Chapter 130 - Opening the Bow

Yan Jue walked out of the royal tent with a dignified posture and just as she entered the tent that Nan Gong Yin had arranged for her, she saw a familiar person kneeling by the door.
She turned her head and walked past calmly, sat down elegantly, and then looked at the person: "Why is Miss Wen still kneeling here? Lord Zuo Xiang has been waiting for you on the ground for over a year. If you don't go find him soon, he will come looking for you."
Wen Ya remained silent for a while before asking, "What about Li Yuanshu? How is she doing?"
Before Yan Jue could answer, she started talking to herself, "Her parents were both beheaded, and her older brother is useless. With so many uncles, aunts, and cousins in the mansion, they must have sold her off to get money, right? With her temperament, she is bound to be tortured in her husband's family. She may not be better off than me! Hahaha--"
She said to herself and suddenly burst into laughter, with big tears rolling down her face. She cried and laughed at the same time, as if possessed by a demon.
"She may not be better than me! Didn't she also fail to marry Prince Xishi? Your Highness, you may not be able to marry a good man either, be it Prince Xie, General Wei, Lord Mu, or any other talented young man. None of them would be a suitable match for you! I know you were just tricking him with those words earlier. Someone like you, who can only see power in their eyes, could never give in and become someone else's follower!"
She looked at Yan Jue and said slowly, her tone bleak and like a curse: "You are up high, you will become the renowned female emperor of Great Yan, but so what? In the end, you will still be a lonely person. One day, your descendants will start killing each other again. They won't remember that you are their mother, they will only care about the throne under you. Ha! What a fascinating power it is, Your Highness! How enjoyable it must be for you, to feel the sensation of people willingly sacrificing themselves for you! Have you prepared for the possibility of betrayal and isolation?"
She lay weakly on the ground, unable to maintain the kneeling position any longer, but still stubbornly turned her head and stared at Yan Jue.
Yan Jue became silent for a while and said, "Li Yuanshu has severed ties with her family. Although she married a scholar, she is living a good life. The elders in her husband's family are reasonable, the couple harmonious, and they have a loving relationship. Everyone envies her."
Wenya incredulously stared wide-eyed, bloodshot veins visible in her eyes. She murmured, "Impossible, impossible, how is this possible... it can't be... my father died, there's no reason I would be like this, like this..."
She realized something and cried out, "Is this how I am...? Why is no one willing to give me a way out? Why does everyone want me to die... but let her live?"
She did not get an answer, but she was very clear in her heart why.
Naturally, Li Yuanshu is open and aboveboard, disdaining to use sinister means, with a grandfather behind her protecting her. And when she tries to harm others, she is exposed, bringing disaster to her whole family. Even when it comes to doing bad things, she cannot compare to those who have no intention of doing bad things.
However, what a bright and upright way of living! If possible, who wouldn't want to live openly and cleanly? Who would want their hands stained with blood, fearing the appearance of evil spirits in their dreams, ready to claim their lives at midnight?
But as humans live in the world, there are too many things beyond our control and things we cannot change. In order to live a fulfilling life, it is inevitable that we may cause harm to others, and we must face the consequences and accept our fate!
Yan Yue saw her crying in breathless sobs and said, "As for me, Princess Yan will also be fine. One day, Da Yan will be in my grasp. At that time, Haiqing River will be called Yan, and all nations will come to court. The world will be peaceful. If you..."

She paused, and her eyelids trembled unconsciously.
There was a moment of silence in the tent, and then she spoke to the expanding pool of blood and the growing cold bodies in front of her, finishing her sentence, "I look forward to the day you can live to see."

