{"id":6929,"date":"2025-03-27T09:42:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T08:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/?p=6929"},"modified":"2025-03-27T09:42:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T08:42:43","slug":"your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-51-no-need-for-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/2025\/03\/27\/your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-51-no-need-for-words\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Majesty, you mustn&#8217;t! &#8211; Chapter 51: No Need for Words"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When he got this bad news, Zhang Biezhi was about to go out with his friends to have fun.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Originally, he was still nose-to-nose and eye-to-eye with Chenliu. He disliked the water and the mountains, but when he had settled down completely and his brother-in-law was too busy accomplishing the things Xiao Rong had ordered to care about him, his good days came.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put it in an inappropriate way, it was as if he was an old peasant from the countryside entering the city for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had traveled far and wide before. When he went to pick up Xiao Yi and his grandmother, he had also been to Xinan County, a place even more prosperous than Chenliu. At that time, he had a mission to watch over the old woman and the boy to make sure nothing happened to them. As a result, he had no chance to enjoy the delights of Xinan County. As for the pleasures of men, weren\u2019t they always the same?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were no such establishments in Yanmen County. Perhaps, in places out of Qu Yunmie\u2019s sight, among the lowest-ranking soldiers, there were a few who slipped through the cracks. Poor people were willing to do anything for a few coins, and Qu Yunmie couldn&#8217;t control that.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for the senior generals, those who were always under his watchful eye, Qu Yunmie had made it very clear that he wouldn\u2019t allow them to visit such places, nor would he tolerate them hosting such events in their own homes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason Qu Yunmie had to stress such an extreme rule was because many people indeed engaged in such behavior and even considered it a mark of refined indulgence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, they wouldn\u2019t go so far as to cross the line in front of guests, but they would invite many women to serve them. In the middle of drinking and socializing, if someone took a liking to one of the women, he could take her away\u2014even if she was someone else\u2019s concubine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an older bachelor, Qu Yunmie firmly refused to allow such filth to occur within his army. Outwardly, everyone pretended to have no issue with it, but who knew what they said behind his back<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it were up to Xiao Rong, he probably wouldn\u2019t have been as decisive or firm as Qu Yunmie because he would have considered the opinions of these senior generals. Most of them fought hard in battle with the hopes of being promoted and getting rich, and promotion and wealth meant living like men of high status\u2014and living like a man of high status often meant not treating others like human beings.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In theory, a good ruler should satisfy his subordinates&#8217; every need, but this was just too depraved. It was basically encouraging open exploitation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, this wasn\u2019t a real issue, because Qu Yunmie had already issued the order long ago. When people came to Xiao Rong, hoping he would persuade Qu Yunmie not to be so strict, Xiao Rong could only sigh, shake his head helplessly, and play the role of the understanding good guy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people obeyed Qu Yunmie&#8217;s strict orders, knowing that punishments in the army were no joke. However, there were some who deliberately disobeyed, like Zhang Biezhi, the Young Master Zhang.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He wasn\u2019t afraid of getting beaten. After all, no matter what happened, Jian Qiao would always cover for him. Even if Jian Qiao got really angry and personally came to beat him with a stick, his beautiful sister would cry and stop him, preventing him from laying a hand on Zhang Biezhi.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This only made Zhang Biezhi more reckless.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang&#8217;s sister wasn\u2019t someone who spoiled her brother. She often tried to persuade him to behave and stop causing trouble. The problem was that Zhang Biezhi never listened to her. In fact, there wasn\u2019t anyone in the world who could make Zhang Biezhi listen.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang\u2019s sister couldn\u2019t, Jian Qiao couldn\u2019t, and even Qu Yunmie couldn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of his wild personality, during the infamous large-scale betrayal, even though he had nothing to do with it, being Jian Qiao&#8217;s brother-in-law, the other side didn\u2019t even consider trying to win him over and just assumed he was a staunch supporter of Qu Yunmie\u2014Zhang Biezhi found it all quite interesting. He no longer wanted to be controlled by anyone, so he joined the traitors out of a sense of mischief.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His betrayal didn\u2019t catch Qu Yunmie&#8217;s attention, as Qu Yunmie was overwhelmed with more pressing matters. However, his betrayal was a huge slap in the face to Jian Qiao. Zhang&#8217;s sister had been devastated, crying constantly, and Jian Qiao became deeply upset, not wanting to see her anymore. He didn\u2019t realize that Zhang&#8217;s sister had secretly left. No one knew how she, a lone woman, managed to infiltrate the enemy camp. She knelt before Zhang Biezhi and begged him to return with her. She reminded him of their parents, saying that their father hadn\u2019t sent him to the Northern Army to see him turn against his brother-in-law.