CH 1

Ch1 - An Ugly Empress

Xue Country had a famous Ugly Empress. 

The Ugly Empress’ surname was Feng, which was the Feng Country’s royal surname. She was Feng Country’s current monarch’s blood sister. Naturally, there was only one purpose she was sent to Xue Country– diplomatic marriage.

———-

Teng Yun’s skin didn’t look too good. After only two short days of imprisonment, his body was covered in various signs of torture.

He walked unsteadily, gripping the shackles that bound him; he was extremely weak and at the end of his strength. If he could just crawl on the ground, he wouldn’t even bother trying to walk. But this place wasn’t his hometown. He couldn’t show any trace of weakness, even as a prisoner. 

He was pushed and shoved by the guards into the main hall.

Every eye in the hall was watching the spectacle of this legendary figure. Teng Country’s God of War– the proud son who had been invincible on battlefields, who was now eventually defeated. Looking at his current state, people could already imagine the future changes happening in this man’s home country.

But the man himself was defiant, his dark eyes were sharp, bright as crystals, and shining brilliantly not showing even an ounce of  weakness.

People’s hearts trembled slightly; this man unfortunately wouldn’t live for much longer.

Teng Yun glanced up to the top of the main hall. One person was sitting there, garbed in black clothes with a black tassel crown. The person’s eyes were narrowed while one corner of his lips was curled; the man appeared to be smiling, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

The man was handsome and exuding power, his figure was robust and tall under his black robes. He had a kingly aura around him, his conduct ruthless, firm and headstrong. He could command military forces swiftly and decisively, and also could govern his country just as well…

Teng Yun had heard about the man. He was Xue Country’s highest ruler, Xue Junliang.

Xue Junliang stared down at Teng Yun with arrogance and disgust, as if he was looking at a lowly peasant. 

“General Yun, raise your head, let this Seat look at you.”

Teng Yun didn’t resist and raised his head; his gaze unfriendly, icy cold and full of hostility. He looked at Xue Junliang with calculation; this man was his lifetime nemesis.

Seeing the official’s reaction, Teng Yun couldn’t help laughing out loud. But his laughter contained a deep despair like an arrow at the end of its flight.

Xue Junliang waved off his official, gesturing him to back off, as he walked closer still and stopped just one step away from Teng Yun. 

Looking down at his opponent, Xue Junliang said, “General, maybe you don’t know me. You’ve never met me before, but I have. I saw you once, three years ago at the battlefield. At that moment, I was in awe and I thought…”

He paused, then he gave a slight smile as he continued, “This person, should die.”

After he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves, then strode past Teng Yun and out of the hall, saying, “Come, let me show you some of Xue Country’s military skills.”

A guard at the side received the order, and at once, Teng Yun was pulled up and dragged out of the main hall. The entire court officials, both civil and military, followed after them. The majestic procession walked on as the surrounding areas became more and more open, and finally came to a large and empty field. 

The empty field was vast, surrounded by flags. Lined at the westside was a row of targets, at the east side were shelves of weapons, at the north, facing the south was a dragon seat, and built at the south was the extensive training grounds.

Xue Junliang walked directly to the side with the row of targets. He lifted his chin, an order which the guards immediately understood. Teng Yun was quickly tied up, arms behind his back, and secured against a wooden stake.

After the guards finished binding him, they retreated silently.

Xue Junliang narrowed his eyes and stretched his arm. A military officer in red came over to him, in his hands was a long bow which Xue Junliang took. Then another officer handed him a long arrow. 

Teng Yun shifted his gaze to Xue Junliang’s eyes, and suddenly wanted to laugh. Only now he understood what this Xue Emperor had in mind; he wanted to assert his power.

Was he going to shoot through his throat, or through his heart?

Under the glaring sun, the arrow was illuminated with blinding radiance. Xue Junliang raised his bow and picked the arrow, the five jade-strings on his tassel crown swayed gently.

Suddenly, it came to Teng Yun’s mind that this enemy country’s Emperor was actually somewhat tolerant, so domineering and dignified. He was an excellent and wise monarch. But it was a pity… his surname was Teng, added that he was born as a prince of Teng Country. 

