The Sovereign – Chapter 98

Volume Five: Remembering a Lifetime in the Sound of a Breaking Heart

On the Brink

War is on the brink of breaking out.

Ling Yu gave a bitter smile, fearing that Liu Qianxun always thought she was a demon who saw human life as insignificant, but unfortunately, she would never see the hidden side of Ling Yu, just like the memorial garden in the backyard of Changning Manor.

She walked to Chen Qing’s grave, where Lightning stood on the tombstone. It used to have the sharp eyes of an eagle, but now they were filled with a light sadness. It seemed to sense Chen Qing’s departure and wanted to stay here longer to keep her company.

Ling Yu held a pot of loquat wine in her hand, staring at Chen Qing’s tombstone, lost in thought. “Sorry, I can’t let you return to your roots. Try the newly brewed loquat wine from the mansion.” She said this and then poured the wine onto the ground, drinking the remaining half in one go.

She vaguely remembered one year going hunting with the emperor and almost shot Chen Qing, mistaking her for prey in the forest, as she had accidentally wandered into the hunting forest. Seeing her clothes tattered, Ling Yu guessed she was a beggar and threw some food to her, not expecting her to follow Ling Yu all the way, saying she was an orphan with no home. Ling Yu then took her in.

Originally, Ling Yu treated her as a servant, but she dared to secretly watch Ling Yu practice martial arts. Seeing Chen Qing’s intelligence, Ling Yu allowed her to practice together. The time they spent together as children was still vivid in Ling Yu’s mind. Chen Qing respected Ling Yu greatly and saw her as a benefactor, but ever since the founding of the Shura Sect, Chen Qing volunteered to infiltrate Ji Palace, ready for unforeseen needs.

Chen Qing’s death made her very regretful and even a bit sad. She turned all her feelings into silence, drinking alone with a pot of wine. You could say she was selfish, but for her, Liu Qianxun’s safety was more important. Unfortunately, Liu Qianxun never understood Ling Yu’s intentions, and Ling Yu didn’t need others to understand her. She didn’t even want Liu Qianxun to understand her, as she was already used to it.

“Princess!” Suddenly, a soldier from the mansion ran over quickly. After giving some instructions to Lin Wuming, who was surprised, he hurried to report to Ling Yu, “Master~”

“What’s going on?”

“The troops stationed near Yuzhou are moving and heading towards Qi County; they will soon be at the city gates,” Lin Wuming said anxiously, looking at Ling Yu.

She didn’t seem surprised. Calmly, she placed the wine pot in front of the tombstone, looked up at the sky, and sighed softly, “Is it finally starting?” Qin Junlan’s grand ambition, no matter what strategy she used, could not be stopped.

From the moment the troop deployment map was completed, Qin Junlan had plans to attack the other three countries. Ling Yu got the news first and cut off the water supply to Yuzhou to cause a drought. She then used a beauty trap to stall Qin Junlan, so she could prepare for moving the capital of the Yu Kingdom.

Now, everything is ready, and the Yu Palace is secretly evacuating, and the battle has begun.

“Summon Generals Wang, Li, Wei, and Yang.” Ling Yu’s thoughts were hard for anyone to guess. She wouldn’t reveal her true purpose to anyone. Even Liu Qianxun thought her beauty trap was just for the troop deployment map and military strategy discussion, but those were only to assist; buying time was the most important.

Though the Yu Kingdom has 300,000 elite soldiers and eight talented generals chosen by Ling Yu, it’s still not enough to match Ji Kingdom’s 400,000 red-armored troops. Ling Yu analyzed the situation with the four generals, planning strategies to deal with Ji Kingdom’s attack. She always felt Qin Junlan’s move towards Qi County was just a test of strength.

However, this left the ten counties of Yuzhou without military defense. Would she really leave Yuzhou in danger? Wasn’t she afraid of launching an attack on Yuzhou in the meantime?

“Princess, we suggest sending troops to Yuzhou to distract the red-armored army while also sending 20,000 soldiers to support Qi County,” said Wei Donglin, the top general of Yu Kingdom. He was promoted by Ling Yu from the army and excelled in military tactics, earning her trust.

