Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 122: A Secret Plan in the Shadows
“Remarkable person? Is he reliable?” Without a doubt, such a subpar question was posed by the Crown Prince.
Yuan Zhao’s eyes darted around; he merely glanced at the Crown Prince before ignoring him altogether. Instead, he turned to Yuan Yong and said, “Father, what do you think? I’m quite curious about what my talented brother mentioned in the letter.”
Xia Shu noticed that Yuan Zhao didn’t answer his question at all, a flicker of annoyance flashed in his eyes! It was one thing for Li Xian to disregard him, but for Yuan Zhao to do the same really irritated Xia Shu!
Yuan Yong seemed oblivious to this, pondering for a long time before finally nodding.
Yuan Zhao immediately went out, and before long, he returned with someone who looked very ordinary; if there was anything unusual about this person, it was that he possessed the cultivation level of the Golden Core stage!
Yuan Yong’s eyes revealed a hint of surprise, and when he looked at Yuan Zhao again, they were filled with approval! To recruit a Golden Core master, even if he didn’t have any special skills, was no simple feat; and Yuan Zhao had managed to bring in a remarkable person with special abilities, fully showcasing his methods and wisdom! The Yuan family indeed has a promising future!
The person approached Yuan Yong, simply cupping his hands in greeting, and exuded an air of arrogance. “I greet Lord Yuan and the Crown Prince. My name is ‘An Ruyi,’ with ‘An’ meaning peace, and ‘Ruyi’ meaning as one wishes.”
Yuan Yong, however, seemed unfazed. “A good name; I appreciate your help, sir.”
The Crown Prince felt somewhat uneasy under this proud demeanor. After enduring the disdain from Li Xian and Yuan Zhao throughout the day, he could finally no longer contain himself. He snorted through his nostrils as a form of acknowledgment.
An Ruyi paused momentarily…
Yuan Yong quickly stepped forward, presenting the letter with both hands to An Ruyi. “Thank you for your trouble, sir.”
An Ruyi hesitated slightly before accepting the letter with both hands. “It’s a simple task. Please, Lord Yuan, provide me with protection. This process must remain quiet and undisturbed.”
“Undisturbed?” Of course, this was directed at the Crown Prince! Although Xia Shu didn’t possess much political acumen, he was clever enough to catch the underlying meaning of those words. Anger surged within him, almost bursting forth uncontrollably.
At this moment, Yuan Zhao had a sudden inspiration. “Come here! Surround the hall; not even a fly is to be let out!”
An Ruyi was speaking about the Crown Prince, but Yuan Zhao shifted the focus to the real outsiders. Yuan Zhao was giving the Crown Prince a semblance of face; thus, when Yuan Zhao spoke, despite Xia Shu’s pent-up anger, he ultimately suppressed it. However, this feeling of being stifled left the Crown Prince feeling very displeased!
An Ruyi casually sat down cross-legged and held the letter in his hands; suddenly, a glimmer of spirit light appeared on his forehead. As the light manifested, it stretched like silken threads, one end slipping through the gap of the envelope.
Suddenly, An Ruyi began to articulate, “Dear.”
Just one word.
After a brief pause, the next word followed, “Love.”
At this moment, beads of sweat had begun to trickle from An Ruyi’s temples, clearly indicating that this task was not an easy one.
Yuan Yong immediately picked up his brush and transcribed every word that An Ruyi had spoken. Half an hour later, the first paragraph of revised text appeared: Xia Qingqing, Xu Ren, and Yan Zean jointly acknowledge: Dear Qingqing, do you still remember that night with dim lights? At that moment, you were the most perfect fairy in my heart.
“Wow, my talented brother is really… too… too… too straightforward!” Yuan Zhao blinked, unsure of what to think.
However, Crown Prince Xia Shu let out a cold snort. “What a scoundrel!”
Yuan Yong remained silent, but the approval in his eyes was unmistakable.
After a brief rest, An Ruyi continued with the next sentence, “Respected Mr. Xu, do you remember the day we first met and discussed commerce over drinks? To be honest, I had my doubts about you back then, and I apologize for that.”
Another hour passed before the third paragraph emerged: “To Senior Yan Zean, once I return to An Yang, I will certainly host a welcome feast for you to clear your name.”
