Hongye was awakened by the rain at dawn. In the vast, lonely hall, she sat alone on the couch, her blue silk court attire dotted with damp sweat. A cold breeze crept up her spine, following the chill of the sweat, raising fine goosebumps on her skin. She rubbed them lightly, only to find her fingertips even colder.
On the other side of the bed lay a pristine white letter, slightly worn, clearly having been handled numerous times.
Her gaze was cold and desolate. The rain pattered down, the wind chimes at the window tinkled softly, and the hall's curtains fluttered gently, like the supple waists of dancing girls.
"The situation is critical. You have three paths, my worthy brother. First, replace the Nalan Clan, depose the young emperor, confine the elder princess, and kill Prince Jinjiang, swiftly seizing control of Huai Song's military power. Second, seek to marry the elder princess, oppose Prince Jinjiang under the title of regent, abandon the eastern provinces, and protect the capital region. Third, seek aid from Daxia through a marriage alliance, but avoid entanglement with the Daxia imperial family to prevent a change in the state's surname. The candidate must hold military power, be of suitable age, come from a powerful Daxia aristocratic family, have a formidable background, hold a high position, and be distrusted by both the court and the populace of Daxia. Once the marriage proposal is announced, Prince Jinjiang will not dare to rashly attack Songjing. Once the spring floods pass, sending troops from Jiangyong to the eastern region will resolve this crisis."
There was no need to light a lamp and read carefully—she had long memorized every word. Hongye leaned quietly against the headboard, her eyes like ancient, deep wells. In truth, there was another way: a marriage alliance between Yanbei and Huai Song. This would not only resolve the threat of Prince Jinjiang's rebellion but also add weight to the war between Yanbei and Daxia, creating a pincer attack from east and west, with mutual support.
Yet, in the end, he was unwilling—had not even considered it.
Hold military power, be of suitable age, come from a powerful Daxia aristocratic family, have a formidable background, and be distrusted by both the court and the populace of Daxia.
How many such men existed in the world?
Hongye lifted the corner of her lips into a faint, indifferent smile.
Elder brother, in the end, you still cannot let go.
Daxia was at war with Yanbei, there were rebellions by foreign tribes in the northeast, and domestic factions vied for power, leaving the imperial family clearly overwhelmed. Huai Song and Daxia had enjoyed years without conflict, their relationship more amicable than with Biantang. Moreover, Huai Song was a major trading nation with a wealthy treasury. Daxia would never pass up this golden opportunity to win over Huai Song.
Yet, how could this man—who commanded a significant army, held the high position of Daxia's Minister of War, was backed by a powerful family, and reigned as the uncrowned king of Qinghai—be easily manipulated?
After two major battles in Yanbei, who in the world did not know of Fourth Young Master Zhuge's unwavering devotion to General Xiuli?
To the average person, it might seem like a contest between power and beauty, a speculation about what choice Zhuge Yue would make in the face of such temptation. But she knew this marriage alliance was doomed to fail—not because of her understanding of Zhuge Yue, but because of her deep understanding of Yan Xun.
How could you stand by and watch your rival gain the support of Huai Song, becoming its regent prince? By making such a suggestion, you must have already determined in your heart that he would not allow himself to be manipulated by you.The outcome of this move was merely to temporarily delay the war situation in Huai Song while driving a wedge between Zhuge Yue and the Daxia court, pushing him into the eye of the storm and needlessly offending both the officials of Daxia and the ministers of Huai Song. Moreover, if Zhuge Yue dared to openly refuse the marriage, the Zhuge family's economic and trade interests in Huai Song would inevitably face monopolization and suppression by the Huai Song royal family. As a result, Zhuge Yue's standing within his clan would plummet drastically. Even as the only figure in Daxia holding dual authority as a member of the Elder Council and a feudal lord with his own territory, he would suffer a severe blow.
The estrangement between Qinghai and Daxia created an opportune moment for Yanbei to maneuver freely and defeat both sides separately.
She had long understood all these intricacies, yet she had refrained from taking any action.
Her elder brother was indeed extraordinary—with just a few words, he had stirred up a storm within Daxia. The only thing he likely hadn't anticipated was that his virtuous younger brother Xuan Mo was none other than her, Nalan Hongye, the eldest princess of Huai Song.
In the darkness, she narrowed her eyes slightly, a subtle turbulence swirling within their delicate depths.
Thoughts and reflections churned in her mind as she repeatedly pondered: After all, he didn't know that Xuan Mo was also Hongye. If he had known, he surely wouldn't have included her as a pawn in his schemes.
Yet, deep down, there was a faint, bitter sorrow.
After all, he was asking her to marry someone else.
With such profound wisdom, how could he be so careless after twelve years of friendship? This Xuan Mo is not the Xuan Mo you knew—have you truly never noticed?
Her fingers suddenly tightened, her pale fingertips crumpling the letter tightly as a low, hushed voice escaped her lips:
"If this is my brother's wish, what harm is there in lending you a hand?"
**
Zhenhuang descended into chaos almost instantly, like a pot of boiling water—impossible to discern what was churning within.
After the marriage proposal document from Huai Song was delivered, the entire imperial city was swept up in a massive wave of turmoil.
