Chapter 65

Summer had arrived. Under the scorching sun, Ye Rui and Lu Yihua were walking through Qingzhou City, preparing to buy grain and valuables so they could take them to the tribe and deceive the people there.

They planned to disguise themselves as wandering merchants and bring a few treasures into the Flying Horse Tribe to sell. The barbarians liked gemstones; they had raided Great Yan merchants many times before, refusing silver notes and taking only gemstones and gold back home for the women in their families to wear.

The two of them had already divided up the work. Ye Rui was heading to the jewelry shop to inspect the fakes the owner had made for her several days ago, while Lu Yihua was going to the prefectural office to look for Mu Xue.

Two days earlier, Ye Rui had sent Mu Xue a letter asking her to prepare some imitation gems and mix in a few real ones. Though Mu Xue had not replied, Ye Rui knew she would definitely agree.

If she did not agree, there was nothing to be done; they would have to find another way. They no longer had time to complain.

After Lu Yihua explained her purpose, the prefectural office let her in. Mu Xue was in the study behind the main hall, drinking tea and reading account books.

Come to think of it, Mu Xue had already been staying in Qingzhou City for three months. Was she not needed in the Capital City or Yulan City?

While Lu Yihua was thinking this, she had already reached the study door in the back courtyard. She knocked, and a lazy voice called from inside. Only then did she go in.

The midday heat of summer always made people drowsy, especially after a meal. One felt especially drained, so Mu Xue was lying on her side on the soft couch, holding a scroll and reading with her eyes half-lowered, looking as though she might fall asleep at any moment.

Today, Mu Xue wore a pale white gauze robe. Her right leg was slightly bent and poking out from beneath the gauze, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin and a glimpse of just how long and slender her leg really was. Her hair was loose, and she lazily lifted her gaze to look at Lu Yihua’s slightly dazed expression. Smiling, she said, “Little pauper, what are you staring at?”

After saying that, Mu Xue gave a small yawn, then added, “Don’t tell me you think I’m pretty and have fallen for me?”

The corners of Mu Xue’s eyes lifted with amusement, sweeping away the fatigue from moments ago. She looked as if she had finally found something entertaining.

Lu Yihua’s ears turned red, and her throat inexplicably tightened. After a pause, she said, “Ye Rui asked me to come get gemstones from Miss Mu.”

Mu Xue clicked her tongue twice and chided her with a “boring.” Then she raised a slender hand and pointed to the box beside the desk. “That box.”

When Lu Yihua saw it, she was just about to walk over when Mu Xue continued, “It’s a bit heavy. Can you carry it?”

“I can.”

Lu Yihua did plenty of rough work in the military camp on ordinary days, so this kind of weight was naturally no problem...! Hm!

She used all her strength, but the box only lifted a tiny bit. In that instant, it felt as if a thin layer of sweat had broken out across her back. Embarrassment burned so hot that her whole face was practically on fire.

“Hahahahaha—!”

Mu Xue laughed so hard that her scroll fell to the floor. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said, “You can’t brag too soon.”

Lu Yihua heard that and, unconvinced, tried again, but still could not lift it. It was only a box the size of a person’s embrace, and it was just gemstones inside; why was it so heavy?!

By then Mu Xue had already walked over. A gust of fragrance stirred in the air, and she crouched beside the box together with Lu Yihua. “Some of the gems in here are Great Yan heavy profound stones. They’re very difficult for one person to lift.”

“Then were you teasing me just now?”

The moment Lu Yihua heard “heavy profound stone,” she immediately understood. This was a kind of black gemstone, extremely heavy; once carved, it was usually used as decoration. Even if the earth shook, it would not be knocked over.

“And what if I was?”

Mu Xue laughed and sighed. “Life in the army is so dull; life in Qingzhou City is dull too. If I don’t find some amusement, I’ll be bored to death.”

