BLHO Chapter 9
by VolareChapter 9: Help Me Kill Someone
He Yuncheng, besides being on military campaigns, only frequented the military camp and the General’s Manor. He was either training soldiers or revolving around Lin Shuangxu. How could he possibly understand Princess Meng Ning’s temperament? He’d assumed that the princess, being noble and aloof, would take the initiative to request a divorce upon learning that her future consort was a person of scandalous behavior.
Never did he expect that she would directly storm over in anger.
When He Yuncheng rushed back on horseback, the manor was eerily silent.
The servants didn’t dare to approach or speak. Upon seeing the general’s return, they quickly gathered around, “General…”
“Where is the young master?”
“The young master is in the main yard…”
He Yuncheng’s footsteps were hurried and unwavering as he strode towards the main yard.
Lin Shuangxu’s figure looked thin and frail as he knelt quietly on a thick slab of ice. He didn’t turn around even when he heard someone approaching from behind.
He wasn’t even wearing a cloak, his face pale with cold. He Yuncheng felt both distressed and angry at the sight. Without thinking, he rushed over to pull him up, “Get up.”
“General He—” The woman sitting on the grand chair looked at him with great interest, drawing out her words as she spoke.
In the prime of her youth, she was dressed in bright red, with a graceful figure and a pretty face, exuding utter arrogance and intelligence.
This person was none other than Gu Meng Ning, the daughter of the late emperor and the Qi dynasty long princess.
“This princess has said, he can only get up when he melts the ice he is kneeling on.”
In the dead of winter, how could one possibly melt such thick ice by kneeling on it? He Yuncheng’s anger flared up, and he disregarded everything, directly addressing the person before him by her name, “Gu Meng Ning! What are you doing?”
“How dare you!” The maid beside her retorted, pointing at He Yuncheng, “How can you directly call the princess by her name!”
“Oh.” Gu Meng Ning waved her hand, stopping her maid, a smile playing on her lips, “This is this princess’s future consort. Why are you being so fierce?”
She stood up and walked to He Yuncheng. She wasn’t as tall as him, but her noble aura was in no way inferior. She curiously blinked her eyes as she observed his expression, “Oh, so distressed? I heard he was General He’s student, not related to you by blood, yet your feelings run so deep.”
He Yuncheng hadn’t known that Gu Meng Ning was someone who refused to suffer losses. His actions these past few days must have made her feel humiliated. Had he known she was this kind of person, he shouldn’t have used this method to force her to request a divorce.
Beneath Lin Shuangxu’s knees was piercingly cold ice, yet one couldn’t discern any emotion from his face. It was as if he had long anticipated this outcome.
No wonder he hadn’t come to bother him these past few days, allowing him to stay so peacefully at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.
He was waiting for him to provoke Gu Meng Ning to the point of exploding, thus making this marriage irreversible.
He Yuncheng suppressed his anger and said kindly to Gu Meng Ning, “I will kneel for you, let him get up.”
“I won’t.” Gu Meng Ning tilted her head, “He is the He family’s young master, and his lack of discipline means he hasn’t fulfilled his responsibilities. I will make him kneel.”
“You…” He Yuncheng had no patience to argue with her. He went forward and grabbed Lin Shuangxu’s wrist, “Get up.”
Lin Shuangxu shook him off, lifted his head, and his gaze was even colder than the ice beneath his knees, “He Yuncheng, when will you stop making trouble?”
He Yuncheng knew that he had been inconsiderate, and his tone softened, “I was wrong…”
“Don’t tell me that.”
Lin Shuangxu stared ahead, continuing to kneel.
He Yuncheng opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. He took off the cloak behind him and draped it over him.
“Take it away.” Lin Shuangxu didn’t appreciate it at all.
He Yuncheng felt guilty and distressed, kneeling on one knee beside him, “You just recovered from a cold a few days ago, I’m worried…”
Lin Shuangxu gave him a warning glance, and he quickly shut his mouth, cursing himself for being stupid. Wasn’t mentioning this just making him angrier?
