Jiuxi

Chapter 782 [After Today]

When Qing Yu Huaijin returned to the palace, he was welcomed by everyone in the mansion, especially the elite guards who were loyal to the Qing Yu family, whose excitement was beyond words.

There has been a lot of panic in the city recently. Although it has not reached the point where everyone is in danger, it is an indisputable fact that the situation is tense.

Under such circumstances, Qing Yu Huaijin has been kept in the palace. Who can guarantee that she will be absolutely safe?
Worry is inevitable.

Fortunately, she finally came back safely, and was sent back by a carriage from the palace, with Hezha warriors protecting her in front and behind, which made everyone feel relieved.

Qing Yuzhong went forward to greet him and said gently, "You're glad to be back. Everything is fine at home. Father is waiting for you in Jinyuan."

Qing Yu Huaijin nodded in agreement without saying much, and went straight to his residence.

Inside the flower hall of Jinyuan, Qing Yugong sat alone in front of the window, holding a book in his hands.

It was very quiet here and the maids had already left. This was obviously Qing Yugong's arrangement.

"Meet the father."

Qing Yu Huaijin came forward and saluted.

Qing Yugong placed the scroll on the table, looked up at his daughter, and said with a smile, "It seems that you haven't been too depressed in the palace for the past two months."

"Fortunately."

Qing Yu Huaijin sat down next to him and said calmly, "Princess Jincheng and I are close in age and have had a good relationship in the past. It is not boring or tormenting to have her company during this period. Father, before leaving the palace today, His Majesty said that he had a chronic illness due to his injury and that it would be difficult to recover. His Majesty also asked me if I would be very happy if he died of the disease?"

"How do you answer?"

Qing Yugong stood up and poured himself a cup of tea and placed it next to his daughter.

Qing Yu Huaijin stood up and took it with both hands, looked up at his father, and said softly: "I said, yes, if your majesty dies, I should be very happy."

Qing Yugong said calmly: "What else?"

Qing Yu Huaijin repeated the two sentences he had said in front of the emperor, then placed the teacup on the table, stared into Qing Yugong's eyes and said, "Father, His Majesty said that because I was honest enough, the past events can be written off."

"Ah."

Qing Yugong responded indifferently, holding the teacup in his right hand and blowing away the floating tea leaves slowly and steadily.

After a brief silence, Qing Yu Huaijin asked, "Father, the poison used by the Fourth Prince and the gunpowder prepared by the scholar assassin are actually related to you, right?"

Her question was somewhat direct and sudden. Compared with her resolute words in front of the emperor, "Qing Yu has never had any intention of rebellion, heaven and earth can bear witness to this", her eyes at this moment, as deep as clouds and mist, were enough to show that this was not a flash of inspiration or a whim, but that she had considered this possibility a long time ago.

Qing Yugong put down the teacup, turned his head to look at her face, and nodded simply and directly: "Yes."

Qing Yu Huaijin couldn't help but let out a breath.

Qing Yugong spoke again, his tone was calm as if he was telling someone else's story: "It is difficult for the Fourth Prince to accomplish anything. I will definitely not conspire with him. However, I know that he has reached out to the Qing Yu family and secretly inquired about the details of the poison, so I asked people to conceal the news. As for whether he can get enough of the poison, it depends on his ability. As for the gunpowder... I did open some back doors and turned a blind eye, so as not to make it too difficult for that middle-aged scholar."

"So that day at the royal hunting ground, His Majesty asked Father to wipe out the rebels, and Father did not refuse, because you knew that the middle-aged scholar still had a backup plan?"

Qing Yu Huaijin was not in a hurry and continued to analyze: "Before taking action, the middle-aged scholar deliberately helped my father to clear his suspicion, saying that my father would not dare to have any rebellious thoughts. Is this his reward to my father?"

"He may not know that I have loosened my grip, so there is no question of reward. This is just a higher level of sowing discord. Judging from his words at the time, although I dare not take action against Your Majesty, I must have had similar thoughts."

Qing Yugong gave a clear answer, and then asked: "What exactly do you want to ask? Do you think your father is too timid, not daring to take action in the face of such a good opportunity, but just watching coldly from the side?"

"My daughter has never thought about it that way."

Qing Yu Huaijin thought for a moment, then answered, "I know that the Qing Yu clan must not be charged with regicide. If my father is really involved, even if we don't talk about the royal family, the tigers and wolves of other tribes will not miss this opportunity to attack us. My father can only give them a little help. If they can succeed, it would be the best. If they fail, the Qing Yu clan will not fall into the abyss like the Jiagu clan."

Hearing this, Qing Yugong smiled and felt somewhat relieved.

Qing Yu Huaijin stared into his eyes and said sincerely, "I just hope to help my father share some of the burden."

Qing Yugong sighed, "I know you've been feeling depressed, it's amazing that you've been able to endure it until now."

"Yes."

Qing Yu Huaijin did not deny it, and then spoke out his thoughts: "My father allowed me to contact Lu Chen privately, not because he wanted to join forces with him, but to get information from him and mislead Lu Chen. My father did this because he was worried that I was young and not reliable enough, and only the most genuine emotions could deceive the other party."