Teng Yun was nineteen when he was appointed as a Great General and sent to lead military troops. For ten years, he helped his country deal with civil war then went to defend his country from outside forces. Even after ten years of fighting, he failed to save his country.

The Emperor of Xue gripped his bow, raised it. Then he pulled the arrow, and unclasped his fingers. Teng Yun never wavered…

“Zap—–!”

Then there was blood splattered… 

——–

Teng Yun’s head was pounding. He could sense that he was lying down, but the whole world was spinning violently. He tried to open his eyes but found he was very weak all over, starting  from head to toe. He felt extremely dizzy as if he had been sleeping for too long.

He was very sure that he had been killed by the Xue Emperor, so how was he conscious now? Was it possible that Xue Emperor’s bark was worse than his bite? Was he actually a dimwit? Couldn’t he shoot arrows properly?

As these thoughts came to mind, Teng Yun wanted to laugh. But his laugh pulled at a wound on his face and he felt the wound sting. 

Groggy from sleep, he opened his eyes. He saw that he was lying on a bed with the curtains open, inside of what looked like a grand room with exquisite furnishing.

Teng Yun gave out a slight smile. How kind was the Xue Emperor, to be treating a prisoner like this?

He tried to get out of the bed but felt so weak and fragile, he fell off it; hands grazing the floor as he flailed about. Since when he had to stop and fret about a wound on his hand?

Teng Yun tried standing up with the help of a wooden shelf next to him. On top of the wooden shelf was a polished and smooth bronze mirror. 

The maidservants who were waiting outside the room heard a loud crash and rushed in. When they came inside, they immediately covered their mouth to hide a snicker.

One of them, who was wearing peach-colored clothing, ran over and lifted Teng Yun who had fallen on the ground again. She said with a laugh, “Empress, did you get scared by the bronze mirror? The mirror is not the monster here, it is you.”

Hearing the maid calling him ‘Empress’, his eyes grew wide. He roughly pushed the maid’s hands off him and grabbed the fallen bronze mirror on the ground. It was so big that Teng Yun, who was now very weak, couldn’t even hold it up. Reflected in the smooth mirror on the ground, he could see a woman with a graceful figure but had a very odd and ugly face.

The woman was wearing a brocade gown, her built, slender and elegant. But her face had bruises-like marks that looked awful and shamefully ugly. If people saw her face, no doubt they’d think she was a ghost. Even Teng Yun was shocked. 

Teng Yun stared at ‘himself’ in the mirror and couldn’t repress a shiver all over.

The maidservant scolded, “Empress, be careful! This bronze mirror was sent to you by Her Highness Defei. If it’s broken, even if you’re an Empress, Defei can have you punished because she is the Emperor’s favorite consort.”

Teng Yun, after all, was a man raised on battlefields so he quickly calmed down and assessed the situation. Still looking down at the mirror in the ground, he took in the maidservant’s words and finally came to a conclusion.

There was only one country that had an empress this ugly. The empress was no one other than Xue Emperor – Xue Junliang’s first wife. 

The Ugly Empress’ name was Feng Yun, blood-related sister of the King of Feng country. Other than the fact that she was ugly, it was also said she had a weak constitution. By her maidservant’s rude words, it was easy to conclude that a certain favored consort put a large bronze mirror in this Empress’ room. It was a common trick.

As Teng Yun said nothing, the maid grew bolder and her mocking words grew even more rude. Perhaps this was something that happened on a daily basis, so she didn’t find anything fishy with this Empress.

“Empress, you… Ah!”

The maid didn’t get to finish her sentence before she suddenly touched her cheek and looked at Teng Yun incredulously. If it wasn’t for the sting on her face, she would have thought the slap was just an illusion. 

Teng Yun stared coldly at the maid and smiled, “What are you going to do, will I get slapped back by a lowly servant?”

“Em…Empress…”

“Get out of here, take the bronze mirror and give it back to Defei.”

————– 

Thank you everyone for all the support. And thank you to NZRose and Elanor for staying with me on this one..~zaki.