Chapter 102 Leaving
Li Si took out a bronze talisman and a necklace from the bottom of the box.
“We have fulfilled our mission. Both of these items have been blessed with the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination Mantra and the Purification Mantra of Heaven and Earth. According to Your Majesty, they should be able to form an array.”
Yan Dibai examined it for a moment and found it to be more refined than last time. He nodded and said, "Excellent."
Seeing that the emperor's complexion was still acceptable, Li Si, forgetting himself, blurted out, "Why doesn't Your Majesty live with the Empress? When we came, we invited her, but she refused to come along."
The atmosphere inside the tent froze.
Helan Rong reminded him at the right moment: "Brother Li, the emperor has established an empress, but the six rituals have not yet been performed and the ceremony of presenting betrothal gifts has not yet been completed. According to the regulations, it is not appropriate for us to meet."
Wedding ceremonies were extremely elaborate in those times, especially for the imperial family. The process involved betrothal, asking the bride's name, accepting auspicious gifts, and presenting betrothal gifts. Before the wedding ceremony and sharing a meal, the bride and groom were not allowed to see each other according to custom.
Li Si, a rough soldier, thought that as long as the title was settled, that was enough; he had no idea of the intricacies involved. Only now, after Helan Rong's explanation, did he realize—no wonder the Empress had politely declined to come along; she was avoiding suspicion!
He slapped his forehead with his large, fan-like hand and grinned, "So that's how it is! Good news, great news!"
Yan Dibai's expression darkened further, and Helan Rong shook her head slightly. Sure enough, the next moment, the emperor's cold voice was heard: "Go and collect the warrants, awaiting the decisive battle in Yongzhou." The three were immediately dismissed.
Helan Rong listened to the fading laughter and conversation outside the tent, a hint of relief crossing his solemn face. He turned around and saw Yan Dibai still standing before the table. Remembering how the Empress had been quietly avoiding him these past few days to discuss matters with Wu Yinchi Luo, he finally couldn't bear it.
He pondered, "Your Majesty, that golden brocade... perhaps it needs some pearls and jade embellishments?"
Almost no one knew. These days, aside from military affairs, Yan Dibai devoted all his energy to that golden hairpin. This was an old custom of Yan and Jin, where the emperor would present a ceremonial object, and the recipient would later return a belt as a token of their alliance.
However, Yan Dibai continued to polish the gold ornaments on his own and never asked Qingqing to sew the belt.
Helan Rong had seen that object by chance half a month ago. Unlike the unfinished product presented by the craftsmen, the one in His Majesty's hand was made entirely by himself, from selecting the materials to hammering and inlaying, bearing the rustic simplicity unique to a novice. The phoenix was beginning to take shape, and the red jade in the center was already firmly set.
After further refinement, this golden scepter, symbolizing divine mandate and the empress's virtue, will add another chapter to the history of Yan and Jin.
Now that Yongzhou is in sight, all the necessary equipment for the enthronement ceremony and wedding are being prepared, but His Majesty never mentions Jin Sheng's whereabouts.
He Lanrong was puzzled, but then he saw Yan Dibai clear his throat as if he had been waiting for him to ask this question:
"In your opinion... do women generally prefer to wear more jewels and jade ornaments?"
Helan Rong was speechless for a moment, not understanding what he meant. He carefully observed and saw that although it was not obvious on the young emperor's face, his ears were already flushed.
"..."
When the young emperor was with these soldiers, he was a capable ruler, brave, resourceful, and unpredictable. Although his martial arts skills were not as good as theirs, he was very daring and his strategies were ingenious. With a few more years of actual combat experience, his martial arts skills would improve, perhaps even surpassing those of the founding ancestor.
But the moment the young empress was mentioned, Yan Dibai's aura instantly changed. His joy and anger were directly displayed on his face, impossible to hide.
I originally thought that his deliberate avoidance of the Empress these past few days was for the sake of the big battle and for the greater good. But now it seems... he actually wanted to be discovered by the Empress, but was also afraid of being found out that he was secretly beating Jin Sheng, so he felt embarrassed.
