Chu Jiaoping showed this expression for the first time, his eyes full of anger. He could not believe that his younger brother had sided with the Crown Prince. With a loud bang, he smashed the teacup on the table and said in a low voice, “Do you think the fight for the throne is a game? Who allowed you to meddle in this?”
Xie Jingyuan heard the commotion from the rooftop and felt somewhat worried. He frowned and looked down, only to see that Chu Xinian was calm and composed.
“Brother, don’t you know that the Mansion of Marquis of Quyang was already doomed from the moment you joined Prince Jin’s faction? If your grand plan succeeds, the family will be filled with glory. But if you chose the wrong master, you will bury the family with you.”
He spoke with the lightest tone as he described the most terrifying outcome that left Chu Jiaoping shocked. The atmosphere in the room became tense.
Chu Jiaoping stood up from his seat, paced back and forth, and suddenly slammed his palm down hard on the table. He stared at Chu Xinian and questioned, “Even if Prince Jin is not a worthy master, what can the Crown Prince achieve? Are you willing to scorn the centuries-old friendship between the Mei and Chu Families for the Crown Prince?”
Chu Xinian replied, “He will be a good Emperor.”
“The Crown Prince will be a good Emperor…”
Chu Jiaoping was silent upon hearing this, his expression changed several times. He seemed not to know what to say and finished with a somewhat mocking expression, “Incompetent, foolish, lacking in talent and wisdom, frivolous and reckless, idle and lazy. Is this what you call a good Emperor?”
Chu Xinian suddenly felt that Chu Jiaoping looked very much like his past self, and he also looked like a spectator who did not know the truth.
Standing in front of the stage, they only saw the jade trees of Jinling and the pavilions along the Qinhuai River. They could not see the green moss nor the blue tiles, which have been traversed by fifty years of rise and fall.
“Although the Crown Prince is foolish, he is sincere. Though he is stubborn, he is upright. If he were full of schemes and wits, of what use would all the courtiers be? In the future, he will be the Emperor, and having a kind heart that does not harm others is enough.”
For schemes, there were the courtiers; for literary talent, there were the great scholars. If an Emperor knew everything, civil and military officials would be useless.
Chu Jiaoping coldly said, “You are an idealist!”
Indeed, Chu Xinian was an idealist, but they did not expect the Crown Prince to be on par with the Three Emperors and the Five Sovereigns. Being an ordinary emperor would be enough. He smiled and asked, “Do you think I’m wrong?”
Chu Jiaoping pressed his fingertips tightly together, “What has the Crown Prince said or done to convince you?”
“I’m not doing this for him.”
Chu Xinian looked down slowly. In the candlelight, he was dressed in white, like a celestial being, lost in thought, as if he had remembered someone.
So who are you doing this for?
Chu Jiaoping did not ask this question, and Chu Xiniann did not answer it.
Only someone who had been eavesdropping on the rooftop, who seemed to have sensed something, reacted. Xie Jingyuan, dressed in black, almost melted into the night. The evening breeze lifted his robe, making him look like a wandering hero of the martial world, about to disappear in the wind.
He slowly removed the mask from his face and rubbed the corners of his lips for a moment, lost in thought. After a while, he peeked through the gap in the tiles and let out a chuckle.
For who could it be, if not for General Xie?
Xie Jingyuan held the mask with his little finger, lifted his legs lazily, and leaned against the rooftop trestle, not bothering to disguise his presence. There was a slightly satisfied and somewhat inscrutable expression on his face.
It was obvious that Chu Jiaoping would not be easily swayed, “You need to say no more. I will never turn against my original master to support the Crown Prince.”
How could two family servants meet a good end? Who would dare to use someone who betrayed his former master? It was very clear to him.
Chu Xinian smiled, “I don’t need brother to turn against his former master. On the contrary, I am here to help him.”
As he spoke, he suddenly lowered his voice, seeming eager to help, and said, “If Prince Jin ever rebels in the future, his military force will naturally be insufficient. Remember, brother, that in Qingping Alley there is someone to whom the Marquis of Zhou has taken a liking. That woman has even given birth to his son, the only lineage of the Zhou Family.”
He finished speaking with a meaningful smile, then turned and walked away, leaving Chu Jiaoping standing in place, full of doubt.
Prince Jin… rebelling?
Was it possible…?
Chu Jiaoping took a step back, stumbled, and sat back in the chair, looking completely lost.
When Chu Xinian returned to his room and pushed open the door, he saw Xie Jingyuan leaning against the bedpost, idly wiping the dagger in his hand.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Chu Xinian walked over and took the dagger from his hand, sheathed it slowly, and placed it to the side, “General, have you been here all along?”
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When Xie Jingyuan saw this, he realized that his clothes were stained, and his expression became embarrassed, “This General is doing this for your good. If your eldest brother is bad-tempered, what if he hits you? This General is doing this for your safety.”