“Yuzhou can’t be an empty city. The Empress of Ji must have other plans…” Ling Yu paced back and forth, pondering. Suddenly, she remembered Yun Yao and everything became clear.

“What brilliant idea do you have, Princess?”

“Let’s follow General Wei’s suggestion. First, send 20,000 soldiers to support Qi County, then send another 30,000 elite troops to approach Yuzhou. I will handle the rest,” Ling Yu said with a cool expression and a charming smile, which made Wei Donglin momentarily lose focus. When she turned back, he quickly lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.

“Generals, you may leave now. We will discuss the remaining matters after the capital relocation,” Ling Yu commanded. Although she was a woman, she possessed an aura of authority that inspired awe throughout the Yu Kingdom.

“We take our leave!”

Ling Yu was deeply concerned. If she guessed correctly, Qin Junlan would definitely reuse discarded pieces, which was why Yun Yao was left after the palace coup. This person could not be allowed to stay, even if they were once part of the Iron Guard, as two or three thousand troops would be enough to weaken Yu Kingdom’s military strength.

“Wuming~”

Lin Wuming quickly appeared, always ready for orders. Whenever Ling Yu called him, he would show up immediately.

“Send the order to intercept and attack Yun Yao’s troops, but don’t get caught in prolonged battles. Just delay them, and if you can kill Yun Yao, even better.” Ling Yu decisively gave the command. She aimed to cut off support from Yuzhou. Since Qin Junlan wanted to attack Qi County, she would cut off her retreat.

“Understood!” Lin Wuming quickly turned to pass on the orders. Just then, a soldier hurriedly came to report, “Princess, the Emperor is here.”

“What is he doing here?” Ling Yu’s words were barely out when Ling Xi, dressed in a dragon robe, had already walked in.

He had a handsome yet youthful face, and though he wore the dragon robe, he looked quite slender. He was clearly the emperor of a country, but he lacked the aura of a king. Seeing Ling Yu, he showed a happy expression, without any kingly demeanor, “Sister~”

“Greetings, Your Majesty,” Ling Yu said calmly, without any emotion, and performed a simple bow.

“I told you, Sister, you don’t need to bow,” Ling Xi quickly helped Ling Yu up.

“Today is the day to move to Zhongshan County. Why did the Emperor come to Changning Manor?” According to Ling Yu’s plan, the Emperor and the royal ministers were supposed to relocate to the new capital at Zhongshan County.

“I want Sister to come with me. I don’t feel safe leaving you alone in Zhengyi,” Ling Xi said, affectionately linking arms with Ling Yu, smiling warmly and showing how close they were.

“I won’t leave. Zhengyi is a key fortress of the Yu Kingdom, and it’s going to be the center of intense battles in the future. Someone must stay to guard it.”

“There are generals, so why does Sister need to be here herself? I will worry about you. If you don’t come, I’ll always feel uneasy,” Ling Xi, who became the emperor at a young age, was kind-hearted but lacked decisiveness, always relying on Ling Yu to manage national affairs.

“Your Majesty, you are already fourteen and have been ruling for two years. You mustn’t rely on me too much. After this war, I will return the military seal to you. Until then, focus on learning and work hard to grow the royal family,” Ling Yu said sternly. She was always strict with Ling Xi, whom he respected and feared.

“I don’t like that woman, and besides, Sister isn’t married yet, and I don’t want to marry either. I want to marry someone like Sister,” Ling Xi said with a naive smile, but Ling Yu’s face darkened. “What does whether I marry or not have to do with you? Just focus on being a good emperor and secure the foundation for the Yu royal family!”

Seeing Ling Yu scold him, Ling Xi got angry and shouted, “Do you think I care about being emperor? If Sister likes it, take the throne!”

“Smack!” A heavy slap landed on Ling Xi’s face, knocking him to the ground. He looked at Ling Yu in shock and fear.

