Chapter 187

Beyond Beyond Wangshenzhou, the city walls were faintly visible.

Upon an island isolated in the heart of the river.

Yuwen Yuwen Liqian watched the departing back of Yang Wenxian, pondering in her heart.

This man must be a true talent; one person could be worth an army of one hundred thousand.

It is a pity he cannot be used by the Han Kingdom; in this world, the most precious thing is talent.

He made a vow to never offer a single plan or strategy to the Han Kingdom for the rest of his life.

Du Hui stood to one side and sighed softly: "The way of a gentleman can be deceived by his own integrity!"

Yet, a trace of inexplicable expectation arose in Yuwen Yuwen Liqian's heart; she wanted to know the answer that Yang Wenxian was about to reveal.

With the flames of war about to ignite between the Han Kingdom and the Yan lands, what would the final outcome be?

She firmly believed that the Han Kingdom would undoubtedly prevail.

Starting thirteen years ago, the Han Kingdom secretly reorganized the Han Wu Soldiers, and now Zhou Zhou Jinyu has been appointed Grand General once again.

The Han Wu Soldiers swept across the world four hundred years ago!

This was an army even more terrifying than the Northern Wind Iron Pagodas; they slaughtered dozens of nations back then and established a resounding reputation.

Zhou Zhou Jinyu is even hailed as a "famous general seen once in three hundred years," his military strategy far surpassing his contemporaries; after his death, he will surely enter the Martial Temple and receive the reverence of ten thousand generations.

He authored twelve volumes of military treatises, every word a gem, especially his theory that "attacking the heart is superior, attacking the city is inferior."

He also had the merit of pacifying the Western Regions Protectorate, doubling the territory of the Han Kingdom, promoting both agriculture and military affairs, and uniting the various nations of the Western Regions; his achievements are great enough to be recorded in history.

His talent is peerless, yet his private character is flawed!

Zhou Zhou Jinyu once sold his wife to seek office, abused his power, and was greedy and lustful, even seizing his younger brother's wife, which is despicable.

The Han Princess marrying him was supposed to be a beautiful story, but no one expected him to disregard ethics, take many concubines, and force the Princess to serve other men.

What is even more shocking!

The Han Judicial Court discovered dozens of skeletons of courtesans in the backyard of his residence. Once this came to light, the court and the public were shocked, and the people were in an uproar; Zhou Zhou Jinyu was finally thrown into the Zhao Prison to await trial.

However, the Emperor, mindful of his military genius, could not bear to execute him, so he was demoted to a commoner and exiled to the frontier army.

Unexpectedly, this man performed meritorious deeds repeatedly at the frontier. Four years ago, the Emperor could finally not bear to waste his talent and summoned him back to court to regain command of the Han Wu Soldiers.

Mentioning Zhou Zhou Jinyu!

Yuwen Yuwen Liqian felt no affection for him at all. Although they only had one glance at each other in the long corridor, she keenly sensed the irrepressible ambition in his eyes.

It was as if everything in the world was his for the taking, including herself; he possessed a beast-like desire for possession.

Among the common people of the Han Kingdom, it is often said that Zhou Zhou Jinyu has the "ambition to swallow the heavens."

The "heaven" here goes without saying; it points directly to the throne of the Han monarch.

The Emperor heard this and smiled without a word, only saying:

"If the ruler is strong and the ministers are strong, the people are wealthy and the country is strong; this is great governance. If the ruler is strong and the ministers are weak, it is the way of autocracy, and the family and country will decline. If the ruler is weak and the ministers are strong, then the world will be in chaos, and the people will suffer."

"Guarding the frontier requires a fierce tiger; I am not that Han Han Youjun, and Zhou Zhou Jinyu is not the Gao Ling of the past."

Han Han Youjun—that was a disgrace in the history of the Han Kingdom.

He is recognized as the most incompetent monarch since the founding of the Han Kingdom.

During his reign, he wanted to build a warm room for the Empress in winter, but he actually had to be humble and submissive to the Prime Minister Gao Ling, begging for his consent.

And Gao Ling not only refused but also flatly rejected him on the grounds that "the Son of Heaven should share joys and sorrows with the people and be a model for the world."

Ironically, Gao Ling himself enjoyed an extremely luxurious life, with magnificent palaces in his residence and thousands of servants.

Just as her thoughts were racing!

A crisp sound of horse bells broke the surrounding silence.

Yuwen Yuwen Liqian and Du Hui looked toward the sound.

A caravan was driving slowly, with two striking flags fluttering on the carriages.

