Chapter 1300: Your Majesty Has a Serious Illness (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Mei Meng gazed towards the direction of the final battle.

【good. 】

Her answer was so soft that it could be blown away by a gentle breeze.

After resting for a while, Mei Meng mounted her horse, Qi Cang's warhorse, while Qi Cang himself struggled to keep up on his own two legs: "I'm an old man, disabled and frail, and now I have to lead a young man's horse. Don't you feel any guilt?"

Mei Mengdao: "Aren't you faster on foot?"

Even the most valiant warriors can't just conjure up a warhorse.

Qi Cang offered his warhorse, so why was Mei Meng being so polite with him? She wanted to buy an old horse from the caravan, but Qi Cang looked down on it, saying that riding that thing, he wouldn't even reach his destination in his next life.

He was the one who was picky, and he was also the one who complained.

He's lived to such an old age entirely because of his strength.

Otherwise, he would have been beaten to death by those who couldn't stand him.

Qi Cangdao: [Hmph.]

Taking advantage of Mei Meng's distraction, he subtly glanced back in the direction of the teahouse, then snorted again. The two of them and the horse disappeared at the end of the alley: "We're so familiar with each other, how about you call me 'father'?"

Are you still dreaming?

Why should she be considered inferior for no reason?

Moreover, she seems to lack fatherly love?

Qi Cang clicked his tongue in disdain: "Ungrateful."

Given his cultivation level, if he were to spread the word that he wanted to adopt children, countless people would line up to kowtow to him.

Not far from the teahouse.

"Either go with her, or come with me." Shen Tang slapped Lü Jue on the shoulder to prevent him from becoming a statue waiting for his wife. "If you go with her now, you can still catch up with her."

Lü Jue withdrew his gaze: "No."

Shen Tang didn't lie to Mei Meng; Lü Jue had indeed been beaten with military rods, injuring his lungs and internal organs, and would be unable to fight for ten days to half a month. However, martial artists, relying on their thick skin and tough flesh, could get up as long as they had a breath left. He secretly hid in the shadows to see Mei Meng off on her final journey, making Shen Tang wonder if he was breaking up the couple.

I won't blame you for choosing her.

Shen Tang always considered himself the boss of the company, a corporate slave.

As a boss, it's unrealistic to expect employees to choose only the company and abandon their marriages. In any company, employee turnover is normal. She will respect and bless Lü Jue's choice of Mei Meng, but she won't allow him to continue holding a key position. One cannot have both; Lü Jue must make a choice.

Shen Tang's tolerance also has its limits.

Lü Jue said bitterly, "I'll only be abandoned if I chase after them."

Shen Tang: [...]

Lü Jue sighed: "She was never the kind of person who would regret 'teaching her husband to seek fame and fortune.' How pathetic it is for someone to have no path of their own, blindly relying on another, as if they were born to live for that other person."

The lady's love was as proud as she was.

She can accept intense love, but she cannot accept a person who lacks a sense of self: [Compared to a man who indulges in romantic love and willingly becomes a caged bird, she would rather admire a falcon who indulges in romantic love but wears the guise of a caged bird.]

One can be a caged bird, but one cannot lack the ability to soar. Only by truly becoming a hero does one have the right to bow down.

The strong bow their heads in a gesture of respect, while the weak simply lie there.

Shen Tang said, "Fine."

I don't know whether to call it being love-struck or career-driven.

If he were to live to retire and return to his hometown, he would… Lü Jue took one last look in the direction where the figure was no longer in sight, mounted his horse, and followed his lord's pace, leaving without looking back.

Mei Meng was defeated and killed, but the King of Qi and the remaining leaders of the allied forces were still alive. Shen Tang did not embellish the story and directly announced the truth about their escape—they did not fight their way out, but disguised themselves as deserters and infiltrated the enemy to escape.

In other words—

The troops left behind were all abandoned.

This news was a fatal blow to their reputations.

After the King of Qi embarked on his escape, he dared not make a sound, living in constant fear and paranoia. He lived in this state of anxiety for more than ten days before finally reaching a relatively safe territory. This place was a key border town of a small vassal state of Qi. Although nominally under the jurisdiction of the vassal state, the general guarding the pass was a man from Qi.

Stepping onto this place, her tense nerves finally relaxed.

The most important thing right now is to consolidate the remaining forces and then make further plans.

With Kang's power firmly established, Qi's continued resistance would only lead to its demise. Her plan was to send envoys to negotiate, hoping to reach mutually satisfactory terms. If not, she was prepared to make appropriate concessions. This did not mean she would compromise without limits; if Kang went too far, she would resuming hostilities and fight to the death.

If it's about peace talks, who should be sent?

If it's a fight to the death, who will I have left to use?

These questions lingered in her mind.

Until she received the devastating news of Mei Meng's death in battle.

"Jinghe, Jinghe is already—"

You Bao's face was filled with sorrow: "Prime Minister Mei has done his utmost for the country."

