Chapter 108: A mental illness is nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst.
Upon hearing this, the servants outside the camp gate immediately followed suit and knelt down in a large group.
Jiang Yuhuo pulled Li Mengbai and slipped behind the carriage. The two crouched on the ground, their figures completely hidden by the carriage. Even though the people on horseback were at a high place, they were still some distance away and could not see what was happening here.
It was him, Jiang Yuhuo was certain, it was his voice.
Over the years, she thought her memories might have faded, but it turns out she hadn't forgotten a thing.
Qin Yuqi only said one sentence, but it instantly pulled her back into that inferno, making it as vivid as if she were there again.
Jiang Yuhuo will never forget how this person pretended to be respectable by her side while ruthlessly ordering the annihilation of the entire Liyue Village.
He ordered the killing of so many innocent people, yet he was still able to rule the land and become the emperor of the world.
Jiang Yuhuo clenched her hands tightly together, her knuckles turning white, desperately trying to control herself from rushing forward at this moment, and not letting her deep-seated hatred show.
But there are always some places that can't be hidden.
Li Mengbai stared into her eyes, and a fierce hatred rose within them. The light that shone from those dark eyes was captivating, mesmerizing him. The angrier she became, the more vivid her usually expressionless face became. Looking into her dark pupils, it was as if one could reach the very depths of her heart.
He deliberately leaned close to Jiang Yuhuo's ear and whispered, "So, you wanted to kill him..."
The person I thought was important turned out to be my enemy.
A murderous glint flashed in Jiang Yuhuo's dark eyes. In an instant, she grabbed his neck, restraining him firmly with just one hand. Her piercingly bright black eyes stared at him, and she squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, "Shut up!"
Li Mengbai was forced to tilt his head back, his soft neck gripped in Jiang Yuhuo's hand. A feeling of suffocation quickly enveloped him, but his gaze remained fixed on him. Stared at by those fiery eyes, he felt as if his whole body was being scalded, his body trembling with excitement, and his mind spinning.
Such intense emotions, it's as if they wanted to burn a person to ashes.
So beautiful...
Let's just watch him...
Unfortunately, Jiang Yuhuo released him the next moment.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to swallow back her hatred.
Not now, it's not the right time.
Li Mengbai breathed a sigh of relief, but felt a pang of disappointment. He reached out to turn her face away, but Jiang Yuhuo grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, with such force that she wanted to crush his bones.
"Ouch—" Li Mengbai winced in pain, complaining, "Ouch, ouch, ouch! I didn't say I was going to report you..."
"Don't mention it again."
Jiang Yuhu ignored him and got up to look into the camp.
The rider had already turned and left, and the kneeling servants rose to their feet. The old man who had been scolding his son glared at him fiercely, and finally had no choice but to have the steward take the man and his entourage into the camp for accommodation.
The plump young man's surname was Jiang, and he was the only son of the governor of Shannan County. Shannan County was located south of Tianque Mountain and was under the jurisdiction of Dayong, making it a border county of the Dayong Dynasty.
Beyond Shannan County lies the land of immortals, beyond the jurisdiction of the imperial court; Luoyue City and Tianque Mountain are both located there.
Jiang Yuhuo and Li Mengbai traveled through the mountains from Tianque Mountain all the way to Shannan County.
He learned all this from the young master of the Jiang family during the evening meal. He also remembered that Li Mengbai was picky about food, and as soon as he was settled, he specially invited someone to dine with him in the tent. Li Mengbai would occasionally respond to him, and he would spill all his words, but if he asked Li Mengbai, the other party would not say a word, and the tent would be silent, so he had to pick up the words again and continue.
The steward of the Jiang family originally wanted to separate Jiang Yuhuo and Li Mengbai, but because of the difference in social status, this handsome young man did not mention his family background and was dressed in a disheveled state, so he was probably from a humble family. It was already a great favor to put him in the tent next to the young master, while the maidservant next to him should be squeezed into the tent with the servants and help with some rough work.
Unexpectedly, this arrangement angered the beautiful young man, who immediately wanted to leave despite his illness. However, the young master felt great pity for the beauty and quickly summoned a doctor to examine her. He also allowed the maid to accompany her to serve him.
The steward of the Jiang family was dissatisfied but could not say anything. He could only shake his head inwardly, thinking that the young master had probably invited back a troublesome ancestor this time.
Inside the side tent, everyone else dispersed, leaving only Li Mengbai and Jiang Yuhuo, the "master and servant."
The bowl of herbal medicine was getting cold, but Li Mengbai still hadn't picked it up.
Jiang Yuhuo sat cross-legged with her sword in her arms. There was only one bed in the tent. She slept well in the carriage during the day and didn't need to sleep at night.
But Li Mengbai couldn't. He leaned weakly against the bed, unable to sleep due to discomfort, and kept groaning.
