Lu Yan glanced at him sideways:
"Xiao Kui, when did you become so fussy? She's just a woman, so what if she dies? How could she ruin my reputation? Besides, my brothers in Shannan Prefecture finally have a chance to rest."
"I don't want them to go and die for some unrelated woman! Whether the Empress lives or dies is none of my business!"
Li Kui sighed, knowing he couldn't persuade Lu Yan, and could only say:
"Then... I'll have someone send her away?"
"To drive her away? That's too rude and would damage my image. Send her out of the country and say that I'm too busy with official duties to deal with such trivial matters."
Lu Yan yawned and said impatiently.
So, Qiao'er was "invited" out by the soldiers of Shannan Prefecture and sent directly to the outskirts of Shannan Prefecture.
Qiao'er stared at the tightly closed gates of Shannan Prefecture, her heart filled with despair.
He clenched his fists so tightly his nails almost dug into his flesh, and roared hoarsely at the imposing gates of Shannan Prefecture:
"Lu Yan! You ungrateful and despicable scoundrel! You shall die a horrible death!"
Her voice was hoarse, filled with desperate sobs, echoing across the empty plains.
"His Majesty trusts you so much and treats you so well, yet you stood by and watched her die in her time of crisis! Where is your conscience?!"
Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.
She saw the trust in His Majesty's eyes, which had now turned into a cold rejection.
"I curse you, Lu Yan! I curse you to suffer a fate worse than death, and to meet a terrible end!"
Qiao'er's voice was full of resentment, as if she wanted to pour out all her anger.
She staggered and turned away, step by step leaving this place that had broken her heart.
On the way back to Jingzhou, Qiao'er stumbled and almost crawled forward.
The cold wind cut her face like a knife, but she could no longer feel the pain.
His Majesty's kind face and Lu Yan's cold eyes kept flashing through his mind.
The two contrasting images intertwined, almost causing her to break down.
As darkness fell, Qiao'er finally saw the outline of Jingzhou City.
However, what came into view was a sea of fire.
Outside the city, banners blotted out the sun, and shouts of battle shook the heavens; the enemy army had completely surrounded Jingzhou.
Flames soared into the sky from the city walls as the defending troops fought a bloody battle.
"No! This is impossible!"
Qiao'er's heart sank suddenly, and a strong sense of fear engulfed her.
She ran desperately toward the city gate, and along the way she saw countless refugees, their faces filled with terror and despair.
Qiao'er rushed into the city, grabbed a soldier, and anxiously asked:
"What happened? What's the situation in the battle?"
The soldier, covered in blood, answered in terror:
"General Zuo Wei has been defeated and killed. The enemy has already breached the outer city, and Jingzhou City is in imminent danger!"
Qiao'er felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and almost fainted.
Was General Zuo Wei defeated and killed in battle?
How could that be? He is His Majesty's most trusted general!
Despite her grief, Qiao'er stumbled to Li Mu and told him the outcome of her trip to Shannan Prefecture.
After listening, Li Mu frowned deeply, his face turning terribly grim.
"Lu Yan is so indifferent? This...this is really puzzling."
He paced back and forth, his heart filled with doubt and unease.
The tiger descending the mountain said in a deep voice:
"Now is not the time to investigate the cause. The most urgent task is to find a way to break through and ensure His Majesty's safety!"
Li Mu pondered for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his eyes flickering:
"I suspect that when His Majesty went to Shannan Prefecture, something unpleasant happened between him and Lu Yan, causing Lu Yan to hold a grudge and refuse to send troops to help."
Qiao'er gave a bitter smile, her eyes welling up with tears again:
"Maybe...who knows...it's too late to say anything now..."
Li Mu stopped dwelling on Lu Yan's attitude; he knew now was not the time to assign blame.
He had to come up with a way as soon as possible to lead everyone out of the encirclement.
"Since we can't count on the support from Shannan Prefecture, we have no choice but to fight to the death! Tonight, I will open the south gate to draw away the main enemy force. Qiao'er, you will escort His Majesty to break through the north gate!"
Qiao'er said worriedly:
"Her Majesty will probably not agree to this plan... She will not abandon her soldiers and escape alone..."
Li Mu gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes:
"We can't worry about anything else! This is our only way out! Even if His Majesty disagrees, we will take her away by force!"
Tiger rubbed his sore eyes and sighed wearily.
"His Majesty wanted to use one tiger to devour another, but unfortunately, that old fox Zhang Xinwang is not falling for it at all!"
He plopped down in the chair.
Li Mu frowned and paced back and forth.
What exactly is Zhang Xinwang trying to do?
"What else could they be doing? Naturally, they want to take advantage of the chaos and swallow our Great Tong Dynasty whole!"
The tiger descending the mountain spoke with deep resentment.
"He actually made an outrageous demand, asking His Majesty to send over the Imperial Seal! It's carved from a single piece of natural blood jade, incredibly precious, and extremely difficult to imitate!"
Li Mu stopped in his tracks, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
"The Imperial Seal? He has some nerve!"
“Not only that,” Xia Shan Hu continued, his tone filled with helplessness.
"He also requested His Majesty to issue an edict bestowing upon him the title of 'One-Character King' and to state that His Majesty had married him!"
"What?!"
Li Mu slammed his fist on the table with a loud bang.
"This is simply outrageous! He's trying to use the emperor to command the feudal lords!"
Tiger, slumped back in his chair, looking dejected.
"With the imperial seal, he becomes a king in name only, and can then act as regent, using the emperor to command the other lords. If you then marry him, the marriage will be sealed, regardless of its truthfulness; as long as others believe it, that's enough..."
"At that time, the Great Tong Dynasty will be his for the taking!"
Li Mu's face turned ashen, and he gritted his teeth, saying:
"The Imperial Seal will absolutely not be given to him! As for the latter two demands..."
"His Majesty actually intends to agree!"
The tiger descending the mountain suddenly sat upright.
"We strongly opposed it to His Majesty, but His Majesty's mind was made up and he wouldn't listen to us at all!"
Li Mu took a deep breath, trying to stay calm:
"Why would Your Majesty do this? This is tantamount to inviting a wolf into the house!"
The tiger descending the mountain shook his head, his face full of bitterness:
"Who knows? Perhaps they've run out of options... Now Jingzhou is besieged, and Shannan Prefecture is standing idly by, Your Majesty..."
Just when the two were at their wits' end.
A soldier rushed in, knelt on one knee, and hurriedly reported:
"General Li, His Majesty requests your presence!"
Li Mu's heart sank; he knew that what was bound to happen had finally arrived.
He took a deep breath and said to the tiger descending the mountain:
"Let's go and see what His Majesty is planning."
The atmosphere in the council hall was heavy.
Chen Qingwan sat in the main seat, her face pale, but she tried to remain calm.
Li Mu, Xia Shan Hu, Qiao'er, and the others have all arrived.
Each of them had a solemn expression, like the calm before a storm.
"Is everyone here?"
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