MLIAM Chapter 45
by VolareThe excitement of the wedding banquet didn’t last long, and the Da Liang army, which had been stationed, was forced to set out again.
This time, the objective was to destroy Xizhao’s military equipment, preventing them from daring to invade again in the short term.
Yu Shuli led the Northwest Army at the forefront. Under Chen Li’s command, they led the enemy into treacherous terrain, then encircled them, causing the Xizhao deserters to abandon their armor and flee in disarray.
Chen Li, though brainless and stubborn when it came to assassination, always managed to achieve unexpected victories in combat. Several man-made avalanches allowed the Da Liang army to advance dozens of miles again without losing a single soldier.
That day, they had reached deep into the mountains. Winter snow covered the vegetation, and Yu Shuli ordered the army to halt and set up camp.
Chen Li rubbed his hands and slipped into Yu Shuli’s tent, huddling in front of the charcoal brazier for warmth.
Yu Shuli finished reading the war report, turned his head, and kicked him a couple of times in disgust: “Don’t you have your own tent? Why do you always come here?”
Chen Li complained: “Isn’t it because the charcoal you use here is the best?! Mine has a weird smell and is very choking.”
Yu Shuli: “Nonsense! The charcoal used is all the same, how can there be any difference between good and bad?”
“Even if you don’t believe me, you have to believe my picky young master’s habits…” Chen Li said, “It’s really different. Yours is the best Silver Filigree Charcoal.”
Yu Shuli walked over, picked up the fire tongs, and poked at the charcoal. The brazier made a “crackling” sound, and some sparks flew out.
He pondered for a moment and asked, “Who arranged my tent?”
Chen Li pursed his lips: “Being able to arrange such expensive things for you, it must be that person from your family.”
“Call Zhong Nian over,” Yu Shuli said to the outside.
After a long while, Zhong Nian, taking advantage of the night, walked in, shivering. “Junior General, you were looking for me?”
“Who arranged the Silver Filigree Charcoal in my tent?”
“Oh, that.” Zhong Nian smiled, “Who else could it be? Didn’t that person donate money? Liu Fa said that your expenses should be paid from that person’s account and not be included in our army camp expenses.”
Chen Li hissed: “Marrying a sugar daddy is really something!” He turned his head and looked at Zhong Nian enviously: “I also donate money, can I apply to have the charcoal in my tent changed too?”
Zhong Nian shook his head apologetically: “I’m afraid not.”
“Why?!” Chen Li widened his eyes: “You’re being biased!”
“You’ve misunderstood.” Zhong Nian explained, “These Silver Filigree Charcoal were specially sent from a long distance by that person. There’s only this amount, and it’ll be gone when it’s used up. It’s not even enough for the Junior General alone.”
Chen Li had never been on the battlefield and suffered, so he had naturally never experienced any hardship. He sighed: “In this day and age, even charcoal is a scarce commodity?!”
“Alright,” Yu Shuli interrupted their conversation, instructing Zhong Nian: “Divide the remaining Silver Filigree Charcoal among everyone, as much as you can. No matter what, it’s still a gesture of goodwill. There’s no reason for me to enjoy it alone.”
“Tsk, that person is so blatantly favoring you, and you…” Chen Li showed an expression of disappointment: “You really don’t appreciate the blessings you have.”
Yu Shuli remained unmoved: “A true man, being in the army camp, should naturally share the joys and hardships with the soldiers. There’s no reason for me to enjoy the blessings alone?!”
Chen Li blinked: “You… are you complaining that Prime Minister Wei doesn’t understand you?” He sized up Yu Shuli: “Strange, your views are so different, yet you still married him?”
Yu Shuli sighed: “My relationship with him is not what you think…”
Zhong Nian’s mouth twitched, his expression as if to say: You’re already sleeping in the same bed, what other kind of relationship could it be?
“When the war is over, and the Dynasty is stable, sooner or later, he and I will return to our normal lives.” Under the candlelight, Yu Shuli’s profile appeared clear and blurred: “The way things are now is ultimately too ridiculous…” He calmed down a bit, not as impulsive as before.
Chen Li rarely showed a serious expression: “Junior General, don’t blame me for not reminding you, someone like Prime Minister Wei, once you cross the line with him, don’t expect to get away unscathed.”
He said: “Are you so sure that if your marriage breaks up, he will still be willing to be friends with you?”
Yu Shuli was stunned. That was what he was worried about.
He didn’t want to lose Wei Yan as a friend, but marriage was marriage, and asking him to do those things with Wei Yan was ultimately a bit difficult,belong is an excessive challenge to his bottom line.
Before this, Yu Shuli had never liked any man, so naturally, he had no impulses towards men either.
