At night.

Li Qiji, along with Ji Wu and Ji Shang, headed towards the Tianji Pavilion.

After all, the head of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is Li Qiji!

This is something that no one in the martial arts world knows. The only people who know the inside story are the second and third leaders of Tianji Pavilion and Tianji Star.

Inside the Tianji Pavilion.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master!"

"Sect Leader, why have you come in person?" The second and third leaders of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion are brothers.

The two brothers, Chen Xiuming and Chen Xiujun.

They were a little confused by their boss's sudden visit. Although they knew that their empress had been captured and taken to the Turkic palace, they didn't think their boss would come to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion in person!

"Master, are you planning to go to the border yourself to rescue the Empress?" Chen Xiuming asked.

Li Qiji glanced at Chen Xiuming and nodded, indicating that this was the meaning.

Chen Xiujun said, "Sect Leader, you should stay in the capital. We'll go there ourselves."

Li Qiji shook his head and said disapprovingly, "Yue'er is my wife, and also the wife of the Pavilion Master of our Tianji Pavilion. How can it be done if I don't take action?"

Chen Xiuming and Chen Xiujun exchanged a glance, nodded in agreement without saying anything, and then clasped their hands in a fist and said, "Sect Master, shall we accompany you?"

"You can assist me from the shadows!"

After issuing a series of orders and formulating a comprehensive plan, Li Qiji began his overnight journey, quickly heading towards the border Turkic territory where Guan Zhiyue was located.

However, this was in the Turkic royal palace.

In the courtyard of the warm pavilion, Guan Zhiyue and Bilian were grilling beef and mutton skewers on a small stove! Unexpectedly, the King of the Turks arrived, and he even brought along the prince whom they had met once before.

Guan Zhiyue looked at the father and son who came in through the door, her face full of dejection.

Some people were surprised and didn't know what was going on!

He then asked, "Oh, what brings the Turkic King to my humble courtyard? Does he have something to discuss with me now?"

Shen Tu Jiazhen and Shen Tu Mingzhi were speechless. The father and son smelled the aroma of roasted beef and mutton in the warm pavilion, and then looked at Guan Zhiyue. They were truly speechless.

"Empress Guan, what do you think of our Great Turkic Khaganate?" Shentu Jiazhen asked Guan Zhiyue, sitting down on a small round stool without any ceremony.

Guan Zhiyue glanced at Shen Tu Jiazhen, who seemed to have something on his mind and said, "Great King of the Turks, is there something you want to tell me? You might as well just say it directly. I'm not comfortable with you beating around the bush."

Shen Tu Jiazhen and Shen Tu Mingzhi are thinking about this right now!

What happened to your supposed reserve?

Where's the buildup you were promised?

Where's the promised emotional impact?

The father and son were speechless, utterly speechless. What was going on?!

"Ahem, well, well! I do have something I want to say to Empress Guan," Shentu Jiazhen said.

Guan Zhiyue reached out and handed a skewer of mutton from the fire stand to Shentu Jiazhen, then said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please speak frankly. After all, our two countries are now allies, and we have discussed cooperation."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tu Jiazhen understood that the Empress of Nan Ding Kingdom was not only capable in researching new crops.

They even have considerable expertise in governing the country, especially in their national governance plans, which are now proceeding according to the steps outlined in Guan Zhiyue's previous proposal.

Although it's freezing cold now, we can still get those things done as promised.

"Actually, it's just that you've been in our Turkic region for so long. Don't you miss your country? Don't you miss your family? And things like that."

Upon hearing this, Guan Zhiyue smiled faintly and said, "King of the Turks, do you mean I can go home now?"

Shen Tu Jiazhen nodded repeatedly in agreement, then took a bite of the sizzling, oily lamb skewer and said, "Yes, I wonder what Your Majesty means?"

Guan Zhiyue looked at Shentu Jiazhen without saying anything, but turned to look at Bilian and said, "Bilian, the Turkic king said we can go home now. Do you think we should go back?"

Seeing her mistress's little actions, Bilian smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I think the beef and mutton from the Turks are quite good. Why do we have to go back? Can't we not go back?"

"Or how about we stay a while longer? I haven't had enough of this food yet."

Guan Zhiyue echoed Bilian's words, "That's what I think too, so what do you think, Great King of the Turks?"

Shen Tu Jiazhen and Shen Tu Mingzhi felt like they were about to spit out a mouthful of blood. What kind of situation was this?!

"Great King of the Turks, have you ever heard of this saying?"

Shentu Jiazhen subconsciously replied, "What did you say?"

Guan Zhiyue laughed, took a bite of a skewer of lamb, and said, "It's easy to invite a god, but hard to send him away!"

"Back then, you insisted on forcibly kidnapping me from the military camp of the Southern Kingdom. Now your nomadic people have hope for survival."

Other countries see that you're all doing well, and they're probably thinking of coming to find me too. Since they've sent people, how can I just go there like that?

"Furthermore, you have to take the blame for this yourself. Who told you to kidnap me from Nanding Kingdom to your country?"

Guan Zhiyue recounted the items one by one, which made Shen Tu Jiazhen want to slap himself twice. What kind of sins had he committed?

Why can't we get rid of them?

"Empress Guan, how about we make a deal?"

Guan Zhiyue threw the bamboo skewer in her hand into the trash can next to her, and it went in perfectly.

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked at Shen Tu Jiazhen and his son with a hint of mockery in his voice.

"Oh! I wonder what the Turkic King is thinking now, and whether he wishes to have a long talk with me?"

Shen Tu Jiazhen was speechless, but still forced himself to say, "When you return to Nanding, we will follow the plan and establish a trade association between the two countries so that beef and mutton can be sold in Nanding."

Guan Zhiyue: "..." So they're still trying to get rid of me! Now I know I'm in trouble!

“Opening a trade association is necessary, but I don’t want to return to Nanding Kingdom yet. I think the Turks are great! I plan to stay for a while longer.”

Shen Tu Mingzhi's patience had run out, and his tone hardened as he said, "Guan Zhiyue, don't be so stubborn. My father kindly invited you back, and now you're acting all high and mighty in front of me. What right do you have to be here?"

Although Guan Zhiyue was furious, she remained calm and said indifferently, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!"

Before Shen Tu Mingzhi could figure it out, Shen Tu Jiazhen had already understood. He immediately scolded his good son and dismissed him, then looked at Guan Zhiyue with a fawning expression and said, "I wonder how much longer Empress Guan will stay?"

Shen Tu Jiazhen thought to himself, if it were five or six days, his palace could hold out, but if it were ten days, half a month, or even a month, wouldn't his palace be completely exposed by assassins and spies from other countries?

Guan Zhiyue said calmly, "It depends on my mood!"

The father and son returned empty-handed; it was simply too cruel!