As soon as his words fell, he was suddenly pressed from behind by Chu Xinian to the bed, half-kneeling on the edge of the bed. Xie Jingyuan’s Adam’s apple twitched, inexplicably somewhat nervously. He turned to look at him, “What… are you doing?”
Chu Xinian hugged him tightly from behind and did not speak. He pulled out a belt from somewhere, pulled Xie Jingyuan’s hands together, and tied them tightly.
Xie Jingyuan always felt that the things tied in his hands looked somewhat familiar, and unconsciously looked down, only to realize that it was his belt. Not even bothering to struggle, he let out a light laugh and said, “Your hands are quick.”
It would be a shame not to be a thief.
Chu Xinian’s low, smiling voice rang next to his ears, “Naturally, not as quick as the General.”
He took off his clothes and casually threw them on the ground.
Xie Jingyuan felt a little cold, and was about to say something, but was silently blocked by Chu Xinian’s mouth. He didn’t know why, but his pupils suddenly shrank in the next second and his body tensed due to the sudden pain, and he couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air.
It was too… sudden.
Xie Jingyuan’s legs were shaking and he almost fell to his knees. When he looked back, he saw that Chu Xinian still looked like a gentleman, with a soft and gentle smile.
Chu Xinian bit Xie Jingyuan’s earlobe, and asked with a half smile, “General wants to keep others?”
Only then, did Xie Jingyuan realize that he was too arrogant during the day and said some things that he should not have said in front of the Crown Prince. His breathing was ragged as he was cared for by Chu Xinian, he gasped softly, “Naturally …. I don’t…”
The Crown Prince was right when he said that Chu Xinian had a dark heart and would settle scores with him.
Chu Xinian, however, seemed not to have listened and slowly repeated what Xie Jingyuan said during the day, and said with a smile, “The General can keep as many as he wants. Naturally, I dare not say anything.”
“No matter how many I keep, they can’t compare with you…”
Xie Jingyuan felt pain and pleasure. He bowed his head and kissed Chu Xinian with difficulty, thinking that this man was already good enough and no one in the world could compare to him.
Chu Xinian held his chin and kissed him lightly, as if seducing him, but did not go deep. He let Xie Jingyuan’s broken voice escape his lips.
Chu Xinian wiped the ambiguous silver thread on Xie Jingyuan’s lips, “If General doesn’t keep others, how do you know they are not as good as me?”
Xie Jingyuan already regretted why he had to be arrogant and say those kinds of words during the day. He was truly foolish, and now he was suffering the consequences. He was already incapable of holding himself up, but every time he fell, Chu Xinian held him by the waist and helped him up.
The man seemed determined to settle scores with him.
Xie Jingyuan’s voice cracked, “Compared to others… naturally… y-you are the best…”
Chu Xinian caught the emptiness in his words and was picky like a bully, “Why, if he’s comparable, does the General want to keep him?”
Xie Jingyuan couldn’t even speak. He shook his head vigorously, his eyes reddened from physical stimulation and his eyelashes a wet jumble. He untied the hand bindings himself, then pulled Chu Xinian close with the backhand and they fell onto the bed together.
Xie Jingyuan sat on Chu Xinian’s waist, gasping with every word, “I don’t keep… anyone…. Just think this General went crazy during the day… saying nonsense…”
Chu Xinian squeezed his shoulders and slowly pressed Xie Jingyuan down, which caused the other to moan repeatedly. And then the basalt-colored belt was tied around his eyes, and only then, he kissed him.
“General, in the future, you must not lie.”
Xie Jingyuan nodded repeatedly. His vision was pitch black, and his other senses became infinitely sharpened, instinctively seeking Chu Xinian’s lips and tongue, addictively drawing closer to them, with his throat choking.
The curtain fell and a surge of emotions flowed. It wasn’t until shortly before dawn that the turmoil ceased.
Chu Xinian was lying on the bed, wearing a pleased expression. He lightly traced Xie Jingyuan’s eyebrows and eyes with his fingertips, his voice lazy, “Sleep, it’s still early.”
But Xie Jingyuan struggled to get out of bed and began to dress. Seeing that Chu Xinian did not move, he pushed him, “It’s getting bright, let’s return.”
At first, Chu Xinian did not understand the relationship between ‘bright’ and ‘return’, but then he realized, “Why?”
Xie Jingyuan picked up Chu Xinian’s clothes and threw them at him, saying, “What if your parents wake up in a while?”
Then Chu Xinian understood, and Xie Jingyuan felt uneasy. He sat down slowly, putting on his clothes awkwardly, thinking that Xie Jingyuan didn’t need to be afraid; it was good enough that others weren’t afraid of him.
“Why, General, are you afraid of being eaten?”
