Chapter 1729: Picking Up Loved Ones
Chapter 1729: Chapter 1729: Picking Up Loved Ones
Qi Yi accepted the funeral text solemnly, knowing Mr. Feng had an old friend who died in the Northwest.
Mr. Feng added, "He will definitely ask you what instructions I left you for going to the Northwest. Do not hide, tell him everything honestly, show him the funeral text, and he will trust you more... Perhaps he’ll agree to your request to resign after three years with more ease."
Mr. Feng’s words revealed a hint of hope for Emperor Jingyuan, believing he was still humane, not completely lost in brutal fury.
"Thank you, Sir," Qi Yi was very grateful. He had known Mr. Feng only for a few months, yet Mr. Feng treated him with openness, moving him deeply while he hated himself for being unable to help Mr. Feng.
Mr. Feng waved his hand to stop the conversation, chatted idly with Qi Yi, then sent him off.
Qi Yi knelt and bowed three times, then got up and left.
At the gate of the residence, he encountered Mai Cong.
Mai Cong wore a scarlet official uniform, standing tall like jade, with a dignified and solemn demeanor; his stern face softened with a pleased smile upon seeing him, and he greeted proactively, "Brother Qi is here to bid farewell to Sir."
He added with a laugh, "Congratulations on your promotion, Brother Qi."
Mai Cong wasn’t feigning; he genuinely felt happy.
Qi Yi, whom Emperor Jingyuan had personally chosen as a confidant, was finally heading to the Northwest, freeing Mai Cong from the concern of Qi Yi learning from Mr. Feng and potentially vying for his position and power.
"Greetings to Lord Ming," Qi Yi didn’t have a good impression of Mai Cong, considering him a flatterer, believing that if he truly cared for Emperor Jingyuan, he wouldn’t assist in the killings, leading ministers to live in fear and hesitate to offer the emperor good governance strategies for the sake of saving their own lives.
Mai Cong stepped forward, gripped Qi Yi’s arm, and helped him up, "Brother Qi, there’s no need for formality between fellow disciples; we should be close."
Qi Yi felt a cold chill on his wrist, akin to the coil of a venomous serpent, making him shiver, "Lord, you’re overly kind, I dare not."
Qi Yi spoke with distance.
Mai Cong inwardly scoffed but maintained a warm and friendly demeanor on the surface, "Brother Qi, His Majesty has summoned you to the palace; I’ve come to take you there, let’s go."
Mai Cong said as he led Qi Yi onto the carriage.
The driver quickly drove towards the Imperial City.
Qi Yi disliked Mai Cong and didn’t converse much with him while sharing the carriage.
Originally, Mai Cong intended to leverage the Gu Family to connect with Qi Yi, but seeing Qi Yi guarded against him, he refrained from mentioning the Gu Family... The Gu siblings along with Qin San Lang were people he aimed to win over for assistance, and he couldn’t allow Qi Yi to ruin his efforts.
Thus, Mai Cong changed the topic to inquire about Mr. Feng’s condition.
Qi Yi only picked Mr. Feng’s physical health to discuss, leaving out the rest.
Mai Cong didn’t press further and departed once Qi Yi was delivered to the Imperial City.
Escorted by guards and eunuchs, Qi Yi was led to Mingwei Palace to meet Emperor Jingyuan.
As soon as he spoke of his wish to resign and retire in three years, Emperor Jingyuan, predictably, was furious, and Qi Yi was subjected to the punishment of ten lashes.
The imperial forest army executed the punishment, exceptionally harsh, the ten lashes breaking Qi Yi’s skin.
Fortunately, the task was accomplished.
Emperor Jingyuan, after reading the funeral text, remained silent for a long time, finally agreeing to his resignation and retirement. Though he set a condition: Qi Yi could only leave after finding a trusted successor.
If in three years, a trustworthy confidant wasn’t found, Qi Yi would have to remain in Long’an Prefecture.
"Your Majesty’s gracious kindness, thank you!" Qi Yi was overjoyed, knelt to express gratitude, but tears flowed down.
Emperor Jingyuan noticed this, frowned, and pointed at him, saying, "You’re really not suited for officialdom."
