Chapter 65 has been replaced.

A cold wind blew across the hillside.

The white-haired old chieftain sat on horseback, gazing at a camp on the plain below the mountain.

They had already left White Sand City, and on the plains lay the Sheti tribe, where the chieftain of White Sand City had been killed by a hail of arrows.

Just now, flames suddenly erupted in the camp, engulfing the entire camp in a raging fire, followed by the sounds of fighting.

As the newly appointed chieftain was admiring the jewels bestowed upon him by Governor Uller in his main tent, his brother suddenly rushed into the tent, surrounded by his men, wielding a sword. He killed him with a few blows, carried his head out, and declared himself the new chieftain.

The other brothers were not convinced and rallied their loyal followers. The men rushed out from different tents, and several groups of men fought each other in the camp.

The stench of blood wafted in the wind.

The chieftain was killed by Uller, and the chieftain's sons killed each other. A tribe that was so powerful that even the Xiliang people feared it declined.

Today, regardless of who emerges victorious, this tribe is no longer powerful and will soon be swallowed up by other covetous tribes.

Uller was not only ruthless but also cunning. He eliminated a major threat to the Sheti tribe without even having to send troops to attack them.

The white-haired chieftain turned around, glanced at his sons riding behind him, pointed down the mountain with his whip, and said, "Look, this is the consequence of infighting within the tribe! No matter how strong a lone wolf is, it cannot survive on the grassland. Wolves cannot live without their packs. A tribe must unite to grow strong! Remember, if we are not united, today's Sheti tribe will be tomorrow's us!"

The sons all respectfully replied, "Grandpa, we understand."

The old chieftain turned his horse around and led his sons back to his main tent.

In the afternoon, the infighting within the Sheti tribe ended. Some of the defeated forces surrendered, while others fled the camp and sought refuge with other tribes.

The old chief's tribe also took in a group that came to seek refuge.

...

A few days later, the Dosang tribe returned to their original camp.

A subordinate entered the old chieftain's tent with a letter and said, "General Kang Wugu is going to war again. Governor Uller has ordered us to select three hundred able-bodied men from the tribe to go on the expedition with the Xiliang army. We will prepare the saddles, horses and food for the men ourselves. Governor Uller will meet them in Baisha City within ten days. This is the conscription order written by Governor Uller."

The old chief took the paper and sighed.

His sons' faces paled, and they angrily said, "The men of our Dosang tribe are all brave and skilled soldiers. It's not difficult to select three hundred strong men, but last year we followed the general to Baile Lake to fight the enemy. Hundreds of us died in battle, and the tribe has not yet recovered. This winter, so many people froze to death, and herds of cattle and sheep have also died. How can we gather enough food in ten days? Moreover, they took the food with them. How are we going to feed the tribe's elderly, weak, women, and children?"

"By the time they returned to their tribe after the war, the women and children had all starved to death!"

The old chief sighed helplessly, sat on the carpet, and pondered for a long time before saying, "We can't let the tribe's elderly, weak, women, and children hand over their stored food; they will starve to death. Three hundred able-bodied men, each carrying only a few days' worth of rations!"

The subordinate asked, "What will they do when they run out of food?"

The old chieftain lowered his eyes and said, "If you don't want to starve to death, then kill more enemies on the battlefield and exchange your war merits for food."

His subordinates also sighed and went out to announce the news.

Like other tribes, the Dosang tribe considered all its members as soldiers. In peacetime, they herded livestock and produced crops, and in wartime, they went to war with the army. The subordinates issued the chief's order, selecting three hundred able-bodied men. The men immediately took up arms and bid farewell to their families.

The elderly bid farewell to their sons, the women bid farewell to their husbands and lovers, and the children bid farewell to their fathers.

The tribe was filled with the sound of sorrowful weeping.

The women and children clung to the man's sleeves, weeping bitterly, utterly heartbroken.

For the tribes on the grasslands, this scene happens every year.

The men embraced their loved ones, mounted their warhorses, and left the tribe.

