Though Ye Jingyu's eyes held confusion, he remained silent, simply observing the middle-aged man before him, certain that the other would continue to provide answers...
Yet, a question gnawed at him: how could this man know the details so precisely unless Yue Youqun had betrayed him? Qin Yan had only just met with the Emperor. Could it be that Yue Youqun was dispatched by Qin Yan?
“I have stated that I do not wish to see an army the court cannot control; that is why I sought to destroy the Iron Army. But now that you can control the Iron Army, why would I still need to eliminate them?” Seeing the doubt in Ye Jingyu’s gaze, Luo Xiaofeng spoke lightly...
“But Your Majesty, aren't you afraid...” Ye Jingyu was profoundly alarmed. Currently, the entire Iron Army believed the court rejected them; this force was essentially his private army. How could the sovereign of a nation not fear his ambition?
Or perhaps, in their eyes, he was as innocent as a little white rabbit?
“Afraid? Afraid you will rebel? Afraid you will cling to power?” Before Ye Jingyu could finish, Luo Xiaofeng interrupted with a smile...
Hearing Luo Xiaofeng state it so directly, Ye Jingyu dared not speak further, merely bowing his head low, an unspoken concession...
“Heh, this position of mine, indeed, so many wish to claim it. My sons, my ministers—which of them doesn't desire my seat? But I know that you... will not...” Luo Xiaofeng’s eyes were fixed on Ye Jingyu’s dark irises, where a confluence of emotions swirled...
Trust, sincerity, helplessness, sorrow...
Faced with such candid words laced with absolute trust from Luo Xiaofeng, Ye Jingyu once again chose silence. It wasn't that he lacked a response, but rather that he couldn't afford to say much. What if he asked what if he did desire the throne?
Wouldn't that be treason?
Even though he harbored no ambition to rule, he dared not utter a word on such a sensitive topic...
However, his mind was reeling with shock. After all, how many times had he actually met Luo Xiaofeng? In just these few encounters, how could the Emperor ascertain he had no such intent? On what did he base such a judgment?
Was the position of the supreme ruler of a nation truly managed so carelessly?
These few lines of dialogue had utterly scrambled Ye Jingyu's thoughts. He truly couldn't fathom why Luo Xiaofeng had summoned him to the palace so late, only to discuss such trivial matters?
“Do you find my words baffling?” Seeing Ye Jingyu’s bewildered expression, Luo Xiaofeng smiled faintly. At this moment, he shed the imposing air of a monarch and became merely an elder conversing with a junior...
“Your subordinate dares not...” Ye Jingyu immediately replied...
Are you kidding me? While you are indeed baffling, how dare I voice it...
“Heh, recall those thousands of warriors stationed outside. They are meritorious servants of the Shu Yun Kingdom; I will not harm them. Of course, this is predicated on your ability to control that Iron Army...” Luo Xiaofeng paid no mind to Ye Jingyu’s insincere reply, continuing calmly...
“Your subordinate accepts the command...” Luo Xiaofeng had laid his cards on the table; Ye Jingyu certainly wouldn't feign modesty now. He thought of how his men and he had exhausted every effort to settle the Iron Army’s officers, yet found no perfect solution, only to have Luo Xiaofeng resolve it with a single sentence. Truly, the ways of the world are unpredictable...
“Actually, the reason I summoned you to the palace this time concerns some joyful news...” Seeing Ye Jingyu nod in agreement, Luo Xiaofeng chuckled lightly...
“Please enlighten Your Majesty...” Ye Jingyu spoke again...
“Do you know why Marquis Baiyun came to the palace today?” Luo Xiaofeng smiled faintly, his gaze drifting toward Ye Jingyu...
“This general knows nothing...” Ye Jingyu said, though his eyes betrayed the thought: Didn't he come to inform on me?
“Heh, I have my own channels for learning about your little maneuvers; he was not the informant. He came to the palace to propose a marriage for his daughter...” Luo Xiaofeng seemed to read Ye Jingyu's inner thoughts perfectly and stated calmly...
“A marriage proposal?” Ye Jingyu was stunned, then sneered, “Does the Marquis wish to secure a future for his daughter? I wonder which young lord he seeks to match her with?”
“Heh, not one of my useless sons. He came to ask me to decree a marriage between you and his daughter...” Hearing Ye Jingyu’s seemingly treasonous words, Luo Xiaofeng instead laughed heartily...
But Ye Jingyu could not muster a laugh upon hearing Luo Xiaofeng’s words. Qin Yan bore an irreconcilable feud with him; why would he come to plead for a marriage between himself and his daughter?
What game was he playing?
“Don’t tell me you agreed?” Shock flared across Ye Jingyu’s face...
“Heh, such a splendid arrangement, how could I possibly refuse...” Hearing Ye Jingyu’s voice completely devoid of reverence, Luo Xiaofeng laughed even harder...
“You...” Hearing that Luo Xiaofeng had simply agreed, Ye Jingyu panicked, completely forgetting the supremely noble personage before him...
“What? You seem unwilling?” Seeing Ye Jingyu’s distress, Luo Xiaofeng teased him gently...
“My Imperial Uncle, you know perfectly well the conflict between me and Marquis Baiyun. How could you agree to such a match...” Ye Jingyu felt on the verge of tears...
Setting aside the fact that his heart currently belonged only to Luo Ling’er, even if she didn't exist, marrying Qin Yuting was impossible...
Qin Yan had slaughtered the people of Ye Family Village; although they held little personal relation to him, they were still his kin in this world, weren't they? Moreover, Qin Yan had tried to kill him repeatedly; Ye Jingyu had long placed him on his kill list...
To put it plainly, his current standing was partly thanks to Qin Yan, as his initial motivation had been revenge...
If he actually married Qin Yuting, wouldn't he then have to kill his own father-in-law? Even if he could bring himself to commit such an act, how could he face his wife?
“Heh heh... What did you just call me?” Seeing Ye Jingyu’s utterly devastated expression, Luo Xiaofeng burst into laughter, and even Nan Fengyun behind him offered a slight smile...
Imperial Uncle? What an interesting address...
“Uh...” Ye Jingyu blinked, suddenly realizing he had just addressed the Emperor as ‘Imperial Uncle,’ a gross offense...
“Your Majesty... I...”
“Hahahaha, no matter, no matter. There are no outsiders here. From now on, when there are no others present, you may call me that...” Before Ye Jingyu could explain, Luo Xiaofeng laughed heartily...