Wugang County.
"Waiting at the Changping intersection, we really waited for the defeated Xuzhou army. Father, your son has successfully completed the mission, and most of those fleeing ambushing soldiers have been executed!" Qin Qinian came back panting, still holding a head in his hand.
He was bathed in blood, and his armor was broken in many places. The whole person seemed to have walked through a pool of blood, and the clothes inside the armor had become dark red, with his own blood and the blood of others.
Although bloody, Qin Qinian did not look weak after the fierce battle, but rather extremely excited.
He was not the only one excited, but also the others in the hall. Since the scouts came back from the eastern suburbs of Jiangkou, everyone has been rubbing their fists and wiping their palms, wishing to open their bloody mouths and swallow the enemy completely.
The withdrawal of Xuzhou troops is a cover. Connecting with the direction of the other party's advance, it is not difficult for them to guess Li Lishen's intention.
Especially when it is known that the Sizhou army has "secretly" detoured behind Wugang, trying to be the oriole in "the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind", the other party's intention is even more obvious -
The real "oriole" is not the Sizhou army, but the Xuzhou ambush led by Li Lishen.
If the North side really believed that Governor Li of Xuzhou and Dong Zhou had broken up, and turned to send troops to the back of the Sizhou army, trying to stab them in the back, there would be only one ending:
Surrounded by the Xuzhou army and Sizhou army ambush hidden further behind, flanking from front and back.
However, that is an assumption that will no longer appear.
Everyone looked at the head in Qin Qinian's hand, some shouted loudly, some clapped and laughed, and some clenched their fists and hit the air.
And that round head impressively belonged to Governor Li of Xuzhou, Li Lishen.
"After this battle, the main force of Sizhou surrounded by our side lost nine out of ten, and the Xuzhou army had a way out, and half of them escaped. The remaining Governor Jiang of Yuzhou must be unable to support it alone, and it is just around the corner for us to take the head of that treacherous minister!"
"Although many Xuzhou soldiers escaped, Li Lishen is dead. Now the Xuzhou army is leaderless, and they can't make any waves in a short time."
"Hahaha, since Dong and Li like to form an alliance, let's put their heads together another day."
Cui Shengping laughed and said: "There is a saying that those who lead the whole army with the courage of one person are brave generals; and those who lead the whole army with the strategy of one person are wise generals. The third son is both brave and wise, and is truly a tiger cub from a general's family, perfectly inheriting the Lord's wisdom and martial arts."
Everyone echoed, "A tiger father has no dog son, nothing more than this!"
Nalan Zhi interjected at this time, "This time, thanks to the scout team for exploring the opportunity, otherwise, at best, we would lose troops and generals, and at worst, the Yanzhou we captured earlier might have to be handed over."
Why hand it over?
Naturally, it is defeat, and we have to retreat.
Everyone also nodded in agreement, "Yes, thanks to the second son's meticulousness, otherwise others would be laughing happily today."
Qin Shaozong glanced at Nalan Zhi and Cui Shengping, turned the jade thumb ring in his hand, and said nothing.
At this time, there were hurried footsteps outside, but it seemed to encounter something near the door and paused. Qin Shaozong looked at the door and was about to ask someone to come in. Before he could speak, a soldier strode in.
It was a travel-stained man, exactly the scout who went to investigate with Qin Yanzhou. Xun He arched his hands and reported excitedly, "Lord, the Xuzhou granary has been burned!"
One sentence shocked the four seats, and everyone was in an uproar.
"Burned? Who burned it? Did the treacherous minister and the others have internal strife?" This was the first reaction of many people.
Qin Shaozong didn't think so, because Xun He's eyes were very bright at the moment. Even though his eyes were covered with bloodshot, obviously he had not slept for a long time, it still could not cover the light in his eyes.
"The captain led us to burn it together." Xun He answered loudly.
The hall fell silent again, and everyone was extremely shocked and speechless for a time. Cui Shengping's long beard trembled, and he asked with a complex expression: "How many people did the second son take to investigate?"
