Chapter 104
Lu Hanzhi froze. “A western campaign?”
Pushing Yuwen Min’s hand away, he frowned and asked, “Why the sudden decision to go west?”
Yuwen Min stopped teasing him and explained, “Second Brother refused His Majesty’s suggestion to enter the Great Zhao Bureau, so His Majesty ordered both of us to lead the western campaign. If we win, His Majesty will grant him the position of Central Divine General and allow him to defend the capital.”
Lu Hanzhi furrowed his brows. “But… Second Sister-in-law is about to give birth. You’ll be gone for at least two to three months. You won’t make it back in time for the delivery.”
Yuwen Min said, “This was also eldest brother’s plan.”
Lu Hanzhi fell into deep thought. This arrangement seemed far too risky.
Yuwen Min reassured him, “Safety won’t be an issue. I’m leaving all my personal guards with you, along with Xiao Liuzi. Add to that His Majesty’s royal guards, Prince Qin Xiao’s personal guards, and my own covert-trained secret guards. With all of them stationed here, the estates of Prince Chu and Prince An will be completely impenetrable. Not even a fly could get in.”
In terms of security, Lu Hanzhi also had access to defensive talismans, which he could exchange for protection. He could even get one for Second Sister-in-law.
And when the young heir was born, he could get one for him too.
But despite all these precautions, he still felt uneasy—though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.
At this point, the story had completely deviated from the original novel, leaving him without a reference.
Yet, since this was their plan, Lu Hanzhi couldn’t interfere.
He understood that for men who sought great achievements, they couldn’t be hindered by small concerns.
Besides, Prince Chu surely realized that if Lu Xuzhi chose to go to the bureau instead of leading the western campaign, he might enjoy temporary peace, but both he and Prince Chu would be under someone else’s control for the rest of their lives.
Regardless of whether the Crown Prince or Yuwen Mingji ascended the throne, Prince Chu’s lineage would never meet a good end.
Understanding this, Lu Hanzhi nodded slowly and said, “Then I’ll bring Second Sister-in-law to live at Prince An’s residence so I can take care of him.”
Yuwen Min smiled at him and said, “No need. He has already been settled in your courtyard. Doctor Lin has also been arranged to stay near Ah Shu’s courtyard. Chongyun actually possesses exceptional skills. His Chongyun Needles are incredibly precise, rendering his opponent unable to retaliate. Every strike hits its mark. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you or Ah Chan.”
Lu Hanzhi replied, “That… isn’t really my concern. To be honest, Your Highness, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve. Even if it’s just Ah Chan and me, I can still protect us. What I’m truly worried about is that once Your Highness and Second Brother leave the capital, the city will descend into chaos.”
Yuwen Min thought for a moment, then said, “Let it descend into chaos! If it doesn’t, how will we see where everyone stands?”
Right now, everyone was keeping their cards close, maintaining a delicate balance.
Just as Lu Hanzhi suspected, Yuwen Min also believed that once he left the capital, people would start revealing their hands.
At the time they were leaving the capital, it happened to be the final showdown between Yuwen Mingji’s faction and the Crown Prince’s faction.
Lu Hanzhi understood—it turned out this was Yuwen Min and his second brother’s next step in their plan.
Perhaps even this battle in the Western Regions was already within their calculations?
After figuring all this out, Lu Hanzhi made up his mind.
He asked Yuwen Min, “When are you departing?”
Yuwen Min replied, “Tomorrow at the hour of Chen.”
Note:: 7-9am
Lu Hanzhi nodded, stood up, and carried Ah Chan outside. He then called over Qin Se and He Ming, instructing them to guard the small courtyard and not let anyone in.
After giving these orders, Lu Hanzhi shut the door to what he treated as his laboratory.
Yuwen Min raised an eyebrow at his actions and asked, “Wang Fei, what are you planning?”
Lu Hanzhi stepped forward, wrapped his arms around Yuwen Min’s neck, and tiptoed to whisper in his ear, “Your journey will be perilous. Think of this as a send-off.”
Would it be too much to have one last passionate farewell?
