"Have you finished treating the wound?"
Li Zhanlan did not turn around, his hand still stroking the little pig lying in its nest.
“Well,” Eleven said dejectedly, hanging his head. “Today’s events were due to my stupidity and negligence. Eleven, please punish me.”
"What wrong have you done? I am very satisfied with what has happened today."
"Master? That woman..."
“I promised to help her rescue Shen Yan, and she promised to help me strike at the Crown Prince’s faction,” Li Zhanlan said.
Eleven frowned. "Do you believe she has that kind of ability?"
"Eleven, isn't it enough that we've been manipulated by her today?" Li Zhanlan asked lightly. "Besides, what other choice do we have now but to believe her? I can wait, but Mother can't."
eleven:"……"
Li Zhanlan gently soothed Xiangxiang to sleep, "Xiangxiang is already twelve years old. Haven't you noticed that her condition has been getting worse day by day lately?"
"If that woman was still alive and well when Xiangxiang passed away... tell me, how should I explain this to her?"
Eleven glanced at the little pig lying in its den, a hint of sadness appearing on his face, which he quickly concealed.
"Understood."
"..."
Meng Qingluan returned to her residence, quickly settled the servants, entrusted Yingbang to temporarily manage the household, and then packed her luggage.
Dollar and British Prime Minister looked worried, and their subordinates packed their bags slowly, offering words of advice.
"Madam, the northern border is harsh, with frost and snow. It would be better to stay home and wait for the adults to return."
"Yes, Madam, you are not fully recovered yet, how can you withstand the bumpy journey?"
Meng Qingluan placed her hands on their shoulders and comforted them, saying, "I'm in good health. I'm just going to see you two. But you two are acting strangely. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a life-or-death separation."
"lady……"
Both of them turned to look at her at the same time, their eyes misty and brimming with tears.
Dollar was still young, and for a moment she couldn't hold back her tears, which streamed down her face. She put down the clothes she was holding and hid to the side to wipe them away.
Meng Qingluan moved closer to her, held her shoulders and comforted her, "Don't cry, our Meiyuan is the best little girl. I'll be back in two days to take you to play. I'll definitely be back before the Lunar New Year and treat you to candied hawthorns and sesame candy."
"No! I don't want candied hawthorns or sesame candy. I just want my wife to be safe and healthy." Dollar hugged her. "My wife, take me with you. My sister will stay in the mansion to manage the household. I'll go and take care of you."
Moved, Meng Qingluan pulled her away and resolutely refused, "The Northern Border is not a place you should go. Besides, I am only in a small town around the Northern Border. You can wait for me in the manor."
Ying Bang concealed the sadness in her eyes, quickened her pace of packing clothes, and stepped forward to open the dollar bill.
"Madam, please be careful on your journey and take good care of yourself."
"I will. You two should eat well too, and tell me interesting things when I get back."
"..."
After the two left, Meng Qingluan lay on the bed and opened a map.
This was given to her by Li Zhanlan. The terrain in the Northern Territory is complex. He promised to help her save Shen Yan's life, send people to protect her safety, and also gave her a bottle of medicine.
She was heading to Panyuan City, not far from the northern border, which was near the Hayek tribe of the Golden Horde.
She wasn't worried about Shen Yan being in any danger this time, but last night before going to sleep, the red warning message that had been gone for a long time popped up again.
[Warning! Warning! The Chosen One's life is in grave danger! Mission takers, please act immediately!]
Damn it!
God knows how scared she was at the time; all she could do was try to find Li Zhanlan to discuss cooperation overnight.
After two days and two nights of travel, Meng Qingluan clutched her heart, her face full of sorrow.
Shen Zuzong, please don't let anything happen to you, just for your sake and mine.
…
The third day.
Meng Qingluan finally stepped into Panyuan City, which could hardly be called a city. It was covered in ice and snow, the houses were dilapidated, and a cold wind was blowing in.
She was wearing a fox fur coat, but she could still feel the cold wind seeping through her clothes, making her skin break out in goosebumps.
Meng Qingluan dared not delay the journey and ordered them to keep going.
Just as they reached the city gate, the carriage suddenly stopped turning.
