Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 83: Deep feelings for the old sword!
[Chu Shizhao established the Later Zhou court in the south, but had no foundation in the north. In addition, the situation in the north was chaotic, and there were disputes everywhere. As a result, the soldiers in many places in the north were brave and fierce in battle. This is why Chu Shizhao encountered many setbacks while going north.]

[Li Jin knew very well that Chu Shizhao now needed an army from the north as the main force to open up the front line here.]

[However, Li Jin was also concerned about the "Chang'an Rebellion" in the past. He failed to exert his full strength and failed to intercept Ma Su'an from multiple directions to resist his rapid march, which led to the tragic destruction of the Zhou Dynasty.]

[This is why Li Jin wants to marry his daughter to Chu Shizhao, in exchange for a more stable relationship between the two families. ]

Of course, Li Fengning himself also contributed to this.

【So Chu Shizhao and Li Jin agreed to meet at a location on the Zhang River. 】

[Guo You was worried that Li Jin had ill intentions and felt that the Jinyang Li family had not really shown any intention of returning to the Later Zhou Dynasty, so he should be worried that there might be some fraud.]

【Chu Shizhao disagrees.】

[If there was a trick, Li Jin could have intervened and put Chu Shizhao to death when Wang Huai and Yan Ming were chasing him, instead of joining forces with Chu Shizhao to repel the two's pursuers.]

【During this trip to Zhanghe, Chu Shizhao and Li Jin were able to meet each other. 】

[Li Jin was wearing armor. He was not that tall and majestic, but he had narrow eyes and a beautiful appearance. He looked like a gentleman, and his words and actions were like those of a great general.]

【Chu Shizhao, with a sword on his waist, dismounted calmly. In the past five years, Chu Shizhao had lived through the death of Emperor Yongjin, the assassination of Emperor Kaiyang, and the burning of the treacherous in the flames. He had also led a lone army to fight against the ant thieves. He made his fortune in Jingzhou and ruled the south. He was an eighteen-year-old boy, and now he is twenty-three years old and has established himself in the old capital of Nanjing. In five years, he has established a country and become an emperor. His face is firm, but he is full of vigor and vitality.】

[As he walked over with his horse, Chu Shizhao's demeanor was completely different from previous years. Even as he walked, he exuded an inviolable dignity.]

【Li Jin was very satisfied with Chu Shizhao's outstanding appearance and talent. However, he was concerned about his attitude towards the Li family.】

[So Li Jin stopped hesitating and started to speak: "Today, the country is out of order. Warlords in various places are fighting each other. They think they are destined by heaven. They act arbitrarily in and outside the capital, slaughtering the people at will, thinking they are the masters of a place. Those powerful people and aristocratic families are tyrannical and tyrannical everywhere."]

[“The people in the north did not know the emperor’s orders, nor did they know where the Zhou Dynasty was. The governors and county governors and even officials were often relocated and replaced, or even harmed by others, so that the people did not know where to go.”]

[“The counties have long awaited your Excellency.”]

[“I want to rectify the Zhou Dynasty and restore the prosperity of the world, but the Zhou Dynasty was in decline and failed to resist Ma Su’an’s rebellion, which led to chaos in Guanzhong. I feel deeply guilty and can’t sleep. When I saw you, I hesitated and was worried.”]

Li Jin sighed and said, "I heard that you were fighting and retreating in Hebei, so I came here in a hurry."

[“I was deeply moved by the fact that you helped people cross the river.”]

[“I, the Li family, am willing to do my utmost to help you, sir.”]

[As soon as Li Jin finished speaking, a white horse passed by. Li Fengning got off the horse and saw her father talking about something but not the main business. Then she came out and asked questions herself.]

[She stared at Chu Shizhao and asked directly: "Are you married, sir?"]

[Li Jin was silent for a moment. Li Fengning had always been rude to outsiders, as if all heroes in the world were mediocre people. She had never seen her have such an attitude.]

Chu Shizhao was slightly stunned for a moment, then he clasped his fists and said without hiding anything: "When I was in trouble, it was my family who saved me from the dire situation. I already have a wife."

[Li Jin showed a look of understanding. Considering Chu Shizhao's age and ability, it is not normal for him to be without a wife at this time. ] [Li Fengning's face changed slightly, but he didn't say anything, just left silently. ]

[She has always been arrogant and proud, never admitting defeat, so it is extremely unlikely that she would be willing to be someone else's concubine. However, Li Fengning also couldn't possibly ask Chu Shizhao to divorce his wife.]

[If, as Chu Shizhao said, his wife was a common man who had shared weal and woe with him, what identity and reason did she have to persuade Chu Shizhao to do such a thing?]

[And Chu Shizhao was able to divorce his first wife in order to gain the support of the Li family. Can such a person be called a hero? ]

[So Li Fengning didn't ask, nor did she say anything, and she didn't want to get married again, so she decided to just spend her life in the military.]

[In August of the second year of Shengwu, Chu Shizhao comforted Li Jin and told him that "those who are doing great things do not care about hatred." This made Li Jin feel more at ease to act for Chu Shizhao.]

[In the same month, Guo You thought over and over again and decided to offer advice to Chu Shizhao.]

[However, Guo You knew when to advance and when to retreat. The first thing he said was not to admonish Chu Shizhao for his wrongdoing, but to approve of Chu Shizhao's behavior.]

[“My lord, you made a fortune but did not forget your wife. This is the best quality a person can have. However, throughout history, those who have achieved great success have never been particular about small matters!”]

[“You can forgive those ministers who were once your enemies and continue to employ them, so why can’t you accept Li’s eldest daughter?” Guo You pondered. He didn’t mention asking Chu Shizhao to divorce his wife, but every sentence had this meaning.]

[“The Li family, who have long occupied Jinyang, are powerful in the north and control important passes. They also assisted us at a critical moment, enabling us to defeat the armies of Wang and Yan. If we could get their help, it would be much easier to pacify the world.”]

[“Have you forgotten your ambition, my lord?”]

Chu Shizhao just looked at Guo You and said, "I heard that when a person is at his loneliest, he should never forget the friends he made. Similarly, a wife who has gone through hardships with him and has been through the hardest times should not be easily abandoned."

[“Just like the sword in my hand, it has been with me in battles for many years, and the blade is stained with the blood of countless enemies. It doesn’t seem as sharp as it used to be, but everyone recognizes this sword and knows how important it is to me.”]

[“Because I have a sharper sword, I have to throw away this sword that has served me so well. I really can’t bear it.”]

[“Even if there is no war in the future, I will preserve it well.”]

[“If I lose this sword because of this, I will regret it for the rest of my life.”]

[“And Wen He, if one day, a minister who is smarter and more considerate of the monarch’s heart came to my side, and he offered me slanderous words, making me feel that you are not so outstanding, then I would ignore you, alienate you, and even demote you to a place where I can no longer see you.”]

[“What do you think?”]

【Guo You stopped trying to persuade him, and sighed at Chu Shizhao's true nature. This is the origin of the idioms - "deep affection for an old sword" and "a wife who lives in a trough".】

Looking at the picture in my mind, I paused slightly.

Li Fengning's breathing also paused.

It was obvious that she was the first to become Chu Shizhao's first wife, and finally became his queen.

How come things have turned out like this now?
(End of this chapter)