Huancheng Deep - Kapitel 39
Yu Zhou subtly brushed his hand away, saying, "Your Majesty the Emperor of Jinyao Kingdom, please have some self-respect." Upon hearing this, Yelü Longxu laughed wildly, "So Yu Zhou knows who I am!"
Yu Zhou coldly asked, "What business does the ruler of an enemy state have sneaking into our country?" He then picked up a bamboo flute and placed it against Yelü Longxu's neck. His face was devoid of any smile.
Yelü Longxu nonchalantly embraced Yu Zhou's slender waist, his warm breath causing Yu Zhou's face to flush. Yet, he couldn't back away. "Prime Minister Yu, what do you think my purpose is?" a deep male voice whispered slowly in Yu Zhou's ear. Yu Zhou's flushed face returned to calm. His cold gaze fixed on Yelü Longxu. He lightly stroked his bamboo flute and said, "Hmph, Your Majesty Yelü is joking. How would I know?"
"Is that so?" Yelü Longxu said alluringly. Her slender hand brushed across Yu Zhou's cheek, then suddenly stopped and said, "This face is truly beautiful and alluring. Many people would like it."
"Thank you for the compliment," Yu Zhou said, but he had no idea what Yelü Longxu was going to do next. Feeling completely lost, he could only improvise.
"But, I truly wish I could..." Yelü Longxu's tone turned sinister. His brown eyes flickered uncertainly. Yet his hand continued to caress Yu Zhou's cheek, so gently and carefully.
"You wish you could destroy it, don't you?" Yu Zhou said, staring at Yelü Longxu. Yelü Longxu chuckled, "Yes! I wish I could destroy it." But in his heart, he added, "That way only I can see it, no one else can. You'll always be mine." Thinking this, Yelü Longxu tightened his grip. Yu Zhou felt a sharp pain.
"How much longer will Your Majesty remain in this position?" Yu Zhou asked, enduring the pain. Yelü Longxu reluctantly released Yu Zhou, leaning against the tree and saying, "It must have been your wife who drugged him." Yelü Longxu played with a strand of hair. Yu Zhou remained silent, simply listening to Yelü Longxu's every move.
"His temperament hasn't changed, but don't you think there's something wrong with your wife?" Yelü Longxu changed the subject. Yu Zhou clenched his fists nervously and stared coldly at Yelü Longxu.
Seeing the anger in Yu Zhou's eyes, Yelü Longxu said with satisfaction, "The Soul-Chasing Needle, I'm sure the knowledgeable Prime Minister Yu has heard of it. I won't explain it any further."
Yu Zhou sighed inwardly. He was incredibly cruel to administer such a needle. He truly was a tyrant feared by everyone in Eurasia.
"You... Bingning has done you no wrong, why would you use such a vicious thing?" Yu Zhou said angrily. She was truly panicked this time; even the Emperor of Fengwan couldn't save Bingning with this needle.
"Does the Prime Minister not know my style?" Yelü Longxu said with amusement.
Yu Zhou calmed down and said, "No reason needed! Your Majesty, please state your request. Yu Zhou will fulfill it." She hated it, she hated it so much. She had no power to protect Bing Ning.
"It's actually very simple: marry Li Jingyin." Upon hearing this, Yu Zhou was speechless. She couldn't fathom what this man intended to do. Marry Li Jingyin. Was it her? Or him?
"What do you think, Yu Zhou? This matter is quite fair," Yelü Longxu said with a smile. Yu Zhou remained silent for a moment before saying, "Li Jingyin is probably already dead!"
"Prime Minister Yu is truly a man of foresight. I would like to hear more from Prime Minister Yu next," Yelü Longxu said admiringly.
Yu Zhou continued, "Li Jingyin probably loves Your Majesty. But she could never have imagined that the man she loved so dearly was actually her executioner. The Li Jingyin Your Majesty arranged for me to marry must be one of your subordinates. Your Majesty's goal is to plant an informant by Yu Zhou's side. And Bing Ning's Soul-Chasing Needle, controlled by Your Majesty's jade flute, obeys Your Majesty's commands. Then Your Majesty will frame Yu Zhou for treason. And since my two wives are under Your Majesty's control, Yu Zhou's crimes will surely be established. And I must pledge my allegiance to Your Majesty." Yu Zhou spoke while looking at Yelü Longxu.
"Prime Minister Yu's imagination is truly remarkable; I must admire it! But what will Prime Minister Yu do? Even if what he says is true, doesn't he care about your wife's life?" Yelü Longxu smiled seductively, a smile that sent chills down one's spine.
Yu Zhou fell into deep thought, not out of fear, but as a test. He smiled brightly, took out a flute, and with a 'whoosh,' concealed a dagger. He held it to Yelü Longxu's neck and said, "The emperor's anger can cause bloodshed for a thousand miles. The commoner's anger can cause two corpses to float in the water. Does Your Majesty agree?"
