Chapter 354
Chapter 354
Everyone had been deceived by Su Nan’s consistently deferential demeanor. They thought that while his methods were vicious, he preferred to be tactful on the surface, always leaving himself room to maneuver and a path for retreat. No one knew that once he made a decision, he fought more boldly and fiercely than anyone. They had all expected him to back down from this incident, to adopt a conciliatory attitude to preserve his position in the Yue court, leaving ample political leeway.
But Su Nan had never wanted a position in the court. He wanted the Su Clan to be a phoenix, rising from the ashes of its own immolation, to rise up in the south. His ultimate goal was not to be a powerful minister, but to become a hegemon of his generation—just as Shen Lang had said, for the Su Clan and the State of Qiang to become one.
Every year, the Three-Eyed Tribe captured countless Yue slaves and sent them to the State of Qiang. Every year, Su Nan supplemented the King of Qiang with vast sums of money. All this had a clear purpose. Currently, two of the queens in the State of Qiang were from the Su Clan. There was no telling how many other members of the Su Clan were embedded around the King of Qiang. The sudden death of King Arujiang was a blow to Su Nan. It had completely disrupted his rhythm, forcing him to hastily advance many of his plans. But perhaps it was also good news. The King of Qiang was a man who deserved to die, and he had simply died a little early. If the King of Qiang didn't die, how could the Su Clan become one with the State of Qiang?
The most important thing now was for the Crown Prince, Arutai, to quell the internal strife in the State of Qiang as quickly as possible. To put it more directly, he needed to kill off the rest of the King of Qiang’s sons. Then, Arutai would ascend the throne and inherit everything of his father's, including his two queens. This, too, was a barbarian tradition; the barbarians surrounding ancient China all had such customs. When a Xiongnu king of one generation died, the newly enthroned king inherited all that the deceased had left behind.
***
Within the State of Qiang.
The King of Qiang’s corpse lay tossed on the bed, untended. As the weather grew hotter, the body had begun to rot, attracting swarms of flies. Still, no one paid it any mind.
Inside the King of Qiang’s chamber.
The new King of Qiang, Arutai, lay in bed, passionately entangled with two peerless beauties. The two women were Su Mo and Su Ying, the former wives of the King of Qiang, who had now naturally become Arutai's women. Arutai had longed for this scene for a long time. The two women of the Su Clan were so beautiful that he had coveted them for years. A flame-like fire flickered in Su Mo's beautiful eyes. The sudden death of the King of Qiang was bad news for the Su Clan, but it could also be good news. She could now unleash her ambitions. After their exertions, the new King of Qiang, Arutai, lit a cigarette, took a leisurely drag, and spoke.
“Queen Mother, you were the Royal Father’s wife. How do you think his funeral should be conducted?”
Su Mo replied.
“According to the rules of past generations, it would be best to perform a sky burial.”
In truth, every generation of the King of Qiang, on their deathbed, had wished not for a sky burial but for a grand funeral like the kings of Yue or Chu—to build a great mausoleum and be interred with all their gold, silver, and treasures. However, no king had ever achieved this wish. The State of Qiang was a nation that revered strength, not one ruled by ideals of filial piety or etiquette. The newly enthroned king was always reluctant to bury so much wealth with his predecessor. Thus, they all followed precedent and tradition, performing a sky burial.
“Very well. A sky burial it is.”
The new King of Qiang, Arutai, agreed. But why had the King of Qiang died so suddenly? To this day, no one had asked or investigated. Arutai continued.
“My brothers have gathered ten thousand men and occupied the ancestral temple to the north. It seems they intend to oppose me. What do you think I should do, Queen Mother?”
Su Mo kissed the wolf tattoo on Arutai’s chest and said in a gentle voice.
“Then I shall go and meet them to resolve the matter. I am but a weak woman, so they will not be on their guard.”
Arutai took another drag of his cigarette, held the smoke in his lungs for a moment, then blew out a perfect ring.
“Excellent. Then I shall leave everything to you, Queen Mother.”
The Queen Dowager of Qiang, Su Mo, said with a flirtatious glint in her eyes.
“Then Your Majesty must reward me well.”
***
In the royal palace of the State of Yue.
Consort Xiao and the Sixth Prince, Ning Jing, were trembling with fear at the unfolding situation. For several days, Consort Xiao had sensed that something was amiss. After the incident with He Wanwan, the King had a falling out with Su Nan and sent the Blackwater Terrace to arrest him. From that day on, visitors to Consort Xiao’s palace ceased. The people of the royal palace had sharp instincts and were the most pragmatic of flatterers.
The concubines who used to visit constantly to curry favor with Consort Xiao stopped coming, and the eunuchs who had fawned over her relentlessly also disappeared. Although her daily meals were still served as usual, the most crucial thing was that the King had also stopped visiting. It was her turn to have him in her chambers, yet the King did not set foot in her palace, staying only in Consort Bian’s quarters. In this situation, the maids and eunuchs by her side also grew cold, drawing a line between themselves and Consort Xiao as if a great disaster was imminent.
