Ch. 861..865: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 861-865
Chapter 861: Chapter 861: Ending (4)
Lin Ziyin listened to him talking alone with a smile on her face, and before she knew it, she actually fell asleep. After becoming pregnant, she had become particularly prone to drowsiness, yet her appetite was still good and she wasn’t picky about food.
Chu Suifeng, who had been holding her in his arms to begin with, was startled when he saw her fall asleep, and then he stopped speaking.
After the matter with the hand grenade concluded, Mr. Situ and the others were brimming with confidence about the battle at Liao City. Moreover, even if the North Country were to attack from behind, they weren’t afraid.
However, the battle at Liao City still needed an opportunity; things had to be put on hold for a while.
During this period, Lin Ziyin was the one with the most leisure time. Farm affairs, account books, and such—Chu Suifeng forbade her from touching any of it. The elder had been directly invited to the Residence, with the purpose of supervising Lin Ziyin, ensuring she rested well and ate well.
With days passing like this, Lin Ziyin felt that she was being raised like a pig.
"I can’t just eat and sleep, if the child grows too large, it could lead to a difficult birth," Lin Ziyin said.
Chu Suifeng wasn’t worried when he heard this. Lin Ziyin’s body wasn’t even carrying a few extra pounds—how could she possibly have a difficult birth because the child was too large? Besides, he made time every day to accompany her for walks, and would also play the zither and read books to the child in her womb.
Because he had heard from Lin Ziyin how important prenatal education was, he knew that a child could sense the outside world from within the mother’s womb and would become familiar with the people and things with which it frequently came into contact.
Chu Suifeng had certainly put in a lot of effort to bond with the child.
"Prince, a letter has arrived from the Capital City," said Mr. Situ, rushing in with a small scroll of paper.
Chu Suifeng instructed for the zither in front of him to be moved away, and then asked Situ Gong to explain the reason.
"The Imperial Court has decreed that Scholar Mei and Wa Jie return to the Capital," Situ Gong clarified.
Lin Ziyin was momentarily taken aback when she heard it—it seemed that the Capital City was already aware that Mei Hanqing and Wa Jie, among the others, had intentionally requested to be assigned to the Northern Land. Now, the four of them, two civil officials and two military men, had become vital supporters of Chu Suifeng. Whether it was for defending the Northern Land or for civil governance, they were heavily involved.
The Emperor now wanted to transfer them away, which was clearly an attempt to sever the root and disrupt the Northern Land’s footing.
Lin Ziyin wasn’t adept at scheming and intrigues, so she did not wish to contribute any opinions on this matter.
Mei Hanqing and Yuan Yanzhao were within Feng City, and they arrived at the Wang Residence shortly after, indicating that Situ Gong had informed them prior to his arrival.
"Prince, I will immediately write a memorial to resign from the Imperial appointment," Mei Hanqing said smartly, quickly thinking of a countermeasure.
Situ Gong smiled upon hearing this; he had already considered this idea. However, he needed to give the parties involved a chance to voice it themselves.
And indeed, Mei Hanqing did not disappoint him.
"With this development, the battle at Liao City might be imminent," Yuan Yanzhao remarked.
"Everything is ready; once the rice seedlings are planted, all will be in place," Situ Gong replied. If it weren’t for the Princess’s hand grenades, they might have been more cautious. The battle at Liao City was something they had planned to conclude quickly. Now, with the hand grenades, victory was almost a certainty.
They were still waiting for the right opportunity, though. Today’s news suggested to them that the much-awaited opportunity was on the horizon.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yanzhao completely relaxed.
"We will go back and immediately write our memorials to request resignation," Mei Hanqing said with excitement.
Others might fear the Emperor’s wrath leading to the extermination of their entire clan, but they were not afraid.
All four of them came from minor families, and everyone from their families had already relocated through various means. Some, like Wa Jie, were utterly alone; he was a one-man command, with no other family members to worry about.
Chapter 862: Chapter 862: Conclusion (5)
"After all, this is the Northern Land, as long as they don’t leave the Northern Land, the Emperor can’t do anything to them—it’s only a matter of time before they turn against him."
Holding this thought, Mei Hanqing and Yuan Yanzhao felt no psychological burden as they penned a resignation memorial to the Emperor.
Eunuch De hurried along with the Emperor’s decree, not dallying despite not having to rush and endure the hardships of traveling outdoors. After all, those who could get by in the palace were all sly old foxes, and Eunuch Miao’s injuries upon returning from the Northern Land had served as a warning to him.
Though he had fared well in the palace, he wasn’t quite up to Eunuch Miao’s level. Even Eunuch Miao didn’t fare well against Prince Ling, so what could little Dezi do?
