Chapter Sixty-One
"Your Highness, is the letter ready to be sent out?" a woman in black asked playfully, her large, sparkling eyes shining.
Mo Wangshu waved the flower fan in his hand, "Xiao Hua, also tell the Empress Dowager and that Marquis of Dongliang Haitang about this, let them know."
The woman in black was Xiao Hua, who had been following Mo Wangshu. No one would guess that this young girl was actually a skilled fighter from Dongliang.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Xiao Hua said. “When I visited the Queen Mother before, she asked me to pass on a few words to you, saying that you should not visit her again to avoid arousing suspicion. She also said that although you are not the biological son of the late Emperor of Yunxiu, his feelings for his sister were genuine, and it was your sister who betrayed him. She said that your sister in heaven would also hope that you can live a life of wealth, honor, health, and peace.”
Mo Wangshu snapped her flower fan shut, then said wistfully, "Father, no, the late Emperor spared my life and preserved my title; that was more than enough. It was I who implicated Mother. If it weren't for me, Mother might have been even more favored by the late Emperor. Xiao Hua, do you know how my mother died?"
Xiao Hua was handpicked by the Empress Dowager and Marquis Haitang from Dongliang to serve the Prince, concealing her identity and protecting his life. She shook her head and said, "Didn't Her Majesty die of illness?"
Mo Wangshu opened his fan and fanned himself slowly, saying, "My mother took her own life. She left a will for the late emperor, begging that no matter what, he should spare my life and ensure that I would have enough to eat and wear in this life."
Xiao Hua's eyes suddenly reddened, and she softly called out, "Your Majesty..."
Mo Wangshu: "Father Emperor did it. From then on, I had no worries about food and clothing, and I also became an orphan. Actually, if I had a choice, I would rather live among the common people with my mother, even if it meant living a life of hardship."
Xiao Hua: "Your Highness, the Empress is reluctant to part with her."
Mo Wangshu waved her flower fan and laughed, "Once, when I passed by the Imperial Garden, the late Emperor and the Eldest Princess were practicing spear fighting. The Eldest Princess called me over to eat some pastries, and the late Emperor was furious, smashing all the food plates on the stone table with his spear. I don't blame him; the late Emperor had already been good enough to me. At that time..." Mo Wangshu's face showed no sadness, but rather more contentment, "The Eldest Princess actually took me out of the palace, saying she wanted to make it up to me, and treated me to many local snacks. She was really amazing; she knew everything, which ones were delicious, which ones weren't, and even their names—tea soup, peach blossom wine, wontons, so many! That day, I was almost stuffed."
Xiao Hua said with a smile, "The princess is the best. No matter what happens, she always has a smile on her face. It's as if nothing in this world is a big deal."
Mo Wangshu smiled, but she had suffered the most. Her moon-white dress was stained red on the battlefield; her smiling face was a mask for all the bitterness she had swallowed alone. This was the chosen one destined for the future. Mo Wangshu did not say it aloud, but sighed, "No one knows my identity except the late emperor. Father, you have really treated me very well."
Xiao Hua nodded and said, "Yes, the late emperor..."
“But apart from the eldest princess, no one treats me like family.” Mo Wangshu said sadly. He paused and said quietly, “Xiao Hua, let’s go.”
"Yes, Your Highness." Xiao Hua immediately composed herself, completely concealing the fact that this was the same girl whose eyes had just been red-rimmed.
Deep in the northern desert, Shu Rong and Marquis Haitang stood with solemn expressions. A magnificent and imposing black stone array stood quietly beneath the vast and boundless sky. The desert itself made one feel insignificant, but this enormous stone array made one feel humble, as if some unseen power, higher than anything else, was controlling and manipulating everything at will.
Nearly 50,000 soldiers stood silently for a long time, as if dead.
"Deputy General Shu, has the Princess said how to deal with this Xuan Shi Formation?" Marquis Haitang asked with a frown.
Shu Rong remained silent, lost in thought. Ever since he and the Ironclad Cavalry ventured deep into the northern frontier, he had grown increasingly impressed by the Princess's discerning eye. This 50,000-strong iron cavalry of Dongliang was indeed a natural enemy of the Xiongnu, fierce and decisive, their character remarkably similar to that of the Xiongnu.
Shu Rong frowned and remained silent. The princess had sent them with gunpowder to destroy the Xuan Stone Array, but the array was simply too large. The one they had seen in Su Zang was large enough, but this one was practically the size of the Yunxiu Kingdom's imperial palace.
The gunpowder they brought was probably only enough to blow up a few pillars.
Marquis Haitang coughed a few times, and Shurong sighed, "My lord, the eldest princess told us not to enter the Xuan Stone Formation under any circumstances. Then, we should watch for the signal sent from the sky and blow up the stone formation."
Marquis Haitang's eyebrows twitched, and he looked at Shurong in disbelief. "How is this possible!"
