Chapter 59: The Fake Princess and His God of War Prince (16)
Xiao Ji had enforced the law in the Heavenly Realm for ten thousand years. The one thing he feared least was a threat.
He lay face-to-face with Xiang Yinnian on the couch. “Then Wangye might as well kill me.”
Xiang Yinnian was flustered and exasperated. “You’d rather die than tell me who that person is?!”
Xiao Ji sighed. “What kind of baseless, imaginary vinegar are you drinking now?”
Xiang Yinnian flatly denied it. “I, the dignified Prince of Beichen, am broad-minded and open-hearted. I disdain to haggle over such trivial matters. Me? Jealous?”
Xiao Ji was speechless. “Then why make trouble out of nothing?”
“I am merely making a deduction based on reason and evidence,” Xiang Yinnian stated.
Xiao Ji, worn down by his pestering, had no choice but to say, “Then just consider it a result of my rigorous training in a past life.”
Xiang Yinnian narrowed his eyes. “So, in your past life, just who was that lover of yours?”
Xiao Ji: “………”
He felt that Xiang Yinnian’s current acting up was likely because he hadn’t been fed enough; his energy was simply too boundless because he was still hungry. The slight tenderness Xiao Ji had originally felt dissipated instantly. He proceeded to ruthlessly grind Xiang Yinnian down once more, only barely letting him off the hook as the sun set in the west. (T/n: OMG. Hahahaha, poor Xiang Yinnian)
Sure enough, for the entire evening afterward, Xiang Yinnian didn’t bring the matter up again. He obediently ate his New Year’s Eve dinner, one hand pressing against his waist, and said to Xiao Ji, “Later, I’ll have Hu Zi come pick you up. Take Lianqiu to the city gate tower to watch the fireworks. I have matters to attend to in the camp; I’ll come pick you up when I’m done.”
Xiao Ji previously had no concept of the New Year. He simply felt that if you gave a holiday face, it was a festival; if you didn’t, it was just the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month.
But in his past life, Xiang Yinnian had valued these things greatly. Whenever a festival approached, he would push aside his duties to spend it with Xiao Ji. Not only that, he would prepare gifts.
So, in the moment, Xiao Ji subconsciously asked, “Busy even on New Year’s Eve?”
Xiang Yinnian hadn’t had this concept before either. Hearing this, he paused, then checked the water clock. He said to Xiao Ji, “It was decided yesterday. I’ll go early and return early to see the New Year with you.”
Xiao Ji was never one to make trouble without reason. Since Xiang Yinnian had official business, he naturally wouldn’t throw a tantrum to delay him. He nodded. “Go be busy.”
Over the years, the Rongdi tribes had grown fearful of Xiang Yinnian’s prestigious name and had become relatively well-behaved. On New Year’s Eve, aside from the soldiers guarding the border, those with homes returned to them, and those without homes drank wine and ate meat in the camp. It was quite a lively scene.
However, inside the Commander-in-Chief’s tent, the atmosphere was exceptionally solemn.
Xiang Yinnian sat by the fire, a soft cushion beneath him. His posture was uncharacteristically lazy compared to the past, yet the words he spoke were as domineering as ever. A short phrase raised the hearts of the dozen or so people in the tent to their throats.
“Let’s rebel.”
Lin Heng suspected he had heard wrong. “Master, rebel against what?”
Xiang Yinnian glanced at him. “Rebel against this Heaven. Let’s have someone else sit on that Dragon Throne of Great Yue.”
Lin Heng knew Xiang Yinnian was domineering, but he never knew he harbored such ambition. Frowning, he said, “Raise troops and enter the Central Plains? This is no small matter. Without a righteous cause, it is treason. We will be seen as rebels. We must discuss this at length.”
As soon as Lin Heng finished, Yu Qing glared at him. “Discuss at length? This is the Xiao family’s empire. Changing the surname and the master is no easy feat. Just because the Wangye says it, you’re already planning it out?”
She then looked at Xiang Yinnian. “Rebellion is a capital crime punishable by the execution of nine generations. Wangye, you were fine this morning; why the sudden whim to walk this path tonight?”
Xiang Yinnian’s waist hurt. He pressed his back and shifted his posture. “Who said anything about treason? Ben Wang only said to let someone else sit there. I didn’t say let the empire change its surname.”
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the tent thought of Xiao Ji. It was widely known that Xiao Ji and the current Crown Prince were full-blooded siblings born of the same mother.
