The Grandmaster Strategist

Watching Liu Rumeng’s figure recede, Yulun felt both grief and indignation, short of breath and mentally suffering, and he lost consciousness again. By the time he woke up, he was lying in an empty tent, and two arguing voices reached his ear. It was Shang Chengye and Ding Ming.

He heard Shang Chengye say in outrage, “Brother Ding, the personage outside making demands is the Prince of Jia of Great Yong, the legitimate son of the Prince of Qi, Li Xian. If we offend him, don’t have any hope for a peace treaty.”

“This one promised Lady Liu I would protect Song Yu’s life,” Ding Ming sternly said. “The Yong camp declared they would make mincemeat of the traitor who disturbed the Southern Chu diplomatic mission under their protection. If he lands in Yong hands, he will lose his life. Daren needs only to say to the Yong camp that it was an internal dispute. Presumably, they cannot enter and search.”

Shang Chengye apparently hesitated for a while and eventually said, “All right, that’ll do. Oh yes, Song Yu is an old friend of mine. Although he disregarded the big picture, quite detestable, he hurt another out of love. How about this? I have some top-notch tonics. I’ll have someone deliver them here in a bit. Brother Ding, if you think they can be of use, please use them on him. The sooner he recovers, the sooner we can get him to leave.”

Ding Ming seemed quite satisfied. “Daren takes old feelings into account. This one does not have any objections. It’s just that this one knows very little about medicine. I would need to consult daren.”

“I still need to go explain things to the Prince of Jia. Deputy envoy mastered medical knowledge from daren. Brother Ding can seek advice from him,” Shang Chengye said.

Inside the tent, Song Yu showed a thin sneer. As he had kept company with Shang Chengye for many years, he knew his personality and conduct. Perhaps Shang Chengye was a muddleheaded son of an aristocratic family many years ago, but now he’d become a merciless, vicious aristocrat, learning from experience. For this, Song Yu probably deserved quite a bit of credit. Even though Ding Ming’s ability and wisdom were outstanding, he was still too naïve when it came to dealing with these sons of aristocratic families who were best at putting on a pretense of friendship.

As expected, after Ding Ming’s footfalls got distant, Yulun soon heard a series of urgent footsteps. He strained to sit up straight and stared intently at the door flap of the tent. Several people walked before the tent, and the one who lifted the flap and entered was Shang Chengye, sure enough.

The moment Shang Chengye entered the tent, he saw a set of icy, unsympathetic eyes. He couldn’t help but grow cold. Although he knew the man’s injury was so grave the man couldn’t imperil him, he was still too scared to approach. Somewhat embarrassed, he said, “Brother Song, it’s not that I overlooked our old friendship. It’s just that Great Yong’s Prince of Jia was inspecting our camp when he learned of the incident in our camp. It’s unknown who spoke out of turn and told the Prince of Jia that the person who broke into the camp is still alive. The Prince of Jia is young and arrogant and was very angry about letting you trespass into the camp under the Yong army’s protection. As such, he insisted this official hand you over. I truly do not want to break my promise to Lady Liu.”

Doubt arose within Yulun. When he got the news, he essentially rode nonstop to Hefei and didn’t pass any information to any of his brothers on the journey. Nobody should know that he was hiding here. So why was the Prince of Jia demanding he be turned over? On second thought, maybe he was overthinking things. Although the Prince of Jia was young, his reputation had spread through Jianghuai over the past two years, everyone saying he was young and imperious. This request likely didn’t have any special purpose.

He got an idea. If he went to the Yong camp, he could request an audience with his master. If he implored him, maybe his master would remember their past relationship and rescue Rumeng. Because Yulun hated Jiang Zhe, he would rather meet his end than think of beseeching Jiang Zhe. However, upon seeing Liu Rumeng’s heartbroken appearance with his own eyes, he could no longer cling to his old obsession. Understanding this, he didn’t make any actions of resistance, simply giving Shang Chengye a brief look and then closing his eyes.

Shang Chengye got irritated and looked and Song Yu with a chillier gaze. This man used to be his best friend. He was always willing to discuss any dilemmas with Song Yu, who usually just beat around the bush and made intimations. The comments seemed normal, but it let him work through many problems, and Song Yu was never concerned about his decisions, making him never get the feeling that he was being controlled. It was a completely different feeling than when facing his father’s aides. However, his confidant who he’d wanted to rely on as his right hand suddenly disappeared two years ago. At the time, to take precautions against Song Yu saying things he shouldn’t, Shang Chengye’s father dispatched people to secretly search for him, but they came up empty-handed.

Shang Chengye didn’t expect him to suddenly turn up in the camp, nor that he would look like he’d broken off all friendly ties. Remembering how this man would actually speak for Lu Can, Shang Chengye’s heart hardened, and he coldly said, “Take him outside and hand him over to the Prince of Jia’s bodyguards. Remember, don’t leak this information.”

Two household guards of the Shang family went over and pulled Yulun up. Because of his extremely serious injury, they weren’t too rough, showing him this mercy. Sweat was pouring off Yulun, and he was already half-conscious after walking just a dozen steps while being held by the arms.

