Chapter Ten (Part 1)
Tu Qing Min and other court officials pressured the emperor to demote General Chen.
Chen Quan Ran didn’t want the situation to worsen so he escorted Mo Lan to the palace for interrogation.
The emperor worried about the safety of his closest friend Chen Quan Ran’s family. He sent some of his personal guards to secretly follow and protect Chen Quan Ran and Mo Lan.
Many court officials attended Mo Lan’s interrogation and they hoped Mo Lan would be convicted of treason. Because they feared General Chen’s power and they were scared their fates would end up like Tu Lang if they offended General Chen. Tu Lang’s death was a warning to them that the emperor favored General Chen over them.
The emperor wouldn’t have sat on the throne without marrying court officials’ relatives. The emperor felt powerless to protect Chen Quan Ran against the court officials’ collusion.
Many court officials supported Tu Qing Min because they believed after the emperor died, the emperor would pa.s.s the throne to Consort Tu’s son. Tu Qin Min would be more powerful than General Chen after Tu Qin Min became the next emperor’s grandfather.
‘General Chen although you and your family have contributed to founding and protecting the Northern Empire but your wife is Fang Mu Chu’s daughter,’ Tu Qing Mu said. ‘Your wife is a threat to the survival of the Northern Empire.’
‘Yes my wife is Fang Mu Chu’s daughter,’ Chen Quan Ran said calmly. ‘What do you want to do about it?’
Chen Quan Ran looked resentfully at the court officials and the emperor. Then he looked lovingly at Mo Lan.
‘My wife lost her mother at a young age,’ Chen Quan Ran. ‘She married me at the age of nine. For ten years she hasn’t committed any wrong against the Chen Household and the Northern Empire. If it wasn’t for my wife’s wisdom then Southern Yue would have possessed Cai Ning and invaded the Northern Empire. Look at yourselves, because of a pair of earrings you accuse my wife of being a Southern Yue spy and used it as an excuse to sentence the Chen Household to death.’
Chen Quan Ran pointed accusingly at each of the court officials.
‘That day why didn’t any of you ask your daughters to stand up against Southern Yue?’ Chen Quan Ran asked. ‘Yet today all of you gang up together to bully a weak woman.’
Everyone felt threatened by Chen Quan Ran’s sternness and they couldn’t refute the truth.
The emperor didn’t say anything but his heart praised Chen Quan Ran for standing up against a group of worms that only know how to eat and wait for death.
‘Official Tu, do you know what my priority after I returned to the imperial city was?’ Chen Quan Ran asked. ‘To return justice to your nephew’s victims.’
Mo Lan thought her husband was fearless against causing havoc. Her husband was rubbing salt onto Tu Qing Min’s wound. After she heard the conviction in her husband’s words she realised there was no reason for her to fear being a liability for the Chen Household.
Tu Qing Min was angered by Chen Quan Ran’s flaunting his nephew’s death but he didn’t show his anger in front of the court officials and the emperor.
‘General Chen, you don’t need to use a vicious tone to speak,’ Tu Qing Min said. ‘I’m not interrogating your wife to take revenge on you. This is an official interrogation. Keeping an enemy spy in the imperial city is a serious offence.’
***
Chapter Ten (Part 2)
‘General Chen, you know the clearest about the ongoing tensions between the Northern Empire and Southern Yue,’ Tu Qing Min said.
Tu Qing Min glanced coldly at Mo Lan.
‘General Chen it is true your wife’s wisdom is infamous,’ Tu Qing Min said. ‘But what happens when the Northern Empire and Southern Yue are at war with each other? I fear General Chen’s conflict of interest will affect your ability to protect the Northern Empire and put all our lives at risk.’
Tu Qing Min’s words were reasonable and made Tu Qing Min appear like a patriotic citizen. But Tu Qing Min’s words infuriated Chen Quan Ran, he couldn’t tolerate Tu Qing Min implicating his wife as the catalyst for Southern Yue to invade the Northern Empire. He wanted to behead Tu Qing Min, cut Tu Qing Min into pieces to feed dogs.
An imperial guard rushed into the room while Chen Quan Ran was contemplating murderous thoughts.
‘Your majesty… General Fang is here to see you,’ the imperial guards said.
Everyone was surprised Fang Mu Chu would return to the imperial city after his recent visit.
Fang Mu Chu’s second visit was peaceful so he only brought two personal guards to the imperial city.
Fang Mu Chu’s intimidating aura frightened the court officials especially Tu Qing Min who dared to interrogate Fang Mu Chu’s daughter.
