Chapter 52 - First Part Of The Plan Has Started

Xiu Ying flips his hair pushed it all onto his right shoulder, revealing the left side of his neck. With the sunlight slightly shine at the back of his head, Xiu Ying truly looks like a celestial being who just descended from the sky.

The 15-year-old emperor momentarily mesmerized by what he just saw. But he immediately throws his gaze to another side.

.........

'What the hell are you thinking?!'

The young emperor reminds himself. He takes a deep breath then immediately brushes off the momentary captivation just now. He collects himself back then turns to Xiu Ying.

He clears his throat. In a low voice, he says, "Empress Li, I need your help to... cure me. In return, I will help you return to your country."

Xiu Ying choked on the tea he is sipping. He elegantly wipes his lips. "Sorry, Your Majesty but are you sure YOU can help me return to Wu Empire? If I'm not mistaken, that old geezer holds more power than you, an emperor. So, can you kindly fill me in on how you can help me go back to my husband's side?"

Xiu Ying wiggles his eyebrows in expectancy but the young emperor thought Xiu Ying is underestimating him. Which is true.

The young emperor squinted. "Empress Li, I know I'm young, plus I'm sick but still I'm an emperor. I still got many people who will support me. Even though they help out just to ask something in return." He mumbles the last part.

Xiu Ying lightly huffs.

The young emperor ignores the judging look from Xiu Ying. "You cure me, help me out gaining information about Yu Zhougong. As soon as I'm fully cured, I will help you to go back to Wu Empire. How about it?"

Xiu Ying clicks his tongue. "This deal is clearly one-sided. I got to do two things for you but I only receive one benefit. Isn't that unfair?"

"Th- Then, what do you want? I'll try to fulfill any of your wishes. Just spit it out."

Rubbing his chin, eyes looking upwards, Xiu Ying pretends to think of something. "Ha!" He slams the table. He smirks, "NONE."

"What?"

"There is nothing you can give me. What I want, only my husband can give it to me." Xiu Ying smiles seductively.

The young emperor immediately lowers his head, hiding his flushed face. Xiu Ying chuckles when he saw the reddened ears. 'What an innocent kid.' He picks up the teacup and sips the tea leisurely, pretends like he said nothing embarrassing.

"Th- There must be something else that you might need. Besides th- that..." He said the last part in a low voice but still, Xiu Ying heard it.

"I don't need anything else in this world. I have everything. I just want to give birth to my baby safely and raise my kid with my husband and living happily with my family. That's all."

"O- Oh...Living happily..." Somehow the young emperor breathes a sigh of relief.

"Yes. Live happily ever after. What are you thinking, Your Majesty?" Xiu Ying is having a good time teasing him.

"No- Nothing!"

Xiu Ying covers his mouth, holding back his laugh. But then his face turns serious and a little bit of longingness could be seen. "Happiness can never be bought. Just like your situation. You're an emperor. You got the wealth, the throne, servants that will do anything for you and guards that will protect you. But do you feel happy? No. You live in fear. Every day feels worried that someone might hurt you or kill you. The one who stayed by your side, none of them is sincere. Even, the poor citizen outside the capital might live in a better environment than yours."

Xiu Ying smiles faintly. "That is why I feel grateful I have a husband that is willing to go against the norms of a royal palace and dismissed the imperial harem. I feel contented and happy. I want nothing else."

The young emperor releases a heavy sigh. He doesn't know how to persuade the Wu Empress to help him out. He only got wealth and luxury to offer.

Looking at the hopeless face, Xiu Ying feels pity towards the young emperor.

Xiu Ying taps on the table to wake the young emperor from his daze. "I can help to cure you but I cannot help you to get information about that old geezer. He knows all of my moves. Later, he might question me about our meeting today. I've taken enough risk to heal you and I don't think I want to piss him off even more."

The young emperor frowns. "Why would you care about his feelings? Afraid that he'll feel jealous?"

