Chapter 279 Cooperation
At Tianyin Temple, Modan finally received his distinguished guest.
Xiao Qing led Fu Mingyi into Tianyin Temple, but did not go directly to Mo Dan. Instead, they first met with Master Jueyan and went to the stone gate where Jueyan was in seclusion before going down the mountain to Mingxiu's room.
Xiao Yuan, having followed Mo Dan, had clearly matured considerably. Upon seeing the arrival of the people, she skillfully manipulated her beloved little scorpions to clear the surroundings, leaving the three of them some space to be alone.
The sentries around the house are now useless to them. The little scorpions can put people to sleep or wake them up at will. They just need to be wary of any new watchers lurking in the shadows.
“Perhaps I should call you Murdan,” Xiao Qing said bluntly.
Fu Mingyi glanced around discreetly and sat down not far behind Xiao Qing. Apart from exchanging greetings when they entered the room, he did not speak to her again.
Standing behind a gradually maturing emperor, Fu Mingyi, whether as a teacher or a subject, followed his own rhythm and sense of propriety.
But... Fu Mingyi withdrew his gaze.
Murdan smiled, sporting Mingxiu's appearance, which made Xiao Qing feel a little uncomfortable.
He doesn't change his expression when discussing serious matters; he's dedicated and meticulous.
“It’s just a name.” Murdan’s gaze shifted between Xiao Qing and Fu Mingyi for a moment before finally settling on Xiao Qing.
He looked somewhat listless. "I need some information that I'd like to exchange with you."
Fu Mingyi and Murdan had known each other for a long time. Although neither of them deliberately tried to get close to each other, Murdan's appearance clearly indicated that he was not a pure Da Xiao person. However, they did not get to know each other well at the time and were using aliases, so they did not have much interaction. It was a time of national crisis and hardship, and Fu Mingyi had neither the energy nor the manpower to investigate this man's background in depth.
But now that these things are laid bare before them, this person's stance has become ambiguous.
However, considering his background and actions in recent years, it is not difficult to see that he does not have much of a sense of belonging to Beiming.
Xiao Qing thought for a moment and asked, "What news?"
Murdan's gaze became inquisitive. "Although I didn't give any instructions, since Fu Mingzhu was able to get the information to you, we don't need to hide it anymore. Besides, apart from finding our enemy, I have no interest in the affairs of your Great Xiao." He stared at Xiao Qing, "Having known each other for so long, I'll be frank."
Xiao Qing remained unmoved, knowing that if Murdan had already discovered her identity and secrets, then tacitly allowing Fu Mingzhu to reveal her background was tantamount to showing reciprocal sincerity. He stated frankly that he was not interested in the Great Xiao, either because he was not interested in the Great Xiao's desire and actions to reclaim lost territory, or because he was not interested in the change of power within the Great Xiao regime. This was a safe stance.
"Xiao Yan." Murdan murmured a name, his gaze slowly shifting between Xiao Qing and Fu Mingyi.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Suddenly, Xiao Qing chuckled softly.
"It's just a name," Xiao Qing said calmly.
Although she was somewhat prepared, she was still taken aback when she heard this unfamiliar name. Murdan knew more than she had imagined.
Fu Mingyi gently straightened his cuffs.
Murdan's tense nerves relaxed slightly. "Let me reiterate, I have no interest in your Great Xiao's affairs, nor will I interfere in your business."
“But according to the information I have, your mother was the daughter of the Ghost Flower Clan Chief back then.” He paused, half of his face hidden in the shadows where the light was blocked. “You and your twin brother are descendants of the Ghost Flower Clan.”
These past few days he had thought about many things, the fragments of his childhood becoming an indelible thorn in his heart, causing excruciating pain with the slightest movement. Although he was Gheir's son, he knew very well that someone of his bloodline, whether in the south or the north, was not truly pure. And his only obsession all these years had never been about royal power.
The people in the shadows had already made their moves several times, so Xiao Qing was not surprised at this moment.
However, this would make Murdan and her blood enemies.
Murdan observed Xiao Qing's expression.
His purpose in meeting with them this time was to probe their attitudes in person.
According to existing intelligence, this young emperor is also threatened and attacked by her mother and brother, but if her stance is aligned with her blood relatives, this cooperation is bound to fail.
Moreover, he will have two more enemies.
The continued silence between the two sides heightened the tension on the scene, and Murdan had already considered several possible solutions.
But Xiao Qing suddenly tugged at the corner of her mouth slightly, as if she were smiling.
As if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, Murdan heard: "They are them, and I am me."
Fu Mingyi also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Murdan would be an important ally in their counterattack against the Northern Barbarians, and he had always worried that Xiao Qing's natural tolerance and gentleness as a woman would affect her judgment.
Xiao Qing's thinking was very simple.
Putting aside the fact that they are blood relatives, when the war broke out in the Beiding Palace, the mother and brother of this body not only chose to escape alone without taking "Xiao Yan" with them, but also disguised her as their brother and left her in the palace to be slaughtered by others—no, that's not accurate enough, she was actually stabbed!
If Fu Mingyi hadn't arrived with the imperial physicians in time to rescue her, would she still be standing here unharmed? Even the original owner of this body could never forget this grudge of being killed, right?
Moreover, she had experienced that ordeal at Tianyin Temple, and afterwards, that mother and son repeatedly committed evil deeds around her, showing no affection for this body and wantonly hurting the people she cared about.
If they treat "Xiao Yan" this way, they have even less kindness towards her. How can you expect her to have any affection for them?
Now that things have come to this point, Murdan became even more candid.
On one hand, they wanted to launch a northern expedition to restore their country, and on the other hand, they wanted to avenge their blood feud. With this as the basis for cooperation, the subsequent discussions were quite harmonious.
The two sides discussed in detail the details of luring the enemy out of their hole. These hidden dangers must be resolved before the Northern Expedition, otherwise, being attacked from both sides would damage the foundation.
However, while Murdan agreed not to interfere, he did not genuinely intend to help Da Xiao conquer the Northern Barbarians. Knowing his awkward position and the fact that he could not gain complete trust from either side, he simply chose to leave it to the wind.
However, there is someone between him and Fu Mingyi, someone he needs to protect.
He looked at Fu Mingyi, his gaze serious and somber: "Now that your identities are clear, I will not hide anything. Brother Fu's sister truly deserves the title of the Fu family's jewel. I am willing to do everything in my power to protect her."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Once we have avenged our great grudge, if the Great Xiao Dynasty cannot tolerate her, I will definitely take her far away."
Fu Mingyi sat upright. Although he had some suspicions, he still felt a bittersweet pride when he heard Murdan's confirmation.
His sister did not forget her homeland, nor was she afraid of difficulties; she was repairing this broken land in her own way.
The protection that Murdan promised at this time was invaluable.
He nodded slightly, without saying anything more.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
