Chapter 472: A Royal Decree 17

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Qi Qingyao contemplated it for a while. Now that Si Jin was not around, she could head to Capital City by herself. It would certainly be easier to escape during a critical moment if she was alone. However, she still had to take her three children with her. She could not put them in a dangerous situation.

She hesitated for a moment before saying, “She summoned me but, is it possible for me not to go?”

Lu Yan glanced at her and reminded her. “You received an imperial decree. If you don’t go to the Capital to meet the empress… Do you believe you’ll still be able to leave Northern Liang alive?”

Qi Qingyao’s expression was sullen, but she said nothing.

Lu Yan helplessly said, “Remember, that’s an imperial decree! Not just some random document.”

Qi Qingyao, “…”

“So, you don’t have any choice now.” Lu Yan reminded her of her current situation. Si Jin was not around. Qi Qingyao, who had no trump card, was like a tiger that had lost its vicious teeth and sharp claws—a tiger that had become a kitten. “However, you can calm down a little. You and I are now friends. The State Preceptor, Head Grand Secretariat, and the empress are waiting to use you, so in theory, your life is guaranteed. Even putting me aside, no one will dare harm you with Si Jin protecting you.”

Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. She hesitated for a moment, then muttered softly, “Even if I were to think with my entire body from my head to my toes, it’s impossible to get through entering the Capital safely.”

“…”

Lu Yan thought to himself, ‘Look at all the trouble you’ve caused in Qingzhou City! Several grand masters have come to Qingzhou City, and one of them has even died!!’ Although she did not cause these problems directly, Si Jin was tied to her, thus, indirectly, she was the reason everything had happened. Like hell their trip to the Capital City would be peaceful.

After Qi Qingyao parted with Lu Yan, she sat in her room and pondered for a long time before going to look for her three children…

…

…

The news that an official had come to the Qi Residence to announce a decree quickly reached Jiang Yeqian’s ears via his many spies. Bai Mei reported to him seriously, “Master, we’ve just received news that an imperial decree was sent to the Qi Residence.”

“What was the content of the imperial decree?” Jiang Yeqian asked, but he already knew what it was. It was probably to summon Si Jin. However, Si Jin did not seem to be by Qi Qingyao’s side anymore. What would that woman do now?!

Bai Mei said, “The empress summoned Qi Qingyao to the Capital to meet with her.”

“She didn’t summon Si Jin?” Jiang Yeqian was mildly surprised.

Bai Mei said, “….No.”

Jiang Yeqian thought to himself for a second, then responded, “It seems that the empress is very afraid of Si Jin. She must be trying to get to him indirectly by summoning Qi Qingyao to the Capital.”

“…”

Bai Mei agreed with her master’s view.

—

On the other side of the city, Zhu Shen reported the matters of the Qi Residence to Li Ruoxuan. Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows after hearing it. “I haven’t made a move yet, but the empress already has. She’s quite impatient, huh?”

“This subordinate guesses that it might be the aftereffects of… Pang Juan’s death.” Zhu Shen bowed and said.

Li Ruoxuan stroked his chin and smiled cryptically. “Now that a grand master has died, the few major countries on the mainland will stand down for the time being. However, our empress of Northern Liang is impatient—wanting to reap Si Jin for her own use quickly.” By summoning Qi Qingyao, heh!

“Your Excellency…” Zhu Shen said, “Lady Qi said that Si Jin will not be around for a while…”

“The empress summoned her, not Si Jin.” Li Ruoxuan stood up and glanced out of the window.

Zhu Shen said nothing.

He did not dare speculate on the empress’ wishes.

Li Ruoxuan picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. Then, he held his hands together behind his back and stood in front of the window, watching the spring rain shower the city outside of his window. He said, “However, I have to find out Qi Qingyao’s parentage before returning to the Capital City.” he wanted to investigate it before when he dealt with Qi Qingzhu, but there were no leads and he had nearly even gotten himself in trouble, risking losses.

This time, the situation was different.

He was now a grand master.

This level was more than enough to deal with Jiang Yeqian.

Presently, there was no grand master in Qingzhou City…

Si Jin was not here either.

As the saying went, it would be easier to take advantage of a situation when the other party was down!

Zhu Shen asked, “Your Excellency, do you have an idea?”

“Since I’m already a grand master, and Si Jin is not around, at a time like this, I certainly have to take advantage of my status.” Li Ruoxuan seemed a little smug and continued, “No one below the level of a grand master can oppose me.”

Zhu Shen, “…” Could it be that his Excellency wanted to press on Qi Qingyao’s other weaknesses?

Although Zhu Shen did not ask this out loud, Li Ruoxuan had sensed it.

He turned his head and said, “If I wait for Qi Qingyao to enter the Capital City, with Lu Yan and Jiang Yeqian protecting her from the shadows, I won’t have another opportunity.”

“Your Excellency, but that will offend Master Si Jin.” Zhu Shen reminded him.

“Si Jin is not a concern.”

Li Ruoxuan’s tone was relaxed.

After saying that, he thought for a while and added, “Unless he wants to go against Northern Liang in its entirety for Qi Qingyao.”

His voice was very light.

However, his tone was full of certainty.

