[Transmigration] The War God's Consort

Chapter 5

"How dare you! Don't think I really wouldn't dare to do anything to you! No matter how skilled you are in martial arts, in this palace, with just one word from me, you won't be able to escape!"

Feng Xinglie remained unmoved, his expression growing increasingly crazed and extreme. He glanced at him with a faint, disdainful look, his lips curling into a wild sneer: "Hmph, a palace coup? How laughable! He commands a large army and enjoys popular support. If he wanted to rebel against you, he could simply fabricate an excuse and issue a decree! Does he really not notice the changing political landscape while he's far away? He's such a shrewd man; how could he not see the course of events? Do you think you've done everything perfectly these past years? Do you believe that the emperor's smooth sailing is a sign of divine favor for your Great Ling? Absolutely ridiculous! Without him secretly managing everything for you, why do you think the Empress's clan wouldn't dare to act rashly? Why do you think that old geezer from the Liu family would suddenly...?" "Death from illness? Why do you think the surrounding countries are so respectful to the Great Ling Kingdom? Why do you think the soldiers only care about him and not you? Then why do you think you can still command a large army to fight in the south and north, and why a single order can make a border country tremble? You are not a general, you are not a marshal, you don't lead troops into battle, so what if they value Ling Yuxiang so much? Do you think that without Ling Yuxiang, the soldiers would worship you as much as they worship him? What a fallacy! You say that his soldiers would stage a coup, but if the country is not in turmoil, who would have such a thought that could inadvertently bring disaster upon their entire family? If the country is in turmoil, it only shows that you, the emperor, are too incompetent, so incompetent that even with Ling Yuxiang around, you still make a lot of mistakes that he can't clean up."

"Your excuses seem to have a profound meaning, and a clever girl like Liuli might be fooled by them. But if one has a long-term vision and understands the ways of the world, upon analysis, every single one of them is utter nonsense." Feng Xinglie's face was pale, and he took a difficult breath before mocking again: "Your so-called profound righteousness is nothing but a reason to cover up your ugly intentions. You just don't want to admit that you are jealous and suspicious of your brother who handed over power to you. What conscience do you have that you dare not admit is that you did something despicable and unacceptable to the world? In the end, it's all because you can't bear to give up the throne! Do you dare to swear to heaven that your actions were merely intended to warn him, and that you never actually intended to seize his military power or kill him?"

A fierce rage flashed in Ling Yuhan's eyes, and a faint chilling aura slowly froze in the air.

"What? Are you trying to say that I'm spouting nonsense and committing treason? Or are you just feeling guilty?" Feng Xinglie sneered, "How much do you really know about Ling Yuxiang? What makes you so sure that he values your brotherhood with him? What makes you so sure that you can take over his military power unscathed? What makes you so certain that he will always prioritize the interests of the royal family?"

"Ha, you may not know at all that Ling Yuxiang is indeed loyal and righteous, but he is different from some people. He is not a ruthless villain, nor is he a fool who softens in the face of battle. He is a man who truly has the world in his sights and deserves the title of God of War! His righteousness has never been about the royal family; his gaze is only on the common people! For the sake of the people of Ling Kingdom, he absolutely has the courage to unhesitatingly bear the condemnation of thousands for rebellion and seize power from your hands! What does public opinion matter? What does the court matter? What does the Empress Dowager matter? As long as we clearly adhere to the principle of 'those who obey prosper, those who resist perish,' and carry it out in a show of force, who will dare to utter a single word of gossip? Your Majesty, ask yourself honestly, are the methods you are using now just showing off your limited skills, or are you just offering up your treasures and playing tricks?"

Ling Yuhan's expression froze, and he suddenly recalled the long-forgotten events of his youth.

Ling Yuhan vaguely remembered that when he was twelve or thirteen years old, his father invited them to the Imperial Garden on a quiet afternoon. In front of his mother, the king looked at the two of them and asked them a question with a kind expression.

Why do you want to be emperors?

He said, "For the sake of the royal family."

Ling Yuxiang said, "For the sake of all living beings."

The king paused for a moment, then dismissed them.

The very next day, he was made crown prince and entered the Eastern Palace.

