Chapter 682: Duan Family
Editor: Atlas Studios
Before Mu Yangling could see Fan Zijin, Qiaohui came looking for her.
Mu Yangling raised her eyebrows and said, “Let your mistress rest for a while first. She hasn’t eaten anything since she woke up, right? I’ll visit her in the afternoon.”
Qiaohui hesitated for a moment before leaving.
Mu Yangling waited for Fan Zijin to return. Fan Zijin said in surprise, “You’re saying that she’s the princess of the Duan family?”
Mu Yangling nodded. “I guessed.”
Fan Zijin frowned. “Why did the princess of the Duan family escape to Great Qi? Is Dali in chaos? Haoran is still in Dali.”
Mu Yangling waved her hand without any worry. “Don’t worry, he won’t rush to court death. I’ll go and see her later. Listen behind the screen to find out what happened in Dali. Since Haoran isn’t in Qiannan, I’m not worried about anything happening to him. I’m worried about the border defense of Qiannan.”
Fan Zijin nodded. Liu Dahei was in charge of the West Camp, while Lin Man was inc charge of the East Camp. The two of them were still alright and could be considered Haoran’s trusted aides. However, the generals of the Central Camp had always been scheming and had to be guarded against.
When Mu Yangling went to see Duan Yuqing, she had just woken up from her sleep. Having taken medicine and eaten something, her face was not as pale as before. When she saw Mu Yangling, she got up and leaned against the pillow behind her. She greeted with a smile, “Your Highness is here?”
Mu Yangling nodded slightly, and Spring moved a chair for her to sit in front of the bed. “Miss Wang, do you feel better?”
Duan Yuqing smiled bitterly. “Since Your Highness has already guessed my identity, why do you have to call me Miss Wang?”
Mu Yangling said with a smile, “I accidentally called you by the wrong name earlier. Please don’t take it to heart, Miss Wang.”
Duan Yuqing shook her head slightly. “Your Highness, you didn’t call me wrongly previously. My surname is indeed Duan.”
Duan Yuqing looked at Qiaohui, who took out a jade pendant and handed it to her respectfully. Duan Yuqing handed it to Mu Yangling. “This is a jade pendant from the Duan royal family.”
Mu Yangling took it and took a look. There was a five-clawed auspicious dragon engraved on the front, and the words ‘Duan Yuqing’ were engraved on the back in small font. “Why would a princess of Dali escape all the way here?”
Duan Yuqing looked at the jade pendant in Mu Yangling’s hand and her eyes turned red. “The Gao family rebelled and forced the Emperor to abdicate. In a moment of desperation, I was sent out of the palace by my father. I originally wanted to hide in High Sage Temple, but there was also a rebellion in High Sage Temple. Helpless, the elders of High Sage Temple could only send me to the South Stream White Cloud Temple. However, the Gao family was powerful, and the White Cloud Temple couldn’t protect me. They could only smuggle me to Great Qi. I originally wanted to stay low for a while before returning. Unexpectedly, the Gao family rebelled and chased me all the way. I got severely injured… Your Highness also knows what happened after that.”
“The Gao family rebelled, but no one managed to calm the chaos?”
Duan Yuqing’s expression was a little ugly. She glanced at Qiaohui and saw her blink, so she sighed and said, “To be honest, Your Highness, my Duan family doesn’t have many children. I’m the only offspring my father has. There’s only one cousin in the Duan family who’s relatively close to him in terms of blood ties. Although my cousin was sick and weak when he was young, his health was still alright because he had learned martial arts since he was young. My father brought him into the palace to personally teach him. If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll be the next Emperor of Dali. However, more than a month ago, while out hunting, my cousin suddenly fell off a horse and died. Just as my father was in grief, the Gao family attacked at this moment…”
Mu Yangling’s expression was a little strange. “Hunting at the end of spring?”
Duan Yuqing nodded repeatedly. “Back then, my father had mentioned that the prey at the end of spring was fierce but thin and not suitable for hunting. However, my cousin insisted on going and promised not to go deep into the forest and only circle around the periphery. That was why my father agreed. Who knew that such a thing would happen?”
