Speaking of Qin Huaiyuan’s character, the four men had to admit admiringly: “The Anping Marquis’s character is indeed praiseworthy. Many people change their nature once they become officials, but the Anping Marquis remains unperturbed by favor or disgrace. Over the years, he has consistently maintained upright character and loved the people like his own children. Moreover, the Anping Marquis’s wisdom is truly beyond what ordinary people can match.”
If their alliance leader had a father with connections and relationships in court, they could grasp the direction of their actions more clearly. This would truly be a good thing.
Naturally, Qin Yining was pleased to hear her father praised.
But the premise was that her grandmother shouldn’t hand over such a large enterprise as the Qingtian Alliance to her.
“Grandmother, though I have some small cleverness, I haven’t seen much of the world. If you want me to become the leader of the Qingtian Alliance, that would truly be too demanding. Moreover, the Qingtian Alliance has numerous members—even those officials serving in court all have different personalities. How could a young girl like me have the ability to manage so many strangers? How could I have the capability to command the Qingtian Alliance? Please don’t make things difficult for your granddaughter.”
“I know your concerns. Actually, I also have some things to tell you all.” The Duke Dingguo’s wife understood the unspoken meaning and turned to the four men, continuing: “Our Qingtian Alliance’s influence should no longer continue to expand. We shouldn’t recruit more common people as members.”
All four were somewhat surprised to hear this.
“When there are too many people, hearts inevitably become misaligned. Our initial purpose was only to gather like-minded people together. Once there are people like Imperial Uncle Cao and the demon empress, if the imperial family doesn’t act, we can act. When the world is at peace, we serve the people. If we encounter injustice, we can also raise our arms and call out.”
“It’s just that we now have too many alliance members, and inevitably some opportunists will infiltrate, and some will develop greater ambitions. That would go against our original intention of standing up for the common people.”
“What the Alliance Leader says makes sense, but with the Zhou Dynasty’s large army pressing against the city walls, reducing our alliance members at this time might be inappropriate.” All four men looked worried.
However, the Duke Dingguo’s wife smiled: “In this world, it doesn’t matter who rules, as long as the common people can have peaceful days ahead. I used to always think that the Great Yan Dynasty’s realm belonged to the Yuchi family. But look what the Yuchi family’s realm has become! So according to me, it doesn’t matter who rules the world. As long as virtuous people occupy the position and can bring long-term peace and stability to the people, dynastic changes are inconsequential matters.”
The Duke Dingguo’s wife’s words were truly treasonous.
But none of those present were foolishly loyal idiots. After thinking carefully, they all understood.
The leading man laughed: “Indeed, the Alliance Leader has broad vision. We understand your meaning. Now that the demon empress has been lit as a human oil candle, the Cao family that brought disaster to the country and people has been exterminated, and Prince Ning has become Grand Marshal, presumably with that foolish ruler’s temperament, he won’t be able to stir up any trouble.”
“Exactly so.” Another man also said: “I understand the Alliance Leader’s meaning. We initially rose in rebellion for the people’s happiness. Now that the people have finally found stability, if we allow our forces to grow, we would inevitably become a second existence disturbing the people’s peaceful lives. So our Qingtian Alliance should indeed be reorganized and dismiss a group of people.”
The Duke Dingguo’s wife also smiled: “You are all clever people who understand immediately. I heard that the news transmitted from Xihua City some time ago was false. Pang Zhixi’s troops didn’t burn, kill, and plunder in Xihua City at all. Those few who were beheaded were originally Great Yan’s corrupt officials and local wealthy landlords who had been labeled as ‘skin-flayers’ and ‘kings of hell.'”
“The confiscated money and goods were used for military expenses, but the Huben Army’s one hundred thousand men didn’t station in the city to disturb the people. Not only did they not plunder the common folk, whenever the Huben Army needed anything, they would enter the city and use silver to buy from merchants. Because of this, the shops suddenly had so many more customers, making business much better.”
“The Alliance Leader means that the Pang family’s troops aren’t so detestable after all.” One of them said.
Qin Yining thought for a moment and spoke frankly: “I heard from my father that even before the peace negotiations, Pang Zhixi was reprimanded by the Zhou Dynasty emperor and stripped of his position as Pingnan Grand Marshal, precisely because when Emperor Zhou ordered the massacre of the city, Pang Zhixi defied the imperial decree and refused to slaughter civilians. So Emperor Zhou’s initial strategy of using the lives of all Xihua City’s people to anger His Majesty didn’t succeed.”
The Duke Dingguo’s wife thought for a moment and understood: “So Emperor Zhou later ordered the killing of our prisoners because of this incident?”
Qin Yining nodded: “I won’t favor him because I’m familiar with Young Master Pang, but he indeed defied orders to avoid harming civilians.”
“Hmm. In that case, the one surnamed Pang isn’t bad either.” The four men around discussed among themselves, looked at each other, and all smiled.
“So you see, rumors can’t all be believed. That Pang Zhixi is Pang Zhongzheng’s son. Even though Pang Zhongzheng was once the Northern Ji Kingdom’s Guardian General, we ultimately can’t go against our conscience and call him an evil person.
“Just like us brothers—we’re also slandered in the jianghu. People say we brothers are bandits who eat human flesh and drink human blood, that even beggars would scrape off a layer of skin when meeting us. But what we brothers actually do, we know best ourselves.”
