Seeing the sword is like seeing the man.

Xiao Chang'an watched without changing his expression as her two deadly fingers left his throat.

A Qiu said in a deep voice, "Then, do you know who I really am?"

A smile appeared in Xiao Chang'an's eyes as he casually said, "I know you are highly skilled; you were one of the top experts before you became Gu Yi's disciple. However, I don't want to know who you are."

This was quite unexpected for A Qiu. As A Qiu said, given Xiao Chang'an's style of doing things, he shouldn't have let go of any person around him who could be used.

If he knew Ah Qiu's background, he could use it to blackmail and control her. And that's always been his style of doing things.

Xiao Chang'an's gaze was fixed on her face, and he said softly, "No matter who you are, I believe I can take responsibility for you. Whatever you want, I believe I can give you."

A Qiu felt a slight tremor in her heart and lowered her gaze uncontrollably.

But that was only for a moment. Then, she raised her head, looked directly at Xiao Chang'an, and said, "I am grateful that you don't ask about my affairs. However," her gaze once again swept towards the ruined Liyang Palace hidden among the trees, and she said decisively, "If you set your sights on Lord Liyang, we will be enemies."

She thought for a moment and added, "He has lived in seclusion for many years and has done no harm to anyone. Nothing should be done to him."

The fact that Lord Liyang is hiding in this abandoned palace and using formations to conceal his whereabouts suggests he must have some unspeakable secret. With Xiao Chang'an's cunning and methods, dealing with him would be much easier than dealing with Li Wujiu and Gu Yi.

She had to lay her cards on the table first. Whether Xiao Chang'an listened or not, she had to draw a line in the sand as a warning. This was the way of the martial arts world.

Xiao Chang'an looked at her noncommittally for a long time, then suddenly asked, "Have you already agreed to him?"

Caught off guard, A Qiu asked in astonishment, "Promise him what?"

Xiao Chang'an looked relieved and said easily, "As long as he doesn't bother me, what's wrong with letting him go?"

He didn't want to talk about this person anymore, so he changed the subject and said, "Do you know why I came to find you in such a hurry?"

Ah Qiu suddenly remembered this incident. In the past, there was never anything in the palace that required her urgent attention, not even something that made Xiao Chang'an so impatient that he had to come to the abandoned palace in Liyang to find her. She immediately asked, "What happened?"

Xiao Chang'an's expression turned serious. He said, "The Prince of Ning of the Northern Qiang, Huli Guang, has arrived in the capital and is currently staying at Yinma Post Station. His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to invite you because he wants you to accompany him to see the Prince of Ning."

Yinma Post Station is located on the outskirts of the capital. At this moment, the area around the post station is guarded by the Northern Qiang King's army, with swords and spears everywhere and their armor gleaming.

Before A Qiu left the palace, Crown Prince Xie Tiao ordered her to wear a veil and specifically instructed her to carry the Lu Yue sword and ride with him. Accompanying her was her other senior brother, the Left Chancellor Gongyi Xiu. However, Xie Tiao was unaware of A Qiu's relationship with Gongyi Xiu as fellow disciples.

A Qiu didn't understand why she had to wear a veil. Xie Tiao explained, "I've already inquired along the way. The Northern Qiang army is ruthless and fierce, with the look of a wolf and the movement of a scorpion. If they see that the person accompanying me to the post station is a beautiful woman, they might develop a contemptuous and disloyal attitude."

A Qiu said, "In that case, why not let others accompany you, Senior Brother? Why must I go?" As soon as she said this, she realized that among the suitable candidates, apart from Xiao Chang'an who was a man, the others, such as Sikong Zhao, Shangguan Yuqi, and Pei Yu, were all beautiful women, not much better than herself.

Xie Tiao said, "For my safety, others can certainly do the job. But most importantly, only you can represent our teacher in Dayan now."

A Qiu understood that Xie Lang was currently ill, and the person in charge of the palace was Consort Chen, who was also considered a "beautiful woman" by the Northern Qiang people. Xie Tiao's act of going to greet Hulü Guang was a last resort, and by having her represent Gu Yi, the meeting could be made more significant.