Xie Jingyuan thought that was not the case. He buckled his belt, looked at Chu Xinian, and suddenly bent down to kiss his handsome face, like a half-genuine half-fake Northwest bandit, saying, “If this General still had the appearance from his youth, he’d visit you in a big way.”
But he was not.
Of the once powerful and prosperous Xie Family, now, only he remained.
Of the glorious and handsome Xie Lanting, he existed only in the memories of the dead.
All that remained was Xie Jingyuan who was neither alive nor dead.
He felt that he was not good enough now, that he was not confident enough to stand in front of Marquis Quyang.
Chu Xinian looked at Xie Jingyuan, knowing that those were his inner thoughts. Suddenly, he hugged him and kissed him for no apparent reason.
“General, remember one thing…”
Chu Xinian whispered, in between truth and lies…
“I came for you…”
Xie Jingyuan didn’t quite understand his enigmatic words, but that didn’t stop him from feeling that Chu Xinian liked him. He leaned on his shoulder and nodded silently.
The System, absent for a long time, appeared again and beeped: [Ding! Host, the blackening has dropped to 20%]
The light was still dazzling, even more than that of the rising sun. If one could tear off a piece of it and sell it, they’d surely get rich overnight. Yet it hung there, inevitably resembling a giant light bulb.
There were only 20% left…
Xie Jingyuan didn’t feel so much hatred now…..
Of those 20%, one belonged to Emperor Yan, and the other to Zhou Wencheng.
Chu Xinian already had a plan in mind.
For the next month, the Crown Prince and his advisors ruled the country, tending to Emperor Yan’s illness with filial piety, earning the praise of both the Court and the people. In contrast, Emperor Yan’s health was declining and it was said that even eating had become difficult for him.
Concubine Mei secretly panicked, trying to win over Court officials to pave the way for Prince Jin. But all this was destined to be in vain. When she learned that Emperor Yan had secretly ordered the drafting of an edict of abdication, she became so enraged that she spat blood and turned deathly pale.
If the Crown Prince ascended the throne, would she and her son have any way to survive?
Chu Xinian had been paying close attention to what was happening in Prince Jin’s Residence. Given the current situation, Prince Jin had no other path left but rebellion. He only hoped that Chu Jiaoping could help and inform Prince Jin about Zhou Wencheng’s ‘weakness’ so that he could make good use of it.
Xie Jingyuan expressed some concern, “What should we do if he hides it?”
Chu Xinian waved an unsigned letter in his hand and replied, “If he doesn’t say so, we have many ways to secretly inform Prince Jin ourselves.”
Xie Jingyuan nodded slowly, taking a moment to evaluate Chu Xinian. He didn’t understand why Chu Xinian always seemed so confident, “Aren’t you afraid that Chu Jiaoping will betray you in front of Prince Jin?”
Chu Xinian said, “He won’t.”
Chu Jiaoping would not gamble with the lives of the Marquis of Quyang’s people, and he still felt some brotherly affection for Chu Xinian.
Chu Jiaoping was reluctant to abandon Prince Jin now because he had not yet reached a dead end. He was an intelligent man, and when the time comes, even if he did not want to, he would make the right decision.
In the 21st year of Qisheng, in September, Emperor Yan fell gravely ill and summoned the Crown Prince to accompany him day and night. An edict of abdication was issued for the Three Provinces and the Six Ministries, declaring that if the Emperor died, the Crown Prince would ascend the throne.
Prince Jin intended to rebel, but his weak military strength prevented him from doing so, which delayed his decision. Chu Jiaoping suggested capturing Zhou Wencheng’s wife and taking control of the Imperial Army. Zhou Wencheng pretended to desert, but secretly informed Emperor Yan, exposing Prince Jin’s treacherous intentions.
That night, Emperor Yan summoned the Generals of the Wude and Pingxiang Battalions to the Palace for a lengthy discussion.
“Commanders, Prince Jin intends to rebel at the Palace at midnight tonight. He plans to use Zhonglang’s General Chang Zongping to lead the troops through the Vermilion Bird Gate and infiltrate the Palace with the help of Zhou Wencheng.”
The Commanders of the Wude and Pingxiang Battalions secretly went to Xie Jingyuan’s residence and informed him of the situation.
Xie Jingyuan closed his eyes, exhaled slowly, and sneered, “Prince Jin held out for two months, but no more. What did the Emperor tell him?”
The Wude Battalion Commander replied, “His Majesty does not know that we are under the General’s command. He ordered us to wait before the Taian Gate, pretending to guard it, and to signal with fireworks when Zhou Wencheng and Chang Zongping engage in combat so that we could send troops immediately to their aid.”
Xie Jingyuan nodded slowly, “Do as he ordered. After you leave, assemble the troops and horses outside the Taian Gate as you have been ordered. I will join you later.”
