The Beloved Imperial Consort

In the Chanruo Courtyard, He Lian Min Min has received information from her plant which told that his sixth Highness entered the study with cefei and hasn’t come out since.
This reply was even more shocking than when she initially thought that his Highness went to rest at Mu’shi’s chamber. 

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“Momo, sent someone to deliver a letter.
Tomorrow, I’ll return to the He Lian residence.” Even if she gets scolded by her father, she had to make this visit as soon as possible.
If she continues to do nothing, her principal consort status would certainly be only an empty title.
He Lian House would get nothing. 

On the next day, Mu Xi Yao lazily leaned against Zhong Zheng Lin, and kept him off from going to the courtyard to practice the sword.
Last night, his Highness had tormented her enough.
Could he not let her have a tantrum and dawdle in the bed? Without a human pillow to cool down the temperature, how can this summer be comfortable?  

Zhong Zheng Lin lied on his back with closed eyes and let her give a free rein to her delicate temper.
This sort of little retaliation didn’t hurt nor tickle.
He could naturally bear it.
Occasionally delaying the work because of the beauty was also a kind of a delight. 

Besides, compared to the ecstatic experience from yesterday, Mu Xi Yao’s little tricks right now were simply negligible.
The little woman was currently lying on him, and that soft little hand of hers kept venting her anger on him.
It did not resemble throwing a fit, but more like flirting with him early in the morning. 

“Jiao Jiao, don’t hesitate to use your strength.
Cheng Qing that little boy and your beloved rabbits in the courtyard won’t get ill from the hunger anytime soon.” The sixth Highness had a good laugh at her. 

When Mu Xi Yao heard him mention her son and rabbits, she finally recalled the proper affairs.
She mustn’t be mindlessly taken to the wrong path by the boss.
One indeed mustn’t be vindictive or else it would be easy to lose one’s original self. 

“Your Highness!” Mu Xi Yao pulled at his big hand and acted dumb, “Your son didn’t see you yesterday.
He must be surely missing you dearly.
How about going to see him now? As your Highness stops by there, can your Highness take qie along?”  

Zhong Zheng Lin enjoyed how she pestered and fawned over him.
After taking enough benefits, he slowly got up.
The reason why Mu Xi Yao was willing to put in time and energy to dilly-dally with him was merely because of the “take along”. 

Wei Zhen waited and waited, but he didn’t see his Highness coming out.
Just as he was gazing at the sky and sighing that it was the sixth Highness’s second time being absent on the morning exercise, he saw his Highness carrying cefei out and walking steadily to the inner yard. 

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As Wei Zhen surveyed the respectful guards and manservants around, he deeply felt that maybe mistress Yao has tempered this steel too much1refers to a Chinese idiom  “after tempering the still for a hundred times, the steel will turn into a soft thing that can be wrapped around the finger” which is used as a metaphor for describing that even someone hot-tempered can be groomed into a mild-tempered person [/efn_note.
She made his Highness broke quite a lot of customs.
Indeed, even the strongest warrior could be seduced by a beautiful woman! 

“Are you happy now?” When this woman saw him losing every scrap of his prestige, that smugness of hers was just too flamboyant. 

Since she has achieved what she wanted, Mu Xi Yao decided to not be greedy.
She clung to Zhong Zheng Lin and kissed up to him, telling him a few words of praise as a comfort to the sixth Highness’s lost face. 

“Your Highness is mighty and extraordinary, of striking looks, whose outstanding appearance needs not any adornments.
Who dares to gossip about your Highness?” Mu Xi Yao’s face turned solemn.
She praised in a powerful and resonating voice that carried no trace of shame. 

“Oh?” As Zhong Zheng Lin listened to Mu Xi Yao’s flatters which have leveled up, he was especially dissatisfied.
He continued to tease her, “If bendian was the person from Jiao Jiao’s mouth then how outstanding must Jiao Jiao be, to be able to enchant bendian’s mind?” 

He was waiting for this little shameless one’s reply. 

Mu Xi Yao looked into his meaningful phoenix eyes while appearing very smug. 

“Qie naturally cannot lose to your Highness too much.
Qie can narrowly compare to that beauty from Luo River.”

Zhong Zheng Lin raised his head and laughed heartily.
The man’s mellow laughter went on for a long while.  

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Mu Xi Yao was exceptional at praising others.
Unbeknownst, she was an expert in self-praise.
This vixen was ambitious.
As soon as it came to comparison, she chose a peerless beauty from a storybook whose stunning looks could outrival those from past and present.

“Very well! Bendian has obtained a rare treasure without any extra trouble.
Hereafter, bendian will definitely keep a close eye at Jiao Jiao so that Jiao Jiao won’t be coveted after by others.” The beauty from Luo river made everyone fight over her and she has suffered many setbacks throughout her life. 

Mu Xi Yao was taken aback.
She almost forgot about this.
Her eyes turned2a phrase used to describe someone thinking, coming up with ideas [/efn_note, and a bright smile appeared on her face, “What’s so difficult about it? Once your highness points out the banner, your Highness can sweep away all the obstacles.
The companionship of qie and the unrivaled hero will become a story that will spread far and wide.” Jianan Emperor’s punitive expedition to the west was a magnificent achievement.
If it was said like this, it wasn’t all an unctuous flattery. 

