Qi Shao tried to subtly probe for more information, but he couldn't get any from Li Fengqi. In the end, he had no choice but to leave empty-handed.
After dealing with Qi Shao, Li Fengqi sat thinking by the window for a while, before turning his wheelchair towards Ye Yunting.
Ye Yunting was training the wolf.
Ever since deciding to keep the wolf king, Ye Yunting stopped keeping it locked up in a cage. The wolf king displayed very human characteristics. Though it didn't like strangers, it never attacked people on its own. When not being fierce, it acted more like a lazy, big dog. Ye Yunting had read many books about taming wild animals recently and used what he learned on the wolf king. The master-and-pet pair were practicing simple hand signals and commands.
The wolf king cooperated with its training very well. It was smart and followed almost every command from Ye Yunting.
When Li Fengqi arrived, he saw the wolf king resting its chin on Ye Yunting's knee, eating the dried meat he fed it. On a nearby shelf, the hunting falcon spread its wings wide, pacing back and forth and making dissatisfied noises as it eyed the meat.
Ye Yunting picked up a piece of dried meat to feed the falcon, but the wolf king immediately stood up and let out a loud howl at the bird.
The wolf and falcon seemed on the verge of fighting. Ye Yunting, acting like a parent, stood in the middle so they wouldn't come to blows.
The wolf king and hunting falcon didn't actually attack each other, but they kept screeching at one another from across the room. Holding a plate of dried rabbit meat, Ye Yunting could only give a piece to the wolf king, then quickly feed the hunting falcon one as well. After he finished all the meat, he showed the empty plate. "There's no more."
Both the hunting falcon and the wolf king craned their necks forward, and probably saw that there really wasn't any left. They screeched at each other twice more before settling down.
The wolf king rested on its front paws by Ye Yunting's feet, while the hunting falcon tucked in its wings and perched on his shoulder. Ye Yunting silently stroked both animals, his eyes squinting in a satisfied smile.
“…” Li Fengqi watched from the door with conflicting feelings.
He cleared his throat lightly to make his presence known.
Only then did Ye Yunting notice him. "Has Minister Qi left?"
Li Fengqi wheeled closer, glancing at the wolf and falcon. He nodded indifferently. "Yes. He said Li Zong will be leading the army himself soon."
Ye Yunting's hand froze in the middle of stroking the falcon’s feathers. He set the hunting falcon onto a perch and frowned. "He’s leading the army himself?"
Li Fengqi looked at his expression and confirmed that he had heard correctly. "Yes, they're gathering 150,000 troops for a royal campaign that he’ll lead in person."
"Is there...?" Ye Yunting's confusion grew, and he couldn't help but think of the Yin family's strange actions. "Is there a hand of the Yin family in this? They made repeated provocations on the Zaohe River without really sending troops: was it all to lure Li Zong into leading a personal expedition?"
If this was the case, it would explain Yin Xiaozhi's series of unusual moves.
Since ancient times, capturing the king first was key to defeating the enemy. Yin Xiaozhi wasn't behaving in a senile and confused way; rather, he was being clever, wanting to seize Li Zong directly. This could be far more efficient than trying to gain control over the south.
"But how can the Yin family be sure Li Zong will lead the campaign personally?" Ye Yunting asked aloud, before realizing the answer himself. "...It must be Han Chan?"
Li Fengqi chuckled. "It seems like the Eldest Young Master no longer needs me as a teacher."
Even after several days, he hadn't forgotten about their conversation.
Ye Yunting felt a slight warmth creep up his cheeks, but he unwilling to show weakness, and forced a smile. "The Prince still teaches well."
"Oh?" Li Fengqi raised an eyebrow and said suggestively. "Does the Eldest Young Master wish to learn something else, then?"
Ye Yunting was about to ask what he meant about learning when he saw Li Fengqi's mischievous smile.
"...” Ye Yunting refused coldly, “There’s no need.”
Li Fengqi was immediately disappointed. "The Young Master still lacks a sense of curiosity."
Ye Yunting forced a smile. "Ignorance is bliss."
He didn’t doubt that Li Fengqi was up to something.