Upon hearing this, the King of Qi felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

She had been mentally prepared for this, but hearing the news still broke her heart. Her feelings for Mei Meng were complex. Love and hate intertwined; she depended on her yet wanted to escape, a tangled web of emotions. Death is like a lamp going out; all the past events vanished like smoke.

"Jinghe... sigh, did she mention anything about what happened after she passed away?"

As the Prime Minister of Qi State, Mei Meng's body also has value.

Whether it's beheading and displaying his head or hanging him on the battlefield, it would severely damage the morale of the southwestern states, especially the state of Qi. As an old friend, the ruler of Qi did not want Mei Meng's body to be dishonored; as the ruler of the state, she also did not want to add insult to injury because of Mei Meng…

"Prime Minister Mei was buried at the foot of the mountain, and his body could not be found."

Not a single intact body was left behind.

It's impossible for Kangguo to dig it up and humiliate it.

This realization allowed the king to breathe a sigh of relief. He was glad that Mei Meng had preserved her dignity after death and would not be humiliated. He was also glad that he would not have to face a dilemma. If Mei Meng's body had really fallen into the hands of Kang, regardless of whether Kang would humiliate her or not, Qi would have to react. Whether it was by sending troops or by spending money, they would have to bring Mei Meng's body back to avoid chilling people's hearts.

With Mei Meng resting peacefully at the foot of the mountain, the difficult problem was easily solved.

The King of Qi was moved by a thought, and his face showed sorrow.

You Bao comforted her, saying, "Please take care of yourself, my lord."

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because once it was mentioned, the King of Qi was even more moved to tears.

She even cried until she fainted at one point.

She had no choice but to cry.

The Kang Kingdom side exaggerated her cowardice and desertion, leaving Mei Meng to escape. If she didn't use Mei Meng's funeral to make a fuss and guide public opinion to the point that Mei Meng had voluntarily sacrificed herself, thus arousing the soldiers' hatred of the enemy, her situation would be awkward.

Not only do they have to be heartbroken, but they also have to arrange a funeral for Mei Meng.

If the body cannot be found, clothing is used as a substitute.

She was also overwhelmed with grief and unable to control herself.

Perhaps everyone was too preoccupied with their own safety to care about anything else, or perhaps the Qi king's actions were truly moving, but the public opinion crisis was barely averted. Mei Meng was dead, but the other court officials were still alive, and they had to plan for their own futures…

When Cui Xiong arrived on behalf of the Cui clan, he witnessed this complex situation. Beset by internal and external troubles, and burdened by the weight of mourning, his face had become noticeably thinner, and his sharply defined features betrayed no trace of youthful naiveté. His demeanor when meeting the monarch also exuded maturity.

"Why is it you? Where is Minister Cui?"

The person the King of Qi most wanted to see was Cui Zhi, the head of the Cui clan and the chief of the Southwest branch of the Gods' Society. Cui Xiong, the future heir, was of little use at this moment.

Cui Xiong bowed respectfully and said, "My maternal grandmother has just passed away, and my father is so grief-stricken that he has injured his heart and has been ill for half a month. We have hired a renowned physician to stay at the mansion, so he was unable to come to my aid."

The ruler of Qi did not believe it at first.

But judging from Cui Xiong's demeanor, one couldn't bring themselves to express any doubt.

He could only suppress his anxiety and try to offer a few words of concern in a gentle, elder-like tone. Finally, he made an excuse to give Cui Xiong and You Bao some space. Regardless of whether Cui Zhi was truly critically ill or faking it, since Cui Xiong had been sent, he was now a hostage.

They are still hostages of considerable importance.

If used properly, Cui Zhi would have to be hesitant to act rashly.

Cui Xiong was aware of the king's plans, but he was more concerned about You Bao's condition. The last time they met, You Bao still had some flesh on his face, but now he was so thin he was almost as thin as a sheet of paper, and there were often furrowed brows between his eyebrows. Cui Xiong felt truly sorry for him.

"I had the cook make your favorite dish."

All my concern was stuck in my throat, leaving only this one sentence.

A faint smile appeared on You Bao's face, the first one she'd seen in days: "After all this time, the first thing you say is to let me eat. Are you trying to shut me up by offering me your chef's pastries because you think my mouth is too noisy and bothers you?"

Cui Xiong blushed and said, "You know that's not what I meant."

You Bao looked at his inner shirt and was no longer embarrassed.

Over the years since her engagement to Cui Xiong, she had come to know his family relationships and knew that he was close to the elders on his maternal side. The sudden loss of a blood relative must be difficult for him. Good food can lift one's spirits, and she finished all the pastries Cui Xiong had brought.

Cui Xiong's brows relaxed: "I'll bring it again tomorrow."

"What are you doing here in this dangerous place?" You Bao wiped his fingers with the handkerchief handed to him, expressing his incomprehension at Cui Xiong's self-destructive behavior. Cui Xiong might be ignorant, but was Cui Zhishan also ignorant?

"Someone has to come, otherwise it will be hard to explain."

"Coming here carries the risk of death."

