Han Yunxi not only wanted to ally with Long Feiye, but tell the upper echelons of the Di Clan’s trade consortium and army? So that it was known to all? The head elder could open gape. He never expected Han Yunxi to make such a request after refusing the token. Ning Jing had called this very proposal into question, but Han Yunxi had explained her views then.
East and West Qin had stopped fighting precisely because Ning Cheng and Long Feiye had reached a consensus to deal with Bai Yanqing first. Moreover, Long Feiye had agreed to the ceasefire because he needed Han Yunxi’s poison skills to keep their enemy in check. The head elder still harbored lingering fears from the original discussion.
Originally, he a.s.sumed that the return of the princess would meant this matter would pa.s.s. He had continuously sent people to hunt for Ning Cheng’s whereabouts. But Han Yunxi had not only brought it up again, but wanted him to publicize news of her alliance. She was going to tell all of the higher levels of the Di Clan her intentions. Moreover, she wanted the announcement to come from Myriad Merchant Hall’s Council of Elders. In other words, her request was for their people to recognize her alliance with Long Feiye!
It was already impossible for people to accept that they were working together privately, to say nothing of a public proclamation. The head elder creased his brows in silence as he studied Han Yunxi.
“Long Feiye has a way to lure out Bai Yanqing. As for me, I’ll keep his poisons in check! We can only capture him if we work together,” Han Yunxi reminded him.
“Head Elder, Bai Yanqing and his disciples control 90,000 battle horses in Northern Li and 10,000 cavalrymen. If East and West Qin don’t cooperate now, are we just going to watch the Wind Clan gain an advantage for nothing?” Han Yunxi asked.
As the man continued to remain silent, Han Yunxi added, “Head Elder, East and West Qin both have their own version of what started the civil war in the Great Qin Empire. Back then, West Qin told the Wind Clan to handle affairs with the Sandy River, while East Qin gave responsibility to the Black Clan. Haven’t you all suspected what really went on? Don’t you want to figure out the truth behind all the enmity? Even if both sides have their own stories, there has to be a single truth.”
Feeling helpless, she could only try hoodwinking him next. “Long Feiye is still denying everything that East Qin did back then. He even claims our West Qin imperial clan were the ones to order the Wind Clan to sneak attack the Black Clan’s great general. Why don’t we use this alliance as a chance to capture Bai Yanqing and make him confront Long Feiye? We’ve fought East Qin for so many years, we can’t just let them frame us on false charges!”
Han Yunxi didn’t point her suspicions directly towards the truth of the civil war, but clevely changed her tone so that the head elder began suspecting it himself. Seeing him waver, she kept feeding him rhetoric as her expression turned self-mocking. “Head Elder, why is the difference between a princess and crown prince so vast? Long Feiye only needed a single sentence to make the alliance with West Qin happen, yet I, as the West Qin princess…”
As she saw the man grow anxious, Han Yunxi grew even more ruthless. “My West Qin princess t.i.tle is nothing more than a puppet! Forget it, forget it, I should just go back and tend to my wounds. We’ll worry about reviving the dynasty once your Master Ning returns. I’ll stop blindly causing trouble!”
The head elder had already broken out into cold sweat by the time Han Yunxi finished. She was clearly doubting the Di Clan’s loyalty and mocking their hypocritical ways.
“It’s so late that Head Elder should return as well. Keep a good grip on your Council of Elders’ command token!” Han Yunxi said as she wheeled herself out. She even added to herself, “It’s lucky I was sensible enough to refuse it.”
Her voice was quiet, but just loud enough for the head elder to catch her words. How could he afford to shoulder Han Yunxi’s self-deprecating remarks? Her sarcasm satirized the very Council of Elders and the Di Clan. She was warning the head elder that if he refused, she would stop worrying about anything and just be a “puppet.”
The servant girl had hardly helped her to the exit when the head elder blurted out, “Princess, if you think it’s appropriate, then this subordinate shall do as you say.”
If the princess hasn’t forgotten the duty on her shoulders, then so what if East and West Qin form an alliance? It’s also necessary to uncover the truth about the past and give the world a final conclusion!
Moreover, the alliance didn’t come from ingratiating or bootlicking Long Feiye, but the latter pleading with their princess for help. He needed their princess’s poison skills. After comforting himself like this, the head elder relented despite feeling rather unwell about it all.
“Alright, then. Spread the news tomorrow and tell the trade consortium and army to await our good news!” Han Yunxi declared. With her back facing the head elder, her lips drew into a joyful smile. At last, she’d done it! She wouldn’t have to sneak around her relations.h.i.+p, but join hands openly as the West Qin princess to Long Feiye’s East Qin crown prince. At the very least, they wouldn’t have to keep hiding or hesitating around each other. She held out hope that everything between the two nations originated from a misunderstanding; if there was no national enmity, then she had made spectacular preparations!
Whether or not they fought, they had to survive until the end! Because once they unburdened their shoulders, they were still going to be themselves and love each other. She was still going to birth Long Feiye a whole brood of children. With this hope, she would make preparations! Was Long Feiye doing the same?
