SFS Chapter 205 Plan
Chapter 205 Plan
Ignoring the shock of the refugees, Meng Fuqing walked straight up to Chang An.
Why did you take action?
"You treat us like dogs and pigs, so why can't I fight back?" Chang An's eyes were bloodshot, clearly filled with extreme hatred and rage.
Yan He quickly leaned close to Meng Fuqing's ear and briefly explained the whole story.
After learning about it, Meng Fuqing looked at the group of ragged and emaciated refugees in front of him and said, "I will keep what Miss Yan said."
She pointed to the two thousand men under Qin Su who were still waiting outside the city, "But you only have one life, don't you think?"
Chang An knew he had been blinded by rage, and that he couldn't die so uselessly.
A refugee whispered, "Brother Chang, the one who just escorted this young lady out was the Prefect, so her words should be taken seriously."
"Yes, don't be impulsive."
Someone else asked Meng Fuqing, "Young lady, you just said you wanted us to cultivate wasteland... Will you provide meals for the work? If you do, I'll go."
Meng Fuqing nodded, "They provide meals, and not only meals, they also pay wages."
The refugees stirred, and the atmosphere instantly brightened.
However, after the recent turn of events, they were still uncertain.
It was completely dark. Meng Fuqing looked at the bright moon and sparse stars in the sky and said to Yan He, "Come with me."
The two whispered to each other for a moment away from the crowd, and in just a few words, Yan He was shocked.
"You...you really..."
"Unwilling?"
"No, no, no," Yan He's eyes brightened, eager to try, "Meng Fuqing, I knew I hadn't misjudged you! If this succeeds, you'll have to remember me for a great deal!"
"Whether it succeeds or not, we'll know tomorrow."
The two then whispered for a while before returning to the refugees.
"Please wait for me a mile outside the city. I will be there soon."
Meng Fuqing nodded slightly to Yan He, took his horse from a soldier, and turned to go to the city gate.
They happened to run into Qin Su, who was coming out of the city.
"Miss Meng, this is..."
"The refugees are hard to appease, so I'll go into the city to find some food."
Qin Su glanced at the refugees walking away from the city gate, his eyes flickering slightly. "Miss Meng, may I have a word with you in private?"
The conversation between the two was intentionally or unintentionally observed by the soldiers guarding the city gate, but the two seemed unaware of it.
Meng Fuqing nodded. "Young Master Qin, please."
The two found a secluded spot and spoke again. A playful smile flashed in Qin Su's eyes, "Miss Meng, aren't you being a little too impatient?"
He had figured out why Meng Fuqing had so rashly exposed his intentions; he was simply looking for an excuse to launch a counterattack when Xu Weizhi made a move, out of self-preservation.
Meng Fuqing probed, "Does Young Master Qin want to take things slowly? Or does Young Master Qin want to have another good chat with Lord Qin about their father-son relationship?"
Thinking of Qin Yi's scolding of him earlier, Qin Su's smile faded a bit.
"Now that we're already cooperating, Miss Meng, could you please stop beating around the bush?"
Judging from his expression and hearing what he said, Meng Fuqing knew that this cooperation could continue for the time being.
"Lord Xu said that Prince Jing lacks ambition and only wants to maintain a peaceful corner of the country. With Prince Jing's support, we have a legitimate reason to fight. What does Young Master Qin think of this?"
Qin Su chuckled, "A legitimate reason? The prince is useless, but wouldn't the still-growing prince have an even better reason to attack? Tomorrow's invitation is probably a trap."
“Great minds think alike.” Meng Fuqing nodded. “There will be a big show at the banquet, so Young Master Qin should keep an eye out.”
"What do you want?"
"What else can we do? Take Jing'an Prefecture."
Qin Su closed his eyes briefly and continued, "How should we proceed?"
Meng Fuqing paused in his departing steps, turned around and smiled at Qin Su, "It's not arranged yet. Young Master Qin only needs to arrange for his men to enter the city at any time. Wait for my signal at the banquet."
After saying that, she left without looking back.
Qin Su stood frozen in place, thinking he had misheard.
How could Meng Fuqing treat the matter of capturing the city so lightly? He began to reflect on whether he had overestimated Meng Fuqing, or whether she distrusted him because of his status as Qin Yi's eldest son.
For some reason, he felt a little uncomfortable.
On second thought, he realized that he hadn't informed Meng Fuqing about today's events beforehand, and Meng Fuqing's actions were all impromptu and not yet fully arranged, which might not be an excuse.
He looked up at the slender figure at the city gate, perhaps entering the city to mobilize the people in the Hidden Pavilion.
Upon arriving at the city gate, Meng Fuqing attempted to enter but was stopped by the guards.
"During curfew, young ladies are not allowed to enter the city."
"Pacifying the refugees requires supplies. Since Lord Xu has entrusted them to me, I will do my best."
The guard hesitated, saying with difficulty, "Lord Qin just instructed that no one except for Young Master Qin, who is to be settled in the city, is allowed to enter."
Meng Fu's dark blue eyes lingered on him for a moment, then he suddenly smiled and said, "It seems that Lord Qin doesn't care about the refugees at all. Are all the people attacking the city today his subordinates?"
These words caused the city gate guards' expressions to change. Those people were certainly not regular soldiers; many of them were refugees used to make up the numbers. Otherwise, the battle wouldn't have started so quickly.
"Please wait a moment, young lady. We must go and inform them."
Meng Fuqing stood still and waited for a moment before being allowed into the city. As she left, she instructed the guards, "Remember to leave a gate open for me; I don't want to waste my breath explaining when I leave the city."
The guard's lips twitched. Did they think the prefectural city was their own home?
Before they could respond, Meng Fuqing rode off into the night.
After entering the city, she went to find Chunxiao Tower first. Chunxiao Tower was located in the busiest part of the market and occupied a large area, so it was relatively easy to find.
She dismounted and arrived at the restaurant. She knocked three times on the door, but there was no response. She knocked three more times.
Still no response. She introduced herself, "I am Meng Fuqing from Hanhua Village. I sold a lot of pine nuts and dried goods to your restaurant before. I am bothering you late at night to buy some dry food. The more the better. I will pay a high price as long as you can sell it."
Just then, a voice came from inside the room, "How much?"
"How about twenty coins for a pancake?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened.
A man dressed as a waiter, holding a candle, said with a beaming smile, "If we weren't acquainted, I certainly wouldn't let you in at this hour. Please, young lady."
After she entered the restaurant, the dark figure who had followed her waited for a moment, then used his lightness skill to find a place where he could see the back door of Chunxiao Tower and continue to wait.
Meng Fuqing showed the token in her hand to the waiter, who bowed and said, "I have long heard of Miss Meng's name. Please follow me."
Following the waiter to a room on the first floor, he gently turned a tiger head on the wall, and a wall slowly flipped open, revealing a hidden space in the room, with a staircase leading downwards that could be vaguely seen.
The waiter said respectfully, "Miss Ling Jiu said that if Miss Meng comes to Chunxiao Tower, she will receive her personally."
Thank you.
Upon entering the secret passage, she discovered that it appeared to be a water prison.
Before she could reach the deepest part, a man walked towards her.