Chapter 413: Have him bring it over (1/2)

Chapter 413: Have him bring it over

That night at the imperial study, the Long Feiye who seemed to have stepped back for Han Yunxi’s sake was actually tricking Emperor Tianhui again! Han Yunxi didn’t mind Long Feiye using her for that; she was simply surprised by the extent of his black belly tendencies. She was happy too, that the issue of Fishery Island had been resolved once and for all, so that’s why she looked so agitated.

But his sigh completely astonished her. She unconsciously blurted, “Your Highness, what did…you say?” Of course she’d heard everything perfectly fine, but she still couldn’t help asking.

Long Feiye only realized after he spoke that he’d given voice to something he didn’t mean to. He had no idea what had gotten into him just then. The two of them fixed stares on each other, Han Yunxi waiting as Long Feiye hesitated.

“Your Highness?” Han Yunxi probed experimentally.

Long Feiye immediately averted his gaze and starting clearing up the things on his desk.

“Your Highness, just then, you said…” Han Yunxi trailed off, and began to circle around his table.

Long Feiye finished cleaning up very quickly and prepared to slip away, but Han Yunxi immediately blocked his path. “Your Highness, what did you say just then?”

“Nothing,” Long Feiye replied coolly.

“But you clearly said it,” Han Yunxi raised her head to peer at him, her charming face filled with earnestness.

Long Feiye gave her a cold look. “Your lordship has to go out for a bit.” So speaking, he circled around her and prepared to leave.

Han Yunxi stopped him again, this time by grabbing his hand. With a grin, she said, “Your Highness, just then you said you did everything for my sake!”

A smile like that made it impossible for Long Feiye to leave even if he wanted to, much less remain cold. He could tell that she was very happy. Perhaps Han Yunxi hadn’t realized it yet, but Long Feiye had markedly noticed how much this woman had changed in front of him. Her courage was growing by the day. Despite the fact that she still acted like a love-smitten fool most of the time, she wasn’t as timid or self-abasing as before.

In truth, Han Yunxi hadn’t noticed anything different about herself at all. She only knew that her feelings used to be wishful thinking on her part until he reciprocated them. Liking someone is just that, what’s there to hide?

It was almost unimaginable to see the domineering Duke of Qin get interrogated one day. Just who was more timid between them when it came to love? Long Feiye’s expression didn’t change, but he took on a chiding tone. “Isn’t it all for your sake? If you told your lordship about Jun Yixie earlier, would we be in this situation now?”

Alright. Han Yunxi let him go and hung her head. “Chenqie knows her wrongs.”

Thoroughly satisfied, Long Feiye turned to leave at last, but his lips were already drawing up into a smile before he made it out the door. The fuss over General Baili surrounding Fishery Island died down just like that. Emperor Tianhui still kept a close eye on Northern Li’s movements, for the country had started fortifying itself at the Three-Way Battlefield. This was the first time Emperor Tianhui had hoped so fervently for war. He was waiting for General Baili to fulfill his promise and go up north to cut off their forces from shore, thus causing losses for Long Feiye as a result. Although he knew it wouldn’t injure either party much, it would still leave him as the party with the greatest gains. But despite his wishful thinking, a month passed with no new developments. Northern Li might have pressured them again and again, but it hadn’t sent out any troops.

“Your Majesty, this is too strange! With the Northern Li emperor’s personality, he should’ve deployed troops half a month ago!”

“Could it be that they don’t dare in face of our impending marriage alliance with Western Zhou?”

“Or are they dreading General Baili’s navy? Two days ago, I heard news that reports of Northern Li’s imperial ships were seen around Fishery Island.”

“How could they fear something they’ve never fought against yet? Wasn’t there a secret report that said the Northern Li emperor regards the Baili Navy as beneath him?”

Emperor Tianhui’s illness had just started to recover, but the differing opinions of his ministers sent him into fits of headaches again. He slapped the table and roared, “General Mu, you speak!”

“Your Majesty, as this general sees it, there’s something odd about the entire situation. We should probably wait quietly for a few more days.” Great General Mu was an old fox with plenty of military experience. He had the faint feeling that Northern Li must be dealing with domestic difficulties, but he wouldn’t say that out loud here. As a general, he and his son were the same and loath to see battles happen. Emperor Tianhui had no choice but to wait with his words.

“Your Majesty, the marriage alliance with the Western Zhou princess is due to be consummated before the end of the month. About the dowry from the princess…” the official from the Ministry of War trailed off.

Everyone knew that Chu Qingge’s dowry was a sizable pack of battle horses. Moreover, she herself had a personal battalion of archers. The Chu Clan wanted to present the horses and archers as a team of crack troops. Chu Qingge would be in charge of picking the general to lead them. However, it would be more appropriate now to leave the resources to their cavalry commander, Great General Ning.

The official from the Ministry of War lowered his voice and added, “Your Majesty, the Chu Clan are a military family, after all.”

Under any other circumstances, it’d be inexcusable for the groom to handle the bride’s dowry. But wasn’t the situation at the Three-Way Battlefield a perfect excuse? Western Zhou wouldn’t be able to refuse even if they wanted to. Emperor Tianhui knew what the Ministry of War was implying, but he hesitated. Seeing this, Long Tianmo wanted to persuade him further, but a single glance from General Mu stopped him.

How could Emperor Tianhui forget that the Ministry of War was loyal to Long Tianmo? Under these circumstances, it was better for the crown prince to keep quiet. In the end, Emperor Tianhui consented to the suggestions after he finished thinking.

When Long Feiye got the news, he told Han Yunxi, “Chu Qingge hasn’t even birthed a child yet, but the struggle for the first wife’s position has already begun.”