Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Yinzhen looked at Geng Shuning with an intense gaze, his expression half-smiling as he glanced at her legs crossed.

"I see these legs of yours don't want to get better."

Geng Shuning detected the flirtatious threat in his tone but wasn't afraid at all. She was quite accustomed to the playful banter between a couple.

She drew circles on his dragon robe, "If you are willing to eat properly and rest well, I wouldn't mind staying in bed for three days and nights.

"But look at how thin you've become..." Geng Shuning challenged him with her eyes, her hand gently stroking Yinzhen's gaunt cheek.

"If I can't get out of bed... I'm afraid you'll bruise me."

Yinzhen: "..."

No man could withstand such a provocation.

He took a deep breath and reached out to pull over this little troublemaker, to show her what it meant to be uncomfortable.

Geng Shuning giggled and dodged his hand, "Alright, alright, do you want to hear about the important matters or not?"

Yinzhen lowered his head and bit her earlobe resentfully, "You're taking advantage of the fact that I care about you..."

If Geng Shuning hadn't been riding for ten days, with hardly any good skin left on her legs, even in his weakened state, he wouldn't have let her off.

Geng Shuning laughed as she hugged his waist.

The feeling of being spoiled was indeed wonderful, and she wanted to haggle further.

"If this plan works, you have to promise me to eat properly every day, rest on time, and put some meat back on."

Yinzhen's eyes softened, "Then you'll have to keep an eye on me."

As the atmosphere turned tender, Geng Shuning couldn't help but become more playful, her index finger lightly brushing Yinzhen's chin, a teasing expression on her face.

"Okay! First things first, you need to eat. Once you're full, you can serve this County Lady properly. If I'm satisfied... Ouch! I'm sorry, my bad~"

*

A few minutes later, Su Peisheng and Qiao He entered with people carrying lunch.

As they looked up, they saw the emperor's dragon robe wrinkled, his face dark as he leaned to the side.

Su Peisheng's eyes widened, was that... a footprint on the robe?

Geng Shuning's small two-bundle hairstyle was a mess, her cheeks flushed, her apricot eyes looking both charming and reproachful.

Qiao He stifled her laughter, the sitting posture of their mistress... it seemed not only her legs but also her backside were in bad shape.

But Su Peisheng and Qiao He exchanged a glance, unable to hide their amusement.

Though the two masters' expressions were fierce, and they seemed to be at odds, it strangely gave off a relaxed vibe, as if the air was filled with a sweet scent.

As expected, once the food was laid out, Yinzhen went over to help Geng Shuning up.

Geng Shuning hummed as she got up, then nestled against her boyfriend, feeding each other and sharing a bowl of soup in a cloying manner.

The display was too much for them to handle, and seeing that they weren't needed, they quietly withdrew with the servants who were feeling slightly unwell.

*

In the Mulan hunting grounds, the meals were predominantly meat-based.

Even though some mildly tonifying medicinal dishes were added to Yinzhen's diet to help him regain strength, there were still only a few scattered vegetables.

Yinzhen preferred a vegetarian diet and had a poor appetite.

Geng Shuning knew that urging a patient to eat often had the opposite effect. So, she stayed quiet.

Geng Shuning loved eating meat. She especially enjoyed tender and juicy grilled lamb chops, dipped in a sauce made from fresh fruits and a sugar syrup cooked with schisandra and evodia. It was sweet but not greasy, and she gobbled it down in big bites.

There was also lamb leg meat, marinated with layers of honey, cumin, cloves, evodia, and ground pepper. The aroma could be smelled from miles away, drawing crowds of Mongolian tribespeople to the kitchen.

Geng Shuning used her hands to tear the meat into pieces and washed it down with a prepared drink of codonopsis and mint, savoring every bite.

Watching Geng Shuning eat for a while, Yinzhen actually began to feel hungry.

He ate some sauce-drenched lamb chops, a few steamed buns, and a clear chicken soup with gastrodia elata, its surface so smooth it looked like water. He ate so much that he was unusually full.

When Su Peisheng brought out the digestive tea, he was almost moved to tears, thinking he should bow down to Geng Shuning.

It was no secret how hard it was to get their master to eat properly.

Truthfully, the emperor wasn’t physically ill; he just didn’t eat or sleep well due to his constant focus on state affairs.

Once his eating and sleeping improved, given Yinzhen’s robust health at thirty, he’d soon be back in top shape.

*

After finishing lunch, Geng Shuning didn’t keep him guessing anymore.

She knew that if she didn’t clarify things, Yinzhen wouldn’t be able to rest even during his afternoon nap.

