The Empress’ Livestream

After a long time, Li Yun stopped in front of an apartment, and he followed Dian Yan’s suggestion who had intentions to pass the key to him.

With a twist, he opened the door.

“This is allocated by the lord for Master Wei. Since you’re all with the Master, please feel free to stay here.”

Li Yun passed the keys to Dian Yan.

Although this three-sectioned house didn’t have any extravagant decorations in the hall, but it had all the essentials.

Zhang Ping was almost blinded by the sight.

“Then… where’s Zixiao?” Zhang Ping didn’t forget his young companion even at such a time.

Li Yun briefly answered, “He’s still at the district headquarters. The lord is taking care of him and he’ll move over here when he gets well.”

Zhang Ping was relieved.

It appeared that that lord values Zixiao’s talents greatly, as the arrangements were so comprehensive.

Li Yun was a meticulous person, so he searched for clothes that would fit Dian Yan and Zhang Ping well. After they washed up, they could put them on.

Before leaving, Li Yun left some silver behind. If they were hungry later, they could buy food from a street vendor.

“It’s rather unbelievable…”

When Zhang Ping had sent Li Yun off, he surveyed the apartment and it felt surreal to him.

Shortly after, Dian Yan and the others surrounded the charcoal basin to get warm.

“At present, Ping can only understand why Zixiao insisted on coming to Xiangyang district. Within a span of six months, an underdeveloped district can be governed to its present state; this person must be a genius. That district magistrate is the one that Zixiao has high hopes for as a virtuous ruler…”

Dian Yan nodded in agreement.

After a while, Dian Yan added, “Master Xiheng, I heard that the district headquarters is recruiting soldiers. I want to enlist.”

Zhang Ping assessed Dian Yan, responding, “A gentleman is born on this earth to have a long-lasting impact. From what is observed, Xiangyang district is filled with many talented and capable people. Brother Dian is talented; you should give it a try.”

The world was in chaos. If one didn’t find a way to become stronger, who knew when they would turn to bones along the wayside?

Dian Yan asked curiously, “Then what plans does Master Xiheng have?”

Zhang Ping was quiet. He didn’t feel at ease, so he had followed Wei Ci up north. Now that he had safely arrived, he wasn’t sure what to do next. He said, “I am uncertain… Probably think of a means to return to my home or seek for a mountainous location with beautiful scenery to live a secluded life and become an idle man, detached from the affairs of the world…”

Dian Yan counseled, “Master Xiheng, the world out there is chaotic, won’t it be dangerous if you go alone? Why don’t you settle down here?”

Zhang Ping smiled and said without restraint, “Ping isn’t as talented as Zixiao. At the most, I’m just a craftsman, and usually I’m out doing my own business.”

He didn’t meet the criteria to be a scholar from the Mohist group. His interests lay in assembling machinery, without much research into the teachings of the Mohists.

Thus, he claimed himself to be “a craftsman”.

Without many true friends, his friendship with Wei Ci was purely coincidental.

Dian Yan didn’t understand this. Moreover, he was clueless about how to comfort Zhang Ping.

Whether it was Master Zixiao or Master Xiheng, they were good men to Dian Yan and good people should be blessed.

This winter seen from the perspective of the generations to come would surely be an epic turning point.

In November, the countries of Dongqing, Zhongzhao, Beiyuan, and Xichang sent reinforcements but to no avail. The four factions of Nanman fiercely battled against Nansheng’s capital city, and they fought courageously and bloodily; it took two months to capture it. The calvaries from four factions of Nanman exterminated their enemies and dominated Nansheng country. Nansheng, conquered!

The king of the four factions of Nanman ordered mass murder, and he encouraged his troops to openly kill all day and night.

The next day, the corpses of males in Nansheng’s imperial family were hung from the city gates. One by one, they died pitifully. The females of the imperial family were demoted to the status of slaves, and they were sold freely. They were trampled and humiliated with money. The land of Nansheng cried in despair and lost the peace it once had. Chaotic wartime was at hand.

They could conquer, but lacked the ability to govern. They ruthlessly extorted taxes. Their greed was insatiable, and the people suffered greatly under their rule.

Under such circumstances, the flames of righteousness burned in the lands of Nansheng.

Out of five nations in the earth, one was defeated already.

Concurrently, the north and south of Dongqing became warzones.

In the north, it had become a warzone between Tsing Yi army and Red Lotus group.

In the south, Prince Changshou used his military strength to pit himself against the Dongqing imperial family across the river. The situation was intense and could escalate into war at any time.

Because of the cold winter, it wasn’t easy to fight. Both sides temporarily let their soldiers rest.

It was the end of December, with only three days left until the new year. Two letters would be sent to Dongqing’s capital city and Prince Changshou’s military camp.

Prince Changshou was younger than the Emperor, and his private life was kept confidential. He looked much younger than his actual age.

Prince Changshou was throwing a feast for his strategists and generals. A soldier hurriedly walked in with a letter. “What is this?”

The soldier said, “This letter was shot into military command tent attached to an arrow.”

Did someone secretly report to him? Or did someone at Chenzhou wish to submit to him and used that method to communicate?

Prince Changshou ruminated over it for a bit, and he lifted his hands to signal to the soldier to present the letter to him.

He tore open the letter and took out the neatly folded bamboo paper.

Bamboo paper for writing letters? Such extravagance.

Prince Changshou softly voiced his displeasure. Then as he read the letter, he entertained his generals, aids and advisors with sumptuous food and drinks.

He was smiling as he read the letter, but many people were secretly eyeing his expression, guessing the content of the letter.

After reading through the contents of the letter, his face dropped into a frown. Eventually his eyes widened and burned with anger. His fury surged, and Prince Changshou slammed his hands on the table, his palms reddening so quickly that it could be seen with the naked eye. Hearing that sound, one could sense how painful the blow had been.

“My lord, what happened?” His top strategy advisor stepped out of his rank and questioned.

In the past, Prince Changshou would surely be polite and see through the dinner party with his officials to the end.

He had no such intentions now, and with a swish, he rose up from his seat. Without looking that strategists in the eye, he crushed the letter and walked past him. Then he ordered the soldier, “Go, help me find who delivered this letter!”

All within the tent looked at each other.

Some discreetly sneered at the strategist who had just embarrassed himself, the others were curious about the contents of the letter which had made Prince Changshou lose his cool. It was well known that no matter how major the issue was, Prince Changshou had always maintained his disposition of valuing talents, as good lords did. He had accorded a lot of trust to that advisor, but all of that evaporated under his stinging public ridicule.

That strategist could only feel his eyes burning, he felt utterly embarrassed and clenched his fists tightly inside his sleeves.

He pretended that nothing had happened and returned to his seat. But all around those mocking eyes did not decrease in number.

He calmed himself down and regained rationality. Then realisation hit him that his actions had offended the strategists in the tent.

But he was in no mood to pacify or apologize at the moment.

As their lord, it would be ridiculous if he put his identity down and pacified his subordinates whenever they threw a tantrum.

Prince Changshou, free of his usual rationality, he couldn’t control himself and opened the letter to read it once more.

Nothing else was written, except a list of eight birth characters and four words, “The illegitimate daughter of the Lius”.

This list of eight characters was one Prince Changshou would not forget for the rest of his life.

Finally, word came that the soldier who reported hadn’t noticed who sent the letter.

However, his memory turned back in time, that year the rain in spring was incomparably alluring.

He had naively thought they would live together for eternity, even if this woman had once been his sister-in-law, what issue was there?

This woman married to his elder brother and second brother, while now she follows him, why would that be unacceptable?