Font Size:
Chapter 54
Su Ci propped her chin and thought for a while, then heard footsteps. The door curtain lifted, and Yang Yanzong turned back into the room.
“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?” He sat on the edge of the bed and asked her.
Su Ci rolled around on the bed twice, wrapping the quilt around herself, covering half her face, and revealing a pair of bright eyes. Her eyes glanced at the small table.
The two stared at each other for a while. Yang Yanzong coughed lightly, feeling inexplicably embarrassed. He jumped onto the bed, grabbed her, and said, “Not sleeping? Then let’s do something to keep us awake!”
Su Ci laughed heartily, and when he tickled her ribs, she burst into uncontrollable laughter. They rolled around on the bed until she was out of breath, begging for mercy with her hair in a mess, looking like a mad woman.
There was a moment when things almost escalated, but they didn’t go all the way. This was a military camp, and while sharing a bed was one thing, doing anything more wasn’t appropriate. Yang Yanzong knew this well.
He lay back, breathing heavily to calm down, while Su Ci laughed and coughed, struggling to sit up and fix her hair. Then she noticed something striking: another small purple flower had appeared on the small table, placed in a little bottle. She remembered this small ceramic bottle was originally on the opposite table, holding dried wheat stalks. At some point, it had been moved here. Now, two small flowers, one long and one short, were in the bottle, looking quite artistic, placed alongside the firefly lantern on the small table.
“Wow, how did you do that?” Su Ci’s eyes widened. Where did the second purple flower come from? Where had he hidden it?
It was magical! Old Yang, you should be a magician; you’re wasting your talent!
She laughed, pushing him and searching all over, but couldn’t find where he had hidden it.
Yang Yanzong smiled slightly, letting her fuss around without saying a word. After she had enough fun, he pulled her back into bed, patted her cheek, and kissed her. “Alright, go to sleep. Aren’t you going to the medical camp in the afternoon? I might not have time to take you.”
“I can go by myself. Aren’t you going to sleep?”
He shook his head; he still had some things to do.
Their noses almost touched, and their eyelashes brushed against each other. He looked at her for a while, then exchanged a gentle kiss with her, different from before, filled with tenderness, as if conveying his emotions.
After a long moment, they parted. He stood up, tucked her in, and quietly left the room.
When the familiar footsteps faded away, Su Ci opened one eye. Yang Yanzong was gone, leaving her alone with the fireflies in the small lantern.
The room was a bit dark, and the fireflies in the thin gauze lantern emitted a soft glow, creating a warm and romantic atmosphere. Su Ci rolled to the edge of the bed, poked the lantern and the two small purple flowers, and couldn’t help but laugh.
Old Yang, you may not have done this before, but you’re pretty good at it.
Is this a romance? She wondered why Yang Yanzong was acting so suddenly. No, Su Ci had a vague feeling about it.
Alright, no need to discuss the specific reasons now, but it was clear she couldn’t pretend not to know anymore.
And Su Ci was indeed quite pleased. She didn’t go against her feelings; today was truly happy.
With a natural inclination for comfort, she didn’t make things difficult for herself. After thinking it over, she made a happy decision.
“Alright, let’s talk about it.” But she would enjoy the sweet coating and throw the bomb back.
Su Ci smiled, adjusted the position of the firefly lantern, and happily went to sleep.
As for Yang Yanzong, he glanced back at Su Ci before leaving. She lay obediently with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep, but her lips were slightly curved into a smile.
He smiled too, feeling unexpectedly good, so much that even the bad news from the Sixth Prince’s residence didn’t anger him as much.
Yang Yanzong indeed had important matters to attend to. The second batch of grain supplies was arriving soon. These supplies had departed with them but traveled slower than the army, arriving gradually after the first major battle ended.
Since Yang Yanzong had volunteered to oversee the grain supplies, he was determined to do it well. He coordinated with the quartermaster to receive the supplies from Ji Ye and the officials from the Ministry of War and Revenue.
— It’s worth mentioning that the Seventh Young Master had now significantly improved his status. Although he hadn’t been officially appointed as the heir, his recent performance greatly pleased the Sixth Prince and Ji Ye successfully replaced Ji Yan. With his noble background and all eyes on the northern border due to the 300,000-strong Northern Rong army, the old emperor and the three major royal houses of the Kun clan temporarily ceased their internal conflicts to focus on external threats. Various factions were involved, with the Fourth and Sixth Princes acting as military overseers. Ji Ye was appointed to oversee the transportation of grain supplies and would later intern with the army, a safe position that allowed him to earn military merit.
Yangdu was just behind them, a day’s ride at full speed. It was far yet close.
Ji Ye, clad in silver armor, stood proudly, looking like a different person from the quiet, reserved Seventh Young Master of the past. However, this time, Yang Yanzong sensed something unusual about him.
Ji Ye smiled, cupped his hands, and said with a spirited look, “In the future, I will need your guidance.”
Yang Yanzong’s eyes flashed, and he smiled faintly, “Of course.”
They then proceeded with the inspection and handover of the grain supplies.
Before noon, Yang Yanzong understood what was happening.
