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墨書 Inktalez
"It... it's a secret order from Prime Minister Huang, saying that as long as the people protest, they will be trapped here in the name of the plague..." Yu Yang was so frightened that he nearly wet his pants, quickly spilling everything he knew.
Goodness, where did this demon come from? So fierce, just a glance made him tremble in fear.
"This bunch of beasts..." Sister Yun was the first to voice her discontent, cursing, "They won't have a good end!"
Qing Luan's eyes, however, held no anger; they were eerily calm.
"Now, what do you plan to do?" Qing Luan asked coolly.
"I... I'll listen to you," he said, though he was foolish, he understood how to read the room and immediately began to ingratiate himself.
Qing Luan certainly wouldn't let those innocent people die, but thinking about how some would sacrifice lives for food made her wish she could kill those beasts. It was because of this that the bloodshed of that year occurred; to them, what was a life worth?
She wasn't worried about the lack of food because she had prepared. Although it was just sweet potatoes and such, compared to Yu Yang's watery rice soup, these were considered delicacies.
Qing Luan had originally planned to arrange everything before returning to the capital, but upon receiving news that something had happened in the city, she had to rush back. She left this place in Yu Yang's hands and warned him: "No one is watching you here, but if anything goes wrong, I will know everything. I've already told those people that if anything seems off, they'll tie you up first... If you die alongside them, they'll feel quite satisfied!"
Yu Yang had another characteristic: he was timid and afraid of death. Such a person was easier to manipulate.
"I... I understand," he had thought about this before, but now there was no way out. Even if he killed everyone here, the news would still get out—he couldn't possibly fight against them. "Don't worry; I'll handle it well!"
"I'm telling you this; you'd better do it. Otherwise, no matter where you go in the world, you won't live in peace!" What she entrusted him with wasn't simple; there was also the task of rebuilding. For the next two years, he wouldn't be able to leave this place.
"Yes, yes, I understand!" Yu Yang's lips curled in a frown; his heart bled at the thought of wading through this murky water and encountering nothing but trouble.
As Qing Luan left, she instructed the accompanying doctor and spoke to the people about being cautious of the plague... After addressing these matters, she hurriedly set off with Xuanyuan Rui back to the capital.
Along the way, Qing Luan furrowed her brows tightly. No matter how others inquired, she kept her mouth shut and refused to say anything.
Qin'er and Sister Yun, seeing her like this, felt increasingly anxious. It was rare for the young lady to wear such an expression, and now it made them worry—something significant must have happened in the capital.
" Luan'er," Xuanyuan Rui said gently after sending Sister Yun and the others away, "no matter what happens, I will be by your side!"
Startled, Qing Luan turned to look at him, studying the contours of his face carefully. She said earnestly and seriously, "Xuanyuan Rui, help me with your agility!"
"Of course, as long as it's within my ability!" He replied without hesitation. Even if it were something difficult, he would try his best for her.
Seeing his unwavering response, without even asking what she needed help with, touched Qing Luan deeply. A man who would protect her without hesitation when she felt wronged, while silently standing firm at other times—this affection stirred her heart. Yet now, she felt powerless to act because there were too many uncertainties surrounding her; she feared dragging him into danger.
Through Qing Luan's inquiries, Xuanyuan Rui learned what news she had received.
She had left, and Jade Pavilion remained empty, which angered Qiu Mingqi. He used the excuse of raising funds to trouble the Zhu Family. The news she received came from Fu Tianlin. He had intended to follow her but was pulled back by the Fu Family halfway. This was a minor issue; the crucial problem lay with Chen Qingyuan—they had found her.
"Qiu Mingqi wants to marry Chen Qingyuan?" Xuanyuan Rui frowned, realizing how troublesome this matter was.
"Yes," Qing Luan said darkly, a fierce glint in her eyes as she spoke each word deliberately. "I have no enmity with him, but he covets Jade Pavilion and is capable of any despicable act... He must have guessed that Qingyuan's disappearance is related to me, so he wants to use Qingyuan to threaten me!"
If he truly intended that, she wouldn't mind making an example out of him.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked calmly, taking note of the fierceness in her eyes.
"Bring me into your circle. I need Yun Nishang's support; once Qiu Mingqi understands my relationship with her, he will think twice!" She had other plans in mind but couldn't reveal them yet; that was her last bargaining chip.
That chip was meant for negotiations with the Emperor.
“ Nishang is not the problem; I’m afraid… it might attract the Emperor’s attention. If he wants Jade Pavilion, you will have no way out.” The Emperor's interest in Jade Pavilion was something both he and Qing Luan were aware of, and he feared that if the Emperor focused on her, they would lose their leverage.
“A mere Jade Pavilion is a cash cow for them, but to me, it’s just a drop in the bucket; I don’t care about it at all. If I could use Jade Pavilion to bring down Prime Minister Huang, I would be more than willing, but the Emperor would never agree!” She was cautious precisely because she understood the intricacies involved.
Although Prime Minister Huang lacked silver, the Emperor relied on him. Perhaps it could be said that the Emperor was clever, balancing power and money to maintain court relations. No one had absolute authority, and no single word could decide everything—such an Emperor was the most terrifying.
“Grandfather holds Prime Minister Huang in high regard. Luan'er, do you know? After my father was murdered, Prime Minister Huang claimed that pirates were terrorizing the fishing village and sent his Favorite Disciple to garrison there… Over the years, it has been peaceful, and he attributes this to his Favorite Disciple’s prestige, which keeps the pirates at bay…” He had observed all this but lacked evidence. Thus, he needed to establish his own reputation to have a voice in the court.
“How despicable!” It was clear that there were no pirates, yet he brazenly received rewards. This showed that Prime Minister Huang’s Favorite Disciple was not a good person either.
She needed to consult with Uncle Ma and the others about this matter; they should investigate what kind of person that fellow was. Perhaps they could deal with him in the fishing village.
“He thinks he can control everything, believing his plans are flawless, yet he fails to see that even the best-laid schemes can go awry. Now there are discussions in court arguing that if there are no pirates, then the troops sent should be recalled. Prime Minister Huang countered by saying that if they return and encounter pirates again, it would lead to disaster…” He slowly shared what was happening in court with her.
“…” Qing Luan listened to his words without responding, falling into silence. After a moment, she suddenly exclaimed, “This is bad!”
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