Chapter 321: The Majesty who did not plan for himself
While Ning Xiaoyao was furious after quarreling with Empress Dowager Xie at Empress Dowager"s palace, Lou Zigui was sitting face to face with Song Xu. The atmosphere between them was amiable. Lou Zigui appeared to be calm while Song Xu looked serene. One didn"t feel angry, while the other didn"t feel guilty.
Lou Zigui stroked the armrest of his chair twice with his finger. "What did Xie Wenyuan use to threaten you?"
Song Xu replied, "My wife and son."
"What about Seventh Song?"
"He is injured and should be resting at Black Frost City now."
"And Fang Tang?"
"I didn"t see Fang Tang," Song Xu shook his head. Seeing Lou Zigui"s cold smile, he continued, "Supreme Commander, at this point, there is no reason for me to dupe you."
"Now that Xie Wenyuan is defeated, where is your wife and son?" Lou Zigui asked.
Song Xu"s expression changed. With Xie Wenyuan on the run, he had no further news of his wife and son. At this time, he didn"t dare to contemplate further on this matter.
"You have disrupted my big plan this time," Lou Zigui looked at Song Xu. "In your mind, if you didn"t betray me, Xie Wenyuan would kill your wife and child. But you didn"t think anything would happen if you betrayed me? You don"t think I would kill off your entire Song Clan?"
Song Xu froze in his seat. After a while, he looked at Lou Zigui with a miserable smile. "Supreme Commander, you wouldn"t do that."
Lou Zigui strongly gripped the armrest of his chair; his veins were popping out.
Song Xu stood up and walked over to stand in front of Lou Zigui. He got down on his knees. "Supreme Commander, I am guilty and deserves to be punished. Old Seventh knew nothing of this."
"You still dare to bring him up?"
"Yes, I do not deserve to mention him," Song Xu agreed. "I will pay for my betrayal with my death. But I beg of Supreme Commander, please do not have doubts towards Old Seventh. I, Song Xu, is concerned only about my family, and disregarded my integrity and honour. However, Seventh Song is not like this."
"Supreme Commander," Deng Rong stood outside the door and reported loudly. "Fang Tang is right outside the capital with thirty thousand cavalry."
Lou Zigui raised his eyes towards the palace door. From the door, Deng Rong glared at Song Xu filled with hatred. After looking past the kneeling man, he added, "Seventh Song is also here and urgently requests to see Supreme Commander."
Song Xu"s body started to tremble. "Set up camps outside the capital, and let the generals enter." Lou Zigui ordered.
Deng Rong accepted his command with a loud a.s.sent, turned around and walked off quickly.
Lou Zigui stood up and towered above Song Xu. "Tell Seventh Song yourself." Song Xu did not speak as he continued to kneel on the ground.
Ning Xiaoyao sat in one of the gardens of Supreme Splendor Hall. She felt for a sugar bean and threw one into her mouth. "Little Bro Fang came too late," she mournfully mumbled. Xie Wenyuan has already escaped. Even if there are another hundred thousand troops, it"s useless.
Big Boss Black licked his claws. "Then Xiaoyao, do you wish to beat up that idiot?"
Ning Xiaoyao looked at Big Boss Black in alarm. "Black Tubby, I have noticed you"re starting to become more and more delusional. Fang Tang is a general! How can a fat cat like you win over him?"
Big Boss Black narrowed his eyes to almost a slit and glowered at Ning Xiaoyao. "I am not just a cat."
Ning Xiaoyao… right, this is the capital"s king of cats. He has many subordinates below him. So, Little Bro Fang will be bitten to death by a clowder of cats? Such a scene was too amazing but it defied imagination.
"What are your thoughts regarding Song Xu"s betrayal? Big Boss Black asked Ning Xiaoyao. He shook his claw to wave away Little White Fatty, who was rolling on the ground in front of him.
Ning Xiaoyao looked up at the sky for a long time. "I don"t know." For the sake of his family, it was an understandable action. But the army was ruled by military laws and values of morality and integrity existed between people. No matter what, being a traitor was unacceptable. Plus, this time they lost the opportunity to kill Xie Wenyuan because of Song Xu. So many families are now ruined and dead. He can"t just think about his own family"s precious lives and treat others as if theirs were worthless.