She then understood why Xie Tiao insisted she bring Gu Yi's Moon-Carving Sword. The Moon-Carving Sword was used for battle and conquest, symbolizing Gu Yi's martial virtue; wielding it was like seeing Gu Yi himself.

She pondered for a moment and replied, "No wonder Senior Brother wanted to ride over there; he didn't want to act like a woman, hiding in the palace carriage, for fear that the soldiers would look down on him."

Xie Tiao smiled wryly and said, "If you had seen the brutal and ruthless behavior of those soldiers, you would never think that my measures are superfluous."

A Qiu said, "If that's the case, Senior Brother, you might as well transfer Miss Pei's Mastiff Battalion over there. With those hundreds of mastiffs with eyes as big as copper bells, they will surely be able to intimidate the Northern Qiang people."

Xie Tiao smiled wryly and said, "That's another problem: Hulü Guang is here to negotiate peace and is a state guest. We can't deliberately deploy a large army to make a show of force and surround him, otherwise it would become a deliberate display of provocation."

A Qiu thought so too. If the Divine Mastiff Camp were to fight the Northern Qiang King's army right now, would they still be negotiating peace? Besides, it would seem too ungentlemanly.

Therefore, Xie Tiao's solution was to travel light, taking only A Qiu with him. This showed his sincerity without being too arrogant and causing misunderstandings among the Northern Qiang people.

When A Qiu accompanied Xie Tiao out of the palace gate, they found that the Left Chancellor, Yi Xiu, was already waiting by the roadside with a tall horse.

Upon seeing Xie Tiao approach, Gongyi Xiu cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "I hope Your Highness will forgive my presumption in coming uninvited to accompany you on this trip. In truth, Chief Shangguan has ordered me to protect Your Highness's safety, and besides, my words may still be of some use."

A Qiu and Xie Tiao then realized that Gongyi Xiu was waiting there at Shangguan Yuqi's request. It seems that while Xie Tiao sent Xiao Chang'an to find A Qiu, Shangguan Yuqi heard about this and immediately sent a message to Gongyi Xiu outside the palace.

To be honest, Gongyi Xiu was indeed an excellent candidate. He was highly skilled in martial arts, a first-rate diplomat, and, moreover, a man.

A Qiu, having grown up in the Southern Dynasty, had no concept of gender distinction. In the past, at Lanling Hall, she had never felt any inconvenience; after all, when assassinating someone, the victim wouldn't specifically request that their assassin be male or female. However, after hearing Xie Tiao's brief introduction of the Northern Qiang royal army, she immediately understood: in the most barbaric and uncivilized places, women were often treated like pigs and dogs, especially those who were beautiful, thus arousing lust. Therefore, in certain situations, having a man act would reduce trouble.

This experience made her realize for the first time how much influence the environment in which one lives has on a person.

Even with Madam Pei's ruthlessness and Consort Chen's gentleness, it would be difficult for them to fully utilize their strengths and earn such respect in the environment of Northern Qiang.

She then thought of another person: Mo Yi Bi Shuang, the former wife of Huan Hua Chi. It was easy to imagine the treatment she had received in the Northern Qiang, which shaped her cold and indifferent nature.

When Xie Tiao saw Gongyi Xiu waiting there, he was taken aback at first, but then smiled awkwardly and said, "I didn't know that Miss Shangguan could actually talk to the Left Prime Minister."

Gongyi Xiu was slightly taken aback, then immediately smiled and said, "Chief Shangguan was just concerned about His Highness the Crown Prince's safety. He happened to run into me when he left the palace, or perhaps he remembered that I had accompanied His Highness to appease the Jianzhang Army and thought that I was still somewhat useful, so he simply entrusted this matter to me."

Xie Tiao then smiled and said, "In that case, I'll trouble you, Prime Minister." He turned back to A Qiu and said with a smile, "With the Prime Minister here, we have even more confidence."

A Qiu was secretly wondering: Shangguan Yuqi came from the Shangguan family, so logically she should have asked her uncle Shangguan You for help first. Why would she have thought of asking Gongyi Xiu? Moreover, Gongyi Xiu's self-proclaimed romantic demeanor was not the type of person Shangguan Yuqi would be willing to say a word to.

