Chapter 231: Return Of An Old Friend (Part 3)
When Empress Xian De spoke about this matter to Shen Miao, she even joked with her, “At the end the person who is leading the troops is your husband, why till now there is not a single nervousness from you at all?”
Shen Miao smiled gently, “This official wife naturally trust His Highness.” Xie Jing Xing was actually a very sly person. It was Ye Mei’s ability to successfully gotten the military map, with the mistakes, onto Fu Xiu Yi’s hand and gotten Fu Xiu Yi to believe it. However Xie Jing Xing role in it was not small at all.
At the beginning of the war, Xie Jing Xing had been winning and losing lightly, letting Fu Xiu Yi taste some sweetness. Actually, even during those wins, the Qin country and Ming Qi did not benefit greatly but gave others a wrong feeling, that the Qin Qi alliance was very strong.
As this went, Fu Xiu Yi would increasingly trust the things that Ye Mei provided. Even though Great Liang won a few rounds after that, it was only accidental in Fu Xiu Yi’s eyes. He had ignored that the battles that Xie Jing Xing lost were all not important lands and those areas that he won was little but critical. IF one looked even carefully, it was as if it all lined up and there was a faint trend to it.
However Fu Xiu Yi and Emperor Qin would not notice this point because they had some wins in the recent few battles and the Great Liang’s troops seemed to be in a low morale and thus their fights became fiercer, is if one could beat the other based on the atmosphere.
Therefore thirteen mounts of You Zhou was particularly important for Fu Xiu Yi. Now from the military map that Shen Miao direw, Fu Xiu Yi seemed to be cautiously arranging his troops according to it.
Nothing was more enjoyable that this news. The more manpower and financial resources Fu Xiu Yi poured into it, the greater the final blow would be. Xie Jing Xing seemed to have created a gambler. First let him win a little and the winning and losing made the gamble feel that one’s luck was good and so was one’s skill. At the end when the gambler’s heart became daring placed all the wealth in his hands, he would not be slow to pull the net back and capture everything in one swop. Naturally the gamble would lose everything and even one’s blood.
Fu Xiu Yi has started to fall into the trap. As for the Emperor of Qin country, he was more cautious than Fu Xiu Yi or perhaps he had other arrangements in thirteen mounts of You Zhou. However once Fu Xiu Yi’s side start suffering defeat, what was happening with the Qin country was no longer important to Xie Jing Xing. It was as if a gap was opened and each was broken into, thus the subsequent things are much easier.
Luo Tan reached out and carefully placed on Shen Miao’s lower abdomen, “Unfortunately the news of the thirteen mounts of You Zhou only reached now. Howevere this little person is growing very fast.”
Shen Miao looked down at her belly. The period of eight months passed so calmly. It seemed no different from normal days. Even if there was a war, she could face it with a peaceful attitude. It was only because of her family and loved one’s trust and also because she understood that there was a little life that was growing with her.
As a mother, one would become braver and stronger, to be able to take up responsibility and kept one’s mind steady.
Just as she was chatting with Empress Xian De, Tao GuGu rushed in from outside. She seemed to be somewhat anxious but there was an unconcealable look of happiness in her face as she said with a smile, “Congratulations to Your Ladyship. Congratulations to WangFei. The court in front had send the news from the thirteen mounts of You Zhou, His Highness has won!”
“Really?” Empress Xian De stood up at once. She had always been calm and steady but was slightly helpless.
Tao GuGu nodded her head fiercely, “His Majesty is very happy and is currently giving general amnesty to the world.”
“The Heavens has blessed!” Luo Tan put both hands together and muttered.
The thirteen mounts of You Zhou was conquered and good news were sent. What did it meant? This meant that this battle that lasteted for half a year would perhaps be able to become peaceful not too long after. The soldiers would be able to return hom and at the other side, this chaotic land under Heavens would be united and perhaps the grand design would become true in the near future.
Shen Miao caressed her lower abdomen and her heart was filled with joy. She knew that Xie Jing Xing could do it.
Tao GuGu looked at Shen Miao with a smile, “WangFei do not need to be anxious. His Highness the Prince had instructed people to bring a letter over. In a while the letter would be passed to you by the messenger.”
“Really make one enviousl.” Empress Xian De teased Shen Miao, “Don’t send a letter to BenGong and the Emperor and just think of one’s wife. It is just an empty name of brotherhood.”
Luo Tan also said, “Yes. Yes. Really don’t know how to take other people’s feelings into consideration.”
