Chapter 86 The Malicious Intentions of the Jiangnan King + Little Xie's Succession...

Hua Ling lowered her eyes, her head bowed as low as it could go.

The light inside the main tent illuminated her delicate face; Hua Ling's face was slightly flushed, like a juicy peach.

The emperor glanced at Hua Ling:

“Get up. Dang'er is being rude; what kind of behavior is this?”

Hua Ling then sat down again, looking a little awkward: "This humble woman thanks Your Majesty."

Two soldiers outside the tent secretly peered inside.

Hua Ling's beauty had already attracted the attention of many people. She was taken back by General Lian and treated with great favor by the emperor.

Even now, when His Highness Prince Yong brought up the matter of taking a concubine, the Emperor still hasn't clarified it, which is quite different from his usual style.

The details seem to hint at Hua Ling's uniqueness.

The soldiers guarding the gate exchanged a glance, nodded knowingly, and then looked away, their expressions showing fear.

Inside the tent, the air seemed to stagnate, so quiet that you could hear the candlelight burning.

Crack! Pop!

The candle flame flickered, and a tiny flame, the size of a bean, hit the table, lit up, and then went out again.

The dim candlelight outlined Xie Qianli's handsome face, illuminating his fingers as he peeled loquats, the juice dripping from his fingertips.

The fingertips had thick calluses.

Xie Qianli lowered his eyes and stared at the two. Comparing the two, even though he had tried his best, the loquat was still peeled unevenly and looked ugly.

He was a military general, but a bit clumsy with his hands.

Holding a gun is fine, shooting an arrow is fine, but he can't do things too meticulously. He even got upset because he couldn't peel loquats as well as others.

Xie Qianli fell silent for a moment.

The flower spirit on the throne seemed to be a perfect match for Ying Xi. What king wouldn't like a passionate young woman?

Even if we assume that an emperor doesn't love gentle young girls, how could he possibly be infatuated with a fierce and ruthless general?

He wasn't usually a sensitive or thoughtful person, but now he couldn't help but focus his thoughts on Ying Xi's words and actions, searching through countless details for the appearance of someone who also liked him.

But is Ying Xi's special treatment of him limited to appreciation?

His extravagant hopes for Ying Xi were nothing more than superfluous fantasies based on this appreciation.

"You're not saying a word? I'm asking you! Are you going to interfere with my brother getting married and having children?" Prince Yong knew his weakness all along and laughed as he beat the vicious dog.

Xie Qianli answered flawlessly: "Your Majesty has appointed the Longwu Army to protect you, and I bear the primary responsibility for Your Majesty's safety, so of course I will be cautious in everything I do."

"If Your Majesty has trustworthy people by your side in the future, I will be pleased and will naturally not interfere any further."

Ying Xi remained expressionless, but lowered her eyes to stare at the empty plate of shepherd's purse and houttuynia cordata.

Sweet Tong: "Tch, straight man, deadbeat."

Only Prince Yong felt comfortable, and continued the conversation smoothly: "That's for sure! My brother's most trusted person in the future is my sister-in-law, and they will be inseparable day and night, right, brother?" The rival in love in front of him is worth dealing with, while the empress who makes unfounded accusations is not worth worrying about.

Prince Yong groaned, his legs crossed.

Xie Qianli's brow twitched again, unnoticed by anyone.

The summer camp made the emperor feel bored.

Ying Xi's already burning throat became even more scorching, the burning sensation spreading down to her lungs.

"Royal brother."

"Dang'er?"

Ying Dang took Ying Xi's hand and stroked it like a cat: "Your Majesty is of marriageable age now. Which young lady do you fancy?"

Ying Xi pulled her hand back.

He wasn't oblivious to the fact that his brother still harbored evil intentions.

Since the topic of establishing an empress had come up, the emperor calmly cut off his thoughts and corrected Prince Yong: "What do you mean by being intimate day and night? Do you think the palace is a brothel? Don't worry about it. I will definitely be in harmony with your sister-in-law."

"As for you," Yingxi said, "if you don't behave well after the three-year mourning period, you'll be sent to your fiefdom. I will definitely choose the most powerful princess to take with you."

"..." Ying Dang suddenly fell silent, feeling as if he had been stabbed in the heart. Even if Prince Yong was stupid, he could tell that his elder brother's words had a hidden meaning.

That Xie fellow held an important position, so even if he couldn't succeed, he still had to stay in Chang'an and serve the emperor.

But it was very easy for my elder brother to get rid of me.

Ying Dang took a big gulp of the ice-cold tofu soup!