Fang Mu Chu dismissed the court official’s presence. He bowed to the emperor, stood and his complex eyes looked at Mo Lan.
Fang Mu Chu stepped toward Mo Lan.
‘Can I… see your earrings?’ Fang Mu Chu asked.
The first time Mo Lan met Fang Mu Chu she thought she was meeting an enemy general. But their second meeting was acknowledgement of their father and daughter bond. She couldn’t control her composure while her father stood in front of her. She felt a connection with her father before she knew they were related by blood. Her connection with her father was stronger after she knew the truth about her birth.
Mo Lan took off her earrings and she pa.s.sed it to her father.
Chen Quan Ran stood protectively next to Mo Lan while Fang Mu Chu inspected Mo Lan’s earrings.
‘Indeed you’re Xiao Sheng’s daughter,’ Fang Mu Chu said in a shaky voice.
Fang Mu Chu thought Mo Lan had Xiao Sheng’s eyes and his lips. His hands clutched the earrings like he wanted the earrings to blend into his flesh.
Mo Lan and Chen Quan Ran exchanged a look with each other while the court officials didn’t know what to do about the father and daughter reunion between General Fang and Mo Lan. Only the emperor stayed calm like even if the emperor lost the kingdom it wouldn’t have affected the emperor’s calmness.
‘Your majesty, I pledge as long as I’m alive I promise Southern Yue will never invade the Northern Empire,’ Fang Mu Chu said.
Fang Mu Chu pulled out a treaty and he pa.s.sed it to the emperor’s personal eunuch.
The eunuch gave the treaty to the emperor. The emperor read the treaty, ‘Southern Yue promises to treat the Northern Empire as a brother kingdom and wants to maintain a peaceful bond with the Northern Empire.’
The emperor was happy to have a peaceful resolution between his kingdom and Southern Yue.
‘But… I have a request I hope your majesty will grant,’ Fang Mu Chu said.
‘General Fang, what is your request?’ the emperor asked.
Fang Mu Chu pointed a condemning finger at Tu Qing Min.
‘I want him beheaded!’ Fang Mu Chu said.
Everyone was as startled as Tu Qing Min.
‘You… you dare to stand here and demand a Northern Empire’s court official’s head?’ Tu Qing Min asked in a panicked tone.
Fang Mu Chu laughed coldly. ‘Earlier I heard your strong sense of patriotism. Aren’t you willing to sacrifice your life for peace in the Northern Empire?’
‘Your majesty… I beg of you not grant his outrageous request,’ Tu Qing Min said.
The emperor rubbed his chin to appear he was in deep consideration. ‘It is good news General Fang came here to offer a treaty… but official Tu… wasn’t it you who stood in front of me and talked about your willingness to sacrifice your life for the sake of the Northern Empire? You’ve tied my hands.’
Chen Quan Ran realised the emperor had schemed to behead Tu Qing Min from the start. He knew the emperor used someone else’s dagger to earn the kingdom’s respect.
Chen Quan Ran and the emperor exchanged a secret glance at each other.
Chen Quan Ran supressed his anger. His heart cursed the MF emperor. Why didn’t the emperor confide the scheme to him? The emperor caused him to shed a lot of hair from worrying about how to save his wife’s life.
Even the court officials finally understood it was the emperor’s scheme to behead Tu Qing Min from the start. They quickly lowered their heads out of fear Fang Mu Chu would also demand their heads for not defending Fang Mu Chu’s daughter’s integrity.
After the emperor accepted Fang Mu Chu’s treaty, Fang Mu Chu and Mo Lan dripped their blood drops into a bowl of water. Indeed Fang Mu Chu and Mo Lan’s blood drops mixed and they officially acknowledged their father and daughter bond.
It was Madam who told Mo Lan that her mother was the Northern Empire’s Princess Long Xue Sheng.
Princess Long Xue Sheng was a mischievous princess. The same year Mo Lan was born, Princess Long Xue Sheng sneaked out of the palace and she was captured by bandits. A gentleman rescued Princess Long Xue Sheng. She thought the gentleman was a citizen of the Northern Empire. But the gentleman was Fang Mu Chu who visited the imperial city on a secret mission. Princess Long Xue Sheng and Fang Mu Chu deeply loved each other before knowing each other’s ident.i.ty. Fang Mu Chu gave his mother’s family heirloom, the earrings with the same design as his jade pendant to Princess Long Xue Sheng as a love token and a promise to marry her. But the timing of their love was ill fated. That year the Northern Empire and Southern Yue were battling each other to conquer neighbouring territories. Fang Mu Chu was born into a military family and he was forced to leave Princess Long Xue to fight against her kingdom.
