Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 64

Chapter 64 Deep Thoughts
Returning to the Baiji barracks camp, Qin Mubai happened to pass by the military prison and saw two soldiers carrying two large food boxes into the military prison.

“Come here, what did you mention?” Qin Mubai called out to the two of them.

The two sergeants came forward to salute him and said, “Answer the general. General Changsun and General Yuchi instructed us to prepare dinner for the four palace maids.”

Qin Mubai told them to put down the food box, lifted the lid and looked at it. “Is this food for prisoners? Lotus Leaf Chicken, stewed belly, and such a big black sesame oil cake and wine. This is clearly a treat for the distinguished guests-send these things to my office. I want to spend the night.”

“Ah, this … General …”

“Do you still dare to squeak?” Qin Mubai frowned and the two soldiers hurriedly agreed. Qin Mubai asked one soldier to send the night away while the other sent a message to Eldest Sun Huan in the military prison, saying that the four palace maids each had a pot of water for a steamed bun every day. As long as they didn’t die of hunger and thirst, they would be locked up for three days first. During this period, no one was allowed to speak to them, otherwise, they would be punished for disobeying military orders.

Incidentally, call Changsun Huanlai to the yamen to spend the night together.

Only after returning to the yamen did he set up his eating utensils, and Changsun Huan arrived. “Brother Qin, you’re not going too far, are you?”

“What’s the hurry, Brother Changsun? Sit down, let’s eat and talk.” Qin Mubai smiled and signaled for Changsun Huan to sit down.

Changsun Hua gritted his teeth and sat down patiently.

Qin Mubai knew that Changsun Huan did not want to offend Princess Gaoyang. Although he had been ordered to supervise the four palace maids, he had spent all his effort trying to please them.

“Eldest Brother Sun, those palace maids are accustomed to being arrogant and domineering. There is nothing else in their eyes except Princess Gaoyang. The more courteous you are to them, the more arrogant they become.” Qin Mubai said while smiling. He poured wine for Changsun Huan and said, “We will be working in the palace for a long time in the future. If several palace maids can’t cure us, who will give us face? What are we going to do to gain a foothold in the palace?”

“Brother Qin’s words are reasonable and reasonable, but … since we know that they are Princess Gao Yang’s people, we are still deliberately making things difficult and torturing them. Isn’t this creating a great enmity with Princess Gao Yang?” “I also know the importance of maintaining the might of the Hundred Cavalry, but there is no need to make enmity with the royal family because of this! In the end, the royal family is the head of the family, and we are servants. Isn’t it reasonable for evil servants not to suppress their masters?”

“Wrong.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Normally speaking, we do serve the entire royal family.” But in the royal family, we represent the dignity of the emperor. The royal family was above everyone else, but the emperor was even more supreme in the royal family. Today, Princess Gaoyang dares to challenge the Emperor’s might. If we don’t cure her, we won’t be able to guarantee that some other prince, princess, or royal relative will jump out to challenge her one day. In the long run, where would the imperial might exist? What’s the value of Baiji? Therefore, this time Princess Gaoyang is not challenging us, Baiji, but the Emperor. Do you understand? ”

“Uh, this” Changsun Huan blinked his eyes and nodded thoughtfully. “So that’s how it is … Brother Qin seems to be able to see more clearly and farther than I can see.”

“It’s not that I can see clearly. I can see far. If it comes to being an official, I’m definitely not as good as you, Brother Changsun.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “I’ve only been able to grasp one core-Baiji. I have to stand on the same footing as the Emperor before I can stand undefeated.” To offend a certain royal family for the sake of the emperor was not justified, and there was no need to be afraid of anything. On the contrary, if we neglect our duty because we are afraid of offending a Princess Gaoyang, then it will be a real mistake. The Emperor will be disappointed in us and will no longer trust us. ”

“I understand.” Changsun Huan nodded. “In different environments, our duties are different. Looking at the world, what we want to protect is the Imperial Court. In the Imperial Court, we want to protect the Imperial Family. And in the Imperial Family, we want to protect the Emperor. Is that so?”

“Correct answer.” Qin Mubai chuckled, “Cheers!”

“Thank you Brother Qin for your advice!” Eldest Sun Huan heaved a sigh of relief. He was secretly shocked. In just two months, Qin Mubai had become smarter than before, and he had used his intelligence on the blade. He has always been able to grasp the core of things. His horizons and insights far surpass most of us. Such a person is truly terrifying! … Strange, he is only around twenty years old. Why is he as old and hot as my father? What a monstrous figure!

On a summer night, the four palace maids cursed in their cells, waiting for the smelly men to bring them delicious food and drinks to serve them. Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, everyone was hungry and thirsty again. There was still no movement, and the mosquito repellent fragrance was also burnt out. It was truly unspeakable. After shouting and cursing for a while, no one paid any attention to them. Afterwards, he was exhausted and fell asleep in a daze.

At dawn the next day, Qin Mubai woke up early as usual and arranged to go to the Great Brightness Palace to change shifts to take a look at the military prison.

The four palace maids were drenched in sweat in a steamer-like cell, and two of them even started crying.

“Stinky military academy, stinky man-let us out of here!”

“Sisters, it’s him. Do you recognize him? It’s him! He caught us!”

