xymnovel Chapter 64: Taking Jiang Qingxue to the Northern Border to Find Relatives! Xu Longxiang will definit
Chapter 64: Taking Jiang Qingxue to the Northern Border to Find Relatives! Xu Longxiang will definit
The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs of the official road, making a dull but regular sound.
Like the ceaseless dripping of a water clock, it records the passage of time.
It has been three days since we set off from Qinglan Mountain.
This 300-mile-long official road is flat and wide, with well-organized post stations along the way, revealing the wealth and peace of the heartland of Qin.
Outside the car window, the fields were lush and green, farmers were working hard, and smoke rose from the village chimneys, creating a peaceful scene.
But all this peaceful scenery, in Jiang Qingxue's eyes, was like a black and white silent film, lifeless.
She sat in a spacious and luxurious gilded carriage, with a thick Persian carpet beneath her and cushions made of brocade from Jiangnan. The carriage was filled with the elegant fragrance of orchids, and everything was extremely comfortable.
But she felt extremely uncomfortable.
For the past three days, Qin Mu had been riding in the same car with her almost every moment.
During the day, he would either lean against the window reading a book or close his eyes to rest, occasionally chatting with her for a few words, seemingly casual and lazy.
But those deep eyes would always sweep over her unintentionally. Their gaze was as calm as a lake, yet it seemed to see through all her hidden thoughts, sending chills down her spine.
At night, when the caravan rested at the post station, Qin Mu would naturally stay in her room.
These three nights were like purgatory for her.
She had to force a smile, flatter and fawn, and endure the intimacy that she loathed but had no choice but to accept.
What's even more terrifying is that after each passionate encounter, when Qin Mu falls into a deep sleep, she has to keep her eyes open, listening to his steady breathing and feeling the stinging pain from the piece of paper on her ankle.
It's not just because of the physical discomfort, but also because of the psychological fear of being exposed at any moment.
That secret letter to Xu Longxiang became her biggest nightmare for the past three days.
On the first day, she stuffed the letter into her right sock, wrapped it in thick silk stockings, and although walking was a little strange, she could still bear it.
But that night, when Qin Mu held her ankle and played with it, she was almost scared out of her wits.
Fortunately, he only gently stroked it for a moment before letting go, and did not notice anything unusual.
The next day, while Qin Mu was getting out of the carriage to give instructions to Zhao Kuo, the commander of the Imperial Guards, she hurriedly took the letter out of her sock and stuffed it into an inconspicuous gap under the carriage seat.
The gap was very narrow; the letter had to be folded twice to barely fit in, and the edges were even a little torn.
All day long, she was on tenterhooks, fearing that the bumpy ride of the carriage would shake the letter out, or that a palace maid would find it while cleaning.
On the third day, which is this morning, while Qin Mu was having breakfast, she risked taking out the letter again and hiding it in the inner compartment of her vanity case.
The dressing case was specially made by the Imperial Household Department, with extremely hidden compartments. It was originally used to store valuable jewelry, but now it became her hiding place for secrets.
Every transfer felt like dancing on a knife's edge.
Each time she went into hiding, she was exhausted.
She barely slept for the past three days.
During the day, he had to force himself to deal with Qin Mu, and at night he had to endure torture while remaining vigilant. His whole body was visibly wasting away.
Fortunately, we should be getting back to the capital soon.
It's good to be back in the capital.
Once back in the capital, she could contact the spies planted in the palace by the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion and pass on this crucial intelligence.
At that time, no matter how Xu Longxiang responds, she will have completed her mission.
As for what will happen next... she dared not think about it.
The carriage continued on its way.
Jiang Qingxue leaned against the car window, watching the scenery outside rushing past, silently calculating the mileage in her mind.
It's almost here.
Just bear with it for two more days...
She let out a soft breath, and her nerves, which had been tense for three days, finally relaxed a little.
But just then, she suddenly noticed something was amiss.
The wind outside the window seemed a bit colder than in the morning.
She subconsciously pulled her moon-white gauze long dress tighter around herself.
This was a gift from Qin Mu to her yesterday; he said it was the latest material from Jiangnan, light and breathable.
But at this moment, this thin long robe could not block the chill that seeped into his bones.
Jiang Qingxue frowned slightly.
It is mid-May now. Although it is not the height of summer, the climate around the capital is always mild, and it is not so cold even at night.
Is it...
A sense of foreboding rose in her heart, and she lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside.
The scenery on both sides of the official road has quietly changed.
The once lush broad-leaved forest has somehow transformed into a predominantly coniferous pine and cypress forest.
The fields have decreased, while the mountains have increased, and on the distant mountain peaks, patches of snow that have not yet completely melted can be faintly seen.
A unique, crisp scent permeated the air.
That's the taste of the North.
Jiang Qingxue's pupils suddenly contracted!
wrong!
This is definitely not the way back to the capital!
The imperial city is located in the heart of the Central Continent, where the four seasons are distinct, with cold winters and hot summers, but there are never any snow-capped peaks all year round!
And the scene before us is clearly...
"What is my beloved concubine looking at?"
Qin Mu's lazy voice came from behind.
Jiang Qingxue's hand trembled, and the carriage curtain fell. She hurriedly turned around, trying to remain calm:
"N-nothing... I just feel that the scenery outside the window is somewhat unfamiliar, unlike the area near the capital..."
Qin Mu leaned back on the cushion, toying with a white jade thumb ring in his hand, and smiled slightly upon hearing this:
"Of course not. Because the road we're on now isn't the way back to the capital."
A seemingly casual remark struck Jiang Qingxue like a thunderclap!
Her blood seemed to freeze instantly, her mind went blank, and she could only stare blankly at Qin Mu, her lips trembling but unable to utter a sound.
This is not the way back to the capital...
So...where are we going?
Qin Mu looked at her instantly pale face, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, but his tone remained gentle:
"Is my beloved concubine cold? Her face is so pale."
He reached out and took a black cloak embroidered with gold dragons from the side, and personally draped it over her shoulders.
The cloak was thick, with a soft mink lining, and carried Qin Mu's unique ambergris scent.
But when she put it on, Jiang Qingxue felt no warmth at all; instead, she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
She finally found her voice, but it was hoarse and barely audible. "Where...where are we going?"
Qin Mu tied the sash of her cloak with delicate and gentle movements, as if he were truly concerned for the concubine who had caught a chill.
Then, he looked up at her eyes, which were filled with terror, and slowly uttered two words:
"The North".
The North!
really!
Jiang Qingxue felt as if all the bones in her body had been pulled away at that moment, and she almost collapsed.
No wonder it's getting colder and colder...
No wonder the scenery has changed so much...
It turned out they weren't going back to the capital at all, but heading north to a place she knew all too well.
Xu Longxiang's stronghold is located in the three northern prefectures where the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion is situated!
But why?
Why did Qin Mu go to the Northern Border?
Did you discover something?
Has Xu Longxiang's plan been exposed?
Or... was it aimed at her?
Countless terrifying speculations swirled wildly in Jiang Qingxue's mind, each one sending chills down her spine.
She gripped the edge of her cloak tightly, her nails almost digging into the fabric, forcing herself to remain calm and managing a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"The Northern Territory... Why has Your Majesty suddenly decided to go to the Northern Territory? It's a harsh and cold place, not as comfortable as the capital. Besides... didn't the Crown Prince of the Northern Territory just return? Would Your Majesty's trip there at this time...?"
"Will this bother him?"
Qin Mu picked up the conversation, smiled, and said, "My dear consort, you worry too much. Minister Xu is my subject. He's more than happy that I'm going to inspect the northern border and observe the people's conditions; how could he feel bothered?"
He paused, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, then said meaningfully:
"Besides, the main reason for my trip is for you, my beloved consort."
