The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 475- 477

Chapter 475: The Arrival of Ling Zhaowu

The man addressed as “Sheren Wang” (In feudal China, hangers-on of an aristocrat are generally called Sheren) had a quite ugly look on his face.

Gazing at the dead man in Xue Yi’s arms, he came to realize that things had gone beyond what he’d bargained for, that he must return and report it to the crown prince as soon as possible. However, he soon found that extricating himself from the current situation was no longer within his capabilities…

…

In the Eastern Palace, the abode of the crown prince.

A guard hastened into the Eastern Palace, requested an audience with Mu Rongfeng and, after his request was granted, gave the crown prince a blow-by-blow account of what had happened in the inn.

“Your Highness, Xue Yi’s half-brother is dead. Sheren Wang was taken into custody by order of Dugu Miao, who has now accompanied Xue Yi into the palace to seek an audience with His Majesty.”

“What?!” Mu Rongfeng sprung to his feet in fury. “How did that happen? The orders I gave Wang Huai were to rebuke Xue Yi and take him down a peg. Why did someone get killed there? And how did Xue Yi’s half-brother get involved in this? When did he come to this city?”

The guard replied, “To my knowledge, Xue Yi’s half-brother posed as his bodyguard and entered the city with him on that day.”

With a sulky face, Mu Rongfeng railed, “Wang Huai is such a good-for-nothing. He never makes, but always mars!”

After a while, he instructed through gritted teeth, “Come with me to see my father.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

…

A detailed report on the incident in the inn was soon delivered to Ling Zhang’s abode and placed on his desk.

The courtyard house in the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce was very quiet, totally unaffected by that disturbance in the inn.

“Childe Ling, just as you expected, the Dugu family seized the opportunity and intensified Xue Yi’s resentment towards Mu Rongfeng. Mu Rongfeng went to the palace with all haste in an attempt to make amends, but Xue Yi refused to grant him absolution. In no circumstances would Xue Yi ever again consider talking with Mu Rongfeng about cooperation. The old monarch promised that he would mete out severe punishment to the crown prince, but he’s been skirting around the subject of an alliance suggested by Xue Yi.” Lian Hai related to Ling Zhang what had happened outside.

Ling Zhang gave a sneer. He’d seen this coming as well.

The Wan Kingdom making a request for an alliance was synonymous with offering Mu Hengtian an opportunity to charge them exorbitant prices. The reason why Mu Hengtian was in no hurry to see Xue Yi was because he wanted to keep Xue Yi in suspense for a while, so that he would be in a more advantageous position during the negotiations. However, now that the plan had been derailed by the deeds of Mu Rongfeng who’d waded in, Mu Hengtian, without doubt, was secretly displeased with Mu Rongfeng, but he still wouldn’t grant Xue Yi’s request right away. With such a golden opportunity of negotiating favorable terms in front of him, on no account would he make concessions just because of the death of one man. It was a natural thing that he’d been evading talking about the subject of an alliance. Ling Zhang believed that Mu Hengtian would first placate Xue Yi and then ask unreasonable conditions. An alliance was of little significance to the Luohai Kingdom, so Mu Hengtian was in no hurry and didn’t mind delaying it for a while longer.

“Previously Xue Yi might have the patience to wait, but now that his half-brother’s dead, there’s no doubt he wouldn’t be able to wait for long. I’m sure he’ll do whatever he could to force Mu Hengtian into agreeing to forge an alliance. Cooperating with Mu Rongfeng is no longer an option for him, and Dugu Miao helped him get an audience with Mu Hengtian, which means currently the Dugu family is his only choice,” said Lian Hai.

They had been manipulating the Dugu family like a marionette for quite some time. Xue Yi would be walking right into the trap they’d laid for him if he chose to cooperate with the Dugu family.

“We still need to keep a weather eye on the Dugu family. Anybody who rises to the position of prime minister is no fool. Be careful not to rouse his suspicions. Compared with Xue Yi, the Dugu family are of more use to us,” observed Ling Zhang.

“I understand,” said Lian Hai.

“Childe Ling, there is, in addition, another matter. I just received a message from your father. He said that he’d departed for this city,” continued Lian Hai.

Ling Zhang was astonished. His father was coming? Hadn’t his father said that he’d stay in Shengzhou waiting for him? Why had he suddenly decided to come to this city? “What happened in Shengzhou?” he asked.

Lian Hai answered, “Everything’s fine in Shengzhou. It was probably because he missed you that he decided to come here.”

Ling Zhang, “…”

The past couple of years had been more than enough for him to get to know his father as well as he himself did. On the surface his father appeared unconcerned about everything, but in fact whenever he left the capital city or was bothered by something, his father became worried about him as though he were still a three-year-old child.

With a fairly resigned look on his face, Ling Zhang said, “I see. Tell me when he approaches the city. Make sure he has everything he needs during his stay in this city.”

“Yes, Childe Ling. I’ll see to it that all necessary arrangements are properly made,” said Lian Hai.

