The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 478- 480

Chapter 478: Negotiations and Threats

Ever since he’d received that secret letter from Yuwen Tong, Mu Hengtian had all along been waiting to see who would come to negotiate with him about the terms of an alliance on Yuwen Tong’s behalf, but whatever he’d expected, it wasn’t that the negotiator would be Ling Zhang.

Xue Yi was still in the capital city, and all the other forces that knew some inside information about it were secretly keeping a close watch on how the situation developed. Mu Hengtian, who had some misgivings, was aware that he couldn’t afford to let anybody find out about his meeting with a negotiator from the Great Wen, so he arranged for the negotiation to be conducted in a secret location. However, he had originally thought that the negotiator would be one of the two prime ministers of the Great Wen. When he saw the negotiator, he found that the person was neither of them, because neither that wily old fox surnamed Ji nor Chu Liangyan could be so young, dashing, imposing and dignified.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I’m Ling Zhang.” Ling Zhang greeted him first.

Mu Hengtian’s countenance changed several times. Ling Zhang’s name had spread throughout all the three countries. He was Yuwen Tong’s male empress. For his sake, Yuwen Tong had adopted a couple of children instead of taking concubines. Rumor had it that Ling Zhang tended to keep a low profile, but as the monarch of the Luohai Kingdom, Mu Hengtian knew that Yuwen Tong and his consort had been working in coordination, the former ruling the country overtly, the latter supporting the former behind the scenes, that Ling Zhang was in charge of more than half of the intelligence sources of the Great Wen, but how Ling Zhang had been collecting intelligence was a mystery to everybody. This young man appeared to have no particular talent, but he was by no means what he seemed.

“It turns out the negotiator is none other than the empress of the Great Wen. Yuwen Tong should’ve told me in his letter. I’m sorry not to have given you a proper welcome,” smiled Mu Hengtian after coming to himself.

“You don’t have to apologize for that. This is supposed to be a secret talk, so the fewer who know about it, the better. It was a relief to see that you didn’t go to the trouble of going outside to welcome me.” Ling Zhang also gave a smile, a glitter in his eyes, the sight of which filled Mu Hengtian with deep veneration, making him feel that there was something sacrosanct and inviolable about Ling Zhang, that Ling Zhang was not to be trifled with. When he pulled himself back to his senses, he found those thoughts of his somewhat horrifying, and with that his smile faded noticeably from his face, and he appeared much more serious.

Ling Zhang had specially performed a two-day closed-door cultivation to improve his control over his internal energy so that Mu Hengtian wouldn’t be deterred from looking at him or become vigilant and refuse to accept the terms. Now Ling Zhang was capable of mobilizing his internal energy in an accurate manner and adjusting at will the intensity of the sense of power he radiated. Noticing that Mu Hengtian had become serious, that the searching and condescending look in his eyes had disappeared, Ling Zhang was very pleased. Having Mu Hengtian see him as his equal was a precondition for fruitful negotiations.

…

“The hatred between the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen has been there for generations. There’s no way the two countries could coexist peacefully with each other. If the Wan Kingdom wages another war, we wouldn’t shrink from fighting back. We’ve already got used to fighting wars against the Wan Kingdom. This is between the Great Wen and the Wan Kingdom, and there’s no necessity for the Luohai Kingdom to get involved in this troublesome situation, is there? If truth be told, the Luohai Kingdom could totally just stand by and sit this war out and reap the benefits when it’s over. No matter whether the winner is the Great Wen or the Wan Kingdom, the outcome would always be beneficial to the Luohai Kingdom, which is a fact I believe you are fully aware of,” said Ling Zhang in an unhurried tone of voice.

Mu Hengtian smiled, “Currently the Great Wen has a large army of well-equipped and well-trained troops with high morale. My country indeed could choose to stay out of this knotty situation, but as the saying goes, ‘When the lips are lost, the teeth will be exposed to the cold.'”

Ling Zhang also gave a smile. “Thank you for your compliment. I’m sure you wouldn’t believe me if I tell you the Great Wen has no intention to conquer the world, but that’s indeed the truth. The Great Wen and the Wan Kingdom have been fighting each other and weakening each other for generations. We had a hard job earning ourselves a five-year period of peace, but we have just recovered from war injuries when the Luohai Kingdom begins to regard the Great Wen as an imaginary enemy – I really feel flattered. In terms of military strength, the Luohai Kingdom is without equal. In recent years the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen have been fighting non-stop, but the Luohai Kingdom has barely suffered any casualties and has been at full strength all along. Actually it’s not the Great Wen but the Luohai Kingdom that the Wan Kingdom should be afraid of and keep a weather eye on. I don’t know what Shan Congli is thinking – he might well be soft in the head, I think. Though we’ve always been on bad terms with Shan Congli, I believe it wouldn’t be too difficult to remind him of this and make him see reason, would it?”