After an uncertain amount of time passed, he woke up again, tasting a fragrance in his mouth and smelling it on his cheeks. His body apparently gained a lot of strength out of thin air. Although it was still unbearably painful to make a single move, his wound felt cool. It was the wound medicine the Secret Camp specially produced that he used in the past. Relieved, Yulun knew he was safe. Lifting his eyes and gazing out, he saw himself lying in an elegant and clean bedroom. Straining to sit up, he was about to make inquiries when the door noiselessly opened. A handsome and elegant man wearing green robes tinged with gray walked in carrying a bowl of medicine.

Yulun was dumbstruck. Only upon that man walking up to the bed with a smile and handing the bowl of medicine to him did he fiercely pull on that man’s sleeve and begin wailing. He was acting like a child who’d been wronged in all kinds of ways and suddenly saw a close relative. The other man sighed gently and reached out to pat him on the back. The bowl of medicine in his hand didn’t so much as tremble. Not a single drop of the decoction spilled.

Yulun finally stopped crying after an indefinite amount of time. He choked out, “Second brother, why have you come?”

As it turned out, the other man was ranked second among the eight elite operatives, Daoli. Nowadays, Hai Wuya didn’t really manage things. Hai Li was the true steward of the Hai family, occupied with a huge host of problems every day.

Yulun didn’t expect he would come to Hefei. Of the eight elite operatives, Daoli was merciless and courageous, his combat prowess and decisiveness better than everyone else’s. Yulun used to feel closest to him, as well as respecting this senior apprentice brother the most. At the time he was bent on leaving the Secret Camp, Daoli was sailing out to sea and not in the Central Plains. If Daoli had appeared to persuade him otherwise, Yulun might not have been that resolute. And for the past several years, he’d deliberately avoided sending messages to Daoli, afraid he would persuade him to return to the Secret Camp. He didn’t expect that, at his lowest, he would encounter the elder brother he most respected. This made him unable to restrain his heartfelt grief any longer, so he wept his heart out.

Letting out a long sigh, Daoli said, “Yulun, you’re too resolute. This issue could have been solved in another way. Why throw your life away for nothing? Baiyi already informed the six of us that of the eight elite operatives, you’re the only one still drifting through jianghu. How could we rest easy? We’ve discussed this matter already. You still must go to Sir and apologize. You’ve broken his heart too much for the past several years.”

Yulun went quiet. Although he had prepared himself before entering the Yong camp, an uneasy feeling arose inside him when he thought of Liu Rumeng, who looked almost identical to Liu Piaoxiang at the same age. Seeing that he was silent, Daoli nonchalantly said, “You don’t need to worry. We’ll all lend you a hand. The Southern Chu envoy has already entered the city. You were unconscious for a very long time. After Sir meets Liu Rumeng, you can seek each other out. Drink the medicine first, or else you won’t even have the strength to plead with Sir when the time comes.”

Yulun took the bowl of medicine and wordlessly drank the bitter decoction. He had a similar bitterness in his heart that was difficult to express. He couldn’t know that in a study not too far away, Huo Cong was contentedly sipping tea, while Li Lin looked like he was watching a comedy, mostly because he couldn’t hold back while viewing Huo Cong’s unfettered expression. Finally unable to restrain himself, he taunted, “Big brother Huo, are you truly sure there’s a way to convince Uncle? That Song Yu nearly died there. If not for you telling me to demand him, I’m afraid your big plan would have had no hope of success.” He picked up his teacup and drank from it.

Huo Cong gave him a brief glance. “There was no other choice. It was difficult to ascertain his whereabouts before this event. We could only wait for a stroke of luck. Your Imperial Highness is simply gloating. The one Sir sent to southern Fujian to escort the entire Lu family was senior apprentice brother Quhuang. Senior apprentice brother Yulun and he have strong brotherly ties. If he makes an ingenious arrangement, I’m afraid that Lady Lu will get married before Your Imperial Highness can even ask for Lady Lu’s hand in marriage.”

“Pfft! Ahem!” Li Lin spat out the tea in his mouth and glared at Huo Cong. “Enough. This Prince will do as ordered. In any case, I don’t want Roulan to be betrothed to you. Your scheming is too extensive, daring even to plot against Uncle. My Elder Imperial Brother is more suited for Roulan, but are you sure Princely Father will act that way? Can you still threaten him?”

Smiling, Huo Cong said, “As a minor sixth-ranked clerk, how could I dare threaten His Imperial Highness, the majestic Prince of Qi? It’s just that the Prince of Qi is unruly in temperament. Although he’s hid his strengths and bided his time for the past few years, his nature didn’t change. Besides, the Prince will purposely make things difficult to humiliate the Southern Chu envoy. That Lady Liu has an iron fist in a velvet glove, and after suffering such an excruciating parting, she will presumably speak up in defiance. Even if this type of situation doesn’t occur, I have no doubt Sir will cut Lady Liu off. Even though the course of events is different, the outcome will be much the same. You should think about what you need to do.”

“You’re sure I won’t be butchered by Lady Ling Yu’s lover?” muttered Li Lin.

Laughter danced in Huo Cong’s eyes. “Probably not. If you get butchered, I’ll think of a way to avenge you.”

Li Lin stomped his feet in hatred and lambasted, “If the plan doesn’t succeed, even if Elder Imperial Brother doesn’t blame you, this Prince will get proper payback.” He then turned around and walked out.