As she spoke, she recalled Lu Yihua’s flushed face when she had been trying to lift the box, and added, “I didn’t expect teasing you would be this amusing.”

Lu Yihua gave a helpless, wry smile. “Fine, tease me if you want. It’s not as if I can tease you back.”

Mu Xue shook her head, looking extremely confident. “Even if you wanted to, you definitely couldn’t outplay me.”

Lu Yihua looked at Mu Xue’s flowerlike smile and suddenly felt warm inside. There was not the slightest trace of anger at being teased. She said, “Then can you lend me a hand and help me?”

Lu Yihua really had no way to carry it back. At the very least, she would need to find a small cart and put the box on that.

Mu Xue looked sly as she said, “I can. But before I help you, you have to tell me one thing.”

“What is it?”

Lu Yihua asked, turning to look at Mu Xue’s far too beautiful face before hurriedly pulling her gaze back and staring fixedly at the box instead, no longer looking around.

“Who are your parents?”

The moment those words fell, Lu Yihua’s expression changed. She looked at Mu Xue, who had already put away her playful grin and was gazing at her solemnly.

“What, you don’t trust me?”

Mu Xue’s lips curved slightly, wearing an expression that said she saw right through everything. Lu Yihua thought about it. Along the way, Mu Xue had helped them so much; just the fact that she had taken in the people from the bandit stronghold and given them a way to earn a living meant she should trust her.

“My parents were originally generals under the Eldest Princess. When Her Highness was being pursued, my parents sacrificed themselves to cover her escape.”

Mu Xue’s pupils trembled. She remembered every general who had protected her, but she did not remember anyone with the surname Lu... Wait!

“What were your parents’ names?”

Mu Xue struggled to control her expression, her gaze moving repeatedly over Lu Yihua’s face, trying to find some trace of the people she knew in her features.

“My father was called Li Yi, and my mother was called Wu Fanhua. Later I was sent to a family surnamed Lu. In order to keep me alive, I changed my name to Lu Yihua. The ‘Yi’ in my name was chosen by my adoptive father so I would remember my parents.”

Mu Xue lowered her head. Her face had gone completely pale, and her hands trembled with agitation. So it really was their descendant. Good. Good that she had not been wiped out. Good that someone was still alive.

“Miss Mu, what’s wrong?”

Seeing that Mu Xue’s expression was off, Lu Yihua asked with concern. Mu Xue only shook her head and motioned for Lu Yihua to move the box, so Lu Yihua did not ask further.

She only silently remembered this matter. Mu Xue’s reaction had been far too strange, almost as if... she knew her parents?

The two of them then worked together to move the box onto a small cart. By then Mu Xue’s expression had returned to normal. Arms folded, she said, “Were all your military skills taught by your parents?”

“Yes. I learned from childhood, and even after they passed away, I never let up for a single day.”

When Lu Yihua said this, her beautiful eyes were full of resolve, with a trace of stubborn brightness. It was as though some unshakable belief had carried her to this very day.

“That’s good.”

With that, Mu Xue turned to leave, but Lu Yihua called after her. “And you? Who taught you your military skills?”

“Oh?”

Mu Xue raised a brow and looked back with a smile. “So soon you’re trying to fish for my information?”

Lu Yihua heard that and immediately shook her head. “I spoke out of turn. If Miss Mu doesn’t wish to say, then I won’t force you.”

With that, Lu Yihua bent slightly, cupped her fists, and was about to leave. Just as she was about to step out of the courtyard gate, Mu Xue said softly, “Perhaps one day, you’ll know.”

Watching Lu Yihua’s departing figure, Mu Xue’s gaze gradually deepened.

Back then, although the news of her death had spread across all of Great Yan, Yan Mu still had not let go of the generals around her or their descendants. Even though she had used every resource and every bit of influence she had to secretly protect those people, they still could not escape Yan Mu’s assassins.

She could only watch as the news of those people and their children’s deaths was delivered one after another into her hands, helpless to stop it. In the end, she had not been able to protect the people who had once risked their lives to save her.