Mu Hengtian looked at him and the expression in his eyes gradually grew menacing. “Are you threatening me, Your Highness?”

Ling Zhang let out a sigh and replied, “How could you see this as a threat? I’m just trying to protect my country. Shan Congli let his desire for vengeance cloud his judgement, which is why he’s unable to see sense. He thinks that his cavalry is strong, but he doesn’t know that the cavalry of the Luohai Kingdom is just as strong. The Luohai Kingdom is a warlike nation. Even the average combat power of Luohai civilians overshadows that of the other two countries, let alone the Luohai Kingdom’s armies. If Shan Congli had caught on to the current situation, he would have been terrified and sought alliance with the Great Wen, instead of foolishly sending an envoy to the Luohai Kingdom. He’s giving you so many favorable terms that I’m green with envy.”

Mu Hengtian chuckled and then said in a deep, sulky voice, “You’re indeed a worthy empress. You play both Mr. Nice and Mr. Nasty so well, but when making these remarks, you seemed to forget that five years ago, when the Great Wen was mired in warfare and civil strife, your army still inflicted a crushing defeat on mine. Given that the Great Wen growing stronger by the day during the last five years, I don’t see anybody in my country is Yuwen Tong’s match now.”

Ling Zhang also gave a chuckle. “You don’t have to put it that way, Your Majesty. You better than anybody should know how the Great Wen won that battle five years ago, shouldn’t you? Had we not flukily planted a couple of spies in that city and adopted some underhand methods, there was no telling which side might have won the fight. Besides, five years ago, that army of yours was sent there mainly to put out feelers. The Luohai Kingdom didn’t show where its true ability lay at all. The main force of the Luohai Kingdom is stationed in the north and the west. We haven’t seen it yet.”

The look in Mu Hengtian’s eyes slightly darkened. Ling Zhang knew about the Luohai Kingdom’s military strength so well. “All’s fair in war. It’s up to the commander what strategy to adopt. Your army won, and that is a fact. I’m not a sore loser.”

Ling Zhang said, “No offence, but Your Majesty is being unduly modest, which makes the Great Wen look cocky. Also, Shan Congli has been spreading rumors, and now everybody believes that the Great Wen’s army is invincible, but I think you know the truth better than anybody, don’t you? About this upcoming war between the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen, I hope Your Majesty will think twice before making a decision. If you really find it difficult to ignore your alliance with the Wan Kingdom, you could just send an army there to put on an act, but if you really send your men to join the fight, the Great Wen wouldn’t stand a chance of winning. Your Majesty have no ambition to unify the three countries, do you?”

Ling Zhang stared at Mu Hengtian with burning eyes which were so piercing as though he were able to read Mu Hengtian’s mind.

Mu Hengtian gave a shudder. Ling Zhang’s eyes were so penetrating as if they could see into his soul. This struck Mu Hengtian as quite terrifying. Mu Hengtian would be lying if he said that he didn’t have the ambition to unify the three countries, but he was also fully aware that it was next to impossible for him to achieve that goal. He would count himself lucky if he managed to live to see another spring. People would think he was joking if he told them he wanted to unify the three countries. Were he still young, he wouldn’t care a damn about Ling Zhang’s speculations. However, his wish didn’t take precedence over the law of nature. He didn’t have that much time.

Ling Zhang meant these words as a threat. If Mu Hengtian did have the ambition to unify the three countries, the Wan Kingdom wouldn’t make an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom to fight the Great Wen; on the contrary, the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen, two long-standing foes, would align against the Luohai Kingdom. After all, some of Ling Zhang’s words struck Mu Hengtian as reasonable – Shan Congli was no fool. In recent years the Luohai Kingdom had barely suffered any casualties. Compared with the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen, the Luohai Kingdom had the largest army, and its most elite forces were under the command of Nian Feng.

However, though knowing that Ling Zhang was threatening him, Mu Hengtian was aware that he had no choice but to make concessions, because the infighting in his court had been intensifying. Dugu Shan, Nian Feng and his son, Mu Rongfeng, were contending for power in a full-blown fight, and the Luohai Kingdom could be disintegrated from within at any moment. In the about one year’s time he had left, while he was still in a fit state to deal with state affairs, he must figure out a way for this thorny issue to be settled. If he got the Luohai Kingdom involved in a melee of three countries at this point in time, or, in a worse scenario, if the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen aligned against the Luohai Kingdom, it would be a catastrophe for the Luohai Kingdom.

Both Shan Congli and Yuwen Tong were formidable enemies, and the Luohai Kingdom didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of winning if the two of them joined hands. Compared with letting the Luohai Kingdom become their target, having the two of them fight each other would be a far better choice. Judging from the previous wars between the two, it would take several years for one of them to emerge as a winner. And the duration of the fighting would be the Luohai Kingdom’s chance. If the Luohai Kingdom managed to put an end to the infighting during that period, it would be able to send its armies southwards to attack the Great Wen or westwards to attack the Wan Kingdom – either way, given the combat power of Luohai armies, they would definitely be able to take a lot of cities, and the Luohai Kingdom might even stand a chance of annexing the other two countries.

