AEOGA CH82

The sister and brother had a long, heart-to-heart talk before finally retiring in the late hours of the night. Meanwhile, in the East Side Hall, Qin Yulong remained awake the entire night as well.

An elder sister was like a mother. Helian Xi frequently brought up his sister and was deeply dependent on and respectful toward Helian Yu. Even though they were peers, Qin Yulong felt the nervous anxiety of meeting an elder or parent-in-law.

Fortunately, it seemed her first impression of him had been quite good.

The next morning, Qin Yulong rose early and deliberately changed into his most formal attire. The young general, who usually paid no mind to dressing up, stood before a full-length mirror looking himself over again and again, terrified that any hint of slovenliness might leave a bad impression on Helian Yu.

He had heard that women in Xifeng preferred men who wore scented incense and cosmetics, disliking the reek of sweat. Qin Yulong thought applying face powder lacked masculinity—besides, how could anyone train soldiers and fight battles without sweating? He could never understand those women.

After hesitating for a moment, Qin Yulong said to his palace attendant, “Bring the incense Hua Yan sent over last time. And that… whatever rouge and powder… bring those over too.”

…

Qin Yulong spent half an hour dressing and applying makeup before the mirror until a youth with crimson lips and a deathly pale face appeared in the glass—so unfamiliar that even Qin Yulong himself barely recognized the reflection.

The palace attendant didn’t dare recognize him either.

“How does this general look today?” Qin Yulong asked his personal attendant.

The attendant hesitated briefly: “Young General, if you don’t know how to apply makeup, you don’t have to.”

Qin Yulong: “…”

In the end, he stepped outside bare-faced.

Except on rest days, Qin Yulong and Helian Xi went to the military camp outside the city every day to train, sometimes sleeping at the barracks altogether.

Today, with Helian Yu visiting the palace, Xie Chongjin had granted them leave to accompany their guest from afar.

Just as Qin Yulong stepped out of his hall, Helian Yu happened to emerge from the South Side Hall as well. The woman still wore a striking, fire-red attire, bold and radiant.

The siblings both loved wearing red, a color that suited their vivid temperaments, each outshining the other in bright splendor.

Qin Yulong greeted confidently, “Sister.”

What answered him was a whip coming straight at his head.

Last night, Helian Yu’s focus had been deflected by Helian Xi to the matter of the alliance. But once she lay in bed, her mind filled with the infuriating realization that her younger brother had actually been snagged by that bastard Qin Yulong.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she grew.

Stepping out in the morning and seeing Qin Yulong, she immediately drew the snake whip wrapped around her waist to teach him a lesson.

Qin Yulong: “…?”

What happened? Where was the pleasant, gentle sister from yesterday?

Before he could realize how he had offended her, his physical instincts moved faster than his brain, and he agilely dodged the whip.

An even fiercer onslaught rained down upon him.

Qin Yulong reacted swiftly, defending without attacking and refusing to strike back.

Was this a joke? This was Ah-Jiu’s sister—did he dare hit her?

However, he had underestimated Helian Yu’s martial prowess. Her whip technique was tricky and her martial skills supreme, surpassing even Helian Xi’s. Ducking and dodging left and right, Qin Yulong gradually grew overmatched, losing his initial ease and taking several whip strikes to his body.

“Draw your sword,” the woman said coldly. “Are you looking down on me?”

Clearly carrying a weapon yet refusing to use it, choosing instead to face armed attacks empty-handed, was a sign of contempt in battle.

What Helian Yu loathed most were men who looked down on women.

As a general, Qin Yulong had special permission to carry a sword in the palace, yet he had not drawn it.

Qin Yulong hesitated. He figured he roughly understood why Helian Yu was angry; Helian Xi had said he would tell his sister about their relationship, so his identity… was likely difficult for Helian Yu to accept.

Since he was in the wrong first, he had no reason to strike back.

Helian Yu, however, wrapped her whip around the scabbard at Qin Yulong’s waist, yanked it free, and flung it onto the ground, saying coldly, “A useless trash who can’t even protect his own weapon—how can he protect my brother? Might as well beat him to death.”

Qin Yulong was startled. Realizing Helian Yu’s strength was not to be understated, he immediately drew his sword to meet her attack, putting forth his utmost respect and full effort.

His reluctance to fight had come from a sense of guilt. His decision to fight back was to prove that he was worthy of Helian Xi and capable of protecting him.

