The second and third madame were chit-chatting idly with Qin Huining off on the side. The cheerful chatter made for a bustling scene. Qin Yining took one look at the cherry-red eight-panel skirt that the foster girl was wearing and sat down, expressionless.
Those who had a heart and mind for principles would understand even without being told. Someone without a heart like Qin Huining would never develop a mind for principles even if she was lectured ten thousand times. The foster girl didn’t care about her family on the Duke of Ding’s side anyways, so it was more than likely that her grandfather, uncles, and cousins in the underworld wouldn’t care about what she wore either.
The second and third elder lord had arranged for pageboys to keep an eye on the road. One of them came in at the hour of the dragon [1].
“Reporting to Old Dowager, the emperor and empress’ sedans are nearing the city doors. Their Majesties are trailed by a hundred officials. They’ve almost reached the welcome party.”
The old dowager nodded repeatedly, all smiles for once. “Well then, let’s be on our way as well. Let’s circle around to the Drunken Immortal first. It’s not too far from the city gates and the view from the second floor is particularly good. We’ll be able to take in the entire return party from there.”
“Mother thinks most thoroughly,” the third madame flattered.
“Indeed, grandmother’s plans are the best. We all want to see father’s triumphant return. This brings great honor to our ancestors!” Qin Huining also chimed in.
The old dowager was filled with happiness and felt very relaxed. Peals of merry laughter sounded in the air as they all jostled each other jovially.
Qin Yining felt increasing irritation at the sight of these people. None of them valued relationships and thought of née Sun at all, so there was no point in hoping any of them were worried about the senior madame’s safety.
Another pageboy politely entered amidst the cacophony. “The carriages have been prepared. This way please, Old Dowager, madames, and misses.”
Everyone smoothed out nonexistent creases on their outfits a old dowager as they headed out as a pack. The convoy took a longer than usual path to the Drunken Immortal. When they ascended the stairs and pushed out the gridded windows on the second floor, they discovered that the streets were lined with a great many people, all craning their necks for a look.
It was a sea of people, stretching as far as the eye could see in both directions. One could barely make out individual heads and smiles as they laughed and chatted with each other. The Qin females rarely ventured out of the manor, so the sight of so many people was quite intriguing to them as well. They gathered around the windows, pointing and murmuring to each other. Qin Yining was standing at the window furthest to the right. It offered her a view of the city gates that she could access with just a tilt of the head.
The newly swept streets reached towards the city gates, and someone on the back of a fast horse suddenly appeared in front of them. The rider was wearing the gray-blue robes of a eunuch and called out shrilly, “The emperor and empress have returned!”
The announcement triggered the release of firecrackers, sending furls of smoke everywhere and bits of red paper dancing in the air. The people smiled and laughed with joy, applauding fiercely for the happy news. The Qin females stretched their necks out for a better look as well.
The emperor and empress were walking at the head of a large crowd near the spacious city gates. Qin Huaiyuan and the crown prince followed close behind, with neatly dressed civil and martial officials lined up in order of rank behind them.
Qin Huaiyuan was upright and tall in his crimson robes that sent him greatly apart from the mass of officials. He looked very uncommon and different from them, even exuding a few hints of an ethereal immortal in his bearing as he strode forward.
The emperor was dressed in golden dragon robes, holding the hand of the empress wearing red phoenix robes. They proceeded under the protection of guards, waving at the people lining the streets.
Whether heartfelt from the populace or from people planted in the crowd, someone suddenly shouted, “May the emperor live for ten thousand years! May the empress live for a thousand years! The protection and fortune of the emperor causes all to be well and at peace within Great Yan!”
The citizens all knelt, and the Qin females curtsied as the royal entourage passed by the Drunken Immortal. None of them dared look straight upon the imperial visage. The old dowager then led all the females in kneeling on the ground and kept murmuring, “A good Qin son! A fine Qin son! It’s all thanks to the ancestors that we can bring glory to the family name!”
The old dowager was not the only one to feel proud of this all; it was a feeling shared by Qin Yining. This was the peak of glory and prosperity for an official. Qin Huaiyuan was in a position where many could only hope to beg for.
These thoughts had just crossed her mind when an uproar sounded in the distance, interspersed with angry yells and screams from the people.
The girl’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly rose to take a look outside. More than twenty men with covered faces charged out from the crowd, weapons unsheathed. It was an assassination attempt!
* * *
7am-9am
Chapter 119: Welcoming Ceremony (II)
Chapter 119: Welcoming Ceremony (II)
There were roughly twenty of them, all dressed in common street clothes. With almost the entire city present on the streets, no one had spared the assassins a second glance when they’d blended in with the crowd.
Moreover, since the emperor’s appearance also brought a heavier security force to the event, no one had imagined that someone would pick this particular moment for an assassination attempt.
The assassins drew swords and brandished clubs as they broke cover, distancing themselves from the crowd in an instant as they charged the imperial couple. But the imperial guards and the men from the Warden’s Office were also quick to react, closing ranks around the imperial majesties and meeting the assassins in open combat.