Her words soothed Zhong Zheng Lin’s heart.
A man displayed his wisdom and bravery through the fight for supremacy on the battlefield.
Though Mu Xi Yao’s resounding speech had a likelihood of flattery, it fitted his big ambitions. 

Watching his bright expression and burning phoenix eyes, Mu Xi Yao’s heart brimmed with joy. 

Weren’t those noble aspirations of lord Boss the common problem of all Emperors? In history, which brilliant ruler and sage did not use blood to build his counties achievement? Apart from literary talent and martial arts skills, how can an Emperor lack a punitive expedition? 

However, the Jianan Emperor from the previous life had too harsh methods.
His conquests were bloody, with bones of countless dead.
Mu Xi Yao was very sensitive to the word massacre.
Before, she didn’t believe in fate nor destiny.
But after experiencing them in person, she understood that people had to have reverence.
Ruling with diplomacy and benevolence surpassed violent suppression and submission. 

“When does Jiao Jiao plan to start out on a task with the mole?” Zhong Zheng Lin will leave the residence tomorrow.
He was a little curious about how will Mu Xi Yao investigate the inner yard. 

“If your Highness consents, how about borrowing qie the shadow guards?” She was just about to speak to him about this, but she didn’t expect that his sixth Highness would remember it better than her and take it to heart. 

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Zhong Zheng Lin raised his eyebrow.
Why did this woman want shadow guards? The shadow guards worked on a shift system, yet they found no clues. 

“Your Highness, qie’s purpose to borrow the shadow guards is not to catch the spy.” Mu Xi Yao smiled mischievously.
Her eyes were as bright as stars.
“In the war of two armies, apart from facing the enemy head-on and winning the battle fairly and squarely, there’s also the art of deceit.” 

This time, she gambled on courage and luck.
If there were not enough clues, then she had to find a way to get the evidence to appear.
In the battle of wits, Mu Xi Yao never hesitated to try all the means as long as they brought the results.
She wanted to use the little plan she had in her hands to play a beautiful Mu’shi’s “Empty city strategy3refers to the the strategy that involves using reverse psychology (and luck) to deceive the enemy into thinking that an empty location is full of traps and ambushes, and therefore induce the enemy to retreat[/efn_note”. 

Zhong Zeng Lin listened to her with interest.
It actually involved the battle formation of the troops? Did she want to use an unusual plan to break free from the situation? 

“After bendian leaves the capital, Wei Zhen will stay behind as your guard.
You can assign him with the task of allocating the shadow guards.” 

Mu Xi Yao was shocked.
“Your Highness, if you leave Wei Zhen to qie, who will take over as your personal guard?” 

Zhong Zheng Lin’s trip to Shu Zhong, the outcome was not certain and it wasn’t assured that he will be able to easily capture the rebels.
From just looking at that day how Di Wu Yi Zhao and the lot mobilized forces to scheme for the whole night, one could see that the other party was not a pushover. 

Moreover, to be able to use her as a lure and make two Highnesses fall into the trap, their lord was quite refined.
Besides, he did not lack strategists nor advisors.
Those brainwashed death soldiers4referred to soldiers who dares to die.
These soldiers mainly engage in assassination missions [/efn_note had no care for their life.
Compared to people with the right mind, they were like mad dogs, extremely difficult to deal with. 

She has heard that this time Zhong Zheng Ming has also volunteered to join this mission of eliminating the rebel faction.
He will go to Shu Zhong together with Zhong Zheng Lin to pacify the rebellion.
The reason was that the fifth Highness had commanded well in the previous battle that took place in the capital and was highly familiar with the rebels’ strategies.
The two of them can thus support each other. 

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Yuancheng Emperor only pondered for a moment and then immediately granted his request.
Since he was determined to capture the rebels in one go he will cut weeds and eliminate the roots5a Chinese idiom that means to eliminate completely[/efn_note.
After removing the internal trouble of Great Wei, he would be able to wholeheartedly deal with the war in Mobei. 

“Don’t worry.
Yan Cheng Zhou will act as bendian’s personal guard and the head of shadow guards will be accompanying and escorting bendian.
Jiao Jiao only needs to rest your mind at ease and wait for the child to be born.
Don’t let bendian be distracted by you.” When Zhong Zheng Lin saw Mu Xi Yao’s expression change, he was particularly satisfied with the worry for him she revealed.
He leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead.
His eyes were filled with ruthlessness and chilliness.  

The rebel faction in the Shu Zhong had to be removed.
Mu Xi Yao was already on their to-be-killed list.
As long as this scourge was not eliminated, the little woman will be in danger.
Such risk he Zhong Zheng Lin couldn’t bear. 

Translation notes:

[1] It refers to a Chinese idiom “after tempering the still for a hundred times, the steel will turn into a soft thing that can be wrapped around the finger” which is used as a metaphor for describing that even someone hot-tempered can be groomed into a mild-tempered person

[2] Eyes turning is a phrase used to describe someone thinking, coming up with ideas 

[3] Empty city strategy also known as Empty fort strategy refers to the the strategy that involves using reverse psychology (and luck) to deceive the enemy into thinking that an empty location is full of traps and ambushes, and therefore induce the enemy to retreat (see more)

[4] Death soldier is referred to soldiers who dares to die.
These soldiers mainly engage in assassination missions

[5] To cut weeds and eliminate the roots is a Chinese idiom that means to eliminate completely