Chapter 70, page seventy, interconnected.

The State of Wu was the first to break the peace and send troops, claiming it was to seek justice for the wronged princess, but Ji Yuanshu wrote nothing except for the occasional letter home.

Ji Yuanshu thought that the reason for the defeat was simply because he was too spoiled, and the reason for the victory was because of the emperor's decision and the soldiers' desperate efforts.

What she didn't know was that Zhu Huantang, while playing chess with Ji Yuanshu, noticed her penchant for using bait, and subtly alluded to his observations and experiences in the Sui Kingdom between the lines. Though not exactly a secret, this small glimpse was enough for a suspicious person to grasp the whole picture.

The Emperor of Wu did not disappoint Zhu Huantang's meticulous plan. In order to win the hearts of the people and rise above the three great families, he desperately needed this victory won by his men.

Fan Qi's victory instantly fueled the emperor's ambition, prompting him to immediately mobilize troops and supplies, and order Fan Qi to continue his offensive.

Although Fan Qi won the battle, he felt that the victory was too easy. He knew his son's capabilities very well, and he knew that his chances of winning against Jiang Jinyi were not high.

But his guess wasn't entirely unfounded. Zhu Huantang gave Yanran a packet of medicine powder, so that if Jiang Jinyi wanted to show mercy, he would make him understand the consequences of being soft-hearted.

This situation seemed familiar. After Yan Ran took command, he realized it was a complete replica of Zhang Wanchun's story. His previous guilt and admiration vanished, and even his expression turned cold.

Those who show leniency on the battlefield are just irrational saints.

Not only does it harm oneself, it also harms others.

Zhu Huantang woke up with a start. Lately, his dreams have been filled with all the details of the day Zuo Qinghou died, over and over again, just to confirm the saying that being soft-hearted harms both others and oneself.

So how exactly did Zuo Qinghou "die"? Did Fan Qi help her escape, or did he kidnap her? If it was the latter, why didn't Fan Qi use this crucial information to threaten the State of Sui?

A barrage of questions overwhelmed Zhu Huantang, leaving him bewildered. He then took charge of the affairs following the Regent's death. The death of a prince in the court was indeed a major event. Fortunately, Qi Lingjun and other former subordinates held up much of the burden, while Zhu Huantang and his "faction" shouldered the remaining responsibilities.

Before the coffin was lowered into the ground, Zhu Huantang rested his hand on it, feeling somewhat emotional. The man who once held the power to decide his life and death was now lying inside, unable to even preserve his own corpse, having been casually framed by him.

They are not friends, but can only be called allies.

He will not face any moral condemnation.

Naturally, the Sui Kingdom was not as helpless as the Wu Kingdom had anticipated. With Yanran supporting them from the front and Zhu Huantang already fully prepared from behind, they were quite formidable.

The night before their departure, Zhu Huantang gave Nan Jinping a few instructions. After agreeing, Nan Jinping hesitated and then asked, "You're not just going to retake Kuaiji City this time, are you?"

“You sensed it yourself, that person is still mediating for the Wu Kingdom,” Zhu Huantang chuckled, brushing his brow bone, and continued, “Don’t let it slip out.”

Upon hearing this, Nan Jinping was no longer in a hurry to leave. She sat down, somewhat excited, and said, "I know. I spend my days eating, drinking, and having fun with her, trying to influence her. Hey, that means I'll be able to see Zuo Qinghou soon, right?"

Zhu Huantang's smile vanished instantly. He raised an eyebrow and gave a sinister smile again: "Yes, you like her that much? Once I find her, how about we, husband and concubine, share one person?"

Having vaguely heard about their past, Nan Jinping immediately became wary and stood up abruptly: "Go to the clinic if you're sick. Don't try to lure her out by talking to me. I was just asking. See you later." With that, she turned and walked away.

A moment later, there was another knock on the door.

Zhu Huantang thought Nan Jinping had something else to say, so he said, "Come in."

Hearing the footsteps, it wasn't Nan Jinping. Zhu Huantang suddenly looked up and saw that it was Ji Yuanshu. He immediately dropped his lazy demeanor, politely helped Nan Jinping to the armchair outside the screen, took the food box, and said with a smile, "It's so late, Your Highness is so kind to think of me."

Ji Yuanshu dismissed the maids and opened the food box herself. Steam rose, and the clear broth had an enticing aroma that made one's mouth water. Ji Yuanshu scooped half meat and half broth into the jade cup and said in a delicate voice, "I see that my husband has been working hard for days. My husband is going to war tomorrow, and I can't help him. I can only make some soup for my husband to try."

Zhu Huantang took the jade cup and touched Ji Yuanshu's hand, which lingered for a moment. He slightly curled his lips and stirred the spoon a couple of times to cool it down in Ji Yuanshu's eager gaze. But he was not in a hurry to drink, and said, "Your Highness was not favored in the palace when you were young, but I dote on you. You don't need to do these things yourself."

