0p0 Chapter 665 Qin Lang felt a chill down his back
Chapter 665 Qin Lang felt a chill down his back
Before the banquet began, Madam Qin was instructing her maids to serve the dishes when a man in a dark blue robe with slightly dark skin and a very flamboyant smile entered.
Su Lingyue recognized him immediately; it was Qin Lang, Qin Wanning's older brother, who was born half an hour earlier.
Seeing her son return, Madam Qin went over, straightened his collar, and said with a smile, "Where have you been? There are so many guests here, why haven't you come to pay your respects!"
After saying that, he led Qin Lang to Xiao Yu and Su Lingyue.
Qin Lang and Xiao Yu didn't have much interaction. They might have met before, but they weren't close. He did know Su Lingyue, though; she was A Ning's close friend. In the past, when they met, he would call her "Second Brother Qin" along with Qin Wan Ning.
The little girl was very well-behaved, beautiful, and lovable. He had heard that she had been betrothed to the former crown prince, but he never expected that she would marry Prince Su and become the former crown prince's aunt. This surprised him quite a bit.
More than two years had passed since they last met. The young girl had shed her childishness and become even more radiant. Her status was also more noble than before, so they dared not be negligent and respectfully bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort."
Xiao Yu glanced at him and said indifferently, "No need for formalities."
Without saying much, Madam Qin then led him to greet the other people.
When Qin Lang turned around, Xiao Yu glanced at Su Lingyue beside him and saw that she was still looking at Qin Lang, seemingly very seriously.
"What do you think?"
Hearing Xiao Yu's voice, Su Lingyue turned to look at him, thinking he was asking about Qin Lang's character, and nodded without thinking, saying, "Very good!"
Su Lingyue was present when Qin Wanning got married, as she was a relative or friend of the bride.
Su Lingyue still remembers that it was August and the weather was very hot.
Qin Lang stood under the sun for several hours, personally directing the carrying of the dowry from the General's Mansion. He also personally escorted Qin Wan Ning's bridal sedan chair to the He family. By the time the sedan chair set off, his outer clothes were almost soaked with sweat.
At the time, she envied Qin Wanning for having such a good brother to her.
It had been more than two years since they last met. He had grown much taller and still looked arrogant and flamboyant. Su Lingyue thought he was like a wild wolf from a book.
Seeing that Su Lingyue was still looking at Qin Lang, and was very focused.
Xiao Yu chuckled and asked unhurriedly, "What is Yue'er looking at so intently?"
Su Lingyue snapped out of her daze and saw Xiao Yu looking at her with a faint smile on his lips, seemingly unhappy.
Sensing something, Su Lingyue leaned closer to Xiao Yu, raised her head, and looked at him with her clear eyes, asking, "What did Your Highness look like at nineteen? Were you still growing?"
Xiao Yu glanced at Qin Lang, a smile playing on his lips, and denied it lightly: "No, I was already like this when I was seventeen."
Su Lingyue chuckled, leaned close to Xiao Yu's neck and whispered, "I don't believe it. I'll ask Uncle Lu when we get back to the manor."
Xiao Yu picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and chuckled softly without saying a word.
As the food and wine were served, Madam Qin, seated in the main seat, raised her wine cup and said in a clear voice, "Gentlemen, my main purpose in returning to the capital this time is to bring A-Ning back to the Western Territory. I don't know when I will be able to return. I invited you all here today to thank you for taking care of my A-Ning. I have prepared a simple feast for you all, and I would like to offer you a toast first."
After saying that, he raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
Everyone in the hall raised their glasses.
Xiao Yu couldn't drink alcohol, so he substituted tea for wine. Su Lingyue took a small sip; it was wine, and the taste was quite good. She then drank the wine in her glass in one gulp.
After toasting, Madam Qin said, "Today's dishes also include several specialties from the Western Regions. Please try them."
Su Lingyue glanced at the dishes in front of her. In addition to the dishes commonly eaten in the capital, there was also a roasted mutton, stewed beef, and a dish of crispy cheese on the table, which did look different from those in the capital.
The roasted mutton had a crispy outer skin, had been cut into small pieces, and was sprinkled with an unknown spice, giving it a unique aroma.
Seeing Su Lingyue's greedy look, Xiao Yu smiled, picked up his silver chopsticks, and placed a piece of roasted mutton in Su Lingyue's bowl.
Su Lingyue smiled and glanced at Xiao Yu, then picked up a piece of roasted mutton and took a small bite. The unusual aroma made Su Lingyue's eyes light up. After swallowing the mutton, she said to Xiao Yu, "Your Highness, please try some. It's very fragrant."
Xiao Yu picked up a piece and slowly savored it.
Midway through the banquet, during the usual toasting session, the Duchess of England, ever since Su Lingyue noticed her early signs of a stroke and informed her in time, had developed a fondness for this young girl.
She raised her glass first, toasting Xiao Yu and Su Lingyue: "Your Highness, Your Highness, I toast you both, wishing you a long and loving marriage."
Knowing that Xiao Yu was unwell and could not drink alcohol, she added, "I will finish my drink; Your Highness and Your Highness may drink as you please."
After saying that, he raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
Xiao Yu drank tea instead of wine, and Su Lingyue accompanied him with a cup. Fortunately, it was sweet wine and not intoxicating.
After the Duchess of England finished offering her toast, Madam Qin raised her glass in a toast as well.
After the two drank together again, Xiao Yu lowered his eyes and saw that Su Lingyue's earlobes were slightly red. Although the fruit wine was not strong, it was still wine after all.