A lot of thoughts flashed across Mu Hengtian’s mind in an instant, but he maintained a poker face for fear of Ling Zhang divining what he was thinking. “You flatter me, Your Highness. I’m an old man now. Lofty aspirations of that kind have been absent from my mind for many years.”

“Who would dare ignore you, Your Majesty? Although you’re older than us, you have far more insight than we do. Also, you have a strong army. Youngsters like me are really scared of you,” said Ling Zhang, withdrawing his piercing eyes as he noticed that Mu Hengtian’s face softened as though he had been swayed.

Mu Hengtian chuckled, “The world is all about the young now.”

Ling Zhang smiled but made no reply, waiting for Mu Hengtian to make a decision.

Seeing this, Mu Hengtian inwardly let out a sigh, coming to realize that this time around he had to give a reply, otherwise the Luohai Kingdom would face consequences that he would by no means want to see his country faced with.

“Shan Congli forked out for an alliance with me. If I turn him down, it’d be a great loss for my country,” said Mu Hengtian. Though eventually he had no alternative but to grant Ling Zhang’s request, he didn’t want to give his consent so easily. He still intended to get the benefits he believed he deserved to get.

On hearing these words, Ling Zhang came to understand what Mu Hengtian meant. He replied, “If it’s going to be a mere act, you might as well just take what Shan Congli is offering you. We’re only too anxious to see Shan Congli’s wallet suffer, but Your Majesty, you must make sure it’s going to be no more than an act. Otherwise our partnership would be jeopardized.”

Mu Hengtian smiled, “Is this what Yuwen Tong wants?”

Ling Zhang responded, “Since I’m sitting here, naturally I’m saying what he wants me to say.”

Chuckling, Mu Hengtian shook his head. “Well, I have to say it’s a little dishonorable of him to do this. I mean, he’s asking me to go back on my word.”

Ling Zhang said, “You’ll be able to gloss over it by going through the motions. I’m sure you could make an excuse convincing enough to hoodwink him if you put your mind to it. Shan Congli will be infuriated, but there wouldn’t be anything he could do about it, would there?”

Mu Hengtian’s eyes narrowed slightly. This Ling Zhang guy was such a smart person. A man like him…And then there was also Yuwen Tong. If it weren’t for his poor physical condition, he would really want to pit himself against Yuwen Tong on the battlefield. It was such a pity.

“Making an excuse would inevitably take some doing. Since this is your suggestion, I think it’s only fair that you should pitch in a little bit.”

Ling Zhang briefly lifted his brows. “No problem. The Great Wen won’t sit back and let Your Majesty do all the work.”

By asking for reward, Mu Hengtian had made his attitude very clear, and offering him some reward was not beyond the capabilities of the Great Wen.

Chapter 479: The Signing of An Alliance Agreement

Since the cooperation had started, terms and details were just a trivial matter.

Mu Hengtian’s every move was under close watch, so getting out of his palace without anybody noticing was no easy job for him. Also, it was inconvenient for Ling Zhang to stay in the capital city of the Luohai Kingdom for long, what with his special identity. Both of them wanted to finish the negotiations as quick as possible. Therefore, after the distribution of the major part of the profits was decided, they agreed on the details in a brisk and neat fashion without much bargaining. Two hours later, the negotiations were over and they signed an agreement. Mu Hengtian’s treatment of Ling Zhang was quite a contrast to that of Xue Yi.

“It’s not every day that Your Highness visit my country. How about I make some arrangements and take you on a tour around the city?” said Mu Hengtian after everything was handled.

Ling Zhang first thanked Mu Hengtian for his kind offer and then added, “My kids are expecting me at home. They’re still young, and I tend to grow worried if I’m away from home for too long. I’ll set off to return the day after tomorrow.”

Mu Hengtian knew that Ling Zhang was referring to the couple of adopted children of his. He had found Yuwen Tong’s decision incredible when he’d first heard about it, but now five years had passed, and the marriage between Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang was still solid. The princes and the princess had grown healthy and received proper education. Many people who had been astonished by Yuwen Tong’s decision had gradually come to feel that it was meant to be this way.

“Ha-ha…In that case, I shall not insist. It’s inconvenient for me to go out of the city to see you off, so I’m afraid I have to bid you farewell right here. I wish you a safe journey home,” said Mu Hengtian.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang took leave of Mu Hengtian and then left the place for their meeting.