Shu Rong: "I guess even the Princess didn't expect the stone formation to be so large. Let's report the situation to the general first, and we'll stay here and guard it."
Marquis Haitang beckoned to his two personal generals, "You two, remove your armor and send a 500-li urgent message to report the situation to the Princess."
Several more shooting stars streaked across the sky. For some reason, Marquis Beiding felt a hidden crisis creeping in silently. It was a soldier's intuition—unspeakable yet remarkably accurate. Just as Mo Yinghuo felt when Gongliang Zhong was murdered.
Suo Qian noticed the solemn expression on the Marquis of Beiding's face. "My lord, are you worried that this is an ominous sign?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Yong immediately retorted, "Deputy General Suo, how can you be so superstitious? If you ask me, this is an auspicious sign."
Marquis Beiding remained silent. Finally, the time had come to send troops to the northern frontier. However, the frequent appearance of meteors these days would surely generate many rumors. It was quite possible that the court would succumb to the gossip and delay the campaign. The common people called meteors "thief stars"—was it truly inappropriate to launch a campaign at this time?
Seeing that the Marquis of Beiding remained silent and his expression grew increasingly grave, Xu Yong quickly said, "I think this is different."
Upon hearing this, Marquis Beiding's expression shifted, and he blurted out, "How is it different?"
Xu Yong: "In ancient times, those ominous shooting stars only appeared for a short time, but now, I've been observing for several nights, and there are shooting stars every day."
Suo Qian smiled and said, "Yes, Xu Yong is right. It might be a good omen. Marquis, there's no need to worry. Since the Emperor has issued an order to send troops to attack the Northern Frontier, and the Princess has also sent Deputy General Shu to lead the Iron Pagoda into the Northern Frontier to conduct preliminary reconnaissance, it's unlikely that the order will be canceled easily."
Marquis Beiding nodded. "You two, set up more sentries tonight. The Xiongnu have probably gotten wind of Yunxiu's troop deployment and might launch a surprise attack. Strengthen the army's training and ensure adequate supplies. We've waited so many years; this time, we must drive the Xiongnu out of Yunxiu." He had barely finished speaking when he saw a familiar figure in the distance, furtively preparing to turn away. He whispered, "An Wenbin!"
An Wenbin stumbled and staggered, whether he tripped over his own feet or his legs were weak, he fell to his knees with a thud before the Marquis of Beiding, stammering, "Marquis... Your Excellency."
Suo Qian and Xu Yong forced back the smiles that were about to come out of their mouths and digested them on their own.
Marquis Beiding's thick eyebrows furrowed together. "What, Commandant An, do you wish I would ascend to heaven and worship me?"
Upon hearing this, An Wenbin hurriedly stood up, his old face almost falling apart. "My lord, that's not what I meant."
Marquis of Beiding: "How are you doing in Yunzhao Army?"
An Wenbin didn't dare to say much. Ever since returning to the Beidaying camp, he always felt like he was a soldier that the Marquis of Beiding didn't want, and he always felt awkward. He muttered, "Fine."
Marquis of Beiding: "It's better than Beida Camp."
An Wenbin: "..."
Marquis Beiding patted him on the shoulder, then suddenly chuckled, "Although the Princess is young, she knows how to use people better than I do. As for her ability to act swiftly and decisively, I doubt I can match her."
An Wenbin stared blankly at the Marquis of Beiding, unsure of what to say.
Marquis of Beiding: "Now that we're back at the Beida Camp, there's no need to think too much. Just fight the Xiongnu."
An Wenbin replied happily, "Yes."
At Yanxi Tower, several literati and scholars poured fine wine and discussed in hushed tones the major events that had occurred in the capital in recent days. On the top floor, a man in a floral robe and holding a floral fan listened quietly.
"Have you heard? The late emperor passed the throne to the eldest princess," one of them said.
"Yes, but why is the throne..."
One person hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
"I've heard that the current emperor and the eldest princess have had a particularly close relationship since childhood. They are different from the other princes; they are siblings," one person said.
"Compatriots! You must know that the royal family only has rulers and subjects, brothers and sisters, let alone..."
"Keep your voice down. If this gets out, the Emperor and the Princess... The Princess has already made great contributions in battle. Although the Yunzhao Army is currently scattered, as long as she raises her arm, they will all come from all directions."
"I originally thought that the Princess was wise to dismiss the Yunzhao Army and was able to retire successfully. I never expected such an earth-shattering thing to happen. The Emperor will not forgive the Princess no matter what."
"Tell me, who has such a deep grudge against the Princess? And what about Steward Shang? How did he suddenly appear?"
"By the way, did you know that back then, the Princess deliberately broke the arms of the 100,000 surrendered soldiers from Xijin, so that they could only hold light objects and could never hold swords again?"
