lcionline Chapters 211 and 212
Chapters 211 and 212
In the Prime Minister's residence, in the study
"Sir, the entire Ji family has fled. Should we pursue them?" Boyu asked.
"No need. Since Scholar Ji wants his other clansmen to live, he doesn't dare to return to the capital. He has already abandoned Ji Beichen. Scholar Ji wouldn't risk the lives of his other clansmen for the sake of a grandson." Zheng Luoqi narrowed her eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then replied calmly.
However, despite saying this, Zheng Luoqi still had some concerns. He frowned slightly and continued, "But we still can't let our guard down. We need to send people to continue monitoring them in case of any unexpected situations. If they really dare to return to the capital, then don't blame me for being ruthless and eliminating them all!"
Zheng Luoqi understood perfectly well that Scholar Ji would never dare to confront the Prime Minister's Mansion directly in order to save his own life. Scholar Ji also understood that as long as he clearly stated that he would no longer get involved in this power struggle, his Ji family might still have a glimmer of hope.
Scholar Ji was gambling; he was betting that the Prime Minister's mansion wouldn't relentlessly pursue him. After all, even someone who is usually as docile as a lamb might choose to fight to the death, even if it means mutual destruction, once pushed to the brink.
Moreover, this Scholar Ji has served in the imperial court for many years, and his disciples are spread throughout most of the capital. He must have some connections and relationships in the capital.
"Well, well, since he's only concerned with saving his life, I might as well let him go. If I really push him to the brink and he fights to the death, then it would be a huge loss." Thinking of this, Zheng Luoqi couldn't help but sigh softly.
"My lord, Jingyu has already placed Miss Pei under guard, and so far, she has not shown any other unusual behavior," Boyu reported.
Upon hearing this news, Zheng Luoqi couldn't help but recall the scene at the banquet when she saw a maid sneaking around in a corner eavesdropping.
Thinking of this, he frowned and asked, "How did Jin Yu handle this matter? Did he just detain the person?"
"Yes, sir! Not only Miss Pei, but all the servants and attendants who came with the Pei family have also been placed under guard!" Boyu replied respectfully, his head bowed.
Zheng Luoqi remained expressionless and coldly uttered two words: "Kill!"
Zheng Luoqi continued, "However, Pei Wenxuan's life will be spared for now. As for the other servants, kill them. If anyone questions this matter, just say that those servants were homesick, so we let them go home!" After saying this, Zheng Luoqi's expression remained indifferent.
"Yes, I understand!" Boyu replied quickly.
Zheng Luoqi changed the subject and asked again, "Any leads regarding Liu Hongwei's case? Have you been able to find out which officials he had dealings with in the past?"
"Reporting to you, sir, after some investigation over this period of time, we have made some progress. According to the information we have so far, there is indeed some connection between Liu Hongwei and Lin Changsheng!" Bo Yu did not dare to be negligent in the slightest and quickly answered truthfully.
"Liu Hongwei was saved by Lin Changsheng when he was a child fleeing famine."
"Oh? Is that so?" Zheng Luoqi suddenly found things interesting. The Shen family's massacre was framed on the Lin family. If it is found that the Lin family really has the possibility of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, then the Lin family's destruction is only a matter of time.
"Keep an eye on the Lin family. Report any developments immediately. By the way, has there been any news from Consort Jiang in the palace?" Zheng Luoqi continued to ask.
"Yes, sir. Currently, Consort Wan and Consort De are at odds in the harem. The Chen and Lin families are only superficially harmonious, but behind the scenes they have begun to win over other powerful officials to put pressure on the Emperor to discuss the matter of establishing an Empress! The Emperor currently favors Consort Wan more."
"As for who will be made empress, it is still unclear. However, judging from the current situation, Consort Wan is more likely to win," Boyu replied respectfully.
Zheng Luoqi narrowed her eyes slightly, her slender fingers gently tapping the table, the crisp and rhythmic sound echoing in the room.
After listening to Boyu's report, Zheng Luoqi fell into deep thought. After a moment, she asked, "The concubines in the harem are all trying their best to win the emperor's favor, but so much time has passed and not a single one of them has become pregnant and given birth to the emperor's heir. Doesn't anyone have any doubts about this?"
"Your Excellency, some people have suspected it. Consort Wan once sent people to investigate the matter, but Consort Jiang found out about it."