Zhu Shen, “…” Was His Excellency really planning to kill Qi Qingyao’s family? It might be a good approach, but Zhu Shen certainly did not approve.

He really did not want His Excellency to end up shooting himself in the foot!

Zhu Shen felt that the young man called Si Jin that was tied to Qi Qingyao was extremely mysterious.

If Qi Qingyao was in trouble again, that young man might really kill His Excellency.

It is possible that he would be willing to go against the entirety of Northern Liang…

What course of action should they take if that happened?

Zhu Shen was mildly worried.

However, upon seeing His Excellency looking all smug, he did not want to be a buzzkill.

…

…

After Qi Qingyao called her three children before her, they held their heads up cutely, all of them looking at her with a childlike innocent gaze.

“Mommy?” Xiaobao could not help but call out.

Qi Qingyao let out a cough before finding her voice. “I came here because I have something important to tell the three of you.”

“Tell us, Mommy.” Dabao’s usual timid demeanor had now become more serious. He obediently followed Erniu and Xiaobao and sat in front of her with his legs crossed.

“An imperial decree has arrived from the imperial palace, asking Mommy to go to Capital City to meet the empress.” Once Qi Qingyao had said this, she realized that the children may not know what an imperial decree was, so she briefly explained what it was.

After Xiaobao heard this, he was silent for a long while before speaking, “I heard some things about the Capital City from the servants in the residence, so we all know that the Capital City is where Her Majesty the Empress lives. The empress lives in the imperial palace! Now, Mommy said that the empress wants to see you… This should have been a good thing—but Mommy’s expression tells me that she does not believe it is something good, right?”

Dabao and Erniu nodded obediently and cutely when they heard this. They agreed with what Xiaobao had said.

“That’s right.” Qi Qingyao nodded. “The Capital City is not a place anyone can just visit. That place is full of bigshots who hold the power of life and death over our lives, especially the empress. One wrong move and we’ll be beheaded.” She would not mind if she was executed for offending the empress, but that would be unfortunate for her three children.

Dabao pulled at Qi Qingyao’s clothes with his small hand and said, “Mommy…”

“Hm?” Qi Qingyao looked down at him.

“Recently, I’ve been hearing things from the people in the residence. I also asked our teacher about this. Our teacher told us that Qingzhou City is the most chaotic place on the mainland…” Dabao blinked his eyes and said earnestly, “So, the Capital City of Northern Liang surely can’t be any more chaotic than it is here.”

Qi Qingyao, “…”

Dabao pouted and said, “Besides, Mommy has met the two most powerful officials in Northern Liang—the State Preceptor, and Head Grand Secretariat. So, even if there are any high officials in the Capital City, I think Mommy doesn’t need to be afraid.”

Erniu interjected in a soft voice, “And there’s also Uncle Lu! It’ll be fine.”

Qi Qingyao rubbed her two children’s heads and said, “I’m actually more worried about you three little brats! Why are you guys concerned about me?!”

Xiaobao looked at Qi Qingyao innocently and said with a childish but determined tone, “We may be very young, but we won’t cause trouble for Mommy when we go to the Capital City.”

Erniu continued in turn, “That’s right. If Mommy doesn’t allow us to go out, then Dabao won’t go out to play. We’ll stay in the room obediently.”

Qi Qingyao picked up Erniu and kissed her plump cheeks. She said, “I was quite worried at first, but since the three of you are so well-behaved… It seems I’ll have to carry out this imperial decree.”

Fortunately, the Empress had not set any instructions as to when she should arrive at Capital City…

She could pretend to be carrying orders out quickly while “slowly” departing!

First, she had to show that she was indeed following orders.

…

There was another thing.

It made Qi Qingyao frown.

It was that she had still not found out the identity of the guy that night, even after having been in Qingzhou City for so long.

Neither had she learned about her parentage…

This trip to the Capital City would take a long time. She was afraid this matter would have to be put on hold for the time being.

What a headache.

Once Qi Qingyao got up, she informed her three children that they would set off for the Capital City in three days.

Then, she went outside.

She was walking through the garden when she noticed Dong Jing going in and out of Lu Yan’s courtyard, looking very busy.

This left her stunned.

“What are you so occupied with?” Qi Qingyao curiously walked to the gate of the courtyard and asked.

Dong Jing stopped in his tracks, and replied, “Isn’t Missus going to the Capital City?”

“…” She was going, but… They were…

Dong Jing smiled and said, “Since Missus is going to the Capital City, my Master also said that he has also been in Qingzhou City for a few months and so it’s time for him to return to the capital. Now that Missus is also Master’s private physician and is helping Master with his treatment, it’s naturally best for him to go back to the Capital with you. Master Si Jin is not around either, and there are many people in the Lu Family. If we go together, we can also protect Missus along the way.”

Qi Qingyao, “…” This was very thoughtful.

She had not spoken about it yet.

Lu Yan seemed to have heard the conversation between the two and came out from the house.

He said, “Quickly pack your bags. I’ll ask my men to prepare the rest, so you don’t have to worry too much. Oh, right, just to remind you. I’m afraid that the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat have also found out that you were summoned to the capital by the Empress. You must be prepared for those two to possibly follow us.

With Li Ruoxuan’s trickster personality, this journey would probably not be peaceful…

Ugh!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep