novelkee Chapter 159 News Update
Chapter 159 News Update
The cave had been guarded by Xie Jin and his men, and Qin Su's men who were left to watch over Granny Su and the others had also been captured alive.
"Use torture to pry open his mouth and ask him about news from the court and the valley," Xie Jin instructed Mu Feng.
"Yes."
Granny Su and the others were taken out of the cave, which became Mu Feng's place of torture.
Grandma Su and the others, who had not been exposed to the sunlight openly for a long time, were somewhat flustered and at a loss.
With the person on her mind, Granny Su mustered her courage and approached Xie Jin. "I wonder how that young lady is? Is she alright?"
"Everything is fine," Xie Jin replied.
"And my grandson..." Grandma Su felt uneasy.
Xie Jin looked at her. He didn't know how Chi Ye would be treated, so he could only say, "It's alright for now."
Grandma Su seemed not to notice the subtle difference between the two answers. She let out a long breath and murmured, "That's good, that's good."
After you left, that person asked about our Miss Xiu'er. Luckily, Dongya cleverly covered it up, preventing any trouble for you, right?
That night, eight- or nine-year-old Dongya stood in front of Grandma Su and said to the fierce-looking man, "My sister Xiuer is amazing! She's beautiful, speaks sweetly, has bright eyes and sharp ears, is clever and kind-hearted, can cook and do laundry... In short, there's nothing my sister Xiuer can't do. Your question is so strange, it doesn't make sense..."
The young girl had a sudden inspiration and, without thinking, showered him with praise. In the end, she shut up under the man's gloomy gaze, and then, belatedly, fear welled up inside her.
Just when Grandma Su thought the man was about to strike her with a knife, and she was ready to protect her child, he turned around and went to a corner to rest with his eyes closed.
Even though it's all in the past, she still feels lingering fear when she thinks about it.
Upon learning the details, Xie Jin's expression softened, and he nodded, saying, "Indeed, we didn't cause any trouble."
"Son."
Suddenly, a person exuding a murderous aura and the smell of blood appeared beside her. Grandma Su's heart, which had just settled, suddenly jumped again. She turned around and walked to Dongya and the other children, not daring to get any closer.
Xie Jin asked, "Did you get the answer?"
"After the Hu army withdrew from the territory of Great Yan, Great Yan agreed to one of the Hu people's requests—border trade. On the surface, it was said that the agreement had been finalized three years ago, but it was disrupted by treacherous officials, which caused misunderstandings between the two countries and damaged their harmony."
The man remained silent about Qin Su's secret in the valley and was now on his deathbed.
As Mu Feng spoke, he kept an eye on Xie Jin's expression. The last time the imperial court proposed border trade was indeed three years ago.
General Xie knew the Hu people's wolfish ambitions and strongly opposed the matter, so it was dropped.
Not long after, General Xie and General Pei died on the battlefield, and the matter was brought up again, but for some reason, it was never settled.
Xie Jin lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then left some people to guard the place while he led Mu Feng and the others away.
As he was leaving, he remembered Granny Su and the others, and instructed Mu Feng: "Take them back to the village."
"Yes."
Grandma Su followed a group of men in black back to her familiar village in a daze, and saw Meng Fuqing as soon as she entered the village.
Upon seeing an acquaintance, a great weight was lifted from her heart, and she hurriedly called out, "Miss Xiu'er!"
Upon hearing this address, Meng Fuqing almost didn't react. After seeing Granny Su, she looked at Xie Jin with some confusion.
I've never seen him so kind before.
"I want to ask them some questions," Xie Jin said in a low voice, "maybe we can find something to use against Qin Su."
Meng Fuqing immediately thought of the place where Qin Su had sent people to guard it heavily.
Since she spoke with Qin Su, Qin Su hadn't touched the paper and pen on the table, seemingly not intending to eat, and was just going to wait it out until the end before throwing out another thousand taels.
I don't believe he'd remain so calm now that he's been given leverage.
Suddenly, Meng Fuqing thought of Meng Linlang, who had been very quiet these days, and wondered if she had heard Qin Su's name in her dreams.
