Chapter 234: My days of dominance in the Marquis’s residence are over!

Chapter 234: My days of dominance in the Marquis's residence are over!

"Marquis Yongning, Xiao Huai, has personally slain Marshal Rouli and led his troops to repel the enemy by fifty li."

This statement returned the room to a deathly silence. The Emperor, standing behind the desk, first showed shock and disbelief, then his expression fluctuated unpredictably.

He looked at the people in the room again; Tang Shuyi and Duke Tang were both in shock, as were the Empress Dowager and Xie Boyuan. His eyelids drooped slightly, all of them were masters of deception!

And after the shock, Tang Shuyi lowered his head with a deep frown.

Damn! My days of dominance in the Marquis's residence are numbered!

After the Emperor recovered from his shock and a multitude of thoughts, he finally asked the messenger, "Wasn't Marquis Yongning already... When did he return to the army?"

The messenger took out a letter from his bosom and presented it with both hands, saying, "The Marquis returned to the army twenty days ago, and on the second day, he led a surprise attack on the Rouli army, capturing Marshal Rouli and repelling the enemy by fifty li. When I left the northwest, the Marquis was still leading his troops towards the Rouli capital."

"Excellent!"

The Emperor couldn't help but praise aloud. His greatest regret at the time of the late Emperor's death was not conquering the Rouli nation. The late Emperor had told him that if he could bring Rouli under the rule of Daqian, he would be a great monarch.

Before Xiao Huai's supposed demise, he had always believed that conquering Rouli Kingdom was not a difficult task. However, after his death, he thought he would never be able to fulfill the late Emperor's last wish. Unexpectedly, fortune took a turn; Xiao Huai returned from the dead and caught Rouli Kingdom completely off guard.

Even more, there's a strong possibility that Xiao Huai might conquer Rouli Kingdom in one fell swoop.

The Emperor's heart swelled with pride at this moment. His hands trembled as he tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Unfolding it, the strong and vigorous handwriting was unmistakably Xiao Huai's.

He read each word carefully. Xiao Huai wrote that three years ago, he had been ambushed by a traitor and fell into the river. Swept away by the fierce current, he was presumed dead, but a villager from Rouli Kingdom had saved him.

He recuperated in the villager's home, and once he had recovered, he ran into Rouli Kingdom's army conscripting young men. He was captured and conscripted. Fortunately, he was initially sent to the southwestern border of Rouli Kingdom, where the soldiers did not recognize him. His disguise helped him remain at the southwestern border for two years.

During those two years, he rose from a soldier to a regimental commander. Then, when Rouli Kingdom's army was reorganized, he was transferred to the northwest. After spending more than a year there, he mastered the defensive layout and military key points of Rouli's northwest army and secretly made his way back to the northwest army of Da Qian...

The Emperor was flooded with emotion, yet felt an oppressive heaviness in his heart. Xiao Huai had been presumed dead for three years and yet could still command the northwestern army. What did that indicate? It meant that the northwestern army was entirely loyal to Xiao Huai.

His heart was incredibly conflicted at the moment. He wished for Xiao Huai to be alive, to bring Rouli Kingdom under Da Qian's fold. But he also wished for Xiao Huai's death, as Xiao Huai posed a significant threat to him.

Now that Xiao Huai was alive and had established significant military achievements, so...

He turned to Xiao Yuming with a softer expression, "The death of Jingming is indeed full of oddities; let the Ministry of Justice investigate. Although Xiao Yuming is a suspect, there is no evidence to prove that he killed Jingming. There’s no need for imprisonment."

Tang Shuyi and the Duke of Tang hurriedly bowed in gratitude, "We thank Your Majesty for your magnanimity."

Xiao Yuming also bowed, saying, "I thank Your Majesty for your magnanimity."

The Emperor stepped away from his desk and bent down to lift the Duke of Tang, saying, "My dear subject, I am heartbroken over the loss of my son, this heart of mine..."

