In April, the flowers have faded and their crimson petals have fallen. Although it is not the most splendid season, the swallows flying and the orioles singing still bring a fresh and enchanting feeling to the scene.

After a flurry of preparations, everything was ready, and we were just waiting to set off. Although the weather was starting to get warmer, the nights were still bone-chillingly cold.

At this moment, Xuan Yuanhan stood alone under the eaves at the entrance of Lin Yuexuan's bedroom, gazing at the crescent moon rippling in the pond in the courtyard. On the surface, he seemed to be appreciating the intoxicating scenery, but in his heart, he was constantly on edge.

After a long while, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and he gazed tenderly at the calm water before him, murmuring to himself, "Spring has passed and summer has arrived, are you well?"

A moment later, Vice General Cheng Liang slowly walked over carrying a black cloak, a hint of melancholy on his face, and helped him put the cloak on.

"Your Highness, the woman from Sihai Tea House has still not been found. Some say she may have already been murdered by Tuoba Ze."

Perhaps because he really hadn't expected it, upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan suddenly came to his senses and stared at him in a daze.

Cheng Liang nodded slightly and continued, "Because the predecessor of Sihai Tea House was the restaurant that woman's husband's family had passed down for three generations. Because the couple had a son late in life, and the son suddenly fell ill with a serious disease, only Tuoba Ze's miraculous medicine could cure the child. They had no choice but to lose this hard-won family business. Later, the husband felt ashamed of his ancestors, so he eventually abandoned the mother and son and left alone."

Xuanyuan Han listened quietly to him finish speaking, then sighed and said, "It's all the fault of the imperial court. The imperial court failed to protect the people and keep those wicked people with evil intentions out of the country. So there is still a lot we need to do."

Then he asked, "How's the search going in Beilie?"

Cheng Liangfu shook his head again, his face bitter, and said, "There is no news at all. No one has ever seen any young woman with a veil covering her face or a red birthmark on her face."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan's heart, which had just been raised, sank immediately. He frowned and thought for a while before asking, "Not even by Tuoba Ze's side?"

Cheng Liang shook his head listlessly and stammered, "Your Highness, could it be that Miss Yi... she really has... could it be that we want to..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xuanyuan Han shouted sternly, "Shut up! She can't do that! Keep searching for me..."

Cheng Liang immediately perked up and said, "Yes." He then looked up at the time and advised, "Your Highness, it's late. We're setting off north early tomorrow morning. Get some rest!"

But how can he find peace?

The Northern Fierce Kingdom is a mysterious land on the Spirit Sky Continent.

It contains many fantastical elements: plateaus, mountains, hills, plains, deserts, rivers, lakes...

In early summer, the desolation of the chilly spring breeze is gone, the yellowing colors have faded, and everywhere is a rolling green grass, flat and smooth, with fragrant grass, crisscrossing paths, and eagles soaring freely in the vast sky and earth.

As the wind blows, colorful wildflowers are scattered across the vast land, their green so intoxicating, their emerald so dazzling, their beauty so striking.

The winding river, the vast grassland, and the magnificent river create a scene reminiscent of "drunkenly lying on the battlefield."

The clouds dispersed and the sun rose in the east.

Early in the morning, a furious shout suddenly rang out from the command tent, far from the battlefield, a stark contrast to the breathtaking scenery outside.

"Useless, utterly useless! We even gave them the portrait, and they couldn't even find a woman. Can a living person sprout wings and fly away? They can't even handle this simple task. What's the point of keeping them around?"

The sound stopped for a moment, then came the sound of someone pacing back and forth, followed shortly by another angry shout.

"Issue my decree to tell them one by one that if they still cannot find the Western Qin Guardian in the Lingkong Continent within ten days, none of them need to come back."

Inside the tent, as soon as he finished speaking, Tuoba Ze, in a fit of anger, forcefully tore down the huge portrait of the guardian of Western Qin hanging on the tent with both hands, crumpled it into a ball, and slammed it hard onto the head of the guard who was kneeling timidly with his head bowed in front of him.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent. The man was drenched in sweat, whether from fear or anxiety, he didn't bother to wipe it away, and just ran as fast as he could: "Report..."

The man who entered was dressed in full armor, covered in dust and looking disheveled. As soon as he entered, he staggered in, knelt down on the ground, clasped his hands, and began to report.

"Your Highness, the Western Qin army is advancing with overwhelming force. Our army has suffered repeated defeats and is on the verge of collapse. Please withdraw from this place immediately."

"What? Another defeat? Another retreat? How many times have we retreated already? If we keep retreating, we'll all lose our territory and even be destroyed. Useless, all of you useless, get out!"

Undoubtedly, the urgent battle report he had just received only worsened his already dire situation.

He thought that he had finally obtained the portrait of the guardian of Western Qin and had also made a profit from Mei Xiyuan.

