39 Freedom

"Your Majesty..." Wei Zifu was a bit confused, as if she did not quite understand why the Emperor always linked her fate with his own.

Shi Nian did not explain. She picked up a piece of meat and held it to her lips. "Open up, eat this~"

Wei Zifu blushed and gingerly ate the meat.

This delay meant it was already quite late by the time they returned to the Ye Court. Shi Nian hummed a tune as she pushed the door open, only to find someone already sitting inside.

She was startled, and her surprise grew when she realized who it was. "Your Majesty? What are you doing here?"

Only one lamp was lit in the hall, casting dim shadows that made it hard to discern Liu Che’s expression. He seemed to have been looking at something, and he did not turn his head when he heard her voice. He said calmly, "What is it? Am I not allowed to visit my own Ye Court?"

"That’s not what I meant, it’s just..." According to her initial expectations, Liu Che should have been very busy tonight. Could it be that Nie Cheng had overestimated him, and he hadn't grasped the deeper significance of the intelligence?

She sat down beside him. Liu Che stared at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "Actually, it’s nothing. It’s just that I’ve figured out how to cancel the peace marriage, so I wanted to come and share it with you."

Shi Nian’s eyes brightened, and she leaned in with a face full of pleasant surprise. "Really? How do you plan to cancel it?"

"Wei Zifu mentioned this afternoon that the Xiongnu suffered a major plague last month. I thought, after a plague, they must be in desperate need of grain and livestock. We can use this as leverage to negotiate with them. The Great Han will provide emergency grain in exchange for the Xiongnu calling off the marriage alliance."

At a time when legendary generals like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing had not yet come of age, and the Han dynasty was not yet prepared for a full-scale war with the Xiongnu, this was undoubtedly a well-balanced strategy. Shi Nian clapped her hands. "That’s right! Such a brilliant idea, why didn't I think of it! Your Majesty, you are truly clever!"

The girl’s flattery was so direct that in the past, he would have enjoyed it, but tonight, he felt compelled to scrutinize everything.

Liu Che remained composed. "However, having decided this, I have a new dilemma."

"What is it?"

"If Wei Zifu doesn't go to the Xiongnu, how should I arrange for her? To be honest, her position is quite awkward. She is neither noble nor lowly; everyone knows her background and why she entered the palace. Since she cannot be the Xiongnu Chanyu’s wife, I must find her a good home."

Shi Nian blinked. "Is Your Majesty asking for my opinion?"

Liu Che replied, "Is there anyone else here?"

"Since you are asking me, then I will just say what comes to mind. I think you really must handle Wei Zifu with care. Sending her out of the palace is definitely not an option; after all, she has been granted the title of Princess. If you cast her aside just because she is no longer needed for the marriage alliance, it would seem ungrateful and heartless."

"Then should I choose a husband for her and let her marry out as a princess?"

"As you said yourself, everyone knows she was merely a slave and was once selected to be sent far away to the Xiongnu. I fear that prominent families would have reservations about marrying her, while those of lower status would not be worthy of a princess."

Liu Che smiled. "Then tell me, what should be done?"

"I think if prominent families won't do, then simply find someone of supreme status who doesn't care at all about her origins. Take you, for example, Your Majesty—you are already the Son of Heaven. When you like someone, you surely wouldn't care if she were the daughter of a duke or a lowly servant. Besides, Wei Zifu was destined to marry a ruler of a nation; it seems she has the fate to accompany a king..."

Shi Nian was speaking happily when she suddenly noticed that although Liu Che was smiling, his eyes held no warmth, staring coldly at her through the night. She shivered, the rest of her words stuck in her throat, and she looked at him with a sense of unease.

"Yo-Your Majesty, did I say something wrong?"

Liu Che stood up and looked down at her.

He knew there was something strange about her. He had known it since they first met. A girl falling from the sky—first saving his life, then appearing in his harem. He had suspected she was a spy, an agent, or eyes placed beside him by an enemy. Yet, the more time he spent with her, the more ridiculous that assumption seemed. No one in this world would dare to send an agent like her.

He told himself this, yet he had heard those words when he least expected them.

Make him fall in love with Wei Zifu?

He turned his head and gave a soft laugh, masking the flash of hurt in his eyes. "Nothing is wrong. You said it very well. Extremely well."

For the next few days, Liu Che did not seek out Shi Nian, and she felt restless. Liu Che had swept away after saying that, leaving her to fret for days, wondering exactly how she had offended this big boss!

Could it be that he disliked her implication that he should marry Wei Zifu? But this wasn't the first time she had done that; why hadn't he been angry before?

She was confused and didn't dare to visit Nie Cheng and the others too frequently, so she could only wait in the Ye Court every day. Perhaps her gaze was too eager and her manner too desperate, for in the end, Yue Rong said cautiously, "Shi Nian, don't, don't be too anxious. His Majesty must be very busy with the court lately, which is why he hasn't attended to you... He won't have forgotten you, please don't be sad..."

