Accord de Mu Yucheng

Chapitre 108

"Oh?" He forced another uncomfortable smile. "You know me too?"

"If your smile doesn't look good, then don't keep smiling. It's not good if you scare people!" Lu Xiu said before I could even speak.

Lu Xiu brushed the dust off his clothes and pulled me out of the carriage. "The wind and sand are really strong in Mongolia. Sorry, we came to the wrong place." He said, pulling me away. Soldiers were already drawing their swords beside us. As far as the eye could see, the Mongol camp stretched out in a continuous line, banners fluttering in the wind.

Seeing the dire situation, Lu Xiu quickly smiled and turned to look at Hudutai, "General, you're providing dinner, huh?!"

Hudutai winked at Yingge, "Who is this talkative man?"

"That's hard to say!" Lu Xiu smiled and narrowed his eyes. "Guess as much as you can, and be bold in your guesses."

“You look like you’ve eloped,” Hudutai said coldly.

Lu Xiu sighed hastily, "It was a failed elopement. We've tried to run away several times. But my wife is always caught and brought back by that dog of an emperor. General, please have mercy and let my wife and me go and live a carefree life."

"Prince Duan? Aren't you thirsty after talking so much?" Lu Xiu finally fell silent, gave me a few meaningful glances, and was then led away.

Since following Brother Ying into the command tent, I haven't seen Lu Xiu again. I really don't know if he'll suffer a lot because of his outspokenness.

Hudutai sat by the stove, warming his hands, and smiled at Yingge: "You did a great job this time. I was worried that the Han emperor would immediately send troops to rescue the Dali princess. Now that we have this woman as leverage, at least we can coerce the emperor and buy time for our army to regroup and rest."

"General, there's no need to worry. The Han people have been enjoying peace and have long lost their fighting spirit. Now that we've conquered Dali step by step, our soldiers are becoming more and more courageous in battle. Even if the Han people attack, we may not lose. It's only a matter of time before we directly invade their territory," Yingge said, clasping her hands in a fist salute. She seemed to be highly regarded by Hudutai, and in front of the other soldiers, she didn't need to kneel; she simply clasped her hands in a fist salute and casually replied to him.

“You’re right,” Hudutai laughed loudly. “Invading the Central Plains… is something we’re bound to do. But right now we need to buy time and allow our forces to recuperate.”

Over there, Hudutai had already stepped down from the main seat with great interest and walked towards me step by step, bending down to lift my face.

Everyone says you're like a crabapple blossom—beautiful yet not gaudy, cool yet not lonely. But seeing you today, I can't help but say the same!

I raised my eyebrows, thinking to myself that a brute from another race could actually speak eloquently.

Escape from such a large military camp wouldn't be easy. Waiting for Lu Li to rescue him? That's practically a pipe dream; the Dali princess alone would keep him busy enough. It seems their tactic of using me is also a Mongol tactic—to make the situation spiral out of control and throw Lu Li off balance. But they seem to have underestimated Lu Li. He's probably never lost his composure in his life; in this situation, the bigger picture is paramount. Thinking this, I realized I could only survive on my own. So I grabbed Hudutai, looked up at him with a smile, and asked, "Then… how does it compare to the Dali princess?"

Hudutai seemed to be recalling that woman, a strange light flashing in his eyes, "A woman who values chastity above all else?! Indeed, she's intriguing!"

"So, she's worth more than me. Do you think you can use me to restrain Lu Li?" I leaned back and laughed. "What a joke!"

Hudutai frowned, his sharp eyes fixed on me, trying to see through my true thoughts. I met him without fear, which made him somewhat uncomfortable. With a wave of his hand, he ordered Yingge to take me away.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Between Victory and Defeat

Get some minor news from Yingge. A few days ago, the palace issued a proclamation regarding the abduction of the princess by the L Kingdom, righteous and eloquent, every sentence resonating deeply, but it made no mention of the capture of the Imperial Concubine. Lu Li has already mustered an army of 400,000 and marched north, now past the Great San Pass. Several major battles with the Mongols have reportedly been fought and won, their advance unstoppable.

Hudutai was quite annoyed that I, a woman who should have some influence, was completely useless, and Lu Li continued to attack as usual, seemingly unconcerned about my abduction. This was, of course, within my expectations. If he had actually remained inactive because of me, and calmly sat by the fireplace negotiating with the Mongols, that wouldn't be him.

"Reporting to the commander, General Yesu has already taken the Dali princess and Prince Duan to Lingbei, where 100,000 troops have been stationed."

Hudutai smiled with satisfaction, then turned to look at me, who was holding a milk cup and looking bored. "Woman, we should set off now."

