BSI Chapter 5: The relationship between Jiang Qingxue and Xu Longxiang – they were childhood sweethearts
Chapter 5: The relationship between Jiang Qingxue and Xu Longxiang – they were childhood sweethearts
Xu Longxiang walked back to his seat, sat down again, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a sip.
"Oh, right."
He suddenly remembered something, "On the day that dog emperor ascended the throne, there were strange phenomena in the heavens and earth: purple clouds came from the east for three thousand miles, and nine dragons coiled around... What do you think of this?"
There was a moment of silence in the hall.
Sikong Xuan spoke first:
"I was in the Northern Territory at the time and I also witnessed that strange phenomenon. It was truly astonishing, beyond human capability. Popular belief says it was a sign that the dog emperor had received the mandate of heaven, a sign that a true dragon emperor was about to be born."
"A true dragon emperor?" Xu Longxiang scoffed.
"If he were truly the chosen one, how could he have neglected state affairs and indulged in wine and women all day long after ascending the throne? As you saw today, while we were waiting outside the palace, he was playing with his concubines in the imperial garden, having a great time."
Tie Tu said gruffly, "The young master is right! I, Tie Tu, am a rough man, but I know that any truly capable emperor is diligent in governing and loves his people. Someone like him is clearly a foolish ruler!"
Liu Hongyan chuckled, "Perhaps there are too many beauties in the palace, and His Majesty... couldn't resist?"
A murmur of laughter rippled through the crowd.
Only Fan Li frowned slightly, gently waving his feather fan:
"That's true, but that strange phenomenon is indeed bizarre. According to ancient records, a purple aura traveling three thousand miles east signifies the birth of a sage, and nine dragons circling overhead is an omen of an emperor. The combination of these two has not occurred for three hundred years. If it was truly caused by that dog of an emperor..."
He paused, then looked at Xu Longxiang: "Your Highness, we must be on guard."
Xu Longxiang remained silent for a long time, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
"Mr. Fan's concerns are valid. But have you considered this—"
He raised his head, his eyes gleaming.
"If this emperor truly possessed extraordinary abilities and was a veritable celestial being, how could he be content to be a tyrant? Throughout history, which powerful figure hasn't craved power? Which emperor hasn't dreamed of expanding their territory and leaving their mark on history?"
He stood up and paced back and forth.
"But what did he do? In the six months since he ascended the throne, he has never held court, leaving all the memorials to Prime Minister Li Si. The number of concubines in the harem has been expanded from twelve to thirty-six, and they spend twenty days a month feasting and making merry. He doesn't even look at the military reports from the border, throwing them all to the Ministry of War."
Xu Longxiang turned around and looked at everyone.
"Do you think someone like that could be an unparalleled powerhouse who could trigger extraordinary celestial phenomena?"
Sikong Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "What does the young master mean...?"
"Two possibilities," Xu Longxiang said, holding up two fingers.
"First, that strange phenomenon had nothing to do with him. Perhaps it was the appearance of a treasure, or perhaps it was the breakthrough of a reclusive expert, which happened to occur on the day he ascended the throne, and he took advantage of it to proclaim that he was destined to rule."
"second,"
He lowered his finger. "Even if he did cause that strange phenomenon, it doesn't prove anything. Maybe he just received some kind of inheritance, possessing a high realm but no real strength. Or perhaps he knows his talent is limited and he has no chance of breaking through in this life, so he simply gave up and indulged in pleasure."
He walked back to his seat, sat down again, and spoke with certainty.
"But neither possibility will affect our plans."
"Because a true strongman would never do what he did, handing over power to others, entrusting the affairs of state to ministers, and hiding in the deep palace to indulge in pleasure."
"Such a person does not deserve to rule the country."
The candlelight flickered in the hall, casting Xu Longxiang's long shadow on the wall.
He picked up the now-cold tea and drank it all in one gulp.
"Continue to proceed according to plan. As for Qingxue, have her gain the Emperor's trust as soon as possible, and ideally obtain the palace defense map and the rotation schedule for the Imperial Guards. Don't stop trying to win over officials in various regions; if there's not enough money, draw from the Prince's treasury. Speed up the infiltration of the military; by the end of the year, I want 300,000 troops in the Northern Territory completely under the Xu family's control."
"As for the Imperial Guards..." He looked at Fan Li, "I'll give you three months. After three months, I want Meng Fang to become one of us."
The five men clasped their hands in unison: "Yes, sir!"
Xu Longxiang waved his hand: "Everyone, step back."
The five men bowed and left Zhenyue Hall, their footsteps fading into the distance.
Only Xu Longxiang remained in the hall.
The candlelight crackled.
Xu Longxiang stood up, walked to the "Po Jun" horse-slaying saber, and reached out to stroke the cold blade.
"Back then, my father used it to conquer half of the Qin Dynasty."
"But what did the late emperor give us? A princely title, a fiefdom, and then endless suspicion and suppression."
Xu Longxiang suddenly gripped the knife hilt tightly.
"This empire should rightfully belong to the Xu family, half of it!"
He turned around, his eyes now devoid of any hesitation, only burning with ambition.
"Whether he is truly incompetent or feigning ignorance, I, Xu Longxiang, am determined to sit on this throne."
at the same time,
The Imperial City of Qin, Yuxiu Palace, side hall.
Night had fallen, and moonlight streamed through the carved window frames, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone floor.
The interior of the palace was simply furnished, a stark contrast to the luxurious palaces of the other concubines outside.
A rosewood dressing table, a bronze mirror, a canopy bed, two round-backed chairs, and a low table.
