Chapter 141 Why is she the one fighting? That's not true...
Zhilan's expression was solemn as she asked in a deep voice, "Which country's enemy army is it? How many troops have they sent?"
"Your Majesty, the challenge letter identifies them as the Nu Kingdom. Judging from their appearance, they have amassed no less than 50,000 troops and have been clamoring outside the city for some time now."
The voice was neutral, strong, and deep, unlike Ye Lan's cold and aloof voice. It must have belonged to one of the other military officers who came to report the news.
Fu Jun's heart sank slightly. The Nu Kingdom was the country from which the spies who infiltrated Lingzhou City originated.
Taking advantage of the fact that the Nü Kingdom was at war with the Zhao Kingdom, which was thousands of miles away, they brought 50,000 troops to invade. It was clear that they came prepared and wanted to take advantage of the situation.
Zhilan remained silent for a moment, then solemnly said, "Our Nü Kingdom has never been afraid of war. Since the enemy army has arrived at the city gate, let us meet them in battle! Let them know what it means to come and never return."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey!" The footsteps outside the door faded away.
Just as Fu Jun thought Ye Lan had left as well, Ye Lan's voice rang out again from outside the door: "Your Majesty, I have something important to report."
Zhilan frowned slightly and said, "Speak."
"According to Fang Jiu's report, Young Master Su suddenly disappeared last night. People were sent into the city to search for him for a long time, but they could not find his whereabouts."
Zhilan glanced at Fu Jun, a hint of reproach flashing in her eyes.
Fu Yun clasped his hands in a gesture of apology, silently expressing his regret through mouth movements.
Zhilan shook her head helplessly and replied to Yelan, "There's no need to search for his whereabouts anymore. You can all just do your jobs."
Ye Lan remained silent for a moment, then replied, "Yes, I understand."
Her tone was noticeably lighter, as if she already knew what was happening inside the house.
"Your Majesty, the matter of Su Tan still requires your decision."
Zhilan looked at Fu Yun, clearly wanting to know what he was thinking.
Fu Yun sighed and replied, "Su Tan doesn't dare to really make a move for the time being. It's more important to resolve the war first, Father Su..."
Zhilan gazed calmly at Fu Jun, her eyes revealing a hint of profound meaning.
Fu Yun coughed and quickly tried to cover up his mistake: "My father is, after all, her most important bargaining chip. It's a huge gamble for her. If she acts too early, she won't gain anything. Besides, she can't be sure if you will spare her for my father's sake. The talisman she holds in her hand is not truly foolproof. She has to be more cautious and ensure his safety, otherwise she will lose the initiative."
Zhilan nodded, agreeing with what Fu Jun said.
"Did you hear what Young Master Su said?"
"Understood, sir. I will have my men keep a close watch on the Su family's every move. If anything goes wrong, we will immediately lead our men in and capture her."
Zhilan hummed in agreement, then asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Your Majesty, there is one more thing."
"explain."
"Your Majesty, the enemy's commander-in-chief this time is Mu Xin."
Fu Yun and Zhi Lan were both startled and quite surprised: "What?"
The two exchanged a glance, Fu Yun nodded slightly, and Zhi Lan called out to the door, "Come in and talk."
Fu Yun was also very surprised. How could Mu Xin, a bandit, suddenly become a general of the enemy country? War is not child's play, and not just anyone can be a commander-in-chief. He believed that the enemy country was also aware of this. There must be something fishy going on here.
After Ye Lan entered, she only glanced at Fu Yun quickly before lowering her head.
Zhilan asked, "What exactly happened? Why did she become the commander-in-chief of the Nu Kingdom?"
Ye Lan replied: "Your Majesty, according to the spies, the monarch of the Nu Kingdom suddenly died five months ago. She had few children and no crown princess to inherit the throne, so her younger sister inherited the throne. However, just three months after her accession, she suddenly found a daughter who had been living among the common people for more than 20 years."
Fu Yun thought to himself, "To put it nicely, she died suddenly, but the real story is probably that her sister plotted to usurp the throne, isn't it?"
Zhilan frowned, her voice cold and stern: "You mean, Mu Xin just happens to be the daughter of the new monarch of the Nan Kingdom who was exiled among the common people?"
Ye Lan nodded: "Yes, according to the information we found in Nu Kingdom, Mu Xin went out to play with her family when she was four years old. She got lost because she was engrossed in the fun of the people. Later, she was kidnapped by human traffickers and taken to another country. She moved around many times and came to our Nu Kingdom. Later, she took advantage of the human traffickers' transactions to cause trouble and escaped from their clutches. She became a beggar on the streets. Because she was young, she was often bullied by the people in the beggars. So she grew up with endless hatred. Before she was thirteen, she ran to become a lackey for bandits. Because she was decisive and efficient and never hesitated, and was ruthless, she eventually climbed to the position of bandit leader."