The commoners closest to the assassins panicked, doing their best to back up and flee, deathly afraid of getting involved. However, there were simply too many on the streets. As people pushed and shoved each other in blind fear, a stampede grew, trampling those unfortunate enough to fall. The assassins hadn’t even reached the emperor yet, but some of the general populace were already close to death.
“My Meng’er! Heavens! Save him, someone go save him!” The old dowager was beside herself in fear.
Qin Huaiyuan was very close to the emperor and the crown prince. Although they had security all around them, they were also the target. The color drained from Qin Yining’s face and her heart almost stopped. It meant nothing if the trash emperor and trampress died, but her father was completely innocent!
In that instant, she hated that she wasn’t a boy and didn’t have advanced martial arts skills. Her bit of brute strength was nothing here, so she could only watch as her father sank further into danger!
The Qin females shrieked from their vantage point as chaos engulfed the scene. Adults shouted, children wailed, and shrill screams and violent yells beat painfully on everyone’s eardrums.
Unlike her cousins around her, Qin Yining didn’t scream and wail. Rather, one hand tightened painfully on the windowsill as she stared unblinkingly at the situation developing below. A few of the assassins had broken through the melee formed by their assault on the guards and were now sprinting towards the imperial couple. Qin Yining’s sharp eyes took note of their direction. Their target was the emperor and empress, not Qin Huaiyuan!
Her taut nerves relaxed infinitesimally when she drew that conclusion. With the trash emperor and trampress dead, perhaps the nation could actually recover to its previous glory. It was just that, blades have no eyes, and she was afraid Qin Huaiyuan might be injured in the fray.
The thought had just crossed her mind when screams started in a different place; this time, the city gates. Her
head whipped around, and her eyes widened as she saw a dozen men wearing Great Zhou army uniforms charge into the crowd. They seemed to have no care for civilians, hacking their way through as they made a beeline for Qin Huaiyuan, bellowing, “Take down Qin Meng!”
The old dowager’s eyes rolled up into her head when she heard the new battlecry, fainting dead away. Qin Yining’s hands went white as her fingers dug into the windowsill. She didn’t even feel it when a nail broke and her finger started to bleed. The assassins moved in a very similar way to the ones at the Celestial Nunnery!
Their bodies were the same build and their techniques just as ruthless. Even though Qin Yining didn’t know martial arts, she could tell from their movements that the first group of masked assassins and the second group in Great Zhou uniforms were completely different parties. She didn’t understand; her father had just accomplished a great feat for the nation and a good reputation. Why would he be targeted after successful peace talks?!
The trash emperor and trampress should’ve died a long time ago, but not her father!
Unless, these people aren’t from Great Zhou! The flash of inspiration only served to make Qin Yining’s face even more solemn.
The streets were now a complete mess. The commoners and officials who could run away had long since scattered. Those who were caught in the middle could only seek shelter in the food stalls by the side of the road. With two groups of assassins carving their way through the unfortunate civilians into the center, they looked like they were about to succeed in their assassination attempt!
Qin Yining noted that the imperial guards and Warden’s Office’s abilities were now in grave danger of falling short of their duty. Sweat trickled down her forehead. If her father fell into further danger, she’d charge down to save him herself even if it cost her life!
In that crucial moment, a different group made their appearance. Garbed in black, wearing silver masks and each armed with a sword, this mysterious group came from the direction of the city center, navigating rooftops and building walls with contemptuous ease as they bounded towards the fray.
Qin Yining’s heart froze as the dozen figures landed on the street. More assassins? Her father’s life was truly in danger!
Before the girl could do anymore than fret helplessly from the window, the newcomers split into two and charged. One headed straight for the melee of guards and assassins, and the other intercepted the group of purported Great Zhou dissidents. The result was clear in a matter of moments.
Like twin black daggers, the silver-masked fighters cut through and suppressed both assassin groups with overwhelming force and technique. They were clearly highly trained, and each one had reached a terrifyingly high level in martial arts. One of them was even a diminutive, lithe woman!
As Qin Yining looked on with surprise, the two groups were quickly beaten into complete submission. Some were dead, others injured, but a majority were captured alive. The girl heaved a long sigh of relief at seeing the situation finally fall into some semblance of control. The imperial couple could also finally relax from their position within the protective encirclement.
The dozen silver-masked fighters swiftly strode up to the emperor and made a grand gesture of greeting. It turned out that the lithe woman was their leader, as she called out loudly, “Please forgive your subordinate for arriving late, Your Majesty!”
The emperor patted his chest to soothe his lingering fear and waved a hand. “Your may rise. Thank goodness We are alright. We will not forgive you if you dare come late again next time.”
“Many thanks for Your Majesty’s mercy!” The woman responded loudly and kowtowed. The others followed her lead.
The emperor coughed and finally settled back down. “Take these assassins to the dungeons and interrogate them fully! We would like to see who wishes death on Our head!”
Thumps sounded as soon as the emperor finished speaking. He looked back to see the men in Great Zhou uniforms crashing to the ground with purplish-black blood oozing out of their mouths. It would appear that they’d taken a page from the same book as the group from the nunnery, committing suicide via a poison caplet.
