Return of the Swallow c1-644

by Edited by Deyna up to chapter ~100.

  “Understood.” Qitai quickly ran off to prepare the carriage.

  The marquis hastily changed clothes and bumped into his brothers when leaving. They’d all heard of the commoners surrounding the royal residence and were worried that something might happen to their niece.

  All three set off together.

  In the carriage, the three men discussed in low tones what measures should be taken. Qin Huaiyuan had a plan in mind, but he hadn’t been able to coordinate with Qin Yining beforehand, so their hands were tied. The men broke out in a cold sweat from anxiety.

  The closer they drew to the residence, the thicker the crowd was. In the end, the three men had to proceed on foot.

  They followed the flow of the crowd, surrounded on all sides with panicked trepidation. Some were discussing in low tones, others cursing loudly. There were also the sounds of women crying softly. Qin Huaiyuan’s emotions grew even more agitated when experiencing this.

  Clouds of war had loomed over the capital for more than a day or two. Continued years of conscription as well as the former trash emperor’s various tyrannical policies and predatory practices had meted out endless days of hopelessness to the people in the capital. Citizens living elsewhere could only be worse off.

  A hero who’d cleaned house had finally appeared, turning the trampress into a human candle and forcing the trash emperor to abdicate. The new emperor seemed so very congenial and willing to listen to the people. He’d set aside his beloved girl for the people and even assigned a royal residence as her quarters.

  The people had just started to feel that rays of hope were dawning in their lives when news spread of the Prince of Ning being injured. The national coffers and royal treasury were empty, and the former emperor had sold off the tax grain!

  The merchants were now setting half a kilogram of grain at a price ten taels, further confirming the reality that there was no grain to be had in the country’s warehouses.

  Who on earth could afford to spent ten taels of silver for a few mouthfuls of rice?

  A drought, war, and soon to descend starvation — enormous fear shrouded the capital, driving away the citizens’ wariness of the Wardens’ Office. Everyone was going to die in the end anyways, so who cared about a curfew?

  Qin Huaiyuan pursed his lips. He knew that the people were placing all of their hopes on the ‘holy girl’ who could safeguard Great Yan’s fortunes.

  When people lost faith and hope in everyday life, they would turn to religion instead for succor. This was why Taoism was so popular and why Buddhism flourished.

  In the face of oppression from war, the people’s faith naturally lay with the ‘holy girl’ who could secure the nation’s safety. They were reassured and the emperor have a tremendous load taken off his shoulders.

  But all that pressure would land squarely on his daughter! And if mishandled, the holy girl would become the great conman of their age. She might even end up in worse straits than the trampress!

  Cold fright gripped the marquis. He sweated all over and his limbs were clammy despite it being a hot summer’s day. He’d never thought that this would be how things would end up.

  He detested his own helplessness like nothing he had ever before. He fervently wished that he could sprout wings and fly to his daughter’s side so that they could discuss what to do.

  Qin Huaiyuan and his brothers were here early, as evidenced by the countless people crowding behind them. They’d reached the door of the main hall by now. Someone was calling out an announcement.

  “Master Xuan Su has heard of everyone gathering here with questions to ask. She will be making a special appearance and has already arrived in the great hall.

  “I must remind everyone to not push or shove when the doors are opened in a moment. Please enter in an orderly fashion. There’s limited space within the temple and we’re unable to host too many. Thus, whatever the honored master says today will be passed on to those outside. Please don’t worry or be in a rush. You’ll be able to hear the master’s words whether inside or outside the door.”

  Another man repeated the speaker’s words as soon as the announcement was over. Yet more people distilled the announcement down into easy catchphrases.

  “Don’t push! Avoid stepping on others!”

  “Master Xuan Su is a holy girl! Don’t barge into the holy girl!”

  “Please enter the temple in an orderly fashion!”

  Qin Huaiyuan and his brothers exchanged glances, slightly more at ease about the situation and headed inside with the crowd.