"Jiang Yuhuo, my chest hurts so much."
"Take medicine when you have a painful bowel movement."
"But the medicine is very bitter."
"Don't drink it if you don't like it bitter."
"But it hurts so much..."
...
After going through this cycle of going in circles several times, Jiang Yuhuo finally lost her patience. She got up, picked up the bowl of medicine, and pressed it to Li Mengbai's lips, while forcefully pinching his chin with one hand.
"Open your mouth."
Her tone left no room for argument, and Li Mengbai unconsciously opened his mouth a little wider.
Jiang Yuhuo poured the contents in, but after only a small sip, Li Mengbai's face instantly contorted like a bitter gourd, and he clenched his teeth, refusing to put in another drop.
"I'll count to three. If you still don't drink it, I'll break your jaw and force it down your throat."
As she spoke, she tightened her grip, and Li Mengbai felt a sharp pain in his jaw from her pinching. However, without his spiritual power, he was no match for Jiang Yuhuo in terms of strength alone.
"one,"
"two,"
She looked down at him calmly, her expression suggesting she truly meant what she said.
Li Mengbai gritted his teeth and chose the latter between pain and suffering, resentfully letting Jiang Yuhuo force down the entire bowl of medicine, leaving not a drop.
The disgusting smell made Li Mengbai want to vomit.
The hand that had just been pinching his chin turned around and handed him a cup of tea. He was stunned for a moment, but didn't take it. He just naturally took a sip from the other person's hand.
This finally diluted the bitterness in my mouth.
The candle went out, and a cold female voice came from the darkness.
"Go to sleep. Take your medicine and get some sleep. You won't feel this much pain tomorrow."
Strangely, despite the dry, lifeless voice, Li Mengbai felt an immense sense of security. The figure was right there in his sight, within his hearing, making him feel even more at ease.
Li Meng relaxed, the effects of the medicine and drowsiness surged up together, and she quickly regained her breathing and fell into a deep sleep.
Jiang Yuhuo left the camp.
The moon was high in the sky, and there were still many people and horses moving around in the camp. With the emperor present, the guards and patrols dared not relax their vigilance in the slightest. Not only were there personal guards stationed outside the emperor's tent, but local warriors from the prefecture were also constantly monitoring the movements of the entire camp.
A thin, middle-aged man dressed as a civil official lifted the curtain and entered the most heavily guarded tent.
The candles inside the tent were still lit, and the young emperor sat behind his desk, listening to the report from the messenger.
The civil official took a sip of the hangover soup brought by the maid. His rosy face still showed signs of intoxication, but his small eyes were clear.
"Just as Your Majesty predicted, I managed to evade your questions about the reasons for your inspection tour." A smile appeared in the civil official's eyes. "Your Majesty's sudden visit has made Prefect Jiang quite uneasy."
"Lord Liu, how did you deal with it?"
"Your Majesty has only said that Shannan County is rich in resources and is a good place for autumn hunting. I regret that Your Majesty has not noticed it before. Now that you have discovered it, you must come and see for yourself."
The man addressed as Master Liu picked up his teacup and took another sip, a sly glint in his small eyes.
The emperor smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Lord Liu is still kind-hearted after all." He tossed a piece of paper into the stove. "This man has been outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant under my very nose for so many years, and only now does he belatedly realize his mistake and panic. Isn't it too late?"
"So, Lord Liu still wants to give him some pointers?"
The lean civil official immediately stood up and respectfully bowed to the emperor.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Prefect Jiang is indeed not a capable minister, but Shannan County is located at the border of the Immortal Realm, and it is indeed more difficult to promote the reform of customs here than elsewhere. Your Majesty has been promoting the suppression of gods and immortals for many years, and Shannan County has indeed achieved little success. However, the county is stable and there has never been a single rebellion or riot. How can this be attributed to Prefect Jiang's wisdom in governance?"
A cold, mocking voice came from above, "According to Lord Liu, I should still bestow favors upon him?"
Those below dared not respond.
"Such a mediocre person occupies the position of governor of a prefecture. How should my capable ministers conduct themselves?"
Although the voice was soft, it carried a heavy weight, making those below feel even more anxious.
If you really think about it, among mediocre people and capable ministers, it's hard to tell which side Liu Dan belongs to.
Over the years, he had risen through the ranks alongside His Majesty, often wondering whether he had relied on his past relationship with His Highness or his own abilities. The higher he climbed, the more he felt like he was walking on thin ice, and he also became much thinner.
"You don't need to worry too much. After all, Prefect Jiang's ancestors made contributions to the court. As long as he doesn't overstep his bounds, I won't easily take action against him."
The young emperor's expression was gentle, but Liu Dan's heart was pounding. Over the years, his thoughts had become increasingly unfathomable, and even though he was always by his side, Liu Dan couldn't tell which of his words were true and which were false.