A special guest arrived, a man named Qiu Yuanming, one of the Sixth Prince’s advisors. Although not as high-ranking as Mr. Fang, he was still influential. The Sixth Prince, worried about Ji Ye’s first military assignment, had specifically arranged for Qiu Yuanming to accompany him.
Qiu Yuanming stood a few steps away from Yang Yanzong, with only A Zhao nearby. The area was empty. Qiu Yuanming stroked his long beard, watching the soldiers insert long tubes into the grain sacks, the grain spilling out. He spoke softly, saying something completely unrelated. “The Sixth Prince is ill, quite seriously.”
Yang Yanzong had known this for a while. The loss of his long-cultivated heir and the act of killing his son had taken a toll on the Sixth Prince. After a period of turmoil, he had fallen ill, bedridden for two days, and still occasionally coughing.
Yang Yanzong knew a bit more. The Sixth Prince had suffered a war injury in his early years and reportedly used a potent medicine to recover. Although he healed, it left lasting damage, so his health wasn’t as robust as it appeared. At his age, falling ill again should have given him a sense of crisis. Not everyone could live as long as the old emperor, and in fact, the Ji royal family didn’t have many long-lived members.
“The Sixth Prince has become wary of you.”
The reason was the position of Left Guard Commander. At the time, the Sixth Prince’s residence was preoccupied and couldn’t exert much effort, but Yang Yanzong, through his collaboration with Ji Yuanhao and maneuvering with the old emperor, successfully secured the position.
The Sixth Prince didn’t know the details, but after a brief surprise, he felt uneasy. Yang Yanzong had risen too quickly. Such a fierce man, if he ever had disloyal thoughts, Ji Ye wouldn’t be able to control him.
Ji Ye was ruthless enough, but he was too inexperienced. He couldn’t even control, let alone command.
The Sixth Prince’s health issues made him unsure if he could outlive the old emperor. Thus, after careful consideration, eliminating Yang Yanzong became imperative.
Ji Ye had no objections. Sensing his father’s thoughts, he didn’t reveal the past but immediately broke the alliance with Yang Yanzong.
Yang Yanzong glanced at Ji Ye’s profile, turned his ring slightly, and smiled. He called A Zhao and whispered a few words.
Yang Yanzong’s expression remained calm as he immediately exposed the discord between the Sixth Prince and Ji Ye.
That day, the Sixth Prince was furious. He was stationed near Mingshan Pass, about a hundred miles away, and Ji Ye was assigned to manage supplies. The Sixth Prince’s rage echoed through his camp, and he slapped Ji Ye hard.
“You unfilial son, beast! Your elder brother’s family has already retreated, and you still want to kill them all?”
Ji Yan was dead, and his family was scattered. His eldest son was already eight years old. To prevent further internal strife, the Sixth Prince gave several prosperous estates and businesses to the eldest son’s family and sent them away to live in seclusion.
The eldest son’s wife left but encountered bandits on the way. Three of the four children were killed, and one was severely injured.
Initially, it was believed to be the work of Ji Yan’s old enemy, the Seventh Prince’s son, Ji Ying. But now it was revealed that it was actually Ji Ye’s doing, with evidence and witnesses found.
The Sixth Prince was enraged. He wasn’t particularly loving towards his children, but after raising them for so many years, he had some feelings for Ji Yan and his grandson. He didn’t care much about the other children, but he didn’t intend to leave them without a way out.
Ji Ye’s ruthlessness, not even sparing his young nephew, shocked the Sixth Prince. If he gave the Sixth Prince’s residence to Ji Ye, would his other children and grandchildren have any chance of survival?
Yang Yanzong exposed Ji Ye’s true nature, resulting in Ji Ye not returning. Officially, he was ill, but it was said he was ordered to reflect behind closed doors. His original official duties were temporarily handed over to Qiu Yuanming and others.
Yang Yanzong received the news and just sneered. Not fully grown yet, and you want to outsmart me? Dream on!
The west wind was fierce on the city wall. Yang Yanzong received the last batch of grain from the quartermaster and exchanged a glance with Qiu Yuanming, who then went to wash up with his companions.
Qiu Yuanming was Yang Yanzong’s secret agent within the Sixth Prince’s circle. Their relationship was very close, and much of the information Yang Yanzong received about the Sixth Prince came from him.
Earlier, Qiu Yuanming had told him that the Sixth Prince was ill. He had visited and found the situation not very good.
Yang Yanzong lowered his eyes and turned his ring. This meant the Sixth Prince’s desire to eliminate him was even more urgent. He chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
Yang Yanzong turned and walked quickly. Just as he returned to his quarters, Tong Jien arrived.
He had plenty of matters to attend to.
Tong Jien didn’t waste words and stood straight. “General Yang, the emperor’s decree: it’s time to begin.”
After Yang Yanzong accepted the decree and stood up, Tong Jien spoke softly, “Our spies in Northern Rong reported that the Northern Rong army has halted its actions and is no longer counterattacking the ancient pass.”
Yang Yanzong nodded, as he knew this from the military reports.