Thinking this, she said, "Then let's ask them and prepare some food for them first."
Before long, Grandma Su and the others were invited into a room where white flour pancakes and pickled vegetables, which they hadn't eaten in a long time, were laid out on the table.
The children's eyes were fixed on the food, unable to look away for even a moment, and the two youngest children were drooling down their chins.
Meng Fuqing, who had followed, said to Granny Su, "You all eat first. After you finish eating, I want to ask Granny Su some questions, but I don't know..."
Grandma Su quickly replied, "Miss Xiu'er, just ask away. As long as this old woman knows the answer, I will definitely not hide it from you."
Leaving the house, Meng Fuqing saw Xie Jin standing outside and stepped forward, "Why aren't you resting?"
After she and Yan He left yesterday, Xie Jin took care of all the arrangements, and he and Mu Feng and the others barely slept all night.
Xie Jin told Meng Fuqing the news he had just learned.
Upon hearing this, Meng Fuqing knew that this was a real slap in the face. Being beaten to the doorstep before agreeing was no different from being coerced.
They insist on covering it up with a fig leaf.
They weren't afraid of fattening up the barbarians, only for them to bite back even more viciously.
Just then, Xie Jin asked again, "Do you still remember the Yang family?"
How can one forget a grudge?
"The eldest daughter of the Yang family is the current emperor's childhood sweetheart and has now ascended to the throne as empress. It is likely that the outcome of this peace negotiation was orchestrated by the Yang family. They had this idea three years ago, but it was rejected by my parents."
When talking about these things, Xie Jin's expression remained calm and indifferent, showing neither sadness nor joy.
Although he didn't say it directly, Meng Fuqing understood that the Yang family was clearly one of the executioners who killed Xie Jin's parents. She looked at him with sympathy and said, "Since you're going to take revenge anyway, why not call me along?"
Xie Jin did not refuse, but instead asked, "What did he say to you?"
Meng Fuqing was taken aback, then realized that the 'he' referred to Qin Su.
“He wanted to kill me. What good can come out of a dog’s mouth?”
Xie Jin's brow relaxed almost imperceptibly. "I should have gone a little harder."
Meng Fuqing waved his hand at him, "I'm going to find Meng Linlang first. You should go back and rest."
On his way to find Meng Linlang, Meng Fuqing also caught Yan He, who was running around the village.
"If I had known that Miss Yan was so clever, I would have helped her ask Grandma Su and the others about some things."
Yan He's tendency to get carried away when praised is not an act; she is especially vulnerable to praise from Meng Fuqing, who used to always criticize her.
She coughed lightly and reservedly, "What do you want to know?"
Meng Fuqing briefly explained the situation, and Yan He turned and left with great interest, saying, "No problem, just wait and see!"
***
Meng Linlang followed Meng Fuqing into the house and found the door closed. She instinctively worried about her life.
When she heard Meng Fuqing mention the name, her heart immediately settled back into her stomach; it turned out he had come to ask her something.
"Qin Su?"
She repeated the name, looking puzzled, "'Qin Su' is a name I've never heard of before, but I know..."
Meng Linlang glanced cautiously out the window, but seeing no one, she said, "There was a man named Qi Su. In my dream, he helped the new emperor ascend the throne. After the new dynasty was established, the new emperor made him a king of a different surname and trusted him very much. He was an extraordinary person."
Meng Fuqing was speechless for a moment.
Are you sure that person's name is Qi Su?
Meng Linlang nodded.
After a moment's thought, Meng Fuqing said, "Come with me."
She then led Meng Linlang to the outside of the house where Qin Su was being held.
Looking through the window, she pointed to Qin Su inside and asked, "How is it?"
Qin Su suddenly opened his eyes and saw Meng Fuqing standing outside the window with a little girl, pointing and gesturing at him. His face turned ashen as he turned away.
Meng Linlang was momentarily confused by the face she had just seen.
She opened her eyes wide and tried to say something, but Meng Fuqing covered her mouth and dragged her aside.