However, even though he was worried and wanted to delay, he wasn’t foolish. Since he had to get by in the presence of the Emperor, any delay on the road would cost him his head upon his return.
Hence, he made haste carefully, choosing a pace faster than most yet not too rushed.
Chu Suifeng had his own methods of sending messages; he had a group of well-trained eagles at his disposal. Therefore, after leaving Liao City, he switched to using fast horses to deliver the four resignation memorials to the Capital City.
"Mei Hanqing, I will exterminate your entire clan," the Emperor thundered with rage upon receiving the resignation memorials.
He could tolerate Chu Suifeng’s disrespect, for this rebellious son had the late Emperor’s decree on his side, but he could not bear Mei Hanqing and Wa Jie’s defiance like traitorous ministers.
These were the men he had appointed to supervise Chu Suifeng in the Northern Land, yet Mei Hanqing and the other three had betrayed him, their liege, and chosen to side with Prince Ling. Not to mention one betrayal was unbearable to him, now four had occurred simultaneously, which further fueled his fury.
"Issue my decree..." the Emperor’s eyes burned red as he commanded.
With the imperial edict issued, the Capital City was again thrown into military disarray. The defection of Mei Hanqing and the others made many officials in the Capital City fear for their own safety, each secretly scrutinizing their ties to the defectors, eager to distance themselves.
Although the Emperor’s decree to exterminate their clans was issued, it practically yielded nothing.
Those who had been close to the four men had already relocated from their homelands and gone to the Northern Land. Even more, the four men had disowned their own families.
In this way, the Emperor’s decree became virtually a joke.
"Issue my decree, send fifty thousand troops to the Northern Land to capture the traitor Mei Hanqing..." Overwhelmed with anger, the Emperor could no longer hold back and issued the imperial order directly.
But who to send to the Northern Land to seize him was a problem.
The Emperor’s grim face surveyed the Military Generals sprawled on the ground, who were so frightened they dared not even breathe too loudly, and the Civil Officials also shrank their necks.
If they were to apprehend a traitorous minister, then it wasn’t enough for the Military Officials to go alone; it was necessary for Civil Officials to accompany and supervise them.
The destination was the Northern Land, where Prince Ling reigned—the one known as the War God. No one wanted to provoke him. And at this time, Mei Hanqing and the others were Chu Suifeng’s trusted subordinates; Chu Suifeng would definitely not ignore this matter.
Whether it was the previous mass scandal in the Capital City or the current resignation memorials, even a fool could see that Prince Ling did not take the Emperor seriously at all.
And the decision the Emperor made today was no different from instigating a war.
"This son is willing to accept the decree," said Prince Rui as he stepped forward. He was filled with a hatred for Chu Suifeng that would not be quelled unless he killed him, owing to the fact that Chu Suifeng was responsible for the murder of his wife.
Part of Prince Rui’s rage was because he and Qing Mei, his wife, had grown up together; they truly had affection for one another. It was impossible for her to betray him. Yet Chu Suifeng had orchestrated her murder, which fueled his hatred further. Moreover, as a man bearing the shame of cuckoldry, it was a stain that would last his entire life, something he could not accept.
Chapter 863: Chapter 863 Ending (6)
As long as he killed Chu Suifeng, Prince felt he could regain his dignity.
"General Leng, as the Chief Commander for this arrest of the traitor, cooperate with Guan Qinggu of Liao City to capture the traitor in one fell swoop," the Emperor grimly assigned the official.
"This humble general obeys the command," General Leng secretly groaned inwardly. He was just a military aide; how had the Emperor assigned him this task? This mission was not going to be easy.
When others saw that a candidate for the expedition had been designated, they each breathed a sigh of relief.
Unaware that Capital City had already prepared to deploy troops to capture Mei Hanqing and others, Eunuch De arrived in the Northern Land after months of travel.
"Mei Hanqing, scholars, receive the decree." Not daring to delay, he first paid a respectful visit to the Prince and Situ Gong upon arriving in the Northern Land and vaguely explained the compelling difficulties.
Mei Hanqing and the others gave face and honestly listened to the imperial decree, then accepted it.
"My lords, I carry the royal command and urge you all to quickly prepare and follow me back," Eunuch De happily said after reading the imperial decree. Seeing the attitude of the Prince and Mei Hanqing, it seemed this mission would not be so difficult to complete.
He humbled himself, and the attitude of Mei Hanqing and others remained good, but what Mei Hanqing said next drastically changed Eunuch De’s complexion.
"There’s no need to return," Mei Hanqing explained with a smile, "Eunuch might not be aware, but we have already submitted our resignations. You will understand once you return."
