Chapter 68 Xiaoxi is naughty; that subtle connection between the Emperor and the General...

Ying Xi opened the door and saw a young general in white robes and silver armor guarding the entrance.

Lian Qingchao bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

Ying Xi had already changed out of his dragon robe and gave a crisp and decisive order: "Accompany me ashore to handle some business."

This startled Lian Qing!

He dared not even think about such things, but when his gaze fell upon the emperor's slender waist, he suddenly remembered General Xie wielding his 108-pound dragon-slaying halberd.

Lian cleared his throat and asked, "What is it?"

"The assassin is the governor of Guangling County. He asked to meet me alone. You must send a squad of soldiers to follow him secretly and kill him."

Lian Qing was relieved, but she saw that the emperor's expression was solemn and stern, as sharp and cold as a frost blade. All her wild daydreams had turned into seriousness. The emperor was by no means a gentle beauty.

"I obey the order."

Lian Qing was responsible for looking after the emperor. He disembarked with the emperor, and even though he saw that the emperor was dressed in plain clothes, no one stopped him along the way.

Leaving Sanjindu, the river flows mightily.

Lian Qing had chosen a docile warhorse for Ying Xi. The two rode south along the river for more than ten miles. The river was exceptionally wide, and there was no one around in the still night. Even the navigation lights of Sanjindu could not be seen in the distance.

Lian Qing suddenly tightened the reins, the river wind disrupting his voice: "Where is Your Majesty going?"

"As long as I leave the dragon boat, this person will come looking for me. There's no need to worry!"

His fierce appearance was a pity given his physique.

Lian Qing felt that if the emperor had a good body, the Qin emperor would surely take up arms and personally lead the charge to kill the enemy.

"Your Majesty, why was General Xie not informed of this matter?"

Taking the horse to hunt down the shadow was the first thing Ying Xi thought of, but considering the other party's personality: "Minister Xie is steady and will definitely do his best to stop me from putting myself in danger."

Lian Qing felt that something was off about what he was saying.

Xie Qianli was ruthless and unpredictable on the battlefield. He was a fierce general who dared to single-handedly kill enemy generals and seize cities when he was young. He was not particularly steady.

If he were to bring himself along, then the emperor would have the final say. If General Xie were to find out, would His Majesty actually be persuaded to back down?

The thread that had been subtly connecting the emperor and the general grew even tighter. Lian Qing felt a chill run down his spine from the river breeze.

Just then, a signal flare shot into the sky and exploded into a burst of red fireworks.

"There it is!"

"drive!"

Ying Xi and Lian Qing rode side by side, heading southeast, their eyes reflecting the firelight.

As the horse galloped, it stirred up the wind, which, along with the river breeze, tossed his hair backward, and the sound of its hooves thundered.

"Your Majesty, if we run any further, we'll be in the war zone!" Lian Qing shouted.

Their target was getting closer and closer, and the two men's horses never stopped.

All that could be seen was an open space, surrounded by sparse trees, with the Han River flowing through Guangling County not far away.

Yingxi's mount circled around, with a cardboard tube containing a recently fired signal flare lying beside its hooves.

Ying Xi glanced at the paper tube and looked down!

He lay prone on the horse's back as arrows whizzed past. The third arrow was deflected by Lian Qing's sword, and a sudden burst of firelight appeared in the bushes.

About twenty men dressed in the uniforms of the Jiangnan rebels charged forward, torches in hand and swords drawn. Shouts rose from the air, and the squad leader at the head of the group shouted, "Kill Ying Xi! Report to the King! The Prefect and the King will both bestow a great reward, a thousand gold pieces and a marquisate!"

The enemy soldiers were already upon them.

Lian Qing spurred his horse and brandished his sword, slicing through the throats of several enemy soldiers. He protected Ying Xi and took the opportunity to blow a horse whistle.

A short whistle rang out from the dense forest!

The Longwu Army's light cavalry arrived suddenly; these soldiers had been following the emperor at a distance since the beginning.