A shadow loomed over her. Ning Xiaoyao looked up and saw Lou Zigui standing behind her, his hands clasped over her back.
"Supreme Commander, miaow~" Big Boss Black immediately stood up from the ground and meowed a few times at Lou Zigui.
Lou Zigui sat down next to Ning Xiaoyao. Stroking Big Boss Black"s head, he softly chuckled, "Go play."
Ning Xiaoyao looked scornfully at the capital"s king of cats. Big Boss Black was feeling so blissful that he appeared disoriented. He left looking high.
"Fang Tang brought thirty thousand Black Frost Cavalry troops with him," Lou Zigui told Ning Xiaoyao.
Ning Xiaoyao propped her chin in her palm and beamed, "Now that I am not short of money, I will treat them to a meal."
Lou Zigui muttered, "They arrived too late."
Ning Xiaoyao quickly turned to look at Lou Zigui. "Supreme Commander, do you blame Little Bro Fang?"
Lou Zigui shook his head. "I just feel like it"s such a pity."
"This is fate," Ning Xiaoyao waved off Lou Zigui"s words. "It"s not time for Grand Preceptor to die yet."
"You"re still calling him Grand Preceptor?" Lou Zigui raised his arm and naturally brought Ning Xiaoyao into his embrace.
Ning Xiaoyao rested her head against Lou Zigui"s shoulder and said with a pout. "Grand Preceptor is just two words. It"s less of an effort to use."
When Lou Zigui saw how serious Ning Xiaoyao was spouting nonsense, he was left momentarily speechless. It was rather frustrating that he often had trouble following her conversation.
When Ning Xiaoyao finished the sugar bean in her mouth, she threw another one in her mouth again. Looking up at Lou Zigui, she generously pushed two sugar beans into his mouth. Now that she"s no longer short of money, they could have as many sugar beans as they want!
"Xie Wenyuan has taken Song Xu"s wife and son as hostage." Lou Zigui told Ning Xiaoyao.
Ning Xiaoyao made a "oh" sound and asked, "Supreme Commander, will you forgive him?"
"This means that there are Xie Wenyuan"s spies in Anyuan and they have managed to breach the army."
"Ah?" Ning Xiaoyao did not think so far. After hearing Lou Zigui"s words, she was in a daze.
"Do you want to go with me to meet Fang Tang and the rest?" Lou Zigui enquired.
"Nope," Ning Xiaoyao immediately shook her head. "I do miss Little Bro Fang, but if I see General Song, I will feel sad. I think it"s better I don"t make an appearance now."
This lady seems to miss Fang Tang quite a lot?
Lou Zigui"s expression turned black. He lowered his head and looked at Ning Xiaoyao. Currently, Miss Ning was munching hard on the sugar bean. Her chubby cheeks were jiggling and her expression was totally serious. Seeing her cute countenance, Lou Zigui could not say anything.
An hour later, Fang Tang and several Black Frost Cavalry generals entered Supreme Splendor Hall. They were covered in dust.
Just as Ning Xiaoyao was about to head to the kitchen for some food, First Young Master Ning followed Shadowgale into the garden.
"Big Bro Ning?" Ning Xiaoyao leaped up from the gra.s.sy ground and yelled.
First Young Master Ning wanted to pay obeisance to Ning Xiaoyao, but she stopped him. Smiling, Ning Xiaoyao said, "Big Bro Ning, is something the matter?"
Shadowgale silently dismissed himself and went to guard the entrance of the garden.
First Young Master Ning said, "Your Majesty, this subject is planning to return to Fengzhou."
Ning Xiaoyao"s smile immediately froze. First Young Master Ning looked at his hand that Ning Xiaoyao was holding on. He called out, "Your Majesty?"
Ning Xiaoyao scratched her head and sat on the gra.s.s again. "So urgent?"
First Young Master Ning picked up the hem of his s.h.i.+rt and sat down next to Ning Xiaoyao. He smiled, "The war has ended. This subject has to report to my father on the matters of the capital."
"That"s true," Ning Xiaoyao felt First Young Master Ning"s words made sense. First Young Master Ning and his brother had been away from home for so long. In this world, there were neither mobile phones nor Internet. It was time for both First Young Master Ning and Little Luoluo to go home. Otherwise, both the Duke of Yue & his lady would be very worried.