After Ling Zhang disappeared from view, a thoughtful look appeared on Mu Hengtian’s face. Before this day, it had never crossed his mind that the one coming to negotiate with him would be Ling Zhang. Leaving aside the fact that the spies the Luohai Kingdom had planted in the capital city of the Great Wen had never sent back a single useful message in this regard, even after Ling Zhang arrived in the Luohai Kingdom, it’d been when Ling Zhang was entering the city that he’d been informed of it. Had Ling Zhang made any efforts to cover his tracks, would he have still been in the dark about when Ling Zhang had sneaked into this city?

Mu Hengtian was wary and suspicious of Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, but just like he had considered a while before, he didn’t have much time left, no matter how wary he was, which meant that he had no alternative but to accept the Great Wen’s suggestion and let the Great Wen and the Wan Kingdom (both of whom were his enemies) fight and weaken each other while the Luohai Kingdom laid low settling the matter of internecine struggles.

After leaving that place, Ling Zhang returned to the “hideout” he’d prepared beforehand instead of the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce. Ever since his departure from the location for the negotiations, some secret agents working for Mu Hengtian had been shadowing him all along. He was capable of losing them, but he didn’t do that, because he wanted to lull Mu Hengtian into a false sense of security. Since they were now in a partnership, he should make a gesture of sincerity lest Mu Hengtian remain suspicious or do anything that might jeopardize the cooperation.

The alliance agreement signed, he could immediately set off to return to the Great Wen. The reason why he’d specially scheduled his departure for two days later was because he wanted to give Mu Hengtian some time to show the Luohai Kingdom’s good faith.

…

On that very day, Mu Hengtian summoned Dugu Shan and some other top-ranking courtiers, Nian Feng the General-in-chief, and Mu Rongfeng the crown prince to confer with them about the terms of an alliance with the Wan Kingdom.

Dugu Shan had helped Mu Hengtian get information about the absolute maximum the Wan Kingdom was willing to offer, so Mu Hengtian had no misgivings whatsoever about conditions he was going to ask for the alliance. There was a divergence of opinion among the courtiers, but most of them were in support of Mu Hengtian’s idea. Nian Feng the General-in-chief raised no objection either, but Mu Rongfeng knitted his brows.

“Father, is it possible that this would undermine the stability of the future alliance? I mean, the Wan Kingdom made the offer on their own initiative. If the conditions we ask are the maximum they could afford, they would very likely feel resentment against us,” said Mu Rongfeng.

After Mu Rongfeng made these remarks, all the others looked in his direction. Their countenance gave little away, but actually they all had their respective thoughts on the subject.

Mu Hengtian looked at Mu Rongfeng with piercing eyes, quite displeased. He knew Mu Rongfeng well. Mu Rongfeng had made these remarks because he had really begun to see the Wan Kingdom as a future ally. In other words, Mu Rongfeng indeed wanted the Luohai Kingdom to declare war on the Great Wen. Mu Hengtian couldn’t help but feel disappointed. All this fool could think of doing was to declare war! Had it ever crossed his mind that if he went to the battlefield, the Dugu family and Nian Feng would make sure he never came back?! The situation in the court was dire; he hadn’t succeeded to the throne yet; and there were a whole bunch of people coveting his position as crown prince. One mistake and he would lose everything, but he was actually still in the mood for a war against the Great Wen? And he was giving such high priority to the Wan Kingdom’s interests? Had he not learned his lesson from that joint operation with the Wan Kingdom in Jiangzhou five years before? It was unbelievable he still had so much trust in the Wan Kingdom. Was he soft in the head or something?

Mu Hengtian soon concealed his disappointment which flickered on his face, and very few people noticed it, but Dugu Shan, who excelled at divining the monarch’s thoughts, and Nian Feng the General-in-chief who were exceptionally observant, saw it distinctly. The two of them couldn’t help but wonder if the monarch had some other plans. No matter what, the monarch being disappointed by these words of Mu Rongfeng’s was a good thing for them, so they naturally were secretly delighted.

“I’ve made my decision, and my decision is final,” said Mu Hengtian in a deep voice, bringing the consultation to an end.

Mu Rongfeng wanted to say something else, but at the sight of Mu Hengtian’s facial expression which was clearly not a happy one, he held back the words that had sprung to the tip of his tongue.

…

The next day. In the royal palace of the Luohai Kingdom.

Xue Yi was summoned to the palace. Mu Hengtian agreed to make an alliance with the Wan Kingdom, but the conditions he asked in return almost made Xue Yi jump and curse loudly on the spot.

He remembered very well that the conditions Mu Hengtian had asked previously were different. It’d been merely a couple of days, but Mu Hengtian was now asking for so much more!

Before he came to the Luohai Kingdom, the Wan monarch had told him about the absolute maximum the Wan Kingdom was willing to offer. That information was top secret. The Wan monarch, Xue Yi and Xue Chi were the only ones privy to it. There was no way the Luohai Kingdom could have laid out such terms which were exactly the maximum the Wan Kingdom was willing to offer, unless they were fully aware of the maximum.

