Chapter 239: Kidnapping
The night they reached the war zone, the Emperor had dinner with the soldiers that improved his favour among the troops. That day their troops had suffered some losses and the Emperor sitting with them eating the same food they eat with the same cutlery they use helped them quell some of the doubts they had about this war.
They had realised that the moment the Emperor had stepped foot in this place, the rain had stopped and there wasn’t a single drop of rain from then on. Usually, most of the soldiers in their kingdom are superstitious and believed a lot of sentiments. At first they were skeptical about the Emperor’s presence because there was a firm belief that the presence of the Emperor in the battlefield will bring disasters with the Tianshi Emperor as the exception.
But this Emperor who is said to be coronated by the God of Wind himself seems to be different and has good fortune following him. They really felt good about the battle tomorrow.
If the Emperor knew of the thoughts of the soldiers, he’d have corrected them and explained them it was all because of the Empress and she was the harbinger of good luck.
Women weren’t allowed in the battlefield and Xing was asked to be in the tent for her own safety by Minister Zai who had followed them to be here. He cannot stay in his comfortable home when the Emperor is at the war zone. He explained Xing that some of the soldiers won’t be pleased to have a woman there even if it was the Empress and Xing agreed to keep her presence little because she knew that the entire place is so tense and even little misunderstanding may lead to bigger issues when everyone is wound up by the tricky conditions here. The last thing she needs is an upheaval of the troops now.
Xing and Chu Weiye along with Bai Li were in her tent dining and Bai Li oddly was showing his attitude towards Weiye surprising Xing. Weiye was treated as the servant to both Xing and Bai Li. Back with Ayane and Yukiko, he was not this indifferent. Then she remembered that this old fox might be discriminating because she is not of royal descent and also she is of Chu family who had cheated the Tianshi Emperor himself.
Xing shared the birds nest soup they had specially prepared for her with Chu Weiye. In fact Xing gave the entire bowl to Weiye as she felt like she was a cute little bird herself. She wasn’t that arrogant like her father who would not finish a sentence without bragging about himself. She was modest, polite and gentle, smart and witty. A good combination to have for a lady.
After dinner, Xing asked Weiye to stay with her and she agreed and went out to ask her father’s permission while Xing stayed inside the tent and the Emperor visited her along with Seiren, stealthily. Apparently other men cannot be seen inside the Empress’ tent. Xing looked around her to see, all men.
How pitiful am I to have only men around me! Even my maid is male fox taking the form of a female!
Seiren told her that tomorrow’s plan will include activating the trap. The trap is a deep and long underground tunnel that had been dug previously in the shape of a horseshoe, supported by wooden blocks to prevent from caving in. There is a mechanism that had to be activated in three places- two at the at the ends of the curve and one at the curve closer to them, at same time for the tunnel to cave in.