Plan B
Mandarin Ducks 6
When Lin Suhuai rushed back to the bamboo house, she was utterly exhausted.
She collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep immediately, only opening her eyes when the sky brightened the next day.
She and the Emperor had always had few secrets between them—personal privacy aside, of course. She would report anything that involved court politics.
Taking a wife should have been Lin Suhuai’s own business, but unfortunately, the benefactor she was indebted to had a grudge against Liu Yunyi, the husband of Princess Yuyuan and a member of the Empress Dowager’s faction.
The Emperor was quite happy at first, but when he learned that the person who had saved her was coming to the capital to meet with Liu Yunyi, he grew a little worried.
“What if Liu Yunyi uses flower words and clever speech1 to coax her, and she turns against you?”
The Emperor didn’t really trust women; after all, they were always full of sons and daughters, feelings long2. Lin Suhuai could not afford any mistakes. If Su Xin were truly turned against them, it would only be to their detriment.
“I, your subject, do not believe that will happen.”
“But you said she had feelings deep and righteousness heavy3 for Liu Yunyi, that she waited three years for him.”
“That was in the past. Liu Yunyi has already failed her. She harbors hatred for him and will absolutely not be deceived.”
“But she…”
“Is Your Majesty looking down on women? Your Majesty, do not forget my own status.”
Lin Suhuai knew what the Emperor meant. He clearly just didn’t trust Su Xin. But Lin Suhuai didn’t doubt Su Xin; since she owed her a life-saving debt, she would naturally do her utmost to fulfill her wish.
The Emperor was struck speechless. His own most capable general was, indeed, a woman.
He often forgot this fact and sometimes even found it absurd. After all, there wasn’t a trace of a daughter’s mannerisms in Lin Suhuai’s every move. She was like a great man—open and forthright, and her actions were ruthless and decisive.
“If a woman hardens her heart, she can be the most venomous of all,” Lin Suhuai said.
There are all kinds of women in this world. Not all of them are weak willows supported by the wind4, drowning in love, just as not all men are great men who support heaven and stand on earth5.
“I will marry her.”
“But… didn’t you say you wouldn’t take a wife? It would be the same to have someone else go. Why must you go yourself?”
“It’s just making an exception. After all, she is my benefactor.”
“Fine. You’re not young anymore, either. If you marry, I won’t have people constantly submitting memorials to Us6 about it. It’ll be an excellent way to shut their mouths.”
To the outside world, Lin Suhuai was currently a fine young man of twenty-three or twenty-four, yet she had no companions by her side, nor any heirs.
Lin Suhuai nodded but said nothing more.
There was no need to let others know of the methods in her heart. She was going to personally welcome that young woman in marriage, not so she could have a wife for herself, nor to shut other people’s mouths.
It was simply because the way that young woman had cared for her was too comforting. Being with that person felt too wonderful, as if she had sunk into soft clouds, giving her a more genuine feeling about her surroundings.
If that young woman were to wear the phoenix crown and rosy cape7 and marry another, the mere thought of it filled Lin Suhuai’s heart with an unidentifiable rage.
The voice in her mind vehemently rejected that possibility, so Lin Suhuai followed her heart’s desire.
Spending a lifetime with her would surely be a wonderful thing. So what if she was a woman?
A few yellow-feathered, red-beaked birds landed on a branch, chirping and waking the morning sun.
A misty waterscape, a soft pitter-patter—it was raining again.
After washing up, Lin Suhuai waited in the house, gazing out the window.
Today, the Duke of Heaven is not cooperating8; it’s raining. I wonder if she will still come.
The fine drizzle would make the paths difficult to walk.
Lin Suhuai reckoned the rain would continue for quite a while.
A cool wind carrying threads of rain drifted in through the window. Lin Suhuai didn’t step back, still watching the direction of the path.
Su Xin did indeed want to go out, but while she could normally say she wanted to take a walk to clear her head, it was raining today. Everyone was heading home, so who would be rushing to go out?
The hazy colors seemed to envelop heaven and earth. Su Xin knew from Fourteen that Lin Suhuai was waiting for her.
“Miss, the rain is so heavy today. You shouldn’t go out,” Xiao Qin said, very puzzled. Why did her miss have to go out several times every day, as if to meet someone? But who was she meeting?
Su Xin shook her head. The great thigh9 was still waiting for her.
Opening her umbrella, Su Xin carefully lifted her skirt and stepped onto the bluestone slabs10, cautiously avoiding the somewhat loose stones to keep from stepping in a puddle.
Lin Suhuai thought Su Xin wouldn’t be coming.
But a splash of watery blue appeared amidst the expanse of green, making Lin Suhuai’s eyes light up.
The beautiful young woman held a peach-pink umbrella. She walked over gracefully, lifting the hem of her skirt. Without a word, just by walking quietly, she outshone all the misty smoke and rain of the world.
“It’s raining, why did you still come?” Lin Suhuai quickly opened the door to let Su Xin inside.
“I figured you must be waiting for me, so I came,” Su Xin said as she closed her umbrella and placed it by the door, her eyes curving into a smile.
Su Xin’s clothes weren’t wet, but her shoes had inevitably kicked up water as she walked. They were a bit damp, and the back hem of her skirt had also become moist.
“Are you cold?” Lin Suhuai asked with concern, only to see Su Xin place a hand in her palm as if acting spoiled. It was ice-cold; she must have been buffeted by a lot of wind on her way here.
