То hеr соld jоkе, Yin Gezhi cоuldn't еvеn bе bоthered to humоr hеr. He сoldly tоssеd оut а sеntеnce: "If уou want to return, wait until I go bасk togеther."
Тhеn hе gоt up аnd wеnt tо thе tаble tо pour teа.
Fеng Yue сlicked her tоngue, cоuldn't help but fоllоw him with thе lеttеr in hаnd, аnd flatteringlу smilеd: "It loоks likе it'll still bе a fеw yеаrs beforе уou сan return, so уou don't neеd tо wоrry аbout me, right?"
She соuld just gо by hеrsеlf! Аnуwау, their соoрerаtive relаtionshiр hаd nоw cоmе tо аn end, and it would bе good for eaсh to go their sеparаte wауs. Othеrwise, what if one day he remembered the humiliation of being threatened and wanted to take revenge on her?
Moreover, if they returned to the Wei Kingdom... they probably wouldn't be able to travel together anyway.
Slowly taking a sip of tea, Yin Gezhi turned to look at her, his gaze calm: "Do you have the travel pass?"
"I can figure that out, I have silver!"
"After crossing the border, to enter Lidu, can you withstand the inspections?"
"Uh... I can figure that out too."
"Lian Heng often patrols the city gates. If you run into him, can you figure that out too?"
"..." Feng Yue was a bit annoyed. The person in front of her, with his calm face and deep gaze, wasn't the least bit cute! He was much better when drunk! Look at him now—he must be thinking of scheming against her again!
Gritting her teeth, she thought carefully for a long time before cautiously asking: "Then does Your Highness have a solution?"
"Mm." Yin Gezhi said: "I can also return to my country soon and can take you with me. That way, the journey will be smooth, and no one will dare to stop us."
Return to his country soon? Feng Yue was shocked: "You're a hostage, held in the Wu Kingdom. How can you just return whenever you want?"
Did he think the Wu Kingdom was the Dream Return Pavilion?
Giving her a disdainful glance, Yin Gezhi turned his head and said nothing. His back looked tall and majestic, exuding an aura of a master that others couldn't see through.
The lamp in the imperial study of the palace burned all night, and the imperial decree was issued. A group of senior ministers, including Ye Yuqing and the emperor of the Wu Kingdom, didn't dare to leave and rest.
With a heavy look of worry on his face, Ning Guozhong sighed and spoke: "The Grand General has already passed away. If we keep the news hidden, it will eventually get out. In my humble opinion, we should find a solution as soon as possible and prepare in advance to deal with the Song Kingdom."
"What Minister Ning said, we all understand, but how do we prepare?" General Xu beside him sighed: "In the past few months, all those in the court capable of fighting have been dealt with by the Crown Prince. If a war really breaks out now, who can lead the troops into battle?"
"General Xu, you are mistaken. Those people got what they deserved. How can you blame the Crown Prince for dealing with them? Our great Wu Kingdom is not without capable generals. Isn't your son also young and promising?" Ning Guozhong said: "Rather than finding someone to fight, Your Majesty, I think we should seek allied countries for mutual support. That way, the Song Kingdom should also have some reservations."
One stick is easy to break, but what about two? Or three?
The emperor's eyes lit up as he looked at the Crown Prince: "What do you think, my son?"
Ye Yuqing's expression wasn't good. When called upon, he cupped his hands and said: "Minister Ning makes a valid point, but... the fastest allied countries we can seek now are only the Wei Kingdom and the Qi Kingdom. Qi and Wei have already ceased hostilities. In terms of strength, Qi comes first, but in terms of proximity, we should first discuss with the Wei Kingdom."
"The principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold' is something the Wei Kingdom won't fail to understand. However, this means we should release the Wei prince held hostage in Shadowless City to show our sincerity."The emperor nodded as he listened, "Since you already understand what should be done, why do you still seem hesitant?"
With a sigh, Ye Yuqing said, "Father, the First Prince of Wei, Yin Gezhi, is resourceful and cunning. Letting him return, I always feel as if I am releasing a tiger back to the mountains."
"Ah, Your Highness, you are mistaken," Marquis Anguo stepped forward, smiling as he spoke, "It is precisely because Prince Yin is resourceful and skilled in warfare that he should be sent back. With him leading the troops, Wei Kingdom can truly be considered an asset to our country."
"That makes sense," General Xu also nodded, "Although Prince Yin is adept at strategy, he has always been very friendly toward our Wu Kingdom, without any ill intent. Even when teaching my son and the young master of Marquis Anguo's household, he was wholehearted and held nothing back, which is enough to show his magnanimity and virtuous heart."
Once Marquis Anguo spoke, the emperor's heart began to lean in that direction. Combined with General Xu's words, the emperor nodded and said, "Time is pressing. If we are to act, we must do so quickly. Otherwise, if Song Kingdom truly invades, it would be rather embarrassing to do these things afterward."
The dignity of the royal family is important, oh so important!
Ye Yuqing still felt somewhat hesitant, but as all the senior ministers agreed to first send Yin Gezhi back to Wu Kingdom and then dispatch envoys to discuss the alliance, he chose to remain silent.
He had thought Yin Gezhi would remain in Wu Kingdom for a lifetime. Who could have imagined such a thing would happen? Was it fate at work, or was someone behind the scenes pulling the strings?
Since the emperor had made his decision, those below had no choice but to carry it out. Ye Yuqing left the palace, wearily rubbing his temples, and instructed the coachman to head to the Envoy's Mansion.
"How strange," the coachman couldn't help but mutter as the carriage passed through Xiangyu Street, "Such a lively place usually, why is it so deserted today?"
