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墨書 Inktalez
The scenes of that day flashed vividly in his mind, as if they had happened just yesterday. Yet, upon closer reflection, they seemed to be shrouded in a thick layer of dust, becoming somewhat hazy.
The moment he nodded in agreement to the engagement with Pei Guanjing, the possibility between him and Ye Chen vanished forever.
What significance would it hold to seek out Ye Chen now?
He waved his hand despondently and said in a low voice, “The world is unpredictable; I can only say that there is no fate or bond between me and him. However, cousin, no matter what, there is still brotherly affection between Ye Chen and me. If the brothers I’ve known in the army were to learn that I am someone who abandons my brothers and acts ungratefully, would they still be willing to follow me?”
After speaking, Lou Yu slightly bowed to Princess Huaiyang and turned to leave slowly, but was abruptly stopped by her sharp voice.
“Lou Yu!”
She stood up and quickly walked to Lou Yu's side, looking up at the young man who had grown taller than her. With heartfelt sincerity, she said, “Lao Yu, I lost my parents at a young age; it was our uncle who raised me. In a way, you and I are like siblings. Now I ask you as your elder sister: please don’t seek him out, alright?”
This was the first time Huaiyang had ever pleaded with him. Lou Yu felt a surge of frustration rise within him. He slowly turned back around and sat heavily beside the table with a thud, turning his back to her and biting his lip tightly, remaining silent as a heavy tension filled the air.
After a long pause, Lou Yu finally asked in a muffled voice, “Cousin, why do you say this? Am I really supposed to let go of Ye Chen? To bear the reputation of being heartless and ungrateful?”
The fire of unwillingness burned fiercely in the boy’s eyes, intense and stubborn.
Huaiyang sighed softly, her heart aching for him. She rose from her seat and slowly sat down opposite him.
“Lao Yu,” she spoke gently, “you must know that there are feelings between Pei Guanjing and Ye Chen, right? Why risk everything for him? Besides, what makes Ye Chen so special that you can’t forget him? Once you hold power in your hands, won’t you have no trouble finding a beautiful companion? Even if we consider the worst-case scenario where you secretly return to Cangzhou and besiege Yunzhou, the Regent is already dissatisfied. If you were to mobilize Cangzhou's troops against Yunzhou now, it would be reckless—essentially courting death.”
Hua Yang spoke at length, but Lou Yu could only hear one sentence. He suddenly stood up, fists clenched, and retorted excitedly, "What if they have feelings for each other? Emotions can be cultivated. If Ye Chen and I are together in the future, over time, he will also develop feelings for me. He might even forget Pei Guanjing."
Hua Yang shook her head helplessly and sighed. She felt a pang of sympathy for her cousin, realizing that he had never cared for the Kun Ze from Cangzhou or the capital. This was the first time he had developed feelings for a Kun Ze, only to find it was a bitter unrequited love.
"Lao Yu," she sighed again, her voice heavy with fatigue and sorrow, "love cannot be forced. You should give up."
Lou Yu knew this truth all too well. Yet at that moment, it felt like a thorn was lodged in his heart, causing him pain that he couldn't easily set aside.
So he held his head high and spoke with some agitation, "Cousin, I know your intentions; you just don’t want me to marry Ye Chen, which is why you're advising me this way. But you should also know that I have no interest in those noble Kun Ze. Forcing me to marry them would only lead to a lifetime of unhappiness for me—how does that fulfill your wishes?"
Hua Yang continued to speak softly, "As members of the royal family, we can't always have things go our way. Look at me; did I ever wish to marry the Cangzhou Governor who is twenty years older than me? But what choice do I have? Life is full of disappointments. To protect you, I married him. Unless one day you can stand at the pinnacle of power and do as you please, you cannot live freely."
Hua Yang reached out and gently patted Lou Yu's shoulder, but he suddenly stood up and kicked the table in front of him with force.
The table flew across the tent with a loud crash and slid to the entrance with a dull thud.
His face flushed red as he shouted loudly, "Cousin, in the end, you just want to persuade me to fight for that position! But what’s the point? My father worked tirelessly to send me away from the capital so that I could live a smooth and happy life. Now you’re telling me to compete for the throne. Can’t we just live our lives as we wish without worrying so much?"
Hua Yang's face turned pale with anger as she trembled all over. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms.
She steadied herself against the cushion beneath her and suddenly stood up, striding forward without a word. Raising her hand, she delivered a sharp slap across his face.
Then she glared at him fiercely and shouted angrily, "In this chaotic world today, aren’t all the princes sending hostages to the Regent? Yet only your father, Prince Yong, entered the city alone to take his son’s place as a hostage. What was his purpose if not to preserve our family's last bloodline? I risked my life to protect you—are you really willing to ruin everything he has arranged for you over a Kun Ze?"
Lou Yu took a step back, momentarily losing his balance as he sat down on the stool.
Seeing this, Huai Yang paused for a moment and said, “Lou Yu, having reached the pinnacle of the world, whatever you desire can be easily obtained. Just imagine, if one day you become an emperor and wish to take Ye Chen as your empress, I will certainly not stand in your way.”
After saying this, she let out a self-deprecating smile. “But I fear that by then, even if I wanted to stop it, it would be too late.”
Lou Yu slowly turned his head, looking at her with a complex expression. For a moment, it seemed he wanted to say something, but after opening his mouth, he remained silent, his lips moving slightly but ultimately not uttering a word.
Huai Yang could tell that he was moved and immediately seized the opportunity. “Now is actually the perfect time. Over the past two years, Xiao Feng has disappeared without a trace; no one knows whether he is alive or dead. Moreover, the actions of the Regent have already caused great dissatisfaction among the local princes. Why not take advantage of this moment for us to raise an army from Cangzhou and march into the capital under the banner of Qing Jun Ce? Wouldn’t that allow us to achieve great things in one fell swoop?”
At this point, Lou Yu was indeed shaken by Huai Yang’s words, especially regarding his father’s sacrifice for him.
He recalled his gentle father who had smiled at him when sending him away from the capital, saying, “Lou Yu, don’t be afraid; your father will take care of everything.”
In an instant, his father’s voice and smile seemed to appear before him, causing a sharp pain in his heart.
Furthermore, what Huai Yang mentioned about Ye Chen truly touched him.
If one day he really ascended to the highest position in the world and wished to marry Ye Chen, it was likely that no one would dare to oppose him. Even if Pei Guanjing liked Ye Chen dearly, he could not surpass the authority of the emperor.
However, he furrowed his brows and pondered aloud, “If we take all the troops from Cangzhou, how will we defend this place? If the Wolf Tribe attacks Cangzhou while we are away, we would be caught in a pincer attack. What then? We might lose Cangzhou before we even start the war.”
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