Despite his resolute and rugged appearance, Helan Rong's heart was quite the opposite. He had a sudden inspiration and said, "The Empress's face is naturally beautiful. No matter how many jewels or jades one possesses, none can rival her radiance."
Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, Helan Rong saw the young man's brows unfurrow.
Yan Dibai repeatedly stroked the sandalwood box on the table with his fingertips. Noticing his emotions slipping out, he suddenly asked coldly, "Is the formation in Liangzhou City complete?"
He was asking about the Taoist priests who were being allowed into the city.
"Nine shoes, one on the left, three on the right, seven on the right. Five stones, nine pieces, the earth-binding formation is complete."
This is a method offered by a Taoist priest, who said that by burying and suppressing the spirit for eighty-one days with ritual implements, it can bind the spirit and fix the soul.
Yan Dibai's fingertips paused at the edge of the wooden box.
The contents of the box were his heartfelt wishes, painstakingly crafted over months amidst his busy military duties. Meanwhile, within Liangzhou City, he had ordered the deployment of a demon-suppressing formation specifically targeting her.
This contradiction tore at him—the inexplicable strangeness about her, and Yang Liuqing's avoidance of his questions.
Although the two tacitly avoided mentioning their discord, Yan Dibai suddenly felt a sense of crisis once the story of Yan Chong and Liang Shi was unearthed.
In his later years, Yan Chong was misled by alchemists, nearly causing the downfall of the state. All of this was due to the uncontrollable nature of the Liang family.
go home?
Dream on.
It was Liang who first recruited Yan Chong. And it was Yang Liuqing who first recruited him. What home is he going back to?
"His Majesty?"
He Lanrong called out, and Yan Dibai snapped out of his reverie.
He lowered his eyes, and as if making a firm decision, tucked the wooden box into his robes. "I'm going back to the city. If anyone comes looking for me, just say I have something to discuss."
As soon as Xiao Liu jumped off the carriage and handed over the talisman, he saw a black shadow on horseback leap out of the camp from behind and disappear into the distance.
He looked around and saw that the horse was not His Majesty's mount. He then turned back and asked a familiar soldier guarding the camp, "Brother, I have come on Her Majesty's orders; I have urgent news to report!"
The other person looked troubled and said in a low voice, "His Majesty is busy, and no one is allowed to disturb him."
"It's big!" Xiao Liu leaned closer, lowering his voice even further, "It concerns that person in the north!"
"Hiss, to the north?!" The soldiers were surprised, but dared not disobey orders. "No, no!"
Xiao Liu was extremely anxious and asked, "Where are General Helan and General Wuyin?"
"The two generals are currently in the camp, hosting a welcome dinner for the three generals who have returned from Jiangzuo."
Xiao Liu gritted his teeth and got back into the car, "Your Majesty..."
Qingqing sat upright in the car, her pale face momentarily dimming before returning to normal. "It's alright. It's only natural that he's busy."
She then suddenly asked, "Do you know that Miss Cui Yun?"
Xiao Liu dared not go against his conscience: "This month, Miss Cui has been giving away porridge and medicine everywhere, never accepting money. Her medical skills are excellent, which is why she is so popular."
"Didn't the people like the old soup kitchens anymore?"
Little Liu whispered, "Later, there was more rice in the soup kitchen, so everyone..."
Qingqing understood. "Does His Majesty know?"
"This... I don't understand."
Qingqing smiled and said, "Okay." She paused for a moment, then added, "Xiao Liu, I'll wait a little longer. If I don't see anyone before sunset, I'll go back."
-
As soon as Yan Dibai arrived at the city gate, a Qianlin Guard rushed out with an urgent report: "Your Majesty, Wang Fu is dead!"
"When the brothers heard Wang Shu making a scene, they went to investigate and found that Wang Fei in the neighboring courtyard had already died and his body had been cold for some time."
"...We can't wait any longer."
