Northern Xinjiang.
Liang Ye was sitting on the table, wiping his soft sword, occasionally glancing up at the hanging map with little interest.
“Your Majesty, the Loufan Great Prince Kashi Lianxue is leading an army of 200,000 to attack Ningming Prefecture. Eastern Chen’s Yu Polu has already breached Chilan Prefecture with 300,000 troops, and they’re also advancing toward Ningming,” Lu Shu’s lips were so anxious that he had developed two large blisters. “The scattered northern troops we’ve managed to gather these days barely amount to 70,000 men. Our 270,000 against their combined forces of nearly 500,000 from Loufan and Eastern Chen is really…”
Bian Feng, who had won three consecutive battles and was now a Grand General equal to Lu Shu, spoke up, “General Lu, how can you boost the enemy’s morale while diminishing our own? With His Majesty here, we can surely defeat greater numbers with fewer troops!”
Lu Shu didn’t take him seriously at all. “Young General Bian, the battlefield is no child’s play. Winning with fewer troops requires perfect timing, terrain, and unity. Besides, our supplies are limited and we can’t afford delays.”
They had only won against Kashi Duolu because Liang Ye had caught them by surprise, boosting army morale, and killed Kashi Duolu’s son, which had enraged and disrupted the enemy. Moreover, Kashi Duolu didn’t seem intent on recapturing Ziyan City – it appeared more like he was deliberately stalling until Kashi Lianxue and Yu Polu could join forces. That would be the real critical moment.
“…If Eastern Chen attacks from southeastern Yongyuan Prefecture, General Jiao won’t have any forces to spare for support! With Kashi Duolu and Kashi Lianxue attacking from both sides, how can we possibly win!” Lu Shu slammed the table hard. “Most importantly, our supplies! That bastard Wei Wanlin betrayed us and burned all the winter provisions for the northern army! Damn him! If Kashi Duolu manages to stall us, we’re done for.”
Bian Feng’s face turned red with embarrassment at being shut down, but he suppressed his anger and shame to look toward Liang Ye. Perhaps because Liang Ye’s heroic image on the battlefield had left such a deep impression, he instinctively believed Liang Ye would have a solution.
In fact, not just Bian Feng, but most soldiers and commanders in the army believed Liang Ye could lead them to victory in this fierce battle.
Liang Ye fastened the sword to his waist and glanced at the agitated Lu Shu. “We attack tonight. You’ll be the commanding general. If you can take Kashi Duolu’s head, Zhen will promote you to deputy general.”
Lu Shu’s eyes instantly lit up like fire, and he proclaimed in a loud voice. “This subject will not fail Your Majesty’s trust!”
Liang Ye grabbed the broad sword from the table and left the tent. Bian Feng followed closely behind him. “Your Majesty, this subject also wishes to join the battle!”
After all, if they won, it would be his third consecutive victory. Even Yu Polu was only proclaimed a war god after five consecutive victories!
Liang Ye was thoroughly annoyed with Bian Feng and couldn’t stand the sight of him. He lifted his eyelids to look at him. “You, take two thousand light cavalry tonight and accompany Zhen for a ride.”
“Huh?” Bian Feng was confused.
It wasn’t until they were lying on a hillside overlooking the supply tents in the Loufan camp that Bian Feng finally understood what kind of “ride” this was. His blood instantly began to boil with excitement, and he looked at Liang Ye like a younger brother who had found his idol, admiringly saying, “Your Majesty—”
Then he painfully closed his mouth under Liang Ye’s icy gaze, though his eyes still shone with the desire to worship Liang Ye.
Liang Ye kicked him down the hillside.
Thousands of light cavalry thundered down from all directions, throwing the Loufan camp into chaos.
Liang Ye looked toward the direction of the capital amid the firelight, and couldn’t help feeling pleased despite the sounds of battle.
He wondered if Wang Dian had successfully found the imperial edict he had buried at their special place.
Wang Dian would surely be delighted by his thoughtfulness and gentleness.
****
“Wang Dian! Are you trying to rebel?!” someone shouted angrily.
“Bringing troops into the capital and sealing the palace gates – if this isn’t rebellion, what is!”
“Wang Dian! You unworthy subject! I was right about you all along – you’re just a power-hungry traitor!”
Many officials denounced him with righteous indignation. After all, this wasn’t Wang Dian’s first time abusing his power. The last time Liang Ye was attacked, he had taken control of the entire palace on his own authority. Although people kept impeaching him afterward, Liang Ye ignored it all and continued to favor him, even promoting him repeatedly. In private, countless people had grown envious, until he fell ill and stayed home before the new year, which finally gave others some relief from their resentment.
But as soon as Liang Ye left to personally lead the army, this man brazenly appeared again in the Imperial Court Hall.
Wang Dian smiled as he listened to their accusations and curses. Only when the chaotic hall finally fell silent did he speak unhurriedly. “If rebellion were truly this easy, I suspect certain officials, with their capabilities, would already be sitting on this dragon throne.”
“Wang Dian!”
“How dare you—”
“Outrageous words!”
“So I request all officials to remain calm.” Wang Dian suddenly raised his voice, looking down at everyone with his hands in his sleeves. Amid their suspicious glances, he smiled coldly and eerily, “Why don’t we hear His Majesty’s edict before putting labels on this Wang’s head?”
As the imperial edict slowly unfolded, Yun Fu’s voice rang clearly through the great hall. The officials’ expressions gradually changed from anger to confusion.
“…Gifted with wisdom from youth, diligent in conduct…”
These were just formulaic phrases, the emperor’s routine praise. Though everyone opposed Wang Dian, they grudgingly acknowledged that he was indeed clever and worked tirelessly.
