Chapter 152

The culprit behind the forgery remained uncertain for the moment, but it was undoubtedly someone from either the Rong or the Liang.

However, Jiang Xiurun couldn’t rest easy without getting to the bottom of it.

Whoever could imitate Feng Liwu’s handwriting so perfectly had to be someone familiar with him—so who had betrayed him?

Feng Liwu had also considered this possibility.

He frowned in thought, recalling how he had once spotted a scar-faced man in a cloak beside the Rong King while spying on the Rong army.

Though he couldn’t see the man’s features clearly, something about him felt eerily familiar.

Yet, after searching the battlefield, there was no trace of that man…

Not wanting Jiang Xiurun to worry, Feng Liwu told her not to concern herself with these matters.

His original intent in supporting Anxi had, at first, been a show of defiance against Jiang Xiurun, but he had also wanted to stabilize Bo.

Now, however, it was clear that the King of Anxi was unreliable.

Feng Liwu needed to return quickly, but he couldn’t bear to leave Jiang Xiurun and their son behind.

Even in the prime of his life, enduring such repeated separations was enough to wear a man down.

After interrogating the King of Anxi, Feng Liwu persistently insisted on taking Jiang Xiurun back with him.

“You should know,” he said, “that in the past, the former emperor of Qi had a close relationship with the ruler of Shanyue. Wasn’t the King of Shanyue invited to reside in Luo’an permanently? Since he could stay in Luo’an, why can’t you? I see that Ji Wujiang is competent, and Jin Kui has done a fine job managing military affairs. With one to govern and one to lead the army, you might as well be a hands-off ruler. You can’t always be running around the countryside—that’s the behavior of a mere landowner!”

Lying in his arms, Jiang Xiurun glanced at him sideways upon hearing this historical anecdote.

The former emperor of Qi had been a notorious philanderer, unconcerned with gender in matters of affection.

The King of Shanyue was said to be the most handsome and talented man of his time.

To say he “resided in Luo’an” was a polite way of putting it—he had essentially lived in the imperial palace, their passionate romance the stuff of legend.

The countryside’s gossip columns couldn’t even capture the depth of their entanglement, and even the classic tales of Longyang and Fen Tao paled in comparison.

(T/N: Both of these Chinese classic tales are related to the same male-sex relationship.)

To avoid corrupting public morals, their daily displays of affection had been deliberately erased from official records and never spoken of openly.

Yet here Feng Liwu was, using this comparison on her—what exactly was he implying?

Jiang Xiurun, of course, refused to comply.

When she refused, Feng Liwu’s domineering side emerged.

Pressing her down, he declared, “Right now, the Great Qi’s armies and war chariots are all under my command. If I can’t take you with me, I don’t deserve to sit on Qi’s throne. I’ve let you have your way in everything else, but if you insist on living separately with my son, then it’ll only be over my dead body. If I die, you can go wherever you like to mourn me. Otherwise, you’ll come back with me—no arguments.”

As he spoke, their son, Baoli, was playing at the foot of the bed.

One moment, he was rolling onto his back, nuzzling against his mother’s leg; the next, he was clambering up, reaching for Feng Liwu to lift him high into the air.

His father was strong and could toss him high before catching him steadily.

The boy giggled, revealing his tiny baby teeth, laughing with pure delight.

A child raised only by his mother would never be this lively—having a father around made all the difference.

Jiang Xiurun had never intended to become the ruler of Bo.

Step by step, she had been pushed onto this throne.

Yet she had no desire for power, nor did she share Feng Liwu’s ambition to conquer the world.

Governing Bo and ensuring the people’s well-being was enough for her.

But returning to Luo’an, living under someone else’s roof, and enduring such constraints—she couldn’t do it.

It wasn’t that she doubted Feng Liwu’s love for her, nor that she lacked feelings for him.

But the Qi palace was vast and treacherous.

As theempress of a small kingdom, how could she possibly hold her ground there?

She couldn’t bear to part with him either, but if their fates were like the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, meeting only a few times a year, so be it.

So, when Feng Liwu turned stern and issued ultimatums, she simply changed the subject, refusing to acknowledge his demands.

But this time, he had made up his mind.

He ordered the Qi army to surround the palace, their formation resembling a full-scale siege.

Bo’s officials were terrified, rushing to Ji Wujiang in a panic, pleading to know what the Emperor of Qi intended.

Ji Wujiang went to see Jiang Xiurun, who was now trapped in her own palace.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “if the Emperor is determined to take you with him, Bo’s forces won’t be able to stop him…”

Jiang Xiurun sighed deeply.

“Though Bo has expanded its territory, it is still far beneath Qi in strength. We have a long way to go before we can stand as equals. For now, our people need time to recover from the war with the Rong. We can’t afford further unrest…”

Ji Wujiang’s heart ached at her words.

Kneeling before her, eyes slightly red, he said, “It is we ministers who have failed you, Your Majesty, forcing you to suffer such humiliation.”

Jiang Xiurun knew that with the mighty Qi army at his back, Feng Liwu held the upper hand.

She had wanted to resist him, to buy more time.

But she had also received reports from her spies—trouble in Qi’s Three Counties was far worse than it seemed.

For the sake of saving Bo, Feng Liwu had ridden thousands of miles to her aid, enduring criticism from his court.

If she continued to resist and delay him now, his throne might truly become unstable.

She had always wished him well—she couldn’t let her own willfulness hinder his ambitions.

And so, her and the little prince’s belongings were packed into trunks.

Jiang Xiurun, caught between half-coaxing and half-threats, was finally taken away by Feng Liwu, loaded onto a carriage bound for Qi.