"You know the story of being surrounded on all sides, right?" Geng Shuning said, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Yinzhen. "Though we don’t know exactly where they’ll show up, you must have some idea of the general area, right?"

Seeing Yinzhen nod, Geng Shuning showed her small white teeth. "I heard from Qiao He that cowpox has spread among the common people, but many are still afraid to get inoculated because some people have strong reactions, which can be quite frightening."

The people on the lands of the Qing Dynasty hadn’t all been inoculated yet, let alone in the northern Mongolian regions.

Nomadic tribes would die in large numbers if infected because they constantly changed pastures, making the contagion even stronger.

"If you have the allied tribes get vaccinated and stir up trouble in areas where the Dzungar soldiers might appear..."

Yinzhen stood up abruptly. Without waiting for Geng Shuning to finish, he could already guess how to capture those 3,000 soldiers in one fell swoop.

Once the seed of mischief was planted, it spread easily, especially with a meticulous emperor like Yinzhen.

He leaned over, pinched Geng Shuning's chin, and gave her a hard kiss on her parted lips.

"You truly are my lucky star!"

With that, Yinzhen immediately got up and walked out. "You rest first, I'm going out for a bit."

Watching Yinzhen stride out, Geng Shuning wiped the corner of her mouth, feeling helpless.

It was the hottest time in the afternoon, and that dog was being so particular, buttoning up his imperial robe tightly.

He didn’t even think about his own health. It was still quite hot on the grasslands, and he would probably feel uncomfortable when he returned.

There was no way she could rest now.

But Geng Shuning wouldn’t stop him. Wasn’t she a fan of Fourth Master precisely because of his diligence and dedication?

A good girlfriend and future empress wouldn’t just be fun-loving; she’d also offer reliable support when needed.

Geng Shuning took Qiao He to the kitchen, where the peppermint cold cake and citron tea jelly were being prepared.

*

Yinzhen hurriedly took Yunxiang out on the pretext of hunting. They rode out and returned with their cheeks flushed red from the sun, but their spirits were brighter than usual.

Three days later, Yinzhen, citing health issues, returned to the Chengde Summer Palace to recuperate and ordered Yunqi to take charge of entertaining the Mongol tribes and continuing the hunt.

Yunqi, raised by the Empress Dowager of Khorchin origin, was much closer to the Mongols than Yinzhen, so no one found it inappropriate.

Meanwhile, Yunxiang discreetly led the Tusheet Khan, leader of the Khalkha tribe, to lie in wait near the water pond by the drill field.

According to the message sent by Suri, the 3,000 Dzungar soldiers intended to sneak through the hunting ground's forest. This could easily cause alarm during the tribal hunting event.

On the other hand, the drill field, near the Kharachin Right Banner of Northern Mongolia—a tribe belonging to the Jostu League that was friendly with the Western Dzungars—would be easier to pass through.

*

Tseling indeed had his soldiers hidden deep in the Kharachin grassland.

He learned from the message sent by the crown prince's advisor that the Qing emperor had returned to the Summer Palace due to physical weakness, leaving only a prince to entertain the Mongol tribes at the hunting ground.

His ambitions had indeed changed as Yinzhen had anticipated.

Tseling's subordinates were even more excited.

"Khan, this is a great opportunity to attack the Khalkha!"

"By inflicting significant damage on the Khalkha and seizing their cattle, women, and horses, they will never dare to compete with us for grassland again. The Torghut tribe, with no escape route, will surely submit to the leader!"

As the eldest son of Tsewang Rabtan, Tseling was not only exceptionally brave but also more adept at strategy than the average Mongol.

After carefully studying the topographic map obtained from the crown prince's advisor for a long time, he finally made a decision—

"Good! The palace has four gates, with the middle and north gates being the most heavily guarded. We will attack from the east and west sides. We won't need 3,000 men!"

"Lakshin and Suri will each lead 500 men, entering the forest from both sides of the hunting ground to ambush the Tusheet Khan. Morigen, you will lead 1,000 men westward, avoiding the Chahar, to seize the Khalkha's belongings and head straight to Yili to deliver supplies to Abu!"

"The rest will follow me to kill the Great Qing Khan!"

Suri glanced nervously. That night, under the pretense of urinating by the river, he tapped the ground lightly with his foot and quietly sang a Mongolian tune.

Lakshin, who was keeping an eye on him, waited until Suri lay back down in the low tent and found nothing amiss before returning to sleep.

No one noticed the reed stalk floating down the river, and by that night, Tseling's plan was delivered to Yunxiang's desk.

Yunxiang felt uneasy. The emperor had anticipated that Tseling would make a move on the hunting ground and the Summer Palace but hadn't expected Tseling to have a bigger appetite, not even sparing the Khalkha.

