Chapter 57: Chengqian Three Kingdoms

The sun set in the west, Chengqian Hall.

At this moment, the bustling crowd had already left the hall, the banquet that had been laid out like an assembly line was taken away, leaving only a few tables on the left and right, on which simple yet exquisite dishes and fine wine were displayed.

By now, only a few dozen people remained in the great hall.

Seated at the highest seat, in the host's manner, raising a cup to toast the people below, was the ruler of the Qi Nation—Wei Lingfeng.

Looking down, the man seated at the first seat on the left, with gentle and modest demeanor, was the envoy of the Yin Nation attending to congratulate the Qi King's marriage, the Fourth Prince—Yin Ziheng.

Counting further, the first seat on the right was the Crown Prince of the Yue Nation, the famed Black Horse Divine General—Fu Junmo.

In this hall, fewer than twenty people were seated. Besides the three mentioned, there were also the newly appointed Prime Minister of the Qi Nation—Wen Ce, the Guardian General Xuan Tian, and several envoys from smaller but relatively strong nations.

Among them were the Yin Chuan Nation, which held the most advantageous position in the world yet could not control its own country, and the newly rising Yi Nation, whose influence was spreading and eventually aroused the vigilance of the Qi, Yin, and Yue Nations.

Wei Lingfeng sat leisurely in the highest seat, his calm gaze sweeping over everyone present, finally resting on the envoy of the Yi Nation, Bai Shengyi, who wore white clothes surpassing snow and moved with a lazy, indifferent air. He gave a slight smile, turned aside, raised his cup and said, "I thank you all for traveling from thousands of miles away to attend my wedding; I toast to each of you."

Everyone bowed their heads in unison and drained their cups in one gulp. Yet two people still held their cups without drinking: the coquettishly smiling Bai Shengyi and the dark‑faced, unreadable Fu Junmo.

Bai Shengyi brushed the rim of the cup against his crimson lips, and a soft yet slightly husky voice rang through the hall: "I have long heard that the newly appointed Empress of the Qi Nation is not only skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but has also solved many of the emperor's naval warfare problems. Such an extraordinary woman could not be absent from today's grand ceremony."

When those words were spoken, everyone present felt a chill in their hearts. A month ago, the Qi Nation silently annihilated the Ting Nation, a fact known to all.

In that campaign lasting less than three months, they witnessed Qi's naval equipment and tactics far more advanced than Ting's, shocking both Tianhe and the continent. People began to realize that Qi had truly embarked on the path of hegemon over Tianhe and the continent.

Now, those present could not suppress their astonishment: could it be that the one who elevated Qi's naval tactics was this newly appointed Empress of Qi— the daughter of the former Prime Minister of the Ting Nation?

They muttered curses at the shameless, traitorous woman, yet also understood why Ting was destroyed, why the new Empress lost her backing, and despite lacking striking beauty, she could still be crowned Empress.

Wei Lingfeng gave a noncommittal smile, his expression indifferent, as if oblivious to the odd atmosphere and whispered gossip below. His gaze passed the smiling Bai Shengyi, then turned to the increasingly dark‑faced Fu Junmo, and asked, "Does the Crown Prince share this view?"

Fu Junmo looked up at the inscrutable emperor in the highest seat for a while, then suddenly recalled a conversation on a ship where he had asked Ying Ruo why she married him. Ying Ruo replied helplessly, "Perhaps it was arranged."

His own spy in the Qi Nation was also eliminated in a single night by his thunderous sweep.

A faint cold smile tugged at his mouth corner as he said lightly, "The envoy Bai is right; how could one not get a glimpse of such an extraordinary woman?"

"Very well." Wei Lingfeng smiled calmly, waved his hand to the eunuch beside him and said, "Go summon the Empress."

After one incense stick burned.

The eunuch who had taken the order shuffled to Wei Lingfeng's side, his face full of panic and unease, and said, "Report, report to the Emperor, the Empress says she has already rested."

Half of those below were coughing from the wine, their faces flushed, coughing incessantly. In contrast, Fu Junmo's perpetually dark face briefly showed a hint of a smile, which vanished in an instant.