Xue Yi believed that on no account would the Wan monarch or his father disclose that information to the Luohai Kingdom, which meant that the only plausible explanation was…Xue Yi’s countenance changed several times, the color of his face alternating between green and red, blue veins throbbing horribly on his neck from the effort of subduing his rage. Unwilling to admit it as he was, he came to realize one thing – he was tricked! The only occasion when he could have let slip the absolute maximum the Wan monarch was willing to offer was the time when he’d been drinking with Dugu Miao. On that day he’d dropped his guard and drunk himself into a stupor!

As this thought occurred to him, Xue Yi angrily looked at Dugu Shan, fury smoldering in his eyes.

Dugu Shan appeared calm and composed as though he were utterly confused as to why Xue Yi was giving him that look.

“If the Wan Kingdom accepts these terms, I’ll sign the agreement immediately.”

Mu Hengtian pretended not to notice the furious and murderous expression on Xue Yi’s face. The Wan Kingdom was seeking alliance with him, so as long as his terms were not above the maximum the Wan Kingdom was willing to offer, Xue Yi had to agree, no matter how angry he was.

“Your Majesty, don’t you think you’re going a little too far?” asked Xue Yi through gritted teeth. “It is with profound sincerity that the Wan Kingdom is seeking an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom, and the alignment will be very beneficial to both sides. Your kingdom will get no less benefits out of it than the Wan Kingdom will. Why are you pushing us so hard?”

Mu Hengtian heaved a sigh as though he were in some kind of dilemma. “There’s something you need to know, kiddo. The Luohai Kingdom is no superior to the Wan Kingdom in terms of both economic strength and military strength. The Wan Kingdom’s cavalry is famous among all the three countries. Your country could handle the Great Wen’s army with merely one third of its troops, but I’ll have to use half of my men to achieve the same ends. From this fact alone, I could deduce that my country would suffer much heavier casualties during the war than the Wan Kingdom would. How am I supposed to convince my men to go to the battlefield and risk their lives fighting for me when I couldn’t even pay them enough? Believe it or not, I’m doing what I have to.”

Xue Yi clenched his teeth so hard that they were on the verge of breaking. The Luohai Kingdom had been laying low for many years and had barely participated in any wars. It was sure as hell wealthier than the Wan Kingdom. This guy had got a nerve crying about lack of money in front of him! As for the so-called casualties, it hadn’t happened yet. The situation in a war could change drastically in an instant. Who the fuck knew which side would lose more men in the war?! However, Mu Hengtian refused to budge an inch on the terms. Xue Yi, without any advisers by his side to give him counsel, was unable to convince Mu Hengtian to change his mind, no matter how hard he tried. Eventually, Xue Yi was almost reduced to vomiting blood from anger, but even so, he still had to accept Mu Hengtian’s terms in the end.

The alliance agreement was signed and stamped in duplicate. After getting the duplicate meant for the Wan Kingdom, Xue Yi felt an urge to spin around and leave the Luohai Kingdom immediately. He was worried that he would lose control of himself, draw a saber and kill someone if he cast one more glance at any of these Luohai people.

All his terms accepted, Mu Hengtian was very pleased and didn’t let Xue Yi leave right away. Instead, he held a banquet, at which he talked and laughed with a couple of his courtiers. Xue Yi had a sullen face from first to last, but there was nothing he could do about it.

…

Mu Hengtian, who was quite considerate, secretly had a message delivered to Ling Zhang telling him about the signing of the alliance agreement. Though Ling Zhang had come to know about it through other methods, he pretended otherwise and thanked Mu Hengtian for it.

The Wan Kingdom had now stepped straight into the trap laid by the Luohai Kingdom. All Ling Zhang had to do was wait for the Wan Kingdom to make a rod for their own backs. Of course, in order to make sure Mu Hengtian would keep up his end of the bargain, Ling Zhang would no doubt “help” Mu Hengtian escalate the ongoing power struggles in the Luohai Kingdom.

The most important part of the matter had been handled. Lian Hai and Han Shu would be able to deal with the rest of it, so Ling Zhang had some men “pack” his stuff, preparing to depart from the capital of the Luohai Kingdom the next day lest Mu Hengtian be in fear and unable to have peace of mind.

Ling Zhaowu would stay in the capital of the Luohai Kingdom for another half a month and knock all arrangements into shape before leaving.

…

Early the next morning, Ling Zhang took his men and left the capital.

Meanwhile, Xue Yi, who couldn’t bear it any more, took leave of Mu Hengtian and left the capital on the same day. When exiting the city, he rode past Ling Zhang’s fleet of carriages. The group of horsemen were heading west with all haste. It seemed that Xue Yi indeed couldn’t stand staying in this country for another moment.

Ling Zhang lowered the carriage curtain. Shan Congli had made the most unwise decision by appointing Xue Yi as envoy. He would definitely develop insomnia after he came to know how much financial pain the terms of the alliance agreement would cause his country.

