Marrying a Disabled General and be His Wife

Kuo-jing Palace.

The Queen, Baili Ronghua reclined on the couch, her eyes closed in meditation while her personal maid knelt and was massaging her legs.

This year’s supply of charcoal was subpar, and the acrid smoke was suffocating. Baili Ronghua furrowed her brows and couldn’t suppress a cough.

She nudged the kneeling maid and inquired, “Have you been to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to check on the delivery of red charcoal for this year?”

“My lady, I did inquire. Manager Xu mentioned that the king only ordered a batch a few days ago. A logging ban was issued to protect the forests.”

The maid replied from her kneeling position beside the bed.

“So, we won’t be getting red charcoal this year. The white charcoal we’re using is the best the Ministry of Internal Affairs has to offer. Even Chun-fei and Yuan mei-ren is using black charcoal, and the dark smoke is overwhelming.”

Baili Ronghua got up and opened the window herself, letting in a gust of cold air. She adjusted her shawl for more warmth.

Turning back, she strode over to the charcoal basin. Her fingers brushed the soft silk of her robe, and she gazed at the rising white smoke before pushing the charcoal basin over.

“Go, inform Xu Youquan. If I don’t receive red charcoal this year, I’ll have his head thrown into the charcoal basin and burn it.”

The maid was so startled that she quivered, clutching her chest before swiftly retreating.

As the maid left, Baili Ronghua’s personal eunuch, Li Deyu, rushed in, panting heavily as he knelt before her.

“What’s the hurry?”

Baili Ronghua gave him a cursory glance and inquired, “Have you carried out the task I assigned to you?”

Li Deyu was sweating heavily and looked distressed, “My Lady, I’m afraid it’s impossible to accomplish this!”

“What happened?”

Baili Ronghua’s expression darkened. She seated herself at her dressing table, selecting a vivid red nail polish to apply to her nails.

Li Deyu wiped his forehead, “My Lady, you might not be aware, but the Owner of the Purity Sect and Young Master Yan are old acquaintances with a close relationship. I went to the Purity Sect this morning to issue the order, and the Owner of the Purity Sect is personally going to Ling-han Pavilion to inform Young Master Yan about the matter.”

“How do you know that the Owner of the Purity Sect is personally going to deliver this message?” Baili Ronghua arched an eyebrow, a subtle sharpness in her gaze.

“I heard it at An-xiang House,” Li Deyu revealed. “After I issued the assassination order, I waited at An-xiang House for updates. Unexpectedly, a group of young men with exquisite looks entered and began chatting. They mentioned that they saw the Owner of the Purity Sect and Young Master Yan crossing paths when they were leaving Ling-han Pavilion.”

“I went to inquire about it, and those young men claimed that the two of them seemed to be old acquaintances, chatting closely with each other. They appeared to have a long-standing relationship,” Li Deyu reported.

“I was concerned about any potential deception, so I headed to the Purity Sect. The person in charge of accepting the order had already received the news and outright refused our assassination request. He even stated, ‘Young Master Yan is a friend of their sect leader. Anyone who lays a finger on him will meet their end.'”

Baili Ronghua set down the nail polish, speaking softly. “Anyone who touches him will be killed. This Yan Lie has the nerve, considering his background.”

“My Lady, don’t forget, he was the one who assassinated Queen Qi,” Li Deyu reminded carefully.

“Ha,” Baili Ronghua sneered. “Of course, I haven’t forgotten that. But Yan Lie could kill her because he had that Young Master Yan to assist him. Now, in our Jing Kingdom, even though he’s a native, there is no one could him like that Young Master Yan.”

Baili Ronghua sighed, blowing on her newly painted nails. “Go and find another man. Since Young Master Yan can’t belong to Heng’er, he must be eliminated. We can’t let him aid someone else.”

“Yes,” Li Deyu replied, wiping away his sweat. “I will attend to it right away.”

.

.

In Ling-han Pavilion, Tan Chuyan had returned to rest after seeing Chu Qingyi and Chu Yiling.

Firstly, he was genuinely tired, and secondly, the medication he had ingested had a sleepy effect, making it hard to remain awake.

He slept for a significant period. Upon waking, although the sun was still high, evening was only about an hour away.

Tianbao, who had been sent on a task, had returned at this point.

Tianbao was dozing on the table and awoke upon hearing the rustling from the bed.

“Your Highness, you’re awake.” Tianbao remarked as he approached the bedside, parting the curtains for Tan Chuyan and assisting him in donning a warmer clothing.

Tan Chuyan reached for the hem of his attire with his fingers, gazing at the red plum blossoms positioned by the window, and inquired, “Have you completed the tasks I assigned to you?”

“It’s all taken care of, without a hitch,” Tianbao asserted, patting his chest. “To make the performance appear more convincing, I visited the Xiang-gu Pavilion and recruited a few youthful singers who are as cheerful as I am to perform at An-xiang House. During the process, some people inquired about it and were left flabbergasted.”

Tan Chuyan commended, “You’ve done an excellent job.”

Tianbao was more than happy to help. He knelt at the side of the couch, draping his arms across the couch’s edge. “Your Highness, I don’t understand. Why did Yan Lie in hurry to arrive here? What has he been up to these past few days?”

Tan Chuyan replied, “He came here specifically to see me today. You don’t understand Yan Lie. If he wanted to see me, there’s no reason he couldn’t have done so a few days ago.”

Indeed, Yan Lie’s visit had been out of the ordinary. Given his line of work as the head of the Purity Sect, he must have had a compelling reason to meet in person.