After discussing all the matters he needed to confer with Ling Zhang, Lian Hai rose to his feet and took his leave. There were a lot of issues he had to attend to.

Ling Zhang watched as Lian Hai left. During their conversation, Lian Hai had appeared much more composed than he’d been in their last few meetings. It seemed that his closed-door cultivation had been fruitful.

Meanwhile, Lian Hai, after leaving the courtyard house, felt somewhat bemused. He could sense that the air about Ling Zhang was manifestly different, but he didn’t know why.

…

The residence of the Dugu family.

“This way, please, Childe Xue.”

Dugu Miao ushered Xue Yi in with the intention to take him to see his father, Prime Minister Dugu. On the way, he told Xue Yi, “I’ve made arrangements for the matter of your brother to be handled. My family has only limited powers, but I promise your brother’s body will be safely delivered back to the Wan Kingdom.”

Xue Yi pressed his lips together. “Thank you,” he said after a brief moment.

A look of hatred flitted across Xue Yi’s eyes at the mention of his deceased half-brother. He bore resentment towards both Mu Rongfeng and the Luohai Kingdom, and he didn’t like the Dugu family either, but he would rather cooperate with the Dugu family than with Mu Rongfeng. Mu Hengtian, that old bastard, was still avoiding talking about the matter of making an alliance, and he had had enough of staying in the Luohai Kingdom, so he had no alternative but to seek help from the Dugu family, hoping to have Mu Hengtian give his consent sooner so that he could get out of this country sooner. He inwardly swore that after taking the Great Wen with the Luohai Kingdom, he would bring the alignment to an end, launch an offensive on the Luohai Kingdom and kill Mu Rongfeng to avenge his half-brother’s murder!

Dugu Miao took Xue Yi to see Prime Minister Dugu. The content of their conversation was unknown to outsiders, but it came to Ling Zhang’s knowledge, because money talks. One of Prime Minister Dugu’s henchmen had been bought. The man had no idea whom Lian Hai served, believing that Lian Hai was just the chairman of a chamber of commerce who needed more information. Not for a moment had he connected it with the Great Wen.

Ling Zhang, after being informed of the content of the conversation between Prime Minister Dugu and Xue Yi, came to know that the former was deluding the latter, that the Dugu family had helped Xue Yi only because they wanted to find out how much benefits they could get from assisting Xue Yi, and…how badly they might be able to undermine Mu Rongfeng’s position.

Sooner or later Xue Yi would come to see that all these people of the Luohai Kingdom were untrustworthy, that even if the Luohai monarch agreed to make an alliance, he could rip up the allied treaty at any moment, but Ling Zhang knew that he would have to do more to make that happen.

…

Xue Yi was settled in a courier hostel. Every few days he sent in a memorial to the Luohai monarch to urge him to make a decision. On the surface the Dugu family seemed to be actively helping him, but it was all just an act.

Meanwhile, Ling Zhaowu arrived in the capital of the Luohai Kingdom and quietly entered the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce without anybody noticing.

“Father.”

Because it was inconvenient for him to go out, Ling Zhang had stationed himself in the gateway of his courtyard house some time before, waiting to meet his father. At the sight of Ling Zhaowu showing up, his face creased into a smile and he walked up to him.

A tender look flashed across Ling Zhaowu’s eyes as he saw that his son was safe and sound. He clapped his son on the shoulder and observed, “You look pretty sturdy. It seems you haven’t been wasting away during the last month or so.”

Ling Zhang pulled a wry face. While ushering his father into the courtyard house, he said, “How could I waste away when I have so many people taking care of me? Let’s talk about you first. Didn’t you say that you’d stay in Shengzhou waiting for me? Why did you suddenly decide to come here? Did something else happen in the chamber of commerce?”

Ling Zhaowu replied, “A few days ago I heard that you started closed-door cultivation. I was worried that something went wrong during your cultivation of internal energy, so I came here to check on you.”

Ling Zhang held out his hand to his father on his own account. “I’m fine. I performed closed-door cultivation only because I wanted to develop my proficiency in internal energy so that I could better control it lest people get scared whenever they clap eyes on me. I might have to meet Mu Hengtian in a few days. How am I supposed to talk with him about making an alliance if he doesn’t even dare look at me?”

Ling Zhaowu held his son’s wrist, carefully felt his pulse and then came to know that his son was telling the truth, his worries finally dissolving.

“It seems that this method of internal energy cultivation is quite potent,” remarked Ling Zhaowu.

Ling Zhang said, “Maybe it also has something to do with my blood. My grandfather told me that none of the others radiated such dramatic sense of power when they were at the same level as mine.”

Ling Zhang led his father into the house. Worrying that his father was tired from the long journey, he suggested his father wash his face, change clothes and then have some rest. He himself went to arrange a welcome reception.

Ling Zhaowu’s physical condition had been improving continuously during the past few years. Because of the restart of his cultivation of internal energy, his constitution had long since become stronger than that of the average person, which was why he didn’t find the journey tiring. After washing his face and changing clothes, he walked out.