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Chapter Ten (Part 3 of 3)
Fang Mu Chu regretted choosing Southern Yue over Princess Long Xue Sheng.
Fang Mu Chu remembered the last day he spent with Princess Long Xue Sheng.
‘Mu Chu will you give up Southern Yue for me?’ Princess Long Xue Sheng asked.
‘No,’ Fang Mu Chu said.
The following day Princess Long Xue Sheng disappeared from Fang Mu Chu’s life. He searched everywhere for Long Princess Xue Sheng but he didn’t get to even glance at her ever again.
Princess Long Xue Sheng didn’t return to the palace. She was an unwed pregnant woman. If she returned to the palace then Mo Lan would have been killed. She struggled to stay alive to give birth to Mo Lan during the war. She asked the senior General Chen to raise Mo Lan but she didn’t reveal the ident.i.ty of Mo Lan’s father because she didn’t want to endanger Mo Lan’s life.
Fang Mu Chu wished he had chosen love over duty. If he did then Princess Long Xue Sheng would still be alive and they could have raised their daughter together.
Fang Mu Chu was a man of few words. He was happy to sit opposite his daughter, but he didn’t know what to say.
Mo Lan usually had a fast tongue. But she didn’t know what to say first to her father.
‘Does the little boy Chen treat you well?’ Fang Mu Chu asked.
Although Fang Mu Chu saw the love between his daughter and son-in-law, he wanted to hear his daughter confirm his thoughts.
‘Yes… general,’ Mo Lan said.
‘You inherited your mother’s beauty and intelligence,’ Fang Mu Chu said.
Mo Lan felt a little shy. She’d never seen her mother but by the faraway look in her father’s eyes whenever he looked at her, made her realise that her father must have loved her mother deeply.
‘Can you call me father?’ Fang Mu Chu asked.
Mo Lan felt awkward but she opened her mouth. ‘Father…’
‘Tomorrow I need to return to Southern Yue,’ Fang Mu Chu said. ‘Whenever you want to see me, you can ask little boy Chen to escort you to see me in Southern Yue.’
Fang Mu Chu turned to look at Chen Quan Ran who was standing at the door. ‘Why are you still weary of me? I’m not taking my daughter away from you.’
‘Father don’t misunderstand… I was pa.s.sing by,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘I didn’t intend to eavesdrop.’
It was obvious to everyone in the room Chen Quan Ran confessed before a confession was forced out of him.
Mo Lan gave Chen Quan Ran an I-don’t-believe-you look.
Fang Mu Chu was happy to see his daughter and son-in-law looked lovingly at each other.
In the past, war between the Northern Empire and Southern Yue separated Fang Mu Chu and Princess Long Xue Sheng. Fang Mu Chu didn’t want his daughter and son-in-law to share the same ill fate as him and Princess Long Xue Sheng.
‘I only have one precious daughter,’ Fang Mu Chu said to Chen Quan Ran. ‘Since the two kingdoms have declared a truce then when you’re free escort my daughter to Southern Yue to see me. All these years I never had the chance to fulfil my duties as her father. My daughter is married to you. But if you treat her badly then I won’t spare you.’
‘Father be rea.s.sured,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Xiao Lan is treasured by the Chen Household. In her stomach is my child. Even if father wasn’t a formidable general, I would still love Xiao Lan for the rest of my life.’
Mo Lan’s face turned red as the skin of a red apple.
Fang Mu Chu smiled affectionately. ‘My daughter is blessed to have a man like you who truly loves her.’
‘Father you praised me too much,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
Fang Mu Chu reluctantly left the room. Mo Lan’s eyes stung. She didn’t want to be separated from her father too soon after their reunion.
‘Xiao Lan you should be happy to be reunited with your father,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Besides your father is someone who is admired by both kingdoms. You should be proud to be his daughter.’
‘But my father will be leaving soon…’ Mo Lan said.
‘I promise I’ll take you to see your old father in Southern Yue when we’re free,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
‘My father isn’t an old man,’ Mo Lan protested.
‘Yes, yes,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Your father is young and handsome. He doesn’t look like an old man.’
Mo Lan smiled and she held Chen Quan Ran’s hand. ‘Do you promise you’ll take me to see my father when we’re free?’
Chen Quan Ran nodded his head. ‘Wherever you want to go, no matter how faraway it is, I’ll take you there.’
