At the main gate of the Young Lord’s residence, Zhili rushed out barefoot.
“My sister has returned, my Zhining has returned.” As he ran, he shouted excitedly.
Opening the carriage door, Zhining emerged holding the little baby. The baby was strong, having travelled several thousand li, yet had actually grown somewhat plumper and stronger.
Before Zhining could even clearly see her brother Zhili, she was pulled into a tight embrace.
“My sister has returned, my big nephew has returned.” Zhili held his sister Zhining tightly in his arms, greedily inhaling her scent, his expression agitated.
Zhining’s eyes grew hot, and she too forcibly held back her tears.
She had thought she would never return to the Kingdom of Nu Lang, but in the end she had come back. Though she truly did not know whether this return was right or wrong, at least at this moment her heart was stirred to see her brother.
Holding Zhining tightly for quite some time, Zhili finally released her, gazing greedily upon Zhining’s face.
“You’ve grown plump, your skin has improved, there’s colour in your cheeks. You’ve become much more beautiful.” Zhili said in surprise.
Originally he had thought Zhining would be living poorly and alone in Yanjing, and given her originally poor health and deep temperament, he had expected to see a thin, haggard Zhining upon their reunion. He had not expected her to be so healthy and beautiful.
Zhining looked at Zhili and felt that something was indeed wrong with her brother’s body. His face carried a flush, his eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles beneath them. The whole of him was in a strange state of excitement.
“This is my big nephew, come let uncle hold you.” Zhili said.
Then, with heated gaze, he took the baby into his arms, affectionately rubbing his beard against the little baby’s tender cheek.
The little baby was not shy of strangers, nor did he cry, but merely turned his head away impatiently.
There was something wrong with Zhili’s form of address for the little baby. He should have called him nephew, but instead he called him nephew in the sense of a male heir.
“Where is sister-in-law?” Zhining asked.
Zhili said, “She is unwell, taken ill.”
Zhining’s heart trembled. Though Fang Qingzhuo was gentle and refined, her martial arts were not low, and her health had always been good. How could she be ill?
In truth, Fang Qingzhuo was not ill, but had been ravaged by Zhili until she fainted dead away.
“Come, let us enter, home!” Zhili held the baby in one arm and Zhining’s hand in the other, entering the Young Lord’s residence.
…
After finally coaxing the little baby to sleep, Zhili and Zhining began their secret discussion.
Zhili narrated everything that had happened since her departure, omitting no detail no matter how unsightly or shameful, except for the implantation of demon blood.
He spoke for over an hour, until his mouth was parched, then drank a whole pot of tea in great gulps.
After listening, Zhining completely could not conceal the shock in her heart.
In merely around a year’s time, Zhili’s situation had deteriorated to such a degree!
A year ago, Soren could truly be described as in imminent peril, with Zhili holding absolute advantage.
And now, he had been beaten so badly by Soren that he was thoroughly disgraced. After losing Zhiwei, he had now lost Fang Qingshu.
“The man you found is formidable, more formidable than we imagined.” Zhili shook his head. “Every step treads upon my vital point. If this momentum continues, Zhiyan will truly ascend to the queenship, and I shall truly die without a burial place.”
Zhining said, “The situation has deteriorated to its present state largely through your own fault. Had you not been blinded by lust and molested Gui Qinshao, none of what followed would have happened. You would still hold overwhelming power, and Soren would have had no opportunity to exploit.”
Zhili said, “Who can say otherwise? But at that time everyone thought Soren was already dead. That demoness Wanwan even sent his skull. With the greatest enemy dead, I could not help but indulge myself somewhat. Moreover, how could a peerless beauty like Gui Qinshao be something Ling Ao could enjoy.”
Zhining laughed coldly, “It seems you could not enjoy her either, otherwise you would not have fallen into your present predicament.”
Zhili’s face twitched, and he sighed, “Who can say otherwise?”
After all, he was her own brother, so Zhining’s voice softened somewhat, “That part of yours, is there truly no possibility of recovery?”
Zhili nodded, “At that time the root was nearly severed completely. Though it was reconnected later, it became completely useless. At least five great medical cultivators have examined it. There is no hope for life!”
Instantly, Zhining’s face turned deathly pale, “Then, then what should be done? Who else knows of this matter?”
“Gui Qinshao, Gui Xingfu, Soren.” Zhili said, “But Soren has always held this back without revealing it, merely saying I was stabbed by Gui Qinshao. Clearly he intends to deliver a fatal blow at the critical moment.”
Zhining was silent for a long time, then said, “Brother, a crown prince without descendants will find it very difficult to ascend the throne.”
Zhili said, “Who says I have no descendants?”
Zhining said, “You only have two daughters. If women could inherit, it would not be their turn either. Zhiyan would directly ascend.”
