novelzi Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Chu Chenji looked at Qin Zheng, whose brows were furrowed tightly, and his guess became clearer.
He asked, “Why do you say that?”
The reason why the Kingdom of Chu was annihilated was not only due to internal turmoil but also external threats.
When the rebels captured Bianjing, the Northern tribes had already invaded the Hexi Corridor.
Why was she so certain that the Hexi Corridor should not have been taken by the Northern tribes at this time?
Qin Zheng’s mind was filled with the explosive news from the letter.
At this moment, when Chu Chengji spoke up, she suddenly came to her senses.
Her heart tightened abruptly.
Her wariness of him was gradually diminishing.
She was so overwhelmed by this news that she only focused on pondering the reasons for the deviation in the northern war situation and the original plot.
She completely forgot that if the Crown Princess were to learn of these changes in her family, she might despair.
Crying and seeking solace now would only seem insincere.
Moreover, compared to crying and pretending in front of Chu Chengji, Qin Zheng was more eager to find out the root cause of the loss of the Hexi Corridor.@@@@
After all, that was the fundamental reason for this marriage alliance.
Since there was a deviation from the original plot and it wasn’t caused by her and the Crown Prince, there must be other variables.
Unable to pretend to be grieving upon hearing the bad news from home, she could only show a demeanor of “Although I am saddened, I must remain calm and composed to save my family from danger.”
Moreover, the matters of the village had just been put on the agenda, and the issue of provisions had not yet been resolved. Being calm and composed would leave a better impression than crying at the first sign of trouble.
In a prosperous era, soft and delicate beauties were pleasing, but in turbulent times, survival was difficult.
Once a delicate flower lost its protection, it would only be trampled into the mud.
Qin Zheng said, “South of Yumen Pass, Shazhou, Suzhou, Ganzhou, and Liangzhou are supporting each other. If Yumen Pass falls, even if Bianjing changes hands, the court is powerless to resist the enemy.
However, Liangzhou is adjacent to the northern desert. Once Liangzhou falls to the Northern tribes, it is equivalent to a wolf putting its fangs on the throat of the northern desert.
Even if the Governor of Liangzhou cannot wait for reinforcements from the court, as long as he’s not foolish, he will seek assistance from the Northern Marquis. When lips are gone, teeth will be cold. The Northern Marquis cannot ignore it.”
Although Chu Chengji felt that it was somewhat suspicious that all the counties in the Hexi Corridor had fallen into the hands of the Northern tribes, after hearing Qin Zheng’s analysis, he couldn’t help but look at her with a new level of respect.
Initially, he was surprised by her talent in architecture, but now he suddenly realized that she understood the overall situation of the world better than many arrogant strategists.
Chu Chengji nodded in approval. “If all the counties in the Hexi Corridor have fallen into the hands of the Northern tribes, Liangzhou will become a stronghold for the Northern tribes to attack the northern desert from behind. The Northern Marquis cannot ignore it unless... it’s already too late to send reinforcements.”
Qin Zheng’s heart suddenly raced. “If Liangzhou falls and the Northern Marquis doesn’t send troops to resist the enemy, when this news spreads throughout the world, people will not care whether the Northern Marquis was unable to send troops in time. They will only curse him for sacrificing Liangzhou to save his own strength.”
Qin Zheng’s fingers were tightly interlocked, and even her lips were pressed white with tension.
Chu Chengji looked at her quietly and stated the cruel truth, “The Hexi Corridor cannot be retaken now. All the Governor of Liangzhou can do is minimize the public outrage against him brought by the court. Anything that is lifted high and then dropped will fall the hardest. The people think that the marriage alliance will bring peace. If the princess ‘escapes’ from the marriage, the public outrage will reach its peak.”
Chu Chengji didn’t continue with his words, but Qin Zheng understood.
The people would turn their anger toward the court, but at this time, if the court blamed everything on the princess, they could absolve themselves of any blame once again.
After all, it was much easier for people to condemn a woman than an entire nation.
No matter what the outcome, once Qin Sheng embarked on this marriage alliance, she would become a discarded pawn.
Calling it “escaping from marriage,” if she, a weak woman, were taken away in the Northern Regions, it would undoubtedly be a dead end for her.
Even after her death, she would still be condemned by the world, just like the Crown Princess in the original book.
Comparatively, smoothly marrying off to the Northern tribes seemed to be the best path for Qin Sheng.
However, the Northern regions were bitterly cold.
