World's First Traitor System (401)

Chapter 401 - The Ocean, Ah, Full of Water

Reports of the battle in Great Ming arrived swiftly. Crown Prince Wanli, defeated by Li Yu's ink soldiers, retreated fifty miles. In another battle, he was defeated once more, retreating a further hundred miles.

Wanli was defeated repeatedly, yet because of Emperor Jiajing’s imperial edict, he was forced to fight again, and again, and again.

He was forced to retreat all the way to the outskirts of the Great Ming capital.

The same situation—a capital defense—was now unfolding in Great Ming.

By this time, news of Fan Li’s successful defense of Peng City had reached Great Ming.

The people of Great Ming, however, were filled with worry.

Crown Prince Wanli had suffered consecutive defeats, and they saw no hope of him matching Li Yu of the Southern Tang.

Faced with the same celestial Emperor, Great Ming’s Crown Prince was clearly no match for Great Chu’s Duke Jin!

Wanli, too, wanted to turn the tables and restore his reputation. But he had no chance.

Emperor Jiajing suddenly made his move. Though he didn't appear in person, the Vermilion Bird of Great Ming soared through the nine heavens.

The Vermilion Bird flew out of the capital, soaring above the million ink soldiers. Its intense flames blotted out the entire sky. In an instant, the heavens and earth were as hot as a charcoal fire. The ink soldiers, manifested from Li Yu's brushwork, were made from manifestations of water, and thus, belonged to the water element.

Water and fire clashed, and the victor was decided in an instant.

The Vermilion Bird of Great Ming was far more powerful. The million ink soldiers were immediately reduced to pools of ink, splattered across the earth, quickly drying to leave ugly black marks.

“Long live His Majesty!”

“Long live His Majesty!”

“Long live His Majesty!”

The people of the Great Ming capital cheered in unison.

An Emperor was, after all, an Emperor. And a Crown Prince, was, after all, merely a Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Wanli wore a pale face. He handed his command talismans back to the Ministry of War and returned to his palace, where he remained behind closed doors.

Inside the Great Ming Palace, within the Zhongcui Palace, Xue Susu nestled in Emperor Jiajing's arms, whispering, “Your Majesty, your actions seem to have damaged the Crown Prince’s reputation. Even within the palace, I have heard whispers, and the common folk are complaining about the Crown Prince's defeat.”

The Imperial Concubines weren't to interfere in government affairs, yet Xue Susu dared to discuss them, a clear sign of her rising influence.

"It's his own fault for being useless, who else can he blame?"

Emperor Jiajing was smiling, his mood seemingly very good.

Xue Susu glanced sideways, exchanging a look with Ah Chang, who was preparing tea nearby.

“What does Your Majesty plan to do next?”

“Li Yu still occupies Hongzhou. Will Your Majesty send the Crown Prince on another campaign?”

Hearing Xue Susu’s question, Emperor Jiajing laughed heartily.

“Even if he had ten thousand more, a million more soldiers, he wouldn’t be able to conquer Hongzhou. Such a simple truth, even the children on the streets of the capital now understand.”

Xue Susu playfully feigned offense. “Does Your Majesty find me so ignorant, not even as knowledgeable as the children on the street?”

“Oh? Beloved Consort, please, don’t be angry; I misspoke.”

Emperor Jiajing reached out and gently stroked Xue Susu's smooth cheek before embracing her more closely.

The woman gasped lightly in mock surprise, not resisting him, and settled into his arms.

“I won’t send Wanli a single soldier, nor do I expect him to achieve anything. I will go and handle Hongzhou myself.”

Xue Susu’s body stiffened slightly when she heard this.

She looked sideways at Ah Chang again, who seemed to understand, giving her a subtle nod.

Emperor Jiajing would be personally leading the campaign against Li Yu?

This was crucial information, and they had to send it out immediately.

Ah Chang would go in person to deliver the news!

…

“Fan Li, what are you eating?”

During a video call, Xiang Ning’s curious eyes were fixed on the hot pot in front of Fan Li.

“Why are you eating from a washbasin?”