Zhili said, “I have a male heir.”
Zhining started.
Zhili said, “We are blood siblings. Your son carries the bloodline of the Zhi clan. How could he not serve as my successor!”
Instantly, Zhining’s face changed, gazing at Zhili in disbelief.
Zhili said, “As for him being Soren’s biological son, that is even better. He can serve precisely as a bridge for my reconciliation with him.”
Zhining said in a trembling voice, “You mean to reconcile with Soren?”
“Not reconcile, but sue for peace.” Zhili said, “I wish to marry you to Soren. After I ascend the throne, I shall directly enfeoff Soren as Prince Regent, placing him in charge of the kingdom’s internal affairs and military authority. I have been castrated. In this life I am completely without descendants, so it is perfect to establish your son with him as crown prince. Thus, everything he could obtain from Zhiyan’s side, he can also obtain from me. Between him and me there would no longer be any conflict, only shared interests. And everything he has done would be paving the way for his own flesh and blood’s future throne.”
Zhining fell into deep thought!
She was utterly unwilling for her son to be drawn into this affair, but the method Zhili proposed could indeed resolve all present difficulties.
Moreover, the one who would benefit most would be herself, Zhining.
Not only would she marry Soren, but she would reconcile her brother with her husband, and her biological son could ascend the throne.
Though establishing her son as crown prince would present great difficulties, once Zhili and Soren joined forces, the entire Kingdom of Nu Lang would have no rival. At that time, as long as Zhining’s son was adopted by Zhili and then established as crown prince, it would flow completely naturally.
After all, Zhili himself had been adopted by King Zhibian.
Moreover, Zhining’s son already carried royal bloodline in his body.
Zhining even felt that this matter would be far simpler to execute than supporting Zhiyan’s ascension!
Zhili said, “This is the only method I can think of that can avoid civil war in the kingdom, can thoroughly mend the rift between myself and Soren, and can achieve a happy ending for all.”
Zhining fell into hesitation once more. She truly could not bear for the baby to be drawn into this affair.
But she could not simply watch the kingdom fall into civil war, nor could she watch her brother Zhili die without a burial place.
“Very well, I agree to this plan.” Zhining said.
Zhili was overjoyed, “Excellent, then I must trouble you to make a journey to the provincial capital of the Southeast Province, to fully represent me in suing for peace with Soren. The main conditions are three. First, I shall marry you to him as wife. Second, after I ascend the throne, I shall enfeoff him as Prince Regent, with full authority over attacking the barbarian wilderness and expanding the kingdom’s territory. Third, your son with him shall be adopted by me, established as crown prince, and inherit the throne!”
Zhining nodded, “Very well, I shall make this journey at once!”
…
Within the Southeast Province Governor’s residence!
After slapping the Dragon Temple in the face and Fang Qingshu’s arrest, Soren’s momentum in the Southeast Province surged like splitting bamboo.
Previously, Soren had ordered all officials of county magistrate rank and above from the six prefectures to come to the governor’s residence to report on their duties. Those who made excuses not to come would all be executed.
As a result, within the stipulated time, all officials arrived, kneeling in a dense black mass.
This instead caused Soren to feel regret. He had wished to use this opportunity to cleanly kill all officials loyal to Zhili, but since they had travelled great distances to come kowtow and pledge allegiance, his blade could not fall.
However, Gui Xingfu spoke well. Civil officials did not possess too much integrity. Their so-called loyalty to Zhili was merely so much talk. Many civil officials did not even have families, so what loyalty could they speak of? They were completely like solitary grass upon the ground. Whichever way the wind blew, there they fell. How could they have any fixed stance?
With the full cooperation of Gui Xingfu and Yan Wuzhi, Soren had now essentially gained control over the entire Southeast Province.
And on the Tianshui City side, the reorganisation of over seventy thousand prisoners was also proceeding in an orderly manner.
Once the reorganisation was complete, Soren would instantly possess an army of one hundred twenty thousand.
Moreover, Soren would once again restore the Southeast Army’s establishment, forming a grand army exceeding one hundred thousand troops.
At that time, Soren alone would hold over two hundred thousand troops, plus the one hundred thousand troops of Rouan City.
Three hundred thousand plus troops could not be said to dominate the entire Kingdom of Nu Lang, but thoroughly overwhelming Zhili militarily was within sight.
Moreover, in the future when Zhiyan ascended to the queenship and Soren became Prince Regent, holding four to five hundred thousand troops in his hands, he would not fear any restiveness from the feudal lords and nobles below.
However, Soren’s path in the Southeast Province was not completely smooth sailing.
At least two people had never come to pay their respects, nor even sent a single envoy.
