Chapter 959 Backbone

Looking at the group of people in front of her, Zhang Yumo had only one thought in her mind: she couldn't trust them. Who knew if they would harm her? She looked aggrieved and confused, and only said, "I really don't know what's going on?"

Gongsun Lan didn't believe her; saving Jiang Fenghua was the priority now.

Xiao Shang's eyes were fixed on her like a wolf's, as if she were his prey. He had been searching for so many years, and he never expected to find someone who looked exactly like him. He asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Zhang Yumo avoided him and didn't speak. She suppressed her anger. Now she only had one thought in her mind: there really wasn't a single good person in the Jiang family. After Jiang Jinyan got together with Sang Yupianpian, he never entered her room and was even very cold. Why did Jiang Fenghua bring her out?

Zhang Yumo went through everything in her mind. Jiang Fenghua came because of those rumors. They mentioned the Queen of Yinchuan. If she were the Queen of Yinchuan, she would become a monster that everyone wanted to kill.

Is Jiang Fenghua using her as a shield?

Xiao Shang was quite frank about his identity, saying to Zhang Yumo, "In a few decades, I will be the Northern King of Shang. I've been here for twenty years, and this body isn't mine. It's not working well. Where did you come from? Are your brain and body your own?"

Zhang Yumo remained silent. She said gently, "What did the prince say? I don't understand."

Xiao Shang pointed to the flower on her wrist, "The fact that you have this flower mark means you are extraordinary."

Zhang Yumo retorted, "You yourself said you're extraordinary, so where are the flower marks on your body?"

Xiao Shang was speechless. He was stunned. That's right! If Jiang Fenghua and Zhang Yumo were both reborn people, they had the mark of Yinchuan Kingdom on them. He was also a reborn person, so he should also have the mark on him!

Zhang Yumo smiled and said, "Is Prince Xiao so desperate to become a king that he's dreaming about it?"

"I am not dreaming. I truly come from decades in the future." Xiao Shang tried his best to prove his identity. He woke up from his dream to find himself in Xiao Chuanyun's country in the Northern Xiao Kingdom. Xiao Chuanyun was both stupid and useless.

He didn't have the Manjusaka flower mark unique to Yinchuan Kingdom. Why do they have it? What's going on?

Jiang Fenghua soon woke up and asked Gongsun Lan, "Why did you knock me out?"

Everyone was also puzzled. Xiao Yu said, "Yes, why did Miss Gongsun knock the Empress unconscious?"

Gongsun Lan said to Jiang Fenghua, "You don't know what just happened."

Jiang Fenghua shook her head; she truly couldn't remember. She seemed to be losing control of herself more and more.

When Gongsun Lan saw the flower ornament between Jiang Fenghua's eyebrows, she was reminded of the girl she had met before. At the time, she didn't take it seriously, thinking that the girl had some kind of illness, until the girl killed her entire family.

Afterwards, the girl didn't know why she killed them; she didn't want to. In the end, the authorities imprisoned her, but she couldn't bear the torment of her conscience and committed suicide.

Gongsun Lan wanted to use her medical skills to save people, but that's when she realized that not all illnesses could be cured.

She found the red spider lily flower pattern on the girl's shoulder blade.

Jiang Fenghua also caught a glimpse of something unusual in Gongsun Lan's eyes; it seemed as if Gongsun Lan knew some secret.

Gongsun Lan didn't say much in front of so many people. She planned to ask Jiang Fenghua about it privately. Since Xie Shang had told her what happened to Jiang Fenghua, she had to live up to Xie Shang's trust.

Xiao Shang quickly said, "What are you talking about? Now we just need to find the Ghost Realm as soon as possible, and everything will be solved."

Xiao Shang has waited for twenty years, and he has no patience left. Since Zhang Yumo is also a reborn person, she must go with him, if she is the reincarnation of the Queen of Yinchuan.

Jiang Fenghua said, "Let's set off first; we really can't afford to waste any more time."

She glanced at everyone and said, "Let's go to Yuzhou first."

She knew her situation could become very difficult, even uncontrollable, but she still chose to continue as planned.

Xiao Shang said, "I disagree with going to Yuzhou. Let's go directly to the Western Regions. Going to Yuzhou would be a long detour and a waste of time."

Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice, "Prince Xiao, if you want to go, then go by yourself! Please do as you wish."

"You..." Xiao Shang was furious, but he suppressed his anger and deliberately said, "I will not leave. I will follow Miss Jiang San... for the rest of my life."

"I don't keep idle people around me," Jiang Fenghua said, adopting the demeanor of an empress.

Xiao Shang was stunned. Did he also have to become her maid and serve her tea and water? He, the dignified Prince of Bei Shang, couldn't kidnap Jiang Fenghua now. He still needed them to find the Ghost Realm. But these people all listened to Jiang Fenghua, so he had no choice but to listen to her.

Three days later, they had already left the borders of Shengjing.

They traveled along the official road, where disaster victims swarmed like ants. They all flocked to Shengjing City, which had not been affected by the floods or earthquakes. Along the way, they heard mostly words about the emperor and empress's benevolence and that they would not starve to death once they reached the emperor's capital.

That makes sense. Jishantang has already started providing free medical care and medicine and has set up soup kitchens. People have a better chance of surviving if they go to Shengjing. But we can't let everyone go to Shengjing. If something happens, the government won't be able to control them.

Jiang Fenghua thought to herself, "Just as Lin Yuxin said, the situation is even worse than what was reported to the Golden Palace."

The entire route was filled with refugees fleeing the disaster.

Two weeks later, they passed a dilapidated temple, which was also crowded with refugees.

Jiang Fenghua said to Xiao Yu, "Apart from Yuzhou, which was the most severely affected by the disaster, local governments have already received documents from the imperial court to open granaries and distribute grain to relieve refugees fleeing on the road. Why are there still so many people running to Shengjing City?"

Xiao Yu said, "This subordinate will send someone to find out what happened."

Jiang Fenghua said, "Go!"

Xiao Shang impatiently interrupted their conversation, "What's there to ask? There are only a few reasons why this situation has occurred: either the government has no grain and the Great Zhou emperor is incompetent, or some officials are corrupt and have embezzled the disaster relief grain, so the people naturally don't get any food. They have no choice but to continue fleeing. First there was the flood, then the landslide. It's a miracle they survived. Fleeing is just a way to find a place to live."

"Empress Jiang, our most important task now is not to investigate the severity of the disaster, but to go directly to the Ghost Realm to confirm whether it is related to the Yinchuan Kingdom. If we find the secret technique of the ancient Yinchuan Kingdom, all the disasters will disappear. Once these disasters cease to exist, your journey is so slow; every moment of delay means more suffering for the people of your Great Zhou."

Ignoring him, Xiao Shang felt he had just rambled on.

Qin Yunyan and Zhang Yumo dared not say anything more. They had no one to serve them along the way, and Jiang Fenghua would not indulge them. If they wanted to eat, they had to work.

At the same time, they had no intention of escaping, because they were also very interested in the secret arts of the ancient Yinchuan Kingdom.

Just then, a group of people from the dilapidated temple attacked them. Xiao Yu quickly ordered his men to step forward and block Jiang Fenghua's carriage.

At this moment, an old man covered in mud knelt down in front of the carriage, holding a two- or three-year-old child in his arms. "Benefactor, please give me something to eat! My grandson has been hungry for several days. I can go without food, but I can't let the child suffer. Please, benefactor."

Jiang Fenghua lifted the carriage curtain and was about to get out when Xiao Yu quickly stopped her, saying, "Third Miss, you mustn't get out of the carriage."