[š„š„ Support link: patreon.com/MrGhost69
You can find 110+ chapters ahead here
Also another exciting fanfic available š„š„]
Ren Ruyi's meaning was clear: she had repaid Wei Tingyu's immense kindness with her body, which she had preserved for over twenty years. "I
Ren Ruyi's meaning was clear: she had repaid Wei Tingyu's immense kindness with her body, which she had preserved for over twenty years.
"I knew you always had a plan!" Linglong couldn't help but sigh upon hearing Ren Ruyi's words, then immediately raised a very practical question: "But with the Marquis's guards surrounding this room, even on the roof, how can you leave?"
At this, Ren Ruyi was also stunned... That's right! How did I not think of that just now?!
Indeed! Love is something that can cloud one's mind! Especially for women! Ren Ruyi admitted that her heart now belonged to Wei Tingyu! There was no doubt about that! No other man could ever enter her heart! But unfortunately, she did have very important matters she had to deal with, and she was accustomed to working alone, which was why she wanted to leave secretly. Who knew that love would truly blind her thinking, causing her to overlook the fact that there were guards stationed around. Now it seemed impossible to leave secretly! Wei Tingyu's arrangements, besides preventing outsiders from disturbing them, also served to prevent her from secretly leaving.
Thinking of this, Ren Ruyi couldn't help but laugh. It seemed there was no chance of leaving secretly. She would have to talk to Wei Tingyu directly tomorrow and hope he could temporarily let her leave! Of course, if she was fortunate enough to complete that important task, Ren Ruyi would definitely return! As Linglong had said before, she didn't actually feel that the Marquis of Jining's residence was a cage. Instead, it was more like a safe haven where she could find peace!
Feeling the two women resting against his chest gradually falling into slumber, Wei Tingyu's eyelids gently fluttered, then slowly opened. He looked at the two beautiful women sleeping peacefully in his arms and couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. He had naturally heard everything the two girls had said in his arms earlier, but he had kept his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. Because only then could he hear the true thoughts in these two women's hearts. Ren Ruyi and Linglong were certainly not women who could be easily deceived, but Wei Tingyu's disguise was simply too good! Even his heart rate had dropped to exactly the same as when he was in deep sleep, which made the two women believe him and exchange thoughts without any reservations.
Ren Ruyi's expressed desire to leave for some other matter made Wei Tingyu slightly frown. To be honest, Wei Tingyu wasn't at all surprised that this girl had such a thought! After all, having seen the drama, he knew that Ren Ruyi indeed had unresolved matters that worried her. If they weren't dealt with, this girl's heart would absolutely not be fully devoted to him. But since she was now his woman, he couldn't let her run off and take risks alone anymore! Because some things that happened later were indeed very dangerous, and each time Ren Ruyi escaped, there was often an element of good luck involved. And he would absolutely not allow such dangerous situations to happen again!
Wei Tingyu silently made up his mind. If there truly were matters that required Ren Ruyi to personally return to Wuguo or Anguo to resolve, then as her man, he should naturally accompany her!
Just as Wei Tingyu thought this, he suddenly heard the magnetic voice of the system in his consciousness resound again!
[Congratulations, Master, you have achieved the hidden accomplishment "Scent of Slaughter"!]
[You will receive this accomplishment by bringing Ren Ruyi, the main female lead from "A Journey to Love," into your possession!]
[Achievement Reward: System Barracks upgraded to Level 5!]
[New recruitable troop type acquired: Fu Bing (Militia)]
[Recruitment Price: Two hundred taels]
[Combat Power: (Note: The user did not provide a specific numerical value for combat power.)]
[Description: Strong fighting will! Armored and equipped! Charging forward bravely!]
Upon hearing the system's description, Wei Tingyu genuinely felt pleasantly surprised! Isn't this like falling asleep and finding a pillow right there? This system upgrade came at just the right time! It was well-known that Wuguo and Anguo were constantly at war, and having just gone through a major battle, it was a time of chaos. Since he was going to cause some trouble there with Ren Ruyi, it naturally wouldn't be as simple as just going and coming back. Now that he could recruit Fu Bing through the system, he would definitely be able to make a difference!
He had already been living as the second-generation noble, Marquis of Jining, in this world for so long, and had taken in so many beautiful women. Now, it was finally time to show his capabilities! And the starting point for him to dominate the world was in the turbulent Wuguo, which was incredibly suitable! It seemed now that even if Ren Ruyi didn't have matters to attend to in Wuguo, he would probably still have to make this trip!
Wei Tingyu had roughly understood before that, in this world, in warring countries like Anguo and Wuguo, their most elite army's combat power was roughly equivalent to his system's Level 4 elite Wei Suo Bing (Garrison Soldiers)! Moreover, such elite troops were extremely rare; the two countries only had about three to five thousand men serving as imperial guards for their capitals. As for the tens of thousands of troops they often raised, they were essentially temporary conscripted peasant armies; although trained, their combat power was at most Level 2. Adding a small number of Level 3 troops as frontline elites was about it! And Wei Tingyu's current system barracks had already been upgraded to Level 5, allowing him to directly recruit Level 5 Fu Bing. The recruitment price of two hundred taels of silver was, strictly speaking, not very expensive! During this period, he had been selling perfume to the outside world, and due to large shipments to various prefectures in the Central Plains and Jiangnan, only about ten bottles were sold daily in the capital. This caused the already not-low price of perfume to multiply several times!