Sweet Tong excitedly asked Ying Xi in her mind, "Are you really going to get married?"

"I'm lying to him."

Sweetie: "I knew it."

The two spirited roosters suddenly stopped fighting, each lost in their own thoughts and remaining silent.

Inside the camp, Hua Ling naturally emerged victorious.

Ying Xi picked up a wild fruit by herself.

Hua Ling quickly handed over the empty plate, which caught the fruit pit; the two seemed to have a tacit understanding.

Ying Xi casually changed the subject, asking about the situation in the new capital and Li Yilong, the ruler of Jiangnan.

When the emperor asked a question, Hua Ling answered.

Hua Ling recounted the situation in the new capital city in detail, describing it to Ying Xi in a sweet and soft voice.

She said that when the Jiangnan court was attacked from two sides, the strategists advised to save the north instead of the south, and they trusted Jia Ruzhen too much.

As a result, the Guangling army was defeated, and the crisis in the north remained unresolved.

Li Yilong was furious about this.

As a result, the strategists shifted blame to each other, none of them willing to take responsibility for the loss of the city, and countless lives were lost in the ensuing infighting.

Ying Xi knew this.

This is Hua Ling's own explanation for fleeing south.

Ying Xi showed no interest in the clues she had heard and remained indifferent.

However, the strategy of saving the north but not the south really surprised him.

If he were Li Yilong, he would definitely support the south.

After all, by shrinking his battle lines, he could continue to maintain his precarious position.

If all else fails, take a boat out to sea and escape to the south, where you'll be far away and isolated.

Why did Li Yilong head north?

Hua Ling said, "At that time, the people of Xindu said that the defense line was shifting south and it was becoming increasingly difficult to fight back. If we could hold out, we could head north and conquer Da Qin."

"Ha, hahahahahaha..."

The tent was filled with clear, cheerful laughter.

"Arrogant and ignorant." Ying Xi found it extremely funny.

Although he did indeed have an exceptionally difficult time conquering Yangzhou, he controlled eight prefectures, and Li the Thief was indeed ambitious.

In her mind, Ying Xi cursed this traitor a thousand times over.

The emperor's voice is like jade striking against each other, naturally exuding nobility.

Sweet Tong was thoroughly enjoying himself, secretly thinking, "Hehe~"

However, the laughter was followed by a hoarse cough, which tugged at Ying Xi's heartstrings. Compared to her previous nonchalant attitude, her soft cough sounded somewhat helpless.

Xie Qianli and Ying Dang were both unsteady on their feet.

Ying Xi waved her hand. The emperor waved his dragon sleeve, indicating that he was alright.

He picked up another wild fruit, placed it behind the empty plate, and pushed it forcefully towards the plate.

Wild fruits touch a porcelain plate, which in turn triggers the next porcelain plate; the plates are interconnected.

Ying Xi: "Xiang Bei? I'll stab him right in the back!"

Emperors possess supreme power, yet they also carry a sense of fragility, like fleeting clouds, which becomes a fatal attraction for outsiders.

Hua Ling's eyes sparkled as she took in Ying Xi's gaze.

Xie Qianli suggested, "If the enemy changes its tactics and marches south to rescue Cheng Qingtan, it will put considerable pressure on our army. Your Majesty, please consider all sides."

Ying Xi nodded slightly: "Tell me about Cheng Qingtan."

Hua Ling replied, "That's Li Yilong's brother-in-law."

"Li Yilong's wife died early, and the two had a very harmonious relationship. Afterwards, the king took dozens of concubines in Yangzhou, but never remarried."

The Longwu Army had already investigated the background of the garrison commander of Linchuan.

But this is the first time I've heard of Li Yilong's scandalous rumors. Who doesn't love gossip?

"Having dozens of concubines?"

Hua Ling nodded: "Yes."

Although Yangzhou is a large prefecture, having dozens of concubines is quite a lot!

Prince Yong's lips twitched violently. Back then, no matter how arrogant he was as a prince, he could only indulge in frivolous pleasures; now he had no choice but to retire.

Li Yilong was merely a ruler who ruled over a small, isolated region.

Prince Yong, never one to mince words, retorted: "With so many concubines, won't there be fights in the harem?!"

For the same reason, everyone loves to hear secret stories, and people are becoming increasingly curious about Li Yilong's private life.

Hua Ling lowered her eyes slightly, her voice barely audible:

"The king desires an heir."

Ying Xi was taken aback.

Ying Xi remained silent for a while. He was always quick to notice subtle signs, and upon hearing this, he felt an overwhelming malice, and his teeth began to itch.