Huo Cong sighed and said, “If it actually fails, I’m afraid it’s impossible to say if I can even get past Sir before you can teach me a lesson!”

Just as Daoli had said, the Southern Chu diplomatic mission had already entered the city of Hefei. The Prince of Qi’s command headquarters had been set up inside the temporary residential royal palace of the Southern Chu king when he resided in the city of Hefei. This palace had been constructed during the reign of Emperor Wu and was imposing and vast, splendorous and luxurious.

Shang Chengye was trembling in his boots as he walked into the Silver Peace Hall and didn’t have the capacity to lament that the king’s former temporary residence had turned into the headquarters of a prince of Great Yong. He also didn’t have the energy to notice the Yong officers standing on either side with folded arms and overwhelming killing intent. He walked to the middle of the hall and prostrated. Only when he heard the “rise” command did he dare to raise his head and look up.

He saw a handsome, dignified, middle-aged man sitting upon the royal dais and throne. The man wore cloth armor the color of gold and a red, embroidered overcoat. He had an exceptionally heroic bearing and looked poised and majestic. Although he was already in his forties, his looks could still put any man under the sun to shame. He wore a smile and looked peaceful, but Shang Chengye got a feeling of unfamiliarity.

Years ago, when the Prince of Qi served as an envoy in Southern Chu, Shang Chengye met him. However, at the time, the Prince of Qi was as dangerous and eye-catching as an unsheathed sword. Meeting him again today, he felt like this man's previous overbearing attitude that whistled heavenward had become internalized deep inside. Only the occasional, roving shine in his eyes of the contempt he had for the world made Shang Chengye realize this man was, in fact, more terrifying than before. And only an aura of this sort suited the commander of the elite troops of Great Yong, the subjugator of Northern Han, the crusader against Southern Chu, with countless illustrious achievements under his belt, His Imperial Highness, the Prince of Qi.

And in the chair to the left of the Prince of Qi sat a refined man wearing azure robes and a sash of office. Although he was graying at the temples, he was brimming with life, a tranquil and calm presence. He was among many valiant generals and brave warriors with aggressive auras in the Silver Peace Hall, but he did not seem to pale by comparison in the slightest. Although they had been apart for many years, and his face had changed greatly, Shang Chengye recognized this man as the second-in-command of Great Yong's Jiangnan Command Post, who the Yong emperor had reinstated as a marquis of the first rank, Jiang Zhe. He even vaguely sensed that this man was gazing at him with a look indifferent to the extreme, like he held no weight in his mind.

In the chair to the right of the Prince of Qi sat a general with a bushy beard and the presence and might of a mountain. His eyes shot forth a violent glint. He was the one who conquered Huaixi, invincible the entire campaign to Hefei, Jing Chi. His eyes were full of disdain and ferocity, as if he might stand up at any time and kill someone.

However, Shang Chengye’s attention was more drawn by the two people standing behind Jiang Zhe. One of them wore servant robes and stood with head lowered. Although it was the humble demeanor of a servant, Shang Chengye dared not underestimate him, and he was even too afraid to glance at the man. Everyone in the world had heard of the reputation of Demonic Shadow Li Shun. Without this man, Jiang Zhe wouldn't have lived to the present day, let alone accomplishing his brilliant military exploits.

The other person was a beautiful young woman around eighteen, graceful and exquisite, her face sparkling. The young woman had her head down, whispering something into Jiang Zhe’s ear. Jiang Zhe slightly nodded, indulgence and pampering writ large on his face.

Watching this take place, a thought struck Shang Chengye. According to the intelligence he received beforehand, Jiang Zhe’s daughter, the Princess of Zhaohua, Jiang Roulan, had apparently stayed with the army for the past two years. This woman had not only won the hearts of Great Yong’s imperial family, she was even the most likely candidate to be the future crown princess. If not for Crown Prince Li Jun of Great Yong currently directing the campaign in Jianghuai, this woman would likely have already been designated the crown princess. The young woman before him not only looked elegant but also regal. For a woman to appear in the Silver Peace Hall, he thought it had to undoubtedly be the Princess of Zhaohua.

Leashing his wild imagination, Shang Chengye bowed again at the bottom of the dais and said, “This minor official followed the orders of my King of Southern Chu to call upon the commander of Great Yong’s Jiangnan Command Post, Your Imperial Highness, the Prince of Qi. My King sincerely sues for peace, willing to cede territory and pay tribute, serving Great Yong as a vassal state forever—”

“This Prince is charged by the Emperor to subjugate the disloyal,” Li Xian interrupted impatiently. “If Honorable Envoy wished to sue for peace, he should have gone to Chang’an to see His Imperial Majesty. Speaking these words to this Prince is not of much use. If this Prince did not meet you, it would disrespect your courtesy in making this long journey. Since we have met now, you should retire and rest. The peace treaty shall be discussed later.”

