.4 - Some beauties could not be forgotten with a mere glance

translator: xiin

editors: alamerysl, Bluebug & Macabre

"The Xian Prince turned against him?" The deputy general felt incredulous at first, then he recovered and no longer found it strange. He nodded and said, "That right. He's been lying low for so many years. Treason is nothing but an idea. But he really has some means, to achieve this without any warning."

"This is only the beginning." After smashing things and venting his emotions, Ying Sheng restrained himself and spoke in a cold voice, "Once he sits on the throne, our people will no longer be able to pass their days peacefully."

The deputy general frowned and said, "He is in the Capital. Even if he raises troops, how many real men can he pull together? Your Royal Highness doesn't need to be concerned over this. If Your Royal Highness really wants that position, we can send troops to take the throne and support your ascension within a year!" It was not the first time he had such an idea, and he didn't feel that it was a taboo topic at all. His worshipful gaze made it seem as though the person in front of them should not be just a mere Zhennan Prince who governed the south - he should be the Emperor who ruled over everything under the heavens.

Ying Sheng did not intend to correct his remarks. He could be certain that the root cause of his irritation was not the Xian Prince's ascendance to the throne. He did not care about who was in charge of the world - after all, in his eyes, there was nothing in the world he could not fight for and obtain as long as he wanted it. There must have been something in the news that bothered him, but he had simply ignored it the first time because it was too insignificant.

Ying Sheng attached great importance to his intuition. He wrinkled his brows and read the news over carefully twice before finally finding the point that he had consistently neglected.

The Emperor's whereabouts were unknown…

The Emperor…

… his whereabouts were unknown?

He carefully separated the words contained in this phrase, chewed them over slowly, and read them again and again until he finally confirmed that they had been affecting his nerves and making him anxious. After all these years battling throughout the Kingdom, this was the first time that Ying Sheng had been so affected by something. After reading this phrase, it seemed that his thoughts became rather distracted…

It was strange. He hadn't even seen that little Emperor before…

He had made a trip to the capital eight years ago when he had been awarded the title of Zhennan Prince, but at that time the person who occupied the Dragon Throne had been the previous Emperor in his prime. He had been wary of him due to his influence, but at the same time had to bestow him with the title of Zhennan Prince to appease him. Back then, Ying Sheng had been disdainful towards everything related to the Capital. After all, it was a place dedicated to sensual pleasures, far away from disasters and strife. They could not see the threats in front of them and indulged in extravagant lifestyles. Sooner or later, they would self-destruct for that very reason. This had also been why he was uninterested, and he had never returned since then.

Even when the Emperor suddenly collapsed and the little Emperor was pushed onto the stage, the Capital ravaged by turmoils both hidden and in the open; he simply looked on indifferently and waited for them to destroy each other from within.

According to the news his spies sent, the little Emperor was weak, incompetent, and had no opinions of his own. He could not—and had no interest in—interfering in political affairs. All he wanted was a stable life. How could this kind of person catch his attention…

Hold on…

When he came to this point, his thoughts suddenly ran into a dead end. Ying Sheng finally realized what was strange about this piece of information.

Based on the little Emperor's situation, Deng Shi definitely wouldn't have brought him with him when he fled. He was helpless in the palace by himself. Other than being caught by the Xian Prince, his only other option would have been to turn into a corpse on the spot. However, the message sent by his people stated that his 'whereabouts were unknown'. That meant nobody knew if he was alive, or if he was dead, and that no corpse could be found… No matter how he thought about it, there was something suspicious about the situation.If he was really in the palace, there was no way his life or death would be unknown. The Xian Prince might be unconcerned about this, but Ying Sheng felt that perhaps he needed to look into the backing of this little Emperor. After he had considered all of the above, he immediately wrote a letter and arranged for it to be sent by pigeon in order to notify his spies at the capital as quickly as possible.

They were asked to find the little Emperor as quickly as possible.

It was better to hold a variable like this in one's own hands.

The deputy general watched as he frowned and thought for a long time before suddenly becoming enlightened. He wrote furiously, then called for people to come and send off his letter. The deputy general was a little confused, and opened his mouth to ask, "Your Royal Highness, since there have been changes in the Capital, do we need to make some preparations?"

