Chapter 125 Exposing the Truth and Becoming Allies
He could only forcefully suppress the unhappiness in his heart. He looked down to see that Taizi’s piston movements did not finish yet.
He beckoned to Zi You. “Come see who the woman is.”
Zi You walked over and looked closely. She widened her eyes in disbelief.
She never thought that the woman who was entangled with Taizi was Shangguan Lingluo.
Heavens! The brother and sister were actually ***! No wonder Shangguan LingRan wanted to come here. It seemed that Shangguan LingRan found out about the two’s improper relations already. [TL Note: It said *** in the raws.]
“They’re so shameless!” Zi You viciously cursed. She didn’t have a good impression of Taizi in the first place. Now, she found him even more disgraceful.
He portrayed a sanctimonious image on the outside, but was so dirty on the inside.
No wonder that little spirit mouse Xiaohui came back and told her, “Taizi and Fourth Gongzhu are in a lovers’ relationship.”
She thought that she misheard and didn’t understand what Xiaohui said.
Now it seemed that Xiaohui had discovered the two people’s adultery, but she didn’t dare to think it.
Brother and sister. Who would have thought that they would be so shameless?
Shangguan LingRan looked at Zi You’s disgusted expression and couldn’t help but shake his head. “I told you that the imperial family is very dirty. You should be mentally prepared.”
Zi You did not speak and used qinggong to return back to the General’s Manor.
Shangguan LingRan followed her back. Zi You did not drive him away, but nodded. “Sit. I think you took me to see such a disgusting show not just to see the show, right? Say it. What are you going to do and what do you want me to do?”
[How many of you saw that coming? An intuitive reader got it right!]
Shangguan LingRan saw that she had guessed his intentions and was no longer long-winded. He went straight to the point, “I originally thought that husband and wife would be stronger than gold together. But you rejected me time and time again. Fine. Let’s leave the relationship aside. Let’s talk about cooperation.”
“Why should I cooperate with you?” Zi You coldly asked.
Shangguan LingRan looked at Zi You’s cold and deep-as-a-spring eyes. He really couldn’t understand why this little yatou was more heartless than he was.
“Because we have common enemies: Shangguan Lingluo and Taizi.” Shangguan LingRan seemed to know that if he didn’t speak the truth, he would never get close to Zi You.
So, he decided to tell the truth. “The current Emperor is suspicious, harsh, and selfish. He is someone who will do anything for his imperial power. Taizi and Third w.a.n.gzi are the same kind of people as him. However, they are destined to be enemies. Third w.a.n.gzi also wants the throne. As a result, they and the Emperor want to seize military power. My father desperately tries to prove his loyalty to the Emperor, but the Emperor still does not trust him. Can you guarantee that the Emperor has 100% faith in Old General Mu? To tell you the truth, I already had imperial grandmother test the Emperor. I wanted him to marry you to me as Zhengfei, but he refused. Guess why.”
Zi You thought of her previous life when her grandfather hurriedly married her to Zhao HongXiang. A light suddenly flashed in her mind. She asked, “Could it be that the Emperor wants to bring me into the Palace and make me his consort?”
Shangguan LingRan nodded solemnly. “The Emperor is only forty years old this year. He is naturally afraid that his Taizi and other adult sons covet his throne. It is very important to secure the throne, but it is even more important to secure military power. It can be said that the Emperor controls all of the military power now, so why is he still suspicious? No one will believe it. My father is his biological brother, but he still sent people to monitor him and all means to prevent me from becoming An w.a.n.g’s successor. He even wants to take my life. Do you know why?”
“That is because of Daoist priest Tianxuan’s prophecy: ‘I have observed the night sky. The Sirius star is descending. The Emperor’s empire will change masters within forty years. This person is also from the imperial family. I cannot calculate who he is. But I know that he is born in April and the year of the dragon, with two moles on the forehead.’ For the sake of such a vague prophecy, many children born in April of the year of the dragon died. I’m afraid even the Emperor is unclear now. Can such a cruel, cold-hearted, and small-minded person fully trust your grandfather? Don’t forget how honest and candid your grandfather is. He had once refused a woman the Emperor sent to him. He once argued with the Emperor in the throne room to pacify the Nanjiang rebellion. The Emperor does not have the proper talent to replace your grandfather. That’s why he wants you to enter the Palace, so he can control your grandfather.
“But once he has a general who can control the Mu family’s army, do you think he will leave your grandfather alive? ‘Meritorious achievement that eclipses the master’ refers to people like my father and your grandfather whom the Emperor wants to remove and quickly. But facing such a cold-hearted and cynical brother, my father not only didn’t get angry or counterattack, but conversely, blindly please him. For the incapable rule to rest a.s.sured, he not only treats the Shu sons that his cefeis gave birthed to like ancestors. He even gives his Di son, me, over to the incapable ruler as a hostage. If it wasn’t for my maternal grandmother, I would have died many times.”