Shang Chengye never held any hope in persuading the Prince of Qi through speech, but Li Xian didn’t even give him the chance to speak. He couldn’t help feeling gloomy on the inside and had no recourse but to say, “Your Imperial Highness is part of Great Yong’s Imperial Family and the commander-in-chief of the southern expedition. If Your Imperial Highness would consider the plight of Jiangnan’s commoners suffering the cruel ravages of war, please appeal to His Imperial Majesty of your distinguished country. Lay down arms, cease the killing, and work together on a peace treaty to protect the common folk of both nations from the agony of war. The Heavens and the Earth, the state, and the masses will all give thanks to Your Imperial Highness.” Here, he saw Li Xian’s expression was rather impatient and was completely unmoved. He knew the man was not fond of empty words and, remembering the man’s reputation of lust for women, he resolved himself. Tossing aside dignity, he continued, “To demonstrate my King’s sincerity, this foreign minister came with many different kinds of tribute. The list of gifts was presented to Your Imperial Highness yesterday. Please, Your Imperial Highness, consider my King’s earnestness.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier instead of such drivel?” Li Xian replied with a smile.

Jing Chi convulsed with laughter in spite of himself at the words, rocking back and forth. With him leading the way, all the generals in the audience chamber started guffawing. Shang Chengye’s face, however, turned the color of pork liver.

Jiang Zhe, who’d been grinning and spectating, could no longer restrain himself. Even if it were a deliberate slight against the envoy, it was indecorous. He cleared his throat once in admonishment. He may have been a civil official, but he had quite the presence in the military. Merely looking around at everyone with a stern eye stopped the laughter immediately. Jing Chi shrank back in an almost unnoticeable way, scared to make another sound. Jiang Zhe then stared at Li Xian and said plainly, “Please forgive us, Honorable Envoy. The peace treaty was of great importance. His Imperial Highness, the Prince of Qi, may be the commander-in-chief, but he cannot take unauthorized action. After the issue is reported to His Imperial Majesty, a reply shall be given to sire whether it is allowed or not.”

Although I spoke to get Shang Chengye out of a bind, I actually loathed this Shang Chengye. I may have designed to use him to persuade Shang Weijun to harm Lu Can, but that didn’t mean I was sympathetic to him. Although I greatly wanted to have him dragged straight off and hacked to pieces, since I’d already planned for a ceasefire this winter, using the peace talks to stall for time wasn’t a bad idea to prevent people like Yang Xiu and Rong Yuan from getting restless. Further, the day would come when father and son would face retribution for their life of crime, so I didn’t need to worry. The Prince of Jia, Li Lin, had been rattling his saber for a long time, ready to exterminate the entire Shang family once Southern Chu was conquered, wanting to win favor with young Miss Lu, Lu Mei, who still to this day didn’t know Li Lin had fallen in love with her.

As a matter of fact, it was interesting. I gave the record of Lu Mei’s experiences after leaving Jianye to Li Lin to read. The boy who’d always been callous actually wiped away tears for a long time while reading it. In reality, this was no surprise. If not for hearing what Dong Que had to say, I also wouldn’t have believed a frail and slender little girl could possess such courage and willpower to escape to a deserted village with Shi Yujin in tow. Not to mention, because Shi Yujin’s symptoms of pregnancy extended for almost eight months and her difficult labor, the little girl bustled around taking care of her sister-in-law and nephew. Although she’d received a great deal of help from Dong Que, it was still terribly arduous.

After I told Li Lin all this, I hoped that boy would not only be attracted by Lu Mei’s charm and wasn’t searching for another match after giving up on Roulan. I hoped he would genuinely love Lu Mei. This would respect Lu Can in the underworld. Lu Mei was an iron fist in a velvet glove, tender and virtuous. If she truly married Li Lin, it would be the blessing of that boy’s untold previous lifetimes.

I let out a muted sigh. Others’ affairs were easy to manage, so why was my daughter so troublesome? After I recovered, I wanted to simply return to the capital, but the emperor stubbornly appointed me the Army Supervisor of the Jiangnan Command Post. I was supposedly the Army Supervisor, but I didn’t get any chances for freedom of action. That would have been fine, as I wouldn’t need to worry about military affairs, and staying in a sinecure in the command post was fine too. The only thing that gave me a headache was Roulan’s marriage. Although the emperor didn’t clarify matters, quite a few people had come to persuade me for the past two years. Although they equivocated, the meaning was quite obvious. They wanted me to approve of the marriage of the match made in heaven.

However, I truly did not wish to marry Lan’er off to Li Jun. In order to take precautions against the Empress Dowager and the empress taking advantage of my absence to designate Lan’er as the crown princess, I made her stay by my side, not letting her return to the capital, much less let her meet Li Jun in person. I hoped time would dilute her feelings for Li Jun. However, that girl was truly stubborn.

Normally, she acted docile and lovable in my presence, attending to me thoughtfully, sharing my burdens and toil. For the past several months, she was even able to take care of some standard documents for me. It was impossible to see anything irregular. However, as long as I brought up the marriage between Cong’er and her, she would fall silent and refuse to answer. I hadn’t let her see Li Jun in two years, and the letters didn’t get through, but as long as someone accidentally brought up Li Jun, I could instantly see her prick her ears up. If she heard good news from Li Jun’s area, she would be in glowing spirits all day. I just couldn’t do anything about it. Could I stop her from prying on military reports from Huaidong?