And Wei Yan, from the initial touches and caresses to the later blatant kisses, Yu Shuli asked himself, from the initial rejection to the later numb acceptance and even occasional compliance, the struggle didn’t last long.
But kissing was just kissing, it didn’t really affect anything… But that didn’t mean that Yu Shuli wanted him to take it a step further and do those… unspeakable things.
Once these deeper things were done, the relationship between the two would never be the same again.
So… on the wedding night, Yu Shuli pretended to be asleep.
Wei Yan was considerate and didn’t wake him up.
But Yu Shuli knew he was disappointed.
He took such a long bath, he couldn’t have had no expectations.
But Yu Shuli was not prepared at all. He felt that his feelings for Wei Yan were at most to the level of “good brothers who can kiss.”
Moreover, Wei Yan’s health was not good. If they really did that kind of thing, Yu Shuli was worried that if he let him be on the bottom, he wouldn’t be able to handle it and would pass out directly.
It was said that being on the bottom was always very hard.
But Yu Shuli was very unwilling to be on the bottom himself.
So, since he couldn’t lower his dignity, and this problem had become a tangled mess, he simply wouldn’t untangle it for the time being, letting it remain chaotic.
“Speaking of Prime Minister… I wonder how Quzhou is now…” Zhong Nian said, “Thirteen said that several letters have been sent from Quzhou, urging the Prime Minister.”
Yu Shuli sneered, “That old fox Wei Yan, if he was really anxious, he would have left already. Why would he drag his feet here for so long?”
“Isn’t it because he’s worried about you…” Zhong Nian muttered, “You fight wars like you don’t value your life, not caring about the lives of your family.”
Yu Shuli raised an eyebrow and looked at him: “Did Wei Yan teach you to say that?”
Zhong Nian, exposed, didn’t deny it: “Junior General sometimes doesn’t think ahead and consider the consequences. Sometimes, you could clearly discuss more stable methods with us.” He didn’t finish his sentence before suddenly changing his tone: “It’s because we’re too stupid, so the Junior General is under a lot of pressure. From now on, Zhong Nian will also work hard to share the burden for you. I hope you’ll try to trust us.”
Yu Shuli only felt a slight burning sensation in his heart. He was silent for a long time, “Wei Yan taught you that too?”
Zhong Nian nodded: “The Prime Minister said that the Junior General has been carrying us forward under heavy burdens, so you have been eager to create a good result, to establish a merit that is enough to shock the Main Court, so that our group of brothers can have something to rely on. The strength of the Northwest Army, although it is a leader in the Da Liang army, all comes from the reputation of the Junior General. To be your backing, the current status and record of the Northwest Army is far from enough.”
Zhong Nian stood up straight: “Old General Yu was once the life-saving charm of the Northwest Army, the guarantee of the Northwest Army’s iron rice bowl, but in the end, the Northwest Army failed to protect Old General Yu, leaving him to retire with regret. Now, we must not repeat the same mistake. Everything in the Northwest Army comes from the Yu family. Gratitude will only be repaid to the Yu family. It has nothing to do with the Dynasty.”
Hearing this, Chen Li’s face changed.
Yu Shuli also sternly stopped him: “Shut up!”
“Zhong Nian, is he crazy, are you crazy too?” Yu Shuli lowered his voice: “This is the army camp! Not children playing house! Without a military seal, you and I are nothing! What do you want to use to command the army? My reputation?!”
Zhong Nian still stubbornly raised his head: “Given time, the Northwest Army will surely become the Junior General’s backing. So that no one can give you a hard time. Zhong Nian guarantees it with his life!”
Yu Shuli had a terrible headache. He pressed his temples: “Forget it. I don’t know what rat poison Wei Yan fed you to make you so excited, but I sincerely remind you, our Northwest Army has only a few ten thousand people. We really can’t achieve much right now. Don’t be arrogant. What do I want your life for? How much are you worth?”
“Your subordinate understands, your subordinate will work hard to earn his worth.” Zhong Nian left with his arms folded, leaving only Chen Li, who hadn’t recovered from his shocked expression, and Yu Shuli.
Seeing Yu Shuli’s dangerous gaze, Chen Li quickly covered his mouth to express his loyalty: “I will watch my mouth and won’t talk nonsense.”
Yu Shuli didn’t say anything, and Chen Li continued: “You also know that I have a feud with the Crown Prince, so I don’t support him taking the throne. And that Third Prince, he spends his days idle and seems like a playboy, seemingly not aggressive. But I also know a secret about him, and I know that he’s not a good candidate for emperor either. So, after thinking about it, the Second Prince is the best successor.”
Chen Li sized up Yu Shuli. Seeing that Yu Shuli was still impassive, he continued: “I guess the Junior General should have similar thoughts as me. You just say, can we talk? If we can, I’ll tell you some little stories about the Third Prince and the Crown Prince.”
