Chapter 41 Shock
The emperor seemed to have just noticed his son and Wen Yao, and slowly withdrew his gaze from the ring.
He is not young anymore, but he looks even more energetic than at the last God's Day celebration, with rosy cheeks and a lively look.
The emperor looked at Wen Yao: "You are Wen Yao."
"yes."
"Someone told me that you are truly the best in the world."
Wen Yao chuckled and waved his hands modestly: "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it, you are too kind."
She looked calm and composed. Although she was kneeling, her eyes did not have the awe and nervousness that ordinary people would have when meeting the emperor. Her eyes were pure and innocent.
The emperor smiled, and a small wrinkle suddenly appeared at the corner of his eyes, and his previous majestic aura was gone. "Alright, stand up. I know you. You stopped the assassin on the Heshen Festival. The boss also said that you put a lot of effort into the Yanling Blue Seal Case. I should reward you. The King of Yan said that your heart is in the martial arts world, and asked for the reward of not kneeling before the emperor. From now on, you can stand when you see me."
Zhao Xuanxu walked over to Wen Yao, put his fingers on her arm and lifted her up. He looked uncertain and a little ugly.
Two eunuchs came up and put down two seats on the left. Wen Yao saluted the emperor and nudged Zhao Xuanxu with his elbow, signaling him to sit down.
The emperor pointed to the arena in front of him and said, "Those on top are the best of our army. Come and see how skilled they are."
Wen Yao moved his gaze and looked forward.
A large crowd surrounded the martial arts arena, where two people were fighting fiercely. The people below were so excited that their blood was boiling and they were cheering loudly.
Wen Yao didn't know what the emperor was talking about. After a moment's deliberation, he said, "These two are quite skilled."
"How many moves can I survive against you?"
"Your Majesty, I am just a commoner in the martial arts world. I may be stronger in single combat, but I know nothing about deploying troops." Wen Yao's face looked sincere. "The two generals are rare talents. I may be at a slight disadvantage in combat."
"They are not generals." The emperor waved his hand. "How many moves can they hold? You can tell me."
"Thirty moves."
Both of them attack together for thirty moves.
The emperor stared ahead, hummed, and stopped talking.
The two men fighting on the opposite ring had already decided the winner. Both were injured, and one of them seized the opportunity and finally threw the other off the ring, causing a wave of cheers to rise from the surrounding area.
"Since Emperor Taizu founded the country, Tianshui has been strong in literature but weak in military. Now, the Northern Liaoxi Dynasty is entrenched and eyeing it covetously, and we are even more short of brave and courageous talents." The emperor suddenly said, "How about I grant you an official position and you join the army as Tianshui's only female general, leaving your name in history and a lasting reputation?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness." Wen Yao said, "It's a pity that I, a humble man, am only interested in the market and have no ambition here."
The emperor moved forward slightly and looked at Wen Yao: "You don't want to work for me, but you are willing to work for Prince Yan?" The tone was not bad, but the meaning behind the words was a bit dangerous.
All the people in the world are the emperor's subjects. You are unwilling to work for the emperor but willing to work for the prince of Yan. Are you so audacious that you think the prince of Yan's achievements surpass those of the emperor?
Wen Yao closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke: "To be honest, I have admired His Royal Highness Prince Yan for a long time, and I am here to serve you."
"Really?" The emperor was really surprised.
Concubine Li on the side slowly put down the teacup, and her pretty face looked unhappy.
"Your Highness Prince Yan is a man of unparalleled beauty, brave and skilled in battle." Wen Yao ignored Zhao Xuanxu's intense gaze and finished his words, "I have longed to see you ever since I first heard of you."
These words were spoken directly and passionately in front of the Emperor and Prince Yan. The surrounding eunuchs and palace maids kept glancing over at Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu, their gazes either overtly or covertly, their expressions of wonder and amazement exceeding all description.
Zhao Xuanxu's expression changed several times, his depression vanishing as his brows relaxed and a smile appeared. Although he remained silent, he couldn't hide his immense joy. A fresh aura lingered on his dangerously sharp brows, making him look like a young man just beginning to fall in love.
"Well, since that's what you mean, I won't force you." The emperor waved his hand and said, "You can come with me to the New Year's Day banquet at the end of this year."
