novelraw Chapter 22 The Prince
Chapter 22 The Prince
Kill Zhao Dashanren's entire family?
Li Ziqing froze on the spot, wondering if she had misheard something...
Li Ziqing was certainly not a soft-hearted person.
In the chaotic world of her past life, she raised a rebellion and rose to prominence as the Empress of Great Yan, leaving behind countless bones.
The amount of human blood on his hands was naturally enormous.
But the fact that his own father calmly said he was going to kill Zhao Dashanren's entire family was another matter entirely.
"Is Li Yingcai such a ruthless and decisive person?" she wondered to herself.
Only now does she realize how little she truly knows about her biological father.
At the same time, a thought arose in Zhou Xing's mind as he looked at his adopted daughter:
This daughter with double pupils is indeed extraordinary.
The old scholar's attempt to sell her and her daughter to the Zhao family, a family of great philanthropist, certainly created a grudge.
But blood is thicker than water, so there will be some hesitation when it comes to actually taking action.
Li Ziqing acted decisively, even making Zhou Xing wonder if the child was trying to steal kills...
"Father, don't talk nonsense. The Zhao family is powerful. Even if you went, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock," Li Ziqing objected.
"We don't have time to argue here; leaving now is the only way we have a chance to survive."
She didn't take Zhou Xing's declaration of killing his entire family seriously because the difference in strength and power between the two sides was enormous.
Just because they chased away a few servants and killed Zhao's eldest son, did they really think they could defecate and urinate on the head of the great philanthropist Zhao?
However, Zhou Xing simply smiled in response to her questioning.
"You're right, there's no time to argue here," Zhou Xing said.
Before he finished speaking, he turned and left without any explanation.
A gentle breeze lifted the hem of his clothes and kicked up a cloud of dust at his feet.
He quickened his pace and walked away in the blink of an eye.
"You------" Li Ziqing's heart trembled, her gaze fell on his back, and her mind couldn't help but be filled with memories.
She had actually seen that kind of back view many times in her past life.
This is the resolve of someone facing death, the look in the eyes of a warrior with the will to die on the battlefield.
When a person is determined to die, no one in the world can persuade him.
Even if it's her own daughter.
"I understand." Li Ziqing sighed softly, a decision forming in her mind. She turned and walked out of the town.
They said they wanted to kill Zhao Dashanren's entire family, but that was actually impossible.
So what Zhou Xing actually wanted to do was not to kill the whole family.
Instead, he used his own life as bait to pave a way out for her and her mother.
This is similar to, yet different from, the previous situation.
At that time, Li Ziqing did not object. In fact, she was only thinking about getting her mother, Zhang, out of danger as soon as possible so that she could fight back and save Li Yingcai.
But this time...
Li Ziqing, who was running, stopped and looked back at where she had come from.
The light gradually dimmed.
Dark clouds had already pressed down on the mountaintops, shrouding the entire town in shadow.
The old house's courtyard walls, the scarecrow in the yard, and the back of that strange father—all of them are no longer visible.
It is true that he was born twice.
The blood ties between father and daughter are real.
But after these two lifetimes, it seems she has never really known what kind of person her biological father was.
.......
She paused for a moment, still breathless, before taking off running again.
Before long, they arrived at the large banyan tree outside the town, as agreed.
Beside the thick banyan tree trunk, amidst a pile of rubble, Mother Zhang peeked out cautiously.
Upon seeing Li Ziqing appear, Zhang's face initially lit up with joy, but when she realized that only Li Ziqing had come, her smile dimmed slightly.
"Mother, we should go now," Li Ziqing said.
"Hmm." Zhang straightened up and handed over a small package tied to her waist.
"This is something your father gave me," Zhang said quietly.
"He secretly gave it to me the night I got home."
"He said that if anything bad happened... we could go to the inn in the back alley of the county government office in the county town, and use our waist token to seek protection from a noble person inside, which would at least ensure our safety for the time being."
A thought flashed through Li Ziqing's mind, and she couldn't help but unpack the package. Her pupils shrank immediately after she saw what was inside.
The waist tag inside the package was a pure white jade pendant, its texture as smooth and warm as water. At this moment, the light of dusk shone on the jade pendant, as if a faint red light was flowing within it.
Although Li Xuanqing was unfamiliar with jade, he could tell at a glance that this item was extraordinary and must be an extremely rare treasure.
What truly moved her was not the value of the jade, but rather the shape of the jade pendant.
This is a waist tag with a dragon pattern.
The so-called Chilong is a four-legged, snake-shaped dragon that resembles a real dragon but does not have horns.
Throughout history, only princes and members of the imperial family could wear this style of clothing.
This shouldn't be something that can be handed over to a subordinate eunuch so casually.
The relationship between her father, Li Yingcai, and Prince Zhou Xing seemed to be different from what she had previously thought.
