The Ugly Empress by Yun Guo Shi Fei / 丑娘娘 by 云过是非

Chapter 33 - Drawn Eyebrows

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Xue Yu reigned his horse to make it trot slower; deliberately keeping up with Teng Shang's pace.

Xue Yu smiled and said, "The journey is long. I hope Minister Shang can withstand it. Or do you need to rest for a bit?"

Teng Shang said, "A long journey is what I've been looking forward to, how could I feel tired?"

"That is where Lord Minister has mistaken," Xue Yu said, "You could have stayed in the safety of the capital city, where you could have anything you want. You didn't have to insist clinging on your principle and eventually forcing yourself to do an inconvenient work like this."

Finally Teng Shang turned his gaze towards Xue Yu, "I see that Marquis Zhenjiang is very thorough in giving advice. Allow me to borrow your words and resend them back at you."

He paused, then smiled, "You could have stayed comfortably in the border as a chief commander, where you could have anything you want. But why did you insist on doing something like this?"

Xue Yu's expression changed slightly before he resumed his usual genteel and elegant appearance. He said, "Haven't seen Minister Shang for some years, but your speech is still so harsh. I have always heard Teng Country's Minister Shang is generous and kind, but how come when talking to me, you are always so mean?"

Teng Shang said, "I never mean to be harsh towards Lord Marquis."

Then he glanced at Xue Yu; there was a glint of triumph in his eyes. Still smiling, he said, "If Lord Marquis didn't give me a carrot and a stick, I wouldn't even think of being harsh to you."

"What you're saying..." Xue Yu said, "I don't understand."

"Before you left for the capital city, Xue Wang ordered me to investigate the assassination attempt on the Empress..."

"Oh," Xue Yu exclaimed, "The Empress was attacked? Did you find out the culprit?"

Teng Shang said, "Before meeting Lord Marquis, I was having trouble finding clues. But since having tea together with Lord Marquis that day, suddenly I'm determined to get to the bottom of it."

"Oh..."

Teng Shang saw Xue Yu still rode beside him and didn't seem nervous in the slightest. He slowly added, "The assassins are indeed Teng Country people, but they aren't former subordinates of mine. When they were interrogated, at first they said they were sent by Feng Wang, but then they took back their confession and said they were actually sent by me. Apparently their purpose was to kill two birds with one stone. They wanted to anger Feng Wang and, at the same time, get rid of a nuisance that was me... Unfortunately, Lord Marquis might never have expected that Xue Wang would hand over the case to me."

"Me?" Xue Yu seemed utterly surprised, "But wait, why are you even suspecting me? Assassinating the Empress is a grave crime, I have no motives and the means to do it... Also, as you might have heard people talking, me and the Empress used to have feelings for each other. Why do I even want to harm her?"

Teng Shang laughed and said, "No need to tell false lies to people who have eyes. That year when we first met, you were already a Marquis Zhenjiang, were you not? A marquis, left his appointed station without permissions, disguised himself as a scholar and served in a Teng Country's senior official's Residence. Lord Marquis, what is your real intention?"

Xue Yu laughed but didn't deny Teng Shang's accusation. He urged his horse to walk a little in front of Teng Shang, then he turned over his shoulder to say, "You really wish to join this battle, right?"

He said, "You are ambitious and very talented. But you are also a stubborn blockhead. Someday, your loyalty will kill you."

Teng Shang pulled his reigns. What Xue Yu said was true. Teng Shang was so loyal he would spare no effort and even be willing to sacrifice himself for Teng Country. Other people would find it easy for them to change their loyalties, but they weren't Teng Shang. They didn't know what it felt like being an orphan without any blood-relatives. They never knew how Teng Shang had to rely on himself when he had nowhere else to turn to.