Chapter 658: Leave! The Succession Edict!

However, he seemed to not care at all.

Indeed, even Po Feng, the city lord, could find himself, so how could he not tell his cousin what his previous identity as a beauty was?

They hadn't given up on this matter and even brought him back; Lan Ting was already quite surprised.

Only then did Lan Ting stare at Zhui Yu seriously and carefully.

He indeed, just as I imagined, grew up still possessing such clear and handsome looks.

Even his temperament remained as before: he loves red eyes and is carefree.

He couldn't keep words hidden in his heart.

I heard he's now called Zhui Yu? The name is nice.

Just now he was sincere, feeling sorry for himself?

Lan Ting couldn't believe it.

Men in this world are all insincere, and my cousin, being a man, is no exception.

Lan Ting did not respond to Zhui Yu.

Zhui Yu was also looking at her carefully.

Thick eyebrows, large eyes, as beautiful as a peony.

Compared to the tender, round little girl of childhood, she was a world apart, like a completely different person.

Their reunion was not, as Zhui Yu had previously imagined, a moment where the two would clasp heads and weep.

Instead, both remained calm and composed.

But Zhui Yu was happy.

He was delighted; Miao Er is such a fine young lady.

Although Lan Ting was forced to study martial arts with Qin Mama, she didn't blame Zhui Yu.

She had always swallowed her grievances, hoping to move Qin Mama with sincere heart.

But Qin Mama really... sigh.

Zhui Yu just now didn't come, and I also don't plan to endure any longer.

At worst, we could just abandon this, but we wouldn't erupt in such a thunderous rage like him.

Is it truly worth offending that Qin Mama for himself?

Lan Ting felt she had a duty to remind Zhui Yu: "Cousin, the grandson of that Qin Mama is now the city lord's deputy commander."

"Her legitimate granddaughter is also waiting outside the city lord's study."

"If you, for Lan Ting, fall into a dispute with the city lord… that would be bad."

"For this matter, just shift all the blame onto me."

"Lan Ting doesn't mind."

"Now that things have come to this, Lan Ting will go down first."

After finishing, Lan Ting bowed slightly and prepared to turn and leave.

But the more Zhui Yu listened, the more something felt off.

He darted forward and blocked Lan Ting.

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Why would I throw everything onto your head?"

"Not to mention, I was completely at a loss about this matter."

"Miao Er, why do you think like this?"

"Are you afraid that I would be the first to abandon you?"

"Miao Er, I know no matter how much I say you won't believe, so why don't you see how your cousin acts, okay?"

After speaking, he again grasped Lan Ting's wrist: "Come, cousin, I'll take you somewhere first."

Zhui Yu led Lan Ting to the main courtyard of the rear garden.

Po Feng had kept the main courtyard vacant, waiting for Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi to arrive at Mantu City so they could move in.

Thus, this city lord only resided in the side courtyard.

Now, Li Qingluo is the mistress of the main rear courtyard.

So the person Zhui Yu brought Lan Ting to see was indeed Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo had just seen off her grandmother when Zheng Mama reported that Zhui Yu had arrived with a very stunning beauty.

Li Qingluo guessed who this beauty was, and hurried out to take a look.

She found that the beauty indeed possessed flower-like and moon-like looks; even without makeup, her dazzling beauty was hard to conceal.

She was simply dressed very plainly.

On her head was only a single wooden hairpin.

Such a fine complexion, yet stripped of all artificial adornment, made Li Qingluo feel a bit regretful.

"Princess."

"This is my cousin Miao Er, now called Lan Ting."

"I have searched for her for over ten years; now my brother and I have finally reunited. I dare to ask the young lady for a favor."

Li Qingluo sat under the corridor, staring at the two of them with a faint smile: "Speak."

"If I agree, that will be it."

Beside her, Lan Ting's heart was filled with shock.

Is this a princess?

But that is the princess of the Lan Sea King?

She truly is as beautiful as the rumors say.

Even though she is pregnant, it does not affect her noble and serene bearing at all.

She is otherworldly and peerless like a secluded orchid in an empty valley, making Tinglan feel ashamed of her own filth.

Someone like me… stepping into her courtyard, would we all be contaminating her space?

She buried her head firmly and became slightly nervous.

Zhui Yu gently pushed her forward.

"I dare to ask, hoping Zheng Mama can personally teach her martial arts. Nothing too difficult—just enough to defend herself after learning."

"I am a man; if I taught her myself, I fear it would tarnish my cousin's reputation."

"Therefore, this matter can only be entrusted to the princess."

"The Qin Grandma in the front courtyard is Po Feng's associate, a rotten old thing at heart."

"For months, Miao'er has still been tormented by her, being forced to mount a horse."

"Miao'er foolishly thought it was because she herself was truly incompetent."

"I just looked; her little arms are a bit weak, but her lower stance is steady. It's not that she's utterly dull and lacks any martial talent."

"That Qin Grandma has probably said many unpleasant words lately, discouraging Miao'er."

"Please, the princess and the grandma, could you be more patient with her?"

Li Qingluo smiled and looked at Zheng Mama.

"This is your matter; you decide for yourself."

Zheng Mama was surprised, but more so delighted.

"Can this old servant now take disciples?"

"That would be wonderful!"

"Lord Zhui Yu has never asked this old servant for a favor; shouldn't I handle this for Lord Zhui Yu?"

"Rest assured, with such a bright beauty, this old servant has plenty of patience to teach her."

"Three months, and I guarantee some results for you!"

"Quick, let this old servant have a look, and go down with me."

