Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 499 The Grand Finale (Part 1)

The news, carried by fast horses, swept across the gravel of the Gobi Desert and quickly reached the court of Xiz.

Prince Morel was overjoyed as he held the letter sent by Daliang.

"Good! The Emperor of Liang is indeed shrewd."

Not only did they agree to the alliance, but they also didn't get bogged down in details such as whether Xiz would send hostages or pay tribute. They even agreed to open border markets...

The atmosphere inside the tent instantly became lively.

The tribal leaders sat in a circle, their faces glowing.

"May the Wolf God protect us! If the Red River Alliance is established, we, Xiz, can gain decades of respite and recuperation..."

"Once the trade opens, our fine horses, spices, and furs can be exchanged for Daliang's tea, silk, and ironware! In the future, the pastures will be fertile, cattle and sheep will graze in abundance, and our people will no longer have to worry about food for the winter..."

"Peaceful borders and unimpeded trade routes are a blessing for future generations!"

Mollus raised his hand to silence the murmurs, his gaze sweeping across the tent, his tone suddenly becoming solemn.

"The special envoy from Daliang will arrive in Chishui City soon. Everyone must be on high alert and ensure that our actions are conducted in a proper and respectful manner, so as not to disgrace the Xiz royal family..."

"Yes," everyone responded in unison, bowing and stepping back.

Moil turned around and looked at Princess Ulidulan, who had been sitting quietly in the corner.

The girl was dressed in crimson riding attire, with silver ornaments around her waist. Her features inherited her mother's beauty, but she was shrouded in a lingering melancholy.

"Dulan." Mo Rile's tone softened slightly as he walked over and patted her shoulder. "The Emperor of Liang has agreed to the alliance and welcome you into the palace. This is your honor, and also the responsibility of your tribe. Go back and prepare well, and don't let your people down."

Ulidulan lowered his eyes and responded softly, "Yes, Father."

Seeing his daughter like this, Mollus sighed inwardly but said nothing. He simply nodded and strode away.

In his view, the best outcome for women was to bring peace to the tribe.

"Sister..."

Ang, who had been silent all along, walked over.

The young man ascended the throne, and a series of unexpected events washed away the childishness from his face.

“Sister…” He walked to his sister’s side, his voice lowered, and there was a hint of stubbornness in it.

“If you don’t want to marry into Daliang, we’ll go and beg your aunt… she… she’ll definitely have a way…”

Ulidulan raised his eyes, looked at his younger brother's concerned face, and forced a smile that was more like a grimace.

“Ang, you are now the king of Siz. You need to be more responsible in your words and actions. For the sake of Siz, we all know what to do.” She paused, raised her hand to straighten his clothes, and spoke even softer.

"The Chishui Alliance is of great importance. My sister's fate is insignificant in the face of the tribe."

She spoke calmly, but it made Ang feel a pang of sadness. His fingers gripped the curved sword at his waist tightly, and he ultimately said nothing more.
-
On the outskirts of Chishui, the villa was bathed in twilight.

Xue Sui is changing the dressing on Tian Shu.

The ointment was prepared by her a few days ago according to Tian Shu's old prescription, with some herbs from Xi Zi added. Tu Ya said that the medicine could reduce the pain.

Tian Shu leaned back in the bamboo chair. His wound was healing much slower than expected. The edges were still red, and the newly grown flesh was painful to the touch.

She scraped the ointment with a bamboo stick, her brows slightly furrowed, her movements extremely gentle.

Tian Shu remained motionless, watching her serious expression with her eyelashes lowered. She looked thinner than when she was in the capital, with a sharper jawline. She remained calm, but her brows seemed to hold a heavy burden of thoughts.

You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?

Xue Sui continued working, his voice calm and composed.

"It's nothing. Maybe I haven't been sleeping well lately because I've been taking care of my mother."

Tian Shu did not pursue the matter further.

The room fell silent, with only the soft breathing of the two of them mingling.

After a long pause, Tian Shu finally couldn't help but ask, "Have you heard the news from Daliang?"

Xue Sui paused almost imperceptibly with her hand dipping in the medicine, then continued applying it as if nothing had happened, letting out a soft "hmm".

"Marriage between the two countries is a good thing, avoiding war and benefiting the people."

Tian Shu frowned slightly.

It is common for emperors to take concubines, and Li Zhao's move is beyond reproach; in fact, it is a wise move that takes into account the long-term interests of both countries.

But he thought that, given Xue Sui's feelings for Li Zhao, even if she didn't cry or make a scene, there should still be some ripples in her emotions.

Tian Shu's voice lowered, "He's in that position, so these things are unavoidable. But for you, it's rather cruel..."

"I understand." Xue Sui's tone remained flat.

So much so that Tian Shu wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how to begin.

"Drink your medicine." Xue Sui finished bandaging the wound, pulled up his clothes, picked up the medicine bowl from the side and handed it to him, clearly unwilling to talk about this topic anymore.

