Becoming the Emperor’s Greatest Woe - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

 

The words Jiang Yuxun wanted to say were interrupted by a violent coughing fit.

 

Seeing Eunuch Sang’s face magnified countless times, Jiang Yuxun, who had never been so embarrassed, simply closed his eyes and pretended to be dead.

 

At the moment he closed his eyes, out of the corner of his eye, Jiang Yuxun saw… the emperor’s eyebrows suddenly knit tightly together.

 

This was the first time he had seen such obvious confusion and surprise on Ying Changchuan’s face.

 

This time, it was really a social death.

 

Cough, cough…

 

Jiang Yuxun’s hand, limp with exhaustion, dropped heavily to his side, and the coughing finally stopped.

 

What happened to Lord Jiang?

 

He looks… as if he’s about to commit suicide right here!

 

Seeing this, Eunuch Sang’s shriek became even sharper.

 

It even made Jiang Yuxun feel as though he might really be meeting his end here.

 

A fate worse than death, nothing more than this.

 

…

 

In the side hall of Liuyun Palace, the imperial physician slowly moved his fingers away from Jiang Yuxun’s wrist.

 

“Lord Jiang’s body is not in serious trouble, the fainting might be because the previous injury hasn’t fully healed.”

 

As he pondered, he added to the person lying on the bed, “As for today… it was probably caused by wind invading the lungs, disrupting the lung qi, which led to the coughing fit. I’ll have someone send a remedy to dispel the wind and regulate the lungs shortly.”

 

After listening to the diagnosis, Eunuch Sang, who had been keeping vigil not far away, hurried forward and asked, “Is there anything he needs to be careful about in his daily life?”

 

The imperial physician stroked his beard and replied, “He must not get too emotional, and avoid cold drafts or strong odors as much as possible.”

 

Saying this, the young eunuch standing nearby immediately removed the incense burner from the room.

 

Eunuch Sang nodded repeatedly, suddenly realizing, “Lord Jiang was practicing swordsmanship outside the Xuanyin Supervision earlier, it must be that the cold entered his lungs, which triggered the coughing!”

 

The imperial physician nodded in agreement as he got up, “That seems to be the case.”

 

With that, he carefully picked up his medical box and left with Eunuch Sang.

 

The sound of their footsteps gradually faded, and the hall returned to silence.

 

… Is today’s episode finally over?

 

Lying on the bed, Jiang Yuxun, who was pretending to sleep, hadn’t even finished letting out a sigh of relief when he was interrupted by a chorus of “Long live the Emperor.”

 

Ying Changchuan had arrived!

 

Jiang Yuxun immediately shut his eyes tightly.

 

In the darkness, the sound of footsteps grew clearer.

 

The soft tapping of the floorboards, transmitted through the thick floor, reached his ears.

 

Unable to help it, Jiang Yuxun held his breath, lying still like a lamb waiting for slaughter.

 

Under the brocade quilt, Jiang Yuxun unconsciously clenched his fists.

 

The lights in the corridor filtered through like gauze, falling lightly on Jiang Yuxun’s cheeks.

 

Thinking he was doing a great job pretending, he had no idea that his eyelashes were gently trembling with his breathing, completely beyond his control.

 

The footsteps stopped, and Ying Changchuan finally stood in front of the bed.

 

Even though his eyes were closed, Jiang Yuxun could almost imagine Ying Changchuan lowering his gaze to look at him.

 

Never had he felt so awkward lying on the bed.

 

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

 

Jiang Yuxun held his breath, silently counting the time.

 

But he hadn’t counted many beats before his numbers were thrown off by the sound of his own heartbeat.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s mind began to wander.

 

… Why isn’t Ying Changchuan speaking?

 

Who knows how much time had passed, but the side hall remained silent.

 

Pretending to sleep in front of the emperor was causing immense psychological pressure on Jiang Yuxun.

 

“Turn yourself in and receive leniency”—these eight characters echoed repeatedly in his mind.

 

Could it be that Ying Changchuan wants me to get up and admit my mistake?