Xun He first said twenty, and later changed it to seventeen, and then described the whole process of investigating the military camp in detail.
He probably has some talent for storytelling. He started from when Qin Yanzhou insisted on going up the mountain, suffered minor obstacles in the middle, and then said that Qin Yanzhou proposed a sneak attack on the granary and was dissuaded by him, and a series of dangerous situations followed.
Everyone was fascinated, and their hearts could not help but rise and fall.
After Xun He finished speaking, many people let out a long breath, praised Qin Yanzhou highly, and asked where he was.
Xun He said truthfully: "The captain was injured, and he and other brothers went to find the gentleman for treatment first."
They only had seventeen people, and they were extremely short of hands. Even the soldiers who were responsible for shaking branches before participated in the subsequent cover retreat.
Xun He was arranged to shake branches in the west. Compared with others, he had fewer chances to fight with Xuzhou soldiers. He was the least injured among the crowd, so Qin Yanzhou specially sent him to report.
Qin Shaozong immediately looked at his youngest son who was still holding the head, "Qin San, there is nothing for you here, you go find Ding Congjian to see your injuries immediately."
The sudden concern of the father made the young man light-headed. He scratched the back of his head embarrassedly and wanted to say that he was fine, "Father, I can still..."
"Go quickly!" The two unquestionable words fell.
Qin Qinian was scolded and confused, and subconsciously went to the door, but was soon stopped by Qin Shaozong: "Put down the head."
Qin Qinian came out of the room and walked slowly. He had no goal. After thinking about it, he simply went to see a military doctor as his father said.
Just on the way there...
"Mother?" He saw Dai Li. The other party was walking in front of him, not facing him, but with her back to him, looking as if she was also going to the room where Mr. Ding was.
It's just that the second brother just came back, how did the mother know that he was at Mr. Ding's? Could it be that she just went to the main hall?
This thought flashed through Qin Qinian's mind.
Dai Li heard his voice and didn't stop at first, but walked two steps forward before realizing it and turning around, "Qinian is back..."
Qin Qinian saw that there was an imperceptible trance on her face, and asked worriedly: "Mother, are you feeling unwell?"
Dai Li calmed down, shook her head and said no, and then realized that the armor on his body was broken, and the clothes inside were rotten, like a rag, and the smell of blood was overwhelming.
"Why are you hurt like this, child? Don't delay, go find Mr. Ding quickly." Dai Li changed her face, seeing that he was still standing, wanted to pull him, but didn't know if he had injuries on his arm, and finally didn't dare to move randomly, only urging him repeatedly.
The two came to the medical area together.
After two rounds of battles, many wounded gathered here. Dai Li was a little dizzy with blood. She usually wouldn't come here, but hearing that Qin Yanzhou was injured, she couldn't care so much.
In the room, the medical soldiers led by Ding Lianxi were busy helping the soldiers stitch up their wounds.
Last year, on Dai Li's suggestion, Ding Lianxi replaced silk threads with mulberry bark threads, and the results were surprisingly good. Marveling at the outcome, he had continued to use them ever since.
When Dai Li arrived, Qin Yanzhou's wounds had already been treated, and he had put his clothes back on, though his belt was still loosely tied around his lean waist.
It was unknown where he had procured a new set of clothes, but he looked perfectly clean now. Aside from his pale complexion, there was no sign he had been injured. Anyone unaware of the truth would assume he was merely bringing his subordinate soldiers to see the military doctor.
"Mother?" Qin Yanzhou stiffened upon seeing Dai Li. "Why are you here?"
"To see you, and to bring Qinian for treatment," Dai Li said, looking him up and down. However, her son was dressed so neatly that she couldn't tell where he had been hurt.
Since she couldn't see anything for now, Dai Li first addressed the young man beside her. "Qinian, take off your armor and let the doctor treat your wounds."
Qin Qinian obediently followed her instructions.
He moved quickly, his equipment clattering to the floor. In just a moment, he was down to his inner garments. However, as he was about to remove his final top, the young man paused, looked back at Dai Li, and shyly called out to her.
Not only was it a matter of a grown son avoiding his mother, but he had never been so "uninhibited" in front of other women before.