Having already shown respect to the eldest person in the hall and the host, and seeing that others were also about to be toasted, Xiao Yu said, "I cannot drink alcohol, and the Princess is too young to drink too much either. We appreciate everyone's kind intentions, but please feel free to be casual and don't be too reserved."
Upon hearing Xiao Yu's words, those who intended to offer a toast put down their glasses.
The wine was refreshing and cooling, and Su Lingyue could actually have had a couple more cups. But since Xiao Yu had already said so, she didn't touch the wine on the table anymore.
Seeing her reluctant gaze, Xiao Yu slightly curved his lips into a smile.
This little guy is quite the drinker.
*
After the banquet, Su Lingyue and Madam Qin went to Qin Wanning's room to visit her. Xiao Yu then invited Qin Lang to join them, and they sat down on a stone bench under a sycamore tree in the garden.
"I wonder what business Your Highness has with me?"
"sit."
Xiao Yu glanced at the stone bench opposite him and gestured for Qin Lang to sit down.
Qin Lang did not refuse and sat down on the stone bench opposite Xiao Yu. He sat upright, and it was clear that General Qin and Madam Qin had taught him very well. However, the curiosity and scrutiny in his eyes were open and aboveboard, unlike the restraint that others had seen in him.
It's a lot like me before I turned seventeen.
He wanted to see if this young man, like himself had back then, had his own insights into warfare and strategy.
"Young Master Qin and General Qin have guarded the western border together for so many years. I wonder what your views are on the current situation in the western border?"
Qin Lang looked at Xiao Yu with a puzzled expression, wondering why he was asking him this.
He didn't have much interaction with Xiao Yu, but he had heard some things about Xiao Yu, some good and some bad.
For example, rumors of treason.
Qin Lang's expression gradually tightened, and he looked at Xiao Yu warily, asking, "I am not familiar with Your Highness. Don't you think it's presumptuous and overstepping your bounds to ask me this?"
Su Lingyue had previously told Xiao Yu about her dream, in which the Qin family would be completely wiped out in two years.
If Xiao Yu initially harbored some doubts about the authenticity of Su Lingyue's dream, after so many events, he now completely believes it.
Xiao Yu remained calm and said, "Has the Western Region been rather unsettled lately, with frequent raids by roving enemies?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Lang became even more wary. "How did you know?"
Xiao Yu did not answer, but continued, "That was a test. What does Young Master Qin think of the Western Liang Kingdom?"
Qin Lang sized up Xiao Yu. His eyes were honest and calm, and his face was composed. Although he gave people a sense of distance, he felt more like the teacher who used to give lectures.
"Xiliang and my Great Ning have not fought each other for decades. They may not seem like a fierce and dangerous country, but decades without war allows them to conserve their strength and resources, giving a country enough food and troops to fight a well-prepared battle. Once war breaks out, it will be very difficult to deal with."
To be able to notice the motives of a country that has been dormant for decades is quite a keen sense of smell.
Xiao Yu then asked, "If Xiliang were to ally with the Xiongnu again, how does Young Master Qin think it would be possible to break this deadlock?"
Qin Lang was greatly alarmed.
Even if it were only Xiliang, having spent so many years recuperating, it would be extremely troublesome if they attacked, not to mention the Xiongnu, who have been a major headache for the northern border for so many years.
"If the two countries join forces, the national granary of Da Ning will be extremely strained. If the war drags on for too long, the people will suffer and the foundation of Da Ning will be shaken."
"What if the Qin family disappears from the Western Border?"
Xiao Yu's questions were getting increasingly pointed.
Qin Lang stood up abruptly, glaring at Xiao Yu and demanding, "What does Your Highness mean?"
Xiao Yu sat upright on the stone bench, his expression calm, but his words sent a chill down Qin Lang's spine: "Some people want to profit from the war. The Qin family is too important in the Western Region and is blocking the way for some people. Perhaps it won't be long before the Qin family gets into trouble."
"What's the trouble?" Qin Lang stepped forward and asked Xiao Yu anxiously.
"I do not know what has not yet happened, but what can eliminate the Qin family must be no small matter."
Seeing Qin Lang's tense face, Xiao Yu said again, "I called you out today to remind General Qin to be careful in everything and to pay attention to any unusual people and things around him."
Without the Qin family, the gates of Da Ning would have been wide open, and the country would have suffered immense devastation.
General Qin has guarded the western border for many years, and it can be seen from Qin Lang that the old general Qin is experienced and capable enough. If the emperor had been more cautious and made the northern and western borders cooperate well, this catastrophe could have been avoided.
Nothing has happened yet, and this is all Xiao Yu can remind you of.
Yan Qing came over and helped Xiao Yu get up to leave.
Seeing Xiao Yu's somber expression, Qin Lang couldn't help but recall the brutal battle in the Northern Border seven years ago. It was said that the Marquis of Zhenbei had colluded with the enemy, and in the end, none of the Marquis of Zhenbei's hundreds of thousands of troops survived, except for Prince Su.
"Have you colluded with the enemy?" Qin Lang's chest heaved as he looked at Xiao Yu's retreating figure and voiced his doubts.
Xiao Yu stopped and paused for a few moments, then left without saying a word.
Watching Xiao Yu's figure gradually disappear, Qin Lang felt an indescribable sense of panic.
The Zhenbei Army, established for over a century, could be wiped out overnight; the reasons behind this are certainly not simple. In contrast, the Qin family army, built by my father through sheer force of battle, had only been established for two or three decades, was stationed in the western border region, and had no powerful backing in the capital.
If the schemes used against the Zhenbei Army were applied to the Qin Family Army, they might not even have a chance to struggle and would disappear completely like the Zhenbei Army.
Thinking of this, Qin Lang felt a chill run down his spine.
No!
He needed to tell his father and mother quickly.