He said softly, “It’s my fault, I was wrong…”
“Cough.” Gu Meng Ning cleared her throat, watching them like a show, reminding them, “This princess is still here.”
Lin Shuangxu remained motionless, continuing to kneel. After a moment of consideration, He Yuncheng stood up and calmly said to Gu Meng Ning, “Since you’ve come to my door, then I’ll take this opportunity to make things clear with you. I cannot marry you.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Meng Ning wasn’t surprised or angry. The corners of her eyes still held a smile as she paced back and forth in contemplation, slowly nodding. Then, she stopped in front of He Yuncheng and said to him, “Come with me, I have a few words to say to you in private.”
–
The two entered the study and closed the door. He Yuncheng stood at a distance, avoiding getting too close, to avoid suspicion.
Gu Meng Ning, on the other hand, wasn’t as restrained as him. She sat comfortably on the chair, poured herself a cup of tea, and then took out a thin scroll from her sleeve. With a casual wave of her hand, she tossed the scroll to He Yuncheng.
He Yuncheng caught it, “What is this?”
Gu Meng Ning lowered her head and blew on the tea in her hand, “Open it and you’ll find out.”
He Yuncheng unrolled the scroll and saw the neat handwriting on it.
“To my esteemed subject Yuncheng: The He family is loyal to the emperor and protects the country, their hard work is highly meritorious. Sending the military order was not my original intention, but the eunuchs are in power, manipulating the cabinet. I have the heart to protect the He family’s army, but I am truly powerless. Now, I can only rely on maternal relatives to deter the powerful officials in the court. This is a temporary measure. The Empress Dowager is the Qi dynasty long princess. Your marriage with the princess will have the support of the Qi dynasty, and the officials will be wary and dare not press you too hard. I hope my esteemed subject will marry the princess as soon as possible and stabilize the court situation.”
The signature was “Gu Huan, handwritten.”
“This letter was written by the Emperor?” He Yuncheng looked at the sincere and humble words on the letter, unsure.
The Bei Sheng Emperor, Gu Huan, lost his mother at a young age and was adopted by the Qi dynasty long princess Jingfei, who had married into Bei Sheng. When he was thirteen, the late emperor passed away, and his stepmother supported him in ascending the throne, making him the youngest emperor in Bei Sheng’s history. In He Yuncheng’s memory, Gu Huan was a weak child who had never experienced hardship. Now, he was seventeen years old. Although his power was controlled by corrupt eunuchs, he also knew how to worry about the country.
“Otherwise? Would I deceive you with a fake imperial decree?” Gu Meng Ning put down her teacup, abandoning her unrestrained attitude, and said seriously, “The treacherous officials are in power. General He risked his life on the battlefield, but was forced out and ostracized by his colleagues. You’re alone, it’s hard to cope with, right?”
He Yuncheng was silent.
Gu Meng Ning continued, “It’s difficult for Huan’er to be the emperor. The court situation is unstable, and even eunuchs dare to covet imperial power. Although my mother has the Qi dynasty as her backing, she is a woman and cannot interfere in court affairs. Someone needs to come forward to assist the emperor and protect Bei Sheng’s country.”
She put her hands behind her back and walked to He Yuncheng, “This princess is not familiar with you. It’s not your place to look down on me, and I can’t be bothered to look at you.”
She smiled and turned around. If he hadn’t misheard, she had called He Yuncheng a shameless pervert. Then, she sat back on the rosewood chair and said, “You’ve made me lose face these past few days, and I won’t hold it against you. You and I will have a fake marriage, and we will not interfere with each other after the wedding. We will not consummate the marriage. When the court situation is stable, we will immediately divorce. What do you think?”
This was indeed a solution, but… He Yuncheng frowned in thought, and after a long time, he said, “In that case, it will damage the princess’s reputation. Are you really willing?”
“Of course I’m not willing!” Gu Meng Ning smiled, “So, since I’m taking such a big loss, and I’m stabilizing General He’s military power, shouldn’t the general repay me with something?”
He Yuncheng asked suspiciously, “What do you want me to do?”
Her eyes were cunning as she slowly said, “Help me kill someone.”