During wartime, people die every day in the military, either on the battlefield where weapons clash, or in the moaning and groaning of the wounded soldiers in the rear camp. Occasionally, some people also die in the generals' tents, but everyone is used to it, and the people who move the bodies and clean the ground are not surprised by it.
When they finished cleaning up the camp of this unknown young woman efficiently, they were about to leave when suddenly they were called back.
"Do you know who she is?"
The two men in front looked at each other and one of them respectfully answered, "She is a woman from the Red Tent. It is said that she was sold from Dai Yan."
"I understand, you may leave now."
.
In two days, people from the descendants of the Jin Dynasty came to provide support. When Nangong Yin received them, he asked someone to invite Yan Jue to accompany him.
Of course, Yan Jue did not go as the Grand Princess Yan. She disguised herself as a serving maid, quietly standing in a corner, without the need to attend to anyone, and able to see the whole scene.
There was a very young man among the attendees, who was gentle and polite in his manners. According to the news from Nangong Yin, Yan Jue quickly identified the person's identity.
Crown Prince of Jin.
Throughout the reception, there was no remarkable news. When the banquet was about to end, the Tai Shi said to the King of Molan, "The Crown Prince wants to visit the wounded soldiers' camp."
The Emperor smiled meaningfully and said, "The little prince has a kind heart." Then he stood up and said, "I'll go take a look myself."
He casually pointed several people to go with him, including Yan Jue.
In the infirmary, soldiers lie horizontally and vertically, some with minor cuts and others with missing limbs. The cries of despair fill the camp, the stench overwhelming. Most faces portray misery and resentment, while others, numbly, stare into the abyss of death.
"Your Highness, please look."
The Grand Tutor stood in the tent, pointing at the wounded soldiers who were tormented by pain but had a gleam of light in their eyes upon their arrival.
"Do you know why these people are lying here?"
The crown prince remained silent.
He continued, "Their hopes rest on your shoulders, and all their blood has been shed for you. Can you honestly say that you have fulfilled your duties to them? Can you face their wives and children waiting anxiously at home, as well as their elderly parents?"
The Crown Prince's face was full of agony and struggle.
"I know Your Highness's situation is not easy. The pain I bear is nothing compared to what you endure. But if I can fall, anyone can fall, anyone can say they don't want to continue. But you cannot! You have not only yourself to think of, but also the millions of people behind you who need you to save them! You know better than anyone who Yan Emperor is. Will he be a wise ruler? And what about his princess? She is extravagant, cruel, and enjoys killing. Can you let your people suffer under such leadership?"
Yan Yue quietly rolled her eyes behind, instantly understanding the intentions of this Duke Jin.
It was nothing more than the Crown Prince of the Duanmiao Clan unwilling to continue, so he began to smear them, forcing their Crown Prince to turn against Yan and restore the Jin Dynasty.
The Crown Prince of Jin remained silent, his eyes red as he stared at the wounded soldiers who were groaning and wailing.
At that moment, Nangong Yin spoke up to mediate, adopting a posture that was different from his usual lowly demeanor, almost bordering on humility.
"Little Your Highness, the Grand Tutor also acted out of good intentions. It is inevitable for him to lose control a bit. Please understand and don't disappoint his goodwill."
After saying that, he turned to the Grand Tutor and said, "Young Your Highness, it is natural for you to sometimes lose your sense of propriety due to your youth. You still need the assistance of the Grand Tutor. You are intelligent and it was just a momentary lapse. A gentle persuasion would suffice. Why be so hasty and make it worse?"
The monarch and the minister looked at each other, tears welled up in their eyes. After a while, they resumed their harmonious relationship as loyal ruler and beloved heir.
Clearly, although they had some disagreements, the trustworthy minister and the devoted prince remained loyal and true to each other.
Send the people of the Jin Dynasty to the arranged camp to rest, and South Palace Yin stood in the royal tent, looking in that direction with a mocking face.
"Has the princess seen clearly?"
Yan Jue glanced at him: "The Crown Prince of Jin seems to be a kind-hearted person."
"It's a pity that he is indecisive. If he had even a tenth of the determination of his ancestors... Ha! The fate of Da Jin is sealed."
"A person with a good heart, if born in a commoner's family, may become a great sage, admired by others. But if born in a royal family, it may not be a good thing. Either harming others or harming oneself."
"The sovereign certainly has a deep understanding." She nodded and smiled lightly.
"Isn't the princess the same?" He turned his neck and looked straight into her narrow eyes.
"The princess wonders, when will your sweetheart bring people to attack?"
"Master, you must think carefully, once the bow is drawn, there's no turning back."
South Gong Yin smiled and stared at her straight in the eye.