By midnight, the fourth paragraph was completed, which was also the most crucial statement: “I am fortunate to have encountered the three of you; Li Xian feels incredibly lucky. However, I have heard that Anyang has not been very peaceful lately. If possible, let us settle matters amicably. Let Luliang County and Zhongshan County pay off their overdue taxes from these past years.
Li Xian’s handwritten note.”
“Ha…” An Ruyi opened his weary eyes, his complexion pale. “I need to rest now. Please do not disturb me for three days!”
Yuan Yong immediately assigned someone to take care of An Ruyi’s needs.
Once An Ruyi had left, Yuan Yong, Yuan Zhao, and the Crown Prince all frowned at the simple sentences before them.
The Crown Prince was the first to break the silence. “These are very straightforward sentences, with no traps. It truly is, as Li Xian said, a letter of advice.”
Yuan Zhao’s eyes darted around as he was about to speak, but Yuan Yong stepped forward, blocking him, and faced Xia Shu. “Your Highness, everything seems normal, but it’s better to be cautious. This old minister believes it’s best to throw away this letter and claim that it was lost accidentally.”
Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince chuckled a few times. “Since Lord Yuan believes there’s no issue, why bother playing the villain? I appreciate your trouble tonight, Lord Yuan. Farewell.”
After the Crown Prince left, Yuan Zhao finally spoke. “Father, he actually insulted us as villains!”
Yuan Yong smiled slightly, seemingly unbothered. “What were you about to say?”
Yuan Zhao chuckled. “In the past, my talented brother was a bit naive, but now he’s remarkably astute. Yet, whether it’s the old Li Xian or the current one, neither has been fond of idle chatter. The opening of this letter is a bit long, though!”
Yuan Yong nodded in agreement. “I fear that within this lengthy opening lies information we’re unaware of, but I can’t discern how to judge it. I suspect that the first three sentences are all significant. Regarding what was said to Xia Qingqing, I interpret it as: complete trust!”
“Ah, I really worry for His Highness. If this letter arrives, Anyang may immediately launch an attack on Luliang County and Zhongshan County!” Yuan Zhao expressed concern, but his face held an air of anticipation. “Father, do you think Anyang will attack Zhongshan County or Luliang County first?”
Yuan Yong closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment before replying, “It’s hard to say. Normally, they would attack Zhongshan County first. However, with Xu Ren, Beichen Yuqing, and Yan Zean in Anyang, unexpected developments may arise. We should watch and wait; the upcoming events will be quite exciting!”
Yuan Zhao blinked. “What about us? We’re in Dongyuan County. If Li Xian takes Luliang County, it will pose a threat to us.”
“Let’s just observe for now. The Great Xia Kingdom should still manage to hold on for a year or two; there’s no need to rush.”
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Xia Shu returned to the Crown Prince’s residence in a fury, venting his frustrations by smashing several colorful lanterns purchased from the Brilliant Stars Lantern Shop before finally calming down.
The next day, the Crown Prince led a small troop directly towards Anyang.
At that moment in Anyang, on the surface, Beichen Yuqing was stationed at the border of Zhongshan County with an army of ten thousand, refraining from launching an attack and merely maintaining a standoff. Each day during this standoff, arguments broke out.
Seeing that Anyang was merely bluffing and dared not attack, Shi Chengsong felt relieved—The Emperor is still alive. Would you really dare to instigate a civil war? With this thought, Shi Chengsong and the other provincial governor, Zhao Guoshan, felt even more at ease.
However, in secret, three armored ships lay in wait on the eastern sea of Anyang, with Yan Zhengqing leading ten thousand new soldiers, while Liu Leigang commanded 150 vehicles and five hundred elite troops, all positioned in the southeast of Anyang. Though Anyang currently had over five hundred vehicles, Liu Leigang specifically chose the top 150 for a surprise assault in the south.
With the completion of the spiritual stone charging technology and the increase in engine power, these 150 vehicles had evolved into a new type—armored vehicles! With a fully enclosed design, equipped with machine guns, sniper rifles, and 57 mm cannon barrels, they resembled standard tanks, if only their track technology were up to par.
Currently, there were only three armored vehicles, serving a testing purpose.
The mission for the 150 vehicles was significant, as they were tasked with transporting not only ammunition but also various military supplies.