Those who serve the royal family are suited to be the rulers of a chaotic nation, while those who serve the common people are only suited to be the overlords of the world! The Great Ling Kingdom is a chaotic nation, a newly established nation, lacking the national strength to compete with other powerful nations time and time again, and lacking the luck to escape misfortune time and time again. So why did the King summon Ling Yuxiang instead of him when he was in danger?

He knew that everything he had now was given to him by Ling Yuxiang, and he also knew that they were brothers and he would never have any disloyalty to him. But he was unwilling to accept it. He was unwilling to accept that those old ministers and loyal officials looked at him with strange eyes every day in the Golden Hall! He was even more unwilling to accept that everyone around him only praised Ling Yuxiang, while no one had ever sincerely praised him, not even a single word!

From a young age, he aspired to be a good emperor, and after ascending the throne, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the position. His hard work, diligence, and love for the people were no less than anyone else's. Yet why did everyone still look at Ling Yuxiang, still gaze upon the glory of the God of War, unwilling to look away? For years, he accepted honest advice day after day, attending court from dawn till dusk. From the moment he ascended the throne, even when seriously ill, he never missed a single day. Yet why did he still hear so many whispers saying that if Prince Ling had handled this matter, it would have been even more perfect?

He knew it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't control his heart, couldn't stop himself from thinking about how the people around him would treat him differently if Ling Yuxiang hadn't been there. Would his father have kindly instructed him to be less willful and selfish from now on, to always consider the greater good and prioritize the country? Would people say he was a good emperor when he quelled the disaster and quelled the unrest?

His demands weren't high! He just wanted to be a good emperor, to be recognized by others, but he also knew that as long as Ling Yuxiang was around, no one would ever give him a proper look...

"I don't understand Xiangdi, so how do you know him? Do you think that by telling me these things, I will forgive your rudeness?" Her sinister tone was menacing. Ling Yuhan's heart went from anger to shock to doubt to awe. She couldn't find a single flaw in what she said, nor could she find a single fault with it. If he really let go and did it, upon careful consideration, the result would indeed be exactly as she said! Ling Yuhan felt a strange emotion growing in his heart, but his imperial pride prevented him from swallowing his anger.

What a pair of dark, deep eyes, reflecting an unusual, crystalline brilliance, sharp as a knife, yet possessing a breathtaking beauty.

The man before her was clearly intent on killing her, but the coldness in Feng Xinglie's eyes was even more intense. His clenched fingers turned white, and he gave a dazed smile. She couldn't even remember how she had come to know Ling Yuxiang so well.

Perhaps it was during these days, when listening to the maids around him whispering and discussing, or perhaps it was at Baihui Pass, when gazing at the solemn soldiers shouting "God of War," or perhaps it was this morning at his bedside, when listening to his confident comments about the Great Qin Wind King, or perhaps it was when he casually probed Ye Piao for the truth...

She understood better than anyone else that if Ling Yuhan truly intended to seize his military power and cause internal strife in the Great Ling, Ling Yuxiang would indeed take the military seal, kill all the palace servants, and declare himself emperor.

There are so many powerful nations around us, and Da Ling occupies the very center. If a major conflict were to erupt, how could they not rise up together to attack and carve up this vast and beautiful land? How could it not cause widespread suffering and rivers of blood? How could it not be a calamity for the world, plunging it into chaos?

Ling Yuxiang was different from her. She could, for her own arrogance, selfishness, and prejudice, watch helplessly as she dragged the people of Qin into war, sending many to hell with her. Ling Yuxiang, however, could not do that. He had the world in his heart, pitied all living beings, and all his actions were for the greater good. But he also had true feelings. He could not ignore or abandon his brother, with whom he had grown up. Otherwise, how could he have allowed him to sit comfortably on the throne for so many years?

Now caught in a dilemma between love and profit, either choice will only bring heartbreak.

The war god Feng Xinglie has already passed away, so why must Ling Yuxiang also perish? You said my death was pathetic, and you're absolutely right. But I don't want you to be pathetic like me, I don't want you to suffer like me. Perhaps we're too similar, making it impossible for me to ignore you, to not do something for you, to bear the weight of so much bloodshed and such heavy pain on your shoulders…

Looking up at the horizon of desire, it was already a blur, a hazy blue, and the voices were no longer sarcastic but rather showed signs of vicissitude.

