“My appearance is what it is now – you don’t need to… Without her, Lotus has nothing to eat.” Suzhen looked up to see Lian Yu still frosty-faced, lips pressed tightly.
Seeing her look, he said: “Our Little Lotus doesn’t lack for food. Can’t find someone to feed Lian Yu’s daughter?”
“Right?” He glanced at his daughter as he spoke.
Lian Xi cooperatively grinned her toothless mouth at him in a smile.
He touched Lian Xi’s cheek, and when he looked at Suzhen again, his arrogant tone had completely dissipated, his eyes also becoming gentle. His sharp features rarely showed a trace of guilt: “I was negligent. I’ll have them go out immediately to find another one. Your appearance is fine – it’s just that village woman was ignorant. This hair, I’ll definitely find a way to restore it for you. Trust me!”
He reached out to stroke her casually pinned-up hair. Suzhen was, after all, a young woman – how could she not care about appearance at all? But his eyes were full of deep love. Though her heart felt bitter, it also carried the same sweet-sour happiness as when she’d seen their family’s clothes hanging in the wind.
She remembered something and looked up at the eaves. Lian Yu’s eyes moved slightly, and three figures immediately leaped down from the roof, greeting her: “Madam.”
Suzhen suddenly smiled: “Not Abu, Anu, and Aqi, but Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and… Qilin.”
“Judicial Official Li.” The several men exchanged smiles as Aqi slowly spoke.
Suzhen was startled, then smiled again: “So it was you.”
Qilin bowed again with a smile but no words. Suzhen turned to glare at Lian Yu: “Well done – you planted all your people in my Judicial Office.”
Lian Yu leaned close to her ear: “That’s right. Who told me I’d had my eye on you long ago? Naturally I wanted to find out everything about someone I liked – otherwise how could we discuss marriage?”
Suzhen’s face immediately heated as she hurriedly turned around. The several men had already hidden their forms, but whether they’d left to fetch a wet nurse or were just concealing themselves was unknown.
“They’re used to seeing such things – what does it matter?” Lian Yu lowered his head to kiss her, but she quickly dodged. Only then did she notice his hands were covered with flour. She couldn’t help being curious: “What are you doing?”
Lian Yu lifted his chin: “Your husband is cooking for you.”
“Did you also wash the clothes?” She pointed to the garments in the courtyard.
“Of course. I couldn’t let others handle yours, though they can manage mine and our daughter’s. But this is all my achievement.” Lian Yu looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes.
Suzhen’s lips curved up as she finally couldn’t help kissing his lips first.
Lian Yu’s smile was like spring wind. He suddenly felt Li Zhaoting’s influence on her could also be erased – he would definitely make her completely forget that so-called childhood sweetheart!
Though Lian Xi was small, she somehow had the ability to imitate, seeing this and immediately lunging toward Lian Yu. Suzhen was both annoyed and amused. Lian Yu, fully enjoying fatherly pride, reached out to dot his daughter’s face, immediately making it white with flour. But she didn’t mind at all, lunging even more enthusiastically.
Suzhen, exasperated, untied the belt from Lian Yu’s waist and tied the child to his front: “You take her – I don’t want her anymore.”
Lian Yu laughed heartily. Though Lian Xi had smeared drool on his cheek, his face was full of pride as he carried his daughter back into the kitchen.
Suzhen watched from behind, feeling quite gratified. Lian Yu loved their daughter very much, and Lotus was most affectionate toward her father. Lotus would be Lian Yu’s motivation, and Lian Yu would certainly take good care of Lotus – just like she had with her father. Even if she left someday, time would eventually fade his longing for her. She could rest easy.
But thinking of women who might approach him in the future, she still felt jealous, yet thought she shouldn’t be so selfish.
“Lian Yu…” Thinking this, she quickly ran forward and embraced him from behind.
“What? Jealous? She’s just your daughter, not another woman.”
The man turned to embrace her back, his tone teasing but his eyes clearly showing secret delight. Between them was Lian Xi, babbling and seemingly quite displeased at being ignored.