Then, tonight, Consort Xiao's world finally came crashing down. Although she didn't know exactly what was happening, dozens of warriors stormed into her palace, their sharp gazes fixed on her. She was confined within her palace, unable to take a single step out of her room. Consort Xiao resented her brother in her heart.
*‘Brother, you are truly cruel. For your ambition and the Su Clan, you care nothing for my life or death. What am I to do now?’*
Though she was inside the palace, she could hear the sounds of great turmoil from the capital outside. She felt her final day drawing ever closer.
*‘Will I be given poisoned wine? Or will they send a white silk cloth for me to hang myself?’*
The Sixth Prince, Ning Jing, had heard a little more about the chaos in the capital and began to curse Su Nan inwardly. Just then, the door to Consort Xiao’s palace opened, and the King entered. Consort Xiao was startled but immediately rushed forward, intending to throw herself at the King's feet and embrace his legs. But before she could reach him, Little Eunuch Lü stepped in front of the King, blocking her way.
Consort Xiao was stunned. How much had Little Eunuch Lü flattered her in the past? How meekly had he treated her? When Consort Xiao looked up, she saw that Little Eunuch Lü still wore a gentle, fawning expression. Indeed, high-ranking eunuchs like Lü Yin were polite to everyone, but they no longer needed to curry favor. In their eyes, only the King mattered.
“What are you doing? Have you no sense? Did you learn that from the old man?”
The King reprimanded him. Little Eunuch Lü was inwardly delighted and quickly stepped back. The King’s words, comparing him to the old man, were the highest praise. Everyone knew that, aside from their ancestors, Eunuch Lü Chun was the most trusted eunuch by the King's side. Only then did Consort Xiao reach the King, sinking to her knees with a graceful sway and wailing.
“Your Majesty, my body and heart belong to the Ning Clan, but I am undeniably a daughter of the Su Clan. Whatever crime my brother has committed, I, as his sister, must share the blame. Therefore, I beg Your Majesty to grant me death. However, in consideration of our years of love as husband and wife, please allow my body to remain whole. And please, do not blame Ning Jing. This child is Your Majesty's son. He is a true member of the Ning Clan.”
The Sixth Prince, who had been about to attack and denounce Su Nan, immediately knelt and wept upon hearing his mother’s words.
“Your Majesty, please grant me the same punishment as my mother.”
Upon hearing this, the King let out a loud laugh. “Haha!” He reached out and caressed Consort Xiao’s face.
“My dear consort, you speak too gravely. What crime has Marquis Su committed?”
Consort Xiao was taken aback by his words.
“It is true, I did order the arrest of Marquis Zhenyuan’s heir, Su Jianting. This was because the Censorate submitted a memorial accusing Su Jianting of openly leading Western Region warriors to attack the Count of Xuanwu’s estate and attempting to murder Su Peipei. I rule this nation with the ideal of filial piety, and I cannot help but be enraged by such a depraved tragedy. However, the investigation revealed that the attack on the Count of Xuanwu’s estate was the work of the great bandit Gao Douhuan, and Su Jianting was not in Xuanwu City that day, but drinking at the governor’s manor in Tianxi Province.”
Hearing this, Consort Xiao felt an even deeper fear and pleaded.
“Your Majesty, please grant me poisoned wine. Grant me the white silk.”
The King’s gaze grew even more affectionate as he said.
“My dear consort, you are imagining things again. You and I have been married for twenty years. Should we not grow old together until our hair turns white?”
Surprised and afraid, Consort Xiao managed a tearful smile, her face a picture of love.
“My body and soul belong to Your Majesty. If the Su Clan has merits, it is no concern of mine, but if they have committed a crime, then I too am guilty. My life is in my husband’s hands. Whether I face thunderous wrath or the grace of a spring rain, it is all a blessing from Your Majesty. My heart for you will never change.”
The King helped Consort Xiao up and said gently.
“My love for you will not change either. The night is deep. Tonight, I shall stay in my consort’s palace.”
Ning Yuanxian gave his orders to an attendant. Then he looked at the Sixth Prince with eyes full of fatherly affection.
“Ning Jing, the palace is safe now, so you may return and rest. I see you have been by your mother’s side all this time. You are truly a filial son. Well done!”
The Sixth Prince, Ning Jing, felt a deeper fear and trembled as he kowtowed in response.
“Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. Royal Father and Royal Mother, please rest well. Your son will take his leave.”
Ning Jing spoke with a smile, then retreated from the room with the utmost deference. Though it was a hot summer night, on his way back, the Sixth Prince felt as if his entire body had turned to ice. He wrapped his arms around himself, but he was still freezing.
*‘What should I do now? Should I go to the Crown Prince’s estate? Or should I visit the Third Prince’s estate?’*
Before, with the Su Clan backing him and his youth on his side, he had no need to contend for the throne. Both the Crown Prince and the Third Prince had tried to win him over several times, which made Ning Jing smug, arrogant, and insolent in all his dealings. Now that the Su Clan had fallen out with his father, Ning Jing felt that a great calamity had befallen him. If his father had raged and cursed him and his mother today, Ning Jing might have felt there was still a chance to salvage the situation. But his father was not angry; instead, he had smiled, praised him, and stayed in his mother's palace. This terrified Ning Jing to his very core.