Long Xuan hadn’t expected that he would meet Sun Li, the trusted general of the Northern Yan Emperor, Sima Qingsha, in an ordinary restaurant on the streets of Yunzhou.
Sun Li was sitting next to Long Xuan. He would have never thought that while following orders to come to Zhou territory to investigate the situation of the epidemic in Yunzhou, he would be discovered by Long Xuan, the second prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, after eating some noodles.
Fu Yun served some refreshments, and the two people sat without talking. Fu Yun didn't dare to lift his head. After placing the dishes on the table, he immediately withdrew without lingering.
"Why did Emperor Sima Qingsha order you to come here?" Long Xuan asked Sun Li after Fu Yun left.
Sun Li said: "My master heard about the seriousness of the epidemic here in Yunzhou, so he asked me to take a look." [1]
"He cares so much about my Great Zhou?" Long Xuan said with sarcasm: "I’m afraid that Sima Qingsha still covets Wushuang City, am I right?" [2]
Sun Li took a sip of tea, and didn't answer Long Xuan's question. Wushuang City originally belonged to their Northern Yan, so can they not want it? After Sima Changtian’s shocking death, Sima Qingsha ascended the throne and swore a solemn oath in front of the ancestors of the Sima family and the courtiers of Northern Yan in the imperial ancestral temple [3]. As an emperor in this life, he will make every effort to be a good ruler, and to recapture Chundu Pass and Wushuang City; he would avenge his father, and pay blood for blood. Now that Chundu Pass has been recaptured under Sima Qingsha's personal conquest, Wushuang City was left.
At Sun Li’s silence, Long Xuan said again: "Looking at the natural and man-made disasters in my Great Zhou this year, your Northern Yan thinks this is a good time to take back Wushuang City? Sima Qingsha really likes to daydream. "
"Don’t you insult my lord!" Sun Li said angrily: "Second Highness, Long Xuan, I was caught by you. You can kill me or cut me up!"
“You’ve regained Chundu only two months ago." Long Xuan remained calm, and said: "If it weren’t for the fact that Yang Yuanyuan of Dongshang was busy seizing the throne and didn't care about others, you Northern Yan might have had to wait for decades to regain Chundu."
“Nonsense!" Sun Li almost jumped at Long Xuan.
"Think about how many of you died at Chundu Pass," Long Xuan said, "My Great Zhou's Yun Guan iron cavalry is still there, and this army will never be transferred away. If your Northern Yan wants to take back Wushuang City, why don't you think about inviting Mo Huan-sang back? Maybe then there will be some hope."
"Mo Huan-sang is not dead?" Sun Li said in surprise.
"This, you should ask your emperor," Long Xuan said, "I don't care about this person's life or death."
"Your Highness," Sun Li felt that Long Xuan was playing tricks with him, "You won't hand me over to Yunzhou officials but you brought me here, what for?" Sun Li wanted to understand at this moment. Rather than being fooled by Long Xuan like this, he might as well be tough and die courageously, so that he would not be humiliated. His family members would be taken care of by Emperor Sima Qingsha.
Long Xuan hesitated for a moment, and then said: "When Emperor Sima Qingsha ascended the throne, I also heard about the solemn oath he made in public. Reclaiming Wushuang City, as the prince of the Great Zhou, it is impossible for me to help him achieve his wish, but I can help him fulfill another oath."
"What is it?" Sun Li asked, he felt that Long Xuan was still playing tricks on him.
"He wants to avenge his father, and pay blood with blood. This is another solemn oath made by Emperor Sima Qingsha?"
"Yes," Sun Li said, "His Highness wants to help my lord to avenge his father? You know who this enemy is?"
"Those responsible for Emperor Sima Changtian’s death, one was Mo Huan-sang, and the other was Luo Wei," Long Xuan said. When he said Luo Wei’s name, he reached for the teacup on the table beside him. His hands were trembling. They were covered by his body, and Sun Li, with his head lowered, didn't notice.
