Chu Yu remained silent, quietly gazing at the Imperial Princess. At that moment, she seemed to see the image of the Princess from before, kneeling at the palace gates, adjusting her clothes, tucking her hair behind her ear, and saying, “This Princess has never lost a battle she set out to fight.”
The two women stared at each other silently, each seeming to see a storm brewing in the other’s eyes.
The Imperial Princess saw in Chu Yu’s eyes the empire she desired, while Chu Yu saw in the Princess’s eyes the revenge she possessed.
“Do you believe me?” After a long while, the Imperial Princess spoke, her expression calm. “Are you willing to trust me?”
Chu Yu didn’t respond. She released the Princess’s hand and stood up. The Princess’s gaze fell on her, her eyes showing a hint of emotion. Then, Chu Yu stepped back, creating distance between them, and knelt. She spread her wide sleeves, folded her hands in front of her, and bowed her head to the ground.
The Imperial Princess watched Chu Yu’s movements, her gaze deep. Chu Yu, kneeling on the ground, spoke steadily, “I am willing to follow my lord.”
The Imperial Princess stood up and said calmly, “Zhao Yue will send Wei Yun to the North, but you must stay.”
“I know.”
“As long as I’m here,” the Princess’s hand rested on Chu Yu’s forehead, her gaze fixed straight ahead at the main door. The cool silk fell beside Chu Yu’s cheek as she felt the warmth on her forehead and heard the Princess speak calmly, “I will ensure the Wei family’s safety.”
While Chu Yu was heading to Qifeng Palace, Wei Yun was led by a eunuch to the Imperial Study.
Zhao Yue was practicing calligraphy in the room. When Wei Yun entered, he looked up and smiled gently, “Has the Young Marquis arrived?”
His words lacked the air of an emperor as if he were still just a favorite in the Imperial Princess’s household, his smile shallow and soft.
Wei Yun performed a respectful bow. Zhao Yue quickly came forward to help him up, “Please rise, beloved minister.”
“This humble servant arrived late for the audience. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness,” Wei Yun said with his head lowered, hiding the emotions in his eyes. Zhao Yue sighed, “You ventured alone into enemy territory for thousands of miles and stabilized the chaotic situation. I am grateful beyond words. How could I blame you?”
Saying this, Zhao Yue invited Wei Yun to sit down, “Please, sit. I know you’ve just returned and must be tired. But I have many urgent questions to ask, so I must trouble you.”
“Serving the country is this servant’s duty,” Wei Yun replied.
Zhao Yue nodded in satisfaction and, without further ado, began to inquire about Wei Yun’s journey to the Northern Di.
He asked in detail about the cities, routes, customs, and people of the Northern Di, leaving nothing out.
Wei Yun was currently the official who had ventured deepest into the Northern Di. In the past, most of the knowledge about the Northern Di came from traveling merchants. However, the number of merchants traveling between the two regions wasn’t large, and those merchants who did have a good understanding of the Northern Di often withheld information for various reasons. Moreover, with time, much of the past information was outdated and not detailed enough. As a result, for many years, the Great Chu had been in a passive defensive position.
With a great enemy at hand, military intelligence was of utmost importance. Both Wei Yun and Zhao Yue automatically set aside matters concerning Yao Yong and focused on exchanging clear information about the battlefield. This question-and-answer session continued until late into the night. After Zhao Yue had clarified all matters, he exhaled and said, “According to what you’ve said, Su Cha and Su Can were already fighting among themselves, and the various tribes of the Northern Di don’t get along with each other. It seems that the Northern Di withdrawing their troops from the Great Chu is just a matter of time.”
“I’m confident I can make them withdraw,” Wei Yun looked at Zhao Yue, as if he had forgotten everything else, and said earnestly, “But does Your Majesty think that merely making them withdraw is enough this time?”
Zhao Yue didn’t speak. He lowered his head and took a sip of tea. After a moment, he smiled slightly, “Then what else does the Young Marquis want to do?”
“They have bullied our Great Chu so much. If we just let them retreat, won’t they come back after they’ve recovered?”
“You want them to pay a price.”
“Shouldn’t they?”
The two men stared at each other silently. Zhao Yue didn’t speak. After a while, he lowered his head and poured hot water over the tea leaves.
He had always loved brewing tea, and now he had brought this habit to the palace.
“Do you know how much money it would cost to continue fighting?”