As soon as General Lian gave the signal, the soldiers immediately protected the emperor and sent men to counterattack: "Kill the leader—"

The Longwu Army is fierce and brave; its elite forces can easily handle even the most ragtag soldiers.

In an instant, torches rolled everywhere, and the corpses of rebels littered the ground. The squad leader was surrounded by the Longwu Army, with seven or eight knives and spears held to his neck.

The sergeant went from being filled with ambition to being utterly terrified: "Spare me, Your Majesty, spare me, Your Majesty, spare me..."

The corporal was so frightened that he wet his pants.

Ying Xi said coldly from horseback, "A Marquis of Ten Thousand Households? You dare to boast about such a small territory? Where is that Jia fellow!"

The horse made Ying Xi appear taller.

The torches bathed the emperor in a warm glow, and the emperor, inspired by this, added a layer of holy light to the emperor's body.

The sergeant felt that this man had the bearing of a born emperor and stammered, "The prefect said that you will definitely come in person. He is waiting for our news by the Han River."

Ying Xi brandished her whip arrogantly and said, "You bastard, hide yourself! I'll personally take your head off!"

"drive--"

His words were spoken at the same time as his riding whip was cracked.

The horses neighed loudly, and Ying Xi led his troops in pursuit to the water's edge. Their momentum was fierce, and their speed astonishing, they found the lone figure fishing in a riverside pavilion on the Han River. Everyone's spirits lifted.

The Han River stretches endlessly, and the waterside pavilion appears tiny.

The figure, dressed in a fisherman's raincoat and straw hat, was slightly hunched over, with his back to the government troops and a fish basket beside him.

Several warhorses advanced from behind, surrounding the shadow from a distance.

But the fishing rod remained firmly in place.

The shadow seemed to yawn, its tone languid:

"Born into a branch of the royal family, he was able to stand alone in the palace until he ascended to the highest position. He truly deserves to be called His Majesty."

"Your Majesty will not be controlled by others. Going to the meeting alone is not your style."

"I'm drawing you in, but don't you also want to draw me out?"

"Enough with the nonsense!" Lian Qing said, "Kill!"

The entire Dragon Martial Army surged forward, crashing against the shore like a silver wave.

The shadow, still with its back to them, raised its left arm and waved.

So along the banks of the Han River, a group of elite rebels appeared. They appeared in the shadows, and this group of enemy soldiers numbered over a hundred!

The shadow arranged two methods:

If Ying Xi were truly foolish enough to go alone, those ragtag soldiers could easily take his life.

He also guessed that Ying Xi would not give in easily. Yingzi thought that Ying Xi would lay in ambush, but he did not expect the emperor to come directly to his door.

A beautiful face, a strong personality, and she will never give in to adversity.

The Qin emperor remained unchanged for many years!

If he were to fall into the hands of such an emperor, Shadow could already foresee his fate. He ordered his elite troops, "The enemy only has a few dozen men. If we drag this out until the imperial army marches south, we will face tens of thousands of soldiers. Kill Ying Xi."

A sudden gust of wind rose along the Han River.

The rebel elites' swords gleamed, a stark contrast to the ragtag soldiers from before. Ying Xi had heard of them during the Dragon Ship military council; they must have been trained by Shadow according to the standards of martial arts masters.

"Su Shisan, Lao Qi, break through with me, you wait and go around to the rear!"

"Use whatever you can, like barbed wire and flying stones, on it. The only target is the emperor."

"Kill Ying Xi!"

"Kill Ying Xi!!!"

The silver armor enveloped and contracted, the rebels forming a swallow-wing shape to envelop the silver armor.

The two sides were already engaged in battle, the sounds of metal clanging filled the air, and sparks flew as they fought in the night.

The soldiers of the Longwu Army always obeyed Xie Qianli's orders. With the commander-in-chief absent, the deputy commander took the lead.

Lian Qing was also a veteran of countless battles. Outnumbered by the enemy, and with people who clearly needed protection, they had to fight a bloody battle.

Lian Qing promptly adjusted the tactics: "Use the Emperor's carriage as the core and expand the battle perimeter outwards. Kill them one by one! This is the border between two states, and with General Xie Meng holding them back, he can't replenish his troops!"