Wei Lingfeng, showing no surprise, nodded, a slight upward curl at his mouth, and said, "Go back and ask again; you don't need to handle anything else, just tell her the word 'contract.'"

Another incense stick passed.

This time, the junior eunuch finally brought someone out, but his expression remained uneasy. Behind him followed the girl who had just been titled Empress of the Qi Nation, dressed in attire completely out of place for the occasion.

She wore no resplendent palace robes like those of daytime, nor a meticulously styled palace coif; the girl before us could truly only be called a girl, an ordinary girl, and bore no resemblance to a nation's Empress.

The girl's expression was neither surprised nor delighted; she simply bowed before Wei Lingfeng and said, "Your Majesty, may I ask what urgent decree summons me?"

Below, murmurs began, the whispered comments of the crowd reaching the girl's ears, and a faint cold smile curled at her mouth.

"As a nation's Empress, how could she appear at a state banquet in such disrespectful attire?"

"Did you hear? She calls herself 'I' instead of 'your servant.'"

"Only such shameless women would betray their own country for wealth and glory, right?"

……

Wei Lingfeng's eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, then he raised his hand, signaling her to rise, and said, "No need for formalities, sit beside me."

The girl looked up at him in slight astonishment but offered no rebuttal, calmly walked over and settled onto half of the dragon throne.

The atmosphere in the hall grew eerie, a pin could be heard falling, and no one expected that the first to break the silence would be the ever‑silent Fourth Prince of the Yin Nation—Yin Ziheng.

He lifted his cup, rose to stand in the center of the hall, first offered Prince Qi a dignified diplomatic salute, then set his cup down and turned to the girl beside him—Empress Qin Ning, speaking gently with a smile, "I have heard that on the day she left the Ting Nation, the Empress sang a song that made everyone pause. All who were present that day say the scene is unforgettable for a lifetime."

"I have never been fond of war strategies, yet I am uniquely passionate about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I wonder if today I might have the honor of hearing the Empress play a piece; then my life would have no regrets."

The girl, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted her head, amber‑bright eyes emitting a cool light toward Yin Ziheng standing gracefully in the hall's center.

Yin Ziheng startled slightly, feeling that the amber gaze seemed familiar yet bore no recognizable trace, and he froze in place.

The girl's cool gaze shifted from him to the right‑most seat where Fu Junmo sat; the temperature in her eyes seemed to drop a few degrees, lingering briefly before moving on, leaving only Fu Junmo's increasingly dark face and furrowed brows.

Yin Ziheng was surprised to discover that the girl's final glance fell on the man beside her, the Emperor of the Qi Nation Wei Lingfeng, whose eyes were calm and unmoving, yet even the usually volatile Wei Lingfeng furrowed his brow slightly.

The girl gave a faint smile and suddenly asked, "Your Majesty… what do you think?"

Wei Lingfeng relaxed his brows, returning to his usual composure, and smiled gently, "As long as Ying Ruo is willing."

The girl gave another cold smile, then lightly leapt from the dragon throne, walked to the empty table at the far end of the hall and sat, surveyed the surroundings, and smiled, "Singing is so boring; perhaps I'll tell you all a story instead."

Without waiting for a response, she continued, "What I'm telling is truly just a story; any resemblance…," she added with a sly smile, eyes flashing, "is purely coincidental. It is said that the world's fortunes, after long division, must unite, and after long unity, must divide. History has seen countless dynasties; I shall call the one I speak of the Eastern Han. In the late Eastern Han, the realm fell into chaos, warlords rose, each vying for supremacy…"

No one present expected that the narration would last a full two and a half hours, continuing until the dead of night.

The story spanned from the three‑fold oath in Peach Garden to Cao Cao presenting his sword, from Sun Ce establishing his domain to Cao Cao's wine‑talk of heroes, from the Battle of Guandu to the chain‑plot that set fire to Red Cliffs… one episode linked to the next, battle after battle…

At first, listeners felt varied emotions—some were bored, some scornful, some puzzled, some cautious. Gradually, however, everyone's mind was left with only one feeling—astonishment!

Even the perpetually lazy, smiling Bai Shengyi gradually adopted a solemn expression, leaning forward to listen attentively.