[Dynasty Storms: The Most Beautiful Place Under Heaven]
"Prime Minister Yu is threatening me." Yelü Longxu was not flustered at all, but rather seemed to be watching a good show. Yu Zhou pursed his lips and slowly stabbed the dagger into Yelü Longxu's milky white skin, and a little bit of scarlet blood flowed out.
Yelü Longxu sneered, pulling Yu Zhou into his arms again, saying, "I would be willing to die in your arms, Prime Minister Yu." He didn't use the imperial title, but rather "I." This startled Yu Zhou, but his hands didn't stop. Looking into Yelü Longxu's deep, affectionate brown eyes, Yu Zhou took a few steps back in shock.
"What should we do about Yu Xiang?" Yelü Longxu said palely, clutching his wound, but his smile was full of joy. Was it because of Yu Zhou's surprise, or because Yu Zhou spared his life? He felt a sweet warmth in his heart.
Yu Zhou turned and threw away the dagger, saying, "Your Majesty, now that I have obtained the jade flute, I will not keep you any longer." Yu Zhou chuckled. Just now, Yu Zhou had only intended to get close to Yelü Longxu in order to obtain Yelü Longxu's flute. Yelü Longxu had not noticed this at all.
"Prime Minister Yu! Truly remarkable." Yelü Longxu was furious, never expecting that even with meticulous planning, he would overlook the jade flute. However, he maintained his smile: "I believe I will meet Prime Minister Yu again soon."
"Yu Zhou is also looking forward to it." Yu Zhou waved his hand, holding the jade flute. Yelü Longxu also flew away, watching Yu Zhou's stunning figure leave behind a wicked arc.
Yu Zhou sighed heavily; this Yelü Longxu was incredibly troublesome.
"Zhou'er, where's Miss Li?" Grandma Ning looked at her grandson strangely. Why was he all alone? Yu Zhou smiled broadly and said, "Grandma, Miss Li said she hated me and left."
"How is this possible?" Old Madam Ning looked at Yu Zhou in disbelief. Yu Zhou turned and smiled at Bing Ning. However, only Yelü Longxu and Yu Zhou knew the meaning behind that smile.
A cool breeze caressed the parched earth, and the sun's rays softened considerably. Inside the Qingyan Tower of Gengyue Kingdom, lively conversation filled the air.
"Do you know the most beautiful woman in the world, Wu Yueying?" a man asked the people next to him.
“Of course, she got this title when she was five years old. It’s a pity that this princess died young; she disappeared, didn’t she?” said another merchant dressed in blue.
The old man with the goatee shook his head and said, "That's not true. The most beautiful woman in the world right now is the Prime Minister of our Gengyue Kingdom! Everyone who has seen her is stunned and mesmerized for a long time. Such a beauty even moves men!"
"I saw one... she was prettier than a fairy. I stood there dumbfounded all day."
"But the Prime Minister is a man. Your words are an insult to her. Prime Minister Yu is a man of exceptional talent and ability. How can he be compared to a shallow woman from another country?" a scholar said indignantly.
“Brother, don’t be angry. To be honest, Prime Minister Yu is indeed more beautiful than any woman. I’m afraid even the celestial beings in heaven are more beautiful than him.” Another scholar said in a daze.
"It's a pity it was a man. I was so disappointed then. But what is Princess Wuyueying doing in our Gengyue Kingdom?"
The scholar coughed lightly and said, "Of course they're here for a marriage alliance~~~. When the Ricang people know that our country has sent Prime Minister Yu, of course they'll try to curry favor with Wei Mei."
"But I still don't understand. Wu Yueying's surname isn't Wu, but the royal surname of the Ricang Kingdom is Chen Ze." The big man scratched his head.
"You may not know this, but Princess Wu's original surname was Chen Ze. However, the old Emperor Ricang favored Princess Wu and bestowed the surname Wu upon her. And Princess Wu's Flying Dance is unparalleled in the world!" another scholar said proudly.
"There's still one thing I don't understand. If Princess Wu comes to our Gengyue Kingdom, will she be the Empress?"
"It must be so, because Ricang Kingdom is the strongest country in Eurasia, and the most noble Princess Wu must be the empress of Gengyue Kingdom, which is the weakest in terms of national strength," the scholar said confidently.
Yu Zhou, seated in the elegant pavilion, continued to sip fragrant tea, his eyes closed in rest.
"Brother, do you think Princess Wu will become our empress?" Yu Qingqing asked Yu Zhou curiously. Bing Ning nodded as well. It turned out that Yu Zhou and the two of them were already seated at the inn.
"It won't be that simple." Yu Zhou put down his fragrant tea and gazed out the window into the distance.
Yu Qingqing asked, puzzled, "Could it be that the Ricang Kingdom is setting up difficult problems for us?" Yu Qingqing voiced her thought in surprise. Yu Zhou nodded and said, "Perhaps it's not just about setting up difficult problems."
"When will Princess Wu arrive?" Yu Zhou asked.
“I’ll be here by noon tomorrow,” Yu Qingqing said. Yu Zhou lowered his head and said, “Bingning, I think there will be a lot of acquaintances tomorrow. Dress up nicely for the banquet. A tough battle is inevitable.”