After reading the secret letter from the capital, Luo Yuan held it to the candlelight and burned it to ashes. He gazed at the crescent moon, which had climbed to the zenith outside the window, and fell into deep thought.
The secret letter he had just received was from Qing Ye.
The Empress Dowager had just passed away. Qing Ye stated in the letter that he planned to escape during the funeral procession and head north to Youzhou.
Why at this particular time? Luo Yuan furrowed his brow. The Empress Dowager's death a few days before the engagement ceremony was a remarkably opportune moment. If it were anyone else, he would never consider it a coincidence, but Wang Zhong Ze had said that the Empress Dowager had been suffering from a long-standing illness and her time was drawing to a close. If Wang Zhong Ze was correct, her sudden demise was not unexpected. However, she was the only family Ruo Ning had managed to find after great hardship, and Ruo Ning would be devastated upon hearing the news.
Luo Yuan sighed softly, deciding it would be best to withhold the news of the Empress Dowager and Qing Ye from Ruo Ning for the time being to spare her worry. Once everything was settled, he would explain the full story to her.
As he thought this, he touched the pocket on his chest. Even through the layers of fabric, he could feel the few plant seeds within. More than ten days had passed, and the plump, crimson seeds had long since lost their moisture, shriveling into brown husks. He worried whether their toxicity would diminish as the seeds dried.
"After being poisoned, it's like having a sudden heart attack. Without an autopsy, no one would ever know it was poisoning," Ruo Ning had told him.
He had found the seeds of this plant, reputedly the most poisonous in the world, in the firefly valley of the Jing Kingdom.
On the engagement day, when all the guests were gathered, his uncle would suffer from 'heart failure.' He would die in front of everyone, and to ensure this, he had even instructed his subordinates to send invitations to all the physicians in the city, so that they could publicly declare the cause of death and silence anyone who held reservations against him.
No one would suspect him, and of course, no renowned physician could save his uncle.
This was his plan. His engagement to Luo Qian Qiu was nothing more than a feast with a hidden dagger.
Yet, the unknowing Ruo Ning, heartbroken by his impending remarriage, had been immersed in her own sorrow day after day. Despite his best efforts to drop hints, why couldn't she understand? This foolish woman!
***********
On that day, he used the visit of Han Dan Chun and Ruo Ning to his manor as an opportunity to reveal his true identity to Han Dan Chun.
When Han Dan Chun learned that A Jing was in fact Luo Yuan, his jaw dropped so wide that a whole egg could have fit inside. After a long pause, Han Dan Chun recovered and excitedly grabbed him, "A Jing, oh, no, General Luo, Great General Luo, your disciple was truly blind and did not recognize you. Please accept this disciple's bow," he said, about to kneel and kowtow.
Luo Yuan grabbed his hand, "Han Dan Chun, you are now the Khan of the Jing Kingdom. You must mind your status."
But Han Dan Chun couldn't contain himself. He was swept up in the fervor of meeting his idol. He held Luo Yuan's hand, babbling about his admiration. It was only after repeated reminders from Luo Yuan that he finally remembered the purpose of his visit.
"Before A Qi died, you sought him out repeatedly. What was it about?" Han Dan Chun asked.
"I hoped A Qi would send troops to lend me a hand," he replied.
"To help you with what?"
"To help me seize the throne."
"Seize the throne? What throne? A Jing... ah, no, General Luo, can you not speak halfway? It's tiring to chat like this," Han Dan Chun complained.
Luo Yuan gently rubbed his forehead, feeling quite worried about cooperating with this childish 'new Khan' in the future. "To seize the Imperial throne, of course."
"You want to be Emperor?!" Han Dan Chun was shocked again.
"That was the previous plan. My plan has changed now. I intend to help the Emperor eliminate the Prime Minister's faction and regain control."
"Why did the plan change?"
"Because... I want to take Ruo Ning and retire to the countryside."
"Ruo Ning? Yang Ruo Ning? You mean my attendant, Yang Ruo Ning?"
"She is not your attendant."
"No, she is my attendant now."
"Before she was sold, she was my wife."
"Wife..." Han Dan Chun slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed with heartache, "I thought even if Yang Ruo Ning was the only woman left in the world, you wouldn't like her... What exactly do you like about her? Yang Ruo Ning is older than you, General Luo. Are you truly as unconventional in your tastes as the storybooks say?"
"...Han Dan Chun, I think you're becoming increasingly presumptuous lately!" Luo Yuan said through gritted teeth, "Let's get back to the point. I would appreciate it if you could keep my identity as A Jing a secret from Ruo Ning for now."
It was only after he repeatedly explained the cause and effect to Han Dan Chun that Han Dan Chun understood his intentions. Before leaving, Han Dan Chun clasped his hand again, "Don't worry, A Jing, ah no, Luo Yuan, I will always support you!"
He pulled his hand from A Jing's firm grip and then clasped his hands together, making a bow, "Then, I'll trouble the Khan to take good care of my wife for these few days!"
********************
However, what Luo Yuan had not anticipated was Luo Qian Qiu's venom.
As Ruo Ning had said, never underestimate a woman's capability and intelligence. Yes, he had originally thought that apart from being a bit overbearing, Luo Qian Qiu was fundamentally no different from other noble ladies awaiting marriage.
He was wrong.
He saw Blake galloping wildly on his way back to the manor.
The black horse, a once-in-a-millennium steed, streaked down the street like a black bolt of lightning, whinnying as it kicked open the gate with its forelegs, but its master was nowhere to be seen.
His heart sank, and he knew something was terribly wrong. He touched the ground with his foot, used his lightness skill to leap onto the eaves, and swiftly flew back into the inner courtyard of the manor, grabbing the startled Blake.
"Where is Ruo Ning?"
The black horse, of course, could not answer him. It raised its forelegs, rolled its eyes upward, its nostrils flared, and let out a series of whinnies, as if to tell him its owner was in trouble.
He immediately understood the horse's meaning. With a flip, he mounted the horse and roared, "Blake, take me to your master!"
The black horse whinnied and immediately galloped towards the outskirts of the city.