Chapter 37: As long as Your Majesty agrees, I will let him go…

Chapter 37: As long as Your Majesty agrees, I will let him go...

It started snowing lightly again.

When Cheng Yian stepped out of the carriage, a flurry of snowflakes, sharp with cold, struck her face, causing her to cough twice. She pulled her cloak tighter and glanced toward the entrance.

The gates to the princess's estate were shut tight.

The guards sent by Princess Minglan immediately stepped forward to knock on the door. Hearing a familiar voice, the gatekeeper hurried to open the door and saw Ru Lan helping Cheng Yian, who was standing in the biting wind. Without further questioning, he swiftly ushered them inside.

"Come on in, Madam."

The gatekeeper, upon hearing the news, also hurried over to greet her. Seeing the worry in Cheng Yian's expression, he asked, "Madam, is there an urgent matter?"

Princess Minglan was still asleep. If it was urgent, they would inform her, but no one dared to disturb her rest otherwise.

From the gatekeeper's thoughtful look, Cheng Yian surmised that Princess Minglan was still in bed.

"It's not urgent. Is Her Highness still resting?"

"Yes, Her Highness listened to music late last night and hasn't risen yet."

Cheng Yian steadied herself and said, "Could you let me wait in the hall, please? I will wait until Her Highness wakes up before making any announcements."

The gatekeeper agreed on the surface and led her to a side hall to wait, but he didn't dare to be careless.

Given Cheng Yian's temperament, she wouldn't come to Princess Minglan's residence unless something serious had happened. If it involved Cheng Mingyu and he delayed, it would be a grave mistake.

After settling Cheng Yian, he quickly relayed the message to the steward in the council hall, who promptly instructed someone to inform the female official.

Hearing the news, the female official peeked quietly into the inner chamber. The curtains didn't budge, and there was no sign of Princess Minglan waking up. Not wanting to disturb her, she informed the steward,

"Take Madam to the back courtyard first."

This was Cheng Yian's first time visiting the rear hall of Princess Minglan's residence. The five-bay building with a gabled roof was built to the highest architectural standards, covered in golden glazed tiles. The opulent corridors, along with the intricately painted caisson ceilings within the brackets, everywhere exuding the majesty of the royal family.

A familiar female official stood waiting at the entrance. Cheng Yian gave her a nod, and the female official gestured toward the inner chamber with a curtsy.

Stepping past the grand and ornate screen, they stepped into the eastern side chamber. This wasn't your average side chamber found in typical homes. Hanging from above were various palace lanterns, and the space was enormous. Several huanghuali wood partitions split the eastern side chamber into three smaller sections. Beside the partitions stood large antique shelves, displaying a variety of exquisite antiques, showcasing the opulence.

The walls were adorned with numerous paintings and calligraphy pieces. There were delicate court paintings, grand mountain travel scenes, and expansive landscape paintings, all demonstrating the artists' exceptional skill and mastery. However, the presence of so many diverse styles in one room felt somewhat discordant.

The female official noticed her confusion and whispered softly in her ear, "These are all early works of Cheng Mingyu."

Cheng Yian understood. In his early years, her father was renowned for his talent, and many of his works had circulated. Later, it was said that Princess Minglan had purchased them at high prices, after which he stopped creating.

Though Cheng Yian tried to hide her emotions, the female official, having served Princess Minglan for years, was adept at reading people. She sensed that Cheng Yian's visit was unusual and hurried to the inner chamber.

At that moment, Princess Minglan was also awakened by the commotion outside.

Frowning, she asked, "Who is outside?"

She had suffered from an illness in her early years and had since struggled to sleep well. Therefore, when she was resting, not even a mosquito dared to disturb her.

The female official calmly stepped forward to assist her in rising, "Your Highness, Miss An An has arrived."

Princess Minglan was momentarily stunned but quickly said,

"Bring her in at once."

The female official personally drew back the curtain, letting Cheng Yian into the inner chamber.

Princess Minglan's bedroom featured a massive, intricately carved bed, as big as a regular room. To the west was a dressing table, and to the east stood a wooden cabinet inlaid with eight treasures. As the layers of curtains were drawn aside, Princess Minglan was seen leaning against a pillow at the head of the bed, her black hair spread over half her body, her face still showing morning tiredness.

