Chapter 3: The Emperor's Fury, Foolish Woman

Seeing the Emperor’s fury, those nearby trembled in fear, not daring to even draw a full breath.

Li Xuantian suppressed his anger and asked, "How did Li Ye conduct himself? Did he do anything shameful?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, he did not! The Sixth Prince did not say much and readily agreed. On the surface, at least, he showed no signs of sadness."

Li Xuantian was taken aback. He knew better than anyone how deeply his son loved Qin Qingxue. In his eyes, Li Ye was an anomaly—he had no interest in power, nor did he indulge in the extravagant lifestyle of other princes. Instead, he possessed an inexplicable passion for commerce. No matter how harshly he was reprimanded, Li Ye never changed his ways. Over time, the Emperor had grown thoroughly disappointed and simply stopped interfering.

It was only after being with Qin Qingxue that Li Ye had lowered his pride to plead for favors, helping the Qin family elevate their status and seeking a military commission for her. To Li Xuantian, Li Ye must have loved her to the marrow to be willing to do such things. Had it been the Li Ye of the past, the Emperor would never have agreed to those requests. However, as Li Ye’s business ventures grew—to the point where it was no exaggeration to say he was wealthier than the state itself—he began to provide more funds to the treasury than the state coffers themselves. Whenever floods struck or military funding fell short, Li Ye would dig into his own pockets to help the nation.

Gradually, Li Xuantian’s impression of him had changed. Even if a prince engaging in business was frowned upon by many, Li Ye had indeed relieved him of many burdens. Without his financial support, countless lives would have been lost to disaster, and the Dayuan Dynasty would have been unable to mobilize its armies against invading enemies. In time, Li Xuantian came to see Li Ye’s business dealings as a blessing; by not participating in the struggle for power, he posed no threat to his brothers, thereby preventing fratricide. Furthermore, he did not attract trouble like the other dissolute princes. The son he had once viewed as the most hopeless had, in fact, become the one who caused him the least concern.

But Li Ye’s behavior today was a complete surprise to Li Xuantian—and a pleasant one at that. His son had shown restraint and had not embarrassed himself in public.

"Indeed, it does not seem like a pretense! He even took his handmaidens out for a meal. He merely canceled all subsidies to the Qin family," the guard added.

Li Xuantian nodded with satisfaction. "That is more like it! As a prince, how could he allow himself to be manipulated by a woman?"

His expression turned icy, and a fierce, murderous glint ignited in his eyes.

"That foolish woman—she cannot even discern her own station. Does she not know that everything she has was granted by the Imperial House? To think she dares to look down upon a prince!"

"What is even more detestable is that she has allowed herself to be played like a puppet by the Yunlu Pavilion! As a general of the Dayuan Dynasty, how dare she become a disciple of the Yunlu Pavilion? Can she not see that the Pavilion is overreaching and merely intends to use her to seize control of our army? For this alone, she is unworthy of her current rank."

To most, the Yunlu Pavilion held a transcendent status, akin to that of immortals. The Dayuan Dynasty treated them with great respect, and the two sides appeared to exist in a mutually beneficial alliance. Yet, few knew that this was merely a façade. In the shadows, the struggle between them was intense. The Yunlu Pavilion craved greater power and sought to control the nation’s military and political authority. The Emperor of Dayuan would never allow them to touch his core assets. In the face of such conflicting interests, harmony was impossible.

As the Emperor, Li Xuantian felt deep disdain for Qin Qingxue’s actions. Had she possessed genuine talent, he might have personally explained the stakes and attempted to win her over. But in truth, her ability to lead troops did not even rank in the middle tier among Dayuan’s generals. A woman without real skill, fueled by ambition and a lack of self-awareness, was destined only to be a pawn in this struggle.

"Notify the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War: simplify the investiture ceremony and revoke the titles granted to Qin Qingxue. Since she has been at war for so long, let her rest at home. As for the elite troops, hand them over to General Zhao Yu!"

"At once!" the head eunuch replied, rushing off to draft the imperial decree.

Meanwhile, Qin Qingxue and Shi Wushuang settled the troops. Qin Qingxue was eager to return home to bask in the praises of her family. Shi Wushuang, however, had his own agenda; representing the Yunlu Pavilion, he needed to report to the Ministry of Revenue and secure accommodations.

"Qingxue, you go home first. Once I have finished my business, I will come to find you immediately!"

Qin Qingxue looked at Shi Wushuang with eyes full of love, unable to bear the separation for even a moment.

"You must be quick. I will be waiting for you at home!"

Shi Wushuang stroked her hair and said softly, "Rest assured, I am thinking of you every moment."

Qin Qingxue’s heart melted. She bid him a reluctant farewell. As her carriage traveled through the streets, she could hear the people discussing her, full of admiration. They claimed that with Qin Qingxue, the Dayuan Dynasty need no longer fear foreign invasion. Being the only female general in the dynasty, and possessing such beauty, she was destined to be recorded in history books.

These words made Qin Qingxue feel as if she were floating. The campaign had been exceptionally smooth; she had easily defeated the barbarian army and slaughtered tens of thousands of them. It was a rare and great victory for the Dayuan Dynasty. Other so-called famous generals always complained of headaches whenever they were ordered to attack the barbarians, often suffering more losses than wins. By comparison, Qin Qingxue felt it was no exaggeration to call herself the greatest general in the Dayuan Dynasty. After all, no one had ever defeated the barbarians so brilliantly. Added to this was her status as the closing disciple of the Yunlu Pavilion Master, a position of supreme prestige. Even when meeting the Emperor, she felt she should no longer have to kneel.

"Li Ye, do not blame me for being heartless, nor blame me for having a change of heart! You are nothing more than an unwanted prince. You are simply not on the same level as me anymore. Compared to Young Master Wushuang, you are like the earth beneath the heavens."

"Anyone else in my position would make the same choice!"

"If you are wise, do not pester me. If you dare to interfere with the affection between me and Young Master Wushuang, I will show you no mercy," she muttered to herself.

Even then, she felt a lingering doubt, thinking, "When I return home, I must tell my family to draw a clear line between us and Li Ye. The reputation of a merchant prince is far too poor. Maintaining ties with him will only sully the Qin family’s name."

She imagined her future, honored by the world, leading armies across the battlefield in silver armor with a spear in hand, crushing the enemy. Even the Emperor would treat her with the utmost respect, fearful of doing anything that might displease her.

"I, Qin Qingxue, will surely build the Qin family into the greatest house in the world!" Her heart swelled with grand ambition.