Xin He looked at the expression on Xiaochaihuo’s face, feeling a tightness in her heart, her expression slightly stiffening. She then said softly, "Mother is tired and needs some sleep, Ah Guai. Why don’t you go and play with nanny for a while?"
Ah Guai nodded her head: "Alright, mother. You should rest well. Ah Guai will come find you after you wake up."
Having said that, she hugged Xin He’s neck with both hands, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then happily jumped off her lap and ran off with a bounce in her step.
As Ah Guai’s figure gradually disappeared from Ji Xinhe’s sight, the smile on her face faded away. With a sharp coldness in her eyes, she turned to Xiaochaihuo and asked, "What’s happened?"
Xiaochaihuo spoke in a deep voice, "It seems that the court has started making plans to deal with Yu State."
This was something to be expected.
"Has the Emperor ordered troops to be sent to Yu State?" Xin He asked coldly.
As expected, the Emperor could not wait any longer. Even though there had been no news from Song Yalin since she entered the Royal Mansion, the Emperor still could not keep his composure.
"No explicit orders have been issued yet, but preparations have clearly begun. Before anything happens, our spies in the capital have received new information that the Emperor will most likely be making his move in the Lian City area."
Upon hearing this, Xin He’s expression changed, and her eyes widened in shock. "What did you say?"
Lian City was currently the boundary between them and the enemy forces. Why would the court involve Lian City in their conflict with Yu State?
Xiaochaihuo spoke solemnly, "It seems that the Emperor knows that Yu State’s power has become too strong to be easily attacked. Even if the court sends troops, they may not be victorious. So the Emperor is likely seeking help from Rouyi."
Xin He scoffed coldly, "Seeking help from the Enemy Country!?"
This foolish Emperor could actually do this!
"But how could Rouyi be willing?" Xin He asked sharply.
"Of course, Rouyi would not be willing to obey Da Qian’s court willingly. The promise that the Emperor gave them is that they’ll let down their guard along the border from Lian City to Yu State, allowing them to attack until they reach Yu State."
Xin He’s hand clenched tightly within her sleeve.
From Lian City to Yu State, there were two entire provinces and more than a dozen cities. Was the foolish Emperor simply giving them away?!
Xiaochaihuo spoke in a deep voice, "The court’s power is thin now, and they have no choice but to rely on external enemies. Otherwise, there’s no way for them to deal with Yu State. As for my understanding of the Emperor, he’s unlikely to give all these cities away to Rouyi for nothing. I suspect once Rouyi helps the court eliminate the threat of Yu State, the Emperor will immediately turn against Rouyi. The court must already have a hold on some of Rouyi’s weaknesses, but that’s a story for another time."
Xin He laughed coldly, "What a brilliant strategy. It’s just a wonder who could come up with such a plan for the Emperor."
"Besides Duan Lan, there is no one else around the Emperor with such wisdom. It’s just uncertain whether it’s him or not," Xiaochaihuo said.
Duan Lan was now imprisoned in the jail by the Emperor, so by logic, the Emperor shouldn’t trust him anymore, unless... the ingenious plan he presented to the Emperor seemed perfect and completely risk-free with high rewards.
Xin He’s gaze gradually grew colder, as she felt the complexity of the matter increasing. Since Duan Lan had such confidence in his own strategy and could make the Emperor trust it so much, there must be many more hidden plots and plans that she could not guess.
Xin He coldly asked, "Is this information reliable?"
"This news just came from our spies in the capital. It’s reliable," Xiaochaihuo replied seriously.
"But Lian City is guarded by the Great Prince. If they received the news to let Rouyi pass, the Great Prince should have given us some hints." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"As far as I can guess, the Great Prince must have been controlled by now. He’s not a prince that the Emperor favored to begin with, and he’s been getting close to His Highness in recent years. If the Emperor has made up his mind to deal with His Highness, he definitely won’t let him cause any trouble."
Xin He pursed her lips, her mind racing as she carefully calculated the situation.
The Emperor wanted to deal with Yu State but needed Rouyi’s help, so capturing Lian City now became an extremely easy task for Rouyi. Not only would Lian City fall easily, but the entire route from Lian City to Yu State would become much simpler for them to conquer.
When the time came, Rouyi’s army would arrive at Yu State’s doorstep, and the court would immediately find an excuse to send troops to deal with Yu State. With both sides working together, Yu State’s chances of victory would be slim!
Xin He’s heart raced, and she placed a hand over her chest, her face tense. After pondering for a long time, she finally asked in a deep voice, "Where is the Prince?"
"His Highness should have received the news by now, but I’m afraid it will take some time for him to return. Shall I go and see?" Seeing Xin He’s uneasy look, Xiaochaihuo couldn’t help but furrow his brows.
Xin He took a deep breath, "No need, I’ll just wait for him to come back."
The situation was already like this, and he probably had a lot on his plate right now. With so many problems to solve, there was nothing she could do to help him except for giving him a little more trust and reducing his worries.
Xiaochaihuo bowed his head, "Yes."
Xin He sat there until night, and as the sky grew darker, the Royal Mansion remained brightly lit. Aside from the carefree little princess, it seemed that no one could sleep easily, as the entire mansion’s atmosphere was filled with an unprecedented solemnity and stagnation.
Everyone secretly thought: Something big is going to happen in Yu State!
Those outside the Pingyang Prince Mansion could not detect the solemn atmosphere within, nor could they sense that the monarch thousands of miles away had already abandoned them. He would rather sacrifice the lives of the citizens of Yuzhou than let Mu Houchu live.
They still slept soundly, thinking that the prosperous Da Qian would protect them, and that both the Emperor and the Prince of Pingyang would be their strong support.
It wasn’t until midnight that a fast horse galloped back to the city from outside, rushing past the empty streets and returning to the Pingyang Prince Mansion.
Mu Houchu hurried back under the stars and moon, his body stained with the thick coldness of the night. As he expected, upon his return, he saw the brightly lit mansion.
She was waiting for him.
With a warm feeling in his originally icy heart, Mu Houchu strode in.
Xin He came forward to greet him, touched the coldness around his body, and frowned slightly as she took off his cape for him. "It’s already late autumn, so why not wear more clothes? Riding back in the wind is no better than staying out for the night."
"If I were to stay out for one night, wouldn’t you be waiting for me all night?" Mu Houchu pulled her directly into his embrace. Her small body was so warm that Mu Houchu couldn’t help but greedily hold her tighter.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com