“Consort Jiang intercepted her and secretly did some things, so Consort Wan now only knows that the Emperor is unwell, not that he cannot have children,” Boyu replied respectfully.
"Well done! Where's my dad? Where is he now?" Zheng Luoqi nodded in satisfaction and asked casually.
Boyu quickly bowed respectfully and replied, "Your Excellency, the master is currently handling official business at his residence!"
"Okay, I understand. That's all for you, you can leave now!" Zheng Luoqi waved his hand gently, indicating that Boyu could leave. Then he straightened his sleeves, turned and left, preparing to go find Zheng Yuxiang.
A short while later, Zheng Luoqi arrived at the door of Zheng Yuxiang's study, where he usually handled official business. He stopped, then gently knocked on the door and said, "Father, it's me!"
A deep, steady voice came from inside the room: "Come in!" After hearing this reply, Zheng Luoqi slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Zheng Yuxiang was sitting behind his desk, engrossed in reviewing official documents, when he heard someone enter. He looked up and, seeing Zheng Luoqi walking in, a kind smile appeared on his face. He said, "I was just thinking of sending someone to call you over, but I didn't expect you to come here yourself!"
"Oh! Father, is there something important you need me for?" Zheng Luoqi said as she quickly walked over to Zheng Yuxiang and stood beside him.
"Tell me about your business first. What brings you here today?" Zheng Yuxiang asked slowly, his gaze fixed on Zheng Luoqi in front of him.
Zheng Luoqi cut to the chase, saying, "Father, you must already know about the matter of establishing an empress!"
Zheng Yuxiang nodded calmly, indicating that he was aware of the matter.
After receiving an affirmative answer, Zheng Luoqi immediately followed up by asking, "Does Father have any particular thoughts or opinions on this matter?"
Upon hearing his daughter's question, Zheng Yuxiang's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He then calmly replied, "Whether it's the Chen family or the Lin family, no matter who ultimately ascends to the throne, it won't bring any benefit to our family. However... whoever sits on that position first, we will eliminate that family!" Although his tone was calm, the ruthless decisiveness within it sent chills down one's spine.
“Yes!” Zheng Luoqi nodded, indicating that she completely agreed with her father’s point of view.
After a brief pause, he continued, "Liu Hongwei's matter may be related to that old man Lin Changsheng. Lin Changsheng once did Liu Hongwei a favor. There are not many people who can do things so cleanly under our noses. The person behind Liu Hongwei is very likely Lin Changsheng!"
"What do you want to do?" Zheng Yuxiang narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Zheng Luoqi with great interest, a sense of curiosity rising in his heart.
"We need to find out first whether there is any relationship between Liu Hongwei and Lin Changsheng. As long as we can find conclusive evidence that Lin Changsheng and Liu Hongwei are colluding, then taking down the Lin family in one fell swoop will only be a matter of time!" Zheng Luoqi said.
"Hmm...that's true." Zheng Yuxiang nodded in agreement.
"After the Lin family falls, it will be the Chen family's turn next. Without the Pei family, the Chen family is just an empty shell. Once the Chen family is overthrown, Xue Huaiyu will have no supporters left. Then we can support an obedient puppet to take the throne."
"However, this puppet can't just be any random person; it must be born from the womb of a concubine in the harem to make it seem legitimate!" Zheng Luoqi said, a smile playing on her lips.
"Hahahaha, Qi'er, your idea is not bad. But if we really put it into practice, it will probably be quite difficult. But it's not that difficult. I, your father, will cover for you. Go ahead and do it!" Zheng Yuxiang couldn't help but laugh, while looking at Zheng Luoqi with tender eyes, his eyes full of appreciation and affection for her.
"As for Lin Changsheng, even if we can't find conclusive evidence to deal with him for the time being, it doesn't mean we have no way. We can completely fabricate some so-called 'evidence' for him!" Zheng Yuxiang said, patting Zheng Luoqi's shoulder gently, his gaze deep and meaningful.
The father and daughter exchanged a glance, as if they shared a telepathic understanding, instantly comprehending the unspoken meaning in each other's eyes. Then, they both burst into hearty laughter, the sound echoing throughout the room.
After laughing, Zheng Luoqi seemed to suddenly remember something and asked, "Father, didn't you just say you also had something to discuss with me? What is it?"
Hearing his daughter's question, Zheng Yuxiang smiled slightly and slowly walked to his desk. He bent down, opened a drawer, took out a letter, and then turned to hand it to Zheng Luoqi.