"Where to? To escape north with Yesu?"

"No... Let them go their own way, we're going to Khandu to have a drink with my cousin."

I really wanted to spit it out. What drinking? They just wanted to settle me and the Dali princess in the south and the north respectively, trying to disperse the Lu Li army's strength.

"General, this move isn't very clever," I said frankly, not paying much attention to Hudutai's reaction. "Do you really think Lu Li will disperse his forces to the south to rescue me? Do you think you can trick him with such a petty trick? It would be better to put up a fight to the death and keep things at a stalemate for a while, and maybe even end up in a war or peace."

"He... really doesn't care whether you live or die?" Hudutai was still puzzled. Why did my words always sound half true to him?

I swirled the contents of my glass. "That's because he cares more about his empire, his power. Even a great general knows he can't be tied down by a woman, let alone the ruler of a great nation!"

"Anyway... I still want to take a gamble..." At this moment, the commander-in-chief was like a stubborn and playful child.

"What if you lose the bet?" I looked up with interest.

"I won't lose." He rose and donned his armor. It was time to inspect the camp. He strode towards the tent, his voice firm and resolute. "If he doesn't come, you'll be my concubine. A dignified imperial concubine of the Central Plains becoming the concubine of a Mongol marshal... Do you think I've lost?"

Indeed… this will be a heavy stain on history books. It will be etched in unofficial histories. Most importantly… this will be a disgrace. Not just for Lu Li, but for all Han people. Even if it is a disgrace, he wouldn't risk the destruction of his empire to save me, would he?

After several days of travel, Hututai led tens of thousands of troops to Chagatai Khan's capital. A day earlier, his main elite forces had already escorted Princess Dali and Lu Xiu from Chagatai to the north of the mountains. Everyone except me was holding their breath, waiting for the Han emperor's every move. His heart seemed forever unfathomable.

I heard that the princess and the imperial concubine were escorted separately. Lu Li's army is just resting and reorganizing on the grasslands where we used to be. It seems another great battle is about to begin.

Wherever Qututtai went, he was welcomed. His cousin, the Khan, threw him a grand banquet.

In fact, apart from Khututai and Yingge, almost no one knew my true identity. Most people simply assumed I was Khututai's new woman. Of course, although this reputation wasn't exactly flattering, it was still better than being a kidnapped Han Chinese imperial concubine. At least as Khututai's new woman, I was safe. If I were an imperial concubine… who knows, someone might kidnap me and hand me over to the Great Khan to curry favor.

At the banquet, Hudutai received a military intelligence report, and his face remained ashen afterward.

Afterwards, I vaguely heard that Lu Li had led his army back to the Central Plains. Had they won a battle? And so they returned in triumph…

I returned to my tent early to prepare for bed, but he barged in without even saying hello. I hurriedly fastened the buttons on my coat that I had just unbuttoned and greeted him with a smile: "General, what brings you here at this hour?"

He threw his sword on the ground and suddenly sneered, "You're right, I lost the bet."

I was expressionless and didn't know what to say. Although I knew it was inevitable, I still trembled involuntarily when the news came. At that moment, I felt a sense of loss and abandonment.

Hudutai slowly leaned closer, lifting my chin with one hand, and I could smell the strong odor of alcohol on him.

Suddenly, someone outside the tent announced, "General, there's someone outside the tent—"

"Wait!" Hudutai shouted angrily, and no one else responded.

He laughed almost mockingly, "It seems that you, the Imperial Noble Consort, are truly unpopular and have no value whatsoever. The man you've shared a bed with for so many years didn't even bother to ask about your situation, leading his entire army on a northern expedition to rescue another woman. And now your husband's army is joyfully preparing to return to the capital, seemingly having forgotten your existence. How do you feel? Sour? Bitter? Hmph... You're right, I lost, but you lost... even more thoroughly."

"I never intended to win," I said frankly.

He couldn't accept this nonchalance for a moment; to him, all comfort felt like irony. Hudutai suddenly gripped my shoulders with both hands, the pain excruciating.

He stared at me intently, unmoving. "My 100,000-strong army was defeated overnight without a fight. You're right, I lost! I lost both my wife and my army, but I'm not convinced. If he hadn't relied on his strong army, brave soldiers, wealth, and power, how could he have displayed his might on our land? But I have to accept it. Who told us Mongols to be slaves to you Han people? Our resistance... is only for our own survival, so that our descendants will no longer be your beasts of burden. Even you... why do you look at me with such a mocking expression? You were certain I would lose, laughing as all my efforts vanished. Do you think I'm that ridiculous? What right do you have to laugh at me? Do you still consider me an imperial concubine? That man has long since abandoned you, returning to the capital with his beauty. The ceremony to confer the title of Empress will be held in less than two days. And you... are completely worthless now."

