Chapter Fifty-Seven: Your Death Is His Only Chance at Survival

Iron-Blooded Ming

Prison.

An old convict squeezed half his head between the iron bars and said to Wang Pu, “Kid, you really are something, refusing a princess’s marriage proposal for the sake of a courtesan?”

Wang Pu replied irritably, “What do you know!”

The old convict pointed his shackled hands toward the direction of the interrogation room and said, “I heard everything you just said to that Chen Xinjia boy. Heh, who’d have thought Chen Xinjia would become Minister of War? And what about that little bastard Yang Sichang? Has His Majesty had his head chopped off yet?”

Wang Pu lay back on the pile of straw and ignored him.

“Kid, come on, tell me.” The old convict looked pitifully at Wang Pu, pleading, “What’s going on? Why did you refuse to marry the princess? Tell me, hurry up and tell me.”

Wang Pu said, “Then you tell me your name first, what you do, and why you ended up in prison.”

The old convict withdrew his head and shouted, “Didn’t I tell you? I’ve forgotten everything.”

“Fine, if you won’t talk, then I won’t either. See how long you can hold out.”

With those words, Wang Pu turned over and went to sleep, paying no further attention to the old convict.

■■■

Outside the city, in Wang Pu’s military camp.

Worried for Wang Pu’s safety, Chen Yuanyuan was restless with anxiety when suddenly a servant entered and reported, “Madam, a young lady named Wang Yue requests to see you. She claims to be your sworn sister from Suzhou.”

“Wang Yue? Sister Yue?” Chen Yuanyuan exclaimed in delight, “Invite her in at once.”

The servant obeyed, soon returning with a slender, dazzling young woman of enchanting beauty. As soon as Chen Yuanyuan saw her, she rushed into her arms like reuniting with family, bursting into tears. “Sister Yue…”

“My dear sister.”

Wang Yue hugged Chen Yuanyuan tightly, tears streaming from her beautiful eyes as well.

It was a long while before their sobbing subsided. Wang Yue gently wiped the tears from Chen Yuanyuan’s cheeks with her handkerchief and spoke softly, “Sister, I’ve heard all about you and Commander Wang. Don’t panic. As the saying goes, fortune favors the kind. Commander Wang is loyal and responsible—heaven will protect him.”

“Mm.” Chen Yuanyuan nodded through her tears.

“Sister, if not for the new play in our troupe, I wouldn’t even have known about your troubles with Commander Wang.”

“A new play?” Chen Yuanyuan asked in confusion, “What play?”

“You don’t know?” Wang Yue said in surprise. “Someone wrote your story with Commander Wang into an opera. How you met in Wujiang, how you were kidnapped by river bandits, how Commander Wang risked his life to save you—all the major troupes are rehearsing your new play now. Sister, to have found such a worthy husband, you are truly blessed.”

“But now my husband has been thrown into prison.” Tears streamed down Chen Yuanyuan’s face again as she sobbed, “If anything happens to him, I have no reason to live.”

“Silly girl, don’t talk nonsense.” Wang Yue gently embraced her, comforting her, “It will be all right.”

“My lady.” As the sisters were comforting each other, the servant Amu’s voice sounded from outside the tent. “The Minister of War, Lord Chen, requests to see you.”

Chen Yuanyuan wiped her tears and replied, “Amu, tell Lord Chen my husband is not in the camp, and as a woman alone, it is not convenient for me to see him.”

“But… he insists on meeting you, my lady. He says it concerns the general’s life.”

“My husband’s life?” Chen Yuanyuan’s heart skipped a beat. “Amu, please invite Lord Chen in.”

“Yes, madam.” Amu went out to do as she was told.

Wang Yue stood up and said, “Sister, perhaps I should leave you two alone.”

Chen Yuanyuan led Wang Yue into the inner tent. “Sister, wait here for a while.”

Soon, Amu returned with Chen Xinjia. Chen Yuanyuan greeted him with a curtsey, “Greetings, my lord.”

“That’s enough,” Chen Xinjia waved his hand, but when his gaze fell on her face, he was stunned for a moment. Her delicate brows were lightly drawn, her cheeks still streaked with tears, making her look heartbreakingly beautiful. Inwardly, Chen Xinjia sighed—such a peerless beauty! No wonder Wang Pu would risk offending His Majesty rather than abandon her.

Chen Yuanyuan composed herself and said, “Please, my lord, have a seat.”

“There’s no need.” Chen Xinjia steadied himself. “I’ll be brief.”

“Please speak, my lord.”

“There’s not much more to say. You already know Commander Wang’s predicament. There is only one way to save his life: he must marry Princess Changping. If Wang Pu becomes a royal son-in-law, he’ll be part of the imperial family and safe from harm.”

Chen Yuanyuan said quietly, “I have tried to persuade my husband, but he will not agree.”

“Do you know why?” Chen Xinjia steeled himself, then said coldly, “Because of you. As long as you’re alive, he will never abandon you to marry another.”

Chen Yuanyuan was struck as if by lightning, and looked up at Chen Xinjia in shock.

He turned away, unable to meet her gaze. “If you truly care for Wang Pu, you can’t just watch him walk to his death. That is all I have to say. Decide for yourself what to do. Farewell.”

Chen Yuanyuan sat in a daze, not even noticing when he left.

“My dear sister.” Wang Yue emerged from the inner tent, gently embracing Chen Yuanyuan’s shoulders and coaxing her, “Don’t listen to Chen Xinjia’s nonsense. You and Commander Wang love each other deeply—don’t do anything foolish that would leave him with a lifetime of regret.”

“Sister.” Chen Yuanyuan slowly raised her head, her voice desolate. “Is there really no other way to save my husband? Lord Chen is right. If I die, my husband won’t need to abandon me and remarry. There will be nothing standing between him and Her Highness. If he becomes the prince consort, nothing bad will happen to him…”

Wang Yue had no reply.

“As long as my husband survives and lives well, I am willing to do anything for him.” Chen Yuanyuan’s tone grew resolute as she looked at Wang Yue. “Sister, you have been in the capital longer and know more people than I do. Can you help me find a way to see my husband in prison one last time?”

“Silly girl.” Wang Yue shook her head, holding back tears. “I can’t help you with that.”

“Sister.” Chen Yuanyuan knelt before Wang Yue, weeping. “With my husband imprisoned, I am alone in the capital. You are my only family. If even you won’t help me, I truly don’t know what to do.”

“My dear sister,” Wang Yue sobbed, “if I agree, wouldn’t I be sending you to your death?”

“Enough.” Seeing Wang Yue’s resolve, Chen Yuanyuan said sorrowfully, “If my husband can live, that is enough for me. It doesn’t matter if I see him one last time or not.”

“Sister…”

“Sister, could you at least deliver a message to him for me?”

“Don’t be like this, sister. If you really heed that scoundrel Chen Xinjia’s advice, Commander Wang will regret it for the rest of his life.”

“Sister, you won’t even deliver a message for me?”

Looking at Chen Yuanyuan’s pitiful expression, Wang Yue’s heart ached as if it would break. She said sadly, “Very well, I will go back and try to find someone who can help you see Commander Wang in prison.”

“Sister.” Chen Yuanyuan’s sorrow turned to joy. “Thank you, dear sister.”

Wang Yue wept, “Silly girl, how can you still manage to smile?”