Chapter 179:
Balance?
What is that thing?
That’s something only waste needs.
Lu Ziyan thought again of the day of the palace coup in his past life, when his father emperor, who was known as a benevolent ruler, kept saying, “Emperors, especially a martial emperor bearing the mandate of heaven and revitalizing the dynasty, cannot have weaknesses.”
So, the old emperor turned a blind eye to his Wanwan being poisoned to death.
He thought he could cultivate a master of the mandate of heaven for the dynasty, save the collapsing edifice, and extend the Great Khan’s life by another century.
Yet he didn’t know he had released a madman.
A complete madman.
…………
Hezhou Dayang Lake, the evening sky was filled with red clouds, scattering across the lake surface, rippling on the water, dazzling in five colors, breathtakingly beautiful.
A massive tower ship two stories high floated slowly on the water surface. Xie Wanning stood at the second-floor window, her gaze on the crystal-clear lake bottom, calm and unruffled.
‘Dong dong’ two knocks sounded, and a maidservant’s voice came from outside, “Miss Xie, it’s time for the meal.”
Without waiting for Xie Wanning to speak, she pushed the door open and entered.
Seeing the person standing well at the window, she imperceptibly breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Please change clothes and dine, young lady.”
Xie Wanning pursed her lips and looked at the clothes held by the maidservant.
After being knocked unconscious that day, she woke up on this painted boat. Except for meals, she was not allowed to leave the room; the windows were sealed with two wooden beams, not enough space for her to jump down.
The room’s four walls were all wood, with no teacup, needlework, or sharp objects; she had even been given muscle relaxant powder, her whole body without strength, enough only for daily walking and eating, but her jaw muscles were too weak to chew even soft, easily digestible food, making it impossible to bite her tongue to end it all.
Only in such a powerless state did she realize how laughable her threat to Lu Ziyan that day had been.
Why bother dislocating her jaw or severing her hand and foot tendons to stop her from seeking death? One dose of muscle relaxant powder was enough.
Perhaps there were other methods; people who played power tactics had a bellyful of ways to make one beg for death in vain.
But Lu Ziyan was reluctant to use them on her, so he was vulnerable to her threats.
Her casual mention of seeking death made him panic, retreating in fear.
But that Crown Prince of Jin Dynasty didn’t care about such things; he used muscle relaxant powder on her and came to her room every day to sit, treating her with courtesy in words and actions, but a man and woman alone in a room for so long, half a month in total, every day like this.
During meals, he even made her go downstairs to accompany him.
Each time, he prepared a new outfit for her to wear out.
Xie Wanning picked up this smoky pink flowing gauze dress and glanced at it. The neckline was not the Great Khan’s usual crossed collar but a bustier design, the fabric light and thin, smooth and comfortable to the touch, embroidered with large peonies, strikingly striking.
This was Jin Dynasty women’s clothing.
Moreover, judging by this revealing style, it was probably what Jin Dynasty dancers wore?
Xie Wanning glanced at it, about to toss it to the ground as she did every previous day, when the maidservant said, “The Crown Prince orders you to change into it, young lady.”
With that, this always respectful female servant gently raised her head, “Please don’t make it hard for this servant, young lady.”
Seeing the maidservant ready to help her change, this dress had to be worn.
Xie Wanning’s lip corner pursed slightly, “What if I don’t wear it?”
“The Crown Prince orders it; you must wear this dress today whether you want to or not,” the maidservant said softly. “The Crown Prince also commanded that the autumn wind is chilly, so you can wear a cape outside.”
This was to gradually break her bottom line, starting with an indecent dancer’s dress, then progressing step by step?
Or the closer to the Northern Frontier, the more displeased he was with her as Lu Ziyan’s beloved, no longer willing to treat her courteously, wanting to humiliate her to vent his hatred for Lu Ziyan?
Xie Wanning remained still for a long time.
The maidservant said, “Young lady, shall this servant help you change?”
Anyone who could follow the Crown Prince on a deep solo incursion, even a maidservant, was one skilled in martial arts.
For this dancer’s dress, either she put it on herself, or this maidservant would help her.
…………
Moments later, Xie Wanning, draped in a bright red cape, went downstairs.
In the hall below, Jin Wuji sat at the head of the dining table. Seeing the young lady slowly descending, his gaze brightened slightly as he said, “Still missing a hairpin set.”
He wore a set of blue robes, jade crown binding his hair, sword brows and star eyes, deep facial contours, handsome in a way different from the Great Khan’s people.
Xie Wanning glanced at him and said flatly, “Does the Crown Prince dare to give me a hairpin?”