The girl's expression and tone remained unchanged throughout, light and unadorned, neither suppressed nor exaggerated, forming a stark contrast to the hall's tense, suppressed, volatile atmosphere.

No one knew who Cao Cao, Sun Quan, or Liu Bei were, nor where the world‑shaking battles of Guandu and Red Cliffs took place.

Those battles, though spectacular, were not unprecedented nor sufficient to make everyone present turn pale. What truly moved the heroes of the various nations was the girl's gradual mention of the contest over Jingzhou.

He who gains Jingzhou gains the world.

These words caused everyone's gaze to involuntarily fall on the sweating ruler of the Yin Chuan Nation. Such similar geography, such coincidental strategic situation…

In the girl's narration, "He who gains Jingzhou gains the world." Could this imply that, on Tianhe and the continent, whoever gains Yin Chuan will dominate the world?

Every person seated here, regardless of how mediocre or incompetent they may appear, is nonetheless a keen individual and an outstanding statesman of their nation. Without any prompting, they began to deeply memorize every strategy, every figure, even every sentence the girl uttered.

Because they suddenly sensed that a key matter concerning themselves and the future of Tianhe and the continent was being calmly narrated by the unassuming girl before them.

"After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao left troops to guard Jiangling, Xiangyang and other locations; the allied forces pressed the attack, focusing on the capital of Nan County, Jiangling, continuing the contest for Jingzhou, resulting in Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan dividing Jingzhou…"

Reaching this point, the girl's gentle, tranquil voice suddenly halted, and seeing the crowd leaning forward with bright eyes, she smiled warmly and said, "Thus, the world finally formed the three‑kingdoms' tripartite hegemony."

Wei Lingfeng's brows twitched slightly; he lowered his gaze to the sullen, dark‑complexioned Fu Junmo and the thoughtful, furrow‑browed Yin Ziheng, then lifted his eyes to the crowd, finally locking his cold, emotionless stare onto the girl.

She was clearly smiling at him, yet her smile was decisive and icy, making his heart turn a little cold. Seeing her slightly pale vermilion lips part, a voice hoarse from prolonged speaking echoed from the rear of the hall: "Besides, this book is finished!"

As soon as those words were spoken, even the most composed person on the hall couldn't help but feel an urge to jump up and kill.

Wei Lingfeng also took a moment to come back to his senses, then couldn't help but feel both a headache and amusement, yet that laughter was mixed with a bitterness he himself had never imagined.

Bingyi…… was she taking revenge on them? Framing Bu Sha was Yin Ziheng, hurting Xinhui was Fu Junmo, and plotting all of this—was it…… myself……

Do you still remember how, when Bingyi first looked at those few military deployment maps of Yinchuan, she said, "It's actually not that hard to conquer!" Back then, although I had doubted it, I never imagined that everything she said would turn out to be true.

The Three Kingdoms strategies she described weren't necessarily all that intricate or brilliant; under different city defenders and different circumstances, if one merely copied them, the chance of success would be minuscule.

Yet these strategies prevailed by breaking convention, by being a consciousness that the Tianhe Continent had never known.

He knew that as long as these strategies fell into his own hands or those of Fu Junmo and the like, they would surely turn him into an invincible force, truly annexing Yinchuan Kingdom and then unifying the Tianhe Continent.

But now, these strategies, these schemes, are being spoken by her before all the envoys of the world and before the foremost figures of the three kingdoms—Qi, Yin, and Yao—that divide the Tianhe Continent……

The girl rose to her feet, a faint smile on her face, gazing at Yin Ziheng, whose brows were still tightly knit and who had not yet come to his senses, and raised her eyebrows, saying: "Fourth Prince, is the story I've spoken for over four…… two-plus hours still to your liking?"

Yin Ziheng startled, quickly regained his composure, gave an apologetic smile, his tone and demeanor still as humble and refined as before: "I never imagined that Your Highness had read such historical works; I don't know who authored them, yet they possess such ethereal imagination and far‑reaching strategy, making me eager to make your acquaintance."

The girl gave a noncommittal smile, turned her head toward the guqin placed at one side of the hall for musical accompaniment, glanced at it, and said: "Fourth Prince, you just said you wanted to hear me play a piece, didn't you? Do you still have the interest for such elegance?"