"Why have you come to seek me so early in the morning?" she asked, her tone was like a caring elder's, full of affection and a touch of reproach.

Perhaps because she had not yet dressed, Princess Minglan appeared no different from an ordinary woman at this moment, lacking her usual sharpness or stubbornness.

With a room full of servants comfortably serving her, she should have been the freest person in the world. Yet, in her past life, she had gone mad after her father's death, leading to a lonely and hard life.

She should not have met such an end.

Cheng Yian's thoughts were all jumbled up, and tears filled her eyes as she rushed to her.

"Your Highness!"

Princess Minglan was taken aback by the sudden hug, clearly shocked.

She had never been embraced before. Her mother had died early, and her father had died before she grew up. Her stepmother, the Empress Dowager, wasn't close to her. Although she was the only princess of the Great Jin Dynasty, she had grown up in the palace with many ups and downs. No one had taught her how to behave, and her two elder brothers had spoiled her, making her willful and capricious.

Even later, when she had a consort who was very submissive in private, he never dared to hug her.

And now, Cheng Yian had hugged her.

The warmth, mixed with the scent of a young girl, wrapped around her, intoxicating and calming. Is this what a hug feels like?

But Princess Minglan's daze didn't last long. She quickly pushed Cheng Yian away and, seeing her tear-streaked face, demanded angrily,

"Who has wronged you? Was it Lu Xusheng? Or someone else?"

Her tone implied that if Cheng Yian named anyone, she would deal with them right away.

Cheng Yian shook her head, tears streaming down her face, slowly standing up and wiping her face, embarrassed. "No one, I just had a nightmare..."

A nightmare, and she had come crying to the Princess's residence to complain?

Princess Minglan had never noticed before that Cheng Yian could be so childish.

It was good for a child to depend on her. Princess Minglan had never raised a child and had little experience, but she found it quite amusing.

"Well, then tell me, what was the nightmare? Who wronged you in the dream? I'll settle the score with them!"

Cheng Yian couldn't help but laugh at her words, but then, remembering her purpose, she composed herself and shook her head.

"No one wronged me. It was just that the nightmare was about my father."

Princess Minglan paused, and all traces of teasing vanished from her face, replaced by solemnity. She glanced at the female official, who immediately led all the servants out of the room, leaving only the two of them. Princess Minglan then asked Cheng Yian seriously,

"What dream?"

Anything related to Cheng Mingyu, even a dream, was enough to make Princess Minglan take it seriously.

Cheng Yian was filled with guilt but had no other choice. She clenched her teeth and said,

"Do you know that the court has decided to send my father to Jiangnan at the beginning of the year to suppress the powerful families?"

Nothing concerning Cheng Mingyu could be hidden from Princess Minglan. She nodded without hesitation, "Yes."

Cheng Yian anxiously said, "By coincidence, the night before this decision was made, I had a bizarre dream. I dreamed that my father, due to overwork in Jiangnan, contracted a lung disease and passed away a year after returning to the capital."

Princess Minglan's heart plummeted, "Is that true?"

At this moment, she felt like an old matriarch, sensing that this dream was a bad omen, a dire omen.

Without needing Cheng Yian to say more, she immediately called for the female official to help her wash and dress.

Cheng Yian watched as five or six people busily attended to Princess Minglan, standing by, unable to help.

Princess Minglan's expression was stern, and she did not utter a word.

The palace attendants were all extremely disciplined; despite the busyness, not a sound was heard.

As long as it did not involve Cheng Mingyu, the entire Princess's residence was as strict as it gets.

Cheng Yian stood not far behind Princess Minglan, seeing through the bronze mirror the sorrow and barely contained ferocity in her eyes.

After her father's death in her previous life, Princess Minglan must have been like this.

After fifteen minutes, Princess Minglan was properly dressed and ordered the female official, "Tell Steward Chen to report to the palace gate that I have urgent matters to discuss with His Majesty."

After speaking, she smoothed her long sleeves and said to Cheng Yian,

"Wait for my message at the residence."

Cheng Yian saw her off, and as Princess Minglan reached the steps, she suddenly turned back, gazing at her intently,

"An An, thank you for telling me, otherwise, if something really happened to your father, I fear I would lose my mind."

Cheng Yian was stunned.

In her past life, hadn't she indeed gone mad?

