Chapter Eight: The Iron Cavalry Storms Jin Yong, Winning the Heart of Chu Yunyan

Back when Lü Buwei first encountered Yiren in the State of Zhao, he too regarded Yiren as a rare and valuable asset. To win Yiren’s trust, Lü Buwei was willing to sacrifice his most beloved concubine, Zhao Ji. This decisiveness and ruthlessness forged a prime minister who was second only to the king in the Qin state.

Yet, at the same time, Lü Buwei became a tool driven solely by self-interest.

Therefore, when Zulong abandoned him, there would be no trace of pity in his heart.

“The Chu family supports me for both fame and profit,” Gao Changsheng said with a knowing look. “If one day I achieve success and ascend to the throne, the Chu family will naturally be rewarded and favored.”

“Giving up a little now will help the Chu family gain more leverage. A mere maidservant—Chu, as a talented woman, should know what truly matters,” he teased, his eyes glinting with curiosity as he regarded Chu Yunyan.

He was intrigued to see whether Chu Yunyan, who possessed Lü Buwei’s insight and strategy, also shared his ruthlessness.

“Your Highness does not trust my sincerity and is deliberately using Zhu’er to test me?” Chu Yunyan retorted coldly. “Setting aside the fact that Your Highness has offended the Crown Prince and the two royal princes in court, can you even leave Jinyong City alive?”

“For years, Your Highness has had no foundation in Jinyong City, with no one reliable around you. If you gain the Chu family’s support, you will gain an additional advantage.”

“So, does Your Highness still intend to reject the Chu family’s goodwill?”

Chu Yunyan’s cold snort immediately pierced through Gao Changsheng’s intentions. The hardest part about speaking with a clever person is that nothing can be concealed.

However, Gao Changsheng’s understanding of the Chu family was no less than Chu Yunyan’s. Since she had already exposed their vulnerabilities, there was no need for him to hold back.

“Speaking of circumstances, the situation of Chu Jiangnian and the Chu family isn’t much better, is it?”

“For years, Chu Jiangnian has wavered between the Crown Prince and the two princes, seemingly offending no one but in reality alienating both sides,” Gao Changsheng stated plainly.

“Once either the Crown Prince or the Second or Third Prince rises to power, the first to be eliminated will be an opportunist like Chu Jiangnian—this has always been an unchanging truth.”

“I’m sure Chu, the talented lady, has seen this as well and placed her bet on me.”

“After all, I have no foundation, yet I accepted the Chu family’s timely aid.”

“When I rise to power, I will surely remember the Chu family’s contribution.”

Gao Changsheng calmly laid out the Chu family’s current plight.

“But how dare the Chu family be certain I won’t be someone who discards them once I no longer need them?” he added with a cutting remark that struck at the heart.

The usually composed Chu Yunyan instantly showed signs of hesitation.

Indeed, entrusting one’s family’s future and lives to another is a gamble. No matter how many strategies you have, no matter how deep your scheming, if you serve a tyrant, it could bring ruin to your entire clan.

Chu Yunyan appeared clever but had relied on mere conjecture to deem Gao Changsheng a rare treasure.

This showed her intelligence was not yet perfect.

“As a subject of the Dayong Dynasty, I have no choice,” Chu Yunyan said with a melancholic expression.

“Today’s court is filled with power-hungry men.”

“The Divine Martial Emperor is like this, as are the Crown Prince and the two princes.”

“If it weren’t for my father’s ability to navigate between factions these years, he would have been assassinated long ago.”

“But now, it’s as difficult as climbing the heavens to break free.”

“To change this situation, the entire chessboard must be reset. Perhaps Your Highness is the only one capable of such a feat.”

“Even if Your Highness becomes a tyrant, my Chu family has no other choice.”

At last, she spoke her truth.

In that moment, much of the barrier between Gao Changsheng and Chu Yunyan dissolved.

Both were ill-fated souls, teetering on the edge of death with a single misstep. If two such souls could unite for warmth, they would surely fight to survive.

Thus, the Chu family would unquestionably be Gao Changsheng’s staunchest ally.

“In fact, asking the Chu family for a woman wasn’t merely a test,” Gao Changsheng said with firm resolve.

“How a person truly is cannot be revealed through words alone.”

“Moreover, my relationship with the Chu family is shallow; how could I win their wholehearted support otherwise?”

“Therefore, for seamless cooperation, there is a shortcut.”

“Marriage alliance!”

Marriage alliance?

A prince and a maidservant named Zhu’er?

Their statuses were worlds apart.

Even if Gao Changsheng wished it, the Divine Martial Emperor would never consent!

Unless…

“I am willing to marry the eldest legitimate daughter of Minister of War Chu Jiangnian as my princess consort!” Gao Changsheng suddenly stood and bowed.

He was a prince. Though his reputation was poor, he still wielded more influence than the Crown Prince or the other princes.

After all, he was the emperor’s son.

He was willing to humble himself and bow to Chu Yunyan, showing he was not joking.

“Miss!” Zhu’er’s face was full of worry.

Even commoners knew Gao Changsheng had offended the Crown Prince, and his days would be difficult.

If Chu Yunyan married him, wouldn’t she be courting disaster?

“Of course, if I seek marriage from the Chu family now, it will implicate my father-in-law and the entire family.”

“So this matter can be delayed for the time being.”

“But my heart is set on marrying you, Chu Yunyan.”

“One day, I will lead the iron cavalry across Jinyong City with banners flying, and proudly come to the Chu family to take you as my bride!”

Gao Changsheng smiled.

Hearing this, Chu Yunyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Their alliance was meant to be covert assistance. Under no circumstances could the Crown Prince and the two princes become aware.

Otherwise, Chu Jiangnian, as Minister of War, would have an impossible time in court, and might even lose his life.

Whether she would marry Gao Changsheng depended on whether he could survive and leave Jinyong City.

“Your Highness should focus more on military affairs now,” Chu Yunyan advised patiently, steering the conversation away from marriage.

“After the court session, the Crown Prince gathered the Three Departments—Ministry of Works, Ministry of Revenue, and my father’s Ministry of War—to make things difficult for Your Highness.”

“As a military advisor and a newcomer to military affairs, you must coordinate the troops.”

“If the departments are determined to hinder you, you won’t even get a chance to handle military matters, let alone wage war.”

“Even if you suffer defeat or return without achievements, the Crown Prince’s faction will seize the opportunity to slander you.”

“Thus, the chance you wrested from the two princes will not help you, but rather backfire.”

Gao Changsheng naturally hadn’t known about the secret meetings between the Crown Prince and his faction.

He was indeed unfamiliar with military affairs and had planned to use these three days to learn.

But if the Crown Prince interfered, he would be completely shut out.

Once at the northern border, this military advisor would become a marginal figure.

How then could he command the army?

“Yunyan, you seem well-informed. Do you know anything about General Dou Yuan’s background?” Gao Changsheng asked, pouring tea for Chu Yunyan.

Calling her “Yunyan” like this left both her and Zhu’er stunned.

Had he truly taken Chu Yunyan as his future wife?