Ji Wujiang announced to the public that the empress greatly admired the flourishing literary and scholarly traditions of Qi, as well as its unique advancements in hydraulic engineering and agriculture.

Thus, she had decided to travel to Luo’an with the young prince to further her studies in imperial governance and to seek out talented individuals from Qi.

In time, she would bring them back to Bo, ensuring that the state would rise to dominate the northern states and grow ever stronger.

As for state affairs, they were temporarily entrusted to Prince Jiang Zhi and Prime Minister Ji Wujiang.

Meanwhile, Bai Qian, previously a general of a thousand men, was promoted to Grand General of Pingjiang and assigned to escort and protect Empress Yaren on her journey to Qi.

To the people of Bo, their empress—accomplished in both civil and military matters—was embarking on a scholarly quest to further her knowledge in Qi.

Even the royal historians recorded this as proof of the empress’s thirst for learning and her indomitable spirit, a source of great fortune for Bo.

However, inside the carriage that was being grandly escorted out of the state by the citizens of Bo, Jiang Xiurun’s expression was stiff and tight.

Feng Liwu’s grand ambitions had now been reduced to a single goal: bringing his wife and son home so that he would no longer have to endure lonely nights on the dragon throne. Now that he had finally managed to coax Jiang Xiurun onto the carriage, he was thoroughly satisfied. He didn’t even mind her sour expression and, once they left Bo’s borders, he personally peeled grapes for her, served her tea, and fussed over her with enthusiasm.

Jiang Xiurun, on the other hand, was thinking that once she reached Luo’an, it would be a long time before she could eat such delicious grapes from her homeland again.

She spat the seeds into Feng Liwu’s outstretched hand and let out a long sigh.

Thinking she hadn’t eaten enough, Feng Liwu said, “These large grapes are indeed delicious, but they were forced to ripen in a heated greenhouse, so they’re not in season. Just enjoy their sweetness for now. Your sister-in-law prepared some dried persimmons for you—soft and sweet. I just ate one, and it was delicious… Here, drink some water to rinse your mouth.”

Annoyed by his endless chatter, Jiang Xiurun snapped, “A ruler of a nation serving tea and peeling fruit—what kind of propriety is that?”

Feng Liwu, in high spirits, was unfazed by her sharp words.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and, while helping her drink, said, “What does propriety matter when it comes to spoiling my own wife? I saw how much you enjoyed being waited on in Bo. That Ji Wujiang was always hovering around you, even remembering all your favorite foods… He’s been a widower for years, never remarried, and keeps flattering and fawning over you—that’s what’s truly improper!”

Jiang Xiurun found his jealousy ridiculous and ignored him.

Now that she was being taken back to Luo’an, she needed to sort things out properly.

This time, she was not returning as a mere hostage princess, but as a sovereign ruler, formally invited by the Emperor of Qi.

Her dignity and national pride were at stake, and she couldn’t afford to be careless.

She refused to be deceived into staying in his palace and becoming a laughingstock in the Qi court.

Upon hearing this, Feng Liwu’s eyes widened.

“Once I settle the affairs in the Three Counties, we will hold our grand wedding. What’s the problem with living together before that? The Emperor of Qi admires the Empress of Bo and wishes to discuss governance with her in bed—who dares to object?”

Jiang Xiurun was so furious that she shoved a persimmon into his mouth.

“Who said I’m marrying you? Who wants to discuss governance with you at night? The empress of a state is not just a matter of your personal whims. Besides, that young lady from the Yang family has been waiting for you all this time. Marrying a small state’s ruler as your empress—do you want to stir up rebellion among the noble clans? Just prepare a proper residence for me as a visiting sovereign, and let’s settle the unrest in the Three Counties first.”

Feng Wu had been making quite a stir, having already formed alliances with neighboring rulers.

Their pact ensured that they would share in each other’s prosperity and downfall.

Moreover, Feng Wu, being a prince, had long cultivated ties with influential noble families in court.

The new emperor’s strong-handed rule had made it difficult for the noble houses to adjust.

If the second prince could establish a foothold, it would serve as a counterbalance to the aggressive policies of the Emperor—something the cunning aristocrats would no doubt welcome.

Furthermore, Feng Liwu’s decision to mobilize Qi’s troops to Bo had been reckless, drawing heavy criticism from his ministers.

Jiang Xiurun, ever meticulous, saw the difficulties ahead and couldn’t help but worry for Feng Liwu.

She was certain that trouble awaited him upon his return to the capital.

However, Feng Liwu didn’t seem bothered.

Once they reached Qi’s territory and were safely on the main roads, he rode ahead on a fast horse, returning to Luo’an City first.

Jiang Xiurun, on the other hand, was in no rush.

She had no desire to arrive right on his heels and spark further gossip.

If the empress of a remote and humble state had come to Qi merely to broaden her horizons, then she ought to take her time, sightseeing, indulging in fine food, and enjoying herself along the way.

For too long, she had been burdened with the worries of war and state affairs, living in hardship akin to a magistrate in a lawless frontier town.

Now that she had attendants serving her every need, it was time to relax.

So, as they neared Luo’an City, she decided not to enter immediately.

Instead, she detoured to the famous Jingxi Mountains nearby, seeking out their renowned hot springs and grilled fish.

Dou Siwu, her attendant, busied himself running errands for her, his enthusiasm unusually high—so much so that Jiang Xiurun couldn’t help but glance at him several times.

Unable to hold back any longer, Bai Qian asked him, “Why are you acting so obsequiously?”

Lowering his voice, Dou Siwu whispered, “If I treat your empress well now, then when I propose marriage in the future, things will go more smoothly. She may not be in a hurry to marry our Emperor, but I’d rather not end up an old bachelor waiting for you!”