Fu Yun couldn't help but ask, "She's been active in Lingzhou City, so how was she found and brought back?"
Ye Lan said, "After the new monarch ascended the throne, he was ambitious and once wanted to annex neighboring countries. Therefore, he sent many spies to infiltrate various countries, waiting for the right opportunity to invade. It was a coincidence that Mu Xin colluded with foreign countries in order to revive the bandit gang. Unfortunately, these foreign countries were spies of the Nu Kingdom. One of the spies was the personal bodyguard of the new monarch when he was still a prince. Because Mu Xin looked extremely similar to his master, he became suspicious and reported this to the new monarch. After many investigations and verifications, it was finally confirmed that Mu Xin was his daughter who had been living abroad."
Fu Jun's expression turned serious: "So, she has now become the princess of the Nong Kingdom, and then launched a war against our country."
Ye Lan nodded and replied truthfully, "That's right. It's both to avenge our previous bandit suppression and to prove her abilities in front of the new monarch. She wants to take this opportunity to gain the approval of her mother, the Empress, and compete for the position of Crown Princess."
This is quite troublesome. When she was just a bandit, she posed little threat. Now that she has suddenly become a princess of a country, if she keeps clinging to the Nü Kingdom, it will be a real problem for Zhilan. She will be an inescapable nuisance, and the two countries will likely be at war. Wouldn't the people of the Nü Kingdom suffer then?
The only way is to defeat them so thoroughly that they won't dare to attack again.
No wonder Mu Xin has been so quiet lately; it turns out he went to acknowledge his ancestors.
Fu Jun never expected that Mu Xin's big move would be this.
He steadied himself and said coldly, "No matter what, we cannot let her succeed, otherwise the war between the two countries will never end, and it will be the ordinary people who suffer in the end."
Zhilan stared at Fu Jun for a moment, then reassured him, "Don't be afraid, I'm here for you. I won't let this happen."
Fu Jun was slightly taken aback, then his heart warmed. He was actually worried about Zhi Lan, not himself.
However, he ultimately did not elaborate, but simply nodded.
Zhilan looked at Yelan and instructed, "Now that all the elite troops have been sent to Qingzhou, General Song's forces are probably insufficient. You should take some men to assist her and try to defeat the enemy as soon as possible."
Ye Lan's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly knelt down, his voice urgent: "Your Majesty, you mustn't! I am your personal guard. The situation is complicated now, how can I leave without regard for your safety?"
"Don't worry, I have my own arrangements. I'll let you go, so just go."
Ye Lan looked up at Fu Jun, her eyes pleading, clearly wanting him to help dissuade the Empress.
Fu Yun remained silent for a long while before asking, "Can you find someone who looks like His Majesty?"
Ye Lan's pupils suddenly contracted, and she understood the meaning behind Fu Yun's words. She looked at Zhi Lan, waiting for her to speak.
Zhilan said, "There's no need to search deliberately; it's right here in the palace."
Now it was Fu Jun's turn to be surprised: "Huh?"
Zhilan smiled slightly: "Do you think I, as the ruler of a country, can leave the palace so frequently?"
Fu Yun suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. I was worried that you would be criticized by the ministers for always leaving the palace. It seems that I was overthinking it."
No wonder Zhilan always disguises herself as a man or changes her appearance when leaving the palace. It turns out she wasn't worried about her own safety, but rather that the double in the palace couldn't be exposed.
Fu Jun now understood the situation and advised Ye Lan, "In that case, Commander Ye, you should listen to His Majesty!"
He looked at Zhilan, a smile gradually spreading across his eyes: "Our Emperor must already have a solution."
Zhilan's lips curved into a slight smile, her eyes filled with confidence.
Ye Lan sighed inwardly and ultimately said no more: "This subordinate takes his leave."
After Ye Lan turned and left, Zhi Lan said softly, "With the enemy attacking, the court officials are probably at a loss. You wait here, I'll go to the morning court and come back."
Fu Yun naturally had no objection to this, but simply instructed, "Be careful."
Zhilan walked up to Fu Yun, reached out and pinched Fu Yun's cheek, her eyes full of doting affection: "I know, you can wait patiently, I'll be back in a little while."
Fu Jun's expression stiffened slightly, and an awkward embarrassment welled up in his heart. Every time Zhi Lan rubbed his forehead or pinched his cheek, she would give him the illusion that Zhi Lan was raising him like a beloved pet.
I don't know if all women in this country are like this, or if only Zhilan is used to this kind of controlling nature.
Sometimes he had the feeling that he had really become Zhilan's little husband, which made him think deeply: would modern people who have grown up in a world of gender equality really be assimilated by a completely different living environment?