“Keep going.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Masquerading as a caravan, the fleet of carriages left the capital of the Luohai Kingdom and headed all the way south. They never stopped except when eating or sleeping. Mu Hengtian’s scouts were tailing them all along. It seemed they wouldn’t cease shadowing Ling Zhang unless they saw him cross the border.

Ling Zhang was somewhat resigned, feeling that Mu Hengtian was being overcautious. He couldn’t shake off those scouts even if he wanted to. Of course, he didn’t really want to slip away. Having been away from the Great Wen for such a long time, he was indeed homesick. The night before, he’d dreamt that Crescent kept calling “Daddy” with tears in her eyes. Ling Zhang’s heart ached as he pictured her delicate white-skinned face falling for crying.

After traveling in a stop-and-go fashion for five solid days, the fleet of carriages finally reached the border between the two countries. They went through the security check at the checkpoint and then disappeared from view like fish returning to the sea, not leaving a single trace for anybody to find. Mu Hengtian’s secret agents, unable to continue shadowing the targets, had no choice but to double back to report it to Mu Hengtian.

Chapter 480: A Troops Deployment Diagram- A Detour to Shengzhou

On this day, the fleet of carriages entered Youzhou. Only when Ling Zhang was back on his own turf and rid of the stalkers did he feel that the air was free and fresh again.

“It’s an honor to kneel before you, Your Highness. I’m Shao Feng.”

The moment Ling Zhang had entered Youzhou, Shao Feng had come to know about it, and then he had hastened to this place to welcome Ling Zhang.

“You may rise, General Shao. There’s no need for formalities,” said Ling Zhang, raising Shao Feng to his feet.

Shao Feng was no longer merely the commander of the Youzhou garrison. Yuwen Tong, after enthronement, had bestowed the title “the General of the North” on him. He, along with Jiang Ke, Jiang Xi and Xiao Jiangyue, were now the four most renowned generals of the Great Wen.

Feeling overwhelmingly flattered, Shao Feng hurriedly rose to his feet. “Was your journey a smooth one, if I may ask, Your Highness?”

Ling Zhang nodded at him, saying nothing. A gleam flashed across Shao Feng’s eyes as he saw Ling Zhang incline his head. Knowing that this was not the place to talk about that issue, he hastened to usher Ling Zhang into the Abode of General of the North.

It wouldn’t be long before the Wan Kingdom waged another war, and the Luohai Kingdom was the Great Wen’s “ally”. When the troops massed at the border, Youzhou would become the battlefield. Shao Feng, as the commander of Youzhou garrison, must be aware of it.

After entering the Abode of General of the North, Shao Feng led Ling Zhang into his study.

Wang Dashan and the other bodyguards followed them into the Abode of General of the North and then quickly got into position to stand guard on the perimeter of the study.

Ling Zhang smiled to Shao Feng, “My bodyguards have orders from His Majesty to never let me get out of their sight. I hope you don’t mind, General Shao.”

“I understand, Your Highness.” Shao Feng didn’t mind at all. Having served the emperor for so many years, he naturally had come to know how much Ling Zhang meant to the emperor. Also, he had long since had some dealings with the twenty-four bodyguards of Ling Zhang’s, so they all knew very well what kind of person he was.

After a few moments’ catching up, Shao Feng asked about the agreement with the Luohai Kingdom, the signing of which concerned Yuwen Tong’s big plan. As the General of the North, he would be having direct dealings with the Luohai Kingdom. The agreement was of supreme importance to him in the sense that it determined what attitude he was to take towards the Luohai Kingdom.

“The agreement has been signed. Mu Hengtian undertook to pretend to send his army in cooperation with the Wan Kingdom,” replied Ling Zhang.

Though having received a reply a short while before, Shao Feng still felt greatly relieved as he heard the affirmative answer from Ling Zhang. “You must’ve been through a lot to get the job done, Your Highness. The success of this plan means we now have a fifty percent chance of getting the big plan to work.”

Ling Zhang smiled, “I’m afraid you’re giving me too much credit for it, General Shao. For the big plan to succeed, we still need you to work in coordination with the Luohai Kingdom and put on a convincing act.”

Shao Feng said, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I promise I’ll put on an excellent act.”

Ling Zhang gave a bob of the head and then said with a serious face, “Although Mu Hengtian has made a promise, and I have made some arrangements in the Luohai Kingdom for their attention to be distracted, you must not take this matter lightly lest any unexpected changes happen. If the Luohai Kingdom tears up the agreement and launches a real offensive, Youzhou must not fall. Under no circumstances should the defense be breached.”

Shao Feng’s face also grew grave. “I understand. Your Highness and His Majesty may rest assured that Youzhou will stand as long as I still draw breath.”

