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Overseeing the Army of the Northern Pass
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
After Liu Yu sent the letter to Zhennan Wang Manor, he was unable to sleep for the whole night. Dawn broke over the horizon. The rain that had been falling all night finally gradually stopped. Liu Yu decided to get up and pace back and forth in front of the window.
Today was a rest day, so he didn’t need to attend court. As his mind wandered, he sent Liu Chang to check on his second younger brother Liu Wen’s studies.
Liu Yu has been frail since childhood. He was aware that he didn’t have much time left, so has always thought of letting his second younger brother Liu Wen cultivate himself into a person of great talent, so that he can take over the household in the future. Just, Liu Wen wasn’t someone that had talent, having no remarkable insight in the ways of governing. He was at the age where he ought to be taking the imperial exam and making a name for himself, but he could hardly concentrate on his studies.
Every time thinking of this, Liu Yu would become increasingly speechless.
Liu Chang was gone for an hour before returning. He had a troubled look as he reported back to Liu Yu, “I couldn’t find the second young master anywhere. The servant girl in the second young master’s room said that he didn’t return home all night last night, also not knowing where he went.”
When Liu Yu heard, his expression was still calm and indifferent, just saying: “Understood.”
Right at this time, the gatekeeper outside came to report, saying that a decree has come from the palace. His Majesty wants Liu Yu to enter the palace for a meeting. This was a common occurrence, so Liu Yu didn’t find it strange. He hurriedly put on a coat and slightly tidied himself up, before going to the main gate to ride the horse carriage.
Once he entered the palace, he directly headed to Qianfu Palace.
An entire night of rain had the glazed tiles washed to a gleaming shine. The vermillion walls and white steps appeared even more bright and radiant. The eaves were still dripping with lingering droplets of rain, each drop like a pearl under a woman’s ear.
The inside of Qianfu Palace was bright and dazzling.
Lu Zi Xiang was dressed in a dark blue casual attire, playing with a colorful parrot in a small golden cage. That parrot tilted its head, its large beady eyes darting around, crying out, “Thousand years of fortune and blessings!”
Seeing Liu Yu come, the parrot flapped its wings, actually changing to saying: “Sir Liu, thousand years of fortune and blessings!”
Lu Zi Xiang slightly frowned, using a gold-trimmed handkerchief to cover the birdcage. Then, he turned towards the bowing Liu Yu, saying in a faint voice, “Minister Liu, last night, you sent a letter to that Zhennan Wang Manor.”
This wasn’t a question.
When Liu Yu heard, he slightly clenched his fist.
“Yes.” Liu Yu didn’t change his expression, slowly saying, “This subject fears that if foreign forces enter the pass, it will cause the people to become homeless and displaced. Therefore, this subject wrote a letter to Zhennan Wang Manor, hoping that the General of Chariots and Cavalry can return to guard over the Northern Pass again.”
Lu Zi Xiang’s eyes slightly darkened.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“Minister Liu, this emperor is the son of heaven. For you to act this way, is it because you are dissatisfied with this emperor?” He said.
“This subject doesn’t dare.” Liu Yu answered, “Just, your Majesty has made an oversight. Yu, as the subject, has no choice but to point it out. If to overlook a flaw, then this subject would be failing in my duty to your Majesty.”
Liu Yu’s words were high-sounding and upright, but Lu Zi Xiang’s complexion grew increasingly dark. The emperor swung his wide sleeve, his expression heavy as he sternly said, “Minister Liu, you’ve changed a lot.”
A while later, a nostalgic look surfaced on Lu Zi Xiang’s face, “In the past, Minister Liu was modest in conduct, meticulous in handling affairs.” Pausing for a moment, his expression changed, saying with a bit of anger, “But now, it seems your ambitions have grown, not even listening to this emperor’s words anymore!”
Between his words, there was a sense of seething anger.
Lu Zi Xiang remembered how Liu Yu was in the past——–He was utterly loyal to him, second to none. But now that he has ascended the throne, Liu Yu gradually had his own ideas, going against him every time.
Hearing this scolding, Liu Yu’s frail back straightened even more, saying: “Your Majesty, these words are not correct. Yu is a loyal subject, not the sort who only tries to fawn over and curry favor. Your Majesty has made a mistake, Yu cannot turn a blind eye to it. My lifelong wish is merely to assist your Majesty in achieving a just and prosperous reign.”
The line ‘your Majesty has made a mistake’ thoroughly angered Lu Zi Xiang.