"Your Majesty, whether what I said makes sense or not, you should have understood long ago. What you're struggling with is nothing more than the lack of recognition, and what you're thinking is the proverb 'Why did Heaven create both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang?' You may never understand that those who stand at the highest point and look down are always extremely cold... extremely cold..."

Ling Yuhan had felt something was wrong from the beginning, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. Suddenly, he realized the problem from her unfocused eyes. His killing intent vanished in an instant. He frantically reached for Feng Xinglie's tightly clenched hand, only to find it stiff and cold as ice!

"You!!" There's something wrong with her body! Ling Yuhan suddenly realized, no wonder she dared to say such a thing, could it be that she had already considered him a dead person from the beginning!

"You know it yourself... Ling Yuxiang has always valued you highly... But, if you really want to continue being the emperor, don't cross... his bottom line..." Feng Xinglie gritted his teeth, his voice lowering, his whole body feeling as cold as if he were naked in the snow, unable to see anything clearly. Suddenly, he felt a pang of longing for the warmth of that person's red robe wrapped tightly around him during the day. A faint sneer escaped his lips; even at this point, he still had the energy to think about such things...

Ling Yuhan's reason faltered for a moment. He watched in horror as she closed her eyes and fell backward. He couldn't help but grab her and catch her. The next moment, he was utterly terrified by the large expanse of icy cold he touched.

How could a human body get this cold! This stunningly beautiful person, this daring person, this fierce person, seems like their heart might stop beating at any moment!

Ling Yuhan's composure shattered completely at this moment, and he suddenly let out a series of loud roars towards the outside.

"Imperial physicians! Summon the imperial physicians immediately! Bring all the imperial physicians in the palace to me! Quickly find Prince Ling and tell him that Princess Ronghua's life is in danger!"

"Woman! You are not allowed to die! You are not allowed to close your eyes to me! You haven't told me how to be a good emperor yet. You are so smart, you must know! Get up! I don't want you to die... I don't want you to die!" Holding this cold and stiff person, Ling Yuhan felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out, the pain was so intense that it was suffocating, and he had completely lost his imperial image.

"I thought my ministers were speaking frankly and offering honest advice, but they were truly naive. When have they ever genuinely criticized me? When have they ever so honestly told me my mistakes? You're right, I was just trying to cover up my own selfish motives. You're right, all my talk of benevolence and morality was just empty words. I admit you're right, I've already admitted it. Stop joking... Get up... stand up and criticize me again..."

[The Wind Rises in Kyoto: Chapter Ten - So Cold]

The touch felt like the icy chill of a snow-capped mountain peak. Ling Yuxiang's deep eyes were filled with shock and anger. At this moment, endless rage and killing intent surged in his heart. But then, he caught a glimpse of Ling Yuhan's depressed and unambitious expression. His mind became crystal clear, and his anger grew even stronger, but he couldn't muster any killing intent.

“Before you arrived, the best imperial physicians in the palace had already examined her. These useless doctors are all useless in a critical moment! They could only determine that Princess Ronghua was poisoned, but they didn’t know what poisoned her or how to cure it. They could only deduce that if she continued like this, she would only have half a day to live at most.” Ling Yuhan saw Ling Yuxiang’s expression clearly, and felt even more bitter. His brother Xiang, who had never cared about any woman, was now angry for her. This was enough to show how much she held in his heart.

The hint of killing intent that Ling Yuxiang had revealed in his emotional outburst made him realize that everything she said was true. He thought he had a clear understanding of Ling Yuxiang's power, but how could his brother Xiang, a war god who had never been defeated in hundreds of battles, reveal his full strength so easily?

Ling Yuhan was now certain that the reason Ling Yuxiang let him go was because he still respected and loved his older brother and couldn't bear to let him lose the goal he had been striving for since childhood. If he wanted to rebel against him, it would be as easy as turning his hand.

Humans always like to push their luck, always so ignorant of the limits! Only when they push someone to their limit, only when that person turns on them in anger and destroys them with one hand, do they suddenly realize that what they thought they could get, what they thought was within reach, was nothing but something that could never be touched.

