Chapter 62
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Outside the room, a report from Little Xizi came, “Your Majesty, an urgent military report from 800 miles away.”
Jiang Yanchi let go of Chu Xie’s hand but was still worried that Chu Xie might leave. He didn’t lift the house arrest and just asked him to stay in the room and wait for his return in the evening.
Chu Xie looked at the sunset outside the window, estimating that it was about the time of Hai Shi. This time, he didn’t expect that he would have spent so long with Jiang Yanchi, and he was afraid he would miss his meeting with Xu Chunmu.
The Chengluan Palace was just a few hundred steps to the west of the Xuanzheng Palace. Jiang Yanchi took the military report and glanced at it, and his brows furrowed tightly.
The deputy commander of Huaizhi County, Zhao Shi, had just delivered the order to transfer 150,000 troops to Jiang Silan, the son of the Prince of Yubei County. They had barely left the capital when news of another victory in Huaizhi County reached Jiang Yanchi.
This Zhao Lingqu was indeed someone with some talent.
He unexpectedly conquered three counties in a row, blocking the elite forces led by Huchi Er from the North Xiongnu at the Wushui River, making it impossible for them to approach.
Now, as he repeatedly achieved military merits and was just starting to gain recognition, Chu Xie wanted to kill him.
The war report in his hand was crumpled from being squeezed too hard. Jiang Yanchi was momentarily unsure how to mediate.
He could only issue another decree, appointing Lord Jiang Silan to the position and ordering Zhao Lingqu to cooperate in the campaign.
This way, it would allow the son of the Prince of Yubei County to snatch the majority of Jiang Lingqu’s military achievements. With no military merits to his name, Jiang Lingqu, who already had few dependencies, would not be able to rise further in rank.
After the war, let it be cold for some time. The situation would be easier to handle.
Jiang Yanchi also ordered the secret guards to investigate what happened in Huaiqi County over a month ago.
If Chu Xie refused to talk, he would find out on his own.
This decree was issued without going through the court deliberations. The next day at the morning court session, Chu Xie, who was restricted and unable to appear, lost the power to intimidate face-to-face. The courtiers who usually dared not speak out began to advise against it.
They thought that the young emperor was probably bewitched by that eunuch with a charming appearance.
He was so foolish.
Listening to the countless words of the influential eunuch, he couldn’t wait to suppress the rising and meritorious new general.
The discussions and debates continued throughout the morning.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!” Minister Xue shook his head repeatedly, tears streaming down his face, wetting his robes. “How could you be so close to Chu Xie… How could you let the words of such a treacherous minister affect you? Zhao Lingqu is clearly talented. Now he has troops in his hands, driving the North Xiongnu to defeat. At this moment, transferring military power, how can this be done! This is shaking the foundation of the country!”
“If Your Majesty wants to establish Lord Chu as the Empress, his position should be removed. The previous dynasty’s harem was clearly delineated,” Zong Zheng agreed.
“Establish him as the Empress?!” Duke Zhao coughed, “Your Majesty, be cautious. He is the Zhangyin for the country, and he’s a eunuch. How can he be enthroned as the Empress?”
The discussion was diverted. The wedding date was known to be set in ten days and the palace had already started preparing and decorating, however, a dispute arose over whether the empress should be established.
This dispute unexpectedly continued past noon.
To suppress the ongoing discussions, Jiang Yanchi temporarily ensured that the grand wedding would proceed smoothly. He had to delay the matter concerning Zhao Lingqu and promoted him to the position of City Defense General, coordinating with the son of the Prince of Yubei to confront the enemy.
He hoped that Jiang Silan would be someone capable of controlling the situation. He must not let Zhao Lingqu take over the command of the military.
However, things did not go as planned.
In less than three days, there was another report from the western border.
The command fell into the hands of Zhao Lingqu, who seized two more counties. In the deep of night, Huchi Er launched a counterattack, and the two armies fought relentlessly along the Huai River for two days, resulting in heavy casualties.
It turned into a protracted battle.
A plea for reinforcements came from the northern border as the North Xiongnu retreated further and further, suffering heavy losses. Coupled with internal strife, Huchi Er found himself in a dilemma. Although he wanted to take another gamble, he had no choice but to consider retreating. He sent envoys to negotiate for peace.
