Untouchable Lovers-Chapter 262 - 239 Ping City Loses the Initiative

Chapter 262: Chapter 239: Ping City Loses the Initiative

Chapter 262: Chapter 239: Ping City Loses the Initiative

Huan Yuan and Chu Yu sat facing each other in a tavern, with a wine pot and two cups on the table between them. Chu Yu lowered her head to pour a cup of wine for Huan Yuan, sipping slowly while they chatted and laughed leisurely.

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They had gone out to shop, which could have been done by servants, but Huan Yuan intended to buy some books, and Chu Yu wanted to take a stroll to clear her mind, so they went out together. After buying the books, they rested in a tavern by the roadside.

Huan Yuan listened to the idle chatter of other tavern patrons, assessing the present situation.

Through Chu Yu, he had learned a bit about Empress Dowager Feng, Guan Canghai, and Rong Zhi. Feng Ting had returned to the Northern Wei Capital, Ping City, the previous year, taking charge and leading a coalition of princely ministers within the court. They had executed Prime Minister Yi Hun, who had attempted to seize power and rebel, thereby firmly securing her own position and that of the current Emperor, Tuoba Hong.

With external threats resolved, the mother and son, who once faced similar predicaments and stood united, immediately began a fierce struggle against each other, with power being the focal point of their conflict.

Although Emperor Tuoba Hong was young, he was resolute and ambitious, while Empress Dowager Feng was decisive and steadfast, unwilling to relinquish her authority. One was the emperor, the legitimate successor to the throne, and the other, citing the emperor’s young age, continued to dominate the court as the Regent Empress Dowager.

Reflecting on this, Huan Yuan couldn’t help but scoff, “Throughout history, within the imperial family, genuine familial affection has almost never existed. Not to mention the distant past, just consider the recent example: Ziye, upon his father’s death, showed not grief but a faint smile on his face since he was to inherit the throne. Moreover, Empress Dowager Feng and the emperor of Northern Wei are not even real mother and son.”

Within the Northern Wei royal family, there was an unusual rule: the death of the mother secures the prince’s position. If a concubine’s son was designated as the Crown Prince, that concubine was to be executed, and her son raised by someone else. Lacking any blood relation between Empress Dowager Feng and Tuoba Hong, their power struggle became even more intense and unscrupulous.

Reflecting on this, Huan Yuan muttered softly, “Quite the mother and son.”

His voice was low, but Chu Yu could hear clearly enough to know what he was thinking: In her previous online readings of palace intrigue novels, the struggles amongst concubines mostly revolved around giving birth to princes to secure their position as the Crown Prince and desperately preventing other concubines from bearing children. However, in the harem of the Beiwai Palace, they would probably do everything possible to prevent pregnancy, and even if they became pregnant, they would seek ways to have an abortion proactively.

Imagining such an absurd scenario in her mind, Chu Yu couldn’t help but laugh. Just then, she heard merchants from north to south in the tavern discussing sights from the Northern Wei Capital, Ping City, mentioning that Tuoba Hong had designated his newly born child as the Crown Prince, to be raised by Empress Dowager Feng.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yu couldn’t help but stick out her tongue, thinking the little emperor was quite something. Only fourteen years old, he was already a father, and Empress Dowager Feng was not to be underestimated either. In her twenties, she had become a grandmother. With her mind free from worries, her thoughts felt very light, but she inadvertently caught Huan Yuan’s astonished expression.

Chu Yu asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?” The affairs of the Northern Wei imperial family were merely gossip for them, so why did Huan Yuan look so grave?

Huan Yuan thought for a moment, lowering his voice and said, “Don’t you find it strange?” Thinking it was still unsafe to discuss this inside the tavern, he settled the bill and they walked out. Once back in the carriage, he continued, “You must have some idea of who stands behind Empress Dowager Feng, Chu Yu?”

Chu Yu was slightly startled and nodded slightly. Behind Empress Dowager Feng, aside from Guan Canghai, there might be another person. She had some suspicions about this. Guan Canghai merely taught Empress Dowager Feng some political strategies and did not directly engage in politics. But given the relationship between Empress Dowager Feng and Rong Zhi, even if he was currently looking for Tian Rujing, he would likely still assist her in plotting to seize power from time to time—this was almost certain.

Thinking through the ins and outs, Chu Yu suddenly gasped, immediately understanding Huan Yuan’s implication.

Both Chu Yu and Huan Yuan had instinctively thought that the ultimate victor between these nominally related mother and son would be Empress Dowager Feng because Rong Zhi was behind her. But what was the current situation?

Empress Dowager Feng was responsible for raising the Crown Prince, which although just a sign, showed the beginning of her forced retreat to a secondary position, handing sovereign power back to the Emperor. Maybe it wasn’t entirely relinquished, but it indicated that she indeed was at a disadvantage in the struggle.

Chu Yu frowned and said, “What exactly is going on here?”

Huan Yuan shook his head and responded with a wry smile, “We are in Luoyang, miles away from Ping City. How could we possibly grasp every detail that transpires between here and there?” No matter how rapidly the situation within the Imperial City shifted and changed, they, being far from the center of the struggle, could only speculate based on the scant information they had, which might already be outdated.

After contemplating for a moment, Chu Yu smiled and said, “Regardless, let them fight as they wish, as long as it doesn’t involve us, it’s fine. It’s getting late; let’s head back.”

Her expression was light and clear, devoid of any gloom. Huan Yuan observed her closely; even though he had mentioned Rong Zhi’s name earlier, it seemed to have no effect on her, as if he were just someone she casually knew, with no special connection to her whatsoever.

In truth, no matter how fierce the power struggles within the Northern Wei were, for Huan Yuan, it was nothing more than a drama unconnected to himself. His deliberate inquiry into these matters was only to avoid endangering himself and to better maneuver for advantage and away from misfortune. The casual mention of Rong Zhi’s position in these struggles stemmed from an impulse he couldn’t understand himself.

Rong Zhi’s side had fallen, yet Chu Yu showed not the slightest worry, which brought a vague sense of joy to his heart—a joy so overwhelming, like a spring gushing uncontrollably to the surface.

Huan Yuan kept telling himself that he simply didn’t want Chu Yu to be trapped by her past, and seeing her let go completely, he couldn’t help but feel joy for her. However, the justification was so weak that even he couldn’t convince himself.

The true answer was just a thin membrane away, yet he was never willing to pierce through it, as if crossing that boundary would lead to some irreparable collapse.

The turmoil within Huan Yuan’s heart showed not at all on his face; he maintained a look of calm, like still waters. Bored sitting in the carriage, Chu Yu leaned closer to the small window to look outside, just as a breeze blew by. A light fragrant wind enveloped her, yet she knew not from whose flowers, blossoming abundantly in this spring day.

With the spring radiance all around, Chu Yu’s heart was also bright. Recently reminded by Huan Yuan, and hearing of a possible mishap on Rong Zhi’s side, she felt no worry, not because she was indifferent towards Rong Zhi, but because she believed such minor troubles couldn’t possibly defeat him, that he wouldn’t truly come to harm.

If Rong Zhi truly fell, she would certainly show more concern than she did now.

Perhaps… that would be the case.

Chu Yu thought, not entirely certain.

******************************************************

It was still inside Guan Canghai’s dwelling, still the same two figures.

One voice, tinged with laughter, said, “The situation in Ping City has changed, aren’t you going back? If you do not act soon, you might really lose the advantage.”

The other voice, however, remained silent as ever, simply maintaining its silence.