Chapter 9 — TVF Chapter 9

The Love-Brained Empress (9) Duke Cheng’en had to leave the capital—preferably roll far, far away.

On this point, the emperor and Prince Jing were in perfect agreement. Qin Jingzhou knew this very well.

Once he was out leading troops, his deputies and supervisors would all be the emperor’s trusted men, while his sons and daughters would remain in the capital as “hostages.” A famous general holding military power almost always received this kind of treatment.

Being jointly targeted by the emperor and Prince Jing didn’t stir much emotion in Qin Jingzhou. Leaving the capital in exchange for military authority could even be called “exactly what I want.” The only thing was that before marching south with the army, he needed to properly arrange things for his children.

The eldest daughter could be set aside for now. As long as he didn’t die, both she and his adorable granddaughter would remain perfectly safe before Prince Jing’s so-called “rebellious troops” entered the capital. But his eldest son, his two other daughters, and the family’s intellectual low ground—those two foolish concubine-born sons—were another matter entirely.

His “loving father” persona was already firmly established. Once anything stirred in the capital, someone would inevitably target his children to threaten him. No need to look far—Marquis Antai would absolutely do such a thing.

Just then, the carriage rolled into the estate. As Qin Jingzhou got down, he turned to his two daughters and asked, “Father is going south to suppress the rebellion. Will you come with me?”

Second Miss Xiao, her face veiled, smiled with curved brows. Third Miss Xiao answered even faster, “I’m going! Wherever Father goes, I go! I’ll follow Father!”

It seemed that kicking open the coffin and cleaving the marquis’s gate in two had left a deep impression on the youngest girl. She admired strength—very much so.

Qin Jingzhou smiled and rubbed the little tuft atop her head.

Third Miss Xiao boldly hugged her father’s arm—and then discovered she was suddenly airborne. He lifted her down from the carriage and set her firmly on the ground.

She bounced in place a few times in delight, then turned to give her second sister a smug look.

Second Miss Xiao was more steady by nature. Once home, she dared speak honestly. “Eldest Brother must stay in the capital. I… would also like to stay.”

Qin Jingzhou said seriously, “You don’t need to worry about your eldest sister.” Sensing his youngest daughter tightening her grip on his sleeve, he reached over with his other hand and ruffled her hair again. “I treat all of you the same. I never expected that after hiding away under the excuse of cultivation for a few years, your eldest sister would turn out like this. I know you all have your complaints about her.”

Their eldest brother, Xiao Dalang, whose legs were disabled and had to be carried out by guards, arrived a bit late.

Late—but just in time. He heard every word and hurriedly said, “This son and my sisters would never dare!”

Qin Jingzhou waved a hand. “No need to explain. I’m not blind.” Then he changed tone. “Honestly, I find her irritating too. But she’s my child, and she’s the empress—what can I do? Fortunately, you all understand me.”

Second Miss Xiao smiled gently and said softly in front of her brother and younger sister, “Father, I’m staying of my own will—to accompany Eldest Brother and help watch the house. First, I truly don’t feel at ease about Eldest Sister. She’s caused the family plenty of trouble these past years. Even once Eldest Brother’s legs recover, it won’t be convenient for him to enter the palace often. Sister-in-law’s words…” She paused, then continued frankly. “Even Father’s words are contradicted by Eldest Sister. Without some methods, she probably wouldn’t even listen. Second, my riding and archery would only hold you back. If you ordered a forced march, you’d still have to worry whether I’d fall from my horse… better not. Let’s not make things difficult for each other.”

Seeing that his second daughter was serious, Qin Jingzhou sighed and nodded. “You’re right.”

Of the original owner’s three sons and three daughters, not only did their intelligence vary widely, their physical talents did as well. To be precise, all five were decent—except the second daughter. She was exactly the type who’d struggle just to pass physical education in a later era.

The eldest son and second daughter exchanged a knowing smile, having already decided to stay together and guard the home. Qin Jingzhou planned to remain in the capital a bit longer—long enough to correct his eldest son’s legs and put both the children and his personal guards through a training they’d never forget.

Naturally, before any correction or training, he needed the physicians’ assessment of his eldest son’s and second daughter’s health.

After washing up and changing into casual clothes, he summoned the two doctors recommended by Prince Lu. “Thank you both for your trouble.”

The doctors modestly waved it off and answered every question in detail.

According to their earlier diagnosis, the original owner’s three sons and two daughters all carried emotional burdens, with the eldest son the most severe, followed by the second daughter.

With Qin Jingzhou personally reinforcing his “benevolent father” image, the doctors noted marked improvement. After confirming that the eldest son could already endure the pain of rebreaking bones, Qin Jingzhou made an immediate decision—no delay. The sooner it was treated, the better.

That evening, with the whole family gathered for dinner, Qin Jingzhou laid out his plan to his eldest son, carefully explaining the risks. In truth, he was very confident—he’d practiced on himself several times already, though always under duress.

Xiao Dalang didn’t hesitate at all. “Father, please do it!”