A red-bottomed Three-Star flag!

A black-bottomed Big Dipper flag!

They were clearly the national flags of the Between Qianyuan and Daqing nations.

The carriages also stopped slowly near the pavilion by the bridge, and for a moment, everyone gathered to watch.

The attitudes of the Han Kingdom and the Great Chu were always somewhat timid; after all, when Between Qianyuan raised an army to attack both countries back then, they were in constant fear.

Yuwen Yuwen Liqian's eyes turned slightly; she had not expected!

The Great Chu, Between Qianyuan, Daqing, and the Han Kingdom would actually gather again.

Now, Daqing has been replaced by the Yan lands.

The Between Qianyuan delegation was led in person by that renowned Prince.

And on the Daqing side, it was led by Xie Xie Chunan, whose mind was meticulous and who planned every step; this time, there must be a motive.

Except for the Northern Wind, the delegations of the four nations had arrived.

It's just that I don't know if that Prince of Yan has come down from Mount Zhongnan yet?

Where has he reached now!

After Lu Chen declared himself Emperor and became legitimate, everything changed.

Although the other three nations harbored resentment toward the rise of the Yan lands, they were helpless. In their eyes, the Yan lands had long been separated from the map of Daqing, only lacking a formal declaration.

Now, the Prince of Yan's sacrifice to heaven and declaration as Emperor has become a foregone conclusion; the northern land has been stable under the iron hooves of the Lu Family Army for more than twenty years and can no longer be shaken.

Under the emerald pavilion by the bridge!

Two teams of carriages stopped slowly, having come together.

"Whoa—"

The leading carriage hung high the red-bottomed Three-Star flag, which is the symbol of the majesty of the Between Qianyuan Dynasty. The blue sun wheel on the flag implies that the imperial Wu family is like the sun in the sky, shining in all directions.

As the wheels stopped slowly.

A middle-aged man, eight feet tall and imposing, stepped out of the carriage, looking to be in his forties.

He wore black cloud boots, a gold belt with jade pendants around his waist, and four brilliant gold patterns embroidered on his cuffs. He was dressed in a black python-embroidered robe, with deep facial features, a masculine and handsome appearance, and deep eyes, carrying an air of natural authority.

The Third Prince of the Between Qianyuan Dynasty, the head of the twelve pillars of the military—Wu Long.

He stepped off the carriage calmly, his gaze sweeping over the students from Great Chu and the Han Kingdom who had already arrived, and then he stopped.

Immediately after, the door of the second carriage opened slightly.

An elderly official walked out!

He was dressed in a scarlet official robe, which is the unique institutional color of Daqing, and wore a black gauze cap with two ears; he was the leader of the Daqing delegation, Xie Xie Chunan.

And behind Xie Xie Chunan, a woman stepped slowly off the carriage.

She was about thirty years old, with a stunning face and an ethereal temperament; a pure white long dress swayed gently in the wind, like a fairy under the moon, unstained by dust.

Her appearance instantly attracted the eyes of the surrounding students; she had a temperament different from other women.

A gentle and bright temperament!

Even that Prince Wu Long took a few extra looks at this only daughter of Xie Xie Chunan.

Xie Xie Lingxuan!

Approaching forty, she was still exceptionally beautiful, as if gathering the sensitivity and grace of heaven and earth, gentle as water.

When she was young, countless disciples of wealthy and noble families in Daqing pursued her.

Even now, her grace was even greater than in those years.

Three years ago, the Rouge List was announced in front of the Baoyue Tower, and Xie Xie Lingxuan topped the list, winning the title of "Color First."

Every year this list changes, with ten people on each list, all of whom are peerless beauties of the world.

Beautiful women emerge in the world, and there are simply too many beautiful women in the world; every year, the people on the list are replaced.

However.

It is enough to prove her grace!

Beside Xie Xie Lingxuan was a woman in a red palace dress; she was Xie Xie Lingxuan's cousin, Su Yue, who had traveled with the former Emperor of Daqing to Mount Zhongnan for blessings at the beginning of the year.

Times have changed!

The year before last, Su Yue disregarded the obstruction of her parents and resolutely married a martial arts hero, but the world is unpredictable.

The following year, her husband had a change of heart and was caught red-handed keeping a "vixen," and Su Yue was heartbroken, so the two separated.

This experience made her disappointed in the men of the world, and she decided never to marry again for the rest of her life.

This time, with the Prince of Yan sacrificing to heaven and declaring himself Emperor, the students of Daqing came to travel in the Yan lands, and Su Yue requested to go along.

