Chapter 207
The two were very close. Su Jinxia's breath brushed against Shen Qianxue's eyebrows and eyes like a feather. Shen Qianxue stared into Su Jinxia's eyes, which reflected her anger mixed with a hint of panic.
"Ten cities in exchange, or forget it!" Shen Qianxue managed to say, her face full of defiance, all traces of panic gone, as if she were ready to die.
Su Jin was startled and angrily exclaimed, "Ten cities? You're dreaming!"
Shen Qianxue was stunned for a moment by the scolding, but then laughed sarcastically, "Heh, are you angry? I'm honored to be able to make the strategist Liuli Master angry!"
Su Jin tightened her grip on her fingers, her eyes filled with arrogant arrogance. "You think I wouldn't dare kill you? If you die, what are the Ji Army worth!"
Shen Qianxue's eyes narrowed slightly, and she spat out a harsh sentence in broken sentences, "The person who can kill me hasn't been born yet!"
Suddenly, Shen Qianxue lifted her long leg and hooked her toe on the lamp stand next to her.
The lamp stand crashed down, and the candle flames on it flew straight down towards Su Jin.
Su Jinxia hurriedly dodged, and Shen Qianxue seized the opportunity to grab Su Jinxia's wrist, break free from Su Jinxia's control, and flipped over to escape from the bed.
"Ten cities, I won't trade them even if one is missing!" Shen Qianxue said this last harsh word before jumping out of the window and running away.
Su Jin frantically tried to extinguish the engine, completely disregarding the people who had escaped.
Shen Qianxue stood on the high rooftop, watched the room turn completely dark, and then turned and left.
It was a cold, late autumn midnight. The road was pitch black. Shen Qianxue rode his horse slowly forward. When he came, the moon had lit up his way, but now only dark clouds accompanied him.
In a daze, Shen Qianxue felt as if she had been walking in darkness, unable to see the way she came from or where the future lay.
That day at Liuli Mountain, Su Jin confessed everything, including Zhou Ji's actions.
It was Zhou Ji who took advantage of Mai Zizi and hurt her!
It was Zhou Ji who sent Yang Jiaoruo to capture Su Jinxia's parents!
Shen Qianxue didn't have time to argue with Su Jin about these words at the time, but she couldn't help but care about them afterwards.
Moreover, when Su Jinxia dragged herself into the mess, her accusations against Zhou Ji became even more convincing, because she had already broken ties with Shen Qianxue and had no need to lie.
Shen Qianxue sent more people to investigate and found the driver who had the black mole on his palm. The driver was just doing his job for money and didn't know the inside story, but he said that the person who contacted him had a Lin'nan accent.
What is the power of Lin Nan?
It almost certainly points to Phoenix Pavilion and Zhou Ji!
The second team interrogated Yang Jiaoruo in the disciplinary hall. Following Yang Jiaoruo's instructions, they went to the black market and the black-clad man who sold the map, but there was not a single rumor about the map of Liuli Mountain in the black market.
Logically, the appearance of the Liulishan map on the black market should have caused a stir, but there was no reaction on the black market, and no one knew about it.
Of course, this could also explain the actions taken by Nie Qingyi, the traitor of the Liuli Society, against Yang Jiaoruo, so only Yang Jiaoruo knew about the map.
However, news came from the secret guards in Jicheng that Yang Jiaoruo had met with Zhou Ji the day before she left!
If Yang Jiao went to Liuli Mountain, she must have been instructed by someone. The person who instructed her could be Nie Qingyi or Zhou Ji.
If it were Nie Qingyi, Yang Jiaoruo would have no reason to cover for her.
But if it were Zhou Ji, then Yang Jiao's protection of him would make sense.
Furthermore, according to Su Jinxia's words, Zhou Ji already knew the function of the Glazed Blood, so it makes sense that Zhou Ji chose to start with Su Jinxia's parents in order to obtain the Glazed Blood.
But how could Zhou Ji know about the Glazed Blood?
He either found out about Mai Zizi's incident, or he colluded with Nie Qingyi; either way, it's enough to make one despair.
Shen Qianxue always understood one principle: there are no absolutely good people in this world. Just as he himself had countless lives on his hands, there were innocent people among them.
But he never expected that the Seventh Prince, whom he had always admired and who was his sworn brother, was also a man with many facets... He only saw the gentle, humble, and concerned side of the people!
Was he simply blind, or was Zhou Ji deliberately fooling him?
Shen Qianxue felt a sharp pain in his heart. The person he respected most and the person he loved most had deceived and used him!
How can he accept this outcome? How can he find peace with it? Who can he still trust?
Or perhaps you no longer trust anyone...
After Shen Qianxue returned, she indeed sent a message saying that she would not exchange those five hundred soldiers for anything less than ten cities!
Zhang Qi and the others were so angry they cursed, but there was nothing they could do.
Shen Qianxue has taken Qilin Pass and has the advantage of timing, location, and popular support, so attacking them is not a good idea.
So, do we just have to swallow this bitter pill?
Inside the council chamber, Zhang Qi shouted angrily.
Han Qing's brows were furrowed with worry. "Whether we suffer this loss or not doesn't matter much. The important thing is that I feel Ji Jun's attitude has changed. Perhaps they are about to attack us!"
Xiao Tianmo added, "I just received news that the Tiger Forest Army stationed in the Northeast is making unusual movements. I'm worried that the Tiger Forest Army might also come after us."
The imperial court has always adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards Zhuang Jun, but it cannot continue to do so indefinitely and will surely come up with countermeasures.
The current tripartite balance of power is becoming increasingly unstable, with the Ji Army being the most powerful, the Imperial Court second, and the Zhuang Army actually being the weakest.
If the Ji army subdues the Zhuang army, then the Ji army's dominance of the world will be just around the corner.
Similarly, if the imperial court subdues Zhuang's army, it will be just around the corner to drive Ji's army back to its homeland.
Moreover, Zhuang Jun's background makes it difficult for him to expand his territory, so he can only stick to his own small plot of land. Doesn't that make him a hot commodity?
In the council chamber, a group of people were in a state of panic. They argued for a long time, only to find that Su Jin hadn't said another word.
Han Qing tentatively asked, "Does A-Jin have any ideas?"
Su Jinxia glanced sideways and smiled slightly, "I have my own brilliant plan."
The following day, Zhuang Jun sent an envoy to Qilin Pass to continue negotiations with the Ji Army regarding the fate of the five hundred soldiers.
At the meeting, the delegation denounced the Ji army for its ruthlessness and ingratitude, and was eventually driven out of Qilin Pass.
But they were not discouraged. Two days later, they came to negotiate again, determined not to give up until they got our five hundred soldiers back.
Shen Qianxue was too lazy to receive them and simply handed the matter over to her subordinates. The two sides argued fiercely, neither willing to give in.
Fortunately, the envoy could not be executed, otherwise the Ji army would have drawn their swords.
Meanwhile, Su Jinxia and Zhou Chen quietly headed north.
On the wide official road, an ordinary-looking man was driving an ordinary-looking carriage.
The interior of the carriage was completely different from the exterior. Thick blankets covered the carriage, and pillows, quilts, snacks and fruits were arranged in an orderly manner.
Su Jin held the hand warmer in her hands, half-lying down, drowsy.
Winter had arrived, the weather was cold, and the journey was long. Su Jinxia suddenly didn't want to make herself suffer, so she took a carriage and set off.
Zhou Chen sat cross-legged in a corner of the carriage, engrossed in a book, his face glowing despite his thin clothes.
As expected of a young man, he is full of energy and has a fiery temper.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
