Would You Like to Have a Drink

The Zhang Palace was silent.

Such a reason could not move Emperor Yuan. No one knew this better than Zong Luo.

Even if Emperor Yuan valued him, before his identity as a father, he was still a wise and ambitious monarch. Sending the crown prince to the front line to fight, even if his swordsmanship was the best in the world, it would be hard to fight against thousands of troops and horses. Even a foolish monarch would not agree, let alone Emperor Yuan.

But he wanted to go.

Not to compromise and gloss over the peace.

But between him and Yu Beizhou, they indeed needed a thorough end.

To end these entanglements of two lifetimes, the love and hate that couldn’t be reasoned, cut, or severed.

In one’s life, there would be many things one did not want to face. But some things, no matter how painful, how reluctant to face, could ultimately not be avoided.

This was something Zong Luo must do.

So he was kneeling here at this moment, just like Yu Beizhou who knelt here all night yesterday. They both had something they were persistent about and wanted to stick to the end.

Just like being under house arrest in the prince’s mansion in his previous life, he insisted on breaking into the palace seeking Emperor Yuan for an explanation. Essentially, Zong Luo was always a stubborn character that even three bulls couldn’t pull him back.

(t/n: same as “Nine cows can’t be pulled back”- means that if a person decides to do something, others will never persuade him to come back. In this proverb, nine cows is an exaggeration.)

The incense burner on the ground of the palace burned quietly for most of the time.

The cold, strong fragrance exploded in the air, filling the nostrils. The divine dragon jade on the table refracted a sparkling green luster under the candlelight.

After a long time, something heavy fell from the air, accurately landing in front of the kneeling Zong Luo, rolling a bit, and then completely quieted down.

The prince in white slightly raised his eyes, and when he touched that thing, his pupils shrank sharply.

——That was the tiger talisman that couldn’t be more familiar.

“If you want to go, then go. What’s with that look? Can Zhen break your legs to stop you from leaving?”

A voice even deeper than usual sounded above, “Since you want to go, stand up straight for Zhen! As the dignified crown prince, what does it look like kneeling on the ground like this!”

Zong Luo’s back stiffened.

Unbeknownst to him, Emperor Yuan had already stood up from behind the desk.

This tyrant, who just turned fifty this year, was nine feet tall, half a head taller than Zong Luo. Anyone standing in front of him would feel extremely oppressed.

Especially when looking into those sharp eyes behind the Mian Diao, as if they could see through everything.

“But Zhen has to make it clear to you. The Xuan Cavalry has been taken away by the King of Beining. If you go to the front line, it will be like paper can’t contain fire. Once the news leaks, you will definitely be attacked by the Wei army. Even if Zhen gives you military power, you better do a good job of concealment along the way, and don’t reveal the news until you take over the army completely.”

(t/n: paper cannot contain fire-the truth will come out)

Although the Xuan Cavalry was his personal soldier, it was very effective for vanguards and surprise attacks. Surprise soldiers and a force that couldn’t be ignored in the Great Yuan army. But since Zong Luo had become the crown prince, and the crown prince had no reason to lead troops, this cavalry naturally belonged to the control of the court, directly under Emperor Yuan.

(t/n: surprise soldiers- troops appearing suddenly (in a raid or ambush)

This time Yu Beizhou went to attack the Wei Country, and the reserve military power could not be quickly mobilized. Emperor Yuan allocated the Xuan Cavalry to him for temporary use on the basis of mobilizing the Tianji Army.

This also meant that Zong Luo had to go alone, at most with some accompanying secret guards, and rush to catch up with Yu Beizhou, who left a day earlier.

Zong Luo stood up straight and said softly, “This son knows.”

“The King of Beining has only knelt down twice in front of Zhen.”

Emperor Yuan said indifferently, “The first time was when you led troops to Yu Country. The second time was yesterday.”

The white-clothed prince suddenly widened his eyes.

Under normal circumstances, generals couldn’t leave the Imperial City at will. Not to mention Yu Beizhou, a different surname vassal king with military power, leaving privately was undoubtedly a capital crime.

Zong Luo had never thought about it. When Shen Xinyue returned to talk to Ting Wei Shen, Ting Wei Shen would definitely convey it to Emperor Yuan. Emperor Yuan was not an easy to fool master, he would definitely not be able to hide the things on his mind.

He didn’t know if Ting Wei Shen had conveyed anything to Emperor Yuan, but the attitude of Emperor Yuan in front obviously showed he knew something.

Did he know what was between him and Yu Beizhou, or because of the matter of Zong Chengsi, Yu Beizhou was too radical and exposed something? In short, Emperor Yuan would never suddenly say such a thing while chatting.

Just as Zong Luo’s mind was stirring up in chaos, he suddenly heard the voice of the tyrant in front of him, “Since you want to go, you must take down this last stubborn Wei Country beautifully for Zhen!”

Emperor Yuan crossed his hands behind his back and walked past the desk.

The palace attendant opened the palace door, and he stepped out from the beautifully woven carpet, past the layers of bookshelves, past the display tables with weapons, and walked outside the Zhang Palace.

The Zhang Palace was only a little shorter than the main hall, with high white jade steps in front, intricate and gorgeous Kui pattern bas-reliefs in the middle, and surrounded by vermilion pillars. It looked very majestic from a distance.

Standing in front of the Zhang Palace, one could almost see half of the Imperial City.

Zong Luo was silent, and followed Emperor Yuan’s footsteps, half a step behind across the threshold.

Just as a ray of sunlight fell from the clouds, it fell right in front of the Zhang Palace, next to Emperor Yuan.

Looking from a distance, it seemed that this black-robed emperor had stepped on the sunlight.

Surrounded with palace richly decorated jade buildings, winding corridors, and encircled by corner towers. The Imperial City was prosperous and peaceful, and the people were safe and wealthy.

The wind lifted the tassels from the emperor’s Mian Diao, swaying leisurely, revealing the inevitable arrogance and ambition behind him. “Soon, the world will be trampled by the iron cavalry of the Great Yuan.”

On the Great Wilderness, whether it’s a general or an emperor, they all have dreamed of unifying the world. However, only Emperor Yuan had successfully implemented it, and now it’s just one step away.

The great achievements that no one had accomplished in thousands of years were within reach. How could this not make Emperor Yuan proud?

He wore a Mian Diao, stood at the top of the palace, and looked down at the Great Wilderness under his feet, with a proud look.

At this moment, the sun in the sky seemed to be inferior to this majestic emperor.