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This part of history wasn\u2019t recorded. Later generations&#8217; evaluation of Zhang Biezhi described him as a lesser version of Qu Yunmie. He had a small group of followers, partly because he died so young. Becoming the leader of a faction before the age of twenty was something to be praised in any era.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What people didn\u2019t know was that Zhang Biezhi had moments of doubt. His betrayal was motivated by a desire to stir things up, to vent his frustrations, and to prove that he wasn\u2019t dependent on his brother-in-law. When he arrived at the enemy camp, he felt a bit lost. Why was he here? How angry must his sister and brother-in-law be right now?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having been protected all his life and never having experienced real hardships, this betrayal felt like a game to him. He hadn\u2019t realized the seriousness of the situation until someone lifted the flap of his tent, saw his sister there, and turned pale with rage. They furiously drew a blade and struck her down with a single slash.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No one knew the name of the person who killed Zhang\u2019s sister because he wasn\u2019t recorded in history. The only thing known was that this man had a fiery temper. As soon as he saw Zhang\u2019s sister, he understood why she had come. He thought Zhang Biezhi was going to betray them, so he acted preemptively.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her death was somewhat absurd.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She died because of a momentary lapse, a misunderstanding, and ultimately, for no meaningful reason.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang\u2019s sister wasn\u2019t the first to die this way, nor would she be the last.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What else happened that day was never recorded in history either. What was recorded was that Zhang Biezhi stayed with the rebel army for a while. When Qu Yunmie launched his attack, Zhang Biezhi quickly left, taking with him the soldiers who didn\u2019t want to face Qu Yunmie head-on. Later, he established himself as an independent force in the Central Plains. He endured a lot of hardships, fighting battles of all sizes almost daily, without a moment of rest. No matter how difficult things became, he never asked anyone for help.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why Xiao Rong had no idea that he was Jian Qiao\u2019s brother-in-law. During the time Zhang Biezhi became famous, he seemed like someone who had sprung out of nowhere. There were no records of his background. He appeared suddenly and dramatically, but when he died, it was in obscurity. He never surrendered, never asked for help, just kept charging forward until, inevitably, he was killed by a flurry of arrows.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person lives a lifetime full of rights and wrongs. No one goes without mistakes, and no one is right their whole life. The Zhang siblings seemed somewhat foolish, especially Zhang Biezhi, to the point of being beyond saving. However, in a different time, their fates might have been different.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the nature of chaotic times. If the elimination rate of people in peaceful times is only five percent, then in times of chaos, that rate is fifty percent. In extreme environments, every flaw is magnified, and every flaw becomes fatal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Events not recorded in history, Xiao Rong certainly didn\u2019t know about them. His insistence on having Zhang Biezhi follow him wasn\u2019t to give him a chance to not betray Qu Yunmie in the future.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just like Qu Yunmie didn\u2019t care about Zhang Biezhi\u2019s betrayal, Xiao Rong didn\u2019t care either. The threat posed by Zhang Biezhi didn\u2019t even rate a single star. In history, he had avoided Jian Qiao, clearly unwilling to become an enemy of his. Even if he were willing to become one, Xiao Rong didn\u2019t think he could cause any serious consequences.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After all, how could a low-tier version possibly defeat the premium version?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason he insisted on taking Zhang Biezhi was because he truly thought Zhang Biezhi would be useful. As for how he would be useful, that would be clear once they reached Jinling.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once Xiao Rong made a decision, no one could change his mind. Before leaving, Zhang Biezhi was dragged by the neck by his brother-in-law and informed of the bad news.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang Biezhi felt like Xiao Rong was targeting him. &#8220;Why do I have to go?!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last time he went to Xinan, it had been such a hassle. Why did he have to go again?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jian Qiao looked at him like he was failing to live up to expectations. &#8220;Others want to go but can\u2019t! Mr. Xiao is a person of great ability, and the King values him greatly. This is a good opportunity. Mr. Xiao personally chose you to go\u2014just be happy about it!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang Biezhi: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He wasn\u2019t happy about it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last time he went to bring that old lady to Chenliu, it became an indelible shadow in his life. Xiao Rong was the old lady\u2019s grandson, so he probably wasn\u2019t any better.