Zheng Luoqi took the envelope with great curiosity and unfolded the letter. His eyes quickly scanned the words on the letter, reading it in a flash. The letter recorded some important events that had occurred in the border region since the war between Da Xia and Bei Rong began.
The story also mentions the relationship between Tuoba Yanran and Pei Wenyu. Tuoba Yanran disguised herself as a man and secretly infiltrated the military camp.
One night, she pretended to go to the river to bathe, but actually tried to cross the river and escape under the cover of darkness. However, she was discovered by Pei Wenyu, who happened to be passing by. Pei Wenyu realized that Tuoba Yanran was a woman.
Pei Wenyu originally intended to expel Tuoba Yanran from the military camp, as it was a major taboo for women to infiltrate the army.
As a result, Tuoba Yanran seemed to suddenly remember something. She thought that Zheng Luoqi was still chasing her outside. If she was kicked out of the military camp and the news of her disguised as a man and infiltrating the military camp reached Zheng Luoqi's ears, Zheng Luoqi would definitely suspect that it was her, and then she would not be far from death.
Tuoba Yanran burst into tears. She clung tightly to Pei Wenyu's clothes, pleading with him not to send her away.
"General, please don't let me leave!" Tuoba Yanran cried out hoarsely, "I didn't mean to hide my identity, I was forced to! I joined the army in place of my father. If I go back now, I will be a deserter, and not only will I be severely punished, but my father will also be executed!"
Hearing these words, Pei Wenyu couldn't help but be slightly moved. He gazed at the seemingly weak yet incredibly determined woman before him, secretly admiring her extraordinary courage to join the army disguised as a man.
After careful consideration, Pei Wenyu decided to keep Tuoba Yanran by his side for the time being. Partly, he wanted to observe how much pressure and challenge she could withstand; partly, perhaps it was also because he harbored a deep curiosity about this extraordinary woman.
As time went by, the two gradually became familiar with each other through their daily interactions.
Together they weathered the storms of war and faced life-or-death trials, deepening their mutual understanding and trust. Whenever Tuoba Yanran was in danger, Pei Wenyu would always step forward without hesitation to protect her; and when Pei Wenyu was in trouble, Tuoba Yanran would help him escape danger.
Gradually, an indescribable feeling quietly blossomed in their hearts. At first, they both tried to suppress this feeling; after all, in the military, romantic love was taboo. But the power of love was ultimately irresistible, and they eventually broke through all constraints, falling in love with each other…
Pei Wenyu never expected that Tuoba Yanran was actually the second princess of the Northern Rong Kingdom.
During a battle with Bei Rong, Pei Wenyu discovered that Tuoba Yanran had disappeared after the fight ended, and he went to look for her anxiously.
After failing to find her for a long time, Pei Wenyu was about to give up when he saw Tuoba Yanran during his next battle with Bei Rong. He cried out in anguish, "Why?"
In the end, Pei Wenyu lost this battle.
The initially evenly matched and seemingly indecisive situation was dramatically reversed when he became entangled in personal matters. Taking advantage of the situation, the Northern Rong army launched a devastating attack on Pei Wenyu's forces, instantly turning the battle into a one-sided massacre. Pei Wenyu himself was not spared, sustaining severe injuries in the fierce fighting and falling into a life-threatening condition.
When General Pei learned of this, he did not rush to visit his beloved grandson as others had expected.
Instead, the seasoned veteran sighed deeply and lamented, "Heaven is going to destroy my Pei family!" His words were filled with helplessness and despair.
Then, without hesitation, General Pei issued an order to relieve Pei Wenyu of his post as general and instructed him to focus on recovering from his injuries.
Before leaving, he left only a cold sentence: "You are lucky to have escaped with your life today, but what about the soldiers who followed you? Once you have recovered from your injuries, go back to the Pei residence! This battlefield is not the place for you. I misjudged you back then!" After saying that, General Pei turned and left, leaving Pei Wenyu lying alone in the tent with a dejected look on his face.
General Pei quickly wrote an urgent letter and sent it to the capital by fast horse, imploring the emperor to immediately dispatch a new general to support the frontier war.
After doing all this, General Pei slowly climbed the city wall, stood there alone, and gazed into the distance.
At this moment, no one knew what he was thinking. Perhaps he was recalling the glorious achievements of the Pei family army in the past, or perhaps he was worrying about the future of his family...