Chapter 26
Liu Ling walked into the Xuanshi Hall standing and was carried out. Liu Ju became famous in one battle.
But this "becoming famous in one battle" was completely different from Huo Qubing's "becoming famous in one battle", and Liu Ju didn't want it at all.
But Liu Che and Huo Qubing obviously didn't care whether he thought so or not. They just nodded and coaxed him: "Yes, yes, it's not you. She was injured internally. It has nothing to do with you."
But their eyes revealed everything, expressing the same meaning: they all refreshed their understanding of their son/cousin.
Huo Qubing even half-jokingly said, "Your Majesty, next time we go to the battle with the Huns, why don't you consider letting your little cousin go to the front and say a few words? Who knows, he might be able to make some people spit blood just by talking before the swords and spears are even drawn."
Liu Ju's face instantly fell, and he stamped his feet repeatedly, put his hands on his hips and cursed: "Cousin, you are the worst. I will never talk to you again."
Unfortunately, these words did not pose any threat to Huo Qubing. Instead, they made him laugh out loud. Even Liu Che could not help laughing.
Liu Ju was very depressed, but there was someone who was even more depressed than him, and that was Liu Ling.
After waking up, she didn't blame Wei Qing anymore, but seemed to be stimulated to blame more people. She blamed Zhang Tang, the Minister of Justice, Wang Xin, the Marquis of Gai, Dongfang Shuo, the Minister of Justice, and so on.
No matter if they were older, younger, or around her age, none of them were spared. Half the court was swept away, and the number was still increasing.
Suddenly, the court was in turmoil, and everyone was worried. Those who hadn't been "named" worried that they would be the next one to be called, while those who had been "named" were busy protesting their innocence in front of the emperor while at the same time shouting and cursing at home.
"I just saw her Shengpinglou making money, so I took a little bit of it. I didn't do anything else and I know nothing about it!"
"Who wouldn't want to make money with her? But treason? Even if I were completely crazy, I wouldn't get involved in such a thing. I just took a little interest, but how come she said it was like I accepted a generous gift from Huainan? Don't be so unfair!"
"What about me? I feel even more wronged. I don't even have a business relationship with her, and I haven't even collected any interest. I just said a few words to her at a banquet, and it was a banquet in the palace, and she can even say that I was helping her pass a message to Huainan!"
"Crazy, crazy, this is just a madman."
"Your Majesty, why haven't you killed her yet? If you continue to let her talk like this, will the entire court become her followers and collude with Huainan?"
…
The sound of abuse and curses was endless, and everyone shouted in unison, "Slander, this is 'slander'" and requested to confront Liu Ling in court. At this time, a letter came from afar that Li Ju and Gongsun Ao had completely suppressed Huainan and Hengshan.
King Liu An of Huainan and King Liu Ci of Hengshan committed suicide after their defeat. The rest of the people have all been arrested and will be escorted to the capital soon to await Your Majesty's disposal.
When the news reached the prison, Liu Ling's eyes flickered slightly, and his hands unconsciously tightened. He had long anticipated the outcome, but when it finally arrived, his heart still ached.
Liu Ling closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before calming down and relaxing his hands.
Because he was born into the royal family, even in such a situation, other servants and subordinates were subjected to rounds of torture and interrogation, but Liu Ling was the only exception. He was not punished and still retained basic decency.
Even at her strong request, the jailer gave her a bucket of water, a bronze mirror and a comb.
Liu Ling used these things to wash and tidy up her appearance. Her hairpins and rings were all gone, but she found a broken stick in prison and was able to tie it up.
After finishing dressing, Liu Ling murmured to herself in the mirror, "What a pity there's no lip balm."
She had always loved beauty, so she wanted to look and act gracefully and freshly before her death. However, her circumstances were limited, so she couldn't afford to be too particular.
After all, she is a princess. It is enough to take off her hairpins and surface ornaments. Who dares to search her body?
Liu Ling reached out and picked up the cup, poured half a cup of water, took out a mung bean-sized pill from the interlayer of his belt and threw it into the cup, which dissolved immediately in the water.
Liu Ling picked it up and drank it all.
Soon, a commotion erupted from the prison. The jailers hurried out to report the news, while others shouted in panic, "The princess has committed suicide."
The maid in the other cell jumped up in shock, oblivious to the wounds she had sustained. Her heart trembled, her lips moved, and tears streamed down her face.