 

Jiang Yuxun’s neatly trimmed fingernails had already started to dig slightly into his palms.

 

He was instantly torn in an internal battle.

 

Who knows how long Ying Changchuan had been watching, but just as Jiang Yuxun was about to give up, preparing to rise and bow in apology, darkness fell over him again.

 

In the next moment, the sound of footsteps echoed once more in the hall.

 

Before long, the steps faded away outside the hall.

 

… Did Ying Changchuan leave?

 

It wasn’t until he heard the sound of the hall doors closing slowly that Jiang Yuxun finally let out a long breath and cautiously opened his eyes.

 

The room was pitch-black, and the heavy curtains swayed slightly from inertia.

 

The imperial physician had forgotten to put away the bed canopy, and Ying Changchuan had quietly lowered it. Other than that, everything was as it had been.

 

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but reach out and touch the canopy.

 

Strange… Ying Changchuan had come all this way, just to do something so trivial?

 

The silence that day had lasted far too long, and Jiang Yuxun was certain that Ying Changchuan had absolutely seen through his act of pretending to faint.

 

… But since the emperor didn’t expose him, Jiang Yuxun could only continue the charade.

 

For several days after the New Year’s festival, Jiang Yuxun didn’t step out of his house.

 

He holed up in the side hall reading books for four days, and finally, on the last day of the break, he was “cured.”

 

On that same day, the people from Shuo Lin County arrived in Zhao Capital with the finished black tea.

 

These tea bricks were partly to be sent to Kehan, and one brick was a special gift from the tea farmers to Jiang Yuxun.

 

…

 

The eunuch carefully pried the tea bricks with a silver needle.

 

He collected the loosened black tea into a small pot and placed it over the fire to brew.

 

Accompanied by the soft sound of bubbling, the rich fragrance of tea soon filled the entire Liuyun Palace.

 

“Lord Jiang, your tea.” Eunuch Sang gently placed the tea cup on the small table in front of Jiang Yuxun and then quietly withdrew.

 

Once again, only Jiang Yuxun and Ying Changchuan remained in Liuyun Palace.

 

The emperor, seated on the five-tiered mat, took a light sip of the hot tea. “The envoy to Kehan will depart after the beginning of spring. Are the tribute gifts ready?”

 

Jiang Yuxun, whose skin had grown thick through practice, immediately switched to work mode:

 

“Your Majesty, the gifts are ready. They largely follow the gift list sent to Princess Lianyi, with the addition of some easily cultivated vegetable and fruit seeds.”

 

As he spoke, he handed the gift list to the emperor with both hands.

 

Silks, medicines, seeds, and black tea.

 

This was the first gift Da(Great) Zhou would send to Kehan.

 

Ying Changchuan smiled. He glanced at the list, then casually remarked while savoring the tea’s aroma, “Add some pearls, conch shells, and coral for Kehan’s king.”

 

Da Zhou, being coastal, had no shortage of pearls and conch shells.

 

But Kehan, located deep in the interior, was a different story entirely.

 

Kehan’s society was even more rigidly hierarchical than Da Zhou’s.

 

In addition to the medicines, seeds, and tea that would benefit all of Kehan’s people, some status-affirming gifts for the Kehan king were also necessary.

 

As a nobleman born and raised in ancient times, Ying Changchuan had clearly thought of something Jiang Yuxun had overlooked.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Jiang Yuxun immediately nodded and added the items to the copy of the gift list.

 

The envoy to Kehan was selected by Zhuang Yue and Fei Jinyuan. After a brief understanding, Ying Changchuan nodded in agreement.

 

The matter was not complicated and could be temporarily set aside for now.

 

After completing the entire process, Jiang Yuxun was just about to relax and take his leave.

 

However, he saw the emperor on the five-tier seat gently put down his tea cup and casually said, “Your health seems to have recovered well.”

 

Jiang Yuxun: “…Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern.”

 

The emperor’s words triggered the dusty memory in Jiang Yuxun’s mind… Recalling the events of that day, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

 

Just as he was about to find an excuse to slip away from the emperor’s presence, Ying Changchuan unexpectedly brought up the very thing Jiang Yuxun hoped to avoid, saying, “The question I asked that day, you still haven’t answered.”