Xiu Ying scoffs. "I don't care, idiot. I just want to prevent him from making up 'reasons' to force me to sleep with him. I don't want to anger him so he doesn't have any reason to vent his anger on me. You think I'm gonna coax him if he's mad when I met another guy? Pei! I think I'm gonna puke right in front of his face if he pretends to sulk or acting jealous."

The young emperor nods. His lids tremble and he steals glances timidly at Xiu Ying. "Th- Then, if Emperor Wu jealous or sulking, wh- what you will do?"

He asks out of curiosity. But people say, curiosity kills the cat.

Xiu Ying smiles widely. "Easy. I let my hair loose, takes my clothes off and lays on the bed with my leg crossing. He'll pounce on me and will forget everything the next day." Xiu Ying raises his face smugly.

The young emperor slams the table and immediately stands. The baby face looks like a ripe tomato. Xiu Ying laughs out loud. He wipes the tears using his sleeves.

When the young emperor about to turn to leave, Xiu Ying said seriously, "Ask your most trusted person to come to this garden the next two days. Tell him to look under the marble stool in this pavilion, we're sitting right now. I'll write down all the things that you need."

Without turning around, the emperor nods then leave.

As Xiu Ying predicted, during dinner, Yu Zhougong returns and asked to have dinner with him. Xiu Ying eats as usual without any worries. He just feels like he is eating with an old man that he doesn't know in a restaurant.

When both of them halfway done eating, Yu Zhougong starts to bombard him with questions.

"You met with His Majesty this afternoon?"

"Hmm."

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing important."

"You guys have been talking so long. It doesn't seem like nothing."

Xiu Ying sighs. "Next time, ask your men to come nearer and put his ears beside our mouth so he can hear clearly what we are talking about."

Xiu Ying's sarcastic remarks make him snapped. "Can you just say when I ask? Or are trying to disobey me? You do know I'm being very lenient and patient with you so don't you ever challenge my limit. Understand?"

Xiu Ying hums again. He totally shows his "I-don't-give-a-f**k" face.

Yu Zhougong slams the table. "Now say it! And don't you ever telling lies! My men said you look so happy, so tell me. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?"

Yu Zhougong is pissed off because not only Xiu Ying talking with the emperor, which they could conspire with each other to go against him. But Xiu Ying looks so happy talking with another man! He has tried to give Xiu Ying so many things and treat him nicely but never once Xiu Ying would talk or smile at him.

"Both of us accidentally meet each other. Since he looks lonely, so I invited him for small talk. His Majesty was curious about my country so I tell him everything and I also tell him about MY BELOVED HUSBAND, whom I LOVE TO DEATH. That's why I was so happy. Satisfied?"

Yu Zhougong scoffs and immediately stands. "What 'your country'? Your country is here! And your soon-to-be husband is me! Remember that!" He leaves the chamber and slams the door behind him.

Xiu Ying rolls his eyes. "Old cow trying to eat young grass."

The next day, the emperor asked his most trusted confidant, who is the Chief Eunuch to do what Xiu Ying told him. As the Chief Eunuch lifts up the marble stool, he found a folded paper under it. He quickly takes it and hides it inside his sleeve. Looking left and right, the Chief Eunuch immediately return to the young emperor.

The young emperor reads the notes. Xiu Ying listed out all ingredients, how to prepare it and how he should take the herbal concoction. Xiu Ying can only write it instead of preparing it as he got too many constraints. No tools, no time and it is hard to hide it from the old geezer's knowledge.

"Take this to the usual pharmacy in the market," The young emperor ordered. All of their moves need to be done stealthily. This is the only chance he got so he cannot carelessly waste it.

Other than the cures, Xiu Ying also provided the recipe for herbal concoctions that could counterattack the poison. This is as preparation if the young emperor couldn't avoid taking the 'medicine' given by the old geezer.

On the 13th day after Xiu Ying was brought to South Empire, Yu Zhougong still didn't do anything to Xiu Ying, which Xiu Ying truly grateful. He keeps sending gifts and most of the time during lunch and dinner, he keeps trying to touch Xiu Ying. Caressing Xiu Ying's back, shoulder, hands and thighs.

