Yan Ge left Liuxian Pavilion and appeared directly in Huangfu Yuchen’s study.
“Xiao Ge?” Huangfu Yuchen put down his pen, “What happened?” He knew Yan Ge was hosting guests at Liuxian Pavilion today, so it must have been something urgent for him to come back so early.
“There is urgent news from Xiguan Pass.” Yan Ge sat beside him.
“Mai Kingdom is finally getting restless?” Huangfu Yuchen’s elegant eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he calmly said, “Perhaps it’s not a bad thing.”
“I think so too. This time, we’ll teach them a lesson and make sure they won’t dare to act rashly for at least the next twenty years!” Yan Ge said.
The two of them calmly sipped their tea. After about half a cup of tea, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door, and a voice called out, “Urgent message from Xiguan Pass.”
“Present it.”
Deng Mande rushed out to receive the imperial edict from a palace maid and handed it to Huangfu Yuchen.
“Mai Kingdom’s one hundred thousand troops have crossed the border, and the first battle was a success.” A faint smile appeared on Huangfu Yuchen’s lips. “They didn’t disappoint me. Deng Mande, draft an edict, order General Yunhui to immediately lead five thousand elite soldiers to escort enough food and forage for one month to Xiguan Pass.”
“Yes!”
“Another edict, order General Gui to immediately lead five thousand elite soldiers to escort ten thousand hand grenades to Xiguan Pass.”
“Yes!”
Deng Mande hurriedly left.
Yan Ge asked Huangfu Yuchen, “How many troops are stationed at Xiguan Pass?”
“Eighty thousand,” Huangfu Yuchen replied.
“Eighty thousand?” Yan Ge was somewhat surprised.
“Mai Kingdom poses the greatest threat to us, so Xiguan Pass has the largest number of troops among the border garrisons. Although our forces are smaller than theirs, we have several advantages. If nothing unexpected happens, defeating Mai Kingdom is not a difficult task,” Huangfu Yuchen explained.
Yan Ge scratched his head, “It’s good to know you’re confident.”
“Now it’s October, and the weather will get colder. Mai Kingdom’s people are more resistant to the cold than us, so it’s best to defeat them within two months. Otherwise, our soldiers will suffer,” Huangfu Yuchen calculated in his mind.
Yan Ge leaned on his shoulder and smiled at him.
“What is it?” Huangfu Yuchen asked, feeling better after seeing Yan Ge’s smile. His eyes filled with warmth as he wrapped his arm around Yan Ge’s waist.
“Don’t worry in case it takes too long. I prepared a large number of knee pads, gloves, and shoe pads a long time ago, specifically for winter warfare. Since these things are easily imitated, we’ll only use them at the critical moment to prevent the enemy from copying us,” Yan Ge said with a hint of pride in his voice.
“Knee pads, gloves, and shoe pads?” Although it was the first time Huangfu Yuchen heard these terms, he understood without any difficulty. He hugged Yan Ge and said, “Baby, you’ve worked hard. When did you prepare all these? Why didn’t you tell me earlier so I could help you with the burden?”
“Of course, it was meant to surprise you.” Yan Ge waved his hand airily. “These are just trivial matters; no need for you to bother. How about it? Isn’t your man treating you well?”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled, holding him tightly. “Not just well. He’s an exceptional wise consort.”
Yan Ge shot him a glance, and Huangfu Yuchen pinched his chin, kissing his lips deeply. Their tongues intertwined in each other’s mouths, their bodies growing heated. He reluctantly released him slightly, saying, “It’s almost time. We’ll soon be free from these worldly matters. Once we pass the Nascent Soul stage, we’ll break through to the next level together. Then, we’ll return to your original world and even explore other dimensions. From then on, we’ll be together forever.”
Yan Ge paused, “Have you made up your mind? Yunxi is still young…”
“He’s not that young anymore,” Huangfu Yuchen’s tone was resolute. “Besides, once we have the ability to tear through the fabric of time, we can come back to visit at any time.”
