A bet? What's at stake?
Last time at the black market, Han Yunxi successfully haggled and Long Fei Ye said he would reward her handsomely.
She said she wanted all of him!
He asked her if she really wanted it. She thought about it carefully before replying.
It sounded like a joke, but she still remembered it! You'll have to pay back what you owe one day!
"Your Highness, what's at stake?" Han Yunxi was very interested.
Han Yunxi thought about it for a long time. She didn't want to say she wanted all of him. The concept was too vague. Wasn't what he had also hers?
Han Yunxi felt that she should ask for something more practical. She bit her thumb and fell into deep thought.
Long Fei Ye glanced at her. He didn't know where this woman got the confidence to make a bet with him.
Han Yunxi thought for a while before saying, "Your Highness, if I win, can you bring me to Tianshan Kenzō to broaden my horizons?"
Long Fei Ye and Duanmu Yao were both martial arts prodigies. They were both closed-door disciples of the Tianshan Kenzō Sect Master. He didn't know what kind of person the Sect Master was to dote on Duanmu Yao so much that he wanted Long Fei Ye to protect Duanmu Yao until she turned 18.
As the Sect Master, how could he not see through Duanmu Yao's nature?
"And if you lose?" Long Feiye retorted.
"Your Highness can set the conditions." Han Yunxi was very generous.
"You're so sure you'll win?" Long Fei Ye didn't understand. This woman was so smart. Was she still dreaming?
Unexpectedly, Han Yunxi laughed. "This concubine will definitely win. This concubine is betting that Northern Li will never start a war first!"
Long Fei Ye's expression froze. Han Yunxi laughed heartily.
Han Yunxi, oh Han Yunxi. How could you play people like this? You're practically a scoundrel!
Afraid that Long Fei Ye would go back on his word, Han Yunxi said anxiously, "Your Highness, we've already agreed. You can't go back on your word!"
Only vile people and women are hard to deal with!
What else could Long Fei Ye do?
A look of helpless affection flashed across his eyes as he promised her, "Let's wait for a chance. I won't go to Tianshan Mountain in the near future."
Han Yunxi was overjoyed. "Alright, chenqie will remember it!"
Until now, this guy owed her "everything" and a trip to Mount Tianshan. She didn't owe him anything.
"Your Highness, how can you be so sure that Northern Li won't start the war? You have a brilliant plan? "
Is it really okay for Han Yunxi to ask this question after winning a round?
Long Fei Ye glanced at her and answered, "I'm not telling you."
This could be considered a small punishment for this woman's audacity. Han Yunxi felt guilty and didn't dare to ask again.
She was going to wait and see what would happen!
Soon enough, Chu Xifeng found out about their bet. Head Guard Chu warned everyone in front of the guards, "Don't ever bet with our mistress. She has no record of losing!"
Han Yunxi had been pondering over the antidote for Baili Mingxiang over the past few days. In her spare time, she studied Northern Li's situation as well. But no matter how much she understood, she couldn't figure out where Long Fei Ye got his confidence from. He was so sure that the powerful Northern Li would never start the war.
After all, Northern Li revered martial arts and had always used its military might to intimidate the surrounding powers. Over the past few years, it had been Northern Li that had started all the wars on its borders.
Could it be that Long Fei Ye had some sort of secret that could be used against Northern Li?
Han Yunxi was ashamed of her inferiority to Long Fei Ye when it came to strategizing. In the end, she decided not to think about anything else.
Over the past few days, Emperor Tianhui had urged her repeatedly. If he wasn't sending people, then he was sending letters.
But Long Fei Ye had already claimed that he was ill. He didn't even bother to read the letters, but simply handed them to Chu Xifeng.
Under Gu Beiyue's care, Emperor Tianhui's health had almost recovered. Unfortunately, Long Fei Ye had angered him into falling ill again.
"Just what does he want? Does he want to rebel? "
"A general doesn't obey military orders in a foreign land! How could he say something like that?! Rebel, rebel! Rebel!! "
"Zhen shouldn't have pitied mother and son in the first place. I should've exterminated them!"
… …
Emperor Tianhui was furious to the extreme. He huffed and puffed as he paced back and forth in his sleeping quarters. All of the servants, Noble Consort Xue, and Gu Beiyue were kneeling, but none of them dared to persuade him otherwise.
Emperor Tianhui dearly wished he could issue an imperial edict ordering Long Fei Ye to return immediately.
But he still remembered Noble Consort Xue's warning. A few days ago, he'd summoned a few of his trusted officials to the imperial study. They all agreed that it wasn't a good idea to issue an imperial edict!
Although an imperial edict represented the highest authority, the emperor couldn't issue it as he wished.
Once he did, it would be made public. Everyone would know, and Emperor Tianhui didn't want to be labeled as an incapable ruler or a tyrant.
Moreover, the Baili Navy had surrounded Fishery Island and trapped Jun Yi Xie. Even if Emperor Tianhui issued an imperial edict, he wouldn't be able to do anything to Long Fei Ye!
General Baili had taken responsibility for the entire affair. Although Long Fei Ye had said 'a general doesn't obey military orders in a foreign land,' it was General Baili who'd told Emperor Tianhui about it.
Long Fei Ye had only briefly explained that he'd sent the navy to transport the fish, but didn't know anything else. Emperor Tianhui didn't know what to do with him!
Aside from that, this was a good chance to strip General Baili of his military power. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that at this critical juncture.