It was not unheard of in history for a princess of one nation to marry a minister of another, but such arrangements were typically stopgap measures taken when the other country lacked eligible princes. Currently, however, Daxia had numerous unmarried princes of suitable age. Zhao Che and Zhao Yang were both outstanding young talents, with Zhao Yang, in particular, holding a rock-solid position and wielding great authority, making him the foremost figure in Daxia.
Moreover, Huai Song was no longer what it once was. Nalan Heqing was still young, and Nalan Hongye had held power for years—though nominally a princess, she was effectively the empress of Huai Song. The object of this marriage alliance was not merely a consort but potentially the regent of Huai Song. Under such circumstances, it should not have involved introducing foreign influence. However, with internal strife raging in Huai Song and the court unstable, there was an urgent need for external forces to exert deterrence. Thus, everything appeared quite reasonable.
Yet, when the Huai Song envoy announced Zhuge Yue's name in the Daxia court, the entire court was once again thrown into an uproar.Two years ago, when news of Zhuge Yue's death returned and the Daxia Army suffered a great defeat at Wild Goose Cry Pass, his reputation hit rock bottom. Unexpectedly, two years later, this man rapidly rose to power in Qinghai, returning to his homeland with a formidable army and leaping to become the most influential figure among the court officials. Even Zhao Yang had to show him deference. And now, the Princess of Huai Song had voluntarily offered herself. Once Zhuge Yue became the consort of Huai Song's Eldest Princess, the power of the Zhuge Clan would inevitably undergo another terrifying leap. With control over his fiefdom, Qinghai's military power, and immense wealth, coupled with Huai Song's support, no one would doubt that the Zhuge Clan would become the next Muhe Clan, and Zhuge Yue would rise to become Daxia's top-ranking minister.
However, despite these dire consequences, the Zhao imperial family could not refuse this hot potato.
Not to mention the domestic economic situation and the northwestern military campaigns, just looking at the previous northern expeditions, it was clear that Yanbei, Huai Song, and Biantang shared some underlying connections. Now that Chu Qiao of the Xiuli Army had left Yanbei and the relationship with Biantang had collapsed, what about Huai Song? If Daxia went to war with Yanbei again, what stance would Huai Song take? And if Huai Song's Eldest Princess married Zhuge Yue, could this situation be reversed?
Even knowing they were stepping into an unfathomable maze, Daxia had no choice but to proceed. After all, compared to the northwestern war, all current worries were insignificant. In just over a month, when the ice and snow melted, Yanbei's army would once again knock at the gates.
That afternoon, three messengers—carrying the emperor's decree, the clan's secret letter, and Zhuge Yue's private intelligence—left the ancient capital of Zhenhuang one after another, all heading toward Warm Water Ridge.
Zhao Yang sat in the main hall drinking tea. Sunlight streamed in from outside, falling on his young, handsome face, making him appear dashing and spirited.
The Sixteenth Prince, Zhao Xiang, sat nearby, idly teasing a talking parrot. The bird hopped up and down, occasionally pecking at the grains in Zhao Xiang's palm but refusing to speak obediently, frustrating Zhao Xiang so much that he occasionally cursed at it.
"Sixteenth Brother, what do you think of this matter?" Zhao Yang suddenly asked.
Without turning his head, Zhao Xiang lazily replied, "Which matter?"
"The marriage alliance with the Princess of Huai Song."
At this, Zhao Xiang immediately turned around, furious. "That fourth son of the Zhuge family has too much luck. He came back from the dead with hundreds of thousands of loyal troops, and now he's got such an outrageous romantic fortune. It's downright infuriating."
Zhao Yang, however, showed no anger and said calmly, "Is it just luck?"
Zhao Xiang failed to grasp the implication in his brother's words and said gravely, "Logically, if the Princess of Huai Song wants a marriage alliance, she should choose you, Fourteenth Brother, or at least Seventh Brother. How could it be Zhuge Yue's turn? I hear they call him the King of Qinghai over there. In my opinion, it won't be long before he becomes Huai Song's regent. Eventually, Huai Song's emperor might even bear the surname Zhuge. Fourteenth Brother, do you think that counts as Daxia annexing and unifying Huai Song?"
Zhao Yang chuckled and said, "That would be a rather humiliating way to unify. I'm just afraid that a future Zhuge Emperor of Song would be even more troublesome than the Nalan Emperor of Song."Zhao Xiang thought for a moment and said, "But from what I've seen, although Zhuge Yue is eccentric, he's not a bad person. He's loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the state."
"Loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the state?" Zhao Yang squinted at Zhao Xiang and said in a deep voice, "That's how you see him?"
"I studied with him for a time in the Shangwu Hall. He possesses a resilient mind, doesn't associate with the usual aristocratic youths, and has profound insights. I believe he has the talent to assist a king."
"Talent to assist a king?"
Zhao Yang shook his head. "Is he the kind to submit to others? Even if he is loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the state, it's not our sovereign he's loyal to."
Zhao Xiang looked puzzled and turned to Zhao Yang in confusion.
Zhao Yang didn't explain further, only said calmly, "This matter is definitely not so simple. There must be a mastermind behind the scenes stirring up trouble. However—"
He suddenly sneered, "Everyone thinks this is a windfall, but Zhuge Yue may not see it that way. Finally, someone dares to provoke his wrath. I'm quite curious to see how the King of Qinghai will react to this."
The wind rises from the tips of the duckweed—perhaps a storm is brewing.
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