Chapter 182 Invitation Letter, Meeting Mo Lanxing

Chapter 182 Invitation Letter, Meeting Mo Lanxing

In the courtyard outside, in the shadow of the rockery, a pair of eyes gazed at the figure reflected in the candlelight on the window frame.

Her fingers were clenched tightly, her eyes filled with longing and sorrow.

"My good son! Come on! Sleep with your father and mother!" With that, he picked up Cheng'er and walked inside.

Shen Nanzi sighed, realizing he was determined not to leave!

Thinking about the deal with him, she had no choice but to take out a set of bedding from the wooden cabinet and spread it on the chaise lounge in the inner room.

On the carved bed, Ye Shuyin had already rolled onto the bed with Cheng'er in his arms, and the two of them were playfully wrestling.

Seeing Cheng'er so happy was rare for Shen Nanzi, who watched quietly, feeling surprisingly peaceful.

Originally, she envisioned this kind of father-son relationship, and this kind of life for her.

However, things didn't go as planned.

After watching them play for a while, Cheng'er couldn't resist the urge to sleep and snuggled into Ye Shuyin's arms.

The room fell silent.

Shen Nanzi got up and walked to the bedside.

"Ye Shuyin, come here!" Afraid of waking Cheng'er, she pinched his ear and lowered her voice.

This guy really goes with the flow.

"It hurts!" Ye Shuyin groaned as she got out of bed, her clothes half-open, and was dragged onto the chaise longue by Shen Nanzi.

He seized the opportunity to hug Shen Nanzi's waist, tilted his head back, and parted his rosy lips slightly, his voice filled with a coquettish tone:

"She has no chivalry at all. She can't even be moved by a handsome man like me. She's such an unromantic woman."

"You're already a young widow, and you're as beautiful as a flower. What's wrong with indulging yourself a little?"

Shen Nanzi looked at him and tapped his forehead, "Ye Shuyin, that's enough! Any more and it'll be too much!"

He buried his head in her waist and hummed, "This is fun. I've never done this before."

Shen Nanzi pried his arms away and warned in a low voice, "If you keep making trouble, it'll be dawn. Do you still want your throne?"

As if his pressure points had been struck, Ye Shuyin immediately released her and said decisively, "Yes."

Shen Nanzi finally grasped his weakness, turned around and went back to her own bed, where she held Cheng'er and fell into a deep sleep.

The moonlight outside was like water, covered with autumn frost, and carrying a chill.

Those eyes remained fixed on the room, watching the two figures embracing each other through the window.

I bit my lip until it bled, and my nails dug into my flesh. I tried to relieve the pain with pain, but it didn't work.

Suddenly, a bird flew down from the sky, flapping its wings. A red string was tied to its feet, and inside the string was a short note.

"The three-way balance of power is now secure; we eagerly await your return."

...

For the next two weeks, Shen Nanzi and Ye Shuyin stayed in their room all day, studying everything about the fake Mo Lanxing and the court, as well as the details of his relationship with the Queen.

Regarding the political situation, Shen Nanzi has basically clarified it under Ye Shuyin's guidance.

As for the relationship between the king and queen, on the surface, they were respectful to each other.

They also have two children, both daughters, but in Fangshuo, girls can also inherit the throne.

"You still like your fiancée, don't you?" Shen Nanzi asked, looking at Ye Shuyin's additional question.

These are all the little moments he and the Queen spent together.

Ye Shuyin remembers many small details clearly. Even after four or five years, he can still keep them in his heart, which means he can't forget them.

Ye Shuyin remained silent, only offering a soft smile.

After a while, he said, "She couldn't possibly not recognize me; she was just playing along!"

“My brother needs her, and her family needs a queen.”

Shen Nanzi looked at the information about the two children. "If it succeeds, what will happen to these two children?"

"Of course we'll keep them."

"You need to think this through carefully; there can't be a single loophole in our subsequent plans."

Ye Shuyin pondered for a moment, then said, "Keep it."

Shen Nanzi nodded, "Plan one: replace your brother without anyone noticing. The downside is that your identity will be exposed later, and there are too many people around you."

"Plan Two: Kill Two Birds with One Stone, Let them fight each other, and you'll be the fisherman."

"Plan Three: Exterminate them completely and eliminate future troubles forever."

"Think it through. If the plan goes wrong and is easily exposed, you will definitely die. I will have no choice but to run away with Cheng'er."

"Let's proceed with Plan One first," Ye Shuyin said, pointing to the plan on the paper.

Shen Nanzi laughed: "You said before that I wasn't ruthless enough, but when it comes to yourself, I thought you were so heartless!"

Ye Shuyin smiled helplessly, "Yes! You only realize how difficult it is to make a choice when it's your own situation."

Shen Nanzi: "Alright, I'll send a letter to Mo Lanxing first."

"What are you writing?" Ye Shuyin asked.

“He can write whatever he wants!” Shen Nanzi’s eyes shone with an air of certainty.

Then, he looked at Ye Shuyin.

“I will shorten the plan to three months, at least six months ahead of your plan.”