"For...for your concubine?" Jiang Qingxue's heart pounded wildly.
"Yes." Qin Mu leaned back on the cushion, resting his chin on his hand, his posture languid, as if he were talking about something utterly ordinary.
"My beloved consort often says that she doesn't know where she came from, who her parents are, and that she has been an orphan since childhood. I think that since you were found by Minister Xu from the northern border, the clues to your background are probably also in the northern border."
He looked at her, his eyes full of concern:
"Though I am the Son of Heaven, I also know the importance of human relationships and family ties. My beloved concubine is now my Imperial Consort, enjoying boundless honor, but wouldn't it be even more wonderful if she could find her blood relatives and share the joys of family life with them?"
Hearing these "sincere" words, Jiang Qingxue felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, almost freezing her completely.
Searching for relatives...
Find her family...
What a high-sounding reason!
What a thoughtful and considerate imperial favor!
If she were an ordinary concubine, she would probably be grateful and moved to tears by now.
But Jiang Qingxue felt ice-cold all over!
Because her background was fabricated from the very beginning.
The Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion fabricated a flawless backstory for her.
This story has "witness testimony," "physical evidence," and even forged household registration documents.
To ensure everything went smoothly, Xu Longxiang made special arrangements in several border towns in the north before sending her to the palace, including arranging for "old friends" who "knew" her parents and preparing her "childhood home".
These arrangements were originally intended to prepare for possible background checks conducted by the palace.
According to the original plan, the people investigating her background should have been officials from the Imperial Household Department or the Imperial Clan Court.
Those people had already been taken care of by the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion. Even without taking care of them, given the abilities of those officials, they wouldn't have been able to find any flaws.
But no matter how much we planned, who could have imagined—
The one who will investigate in person will be Qin Mu himself!
The current emperor, Qin Mu, whose strength is unknown and whose mind is as deep as an abyss!
In his presence, those so-called "arrangements" and "witnesses and evidence" were like children's toys, utterly vulnerable!
it's over...
It's all over...
Jiang Qingxue felt a chill in her heart.
She could almost foresee what would happen when Qin Mu arrived in the Northern Territory and began his "search for relatives".
Those "old acquaintances" who were arranged to serve the emperor would tremble with fear under his majesty's authority, making numerous mistakes.
Those fabricated "evidence" will be exposed under His Majesty's discerning eye.
And her "Snow Consort" persona will be stripped of its layers of disguise, revealing the true face beneath that of Xu Longxiang's childhood sweetheart.
By then...
She dared not think.
Will Xu Longxiang's plan be exposed?
What will happen to the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion?
What will happen to Xu Longxiang?
And what will happen to her?
"My beloved concubine?"
Qin Mu's voice pulled her back to reality from her terrifying fantasy.
She snapped back to reality and met Qin Mu's deep, smiling eyes; her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Her voice trembled, and she was almost crying. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, what virtue or ability do you possess to cause such trouble for me... The northern border is bitterly cold and the journey is long. Your Majesty's precious body is truly not suited to risk your life for such a trivial matter..."
"How could this be a small matter?" Qin Mu reached out and gently stroked her cheek. His fingertips were warm, yet they sent a chill down her spine.
"My beloved concubine's affairs are my affairs. Besides..."
He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips:
"I also want to see what kind of land and water in the North is capable of nurturing a beauty like my beloved consort. Minister Xu sent you to my side; I must personally express my gratitude for this gesture, mustn't I?"
thank……
These two words, like a poisoned dagger, pierced deeply into Jiang Qingxue's heart.
She could almost picture the scene—
Qin Mu arrived at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion and, in front of all the civil and military officials of the Northern Border, grasped her hand and said to Xu Longxiang:
"Minister Xu, thank you for presenting such a beauty. I have brought her back to visit my family, so you must treat her well."
What a humiliation that was!
What a blatant trampling!
What kind of expression will Xu Longxiang have?
He'll go crazy!
He's going to go crazy!