Wang Fu was Wang Du's beloved son. Yan Di imprisoned him but didn't kill him, intending to slowly ensnare Wang Du. Wang Fu's sudden death at this time makes it easy to understand the mastermind's motives.
"Where is the Empress?" Yan Dibai asked immediately.
The secret guard reported the facts.
Before the words were even finished, an explosion rang out, and flames shot into the sky!
"wrong!"
Yan Dibai rushed straight to the two's residence. However, he was too late. Inside, he saw cups and dishes overturned, and Little Grey, with its tail taut, stared intently at Xue Ying'er, who was huddled trembling beside the bed. Upon seeing him, it let out a pitiful and anxious whimper.
Yangliuqing has disappeared without a trace.
Yan Dibai's blood froze instantly, and he said in a cold voice, "You scoundrel, you're courting death."
"Investigate immediately!" came another roar. "Bring the Empress back at once!"
His sinister gaze pierced Xue Ying'er, who was trembling even more violently, as if he wished he could devour her flesh raw:
"Foolish woman!"
-
The carriage came to an abrupt stop on the road, the smell of saltpeter seeping into the carriage on the wind.
"Your Majesty!" Xiao Liu cried out urgently, "The axle has suddenly broken! Please wait a moment, I'll go back to the camp to borrow a carriage right away!"
Qingqing nodded anxiously, worried about Xue Ying'er and the explosion in the city, when she heard the sound of horses' hooves. The carriage curtain was lifted, and Cui Shenxiu, holding an oil lamp, leaned forward with concern:
"Your Highness, were you frightened? It's late now. If you don't mind, Shenxiu will escort you on your way."
Looking at her gentle and sincere face, Qingqing remained silent for a moment before finally nodding: "Then I'll have to trouble Seventeenth Sister."
A faint scent of medicine and a pleasant aroma filled the carriage. Cui Shenxiu poured her a cup of hot tea and said softly, "It's been quite a while since I last saw you, Your Majesty. You don't seem to be in the same condition as before."
"Perhaps it's because of the heat, I don't have much of an appetite." Qingqing held her teacup, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "It's been a long time since I've seen Seventeenth Sister open Wanchun Hall, and I haven't even seen Yuchuan and Yuheng."
"There are many wounded soldiers lately. Both are about saving lives, but this is more important." Cui Shenxiu answered calmly, his gaze sweeping over Qingqing's face before he suddenly said, "If Your Highness is troubled, how about Shenxiu tells you some old stories?"
Before Qingqing could respond, she gazed at the deep night outside the window and began to speak slowly and deliberately.
“I am from a collateral branch of the Cui family… a branch that can’t be any more collateral.”
She paused slightly, her voice carrying an unusual calm:
“My father used the family genealogy to swindle and cheat people. Once, he refused to pay his debts after gambling and was beaten to death. My mother raised me for two years, but eventually, due to financial difficulties, she started drinking on credit. One winter day, she fell into the river while drunk and never came back.”
"Later, my clansmen sent me to my ancestral home. There were four or five other children with me, all of whom were more clever than me."
Choi Shin-soo suddenly smiled at Qingqing.
“I was thin and ugly back then. To avoid being sent back, I used tricks to drive them all away. But the uncle who was supposed to take me in thought I was not presentable enough and refused to take me in. I hid in the corridor and cried for a whole day, counting the days on my fingers, just not wanting to go back to that home.”
"Until I met Uncle Cui Xun, who was reading in the garden. He was dressed in blue, his hair was not tied up, and he had an air of authority. I pretended to be bullied by the servants, cried and hugged his legs, calling him 'Father' over and over again."
Qingqing's fingers unconsciously curled up: "Seventeenth Sister..."
Seeing her moved, Choi Shin-soo's eyes flashed with pleasure:
“He was clearly unhappy at the time, but he was stunned by the word ‘father’. I knew that I had someone to rely on.”