The famed red-clad general, the existence the barbarians feared most—Mu Xue had once taken pride in that. Yet at that time, all she felt beyond the knowledge that she was nothing but a failure was a deep, suffocating despair.

She had never expected fate to spare her completely. After all this time and all those twists and turns, it had sent the daughter of an old friend back to her side. The daughter of that old friend was still alive. That was wonderful...

If fate truly had arrangements hidden in the dark, then what was this one meant to be?

**

Two days later, Ye Rui and Lu Yihua disguised themselves and successfully entered the Flying Horse Tribe by trading three boxes of gemstones. They then did business there for two days. Though they did not understand the language, Ye Rui and Lu Yihua put their full talent for talking nonsense to use. Combined with the temptation of the three boxes of gemstones, the Flying Horse Tribe quickly let them enter the tribe to trade.

Actually, what Ye Rui spoke was English, and she even imitated the accent of an Indian coworker she had once worked with. After a few sentences, the curry flavor was so strong it was practically overwhelming; unexpectedly, she really managed to fool them.

It was just that Hutu’s laughter made her head ache. This system never did anything proper; it was always cracking jokes.

At night, Ye Rui and Lu Yihua split up to investigate the tribe. In the end, they finally found the location where the grain and fodder were stored.

Not only that, they also made an unexpected discovery.

After leaving the Flying Horse Tribe, Ye Rui and Lu Yihua headed in the opposite direction from the Phoenix Army. Only after they had left the patrol radius of the Flying Horse Tribe did they take a huge detour back to the Phoenix Army, wasting another full day on the road.

Still, it had all been worth it; not only had they learned where the grain and fodder were, they had also found that unexpected discovery.

Inside Li Yan’s discussion tent, Li Yan sat in the seat of honor, while Lu Yihua and Ye Rui sat side by side. After hearing what Ye Rui had said, Li Yan immediately showed a shocked expression. “You’re saying the young leader of the Flying Horse Tribe is involved with the wife of the leader of the Silverstone Tribe?”

“Yes. We accidentally overheard it from a maid sent by the Silverstone Tribe leader’s wife to speak with that young leader. She said the child the leader’s wife had just given birth to was actually the young leader of the Flying Horse Tribe’s.”

Ye Rui still remembered how completely absorbed in gossip she had been at the time, so much so that she had forgotten everything else; even her tense nerves had relaxed. Gossip really could cure all ills.

Lu Yihua added, “It’s absolutely true. From what they said, that child was conceived from an affair during last year’s barbarian Sun God festival, and they’ve also exchanged love letters. The evidence is conclusive.”

Li Yan’s expression kept changing. It seemed some thought had just flashed through her mind.

“The relationship between tribe and tribe is tangled in countless ways; the wife of the Silverstone Tribe’s leader is also the Western Barbarian King’s cousin. Captain, if conflict breaks out between them, it will definitely descend into chaos. How would they still have the mind to attack the Qingzhou Army then?”

Ye Rui thought this was a good opportunity, one that could let the Phoenix Army and even the Spirit Fox Army recuperate. By then, they would have plenty of time to think about how to deal with the barbarians.

Trust is a fracture. If the Western Barbarian King handles this matter unfairly, then the poorer tribes, which already resent him, will certainly not let it go.

A rebellion needs a just cause. If the ruler is unjust, that is the greatest reason of all.

“That’s true. Then as for destroying the grain and fodder now, do you think we still need to carry it out?”

Li Yan’s face lit up with joy. Having been in the army for so many years, she naturally knew that morale was the most important thing. Once morale scattered and everyone was no longer united, collapse would only be a matter of time.

“We can put the grain and fodder aside for now. I have another plan; if it succeeds, perhaps we can recruit soldiers.”

Ye Rui smiled slyly, unable to help inwardly sighing that the military books she had read and the planning she had done had not been wasted. Now it all came down to what would happen after the Silverstone and Flying Horse Tribes clashed.

