Chapter 61
◎Let her become addicted to it, unable to extricate herself. ◎
Yesterday's absurdity was too much, and Xie Yutang fell into a daze, a few strands of hair sticking to his temples, which were gently brushed away in his daze.
When I woke up, it was already dawn.
Su Lu lay beside him fully clothed, eyes closed, breathing quietly, but his fingers curled up under his sleeves.
Both of them were covered in sweat from the previous night's activities. He helped Xie Yutang take off her outer garment and then coaxed her to dry herself with a hot towel. Xie Yutang was very uncooperative, holding onto his hand and insisting that he stay with her. Only after he forced Su Lu to promise that he would not leave tonight did she reluctantly let him wipe her face.
When Su Lu returned after putting away the towel, she pulled him onto the couch, wrapped her arms around his waist with delight, and fell into a deep sleep.
Xie Yutang slept soundly, but Su Lu didn't sleep at all. He didn't know how much of Xie Yutang was awake, or even if she knew that he was the one who was by her side last night.
Xie Yutang's eyelashes fluttered; she was about to wake up. When she opened her eyes and saw herself...
Before he could even finish the thought, Xie Yutang rolled over, wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed herself against him, and buried her face in his neck, taking a deep breath: "...Youzhi."
The last syllable carried a strong sense of languor and weariness.
Su Lu paused for a moment, then whispered, "Does A-Mian know it's me?"
"Nonsense." He was barely out of his mouth when Xie Yutang pinched the back of his neck, looking at him with displeasure. "You think I can just grab any man and sleep with him?"
A hint of anger lingered in his eyes, yet his mind remained clear.
Su Lu paused for a moment, then finally raised his hand to wrap around her waist, a smile playing on his lips.
"Bless it, bless it, bless it, bless it, bless it..."
She kept calling out, and Su Lu raised his hand, pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, and asked in a tone that was both helpless and obviously indulgent: "What are you doing?"
Xie Yutang said, "It's just that I didn't call your name yesterday. I wonder what some people were thinking all night. Now I'll call you as many times as you want."
Su Lu was surprised that his subtle thoughts could be detected. He was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly and pinched her waist. Xie Yutang exclaimed in surprise and retaliated by touching his thigh. The two laughed and joked for a while. Then Xie Yutang wrapped her arms around his neck again, buried her nose in the crook of his neck, and said in a muffled voice, "I'm hungry."
She hadn't eaten for the past two days, and her stomach was growling with hunger.
What would you like to eat?
"The porridge you cooked, and the almond cookies."
Su Lu went to do it.
Only when he was alone in the room did Xie Yutang finally exhale and bury his face in the pillow.
Everywhere was filled with the chill of snow, and she belatedly realized that her ears had turned red.
That's way too much.
She had never experienced that feeling before.
It felt like she was being lifted up to the clouds and then falling heavily back down, repeating this process repeatedly, making her unable to stop herself from being immersed in it.
He was actually willing to go to such lengths.
Having lived two lives, Xie Yutang was not a naive young girl who knew nothing of human affairs. However, even when he was deeply in love with Lin Tan in his previous life, he never had such a desire.
In fact, she did not enjoy having sex with Lin Tan.
Even when I was most infatuated with Lin Tan, I didn't like him.
Both of them had extremely strong personalities and wanted to control everything, even in bed. Xie Yutang forced herself to give in, but the two of them did not have a pleasant experience because of it—Xie Yutang disliked his domineering nature of always demanding that others compromise, and Lin Tan also disliked that she lacked the gentleness and consideration that a woman should have.
So much so that she never had any expectations of it.
Yesterday, I recklessly dragged Su Lu into a frenzy just to give myself some pain, so that the pain elsewhere could cover up the pain in my heart.
But she never expected that what she received was not pain, but pleasure.
The ultimate, indescribable, and unforgettable pleasure.
She remembers leaning against the soft pillows and vaguely seeing the person kneeling beneath her.
The young man's porcelain-white skin had a pinkish tinge, his eyes were tinged with red, and tiny water droplets clung to his eyelashes, making one want to roughly ravage the pristine snow at first glance.
It is to serve her completely.
He gained nothing from her; he devoted himself entirely to her pleasure.
At the last moment, fireworks exploded before her eyes. She closed her eyes, frowned, her chest heaving, and strands of hair clung to her cheeks, whether from sweat or tears, she couldn't tell.
In a daze, she saw him take the teacup from the table to the washroom. When he returned, his face had been washed, and his hands smelled of soap. He took a towel to wipe her face, and when he saw her reddened eyes, he paused and softly called out, "Master?"