The Dragon Warriors roared, "Yes, sir!"

The cavalry quickly dispersed around Ying Xi. Anyone who approached was strangled by the soldiers' blades.

Lian Qing stepped forward with his sword, becoming the last line of defense protecting the emperor.

Even Lian Qing had a fleeting thought: If His Majesty were to suffer any mishap, General Xie would surely go mad!

Xie Qianli held a high position and acted as a protector, sheltering many people.

But when it came to the emperor, his loyalty seemed to be mixed with awe and fanaticism.

Lian Qing fiercely swung his sword and cleaved an approaching rebel soldier!

The rebels fell off their horses.

Everywhere was a bloody mess.

Ying Xi's eyes remained unblinking, even as blood splattered onto her face, staining her jade-white skin. The emperor showed no fear or trepidation.

Enemy soldiers who had circled around charged forward.

Two steel blades cleaved Mount Hua in two, striking the emperor from the left, right, and rear!

Lian Qing didn't have time to turn his horse around; he was about to pull the emperor onto his own horse. But if he did that, he wouldn't be able to fight back and would inevitably be slashed by the two enemy soldiers. The soldiers behind him quickly provided support.

Just then.

A deafening clap of thunder exploded across the sky, a powerful effect that brought the atmosphere to its peak.

Lightning illuminated the entire banks of the Han River.

Everything—mountains, water, trees, people—revealed its true colors in an instant under the bright light.

People revere nature and fear the power of ghosts and gods, and often believe that the emperor has the ability to communicate with heaven and earth.

Therefore, he wanted to kill Ying Xi's two enemy soldiers, but he was terrified in an instant.

"Heaven...the Emperor..."

This slight hesitation was enough for the Dragon Martial Army to regain the advantage, the shrinking battle zone expanded, and the enemy troops appeared to be decreasing in number.

Having exhausted all the energy she had recently accumulated, Tian Tong weakly said, "Your Majesty, this is all I can do to help you."

The romance system was instantly shut down!

Ying Xi frowned: We can't go back to the base.

A swift victory was imperative, so he pressed his advantage: "Heaven's mandate rests on our Qin Dynasty! You defy Heaven's will and will ultimately be punished by Heaven's will. Lay down your weapons and accept your death!"

Some rebels were indeed unable to resist; their deep-seated fear caused both men and horses to halt their advance.

How could the Longwu Army let such an opportunity slip by?

Seeing that the battle was about to be decided, Shadow rose from the pavilion, put down his fishing rod, and picked up a torch. Shadow lit the torch, the flame flickering, and Shadow, still coughing and trembling, had truly injured him internally.

Only then did people see from afar that each pillar supporting the octagonal pavilion was actually tied to a hostage with their mouth gagged!

The shadowy figure, whose straw raincoat and bamboo hat were illuminated by the firelight, slowly said, "Has Your Majesty missed your old friends in Guangling after being away from home for so many years?"

He pulled out the rag.

In an instant, a series of voices pierced the Han River: "Your Majesty! Brother Xiao Xi!"

"Your Highness, is that the Crown Prince...?"

"Now that the Crown Prince has become Emperor, we yearn day and night for his recapture of Yangzhou. The Prince has shown us great kindness; he need not worry about our lives. Avenge the Prince! Avenge the Princess!"

"Is Your Highness still the same Your Highness? Has Your Highness already recognized a traitor as your father?"

Ten years later.

These were all things that Ying Xi had forced herself to forget completely.

Now, the memories have rekindled like wildfire, and without even needing to think about it, my past with everyone here is vivid in my mind.

Ying Xi reined in her horse and took a few steps forward.

Lian Qing exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty..."

The youngest child is now a teenager. His father sells candied hawthorns and, knowing the two young masters of the Yongning Prince's Mansion are wealthy, he always waits at the door. Yingxi would buy an extra skewer and give it to him, because the child would always look at it expectantly.

The man questioning him was a scholar whom his father had sponsored. That man had achieved academic success and had served as a staff member in Guangling County. The rebels had seized power, and it was likely that he had refused to pledge allegiance to Li Yilong, which was why he had been brought here bound.