He was responsible for overseeing the Summer Palace, and if the Tusheet Khan tribe returned to aid the Khalkha, there would be no one to hold the fort at the hunting ground.

Following the contingency plan discussed with the emperor, Yunxiang approached Yunqi, asking him to take charge of capturing the Dzungar soldiers at the hunting ground.

Yunqi was reluctant. "The emperor's well-being is of utmost importance. Shouldn't we guard the Summer Palace? Let the Northern Mongols deal with the Dzungars themselves."

Yunxiang pointed out Yunqi's thoughts. "Are you thinking that if something happens to the emperor, you can send the news back to the capital as quickly as possible?"

Yunqi flew into a rage. "So, Yunxiang, is that how you see me? Only you are loyal to Fourth Brother?"

"If you don't trust me, why involve me at all?"

Yunxiang sneered. "Do you dare say you have no intention of siding with Ninth Brother against Fourth Brother?"

Yunqi's face turned red. "He's my younger brother. Is it wrong for me to support him?"

"Helping Ninth will only harm him!" Yunxiang's expression turned even colder.

"If you can defeat the Dzungar soldiers, Fourth Brother will definitely remember this merit. When you become a prince, only with military achievements can you save Ninth's life!"

Yunqi subconsciously retorted, "If I could take down the Dzungars, would I still be listening to you here?"

He had been deprived of the possibility of competing for the throne since childhood and had no ambition to rise. The Dzungars were known for their bravery, so what could he do by taking charge?

If they fought desperately, he might end up staying in the hunting ground as a wandering spirit. Yunqi thought Yunxiang was trying to harm him.

Only then did Yunxiang smile. "I knew you were afraid of the Dzungars."

Yunqi angrily threw a punch at him. "You're talking nonsense—"

"Fifth Brother, how about we make a bet?" Yunxiang caught Yunqi's less-than-forceful fist, his eyes burning as he looked at him.

"Royal Brother has a plan that can completely destroy the Dzungar forces this time and even capture Tseling. You only need to stay in the rear and show our empire's stance."

"Do you want this merit or not?"

Yunqi hesitated. "What are we betting on?"

*

"Let's bet that he will stop following Ninth's nonsense and persuade Empress Yi to keep Guo Luoluo in line." Yinzhen was also discussing this matter while comforting Geng Shuning.

Geng Shuning chose a comfortable position in his arms and asked with great interest,

"I've heard that Empress Yi dotes on the Ninth Prince the most. Would she listen to Prince Heng?"

Yinzhen, having appreciated Geng Shuning's unique approach to dealing with the Dzungars earlier, was willing to let her know more insider information.

He lightly laughed and pinched Geng Shuning's cheek. "How about we make a bet too?"

Geng Shuning raised an eyebrow. "What are we betting on?"

"Let's bet that Empress Yi will listen to Fifth Brother," Yinzhen said quietly, tempting the little darling in his arms.

"If I win, you'll become my Imperial Attendant and return to the palace with me. If I lose, you can stay at your estate and enjoy another year of freedom."

Geng Shuning puffed her cheeks and looked up at him. "Even without the bet, I don't have to enter the palace now, right? You promised me before, and now you're tricking me again!"

Damn him!

Yinzhen looked down at her. "I don't want to hear about you... from others anymore."

When Yinzhen heard that Geng Shuning had fallen off a cliff and only her remains were found, everything in front of him turned grey, and he couldn't even read the words on the memorials.

He had always thought that the Qing Dynasty was the most important thing in his heart.

But when he realized Geng Shuning might no longer be there, nothing else seemed important.

This little fox was right; the people are paramount, while the ruler is secondary. The citizens are the foundation of the empire.

And she was the most irreplaceable citizen under this empire for him.

Geng Shuning felt sweet inside. She had managed to turn Fourth Master into a lovesick fool; she felt incredibly proud, haha...

But Geng Shuning, who hated losing, still refused to take a bet she was sure to lose.

She thoughtfully guessed her lover's intentions. "Do you plan to have Prince Heng take Empress Yi into his residence for her retirement after the retired emperor passes away?"

Yinzhen's breath hitched, "Did you also see this in your dream?"

He always felt that this little fox was his soulmate, because she always brought up what he was thinking before he could.

Geng Shuning hummed, "I don't remember, but I think for Imperial Consort, family and her own later years should be the most important."

"But I don't understand, why would Lady Guo Luoluo support the Ninth Prince?" she asked Yinzhen.