The young woman and child chased after them, crying and shouting the names of their loved ones.

The gods prayed that they would return safely.

The old woman remained motionless, watching her son and grandson's retreating figures.

Every winter, almost every household in the tribe lost a loved one who froze or starved to death.

Every elderly woman who survived the harsh environment had become accustomed to life and death. They had bid farewell to their loved ones time and time again, searched for their loved ones' figures when the soldiers returned, and stood in front of the camp, weeping in despair time and time again. They had witnessed too much death, and their hearts had become numb.

Even after the three hundred soldiers left, the sound of women crying could still be heard from time to time in a corner of the camp.

...

The old chieftain, seeing off his warriors, stood in the blood-red setting sun, gazing into the distance.

Three hundred able-bodied men slowly disappeared into the majestic twilight of the grassland.

What awaited them was a brutal battlefield.

Tears welled in the old chieftain's cloudy eyes. With a heavy heart, he turned and went back to his tent.

His sons followed him in.

"Grandpa, the people of Xiliang are at war every year and are conscripting soldiers every year. When will this end?"

The old chieftain looked sad and said, "Under the rule of several powerful rulers, Xiliang has gradually risen and grown stronger. The current General Kang Wugu, who holds great power in the court, is also a man of great talent. He is good at fighting and advocates continuing to expand the territory by force. Xiliang is at the height of its power and they will not stop their conquests."

One of the sons said, “The war has brought territory and wealth to the nobles of Xiliang, but it is ordinary people like us who are dying on the battlefield! War requires money and manpower, and taxes and corvée labor have become increasingly heavy in the past two years!”

The old chief could only sigh.

The others in the large tent exchanged glances.

“Grandpa, we are wolves, not lambs! We can’t be manipulated by the Xiliang people like sheep!” The eldest son, Baye, stepped forward, his expression indignant. “The Xiliang people dared to kill the chief of the Sheti tribe in public now, and our Duosang tribe might be next! Grandpa always said we must be patient, that patience would satisfy the Xiliang people. If enduring a moment of anger could really bring peace to the tribe, I would even endure it if they stole my woman! But what have we gained from our forbearance? The Xiliang people’s appetite is growing ever larger!”

“Grandpa, the Xiliang people are weakening us, making us lose the courage to resist, and leaving us to be slaughtered! We will also be torn apart like the Sheti tribe, and can only pray that other tribes will take us in.”

After speaking, Ba Ye glanced around at his younger brothers.

Some of his brothers remained silent, while others shared his anger.

Ba Ye silently remembered everyone's reaction and gave his younger brothers a wink.

He was established as the heir of the tribe when he was twelve years old and was very prestigious in the tribe, while his younger brothers all stepped down.

Only the old chieftain and his eldest son, Baye, remained in the main tent.

Ba Ye lowered his voice and said, "Grandpa, Sheti tribe..."

The chieftain was too careless; he was betrayed by his own son! But his decision was right. War would drag down our tribe. Rather than wait to die, we should secretly leave and lead our people back to Zhou!

The tent fell silent immediately.

Both father and son could hear each other's heavy, suppressed breathing.

The old chief remained silent.

Ba Ye looked directly at the old chieftain and said, "Grandpa, the Empress of the Great Zhou will agree to let us submit to the Zhou and will reward us with land, treasures, grain, seeds, and cattle and sheep. We can graze peacefully, and the women and children will be able to eat their fill and no longer have to wander around."

The old chieftain's face showed a look of longing. After a moment of contemplation, he smiled bitterly and said, "Baye, back when the Xiliang people were fighting the Tang army, our Duosang tribe betrayed the Tang Dynasty. I've heard that there has never been a precedent of a woman becoming emperor in the Central Plains. The female emperor was able to ascend the throne only after suppressing the entire court with an iron fist. If we submit to Zhou, will the female emperor accept us?"

"able!"

Ba Ye nodded and said loudly.

The old chief frowned: "Ba Ye, how can you be so sure?"

