Chapter 223: Three Years!

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Awesome!!!

Although since crossing over to the Northern Song, Zhao Yu had enjoyed every single day.

As the saying goes, you think an emperor is as happy as you imagine? You're wrong—his happiness is beyond your imagination.

Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei were absolute stunners among stunners; Zhao Yu stood and rode them half the night and still wasn't satisfied.

Even more remarkable was the sisters' extraordinary stamina.

Zhao Yu wasn't boasting—most women, even those he'd fully awakened, couldn't withstand his years of disciplined physical training.

Now, if Zhao Yu wanted to fully indulge, he needed at least four or five women a night.

If Zhao Yu got in the mood, four or five women still weren't enough for him.

Without exaggeration, Zhao Yu, who diligently practiced Daoist cultivation arts like Prisoner Fitness, Yoga, Marrow Washing, and Iron Groin Technique, had bottomless stamina and endurance, and with his endless variety, ordinary women simply couldn't endure his relentless teasing.

Even large women like Guo Ting and Wei Shi couldn't withstand Zhao Yu's relentless teasing; they had size, but at most had practiced Yoga to better serve Zhao Yu—their stamina and endurance paled in comparison to his.

But Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei were different: endowed with innate talent and having trained their bodies relentlessly, even during their first experience of sex, they stood together and withstood wave after wave of Zhao Yu's assaults. Clearly, with proper training, they would be Zhao Yu's finest playthings.

Only when he was about to sleep and saw Yelu Nanxian sitting on the bed did Zhao Yu realize he'd bought the casket and forgotten the pearl—he'd forgotten the main prize.

Then Yelu Nanxian dealt Zhao Yu a royal flush—she was a virgin empress!!

This was something Zhao Yu had never imagined.

Yes.

Yelu Nanxian had been married to Li Qianshun for only a little over half a year.

But between men and women, a few dozen minutes was enough.

For weak men, ten or eight minutes sufficed.

Of course, Zhao Yu would last much longer.

But even if he lasted longer, two or three hours was more than enough.

Zhao Yu simply didn't believe Li Qianshun couldn't spare even that much time.

After asking, Zhao Yu learned that when Yelu Nanxian first arrived in Western Xia, she happened to be on her "no battle" notice; on the third day of her marriage, due to the dire situation, Li Qianshun personally led troops into battle. When he returned, he resented her for Liao's failure to aid him, and thus hated her as a result—he didn't even want to see her, let alone consummate the marriage.

Yelu Nanxian also took this chance to weep and complain to Zhao Yu, saying she was a loyal woman who had already resolved to die for Western Xia and preserve her chastity for Li Qianshun, but Li Qianshun never treated her as his wife or as Western Xia's empress—he had imprisoned her for over half a year; had it not been for Zhao Yu's rescue, she might have been imprisoned until death, which was why she hadn't died for Western Xia or preserved her chastity for Li Qianshun.

Zhao Yu truly admired Li Qianshun!

If he were Li Qianshun, even if the world were ending, he'd take Yelu Nanxian first—he'd never do something that left him with nothing but trouble.

But then again, such cases weren't unique.

Didn't Emperor Zhao Huan of history leave behind countless virgin concubines after the Jingkang Humiliation?

Perhaps, under the immense psychological pressure of imminent national collapse and becoming a deposed monarch, the highest leader truly lost all interest in women?

Zhao Yu didn't care whether Yelu Nanxian's story was true or false—he immediately pulled her close, comforted her, told her it was all over, that Li Qianshun had been imprisoned by him, that he would keep Li Qianshun imprisoned until death to avenge her, and that now she was with him, so she must forget that useless Li Qianshun.

Then Zhao Yu lavished affection on Yelu Nanxian once more.

In Zhao Yu's view, whether Yelu Nanxian's story was true or false didn't matter—even Yelu Nanxian herself had become irrelevant since he had taken her.

Without exaggeration, Zhao Yu could now mold Yelu Nanxian into any shape he wished—round or flat—she could stir no ripple at all.

Could Yelu Nanxian have influenced Li Qianshun in history?