Her father even whispered to her mother: “Besides, you know in my heart, you’re first, daughter second.”
Lian Xi stared at the two of them and burst into tears with a “wah.”
Both were startled. The slight bitterness in Suzhen’s heart was immediately suppressed as the couple frantically tried to comfort their daughter.
Time flew by. Five days later, Lian Yu departed with his wife and daughter, returning to the new camp where the Lian family army was stationed.
This was a place near the northern border of the Great Zhou empire – a great mountain valley, rarely traveled by humans. Suzhen hadn’t expected Lian Yu to move the army here!
Since Lian Yu had already sent Azure Dragon and White Tiger back to notify the valley, as soon as they got off the carriage, many people emerged from the mountain forest. Several zhang away, Xiao’an, Murong Shu, Yan Da, the Lian brothers, Lian army generals, and beside them Xiao Zhou, Leng Xue, and Iron Hand came forward to welcome them.
Except for Xiao’an and Murong Shu whose expressions were complex, seeing them, everyone’s faces carried brilliant smiles.
Suzhen’s heart sank – her brother and the princess weren’t here? Ah Qing and Wuming were also missing.
But before she could think more, soldiers continuously emerging from the mountain valley caught her attention. A group here, a team there, stretching for miles without end. In the blink of an eye, that vast formation seemed to fill the entire valley. For a moment, she felt the magnificence of mountains and rivers, the beauty of the landscape.
She couldn’t help holding her breath slightly.
“Greetings to our lord, madam, and young master.”
Suddenly, voices echoed throughout the mountains. Though there was no kneeling or shouting “long live,” all performed extremely respectful half-bows, even toward Lian Xi in Qilin’s arms. The momentum was intimidating and deafening! Suzhen was startled. She looked at Lian Yu beside her, but he was in no hurry to go over. He moved extremely quickly, removing her felt hat and veil. Suzhen was alarmed – he had already thrown the items to the ground and said gravely: “Henceforth, seeing my wife is like seeing me.”
Having lost his throne, he didn’t use “zhen” (the royal “we”). Unlike many emperors in history who lost their kingdoms but continued grandly shouting “restoration” with few soldiers, he was always very clear-headed, even while commanding heavy troops.
But his sudden removal of her hat and veil made her somewhat angry. She wasn’t a timid person, but she did care about appearance and feared affecting his authority because of herself. Yes, during rest stops on the journey back, she had worn these as disguise.
“Yes, seeing our madam is like seeing our lord!”
Soon, countless voices responded, powerful and resounding, again shaking the valley.
“Lift your head. As the mistress, you needn’t speak, but should make a response.” Suzhen had been slightly lowering her eyes when the man’s steady, powerful voice sounded by her ear.
At this moment, he wasn’t like the tender, water-soft man of those few days, but more like the young yet dignified emperor in the Golden Luan Hall before they had confirmed their relationship.
She pressed her lips tightly. He suddenly reached over and grasped her hand.
As if power flowed from his palm – warm yet strong.
She seemed driven by instinct and suddenly raised her head.
In the countless soldiers’ eyes was only reverence, nothing else. She knew he commanded troops well, knew he must have had Azure Dragon and the others notify them beforehand. In an instant, her heart felt like this valley occupied by soldiers everywhere – completely full.
She smiled slightly and nodded to them.
Just then, a figure among the distant soldiers startled her.
How could this person appear here?
Wasn’t he dead?
The other met her gaze and nodded to her. Lian Yu’s voice came timely to her ear: “General Murong Jinghou didn’t die – that was just a ruse. Regarding my mother’s matter, I found him and we talked for a long time. He said as a general, he hoped to eliminate enemies before settling accounts, or die on the battlefield. I respected this and decided then to let him fake his death. I knew the battle with Quan Feitong and the Jin Wang party would eventually come – just a matter of sooner or later. With two powerful enemies, no matter how strategy was employed, if strength was too disparate, victory was impossible. I secretly sent him to recruit soldiers among the people.”
He no longer called him uncle, but General Murong.