Sword flashes and whip shadows intertwined as the two nimble figures clashed in fierce combat. They were evenly matched, but Qin Yulong clearly still had misgivings—though he claimed to give his all, he didn’t dare actually injure Helian Yu with his blade, which inevitably bound his hands and feet. Helian Yu, on the other hand, struck with ruthless, unreserved whip blows. Before long, Qin Yulong was covered in wounds. Helian Yu struck a heavy whip blow across his shoulder, tearing the fabric and exposing a shocking streak of blood.

For even thick clothing to be shredded showed how fierce and unforgiving the blow had been.

Qin Yulong dropped to one knee with a low grunt, yet he smiled—Helian Yu had tried several times to coil her whip around his blade and tear it from his grip, but he had held on tightly, keeping it safe.

Just as he would hold onto Helian Xi, never letting go.

In this far-from-fair battle, holding onto his weapon was his victory.

“Yulong! Sister!” Awakened from a deep sleep caused by staying up late the previous night, Helian Xi hurried out upon hearing the sounds of fighting in the courtyard, panic obvious in his tone.

Helian Yu pulled back her whip and said in a low voice to Qin Yulong, “These are the wounds Ah-Jiu suffered on his body; I am returning them to you in the exact same spots.”

“You had better hold onto Ah-Jiu just as you held onto your sword, or I will not let you off easily.”

Hearing these words, Qin Yulong’s eyes flickered, and a grin touched his lips: “Thank you for your approval, Sister.”

Helian Xi ran over in a flurry: “Are you alright? Let me help you inside to apply medicine.”

Qin Yulong laughed: “I’m fine. Suffering a few minor injuries in exchange for our sister accepting me—damn, that’s a massive win.”

–

After the clash, the courtyard looked as though it had been swept by a storm. While the attendants cleaned up the mess, Helian Xi helped Qin Yulong inside to apply medicine, and Helian Yu was summoned by the Emperor to the Hall of State Affairs.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony was where formal imperial court was held, while the Hall of State Affairs was where the Emperor summoned ministers to discuss national affairs after court. Upon entering the hall, Helian Yu found that both the Emperor and Empress of Changli were present.

Changli permitted the Empress to participate in state affairs. The Empress was not merely an appendage of the Emperor, but a ruler possessing actual power—unlike in Xifeng. Changli’s requirement for the imperial harem was to select consorts for beauty, but to select an empress for capability. Capability did not mean submissiveness, but talent and competence—requiring political understanding to share the Emperor’s burdens, acting effectively as the nation’s co-ruler.

And this Empress of Changli possessed exceedingly extraordinary looks, paired with even more extraordinary abilities. At first glance, one would be awed by his countenance; upon actual interaction, one would only be shaken by his intellect.

Dealing with these two rulers was truly a headache-inducing task.

Fortunately, they were not enemies.

Helian Yu said composedly, “Your Majesty summoned Helian Yu over regarding the matter of Imperial Concubine Qin?”

News within the palace could not possibly escape the Emperor and Empress. Likely right after she got into a fight with Qin Yulong, the news had reached their ears.

It wasn’t that Helian Yu hadn’t considered the consequences; an envoy beating an imperial consort was entirely a provocative act that could escalate war between the two nations.

However, Changli wanted to ally with her and had conveyed many points through Helian Xi last night—when Helian Yu heard that Changli actually dared to send Helian Xi to train in the military camp, and unhesitatingly revealed that Changli was near to developing stronger crossbow weapons, she had believed Changli’s sincerity.

With such full sincerity, they surely wouldn’t fuss over minor matters.

So Helian Yu had vented her anger thoroughly on her brother’s behalf.

That Helian Xi could speak of the crossbows was naturally with the tacit permission of Xie Chongjin and Lu Xuechao, serving as leverage to win over Helian Yu.

Of course, the ultimate secret weapon, gunpowder, was classified as top secret; currently, Xie Chongjin had not disclosed it to anyone outside the development department.

Managing a myriad of daily state affairs made it difficult for Xie Chongjin to devote his energy to gunpowder research all day. Such an invention could not be perfected entirely by him alone, so he had specifically posted imperial notices across the nation to recruit individuals with a talent for chemistry, adding them to secret research after rigorous examinations.

