Chapter 87: He is Quite Willing to Give Everything for Meā¦ part 1
The State of Yu’an was in chaos following the Emperor’s death. A group of princes fought amongst themselves; in just fifteen days, the throne had changed hands three times. Just as the fourth Emperor was about to be forced from his seat in a palace coup, Yun Tianqing returned to the capital with her army.
“General Yun, what should I do next?” the new Emperor of Yu’an asked timidly, glancing at the woman beside him.
The three ambitious and daring Emperors were already dead. He was merely a puppet pushed onto the throne. If the fifth Emperor hadn’t sought his own death and Yun Tianqing hadn’t arrived at just the right moment, he would have likely lost his life as well.
“Investigate the rebels, seize their assets for the treasury, and then send a diplomatic letter to the Emperor of Songxuan.”
Yun Tianqing was dressed in python robes. Sitting in a subject’s position, she possessed more presence than the new Emperor, looking far more like a ruler in control of the world.
Her hands truly held the power of life and death, and such power bestowed a unique charm and majesty upon a person.
“Very well.” A grand monarch had become a “yes-man” who followed orders. In the new Emperorās eyes, there was fear, resentment, and an uncontrollable admiration for Yun Tianqing.
Yun Tianqing held a battle report from the front lines, her brow furrowing involuntarily. She wished she could immediately deploy her troops to snatch her brother back from Songxuan.
But no one knew the state of Yu’anās army better than she did. No money, no graināthe entire army was supported by the Yu’an Prince’s Manor.
Fortunately, once the old Emperor died, many people rebelled. Her active asset-seizing over the past few days had finally secured a significant amount of military funding.
However, with the new Emperor being such a coward, if she went to war, who would watch the house?
The thing she feared most in war was the cutting of supply lines.
“Emperor of Songxuan.” Yun Tianqing whispered the name, wishing she could chew it up and grind it to powder between her teeth.
That madman… Yu’an and Songxuan had been fighting for so many years that Yu’an was on the verge of total exhaustion. Songxuan couldn’t be doing much better, yet they had a madman for an Emperor who disregarded all consequences.
“Do not execute envoys,” “Do not kill generals,” “Ransom prisoners with gold and territory”āall these unspoken rules of war were a joke to the Songxuan Emperor.
He would even tear up a treaty negotiated by the strategists of both sides whenever he felt like it.
It wasn’t that no one in Songxuan had ever resisted his rule, but no one had been able to pull him from his position. In fact, everything in the country continued to function without issue, and he even had the spare strength to deploy troops to invade Yu’an.
Crazed and willful, yet possessing terrifying intellectāsuch a man becoming an Emperor was simply a disaster that no one could end.
War was no game. Yun Tianqing could risk her own life to save her brother, but she couldn’t let her soldiers fight a battle they weren’t certain to win.
“General! A letter from the Prince’s Heir!” Lin Yue rushed into the room with a letter, a messenger pigeon perched steadily on his head.
His hands were suddenly empty. While he was still running, the letter had already reached someone else’s hands.
Yun Tianqing scanned the letter. First, she identified the handwritingāit was her brother’s. The secret codes also matched. Only then did she check the contents.
As she read line by line, her expression became increasingly ugly. Her fingers crumpled the letter as she slammed a palm down on the table beside her.
Lin Yue was quick and grabbed the blue-and-white porcelain vase from the table, saving it from being destroyed along with the wooden table.
“General! This table is made of red sandalwood! Selling it could feed the camp for ten days!”
The new Emperor, witnessing Yun Tianqingās martial power from a short distance, shrunk his body, retracting his restless little thoughts as well.
According to the rules, Lin Yue’s words alone were enough to charge him with “gross disrespect.” Selling a table from the Emperor’s residence to use as military funds was a crime punishable by death.
But the current Emperor acted as if he had heard nothing.
Imperial pride? What was that?
He had only survived this long because he was a coward.
