Chapter 591: First time meeting the general (1/2)

Chapter 591: First time meeting the general

With the three-day deadline up, Long Feiye was due to answer the fourth imperial prince’s appeal. He took out a letter and handed it to Chu Xifeng. “Give this into the fourth imperial prince’s hands. Just say that it’s your lordship’s letter to His Majesty to persuade him to depose the crown prince. If His Majesty insists on upholding his views, then your lordship will assemble troops in the south. No matter what, I won’t allow the Chu soldiers to claim half a step in Tianning soil!”

Han Yunxi guessed that Long Feiye would do as much. If he really went to Western Liang in person, it was 50 percent likely that he’d fall into a trap instead. Sending a written missive was much safer. If Great General Ning really wanted to push Long Feiye onto the throne, Long Feiye’s troops in the south could simply defend against the Chu Clan while he allied with Western Zhou and control the western region of Tianning.

If Great General Ning was from the Di Clan, then Long Feiye mobilizing troops would threaten both his Di Clan and their allies, the Nether Clan. Then war might break out between their two sides. Long Feiye could then appeal for help from Western Zhou again and still claim the west as his domain!

Once the letter left, they only had to sit and wait for the fourth imperial prince and Great General Ning’s reply. As expected, the prince came to visit them again within a few days.

“Imperial uncle, imperial father is really….just simply…aye! Imperial father didn’t even look at your letter before tearing it up in front of everyone! He even said…he even said that he was going to train and educate the crown prince personally. When the crown prince reaches of age, he’ll withdraw from the throne.”

Han Yunxi sat with a cold smile. Heaven knows whether these were simply the fevered ramblings of Emperor Tianhui on his sickbed, or the fourth imperial prince’s own fabrications. Who knows if their letter had reached the emperor at all?

Long Feiye was unsurprised. “Looks like it’s time for your lordship to call in the troops.”

The south central regions not only had his navy, but two more contingents who had been stationed there long before, led by their respective generals. The fourth imperial prince was thrilled by the news and blurted out, “Imperial uncle, Great General Ning asked to meet you!”

A meeting in person? Han Yunxi looked over in disbelief.

Long Feiye only asked coldly, “What, he’s asked to see me without coming to visit himself?”

Frightened, the fourth imperial prince hastened to explain. “No, no! Imperial uncle has misunderstood! Great General Ning was afraid that imperial uncle would refuse his request, so he asked ahead first. I don’t know when imperial uncle will have the time to meet him, and in which location? If this is the best black, Tianshi will go back and pass on the message.”

Long Feiye gave an icy laugh. “Since when has Great General Ning grown to such an impressive personage? He even has an imperial prince like you acting as his messenger?”

The fourth imperial prince found himself speechless to reply. He had already been lost in delusions of grandeur from the moment Great General Ning said he’d help him win the throne. Now his implicit faith in the man made him all too willing to run errands for him. Just hearing that Imperial Qin Uncle was ready raise arms was enough to make him giddy with happiness.

After awhile, he managed to eke out an explanation. “Imperial uncle has misunderstood. Tianshi…Tianshi simply means to say that since imperial uncle is going to release the troops, why not meet with Great General Ning to discuss the situation at the border first?”

Now that actually sounded like an imperial prince’s words.

“Granted,” Long Feiye replied.

After the fourth imperial son left, Han Yunxi laughed and said, “That fifty percent chance should be 60 percent now, right?”

Anyone who could tame Long Tianshi so neatly and reverse the relationship between master and servant wasn’t ordinary!

“70 percent,” Long Feiye replied.

A 70 percent chance…

“In other words, you’re preparing to lose to me?” Han Yunxi feigned seriousness. Long Feiye was so lost in the mire of power struggles that he’d all but forgotten the terms of their bet. At her words, he immediately went for his tea. Han Yunxi had long learned to see through him. Whenever he didn’t want to answer or had nothing to say, he’d busy himself drinking tea. Still, she had no idea that this situation only happened around herself.

Although it was now approaching winter, Han Yunxi couldn’t help but feel that springtime for Lil Thing was right around the corner!

—

Less than two days late, Great General Ning really came to pay them a call. Han Yunxi had never seen the man before, only knowing that he was Tianning’s youngest general. But the sight of the man in the flesh gave her a fright.

He was completely different from her expectations!

Great General Ning wasn’t even dressed in armor, nor did he carry any weapons. Instead, he appeared in Confucian robes and a half-tied updo. Although he had deep, penetrating eyes and thick eyebrows, there was nothing overbearing or aggressive about the man. If anything, he gave off the air of an implicit and reserved introvert. If not for Long Feiye’s suspicions, Han Yunxi wouldn’t have noticed anything amiss, but his words made her involuntarily recall another man just like Great General Ning: Ouyang Ning Nuo!

With careful comparison, she realized that both men gave off the same air. But whether Great General Ning was as crafty as Ouyang Ning Nuo beneath his elegant exterior had yet to be seen. Still, as Han Yunxi studied his thickset brows and intense eyes, she half wondered what he’d look like standing in the battlefield and soaked in blood. Would that reveal his true face?

As she studied him, he suddenly turned to look at her. She didn’t avoid his gaze, but met it head-on with the air befitting Qin Wangfei. By now, Great General Ning had already finished his formal bow to Long Feiye. He only cast Han Yunxi a single glance before bowing his head and placing his right fist over his left shoulder in another ninety-degree bow.

“This soldier greets esteemed wangfei.”

“Please rise, Great General Ning,” Han Yunxi replied.

Great General Ning straightened up. Because Long Feiye hadn’t told him to sit, he remained standing in place.