Having no intention to insist his father get some rest, Ling Zhang filled him in on the recent events in the capital.

When he’d finished speaking, Ling Zhaowu commented, “From the vantage point of the present, the old monarch would make a reply within half a month.”

Ling Zhang inclined his head. “Xue Yi has been pressing him hard. I’ve instructed them to work faster.”

Ling Zhaowu said, “We don’t necessarily have to make Xue Yi return home empty-handed. Your objective is to thwart the Wan Kingdom’s plan to align themselves with the Luohai Kingdom. As long as nobody in the Luohai Kingdom takes the alliance seriously, it would be useless even if Xue Yi goes back with a signed agreement – it might even serve to pull the wool over Shan Congli’s eyes. After all, it’s an alliance with the Great Wen that we want Mu Hengtian to set great store by.”

Ling Zhang’s eyebrows contracted slightly. “But if we do that, the Luohai Kingdom would be aligned with the other two sides at the same time and get all the advantages. He could totally just sit on the fence and watch the other two sides fight. Wouldn’t that put us at a disadvantage?”

Ling Zhaowu replied, “The Luohai Kingdom being a fence-sitter is inevitable. Mu Hengtian has been on the throne for many years. Although currently he’s mired in the trouble of the Dugu family and Nian Feng the General-in-chief wielding too much power, he has been keeping the two forces in balance for so many years, which means that he’s no fool. Five years ago, the Luohai Kingdom suffered a defeat in the war, so Mu Hengtian is no doubt wary and suspicious of the Great Wen. There’s no way he would trust the Great Wen completely and align himself with the Great Wen against the Wan Kingdom. Him being a fence-sitter also means that he wouldn’t give the Wan Kingdom his full support either. This is our chance. All we need to do is have the Luohai Kingdom make their move and deliver the Wan Kingdom a lethal blow at the crucial moment – there’s nothing more we could expect from Mu Hengtian.”

Ling Zhang gave it some careful thought. Before he came to the Luohai Kingdom, Yuwen Tong had made similar remarks. The bottom line was that they had to make sure Mu Hengtian would muscle in and stab the Wan Kingdom in the back if the occasion arose. The Great Wen’s alliance with the Luohai Kingdom would be a provisional one anyway. After the Wan Kingdom was taken care of, the Luohai Kingdom would inevitably be the next target.

“It would seem there’s no necessity for me to pay him a visit,” sighed Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhaowu gave a smile. “Actually there is. Compared with a son of a General-in-chief, a consort undoubtedly carries more weight. And you’d be adding weight to the future alliance by visiting him. Why else do you think Yuwen Tong let you leave the capital city so easily?”

Ling Zhang gave a little cough.

“In comparison with an alliance covenant, keeping the Dugu family under control is the matter of supreme importance. The Dugu family and the Luohai Kingdom must be kept in the dark about the truth while the Great Wen is dealing with the Wan Kingdom. We have to make sure they’re stuck in a whirlpool of internecine struggles. Otherwise the Luohai Kingdom would become a troublesome enemy ahead of schedule and it’d take a lot more of our time and energy to handle the issue,” said Ling Zhaowu.

Ling Zhang, who was aware of this as well, gave a nod. In fact, he had once reminded Lian Hai that the matter of making an alliance might be taken lightly, but the matter of keeping the Dugu family in the dark and the Luohai Kingdom in infighting must be treated with great caution.

Chapter 476: Xue Yi’s Impatience

“Take this letter out of the city and tell the handler to have it delivered to my father as soon as possible.”

In a courier hostel in the capital of the Luohai Kingdom, Xue Yi handed a letter sealed in a thin bamboo tube to his trusted bodyguard, a sulky look in his eyes. Recalling that earlier this day the Luohai monarch had once again postponed making a reply, he felt really annoyed.

“Yes, Young Master.” Xue Yi’s bodyguard took the secret letter, put it away, disguised himself and then left the courier hostel, heading for the city gates.

A man working for the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce, who had been covertly staking out the courier hostel, soon reported the bodyguard’s acts to Lian Hai.

“Childe Ling, Xue Yi sent a letter back to the Wan Kingdom.”

It was early in the morning. Ling Zhang, after being informed of this matter, said with a head bob, “I see. Keep a close eye on Xue Yi. Someone will deal with that letter he sent.”

“Yes, Childe Ling,” Lian Hai answered and then took his leave.

Ling Zhang sat down and started thinking. Some of Yuwen Tong’s men were in the Wan Kingdom, and they could handle this matter. As for the letter Xue Yi had sent back to the Wan Kingdom, he had a shrewd idea what was in it. It was probably about the death of his half-brother, the delaying tactics of the Luohai monarch and, of course, his anger at the various sides in the Luohai Kingdom. Xue Yi had orders from the Wan monarch to come to this city, and he wouldn’t leave until the mission was accomplished. In that private letter to Xue Chi, he might well have asked his father to give him some advice. The man who’d been killed in the inn was Xue Yi’s half-brother and also his most trusted adviser. Without him by his side, Xue Yi didn’t even have anybody to talk about his grievances with in the Luohai Kingdom.