Ye Shuyin looked at her, and Shen Nanzi had the face of a businessman, "You want to raise prices on the spot."

Shen Nanzi clicked her tongue. "Raising prices on the spot sounds awful. We call this cooperation and win-win."

Is there a difference?

"certainly."

"Fine! Tell me, at worst I'll marry you in the end. After all the scheming, it'll all be ours."

Shen Nanzi glared at him. "If I succeed, you'll have to support my military pay for a year."

"No problem for a year."

"It's not three thousand soldiers and armor, it's all the soldiers I recruit later that you need to supply."

Ye Shuyin panicked: "Shen Nanzi, you're too ruthless. What if you recruit 50,000 or 100,000 soldiers? How can I afford to support them?"

"Don't you know how old Fang Shuo is?"

Shen Nanzi chuckled: "Listen to me, if you provide me with a year's worth of military pay, I'll give you an extra 10% in commercial taxes for the next ten years."

"You can also buy our Yunhan goods and sell them at high prices to other countries that I don't go to."

"Your business now spans other countries. If you can't go, do you think I can? You shrewd businessman," Ye Shuyin grinned.

Shen Nanzi smiled without getting annoyed: "Here is the amount of goods I handle through Fang Shuo every year. You can calculate whether you make a profit or a loss."

Shen Nanzi pushed the bill in her hand in front of him, "This is a sure-fire deal."

Ye Shuyin opened her account book, and after an incense stick's time,

"You really are a business master. You managed to get something for nothing, using just an account book to exchange for a year's worth of military rations for Fang Shuo."

Shen Nanzi: "Aren't you just trying to get something for nothing? If it weren't for Madam Xue, you would only be able to wander around various countries."

"If you say you'll lead me out of the clouds, I'll risk my life for you. I might come alive, but I might not leave alive."

“We’re going to exchange the throne for each other like this,” Shen Nanzi spread her hands, indicating how absurd it was. “Who would dare to take this deal? Only me. So, I am your benefactor.”

Shen Nanzi knew he had no choice.

Ye Shuyin really had no choice. Shen Nanzi wasn't just taking advantage of him; it was like she was borrowing money from Fang Shuo. She would repay the principal over eight years and pay interest over two years.

Fang Shuo certainly didn't lose out.

The prerequisite is that they all have to win!

Both of them were trying to get something for nothing; one wanted the throne, and the other wanted to rebel.

"If you don't win, won't I suffer a loss?" Ye Shuyin realized.

"Then we won't lose," Shen Nanzi coaxed.

Ye Shuyin: "That won't do. What if, I mean what if."

What do you want?

"Win or lose, you have to marry me!"

Shen Nanzi rolled her eyes at him, "Let's talk about something else. Don't you still have feelings for the Queen? If she doesn't want you anymore, then I will."

"It's a deal."

"It's a deal."

Shen Nanzi thought to herself, if she lost she would die, and if she won she would become the Empress Dowager. She could not marry him either way.

She will never fall in love again in her life, mainly because she is afraid of dying.

Ye Shuyin was still not at ease, so he picked up a pen, wrote a contract, and forced Shen Nanzi to sign and affix her fingerprint.

Shen Nanzi went along with his wishes, a cunning glint in her eyes, as long as she could get the military pay.

Ye Shuyin put the contract into his arms, and Shen Nanzi also began to write a visiting card for Mo Lanxing.

"What promise do you make?"

“He wants weapons, so I’ll give him weapons.”

"Weapons are prohibited from being bought and sold. Can you bring them over?"

"It's not a real deal, just a preliminary plan," Shen Nanzi said with an air of nonchalance.

"If he wants to see the actual product, he'll secretly play a few rounds and make some samples for Mo Lanxing to see."

"That's not important, it's just bait to lure him in."

"He failed, so I don't need to pay him for his weapons!"

"I, Madam Xue, have a good reputation. I will do anything that can be bought and sold, as long as it can make money."

Ye Shuyin gazed at her intently. "What if I like you more and more the more I look at you?"

Shen Nanzi didn't even look up. "You Fang Shuo practice monogamy. You should change the law!"

Ye Shuyin stroked his chin, speaking seriously, "It's not impossible!"

"Go find a Ferghana horse!" Shen Nanzi ordered him. This man needed to be given something to do, otherwise he would be like a clingy pest.

Ye Shuyin narrowed his eyes slightly, "If one plan fails, you still have a backup plan. You're more than just a little clever."

"I'll go right away."

"Hmm, you need to wear makeup to go out, so you don't expose yourself prematurely. If you die, who will I ask for my three thousand soldiers and armor?"

…

In the courtyard, Xie Chengze finished reading his book and came out of the study.

"Young master, come here quickly!" Auntie hurriedly went over and pulled him forward.

Xie Chengze looked up and saw a craftsman repairing the roof tiles.

He followed his great-aunt's lead to the flower bed. "Great-aunt, it's time to practice your sword. My sword is still inside the house."

Auntie looked at Xie Chengze's house, where the floor was piled high with tiles that needed to be replaced.

"There will be no practice today. I'll have someone go in and get it for you later."