"I understand," the Duke of Tang quickly replied, "Your Majesty, please take comfort."

The Emperor's eyes brimmed with tears, "Although Jingming was disappointing, I loved him for many years, and now..."

The Duke of Tang offered more consolation, advising the Emperor to take care of his health. The Emperor then gestured for everyone to leave. Tang Shuyi approached Xiao Yuming, bent down to untie him, and then left the imperial study.

The group exited the palace in silence. The Duke of Tang and Tang Shuyi offered their gratitude to Xie Boyuan, the Grand General, and the Empress Dowager, who all dismissed the thanks as unnecessary.

The palace was not the place for detailed conversation, so after bidding each other farewell, they each went their separate ways. The Duke of Tang had arrived in a carriage, which Tang Shuyi and Xiao Yuming now boarded.

"Did Xiao Huai ever send you any messages before?" the Duke of Tang asked.

Tang Shuyi shook her head, "No."

Her mind was in turmoil. Xiao Huai wasn't dead. How would she live her days from now on?

"Regardless, being alive is a blessing. Your days ahead should be easier."

Tang Guogong was naturally delighted that Xiao Huai had not perished, yet there was an undercurrent of discomfort. The man hadn’t died and was still capable of leading troops; why couldn’t he have sent word home? His daughter had nearly lost her life grieving for him.

"I understand," said Tang Shuyi, "the pressing matter now is to uncover who murdered the Second Prince."

As for Xiao Huai, who had returned from the dead, they would take it one step at a time. If they could coexist peacefully, they would live separately but amicably. If not, whether to divorce or separate, the choice would be his.

Upon reflection, the sudden proposal of marriage from the Xie family might have been due to their knowledge that Xiao Huai was still alive. Perhaps, it was even possible that Xiao Huai had agreed to the alliance.

Hah!

Capable of leading troops and negotiating marriages, yet incapable of sending a message home to announce his survival. The original “Tang Shuyi” had nearly died of longing.

"I've already ordered a search within a ten-mile radius around West Mountain for clues. Hopefully, we'll find something," Tang Shuyi added.

Tang Guogong grunted in acknowledgment, "Even without results, the Emperor still needs Xiao Huai and won't lay a hand on you. As for the future..."

Tang Guogong scoffed, "Xiao Huai is in the prime of his life, while that one..."

The implication was clear without further words: Xiao Huai could simply outlive the Emperor. But would the Emperor, facing his end, lash out against Xiao Huai and the House of Yongning?

At this thought, Tang Shuyi’s brow furrowed slightly. Could Xiao Huai be seeking an alliance with the Xie family as a precaution against the Emperor’s potential retribution? A noble house with military power allied with a deeply rooted clan was enough to make any Emperor wary, as they could easily revolt if displeased.

Suddenly, she too fancied the idea of an alliance. What to do?

Turning to her second son, by appearances, he was well-matched with the second Miss Xie, but she wondered if they could get along, if there could be mutual affection?

Sighing inwardly, she dismissed the thought. As much as she wanted to see the Emperor frustrated, even dead, she couldn't sacrifice her child’s marital happiness. Tang Shuyi suppressed the idea of arranging a marriage for Xiao Yuming.

Feeling her gaze, Xiao Yuming became nervous, stammering, “Mother, I... I really wasn’t reckless this time. I knew I couldn't kill him in front of everyone.”

Tang Shuyi replied, "Mother knows, it was Li Jingming who deserved to die."

Although she said this, Xiao Yuming still slumped his shoulders, feeling manipulated. After a pause, he said, "Mother, since father isn’t dead, I want to go to the northwest. I wish to experience the battlefield."

"No," Tang Shuyi stated without hesitation. "If it were before, I wouldn’t stop you. But now the Emperor’s intent to kill you is very clear. Today he can’t kill you openly, who knows if he would act in secret? We can’t take that risk."