It was less her ability than the accumulated deterrence of the Liao dynasty and Li Qianshun's miscalculation.

Zhao Yu guessed that at the time, Li Qianshun's plan was likely to exploit Liao's weakness to extract benefits, while simultaneously showing off his strength before the rising Jin to deter them from targeting Western Xia.

So historically, Li Qianshun first sent five thousand troops to aid Liao's Western Capital, but the Western Capital fell quickly.

Then, upon learning that Yelu Yanxi had fled to Jia Mountain, Li Qianshun dispatched General Li Liangfu with thirty thousand troops to rescue him.

Li Liangfu clashed with Jin general Wanyan Lou Shi at the Yichuan River.

The Western Xia army suffered a crushing defeat.

Yet although Western Xia lost that battle, the Jin saw the Xia soldiers' martial prowess and realized Western Xia was not to be trifled with.

Immediately after, Li Qianshun sent minister Cao Jia secretly to Jia Mountain to inquire after Yelu Yanxi's well-being and to supply him with grain and rations.

Then Li Qianshun sent troops again to rescue Liao, but was blocked by Jin forces and could not advance.

After laying the groundwork, Li Qianshun lured—not invited—Yelu Yanxi to Western Xia for political asylum.

With no other options, Yelu Yanxi was tempted; he pretended to surrender to Jin, slipped away from Jia Mountain, and fled west toward Yunnei Prefecture.

Upon hearing the news, Li Qianshun immediately dispatched personnel to meet Yelu Yanxi at the Western Xia border and brought him into Western Xia, firmly seizing Yelu Yanxi as a diplomatic bargaining chip.

Soon after, Jin sent envoys to Western Xia, demanding Li Qianshun: if Yelu Yanxi entered Xia territory, he must be captured and handed over to Jin. If Western Xia served Jin with the same rites it once gave Liao, Jin would cede the northwestern territories of the former Liao (i. e., lands south of the Yin Mountains: Tiande Army, Yunnei Prefecture, Jinsu Prefecture, Heqing Army, and Wu Prefecture).

Having obtained the desired benefits and seeing Liao's fall as inevitable, how could Li Qianshun refuse Jin's terms?

Had Yelu Nanxian not learned of this news, feared Li Qianshun would hand Yelu Yanxi over to Jin, and secretly warned Yelu Yanxi—who was indeed an expert at escaping—he would have fled Western Xia immediately, Li Qianshun might well have handed Yelu Yanxi over to Jin for greater gains.

Clearly, even under a minor monarch like Li Qianshun, where women's power and status were magnified in Western Xia, Yelu Nanxian remained the legitimate empress; when her interests clashed with Li Qianshun's, her only recourse was starvation to death.

By the way, there's a claim that Yelu Nanxian didn't starve herself to death—she was forced to.

Upon reflection, this possibility is plausible.

After all, in that international context, Yelu Nanxian, a Liao princess, was clearly no longer suitable to remain Western Xia's empress.

Moreover, her greatest political asset, Li Ren, had been killed by her own hand.

Now that Yelu Nanxian was with Zhao Yu, stripped of her empress's halo, even if she bore him a son, that son could never become Crown Prince; her ambition to interfere in politics was merely a fantasy—she wouldn't need Zheng Xiansu to act; even Xiao Puxian could make her obediently serve as Zhao Yu's plaything.

Under these circumstances, why should Zhao Yu personally play the villain, earn Yelu Nanxian's hatred, and damage their marital bond?

It's better to be wisely oblivious.

Besides, no matter what, Zhao Yu had taken Yelu Nanxian's first time (in this era, there were no vaginal repair surgeries), so he was unquestionably her first and only man—this was a definite plus for her.

Therefore, Zhao Yu not only doted on Yelu Nanxian but also appointed her as the overseer of Qunyu Palace.

Yet at the same time, Zhao Yu promoted Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei to the rank of his personal guard commanders.

A few days later, Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei, who had grown close to Zhao Yu, recommended Li Qianshun's deposed consort, Lady Liang (also Liang Yibu's only daughter), and their strategist Wang Shu to serve him at night.