“You will definitely regret it! If you abuse us like this, Your Highness the Princess will make your entire family die a terrible death!”

…

Qin Mubai walked to the cell with his hands behind his back. His expression was solemn as he snorted softly. The four palace maids trembled and stopped.

Qin Mubai did not waste words with them. He waved his hand and a military academy behind him threw four steamed buns and four water bags into the dungeon.

The palace maids were dumbfounded. The steamed bun was already dirty when it fell to the ground, how could it be eaten? Even if they could eat … They, the palace maids, had grown up with Princess Gaoyang and had the habit of eating with her master. How could they eat such a simple meal?

The palace maids quarreled again.

“Hateful, how can you eat such a thing? Why don’t you save it for yourself?”

“No! No! We want chilled plum soup and mung bean soup for the summer!”

“Let us out! We’re starving and thirsty to death. Let’s see how you explain this to Her Highness the Princess!”

…

“Shut up!” Qin Mubai shouted loudly, scaring them into screaming. Qin Mubai glanced at them and coldly snorted, “To tell you the truth, if it weren’t for His Highness the Princess taking the initiative to plead for mercy, you wouldn’t have been able to obtain these buns and water bags-you wouldn’t have liked to eat them if you didn’t appreciate their kindness!”

With that, Qin Mubai turned around and left.

The maids of the palace were thoroughly disheartened. They knew that this time, they had truly encountered the role of King of Hell. For a moment, a series of sobbing sounds sounded in the cell.

After leaving the cell, Changsun Huan asked, “Brother Qin, how long are you going to be locked up?”

“We’ll talk about it for three days. Then, when they take the initiative to admit their mistakes and kowtow to beg for mercy, they’ll consider letting him go.” After Qin Mubai finished speaking, she strode away.

Hearing that, Changsun Hua heaved a sigh of relief. Before Qin Mubai could walk much further, he drilled into the cell. He wasn’t stupid either. Qin Mubai was only able to tell him this because he wanted him to inform these palace maids and advise them to admit defeat and cooperate with them earlier. Only then could he plead for Qin Mubai to agree to release them earlier. Otherwise, if the three young women were locked up in such a hot weather for a long time, it would be hard to say if anyone would be tortured to death, and then the matter might be made big, and it would not be good for anyone.

Thinking about it, Qin Mubai didn’t really want to make things difficult for the four women.

“The system is dead, people are alive. Only those who know how to be flexible are truly smart … Qin Mubai, this fellow, is truly exquisite!” Changsun Huan could only secretly exclaim in his heart.

Qin Mubai, Cheng Huaibi, and Yuchi Baoyun came to the harem to receive the Emperor with the Hundred Cavalry Soldiers. Before Li Shimin boarded the carriage, he deliberately said to Qin Mubai, “Mubai, you don’t need to follow me to the court. From now on, you should rest more. I’ll give you a lighter job-bring some people to the Penglai Hall in the harem to protect King Jin!”

“This lowly official obeys the decree.” Qin Mubai agreed.

Although the two of them had talked nonsense, they couldn’t be lacking. At the very least, the soldiers of Baiji knew that Qin Mubai, who might not appear in the court in the future, had been ordered by the Emperor to do other tasks, not to be sent to the skies or for any other reason. In case everyone guessed endlessly, it would cause unnecessary trouble.

The stability of a general was especially important to the morale of an army. Li Shimin and Qin Mubai both understood this logic.

The Emperor’s carriage left. Qin Mubai led the remaining hundred cavalry to Penglai Palace.

Little Prince Li Zhi and Li Mingda were still asleep and hadn’t woken up yet. The two little fellows’ dormitories were placed together, and they were only a few feet away from each other. A few nurses and maids took turns to take care of them, ensuring that there was no shortage of people around them at all times.

Qin Mubai had never been a father before, and she did not have any experience in this kind of work. She felt a little confused and overwhelmed. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to need to feed himself, wash his diapers, and sing lullabies, otherwise, he would really be devastated.

After waiting outside the dormitory for a long time, Li Zhi and Li Mingda woke up and were washed up by the nurses and palace maids. They were eating breakfast.

The two little fellows sat at the same table and ate together, not letting anyone else feed them. Instead, you eat your own chopsticks and spoonfuls, not feeding each other.

After Qin Mubai entered, he couldn’t help but be amused when he saw this scene.

“Ninth Brother, Father Emperor said yesterday that the heroic general is here!”

“I wonder if he has eaten yet!” Li Zhi blinked his eyes and waved to Qin Mubai, “General, come over. Do you want to eat together?”

“Haha, I’ve already eaten. Your Highness, please enjoy yourself.” Qin Mubai said with a relaxed smile, “After dinner, can I take you guys for a walk in the back garden? The morning air is the freshest, and the flowers are the most fragrant!”

“Alright! Ninth brother, let’s eat!”

“Good, good!”

The palace maids and nurses frowned. This arrogant and disrespectful man did not say “serve” the two Little Highnesses. Instead, he said “bring …”

Qin Mubai thought very clearly. If you want to be a good daddy, you must first close the distance between them and make them feel that they are their good friends, good partners, so that you can better guide them. Moreover, he had a deeper thought in his heart: What if Li Zhi really became the emperor in the future … I had to leave a special impression on him from a young age, not an ordinary official bodyguard!