Shen Mingyi left the Prince Li's residence in a daze, not knowing where to go for a moment.
He used to mock Song Zhiyu for relying on the Marquis's mansion for support, saying that if she left the mansion, she would have nowhere to go in the capital. But now it seems that he is the one who has nowhere to go.
Ignoring his mother's calls behind him, he wandered aimlessly down the street, completely unaware of how much attention he was attracting.
Shen Mingyi's face was mostly covered with dried blood, making it impossible to see his original appearance.
So much so that when Lu Bai bumped into Song Zhiyu's carriage, she didn't even recognize him.
A gentle breeze blew by, lifting the thin carriage curtain and revealing the two people playing chess inside.
"My second brother's chess skills are getting better and better."
When the woman's clear and melodious voice reached his ears, Shen Mingyi suddenly came to his senses, raised his hand to cover his face, and ran away quickly, afraid that Song Zhiyu would recognize him.
"How strange." Lu Bai muttered to herself as she looked at the disheveled yet familiar figure, then dismissed it.
The carriage drove further and further away until it was no longer visible, at which point Shen Mingyi slowly emerged from around the corner.
After a long while, he suddenly laughed out loud, ignoring the looks from those around him as if he were crazy, and turned around to walk away with a limp.
*
A month later, the Northern Kingdom joined forces with several other neighboring countries and launched a direct attack on the northern border.
As if divinely aided, they successively captured three cities of the Lintian Dynasty and marched straight towards Liangzhou.
When the news reached the capital, Emperor Yun's face was solemn like never before, and he immediately summoned the court officials to discuss countermeasures.
"The Northern Kingdom has a strong military force, and with the assistance of the other two countries, they are advancing like a whirlwind. I'm afraid Liangzhou will be difficult to defend." Grand Tutor Chu also knew that the current situation was unfavorable to them, and his tightly furrowed brows could not be relaxed.
The devastating plague severely damaged Liangzhou, and it has yet to fully recover. The Northern Kingdom seized upon this weakness, which is why they chose to launch an attack at this time.
"Then, in the opinion of my ministers, how should we fight this battle?" Emperor Yun had obviously thought of this as well. He rubbed his aching forehead and handed the initiative over to his ministers.
As soon as he finished speaking, a minister immediately stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the court should immediately dispatch General Su to lead troops to support Liangzhou, the sooner the better."
General Su Xiao knows the Northern Kingdom inside and out and has once decisively defeated its army. With him leading the troops, Liangzhou can be safe and sound.
That makes sense, and Su Jinyang is indeed the best candidate; almost everyone agrees with this idea.
Even Su Jinyang merely raised an eyebrow, subtly glancing at the minister who had spoken, before stepping forward to accept the imperial decree to lead troops to support Liangzhou.
"Your humble servant will do everything in his power to protect the safety of Liangzhou."
His deep, resonant voice was powerful and penetrating, reaching the ears of everyone in the hall, demonstrating Su Jinyang's determination.
Emperor Yun nodded in satisfaction. Having such soldiers who prioritize the people is truly a blessing for the dynasty.
"Very well, then I hereby appoint you as General of the Cavalry, and Ling Yuan as the vanguard, to lead the troops to Liangzhou together. Set off immediately without delay."
"Your subject obeys the decree." The two exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away, their eyes still filled with a lingering darkness.
*
Xian'an Mansion.
Li Wang placed the letter in his hand on the candle, letting the flame consume it, then gently clapped his hands, looked out the window at the dark sky, and said seemingly casually, "The sky is about to change."
Of course, it's time for someone else to sit in that supreme position.
"Master, we've already sent Su Jinyang and Ling Yuan away. Now, only His Highness the Crown Prince is missing." The confidant respectfully handed over a handkerchief, then turned his attention to Zhou Xingzhi.
“Zhou Xingzhi is not easy to deal with. Send a message to the Northern Kingdom and tell them to be careful.” Prince Li carefully wiped each of his fingers. Once Zhou Xingzhi left, the entire capital would be under his control.
The confidant, who had served Prince Li for many years, naturally understood his meaning. "Your subordinate understands."
After saying that, he presented another letter in his hand, "Master, this is a letter from Miss Wenren. It is said that Miss Wenren has forged an even more exquisite weapon."
After just one glance, the Prince's complexion visibly improved, and he hurriedly sent someone to invite Wenren Xue over.
With the help of Bei Guo and Wenren Xue, his chances of ascending to a high position are even greater.
Now, no one could stop him anymore, no one ever could.
As his trusted confidant was leaving, he coincidentally bumped into Su Ying.
Su Ying smiled at him and then carried a bowl of prepared lotus seed soup into the study.
Seeing this, the confidant couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder the master dotes on Madam Su so much. Such a gentle and kind woman, willing to suffer with the master, is hard to find even with a lantern."
Not to mention that Madam Su's face looked exactly like her master's cousin, so it's no wonder she took notice.
Thinking of this, the confidant smiled and shook his head, no longer dwelling on it; business was more important.
*
Song Mansion.
Song Zhiyu was no longer surprised to see Zhou Xingzhi suddenly appear in her room late at night.
"How is things going with Third Brother?" She sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and asked.
Zhou Xingzhi said with a serious expression, "The Northern Kingdom's offensive is fierce, and they are well-prepared. I'm afraid it will be difficult to resist them."
In terms of military strength, the Northern Kingdom is far inferior to the Lintian Dynasty, but it is not immune to the many crooked and wicked methods employed by the Northern Kingdom, making it difficult to guard against.
Song Zhiyu fell silent. The last plague hadn't even taken the life of the Northern Kingdom's monarch; they really were difficult to deal with.
"I will be setting off for Liangzhou tomorrow. Be careful in the capital and take good care of yourself. I'm leaving the secret guards with you. If you need anything, just tell them to do it."
Zhou Xingzhi raised his hand to brush away the stray strands of hair that had fallen from Song Zhiyu's forehead. His eyes, illuminated by the dim candlelight, appeared even more profound, as if one could glimpse the deep emotions hidden within them.
Song Zhiyu frowned, grabbed Zhou Xingzhi's hand, and said with a serious expression, "You've given me all the secret guards, so what are you going to do?"
"Are you worried about me?" Zhou Xingzhi laughed, the icy look in his eyes instantly melting away, and the tense atmosphere between the two eased slightly.
“Of course I care about you… and Third Brother.” Song Zhiyu drawled out the last syllable, a sly glint in her eyes, successfully catching Zhou Xingzhi’s suddenly stiff expression.
Zhou Xingzhi sighed, knowing that Song Zhiyu was teasing him. He felt a little helpless, but he still had to say what he had to say: "The Northern Kingdom's sudden and fierce offensive against Liangzhou is probably not simple. I'm worried that they have other plans."
No matter what, you must protect yourself and never take any risks.
Suddenly, Zhou Xingzhi changed the subject, his expression becoming increasingly grave. "And there's Xian'an Prefecture as well. I've been keeping an eye on things there. Prince Li won't give up until he achieves his goal, and you've already become a thorn in his side, so you need to be even more careful."
If he could, he really wanted to bring Song Zhiyu along, but war is not child's play; death can happen at any time, and he dared not gamble.
Staying in the capital is at least safer than being in Liangzhou now.
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