Yan Ge suddenly felt a sense of urgency. He hadn’t even acquired the final techniques yet, and he needed to quickly find a solution to become Empress. This darn system.
“What’s wrong? You don’t want to leave?” Huangfu Yuchen looked at him oddly.
“Of course not,” Yan Ge refocused, wrapping his arms around his neck, and with a smack, he planted a kiss on his chin. “I’ll follow your lead, but for now, dealing with the border crisis is still the top priority. Do you need to discuss official matters with the ministers? I’ll head back first.”
“Okay,” Huangfu Yuchen let him go.
Yan Ge took a couple of steps but turned back and reminded him, “Tell me before you abdicate.”
“Of course, we are husband and wife.” Huangfu Yuchen smirked.
Yan Ge rolled his eyes at him, then left, feeling worried. He believed that if he told Huangfu Yuchen he wanted to be Empress, he would definitely agree. But even if Huangfu Yuchen were the Emperor, achieving this wouldn’t be easy, as it involved many aspects. For example, in the history of Great Han Kingdom, there had never been a male Empress. How would Huangfu Yuchen persuade the courtiers and silence the gossip? Another issue was that the current Empress, Dumu, had never committed any major mistakes. If they rashly deposed her, would she be willing to accept it? Would the Du family let it go? If something went wrong, Yunxi might hold resentment.
But no matter what, he was determined to become the Empress. He just needed to figure out how to do it. It was indeed a challenge.
“Little Jin.”
Yan Jin’s voice sounded in his mind, “Master, what can I do for you?”
“What do you think I should do to become the Empress?”
Yan Jin’s response was straightforward, “Just tell the Emperor directly, and he will agree.”
Saying that was as good as saying nothing.
“I’m your master, can’t you make an exception and give me the final technique directly?” Yan Ge asked without much hope.
Yan Jin sighed, “I can do it, but the consequence will be that I’ll self-destruct.”
Yan Ge quickly said, “Let’s forget about that. If it’s not possible, I’ll just tell Yuchen directly, and let him handle the other problems.”
Yan Jin said, “I wholeheartedly support that!”
Yan Ge immediately pushed his worries aside. It was still a long way before Huangfu Yuchen’s abdication. He would deal with it when the time came.
He turned and left the palace without taking the carriage, riding a horse instead, and heading leisurely forward.
The people on the street greeted him respectfully. The news of the war at Xiguan Pass hadn’t spread yet, so the capital was still calm.
Upon reaching the company, he had someone bring all the account books of his properties and went through them one by one.
“Summon the staff.”
Wan Xiang hurriedly came over, “Young Master.”
“It’s you, Wan Xiang.” Yan Ge looked up. Wan Xiang had married Zhao Cheng two years ago, and he was now in charge. Yan Ge gave them the slave contract as a gift. Although they were now free individuals, their loyalty remained strong, making them valuable assistants.
“Give the order to all the managers to count the inventory of their properties and submit it to me by tomorrow evening.”
“Yes.”
After dealing with the company’s affairs, Yan Ge returned to Yan Mansion in the same unhurried manner.
Madam Yan was in the side room, sitting by the window and doing embroidery. The room was warmed by a charcoal stove and she was sitting on a furry bear skin that her eldest son had personally hunted and sent back from the distant Western Frontier. A small blanket made from tiger skin covered her knees, a gift from her younger son. Ever since her daughter-in-law and grandson also went to Xiguan Pass, she had plenty of free time and picked up her hobbies from her youth to pass the time.
Yan Ge approached quietly to take a look and marveled at her skill. Madam Yan’s embroidery displayed a gradual change of colors, from dark to light, just like the real thing.
Afraid of startling her with a sudden sound, he retreated to the door and called out, “Mother.”
“Ge’er, you’re back. Come and sit.” Madam Yan smiled, beckoning him over.
“Mother, take breaks while embroidering, don’t strain your eyes,” Yan Ge sat beside her.