Wei Tingyu now had no less than two hundred thousand taels in silver notes alone! This didn't even include the dowries brought in by the wealthy young women he had married into his household. Just investing these two hundred thousand taels into the system barracks could directly recruit a thousand-strong Level 5 Fu Bing troop. Although the number wasn't large, as long as good steel was used on the cutting edge, it could exert several times its power! Wei Tingyu wasn't so exaggerated as to want to challenge the entire armies of Wuguo or Anguo with these thousand men; instead, he could use them to crush the struggles of various factions within their internal conflicts, playing a decisive role at critical moments! Imagining a situation where two armies were in a stalemate, locked in an inextricable fight, and his thousand elite Level 5 Fu Bing suddenly emerged from concealment, capable of instantly changing the entire battlefield situation! Just thinking about it made him a little excited!
Wei Tingyu made up his mind and began his journey to conquer the world! After silently making his plans, he looked down at Ren Ruyi and Linglong, who were sleeping soundly in his arms. He saw their eyes gently closed, their long eyelashes fluttering slightly, clearly indicating that they were not only deep in slumber but also having wonderful dreams. For both of their lips were now curved with a sweet smile. Perhaps since the day they became assassins, they had never slept so peacefully! Wei Tingyu felt a little heartache, and at the same time, lowered his head and gently kissed their smooth foreheads.
"Mmm!" Linglong was fine, but Ren Ruyi, this girl, restlessly furrowed her delicate brows, mumbled something, and then fell back into a deep sleep.
At the imperial court of Wudu Palace, night had fallen, but it was still bustling with ministers! The news of the Wugu army's complete annihilation at the front line had naturally spread throughout the court. Even though night had fallen, they still rushed to the great hall.
"The late Emperor has passed away! Anguo's army is pressing down!" At this moment, facing the clamoring ministers, Chancellor Zhang Song of Wuguo stepped forward and loudly addressed the others. As soon as he spoke, all the anxious and noisy people immediately quieted down, because at this moment in the court, only he, as the Chancellor, could temporarily make a decision!
"In times of urgency, extraordinary measures must be taken!" Seeing the noisy court instantly quiet down, Zhang Song nodded in satisfaction, then raised his voice considerably: "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day!"
"The late Emperor personally designated Prince Danyang to oversee the state before his departure!"
"Therefore, Prince Danyang should immediately ascend the throne! To stabilize the realm!"
As soon Song Zhang spoke these words, all the ministers in the court exchanged glances. And Prince Danyang, Yang Xingjian, who was overseeing the state and whom Zhang Song said should ascend the throne, was at this moment sitting with his eyes slightly closed on the supervisory position beside the dragon throne, seemingly not having heard these words at all.
"This subject seconds the motion!" Seeing this situation, many ministers' eyes darted, and they quickly came forward to agree. Because from the current situation, it was indeed the most stable choice for Prince Danyang, the Emperor's younger brother, to inherit the greatēµ±. Otherwise, before Anguo's army even attacked, Wuguo might fall into chaos first!
"This concerns the imperial throne! How can it be so hasty?!"
"The Emperor's demise is merely a rumor! There is no solid proof!"
"How can you all..."
Of course, in a court filled with factional struggles, where some agreed, there were naturally those who opposed. For a time, voices of opposition were endless, and the two factions of ministers started bickering again.
"Your Highness! What do you think?" Zhang Song saw that the ministers in court could not reach a consensus, so he looked at Prince Danyang, Yang Xingjian, and asked. After all, even if Prince Danyang did not ascend the throne at this moment, he was still the legitimate overseer of the state! Such an important matter naturally required him to make the decision. And all the ministers who opposed Prince Danyang's ascension also quieted down at this moment, no longer speaking. Because according to the current situation, Prince Danyang's ascension seemed to be a foregone conclusion, and no one could change it. After all, as the current overseer of the state, only he could make the decision, and the decision he made would inevitably be his own ascension. Even a three-year-old child could understand such a thing.
And indeed, as everyone expected, Prince Danyang, Yang Xingjian, slowly opened his eyes. Although the expression on his face was calm, the desire in his eyes could not be concealed! However, he still spoke unhurriedly: "Since the late Emperor has met with misfortune..."
As soon as these first few words left his mouth, the ministers understood! Yes, with this opportunity, how could he not want to sit on the dragon throne? The ministers who had opposed him before, of course, no longer dared to speak, otherwise they would surely face retribution after Prince Danyang ascended the throne.
But at the same time, a loud and delicate shout suddenly came from outside the main hall's entrance, interrupting Prince Danyang's subsequent words!
"The Emperor is still safe! Who dares to presumptuously call him the late Emperor?!"
