Free Web NovelChapter 1036: Chapter 246: The Choice
If the Fan Family is the sky above Xiayong City, then the Qu Clan is the sky looming over many prominent families like the Fan Mansion.
When the troops flying the banner of the Qu Clan arrived at the city gates, the city guards had no intention to resist or inspect and directly opened the gates.
The Qu Clan’s army, also known as the "Blue Luan Army," directly entered Xiayong City and immediately surrounded the Fan Mansion.
Qu Peiluo, the eldest son of the Qu Clan, clad in full armor, entered through the gates of the Fan Mansion.
Along the way,
the Fan family members were prostrated on the ground.
As Qu Peiluo was about to enter the main garden, where the mourning hall was located, Fan Zhengwen exited from the door of the main garden and knelt at Qu Peiluo’s feet.
"This servant Fan Zhengwen greets the young master."
Fan Zhengwen performed a grand salute because in the Chu State, the Qu Clan was the master, and the Fan Clan was the servant.
This master-servant relationship has been going on for a hundred and fifty years, one could say that generation after generation of Fan family members were branded as servants of the Qu Clan from birth.
Anything, whether good or bad, as long as it is repeated often enough and lasts long enough, will form a tradition.
The Qu Clan is the mountain above the heads of the Fan family.
Many generations of the Fan family have, in fact, become accustomed to it, and they have been using their business talents to support the Qu Clan.
Perhaps, some ancestors had pondered during the night, hesitated, or even felt indignant, but ultimately, it carried on.
But Fan Zhengwen,
he seems truly fed up.
Only when fed up do people do things that seem meaningless in the eyes of others; most art is created under the precondition of the creator being fed up.
The princess knew that the place where she was imprisoned was the Fan Mansion,
and now the princess has been sent away,
and neither the Fan Mansion nor Zheng Fan have left any means of control over the princess.
Because,
there’s no necessity for it.
Using undead insects? Poisoning?
As a princess of a nation, once she regains her freedom and honor, any means you can think of to restrain her, she can find someone to remove them.
She is a princess.
Therefore,
Fan Zhengwen understood,
the lives of everyone in the Fan Mansion right now,
are in Qu Peiluo’s hands, or rather, in the princess’s thoughts.
With just one word from the princess, one command,
Qu Peiluo can come over and wipe out the entire Fan Mansion without asking for reasons.
The scent of incense candles is quite strong, and inside, you can faintly hear the chanting of monks.
Qu Peiluo bent down, reached out his hand, and helped Fan Zhengwen up,
and said:
"Uncle Fan, I am also saddened by Aunt’s matter. Upon hearing the news, I immediately came over, many things have been going on recently, and I came in a hurry, please forgive me, Uncle Fan."
"Young Master, you are too kind, too kind."
Qu Peiluo nodded, spread his arms, and behind him, two armored soldiers came forward to cover him with a white cloth and a black sash.
Shortly after,
Qu Peiluo, accompanied by Fan Zhengwen, entered the main garden and paid his respects in front of Lady Man’s mourning hall by offering incense.
After the ceremony,
Qu Peiluo asked: "Where is Shaoliang?"
"In response to the young master, Shaoliang is ill."
Qu Peiluo took a deep breath, nodded, and said: "Poor Shaoliang."
Fan Shaoliang had grown up as a playmate or a study attendant for Qu Peiluo; this was a rule, each generation of heirs from families under the Qu Clan would be sent to grow up with the core members of the Qu Clan as children.
"I’ll call Shaoliang over after some time, hoping Uncle can take care of him during this period."
"Young Master, you are too kind, Shaoliang is, after all, my son."
"Yes."
Qu Peiluo reached out and tapped his forehead, saying:
"These days have been too hectic, look at me, I’m starting to talk nonsense now; fortunately, the matter has been resolved."
"Was that person found?" Fan Zhengwen asked.
Since the incident happened in Xiayong’s territory, the Fan Family had helped look for the princess, in fact, Fan Shaoliang returned from Ju’an City to help Qu Peiluo find that yet-to-be-married bride.
Qu Peiluo’s lips curled into a smile, and he said:
"Anyway, it’s good that the person is back; national affairs come first now, us juniors constantly causing trouble isn’t a solution.
Oh right, Uncle, please pass on my message to Shaoliang to recover well; once he is in good health, after my wedding, we’ll go north together to slay the Yan bastards.
Shaoliang, although younger than me, has more enthusiasm for those matters of the battlefield than I do."
"Thank you, young master, for your guidance."
Qu Peiluo nodded and left the Fan Mansion, along with the private soldiers he brought from the Qu Clan.
By the window on the second floor of the Xiayong guesthouse, A Ming looked at the Blue Luan Army passing below, and said:
"It seems that the princess didn’t betray us as soon as she returned home."
Siniang then said:
"What difference does it make whether she betrays us or not? The princess is essentially smart, just lacking experience and age; she’s already guessed it was the Fan Family, and we also lived with her at the Fan Family for a few days.
She should also understand, the reason we dared to do this is because the Fan Family was already prepared, so does it make any difference if the Fan Family is wiped out?