If it were merely a simple master-servant relationship, such a precious item would certainly not be bestowed upon him, even if only temporarily.
Recalling the tragic story of her father being raped and murdered by that absurd pseudo-emperor in her previous life, she suddenly felt that things were becoming somewhat confusing.
How could a personal eunuch who was forcibly defiled by the absurd false emperor possibly possess a dragon-shaped jade pendant given to him by a prince?
"Could they really be the ill-fated lovers from unofficial history?" Li Ziqing narrowed her eyes, her expression turning somewhat strange.
Putting the fleeting thought aside, she pulled her mother, Zhang, to her feet and flagged down a rickshaw parked by the roadside.
"Are you really not going to wait for your father?" Zhang was still somewhat hesitant.
Li Ziqing's gaze, however, remained firm:
"We not only need to leave, but we need to leave as quickly as possible!"
She turned her head, her gaze falling in the direction of the county town, and made a decision in her heart:
"If he truly has a close relationship with the prince of Southern Zhou, then only by going there as soon as possible can we give him a glimmer of hope!"
..............
the other side.
Zhou Xing ran swiftly along the town's stone-paved streets, his footsteps echoing through the empty alleyways.
During the earlier fight, the neighbors kept their doors and windows tightly shut, afraid of catching even a bit of bad luck. Now that news of the Zhao family's defeat has probably spread, some people are daring to peek out.
But then voices began to appear, and heads popped out of the small windows, all eyes fixed on Zhou Xing's figure.
Only at this moment did a few windows open, and the heads of a few curious children peeked out, their dark eyes peering into the windows at the eunuch returning home on the street.
Not long after, their parents pressed their heads down and slammed the windows shut.
The town's main street was deserted again, with no one in sight or on the streets, except for Zhou Xing, who stood alone.
The stone-paved road stretched to the end, where the Zhao family's residence was located.
Zhou Xing didn't stop; he quickened his pace even further.
He remembered that snowy night ten years ago when he was still Li Xuanqing.
At that time, he fell under the old ox whip in the big basket, and the windows on both sides of the street were like that, with lights going out one by one.
On that snowy night, the few refugees who dared to open the door and carry him home were a tiny minority.
The streets and alleys were even quieter than that snowy night; no one dared to look, and no one dared to make a sound.
Ten years ago, Zhao Shanren was able to come to the Li family's door to collect debts when they ran out of food, seize Li Yingcai's dozens of acres of land, and even make Li Xuanqing risk his life for seventy taels of silver...
It wasn't because the Zhao family held high-ranking positions, but because of the "dare not" sentiment that permeated the streets.
More than ten years ago, Li Yingcai and ten years later, both had their land deeds and properties swallowed up.
But in this small town, the land that this philanthropist Zhao has seized is not limited to these two households.
Zhou Xing looked up and gazed ahead.
The stone-paved road stretched straight ahead, and at its end, a grand courtyard could be vaguely seen, with two large red lanterns hanging at the entrance, gleaming brightly in the twilight.
The Zhao family.
He suddenly remembered the things he had learned in his previous life.
Throughout history, the lifespan of dynasties has never exceeded three hundred years.
Land consolidation, the rise of powerful clans, and the proliferation of displaced people led to dynastic changes, with new nobles dividing up land and wealth to reshuffle the system. This cycle continued until the end of the dynasty, with the new nobles gradually gaining more power.
But the world is different now.
Three hundred years ago, a celestial being descended to the mortal realm, and the Great Mang received divine assistance, making its imperial power more stable than ever before.
The current Emperor Taichang has been on the throne for over a century. In the past, he would have been a monster who outlived four or five generations.
The rebels are facing not only the Great Mang Emperor, but also celestial beings from beyond the heavens... This powder keg is being suppressed and won't explode.
No one can flip the table and reshuffle the cards.
As a result, this powder keg that could not be blown up became increasingly bloated and inflated, leading to continuous chaos in local counties and towns.
Zhou Xing withdrew his gaze but did not stop walking.
When it comes to people, the principle becomes a matter of life and death.
Now he is Li Yingcai, the father of Li who was forced to flee into the palace by the Zhao family and abandoned his wife and children.
The principles may seem profound, but when it comes to a person, it's a matter of life and death.
Zhou Xing smiled and suddenly exerted force with his feet.
At the end of the road, the Zhao family's gate was near.
...........................
Two rickshaws, one in front of the other, sped along in the twilight.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a rapid, clattering sound that struck the heart with each impact.
Zhang leaned against the car, still in a daze.
Everything has happened so fast since he escaped from home, so fast that he hasn't had time to think. Right now, he feels like he's walking on cotton, and his body is weak.
Li Ziqing, sitting in the rickshaw ahead, clutched the dragon-patterned waist token in her arms, gazing out in a slightly daze.
The setting sun was sinking in the west, turning half the sky a dark red. The county town was getting closer, and the city walls showed a heavy outline in the twilight, like a crouching behemoth.
