Starting from this chapter onward, I think the chapter is pretty much a cliffhanging chapter. Hehehe… The intertwining plots start to make sense now and if there"s any unanswered question from the previous chapters, it will be answered within these next 20 chapters. Also it"ll start the trials & tribulations for our MSQ.
This chapter was translated for only. And only for those people who don’t mind reading unprofessional translation that was being translated FREELY at the translator’s and editor’s own free times. So rude & ent.i.tled people aren’t welcome to read this translation!!! So GO AWAY….
By Qian Lu
Chapter 78
Delivering Provisions
Putting the candle on the low table, Murong Shu Qing was breathing deeply, so she could calm down her somewhat chaos mind, and quietly asked: “Say it clearly.”
Yan Yu’s always cold voice echoed inside the room: “Yesterday around maoshi (5-7 am), about 500 li from Lin Feng Guan border and at the Jia Du’s town public road, the 80,000 grains of foodstuffs (1 grain = 64.80 milligrams or 1 gram = 15.43 grains) were burnt down and the entire Imperial bodyguards and the Officials who were sending the foodstuffs, were all killed, n.o.body was alive.”
So it turned out, it was because of today that someone wanted her Uncle and her lives. If both of the Minister of Revenue and the Murong family’s Master were dead, in that case, trying to get more than 80,000 grains of foodstuffs quickly again, would be impossible. If this happened, then their plan would be flawless.
Murong Shu Qing sat on the wooden chair in front of the table, her hand kept tapping, and she asked: “Then, what is the situation at Lin Feng Guan border?”
“Yesterday afternoon, Xuanyuan Yi had already received the news about the burning down of the foodstuffs, as of now, the 800 armies will be running out of food in five days. The Imperial court will receive this news by tomorrow morning.”
80,000 grains of foodstuff were equivalent to three months of army provisions, it could be said the person who planned this, was accurate and also efficient. Choosing to burn down the foodstuffs at Jia Du’s town, even if the Imperial court could collect the foodstuffs immediately, it would be impossible to send the foodstuffs to Lin Feng Guan within five days, in that case, the Dong Yu’s army would be defeated without a battle. Moreover, generally, whoever intercepted the foodstuffs, they would send them away for their own use, but they actually chose to burn all of them. So it could clearly be seen that their actions were ruthless and pungent, and they would not give the enemy any opportunity.
“Yan Yu, ask Cang Su to pay attentions to Cang Yue’s situations, also do not relax and be on guard on Yan Rui.” This matter looked like Cang Yue should be the one that did it, but thinking that Hong Ming should already ascend to be Yan Rui’s Emperor now, she still felt uneasy. Too many things happened recently, and she did not know why but she was also somewhat nervous.
Murong Shu Qing closed her eyes, and after she deeply thought for a moment, she said again: “Go as fast as possible to inform Feng Yi, and ask him to collect 30,000 grains of foodstuffs from the Murong family’s granaries at the small towns that are within 500 li from Lin Feng Guan border. This needs to be done in secret, transport them in batches, and arrange the best bodyguards to escort them in secret. Within five days, they must be delivered to Xuanyuan Yi’s hands at Lin Feng Guan border.”
In a split second just now, that untamed and arrogant face appeared in her mind, she guessed that he was surely in a fury, she did not need to think and know that resolute face was absolutely filled with cold and frosty haze. As a General, he could lose by his opponent in the battlefield, and even die fighting, but he absolutely could not lose in the battlefield with this kind of stupid situation. This was a soldier and a man’s pride.
She actually was not willing to see this kind of Xuanyuan Yi, perhaps, his kind of arrogant, cruel, untamed and insolent, should be his expressions. Moreover, Dong Yu was her country after all, and she did not wish that Cang Yue would be victorious in the battle like this. If she did not transfer the foodstuffs today, the Imperial court would not let the Murong’s family go easily either. After all, the state treasury could not be emptied, so if they wanted to collect the foodstuffs again, the Murong’s family could not escape from it. It would be better to go one step ahead and also solve Xuanyuan Yi’s desperate situation.
“Yes.” Finished listening Murong Shu Qing’s instructions, Yan Yu’s black figure disappeared very quickly before her eyes.
Murong Shu Qing returned to bed, and stretched her waist, she could hear the rustling sound of the dead leaves and that devastating cold wind from outside the room. She closed her eyes, there would still be many things that were waiting for her tomorrow.
Last night’s wind was blowing the falling dead leaves from the tree, looking at them now, this Jing Shui Ya Xu was soaked by the dense of the winter season. The bare tree trunks looked somewhat bleak and harsh, but this was also its vitality to wait for the spring season to come.
“Miss, Uncle Master came over.” Lu Yi softly called out to Murong Shu Qing who was leaning on the edge of the window.
Recovering from looking at the winter from outside the window, Murong Shu Qing lightly smiled and said: “Invite him quickly.” It was only midday, the news should finally be received early in the morning, so he was in a hurry to come over.
Not too long after, Qi Yun with two young servants who were supporting him, slowly walking to come in, his originally thin figure was even thinner by a lot because of the unforeseen event that he encountered. Murong Shu Qing looked and sighed in her heart, for his loyal heart in his duty, for the country and the people, she was actually touched emotionally. She promptly welcomed him up and supported Qi Yun to sit down, she gently sighed and said: “Uncle, sit down quickly, your injury has not recovered yet, if you have something, you can just inform me to go to the Qi’s family.”
