The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 1146 - 621: The Princess Consort’s Scheme (Part 2)
No, it’s just the understanding between husband and wife... Zhao Douan humbly said, "It was just a thought that crossed my mind. Every move by Your Majesty indeed carries significant meaning, far beyond what we can comprehend."
Though the Empress knew he was lying and flattering, she still felt comforted. After pondering a moment, she continued, "Besides, is there a reason why I didn’t go all out?"
"Oh?"
The Empress said, "Do you really think Zuo Tang and his group were sent by Prince Chen?"
Zhao Douan blinked: "Does Your Majesty think not?"
The Empress shook her head, "It’s hard to say, but from my understanding of Uncle Chen’s character, it doesn’t seem like something he would do. Furthermore, what significance does it hold? Prince Chen surely wouldn’t naively believe that merely a group of martial artists could truly persuade you to return. Creating such a disturbance serves no purpose other than to intensify the conflict. On the contrary, if this was sent by Qingshan, or secretly instructed by Xu Wen to probe you, it makes more sense. Also, this group of people blatantly operates under Prince Chen’s name, intending to incite conflict between you and him."
Zhao Douan "suddenly realized": "Your Majesty is saying, if it’s truly Xu Wen’s doing, then acting too aggressively might thoroughly push Prince Chen to the other side? Instead, it would be wiser to give them a minor punishment? Your Majesty is wise!"
Indeed, a clever subordinate should know not to appear too smart.
Completely seeing through a superior’s thoughts isn’t a good thing, as exemplified by Yang Xiu in the Three Kingdoms...
Thus, after showcasing his intelligence, Zhao Douan habitually leaves something unspoken for the leader to play with.
The Empress was indeed quite pleased, her gaze towards him becoming increasingly favorable. After a moment of reflection, she said, "However, with such a disturbance, it’s more likely Wu Xiankui will join the conflict."
Zhao Douan calmly said, "New grudges and old hatreds, might as well settle them together."
The Empress also laughed. She had narrowly lost to Wu Xiankui at Luo Mountain in the past. But now she has advanced to the Heavenly Human level and obtained the Grand Ancestor’s cultivation notes, making her cultivation progress rapidly in recent times.
She calculated the days and softly said, "In the calculation, this spring and summer are the true beginnings of the once-in-a-century duel."
After pausing, she cut off the topic, shifting instead, "Enough, where’s the next stop?"
Zhao Douan said, "Yutou Mountain. As expected, Prince Chen should be there too. Prince Huaian has businesses there, and he has already sent someone ahead to inform us and welcome us."
Xu Zhenguan softly "hummed", his gaze drifting outside the porthole, lost in thought.
...
...
Yutou Mountain is not an official name, but rather a colloquial term.
In fact, the region where Yutou Mountain is situated is on a large island named "Daluo Island."
This island, in the central water system of rivers, serves as a resupply spot for passing merchant ships. Over time, it has developed into a thriving trade center.
On this vast island, with Yutou Mountain as a pillar, clusters of residences and shops form a large town.
At this moment, on Daluo Island, within the courtyard of a certain residence.
A middle-aged couple, exuding nobility, sat facing each other in a pavilion within the courtyard, playing chess to pass the time.
The man was dressed in luxurious attire, looking refined and cultured, yet his eyebrows were furrowed with worry. He was Coastal Prince Chen.
The woman facing him was poised and graceful, dressed in a silken gown with black cloud-like hair, and held a beautiful appearance. In her arms, she held a raccoon cat.
"Alas, I fear I might lose this round. Your chess skills are extraordinary, no less than the palace’s Chess Attendant. Competing against me really isn’t fair." Prince Chen pondered for a long time, reluctantly placing a chess piece while praising.
Princess Chen was indeed remarkable. Among the many princess consorts in Yu Country, she was considered top-notch. Born into a prestigious family, she was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting since childhood, earning a good reputation. Including her marriage to Prince Chen, it was said not to have been a parental decision but her own choice.
After settling at Prince Chen’s Mansion, within a year, this astute princess like Wang Xifeng from "Dream of the Red Chamber," thoroughly managed the internal affairs up and down the mansion, earning respect from all. Even Prince Chen praised her, saying: "Her talent is apt for governing a province; serving as a governor wouldn’t be inappropriate. Pity, she only manages a small mansion, truly underestimating her abilities."