He was only so angry that Xuan Yuan Yue had managed to escape; his plan had been too shrewd, and he had lost a great deal.

Fortunately, they managed to get through the pass in time with Yi Shangyun, so it wasn't entirely a case of getting something for nothing.

Therefore, he planned to return to his country to regroup and, once he had fully recovered this mysterious power from the vast network he had spread across the various countries of Lingkong, he would use it to help him crush Western Qin and then dominate the entire Lingkong.

Unexpectedly, King Xuanyuan Han of Qin gave him no chance to catch his breath. Before he even returned to his country, he had already launched an attack on him, leaving him caught off guard.

Just then, another urgent report arrived: "Your Highness, according to reliable intelligence, Western Qin has dispatched 160,000 elite troops, personally led by the War God King Qin, intending to strike directly into the heart of Northern Lie. They will set off northward soon. Your Highness is requested to prepare a countermeasure plan as soon as possible!"

"What?" Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze slumped down heavily with a thud, his head bowed, and his hands clenched tightly on his knees, making a cracking sound.

Just then, a guard beside him rolled his eyes slyly for a moment, then stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and slowly said, "Such an extraordinary woman, we've sent so many people to search for her, yet we still haven't found a single trace of her..."

He paused, then added, "Has Your Highness ever suspected that this portrait of the Western Qin guardian is actually a fake?"

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze was immediately startled. He looked at the guard intently, then stood up and paced back and forth, pondering to himself. He said with some puzzlement, "It shouldn't be, right? They don't have the guts to give me a fake portrait of the Western Qin guardian."

The guard pondered for a moment, then said, "As the saying goes, 'A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea,' truly unfathomable. However, if Your Highness is certain they really dare not, then perhaps..."

"What could it be?" Tuoba Ze asked, his hands behind his back, as he stamped his foot and stared at the guard's face.

The guard said, "Could it be that someone deliberately gave them a fake portrait of the Guardian? Think about it, something so important wouldn't be obtained so easily. That Prince Qin, Xuanyuan Han, has never been one to be trifled with! Your Highness, please reconsider and don't continue this futile effort!"

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze raised his head slightly, let out a long sigh, and suddenly asked, "Where is His Highness the Second Prince?"

The guard reported, "Your Highness, he spends all his time with that girl you brought back. I wonder what she's up to?"

"The enemy has already reached our doorstep, and we are about to become slaves of a conquered nation, yet we are still busy with these sentimental matters. Go and invite the Second Prince back, and tell him that I have important matters to discuss with him."

Tuoba Ze had just finished speaking angrily when he quickly stopped him, saying, "Wait, forget it, I'll go myself! It's been a long time since I've seen that girl, I might as well go and take a look."

"Then about the retreat..." Only then did the guard dare to ask.

Tuoba Ze was silent for a moment, then glared at him angrily and said with great resentment and helplessness, "What else can we do? All you do is exaggerate and boast all day long, but when it really matters, not a single one of you is useful. Let's retreat..."

As soon as the guard received the order, he was about to go out to make arrangements when Tuoba Ze said again, "Wait, have the people who stayed in Western Qin to find the guardian try to find out the truth of the portrait."

"Yes, sir!"

"You shameless Princess Consort Qin, how dare you mock me! If I were to find out that the portrait you gave my guardian was truly a fake..."

Tuoba Ze muttered to himself, a strange smile suddenly appearing on his face: "Hmph...we'll see about that?"

The night sky over the grassland is dotted with stars.

The sky above resembled a dazzling Milky Way, as if they were vying to display their most brilliant light, or like the grandest fireworks display in the world, trying to light up the entire night sky of the grassland!

As soon as Tuoba Hong stepped out of a herder's tent, he saw Yi Shangyun sitting on the grass by the lake, staring blankly at the starry night sky.

Seeing that she was slowly getting used to life here, and that her mind seemed to have completely calmed down, he was momentarily stunned.

After a moment, he slowly walked over to her, lifted his robe, sat down next to Yi Shangyun, and gazed at her face.

At this moment, she was extremely focused, as if something deeply buried in her heart was slowly seeping out and gathering in her eyes, so thick that it couldn't be dissolved, but he couldn't understand it at all.

He silently stared at her for who knows how long before Tuoba Hong suddenly coughed twice to wake her up and asked, "What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed."

Yi Shangyun withdrew her gaze, glanced at the man beside her, and simply smiled faintly: "Have you taken care of everything with the patients?"

"Thanks to you, otherwise she would have surely died in childbirth. But now, in the blink of an eye, all three of them, mother and children, are safe and sound, and they are even twins! How wonderful!" Tuoba Ze breathed a long sigh of relief and said with a look of relief.

Yi Shangyun lowered his head and smiled modestly. Tuoba Hong suddenly changed his mind and asked curiously, "By the way, where did Wu Le learn his medical skills?"