Chapter 58

Empress with No Virtue – Chapter 58

OCTOBER 29, 2015 ~ LAMLAM1990

Recently the capital is in a mess.

The cabinet received the messaged sent from Ji Zhou, the message was written by Nu Zhen Tribe’s Duo Duo Wu La Tu, to notify the Da Qi Court: Your Emperor is currently in my hands, if you want him back alive, then you would have to meet my conditions. I do not want much, 10 thousand liang in Gold, as well as the land beyond Liao Dong, that would be enough.

Ye Xiu Ming was speechless, such a shameless request, it was really rare.

Furthermore, Duo Duo was afraid they will not believe, he purposely made Zhen Zhen print her fingerprint on the letter. It’s just that this fingerprint spoiled everything.

— Ye Xiu Ming has never seen Ji Wu Jiu’s fingerprint, but as to how his granddaughter’s fingerprint look like, he was still able to recognize it.

But, as an old fox; he did not speak out the truth immediately. First was to ensure the safety of Ye Zhen Zhen, to be mistaken as the emperor, then the enemy would not dare to harm her, and second, Ye Xiu Ming wanted to use this chance to settle some annoying people.

The emperor was captured, the nation cannot have no leader, some people will act rashly, and do some stupid things soon.

Therefore these few days, Ye Xiu Ming acted like he was in deep worries, he took the message received from Liao Dong sent by Ye Lei Ting and cut it into half, and only released the part where Ji Wu Jiu was chasing Duo Duo Wu La Tu out to public. When it was released, a lot of people then believed : The Emperor was captured!

Then someone at court, started to make noise about crowning a new emperor. The person behind it was the Minister Xu, supporting the son of Princess Li Yang, Tan Ji to take the post. Xu Family is the maternal family of Ji Wu Jiu, but this time to so anxiously look for people to replace him, Ye Xiu Ming felt sad for Ji Wu Jiu.

Furthermore, even the empress dowager supported this decision. Normally, a mother’s concern towards their son would be endless, but this empress dowager not only wasn’t worried about Ji Wu Jiu, but can’t wait for him to abdicate his position, it really made people questioned her.

The Xu family has always hated the Ye Family, if Tan Ji managed to be the emperor thanks to the Xu Family, then first thing they will settle of would be to end the Ye Family.

Therefore, someone’s attitude in this matter is very important— Fang Xiu Qing

To be honest, for Ye Family to be settled was what Fang Xiu Qing wanted, but he is not willing to see Xu Family that bunch of stupid people and that stupid Tan Ji to govern the country. The duet of foolish emperor and stupid minister will really bring the country down. If Tan Ji really managed to get the throne, then he, Fang Xiu Qing would no longer be useful in court.

Furthermore, it was only a letter, they have not even seen the face, who knows if this Duo Duo Wu La Tu was just bluffing? Not to mention, JI Wu Jiu has never made any fingerprints since he was born, who knew who’s print was those!

And when you look at the fingerprint closely, you will realise that it does not look like the length and size of a grown men would have, it was impossible it belonged to Ji Wu Jiu.

At this part, Fang Xiu Qing thought that he made a very important discovery.

Ye Xiu Ming, this old fox, nearly fooled him as well.

Seeing that Fang Xiu Qing did not hunt him down, towards his reaction, Ye Xiu Ming was both satisfied and disappointed. The both of them decided to called truce, and first confirm the safety of the emperor. No matter what the Xu Family is trying to do, they can just ignore.

What a joke, now the emperor is not here, the court decisions are held half by the Ye Family and another half by the Fang side, you Xu Family are nothing, the empress dowager is who?, Who is afraid of you!

***

Ye Zhen Zhen was in deep thoughts by the river.

From far, 2 soldiers who were waiting for her, got frustrated and shouted towards her back “My emperor, are you done yet?”

Ye Zhen Zhen came back to her senses and acted fixing her pants, turned and walked towards them. One of the soldiers than whined, “To pee so long, a river could have came out from you”

“I wanted to dry it abit”

Dry? Dry what?

Do you still need to ask…

The way the two soldiers look at Ye Zhen Zhen changed, which normal person will dry their little brother? In the wilderness? To play….. perhaps this central plains people really have too much time.. what the eldest prince said was true, this emperor is crazy!