Once the Great Wen went to war with the Wan Kingdom, Youzhou would be the home front according to Yuwen Tong’s plan. If Youzhou fell, all arrangements would be upset. The Great Wen had been preparing for this war for five years, and nobody wanted to see that happen. Shao Feng was fully aware of this.

“After I leave, intelligence reports from the Luohai Kingdom will still be delivered to you on a regular basis. They’ll sacrifice their lives to ensure the successful delivery of intelligence reports if necessary.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“You don’t have to thank me. They’re all subjects of the Great Wen. They’re doing this for their home country.”

Next, Ling Zhang filled Shao Feng in on what he’d heard and seen in the central region of the Luohai Kingdom, with an emphasis on the deployment of troops in its various prefectures. He had drawn a troops deployment diagram according to the intelligence that his scouts in the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce had gathered in the Luohai Kingdom at the risk of losing their lives.

Shao Feng was shocked at the sight of the diagram, having a new appreciation for the intelligence network in the charge of Ling Zhang. After studying the diagram, Shao Feng came to understand the significance of it deeply. Ling Zhang was giving it to him because Youzhou must be held. Shao Feng distinctly felt the weight of the trust and responsibility on his shoulders. He wouldn’t say “I promise I’ll hold Youzhou” again, but these words would be engraved in the heart of every soldier of the Northern Army. Defending Youzhou was their only mission.

…

Ling Zhang didn’t stay in Youzhou for long. Without even visiting the local branch of the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce, he quietly exited Youzhou, headed straight south for some time, then took another road and entered Shengzhou.

A war against the Wan Kingdom and the Luohai Kingdom was in sight. Ling Zhaowen and Fu Caiwei, who were still in Shengzhou, were the ones he worried about the most, especially Fu Caiwei. She was now pregnant, and Ling Zhang couldn’t find peace of mind knowing that she was still in Shengzhou, so he specially took a detour to Shengzhou, intending to bring Fu Caiwei back to the capital city.

It took the fleet of carriages two days to reach the city gates of Shengzhou. They didn’t alarm anybody when entering the city. Neither Ling Zhaowen nor Fu Caiwei had bargained on Ling Zhang specially paying a visit to Shengzhou.

It was not until Ling Zhang’s fleet of carriages quietly came to a halt in front of the abode of the Shengzhou governor that Ling Zhaowen and Fu Caiwei were informed of his arrival. Both of them panicked.

“Why did Zhang’er suddenly come to Shengzhou? We didn’t receive a single message from him about his visit. Did something happen in the capital city, by any chance?” said Fu Caiwei apprehensively.

Ling Zhaowen, who was more composed than her, consolingly placed his hands on her shoulders. “Calm down, darling. Sit here. I’ll go and bring Zhang’er in.”

“But–”

“You’re pregnant. It’s inadvisable for you to get anxious or walk around too much. Also, Zhang’er would feel guilty if you go to that much trouble. Just sit here.”

It was only then that Fu Caiwei cooled down. After Ling Zhaowen left, she had a handmaid bring Ling Xuxu her second son to the room. Ever since she had brought Ling Xuxu to Shengzhou and settled down in this city, Ling Xuxu had barely seen Ling Zhang. He’d always been quite curious about Ling Zhang, his cousin who was the consort. A few months before, he had demanded to go back to the capital city with Ling Maomao, and his demand would have been granted were it not for Ling Zhaowen’s and Fu Caiwei’s worry that Ling Zhang would have to spare some time to look after Ling Xuxu if Ling Xuxu went back there.

As this thought crossed her mind, Fu Caiwei couldn’t help but give a smile, straining to look out of the living room, expecting to see Ling Zhang coming in.

Meanwhile, Ling Zhaowen met Ling Zhang and was just about to kneel to pay his respects when Ling Zhang stopped him.

“Uncle Zhaowen, I’ve come incognito. There’s no need for formalities.” Ling Zhang held his uncle’s arms, his eyes appraising him carefully. This governor, who was a member of the Ling family and was always elegant and gentle, seemed to have been affected by the natives of Shengzhou, a prefecture not far away from the border. His demeanor was now more brisk and less scholarly than before. On top of that, his complexion was tanned. Ling Zhaowen looked more swarthy than he used to.

Ling Zhaowen was sizing up Ling Zhang when Ling Zhang was sizing up him. As he saw that his nephew was healthy and unhurried, that the bodyguards were acting normally, Ling Zhaowen inwardly let out a sigh of relief, knowing that no accident had happened.

“Zhang’er, why did you suddenly come here? Was it because of some arrangement made by those people in the capital city that you specially came here?” Ling Zhaowen asked him in a low voice.

Ling Zhang shook his head. “No. I’m passing by this city, so I came here to look up you and Aunt Caiwei.”

Passing by this city? Ling Zhaowen appeared rather surprised. Where had Ling Zhang been? How did he come to pass by Shengzhou?

