Chapter Eight (Part 1)
Three days later Chen Luo Yu left the Chen Manor.
But Chen Luo Yu didn’t return to the army camp, she decided to visit some of her friends and relatives from her father’s side.
Chen Luo Yu didn’t want to leave the imperial city because she hoped that one day Chen Quan Ran would change his mind. She would willingly be his second wife.
Chen Quan Ran didn’t care if Chen Luo Yu wanted to stay in the imperial city, Chen Luo Yu could visit anyone as long as she left the Chen Manor.
After Chen Luo Yu left, Chen Quan Ran sighed softly and hugged his wife. ‘Xiao Lan you should be happy that you don’t need to be jealous of Chen Luo Yu.’
‘Who’s jealous?’ Mo Lan asked. ‘Which of your eyes saw me jealous?’
‘You didn’t eat vinegar?’ Chen Quan Ran asked. ‘Who was the one who pinched and kicked their husband? Xiao Lan, can’t you see the bruises on my arms are still visible?’
Mo Lan couldn’t refute her husband’s words. Although her husband insisted on sleeping with her when she was angry at him, she was glad her husband didn’t hesitate to let Chen Luo Yu leave the Chen Manor.
Madam’s grandson and her granddaughter-in-law returned to their affectionate bickering ways and she couldn’t stop herself from teasing them.
While everyone at the Chen Manor antic.i.p.ated General Chen’s wife being pregnant, the Southern Yue’s Prince Jing Qi and General Fang Mu Chu arrived at the imperial city and entered the palace.
Prince Jing Qi and General Fan Mu Chu were treated as guests at the palace and they brought gifts for the Northern Empire’s emperor. The emperor diplomatically prepared a banquet to welcome the guests and summoned all his court officials to attend the banquet.
After the emperor, in the Northern Empire Chen Quan Ran held the highest status and couldn’t refuse attending the banquet.
Chen Quan Ran was someone who was lazy to attend formal social gatherings, but he was curious to meet General Fang Mu Chu. So Chen Quan Ran wore formal clothes and brought Xiao Lan to attend the banquet at the palace.
It was Mo Lan’s first time entering the palace and naturally she felt nervous. Although the Chen Manor was close to the palace, but her husband had been in the army for many years and she rarely had opportunities to enter the palace.
At the palace banquet hall Mo Lan had the opportunity to meet many court officials and see the emperor’s appearance clearly. The Northern Empire’s emperor Long Hao was twenty-eight years old, he looked like a young handsome gentleman.
Mo Lan wasn’t foolish, although Long Hao looked gentler compared to her husband she knew to survive in the palace Long Hao would have won many battles within the palace to become the emperor and he wasn’t a simpleton.
Long Hao was a wise emperor. On the outside he appeared gentle but on the inside he would make certain situations were controlled within his hands.
Long Hao had many consorts, sons and daughters. Mo Lan couldn’t control her heart from pitying Long Han’s consorts. Marrying an emperor was actually an unfortunate fate, because there were many women fighting for the emperor’s affections. Also the women were forced to use their children to earn the emperor’s favour.
Chen Quan Ran’s intuition could see his wife’s heart. He held her hand and spoke softly. ‘Xiao Lan don’t worry, in this lifetime I’m only marrying you. There’ll never be a woman who would come between us. Apart from our children, there would never be another child that will call me father.’
Mo Lan’s small face turned red and she used her strength to pinch her husband’s hand underneath the table. ‘Quan Ran what nonsense are you saying?’
‘It’s not nonsense, I was only speaking the truth,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
Chen Quan Ran looked like he was making a blood oath and it made his wife smile.
Chen Quan Ran smiled at his wife then he pointed his chin at the emperor and frowned. ‘Did you see? Don’t think that our family’s emperor is happy to have many wives and children. The truth is he has many pitiful reasons.’
Mo Lan thought wars between women were scary, especially wars between women in the palace. ‘What are you saying our family’s emperor? The emperor belongs to everyone in the Northern Empire.’
‘Xiao Lan you are right, the emperor isn’t a member of our family, only you are a member of our family,’ Chen Quan Ran teased.