After some more small talk, they returned to serious matters. Ye Yunting was still deeply concerned about the current situation. The direction of his life had already diverged greatly from his previous lifetime, with many events unfolding differently. He had to carefully observe the situation to avoid making mistakes and repeating the errors of his past.
"Han Chan has allied with the Yin Clan, and they want Li Zong dead? So this time, the imperial campaign is actually..."
Regardless of Li Zong's character, so far he hadn't done anything harmful to Beizhao. With the foundation laid down previously, Beizhao still remained stable. But if he were truly killed, that stability would be completely shattered.
"What does Han Chan really want?"
The Yin Clan wanted the throne and the empire, an ambition that Ye Yunting could understand as human desire. But as for what Han Chan wanted, Ye Yunting couldn't figure it out.
Li Zong had been his student for years. Li Zong respected him, but he looked down on Li Zong, forcing Li Fengqi to challenge for the throne. Han Chan even going so far as poisoning him to make it happen, which turned them into enemies. Even after that, he tried to team up with Li Fengqi, hoping they could be good ruler and advisor together.
When that plan failed, he worked with the Yin Clan to force Li Zong to lead the army himself, plotting against his life.
He really couldn't figure out what Han Chan was truly after.
What did he gain by helping the Yin Clan overthrow Li Zong?
Li Fengqi shook his head. "Han Chan is like a mad dog now," he said. "Who knows what evil schemes he's cooking up? I've been sending people to watch him secretly, but we haven't learned anything useful."
He suspected this might have something to do with Han Chan's mysterious past, which he hadn't shared with anyone. But without evidence, it was just a wild guess.
"Are we really going to sit back and watch?" Ye Yunting asked hesitantly.
If the Yin Clan succeeded in their plot, Li Zong would likely never return from this trip.
Li Fengqi fell silent for a moment before speaking in a deep voice. "His life will be up to fate," His words were slow and deliberate. "My brotherhood with him has run its course. This time, I won't protect him."
The Beizhao dynasty was bound to fall into chaos sooner or later—it made no difference to him when exactly it happened.
However, despite his words, he didn't look truly happy.
Ye Yunting hesitated for a moment before saying, "Wangye, if you're not pleased, there's no need to hide it from me."
The Prince of Yong’an was decisive and resolute in his actions, unburdened by worldly grievances.
But Li Fengqi was just an ordinary person. He hated Li Zong's betrayal and suspicion, yet couldn't help feeling unhappy about the trap Li Zong was walking straight into. Li Zong had betrayed him first, and he wouldn't repay evil with kindness, but seeing him head towards certain death still stirred something within him.
After all, this was the younger brother he'd watched grow up since they were little.
Hearing Ye Yunting's words, a flicker crossed Li Fengqi's eyes. He fell silent for a moment, then suddenly took Ye Yunting's hand and sighed. "It seems that the Eldest Young Master knows me very well, after all."
Despite his serious tone, both his hands were tightly clutching Ye Yunting's hand.
With his right hand enveloped in Li Fengqi's palms, feeling the steady warmth flowing through their skin, Ye Yunting felt his ears growing hot. He tried forcefully to pull his hand away, but it wouldn't budge. “…”
Li Fengqi tightened his grip even more and let out another sigh. "Thanks to the comfort from the Eldest Young Master, I feel much better now."
Ye Yunting: “…”
‘Let go of me first before you say anything.’
--
October 27th: Li Zong summoned 20,000 troops to personally lead at the Zaohe River.
Fifty thousand troops from Lizhou have already rushed to the Zaohe River and would be arriving soon. Qi Dian, the governor of Luzhou, wrote a memorial to apologize, saying that the Dongyi had been acting suspiciously recently and the border defense force was stretched thin, so he only dispatched 30,000 troops to Shangjing’s aid.
With the addition of the remaining 30,000 Shence troops from Zaohe River, Emperor Li Zong commanded a force of over 150,000, more than enough to overwhelm the rebel army.
On the day of Li Zong's departure, the capital was abuzz with excitement as citizens lined the streets to see him off.