If everything went smoothly, that would of course be best. If not, then Ye Rui would add more fuel and make sure this stew of chaos boiled over properly.

The fighting on the frontier was frequent; the Capital City, too, was hiding currents beneath the surface.

Helian Chi had already woken up. Unfortunately, he was half paralyzed and could not even speak. He had become half a useless man and had completely withdrawn from the stage of power struggle.

Helian Duanhua had controlled the Helian family for several months now. Even those clan members who had not initially thought much of her were now all bowing their heads and submitting.

Setting aside just how formidable Helian Duanhua was at doing business, her methods for dealing with those who resisted were downright vicious. Two months earlier, a branch family had tried to secretly transfer Helian Duanhua’s business into their own hands. After Helian Duanhua discovered it, no one knew what means she used to send that branch’s business into a steep decline. One after another, their capable stewards left, and in less than a month they could no longer keep going and shut down, their wealth completely scattered.

Helian Duanhua swiftly took over their business and forced them into a dead end until they had no choice but to leave the Capital City. The head of that branch family even died suddenly on the road, and the entire branch collapsed like a tree taking down the monkeys with it, never again posing any threat.

The Emperor was extremely surprised by Helian Duanhua’s rise. He tested Helian Shaohua, but Helian Shaohua knew nothing about Helian Duanhua’s feigned madness. After all, this was a family matter; the Emperor could not interfere. Still, he told Helian Shaohua to have more contact with Helian Duanhua, making it clear that he intended to bring the current Helian family over to his side.

The Emperor needed silver, and so did the nation. The Helian family now possessed abundant wealth. If they could be brought over, they would surely become a very powerful asset.

Helian Duanhua was not like Helian Chi, who held an official position. As long as she was given more convenience in business, and as long as she did not interfere in court politics, the Emperor could use her with confidence.

The Emperor’s thinking was idealistic. He had no idea this was exactly the trap being set for him, or the most important move on Helian Shaohua’s chessboard.

Inside Golden Phoenix Palace, Helian Shaohua held a black piece between her fingers, rolling it over and over as though deeply pondering where the next move should fall.

“Lingchao’s chess skill is still as good as ever. I’ve hardly ever won against you.”

With a smile, Helian Shaohua set down the black piece. At this point, the black side on the board had no hope of recovery; it was already tightly surrounded by white pieces.

“My chess skill was taught by Your Majesty. A fine teacher produces excellent students.”

As she spoke, Xie Tinglan also placed a white piece, bringing the game to a complete end. Beside the board was a small tea table, with an intricately carved gilded incense burner on it. A pot of hot tea was releasing a sweet-bitter fragrance. The tea scent blended with the incense, forming a clear, elegant aroma.

Today, Helian Shaohua wore a pale yellow palace robe. She was usually accustomed to keeping her nails long, but today they had been trimmed short and neat, with no lacquer at all; they were clean and plain. Xie Tinglan’s gaze could not help lingering on her nails for a moment before she heard Helian Shaohua smile and say, “Lingchao, you’re talking like a polished courtier now too.”

“Every word is the truth; all my abilities were taught by Your Majesty.”

Teacher and friend alike—that had always been their relationship. Helian Shaohua had watched Xie Tinglan grow up, and Xie Tinglan had watched Helian Shaohua step by step climb to the summit she wanted.

Helian Shaohua was in a good mood and accepted Xie Tinglan’s flattery. Then she asked, “I heard you’ve been spending your nights in the yamen district handling official business. What are you planning to do?”

Xie Tinglan’s complexion was already much better now, and so was her health. Helian Shaohua had also heard her mention that she had gone to learn archery not long ago, so she really had become active.

But when Helian Shaohua asked why she had learned archery instead of something else, Xie Tinglan only smiled and said nothing.

As she cleared away the chessboard, Xie Tinglan said, “I’m planning to make a trip to Qingzhou City.”