She stared at him for a long time, then touched his lips, which were now a vibrant, unusual color, with her thumb, and said in a hoarse voice, "If you call me master now, I'll think you're trying to seduce me."
...
She clung to him like a drowning person grasping at the last straw, watching the sun set and the daytime debauchery continue.
When Su Lu returned, he was carrying hot water, with a towel neatly draped over the edge of the copper basin.
The porridge is being cooked over the fire, and the dough for the almond shortbread was started yesterday and just put into the oven. In this short time, he still has to help her get up and wash in the morning.
With a hot towel draped over his eyes, Xie Yutang lazily leaned back on the couch, letting him wipe his hands: "This is in Beirong, young marquis, aren't you afraid the king will find out what you're doing?"
Su Lu pinched her fingers, feeling both amused and annoyed.
She's good at turning the tables.
The whole palace probably knows that she forced me to stay overnight yesterday. Compared to that, what does it matter if I go to the kitchen to make breakfast or help her wash her face and hands?
Not to mention the stamp she left with her teeth marks under his tightly covered collar.
Su Lu held her fingertips and kissed them: "Aren't you afraid, A-Mian, if the King finds out?"
Xie Yutang dangled her toes on the couch, displaying an air of arrogance: "I was afraid he wouldn't know."
Su Lu chuckled softly.
Since Xie Yutang led his troops into battle, he had not painted his nails. The bright and flamboyant nail polish of the past had faded, revealing the original flesh-colored nail bed. When they grew a little longer, he would take scissors to trim them for her.
The room was extremely quiet.
The person on the bed seemed to have fallen asleep again. Su Lu finished trimming her nails, carefully wrapped up the crumbs, and was about to take the copper basin and towel out when she heard her quietly say, "Actually, I've thought about the possibility that it was him."
A person who possesses absolute power, capable of instructing the Minister of Revenue to resell military rations and leak military intelligence to the Northern Rong, and who can also erase all traces and clean up all related clues afterward, is not far from being an emperor, even if he is not the Chongde Emperor.
She simply couldn't believe it.
I don't want to believe it either.
So desperately trying to uncover the truth seems to be the only way to put one's mind at ease.
But the truth was that it was the knife that shattered the last shred of hope in her heart, the last straw that broke her already fragile rationality.
Su Lu felt a pang in his heart. He lowered his eyes, took her hand, and pulled her into his arms. He said solemnly, "When we return to the capital, no matter what choice A-Mian makes, I will stand by your side."
*
Xie Yutang's prediction was correct; her openly treating Su Lu as her possession was tantamount to a public provocation against Tuoba Cangjue.
Especially after the handsome men sent were harshly rejected.
Tuoba Cangjue and Tuoba Xiu looked at each other in disbelief, never expecting that the person who would save their lives in the end was Su Lu.
They were in the wrong, so they had no choice but to swallow their anger and have the imperial physician apply medicine and give the person some money to get rid of them.
"This can't be entirely a bad thing. At least it shows that Princess Ning'an is completely devoted to our Yu'er."
—This is how Tuoba Xiu comforted the elderly Grandpa Wang.
Tuoba Cangjue was also deeply helpless. It was one thing for his grandson to insist on being with Xie Yutang, but at least he should acknowledge Xie as his grandfather. After all, Beirong was his home.
Grandfather, who loved his grandson dearly, set his sights on Xie Yutang.
He invited the man to his bedchamber and delivered a heartfelt and impassioned speech, saying that he was getting old and that his greatest concern before abdicating was this grandson. He wanted to pave the way for him while he was still in power, and that no matter who ascended the throne in the future, Tuoba Yu would be the most honorable Marquis Minyi of the Northern Rong, second only to the emperor, enjoying unparalleled glory.
"If Your Highness is willing to marry my grandson, it would be a good thing for you as well." Tuoba Cangjue persuaded him with reason and emotion, speaking earnestly until his throat was dry.
Xie Yutang had just finished breakfast, drinking hot white porridge and eating a few pieces of almond shortbread. Feeling warm and cozy, he listened patiently to Tuoba Cangjue finish speaking, and then slowly sipped his tea: "I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness. I will find an opportunity to discuss this matter with him, but as for what decision Prince Su will make, that is up to him."
Since the matter had been brought up, it was good that there was no direct refusal, so Tuoba Cangjue couldn't ask for anything more.
As soon as Xie Yutang stepped out of the palace gate, he saw Su Lu, who was still dressed as a Han Chinese, with a sable fur collar covering his shoulders and a dark blue crane cloak over it. His black hair was half-tied up with a jade hairpin, hanging softly over the cloak.
He stood under the plum tree, the snow still clinging to the branches, obscuring the plum blossoms in full bloom. He stood tall and elegant, his beauty a sight to behold.