Now, he's here, his imperial carriage just a few miles away on the Lingbei Grassland. But he's not here to save me; he's here to save that woman and consolidate his power! Then, regardless of my fate, he'll happily return to his harem. Hudutai was right; to both him and Lu Li, I am utterly worthless.

"Get out—" I roared, my anger rising from within me. I pointed outside the tent and screamed, "I warned you, I have no value! It was your insistence that ruined you! What do you think you are? What are you all...? That man surnamed Lu married me because of my father's military power, and you stole me because I'm his woman. He personally led the expedition against the Mongols for his country but didn't even bother to care about my life or death, and you... took your anger out on me after losing the battle."

It has no value, and you shouldn't be anyone's thing—so—you give)]

Only after I finished speaking did I realize my mistake. This was Qututtai's tent; we'd been sharing it ever since we arrived in Khan's capital. However, he was mostly out chatting with tribal leaders until dawn, or summoning other women to his bedchamber. We didn't see each other often at night. Tonight was just an exception. If he really got angry…

"So you're not just a emotionless doll after all?! You can be angry too!" he said, gently grasping my chin and smiling. "This is how you should live... Since he doesn't want you, how about I kill you?"

His mocking smile deepened, and he stared at me without moving.

“Not only to him, but also to you, I'm of no value to you anymore, aren't I? So I know you could do this... vent your hatred for the Han people, vent your shame of defeat, but—” I gritted my teeth, a smile playing on my lips, and raised my fingertips from his lips down to his chest, to his heart, my smile deepening.

His eyes flickered, and he almost lost his confidence. "You are a smart woman, and you know what I'm thinking. But being too clever and maneuvering against me won't do you any good."

The strong smell of alcohol on his breath didn't disgust me. I tried my best to maintain a calm expression. "You're not a gentleman, but you're not a villain either."

He smiled faintly. "Before I met you, I wondered what the women of the Central Plains emperors were like. Perhaps they were incredibly fierce, or perhaps they were extremely alluring. I even thought that no matter which one they were, I wouldn't show any mercy. But when I actually met you, I realized you were neither. You're like a begonia flower, one moment you're all chaste, the next you're throwing me seductive glances. You disdain chastity, but you're not a virtuous person either. I wondered why this was happening... The more I wondered, the less I dared to deal with you easily, the more I wanted to know what you were thinking, and then I fell deeper and deeper... Actually, you're just a clever woman... That's why I felt increasingly unable to grasp you."

Hudutai continued talking, his voice growing softer and softer, until finally he leaned against one side and fell into a deep sleep. He really needed a good night's sleep!

I stood up, remembering what the servant had reported earlier, and asked towards the curtain, "What did they say just now?"

A voice outside answered timidly, "Madam, the prince's physician has come to prescribe some hangover medicine for the commander."

Where are they?

"I've been keeping watch outside the tent the whole time."

I took a couple of steps forward and realized that the tent flap hadn't been closed at all; it was just left open. Since the messenger was standing outside the tent, he must have known everything inside. I sighed, bent down, and crawled out of the tent.

When I saw that stiff expression in front of me, I couldn't help but be taken aback.

I recognize the man; he's Hongji, a third-rank bodyguard with a sword, who has always been by Lu Li's side and is Lu Li's most trusted confidant. And he... happens to be Ling's brother. Is he here disguised as a Mongol to gather military intelligence?

I felt a little embarrassed as I recalled everything that had happened inside the tent and at the Hudutai. The person in front of me had been standing outside the curtain the whole time, so he must have seen everything.

"How is the commander?" he asked politely.

"The commander-in-chief has been settled. Thank you for your prince's concern."

I took the pale yellow medicine packet from his hand, feeling the warmth of his fingertips for a moment, and then looked at him steadily. "You can go now."

“Madam Xie.” His calm gaze was like a still lake.

I turned back to the tent, closed the curtain, and slowly pulled out a thin sheet of white paper from the medicine packet.

Be cautious and careful, and take good care of yourself. If you are insulted, I am willing to follow Wenrui's example.

I felt as if something in my chest had collapsed in an instant. I wish to emulate Wenrui. He wanted me to follow the example of Empress Wenrui, who refused to submit to the rebels and died for her country during the reign of Emperor Lizong. He personally led an army of 400,000 to quell the rebellion of the Mongol tribes. He won victory after victory and pacified many tribes of the Great Mongol, but he abandoned me in Chahetai. He could send his army to the north for a foreign princess, but he only said four words to me, his wife of many years... I wish to emulate Wenrui.

