Chapter 49: Various Chain Reactions
But Leng Yiqing remained unmoved. She calmly said, "Father, if you truly care about your daughter, then go to the Emperor and grant my wish with Mo!"
"Yes, of course I will go and talk to her. I will go and confront Bai Yuyan properly!" General Leng was furious. Thinking back on everything that had happened, he hated himself for making that decision back then.
"Father!" Noticing his unusual behavior, Leng Yiqing suddenly felt worried. Although she didn't know what grudge they had, she had a vague sense of unease.
“You stay at Prince Yun’s residence. I’m going to the palace. I promise you, I won’t let anyone bully you. Since they’ve treated you like this, I don’t need to wait for them to divorce you. I’ll divorce that heartless man myself,” General Leng comforted you.
The smile in Su Yunmo's eyes was unfathomable, and no one knew what he was thinking at that moment.
General Leng then headed straight for the palace.
He headed straight for Phoenix Feather Palace; this time, he wanted to find this woman and settle everything.
"Bai Yuyan!" She entered the palace gates without any announcement, barging directly into the Empress's chambers with an imposing aura. The sensible palace maids and eunuchs automatically made way; everyone knew the status and temperament of this cold general.
Seeing that all the palace servants of Fengyu Palace had left, leaving only Bai Yuyan and General Leng in the bedchamber, Bai Yuyan greeted them with a smile: "It's my cousin! What brings you here? Are you here to confront me?"
"What do you think? You promised me my Qing'er's future, and I've helped you until now. Why has it come to this? Give me an explanation. Do you not want to continue cooperating?" General Leng asked all his questions in one breath. Martial artists dislike beating around the bush the most.
"It's all because Zheng Yang is being immature. I'll try to persuade him. Of course, our cooperation will continue," Bai Yuyan replied readily.
"Forget it, in my opinion, there's no need for us to cooperate anymore. But since you're my cousin, I'll of course keep this secret for you, don't worry." General Leng spoke even more decisively, knowing that his precious daughter had suffered such injustice, he wouldn't force her to stay here any longer.
This piqued Bai Yuyan's curiosity: "Oh?"
General Leng earnestly made an exchange with Bai Yuyan: "I can keep your secret without any problem, but please let my Qing'er go!"
"Alright!" Bai Yuyan knew that General Leng cherished his daughter dearly. If she insisted on making things difficult for him, she would be making things difficult for him. Therefore, she had no reason to ask to continue cooperating. Without her cousin's support, she knew that her good days were coming to an end.
After reaching an agreement, Bai Yuyan sent someone to summon Su Zhengyang.
Watching his once utterly trusted son-in-law write that letter of divorce, he too began to lose all patience with Bai Yuyan and the Crown Prince. One day, he too would fight his way to make a name for himself.
"Here!" Su Zhengyang handed over the letter of divorce with disdain. "If it weren't for the Empress Dowager stopping me, I would have divorced her long ago. Your daughter is promiscuous and has an affair with the Imperial Uncle. You should be in charge of your daughter, not here blaming us."
"How dare you! How could you speak to your uncle like that?" Bai Yuyan scolded Su Zhengyang harshly.
“I…” Su Zhengyang wanted to say something.
"You'd better watch yourselves!" General Leng uttered a vague but harsh remark before turning and leaving.
Bai Yuyan was filled with disappointment and anger as she looked at her good-for-nothing son. Her blood boiled with rage. Had all her careful planning and scheming for so long resulted in such a dismal ending?
If she truly lost General Leng's support, what would she have left? Was it really over between them? She was unwilling to accept it. So unwilling!
A stream of blood gushed from his dantian, splashing onto Su Zhengyang.
"Help! Someone help me!" Su Zhengyang cried out in fright.
Palace maids rushed in, and imperial physicians arrived in droves, but they were all helpless; the Empress had fainted. The imperial physicians could only say that they needed to prescribe some medicine to recuperate and gradually resolve the stagnation in her body.
Su Zhengyang couldn't understand why his usually strong mother would suddenly collapse. His mother's collapse also foreshadowed his own downfall, and Su Zhengyang began to feel anxious.
Everything changed after Leng Yiqing was divorced. Only now did Su Zhengyang begin to suspect that there must have been a reason why his mother had desperately protected Leng Yiqing and tried so hard to stop him from divorcing her. He was eager to find out the reason, but he didn't know who to turn to.
He stayed by his mother's side day and night, taking care of her and making serving her soup and medicine his daily routine. He didn't leave her side for days and nights. It wasn't until three days later that Bai Yuyan slowly woke up. Seeing her haggard son beside her, Bai Yuyan gently reached out and stroked his face, which resembled Fei Ge's, feeling a pang of heartache.