Madam Yan smiled and said, “Don’t worry, ever since I started taking the health pills you prepared for me, my health has improved. Just yesterday, I went to the temple to pray and climbed all the way to the mountain top without feeling tired.” Despite being in her forties, Madam Yan looked no older than thirty, with not a single wrinkle on her face. Whenever she attended gatherings with other official wives, they all envied her. Madam Yan also knew how to get along with people and occasionally sent some beauty creams or pills to other wives.
In the feudal society, women rarely had the chance to go out, so they didn’t have too many hobbies. Mostly, they spent their time tending to flowers and doing embroidery. Yan Ge could tell that Madam Yan felt a bit lonely since her grandson had left. He put his arm around her shoulders, considering the idea of bringing Yan Xiangtian back for a while. However, given the current sensitive situation, he couldn’t bring up the topic to Madam Yan for the time being.
“How about Father?”
“He’s in the backyard. This year seems colder than the last, so he’s directing the servants to wrap the trees to prevent freezing. By now, he probably knows you’re back.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a voice came from outside, accompanied by a cold breeze as a figure stepped inside. “Ge’er is back.”
Yan Ge stood up, “Father.”
“Greetings, Huang Guiqing.” The steward, Yan Fu, bowed.
“No need for formalities.”
“I’ll go prepare some refreshments.” Yan Fu tactfully left.
“Why did you come in the afternoon?” Yan Xiaojing knew Yan Ge well. He usually returned in the morning unless there was something urgent.
“I had some free time today, so I came to visit. Father, Mother said you were protecting the trees just now?”
Yan Xiaojing replied, “Do you want to see?”
“I’m curious. I never paid attention to it before.” Yan Ge walked with him outside.
Madam Yan shook her head, “It’s so cold, yet you two aren’t afraid of freezing.” She made a casual remark and then lowered her head to continue embroidering.
Yan Ge and Yan Xiaojing walked along the path and soon arrived at the backyard. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, Yan Ge confirmed that there were no other people in the garden apart from the two of them.
“Father, Yuchen just received an urgent message from Xiguan Pass. The Mai Kingdom has declared war on us.”
Yan Ge left Liuxian Pavilion and appeared directly in Huangfu Yuchen’s study.
“Xiao Ge?” Huangfu Yuchen put down his pen, “What happened?” He knew Yan Ge was hosting guests at Liuxian Pavilion today, so it must have been something urgent for him to come back so early.
“There is urgent news from Xiguan Pass.” Yan Ge sat beside him.
“Mai Kingdom is finally getting restless?” Huangfu Yuchen’s elegant eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he calmly said, “Perhaps it’s not a bad thing.”
“I think so too. This time, we’ll teach them a lesson and make sure they won’t dare to act rashly for at least the next twenty years!” Yan Ge said.
The two of them calmly sipped their tea. After about half a cup of tea, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door, and a voice called out, “Urgent message from Xiguan Pass.”
“Present it.”
Deng Mande rushed out to receive the imperial edict from a palace maid and handed it to Huangfu Yuchen.
“Mai Kingdom’s one hundred thousand troops have crossed the border, and the first battle was a success.” A faint smile appeared on Huangfu Yuchen’s lips. “They didn’t disappoint me. Deng Mande, draft an edict, order General Yunhui to immediately lead five thousand elite soldiers to escort enough food and forage for one month to Xiguan Pass.”
“Yes!”
“Another edict, order General Gui to immediately lead five thousand elite soldiers to escort ten thousand hand grenades to Xiguan Pass.”
“Yes!”
Deng Mande hurriedly left.
Yan Ge asked Huangfu Yuchen, “How many troops are stationed at Xiguan Pass?”
“Eighty thousand,” Huangfu Yuchen replied.
“Eighty thousand?” Yan Ge was somewhat surprised.
“Mai Kingdom poses the greatest threat to us, so Xiguan Pass has the largest number of troops among the border garrisons. Although our forces are smaller than theirs, we have several advantages. If nothing unexpected happens, defeating Mai Kingdom is not a difficult task,” Huangfu Yuchen explained.
Yan Ge scratched his head, “It’s good to know you’re confident.”