When Zhao Yu learned that this deposed Lady Liang was the next head of the Liang clan, cultivated by the Little Empress Dowager Liang, he suddenly understood: during the reign of the Great Empress Dowager Liang, the Liang clan held supreme power in the court. The Great Empress Dowager Liang had married her brother Liang Yimai's daughter—the Little Empress Dowager—to Li Qianshun's father, Emperor Huizong of Western Xia, and made her Empress. Moreover, during the Great Empress Dowager Liang's rule, she had begun training and grooming the Little Empress Dowager, eventually passing on her political legacy so the Little Empress Dowager could continue the Liang clan's control over Western Xia.

This ensured the Liang clan's power would endure after the Great Empress Dowager's death, maintaining control over Western Xia's governance, while guaranteeing a smooth transition of power and preventing political turmoil or factional struggles caused by a power vacuum, thus preserving the stability of the Western Xia court.

Clearly, the Little Empress Dowager intended to replicate the Great Empress Dowager's succession strategy: passing her position as Empress Dowager to her niece, this "Little Little Empress Dowager."

But later, after Western Xia suffered repeated defeats against the Zhao Song dynasty, the Little Empress Dowager and her brother Liang Yibu blamed each other, eventually breaking apart; Liang Yibu was executed by the Little Empress Dowager, and this "Little Little Empress Dowager" never became Empress to Li Qianshun.

Then, under Liao support, the Little Empress Dowager was poisoned, and the position of Empress of Western Xia became the Liao's spoils.

Thus, this "Little Little Empress Dowager" became Li Qianshun's deposed consort—and even failed to leave her name in history.

Hmm, well, under these circumstances, the fact that this "Little Little Empress Dowager" survived was thanks to Zhao Yu and his companions altering history.

Otherwise, even if Li Qianshun had not killed her, once Yelu Nanxian secured her position as Empress of Western Xia, she certainly would not have allowed a threat like her to live.

After this "Little Little Empress Dowager" served him, Zhao Yu gave her the name Liang Xiaoxiao and appointed her Deputy Director of Qunyu Palace.

Wang Shu, who appeared intelligent, eloquent, and well-versed in Western Xia and Western Regions affairs, was sent by Zhao Yu into the Cabinet.

(The Cabinet, named by Zhang Chun, was a department composed of Zhang Chun, Li Lin, Ye Shi Yun, Ma Xiao Jiao, Yuan Qing Cheng, Wang Yisu, Liu Mingda, Zhang Nan, Xiao Sese, and Xiao Xiao Puxian Nv, assisting Zhao Yu in handling state affairs.)

Yelu Nanxian sensed something was amiss and quickly recommended Yeli Lan to serve him, pleading softly that Zhao Yu also place Yeli Lan into the Cabinet.

Thus, the political balance within Qunyu Palace was established.

Unless something unexpected occurred, Yelu Nanxian would remain trapped in this political balance for life.

I almost forgot to mention.

That night, Zhao Yu was so absorbed in his pleasures and the surprise that Yelu Nanxian was still a virgin that he completely forgot Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, who had served him that night.

Before dawn even broke, the events of that night had spread.

When the women of Western Xia learned that Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei had won decisively, Yelu Nanxian had performed steadily, and Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, had merely stood by as a spectator all night, those who supported Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei cheered wildly; those who favored Yelu Nanxian smiled and congratulated each other; only those who supported Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, turned ashen-faced, sensing their situation was dire.

When Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, returned, she was stunned to find even her servants now gave her cold looks—even the women of her own clan, the Mocang, looked at her with disappointment. They whispered among themselves, their words like sharp blades in a cold wind, silent yet cutting, severing the last shred of her dignity.

In contrast, Yelu Nanxian, Liang Damei, and Liang Xiaomei, who had served him that night, walked like victorious generals, always surrounded by followers; their promotions and rewards arrived swiftly. Clearly, they had regained their splendor and wealth.

As for her, theoretically, she was now merely the lowest-ranking palace maid, and might be assigned to menial labor any day.

Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, sat alone in the room she did not know how long she could still inhabit; the candlelight flickered, illuminating her pale and complex face. She had once believed that, with her birth and beauty, she should have held a place even in Zhao Yu's harem—especially after becoming one of the first Western Xia women to serve him.

Yet, in the end, she had become a joke.

The previous neglect had doused all her illusions and hopes like icy rain.

Outside the window, moonlight flowed like water—but it could not reach her frozen heart.

As for her former boast: "Better to shatter like jade than survive as pottery. If forced to serve my enemy, I would die to preserve my purity"?

First, she was never a chaste woman—otherwise, she could never have survived to enter Zhao Yu's harem.

In truth, her blood carried the Mocang clan's promiscuous lineage; she simply refused to admit it.

What others did not know was that while watching Yelu Nanxian, Liang Damei, and Liang Xiaomei serve him, she had fantasized about her own turn—how she would please Zhao Yu.

Unfortunately, Zhao Yu gave her no such chance.

Soon after, Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince's situation worsened; the Western Xia women around her gradually abandoned her—even the women of her own Mocang clan. All were seeking their own survival.

Meanwhile, more and more Western Xia women rose.

Qunyu Palace soon formed a new hierarchy.

Western Xia women unwilling to remain lowly maids worked tirelessly for their futures.

Those stubborn women were found and sent to the Laundry Courtyard. It was said that if they remained obstinate, they would be transferred to the latrines, then to the Cold Palace, and finally to secret execution.

Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, grew afraid. She realized that in this deep palace, the competition among women was far crueler and more merciless than the swordplay of battlefields.

Thus, Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, changed. She actively approached Yelu Nanxian, and also Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei—even their confidants—hoping they would help her secure a chance to serve Zhao Yu.

But Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, had previously taken the path of "Rather die than submit," "Die to preserve purity," and "Resist Zhao Song to the end." Neither Yelu Nanxian nor Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei dared help her.

Crucially, there were few opportunities and many rivals; the privilege of serving Zhao Yu was so precious that Yelu Nanxian, Liang Damei, and Liang Xiaomei barely had enough to fight for their own allies—how could they possibly fight for her?

With no other option, Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, dressed herself beautifully every day and stood among the Western Xia women awaiting summons, hoping Zhao Yu would choose her.

Fortunately, diligence bore fruit.

After only a few more days, when Zhao Yu saw Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, again, he was immediately drawn to her ample bosom and summoned her.

Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, did not repeat her folly. When she served him again, she used every skill to please and delight Zhao Yu.

Thus, Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, finally secured her place in Zhao Yu's harem and regained her status as a noblewoman.

The experiences of Jin Wang Fei, the consort of the Jin Prince, and other Western Xia women who regained their splendor reminded all Western Xia women: in Zhao Yu's harem, Zhao Yu alone was the master of their fate, the sole measure of their honor or disgrace. Whoever won Zhao Yu's favor could turn the tide, reshape destiny, and rise above the glittering yet treacherous palace.

Thus, all Western Xia women devoted themselves to deciphering Zhao Yu's tastes—from dress and adornment to speech and conduct—striving to align with his desires. They studied Han rituals, played silk and bamboo instruments, even mastered poetry and verse—all hoping to touch his heart in some unexpected moment.

Not only Western Xia women, but the vast majority of women in Zhao Yu's harem behaved this way.

Without exaggeration, Zhao Yu was their entire world.

But for Zhao Yu, the women in his harem were merely a small, insignificant part of his life.

Zhao Yu knew well: only if he ruled well as Emperor would these women truly belong to him and strive to please him. If he ever lost his throne like the historical Zhao Ji, Zhao Huan, Yelu Yanxi, or the current Li Qianshun, these women would belong to someone else.

Therefore, Zhao Yu treated his harem as merely a place to rest, wasting little energy on it.

Zhao Yu's energy was primarily devoted to governing.

He worked to transform the Zhao Song dynasty into a truly mighty empire, an unprecedented golden age, one no one could shake from its throne.

Driven by this ideal, Zhao Yu plunged into governing Zhao Song, rising at the crow of the rooster and retiring only when night grew deep, tirelessly diligent.

Thus passed three years…

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(End of Chapter)