After Being Forced to Marry the Evil Star General - Chapter 38

There was silence in the room, and several people around Zhong Yuehong reached out to support her, not knowing what to say for a while.

If an ordinary woman entered the palace, she would consider it a stroke of luck and be very happy, just waiting to bathe in the Emperor’s favor, to bring honor to her ancestors, and to share in prosperity.

However, Zhong Yuehong……

Everyone could see her dejected expression. There was no trace of joy on her face, and it was obvious that she was unwilling.

But if the Emperor insisted on welcoming her into the palace, then what would be her fate?

“Yuehong, you……” Just as He Cuizhang was about to speak, Zhong Yuehong pushed him away and staggered out.

“Yuehong!” He Cuizhang shouted, looking anxiously at Yan Mingting. “General, what should we do?”

“You guys go check on her first, don’t let her do anything stupid,” Yan Mingting ordered.

Everyone chased after her, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Only then did Yan Mingting walk out of the room with a serious expression, and a somewhat determined stride.

“Where are you going?” Zhao Yelan hurried up to hold onto him.

“I’m going to reason with the Emperor,” Yan Mingting said in a powerful and resonating voice.

“Don’t go for now.” Zhao Yelan stood in front of him.

“I only just promised Auntie that I would find a good husband for her. The Emperor will definitely not be a good match. Not to mention that as a person who has practiced martial arts and swords, there are no such twists and turns in her mind. How could she survive after entering the harem?” Yan Mingting bypassed him and walked forward, his steps so fast that it was difficult to keep up.

Zhao Yelan shouted, out of breath: “All right, you go then! Maybe when you return, you will bring me back a death sentence!”

Yan Mingting gave a sudden pause and turned back in disbelief. After thinking for a moment, he fell back again: “What do you mean? A death sentence for whom?”

“For me, naturally. I am the one who passed the information to you without authorization,” Zhao Yelan said.

Yan Mingting was forced to calm down, and said in a low voice: “Could it be that this matter is not a foregone conclusion yet?”

“Nonsense!” Zhao Yelan gave him a sharp, gouging look. He appeared to be incensed, and kicked him twice. “Had I known you would be so reckless, I wouldn’t have told you all and would have waited for the palanquin to take her directly to the palace gate.”

“I’m sorry, I was impulsive.” Yan Mingting patted him on the back and went to the study together with him. He closed the door and windows, and asked quietly, “Where did your news come from?”

“You don’t need to worry about it, I have my ways. Just know that if you suddenly went to reason with the Emperor, I, and my spies, would all be discovered, and he would definitely not let me off easily!” Zhao Yelan fumed.

“I was wrong, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have done it. Kick me a few more times, ba.” Yan Mingting apologized over and over, stretching out his leg. After being kicked several more times, he asked: “So what is the situation now? Is there a way out?”

Zhao Yelan had vented his anger and regained his composure: “There is still a glimmer of hope, because this matter was proposed by the Empress.”

The harem election was imminent, and the Empress had no heirs, so she thought that before many newcomers entered the palace, she would show her respect to the Emperor first. Therefore, she thought of Zhong Yuehong at the Imperial examination banquet and proposed to call her into the harem.

In this way, the Empress gained a good reputation with the Emperor, and thought she had done a favor for Zhong Yuehong. Which woman didn’t want to jump through the Dragon Gate and become the master of each palace in the harem?

Zhong Yuehong’s appearance was ordinary, there was no possibility of competing for favor, and her mother was even more vulnerable. The influence of the harem was very extensive. When the time came, the first person she went to for refuge would be the Empress. This was the Empress’s wishful thinking.

And she also predicted that the Emperor would be tempted. Not liking it was one thing, but suitability was another. The soldiers in Zhong Yuehong’s hands alone would be enough to move the Emperor, not to mention that he would have no worries about her extended family.

“The Emperor is still considering it. It should be that he has not yet made a decision, otherwise this would have already been drafted. However, without interference, he will likely agree.” Zhao Yelan paused. “For him, this pairing causes no harm in the slightest.”

Yan Mingting knocked on the table angrily: “Should we just let them decide? Is it true that all women in the world belong to the royal family?”

Zhao Yelan gazed at him for a long time, then said abruptly: “What if the Emperor truly wants to marry her by force? What will you do?”

“I……” Yan Mingting clenched his fists. “I will send her out.”

“She is just a subordinate, are you willing to offend the Emperor for her?”

“You’ve never seen her fight desperately on the battlefield.” Seeing his indignant look, Zhao Yelan couldn’t help but raise his hand and touch his head. Both of them froze for a moment. 

