Qian Zheng then took out something else and handed it to Aunt Xiao.
The three words "Divorce Agreement" were clearly visible on it. Aunt Xiao's hands trembled as she held it, looking at him in disbelief.
Qian Zheng's gaze was more tender than ever before: "I know that the person you love has never been me. Back then, I forced you into marriage, separating you from the one you loved. And I was unable to give you enough status and position. If I die on the battlefield this time, you can take this divorce agreement and leave the General's Mansion. I know that he has never married and is still waiting for you."
"Qian Zheng, what do you mean?" Aunt Xiao's eyes were red, and in a fit of anger, she yelled at him by his full name, "You forced me to marry you back then, and now you want to abandon me because you don't want me anymore?!"
Qian Zheng hugged her, his eyes filled with suppressed pain: "I didn't mean to abandon you, I just..."
"I like you, Qian Zheng."
The next second, Aunt Xiao's words stunned Qian Zheng.
"At first, I did have grievances, but after more than ten years, you have long since melted my cold heart." She had long since fallen in love with this patriotic and people-loving man who also had her in his heart, a man of integrity and upright character.
Qian Zheng was overjoyed, his eyes even reddening. He gently stroked her still delicate face with his calloused fingertips, his lips trembling: "What you said, it's true."
He pulled Aunt Xiao into his arms and whispered in her ear, "Actually, there's something I need to tell you. After you, I've never spent the night with any other woman."
Aunt Xiao's body stiffened.
Qian Zheng sounded somewhat aggrieved and pitiful: "I just thought you didn't want to spend much time with me, and sometimes I wanted to get your attention and make you jealous, so I went there on purpose. After meeting you, I haven't been with any other woman."
Before meeting Xiao Qiang, Qian Zheng, who was already quite old, had a wife and two concubines and had a son. However, after meeting Xiao Qiang, he was hopelessly infatuated and, unusually for him, used his power to keep her by his side and have her give birth to his daughter.
He had assumed Xiao Qiang had no feelings for him, but he never expected...
"Ah Qiang, I will do everything in my power to come back."
-
When Qian Jiaojiao learned that her father was going on a long expedition, she was worried and hurriedly went with Aunt Xiao to the temple to pray for peace and blessings.
"Father, you must come back safely. My aunt and I are waiting for you at the manor."
Qian Zheng affectionately stroked Qian Jiaojiao's hair: "Yes, Jiaojiao, take good care of yourself, and also help Daddy take care of your aunt."
Qian Jiaojiao nodded with red eyes.
"Miss, the Third Prince is also going on this expedition. He is waiting outside the mansion, hoping to see you before he leaves." Qian Jiaojiao heard the maid's report before she even returned to her room after saying goodbye to her father.
Qian Jiaojiao seemed to be deep in thought, then sighed softly and said after a few seconds, "Let him in."
Murong Yin only had a one in ten chance, but he never expected that Qian Jiaojiao would actually agree to see him this time.
Seeing his third master rushing towards the general's mansion, the servant sighed. It seemed that his master's heart was completely set on Miss Qian.
"Jiaojiao." Murong Yin breathed slightly, looking at the pretty girl in the red dress. He was momentarily dazed. How long had it been since he last saw her? More than a year, almost two years.
Murong Yin's heart was pounding wildly, and his handsome face was flushed. After so long apart, his feelings for Qian Jiaojiao had only intensified.
Qian Jiaojiao glanced at him, her face expressionless, and asked in a flat tone, "Does the Third Prince have something to discuss with me?"
Her aloof and indifferent attitude was like a bucket of cold water poured over Murong Yin, and the burning passion in his heart gradually cooled down.
Murong Yin's gaze fell on her, and after a long while he spoke: "Jiaojiao, I have something I want to say to you alone."
He looked on longingly, his appearance pitiful, pleading for such an opportunity.
Thinking of their past affection and his upcoming expedition, Qian Jiaojiao hesitated before saying no, saying instead, "You all go down first."
The maids and servants all left, leaving only the two of them in the living room.
"Third Prince, just say what you have to say."
Murong Yin looked at the girl sitting in the chair, remained silent for a moment, and quietly moved a few steps closer.
Qian Jiaojiao saw it, but didn't say anything.
