The shock was too much for Xiang Wanwan. She cried like a baby in front of Xiang Nong. The rebel generals quietly retreated far away. They never should have come over.
Ning Xiaoyao quietly sighed, “Don’t cry, the scoundrel didn’t succeed.” Xiang Wanwan lifted her head. Now that the area was brightly lit, she was able to recognize Ning Xiaoyao. “It’s you?” she quietly sobbed.
“Yes, it’s me, does Eldest Miss still recognize me?” asked Ning Xiaoyao. Xiang Nong reached out and pulled his daughter up from the ground. “You know Mrs. Pei?”
Xiang Wanwan nodded. By now, the number of rebel troops have sharply increased and their voices rose. The rebel forces treated Xiang Wanwan like a princess. Similarly, Xiang Wanwan also considered herself a princess. So naturally, her temper was fairly unpleasant. However, when faced with her life savior, Miss Xiang put away her previous disdain towards Ning Xiaoyao and displayed her grat.i.tude. She turned to Xiang Nong, “She came to enlist.”
To Xiang Nong, everything seemed to make sense. So, he became less suspicious of Ning Xiaoyao.
“Great Lord Xiang, aren’t you working together with the Northern Hu to fight the fatuous ruler?” Ning Xiaoyao pretended to be puzzled, “How did it turn out like this?” Xiang Nong’s face turned pale. So should he have a fall out with the Northern Hu and meet them on the battlefield? Clearly, that wasn’t a good idea. But now that something like this has happened, how could he let it go? A Northern Hu general nearly raped his daughter. Even if he, Xiang Nong, could temporarily suffer in silence for the greater mission, his subordinates would not see it this way. Instead, they would think he was a coward. They would be disappointed in him and may lead to the collapse of his army’s morale.
From the beginning, Ning Xiaoyao has been discretely monitoring Xiang Nong’s expression. She could see his doubts and hesitation on his face. Ning Xiaoyao coldly laughed to herself. Looks like Boss Xiang is debating whether he should choose his daughter or the country. Similar to Lou Zigui. Ning Xiaoyao clenched her fists.
“Great Lord!” someone shouted from down the official road. Everyone turned around and looked in the direction of the sound. Xiang Wanwan nervously tightened the cloak around her body.
Military Advisor Niu Nanning quickly ran towards them. He was soaked and stumbling.
“Is the Northern Hu going against us?” a rebel general immediately suspected.
“The guy has a smile on his face.” Ning Xiaoyao whispered to Xiang Nong in the stone pavilion.
“Great Lord, the fatuous ruler is dead!” Niu Nanning exclaimed before Xiang Nong could say anything. Everyone stood around, flabbergasted. The fatuous ruler is died?!
Niu Nanning arrived at the edge of the stone pavilion and saw Xiang Nong’s joyous expression. Advisor Niu felt truly happy. Ning Yu’s death means Xiang Nong could be the new emperor! It means that he is the new emperor’s number one advisor!
Xiang Nong stared at his own military advisor. Finally, he managed to stutter, “You’re…serious?”
“Great Lord,” Niu Nanning kneeled down in front of the stone pavilion and presented the jade seal with both his hands above his head. When Shadowgale saw a rebel holding onto the jade seal, he subconsciously stepped forward.
Ning Xiaoyao lifted her hand a little to stop Shadowgale, then lightly shook her head at him. Shadowgale turned his head the other way and pretended not to see it. What the eyes doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.
Xiang Nong was in shock. For a long time, Great Lord Xiang couldn’t find any words as he stared at the four-sided seal.
“What’s that?” Ning Xiaoyao decided to act like a country b.u.mpkin after a long period of silence. She was impatient. “It’s a square jade?”
Advisor Niu only noticed Ning Xiaoyao standing next to Xiang Nong after she spoke aloud. He turned to her, “You are?”
“Is this jade?” Ning Xiaoyao asked.
Xiang Nong took several steps forward and reached out his hand to touch the jade seal. When he finally held the four-sided jade seal in his hands, Xiang Nong believed it was real. This represents imperial power. He’s not dreaming!
“Congratulations, Great Lord!” Advisor Niu didn’t care about Ning Xiaoyao. She was merely a country b.u.mpkin that lacked knowledge. He was not going to waste his time on someone like that. Instead, Advisor Niu got down on his knees and shouted, “Congratulations for attaining the jade seal! Great Lord is the son of Heaven!”
Hearing this, there was a huge commotion amongst the crowd. One after another, everyone got down on their knees and pressed their foreheads to the ground. They loudly yelled, “Long live His Majesty!”
Ning Xiaoyao also got down on her knees and signaled Shadowgale and the others to do the same as well.
Soon, Xiang Nong snapped out of it and calmed down. He told everyone to get up and handed the jade seal to one of his leaders. “Where is the fatuous ruler’s corpse?” he asked Advisor Niu.
Advisor Niu replied, “Great Lord, the fatuous ruler’s corpse has already been trampled to pulp by horses. His followers were either killed or decided to die with their emperor. All the bodies have already been burnt. None of them had a good death.”
“Who killed the fatuous ruler?’ Xiang Nong continued to ask.
“It was Senior General Liu.” Advisor Niu rushed to reply. Immediately after, sounds of horse hooves could be heard from the official road. Xiang Nong’s trusted aide, Senior General Liu of the rebel forces, had arrived with his cavalry.
“Liu s.h.i.+tie.” Shadowgale whispered to Ning Xiaoyao. Xiaoyao nodded to show she understood. Even if he was steel, she wouldn’t be afraid! (Note: This is a Chinese pun. The name “tie” part of the general’s name means “iron” in Mandarin. So she is saying, well, I ain’t afraid even if you’re steel!)