Nevertheless, Princess Chen dedicated herself to supporting her husband and educating her child, strictly adhering to traditions. Given Prince Chen’s gentle and soft nature, he willingly allocated much authority to her, and within three to five years, Princess Chen became the decision-maker over the region’s affairs while Prince Chen gained the nickname "idle prince."
By then, those in the know suddenly realized, when Princess Chen chose Prince Chen while unmarried, she probably saw through his character.
"You jest, husband. You are merely preoccupied with worldly matters, not having the time to focus on this chess game..." Princess Chen said with a smile, secretly pinching the raccoon cat sleeping curled up, causing it to let out a "meow", leap up, and scatter the chess pieces across the ground.
"Oh dear," Princess Chen feigned regret, playfully scolding the cat’s head, and sighed, "I was hoping to win against you, but it seems it’s not meant to be."
"You..." Prince Chen chuckled silently, shook his head, followed by a sigh.
Princess consort blinked: "Are you still worrying about Zhao Douan, my Prince?"
Prince Chen frowned deeply: "Earlier Xu Wen returned from Qingshan and wanted to see me. I avoided it. Then Zhao Douan aggressively brought troops here. Although my mansion is strong in naval warfare and can defend this coastal area, we lack high cultivators. An immense effort was spent recruiting many from the Martial World, yet they hardly follow orders, ignoring even summons recently and gathering for unclear motives. Daqing Mountain sided with Xu Wen, and Zhao Douan commands numerous masters... Caught in the middle, how can I not worry?"
Princess Chen casually collected the chess pieces, her eyes gleaming with intelligence: "Why worry, my Prince? We lack the foundation to dominate the world in Coastal. Now, with two formidable contenders arriving, we simply play along and let them fight. In the end, when one prevails, we emulate Prince Huaian and join up. Now, with the Western Regions unstable, regardless of whether the court or Prince Jing wins, they must face issues in the Western Regions. They would prefer peacefully integrating Coastal rather than engaging in intense conflict."
Prince Chen nodded, holding his wife’s hand, sighed: "You’re right. But how to let these two dragons fight each other, not simultaneously pressuring us? This, I’ve challenged for days, finding no solution."
Princess Chen smiled without responding.
Suddenly, footsteps approached from outside the courtyard, followed by a voice from a subordinate outside the gate: "My Prince, urgent news!"
"Enter!" Prince Chen promptly stood, his expression serious.
The courtyard gate opened, and an official rushed in, looking flustered with panic still on his face: "Just received, Left Tang with over a hundred martial artists intercepted Zhao Douan, claiming to have received orders from my Prince, demanding Zhao Douan withdraw from the Coastal Road."
"What?!" Prince Chen was shocked, displaying anger: "Absurd! How dare Zuo Tang falsely transmit my orders? Why would I have them intercept Zhao Douan? Isn’t this..."
"Quickly! Send someone to the front line to intercept Zuo Tang, inform Zhao Douan..."
The official took a breath, "Too late! By the time we received it, the battle had ended."
"..." Prince Chen blanked for a moment, dazedly asked, "Who won?"
The official said, "Left Tang suffered a crushing defeat, severely injured and retreated. Of the hundred martial artists, nearly a third were lost, either dead or wounded, the survivors fled and scattered, hiding unseen."
Prince Chen, further bewildered, sank into his chair, a bit lost and instinctively gazed at his elegantly beautiful princess consort holding the raccoon cat, revealing a bitter smile: "My dear... fearing what’s to come, that Zhao who repays even minor grievances is surely about to seek trouble from me first."
Yet Princess Chen remained calm, peacefully picking up chess pieces, smiled hugging the cat and said: "Why rush, my Prince? With Zhao Douan’s intelligence, wouldn’t he instead believe that Xu Wen ordered Qingshan to impersonate royal directives?"
Prince Chen hesitated, suddenly seeming to understand something, deeply inhaled: "My dear, Zuo Tang and those men were..."
Princess Chen gracefully replied, her smile gentle: "They were sent at my behest."