It struck Ling Zhang as quite baffling that Shan Congli had sent Xue Yi to the Luohai Kingdom. Given Xue Yi’s relatively low rank, wasn’t it inevitable that Mu Hengtian would make a fool out of him? Besides, Xue Chi was the General-in-chief and enjoyed a high prestige among the troops. After being reinstated, he would no doubt be wielding great power in the army once again. Had Shan Congli not feared that if he sent Xue Yi, Xue Chi’s son, to the Luohai Kingdom, Xue Yi might strike some kind of secret deal with the Luohai Kingdom? Or was it because there were fewer and fewer people in the Wan Kingdom that Shan Congli deemed trustworthy?

Ling Zhaowu came to the house to have breakfast with his son. On walking through the doors, he caught sight of Ling Zhang pondering.

“What’s wrong?”

Ling Zhang jerked out of his trance, settled Ling Zhaowu in a chair and then told his father his conjectures about the domestic situation in the Wan Kingdom. “To my knowledge, Shan Congli reinstated Xue Chi because the Chen family was getting increasingly powerful, and he needed to make sure the Chen family had a relatively small say in military affairs, but why Shan Congli sent Xue Yi to the Luohai Kingdom has always been a mystery to me. After all, forging an alliance is an important issue. Though Xue Yi is Xue Chi’s son, he’s a military officer, and negotiating for an alliance is a task typically assigned to a civil official.”

As a result, Ling Zhang had every reason to suspect that Shan Congli had nobody else he could entrust such a task with, which was why he had sent Xue Yi here to negotiate, though it was like forcing a donkey to dance.

“Xue Chi is a member of the faction led by the monarch. The Xue family has been loyal to the royal household of the Wan Kingdom for generations. Although the prestige of the Xue family concerns the royal household, the incumbent monarch, like several of his predecessors, knows very well that in times of crisis only the Xue family would come to his rescue, so it’s not really surprising that Shan Congli trusts the Xue family and Xue Yi,” explained Ling Zhaowu.

Ling Zhang also knew a thing or two in this regard. Yuwen Tong had once told him that the Xue family’s status was quite special in the Wan Kingdom. In the past, it had been when Xue Chi was in the prime of his life that the Wan Kingdom ran roughshod over the Great Yue. Had Yuwen Tong’s grandfather not exerted himself with might and main, the Great Yue would have long since been flattened by Xue Chi’s troops. Afterward, Yuwen Tong had made his presence felt. As a budding young general, he had been on a par with Xue Chi. At a later stage, he had even driven Xue Chi out of the Great Yue, recovering all lost cities, bringing Xue Chi down a peg. After Xue Chi suffered several defeats in a row, the Wan monarch had become suspicious of Xue Chi, relieved him of his command and appointed Chen Feng in his stead. Since then, Xue Chi had been staying idly at home.

However, Xue Chi was a military officer after all. Though Xue Yi also enjoyed some fame, it was limited to the armies of the Wan Kingdom.

“Xue Chi was quite composed when he first entered this city. He once said that he would patiently wait for two months if that was what it took for Mu Hengtian to grant his request. I think you know why he suddenly became so restless,” said Ling Zhaowu.

Ling Zhang nodded. “It’s because of the death of Xue Fang, his half-brother. He’s not only Xue Yi’s half-brother but also his adviser.”

Wait a moment. Ling Zhang looked at Ling Zhaowu. “Father, are you saying that this Xue Fang guy was the key to the success of the Wan Kingdom’s negotiations with the Luohai Kingdom? That he was the very reason why Shan Congli sent Xue Yi here to negotiate?”

“Exactly,” replied Ling Zhaowu. “Xue Fang was a very secretive man. On the surface he was merely Xue Yi’s adviser, but he was very intelligent and resourceful. In fact, he was also a member of Xue Chi’s think tank. The Wan monarch is fully aware of this. The Chen family has been growing more and more powerful in the Wan Kingdom, and Shan Congli reinstated Xue Chi in an attempt to maintain the balance of power. The Xue family needs to perform an exceptionally meritorious service to be restored to its former glory. By sending Xue Yi here to negotiate, the Wan monarch was offering the Xue family an opportunity to perform such a meritorious service. Xue Chi’s identity is rather sensitive, and the Wan monarch would never let him leave the Wan Kingdom, which makes Xue Yi the only suitable candidate. Besides, there are not many people in the Wan Kingdom who know that Xue Yi has covertly come here.

I once met Xue Fang before in the past, which is why I know a thing or two about him. He was definitely not what he seemed, but it never crossed my mind that he would die so easily in a conflict like that.”

