Chapter 48: The Little Princess

According to Duoduo's guess, upon hearing such news, Yanqing would undoubtedly be extremely shocked, or even furious.

To her surprise, Zheng Yanqing's reaction was remarkably calm—so calm that he merely responded with a single, flat syllable.

His reaction made Duoduo somewhat flustered...

"This person you call Father Ha is the master of the Dading Restaurant, that merchant from Xiangzhou named Husky, isn't he?"

"Ah!"

Duoduo sprang to her feet, stepped back two paces, widened her eyes, and said in shock, "You—how did you know?"

Yanqing offered a bitter smile.

In truth, he was quite shocked inside as well.

However, he had long been accustomed to concealing his emotions, and given Duoduo's experience, she was unable to read his true thoughts. Just now, when Duoduo mentioned that she had first gone to Xiangzhou and later learned martial arts in Hannan, a strange thought had occurred to Zheng Yanqing.

He connected it to a great many things!

Five years ago, when Duoduo cut her hair, wrote a farewell elegy, and sent it to him, weren't the outfits worn by those horsemen the customary attire of the White-robed Maitreya? If those people belonged to the White-robed Maitreya, and Duoduo was studying martial arts in Xiangzhou, it was only natural for Zheng Yanqing to associate it with the mysterious owner of the Dading Restaurant in Luoyang's Fengdu Market—Husky.

"I guessed it."

Zheng Yanqing smiled faintly, stood up, and took Duoduo's small hand in his.

"Duoduo, can you tell me what this is all about? How on earth did you get mixed up with the White-robed Maitreya?"

Duoduo struggled hard, trying to pull her hand free from Zheng Yanqing's grasp.

Yet Yanqing's strength was not insignificant. After a couple of struggles without managing to shake him off, Duoduo gave up resisting.

She lowered her head, remaining silent as if pondering something.

Softly, Zheng Yanqing said, "Actually, I have been keeping an eye on the White-robed Maitreya for a very long time—nearly four years now. I just never expected... Duoduo, can you tell me what is really going on here?"

"I..."

Duoduo's heart was in absolute turmoil.

In truth, when she came here, she had intended to tell Yanqing the truth.

She also believed that this little lad whom she had watched grow up—this young man—would never betray her. It was a woman's intuition; the very moment Zheng Yanqing had pulled her into his embrace, she knew Yanqing had not changed.

Well, or perhaps one could say he had changed very little.

A character that had already been shaped could never easily undergo a fundamental shift.

The only things that might change were his understanding of a new era or certain ideological views. Yet Yanqing was still the same Yanqing; he could coldly shoot down resistance-free bandits, and he could just as easily decide a person's life or death with a radiant smile. Yet the core of his nature had never truly shifted all that much. Duoduo trusted Zheng Yanqing.

And yet, when those words reached the tip of her tongue, Duoduo lost her nerve.

She was terribly afraid that once she spoke those truths, she might lose that warm embrace forever...

Yet she had to speak!

"Actually, my surname is not Xu, nor is my name Xu Duo... That is simply my mother's surname."

Holding Duoduo's small hand, Zheng Yanqing could feel the chill in her palms. He gently pulled her down to sit beside him, remaining quietly a good listener.

"I... I actually carry the compound surname of Yuwen."

Yuwen?

At this, Zheng Yanqing could not help but be greatly surprised. Under the rule of the Great Sui Dynasty, the surname Yuwen was hardly unfamiliar. Previously, there had been the late Director of Construction Yuwen Kai, and currently, there was the Grand Master of the Capital and Lord of Puyang, Yuwen Shu.

Yet Zheng Yanqing believed that Duoduo's surname was different from those two men.

The Yuwen clan originated in Liaodong and were descendants of the Southern Shanyu. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, there was a Xianbei tribal branch in the north known as the Yuwen clan, who claimed descent from Yandi, the Divine Farmer. Beginning with their ancestor Ge Wutu, they had hereditarily served as the chieftains of the Eastern Xianbei, functioning as one of the leaders of the twelve tribes.