Yu Shuli didn’t like to be coy, so he asked directly, “So, you’re also a person of the Second Prince?”
The two exchanged knowing glances.
Chen Li finally revealed a relieved expression: “It seems the Junior General is too.” He exclaimed and came over to pat Yu Shuli on the shoulder: “You should have said so earlier. I wouldn’t have been so worried in prison.”
Yu Shuli glanced at him. No wonder he was still arrogant in prison after being sentenced to death. It turned out to be the Second Prince’s doing.
Chen Li might be a fool, but the Second Prince was as clear as a mirror. His arrangement must have had his reasons.
“Don’t try to get close to me,” Yu Shuli pushed him away: “So, Wei Yan also knows that you’re a person of the Second Prince?”
“Shouldn’t he?” Chen Li scratched his head: “To be honest, I didn’t believe that he wasn’t taking sides in the Dynasty. Thinking about how he helped the Crown Prince before, I always thought he was the Crown Prince’s man.”
“That was His Majesty’s order,” Yu Shuli said: “His Majesty is very interested in letting the Crown Prince succeed.”
Speaking of this, Chen Li also sighed: “Hey, don’t you think this old emperor is blind? Can’t he see which son can be a good emperor? That Crown Prince, even among the common people, is a third-rate character who would abduct women. It’s just because he was born well that he became the Crown Prince, surrounded by people. Each and every one of them is helping him do evil, which has made him the way he is! Fortunately, my sister married early! Otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?” He stopped abruptly, but Yu Shuli asked: “What then?”
“Otherwise, she would have been defiled by that beast!” Chen Li’s face was full of anger: “That bastard! He’s not worthy of being human!”
Yu Shuli knew that there was a story behind this. He quickly patted the bed beside him, sat down, adjusted to a comfortable sitting position, and looked at Chen Li: “Tell me about it.”
Chen Li paced over and sat down next to him as well. “This matter can’t be considered a secret that can’t be told.”
“Around the seventeenth year of Tianyuan, His Majesty went on an autumn hunt at the Imperial Villa. Not far outside the hunting grounds was one of my family’s mountain villas. That day, I remember it was particularly cold. My sister took a servant to the countryside to gather herbs–oh, I forgot to tell you, my sister was a disciple of the famous doctor Yang Ming. Because it was cold for a period of time, several rare herbs were not found, and the patient was in critical condition, so my sister thought of going deep into the forest to search. She accidentally entered the hunting grounds and heard the Crown Prince talking to his subordinates.”
The seventeenth year of Tianyuan…
The memory of this year had disappeared in Yu Shuli’s mind. He knew that this was one of the years when he lost his memory, so he became interested in listening carefully.
Seeing Chen Li’s hands shaking, Yu Shuli kindly got up to pour him a cup of hot tea, took it over, and handed it to him. “Then what? What were the Crown Prince and his subordinates saying?”
“They were saying…” Chen Li closed his eyes: “His subordinate’s original words were: ‘That Lengting location is subtle. We’ve already found someone to give him (her) sleeping pills, and the surrounding servants have been dismissed. Prime Minister Wei is keeping His Majesty occupied. No one can stop us. We can only succeed if we go later.'”
Yu Shuli’s teacup trembled, almost falling to the ground. “Wei Yan is having an affair with him?”
Chen Li shook his head, took the teacup from Yu Shuli’s hand, and drank it all in one gulp: “I thought so at the time and have been misunderstanding for a long time. Now that I think about it, it shouldn’t be. Maybe it was when my sister relayed it to me at the time that I had preconceived notions.”
Although he didn’t like Wei Yan, he still helped him explain: “It’s also possible that Prime Minister Wei had a reason he needed to find the emperor for, and the Crown Prince took advantage of the opportunity at that time.”
Yu Shuli felt his breathing lighten as he heard this unfamiliar memory. It felt like something was about to explode in his mind. He always felt that he had forgotten something very important. “So… the person they were planning to harm, who is it?”
Chen Li looked at Yu Shuli: “This is also what I originally wanted to ask you. Why weren’t you at the scene of the autumn hunt?”
Yu Shuli frowned tightly. “I don’t remember…”
“Alas.” Chen Li sighed: “Although the imperial family kept the victim’s information tight, rumors spread everywhere. Most of them said that the Junior General, who should have been patrolling that day, had deserted his post for some reason, fell asleep in the army camp, and slept all day, leading to this accident.”
Yu Shuli was stunned when he heard this, only feeling cold air flowing backward through his body.
Seeing his reaction, Chen Li knew that he had also guessed this, so he said directly: “It just so happens that you also inexplicably fell asleep… which matches the sleeping pills that my sister heard about. Do you think… the person the Crown Prince wanted to target at the time… could it have been you?”