sovbooks Chapter 118 Cao Wei's Submission, Xu Family's Intelligence in Jiangnan is Complete!
Chapter 118 Cao Wei's Submission, Xu Family's Intelligence in Jiangnan is Complete!
Huaqing Palace.
This is one of the palaces closest to the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the inner palace, and it has always been the residence of favored concubines.
The palace was lavishly furnished, with carved beams and painted rafters, exuding the extravagance and majesty of royalty.
Xu Fenghua stood in the center of the main hall, looking around.
The deep purple palace gowns gleamed with a dim sheen under the bright palace lanterns inside the hall.
Her face was expressionless, as calm as a thousand-year-old iceberg.
Two palace maids stood by with their hands at their sides, not daring to utter a sound.
They were all assigned by Qin Mu, ostensibly to serve him, but in reality to monitor him.
Xu Fenghua knew perfectly well what was going on, but she didn't care.
"You may all leave," she said calmly.
"Yes." The palace maids bowed and withdrew.
Only Xu Fenghua remained in the hall.
She slowly walked to the window and pushed open the carved wooden window.
The cool autumn night breeze swept in, ruffling the stray hairs at her temples.
In the distance, the direction of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was brightly lit.
Qin Mu should be there.
A cold smile curled at the corners of Xu Fenghua's lips.
Qin Mu...
Do you think that by bringing me into the palace, you can control the Xu family and control Jiangnan?
Do you think that by humiliating me in this way you can destroy my will?
you are wrong.
Big mistakes.
What you took away was just a shell.
What you ignited is the inextinguishable flame of revenge in my heart.
Xu Fenghua slowly raised her hand and stroked the exquisite carvings on the window frame.
My fingertips are icy cold.
But his eyes burned like flames.
From this day forward, she is Consort Hua.
Qin Mu's concubine.
But her heart will always belong to the Xu family, to the Northern Border, to... the younger brother she swore to protect for the rest of her life.
This show has only just begun.
She was prepared to play the role to the very end.
No matter the cost.
No matter how much blood is shed.
Xu Fenghua slowly closed her eyes.
In her mind, the resolute face of her younger brother Xu Longxiang flashed by, as did the vast snowfields of the North, and the chessboard she had managed for six years at Tingyu Manor in Jiangnan…
All the humiliation and pain were forcibly suppressed at this moment.
Qin Mu...
We'll see.
........
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, candlelight shone brightly.
Twelve gilded palace lanterns hung high, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.
The sandalwood incense rose gently from the bronze incense burner, its delicate fragrance filling the air, yet it could not dispel the invisible pressure.
Qin Mu leaned back in a rosewood armchair, his black casual clothes slightly open at the collar, revealing his well-defined collarbone.
He toyed with a warm, white jade thumb ring in his hand, his gaze calmly fixed on the figure in blue robes kneeling in the center of the hall.
Cao Wei knelt on the ground, his back straight, like an old pine tree that had endured many storms but refused to bend.
He wore a faded blue long gown, his beard and hair were all white, and his face was thin; he looked like an ordinary schoolteacher.
Get up.
Qin Mu finally spoke, his voice gentle and languid.
Cao Wei was slightly taken aback, then slowly stood up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Mr. Cao, there's no need for such formalities." Qin Mu waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down on the embroidered stool beside him. "Sit down and let's talk."
Cao Wei hesitated for a moment, but still sat down as instructed, though he only sat on half of the stool, his posture remaining respectful.
Looking at him like this, Qin Mu's lips curled into a playful smile:
"Sir, there's no need for such formality. Since I promised to protect Qingxue, I will naturally keep my word. When Yuehua Kingdom was destroyed, you risked your life to protect her when she was only three months old, and then went into hiding to protect her in secret. I admire your loyalty and kindness."
Cao Wei took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down: "Your Majesty flatters me. Protecting the princess is my duty."
"A duty I must fulfill..." Qin Mu repeated these four words, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes. "So, sir, how do you think Qingxue is doing now?"
Cao Wei fell silent.
He wanted to say "very good," and "His Majesty treats her extremely well," but the words just wouldn't come out.
