Chapter 230 "I can marry you, Letea..."
“They’re having breakfast together right now,” said Lethea’s bodyguard.
"They're really playing a fancy game," I thought to myself.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a maid outside said that the Queen had invited me to breakfast. I had already finished washing up, so I opened the door and went to the dining room with her.
There were only three people at the table. King Midian, Queen, and Beatrice were laughing happily, while their male favorite, dressed in a snow-white robe, sat to one side, his short, dark blue curly hair shimmering in the sunlight streaming through the glass window.
Beatrice's male companion from last night was nowhere to be seen; presumably, he was of too low a status to have breakfast with her.
"We've always regretted that you weren't with us last night," Queen Midian chuckled, likely referring to the bed.
"I wasn't feeling well last night, so I went to bed first," I made up a lame excuse.
“I received a letter from Mamboa early this morning,” Beatrice said, taking a sip of milk. “It asked if I could pick you up.”
"Oh," I replied casually.
"Would you prefer to return to the North or stay with me?" Beatrice stared at me with interest.
"They're almost done," I said with a laugh.
"Almost? Far from it." Queen Midian suddenly said, "Considering I owe you two swords, I'll give you some advice. The Northern Court is currently in great chaos, with several noble factions causing trouble. In order to consolidate his power, Manboa has acquired several mistresses, some of whom are wives of powerful ministers, and others are wealthy and influential widows. Someone as old and inexperienced as you probably can't handle them."
I was displeased. In their eyes, a woman in her twenties is already old and worn out.
Queen Midian smiled brightly, “I also received a rumor that Manberia’s wife seems to be ill, but Manberia is keeping her condition a secret. If she passes away, Manberia may marry Princess Yani and form an alliance with the Southern Territory through marriage.”
"There's no way I'd marry you as my legal wife," Beatrice laughed. "It's too much of a loss."
I can offer so little; I have neither money nor power.
“Attis married you because he couldn’t find another woman with money and power. He’s been married several times already, and no woman of good standing would want to marry him,” Attis said.
I picked up a glass of milk, drank it, and didn't say anything.
It was another windy day. After breakfast, walking in the enclosed corridor, I could still feel the cold wind seeping in through the cracks in the brick walls.
Before crossing the courtyard, I wrapped my face tightly with a large scarf before walking into the strong wind.
Halfway through, my male concubine, wrapped in a magnificent long scarf, walked past me. He was accompanied by several guards with swords, but as he brushed past me, he whispered, "I can marry you, and Letea can marry you too."
Living with a gay couple, becoming a "wife of a gay man"? I was stunned for a moment, wanting to burst out laughing, but I held it in.
That midnight, I was sound asleep when a maid woke me up. "Wake up, Lady Lana, King Midan is critically ill."
Chaos erupted within the palace. Guards filled the corridors, corners, courtyards, and even between rooms, creating a tense and menacing atmosphere. Nobles who could enter the palace huddled together in the main hall, waiting anxiously. No one knew what would happen next; whispers occasionally broke out, but they were trembling as they spoke.
People had gathered around King Midan's bedside. The doctors were sweating profusely as they performed acupuncture on him, trying to prolong his life and conserve his strength. But it was all in vain; King Midan's breathing became increasingly rapid.
I stood outside the floor-length bed curtains, watching King and Queen Midian wipe their eyes with a handkerchief, choking back tears and unable to speak. Beatrice was beside her, her face filled with grief.
The performances of high society are always somewhat ridiculous! The look that King Midan gave them when he coughed violently was full of sarcasm and mockery.
In his final moments, all the nobles in the room, including King Midian, Queen Midian, and Beatrice, rushed forward and knelt beside King Midian's bed, weeping bitterly.
I was standing still when someone pushed me hard a few times, and I fell off King Midan's bed, right under his half-hanging elbow.
"Goodbye, goodbye!" King Midan cried out in his dying breath.
With a sudden howl and wail, King Midian closed his eyes and passed away peacefully. Inside the room, cries of anguish, pounding of chests, and wailing filled the air.