"Straightening out everything in the Capital, rooting out all the spies, gathering the army, and storing up grain for war will take Ji Ronghan a lot of time. Plus, the year is about to end and winter is coming. If he really plans to make war, he won't be able to begin for at least two or three years. The one who should be in a hurry is him, not us." His eyes and expression were both indifferent as he spoke of the new Emperor in the Capital. His fingers tapped on the desk as he continued, "The sea will be frozen over soon. If we really plan to make a move, we'll also need to wait until spring. Send out the order - we will remain on standby. After all, the south is the most secure. If he really were to make a move, he would not choose to target us first." Although he was a businessman's son, his forehead was full of a scholarly spirit. He was clearly a fighter and swordsman, his every move was heroic and compelling, but when his face softened, it appeared as gentle as jade. This kind of temperament was very contradictory, but it could be used to judge his mood.

"Yes! Your subordinate will give the order!" The deputy general saw that his expression had turned cold and indifferent, as icy as the oncoming winter snow, and understood that something was bothering him in his heart that he could not figure out. His Royal Highness's mind was not something he could figure out, and he could only obey orders and return to the army headquarters to discuss with their military leaders.

The end of the year was approaching for Xue Kingdom, and winter was now approaching. Snow fell during this part of the year, regardless of whether it was the South or the North. This was also the origin of Xue Kingdom's name.

Xue Ling and his party rushed and caught the last ship to leave the ferry port before the river froze up. It was a cargo ship, and Shu Heng gave the sailors enough money so that they would agree to take the three of them along.

At the end of the day, the body he inhabited was a ger's body. Even after the system's strengthening and Xue Ling's conscious exercising, this kind of arduous journey took too much of a toll on his body. Especially after boarding the boat, Xue Ling found that his body was prone to seasickness, and after sailing for half a month, he had lost weight all over. Shu Heng was anxious, but there was nothing he could do to help. Even Mu Ge's face was full of worry.

Xue Ling did not hide his identity as a ger during the journey. Instead, he said that both of his parents had died, and his elder brother was escorting him to the south to stay with their relatives. Such a bleak life story, coupled with his sick but still good-looking appearance, made it so that the people on board took good care of them. Although he was sick the whole way, they did not suffer much, and Xue Ling just needed to endure until it was over.

By the time the boat came ashore, the excitement of New Year festivities had already infected everyone on board. They were excitedly talking about how they would spend the new year after returning home. Xue Ling had been recuperating from his seasickness and nobody tried to chat with him. Shu Heng also tried to keep him from learning too much, fearing that he would be sad if he heard.

One must know that at this time last year, even if nobody cared about or loved His Majesty, at the end of the day, nobody would dare to shortchange him on anything. He had many people around him, and there would still be some semblance of a celebration. It was completely different from how he was now - ill to the point where his face had paled a lot. He looked pitiful, and looking at him made Shu Heng's heart hurt.

The ship docked at Jiangxi Pier in Zhanjing. This was the largest port in the south, and also the one closest to Zhanjing, which was where the Zhennan Prince's palace was located.

Mu Ge disembarked and went out to shop. By the time Xue Ling and Shu Heng had gotten out of bed, the carriage and some necessary supplies to stay warm had already been prepared.

Snow drifted down from the skies. Xue Ling reached out a hand towards the sky, wanting to catch the snow, but his hand was pressed down by Mu Ge and he was forced to wear a fur muffler. They were not short on money, so Mu Ge had purchased the best for him. The giant fur wrapped around his face, making it appear small and delicate. His long hair that drifted behind him was tied up loosely. Mu Ge helped him put on a big fur hat, making him look like a little round ball made of fur.

His face still carried traces of illness, and he did not resist as he was being wrapped up, simply allowing Mu Ge to move him at will. After everything was settled, Xue Ling even smiled at him and said, "I originally just wanted to find a bodyguard, but you're even taking over Shu Heng's job."

Shu Heng snorted from beside them. He completely agreed with His Majesty's words.

Mu Ge had no expression on his face as he replied, "It is our duty to take care of you. It's the same regardless of who does it. If he moves too slowly, then I'll step up and do it instead."

Shu Heng wanted to go up and argue with him about who was slow, but Mu Ge waved him away before passing a small heater into his arms. Mu Ge's voice softened a little as he said, "Keep this heater to warm your body. The wind outside is very strong - you should get into the carriage first."