As these words fell, the ministers in court turned their heads to look towards the direction of the hall's entrance. They saw a stunningly beautiful young woman, elegantly dressed in luxurious palace attire, slowly ascending the steps of the great hall, accompanied by several female officials and maids, appearing in everyone's sight. She wore a phoenix coronet on her head, her brows were resolute, and her exquisite face appeared exceptionally firm under the candlelight of the palace! Yet, there was also a hint of fragility subtly revealed in her eyes. And this person was none other than Empress Xiao Yan of Wuguo!
"Your Majesty the Empress!" And when the ministers saw Xiao Yan enter the main hall, they all bowed in salute to her. Xiao Yan, meanwhile, looked straight ahead, walking directly towards the dais where the dragon throne was placed!
"What does Your Majesty mean by that?" Just as Xiao Yan passed in front of Chancellor Zhang Song, he bowed his head and asked. Xiao Yan did not speak much, but directly took out an already opened letter and handed it to Zhang Song, then continued her steps gracefully, walking directly onto the dais.
"Long live Your Majesty!" And Prince Danyang, Yang Xingjian, also quickly bowed in salute at this moment.
"My cousin, Xiao Ming, also accompanied His Majesty on this expedition!" Xiao Yan turned around after stepping onto the dais, facing all the ministers in the court. She did not directly address Prince Danyang but spoke directly: "This Empress has just received a secret letter!"
"The letter states that although His Majesty was defeated, his life is safe!"
"He is currently a guest in Anguo's army!"
As Xiao Yan uttered these words, the high-ranking officials in the court were once again silent, then began to whisper among themselves. This so-called "guest in Anguo's army" was merely a polite way of putting it! Everyone knew that if what the Empress said was true, then their emperor had already become a captive of the enemy! This was an even greater humiliation than dying on the battlefield!
And at this moment, Chancellor Zhang Song, after reading the letter he had just received, raised his head with a speechless expression. The other ministers, seeing the Chancellor's expression, immediately understood. The content written in this letter must be exactly the same as what the Empress had just said. Isn't this troublesome now? If the Emperor died, he died; we could just establish another! But now he's half-dead and captured, what are we to do?
"Not only that!" The Empress saw that the ministers were bickering and undecided, so she spoke directly: "This Empress is now pregnant! The Imperial Physician judged it to be male with ninety percent certainty!"
At these words, the ministers in the court were even more astonished.
"Prince Danyang! When you studied in the Imperial Study with His Majesty, the late Emperor personally taught you!"
"Among all people today, none are like brothers!"
"You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Then Xiao Yan turned her head and looked directly at Prince Danyang, Yang Xingjian, and asked. Yang Xingjian could only helplessly nod silently, answering her question.
"Now that His Majesty has met with misfortune, may I ask, Imperial Brother Danyang, as a paragon of the imperial clan, if you can protect this dragon throne for His Majesty and for the imperial prince in this Empress's womb?" Seeing Yang Xingjian nod, Xiao Yan immediately pressed further. Yang Xingjian was even more speechless in his heart, yet in front of so many ministers, he couldn't reveal his ambition for the dragon throne. Looking at Xiao Yan, who was now gazing at him fearlessly with her face raised, he knew that today's matter was not to be. So, he took a step back, respectfully bowed to Xiao Yan, and said, "This subject will surely be diligent and cautious, not failing the trust His Majesty placed in me when he left the capital!"
Seeing this scene, the ministers in court all understood! Prince Danyang, Yang Xingjian, although ambitious, at this moment dared not reveal it at all. Of course, Yang Xingjian would not concede defeat so easily! When he straightened up, he immediately put his hands behind his back and asked, "But Your Majesty, how can you be certain that the child in your womb is an imperial prince?"
Yang Xingjian's counterattack caught Xiao Yan somewhat off guard! After all, she couldn't make such a guarantee at this moment. She frowned slightly, her mind quickly pondering how to answer this question! She had just said that it was judged by the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, but even the head of the Imperial Medical Academy couldn't be one hundred percent certain! Moreover, Xiao Yan herself knew that this was originally a shocking deception!
Xiao Yan had not been in love with Emperor Wu since entering the palace, as it was a political marriage that both found distasteful. Therefore, although they had the titles of Emperor and Empress, they did not have the reality of husband and wife! And Emperor Wu was overly ambitious, actually having the fantastical idea of personally leading an expedition, and now he had become a captive of the enemy. Xiao Yan, who had political ambitions, had no choice but to devise such a plan of a so-called posthumous child to prevent power from falling into other hands. Of course, she had also bribed and brought the Imperial Medical Academy under her control, which allowed her to carry out her plan smoothly. Xiao Yan's original idea was to pretend to be pregnant, and then, at the time of delivery, secretly borrow a baby from the imperial clan to pretend it was her own, and after establishing him as the crown prince, she would be able to exercise power over the realm as empress dowager! She might even ascend to the throne of the ninety-five supreme and become a female emperor in the future!
But leaving aside future matters for now, how was she to get past Prince Danyang and the ministers in court? The situation was urgent, and Xiao Yan's plan was rushed, actually full of flaws! But at this point, she could only bite the bullet and continue her deception!