The Sovereign – Chapter 103

Volume Six: A Cold Rainy Night Buries the Famous Flower

Grand Ambitions

War and strife, sweeping across the wild sands

Qin Junlan lay weakly on the dragon couch, with imperial doctors taking turns to examine her but still at a loss. Yun Jin seized an opportunity when no one was paying attention and poured the medicinal powder brought by Liu Qianxun into the soup. She gently stirred it evenly, then brought it forward, “Imperial Sister, please drink some soup first.”

“All of you withdraw,” Qin Junlan was extremely weak, as if at death’s door, feeling that even speaking was difficult. She struggled to sit up, supporting herself on the bed with both hands, “Someone, summon Lin Zhaoxi, Li Ruo, and Ji Qiuchen.”

“Yes~” Yuan Xi hurriedly sent someone to deliver the order.

“Imperial Sister, please drink the soup first, alright?” Yun Jin gently supported her shoulder, letting her lean against herself. Only on days when she was poisoned could Yun Jin get so close to her, but if this was the only way to be near her, she would rather stand far away.

Qin Junlan shook her head, every breath causing pain in her internal organs. She felt her body was deteriorating, and feared she didn’t have much time left. But now with the two countries at war, if she were to fall at this time, it would surely cause internal and external troubles.

It’s time to arrange everything!

“Li Yue, draft an edict!”

“Imperial Sister!” At this moment, she’s still drafting what edict? Yun Jin only hoped she would quickly drink the medicinal soup. However, she always held onto her last breath, insisting on arranging the things she needed to do.

Li Yue spread out the imperial edict and held the brush, waiting for orders.

Qin Junlan sat up straight with Yun Jin’s support, took a deep breath, her pupils slightly contracting, her royal aura not diminished at all. She glanced at Yun Jin, then looked at the trembling Guo’er, with a solemn expression, showing a rare sternness that made the entire bedchamber become respectful and quiet.

“Qin Yu, Yun Jin, kneel down.”

Seeing this, Yun Jin quickly put down the medicinal soup and knelt in front of the bed. Guo’er was stunned and didn’t react until Yun Jin waved at him, then he came forward and knelt down together with Yun Jin.

Qin Junlan glanced at the two, then looked at Li Yue, who nodded with brush in hand, well aware of the ruler’s intention.

“Zhen (I, used by emperors) is weak and gravely ill, fearing not long for this world. Although Zhen has no children, the country cannot be without a ruler. Now Zhen passes the throne to my nephew Qin Yu, with his mother Yun Jin as the Regent Empress Dowager, and Grand Scholar Ji Qiuchen as the assisting minister. This final edict is personally dictated by Zhen, no one may disobey Zhen’s will, those who violate will be beheaded!” Qin Junlan’s heavenly authority seemed innate, her words like a dying person entrusting their orphan, making people respect her solemnly.

“This humble sister obeys the edict!” Yun Jin said these words heavily.

This is a final edict, it’s the greatest responsibility Qin Junlan entrusted to her. From now on, she will no longer be the graceful and gentle wise princess consort. She can’t be fragile anymore, she must be strong, strong enough to bear the responsibility of the whole world.

“This humble nephew accepts the edict!” Although Guo’er couldn’t understand everything, he seemed to half-understand and kowtowed along with his mother.

“This final edict will be sealed in Fengluan Palace, if any changes occur in the future, everything must be done according to this edict.” Qin Junlan raised her hand, gesturing Yun Jin to stand up.

Li Yue handed the written edict to Qin Junlan for review. She nodded, “Add the imperial seal.”

“Cough cough~~” She coughed violently again. Yun Jin, enduring the torment in her heart, persisted in bringing the medicinal soup to her. “Imperial sister, please drink some, okay? I’m begging you as Jin’er.” She pleaded helplessly, desperately hoping that the antidote sent by Liu Qianxun would really work. She’s had enough of these days of suffering. She couldn’t bear to see Qin Junlan in any discomfort. Every time she saw her coughing up blood, her throat choked up, but she couldn’t be so weak, and even more, she couldn’t release too many emotions. She was afraid that those little thoughts would involuntarily show themselves.

“Okay, as you wish~” Qin Junlan forced a smile, not wanting to make Yun Jin worry too much about her. In reality, these days she had no appetite and couldn’t sleep, with an untouchable pain in her heart that she dared not think about.

“Jin’er, you made this yourself, didn’t you?” Qin Junlan knew it was Yun Jin’s own cooking after tasting it. Yun Jin nodded, finally starting to relax. “How did Imperial Sister know?”

“Although the meals from the imperial kitchen are delicious, they’re still not as tasty as what you make.” Qin Junlan rarely finished a whole bowl of soup, making Yun Jin secretly delighted. Perhaps if she persisted like this for a few days, her body would recover.

