Chapter 239: Chapter 238: A Delightful TaleTears blurred her vision.


    Qi Bingshuang seemed to see the child who was just learning to speak, tugging at her skirt and calling her "sister."


    Back then in the Beiqi Palace, a conspiring concubine ruled, and only she and Guanglie, the two of royal blood, survived.


    Even though they were not born of the same mother, their affection for one another was extraordinary.


    When her mother was poisoned to death by the concubine, it was the not-yet-three-year-old Qi Guanglie who stayed with her day and night.


    "Sister, don’t worry, Guanglie will protect you. No one can harm us."


    Now that she thought about it, his words were still exceptionally clear.


    "Guanglie, you promised to protect your sister. You are the future monarch of Beiqi, and a ruler’s word is his bond—you cannot break your promise."


    She murmured as she cried, tears falling onto Qi Guanglie’s hand.


    Qi Guanglie’s complexion was pale as paper, and although he furrowed his brow, he ultimately did not wake up.


    *


    Beiqi Palace


    Inside Taian Palace


    Qi Wuya sat in front of the desk, listlessly looking at the petitions.


    Ever since he had been acting as the Crown Prince, he had been reading petitions.


    Already, many petitions suggested that a country cannot go a day without a Monarch, asking him to choose an auspicious day for his ascension.


    He couldn’t tell at the moment whether it was a test or if they were genuinely taking sides, so he ignored them.


    He was not in a hurry.


    The thoughts of others could not influence him.


    A cold wind blew.


    The sunlight felt cold as well.


    Autumn had arrived.


    Autumn in Beiqi was too cold.


    He liked warmer places.


    Like Da He.


    For many years, as he traveled the world, he favored Da He the most.


    It was a land of lush grasses and waters, rich and prosperous.


    It should belong to him.


    And must belong to him.


    "Mr. Jiu—"


    Han Mo pushed the door open and entered.


    He brought with him a chill.


    Fortunately, the palace was heated with an earth dragon.


    After he had been there a while, he warmed up, but still couldn’t help saying, "Relocating the Capital here really is a hardship."


    Originally, the Beiqi Imperial City lay to the south, and the seasons were distinct throughout the year.


    But with Da He pressing step by step, they had no choice but to move the Capital northward, into this snowy expanse.


    It was still autumn, yet the cold wind was already bone-chilling.


    Qi Wuya looked at the petition and did not speak.


    What was settled was settled—there was nothing more to say.


    "Mr. Jiu, are you accustomed to it yet? Would you like to have the earth dragon warmed up a bit more?"


    He had roamed outside with Qi Wuya for years and had not stayed in Beiqi this long; he was still getting used to it.


    Qi Wuya shook his head: "No need. It’s better cold. It keeps the mind sharp."


    He always believed in the principle that one must endure the toughest hardships to become a superior person.


    Seeing this, Han Mo did not prattle on, but began to relay the news he had received: "Mr. Jiu, there have recently been rumors in the Capital City that you have murdered your father and brother. Just received news, the Eldest Princess, believing these rumors, was furiously upset and secretly met with the Four Great Families at midnight last night."


    Qi Wuya was about to write "Read" on a petition when he heard this, he paused, then lifted his head: "Oh... really?"


    He wasn’t nervous, nor was he frightened; a flash of interest darted across his deep-set eyes.


    It was as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.


    Han Mo frowned slightly and continued, "It’s true. The people sent to watch over the Crown Prince Mansion reported that last night at midnight, General Huo, Prime Minister Xue, Governor Zhang, and Grandmaster Zheng successively entered the Crown Prince Mansion and stayed for half a ’two hours’. Grandmaster Zheng left first, looking angry and upset. Another ’two hours’ passed, and General Huo and the others left through the back door with very grave expressions."


    Qi Wuya listened intently, speaking slowly, "It’s quite normal for the Four Great Families to visit the Crown Prince who lies unconscious, but sneaking around at night... that is indeed very odd."


    He said this and then asked, "What do you think?"


    Han Mo expressed his opinion with utmost seriousness, "It’s well known throughout Beiqi that General Huo is extremely fond of his youngest son. The Eldest Princess is his daughter-in-law, so naturally, he extends his affection to her as her in-law. General Huo, Prime Minister Xue, and Governor Zhang are related by marriage. Their interests are intertwined, and they will most likely support the Crown Prince. Now, rumors are circulating claiming you have committed regicide and fratricide. The Eldest Princess, with her deep sibling affection, certainly won’t sit idly by. Her meeting with the Four Great Families in the dead of night must mean they are plotting something. I think they plan to make a move against Mr. Jiu. The entire security of the Imperial Palace now depends on the Imperial Army, and the Commander of the Imperial Army is the legitimate son of Governor Zhang. Once they start causing trouble... Mr. Jiu should prepare early."