“Cold.”
Lin Suhuai had been embarrassed and wanted to pull her hand back. Although she knew they were both women, she couldn’t help but feel shy around this person. But the moment she touched Su Xin’s hand, she frowned at its chilliness.
Lin Suhuai was a martial artist and naturally did not fear the severe cold. Su Xin was just an ordinary person, and a delicate young woman at that.
“Come here and sit properly. I’ll warm your hands for you.”
“Mm.”
Lin Suhuai’s hands were very warm, and Su Xin’s were warmed up in no time.
“In two days, I will come to your house to propose marriage.”
“So soon?” Su Xin put on a surprised expression.
“Are your injuries completely healed? Don’t you need to contact your family? In what capacity will you come to marry me?”
“Everything has been arranged over there, don’t worry. I am a merchant who came from the capital to do business. That day on the street, it was a startled swan goose’s one glance11, and it was one glance, topple heart12 for you, Young Miss. After making many inquiries, I learned you are a young miss of the Xu Manor and have specially come to ask for your hand. How does that sound?”
“I don’t know if my father will agree…” Su Xin’s face showed some worry.
“Leave it all to me. I’ll handle it well. I will purchase a property here and welcome you through the gates.”
“You’re not returning to the capital?”
“Something came up over there, so I won’t be going back for the time being.” Lin Suhuai shook her head. She estimated that before long, news of her disappearance would spread throughout the court. She had people at the border who could maintain stability. Then it would just be a matter of seeing who couldn’t resist jumping out.
“Are you in a hurry?” Lin Suhuai looked at Su Xin.
“I’m not, and I can’t be. I’ve already waited three years, what else can’t I endure? If I could see him again, I’d want to give him a good beating to vent my anger, but that’s not very likely. He’s a Prince Consort now; I don’t even know if I’ll be able to meet him.”
“You will. I guarantee you will,” Lin Suhuai said, patting the back of Su Xin’s hand and promising in earnest.
“Thank you.”
“Why mention thanks for these things?”
“Then I just need to wait for you peacefully in my manor?”
“Mm.”
“Then you…” Su Xin’s gaze fell on the scar on Lin Suhuai’s face. It was too conspicuous.
“I’ll cover this up. It’s too eye-catching and will attract my enemies.”
The two talked for a while longer. Su Xin only got up when the rain was about to stop.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Mm.”
Su Xin left with her umbrella open. Lin Suhuai watched that splash of watery blue walk further and further away.
Lin Suhuai straightened her clothes and narrowed her eyes as a plan rose to the heart.
Su Xin spent the next few days quietly at home, continuing to act like a melancholy woman, gloomy and joyless every day as she stared motionlessly at a single spot.
Fourteen gave Su Xin a running commentary every day. Su Xin inwardly clicked her tongue; this person really knew how to get things done.
Lin Suhuai was maneuvering using someone else’s identity, like a seasoned merchant.
Su Xin wasn’t in a rush. There was no need to rush this mission; it had to be done slowly.
She had to wait until the Emperor’s faction was victorious, forcing the Empress Dowager to completely throw in the towel, and then get Liu Yunyi in her grasp.
She had studied the information, and it was truly hard to say whether the Emperor or the Empress Dowager would win. But as long as the Emperor could produce an heir smoothly and safely, the Empress Dowager’s chances of success would be much smaller.
The Empress Dowager did indeed want her grandson to inherit the throne, but that was only her initial goal. As time went on, her desires swelled. Dropping the curtain to listen to politics13 and controlling the nation’s power was her current ambition.
Her grandson was only five years old now; what ability could he possibly have? If he took the throne, he would clearly be a puppet.
The former emperor’s children were relatively balanced in gender. Besides the reigning emperor, there were four other sons and four daughters, nine children in total. The daughters were all married off, and the sons remained in their respective fiefdoms. Only the youngest Prince was still in the capital.
The Empress Dowager’s own son had poor luck. Five years ago, when the former emperor was choosing a successor, he had been torn between the current emperor and her son. But unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager’s son, the Fifth Prince, died even before the former emperor.
The Sixth Prince was fond of debauchery and lewdness. Thinking his ascension to the throne was a nail on a board14, he partied too hard and died in the beds of several women, a truly disgraceful matter.
The former emperor was furious. He was already ill, and this made it worse. He passed the throne to the current emperor and, not two days later, let go of the hands15.
The current emperor’s health was poor, and his other brothers were all like a tiger staring intently16. However, although the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were constraining and fighting each other, they maintained a subtle, unified stance to suppress the other brothers.
The Emperor didn’t want to give those brothers a chance to rise, and he had no need to join forces with them to topple the Empress Dowager. Likewise, the Empress Dowager had no desire to ask a tiger for its skin17, because it would be easy to get bitten in return. She would rather all the other brothers die so that if the Emperor died, they wouldn’t try to join the fray.
Su Xin pulled back her thoughts and gazed out the window.
The weather today was quite nice. The sky had cleared up, unlike the gloomy, drizzly state of the past few days.
“Miss, the Master is looking for you. He wants you to go to the study18,” Xiao Qin called, knocking on the door with a crisp voice.
“Mm, coming.” Su Xin knew what was about to happen, but she still feigned a look of confusion as she walked outside.
“Dad, you were looking for me?”
“Jinyan, do you know a Young Master named Qiu Yu19?”
Qiu Yu was Lin Suhuai’s alias.
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