"I have received the imperial decree as well, my lord. This general will now return to the Navy Department," the Military General loudly inquired, glancing subtly toward Eunuch De.
"Go ahead," Chu Suifeng nonchalantly waved his hand.
"This general must also train the soldiers, I take my leave."
"I have matters at the Academy, I will leave first."
The remaining three paid no further attention to Eunuch De. Through their actions and words, they silently told him that his journey was a joke.
Eunuch De suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
"Since they have already submitted their resignations, naturally they won’t go back with you. After you return, you will see the outcome. The Northern Lands are poor in resources, so we won’t detain you," Chu Suifeng’s gaze was very cold as he looked at Eunuch De, making him sweat even more.
"Wait a moment." In his urgency, Eunuch De remembered another matter.
The Emperor had sent him with a decree, and he had fulfilled that; whatever Mei Hanqing and others’ reactions were, it was beyond his control. But there was another personal matter for which he had received benefits, so he had to complete it.
"Speak," Chu Suifeng said, showing clear impatience.
"Eunuch De, the Prince is very busy, please speak," Situ Gong urged with a smile.
"When I came, I brought with me the Lin Family, who came to fetch Miss Lin back to Capital City," Eunuch De quickly replied.
"The lady is in the side wing; you can take them there yourself," Situ Gong explained.
Having obtained what he needed, Eunuch De immediately took his leave.
Continuously, the young ladies in the side wing saw their families come to fetch them back, instantly blossoming into smiles of joy. They could finally leave the harsh Northern Lands; they had endured to the end.
Lin Wanwan and two maids, however, focused solely on studying in her room.
The arrival of Eunuch De and the Lin Family did not please them, "I’m not going back. Go back and report to your master and mistress that their daughter is already dead; these are her relics."
With those words, Lin Wanwan pulled a hairpin from her head and handed it over. This hairpin was part of her mother’s dowry, specially prepared for her when she had come to the Northern Land.
Chapter 864: Chapter 864 Ending (7)
"Miss Lin, why must you do this?" De Gonggong advised, his face changing color.
But Lin Wanwan was very insistent, and the servants had no choice but to bring out three chests, "The lord guessed that Miss might not want to return, these are the items prepared by the madam and the lord for Miss. It’s also to fulfill a bit of their affection for her."
Lin Wanwan did not speak.
De Gonggong and the servants could only leave with a sigh.
In May, the Northern Land entered the full rush of the planting season, and the lush young seedlings were very pleasing. With the collective effort of the peasants, the fields turned green, bustling with life everywhere.
Corn and legumes had also been sown earlier, and some households had found empty land to plant beets.
No more empty or wasteland could be found outside Feng City.
Lin Ziyin’s belly had also swelled, with two little ones growing robustly inside. Indeed, Lin Ziyin was carrying twins.
Consequently, everyone in the residence became even more cautious, and the old master responsible for supervision watched her even more closely.
"Princess, a major incident has again occurred in the Li Family," Hong Ying said carefully.
"What happened?" Lin Ziyin asked.
"Madam Yu was killed, her head hung on the front gate," Lun Luo answered, while giving Hong Ying a glare.
Hong Ying smiled slightly and lowered her head. The princess felt bored in the residence, and she was merely sharing some gossip to entertain the princess.
"What about the child?" Lin Ziyin asked curiously, "Who is the murderer?"
"The murderer didn’t harm the child and also left a message, saying it was originally a loyal retainer of Li Yanran, and it was Ms. Mu’s dying wish to have them kill Madam Yu," Hong Ying hurried to answer.
"Are you all so idle that you’re panicking? What good does it do to talk to the princess about such ominous things?" Qin Mama came in and fiercely scolded the maids.
Hong Ying and the others immediately stopped talking with a smile.
Lin Ziyin guessed that the Li Family would surely come to her again over this matter.
Just as she had speculated, in the afternoon, the Lin Family sent someone, asking Chu Suifeng to come over.
"Prince said, he will not concern himself with your Li Family’s domestic affairs," Mr. Situ directly turned them away.
The servants had no choice but to return and report the truth.
Marquis Li was so shocked he didn’t speak for a long time; indeed, from then on, the Prince would no longer visit.
"Father, let’s leave Feng City and go somewhere else," Li Jieyong sighed, having no solution for the Marquis. At this point, the second branch had already separated from the Marquis Residence, and Marquis Li still couldn’t let go, still holding out hope for the Prince.
Marquis Li looked at the two crying children beside him, then at his second son, and his heart soured. He thought of the glorious days of the Li Family when the old madam was still alive, and now looked at the emptiness—feeling weary for the first time, wanting to leave Feng City to start a new life.
Hearing his father relax his stance, Li Jieyong immediately arranged for the preparations.