    "Ha ha ha——"


    Qi Wuya suddenly burst into hearty laughter.


    Han Mo couldn’t fathom why he was laughing: Could it be that Mr. Jiu has been driven mad by the Eldest Princess?


    "Yihuai ah——"


    Seeing Han Mo’s grave expression, Qi Wuya stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and smiled, "Don’t be so tense. You’re right, the Eldest Princess does intend to make a move against me, but did you know, I’m actually waiting for her to act? Reliant as she is solely on General Huo, if General Huo turns against her in battle——"


    "What do you mean, Mr. Jiu?"


    Han Mo was even more bewildered: Why would General Huo turn against her? He’s the Eldest Princess’s best weapon!


    "Qi Bingshuang’s ploy to borrow a knife to kill is indeed not bad,"


    Qi Wuya complimented Qi Bingshuang.


    Then, changing the subject, "General Huo comes from a martial family and has been familiar with life and death from a young age. Even he himself is likely not afraid to die, but what he fears most is his youngest son’s death and cannot accept it. Qi Bingshuang is the widow of his youngest son, the continuation of his son’s life. Qi Bingshuang must be using Huo Yu’s name to play a game, asking for his help with a bitter trick."


    No trace of worry shadowed Qi Wuya’s face.


    He walked to the antique rack on the left side of the hall, glanced over the jade on the rack, and his gaze finally rested on a horse carved from jadeite. Sёarch* The Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you see this jade carving?"


    He held it in his hand, admiring it intently, "This was gifted by Qi Bingshuang at that old man’s sixtieth birthday celebration."


    Han Mo took one look and his eyes lit up, exclaiming, "The quality and the carving technique of this jade carving are truly exceptional."


    "Of course,"


    Qi Wuya nodded with a smile, then continued, "Qi Bingshuang is extremely choosy. Ordinary items cannot catch her eye. The same goes for choosing a person. Before she was married, all the nobles and ministers nearly wore through the palace thresholds. She? She didn’t take a fancy to any of them."


    At this point, as if recalling something amusing, he sneered with dark humor, "Tell me, bypassing so many charming and talented men, why in the end did she choose the sickly Huo Yu? What was Qi Bingshuang planning, and has General Huo really been oblivious all these years?"


    General Huo had his youngest son at the age of forty.


    The child was not carried to full term when he was born.


    And he seemingly brought some illness with him from his mother’s womb, a pretty and handsome child whose constitution was weak to the extreme.


    With innate deficiencies, one can only try to compensate through nurture.


    Huo Yu might be said to have been raised in a medicine jar.


    Such careful nurturing naturally resulted in a delicate and innocent young master.


    The young master reached his twenties, and unfortunately, a smallpox epidemic broke out.


    The number of Beiqi citizens afflicted by smallpox was countless.


    Huo Yu, though frail, was of a gentle nature.


    During his philanthropic work among the people, he tragically caught smallpox.


    Fortunately, with General Huo’s esteemed position and wealth beyond words, he managed to save Huo Yu’s life.


    What a pity, the disease left his face scarred.


    At a young age, ugly and sickly, even as the son of a general, when Huo Yu reached the age for marriage, no one was willing to marry him.


    Just as everyone thought Huo Yu would lead a lonely life, the Eldest Princess Qi Bingshuang suddenly agreed to marry down to him.


    It was she who personally asked for the marriage, willing to marry him.


    This incident became quite a story in the marketplaces.


    Of course, Qi Wuya never believed in such tales and had long suspected something fishy.


    Han Mo also knew that there was something amiss, sighing, "Back then, countless citizens praised the Eldest Princess for admiring Young Master Huo’s kind heart, which was why she was willing to marry into the Huo Residence. Too bad, such a talented man as Young Master Huo was used as a stepping stone by the Eldest Princess during his life, and he does not find peace even in death."


    Qi Wuya nodded in agreement, "The Eldest Princess has always used Huo Yu as a tool to control General Huo. Perhaps General Huo is aware of it too, even indulging her, but what if the Eldest Princess has done something that betrays Huo Yu?"


    He laid out so much groundwork finally arriving at the crucial point.


    Han Mo caught on at once, astonished, "Does Mr. Jiu mean to say that the Eldest Princess has someone else outside?"