~ BETTER TO TAKE THE RISK AND GO FOR IT ~
The Emperor sighed and shook his head upon hearing this: “It is Imperial Father’s fault. I have always been unable to face you, so over the years I have shown you little concern. Later, I even exiled you to Western Guangdong. Junyue, it is only natural that you harbor resentment toward Imperial Father.” He owed this child too much, and now that he wished to make amends, time was running out. The very thought filled him with unbearable anguish.
“Imperial Father, when I was young, I couldn’t understand many things. But now that I’ve come of age, I see matters more clearly. To outsiders, Imperial Mother’s death was disgraceful. From the moment I was born, I bore the weight of that sin. Had you raised me by your side, the families of the princes who were murdered would never have spared me. Though life in the Cold Palace was lonely, it preserved my life. When I fell gravely ill at twelve, you intended to bring me out of the Cold Palace. Yet at that time, Yunrou invaded our borders, and the court was in turmoil. Your attention was elsewhere, and pressure from certain ministers forced you to grant me a fief in Western Guangdong. I understand your painstaking efforts and the difficulties you faced. I only regret my youthful ignorance for not realizing this sooner.”
Ning Junyue had always been reserved and quiet, preferring action over words. This sudden outpouring of heartfelt sentiment made his sincerity all the more precious and moving.
The Emperor's eyes welled up with tears. “Junyue, your understanding brings me great comfort. Now that you’ve grown up and gained the strength to protect yourself, you may live the life you choose.”
“Imperial Father, I was foolish before and seldom returned to keep you company. Now that I’ve come to understand, I wish to stay in the Palace longer, to properly accompany you and fulfill my filial duty as your Son.”
“Very well. The Palace is your home. Stay as long as you wish. I shall instruct Xu Li to have your residence, Qinhui Hall, thoroughly cleaned and refurbished. See if there are any familiar belongings outside the Palace you wish to bring in.”
“This Son thanks Your Majesty. Imperial Father, please rest well. If the memorials become too overwhelming, let Second Imperial Brother assist you. He is wiser than I and handles matters with thoroughness.“
The Emperor couldn’t help but chuckle. ”Were I not familiar with your nature, I might have thought you came to help Your Second Imperial Brother seize power.“
”Imperial Father, I only worry for your health, burdened as you are with so many memorials. I mean nothing else.”
“Imperial Father knows you’re too straightforward —a flaw in your character, yet also a rare and valuable quality. Well, what has passed cannot be undone. Dwelling on it serves no purpose. Return and eat well. Have Yunyao care for you diligently. I have already instructed the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to select an auspicious date. After the New Year, on the eighteenth day of the first lunar month following your birthday—when all matters are favorable—you shall wed.”
Yue Wang’s eyes brimmed with deeper delight. “Yes, Your Majesty. This Son thanks you.”
After Yue Wang withdrew from the hall, the Emperor couldn’t help but sigh. He drew a scroll from a jade box in his desk drawer and slowly unrolled it. With cautious movements, he gently touched the painting of the woman smiling radiantly, his eyes softening infinitely. “Ruo’er, Junyue has grown up. He is about to marry. Are you pleased?”
At Ni Yun Fang, preparations for Mu Yunyao’s wedding dress were in full swing. Meanwhile, fresh news arrived from Jiangnan.
Wei Jiu handed Mu Yunyao the secret letter delivered by Liu Liang: “Miss, Liu Liang says this was smuggled out by Qi Ming. Please make a decision quickly.”
After reading the contents, Mu Yunyao’s brows furrowed sharply. “Jin Lan, help me change my clothes. I must leave the Palace. Jin Qiao, inform His Royal Highness Yue Wang to accompany me. Tell him we’re going to Ni Yun Fang to check on the wedding preparations.”
“Yes, Ma'am.”
At the Palace gates, the two boarded the carriage together.
Noticing her gloomy mood, Yue Wang inquired, “Yao’er, you look troubled. Has something happened with the Li family?”
“Your Highness, please look,” Mu Yunyao handed the letter Liu Liang had delivered to Prince Yue. “Qi Ming Adventure reports that the Li family has connections with the royal family of the Northern Frontier.”
“The Northern Frontier royal family?”
“I never imagined it. I’d always thought the Li family merely traded iron goods to amass wealth and expand their influence. But if they’re connected to royalty, this is far from an ordinary matter.”
“We must proceed with utmost caution. The Li family’s power is already formidable. If they’ve allied with the Northern Frontier royal family, there could be even greater schemes brewing behind the scenes. For years, the Northern Frontier has been eyeing us greedily. If the Li family has truly aligned with them, we must secure control over everyone connected to the Li family. Who knows how deeply these individuals have been infiltrated?“
Seeing the grim expression on Yue Wang’s face, Mu Yunyao couldn’t help but offer comfort: “Fourth Master, perhaps we’re overthinking this. It might just be financial dealings without deeper involvement.”
But the Yue Wang’s heart held no such optimism: “I’ll have them investigate further. Western Guangdong is very close to the Northern Frontier, and any movement there can be detected immediately. What we must do now is sever the Li family’s ties with the Northern Frontier. Every sword or blade the Li family sells to the Northern Frontier means one more soldier of our Great Li Kingdom might die on the battlefield. Such actions absolutely cannot be tolerated.”
“What course of action does Your Royal Highness propose?”
“Open confrontation is too slow. The Li family is cautious and vigilant, so evidence is hard to come by. Better to strike in the shadows. I’ll have men track down their merchant caravans, mineral operations, and ironworking craftsmen—then uproot them completely!”
Mu Yunyao pondered for a moment. “Your Royal Highness, while this is a sound approach, I can’t help feeling it’s too lenient on the Li family. Why not set them up instead?”
“Hmm, what do you propose?” The Yue Wang’s eyes lit up. Back when they had trapped the salt merchants, Yunyao had nearly bankrupted the Qiang family. If they could repeat that feat and make the Li family suffer a significant loss, it would be perfect.
“The Li family may deal in ironware, but at their core, they’re merchants. Since that’s the case, let’s strike a deal with them.”
“A business deal?”
“Exactly. Didn’t Steward Qin report news of a mineral vein discovered in Black Dragon City? We’ll sell that vein to them first.”
“The Li family is currently under intense scrutiny. Besides, their existing mines are already sufficient. They likely won’t be interested in purchasing more.”
“What if someone suddenly approached the Li family with a major deal?”
“Yao’er, are you suggesting we have someone pose as a merchant to negotiate with the Li family?”
“Not me. Li Qingzhou is exceptionally cautious. He’s secretly traded iron for years without ever revealing a single flaw—his composure is beyond ordinary men. If we send someone posing as a merchant, no matter how convincing they are, they’d likely spot the inconsistencies and grow suspicious. Better to use existing personnel.”
Yue Wang’s brow furrowed. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly lifted his eyes. “Jin Wang?”
“Precisely. Compared to Ling Wang, Jin Wang likely harbors the deepest hatred toward you, me, and Yu Wang. Moreover, we wouldn't have Jin Wang approach the Li family directly to discuss business. Instead, we'd have him find a way to contact the Northern Frontier people. If the Northern Frontier and the Li family are truly deeply involved, he will surely uncover information.”
To support us, kindly donate through our website. Thank you. 💕
0 comments:
Post a Comment