Ling Ao truly had not expected that Prince Zhili would openly demand the right to enjoy his newlywed wife, Gui Qinshao, on their wedding night.
Such shamelessness!
In his heart, he had always considered Prince Zhili a man of great talent and bold vision. Although he had witnessed Zhili casting greedy glances at Gui Qinshao on numerous occasions, he had thought nothing of it. Most heroic figures were fond of women, after all. Even the current king, Zhibian, had been a libertine in his youth, indulging freely in carnal pleasures.
He had believed that a monarch of Zhili’s calibre would surely consider the bigger picture. And as Zhili’s most trusted confidant, he should at least be treated with some respect.
He had never imagined that Zhili would openly declare his intention to sleep with his woman.
This left Ling Ao utterly unable to accept the situation, even feeling as though his idol had been shattered.
Perhaps with Soren dead, Zhili had lost his greatest rival and had thus relaxed his restraint, giving free rein to his desires?
Or perhaps Zhili had always been a dissolute and shameless man?
In recent years, nearly all the nobles and feudal lords had regarded Zhili as a wise ruler of the next generation. And Zhili had consistently performed admirably. He enjoyed sleeping with other men’s wives, but in many cases, it was those shameless nobles who actively offered up their wives to him.
Apart from this flaw, Zhili was magnanimous, resolute and decisive, courteous to the wise and humble to the talented, a man of great talent and bold vision. He was the perfect crown prince.
But now, by demanding that Ling Ao surrender his soon to be wife, he was not merely slapping Ling Ao in the face, but also slapping Gui Xingfu in the face.
Could such behaviour be called being courteous to the wise and humble to the talented?
And most crucially, for the sake of a woman, Zhili was willing to humiliate Ling Ao and humiliate Gui Xingfu, a dignified feudal lord.
Could such a man be considered a wise ruler?
In an instant, many of Ling Ao’s perceptions collapsed.
He had once believed that Zhili valued him so highly purely because he recognised his talent, that he was truly eager to recruit capable men.
Now it seemed he regarded him as nothing more than an ant.
What respect? What courtesy to the wise? They were all a colossal joke.
Ling Ao felt an immense fury and grief in his heart. Born a commoner, his inferiority complex was matched by a powerful pride, and he constantly strove to surpass others.
Now, humiliated thus by Zhili, he truly wished to draw his sword in a fit of rage and shed blood within five paces.
If the man before him were Soren, he swore he would tear him limb from limb.
But the man before him was Zhili, the Zhili who decided his fate, the lord he had regarded as his heaven for these past few years. He lacked the courage to draw his sword.
Yet he would never agree to such a shameless demand.
Thus, Ling Ao pretended not to have heard, kneeling there ramrod straight, using silence to express his anger and protest.
Seeing Ling Ao’s reaction, Zhili’s eyes turned cold, and a wave of contempt rose in his heart.
Ling Ao had risen like a comet due to his genius, but there were many geniuses in this world. Suo Hanyi, who had died over a year ago, was he not also a genius in martial arts and military strategy? But so what? Had he not been directly executed by Soren?
If Ling Ao were not Gui Xingfu’s adopted son, and if he did not happen to represent the commoner elite, precisely when Zhili needed to erect such a banner, what use would his so called genius be? With his pitiful, arrogant personality, he would never even become a commander of a thousand cavalry in his lifetime.
Besides, apart from a supreme prodigy like Soren, who in this world dared to call themselves a genius?
Seeing that Ling Ao dared to confront him with cold indifference, Zhili felt nothing but waves of mocking amusement.
He said nothing more, merely stepped forward, patted Ling Ao on the shoulder, smiled faintly, and walked out.
…
Within the Count of Linhai’s mansion in the royal city!
Gui Qinshao was painting.
At this moment, there were only five days until her wedding.
In recent days, she seemed a changed person.
Previously, she had wished to go out and play every day, to attend banquets every day, to outshine all other women, to receive the admiration of all men and the envy of all women.
Moreover, she had always disdained the Count of Linhai’s mansion for being too small, so she had constantly resided at the Duke of Tuling’s estate, where she had been domineering and imperious, ordering people about.
But ever since she had completely severed ties with Soren twenty days ago, she had not stepped out of the house, remaining at home to learn painting, embroidery, and the like.
She wished to cultivate her heart and nature, striving to be a good wife.
The secret affair between Tuling Duo and Zhili, conspiring to murder Tu Liyang, had affected her deeply, causing her to reflect upon herself.
