Chapter 427: You’ve Won
Lucy ignores Henwell’s sarcasm and calmly sits across from him. “So, what’s your plan now?”
Henwell leans back in his chair. “The situation’s settled. What plan could we possibly have? Even if there was one, Nangong He’s already come this far. Is there really any chance to change things now?”
Lucy replies, “Others might not have a plan, but you definitely do.”
Henwell drops the smile. “You’re still willing to keep going?”
Lucy lets out a bitter laugh. “Having come this far, even if it’s just a beautiful dream, I have to see it through to the end.”
“Is it really a beautiful dream? Couldn’t it be a nightmare instead?”
A delicate hairpin twirls between Lucy’s fingers. “No matter what kind of dream it is, you have to sleep long enough.”
Half a month later, Minister of Revenue Yu Chengbang’s eldest daughter holds her wedding.
The bride is Lucy. The groom… Nangong Ying.
The new emperor Nangong He personally officiates the wedding, declaring he will act on behalf of the late emperor to complete the marriage.
A few nights ago, Nangong He took Lucy’s hand and said, “Lucy, I know you’re feeling wronged this time. But Nangong Ying has forty thousand elite troops in the South Regions, and my eldest brother still harbors doubts about our father’s death. I have to stabilize the current situation. “
”You’re smart and capable, only you can keep Nangong Ying steady. Once my foundation is secure, I promise to remove Nangong Ying and marry you with full glory. Then, together we’ll rule this realm and restore the empire to its former glory.”
Lucy shows no shock, no hysterics, not even tears.
She simply kneels calmly. “Your humble servant Lucy obeys the order.”
The wedding takes place in the imperial palace, with officials congratulating them and the emperor bestowing blessings, a supreme honor.
Henwell attends the banquet, carefully observing the rituals. Though they don’t apply to him, at least he gains some insight.
As evening falls and the banquet disperses, Nangong Ying and Lucy return to the prince’s mansion.
On their wedding night, Nangong Ying lifts Lucy’s veil and looks at her serene face.
He sighs softly and slowly kneels down. “Lucy, I know you don’t like me, you like Nangong He. Now that he holds the throne, if he’s willing to marry you as empress, I won’t say a word. I’ll go guard the border forever, never returning to the capital.“
”But he doesn’t plan to make you empress. To secure his reign, he must marry a daughter from another powerful family to gain support from the four prefectures in the Eastern Territory.“
”Let’s leave this world of strife behind. Nangong He promised me I could govern the South Regions. Let’s stop caring about these power struggles.”
Lucy looks at the man before her, filled with infatuation. “I know Nangong He. Even if he doesn’t marry me, he won’t just hand me over to you! So tell me, what price have you paid to win me over? Is it command of those 400,000 troops in the South Regions? Or are you planning to be some idle prince with no real power?”
Nangong Ying smiles. “I gave him the secret edict our late father entrusted to me.”
Lucy is stunned. After a moment, she raises her hand and gently strokes Nangong Ying’s cheek. “You really are a man without ambition.”
Nangong Ying laughs. “The world—the throne—so many want it, but nobody sees how exhausting the emperor is. Compared to Nangong He, I truly lack ambition. I love the woman, not the empire.”
Lucy sighs. “Alright, fine. I’ll handle things. In one month, we leave the capital.”
Nangong Ying is overjoyed. “Whatever you say!”
Just as they finish their nuptial wine, a commotion breaks out outside.
Sensing something’s wrong, they rush out to see the mansion’s guards being overwhelmed by armored soldiers.
Nangong Ying raises his hand, and a treasured sword flies into it. Drawing the blade, he shouts fiercely, “Who dares cause trouble here?”
Leading the attackers is a eunuch holding up an imperial edict. “Nangong Ying is accused of colluding with Minister of Revenue Yu Chengbang and other criminals, setting a trap that assassinated the late emperor. By imperial decree, all involved are to be captured. Surrender now or be killed on sight!”
Lucy freezes, then suddenly pushes Nangong Ying aside. “What have you done to my father?”
The eunuch offers no answer. “You need to disarm and surrender, or all will be executed!”
Nangong Ying steps in front of Lucy again, softly comforting her tear-streaked face. “I’ve dragged you into this. I didn’t expect Nangong He wouldn’t let me go.”
At that moment, Lu Bajin bursts in through the back gate with several hundred armored guards.
Seeing Lucy, he falls to his knees. “Princess, flee! We’ll cover your escape!”
Lucy demands, “What about my father? Is there anyone to help him?”
Lu Bajin replies, “Someone’s already escorting him out.”
Lucy commands, “You go protect my father’s escape! I have my own way out here. That’s an order, execute it immediately!”
After a moment’s hesitation, Lu Bajin leads his men toward the Minister’s mansion.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Nangong Ying grabs Lucy’s hand, and under the protection of their loyal guards, they slip out through the back gate of his mansion.
But Nangong Ying’s forces are too few. Though each soldier is skilled, lacking armor puts them at a serious disadvantage against the enemy.
By the time they reach the main street, only a few dozen guards remain.
Ahead, a battalion from the Military Affairs Department forms a blockade, while Imperial Guards close in from behind.
Soon, Nangong Ying’s guards fall one by one, leaving him alone, sword in hand, fighting fiercely to shield Lucy behind him.
He takes blow after blow, choosing to bear the wounds himself rather than let Lucy suffer even a scratch.
As the soldiers raise their shields and spears, slowly closing in, it seems Nangong Ying will die here.
Lucy looks up and cries out, “You’ve won! Take us away from here!”
Everyone thinks Lucy has lost her mind, but then a figure steps out from a nearby alley.
Dressed in scholar’s robes, holding a scroll and a sword at his waist, he bows slightly to Lucy.
“Lucy, it’s been a long time! Zhang Che has come to assist!”
Nangong Ying recognizes him and says, “What are you doing here? Leave now! These soldiers won’t listen to your words. This is no time for preaching. They don’t care what you say, don’t throw your life away!”
Zhang Che bows again calmly. “Your Highness, you’re mistaken. Reason is reason. Everyone understands some form of it. Often, strength is reason. But sometimes, reason itself can become strength. Like now.”
As he speaks, Zhang Che steps into the middle of the street, eyes scanning the troops.
“Unprovoked violence, killing the innocent, this is injustice. Believing a false emperor, killing royal family and officials, plunging the empire into chaos, this is disloyalty. Serving those who murdered their own father, willingly becoming their hounds, this is unfilial. Injustice, disloyalty, unfilial conduct, these crimes bring suffering to the people and ruin to the land. By law, they deserve death.”
No sooner are the words spoken than every soldier on the street raises their sword and takes their own life on the spot.
Staring at the fallen bodies, Nangong Ying is stunned. “What law is this?”
Zhang Che smiles. “The law of heaven and earth. The law of the people. The law of the human heart.”