Ba Ye's lips curled up: "Grandpa, I want to introduce you to someone. He is very courageous, daring to come to our tribe. After what happened to the Sheti tribe, I originally wanted to hand him over to Governor Uller, but he was very calm and not afraid of death at all. He convinced me, and I believe he can help our tribe return to Zhou!"

He walked

At the doorway, he lifted the curtain and waved to his subordinates outside.

The father and son waited for a while, and then a young man wearing a cross-collar Hu robe walked into the tent, took off his face mask, and revealed a pale face.

He was a young man, but his temples were streaked with silver, and his brows were slightly weary. The hem of his robe and his boots were covered in mud, making him look travel-worn, but he remained calm and composed.

"My surname is Wei." The young man walked up to the old chieftain. "I am an envoy sent by the Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

The old chief was startled and stood up.

...

Two hours later, Wei Mingsu left the Duosang tribe.

Tong Jin waited for him at the foot of the mountain. When he saw him riding down the mountain path alone, he breathed a sigh of relief and went to greet him.

"Next time, let me accompany my lord to the Dosang tribe!"

Wei Mingsu had no martial arts skills, yet he disregarded his own safety and entered the unfamiliar tribe alone. While his companions waited outside, each day felt like an eternity, as they worried that Wei Mingsu would be hacked to pieces by the Duosang tribe.

Wei Mingsu calmly said, "You know martial arts. If something happens to me, you can send the information back."

It should be "together".

Wei Mingsu looked up at the east and said, "Chief Duosang is willing to submit to Zhou, but he needs a few days to persuade the tribe."

Tong Jin was taken aback, then looked at Wei Mingsu with a mixture of surprise and admiration.

Upon seeing Chief Sheti's head in White Sand City, Tong Jin was extremely frustrated, feeling that their mission had failed.

However, Wei Mingsu did not give up. He calmly analyzed the intelligence and concluded that all the tribes had the idea of ​​returning to Zhou, but each had its own concerns and no reliable people to help them find out the news. They did not know the attitude of the Great Zhou and were hesitant.

When he proposed to risk being killed to persuade the Dosang tribe, Tong Jin strongly opposed it.

He said, "Now is the best time for us to persuade Chief Dosang, and we cannot miss this opportunity."

He went to see the son of the chief of the Duosang tribe, but as soon as he revealed his identity, he was tied up by Baye. Tongjin was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, but fortunately he remained calm and persuaded Baye.

Tong Jin breathed a sigh of relief and said, "My lord, the Duosang tribe is willing to submit to Zhou, so can we return to Xizhou now?"

Wei Mingsu shook his head: "I want to go with the Duosang tribe to help them return to Zhou."

Tong Jin frowned and said, "My lord, that's too dangerous. The Duosang tribe is fleeing back to Xizhou with their troops. Even if the news doesn't leak out, so many people running away together will be discovered by the Xiliang people sooner or later, and they will definitely send troops to attack them."

Looking at the bright sunset in the eastern sky, Wei Mingsu said, "I represent the sincerity of the Great Zhou in accepting all tribes, and the determination of His Majesty to reclaim the Four Towns. The successful return of the Duosang tribe to Zhou is of great importance to the border situation, so I must stay."

The surrender of the Duosang tribe to Zhou would shake other tribes, thereby undermining Xiliang's influence in the Western Regions and establishing the Empress's prestige. Moreover, these tribes were more familiar with Xiliang's system and army, and Zhou could obtain more intelligence from them to prepare for future wars.

Since he dared to come right under the noses of the Xiliang people, he wouldn't go back empty-handed.

...

The old chief of the Dosan tribe was getting on in years. Although he could be cowardly at times, once he made up his mind, he would not waver. He summoned his son and his men and announced his decision.

The tribe secretly began preparations, sending soldiers to compete with other tribes for the pastures left by the Sheti tribe to lull the Xiliang people into a false sense of security, while also preparing provisions and weapons.