I collapsed to the ground, clutching the note King Midian had given me in his last moments before he died.
As the first rays of sunlight shone through the morning, everyone was busy preparing for the funeral. I hid in the bathroom and unfolded the note; it contained only a simple drawing. It depicted a courtyard, and beneath the densest flowerbeds, nestled in layers of soil, lay a military token.
At the last moment before the funeral procession, while everyone's attention was focused on carrying the coffin, I quickly ran into the courtyard. Under the cover of the guards, I obtained the military token. Along with the token was a scroll of paper, which clearly stated the location of the army, the names of its leaders, and that whoever possessed the token was the supreme leader of the army.
I had hoped for this, but I never expected that King Midian would actually give me an army. This must be his private army, hidden away in the royal city far from the capital, in preparation for any eventuality.
Amidst the raging sandstorm, I rushed back and mingled into the funeral procession, squeezed in the middle, my thoughts churning, unable to find peace for a long time.
As the nobles wept at his grave, I also bowed silently.
No matter how wicked he was, no matter how many people he killed, including his own brothers and sisters, he still gave me this army, which is a favor. Although I don't know why he gave it to me, it certainly wasn't to thank me for the massage.
Perhaps it was to overthrow his wife. I think no one could tolerate the terrible things he suffered in the end.
Three days later, in the dead of night, Letea appeared. She was clearly aware that King Midian's death would bring about some unpredictable changes, and she came specifically to discuss with me what to do next.
When I showed him the military token, he was stunned. "King Midian actually gave you his most powerful private army?"
"Is this his most powerful private army?"
"Yes, did you see the datura flower on the military token? King Midian loved flowers, and all his legions were named after flowers. The datura flower was King Midian's favorite flower and the symbol of his highest-ranking private army."
"Oh." I said calmly, but inwardly I was shocked. Such a generous gift—what kind of repayment would I expect?
Letea stared at me, then said nothing more.
After the funeral, Beatrice took me back to the Independent Royal City. I began my life under house arrest again. Apart from three meals a day, I hardly ever went out, and even going to the courtyard required permission.
Two weeks later, news came from the western border that a new mine had been discovered. The mine was in an awkward location, situated at the intersection of a small town attached to the independent capital, the western border, and the northern border.
Without hesitation, Manberia was ready to start a war and seize the mine.
Queen Midian was about to marry Haya, but upon hearing this, she immediately postponed the wedding and prepared to fight.
As one of the stakeholders, Beatrice cleverly chose to sit back and watch the two sides fight. However, after the battle began, neither side wanted to see Beatrice idle, so they extended the war to the neighboring town. Although they did not enter the town, the town was frequently ravaged by burning, killing, and looting, causing Beatrice a great deal of trouble. She had no choice but to send an army to defend the town, and in special circumstances, she would even participate in the battle.
What were the special circumstances? Atresia avoided the question. I guessed it was the crucial moment when they were seizing the mine.
“I’ve also considered dividing the spoils among the three parties,” Beatrice said, “but how? Should they split it equally or according to their strength? Nobody wants an equal share; everyone wants the lion’s share.” Beatrice sighed, “In that case, it will just come down to whose army is the strongest.”
“Mambaya is short of money lately, really short.” Beatrice looked at me, who remained silent. “His army is probably like a hungry tiger.”
Beatrice laughed and finished her glass of red wine.
"How about I give it a try?" I finally spoke up. "I'll go with the army and see if he'll give up some of his interests for my sake?"
Beatrice laughed, "Naive! You want to see just how charming you are?!"
I remained noncommittal, saying, "Maybe."
Beatrice looked at me thoughtfully. "Perhaps I can let you go over there and see, not to prove how charming you are, but to prove how bad you are."
I looked at her calmly, and she seemed a little annoyed. "Fine, then you can come and see for yourself! We'll all come and see!"
Before dawn the next day, she sent me to join the army.
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Author's Note: Please keep cheering me on! Also, check out my other books, muah! Just a reminder, I'll give out red envelopes for long reviews, muah!
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