She often involuntarily imagined herself as Tuling Duo, Soren as Zhili, and Ling Ao as the pitiful, devoted Tu Liyang.
With this substitution, she felt she was especially hateful, and Ling Ao especially pitiful.
Coupled with the hostile relationship between the Suo clan and the Gui clan, in order to avoid future tragedy, Gui Qinshao had bravely severed her emotional ties with Soren, preparing wholeheartedly to marry Ling Ao.
And for some reason, as the wedding drew near, she felt even less inclined to go out and play.
Although all the noble girls outside were discussing her marriage, envying her for being able to marry such an outstanding husband.
She was so vain, and previously had loved hearing such jealousy and flattery, but now it felt somewhat grating.
…
In a daze, Ling Ao returned from Prince Zhili’s mansion to the Count of Linhai’s residence in the royal city.
“Young master!”
“Young master!”
Wherever he passed, all the servants bowed in greeting.
He had always held a high position within the Gui clan, recently even surpassing Gui Qinzhong and Gui Qinqu, second only to the young master of Linhai City, Gui Qinbi.
Passing through the drawing room, Ling Ao saw his fiancee, Gui Qinshao, concentrating on her painting.
She wore a pink silk gown, seated upon a brocade cushion, which made the curves of her waist and hips all the more enchanting.
Her breathtakingly beautiful face, due to her concentration, appeared even more captivating.
Ling Ao stared blankly at his fiancee. She was so beautiful, so lovely.
Very well, Ling Ao knew his fiancee was selfish and vain, but in his heart, Gui Qinshao was truly the most adorable creature. Even her spoiled and imperious manner, her vain and shallow behaviour, were so utterly heart stirring.
This was his most beloved woman, the girl he had guarded for over a decade.
Now, Zhili actually wanted to snatch her away, to possess her.
No, he would never agree!
Gui Qinshao looked up, saw Ling Ao gazing at her foolishly, and immediately said, “What are you looking at? I’m not letting you look!”
Then, she rolled up her painting and hid it behind her back. Despite her concentrated effort, her skill was truly dreadful.
Ever since deciding to sever ties with Soren, Gui Qinshao’s attitude towards Ling Ao had softened considerably, making Ling Ao even more infatuated.
Although she loved Soren, Ling Ao treated her too well. She could not let him down again.
Ling Ao said emotionally, “Shao, I will protect you for a lifetime. I will not let you suffer any harm.”
Gui Qinshao stuck out her little tongue and said, “Why are you suddenly saying such things? So cringeworthy.”
Looking at her incomparably charming appearance, Ling Ao felt his heart would melt.
Taking a deep breath, he said gently, “I am going to speak with father.”
“Mmm,” Gui Qinshao nodded.
Soren’s “death” was still top secret for the time being, known only to a few. Gui Qinshao, this delicate young lady, was currently unaware.
…
Ling Ao arrived at Gui Xingfu’s study, knelt down directly, and said in a trembling voice, “Father.”
Gui Xingfu was reading. Seeing Ling Ao’s strange tone, he could not help but ask in surprise, “What is it?”
“I will not be the third commander of the Dragon Guard Cavalry any longer. I will return to Linhai City with you,” Ling Ao said. “I will serve as the grand commander of Linhai City’s garrison for you, and in the future, I will serve as the grand commander of the garrison for elder brother. I will not sell my life to the Zhi clan any longer. I will sell my life to the family.”
Gui Xingfu’s gaze narrowed. “What happened?”
Ling Ao’s face turned red as he gritted his teeth and said, “Zhili said he wants Shao’s… on the wedding night five days from now, he wants me to yield her to him.”
Upon hearing these words, Gui Xingfu’s face turned white, and his body swayed.
Then, he sat there, closing his eyes, motionless.
After a good while, he opened his eyes and said, “It cannot be. He… he was not so dissolute before.”
Ling Ao said, “Because Soren is dead. No one can stop him from ascending the throne any longer, so he no longer needs to suppress his desires.”
Gui Xingfu once again closed his eyes in pain.
“Father, I will absolutely not agree. No man could endure such monstrous humiliation,” Ling Ao said. “I will absolutely not let Shao suffer such harm.”
Gui Xingfu remained silent with his eyes closed.
After a long time, he opened his eyes again, having regained his composure.