Despite his talents, capabilities, character, and loyalty, Qi Yi lacked the ruthlessness to be an effective tool.
Yet Emperor Jingyuan was cautious of Mai Cong’s extreme ruthlessness, thus wanted someone like Qi Yi, who was emotional and loyal, as a loyal minister.
Qi Yi smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty is discerning, indeed I’m not fit for officialdom, thus wishing to resign and retire. Once I return to my hometown with my wife and children, I’ll open a school and become a teacher..."
Qi Yi paused momentarily, looking at Emperor Jingyuan, continued, "Therefore I plead with Your Majesty, allow my wife and children to live safely, will you?"
With a bang, Emperor Jingyuan slapped the table, pointed at Qi Yi and furiously said, "What do you take me for? Thinking I’d slaughter the family of loyal ministers?!"
But, haven’t you done so?
Qi Yi remained silent, simply prostrating and waiting for Emperor Jingyuan’s response.
Emperor Jingyuan, seeing this, was filled with anger, but since he needed Qi Yi to keep watch over Xu You, he suppressed the urge to kill in frustration, allowing Qi Yi to leave.
Qi Yi, as though pardoned, limped back home.
Mrs. Qi awaited him at home; on seeing his condition, she cried uncontrollably, "We shouldn’t have come; we shouldn’t have come to the Capital; we should have headed south or gone northeast to seek Aunt."
Qi Yi, enduring the intense pain from his beating, comforted Mrs. Qi for a while.
Mrs. Qi didn’t want the children to worry, so she quickly dried her tears.
However, upon learning Emperor Jingyuan intended to detain her and their three children in the Capital as hostages, she fainted from shock.
Thus, the Qi family became chaotic, but fortunately, Qi Yi’s children were sensible, not frightened; their daughter even helped care for Mrs. Qi, arranged for a servant to call a doctor.
Mrs. Qi woke up that night, disbelief filled her mind, she asked Qi Yi again.
Qi Yi felt deeply guilty, but still told the truth, also revealing Emperor Jingyuan’s promise of his resignation in three years, ensuring their safety.
Mrs. Qi cried again, but she wasn’t a young girl anymore, could endure circumstances; after sorrow, she accepted fate, arranged with Qi Yi to leave together as a family in three years and return to their hometown.
Later, the Empress Dowager learned about Qi Yi’s circumstances and sent palace moon cakes to the Qi family.
With the Empress Dowager’s gift of moon cakes, noblewomen in the Capital understood that even if Qi Yi went to the Northwest, the Qi family’s women couldn’t be bullied.
And not long after, Mr. Feng sent books to Qi Yi’s son; Emperor Jingyuan was pleased, instructed Qi Yi’s son to study under Mr. Feng.
Mr. Feng didn’t refuse.
Qi Yi and Mrs. Qi were relieved and very grateful to Mr. Feng.
Emperor Jingyuan was delighted, thinking Mr. Feng had begun to forgive him, preparing to assist him as a counselor.
The Qi family’s matter only stirred a slight ripple in the Capital; people enjoyed the spectacle but soon lost interest due to overwhelming busyness.
The six ministries were occupied, transporting supplies to the Northwest, sending craftsmen for repairing the damaged city, taking the new appointment letters of various generals to the Ministry of Personnel and Ministry of War for stamping, and then sending them to the Northwest.
While the Capital was bustling, the Daokou Camp was also busy but nearing completion.
Xu You was aware that many families of soldiers heading westward for war were still outside, ordered Company Commanders to fetch them,
Qin San Lang received the order, became excited, thinking of Gu Jinli, unwilling to wait, promptly assembled his troops, and joined forces with Niu Dabao, Xie Cheng, Zhang Yan, and others on their way to Xing’an Prefecture.
They marched through the night, originally intending to reach Xing’an Prefecture before Mid-Autumn Festival, but missed it, arriving at dusk on August 16.
Yet their troops were too many to enter the city, they had to camp outside, while Company Commanders entered the city with lists to fetch family members.
General Liang, knowing the soldiers had labored hard, instructed the preparation of food for them.
"There’s pork and lamb, we can have meat!" The soldiers, seeing meat, became very happy and hurried to start coking meat meals.