First of all, Northern Li was pressing them too hard. Once war broke out, Tianning would suffer from a severe famine last year. Their national coffers would be in dire straits, and it'd be impossible to prepare for a major war in the short term. Secondly, Long Fei Ye and General Baili would be forced into a corner. Judging from their current attitudes, it'd only take a single thought for them to rebel and usurp the throne.
As Emperor Tianhui mused and mused, his anger gradually turned into melancholy. He didn't know why he'd been so foolish over the past few years. Unknowingly, he'd allowed the Duke of Qin's power to grow so much.
He'd been on guard against him for so many years, but in the end, he couldn't stop him!
Although he and the empress dowager both claimed that they were merciful enough to spare Grand Concubine Yi and her son, they knew the truth better than anyone else.
The late emperor's doting on Grand Concubine Yi and Long Fei Ye's death exemption medallion were the key to saving their lives!
There was no way to urge the Duke of Qin to return, nor could he issue an imperial edict. In the end, Emperor Tianhui went to find Empress Dowager Li.
"Muhou, there's news from Northern Li's side. They say that the incident at Fishery Island had something to do with Han Yunxi. Han Yunxi still has the gecko cinnabar mark on her arm," Emperor Tianhui said in a low voice.
The news hadn't been publicized yet. Jun Yi Xie and Northern Li's imperial clan wouldn't be stupid enough to ruin Jun Yi Xie's character just to ruin Han Yunxi's reputation.
Once the news spread to both countries, Jun Yi Xie would be condemned by the masses.
Still, Empress Dowager Li could still find out through the grapevine. She'd long heard of the news.
"What does His Majesty mean?" Empress Dowager Li asked.
"Erchen would like to ask muhou to show her face …"
As Emperor Tianhui spoke, he drew close to Empress Dowager Li's ear and whispered for a long time. The empress dowager nodded again and again in agreement.
A few days later, Jiangnan's Plum Blossom Garden received a secret missive from the empress dowager. It wasn't for Long Fei Ye, but Han Yunxi.
Some men's struggles were caused by women, while some men's struggles were caused by women against each other. That was because women's pillow talk was the best way to influence a man's decisions.
Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi had just woken up and were drinking afternoon tea when Chu Xifeng handed over the missive.
"For me?"
Han Yunxi was surprised. She glanced at Long Fei Ye before quickly opening the letter.
The contents were lengthy and voluminous. Han Yunxi skimmed through the contents before breaking into a cold smile.
Empress Dowager Li used all sorts of persuasive words and analyzed the pros and cons, but all she said was: If Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi returned to the capital and had the Baili navy withdraw, then she wouldn't pursue the matter of the chastity mark. She was also willing to intercede for General Baili's unauthorized deployment of troops and guarantee that the emperor wouldn't pursue the matter.
"Using both grace and severity to give the emperor enough face!"
Han Yunxi handed the missive to Long Fei Ye, who didn't even read it before handing it to Chu Xifeng.
"Your Highness, how should we reply?" Chu Xifeng asked modestly.
"This is a secret missive for wangfei. Wangfei, do as you see fit," Long Fei Ye intoned.
Han Yunxi didn't think much of it, but simply told Chu Xifeng, "Just reply the same way you did before."
Empress Dowager Li's missive seemed like a show of grace, but it was actually a threat. Leaving aside Long Fei Ye, even Han Yunxi herself wasn't someone anyone could threaten.
In the end, Chu Xifeng still shot the Duke of Qin a questioning look, but His Highness Duke of Qin didn't reply.
His mistress is getting more and more capable of making decisions, Chu Xifeng mused.
Just like that, Emperor Tianhui's coercion failed again.
Northern Li's imperial clan was pressing him hard. There were even rumors that the Northern Dynasties Emperors were already preparing to send troops to the Three-Way Battlefield!
Emperor Tianhui feared Northern Li's armored cavalry more than anything else in his life.
He kept sending letters to Western Zhou's emperor to ask for reinforcements while sending the crown prince to invite Long Fei Ye back to the capital to discuss military matters.
Yes, it was an invitation!
He couldn't rush or force him, so he could only invite him back. The Duke of Qin really put on airs!
Empress Dowager Li's missive even demanded that the Baili Navy withdraw its troops. A few days later, Emperor Tianhui relented and said he wanted to discuss matters instead of asking them to withdraw.
It was clear to see how anxious he was.
Long Tianmo invited Mu Qingwu along as well, and the two of them whipped their horses into a gallop. Six steeds were left paralyzed as they reached Jiangnan's Plum Blossom Gardens in the shortest time possible.
One was the heir apparent, the other the young general. Naturally, the Duke of Qin would receive them, but he received them in bed.
March in Jiangnan was a scene of white apricots, red peach blossoms, and green willow trees. The plum blossoms in Jiangnan's Plum Blossom Gardens had yet to fall, but were still dancing in the air. Compared to the cherry blossoms, this place lacked the romantic sweetness and had more of a desolate pride.
Within the teahouse, Long Fei Ye was lying on a tatami mat, his face cold and indifferent as always. It was as if nothing in the world could attract his attention or warm his heart.
Long Tianmo and Mu Qingwu were kneeling in front of him. They'd already asked about his condition and given him some nourishing medicines. Currently, they were lost in thought.
Although the Duke of Qin was only a few years older than them, Long Tianmo and Mu Qingwu still held him in awe and reverence.
If possible, neither of them wanted to make an enemy out of the Duke of Qin.
Mu Qingwu secretly tugged at Long Tianmo's sleeve. Long Tianmo was about to get down to business when Han Yunxi suddenly appeared …
Note to the readers: Update a chapter first, then continue writing. Group 1 and 2 are full. Group 3 is 399751923.
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