In the desert at night, only the howling wind could be heard; darkness, death, indifference...

A wave of heat came from behind me. Hudutai was standing behind me without me noticing. He was probably already awake when Hongji reported to me earlier.

"What is... Wenrui?" Hudutai stared at my tears, which were about to spill over, with a smile on his face.

I noticed that Hudutai's gaze had hardened slightly. He let out a soft sigh. "Wenrui... is she the current emperor's grandmother... the long-deceased Empress Wenrui? She was indeed an extraordinary woman. It is said that back then, Prince Ding, under the pretext of 'purging the court of corrupt officials,' joined forces with four other princes to rebel. They broke through the city walls, stormed the palace, and took Empress Wenrui hostage. Unable to bear the humiliation, she sacrificed herself for her country, becoming a legendary figure of virtue and chastity. What, does your man also want you to become an empress for all time?"

I turned to the side, my eyes sharp, "If I could achieve immortality, then even death would be worthwhile."

Hudutai took a breath and stared at me blankly.

I smiled slightly, "If the General ever manages to conquer the capital of the Central Plains, please hang my head on the Xuanwu city wall. I want to see how his empire collapses... Sacrifice one Rong woman to preserve a prosperous and beautiful land..." My laughter gradually drowned out the mournful wind in the desert, a scene of utter desolation... Why should I still hope for his rescue... Love, in the end, cannot overcome the power of the empire! He will still abandon me! No, why should I submit to his control? I want to live, to live and see how powerful and ruthless he is, how heartless and cruel he is.

"You are no longer of any use to me." Hudutai sighed softly. "Although I, Hudutai, have killed countless people, I have no interest in harming the old, weak, women and children. Since the emperor of the Central Plains cannot keep you, you may stay in my army camp."

"General, could you please deliver something to the Han Chinese encampment in Lingbei?" I calmly met his gaze.

"What is that?"

I drew his horse-drinking saber from his waist; a flash of white light and a shadow of black, and in the blink of an eye, a lock of black hair fell with the blade.

The general stared at me intently, perhaps too shocked, or perhaps for some other reason, his expression somewhat bewildered. A hand hovered in mid-air, slowly catching the loose strands of hair.

Cut off the black hair, sever the knot, and end all ties of gratitude and righteousness.

"General Lao conveyed my message: after five years of marriage, we have nothing to be dissatisfied with. But even fate has its limits... some things cannot be forced... I also ask Your Majesty to grant mercy to our few ignorant children."

I walked away into the wind, no tears left, my sleeves billowing in the wind, defiantly gazing at the melancholy moonlight.

A hearty laugh came from behind him, “Hahaha—I admire you, the Han imperial concubine is indeed true to her nature.”

Chapter Twenty-Five: You Are My Husband

Empress Dowager, much to Hudutai's surprise, Lu Li led his troops straight into Chagatai, and 7i was imminent.

I knew he wasn't there to save me, but rather... to avenge his humiliation. The two armies faced off, and Hudutai didn't agree to my presence on the battlefield. However, I insisted on wearing Eagle Song's armor, with a heavy metal helmet on my head. Not to mention the soldiers, even Lu Li, standing two steps away, might not recognize me.

On the vast grasslands of Chagatai, Lu Li's army advanced rapidly just miles away. Hudutai, his face flushed with ferocity, sat firmly on his horse, occasionally glancing back at me, mounted on horseback in full armor. The bugles emitted a deep, mournful wail, echoing throughout the surrounding camps since the latter half of the night, and beacon fires were lit, soaring into the sky. The earth trembled, growing louder as dawn broke, the campfires extinguished, and the battlefield gradually revealed itself in the morning light. Tall clouds of dust rose from all four directions—east, west, south, and north. Lu Li's army was approaching, whipping up plumes of yellow dust like dragons.

As the last vestiges of night faded from the horizon, sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting its glow upon the vast earth. The dust settled, and the rising sun appeared in the eastern sky, accompanied by the sight of Lu Li's personally commanded heavily armed troops arrayed in formation. Countless golden dragon banners fluttered in the wind, rustling loudly. The earth-shattering war drums pounded, horns blared in unison, and a palpable sense of impending doom filled the vast land.

Where the imperial banners fluttered, the man leading the charge wore an indigo battle robe embroidered with gold dragons, his black cloak billowing in the wind. This was the first time I had seen him in armor, personally welcoming the enemy. Before, although I knew he was skilled in martial arts, I was used to seeing him engrossed in his studies or diligently reviewing memorials in the Chaoyang Palace. His imposing figure leading troops into battle only surprised me.

A familiar yet unfamiliar figure suddenly appeared before my eyes, and my vision blurred instantly.