She gently wiped Qin Junlan’s mouth corner with a brocade handkerchief, her eyes full of care and deep affection as she looked at her. Qin Junlan gazed at her somewhat absently, seeming to sense some of Yun Jin’s emotions. She lightly stroked Yun Jin’s shoulder and said earnestly: “Jin’er, I know it’s unfair to burden you with such a great responsibility, but among the civil and military officials and in this vast palace, I have no one I can trust. The Imperial Brother is mediocre, without talent for ruling, and unequal to the task. Though Guo’er is young, he has the talent of a ruler. With your assistance, I believe it will surely bring the Ji Kingdom a golden age in the future.”

“Imperial Sister, you’ll be fine, you’ll live to see Guo’er grow up.” Yun Jin’s mouth corners turned down slightly. Every time she heard Qin Junlan say these things, her heart always felt incredibly heavy.

“Can’t wait anymore. I’ve always thought that one day I’d pass the throne to Guo’er, and retire with Xun’er, living our own life. She doesn’t belong in the palace, and I don’t have the heart to constrain her. I’ve thought of every way, and only letting Guo’er inherit the throne early might have a sliver of possibility, but…” Qin Junlan gave a bitter laugh, but in the end, everything was just wishful thinking.

She sighed deeply and said: “Jin’er, if you really become the Empress Dowager in the future, what you’ll face isn’t just the doubts of the world and busy state affairs, but also endless loneliness. You must be clear about this in your heart.”

“This servant isn’t afraid. What Imperial Sister can bear, I can too.”

Qin Junlan looked at Yun Jin, lightly patting her shoulder, “Sigh, you’ve been living in seclusion in the palace for years, rarely returning to the Wise King mansion. I know you don’t like the Imperial Brother, but since you’re already husband and wife, being separated for so long isn’t a solution. Otherwise, that Huo Xiao wouldn’t have had a chance, letting that old fox Huo Yunqi find an opportunity to exploit.”

How could Qin Junlan not know how deep Huo Yunqi’s scheming was? If in the future he instigates the Wise King, coupled with her own influence, it’s not impossible that he could stir up trouble. She had long thought about guarding against this old fox.

But Yun Jin misunderstood her meaning.

“Imperial Sister means…” Yun Jin’s heart ached faintly, the smile at the corner of her lips turning bitter, “Imperial Sister wants me to go back and spend more time with the Prince?”

Her gaze towards Qin Junlan was watery, sadness filling both eyes. She understood this reasoning better than anyone, but hearing these words from Qin Junlan suddenly made her feel very hurt. After all, she wouldn’t care about how things were between herself and her husband. Even if she didn’t understand her own feelings, being pushed away still made her feel very sad.

“This is not what I meant, I just fear you’ll be wronged.” Qin Junlan sensed something was off with Yun Jin’s emotions, but before she could understand the reason, Yun Jin stood up and smiled as if nothing had happened, “Imperial Sister is right, this sister-in-law should return to the Wise King mansion.”

“Jin’er?” Qin Junlan didn’t understand why, yet she was unwilling to think deeply about the reason.

“This servant-sister takes her leave.” Yun Jin hastily left the palace, fearing that in the next moment she would blurt out those words she had kept in her heart for years. She was afraid things would become uncontrollable, and she didn’t want to encourage her own greed. Even though Liu Qianxun wasn’t around, even though she now had many opportunities to get close to her, she didn’t want to think about those impossible things at this time, and had never thought about possessing her.

Walking out of the sleeping palace (royal bedchambers), Liu Qianxun was nowhere to be seen; she must have already left. Yun Jin let out a deep sigh. In her heart, there was only Liu Qianxun. Everything she had planned was just to be with her. All her emotions arose because of her, and all her concerns were only about her. Yun Jin felt she was truly laughable, guarding her own heart alone, it was nothing but her own sorrow through the seasons. She should put herself back in her proper place now, as a sister-in-law, as her brother’s wife, and return to being the official consort of the Wise King.

“Mother~” Guo’er had been following behind her at some point. He tugged at Yun Jin and asked thoughtfully, “Is Mother unhappy?”

Yun Jin composed herself and looked at Guo’er gently, lightly stroking his forehead. With a beaming smile, she said, “No, Guo’er, let’s go back to the prince’s mansion with Mother to visit Father Prince.”

“Mm, yay, let’s go back to play with Father Prince.” Guo’er became excited. After all, no matter how mediocre Qin Junhao was, he was still his birth father. Yun Jin suddenly felt that she shouldn’t be so selfish, only caring about her own emotions.

Go back, she will always be the rightful consort of the Wise Prince’s mansion.

