The Phoenix Reborn Book II

Chapter 89 The Descendants of the Zhou Family

“You said, Huang Miaoling finally visited Longzhu army headquarters?” Emperor Weixin rolled her eyes, staring intently at Eunuch Gao who had just given her the report.

“That's right, Your Majesty. In addition, according to the permission granted by you, the Great General also led the Huang family Army to help Wu,” Eunuch Gao replied in a low voice, saying, did not give any opportunity to the other servants and eunuchs who were behind them to hear the important discussion.

Hearing this, Emperor Weixin turned his gaze back to the streets before him. “It seems, Mingwei Junzhu is back to move behind the screen.” A faint smile was etched on his lips. “However, has he guessed my plan to ..” he did not continue his remarks. Instead, Emperor Weixin raised his gaze to the sky. “Should I admit, if he was a man, wouldn't he be a better emperor than me?”

Emperor Weixin's words made Eunuch Gao's face slightly sad. “Your Majesty, being an emperor is not easy, every step you take requires sacrifice. Moreover, with all due respect, the peace you maintain has surpassed the ancestors.”

Emperor Weixin snorts, “Peace?” He turned to Kasim Gao and revealed a bitter smile. “Don't you know how much blood this peace covers?” Then, his expression darkened. “Different from Wu's descendants who fought honestly, Wang's descendants moved in theatrics.” The man started to step up, continuing his journey. “Dan, every skit has an end.” Hands clenched. “Entah when the end will welcome this charade.”

Fearing that he would mispronounce, Kasim Gao finally decided to shut up. Judging from the words and gestures of the emperor, the man knew that Emperor Weixin had a plan of his own. What Eunuch Gao did not know was .. who else would be sacrificed in Emperor Weixin's plan this time ….

‘People in?’ Eunuch Gao guessed. ‘Atau .. outsider?’

Emperor Weixin's footsteps walked down the street to a courtyard. Increasingly, the sounds of crying and cries of panic could be heard. However, the man ignored her and continued to tread undauntedly. Only when he found a group of servants trying to restrain a girl did the man stop.

Finding the uninvited guest inside his courtyard, Wu Meilan was slightly surprised. With tears flowing like a river on her face, the girl pulled away from the servants who were holding her back.

Wu Meilan forced a calm and saluted Emperor Weixin, “Salam, His Majesty the Emperor,” his voice trembled violently, reflecting the worry and fear within him. “Sorry because Your Majesty has to look at me like this.”

Emperor Weixin's gaze was faintly seen the princess's attitude before him. He imagined his own daughter in Wu Meilan's position, and his heart was slightly filled.

“Mr Princess, I can understand how you feel right now. However, I have something that needs to be done with you.” The radiance of Emperor Weixin's previously so gentle eyes turned resolute. “This is about your wedding.”

***

It was seen someone driving his horse down the main streets of the capital. In contrast to ordinary days, the streets looked much quieter. This was likely due to news of the departure of Prime Minister Liang and Great General Huang from the capital. Everyone feels it's good to avoid over-activity in honor of the fighters' departure.

“If not for knowing the culture of the capital, I would have thought this was a dead city,” Wei Shulin said while riding his horse.

Rong Gui who was next to him only replied, “As a person of Shi Kingdom, it would be very interesting if you really do not know the traditions of your own kingdom, Chairman.”

Wei Shulin was not offended at all, he just laughed. “We have arrived,” he said while slowing down the pace of his horse. His eyes were fixed on the large plate that was plastered in front of a gate. “Longzhu Army Headquarters did attract attention.”

Seeing the arrival of Wei Shulin and Rong Gui, a guard of the headquarters gate immediately approached. “Please show us the identifier,” he said firmly.

Wei Shulin glanced at Rong Gui at a glance, like giving a gesture. This was only responded by Rong Gui with a sigh. Then, the man took out a plaque and showed it to the soldier.

Recognizing the plaque shown, the soldier immediately saluted. “Greetings to Chairman Wei and Researcher Rong!”

Rong Gui immediately got off his horse, following Wei Shulin who had first done so. “Take us to Mingwei Junzhu,” Rong Gui's orders are immediately executed by the soldier.

Just entering a few steps, Rong Gui and Wei Shulin were immediately startled by the loud exclamation, “Ha!”

In the middle of the base field, hundreds of soldiers formed a training formation and swung spears with armor neatly attached to the body. The sharp scorching sun made sweat pour down their foreheads and bodies.

“Please come with me, Chief Wei, Investigator Rong,” the gatekeeper warrior called out to the two, resuscitating them from being glued to the spot.

