Three months after Su Rong’s accession to the throne, the Emperor of Daliang fell ill and retired, and the Crown Prince Yan Huisheng ascended the throne, at the same time appointing Duanhua as the Empress.
In the same year, the Dawei Emperor fell seriously ill, and Crown Prince Yuan Zhao ascended the throne, appointing Crown Princess Luo Yan as the Empress.
That year, all three countries had joyful news spread among them, exchanging congratulatory gifts, and they were harmonious with friendly diplomatic relations, as if the previous battle had never happened.
But everyone knew, behind the scenes, they were all preparing for war. Nanchu and Daliang developed their national power, enriching and strengthening their countries, flourishing prosperously. Facing extreme pressure, Crown Prince Yuan Zhao was very diligent, chose the wise and capable, and made good use of talented individuals, also displaying the grand prestige of a great nation.
Nangong Zheng’s talents made him stand out from the prominent families of Dawei, securing the top position and receiving increasing importance from Yuan Zhao. Prince Yuan Chen was also appointed as Prince Chen and loyally assisted Yuan Zhao in thriving Dawei together.
Everyone knew that in ten years, there would be a battle, but what Yuan Zhao feared the most was that Su Rong and Yan Huisheng wouldn’t wait for those ten years.
So, behind the scenes, he tried every means to plant spies in Nanchu and Daliang, occasionally creating disturbances for Nanchu and Daliang.
Regarding the spies in Nanchu, he trusted Nangong Zheng and assigned him full responsibility. As for the spies in Daliang, he personally sent people, truly creating quite a few messes.
Yan Huisheng was not to be underestimated, returning the favor with similar tactics and adding several chaotic situations to Dawei. Su Rong even more retaliated blood for blood, tooth for tooth, dispatching assassins against Yuan Zhao several times, one of which even seriously injured Yuan Zhao.
All three countries stirred the winds and clouds from behind the scenes, and faced with the combined subtle attacks from the two other countries against Dawei, Yuan Zhao could only grit his teeth and persevere. He also attempted several times to sow discord between the two countries, but all were thwarted. The relationship between Yan Huisheng and Su Rong remained solid, unaffected. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
The Emperor of Daliang and the Queen of Nanchu exchanged letters monthly, sharing information, though most times the Queen’s letters were penned by the King’s Husband.
After Duanhua and Yan Huisheng’s Great Wedding, there was not much difference from before she left the pavilion except for the change in her status. Two years into the Great Wedding, she was still like a delicate daughter of the family, slightly more gentle and no longer so arrogant and domineering, with no significant change.
This was the result of Yan Huisheng’s deliberate indulgence. Even if Duanhua wanted to be a good Crown Princess and Empress and learn to be dignified and virtuous, Yan Huisheng did not see the need in her eyes. He was a powerful man and did not need his Crown Princess or Empress to change anything to be good; she just needed to be herself.
So, even though they had a son, and the Crown Prince was now one year old, Duanhua was still the same, consuming more than half of a plate of grapes by herself, sparing only one or two for her son, who would look at her with big teary eyes full of reproach. Unashamed, she would hold the plate and say the rest were for your father the Emperor, managing the rivers and mountains is too exhausting, and birthing you was too exhausting for me. We should eat more, and since you can’t do anything now, being a freeloader, getting one or two is already good," successfully making the little Crown Prince swallow his tears and close his mouth.
Yan Huisheng watched the mother and son amusedly, helplessly massaging his forehead, "Duanhua, you are bullying Chouchou again."
Yes, the Crown Prince’s nickname was Chouchou. Because upon hearing that Su Rong had given birth to a daughter unprepared with a nickname, Duanhua told Yan Huisheng that when they had a child, the nickname would be this, and Yan Huisheng laughed and allowed it.
Poor little Crown Prince, clearly very handsome, yet nicknamed Chouchou, to the extent that as he grew older, he even doubted his father the Emperor and his mother the Empress’s eyesight because of his nickname. Where was he ugly?
Chouchou’s formal name was Yan Rui.
Little Yan Rui, seeing Yan Huisheng arrive, turned to hug his legs, looking up with a face full of grievances, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress is bullying me again."
Duanhua suddenly felt a wave of guilt.
The Palace was indeed too lonely, she had nothing to play with, and she couldn’t always leave the Palace to play; after all, she was the Empress, having a son, she could only play with her son now.
This had already been caught by Yan Huisheng several times.
Yan Huisheng laughed and lifted him up, sat down, placing him on his lap, and turned his head with a smile looking at Duanhua.
Duanhua looked at the sky and the ground, but not at Yan Huisheng, his eyes vaguely drifting as he spoke softly, "It’s because I care about you. If we eat all the grapes between us, what will you eat?"
Yan Huisheng laughed with exasperation, "More than ten baskets of grapes have been newly tribute, and you mother and son fought over just this plate, by what logic?"
Duanhua coughed and immediately shoved the plate into Yan Rui’s hands, "Thanks for the reminder, cousin. I just remembered, my son, they’re all for you to eat."
Yan Rui took the plate, his little nose twitched, and he hummed, picking up a grape and sending it towards Yan Huisheng’s mouth, "Father, eat a grape."
Yan Huisheng opened his mouth and took it, his eyes smiling with gratitude, "Thank you."
At the same time, he peeled another grape and stuffed it into Yan Rui’s mouth. Yan Rui’s eyes also smiled as he thanked him, "Thank you, Father."
Duanhua looked on with envy. Indeed, the bond between father and son was stronger, not as close as her own little padded coat. If only she had a daughter, she yearned to switch daughters with Su Rong. It was said that Chu An, merely three years old, had taken up a double-handed sword specially crafted by Zhou Gu for her and handled it impressively, while her son, born much later, was only a year and a half old. He had just started walking and wasn’t much fun yet.
It had also been nearly five years since she had seen Su Rong.
As she was thinking, Yan Huisheng suddenly peeled a grape and popped it into her mouth, which made Duanhua respond with a smile in her eyes, "Thank you, cousin."
The thoughts that had drifted to the clouds were suddenly pulled back. Seeing the similarly smiling faces of father and son, she was instantly overwhelmed with happiness. She had never dreamed before of marrying her cousin, the Crown Prince, and now being his Empress who was indulged and housed alone in the palace, leaving even her own mother envious, and even people in the capital lauded her fortune.
Because her cousin had explicitly told those at the Imperial Court who urged him to select concubines that he would have only one Empress, with no other concubines in the palace. If anyone else gave such advice again, they should come and take the position of Emperor. Since that day, no court official dared to offer such advice again.
She snuggled closer, reaching out to grab Yan Huisheng’s arm and holding it in her embrace, leaning against him, "Cousin, I miss Su Rong."
Yan Huisheng turned his head to look at her, "Soon."
Duanhua blinked her eyes, "Is she coming back to visit her family soon?"
"No," he replied.
Duanhua puzzled, "Then what is coming soon?"
Yan Huisheng spoke softly, "We are almost ready to attack Dawei. After conquering Dawei, Nanchu and Daliang will enter an alliance for a hundred years, creating an era of peace and prosperity together. Then, at the meetings between our countries, if she does not come to Dawei, I will take you to Nanchu to have a look."
Duanhua instantly became excited, "So soon?"
It had only been five years.
Yan Huisheng hummed in agreement, "Yes, I didn’t expect it either."
He had also just received a personal letter from Su Rong today, revealing that she and Zhou Gu had laid the groundwork with Nangong Zheng’s secret move five years ago.
Now, Nanchu was ready for war, and Daliang would be ready within half a year at most. If things moved quickly, by early next year, both nations could join forces and declare war on Dawei.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
