Your Majesty, We’re Counting on You to Ruin the Country! 31

Chapter 31: Loss

“Sir, please wait.”

The man stopped, the black veil on his face fluttering slightly in the wind.

He turned and saw that the one who had called out to him was a woman with a fine figure and a gentle, spring-breeze-like smile.

The woman curtsied and smiled. “I have long admired your great name, Yu Qianshou of Quanzhou. I have long heard that Young Master Yu’s skills are extraordinary, and seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation! Even the God of War, Wen, was beaten by you until he fled with his tail between his legs.”

Yu Qianshou’s lips curled into a cold sneer. This is what it means to lie through one’s teeth.

“A dog of the Li family?” Yu Qianshou crossed his arms, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at the woman.

The woman smiled bewitchingly. “We are all people who take silver and act according to orders. It’s just that my master is the Li family, and yours is the Xu family.”

“I have no master,” Yu Qianshou said. “It was just a transaction.”

The woman looked at Yu Qianshou with a smile. “Why don’t we talk? The Xu family is at the end of its rope. The Li family can give you better.”

Before her words had even finished, the woman felt something slippery, soft, and cylindrical slowly climbing up her calf.

“You… ngh!” After the woman fell to the ground with a flushed face, she saw more venomous snakes slowly slithering towards her, wrapping around her body, slowly writhing up and down her limbs and waist.

Yu Qianshou leisurely sat down in front of the woman. “Alright, let’s talk terms. Between the Xu family and the Li family, I naturally prefer to do business with the latter.”

Looking at the cold smile on Yu Qianshou’s lips, the woman trembled, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.

“Come, let’s talk.”

The palace was in chaos.

Seeing the unconscious Wen Ning’an, his face pale and his lips stained with blood, being carried back by the people from Zhaoyue Tower, Feng Qi felt he was going mad.

“What on earth happened!”

Qin Zhaohuang trembled at Feng Qi’s roar and stammered, “First, first let the physician take a look!”

Qin Zhaohuang was also panicking. He hadn’t expected Wen Ning’an to have been bitten by that venomous snake after all…

Ah Bai, holding Liangliang, stood beside Qin Zhaohuang with a pale face, his eyes glued to Wen Ning’an, turning to ask Qin Zhaohuang how he was from time to time. Xingxing, on the other hand, jumped directly onto the bed and gently licked the back of Wen Ning’an’s hand.

“Yixin…”

Feng Qi leaned against the bed, tightly holding the already unconscious Wen Ning’an in his arms. A short while later, a group of imperial physicians rushed in with their medicine chests.

With a “swish,” one of the young imperial physicians lowered the bed curtains. The head imperial physician, Zhang Chongshan, knelt before Feng Qi. “Reporting to Your Majesty, General Wen has been poisoned by a snake. The situation is a bit complicated. Your Majesty is the Son of the Nine Dragons, and we fear your noble aura will clash with the evil spirits. Could you please step aside for a moment?”

The situation is a bit complicated?

Looking at these “fully armed” physicians, busy with needle cases, basins of hot water, and towels, and even ordering servants to brew medicine and prepare water, Feng Qi felt as if ten thousand drums were beating in his heart.

“Why should I step aside? What’s wrong with Yixin!”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, although General Wen has been poisoned by a snake, his constitution is good, and his body is not in great danger. However, the child… should be…”

Feng Qi’s eyes narrowed, his face dark, his whole being shrouded in dark clouds as if on the eve of a great storm, a building about to collapse.

Zhang Chongshan was so scared he knelt down. “I beg Your Majesty to spare my life! This old subject knows he is incompetent, but I will definitely do my best!”

“Incompetent? You’re telling me you’re incompetent? Then what use do I have for you! What use do I have for this Imperial Medical Academy!”

With a “crash,” the tea set on the bedside table was swept to the floor, shattering on impact, leaving a mess of debris and tea on the ground.

Feng Qi’s eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently, as if the world were collapsing before his eyes…

Zhang Chongshan remained prostrate on the ground, not daring to move or make a sound.

“Just… just treat Yixin well. As long as Yixin is safe, that’s all that matters.”

Qin Zhaohuang stood in a corner, watching as the dazzling golden light of the twin dragons gradually dissipated, leaving only a lone flood dragon coiled in the pond, wailing in pain…

Everything happened very quickly. Feng Qi saw Wen Ning’an lying in his arms with his eyes closed, oblivious to everything around him. However, he seemed unsettled even in his dreams. Whether it was because he sensed something or because of the pain, his brows were tightly furrowed.

When Wen Ning’an woke up, it was already midnight. The night was deep and silent.

Feng Qi had Ah Bai take Liangliang and Xingxing away. Only the two of them were left in the room, and Feng Qi still held Wen Ning’an tightly, like a rock.

Wen Ning’an felt completely drained and said in a low voice, “It’s gone?”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s not your fault.”

Wen Ning’an gently broke free from Feng Qi’s embrace, turned his back to the outside, leaned against the wall, and quietly fell asleep.

First, the child had arrived unexpectedly due to Feng Qi’s own decision, and then it was gone just as unexpectedly.

He had been panicked, angry, even thinking how much better it would be if the child didn’t exist. But after forcing himself to accept it, he had gradually developed an anticipation for this little thing that was connected to him by blood. Yet, before he could fully accept it…

It was truly like a storm, coming in a hurry, knocking one down, and then leaving just as quickly.

“Yixin, are you crying…” Feng Qi seemed a little caught off guard.

“No.”