After preparing the secret imperial edict, Qin Junlan arranged everything for Yun Jin and her son. She promoted Li Ruo to the Commander of the Imperial Forest Army, commanding 100,000 imperial guards in the palace. She also promoted General Lin Zhaoxi to the Guardian of Jidu, commanding 100,000 Red Armor troops. These two were military commanders she could trust, while among civil officials, she only trusted Ji Qiuchen.

After arranging everything, she could finally feel at ease. After all, the court situation was complex, with intertwined forces. If something really happened to her, Yun Jin alone wouldn’t be able to withstand the coming waves. Without any foundation in the court or any power base, only by laying everything out could she ensure the safety of the mother and son.

This war would be the last thing she left for Guo’er and his mother, and for the country of Ji. As the emperor, she would definitely lay the foundation of the empire for Guo’er, unifying the world and winning the hearts of all people.

Liu Qianxun almost fled from the palace. She said she would only take one look, but she became greedy again. She wanted to visit Yuanwei Garden, wanted to walk around Qixia Palace, but ultimately didn’t dare to take that step. Enduring the pain in her body, she rushed back to Shennong Valley without stopping. Whether due to emotional fluctuations or the effects of poisonous herbs, as soon as she reached the entrance of Shennong Valley, she fell from her horse.

If she hadn’t triggered Guiguzi’s mechanism when she fell off her horse, it’s likely no one would have discovered her sudden fainting.

“How is she?” Yi Qingyu stood by the bed, looking at Liu Qianxun and asking. Guiguzi was taking her pulse, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Nothing serious, her qi and blood are stagnant, causing the toxins to spread. I’ll treat her for two days, then she’ll take medicine for a few more days and she’ll be fine. Luckily, her inner strength is profound and she has a foundation in martial arts, otherwise this person would have been ruined long ago.” Guiguzi sighed softly, then looked towards Yi Qingyu, observing her eyes, which were still dim and lifeless. People with severe internal injuries usually show it most clearly in their eyes, especially for a master like Yi Qingyu, it’s most obvious.

“Why are you staring at me?” Yi Qingyu’s internal injuries couldn’t possibly recover without a year and a half, but to put Liu Zhu at ease, she made herself appear normal. In reality, when she used her inner strength to heal, she often coughed up blood, she just hid it from Liu Zhu.

“This old man staring at you can’t be for your beauty, naturally it’s because I’m worried about you.” Guiguzi shrugged, wanting to take Yi Qingyu’s pulse, but she avoided it with a wave of her sleeve. “I have internal injuries, I can regulate my breath myself. You should do acupuncture for Xun’er first, I’ll go check on Zhu’er.” She said as she walked out.

“Hey you, Yi Qingyu, when are you going to change that stubborn nature of yours? You might be able to hide your serious injury from Little Liu Zhu, but can you hide it from this old man?” Guiguzi took small steps, staring at Yi Qingyu, nagging around her, “The stronger your inner strength gets, the more severe your injuries become. You can regulate your breath yourself, but you also need this old man’s medicine and acupuncture to clear your meridians.”

Guiguzi kept nagging as he followed her. She turned and stared at him, and that one look made Guiguzi immediately stop his babbling. He pinched his own lips, muttering: “This old man will go get needles to treat little Qianxun, won’t bother you anymore.”

Although Guiguzi was older than Yi Qingyu, he greatly respected her, always feeling that Yi Qingyu had a naturally intimidating aura that made him bow. Little did he know, it was all because he willingly chose to be this way for Yi Qingyu.

Yi Qingyu’s slightly cold eyes were calm without a ripple. Compared to her younger days, she spoke even less now, perhaps due to living alone in the loquat forest for too long, making her unaccustomed to talking much with others.

She walked to the unconscious Liu Zhu’s side, held her hand and placed it against her face. She was helpless about Liu Zhu’s illness, and even Guiguzi hadn’t been able to determine which treatment method to use for her yet. However, Yi Qingyu wasn’t particularly worried.

Because this time, she won’t let Liu Zhu be alone anymore. Whether going to heaven or down to earth, whether living or dying, she will follow her.

“Zhu’er, don’t be afraid. I’ll watch over you. This time, I’ll definitely hold your hand tightly and not let go.” Yi Qingyu was only this gentle when facing Liu Zhu.

Liu Zhu’s body was already on the brink of exhaustion. She often fell into deep sleeps lasting one or two days. Perhaps one day she might just sleep away without realizing it. Yi Qingyu didn’t dare close her eyes, staying by her side without leaving a step.

“Ah Yu… Ah Yu…” Liu Zhu curled up her body, calling her name in her dreams. Yi Qingyu stroked her slightly cool hand, which seemed to be covered in cold sweat. She took off her clothes, lay down beside Liu Zhu, tucked the bedding in for her, and let her lean against her own body, to solidly feel her presence.