“Yes!”
After receiving their orders, the two Commanders hurriedly left the General’s mansion.
Chu Xinian had hidden behind a screen. When he saw them leave, he came out from behind and asked, “What about the Crown Prince?”
Xie Jingyuan replied, “He is currently in the Palace at the Emperor’s request. He cannot move freely. Yesterday he sent a secret letter, and it matches exactly what they said. I underestimated Zhou Wencheng; he is willing to risk the life of his son, a loyal dog no doubt.”
Chu Xinian commented, “Maybe he is not a dog, but rather ruthless and heartless. People like him rarely meet a good end.”
The night was moonless as if it could not bear to witness the impending battle. Chu Xinian walked to the door, looking in the direction of Taiji Hall, his robe fluttering, “General, are you going to the Taian Gate? I can disguise myself as a soldier and go with you.”
Xie Jingyuan looked at him and asked, “Aren’t you afraid of death?”
Without waiting for Chu Xinian to answer, he smiled in satisfaction, “Oh, sure, I’ve never seen you afraid of anyone. At first, I didn’t want to take you with me, but I felt I would be calmer if I had you right under my nose. So you can come with me.”
Chu Xinian stared at him for a moment and then smiled calmly, “Who said I’m not afraid? If I wasn’t afraid, why would I stick to you?”
In truth, he was a little afraid that Xie Jingyuan would die. The outcome had already been altered to this point, and he was determined to save Xie Jingyuan’s life at all costs.
Xie Jingyuan seemed to understand his innermost thoughts and said quietly, “Xinian, I will not follow the same path as my father. He died unjustly at the Taian Gate back then. Tonight, I will lead my troops to Taiji Hall and forcibly overthrow that person from his high position.”
After many years, he called Xie Bi his father for the first time. Some things were deeply buried but not forgotten. Only after tonight could Xie Jingyuan see the light of day again and live openly and honestly.
Despite the silence that had gripped the Capital after the curfew bell rang, a group of soldiers suddenly emerged from the direction of Prince Jin’s Residence, carrying torches. They galloped through the streets, heading straight for the Palace. The sound of their horses’ hooves echoed loudly on the cobblestone streets.
Prince Jin and Chang Zongping led the troops through the main street.
Prince Jin and Chang Zongping led the troops through the Taian Gate.
Zhou Wencheng, mounted on horseback, waited silently with tens of thousands of Imperial Army soldiers behind him, his presence unnoticed. He saw the flames rising in the distance as a large group of mounted soldiers approached; they were none other than the soldiers of the Xuanhu Battalion.
Contrary to the original plan to support Prince Jin’s entry into the Palace, Zhou Wencheng, to the stunned gaze of the others, unsheathed his long sword and pointed forward, coldly uttering, “Attack, kill them!”
Xie Jingyuan, clad in silver armor, led the 60,000 troops of the Wude and Pingxiang Battalions, hidden in several streets outside the Taian Gate. He tightened his grip on the reins, taking in the smell of blood in the air, and flicked his ears, faintly listening to the resounding sound of battle.
Chu Xinian also wore armor, with proper bearing. He watched as flames shot up into the night sky from the direction of the Taian Gate and smiled, “Zhou Wencheng’s fireworks look quite impressive.”
Just as he finished speaking, a signal flare shot skyward, bursting into a bright light in the night sky…
It was Zhou Wencheng’s distress call.
Xie Jingyuan lifted his eyelids and smiled, “Chu Xinian, I haven’t taught you the fireworks yet. Since there’s nothing to do now, take your time and watch.”
Chu Xinian made a nodding sound and commented, “General Zhou’s fireworks are quite spectacular.”
They were only here to enjoy the show; despite Zhou Wencheng’s signals, they remained motionless. To any unsuspecting person, it might look like they were celebrating a festival.
Zhou Wencheng had a total of twenty-two signal flares, and it was unclear whether he had given up looking for help, as there was no further activity toward the end. It was not until the sky gradually revealed a faint grayish hue that those sent to gather information returned to report.
“General, the 70,000 troops of the Xuanhu Battalion have been defeated and captured by Zhou Wencheng’s Imperial Army!”
Xie Jingyuan, looking down, asked, “What is the casualty among the Imperial Army?”
The scout replied, “The casualties are severe!”
Although Zhou Wencheng had 100,000 Imperial Army soldiers, he had left a portion of them to guard the Palace. Faced with the Xuanhu Battalion, the battle had been unavoidably hard, and this confrontation had taken its toll on both sides.
Xie Jingyuan and Chu Xinian exchanged glances, then gave the order, immediately leading their troops toward the Palace.
Thanks for the chapters!!!
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
I can already feel that Chu Xinian will block a blow for the general later and then in a similar fashion to Shen Liang, come back to the world!
💖✨💖✨