If he had known this would happen, why would he have fought and tried to seize it? Why would he have burdened her so much... But where in this world is there any such thing as knowing beforehand? Time never flows backward.

Ling Yuxiang scooped up the icy-cold woman in his arms, leaving only the words, "I'm taking her back to the manor." He then flew out like the wind, disregarding all etiquette and rules. Amidst the gasps of the palace servants, he severed the carriage ropes with a single sword stroke, leaped onto a fast horse, and galloped away with Feng Xinglie in his arms.

The chill emanating from the person he was holding so tightly seemed to seep into his very bones, yet Ling Yuxiang was so distraught that he was oblivious to it all.

No wonder her body was unusually cold; no wonder her sword dance before the emperor's carriage was so unrestrained; no wonder she repeatedly reminded herself but didn't say it aloud; no wonder she sang that song, "The Burial of Heroes"...

This was all a trap! One step led to another, one link after another, and he was outmaneuvered by her once again, watching helplessly as she walked into the deadly trap she had set for herself!

Ling Yuxiang looked at Feng Xinglie's pale face with heartache. She lay lifeless in his arms, his fingertips pressed against her back, continuously sending his inner energy into her.

Ling Yuxiang wanted to curse her fiercely, "You woman, how can you be so ungrateful? How can you be so self-disciplined? How can you enjoy torturing yourself like this!" But holding this body that he couldn't warm no matter how much he tried to wrap it with his body heat or even his inner energy, he couldn't bring himself to curse her.

She had expected it long ago. With such a fiery personality, having gone through so much, yet never bowing his head, never compromising, how could he possibly allow himself to be ridiculed, mocked, and humiliated in such a strange setting, in such a hypocritical hall, and have everything taken away by that most important brother…

He didn't need to ask, doubt, or guess; he simply knew that everything she had done today was for him, Ling Yuxiang!

From the moment she learned of his situation, while she was comfortably closing her eyes in the carriage, she had already laid out a trap.

She anticipated that her fiery personality would make the Imperial Garden anything but peaceful. She knew that with her unparalleled beauty, the Emperor would not remain uninvestigated after witnessing it. She understood the Emperor's scheming; nothing but the most vehement words, the most unpleasant truths, and the most extraordinary events could move him. She also knew that she was poisoned and using her internal energy would be tantamount to suicide, yet she laughed arrogantly and flew into the flower garden, performing a breathtaking sword dance.

All of this was done to spare him from a dilemma, to spare him from heartbreak, to spare him from bearing the burden of guilt, bloodshed, and pain...

And isn't it all for the sake of all living beings?

Ling Yuxiang gave a bitter smile, his body trembling.

You don't want me to compromise, nor do you want me to bear the infamy of usurping power and killing my brother. The most obvious reason is, of course, for my sake, for someone like you. But how far-sighted are you? You must see far more than that! Either of these would cause a reshuffling of power in the Ling Kingdom, with military authority fragmented and morale low, enough to make neighboring countries covetous and give them a reason and excuse to start a war. Once war breaks out, the most harmed will undoubtedly be the common people.

You always look at the world with mocking eyes, and you always speak the truth with arrogant and extremely harsh words. You always do this to make others think you are heartless, never letting anyone understand your purpose. But if you are truly heartless, why didn't you leave in a huff during the Southern Expedition? You clearly couldn't bear to leave behind the many lives in the Southern Expedition. When you came to the capital, you knew that the Southern Expedition was safe and sound, and even if you left, the emperor wouldn't allow a scandal to break out in the royal family. Why did you stay for me? Because you knew the situation in Da Ling, and you couldn't bear to leave behind the lives of the people!

But even if you knew all this, given your personality, you would just purse your lips and casually say that these are just secondary things and not what you want. With your stubborn nature, what am I supposed to do with you?

Actually, you and I are very similar, except I am too calm and you are too resolute.

I understand perfectly well that I can coldly and ruthlessly kill my own brother, my mother, and all the palace servants with the military tally in hand, and I can also force my own closest relatives to vomit blood with a heart full of rage.

But I only feel heartache, while you soften your heart. In the end, you refuse to push your loved ones to the very end, always choosing ways to hurt yourself, always choosing ways to be misunderstood, always preventing others from understanding your good intentions and purpose. You... are truly ruthless.

