Chapter 57 Political Marriage

Chun Tao looked at the back of the Ninth Princess with a heavy heart.

“How could His Majesty make such a decision? Miss, do you think the hostage prince…… no, do you think His Majesty Tantai will agree?”

In Chun Tao’s heart, Tantai Jin was still the Third Miss’s husband.

How can the Third Miss’s husband marry the Ninth Princess?

Chun Tao muttered, “How preposterous.”

“There are things even more absurd than this,” Su Su said.

Chun Tao asked in surprise, “What did Miss say?”

Su Su patted her head.

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Ubwd Mys rswvle, “Ykpp byp nbydtle ps xwnb yqvla nsxkdt cynj qasx uswa vakr.”

“Eblal byhl R nbydtle?”

“Ykpp wple vs pxkzl y zsv, yde prsjl nbllaqwzzu,” Ubwd Mys vyrrle bla sod lulp okvb bla qkdtla, “Fkdnl Ykpp nyxl cynj, vblal’p ds pxkzl kd vblx yduxsal.”&dcpr;

Oprlnkyzzu obld Tkp Yyflpvu Mydvyk oyp xldvksdle, bla caktbv lulp pllxle vs cl nshlale okvb y zyula sq knl.

Fw Fw oyp pvwddle, vbld psqvzu pxkzle, “Zsw pyo oasdt.”

Rdoyaezu, pbl plnalvzu oyadle blaplzq. Ohld Ubwd Mys nswze pll bla lxsvksdp, yde vbkp oypd’v y tsse vbkdt. Ikzzkdt Dkys Nkd bye clld vaswczkdt bla¹耿耿于怀 (tědttědtuúbwák) -vs vyjl vaswczlp vs blyav (keksx); casse sd (yd kdfwau, sdl’p dltzlnvle ewvu, lvn.); clya tawetl, yde lhld bla blyav sq Pys oyp yqqlnvle.

Jwv Fw Fw’p xkppksd oyp talyvla, ps pbl pbswze pvyu nzlya-blyele.

Ohkz csdl, vbl lhkz csdl oyp vbl xspv kxrsavydv.

There were still two years left, and if she couldn’t remove the evil bone within these next two years, all the great demons in the Abyss of Desolation would emerge²倾巢而出 (qīngcháo’érchū) – the whole nest came out (idiom); to turn out in full strength, and the world would be in chaos.

Let Tantai Jin understand love and hate.

Su Su seemed lost in thought.

Not long after, the Old Madam came out, wearing a Buddhist prayer beads bracelet on her wrist, and her troubled thoughts seemed to remain. Su Su went forward to support her, and her face looked even more depressed, “My Xi Wu is so good, what will you do in the future?”

“Grandmother, don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Su Su’s identity in the capital was extremely awkward. Having been married to Tantai Jin before was enough to let the madams and ladies of the capital look at her differently.

Like what the Ninth Princess had said, rumor now had it that Tantai Jin used Third Ye as a springboard to leave the palace, which led him back to the Zhou Kingdom.

So, Su Su was forcibly charged with another crime. However, now that Ye Xiao and Ye Qingyu were still fighting the war, no one dared to touch her.

Su Su thought to herself, if it wasn’t for Xiao Lin, I would’ve been scorned by the entire world.

After all, everyone knew that it was just a matter of time before Great Xia was defeated.

The Great Xia that had been glorious for more than a decade had come to an end.

*****

Sure enough, not long after, news of the Emperor of Great Xia suing for peace was heard.

Great Xia asked for a truce, and was willing to send pearls, jewels, and jade artifacts as annual tribute. It was also willing to send the Ninth Princess over for a political marriage.

When the first snow of winter fell, their envoy rushed to the battlefield and explained their purpose to Tantai Jin.

Not long after, the Zhou Kingdom sent a gift in return——

The head of the envoy.

The envoy’s eyes were wide open, his expression terrified.

The moment the Emperor of Great Xia saw the head, he nearly fainted from anger.

Su Su was holed up in her room writing letters. Since her current identity was despised by the people, she rarely went out.

She didn’t know the art of war, so she could only write down all the ways to restrain the demonic creatures on paper and send them to her father and brother.

There was one thing Tantai Jin was right about, once Xiao Lin was dead, the backbone of Great Xia was broken.

Now, almost all of the civilian court officials wanted to sue for peace.

After learning about the situation in court, Ye Xiao was disappointed. In the end, the Ye family was the only war party left.

Ye Xiao strenuously held on, and in the first month, when the snow covered the branches in the capital, the Zhou Kingdom’s army pressed the border and reached Jiayu Pass.

Jiayu Pass, the place where back then, Su Su had jumped into the river to protect Ye Qingyu——

However, this time, Ye Qingyu died.

“The young general was shot by dozens of arrows and died in the Jiayu River.”

When the news came back, the Old Madam fainted on the spot. Su Su’s eyes were hot, and there was an indescribable sadness in her heart.