The more I saw of such deep love, the more I lamented. Alas, if that girl acted like a normal woman, first crying, then causing trouble, and finally hanging herself, I would have forced her to marry Cong’er long ago. Would she dare defy an order from her parents? However, she just grinned and bore it. Besides refusing to relent to the engagement, not even the most obedient and most sensible daughter had her beat. As such, how could I steel myself to force her to marry?

While I was lost in thought, I dimly heard Li Xian’s voice. “This Liu Rumeng, by all accounts, is the Most Popular Courtesan of Jiangnan. This Prince also wants to experience her beauty and skill. This Prince orders that she enter the hall and demonstrate her talents.”

I furrowed my brows. Roulan had apparently forgotten to give the list of tribute to me. I looked back and asked in a whisper, “Lan’er, who’s this Liu Rumeng? Is she another gift sent by Southern Chu?”

A light flashed in Roulan’s eyes, and she answered back in a whisper, “Daddy, the King of Southern Chu sent much gold, silver, and jewels. There’s also female singers and dancers. This Liu Rumeng is reportedly the number one prostitute of Jiangnan, her singing, dancing, beauty, and skill famous throughout the lands. I presume the King of Southern Chu sent her here as a betrothal gift.”

“Southern Chu has already decayed to this extent. How could it not be conquered?” I sneered. But I knitted my brows tightly together. I should have seen the three characters for Liu Rumeng before. It was just that it didn’t leave a deep impression on me.

Inspiration struck me, and I suddenly remembered the intelligence report about Yulun Chen Zhen had submitted. It seemingly brought up that Yulun had become the accompanist of a famous prostitute. The name of that famous prostitute was Liu Rumeng. I hadn’t paid attention to this fact. If not for my eidetic memory, I wouldn’t have remembered. However, Yulun had been away from Jianye for the past two years. He presumably didn’t have any involvements with this woman. Not knowing what to do, an uneasy feeling arose within me. I thinly asked, “Why didn’t you send the list of tributary gifts from Southern Chu to me last night?”

Roulan was alarmed and replied, “Daddy wasn’t fond of getting involved in these trifles for the last couple years, so Lan’er wasn’t mindful. However, the list of gifts has been archived. Since Daddy wants to look at it, Lan’er will have someone retrieve it now.”

I shook my head. “Never mind. We can talk about it when we return. Don’t be negligent in the future. You must always report to me before handling things.”

Roulan gently stuck out her tongue. “Yes, Daddy.”

All of a sudden, I sensed the air around me freeze. Even Roulan, talking to me, as well as Xiaoshunzi, who never expressed emotion before people, gazed in the direction of the door to the hall.

I thought it curious. Right as I gazed across my body to the door of the hall, I felt my brain explode. I lost sight of everything in the blink of an eye, and my eyes were locked, immobile.

At the entrance of the Silver Peace Hall, a woman with silver muslin covering her head stood with focused eyes. Although she was just standing quietly, her unsurpassed beauty was already on full display. An almost inaudible sigh seemed to trickle out as the woman walked in, her gait like that of an immortal skimming the waves. The jade pendant on her girdle jangled as she moved, sounding like she was accompanied by heavenly music. She walked up to the dais, her flowing sleeves drooping as she folded her arms across her chest and genuflected. Her exquisite peacock-plumed gown spread out around her.

Everyone gazed upon her and only saw silky hair black as ink and luminous wrists white as snow. A longing to see her beautiful face arose within them.

Li Xian had drowned himself in sensual pleasures in his youth and enjoyed countless female singers and dancers. He puzzled over it but realized few women could compare to the elegance of this woman. The look in his eyes changed, and he recalled the debauchery of his past. Becoming aroused despite himself, he laughed, “Dispense with the formality. Rise, raise your head. Let this Prince look at your countenance.”

The woman stood to her feet at the words, then lifted her broad forehead. Her silvery veil lightly slipped off, revealing a face as refined as beautiful jade and a set of enchanting, bright eyes that shone like autumn waters.

Li Xian felt that the woman’s features contained a sense of unyielding. Although she was looking around charmingly, it had more of an overtone of unique independence. He began ruminating, and the gleam in his eyes burst forth. The Silver Peace Hall was immediately enveloped by the dominant killing intent he deliberately put out. Up till now, this atmosphere only appeared when Li Xian vigorously made battle decisions. Even the generals and imperial guards in the hall were trembling with nerves.

Initially, the woman slightly knitted her willowy eyebrows, giving the impression of weakness, but after she caught a glimpse of the look of exuberant delight in Li Xian’s eyes, fury surged within her. Inexhaustible strength seemed to flow through her delicate body as she stood silently in the hall. Not even stormy seas and gale-force winds could blow over the frail green willow.

Li Xian grew ever more spirited. He said, clapping, “Wonderful, Liu Rumeng, your reputation is well-deserved. Someone send the musicians in. This Prince wants to see your dancing that’s best in the world.”

Liu Rumeng curtsied and replied briefly, “Your servant shall obey.”

The carefully selected female musicians from Southern Chu walked into the hall at this time. These musicians were all beautiful women. Although they were not as good-looking as Liu Rumeng, they were still gorgeous. However, each woman walked into the hall with knocking knees. As Li Xian hadn’t curbed his authoritative aura, all the women were too scared to look right at him. They even became unpracticed with the musical instruments in their hands. The music was choppy and didn’t form into a tune.