His subordinates considered the elderly, weak, women, and children as a burden and suggested abandoning them, fleeing back to the Great Zhou first, and then finding a way to redeem the women later.

The old chief sneered, "I'm old too, why don't you leave me here as well?"

The subordinate trembled and knelt down.

The old chieftain glanced at his sons, who were somewhat tempted, and said coldly, “Why should we return to Zhou? Because we want our families in the tribe to be free from heavy corvée labor and taxes, so that they can live a good life without worrying about food and clothing! The elderly, women, and children are our family. The elderly have valuable experience and wisdom, the children are the hope of our tribe’s future, and the women bear our children. If we abandon them, why should we risk being hunted down by Xiliang to return to Zhou?”

The sons all looked ashamed.

...

Early that morning,

Sangbu quietly left the camp.

All the males in the tribe who were fourteen years of age or older became soldiers, divided into the vanguard, the middle army, and the rearguard, and they moved out one after another, with the elderly, weak, women and children walking in the middle.

Wei Mingsu was also in the group.

He wanted to leave the group and return to Xizhou to report the news.

Tong Jin dared not disobey his orders, and before leaving, he asked, "What instructions does Ah Lang have?"

Looking at the faintly bright sky in the east, Wei Mingsu said calmly, "If something happens to me, tell Fan Hui. Don't come looking for my body."

Tong Jin couldn't help but tear up, nodded, and spurred his horse eastward at full speed.

...

...

Ten days have passed.

The conscription order has been delivered, but the able-bodied men of the Dosang tribe have not yet reported to Baisha City. The chieftain sent a letter requesting an extension of half a month so that they could gather more food.

Governor Uller's bodyguard, Ayi, reported this matter to him.

Uller sneered, "Remember this. If the Dosang tribe is a day late, they must hand over fifty able-bodied men as punishment."

Ayi's face showed a troubled expression: "Governor, not only the Duosang tribe, but other tribes also want to ask you for an extension of one day."

Isn't punishing fifty able-bodied men too harsh?

Uller raised his head: "Ayi, the general needs soldiers. If you don't recruit able-bodied men from these tribes, then you will have to go back to Xiliang and recruit soldiers from the territories of the various chieftains."

A-Yi wiped away a cold sweat and replied, "Yes."

War consumes money, manpower, and food. The money and food come from the people, as do the soldiers.

Over the years, Xiliang has expanded its territory and become powerful. The whole country loves and respects General Kang Wugu. However, years of war have also been a heavy burden. The domestic corvée labor has become increasingly heavy. In order to ensure the logistical supply of the army, taxes have to be increased every year under various pretexts. The tribes that have submitted to them are also exhausted from dealing with tax collection.

Despite the successive victories on the front lines, the wealth plundered through the war was divided up among the upper nobility, and the lives of ordinary people not only failed to improve but became increasingly impoverished.

Some people thought that after winning a few great battles, they could live a peaceful life, but the general ordered a census of the national population and training of young men, clearly preparing for a long war.

A year ago, when the commander of Ayi was conscripting soldiers, he clashed with a minor chieftain and was killed by the enraged chieftain. The chieftain then joined forces with other chieftains to launch a rebellion. The peace faction in the Western Liang court used this incident to plot against General Kang Wugu, hoping to force him to relinquish power. However, the general saw through their scheme and killed the leader of the peace faction.

From then on, the pro-peace faction was crippled and never dared to confront General Kang Wugu again.

Uller led his troops to quell the rebellion, but the internal conflicts remained unresolved. He knew that the people were beginning to resent the war and that the various tribes were increasingly dissatisfied with the heavy taxes levied on Xiliang. However, for the sake of the dynasty's glory, these were necessary costs to be paid.

Several days later, the able-bodied men from the Duosang tribe still hadn't arrived.

Ayi drew another line under the words "Duosang tribe" on the paper, secretly lamenting for the Duosang tribe. They had delayed for so long, and no matter what reasonable reason they had, the governor would never make an exception.