Lin Yue placed the vase in a safe spot and peeked at the letter in Yun Tianqingās hand. “General, what does the letter say?”
Yun Tianqingās face was dark, like a storm cloud overhead. “My little brother is going to marry the Songxuan Emperor.”
“Huh?!” The eavesdropping Emperor couldn’t help but let out a sound. After drawing their gazes, he sheepishly looked away, pretending he had heard nothing.
“Your Majesty shall continue reviewing the memorials here. My subordinate and I have urgent matters to attend to.” Yun Tianqing gave the Emperor a perfunctory explanation and led Lin Yue to a secluded, empty side hall.
Lin Yue took the letter and read the full text of Yun Wuxiangās message.
[A-jie, please open. Song Yilou plans to use the entire State of Songxuan as a dowry to enter into a marriage contract with me. I have already agreed to this proposal. The wedding date is set for three months from now.]
[I have heard that chaos has been frequent in Yu’an lately; the capital likely cannot do without A-jie. On the wedding day, A-jie may come or not. During this time, please do not engage in further conflict with Songxuan. After the grand wedding, Songxuan and Yu’an will naturally be as close as family.]
After finishing it, Lin Yue was speechless. “This… this, this, this…”
“What is that Songxuan boy planning now?”
“That Songxuan brat!” Yun Tianqing raised her hand, hovering in the air for a long time before she could bring it down. She fiercely withdrew her hand, feeling even angrier.
Damn it! The furniture here was so expensive she couldn’t bring herself to break it!
Lin Yue, who had spent some time in the capital and seen many conspiracies during the succession struggle, couldn’t help but begin to hypothesize. “General, this is a good excuse to go to Songxuan. The Prince’s Heir is not someone who acts recklessly; his sending this letter must have a deeper meaning. Yu’an cannot do without your presence right now, so I shall go see him on your behalf.”
“As long as you are safe, the Prince’s Heir still has a way out. If you were to go to Songxuan and something happened to you, he would truly be isolated and helpless, at the mercy of the Songxuan Emperor.”
Yun Tianqing gnashed her teeth in fury but ultimately agreed to Lin Yue’s suggestion.
As for the letter’s claim that Song Yilou was using Songxuan as a dowry, neither of them believed it.
Not just themāany person in Yu’an who heard it wouldn’t believe it.
Using a country as a dowry was simply too absurd. Even if the whole world knew the Songxuan Emperor was a madman, no one believed he would give up his throne for love.
A change of monarch was no joke; the Songxuan royal family hadn’t died out yet.
Furthermore, for an abdicated Emperor to marry the new Emperorāwhat kind of decorum was that?!
Even if he wanted to be crazy, would the royal clan agree? Would the court officials agree?
Actually, they would.
“The abdication edict has already been sent out. We are about to become husband and wife… ah, husband and husband.”
Song Yilou sat down happily opposite Yun Wuxiang. His posture was bold and casual. He reached out a hand, blocking the brush used for painting.
“Even such joyous news can’t distract you from this junk. Tanyun, you really are using me, aren’t you?”
Yun Wuxiang put down the brush. A stray lock of long hair drifted in the breeze, brushing past Song Yilou’s nose. The latter grabbed it.
Using him? It wasn’t exactly false. Song Yilou’s current status was indeed useful.
“I need the Black-and-White Floating Life Flower to rid myself of this body. As for the wedding, wasn’t that your idea?”
“Besides, youāre already tired of playing with the State of Songxuan.”
“Hahahaha, youāre right. Iām bored of it.” Song Yilou wound Yun Wuxiangās hair around his fingers. “The Prince’s Heir has guessed correctly again. But why do you understand me so well?”
He rose and circled to Yun Wuxiangās side. His fingers rested on the side of the other’s neckāit looked like flirting, but his two fingers were actually positioned over a vital pressure point. A little force would be enough to kill.
“We are about to be married. People say a couple should be honest with each other. Iāve even given you Songxuan to play with; when will my dear Yun-lang tell me some truth?”
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