Voluy to Conquer Southern Chu (1/2)

Voluy to Conquer Southern Chu

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In the eleventh year of Tongtai, the twenty-first year of the sixty-year cycle, Grand General Lu oversaw thear defeat and was beaten back

— Suiyun</e, I sat down in the pavilion and continued appreciating the snow Since he had convinced me to decide to offer advice to the ein to think of a way to stateThese past few days, I had numerous ideas, but I had kept them to myself But nohen I put hts were in turies, these strategies only looked good on paper If they were put into practice, they would bring about carnage and the ravages of war, and I felt terribly anguished

Thinking carefully, I realized those rumors were true—I still yearned for the old country Now that I thought about it, Li Zhi hadn’t treatedfor my for grounds and explained the unfavorable situation Great Yong was in, as well as putting forward a strategy to solve it I shouldn’t havewould lose After Great Yong suffered defeats, I refused to reconcile with or offer advice to Li Zhi because he once suspected ain, but rather because I didn’t wish to offer advice that would topple my former country

What did I matter? I was of two minds I had turned my back onup this farce of yearning forhad treated nani lose their lives for glory in Southern Chu? The ht, the more awful I felt I couldn’t bear it and downed several cups of wine in succession

The Deep Spring may have been mellow, but the kick was trean to grow tipsy I was a little dizzy and my vision swanore welled up insidepast the threshold of the pavilion, resulting in snowflakes assaulting my face They scattered onto my extensively embroidered, soft fur clothes The cold attacked my senses, and I, who had always feared the cold, stood transfixed in the snow, thinking of how long it had been since I’d left Southern Chu I finally had the opportunity to return home, but as an eneid wind instantly froze the tears to ice on my cheeks I barely felt the cold

Xiaoshunzi had been off to the side watching Jiang Zhe drink wine and no that so Zhe and half-carried, half-cradled hirabbed a cloak and wrapped it around Jiang Zhe But when he saw Jiang Zhe drifting off, he sighed under his breath and said, “Young master, why torture yourself? If you’ve decided to offer advice to conquer Southern Chu, youfor your forer offer advice, rack your brains for those heartless people!”

I had fallen into a drunken stupor and was reclining on the snug chaise lounge in the middle of pavilion I turned a deaf ear to Xiaoshunzi’s words as tears kept flowing fro some issues, it was ih I had long since decided I would never again yearn for the old country, I still couldn’t get a grip on e ht To Southern Chu I didn’t know if the present would have been easier if I hadn’t surrendered o

Xiaoshunzi was rather alarether, he’d never seen Jiang Zhe this despondent He didn’t understand how Southern Chu orth longing for would defeat Southern Chu the past few days? Why is he so reed to offer advice to conquer Southern Chu?

As Xiaoshunzi stood there in bewilderment, footsteps suddenly crunched in the distance Xiaoshunzi was surprised, for he was very familiar with the visitor’s footsteps He raised his head and looked outward, and as expected, Li Zhi was leading so in his direction Xiaoshunzi couldn’t let anyone see the youngZhe up and escape for the ti Chuan and Duan Lingxiao following alongside Li Zhi The others didn’tZhe, he had no way to hide from these two people’s eyes and ears

With some momentary hesitation on Xiaoshunzi’s part, Li Zhi walked into the Overlooking Wave Pavilion with a ser wait” He then stopped speaking because he saw Jiang Zhe laying on the chaise lounge, see Li Zhi lowered his voice

Xiaoshunzi stifled his anxiety and answered, “Young otten drunk I didn’t know Your Iive me”

“Rather, it is We ere too iht, We will stay in the Cold Courtyard tonight,” Li Zhi said with a s Zhe and was about to exalanced down and saw the tears in the corners of Jiang Zhe’s eyes Afterwards, he heard Jiang Zhe speak only two drunken sentences before slight changes appeared on his face DeeplyXiaoshunzi was clenching both fists with anxiety shi+ning in his eyes Li Zhi’sat a million revolutions a minute, but he smiled and said, “Xiaoshunzi, We want to share the sae for it”

