Jiang Yun was still being held in Sui Heng’s arms.
The light shone brightly, falling on the beauty’s porcelain-like skin, making one can’t help but get carried away. Sui Heng said, “Holding onto Gu’s waist will make you feel more comfortable.”
Jiang Yun frowned, disdaining his procrastination.
He heard the other person say very shamelessly, “If not, it won’t be Gu who will lose face later.”
Jiang Yun hesitated for a moment and reached out to hug him.
Sui Heng likes his gentle and obedient demeanor.
“If you can’t bear it anymore, just call Gu.” He said thoughtfully.
The carriage was still bumpy, and there were people outside.
Jiang Yun couldn’t stand this odd sense of ritual before he acted each time very much and deliberately bit down hard to signal him to hurry up.
Sui Heng hissed softly and smiled. “You’re always so fierce, Gu is afraid that Gu won’t be able to stop later…”
He hasn’t finished speaking and was bitten once again.
Sui Heng chuckled and stopped talking, getting straight to the main topic. By the time the two of them came back to their senses after the bumps, Sui Heng’s shoulders had already been bitten with neat rows of teeth marks.
“Are you a puppy?”
He asked with amusement as he swept up his robe and inhaled on one side.
No one answered.
Jiang Yun’s black hair was sticky and wet, tightly pressed against his neck. The whole person is like a kitten that was fished out of the water, soft and boneless, snuggled in his arms. Obviously, some tossing and turning under these special conditions had exhausted all the strength of this delicate little lover.
“Are you alright?”
Sui Heng’s heart was as soft as a ball of cotton, and he asked softly.
Jiang Yun nodded. His black eyes were full of watery light, and his eyelashes were also heavily tinged with moisture. Slowly, his fingers clambered feebly over his shoulders, trying to get up but ultimately lacking the strength to do so.
“Alright, don’t push it.”
“Gu will carry you over there to get a good night’s sleep.”
It was still pitch black outside, with only a few stars hanging by themselves in the distant sky. Sui Heng gently carried the person onto the bed, wrapped him tightly in a brocade quilt, and said, “Gu will go and get some hot water, you sleep for a while.”
Jiang Yun closed his eyes and let out a “En,” which was considered as an agreement.
How could there be such a beautiful and cute little lover in the world? Sui Heng couldn’t help but think as he get dressed and stared at his pitiful and charming face.
Fan Qi is on duty outside.
Upon hearing that Sui Heng wanted hot water, he hesitated and asked, “Does Your Highness wants to wash your face?”
It’s hard not to wonder.
It’s the middle of the night, it’s time to go to bed. What’s His Highness washing his face for?
Xu Qiao happened to come over. Looking at the expressionless old man. He felt that the beating with the military baton was still too light. He quickly instructed the soldiers to prepare and said to Sui Heng, “Your Highness, news has arrived from Muyun Pass.”
Sui Heng was in a good mood and asked, “What news?”
“Jiang Rongyu.”
Xu Qiao looked solemn and said, “Our spies on the front line have reported that Jiang Rongyu has safely returned to Muyun Pass and is currently recovering from his injuries in the pass. The Jiang Empire has already invited the Divine Physician Meng Hui to enter the pass overnight to treat his injuries. It seems that his injuries are quite serious.”
“The news that Gongsun Yang confessed to Your Highness… should be true.”
Sui Heng’s eyes narrowed lightly.
He’s really alive.
This hypocrite’s life is quite great. He fell from such a high cliff and didn’t even die.
Ugly people really do cause more trouble.
“Is the news reliable?”
Xu Qiao said, “It’s one of this subordinate’s own spies. For incoming and outgoing messages, it was also this subordinate who interfaced with him directly, so there shouldn’t be any problems. As he said, today Emperor Jiang also personally sent a medical officer from the Royal Palace to Muyun Pass overnight to look at the Crown Prince’s injuries. The place where Jiang Yun lives is also heavily guarded, with military physicians and attendants entering and leaving every day. By the way, the governor of Muyun Pass, Yun Huai, also sent a large number of trust subordinates to go out and buy several valuable medicinal herbs for treating bone injuries.”
“In short, all the signs and details indicate that Jiang Rongyu is indeed within the pass.”
That’s interesting.
How did he, a weak and sickly person, escape numerous pursuits and successfully reach the Muyun Pass?