“Ao, I am glad you can treat Shao this way. It shows I did not misjudge you,” Gui Xingfu said. “Just yesterday, Prince Zhili discussed with me that since Soren is dead, yet Zhiyan still refuses to give up hope and will not surrender. So we have decided to launch an attack on Tianshui City, both to pressure and to test the strength of Zhiyan’s faction!”
“At this time?” Ling Ao asked in astonishment. “Would it not be better to wait until after Zhili succeeds to the throne before destroying the Suo clan?”
Gui Xingfu said, “Soren is dead. Zhiyan has lost her foundation, yet she refuses to surrender, so we must force her hand. Previously, we dared not send troops to Tianshui City because we feared the king’s Divine Dragon Sceptre. He holds the power of life and death, and if we attacked Tianshui City, the commander would die by the Divine Dragon Sceptre. But now it is different. Soren is dead. Zhiyan has no hope whatsoever. They should not dare to deploy the Divine Dragon Sceptre.”
Ling Ao said, “But what if Gao Yin still takes the Divine Dragon Sceptre and the king’s decree to come and kill?”
Gui Xingfu said, “He will not. Once Prince Zhili ascends the throne, the lives of Gao Yin, Zhiting, and Zhiyan will all be in Zhili’s hands. At this point, Zhiyan has no hope of seizing the throne whatsoever. How would she dare to offend Prince Zhili?”
Ling Ao said coldly, “Even if Zhiyan and the others do not offend Zhili, once Zhili succeeds to the throne in the future, these three will not survive.”
Gui Xingfu said, “That may be so, but everyone harbours hope and takes chances. Moreover, this attack on Tianshui City is to test Zhiyan’s faction’s reaction, to see whether they will actually use the Divine Dragon Sceptre and the king’s decree to kill.”
Ling Ao said, “Then how shall we fight this time?”
Gui Xingfu said, “Under the pretext of helping Linhai City reclaim Chaos Rock Island, we will first send troops to Chaos Rock Island to seize the Chaos Rock Salt Fields. If Zhiyan’s faction repeatedly compromises and retreats, we will advance further to Tianshui City and destroy the Suo clan.”
Because this offensive carried an element of coercion and probing, they had found a relatively reasonable pretext for attack: helping Linhai City, the Gui clan, reclaim Chaos Rock Island.
After all, Chaos Rock Island had once belonged to the Gui clan, only to have been swindled away by Soren.
If the king still refused to give up and directly issued a decree for Gao Yin to bring the Divine Dragon Sceptre and the decree to kill, there would still be room for manoeuvre.
Ling Ao said, “But after the last crushing defeat, we do not have many ships or naval forces left.”
Gui Xingfu said, “The great fire last time burned not only our fleet, but also Soren’s fleet. And the last defeat was entirely due to Soren’s treacherous scheme succeeding. Now that Soren is dead, Tianshui City is headless. Defeat is certain.”
Ling Ao said, “Then where will our ships and naval forces come from?”
Gui Xingfu said, “Luanyang City. Although the last great fire burned most of the Luanyang City fleet, cobbling together over a hundred ships and ten thousand naval troops is still no problem. Prince Zhili will step forward to borrow ten thousand naval troops and one hundred ships from the Hai clan. Other coastal feudal lords and coastal commanderies, in order to curry favour with Prince Zhili, will also lend troops and ships to varying degrees. Altogether, over thirty thousand naval troops and three hundred ships will be more than sufficient to reclaim the Chaos Rock Island Salt Fields.”
A wave of sorrow surged in Ling Ao’s heart.
This reclamation of the Chaos Rock Island Salt Fields had nothing to do with Luanyang City to begin with, but Tu Liyang, his head addled by love, was utterly obedient and submissive to Tuling Duo. This time, in sending troops to attack the Chaos Rock Salt Fields, Luanyang City was once again made the scapegoat.
However, with over thirty thousand naval troops and three hundred ships, reclaiming the Chaos Rock Island Salt Fields would be a certain victory. After all, the last great naval battle’s defeat was entirely due to falling for Soren’s treacherous scheme, not due to insufficient strength.
“When do we fight?” Ling Ao asked.
“After your wedding concludes, we will begin assembling troops to attack the Chaos Rock Salt Fields and test Zhiyan and the king’s reaction,” Gui Xingfu said. “If Zhiyan and the king show no resistance whatsoever, we will assemble over a hundred thousand troops, trample Tianshui City, destroy the Suo clan, and thoroughly extinguish Zhiyan’s hope.”
