Lu Fei, Zhang Xun, and Han Sheng heard that the capital had fallen.
The Empress's fate was uncertain, and everyone gasped in shock.
"That old scoundrel Liu An is truly audacious!"
After hearing this, Zhang Xun's eyes widened in anger.
Han Sheng even went so far as to swear:
"Damn it, that old scoundrel Liu An has really eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard! He dares to rebel!"
After speaking, he frowned and rubbed his thumb and forefinger back and forth.
Her gaze, however, fell on Lu Yan, as if waiting for his decision.
Zhang Xun frowned, then suddenly seemed to remember something and slapped his thigh:
"No wonder I ran into Li Mu and Miss Chen on the way to the capital,"
"They were being hunted down by the Imperial Guards of the capital, who claimed they were accomplices of the rebels."
"Luckily, I saw it and saved her."
"Now that I think about it, these Imperial Guards were probably the henchmen of that scoundrel Liu An!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yan's eyes lit up, and he immediately pressed for an answer:
Where are Li Mu and that Miss Chen now?
"We'll settle in an inn within the city."
Zhang Xun quickly replied.
"Quickly, bring them here immediately!"
Lu Yan gave the order impatiently.
After Zhang Xun accepted the order and left, a brief silence fell over the study.
In the absolute silence, the only sounds were Lu Yan's rapid breathing and Han Sheng and Li Kui's anxious pacing.
"My lord, the capital has fallen, and the Empress's fate is unknown."
"This is the perfect opportunity for us to come to the emperor's aid and make a name for ourselves!"
Lu Fei broke the silence, his tone impassioned.
He clenched his fists, already imagining himself leading a large army.
The scene of breaching the city gates and achieving great deeds.
"Yes, sir, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"Our Shannan Prefecture has a strong army and ample supplies, so we can take this opportunity to expand our power!"
Han Sheng echoed.
Li Kui's eyes darted around.
He rubbed his hands together and approached Lu Yan with a fawning expression:
"My lord, Lu Fei and Han Sheng are right!"
"This is a golden opportunity! We can..."
He deliberately lowered his voice and moved closer to Lu Yan.
"Take advantage of the chaos and establish yourself as king!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yan's face darkened, and he slammed his hand on the table.
With a "smack," Li Kui was startled.
The teacup in my hand almost fell to the ground.
Tea splashed out, leaving a ring of water stains on the table, just like the ripples in Lu Yan's heart at this moment.
"Nonsense! I, Lu Yan, am utterly loyal to the Empress. How could I possibly commit such a treasonous act!"
Lu Yanyi rebuked him sternly, his tone firm and leaving no room for argument.
He suddenly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and stared intently.
Just like a loyal and courageous hero.
However, beneath these impassioned words...
Lu Yan, however, was secretly plotting something else:
Declaring oneself king? It's not impossible... given the current strength of Shannan Prefecture.
He's more than capable of establishing himself as king.
However, it was still somewhat lacking in ability to contend with the entire Datong Dynasty and the ever-watchful Beixiang Kingdom.
What's more, that old scoundrel Mu Qing, the Grand General of the Northern Xiang Kingdom, is stationed dozens of miles away.
If he were to lead his troops to the capital, he could take advantage of the situation and launch an attack.
That would truly be losing both your wife and your army!
After much deliberation, Lu Yan ultimately decided to remain inactive.
"The situation in the capital is still unclear, so we must not act rashly."
"Let's stay in Shannan Prefecture and live our lives peacefully!"
"If others don't invade, we can live in peace and prosperity; but if they dare to invade, hmph..."
"Then let them taste the power of our Shannan Prefecture's firearms!"
As he was pondering this, Zhang Xun led Li Mu and Chen Qingwan back to the government office.
Li Mu looked travel-worn and tired.
Chen Qingwan, on the other hand, was dressed in plain white.
Although she looked a little disheveled, her elegant and refined temperament was undeniable.
"My lord, General Li and Miss Chen have arrived."
Zhang Xun reported respectfully.
Lu Yan's gaze fell on Chen Qingwan, who nodded slightly as a greeting.
However, she did not let Li Mu reveal the truth that he was the Empress.
"Thank you both for your hard work."
"General Li, what exactly happened in the capital?"
Li Mu took a deep breath, glanced at Chen Qingwan, and slowly spoke...
"Lord Lu."
Li Mu clasped his hands in a respectful greeting and said anxiously:
"A sudden upheaval has occurred in the capital. The treacherous Liu An has plotted a rebellion, and the Empress... the Empress..."
He choked up at this point.
Chen Qingwan gently patted Li Mu's shoulder.
Li Mu understood and remained silent.
Chen Qingwan bowed slightly and said softly:
"Thank you very much, Lord Lu, for saving my life."
Lu Yan quickly replied:
"Miss, there's no need for such formalities. We've known each other for a while now, why be so polite?"
"But what exactly happened? How did the capital suddenly fall into chaos? How is the Empress now?"
Chen Qingwan sighed softly, her brows furrowed with lingering worry.
She recounted the changes that had occurred in the capital, starting with Liu An's conspiracies and schemes.
From the Imperial Guards' desperate resistance to the Empress's forced escape from the capital, her fate unknown...
When she got emotional, she couldn't help but beat her chest and stamp her feet, her grief overflowing.
After listening, Lu Yan let out a long, feigned sigh of sorrow:
"Alas! Life is truly unpredictable!"
"I never imagined that old scoundrel Liu An would be so audacious! Daring to rebel!"
He secretly thought to himself, "This is a great opportunity!"
If we could take this opportunity...
He quickly suppressed the dangerous thought.
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