Cui Xiong's eyes showed neither surprise nor fear, but rather an extremely calm expression as he said, "If I don't come, who will? Father is entrusting this vast family business to me. If I were to push others forward and hide behind others when something goes wrong, wouldn't that be the behavior of a despicable person?"

He has to take responsibility for what is his duty.

Furthermore—

“You’re here too, I couldn’t not come.”

You Bao was touched by his words.

For the first time, she looked seriously at the young man who was much younger than her. A willow leaf floated down her heart, and ripples spread across her mind: "Our marriage was arranged by the Lord. It was all about weighing the pros and cons and did not really take your wishes into account."

This marriage can be disregarded.

Let alone unmarried people, even married people will abandon each other when disaster strikes.

Cui Xiong's seriousness is unnecessary.

Youbao's response clearly exceeded Cui Xiong's expectations.

His pupils dilated slightly, and upon closer inspection, one could see shock and hurt. He bit his lip tightly: "In this world, how many marriages aren't based on weighing the pros and cons? How do you know my intentions? How do you know it wasn't voluntary?"

Youbao: "..."

Her eyelids twitched violently.

The problem is, she's not You Bao, she's Miao Ne.

Cui Xiong's feelings are all for "You Bao," not "Miao Ne," and she doesn't intend to live her whole life in a daze, bearing someone else's appearance and name. Mistakes should be corrected, and things should get back on track.

Yes, we need to get back on track.

Not only must we get back on track, but we must also be honored.

Her infiltration of the Qi Kingdom's ruler wasn't merely to bewitch him, nor was it to arrange a marriage with a younger man. With Mei Meng dead and Cui Zhi ailing, the Qi Kingdom's ruler was essentially crippled; external defeats in the southwestern states and the internal rebellion of the Eternal Life Cult... a perfect opportunity to add fuel to the fire!

How could we miss such a great opportunity?

What could be better "oil" than the death of the ruler of Qi?

"Time waits for no one, Heemin—"

Miao Ne looked up at the moon and made up her mind!

Killing a king is no easy task.

Even a tiger fallen into the plains, the King of Qi still had guards by his side, and his residence was heavily guarded. For an ordinary person to try and seduce them was a pipe dream, but over the years, Miao Ne had long been regarded as a confidante by the King. The King believed that Mei Meng's regicide would not raise any suspicion against her.

Poisoning?

It's not easy to poison a king.

The ruler who holds the imperial seal is essentially no different from a scholar with a refined mind or a warrior with a fierce spirit; their bodies have all been strengthened and tempered by the energy of heaven and earth, so even the deadly poison that kills instantly cannot kill her. If she were to be held up until the medical experts arrive, it would all be for naught.

Miao Ne has better props.

For example, the strings wrapped around her wrist at this moment.

She remained as submissive as ever, serving the king his meal and then accompanying him in discussions with his ministers and merchants until the moon was high in the sky. The king's face showed visibly fatigue, and even his temples had turned gray.

Miao Ne felt some sympathy for the other party.

There are ways to fight and ways to surrender. A subject who surrenders can easily change allegiances; serving the state of Qi is one thing, serving the state of Kang is another, they have flexible employment options. It's different for a ruler; their life is always in danger.

Having reigned as king for so many years, how could I be content to be a subject?

At this moment, she was also filled with a lot of sorrow.

They wanted to keep their wealth and status, but they also wanted to protect their lives and property. They couldn't just say what they were thinking, and they had to put on a tough act, claiming that they couldn't let down the soldiers who had sacrificed their lives.

Can't make a choice?

No problem, Miao Ne is willing to do it.

"Youbao, do you think I did something wrong?" The Queen of Qi was suffering from a headache, and her favored minister, as usual, crawled forward on his knees to soothe her. She closed her eyes and sighed, "If Jinghe were still here, I wonder how much noise she would be making..."

Miao Ne said, "Why don't you ask her?"

The king didn't quite understand at first.

The next instant, a suffocating, sharp pain shot through my neck.

Driven by her survival instinct, she reached out and grabbed, her fingertips grasping several taut, thin threads. The threads tightened suddenly in Miao Ne's hand, digging deep into her flesh. She tried to cry for help, but something blocked her throat, a warm breath brushing against her ear: "Does Your Majesty know that one of the two most proficient incantations among the Academy's students is 'Silence and Voice Control,' an essential skill for entering the court?"

The other person's voice underwent a subtle change.

It transformed into a female voice that was completely unfamiliar to her.

She whispered with a smile in her ear, "I've been a model student for several years in a row! Even Luan Gongyi couldn't escape my grasp."

Of course, it could also be related to Luan Xin's slow reaction time.

|ω`)

Tang Mei could choose to kill or not kill the King of Qi; keeping him alive as a mascot wouldn't make much difference (recruiting former officials of Qi wouldn't be difficult, Cui Zhi could easily take his place). However, Miao Ne was unwilling to let the King of Qi go, as it concerned her interests (after playing the subservient role for so many years, she wanted to recoup her investment with interest, which was somewhat driven by personal grudges).