Chapter 73: The Fake Princess and His God of War Prince (Part 30)
The stifling sensation of having an arrow on the string only to be forced to unstring the bow lit Xiang Yinnian’s fuse.
Most importantly, for the sake of the act, Xiang Yinnian hadn’t been intimate or clingy with Xiao Ji for over half a month.
Receiving the letter from the Imperial City, his handsome face immediately dropped.
“He’s dying, yet he doesn’t know how to pick a good time.”
Xiao Ji pressed one hand against the back of Xiang Yinnian’s head, kissed him for a long time, and then released him to get up and change clothes.
“I will return to the Palace first.”
Xiang Yinnian licked the corner of his lips and frowned.
“In such a rush? Leaving overnight?”
Xiao Ji gave a hum of affirmation. “There’s already a time lag in the news reaching us. Even with fast horses, it must have been nearly half a month. There can be no more delay.”
Seeing that Xiao Ji was about to leave, Xiang Yinnian stood up in a heat of the moment. “I’ll go back with you.”
Xiao Ji refused. “The war with Northern Di has just ended. You are needed here to soothe the army’s morale.”
Furthermore, a Feudal Prince could not enter the capital without a summons. Whether Xiang Yinnian could help if he went back now was one thing, but the inconvenience of his movements was undeniable.
Xiang Yinnian had thought about Xiao Ji returning to the capital, but he hadn’t expected this day to come so abruptly.
The reluctance of parting surged in his heart instantly, washing away the joy of having just won a victory.
“We haven’t even had time to plan…”
Xiao Ji knew Xiang Yinnian couldn’t bear to part with him.
He simply asked, “Great Yue—do you want it or not?”
If Xiang Yinnian were alone, this Great Yue wasn’t really worth coveting; he could do without it.
But if a new Emperor took the throne, he would eventually be driven into a corner. Even his trusted subordinates would likely meet a terrible end.
And this was the perfect opportunity for Xiao Ji to seize the succession.
Xiang Yinnian couldn’t bring himself to say “I don’t want it.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed looking at Xiao Ji, his iron-willed character suddenly carried a hint of grievance in his voice:
“There are only three days left until your birthday.”
Xiao Ji was about to turn twenty—the age of capping. Xiang Yinnian had made many preparations for this day. He hadn’t been able to participate in every important moment of Xiao Ji’s past, so he had planned to not only participate in the future ones but to handle them personally.
And now, he was going to miss it again.
Xiao Ji finished changing his clothes and tied up his long hair.
“We must act according to the urgency of the situation. Three days from now, announce the truth of my male identity to the world. Let word out that the Emperor deceived the Northern Frontier, and thoroughly muddy these waters to confuse everyone.”
“The Emperor’s illness is likely not a matter of a day or two. My brothers must already be restless. I will pretend to have escaped back to the Palace to handle some matters.”
“If anyone seizes the opportunity to take military power, I will place the label of wolfish ambition—attempting to divide the Northern Frontier from Great Yue—on their head.”
“When the time comes, you will mobilize troops towards the Central Plains under the banner of clearing the Emperor’s side of evil ministers.”
In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Xiao Ji had laid out the path clearly. As for how to handle matters in the Palace along this path, it would depend entirely on Xiao Ji himself for now.
Xiang Yinnian looked at Xiao Ji’s calm and indifferent demeanor. His original reluctance turned into heartache.
Even knowing that this was a matter of utmost importance right now, he couldn’t help being tethered by personal feelings and asked:
“Do you not have even a little bit of reluctance to leave me?”
Xiao Ji froze at Xiang Yinnian’s words.
In his previous life, Fang Yinnian’s temperament had been more awkward and domineering. When similar conflicts arose, Fang Yinnian would only sulk alone or lash out with harsh words.
At that time, Xiao Ji couldn’t understand. The things he was doing were clearly things the other party wanted him to do, so why was the other party unhappy when he started doing them?
Now that Xiang Yinnian had asked this question, Xiao Ji seemed to suddenly realize something.
In the end, he had neglected the other’s emotions.
He walked to the bedside, pulled Xiang Yinnian into his arms, kissed his temples, then took a wooden hairpin from his chest pocket and placed it in Xiang Yinnian’s palm.
“Next time we meet, put this on for me personally.”
Xiang Yinnian looked down at the wooden hairpin.
Deep purple sandalwood, exquisitely detailed, a lifelike image of a phoenix in flight.
That day at the training grounds, when Xiao Ji had taken down the hairpin and nailed it into the wooden stake behind him, damaging it, Xiang Yinnian had secretly held a grudge.
But ultimately, it was a small matter, and it wasn’t anything valuable. If it bought Xiang Siyou’s complacency, it was worth it.
So afterwards, Xiang Yinnian hadn’t brought it up to give Xiao Ji trouble.
But now, seeing this wooden hairpin lying perfectly intact in his palm, Xiang Yinnian felt a mix of emotions.
His throat moved.
“This hairpin… that day at the training grounds…”
Xiao Ji touched his cheek.
“That was just a fake. The craftsmanship wasn’t fine; if you had looked closely, you would have noticed the flaws. Ah Nian, anything you give me, I will treat as a treasure—whether it is this hairpin or you yourself.”
Xiang Yinnian felt an intense ache in his heart.
Matters in the Palace wouldn’t be easily resolved.
If the Emperor died too quickly, the throne might fall to someone else before Xiao Ji had a chance to act.
If the Emperor died too slowly, these matters would drag on. The Northern Frontier and the Imperial City were thousands of miles apart; who knew when they would meet again?
And no one could guarantee what other variables might occur in the meantime.
He cupped Xiao Ji’s face, leaving a teeth mark on his cheekbone, his eyes rimmed with red.
“Get out of here, Xiao Ji. Keep your life safe. Send word back whenever you can. If anything happens to you, I will flatten the Central Plains and overturn the skies of Great Yue!”
When Xiao Ji left, Xiang Yinnian didn’t see him off.
He silently rode out of the military camp, heading straight for the Great Yue Imperial City.
He brought no travel expenses; the silver on him was only enough to spare his warhorse’s life and exchange for two horses to ride day and night without rest toward the capital.
Three days later, the Emperor, in order to appease the Northern Frontier, spread the secret that the Ninth Prince had disguised himself as a princess for the marriage alliance. This news set off terrified waves throughout Great Yue.
Soon after, just as the news reached the Imperial City, it was accompanied by the grim report that the Northern Frontier Army was pressing the borders and the Ninth Prince was missing.
The Emperor, already bedridden, coughed up a large pool of blood upon hearing this.
“What a Northern Prince! He chose the person himself, and now he truly intends to rebel!”
Seeing this, the Emperor’s personal head eunuch hurriedly crawled to the Emperor’s side. While serving tea and water, he patted the Emperor’s back.
“Your Majesty, quell your anger. Your body cannot withstand such torment right now…”
Here, the old eunuch’s words hadn’t even finished falling when, on the other side, a young eunuch ran in hurriedly, bowing and scraping. He knelt outside the screen, his voice trembling:
“Your Majesty, the Ninth… the Ninth Princess has returned!”
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