Xiu Ying only wiggles a little bit and didn't dare to push him away. Playing hard to get will only backfire and will only stimulate the old man's lust. However, lately, Yu Zhougong seems too occupied and rarely came to visit him.

He feels happy but he can't help but wonder what's the real reason that keeps the old geezer busy all the time. He couldn't help but worrying if Yu Zhougong tries to do something to Wu Empire and his husband.

Meanwhile, in Wu Empire, at Li's mansion, a dozen men gather at the training drill inside the mansion. Half of them wearing fully covered black clothes and the other half of them wearing noble attire. Despite their outfit, all of them were actually elite guards.

Standing in front of them, another man in a black robe staring each of them intently. "You guys know what to do. No mistakes will be tolerated."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" All of them shouted.

"Now, go."

In a flash, the men who were wearing black attire disappear while men who were wearing noble attire walk out of Yu mansion leisurely. Just like they were just done having tea time with Prime Minister Li Shizen.

Li Shizen walks forward until he is almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Wu Zhang Wei.

"Your Majesty, why insists sending them like that? Isn't it easier if they just go with the others?" Li Shizen asks.

"Sometimes, mingling among citizens a lot of information could be obtained effortlessly. In the market, tea house or brothel, people always gossip without restraints and control. That way, it will be easier for us to get information. Plus, I want to surprise 'him' from both inside and outside."

"But, won't it take longer time? And Her Majesty... isn't it more dangerous if he lives there anymore longer?" Li Shizen sounded really worried.

Wu Zhang Wei slowly lowers his head and sighs. "I know that but I don't intend to get Ying-er back just like that. I want to crush him completely. Besides, I know my wife won't easily let someone else touch him. I bet he could make up 1001 reasons to save himself," Wu Zhang Wei chuckles. He really misses his wife's wittiness.

Li Shizen can only nod agreeing. He trusts his son-in-law will find the best way to bring back Xiu Ying.

"Then.. What about the other 'person'? Your Majesty just gonna leave him be?"

"Don't worry. Soon, he'll taste his own medicine."

.....

Meanwhile, inside the palace, Huang Fei Hong is busy training his men.

The training ground full of groans and whimper. Their usual training is already hard enough but right now their training drill level has been tripled.

Some of the officers that walk past the training grounds couldn't help but shiver to look at the killing intent in every one of the soldiers.

One or two of them tried to pry them and coming closer to Huang Fei Hong during their break.

"General, why would you train them so hard like this? It is like... you're preparing for war. Hahaha" The officer faking a laugh.

But he immediately shuts his mouth when Huang Fei Hong says, "This is normal. Might be hard for a weakling like you who seeks protection using money. And there's nothing wrong to make preparations. We can't afford to lose when our empire being attack, am I right?"

The two officers awkwardly smile. "Ye- yeah. You're right, general." After that, both of them leave in a hurry.

The news of the soldiers' training is being discussed among the officers and ministers.

Surely, the innocent ones didn't think too much about it but not the ones who involved in funny business.

"Does the emperor wants to declare war?"

"But there's no reason for him to do that. We've been living in peace for years."

"Did you forget that His Majesty still searching for Her Majesty? I'm sure he'll deploy the soldiers to bring back Her Majesty."

"But isn't that too much? Declaring a war just because of his ger wife? He could ask the other party nicely and if the other party insisted on not returning Her Majesty, just ask for compensation instead. A part of land or maybe golds and silver. A wife can always be replaced. Why would His Majesty so fussy about it?"

Most of them who were present nod agreed. The previous emperors always have lots of women and gers as concubines or consort. Losing one or two women and ger is normal.

Even officers like them got a few mistresses and concubines.

"Maybe it is true that the emperor has been bewitched.. If not, why would His Majesty so crazy for that ger? Harming the citizens' lives just for a ger. What a nutcase!"