Ling Zhang had departed for the Luohai Kingdom immediately after being informed of the Wan Kingdom’s plan to make an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom, and it’d been halfway through the journey that he was told that Xue Yi was the envoy Shan Congli had appointed. He didn’t know much about Xue Fang. The Dugu family’s men had been behind that conflict. Killing Xue Yi’s adviser had been an advice he instructed Lian Hai to give the Dugu family. After all, that man had been not only an adviser but also Xue Yi’s half-brother, which meant that killing him would deal Xue Yi a heavy blow. It had never occurred to him that that man was of such great importance. He had hit the mark by a fluke.

It took Ling Zhang a few moments to express to Ling Zhaowu enough how lucky he felt. Then he said, “Xue Yi has now become impatient, which means the Luohai Kingdom has a firmer grip on the initiative. I need to make preparations to have a meeting with Mu Hengtian.”

Ling Zhaowu gave a nod. “That might not be a bad idea.”

Worrying that Ling Zhang was hungry after such a long talk, Ling Zhaowu had the servants deliver the breakfast into the room. The two of them breakfasted together.

…

In the royal palace of the Luohai Kingdom.

“This way, please, Prime Minister Dugu. His Majesty granted you permission for an audience with him.”

Dugu Shan the Prime Minister rearranged his robes before walking into the royal study.

“It’s an honor to kneel before you, Your Majesty.”

“You may rise, Aiqing Dugu (Aiqing is a term of endearment used by an emperor or an empress to address an official in feudal China).”

Mu Hengtian was sitting in a chair behind a desk, leaning against the back of it. What with the various diseases he’d been suffering from for years, his whole body appeared faintly swollen. Even sitting there was an ordeal for him. Sweat would well up on his face if he sat for too long. Overall, he looked in very poor health.

Dugu Shan expressed his gratitude and then rose to his feet, looking at Mu Hengtian. “Your Majesty, you look much better than you did a couple of days ago. It would seem the court physicians’ medicines are effective.”

Mu Hengtian smiled, “I know about my physical condition well. Those medicines the court physicians have been giving me merely serve to delay my end.”

“Your Majesty, you’re loved by all your subjects and blessed by the providence. Your diseases wouldn’t be troubling you for long. Actually you seem much better today. I’m sure you’ll make a full recovery in a few days, and when you do, I’ll accompany you to the hunting ground to gallop as we did in the past,” said Dugu Shan.

Though fully aware of his physical condition, Mu Hengtian still drew comfort from Dugu Shan’s words, and he couldn’t help but recall the good old days when he would gallop on the hunting ground with his courtiers.

“You may take a seat. Today I summoned you here because I want to hear your opinions about the Wan Kingdom’s offer.” Mu Hengtian told Dugu Shan to sit down and asked him his opinions about the terms for an alliance laid out by the Wan Kingdom.

The look in Dugu Shan’s eyes flickered and with that he said, “Your Majesty, I’m positive the Wan Kingdom will accept our conditions. The Wan Kingdom have harbored hatred towards the Great Wen for generations, which is why they’re exceptionally wary of the Great Wen, scared of the Great Wen’s rise in strength, and are making an attempt to align themselves with us to fight against the Great Wen. At the end of the day, they just want to use us to help them be rid of the threat from the Great Wen. However, as things stand, it’ll be more beneficial to us if the balance of power between the three countries stays the way it is. We have to either annex the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen or maintain the balance of power. Once we help the Wan Kingdom get rid of the Great Wen, the Wan Kingdom would, without doubt, turn against us, given the Wan monarch’s wild ambitions.”

“You’ve got a point,” observed Mu Hengtian, struggling to shift his position.

Dugu Shan gave a smile and continued, “Currently, it is not us but the Wan monarch who is frightened of the Great Wen. If Your Majesty have no intention to annex the Great Wen and the Wan Kingdom for the moment, I believe it’s not such a bad idea to accept the Wan Kingdom’s offer. Firstly, the Great Wen has indeed been growing stronger at an alarmingly fast rate, and there’s necessity for us to slow it down a little; secondly, the more scared the Wan monarch is, the more benefits we’ll be able to get from the Wan Kingdom. As a result, I think Your Majesty’s decision is very wise, and the terms you laid out are very much in our national interest. I really admire you.”

Mu Hengtian also smiled, “Spare us both the act, you wily old fox. I know exactly what you’re thinking about. Xue Yi is running out of patience, and I think it’s about time I relented. As for Xue Yi’s bottom line – or the Wan Kingdom’s bottom line – I believe you could do me a favor and find out about it, couldn’t you, Aiqing Dugu?”

Dugu Shan gave it a brief thought and caught on to what Mu Hengtian meant. Then he rose to his feet and replied, “Consider it done, Your Majesty.”

Mu Hengtian nodded. “Okay, then, I’ll be expecting your message.”

“I won’t let you down, Your Majesty.”

…

After Dugu Shan took his leave, Mu Hengtian’s face instantly became serious. He opened a memorial to the throne, picked up a secret letter in it and carefully reread it.