Because he didn't know.
He didn't know how Qingxue was doing in the palace, whether she was happy, or whether she had... succumbed to fate.
All he knew was that she had been sent to the most dangerous palace in the world and become the emperor's woman.
And all of this was an ending he never imagined when he risked his life to protect her back then.
"Your Majesty," Cao Wei began slowly, his voice hoarse, "this old man...does not know."
"You don't know?" Qin Mu raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want to know, sir?"
"I want to." Cao Wei raised his head, meeting Qin Mu's gaze for the first time.
"I've been dreaming about this for ages. But what I want to know even more is when and how Your Majesty plans to reveal Qingxue's true identity?"
He had been keeping this question to himself for a long time.
From the moment Qin Mu found him at Tingyu Manor, from the moment Qin Mu promised to protect Qingxue, and from the moment Qin Mu brought him back to the capital, he had been thinking about this question.
Qingxue has the right to know about her background.
They have the right to know who she is, where she comes from, and who her parents are.
But knowing these things also means enduring the pain of national subjugation and family destruction, and bearing the heavy burden of deep-seated hatred.
Qin Mu watched him quietly, his fingers gently stroking the white jade thumb ring.
"This matter... is not urgent for now."
His voice was calm, yet every word was clear:
"Qingxue still harbors deep attachments to the Xu family and Xu Longxiang. Although she was forced into the palace, she still has feelings for Xu Longxiang. If we tell her the truth now, that the Xu family is the enemy who destroyed her country, and that Xu Longxiang knew her identity but still sent her into the deep palace..."
Qin Mu paused, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes:
"This blow is far too great. I don't want to see her collapse."
Cao Wei was startled!
He stared wide-eyed at Qin Mu in disbelief.
What does this mean?
Is Qin Mu concerned about Qingxue?
Are you thinking of her?
Are you worried that she won't be able to handle the blow?
How is that possible?
An emperor, an emperor who had just forcibly taken Xu Fenghua as a concubine and was clearly targeting the Xu family, would actually consider the feelings of a concubine.
Countless thoughts flashed through Cao Wei's mind in an instant.
Is it a disguise? A test? Or... something else entirely?
"Your Majesty," Cao Wei's voice trembled slightly, "you...are you truly considering Qingxue's well-being?"
Qin Mu smiled.
The smile was faint, yet it carried a knowing composure.
"Sir, you don't believe me?"
Cao Wei fell silent.
Does he believe it?
he does not know.
Reason told him that the emperor's mind was unfathomable, and Qin Mu's words were likely just to appease him and extract more information about the Xu family from him.
But emotionally...
Looking into Qin Mu's deep eyes and seeing the genuine, complex emotions within them, Cao Wei felt a tension in his heart ease slightly.
Perhaps... perhaps this emperor was not as incompetent and ruthless as rumored?
Perhaps he truly had some genuine feelings for Qingxue?
This idea struck Cao Wei as both absurd and a strange glimmer of hope.
If Qin Mu truly cared about Qingxue, then Qingxue's days in the palace might not have been as miserable as he imagined.
"This old man..." Cao Wei took a deep breath, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for considering Qingxue's needs."
He neither said "believe" nor "disbelieve".
But this statement already represents a shift in attitude.
Qin Mu clearly understood, and the smile on his lips deepened.
"I'm glad you understand, sir."
He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the deep night.
"Qingxue's background is something she should naturally know, but the timing... is crucial. We need to wait until she truly lets go of her obsession with the Xu family, until she truly understands who she can trust."
He turned around, his gaze returning to Cao Wei:
"Before that, sir, why don't you tell me how much you've done for the Xu family over the years? How much do you know about the Xu family's plans in Jiangnan?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Cao Wei's heart sank!
coming.
This is Qin Mu's true purpose.
Using snow as bait, they lured him into revealing the Xu family's secrets.
Cao Wei clenched his fist silently inside his sleeve.
He knew he had no other choice.
Since Qin Mu was able to find out his identity and Qingxue's background, he probably already had a pretty good grasp of the Xu family's plans in Jiangnan.