The New Year's Day banquet, held at the end and beginning of each year, was a grand banquet held in Tianshui, bringing envoys from the Northern Liao, Western Dynasty, and Goryeo kingdoms to pay their respects. The palace would set up a grand pavilion in the Jiying Hall, displaying a series of immortal couplets, lavishly decorated with brocade and gold and jade, and officials of lower rank were barred from sitting in the main hall.
The emperor asked her to come over just to have dinner with him on New Year's Day?
Even after walking out of the martial arts arena, Wen Yao was still suspicious of the emperor's sudden action.
Zhao Xuanxu's lips curled into a smile. He turned around, stretched out his five fingers, and grasped the sleeve of Wen Yao's arm intimately. His voice was tangled with honey, low and sweet: "Ayao has such deep feelings for me. I realized it too late. I am really stupid."
...You understand what's going on, but it's too late.
Wen Yao choked and changed the subject: "Aren't you going to see your mother? Let's go."
"No." Zhao Xuanxu shook his head, his hair swaying slightly and his expression happy: "I'm in a good mood today and don't want to go see her."
This sounds a bit strange.
I don’t want to go see my mother when I’m in a good mood, so when do I want to go? When I’m in a bad mood?
Wen Yao knew that Zhao Xuanxu and Lingpin had a bad relationship. But Zhao Xuanxu visited her three times a month, his actions and words contradicting each other.
She didn't say anything and walked outside side by side with Zhao Xuanxu.
As they were walking, Zhao Xuanxu suddenly said, "Ayao, wait a moment."
Wen Yao raised an eyebrow: "Waiting for what?"
"In less than three years, we'll be gone soon." Zhao Xuanxu's eyes curved softly, but his mind was swirling with bloody thoughts. He spoke slowly and gently, "Leave these filthy things behind."
He made A Yao kneel down so that he could pick out the bones one by one, grind them into powder and feed them to the dog.
Child, are the dirty things you are talking about referring to your father and your mother?
Wen Yao was speechless, looking up at Zhao Xuanxu walking by. She realized he truly disliked the Zhaos in Bianliang. It wasn't the kind of hostility that came from a conflict of interest, but rather a deep-seated disgust at the sight of filth.
So he has been dealing with both the King of Qin and the King of Yong during this period of time because he doesn't want to take sides at all and hates everyone equally and attacks everyone indiscriminately?
This answer may seem a bit absurd in the context of the serious political struggle with swords and sabers, but when combined with Zhao Xuanxu's intermittent madness, it seems particularly harmonious and convincing.
The two men, each with their own thoughts, walked forward and crossed a palace gate.
Suddenly, a trembling shout came from the side, and a group of palace maids and eunuchs rushed out from the corner, trembling as they stopped Zhao Xuanxu and Wen Yao.
Although they were the ones who took the initiative to stop them, the fear on their faces was obvious. Wen Yao, the leading palace maid, thought they looked very familiar, but for a moment she couldn't remember where she had seen them before.
It wasn't until the palace maid started talking that Wen Yao suddenly realized—
This is the person who asked Gao Shaoshan to leave the imperial kitchen last time. He is Concubine Li's man.
The palace maid was named Xing'er. She was sent by Concubine Li to invite Prince Yan, and she wanted to die at this moment.
But the master's orders could not be disobeyed. Under the cold, venomous gaze of Prince Yan, she gritted her teeth and said, "Lady Lingpin is ill again today and misses Your Highness very much."
Xing'er squeezed out each word from her dry throat: "Empress Li is concerned about Concubine Ling, and has come to inform Your Highness of this matter. Your Highness... Your Highness, why don't you follow me and go see Concubine Ling."
Zhao Xuanxu stared at the servants and suddenly laughed. His laughter was low, his white teeth intertwined with his bright red tongue, and his face was filled with a strange and vicious look. "Okay."
Zhao Xuanxu agreed without hesitation, but Xing'er's heart turned even colder. The palace maids behind her did the same; for a moment, no one moved.
Zhao Xuanxu grabbed Wen Yao's forearm and turned in another direction.
Zhao Xuanxu's mother, Concubine Ling, was the daughter of the previous ruler of Dali and sister of the current ruler. Dali had previously aided Tianshui in reclaiming Shu, and maintained a close relationship with the latter. Given her status and having given birth to a grown prince, her residence would likely be well-placed, even if she wasn't favored by the emperor.
