Chapter 630: with translation of chapter title

Zuo Feichen heard Gu Jiu Ling's words, his body stiffened slightly, and he slowly took off the bamboo hat on his head, revealing that face that could overturn all beings.

At this moment, Zuo Feichen's state of mind was completely different from before; his father's injustice had been cleared, and the knot in his heart finally untied.

These days, he had wind-swept meals and dew-lodged rest, experienced many things, and gathered so much evidence to clear his father's name.

He sent them one after another to the Ministry of Punishments and the Dali Temple; finally his father's case was settled with a coffin verdict, and even the local people erected a stone statue for his father and offered incense.

His heart finally settled, but there was still a hurdle in his heart that he couldn't get over; this was also an important reason for his coming to Yanan Pass.

At this moment, Zuo Feichen's face bore a touch of wind-and-frost hue, yet it better highlighted his resolute and decisive bearing.

He curled the corner of his mouth into a smile, filled the tea cup before him and pushed it toward Gu Jiu Ling, saying softly: "Princess Consort, you're a step late? I've been waiting here for three days."

Gu Jiu Ling had been walking for a while and was also a bit thirsty; she lifted the tea cup, drank half, set it on the table, sighed, and said: "You also know I sneaked out; the Prince is watching me closely."

"Along the way I didn't dare use the Prince's people; I hired a merchant caravan with my own silver to slip through the checkpoints and get here."

"Never mind three days; you were supposed to wait ten days for me, and I'm actually quite timely."

Zuo Feichen raised his eyebrows slightly and laughed: "The Prince naturally worries that the Princess Consort might have some mishap, but the Prince's golden cage can't hold this golden canary of the Princess Consort."

"Hey! Hey! Just met and you're already scolding? You're the little bird!"

Zuo Feichen quickly apologized, then composed himself and said softly: "Prince Rui is indeed brave; just bringing the Azure Dragon Army to the Hengzhou area, he routed the armies of the eight great clans."

"This time, both sides have formed a standoff in Hengzhou; the Prince's side doesn't know what it's waiting for, but it should immediately attack and take Hengzhou, then directly encircle Yingzhou to wipe it out—those eight great clans will surely die at the Prince's hands."

Gu Jiu Ling frowned slightly and slowly shook her head: "You don't understand this; he has waited a full nine years, and the more critical the moment, the more cautious he becomes."

"Do you think the eight great clans are just eating dry rice?"

"If the eight great clans were all such fools, nine years ago they wouldn't have let your father, the entire Azure Dragon Army, and so many commoners die miserably, not to mention my maternal grandfather..."

Gu Jiu Ling's words paused: "Even my maternal grandfather, who was so shrewd, was trapped by the eight great clans, and now his death is murky."

"And he even took the blame for nothing; how could I let them off this trip?"

Zuo Feichen's heart stirred slightly; the Qi Sha Gu case had been settled, and the eight great clans had been driven out of Shang Jing.

Yet no one mentioned the Du family's affair; anyone could see the Du family had been protected by Prince Rui and not pursued.

But according to Gu Jiu Ling's meaning, the Du family was also framed.

If that's the case, why can't we produce evidence proving the Du family's innocence? Could there be a greater secret hidden during this period?

Zuo Feichen moved his lips but didn't ask; he knew everyone has their own secrets.

Now he has cleared his father's name; the next step is to avenge his father.

Back then, the eight great clans colluded with Bei Di cavalry, marching straight into Yanan Pass and trapping his father to death here.

If not for treacherous scheming, how could his father have been exterminated to the last member?

Even if dead, he still bore the charge of betraying the nation and joining the enemy, being cursed for nine full years; this time he will certainly not let the eight great clans off easy.

Prince Rui takes the open path, while these people of his give a dark move.

He simply doesn't know what Gu Jiu Ling intends to do this time, and plus she's keeping it from Xiao Yin, making this even harder to do.

"What does the Princess Consort plan?"

Gu Jiu Ling steadied herself, just about to speak, when suddenly a fervent voice came from beside the table.

It turned out to be a few merchants who had drunk too much wine, their voices inevitably raised a bit.

"That Prince Rui is indeed still Prince Rui; he smashed the rebel troops until they fell like flowers and flowing water, unable to rally."

"Isn't that right? Initially the eight great clans' army was so arrogant, sweeping south and taking over ten or so cities, yet now Prince Rui has beaten them so badly they're scrambling for teeth on the ground."

"Yes, everyone fears hiding in Hengzhou and not coming out; Prince Rui has already sealed it off completely."

"Just watch; Prince Rui will surely break through Hengzhou, and if he takes Hengzhou, the eight great clans of Yingzhou will have their doom."

"Not necessarily," another middle-aged man said slowly: "I've heard that Prince Rui's provisions for this campaign are insufficient; it's said the grain in Jing Cheng can't be transported far enough to the front."

"The soldiers under Prince Rui's Azure Dragon Army have rations lasting only three to five days; after that, who knows what will happen?"

"But the eight great clans, using Yingzhou as their base, have operated and developed there for years; their grain is so abundant they can't finish eating it, let alone lasting three to five days—normally three to five years pose no problem."

"Drink! Drink! One drink and you drink too much! Shut up about whatever idle talk!" A leader paid his wine bill, walked over, heard his subordinates say these things, and slapped the table.

Those drinking men immediately shut up, didn't dare say anything else, and all rose and left.

Zuo Feichen frowned slightly, turned his face to Gu Jiu Ling, and said: "What is Prince Rui up to? Isn't he good at fighting? How does he have no provisions?"

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes flickered slightly, but her heart gave a sudden jolt.

Accordingly, when they first set out from Jing Cheng, he had specially ordered Bai Xiaosheng to manage the logistics of Qinglong County with a ledger; now they had just reached Quzhou, less than a month, and already they were out of grain—what on earth is that Bai Xiaosheng trying to do?

"The Quzhou branch committee can't stay deadlocked like this, or a big problem will arise."

Zuo Feichen sprang to his feet: "What the hell? Sit down quickly."

Zuo Feichen coldly said: "Isn't Prince Yue supposed to be brilliant at using troops? Who was put in charge of provisions, that they didn't even finish the wine ration? Isn't that splitting? Or do they want to repeat the mistake of Qi Sha Gu?"

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes flickered slightly, then she smiled faintly and said:

"Don't you laugh? 'What do you think Prince Rui is like? Don't you know the importance of provisions? This provision is the key factor ensuring he is invincible on the battlefield. At Qi Sha Gu he already lost this play; now he wants this battle to be crucial for him. Do you think he'll stumble again in the same place? Last time, due to poisonous mold causing many soldiers' gas exploding drums, they were burned alive there. This time, do you think there's still poison for the Azure Dragon Army soldiers?'"

He acted very sensibly, unable to speak, looked in surprise at Gu Jiu Ling.

He estimated that Liuteng made a false sincere gesture, waving his hand and laughing softly: "Maybe the opportunity has come."