Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: So This Is Her Real Plan
Chapter 57: So This Is Her Real Plan
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“County Princess, you’re going to see the Prince Regent?” Qian Jiao asked a little anxiously.
Before coming to the capital, the King of Xinan had repeatedly reminded Qian Jiao to minimize the contact between Yu Yunxi and Feng Yili. The King of Xinan did not want Yu Yunxi to return to the Prince Regent’s Residence to suffer.
Yu Yunxi raised an eyebrow and asked, “Who said I’m going to see him personally?”
“What? You, you just said…”
“What I mean is to let Qian Ji negotiate with Feng Yili,” Yu Yunxi said coldly as she placed her hands on the table, “Qian Ji, go to the Prince Regent’s Residence with the identity of Xinan’s envoy. You must make sure that everyone in the capital thinks the Prince Regent’s Residence has connections with the King of Xinan’s Residence. After that, we’ll have the Ministry of War transport the dowry back to Xinan.”
“I understand now, County Princess. Using the identity of an envoy from Xinan, whether or not our negotiation is successful, the Emperor will definitely be suspicious. At that time, his attention will shift from our residence to the Prince Regent’s Residence!”
Qian Jiao understood Yu Yunxi’s intentions immediately and could not help but feel excited.
“That’s right. We can start our second plan now. The journey back to Xinan is long. Since the Emperor can send people to rob our things, we can also take
advantage of the time his attention is not on us and strike first,” Yu Yunxi said.
“County Princess, you mean…”
“We’ll also become robbers and rob our things…” Yu Yunxi said as she pointed at a few spots on the table, “This is the capital, this is Xinan. There are three routes between these two places. The most direct route is through Minzhou. Jingzhou has a waterway, and Changzhou is a mountain road. Do you still remember what I asked Qian Qing to do?”
“I remember you asked Qian Qing to bring a group of people to Changzhou. Bandits run rampant there, and you told her to subdue them… Wait! I understand now!”
Realization dawned on Qian Jiao as she spoke. When they were in Xinan, she had been curious as to why Yu Yunxi sent Qian Qing to subdue the bandits in Changzhou even though Changzhou was not part of Xinan’s territory. Qian Jiao and Qian Ji exchanged a look. Their eyes burned with excitement.
“County Princess, you’ve already come up with this plan before coming to the capital, right? You want to take Changzhou’s route, right?”
“Yes. There are many mountains in Changzhou. The terrain is dangerous, and there are many mountain bandits. If anything happens, it’s not out of the ordinary. With that, we can regain what we ‘donated’ to the Ministry of War,” Yu Yunxi said.
“If Qian Qing manages to subdue the bandits, we can easily move the things after we enter Changzhou. Even if the Emperor sends people to deal with us, I’m afraid that he’ll only fail!” Qian Jiao said, feeling her blood boil. She could not wait to get to work immediately. However, after a moment, she frowned and asked, “B-but, but there’s still one more problem. How are we going to persuade the Prince Regent to help us and divert that useless Emperor’s attention?”
“There’s no need to persuade him. We’re negotiating with him. Feng Yili has 100,000 men in the troop in Xibei who accompanied him through life and death. Currently, the harvest in Xibei isn’t good. The imperial court deliberately made things difficult for them and didn’t send them military rations. They won’t be able to hold on for much longer…”
“County Princess, you plan to…”
“Although Feng Yili is ruthless, he won’t disregard the lives of his subordinates who risk their lives for him. Xinan will provide them with food, but the Prince Regent must help us!” Yu Yunxi said coldly as she looked in the direction of
Xinan.
In fact, godfather had long had the intention of helping Xibei. Xinan had had a good harvest in recent years, and the granary was almost full. If the imperial court knew about it, they would ask for more tribute every year. Many of the soldiers in Xibei were from Xinan so her godfather definitely would not leave them out to dry.
At this moment, a guard came in from outside and said, “County Princess, there’s a letter from Qian Qing.”
A smile appeared on Yu Yunxi’s face, and she said to Qian Ji, “I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Yes, County Princess!”
Late at night.
At the Prince Regent’s Residence.
Yu Junjin was like Feng Yili’s tail as he skipped behind Feng Yili with his short legs. He asked in a childish voice, “Your Royal Highness, are you the only one in the residence?”
Before Feng Yili could reply, Luo Xiuran said, “No, the Imperial Consort
Dowager stays here as well. However, she’s been staying with the Imperial Preceptor on Mount Tuofu for the past few years and is not in the residence. So for now, Yili is living alone.”
‘So it’s like this… That’s good..
The little bun heaved a sigh of relief inwardly. He had heard that when his mother was in the Prince Regent’s Residence, the Consort Dowager used to bully his mother.
At this moment, Feng Yili, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped. He did not look back as he said coldly, “He’s wrong. There’s a mistress of the house as well.”
‘Is Father talking about… Mother?’
Luo Xiuran coughed, breaking the oppressive atmosphere before he said, “Let’s discuss where Junjin will sleep tonight.”
Luo Xiuran continued to say with a laugh, “I’ll be staying in the Prince Regent’s
Residence as well. Little fellow, why don’t you sleep with me?”
The little bun’s face fell immediately. He wanted to sleep with his father. He asked softly, “Can I refuse?”
“You can’t,” Luo Xiuran said firmly.
The little bun was silent for a moment before he said with a straight face to make Luo Xiuran give up on the idea, “Mother said that men can’t simply sleep with others. They have to sleep with their wives. Don’t you have a voice?”
Luo Xiuran cleared his throat and said with a straight face as well, “I’ve been chaste for many years. I don’t have a wife.”
Jiang Ying and Jiang Chun, who were walking at the back, felt the corners of their lips twitch when they heard these words.
‘Young Marquis Luo’s words can only deceive children!’
The little bun gritted his teeth and continued to convince Luo Xiuran. “Then, you should have a girl you like, right? You’ll just have to wait and sleep with her in the future.”
“I don’t have any…” Luo Xiuran said, but he did not sound very confident. A figure flashed in his mind, and his voice gradually weakened as his expression turned unnatural.
“What? Why didn’t you finish your sentence?” the little bun asked curiously.
“It’s nothing,” Luo Xiuran said as he forced a smile on his face.
At this moment, a guard rushed over and said, “Your Royal Highness, the envoy of Xinan requests an audience with you.”
‘Envoy from Xinan? Did Mother send someone over? Did something happen?’
The little bun’s ears perked up immediately as a confused expression appeared on his face.
“It’s not a good thing for the envoy from Xinan to be visiting the Prince
Regent’s Residence. Yili, the Emperor is watching you closely. If you meet someone from Xinan, it’ll definitely increase his suspicion. Let me go and meet this person instead,” Luo Xiuran said as he put the little bun down.
“No need. I’ll go,” Feng Yili said before turning to say to the guard, “Bring him to the hall.”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness..”