"Your injury requires rest and you shouldn't overexert yourself. Look at this wound, it hasn't fully healed after all this time. Senior brother, you should worry less about things outside."

Tian Shu took the medicine bowl.

The medicine reflected his complex expression.

He downed the drink in one gulp, the bitterness spreading in his mouth... After a moment of silence, watching Xue Sui pack up his medicine box, he suddenly asked, "What do you plan to do with those two Forget-Me-Not herbs?"

Xue Sui stopped moving.

Forget-me-nots are hard to come by, but now they feel like a hot potato.

Using it might cure the love curse, but it comes at the cost of severing all ties.

No need. The love potion hangs like a sword over their heads, making them uneasy day and night, not knowing when it will take their lives.

After a moment of silence, she said softly, "Let me think about it some more."

Tian Shu looked at her slender yet upright figure, sighed inwardly, and patted his side.

"Sit here, let me take your pulse... to see if the love potion has shown any unusual activity recently."

Xue Sui wanted to refuse, but swallowed the words back.

Lately, she has been feeling inexplicably tired, and her heartbeats seem to be more frequent than usual. In addition, she often feels nauseous upon waking, has a poor appetite, and occasionally experiences dizziness…

This is clearly due to the intensification of the love potion.

"Thank you, senior brother."

She sat down as instructed and extended her wrist.

He placed three fingers on her pulse at the Tian Shu point and carefully examined it.

A steady pulse...

He was taken aback at first, a hint of surprise flashing in his cold eyes, before he looked at Xue Sui's face.

This pulse...is it...a slippery pulse?
Xue Sui met his gaze, and her heart tightened.

"What? Has the Gu poison worsened?"

Tian Shu opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, and said with difficulty, "Ping An, have you... considered that your discomfort might not be due to the love potion?"

Before I could fully process his words, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the courtyard gate.

Immediately afterward, a young guard walked in, lifting the curtain and bringing out a gust of cold wind.

"Princess Ulan, we have guests! They say they've come from the capital."

Guests from the capital?

Xue Sui was slightly surprised. She got up, patted the powder off her sleeves, and straightened her clothes.

"Okay, I'll go check it out."

She stepped out of the room and saw two people standing at the courtyard gate, looking travel-worn.

The man was wearing a gray cloth jacket and had a bag slung over his shoulder; his expression remained as solemn as ever.

The woman was beside him, wearing a light blue cotton dress. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but her face had a faint blush, and her eyes were bright as if they were glowing.

It was Guan Ya and Xiao Zhao.

"Your Majesty." As soon as Xiao Zhao saw her, she rushed over, hugged her arm, and her voice was choked with sobs.

"I'm so glad to see you! I've been looking forward to seeing you every day, and I haven't been able to sleep well at night. I was so worried about you."

Xue Sui patted Xiao Zhao on the back and smiled faintly.

"When did you arrive? Was your journey smooth?"

Xiao Zhao hesitated for a moment, but before she could speak, Guan Ya clasped his hands in a salute.

"Your Majesty ordered us to escort Miss Xiao Zhao to Xizi to find the Empress. The journey was smooth and we encountered no trouble."

Xiao Zhao looked at this "honest man" without saying a word.

In fact, they had been there for several days, but His Majesty had instructed them not to disturb the Empress or displease her, so they had not shown themselves until now. Now that the Liang delegation had arrived in Chishui City, they no longer had to worry about such things...

Xue Sui sensed the subtle atmosphere between the two, but did not ask any further questions. With a smile, he led them inside.

"You must be tired from your journey. Come in and rest for a bit. Ruyi just brewed some hot tea, it's still warm."

Ruyi brought over hot tea and placed a plate of jujube cake on the table.

Xiao Zhao took a bite, her eyes lighting up: "It's coated in honey, so sweet."

Xue Sui smiled, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked her, "How has the capital been lately?"

Xiao Zhao put down the cake plate, her smile fading slightly.

"Everything is fine, it's just that His Majesty... caught a cold a while ago and keeps saying he feels tightness in his chest. The Imperial Hospital has changed several prescriptions, but he hasn't fully recovered. Eunuch Lai said that His Majesty is busy with state affairs and misses the Empress, so he refuses to rest properly..."

Is Li Zhao sick?

How could a man so energetic, seemingly never to fall, end up bedridden?
Xue Sui's heart sank slightly. He looked down at the tea leaves in his cup, his face showing nothing. He simply said, "Your Majesty is responsible for the fate of the nation and should take better care of yourself. Since you are here, please come with me to the old palace to stay, so that we can take care of you nearby."

"Yes." Xiao Zhao replied happily.

Being able to stay by the girl's side is better than anything else.

Guan Ya hesitated for a moment: "I will obey Your Majesty's orders."

(End of this chapter)