After a moment of silence, Gui Xingfu said, “After destroying the Suo clan, Tianshui City will be split in two. The northern three hundred li will belong to my Linhai City. The southern two hundred li will be used to establish the Southern Expedition Camp.”
Ling Ao’s heart trembled.
The northern three hundred li of territory entirely belonging to Linhai City meant that Linhai City’s territory would suddenly expand by over sixty percent.
Gui Xingfu said, “Moreover, you will enter the Southern Expedition Camp. In the future war to conquer the Barbarian Continent, you will become one of the principal generals. Just as Tuling Tuo rose to prominence, so shall you.”
Ling Ao stood frozen.
Gui Xingfu said, “Therefore, in this struggle between Zhiyan and Zhili, our clan stands to gain the most. But once we offend Prince Zhili, all of this will turn to nothing. Three hundred li of territory within easy reach, your future position as marshal. Most crucially, if we offend Prince Zhili, once he ascends the throne, where shall our Gui clan go?”
Gui Xingfu’s words were left unfinished, but the meaning in his speech was clear. Compared to three hundred li of territory and a future position as marshal, what was a mere Gui Qinshao’s chastity worth?
Ling Ao felt as though something were blocking his throat. He said hoarsely, “But a man’s power should be taken from the blade. To send one’s own woman away like this, with no dignity left, what use is there in having greater power?”
Gui Xingfu stepped forward a few paces and gently stroked Ling Ao’s head. “Ao, what kind of man do you think I am?”
Ling Ao said, “Father in law is the most remarkable person in this world, more remarkable than both Tuling Tuo and Suo Long.”
Gui Xingfu sighed, “Then what do you think of the relationship between me and your mother in law?”
“Deeply loving,” Ling Ao said. “A model for me and Shao’s future.”
Gui Xingfu said, “Let me tell you a secret, a secret no one knows. Before marrying me, your mother in law once had an affair with the current king, Zhibian, and everything that could happen had happened. Even moments before we bowed at the wedding ceremony, she had… I could smell the scent of another man’s bodily fluids upon her, though she had already washed.”
Having spoken, Gui Xingfu closed his eyes, his face twitching in pain.
“On the day of my wedding, I was cuckolded,” Gui Xingfu said. “But I pretended to know nothing. After marriage, I used my gentleness and tolerance to completely capture your mother in law’s heart, and only then did she wholeheartedly follow me and love me.”
Ling Ao looked at Gui Xingfu in utter disbelief, never imagining that this deeply loving couple, his parents in law, had such a past.
Gui Xingfu said, “Little Ao, you are already much happier than I was. At least Shao is not doing this willingly. We men, for the sake of our clan, for the sake of great undertakings, must sometimes endure with fortitude. Many matters are better left muddled!”
“But!” Ling Ao’s heart was filled with boundless pain.
Gui Xingfu said, “Even if Shao’s innocence is defiled by Zhili, would you despise her in the future?”
“No, I would not…” Ling Ao said.
Gui Xingfu said, “Are three hundred li of territory and your future position as marshal important, or are romantic sentiments between children important? The campaigns against Chaos Rock Island and Tianshui City are imminent. These are matters of military and state. Would you delay all these great matters for the sake of mere private romantic feelings?”
Ling Ao was suddenly speechless.
Gui Xingfu continued, “Once you offend Zhili, the tripartite alliance between the royal house, the Gui clan, and the Tuling clan will completely collapse. Can we afford the consequences of that? You must understand that now it is we who have need of Zhili, not he who has need of us. His ascension to the throne is already a foregone conclusion. No one can stop it.”
Ling Ao hung his head in dejection, his voice choked with tears as he said, “Yes, father in law. I know what must be done.”
Gui Xingfu patted his shoulder. “If you feel Shao has suffered wrong, treat her even better in the future. And she is not doing this willingly, so she has not betrayed you. Consider it as us cutting off a piece of flesh for the royal house. Your mother in law cut a piece for Zhibian, Shao cuts a piece for Zhili.”
“Yes!” Ling Ao immediately burst into tears, prostrating himself on the ground!
Gui Qinshao had been unwilling to let down her father, unwilling to let down Ling Ao, so she had severed her loving emotional ties with Soren, preparing wholeheartedly to marry Ling Ao, even beginning to settle down and cultivate her character.
She had sacrificed her own feelings for her father, for her clan.
And now, her father had unhesitatingly sacrificed her for the sake of gain.
What immense sorrow!
Just as Soren had said, Gui Xingfu’s love for his daughter was not as deep as it appeared.