Wei Yun pressed his lips together, “The Northern Di have been attacking us for years because they carry almost no supplies, plundering wherever they go.”
“You want to do the same?”
Zhao Yue looked up at him. Wei Yun nodded, “The people in the rear of the Northern Di are quite scattered. If we defeat them one by one, we don’t need much manpower. Your Majesty only needs to give me horses and men. I’ll solve the supply problem myself.”
Zhao Yue didn’t speak. He seemed to be weighing his options. Wei Yun looked at him, “Does Your Majesty plan to fight the Northern Di now and then, or solve the problem once and for all?”
Zhao Yue remained silent. He placed the tea in front of Wei Yun. Wei Yun continued, “All right, I won’t speak of this. But doesn’t Your Majesty have any ambitions? If during Your Majesty’s reign, the Great Chu could defeat the Chen Kingdom and incorporate it into our territory, what an achievement that would be! Doesn’t Your Majesty have any desire to become a sage ruler?”
Hearing this, Zhao Yue’s expression changed slightly.
Every emperor hopes to become a legendary ruler for all ages, but with the First Emperor as a precedent, this is too difficult to achieve. So, as a second best, creating a prosperous era that people praise is also not bad.
The extent of a nation’s territory is always a measure of an emperor’s greatness. Even someone like Zhao Yue couldn’t help but be tempted.
However, after pondering for a moment, he still said, “I think we can wait a few more years.”
He tapped the table and slowly said, “Right now, Gu Chusheng and I are working hard to solve financial and livelihood issues in the rear. On the battlefield, as long as we can stop the war, it’s enough. I don’t have too many demands…”
“But I do,” Wei Yun interrupted coldly. Zhao Yue looked up at him and slowly said, “Want revenge?”
Wei Yun’s expression changed. Zhao Yue laughed, “Young Marquis, you’re still too young. A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years. Why can’t the Young Marquis wait a bit longer?”
Wait for what?
For a moment, these words almost slipped out, but Wei Yun held them back. He took a deep breath and slowly said, “My family’s vengeance, apart from Yao Yong, was settled when I lit lanterns for half a month in the Northern Di palace. If it were for family vengeance, why wouldn’t I cease-fire now and go after Yao Yong?”
Zhao Yue looked at Wei Yun. This kind of reasoning he could accept.
Reasons that were too noble and righteous, he found hypocritical.
Seeing the approval in Zhao Yue’s eyes, Wei Yun continued, “I insist on fighting because right now is the best opportunity. Currently, Su Cha and Su Can are in internal strife, and the various tribes are dissatisfied with the Northern Di royal court after my harassment last month. To be honest with Your Majesty, before I left, I checked the Ministry of Revenue’s accounts. I know whether we can afford this war or not.”
Zhao Yue’s lips held a smile, but his eyes were no longer smiling. Wei Yun didn’t mind and stared directly at him, “The reason Your Majesty is unwilling to continue fighting is because you’re afraid I’ll develop my power at the border and become a threat to you, isn’t it?”
Zhao Yue frowned, “Where did you hear such talk? You are a future great general with an upright heart. I wouldn’t suspect you like this.”
“Your Majesty,” Wei Yun lowered his head and took a sip of tea, “It’s just the two of us here. Why bother with such pretense?”
“The capital of Huajing was taken by me, Yao Yong was set up by me, and Your Majesty’s throne wasn’t obtained entirely legitimately. For a throne gained through such means, isn’t it ridiculous to talk to me so seriously?”
“You have a point,” Zhao Yue’s words were full of coldness, but he maintained his smile and said, “So what exactly do you want?”
“First, I want Yao Yong’s head.”
Zhao Yue tapped the table and nodded, “I was planning to deal with him and send him to you anyway.”
“Second, I want Your Majesty to bestow the title of First Rank on my sister-in-law and give her all the military honors she deserves.”
Zhao Yue was surprised that Wei Yun would make this request. After a long while, he slowly smiled, “All right. That’s not a problem.”
“Third,” Wei Yun stared at him, “I want Your Majesty’s full cooperation. If not to destroy the Northern Di completely, at least to cripple them so severely that they can’t recover for more than a decade and can’t harass the Great Chu.”
Zhao Yue turned to look out the window, his lips curled in mockery.
“Wei Yun,” he said flatly, “Who gave you the courage to make such demands of me?”