Yin Ziheng hurriedly replied, delighted: "Then that would certainly be wonderful."

The girl walked over, picked up the jade guqin, and sat cross‑legged in the center of the hall facing the elevated seat of Prince Qi. Her gaze was clear and cold, tinged with mockery, as she swept over the three supreme men staring at her, giving a cold smile. Suddenly her ten fingers lightly plucked, and the prelude surged forth.

No one would have expected that, from the hands of this exceedingly slender, frail girl, would come not a gentle, graceful or mournfully moving melody, but a vigorous, unrestrained tune that scorns all.

Her vermilion lips parted slightly, and a voice that was both clear and smooth yet hoarse, both calm and surging, rang out, tearing through the silent, empty hall and etching itself into every heart present……

Not a hero, don't read the Three Kingdoms.

If one is a hero, how could they not understand loneliness?

Walking alone down Changban Slope, the moonlight is too gentle.

Cao Cao doesn't waste words; he only wants Jingzhou.

Using intrigue, overt schemes, open contention, secret seizure, and aloofness.

In the late Eastern Han, the Three Kingdoms split, beacon fires burning ceaselessly.

Love and affection, tossed about by the chaotic world—who will brew the wine?

Deceit and scheming are the Three Kingdoms; right and wrong cannot be distinguished.

After countless years of turmoil, everything begins anew.

I lifted my head, my gaze calm and waveless, sweeping over the three people before me: Yin Ziheng, Fu Junmo, and Wei Lingfeng. Do I hate them? Perhaps I once did, but now, singing this song "Cao Cao," I suddenly feel everything has vanished like smoke.

You are all the overlords of this chaotic age, able to easily control others' lives, yet you are destined to a lifetime of solitude.

How could one who wishes to become an overlord not understand loneliness?

The corner of my mouth twitched up with a faint cold smile; my dim gaze finally rested on the expressionless Wei Lingfeng—his eyes seemed to flash with some complex divine light, but he was too far away for me to see clearly, nor did I wish to…… see clearly.

Wei Lingfeng, even if you could grasp everyone's lives, what then? Even if you could calculate every step of others, what then?

In this world there is ultimately one thing you cannot control——the human heart.

Whether it's another's heart or your own.

Not a hero, don't read the Three Kingdoms.

If one is a hero, how could they not understand loneliness?

Walking alone down Changban Slope, the moonlight is too gentle.

Cao Cao doesn't waste words; he only wants Jingzhou.

Using intrigue, overt schemes, open contention, secret seizure, and aloofness.

In the late Eastern Han, the Three Kingdoms split, beacon fires burning ceaselessly.

Love and affection, tossed about by the chaotic world—who will brew the wine?

Deceit and scheming are the Three Kingdoms; right and wrong cannot be distinguished.

……

When Xiao Anzi saw me out of Chengqian Hall, it was already the middle of the night. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt the cold wind sneaking in through my collar and sleeves, and I couldn't help but shiver.

After so long, Wu Ye and the others must have everything ready, right? Whether we succeed or not will hinge on whether the escape during tomorrow night's midnight chaotic celebration succeeds.

Suddenly my heart stirred, and a soft yet low‑voiced sound arose beside me: "On such a cold night, would you like me to escort you, Your Highness?"

I jerked my head up to meet a pair of black eyes as deep and bright as a cold pool, yet brimming with boundless malevolence; for no reason my heart pounded violently, and cold sweat began to seep from my palms.

Bai Shengyi—perhaps because Qi Ran had once warned me, or perhaps because he exudes a demon‑like aura. After being in this time‑space for so long, this is the first time I've felt such intense, inexplicable fear toward a person.

I clenched my fists, suppressed the turmoil of fear in my chest, and replied calmly: "Thank you, but no need."

I thought I had my emotions under control, but I didn't expect that the sound leaving my lips would still carry a faint tremor.

Bai Shengyi evidently noticed as well; he lifted the corner of his mouth, revealing a rather strange smile: "You seem afraid of me, Your Highness—but why? We aren't meeting for the first time today, are we?"