Then, without a second's delay, Princess Minglan immediately headed to the Donghua Gate.

Princess Minglan seldom sought an audience with the emperor, and whenever she did, it was always concerning Cheng Mingyu.

Therefore, Eunuch Wu, the steward of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, was always afraid when he saw her.

But he dared not be careless and immediately reported to the emperor.

In the past, the emperor would have preferred not to see Princess Minglan, always trying to avoid her whenever possible.

Over the years, Princess Minglan's obsession with Cheng Mingyu had caused the emperor a great deal of trouble. For example, some time ago, a court official had a fierce argument with Cheng Mingyu in court, and because he pointed at Cheng Mingyu's nose and spat on him, he was later dragged out of his residence by Princess Minglan's people and publicly flogged a hundred times.

The emperor had to exert a great deal of effort to calm the situation.

Such incidents were all too common.

Therefore, the emperor always got a headache whenever he saw Princess Minglan.

Today was different. In the court, Lu Xusheng had gathered forces targeting Cheng Mingyu, insisting on removing him from his position. The emperor, troubled by their arguments, immediately found an excuse to leave the court and return to his study upon hearing that Princess Minglan had arrived.

Princess Minglan, in full regalia, knelt in the center of the study, her skirt spread out on the floor, her posture upright, her expression calm.

The emperor was startled by her demeanor, walked around her, and stood by the imperial desk, glancing at her,

"What are you doing?"

Princess Minglan lowered her eyes and bowed respectfully,

"Your Majesty, I have a matter to present to you."

The emperor gave her a suspicious look for a moment, then sat down behind the imperial desk and asked, "What is it?"

Princess Minglan first glanced up at him, noticing his displeased expression, and countered,

"Brother, what is troubling you?"

The emperor never shared matters concerning Cheng Mingyu with Princess Minglan, so he brushed it off casually and asked again, "What is your business?"

Princess Minglan then stated her purpose, "Your Majesty, I heard that you have ordered Cheng Mingyu to go south to suppress the powerful local clans. I find this inappropriate and request that you revoke the order."

The emperor nearly jumped from his dragon throne,

"Why are you interfering in this?"

Princess Minglan, however, remained calm and analyzed,

"Your Majesty, Cheng Mingyu may appear to be an excellent choice, but in truth, he is not. He is older and exhausts himself striving for perfection in everything. This journey could drain him physically and mentally, risking his health. If something happened to him, Your Majesty, imagine the chaos that would follow in the court."

If Cheng Mingyu were to die, the various unruly forces in the court would no longer be restrained, and it is likely that the noble families would stir up trouble again. The Wang family might seize the opportunity, leading to a fierce conflict between you and the crown prince.

However, the emperor wasn’t easily convinced. After all, this was only a possibility, and a slim one at that.

Moreover, Cheng Mingyu looked to be just over thirty, in better shape than the emperor himself. What could possibly happen to him?

In essence, Princess Minglan simply cared for him deeply and didn’t want to see Cheng Mingyu suffer.

"By your logic, should I issue an edict today for Cheng Mingyu to retire and live out his days in peace?"

Princess Minglan thought seriously for a moment and replied, "That isn’t entirely unreasonable."

The emperor was livid.

Why was everyone going after Cheng Mingyu?

First, there was the unruly Lu Xusheng, and now the even more reckless Princess Minglan.

The emperor sat sternly on his dragon throne and said, "You may leave. I won’t allow you to meddle in state affairs."

Princess Minglan, unfazed by the emperor’s reaction, calmly replied,

"Your Majesty, keep Cheng Mingyu in the capital to oversee the court, and let me go south to survey the lands in his place."

Princess Minglan first considered accompanying Cheng Mingyu but knew he wouldn’t agree, so she settled for the next best option.

The emperor thought she was being ridiculous,

"You? Even though you are the reigning princess with some authority, those powerful clans aren’t easily managed. After all, you’ve been raised in the palace, lacking the skills and experience to handle their schemes."

Princess Minglan had already gathered all the necessary information before coming and immediately presented her proposal,

"I’ll go with Lu Xusheng. I’ll use my royal status to keep the powerful clans in check, letting Lu Xusheng handle matters more effectively."

The emperor went quiet for a moment.