Lu Zi Xiang angrily swung his sleeve, having the four treasures of the study on the nearby desk swept onto the floor, furiously shouting, “Since you want to assist this emperor in leaving behind one’s name in history, then why do you chose to turn a blind eye to the Zhennan Wang Manor?! Throughout history, how many rulers have met their downfall at the hands of the vassal kings. How can the Zhennan Wang Manor be an exception?!”
“In terms of the welfare of the people throughout the realm, compared to Zhennan Wang Manor, your Majesty should further be wary of foreign tribes.” Liu Yu calmly answered.
“If the interior of the household is not in order, how can one clean the outside?” Lu Zi Xiang fixedly stared at Liu Yu, his eyes gradually showing a look of disappointment and regret. A long while later, he waved his hand, saying, “Forget it. You are no longer the Liu Yu who was once deeply loyal to me in the past.”
“Your Majesty, Yu doesn’t dare to have a second heart.” Liu Yu answered.
However, Lu Zi Xiang was unable to take in these words. A weary look surfaced on his handsome face, his body sinking into the dragon throne as he said, “Since you are this worried about the foreign tribe, then this emperor will send you to the Northern Pass to oversee the army. The day the Mujin tribe gets completely wiped out will be when you can return to the capital.”
Once these words came out, Liu Yu blanked.
Oversee the army in the Northern Pass…….
This was no different to getting exiled.
The political climate in the capital was ever-changing. Once he leaves for the Northern Pass, it’s possible for the Liu family to meet with trouble.
Furthermore, his body was weak. If he goes to the Northern Pass, afraid it simply won’t be able to hold up.
The parrot in the small golden cage seemingly was jumping around, making a light tapping sound. Soon after, another pleasing cry of “thousand years of fortune and blessings” came out, unknown as to whom this parroting phrase was direct at.
Liu Yu blanked for a while. Afterwards, he slowly lowered his body, softly saying, “This subject accepts the decree.”
Liu Yu didn’t show any dissatisfaction or resentment, quietly leaving just like how he came. His body was extremely frail, like a willow catkin that would scatter at the slightest breeze. Lu Zi Xiang stared at his back figure, somewhat in a daze.
Shen Ran who was dressed as a court lady slowly walked out from behind the pearl curtains, bending over to clean up the mess by his feet. Her figure was slender, her raven hair as dark as ink, as if she’d walked out from an ink painting, extremely pleasing to the eyes.
Lu Zi Xiang casted a glance at the stain on the corner of his clothes, muttering, “Ever since this emperor ascended the throne, Liu Yu just changed, frequently going against this emperor, no longer that person from before. The so-called power, is it really this scary? Actually able to make a person thoroughly change…..”
Shen Ran got up, slowly saying, “Sir Liu isn’t an ordinary man. Ran’er naturally can’t guess what he’s thinking. Just, Ran’er knows, any mundane person like Ran’er will all like power.”
Shen Ran’s voice was slow and drawn-out, seemingly able to soothe the anxieties in the bottom of the heart. The gloominess on Lu Zi Xiang’s face gradually dissipated, returning to his usual gentle and magnanimous demeanor. He helped Shen Ran up and said, “These miscellaneous tasks, let the palace servants come handle. This pair of hands of yours should be used to play the zither and flip through books, not for other things.”
• • •
Liu Yu left the palace in the morning, and in the afternoon, the imperial edict just arrived.
Hearing that Liu Yu got sent to oversee the army at the Northern Pass, the Liu family instantly lost their mind. It goes without saying that Madam Liu cried her heart out. Even Liu Ru Hua who was practicing Buddhism at the nunnery rushed back with a worried look on her face.
Liu Wen was the most restless and had already been rambling on all day, “Elder brother, I’m going to enter the palace to plead with his Majesty right away! The wind and sand at the Northern Pass are harsh. With this body of yours, afraid it’ll just be going to………..”
Afraid it’ll just be going to die.
Liu Yu was getting a bit of a headache from all the noise. He pressed between his brows and leaned against the chair, slowly saying, “Forget it. His Majesty has already made up his mind, not something you can change.”
Liu Wen was somewhat embarrassed, knowing that his position was insignificant, his words carrying little weight, also having no influence, so unable to persuade his Majesty. But, he was still somewhat unwilling to give up. Liu Wen could only angrily say, “Elder brother has supported his Majesty all the way onto the throne, having made significant contributions. But now, his Majesty wants to have you sent away to the borders. Although appearing to be a promotion, but in reality, it’s a demotion, and perhaps, it might even harm your body!”
