Chapter 53
"Have you heard? The Emperor has issued an edict to send troops to attack the Xiongnu in three months."
"Got it, the whole Beidaying camp knows. Damn it, we've been waiting for this day."
"Didn't everyone initially speculate that the Eldest Princess would lead the Yunzhao Army to assist the Northern Camp in pacifying the Northern Barbarians?"
"Yes, but I didn't expect the Eldest Princess to directly incorporate the Yunzhao Army into the Northern Camp. In that case, all the credit will go to the Marquis."
"I really didn't expect that. However, I heard that the Princess's health has been getting worse lately. Have you noticed that she always wears an extra layer of clothing compared to other people?"
"Could it be that the Princess handed over the Yunzhao Army because she was unwell?"
"I suppose so, otherwise, who would be so willing to so readily hand over an army that has made a name for itself..."
"Well, that's not necessarily true. Look, there aren't many Yunzhao soldiers in the Beida Camp at all."
"Yes, conquered countries always need to have troops stationed there. The other elite troops of Yunzhao Army will become the troops stationed in various countries. When there is any change, the princess can raise her arms and shout, and troops will flock from all directions."
"No wonder Princess Chang wanted to take over that Dongliang Iron Pagoda; it turns out she didn't have enough men."
"However, isn't it said that the Emperor is wary of the Eldest Princess? The late Emperor's favor and high regard for the Eldest Princess were obvious to all, and I've even heard that he said she was the future of Yunxiu Kingdom. In history, our dynasty has also had an empress..."
Suddenly, a riding whip lashed at the soldier who had been speaking. Shu Rong looked at the whispering patrol soldiers with a serious expression and frowned, saying, "You've been living with your necks on your heads for too long. Don't meddle in court affairs."
The soldier who was hit hurriedly knelt down, trembling, while the others were at a loss for what to do.
Shu Rong then said sternly, "Remember this: if I hear these words again in the military today, I will be subject to military law!"
Soldiers: "Yes, sir!"
Just then, Xu Yong and Suo Qian passed by, and upon seeing the scene, they couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.
Xu Yong asked in a booming voice, "Deputy General Shu, what's wrong with these soldiers?" These soldiers happened to be under Xu Yong's command, and seeing his own men being taught a lesson by others, he was bound to intervene.
Upon hearing this, Shu Rong understood the gist of the matter, but frowned and said, "It's nothing, these people were just neglecting their duties..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Yong angrily said, "My soldiers dared to neglect their duties! Each of them shall go down and receive more than a dozen lashes."
Shu Rong felt as if thunder was crashing in her ears, almost shattering her eardrums. Suo Qian, standing beside Xu Yong, had already leaned slightly to the other side of the horse's back, a practiced move that had put him in a state of readiness.
Several soldiers hurriedly went to collect their whips.
With a loud "boom," the stone statue, which was in the shape of holding a flower, suddenly collapsed to the ground. The heavy stone head smashed a crater into the ground, and cracks spread from its head to its lips, but it still had a kind and benevolent appearance.
Lord Wu stared sternly at the ground, then addressed the Starry Sky Bureau spies and the Ministry of War's troops, "Use explosives again, make sure to blast the stone statue to pieces."
The Ministry of War personnel immediately opened the box, took out the gunpowder inside, and bombarded the stone statue again. This group of people had been borrowed by the Princess that morning to help destroy the stone statue. The dozen or so men all looked completely bewildered, wondering why the Princess harbored such deep hatred for this benevolent stone statue, not only bringing a large group of people to "besiege" it, but also specifically requesting so much gunpowder from the Ministry of War.
Several more loud booms followed, and the stone statue was completely unrecognizable.
Lord Wu suddenly glanced at Mo Yinghuo and Zhao Shu, who had been standing behind him. The two seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.
“Zhao Shu, this stone statue is indeed strange. The people from the Star Bureau have been investigating for several days and have asked all the people in the surrounding area, but no one knows the origin of this stone statue.” Mo Yinghuo raised his sleeve to block the flying dust.
Zhao Shu: "Mm."
Mo Yinghuo smiled and continued, "Do you think this stone statue, if it were alive, could feel pain?"
Zhao Shu looked at her seriously. "Your Highness, it's not a hypothetical; this stone statue is alive."
Mo Yinghuo rubbed his temples. "Alright, alright, I was just using an analogy."
Zhao Shu didn't quite understand, and glanced at her thoughtfully.