Ye Zhen Zhen ignored the changing expressions of the two soldiers, and walked towards her criminal cart, and wanted to get on, but she found someone dress in white, although clothes still tidy, but his expression looks tired. Ye Zhen Zhen was surprised when she saw his face “Li You”

Li You also saw her. He walked towards her “Brother Zhen? Why are you here? Don’t tell me you are Da Qi’s spy?”

“I am not a traitor, I am captured” Ye Zhen Zhen answered, “What about you, how did you appear here?”

“I was also captured, I was following my friend’s group to come out to visit, but was cornered by a group of army, they asked if we knew how to treat injuries, then … they brought me here”

Ye Zhen Zhen nodded, the military doctors that Duo Duo had, either was lost or dead, looks like this Li You was really unlucky. Seeing that they both have the same luck, she patter his shoulder’s and said “Don’t be afraid, after they finish using you, they will let you go”

“I am not afraid, what about you?”

“Me? I Don’t know”

Then, Duo Duo walked over fuming with anger, and throw Li You to aside. Ignoring Li You, Duo Duo shouted at Zhen Zhen “Speak! Are you the emperor or not!”

Without even blinking, Ye Zhen Zhen answered, “If I say I am not, would you believe?”

“I don’t believe!” He was turning red from anger, “Most probably they didn’t recognize your fingerprint, right?”

“If you say so”, Then ignoring him Ye Zhen Zhen climbed up to her cart.

Duo Duo kept thinking of ways to proof this emperor’s identity. This damn emperor did not bring any seals with him, and also didn’t bring any close items….

No…. he is wearing the silk shirt! This thing he has long wanted to snatch it over, but that damn emperor said that he will lose the silk shirt soon, so he wants to wear it longer. Looks like, the silk shirt should be sent to Da Qi, when they see the silk shirt, they would definitely know that the emperor is in his hands”

***

In the middle of the night, Ye Zhen Zhen was tied in her tent, the moment she wanted to fall asleep, someone woke her up. “When she opened her eyes, it was Li You. Now he was wearing the Nu Zhen soldier’s uniform.

Ye Zhen Zhen just only wanted to open her mouth, Li You made a gesture of silence towards her. He untied the ropes from her and pulled her up, passing her a uniform, lowered his voice and said “Follow me”

Ye Zhen Zhen just realized Li You came to save her. She hesitates a little. There were a few thousand people outside, for the both of them; it would be hard to escape. If they were captured, Li You’s life would be on the line.

“Leave yourself, they will not kill me”

Li You did not listen to her, and stared at her stubbornly.

Ye Zhen Zhen did not want to make a fuss so she wore the uniform, and allowed Li You to drag her out of the tent.

Outside the tent, Ye Zhen Zhen found that the surrounding guards has all fainted. Pulling her along they pass through groups and groups of soldiers, and finally they left the camp. After that towards the vast land, the both of them started to run away, but not too far later, there was a noise behind them.

Many soldiers led by Duo Duo were starting to encircle them. Duo Duo walked towards the both of them, and kicked Li You away. Taking out a curved sword, and wanted to slash him. Ye Zhen Zhen stopped him “Don’t kill him”

“Get lost!” Duo Duo’s sword did not move forward, but did not retract either.

Li You shook her sleeves, “Brother Zhen , don’t bother about me”

“it was because you wanted to save me that’s why you ended here, so I cannot not save you” Ye Zhen Zhen said, and looked at Duo Duo, “so how?”

Duo Duo kept his sword, “It is just a normal Han people’s life, there is nothing about it” He said while ordering to person to drag Li You away. After that he turned to Ye Zhen Zhen, “You, follow me”

Ye Zhen Zhen climbed up and followed Duo Duo back, he brought her back to his own tent.

The moment they entered the tent, Duo Duo immediately started to remove Ye Zhen Zhen’s clothes. Ye Zhen Zhen was shocked, and was struggling to push him away “What are you doing!”

“Take down the silk shirt, I don’t believe that they will still not believe that you are in my hands”

“I will remove them myself, you go out”

Duo Duo was getting impatient, “Why are you acting like a girl” He said while leaving the tent.

The silk shirt was not easy to remove, Ye Zhen Zhen struggled with it for some time, and finally took it out. But before she can wear her armour back, Duo Duo suddenly entered, “I say, you …”

The remaining words did not come out, Duo Duo’s eyes was huge, with his chin dropped, looking at the person infront of him now. She was only wearing her inner clothes, and there was something off at the front of her chest, that was protruding, being seen by him, she immediately took the silk shirt to cover her chest.

