Chapter 32

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, this is bad!"

A eunuch came tumbling into the great hall.

"What is the meaning of this panic?"

Looking at the unseemly eunuch, Li Er frowned.

All the dukes and high officials present also turned to look at the eunuch.

What had happened?

"Your Majesty, news has come from the royal manor on the outskirts of Changancheng that the Empress and Princess Princess Changle have not returned for a day and a night."

"What did you say!?"

Hearing this, Li Er stood up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock and fury.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou was Li Er’s first wife.

The couple had weathered over a dozen years of storms together; they were inseparable and deeply in love.

And Princess Princess Changle was the apple of Li Er’s eye, his most precious treasure.

The two most important women in Li Er’s heart had gone missing together.

How could he not be furious?

The atmosphere inside the Ganlu Palace instantly dropped to freezing.

When an emperor is enraged, a million corpses fall!

That was no joke!

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Perhaps the Princess is innocent and curious about things outside the palace, and they may have been delayed somewhere. The Empress loves her daughter dearly, and perhaps she is currently accompanying the Princess on an outing."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward to soothe him.

"The Duke of Zhao is right! Please, Your Majesty, set your heart at ease. In this bright and prosperous age,"

"Yes, yes, yes! Surely nothing will happen."

"Well said."

"The Empress and the Princess will be fine."

The crowd all chimed in with agreement.

Hearing these words, Li Er’s tense heart gradually relaxed.

That was true!

In all of Great Tang, who would dare to be disrespectful to the Empress and the Princess?

Perhaps that girl Princess Changle was just playing and got lost outside.

Sigh!

I shouldn't have agreed to let them go out of the palace to play.

Li Er felt a pang of regret. He looked up at Cheng Cheng Yaojin and said: "Cheng Yaojin, I order you to lead two thousand Imperial Guards to search for the whereabouts of the Empress and Princess Changle. Before sunset, you must find them for me!"

"Your servant obeys!"

After receiving the order, Cheng Cheng Yaojin strode out of the Ganlu Palace.

Li Er sat distractedly on the dragon throne. Feeling restless, he dismissed everyone.

"Sigh!"

"I hope all is well!"

Murmurs and sighs echoed through the Ganlu Palace.

Yunzhou.

Eight hundred miles north of the Guannei Circuit.

This was the northernmost city of Great Tang, only a hundred miles from the Turkic border.

This city was a vital frontier town and the first line of defense against a Turkic southward invasion.

"Your Majesty, we have traveled for a day and a night and have finally reached Yunzhou. Once we leave Yunzhou, we will be at the Turkic border."

Ludongzan wiped the sweat from his face, looking slightly exhausted.

It was understandable.

Galloping eight hundred miles in a day and a night was taxing even for military men, let alone a civil official Wu Li Ke Ludongzan.

"Hmm, let us rest here for a while today."

Qin Mu nodded.

Soon.

The group checked into the largest inn in Yunzhou city.

Under Qin Mu’s arrangement, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and Princess Changle stayed in the same room, and he assigned several skilled women to "protect" them.

In such a frontier city, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and Princess Changle would have a hard time escaping even with wings.

Princess Wencheng, Li Li Xueyan, was arranged in another room.

Up until this very moment.

Li Li Xueyan was still kept in the dark, believing she was on her way to Tibet, unaware that Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and Princess Changle were traveling with her.

Of course.

She also believed the person she was about to marry was Songtsen Gampo.

Along the way.

Li Li Xueyan had resigned herself to her fate!

Things had come to this.

No amount of effort could change her destiny now.

The night grew deep.

Qin Mu walked slowly to the door of the private room.

"Your Majesty."

Two women dressed as maids bowed respectfully.

"Hmm."

Qin Mu nodded and pushed the door open to enter.

Qin Mu nodded, pushed the door open, and walked in.

On the bed.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and her daughter Princess Changle were still bound.

The two women looked weary; clearly, they had been through a lot.

As the dignified Empress and Princess of Great Tang, pampered all their lives, when had they ever experienced such a situation?

Seeing Qin Mu walk in, a glimmer of light flashed in Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou’s eyes.

For some reason.

From the first moment she saw Qin Mu, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou felt an inexplicable sense of closeness.

Even with his disguise, that feeling remained strong.

Qin Mu also looked at Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou silently.

He had the same feeling.

Warm and familiar.

However, the slaughter and blood of the battlefield had long since wiped away the last remnants of warmth in Qin Mu’s heart.