Off to the side, Shang Chengye was so anxious he was sweating and couldn’t help reprimanding them in a low voice. A woman playing the zither became even more frenetic and panic-stricken. Her hand trembled, and she snapped a string on the zither. She prostrated on the floor in fear right away, too afraid to raise her head.

Anger emerged on Li Xian’s face when he saw the situation. He pointed at the woman playing the zither and denounced, “This lowly servant’s insolence spoiled this Prince’s mood to watch the dance.”

The soldiers in the hall saw Li Xian’s rage, but they dared not speak unnecessarily, though they felt protective of the fairer sex. Some of the braver ones were already eyeing Jiang Zhe and Jing Chi. Only the two of them were qualified to say mollifying words. Surprisingly, Jing Chi was lazily sitting in place, his mind elsewhere. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhe was focused on Liu Rumeng, his expression somewhat captivated. He was even less inclined to intercede.

Rumeng, a chivalrous and tender-hearted woman, saw the woman was about to suffer a severe punishment and said loudly, “Your Imperial Highness is as awe-inspiring as a mountain, making your servant and the others terrified at the sight. This is a matter of helplessness. Why blame an innocent girl? If Your Imperial Highness wants to see your servant’s dance skills, your servant can dance without music. No pipes and no strings is no issue.”

Li Xian roared with laughter, “Wonderful, Liu Rumeng. For such unbridled insolence, this Prince ought to shift the blame, but since you dared to speak this conceited nonsense, this Prince would like to watch you dance without music. If you dance badly, you will suffer combined punishment for both crimes. You had better think it over.”

Rumeng smiled. Taking light and airy steps to the center of the audience chamber, she fluttered her flowing sleeves and began dancing gracefully. Although there was no music, her whirling dance seemed to contain a natural rhythm. The jangling of the jade pendant on her girdle, the continuous and pleasant sounds of precious metals and jade gradually turned into a musical dance melody to the ears of everyone present. The lovely figure swiftly crossing the waves, the many and complicated and ever-changing unique dance steps, the unrestrained and expressive dance was thrilling.

While Rumeng danced to her heart’s content, the emotional flute playing that had accompanied her for many years sounded in her mind. She didn’t need orchestral dance music. The beat lived in her heart. There was no possibility of meeting him again; she would never again dance with her feelings. From now on, she was a bird in a gilded cage, with no more happiness to speak of. The grief and indignation in her heart poured into her dancing.

Though everyone in the palace hall were boorish men who didn’t recognize flirtations, they could still perceive the overflowing sorrow and anguish in Rumeng’s dance without music. When Rumeng finally finished dancing, the hall was filled with sobbing. Rumeng bowed her head and curtsied, her broad sleeves drooping. She then prostrated, not wanting others to see the watery tears in her eyes.

Li Xian heaved a long sigh. Even with his inflexible will, tears nearly fell from his eyes. He had long since decided to gift the female entertainers Southern Chu sent this time to the generals in the army, but he was tempted now. He couldn’t help saying, “Your dancing is as unparalleled in the world as expected, worthy of being the best in Jiangnan. This Prince’s residence is still missing a tutor to teach singing and dancing. Would you be willing to comply?”

Frigidity glistened in Rumeng’s eyes for a moment, and she thinly said, “Your servant was brought here to fill the harem in the first place. I have no autonomy over my life. Why does Your Imperial Highness ask?”

Li Xian didn’t have any malicious intent. Ever since he married the Princess of Jiaping, Lin Bi, he had lost interest in sowing his oats. He was just taking pity on Rumeng’s skill and intended to protect her and was even ready to put Lin Bi in charge to give this woman a place to call home. However, Rumeng’s reply was so frosty Li Xian grew more curious. “From your tone, if you had autonomy, you still wouldn’t wish to return to this Prince’s residence? You need not dissemble. Speak freely. This Prince still has this bit of tolerance.”

Rumeng was filled with hatred, so it didn’t matter whether she heard the truth or lies. She enunciated each word, “Your servant is a citizen of Chu. How can I bend the knee and serve the enemy?”

The brief remark stirred up thousands of waves. Before this, most everyone in the hall adored her skill, behavior, and looks. Nobody expected her to say such rebellious words. It was rare in the world to see such courage in a woman who’d been presented as a tribute. Be it through anger or admiration, everyone’s gazes concentrated on Rumeng. However, they did not know how Li Xian would handle her.

Li Xian did not get infuriated. He deliberately let loose at the beginning, trying to poke fun at Shang Chengye. He didn’t have any particular ideas on what to do with the female singers and dancers who’d been sent as tribute. It was simply a whim to try all kinds of things on Rumeng. Upon hearing Rumeng’s words, he felt they suited her temperament and appearance, and he wanted to smile and pardon her. Glancing around, he caught sight of Jiang Zhe’s misty gaze, looking head over heels in love. He was taken aback.

He knew Jiang Zhe had always had little interest in women. Losing his head like this was truly odd. Was he actually enamored with this woman? Currently, Li Xian couldn’t have imagined this man would become his brother-in-law, and he felt like teasing him. He intentionally made himself look angry and declared, “Preposterous! This Prince has treated you, a lowly servant, with respect, yet you dare utter such treasonous words! Come, detain this woman and punish her with a hundred lashes. Afterwards, deliver her to the military for hard labor.”