Sui Heng suddenly said, “Do you think that all of this could be a deliberate cover-up by the Jiang Empire?”
Xu Qiao said it doesn’t look like it.
“If Jiang Yun is really dead, then the Jiang Empire’s approach is just self-deception and drinking poison to quench thirst. How long can it last? Besides, if such a disguise can be concealed for a while, can it still be concealed for a lifetime? Jiang Rongyu will come out to see people sooner or later. The other countries are not fools and will not let the Jiang Empire use a lie to maintain the alliance of various countries. Over time, even if Your Highness does not take action, they will eagerly go to the pass to explore the truth by themselves.”
“Furthermore, this subordinate has heard that Emperor Jiang favored his eldest son, King Chu, who is well-known throughout the country. Previously, only because Jiang Yun’s moral reputation spread far and wide and his reputation in various countries was too high, it was not easy to operate the abolition of the Crown Prince thing. Now that Jiang Yun is dead, it is an excellent time for King Chu to rise to power. Otherwise, Emperor Jiang would not have immediately sent King Chu to Muyun Pass the second day after Jiang Yun fell off the cliff. If Jiang Yun is really dead, why would Emperor Jiang have wasted this great opportunity?”
“What you said made some sense, but this person has always been cunning, so Gu has to be cautious.”
Sui Heng’s gaze was dark, pondering deeply, like a cunning wolf.
After a moment, he raised his eyebrows and said, “You have Chen Qi come to see Gu later. Isn’t he holding personal grudges against Jiang Rongyu? Gu thinks he should be more interested in knowing the truth of the matter than Gu.”
Although Jiang Yun was lying with his eyes closed, his mind was awake.
Listening to the conversation between the two outside, it was known that Gongsun Yang had successfully returned to Muyun Pass and had Fan Zhou make specific arrangements according to his request.
Fan Zhou is meticulous and cautious, handles things properly, and has sufficient adaptability and experience in counter research. He doesn’t have to worry about revealing anything.
What worries him the most is the uncertain factor, Chen Qi.
This man is too sophisticated and too secretive, and Jiang Yun cannot determine how many cards he actually holds in his hand.
But with Fan Zhou’s ability, he can make do with it.
A big stone in his heart fell to the ground, and drowsiness hit him again. Jiang Yun really fell asleep, when he was in a daze, he felt like someone had lifted the brocade quilt and gently wiped his body.
He loves cleanliness and cannot tolerate the sticky feeling of sweat residue on his skin.
In summer, even if he is tired or sleepy, he will take a shower and clean before resting on the bed.
At this moment, he felt a soft handkerchief soaked in hot water rubbing against his skin, gradually wiping away the unpleasant stickiness. He felt much more comfortable, so he curled up and went to sleep peacefully.
It was already noon when he woke up again the next day.
The carriage has already passed through the Chen Kingdom and entered the territory of the Jiang Kingdom. Traveling north from the Jiang Kingdom and crossing the Yellow River, one can reach the Sui Empire.
The five countries in Jiangnan have all fallen into the hands of the Sui Empire.
Nowadays, all five countries are busy flattering the Sui Empire, the new sovereign state. The Wei Kingdom is even willing to send their own son, the Crown Prince, as a hostage to serve the Sui Empire’s Crown Prince, so the Jiang Kingdom naturally refuses to fall behind.
Jiang Yuping, the newly appointed Guozhu of the Jiang Kingdom, personally led important civil and military officials to welcome Sui Heng’s great expedition along the border as a show of loyalty. He also specially set up a sumptuous banquet at the famous “Ten Mile Pavilion” on the border of the Jiang Kingdom, inviting Sui Heng and the Sui army’s important generals.
The Jiang Kingdom occupied the southwest fortress of the Yellow River and held a highly powerful naval force in their hands. Jiang Yuping came this time to personally present this naval force as a great gift to Sui Heng, in order to express his determination to surrender.
Although Sui Heng had been craving this navy for a long time, but it wasn’t part of the previously negotiated contract.
According to the agreement, as the sovereign state, the Sui Empire had the right to arbitrarily recruit the armies of its subordinate countries, but daily military exercises could still be carried out by the subordinate countries themselves. Although it would eventually be taken back in the future, Sui Heng did not want to push people too hard at the beginning.
Sui Heng smiled and asked, “What reward does Guozhu want for offering such a great gift?”