According to the Book of Zhou, the ancestors of the Yuwen clan were Xianbei monarchs. One of them, named Puhui, obtained three jade seals while hunting, upon which were inscribed the words: *Emperor's Seal*. Puhui's ambition was consequently inflamed, believing it to be conferred by Heaven. According to Xianbei customs, the Son of Heaven was referred to as *Yu*, and a sovereign was referred to as *Wen*. Hence, they adopted the surname Yuwen and moved into the Central Plains during the Eastern Jin dynasty.

Duoduo seemed to relax slightly as she took a deep breath. "My name is Yuwen Duo, and I am the granddaughter of King Zhao of Northern Zhou, Yuwen You."

Zheng Yanqing's hand instinctively tightened around Duoduo's delicate fingers.

Perhaps he used a bit too much force, causing Duoduo to knit her delicate brows in a slight frown, though she uttered no sound. She widened her eyes and gazed quietly at Zheng Yanqing.

Zheng Yanqing gave a bitter smile. "Does that mean... I should address you as Princess?"

"Oh..."

Duoduo stood tongue-tied, not knowing how to respond.

She had anticipated many possible reactions from Yanqing, even going so far as to imagine he might turn against her. Yet she had never imagined that Zheng Yanqing would utter such a remark, rendering all the various arguments she had prepared completely useless!

Why was it that every time she spoke with this detestable little man, she always felt completely disarmed?

She had anticipated various possibilities and wanted to seize the initiative in the conversation. Yet upon reflection, it seemed she had never succeeded even once.

Zheng Yanqing always used unexpected reactions to take control of the conversation's direction.

At this thought, a sudden sense of powerlessness washed over Duoduo. She looked with vexation at the young man before her, at a loss for how to reply.

Zheng Yanqing could not help but laugh!

This mastery over the control of dialogue was a tactic frequently employed in official circles. Duoduo's unexpected background genuinely filled him with a sense of awe. He had heard people mention King Zhao of Yuwen You; he was no prince of the Sui Dynasty, but rather a prince of the Northern Zhou. Back when Yang Jian usurped the Northern Zhou dynasty, King Zhao Yuwen You had attempted to assassinate Yang Jian, resulting in his entire household being executed when the plot was exposed... However, the specific details were not entirely clear to Zheng Yanqing; he only knew that such an event had occurred.

On one hand, Yang Jian had usurped the Northern Zhou and intentionally suppressed all discussions concerning that dynasty.

On the other hand, everyone was unwilling to speak of the matter. Those who knew the inside story dared not speak and wished not to speak; those who did not know the inside story had no way of discussing it. Consequently, Zheng Yanqing's understanding of King Zhao Yuwen You was quite limited.

Duoduo had twice attempted to seize the initiative, and both times she had failed.

Deciding to abandon such scheming altogether, she softly said, "Little Scholar, this is a long story... Back then, did you know that you were adopted by Grandpa Zheng?"

"Oh. Grandfather told me about it. He said I was abandoned in the wilderness right after I was born, and he brought me back to raise me."

"Grandpa Zheng is a good man."

Duoduo spoke softly. "Actually, when Grandpa Zheng adopted you, it was precisely the time when the rebel Yang was hunting us down. My father was the youngest son of our clan's patriarch. When disaster struck our family, my father happened to be out with Chief Manager Ha, which was how they managed to escape with their lives. Later on, my father and Chief Manager Ha gathered the old retainers of our clan in Luoyang, slowly building up their strength in an attempt to exact revenge.

"Never did we expect that we would be betrayed, surrounded and attacked by elite generals under the rebel Yang, such as Heluobi and others.

"Mother took me and became separated from Chief Manager Ha and the others during the chaos. Lacking any status at the time and needing a place of refuge, we ended up at the Zheng household. We originally thought that the matter would simply pass. But five years ago, Chief Manager Ha sent people to find us... I later learned that after fighting his way out of the encirclement with my younger brother, relying on a fortune left behind by my father, Chief Manager Ha had established a firm foothold in Xiangzhou, adopting the alias Husky and becoming a wealthy local merchant.

"In private, however, Chief Manager Ha never abandoned the thought of avenging my father.