Did she really make the wrong choice back then? Is it too late to regret it now? If she hadn't been involved in worldly affairs, that would have been fine, but once she was, it wouldn't have been so easy to walk away unscathed, would it? Besides, Su Haotian is still wary of her now, isn't he?
As Bai Yuyan struggled with her dilemma, she unconsciously increased the pressure on her hand, which startled Su Zhengyang awake.
"Mother, you're finally awake! You scared me to death!" Su Zhengyang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's alright, it's alright! Mother is alright! Zhengyang, tell Mother, do you love your father?" Bai Yuyan needed to know her son's thoughts before making a decision.
No matter what, she couldn't let her son get hurt in any way, otherwise she would really be letting Fei Ge down.
"All along, only Mother has been the kindest to me, caring for me with utmost devotion. But Father, I know, your heart is not with me at all; you only care about your empire." Su Zhengyang's rare moment of clarity gave Bai Yuyan hope. She realized she hadn't spoiled this son in vain.
"Alright, then listen to Mother, give up the position of Crown Prince, leave the palace, the farther the better, okay? Take all your valuables and go now!" Bai Yuyan finally made up her mind.
"Why? Mother, why? How do you want me to get out? Where do you want me to go?" All sorts of questions swirled in Su Zhengyang's mind. He never expected that his mother's only thought upon waking up would be like this.
What kind of story is behind this that he doesn't know?
"Zhengyang! Don't ask, don't worry about it! Go far away, and don't concern yourself with anything here anymore. Don't tell anyone where you're going. Change your name and live a good, peaceful life! Then your mother will be at ease. Leave everything here to your mother; your mother will handle everything." Bai Yuyan was so resolute.
Su Zhengyang wanted to ask something more, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Knowing his mother was unwilling to speak, he knew he was doomed and would never get an answer.
"Your mother is doing this to protect you, understand? Living is the best comfort for your mother!" Bai Yuyan gripped Su Zhengyang's hand tightly, trembling with emotion, tears streaming down her face.
"Your subject will obey all of Your Majesty's arrangements!" Su Zhengyang's response put Bai Yuyan at ease. She could finally go about her business with peace of mind.
Chapter 50: The Story Behind Gentleness
In the Prince Yun's mansion, ever since General Leng retrieved the letter of divorce, the entire mansion has been in an uproar, with everyone discussing it. Is this Prince Yun really going to betray ethics and morality to marry his former Crown Princess, who is also his junior?
But no one dared to say anything. Although General Leng could not accept this fact immediately, he could only support his beloved daughter's choice without any conditions or reasons.
Only with Duan Feng, whom Su Yunmo had always regarded as a brother, did he dare to ask and speak.
In the study of Prince Yun's mansion, Duan Feng sat at his desk, facing Su Yunmo.
"Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness, but I truly do not understand why Your Highness would defy the world and marry this woman who is despised by all? Is it really because of love? I remember Your Highness once said that it had nothing to do with love, but was only for that cause!" Duan Feng spoke frankly, not wanting Your Highness to lose the support of the people and that opportunity because of these emotional issues.
"Yes, it has nothing to do with love! It's all for that career!" Su Yunmo said decisively.
“Your Highness, now that things have come to this, I hope I can help you. No matter what others think, I am willing to believe in you, which is why I have come to ask you. Your Highness, if you need me to do anything, I have never asked. But now… I am worried for Your Highness, fearing that Your Highness may be blinded by love.” Although Duan Feng kept his identity in mind, his tone was that of a brother.
Su Yunmo knew, of course, that Duan Feng was thinking of him. He had thought that at the crucial moment, he should tell him everything. The only person who could help him was Duan Feng, his only trusted brother.
"Alright, now that the situation is basically settled, I have nothing to hide from you anymore. I've seen everything you've done for me over the years, and I consider you a brother. So I'll tell you my thoughts!" Su Yunmo mustered up his courage to tell him this, just so he could better carry out his plans later.
"Your Highness..." Duan Feng said expectantly.
"Actually, the reason I sent Shen Jiaxue into the Crown Prince's residence to seduce the Crown Prince and make Su Zhengyang change his attitude towards Leng Yiqing, thus deposing the Crown Princess, was because I saw the Empress's unusual affection for Leng Yiqing. I always felt there was something going on. If I wanted to climb to that position, I had to stop the Empress's plan. Everyone knows that the Empress's goal is to help Su Zhengyang ascend to the throne, so the more the Empress wants something, the more I have to sabotage it." Su Yunmo told Duan Feng everything without leaving anything out.
Duan Feng listened attentively, not missing a single word.
"Secondly, General Leng commands a large army. Although I have a monopoly on the economy of Yilong Kingdom, I still need military support to ascend to power. Therefore, I must win over General Leng, because only his army can rival the Imperial Guard. I know the only feasible and reliable way to win him over is to capture his beloved daughter. So..."