Looking at his serious expression, Mo Yinghuo patted the dust off his clothes, suppressed his smile, and said, "Yes, he is alive."
Zhao Shu: "Perhaps they won't even feel it. The explosion was so fast that they simply didn't have time to react."
Mo Yinghuo sighed, "That's not bad either." Seeing that Lord Wu was looking at them, Mo Yinghuo waved to him and said, "I'll leave things here to Lord Wu. This princess and Abbot Zhao will return to our residence first."
Another explosion of stones followed. Through the dust that rose up, Mo Yinghuo saw Lord Wu's lips moving. Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow, pretending not to notice, and turned to walk out of the bamboo forest.
"Lord Wu, shall we continue bombing?" a Star Bureau spy asked.
Lord Wu snapped out of his daze, swept the rubble off the ground, and resolutely uttered a single word, "Bomb!"
After walking for a while, Mo Yinghuo picked a few bamboo leaves, chose a soft and evenly thick leaf, held the two ends of the bamboo leaf with his fingers, placed the leaf horizontally under his lips, and slowly blew on it with his upper lip open.
A clear, melodious, and beautiful tone gently floated from her lips, faintly echoing in the bamboo forest.
Zhao Shu followed a little more than half a step behind her, occasionally checking the uneven ground in the bamboo forest, walking slowly and methodically.
Suddenly, the sound stopped abruptly. Mo Yinghuo stopped, turned around, and smiled, "Zhao Shu, this is called 'blowing leaves,' it sounds beautiful..."
Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Shu suddenly grabbed her arms and steadied himself. Mo Yinghuo was startled. Zhao Shu always kept a distance of two or three steps from her, so she was used to it and hadn't thought much of it before suddenly stopping. She looked up abruptly, but Zhao Shu had just looked down. Their eyes met, and both of them gasped for breath, their bodies stiffening.
Mo Yinghuo's heart suddenly trembled. He wondered if he was seeing things, but those light-colored eyes seemed to be faintly revealing a gentle tenderness.
Zhao Shu's gaze lingered on Mo Yinghuo's slightly reddened lips after she blew on the leaves, his deep breathing echoing in the unusually quiet bamboo forest. Mo Yinghuo's eyes were even a little moist; she could no longer tell if the breathing was her own or Zhao Shu's. What alarmed Mo Yinghuo was that his arm was trembling slightly.
A moment later, Mo Yinghuo realized that the reason she was trembling was because Zhao Shu was gripping her too tightly. Zhao Shu's grip tightened even more, showing no sign of loosening, and the pain spread more and more clearly throughout Mo Yinghuo's body, gradually making her more awake.
"Zhao Shu, let go." Mo Yinghuo's lips were white and blue from the pain. She looked up at Zhao Shu in front of her, and he seemed somewhat unfamiliar, as if he was trying hard to restrain himself. The force in her hands continued to increase. Mo Yinghuo covered Zhao Shu's hand with one hand, trying to pry his palm open, while the other hand pushed directly into Zhao Shu's chest. She lowered her eyes, panting and whispering, "Zhao Shu, let go, it hurts so much."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I..." Zhao Shu seemed to have regained his senses, and hurriedly let go of her hand, pushing her back two or three steps.
Mo Yinghuo rubbed the spot where Zhao Shu had grabbed her, her hands clasped together, and asked in confusion, "Zhao Shu, why are you getting so close to me..." Before she could finish speaking, Mo Yinghuo burst out laughing. When they first met, Zhao Shu had practically wanted to be a wall between them, and now she was complaining about him getting too close.
Zhao Shu turned to the side, his voice very soft, "I wasn't paying attention for a moment, I won't do it again next time."
Mo Yinghuo was taken aback, wondering if he thought she was complaining, so she smiled and said, "It's alright, it's alright. You can get as close as you want. As long as Young Master Zhao doesn't mind, this princess doesn't care."
Zhao Shu's shoulders seemed to twitch slightly, but after a moment, he regained his composure and said calmly, "Your Highness, let's continue." He paused, as if remembering something, and continued, "Just now, you played very beautifully."
Mo Yinghuo: "By the way, Zhao Shu, how about I take you to a nice place before we go back to the manor?"
Zhao Shu: "Where?"
Mo Yinghuo crossed his arms, kicked a few pebbles, and laughed, "Yanxi Tower, top-quality wine, top-quality girls..."
