Teahouse Team Building (4)
Dear Zi Yan, your wife is about to be taken away.
When the group arrived in Shu, Murong Can had already received the news. He waited at the Prince’s Mansion—no, now it’s the General’s Mansion.
From a distance, a tall man stood beside a petite woman. Ming Qin, who was driving the carriage, squinted and looked for a long time. Then, somewhat suspiciously, she knocked on the carriage board and said to Song Shuqing inside, “Senior Sister? Isn’t that Junior Sister Qin? Why is she also in the Northern Frontier?”
Lifting the curtain, Song Shuqing’s face was calm, “Oh? Qinqin, don’t you know? The story of our little junior sister from the Shadow Guard Camp unintentionally stealing the heart of the Ever-Victorious General.” She spoke with a playful tone, “I heard from Da Lin that the General pursued for a long time but Junior Sister Qin didn’t agree. It was only after he stood in front of the Shadow Guard Camp for two days and nights in armor, when he confirmed the transfer, that Junior Sister Qin finally agreed to come with him.”
Although I knew that a larger part of Junior Sister Qin’s arrival in the Northern Frontier was to help integrate the intelligence of the Shadow Guard Camp…
“So that’s how it is. Junior Sister Qin really is charming,” Ming Qin couldn’t help but sigh, “No wonder she’s the prettiest girl in the Shadow Guard Camp.”
“Um…” Not sure if Murong Yan inside the carriage heard Ming Qin’s words, Song Shuqing, who stuck her head out, didn’t dare to look back to confirm. She just suddenly thought of something and opened her mouth, “Speaking of which, I heard that the reason they met seems to be because of you.”
“Because of me?” Ming Qin tilted her head in confusion.
“Yes, because of you,” Song Shuqing recalled the information she heard from Lin Yan.
When the deposed Crown Prince poisoned Murong Yan, causing her to be unconscious, the worried Ming Qin tended to her day and night, her protective instincts overwhelming. Once, the unfamiliar shadow guard has mistaken the famous Ever-Victorious General, who came to visit, as a thief trying to invade and was beaten by Ming Qin.
The two fought from the corridor to the garden of Changning Palace. Both were extremely skilled, and their intense fight shattered a nearby rockery, with punches and palms so fierce that no one could stop them.
Just when Ming Qin was about to twist the man’s arm and Murong Can was about to push the woman into a doorpost, Gu Yunchi, who came to prepare the medicine, appeared at the right time, shooting silver needles at both of them. Taking advantage of their distraction in blocking, he separated them and scolded them (mainly scolding Ming Qin…). Only then did they stop.
Afterwards, feeling dissatisfied despite the body aches from the beating, Murong Can came to the Shadow Guard Camp to seek an explanation but stumbled upon Junior Sister Qin, who was trying on makeup in the camp and was later going undercover at a brothel.
The imposing man froze in place the moment he saw the unfamiliar woman in his sight, as if struck by lightning.
Junior Sister Qin, with her eyelids painted red, saw Murong Can staring at her and smiled lightly, not caring. She spoke with lips adorned with lip balm, “Here, it’s bruised.” She pointed to her chin before leisurely leaving.
Subconsciously touching his face, bruised by Ming Qin’s punch, Murong Can didn’t feel the pain. Instead, he felt a fluttering of butterflies in his heart…
At that moment, the great Ever-Victorious General fell in love.
“However, our Junior Sister Qin is not so easy to pursue.” Raising an eyebrow, Song Shuqing couldn’t help but chuckle, “I personally gave Junior Sister Qin the title of ‘Black-Bellied Fishing Master.’ Let’s just say the General’s road to chasing his wife is still very long.” She looked like she was enjoying the show without minding the trouble.
Parking the carriage at the gate, Ming Qin skillfully jumped down, opened the door to let Zi Yan and Song Shuqing out first, then reached out to help Murong Yan down.
“Yue’er!” The anxious Murong Can came forward. Although they often communicated through letters, he still felt choked up seeing his beloved sister, “The journey must have been tiring.”
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“Brother.” Murong Yan nodded to the man, slightly turning her body, her tone indifferent, “Miss Qin? Hmm… you are indeed quite beautiful.”
“Humbled.” Somewhat surprised that Princess Chongwen would compliment her, Qin Zhen bowed, her tone respectful, “This official, Qin Zhen, greets Princess Chongwen.”
Holding the slightly cool hand of her beloved, Ming Qin said to Murong Yan, “Yanyan, Junior Sister Qin is the best at mixing rouge in the Shadow Guard Camp. She can also play the guqin and dance very well.”
For some reason, the more Ming Qin spoke, the colder Qin Zhen felt Murong Yan’s gaze on her, as if a thousand weights were pressing on her head. She couldn’t help but say, “No, Senior Sister Qin is overpraising me.”
Not noticing anything unusual, Ming Qin tilted her head, “No, I’m serious. Junior Sister Qin is really amazing. She…” She was about to say more but was interrupted by the voice beside her.
“Ah Qin.” Looking up at the person beside her, “I’m tired,” Murong Yan said.
“Oh! Right, right! Yanyan needs to rest, rest!” Patting her head, regretting her dullness, Ming Qin picked up the woman beside her, nodded casually to everyone, and under Murong Yan’s direction, entered the mansion.
Hu’er followed leisurely behind them.