“That's right," Sun Li said, "It's Luo Wei. Your Highness wants to help my lord kill Luo Wei?"
Long Xuan took a sip of the hot tea.
Sun Li laughed and said: "Luo Wei is now a Marquis. We all heard that he is the next Senior Chancellor of your Great Zhou, and Emperor Xing Wu’s most trusted minister. Your Highness, do you want your enemies to take revenge on their loved ones so swiftly, or is this Luo Wei hindering your future?"
"If I kill him, the credit will not go to your Emperor Sima Qingsha," Long Xuan said, "I have a way to deliver him. Emperor Sima Qingsha should be willing to accept my gift."
Sun Li looked at Long Xuan. He didn’t see what tricks Long Xuan could be playing on him, but Sun Li still couldn't believe Long Xuan's words. "Your Highness, do you know what you're talking about?" Sun Li asked Long Xuan, "Luo Wei is the Marquis of Jinyi of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and you can deliver him just because you say so? Is it that our Northern Yan is ignorant? Are you already the emperor of the Great Zhou?"
Long Xuan said: "Although dispatching the Yun Guan iron cavalry can keep Wushuang City and Yun Guan safe, my royal father does not want to see another war in the north. Judging from the current situation of my Great Zhou, if there is even a chance, my father will avoid fighting with the Northern Yan again."
"What use is our Northern Yan to His Highness?" Sun Li asked.
"As long as Emperor Sima Qingsha sends troops to Wushuang City, forcing the Great Zhou to defend," Long Xuan said, "My father will dispatch the Yun Guan iron cavalry. If at this time, Emperor Sima Qingsha orders someone to come to negotiate, then my father will definitely strive for peace with the Northern Yan."
Sun Li still didn't understand what this had to do with Luo Wei: "Then we ask Great Zhou to hand over Luo Wei? If the king of a country can’t even keep a single subject, how will Emperor Xing Wu of the Great Zhou keep his face?"
“You can invite Luo Wei to Northern Yan as a hostage."
"A hostage?" Sun Li looked at Long Xuan seriously again. He wondered if Luo Wei was too powerful in the Great Zhou. Had he harassed Long Xuan too much and already driven him crazy?
Long Xuan said: "If Luo Wei is just a courtier, then he will naturally not visit your Northern Yan again."
Sun Li said: "If Luo Wei is not a courtier of your Great Zhou, what else can he be?"
Long Xuan raised his head. He looked at Sun Li and said word for word: "Luo Wei is also the emperor's son."
Sun Li really jumped up from his seat and opened his mouth wide, "What did you say?!" He shouted.
"Sit down," Long Xuan said coldly, "You are a general and the leader of your own troops, how can you panic so easily?"
Sun Li listened to Long Xuan's words, and sat down straight again.
Only then did Long Xuan continue: "This is the secret of my royal family. Only a few in the entire Zhou Dynasty know about it."
“Then why did you tell me?"
"I’m not telling you. I’m telling Sima Qingsha." Long Xuan said, "My father has been teaching Luo Wei the way of being an emperor. As long as there are no mishaps, my Great Zhou will definitely belong to Luo Wei in the future."
"Then why does Emperor Xing Wu still let Luo Wei be surnamed Luo?” Sun Li thought again.
Long Xuan: "I’ve said that this is my Long family’s secret. You shouldn't know it, so don't ask more."
“Then," Sun Li took for a long time before saying, "Then what do you want my lord to do?"
"You still don't understand?"
"I don't understand," Sun Li said, "I'm a warrior, so I don't understand your filthy schemes."
“Filthy schemes?" Long Xuan laughed at this moment, "General Sun, don't forget, Sima Qingsha's throne was also obtained by brothers killing brothers. In this world, no one is clean."
Translator Notes:
[1] Throughout, Sun Li refers to Sima Qingsha as “my long-lived master” / “long live my lord”
[2] I think this was sometimes referred to as Frost City in previous translations.
[3] 太庙 Taimiao
I was screaming while editing this. How can there be such a hateful character?
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