Hearing this, Mu Jinghu’s smile became unnatural for a moment, and he only said: “Speaking of it, we were practically one after the other. When Huzi, Bingtang and I returned to the capital, you had just departed. When that fox Pang Xiao learned you were coming to Huichuan, he worried about your safety, so I hurried here to check on your situation.”
Shaking the mask as thin as cicada’s wings in his hand, he smiled again: “I originally wanted to sneak in quietly, but Master Xie said just in case, and insisted on making this troublesome thing for me. When I entered the gate just now, I was nearly not recognized.”
Qin Yining smiled and nodded, vaguely sensing that Mu Jinghu was deliberately avoiding the topic of Qiu Feishan and Yan Ge’er.
But with so many people present, this wasn’t the time for detailed inquiries.
Hearing that Bingtang and Huzi had both returned to the capital, Ji Yun said joyfully: “Bingtang has already gone back?”
“Yes, worried there might be danger, His Highness kept them in the capital. Only I came alone.”
Ji Yun nodded repeatedly: “His Highness is so thoughtful. This place is indeed dangerous. But with Young Master Mu here, the Princess Consort’s safety can be guaranteed.”
Everyone from both the Silver Mask secret agents and the Azure Sky Alliance knew Mu Jinghu’s capabilities. With his arrival, everyone immediately felt a great weight lifted from their hearts, as if even if there were thousands of troops outside, they need no longer fear.
“This is wonderful now. With Young Master Mu here, we just need to cooperate, and we’ll certainly be able to protect the Princess Consort and break through safely!” Jingzhe said happily.
Liao Zhibing, Meng Qin and the others all looked greatly relieved as well.
Qin Yining also felt a wave of relaxation in her heart. She had tea prepared, and everyone took their seats.
Qin Yining asked: “How did you manage to infiltrate without being discovered? What’s the situation outside? We’ve been trapped here all along, only able to hear people outside the walls discussing the war. It seems the situation isn’t optimistic, but nobody knows what Duke Dingguo’s actual condition is. Has Duke Dingguo really suffered a crushing defeat?”
Mu Jinghu smiled: “Infiltrating here was actually easy. The situation outside is tense, but it’s not exactly a crushing defeat. Before entering the city, I first went to Duke Dingguo’s main camp. Though the Tatars appeared suddenly, taking advantage of Duke Dingguo’s siege to strike from behind, catching him off guard and causing considerable losses, he is after all battle-hardened. He responded in time and still has the strength to fight the Tatars.”
Hearing this, Qin Yining couldn’t help but breathe a long sigh of relief.
Even if she disapproved of Li Qitian’s various methods, the Zhou Dynasty was still the Zhou Dynasty, and the people were innocent. What Qin Yining least wanted to see was Tatar cavalry trampling into the Zhou Dynasty, wantonly ravaging their territory and harming the people’s lives.
“I just wonder how the Tatars managed to reach Huichuan County. You must know that although this place is in the north, it’s still quite far from the border.”
“Duke Dingguo hasn’t investigated clearly either.” Mu Jinghu said, “When I went there, I only took a look. Since I’m not very familiar with the situation, and fearing suspicion of spying on military intelligence, I didn’t ask in detail.”
Qin Yining nodded understandingly: “Duke Dingguo governs his army strictly. I imagine it must have taken tremendous effort for you to gather even this much information. As long as Duke Dingguo still has fighting strength, that’s good news. In the current situation, with Duke Dingguo’s army stationed outside the city, the Tatars and Lu Heng’s forces inside Huichuan County are essentially attacking him from front and back. I think we should find a way to resolve the crisis in Huichuan County and let Duke Dingguo’s people enter the city.”
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
“The Princess Consort’s idea is good, but the matter isn’t easy to accomplish. Lu Heng has been winning hearts in Huichuan County, and when Duke Dingguo attacked the city, he accidentally injured many civilians who came to help defend. I imagine even if we let Duke Dingguo enter the city, the people won’t agree and will still cause trouble behind the scenes.”
Hearing Liao Zhibing’s analysis, everyone present couldn’t help but sigh. When their own interests are involved, people’s emotions are most easily stirred. Without harm to their own family members’ lives, most people only see their own benefits. Lu Heng ransacked the wealthy households in the city and distributed the silver to the people, successfully buying their hearts. Then he arranged for the civilians to participate in defending the city, essentially sending them to their deaths. But with just one lie about “the Emperor wanting to kill them,” he made these people willingly go. When some of them were accidentally killed by Ji Zeyu, it only deepened their previous perception of the court.
In such circumstances, it wouldn’t be difficult for Qin Yining to coordinate with Ji Zeyu from inside and outside – with Mu Jinghu present, she believed even all of Lu Heng’s troops guarding outside the office wouldn’t last a single exchange. But how could the people’s emotions be pacified?
Just as Lu Heng and Ji Zeyu had to keep a close watch on the government office during their siege, fearing they would break out and stab them in the back, when Ji Zeyu led troops to defend the city against the Tatars, what he most feared was also the people stabbing him in the back.
Qin Yining sighed, “I came here in anger and lost my composure from the start, failing to notice the anomalies in the city. I walked step by step into the trap Lu Heng had been planning for a long time. He set up such a large scheme to incite war.”
“Yes. He destroyed the imperial mausoleum, stirred the people’s emotions, drawing the Emperor’s forces to suppress them…” Liao Zhibing said, then suddenly continued, “Princess Consort, the timing of the Tatars reaching this place is also too coincidental. Do you think it’s possible that… Lu Heng deliberately lured the Tatars here?”
