Qin Junyao also knew that she had to go to the imperial city.
The future emperor summoned her, and not going would be an act of defiance. Yet, she wished to wait a little longer, to see if any turning point might arise.
Upon hearing Qin Junyao’s words, Ling Manshuang was momentarily stunned.
She hadn’t expected that the reason Zhao Liangcai failed twice in bringing Qin Junyao to the imperial city was this?
“You, haha,” Ling Manshuang suddenly burst into laughter upon looking at Qin Junyao.
“Sister?” Qin Junyao didn’t understand why Ling Manshuang was laughing.
“Don’t you know Zhao Liangcai has already handed over his military power? He now only has twenty thousand guards.”
This time, it was Qin Junyao’s turn to be stunned. She truly didn’t know.
Ling Manshuang covered her mouth and chuckled, “He told the Fifth Prince that he could no longer command troops, as his wife not only spent her dowry helping him maintain the soldiers but also borrowed a lot of money.”
“He also said that he might have to be your lifelong laborer to repay the debt from now on,” Ling Manshuang finished, winking at Qin Junyao.
Even though Qin Junyao’s skin had thickened considerably from years of experience, she still felt a blush creep onto her face.
This damned Zhao Chui Zi, what nonsense was he talking about.
“Don’t worry, the ironware your family has won’t be kept in the imperial city.”
It couldn't be blamed on Qin Junyao for overthinking. Zhao Liangcai, a general from humble origins, without background or roots, no matter how many merits he accumulated, the future emperor would at most grant him a second-rank position out of appreciation.
After all, many old meritorious officials from the previous dynasty were still around, and the Fifth Prince was merely competing with his brothers for the throne left by his father.
He intended to restore the rights of those enfeoffed with titles and lands by the late emperor.
Therefore, Zhao Liangcai, who had saved his life several times and helped him conquer territories, could not be compared to those court officials who had accumulated prestige over generations.
Qin Junyao couldn’t understand why the Fifth Prince would bestow such great rewards upon Zhao Liangcai. The only explanation she could think of was that the future emperor intended to keep her child in the imperial city as a means to control Zhao Liangcai.
Little did she know that Zhao Liangcai’s great fortune was due to her.
Over the past few years, Qin Junyao had generously spent money to encourage the people of the northwest to actively combat desertification.
Only when the local population prospered would they have the capacity to undertake the arduous task of combating the desert, which offered no short-term economic benefits.
When the emperor sent people to investigate the northwest, they roughly calculated the amount of money Qin Junyao had dispersed over the years, which was equivalent to three times the current national treasury.
Upon seeing the amount on the secret report sent by the dark guards, the Fifth Prince, in the imperial study, almost choked to death on his own saliva.
Having performed such a great deed, if he, the prospective emperor, did nothing, he feared he would alienate the hearts of the people in the northwest.
Thus, he consulted with his trusted ministers on how Qin Junyao could reasonably receive what she deserved.
The simplest and most direct way to elevate Qin Junyao’s status was through her husband’s rank. This led to Zhao Liangcai voluntarily relinquishing his military power and subsequently being enfeoffed as a prince of a different surname with his own territory.
The Fifth Prince's intention this time was not difficult to understand. For centuries, the northwest had been a barren and desolate land plagued by frequent disasters. Every year, the court had to allocate a large amount of silver for disaster relief.
Now, with a capable person who could generate wealth actively developing the northwest, the Fifth Prince decided to give the region to her. She could keep the taxes, and she would also bear the expenses.
Regardless of how the territory fared, the person in charge of it was required to pay tribute to the emperor annually. For the time being, it was a win-win situation.
.
Upon receiving the confirmation, Qin Junyao relaxed. Just as she was about to share with Ling Manshuang what had happened in the past year and a half when they hadn’t met, she suddenly heard an unusual commotion outside the door.
This caused Qin Junyao to frown. It seemed the manor needed to be reorganized again.
She had initially thought the noise would stop soon, but unexpectedly, people inside the room heard the screams of maids and the crying of children.
Qin Junyao was familiar with this crying; it was her elder son, who cried easily.
“Greetings, County Princess,” Liu Yu hurriedly opened the door and entered, first bowing to Ling Manshuang. Then, she anxiously spoke to Qin Junyao while gesturing outwards, “Madam, please go and see, Eldest Young Lady, she, she…”
Without Liu Yu’s urging, Qin Junyao had already risen and walked towards the door. Ling Manshuang naturally stood up and followed.
“Who are you people? Get out of the way! I want to see my auntie,” Xiao Langtou’s childish voice, still with a hint of milk, stood out unusually amidst the voices of adults.
