Chapter 1206: Repaying debts (2/2)
These problems couldn’t be solved in one or two meetings, but Long Feiye knew what he was doing. The clear and hidden struggles of the imperial court would begin tonight. So many people were preparing for tomorrow’s morning assembly! How could Long Feiye have nothing to talk about? Even if he didn’t find her, he should at least find Gu Beiyue.
At last, Long Feiye opened his mouth. “There’s something important. Very important…”
Han Yunxi suddenly felt something was off and wanted to turn around, but Long Feiye only pulled her close. She stopped moving, but before she could question him, Long Feiye planted a trail of kisses from her neck to her earlobe. He murmured softly, “I’ve repaid my debt, so shouldn’t you repay yours?”
“I owe you?” Han Yunxi was momentarily clueless. What kind of debt do I owe him? No way, right?
Long Feiye chuckled. “I paid you in the morning, so you can pay me tonight. You’ve owed me for years, but since you didn’t collect interest on my debt, I’ll do the same for you.”
In the morning, he had made up for all the steps he missed back in the past, while their wedding night back then was…
Han Yunxi finally understood what he meant and didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “Long Feiye, you even remember debts like these?!” she exclaimed.
She owed him a bridal night in the wedding chambers! Instead, she had originally passed a pitiful night sleeping in his study. Now that she thought back, this guy had been abominable! If anything, he should have been the one sleeping in his study instead!
Long Feiye laughed loudly before sweeping her off her feet and striding to the large hot springs in the rear of their palace. It was approaching mid-autumn so the nights were icy cool. This was the perfect season for a hot spring soak. After Han Yunxi was stripped of her clothes and soaked in the water, she finally understood why he’d dismissed all the servants. The water rose to her chest in a mix of mist and fog. Under the moonlight, her snow-white skin seemed especially charming. What captivated Long Feiye’s eyes most of all were her pretty collarbones.
In the end, he lost all restraint and pushed her against the edge, extremely gentle and tender…
Although he said he wouldn’t charge interest, he was simply a wolf and tiger both. He didn’t spare her in the hot springs and took even more advantages when they went back to their rooms. In the end, Han Yunxi was left sprawling exhausted on the bed with no desire to move an inch.
She muttered, “Feiye, where did that drop of blood on the handkerchief come from that year?”
“It was a drop of blood from my fingertip,” Long Feiye replied. “Right, this debt needs to be paid too.”
Han Yunxi was too groggy to remember that she’d already paid him back that year by curing his poison. By the time Long Feiye flipped her under him again, she gave him a pitiful look on the verge of tears. “The days are long ahead of us, still long. Can’t we take it slowly? If you oversleep tomorrow and miss the morning court, I’ll be the main offender.”
Long Feiye’s enthusiastic response was a prelude to a storm. Han Yunxi finally realized she’d been tricked. The next morning, she was still sleeping away when Long Feiye went to morning assembly. As she predicted, there was a whole heap of things to deal with, all of them important. After the assembly ended, Long Feiye went with a huge crowd of courtiers into the imperial study and stayed there until late night.
Han Yunxi knew he was busy, so she had Zhao mama prepare some soup. She personally delivered it to him and set it aside while she listened in. The royal harem didn’t involve itself in politics, but Han Yunxi’s master military command token meant no one dared to object too much.
When she arrived, Gu Beiyue had just brought up Long Tianmo. When Tianan’s imperial capital had risen in revolt, the Long Tianmo under house arrest had been sent to the government prisons. To this day, he was still locked inside. Gu Beiyue cherished Long Tianmo’s talent for governing and was pleading his case.
Long Feiye approved, but didn’t confer any titles on the man. He only said, “If he has the desire to participate in the imperial examinations and enter the palace that way, Zhen[2] won’t mistreat him!”
Han Yunxi felt that made sense. Long Tianmo was the crown prince of the previous dynasty, so if he had the strength and will to be an official, Long Feiye was generous enough to accept. If he had no desire for such things, Long Feiye didn’t have to extend him any special treatment, either.
Just like that, Long Feiye began his path to managing a country. Han Yunxi split her time between Rui’er and her husband, their days busy but happy. The Tang Clan’s assassination weapons became exclusive weapons of the imperial court. Tang Zijin and the head elders were all busy with construction work of the permanent capital city and palace. Tang Li remained witless, leaving the matters of the Tang Clan to fall on Lady Tang’s shoulders. Everyday, Ning Jing took her husband and daughter out to play. The family of three lived in the mountain forests of the Tang Clan, where they had planted daisies. She had yet to give up and would tell Tang Li stories about the past daily.
Gu Qishao was still fiddling with his tea plantation for Rui’er’s one-year-old birthday present.
Mu Linger returned to Medicine City and truly took control of the Mu Clan. She began publicly soliciting disciples. Gu Beiyue said he would take all powers of Medical and Medicine City under imperial jurisdiction within three years as a unified whole to create an official drug administration. Mu Linger’s actions were all part of cooperating with his plan. Occasionally, she would remember her Qi gege, but her thoughts remained calm. But sometimes she would think of Jin Zi too and wonder why he bother showing up in her mind?
Jin Zi returned to Northern Li to control the Black Clan and tiger army. The Ning Clan troops increased their respect of him under Deputy General Chen, who was handpicked by Ning Cheng before he left. They didn’t have much complaints about the situation in Northern Li. Because they didn’t rebel, the people of Myriad Merchant Hall didn’t dare object openly, either. They began to show off their skills in business, hoping one day to reinvigorate Cloud Realm Trade Consortium to a point where it could compete with the Jiangnan Trade Consortium one day.
To this day, Ning Cheng had yet to show his face and his whereabouts remained unknown.
Baili Mingxiang remained in the Baili Navy adrift out at sea and became its naval doctor.
As for Gu Beiyue, he bought a house in Yunning and ordered people to bring Qin Min over. The two remained respectful partners who rarely interacted. Lil Thing didn’t bother Qin Min and spent its days running between the Grand Tutor’s Estate and the palace. It frequently played with little Rui’er, but ran away as soon as Long Feiye drew near.
The various civil and military officials in court had already begun competing against each other for fame and power, but there wasn’t much gain to be won in the aftermath of a Cloud Realm wrecked by war. Everyone kept the power struggles within reasonable limits and dedicated their efforts to rebuilding the country.
With peace on four sides, the emperor and empress’s hearts united, plenty of projects to set up and establish, and the courtiers all joining forces, the Great Qin Empire would definitely lead to another prosperous era for Cloud Realm Continent!
1. Yu (豫) - a word that means “live in ease and comfort, pleased, delighted.” It seems to suit GQS’s personality well! In modern terms, it’s also another name for Henan Province in China, located in the south.
2. Zhen (朕) - the imperial We. At last, we see it in use in the story again, this time with our male lead. Congratulations, Emperor Xuanyuan Ye.