Wen Yao followed Zhao Xuanxu through the twists and turns of the palace corridor lined with red gates, and looked in surprise at the extremely cold and deserted palace in front of him.
The palace was small, and seemed empty because of the lack of people. The pillars and window frames were a bit peeling, but it could barely be called clean and tidy.
Zhao Xuanxu walked straight into the palace, claiming to be visiting Concubine Ling, and sat down in the main hall. A frail maid appeared from nowhere, carefully carrying a teapot and pouring tea and snacks for Zhao Xuanxu and Wen Yao.
Not long after, footsteps were heard outside. It was none other than Concubine Li, who was supposed to be serving the Emperor at the martial arts arena.
Concubine Li was a stunningly beautiful woman, her hair adorned with pearls and jade, layered with step-shake ornaments. The flower ornaments between her eyebrows, adorned with pearls, further enhanced her beauty. After she entered, Xing'er and the other palace maids and eunuchs exited the main hall and closed the door behind them.
The hall suddenly became much darker and fell into an odd silence.
The maid had brought not only tea but also some preserved fruit cakes. Zhao Xuanxu lowered his eyes and picked and chose, finally pinching a delicate and lovely jujube paste cake and placing it in Wen Yao's palm, recommending it enthusiastically: "Ayao, this one is not too sweet, it's delicious."
The look from Concubine Li turned like a knife, so sharp it made Wen Yao's entire body tingle. She felt a little numb and didn't want to talk much. She silently took the jujube paste cake and stuffed it into her mouth.
Seeing that Zhao Xuanxu was looking at Wen Yao and had no intention of turning to look at her, Concubine Li had to speak first.
"Duwang, you haven't seen me for a long time." She put her bright red hands on her hair, and with infinite friendship in her slightly raised eyes, she glanced at Zhao Xuanxu.
"There are many eyes and ears in Tianshui Palace. It's so hard to see you." Concubine Li stepped closer: "I don't know when we can be open and aboveboard—"
Zhao Xuanxu crushed the teacup and threw a piece of the fragment out without hesitation. The sharp edge scraped across Concubine Li's face, leaving a long scratch on her beautiful face.
Concubine Li suddenly stopped moving. She felt the sharp pain on her face, and the tenderness in her eyes faded. Malice continued to surge up from deep within, and her beautiful eyes stared at Zhao Xuanxu intently.
"If you dare to say such foul words again," Zhao Xuanxu said coldly, "next time I'll tell you what's in your heart."
"Are you going to reject me again?!" Concubine Li gritted her teeth. "Duwang, what on earth are you thinking? Look carefully, we are family! If you just stay with me and give me a child, we can defeat the Zhao family and change the Zhao family's kingdom to the Duan family from now on—but not only did you reject me, you're now using a woman to put me off!"
Oh my god!
Wen Yao blinked, completely shocked, and even forgot to chew the date paste cake.
What did she hear? What does it mean to give a child?
Very niche text.
"Ayao, did you see that?" Zhao Xuanxu came over and whispered softly in Wen Yao's ear, "I've already said Duan Wei is an idiot. We should stay away from such a disgusting lunatic."
He seemed not to hear what Concubine Li said, and his attitude of complete disregard undoubtedly irritated Concubine Li.
Uncontrollably, she took another step forward, her face slightly distorted as she demanded, "What's wrong with my thinking? You and I both have Dali blood in our veins. I'm your cousin, so marriage is only natural. The old Emperor of Tianshui is incompetent and immoral. Whether it's Prince Yong or Prince Qin, they can't compare to you in terms of means or ability. Why should I marry an old man? Why can't you take that position?"
Zhao Xuanxu continued to whisper in Wen Yao's ear: "Ayao, she's talking nonsense. I never wanted to be the emperor, and I don't like it here. When this is over, I will follow you. Wherever you go, I will go."
Wen Yao had just come back to his senses from Concubine Li's brilliant remarks at this moment. Hearing this, he subconsciously asked, "What are you waiting for to end?"
Concubine Li was ignored by the two men, her chest heaved a few times, and her brows suddenly became gloomy.
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