Murong Yin considered the matter repeatedly in his heart. Finally, fearing that Qian Jiaojiao would get angry if he hesitated for too long, he said, "Jiaojiao, I'm going on a distant expedition. When I return after achieving great success, will you marry me?"
Qian Jiaojiao slowly looked up at him, but did not say anything.
Murong Yin clenched his fist, encouraging himself: "Would you like to be my princess consort? I will treat you very, very well. I will give you everything I have, and I will earn whatever you want."
His gaze was intense, the love within it so strong it seemed to burn.
Qian Jiaojiao's pupils contracted, then returned to normal after a moment. Her tone was a few degrees colder than before: "Third Prince, I heard that your mother has already arranged for you to marry the eldest daughter of the Minister of Revenue as a concubine, and has also given you two other concubines."
Murong Yin nodded, then, as if remembering something, he quickly added, "I don't love them, nor do I like them. My mother thinks I'm of age and hopes I'll have children soon. But don't worry, I don't love them. Even if they have a son or daughter born out of wedlock, they will never surpass you. I won't go to their rooms except when you're pregnant and having children."
He wholeheartedly promised that his love would be given to Qian Jiaojiao wholeheartedly.
Qian Jiaojiao put one hand to her forehead. The more he talked, the more tired she felt, and a sense of restlessness crept into her chest.
"Third Prince, please leave," Qian Jiaojiao said, urging him to leave.
Murong Yin's body stiffened as he looked at the girl, who was clearly angry and impatient. His hands and feet felt cold. "Jiaojiao, are you really unwilling to give me a chance?"
Qian Jiaojiao didn't look up at him, only saying, "There is no possibility between me and the Third Prince."
He coldly rejected Murong Yin.
Then why are you able to accept Meng Xiangbei?!
Murong Yin's eyes were bloodshot, and he almost blurted out the question, but he held back.
"master."
The servant waiting at the door soon saw his master emerge looking utterly dejected, with an unprecedented air of dejection about him.
He felt very sorry for him. His master was a proud son of heaven, always full of vigor and ambition, but he had stumbled when it came to Miss Qian.
Murong Yin returned to his residence, drinking wine, his eyes glazed over. What was wrong with him? Why didn't Jiao Jiao like him? He had given her his heart.
-
Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and the war with the Jiang Kingdom had already begun.
Two months later, the army and its provisions had not yet reached the border.
Every few days, after finishing his work at the bathhouse, Qiao Qingjun would go to the teahouse to sit for a while. There was a storyteller there who would start telling stories about the recent battlefield events at that particular time.
When he arrived, the teahouse was already full of people, mostly the soldiers' families. Qiao Qingjun shared a table with a few of them.
Before long, the middle-aged storyteller was seated, and the teahouse fell silent except for the occasional sound of people drinking tea.
The storyteller's surname was Mu, and he was said to be one of the few scholars in this Shuilu City.
Qiao Qingjun clenched his small fists and stared intently at the storyteller.
He longed to hear his husband's name from this man's lips, yet he was also afraid to hear it; his heart was in turmoil.
"Sigh." Mr. Mu took a sip of tea, then seemed to remember something and sighed softly, causing everyone's hearts to skip a beat.
Sure enough, he said, "Our Great Sui Dynasty lost another city yesterday."
"Now, in the war with the Jiang Kingdom, our Great Sui Dynasty has already lost two cities. The deputy general made a bad decision, and the Jiang people are treacherous and cunning, using every means possible. Our reinforcements have been blocked and have not yet arrived."
In just a few months, two cities were lost, which shows how many civilians and soldiers died.
The faint sound of sobbing could be heard from inside the teahouse, and a sorrowful atmosphere permeated the air.
"However, there are also two pieces of good news."
Only after this was mentioned did Mr. Mu's grief lessen somewhat.
"Our war god General Qian Zheng, along with his army and the Third Prince Murong Yin, will soon arrive at the border. In the past, it was the Qian family army that drove the enemy out of the Sui Dynasty. I believe that this time, our Sui Dynasty will also be able to turn defeat into victory." The last four words were spoken with great force.
"General Qian, General Qian, God of War, God of War!"
As he finished speaking, countless people shouted Qian Zheng's name. In the hearts of the people of the Sui Dynasty, the generals of the Qian family were their protectors and their gods and heroes. With them around, they would surely be invincible.