Whether papermaking or porcelain firing, both belonged to chemical processes, and aside from education, Changli excelled most in these two industries. Chemistry was not mysterious, and those in Changli with such talent were not few. Seeing the astronomical compensation offered in the imperial notices, many were tempted to join, completely unaware of what they would actually be doing.

Once they passed the examinations, they never expected to be personally received by His Majesty the Emperor, who even personally taught and demonstrated for them, explaining the principles and teaching them the methods of making gunpowder.

The talented recruits had been stunned and dazed, followed by immense, wild excitement.

If at first their excitement was merely over meeting His Majesty, what excited them now was realizing that the invention of this weapon could alter the current global situation—no longer requiring them to endure the bullying of Yelang, while avenging the blood feud from Yelang’s poisonous Gu war a century ago.

Who wouldn’t want a strong nation?

The talents were filled with drive. Changli possessed vast territory with large stretches of uninhabited land suitable for conducting gunpowder explosion experiments.

While Yelang was secretly researching a living-dead army, Changli’s gunpowder was also undergoing continuous refinement.

Such matters, naturally, were not to be disclosed to outsiders.

…

Lu Xuechao smiled faintly: “What we wish to discuss with the Seventh Imperial Daughter concerns national affairs, whereas what the Seventh Imperial Daughter speaks of is a family matter.”

Meaning: It’s none of our business, do as you please.

Helian Yu: “…”

She knew Changli wouldn’t fuss over it, but this was too indifferent.

She actually felt a bit of sympathy for Qin Yulong.

This matter could be big or small; a Xifeng envoy hitting a Changli general was naturally a national affair. But an elder sister beating up her brother-in-law to vent anger for her brother made it a family matter.

Helian Yu had heard from Helian Xi that the Emperor and Empress of Changli were fond of granting marriage decrees to the consorts, completely unconcerned with them “corrupting the inner palace or shaming the royal family.” Hearing about it was one thing, but seeing it in person was another.

The Empress actually admitted in front of her that it was a family matter, tacitly endorsing the relationship between Qin Yulong and Helian Xi.

Helian Yu organized her words: “Then let us discuss the restoration of diplomatic relations between our two nations.”

“What needed to be said has surely been conveyed to the Seventh Imperial Daughter by the Ninth Prince last night,” Xie Chongjin said. “The target of the alliance that the Empress and I seek is not the current Empress Regnant of Xifeng, but you.”

Helian Yu chuckled softly: “Your Majesty and Your Highness sent my brother as a lobbyist and offered such generous terms; it is hard for Helian Yu not to be swayed.”

“However, I do not understand—since Changli already possesses such a powerful trump card, why not unify the world directly? Why demand only a non-aggression agreement?” Helian Yu recalled the crossbows Helian Xi described; if they truly possessed such power, why would Changli fear Yelang? They could take them on alone, so why seek cooperation?

“I have already given the reason,” Xie Chongjin said calmly. “Not everyone is like Yelang—resorting to killing, plundering, and bullying the weak as soon as weapons are in hand. Some pick up weapons merely to protect the land beneath their feet and the people behind them, not to seize others’ lands or harm innocent civilians.”

Helian Yu stared into his eyes: “If a nation is wealthy and strong with abundant resources, it can naturally act as a noble messenger of peace. But if, like Yelang, resources are scarce, the people lack food and clothing, and grievances lead to endless rebellions, can Your Majesty guarantee you wouldn’t plunder other nations to secure internal stability?”

“The Yelang royal family is incompetent, unable to fill their people’s bellies, which forces them to plunder others’ land and food,” Xie Chongjin met her gaze with firm resolve. “If food is insufficient, develop agriculture; if the economy fails, support commerce; if military strength is lacking, forge weapons; if the people are dissatisfied, work until they are satisfied. I will make my dynasty wealthy and strong, with no need to beg for food from others.”

Helian Yu badly wanted to mock that during those three years in Changli, without Xifeng’s grain imports, the local populace would have starved and frozen to death—to say nothing of various natural disasters, human calamities, and corrupt officials—so how could he speak of a wealthy nation and strong populace?

Yet, thinking of how in just a single year, this pair of Emperor and Empress had brought new sprouts to a decaying, dying dynasty and revived vitality everywhere, she felt it was not impossible.

She felt a sense of shock.

In Xifeng, an emperor held supreme power, able to command rain and wind over the people of the land.

Yet in the Emperor of Changli, she saw that an emperor was the heaviest responsibility—sheltering the people of the land from wind and rain.