Dai Li understood, but she didn't leave. She simply turned around, her back to Qin Qinian and facing Qin Yanzhou, and began to interrogate her eldest son. "Zhou Zhou, where are you hurt?"
Qin Yanzhou hesitated.
Dai Li's face grew cold. "Tell the truth."
"My arm and my back." After reporting the two locations, he quickly added, "The wounds aren't deep. They'll heal with some rest. Don't worry."
As if that weren't enough, Qin Yanzhou swiftly tied his belt, seemingly afraid she would ask to see the wounds.
Dai Li's head throbbed. The murmurs she had heard at the door seemed to rush at her from all directions, a tangled web of emotions that made her heart race and her head split. She remembered that there were many wounded soldiers here, and it wasn't the place to talk, so she remained silent.
Qin Yanzhou lowered his eyes, avoiding Dai Li's gaze.
The atmosphere grew tense for a moment.
Ding Lianxi worked swiftly, taking little time to bandage Qin Qinian's wounds and instruct him on what to watch out for in the coming days.
Once he was finished, Dai Li led the two of them away.
...
Over the next three days, Qin Shaozong was exceptionally busy, arranging for men to pursue the remnants of the Xu and Si provinces, and dealing with the desperate struggles of the Chang'an military patrol and the Yuzhou army.
He didn't neglect the matter of the manifesto, either. After every minor skirmish, Qin Shaozong would order a bulletin to be posted, broadcasting the progress of the war. It was just as the first manifesto had stated: "The blade is aimed solely at the chief culprit, not at the throne."
Although Qin Shaozong left early and returned late, with the lights in the council chamber often burning deep into the night, he still noticed that something was amiss with Dai Li lately.
She wasn't checking the fertilizer records, she spoke much less, and the maids reported that she was eating less. Sometimes she would hold a book for a long time without turning a single page.
As for the nights, he knew she sometimes woke up with a start.
Qin Shaozong figured she was distressed over her sons' injuries, so he simply called the two brothers, who were temporarily barred from battle, and told them to accompany Dai Li to the county market.
Wugang was just a county, its scale incomparable to a commandery, but it was vastly superior to a village. The war was still ongoing, but because the Qingbei allied forces maintained strict discipline over their soldiers, everything in the county remained as usual.
At this time, the streets were bustling with vendors, their cries rising and falling in a lively scene.
Dai Li walked aimlessly down the street, disinterested in everything. She had been pondering the same matter for days, turning it over and over in her mind, only to dejectedly and fearfully admit that she had no safe way to resolve it.
"Woof, woof—"
An old man had set up a bamboo cage by the roadside, containing several puppies. The puppies whined inside, their round bellies making them look like adorable little furballs.
Qin Yanzhou was the first to change direction, walking over to the old man.
Seeing him approach, the old man smiled and asked, "Young master, are you looking to buy a hound? The ones I have here are all bred from top-notch hunting dogs. Raised from a young age, they'll surely grow up to be loyal and fierce. They're not expensive, only twenty coins each."
Seeing his older brother go over, Qin Qinian happily followed. "Second Brother, are you buying a puppy?"
Qin Yanzhou nodded. "I'm buying one for Rongrong."
Qin Qinian was like a curious child. "Why are you buying a puppy for Rongrong? Do you two have a secret agreement? When did this happen, and why didn't I know?"
Qin Yanzhou pursed his lips.
It was a long story. When his mother had initially refused to let him go to the front lines, he had asked Shi Rongyue to help persuade her. In return, he promised to pick out a little white dog for her.
But Dai Li was also here, so Qin Yanzhou couldn't say it outright.
Not getting an answer, Qin Qinian mumbled things like "You guys aren't letting me play," "What kind of little white dog does she want," and "I'll help look too."
Hearing him say he wanted a white dog, the old man proactively pulled two out of the cage. "Young master, how about these two? The one on the left is a bit sturdier, with just a bit of black on the tip of its tail..."
Standing a short distance away, Dai Li watched the two of them picking out a puppy, her pupils trembling.