After a while, she struggled to her feet and knelt down, facing the direction of the prison, prostrating herself on the ground and saying in a hoarse voice, "Farewell, Princess!"
The voice was subtle but every word seemed to carry weight.
She knew that if the Huainan campaign failed, the princess would surely die. The princess had to die, too. This was the signal they had agreed on early in the morning.
No matter how tense the news from the outside world is, as long as the princess is not dead, it means that things can still turn around and are not in a desperate situation; on the contrary, once the news of the princess's death is spread, it means that the situation is urgent.
This was telling Sangzhi that she needed to protect the young man and quickly retreat to Nanyue. He was not allowed to enter the Central Plains again until he grew up.
The maid closed her eyes, then slowly opened them after a moment, her gaze firm. As Liu Ling's confidant, she certainly understood Liu Ling's painstaking efforts and his schemes.
The princess has done everything she could, and now that she has passed away, let her take care of the rest.
She looked down at the wounds covering her body, thinking that she would confess everything she needed to during the next interrogation. As for what she couldn't confess, she naturally wouldn't say it, and she wouldn't let anyone know.
The maid's loyalty is moving, and there are many people under Liu Ling who have been brainwashed, but not everyone is like that.
For example, someone in Anling Town.
Inside the small courtyard, several women gathered together, their faces filled with grief and confusion. They were anxious, bewildered, and at a loss as to what to do. Their only hope was to seek help from the man who had been watching over them and teaching them.
"Aunt, the princess is gone, what should we do?"
The person who was called aunt opened her mouth and didn't know how to answer.
The princess had told her how to look after these people, how to train them, but she hadn't said what they should do if she was gone. Things had happened too quickly, things had changed too quickly, and the princess hadn't had time to give her any instructions.
That day, the princess urgently summoned her men. She was not in the inner city of Chang'an, nor in Changling. Most of the princess's men were in these two places, and they had other tasks.
She was responsible for teaching these girls, and these girls were only responsible for learning how to serve His Majesty and how to please His Majesty so as to gain His Majesty's favor more quickly. They did not participate in other matters, and they never paid any attention or asked about them. This was the rule.
Therefore, by the time she got the news, it was already too late. She had no one under her command and no ability, so she could only watch the situation develop, sit and wait, unable to do anything.
She waited and waited, hoping for a miracle. But it turned out that there were not so many miracles in the world, only bad news.
The Huainan army was defeated and the princess died.
Not only were the girls confused, but my aunt was also confused.
At this moment, a figure came in from outside: "Auntie."
Everyone turned to look at her, stunned. They knew this girl, Xie Fang, who was the most beautiful among the girls, studied the hardest, and achieved the best results.
At this moment, she was dressed in plain white mourning clothes, with a white flower in her hair, a wine jug in her hand, and tears under her eyes.
"Aunt, the princess is gone." She lowered her head slightly, her voice soft and filled with endless sadness, "I don't want the princess to go alone."
This sentence made my aunt freeze in her tracks.
Xie Fang continued, "The imperial court has been prepared for this and is moving swiftly. Even if they haven't found out yet, we'll be here soon. Rather than sit and wait for death, waiting to be humiliated, bullied, and tortured by them, why not take action ourselves and get away with it?"
My aunt shuddered. These words touched her deeply. Her sister had been framed and imprisoned, then brutally tortured to death. She had told this to several other girls, and the expressions of those present changed drastically.
Xie Fang continued, "I heard that the Chief Justice Zhang Tang is extremely ruthless. If we fall into his hands, I'm afraid..."
She didn't say anything more, but they had all heard of Zhang Tang's name and shuddered subconsciously.
"Chang'an is under martial law, Changlingyi is under martial law, Anlingyi is under martial law, martial law is everywhere. We can't hide, we can't escape, staying here is like a caged beast.
"Let alone rescuing the princess and avenging her, we can't even see her one last time or collect her body. In that case, why not follow the princess and accompany her on her journey to the underworld?"
Xie Fang put down the wine jug, his expression dazed: "This is poisoned wine, it's very toxic and quick in effect, I don't think it will be too painful."
She looked up at the crowd and said, "I was originally an orphan. My family was in trouble and I was helpless. I was saved by the princess. If it weren't for the princess, I would have died long ago.
"So, I've decided. If the princess lives, I'll follow her. If the princess dies, I'll also follow her. As sisters, I've come here to say goodbye to you. And, aunt, thank you for taking care of me over the years."
After saying that, she picked up the cup and was about to drink.
"Wait a minute!"
