Hanyuan Pass is the border between the Great Wilderness and the Great Yin Empire.
This pass was specially built here by Emperor Yintian after he came to power in order to defend against the invasion of the Mang tribe.
After Shen Zhao followed the refugees into Hanyuan Pass, he saw that the open space inside was full of people who had come to take refuge because of the war. They were sitting in a circle, numbly watching the crowd coming and going.
"So many people." Ding Bu'er looked at the scene before him, seemingly feeling something. "The natural disasters had just begun to improve, and now war has broken out. When will this end for ordinary people?"
Shen Zhao found an open space by himself, drank his wine, and remained silent.
Are ordinary people in the cultivation world miserable?
Of course it's bitter!
Survival is far more difficult than imagined.
They not only had to guard against invasions by foreign races, but also against the evil cultivators and remnants of the Cold, and they had to be careful in serving those high and mighty cultivators, for one careless mistake could mean certain death.
Just then, a group of cooks pushed carts toward the refugees.
"It's time to eat."
The next moment, the previously numb refugees rushed towards the cook, eagerly reaching out their hands, afraid that if they were a step too late, they would miss out on their share of food.
After a long while, the refugees, each holding a brown rice bun and a bowl of thin porridge, sat back in their corners to eat and drink.
Shen Zhao and Ding Bu'er never went to snatch it.
Upon seeing this, he immediately knew that Hanyuan Pass was facing a severe food shortage.
The problem must lie with Huang Tianhu, the commander of the border troops.
As the commander of the border army, Huang Tianhu commanded an army of 500,000 men, making him a veritable local tyrant in the north.
In his previous life, after eliminating the Pang family, Shen Zhao immediately went to the border, cleverly seized control of the border army, and devised a plan to poison Huang Tianhu, who intended to rebel.
Although the Pang family has fallen, Huang Tianhu, who has close ties with the Pang family, has not been eliminated.
Huang Tianhu had long harbored rebellious intentions. It must have been news of the Pang family that reached his ears, which led him to collude with the Northern Barbarians to overthrow the Yintian Dynasty. Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain why the Northern Barbarians would raise an army two years earlier than he remembered.
After sorting out the logic, Shen Zhao felt relieved about everything that was happening before him.
But so what? He had no connection with the Yintian Dynasty anymore, so why should he get involved in this mess?
What I should do is leave here and reunite with Su Yunying and the others.
As Shen Zhao was deep in thought, a voice rang in his ear: "Didn't you go to get your food just now?"
Looking up, Gu Yunxiao was standing in front of him with a smile, holding two steamed buns.
"Oh……"
Shen Zhao took the steamed bun and gave one to Ding Bu'er.
Ding Bu'er immediately and tactfully ran into the group of refugees, leaving space for Shen Zhao and Gu Yunxiao.
Gu Yunxiao sat down directly next to Shen Zhao: "Shen Zhao, I didn't expect to run into you here."
Shen Zhao: "Young Master Gu, how have you been? I never expected that a prodigy like you would still be traveling around this border region."
Gu Yunxiao laughed and said, "I was ordered to come here to supervise the army. In a few days, a great battle may break out here. I am also very nervous."
Shen Zhao leaned against the wall with his eyes looking up at the sky: "The Great Yin army is so powerful, would 500,000 border troops be afraid of those barbarian armies?"
Gu Yunxiao remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Shen Zhao, do you know why this war broke out?"
Shen Zhao remained silent, listening quietly as Gu Yunxiao continued.
"The Khan of Northern Mang wanted his cousin Xiyao to marry into the Great Wilderness, but His Majesty refused. That's why Northern Mang decided to launch a military campaign against the wicked. Alas~"
Shen Zhao said directly, "She did not do anything wrong. Peace can never be maintained by marriage alliances. The war between Dayin and Beimang will break out sooner or later."
"But now is really not the best time to break out into war. The disaster in the south has just been brought under control, and preparations for this war are not yet complete. The imperial court cannot raise enough military funds in a short period of time. In addition..."
Gu Yunxiao paused, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
"Huang Tianhu seems to be colluding with the Northern Barbarians, intending to overthrow the Great Yin dynasty."
Shen Zhao immediately interrupted him: "Young Master Gu, what's the use of telling me all this? I am not a member of the imperial court."
Gu Yunxiao: "Stop fooling around, Shen Zhao. I should have guessed your identity long ago. You are His Majesty's husband, you..."
Shen Zhao interrupted him again: "Shh... Don't talk nonsense. What 'His Majesty's husband'? Where did you hear such rumors? Aren't you afraid of losing your head?"
Gu Yunxiao was taken aback, and his emotions suddenly became somewhat out of control: "Shen Zhao, didn't you say you liked His Majesty very much? When I was a child, I heard the Empress Dowager say that if you married into the royal family, you would never abandon His Majesty for the rest of your life."
"But why did you run away on the day Her Majesty ascended the throne? You clearly possessed that kind of power; if you had married into the royal family and become Her Majesty's husband, you could have helped her a great deal. Do you know how irresponsible you were?"
"I've never even met His Majesty, so what's there to like about him? Have you ever seen me alone with her? Can you stop jumping to conclusions and slandering me out of thin air!"
Gu Yunxiao was speechless.
"You should know that His Majesty is very disgusted by this artificially arranged marriage. Do you think you can be happy marrying someone who doesn't love you?"
Rather than tormenting each other, it's better to let go sooner rather than later; it's better for everyone.
"But Your Majesty is the ruler of a country. You've humiliated her like this, making her lose face! How can you bear to see her suffer like this?"
"How could that be? Your Majesty would probably be rolling on the floor laughing."
After saying that, he got up to leave.
"Shen Zhao!"
Gu Yunxiao called out to him.
"I won't stop you from living your own life, but before that, can you come with me to meet someone?"
Who is it?
"You'll find out if you follow me."
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