personal connections involved, who would believe it?"

Chun'er was speechless for a moment, her pretty face flushing red and then pale: "That...that's because Qin Luo is too amazing!"

"Qin Luo truly possesses extraordinary abilities," Qin Gui replied with a sarcastic smile. "According to reports from spies in Shangyong City, Qin Luo was wandering the streets the night before Miss defeated Yang Qian's army. He received several secret reports from Miss regarding her safety or danger, yet he remained calm and composed, showing no sign of anxiety, as if he had already anticipated Miss's victory. When the news of Yang Yi's complete annihilation finally reached him, Qin Luo showed no worry or indignation whatsoever; instead, he appeared relaxed and even chatted and laughed with the common people around him. If he didn't care deeply for Miss, how could he have behaved this way?"

Mu Shuangshuang was shocked and asked, "Is that really true?"

Qin Gui smiled and said, "If you don't believe me, Miss, you can ask any commoner in Shangyong City. Also, there's the jade seal that Deputy General Shan just found on the battlefield, which clearly shows Qin Luo's... concern for you that day."

"What jade pendant?!"

Qin Gui took out a piece of white jade from his pocket and respectfully handed it to Tong Zhi. Tong Zhi squinted at it for a while, then suddenly exclaimed, "Sima Lin of Woyang, this is Sima Lin's official seal! How did it end up in your hands?!"

Qin Gui said calmly, "This seal was accidentally dropped by an enemy man in black just now, and General Shan happened to pick it up." His gaze turned to Mo Li, who had been keeping her head down, "General Mo, in the Battle of Woyang, did Sima Lin initially refuse to send troops to aid Miss, but later send troops out without reason?"

Mo Li paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "That is indeed true!"

Qin Gui fiddled with the tassels hanging from his clothes with one hand and laughed, "This explains why this jade is in Qin Luo's hands. Qin Luo must have been worried about Miss's safety, so he sent someone to threaten Sima Lin into sending troops, and also stole his jade seal."

Chun'er supported Mu Shuangshuang, whose face was pale with shock. Tears of humiliation welled up in her eyes. She gasped for breath and said loudly, "If you want to find fault, you can always find a reason! My Palace Master and Qin Luosu are complete strangers. She has no opportunity to get close to him. How could she possibly have any personal feelings for him?"

Tong Zhi snorted, his face cold and disdainful as he looked at Mu Shuangshuang: "Without evidence, how could I accuse the Marshal so easily! Wuya sent a message to the Emperor a year ago, informing him that you twice pursued Qin Luo in Jinyao but ultimately spared his life. Moreover, you secretly visited Qin Luo's residence multiple times afterward, entering silently and returning to the temple without a sound. Did you think no one knew?"

Wuya, Musheng… Chen Sheng, her long-forgotten cousin, controlled by Qin Luo with deadly poison. How could she have imagined that her careless oversight that night would become her fatal wound today?

Qin Gui sighed and said, "Miss probably doesn't know, but His Majesty received a secret report from Sima Lin: before the Battle of Woyang, Sima Lin intercepted a letter Qin Luo wrote to a general in the city. The tone of the letter was gentle and ambiguous, and he suspected that the person was Miss. Of course, His Majesty didn't believe him at the time, but more and more evidence pointed to Miss... Alas! Miss has truly broken His Majesty's heart..."

Mu Shuangshuang clenched her fists tightly, gritting her teeth, yet she still couldn't stop her whole body from trembling. Qin Luo, that young and unfathomable Prime Minister Jin Yao, what exactly was he planning?

He could foresee Yang Qian's crushing defeat and watch his 160,000-strong army be wiped out. He could make the people of Fengyin submit to him without resistance with a smile. He could set traps at the very beginning of the war and patiently wait for her to jump in when she would lead the troops. What exactly was this young man planning? This powerful and terrifying young man made her tremble.

Mu Shuangshuang had a premonition that everything Qin Luo had done, which seemed incomprehensible to others, was merely a prelude. Whether it was Yang Yi far away in Jinyao, or herself with nowhere to retreat, they were both prey in his net. That net, woven with delicate precision, slowly and silently extended across the entire continent of Yixiu…

"Shuang'er, do you have anything else to say?!" Tong Zhi's angry and regretful voice interrupted her terrible imagination.

Mu Shuangshuang pondered for a long time, then proudly raised her head: "No, I have nothing to say."

"Since that's the case!" Tong Zhi ordered sternly, "Men, seize Mu Shuangshuang's command seal, hand her over to General Mo for custody, and send her back to Zidu immediately! Qin Gui will take over as marshal. Does anyone have any objections?"

The crowd replied in unison, "We obey your command!"

Next update: Saturday evening, February 2nd.

I'm going home on the 3rd, but the internet at home is unstable, so I really don't know if I'll be able to update on time... ORZ

Oh no! I didn't update the "Battlefield Review" feature, or did I overwrite it? My God, I have to go out now, I'll fix it when I get back.