A girl called out to her, letting out a faint smile. "Don't think you're the only one loyal to the princess. We've all been saved by the princess when we were desperate, and we've all been deeply grateful to her. You're willing to be with her through thick and thin, and don't you think we'd be unwilling?"
She wiped away her tears, looked up and said, "Death is inevitable, so why don't I choose my own death? Wait for me, I'll change my clothes and go on the road with you."
With her taking the lead, the other girls all said, "Yes, we will join in too."
My aunt was deeply moved. "My princess saved you for good. Well, since there's no way out, rather than fall into Zhang Tang's hands and suffer torture and humiliation, it would be better for us all to die together!"
So, everyone went back to the house to look for clothes. White dresses were hard to find, but there were some plain white ones. Everyone changed into them one by one, and then they found white flowers in the yard, picked them, and put them on their temples. Then they sat down again, each holding a wine glass, smiled at each other, and drank it all in one gulp.
The speed Xiefang described was really fast. In just a moment, they fell to the ground one after another.
No one noticed that after everyone fell down, Xiefang's eyelashes trembled slightly. She waited for a while, and when she was sure there was no movement around her, she slowly opened her eyes and stood up.
She looked at her former sister and aunt, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
The court was investigating strictly, so it was impossible for a group of them to escape. But if she was alone, she could take a chance.
What's with the princess? If the princess is gone, they will be free too, isn't that better?
She was only in her teens and had a bright future ahead of her. She didn't want to die, so she had to find a way to survive. The imperial court would surely learn of this stronghold. Only when it was destroyed and everyone inside was dead would this matter be over.
Only in this way, when all those who knew her secret were gone, could she gain true and complete freedom.
Xiefang removed the white flower from her hair and, without changing her clothes, threw on a dark, curved-skirted gown. With a flick of her hand, she extinguished the lights. She didn't go through the door, but quietly climbed over the courtyard wall. Beyond the wall lay a quiet alley, dark at night, deserted.
Xie Fang left in a hurry without stopping after landing. Shortly after she left, the imperial court arrived and blocked the front gate and the alleys.
Xiefang hid in the crowd of onlookers and deliberately used powder to cover her makeup to make herself less noticeable.
She watched coldly as flames shot up into the sky from the courtyard, watched the officers and soldiers busying themselves around, and watched as one or two bodies were occasionally carried out.
She heard the officers and soldiers talking: "The fire is getting bigger and bigger. We can't go in anymore. Something bad will happen."
"There are still several people inside. I checked, and they are all dead. Only one is drowsy, and he is still muttering about following the princess and being buried with her. Everyone says that Princess Huainan is crazy, and the people under her are all crazy too."
"Although he's crazy, he's still loyal."
…
She listened carefully and made sure that they didn't notice anyone escaping. She felt a little relieved. This was even better. Once the fire burned out, everything would be burned and she would disappear forever.
Xiefang drooped her eyelids slightly and clenched the jade pendant in her hand.
The fish-shaped jade pendant was not made of very good jade and the carving was average, so it was not very valuable, but it was her treasure.
Liu Ling had originally found this item as a token she would need to fake her identity to enter the palace, but something unexpected happened and the plan was shelved.
Liu Ling is gone now, but the token is still there, and the opportunity is still there.
Xiefang turned her head to look in the direction of the imperial palace. That was a road leading to heaven. She could become an empress and be the most favored concubine in the harem.
She wanted to give it a try. She had lived a hard life in the first half of her life, experiencing displacement and wandering around, begging for mercy like a dog for a meal; although she was later saved by Liu Ling and no longer starved, she was still beaten, scolded and detained.
She wants the rest of her life to be sweet, as sweet as possible.
She also wanted to live a comfortable and superior life.
Xiefang put the jade pendant in her arms and looked back at the courtyard again. Even though her face was covered and her former beauty could not be seen, her eyes were still clear and bright, and her pupils sparkled like stars in the light of the fire.
She raised her lips and whispered in her heart:
From now on, there will be no Xiefang in the world anymore. She will have a new identity and a new name.
********
Prince's Palace of Nanyue.
Although it is called the Prince's Mansion, there is actually no corresponding sign. After all, this is not Nanyue, but Chang'an, so there are only the simple words "Zhao's House" written on the door.
But the owner of the house was actually Zhao Yingqi, the prince of Nanyue.