Qin Yining was also thinking along these lines: “If the northern cities are still well, then it’s fine. If not…”
Then Lu Heng would be a criminal who colluded with foreign enemies!
Qin Yining and Lu Heng had different philosophies. People could be selfish and act for themselves, but they couldn’t lose their final bottom line. Harming innocent people to achieve one’s goals – wouldn’t enjoying wealth and honor standing on people’s bones in the future make one feel guilty?
The atmosphere in the room became oppressive once again.
Qin Yining instructed everyone to go outside and listen to what Lu Heng’s arranged rebel troops were saying beyond the walls.
When there were no others in the room, only Ji Yun remaining, Qin Yining asked: “Young Master Mu, has something happened with Boss Qiu?”
“Don’t mention that woman.” Mu Jinghu’s face instantly darkened.
Qin Yining was extremely surprised. Though Mu Jinghu’s temperament couldn’t be called gentle, when it came to his wife, there was nothing to criticize. Qiu Feishan was a wife Mu Jinghu had taken by force, and she had worked hard to bear him Yan Ge’er. When Qiu Feishan had fallen ill before, Mu Jinghu had been anxious beyond measure, hurriedly taking Bingtang to treat her illness. How had things changed like this now?
Qin Yining said carefully: “Did you have a quarrel? Between young couples, quarrels do happen. The Prince and I sometimes quarrel too, but afterwards we each let it go and stop being angry. Boss Qiu is a woman who has been manipulated by her family, must run the Sitong Company, care for Yan Ge’er, and deal with Qiu Yuanqing. She’s still ill – you should be understanding toward her.”
“Understanding? I never want to see her again in this lifetime.” Mu Jinghu gritted his teeth and stood up, flinging his sleeves as he left.
Qin Yining stared at Mu Jinghu’s retreating figure in amazement, not knowing what to do for a moment.
Ji Yun was equally surprised, and after a long while said: “Young Master Mu can throw such tantrums too… What happened?”
Qin Yining shook her head, worry evident in her eyes.
Though Qiu Feishan’s position had been unclear at first, and her marriage to Mu Jinghu had initially involved force and was mixed with considerable interests, she could see that Qiu Feishan had developed genuine feelings for Mu Jinghu, and Mu Jinghu was absolutely devoted to Qiu Feishan. She truly hoped Mu Jinghu’s family could be harmonious and happy.
Seeing Mu Jinghu like this now, there must be some problem between them. She would need to find a way to mediate and reconcile them.
Another night passed, and the next morning, Jingzhe, Liao Zhibing and the others overheard bad news while listening at the walls.
“Princess Consort, Duke Dingguo’s army fought the Tatars and is already showing signs of defeat. The people in the city are all panicking now. The Tatars have driven back Duke Dingguo – won’t they attack the city next? What will the people do then?”
Hearing this gave Qin Yining a splitting headache. She immediately stood up with a grave expression: “This won’t do. We must quickly find a solution. Ji Zeyu is leading troops outside the city, attacked from front and back. They’re all Zhou people, yet these people in Huichuan County are holding him back. How can this continue?”
Qin Yining immediately led everyone to find Lu Weigui.
Lu Weigui no longer had either his clerk or county magistrate with him. When Qin Yining had sent people to protect Lu Weigui, they discovered the county magistrate harbored thoughts of killing Lu Weigui and taking his head to surrender to the Tatars, so they immediately bound him. Lu Weigui was extremely grateful to Qin Yining, so when he saw her, he was filled with gratitude, his attitude even more respectful than before.
Qin Yining told him all the news she had received.
Lu Weigui’s face wrinkled like bitter melon rind: “Princess Consort, what can we do? This humble official is truly useless. Right now I should take up a blade and charge out to capture that rebel Lu Heng who causes more harm than good! But I’m only a scholar.”
Qin Yining said: “Magistrate Lu has already done extremely well. But now is truly not the time for us to defend the office. I think we should break out, occupy the city gates, and open them to let Duke Dingguo’s forces enter the city. Otherwise, if Duke Dingguo is defeated, the Zhou Dynasty will lose a major force against the Tatars. This is no longer simply suppressing rebellion – this concerns the Zhou Dynasty’s national fate.”
“Yes, the Princess Consort speaks absolutely correctly.” Lu Weigui wiped away sweat. Though afraid in his heart, he still said righteously: “This humble official will immediately gather men and find a way to break out. Even if we must die trying, we cannot let the Tatars succeed.”
Seeing Lu Weigui take this stance, Qin Yining felt much more at ease. As long as he didn’t oppose or hold them back, there would be a chance for success.
Qin Yining smiled reassuringly: “Magistrate Lu need not worry. His Highness has arranged for experts to come.” She pointed to Mu Jinghu behind her, who had already disguised himself with an ordinary appearance: “This hero is highly skilled in martial arts. Those guards outside are just a matter of a few moves for him. If you agree, we’ll gather the brothers together right now. Once this hero deals with some of the people outside, we can take the opportunity to break out, first finding a way to capture Lu Heng and occupy the county seat, then open the city gates to welcome Duke Dingguo into the city.”
Lu Weigui’s eyes widened in amazement: “This great hero, alone, can handle those several hundred men outside the office?”
Mu Jinghu said nothing and turned to go outside.
Qin Yining immediately said: “Magistrate Lu, quickly arrange for the bailiffs to follow. Leave a few people to guard the rear office, and have everyone else go out together.”