“Eldest Young Lady, they are the County Princess’s guards. Please put down the flowerpot first, and I will take you to see the County Princess, alright?” Liu Rong clasped her hands together, cautiously watching the flowerpot that Xiao Langtou was holding above her head.
“No, Auntie Liu Rong, this is a gift I’m giving to my auntie. I want to give it to her personally, so all of you, get out of the way.”
Liu Rong was on the verge of tears. This young master was stubborn and would neither yield to kindness nor force. The County Princess’s guards were also just doing their duty and were anxious to protect their mistress. What should be done?
Why hadn’t Madam come yet?
“Yuqi, what are you doing?”
“Hurry up and put it down.”
She’s here.
Liu Rong wiped the sweat from her forehead. Madam had finally arrived.
Ling Manshuang walked beside Qin Junyao and naturally saw the scene before her. She covered her wide-open mouth with her hand, almost thinking she was hallucinating.
No wonder her guards were blocking Xiao Langtou. Anyone who saw an exquisitely beautiful little girl, who looked only five or six years old, holding a flowerpot with a diameter of half a foot and a lush pink peony plant over three feet tall above her head, would be shocked.
Zhao Yuqi only slightly flinched upon hearing her mother's words. She didn’t put down the flowerpot, but upon seeing the beautiful aunt standing beside her mother, her eyes instantly lit up.
Holding the flowerpot, she moved to approach Ling Manshuang, but was again blocked.
“You, stand aside and wait,” Ling Manshuang, having regained her composure, waved her hand, signaling the guards blocking her to move away.
She knew her niece had great strength, but she hadn’t expected it to be so astonishing.
“Yuqi, are you giving this to Auntie? Then put down the flowerpot, and let Auntie take a good look,” Ling Manshuang said with a smile, then looked at Qin Junyao, whose eyes seemed to burn with flames, and mouthed silently, ‘So impressive’.
Qin Junyao was even angrier. This girl needed her third uncle, Qin Sen, to discipline her properly.
Xiao Langtou happily walked up to Ling Manshuang and tilted her head, “Auntie, I’ll turn it around for you to see.” As she spoke, Xiao Langtou spun in place with the flowerpot, wanting Ling Manshuang to see it more clearly.
“Zhao Yuqi.”
Seeing her daughter still showing off, Qin Junyao’s voice, “Zhao Yuqi,” was almost squeezed out from between her teeth, with clear threatening intent.
“The gift Yuqi is giving Auntie is so beautiful! Auntie has also brought you many gifts. Would you put down the flowerpot and look at the gifts?” Ling Manshuang coaxed Xiao Langtou gently.
Xiao Langtou nodded repeatedly, but immediately pouted and looked at Qin Junyao, flashing a fawning smile, “Mother, can you ask someone to help Qi’er? Qi’er will drop and break the flowerpot if she puts it down herself.”
The veins on Qin Junyao’s forehead twitched. She, who could remain expressionless in any situation, found it difficult to maintain her emotional stability when facing her daughter.
She raised her hand slightly, and three household servants emerged to lift the flowerpot Xiao Langtou was holding. Their proficiency drew sideways glances from Ling Manshuang’s guards.
The matter was not over yet. Zhao Qirui, also known as Tie Guo, who was being held by his wet nurse, saw that his sister was not punished. Crying, he got down and ran towards Qin Junyao.
As Little Tie Guo hugged his mother’s leg, he didn’t forget to give Ling Manshuang a less-than-standard bow.
“Wow, Mother, Sister hit me! She used such, such a thick…” Little Tie Guo gestured with his fingers several times but couldn’t convey the thickness. He simply hugged Qin Junyao’s leg again, “She hit me with a very thick stick.”
Xiao Langtou, who was fiddling with Ling Manshuang’s skirt, heard her brother’s complaint and became anxious. “Mom… Mother, I only hit Tie Guo with willow branches, not a thick stick.”
Anxious to the point of almost calling her mother, Qin Junyao knew Xiao Langtou wasn't lying.
Xiao Langtou was her first child. When teaching her to speak, she unconsciously taught her to call her "Mama." "Mama" was also the first word Xiao Langtou uttered.
Given the different times, she had gradually made Xiao Langtou change her address, but when anxious, Xiao Langtou still subconsciously called her Mom.
She couldn’t judge her child’s case in front of so many servants. Qin Junyao bent down, picked up the three-year-old Tie Guo, called Xiao Langtou, and asked Ling Manshuang to return to the main room.
Ling Manshuang lagged a couple of steps behind and instructed her people not to spread any information about Xiao Langtou’s unusual behavior.