To rule the world, to take revenge on Great Tang, to unify the universe!

This was the only great cause that excited Qin Mu!

"Untie them."

Qin Mu ordered.

"This servant obeys."

The two maids stepped forward and untied the ropes on Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and Princess Changle.

"Princess Changle, are you alright?"

As soon as she was untied, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou hurried to check on Princess Changle.

She herself had weathered some storms, but Princess Changle was truly pampered.

Being tossed about Wu Li Ke this, she surely couldn't hold up.

"Mother, where are we?"

Princess Changle opened her eyes groggily.

After a day and a night of turmoil, she had long since fallen asleep.

"It’s good that you’re alright."

Seeing that Princess Changle was unharmed, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Sigh!

This child has truly suffered.

Forced into marriage, then kidnapped.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou’s heart ached faintly.

"Ah, Mother, he..."

Princess Changle opened her eyes slowly, and the first thing she saw was Qin Mu’s face. She was startled and instinctively hid behind Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou.

"Don't be afraid, this child will not harm us."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou gently stroked Princess Changle’s head, comforting her.

"Oh? How does the Empress know I won't harm you?"

Qin Mu sat on a chair not far from the bed, looking at Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou with interest.

"I don't know, perhaps it is just a feeling, a feeling that you are not a heinous person."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou revealed a kind smile, her gaze Wu Li Ke gentle river water.

Hiss!

Seeing this gaze, Qin Mu’s heart suddenly gave a sharp jolt.

What is this?

Why do I have such a feeling?

Qin Mu gripped his palms tightly, trying to steady himself.

"Mother, what’s wrong with him?"

Princess Changle also noticed Qin Mu’s strangeness and blinked curiously.

She didn't seem very afraid of the young man who had kidnapped them here.

It was just that the events had left Princess Changle a little frightened.

"Child, can you tell me what reason could force you to rebel against Great Tang?"

"Perhaps I can help you with something."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou asked, looking at the young man before her.

She always felt there was something suspicious.

Logically speaking.

Rebellion was a crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan!

Unless absolutely necessary, no rational person would ever resort to such a desperate measure.

Merely asking this child to give up the position of Top Graduate was likely not enough to be a reason for him to defect from Great Tang.

Furthermore, the Emperor had already ordered Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji to comfort him well and satisfy all his requests as much as possible, yet even so.

This child still fled Great Tang without hesitation.

This was too abnormal!

Unless...

His life was under great threat!

There must be a hidden story!

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou wanted to try to get some information from Qin Mu through conversation.

Perhaps she could learn the truth of that night!

"Ha!"

"Help me with what? Help me go to your Empress Zhangsun Prefecture to die?"

Qin Mu sneered, his heartstrings, which had been shaken, turning cold once again.

Right!

They were all people of the Empress Zhangsun family!

Just birds of a feather!

Must never go soft on them!

"What do you mean by that?"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou frowned.

"Enough, I don't want to waste so much breath on you."

"I only came over to tell you that after today, we will leave Great Tang. Even without me taking action, you will find it hard to escape alive."

Qin Mu’s tone remained icy, devoid of any emotion.

This is the frontier of Great Tang, chaotic and war-torn; do not harbor any thoughts of escape, otherwise...

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou was silent for a moment, then slowly stood up and sat directly in front of Qin Mu.

Princess Changle followed obediently behind her.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou’s face still wore a loving smile, not caring at all about Qin Mu’s attitude toward her.

"Child, I understand. Perhaps you have your own hidden grievances. Then I will not ask."

"But I want you to understand that I have no malice."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou was truly a virtuous Empress, remaining calm and composed even in such a situation.

Of course.

There was also her own hidden difficulty in this.

Great Tang and Tibet were two neighboring great powers.

Once Li Er learned that she and Princess Changle had been kidnapped, he would surely launch a massive attack on Tibet.

Once war broke out, the people would suffer.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou did not want to see such a scene.

She hoped there could be room for a turnaround in this matter.

Even if there was only the slightest chance...

She must not let it go!

Besides.

To the north of the Great Tang, the Turks are eyeing the realm Wu Li Ke tigers.

Once the Great Tang goes to war with the Tubo, the Turks will certainly find an opportunity to attack the Great Tang.

In such a case.

The Great Tang would fall into the passive situation of fighting on two fronts.

Qin Mu nodded silently, acknowledging that he had taken Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou's words to heart.