Liu s.h.i.+tie took large strides and stood to face the stone pavilion. He laughed heartily, “Congratulations, Great Lord! The fatuous ruler is dead and now the jade seal is in your hands. From now on, the world is yours!”
Once again, everyone else congratulated Great Lord and said, “Long live His Majesty!”
Ning Xiaoyao a.n.a.lyzed Senior General Liu. He looked like a tall burly fellow. He was rather tan and gave her the impression of a manly man. Who would’ve thought someone with his image would be a greedy liar? She wasn’t even dead. How did you kill the emperor, huh?
Xiang Nong signaled for Liu s.h.i.+tie to enter the stone pavilion. Senior General Liu stepped in and didn’t even spare a glance at Ning Xiaoyao and her group. Xiang Nong smacked Senior General Liu on the shoulder. “Brother, we should be congratulating each other. This country is not only mine. Bro, you killed the fatuous ruler and attained the jade seal for me. It is a great merit. In the future, if I am the ruler of the country, we shall rule side by side!”
Boss Xiang promised his brother high position and great wealth. Liu s.h.i.+tie instantly got down on his knees. “Thank you, Great Lord!”
“Motherf**ker!” Shadowgale muttered angrily in a low voice. “He gets to rule side by side just like that?”
Ning Xiaoyao repeated the t.i.tle. Side ruler. It sounds pretty cool. No wonder the tan man lied.
“What happened to our Eldest Miss?” Liu s.h.i.+tie noticed Xiang Wanwan and exclaimed, “What happened to your face?”
“It’s the Northern Hu!” Xiang Wanwan replied in a low voice. Liu s.h.i.+tie immediately looked down and noticed the corpse.
“Report!” a soldier’s voice could be heard from a distance. Xiang Nong looked outside as the soldier ran towards them and got down on his knees. “Wolf King of the Northern Hu arrived at our barracks an hour ago. He heard the fatuous ruler had been killed by Senior General Liu and brought his own troops back to their camp.”
The atmosphere instantaneously turned tense. “Those barbarians sure get their news quickly.” Liu s.h.i.+tie turned to Xiang Nong.
“Father, you must kill the Northern Hu!” Xiang Wanwan raged. Liu s.h.i.+tie noticed the cloak around Miss Xiang’s body. Then, he s.h.i.+fted his gaze at the Northern Hu general’s corpse. Earlier, he was too excited to process his thoughts. Now that he was calm, he figured out what happened. His mood had s.h.i.+fted from joy to fury. “How dare those barbarians!”
With an elder backing her up, Xiang Wanwan felt even more emotional. Her eyes were red. However, Advisor Niu had his lips pursed.
Ning Xiaoyao stared at the garbage who failed to pa.s.s the imperial examination even after ten years. If this piece of s.h.i.+t tries to ruin her plan, she will think of a way to crush him now.
“The Northern Hu wouldn’t be so fearless.” Advisor Niu opened his mouth.
“Those guys didn’t know who I was.” Xiang Wanwan replied with hatred. Ning Xiaoyao was about to speak but shut her mouth again. With Miss Xiang here, she probably doesn’t need to talk rubbish.
“Now that the fatuous ruler is dead, it’s time to get rid of the Northern Hu. They seriously expect us to divide the country equally with them?” snarled Liu s.h.i.+tie.
Advisor Niu commented, “From what I know, Xie Wenyuan has turned to Modou for help.”
Ning Xiaoyao clenched her fists behind her back. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d has turned to the Northern Hu? How come she hasn’t been able to find out any of his whereabouts?
“What are you trying to say, Advisor Niu? You don’t think you can fight against the traitor?” Liu s.h.i.+tie challenged.
“Old Iron!” Xiang Nong intervened. Liu s.h.i.+tie was born forging ironware. Advisor Niu had been a scholar all his life. Why would a scholar get upset over what an iron worker says? Advisor Niu smiled. “I just think it doesn’t make sense. Why would the Northern Hu attack our barracks to kill our men and s.n.a.t.c.h our women?”
“I saw it with my very own eyes!” Xiang Wanwan was annoyed with Advisor Niu. Does he think she was putting on an act? No wonder her brother (Young Lord) doesn’t get along with him! He’s so horrid!
“Eldest Miss. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding.” Advisor Niu was still calm. Honestly, he was stating this for the rebel forces. Although Great Lord Xiang had the jade seal in his hands, they have not successfully invaded the capital yet. Most of the country was still ruled under the Ning Clan. There will be many battles ahead. If they were to start a war against the Northern Hu now, it would not be wise. In fact, it would be foolish.
Xiang Wanwan did not understand Advisor Niu’s painstaking efforts. Actually, most people didn’t.
“Misunderstanding? I was nearly killed by a Northern Hu man. You call that a misunderstanding?!” Xiang Wanwan roared.
“Eldest Miss…”
“Shut up!” Xiang Wanwan screeched.
“Wanwan.” Xiang Nong could see how upset his daughter was becoming. Liu s.h.i.+tie was cynical, “The bodies of our brothers are still lying in the barracks. Why would my niece end up at the Wuli pavilion for no reason? Advisor Niu, tell me how this could be a misunderstanding? Was it caused by Ning Yu? That fatuous ruler is already dead!”
Advisor Niu was speechless. Deep down, his instincts told him something was wrong. Yet, he couldn’t figure out what it was.
“We should fight them. Even if we disregard the fact that we’re not going to split the land equally, we can’t let this issue go. Great Lord, we must fight this war!” Senior General Liu stated.
The vile character inside Ning Xiaoyao was clapping. Wonderfully said!
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