At dusk, the carriage arrived in Meiling County.
This is the last county town adjacent to the Zhuque South Road. At this moment, all the other city gates are closed, and only the north gate is open for entry and exit.
Outside the city, families and people pushing carts fled their homes, forming an endless line.
As the White Dew season approaches, the southern twilight still carries the lingering heat of summer, muggy and oppressive.
Along the dusty official road, an old man struggled forward with a cane made of tree branches, while a woman held a bewildered infant in her arms.
Their faces were filled with bewilderment and sorrow, and the cart was piled with only a few belongings, which was their entire livelihood.
The air was filled with the bewilderment and sorrow of leaving one's hometown, and even the wind carried a bitter taste.
Qin Zhaoyue sat in the carriage, gazing at the desolate scene from afar. Her eyes were calm as still water, yet her heart felt as if something was subtly grinding against it. It was hard to leave one's homeland; if not for the impending war, who would willingly flee in such a panic?
Inside the carriage, Chu Xinglan helped her securely tie the Empress to her back, fastening her tightly with a specially made wide cloth strap, and carefully covering her face with a veil to conceal her features.
With Qin Zhaoyue's current cultivation level of the third rank, carrying one person is not a burden, and once properly secured, it will not affect her movements.
In any case, her main purpose for this trip was to complete the three bonds of "Heaven, Earth, and Man," and the ones who would actually make the move were the two people beside her.
He had not closed his eyes for four consecutive days. His spirit was still strong due to his cultivation, but a kind of indescribable stagnation and numbness had arisen in the depths of his consciousness.
While we are still in a good state, the best course of action is to act decisively and swiftly.
The three did not enter Meiling County.
Jiang Wuyai's "domain" spread out silently, completely concealing the figures and auras of the three people like a water curtain.
They left the carriage, bypassed the county town, and headed straight for the Zhuque South Road.
Where large armies gather, a fierce and menacing aura of war naturally condenses, a kind of "momentum" or "domain".
Although it cannot be actively used, it is enough to suppress cultivation.
Even the bravest warrior in a vast army has his limits, and even the most skilled warriors are in danger of falling into a trap.
Jiang Wuyai had a keen sense of spirituality and could clearly perceive the distribution and strength of this invisible malevolent energy.
They easily found the weak point in the formation, and with the two of them, they slipped in like fish, silently breaking through the defenses.
Once they passed the range of the military formation, the three immediately increased their speed.
The Second Prince, Qin Jingheng, is currently stationed at the Baiyue Protectorate. If one were to drive there, it would take half a day even without stopping.
However, when Jiang Wuyai exerted his full strength, the speed was faster than a shooting star.
The mountains and rivers beneath our feet receded rapidly, and the towns and cities became blurry silhouettes.
The night unfolded and then quickly faded before them, revealing the terrifying strength of a second-grade grandmaster.
As the sun set and the last rays of sunlight faded, the three of them entered the territory of the Baiyue Protectorate like shooting stars.
Jiang Wuyai's internal energy consumption was still manageable, after all, Chu Xinglan was there to support him from the side.
However, he still swallowed a pill made by the Xuanji Guard and took a short break to regulate his breathing.
Having already memorized the detailed map of the Protectorate, the three of them adjusted their condition as they headed towards the location of the prefectural government office.
The prefectural government office.
As dusk settles, a warm and inviting fragrance fills the master bedroom in the backyard, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere outside.
Candlelight filtered through the crimson gauze curtains, casting ambiguous and hazy shadows.
The air was filled with a sweet, exotic fragrance.
Strands and threads, entangled and impossible to remove.
The Second Prince, Qin Jingheng, lay stiffly on the brocade couch, unable to move an inch except for his eyes.
He watched helplessly as the slender, fiery red figure approached step by step.
Her attire was completely different from that of the older women.
She wore a light veil around her arm, and her skirt was slit up to her knees, revealing her shapely calves and bare feet.
The golden bells on her ankles jingled softly and alluringly with her movements.
She stepped barefoot onto the bed, the soft cushions sinking slightly.
As she bent down, her cloud-like hair fell down, brushing against Qin Jingheng's neck, carrying a cool sensation.
Her lips were painted with bright red lipstick, and a half-smile played at the corners of her mouth. Her voice was low and soft, yet carried a serpentine coldness and threat.
"Your Highness, Second Prince of Daqian, what good will this stalemate do you?"
"The patience of the warriors of southern Xinjiang has its limits..."
"Don't even think about it!"
From the moment Qin Jingheng lost the protection of the Xuanji Guard and found himself alone in this dangerous place, he knew that he was no longer in control of his own destiny.
For the past few days, although I have not suffered any physical pain, I feel like a canary imprisoned in a beautiful cage, with every move I make being watched by others.
The four great families had clearly been planning this for a long time. What worried him even more was that they had actually persuaded the notoriously unruly tribes of the Southern Border to join forces.
Without a surprising exchange of benefits, why would Southern Xinjiang so easily annex the land where it has lived for generations to another country?
Qin Jingheng knew perfectly well what the aristocratic families wanted.
It's nothing more than the fact that the Empress Dowager's attitude has become increasingly tough in recent years, and her new reform policies are cutting into the lifelines of aristocratic families. They are simply looking for a way out for themselves and leaving themselves a backup plan.
They needed the "righteous" legitimacy that came with their status as princes.
Once the flag is raised, and he becomes the front, he is no longer considered a complete traitor, but can be forcibly placed under the banner of "purging the emperor's inner circle" and "supporting the legitimate dynasty."
Qin Jingheng was not surprised that the powerful families were taking such a risky move.
Her iron-fisted methods were evident from the bloody purges she carried out at the beginning of her reign.
Over the years, things have appeared calm and peaceful on the surface, but Qin Jingheng knows all too well that once his mother, the Empress, deems him an enemy, there is absolutely no possibility of a peaceful resolution.
During his campaign, he was granted the title of Prince, and the forces that openly and covertly supported him in the court became deeply entrenched.
If he truly follows the rules and participates in the struggle for the throne, his chances of winning may not be low.
The path before us, though seemingly easy and promising the unparalleled achievement of "expanding territory," is in reality a bottomless abyss at every step.
From a powerful prince to a puppet manipulated by the four great families and even the tribes of the southern border!
How could he be willing to accept this?
These past few days, he's been feigning cooperation and playing along, all to find out what kind of secret agreement the powerful families and the Southern Frontier have reached.
However, the holy maiden from southern Xinjiang, Ayaduo, who appeared charming and affectionate, was unusually tight-lipped and kept her mouth shut.
What's more troublesome is that her patience has clearly run out.
Aya leaned closer, her fragrant hair almost brushing against his cheek, her condescending gaze filled with disdain and contempt.
"Second Prince, further delay will not do you any good."
Tomorrow is the coronation ceremony. If you still refuse to decide on a reign title and country name, then let your seemingly clever advisor do it for you.”
Her red lips curved slightly, and her tone was flippant, as if she were talking about something insignificant.
A puppet emperor who will later need to marry a woman from the southern border and have offspring with the blood of the southern border.
Qin Jingheng's body was restrained, with only the veins on his forehead throbbing slightly as he tried his best to suppress them.
"Nonsense!"
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