"As for the so-called marriage, my father had already guessed that His Majesty had other intentions. Even though I noticed something was wrong, my father still did not say it out loud. Instead, he tried his best to make me believe that it was His Majesty's good intentions so that I could behave normally enough to not arouse His Majesty's suspicion."

"Until the day of Tianqing Festival, my father did not tell me the truth, so I acted sincerely in front of His Majesty."

After she finished speaking, she couldn't help but sigh softly.

Qing Yugong could not see any anger or resentment from being deceived in her eyes. Qing Yu Huaijin continued, "I can understand my father's concerns. After all, in this situation, one wrong step will lead to death. No matter how careful you are, it is not too much. But I want to say that after going through so many ups and downs, your daughter is no longer the ignorant and delicate lady she was back then. She can help you with some things within her ability."

"So you deliberately spoke out in front of His Majesty to prove this point?"

Qing Yugong asked meaningfully.

Qing Yu Huaijin nodded and said, "I am just following my father's ideas."

Qing Yugong suddenly laughed.

The laughter became louder and louder.

Qing Yu Huaijin couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

Qing Yugong stood up, picked up the book on the table and handed it to her.

Qing Yu Huaijin was a little curious at first, wondering how her father could have the leisure to read a book here. But when she took it and took a look, she realized that this was not a rare ancient book at all, but a volume with many names recorded.

At the same time, her father's calm tone rang in her ears.

"You guessed right. I have kept many things from you before. On the one hand, I was worried that you were not mature enough and would be discovered by others, so I simply kept it from you. On the other hand, I wanted to see what choices you would make when faced with some unexpected situations without knowing anything."

Qing Yugong turned around and sat down, continuing, "You have experienced many setbacks in the south in the past few years. Logically, you should have made some progress, but seeing is believing. Only by seeing your reaction at critical moments can we determine whether you can shoulder some responsibilities. You did not disappoint me. From your decisive abandonment of contact with Lu Chen, to your decisions in the past few months, especially all your choices on Tianqing Festival, your father can finally rest assured to hand this booklet to you."

Qing Yu Huaijin murmured, "Father, the name on it..."

Qing Yugong glanced at the book in her hand and said calmly, "This is all the hidden power of the Qing Yu clan, except for the two visible troops, the Xiashan Army and the Fangcheng Army. There are detailed annotations on which people can be reused and which people need to be persuaded. I hand this book to you, and from now on you will have an important responsibility, which means that when I am not in Dadu, you have to protect the foundation of the Qing Yu clan."

Qing Yu Huaijin was stunned and looked at his father in shock.

"come in."

Qing Yugong raised his voice slightly, and soon five men of different ages entered the hall.

Qing Yu Huaijin turned around and looked. She recognized three of them, but the other two seemed unfamiliar.

Qing Yugong asked them to give their names one by one. The booklet contained their detailed life stories, and the first five names were these five people.

"If I'm not around anymore, you must obey Huai Jin's orders."

"Follow the order!"

Even after these five people left, Qing Yu Huaijin still hadn't completely recovered his composure.

Qing Yugong looked at her with pity and said softly, "I once hoped that you could live a life without worries, without being entangled by disputes and struggles. Now it seems that the children of the Qing Yu family do not have a free and easy destiny after all. I just hope that you will not blame me in the future."

"How could my daughter be so stupid?"

Qing Yu Huaijin quickly shook his head and asked, "Why didn't father give this booklet to my brother?"

"The most suitable environment for him is in the army. Stirring up trouble is not his area of ​​expertise. Of course, this is not the most important reason."

Qing Yugong's eyes darkened slightly, and he said slowly: "The most important thing is that His Majesty will keep a close eye on me and your brother."

At this time, Qing Yu Huaijin gradually came to his senses and asked with a little concern: "Father, what exactly does His Majesty want to do?"

Qing Yu respectfully drank a sip of tea and said softly, "He has trapped me in Dadu and not allowed me to leave. He has deployed heavy troops on the northwest border. Now he has asked Wu Yanshu to resign and return to Beijing. Next, he will definitely order Wu Yanshu to go to the northwest to eliminate the threat of Dai to our rear. As long as Wu Yanshu succeeds... His Majesty will take us old men and young nobles like your brother to hunt in the south."

Qing Yu Huaijin was shocked. She now completely understood why her father made such arrangements.

In the future, the emperor will lead the army in person to completely pacify the southern land!

Qing Yu sighed and forced a smile, "It's sometimes easy to want someone to die, and sometimes it's as hard as climbing to heaven. That's how the world is. It's hard to have a perfect state. Huai Jin, you must remember what your father said today, and don't tell anyone, including your brother."

"Yes, Father."

Qing Yu Huaijin agreed seriously.

Qing Yugong turned his head and looked out the window, whispering to himself, "The night is long, I hope there will be dawn."

At this moment, Qing Yu Huaijin finally understood the importance of the booklet in his hand.

As heavy as a thousand pounds.

She was no longer anxious, but silently held the book tightly, her eyes full of determination.

(End of this chapter)