Amidst the renewed liveliness, Mr. Mu's feelings were somewhat complicated.
General Qian Zheng was indeed a god on the battlefield, brave and resourceful. In every battle, General Qian always charged into battle and killed enemy generals.
But now, General Qian Zheng is old. I heard that he was seriously injured in the battle eighteen years ago and now has many hidden injuries. I'm afraid he's not doing well.
Mr. Mu dared not say that... because the current situation is precisely the time when people need encouragement.
Qiao Qingjun breathed a sigh of relief.
The general has arrived, the battle has been won, and my husband will be back soon. But, is my husband really alright?
Qiao Qingjun's head drooped slightly, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his eyes were full of sorrow.
He heard that many soldiers die in every battle, but what about you, my husband?
Qiao Qingjun clenched the hem of his clothes tightly. No, it can't be, my husband won't die.
The husband told him and An ge'er to wait for him to return.
Thinking this, he forcefully withdrew the water mist that had been rising from his eyes.
"Mr. Mu, what's the second piece of good news?" someone asked eagerly.
Mr. Mu's worried expression vanished, replaced by a relieved one. The second piece of news was indeed good news beyond belief.
In this battle with the Jiang Kingdom, although the Sui Dynasty lost two cities, the number of soldiers killed was more than half that of the past.
It wasn't that the soldiers and generals were cowardly; rather, it was because when they were captured, there were two men leading teams who rescued them from the brink of death every time.
"Are they really just soldiers? Not generals?" someone asked doubtfully.
Mr. Mu nodded: "Both of them are brave and resourceful men, but no one knows their names. All that is known is that one of them is surnamed Yang and the other is surnamed Meng."
As soon as the last syllable of "Meng" faded, Qiao Qingjun's heart skipped a beat, and he almost stood up.
The surname is Meng, the surname is Meng, could it be his husband?
Qiao Qingjun felt a surge of excitement; his intuition told him that this soldier surnamed Meng was his husband, Meng Xiangbei.
If that's true, that would be wonderful. He would be content as long as his husband is alive.
The storytelling continued, with Mr. Mu emphasizing how the soldiers surnamed Meng and Yang led their small team to defeat the soldiers of the Jiang Kingdom, thwarting their plans, and how they rescued waves of soldiers from the Sui Dynasty who were in danger.
Everyone listened with great interest until Mr. Mu finished speaking half an hour later and left.
With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Qiao Qingjun sought out Imperial Physician Liu and recounted what she had heard that day.
"Ah Qing, you have to believe in Meng boy, he'll be alright," Physician Liu reassured him.
"Um."
-
At this moment, Meng Xiangbei and Yang Huaizhong were setting up camp with their men.
The two are planning their next move.
If Qiao Qingjun were here, he would definitely find Meng Xiangbei at this moment a stranger.
At this moment, Meng Xiangbei was dressed in rough soldier's armor, exuding an aura of steel and blood. His sharp presence was like a drawn sword, making people afraid to meet his gaze. Gone was his previous scholarly air. A scar half a finger long on his left cheek further marred his handsome appearance. This scar was left by Meng Xiangbei a few days ago when he beheaded a deputy general of the Jiang Kingdom.
However, Meng Xiangbei didn't care; he devoted himself entirely to the strategy.
Yang Huaizhong, standing next to him, also exuded a more bloodthirsty yet composed aura.
Suddenly, Yang Huaizhong slammed his fist heavily on the ground and said angrily, "It's all because of that cowardly, scheming, and greedy Sun Li. If it weren't for him, why would our army have lost two cities so quickly?"
The army led by Qian Zheng and the Third Prince has not yet arrived because they were ambushed by spies from the enemy country.
The border army was under the command of the military supervisor Sun Li and his nephew Liao Wen.
Sun Li was a coward who feared death. Every time a battle broke out, he would hide in the city and send many soldiers to protect him.
Liao Wen, on the other hand, was both brave and reckless, only capable of blindly ordering his men to charge into battle.
Due to the two leaders' repeated strategic mistakes, coupled with the strength and unity of the Jiang soldiers, they have now lost two cities in succession.
Initially, Meng Xiangbei and Yang Huaizhong offered their advice to their superiors, but were met with harsh ridicule and reprimands, and were even imprisoned.