Yuwen Min was taken by surprise—he hadn’t expected Lu Hanzhi to initiate things himself.
Following his lead, Yuwen Min pulled Lu Hanzhi into his embrace and said, “When I return, I will not fail you.”
Lu Hanzhi smiled and asked, “Is Wang Ye that afraid of failing me?”
Yuwen Min replied, “You have already been let down by one person. The heavens should not be so unfair to you.”
Lu Hanzhi’s heart clenched. Ever since he entered this world through the book, he had always felt adrift, untethered. But now, it felt as though he had finally found solid ground—in Yuwen Min’s arms.
A soul that had left its homeland, arriving in this unfamiliar kingdom.
At first, Lu Hanzhi had placed all his hopes on Ah Chan.
But now, perhaps he could finally have someone to love.
The road ahead would be difficult—he hoped they could support each other.
Lu Hanzhi took the initiative to kiss Yuwen Min’s lips. The unique fragrance that belonged only to a Xiao Langjun enveloped them.
Yuwen Min’s senses were filled with the scent of his emotions—it was intoxicating, something few men could resist.
A Xiao Langjun’s emotional fragrance would unconsciously be released once a month during their cycle, or whenever they actively entered a state of desire.
Lu Hanzhi found himself at his limit—even he felt overwhelmed by the scent emanating from his own body.
Yuwen Min held him close, glanced at the empty room, and asked, “Here?”
Lu Hanzhi’s brows arched, his lips curled into a faint smile, and his entire being radiated an irresistible allure.
With a husky voice, he asked, “Are you really that picky about the location?”
Yuwen Min tightened his embrace and said, “Of course not.”
Outside, the night deepened. A bright moon shone over the palace, illuminating the long, lingering union of two hearts.
Yuwen Min was truly the best kind of lover.
As for Lu Hanzhi, a natural-born zero—he had truly lucked out.
Afterward, Yuwen Min dressed Lu Hanzhi and said, “I must return to the capital before the hour of Chen tomorrow to prepare for deployment. Three thousand elite cavalry from the capital will accompany me to the Western front. They are my personal troops. However, I will not take them into battle—once we leave the capital, they will camp in the western outskirts. Take my waist token. If anything happens, you can command them as you see fit. Each of them is an elite soldier I personally trained, unmatched in combat. Saying that one of them could take on ten men wouldn’t be an exaggeration. This personal army of three thousand is as powerful as a force of ten thousand.”
Hearing how thoroughly Yuwen Min had planned everything, Lu Hanzhi felt there was nothing left to worry about.
After Yuwen Min left, the real confrontation between him and Su Wan’ning would begin.
As Lu Hanzhi had expected, Su Wan’ning indeed had her own plans.
The Crown Prince had secretly mobilized several thousand elite troops from the Northern Guard, keeping them hidden in the northern outskirts.
The northern outskirts were Su Wan’ning’s territory, making it the perfect place to assist the Crown Prince.
As for Yuwen Jing and Yuwen Minji, in Su Wan’ning’s mind, tools would always be just that—tools.
Her approach to winning over Yuwen Jing and Yuwen Minji had always been in service of the Crown Prince.
Though these two were destined to have no claim to the throne, their strength was undeniable.
Especially Yuwen Minji—his cunning was far beyond what the righteous, self-assured Crown Prince could match.
Then there was Yuwen Jing—arrogant as he was, when it came to combat, his bravery was unmatched.
He wasn’t as formidable as Yuwen Min, but he was still an exceptionally useful weapon.
Yuwen Jing wanted revenge for his uncle, so he had thrown his lot in with Yuwen Minji. Their alliance played right into Su Wan’ning’s hands.
She planned to use Yuwen Minji and Yuwen Jing to deal with Yuwen Min and Yuwen Jue. With those two heading west, this was the perfect opportunity.
The only unfortunate part was that she still couldn’t enter the palace, meaning she had no way to help the Empress regain her position as the primary wife.
Su Wan’ning sat by the window, gazing at the tranquil night outside. But beneath that peaceful night, a storm was already brewing.
The Crown Prince embraced her from behind and said, “Wan’er, don’t be sad. Once this matter settles, I will request Father to return your waist token.”