While Tan Chuyan initially suspected that the Fifth Highness Chu Yiheng had bought his life, he was taken aback to learn that the real purchaser was Queen Baili Ronghua. It left him questioning Chu Yiheng’s decision-making abilities.

Yet, there were more profound mysteries to consider. How did Yan Lie acquire this information, and who was concealed behind the mask?

Despite his claims of indifference, the questions nagged at him.

Appearing lost in thought, he closed his eyes and massaged his temples.

Concerned, Tianbao asked, “Your Highness, do you have a headache?”

Tan Chuyan responded, “No, I’m just thinking about some things.”

Tianbao, relieved, lay back and resumed the conversation, “Your Highness, there’s something I still don’t quite understand. You’ve spoken at length about revealing your relationship with Yan Lie. What’s the purpose of exposing this connection intentionally?”

Tan Chuyan patiently explained, “I will be stationed in Jing Kingdom for an extended period. Ling-han Pavilion doesn’t have a specialized protection team, and the number of individuals with advanced martial skills is limited. So, I want to leverage Yan Lie’s reputation to intimidate potential adversaries. It serves as an additional layer of security, especially given the harsh nature of the battle between the princes.”

In truth, Tan Chuyan had long wanted to capitalize on Yan Lie’s influence. Prolonged residence in Jing Kingdom and the brutal competition for the crown prince’s title were both strong motivators.

Revealing his close association with Yan Lie would not only add an extra layer of protection for him personally but would also safeguard Ling-han Pavilion and his chosen allies in Jing Kingdom.

As for the Ling-han Pavilion in Qi Kingdom, he had already taken measures to secretly transfer it when he learned of the impending marriage. So even if his connection with Yan Lie was unveiled and triggered a potential attack on Ling-han Pavilion in Qi Kingdom, it would merely be a hollow shell.

An-xiang House in Qi Kingdom could continue operating, as the two establishments worked in tandem. The world knew that Young Master Yan presided over Ling-han Pavilion, but his ownership of An-xiang House remained concealed, offering him a strategic advantage.

In the meantime, An-xiang House, with its significant foot traffic, was the perfect choice for disseminating these rumors quickly.

Observing Tianbao’s persistent confusion, Tan Chuyan consoled him, “Don’t worry if you can’t quite grasp it. Don’t strain yourself.”

Tianbao nodded in agreement, feeling a little dejected, as though he couldn’t keep up with Chu Yan’s intricate thinking.

.

“Young Master,” Yan Changfeng’s voice interrupted their conversation, “Are you awake?”

“Yes,” Tan Chuyan responded, prompting Tianbao to help him change his attire.

“Please wait a moment.”

Around Tianbao, Tan Chuyan could be at ease, almost like family. They had grown up together and shared a relationship more akin to siblings than master and servant. Tianbao knew him inside out, and their connection transcended traditional servant-master roles.

However, Yan Changfeng and Xiao Yutang, despite their “master” monikers, maintained a more formal dynamic. While they possessed a deep mutual understanding, their loyalties lay primarily with the forces of An-xiang House and Ling-han Pavilion rather than just Tan Chuyan.

Having changed into fresh attire, Tan Chuyan took a seat at the table, “Uncle Yan, please come in.”

Tianbao opened the door for Yan Changfeng, inviting him inside.

Observing the figure at the table, Yan Changfeng offered a simple bow and said, “Young Master, I have obtained the results of the investigation you assigned to me.”

The efficiency of Ling-han Pavilion rarely disappointed Tan Chuyan.

Tan Chuyan glanced up, noting that Yan Changfeng looked somewhat weathered. He instructed Tianbao to serve him a cup of hot tea before inquiring, “Please share the findings.”

Yan Changfeng, with the tea in hand, began to explain, “During my delivery to the palace today, I took the opportunity to conduct the investigation personally. After asking various palace maids and eunuchs, it became apparent that the general consensus is that Chu Yiheng is a wise and accomplished future king. However, all the remarks about him were nearly identical.”

Continuing his narrative, Yan Changfeng recounted the peculiar scene he had witnessed at the queen’s palace.

“When I arrived at the queen’s palace, I saw one of the queen’s maids exiting in tears. I discreetly offered her some money to speak candidly. It confirmed that the reality was quite different.”

Curious, Tan Chuyan inquired, “Different in what way?”

Yan Changfeng elaborated, “Chu Yiheng is not a diligent and wise king. Instead, he is portrayed as a complete playboy, an overly lustful tyrant. He doesn’t even spare the maids serving the queen, much less others. This fabricated narrative was orchestrated by the queen, with the motive being to elevate Chu Yiheng’s public image.”

The reasons behind this deception were clear. To secure Chu Yiheng’s position as the future crown prince, the queen needed to shape a more favorable perception of him.

Tan Chuyan hadn’t paid much attention to this matter, but he now found himself chastising his own neglectfulness. This falsehood had successfully fooled everyone, even those inside the palace, including King Jing, not to mention outsiders like him.

Yet, the question still lingered.

How did Yan Lie come to know this information?

Could he be affiliated with the palace?

Tan Chuyan couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to uncover the identity of the person concealed beneath the mask.

In a moment of irritation, he drank a cup of herbal tea, cursing himself for entertaining the thought of approaching that bothersome individual yet again.

Unbeknownst to him, Feng Chilie was equally curious about the identity of the person behind the veil, pondering how he had access to Qi Kingdom’s palace map with such ease.