Inside the Yalan Royal Court, an elderly man sat playing a zither in a secluded courtyard. Although his attire suggested he was from the grasslands, he was playing a guqin from the Central Plains. The notes flowed from his fingertips, and the courtyard's decor was completely different from the rugged grassland style.

"Imperial Preceptor, the Second Prince is also dead."

--bite

The string broke.

"Have you had someone investigate thoroughly?" The old man withdrew his hands, looked at the guqin, and asked.

"It's been found out. The Second Prince's head is still hanging in the Central Plains army camp. I heard that the one leading the troops this time is a woman."

No matter how much you calculate, you can't escape fate.

Hao Lianchen stood up and waved for his attendants to leave. The old man returned to his study, where a pot of red flowers swayed gently in the breeze by the window. He looked at the flowers and murmured to himself.

"I don't think I can do it anymore."

After speaking, the old man put on his sacrificial robes and went to see the king on his sickbed.

Da Ni'er's biological father looked very old, his head completely white, appearing as if he were on his deathbed. The Imperial Advisor, looking at the silent ruler lying on the bed, said softly...

"Your daughter has come back after all."

"They still came back..."

"You asked me to spare her life back then, saying I'd do anything as long as she didn't die, and I agreed. But... if I can't kill her this time, the grasslands will change as prophesied, and women will take over."

Do you regret it?

The old man on the bed shook his head with all his might, panting as he spoke.

"No regrets, she is my child! My blood flows in her veins! The grassland still belongs to my Yalan family. People like you will never be respectable."

Da Ni'er's biological father thought about it. After being controlled by the man in front of him for so many years, he was about to die. He could even feel himself rotting and smelling bad on the bed.

So what else is he afraid of?

"Both of your sons died at her hands." The Imperial Advisor said expressionlessly, but with a look of curiosity and doubt, trying to find some reaction on his face.

But the old man lying in bed didn't do as he wished.

"Really?" he asked.

“Really,” the Imperial Advisor replied.

Hahahahahahaha.

As if in a final burst of energy before death, the old man pulled himself up from behind the gauze curtain, sat up, and looked up at the Grand Preceptor, saying...

"You see, I was right. She was my favorite back then, and she had the ability."

“She killed your son,” the Imperial Advisor repeated.

"So what? That's the rule of the grasslands. If you like something, you fight for it and grab it. If they were killed by Yalan Qing, it's because they were useless."

"My Ah Qing will always be the best."

Meanwhile, at the Huo family's military camp, Huo Xiaolong was having a heart-to-heart talk with Da Ni'er, trying to persuade his girlfriend to willingly attend the chairmanship of the grassland.

“My biological father used to tell me often, ‘My A-Qing will always be the best.’”

"And then?" Huo Xiaolong asked.

"Then he kicked me out of the house like a dog."

"I don't know if I can manage the grassland well, and I don't know if I can be like you, keeping every person and every citizen in my heart."

"Long'er, you're very capable, but I'm different."

The girl in red smiled, pulled Da Ni'er down to lie on the grass, and said...

“You’re quite capable, but you just don’t want to acknowledge the grasslands, or rather, you can’t bear to leave our mother.”

"Yes, I can't bear to part with her."

Aunt Wang was still busy in the kitchen. From where the two of them were, they could see Hou Xiangxiang, who had rolled up her sleeves and was directing the doctor, as well as Zhang Mama and Sister Erya, who were swinging a sledgehammer.

How could I bear to part with it?

“But I will fight my way back to the Yalan Royal Court, for my own sake,” Dani’er said solemnly to Huo Xiaolong.

This statement signifies that she is willing to shoulder the responsibility of the grasslands, because once you take command of troops, you can't simply shirk your responsibilities.

"Reporting to the General, the Imperial Preceptor of the Yalan Royal Court has come to request an audience."

The two girls' eyes instantly turned serious. They stood up and returned to the commander's tent to receive the envoy.

"These are the Grand Preceptor's thoughts, Fifth Princess. Please consider them carefully."

The dark-skinned girl sat below Huo Xiaolong. The envoy was trying to sow discord in front of the girl in red, but Huo Xiaolong didn't say a word, and didn't even bother to lift his eyes.

The Grand Preceptor's purpose was: Now that the Second Prince and Fourth Prince are both dead, among all of the King's biological children, you are the most promising. Although you are a woman, I don't mind. After all, I have been governing the grasslands for so many years and have experience. As long as you are willing to come back, you will be the new King of the grasslands. I will assist you in governing the grasslands well. Isn't that better than being someone's subordinate in the Central Plains?

Da Ni'er was amused and said with a smile.

"Our Grand Preceptor hasn't changed at all over the years. He's always trying to fleece the Yalan family. Even though I'm no longer a member of the Yalan family, nobody's a fool."

“Go back and tell him that he can’t control me.”

"I will fight back, personally leading the troops. At that time, I would appreciate it if the Grand Preceptor would wash his neck clean and wait for me."

“You have orders on you, so I won’t kill you. But if I ever hear anything bad about Huo Xiaolong again, I’ll send you to see Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.”

In just a few words, the envoy was forced to break out in a cold sweat.

Sun Zixi arrived late, so she took a nap.

It's alright, Da Nier didn't kill anyone this time.

It seems the negotiations didn't break down. The girl gave the dark-skinned girl a thumbs up, saying, "Impressive, you've improved!"

"That's about it. Go back and report."

Before Sun Zixi could even warm up, he saw the envoy walk out of the command tent in a daze.

"What's wrong? What did you say to him?"

"It's nothing, they're just here to mediate and tell me to go back and be the grassland king," Da Ni'er replied, shifting her position with her legs crossed.

"Isn't he just talking nonsense? We can fight on our own, why should we go back just because he tells us to? He must be up to no good."

"By the way, in a few days all our classmates who have nothing to do will be coming over. They can teach until the New Year. We'll choose a teacher from among those who have learned the skills," Sun Zixi said to Huo Xiaolong.

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