The other two feudal lords of the Southeast Province, the lords of Tiemucheng and Qichicheng.
Neither of these feudal lords’ territories was large, around two hundred li, with a hundred thousand or so subjects and merely several thousand troops.
Their military strength was not formidable, but they were kingdom feudal lords after all. Even as acting Southeast Governor, Soren could do little against them.
After all, without committing grave errors, even a king would find it difficult to directly move against a feudal lord.
At that time, when Zhili wished to deal with Soren, he had to invoke the kingdom’s ancestral system from a hundred years past, using the rule that non-noble warriors could not inherit noble titles to prevent Soren from inheriting the position of Tianshui City Lord.
Ever since Soren became acting Southeast Governor, these two feudal lords had acted as though they knew nothing, not only failing to come pay respects but also completely closing the portal castles leading to their territories, adopting an attitude of refusing any connection with Soren.
…
Gui Xingfu was indeed a cunning old fox, immediately devising numerous stratagems against Tiemucheng and Qichicheng. Though he could not place them in mortal danger, he could at least skin them alive.
After slight hesitation, Soren waved his hand, “Forget it. If others do not offend me, I shall not offend others.”
He decided to let these two insufficiently respectful feudal lords go. After all, he already held the entire province in his hands, plus Tianshui City and Linhai City, possessing a total population of nearly ten million.
As for those two feudal lords’ territories of barely two hundred li combined, totalling less than three hundred thousand subjects, he did not particularly care.
“The lord is magnanimous and benevolent, his benevolence and righteousness without peer. One day these two jumping clowns will certainly regret their actions and feel such shame they wish to die.” Gui Xingfu said with utter obsequiousness.
Speaking of which, before Gui Qinshao’s assassination attempt on Zhili, Gui Xingfu had maintained an attitude neither servile nor arrogant even towards Zhili. Where was that now? To curry favour with Soren, he completely cast aside all face.
At this moment, Zhuang Zhixuan suddenly entered to report, “A woman requests an audience, saying she is an old acquaintance from the royal city of Zhidu.”
Soren could not help but start. An old acquaintance from Zhidu?
“Let her enter.” Soren said.
A moment later, Zhuang Zhixuan led that woman into the main hall of the governor’s residence.
The woman was entirely wrapped in a black cloak. Upon seeing her figure, Soren could not help but start.
He possessed the ability to remember everything at a glance. This woman’s figure was full and plump, mature and alluring.
Particularly the twin peaks upon her chest, which could be described as magnificent, trembling slightly.
Below her waist, her round buttocks were as full as melons, her willowy waist filled with the flavour of plumpness.
This woman’s figure was truly like a fully ripened peach, so juicy one felt liquid would spill forth with a single bite.
But he truly had not seen this woman before!
“Hmph, Count Soren, truly the favoured forget their old friends.” The woman said coldly.
Then, she threw back her cloak and removed her mask, revealing an incomparably beautiful face.
Still the pointed chin, but now filled with fleshiness, the entire incomparably beautiful face appearing round and lustrous.
Soren’s eyes widened sharply, somewhat unable to believe his own eyes.
This woman was Zhining?
Where was that listless, thin woman? How could giving birth to a child transform her from Lin Daiyu into Wang Xifeng?
Her face white with a hint of red, her figure plump and fleshy, her entire body filled with health and vitality.
Even her gaze had become bold and fierce, no longer lingering and sorrowful as before.
In the year’s time at Yanjing, she seemed to have become an entirely different person.
“What? Do you not recognise me?” Zhining laughed coldly.
Even her voice had changed, no longer as soft and affected as before.
“You have returned? When did you return? Where is the child?” Soren asked three questions in succession.
“What you truly wish to ask is the last question.” Zhining said, “Since I went to Yanjing, I have not received a single letter from you. When you ravished me then, it was solely to save Tianshui City. Where was there half a measure of genuine feeling?”
At these words, before Soren could react, Gui Xingfu had already lowered his head, bowing, “My lord, this old servant takes his leave!”
Zhining gazed at Gui Xingfu with utter contempt, “Count Gui Xingfu, you truly have no backbone. Your daughter and wife were taken by others, your territory was seized, yet you willingly serve as another man’s dog.”
Gui Xingfu’s expression remained unchanged, “Better to be Soren’s dog than your family’s wolf.”
With that, Gui Xingfu departed. His complete shamelessness instead choked Zhining into rolling her eyes.
After the others left, only Soren and Zhining remained in the room.
Zhining opened her beautiful eyes wide, staring fixedly at Soren, saying coldly word by word, “Soren, you are riding high now. Are you still willing to leave me, to leave our son, a path to survival?”
Soren pointed at a wet patch upon her chest, “You, you’re leaking milk.”