While walking through the sidelines, Rong Gui and Wei Shulin could hear the gasps of some of the soldiers. Some could no longer even resist grumbling.

Next to him, another soldier growled, “J-don't be noisy! If ... if Mingwei Junzhu hears you, you will end up like Lieutenant General!” he said in a loud voice that showed that he was really exhausted.

Coinciding with that, Wei Shulin and Rong Gui were startled back with a shout, “Faster! Swing it out loud!”

One figure with a tall and contained body walked among the soldiers with a monstrous face. Not only was the expression plugged on his face terrible, but it was also the bruise that his face received.

Once part of the defense ministry, Wei Shulin recognized the figure in the middle of the field. ‘B-isn't that Fang Yu?’ his inner. ‘What happened to him?!’ Slightly horrified by Fang Yu's stature, Wei Shulin did not linger staring at the man, he turned his gaze forward.

On the stage at the end of the field, where the leaders of the troops stood to shout orders or words of motivation, the figure of Huang Miaoling sat with his hands propping up the side of his head. The expression on his face looked flat, as if neither interested nor amazed by the training performance of the soldiers before him. The woman's radiance looked dark, as dark as night as she wanted to swallow all the bright light.

‘Li Shijing, Li Yanran, Li Yanmei ..’ Huang Miaoling's eyes were indeed focused forward, towards his army that was struggling against fatigue. However, the woman's mind drifted to various places. ‘Qing Zhuang and Chen Meiping.’ Huang Miaoling's black bead was seen shrinking, showing anger. Then, he again looked calm. ‘In addition, there is still Lan’er ..’

“Miaoling!”

Hearing the call of his name, Huang Miaoling immediately turned his head. As soon as her eyes landed on the figures of Wei Shulin and Rong Gui, the woman immediately stood up. “Sister Cousin, Researcher Rong,” call him politely.

Rong Gui immediately bowed. “Greetings to Mingwei Junzhu.”

“Stand,” reply Huang Miaoling while putting on a thin smile. Then, recalling the poor soldiers who were still training in the middle of the field, he glanced at a young soldier on the side of the stage. “Enough.”

After that, the young soldier exclaimed loudly, “Restained!” and everyone else fell to the ground. It was followed by sighs of relief and groans of pain.

Ignoring the indirect complaints of his troops, Huang Miaoling said to his two visitors, “What First Brother has explained everything?” As soon as he got the nod from the two people before him, Huang Miaoling nodded back. “Close with me,” he said as he walked down the stage. His eyes briefly glanced at Fang Yu who was busy reprimanding some of the soldiers lying on the ground. “Fang Yu!” huang Miaoling shouted, distracting the subordinate. “Cute with me.”

***

“Miaoling, are you serious?” the question came from Wei Shulin's lips that could no longer close after hearing his cousin's crazy idea. “Kill Emperor Weixin?!” hiss Wei Shulin, there was concern at the radiance of the man's eyes. “I-this is a great betrayal! A taboo!”

Huang Miaoling's face remained flat, his gaze looking bright. “Wang Chengliu will not care whether his actions are a taboo or not. All he had in mind .. was power.”

Feeling that he had been silent for too long, Fang Yu decided to speak up, “J-Junzhu, why are you so sure that .... that the Sixth Prince intends to betray?” It was hard for him to believe that Wang Chengliu, the only prince who was the idol of the soldiers, was a traitor. “The Sixth Prince is the man who has the least ambition, he so faithfully supports the Crown Prince!”

At this moment, Huang Miaoling turned his gaze to Fang Yu. The woman looked at her lieutenant general deeply.

The reason Wang Chengliu was idolized by the soldiers was quite simple, that was because the prince was the prince who fought most often with the other soldiers. Born unwanted, from childhood the prince was always sacrificed to fight for the country by Emperor Weixin. Indirectly, Wang Chengliu also had mute ties with most of the Shi Kingdom's soldiers.

To be honest, if not for his past life, Huang Miaoling himself would never have realized that Wang Chengliu was someone who harbored so much ambition. Originally, he had thought that the ambition to obtain the throne grew in Wang Chengliu as a result of the death of the Crown Prince, the brother closest to him.

However, what if ... from the beginning of the fraternity shown by Wang Chengliu ... was just a charade? Did other than Wang Wuyu, Wang Chengliu had earlier harbored hidden ambitions?

Huang Miaoling closed his eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath, then looked at Wei Shulin and Fang Yu deeply. “If I say ... that Wang Chengliu is a descendant of the Zhou family, will you believe?”

___

A/N: The story tempo will be a little faster. It is time for this story to close :)