Chen Quan Ran laughed shamelessly and Mo Lan felt he was someone who couldn’t stop from jesting every three sentences.
Mo Lan glared at her husband. She used her strength to kick his leg and drank tea like nothing happened.
Chen Quan Ran frowned. He rubbed the leg his wife kicked and protested. ‘Xiao Lan you’re torturing your husband.’
‘What’s going to happen if I torture my husband?’ Mo Lan asked.
Chen Quan Ran smiled like a rogue. ‘I’m willing to let you torture me in bed.’
‘Quan Ran…’ Mo Lan said.
‘Xiao Lan don’t be angry,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Everyone is looking at us.’
Mo Lan didn’t intend to look like she was exchanging loving looks with her husband to gain everyone’s attention. Her face turned bright red and glared at her husband who always love to tease her. She couldn’t believe he would dare to tease her in front of the emperor’s eyes.
Luckily the emperor wasn’t angry. The emperor laughed softly at Mo Lan like an older brother would laugh with a sibling.
Unexpectedly everyone’s eyes gleamed teasingly at Mo Lan and her husband. Especially Prince Jing Qi who looked between twenty-four and twenty-five years old. Jing Qi was handsome but he wasn’t as handsome as her husband.
Jing Qi was half smiling while he a.s.sessed Mo Lan. In his eyes were dishonorable intentions toward her. When her eyes met his, he stared inappropriately at her.
‘General Chen is a blessed man,’ Jing Qi said. ‘You married a beautiful jade flower causing everyone to be envious of you.’
Mo Lan heard Prince Jing Qi’s demeaning tone and she looked coldly at him. She immediately disliked the Southern Yue’s arrogant prince.
***
Chapter Eight (Part 2)
Chen Quan Ran’s teasing mood disappeared and his handsome face turned cold.
Chen Quan Ran smiled coldly at Jing Qi. ‘The women in the Northern Empire are all beautiful. Prince Jing Qi if you’re envious of me then are you saying that there isn’t at least one beautiful woman in Southern Yue?’
Jing Qi’s face darkened. ‘General Chen’s words makes it hard for anyone to carelessly nod their head in agreement. Southern Yue’s power is on par with the Northern Empire, of course all the women in Southern Yue are beautiful.’
‘Are you saying that Southern Yue men need to rely on women for power?’ Chen Quan Ran asked.
The court officials secretly laughed at the Southern Yue Emperor’s beloved Prince Jing Qi who couldn’t compare to the Northern Empire’s General Chen.
Jing Qi wasn’t scared of the sky or the ground but he was scared of Fang Mu Chu who coughed and warned him to close his mouth.
Fang Mu Chu didn’t look older than forty years old, he was tall, strong and handsome in his blue clothes.
Fang Mu Chu a.s.sessed Chen Quan Ran. Fang Mu Chu didn’t know if he should praise Chen Quan Ran’s masculine aura.
Mo Lan pulled Chen Quan Ran’s sleeve under the table, gestured at Fang Mu Chu and she spoke softly. ‘Husband, that man looks like an exceptional person.’
‘Of course, General Fang Mu Chu is the best general in Southern Yue,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘If Southern Yue didn’t have him then the Northern Empire would have invaded and conquered Southern Yue long ago.’
‘I see why Jing Qi is scared to offend General Fang Mu Chu,’ Mo Lan said. ‘General Fang Mu Chu is someone who would leave a deep first impression on anyone.’
Chen Quan Ran glared at his wife. ‘Don’t you think your husband is impressive too?’
Mo Lan blushed. ‘It’s not the same.’
‘Why isn’t it the same?’ Chen Quan Ran asked.
Chen Quan Ran knew he was being childish, but he hated hearing his wife praise another man in front of him.
‘I don’t know how to explain it precisely,’ Mo Lan said. ‘One glance and it’s clear he’s not an ordinary person. But he’s good at hiding his true strengths in front of other people and at the same time declaring he isn’t someone other people should dare offend.’
Chen Quan Ran laughed coldly and he caught his wife’s hand under the table. ‘Wife, you’re right. I’m not someone you should provoke so remember you’re not allowed to think too much about other men otherwise I won’t spare you.’