Coming together to relax!

With Xie Xie Chunan's current power, inserting a woman into the delegation did not seem very difficult.

Wu Long waited specially in front of the carriage, quietly waiting for the arrival of Xie Xie Chunan and his two daughters.

As the students from Between Qianyuan and Daqing stepped off the carriages one after another, several familiar faces appeared in the crowd, which was very surprising.

The fat and thin scholars, since parting at the Mountain God Temple on the Yuetang River, had actually made a name for themselves in the capital of Daqing, passed the imperial examination as Metropolitan Graduates, and entered the Hanlin Academy for further study; they were about to enter the official career, with a bright future.

And there was an old man!

The old man playing chess in the Mountain God Temple, the authority of the Daqing Go world, Zou Lin.

This time, they were all representing Daqing.

Zou Lin looked at the Yan lands around him, his mood quite complicated.

For decades, Daqing feared the Northern Wind and lost the northern lands; later, the Lu Family Army rose and recovered the northern lands.

Now there is the Prince of Yan.

And now, the sacrifice to heaven and declaration as Emperor.

Zou Lin really felt that time flies like a white horse passing a crack, and the world is unpredictable, but he naturally admired the Prince of Yan in his heart.

"Is this Beyond Wangshenzhou? The first major town south of Hulao Pass."

Wu Long looked at the scene before him, unable to help but feel some emotion.

"Your Highness, the further north we go, the more magnificent the cities become; this has been the case all along the way."

Lord Xie Xie Chunan walked to the front with his two daughters and, hearing this, also echoed:

"This city is second only to Hulao Pass!"

Wu Long had been enfeoffed as the Prince of Sui; although he was the Third Prince, he actually held great power.

At this moment!

A goshawk circled in the sky, and at the gate of Beyond Wangshenzhou, several teams of cavalry captains, in groups of three, shuttled out in a well-trained manner.

Three people formed a team!

Wu Long narrowed his eyes and said: "It seems our group has long been under the control of the Prince of Yan's residence."

Xie Xie Chunan said: "It is said that there is a Luoque Army in the Lu Family Army that uses hawks and birds as eyes and ears to patrol the surroundings."

Wu Long smiled and said: "Lord Xie, shouldn't it be called the Yanbei Army?"

Xie Xie Chunan stroked his beard and said: "After calling it that so much, one naturally gets used to it."

"Speaking of the Lu Family Army and the Yanbei Army, what is the difference?"

Wu Long nodded slightly, his gaze revealing appreciation for the three-man teams in the distance:

"This combat method of three people forming a small team is exactly the famous 'Three-Three' combat tactic of the Lu Family Army. In the battle to break the Northern Wind back then, they won many times with fewer troops, and their contribution was indispensable."

"And the creator of this tactic is exactly that Prince of Yan, who derived it from military books and applied it among the soldiers."

Speaking of this.

Xie Xie Lingxuan's eyes moved.

Traveling north all the way, the name heard most was the Prince of Yan.

They also stopped in major cities along the way.

The folk customs of the Yan lands were very different, but they were exceptionally wealthy.

They were extremely loving and respectful toward this Prince of Yan who cultivated Dao on Mount Zhongnan.

For this sacrifice to heaven in Enter Yanjing, the common people rushing from the Yan lands were endless.

Many major cities were celebrating, with fireworks and firecrackers lasting for days.

Xie Xie Chunan looked at the teams of cavalry in the major city wandering in the distance, and a goshawk landed on their shoulders.

As far as the eye could see, it seemed to be them here.

He stroked his beard and said in a deep voice:

"Prime ministers must rise from the local departments, and fierce generals must emerge from the ranks."

"This Prince of Yan came from the flames of war; every decision he made was based on actual combat, not empty talk. The Lu Family Army he created with his own hands has been baptized by more than twenty years of wind and rain, and it had the momentum to swallow the world long ago."

Wu Long heard this and asked:

"Then, in Lord Xie's opinion, is this Prince of Yan a foolish ruler or a wise monarch?"

"Ignoring court affairs for ten years, is it good or bad?"

Wu Long and the Daqing delegation led by Xie Xie Chunan met in Jiakang City, and the two felt like they met too late the first time they met.

Of course, this was only what was seen on the surface; Wu Long knew the status of this Xie Xie Chunan in Daqing today, representing half of the aristocratic power of Daqing.

Between Qianyuan and Daqing have been trading for many years, and they have adopted a united attitude toward Daqing.