"Yet the rebel Yang... the imperial court gradually stabilized. Even after undergoing a struggle for the crown prince's position, their regime suffered no impact whatsoever. Left with no alternative, Chief Manager Ha had to carve out a new path. It just so happened that the White-robed Maitreya was beginning to rise in Xiangzhou at that time, so Chief Manager Ha spent a vast sum of money to join them, and swiftly rose to become a leader of the White-robed Maitreya, secretly amassing his strength."

Zheng Yanqing listened quietly, without interrupting Duoduo's narrative.

"If that is the case, why didn't you develop properly in Xiangzhou instead of running all the way to Luoyang?"

"Chief Manager Ha believed that although the foundation in Xiangzhou is solid, it is ultimately remote and not a major city, making it difficult to expand the number of believers.

"If we were to rely solely on developing in Xiangzhou, I fear it would be hard to achieve anything of significance.

"Therefore, Chief Manager Ha consulted with Protector Huli Die and decided to develop our forces in Luoyang. First, Luoyang is vast and populous, making it exceptionally suited for proselytizing; second, many aristocratic clans and powerful families reside in Luoyang. In the past, our clan and my father maintained close ties with numerous aristocratic families. If we could secure the support of these noble clans, it would greatly benefit our grand enterprise of opposing the Sui. Thus, we arrived in Luoyang last year."

Duoduo concealed nothing, yet her bright eyes remained fixed on the expression on Yanqing's face.

She hoped to discern his thoughts from his expression.

Yet, when it came to the skill of showing neither joy nor anger on one's face, Duoduo could practice for another decade and still not see through Yanqing's mind.

After finishing these words, a sudden wave of relief washed over Duoduo's heart.

She let out a soft breath. "The Two-headed Snake of Shouyang Mountain, whose original name is Guo Xiaoke, is a native of Yangdi. He joined the White-robed Maitreya in the second year of Daye and serves as a Prefectural General of Yanshi. Chief Manager Ha ordered him to gather people and rise in revolt on Shouyang Mountain. On one hand, this was to gather displaced refugees; on the other hand, it was so that when the time comes to launch our uprising, we could capture Yanshi in a single stroke and lead the elite troops of Shandong straight into Luoyang.

"Yet, we never expected that he would...

"Chief Manager Ha and I had no inkling of this beforehand. I arrived in Luoyang after the Qingming Festival, and the moment I got here, I heard the news of your ambush. Little Scholar, this really was a misunderstanding. I came here today to apologize to you."

With these words finished, Duoduo slumped like a deflated ball, lowering her head.

Zheng Yanqing reached out and gently stroked her smooth, dark hair. "Of course I know this matter had nothing to do with you; why should you apologize to me? Besides, I'm guessing you must have sneaked out here this time, am I right?"

"Ah, how did you know?"

Duoduo raised her head, looking at Zheng Yanqing in astonishment.

Yanqing smiled. "If I were Husky, I certainly wouldn't have let you come and tell me all this."

"But..."

"Duoduo, do you trust me?"

Duoduo was stunned for a moment, then nodded forcefully. "Little Scholar, I don't have many friends. Even among the Maitreya Holy Maidens in the sect, most people either respect or fear me. Growing up, if I could say I have a friend, it is only you alone."

A gentle smile bloomed on Yanqing's face.

"Immediately stop proselytizing in Luoyang and return to Xiangzhou."

"Why?"

"What you are doing is completely futile." Zheng Yanqing stood up, glanced around to inspect their surroundings, and said softly, "Duoduo, have you read *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* that I wrote?"

Duoduo replied, "I have read it."

"Back then, under Zhang Jue of the Way of Peace, there were hundreds of thousands of followers who shouted in unison, nearly collapsing the Han dynasty's empire. And yet, he still failed... That was not merely because the Han dynasty possessed a batch of skilled and battle-hardened famous generals, but due to multiple reasons. To be honest, I detest initiating an uprising through such methods; they are merely a mob of undisciplined rabble.

"At present, the Sui dynasty is flourishing, and it possesses a massive cohort of renowned generals such as Changsun Sheng, Yuwen Julao, Yu Zhongwen, and Duan Wensheng, alongside many capable ministers of state. For you to attempt an uprising through the methods of the Way of Peace at a time like this is sheer wishful thinking, with zero possibility of success. You might mention those aristocratic clans, but having stayed at the Zheng household, you should know that aristocratic scions primarily consider their family interests. When you are unable to grant them those interests, they will not hesitate to plunge a knife deep into your back..."