‘Quan Ran, what nonsense are you saying?’ Mo Lan asked.
Fang Mu Chu was amused by the young husband and wife affectionately fighting with each other and ignoring everyone else around them.
Fang Mu Chu didn’t want to admit the young Chen Quan Ran’s battle strategies and fighting skills were on par with him.
Fang Mu Chu a.s.sessed Chen Quan Ran’s wife. She wore a white dress and gave him a familiar feeling. He had seen many beautiful women, but he didn’t know why Chen Quan Ran’s wife made him feel like she was someone close to him.
During the banquet everyone were in their own deep thoughts.
The dancers and singers livened the banquet hall. But Chen Quan Ran didn’t care about the dancers and singers. He only wanted the banquet to end so he could take his loving wife home and sleep with her.
‘Why don’t our two kingdoms amuse ourselves?’ Jing Qi asked. ‘The two kingdoms can make a wager. The losing kingdom will forfeit something of a high value.’
The court officials looked confusedly at each other. They didn’t know what the purpose of Prince Jing Qi’s suggestion was.
The emperor frowned. ‘Prince Jing Qi, have you thought of a good wager?’
‘I can’t say it’s a good wager,’ Jing Qi said. ‘But it’s not a bad wager. Your majesty knows there is a territory between the Northern Empire and Southern Yue called Cai Ning. Although it’s closer to the Northern Empire’s boarder, many Southern Yue’s merchants travel there for trading. To avoid conflict between the Northern Empire and Southern Yue, if Southern Yue wins the wager then I hope your majesty will agree to forfeit Cai Ning to Southern Yue.’
The emperor thought it would be robbery in clear daylight. Cai Ning was a flourishing territory.
Although the Northern Empire and Southern Yue appeared to be harmonious kingdoms for the past twenty years, both kingdoms were waiting for the best opportunity to invade the other kingdom.
‘Quan Ran, where is Cai Ning?’ Mo Lan asked.
‘It’s located in the middle of the Northern Empire and Southern Yue,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘It has wide mountains and a suitable location as a base for an army camp. It’s known that Cai Ning is a territory claimed by the Northern Empire but Southern Yue covets Cai Ning.’
‘How can Prince Jing Qi have such a thick face and expect the Northern Empire to wager Cai Ning?’ Mo Lan asked.
‘It’s not the first or second day Southern Yue wants to invade the Northern Empire and claiming Cai Ning is a good step toward invasion,’ Chen Quan Ran said.
‘What is the Northern Empire going to do if it loses the wager?’ Mo Lan asked.
Chen Quan Ran and Mo Lan exchanged a concerned look with each other.
‘Prince Jing Qi suggested a good wager,’ the emperor said. ‘But if Southern Yue loses, what will it forfeit?’
***
Chapter Eight (Part 3 of 3)
‘If Southern Yue loses,’ Jing Qi said. ‘I’ll order all Southern Yue’s soldiers to leave Cai Ning.’
‘That is an appealing wager,’ the emperor said. ‘Prince Jing Qi, what is the wager?’
‘It’s better to battle with words than with fists,’ Jing Qi said. ‘I’ll ask someone to recite three riddles from Southern Yue. If someone from the Northern Empire answers the riddles correctly then Southern Yue loses the wager. But if no one from the Northern Empire can answer the riddles correctly than the Northern Empire loses.’
‘Alright, Prince Jing Qi you can ask someone to recite the riddles,’ the emperor said.
‘Your majesty is indeed courageous,’ Jing Qi praised.
Jing Qi called Tong Wen to recite the riddles. Tong Wen looked like a twenty-year-old man.
‘Tong Wen, is a young scholar from Southern Yue,’ Jing Qi said.
‘The first riddle is,’ Tong Wen said. ‘Something that is easily done, I and anyone else can do it, one person can easily do it but two people can’t do it exactly the same. What is that something?’
The court officials were puzzled by Tong Wen’s riddle. Even Chen Quan Ran rubbed his chin to think deeply about the riddle.
Jing Qi felt triumphant everyone from the Northern Empire were puzzled. But Fang Mu Chu didn’t care about the outcome, he savored the Northern Empire’s good vintage wine.