Everyone knew about the rebels' encampment at Zaohe River and the Shence Army's repeated defeats. The shadow of war loomed like dark clouds overhead. Rumors circulated that Prince Yong’an, still recovering from poisoning, could no longer take to the battlefield, leaving no one who could stop the rebels. Many people were growing anxious; some of the more frightened ones had already began packing their belongings in preparation for fleeing the capital as soon as possible.
Now that news had spread that the emperor had gathered an army of hundreds of thousands and would personally lead them against the rebels, the fearful populace calmed down.
The rebels only numbered 80,000, while His Majesty commanded 150,000. No matter how one looked at it, there was no way the rebels could win this battle.
Heartened, the people poured into the streets to bid farewell to Li Zong, praying for their safe return.
As Li Zong rode atop his imperial carriage, he gazed upon the cheering crowds lining both sides of the street. His expression softened slightly. He took a deep breath, looked into the distance, the said to Cui Xi. "I've made the right move here."
Cui Xi smiled. "Your Majesty is wise and powerful."
Li Zong shot him a sidelong glance, the corners of his mouth curling into a slight smile. He then turned to the young scholar standing beside him. "Official Ye recommended you to us, saying you're well-read in military strategy and skilled in deploying troops?"
He looked at the young man before him with critical eyes. He was tall, fair-skinned and a strong scholarly air about him. His features bore a resemblance to Ye Zhili's, and it obvious at a glance that he was a scholar. Ye Zhili had recommended this youth which he claimed to be his nephew. He said that, though young, this young man was well versed in military tactics, and asked him to bring him along, in the chance that he might be of some use.
"Are you Ye Zhili's nephew? Why haven't we met before? What is your name?" Li Zong didn't think this youth, who was two years younger than himself, would be particularly useful. He was merely saving Ye Zhili some face.
Because of the Yin family's rebellion, he'd given Ye Zhili plenty of grief lately. But when he remembered that Ye Zhili's second son had also fallen into the hands of the rebels, and considering he hadn't planned on abandoning Ye Zhili altogether, he decided to bring along the person Ye Zhili had recommended as a gesture of goodwill.
When Li Zong asked for his name again, the young man's face froze. He responded respectfully with a smile, "My name is Boru."
"Ye Boru?" Li Zong thought for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "Understood. You may go. There's no need for you to stay here."
Ye Boru's jaw tightened at these words. After a moment, he recalled what Ye Zhili had told him before leaving. With that in mind, he retreated respectfully.
At the back, he blended in among the other officials accompanying them. He raised his eyes and looked at Li Zong’s back, ambition burning in his eyes. If everything went according to plan, he should be able to return to the capital.
--
Li Zong's entourage left the city in grand style, heading towards the Zaohe River.
The Prince's carriage hid in the shadows. After the crowd had dispersed, it also slowly made its way out of the city.
Ye Yunting sat in the carriage, listening to the wheels crunch over thick snow as they drove towards an unknown destination. "Where exactly are we going?"
Earlier that morning, Li Fengqi had woken him up. They'd gotten into a carriage and headed to the city gates. At first, Ye Yunting thought they were there to watch Li Zong personally lead his troops out. But unexpectedly, after Li Zong's army departed, their carriage also left the city.
"It's rare that all those evildoers are not yere," Li Fengqi said, leaning back against soft cushions with one hand under his chin and a book in the other. He looked up at Ye Yunting with a smile. "I'll take you somewhere nice for a few quiet days."
Ye Yunting's curiosity was piqued. "Where?"
"You'll find out when we get there."
Li Fengqi wouldn't reveal any more. As if struck by a sudden thought, he closed his book and tapped his cheek, wearing a mischievous smile. "If the Eldest Young Master really wants to know, you'll have to give me something else in exchange. Maybe then I won't be able to resist telling you."
"..." Ye Yunting shot him a glare before turning to look out the window, expressionless. "I don't want to know anymore."
Li Fengqi raised an eyebrow, inwardly clicking his tongue.
‘Habits really do become second nature, and now doesn't even blush anymore.’
=== Author’s Notes ===
77: As long as I am alive, you will all become my concubines.
Falcon: Chirp?
Wolf: Howl?
Tingting: ???? ????
=== Translator’s Notes ===
I have no idea if I translated those author’s notes correctly, and at this point I’m too afraid to check. 77, what is going on inside your head?? LMAO
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