Once the head elder departed, Han Yunxi dismissed the servant girl all but rushed to tell Long Feiye the good news. She had already completed their agreement before the 10-day deadline. But when she entered her rooms, she remembered that Long Feiye hadn’t arrived yet. Her movements were all known to Xu Donglin, so had he forgotten to tell Long Feiye that she was back? Han Yunxi sat in her rooms for a long time and narrowly went to summon Xu Donglin herself. But in the end, she gave up. It was impossible for Xu Donglin to not report her arrival. The only possibility was that he was still busy. She looked at the empty bedroom and suddenly felt too tired to do anything. Sprawling across the table, she stared blankly at a teacup.
Although she had accepted the fact that Long Feiye wasn’t coming, her heart still held antic.i.p.ation for his appeaance. It even stubbornly believed that he’d show eventually. Yet no matter how long she waited, the room remained silent. Finally, she rested her hands on the tabletop and slowly rose to her fet. She tested out taking a step, only to hear Long Feiye’s unhappy voice in an instant.
“Han Yunxi, try and take another step!”
She just knew it, he was here! As expected, she’d lured him out.
“What are you going to do if I take another step?” Han Yunxi teased. She was about to turn around when Long Feiye strode over and encircled her waist from behind. Han Yunxi stopped moving as a smile rose to her lips. It was as sweet as sugar and bright enough to illuminate the dark room.
“Long Feiye, hug me a little tighter, alright? I missed you.”
Long Feiye leaned closer and drew her into his embrace. They were plastered together, feeling the existence of the other.
“Is that enough?” Long Feiye asked.
“A little tighter,” Han Yunxi said softly.
But they couldn’t get any closer than this, unless he could absorb her into his flesh. Without a word, he held her tight and buried his head in her shoulders. Silently, he began to kiss her jade-like neck and ears, unruffled yet reluctant to part. He breathed in deep her scent, a fragrance all her own. If parting for one day felt like an entire season, what of two?
It was impossible to imagine what he could do if parted from this woman for more than a few days. He had arrived long ago and was staring at her the entire time. He wanted to know if she remembered to change her dressing; as expected, he’d caught her misbehaving again. Han Yunxi’s breaths grew heavier as his grip grew tighter. She couldn’t help raise her head with eyes shut, feeling his gentleness and warmth. Despite seeming indifferent, Long Feiye still remembered her injuries and didn’t let her stand for long. He carried her into the wheelchair and began to change her bandages.
“Long Feiye, I...I…” Han Yunxi started and stopped, before finally setlling on a smile.
“You’ve gained control of Myriad Merchant Hall?” Long Feiye asked. He had known of the head elder’s arrival and kept an eye on him as well.
“You’re unhappy?” Han Yunxi asked.
Long Feiye rubbed her nose. “I’ll take you away tomorrow. We’ll go to the Hundred Poisons Sect, I’ve already made arrangements.” His happiness was best expressed through actions than any expressions on his face.
“The Hundred Poisons Sect?” Han Yunxi echoed in surprise.
“Besiege the Hundred Poisons Sect. Tomorrow, you can send the poison guards and the City of Daughters’ mercenaries over there. If Bai Yanqing doesn’t show up, we’ll raze Hundred Poisons Sect to the ground!” Long Feiye declared icily.
“Alright!” Han Yunxi had almost forgotten about the sect. That was one of Bai Yanqing’s old haunts. If they fought their way to his doorstep and the man was still hiding away, then he’d not only be publically cancelled by the general populace, but laughed at by the poison community too. Moreover, his own subordinates would look down at him. With Bai Yanqing’s personality, he’d never suffer such humiliation. Moreover, he feared her allying with Long Feiye, so his only path would be to bring Gu Beiyue to the Hundred Poisons Sect to keep them in check.
Long Feiye’s plan was an excellent idea that forced Bai Yanqing onto a dead end. Han Yunxi cupped his face and said, “You’re still the smartest one!”
Long Feiye had disliked other people getting close since childhood. Even his own imperial mother had never touched his face like this. But he felt no revulsion against Han Yunxi and allowed her to cup his cheeks and even pinch his nose mischievously. Instead, his focus was completely on changing her bandages.
Once that was done, he took out a gold card and declared, “Here’s the 700 million. Keep it safe.”
“I don’t want your money!” Han Yunxi declared. This was cash she’d gotten off Myriad Merchant Hall--though it some ways it wasn’t a real loss, but payments to Kangan Private Bank. If she hadn’t shown up, even the most profitable business wouldn’t have lured Manager Luo into cooperating with Myriad Merchant Hall. It was already good enough that Kangan Private Bank hadn’t made things worse for them during their time of crisis. Thus, Myriad Merchant Hall owed Long Feiye one, and 700 million was quite appropriate to pay the price.
Han Yunxi explained all this to Long Feiye, but he wasn’t interested. “If you don’t want money, will you take me?”
It was such a familiar phrase. She seemed to have said the same thing that night. As Long Feiye leaned languidly against the high pillows, he arched a brow at Han Yunxi…