A few days later, Ayi thought, even if the people of the Duosang tribe brought their chief's head to Baisha City to apologize, the governor would not spare them!

At this moment, a letter was delivered to A-Yi.

After reading the letter, Ayi was shocked and rushed to report to Uller: "Governor, the Dosang tribe has fled! The entire tribe has fled!"

These days, with Uller's tacit approval, all the tribes have been annexing the Sheti tribe, and no one is paying attention to the Dosang tribe. Three days ago, a tribe happened to pass by their camp and was shocked to find that the entire Dosang tribe had disappeared.

The tribe thought that the Dosang tribe had been plundered by other tribes, so they sent out scouts and intelligence to inquire. More than 10,000 people had suddenly disappeared, and it was impossible that they had not left any trace. The tribe then discovered that the Dosang tribe had suddenly migrated to the east.

The Duosang tribe wants to submit to the Great Zhou!

Uller flew into a rage: "If the Dosang tribe submits to Zhou, Uller and our Western Liang will lose all face! It will also affect the overall situation of Western Liang's strategy in the Western Regions! Ayi, I'll give you 30,000 elite troops. You will personally lead the troops to pursue the Dosang tribe, no matter what the cost."

"We must stop them from returning to Zhou! Bring the chief of the Duosang tribe and his son back to Baisha City; I want to skin them and make drums from their hides!"

The next day, the Xiliang army set off, splitting into two routes. One route was led by Ayi himself, who followed the trail to pursue the Duosang tribe. The other route was led by another guard, who abandoned their baggage and marched at top speed, trying to reach the Duosang tribe's inevitable route back to Zhou before they could reach it. Then, the two armies would attack the Duosang tribe from both ends.

At the same time, Uller ordered all tribes to assist the Xiliang army in blocking the Duosang tribe. The tribes that sent troops could obtain the Duosang tribe's original territory, livestock, property, and women.

...

A giant golden eagle spread its wings, obscuring the sun from the clouds.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew up, and dark clouds swept in from the horizon, gradually swallowing up the thin sunlight.

Thunder and lightning.

A torrential downpour suddenly began.

These days, after the Duosang tribe's troops quietly left, they tried to avoid the places where the Xiliang people were stationed and the densely populated towns, and their journey was very smooth.

But now the plans have been disrupted by this heavy rain.

The elderly, women, and children were all exhausted and unable to continue their journey in the rain. They could only set up camp in a valley to take shelter from the rain and wait for it to stop.

The scout rode back to report: "The Xiliang army from Baisha City has set off. Governor Wule has dispatched 30,000 elite troops. He has also ordered all tribes to pursue us and prevent us from returning to Zhou."

The old chief's face was solemn.

The Dosang tribe has more than 10,000 people, but many of them are elderly, weak, women and children. The Xiliang army consists of elite soldiers, and together with those tribes, once they catch up, the Dosang tribe has no chance of winning!

The old chief walked to the door, lifted the curtain, and looked at the heavy rain outside the tent.

Rain was splashing between the sky and the earth.

Wei Mingsu said, "If my intelligence can be successfully sent back to Xizhou, the governor of Xizhou will send an elite force to meet us at the agreed location."

The prerequisite is that they can successfully reach the rendezvous point.

The old chief glanced at the women and children sheltering from the rain in the distance and sighed inwardly.

The weather is not cooperating!

“We are moving too slowly. If this continues, the Xiliang army will catch up with us in just a few days.”

The old chief opened and closed his cloudy eyes, made up his mind, and called his son.

"The Xiliang army is catching up. Time is of the essence. Ba Ye, select a thousand warriors from the tribe to stay with me and delay the Xiliang army. The rest of you will continue east with you to seek refuge with the Great Zhou. The Empress of the Great Zhou will take in the Duosang tribe and grant us fertile land."

He said calmly.

Everyone was taken aback, but after understanding his words, their faces changed with excitement: "Grandpa! Let the woman take the child and leave, we all want to stay!"