More than a decade earlier, the Minyue Kingdom launched a war against the Nanyue Kingdom. Nanyue was defeated and requested aid from the Han Dynasty. Emperor Liu Che dispatched a large army to quell the Minyue rebellion and later sent an envoy to commend the Nanyue King, Zhao Hu, for his loyalty to his post and to invite him to the capital.
Zhao Hu feared he would be detained in Chang'an and unable to return, so he feigned illness and said he couldn't leave. But illness eventually heals; this method offered temporary relief, not permanent. If he delayed too long, he might incur the wrath of the Han emperor.
So Zhao Hu came up with an idea, to "die" his son but not himself, so he let the crown prince Zhao Yingqi come to fulfill his loyalty on his behalf, and sent him to Chang'an to serve as Liu Che's guard.
He is both a guard and a proton.
Because of this, he was different from other guards. He had some privileges that others did not have, and he also had a nice residence.
Today's Chang'an, in a narrow sense, is only the palace city, and in a broad sense, it can be divided into inside and outside.
"Outer" refers to the surrounding mausoleum towns, and "inner" refers to the inner city. If "outer" is the sub-center of the capital, then "inner" is the heart of the center.
Since the inner city is mostly composed of royal palaces, the nobles and officials who can live here are extraordinary, and are even more outstanding than the dignitaries in Changling Town.
Among these mansions, some were located near the north gate of the Weiyang Palace and were known as the "North Gate Jiadi".
Wei Qing's general's residence is located here.
Zhao Yingqi's residence was also there, facing Liu Ling's princess's mansion from a distance.
He had lived here for ten years. Liu Ling could meet his family when the King of Huainan came to the capital to offer congratulations, and he could also report back and go home in advance on his parents' birthdays, but he could not.
For ten years, he had been away from his homeland, trapped in a corner, without freedom.
When the servant came in, Zhao Yingqi was facing the window, staring in the direction of the princess's mansion in a daze.
The attendant hesitated for a moment, then finally walked over and whispered, "Master, I just received news that Princess Liu Ling committed suicide in prison. She is no longer alive."
Zhao Yingqi's expression flickered and then returned to calm. He nodded lightly and said no more.
The attendant continued, “I heard that those maids and subordinates who were originally stubborn and tight-lipped have gradually opened up and confessed a lot of things.
"For example, how a princess gathers orphans and secretly trains them for her own use;
"For example, how to win over the royal family and dignitaries through Shengping Tower and quietly obtain information from them;
"For example, how to win over the emperor's attendants while gaining control of their fatal weaknesses.
"I even heard that several spies were sent into the palace by using these people's connections."
Zhao Yingqi continued to nod without saying anything.
The servant looked anxious and worried: "Master, will they..."
Zhao Yingqi raised his eyes: "Are you afraid they will betray me?"
The attendant hesitated, the answer obvious. Even if few knew about his master's relationship with Liu Ling, his closest associates knew about it. If this were to be discovered, what would his master do?
Zhao Yingqi scoffed, "Why do you think Liu Ling, even at the moment of her death, kept accusing so many people? Everyone said she was crazy. Her actions were indeed crazy, but she wasn't truly insane. Every step she took had a purpose."
The servant was stunned and didn't understand for a moment.
Zhao Yingqi continued, "Perhaps she initially accused Wei Qing in order to plant a seed of doubt in His Majesty's heart. Although her fate was already sealed, she couldn't wait for that seed to sprout."
"But if she's not having a good time, she won't let others have an easy time. Laying a trap for the enemy before dying is her style. Too bad this move was ruined by a little kid like Liu Ju. Since this path is no longer viable, she can only try another one, pretending to be provoked and going crazy.
"Think about it. If you were His Majesty, and she accused one or two people, even if you didn't believe it at the time, wouldn't you be suspicious? But what if she accused most of the court?"
The attendant replied subconsciously: "That is absolutely impossible."
Zhao Yingqi chuckled.
The attendant paused. "Master, are you saying that the princess is doing this to help you cover up? Even if you give us away, we won't be conspicuous among the majority of the court, and our credibility won't be high?"
Zhao Yingqi shook his head. "Although Liu Ling has many people under her control, she keeps the truly important secrets strictly confidential, and only close confidants know them. Those people are very loyal to Liu Ling. Without Liu Ling's permission, even if Liu Ling were dead, they would not reveal a single word.
"And Liu Ling? She's counting on me to provide a way out for her Fan'er. If she betrays me, what will happen to her Fan'er? Only if I'm alive and well can her Fan'er be well in South Vietnam."