That's it.
Jiang Qingxue sat in front of the dressing table without lighting a lamp, letting the moonlight outline her slender figure.
She had changed out of the moon-white flowing dress she wore during the day and was now wearing a plain blue family-style ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her long hair loose, and she was not wearing any jewelry.
A face of exquisite beauty, yet etched with sorrow, was reflected in the bronze mirror.
Her eyebrows, like distant mountains, were slightly furrowed at this moment; her eyes, like autumn water, were veiled by a thin mist.
Her hand gently stroked the mirror, her fingertips icy cold.
"As long as I destroy that damned emperor, I can go back... back to his side."
Jiang Qingxue paused, then couldn't help but sigh again.
Can it really go that smoothly?
He was, after all, the emperor, the Son of Heaven who ruled over the entire land.
No matter how meticulous Xu Longxiang's plan was, it was difficult to guarantee that it would not go wrong.
What if it fails...
Jiang Qingxue dared not think any further.
But soon, her gaze hardened again, and her hands on her knees clenched slightly.
Whether things go smoothly or not, she is determined to help him complete it.
She had lived in the Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion since she could remember.
Deep within the Prince's mansion lies a secluded courtyard named "Tingxuexuan," which is her residence.
She didn't know who her parents were. She asked the old prince Xu Xiao, who only said that she was the daughter of an old friend who had been entrusted to his care, and he didn't mention anything else.
The Prince of Zhenbei treated her extremely well, providing her with the same food, clothing, and daily necessities as a young lady of the Prince's mansion. He even hired a tutor to teach her to read, write, play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
The servants in the manor all called her "Miss Jiang," and although she did not have the title of princess, she had the status of one.
And Xu Longxiang...
A faint smile unconsciously curved the corners of Jiang Qingxue's lips.
The boy, who was three years older than her, took her around the palace as soon as she could walk.
In spring, he would take her out of the city for a spring outing, pick wildflowers and weave them into a wreath to wear on her head. In summer, he would fish by the lotus pond in the palace. In autumn, he would teach her to ride a horse. In winter, he would gather around the stove to brew tea, telling her stories of the military camp, the snow in the north, and the wind in the desert.
Every time he returned from a campaign, he would first come to Tingxuexuan and take out all sorts of trinkets from his pocket.
Sometimes it's exotic jewelry bought at border markets, sometimes it's pretty stones picked up on the grasslands, and sometimes it's wooden hairpins carved by hand.
When she was twelve, she caught a cold and had a persistent high fever. When Xu Longxiang heard about it in the army camp, he rode three hundred miles back to the palace overnight and stayed by her bedside for three days and three nights until her fever subsided.
When she turned fifteen and came of age, the old prince originally wanted to hold a grand ceremony, but she only wanted Xu Longxiang to be present.
That day, he made a special trip back from the border to give her a white jade phoenix hairpin and personally put it on her hair.
"Qingxue has grown up." He looked at her, his eyes as gentle as melting spring water.
At that moment, she heard her heart pounding like a drum.
Later, the old prince passed away, and Xu Longxiang inherited the title, guarding the northern border, where he became increasingly busy.
But she knew that every month on the fifteenth, no matter how busy he was, he would return to the palace and have dinner with her at Tingxuexuan.
Last Mid-Autumn Festival, they enjoyed the moon in the courtyard.
After several rounds of drinks, Xu Longxiang suddenly put down his glass, looked at her, and said:
"Qingxue, I will marry you after I have accomplished something important."
His eyes shone brilliantly in the moonlight.
"What's the big deal?" she asked.
"I can't say right now," he shook his head. "But if this matter succeeds, I can give you the most honorable status among all women in the world, and you will no longer have to live in this small royal palace."
She didn't understand then, and just nodded with a blush.
Until three months ago, he came to her and told her about his shocking plan.
"What do you need me to do?" That was the only question she asked after listening.
"Go to the palace, go to the emperor's side."
Xu Longxiang looked at her, his eyes filled with guilt.
"Qingxue, I know this isn't fair to you, but only you can shoulder this responsibility. You're intelligent, calm, and skilled in martial arts; you can protect yourself in the palace..."
He gripped her shoulders, his voice strained:
"I swear, once it's done, I will definitely bring you out, with a grand procession of red bridal procession, a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, and I will marry you as my empress."
She did not hesitate.
She was willing to do anything to help him.
But now, sitting alone in this cold, secluded palace, looking at the unfamiliar moon outside the window, I still can't help but feel uneasy.
The way the dog emperor looked at her today made her very uncomfortable.
It wasn't the usual awe or infatuation a man might feel upon seeing a beautiful woman, but rather a kind of... savoring? scrutiny?
Like a hunter watching its prey fall into a trap.
Moreover, how could he have become emperor without any capable people around him?
Xu Longxiang's plan was meticulous, but if the emperor had been prepared in advance...
Jiang Qingxue shook her head, trying to shake off those thoughts.
Don't let your mind wander.
Now that we're here, we can only move forward.
She took out a white jade phoenix hairpin from her bosom.
It was Xu Longxiang who gave her the coming-of-age gift.
The hairpin is pure white, with an exquisitely carved phoenix head and two tiny rubies set in the phoenix eyes, gleaming faintly in the moonlight.
She held the hairpin tightly in her palm, as if she could draw strength from it.
"Brother Longxiang, what are you doing right now?"
She gazed at the bright moon outside the window and murmured softly.
"Are you looking at the moon too? Are you... thinking of me too?"
......