Liu Yu shook his head and said, “Don’t say nonsense and speak presumptuously of the Emperor’s mind.”
Liu Wen fell silent, his eye sockets turning red. He tightly clenched the folding fan in hand. A while later, Liu Wen said, “Elder brother, after you go to the Northern Pass, I will definitely nicely study.”
“You must follow through with what you say, not allowed to go back on your word.” Liu Yu said.
“Yes.” Liu Wen responded.
Seeing Liu Wen with an aggrieved look, Liu Yu smiled. However, this smile quickly faded. When Liu Wen lifted his head again, he simply wasn’t able to see his smile, only seeing Liu Yu’s cold and silent expression.
His Majesty’s decree came down rather urgently, needing to depart the next day. The Liu family, from top to bottom, was in a mess, scrambling to help Liu Yu pack his luggage. The Song and Ji family knew that the Liu family most likely had angered his Majesty, so didn’t dare to go near them at this time. No one in the court dared to speak for Liu Yu.
When it was about time to depart the next day, the Liu family received Lu Qi Yang’s letter———Lu Qi Yang was willing to send a squad of soldiers to escort Liu Yu north.
Liu Yu knew, this was probably Lu Qi Yang’s thank-you gift, so he didn’t turn it down.
To Liu Yu’s surprise, Lu Qi Yang and Shen Lan Chi were also under the escort of this squad.
Early morning outside the Chu capital, the sky had just began to brighten, the birds chirping.
Lu Qi Yang was dressed as an ordinary military officer, riding on horseback, saying to Liu Yu with a smile, “My wife is pregnant and need to go to the Wu province to recuperate. Since it just happens to be the same way, this wang will personally accompany Sir Liu for a distance.”
Liu Yu lifted the carriage curtain, his lungs slightly itchy. He suppressed the cough and calmly said, “Thanking Zhennan Wang for the trouble. Don’t know if wangfei’s body is well? The clamor of the capital indeed isn’t suitable for recuperation.”
These were all just pleasantries. The two of them were both fully aware as to why Shen Lan Chi and Lu Qi Yang needed to leave the capital.
Lu Zi Xiang was suspicious of the Zhennan Wang Manor, so inevitably will make a move against Lu Qi Yang. Shen Lan Chi, as a woman, afraid will become a hostage if she stays in the capital. Therefore, it was better to take this opportunity now, while still maintaining a civil facade, to quickly go far away and hide for period of time.
“She’s naturally well.” Lu Qi Yang pulled the reins, smiling leisurely, “I originally wanted to take her to the Northern Pass. Just, now that she’s pregnant, she’s unable to handle long journeys, thus decided to have her arranged in the Wu province.”
Liu Yu nodded and said, “It’s getting late. We better set out soon.”
Lu Qi Yang raised his hand, signaling the soldiers beside him to follow, while he went around on horseback to the front of Liu Yu’s carriage, saying in boredom, “Sir Liu, the road ahead is very boring. My wife is also in a bad mood, unwilling to come out, so why don’t the two of us keep each other company, chatting with one another to relieve the boredom?”
Lu Qi Yang was also helpless.
Shen Ting Yuan had ran off with Liu Ru Yan, so now, whenever Shen Lan Chi would see Liu Yu, she would feel awkward, unwilling to come out no matter what, cooping up in the horse carriage. Meanwhile, Lu Qi Yang was the lively type. If no one talks to him, he will start to mold. Thus, he set his sights on the outstandingly talented Sir Liu.
Liu Yu’s voice was somewhat frail, but he still politely answered, “What does wangye want to talk about?”
“This wang knows that Sir Liu’s body is somewhat weak, so won’t insist on asking Sir Liu to talk more. How about this, I talk, while Sir Liu listen, what do you think?” Lu Qi Yang said with a considerate look, “In this way, it won’t drain Sir Liu’s energy.”
Liu Yu said, “Alright then, wangye feel free speak.”
Lu Qi Yang coughed, clearing his throat.
“Sir Liu, do you know why women would get angry? I really don’t understand at all.”
“Sir Liu, say, this child of mine, will it be a boy or a girl?”
“Sir Liu, my father-in-law is even scarier than his Majesty, like a stuffed gourd, always making others guess his thoughts……….”
“Sir Liu, when it comes to drawing brows, skill comes with practice. But, I recently discovered a problem……..”
Liu Yu remained silent the whole time.
Liu Chang who was following by the horse carriage already couldn’t endure anymore, the corner of his eyes twitching, grumbling to himself, ‘How impressive that you have a wife!’
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