There was also an old woman who was skilled at growing flowers. She provided flowers to the Prince's mansion, and the Princess Consort supplemented her daughter's dowry. From then on, she would tell everyone she met that the Prince's mansion had the kindest Princess Consort in Yangzhou...

They all have a past connection with the Yongning Prince's Mansion!

Ying Xi almost ground her teeth to powder.

He was destined to witness countless wicked and evil people in his life, yet he was unwilling to sacrifice the people from the best years of his life.

Ying Xi said in a deep voice, "What do you intend to do?"

The shadow raised a torch, the flames torn into streaks of red by the wind. The shadow sighed, "I know I have offended the entire Yongning Prince's Mansion and have forged a blood feud with His Majesty, a feud that will never end. Ying Xi, I want you to come here truly alone this time."

Lian Qing: "Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Lian Qing shouted at the shadow, "Who do you think you are? His Majesty is of noble birth, how dare you issue orders to him? I'll chop you up in a minute!"

The shadow laughed loudly: "Ying Xi, I have spent the most time alone with you in the world. You have been pretending for ten years. You do not love Chang'an. What you love is power. Only power can make you happy!"

"But why do you crave power?"

The shadow tilted its head and smiled sinisterly, then hysterically said, "Because you want to save the powerless version of yourself you once were."

Inside Fanglan Palace, upon learning of her parents' deaths, she dared not even cry, and even avoided her own younger brother.

It turns out the shadow wasn't stupid; it saw through him.

He had maneuvered through his own shadow, but he had never deceived it.

Ying Xi took a deep breath.

His hand clenched tightly, and drops of blood trickled down between his fingers.

The shadow shouted:

"If you want my life, I'll kill everything about your past!"

"I'll grant you your wish to be all alone!"

"—In my eyes, you'll always be that coward from Fanglan Palace!!!"

The shadow threw down the torch and drew a short sword from its sleeve.

A flash of sword light, and the shadow raised his sword to stab the people tied to the pillar.

But then Ying Xi smiled and spurred his horse out of the battle circle. He didn't go towards the shadows or the rebels. His warhorse galloped like lightning towards the water's edge.

The emperor jumped into the Han River!!!

The core of both sides' protection and elimination vanished simultaneously in an instant.

No one expected the emperor's underhanded tactics. The threatened target had vanished into the surging river, leaving only the horses lingering on the banks of the Han River.

The shadow was taken aback.

The Fish Intestine Sword's momentum was interrupted.

Lian Qing was utterly shocked, his scalp tingling with fear: "Quickly, quickly, rescue His Majesty! Rescue His Majesty!!!"

The rebels were also in an uproar: "Capture Ying Xi! We're good swimmers, and the Northern army is bad at naval warfare!!!"

Immediately, everyone on the riverbank rushed towards the river.

The riverbank was in chaos.

At this moment, several small boats appeared in the distance on the other side of the river, forming a fleet and gliding rapidly toward this place.

The river flowed mightily, and small boats carried soldiers in silver armor. Archers nocked their crossbows as soon as they spotted their targets, and the clicking sound was incessant.

The lead ship cleaved through the waves, with a tall figure standing at its bow, exuding an aura as stern as a snow-capped mountain, yet his gaze held a hint of anxiety.

Upon seeing the leader of the group and the fleet on the river, Lian Qing felt as if he had been saved and shouted, "General Xie! It's General Xie!"

"His Majesty has fallen into the water! His Majesty is in the water!"

"Quickly, find His Majesty!"

The rescue fleet sailed to within a dozen or so feet of the riverbank.

Xie Qianli pursed his lips tightly and looked down, searching the river water.

The river was surging, and suddenly a white dot flashed in the tide. Xie Qianli quickly ordered his men to approach, and a snow-white hand emerged from the waves.

Xie Qianli's eyes seemed to light up at the sight of that hand. He leaned forward and gripped the hand tightly. Then, like a dragon emerging from the water, he pulled Ying Xi onto the small boat!