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinking back on the mental torment he endured, Zhang Biezhi rolled his eyes and immediately became upset. &#8220;I\u2019m not going! Whoever wants to go, can go ahead!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jian Qiao had been busy handling all the big and small matters in Chenliu City, almost becoming the top contractor in the area. Doing those tasks made him furious, and now this troublesome little brother-in-law dared to refuse Xiao Rong\u2019s order.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jian Qiao immediately stood up, glaring at Zhang Biezhi with an intense look, as if he was about to transform. &#8220;Say that again. If you have the guts, say it again.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang Biezhi: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was this necessary?! He was just a scholar! Why did everyone listen to him so obediently?!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So annoying! Fine, he&#8217;ll go!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zhang Biezhi\u2019s situation was settled, and Jian Qiao hurried to report to Xiao Rong. Zhang Biezhi had a psychological shadow because of Xiao Rong\u2019s grandmother, and Jian Qiao also had a shadow because of Zhang Biezhi. He really hoped someone could discipline Zhang Biezhi and that Zhang Biezhi could earn Xiao Rong&#8217;s favor so that he wouldn&#8217;t disappoint his father-in-law.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At that moment, Xiao Rong was speaking with Yu Shaoxie. When he heard from Jian Qiao that Zhang Biezhi was packing his bags, Xiao Rong simply said &#8220;Oh&#8221; and sent him away.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He didn\u2019t understand the complex feelings Jian Qiao had, acting both as a brother-in-law and a father figure. To Xiao Rong, it seemed like a small matter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Shaoxie, who had spent a long time in the Northern Army, knew a little about some of the unspeakable matters in General Jian\u2019s heart. He couldn\u2019t help but laugh. \u201cAlthough General Jian hasn\u2019t explicitly said it, the hopeful look on his face is written quite clearly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong looked at him. &#8220;What\u2019s written?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Shaoxie held his tea cup and chuckled. \u201cNaturally, he wants Xiao Rong to properly discipline his brother-in-law. That Deputy General Zhang has almost become the troublemaker of their family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong said, \u201cI can&#8217;t handle this kind of thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Shaoxie asked, \u201cWhy downplay yourself, Xiao Rong? You\u2019ve already achieved quite a brilliant military record.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong raised his eyes, and Yu Shaoxie winked at him teasingly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He still preferred the old Yu Shaoxie, who used to get shy whenever he saw him. Now, this version of him, who behaved so familiarly, was a bit annoying.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He of course knew who Yu Shaoxie was talking about; he wasn\u2019t stupid. He could also tell how indulgent Qu Yunmie was towards him. Though it was the result of his own hard work, he never expected it to turn out this way.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was impossible for him not to feel pleased. Qu Yunmie\u2019s change in attitude saved him ten years of effort.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless, that didn\u2019t mean he could accept other people\u2019s teasing. Qu Yunmie was the King of the North, so how could his subordinates casually tease their superior?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His reasoning sounded very righteous, but the real reason was that he didn\u2019t like having it pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was just fine when things were unclear and understood without being spoken, especially among adults. Why did it have to be pointed out? Why did it have to be said, making him realize how special he was to Qu Yunmie?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for why he didn\u2019t like it\u2026 he didn\u2019t know. He just didn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Shaoxie saw that Xiao Rong didn\u2019t respond, and he called out to him, puzzled, \u201cXiao Rong?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong looked up, his expression calm. \u201cThe way people get along still depends on fate. I\u2019m not a deity, I can\u2019t make everyone listen to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Shaoxie paused, then sighed. \u201cYes, every family has its own troubles. Zhang Biezhi gives General Jian quite a headache, but that\u2019s because General Jian hasn\u2019t seen the pests in other families. You\u2019ll see them when you get to Jinling.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point, he couldn\u2019t help but bring up the past again. \u201cI wish I could go with you. Though my Yu Family has fallen, I\u2019ve met half of the aristocratic families in Jinling, and I\u2019ve heard of the other half. With me accompanying you, at least you\u2019d know who they are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong certainly understood this logic, but since he was Yu Shaocheng\u2019s brother, bringing him along would be like causing trouble directly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong comforted him. \u201cThere\u2019s no need to worry, Brother Yu. I\u2019m going to the palace to see His Majesty, not to make friends with these aristocrats. Unless something unexpected happens, I won\u2019t run into them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Shaoxie: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What he was afraid of was the unexpected; trouble always seemed to find its way to him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, at this point, discussing it was pointless. Once they arrived, everything would depend on Xiao Rong himself.