“Exactly! That dog emperor also calls our Qingtian Alliance rebels, but which of our actions wasn’t righteous?”
The four men looked at each other and burst into hearty laughter.
Qin Yining was infected by their heroic spirit and couldn’t help but laugh too.
The Duke Dingguo’s wife then took Qin Yining’s hand and said: “I’ve said all this to tell you that from now on, the position of Qingtian Alliance Leader is entrusted to you. You must carefully choose the right path. The alliance members all have their own livelihoods and don’t need the alliance to provide silver to support them. Everyone gathers together not for profit, but for patriotic fervor. When there’s nothing happening, everyone lives their own lives. Once there’s trouble, everyone is a hero who can risk their lives. So Yi Jie’er, you must never let the alliance members’ sincerity be wasted.”
Qin Yining felt somewhat helpless.
This way, wouldn’t she have to become some alliance leader?
But in these chaotic times, having such a network of people could sometimes allow for more freedom in taking action.
The Duke Dingguo’s wife then introduced the four men: “Yi Jie’er, come and meet them. These four are the Qingtian Alliance’s four hall masters. This is Hero Liao—everyone in the jianghu knows his Liao family sword techniques are unparalleled in the world.”
The leading man in his thirties with an honest face smiled and cupped his hands toward Qin Yining: “This humble one is Liao Zhibing.”
Qin Yining quickly returned the courtesy: “Hero Liao, you’re too polite.”
“These two are the Zhao brothers. They used to be heroes on Red Peak Mountain. Upon hearing that the Emperor was unbenevolent, they came down from the mountain to join the Qingtian Alliance.”
“Miss Qin.” The Zhao brothers also cupped their hands. “I’m Zhao Yinuo, and this is my brother Zhao Wanjin.”
Qin Yining also quickly returned their courtesy.
The last one was the youngest and also the most refined-looking of the four, appearing to be only twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
The Duke Dingguo’s wife smiled: “This is Mr. Qiao Shangfei, courtesy name Yongming. He is steady and resourceful. In the jiashen year, he was the sixth-place jinshi in the second tier—a talented and aspiring gentleman. It’s just that he was burdened by family matters and couldn’t bear the foolish ruler’s actions, so he refused to serve as an official. If you have anything you don’t understand in the future, you can certainly consult Mr. Qiao.”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.” Qiao Shangfei quickly cupped his hands, being very courteous and respectful toward the Duke Dingguo’s wife.
Qin Yining bowed to Qiao Shangfei, once again recognizing the hidden talents within the Qingtian Alliance.
These four hall masters included a hero whose name alone made even Mu Jinghu show admiration, two bearded men full of bandit spirit, and one who was actually a jinshi graduate. Such young jinshi were not that common.
After the Duke Dingguo’s wife made introductions for everyone, she then bowed to these four men.
“During this period, thanks to your support, this old woman has been giving orders to everyone. Since we came together and created the Qingtian Alliance, we cannot disgrace the name of the Qingtian Alliance.”
“Alliance Leader is too courteous.”
“What the Alliance Leader says is right. We have always acted righteously and sat upright. We certainly cannot do anything that would shame our conscience.”
“In that case, I entrust my granddaughter to your care from now on.” The Duke Dingguo’s wife bowed again.
The four men looked at each other, and with no other words, they all clasped their fists and bowed to Qin Yining.
Zhao Wanjin laughed heartily: “Sister Qin, meeting here today is also fate. Since you’ve become the alliance leader, we’ll be siblings who share fortune and hardship from now on. I, Zhao Wanjin, am a rough man who can’t speak those pretty roundabout words. I only know that we’re doing this for the common people’s good days. From now on, if Sister Qin has any orders, just speak up.”
Zhao Yinuo also smiled: “Alliance Leader Qin, don’t mind us. We brothers were born as bandits’ sons, so we’ve only known how to be thieves and brigands since birth. We don’t recognize many characters and aren’t like Qiao Yongming who has literary talent. Our speech is crude—please don’t take it to heart.”
“How could I? Both big brothers are straightforward people, kindred spirits to me. It’s a pity there’s no wine today, or we should really toast greatly. Though I’m the Qin family’s daughter, I wasn’t born and raised in vermillion gates and embroidered chambers. Don’t treat me as some precious golden body—I’m just an ordinary girl who, like you, bears some responsibility for the world’s people and retains some hope.”
“Well said!” Liao Zhibing laughed: “In that case, today’s matter is settled. We four will go back and discuss. If any alliance members have poor character or want to leave, we’ll dismiss them all. As the former Alliance Leader said, our people should be select, not numerous.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Brother Liao.” Qin Yining smiled.
“How could it be trouble? Compared to Alliance Leader Qin’s generosity in selling family property to feed refugees, we still fall far short.”
Having reached consensus, they returned to the front courtyard.
Imperial Uncle Cao had now been beaten into a puddle of mangled flesh, with blood and filth scattered on the ground with no one to clean it.
The women had long since collapsed in tears.
Qin Yining arranged for people to clean up the courtyard and had Imperial Uncle Cao’s corpse wrapped in straw mats and thrown in the mass grave. Only then did she return to the mansion with Ji Yun and Mu Jinghu.
Upon entering, she saw Qi Tai waiting in the gatehouse.
“Fourth Miss, you’ve returned. The Marquis is waiting for you in his study!”
Qin Yining smiled: “I understand. I’ll go there immediately.”