“Yuwen Tong…”

Mu Hengtian put the letter down and gazed ahead emptily as though he were seeing Yuwen Tong the emperor of the Great Wen thousands of miles away. However, Mu Hengtian actually had never seen Yuwen Tong before. He had always been in the capital of the Luohai Kingdom. He’d never been to the borderlands, and neither had he ever been to the Great Wen, but he had heard of the various legends of Yuwen Tong. Given that even Shan Congli was so frightened of Yuwen Tong as to seek alliance with the Luohai Kingdom, Mu Hengtian knew that Yuwen Tong’s reputation must be well-earned.

This secret letter from Yuwen Tong had arrived shortly after Xue Yi’s arrival in the Luohai Kingdom. Yuwen Tong even had an intimate knowledge of the Wan Kingdom’s intentions.

The Great Wen also wanted to make an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom. After reading the letter, Mu Hengtian had been astonished at first, and then he’d felt smug, but eventually he had cooled down. As Yuwen Tong’s counterpart, he could guess a small part of the reason why Yuwen Tong was doing this, and he couldn’t help but admire Yuwen Tong. On the surface, the rulers of the other two countries were racing to ingratiate themselves with him, but in fact, they both were up to the same thing. In the final analysis, they just wanted to use the Luohai Kingdom as a pawn. However, now that the two of them dared to regard his country as their pawn, he would turn the situation to his advantage and charge them high prices.

Mu Hengtian’s eyes went cold and with that he solemnly put the letter on the desk away. According to the letter, someone would come to talk with him face to face. He decided to wait and see who this person was.

After Mu Hengtian put the letter back into the envelope and locked it up in a secret compartment, a weary look appeared on his face. He struggled to his feet and let out an exhalation of smelly air. He knew about his physical condition well and was aware that he might well depart this life in a couple of years. Presently, in the Luohai Kingdom, both the Dugu family and Nian Feng were wielding unduly great power. It probably wouldn’t be easy for the crown prince to ascend the throne after his death, but if he took action to eliminate the Dugu family or Nian Feng, the other side would be alarmed and there might be unimaginable consequences. The only option was to let them be each other’s counterbalance, and then figure out a way to undermine them step by step, but the problem was that it would take time, and time was a luxury he no longer had…

Mu Hengtian stood in the royal study for quite a while, an inscrutable expression on his face.

Chapter 477: The Absolute Maximum the Wan Kingdom Was Willing to Offer

In a summer house of the Dugu family’s.

On this day, Dugu Miao invited Xue Yi to lunch in this summer house which was quiet and registered in Dugu Miao’s name.

“This place is quite secluded. We won’t have any unexpected visitors. I know that lately you’ve been waiting anxiously for a reply from His Majesty, Brother Xue. Yesterday my father went to the palace and had an audience with His Majesty, trying to persuade him to make a reply as soon as possible. Barring accidents, His Majesty will summon you in a couple of days. Before that, you might as well just relax and rest up, so that you’ll be at your best during your meeting with His Majesty.”

With a smile on his face, Dugu Miao ushered Xue Yi into the summer house, the design of which was patterned after architectural ideas of the Great Wen, and which boasted quite some bucolic charm. Spring had arrived, and all the ornamental plants in the summer house were sprouting. There was also a gurgling man-made stream winding its way through the residence. The combination of the genial spring sun and the pleasantly warm breeze was indeed quite relaxing.

On hearing that Dugu Shan had paid a visit to the palace and managed to convince the Luohai monarch, Xue Yi, who had been so anxious in the past few days that he’d developed some canker sores, was secretly furious but at the same time also inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. Now that Dugu Miao had dared say the monarch would make a reply in a few days, it was unlikely there would be another postponement.

“Thank you for your assistance and hospitality, Brother Dugu,” said Xue Yi. No matter what, the Dugu family had indeed offered him a lot of help, so Xue Yi didn’t mind stepping up his friendliness towards the Dugu family a little.

“You don’t have to thank me, Brother Xue. We click, and I see you as a friend, and friends don’t have to be so courteous to each other. After you, Brother Xue,” smiled Dugu Miao, turning aside to make way for Xue Yi.

Ahead of them was a parterre inside which was a gazebo from the eaves of which hung half-unrolled bamboo curtains on all sides. There were some little wind chimes attached to the curtains. Whenever a breeze blew by, sweet silvery jingles issued from the wind chimes, dissolving people’s vexation and anxiety.

Dugu Miao was handsome and well-featured. There was amusement gleaming in his peach-blossom-shaped eyes even when he was not smiling, and he appeared particularly sincere when beaming.

Though fully aware that Dugu Miao was not what he seemed either, Xue Yi was still swayed by Dugu Miao’s smile. The word “friends” rendered him much less defensive without him realizing it.

“After you, Brother Dugu,” said Xue Yi, his manner somewhat milder than it’d been a short while before.