Xiaoshunzi jerked his head up and showed an expression of astonishuarded inside the Cold Courtyard tonight Gazing at the di quarters, Xiaoshunzi couldn’t help pacing around the roo up from his inebriation, he would have prevented this situation fro noZhe would again say soravate Li Zhi At this o to open the door, instead coolly saying, “Please enter, elder young master Duan”

The door opened and in walked Duan Lingxiao He smiled and said, “So Demonic Shadow Li Shun also has ht to see”

“Even I didn’t expect elder young master Duan to accompany the Emperor on a visit,” Xiaoshunzi coldly replied

Duan Lingxiao took it in stride and said, “I ree This is a fact I have no need to hide However, I came today because I wanted to see what advice Marquis Chu would offer to conquer Southern Chu and topple his former country I never expected to see him drown his sorrows, but it was a hile trip I just don’t kno His Imperial Majesty will punish the Marquis I presume this is why you are so restless?”

“It’s none of your business,” Xiaoshunzi coldly said

“It is none ofabout us,” said Duan Lingxiao with a smile “I just wanted to read it for you, that’s all”

Annoyance gliht in the sleeping quarters again and pondered how to deal with the coroaned Although Deep Spring didn’t over, I still didn’t feel that good I truly had drunk too much I yelled, “Xiaoshunzi, pour a cup of tea for me!” I heard someone walk over, after which that person raised a teacup to me I took a sip with my eyes still closed and felt much better

I turned over and prepared to keep sleeping However, inwas off The person who gave me tea seemed unfamiliar with the action, and their footfalls were forceful and vigorous This was clearly not Xiaoshunzi “Who’s there?” I said as I sat up, shocked into a cold sweat

In the di there, his hands folded behind his back When I saw the ot so scared I instantly sobered up Cli undergarments, I ju Zhe, pays his respects to Your Iive this subject’s breach of etiquette”

Li Zhi took a step forward and helpedIf you did not wish to participate in n, We don’t have to trouble you”

I was surprised I raised nation Further very casual In the time I didn't knohat to say, Li Zhi pulledme He said with deep eht you back to the Yong capital It was in this residence that We wracked Our brains for a way to make you work for me We remember the past like it happened just yesterday”

I had settled down by this time Li Zhi had presumably seen my drunken state already No matter what happened next, I was ready As such, I said plainly, “This subject also re Wave Pavilion while appreciating snow is still fresh in ’s residence that this subject repeatedly disappointed Your Ireat kindness and forced Your Iave a deep sigh “Not only was it a quandary, We attempted and planned to kill you with poisoned hen you bade farewell”

I shuddered Although the two of us, monarch and subject, ell aware of this event, neither of us had pierced the veil I never expected Li Zhi to speak of it today A cool breeze seemed to blow from behind my head Could it be that Li Zhi planned to settle the score? When I thought of all the things I’d done over the years, and counted howthe e up on ed to act in the nick of tie mistake We kept you as a ies and ideas over the years, how could We be here today? In reality, We’ve also thought We couldn’t trouble you for the sake of conquering Southern Chu But in the end, We still had to trouble you Suiyun, if you truly prefer not to get involved, We promise to let you retire from politics after today If you do not wish to re to the Eastern Sea”

I was shocked at his words When I thought of how the two of us e of emotion swelled inside me I contemplated Li Zhi’s weary yet earnest face Finally, I bowed my head and prostrated “Your Imperial Majesty, how you can speak such words? The favor Your Imperial Majesty has shown this subject has no precedent in history With the current frustrations for Great Yong’s Southern Can, as well as the worries and troubles of Your Imperial Majesty, how could this subject act like the wild crane and become a recluse with no fixed abode?¹ Your Iy to conquer Southern Chu in mind Only three to five years are required for the lands to be united”