Xue Ling nodded and turned his head to order Shu Heng, "Shu Heng, go to the city first and see if there are any courtyards for sale. Choose a small one and buy it quickly. It's already winter, and we'll most likely have to stay and wait for spring in Zhanjing."

Now that Shu Heng had been given something to do, he rushed to get it done. He turned the horse that Mu Ge had bought for him, and rode towards the city.

Mu Ge helped Xue Ling into the carriage, and then sat in the driver's seat and prepared to drive. He turned his head in time to see Xue Ling stretch his head out, and pursed his lips. "It's windy outside."

Xue Ling nodded and said, "I just want to see what Zhanjing looks like. I've never left the Capital before."

"The Zhennan Prince Ying Sheng. He has more at his disposal than General Mo Bei and the northern Wang family. If you want him to side with you, what you need to do does not involve looking at the scenery." Mu Ge was frustrated for a while, but could only come up with this discouraging remark.

Xue Ling tsked, and said, "We know that it will be difficult to impress him, but he is the only choice…"

"What if he is unwilling to help? Where will you go then?"

Xue Ling turned away and lowered the curtain, blocking Mu Ge's gaze. He knew what answer Mu Ge wanted, but he would never allow himself to remain mediocre for the rest of his life.

When the original master of a body's wishes conflicted with his own task, he could only choose to complete the task. He needed to change the fate of the two protagonists, and the simplest way to do that would be to fight his way over, and give them no chance for regrets…

A long time later, Mu Ge heard the voice of the youth as it drifted out of the carriage. It was not dull, but carried a slight nasal quality from his illness. It was a little cute if one listened closely. But the words that he spoke seemed to decisively dispel any wishful thoughts he might have had. "Mu Ge, there is nothing that We want that cannot be achieved. Regardless of what means need to be used, We will do it."

In order to hide his identity, Mu Ge has not heard him address himself this way in half a month. Now that His Majesty was using the royal 'we', Mu Ge suddenly felt that the snow falling on his head suddenly turned cold…

That's right. Even if he was more approachable now, he was still that Emperor that stood up high. Even if he had been pulled down from the throne, he still had his own persistence… And he had said before, that no matter what he wanted, he would desperately give his all to get it for him…

Snowflakes fluttered and gradually turned the entire city of Zhanjing white. Every household lit a red lantern for the coming New Year, and at this moment, even the royal palace was busy.

Everyone was busy, but this was Ying Sheng's most leisurely time.

New Year's Day and the visitors it would bring had not arrived yet. It was already holiday time, and he did not have many military affairs to deal with. On the first day that it snowed, he chose a good horse and prepared to go outside of the city for a stroll.

He changed into casual clothes and ordered all of his followers to withdraw, then slowly made his way to the city gates.

The first day of the New Year was in two days. By then, there would be an extraordinary amount of carriages and horses coming and going from the city gates. Many commoners who lived outside the city were coming inside to shop, forming a long, orderly line at the city gates.

"I'm bringing gongzi to his relatives." Ying Sheng heard this sentence from amidst the noise, and his gaze very naturally fell onto the body of the speaker. His voice was strong, and it seemed that his martial arts ability was not weak. When he glanced over, that man's face was expressionless, but the momentum he carried was not hidden at all.

Even though he looked dangerous, the guard had no intention of casually allowing him into the city, and repeated his previous request. "The people inside the carriage need to come out so we can see them. Stop hiding."

The stalemate seemed to last for a while, and just when Ying Sheng began to feel bored, his ears twitched as he heard another voice that made him want to stay where he was.

"Brother Mu, since it's Zhanjing's rule, we should just cooperate. Don't make things difficult for the guard brothers." The voice did not carry any special timbre. In fact, it was a little hoarse due to illness. But as he spoke, he lifted the curtain of the carriage and leaned his body outside.

The light-colored cloak was wrapped around his slender body, and his black silky hair hung behind him. He wore a hat made of some unknown animal's fur on his head, and everything around him was furry, emphasizing the impact that face had on his heart. The little ger's face was like jade, and the red cinnabar mole in the corner of his eye was like a plum blossom in winter, a single blossom lying in the midst of snow-covered earth. The red was dazzling, and gorgeous, and made Ying Sheng's heart pause for a moment…

please welcome the new editor to our team, Macabre!