A glitter flashed across the depths of Dugu Miao’s beaming eyes, and with that he and Xue Yi entered the parterre together and walked into the gazebo.

There was a stone table and some stone stools in the gazebo. The stools were topped with soft cushions. On the table was a hearty meal, along with a pot of wine. Bowls, chopsticks and wine cups were all in readiness. All arrangements were thoughtful and had been made scrupulously.

…

Xue Yi had no recollection of when he’d got drunk or whether he had disclosed anything he was not supposed to disclose. It was early the next morning that he woke up in a bed in Dugu Miao’s summer house.

At the sight of the strange surroundings, Xue Yi was instantly on the alert and abruptly sat up. His eyes swept around the room and with that his head started throbbing painfully. He involuntarily clapped his hands to his head, pressing them hard against it.

Then he recalled that this place was Dugu Miao’s summer house, that the day before he and Dugu Miao drank some wine in the gazebo in the parterre, but he somehow got drunk, and he didn’t have a clue when he’d drunk himself into a stupor.

Xue Yi immediately became vigilant. Wondering whether or not in his stupor he had confided to Dugu Miao anything he ought not to confide, he hastened out of bed, hurried to the doors and heavily pulled them open.

The bang scared a boy servant waiting in the doorway, who tremulously looked up at him and asked, “Y–You woke up, Sir.”

Seeing that the boy servant was the only one present, Xue Yi knitted his brows. “Who are you? Where’s Dugu Miao? How long was I asleep for?”

“Yesterday you and my young master were very drunk. Right now my young master is still asleep. He hasn’t sobered up yet. I’m a servant in this residence. I have orders from the butler to stay here waiting for you to wake up. If you’ve sobered up, please let me lead you to the dining room to take a seat and drink some Sobering Soup which helps clear your mind,” replied the boy servant in a methodical manner.

Yesterday? So he’d slept the whole night through, and Dugu Miao had also got drunk and was still asleep, which meant that Dugu Miao hadn’t told anybody about whatever it was he had disclosed to Dugu Miao the day before.

Xue Yi’s deep frown slackened slightly. He wanted to leave immediately, but due to his lingering concern, he decided to sound Dugu Miao out first.

“Lead the way.”

The boy servant nodded and then ushered Xue Yi to the dining room.

It was after Xue Yi drank some soup to soak up the booze and then finished breakfast that Dugu Miao showed up, his face etched with tiredness, massaging his head while walking in, appearing quite miserable.

“I beg your pardon, Brother Xue. I’d never drunk that much wine before. This hangover is killing me,” said Dugu Miao before he added admiringly, “You have such a high tolerance to alcohol, Brother Xue. I admire you so much. Did you wake up early this morning? Yesterday you really should’ve stopped me from drinking that much – that’s what a friend should have done and you know it.”

“Oh? You’d never drunk that much wine before?” asked Xue Yi impassively.

Dugu Miao had just started to shake his head when he appeared on the verge of vomiting again. He cut such a sorry figure that he bore no similarity whatsoever to the young aristocrat of great presence he’d been the day before. “My father never allows me to drink too much. He said people tend to lose their sense of perspective when they’re drunk. Yesterday I was in high spirits and my father was not home, so I drank too much unawares. Speaking of which, how much did I drink exactly yesterday, Brother Xue?”

Xue Yi responded, “I don’t remember that either.”

Dugu Miao looked at him disbelievingly, “You really don’t remember? I’ve seen people do crazy things after getting drunk. Did I do something stupid yesterday, by any chance? You remember it but you’re pretending otherwise to spare me the embarrassment, right?”

The more Dugu Miao talked, the more convinced he was that this was the case. The look he cast at Xue Yi was quite questioning.

Xue Yi affirmed, “I really don’t remember. Maybe you should summon the servants waiting on us yesterday and ask them about it.”

Xue Yi’s suggestion struck Dugu Miao as a good idea, so he summoned the servants. “I want you to be honest with me about this – yesterday, after I got drunk, did I do anything crazy or say anything stupid?”

One of the servants, trembling, answered with a face of woe, “Young Master, yesterday, after you drank some wine with this honored guest, you dressed us down halfway through the lunch, saying that we’re in no position to stop you from drinking. You chucked all of us out of the gazebo and even had us flogged. Right now…Right now all the others are lying in bed, unable to get up. I’m the only one still capable of walking, so I came here to wait on you. I really don’t know what you did or said in your drunken stupor yesterday.”

“Bullshit!” Dugu Miao scowled at the servant. “I would never have you flogged for no good reason.”

“If you don’t believe me, you may go there to see for yourself. My legs still ache when I walk,” said the servant in an injured tone.

This man was Dugu Miao’s personal servant who always followed in Dugu Miao’s wake at ordinary times, so Xue Yi recognized him. Judging from his pallid face, unsteady steps and awkward gait, he might well be telling the truth. In addition, Xue Yi seemed to remember that that thing had indeed happened the day before, because one of the servants had screamed in pain so loudly that he could recall it.