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Chapter 8: The Counter-Espionage Scheme (Part 2)

Chapter 8: The Counter-Espionage Scheme (Part 2)

Mu Shuangshuang leaned against the couch, half asleep. Her body was exhausted to the limit, but her mind couldn't find a moment's peace. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, the door was suddenly pushed open. She thought it was Mo Li and didn't want to speak, but unexpectedly, she heard a clear, pleasant, and slightly childish male voice: "Miss Mu."

Mu Shuangshuang suddenly woke up, sat up straight, and frowned at the person who came: "Qin Gui, what are you doing here?"

With a faint smile on his handsome face, Qin Gui sat down in front of her and said, "I've come to convey a few words to you, young master."

"Young Master?" Mu Shuangshuang's mind went blank for a moment. "Young Master... Young Master?! Qin Luo!!" She was suddenly shocked and blurted out, "You're Jin Yao's spy?!"

Qin Gui snorted upon hearing this, and said with a disdainful look, "Who is Jin Yao's spy? I only serve you, young master."

Mu Shuangshuang breathed slowly, processing the overwhelming amount of bad news she had received that day: "Young Master... is it Qin Luo?"

Qin Gui smiled and nodded: "My surname Qin was bestowed upon me by the young master!"

“Then Feng Yin… the late emperor…” Mu Shuangshuang gritted her teeth and said, “He cherished you so much, how could you… destroy your father’s country!”

"Don't joke around." Qin Gui still smiled calmly, his dark eyes unfathomable. "Would you recognize a man who raped your mother, forced her to her death, and caused you to suffer hardships and wander the world since childhood as your father?"

Seeing Mu Shuangshuang's shocked expression, he smiled slightly and said, "The ways of the mortal world are too ridiculous. Those with power and influence only know how to seek profit and avoid harm, bullying the weak, yet they gain even more power; the poor and miserable want to save the world, giving a little love, yet they become even more miserable. This is the Yixiu Continent today. Only you, young master, are different. You possess extraordinary talent, you can wield power and wealth with one hand, you can turn the world upside down with a flick of your wrist, yet you have opened... taken in thousands upon thousands of orphans like us. You do want us to do things for you, but you never force us; you teach us various skills and martial arts, but you never force us to kill; you have us carry out various missions, but you always put our safety first."

A gentle smile, even tinged with affection, appeared on Qin Gui's face, causing Mu Shuangshuang to pause in surprise for a moment. He continued speaking, his smile completely unlike his usual feigned one: "Young Master isn't exactly a good person. He can use others, and he'll sacrifice the whole world to protect his own. He's very cunning, and sometimes so foolish that he's beyond redemption and even hurts us. But this Young Master, and those brothers who were also trained by him and aren't exactly kind, are so real that I cherish them. No matter where I am or what my status is, only where Young Master is can I return home."

Seeing Mu Shuangshuang staring at him blankly, Qin Gui smiled shyly, the blush on his cheeks making him look even more childish: "I've been in Fengyin for more than three years, it's been too stifling, and I ended up talking too much without realizing it."

Qin Gui's words were too biased and stubborn, and couldn't be taken entirely as fact. However, the fact that such a young man, who rarely showed his emotions, could be so loyal to him meant that Qin Luo was at least someone worth investing in.

Mu Shuangshuang didn't blame Qin Luo for framing her. The battlefield was ruthless, and if she had the same ability to scheme, she would have done the same to Qin Luo without hesitation.

But she was unwilling to accept it! She had finally gotten the chance to fight on the battlefield! She had finally gotten the stage to showcase her talents! Yet it all ended so abruptly. The joy of victory, the anxiety of strategizing, the exhilaration of the duel with Qin Luo—she cherished them all so much. However, in the end, it was all in the past…

As for Qin Gui's identity, she never intended to expose it. Not only would no one in the court believe her now, but in fact, from the moment she handed over the commander's seal, she already knew that Feng Yin was doomed. No one could stop Qin Luo's advance, and no one could even predict Qin Luo's intentions. What difference did it make whether the commander's seal was handed over to Qin Gui, who was loyal to Qin Luo?

Mu Shuangshuang's lips curled slightly, but the mocking sneer turned into a bitter smile: "What does he have to say?"

Qin Gui smiled brightly and said, "Young Master said that the young lady is a smart person. He doesn't need to explain anything further. Indeed, he is right."

Mu Shuangshuang glared at him irritably: "It's no use speaking up for him again!"

Qin Gui stuck out her tongue, her expression childlike and adorable, but when she spoke, her eyes became deep and unfathomable: "Young Master said that his counter-espionage scheme will surely leave you with no place in the court, and even cause you to lose your freedom. However, Zhuo Qing is kind by nature and has always been close to you, so you will at least be safe for the time being. As for Prime Minister Mu, his position in the court has always been stable, and he has countless disciples. Even if he is affected, it will not be for a moment. And this period of time is enough for Young Master to conquer Fangling, take Zidu directly, and hold Fengyin in his hands. At that time, if you want to protect the officials and people of Fengyin, you must agree to a few things for Young Master."