‘Quan Ran thank you for standing by me,’ Mo Lan said.
‘What are you thanking me for?’ Chen Quan Ran asked.
‘Thank you for treating me well,’ Mo Lan said. ‘Thank you for not turning your back on me, thank you for opposing the kingdom for me and most importantly thank you for… thank you for loving me and making me feel like the happiest woman in the world.’
Mo Lan felt embarra.s.sed declaring her love. She wanted to run away but Chen Quan Ran hugged her tightly and kissed her lips.
One year later the Chen Household held a one month celebration for the new generation of Chen offspring.
Chen Quan Ran felt blessed the first time he got to be a father, his wife gave him a son and a daughter.
Madam was proud to hold her great-grandchildren in her arms and show them off to the guests.
Fang Mu Chu delivered to the Chen Manor many rare gifts for his grandchildren.
In the palace after Tu Qing Min was beheaded, the court officials behaved themselves and focused on performing their imperial duties. Because Tu Qing Min was a future mirror of what would happen to them if they dare to pull a tiger’s beard.
After Chen Quan Ran’s children’s one month celebration, he visited the emperor in the palace and resigned his general position.
‘What is this?’ the emperor asked.
‘This is the imperial army seal,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘The Northern Empire and its biggest threat are sharing a peace treaty. There is no need for me to hold onto this. It’s the right time for me to resign.’
The emperor looked unhappily at Chen Quan Ran.
‘Your majesty you don’t need to look at me like I’m abandoning you,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘I’ve trained Xiao Ha for many years. I believe he’ll be a good general. The army will be in safe hands under his guidance.’
The emperor frowned. ‘Are you still angry at me for wanting to arrest your wife a year ago?’
‘I thought your majesty had forgotten,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
‘How can I forget?’ the emperor asked. ‘Each time you visit me, you either look at me like you have no respect left for me or you look at me like you can’t trust me. It pains my heart each time I see the distant look in your eyes.’
‘Nonsense!’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Your majesty, I can understand if you need to scheme for the good of the kingdom. But you could have confided in me. Did you know how I felt… it doesn’t matter anymore. I understand you have many responsibilities as an emperor but I truly don’t want the general position anymore.’
‘But when you were five you promised me you’ll be my loyal general and that you’ll never betray me,’ the emperor said.
‘Your majesty, I haven’t betrayed you,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
‘You haven’t betrayed me but you want to leave me,’ the emperor said.
‘In the past I neglected my wife for ten years,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Now I want to spend my time with my wife and take her to see the world to compensate for all the years I wasted.’
‘I won’t force you to stay,’ the emperor said. ‘But I’ll keep this imperial army seal for you. Xiao Ha will be your temporary subst.i.tute. If there comes a day the Northern Empire needs you then I’ll return this imperial army seal to you.’
Chen Quan Ran accepted the emperor’s compromise. Like the emperor, he knew a peaceful period wouldn’t last forever. He was loyal to his kingdom and military blood ran through his veins, he wouldn’t turn his back on the kingdom in their time of need.
Chen Quan Ran returned to the Chen Manor and he informed Mo Lan his decision.
‘Quan Ran, are you truly giving up the army to the emperor?’ Mo Lan asked.
‘Yes,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
‘But… I know you see your men as your blood brothers,’ Mo Lan said. ‘You also love performing the duties of a general whether it’s on the battlefield or taking care of the army.’
‘My bond with my men won’t change if I’m not their general,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘I want to spend this peaceful period with you. The truth is I rather spend time in bed with you to strengthen our bond than being on the battlefield.’
Mo Lan kicked Chen Quan Ran’s leg. ‘Quan Ran, you’re a father. How can you still be a scoundrel?’
‘Wife, I’m only a scoundrel with you,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Xiao Lan don’t run away. Let’s conceive more children. Our home can support a small army of Chen children. When our children grow up, they’ll be proud to be each other’s siblings.’
‘Stay away,’ Mo Lan said. ‘Who wants to conceive more children with you?’
‘Let’s conceive…’ Chen Quan Ran said.
‘Stay away!’ Mo Lan said.
‘Xiao Lan, you’re extremely aggressive,’ Chen Quan Ran teased.
Mo Lan didn’t know how to escape the bed.
Outside the chamber, Madam was holding her great-grandson in her left arm and her great-granddaughter in her right arm. She was happy her grandson and granddaughter-in-law were making more great-grandchildren for her. She took her one-month-old great-grandchildren back to her chamber so that they wouldn’t disturb the conception of their younger siblings.