But Su Wan’ning shook her head and said, “In the Crown Prince’s residence, Sister Zhaoyun is about to give birth, and Haozhi has trouble walking. The only one who can visit Mother is me. She is confined in the damp, freezing Lihen Hall. I just want to bring her more warm clothing. But no matter how warm the clothes are, they cannot warm her heart. Mother is in despair—who will comfort her?”
As she spoke, tears fell from Su Wan’ning’s eyes.
The Crown Prince felt uneasy. He knew that the reason he had been able to secure his position as heir was largely thanks to his mother’s efforts.
Every step he took had earned him a reputation for benevolence and filial piety.
But that was only because someone else had paved the way for him—eliminating all obstacles in his path.
People called the Empress harsh and unyielding, but how many truly understood her sacrifices?
Suddenly, Su Wan’ning knelt before him, sobbing. “Your Highness, what are my grievances compared to this? Our Crown Prince’s manor may seem powerful, but we are shackled everywhere. Now, even the An Prince’s Wang Fei dares to trample over me! Yesterday in the palace, he provoked me, and I only lightly pushed him away, yet he collapsed and suffered a miscarriage. This was clearly a trap to frame me, to stop me from visiting Mother! Why would they stop me from entering the palace? What is their true intention? Mother is suffering alone in the palace—how much more must she endure? Your Highness, have you considered this? If you do not seize control, our Crown Prince’s residence and the Empress will eventually become nothing more than prey for others!”
The prince’s emotions were in turmoil after hearing those words. Indeed, he had been far too weak and incompetent as the crown prince.
Su Wan’ning spoke just enough to get her point across. As long as the prince realized the truth, her goal was achieved.
Everything that followed would naturally be handled by others on her behalf.
The next day.
Lu Hanzhi woke up and, for once, personally helped Yuwen Min dress.
Yuwen Min was taken aback by this rare treatment and asked, “What’s going on with you today, Wang Fei?”
Lu Hanzhi replied, “You worked hard last night, Your Highness. As your wife, I am very satisfied. This is my way of giving back.”
Yuwen Min: …
He felt as if he had been sold at a discount. No matter how he calculated it, he still felt like he had lost out.
After a simple breakfast, the two set off at full speed for the capital, bringing Ah Chan along.
At the city gates, Prince Chu and Lu Xuzhi were already waiting. A carriage carried Prince An’s armor, and three thousand elite guards stood ready.
From a distance, when they saw them approaching on horseback, Prince Chu ordered a servant to bring out Yuwen Min’s battle armor.
As soon as the two dismounted, the servant stepped forward to help Yuwen Min put on his armor.
Holding Ah Chan in his arms, Lu Hanzhi felt a pang of unease. This journey was fraught with danger, and he couldn’t help but worry about Yuwen Min.
Prince Chu seemed to have finished whispering to Lu Xuzhi. Mounted on his horse, Lu Xuzhi said, “It’s time. Your Highness, Prince An, let’s move out!”
Now fully armored, Yuwen Min looked even more imposing. Already a strong and valiant figure, the battle armor only enhanced his presence.
He turned to Lu Hanzhi and said, “Wait for me to return.”
Lu Hanzhi simply smiled at him, holding Ah Chan as he stepped forward. “Your Highness, lean in. I have something to tell you.”
Yuwen Min frowned slightly, but with the sound of Lu Xuzhi calling for the army to depart, he urged his horse forward and bent closer to Lu Hanzhi, only to hear a single whispered sentence.
His expression changed drastically, his heartbeat pounding like a drum.
Lu Hanzhi, however, only smiled deeply and looked at him with unwavering affection. “Your Highness, for the sake of your child, come back safely.”
With that, Lu Hanzhi moved behind the horse and gave its hindquarters a firm slap.
The horse neighed loudly and took off at full speed.
From afar, Yuwen Min’s voice echoed back, “You owe me an explanation!”
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
Support Ciacia’s translation temple on Kofi—and if the cliffhanger demons are haunting you, join the Han’er Tier to purge them with advanced chapter access (up to 5!) before the masses even blink.