“Now it’s October, and the weather will get colder. Mai Kingdom’s people are more resistant to the cold than us, so it’s best to defeat them within two months. Otherwise, our soldiers will suffer,” Huangfu Yuchen calculated in his mind.
Yan Ge leaned on his shoulder and smiled at him.
“What is it?” Huangfu Yuchen asked, feeling better after seeing Yan Ge’s smile. His eyes filled with warmth as he wrapped his arm around Yan Ge’s waist.
“Don’t worry in case it takes too long. I prepared a large number of knee pads, gloves, and shoe pads a long time ago, specifically for winter warfare. Since these things are easily imitated, we’ll only use them at the critical moment to prevent the enemy from copying us,” Yan Ge said with a hint of pride in his voice.
“Knee pads, gloves, and shoe pads?” Although it was the first time Huangfu Yuchen heard these terms, he understood without any difficulty. He hugged Yan Ge and said, “Baby, you’ve worked hard. When did you prepare all these? Why didn’t you tell me earlier so I could help you with the burden?”
“Of course, it was meant to surprise you.” Yan Ge waved his hand airily. “These are just trivial matters; no need for you to bother. How about it? Isn’t your man treating you well?”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled, holding him tightly. “Not just well. He’s an exceptional wise consort.”
Yan Ge shot him a glance, and Huangfu Yuchen pinched his chin, kissing his lips deeply. Their tongues intertwined in each other’s mouths, their bodies growing heated. He reluctantly released him slightly, saying, “It’s almost time. We’ll soon be free from these worldly matters. Once we pass the Nascent Soul stage, we’ll break through to the next level together. Then, we’ll return to your original world and even explore other dimensions. From then on, we’ll be together forever.”
Yan Ge paused, “Have you made up your mind? Yunxi is still young…”
“He’s not that young anymore,” Huangfu Yuchen’s tone was resolute. “Besides, once we have the ability to tear through the fabric of time, we can come back to visit at any time.”
Yan Ge suddenly felt a sense of urgency. He hadn’t even acquired the final techniques yet, and he needed to quickly find a solution to become Empress. This darn system.
“What’s wrong? You don’t want to leave?” Huangfu Yuchen looked at him oddly.
“Of course not,” Yan Ge refocused, wrapping his arms around his neck, and with a smack, he planted a kiss on his chin. “I’ll follow your lead, but for now, dealing with the border crisis is still the top priority. Do you need to discuss official matters with the ministers? I’ll head back first.”
“Okay,” Huangfu Yuchen let him go.
Yan Ge took a couple of steps but turned back and reminded him, “Tell me before you abdicate.”
“Of course, we are husband and wife.” Huangfu Yuchen smirked.
Yan Ge rolled his eyes at him, then left, feeling worried. He believed that if he told Huangfu Yuchen he wanted to be Empress, he would definitely agree. But even if Huangfu Yuchen were the Emperor, achieving this wouldn’t be easy, as it involved many aspects. For example, in the history of Great Han Kingdom, there had never been a male Empress. How would Huangfu Yuchen persuade the courtiers and silence the gossip? Another issue was that the current Empress, Dumu, had never committed any major mistakes. If they rashly deposed her, would she be willing to accept it? Would the Du family let it go? If something went wrong, Yunxi might hold resentment.
But no matter what, he was determined to become the Empress. He just needed to figure out how to do it. It was indeed a challenge.
“Little Jin.”
Yan Jin’s voice sounded in his mind, “Master, what can I do for you?”
“What do you think I should do to become the Empress?”
Yan Jin’s response was straightforward, “Just tell the Emperor directly, and he will agree.”
Saying that was as good as saying nothing.
“I’m your master, can’t you make an exception and give me the final technique directly?” Yan Ge asked without much hope.
Yan Jin sighed, “I can do it, but the consequence will be that I’ll self-destruct.”
Yan Ge quickly said, “Let’s forget about that. If it’s not possible, I’ll just tell Yuchen directly, and let him handle the other problems.”