Shi Nian was stunned for three seconds, and then she looked up to meet several pairs of eyes filled with sympathy, pity, or gloating. Seeing that she had noticed, everyone immediately looked away, pretending that nothing had happened.

...I am not afraid of losing favor, okay!

Because of this, when Liu Che finally summoned Shi Nian, even though her heart was soaring, she forced herself to nod with feigned reserve and said calmly, "Understood. Let me finish this game of chess first."

Everyone: "..."

This time, they were at the training grounds, though not the giant arena in the Southern Army camp that could accommodate hundreds, but a training ground built near the Xuanshi Hall for the Emperor’s daily archery and equestrian practice. When Shi Nian arrived, she saw dust rising in the air, and amidst the thunderous sound, four fine horses galloped from afar. While moving at high speed, the men on their backs drew long bows from their shoulders and aimed at the targets at the other end of the field.

Leading the pack was Lu Zhiyao. His eyes were bright, his face full of eagerness. Without aiming for long, his arrow "whooshed" through the air, hitting the outer ring of the bullseye.

Shi Nian was quite surprised. For an ancient person to hit the target from that distance was impressive, let alone Lu Zhiyao, a modern man. Plus, after that sparring session, he really did have some skills. Lu Zhiyao probably thought so too, revealing a smug look and glancing back in a show of defiance. Liu Che and Nie Cheng, who were galloping behind, exchanged a look and drew their bows simultaneously. The Emperor had a smile on his lips, but his focus was intense, his gaze as sharp as a blade. Only two "whoosh" sounds were heard as the arrows pierced the air with a majestic momentum, then both struck the bullseye simultaneously!

Lu Zhiyao’s face fell instantly. Shi Nian looked at those two arrows fighting for territory and was also dumbfounded. Who won?

Liu Che pulled on his reins and pointed at the target, asking with a laugh, "How do we count this?"

Nie Cheng also smiled. "I do not know. Shall we wait for Master Wei to shoot before deciding the winner?"

On the fourth horse was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth. Hearing this, he silently took down his bow and nocked an arrow. The youth’s expression was calm; even on the galloping horse, his posture was as steady as a pine tree.

He didn't aim for long before releasing his fingers. The arrow shot through the air. Shi Nian felt a blur before her eyes and looked anxiously at the target, but she found the bullseye so crowded with arrows that she couldn't tell if he had hit it.

Did he miss?

The second after this thought crossed her mind, the two previous arrows wobbled and fell from the target to the ground.

Shi Nian’s eyes widened.

He didn't split the previous person’s arrow like in the TV dramas; he had directly knocked both of their arrows off...

The only arrow stuck squarely in the center was his.

Liu Che burst into laughter, jumped off his horse, and tossed his bow to someone nearby. "Satisfying! It is truly most satisfying to spar with the three of you!"

The other three also dismounted and knelt simultaneously. "Your Majesty is too kind; please forgive our transgression!"

Liu Che laughed and told them to rise, then looked at Shi Nian, who had been waiting on the sidelines for a long time. His expression shifted subtly. "You’re here."

Shi Nian bowed to him, observing him carefully. Regardless of the reason, since he had summoned her, he shouldn't be angry anymore, right?

Unfortunately, Liu Che’s expression was languid, making it hard to tell his mood. She stared for a long time but couldn't make sense of it. Shi Nian stood up helplessly, her gaze inevitably drifting to the youth she had been thinking about. "Is this... Master Wei?"

General Wei Qing! She hadn't seen him clearly last time, and today she finally witnessed it. He lived up to the name of a legendary general who dominated the battlefield; to be so formidable at just over ten years old! Ah, wasn't Zhou Xiaohui a fan of his?!

Wei Qing knelt in greeting. "I, Wei Qing, pay my respects to Lady Shaoshi!"

Nie Cheng tugged at Lu Zhiyao, and both of them knelt on one knee before her. "Pay respects to Lady Shaoshi."

Shi Nian looked at their bowed heads, and it took her three seconds to react. Oh right, she was the Emperor’s concubine; this status had its perks! Having them kneel to her—she had hit the jackpot!

She acted like an old empress, coughed pretentiously, and said, "Fine, rise."

Lu Zhiyao: "..."

He stood up, stifling his anger, wanting to protest with his eyes, but Shi Nian had already moved on to another grand enterprise. The girl looked at the monarch beside her, admiringly saying, "Only by seeing it today did I realize that Your Majesty is not only skilled in martial arts but also excellent at riding and archery. I am truly in awe."

Liu Che didn't even lift his eyelids. "You’re just talking nonsense. Clearly, it was Master Wei who took the top prize today."

"Master Wei is indeed a divine archer, but Your Majesty and Master Nie are no less impressive. I am sincere."

