Chapter 41: Ancient Palace BL (XIV)

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Chapter 41: Ancient Palace BL (XIV)

The fact that the beauty they had been admiring turned out to be a man was a huge blow to many of the soldiers. On a battlefield where men were everywhere and even an ugly woman could be praised as a peerless beauty, the appearance of a genuine beauty was a rare treat—even if she could only be admired from afar. But when that beauty suddenly turned out to be a handsome man… countless fragile hearts were shattered.

The generals of the Azure Dragon Empire, however, saw it as a good thing. Prince Lan’s reputation in the Azure Dragon Empire was so infamous that they couldn’t help but imagine the worst in everything he did. But they didn’t believe there was no relation between the two. Xuanyuan Empire’s Prince had even married a man. But at least a man wouldn’t cause unrest within the army.

A few people still thought maybe Miao Lichen was a woman in disguise, but they did not dare to admit it. If a fool does many stupid things and continues to do stupid things, he may not attract attention while doing so. But if a fool does something normal, people might suspect the act itself is abnormal. It was nothing more than the force of habit. They did not want to oust themselves as fools nor deepen any impression of being fools.

Regardless of whether Miao Lichen was a handsome man or a beautiful woman, the war must continue, it does not stop because of one person. With the addition of Azure Dragon Empire, they clearly held the upper hand now. But Xuanyuan Zihao still did not launch a decisive attack, let alone pursue victory. He even gave the enemy time to recuperate. His reputation as the War God of the Xuanyuan Empire was enough to steady his soldiers’ morale once or twice, but if it continued, unrest within the army would be inevitable.

Even in the most victorious battle, someone will die. As a prince, Xuanyuan Zihao might not care about the lives of ordinary soldiers, but the soldiers who had lived and fought alongside them day and night certainly did. So Xuanyuan Zihao’s actions ultimately aroused discontent, and some even believed he was plotting treason.

Before Xuanyuan Ziying ascended the throne, most people believed that the next Emperor would be Prince Xuanyuan Zihao who had military achievements, rather than the incompetent Prince Xuanyuan Ziying. They thought so even though Xuanyuan Ziying was the Empress’s biological son. The idea of the eldest son of the legitimate wife ascending the throne was practically nonexistent in the Xuanyuan Empire. They always chose the most capable son. But when the Imperial Edict was announced, it named Xuanyuan Ziying as the next Emperor. This news had shocked the entire country.

It was only after Xuanyuan Ziying passed a series of ruthless measures that solidified his position that no one brought up the past again. For the people, as long as the Emperor on the golden throne provided them with a peaceful life, that was enough. Xuanyuan Ziying did a good job in this regard, but Xuanyuan Zihao would never think that way. Having already considered the throne his, he felt it was stolen from him. So it was possible for him to borrow outside powers to reclaim the throne.

Xuanyuan Zihao was naturally aware of the soldiers’ thoughts, but he didn’t care. Most of the soldiers he brought were his private troops, with only a small portion belonging to Xuanyuan Ziying. He had long since planted his own men throughout the Xuanyuan army, all for the purpose of reclaiming the throne. Therefore, he was confident that if any soldiers rebelled, they would be silently dealt with.

He played with a crudely made jade pendant, it’s cool touch bringing him comfort. He had already made contact with the Vermilion Bird Empire. To be precise, he had informed them of news on their long-lost princess before he came to the border. But he had never been able to produce a token that would convince their royal family. Now Nangong Qingyue had entrusted the jade pendant to him as an amulet. Whatever Nangong Qingyue was thinking with the action didn’t matter, as long as he could achieve his goal and become Emperor.

What was a mere Nangong Qingyue? Well, he would be his Empress in name, but he would never gain his trust. He was nothing more than a pawn, yet he still dared covet his man; what a detestable man. Whether it was Xuanyuan Ziying, Nangong Qingyue or that always mysterious Prince Luo Qinglan, they were all so irritating he wished he could execute them. But now wasn’t the time.

He suddenly clenched the pendant and disappeared silently into the night. Soon, several people cautiously followed behind him; these were most of the soldiers from Xuanyuan Empire who had followed him to this battlefield. To be more specific, they were Xuanyuan Zihao’s private troops and not the ones that belonged to the country. Shortly after he left, Luo Qinglan emerged from the tent and made a gesture in the air. Several black-clad figures silently tailed them.

“Tonight is quite lively.” Miao Lichen commented, his tone carrying a hint of amusement as he watched the unusually restless camp. He then disappeared from his spot.

Miao Lichen had just disappeared when someone reached out beside him, but all they felt was the wind brushing past. Under the moonlight, the figure’s delicate features and action of closing his fist could be seen. This was someone who shouldn’t have been here, the Consort whom Xuanyuan Zihao had supposedly placed under house arrest.

Xuanyuan Zihao made a deal with the Vermillion Bird Empire using the jade pendant. For their empire whose royal bloodline was relatively thin compared to the others, a bloodline that had been separated from their royal family was greatly attractive. Moreover, the Vermillion Bird Empire had always been hostile with the Xuanyuan Empire. Nothing would please them more than seeing the Xuanyuan Empire descend into endless civil strife. They might even be able to obtain the best result without sacrificing many soldiers.