Zhao Shu: "I'm not going."
Mo Yinghuo rubbed his temples. "You don't like it?"
Zhao Shu walked on in silence, ignoring him.
Mo Yinghuo continued, "So what do you do on Nightfall Star?"
Zhao Shu: "I often walk among the stars, always alone."
Mo Ying sighed, and was about to speak when Zhao Shu suddenly asked, "Your Highness, what do you mean by having a fondness for women?"
She abruptly stopped, her eyebrows twitching. Looking at Zhao Shu's expression—a mixture of indifference, seriousness, gentleness, and utter confusion—she felt a strange mix of amusement and embarrassment. She could only force a smile, suppressing a vague fear of being exposed. "Well… it's just… it's about sharing blessings equally with all beings, hahaha, hahaha." A sudden realization dawned on her; she suddenly understood why Zhao Shu had remained so calm when the Emperor questioned her—it was because he didn't understand.
Zhao Shu said calmly, "Equal distribution of rain and dew, love for all living beings?"
Mo Yinghuo hurriedly said, "Haha, yes, yes." Fearing that Zhao Shu would press for answers, Mo Yinghuo quickly changed the subject, "When the Emperor was at the Beida Camp, he suddenly told me to practice archery more. I guess he thought my archery skills weren't good enough."
He made a casual remark, but Zhao Shu withdrew his gaze and said softly, "Well, I'll teach you more, but arm strength isn't something that can be developed overnight."
Mo Yinghuo quickly smiled and said, "No rush, no rush."
Thinking about how he was teaching me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of tenderness and elegance in his words.
Zhao Shu gave her a meaningful look, but didn't say anything more. After walking a few steps, he asked again, "Your Highness, is there something you're hiding from me, about... yourself?"
Mo Yinghuo was taken aback, wondering why he would ask such a question. A vague sense of unease crept into her heart. She replied, puzzled, "Young Master Zhao is often with me. What could there be that you don't know?" In her heart, however, she had a different thought: it would be more accurate to say that he was hiding something from her.
Zhao Shu: "His Highness spoke with the Emperor at the Northern Camp, saying that he did not wish to burden others."
Mo Yinghuo's face suddenly turned deathly pale. She closed her eyes, almost unable to bear but unable to stop herself from recalling that exceptionally bloody and cruel scene.
The Princess's residence was completely dark, and the guards throughout the residence remained as vigilant as ever.
The sandalwood scent lingered gently, inducing a sense of drowsiness, and Mo Yinghuo kept her eyes tightly closed. Suddenly, a pair of earth-red boots landed ominously beside the bed. Mo Yinghuo sensed a chilling glint of a blade and, in an instant, drew the Broken Frost sword hidden in the bedside.
"Your Highness, don't be afraid. It's only been a few days. Have there been quite a few more guards in the manor?" Hunxie Wang said in a low, sinister voice.
Mo Yinghuo looked at the dozen or so Northern Barbarian demons crammed into the room, and suddenly noticed that two of them were carrying a young man in extraordinary clothes and an old palace maid with gray hair and tattered clothes.
Hunxie Wang noticed his gaze and chuckled softly, "Your Highness, does this seem a little familiar?"
Mo Yinghuo's heart skipped a beat. She knew that these people always took pleasure in tormenting her. Ignoring her fear, she threw off the covers and ran toward the two of them.
"Achen, He Momo." Mo Yinghuo's fingers trembled as he lifted the two faces, and he couldn't help but ask Hunxie Wang, "What exactly did you do to them?"
Hunxie Wang put his finger to his thick lips and shushed, "Keep your voice down, Your Highness. If you attract all the guards in the manor, I'll leave a knife in each of these two, and we'll still have time to leave."
Mo Yinghuo pursed her lips tightly.
Hunxie Wang chuckled softly and said, "Come, you two help Her Highness the Princess undress."
"What are you doing..." Before Mo Yinghuo could finish speaking, she was already pinned to the ground by two tall, burly Northern Barbarians. Hunxie Wang drew his saber from his waist and, as if admiring her work, slowly made a long cut on her back with the tip of the blade. The cut wasn't deep; it was too light compared to before. Suddenly, Hunxie Wang took out a small, deep red jar from his robes. He squatted down beside Mo Yinghuo and said with a sinister smile, "Your Highness, try our Northern Frontier's unique blood scorpion."