In the end, they escaped, but they had no right to command their soldiers and could only watch helplessly as they died because of the strategic mistakes of Sun Li and Liao Wen.
They could only lead a small number of men to do their utmost to sabotage Jiang's plans and rescue the people.
Every time they saw the piles of soldiers' corpses and the rivers of blood, the two of them couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with grief.
Fortunately, their ranks have grown stronger over the past two months. In yesterday's battle against a deputy general of the Jiang Kingdom, they successfully killed him. Meng Xiangbei killed the deputy general, which can be considered as cutting off half of the Jiang Kingdom's soldiers.
As for the soldiers of the Jiang Kingdom, they were indeed former bandits; they would stop at nothing to win.
In addition to direct combat, they also used sneak attacks and poisoning.
In particular, when it comes to drugs, they are especially difficult to guard against.
I heard that the State of Jiang has a national advisor whose greatest skill is using poison.
During the war with the Jiang Kingdom 18 years ago, many soldiers of the Sui Dynasty died from poisoning, and now the Jiang Kingdom is still using poison.
"According to reports from our scouts, the Grand Preceptor of the Jiang Kingdom has developed some new poisons, and many of our military doctors are unable to find an antidote." Yang Huaizhong's brows were furrowed with worry.
"That Jiang Kingdom is truly despicable!"
Meng Xiangbei remained noncommittal, his brows furrowed as he stared in a certain direction.
There, the doctor was busy treating the wounded soldiers, and the aroma of the medicine being decocted was constantly wafting out.
Some soldiers had broken arms or legs and were no longer able to go to the battlefield. A deep sadness permeated the area.
On the battlefield, both overt and covert schemes can be used as long as victory is achieved. Meng Xiangbei was not particularly angry about Jiang kingdom's poisoning.
However, if there were sufficient resources and advanced surgical techniques, those disabled soldiers could avoid amputation.
Meng Xiangbei couldn't help but think of Qiao Qingjun.
Knowing that Qiao Qingjun loved studying medicine and had exceptional talent for it, Meng Xiangbei bought him many medical books.
However, all these medical books were about traditional Chinese medicine. Later, before leaving, Meng Xiangbei used his Nightmare Beast ability to take out some surgical medical books and give them to Qiao Qingjun.
Qiao Qingjun was overjoyed, and together with Imperial Physician Liu, they opened a new world of medical skills.
Meng Xiangbei thought that if Qiao Qingjun or Imperial Physician Liu were here, with their medical skills, perhaps these soldiers wouldn't have to have their limbs amputated so often.
But can he let them come?
How could he bear to let these two weak people come to this war-torn place?
-
A few days later, Qian Zheng and Murong Yin's army finally arrived at Shanling Pass.
Without saying a word, Qian Zheng beheaded Sun Li and Liao Wen.
The following day, he led his army to fight against the soldiers of the Jiang Kingdom.
The arrival of the two men finally revitalized the previously low morale.
Murong Yin learned about the two soldiers surnamed "Yang" and "Meng" from the other soldiers.
"These two are exceptional military talents. Summon them to an audience soon."
In Murong Yin's eyes, these two men were talented, and they should not be relegated to the lowly positions of soldiers or centurions.
At the same time, upon learning of Qian Zheng and Murong Yin's arrival, Meng Xiangbei and his men led their men toward them.
-
Shuilu City, another storytelling day has arrived.
Qiao Qingjun sat down early, and this time he heard news about the two soldiers surnamed "Meng" and "Yang" again.
It is said that the soldier surnamed Meng used a trick to kill a deputy general of the Jiang Kingdom.
This is the first general of the Jiang Kingdom to be killed in recent months.
The people in the teahouse cheered.
Mr. Mu then mentioned the arrival of General Qian Zheng and the Third Prince. Currently, the two armies are engaged in fierce fighting.
However, the people of Jiang Kingdom still used poison from time to time, and the soldiers of Jiang Kingdom were cruel. Many soldiers of the Sui Dynasty, even if they did not die, were cut by their swords and had their hands and feet severed.
"...The people of Jiang were originally bandits, ruthless and vicious. The Jiang Kingdom's Grand Preceptor was a master of poisons. It's a pity that our Great Sui Dynasty has few people with superb medical skills." Mr. Mu sighed heavily.
