FID – Chapter 817

Chapter 817: Just Like She Once Was

“Now that Dongyue border is provoking us, although our country has stationed troops to guard the southeastern borders, in the event of battle, Nanling cannot be fully confident. General Qin is an experienced officer at the frontier, and when it comes to commanding armies and fighting wars, I trust you more than anyone,” Feng Mohan said as he put away the chessboard and got to the point. “Nanling has a million soldiers, and General Qin commands 600,000 of them. The soldiers all respect your authority. If you lead the troops into battle this time, I can rest easy in the court.”

“Does Your Majesty want me to send troops to Yigu City?” Qin Xiao asked.

“Yes.”

“The northern frontier is also a vital defense point for our country. If I move troops to Yigu City, I fear the northern barbarians may seize the opportunity to stir up trouble. Wouldn’t this be losing the east and gaining the west?” Qin Xiao said, furrowing his brow.

“Then we’ll secure the west first and then reclaim the lost land.”

Qin Xiao frowned. “Your Majesty, the King has already gone to Yigu City personally to meet with the Dongyue Emperor. Before we receive any messages from him, if our troops make any sudden moves, it could provoke the Dongyue Emperor and mess up the King’s plans. I suggest we carefully reconsider sending troops.”

“Our soldiers will camp thirty miles inside Nanling’s borders, just outside Yigu City. If the Dongyue Emperor makes any move, General, you can immediately lead your troops to reinforce my Imperial Uncle. Once matters are settled on his side, you will return with the troops. What I want is to intimidate the Dongyue Emperor so he dares not act recklessly!” Feng Mohan stared directly at Qin Xiao. “This is an imperial decree.”

The room was silent, the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.

After a moment, Qin Xiao cupped his hands and bowed. “Your humble servant obeys Your Majesty’s command!”

As the general left the main hall, Feng Mohan watched his figure merge into the night, then gently tapped the chess box on the table. Several figures appeared in the hall.

“Your Majesty.”

“It’s okay. You may leave.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Outside the hall, after stepping into the night, Qin Xiao turned back and looked at the brightly lit Hall of Supreme Harmony, his expression unchanged.

In the hall earlier, there had been a distinct killing intent.

If he hadn’t answered the last question, he might not have been able to leave the hall tonight.

It was said that with every new emperor came new ministers.

The young emperor had grown into adulthood, and his methods were increasingly similar to Feng Qingbai’s, even more ruthless than Feng Qingbai’s.

While Feng Qingbai needed to think carefully and find a reason that would gain public approval to avoid turmoil in the court; the emperor, however, seemed to have no such concerns about dealing with him. If he wanted something, he would get it, and if he couldn’t, he would kill to achieve it.

He could defy the greatest of taboos.

Because if it were a battle of wits between emperor and minister, the emperor still couldn’t suppress Qin Xiao, just like in that chess game.

After all, being young, the emperor had lost a piece to him.

Thus, when the emperor said, ‘First secure the west, then reclaim the lost land,’ he meant exactly that.

Qin Xiao was the west, and the military power in his hands was the lost land.

The emperor had deployed heavy troops within the palace, and it was clear that it wasn’t just to intimidate him.

What a remarkable young emperor.

Feng Qingbai personally trained a talent.

The next day, Qin Xiao proposed to personally lead troops to reinforce the southeast border during the court assembly, and the emperor agreed.

By the afternoon, the news reached Liu Yusheng’s ears.

She had learned about it from the old matron and the Empress Dowager’s report.

The Empress Dowager did not say much about it but had a frown on her face that never loosened up the entire afternoon after hearing the news.

“Is Your Majesty worried about General Qin?” Liu Yusheng asked while pausing her work to finish refining the medicine in the furnace.

“What is there for me to worry about? This is the emperor’s decision, it’s a matter between the emperor and the court officials. I am but a woman from the harem, I don’t understand, nor will I meddle.”

“Then why have you been frowning all this time?”

“When have I frowned? Nonsense!” Since that day when her emotions were laid bare, the Empress Dowager found it difficult to maintain her calm when facing Liu Yusheng.

This old lady is still stubborn.

Liu Yusheng smiled. “If you don’t mind, when Xiao Feng’er arrives later, I’ll ask him what he plans to do. Actually, I suspect that his actions are motivated by concern for Feng Qingbai. This time, Feng Qingbai only took one attendant for his meeting with the Dongyue Emperor, while they have an army of two hundred thousand. If the Dongyue Emperor acts forcefully, Feng Qingbai may not be able to escape unscathed. The troops stationed at our borders are somewhat thin. Having General Qin personally lead the reinforcements will not only strengthen the army’s numbers and intimidate the Dongyue Emperor, but also, with General Qin’s reputation, it will make him more cautious.”

“When have I asked for your lectures?”

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty understands, I spoke too much.”

Sensing her own emotional instability again, the Empress Dowager did not speak further. She took out a Buddhist scripture and began reading. After reading for a long time, she still could not calm her mind.

The words Qin Xiao had said when he came to visit her that day suddenly resurfaced in her mind.

—In three days, the Prince will arrive at the southeast border to meet the Dongyue Emperor on the battlefield. If the meeting fails, I will be responsible for leading the troops into battle. What Your Majesty wishes, I will do whatever it takes to fulfill.

From the moment Feng Qingbai left for the border, Qin Xiao had already anticipated that the emperor would ultimately order him to lead the troops.

In this game of chess—who is plotting against whom?

She raised her eyes, her gaze falling on the woman beside the low table.

The woman was smiling gently at her. Despite her outbursts, her scoldings, and lectures over the past few days, the woman had endured them all without a hint of dissatisfaction.

Her belly was already showing, about four months along, and the thin fabric of her clothes couldn’t hide it.

In another six months, the child would be born.

She smiled so calmly and gently now, but if something were to happen to Feng Qingbai on the battlefield and he never returned, would she still be able to smile then? 

The child she carried would become one without a father.

Just like… how she had once been.

Suddenly, a crimson blur filled her vision—the scene from that day, the blood-soaked ground, and a lump of mangled flesh within the blood!

Bang! She threw the scripture in her hand down forcefully, her eyes bloodshot and filled with rage. “Get out, get out! Leave!”

Liu Yusheng was stunned, confused.

What had happened? Why did the old lady suddenly fly into a rage? And her expression—it was completely different from usual. The way she looked at her was like looking at an enemy, full of intense hatred.

Her heart sank as she took a couple of steps forward. “Your Majesty…”

“Princess, please leave for now. Her Majesty is emotionally unstable at the moment, and it would be best not to provoke her further!” The old maid blocked her, signaling her to leave.

“Granny, what exactly is wrong with Her Majesty?”

“Please, Princess!”

The old woman’s eyes were filled with growing resentment, her whole body trembling uncontrollably, and her silver hair seemed to be floating with a sorrowful aura.

Liu Yusheng pursed her lips and stepped back.

Once she returned to the side hall, the image of the Empress Dowager’s expression kept lingering in her mind, refusing to go away.

An inexplicable sense of unease began to grow in her heart.

The unease was so intense, so overwhelming, that it brought a dull pain to her chest.

To have made the Empress Dowager feel such hatred must have triggered some painful memory.

She couldn’t understand which of her words had touched a nerve, pushing the Empress Dowager to near madness.

She slapped her head, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure it out. She despondently tugged at her hair.

Suddenly, a faint tremor stirred in her abdomen.

It felt like a feather gently brushing against her stomach.

Liu Yusheng lowered her gaze, stunned, then placed her hand on her belly, an indescribable emotion rising from deep within her.