Yan Jin said, “I wholeheartedly support that!”
Yan Ge immediately pushed his worries aside. It was still a long way before Huangfu Yuchen’s abdication. He would deal with it when the time came.
He turned and left the palace without taking the carriage, riding a horse instead, and heading leisurely forward.
The people on the street greeted him respectfully. The news of the war at Xiguan Pass hadn’t spread yet, so the capital was still calm.
Upon reaching the company, he had someone bring all the account books of his properties and went through them one by one.
“Summon the staff.”
Wan Xiang hurriedly came over, “Young Master.”
“It’s you, Wan Xiang.” Yan Ge looked up. Wan Xiang had married Zhao Cheng two years ago, and he was now in charge. Yan Ge gave them the slave contract as a gift. Although they were now free individuals, their loyalty remained strong, making them valuable assistants.
“Give the order to all the managers to count the inventory of their properties and submit it to me by tomorrow evening.”
“Yes.”
After dealing with the company’s affairs, Yan Ge returned to Yan Mansion in the same unhurried manner.
Madam Yan was in the side room, sitting by the window and doing embroidery. The room was warmed by a charcoal stove and she was sitting on a furry bear skin that her eldest son had personally hunted and sent back from the distant Western Frontier. A small blanket made from tiger skin covered her knees, a gift from her younger son. Ever since her daughter-in-law and grandson also went to Xiguan Pass, she had plenty of free time and picked up her hobbies from her youth to pass the time.
Yan Ge approached quietly to take a look and marveled at her skill. Madam Yan’s embroidery displayed a gradual change of colors, from dark to light, just like the real thing.
Afraid of startling her with a sudden sound, he retreated to the door and called out, “Mother.”
“Ge’er, you’re back. Come and sit.” Madam Yan smiled, beckoning him over.
“Mother, take breaks while embroidering, don’t strain your eyes,” Yan Ge sat beside her.
Madam Yan smiled and said, “Don’t worry, ever since I started taking the health pills you prepared for me, my health has improved. Just yesterday, I went to the temple to pray and climbed all the way to the mountain top without feeling tired.” Despite being in her forties, Madam Yan looked no older than thirty, with not a single wrinkle on her face. Whenever she attended gatherings with other official wives, they all envied her. Madam Yan also knew how to get along with people and occasionally sent some beauty creams or pills to other wives.
In the feudal society, women rarely had the chance to go out, so they didn’t have too many hobbies. Mostly, they spent their time tending to flowers and doing embroidery. Yan Ge could tell that Madam Yan felt a bit lonely since her grandson had left. He put his arm around her shoulders, considering the idea of bringing Yan Xiangtian back for a while. However, given the current sensitive situation, he couldn’t bring up the topic to Madam Yan for the time being.
“How about Father?”
“He’s in the backyard. This year seems colder than the last, so he’s directing the servants to wrap the trees to prevent freezing. By now, he probably knows you’re back.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a voice came from outside, accompanied by a cold breeze as a figure stepped inside. “Ge’er is back.”
Yan Ge stood up, “Father.”
“Greetings, Huang Guiqing.” The steward, Yan Fu, bowed.
“No need for formalities.”
“I’ll go prepare some refreshments.” Yan Fu tactfully left.
“Why did you come in the afternoon?” Yan Xiaojing knew Yan Ge well. He usually returned in the morning unless there was something urgent.
“I had some free time today, so I came to visit. Father, Mother said you were protecting the trees just now?”
Yan Xiaojing replied, “Do you want to see?”
“I’m curious. I never paid attention to it before.” Yan Ge walked with him outside.
Madam Yan shook her head, “It’s so cold, yet you two aren’t afraid of freezing.” She made a casual remark and then lowered her head to continue embroidering.
Yan Ge and Yan Xiaojing walked along the path and soon arrived at the backyard. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, Yan Ge confirmed that there were no other people in the garden apart from the two of them.
“Father, Yuchen just received an urgent message from Xiguan Pass. The Mai Kingdom has declared war on us.”