"My uncle changed my name, changing the ordinary 'Yun' to 'Shenxiu'. The children in my family looked down on me and instigated Wang Shu to bully me. Wang Shu wasn't stupid, but she was too naive because she was spoiled. She was easily fooled by me with just a few words and became my most loyal friend from then on."
"The better my uncle treated me, the deeper his intentions became. He had an illegitimate son raised in the palace, a child who couldn't be recognized by his own family and instead had to call his imperial grandfather 'father.' My uncle was tormented by this, so he decided to groom me and send me to the palace to accompany his son, both as a comfort and as a form of support. But—"
Qingqing's breathing faltered slightly, and Cui Shenxiu paused at just the right moment, until she couldn't help but look up, before softly saying:
“I was afraid of dying in the heavy snow when I was seven, so I fought for everything. But he was the only one I thought was destined for me, yet I couldn’t have him in the end.” Her tone was complicated. “Your Majesty was furious when he found out about this. My uncle committed suicide because of it, but he… spared my life.”
She stared directly at Qingqing, her gaze sharp as a blade:
"His Majesty... is completely different from what my uncle described back then."
Qingqing's throat tightened. Yan Dibai had never revealed a single word of this to her.
"If you don't believe me, that's fine. His Majesty was afraid of upsetting you, so he naturally wouldn't tell you before he pacified the world."
"I'm not... completely disbelieving."
Choi Shin-soo raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"
Qingqing's hands were clenched tightly inside her sleeves.
If the story began after the world was at peace, then everything makes sense. Faced with the radiant Choi Shin-soo, she couldn't help but feel ashamed. Her abilities were limited, and she hadn't done enough; it's understandable that ordinary people admire the strong.
However, even if the story is true, she is by no means the villain who stood in the way.
She has a clear conscience.
"I've never wanted to fight for anything." Qingqing endured the burning pain in her throat and slowly stood up. "Please let me down. I want to ask him myself."
Choi Shin-soo gently shook his head, the smile still lingering on his lips, but his eyes had turned icy cold.
"I'm afraid that won't work. I've been waiting for Your Highness for a long time; how can I let this all go to waste?"
The next second, everything went black before Qingqing's eyes.
Red fireworks exploded into the night sky.
Yan Dibai held the challenge letter he had peeled off the pigeon, his face ashen.
"...If you wish to see the Empress, you must lay down your sword and armor during the Battle of Yongzhou."
Li Siwu and his gang, initially feeling guilty, flew into a rage after reading only a few words of the challenge: "Outrageous! This scoundrel is shameless, a coward, and dared not even sign his name!"
Helan Rong scoffed: "Even if it's unsigned, such insidious methods—who doesn't know it's that false emperor? Your Majesty—"
Yan Dibai closed his eyes in front of the battlements, letting the night wind caress his face, the gold coin he hadn't yet given away in his arms causing him a sharp pain in his heart.
When he opened his eyes again, all that remained in them was the murderous intent unique to an emperor.
"Give the order. Since the Cui family has chosen to bet on both sides," his voice was eerily calm, "then settle accounts cleanly."
Near Yongzhou.
"You bastard!"
For the first time, Feng An couldn't control his expression.
"You secretly defied my orders and deliberately sent her into Yan Di's hands. What do you take me for!"
Bi Shu covered her rapidly swollen cheek and knelt down with a thud.
"If Your Majesty wishes to achieve great things, Xue Ying'er must not be allowed to live! Since things have come to this, I have no complaints about killing or dismembering Bi Shu. I only hope that Your Majesty will remember why you seized the throne in the first place!"
It's come to this, it's come to this!
Feng An swept aside the letter on the table, his anger blazing: "Fool! Isn't it Yan Dibai who deliberately let things go? He now has an army of 300,000. If we anger him, it will only result in mutual destruction!"
"Just a woman! Is she worth getting so angry about?" The usually submissive Bi Shu suddenly became bolder and glared angrily at Feng An. "This is what His Majesty often says: just a woman, what is she?!"
Feng An's pupils twitched. Bi Shu, however, sneered.