 

?!

 

No way, how could he still remember that?

 

Jiang Yuxun instantly felt a pang of guilt.

 

The same trick wouldn’t work twice.

 

Worried that Ying Changchuan might ask something inappropriate again, and having made too many risky statements before, Jiang Yuxun made a bold decision and said, “…Your Majesty, may I not answer?”

 

Though he started off confidently, his voice grew softer as he continued.

 

Ying Changchuan leaned his head on his hand, reclining on the jade table with interest, and asked, “Why not?”

 

… I knew it.

 

Jiang Yuxun bit his lip in despair and said, “Publicly, as a subject, I naturally cannot hide things from Your Majesty. But privately… I would still like to keep some personal space.”

 

The Liuyun Palace was so quiet that Jiang Yuxun’s voice, though not loud, gently echoed in Ying Changchuan’s ears.

 

Feeling guilty, Jiang Yuxun didn’t dare to look up.

 

Thus, he didn’t notice that the smile on the emperor’s face briefly disappeared.

 

The Liuyun Palace remained silent.

 

Seeing that Ying Changchuan was not speaking, Jiang Yuxun finally felt uneasy and glanced up at him.

 

He then added, trying to stall, “…Besides, I haven’t fully thought through the answer. Perhaps I could respond to Your Majesty after I’ve figured it out?”

 

Ying Changchuan finally picked up his tea cup again and said slowly, “Alright.”

 

Jiang Yuxun was stunned: “Hm?”

 

Why didn’t Ying Changchuan push me further?

 

The next moment, he hurriedly hid his confused expression.

 

Whatever, who cares.

 

The emperor has countless affairs to deal with; within a few days, he’ll forget about this entirely.

 

Surviving today is all that matters!

 

—

 

A few days later, on the outskirts of Zhao Capital.

 

The wind was fierce, the snowstorm ravenous, and water would freeze instantly.

 

The barren land near the Fulin Army’s camp had been converted into farmland, with only one closed-off valley still untouched.

 

The cold wind swept into the valley through the pass, making the temperature here even lower than elsewhere.

 

Even in sheltered areas, it was difficult to escape the biting cold.

 

Within half an incense stick’s time, the exposed skin had already become numb, and even facial expressions seemed frozen.

 

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but release the reins and blow warm air into his hands.

 

Before the Yuanri(Lunar New Year) Festival had even ended, the alchemists had already found the most powerful formula for gunpowder.

 

Immediately after, the Ministry of Works rushed to produce the first batch of firearms.

 

Today was the day to test the power of these weapons.

 

Thinking about this, Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

 

Standing on horseback not far away, Xue Kejin glanced at Jiang Yuxun and hesitated before saying, “It’s extremely cold today. Perhaps Lord Jiang should rest in the tent for a while.”

 

Jiang Yuxun smiled and shook his head, “Thank you for your concern, General Xue, but I’m fine. I’ll go warm up by the fire after I’ve seen the effects of the weapons.”

 

“…Alright then.” Xue Kejin hesitated and looked away. “But if you feel unwell, Lord Jiang, you must inform someone immediately.”

 

As an old subordinate of the former General of the Southern Campaign, Xue Kejin had always been concerned about Jiang Yuxun’s health.

 

“I will, don’t worry.”

 

Just as Jiang Yuxun finished speaking, the wind and snow in the valley suddenly lessened.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Xue Kejin’s expression had suddenly become tense.

 

Noticing this, Jiang Yuxun, who was already anxious, couldn’t help but try to comfort him, “Today is the first test of the firearms. Success or failure is… normal. General Xue, you don’t need to be so nervous.”

 

“I’m not nervous,” Xue Kejin, unwilling to show weakness in front of his junior, still insisted, “I’m just… wearing too much today, and it’s making me feel hot.”

 

Before he could finish speaking, the figures of dozens of horses appeared not far away.

