Jiang Changjue sat in the main seat, looking at the civil and military officials before him. He said, “Since you all have the heart to protect the country, please ask the Minister of Agriculture to allocate provisions. This will prevent shortages in food supplies. Additionally, we lack manpower for setting up defenses and collecting stone materials. If you have any good candidates, you may recommend them.”
Cold Fengchang and others respectfully responded, presenting a document to Changjue. “The people on this list are all suitable, but currently the city gates are tightly closed and heavily guarded by Your Highness’s troops. The food stores in the capital may not be enough. We request Your Highness to give an order allowing the Minister of Agriculture to coordinate food supplies.”
Jiang Changjue looked at him, slightly frowning. “I seem to remember that the capital’s food stores should last at least half a month?”
“Half a month is far from enough,” Cold Fengchang shook his head. “I believe it’s better to be fully prepared.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Changjue agreed. He issued the order and also asked the Minister of Agriculture to hand over a key to the granary for peace of mind.
As the officials dispersed, Jiang Changjue pondered the key for a while before deciding to find his imperial sister.
Jiang Taohua was lying on a soft couch, clutching her stomach with a pained expression.
“Imperial Sister?” Jiang Changjue was startled and hurried over to help her up. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” Taohua frowned. “My stomach has been hurting badly these past few days. Perhaps I ate something wrong.”
“Has the imperial physician come?”
“Yes, he just told me to rest well.” Forcing a smile, Taohua changed the subject. “You look like you have something on your mind?”
Jiang Changjue nodded. “Cold Fengchang just asked me for permission to leave the city, saying he needs to coordinate food supplies with the Minister of Agriculture.”
Taohua’s eyes flickered as she looked at him. “Is there something wrong with that?”
“It doesn’t sound wrong,” Changjue frowned. “But I feel Cold Fengchang may not be truly loyal.”
Taohua smiled. “If he takes your order and secretly trades with the Great Wei people, harming Zhao, what would you do?”
After a brief pause, Changjue said, “Cut off the problem at its root.”
“Good,” Taohua clapped her hands. “Then do as you think best.”
“But,” Jiang Changjue frowned, “what if I’m mistaken?”
“Then you should still be prepared,” Taohua took his hand, speaking earnestly. “While you shouldn’t harbor ill intentions towards others, you must remain vigilant. Since you’re already suspicious of Cold Fengchang’s faction, you should first secure evidence against them. If they try to harm Zhao, you can stop them immediately.”
Jiang Changjue nodded. Cold Fengchang’s faction was using patriotism as their banner, thus gaining much support in the court. If they truly committed treason, that itself would be incriminating evidence.
Cold Fengchang was aware of this, so everything was conducted in secret. After obtaining permission to leave the city, he sent a trusted subordinate to accompany the Minister of Agriculture’s people. Under the cover of night, they headed towards the Great Wei military camp.
Shen Zaiye was reading when Zhan Lu suddenly lifted the curtain and entered. “Master, someone from the capital seeks an audience.”
As he had expected. Shen Zaiye smirked, putting down his book. “Let them in.”
Shortly after, a cloaked figure entered, removing his hat and bowing. “I am Zhang Tian, an attendant of Cold Fengchang. I pay my respects to Minister Shen.”
Smiling slightly, Shen Zaiye nodded. “Visiting so late at night, you must have urgent business.”
“Time is short, so I’ll be direct,” Zhang Tian said. “Lord Fengchang has control over Zhao’s food and military supplies and currently enjoys the Second Prince’s trust. If the Minister wishes to capture Zhao’s capital, cooperating with Lord Fengchang would be the quickest and best approach.”
“Oh?” Shen Zaiye looked at him thoughtfully. “What does Lord Fengchang want?”
“It’s simple. The Jiang family has fallen, with only two heirs bearing the stigma of fratricide. Lord Fengchang believes that once Zhao becomes a vassal state of Great Wei, the ruling surname should change.”
Does he want to become the ruler? Shen Zaiye clicked his tongue. “Quite an appetite.”
“This deal won’t disadvantage you, Minister,” Zhang Tian said. “As long as you agree and we establish trust, Lord Fengchang is willing to send all the food supplies he gathers to the Great Wei camp.”
Food supplies were crucial. Giving them to the enemy instead of his people showed Cold Fengchang truly had no patriotism.
Shen Zaiye looked at the man before him. “These terms are indeed favorable for us. But how does Lord Fengchang want us to prove our trustworthiness?”
Zhang Tian smiled and bowed. “Everyone knows that Zhao’s Second Princess is your lawful wife, Minister. Although your attack on Zhao suggests marital discord, feelings are unpredictable. Lord Fengchang wants to know your true attitude towards the Second Princess.”
If the couple suddenly reconciled, wouldn’t it spell doom for the intermediaries? This had to be clarified above all else.
“That’s easy to address,” Shen Zaiye said coldly. “The Second Princess of your country fled back to Zhao without my permission. Our marital bond is severed. We’re mere strangers now. If she stands in Great Wei’s way, I won’t hesitate to eliminate her!”