Meng Qingluan, who was eating a roasted sweet potato: "..."?
So unlucky?
Meng Qingluan was hesitating whether to pull back the curtain and go out to pretend to be friendly, tell the other side to get lost, and then order the guards Li Zhanlan had sent to rush up and beat them up; or to hide in the carriage and wait until everything outside was resolved before going out.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" the person blocking the way asked first.
Meng Qingluan pulled back the curtain halfway and replied, "We are tea merchants from the Central Plains, heading to the northern border for trade."
Thank goodness, she watches a lot of period dramas.
The female lead in the story disguises herself and answers questions about her identity in this way.
Hmm... it should be right.
After answering, Meng Qingluan looked at the people blocking her way and found that they were people from the Central Plains. There were five or six of them, all dressed in white uniforms and standing in a neat row. They were also surrounding a carriage, in a protective posture.
It seems that the person sitting in the carriage is no ordinary person either.
Meng Qingluan answered confidently, only to find that everyone present froze on their faces at the same time.
"..."
After a long while, a voice came.
Are you out of your mind?
"..."?
The carriage curtain was pulled open by a large hand. "When have you ever heard of people in the frigid North buying tea leaves to brew tea... And it's you?"
"Li Zhanjue?"
Meng Qingluan looked at him with equal surprise.
The two exchanged a glance, then simultaneously pulled back the curtains completely, frowning and speaking in unison.
What are you doing here?
"Where I am is none of your business."
"..."
The two shut their mouths, pressing their lips together in a straight line without saying a word.
The guards on both sides exchanged quick glances and silently moved aside to avoid blocking the two men's view.
Meng Qingluan noticed that the two had the same micro-expressions, so she immediately stopped pursing her lips and asked first.
"Weren't you confined to the palace? What are you doing here?"
Li Zhanjue: "...I've come to buy tea."
Meng Qingluan: "..."
She suspected that Li Zhanjue was being sarcastic or mocking towards her.
Li Zhanjue glanced at the guards standing beside her carriage and said sarcastically, "Madam Shen should explain why you brought my seventh brother's personal guards to the Northern Border. If I remember correctly, my seventh brother's confinement period was longer than mine."
Meng Qingluan: How did you know?
She observed that Li Zhanlan's personal guards had all packed away items that could identify them.
How did Li Zhanjue recognize him?
Did Li Zhanlan betray him? Or was he deliberately bluffing him?
She was completely baffled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a hand weakly raised beside the carriage, and then she heard...
"Madam... I'm sorry, it's too cold in the North, and my belt was exposed after I had diarrhea."
"..."
All thoughts ceased, Meng Qingluan's lips twitched uncontrollably, and she even saw Li Zhanjue's mocking gaze.
I understand.
It's only human nature.
Just as Meng Qingluan was about to ask him to make way, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out, like a sharp arrow tearing through the air. With a "whoosh," it instantly shattered the tranquility of the northern border, and the snow on the ground slammed up, even flying right in front of her.
The stalemate was broken as both sides' guards simultaneously dodged.
"Cough cough—what the hell are you doing using so many thunderbolts?"
A woman's voice rang out, accompanied by a violent cough. The snow mist dissipated, and two men and a woman appeared in everyone's sight. The woman stood in the center, flanked by two men, one fat and one thin. Apart from the woman, all of them were bald.
Meng Qingluan's lips twitched.
What are these three people wearing?
Why is everyone wearing skirts, their smooth thighs exposed to the air, and they're all red from the cold?
The slightly overweight man on the right touched his bald head and said, "Sorry, Sister Mei, the book says this gives you a more imposing presence."
Mei rolled her eyes: "Get lost! Aura comes from your face. My face is enough to intimidate everyone. Do I need you?"
"……oh."
Meng Qingluan was speechless for a moment, but she couldn't deny that this beautiful woman was indeed good-looking. Her lips were red and her teeth were white, and her full cherry lips were covered with bright red lipstick, making them look even more plump and juicy.
Her gaze swept over everyone, landing on Meng Qingluan as if she had discovered some amazing treasure. She raised her eyebrows slightly and slowly spoke.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com