Since waking, she hadn’t had even a wooden hairpin; these days she bound her hair with silk, her full black locks loosely tied at the back of her head, face bare of makeup, giving a quite docile appearance.
Just like a thorny striking rose turned obedient.
Seeing her in this attire, Jin Wuji ignored the barb in her words, raised his brows, and said, “I’ve heard that the Great Khan’s young ladies have soft waists, good at singing and dancing. Would Miss Xie remove her cape to let me behold your beauty?”
Xie Wanning smiled without reaching her eyes, “I don’t know a dancer’s work.”
“If you don’t know, you can learn,” Jin Wuji also smiled lightly and said, “You’re intelligent as snow; study it well these days, and one day on the battlefield, displaying your graceful figure before the two nations’ generals—wouldn’t that be splendid?”
“Noted,” Xie Wanning’s face darkened, and she said flatly, “The Crown Prince’s methods are truly upright and open, making full use of a woman’s role.”
Jin Wuji didn’t mind such sarcasm; he laughed loudly, “Then thank you for the praise, young lady. Rest assured, when the two armies clash, your role will be even greater.”
He hadn’t clashed with Lu Ziyan many times, but he understood the man deeply.
Master of warfare, heart hard as iron, strong-willed, with remarkable battle records at a young age.
Such a man, if not dying young, was destined to leave a heavy mark in the history books.
So what if she was his beloved? Jin Wuji knew well that expecting such a man to alter the war situation for a woman was unlikely.
But he never planned to make Lu Ziyan surrender with just one woman.
Merely, the young lady betrothed since childhood, his real beloved, dancing provocatively before tens of thousands of troops, even suffering greater humiliation—he didn’t believe Lu Ziyan could still command the overall situation calmly without a single mistake.
He only needed one flaw!
True victory or defeat needed only one flaw!
As for whether the methods were honorable, when it came to the national situation, did that matter?
Since falling into Jin Kingdom hands, Xie Wanning had held no hope for her future, but hearing these words, her heart truly panicked.
Military camp, battlefield, woman.
The Xie Clan’s century of clear name absolutely could not have a daughter fallen into an enemy military camp.
Liu Manrou’s outcome was still fresh in mind.
She shouldn’t have hesitated then; news of her falling into Jin raiders’ hands was probably already spreading in the capital city. She should have died early to preserve the Xie Clan’s reputation.
If she fell further into the Jin Kingdom army tents…
Xie Wanning’s face was pale as paper; she tightly closed her eyes.
Perhaps her despairing look stirred pleasure deep in Jin Wuji’s heart; he smiled again, deliberately comforting, “Don’t fear, young lady. When the warfare ends, there will be a place for you in my harem.”
Even to disgust Lu Ziyan, he had to humiliate her bit by bit thoroughly.
Xie Wanning had already considered the worst; her expression didn’t change much upon hearing this, but she clenched her palm and said, “You won’t be Lu Ziyan’s opponent.”
“Oh?” Jin Wuji seemed very curious, “He’s so formidable, yet how did I hear you hurriedly married yourself off to a man much older than you to get rid of him?”
Xie Wanning smiled faintly, “You don’t need to understand why I didn’t marry him; just know he will surely kill you.”
She never overestimated Lu Ziyan’s abilities, and she knew her weight in his heart.
If she truly died at this Crown Prince of Jin Dynasty’s hands, as long as Lu Ziyan lived, his lifelong goal would be to slaughter the Jin Kingdom.
This Jin Kingdom Crown Prince was deep-minded and not easily angered; his gaze didn’t change, instead looking at her with more interest, about to speak when the floor suddenly rocked violently.
The two-story tower ship, such a massive thing, had encountered something unknown that shook it from an attack.
Jin Wuji, who had just been smiling despite Xie Wanning’s cold mockery, darkened his face. He abruptly stood, hearing faint fighting sounds from outside.
Xie Wanning’s eyes lit up, a name instantly appearing in her mind.
Was it Lu Ziyan?
Was Ming Feng still alive?
If alive, she’d been abducted for half a month; Lu Ziyan should have tracked her whereabouts by now.
Jin Wuji left two guards to watch her and went out.
Xie Wanning’s heart pounded like a drum; never had she so eagerly awaited Lu Ziyan’s arrival.
Was it really him!
Or just ordinary bandits?
Bandits were rampant in Great Khan territory, with many water thieves specializing in robbing merchant ships…
No, she couldn’t sit and wait; if it wasn’t Lu Ziyan, she had to find a way herself.
Even in death, she couldn’t let herself be taken to the Jin Kingdom military camp.
