novelden Chapter 158 Liu Lianyue: Let's rebel!
Chapter 158 Liu Lianyue: Let's rebel!
As night fell, the torches in the military camp flickered, casting an intermittent glow that added to the mystery and unease of the surroundings.
Xiao Jinyan waved his hand lightly and gave Luo Chuan, Huan Rongzu, and Wang Xuanyu a wink. They understood and quietly left the tent.
Liu Lianyue followed closely behind, nimbly closing the heavy tent flap. Her bright eyes appeared particularly firm in the dim candlelight. She carefully looked around, afraid that any slight movement might reveal the impending storm.
“Princess, please don’t worry.” Xiao Jinyan’s voice was deep and powerful, calm on the surface but turbulent inside. “It’s still safe for us to talk in this military camp.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Lianyue's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but she immediately frowned again: "Jinyan, let's rebel!"
This sentence is like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
Xiao Jinyan was slightly taken aback, then a playful smile appeared on her lips: "Princess, are you joking? This joke is not very funny."
Liu Lianyue shook her head, her long hair swaying gently with the movement, like the most resilient vine in the night: "Jinyan, I'm not joking. Your father has 300,000 elite troops under his command, with fierce generals, each one brave and skilled in battle; my father also has 100,000 elite troops, loyal and fearless. If our two families join forces, how can we not rebel against that tyrant Liu Kun?"
Xiao Jinyan's expression became complicated. He slowly stood up and walked to the candlelight. The firelight reflected on his face, outlining a deep profile.
He sighed, as if weighing something: "Princess, to be honest, before you came in, I was discussing this matter with Luo Chuan and Huan Rongzu."
A resolute glint flashed in Liu Lianyue's eyes as she gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. "Jinyan, so you've had this in mind all along. What are we waiting for? Let's rebel now! Liu Kun's move to weaken the power of the princes is tantamount to digging his own grave. I, Liu Lianyue, have long since reached my limit!"
However, Xiao Jinyan's expression was extremely solemn. He slowly shook his head: "Princess, it's not time yet."
Upon hearing this, Liu Lianyue frowned, her face a mixture of confusion and urgency: "Why?"
Xiao Jinyan sighed softly: "The timing isn't right."
Liu Lianyue asked, puzzled, "Why isn't the timing right?"
Xiao Jinyan slowly said, "Right now, the 100,000 troops under the command of Generals Xue Wenyi and Zhan Ying around Jiankang are like an impregnable fortress; and inside the palace, there are tens of thousands of elite troops under the command of Liancheng, who are heavily guarded. Compared with them, our forces are undoubtedly like an egg hitting a rock."
Upon hearing this, Liu Lianyue bit her lip unwillingly, a stubborn glint flashing in her bright eyes: "So what? My father can transfer troops from Yizhou, and your father can send troops from Xuzhou. With a pincer attack, how can we not win?"
However, Xiao Jinyan shook his head again, his eyes filled with both helplessness and deep thought: "Princess, you and I both know that mobilizing troops is not something that can be done in a day, and the long journey will leave our soldiers exhausted. In addition, if the news leaks out, it will surely alert the enemy. What we need is a carefully planned coup, not a blind charge. We must wait patiently and find the best opportunity to strike decisively; otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Although Liu Lianyue was unwilling, she had to admit that Xiao Jinyan's words made sense. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her agitated emotions: "Alright, then we'll wait, until that foolproof opportunity. But..."
“Princess,” Xiao Jinyan’s voice was low and firm, “I understand your feelings, but reality does not allow us the slightest recklessness. My father is currently leading a large army in a fierce battle against the Northern Wei on the frontier, and his troops are unable to return to provide reinforcements in the short term. As for the Prince of Jingling’s troops in Yizhou, they are even further away from Jiankang. If they make any moves, it will be tantamount to alarming the court and the public. Liu Kun’s spies are everywhere in the court and the public, and he will definitely find out in advance. At that time, all our efforts will be in vain.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Lianyue frowned, her eyes flashing with resentment and urgency: "But, Jin Yan, I can't wait any longer."
Xiao Jinyan gently shook his head, his gaze deep: "Princess, haste makes waste. A rebellion is a serious matter; the slightest mistake could lead to utter ruin. Wei Wuji is as cunning as a fox, with profound wisdom. His existence is more troublesome than an army of 100,000. As long as he is not eliminated, our uprising will become more unpredictable and our chances of success will decrease. We must first remove this major threat to ensure the success of our operation."
Upon hearing this, Liu Lianyue became slightly agitated. She stepped forward, gripped Xiao Jinyan's arm tightly with both hands, and pleaded in her eyes: "But, Jinyan, I know this is difficult, but we can't wait any longer."
Looking into Liu Lianyue's eyes, filled with determination and longing, Xiao Jinyan felt a surge of emotion. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and slowly said, "Princess, I understand your anxiety, but rebellion is no child's play. We must proceed cautiously and step by step. Believe me, as long as we eliminate Wei Wuji, we are confident of a swift and decisive victory. Until then, please be patient, Princess. Everything will be arranged by Jinyan, is that alright?"
Liu Lianyue's voice was low and urgent: "Jinyan, do you know that Liu Kun is summoning me to the palace tomorrow?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan frowned and asked incredulously, "What? Liu Kunxuan, you're going to the palace?"
Liu Lianyue nodded gently, the moonlight shining on her hair, adding a touch of tragic beauty to her appearance: "Yes, Jinyan. Once I enter the palace, that lecherous Liu Kun will definitely force himself on me. By then, if we don't rebel, it will really be too late. Can you bear to let me fall into Liu Kun's clutches and be manipulated by him?"
Xiao Jinyan took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. He looked tenderly at Liu Lianyue, his eyes full of affection and determination: "Princess, our wedding date has been set, and the whole world knows it. Even if Liu Kun has immense power, can he disregard etiquette and force himself on you?"
Liu Lianyue shook her head, her eyes filled with even greater worry: "You have no idea how shameless Liu Kun is. For a woman, he has long since thrown all sense of propriety and decency to the wind. If I enter the palace, it will be like a lamb entering a tiger's den. I will inevitably be forcibly taken by him. Jinyan, don't you understand that this is not only about my chastity, but also about your reputation!"
Xiao Jinyan remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing each possible option.
Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice firm and calm: "Princess, you need not panic. On the contrary, I believe that this trip to the palace may temporarily appease Liu Kun and buy us precious time. We can use this time to secretly gather our strength, and when the time is right, we can overthrow Liu Kun's tyranny and restore peace to the world."
Liu Lianyue's gaze was piercing, her voice filled with disbelief and anger as she pointed directly at Xiao Jinyan: "Jinyan, you want me to enter the palace to appease Liu Kun and buy some time? What do you take me for? In your heart, am I, Liu Lianyue, merely your woman, someone you can manipulate at will, or even just a tool to satisfy your lust when you need me? Is my only purpose to you to exploit me?"