Jiang Yuping was busy saying that he dares not.
He looks less than thirty years old, with a fair complexion, a shrewd appearance, being well-dressed, and wearing a lustrous jade ring on his finger. He is a refined and well-pampered nobleman. He said, “This navy was created by this humble subordinate’s grandfather, who was brave and able to fight, but this grandson doesn’t have that ability. It’s a waste for this army of tigers and wolves to fall into the hands of this humble subordinate. It would be better to put them in the hands of a bright master who can really handle them and make them worthwhile.”
Sui Heng held the wine cup but did not respond, waiting for his next words.
Sure enough, Jiang Yuping’s gaze flickered, and he said in a very humble manner, “If Your Highness is satisfied with this gift, this humble subordinate has only one small request that this humble subordinate hopes Your Highness will fulfill.”
“This humble subordinate hopes that Your Highness can reward this humble subordinate with one person after he takes over Jiangnan in the future.”
Sui Heng narrowed his eyes. “Who is that?”
“The Crown Prince of Jiang, Jiang Yun.”
Although he already had an answer in his heart, Sui Heng was more or less surprised.
Jiang Rongyu, this hypocrite, has offended so many people in the past in order to promote his reputation. The Jiang Empire hasn’t fallen yet, he has already been targeted by so many people.
“It doesn’t matter to Gu.”
Sui Heng turned the cup of wine and said, “It’s just unfortunate that Gu’s Military Advisor also begged for this person. This person can’t be split in half, the two of you have made Gu feel uneasy.”
Chen Qi stood up immediately and said solemnly, “This humble subordinate is willing to hand over the person to the Jiang Kingdom’s Guozhu for disposal.”
Chen Qi naturally did not let it go for free. The two had privately agreed that Jiang Yuping would give Chen Qi a thousand taels of gold as compensation. When Chen Qi first arrived in the Sui Empire, he needed to open up all kinds of doors if he wanted to establish himself. Silver and money were essential, and after weighing the two, he accepted Jiang Yuping’s gold.
He knew that with the animosity between Jiang Yuping and Jiang Yun, when the other party started, they would only be more ruthless than him.
He is not at a loss in this transaction.
Jiang Yun sat in the carriage, watching them talk and laugh, discussing his “worth.”
He regretted it a bit. He didn’t make any more decisions that day and cleared all of Jiang Yuping’s lineage, allowing this person to take advantage of the situation and steal the position of the Guozhu.
He started out with “virtue and fame,” which is both a reputation and a constraint for him.
He must follow the law.
According to the law, it was the relatives of Jiang Yuping who committed the crime, and Jiang Yuping did not deserve to die.
The previous Guozhu of Jiang was Jiang Yuping’s elder brother, Jiang Yuming. Jiang Yuming had a weak physique and thin offspring, giving birth to several children who died before reaching the age of ten. Half a year ago, Jiang Yuming’s beloved concubine finally gave birth to another Prince. Excited, Jiang Yuming immediately proclaimed the Little Prince as the Crown Prince. However, two months later, the Little Prince died of illness again. Jiang Yuming couldn’t bear the pain of losing his son, and on the second day of the Little Prince’s death, he suddenly fell ill and died as well.
Suddenly, when Jiang Yun received the news and sent someone to rush to the capital city of Jiang, Jiang Yuping had already ascended to the throne, holding a testament.
The testament was indeed written by Jiang Yuming.
As the Crown Prince of the sovereign state, he cannot depose the Guozhu of his subordinate countries without evidence and can only have his trusted advisor secretly investigate this matter.
Although the advisor discovered some doubts, Jiang Yuming had already died, and many things were unfounded. In addition, Jiang Yuping secretly befriended Consort Shen, and the next day after ascending the throne, he went to the capital city of the Jiang Empire to meet with Emperor Jiang to show loyalty, so the matter was temporarily put on hold.
Since succeeding to the throne, Jiang Yuping has always behaved respectfully and obediently, and he was even more thorough and attentive to the implementation of the sovereign state’s policies than his brother Jiang Yuming.
This defection was quick, but Jiang Yun was not surprised.
When Sui Heng finished his drink and returned, he saw his little lover, who was still obedient and considerate the night before, holding a book and sitting by the window with a cold face. When he came in, he didn’t even lift his eyelids.
What’s with the temper tantrums for no reason?
Sui Heng pondered over the legal case with confusion.