The attendant was puzzled: "Then why did she..."
"To muddy the waters." Zhao Yingqi continued, twirling the cup in his hand. "The muddy waters will not only create chaos in the court, but also attract everyone's attention, making them focus their attention on this. This will also help Fan'er hide beneath the muddy waters."
After a pause, Zhao Yingqi raised his lip slightly and said, "You also said that those people were stubborn and tight-lipped. Zhang Tang's methods interrogated them twice without them saying anything. Why did they suddenly speak?"
The attendant didn't find this strange. "Huainan was defeated, the princess is dead, the master he served loyally is gone, and he himself has no way to survive. There is no point in hiding it, so he naturally told the truth."
Zhao Yingqi chuckled and nodded, "That's right. Everyone in the court and His Majesty would think so."
"Exposed and captured, he went mad with excitement, trying to drag the general and even half the court into the waters, doing his utmost to make things difficult for His Majesty and make life difficult for him. Doesn't this fit Liu Ling's personality and style?"
"When news of Huainan's defeat and her father's death arrived, everything became a lie, and her death was imminent. Unwilling to perish at the hands of the enemy, unwilling to accept the enemy's high-handed decree, unwilling to be humiliated and beheaded by the executioner, she committed suicide to preserve her dignity. Doesn't this also fit her character and style?
"Huainan is gone, the princess is gone, and the subordinates have no one to be loyal to. There's no point in persisting. So, isn't it more logical and reasonable to confess everything in order to suffer less before death?"
The attendant was suspicious: "Isn't it?"
"Yes." Zhao Yingqi nodded. "These are all correct, but not all."
"All of it?" The attendant suddenly realized, "Is it for Young Master Fan?"
"There are some things they must confess. Because His Majesty will investigate, and the longer the investigation, the deeper the roots will be. Therefore, they need to confess themselves. Not only that, but they must confess in a reasonable and flawless manner, revealing all their schemes and secrets.
"Just like a beautiful river clam, they took out the shell, the clam meat and even the round white pearl inside and gave them to each other.
"Only when you hold a river clam in your hand with its shell intact, its meat neatly packed, and its pearls large, round, and numerous, will you feel it is complete. You won't imagine that among all the white pearls there was once a tiny, inconspicuous gold bead that was taken away and hidden away."
After Zhao Yingqi finished speaking, the attendant suddenly understood: "Young Master Fan's existence is little known, not even the King of Huainan. Even if Your Majesty were to investigate, it would be extremely difficult to discover. The princess is indeed cautious in planning this."
"Since it involves Fan'er, she'll naturally be extremely cautious." Zhao Yingqi scoffed. "Given Liu Ling's personality, if there's anyone in this world she truly cares about, it's only Fan'er. Even Liu An, the King of Huainan, can only be considered halfway."
The attendant suddenly thought of something: "Young Master Fan should be heading to Nanyue now, right? What should we do next?"
Zhao Yingqi shook his head: "Do nothing, just wait."
The servant opened his eyes wide: Wait?
Zhao Yingqi laughed, "I did have a covenant with her. But she's gone now. Whether or not this covenant can be fulfilled, and to what extent, depends on Fan'er's ability."
The attendant frowned, a little reluctant: "Young Master Fan is still young..."
"Although he's young, he was taught by Liu Ling. Don't underestimate him. Especially since he has Liu Ling's confidants by his side. If he's capable, there's nothing wrong with accepting him as your son. But if he's incompetent..."
Zhao Yingqi didn't say the rest of the words, but the meaning was self-evident.
If he hadn't been capable, he wouldn't have acknowledged this son. After all, the other person's surname was Liu, not Zhao, so it wasn't certain whether he was his son. Even if he was, he had no shortage of sons, so why would he give one up?
So if you want him to recognize you, you have to let him see your value.
but……
Zhao Yingqi's expression flickered. He suspected that Liu Ling had a backup plan or that she had other arrangements.
After all, although he and Liu Ling did have a past, neither of them was really sincere. Liu Ling was not someone who would trust men. In her mind, men were just tools.
In this case, if Liu Ling wanted him to be Liu Fan's way out, how could he be sure that after he failed, he would still fulfill his promise and not go back on his word?
Based on their past romance? Based on their blood relationship, whose authenticity is unknown?
Obviously, Liu Ling was not that kind of person. So she must have given Liu Fan some kind of guarantee, which must have been enough to impress him and make him take action when Liu Fan was in trouble.