Qi Yun lightly coughed twice to clear the air, then he shook his head, and said: “This matter can not wait, moreover, the Qi’s family is not safe either.” He finally understood why someone wanted to kill him now, the burnt provisions this time could make Dong Yu be defeated crushingly. Currently, this was the most crucial moment, no mater if it was him or Qing-er, they were both in imminent dangers.
He should be more than 50 years of age, his grey hairs made him look somewhat aged, those sharp eyes did not look panicky or powerless because of his injury and predicament, but they were still clear, bright and firm. She steeped a cup of tea for Qi Yun, and slowly pushed it in front of him, Murong Shu Qing quietly said: “The matter had already happened, being anxious was also useless. How could it be safe for you to appear like this.” He clearly knew that there were those people who would do bad things on him, and unscrupulously wanted his life.
“You already knew it?!” Qi Yun was surprised and looking at the woman who was in front of him and softly saying the words, she already knew?! He just received the urgent and secret report early this morning, but she unexpectedly already knew it.
Murong Shu Qing lightly nodded, her warm and light smile was lightly perked up, that really made everybody in the room feel relieved and also gave some strengths in their hearts. She slowly said with a tranquil and clear voice: “You do not need to worry about this matter, I have already transferred 30,000 grains of foodstuffs to Lin Feng Guan border. Within one month, the army will not run out of food. I think, based on you and the Emperor’s abilities, after one month, collecting the three months worth of army provisions should not be a problem.”
“30,000 grains? Are you sure that you can really get those within five days?” Qi Yun’s tightly knitted eyebrows, were slowly loosened up, but his heart was still in doubt. 30,000 grains of foodstuffs were not a small number, that would be enough to use for the 800 armies for one month. It was really not easy to collect them, and it would be even more difficult to send them to Lin Feng Guan border within a short period of times.
“You can be at ease.” Murong Shu Qing firmly nodded her head, she understood Qi Yun’s concern, if it was not because of the Murong"s family who had granary stores within the whole country and owned several granary stores within Lin Feng Guan border, it would be impossible for her to get that many foodstuffs within five days.
Qi Yun was finally at ease and nodded his head, he sincerely said: “Qing-er, I have to thank you this time.” He came today, originally only wanted to make her think of a way to collect 10,000 grains of foodstuffs, exchanged them with the other foodstuffs that the Imperial court could borrow from some other places, and delivered them to Lin Feng Guan border. But that would take more than five days, or the army had to retreat, so it would not be defeated in the battle. Or the army had to endure starvation, and it would influence the morale and heart of the army. Or they could borrow the food from the common people within the vicinity, but that would be only a drop in the bucket, and they would make the common people to be disappointed with the Imperial court.
Her action today actually solved all of these difficulties.
Murong Shu Qing softly shook her head, and said with a light smile: “Uncle, you do not have to say it like this, if there is no country, how I can have a home, this is what I can and should do.” She also knew why she did this, there was no doubt that this would make the Murong’s family to expose its own strength to the Imperial court, perhaps, one could say everybody within the four oceans would know it. But she could not retain the Murong’s family on its own, and let the common people in Dong Yu to get caught up in this war either, those were the people whom she wanted to protect in Dong Yu. Forget it, one had to lose in order to get something.
‘No country, no home’, that was a good sentence, Qing-er had really grown up, if Yue-er was still alive, with her startling talents and stunning appearance, she would not have this kind of wise and farsighted thinking, calm att.i.tude, broad mind, this kind of act would not come twice in the whole world. If she was a man, that would be Dong Yu’s fortune, and the common people’s good fortune. Softly sighing, Qi Yun slowly got up, and patted Murong Shu Qing’s shoulder, then said: “Alright, then, I am leaving now.”
Murong Shu Qing was lending her arms to support him to go out of Jing Shui Ya Xu, she gave courtesy and said: “Uncle, take care.”
Qi Yun nodded his head, and was just about to get on the carriage, when he looked like he remembered something, so he turned around to look at the elegant woman who was standing in front of the pavilion, somewhat hesitating, he called: “Qing-er ___”
Murong Shu Qing raised her head, and was waiting for his next words, what was it that made the elderly person could not speak for a long time?
Finally, Qi Yun softly asked: “Did you and Xuanyuan Yi really cancel the marriage agreement?”
Murong Shu Qing slightly puzzled, she did not think that he would ask this question at this time, so she was somewhat unclear, but she still gently nodded her head.
Qi Yun’s eyebrows that were already loosened up, wrinkled again, he shook his head and gently sighed, then he muttered at Murong Shu Qing’s ear: “You should not make this matter to go out in public.”
Finished speaking, he deeply looked one glance at her, and hurriedly got into the carriage.
Murong Shu Qing was still standing in front of Jing Shui Ya Xu for a good while, and thinking about Qi Yun’s words from a moment ago, what did he mean?
Could it be _____
“Oh no!” Murong Shu Qing suddenly cried out softly, her complexion also became somewhat pale.
Sian’s notes:
Oh no… what’s MSQ thinking? I think it’s the start of her ‘problem’ with that Emperor… The guy has already shown some interests with her. And now, she becomes the ‘heroine’ for the war between Dong Yu & Cang Yue. How can the guy not like her even more??!!