Su Yunmo spoke these words in a calm tone, without a trace of emotion, as if all the previous sentimentality and emotion were fake, and all of it was just an act.
“But, Your Highness, aren’t you going too far? Do you really want to marry that woman? If you marry her, are you sure you can win over General Leng to help you? What if things turn out differently…” Duan Feng was worried about this seemingly far-fetched plan.
"I have to try no matter what, and besides..." Before Su Yunmo could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps gradually entered the room.
"Su Yunmo, I finally see you for who you are!" Was it all for this? He deceived her feelings, and even more so, he deceived his kind father. It turns out that everyone only cared about his father's military power, not her.
"Qing'er!" Su Yunmo hurriedly grabbed her. "Let me explain!"
"What's there to explain? I've been listening outside the window the whole time," Leng Yiqing sneered.
Su Yunmo hadn't expected that even though he and Duan Feng were masters of martial arts, they had let their guard down at this moment. Had they underestimated Leng Yiqing? Or had they simply not expected her to come at this time? And yet, a seemingly weak woman had overheard their conversation.
"I was willing to endure the ridicule of the world to marry you—my royal uncle. I thought I was worthy. Turns out I was just a pawn in your game!" Leng Yiqing said with a cold laugh.
"Qing'er, listen to me..." Su Yunmo tried his best to explain.
Leng Yiqing covered her ears tightly: "I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear it!" Tears dripped onto the ground, shattering Su Yunmo's hopes.
A wave of disappointment and pain washed over Su Yunmo. She didn't know whether she felt sorry for the failure of her carefully planned scheme or heartbroken at her impending departure.
"From now on, you have nothing to do with me!" Leng Yiqing ran away crying, her heart shattered into pieces, but she didn't even have the courage to pick it up. Let him see her tears, so be it. She had her self-respect and dignity as a woman trampled underfoot and was treated as weak. What did she have left to care about?
"Qing'er!" Su Yunmo cried out hoarsely, rushing after her. But he stopped abruptly when he saw her resolute steps. What good would it do to catch up? It would all be over.
"Your Highness!" Duan Feng followed closely behind, "I'm sorry!"
"It's my own fault!" Su Yunmo gave a bitter smile.
"What does Your Highness plan to do now?" Duan Feng asked curiously. What had just happened had disrupted all of the prince's plans, and he wondered how the prince would handle the situation.
"I don't know! Can you leave me alone?" Su Yunmo had never felt so powerless and helpless as he did at this moment. No one could understand his feelings at this moment, and no one believed that he was heartbroken.
Looking at Su Yunmo's dejected appearance, Duan Feng seemed to understand many things. But the prince didn't need his advice now; what the prince needed was calm. He should indeed quietly walk away and give him a chance to realize his own shortcomings.
For an entire afternoon, while the palace servants were busy preparing for the wedding of their prince and Leng Yiqing, Su Yunmo sat blankly in his study, making the most difficult decision he could ever make. After realizing his own feelings, he couldn't find Leng Yiqing.
General Leng hurriedly entered the study, coldly staring at Su Yunmo. He wished he could kill Su Yunmo with a single blow, but he knew that even if his daughter was heartbroken, she still loved him. If he really killed him, Qing'er would not be happy either.
"General, I'm sorry!" Su Yunmo didn't know how to express what was in his heart. He didn't know how to make the general accept him again.
"You didn't wrong me, you only wronged Qing'er." General Leng felt a deep pain in his heart when he thought of Qing'er's tears and how she told him the whole truth in her heartbreak.
He had once told himself that whoever hurt his daughter would pay tenfold. But now, Bai Yuyan's family had hurt her, and in exchange for a divorce decree, he temporarily let them go. Su Yunmo had hurt her, but because Qing'er said to let it go, he let it go!
What was he supposed to do? Just sit and wait for his daughter to die like this? Where had all the bravery he displayed on the battlefield gone? His daughter was in such a pitiful state, and he could do nothing. General Leng felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
Chapter 51: Giving Away All My Wealth for Her
Su Yunmo steeled her heart and made the most important decision of her life.
"General Leng, I know that if I say now that I have realized my true feelings, if I tell you that I love Qing'er, you will definitely not believe me. But it is the truth." He felt a little lighter knowing he couldn't express his true feelings, regardless of whether anyone believed him or not.
"Hmph!" General Leng snorted disdainfully.
“General Leng, you will eventually have to go to the border. Qing’er will be left without anyone to take care of her here. I hope I can do something for her. Therefore, I am willing to transfer all my businesses to Qing’er’s name. With a stronger financial foundation, you will feel more at ease knowing that she is living alone in the capital!” Su Yunmo said sincerely.
Even he himself was confused. Was he giving away all his wealth just because of the guilt in his heart? Or was he hoping to win back a woman's heart?