Tong Jien continued, “According to reliable intelligence, the Left Sage King Wushe Tuqi seems to be plotting something.” Tong Jien frowned and delivered the key point, “He is likely to reconnect with that traitor.”
This was the traitor who, more than two years ago, colluded with the enemy, causing chaos in the central army and severely injuring the old emperor. It could be inferred that this person held a high position. The old emperor had never stopped investigating over the years.
Tong Jien took out a piece of paper and handed it to Yang Yanzong. “After a long investigation, it has been narrowed down to one of these individuals!”
Yang Yanzong took the paper and looked down. The suspects were General Yunhui Chen Congyi, General Huaihua Zhang Zhenqing, Marquis Zhongwu and Overseer Zhu Chengzhen, and Duke Ningguo and General Xuanwei Huang Zhengmao. Each was a significant figure.
He frowned, and Tong Jien, looking down at him, coldly reminded him, “General Yang, don’t forget the emperor’s secret order before leaving the capital!”
Don’t think the old emperor gave the position of Left Guard Commander to Yang Yanzong so easily. Before leaving Yangdu, the emperor secretly summoned him and said, “This time, you must eliminate the Sixth Prince’s residence, the Fourth Prince’s residence, and the Seventh Prince’s residence. I don’t want to hear any excuses; I only care about the results!”
If it wasn’t accomplished, Yang Yanzong could only try his best. The old emperor couldn’t wait any longer.
General Xu’s guess was spot on. Yang Yanzong was on a mission. The old emperor’s ultimate goal was to pin the traitor’s label firmly on the three major prince’s residences, especially the Sixth Prince. His health was deteriorating, and he couldn’t wait any longer.
On the surface, they appeared united in dealing with external threats, but it was all a facade. The reality of their physical conditions and the situation made it clear that this journey to the border was destined to be turbulent with significant events.
Under Tong Jien’s watchful gaze, Yang Yanzong did not refuse and simply said, “I accept the decree and will do my utmost!”
“Very good!”
“Let me remind you, General Yang, that while you must give your all, this time, you must succeed!” If not, Yang Yanzong’s usefulness would be over.
Tong Jien whispered a few names to Yang Yanzong, telling him to seek support from these individuals if necessary. He then left quickly, leaving behind a decoy document. This was his first visit to Yang Yanzong to avoid arousing suspicion.
After Tong Jien left, Yang Yanzong’s expression changed, becoming calm and no longer troubled.
There was nothing to be troubled about. Given the current situation, the Sixth Prince’s residence no longer tolerated him, and it was time to break away.
There was no need to choose. The Sixth Prince wanted to eliminate him? Fine, let’s see who prevails.
Yang Yanzong paused, escorted Tong Jien out, and walked him to the city wall. As Tong Jien hurried away, Yang Yanzong noticed Ji Yuanhao at the corner of the battlements.
Ji Yuanhao stepped out, and they walked side by side. Ji Yuanhao teased, “It seems General Yang has received an important task.”
They were both smart, so there was no need for unnecessary words. Yang Yanzong smiled and returned to the night watch quarters. He lit the lamp and handed the paper Tong Jien had given him to Ji Yuanhao.
Ji Yuanhao glanced at it and raised an eyebrow.
“Interested?” Yang Yanzong smiled faintly, “This is a good opportunity.”
Although Ji Yuanhao hadn’t gotten involved in the old emperor’s schemes, he wanted to overthrow the Fourth Prince’s residence and become independent. This was indeed a rare opportunity.
They exchanged a look, and Ji Yuanhao raised an eyebrow, “Not even a cup of tea?”
Yang Yanzong ordered A Zhao to bring two cups of tea. They raised their cups, glanced at each other, and drank in one go, sealing their cooperation once again.
As night deepened, many significant events had occurred in the past two days. But when Yang Yanzong returned to their quarters and saw the warm yellow light from the window, his stern expression softened. He entered to find Su Ci, who had just finished bathing, holding the now dim lantern and moving around.
He smiled, “If you like it, I’ll get another one for you.”
The lantern was originally discarded, looking old and worn after losing its glow. He took it and set it aside, then told her to wash her hands.
A Zhao had just brought in water, and as Yang Yanzong rolled up his sleeves to wash his hands and face, Su Ci came over to cause some mischief, splashing water everywhere.
She laughed, “I don’t want this. Tell me, what’s been happening these past two days?” She whispered conspiratorially, “Is it about the old emperor?”
When Yang Yanzong returned, he had burned a few papers in the lamp flame. She had tripped over her shoes and missed seeing them.
Yang Yanzong washed his hands and face, changed his outer clothes, and sat at the corner of the table, leaning against the wall with Su Ci in his arms. He touched her soft cheek, “Whatever you want to know, I won’t hide it from you.” His voice was low, still a bit hoarse from not fully recovering, but it had a mature, magnetic quality. His words were casual yet serious, carrying significant weight.
Su Ci felt her ears warm from his breath and magnetic voice. Wow, this sweet talk was powerful!
She laughed at her own inner monologue, giggling uncontrollably. But Su Ci soon realized there was more to come. Yang Yanzong’s actions showed he wasn’t joking; he was sincere.