"The Imperial Consort listens to Prince Heng regarding her retirement plans. Can the Guo Luoluo clan truly follow Prince Heng?" Yinzhen smiled, "Actually, Guo Luoluo is not supporting the Ninth Prince, she's supporting the Crown Prince."

Because the Imperial Consort, who was once the Consort De, had a rivalry with the Empress Dowager, and he, as the emperor, had been enemies with Yunxiang since childhood.

With no hope left, she bound her family to the Ninth Prince to protect her son's life and aim for the merit of supporting the dragon's rise.

Yinzhen had Yunxiang win over Yunqi, knowing that if the Guo Luoluo clan saw hope for advancement, they would not follow the Ninth Prince in causing trouble.

Without Geng Shuning's ingenious plan to easily capture Tseling, Yinzhen wouldn't have planned so far ahead, using this to make Yunqi truly submit.

Of course, more importantly, Yunqi would know whose idea this was.

He won over Yunqi, who might not understand why.

But if the Fifth Prince talked to the Imperial Consort, with her intelligence, she would naturally know who he was paving the way for, and would seize this opportunity to protect her son and her family.

This little fox, though full of tricks, still lacked knowledge of the palace rules and the foundation to stand firm in the palace.

The path to power that the Ulanara clan rejected, offering it to the Guo Luoluo clan was acceptable, as long as it helped this little fox stay by his side.

But there was no need to tell Geng Shuning all this; she would understand gradually in the future.

He turned over and held Geng Shuning as they lay down, "Go to sleep; in a few days, we’ll be back in the capital."

Yinzhen and Yunxiang, along with Minister of War Guanyinbao and Minister of Punishments Chen Tingjing, had long been prepared.

*

Two days later, Yunqi and Chen Tingjing ambushed and defeated a thousand Dzungar soldiers led by Lakshen and Suri at the hunting grounds.

Three days later, Yunxiang, in cooperation with Guanyinbao, captured Tseling, and Guanyinbao personally escorted him to Qinghai to be handed over to Yun Tí for negotiations with Tsewang Rabtan.

Five days later, as Yinzhen departed for the capital, he received the submission and warm farewell from various Mongol tribes, and learned that a thousand men had been slaughtered on the way from Morigen to Khalkha.

Ever since that day at the hunting grounds, Yunqi had been alternating between shock and disbelief.

On the way back, he sat wide-eyed in Yunxiang's carriage, pestering him with questions.

"No, when did you inoculate those cows? You scared the hell out of me!"

"Why didn’t you tell me earlier about using smallpox to scare people? If you had said capturing people was this easy, why would we have argued!"

"Whose idea was this? It’s pretty cunning..."

Yunxiang, annoyed by the constant pestering, blocked Yunqi's mouth with a teacup, "Fifth Brother, who are you yelling at? If the old master knew, he'd skin you alive!"

Seeing that Yunqi still wasn't going to stop his chatter, Yunxiang lowered his eyes to hide the gleam in his eyes, pretending to be helpless and nodding.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you, alright? Later on, don't let it slip."

Yunxiang moved close to Yunqi's ear, pointed to the imperial carriage, and whispered a few words to him.

Yunqi widened his eyes. "Sui Ning, the lay nun? Wasn't it said that she fell off a cliff...?"

"I think you should watch your mouth," Yunxiang glared at him. "If you still want to save the ninth prince, go ask Lady Yi. Lady Yi knows what to do."

*

When the royal procession returned to the capital, it coincided with the first snowfall of the season in the city.

Actually, as soon as they passed Shun Prefecture, light snow had already begun to fall.

Hearing Qiao He's report outside, Geng Shuning lifted the curtain and took a glance. The snow looked like tiny grains of salt.

She suddenly remembered the first snowfall from the previous year. Back then, she had still been avoiding Yinzhen and had missed the most important moment.

Letting the curtain fall, she pounced on Yinzhen, who was reviewing documents, from behind, hugging him and urging him to look at the snow.

"Do you know, my lord? I’ve seen it in my dreams. They say that couples kissed by the first snowfall will be blessed by the heavens!"

Yinzhen calmly steadied her with his hand, put down the document stained with cinnabar, helplessly stood up, and carried her around the screen to the bed behind.

He also remembered the events from the previous year and teased Geng Shuning. "The heavens granted your wish during the first snowfall. Now you want it to manage your love life? The heavens must be quite busy on snowy days."

Geng Shuning was amused and laughed, pretending to be serious as she hugged him, tipped her toes, and pouted her lips towards him.

"My lord is the Son of Heaven, shouldn't you help old man Tian out a little?"

For an entire month, Geng Shuning watched Yinzhen eat and drink.