As expected, Hua Ling continued:

"In fact, the concubines in the palace have already given birth to many children, but the king still says that a ruler of a country must have an heir... in order to ensure the continuation of the family line."

The silence inside the tent became somewhat piercing.

Ying Xi slammed her hand on the table: "—He wants to wear me down to death!?"

The emperor was furious at that moment.

The emperor, who had been in high spirits just moments before, now had a layer of white sweat on his nose and forehead.

Ying Xi was indeed handsome, but he wasn't the dashing type; his appearance was tinged with a regrettable sickness. Ying Xi was already twenty years old.

Regardless of the emperor, there should at least be concubines, even if no empress has been appointed. There should also be princes.

And if Ying Xi doesn't even have...

Ying Xi couldn't help but judge himself by worldly standards—the rebels must think he was physically weak, or even had the same kind of disease as Emperor Yuan Tai.

If Ying Xi dies, the Qin Dynasty will immediately descend into chaos due to a power struggle.

Li Yilong harbored this intention, which was also a sign of his contempt for himself.

Their intentions are despicable!

The emperor's chest heaved as he tried to suppress his emotions, but instead he broke into an even more violent cough.

That burning throat went from unbearable to burning sensation to feeling like it was being cut by countless knives.

The lamplight flickered erratically, and the gauze lantern hummed.

Ying Xi rested one hand on the table, struggling against his still useless body after his rebirth, his eyes already red from coughing.

"Please calm your anger, Your Majesty!"

"Cough, cough..."

"His Majesty?"

"Water. Give me—water!!!"

Having lofty ambitions but being unable to wield a sword and ride into battle was Ying Xi's lifelong regret.

His eyes were filled with tears, and his eye sockets were burning and painful. He felt like his lungs were about to tear apart. Just then, a cup was shoved into his palm, and he reached for it with his eyes closed.

His fingertips touched the hand that handed him the cup. He drank the water.

He put down the cup. He opened his eyes, his deep gray pupils trembling slightly.

The horse had somehow gotten close to them.

He didn't see Xie Qianli's flustered state after he pushed Hua Ling aside before Prince Yong.

Before him stood a burly figure, kneeling beside him. Her arm brushed against his left leg almost imperceptibly.

Ying Xi forced a weak smile.

The shoulders I saw were broad and straight, with a solid, substantial feel.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health." Xie Qianli's long, strong arms reached out and took the cup with practiced ease. His knuckles were hard and hot, and Ying Xi's thin, soft skin even felt a slight prickling sensation from the touch.

Ying Xi was caught between intimacy and wariness, and even wanted to reach out and touch the top of the other person's head.

He suppressed his wild imagination. Koma was handsome and cold, but he felt that the other had a fluffy tail.

And it felt as if that fluffy tail tip had gently swept across his heart. And then swept it again.

Ying Xi smiled and smiled.

The candlelight on the desk gradually stabilized. Ying Xi breathed a sigh of relief and reassured them, "Get up, all of you. I'm fine now. My anger just now had nothing to do with you. After you finish eating, go and rest. Don't kneel there."

The invisible silk strings inside the tent were lowered.

Prince Yong crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, dusted off the dirt from his robes, and looked down at Xie Qianli with disdain.

"That vicious dog got there first," Prince Yong said in an unfriendly tone. "You surnamed Xie, hurry up and provide me with bedding. I'm tired now. After you've finished your offering, leave quickly."

Prince Yong wanted to take advantage of the situation and live with Ying Xi.

Xie Qianli completely ignored him.

He had already arranged accommodations for Prince Yong, with the camp as far away from the emperor as possible, so Prince Yong's resistance was futile.

"Five battalions, one line, three flags, where shall we sleep?"

"It's still a large communal sleeping area on the outskirts! I can't!" Ying Dang cried for help, "Brother..."

The two were about to start arguing again.

Before they could actually start arguing, two guards split up to the left and right, and a general entered the camp to pay his respects.

This person has a smiling face and is slightly overweight for the Dragon Martial Army, so he should be a logistics personnel.

The general said, "This humble general is the quartermaster. The camp is about to be under curfew. There are still matters that this humble general dares not make decisions on his own. Please make a decision, Your Majesty."

Ying Xi was slightly displeased: "Why go through the trouble of reporting to higher authorities? Your commander is right here in front of me."

Quartermaster: "I'm afraid even General Xie can't make a decision on this matter."

Ying Xi glanced at him and said, "Speak."

Quartermaster: "What are our plans for Miss Hua Ling?"