Under the eaves, behind the pillars, and through the windows, many young ladies from official families, all in their prime, were staring at him.
The women of the Hu people have always been bold and outspoken, and they are not shy about expressing their affections. They look at Su Lu with undisguised adoration, and some even dare to break off a branch of plum blossom to offer to him.
Before Xie Yutang even stepped out of the corridor, a fox fur cloak was draped over his shoulders, blocking the biting cold wind that was blowing in his face.
Xie Yutang glanced at the corridor and asked him, "How long have you been waiting?"
Su Lu tied the cloak straps for her: "It hasn't been long."
The two were walking along the palace path when Xie Yutang suddenly stopped. Su Lu turned to look at her: "What—"
As soon as she uttered a sound, Xie Yutang kissed her.
In broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of everyone.
Such a bold public kiss startled even the women of the Northern Rong, causing them to blush and lower their heads in fear.
Plum branches fell to the ground, leaving only a string of scattered footprints on the thin snow of the palace path.
Given Xie Yutang's personality, she hadn't originally planned to be so flamboyant in public, but what happened this morning made her start to reflect on whether she hadn't given the other person enough security. Besides, her sweetheart was so attractive, so of course she had to mark him as her own early on, to prevent any Tom, Dick, or Harry from coming up to her.
The kiss wasn't intense, but it was exciting enough.
Xie Yutang was led back into the house by Su Lu's hand. He immediately picked her up by the waist, hooked his foot on the door, and placed her on the table in front of the window.
A sprig of red plum blossoms leans against the window. As it enters, the fragrance of plum blossoms mingles with the increasingly intense scent of snow, reflecting Xie Yutang's clear heartbeat.
Su Lu placed one hand on her waist and the other on Zhuo Yan, gently pulling her close to his embrace. His gaze swept over her eyebrows and eyes, then fell on her lips. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes.
It's a gesture of asking for a kiss.
Xie Yutang held his chin and lowered her head to kiss him.
This kiss was different from the gentle and cautious one on the night we fell in love, different from the unrestrained passion in the dark and deserted dungeon, and even more different from the hysterical madness of last night.
Their kiss was tender and lingering, as they expressed their deep affection that could not be put into words.
Plum blossoms twirled and fell gently. Outside the window was a world enclosed by red walls and green tiles. The winter sun slanted down, illuminating a couple embracing tightly inside the window.
...
Xie Yutang buried her face in his neck, her voice still hoarse with lingering desire as she spoke: "Sometimes I wonder if it's unfair to you to force me to keep you by my side like this."
His father was Su Chengyu, who guarded the territory of Dayan; his mother was Tuoba Shu, the most favored princess of Beirong; and his grandfather was Tuoba Cangjue, the king of Beirong. Even in the noble royal family, which places the greatest emphasis on bloodline and inheritance, he could still inherit the title of marquis based on his bloodline and birth, and easily live a life of luxury and honor.
Even without all of these, he could still become the brilliant and outstanding Prince Muqing based on his illustrious military achievements.
He should have been the most glorious chapter in the annals of history.
But because of her, he was willing to confine himself to a self-imposed prison, to bend down and pave the way for her, and to kneel down and become a ladder.
Has he ever regretted it? Does he ever miss the Little Prince Muqing of his past life, who enjoyed supreme power and was even feared by the emperor?
Su Lu paused, his fingers twirling her hair. "Did Tuoba Cangjue say something to you?"
Xie Yutang sighed inwardly at his keenness, then lifted himself from his neck, cupped his face, and asked very seriously, "What if I want you to stay in Beirong?"
Su Lu was silent for a moment: "Reason?"
“I’m a very selfish person.” Xie Yutang’s hand slid down his cheek, then up his arm and took his hand in hers, her fingertips tracing the small crescent moon on his wrist. “Even knowing how vast the world is, I still want to clip your wings and keep you by my side because I need you.”
Su Lu was slightly startled; this was the first time she had so openly revealed her needs for him.
"I'm asking you now whether you're willing to stay in Beirong because I need you."
She took his hand, looked deeply into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Youzhi, I want you to be the king of Beirong."
She now commands an army of 100,000, stationed on the border between the two countries, while the Northern Rong are embroiled in internal strife. It is not impossible for her to take advantage of the situation to overthrow the country.
However, Tuoba Xiu dared to seek help from Xie Yutang and open the door to the capital to let the Dayan army into the city. On the one hand, they were under house arrest by Helou Batu. Rather than waiting to die, they would rather cooperate with Xie Yutang and take a gamble. If they won, they could turn defeat into victory, and if they lost, there would be no worse outcome.