Xie Chengze remained silent, but a faint sadness lingered in his eyes. If he wanted to raise an army, he needed to study military strategy diligently and practice his weaponry thoroughly.

When he has armor, he will be able to help his mother with the burden.

Xie Chengze's eyes swept around and he saw a shadow guard hiding in the shadow of a pillar.

He had a short blade at his waist, similar in length to the children's sword he usually used.

Xie Chengze then walked over.

"Your name is Yunxiao, right?"

Cheng'er's childish voice carried the authority of a young master, and a hint of warmth instantly appeared in Yunxiao's cold eyes.

He straightened up from leaning against the pillar, nodded seriously, and asked in a hoarse voice, "What is it?"

Xie Chengze frowned slightly. This person... was disrespectful.

However, recalling how he would secretly lift the carriage curtain to watch the fighting outside whenever he encountered an assassination attempt while traveling, he remembered that during his journeys, he would do so.

Every time, he would see this hidden guard with a short sword; his swordsmanship was very impressive.

Assassins under his control rarely survive more than ten moves.

Many people use short swords; for example, his father also used a short sword.

He had originally wanted to practice short swordsmanship, but he gave it up because of his father.

He didn't want to use the same weapons as that person.

It seemed that he was the only one among those hidden guards who used a short sword, so he could be easily spotted every time.

Later, he heard others call him Yunxiao, and he remembered his name.

"Let me... use your short sword for a moment."

How long will it take?

Xie Chengze looked up at the man. As his subordinate, the man showed no respect whatsoever and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"My sword is in the house. I'll get it out and return it to you later."

The next moment, the gleaming sword was already in his sight.

"This sword is extremely sharp. Be careful when you use it, and don't hurt yourself."

The voice was still hoarse, and although it was disrespectful, the tone was not bad.

Xie Chengze, considering that he had protected him, didn't hold it against him. He took the short sword from his hand and weighed it in his hand.

That's really heavy!

It was much heavier than his child sword, and Xie Chengze was unwilling to show weakness in front of others.

Especially in front of this master swordsman, he will definitely surpass him in the future.

Xie Chengze wanted to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, so he practiced with extra diligence.

Along the way, the child witnessed the killings between assassins and understood that on the battlefield, the weak would surely die.

The short sword danced in his hand, each move carrying a hint of killing intent.

Yunxiao, standing under the pillars, crossed his arms, his gaze never leaving Xie Chengze.

Upon seeing something impressive, I couldn't help but praise it, saying, "It's quite impressive, not just empty talk."

Half an hour later, Xie Chengze got tired and sat down to rest on the steps under the corridor.

Yunxiao remained standing by with his arms crossed.

Xie Chengze was lost in thought. After finishing his sword practice, he planned to memorize military texts.

"Want some advice?" someone nearby suddenly asked.

Xie Chengze looked at the flower pond, where carp were swimming and a turtle was sunbathing on the artificial hill.

"Um!"

He is an expert, and he wants to hear the evaluations of experts so that he can discover any shortcomings early on.

"Your foundation is good, but your strength and technique are lacking, and your arms get tired easily." Yunxiao's tone was very calm and sounded very fair.

Xie Chengze was somewhat surprised; his arm was indeed sore, and the sword was much heavier than his child's sword.

He used to be able to practice for much longer.

"The power comes from the waist and wrists, not the arms."

"The sword moves with the will of the heart. If you are too deliberate, you will be a step too slow. If you cannot make the sword move with the will of the heart, you will be one step closer to death."

"You must also be extra careful with your ears to guard against sharp weapons behind you. Being able to see in all directions and hear in all directions is not just empty talk, but a life-saving advice that you should always be aware of."

"We must react immediately to the slightest disturbance."

Xie Chengze listened attentively; he was genuinely sharing his insights.

He then stood up, cupped his hands in thanks, and said, "Thank you for your guidance!"

At this moment, Xie Chengze did not display the authority of a master, but rather the respect due to a powerful figure.

Xie Chengze spent the entire afternoon practicing by the flower bed.

If the move is wrong or the point of force is incorrect, he will give pointers and teach him very patiently.

It had a sense of sharing everything they knew, as if they wanted Xie Chengze to learn it all so that Xie Chengze could benefit greatly.

When Shen Nanzi came out, she saw that he was covered in sweat from practicing.

"Take a break!"

She stood under the eaves, wearing an apricot-colored cross-collar long dress.

The skirt is embroidered with colorful little flowers, layer upon layer, which is very beautiful, like a peony in full bloom.

Xie Chengze sheathed his sword and steadied himself. "Mother, are you done with your work?"

Shen Nanzi wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. "Mmm."

"Mother, I have someone to recommend to you."

Xie Chengze was somewhat excited, having learned many skills today that would be very useful for him in battle.

"Who is it?" Shen Nanzi looked at her child, completely satisfied.

How can there be such a beautiful and well-behaved child in the world? I love him so much!

"Mother, he is..." Xie Chengze turned his gaze to the side of the corridor pillar, but the hidden guard who had been standing there for several hours was nowhere to be seen.