Listening absentmindedly, Ye Yuqing lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside.
The bustling Xiangyu Street seemed to have many shops closed today. The street stalls were fewer, and several storefronts even hung signs indicating they were for sale.
With General Yi's death, people were panicked. It was inevitable that some far-sighted individuals would sell their properties early to seek a more stable life in another country. Ye Yuqing wasn't surprised by this, but as they moved further ahead, he was astonished to find that Dream Return Pavilion was also closed.
It was daytime, so closing the doors wasn't unusual, but in the past, the balcony would always have a few early-rising girls standing there, flaunting their beauty in the wind.
Today, there were none.
"Stop the carriage."
The carriage halted in front of Dream Return Pavilion's main entrance. Ye Yuqing frowned and pushed the door open.
Mama Jin, who had just tucked the silver notes into her bosom, was startled. Glancing at the person who entered, she immediately smiled and said, "Young master, Dream Return Pavilion does not receive guests during the day."
So it was still open. Ye Yuqing pursed his lips, relaxed his frown, and smiled, "Recently, many shops on the street have closed. As I passed by, I thought Dream Return Pavilion had also shut down."
Mama Jin paused, smoothed her hair, and smiled with her red lips, "What are you saying, young master? How could Dream Return Pavilion close? It's just that I have some matters to attend to back in my hometown, so I'm giving the girls a break to rest."
"Hmm." Since Feng Yue had already been redeemed, Ye Yuqing wasn't particularly concerned about the other girls here. After scanning the surroundings, he turned and left.
Patting her chest, Mama Jin watched him leave, then quickly returned to her room, packed her belongings, locked the main door, and left through the back entrance, securing the lock outside as well.The girls of Dream Return Pavilion who had scores to settle had already done so; those with unfinished vendettas surely had enemies not in Wu Kingdom. Being able to return to Wei Kingdom, the little minxes ran faster than anything, waving their handkerchiefs and treading with lotus steps, leaving Mama Jin behind until the very end.
Shouldering her bundle, Mama Jin looked back at Dream Return Pavilion, shook her head with a smile, boarded the carriage at the street corner, and headed straight out of the city.
Feng Yue was in a corner calculating her own little schemes, wondering whether she should knock Yin Gezhi unconscious and sneak away herself, or dig a tunnel to escape while he was dining.
Before she could figure out exactly what to do, the door was pushed open.
"Prince Yin," came Ye Yuqing's weary voice. "An imperial decree has arrived."
For the Crown Prince to personally deliver the decree? Feng Yue was dumbfounded. She immediately hopped over and knelt, looking at him expectantly, eager to hear what tone Ye Yuqing would use to recite the decree.
However, to her disappointment, he did not recite it. With a wave of his hand, a eunuch beside him stepped forward holding the decree, straightened his back, and announced in a raspy voice: "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Yin Gezhi, Prince of Wei Kingdom, has ceased the conflict between our two nations, fostered amity between our states, and enriched the fortunes of our lands. We are deeply gratified. Considering his longing for home, We hereby grant him pardon to return to Wei Kingdom, with fifty head of cattle and sheep, three thousand taels of gold and silver, to convey Wu Kingdom's goodwill and express our shared aspiration for mutual progress. So it is decreed."
Yin Gezhi half-knelt in salute, accepted the decree with both hands, and looked at Ye Yuqing with a bewildered expression. "Your Highness?"
"You never expected such a day, did you?" Ye Yuqing sighed. "Neither did I."
Feng Yue thought, Pah! It's me who truly never expected this. Who's fooling whom between these two old foxes?
"I am indebted to Your Highness for your care," Yin Gezhi said solemnly. "However, my two disciples cannot return with me. After my departure, I hope Your Highness will continue to supervise them diligently."
"Rest assured," Ye Yuqing replied. "They often train at General Song's drill ground and have never neglected their studies. When the day comes for them to truly take to the battlefield, they will surely become your capable allies."
"In that case, I am at ease," Yin Gezhi nodded.
Ye Yuqing still felt uneasy. Though Yin Gezhi appeared gentle and harmless, having been away from Wei Kingdom for over a year, whether he could regain his footing upon return was uncertain. Yet, he still felt this man was dangerously sharp, like a long halberd that could wound from afar, its blade exceptionally keen.
Was letting him go back truly the right decision?
After pondering for a long time, his head began to ache. Ye Yuqing sighed. "Enough. Your Highness, prepare well. Here are the travel passes and documents, all in order. With these, you may leave Wei Kingdom. When you decide to depart, send word to me, and I will arrange an escort."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Turning to glance at Feng Yue, Ye Yuqing gazed deeply. "Will Your Highness take Miss Feng Yue back with you?"
"Naturally."
"Then, until we meet again."
Feng Yue smiled faintly, clasped her hands, and placed them at her waist as she bowed to him. "Until we meet again."
A gust of wind swept in from outside. Shadowless City was once again bathed in brilliant sunshine. Feng Yue's skirt fluttered gently in the breeze, the embroidered spring swallows carrying mud seeming to come alive, imprinting themselves in Ye Yuqing's final glance.
Turning around, he stepped out of the Envoy's Mansion gate and headed straight for the Eastern Palace without looking back.Yin Gezhi held the imperial decree for a long time, his face betraying no emotion, but Guan Zhi knew he was very happy.
It had been over a year since they came to the Wu Kingdom. When they left, many believed the First Prince would never return. Yet now, after just one year, he was going home.
No one knew how many schemes and conspiracies lay behind this. All anyone saw was Yin Gezhi’s calm, unreadable face. Those unaware of the circumstances might even call him lucky.
But much of what is called luck is built upon strength.
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