Vertical and horizontal alliances!

This is also the reason why Wu Long did not appear when the Han Princess visited.

Between Qianyuan and the Han Kingdom will not have any intention of making friends.

The two are already like fire and water, absolutely incompatible.

Xie Xie Chunan thought for a while, but said another matter.

"Back then, before this Prince of Yan had made his mark, when he had just reached the age of twenty, I went to see him, and later, after discussing with Xie Lingxuan's mother, we decided on a marriage alliance between the two families."

"In my early years, I had actually peeked at the Prince of Yan's physiognomy."

It seemed to be the first time this matter was mentioned.

There was a look of surprise on Xie Xie Lingxuan's face.

"Oh!"

Wu Long heard this and couldn't help but take a few more looks at Xie Xie Lingxuan; seeing her standing gracefully, beautiful beyond compare, he sighed in his heart.

A beauty like the moon!

Su Yue was also very surprised; she originally thought the marriage between the Xie family and the Lu family was just a coincidence, never expecting such a story behind it!

She pondered in her heart that her uncle was truly a strange person of the world, not only proficient in the art of divination.

He was also good at "physiognomy and observing Qi."

The accuracy of his predictions was breathtaking.

On the streets and alleys, no one did not know his "iron-mouthed direct judgment."

Recalling the various events of her own wedding, Su Yue still felt cold in her heart.

Her ex-husband, fearing her uncle's majesty, did not even dare to step into the gate of the Xie residence, and was eventually forced to come.

Her uncle only said lightly, "The fate is shallow and the love is deep, with peach blossoms planted outside," and it became a prophecy.

This ability made Su Yue both respectful and fearful.

She didn't believe it at first; how could such a steady "husband" be like this.

Knowing people and faces, but not their hearts!

The ending was miserable!

Then, when that Prince of Yan reached the age of twenty, her uncle must have seen something.

She also became interested and pricked up her ears.

Wu Long also teased:

"Lord Xie, don't keep us in suspense; tell us quickly, did this Prince of Yan really have the aura of a Son of Heaven back then?"

The common people pass it on by word of mouth, and history books are not short of records; extraordinary people often have extraordinary appearances.

For example, the founding monarch of Between Qianyuan, Wu Sang; when his mother was pregnant, she dreamed of a great sun falling into her womb, and when he was a boy, he was different from ordinary people, growing three breasts.

It is said that four breasts are a sign of a holy king, but it is enough to show his extraordinariness.

Xie Xie Chunan heard this and smiled:

"In those years, I didn't see the aura of a Son of Heaven."

Xie Xie Lingxuan was slightly puzzled; since her father mentioned this, there must be a meaning.

Xie Xie Chunan said leisurely:

"To tell you the truth, what I was worried about at that time was that I had many children, but no one could inherit my mantle. Therefore, I had the idea of finding a good son-in-law from outside to inherit the business."

"When I first saw the young Prince of Yan, his physiognomy was excellent, and he was mature for his age, possessing the five virtues; at home, he could clarify the roots and traditions, and in the county, he was famous in the state and county; if he entered the official career, he would surely be a talent for governing the world."

After hearing this, Xie Xie Lingxuan felt her mind go blank!

"It's just that at that time, the Prince of Yan had just reached the age of twenty, and he was still young, and his features had not yet fully grown."

"The following year, when the brothers said goodbye to their family to go to Mount Zhongnan to cultivate Dao, I went to visit again."

Xie Xie Lingxuan raised her head slightly.

Su Yue was also extremely expectant.

Wu Long stood with his hands behind his back, quietly waiting for Xie Xie Chunan's follow-up; he saw a small island in the river, where people were walking, with pavilions and towers, which was quite novel.

"Lord Xie, what did you see this time?"

Xie Xie Chunan gently tidied the black official cap on his head, his tone carrying a hint of unspeakable meaning:

"That time, I didn't see anything."

An unexpected answer!

Xie Xie Chunan suddenly recalled that time in the Lu family courtyard, when his mother was reluctant to see off the traveler.

Xie Xie Chunan stroked the carriage curtain in the sedan chair and looked at the two brothers.

The boy walking in the back noticed the gaze in the sedan chair and turned his head to look lightly.

Just see!

The boy's eyes were bright!

After that, the Qi-observing technique that Xie Xie Chunan was proud of for ten years disappeared, and it only slowly recovered after entering the capital of Daqing.

The Son of Heaven observes Qi!

But he dare not observe the immortals in heaven.

(End of Chapter)