Blood-Sucking Empress - Chapter 66

The war had begun and Mu Qingwan headed to the front line immediately. The supplies that had been long prepared by the Ministry of Revenue were finally transported to the border stations and the Sang Empire no longer tried to mount sneak attacks. On the contrary, masses of soldiers were deployed and the throngs of soldiers lined up with great fanfare. After a single piece of paper declaring war was read out loud, a full-scale attack was launched. The battlefield was pervaded with smoke and littered with corpses. After a cruel and brutal siege of the city, more than 30,000 people from the Sang Empire had been killed or wounded. Since the Qianhe Dynasty was the defender of the border city, there were fewer casualties, but they had also lost 8,000 soldiers. More than 4,000 were seriously wounded and would be unable to continue their participation in the war at the moment.

After the first conflict, what caught Qianhe Liyou by surprise was that the Nan Empire located at the southern borders of the Qianhe Empire had  actually begun to take military action. At the common junction between the two countries, in the Gamma Grasslands, military intelligence scouts appeared, their purpose unknown, but it had to be a foe and not a friend!

When Qianhe Liyou received such intel, she immediately responded with a scout group of her own, not only ordering the secret agents to pay attention to any news disseminating from the Nan Empire’s Imperial City, but she also immediately imposed martial law on the entire army of soldiers deployed in the Gamma Grasslands. This way, they would be prepared to battle at any time. At the same time, Qianhe Liyou dispatched 100,000 soldiers to leave for the Gamma Grasslands. If the Nan Empire really wanted to wage war with the Qianhe Empire at this time, then the Qianhe Dynasty would fight a two-front war at all costs. It was just like that thousand-year-old saying: those who violate our county’s prestige will be hunted to the death!

In the blink of an eye, it had been more than half a month since the conflict had started. During this half-month war, the casualties on both sides had already reached more than 80,0000, but the war was continuing on in a more violent form. The Sang Empire held its breath and began to fiercely attack the Yuling Pass even more ferociously than before. Reportedly, the Sang Empire’s Marshal was an old general. Although he was infamous in his ability to defend a city and his style of striking steadily and surely held firm, he did not aim to achieve the best possible result, but rather tried to avoid making as many mistakes as possible. When laying a siege on the city, he responded in accordance to the sequence of events that occurred in battle and it was done very routinely, making others feel helpless.

Although the Nan Empire had not launched an attack yet, the both parties’ troops and horses had found themselves in the midst of a stifling, hostile tension. Stationed on both sides of the Gamma Grasslands, if there was so much as a little skirmish, it would cause war between the two countries!

Moreover, because of this war, the five major countries, including the Qianhe Empire, had all entered a state of high alert. Even if they did not directly participate in the war, they sent a considerable number of spies to infiltrate into the other countries. It seemed that this war was not only a matter of warring empires, but it was a matter of every country under the sky!

And just when the war was in full swing and was like an unstoppable wildfire, it was time for Luo Yu’s 42-year old birthday banquet. Under Qianhe Liyou’s instruction, Luo Yu’s birthday banquet was simple and grand. All officials from the Imperial court, all the concubines from the Imperial palace and all the members of the Imperial family were present!

The venue used was the largest hall in the palace, the Tianhe Hall. The entire hall could accommodate thousands of people. At this time, the hall’s interior was brightly lit and the banquet was celebrated with great happiness and prosperity as dancers swayed to the  music.

“The King Dowager has arrived!”

Luo Yu was the last person to appear at the birthday banquet. Qianhe Liyou was already sitting in the seat of honor at this time, downing a glass of wine with a cold expression. When she heard the attendant announce the presents of the King Dowager, her gaze flickered to the hall’s entrance….

Even for his birthday banquet, Luo Yu disliked wearing bright colors, but he had shed the all-white robes he usually wore. Instead, it had been exchanged for white brocade that had a vivid and lifelike plum blossom branch pattern on it. Those specks of crimson made Luo Yu appear more cheerful, but it was just that Luo Yu’s expression was too cold and detached that this cheerful atmosphere was toned down a few notches.

Upon the attendant announcing Luo Yu’s arrival, everyone in the hall stopped talking, the dancers on the stage stopped and the cacophony abruptly ceased. The silence in the palace hall was somewhat excessive,

And everyone’s eyes could not help but gaze at the person standing at the door. The King Dowager, Luo Yu, crowned as the Number One Beauty, even if he was over forty years old, he was still a peerless beauty. Every time people laid their eyes on him, there was an urge to hold their breaths.

Luo Yu did not hesitate because of the strange atmosphere in the hall, but walked straight through the center of the hall towards his seat and sat down. His seat was to the left of Liyou’s and from the beginning to end, he hadn’t spared a glance at Liyou. But Liyou’s gaze had firmly remained on him the entire time and had never left, making it a bit more dangerous.

Qianhe Liyou did not hide her stare and Luo Yu emanated an aura of indifference. Yet, none of the people who were qualified to participate in the birthday banquet were fools. They were more or less aware that something was off, and their expression became even more cautious.

“Come, sit here!” Qianhe Liyou spoke, a trace of unrejectable toughness laced in it.

Luo Yu’s eyes finally fell onto Liyou’s body. With an obstinate air, Luo Yu pursed his lips and his complexion had turned somewhat pale. Still, he didn’t utter a single word and declined to comment.

Qianhe Liyou’s cold expression seemed to freeze and a thread of red light flashed in her eyes. Everyone thought that she would turn angry, but she laughed instead. However, this kind of smiling expression was far more frightening than anger.

“Do you think I should do something for you, so that you will be more obedient?” Whether it was before or even now, Qianhe Liyou was not accustomed to being rejected by others. She liked obedient people, but if the person she liked was not obedient, then she would find a way to make him so.

Luo Yu was most definitely not a timid character, but upon seeing Liyou’s smile, he only felt a little bit of dread. Although he knew from the bottom of his heart that Liyou would not actually hurt him, he was not sure if she would do anything that he could not accept. Luo Yu could not help but think of the kiss that day. Even now, that strong feeling freshly lingered in his memory.

As for the obvious threat lurking in Liyou’s words, Luo Yu wanted to refuse, but he was afraid. But, he did not want to give up the struggle so easily. It was nothing to sit next to her, but he was afraid that once he yielded this time, then he would continue yielding in the future. He could not imagine what the final result would be!

These days, his thoughts had been revolving around Liyou, turning over the situation that had happened in his mind. It was to the point that he even thought about it day and night. Even in his dreams, shadows of Liyou appeared. There was the taciturn and silent Liyou, the domineering and awe-inspiring Liyou, as well as the tender and gentle Liyou. With all these disordered thoughts, his state of mind had turned chaotic, and couldn’t seem to figure it out at all.

Liyou took in all of Luo Yu’s taciturn silence, thinking that the other meant to refuse her again. She no longer hesitated and stood up. She came to Luo Yu’s side, and before the other could react, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him up. And then, ignoring the other’s struggles, she took him back to her seat. With a little force, Luo Yu sprawled onto the couch.

Because it had been too sudden, Luo Yu leaned on Liyou’s body unsteadily, and Liyou took advantage of the situation to wrap his arms around Luo Yu’s waist and whispered in his ear: “If you dare to reject me again, I’ll kiss you in front of everyone here. If you don’t believe me, then let’s give it a try!”

If giving him time only made him more indifferent and obstinate, then she would retract her previous approach and choose to be straightforward. She would let him understand that it meant to be irresistible!