"Your Majesty, has the Black Frost Cavalry reached the capital?"
"Yes, they have arrived," Ning Xiaoyao had nothing to hide from First Young Master Ning. She recounted the tale of how the thirty thousand Black Frost Cavalry have arrived in the capital.
"What a pity," First Young Master Ning thought the same way as Supreme Commander. If the troops had arrived a few days earlier, then Xie Wenyuan wouldn"t have been able to escape even if he had the support of the rebel forces.
Ning Xiaoyao could only laugh dryly twice. This is fate, what more is there to say? Ning Xiaoyao"s pupils were swirling around. Then, she also told First Young Master Ning about Song Xu"s betrayal. "Big Bro Ning, what do you think we should do?"
First Young Master Ning looked at Ning Xiaoyao and smiled, "Song Xu was never part of the Black Frost Cavalry, hence military laws should not apply to him. However, if you think about this on a deeper level, Song Xu was delivering a message on behalf of the Black Frost Cavalry. This means during the time that he lied, he was actually part of the army."
"So?" Ning Xiaoyao asked.
"Since military laws are applicable in this situation, use it." First Young Master Ning spoke softly. "Just apply military laws in this matter. As for Song Xu"s wife and son, if it were up to me, I could only apologize to them. In this world, not everything goes according to one"s wishes. An honourable man wouldn"t betray others. Song Xu does not deserve any forgiveness."
Ning Xiaoyao shrugged her shoulders. From the looks of it, this wasn"t something she could interfere in.
"This is an internal matter within the Black Frost Cavalry. It is not even considered a Song family matter." First Young Master Ning said. "Your Majesty, don"t get involved."
"Mm," Ning Xiaoyao nodded her head.
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself after this subject and brother leave the capital." First Young Master Ning looked at Ning Xiaoyao, smiling, "If there"s anything I can help with, please contact my Duke of Yue estate."
"Oh, okay. I will!" Ning Xiaoyao agreed, "It"s just that Fengzhou is really far from the capital."
First Young Master Ning let out a small sigh. Indeed Fengzhou was very far from the capital. Regarding the matter of his little sister, it was not something he could decide on his own. He had to return home and consult with his parents on this. Before his family has made a decision, he must not reveal the truth of his sister"s birthright -in fears that it will cause chaos in his sister"s mind. He didn"t want to worsen the situation due to his indecisiveness. Additionally, this time, he had only brought a small troop of Destruction Prisoner Army, hence even if he wished to help his sister, it was impossible.
"Big Bro Ning, when are you and little Luoluo leaving?" Ning Xiaoyao asked.
"This subject intends to leave today," First Young Master Ning replied. "Your Majesty, do you have more matters for this subject to attend to?"
"Nope. I have divided out the money. First Young Master Ning, please collect the share of money meant for your Destruction Prisoner Army."
First Young Master Ning did not pay obeisance but grinned at Ning Xiaoyao. "This subject thanks your Majesty on behalf of the Destruction Prisoner Army."
"You are welcome." Ning Xiaoyao was now a little elated whenever she spoke about the subject of money. "I know the lives of the soldiers are not good, but now that I have money, Big Bro Ning, please allow them to buy farms. Let them buy whatever they want! I will also raise the salaries of our army bros. Everyone"s lives will get better."
"Alright." First Young Master Ning"s smile looked very gentle. Since there were no one else around, First Young Master Ning asked Ning Xiaoyao another question. "Your Majesty, what are your plans for the future?"
"Fight Grand Preceptor to the death." Ning Xiaoyao immediately declared.
First Young Master Ning laughed. "Aside from Grand Preceptor?"
"Eh，I will prepare to go fight to the death with Northern Hu." Supreme Commander"s big brother are still in the hands of the Northern Hu"s Wolf King, Modou. No matter what, she had to go fight this Modou to the death ah!
"Then, besides the Northern Hu?" First Young Master Ning continued to ask.
"Mm, fight to death against Xiang Nong." Ning Xiaoyao said seriously. The rebel forces need to be dealt with as soon as possible, ah! Otherwise, the rebels won"t allow them to enjoy the good life. That won"t do!
The smile on First Young Master Ning"s face faded slightly. "Your Majesty, have you ever thought about doing something for yourself?" he whispered.