"Does His Majesty truly love a village woman? This is utterly ridiculous! Had she known this would happen, Bishu would have been better off obediently serving Princess Xifang. Why bother—"
"roll."
Without warning, a kick sent Feng An sprawling to the ground.
Feng An clutched his stomach, still unwilling to accept it: "Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to let Yan Di kill her for nothing! His Majesty is heartbroken! His Majesty can be heartbroken?! I've followed the wrong person again, followed the wrong person!"
Feng An seemed not to hear, and even with his limp, he walked with a brisk pace.
"Pass down the order to inform Wang Du that Yongzhou should prepare for battle!"
-
Qingqing suddenly opened her eyes, and the biting cold wind and the dizzying feeling of weightlessness hit her first.
She looked down and was shocked to find herself suspended outside the towering city walls! The rough ropes were digging painfully into her waist and abdomen, and below her was the rushing moat, its waters roaring.
"woke up?"
A cold voice came from above.
Feng An and Wang Du stood side by side beside the city wall. Feng An looked down at her, her eyes unfathomable. Wang Du, who should have left Yongzhou, now had a full head of white hair. He was piercing her with venomous eyes.
"You vile woman! Today, Yan Dibai will watch you be torn to pieces!"
The wind carries the rich aroma of herbs.
Suspended beside her was Choi Shin-soo. She too wore a similar light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair disheveled by the wind, yet she gave Qingqing a friendly smile.
"The fragrance of this medicine is quite strong; it actually caused the Empress to fall into a deep sleep for three days and three nights."
"Is Your Majesty surprised?" Cui Shenxiu's voice blew on the wind. "If I don't suffer alongside Your Majesty, how can I convince the world to truly believe in me?"
She sighed softly:
"The affair between Your Majesty and me has now become the talk of the town, and everyone knows it. I, Cui Shenxiu, should be the rightful Empress."
"These past few days, I've been building up my reputation outside, and Langgan hasn't told you, has he? Not only has he not said anything, but he's also been avoiding you at every turn... Of course he won't say anything, since there are indeed some unspeakable past feelings between us. Your Majesty, guess, in this situation, between you and me, who will he choose?"
Qingqing listened blankly, her gaze fixed on the turbid, churning river below, her heart sinking deeper and deeper.
There's really nothing to say.
Qingqing felt a tightening around her waist, and her fall abruptly stopped. She and Cui Shenxiu were like two withered leaves in the wind, suspended outside the towering city wall, with the surging moat flowing beneath their feet.
Dust billowed as a massive army in black armor galloped towards them from afar.
Qingqing blinked, trying to see Yan Dibai, the leader, through the hair covering her eyes.
But the distance was too far and she was too weak to do it.
Yan Di reined in his horse and stopped three miles outside the moat, with a thousand cavalrymen standing solemnly in formation behind him. He looked up, his gaze like that of a hawk, precisely locking onto the two suspended figures before turning his attention to Wang Du, whose beard and hair stood on end beside Feng An.
"Your Majesty!" Upon seeing this, Helan Rong hurriedly said to Yan Dibai, "That old scoundrel deserves to die! How dare he treat the Empress like this!"
Li Si gasped for breath, "You son of a bitch! So many of our brothers have been scattered! They've deployed at least 100,000 troops over there, they really want us dead!"
For three days, Yan Dibai worked tirelessly, leading the Liangzhou cavalry in a relentless pursuit of Wang Du's remaining forces, successfully forcing Wang Du into a corner. However, the false emperor remained silent, conserving his strength with Wang Du and using Qingqing as leverage. Knowing full well it was a trap, Yan Dibai still only led a thousand cavalrymen to the scene.
Unlike his anxious subordinates, Yan Dibai felt relieved upon seeing the two figures in blue, which were deliberately concealed.
It's good that she's alive.
Wang Du, gripping the hemp rope, shouted hoarsely at Yan Dibai:
"Fei'er, watch from heaven! Yan Dibai! Today you will witness the fate of those who oppose the Wang family, and avenge my children!"