“Wait…” Although many years had passed, Murong Can, who was once beaten by Ming Qin, still had some grudges against this shadow guard who was close to his sister. Seeing the two leaning on each other, he instinctively wanted to say something but swallowed his words upon seeing Qin Zhen’s gaze.
“Let them rest well.” Watching the princess leave, Qin Zhen regained her composure and slowly turned to Song Shuqing and Zi Yan, then said to Murong Can, “You haven’t arranged for these two yet.”
“Ah! Right, right, it’s my fault.” Scratching his head, the seven-foot-tall man lowered his head, admitting his mistake to the petite woman beside him, “I’ll get right on it.” He then instructed the mansion’s servants to lead the two guests who had come from afar.
Walking on the path of the General’s Mansion, Zi Yan looked at the shadow guard holding her hand, who was pursing her lips, seemingly trying to suppress laughter, and curiously asked, “Lord Song? What’s the matter?”
Smiling with a bit of mischief, Song Shuqing leaned over and whispered in the woman’s ear, “Dear Zi Yan, don’t you feel like you’re watching a nature documentary?” Her eyes gleamed with mischief, “The food chain among people is really interesting.”
(Tsk, has Song Shuqing forgotten that she’s also in this food chain, and at the bottom?)
In the General’s Mansion, Ming Qin paced back and forth in the pavilion of the main courtyard. Every few steps, she would look back towards the ancestral hall.
Song Shuqing, beside her, was eating melon seeds while discussing some intelligence with Qin Zhen in a low, serious tone.
Zi Yan was not there; feeling cold, she was now resting in a side courtyard.
Ming Qin didn’t care much about what her two 『former』 colleagues were discussing. She had always stayed out of decision-making, only appearing during execution, obediently following orders. Now, her heart was solely occupied with Murong Yan, who was inside the house paying respects to Prince Yu’s portrait.
When Murong Yan and Murong Can stepped out of the room, she immediately stepped forward, gently arranging the woman’s shawl and whispering in her ear.
Murong Can waved to the two shadow guards from a distance, leading everyone to the study.
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“Actually, the invasion of the barbarians this time is not to be feared.” Murong Can lit the charcoal in the heater and then pointed at the map on the cypress wood table, “According to the reports from our scouts, although Tuo Banyu claimed to have brought seventy thousand troops with great fanfare, they are actually a motley crew.”
“Tuo Banyu’s invasion this time is just to show off in front of the new Northern Barbarian leader.” Murong Yan, sitting in the chair, said calmly after sipping some water, “So hasty, not to mention troops, even the supply of provisions is far behind. Indeed, it is not to be feared.”
Nodding, Murong Can agreed with his sister, “Indeed, so actually, with my fifty thousand elite troops, I can handle it. If not for our father, there would be no need for you to come all this way.”
“I think His Majesty sent two shadow guards this time because your subordinates mostly remain in the capital, worrying that you haven’t returned to the Northern Frontier for a long time, lacking a handy deputy.” Qin Zhen said with her arms crossed, her finger tapping lightly, addressing the man.
“Mm… there’s really nothing to worry about.” The man muttered softly at Qin Zhen’s words but closed his mouth under her gaze.
Witnessing everything from the side, Song Shuqing cleared her throat and said, “Now, Tuo Banyu and his forces are just stationed outside the city walls, probably to test the waters or wait for the supply line to catch up.”
“So, brother, what are your plans to deal with them?” Putting down the porcelain cup, Murong Yan leaned on the soft pillow Ming Qin brought, raising her eyebrows at her brother.
After thinking for a moment, Murong Can shared his plan, “I plan to take advantage of their lack of provisions, lead a hundred elite soldiers in a night raid, and then lead my fifty thousand troops to cut them off and scatter them.” Pausing, he added, “Of course, if we can take the opportunity to behead Tuo Banyu, that would be best.”
Song Shuqing nodded in agreement with the man’s plan.
The troops personally trained by the Ever-Victorious General, even if only fifty thousand, were indeed unmatched by the hastily assembled Northern Barbarian forces. A night raid to catch them off guard would be excellent, with a success rate of seventy to eighty percent.
“A night raid? Not a bad idea.” Murong Yan’s expression remained calm as she suddenly turned her head, staring straight at Song Shuqing, and said slowly, “However… I have another method that can better crush the barbarians’ morale and ensure they won’t invade for at least two years.”
Damn.
Why not look at Qinqin?
Why look at me?
It can’t be anything good.
Feeling her scalp tingle, Song Shuqing had only two thoughts now: one was to cover the princess’s mouth, and the other was to immediately flee back to Zi Yan’s side.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have the courage for the former, and she wasn’t fast enough for the latter.
Before the distressed shadow guard could make a move, Murong Yan had already revealed a faint smile, her red lips parting slightly, “However… this plan might trouble Shadow Guard Song for help.”
Alright. It’s over…
This malicious smile probably means I’m done for.
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Dear Zi Yan, your wife is about to be taken away.
Song Shuqing now just wanted to hide in Zi Yan’s arms and cry.
She was desperate.
Very desperate.
The author has something to say:
On a side note, since we’re nearing the end, I’d like to ask everyone, which chapter did you like the most in this story, or which chapter left the deepest impression on you?
If it’s not too much trouble, please leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to see if readers and the author have the same favorite chapters~
LP: Re-translated on June 16, 2024