As if suddenly remembering something, Qin Yuqi casually brought it up.
"Just now, news came from Guling County. After things are settled here, please go and see for me, Lord Liu. General Yin has already retired to his hometown, and I cannot bear to send him away any longer. I can only trouble you to make the trip."
Liu Dan looked up abruptly; embers of paper still lingered in the stove. His Majesty's expression remained unchanged, his pen still on the paper, as if he were discussing a trivial task. But he knew how extraordinary this task was, so extraordinary that it had lasted for seven years and its end was nowhere in sight.
At the palace banquet, that person rode away on a crane in full view of everyone. His Majesty, who was still the Crown Prince at the time, mobilized all the forces at his disposal, and the entire country was covered with portraits of that barbarian girl.
His Majesty was young at that time, and in his panic, he blatantly exposed his weaknesses. Those who flattered him, those who plotted against him, and those who saw an opportunity to profit from him naturally flocked to him, and news of finding that person spread everywhere.
Earlier, His Majesty would verify every report, regardless of who submitted it. If it even slightly matched, he would order the person sent back to Zhaoming City; if that wasn't possible, he would go personally. Each time, he was filled with hope, but each time he returned disappointed. Even in the year when he was most severely suppressed by the Second Prince, His Majesty never gave up searching for that person.
After many disappointments, His Majesty gradually stopped going to great lengths to bring people over and instead sent someone he knew to confirm.
But they never showed the slightest intention to give up. Every year, several teams are sent out to search, but such a directionless search is no different from looking for a needle in a haystack.
This isn't the first time something like this has happened to Liu Dan.
He had been sent there several times before, but every time he met the imposter, Liu Dan would sigh inwardly, wondering how His Majesty could believe such a clumsy lie that he could see through at a glance.
Seeing that the people below remained silent for a long time, the emperor put down his vermilion brush.
"Is Lord Liu unwilling?"
Liu Dan remained silent for a long time.
How could he dare to refuse His Majesty's order? But knowing it was a futile endeavor, it never aroused much interest. He knew this was His Majesty's deepest concern; each search was like taking a numbing drug to cure the illness, merely drinking poison to quench thirst.
Qin Yuqi gave a helpless, self-deprecating smile. "Lord Liu, there's hardly anyone around me who remembers her anymore."
Liu Dan recalled the strange and beautiful girl and sighed, "Your Majesty, so many years have passed. Some things should be let go..."
The young emperor smiled and shook his head, his handsome, deep eyes softening. "I said I wanted to be an ordinary couple with her, and she agreed. She was just playing around and was taken away by that strange creature. Before entering the palace, she was in that remote and secluded place, so she must not have been able to find her way back. Lord Liu, how can I bear to let her suffer alone outside the palace?"
Liu Dan was shocked. He had watched the woman come all the way here. She probably had the heart to kill His Majesty. How could she possibly agree to be his wife? Riding away on a crane must have been a premeditated escape, not just a momentary whim.
Judging from His Majesty's expression, which was perfectly clear, he couldn't tell for a moment whether it was a problem with his memory or...
Outside the tent.
As Jiang Yuhu bypassed the guards and silently crept to the vicinity of the emperor's tent, a thin, middle-aged man emerged from inside.
The man sighed deeply at the moon in front of his tent, lingered for a while, and then left.
Jiang Yuhuo hid behind a mound of earth not far away. She didn't carry a sword; the light of the moon and stars was too conspicuous in the night, so it wasn't suitable to carry it on her person. Her original black clothes blended perfectly into the night.
During her years in Kunlun, she had been working hard to improve her physical fitness, and practicing swordsmanship had also greatly strengthened her body. Although she no longer possessed spiritual power, her martial arts skills alone made her one of the best among mortals.
Candles were still burning inside the emperor's tent, casting shadows that revealed a seated figure writing something.
Jiang Yuhuo squatted in the corner and watched for a long time, calculating in his mind the possibility of sneaking in and killing Qin Yuqi tonight.
From the outside, there was no one else in the tent, but since Qin Yuqi had become emperor, it was impossible for him to be without skilled guards protecting him.
Jiang Yuhuo glanced at the guards outside the tent. These men were just warriors, without any spiritual energy. They might be highly skilled in martial arts, but those who didn't know magic were not to be feared.
Haven't he had people like Jia Qianyang around him all these years?
Jiang Yuhuo memorized the locations of the guards and mentally planned the route. The moment the tent lights went out, she could break through the defenses one by one. As long as she acted quickly enough, the people inside the tents wouldn't notice.
But what I feared most came to pass.
Just as she was about to make her move as darkness fell over the tent, a woman dressed as a maid walked out, her body surrounded by spiritual energy.
Sure enough, the man looked in her direction as soon as he stepped out of the tent.
She has been discovered.
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