“Your Majesty, this is a spicy red oil hotpot, not a washbasin,” Fan Li said, while dropping a plate of beef into the pot.

The term ‘hotpot’ was clearly new to Xiang Ning.

She studied it closely, then suddenly questioned, “You’re lying to me again! There’s no fire in the pot! How can it be called a hotpot?”

“Your Majesty, a hotpot doesn’t necessarily require fire,” Fan Li said helplessly.

“Then it should have a different name. You can’t call it a hotpot!”

Once a woman's stubbornness took root, there was no way to stop it.

Fortunately, Fan Li knew how to handle her.

“Your Majesty, who said a hotpot had to have fire?”

“Does wife cake have a wife?”

“Does fish-fragrant shredded pork have fish?”

“Does squirrel mandarin fish have a squirrel?”

“Does rolling donkey have a donkey?”

His string of questions completely overwhelmed Xiang Ning.

She remained silent for a long while, her face turning red, before suddenly turning to Han Yue, pulling her into the video frame.

“Han Yue, look at him! He’s bullying me again!”

Hearing the name “Han Yue,” Fan Li’s hand trembled, and he almost dropped his chopsticks into the pot.

“Cough, long time… no see.” The man awkwardly rubbed his hands together.

Xiang Ning often called, but Han Yue rarely appeared.

This "long time no see" was true, indeed.

"Mm," Han Yue nodded, her gaze shifting elsewhere. “Long time no see.”

Ever since she had made such an impact on Fan Li's heart, Han Yue’s attitude towards him had changed.

In the past, she would come and go freely at the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion, not even bothering to say hello.

But now, she avoided even making eye contact.

“Are you eating?”

“Yes, a hotpot. Have you eaten?”

“What’s a hotpot?”

“It’s a kind of boiled dish. You put ingredients in a pot of hot broth to cook, then dip them in sauce before eating. There are many different spicy broths, like beef tallow, fermented bean paste, chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger…”

Fan Li babbled on, his gaze shifting as he spoke.

They were both on a video call, yet neither dared to look directly at the other; the atmosphere felt strangely awkward.

“Fan Li!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Xiang Ning’s outburst interrupted Fan Li's description of the hotpot.

“What is it, Your Majesty?” Fan Li asked, bewildered.

Xiang Ning gritted her teeth, pointing at Fan Li, her body trembling slightly.

“You, you, you… you are treating us differently!”

“When I asked you what a hotpot was, why didn’t you explain it in such detail?!”

Treating them differently?

Was he?

Fan Li scratched his head, completely clueless.

“I want to eat hotpot!” Xiang Ning added.

“Your Majesty, can you eat spicy food?” Fan Li asked, curious.

Great Chu was rich in water resources. Their cuisine focused on seafood, and the dishes were often light and elegant.

Fan Li thought that Xiang Ning's tolerance for spice was probably on par with someone from the southern provinces of his previous world.

“I… can!”

Xiang Ning looked at the bubbling red oil broth, imagining her tongue being fried in the fiery depths. But how could she admit defeat in front of Fan Li?

“Alright,” Fan Li nodded. “I’ll speak to Empress Yao Guang and arrange to send you some hotpot ingredients. It shouldn't be a problem."

Seeing that Fan Li had agreed to her request, Xiang Ning’s expression improved.

"Han Yue, why don't you try it too?”

She happily held Han Yue’s hand, like someone sharing a delicious treat with their best friend.

"I...don't like spicy food." Han Yue frowned slightly, as if she truly disliked spicy food.

Fan Li, however, blurted out, “Hotpot also comes with non-spicy broths, like tomato, mushroom, clear broth, or congee. I'll prepare them all for you. You can try them?”

Han Yue, surprised by his thoroughness, smiled at Fan Li.

"Hehehe."

Fan Li, too, laughed with a hint of smugness.

“Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“You are trying to anger me!!!!”

Xiang Ning once again felt neglected.

Why!

Why was it that even though there were non-spicy broths, Fan Li hadn't told her?

Ah, why?!