2.13 || Virtuous To One's Husband

                                    

                                          
Liu Qirong asked a question to no one, "Why would anyone want to be an Emperor?"
                          
For every single feudal-like lifetime she had been reborn into, the throne had always been a reason for sons to kill their fathers, desecrate their mother's families, for lovers to kill each other, for ... a husband to scheme against his own wife.
                          
"For the absolute power over a dynasty, one has to constantly live in worry. Other kingdoms want a piece of the Emperor's dynasty, the Emperor's children kill each other for the throne succession, the women in the Emperor's harem scheme day in and out," Liu Qirong mused, "If a man wants to be an Emperor just for power he may not be able to keep a lifetime, I'd say he's more stupid than an imbecile. Why would anyone want to be one?"
                          
Anluo decided to throw another question instead, asking in a light-hearted manner, "Do you know what Khagan Yuzhen wants?" He did not wait for Liu Qirong's reply, "He just wants you to be happy."
                          
Liu Qirong laughed at this, "Which is bizarre, because he does not love me." Such a pure-hearted noble man who wanted a woman to be happy without any ulterior motive; was he a saint?
                          
Anluo shrugged, "He's in denial." In Anluo's view, how could someone go through such lengths for another person if love was not the reason? 
                          
Anluo, this loyal friend and subordinate, would make sure he drilled Yuzhen's good points into Liu Qirong's mind and heart.  Anluo asked cautiously, "Do you like him?"
                          
After Liu Qirong's conjecture about Hou Feihong, as well as how Anluo could perceive her lack of emotion towards the latter, he was convinced more than ever: Yuzhen should just whisk this woman away.
                          
Liu Qirong's lips were curled in amusement, "I... do not dislike him." 
                          
As both did not have anything to do, Liu Qirong ended up hearing about Yuzhen's whole life story from Anluo. 
                          
Yuzhen was an orphan left alone because his parents had perished in war. However, the young Yuzhen back then had displayed tenacity and maturity far above children his age. When an older Khagan's aide found Yuzhen, the latter had already become a leader of war orphans, all of whom had been educated and trained by him. Not only was this group of children healthy and well-fed, they were also literate and possessed bearing more dignified than most wealthy merchants' sons. 
                          
The Khagan later noticed Yuzhen's exemplary qualities and decided to take him under his wing. The Khagan's heir, Yungao, who finally became the current king, swore brotherhood with Yuzhen. Together, they put numerous civil unrests and wars to rest, before setting their sights on expanding their borders. Initially, the Khaganate had considered engaging Nan Shu in a large scale war, but Yungao and Yuzhen decided against it.
                          
King Yungao said the Khaganate was still developing. With dwindling human resources, they could not afford to ruin their future generations by sending their men to wars that was sure to kill a lot of their population.
                          
Anluo had followed Yuzhen since childhood and always assumed Yuzhen was heroic and was of the same line of thought with King Yungao. But his master always said, ["Nan Shu must not perish. Not while that person's living there."]
                          
Anluo glanced at Liu Qirong. There was dust and dirt on her face, and her hair had become somewhat unkempt, but her bright eyes and beauty could not be concealed. Anluo was confused; now he was almost sure Yuzhen had always been referring to Liu Qirong whenever the latter was speaking gibberish about ['mission'] and ['making sure that person is happy']. But Yuzhen had never left the Khaganate before and there was no way for him to have met Liu Qirong prior their actual arrival at Nan Shu to seal the alliance.
                          
Anluo had previously only thought about what Yuzhen wanted. It did not matter how a woman was, even if she were someone else's wife or if she were lacking in character; as long as Yuzhen gave the command, Anluo would abduct even an Empress for his master.