Once inside the city, you can see the courtyards behind the county government office from afar.
Even before dusk had completely fallen, the street was already brightly lit.
Starting from the street corner, a gas lantern hangs every few steps. As soon as it is lit, the candlelight flickers gently inside the lantern's shade, illuminating the entire street as bright as day.
In the lamplight, rows of armed guards stood ramrod straight, their eyes sharp and scanning every corner.
There's a guard every three steps and a sentry every five steps.
The line stretched from the street corner all the way to the gate of the post station.
Even the driver, accustomed to driving around the county town, instinctively reined in the vehicle and glanced back at Li Ziqing:
"Boss, we can't get into this place."
Li Ziqing was also taken aback.
Although Zhou Chen, the hostage from Southern Zhou, was no small figure... she had previously glimpsed the hostage delegation from afar at Anping Post Station outside the city, and at that time, the hostage delegation did not seem to have such a large entourage.
Li Ziqing came to her senses and helped Zhang Shi out of the carriage, but guards quickly blocked her way:
"This area is off-limits. Leave immediately!"
Li Ziqing quickly pulled out the dragon-patterned waist token from her bosom:
"I am a member of the family of Li Yingcai, the personal attendant of His Highness the Prince. I have important matters to discuss with His Highness."
Li Ziqing's voice was calm and steady.
The guards exchanged glances.
A moment later, a middle-aged man in a green robe ran out. His gaze swept over Li Ziqing and her daughter, and finally, after a closer look at the dragon-shaped jade pendant, his eyelids twitched:
"Please, gentlemen."
The man in the green robe led them through two courtyard gates and finally stopped in front of a house with lights on.
"His Highness is inside, please."
The room was brightly lit, with light pouring out from the doorway, and a warm feeling mixed with the smell of lamp oil wafted over.
The room was warm and cozy, with the charcoal fire burning even brighter, instantly dispelling the chill brought in from outside.
There are two people inside the house.
A person sat in the chair at the head of the table.
He leaned casually against the back of his chair, his posture relaxed and at ease, holding a teacup in his hand, drinking tea.
She appears relaxed and composed, yet her eyes reveal a noble air of someone accustomed to being above others; one glance is enough to tell she comes from an extraordinary background.
The other person was standing.
She looked younger, in her twenties or thirties, but her posture was a little unnatural, as if she had just been criticized and hadn't had time to adjust her expression, appearing somewhat flustered.
Li Ziqing's gaze lingered on the standing young man for only a moment before landing on the seated person.
"Li Ziqing, daughter of Li Yingcai, pays respects to Your Highness the Prince."
Even as he bowed in respect, his heart was filled with a myriad of emotions.
In her previous life, the false emperor Zhou Chen was the enemy who had defiled her biological father... In this life, she actually has to ask him for help?
"Li Yingcai's daughter..." Zhou Chen, the hostage standing to the side, was taken aback. His gaze fell on the dragon waist token in Li Ziqing's hand, and he suddenly realized something.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw the seated young man raise his hand and press it down slightly, then smiled and said:
"That's true... Now tell me, why did you barge in with this badge?"
Zhou Chen was interrupted as soon as he opened his mouth, and a hint of helplessness appeared on his face.
It's not a mistake to call it that, but it's not a problem either.
He was a hostage of the Southern Zhou Dynasty, and the nominal crown prince.
The person in the room is none other than Murong Ying, the crown prince of the Great Mang Dynasty who has been regent for sixty years, and is practically half emperor.
Both appear to be crown princes, but they are worlds apart in terms of status, real power, and even age and seniority.
The Great Mang Dynasty followed the system of the previous Zhou Dynasty, establishing two capitals, an upper capital and an lower capital. The capital city of Jiangnan Province served as the secondary capital, with the crown prince in charge.
It was said that he would personally visit Qingshui County within a few days, but now it seems that this was also false information.
I arrived today and personally went to Prince Zhou Chen's room to inquire about the twists and turns of the previous events.
Upon hearing this question, Zhou Chen, the hostage, naturally didn't forget to mention one person's name.
"Li Yingcai".
"He was the bait to lure the snake out of its hole, and also the hero who came up with this plan!" Zhou Chen thought for a moment, not forgetting to add a word of praise:
"And he was very humble and didn't take credit for it. He insisted that it was all my personal intelligence and that he was just inspired by me and made a little effort."
"This eunuch seems to be quite a remarkable person," Murong Ying remarked casually.
A ripple of emotion stirred within him: Li Yingcai was originally a eunuch selected from the Great Mang palace to serve the hostages, and he was well aware of the intricacies of the palace eunuchs' office.
Including the "Chrysanthemum Manual" which he had cultivated to the second level.
However, Li Yingcai's behavior by the side of the hostage was slightly different from that of the honest and hardworking eunuch recorded in the palace.