A burly man with a scarred face chimed in, “Wangye intends to stand on the Crown Prince’s side?”
Xiang Yinnian’s buttocks ached, so he changed position again. “What sort of thing is the Crown Prince? Which side would Laozi stand on with him?”
Everyone looked at each other in dismay.
Seeing that not a single one of these blockheads could get to the point, Xiang Yinnian cursed softly, “Does the Wangfei not have the surname Xiao?”
Lin Heng was stunned. “Great Yue has no precedent for a female Emperor ascending the throne.”
The fact that Xiao Ji was male was not a secret that would invite disaster; however, according to Xiao Ji, he had to wait until his coming-of-age ceremony to restore his male identity for it to be considered auspicious.
Xiang Yinnian didn’t believe in superstitions, but when it concerned Xiao Ji, he preferred to believe them true. After all, this Great Yue would be Xiao Ji’s Great Yue in the future. The fortune and misfortune of Great Yue would inevitably involve Xiao Ji.
Thus, he simply said with some irritability, “If there isn’t one, then start one.”
Xiang Yinnian’s reckless attitude was hard for Yu Qing to accept. “Is Wangye doing this solely for the Wangfei?”
Xiang Yinnian glanced at Yu Qing. “The Northern Border is powerful, and merit that overshadows the sovereign is dangerous. The reason the brothers live so comfortably now is simply because the Emperor is old. The longer he sits in that seat, the more afraid he is of making a mistake, and the smaller his courage becomes.”
“The Emperor has thirteen sons. In the battle for succession, whoever ascends will not be incompetent. When that time comes, the first thing they will want to swallow is the meat that is the Northern Border.”
“Ben Wang is a serious affliction in the eyes of the Great Yue Imperial Family. Now that we have the Wangfei as a legitimate justification, rather than sitting and waiting for death, it is better to seize the initiative.”
This was not an excuse. Those in power look ten steps ahead for every step they take. Xiang Yinnian spoke the truth, and the generals present understood clearly that the logic was sound.
The old Emperor’s health was visibly deteriorating, and the succession struggle was imminent. Once a new Emperor ascended, he would certainly not allow the Northern Border to sleep soundly beside his couch. If the new Emperor stumbled into being a useless fool, that would be one thing. If the Crown Prince succeeded, perhaps for Xiao Ji’s sake, he might tolerate a bit more. But if it were anyone else, the future fate of the Northern Border would truly be hard to predict.
Xiao Ji knew that Xiang Yinnian was a man of his word. His trip to the military camp tonight must be related to their conversation that afternoon.
However, since Xiang Yinnian hadn’t revealed it or shown any intention of discussing it with him, he didn’t meddle. He obediently followed Xiang Yinnian’s personal guard, Hu Zi, to the city gate tower.
This was the highest point in the Northern Border. When it was built, it cost considerable manpower and money, designed so that one could take in the entirety of the Rongdi territory and observe enemy movements at all times.
Although it was cold at the high altitude, Xiang Yinnian had made ample preparations. An umbrella was set up in the open air, a heater burned beneath it, fur rugs were spread out, soft cushions lined the reclining chair, and there was even warm sweet soup.
After Xiao Ji sat down, Hu Zi fished out a hand warmer from who knows where and stuffed it into Xiao Ji’s hands.
The night sky was clear, filled with a galaxy of stars that looked close enough to touch, though there was no moonlight to be seen.
There was no curfew in the city. From time to time, adults could be seen leading children at the entrance of the alleys, setting off crackling firecrackers.
Just as the first cluster of fireworks exploded over the Prince’s Manor, Xiao Ji saw Xiang Yinnian ascending the tower, draped in a large cloak.
He missed the brilliance in the night sky, curving his eyes at Xiang Yinnian instead. He shimmied his bottom over, clearing a space beside him. Pulling out the soft cushion from under himself and placing it on the other side, he extended his hand:
“Come to my side.”
Translator’s Note:
- Eating vinegar is a common idiom for being jealous.
- Ben Wang (This King/Prince) is the illicit self-address used by princes.
- Laozi is an arrogant self-address, literally “Your Daddy/Old Master,” used here to show Xiang Yinnian’s rougher, more informal side compared to the courtly “Ben Wang.”
- Xiang Yinnian is ready to gift wrap the empire for his Wangfei (LOL, wife? Really?) I’m enjoying the gong pov’s. Nice. Nice.
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