Lanting was dragged away in a dizzy daze.

She hadn't even realized what had happened.

When later she learned that Zheng Mama had also served on the battlefield as a subordinate of that female veteran general, she was overjoyed.

Zhui Yu's keen concern and swift handling of this matter left Lanting deeply shocked.

It turned out that a few light words from him could make that fairy-like princess agree to his request.

Moreover, every sentence was sincerely considered for his own benefit.

At that moment Lanting vaguely realized that her older male cousin… seemed truly a good person.

When Duan Rongshi returned that evening, Li Qingluo told him about it.

"Ashi, tell me, will there be two happy events within this year?"

Duan Rongshi was also pleased that Zhui Yu finally found his cousin.

However, this woman's past was not glorious.

But Zhui Yu himself didn't care; those of us who know the inside story naturally kept silent.

Duan Rongshi hadn't even told Li Qingluo.

He paused briefly and added, "Perhaps three."

Li Qingluo: "Who else?"

Duan Rongshi: "Zongzheng Xingyao and Leng Dian."

With Li Qingluo's shocked gaze, he slowly said, "After you left, Zongzheng Xingyao repeatedly rushed to our royal mansion."

"She has entangled with Leng Dian."

"She made Leng Dian her consort."

Li Qingluo's jaw nearly dropped.

"Could it be that the fake marriage at that mountain stronghold last time caught the seventh princess's interest?"

She felt she had missed another joyous drama.

After talking about these people for a while, Li Qingluo finally clung to Duan Rongshi to continue recounting last night's events.

"You haven't explained why Mother Consort, the Loulan Queen, and the Wusun Empress Dowager's appearances are imagined!"

"Are the two of them also of Lan Hai nation's bloodline?"

Duan Rongshi: "You've already guessed; why ask for clarification?"

"I am not clear either."

"But when we previously went to Lan Hai, I heard Uncle say that during Lan Hai's internal chaos, the direct younger sister of my great-grandmother, having been utterly defeated, fled with her family and children from Lan Hai."

"That great-aunt and great-grandmother looked almost identical, so a facial inheritance might not be surprising."

Li Qingluo: "Since that's the case, why don't we arrange a recognition of kin?"

"Perhaps this could bring unexpected surprises to future battles."

Duan Rongshi brushed her nose bridge: "Any more bad ideas? Speak up."

In the blink of an eye, Li Qingluo's days of confinement for convalescence finally ended.

She hurried out of the courtyard, beginning to personally arrange Que'er's wedding.

However, the war situation became urgent.

The Western Regions army suffered a crushing defeat, and eventually the reinforcements could no longer hold back, breaking through the border defenses.

However, what Duan Rongshi and the others were waiting for was them.

Naturally, another great battle ensued.

This time, Duan Rongshi directly drove back the Western Regions army five hundred li and seized their three cities.

This infuriated the Western Regions court's Chanyu Guduhou greatly.

He immediately issued an edict ordering the thirteen states to muster their armies and again launch a southern and eastern campaign against the Central Plains.

Upon hearing this news, Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi were not in a hurry.

First, they held a lively wedding for Que'er and Sha San at the lord's manor.

Then an urgent eight-hundred-li edict arrived from Nan'an.

The Chu emperor lay on his deathbed and summoned Duan Rongshi to immediately lead his troops back to the imperial capital.

Li Qingluo's belly was no longer suited for long journeys.

After several discussions, she temporarily stayed in Mantuo City.

Duan Rongshi also left her a force of one hundred thousand troops.

Then he himself took only the additional fifty thousand troops stationed within Chu and hurried back to Nan'an.

"Lu'er, I will return soon."

"You must wait for me!"

Li Qingluo waited for him with great reassurance.

"Go ahead; the Western Regions army won't arrive that quickly."

"Even if they do come, I can handle them."

Duan Rongshi felt deep regret and unbearable reluctance, so he had no choice but to leave her behind.

He also ordered Zhui Yu and Po Feng to treat Li Qingluo as paramount and revered, then went to pay respects to Pei Lao Furen, asking her to help guard Mantuo City, and only then, with a heart full of longing, departed quickly.

He wished to go quickly and return quickly.

However, what awaited him in Nan'an was an edict of abdication.

The Chu emperor actually passed the Chu throne to his own close nephew!

Not his son, not his crown prince, but directly to the Prince of Yue, and even the current Grand Marshal of the Three Armies—Li Wu.

However, before issuing the abdication edict, he not only fulfilled his promise to the Wei Wu Hou household by issuing a self‑blaming edict admitting the earlier persecution of that household, but also laid bare the truth of Duan Rongshi's origins.

The Prince of Yue, Li Wu, was not really a Li Wu.

But rather the sole bloodline of his own close sister.

Therefore, passing the throne to the Prince of Yue was the Chu emperor's willing decision after careful consideration.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone throughout Chu erupted in an uproar.

Li Wu, the Prince of Yue, is actually the sole bloodline of the Chu emperor's close sister?

Can such words really be understood by mortals?

Who in the world does not know that the Chu emperor's only close sister is the Qingyue Princess who married far away into Liang?

The Qingyue Princess has long been dead.

And the Qingyue Princess's only bloodline left in the world is not the Prince of Su of Liang?

And wasn't the Prince of Su also killed in battle two years ago on the battlefield between Liang and the Western Regions?

So, is this actually the Prince of Su of the State of Liang?

Did he fake his death?

Oh no, should we say he didn't die?

Not only did he not die, but he also returned to their Chu?