Zhao Yingqi's mind turned. It seemed that no matter whether this son was real or fake, whether he acknowledged him or not, he could not act too heartless. He had to get out the "guarantee" behind him first.
********
Thousands of miles away.
A carriage was speeding along the official road.
Inside the carriage, a young boy, no more than ten years old, closed his eyes and rested.
Sang Zhi, who was standing nearby, reported, "The team heading to South Vietnam shouldn't be too large, as it might attract attention. I'll escort the young master ahead, and the rest of us will follow in smaller groups. Reaching South Vietnam won't be difficult, but once there, the young master will need an identity."
In fact, it is not difficult to have an ordinary identity. What is difficult is that the identity they want is not simple.
The young man slowly said, "Has the Crown Prince of Nanyue expressed anything?"
Sang Zhi shook her head: "No."
In this situation, both of them knew that Zhao Yingqi might want to break the contract.
The young man sighed softly, "It's just as Mother expected. It seems he doesn't completely believe that I'm his son."
"Young Master..." Sangzhi opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.
The young master's background was a mystery, even to her. The princess hadn't mentioned a single word about it. Therefore, she couldn't respond to the question at all.
Sometimes she thought that the princess might have told only the young master this secret, and sometimes she thought that the princess herself might not understand it.
It was unclear whether the young man understood the situation, but his face remained calm, showing no sign of sadness. "Even if he believed it, what would happen? Mother said that even with strong blood ties, there can be partiality; even with deep feelings, there can be betrayal."
"When dealing with Zhao Yingqi, blood ties and affection are only auxiliary. The key is to make the other party see the benefits and value. Only these two are eternal."
Speaking of the value of the benefits, Sangzhi pondered, "We still have some bargaining chips in our hands. Why don't I use them to negotiate with the Crown Prince of Nanyue?"
The boy refused decisively: "No, if I give it to him, he will only betray me faster."
"You don't have to give it to him, you can keep him hanging for now."
The young man sneered, "Do you think Zhao Yingqi is a fool? Do you think this method can keep him hanging for long?"
Mulberry branches were speechless.
"This is a secret. It's our final trump card in our negotiation with Zhao Yingqi. No one will reveal it easily.
"Besides you and I, you must not let anyone else know about this, let alone Zhao Yingqi.
"We have to let him guess. The more he can't guess or touch something, the more he'll pay attention and be more interested. As for the rest..."
The young man paused, thought carefully, and continued, "We must let him know that even without talking about blood and feelings, if we only talk about the covenant, we are equal.
"I do need him, but he also needs me. After being away from South Vietnam for ten years, the King of South Vietnam has more than one son. It's not certain what the situation in South Vietnam is like now, and it's not certain how much power he, the crown prince, still has.
"If the King of Nanyue absolutely must have him, he would naturally find a way to get him back. He wouldn't have stayed in the capital for ten years, especially since the number of people he sent to pay his respects to him has been decreasing over the past two years."
Sangzhi's eyes rolled: "Young Master, you mean..."
The young man smiled. "Go and tell him if he still wants to return to South Vietnam. If so, have him hand over the men he left behind to me. Give me a year. Within a year, I will have him return to his homeland and smoothly succeed to the throne."
A prince, who arrived in Chang'an only after reaching adulthood. Even after a decade away, even if he was in decline, it was impossible for him to have no connections or followers in his homeland. But without their master, they were scattered. They lacked a planner, but a backbone.
Sangzhi immediately understood: "If you want to take action, the princess has actually left some arrangements in Nanyue."
The young man glanced over and sneered, "We help him with things, plan for him, and contribute manpower and effort. What does he contribute? Is he just waiting to get something ready-made?"
Sang Zhi was speechless again: "I'll contact them right away."
The boy nodded and said no more.
In fact, he did this not entirely because he was resentful of having to spend his manpower and effort to help others. Apart from that, he had other plans.
He didn't want to expose the people left by his mother to Zhao Yingqi too early. Instead, he wanted to explore Zhao Yingqi's background and even try to convert these people to his own, even if it was just a part of them.
A bit difficult, but not completely impossible.
The young man took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the dagger at his waist. It was a birthday gift from his mother, and it could cut through metal like mud.
Mother...
The young man lifted the carriage curtain and looked into the distance to the north. That was Chang'an, the place where his mother died and the place where her bones were buried.
My mother's body is there, my mother's dream is there, and my mother's enemies are also there!
So he will come back.
He will definitely find a way to come back!
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