Not only was every single one of the female musicians terrified out of their wits, not even the Great Yong generals could bear it. Shang Chengye alone detested Rumeng for shooting her mouth off. For fear of destroying peace talks and feeling pleased instead, he didn’t plead for mercy. In the eyes of everyone in the hall, they felt even more scorn for him.

Two imperial guards walked into the hall, going up to Rumeng to try to drag her out for punishment. Rumeng didn’t beg forgiveness and merely gave Li Xian a cool glance, her beautiful eyes full of contempt. She didn’t wait to be hauled off by the two guards; she voluntarily walked out of the hall, as if she weren’t facing endless suffering.

Roulan was shocked by the turn of events and thought, Although that Liu Rumeng did argue with Uncle, the Prince of Qi, why didn’t Daddy say something to save her? Looks like only I can save this venerable Lady Liu.

Right as she was about to work up the courage to plead for mercy, she saw Jiang Zhe’s eyes abruptly clear up. He said in a loud voice, “Wait a moment, Your Imperial Highness. This woman may have offended Your Imperial Highness, but please take pity on her talents, Your Imperial Highness, and do not punish her harshly. This will also prevent others from mocking our Great Yong for not being tolerant.”

Li Xian was elated. He thought, Could I have actually found this man’s undetectable Achilles’ heel?. He probed, “Has Suiyun taken pity on this woman’s looks and skills? Hehe, this is that woman’s blessing. Since that is the case, should this Prince gift her to you as a concubine?”

I was taken aback by the words and hastily responded, “How could that be appropriate?”

Li Xian deliberately got worked up. “Since Suiyun cares not, this Prince will not interfere. Quickly carry off Liu Rumeng for punishment.”

My heart was in pain. Even though I perceived the hidden smile and scheme in Li Xian’s eyes, I couldn’t help but say, “Have mercy, Your Imperial Highness. Since you’ve gifted that woman to this Marquis, if you wish to punish her, Zhe should personally do it.”

Li Xian roared with laughter on the inside, but he dared not betray himself. Just from hearing Jiang Zhe profess himself as “this Marquis,” he knew Jiang Zhe was incensed, but he had achieved his goal. He laughed, “All right, take Liu Rumeng to the residence of the Army Supervisor. Attend to her properly, and do not let any mishap befall her.”

I felt my face flush with heat and squirmed in discomfort. Everyone’s gazes burned a hole through me. I may have been the son-in-law of the former emperor, but even so, having a few concubines was normal. However, I didn’t lust after women. Even if the emperor rewarded me with a beautiful woman, I would evenly decline. But today, I had no choice but to accept Liu Rumeng, or else it would truly be casting an illustrious name to the winds. In annoyance, I flicked a sleeve and stood up, not caring about propriety, and furiously stomped out of the Silver Peace Hall.

I didn’t return to my residence, nor did I find a carriage. I strolled on foot out of the temporary royal residence. Only when I reached the street and saw passersby coming and going did I breathe a sigh of relief. At this time, Roulan asked in a quiet voice behind me, “Daddy, you don’t truly want to take that Lady Liu into our household, right? Even if Mother doesn’t mind, your daughter feels it inappropriate.”

I nearly choked on my own saliva when I heard the question. My little girl touched on a sore spot, but when my gaze landed on her face, I saw anxiety and worry written all over her face. My heart softened, and I thought, Roulan has been close to Changle since childhood, a loving bond between mother and daughter as good as if they were blood related. It’s reasonable for her to worry over this. Shifting my gaze, I saw the pedestrians on the street all sneaking peeks. Roulan was dressed splendiferously and looked beautiful, unavoidably eye-catching. I sighed, “Silly girl. All right, your Uncle Shun and I will go out for a diversion. You should return first. Cong’er should return in the next couple days. This time, I specifically used a military order to summon him, so I think nobody will stop it. Make housing arrangements for him. In addition, make good arrangements for Lady Liu. Don’t make things difficult for her.” Although it was a little embarrassing, I worried Roulan would demean Liu Rumeng to do justice to her mother, so I added instructions.

I turned around and walked away after speaking, afraid to look at Roulan’s expression, so I didn’t know that Roulan’s eyes were full of reverence, and was praying to herself, “Big brother Huo came up with a divinely wonderful strategy, as expected. Heavens bless his stratagem with success and make Daddy more and more confused. Please don’t let him see through the ruse.”

Indeed, my mind was all tumult at present. I didn’t know how long I walked before Xiaoshunzi suddenly yanked me aside and said, “Young master, your body isn’t in good health. Don’t overexert yourself. It would be better if you found a quiet room and rested for a while.”

I stopped in my tracks. Only now did I sense the sweat beading on my forehead. The rays of the sun were a bit warm today, but a cold wind blew. If I kept walking around aimlessly like this, I would likely get a cold. Giving a bitter smile, I saw a restaurant up ahead and walked toward it, ignoring the attendant coming over to welcome us. Upon reaching the second floor, I saw a suite with the curtains drawn high. Knowing nobody was inside, I walked in.