 

The sound of soldiers reached everyone’s ears, carried by the cold wind: “Your Majesty, the trebuchet is ready—”

 

Xue Kejin immediately quieted down.

 

At this moment, Jiang Yuxun also took a deep breath, squinted, and looked toward the other side of the mountain pass.

 

Not far away, soldiers were using red-hot branding irons to seal the ball shells that contained gunpowder.

 

In the brief lull between the snowflakes, Ying Changchuan, mounted on horseback beneath the trebuchet, slowly raised his hand.

 

In the next instant, the soldiers withdrew the branding irons, and with all their might, cut the ropes on the trebuchet.

 

On horseback, Jiang Yuxun gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the reins.

 

At the same time, Xue Kejin beside him broke into a cold sweat.

 

“Bang—”

 

Accompanied by a piercing sound of air being split, a massive red-hot iron ball soared into the air, with oil paper around the fireball burning fiercely, instantly melting the snow and ice.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s heart soared with the iron ball.

 

He held his breath, eyes wide, not daring to blink, as he stared ahead.

 

The iron ball hit the ground heavily, and with a loud crash upon impact, flames erupted.

 

Even though he had covered his ears in advance, the warhorse Jiang Yuxun was riding grew restless and stomped in place while letting out an ear-piercing whinny.

 

The flames blazed across the field, and with the violent explosion, iron spikes like “thistles” erupted from the fireball.

 

In an instant, they shot towards the legs and hooves of the surrounding horses.

 

“We did it, we did it!!!” Xue Kejin couldn’t help but shout aloud.

 

The development of the “fire weapon” was highly confidential.

 

Even in the military, few people knew about it, but now they were all gathered in this small mountain pass.

 

“Long live the Emperor!!!”

 

“In the future, Zherou will surely fall beneath the might of our Great Zhou’s fire weapons!”

 

Xue Kejin and the soldiers of the Fulin Army’s eyes instantly turned red.

 

The Fulin Army, under Ying Changchuan’s command, had fought Zherou many times, and every soldier here had lost friends to Zherou’s cavalry.

 

Seeing the success of the experiment, the mountain pass erupted in loud cheers.

 

Even the wind and snow seemed to be amplified by the sound.

 

However, Jiang Yuxun, who was on edge, suddenly felt a moment of emptiness in his mind.

 

A buzzing sound rang in his ears, and the cheers around him grew distant and fuzzy.

 

…Has the fire weapon really worked?

 

The cold wind mixed with rough snowflakes struck Jiang Yuxun, instantly draining all his body heat.

 

Others instinctively tried to block it, but he remained seated, as though unaware.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s breathing became rapid.

 

Months had passed, and now the Great Zhou had taken a different path from history.

 

Yet the “War between Zhou and Rou” still hung over Jiang Yuxun like a sword, constantly making him uneasy and anxious.

 

Until this moment, when the cold wind carrying the smell of gunpowder surrounded him.

 

The dark cloud that had been hanging over his heart for months seemed to dissipate somewhat.

 

The battle that had nearly torn Great Zhou apart no longer seemed as perilous…

 

“Lord Jiang! I’ll check the horses—”

 

Only when Xue Kejin turned to him with a cheer and spurred his horse towards the mountain pass did Jiang Yuxun snap back to reality.

 

“Alright, General Xue.”

 

After speaking, Jiang Yuxun hurriedly bent down and stroked the neck of his warhorse, trying to calm its nerves.

 

“Lord Jiang! The power of this ‘thistle fireball’ is indeed incredible!” As he spoke, the soldiers had already come together to lift the horse that had been placed in the mountain pass.

 

—This was not a real horse but a fake one made of a wooden frame and straw.

 

Jiang Yuxun dismounted to take a look, unable to resist asking immediately, “How powerful is it exactly?”

 

“Look here!” The soldier spoke while pulling aside the straw to show Jiang Yuxun the injury on the “horse’s” leg. “The wooden bones in the lower leg have been completely severed by the iron thistles! The thistles in the upper leg have also penetrated deeply. The force generated by the explosion of the fireball is indeed beyond human capability.”

 

His tone was filled with excitement.