For an emperor to have practiced his skills to this level was rare; no wonder the history books said he was proficient in both equestrianism and archery. It wasn't just empty talk.

Her expression didn't seem faked. Liu Che’s eyes flickered. "Oh, you like it? That’s simple. I can teach you."

"Eh?"

Liu Che did not allow her to refuse; he pulled her over and shoved a bow into her hands. "Come, lift it up and aim at the target over there."

Shi Nian: "..."

What was wrong with this man? Why was he so unpredictable!

Liu Che stood behind her, his arms encircling her. The Emperor’s robes were luxurious, scented with the fragrance of dragon incense. He gripped her hands with his, exerting strength little by little to draw the longbow, their fingers tightly intertwined.

Shi Nian had never been so intimate with a man. Her cheeks burned, and thinking that Nie Cheng, Lu Zhiyao, and Wei Qing were all standing nearby watching, she felt like she was about to burst into flames.

"Your Majesty, I don't want to..."

"Oh, I almost forgot. I know how to cancel the peace marriage."

The moment he mentioned this, Shi Nian’s voice cut off, and she looked up at him with anticipation. A smile played on Liu Che’s lips as he commanded, "Look forward."

In front of his subjects, he held his favorite concubine in this nonchalant manner, appearing to teach her archery, while his words revealed matters of national importance. "I told you before that I wanted to use the Xiongnu’s plague to negotiate with them and cancel the marriage alliance. Remember?"

Shi Nian nodded; of course she remembered.

"However, I actually had some doubts. Since the Xiongnu were in such difficulty, why did they never mention it to the Han? Could the intelligence be wrong? So, I sent spies to investigate and finally received a reply this morning. It turns out the Xiongnu probably felt that since the marriage was imminent, they couldn't show weakness to the Han now. They actually decided to spend money to buy grain from the Han people at the border to tide over this crisis."

As he spoke, his fingers relaxed. Shi Nian’s body tightened, and she saw the arrow graze the edge of the target and fly off into the sky.

She watched the first arrow of the day miss the target, was silent for a few seconds, and then asked from the bottom of her heart, "Why didn't they just rob them?" It wasn't like they hadn't done that before!

Liu Che smiled. "They needed too much grain; robbing wouldn't be enough, and it would scare everyone away. Otherwise, do you think the Xiongnu Chanyu would be willing to spend this money?"

He took another arrow and drew his bow again, but he hesitated to speak. Wei Qing could not help but interject, "Then what should we do? It seems the Xiongnu have no intention of negotiating. They want the princess and the wealth that comes with her!"

Shi Nian glanced at him. It seemed that over the past few days, the three of them had earned Liu Che’s trust, enough that even he knew about the Emperor's desire to stop the alliance. After all, they were siblings; Wei Qing was concerned about his sister’s fate and couldn't help but be impulsive, despite his usually steady nature.

Liu Che looked at him and suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Master Wei doesn't know what to do? Wasn't it you who first discovered the Xiongnu had the plague..."

Shi Nian stiffened. Oh no, oh no, oh no! Wei Zifu had used Wei Qing as a cover that day to gain trust, but they hadn't coordinated their stories beforehand!

Wei Qing was indeed stunned, asking suspiciously, "Your Majesty... what do you mean?"

Shi Nian made a split-second decision. She released the arrow, and with a "whoosh," it actually hit the edge of the target. Her eyes brightened, and she was genuinely excited. "I hit it! Your Majesty, I hit it!"

Liu Che squinted to examine it for a moment, then looked at her excited little face, laughing heartily as he patted her head. "Impressive, impressive."

Shi Nian was embarrassed by his tone, which reminded her of how one would humor a child. She pulled away and said, "You should focus on how to force the Xiongnu to negotiate with us."

"That? I already have a way," Liu Che said leisurely.

However, before he could propose a request to the Han Emperor, his sister Ashulan brought new news. "Brother, it's bad! Uncle Utumu sent a letter saying that the grain we bought from the Han has been robbed!"

Goshutu exclaimed, "Robbed? Robbed by whom?!"

"I don't know. It seems to be a group of border bandits. Their attire doesn't reveal which country they are from. There weren't many of them, but they were highly skilled. They set an ambush on the road where the grain was being transported. Our men weren't prepared, and they were caught off guard..."

Goshutu slammed the table. "What bandits! They dare to steal food from the Xiongnu? Are they not afraid of our grassland sabers?!"

Ashulan was also puzzled. The Xiongnu were powerful now; no one had expected anyone to dare target them. They were only to blame for not transporting the grain with great fanfare to avoid attracting the Han’s attention, and they hadn't sent many men, which is why they were mistaken for a common caravan!

The siblings were both hot-tempered and immediately began cursing. Finally, someone nearby advised, "Now is not the time for this. The Xiongnu are already in chaos without the grain. Our vitality has just been severely damaged; many people haven't fully recovered from the illness. How can they manage without food?"