Asking him now is merely to verify the authenticity of the information, or... to see if he is "honest".
And the key to "honesty" is Qingxue.
"I can take you to see Qingxue."
Qin Mu's voice rang out again, gentle yet carrying an undeniable power, "Watch from afar. Don't let her know. Just one look to confirm she's alright."
Cao Wei closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When she opened her eyes again, there was a look of resolute determination in them.
"it is good."
His voice was soft, yet exceptionally firm:
"I...speak."
Half an incense stick later.
Cao Wei recounted everything he knew about the Xu family's plans in Jiangnan.
How Xu Fenghua, as the young mistress of the Zhao family, secretly took control of the trade routes, how she opened up the north-south passage, how she transported supplies to the northern border, and how she established an intelligence network...
"I am ultimately an outsider."
Cao Wei concluded, "Although the Xu family employed me, they never truly trusted me. They kept many core secrets from me."
Qin Mu listened quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
What Cao Wei said basically matched the intelligence he possessed.
Some details were even more comprehensive, filling in gaps in his intelligence network.
It seems that Cao Wei was not lying.
At least, he didn't lie completely.
"Very good." Qin Mu nodded slowly. "Sir is very frank."
He stood up and walked to Cao Wei:
"Now, I will fulfill my promise—I will take you to see Qingxue."
Cao Wei was startled, and a look of excitement flashed in his eyes.
But he forced himself to suppress it and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
.......
Yuxiu Palace.
It was the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), and the palace lanterns were just being lit.
Jiang Qingxue sat alone by the window of her bedchamber, holding a book of poems in her hand, but she had no interest in reading it.
She gazed at the deepening night outside the window, her mind in turmoil.
The news of Xu Fenghua's entry into the palace was like a boulder thrown into her already turbulent heart, stirring up countless waves.
Countless questions swirled in Jiang Qingxue's mind, but she couldn't find the answers.
She felt a chill run through her body, a coldness spreading from the depths of her heart.
"Your Highness," the palace maid Qiu'er entered softly, "dinner is ready. Would you like some?"
Jiang Qingxue shook her head: "I'm not hungry."
"But Your Highness, you haven't eaten much all day..." Qiu'er said worriedly.
"It's nothing." Jiang Qingxue forced a smile. "You can go now. I want to be alone."
Qiu'er hesitated, but ultimately bowed and withdrew.
The hall returned to silence.
Jiang Qingxue put down her poetry collection and walked to the dressing table.
A pale and haggard face was reflected in the bronze mirror.
Her eyes were slightly red, with faint dark circles under them, and her lips had lost their usual color.
She reached out and gently stroked her cheek.
This face, once smiling so brightly under the plum tree at Tingxuexuan in the Northern Border.
At that time, she thought she would stay there forever, by Xu Longxiang's side.
But now...
Jiang Qingxue closed her eyes, tears silently streaming down her face.
........
On the palace road between Yangxin Hall and Yuxiu Palace.
Qin Mu walked slowly, with Cao Wei following three steps behind him.
Neither of them spoke.
The night was deep, and the palace lanterns swayed in the wind, casting dappled light and shadow.
When the patrolling guards saw Qin Mu, they all knelt down to pay their respects, but Qin Mu simply waved his hand casually, signaling them to continue.
His pace was unhurried, his posture languid and casual, as if he were simply strolling in his own garden.
But Cao Wei could sense the invisible pressure emanating from this young emperor.
It wasn't a deliberate display of power, but rather a natural composure that comes from being in a high position and in control of everything.
It was as if the world, the palace, and all the people were under his control.
Soon, the outline of Yuxiu Palace came into view.
The palace gates were tightly closed, and only the warm yellow light shining through the windows made the night seem particularly lonely.
Qin Mu stopped outside the palace gate.
He turned to look at Cao Wei, his voice very soft:
"You wait here. After I go in, look out the window—remember, just one glance, don't make a sound, and don't let her notice."
Cao Wei's heart leaped into his throat.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his excitement, and bowed, saying, "I... understand."
Qin Mu nodded, turned around, pushed open the palace gate, and went inside.
.......