Yan Mingting looked up, and when their eyes met, Zhao Yelan’s expression shifted at once. He said, “This is bad.”

“What is it?”

“If even you are willing to offend the Emperor, what about those lieutenants who are with her day in and day out?” Zhao Yelan walked out in a hurry. “Get a horse ready! We’re going to the city gate!”

Yan Mingting swiftly mounted his horse, saw Zhao Yelan following him, and asked: “Are you going too?”

“I’m afraid you will be persuaded by them!” Zhao Yelan very much suspected that he wouldn’t be able to bear it, and would let those people run away.

At the gate of the city, a carriage galloped by, its wheels rolling through the two treadmarks in the road.

Mother Zhong sat in the carriage with tears streaming down her face, tightly clutching Zhong Yuehong’s hand: “Hong’er, do you really want to……”

The carriage abruptly came to a stop. Mother Zhong fell backwards and was caught by Zhong Yuehong.

The two heard He Cuizhang saying to the gatekeeper with a smile: “Brother, do us a favor. The family’s old man is sick and the doctors in the city are helpless, so we can only go out of the city to find other doctors.”

The gatekeeper looked into the carriage and saw two plainly dressed women, so he let them go. 

The carriage drove past the city gate. Zhong Yuehong had just breathed a sigh of relief when the carriage stopped again.

She asked: “What is the matter?”

“The General and Zhao-daren are in front……” He Cuizhang said.

Zhong Yuehong opened the curtain and saw a horse in front of the carriage, two people sitting on its back.

“What are you doing!” Zhao Yelan had almost fainted due to the speedy pursuit. Fortunately, they had arrived in time. He adjusted his breathing, and Yan Mingting reassured him from behind, repeating, “What are you doing?”

“General……” He Cuizhang was very ashamed, and the others chimed in, “General, can you just pretend you didn’t see us? If something goes wrong, we will take responsibility!”

“How will you take responsibility?” Zhao Yelan asked them condescendingly from horseback. “All land under heaven is the territory of the sovereign. Where do you expect to let her and her mother escape to? If you are caught, you will be criminals. Why should a lieutenant general with a great reputation be reduced to a guilty official? Aren’t there a few of you who have family members? To act recklessly only for a moment of loyalty is not loyalty at all, but stupidity! You may help her temporarily, but did you ever pause to think that the Yan family army would be implicated?”

Everyone was stunned by his words and lowered their heads, regretting their impulsiveness.

“My lord, that’s enough.” Zhong Yuehong jumped down from the carriage. Her eyes were reddened, and she cupped her hands in a bow. “Thanking my lord for the reminder, I will return immediately.”

After speaking, she turned and walked back to the city on foot, and the others followed.

When they passed through the city gate, the gatekeeper asked in surprise: “Weren’t you going to see a doctor? Why did you come back so soon?”

“Didn’t find one, a cure is impossible, he can only wait for death,” He Cuizhang sighed, leading the carriage to follow Zhong Yuehong.

The group of people were very somber as they escorted her and Mother Zhong all the way home. Mother Zhong finally couldn’t bear it any longer, and wept out loud.

Zhong Yuehong returned to her room. She saw the three dresses, picked up some scissors, and cut the beautiful cloth into pieces, saying in a dazed manner: “I don’t want, don’t want to wear dresses, I don’t want anything……”

Yan Mingting couldn’t endure it anymore, and went in to take the scissors from her hands: “Yuehong, things can turn around, so you calm down first.”

Zhong Yuehong slumped down on the ground. A person who had never cried on the battlefield sobbed bitterly at this moment: “General, I want to go back to the military camp, I don’t want to be in the capital anymore, it’s no good at all……”

Everyone else’s eyes were faintly red. Yan Mingting turned his face away and took a deep breath.

At this time, Zhao Yelan crouched down, took out a handkerchief, and wiped her crying face: “Do you trust me?”

Zhong Yuehong looked sideways at him, tears rolling down, and nodded slightly after a long while.

“All right, since you trust me, you must listen to me. Don’t make any trouble now, just go on as usual and don’t let anyone know that there is anything wrong,” Zhao Yelan said.

Zhong Yuehong was taken aback, and He Cuizhang asked hurriedly, “Zhao-daren, do you have any ideas?”

Zhao Yelan stood up and looked around: “At present, this news is something that I found out in advance. If you run away or behave abnormally now, it will definitely attract the attention of the Emperor, and it will be even more difficult to escape this predicament at that time. So everyone present, please keep calm and do not be impulsive like you were today.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” He Cuizhang and the others nodded repeatedly, as if they couldn’t wait to nod their heads off, and just hoped that he could come up with a way.