“Brother Dugu, it would seem you’ve indeed forgotten all about of it because of the wine.”

Embarrassment written all over his face, Dugu Miao looked at him. “I’m sorry to have put you through this, Brother Xue. I’m not an abusive kind of person. Maybe I said something I didn’t mean during the drunken stupor and they took it seriously.”

Xue Yi was not inclined to find out whether or not Dugu Miao was an abusive kind of person. He only wanted to confirm that nobody else had approached that gazebo the day before, that Dugu Miao had also got drunk and didn’t remember anything.

“Brother Dugu, I have something to attend to, and given that I didn’t return last night, my subordinates must be anxious, so if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take my leave.”

Dugu Miao hurriedly rose to his feet and walked him all the way through the front gates of the summer house.

After Xue Yi left, Dugu Miao raised a hand to massage his forehead, pivoted around and returned to the summer house, a miserable expression on his face. In the distance, Xue Yi twisted his head around and cast a backward glance in the direction of the residence. At the sight of Dugu Miao appearing to be suffering from hangover, he became convinced that Dugu Miao had told him the truth.

However, when Dugu Miao had entered the summer house, he immediately put his hand down, his face growing apathetic. “Bring me some Sobering Soup.”

“Yes, Young Master,” said the servant.

Dugu Miao glanced at him. “Your service won’t go unrewarded. You may leave and have some rest. Nurse yourself back to health before you come back to wait on me.”

“Thank you, Young Master,” the servant said with his head down and then quietly left.

Dugu Miao drank some Sobering Soup and then summoned the butler, “How did it go? Has the message been delivered to my father?”

“Yes, Young Master. Master has come to know about it,” answered the butler respectfully.

“Good.” Dugu Miao gave a sneer and then said derisively, “That Xue Yi guy is pretty vigilant. Fortunately the act I put on was convincing enough.”

“You’ve always been a man with great wisdom, Young Master. That guy from the Wan Kingdom would never be able to find out about it,” said the butler.

Dugu Miao smugly snorted, “Clear up the mess and have them prepare some hot water. I need to take a bath.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

…

Dugu Shan, after being informed of the absolute maximum that Xue Yi had ‘disclosed’, mulled over all possibilities for several times and then went to the royal palace to seek an audience with Mu Hengtian.

Meanwhile, a secret letter about that absolute maximum the Wan Kingdom was willing to offer was delivered to Ling Zhang.

After reading it, Ling Zhang immediately had it sent back to the Great Wen to let Yuwen Tong know.

“It seems that Shan Congli is indeed quite anxious. Judging from his offer, it won’t be long before the Wan Kingdom’s armies mass at the border.”

“Last year, the weather was favorable for agriculture all the year round in the Wan Kingdom, and they have more food stocks than ever, which are more than enough for them to wage a war. The Great Wen has been gaining momentum in its development and has been growing stronger and stronger, which means Shan Congli is under increasingly heavy pressure.”

Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowu, after coming to know about the absolute maximum the Wan Kingdom could afford, both believed that it wouldn’t be long before the Wan Kingdom declared war on the Great Wen.

“Fortunately the Great Wen has made preparations some time ago. Earlier this year, after the spring snow melted, large numbers of army provisions have been secretly transported to the border. Both the Youzhou garrison and the Shengzhou garrison are ready.”

Yuwen Tong had long since predicted that the Wan Kingdom wouldn’t lay low for long and would sooner or later wage another war. The Wan Kingdom wanted to run roughshod over the Great Wen, but what they didn’t know was that this was also the time that the Great Wen planned to deal the Wan Kingdom a heavy blow.

“When are you going to talk to Mu Hengtian?” Ling Zhaowu asked Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang replied, “A signed letter from Yuwen Tong is now on Mu Hengtian’s desk. I think it’s about time.”

Mu Hengtian had now come to know about the absolute maximum the Wan Kingdom was willing to offer, which meant that he would soon lay out unreasonable terms. When Xue Yi realized the Dugu family had deceived him, it would be too late. At first Ling Zhang had decided to stop the Wan Kingdom from making an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom. However, Ling Zhaowu’s words have given him a new idea. The Wan Kingdom wanted to wage a war, but they didn’t dare take action without the Luohai Kingdom at their back. In the final analysis, they were scared. Without some extra motivation, Shan Congli might come up with some other ‘brilliant’ ideas, so Ling Zhang believed he might as well push the boat with the current and let them forge an alliance. Just like Ling Zhaowu had said, the Luohai Kingdom was bound to be a fence-sitter. Whether or not this so-called alliance would serve its purpose depended on Mu Hengtian.

“Before Xue Yi and Mu Hengtian sign the agreement, they would definitely conduct some secret negotiations. I plan to seek an audience with Mu Hengtian shortly before that.”

If Mu Hengtian was willing to cooperate, there would be no problem; if he wasn’t, Ling Zhang would shatter the Wan-Luohai alliance and make sure Mu Hengtian got nothing.