“Can’t you have a bit of ambition? Yu Kingdom has never had a woman as emperor. Father entrusted me to assist you on his deathbed, and you? You’ve made no progress over the years!” Ling Yu was furious, never having lost her temper like this before, leaving Ling Xi unable to believe that the calm, always smiling sister was now so angry.

“Sister….”

“I founded the Shura Sect to eliminate your enemies, and it was hard work to make it stable. The Empress of Ji is ambitious, trying to conquer the world. I even sacrificed Xun’er, and yet you are so useless! Do you think I care about your throne?” Ling Yu found an outlet, and all her suppressed anger and grief poured out at this moment.

“Sister, I was wrong…” Ling Xi bit his lip, not daring to say more.

“Go to Zhongshan County immediately and don’t come back!”

“Yes, Sister, take care…” Ling Xi said, holding his cheek, with reluctance and helplessness, nervously looking at Ling Yu as he left.

Ling Yu’s eyes were red with anger. That slap on Ling Xi’s face also hurt her heart. She was always used to hiding her true emotions. She could tolerate anyone’s prejudice and resentment towards her, but seeing the emperor still so incompetent and weak made her feel that all her efforts were in vain, which truly broke her heart!

The saddest part was losing Liu Qianxun’s heart. Although she had expected this outcome, when the day finally came, it was still so painful. She sat weakly in a chair, holding her forehead, as the leaves in the courtyard were gently lifted by the wind. Ling Yu walked into the courtyard, feeling a dull ache in her chest. After a light cough, a trace of red appeared at the corner of her mouth. When she looked up, it seemed like she saw the figure of Liu Qianxun. She really left, growing further and further away from her.

Where was she going to save Qin Junlan? Now, with no way forward or back and carrying injuries, where could she go? Ling Yu suddenly regretted letting her leave, but even if she brought her back, what could she do?

“Master~” Lin Wuming only dared to stand aside and watch her, his heart aching. If he could bear some of Ling Yu’s burden, he would willingly take on the misfortune for her. But even though she was deeply trapped in the whirlpool, she would not speak to anyone or bow to fate.

With war between the two countries on the verge of breaking out, would she lose to Qin Junlan? Lin Wuming was vaguely worried.

After treatment with Yi Qingyu’s medicine, Qin Junlan’s complexion improved slightly, but she was still weak, experiencing abdominal pain several times a day. She did not know what poison afflicted her or how much longer she could live. If she didn’t carry out her plan soon, it might be too late.

Every day when reviewing the memorials, she would have Yun Jin with her. She would teach Yun Jin how to examine reports on taxes, water management, and local governance from various places. Besides this, she gradually taught her classic books on governing a country. Yun Jin, originally a well-educated lady from a noble family, was familiar with history from a young age and quickly grasped concepts, showing great insight.

Even during discussions of important military matters, she would include Yun Jin.

“Jin’er, it will be hard on you these days. You must learn these things quickly; I don’t know how much longer I have.”

“I won’t let you say that.” Each time it was mentioned, Yun Jin felt a deep, oppressive pain in her heart. If she could choose, she would rather not have this kind of trust. She knew well that Qin Junlan intended to pass the throne to Guo’er.

“No matter what, my position will eventually be passed to Guo’er. But he is young and cannot bear the burden of the nation, so it will depend on you then.” Qin Junlan did not trust anyone. In this vast palace, she only trusted Yun Jin and was willing to entrust everything to her.

“Sister, nothing will happen to you. You are destined by heaven to rule, and heaven will protect you. No one can harm you.”

Qin Junlan smiled, but now her smiles were not as bright as before, always carrying a hint of sadness. The eyes that once seemed as deep as the ocean now appeared much dimmer. Yet, her majestic bearing never diminished. She placed a hand on Yun Jin’s shoulder, always feeling guilty towards her. “I know living secluded in the deep palace with heavy responsibilities will be hard and lonely, but I cannot trust anyone else. I hope you won’t blame me, Jin’er.”

“Jin’er only wishes to share more burdens for Sister.” Hearing Qin Junlan’s words made Yun Jin’s nose tingle with emotion. No matter how composed and graceful she tried to be, Qin Junlan could always stir her inner feelings.