Suzhen was startled: “If you hadn’t been injured saving me then, Li and Wei might not have been able to…”
“If I had to do it again, I’d make the same choice and still save you. But it wasn’t because of saving you that today’s situation arose. The influence Wei Wuxia and Wei Wulei brought then was unpredictable to anyone – that was the source of disaster.” His mellow voice continued in her ear.
“Why didn’t General Murong come to rescue later?”
“Without my orders, Murong wouldn’t have appeared. I had instructed him early to preserve his strength. When my life and death were later uncertain, he also remained hidden until I recovered and reached the Sang clan to reunite with mother and the others. At that time, Old Seven and the others had just returned not long before, and Xin’er had already left the Sang clan. I immediately notified Murong, telling him I would eventually lead the Murong army over and to quickly arrange everything and find a good place to establish ourselves. Though I hadn’t anticipated Eagle Cliff would offer minerals to the court, I knew the Sang clan wasn’t a permanent residence. After all, with mountains full of mineral deposits, sooner or later it would attract greedy clan members’ covetousness and cause trouble. Originally, Sang Zhan owed me a life debt. This person had considerable wealth and was quite righteous. Before rescuing you, I revealed my identity and contacted him to temporarily station troops there.”
He held her hand and spoke calmly of his strategic arrangements as if discussing the most ordinary matters. Suzhen looked at his knife-sharp, resolute, and confident profile, momentarily speechless. This man – her king, her husband.
“How many people are here?” Finally, after a long pause, she found her voice.
“Murong recruited one hundred thousand soldiers. Adding our original troops, there are two hundred thousand. Though not as well-supplied as the court’s army, the difference isn’t too great. This battle can definitely be fought.” he said.
Suzhen was again shocked: “So many people… how are food and clothing supplies resolved?”
“We suffered much at the Sang clan. Though Sang Zhan had no intention of mining, he still opened a small mine for us.”
Suzhen remembered his previously simple dress, feeling uncomfortable, then heard him smile slightly: “After arriving here, things improved. Besides farming for self-sufficiency, I borrowed sufficient military provisions from someone.”
“Who has such capability?” Suzhen was increasingly amazed.
“Naturally… a sovereign.” Lian Yu slowly looked at her, his eyes showing a trace of cunning.
“A sovereign?” Suzhen was startled, then shook her head and smiled: “How’s that possible? The Wei State’s Wonderful Minister is related to Li Zhaoting by marriage.”
“Wait, could it be the Chu King?”
“Correct. When my Great Zhou previously suffered disasters and the treasury was depleted after war, Chu developed invasive thoughts. But for the Chu King, after fighting the Wei Minister for many years, what he most longed for was still that old friend. I helped Li Zhaoting create the illusion of Zhou-Wei alliance. The Chu King temporarily didn’t dare invade. Afterward, I wrote to him and had Murong visit Chu, saying if the Chu King helped me recover the realm, I would help him destroy Wei. Wei betrayed me first – the Chu King knew I wasn’t speaking idly, and we secretly formed an alliance.”
Suzhen was both shocked and delighted: “I originally thought Li Zhaoting was scheming – you’re much worse than him.”
Lian Yu suddenly looked at her, his gaze seeming somewhat deep.
Suzhen didn’t know her praise didn’t please Lian Yu. When she mentioned Li Zhaoting without any hatred, something in his heart seemed viciously torn! He resented, he was jealous. He was very clear that it wasn’t for the kingdom, but for her and that person’s time in the palace. He didn’t care about so-called purity, but he always worried that in her heart, she perhaps still carried some gratitude and feeling for that person.
But Suzhen at this moment was completely unaware. She freed herself from Lian Yu’s tight grip and took the increasingly impatient, looking-around Lian Xi from White Tiger’s hands, preparing to follow Lian Yu to meet Xiao’an and the others – she knew Xiao’an would be happy to see Lian Yu and Lotus, but her feelings about herself would certainly be complex. How could she not feel the same? Between them lay the hatred of family annihilation!
“Don’t you have anything to say to me? She’s the mistress – then what am I?”
Someone stepped forward first, looking at her with grief and anger, loudly questioning Lian Yu.