Zhao Yelan reached out a hand to help Zhong Yuehong up, and said: “Leave this matter to me. You will act the same as always, and I will notify you if something occurs. You refrain from making a mess of the situation first.”

Zhong Yuehong slowly nodded.

When the two left the Zhong residence, Yan Mingting asked in a low voice: “Do you really have a way?”

“I don’t dare to say for sure, but we needed to calm her down first lest she act under extreme agitation,” Zhao Yelan said. “Tomorrow, I will go to investigate what the Emperor has said.”

“You can’t go to court, so how will you see him? Go directly to the palace?”

“He will come to the Imperial Academy.”

Yan Mingting paused: “Why would he go to the Imperial Academy in person?”

“To play chess.”

“And to find you?”

“En, I’ll try to get him to come to me.” Zhao Yelan returned to the study, busy with thoughts about this plan, and didn’t notice the change in the other party’s expression at all.

“How can you be sure that he will come to play chess with you tomorrow?”

“I have my own ways. And even if it isn’t tomorrow, it will be in these next few days.” Zhao Yelan said, “Moreover, he is entangled in government affairs, so it is impossible for him to dwell on this matter. Perhaps he will be busy until the day of the general election.”

Yan Mingting frowned, and he remained silent for a while before asking suddenly: “Are you on good terms with him?”

Zhao Yelan stared blankly for a moment before realizing that it was Zhao Xuan he was asking about, and replied: “It is hard to say, the score depends on the situation.”

“Then elaborate according to the situation.”

“Are you so free?” Zhao Yelan raised his head and glared at him.

Yan Mingting didn’t bother him any further, but during dinner, he leaned in toward his ear and asked: “Do you know him well?”

Zhao Yelan nodded: “I do.”

Modestly, Zhao Yelan could guarantee that no one understood Zhao Xuan’s nature better than himself. Even Zhao Xuan may have forgotten those dark days, but they were still imprinted in his mind.

“What do you know? What is his favorite food?” Yan Mingting asked.

Zhao Yelan gave him a strange look: “What are you asking this for? Do you mean to……”

Rebel? He sounded out with his lips.

“How is that possible? I’m just asking casually.” Yan Mingting quickly busied himself with his meal.

When going to bed that night, Yan Mingting lay on the ground, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, and said: “Is he good-looking?”

“Don’t you have eyes, ah? Did you poke your eyes out when you went to see him?” Zhao Yelan was speechless.

“I’m just asking, do you think he’s good-looking?” Yan Mingting asked persistently.

“How could I not, all the civil and military officials in the court think he is handsome.”

Yan Mingting turned over indignantly, and asked after a while: “Then am I handsome?”

Zhao Yelan was about to fall asleep, but this woke him up. He picked up a nearby pillow and threw it at him: “Are you trying to cause trouble? Hurry up and sleep!”

“Just tell me, am I handsome or not?”

Yan Mingting had made it clear that he didn’t want him to sleep well, so Zhao Yelan sneered and said: “Shouldn’t you already know the answer? I still remember your big head and fat ears from when you were young.”

“Ah!” Yan Mingting crawled to his bedside in embarrassment, lit a candle, and held it under his chin to illuminate his face. “That was all in the past! Take a closer look at me now, am I handsome or not?”

When Zhao Yelan turned around, he was terrified: “What’s wrong with you, ah!”

Yan Mingting held up the candle and moved it around his face, asking with a smile: “Take a good look, handsome or not?”

“Handsome, handsome, handsome! You are the most handsome!” Zhao Yelan completely surrendered and suffered a crushing defeat.

“Then tell me, how am I handsome?”

“……” Zhao Yelan couldn’t endure any more, and grabbed his ears hard. “You are handsome because you have two eyes and a mouth!”

Yan Mingting was satisfied, then immediately realized that something was wrong: “What kind of handsome is this? Then let me ask you one last question.”

“If I fell into a river with him, which of us would you save first?”

Zhao Yelan turned over and got out of bed, rummaging through boxes and cabinets in search of something.

“What are you looking for?” Yan Mingting asked curiously.

“Where is my crossbow? Either you die tonight or I die!”

“……There’s no need to be a pair of wild mandarin ducks in the underworld.”[1]

“……….”

[1] At Chinese weddings, it’s common to see motifs of Mandarin ducks on various decorations. In Chinese culture, Mandarin ducks are believed to be extremely faithful to their partner, and are symbols of love, devotion, affection and fidelity. ⮐