He knew sending Lu Xusheng south would benefit him more, but he was also concerned that Lu Xusheng, being young and impetuous, might take extreme measures and provoke the powerful clans, leading to the opposite effect. However, with Princess Minglan there—one playing the tough role and the other the soft—the situation would change entirely.

For the first time, the emperor found this proposal a bit tempting.

Seeing that the emperor was already showing signs of wavering, Princess Minglan immediately pulled out her ace.

"As long as Your Majesty agrees not to send Cheng Mingyu south, from now on, I will never bother him again."

A strong wind blew through the cracks of the imperial study's window frames, lifting the hem of Princess Minglan's billowing gown. She looked like the Goddess of Mercy sitting on a lotus throne, her expression serene and unmoved, neither sad nor joyful.

The emperor looked at her in complete disbelief, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Minglan... do you really mean this?"

It was well known that the censorate submitted dozens of memorials daily, if not more, denouncing Princess Minglan. Cheng Mingyu, to avoid her, would skip places and banquets he could avoid, and even the emperor himself had handled countless issues for her.

And now, she was ready to let go.

The emperor could hardly believe it.

Thirty years. A thirty-year obsession, once deeply ingrained in one's bones, is like ripping out one's very bones to remove.

At this point, Princess Minglan's expression became distant, a faint smile on her face, as though lost in a dream.

"Yes, a gentleman's promise is as unbreakable as a promise set in stone. Though I am not a gentleman, I still stand by my word. If you grant my request, I will let him go from now on..."

She knew that without offering a compelling offer, her brother would not agree.

The emperor looked at her forlorn expression and remained silent for a long time.

Thinking of how she had spent thirty years pining for a man she could never have, and now, for his sake, she was choosing to let go, the emperor felt a mix of pity and sadness.

Did Cheng Mingyu know about her struggles?

Even if he did, what good would it do? They were never meant to be.

However, the emperor was relieved to see that Minglan was finally willing to let go.

"You can go now. I will carefully consider your proposal."

The emperor watched as Princess Minglan walked away, his gaze lingering on the grand administrative complex in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The eunuch, noticing the wind blowing against the emperor's face, gently prompted him, "Your Majesty, the officials at the Hall of Literary Brilliance are still arguing. Chief Eunuch Liu requests your presence."

The emperor nodded slowly, supported by the eunuch as he made his way to the Hall of Literary Brilliance.

Upon entering the main hall, he found that the previously heated argument had gone completely silent.

The emperor looked at Liu Xi, who stood beside the throne, and asked,

"What's going on?"

Liu Xi pointed at Cheng Mingyu and Lu Xusheng standing in the hall and said with a bitter smile,

"Your Majesty, while you were away, Duke Lu publicly declared that he would swear a military oath, vowing not to return to the capital until the south is pacified."

The emperor was taken aback.

He turned to look at Lu Xusheng.

This twenty-one-year-old general stood tall and straight, his features sharp and determined. Looking at him was like gazing at a monument standing firm at the border, always commanding respect.

Now he understood that not only Princess Minglan but also Lu Xusheng meant business.

The emperor, though not possessing world-shaking capabilities or grand strategic vision, was a man of great magnanimity, capable of tolerating others.

Lu Xusheng had never disappointed him before, and this time, he probably wouldn't either...

"Cheng Mingyu, what do you think?"

With this question, the emperor's resolve wavered.

Cheng Mingyu had been attempting to meet with Lu Xusheng these past two days, but Lu Xusheng had ignored him. Cheng Mingyu had no choice but to speak to the emperor,

"Your Majesty, please allow me to have a talk with General Lu in the imperial study."

The emperor led the two to the imperial study.

He ignored Lu Xusheng but still offered a seat to Cheng Mingyu.

Cheng Mingyu did not sit but instead asked Lu Xusheng, "Shen Zhi, why are you so insistent on stopping me from going south?"

Lu Xusheng couldn't just dismiss him with some excuse about his daughter having a dream or something; such a story wouldn't sway Cheng Mingyu.

Lu Xusheng spoke firmly, "Father-in-law, it's not that I have anything against you. I would stop anyone from going south because this matter must be handled by me alone. If you still have doubts, then I might as well be frank: I fear that if you go, the powerful families won't be completely eradicated."

Cheng Mingyu mused thoughtfully, "Shen Zhi, a single move can affect the whole situation. The Jiangnan region is a vital tax base; caution is paramount."