 

After their crushing defeat at Ying Changchuan’s hands years ago, Zherou had begun to recover its strength.

 

Anyone could see that a deadly war was waiting for Great Zhou in the future.

 

But the emergence of fire weapons gave them a glimpse of a different possibility.

 

As he spoke, Ying Changchuan, dressed in a dark outfit and black fox fur, appeared from the other side of the mountain pass.

 

He was covered in the strong smell of gunpowder mixed with ambergris, and oddly, it blended harmoniously.

 

Ying Changchuan did not dismount, instead lowering his gaze toward the fake horse in the center of the crowd.

 

A few moments later, he turned his attention to Jiang Yuxun and squinted, asking, “What does the minister think? Apart from fire weapons, what else should we do to attack Zherou?”

 

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but turn toward Ying Changchuan.

 

Upon hearing the emperor’s question, everyone fell silent, thinking hard about the issue.

 

What else was needed…

 

At this thought, Jiang Yuxun instinctively stroked the neck of his warhorse before bowing solemnly and replying, “Your Majesty, I believe we need to train our own warhorses in advance, to desensitize them as much as possible.”

 

Ying Changchuan raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean by that?”

 

“Horses are easily spooked. Before the experiment today, I had already covered the horses’ ears with cloth, but they still showed signs of agitation. If a single explosion had such an effect, on the battlefield, with successive explosions and loud noises, the horses’ condition will surely worsen.”

 

As Jiang Yuxun finished speaking, the people around him all displayed expressions of realization.

 

Not to mention fire weapons, the “stirrups” had only been invented recently, and cavalry from this era were still quite inexperienced.

 

Before Jiang Yuxun raised the point, the generals who mainly commanded infantry hadn’t fully realized the severity of the issue.

 

Ying Changchuan slowly nodded, then looked down at the newly appointed Grand Tutor, “Has Lord Han taken note?”

 

The Grand Tutor, who had been singled out, quickly rose and bowed, “I have taken note, Your Majesty! I will immediately begin research on this matter once we return to Zhaodu.”

 

Inside the “thistle fireball,” in addition to the thistles, there were substances like pitch, lacquer, and hemp.

 

After the fireball exploded, these materials burned fiercely on the ground.

 

The wind and snow in the mountain pass gradually weakened, and as they spoke, the flames finally began to die down.

 

After the Grand Tutor finished speaking, Ying Changchuan nodded and urged his horse toward the mountain pass.

 

Jiang Yuxun adjusted his collar, hesitated for a moment, and then followed him.

 

… From his expression, it was clear that Ying Changchuan had likely already considered the need to desensitize the horses.

 

Yet he didn’t bring it up himself but pointed it out for Jiang Yuxun to mention publicly.

 

This thought suddenly gave rise to a strange idea in Jiang Yuxun’s mind.

 

—It seemed as if Ying Changchuan’s actions were meant to help Jiang Yuxun establish his authority within the military.

 

The group had spent most of the day in the mountain pass.

 

By the time they were heading back to the Fulin Army camp, it was already evening.

 

The snow was falling even heavier now.

 

However, Ying Changchuan was not in a hurry to return to the camp. Instead, he rode slowly while guiding everyone to inspect the military’s farmland around the camp.

 

The snow this year was particularly heavy, like a thick blanket covering the fields.

 

A good harvest was predicted with the “lucky snow,” and the wheat in the new fields would likely yield a good crop.

 

Seeing this, Jiang Yuxun’s mood lifted.

 

However, joy couldn’t keep out the cold.

 

As he watched, he sneezed loudly.

 

Hearing the noise behind him, Ying Changchuan, who was riding ahead, suddenly turned around and softly said, “The snowstorm in Zherou will be far worse than in Zhaodu. Have you thought about whether you want to go?”

 

Jiang Yuxun froze for a moment.

 

… Did Ying Changchuan bring this up suddenly as a way of testing him?

 

A few days ago, the Ministry of the Imperial Household presented the list of envoys heading to Zherou to the emperor, and Jiang Yuxun’s name was on it.