On the city wall, Feng An met his icy gaze and spoke loudly, his voice carrying clearly throughout the city:
"Yan Dibai, choose between your current empress and your confidante."
He looked down at the two figures, his tone coldly cruel:
"Whoever you choose, I will spare their life. As for the other one... let all of you accompany her on her journey."
Yan Dibai stared at him intently, then suddenly burst into wild laughter, "First, beg me not to kill your wife and children! Bring them up here!"
A gust of wind swept by, making it impossible for Qingqing to hear the conversation on the city wall. She could only barely make out Yan Dibai sitting upright on his horse, gazing in this direction from afar.
He tilted his head back, it was unclear whether he was looking at the two people above him or at her.
She saw a shorter soldier in the army step forward and remove his helmet, revealing a head of beautiful, smooth hair like a woman's.
...It seems to be a woman.
Qingqing thought he must be speaking.
When Yan Dibai saw that Feng An had indeed not immediately ordered the rope to be released, he snatched Hu Jiao from his hand and mocked him again.
At this moment, Wang Wu, who was hiding in the back, quietly raised his specially made crossbow. "Your Majesty, although I do not distinguish between the Empress and the Empress, I can try to shoot them down one after the other."
A crossbow can fire a maximum of ten arrows at a time. To pierce a rope at this distance, one must sacrifice a number of arrows, using only one arrow per shot.
Each subsequent shot required setting and manipulating the arrow, which would take at least ten breaths, no matter how fast. Wang Wu had been working tirelessly for days, but he had only managed to modify this one arrow.
There isn't enough time.
Yan Dibai removed the ox horn from his lips, his expression still arrogant.
Only those around him knew that his voice was unusually tense and cold at that moment.
They deliberately covered their faces with their hair and dressed them in identical clothes. They also stuffed their bodies to make them look similar in size.
The meaning of "Feng An" is that on the left is Cui Shenxiu and on the right is Qingqing.
However, this man was also cunning, and Yan Dibai could not fully trust him.
His gaze swept between the two men, who, without the adornment of their hair buns, were almost the same height.
“Wang Wu,” Yan Dibai gripped his long sword tightly, “I have chosen one of them. You immediately draw the crossbow and let the other person fall into the river. How confident are you?”
"What does Your Majesty mean?"
"Whether she's right or wrong, they'll take her life."
It would be much safer to fall directly into the moat, which is less than eight feet deep.
He deliberately chose the wrong option.
Everyone felt a chill.
Yan Dibai slightly turned his body, and the person behind him hurriedly handed him the dog that had been hidden in his arms.
"Your Majesty, General Grey is very agitated under my cloak. He may have discovered something."
“Cuiyue,” Yan Dibai grabbed the dog’s leg and put it on the saddle, “Who is your mother!”
Little Grey had been waiting for a long time. Upon hearing this, Big Black sniffed the scent carried by the wind and his ears snapped back.
"Awooo—" It raised its right paw and stepped on Yan Di's white palm. Its dark, shiny eyes seemed to understand human nature.
Yan Dibai's throat tightened, his suspicions confirmed. "Old thief, let her go!"
Qingqing vaguely saw Yan Dibai move.
The hand that had secretly stroked her hair several times at night was raised aloft. Steady, firm…
She pointed to Choi Shin-soo beside her.
Without hesitation, without haggling.
Everything is crystal clear.
Qingqing was taken aback.
"Hahahaha!" Wang Du burst into a gleeful laugh. "See that, you wretch! This brat treated you the same way he treated me before, but it was all a lie!"
Feng An, however, did not appear pleased. He stared at Xue Ying'er in the crowd, his palm aching as he pressed the short blade against the ground.
The rope binding Choi Sin-soo began to slowly rise. Meanwhile, the rope around Qingqing's waist, after a sickening scraping sound, suddenly slid down a considerable distance. Just as Qingqing thought she was about to fall into the river, the rope abruptly pulled her upwards again!