  * * *

  Chapter 248: Petitioning the Heavens (III)

  Chapter 248: Petitioning the Heavens (III)

  Xuan Su Temple was a royal residence previously and thus off-limits to commoners. The only thing they could glimpse when passing by were the magnificent, tall walls and the opulent great hall halfway up the mountain.

  As they filtered through the main doors, they were greeted by the sight of a brightly lit residence. White marble lamp posts were set at regular intervals along the lake. Flickering candlelight within sketched out a wondrous reflection on the surface, making the great hall even more resplendent in the night sky.

  Like the tides, the people surged down the path through the white marble, arched bridge and circled around the waters to reach the main hall.

  Orderly tiles paved the spacious square. Elegant and simple potted plants graced the outskirts while flowers bloomed in the flowerbeds. The refreshing fragrance of flora and incensed wafted into noses with each inhale.

  There were a hundred nuns already sitting cross-legged, meditating in the square. In front of the great hall, imperial guards stood at the ready on a raised platform, one that jutted out from beneath the roof. Each of them were at solemn attention, their gazes sharp and alert.

  Beneath the lanterns swinging from high rafters, two beautiful maids dressed in turquoise flanked a girl clad in white. The latter stood with her back facing the crowd. She was wearing layered views of white veil and a cotton padded skirt. Her long locks poured down behind her shoulders, like a bolt of satin in the lantern-light. Night wind tugging at her hair and skirt imparted an ethereal aura to her.

  The people rushing at the front stumbled to a halt, staring dumbly at the figure that looked like a fairy. Others turned to maintain order and make sure that no pushing or shoving was happening.

  The square, bridge, and path around the lake were soon full of people. There were many more who couldn’t come closer and climbed up the artificial mountain or even the walls for a look.

  Though there was a dense mass of humanity, a bizarre silence spread from the square in front of the hall. No one dared talk loudly, for fear of startling the one on the platform.

  Qin Huaiyuan and his brothers were standing on the steps leading to the square. They were still unable to see clearly, so they clambered onto the railings and used tree trunks for balance.

  The glimmerings of an idea formed in the marquis’ mind when he saw his daughter’s outfit and he was put more at ease.

  “Holy girl,” An unknown voice cried out from the crowd, prompting waves of people falling to their knees.

  “Holy girl, please show us the way forward!”

  Some were weeping and sniffling, but no one was shrieking or wailing. Everyone cast hopefully expectant looks upon the figure brighter than snow.

  Qin Yining turned around and with the help of her maids, made her way below the lights.

  Those closer to her were flabbergasted by her beauty. Who’d ever seen such a comely person??

  Those further away could only see her pristine clothes. But wait, she seemed to be holding something fuzzy in her arms. A closer look confirmed it to be a snow-white bunny!

  With the Soothsayer’s fortune already putting them in the proper frame of mind and now overwhelmed by the holy girl in the flesh, the people’s faith in her grew even deeper. The strikingly extravagant great hall only served to further enhance a presence of holiness and mysteriousness
.

  “This little girl is unworthy and lacking. It is the fortune of three lifetimes to receive imperial trust and be granted the opportunity to pray for the nation. I am just doing whatever little I can do here. But it is indeed a great honor to meet so many fellow countrymen today. What might be on everyone’s mind today?”

  Mountains were to the residence’s rear and a body of water to its fore. During construction, some forethought had gone into the possibility that ceremonies or public speeches might be held here in the future. Therefore, painstaking care had been devoted to crafting the acoustics of the place. Qin Yining wasn’t straining her voice in the slightest, but all those in the square could easily hear her.

  This enhanced the sanctity of the situation.

  A woman mustered up the courage to ask, “Your Holiness, do you think we’ll make it through all of this alive?”

  “The heavenly law cycles ever onwards and everyone has their own destiny. But the heavens treasure life and always leaves behind a wisp of hope. Hope will surely dawn as long everyone continues to stay the course.”