Xuanyuan Zihao stepped out of the Vermilion Bird Empire’s tent where he was greeted by his soldiers. A smile played on his lips as he walked back to their camp. But midway, he encountered the other soldiers of Xuanyuan Empire, the Emperor’s loyalists whom he had deliberately brought to the front so that his imperial brother would lower his guard against him. The angry expression on their faces showed they knew something.

He narrowed his eyes, but showed no nervousness. He smiled arrogantly as before, “What’s wrong, generals? Why aren’t you resting? You’ve come all this way for me, I am truly not worthy.”

His actions, however, completely contradicted the smile on his face. His hand, which had been resting at his waist, swiftly drew the longsword at his side. Since the matter had been exposed, there was no choice but to eliminate every last witness. The unsheathed blade gleamed silver beneath the moonlight, yet it couldn’t move so much as an inch. A strip of red silk had coiled itself around the blade, its vivid color as enchanting as it was deadly. To Xuanyuan Zihao, however, it was the greatest mockery of all.

The person he most desired was also the one who most wanted him to fail. Had Miao Lichen unknowingly become his calamity, his downfall? At this moment, he had actually wanted to give up resisting when he saw Miao Lichen. When did Miao Lichen become so important? Even more important than the country? How could that be? He, Xuanyuan Zihao had always loved the throne more than any beauty.

His smile grew brighter. He abandoned the sword in his hand, but his most proficient weapon had never been the blade, but a long whip. Those men and women he had tortured to death were not so much a hobby as they were practice tools for his whip. Through over a decade of familiarity, he had long understood how to inflict the greatest pain, shatter their will, and make them beg for mercy.

Unlike the magnificent, luxurious whip he wields in the palace which constantly emphasized his princely status, the whip he now wields gleamed with a dark, sinister light and chilling coldness. It was like a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey. Xuanyuan Zihao had never thought of giving up before, even now when his opponent was the one he loved. Yes, it was no longer just like, but love. Perhaps it was karma; he had fallen in love with the person he had once deeply hurt.

∇ Capture Target Xuanyuan Zihao Favorability: 85.

But so what? His upbringing wasn’t about treating others kindly, but to plunder through force. If you want something, then just take it. Only what you gain through force truly belongs to you.

The late Emperor of Xuanyuan Empire had six sons, but two were given special attention and the whereabouts of the other four were unknown. One son was Xuanyuan Ziying, born to the Empress and was gentle and courteous, yet possessed regal bearing. The other son, Xuanyuan Zihao was born to a palace maid. He was domineering and powerful, free and unconstrained. One became the Emperor, while the other became a general. But things were not as perfect as they look on the surface, neither was willing to submit to the other.

“Is Your Highness still making a futile struggle?” Miao Lichen hooked the longsword with the red silk and pulled it to himself. He held and observed it. The sword was luxuriously inlaid with gemstones; if it weren’t for the light reflecting off the edge, he might have thought it was just a beautiful ornament. The nobility of this world was clearly far more extravagant than that of the previous one.

“There are no futile struggles in my eyes. While your martial arts are indeed admirable, the generals around you are utterly incompetent. Although I wish to fight you fair and square, this location is clearly not ideal for the battle I want. I would much rather…” Xuanyuan Zihao cut off the rest of his sentence, his long whip already moving. But his target was not Miao Lichen who blocked the way, but the group of generals who were in the way of their fight.

Miao Lichen faintly smiled, and two ordinary looking swords appeared in his hands. They were utterly plain compared to Xuanyuan Zihao’s jeweled sword, even with their intricate patterns on the hilts and blades. Holding a sword in each hand, Miao Lichen merely stood there before casually tracing a single arc through the air. What looked like nothing more than a warm-up movement instantly robbed Xuanyuan Zihao of the ability to move.

“Sword energy…” How long had it been since anyone had witnessed the legendary sword energy with their own eyes? Luo Qinglan, who had arrived at the scene, spoke with restrained emotion. Even his senior could not achieve such a feat with this ease. Had Miao Lichen’s martial prowess truly reached this level? But this was by no means a good thing for him. There was a real possibility that he would not even last three months.

“Looks like I really failed. A’chen, if it’s death, you must kill me with your own hands.” Xuanyuan Zihao showed neither disappointment nor dejection. The plan itself was flawed. He had desired this person so much that he gambled everything. This ending was entirely expected.

“As you wish.”

“Xuanyuan Ziying truly values you, he even deployed the secret guards he never lets leave his side.” Xuanyuan Zihao approached Miao Lichen step by step but was barred midway by a man in black. The masked man’s gaze was cold as if he was looking at a dead man. “In that case… I can rest assured.”

“…”

“This is probably the most ridiculous joke I’ve ever heard.” Luo Qinglan glanced meaningfully at the man in black, a hint of disdain in his smile. He turned and led his people away, his steps firm and resolute.

The red robes fluttered in the night wind. After a long silence, the sound of a sword tearing through the air rang out. When it finally faded, only bloodstained earth and scattered corpses remained. The guards protecting both sides had already disappeared without a trace. The surviving generals of the Xuanyuan Empire ordered the bodies to be buried, then returned to rest without the slightest concern. They had no reason to worry about the missing Miao Lichen.

If they had anyone to worry about, it should have been the prince who had been taken away.

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