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next day, while they were chatting, Huang Yanjiong\u2019s people arrived in the city with two wooden chests.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After sending them off, Xiao Rong stood in front of the two chests and opened them in front of the crowd that had gathered to watch.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The left chest was filled with gold ingots, and the right chest contained various treasures. It was unclear whether Huang Yanjiong was worried about them having questions about Huang Keji\u2019s matter, or if he truly needed the military order for the army, but he had certainly sent a lot.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of the treasures, jewelry accounted for only thirty percent, and the rest were foreign spices, rare books from the Huang family collection, and two secret formulas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One for prolonging life and the other for maintaining beauty.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How thoughtful. The former was for the Grand Marshal, and the latter for Empress Dowager Sun.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From this, it was clear that Huang Yanjiong knew the real power was in the hands of the Sun siblings. As for Empress Dowager Sun, although she had no real power, the young Emperor still depended on her heavily. Relying on this, she had significant authority in the imperial harem.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of this, she was able to keep a male lover right under everyone\u2019s nose for a long time without anyone noticing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahem, let&#8217;s not talk about that for now.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong carefully examined the gold ingots and noticed the Huang family\u2019s seal on them. The jewelry also bore the Huang family\u2019s mark, something that was common among aristocratic families nowadays to show their uniqueness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the seal present, Xiao Rong was finally satisfied. He had the items put away, intending to pack his things that evening and leave the next morning for Jinling.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Xiao Yi found out that Xiao Rong was leaving for the dangerous Jinling, he was very worried but was afraid to hold Xiao Rong back and didn\u2019t dare speak up. However, Chen Sheyu didn\u2019t have such reservations. When she heard that Xiao Rong would be leaving for a while, she began to cry, but she didn\u2019t try to stop him. Instead, she earnestly reminded him to be careful on his journey.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As she spoke, her words became muddled. She started out reminding Xiao Rong, but soon, she was speaking as though she was reminding her late sons. Xiao Rong quietly listened until she finished, then gently coaxed her back to rest.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Yi helped Chen Sheyu leave, and as Xiao Rong let out a sigh of relief, he saw Ah Shu staring at him with red eyes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He wasn\u2019t going to die, really.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ah Shu spoke up. \u201cLord, I\u2019ll go with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong hesitated. \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ah Shu immediately shot him a reproachful look, as if to say, didn\u2019t you just say it wasn\u2019t dangerous<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong said, \u201cFine, go pack then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ah Shu nodded, but he didn\u2019t look happy. He walked away with a heavy expression.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaning against the doorframe, Xiao Rong watched Ah Shu\u2019s back, then suddenly heard a low voice behind him. \u201cAre you regretting it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong crossed his arms, turned around, looking at Qu Yunmie, and arrogantly said, \u201cYour Majesty doesn\u2019t know this, but I\u2019ve never known what it\u2019s like to regret.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie nodded knowingly, then asked, &#8220;So, you don\u2019t regret when you called me headstrong earlier?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why bring that up again?!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His expression faltered again. \u201cYour Majesty, constantly bringing up old grievances isn\u2019t the behavior of a great man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie averted his gaze, as if he hadn\u2019t heard the accusation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He walked in and looked at Xiao Rong\u2019s bundle, which still hadn\u2019t been properly tied. Inside were a few clothes and some daily necessities; nothing else.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie furrowed his brows and asked, &#8220;What about your sword?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong instinctively looked at the wall, where the sword hung, perfectly fine. Qu Yunmie followed his gaze and said, &#8220;You should take it with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong was confused. \u201cWhy take it? It\u2019s not even sharpened. Besides, I can\u2019t bring a sword into the palace. They\u2019ll take it away before I even enter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie knew that Xiao Rong had been to the palace before. He was aware that the palace guards treated people without noble backgrounds like cattle\u2014brutal checks, confiscating everything, and mocking their poverty.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During his year in Southern Yong, he spent three months in Lujiang, eight months in Jinling, and the final month on the road, defecting.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had normal memories of Lujiang, but Jinling made Qu Yunmie furious every single day.