Qin Yining’s brows were furrowed tightly. She could be certain now that these people certainly weren’t from Great Zhou. The two countries had just agreed on peace talks, how would they be so idiotic as to send an assassin after Qin Huaiyuan to ruin the accords? The gold, silver, and cities that Great Yan had promised hadn’t been handed over yet! And yet, she had no idea why this group of deathsworn would try to drive a wedge between the two nations.
“Trash, useless trash!” The emperor roared angrily. “There’s so many of you, so how could you not have stopped them from committing suicide?! They’ve died before We’ve found out the truth of this matter, so what use is any of you!”
The assassins dressed up as civilians were inspired and wanted to bite their tongues off as well. But given what the previous group of assassins had done, the guards hastily broke the jaws of the remaining assassins. Even if some of them moved faster than the others, they only succeeded in injuring themselves, and didn’t quite consign themselves to death.
The emperor breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that there were still many that could be interrogated. “Set off for the palace! We leave the Warden’s Office and Bureau of Punishment in charge here. We want to see results in three days!”
“Understood!” Sir Xu of the Warden’s Office agreed with a rueful expression.
Qin Yining looked in her father’s direction with a greatly furrowed brow. Thank goodness that danger had been diffused into nothing and he hadn’t been injured. The old dowager had been revived thanks to some judicious pinching of the acupuncture points between her thumb and index finger. Once she was assured that Qin Huaiyuan was fine, she heaved a long sigh of relief as well.
When Qin Yining saw that her father was about to climb into a carriage, she suddenly recalled that née Sun was still in the palace. She quickly made her way down to the ground floor with Bingtang and the others. Her eyes met Qin Huaiyuan’s when she reached the door of the Drunken Immortal.
The man frowned slightly upon seeing Qin Yining here as well. He thought for a moment and murmured a few words to the little eunuch next to him. The eunuch nodded and walked to Qin Yining.
“Good health to Miss Qin.” The eunuch cupped both hands in a salute.
As a general rule, Qin Yining knew that one should avoid offending palace eunuchs at all costs. They’d never be the nicest or most gentle of folk, but they certainly had a harsh bite if provoked. She immediately reacted with all due courtesy, “Greetings to sir eunuch.”
The eunuch didn’t dare accept Qin Yining’s curtsey and quickly shifted to the side. “Grand Preceptor Qin ordered this lowly one to ask Miss Qin if anything has happened at home, given the miss’ presence here?”
A wry expression spread itself across Qin Yining’s face as her heart palpitated with lingering shock. “The old dowager brought the entire family out early this morning to witness this magnificent occasion. We wanted to glimpse the authority of the son of heaven, but to think such horrifying developments occurred instead! Grandmother is worried about the emperor and empress’ safety, as well as father’s health. Thus, she had me come down for a look.”
“The Qin Old Dowager has an exceedingly loyal heart and the mind of a loving mother.” The eunuch saluted a few times towards the second floor. “The emperor and empress possesses such fortune as to be one with the heavens. They were able to peacefully weather disaster and emerge unscathed. There is nothing untoward, and Grand Preceptor Qin is doing well as well. Please pass this message onto the old dowager.”
“Understood, many thanks, gonggong.” Qin Yining once again curtsied in thanks and lifted her arm to flare out her billowy cloak. She took advantage of the cover to slip a commonly made sachet of exquisite material into the eunuch’s hand.
The eunuch had never seen a noble daughter with such practiced moves. He blinked and squeezed the sa
chet a few times, his fingers telling him that there were more than a few gold beans inside. He beamed even more merrily at her and accepted the gift without a change in expression.
“This lowly one thanks Miss Qin. Many thanks, Miss Qin.”
“Go well, gonggong.”
“There is no need to send this lowly one off.”
Qin Yining nodded slightly and lifted her eyes to gaze at the carriage when the eunuch turned to leave.
* * *
Chapter 120: Coercion
Chapter 120: Coercion
Qin Huaiyuan had noticed Qin Yining’s actions just now. A small, satisfied smile crossed his face, and he nodded at his daughter before lowering the carriage curtains.
This put Qin Yining more at ease. Her father was headed for the palace. With his wits, he surely knew that her mother was already in the palace. Perhaps father would also bring mother back with him when he returned home. Qin Yining was guessing that the emperor wouldn’t have hurt her mother. He had to hold her for her father, after all. Now that the peace talks had successfully concluded and her father hadn’t done anything resembling treason, the emperor would be at peace and return the grand preceptor’s wife.
Temporarily resolving her worries for now, Qin Yining went upstairs to comfort the immensely shocked old dowager. The females returned home after the matriarch had slightly recovered. They gathered at the Garden of Loving Piety after returning to the manor, still feeling the tremors from the shock and unable to rid themselves of their fear.
The Qin females often didn’t cross past the second gate of the manor, much less the main gates. They were used to living in the peaceful lap of luxury and had never seen such violence. The more timid sixth miss had actually wet her pants back at the Drunken Immortal, and was now running a slight fever after changing her clothes.
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