"Wang Wu, fire the arrows!"
Yan Dibai suddenly swung his sword!
"Attack the city!"
Suddenly, deafening war drums and horns resounded within the imperial city. The city gates swung open, and the armies that had originally belonged to the northern lands turned against each other. Wang Du was stunned. In the blink of an eye, Feng An vanished without a trace.
"Beast!" Wang Du swayed, gripping the rope and roaring, "You conspired against me, so I'll kill her right now—"
"Clang!" Suddenly, his grip loosened. The crossbow bolt, fired with tremendous force, slammed into the wall. Before Qingqing could react, she plunged into the river.
At the same time, several lightly armed Qianlin Guards, who had been lying in ambush around the city, shot out like ghosts and rushed straight towards the moat.
Beneath the city wall, several ropes with iron hooks shot towards the wall like lightning, and elite climbing warriors charged upwards like monkeys!
The river water was still so cold at the end of August.
Her mouth and nose were quickly submerged, and Qingqing shivered violently, having no strength left to struggle.
In a daze, the legendary revolving lantern, which supposedly only appears when one is about to die, was actually right before my eyes. The diligence I had when I first entered the inner palace... My vision for the future when I went south... The summer in Liangzhou was so comfortable.
Has Little Grey had enough fun and gone home?
"..." Yan Dibai seemed to be rushing towards her.
Why did she suddenly feel so disappointed when she just stared blankly at the screen?
But... she shouldn't have been the empress in the first place.
Should she be disappointed?
……have no idea.
Qingqing murmured, "Am I really going to die this time?"
She wasn't quite sure, "...System?"
[Ding—The host's vital signs are indeed in critical condition.]
"You're here, that's great..." Qingqing blew out a string of bubbles, "Am I really going to die? If I die here, will I still have any money?"
[If your "Emperor's Aura" value is 50 or higher, you can proceed. Do you wish to voluntarily forfeit? Voluntarily forfeiting will result in half of your actual reward being deducted, plus a 10% handling fee. Friendly reminder: you are not dead yet.]
Qingqing closed her eyes.
"I...I'm so tired."
Let her rest.
The cold, electronic voice responded to the request without hesitation.
[The mission is now complete. The host will be teleported back to their original world. The 200,000 reward will be distributed within one month of returning.]
[Thank you for your participation, host. The "Heroes Settle the Chaotic World" system now concludes its journey.]
...
"Where is she! Where is she!"
Wang Du is dead, the false emperor has surrendered, and Cui Shenxiu has been taken to the torture chamber.
But the Empress, who should have been safe and sound, suddenly disappeared into the river.
The young emperor searched for seven whole days and nights, but couldn't even find a thin shirt.
Yan Dibai, covered in mud and blood, pounded the riverbank and roared like a madman. Thousands of soldiers stood in the drained moat, all silent, no one daring to answer.
They all understood, without prior agreement, that the young emperor was likely in trouble.
Wu Yinchi Luo stared blankly at the bottom of the river.
Such a large, living person has vanished, just like the rumored Empress Dowager Taizu. Could the rumors be true?
Then Your Majesty...?
Just when everyone was at a loss, Yan Dibai suddenly trudged back to the shore in a fit of rage, shouting, "Crush Yue!"
Upon hearing the sound, Little Grey immediately shook off the water and followed him, leaping onto his horse. The young man raised his long sword high and roared:
"All soldiers, heed my command! Follow me and kill!"
...
One month.
The young emperor slaughtered his way through ten provinces, exterminating the Cui and Wang clans, leaving corpses strewn everywhere he went. At the same time, just like his ancestors, he began to build Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries in various places and recruited many monks.
Upon hearing the news and heading north, Prime Minister Lin, seeing this situation, repeatedly lamented that things were not going well.
But no one could stop his stubborn steps.
Doesn't Yang Liuqing want peace and tranquility for the world?
good.
Once he brings her back with his own hands, he wants her to see if this world is the one she wants!
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