As the three rode their horses at full gallop, Aqiu couldn't help but ask, "What kind of person is Prince Ning, Hulü Guang? Is he as cruel and ruthless as the soldiers of the Northern Qiang royal army?"

Gongyi Xiu replied first: "I have heard a little about this. The King of Northern Qiang is well-educated and knowledgeable in etiquette. He can write poetry and is skilled in calligraphy. He is considered a Hu people with a relatively high degree of Sinicization. Lord Siyue need not worry too much about him being rude and lacking in manners."

A Qiu suddenly realized, "No wonder he was sent as an envoy to the Southern Dynasty."

At the same time, he thought that the wife whom Hulü Guang had previously betrothed was Xiao Yu, the eldest daughter of the Xiao family. It seemed that this man understood the importance of Han people governing the country very well and was a formidable opponent.

At the same time, she asked, "So, in the struggle for the future Great Khan's throne, does Hulü Guang have any rivals in the Northern Qiang?"

Gongyi Xiu showed an expression of appreciation and said, "Da Sile's insight is extremely clear. The current Khan of the Northern Qiang, Huli Jin, is Huli Guang's elder brother, but Huli Guang is the most popular candidate for the crown prince position. According to the customs of the Northern Qiang people, all of Huli Guang's sons and brothers are qualified to inherit the Khanate. As for who will ultimately succeed, that will be decided by the strongest. Therefore, Huli Guang has spent a lot of time these past years trying to win over the hearts and minds of the people. I estimate that his request to go on this mission to the Southern Dynasty is also driven by this idea."

Aqiu couldn't help but nod and say, "The Left Prime Minister is indeed a talented person, so familiar with the situation of the Northern Dynasty." Then he turned to Xie Tiao and said, "Chief Shangguan, you haven't made a mistake in choosing the right person this time!"

Xie Tiao, residing deep within the Eastern Palace, had rarely been involved in politics before and actually knew little about the affairs of the Northern Dynasty. If Gu Yi and Xie Lang had not bothered with their misfortunes, he would not have been sent to meet with Hulü Guang at this moment. Hearing Gongyi Xiu speak eloquently and clearly, he felt somewhat embarrassed and sincerely said, "The Left Prime Minister truly deserves to be called the most outstanding among the younger generation of this dynasty. He is worthy of being entrusted with important responsibilities. I thank you in advance for your willingness to come and assist me."

Gongyi Xiu rode his horse along, smiling easily, and said, "Your Highness flatters me. It is my good fortune to be able to assist Your Highness in achieving great things."

The three sped past like a whirlwind, drawing the attention of passersby.

Before arriving at Yinma Post Station, Gongyi Xiu had made preparations. He took out a tally from his sleeve and said, "We are special envoys from the Eastern Palace, requesting an audience with His Highness Prince Ning. Please announce our arrival."

The Northern Qiang soldier guarding the gate was tall and burly, with a fierce and menacing look. He first looked the three people on horseback up and down, but did not accept the tally. He sneered and said, "What kind of scumbags dare to harass Prince Ning? Get lost!"

Xie Tiao was about to ask Gongyi Xiu why he didn't just state the names of the Crown Prince and the Junior Tutor directly, but instead went around in circles and was harassed by the soldiers, when Gongyi Xiu stopped him with a look.

A Qiu, who had traveled extensively, had learned of Gongyi Xiu's intentions. He remained silent but spurred his horse closer to Gongyi Xiu, ready to strike at any moment.

Gongyi Xiu bowed and smiled, reiterating, "A messenger from the Eastern Palace requests an audience with His Highness Prince Ning. This is the land of the Southern Dynasty; surely His Highness Prince Ning is not ignorant of even basic etiquette?"

He spoke in a loud voice, making sure the message reached the courtyard of the post station.

As expected, the sound of weapons clashing rang out, and immediately more than a dozen Northern Qiang soldiers emerged from the gate. Each of them was filled with murderous intent, carrying knives and clubs, and surrounded the enemy with ill intentions. Some of them kept glancing at A Qiu, who was sitting on horseback.