"The tribe needs you more for the future," the old chief said solemnly. "When a gecko encounters danger, it bites off its own tail to confuse the enemy and escape. Now, our Dosang tribe must also cut off its tail to survive."

The old chief looked at his son and his men.

“You must be as loyal to Barye as you are to me.”

His subordinates and sons nodded with tears in their eyes.

But Baye objected, saying, "Grandpa, you are our leader. With you here, the tribe can remain united. Let me stay! I am your son, a warrior of the tribe. I should stay!"

After saying this, he knelt at the old chief's feet and raised his head.

"Grandpa, after the tribe submits to Zhou, governing the tribe and dealing with Zhou officials will require your experience and wisdom! Leading troops into battle is my responsibility!"

The old chief was pleased with his eldest son's maturity, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken. He sighed and helped Ba Ye to his feet.

The other sons were all stunned, staring blankly at their eldest brother.

With a smile, Ba Ye said to his younger brothers, "You will go to the Great Zhou with your grandfather, and you must listen to your grandfather."

Everyone went off to get busy.

The order was given, and the men were all willing to follow the old chief.

The army stationed in Xiliang.

The old chief decided against having only one son or any children, and instead selected a thousand men from among the older warriors.

In the heavy rain, the women of the tribe bid farewell to the men, and their sorrowful cries could still be heard amidst the overwhelming sound of the rain.

The heavy rain lasted for two whole days.

On the third day, as the dark clouds dispersed and a pale blue sky appeared in the east, the Duosang tribe split into two groups. One group, led by the old chieftain, continued eastward, while the other, led by Baye, followed behind, adapting to the changing circumstances to attract the attention of the approaching Xiliang army, confuse them, and hinder them.

Just as the old chieftain had predicted, their scouts soon discovered the Xiliang army.

...

Ayi made a military pledge before Governor Uller, vowing to stop the Duosang tribe from returning to Zhou at all costs.

The army, galloping at breakneck speed, resembled a dark cloud; the warhorses neighed, and the earth trembled.

They want to raze the Dosang tribe to the ground and tear them apart!

...

The weather is getting warmer day by day.

The snow on the main road had all melted, revealing a desolate wilderness. A gust of wind blew by, raising dust that blotted out the sun.

That day, it was another dusty and windy day. The caravan had been traveling on the main road all day, and the carriages were covered in a layer of sand.

As evening fell, a post station appeared ahead. A group of people surrounded several people in official robes who were waiting at the entrance. When they saw the carriage stop, they went up to greet them with smiles on their faces.

"Feifei, we've arrived at the post station."

Wang Yu patted Lu Huaying, who was asleep leaning against the car wall.

Lu Huaying shuddered and woke up with a start, her face pale and her expression panicked.

Wang Yu touched her face and asked, "Feifei, are you sick?"

Lu Huaying shook her head and said, "It's nothing, I just had a nightmare."

What did you dream about?

Lu Huaying was lost in thought for a moment, then said, "I forgot everything as soon as I woke up."

She only remembered dreaming about Wei Mingsu. In the dream, he seemed to be being chased. She was very anxious and wanted to help him. She called his name loudly, but he couldn't hear her.

The two talked as they got off the carriage and entered the post station.

The officials prepared a welcome banquet for the messenger, and the messenger invited Lu Hongbi to attend, which Lu Hongbi gladly accepted.

After being freed from his lowly status, Lu Hongbi underwent the most significant change. He bought many books, resumed writing poetry, and quickly became friends with the messenger, engaging in pleasant conversation with him throughout the journey.

Wang Yu was very happy about this, feeling that Lu Hongbi had finally resolved his inner conflict and returned to the handsome and gentle Lu Erlang he used to be.

At the welcome-home banquet, Lu Hongbi chatted and laughed with everyone, and everyone was impressed by his demeanor.

Knowing that there were women in the group, the officials brought their families along, and the ladies also prepared a simple welcome-home banquet for Wang Yu and Lu Huaying.