The initiative was back in the hands of Great Wei, as the North Xiongnu wanted to end this battle quickly, and Great Wei was dealing with internal and external challenges. The people in Xuanzheng Hall were debating over this war day and night.
The courtiers, including the current emperor, were all in a state of great anxiety.
Jiang Yanchi endured several days without rest, and dark circles formed under his eyes. He would often return to Chu Xie’s place only after midnight. Not wanting to disturb his peaceful sleep, Jiang Yanchi would find a small couch in the side chamber to rest for a while.
When he left early in the morning, Chu Xie was still fast asleep.
“How is the preparation for the grand wedding?” Jiang Yanchi asked the steward of Chengluan Hall.
“The golden decree, golden treasures, and imperial edict are all in order. The purple-gold phoenix coronet and rosy cloud robe are ready, and the auspicious attire can be tailored today and tried on by His Highness. Does Your Majesty want to come and see?”
Naturally, he wanted to see.
However, with the urgent situation in the western region and the uncertainty of the war, the envoy for peace talks was arriving today. It seemed unlikely that he would make it.
Jiang Yanchi felt a subtle regret in his heart but thought it wouldn’t matter. There would be plenty to see at the grand wedding.
Looking at Chu Xie’s peaceful sleeping face, any lingering regret in Jiang Yanchi’s heart was smoothed away.
“No need. Today, I have to meet with the envoy for peace talks,” Jiang Yanchi instructed, worried that Chu Xie might feel lonely or wronged. “Go, bring two close people from the Chu residence to accompany His Highness in trying on the auspicious attire.”
Chu Xie slept until mid-morning, having enjoyed good food and rest lately, and when he heard some movement around him, he would usually extend his hand.
Assisted in getting up, Chu Xie yawned with closed eyes. Someone was putting on his shoes, and the actions seemed familiar. When he opened his eyes, he saw it was Tao Li.
“My Lord,” Tao Li said with a smile, helping him put on the other shoe, “Congratulations, My Lord. The grand wedding is in three days. His Majesty cannot come to see My Lord in the auspicious attire today, so he specially sent me to serve My Lord.”
Chu Xie looked at Tao Li and noticed that she had grown taller. He asked, “Have you grown taller recently?”
“Yes, Tao Li has reached marriageable age.”
Is Little Yin getting taller too? Chu Xie thought, raising his hand to pat Tao Li’s head. “Growing taller is good.”
“Master, please finish washing your mouth and face quickly. Tao Li will tie up your hair, and the auspicious attire will be sent shortly. We need to try it on promptly; if it doesn’t fit, we’ll have to send it back for alterations.”
Tao Li had grown so much. He recalled the time when he first picked up this child; she was only a few years old. He had been in this world for so long.
However.
This world did not belong to him.
Chu Xie gazed at his reflection in the bronze mirror, observing the girl separating his hair and combing it with a wooden comb in her hands.
This person was not himself.
He was merely playing the roles of two false shadows, walking through a plot that didn’t belong to him.
For over a decade, he had lived like this, with a clear distinction between reality and illusion.
But why lately was his mood becoming more and more unsettled?
Tao Li accidentally pulled a strand of his hair too hard, interrupting his thoughts. She immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, Master! I’m so clumsy…”
“It’s okay.”
Without any makeup yet, and with the purple-gold phoenix coronet yet to arrive, Chu Xie tried on the ceremonial attire from the imperial decree. Later, he would have to try the bright red wedding dress for the bedding ceremony.
Getting married was truly a troublesome matter.
Layer by layer, the dark ceremonial attire was put on. It was intricate and heavy. Chu Xie looked at himself in the standing bronze mirror, feeling an extremely unreal sensation.
“Master looks really handsome,” Tao Li, at such a young age, sounded like an old mother sending off her daughter in marriage, wiping tears from her eyes as she said, “How can there be such a handsome person in this world?”
Chu Xie asked why Jiang Yanchi couldn’t come today. Thinking carefully, he realized he hadn’t seen much of him these past few days.