Ruthless to others, but even more ruthless to oneself!

You indulge in your extreme, arrogant, reckless, and unrestrained behavior, yet you refuse to let yourself off the hook, insisting on paying the price for these things and bearing the sins on your own shoulders. Perhaps there is indeed a reason for this, but it is by no means the whole story!

You clearly fear the cold, yet you refuse to find a way to remove the cold poison from your body. You clearly cherish the warmth I brought you, and you left without a moment's hesitation. But at this moment, do you know that I am just as cold as you are?

Ling Yuxiang's face was ashen, and he seemed to be using all his strength to pull her into his body, holding her tightly against him, refusing to relax even when the cold seeped into his heart and lungs. Even knowing that what he was doing was futile, even knowing that his actions were only slightly better than nothing, he would not hesitate to give her even the slightest bit of warmth.

Ling Yuxiang closed her eyes slightly. It turned out that the cold she had always been afraid of was really this cold!

The journey from the palace to the prince's residence was neither long nor short, but it exhausted Ling Yuxiang's inner energy and strength. Ignoring the stares of others, he ran wildly to a secluded and quiet courtyard in a remote corner of the prince's residence. He burst open the door of the wooden house, completely disregarding the fact that his red robe was now disheveled. He placed the person in his arms on the bed, his arms still wrapped around her, and then, looking at the man inside who had been fiddling with many bottles and jars and had not raised his eyes, he let out a low growl.

"Save her!"

The man frowned slightly, revealing a stunningly beautiful face, but his gaze, as it swept over Feng Xinglie, betrayed a hint of shock.

He gave Ling Yuxiang a strange look: "Are you sure?"

"Save her!" Ling Yuxiang's eyes were red as he stared at Feng Xinglie's pale face, his heart aching with conflict. He didn't want her to grow cold any longer, not even for a second!

"Do you know..." the man hesitated slightly.

"You owe me a life. You said you would save someone for me, whoever it may be." Ling Yuxiang's expression was calm, his slender fingertips already icy cold, his inner energy so stagnant he could barely distinguish himself, yet he stubbornly refused to let go, refusing to move an inch. His voice was low and solemn, like a vow, his deep gaze both sorrowful and tender: "She is my queen, save her!"

The man gave Ling Yuxiang a deep look, said nothing more, picked up a strip of cloth with a row of gold needles stuck in it and walked over. He glanced at the person on the bed, then slowly rummaged through the cabinet and took out a lot of dried herbs.

“I have no way to completely remove all the poison from her body. If you had brought her here earlier, or if she had come to me earlier, the situation wouldn’t be so bad. Right now, I can only help her remove the poison that has attacked her heart. As for the poison that has seeped into her meridians, it may still take effect. She can only slowly regulate it herself with her internal energy…” He shook his head, his brows furrowing. “I don’t think she cares about her body at all. With her martial arts skills, if she had forced the poison out herself beforehand, she wouldn’t be in this state now. Even if I had saved her, she might have been too lazy to take care of herself and ruined her health.”

Ling Yuxiang smiled bitterly with heartache: "That's just her personality. I can't persuade her to pay attention to it herself... but I will always stay by her side. If she doesn't want to use her internal energy to expel the poison, I will do it for her. If she doesn't want to take medicine to regulate her body, I will feed it to her personally. She is stubborn and cares a lot about her reputation, so I should be able to find a way and an excuse to make her better."

The man looked at Ling Yuxiang with a strange expression, revealing a hint of astonishment: "You actually... and it was even with her..."

Ling Yuxiang frowned in displeasure: "Why are you meddling so much in my affairs?"

The man rolled his eyes dismissively: "You think I want to interfere with you? I just want to tell you that if you keep holding her like this, it's questionable whether you'll even live long enough for her to open her eyes."

Ling Yuxiang then realized that as soon as he breathed a sigh of relief, his internal energy became extremely chaotic, and his vision went black. He felt a mouthful of blood rise to his throat. He forced himself to suppress it and sat down to regulate his breathing. Before the man could shoo him away, he said, "I don't want her to see you the first thing when she wakes up. Don't send me away."