Willing to take risks, unafraid of hardship, and clear on right and wrong—this barely-twenty eldest son, like the second daughter, was truly worth cultivating.

With proper guidance, Qin Jingzhou wouldn’t have to worry about the Cheng’en Duke’s household collapsing the moment he completed his mission and left this world.

The next day, in a specially cleaned courtyard, Qin Jingzhou gathered his family, stewards, and several deeply trusted guard captains to watch. The concubines left behind by the original owner did not count as “family.”

Everything ready, Xiao Dalang drank the anesthetic. He watched with his own eyes as his father decisively struck his legs with his palm, snapping the bones, then—together with an orthopedics-specialized imperial physician—reset the twisted bones into proper alignment.

Xiao Dalang was prepared. The anesthetic dulled the pain, but to feel nothing at all was pure fantasy.

Breaking the legs made sweat pour down his brow, but he endured it. Resetting the shattered bones, however, pushed him past his limit—his consciousness wavered from pain.

To last that long already made him a true man.

A wave of respect rose in the hearts of all who watched.

Qin Jingzhou patted his son’s head, confirmed he was still stable, then continued working on the mangled bones.

Both he and the doctors were certain: Xiao Dalang’s fall and trampling by horses had indeed crushed his legs—but such severe twisting could only have come from a second injury.

Neither the original owner nor Xiao Dalang had ever investigated further, because both knew the mastermind was the emperor.

Even if there were witnesses or evidence—so what?

Qin Jingzhou, holding the original owner’s memories, knew that man had wanted to be a loyal minister.

With a father inclined toward foolish loyalty and an eldest sister hopelessly devoted to the emperor, Xiao Dalang’s past despair was easy to imagine.

Then reality struck him even harder—someone close to him had inflicted that second injury.

Xiao Dalang surely knew. That was why he moved to a country estate to recuperate.

Years passed. He didn’t collapse mentally, nor did he resent his father or eldest sister. Qin Jingzhou thought: this eldest son was more than just promising. The original owner had truly failed all his children except the eldest daughter.

So Qin Jingzhou pressed several acupoints on his son’s head to ease pain and sharpen awareness, then said solemnly before the entire room, “Do not endure any longer! Endure again, and you’ll lose your head entirely!”

That line hit hard.

Xiao Dalang’s eyes lit up instantly, his rims reddening.

Qin Jingzhou ruffled his son’s hair again. “You’ve suffered. This is Father’s fault.”

Xiao Dalang used all his self-control not to cry, but his wife Madam Wu, along with Second Miss Xiao and Third Miss Xiao, all broke down and wiped their eyes.

At that moment, a steward in blue suddenly rushed from the crowd straight toward Xiao Dalang’s injured legs.

From where the stewards stood to the couch Xiao Dalang lay on was no more than five steps. Others reacted—but the third steward of the Cheng’en household, just back from auditing accounts, shifted sideways and blocked several old colleagues. The guards were farther away; they had just started forward when Duke Cheng’en swung a full slap.

The blue-clad steward spun on the spot, spitting out two teeth and a mouthful of blood.

The guards piled on, pinning him to the ground.

Only then did Qin Jingzhou look at the third steward, whose face had gone ashen. “You really did jump out.”

The third steward kowtowed deeply. “Duke, when the ruler commands death, the minister cannot refuse.”

Qin Jingzhou smiled. “Quite the justification. I promoted you personally. Back then you swore you’d die for me. Now you betray your master—if I tell you to die, will you?”

The third steward choked and fell silent.

Qin Jingzhou swept his gaze across the room. The remaining stewards and guards met his eyes without fear—some looked like they were barely holding back applause.

Satisfied, he continued, “If you took the emperor’s silver to harm me and my son, don’t dress it up so nobly.” He rose and delivered a powerful kick, sending the third steward sprawling to land beside the blue-clad one—both pale-faced, eyes vacant, oddly well-matched.

He instructed the head steward, “Send them to the Jingzhao authorities as well. I’d like to see what the emperor plans to do with me.”

The last batch he’d sent over were still rotting in prison, their case stalled after initial interrogation. Qin Jingzhou guessed nothing would be resolved before he left the capital—and the same would go for these two.

To prevent future trouble—and to keep these traitors, who knew the household too well, from becoming a spearhead against his family—he’d struck hard.

Not lethal, but ruptured eardrums, concussions, broken ribs, and fractures. Three to five years bedridden, at least.

Since they dared to secretly target his eldest son, letting them experience that pain themselves seemed only fair.

Most people present were sharp-eyed. Seeing the two men’s condition, they knew Duke Cheng’en was truly enraged.

For those loyal to him, rebelling against Emperor Taizong would have caused hesitation—but rebelling against the current emperor? No psychological burden at all. In their eyes, he was a universally acknowledged waste.

Only after the head steward dragged the dazed traitors away did Qin Jingzhou turn to his eldest son’s wife. “Madam Wu, have you thought about how to explain yourself to me?”

Madam Wu turned pale. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground with a dull thud.

Even more shocked was Xiao Dalang himself.

“What?!”