Mo Lan tilted her head left and right, she thought the riddle was amusing.
Chen Quan Ran pulled his wife’s hand under the table and he spoke softly. ‘The riddle is a little puzzling.’
Mo Lan scoffed. ‘It’s only a little riddle.’
‘Xiao Lan, you know the answer?’ Chen Quan Ran asked.
Chen Quan Ran knew his wife didn’t want to look like she was boasting her intelligence in front of the court officials. But he stood and pulled her up too. ‘Xiao Lan, tell him what that something is.’
Chen Quan Ran’s sudden declaration startled everyone one. Even Fang Mu Chu raised his head to look at Mo Lan.
Mo Lan silently gave Chen Quan Ran a what-are-you-doing?-I’m-a-woman look.
Chen Quan Ran silently gave Mo Lan a it-doesn’t-matter-if-you’re-a-woman-the-Northen-Empire-needs-to-win look.
Mo Lan sighed helplessly. ‘That something is dream.’
The court officials agreed Mo Lan’s answer was logical while Tong Wen was amazed a woman from the Northern Empire could easily answer the riddle correctly.
Jing Qi was too shocked and forgot to drink the cup of wine he was holding.
Fang Mu Chu looked closer at the beautiful little demoness. The more he looked at her, the more familiar she looked.
Chen Quan Ran was proud of his intelligent wife.
‘The second riddle is,’ Tong Wen said. ‘What is something that one person can only use their left hand to hold?’
‘That something is the right hand,’ Mo Lan said.
‘The third riddle is,’ Tong Wen said. ‘There is something beautiful that is everywhere but no one wants to be covered by it all day and night. What is it?’
‘Water,’ Mo Lan said.
Tong Wen looked apologetically at Jing Qi who was frowning. Jing Qi couldn’t believe a woman could answer all of Tong Wen’s difficult riddles.
‘I’ve answered the riddles correctly,’ Mo Lan said. ‘As a friendly gesture, I want to ask some riddles too.’
Tong Wen nodded his head because he wanted to restore his pride.
‘The first riddle is,’ Mo Lan asked. ‘In this world what is something that changes the fastest? The second riddles is, in this world what something is the spiciest? The third riddle is, in this world what something is the sweetest? The fourth riddle is, in this world what something is the strongest?’
Everyone were thinking deeply about Mo Lan’s riddles. Except Fang Mu Chu who was staring too long at Mo Lan and he noticed Chen Quan Ran’s was glaring at him as a warning to stop staring at Mo Lan.
No one from either kingdom could answer Mo Lan’s riddles.
‘A person’s heart changes the fastest,’ Mo Lan said. ‘An enemy’s heart is the spiciest. Friendship can be both the sweetest and the strongest.’
‘Mo Lan answered all the riddles correctly,’ the emperor said. ‘But no one could answer Mo Lan’s riddles correctly. It appears Southern Yue needs to perform their promise and withdraw all Southern Yue’s soldiers from Cai Ning.’
Jing Qi couldn’t refute the emperor’s words and agreed Southern Yue lost the wager.
Fang Mu Chu from the start to the end didn’t care about the wager. His eyes couldn’t stop lingering on Mo Lan.
That day Mo Lan’s wisdom spread throughout the Northern Empire. Chen Quan Ran’s grandma was the person who was the happiness to hear how impressive Mo Lan was.
‘My grandson is lucky to have Xiao Lan as his wife,’ Madam said. ‘If Xiao Lan was another man’s wife even I would regret it to death. My eyesight that year was right. Xiao Lan reminds me of my younger self.’
Everyone else in the Chen Household was proud of their young mistress Mo Lan.
That evening Mo Lan shared her concern with Chen Quan Ran.
‘Today I didn’t want the Northern Empire to lose to Southern Yue,’ Mo Lan said. ‘I’m worried Southern Yue will retaliate to regain their lost pride.’
‘Wife, what is there to be scared of?’ Chen Quan Ran asked. ‘If they want to use brute force to retaliate then the Chen army won’t be scared to fight against them.’ He hugged Mo Lan and consoled her. ‘Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter what happens, I’ll always be beside you and protect you for the rest of my life.’