“I heard it’s because the situation in the western region is critical. The envoy for peace talks from the North Xiongnu arrived today.”
Critical situation in the western region.
In what way was it critical? Chu Xie had a faint sense of unease. Zhao Lingqu shouldn’t have gained remarkable military achievements, right?
Just as Tao Li was about to pull out a jewelry box with a rattling sound, Chu Xie had an uneasy feeling about the peace talks with the North Xiongnu.
Who would negotiate, and what would they negotiate?
Chu Xie had a vague sense of foreboding.
Before Tao Li could make a selection, Chu Xie suddenly pushed her, saying, “You go, bring some silver and inquire at the Xuanzheng Hall about the envoy from North Xiongnu who came for peace talks. Hurry.”
Confused, Tao Li responded, “But Master hasn’t finished trying on the auspicious attire.” Chu Xie handed her his waist token and said, “Hurry up.”
Holding Chu Xie’s personal token, Tao Li smoothly proceeded. Initially stopped by the guards outside the Xuanzheng Hall, after a brief altercation, she managed to get through with the help of a little palace maid.
When questioned about her purpose, she was finally allowed inside, with a warning, “Be clever and make sure none of the former officials recognize you.”
Hearing some commotion inside, probably after the audience and before the small banquet, she followed and went to the outer hall. There, she bribed a little eunuch in charge of pouring wine and inquired about the list of North Xiongnu peace envoy.
About to return and report to Chu Xie, she heard a sudden crash of porcelain from the banquet hall.
For a moment, the place fell silent. Tao Li thought her small actions had been discovered, and with a thump, she followed the group of palace maids and eunuchs kneeling outside the banquet hall, shivering in fear.
Inside the banquet hall, the aroma of wine wafted through the air. The shattered items on the floor were not porcelain but the white jade wine cup in the Emperor’s hand.
Jiang Yanchi stared coldly at the terms presented by the North Xiongnu envoy, focusing on a line of text on the right for quite some time, as if he wanted to peel off the flesh and skin of the person before him.
“Could this parchment scroll have been switched on the way here?” Jiang Yanchi threw the scroll to the ground, splashing it with wine. The writing was somewhat blurred.
The North Xiongnu envoy immediately picked up the parchment, carefully checked again, and said, “No mistake, this is the correct one.”
The Deputy Minister of War, sitting nearby, couldn’t fathom the subtleties from the Emperor and the envoy’s tone. He approached and glanced at the parchment, his face changing suddenly, “What is the meaning of this section?”
“Hmph.” Jiang Yanchi’s smile became more stern, “If there’s no substitution, then this peace talk is unnecessary.”
Unexpectedly, it aroused thunderous anger.
Once this statement was made, the courtiers were shocked. “Your Majesty, please reconsider!”
“Your Majesty, you must not hastily reject this. We can discuss this matter in the long run…”
The Deputy Minister sent a signal to the Minister of War, who cleverly remained silent at first and then asked, “I don’t know what the envoy desires.”
“We are willing to offer eight hundred cattle and sheep, a thousand Western Region war horses, including a hundred young horses. We can also discuss silver; Your Majesty only needs to state a number. However, for what we want, Your Majesty also needs…”
“What do you want?”
“We want a marriage alliance.”
The tense atmosphere suddenly eased. Zong Zheng took the initiative to clean up the shattered jade and then smiled, saying, “That’s easy to discuss…”
“Beforehand, it had already been discussed with the envoy from Great Wei. It is unjust for your envoy to go back on their word. Injustice lies with you first.” The envoy then took out another piece of parchment from his sleeve and presented a portrait to the court officials. “Now, we are willing to negotiate at the old price again, thanks to the generosity of our Left Virtuous King. We hope that this time, Great Wei will also show sincerity and not casually deceive us with someone else. What we want is this person.”
The banquet hall fell silent instantly.
Even the sounds of music and conversation came to a halt. Su Mingan, who was close by, looked at the portrait, and his expression changed suddenly.
“…Lord Chu Xie, Zhangyin.”
The Emperor’s hasty royal marriage might not have reached the Northern Xiongs yet, and they might be unaware of Chu Xie’s impending status as the Empress of Great Wei. The imposing manner in which they came to demand an explanation at this moment alarmed the entire hall.