At this point, Shangguan LingRan might have been thinking of the secret harm that the Emperor had done to him. His phoenix eyes turned cold and sharp. “You’er, the Emperor pays special attention to your grandfather right now because he wants to use your grandfather to suppress my father and not because he truly trusts your grandfather. He has never believed in anyone in his whole life, including his Muhou, the Empress Dowager, my imperial grandmother. Even if my imperial grandmother helped him so much and turned me into a dandy. She even tolerated him harming me again and again, but the incapable ruler still does not trust her. This is our current Emperor. You’er, you don’t have to believe me and be loyal to him, but you have to guard against him.
“My grandfather and Mufei had thought about us marrying, but I know that I cannot. That’s because it will bring An w.a.n.g fu and the General’s Manor a calamity. This is why I didn’t insist on imperial grandmother bestowing a marriage. When Taizi wanted to ask for your hand, I secretly leaked the news to Third w.a.n.gzi. Then I asked the Emperor for your hand in marriage along with him to prevent Taizi from succeeding. But I did not expect that Taizi and Third w.a.n.gzi are so despicable to ruin your reputation to force you to marry them.”
“So, I desperately tried to recover my martial arts these few days and sent people to monitor them because I want to get back at them for you. You’er, believe me. I am sincere to you. I, Shangguan LingRan, am not a good person. But no matter who I hurt, I will not hurt you.”
“Then why were you against me when you were in my female medical team?” Zi You clearly knew that Shangguan LingRan wanted to send away the Emperor’s spies for her, but still deliberately asked him.
Shangguan LingRan looked devilishly at Zi You. He said resentfully, “You little thing without a conscience! I don’t believe that you’re really stupid and can’t tell that I got rid of those watchdogs for you. Don’t you appreciate me helping you out again and again?”
“Don’t exaggerate, okay?” Zi You looked unwillingly at Shangguan LingRan’s evildoer appearance that could confuse all living beings. She turned her head away and played with her plants. “It was only twice.”
“What?” Shangguan LingRan held up two slender fingers and shouted. “Twice? You really have no conscience. If I didn’t take you away from Zhao HongXiang’s study, your reputation would have been ruined. But hatefully, you still drugged me. The second time, you wanted to use your spiritual power to loosen Shangguan Lingluo’s waistband to embarra.s.s her. If I didn’t help you then, your spiritual power wouldn’t have been enough to loosen her waistband that was wrapped twice around.
“The third time, in order to get rid of the Emperor’s watchdogs, I have to spend money to buy them drinks. The fourth time, I begged the Empress Dowager to persuade the Emperor to let you form the female medical team. The fifth time, I saved your life and in order to not let……”
“In order to not let the Emperor find out that Old General Mu and Heartless Gongzi were close, you would rather be injured than expose your legendary martial arts. I remember. So, starting today, we are allies so we can protect ourselves and our loved ones and deal with those enemies who want to kill us.”
Zi You did not wait for Shangguan LingRan to finish and interrupted him. She solemnly placed a few bottles of drugs and a piece of paper in his hands. “These are several kinds of drugs that I’ve created. Some are life-saving and some are lethal. There are other uses that I’ve written down on this piece of paper. Burn it after you remember it. Do not let it fall into other people’s hands. Now, I want to introduce you to two of my comrades.”
At this point, as if she was conjuring, Zi You pulled an emerald green bamboo flute the length of a palm out and blew twice into it.
Soon, a poisonous snake the length of a chopstick and a snow-white little mouse arrived before her.
Zi You picked up the little snake and little mouse and pointed to Shangguan LingRan. She said to the two little spirit pets, “Xiaoqing, Xiaoyu, starting today, follow him and listen to his commands.”
The poisonous snake and little white mouse were reluctant to leave Zi You’s hand for a long time. Then they finally jumped onto Shangguan LingRan’s body.
Shangguan LingRan immediately said to Zi You, “I don’t need them. Have them stay by you and protect you. If I’m not besides you, I can also rest a.s.sured. I also want to leave two secret guards for you. My secret guards have been with me since young. They are especially loyal and have experienced the vicissitudes of life.”
“You keep them. I can’t use them.” Zi You’s refusal was much colder than Shangguan LingRan’s.
There wasn’t a hint of grat.i.tude in it. It even contained hints of reproach, as if Shangguan LingRan was doing something unnecessary.
The following words were emotionless. “Xiaoqing and Xiaoyu are used to exchange messages between us. If you don’t want them, I certainly will not force you. As for me, I am not weak to the point that I need an ally to protect me. Tell me. How are you going to deal with Shangguan Lingluo, Taizi, and Third w.a.n.gzi?”