She now stood by the dining table; though two guards watched her, they clearly didn’t take a weak woman like her seriously, their gazes frequently turning to the window, clearly wanting to know what enemy their team had encountered.
Taking advantage of their turned heads, Xie Wanning swiftly hid an iron spoon in her sleeve. The spoon’s handle wasn’t sharp enough, but with resolute force, it was enough for seeking death.
No sooner had the spoon entered her sleeve than Jin Wuji rushed back in, no longer composed, his eyes fixed on her in disbelief and shock.
Xie Wanning felt goosebumps under his stare; her arm tightened as she was dragged outside.
“Lu Ziyan actually abandoned the frontier warfare for a woman, rushing thousands of miles here!” He spoke quickly while walking, “Miss Xie, you’re even more important than we imagined.”
On the painted boat’s deck, gale winds blew; Xie Wanning was tightly held at the waist by the man behind her, her cape billowing in the wind, faintly revealing the light clothes inside.
On the opposite ship, Lu Ziyan in black robes gazed remotely this way, his eyes on the hand at her waist, narrowing slightly.
He stretched his hand back, and Ming Feng immediately placed a longbow there.
“Hold on!” Jin Wuji’s face changed as he shouted loudly, “If Brother Lu dares to draw the bow, I can’t guarantee what will happen to Miss Xie.”
With that, he unhesitatingly pulled off Xie Wanning’s cape, exposing the light gauze dress, swaying in the wind.
The clothes weren’t overly revealing, but the posture was deeply humiliating.
Lu Ziyan’s teeth clenched hard, his jaw twitching faintly.
“Release her, and I’ll spare your life.”
The cold, icy voice was carried by the autumn wind.
Xie Wanning’s heart pounded violently, her eyes red, unable to describe her feelings.
Preferring death over humiliation, with Jin Wuji’s attention on the opposite side, she decisively drew the iron spoon from her sleeve, slashing the long handle hard against her neck…
“Don’t!” Lu Ziyan’s mind shattered, “Wanwan, don’t!”
Jin Wuji also startled, snatching the iron spoon she tried to swing again and tossing it aside.
Xie Wanning used all the strength she could muster, but half a month’s muscle relaxant powder plus the spoon’s blunt handle only drew a four-finger-long wound on her neck, skin splitting and flesh flying, looking terribly frightening.
Jin Wuji glanced at the injury and sneered, “Want to die? It depends on whether I allow it.”
Fearing she’d disrupt the situation again, he lightly tapped the mute acupoint at her neck side.
Looking at the utterly distraught Lu Ziyan opposite, he laughed loudly, “As the ancients said, heroes always falter at the beauty pass. This beauty has some thorns, but her figure is graceful, body very soft—no wonder Brother Lu thinks of her constantly.”
Lu Ziyan’s hands suddenly exerted force, twisting the heavy refined iron bow out of shape.
Behind him, Ming Feng said lowly, “Please don’t fall for it, Master; this thief is deliberately disturbing your mind.”
Though said, everyone knew that with Xie Wanning, such a beautiful young lady, in Jin raiders’ hands for half a month, she had probably long been…
Lu Ziyan took a deep breath, tossed the bow back, and said gravely, “What do you want to release her?”
“I’ve heard Brother Lu has unyielding pride, never bowing; now it seems not entirely so,” Jin Wuji’s smile deepened, “Would Brother Lu kneel to pay respects to me?”
“Bullying too much!” Ming Feng shouted, “Jin Wuji, you’re courting death!”
Lu Ziyan’s deputy generals nearby were already red-eyed with rage, their shouts shaking the skies, every word laced with killing intent.
Jin Wuji raised a brow; unafraid, his hand slowly reached for the sash at Xie Wanning’s waist, calling out, “Keeping good things to oneself is no fun—does Brother Lu agree?”
Lu Ziyan’s face twisted for an instant; he clenched his fists tightly, suppressing his full fury, “I, Lu Ziyan, swear that if you harm her in the slightest today, I’ll slaughter every last person in your Jin Kingdom!”
Jin Wuji was undaunted, no stranger to bloodshed; he laughed loudly, his fingertip moving to pull the waist sash, stopped by Lu Ziyan’s urgent shout.
He paused and smiled, “This humiliation—would Brother Lu take it for Miss Xie?”
Lu Ziyan’s gaze stayed on Xie Wanning; across the long lake surface, their eyes met—one tear-streaked and shaking her head, the other gaze gradually softening.
Seeing her tearful face, Lu Ziyan blinked gently, glanced sideways at Ming Feng, bent his knee, and heavily knelt on the deck before everyone.
All around fell silent for a moment, even Jin Wuji’s pupils widening in shock.