  Moved expressions crossed faces when the crowd heard this and optimism began to spring forth in hearts. Some whispers flourished, but the atmosphere as a whole had lightened greatly.

  “Your Holiness, will the capital remain standing?”

  “His Majesty is a wise ruler. The soldiers and generals are all hot-blooded men who think only of our country. Everyone should remain of one heart and refrain from giving in to fear or panic. Don’t add to our men’s burdens by doing anything to harm Great Yan either. I believe that as long as we try our best, the end result will be good even if the journey is difficult and bumpy. We will surely continue to live on.”

  Smiles finally broke out on faces when the people heard this. They were most afraid of losing their homes along with a crumbling of their nation.

  To be blunt, everyone was afraid of dying.

  But their holy girl had reassured that they could make it through this crisis as long as everyone worked hard; peace finally settled down over them.

  Meanwhile, the second and third elder master were open mouthed with surprise from their position in the crowd. They’d never thought that their niece knew how to ‘commune’ with the gods and handle such a large scene!

  Qin Huaiyuan however, could finally relax. He’d been worried that Qin Yining would be apprehensive at seeing so many people. That would take her ethereal demeanor down a notch, and her words would seem less plausible.

  Just now, she’d actually delivered some regular pleasantries used in social settings. What sounded impressive and sophisticated left her plenty of room to maneuver with. No matter what the end result was, the fault wouldn’t be hers.

  But with the people’s faith that she was a holy girl who could protect the nation, Qin Yining appeared saintly no matter what she did. Add to that her purposeful crafting of an immortal palace setting, her outfit, and the general atmosphere — all of it was an enormous impact to people who hadn’t seen much of the world.

  Qin Huaiyuan nodded. It seemed that his daughter had grasped the heart of the situation. Since she’d been clapped with the label of a ‘holy girl’, she had to play her role to the hilt. It would be an ugly death for her if she was pulled off her pedestal.

  “Your Holiness.” An elder asked tremulously. “They say that the former emperor sold off all the grain collected for tax and in the warehouses. There’s nothing left in storage! Us commoners don’t have much at home, but the evil merchants have raised prices to ten taels of silver per half kilogram! Can you punish the vile merchants and make them hand over the grain?”

  “Yeah, that’s right, Your Holiness! The traders are too awful!” The people clamored loudly with insults. Though they hated what the emperor emeritus had done, no one was bold enough to openly curse his name.

  This was currently the greatest dilemma facing Qin Yining. The situation was far too complex and she couldn’t say to them that cooperation from the emperor was needed to resolve this problem. She settled for a smile.

  “I understand your concerns. Tomorrow, at the hour of the snake, I will set up an altar to petition the heavens. I’m sure they will give us some sort of answer.”

  The people erupted with amazement. Their holy girl was going to ask the gods what to do about their food? She was the real deal if she could talk to the gods. She was absolutely a holy girl who could ensure Great Yan’s security!

  Surprise and joy intermingling, the crowd hastily kowtowed and cried out their thanks. Qin Yining heaved a silent sigh of relief when this was the reaction that ensued. Still holding Riceball, she walked into the great hall with Jiyun and Qiulu.

  Imperial guards stepped forward to organize the crowd’s departure. “Don’t push, don’t shove! Walk slowly!”

  Qin Huaiyuan and his brothers likewise breathed sighs of relief from their position in the corner. The thousands of people were retreating docilely like the receding tide.

  “My niece is something else alright! She could keep it together in front of so many people. I would be paralyzed with indecision if it was me!” The second elder master patted his chest.

  Qin Huaiyuan waved a hand with a wry smile. “She was just forced into doing something she doesn’t do. Brothers, let’s go see daughter Yi and discuss our next steps.”

  * * *

  Chapter 249: A Strategic Decision (I)

  Chapter 249: A Strategic Decision (I)

  Back in the rear hall, an ashen-faced Qin Yining finally relaxed completely. Running her hand across her forehead, it came back full of sweat. Her heart was still pounding as well.