“You!! You are a woman!” Duo Duo shocked

“No No No, it’s just that my chest is big” Ye Zhen Zhen tried to explain.

“You still dare to lie to me! Duo Duo was very angry, Woman? Woman? How can a woman be the emperor, you are not the emperor!” Feeling the hatred of the world, he grabbed her collar, “Say! Who are you!!”

“I, that…”

Duo Duo suddenly took out his dagger wanted to stab her!

Ye Zhen Zhen did not wait and shouted out “I will say!”

“Speak!”

“I, that… although I am not the emperor, but its not too far.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am the emperor’s mother, the empress dowager”

“….” Duo Duo was angered, “You are lying to me again! The emperor’s mom should at least be 40 years old, how would she be as young as you!”

“it’s real” Ye Zhen Zhen looked at him genuinely, “I am good at taking care of my complexion. There are 6 doctors in the palace that only focuses on keeping me young. You should know the skills of the central plain doctors”

Hearing what she said, Duo Duo also thought that what she said made sense. But he was still very suspicious, “you say you are the empress dowager, what is the proof?”

“The proof is this silk shirt” Ye Zhen Zhen threw the silk shirt to him, “My son is a well known filial son, Besides me, in this entire nation, who can still make him forgo his own safety and let that person wear his silk shirt?”

This reason was quite reasonable ,Duo Duo already believed her 50%, but hesitated, “His wife?”

Ye Zhen Zhen laughed coldly, her face changed to a more serious and cruel face, “That little b*tch, how can she compare!

Duo Duo suddenly remembered something else: When he first met her, she has taken advantage of her, and wanted to be his mother, it seems like most probably it was because she really has a son around his age.

This means, she most probably would really be the empress dowager.

Seeing that Duo Duo believed her, she continued “You shouldn’t be sad, although the empress dowager is not as worthy, but still has some use”

There is no other choice. Duo Duo kept the silk shirt, and think that since the emperor is a filial son, with the empress dowager in his hands, to get some money from him should be of no problem.

When Ye Zhen Zhen left the tent, she found out that there was a layer of sweat formed on her forehead. Simply wiping them, she returned to her own tent, all the way thinking back about the scenes earlier, it was lucky that she threw out the empress dowager’s name. Firstly, Duo Duo would not dare to kill her, and secondly he would most probably not have any other thoughts about a forty year old woman.

Her thoughts wandered to Li You, not sure how is his condition now. He knows medicine, most probably he would not be killed, when she gets rescued later, she will bring him along.

***

Capital.

The cabinet once again received another message, this time Duo Duo Wu La Tu, changed his statement, he says he has the empress dowager. This is even way weirder, the empress dowager is currently sitting in the palace. It seems like this person is a liar, and a very silly one at that.

When the empress dowager heard of this, she was angered speechless. Ye Xiu Ming, however purposely let out news, those with very good imagination, somehow made the story turn into the empress dowager secretly leaving the palace and was caught, making the empress dowager, having no choice but to meet the court ministers at court in the morning.

While teasing the empress dowager, Ye Xiu Ming also sent people to speak with the Nu Zhen’s people but not denying about the empress dowager’s identity, they first go and check out the price, while he delays, and tries to think about a solution.

This side, Ye Zhen Zhen changed from being an emperor to the empress dowager, being treated well continuously by the Nu Zhen tribe.

Then, there was also the Ji Wu Jiu who was searching for her in the vast grasslands, and not to mention, no idea of what happened in the capital. Everyday he was surviving with “To find Zhen Zhen” this thought. His energy daily seems to be getting weird, and making Lu Li fear that he will suddenly be crazy from any more shocking news, so he was always prepared to faint the emperor if necessary.

Although, Ji Wu Jiu was anxious in his heart, but his control was still very good. He have to maintain calm, only when he is calm will he be able to find Zhen Zhen.

Currently, Ji Wu Jiu was standing by the riverside. Although this river was not wide, but it was flowing freely in this grassland. Ji Wu Jiu looked at the end of the river and sighed, Zhen Zhen a, Zhen Zhen, when will I be able to see you again.

It was only tens of days, it seemed like it was tens of years.

If I am still unable to see you, I am afraid I will become crazy soon.