Lu Huaying was a little tired and didn't like these social engagements, so she sat in the lobby with Afu and Ayu, drinking mutton soup.

Someone lifted the curtain, and several officials came in carrying a painting. They checked the location of each person against the portrait in the painting.

Seeing how thorough their inspection was, even checking the officials' attendants, A-Yu asked, "Who are you looking for?"

The official said, "We are looking for Nie Zijie. This man is known as the number one assassin in the world. At the end of last year, he infiltrated Xizhou to assassinate someone, but escaped right under the noses of the Xizhou garrison. It is said that he often blends into the convoys of officials and merchants to hide his tracks. After arriving in Xizhou, Chief Secretary Fan has been tracking his whereabouts. A few days ago, the Nie family in Youzhou sent us his portrait. Chief Secretary Fan has ordered us to thoroughly investigate all post stations and inns."

Ayu frowned.

Hearing their conversation, Lu Huaying noticed A Yu's uneasy expression and asked, "Do you know this Nie Zijie?"

Ayu whispered, "Nie Zijie infiltrated Xizhou, and the assassin was none other than my lord."

Lu Huaying's hand holding the mutton soup trembled slightly: "Prefect Wei was assassinated in Xizhou? When?"

A Yu then realized that Lu Huaying was unaware of this matter; he had only heard about it from Fan Hui not long ago.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "It seems that the day before we returned to Liucheng from Xizhou, Nie Zijie sneaked into the dormitory to assassinate you, and you were slightly injured."

Lu Huaying was stunned for a moment.

On the day she returned to Liucheng, she saw the saber that Wei Mingsu had helped her find.

He went back to his quarters at the temple to see Wei Mingsu, who was sitting on a couch, his face pale.

It turned out that he had been injured at that time.

He made her stand outside the curtain, not allowing her to get too close, perhaps because he didn't want her to see that he was injured?

That was the last time they met.

Has his injury healed now?

She didn't even know where he was. Judging from Fan Hui and the others' expressions, he had gone to a very dangerous place.

Nie Zijie managed to escape unscathed after attempting to assassinate him in Xizhou last time, so he must be highly skilled in martial arts. If he were to try to assassinate him again...

A chill suddenly ran through Lu Huaying's heart: Could something have happened to Wei Mingsu, which is why there has been no news of him?

Her heart was pounding with anxiety when the officials came over with a portrait and asked A-Yu and A-Fu if they had seen the person in the portrait.

Looking at the painting, Afu laughed and said, "What kind of man wears flowers in his hair?"

The official said, "The Nie family of Youzhou said that Nie Zijie was a scion of a prestigious family. In his youth, he was dashing and romantic, and liked to wear a flower in his turban."

A man wearing flowers in his hair?

Lu Huaying was startled. She stood up and walked to the portrait. The firelight shone on the paper, revealing a scar on the right cheek of the man in the painting.

She suddenly remembered the wealthy merchant she had seen at the post station, the one wearing a flower in his hair.

The wealthy merchant had a full beard, making it impossible to confirm whether he resembled the man in the portrait. However, his physique and demeanor closely resembled the description of Nie Zijie given by the official. He wore a flower in his beard hat.

He could very well be Nie Zijie!

Nie Zijie is looking for a guide who can speak the Xiliang language; he is going to Wuzhi.

If Wei Mingsu also went to Xiliang, then the wealthy merchant must be Nie Zijie, who is still hunting down Wei Mingsu.

Lu Huaying raised her head and looked at the eastern sky.

After entering the pass, she can return to the Central Plains.

That was her hometown, the most prosperous place in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

She turned and went back to her room.

That evening, when Lu Hongbi and Wang Yu returned from the welcome-home banquet, Lu Huaying was waiting for them at the door.

She was dressed in men's clothing, carrying a bundle on her back, with a saber hanging at her waist.

“Brother, sister-in-law, I can’t go back to Luoyang with you. I want to go back to Xizhou. I’m very worried about Wei Mingsu and want to go find him.”