The man rolled his eyes in exasperation, but he knew that once this man became stubborn, no one could persuade him. Helpless, he finally focused on getting the acupuncture needles.

[The Wind Rises in Kyoto: Chapter Eleven - Warm as Spring]

It's already April, spring has returned to the earth, the gloomy and lifeless atmosphere of winter is slowly dissipating, and the vibrant life of spring is becoming more and more radiant. The sun, like an old man, is generous with its warmth, lazily hanging on the horizon.

The view outside the window was beautiful, but Feng Xinglie didn't even have the strength to glance at it.

A bowl of medicine was placed in front of her, and the strong smell of bitter herbs made her want to vomit. Looking at the red-clad man sitting by her bedside with a faint smile, holding the bowl of medicine, Feng Xinglie rolled her eyes. She really wanted to faint to avoid facing his stunningly handsome face that was both captivating and hateful to her.

Feng Xinglie was filled with regret. How could he have fallen for this guy's scheme? How could he have been so bewitched, knowing it was a trap yet still jumping in headfirst? Thinking back to that scene, he could only lament in his heart, "One wrong step can lead to eternal regret!"

That day, Ling Yuxiang held the bowl of medicine and said to her, "Your body is not fully recovered yet, and the toxins in your body have not been cleared. The doctor has prescribed some medicine for you. You need to continue taking it for another month to ensure that you are healthy."

Feng Xinglie, who had just regained consciousness, was furious. What kind of bullshit "doctor" was he? Since she was not dead, it proved that he had indeed asked that person to save her after all!

There are very few people in the world who can cure the deadly poison "Tianshan Snow." She wasn't unaware that the person in question was in the Ling Prince's residence; her refusal to seek him out indicated she didn't want to deal with the poison in her body. Besides, while that person's medical skills were superb, his rules were extremely eccentric, leaving him with very few favors. What had Ling Yuxiang gone mad about? Why was he wasting his chance to live on her? And what was wrong with that emperor? Why did he keep her around, someone who had mocked and disrespected him so much? Are these bastards all engaging in self-torture?

Seeing that Feng Xinglie was stubbornly ignoring him, Ling Yuxiang sighed in a seemingly serious manner: "My princess, you have really suffered. When have you, a princess of this country, with such a delicate body, ever suffered like this!"

Feng Xinglie felt a chill run down her spine, goosebumps erupting all over her body. A delicate body? Are you kidding me! She's a war goddess! Braving wind and rain, traversing swords and shadows, when has she ever been delicate? It sounded fucking grating and disgusting! Before she could even finish feeling disgusted, Ling Yuxiang spoke again:

“I know, which of you princesses and ladies isn’t afraid of bitter medicine? This medicine really isn’t bitter at all. I’ll drink it and show you.” As he spoke, he took a big gulp and presented it to her with a smile: “Don’t be afraid. I’ve prepared rock sugar and other things for you. You’ll be fine after you drink it. It really isn’t bitter.”

With a snort, Feng Xinglie gave a mocking laugh and simply turned away, refusing to look at him. What kind of performance was this! Couldn't she see through such an obvious provocation? Ling Yuxiang, if you're going to set a trap for me, Feng Xinglie, at least be a little more subtle, okay? Besides, who am I to you? Even if it were that incompetent princess, she'd just be a pawn, right? Why are you going to all this trouble to serve me?

She lazily squinted and snuggled under the covers: "Anyway, I'm not going to die now, so you don't need to use this trick to provoke me into taking my medicine."

Ling Yuxiang looked guilty, as if she had seen through him. He sighed dejectedly, picked up the medicine bowl, and said in a deep voice, "It seems you're afraid there's poison in these medicines. Well, it's true. We all bear responsibility for your inexplicable poisoning back then. You're just a burden to me. I'm probably the one among those people who most wants you dead. Since you don't believe me, I'll drink it all to show you!" After saying that, he actually tilted his head back and poured more than half of it down.

Feng Xinglie was shocked and finally couldn't hold back anymore. He snatched the medicine bowl from his hand and angrily said, "Are you looking for death! All medicines have toxicity. I was poisoned. The prescription was to fight poison with poison. Even if the medicine is mild and has a stable effect, you can't just drink it!"

"But you don't believe me? I'll drink it and show you!"