Lu Li walked towards his side, and stood next to him. After a while, Lu Li said “Your majesty, actually there are somethings that I want to tell you”

“please speak”

“You.. didn’t have to be jealous”

Ji Wu Jiu retracts his gaze, and turned to look at him. The person in front of him was tall, with a masculine appearance, a pair of thick eyebrows, and when he looks at Ye Zhen Zhen, there was always a hint of gentleness that appears subconsciously.

Seeing that he didn’t reply, Lu Li explains “Zhen Zhen already married to you, you are a true married couple, other people would not be able to snatch her away”

“You like her” Ji Wu Jiu suddenly said

Lu Li was stunned, as he didn’t know that he will say that. He looked down, gaze a little lost.

“But what you said is true, she is mine, other people would never be able to snatch her away. Zhen Zhen is so cute, if there are any other men that wants her, it was normal” Ji Wu Jiu has never thought about first come first serve this problem.

Lu Li smilled bitterly, “I do like her. But it doesn’t matter, my cousin sister, is really a piece of wood. She has most probably never thought about the possibilities of me liking her”

Ji Wu Jiu agrees undeniably to this sentence.

Lu Li, continued “If last time she really had a little feelings for me, even if I were to lose my life, I will still asked for her hand in marriage from uncle Ye. “

Listening till her, Ji Wu Jiu felt lucky that Ye Zhen Zhen is slow towards her feelings. If this woman knew what was love earlier, then most probably he will never be able to get her.

“This life, there is no fate between me and her, so I accepted it. I only treat her as my sister now, that’s why” Lu Li looked up at Ji Wu Jiu, “Now, as her brother, I ask you to treat her better. Zhen Zhen was pampered from young, and not really good tempered, but… she really is a rare girl.”

“I know, she is my wife, it is natural for me to treat her well” Well to the point where Ji Wu Jiu could no longer control, he thinks in his heart.

The both of them quiet down again. Ji Wu Jiu walked along the riverside for a while, looked down, and saw a few stones being placed at a weird position and shape.

“What is this?” Lu Li did not understand as well.

Ji Wu Jiu picked up 2 stones, and place it in the middle of the formation earlier. A simple leaf shaped drawing can be recognized. (The word Ye surname of Zhen Zhen, also means Leaf)

“It’s a leaf, it’s Zhen Zhen” Lu Li was a little anxious, “Your majesty, they indeed pass through here. We did not go the wrong direction, they really did head to Wu Lan Tribe’s place”

“I knew it” Ji Wu Jiu stood up, face filled with vigor “Inform everyone, we depart immediately, and through the night, me must chase up to the Nu Zhen Tribe”

“Yes!”

The group of people rushed the night, the next day, a soldier rode a horse to chase up to Ji Wu Jiu, and said “General Wu, the Tit that you asked me to take care of suddenly got anxious, struggling to get out of it’s cage”

Ji Wu Jiu understood what it meant. He immediately stopped the troops, and to rest there. They have rushed the entire night, so they are tired as well. But Ji Wu Jiu was very energetic. Taking into consideration that if they were to ride horses, the enemy would be able to detect them, so he decided to first bring a few elites with him to confirm the location of Zhen Zhen. The two Tits was tied with a thin thread on their legs, and was attached to Lu Li and Ji Wu Jiu respectively, and another two guards and soldiers were following them.

Indeed, not too far, about 10 miles from where they were, they saw the Nu Zhen Tribe’s camp

Ji Wu Jiu saw the tents from afar, and was very emotional. Zhen zhen is just there….

Cannot go, he cannot go now. He clenched his fists silently, Zhen Zhen, wait a little while more, tonight we will be able to meet again.

Ji Wu Jiu was afraid that if he kept watching, he will not be able to control himself, so he made a decision to return with everyone. In the evening, they started to move again, and carefully followed behind each other’s back.

With 10 thousand men, it was actually simple to win this battle, but considering Ye Zhen Zhen’s safety, they need to properly strategize their plan.

JI Wu Jiu has previously brought along with him a lot of Man Tuo Luo flower. This type of herb can make a person numb and faint. This time it would be really useful. The wind is currently blowing from northeast, as long as they lit the herb accordingly, even if not all their armies will fall, they could at least make them have wobbly legs.

Then, when the time comes, they will first stealthily enter the camp to save Ye Zhen Zhen, and then allow the rest of the soldiers to flatten the camp.

Zhen Zhen, I will be coming soon to save you

Ji Wu Jiu has never wished for the night to arrive sooner.

Note: busy ~ busy ~ long chapters makes me lazy too… hahahaha =X