Su Yi slumped onto the bed in dejection. He could clearly recall Wanyan Xu’s words to him on that night, but he had thought they were just idle musings and had not taken them to heart. Thinking back, could he have been perfectly serious? Thinking of this, he could not help but feel both shock and fear. He was shocked that Wanyan Xu would have the audacity to defy the world and name a male Empress. His fear stemmed from the possibility that should he refuse, Wanyan Xu might really unleash a storm of bloody vengeance upon his people. No matter how he thought over the matter, he could not see how he had even the slightest room for resistance. He heaved a long sigh, even after he endured much suffering and had found a way to cope with his humiliation to continue living without purpose, could it be that Heaven had still not finished testing him?
When night fell, the long-absent Wanyan Xu made an appearance at Su Yi's quarters, but his face was devoid of the high-spirits that usually coloured his expression. Su Yi looked at him coldly, noting that his expression was unusually solemn and there was a trace of anxiety deep in his eyes. With great apprehension in his heart, Su Yi slowly approached and sat down opposite him before saying grimly: "Do you have something to say to me?”
Wanyan Xu looked at him in surprise, which soon turned to relief. With a forced laugh, he said: "Shuo Er must have came by to give you a heads up. That's good, since he has told you, it saves me [1] the difficulty of having to search for words. Su Su, the feelings I have for you are even known to all the spirits and deities in heaven and earth, I would like to please you in every matter. But this issue is of great importance, although I know that you would rather suffer ten-thousand deaths before agreeing, it is beyond your control. I advise you to accept as soon as possible, if not, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Su Yi was silent for a long time before saying sadly: “Don’t tell me that you really intend to name me as your empress?” Although his heart already knew the answer, he still clung to a thread of optimism, hoping against hope that he would hear a different answer from Wanyan Xu's lips.
Wanyan Xu could not bear to see the spark of hope in Su Yi's eyes. Turning his head away, he hardened his heart and said through gritted teeth: “that’s right, I want to crown you as my Empress. The Great Qi and Jin Liao will be united through our union, from now on we shall really be as a family.”
Su Yi looked straight into his eyes and said in a trembling voice: “Wan Yan Xu, must you really humiliate me like this, this would only cause the people of Great Qi to mock me for lacking a backbone and rebuke me for selling out my country. I will not be able to walk on the streets without having to suffer jeers and people spitting on me. Would you be satisfied only when that happens?”
Wanyan Xu did not try to avoid his eyes, and said seriously: “My heart is as clear as water, with the sky, earth, sun and moon as witness. Our standpoints are different, if you insist that my sincere intentions are indeed so unbearable, I have nothing further to say. There will a very auspicious date three months later; I intend to hold a great ceremony to crown the empress on that day. You should start preparing from today.”
Things had already gone too far, but contrary to expectations, Su Yi became serene. Looking at Wanyan Xu he gave a sad smile and said: “Alright, if you are determined to do this, I have no means of changing your mind. You can rest assured, I shall prepare well and you will surely be satisfied. But there is another matter I wish to discuss. Could you keep your promise to release my captured troops, let them return to their homes and spend the rest of their lives as farmers, safe in the bosom of their family?"
Wanyan Xu was stunned, he had never expected that Su Yi would agree so easily. When he had recovered his senses --- he was almost delirious with joy --- he took a few steps, hugged Su Yi tightly and said: “Su Yu, my good Su Su, since you have promised to be my official and rightful Empress, even if you made a hundred requests, or even a thousand requests, I will agree to them all. Needless to say, I will certainly keep my promise to release your soldiers.” So saying, he turned to face the door and said: “Zi Nong, come in.”
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