Not long after, Ye Qingyu’s remains were transported back.

Ye Lanyin had already married at the end of last year, and Ye Zheyun had been seriously ill ever since he was frightened by the blood crows back then. The Ye family was now left with only Fourth Young Master and Su Su.

Su Su led her younger brother to meet the little soldiers who’d helped send the coffin back to the capital, along with the young general in the coffin.

The arrow wounds on his body had begun to decay, his body was covered in sword cuts. His brother, Fourth Ye, who was beside Su Su, looked at Ye Qingyu in the coffin in horror, not daring to recognize him. 

“Go over and kowtow and bring Eldest Brother home,” Su Su said.

She pulled the little fatty along as he endlessly weeped while going through the process.

They brought Ye Qingyu home.

Chun Tao ran in in a panic, “Miss, now everyone outside is saying that the Emperor has sent another envoy to sue for peace!”

At her words, Su Su had a bad premonition in her heart and she looked back at Chun Tao.

“This time, His Majesty Tantai has agreed, it’s just that…… it’s just that the Zhou Kingdom wants ten cities within Jiayu Pass, and demands the Ye family to be exiled. A-and also……”

Seeing Chun Tao struggle to speak, Su Su calmly said, “If you have anything to say, just say it directly. It can’t be worse than the Ye family being exiled, right?”

Chun Tao looked unwell and said, “His Majesty Tantai wants the Emperor to send the widow of King Xuan over, w-which is the Eldest Lady.”

Su Su had known that this day would come. She wiped the tears off Chun Tao’s face and said, “Don’t cry, I got it.”

“Miss, the hostage prince…… when did he…… towards the Eldest Lady……”

Tantai Jin’s request shocked everyone. Instead of asking for the Ninth Princess, he asked the Xia Empire to send Ye Bing Shang over.

This was a great shame³奇耻大辱 (qíchǐ-dàrǔ) – extraordinary shame and humiliation (idiom); deep disgrace for Great Xia. If King Xuan’s widow was really sent to him, the reputation of Xia Kingdom would be as good as trampled on the ground.

Su Su pursed her lips and didn’t answer Chun Tao’s question.

“Did the Emperor agree?”

“This maidservant doesn’t know.”

Su Su didn’t say anything else. Chun Tao originally thought that the Third Miss would be furious, just like before. Once something had to do with the Eldest Lady, the Third Miss would be in a bad mood.

But the Third Miss was extremely calm, as if she had already anticipated this day.

Su Su entered the room and helped her grandmother up.

In just a year, the formerly elegant and stately⁴雍容华贵 (yōngróng-huáguì) – an idiom; usually used to describe a woman; stately Old Madam Ye had become old and worn down.

Su Su personally combed the Old Madam’s hair and found that more than half of her hair had turned white. Wrinkles had crept up to the corner of her eyes, making her appearance look instantly defeated.

The Old Madam was well-informed. She must have long known about the Emperor of Great Xia sending people over to sue for peace.

Now, her eldest grandson was dead, the Ye family was gradually deteriorating, and even the emperor thought about abandoning their Ye family to save Great Xia.

Su Su picked up the comb, but the Old Madam stopped her hand after a few strokes.

“He wants the eldest girl just to put you on the fire,” the Old Madam said with tears in her eyes.

Su Su shook her head and didn’t speak.

“I didn’t expect the Ye family’s hundred-year old family legacy to end in this dynasty. I know the emperor, in the end, he’ll surely agree. Xi Wu, follow me to see your brother, then dismiss the house servants.”

Su Su softly said, “Okay.”

She accompanied the Old Madam to commemorate Ye Qingyu, who had been buried in a hurry. Su Su understood clearly, if his burial was delayed, he might not even have had a decent coffin.

Once Great Xia became a small vassal state, the Ye family would cease to exist.

Ye Xiao had killed countless people of Zhou Kingdom——

Among these people, there were generals and princes, and Ye Xiao had been a nightmare for the people of the Zhou Kingdom, so once Great Xia agreed to surrender and hand over the Ye family, it would be their best sincerity.

Such an act certainly made the people feel bitterly disappointed, but otherwise, it was only a matter of time before Great Xia was destroyed.

Su Su lowered her eyes, the Ye family was gone.

Tantai Jin had succeeded, and the young man with frostbitten hands in winter was now above everyone else.

He had also gotten the person he wanted the most.

*****

When Yang Ji came in holding the peace petition, the young black-clothed man was leaning in his seat while wiping a bow.

“Your Majesty, that spineless coward has indeed agreed!”

The corners of Tantai Jin’s curved up in a sarcastic arc.

Yang Ji glanced at the indifferent Ye Chufeng next to him and said, “The Emperor of Great Xia has agreed to send the Ye family’s Eldest Lady here, and in a few days time, the Ye Family will also be exiled. News has come that Ye Xiao has been summoned back to the capital.”