He had already chosen the place for their new home, in Yue City, merely two hundred miles from Feng City, which would be convenient for returning to offer sacrifices and incense.
In June, the Imperial Court’s army of fifty thousand men reached Liao City, and together with the forces in Guan Qinggu’s hands, they numbered over a hundred thousand. It seemed an imminent battle with Chu Suifeng was brewing.
"Prince, everything is ready, the army is just waiting to set off," more than twenty-thousand soldiers inside Feng City awaited orders, and all of these soldiers were elite.
The weapons were also exceptionally fine, including ballistae, rapid-firing bows, and the most recently forged weapons.
Although they knew the number of the enemy far exceeded their expectations, the soldiers of the Northern Land were not the least bit timid. For the honor of the Northern Land, for the people of the Northern Land, everyone was prepared to face death.
Chapter 865: Chapter 865 Ending (8)
The common folk within Feng City were also very enthusiastic, standing by the side of the road, stubbornly stuffing the hands of the soldiers with food.
Twenty thousand men were lightly equipped for battle, reaching Liao City in just half a month.
Guan Qinggu was wracking his brain for an excuse to attack the Northern Land when Chu Suifeng voluntarily provided him with an opportunity.
"What do you mean by this, General Wu, Mr. Situ?" he demanded angrily from the city wall.
"Do you intend to rebel?" Prince Rui went straight to the point and accused them with a serious allegation.
"Prince Rui, you really do have a sense of humor. Have you ever seen an attack on a city guarded by a hundred thousand troops with just twenty thousand men?" Situ Gong replied with a smile, his demeanor neither hasty nor slow.
"Then what is your intention?" Prince Rui’s face darkened, devoid of his usual composure.
"We are here under orders to capture Blackie, a bandit hidden within Liao City, who has colluded with the people of North Country, kidnapped the Princess, and engaged in clandestine grain dealings—an incredibly vile crime. Moreover, this man is very cunning and has numerous accomplices, so the Prince especially dispatched us to apprehend him all at once. Anyone involved will not be spared," Situ Gong answered loudly. "Secondly, we are here by the Prince’s command, to take over Liao City."
"Situ Gong, what do you mean by ’taking over’ Liao City?" asked Guan Qinggu, his voice cold, an ominous feeling rising in his heart.
"According to the decree of the late emperor, all the prefectures and counties of the Northern Land should belong to the Prince’s fief. Although Liao City is on the border, it belongs to our Northern Land. If you don’t believe me, General Guan, you can go back and check the map," Situ Gong answered with a chuckle.
"Nonsense," snapped Prince Rui, pointing at him, "When did Liao City ever belong to the Northern Land? This time, I have come with an imperial decree to arrest the traitors Mei Hanqing, Wa Jie, Yuan Yanzhao, and Shao Liufeng for defying the imperial edict. I command you to hand them over immediately."
"Prince Rui, it would be better if you read more before speaking, or else you’ll end up being the laughingstock," General Wu said with a laugh. "Whether Liao City belongs to the Northern Land or not, you will find out immediately upon checking the map from the Hongzhao Era. The late emperor marked it very clearly."
This was to call him an empty-headed fool, and Prince Rui’s face turned the color of iron with rage.
"Also, it’s the first time I’ve heard of someone rushing others into taking office," continued General Wu in his gruff manner, deliberately provoking Prince Rui, "Fine, if you can’t handle it, you’re free to go to Feng City and make the arrest yourself, as no one is stopping you. However, anyone who dares to obstruct me from catching the rebels today will not find me lenient."
"Excuse me, General Guan. When would be convenient for us to enter the city?" asked Situ Gong, assuming the air of a genial old man.
Guan Qinggu’s face turned ashen. Handing over the city? He had no authority to do that. And from the stance of the opponents, it was clear they would take it by force if not given.
Liao City was an important gateway, and indeed, according to old maps, it was part of the Northern Land. But after the new Emperor came to power, that all changed.
Situ Gong’s clinging to the old imperial calendar made Guan Qinggu feel as if he was in the wrong.
"Situ Gong, I want you to hand over the people immediately, or else they will be treated as rebels," Prince Rui said, unable to contain his anger at the sight of the people from the Northern Land.
"The individuals are in the Northern Land, and the Prince is free to find them himself, as no one is obstructing the Prince. Therefore, I dare not accept the big hat the Prince is trying to put on me," Situ Gong spoke slowly and calmly, as though reasoning with him.
Guan Qinggu had always been a slick operator, and seeing Situ Gong continually trying to provoke and test Prince Rui, he immediately intervened.
"Prince, Situ Gong is full of deceit. They come with ill intent; it’d be better for us to wait and see how things unfold."