Chapter 65, the Sixty-Fifth Face of Deep Affection

The marriage between the two countries was naturally a grand affair, but aside from the entanglement of interests, the wedding was really not very meaningful.

Ji Yuanshu lifted her veil early and went to bed, while Zhu Huantang finished dealing with the guests and went up to the roof with his sword.

It was windy on the roof, and luckily Zhu Huantang was wearing a cloak, otherwise his hands would have frozen.

All around him was the sound of the wind. Zhu Huantang's bloodthirsty excitement and hope slowly subsided and sank to the bottom.

The servant, worried that Zhu Huantang would get cold, went to ask Nan Jinping, who was already asleep, for help.

Nan Jinping grumbled a few times, but still yawned and climbed the ladder. She carefully stood on a relatively stable spot on the roof and said to Zhu Huantang, "Who are we performing for from here? Let's go back to sleep."

Not wanting to tell Nan Jinping his true feelings, he went along with her thoughts and said, "Acting? I thought she would at least come back to see her old flame get married. I didn't expect you women to be so heartless."

"Heartless?" Nan Jinping scoffed. "Heartlessness doesn't discriminate between men and women. In our social standing, we're talking about mutual benefit. If you're so sentimental, what about those women you raise for a few days and then kill? I heard a few days ago it was a pair of sisters, always together, they really won you over." Nan Jinping tried to persuade her, but the more she talked, the more disgusted she felt, so she carefully climbed down the ladder, holding onto the handle.

"She's really not coming?" Zhu Huantang was still unwilling to give up.

"Even if they come, it's to see me. What does it have to do with you?" Nan Jinping's boastful voice grew softer and softer.

The next day at court, Qi Lingjun glanced at the dark circles under Zhu Huantang's eyes and chuckled softly.

The other officials assumed it was just a friendly joke about the couple's relationship and their efforts on their wedding night, and they all gave each other ambiguous smiles.

Qi Lingjun walked over and said in a voice that the two of them could hear, "There's no need. She will come out when she wants to."

"Are you gloating?" Zhu Huantang asked coldly.

"It is truly a pity to see the general troubled by love."

Zhu Huantang found Qi Lingjun's otherworldly demeanor annoying. Over the years, those officials had been gossiping behind his back, saying that Zhu Huantang's behavior was very similar to that of Zuo Qinghou. But Zhu Huantang felt that Qi Lingjun was that person's true disciple.

The mask looked like it was part of his face, making people inexplicably irritable.

"If Lord Qi is not troubled by love, why is he still doing things according to her wishes?" Zhu Huantang asked rhetorically.

Qi Lingjun lowered his eyes, looking thoughtful. Just as Zhu Huantang was feeling smug, thinking he had hit a nerve, Qi Lingjun said, "What she wants me to do is what I want to do too. What's wrong with that? We're just kindred spirits."

In short, the difference in their abilities was immediately apparent, but it also served as a wake-up call for Zhu Huantang. Yes, what he was doing was exactly what Zuo Qinghou wanted him to do—what did it matter?

The obstacle he couldn't overcome was simply the one that Zuo Qinghou had toyed with and trampled on.

Once autumn was over, the Wu Kingdom launched a fierce attack on Sui, all because the emperor had heard from somewhere that the princess had been humiliated and wanted to seek justice.

Qin Sihai was in charge of the troops and directly challenged Zhu Huantang. As soon as the challenge arrived, Jiang Jinyi sneered, "Your senior brother is quite ruthless."

Zhu Huantang remembered Qin Sihai's attitude towards him at the banquet that day. He had hurt Qin Sihai's sweetheart and betrayed the country, so Qin Sihai's attitude was already considered very good.

Zhu Huantang smiled indifferently and said, "He can't be ruthless. He probably wants me to surrender or at least leave me with a whole corpse."

Suddenly, Jiang Jinyi asked, "Can we find out Zuo Qinghou's whereabouts from him?"

Zhu Huantang suddenly laughed, "Who knows?" Seeing Jiang Jinyi's disappointed look, Zhu Huantang revealed his guess, "Your Highness doesn't know yet, does he? Zuo Qinghou should be a member of the Guest House. When she disappeared, the Guest House disappeared too."

