My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

Attaining the position of a general, Wu Fan didn't rely on ancestral connections or the favor of figures like Luo Chen; his intellect served him well.

In no time, Wu Fan grasped the underlying meaning: they wanted to send him as cannon fodder!

Wu Fan's countenance turned cold, and he inquired, "Is this your intention, or the Empress Dowager's?"

"What do you mean, General Wu?"

Luo Chen was taken aback momentarily, not expecting Wu Fan's swift comprehension.

Nonetheless, he remained indifferent and continued, "Whether it's my intention or the Empress Dowager's, it doesn't matter. You're on your own to win over the officials in the Ministry of Rites if you want to deal with Gu Lan."

"As for me, whether you seek financial or other support, it's all possible. However, I won't get involved personally."

A flash of disdain crossed Wu Fan's eyes as he chuckled, "I never expected Commander Luo to be so afraid of a mere pretty face. Are you afraid that as a great general, I can't handle a bookish youth?"

His tone was filled with indignation.

Luo Chen's actions undoubtedly marked him as a pawn for Wu Fan!

"General Wu, you misunderstand. Neither the Empress Dowager nor I have such intentions. We merely wish to minimize our involvement in order to avoid attracting Her Majesty's attention in the future," explained Luo Chen.

This explanation was also handed down by the Empress Dowager, but Wu Fan merely snorted in response, clearly not entirely convinced.

However, he also understood that continuing the confrontation would be fruitless for him.

After all, Wu Fan was in a subordinate position and couldn't resist; he could only submit to the humiliation!

In his heart, he vowed fiercely, "When I was in power, you, Commander, sought alliances with me. Now that I'm in decline, you're throwing stones at me? When I regain power, I will repay today's humiliation in full!"

Time changes everything. Wu Fan was determined not only to deal with Luo Chen but also to humiliate the vile woman, the Empress Dowager, who once thought herself untouchable!

However, at this moment, Wu Fan couldn't resist.

Accepting the situation, he only muttered, "I hope you won't fail me when the time comes... Gu Lan is not only my enemy but also the main culprit in your fall from grace. If you don't take this seriously, then I might as well leave with my private army!"

Luo Chen was genuinely intimidated by Wu Fan's tone and hastily reassured, "General Wu, we will do our best to assist you when the time comes. You can count on us! I am more than eager to rid ourselves of Gu Lan, the pretty face."

"Let's hope so," Wu Fan glanced deeply at Luo Chen before departing the council chamber.

Returning to his room, he felt his chest about to explode with fury, yet he felt helpless.

He had never experienced such treatment before, being used as a pawn to test a pretty face!

Though Luo Chen and the Empress Dowager's excuses sounded reasonable, Wu Fan didn't believe a word.

Ultimately, they aimed to extricate themselves, leaving him to eliminate the pretty face.

If he succeeded, that would be good; if he failed, they wouldn't suffer any loss.

Even if he were arrested, they wouldn't be implicated.

There was no evidence linking them to his assassination attempt.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Wu Fan sensed a faint presence, causing him to be on high alert.

He wondered, "Who is it? Could Luo Chen be unable to contain himself and intend to betray me? Was everything just an act?"

However, he quickly dismissed the idea.

Luo Chen wouldn't undertake such thankless tasks.

Besides, reporting him would expose Luo Chen's sheltering of wanted criminals.

Wu Fan noticed movement on the table, and as he looked closer, he was horrified. Words appeared silently:

"At three in the morning, in the northern outskirts of the city, come alone."

Wu Fan's shock remained unabated.

The appearance of the words was sudden, without warning.

It meant that if the person who wrote those words intended to assassinate him, they could do so without him noticing, silently and effortlessly.

This lack of control over his own life was terrifying and despair-inducing.

"Outside the city, the Plum Forest..."

Wu Fan murmured to himself.

Despite his fear, he decided to go and meet whoever left the message.

Although the person who left the note possessed terrifying abilities, it seemed they harbored no malice towards him.

Otherwise, they would have taken his life directly, rather than leaving a message on the table.

Understanding the stakes, Wu Fan's fear diminished.

His situation was already dire, and he might as well take a chance outside the city.

Plum Forest lay north of the capital city, a vast forest filled with plum blossoms.

In the depths of winter, the blooming plums painted the entire forest in fiery red, visible even in the dead of night.

As a general, Wu Fan's cultivation was undoubtedly formidable.

He could see clearly even in the darkest of nights.

In the sea of crimson plum blossoms, Wu Fan spotted a figure in black robes.

The figure possessed a strikingly alluring silhouette, clearly a woman who had left the message, though Wu Fan had no recollection of her. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire

Wu Fan's face betrayed bewilderment; he didn't know who this woman was or why she sought him out.

However, he understood one thing: if the woman left the note earlier, it meant her cultivation surpassed everyone he had ever encountered!

Before her, he was no different from an ant.

If she wished to take his life, it would be as easy as flicking a finger.

The faint pressure emanating from her filled him with dread.

Thus, Wu Fan dared not act recklessly, even though her figure tempted him with criminal thoughts.

"Dare I ask, who are you, and why did you summon me to the Plum Forest in the dead of night?"

This was Wu Fan's foremost question, and he wouldn't be at ease until he had an answer.

Upon hearing his arrival, the woman slowly turned her head.

Her cold and aloof countenance initially surprised Wu Fan, even entrancing him momentarily with her breathtaking beauty.

However, his expression soon turned to one of shock and fear as he pointed at the woman in black and said slowly, "You... you are..."

Recalling the past when he was still a general of Jing Nation, he had encountered a face that could cause national calamities on the southern battlefield.

That face, now remembered, seemed to overlap with the cold countenance of the woman in black!

The woman remained silent, yet she had thoroughly subdued Wu Fan, rendering him motionless.

In the Plum Forest's nocturnal breeze, the fragrance of plums hung in the air, adding to the silence and solitude.

...