“Young Lady Luo need not be disappointed.” Tao GuGu saw that there was a happy atmosphere and in a rare occation continued speaking, “There is also a letter for you, it seemed that the Young Master of the Gao family hand instructed people to send over.”
Luo Tan wondered, “Gao Yang? For what reason does he send me the letter for?”
Shen Miao and Empress Xian De looked at one another before shaking their head while smiling.
The good news about thirteen mounts of You Zhou had made the entire Long Ye filled with joy. Emperor Yong Le had also unprecedentedly held a Palace banquet, which had not be held for a long time, making it very lively.
Shen Miao did not participate this Palace banquet.
First reason ws that the news of her pregnancy was not spread out. She had been living in the Palace and although there were some speculations outside, Empress Xian De protected her very well. Afterwards when people’s interest slowly died down, they were no longer curious. Second reason was that it was not suitable for the currently pregnant Shen Miao to attend as it would not be good if something happened in the middle.
Moreover, she wanted to return earlier to red Xie Jing Xing’s letter.
Ever since the battle situation become astounding and worrison, Xie Jing Xing’s letter would not be oftenly sent over. Most likely sending this letter would also be troublesome as he did not send her any letter for the past two months.
Shen Miao opened the letter up.
There was nothing special with the letter. It was written that he was doing well and praised his own achievements before commenting on how worthless Fu Xiu Yi was. He said that other than Fu Xiu Yi having some means in the matter of the heir apparent, he was a mess in terms of ruling the country. The courts of Ming Qi was so chaotic that there was no need to worry at all.
He then mentioned Mei Furen.
It was said that Fu Xiu Yi had held Mei Furen up very highly that there were people in Ming Qi court that were discussing it. Mei Furen previously could be said that the Inner Palace was weaving in. However in some short months, she could enter and exit Fu Xiu Yi’s Imperial Study at will. Fu Xiu Yi did not seem to regard her as only a beauty but also an auspicious General. Even some of the ‘victory’ battles were all due to Ye Mei.
Currently in the courts of Ming Qi, Ye Mei was able to get whatever she wanted. Other than Fu Xiu Yi, she did not take anyone into consideration. Fu Xiu Yi also indulged her, on one hand, he felt that she was beautiful and intelligent, on the other an it was because of Ye Mei’s abilities.
It was just that when Xie Jing Xing spoke of those, there were ridicule in his words and directly took Fu Xiu Yi as an idiot. Not mentioning that, he was still full of arrogance and said that everything was prepared and he was only waiting for the other party to get themselves caught in the net. After the win of thirteen mounts of You Zhou, one thought that there would not be necessary for him to take action at Ding capital side as one feared that Ye Mei would be tortured to death by Fu Xiu Yi. Fu Xiu Yi was not considered broadminded. He had previously personally praised Ye Mei as the ‘Auspicious General’ in front of the court officials and this ‘Auspicious General’ now made him suffer a disadvantage in the most critical battle so how would Fu Xiu Yi be willing to let it go.
Of course, Xie Jing Xing also arranged an especially interesting thing. He let it out that Ye Mei was a spy of Great Liang and the purpose she came to Ding capital and got close to Fu Xiu Yi so that she could be a chess piece for Great Liang. Fu Xiu Yi could never tolerate betrayal so naturally he would put in all efforts.
Looking at Xie Jing Xing’s handwriting, Shen Miao was almost able to see of him lazily writing with a look of rejoice in other’s misfortune.
She folded the papter but felt that there was something else in the envelope. Sure enough, two red beans rolled out from inside.
Red beans that inspire the memory of one’s love.
He did not write words of yearning in the letter but use two red beans to proof that he did not forget Shen Miao for a moment. One did not know if he was putting on airs or being childish.
After thinking about it, Shen Miao took out a sachet from the side and placed the two red beans carefully inside.
“The fifth letter.” She said.
*****
Ming Qi. Ding Capital. The Imperial Palace.
In the dark gloomy dungeons, there were suffocating atmosphere everywhere that seemed to be mixed with something else, making one nauseating.
At the innermost part of the jail, there was a female sitting naken on the floor. Both of her hands were cuffed to the walls and both legs were immersed in ice cold sewage water. There were a few fat mice that were in the sewage water that would call to her legs and gnaw her toes. The flesh and blood of some of the toes were already blurred and the scent of blood seemed to attrct those hungry crazy mice and the more they gnawed.