The brothers stood close together. Qin Qinian wasn't as tall as Qin Yanzhou, but that didn't stop him from putting his arm around his brother's shoulder, the two of them huddled together discussing the puppies.
If someone were to say they were blood brothers, any outsider unaware of the truth would believe it.
It was precisely because of their current brotherly affection that Dai Li was deeply terrified, fearing that one day they would turn their swords against each other.
This unease had perhaps existed for a long time, initially just an insignificant seed, hidden deep in a crevice where it couldn't be seen or touched. But with the recent battles, it was as if it had received the nourishment of wind and rain, quickly taking root and sprouting.
Dai Li still remembered the day she was counting the days waiting for Zhou Zhou to return. But she waited and waited, and he never showed up. Unable to sit still, she went to the council chamber, intending to ask Qin Changgeng after he finished his business.
But as soon as she reached the door, she heard Qinian giving a report. Not only had he taken the head of Governor Li of Xuzhou, but he had also wiped out many of the Xuzhou remnants.
This was good news, and many people congratulated him.
Among them, Dai Li heard Cui Shengping's voice, followed closely by Nalan Zhi's. But the latter wasn't praising Qinian; he brought up Zhou Zhou.
A sense of strangeness welled up in her heart.
Later, when the scouts returned and spoke of their daring exploit, she broke out in a cold sweat, while simultaneously hearing the endless stream of praise in the council chamber, flowing like river water.
In that instant, Dai Li felt that sense of strangeness ride the wind of praise, soaring upwards, like oil poured on a raging fire, abruptly reaching its peak.
That gust of wind was so cold, as if it could blow right into a person's bones, not missing a single gap. And in the biting wind, Dai Li seemed to see endless bloodshed and a fight to the death between brothers.
Qin Changgeng's aides had taken sides, and surprisingly, Zhou Zhou actually had supporters behind him too!
Did they dare to take sides because they had received Qin Changgeng's tacit approval? How else would they dare?
And what about Qin Changgeng? What was he thinking? Was he treating Zhou Zhou as a whetstone to sharpen his true heir, or something else?
Before coming to the Great Yan Dynasty, Dai Li was just a publishing house editor; she had never entered politics. Therefore, she readily admitted that her political acumen was indeed lacking.
It was precisely because of this that she felt even more panicked.
If even someone as slow as her could sense that something was wrong, could the hidden conflicts between the two sides be even greater and more difficult to mediate...
For the first time, Dai Li felt that having a husband with too much potential and power was not necessarily a good thing.
It was obvious that Qin Changgeng would not just stop at the position of a marquis; his goal was the throne in the imperial city, the absolute authority to rule over the entire world.
Even if Zhou Zhou had no desire to fight for power, what if he was pushed, forced, and begged to do so in the future? Would he be willing? Could he refuse? Could he escape unscathed?
The concept of being caught in circumstances beyond one's control was never just empty words. Zhou Zhou and Qi Nian were both good children. Even though the latter was not her biological son, she sincerely hoped he would live a peaceful and happy life.
Looking at the two brothers who were on such good terms, Dai Li fell into an uncontrollable state of anxiety.
Neither Qin Yanzhou nor Qin Qinian knew what she was thinking. After carefully comparing the options, the young man picked a little white dog with a purer coat and a sturdier build.
"Mother?" Qin Yanzhou turned around holding the puppy. Seeing Dai Li staring blankly at him and Qin Qinian with a somewhat pale face, he asked, "What is wrong?"
Dai Li snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "It is nothing, I just zoned out for a moment."
The group continued walking forward and encountered a caravan of merchants. The voices of the merchants drifted over:
"I heard that both the Xuzhou army and the Sizhou army were utterly defeated. Tsk tsk, it looks like the days ahead will be tough for those nobles in Chang'an."
"Move a tree and it dies, move a person and they thrive. Could they really let themselves be trapped to death in a single city? If they cannot stay in Chang'an, the worst they can do is flee. They can escape to a peaceful place and continue living their lives."
Dai Li suddenly stopped in her tracks.