Helian Shaohua was not surprised by the answer. “For public matters or private ones?”

“Both. We’ve had our eyes on the Qingzhou Army for a long time. Now that the Qingzhou Army is in trouble, we also urgently need the final piece of the puzzle. This trip is very important.”

Helian Shaohua nodded after hearing this, agreeing with Xie Tinglan’s words. Still, she reminded her, “Lingchao, I can’t concern myself with your private matters. As long as they don’t affect our plan, that’s enough.”

“I understand.”

After Xie Tinglan finished tidying the chessboard, Shen Zhuiying just happened to return. When she reported, she did not avoid Xie Tinglan either: “Your Majesty, the Emperor has spent this entire month with Consort Liu. It’s said that last night he got drunk again, and today he even fell asleep on the dragon throne during the morning court session.”

Hearing this, Xie Tinglan gave a cold laugh. “That really happened.”

She even still remembered the sound of snoring coming from the dragon throne, which instantly made the entire court fall silent. Some were furious and bitter, unable to speak; others, like Xie Tinglan, merely watched the show in silence. For a full quarter of an hour, no one dared wake Emperor Yuan.

“It seems that palace maid really does have some ability. Or rather, she’s Consort Liu now.”

Helian Shaohua lifted her teacup and took a small sip. Shen Zhuiying then asked, “Your Majesty, that woman is not someone who can be trusted. Aren’t you afraid that if she ever—”

Helian Shaohua raised a hand to cut her off. “The fact that she is unstable is exactly what makes her useful. Only because she received my arrangement can she move so freely in the harem. If she dares to nurse any bad intentions, there are plenty of people in the harem who would like nothing better than to see her dead.”

Helian Shaohua was not the least bit worried about that palace maid. After all, she had no family backing and was greedy into the bargain; she was the easiest kind of person to control.

Xie Tinglan did not speak. She only kept up a cold smile.

Since ancient times, the signs of an emperor’s downfall had never been anything more than indulging in alchemy and women; beyond that, there was incompetence in ruling subordinates and unrest among the people. Now Yan Mu was already step by step walking the road to destruction, yet the person he thought he could trust most was, in fact, the pillow-side companion pushing him toward the abyss.

He thought that by using Helian Shaohua’s connections to bring over the great merchant Helian Duanhua, he would be able to rest easy for good. It was truly like a sheep walking straight into a tiger’s den.

This move, he had lost without injustice.

“Your Majesty, I only have one concern now.”

Xie Tinglan brought the topic back around. Helian Shaohua looked at her and asked, “Is it that stubborn fellow Nan Zhenchuan?”

“Yes.”

The Qingzhou Army and Nan Zhenchuan’s forces had been working closely together all along. Though they could not send large numbers of soldiers to the Qingzhou Army, Nan Zhenchuan had been an indispensable helper to the Qingzhou Army all these years. Whether Zhang Tingluo would betray Great Yan and betray Nan Zhenchuan was still hard to say.

Nan Zhenchuan was the sort of man who would cling stubbornly to one thing to the death. He would absolutely not do anything like rebel. If the Qingzhou Army defected, getting past Nan Zhenchuan would be difficult indeed.

This journey to Qingzhou would surely be full of obstacles.

“For now, the only thing we can rely on is the Qingzhou Army. This matter will definitely be difficult. Lingchao, if you cannot accomplish it, then return to the Capital City. That place is the frontier; it is Nan Zhenchuan’s territory. Do not get entangled. Keeping your life is what matters most.”

Helian Shaohua spoke with earnest concern, and Xie Tinglan immediately agreed.

Yet Xie Tinglan fell somewhat into a daze. This trip to Qingzhou... this trip to Qingzhou...

Ye Rui, your brilliance shines like a jade pearl; I am willing to devote my whole life to you.

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Author’s note: It’s coming, it’s coming, they’re about to meet! [doge]