Jiang Jinyi shook his head with a cold smile and said decisively, "Impossible! She has always been controlled by those people from the Wanxiang Tower. One year, I seriously injured them and tried to seize power. The tower owner appeared at the same time as her that day and stopped her and His Majesty."

Zhu Huantang said, "I didn't say she must be the owner of the building, but she must be related to the Wanxiang Building."

Jiang Jinyi gripped the cup tightly in his hand. This speculation was not impossible. Jiang Linzhi was acting, and Zuo Qinghou was weighing the pros and cons.

But he wasn't sure what the connection was. When he returned, he realized that Jiang Linzhi had been discussing with him about instigating internal strife and launching an attack on Wu, but in reality, he was trying to get rid of him.

Jiang Jinyi dared not think too deeply about what Zuo Qinghou had done to make Cui Jiu follow Zhu Huantang so wholeheartedly, and Zhu Lu Huantang so wholeheartedly pledge allegiance to the Sui Kingdom.

It's all like a circle, and Zuo Qinghou has calculated every step perfectly. This is far more than just a political struggle for territory between two countries.

For the first time, Jiang Jinyi felt utterly disgusted with political intrigue. He said, "You stay here and deal with the snuff bottles and the royal family's affairs. I'll go and fight."

Zhu Huantang sneered, "Your Highness trusts me so much? Aren't you afraid I'll stab you in the back?"

Jiang Jinyi sneered, "Haven't you stabbed me enough times already?"

Even if Zhu Huantang still wanted to find Zuo Qinghou, he wouldn't close off the only way out. He reminded him, "I haven't seen Qin Sihai for many years, and I know nothing about his martial arts or moves now. However, he is stubborn and acts like a gentleman. If he hasn't changed, you can set a trap to defeat him."

Former fellow disciples are now rivals. It's truly a sad state of affairs.

Jiang Jinyi said, "He is your senior brother, you don't have to do this. As long as Fan Qi doesn't interfere... anyway, I can return in triumph."

Zhu Huantang suddenly remembered some secrets that a spy had uncovered many years ago. These secrets were gossips among some women in the neighborhood, who said that they had seen the two people in the portrait traveling together.

The portrait the scout was carrying was indeed of Zuo Qinghou and Qin Sihai, but the old woman's exact words were: "What are you doing? This is a private matter between the young couple."

Young couple? Family matters?

It seems that even his gentlemanly senior brother couldn't escape Zuo Qinghou's clutches. Zhu Huantang wrote to him many times to let him know, but his letters disappeared without a trace, and he didn't receive a single reply.

For a moment, Zhu Huantang felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He said, "He has followed Zuo Qinghou for many years, he can't be a good person." Then he bid farewell to Jiang Jinyi.

As soon as Zhu Huantang entered the mansion, he saw Ji Yuanshu sitting upright in the main hall. He intended to nod in acknowledgment and then go into the study. However, Ji Yuanshu came forward and blocked his way, saying, "My lord, I wish to speak with you."

For the past six months since their marriage, Ji Yuanshu had remained dutiful and had not given any reason to act out her role. Therefore, Zhu Huantang naturally gave her face and returned to his seat in the main hall, saying, "Your Highness, please speak."

Ji Yuanshu was in no hurry. She first poured Zhu Huantang a cup of tea before saying, "In this battle, could you please refuse to fight, sir?"

Although Ji Yuanshu hesitated for a moment, her words were firm.

Zhu Huantang stroked the rim of the teacup, the rising steam warming his dry fingers, but it did nothing to soothe his heart. After a long silence, Zhu Huantang chuckled, his demeanor as dashing as ever, even dazzling Ji Yuanshu. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to seduce Zuo Qinghou with that face.

But the person before him didn't need Zhu Huantang's seduction. She was a caged bird, a fish on a chopping board. Times had changed, and now someone else was asking him for a favor. So Zhu Huantang's tone became ruthless: "Your Highness, as long as you obediently act as the General's wife, as a princess, your future will be a hundred times better than mine. In the end, we are the same. Why risk your life for something that has abandoned you?"

Why bother?

Is it that they haven't suffered enough, or is it that they are inherently masochistic?

If a person can't even take care of themselves, how can they claim to be a respectable person?

Zhu Huantang enticed Ji Yuanshu with his words, saying, "Madam, you and I are truly on the same path."