On the other hand, the Northern Rong royal family protected Cao Yong and knew more or less about what happened back then. Emperor Chongde was suspicious and power-hungry. Even with the powerful Northern Rong as an enemy by his side, he was still able to stab Xie Qinghe in the back. If the Northern Rong were to be destroyed, Xie Yutang, who held a large army, would be the next Xie Qinghe. Emperor Chongde would absolutely not tolerate anyone controlling a power that could threaten the imperial authority.
Tuoba Cangjue, that old fox, was confident in her abilities, which is why he dared to let Xie Yutang lead his troops into the capital.
Xie Yutang certainly wouldn't blindly send troops to annex the Northern Rong at such a critical juncture, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to control the Northern Rong.
Su Lu was more composed than she had expected; there was no shock in his eyes, only a hint of understanding.
With such a large commotion in the Northern Rong, Emperor Chongde could not have been unaware of it. His return to the capital was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Xie Yutang asked him to take control of the Northern Rong for two reasons: first, to stabilize the rear, so that if the Great Yan were to fall into chaos in the future, the Northern Rong would not rise up and cause trouble; second, with him in control of the Northern Rong, Xie Yutang would have more support and a better chance of winning.
“Is this an order?” he asked.
“It’s about cooperation,” Xie Yutang said. “Youzhi, I want to see the world with you.”
*
The Northern Rong royal palace has been filled with joy lately. Xie Yutang, after speaking with Su Lu for some unknown reason, persuaded him to agree to return to the royal family. Tuoba Cangjue was overjoyed and immediately issued twelve edicts, granting amnesty to the entire kingdom. Overnight, the ten prefectures, eight counties, and thirty-two cities of the Northern Rong all knew that the king's long-sought grandson had been found. Half a month later, the Golden Tent Palace would hold a ceremony to recognize his ancestor and to confer upon Tuoba Yu the title of Marquis Minyi, his mother's title.
On the other hand, Tuoba Cangjue dispatched General Ashan to take over the task of pursuing Helou Batu, and Wu Shiwei, the battalion commander of the second battalion, had led his troops back to Xuelang Pass to join forces with Chen Biao, the battalion commander of the first battalion.
With the three cities of Shuofeng, Hanya, and Xuelang Pass all recaptured, and nearly 100,000 troops from Dayan stationed on the border between the two countries, Xie Yutang could not stay in Wulun Saihan any longer. He set off for Xuelang Pass the next day, only promising to return to attend the ancestral recognition ceremony half a month later at the enthusiastic invitation of Tuoba Cangjue.
Su Lu also reversed his previous aloof attitude, not only acknowledging the identity of "Tuoba Yu", but also chatting happily with the royal family members and Northern Rong officials who came to offer their congratulations.
As the grandson of Tuoba Cangjue and the future Marquis Minyi, he was about to become a rising star in the court, with an extraordinary status. For a time, people came to visit him or invited him here and there under various pretexts, and Su Lu accepted them all without hesitation.
The half-month period soon came to an end.
On the 19th day of the second month of the 27th year of Taihe, in Ulun Saihan, the capital of the Northern Rong.
The thin snow on the steps leading to the Golden Tent Palace was swept away by the palace servants. Tuoba Cangjue, dressed in a black robe with twelve imperial symbols, was helped by Crown Prince Tuoba Xiu to ascend to the center of the main hall and sit on the throne.
Su Lu, dressed in the black royal robes of the Northern Rong, with his black hair tied up, stood in the main hall, bowing and kowtowing along with the civil and military officials.
After a long and complicated ceremony, the master of ceremonies presented the golden book.
"The Emperor's grandson, Tuoba Yu, possessed strategic acumen from a young age and displayed remarkable talent as he grew older... Now, you are hereby granted the title of Marquis Minyi, inherited from your mother, and are granted two thousand households in Pingyang. You are permitted to establish your own government and military headquarters, and to wear a sword and shoes in the imperial court..."
Tuoba Cangjue personally straightened Su Lu's hat and took the token presented on the golden tray, but Su Lu did not accept it.
The young man, kneeling upright in the main hall, appeared more like a superior than a kneeling figure, exuding an air of arrogance that no one could subdue.
He bowed his head only to one person; nothing else in the world could make him bend.
Tuoba Cangjue's eyelids twitched, and an ominous premonition suddenly flashed through his mind.
Su Lu calmly rose to his feet. His tall and slender figure was even taller than Tuoba Cangjue, who was wearing a crown. He could easily look down on everyone in the hall, yet he concealed his imposing aura and acted as if it were nothing.
“Grandfather, what I want is not the title of Marquis Minyi, but—” Su Lu, the young man, curled his lips and looked at the gilded throne above the imperial steps, his eyes filled with a confident composure, “this throne.”
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