Wen Ning’an’s voice was muffled by the pillow, but Feng Qi still heard it clearly. “Huaitian, I want to sleep alone. Good night…”

“I’m not leaving.” Feng Qi also lay down and, with a rough yet gentle hand, pulled Wen Ning’an into his arms.

“I won’t leave.”

The autumn night was cool, and the rustling of leaves being blown by the wind could be heard outside the window.

A cold wind blew into the room. Feng Qi took the blanket. The two of them were warm under the covers, but their hearts were cold. Not just because of the child, but also because…

At dawn, before the first light appeared, the surroundings were still dim. The two of them, who were always early risers, woke up.

“Huaitian, you go to court. I’ll sleep a little longer.”

“I’m not going. I’ll stay here with you.” Feng Qi still didn’t release his arms from around Wen Ning’an.

“Huaitian… don’t skip morning court so often. Didn’t you tell me before that you wanted to be a good emperor in the future?”

“I said I would eradicate the Xu and Li families and all my enemies, to become an emperor with power over the world.”

Wen Ning’an pushed against Feng Qi’s chest. “Then first you have to become a good emperor. Go on. If you keep this up, my nickname won’t be Wen the God of War, but Wen Daji.”

[Translator’s Notes: Wen Daji : Daji was the favorite consort of King Zhou of the Shang dynasty in Chinese history. She is famously depicted as a malevolent fox spirit who bewitched the king, leading to the downfall of his dynasty. Wen Ning’an is joking that if Feng Qi keeps skipping his duties for him, he’ll get a reputation as a beautiful man who leads the emperor astray, similar to Daji.]

Although it was a teasing tone, Feng Qi knew that Wen Ning’an truly minded, so he just sighed and had the servants come in to help him dress.

“Breakfast has been prepared. Remember to eat. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

After Feng Qi left, Wen Ning’an let out a sigh of relief. Thinking about what had happened yesterday, he couldn’t help but be lost in thought. Those who wanted to kill him were just acting on orders, and the mastermind behind it all—Feng Qi surely couldn’t have failed to guess. It seemed Feng Qi would have another conflict with the Empress Dowager…

Wen Ning’an looked at the spacious and luxurious bedchamber, the heavy scent of dragon’s saliva incense lingering in his nose, the dragon-carved golden pillars towering and domineering.

Beyond the bedchamber was a thick wall, and layer after layer of ancient palace walls deeply separated the inside of the palace from the outside, as if to imprison the people within, so high that it was suffocating.

Wen Ning’an dozed off for a while, but his sleepiness completely vanished. He got up, wanting to pour some water, but a group of servants immediately rushed over, took the tea set, and prepared good tea for him.

Just as Wen Ning’an was about to take the teacup, he felt a dampness and itch on his calf. He looked down and saw Xingxing nestled at his feet, acting coquettishly.

“Big brother…” Ah Bai stood by the door, half of his body showing, and said in a small voice, “I heard them say you were awake, and since His Majesty wasn’t here, I came…”

Wen Ning’an beckoned with a smile for Ah Bai to come to his side. “Silly child, come whenever you want.”

“Were you scared?”

Wen Ning’an saw Ah Bai nestled in his arms without speaking and stroked the top of his head.

“Mmm… afraid that big brother would disappear like mother…”

Liangliang jumped down from Ah Bai’s shoulder, imperiously stuck out a short, chubby leg to kick Xingxing away, and occupied the spot, nestling at Wen Ning’an’s feet.

And Xingxing, who had been kicked over, rolled on the ground a few times, then, after a dazed moment, came back to its senses. With an “awoo,” it bared its sharp claws, scraped the ground a few times, and pounced at Liangliang with a fierce look.

Liangliang didn’t even lift an eyelid or a paw, still maintaining its cold expression, but…

“Roar—”

With a roar from Liangliang, Xingxing, who had been charging forward like an unstoppable force, immediately tucked its tail between its legs and stopped abruptly, kneeling on the ground and letting out an aggrieved “awoo.”

Looking at Xingxing blinking its eyes, fawning and trying to please, Liangliang turned its head away in disdain.

What a disgrace to our family.

Wen Ning’an: “…”

Wen Ning’an helplessly picked up both little ones. Xingxing and Liangliang nestled in his arms, one on the left and one on the right, satisfied.

“General Wen…”

As they were fooling around, a young eunuch walked in respectfully and handed Wen Ning’an a letter. “Your letter, General. It was delivered by General Li while you were resting. It has been confirmed to be safe.”

Wen Ning’an shook his head. Li Huaisheng must have sent this letter early in the morning, but it had only just arrived at the bedchamber after passing through layers of inspection.

Li Huaisheng’s letter was just a few lines, saying that he would be leaving the capital today to return to the frontier. The implication was, one, an invitation for Wen Ning’an to see him off, and two, another inquiry: was Wen Ning’an really not going with him?

“The border city…” Wen Ning’an looked at the time mentioned in the letter. If he left now, he could just make it.

Wen Ning’an didn’t want to stay in this stuffy bedchamber. He took his outer robe and, holding the two little ones, prepared to leave.

“I’m going out for a bit. You stay here and do the homework I assigned you last time.”

Ah Bai said obediently, “Okay!”

“General Wen!” The young eunuch knelt down. “General… you are just recovering from a serious illness. His Majesty has ordered that you must rest well and not overexert yourself by walking around!”

“What did you call me?”

“General Wen… If this servant has offended you, I beg the General’s forgiveness!”

Wen Ning’an smiled. “Since you know I am a general and not a woman of the inner palace, you should know my body can handle it. There’s no need to stop me.”

With that, without waiting for the young eunuch’s reply, he walked out of the bedchamber.