Ling Zhang didn’t explain, so Ling Zhaowen restrained himself from asking about it and ushered Ling Zhang into the residence.

“Your aunt got excited and wanted to come out to meet you after being informed of your arrival. I had her wait in the living room lest you be worried,” said Ling Zhaowen on their way in.

Ling Zhang felt a surge of guilt. “Information about this journey of mine is confidential. We were all in disguise along the way, so I didn’t send you a message beforehand. It’s rather inconsiderate of me not to have informed you in advance. Aunt Caiwei must’ve been startled by this unexpected visit of mine.”

On hearing that information about this journey of Ling Zhang’s was confidential, Ling Zhaowen came to know that what he’d done a short while before was the right thing. Because Ling Zhang had arrived without notice, Ling Zhaowen, uncertain about the situation, had told all servants and handmaids to go back to their rooms, except for those who were absolutely loyal to him and very much in his confidence.

“Your aunt is stronger than you give her credit for. She’s just a little worried about you. Go and see her first, and then I’d like you to tell me in detail what this is about.”

Ling Zhang inclined his head and with that the two of them walked into the living room.

Fu Caiwei, along with Ling Xuxu who was five years old, had been waiting in the doorway. The mother and son both had eager looks on their faces. At the sight of Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowen coming, their eyes brightened.

“Zhang’er!”

“Cousin!”

Well, the mother and son both subconsciously addressed Ling Zhang in the most affectionate way, forgetting that he was now the empress.

Ling Zhaowen gave them a dirty look.

Catching on, Fu Caiwei took Ling Xuxu’s hand and was just about to have the boy kneel with her to pay their respects when Ling Zhang hastened up to them and stopped them. “Aunt Caiwei, Xuxu, there’s no need for that. We’re family. It’s not like I came here with a guard of honor or something. Forget about the formalities.”

Then he twisted his head around and tossed his uncle a disapproving glance.

Feeling hard done by, with a fairly guilty expression on his face, Ling Zhaowen gave a cough and made an attempt to save his dignity. “They must not forget your identity.”

Ling Zhang slightly shook his head, turned his head back to scrutinize Fu Caiwei’s face. At the sight of her ruddy complexion, bright eyes and smooth forehead, he came to know that she had been living a happy life, and his worries dissolved.

“Let’s go inside first and talk later, Aunt Caiwei. Come, Xuxu.”

“Okay,” answered Xuxu, hastening to follow them. While walking forward, the boy was looking up at Ling Zhang, intense curiosity in his eyes.

Ling Zhang, holding Fu Caiwei’s army, was guiding her forward. Fu Caiwei didn’t stop him, a big smile as bright as a blossom on her face. While happily letting her nephew guide her into the living room, she was sizing her nephew up. Since it didn’t look like there was something bothering him, she felt relieved as well.

Ling Zhang helped Fu Caiwei into the living room, settled her in a chair and then looked down at Ling Xuxu. The boy had been looking at him with a twinkle in his eyes all along, which struck Ling Zhang as quite amusing. Maybe because the natives of Shengzhou were more out-going than residents in other prefectures, Ling Xuxu was more active and vivacious than Ling Maomao had been when at this age. Ling Zhang raised his hand to rub the boy’s little head. “You’ve grown taller, Xuxu.”

Ling Xuxu’s face instantly creased into a broad grin, but he also appeared a little shy. Although Ling Zhang was deliberately controlling the sense of power he was radiating, the air about him which was different from that of any official or personage in Shengzhou still deterred Ling Xuxu from behaving as he would at ordinarily times. In addition, Ling Xuxu remembered that the last time he’d seen this cousin of his who was the empress had been the year before, when he’d returned to the capital city with Ling Zhaowen and attended a banquet in the palace. At that time, Ling Zhang had appeared so aristocratic and far removed from the masses as the moon in the sky, and Ling Xuxu had been awed. But now Ling Zhang looked quite approachable, different from the image of him the boy had. Ling Xuxu was a little confused and didn’t dare speak freely for fear of saying anything wrong.

Ling Zhang could tell that the boy was a little uptight, but he didn’t make any particular remarks. Instead, he took the boy’s hand, settled himself in a chair opposite Fu Caiwei, and sat the boy on his knees.

Ling Xuxu twisted his head around and looked up at Ling Zhang, who rubbed the boy’s head again and said, “I brought you a gift. Do you want it?”

“Yes!” Ling Xuxu bobbed his head, his eyes lighting up.

“Ahem!” Ling Zhaowen let out a cough disapprovingly, looking at Ling Xuxu with stern eyes.

Ling Xuxu hastened to sit bolt upright and was instantly on his best behavior.

Amused by this scene, with a smile in his eyes, Ling Zhang looked up at Ling Zhaowen. “Uncle Zhaowen, it’s the Luohai Kingdom that I’ve just returned from.”