As the wicked man had predicted, the journey was fraught with peril.
The soldiers marched tirelessly day and night, never daring to slacken their pace. They encountered cities along the way but did not enter them, instead speeding through the open mountains and fields, only taking two breaks in between.
Even so, they still encountered two thrilling assassination attempts. Such a high-intensity long-distance raid, coupled with the constant vigilance against assassins, left even the tough and resilient soldiers of the Black Dragon Armor Army feeling somewhat powerless and exhausted.
Finally, after overcoming numerous hardships, the group crossed Danyang and stepped out of the territory of the Chu Kingdom.
He thought he could finally breathe a sigh of relief after leaving the State of Chu and stepping into the former territory of Han, but he unexpectedly encountered three more extremely dangerous assassination attempts!
Left with no other choice, the wicked man, suppressing his anger and considering the condition of his soldiers, led his army directly to Yangdi, where they set up camp and rested for three full days.
For the next three days, the wicked man set up camp next to the carriage and dispatched a large number of soldiers to guard it closely, daring not to be careless in the slightest. He even sent people to test the food for poison before serving it each day.
Thanks to such caution, the food was indeed poisoned. The wicked husband was furious and conducted a thorough search of the city. He actually found some clues that confirmed that the assassination was carried out by Mo Xia.
The wicked husband, who had never been so humiliated, harbored a murderous intent. He immediately dispatched scouts from the city back to Xianyang to relay orders to Ying Zheng to mobilize troops and, once Ying Zheng returned to Xianyang, to immediately launch an attack on the Yan state.
At the same time, he sent a message to Yang Duanhe in the name of the Grand Commandant, mobilizing the Black Ice Guard to purge all lurking Mo Xia within Qin territory, and sending men into Yan to assassinate powerful nobles and ministers in its capital.
After three days of rest, the soldiers were refreshed and the wicked man immediately ordered them to set off and return to Xianyang as soon as possible.
Just as they set off, the urgent scouts they had dispatched entered Xianyang and reported the news to Ying Zheng and Yang Duanhe word for word.
"How dare they! The Yan Kingdom is truly audacious!"
Upon receiving the news, Ying Zheng, who was attending the morning court session, was immediately enraged. His roar, filled with murderous intent, echoed throughout the hall, making the atmosphere extremely tense.
Ying Zheng's anger burned like a raging fire. He immediately recounted his husband's ordeal in front of all the civil and military officials.
Upon hearing this news, the officials in the imperial court immediately began to discuss it. Some advocated sending troops to attack the Yan state immediately, while others suggested sending envoys to find out the truth first.
As a result, the two factions immediately started arguing, each sticking to their own opinions and neither willing to compromise.
The opposition's reasoning was simple: the most important thing now was to recuperate and rebuild, and with the wicked husband's strength, he would surely be able to protect the queen. They were not going to let this grudge go unpunished, but they could not do it at this critical juncture.
The pro-war faction, led by Generals Wang Jian and Meng Ao, could not tolerate the Yan state's audacious actions and insisted on destroying the Yan state in this battle.
After a moment of contemplation, Ying Zheng forcefully suppressed the opposition and, in accordance with his wicked husband's demands, secretly mobilized troops and provisions to prepare for the attack on Yan, awaiting his husband's return for further discussion.
The Qin state of today is no longer what it used to be; its decrees are far more effective than before. However, as soon as the court session ended, Ying Zheng's orders were swiftly carried out.
Following the king's decree, troops from various regions began to be mobilized and converge on the old Wei capital, Ye City. King Jian personally went to oversee the operation, while preparations for provisions and weapons were also underway.
Yang Duanhe secretly mobilized the Black Ice Guard to purge the Mo Xia internally, while sending elite assassins deep into the heart of Yan to carry out assassination missions ordered by the evil husband.
Meanwhile, the Black Dragon Armor Army, led by the wicked husband, was galloping day and night, striving to return to Xianyang as quickly as possible to complete this mission of welcoming the bride.
Along the way, they avoided all possible ambushes and took a more covert route to ensure their safety.
Leaving aside the sudden storm in Qin, after more than ten days, E'fu and his party finally arrived at the border of Xianyang and entered the city at dusk.
Even so, the wicked man still dared not relax in the slightest. The encounters along the way had truly frightened him, and at this moment he even felt like every bush and tree was an enemy soldier.
Moreover, as the saying goes, the most dangerous time is when you are most relaxed.
Therefore, he led the Black Dragon Armored Army straight to the palace gate. The clanging of iron hooves startled the palace gate guard, Tie Niu, who mistook it for an enemy attack or a rebellion, and he closed the palace gate in advance and became vigilant.
But when the Black Dragon Armored Army came into view, he immediately ordered the palace gates to be opened and went forward to greet them personally.
"We pay our respects to the Grand Commandant!"
The wicked husband waved his hand dismissively, his voice hoarse, and said, "No need, I will escort the princess to the palace!"
Tie Niu had heard about the recent events to some extent, and seeing that the wicked husband looked unwell, he didn't exchange pleasantries and immediately let the wicked husband into the palace.
The wicked man drove the carriage into the palace and sped through the palace grounds. He explained softly, "Please forgive me, Your Highness. His Majesty should have greeted you personally, but considering that assassins are everywhere, he could not come out to greet you in person."
“It’s alright. As the ruler of a country, Your Majesty’s safety is naturally above all else…” Mi Ji expressed her understanding.
The wicked husband chuckled, his impression of Mi Ji growing even worse. Even he was finding the journey somewhat exhausting, yet this delicate woman, Mi Ji, had never uttered a single complaint.
"Fusu's temperament... perhaps he inherited it from his mother!" A thought flashed through the wicked husband's mind, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly.
At this moment, he wished Ying Zheng would quickly take Mi Ji back to have a baby, and hurry up and get his student, whose whereabouts were still unknown, out of the picture.
The wicked man drove his carriage slowly through the palace, which was now brightly lit, creating a tranquil and solemn atmosphere.
At the entrance of Zhangtai Palace, Ying Zheng had already led his civil and military officials to wait. When he saw the wicked man stop the carriage, Ying Zheng immediately walked down the high steps and came to the carriage to open the door himself.
As a slender hand reached out from inside the carriage, Ying Zheng immediately took it and helped Mi Ji slowly get off the carriage, a hint of concern showing in his eyes.
"You've had a hard time, Grand Commandant!" Ying Zheng's voice was tinged with gratitude. He was already aware of his husband's ordeal along the way, and Mi Ji's behavior had naturally reached his ears as well. He had already silently accepted her in his heart and developed a great deal of affection for her.
The wicked man nodded slightly and replied, "Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my mission and have safely escorted the Queen here."
With a crimson veil covering her face, Mi Ji gracefully curtsied, her figure as slender as a willow branch, and softly said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Ying Zheng's gaze lingered on Mi Ji for a moment, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat, a surge of passion welling up inside him.
From initial resistance to developing a liking for the woman after hearing about her behavior, and then to the initial joy of meeting her in person, Ying Zheng's thoughts were now somewhat chaotic.
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