Xiaoshunzi gave a few instructions, then lowered the curtains. I knew the Stalwart Tiger Guard protecting me from the shadows would soon ask the guests on the second floor to leave, so I didn’t need to guard my words. I dropped into a chair and, feeling the warmth in the suite, I once again sank into contemplation.

It had been eighteen years already. Piaoxiang had been dead for a full eighteen years already. I rubbed the jade band on my middle finger and thought back to the beauty’s voice, features, and smile. My heart was in intense agony. Once I avenged her, I buried my old feelings of love deep in the earth. Even though I thought of her when I looked at my jade band, I forced myself to only think of happy events. And after I married Changle, her love deep as an ocean dispelled my heartbreak for one, and second, I did not wish to make Changle suspicious, so I hid everything related to Piaoxiang in the depths of my heart.

As time passed, I too came to believe I’d long forgotten Piaoxiang. Only today did I realize the scar on my heart had never healed. If not for this reason, I wouldn’t have let Yulun go, permitting him to leave the Secret Camp. It was solely because Yulun’s suffering put him in the same boat as me. As long as the heart of another person in the world contained Piaoxiang’s image like mine did, I wouldn’t feel alone. As a result, I didn’t want to take Yulun’s life as long as he didn’t spoil my big plans.

I recalled that Liu Rumeng’s bearing and mannerisms bore a striking resemblance to Piaoxiang’s, and my spirit broke. A young woman, she stood up to the Prince of Qi, who had killed enough to fill a field, and his commanding presence that made even contemporary heroes bend the knee. This unyielding character made me think of Piaoxiang indignantly denouncing the Prince of Han. Piaoxiang was presumably just as stern and fearless back then.

I slowly remembered every aspect of Piaoxiang, including the unbearable memory of the startling news of Piaoxiang’s tragic death, which welled up in my mind again. I allowed the sorrow to devastate my heart, not knowing how much time passed when I suddenly spat out black blood. But my mind cleared up, and I felt all the pent-up frustrations that had lingered in my mind for many years evaporate. I lifted a hand and pushed away Xiaoshunzi, who’d come over to check on me with a face full of panic. I looked up and said with a smile, “Don’t worry. This is the result of heartbreak. After coughing up blood, there’s no more harm. Just what caused this? Who is making mischief?”

Xiaoshunzi relinquished his worries, feeling that Jiang Zhe’s expression was relaxed to the extreme. A carefree look also appeared on his features. Falling into a trance, he felt like he’d returned to Jianye, where they first met. At the time, Jiang Zhe wore this same expression.

He was overcome with emotion, his nose twitching as tears nearly fell. He hastily turned his face away. After a long while, he turned back and said, “Upon leaving the temporary royal residence, I handed down orders to investigate this matter. Others don’t know that Chen Zhen and most of the eight elite operatives had seen Mistress Liu before. Liu Rumeng looks quite like the mistress. They didn’t report about this presumably because they feared causing young master sorrow. This is excusable under the circumstances, but Liu Rumeng has been sent to the Yong camp now. However, they still didn’t clarify this issue, letting young master meet that woman unprepared. This absolutely cannot be tolerated. Young master, please discipline them to serve as an example to others.”

I shook my hand. “Never mind that. They didn’t say anything at the beginning out of kindness. What’s more, I remember Yulun and that woman had a bit of a connection. Now that I think about it, it’s probably due to that woman resembling Liu Piaoxiang. They gave a lot of thought to hiding this matter as well. As for today’s events, they untangled the yearslong knots in my heart in the end, so don’t blame them too much, even though they should be punished. Simply get to the bottom of this. However, I keep feeling like something’s wrong, but I can’t figure out what it is. Never mind, let’s return first.”

Xiaoshunzi hesitated before saying, “Young master, what arrangements should be made for that Lady Liu?”

I was stupefied by the words. My gaze fell upon Xiaoshunzi’s face and saw a hint of worry in his expression. Smiling, I beckoned him over. Once he walked up to me with a puzzled expression on his face, I gently flicked a finger. Xiaoshunzi immediately clutched his forehead and put on a look of innocence. I may have known with certainty that my flick couldn’t even compare to a mosquito biting him, and I couldn’t have even succeeded without him willingly allowing me, but I still couldn’t restrain from pridefully taunting, “You bastard, who do you think I am? How could I not let her go, let alone make the plum tree wither in place of the peach tree?2 If I did something like that, not only would I do a disservice to Changle’s deep love, I would let down Piaoxiang. That woman is also both admirable and pitiable. Ask after her intentions in a few days before making a decision. Piaoxiang was already unfortunate. I don’t wish for a beautiful woman like her to suffer an unhappy fate.”

With that said, I stood up and walked out of the suite. As expected, the Stalwart Tiger Guard were on guard outside. I walked out of the restaurant, got into a carriage that had been ready for an indefinite amount of time, and returned to my residence. I completely missed that the look in Xiaoshunzi’s eyes was distracted and confused, twinkling every now and again. Ultimately, they became bright as ice.

Xiaoshunzi turned his face away, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and a look of understanding appeared on his face. Although he felt he should have warned Jiang Zhe, his mind was racing. He glanced at Jiang Zhe, whose brow was still furrowed in thought, and did not say anything in the end.

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐧𝐨𝐯𝗲𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝐦.