Chapter 770: On the eve of great changes, everyone expresses their views (2/2)

“But we still haven’t heard news of him leaving Celestial Mountain. Nor has there been any major movements from South Ning’s commander-in-chief’s estate,” Long Tianmo said.

Great General Mu just smiled. “Your Majesty, Han Yunxi is the descendant of the Poison Sect. Have you never considered that the Duke of Qin would simply toss aside a chess piece like her?”

Long Tianmo didn’t get to respond before Mu Qingwu quickly cried, “He wouldn’t! His Highness Duke of Qin would never do such a thing! In his eyes, Qin Wangfei isn’t just some chess piece!”

Great General Mu glared at him. “What are you getting so excited about?”

“I’m only speaking the truth,” Mu Qingwu muttered.

“Hehe, Zhen trusts that the Duke of Qin wouldn’t be so cruel either. After all, he’s not the type of man who’ll show weakness to Medical City,” Long Tianmo chuckled.

“Your Majesty, no matter if it’s Medical City or South Ning’s commander-in-chief’s estate, our current strength can’t afford to offend either side. By no means should you respond to Medical City, nor can you defend Han Yunxi,” Great General Mu reminded him carefully, sticking to his neutral stance as always.

It was obvious that neither Long Tianmo nor Mu Qingwu liked his style. Rather than being neutral, it felt like they were simply going whichever way the winds blew. Long Tianmo was about to retort when Great General Mu cut in again to change the topic.

“Your Majesty, there’s been much discussion of sons recently at court. You’re not young anymore. When the late emperor was your age, he already had three imperial sons.”

After Long Tianmo made Mu Liuyue empress, the empress dowager had helped him find a few imperial concubines over the past two years as well. Unfortunately, he treated everyone coldly and had never given the imperial harem any glad tidings. Gossip both within and without the palace even said he preferred men instead.

“Mm, Zhen understands.” Long Tianmo used the same answer as always to reply Great General Mu. He knew that the man wasn’t just urging him to grow new blood for the imperial court, but also hinting him not to bully Mu Liuyue too much. It was no different from a threat in Great General Mu’s mouth.

“It’s good that Your Majesty understands,” Great General Mu said before bidding farewell. But he neither left the palace nor went to visit Mu Liuyue. Instead, he headed for the empress dowager’s quarters. Long Tianmo had been curious and followed him a few times, but noticed that nothing of note ever happened between the two. At most, they would only play a game of chess.

The three nations of Cloud Realm Continent were busy with their own affairs. Meanwhile, the distant emperor up in Northern Li had no time to attend to any details because his crown prince had died!

The Northern Li crown prince had been grievously injured during a clash with the Wintercrow Clan. Jun Yixie had accompanied him back to the capital, but the man had succumbed to his wounds before they ever reached their destination.

Currently, the capital city of Northern Li was shrouded in dark clouds that ended in a violent rainstorm. Lightning and thunder flashed across the skies. In the imperial study, Northern Li’s emperor had smashed to bits his favorite white porcelain incense burner right against Jun Yixie’s head. Its pieces shattered as they fell to the ground. Jun Yixie had already been kneeling in front of him for three days and three nights, his body riddled with wounds. The most glaring one was the fresh cut on his head. Much blood flowed from the currently clotted cut that appeared indistinctly beneath his hair. His naturally vicious face looked even wilder with the ghastly injury.

The Northern Li had already cursed and raged at him all he could. They were the only two people in the study as a monarch before his subject, one sitting, one kneeling. After staying silent for the whole day, the emperor was finally weary. In a hoarse voice, he asked, “Where’s your master?”

“Erchen[2] doesn’t know. Master’s movements have always been a mystery, imperial father knows this as well,” Jun Yixie replied honestly.

He really had no idea where his master had gone. He thought the man would be waiting for him at court, but there was nothing but Northern Li’s rage and beatings over the past three days and nights. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed. If master was here, at least the Northern Li emperor wouldn’t have lost all reason. This whole scheme had been cooked up by his master in the first place. He always thought his master would make all the arrangements, but never expected to face everything alone when he returned.

Still, it would be another lie to say that he was too disappointed. Jun Yixie knew that his master must be doing something absolutely necessary. Otherwise, he wouldn’t leave him to deal with the emperor alone at a time like this.

Of course the crown prince had died by his hands. No matter how stupid Northern Li’s emperor was, he would still suspect as much! It wouldn’t be easy to pass through this trial.

“Even you don’t know, heheh!” the Northern Li emperor broke into a cold laugh.

Jun Yixie didn’t answer. He was considering how to win over the emperor’s trust without his master here. According to his plans, the second imperial son would die by the Wintercrow Clan’s blades soon. If the Northern Li emperor didn’t trust him, he wouldn’t be able to return to the Wintercrow Clan and recover the body. It’d be harder to buy back those horses, too.

In the end, the Northern Li emperor walked out of the imperial study. But he didn’t let Jun Yixie rise, so he had no choice but to keep kneeling.

Various powers in Cloud Realm Continent were all expressing their views. Meanwhile, Long Feiye remained on high in Celestial Mountain, observing movements from all ends. Today, he had just finished a game of chess with the sword sect master when an attendant came to report that Baili Mingxiang had arrived…

1. Notes on Great General Mu’s personality change was referenced as early back as when Tianan first broke off from Tianning, specifically details pointing out whether his obtuse, hotheaded general personality was all just an act. Hmm…

2. erchen (儿臣) - term used by an imperial son to address himself before the emperor. Er in this case refers to “son,” while chen is “official” or “subject.”