Mo Yinghuo's pupils dilated. She knew that the Northern Wilderness was home to many terrifying Gu techniques. She glanced at the blood scorpion that had crawled to the mouth of the jar with horror. "What... do you want to do?"
Hunxie Wang: "Your Highness, it will hurt a little in a while, but it will be fine in an hour. Remember, don't make a sound, otherwise, as you can see, your own brother, and Granny He who often brings you pastries in your mother's palace, and that old mute, we will not let them go."
The blood scorpion crawled onto Mo Yinghuo's back, smelled the blood, and immediately became agitated, slowly sucking the fresh blood back and forth along the cut wound.
Mo Yinghuo felt a chill and a fever all over her body. Her fingers curled up and gripped the ground tightly. Her face was deathly pale and her teeth chattered. Suddenly, she reached back with both hands and covered her mouth tightly. Her whole body was trembling.
The Blood Scorpion calmly enjoyed this lavish feast.
Hunxie King and the other northern barbarians watched with great interest, their eyes filled with the pleasure of scrutinizing their prey.
A series of sobs, muffled and whimpering.
Mo Yinghuo struggled to lift her head, while He Momo covered her lips with a handkerchief, collapsing to the ground and weeping desperately. Mo Beichen, who had just woken up, had a rag stuffed into his mouth, rendering him unable to make a sound. Mo Yinghuo smiled at them, surprisingly offering words of comfort, "It's alright, they wouldn't dare take my life."
...
After a long, long time, the blood scorpion seemed to have eaten and drunk its fill. Suddenly, it raised its head and plunged into Mo Yinghuo's waist. Mo Yinghuo's limbs suddenly stiffened, and a bone-chilling coldness penetrated her entire body.
Having completed its mission, the Blood Scorpion rolled over contentedly and died.
As if he had completed a work of art, Hunxie Wang said with a satisfied, sinister expression, "Your Highness, this is a bloodthirsty gu, a secret and incurable curse passed down among the barbarians. Those afflicted with this gu will find their blood growing colder and colder. But don't worry, it won't kill you; you'll just be more sensitive to the cold than usual. Also, the illness will only manifest when Your Highness reaches the age of twenty or thirty. At that time, Your Highness can prolong your life by consuming fresh human blood every day; otherwise… Your Highness will find out then."
Mo Yinghuo stared blankly at the group of monsters, his pupils concealing a bottomless killing intent and hatred.
Hunxie Wang suddenly remembered something, and said sinisterly, "That's right, the Bloodthirsty Gu has just formed and must consume the blood of a living person. Your Highness..." He picked up his saber and pointed it at Mo Beichen and He Momo, "Which one should we choose?"
It's another selection! First they made Father Emperor choose, now they make us choose! What do these people think human lives are?!
Mo Yinghuo curled up, feeling waves of coldness washing over her from time to time.
Suddenly, with a burst of strength from who-knows-where, Granny He broke free and ran towards Hunxie Wang, crashing directly into his saber. Blood dripped from the tip of the blade, splattering the ground crimson.
With a sigh of relief, Granny He looked at Mo Yinghuo, who was curled up on the ground, with great affection, then at Mo Beichen, who was kneeling on the ground, and gently closed her eyes.
...
"Your Highness," Zhao Shu called softly.
Mo Yinghuo suddenly opened his eyes and felt that familiar, bone-chilling cold surge through his body again, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.
Zhao Shu: "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
Mo Yinghuo smiled and said, "Nothing, I just remembered some things." Winter has passed and spring and summer are coming, but she is still wearing a light outer robe. It seems that the Bloodthirsty Gu is about to take effect, just as Hunxie Wang said.
Zhao Shu: "Your Highness, why are you always so afraid of the cold?"
Mo Yinghuo waved his hand and sighed helplessly, "I've always had cold hands and feet since I was a child; it's just a childhood ailment."
"Then why do you always exude a chilling aura?" Zhao Shu pressed.
Mo Yinghuo laughed, "Oh, really? Did you feel it?" As soon as she said that, she regretted it a little.
Zhao Shu didn't say much, but just quietly glanced at her.
Mo Yinghuo turned around, lowered his head, and suddenly asked softly, "Zhao Shu, I actually know that Hunxie King is not a citizen of Shiling Kingdom. They are just a tribe in the Northern Frontier. Does the real Shiling Kingdom actually exist? Why is it that from Father Emperor to now, the Star Division's spies have not been able to find even the slightest trace of Shiling Kingdom?"
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