Ye Chufeng’s fingers trembled in his sleeve.

Tantai Jin put down his bow, raised his pitched-black eyes and said, “Other news……”

“Oh oh, Your Majesty, don’t worry. Eldest Lady Ye has been living in seclusion⁵深居简出 (shēnjū-jiǎnchū) – (of one’s own home and rarely come out); an idiom; for the past six months, and after hearing this news, she didn’t take it badly.”

Tantai Jin was still looking at him, seemingly not quite satisfied.

Yang Ji was confused, so he cautiously asked, “Could it be…… Your Majesty still wants to know other news?”

Tantai Jin threw his bow at him, “Scram!”

Yang Ji wasn’t expecting his foot to get squashed and he hopped around twice in place, “Your Majesty, this subordinate is wrong, this subordinate will get lost now.”  

Yang Ji ran out of the palace as if he was fleeing.

He thought to himself, wait, what did I do wrong! Didn’t I do my job according to His Majesty’s request?

At first, when he found out that His Majesty wanted Xiao Lin’s woman, Yang Ji was also extremely shocked. However, what kind of heavy tastes⁶重口味 (zhòngkǒuwèi) – (slang) intense; hardcore; hadn’t appeared in the Tantai royal family? When he thought about it, it was nothing big, so Yang Ji instantly felt at ease.

And Yang Ji had seen Ye Bing Shang before. She was born like flower and jade⁷如花似玉 (rúhuā-sìyù) – delicate as a flower, refined as a precious jade (idiom); (of a woman) exquisite/young and beautiful, her manner of speech was also gentle and soft, so it wasn’t surprising that His Majesty liked her.

So, why did I get a beating?

His mind turned a few times, then Yang Ji suddenly remembered a person that he’d almost almost forgotten.

—— The young girl who drew her bow and nearly killed His Majesty with a single shot six months ago.

Yang Ji shivered, “I-it can’t be, right?”

There was nothing wrong with wanting Ye Bing Shang, but constantly thinking of⁸念念不忘 (niànniàn-bùwàng) – to keep in mind constantly (idiom); bear in mind constantly; never forget a person who wanted to kill him all the time, that was deadly!

Yang Ji muttered, “So who exactly does he like?”

The Zhou Kingdom was as warm as spring, and a blood crow flew into the main hall, shaking its black wings and cawing as it landed on Tantai Jin’s sleeve.

Tantai Jin stared at it for a long time, then he held up the crow and coldly said, “Shut up! I won’t like a woman who wants to kill me, I just haven’t insulted her enough.”

Blood crow: “Caw!”

The crow tilted its head at him, then flapped its wings and flew away.

*****

The Ye family residence emptied out in the blink of an eye. Chun Tao and Xi Xi cried, refusing to leave. Su Su secretly stuffed Ye Xi Wu’s old jewelry into their baggage and drove them away with a whip. 

Since a few days ago, official soldiers were already stationed outside, the servant’s could leave, but none of the Ye family members could.

Little fatty, Fourth Ye, still didn’t know what was happening, and he nestled in Aunt Yun’s arms, eating happily. Aunt Yun was hugging her son and didn’t look the least bit anxious.

The rest of the aunts were all looked at Aunt Yun flatteringly, and she had a faintly discernible smile on her face, not looking the slightest bit panicked at facing an imminent catastrophe⁹大祸临头 (dàhuò-líntóu) – an idiom; disaster is imminent; calamity looms; all hell will break loose.

When she saw Su Su and the Old Madam, she slightly held back the contented expression on her face.

Su Su supported the Old Madam and glanced at her without speaking.

Aunt Yun was Ye Bing Shang’s biological mother, and now, there was no one who didn’t know how the Emperor of Great Zhou felt about Ye Bing Shang. It was said that pretty women are a source of calamity, but if you can be this source of calamity, then even your family members can ride on your coattails¹⁰鸡犬升天 (jī-quǎn shēng tiān) – lit. poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom); Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too; Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it.

Aunt Yun used to be timid and overcautious, but now she exuded a vague air of arrogance. If one didn’t know that the Ye family was about to be exiled, they would’ve thought that the Ye family was about to be promoted and enriched instead. In the eyes of outsiders, Ye Bing Shang becoming the Empress of Great Zhou was imminent¹¹指日可待 (zhǐrì-kědài) – just around the corner (idiom), so it was no wonder that Aunt Yun wasn’t panicked at all. 

Su Su disdained such a person, but she didn’t bother to get angry with her.

Now, she was more worried about how to arrange for her grandmother. The Old Madam was old and didn’t have household servants to take care of her. Others could withstand banishment to a bitterly cold place like Liuzhou, but the Old Madam might not be able to.

Moreover, traveling to the place of exile wasn’t by horse carriage, but on foot.

The Old Madam glanced at Aunt Yun and calmly said, “Aunt Yun, I want to see the eldest girl.”

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Edited by: Gaze