“…Gentle and modest…naturally compliant and virtuous…”
Looking at the armed soldiers around them, everyone thought these words had nothing to do with Wang Dian – and those latter phrases were meant for appointing imperial consorts, did they think no one would notice them mixed in!
After a long stretch of flowery, verbose praise that seemed to elevate him to the heavens, even Wang Dian grew impatient. Finally, Yun Fu, parched from reading, reached the key point. “…Zhen is greatly pleased, hereby specially appoints Wang Dian as Prince Danyang…with seal and treasure, let all hear…As Zhen wages war abroad and the Crown Prince is young, the Prince Danyang is specially permitted to act as regent, with authority to decide all court matters, so be it!”
As the words fell, the entire hall was silent.
Even Wang Dian was stunned for a moment.
When that bastard Liang Ye had sworn about their “special place,” he’d first thought it was the side hall where they had “consummated” their relationship, but found nothing there. Refusing to give up, he and Chong Heng had searched everywhere – the Suixue Garden, Imperial Study, Imperial Bedchamber, bath house, rockery, the small kitchen in the abandoned hall, even the dog kennels – but couldn’t find the edict Liang Ye mentioned. Finally, desperate, they went to the Imperial Garden where Liang Ye had planted sweet potatoes and peas. With officials already being ushered into the palace, they searched the entire ground and found the edict under a half-dead orange tree in the northwest corner.
“When did this orange tree appear?” Wang Dian had asked, hurrying to the Imperial Court Hall with the edict.
What nonsense about a special place – he didn’t even remember it.
“Ah, Master planted it right after putting gu on you and was playing in the dirt,” Chong Heng said, then seeing Wang Dian’s strange expression, corrected himself. “Master planted it right after putting gu on you and was weeding the sweet potatoes and peas.”
Though he had pulled up the sweet potato seedlings thinking they were weeds.
Wang Dian held the edict, wanting to curse. Special place my foot – more like where they became enemies.
—So Wang Dian hadn’t even had time to read the edict carefully, but unsurprisingly it was meant to give him authority to act freely.
However, Wang Dian hadn’t expected Liang Ye to grant such extensive power. A prince regent of different surname – Wang Dian felt he would be letting down Liang Ye’s trust if he didn’t at least attempt a rebellion.
After the deathly silence, the Imperial Court Hall erupted into chaos.
Since its founding, Great Liang had never appointed a prince of different surname. Although Liang Ye had only given Wang Dian a two-character princely title, less prestigious than a one-character title, it still came with actual territory. Danyang Prefecture bordered the capital and was the second most prosperous region – it was as if they feared Wang Dian wouldn’t consider rebellion!
Yan Ze, Cui Yun, and Bian Cang examined the imperial seal marks and watermarks on the edict with grim expressions. It was indeed Liang Ye’s personal seal, and even the royal credentials were exquisitely prepared, not at all seeming rushed…
Despite this avalanche of power and wealth, Wang Dian felt no joy, only growing unease. Given Liang Ye’s usual suspicion and wariness of him, even if they had slept together not just a few times but hundreds of times, he still wouldn’t trust him this much. Though the situation was dire, Liang Ye must have some other scheme.
What was he really planning?
Wang Dian’s expression remained stern and unreadable, which made others view him as even more unfathomable. With the imperial edict proclaimed so clearly, they had to grudgingly accept it – even if they didn’t want to, the fierce soldiers around them and their already-controlled family members left them no choice for dissent.
However, this truly placed Wang Dian in opposition to all officials, thoroughly offending everyone.
What did it matter if he was a prince of different surname? As long as he didn’t dare rebel now, when Liang Ye returned alive, given enough time, they would eventually find a way to destroy him completely.
Looking at the officials kneeling before him with the edict in hand, Wang Dian finally vaguely understood Liang Ye’s intentions.
If Zhen returns alive, your regency will end – will you rebel or not?
If you don’t rebel, guess whether Zhen will keep you or not?
It all boiled down to one question – Wang Dian, do you trust Zhen?
If Wang Dian rebelled, that dragon throne would become Liang Ye’s strongest rope, binding Wang Dian forever to the imperial palace as Northern Liang’s emperor. If Wang Dian didn’t rebel, Liang Ye could fully trust him, giving him the “equality” and “respect” he desired – how could Wang Dian leave then?
Using vast wealth and power as bait, willing to gamble with the empire itself, Liang Ye was being extremely willful, yet he had completely blocked all of Wang Dian’s escape routes. Whether in death or life, win or lose, Wang Dian would be forever confined by his side.
Using the empire, power, love, and Liang Ye himself.
Perhaps from the moment Wang Dian crossed Yunshui and first stepped back into Northern Liang, Liang Ye knew he held the winning hand.
In the deep night, in the silent and empty great hall, Wang Dian sat on the steps before the dragon throne, lowering his eyes to read that prince-appointing edict once more. Every word seemed like Liang Ye’s victory declaration.
He was too tired to deeply analyze the other meanings behind Liang Ye weaving his hair into his rope – perhaps he truly only meant it as a marriage bond, perhaps he had consciously or unconsciously mixed in other thoughts and schemes, or perhaps Liang Ye had been plotting this long ago… but Wang Dian just couldn’t maintain his composure, couldn’t harden his heart to break Liang Ye’s wings and possess him completely.
He fell backward, the golden-yellow edict covering his face, its scroll tassels with golden silk rolling to both sides.
The jade steps were bone-chillingly cold. The person lying there in his brocade robe trembled slightly, his laughter gradually growing louder, echoing through the empty hall like madness, filled with unrestrained pleasure and satisfaction.
Well played, Liang Ye.