She lay on her side, gazing at Liu Zhu’s face, her lips revealing a long-absent smile. She lowered her head slightly, resting on Liu Zhu’s shoulder, and wrapped her arm around her waist. These days of sleeping in each other’s embrace had been longed for too long, dreamed of too long. Now that she had it, it felt like a dream, or like a brilliant firework that would soon fade away.

But this way, for her, it was also enough.

Liu Zhu seemed to be able to feel Yi Qingyu guarding her, waiting for her to wake up. Her eyelashes lightly twitched, her fingers also moved a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

“Ah Yu…” The first thing she saw was Yi Qingyu. It felt like she had slept for a long time, but her dreams were full of Qingyu’s shadow.

Liu Zhu caressed her face, and when gazing at her, the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up. Whether in the past or now, she felt happy just looking at Qingyu, never getting tired of looking no matter how long. Why hadn’t Qingyu’s appearance changed at all over so many years? Time seemed to have left no marks on her face. Liu Zhu looked at Yi Qingyu, her heart warming, emotions stirring deeply, making her want to be even closer to Qingyu. She slowly moved closer to Yi Qingyu, carefully wanting to kiss her, yet becoming hesitant.

But before she could touch Yi Qingyu’s mouth, Yi Qingyu kissed her lips first. Actually, she hadn’t been asleep; she had felt Liu Zhu’s breath approaching her and deliberately didn’t open her eyes. She tightly embraced Liu Zhu, their tongues intertwining. Liu Zhu only felt her heartbeat suddenly quicken, her hand holding Yi Qingyu’s nervously grasping the edge of her clothes.

Yi Qingyu slowly turned over, her lips tightly pressed against Liu Zhu’s, her tongue tip freely prying open her mouth, like dry wood encountering spring (meaning: like a sudden revival or renewal), every cell in her heart was ignited, her whole body boiling up, but she still remained cautious, maintaining a thread of rationality. Liu Zhu tightly grasped Yi Qingyu’s collar, her chest trembling slightly, her breathing seeming to become heavy. Yi Qingyu hurriedly stopped, tenderly stroking her chest, “Zhu’er, do you feel unwell? Tell me where you’re uncomfortable, I’ll go call Old Ghost.”

“Don’t leave!” Liu Zhu grabbed Yi Qingyu, her arms tightly hugging her, suddenly crying like rain.

If only they could have more time together, but her current body might leave at any moment, and then she would have to leave Qingyu alone again. Thinking of this, Liu Zhu choked up.

“Silly girl, don’t cry, I won’t leave.” Yi Qingyu held Liu Zhu in her arms with heartache, gently stroking her hair. Every time she heard Liu Zhu’s hoarse voice, she felt sad. If she could have gone farther, if she could have sought her in Yu Kingdom, perhaps everything would be different.

But there weren’t so many “ifs”. For those years they missed, she would use the remaining time to make up for it.

The Shennong Valley was quiet and leisurely, a hidden paradise away from the world. They didn’t know that the outside world was already in chaos, and Qin Junlan’s ambition to unify the world had finally begun to unfold.

Fires of war spread across the land, and Qi County was filled with smoke and sand. The Red Armor Army had arrived at the city gates, launching their second wave of attack. The 20,000 elite troops of Yu Kingdom rose up to resist, with some people first evacuating civilians to Zhou County, while the remaining soldiers guarded the gates.

The Red Armor Army was brave and skilled in battle, and the city gates were becoming difficult to defend. However, Ling Yu had ordered that as long as the civilians weren’t safe, the gates must be defended to the death. The Cavalry General Lu Yao of Yu Kingdom vowed to defend it to the death, but the Red Armor Army’s catapults and long-range crossbows had already turned the city walls into rivers of blood.

The Red Armor Army’s formations were strange, and their shield formations were even more impenetrable. The attacks launched from the city walls could never break through.

“General, we can’t hold on much longer. We should retreat,” the deputy commander came to report.

“No, the Princess has ordered that we cannot retreat until the civilians are safe! We just need to hold on for half a day more! Tell our brothers to hang in there a bit longer!” Lu Yao raised the great flag of Yu Kingdom and stood on the city wall. As the saying goes, ‘where the flag stands, the people stand; when the flag falls, the people fall’ (meaning: as long as the flag is up, the troops will keep fighting).

Meanwhile, Yun Yao’s troops marching towards Yuzhou were repeatedly ambushed along the way. Yun Yao was severely injured and wounded. Another army of Yu Kingdom had already launched an attack on Yuzhou.

The frontline immediately reported the battle situation to Qin Junlan. She made a quick decision and immediately issued an order to dispatch 20,000 elite troops from Feng City to rush to Yuzhou for support.

She stood on the city tower, looking into the distance, with the vast landscape in full view. “Ling Yu, I want to see how you can resist my Red Armor Army.”

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