As he spoke, he walked toward me, his lustrous black eyes exerting a magnetic pull that controlled my movements, leaving me unable to take a single step.

Not only my palms, but the back of my neck and my forehead also began to bead with cold sweat……

Suddenly a flash appeared before my eyes; a familiar feeling flickered through my heart. By the time I came to, I saw Bu Sha standing before me, knife in hand, carefully shielding me from behind.

Same black clothes, black hair, black eyes, same icy aloofness—yet why do I sense a volatile flame flickering and spreading in the air?

Moreover, I seem to be sensing for the first time from Bu Sha a heavy, uneasy killing intent. Is Bai Shengyi so powerful that even Bu Sha must wary of him?

The moment I lifted my head again, I saw Bai Shengyi's face and was stunned. He was still smiling, but his smile grew increasingly alluring and bizarre; his crimson lips looked as if they had just been smeared with blood, vivid and striking.

Strong light flickered in his eyes, seeming to come and go as it fell upon Bu Sha; within that gaze lay hatred, killing intent, and many unnamed things tangled together, flashing bright and dim like a blade that pierces the heart.

But such intense emotion in his eyes was merely a fleeting flash, lasting less than a second; those cold‑pool‑like eyes then returned to their original deep, unfathomable depth, tinged with a faint mocking smile.

"Long time no see, Bu Sha."

Bu Sha gave him a cold glance, said nothing, then turned and took my hand, saying: "Let's go back."

I nodded eagerly; being with this kind of pervert and monster, every extra second is torture.

"I never expected you, Bu Sha, would also have an unsuitable assassin, coming to protect the Queen of Qi one day."

Bai Shengyi seemingly unintentionally stepped forward, blocking our path, his gaze sweeping over me with a sharpness completely different from just moments ago, then his eyes fell back onto Bu Sha, he pursed his lips and smiled, saying: "Could it be that she is more important to you than... Ran?"

"Could it be that she is more important to you than... Ran?" What he said... is Qi Ran?

As I slightly changed color, Bu Sha had already stepped forward to stand in front of me, shielding the look of shock that I absolutely must not reveal in front of Bai Shengyi.

A low, soft laugh slipped from his throat, yet in this silent night it was especially jarring: "It seems you are indeed very careful in protecting this—your lady!"

He deliberately prolonged the two words "niangniang" by half a beat, yet the smile on his face became all the more conspicuous. Bu Sha gripped my hand, icy yet deathly tight, and without a word pulled me around him, heading toward Luoying Gong.

Behind us, Bai Shengyi's cold voice, laced with hidden killing intent, suddenly rang out: "Ran wants to see you. Tomorrow at noon he will be at Che Qian Thousand Banquet Garden."

Bu Sha's steps paused, and my steps and heart paused with him. In a daze, it felt as if Qi Ran, who had existed only in memory, had suddenly returned to reality, gradually imprinting itself deeply and vividly in my ears and heart.

But it was only a pause; Bu Sha's grip on my hand grew icier and tighter, pulling me swiftly away from that strange, frightening man.

I knew Bu Sha's expression remained as calm as usual, yet his aura was in turmoil.

"Bu Sha, I don't want to ask why Ran kept Bai Shengyi by his side." After walking a stretch, I finally grabbed his hand: "But if his purpose isn't to lure you into a trap, I think you should still go take a look."

A conflicted hue flashed in Bu Sha's eyes, like heaven and man at war, and after a long while he said: "This place is too dangerous for you..."

I tilted my head, pondering for a while, then said solemnly: "Isn't Ran also at Che Qian? Would a round trip in a day not be enough?"

Bu Sha's dark eyes slowly shone with a light as brilliant as stars; his thick lips moved, and he whispered: "Absolutely do not approach Bai Shengyi. Before midnight tomorrow, I will definitely return."

I gave a faint smile and spoke softly: "Also, you two... must stay alive and safe."

A faint ripple flowed in Bu Sha's eyes; he solemnly nodded, then vanished into the night in an instant.

Sigh! I couldn't help shaking my head and sighing; the Imperial Palace's defenses are basically useless against someone of Bu Sha's caliber.

Qi Ran, I hope you... are safe...

(End of chapter)