Zhang Tian looked at him. “The Second Princess carries your child. You don’t care about that either?”
Beside them, Xu Yangui snorted. “Her pregnancy was fake, just a ploy to trick Minister Shen so she could leave Zhao safely. Who would care about a fake pregnancy?”
Shen Zaiye started, glancing back at Xu Yangui before nodding. “That’s right.”
There was such a twist? Zhang Tian paused, carefully observing Shen Zaiye’s expression. At the mention of the Second Princess, his eyes were full of displeasure and resentment, without a trace of affection. Such a genuine expression couldn’t be faked.
Somewhat convinced, Zhang Tian bowed and handed over a token. “In that case, Lord Fengchang awaits good news from the Minister. We hope for a favorable outcome.”
“Rest assured,” Shen Zaiye looked at him. “Choosing to cooperate with me was wise of your lord. Just wait and see.”
“Very well, then I’ll take my leave,” Zhang Tian bowed, relieved, and hurried back to report.
Shen Zaiye sat in his chair with an enigmatic smile, turning the token over in his hands, and examining it several times.
“Are you going to cooperate?” Xu Yangui asked.
“Why not?” Shen Zaiye smiled. “See how sincere they are, willing to give me all of Zhao’s provisions. With this, how much of a fight can there be? The people in the capital should surrender.”
Xu Yangui sighed. “Although her pregnancy was fake, your feelings were real. If you fight, there’s no going back.”
“Mm.” Shen Zaiye responded absently, his eyes full of calculations, his mind turning over countless schemes. It took him a while to process the first part of Xu Yangui’s statement.
“What did you just say?” He frowned. “The pregnancy was fake?”
“I should have told you earlier, but you weren’t well then. Seeing you’ve recovered since coming here, I might as well tell you directly,” Xu Yangui said softly. “Jiang Taohua’s pregnancy was fake. She wasn’t pregnant; it was just to prevent you from chasing after her so she could leave Great Wei smoothly.”
Stunned for a good while, Shen Zaiye became furious. “She deceived me?”
Wasn’t he the one being deceived? This man kept saying he didn’t care, yet he was so anxious inside. Wasn’t this just handing over a weakness for others to exploit?
“Don’t be too upset,” Xu Yangui said. “She had her reasons. As for children…”
“It’s fine if there’s no child,” Shen Zaiye rubbed his brow, annoyed. “But she’s been away from Great Wei for so long. Couldn’t she have told me earlier?”
He wasn’t one to insist on having offspring, but thinking about all his worries and nightmares being just a farce infuriated Shen Zaiye. To think there’d come a day when he’d be fooled so thoroughly by a woman! Jiang Taohua was truly skilled!
“You…” Xu Yangui was caught between laughter and tears. “Zaiye, you’re strange. Aren’t you disappointed about losing the child?”
“What’s there to be disappointed about?” He pursed his lips, lowering his gaze. “In the current situation, not having a child is good. I won’t have to be so cautious, afraid of her losing her life.”
“Huh?” Xu Yangui raised an eyebrow. “How would being pregnant make her likely to lose her life? Don’t countless pregnant women live well all over the world?”
Shen Zaiye fell silent. He couldn’t possibly tell Xu Yangui that he had secretly read many books about women’s pregnancies. The books said pregnant women were prone to miscarriage and could die in childbirth. For several nights, he had dreamed of Jiang Taohua lying in a pool of blood, always waking up in fright.
Now, knowing she wasn’t pregnant made him feel much more at ease. However…
He hated being deceived. This account would have to be settled with her!
Rising, he walked towards the main tent. Mu Wuxia was still reading. Looking up, he saw Shen Zaiye with a serious expression saying, “Your Majesty, let’s attack the city tomorrow.”
Mu Wuxia: “…”
Just yesterday he had agreed to wait longer, why the sudden change? Putting down his book, Mu Wuxia frowned. “Zhao’s capital defenses aren’t fully in place. If we launch a major attack now, we could indeed capture the city directly. But have you considered the consequences if we corner Sister Jiang?”
“I’ve said before, great deeds can’t be hindered by personal feelings,” Shen Zaiye said solemnly. “I won’t consider what happens to her. A wise general should order an attack at the right moment.”
Waving his sleeve, Mu Wuxia lowered his head. “If you want to attack, lead your men to do so. I’m tired and need rest.”
Narrowing his eyes, Shen Zaiye laughed bitterly. “Jiang Taohua hasn’t done Your Majesty any great favors. Why do you value her so much?”
Pausing as he held the book, Mu Wuxia chuckled softly.
Indeed, why? He didn’t know why either. He just felt Sister Jiang was a good person. He liked seeing her smile brightly and didn’t want to see her worried or in tears.
Only two years separated sixteen and eighteen, and the Prince Nan’s mansion was just two streets away from the Chancellor’s residence. Yet in this life, he and she simply had no destiny.
(End of Chapter)