"At the time, everyone said that the eldest princess was cruel, actually disobeying the emperor's decree that Yunxiu Kingdom should not kill surrendered soldiers. Treating surrendered soldiers like this, 100,000 people, all of them returned with their arms tied, it was too tragic."
"His Majesty is kind-hearted, but it is strange that when the Princess disobeyed the imperial decree, His Majesty did not say much."
"Back then, we still had to rely on the Princess to fight the war, but times have changed now."
"..."
Mo Wangshu closed her fan, coldly observing the bustling crowd at Yanxi Tower, her expression serene yet resolute. At that moment, a woman in a moon-white dress lifted the beaded curtain and walked in with a smile.
"A-Shu, what brings you here?" The visitor was none other than Mo Yinghuo.
Mo Wangshu turned around and said kindly, "Your Highness has been back in the capital for a long time and has been staying at home. Recently, you have been busy blowing up stone statues, so neither of us has had a proper drink together."
Mo Yinghuo waved his hand, and Zhu Chunhua understood and stepped outside the door, smiling, "Ashu, it was my fault."
Mo Wangshu smiled and said, "Your Highness is a dignified princess, unlike me, who has plenty of free time and boredom."
Mo Yinghuo sat down and poured himself a cup of wine. "If I could choose, I would prefer someone like the Fourth Prince, who composes poems, drinks wine, and enjoys a carefree life."
Mo Wangshu also poured half a cup of wine, saying, "Your Highness has the talent to govern the country and bring peace to the nation; you must not be like me."
Mo Yinghuo composed himself and said solemnly, "Ashu, everyone is born with talent. Many of the poems and essays that Ashu has written are already circulating among the people."
Mo Wangshu placed the fan on the wine table, picked up a uniquely bound collection of poems with a few peach blossoms faintly visible on the cover, and nodded, saying, "Your Highness is right. This is a collection of poems I've compiled over the years. Didn't Your Highness jokingly say before going to war that you wanted me to collect a book for you later?"
Mo Yinghuo exclaimed with delight, "They are all works by Ashu himself."
Mo Wangshu nodded.
Mo Yinghuo said, "Then I must read it. Thank you very much, Ashu." After saying that, he raised his wine cup, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
Another location is the residence of the First Prince.
Mo Qiming twirled a chess piece between his fingers, tapping it repeatedly on the table, his brow furrowed in worry. Ever since he released the contents of the late emperor's will, the entire court and the public were in a state of panic. They had thought that the emperor would at least place the eldest princess under house arrest, but unexpectedly, the two people involved acted as if nothing had happened.
Where exactly did things go wrong? He believed that everything he had painstakingly built up over the past few years was under his control. However, ever since the Princess returned to the capital, it seemed that everything was not quite right.
Not only did he relinquish his military power, he also completely ignored state affairs, spending his days leading the Ministry of War to bomb stone statues everywhere.
Mo Qiming abruptly put down the chess piece in his hand. "Someone, prepare the horses, we're going to Jietai Temple." A terrible thought flashed through his mind. Ever since the Eldest Princess returned to the capital, the Ministry of War and gunpowder matters, the demotion of the Imperial Uncle to the common people, the establishment of the Grand Council, the absurd incident of blowing up the stone statues, and the mysterious Zhao Shu beside the Emperor and the Eldest Princess—none of these things happened suddenly, but were all planned.
The Emperor and the Eldest Princess, these two siblings, are actually working together. First, it was the Ministry of War, then the Emperor's brother-in-law, and finally... himself! The Eldest Princess had no intention of seizing the throne, and the Emperor had no suspicion of her. However, Chief Eunuch Shang couldn't possibly lie, and at the time, all the officials were convinced that the Eldest Princess should inherit the throne.
Someone must have altered the imperial edict. But how do you explain this phenomenon? Could it be that the siblings really don't care about the throne? Impossible! Upon thinking this, the gentle expression on Mo Qiming's face vanished.
Despite being the eldest prince and the most likely heir to the throne of Yunxiu Kingdom, his father, the emperor, was convinced that the eldest princess was the chosen one, the savior of Yunxiu Kingdom, simply because of a bizarre experience. He was hailed as a wise prince throughout the court and the country, and his talents were undeniable. So why should the eldest princess be considered his superior? And what was Emperor Zhaoming compared to her?
Why should these two siblings be in charge of Yunxiu Kingdom?
Mo Qiming suddenly let out a cold laugh, tinged with bitterness. He had intended to make the two siblings fight, but in the end, it was all just one person putting on an act.
"Your Highness, what brings you to Jietai Temple so late?" The abbot of the temple hurriedly opened the gate after two young monks announced his arrival.
Mo Qiming, accompanied by two guards, was already standing at the door, seemingly having rushed over. He straightened his clothes and said politely, "I came here specifically to see that old soldier. I heard his health has been deteriorating lately."
The abbot said "Amitabha," and then said, "Your Majesty is kind and benevolent; please follow me."
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