What truly surprises me is that Fan Zhengwen didn’t leave."
Zheng Fan, sitting on a chair chewing mint candy, couldn’t help but speak up upon hearing this:
"He is a gambler, but I’m genuinely curious, are there really people who would unhesitatingly gamble the lives of their whole family on the table?
Actually, I can feel it, even Tian Wujing, in his heart, actually also..."
Siniang replied: "My lord may have experienced too little in a past life; back then, there were plenty of people who would scam relatives with pyramid schemes or make them go bankrupt by defaulting on loan guaranties, it’s not rare at all.
"If there are enough benefits in it, there are quite a few people willing to see all their relatives, except their close lineage, meet ruin."
"Oh, it seems I was too naive." Zheng Fan smiled slightly, "It’s just that I feel a bit unaccustomed after leaving the Fan Family."
In the Fan Family, living a life of luxury and comfort was truly quite pleasant.
But now it can’t be lived in, because the Fan Family is like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment, and Lord Zheng doesn’t want to be buried with them.
"By the way, has San’er been informed?"
"I’ve already sent someone to inform him." Siniang walked over to Zheng Fan’s side, helping to massage his shoulders, and continued, "Actually, it’s quite good now, all we have to do is wait."
"Do you think it’s naive to gamble everything by putting our stakes on others?" Zheng Fan asked.
"It’s like you’ve placed your bet, my lord, there’s no need to think about it anymore. It’s like bungee jumping, where your life is hanging on a single rope, quite thrilling."
A Ming added:
"Anyway, I’m not losing anything."
...
"Has the Qu Clan’s matron left?"
"In response to the princess, she has."
"Hmm."
Xiong Liqing lay sideways on the rug, her eyes slightly weary.
Her disappearance had drawn a lot of attention from many people, especially the Qu Clan.
The Qu Clan had sent the most highly respected matron to inspect her, which was expected, as such processes were customary before marriage.
After all, the more prominent the noble family, the more they value the purity of their lineage, and even a princess marrying into their family is not exempt from this custom.
Because, without any accidents, the male infant born to the princess would undoubtedly be the eldest son of the next generation of the Qu Clan, which carries immense significance.
Especially after the princess’s disappearance and return, by normal reasoning, a woman who has gone through such an incident would most likely have lost her virginity.
The Qu Clan urgently sent someone over for precautions.
The marriage was inevitable.
But if the princess had indeed lost her virginity, then after the marriage, she would be put on ice.
Even if he were a prince regent, he would have to accept this result, otherwise, forcing the Qu Clan to taint their own bloodline would inevitably provoke a rebellion.
Women, in such political exchanges, are often the weaker party, and no one truly cares about their feelings, even if she is a princess.
Fortunately, she remained intact.
"I want to go out for a walk; it’s still too stuffy here."
The princess got up, and with the help of a maid, put on a cloak.
Inside and outside the villa, there was strict vigilance, but the princess felt no sense of security, as her beloved brother did not specifically send anyone to visit her.
To him, she was just a sister, an ordinary sister.
The princess walked to the doorway of a side room, the maid opened the door, and the princess went inside.
Inside,
was a dense smell of herbs,
on the bed lay a person, the young man who had "rescued" her.
When escorting her out of the city, he was unaware of her true identity;
After learning it,
he kneeled in shock.
She asked him,
for his merit in saving her, what reward he wanted.
He said he wanted to think about it.
The young man named Zhao Cheng was quite clever.
Despite his young age, he could form alliances and carried the backing of several parties.
Perhaps, in some years, he might make a name for himself in the streets.
But unfortunately,
just like that day in the soup shop when he encountered Zheng Fan, or should I say, was chosen by Zheng Fan.
His fate was no longer in his own hands.
Most people, like mayflies, cannot shake a tree, and the vast majority can only drift with the current.
Xiong Liqing felt that this young man named Zhao Cheng was like this, and so was she.
In his small circle, in his Ant People Alley, he was someone who could stir up storms;
while she, in the palace, in the eyes of most ordinary people, was an incomparably noble princess.
But ironically,
their choices were really too limited.
The dense smell of herbs was suffocating to Xiong Liqing, she wanted to leave this place, but she also wanted to know his answer, though the answer was already apparent.
"Your Highness..."
Lying on the bed, Zhao Cheng, upon seeing Xiong Liqing, instinctively tried to get up to salute. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Beside him, a young girl knelt, her eyes red, clearly having just cried.
"I’ve come to ask you, what reward do you want?"
Zhao Cheng grinned and smiled;
he had met that man, he had followed that man all the way from the soup shop to the teahouse, then through the alley into the cowshed for the sake of survival;
he had seen the princess willingly throw herself into that man’s arms, and even arrange to meet again.
So,
when the princess came again to ask what reward he wanted,
Zhao Cheng pointed to his lower body,
the herbal smell emanated from there.
He had personally acted to castrate himself and applied medicine.
"This servant, this servant doesn’t want any reward, this servant just wants to be by the princess’s side, to serve the princess."