Not to mention the climate differences due to geographical latitude, the nomadic tribes followed the water and grass, living without a fixed abode.
For a delicate woman like Qin Sheng, going there would be akin to entering the jaws of a tiger.
The Northern tribes were notorious for their barbarism.
Was he afraid that the male and female leads would continue to investigate and be silenced by the Emperor?
After all, once the Governor of Liangzhou died and Beiting was under attack from both sides, the male lead only had the option of surrendering to the court.
But why did Li Xin change his original plan this time?
Qin Zheng was lost in thought about all of this.
Chu Chengji looked at her with an unusually gentle gaze. “If you were a man, I’m afraid you would be a renowned strategist under the heavens.”
His eyes showed undisguised admiration, transcending mere affection between a man and a woman, purely appreciating the talent she displayed at this moment, and even feeling a bit proud of her.
Qin Zheng had always been afraid of revealing too much and attracting trouble, but now she felt a sense of peace.
Whether it was because Chu Chengji had a deep understanding or because he had enough patience to accompany her, regardless of the reason, being with him was extremely comfortable.
He knew what not to ask and always maintained an appropriate distance, making him appear reliable without exerting any pressure.
Several times, she had unconsciously let down her guard around him.
Qin Zheng often felt that if she were to fall into Chu Chengji’s hands one day, she wouldn’t feel unjust.
She propped up her chin with one hand, her bright eyes half-lifted, exuding a cold yet slightly lazy charm. “Since I’m not a man, would you be willing to let me be your strategist, Husband?”
It was meant as a joke.
Unexpectedly, Chu Chengji’s lips curled slightly. “It seems that my chief strategist has emerged.”
As the spring warmed up, bees and butterflies fluttered among the wildflowers in the courtyard.
Qin Zheng felt a bit intrigued by his faint smile.
She turned her head to look outside the courtyard, then cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Husband, you should write a letter to the Governor of Liangzhou. Once Sheng’er sets off on the journey of marriage, I will contact my brother and mother to leave the capital.”
The court also feared that Qin Sheng might flee before the marriage, so they might have already sent troops to surround the Qin residence.
Only after Qin Sheng boarded the bridal sedan would the restrictions on the Qin residence be relaxed.
Mrs. Qin and Qin Jian must leave the capital; otherwise, if news of Chu Chengji’s uprising in Qingzhou spread, the Qin family would become a target for the court, just like the people from the Grand Tutor Lu’s Family residence.
While helping Chu Chengji grind ink, Qin Zheng suddenly remembered the Lu family being escorted to Minzhou and glanced at him subconsciously. “Husband, the Lu family... have you figured out a way to rescue them?”
Chu Chengji teased, “It depends on the people and circumstances.”
In military strategy, timing, location, and people’s harmony were crucial.
By saying this, he implied that the location and timing for ambushing the prisoner transport had already been arranged.
But how would they descend the mountain while the Qi Yun stronghold was surrounded by Shen Yanzhi’s men?
Qin Zheng thought for a moment and then realized the key.
The people trapped in the Two Dam Mountains couldn’t leave, but the group of Lu family members who were secretly heading to Qingzhou to meet him could still succeed.
She stole several glances at him, He hesitated, then asked, “Is there anything you want to ask?”
Qin Zheng smiled coyly. “Husband, did you sell the silk boat to Wujun to buy grain from the Lu family?”
Wujun was under the jurisdiction of the Prince of Huaiyang.
If the stronghold’s people had bought large quantities of grain from other rice merchants, they would likely have been reported to the Prince of Huaiyang.
But since the stronghold’s people had replaced their grain and had not been discovered by the Prince of Huaiyang, they must have received help from the Lu family.
Chu Chengji smiled lightly. “Ah Zheng, are you revealing all your previous secrets to me today?”
Qin Zheng blushed at his use of “Ah Zheng” and muttered softly as she ground the ink, “You never told me these things before.”
In fact, she was just being stubborn.
If he had told her these things before, she wouldn’t have dared to respond.
Chu Chengji didn’t expose her little scheming and continued writing. “The Lu family found the refined iron cable used to repair the Suo Bridge.”
Qin Zheng’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly calmed down and estimated the distance between the back mountain and the cliff on the opposite side.
She asked, “Among the weapons you retrieved, were there bed crossbows?”
Chu Chengji paused with his brush and looked up at Qin Zheng, the corner of his mouth curling slightly deeper. “Yes.”