“If one day you become the Empress Dowager, remember not to trust completely, not to trust only, and not to distrust entirely. Do you understand? If I’m not here…”

“You will be here! You will!” Yun Jin suddenly hugged Qin Junlan, her eyes filled with tears. Perhaps she never imagined she would have the courage to embrace her. She was so afraid of losing her, afraid that the most beautiful person in the world would fade away, leaving her days dull and dark. She dared not think about it.

Qin Junlan’s expression changed slightly, as if sensing something, but the feeling quickly passed, and she returned to normal. She calmly patted Yun Jin’s back. “Alright, I won’t speak of this again.”

Hearing this, Yun Jin slowly calmed down. She suddenly felt she had lost her composure and quickly let go of Qin Junlan, her cheeks blushing, and her beautiful eyes still shimmering with tears.

“Jin’er, let me ask you, if all the troops stationed in Yuzhou are sent to Qi County, leaving Yuzhou City without defense, what should we do if the Yu Kingdom takes the chance to cut off our retreat?” Qin Junlan wanted to test Yun Jin’s understanding of the current situation and military strategy (Political Culture, concerning governance and defense).

Yun Jin thought for a moment and said, “Sister, you spared Yun Yao’s army before and kept them outside Ji Capital. Perhaps they could be used.”

“But how can I be sure Yun Yao won’t rebel again?”

“Yun Yao was led astray, influenced by others, but his defense of the Iron Guard’s name showed his loyalty and patriotism. Sister showed him mercy after his rebellion, enough to make him grateful. Plus, after the Empress Dowager’s thunderous anger, Yun Yao should know how to act wisely. If not, he cannot be spared and must be killed!” Yun Jin analyzed carefully. With just a little guidance, she understood people and the world, her inner strength gradually revealed by Qin Junlan, showing her sharpness.

“Jin’er truly hasn’t disappointed me. Yun Yao’s troops have already set off, but I’m concerned that Ling Yu might foresee this, so I’ve sent a team of shadow guards to follow them secretly, ready to report to me at any time.” Qin Junlan strategized, always assessing the situation and preventing problems before they arise. Her grand ambitions would start with the Yu Kingdom, and Ling Yu would face the consequences of her actions.

“Sister’s actions are for the world, but you still need to be careful. The Empress Dowager hasn’t returned yet, so don’t be careless.”

“I understand.”

“Your Majesty, Minister Li requests an audience,” Yuan Xi reported softly, and Qin Junlan waved her hand in acknowledgment.

Li Ruo came with the latest news: a group of people previously secretly captured from Suyuan Tower had been transferred to the Bureau of Execution, and Qin Junlan was asked to make a decision.

These people were originally to be executed, but Li Ruo discovered a deeper secret, prompting him to report immediately.

“Are you saying Liu Qianxun is the daughter of the Yu Kingdom’s King Chong?” Qin Junlan was quite surprised, never having imagined that Liu Qianxun had such an identity.

“Exactly, her real name is He Xun, and He Xi, the nominal owner of Suyuan Tower, is her younger brother.”

“I see….”

“Recently, spies reported that the Yu Kingdom seems to be preparing to move its capital. A large number of nobles and ministers are being relocated secretly, possibly abandoning Zhengyi.”

Qin Junlan sneered. Ling Yu’s plan was indeed long-term and well-thought-out, setting up a base in Ji Capital using skilled people. Now it seems Chen Qing, who had been lurking for years, likely discovered her plans to deploy troops and warned Ling Yu in advance. To delay her military actions, they first created a drought, then used a beauty trap to distract her, even resorting to poisoning her.

Stealing the troop deployment map was probably not their true aim. How could such a map save the Yu Kingdom? They were buying time. Qin Junlan finally understood Ling Yu’s intentions. Ling Yu was indeed a worthy opponent, but she would definitely destroy the Yu Kingdom!

“Bring He Xi to me; I want to question him personally.” Qin Junlan’s eyes were deep as she gazed at the endless sky, her thoughts overwhelmed like the tide.

Where is Xun’er now?

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