Chapter 262: The Figures of All Nations Arrive on Horseback!

Tuoba Shuyi's face was hidden in shadow, his breathing steady, expression unreadable.

At that moment!

A palace guard rushed in, reporting loudly:

"Report—Your Majesty and my lords, three riders have appeared to the west; one wears a demon mask, accompanied by two old men."

At these words, Tuoba Shuyi nodded slightly, silently pondering.

The demon mask—a rare symbol—could be worn by only a handful in the world, and now it appeared here.

Who it must be was obvious!

The Empress of Qianyuan has come.

Before the scout's words had ceased, he continued: "Report—also to the east, four riders approach on horseback; they wear Han and Chu attire."

Tuoba Shuyi gave a quiet acknowledgment.

The Han and Chu men have arrived—who are they?

The appearance of these two groups of riders undoubtedly added further uncertainty to an already complex situation.

And yet, it was expected!

The true powers of all four nations have gathered in Beifeng, awaiting only the final figure.

He is also the architect of this very situation.

Gu Yi had foreseen this, yet even now his heart stirred with unease.

The warming brazier in his hands had long lost its heat, yet he seemed unaware, still holding it tightly.

The four men in the hall fell silent once more!

Gao Wenxiao's eyes gleamed with thoughtful calculation.

Tuoba Yuan had clearly grown impatient; he had tried several times to ask his brother Tuoba Shuyi, but seeing the man's snow-white hair and solemn expression, he swallowed his words.

He could only pace back and forth within the hall, trying to ease his inner restlessness.

At that moment!

Urgent footsteps and the guard's report came from outside.

All four men fixed their gazes intently.

"Report—Your Majesty and my lords, three riders have appeared to the south; one accompanying them appears to be the Fourth Prince."

The Fourth Prince—Tuoba Hongyan!

He was the one who had brought Tuoba Shuyi to Lu Chen.

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Shuyi and Gu Yi exhaled in unison!

The four men in the hall finally reacted.

Tuoba Shuyi, seated at the head, slowly opened his eyes and rose from his desk.

Gu Yi gently set the brazier down beside the table and rose as well.

Tuoba Yuan's eyes sparkled with delight; he could not wait to speak:

"Your Majesty, Lu Chen has arrived!"

Tuoba Shuyi, upon hearing this, merely nodded slowly and repeated: "Yes, Lu Chen has arrived."

His tone was calm and deep.

Gao Wenxiao shook his head and smiled: "Lu Chen has arrived!"

All three spoke the same phrase!

Yet their meanings differed greatly.

Gu Yi heard the regret and mockery in Gao Wenxiao's voice.

Gu Yi shook his head.

In his youth, Lu Chen had fought hundreds of battles, building the Lu Family Army step by step, with no soldiers at his command and enemy armies pressing from all sides, altering the fate of the world!

In this world, no one ever gained fame without merit!

Gu Yi ordered his attendants:

"Set up a banquet at Gaoque Tower—do not make a mistake!"

The four men left the War Council and headed toward the gates of Chongyuan City.

As the gates slowly swung open!

Tuoba Shuyi, accompanied by dozens of personal guards and the three others, stood personally at the city gate.

Outside Chongyuan City, three groups of riders approached slowly, each radiating an unusual aura.

Tuoba Shuyi and the other three showed no relaxed posture.

They waited in silence!

The soldiers on Chongyuan's walls, who had been watching from the gate, were all replaced by Tuoba Yuan's personal guards.

For a moment!

The gate stood wide open, yet all was calm.

The three riders from the west drew closest to the gate; they deliberately slowed, finally halting at a distance.

Their leader wore a demon mask, concealing his true face.

On either side of him stood two old men—one thin, one tall—each with distinct features.

The thin old man smoked his pipe with serene ease.

The tall old man had a pale, beardless face.

Any Qianyuan native would recognize them: Chancellor Gongsun Pingxi and the Chief Eunuch.

Wu Ying, masked, pulled his horse to a stop, as if waiting for something; his gaze swept toward the rear.

From the east came four riders.

Two led them.

The most striking was the middle-aged man on the left.

Though past his youth, his noble gentlemanly bearing remained untouched.

He stood tall, his blue robe fluttering; the twin fish jade pendant at his waist swayed gently in the breeze, adding refined elegance.

His face was strikingly handsome, especially his peach-blossom eyes, filled with tender emotion.

Tuoba Shuyi frowned slightly; others did not recognize him.

But he knew him well!

The Emperor of Han—Yuwen Yan.

In his youth, he had been famed for his beauty.

The middle-aged man on the right, dressed in scholar's robes, bore no resemblance to a typical scholar—he was broad-shouldered, his sword slender and unique.

His face was bold and rugged; his eyebrows and hair were streaked with white, yet his eyes glowed with piercing intensity, radiating authority.

Though dressed as a scholar, every gesture revealed the boldness of a general—as if a warrior had donned the robes of a Confucian.

Seeing this, Gongsun Pingxi at his side smirked, tucked away his pipe, and slid it to his waist.

This scholar was his nominal cousin.

Gongsun Zhongshu!

The de facto ruler of Chu.

Gongsun Zhongshu, wielding only a chancellor's seal, controlled Chu; his private seal even surpassed the Emperor's, revealing his immense influence.

He was also the founder of Gongsun Confucianism, with unique insights and profound mastery of the doctrine.

He actively promoted: "Confucianism must engage the world—teaching applies not only to the people, but to the Emperor as well."

For centuries, Chu's imperial line had seen emperors ascend young and die before reaching adulthood.

Four or five generations of child emperors.

The true cause remained unknown.

This led to the erosion of imperial power and the rise of ministers.

Yet!

Between Gongsun Pingxi and Gongsun Zhongshu lay not mere kinship, but deep, bitter enmity.

Once, Gongsun Pingxi had been the head of the White Deer Academy, even poised to receive Chu's chancellor seal.

All of it was shattered by Gongsun Zhongshu's scheming behind the scenes.

Gongsun Zhongshu was a bastard of the Gongsun clan.

Gongsun Pingxi was the legitimate eldest son, head of the main house—yet ended up as a slave.

He fell from the pinnacle of Chu's greatest noble family to the lowest depths.

Who could know the twists of his fate?

Gongsun Pingxi smiled: "My dear cousin indeed."

Wu Ying seemed to sense this, and smiled at Gongsun Pingxi:

"Master, shall I help you?"

Gongsun Pingxi, hearing this, understood his meaning.

Gongsun Zhongshu not only possessed deep scholarship and the power of a nation,

But his martial cultivation had likely surpassed the Grand Master realm.

The old man's expression shifted from before; solemnly, he shook his head:

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I shall defeat him with honor."

"What status or power? Even if I gave him my cultivation, what of it!"

Gong Sun Pingxi patted his belly and smiled:

"What lies within my belly are statecraft and methods to save the people—he cannot steal those."

Wu Ying smiled faintly, her gaze involuntarily drifting to the distance, fixing on the three figures advancing calmly from the south.

She was not alone in this!

Tuo Ba Shu Yi and the other three also stared intently at the three riders slowly approaching.

Yu Wen Yan and Gong Sun Zhongshu likewise turned solemnly, joining this silent watch.

Among the three riders, one led them.

Coming from the south!

He rode a fiery steed, wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Slowly emerging into view.

(End of Chapter)