To watch as one’s own body was being eating by mice, not only female, even males would go crazy. But this female did not make a noise. Only she herself knew that it was not because she did not want to scream but one’s throat was already hoarse and scream would only gain a worser torture.
This female was no one bu Ye Mei.
In a few short days, it was as if one had fallen from Heavens to Hell. Ye Mei had never thought that she would have such a day that death would be better off than living. She totally did not expect that Fu Xiu Yi was a heartless person.
She only knew about the defeat of the thirteen mounts of You Zhou, her heart started to feel uncomfortable. But she felt that base on her intelligence, she had not necessarily reached the worst point and perhaps could still hold onto Fu XIu Yi. However Fu Xiu Yi did not give her any opportunity at all. He was scarily vicious and direcly capture Ye Mei in front of the consorts of the Inner Palace and brought her to prison.
Afterwards she was tortured till today to force her to speak of the tasks that Great Liang assigned to her.
Ye Mei indeed did not know what was going home and hoped to explain herself. However her appearance was no longer her weapon as from the first day she entered the prison, Fu Xiu Yi hatefuly instructed other to use the red hot iron to burn both of her cheeks.
One of her eyes was burned by it and since there were no medical treatments in the dungeons, she went blind.
Ye Mei was never afraid. She did not fear a hopeless environment and was not afraid of how bad a situation could be. Even if she was trampled by other now, she would still be as vigorous and stubborn like weeds. The only thing that she was afraid of was her appearance because it was her only eternal weapon.
This weapon had no disadvantages and with it, one would be able to survive in a hopeless environment, reverse a bad situation, step on the person who trampled her and live with ease. However once her appearance was destroyed, she would lose the ability to make others feel bonded to her and matters would be hopeless.
She indeed felt the hopelessness and even lost her fighting spirits. She felt that no matter what noise she came out when the mice gnaw on her toes would not make a single change.
A blind person whose cheeks were burnt. She could imagine of how terrible her appearance was. She could seduce others to give up their lives as the world had no shortage of such people since people would even lose their lives to pick the flowers by the cliffs. How that the fresh flowers had become wild weeds, moreover this weed is filled with scars, who would use one’s life to pick?
Fu Xiu Yi was really vicious. He was entangled with Ye Mei for so long and perhaps he understood Ye Mei’s abilities and simply destroyed Ye Mei’s appearance so that she could not do anything.
Ye Mei felt so much hate!
The footsteps were heard coming in from outside and the air of the dungeons felt particially fresh.
She used some effort to twist her neck and use her only working eye to look outside.
Fu Xiu Yi was standing outside.
He said coldly, “Ye Mei, Zhen will give you one last chance to say whatever you know.”
“What does ChenQie knos?” Ye Mei asked. She still called herself as ‘ChenQie’, as if by doing so, she could still prove that she was still Fu Xiu Yi’s favoured consort and was like a fish in water in the Inner Palace.
Fu Xiu Yi frowned hatefully and seemingly disgusted by her ugly appearance, he turned his head away, “Zhen had already investigate everything clearly. You are a spy from Great Liang so you should have a channel to communicate with them.”
Ye Mei laughed loudly.
Her laughter was hoarse and she no longer had a pleasing voice but instead somewhat pierceful one. She did not know why did Fu Xiu Yi said that she was a spy. Perhaps Fu Xiu Yi gave himself an excuse for losing the batter. He had deployed his troops incorrectly and wanted to push all blames onto her.
She said, “No matter what ChenQie says, Your Majesty is unwilling to believe so if ChenQie talk about the channel, would Your Majesty believe it or not? Or does Your Majesty think that it is this Chen Qie who is lying?”
“Say it and Zhen would bestow your body to be intact.” Fu Xiu Yi said coldly.
Ye Mei laughed. Now when she laughed, her appearance look so horrible like she was a ghost but she still did not feel it and said like she was holding a dagger, “Your Majesty, this transaction is just too horrible. What kind of term is bestowing one’s body to be intact? If Your Majesty speak about giving ChenQie a route to live and think of ways to treat the injuries on ChenQie’s face, ChenQie could take it into consideration and speak of what ChenQie knows.”
Fu Xiu Yi was not angry but laughed, “The people who betrayed Zhen would not be alive!”
“So Your Majesty might as well kill ChenQie then?” Ye Mei said, “One had heard that Rui WangFei was initially deep in love with Your Majesty and even pursued but Your Majesty treated her cold and frosty. Afterwards the matter died off.”