This answer was obviously impossible for anyone, but upon closer reflection, he felt that it was not possible. Different environments might smooth out the sharp edges of life, but one's inherent nature would not be easily changed. For example, he could not rely on women to enjoy wealth and luxury, much less let women stand in front of him and charge into battle.
Before Fu Yun could respond, Zhi Lan withdrew her hand and headed towards the door.
Before leaving, she turned back and instructed, "You haven't slept all night. If you feel sleepy, go to the couch in the inner palace and sleep for a while. I will come back later to have dinner with you."
Fu Yun replied gently, "Okay, go ahead and do your work. I'll wait for you here."
Zhilan gave Fu Yun a deep look before turning her gaze away, quickening her pace, and leaving swiftly.
Fu Yun first walked around Zhi Lan's bedroom, admiring the antique screens, gently touching the various pieces of furniture and exquisitely carved ornaments, and then scanning the bookshelves for a while before finally pulling out a copy of "The History of the Nü Kingdom".
He took the book, returned to the table, sat down, and began to read it attentively.
You wouldn't believe it until you see it; the Kingdom of Nu has existed in this world for over five hundred years.
During this period, the throne was passed down more than 130 times. By the time of Zhilan's generation, there were already 135 heirs to the throne, and Zhilan was the 135th monarch.
The territory of the Nü Kingdom originally consisted of only a few small cities; it was just a small country and didn't even have a name.
Through the arduous struggle and tireless development and growth of our ancestors, three hundred years later, the Nü Kingdom became one of the five great powers, and at one point even became the leader of the five great powers.
Unfortunately, in the following two hundred years, two of the monarchs indulged in wine and women, and were blinded by lust. They would voluntarily cede territory whenever there was a war, causing the Nü Kingdom to lose most of its cities. By the time of Zhilan's predecessor, the Nü Kingdom's treasury was already depleted, and its strength was far less than before. If Zhilan had not taken swift and decisive action after ascending to the throne to remove the corrupt elements in the court, the Nü Kingdom would probably have become a disorganized mess and been devoured by other countries.
After reading the Records of the Grand Historian, Fu Yun deeply understood the hardships Zhi Lan had endured. No wonder she was bloodthirsty and ruthless in her previous life. To turn the tide and achieve such a remarkable turnaround in such a predicament, it's truly remarkable that no one could maintain the demeanor of a wise ruler.
As the old saying goes, "If you're not ruthless, you can't stand firm."
Without resorting to some ruthless measures, how could those corrupt old foxes in the court possibly respect or fear her?
After reading the entire Records of the Grand Historian, Fu Yun was unable to calm down for a long time.
Besides admiring Zhilan's courage, resilience, wisdom, and strength, he felt even more heartache for her.
I feel sorry for the hardships she has endured over the years, as well as the immense pressure she has faced that most people cannot bear.
It has been so difficult for her to get to where she is today, and it is truly heartbreaking.
Once his emotions had calmed down, Fu Juyun realized that he had finished reading all the books, but Zhilan had not yet returned. In his memory, the morning court session in ancient times usually lasted about two hours.
It was already noon, but Zhilan still hadn't finished her court session.
Could it be that the morning court session was extended because of the enemy's invasion?
He waited patiently for another half hour, but Zhilan still didn't return, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Since he entered Zhilan's palace through a secret passage, he couldn't call someone to ask, otherwise, as someone of unknown origin, he would be tarnishing Zhilan's reputation.
But waiting like this isn't a solution; we need to come up with a plan.
Just as Fu Jun was getting anxious and planning to knock out a palace eunuch and disguise himself as a servant to investigate, there was a knock at the door: "Knock~ knock~ knock~"
Fu Yun didn't speak up easily. If it was Zhilan who came, she wouldn't need to knock on the door.
There was no sound from inside. The person outside the door took a few steps back, seemingly intending to break down the door.
Fu Yun immediately slipped behind the screen, swiftly took out his bow and arrows, and slowly drew a sharp arrow from his back, ready to fire at any moment.
Just as the figure was about to crash into the door frame, Fu Yun drew his bow and arrow, ready to shoot as soon as the person entered.
"Who goes there?" a sharp shout rang out.
The figure outside the door suddenly braked, then retreated rapidly, disappearing in an instant.
"stop!"
The guards outside shouted, "There's an assassin! Catch the assassin!"
The outside suddenly became lively, with the sound of footsteps running back and forth.
Soon, things quieted down outside. Fu Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and asked Xiao Ba in her mind, "Why didn't you give any warning when there was danger?"
The current plot differs significantly from the original story, and I don't know whether the newcomer is friend or foe.
Fu Yun sighed: "Fine!"
As he stopped worrying and was about to sit down again, another figure gathered outside the door.
Fu Yun's heart skipped a beat. No way! Again?
"Young Master Su, are you alright?" A familiar voice called out softly from outside the door.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com