Su Yi slumped onto the bed in dejection. He could clearly recall Wanyan Xu’s words to him on that night, but he had thought they were just idle musings and had not taken them to heart. Thinking back, could he have been perfectly serious? Thinking of this, he could not help but feel both shock and fear. He was shocked that Wanyan Xu would have the audacity to defy the world and name a male Empress. His fear stemmed from the possibility that should he refuse, Wanyan Xu might really unleash a storm of b.l.o.o.d.y vengeance upon his people. No matter how he thought over the matter, he could not see how he had even the slightest room for resistance. He heaved a long sigh, even after he endured much suffering and had found a way to cope with his humiliation to continue living without purpose, could it be that Heaven had still not finished testing him?
When night fell, the long-absent Wanyan Xu made an appearance at Su Yi"s quarters, but his face was devoid of the high-spirits that usually coloured his expression. Su Yi looked at him coldly, noting that his expression was unusually solemn and there was a trace of anxiety deep in his eyes. With great apprehension in his heart, Su Yi slowly approached and sat down opposite him before saying grimly: "Do you have something to say to me?”
Wanyan Xu looked at him in surprise, which soon turned to relief. With a forced laugh, he said: "Shuo Er must have came by to give you a heads up. That"s good, since he has told you, it saves me [1] the difficulty of having to search for words. Su Su, the feelings I have for you are even known to all the spirits and deities in heaven and earth, I would like to please you in every matter. But this issue is of great importance, although I know that you would rather suffer ten-thousand deaths before agreeing, it is beyond your control. I advise you to accept as soon as possible, if not, don"t blame me for being ruthless!"
Su Yi was silent for a long time before saying sadly: “Don’t tell me that you really intend to name me as your empress?” Although his heart already knew the answer, he still clung to a thread of optimism, hoping against hope that he would hear a different answer from Wanyan Xu"s lips.
Wanyan Xu could not bear to see the spark of hope in Su Yi"s eyes. Turning his head away, he hardened his heart and said through gritted teeth: “that’s right, I want to crown you as my Empress. The Great Qi and Jin Liao will be united through our union, from now on we shall really be as a family.”
Su Yi looked straight into his eyes and said in a trembling voice: “Wan Yan Xu, must you really humiliate me like this, this would only cause the people of Great Qi to mock me for lacking a backbone and rebuke me for selling out my country. I will not be able to walk on the streets without having to suffer jeers and people spitting on me. Would you be satisfied only when that happens?”
Wanyan Xu did not try to avoid his eyes, and said seriously: “My heart is as clear as water, with the sky, earth, sun and moon as witness. Our standpoints are different, if you insist that my sincere intentions are indeed so unbearable, I have nothing further to say. There will a very auspicious date three months later; I intend to hold a great ceremony to crown the empress on that day. You should start preparing from today.”
Things had already gone too far, but contrary to expectations, Su Yi became serene. Looking at Wanyan Xu he gave a sad smile and said: “Alright, if you are determined to do this, I have no means of changing your mind. You can rest a.s.sured, I shall prepare well and you will surely be satisfied. But there is another matter I wish to discuss. Could you keep your promise to release my captured troops, let them return to their homes and spend the rest of their lives as farmers, safe in the bosom of their family?"
Wanyan Xu was stunned, he had never expected that Su Yi would agree so easily. When he had recovered his senses --- he was almost delirious with joy --- he took a few steps, hugged Su Yi tightly and said: “Su Yu, my good Su Su, since you have promised to be my official and rightful Empress, even if you made a hundred requests, or even a thousand requests, I will agree to them all. Needless to say, I will certainly keep my promise to release your soldiers.” So saying, he turned to face the door and said: “Zi Nong, come in.”
Zi Nong had been carefully listening to their conversation outside the room, hearing Wanyan Xu call for her, she hurried inside and said: “your Majesty, what are your instructions?”
Wanyan Xu smiled and said: “From now on, you do not have to follow at my side, you shall serve Su Su instead. Help him with all the arrangements for the coronation. I want to marry Su Su in a grand ceremony; I want the whole world to bear witness for us. I shall leave to make preparations now.” Having said that, as quick as lightning, he planted a kiss on Su Yi"s cheek. Then, with child-like joy and excitement, he left.
Zi Nong was also beaming with happiness, but when she turned and saw that Su Yi"s face was pale, she hurried to advise him: “Young master, you do not have to be sad, you servant can tell that the love His Majesty has for you is real. Both of you can be considered unusually outstanding men; you can be a pair of confidants who are truly able to understand each other. If you can face adversity together and jointly share in good fortune, even if it is a case of two males loving each other, who will dare to say that yours is a union that is not blessed by the deities?”
Su Yi made no reply, after a long while he said: “Zi Nong, the set of silver armour I was wearing and the prized sword I was carrying when I was captured, do they still exist? Or have they been destroyed?”
Zi Nong replied: “No, the King commanded me to take good care of them. Why has General suddenly thought of them?”
Su Yi said with a forced smile: “Ever since my first military expedition, I have had the silver armour and prized sword with me. Now that I am no longer a General of the Great Qi, I have no further use for them. But they have been with me for a long time, they are such familiar objects that it is naturally a bit hard to part with them. I wish to have them with me for the next three months, after the great wedding ceremony, I will have them destroyed to symbolize that I have let go of my desire to die for my country. What do you think?”
Zi Nong did not think to question his words, smiling, she said: “Naturally, that would be good. Young Master, please wait for a while, I shall go to fetch them immediately." She turned and left. Su Yi absently watched her retreating back as if he was lost in thought; although he was wearing a gentle smile, there was an indescribable misery in his heart.
The days flew by and one-and-a-half months pa.s.sed. Because Wanyan Xu was determined that Su Yi"s first time would be on their wedding night, he did not hara.s.s him in the interim. Su Yi had made his own plans; on this day when the two of them were speaking together after having dinner, he asked: "Your promise to me about releasing my soldiers, how is it progressing?”
Wanyan Xu said cheerfully: “Would I dare to disregard Su Su’s words? They were released long ago, but I have been caught up in too many matters and forgot to tell you. So what do you think? This time you should be happy and satisfied?”
Su Yi was silent for a long while before abruptly nodding. He said: "Very good, thank you."