Lu Xusheng was unfazed, "Unless you have ulterior motives, Father-in-law, you should let me go. The people of Jiangnan have been oppressed by powerful families for so many years; it's time for the court to root out this menace once and for all. I have a comprehensive strategy, so please rest assured."

Cheng Mingyu was deeply worried about Lu Xusheng's comprehensive strategy, "Shen Zhi, do not underestimate the enemy."

The emperor shot him an angry glare,

"The powerful families of Jiangnan have been deeply rooted for centuries. Even if you are a fierce tiger, they can still tie you down completely."

Lu Xusheng smiled wryly at him, "Is it harder than Silver Mountain? Your Majesty, I wouldn't make a military vow if I weren't confident."

The emperor suddenly had nothing to say.

There was a reason why Lu Xusheng insisted on making a military vow.

In his previous life, he had been killed by an arrow shot by a hidden archer on a hillside, piercing his chest and killing him instantly on horseback.

The excruciating pain of the arrow piercing his chest was truly soul-crushing, and even someone as strong as Lu Xusheng couldn't easily move past it. Thus, the first thing he did after being reborn was to hunt down that assassin.

Lu Xusheng had faced life-and-death situations many times, and his martial skills and alertness had reached the pinnacle.

Yet, the assassin had managed to ambush him on a hillside he passed, showing how slippery the assassin was.

Such a person couldn't have emerged from thin air; there must be traces to follow.

So, after being reborn, he immediately and quietly arranged for people to search for this assassin.

On one hand, he sent people north to Northern Qi, as the archer might have been from the ranks of the Prince of Nankang. Since he had killed the Prince of Nankang, the prince's lineage had been seeking revenge.

It was also possible that the assassin was from the crown prince and the empress dowager, as at that time, the crown prince and the emperor were in a standoff in the capital, and he had just defeated Northern Qi and quelled the border unrest, preparing to lead his troops back to the capital. His hundreds of thousands of border troops were the emperor's greatest reliance. If he died, the situation in the capital would be unpredictable.

So the latter possibility was also significant.

Spies were dispatched everywhere, and after months of undercover work, they finally received news early this morning.

The night before last, his spy intercepted a covert dispatch sent by the Empress Dowager to Tongzhou. Following two days of scrutiny, they finally cracked the code, which contained only four words: "Archer moves south."

To others, this message would be completely baffling, but drawing on his experiences from a past life, Lu Xusheng quickly understood the significance.

This must be an ultimate weapon, a secret weapon reserved for dire circumstances, meaning it was the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince's secret weapon.

So, the archer from back then truly came from the Empress Dowager's faction.

Why move south now?

It could only be aimed at Cheng Mingyu.

Whether this scenario occurred in his past life, Lu Xusheng didn't know, but he was certain that his marriage to Cheng Yian and Prince Ning's marriage to Zheng Ying had indirectly drawn Cheng Mingyu into the Emperor's camp. Cheng Mingyu had no designs on the throne, but the Empress Dowager was always one step ahead.

Leveraging the powerful clans to eliminate Cheng Mingyu, fomenting discord among the noble families, and allowing the Wang family to rise again as the Empress Dowager's strong right-hand man was a lucrative strategy.

Therefore, without a doubt, he had to head south, neutralize this threat first, and then deal with the Empress Dowager's faction.

Cheng Mingyu gazed intently at Lu Xusheng.

The more Lu Xusheng tried to stop him, the more it raised his suspicions.

Cheng Mingyu trusted his son-in-law to some extent. Lu Xusheng wouldn't engage in a simple contest of wills. Either Lu Xusheng had gained some vital intelligence, knowing the journey was dangerous and wanting to shoulder the risk for him, or Lu Xusheng had another important purpose for this trip.

If it was the former, Cheng Mingyu absolutely couldn't let someone else suffer in his place. If it was the latter, why not be honest and let him help?

Thus, Cheng Mingyu also said,

"Your Majesty, I am also willing to pledge a military commitment."

The Emperor looked at this adversarial father-in-law and son-in-law pair, gestured with his hands, and said,

"You two decide for yourselves. Whoever convinces the other, I'll let them go."

Lu Xusheng knew he had already passed the Emperor's test.

As for Cheng Mingyu, he would likely have to entrust it to Cheng Yian.