Font Size:
He still needed to reclaim the power that was rightfully his…
Before Li Yunli could speak, the Marchioness of Yongcheng raised her handkerchief and chuckled.
“Two years in the capital, yet Nian’an still hasn’t rid herself of those bad habits. Well, fine. Yongzhou is in the northwest, not much different from your Northern Territory. If you want to go, then go. It wouldn’t hurt to stay there for a few more years.”
Her words were a dagger aimed straight at Li Yunli’s heart.
To the original owner of this body, the Northern Territory and Yongzhou were worlds apart!
Prince Jin and his wife were a famed military couple. After Li Yunli was adopted into their lineage, she spent most of her time in the military at the Northern Territory.
Because she rarely stayed in the capital, she was particularly favored by the Emperor and Empress when she was there. And growing up in the military, she naturally developed close ties with many generals.
That was precisely why she became trapped in the capital.
Two years ago, during the war against Northern Wei, Prince Jin and the Emperor died one after another. In the unstable political climate that followed, with the military in turmoil, Li Yunli—an imperial woman holding significant military power—was not allowed to return safely to the Northern Territory.
The cabinet decided that the long princess’s domain would be Yongzhou, and she was to reside in the capital.
Newly promoted generals were appointed to divide and seize the military authority she had inherited from Prince Jin.
From then on, her military career was forcibly severed.
And now, to tell her that Yongzhou was the same as the Northern Territory?
The Marchioness of Yongcheng was clearly trying to remind Li Yunli that she was no longer the favored princess of the late Emperor. She was now nothing more than a rough and crude military woman.
On today’s imperial court, she had no choice but to bow to the Empress Dowager.
“The Marchioness is right.” Li Yunli lifted her gaze to her with an indifferent smile and said, “I have been granted Yongzhou for two years but have never set foot there. I have heard that the northwest scenery of Yongzhou is quite different from my Northern Territory. This trip was a spur-of-the-moment decision. However, His Majesty has yet to approve it, and I am still considering. No need for the Marchioness to rush in sending me off.”
She spoke so casually that even the Marchioness of Yongcheng was momentarily speechless, while the Empress Dowager became anxious.
In the capital, there were only two women who held real power—one was the Long Princess, and the other was the Empress Dowager.
If Li Yunli left, the Empress Dowager would be able to monopolize all authority.
Thus, she was here today to confirm that Li Yunli was truly leaving. If Li Yunli suddenly changed her mind and sent a petition to His Majesty stating that she would stay, all her plans would be ruined.
The Empress Dowager immediately reached out to take Li Yunli’s hand and reassured her gently, “Good child, I know you’ve felt stifled in the capital these past two years. Prince Jin and his wife, if they were watching from the afterlife, would not want to see you this way. It is good that you have thought it through. I will speak to His Majesty. That child listens to me—he will surely agree to let you go out for a change of scenery.”
Li Yunli’s lips curved slightly. The Empress Dowager’s words had inadvertently revealed two key pieces of information:
First, she was unaware of the recent divination performed by the Grand State Teacher. This meant that the prediction had not been orchestrated by her.
Second, the Emperor did not want Li Yunli to leave the capital.
Previously, she had assumed that the person most eager for her departure was the Emperor himself. But now, it seemed that her relationship with the young monarch was not as terrible as she had thought.
The ones most eager for her departure were the Empress Dowager and—unexpectedly—Yun Chu.
Yun Chu had only just arrived by her side, yet his expression showed no surprise at the news of her impending departure to Yongzhou.
Li Yunli turned her attention to him and said, “The Empress Dowager is right. The capital is dull. It’s only thanks to Yun Chu’s presence lately that I haven’t found it so unbearable.”
Hearing his name, Yun Chu lifted his head slightly.
The Empress Dowager looked at him. “So this is the boy?”
Her gaze fell upon him, forcing Yun Chu to lower his head and offer a respectful bow.
Li Yunli’s words carried a clear implication, which the Empress Dowager caught immediately.
She then said, “Since he is obedient and serves Nian’an well, why not let him accompany you on your journey?”
“Wonderful,” Li Yunli smiled. “If Yun Chu can accompany me, the trip to Yongzhou will be far more enjoyable. Many thanks to the Empress Dowager.”
She agreed readily, making it clear that if Yun Chu did not accompany her, she might refuse to leave.
For the first time, Yun Chu’s expression changed.
He slowly raised his head and looked at Li Yunli, his gaze growing complex.
In his previous life, this woman had also traveled to the northwest, but that time, it was because political circumstances forced her to leave.
As a fallen prince of a defeated nation, he was not allowed to leave the capital. During her absence, he had used the opportunity to collaborate with A Si and secretly amass influence.
But now…
Not only was she going voluntarily this time, but she was insisting on bringing him along?
Could she be wary of him?
To break free from the fate of the original owner of this body, she needed to seize control step by step—and so far, she was doing well.
There was only one thing that still puzzled her:
How had Yun Chu known that the Marchioness of Yongcheng would come?
—
At dusk, as the golden sunset bathed the residence in warm light, Li Yunli reclined on a couch, lazily watching the attendants clean up the remnants of the banquet.
Without her permission, Yun Chu could not leave.
She glanced at him. “Do you have something to say to me, Yun Chu?”
Yun Chu bowed his head. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Li Yunli raised a brow. “For what?”
“For requesting that I accompany you in front of the Empress Dowager. Now that you have shown your favor towards me, no one will dare to trouble me.”
That was true. Previously, he had been frequently bullied because the original Li Yunli never truly regarded him as anything more than a plaything.
But that wasn’t the answer she was looking for.
Li Yunli smirked. “Aside from that?”
Yun Chu hesitated and then probed, “Thank you, Your Highness… for sending Lin Feng to protect me?”
Li Yunli chuckled.
She asked directly, “How did you know the Marchioness of Yongcheng would come? Was it really just because you encountered her son?”
Yun Chu paused.
Because that… had been a lie.
His mind raced as he smoothly intertwined truth and falsehoods in his response.
Little did he know, Li Yunli was already one step ahead.
She was watching him, smiling, knowing full well—
She was playing a game of chess.
And he…
Was already caught in her trap.