Compared to when she first saw him in Chengde, so thin and frail, Yinzhen had gained some weight, which gave her a great sense of accomplishment.

Yinzhen hadn't stopped practicing martial arts either. Geng Shuning, when pinned down at night, felt it was much more comfortable than before, and often found excuses to take advantage of him.

Because of how affectionate they were, Su Peisheng and Qiao He usually kept their distance, finding it quite unbearable to watch.

Hearing Geng Shuning's coquettish sounds, Yinzhen thought she was in the mood again, and a fire rose in his heart.

In the past, he wasn't too fond of that kind of thing, but now, for some reason, this fox easily stirred his emotions every time.

In short, he was very willing to cooperate.

With a smile, Yinzhen asked, "Tell me, what is it you want to do now?"

Pausing, and thinking of the thing she had been reluctant to agree to, Yinzhen's deep gaze turned dangerous.

"Don’t make a wish to avoid returning to the palace with me."

Geng Shuning secretly rolled her eyes. She hadn't made a bet with him, so why couldn't she bring it up?

But the wish she wanted to make wasn't about that. There was something she had been holding in for a long time.

"I want to make a wish and ask you three questions. You must swear on my life to tell me the truth!"

Yinzhen frowned. "Nonsense—"

Geng Shuning twisted to interrupt his scolding. "Oh! It won't be anything that puts you in a difficult spot, my lord. Just promise me on this first snowfall day!"

Yinzhen refused to make such an oath, keeping a stern face. "Your wish is granted. I will not lie."

Geng Shuning blinked, tightening her grip on his hand, feeling a strange pang in her heart.

This man had once sworn an oath using the fate of half the Qing Dynasty, yet he wouldn’t swear on her life. Was this... love?

She rested her head against his chest and softly asked the first question, "The first time you were with Tong Siya, did you think she was Consort Xi?"

Yinzhen was taken aback, frowning deeper as he recalled the confusion from that night.

"Why do you ask?"

Geng Shuning didn't look up and, emboldened, patted him while still in his embrace.

"Answer me!"

Yinzhen's Adam's apple bobbed, and he turned his head to look at the carriage curtain, his voice slightly uneasy.

"That day, I saw you in a court dress with cloud patterns, and Tong Siya wore the same outfit when she arrived."

Geng Shuning followed up, "That night in the Qianqing Palace, did you favor Consort Qi?"

Yinzhen roughly understood what was going on and tapped her head.

"County Princess Sui Ning is quite formidable, even managing to get hold of the court records!"

Seeing Geng Shuning's silence, Yinzhen, though slightly embarrassed, answered helplessly.

"I wouldn't be with a consort in my father's palace. Li Shi is Huai Ge and Hong Yun's mother. I could punish her for overstepping, but I have to show her some respect."

Geng Shuning lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest, her clear, black-and-white eyes fixed on Yinzhen's, meeting his gaze.

"One last question—people say you're full of energy when you're with consorts, so why does the record say otherwise?"

If it weren’t for the eunuch Geng Jia De Jin sent to her, delivering the court records, Geng Shuning would never have known.

Tong Siya, Niuheru Jingyi, and Garudai, in fact, each only attended to him once.

Each time water was called three times, only the first was for the consort’s post-favor washing; the other two times... were for him.

If he hated intimacy so much, why did her words make his eyes burn with desire?

Yinzhen certainly couldn't accept Geng Shuning's provocation and narrowed his eyes as he unfastened her clothes.

"Sui Ning, I’ll give you one more chance to watch your words."

Geng Shuning grabbed his hand. "I want to know why you were with them, and why you don’t need extra water when we’re together..."

No, she didn’t want to know about him and other women.

She only wanted to know if she was the only variable, the indispensable love.

But she was a little afraid to ask.

Yinzhen leisurely peeled away the layers, dropping the curtain fixed on the imperial carriage, completely trapping the cunning, expectant, and anxious girl in his arms.

On the first snowy day, temptation ran wild, and he gave her a long, deep kiss that left her breathless.

In his labored breathing, Yinzhen finally answered her last question in a hoarse voice.

"Sui Ning, you are different from others, no one can compare to you..."

Ever since he came of age, he found intimate moments behind the curtains more tedious than enjoyable.

Attending to the harem wasn't entirely to please Geng Shuning; he had his responsibilities.

But the Tong family, Niuheru family, and Lady Suo were favored because of Geng Shuning, to reassure the Retired Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and to reassure her at the time.

What Yinzhen hadn't expected, and what Geng Shuning most wanted to know, was that from the first time she wet his clothes, he discovered that this act could also hold pure pleasure.

At that moment, he knew there wouldn't be anyone else.