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie was of average education, and he couldn\u2019t express himself with flowery words. He just knew that Jinling Palace was like a huge jar, full of ugly beasts. They were twisted but didn\u2019t realize it, mocking those who were normal. Their harsh, shrill laughter made Qu Yunmie frown whenever he thought of it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He really didn\u2019t want Xiao Rong to experience what he had been through.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Originally, he had planned to secretly follow Xiao Rong the next day. Xiao Rong was smart, but his martial skills were poor, and his vision was average. If Qu Yunmian truly hid his tracks, Xiao Rong wouldn\u2019t be able to spot him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This way, Xiao Rong wouldn\u2019t know he was there. However, Xiao Rong was a meticulous planner, and if something went wrong, he wouldn\u2019t think of having someone help him; instead, he\u2019d go off somewhere Qu Yunmie couldn\u2019t find him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After thinking it through, Qu Yunmie decided to tell Xiao Rong the truth.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turning around, Qu Yunmie spoke, his words cutting through Xiao Rong\u2019s unknowing gaze. \u201cTomorrow, I\u2019ll send you out of the city.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong froze. He was about to refuse when he heard Qu Yunmie continue, &#8220;I\u2019ll go with you to the banks of the Han River. After you cross, I\u2019ll stay there and wait for your return.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong stared at him in shock, opening his mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by Qu Yunmie. \u201cI won\u2019t let anyone see me. In battle, I\u2019m an expert at ambushing. I\u2019ve infiltrated camps of tens of thousands without anyone noticing. The people of Jinling won\u2019t spot me either.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He pursed his lips. &#8220;The journey will take too long, and Chenliu\u2013\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie cut him off, \u201cYou manage Chenliu. If you don\u2019t come back, what use will I have here alone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong stared at him, then paused, instinctively turning his head away, avoiding Qu Yunmie\u2019s intense gaze.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie hardly ever lied. Every word he spoke came from the heart. He couldn\u2019t say anything particularly moving, but when he spoke earnestly, his gaze made Xiao Rong feel uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was as if it were a pair of irons, burning him with their heat.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong was starting to soften, but still tried to convince Qu Yunmie.: \u201cThe Han River is far from the palace. If something happens, Your Majesty won\u2019t make it in time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie nodded. \u201cAt least it\u2019s closer than Chenliu.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least there was more of a possibility.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong turned his head back and met Qu Yunmie\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He knew why Qu Yunmie wanted to stay on the Han River side; it was his bottom line. He could never agree to let Qu Yunmie cross the river. The King understood himself, which was why he said it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He understood Xiao Rong, and Xiao Rong understood him. He knew how much tension was hidden behind Qu Yunmie\u2019s calm tone.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong asked, &#8220;If I tell Your Majesty not to go, what will happen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie paused for a moment. \u201cThen we will go as planned.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong had his own bottom line, and so did Qu Yunmie.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing this, Xiao Rong couldn\u2019t help but smile. \u201cThen what can I say? I will return as quickly as I can to meet with Your Majesty.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Qu Yunmie heard his agreement, a heavy weight seemed to lift from his heart. He also smiled, and the two exchanged a look, understanding each other without needing more words.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Edited by: Antiope<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Support translation:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/bePatron?u=25191841\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"51\" class=\"wp-image-338 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/become_a_patron_button.png?resize=217%2C51\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 217px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 217\/51;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/lajnaa\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/kofi3-3.png?resize=185%2C47\" alt=\"This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is kofi3-3.png\" width=\"185\" height=\"47\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 185px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 185\/47;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When he got this bad news, Zhang Biezhi was about to go out with his friends to have fun. Originally, he was still nose-to-nose and eye-to-eye with Chenliu. He disliked the water and the mountains, but when he had settled down completely and his brother-in-law was too busy accomplishing the things Xiao Rong had ordered [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-your-majesty","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240106180053_200_280-1.jpg?fit=199%2C280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6929"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6930,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6929\/revisions\/6930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}