Only then did Duan Yuqing’s suffering begin. The successor that the Emperor of Dali had nurtured for nearly 20 years was dead. He had no sons, and his brothers were all dead. He also had no sons. If he were to choose another heir, he would have to choose a more distant relative. Furthermore, the Emperor of Dali was not in good health. He was already 52 years old this year, so it would be difficult for him to nurture another successor.
The Emperor of Dali had originally wanted to choose a few older ones from the side branches to teach, and hopefully live for a few more years. However, before he could raise this idea, the Gao family rebelled.
If Duan Yuqing’s cousin was still around and the Duan family had a legitimate heir, it would definitely not be easy for the Gao family to rebel. However, now that all the direct descendants of the Duan family and the closer royal family members were dead, the only royal descendant left was Duan Yuqing, a girl.
Therefore, when the Gao family rebelled, nobody put up a strong resistance. In just two to three days, the Gao family’s army rushed into the palace. The Emperor of Dali only had time to send his daughter out. His original intention was to let his daughter go to the High Sage Temple and let the eminent monks of the High Sage Temple calm the chaos. Unexpectedly, because there was also a rebellion going on at the High Sage Temple, the entire Dali Kingdom fell in chaos.
Duan Yuqing could only escape towards Great Qi.
Qiaohui and the others had protected Duan Yuqing and ran out with the intention of contacting the court officials to resolve the chaos. However, once High Sage Temple fell into chaos, they no longer dared to hope for this. Now, they only hoped that they could protect this remaining bloodline of the royal family so that the Duan family would not go extinct.
High Sage Temple was the state religion of Dali, the place where the previous Dali Emperors and the heads of the Duan family became monks in their later years.
The Duan family respected the Buddhist Dharma very much. In addition, the past Dali kings, King Zhennan, and the head of the Duan family had all become monks in the High Sage Temple to study Buddhist Dharma in their later years. The status of the High Sage Temple was extremely prestigious. Not only did it educate the people, but it was also the religion of the citizens of the Dali Kingdom. In addition, it also held the responsibility of restoring things to order in chaotic times. In the past, when there were people in the royal family who did evil, it was always the High Sage Temple who mediated or resolved the issue.
Therefore, when there was a rebellion this time, the Emperor of Dali sent his daughter to High Sage Temple. However, who would have thought that High Sage Temple would also be in chaos?
Their backing and faith collapsed at the same time. Duan Yuqing and the others were in a panic and could only flee to Qiannan with the people of the South Stream White Cloud Temple. When the abbot sent them away, he had only one instruction for his men, and that was to protect the Duan family’s bloodline.
Even Duan Yuqing thought the same. This was because she knew that she did not have the ability to go back and calm the chaos. She could only try her best to live and continue the Duan family’s bloodline, hoping that her child would be able to return to Dali and High Sage Temple in 20 years.
Duan Yuqing explained all of this in detail to Mu Yangling with only one request—she hoped that Mu Yangling would spare her life and let her continue living in Qiannan and have children.
Mu Yangling looked at Duan Yuqing sympathetically. Then, she turned to look at Qiaohui, only to see her looking at her pleadingly. Mu Yangling sighed in her heart. She did not tell Duan Yuqing that she had injured her uterus and would probably never have a child in this lifetime.
Avoiding Duan Yuqing’s pleading gaze, Mu Yangling pondered and said, “Princess Duan, I can’t give you an answer now. Since this matter has significant repercussions, I have to report it to His Majesty.” Seeing that her face was gloomy, she hurriedly said, “But I’ll try my best to fight for it on your behalf. Rest in peace during this period of time. Don’t worry, as long as you stay here, I can guarantee your safety.”
Duan Yuqing smiled and said with a smile, “Thank you, Your Highness Qi.”
Mu Yangling nodded slightly at Qiaohui, indicating for her to take good care of Duan Yuqing. Then, she stood up and left.
Tears welled up in Duan Yuqing’s eyes as she said, “Qiaohui, if Princess Consort Qi refused to agree to our request, I’m afraid we…”
However, Qiaohui was very happy and said, “Your Highness, it’s good that Princess Consort Qi is like this. If she agreed immediately, I’d fear that she has ulterior motives. It’s actually better that she tells it like it is. I believe she’ll put in a good word for us in front of the Great Qi Emperor.”
Chapter end
