Chapter 367: Chapter 7: Wounds of Parting (First Update)
In the summer of the tenth year of Kangping, the newly appointed Great Khan Batraj of the Tartars, despite an unstable court, personally went to the Tartar-Great Chu border to welcome his bride—Qin Miao, who was adopted by the Empress and conferred as Princess Yonghe.
The Princely Heir of Duke Zhen’s Mansion and three elder brothers, along with a thousand trusted aides, escorted their sister to the Tartar Royal Capital in Shangjing to receive her accolades.
The important town on the Great Chu-Tartar border—Heiyuan Town in Hami Guard, with less than a thousand households, was bustling today with "distinguished guests."
Todays’ Heiyuan Town shed its usual desolation and bleakness, with a sea of flowers visible in every direction.
However, the flowers transported from various places appeared somewhat withered under the blazing sun, and despite the servants’ constant spraying of water, they lacked vitality.
Just like Qin Miao, the soon-to-be bride, whose face was pale as Susu had told her to harden her heart like iron, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of desolation.
She knew that Batraj was a lurking wolf, and even the Emperor, Duke Zhen’s Mansion, and Qin Dusi were aware, yet Qin Miao still donned her wedding clothes and boarded the bridal sedan.
This is politics.
The Tartar’s wedding procession was already prepared at the border, but at the auspicious hour, only Batraj and a few attendants could enter the town to welcome the bride, thanks to his status as the Brave Prince of Great Chu.
This also indicated the deep blood feud between Great Chu and the Tartars, where peace was just a bubble that could burst at any moment.
At this moment, the military platform of Heiyuan Town, the discussion hall had turned into a place for guests to witness the ceremony, and the room behind, exquisitely decorated, was where the bride would get dressed and made up.
The not-so-crowded room had a few people, and the atmosphere was quite heavy.
If it were someone else being conferred as a princess and becoming the Tartar Queen, it might be of utmost glory.
But why would a daughter of the Qin Family need such "added glory"? Not to mention that Qin Miao was already more distinguished than a princess in the Northwest.
Qin Miao looked at her mother, aunt, cousin, and Susu, and said with a smile, "Don’t be like this, I am getting married to be the Queen, not going to an execution ground.
Even though Batraj has ambitions like a wolf, he has to treat me well, and the Tartars are not capable of resurgence at the moment."
These words made everyone present shed tears uncontrollably.
Mrs. Zhao, looking at her daughter in a red wedding dress as beautiful as an angel, covered her face and wept, "Your father and I are the ones to blame for not being capable!"
Qin Miao sighed, "If my parents are not capable, then who is? Mother, I’m just marrying far away and can’t return easily. Don’t worry, your daughter is so beautiful, no one would dislike her."
Mrs. Qin also wiped away tears, "Our family’s daughter is naturally liked by everyone who sees her! Sister Miao, when you get to the Tartars, bear nothing unbearable, and if anything happens, just tell someone to send word back."
...
In the over 150 years and five emperors history of Great Chu, the current Emperor Kangping has left a thick mark in the annals.
During his reign, he confiscated the Founding Duke’s properties, supported the Tartar Prince, and was also the only emperor to send a "princess" for an alliance marriage.
This alone attracted much criticism for him, as after all, Great Chu was now the victorious party.
Yet the current emperor stubbornly proceeded, thinking of Batraj as the Brave Prince of Great Chu, his adopted son.
Now that his son asked his father to find him a bride, how could he refuse?
Batraj had long taken a liking to Qin Miao, yet he also understood the difficulties and only tried with effort.
Who would have thought that the emperor agreed without hesitation, much to Batraj’s surprise.
As mentioned earlier, Qin Dusi, the current emperor, and Duke Xian had known each other since childhood.
Qin Dusi had always looked down upon the current emperor, which made the petty-minded emperor hold a grudge.
Moreover, now Qin Dusi’s merits also overshadow the emperor’s, in the Northwest he is virtually like an earthly emperor.
He also secretly protected the sons of the Ruan Family, whom the emperor wanted to eliminate completely, causing the emperor’s dissatisfaction with the founding nobles in the capital.
Because of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, the emperor naturally couldn’t treat him like he did to Duke Li.
But now he can irritate him; there is no hesitation.
Furthermore, he also wanted to warn the founding nobles, a warning by killing a chicken to scare the monkeys! He wanted to tell those who pointed fingers at him that he was the emperor.
To be honest, the emperor himself is not frightening, but a petty-minded emperor is terrifying, and a petty-minded and vindictive emperor is even more terrifying.
The emperor trusted Duke Zhen’s Mansion’s loyalty to Great Chu but didn’t believe in their loyalty to him.
Isn’t the Qin family known for loyalty and righteousness? Now, what choice do they make?
If the Qin family agreed, it would mean loyal subjects are at leisure, but if they didn’t, it would be disobeying an imperial edict, and the emperor didn’t give the Qin family a third option.
He wasn’t even afraid of pushing Qin Dusi towards the Tartars, often joking drunk with concubines, "Let them rebel, so there will be a reason to eliminate Qin Shidao."
This move shocked the founding nobles, thinking this person is simply a madman!
The emperor dares to gamble, but the nobles dare not. Now, the Qin family is under pressure, screening candidates to replace Qin Dusi, who will be transferred elsewhere soon.
But speaking of it now only adds to resentment, Qin Miao hated the emperor so much she would drink his blood and eat his flesh, but she couldn’t let her parents see it to increase their guilt and burden.
"Mother, Aunt, you go outside to entertain the guests, I have something to tell Susu."
Mrs. Zhao gave Susu a meaningful glance, finally pulling her sister-in-law and niece out the door.
Susu was taken aback by that glance, thinking, did Aunt Zhao know something?
Qin Miao also saw it, giving a bitter smile; who knows a daughter better than her mother, not to mention the other day she went nowhere but Susu’s house, which must have raised her mother’s suspicions.
"Susu, I’m sorry!"
"Sister Miao, I’m sorry!"
Susu and Qin Miao said in unison.
Then they looked into each other’s eyes, both filled with bitterness, speechless for a long time.
"Does he know?" Qin Miao was the first to speak.
Susu nodded, "He knows."
Another moment of silence...
"He..." Qin Miao began to speak, but then didn’t know what to say. From now on, even if there’s someone who cares for her, it can no longer be him.
"The day you left, he went out to chase you, but in a distracted state, fell and injured his head, still demanding I prepare a horse for him, but I firmly had Hong Sheng and Brother Ling take him back to camp.
That night, he developed a high fever, his hair turned gray overnight, and now he’s listlessly training himself to exhaustion."
Susu squeezed these words from her throat, unsure whether it was resentment or guilt towards Qin Miao.
Susu already knew some of the ins and outs from Aunt Qin; Qin Miao’s situation was partly due to being implicated by the Ruan Family’s sons, unavoidable sighs.
If her brother knew, Susu didn’t dare imagine what her brother, now driving himself insane, might do.
Susu thought of her brother who had developed a fever overnight, turning half-white hair, no longer asking about Qin Miao, frantically training back in camp, and felt a fire burning in her heart.
"Sister Miao, Batraj’s ambition is like a wolf; even in a marriage alliance, it’s just to deceive Great Chu.
If one day, the Great Chu Army breaches the Tartar land, I hope you will protect yourself and give each other a chance!"