"But—"

"Duoduo, listen to me, there are no 'buts'.

"I have studied history, and I understand methods like yours all too well. I surmise that the situation in Luoyang cannot be very good right now, and when you came here, you probably harbored the thought of having me step in to intercede on your behalf.

"Just look at this—this is merely Fang Yanqian, a mere action by the Magistrate of Henan尹, and already you cannot withstand it.

"If the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty were to issue a decree, would your White-robed Maitreya even be able to survive?"

Upon hearing this, Duoduo fell silent!

Indeed, she had harbored precisely that thought when she came.

In Luoyang, Fang Yanqian had designated the White-robed Maitreya as rebels, issuing an order that any who had ever joined the sect must surrender to the officials within ten days, in which case their past misdeeds would be pardoned. After ten days, the government would launch a fierce crackdown on its followers, and anyone subsequently confirmed to be a member of the White-robed Maitreya would be executed without mercy.

Merely this single proclamation had thrown the followers of the White-robed Maitreya in Luoyang into a panic.

In the span of just three days, countless people surrendered to the authorities... and based on the confessions of these followers, the government subsequently smashed over a dozen altars of the White-robed Maitreya. Several prominent local gentry families among them were arrested down to the last member by Fang Yanqian with lightning speed. It was said that these people had already been convicted of treason and would be beheaded after the autumn harvest.

Fair to say, when Husky dared to come and develop his forces in Luoyang, he certainly possessed his own methods and connections.

Yet Duoduo discovered that all those connections of the White-robed Maitreya had been abruptly shut off following the government's crackdown.

Zheng Yanqing reached out and gently pulled her delicate body into his arms.

"Duoduo, listen to me, don't do anything foolish."

"Is it useless even if you speak for us?"

"No one's words will work. Unless the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty issues an imperial decree, no one can stop the purging of the White-robed Maitreya.

"Duoduo, don't blame me. I merely ignited this spark; but once ignited, the consequences are no longer something I can control."

Duoduo fell silent...

She knew that Zheng Yanqing was not offering excuses, but stating a simple fact.

Yet she did not blame Yanqing; if blame was to be assigned, she could only blame Guo Xiaoke, the Two-headed Snake, whose greed had triggered this entire purge.

Compared to five years ago, Duoduo had grown much more steady and mature.

Pulling herself free from Yanqing's embrace, her face somewhat pale, she asked, "Little Scholar, is there truly no way at all?"

"There is!"

"What way?"

"Leave Luoyang, return to Hannan, return to Xiangyang... From this day forward, have nothing more to do with the White-robed Maitreya. Quietly observe the changes in the political situation. Aside from this, there is no other choice."

Zheng Yanqing spoke from the bottom of his heart.

He could hardly tell Duoduo: *Go back and wait, the Great Sui Dynasty is going to collapse in a few years!*

At most, he could only offer a hint: *Wait and see if any changes occur in the future.*

Duoduo bit her lower lip hard, staring blankly at Yanqing.

Suddenly, she turned and bolted. Zheng Yanqing called out behind her, "Duoduo, where are you going?"

"Little Scholar, I believe you!"

A brilliant smile bloomed on Duoduo's face.

"Knowing you're safe makes me very happy. I'm going right back to tell Chief Manager Ha to begin preparations for evacuating Luoyang... Little Scholar, if—I mean if, one day I come to ask for your help, would you be willing to help me?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Zheng Yanqing nodded and said, "I am willing!"

Duoduo's smile grew even brighter.

"Remember that, you promised me you would definitely help me in the future."

"Duoduo, will we meet again?"

"Of course we will, perhaps... before long!"

With a silvery laugh, Duoduo sprang lightly into the air, her figure soaring like an agile swallow as she topped the courtyard wall. "Little Scholar, I'm leaving!"

Her silvery voice still echoed in Yanqing's ears, but her figure had already vanished into the distance without a trace.