  Qiulu quickly wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her mistress’ face. She too palpitated with fear. “That was really too scary! There were so many people there, it was a sea of black! If they’d all charged in, they could drown us all with a mouthful of spit each! Thank goodness you’re so smart, miss! Your answers were perfect. If we’d angered the crowd instead, we’d be trampled to death already!”

  Qin Yining chugged down the honey water that Jiyun offered before feeling alive again.

  “Me? Smart? My nerves were killing me.” Qin Yining patted her chest after putting down a white porcelain teacup with patterns traced on it in gold. “It’s a hideous task to pretend to be able to speak with the gods. I was thinking about every single word I was saying and didn’t dare say anything wrong. I also had to pretend to be a real ‘holy girl’, but you ladies know better than anyone what kind of person I am. I’m the farthest away from projecting an otherworldly aura. My mind was racing with what I needed to say and what posture I needed to pose with. Thankfully I’d already guessed some of what they were going to ask, or I really wouldn’t have known what to answer with.”

  “Isn’t that right! I was supporting the miss, so I could feel how she was shaking and trembling. I started shaking too because I was so nervous.” Jiyun smiled ruefully. “How did you know they were going to ask these questions, miss?”

  “That was the easier part. I could easily guess what the people might be most concerned about at times like these.” Qin Yining was about to continue onwards when a guard reported in.

  “Reporting to the honored master, visitors from the Marquis of An Manor are here.”

  Joy crossed the girl’s face. “Quick, have them come in.” She rushed downstairs with Jiyun and Qiulu.

  She grinned happily when she saw her father and uncles. When she noted their sweat-soaked clothes and how wrinkled they also were, Qin Yining knew that the three men must’ve been crammed into the crowd earlier. They must’ve rushed here as soon as receiving the word.

  Moved, the Qin fourth miss dropped a curtsey. “Father, second uncle, third uncle. My apologies for having you make a trip when it’s so late at night.” She shooed off her maids. “Hurry, go fetch something to drink.”

  Qiulu and Jiyun returned with a tray after Qin Yining helped the men take their seats.

  “This is chilled sour prune drink. It’s both re
freshing and drives the heat away. Please enjoy, milords.”

  A large bowl was served to each of the men while Qin Yining held a pitcher at the side, ready for refills. Between the three men, they drained half the pitcher before finally setting the bowls down.

  “We rushed here as soon as we heard. There were too many people though, so we had to give up the carriage and follow the crowd. I saw your entire performance just now. Well done.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled faintly.

  Qin Yining blushed. “You saw all that? I was just pretending.”

  The second elder master smiled. “It was a very good act. Really convincing, in fact! And you had a little rabbit? You looked just like Chang’e beneath the lantern light. The commoners have never seen a sight like this, so they were awed just by the setup at first glance.”

  “That’s right. You did very well. No one would’ve believed you if you just spoke plainly.” The third elder master chimed in.

  “I was afraid that whatever I said wouldn’t be listened to, which is why I thought of this less-than-ideal plan. Thankfully the danger is over for now.”

  “What are you going to do for the altar and petitioning the heavens tomorrow?”

  Qin Yining smiled wryly. “What do I know about altars and petitioning the gods? I can only ask a real Taoist to come teach me. I think I’ll be able to save myself from embarrassment if I follow their steps. As for what kind of explanation to give to the people, that’s up to the emperor.”

  Qin Huaiyuan raised an eyebrow at this. “So you’ve already thought of how to solve the food issue?”

  “I’m not sure if it’ll be that easy to resolve. I wanted to discuss my thoughts with father, but you read my mind and here you are!”

  Qin Huaiyuan grinned widely at this.

  Qin Yining was about to elaborate on her plan when a slightly shrill voice called in from outside, “Announcing His Majesty the emperor!”

  A frown creased the girl’s brow when she heard this. It really was very late. Even though a great matter had occurred, the emperor only needed to send a trusted aide to come make inquiries. What was he making a personal trip for?