 

At that time, Ying Changchuan had only glanced at it and said nothing.

 

Jiang Yuxun thought Ying Changchuan had forgotten about it, but unexpectedly, he suddenly brought it up today.

 

The young minister, dressed in a gray-white fox fur, immediately answered, “I have already decided, this trip is absolutely necessary… Moreover, there is no rush to leave for Zherou in the next few days. After spring arrives, the northern regions will gradually warm up, and by then, the climate will be no different from that of Zhaodu.”

 

Ying Changchuan smiled and looked northward. His gaze seemed to penetrate the thick clouds and mist, reaching Zherou, a thousand miles away.

 

Seeing that the emperor had not yet responded, Jiang Yuxun anxiously said, “Your Majesty, didn’t you also go to Zherou in spring? You should be familiar with the climate there.”

 

— Ying Changchuan’s great victory over Zherou had occurred during a spring, and this was clearly recorded in the historical texts.

 

Upon hearing this, Ying Changchuan slightly raised an eyebrow and casually said, “Even in spring, Zherou remains bitterly cold. It is common for the cold winds to tear the skin and cause it to stick to iron armor.”

 

“Ugh…” Jiang Yuxun instinctively felt a pang of pain on his skin as he imagined it.

 

The historical texts only recorded when the war began and ended, without mentioning these details.

 

As he slowly urged his horse forward, Ying Changchuan continued, “In such cases, one must use a silver blade to scrape off the flesh to remove the armor. Simply taking off the armor will only tear more flesh.”

 

Jiang Yuxun: …?

 

Was it really that extreme?

 

Although Jiang Yuxun had never been to Zherou, he at least understood weather forecasts in the modern world.

 

If what Ying Changchuan described happened in winter, that would make sense.

 

But the war clearly broke out in spring…

 

At this thought, Jiang Yuxun instinctively wanted to question Ying Changchuan.

 

But before he could speak… he remembered how his previous bold questioning of Ying Changchuan, regarding the beheading of the enemy at night, had ended with a slap to the face by Ying Changchuan’s former subordinates.

 

Such a thing could never happen again!

 

“I see…” Jiang Yuxun muttered, nodding.

 

If he remembered correctly, the time Great Zhou was in was the tail end of a small ice age, so a little cold might be normal?

 

Moreover, as the emperor, Ying Changchuan had no reason to lie to him.

 

Surely he wouldn’t be so bored.

 

After hearing Ying Changchuan’s words, Jiang Yuxun solemnly nodded, “The soldiers in the army have always endured hardships, and we must never treat them unfairly.”

 

As he spoke, his expression grew more serious.

 

The next moment, Ying Changchuan suddenly tugged on the reins and stopped in the middle of the path.

 

“Your Majesty?” Jiang Yuxun turned in confusion to look at Ying Changchuan.

 

The cold wind brushed across his cheeks, and he instinctively blinked.

 

After a brief pause, Ying Changchuan suddenly shifted his gaze away, “Do you believe everything I say?”

 

“Of course,” Jiang Yuxun nodded seriously, “Your Majesty would never deceive me, would you?”

 

In the gray-white snowstorm, Ying Changchuan’s eyes seemed particularly bright, clean and untainted by anything.

 

That gaze seemed to peer directly into Jiang Yuxun’s heart.

 

Before he could finish his words, a snowflake gently landed on the long, fan-like lashes of his eyes.

 

The cold wind howled past his ears.

 

Ying Changchuan gave a slight smile and lightly tugged on the reins, urging his horse forward again.

 

His actions were no different from usual.

 

But for some reason, Jiang Yuxun could sense a rare hint of unease from the person before him…

 

… Strange, why didn’t Ying Changchuan answer with “of course” this time?

 

Looking at the dark figure ahead.

 

A bad premonition suddenly arose in Jiang Yuxun’s heart.

 

He couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the reins.

 

Wait, Ying Changchuan wouldn’t really be so bored, would he?!

 

Author’s note:

 

Xiao Jiang: The emperor is so cunning. Unlike me, I just speak the truth.