Afterwards, Mr. Mu mentioned that the military camp was currently recruiting doctors in the city to serve as military doctors, and anyone who was interested could apply.
After leaving the teahouse, Qiao Qingjun remained lost in thought, his mind preoccupied.
The next day, at the pharmacy, while bandaging a patient's wound, he frequently lost focus and almost made a mistake.
"Ah Qing, is something troubling you?" Imperial Physician Liu summoned him to the inner hall during a break and asked him with a serious face.
"I'm sorry, Master, I was distracted while I was treating the patient." Qiao Qingjun admitted his mistake, his eyes filled with guilt.
My master once said that the worst thing for a doctor to do is to be distracted during diagnosis and treatment, because a moment of carelessness could cost a patient their life.
Physician Liu's expression softened somewhat; he didn't want his apprentice to harm the patient because of any mistakes he shouldn't have made.
"Just remember not to make the same mistake again, Qing. You must remember that a person only has one life, and there is no room for error."
Qiao Qingjun nodded, keeping his words in mind.
"Now you can tell me what exactly distracted you, right?" Imperial Physician Liu's tone softened considerably. In fact, after spending these past few months together, Qiao Qingjun was like his child.
Qiao Qingjun remained silent for a moment before recounting what he had heard yesterday about the military camp recruiting doctors.
Imperial Physician Liu looked at him sharply and asked with certainty, "You want to go?"
Qiao Qingjun, whose thoughts had been exposed, was at a loss for words.
"I...I don't know."
He truly didn't know. He wanted to go to the battlefield, where his husband was, and he missed his husband, as well as the soldiers.
Thinking of their missing limbs, Qiao Qingjun's eyes reddened. If he could, he wanted to use his medical skills to help them.
He had studied the medical techniques that Xiang Gong had given him and had mastered a great deal of them. There were many treatment methods in them that were suitable for use on soldiers.
“But Master and An ge’er are here.”
Master is old, and An ge'er is still so young. How can he leave them?
Qiao Qingjun struggled for a long time but still couldn't make a decision.
Imperial Physician Liu stood with his hands behind his back and sighed softly.
He had only just learned today that the military was recruiting doctors.
As a former imperial physician, Physician Liu wanted to treat the wounded and poisoned soldiers, but he was also worried about his foolish apprentice and his one-year-old son, An ge'er.
The two remained silent, each lost in thought.
-
As soon as Qiao Qingjun stepped into his home in the evening, An ge'er ran towards him crying like a little firecracker.
"An ge'er, don't cry, don't cry." Qiao Qingjun didn't understand why he was crying all of a sudden, and felt extremely distressed.
An ge'er hugged his father's leg and cried very sadly.
"Daddy, Father, Father's hand is gone, sob sob..." the little guy said in a muffled voice, tears streaming down his face.
"Don't worry, tell your daddy properly." Qiao Qingjun carried him into the house, wiped away his tears, and gently patted his back to comfort him.
It took a long time for the little guy to calm down.
Qiao Qingjun then summoned the servant who usually took care of An ge'er and asked him the reason.
"Today, I'm taking the young master to our neighbor, Granny Wang's house, so he can play with Granny Wang's grandson, Wang Erdan.
Because an adult came to Aunt Wang's house and brought up things from the battlefield, Wang Erdan casually mentioned his father..."
Wang Erdan's father, who is also Wang Da Niang's son, was a soldier. Eighteen years ago, he did not die on the battlefield, but his two arms were cut off.
"...Wang Erdan said that his father lost his arm because he went to war. The young master probably thought about how his own father had also gone to the battlefield, and felt, felt..."
He didn't say the rest, but Qiao Qingjun was already able to understand it on his own.
It turned out that An ge'er was afraid that his father would also have both arms cut off like Wang Erdan's father.
“Father, Father’s hands are good, his hands are here.” An ge’er’s eyes were red as he clung to Qiao Qingjun’s neck, stammering as he tried to express his meaning.
He wanted his father to be well and not lose his arm.
Author's Note: [Do you all think the Third Prince is a good match for Qian Jiaojiao?]
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 17:36:55 on March 4, 2020 and 18:22:27 on March 5, 2020!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: MARWIN_10492 for 5 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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