The Emperor had always been intolerant of anyone interfering with Lord Chu.
The Northern Xiongs were surprisingly bold, openly intending to take someone away for a royal marriage negotiation.
This was not a diplomatic talk; it was clearly a provocation.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, the attendant immediately tried to remedy it, “The envoy may not be aware that this person… this person is already our—”
“Kill him.”
The Emperor’s voice came indifferently from the hall.
The courtiers instantly rose to advise, “Your Majesty, in times of war, envoys should not be harmed!”
“Your Majesty, please reconsider. This matter should not be hastily decided, there’s no need to make it look so ugly…”
“In the end, they didn’t even know—”
The envoy’s face turned pale with panic as he looked at the guards who were approaching to pull him back. He struggled and exclaimed, “Is this the way Great Wei treats its guests? We may not necessarily lose in the war! Now you—ah!”
Under Jiang Yanchi’s signal, one of the envoy’s legs was forcefully broken, and with a cracking sound, he was forced to kneel on the ground.
Despite the pain, he endured it and angrily said, “This matter was your breach of faith first, and now you want to kill our envoy. You—”
Xu Chunmu, fearing that the Emperor might actually order the envoy’s execution in anger, threw his wine cup, hitting the hilt of the approaching sword and deflecting it. “Your Majesty, please be cautious.”
“Breach of faith? How did we breach faith?” Zong Zheng stepped forward, wanting to clarify, “When did we send an envoy for negotiations?”
“It was during the attack on Changye County in the Northern Territory, at the foot of Langya Mountain. Clearly, it was your Great Wei that sent an envoy first. At that time, the situation in the Northern Xiongs was favorable, and we agreed to it. The agreement was for Chu Zhangyin to form a marital alliance on the grassland. This war—”
Even Xu Chunmu’s expression changed. He had always been puzzled about why the Northern Xiongs suddenly agreed to withdraw ninety miles.
After careful consideration of the accounts from those days, Xu Chunmu’s gaze became darker, and he suddenly stood up. “So, at that time, you had such a despicable motive!”
“It’s you Wei people who are untrustworthy!” The envoy recognized Xu Chunmu as the young lord who had set fire to their supplies that day. “It’s you, you conspired with Chu Xie against us! Without that long disturbance, the thirteen counties of Wei in the north would have been ours long ago—”
The deputy commander behind Xu Chunmu sternly interrupted, mindful of Chu Xie’s upcoming marriage with the Emperor, and the fact that the Xu family was already under the Emperor’s suspicion. They couldn’t afford to offend him further.
“What are you saying? We don’t understand at all—”
“It was the Xu family fearing war that sent this beauty to deceive our Left Virtuous King, forcing him to retreat ninety miles to the foot of Langya Mountain and cutting off our supply route. These sinister tactics forced us to lose two and miss out on three counties… Now, all we want is to reclaim someone who rightfully belongs to our grassland, yet you repeatedly break your promises!”
Jiang Yanchi’s eyes casually swept over Xu Chunmu.
His gaze was dark, showing no blame or any discernible emotions.
“How dare you sow discord in the relationship between ruler and ministers.” Jiang Yanchi spoke in a low voice.
“Why don’t you confront Lord Chu on this matter? Lord Chu was willing; he intended to go to the grassland with us—”
“Willing?” Jiang Yanchi sneered, “You can say that with a straight face.”
“He promised it with his own mouth. If you don’t believe it, you can bring Lord Chu here to confront. Continuing the war is detrimental to both Great Wei and the Northern Xiongs. There’s no need for this! Lord Chu has already slept with our king and even wore the attire of our grassland, sitting by the campfire with us—”
Jiang Yanchi’s hand suddenly clenched in his sleeve, digging deep into his palm.
For an instant, everything seemed to freeze. His face turned iron-gray, unable to suppress the chill and bitterness in his tone.
“Take him away and behead him. Send his head to the western border.”
Xu Chunmu was also shocked by these words. When he regained his senses, the Northern Xiong envoy had already been gagged and dragged away.
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