This unexpected sweet talk startled Ji Yuanshu for a moment. She smiled and said, "I am already very content to have my husband's love."

Contentment? If she were content, she would never have chosen a prince to support, she would never have remained unmarried at twenty-eight, and she would never have remained inactive and tried to win people's hearts when she first married into the family. Ji Yuanshu was never a content person; she simply offered women fewer opportunities and appeared gentle on the surface.

Zhu Huantang had put in so much effort to win over this man-eating flower; he only needed to make the final push. Zhu Huantang picked up a scar from his hand and said, “Madam, look at this scar. I got it from a brazier when I was a child, on my way to the palace. That year, a silver mine was discovered in Xijing, and the emperor granted me special permission to enter the palace for an audience. It was a festival, so only a few princes of different surnames were present; the seats were filled with people from the major aristocratic families. There was no room for us. As a child, I was curious and thought it wouldn't matter if I sat near the eaves. The dancers were performing, the acrobats were doing amazing things—it was all so fascinating. So, I kept pushing forward until I got right up to the brazier next to my feet, and that's how I got this huge scar.”

As if recalling a painful memory, Zhu Huantang chuckled softly, rubbing his forehead: "Where we live, even if a child we don't know falls, passersby will help him up. But in the palace, everyone just watches and then makes comments. Because of my disrespect in front of the palace, the royal family of Xijing is banned from entering the capital for five years."

Hearing this, Ji Yuanshu thought of her own childhood, where she had done countless things for her mother, trying to please this person and that person, only to receive a meal as a reward or a piece of outdated fabric as a dress. Even as an adult, she served the emperor faithfully, only to be forced to marry into a dangerous and treacherous land.

Not all efforts will be rewarded. Feeding the wolf only keeps it from biting you temporarily.

As she thought about it, Ji Yuanshu's eyes silently reddened.

"Later, I gained military merit, but it was suppressed by others. I could only come here as a spy. I also obtained the secret of the snuff bottle and killed Zuo Qinghou. But the three great families were afraid that I would steal the credit, so they made up some crime to capture me. Your brother, the emperor, couldn't speak up and was also suspicious, so he missed such a good opportunity." Zhu Huantang's face was full of regret and remorse, but his eyes were as cold as ever, unchanged.

"Hey, let's not talk about these unhappy things. Everyone has to live for themselves at least once. You say I'm a stranger here? I actually feel more comfortable here than in Wu. I've even started to eat spicy food, and I've gotten used to the tough local customs." Zhu Huantang opened up and said a lot. Suddenly, he picked up his jade cup and said, "Oh dear, I was so busy talking that I forgot to drink the soup."

With a "crack," the jade cup shattered into pieces on the ground. Soup spilled all over the floor, still steaming.

It was sudden, yet within Zhu Huantang's expectations. He sighed, looked at the soup on the ground, and said regretfully, "Madam, if you hadn't poisoned me, I would have truly looked down on you. But if you really hadn't stopped me, I might have really killed you for my own sake."

Ji Yuanshu's hands trembled, still reeling from her decision. She had smashed the jade cup—that was disloyalty. But she hadn't smashed it; Zhu Huantang had long seen through her actions. She couldn't risk her life for something utterly impossible. Her loyalty to the emperor and her country stemmed from her status as a princess; their fates were intertwined.

Now that she has another path, she may not necessarily suffer the same fate as everyone else.

Fear consumed her reason, betrayal crippled her spine; she couldn't move an inch, slowly slumping into the chair. After a long while, Ji Yuanshu finally found her voice: "I beg my husband for mercy."

"Ji Yuanshu before me is just like my former self," Zhu Huantang sighed. With only one path to take, he relied on the nearest powerful patron, but this patron wasn't exactly benevolent.

Zhu Huantang stepped forward, picked up the frightened Ji Yuanshu, and gently placed her on the bed.

A frightened lone bird needs a sheltered nest. Ji Yuanshu had previously offered her body for a price; as a princess, she couldn't possibly exchange her body for favor like Zhu Huantang's canaries, whom he changed every few days. But now, she had broken her own rotten crutch; she shouldn't expect the fragile support of blood ties.

She needs Zhu Huantang.

A place where she could temporarily escape.

Her slender neck, as delicate as a crane's, arched back to meet Zhu Huantang's thin lips. Zhu Huantang felt that such a thin, snow-white neck would snap at the slightest touch. He didn't push her away, but instead, supporting her neck, he lay down beside her.

But the kiss ended there. When Ji Yuanshu leaned in again, a large hand on her neck gently pressed her back onto the bed. Gentle, but not daring to refuse.

Zhu Huantang held Ji Yuanshu loosely in his arms and said gently, "Don't think about anything, go to sleep. Wait for me to come back."

The disappointment and embarrassment of being rejected vanished instantly. She nestled in Zhu Huantang's arms and slowly closed her eyes.