Chapter 1695 – Hua Yuan’s End (Part Four)
“Could it be… he wants to feign madness and use the chaos to make the two of them end up as mutual casualties, allowing him to reap the benefits in the end?”
Based on Hua Yuan’s past behavior, this guess wasn’t unfounded.
By doing so, he could easily exhaust the two siblings while also using others’ hands to eliminate the bloodline inside the princess, and then step in at a critical moment to openly eliminate the ambitious competitors under the pretext of “harming the former Lord’s illegitimate child.”
Going in circles, Hua Yuan still remained the unbeatable player.
“If that’s the case, Hua Yuan’s schemes are terrifying—he’s practically calculated everyone in the game,” the princess mused, convincing even the Xichang Prince, though she puzzled over one point. “But what could he gain by doing this?”
The princess fell silent; she couldn’t figure it out either.
If Hua Yuan wanted to seize power, there were plenty of other ways to eliminate An Huan while preserving his forces, preventing Jiang Pengji from capitalizing on the situation.
And yet?
Hua Yuan opted for a self-sabotaging method that ruined himself along with hundreds of thousands of soldiers, leaving supplies behind without enough forces to fend off external enemies. They weren’t facing typical foes; they were dealing with seasoned veterans of the chaotic world, who hadn’t stumbled for over a decade. Did Hua Yuan really think he could fend off Jiang Pengji with the current setup?
After deep thought, the princess lowered her eyelids and scoffed.
“Forget it; how can normal people grasp the thoughts of a madman?”
She quickly redirected the conversation—what was most important now was ensuring their survival rather than delving into Hua Yuan’s psyche.
In fact, the siblings were so terrified of being outmaneuvered by Hua Yuan that they instinctively elevated him to an omnipotent figure.
They all understood that Hua Yuan couldn’t possibly be unaware of his own schemes.
There’s a saying: “Man proposes, but heaven disposes.” Who can truly create a foolproof plan?
Hua Yuan’s calculations were meticulously crafted but couldn’t withstand the immense variables, powerful foes, An Huan’s self-importance, and his own misjudgment.
All these variables converged to create a completely unpredictable outcome.
The Xichang Princess caressed her round belly and sighed softly.
“Even if we know we’re being schemed against by Hua Yuan, what can we do? In the end… we still have to rely on him…”
This was the most ironic part; on one hand, they resisted and loathed Hua Yuan, while on the other, they had no choice but to cling to him for some semblance of safety.
With her head lowered, the princess naturally didn’t see the complex expression on the prince’s face or the humiliation he struggled to suppress.
The sibling’s atmosphere became oddly stiff, exchanging glances and tacitly avoiding the shared wounds in their hearts.
The prince said, “We rely on him, yet he wants to abandon us.”
The princess, undeterred, replied, “If we can persuade him, we still have a chance at survival. We have to try everything to know the outcome.”
None of the old ministers left behind by An Huan were dependable!
The princess gnawed her teeth in frustration, remembering how recently An Huan had died—not too long ago, and already, these old ministers were eagerly scrambling for power. Not only that, they were plotting against the illegitimate child of their own lord. Such actions were simply unheard of!
“I can’t see him either. These past few days…” the Xichang Prince shook his head, then suddenly recalled something, adding unwillingly, “These past two days, Hua Yuan’s whereabouts have become a mystery. He’s pretending to be mad, and no one has kept an eye on him, so we have no idea where he’s run off to. He fluctuates between madness and lucidity, and even the old servants who’ve served him for years don’t recognize him anymore. I’ve been blocked from seeing him multiple times…”
Even the Xichang Prince residing in Hua Yuan’s household hadn’t been able to see him, let alone the Xichang Princess.
The princess’s face turned pale.
“Is Hua Yuan deliberately avoiding us, refusing to see anyone?”
If Hua Yuan truly wanted to shut the door on them, wouldn’t that mean he was determined to abandon the siblings and watch them die?
The prince appeared hesitant; the princess urged, “Brother, just speak your mind. At this point, is there anything left to avoid?”
“We can’t count on Hua Yuan, but there’s still one person… who might lend us a hand, at least to ensure the safety of you and your child.”
At these words, the princess’s eyes sparkled with a hopeful glimmer as she eagerly inquired who it was.
The prince named someone outside her expectations, saying, “Lü Zheng, Lü Shaoyin—he was once An Huan’s most valued strategist in the early days. Later, he fell out of favor after being defeated by Hua Yuan. Nevertheless, he still held a degree of reputation under An Huan. If he’s willing to back the ‘illegitimate child’ of the former lord An Huan, you and your child would most likely survive this calamity.”
The princess didn’t know much about Lü Zheng; she only knew of his existence without much interaction.
“Can this work?”
The princess hesitated, fearing that in escaping one pit, she might tumble into another.
The prince replied, “I’ve discreetly gathered intel; Lü Zheng comes from humble beginnings but has a decent character without the despicable traits that some lowborn scholars possess. Despite An Huan’s treatment of him, he never turned his back on him, showcasing his loyalty. An Huan is dead now; no matter how dejected Lü Zheng felt during his lifetime, once the former lord has passed, would he really vent his anger on an innocent illegitimate child? If we ask him for help, there’s at least a seventy percent chance he will step up to protect you and your child.”
The princess felt her heart stir at his words.
However, the royal siblings couldn’t possibly foresee that Lü Zheng had already disappeared without a trace.
After An Huan’s defeat and demise, a small wave of remnants had indeed escaped, surviving on tree bark and wild vegetables, but Lü Zheng was not among them.
The Xichang Princess was unwilling to give up and sent people to inquire further, finally discovering Lü Zheng’s fate.
Only a day or two before An Huan’s death, Lü Zheng had been gravely ill and sent to a nearby town for recuperation. By now, he was either dead from illness or hunger.
With the last shred of hope shattered, the Xichang Princess awoke in despair, showing signs of a miscarriage according to the physician.
To protect the only card she had up her sleeve, she dared not take any more risks, lying in bed for several days to nurture her pregnancy. The Xichang siblings ceased causing trouble, Hua Yuan continued to spiral in madness, and the old ministers were busy squabbling for power while discussing; the entire situation turned into a chaotic mess.
During the height of An Huan’s power, Jiang Pengji was no match for him, and now that they were half-dead, they were even less capable of resistance.
Seeing that the war was going smoothly, she handed over various battlefields to other generals, remaining in the central army—making her days surprisingly leisurely.
With leisure came more time to engage in various activities.
Like bullying newbies.
Not that she was complaining, but Lü Zheng’s skills in chess were genuinely lacking.
Lü Zheng: “…”
First, he was dragged by Wei Ci for a “friendly match,” and soon after, he found himself pinned before the chessboard by Jiang Pengji for “friendly exchanges.”
Did either of these X characters care about his psychological scars?
