Chapter 207: Troops Marching to Ghost City

Longyan.

Jinghua.

Empress Zheng Fu sat there quietly, lost in thought.

"Mother!"

Xie Ling arrived at the Empress's side very quickly.

Zheng Fu looked at him coldly: "Ling'er, today I went to see your Imperial Father, but was blocked by Grand Eunuch Zhou..."

"What?"

Xie Ling's expression changed.

The Empress visiting the Emperor daily was a routine, a rule that had existed since ancient times; even the Emperor could not refuse it. Therefore, even when the old Emperor was ailing, the Empress could still see him.

Yet today...

Xie Ling took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming.

What did this mean?

Did this not mean that Imperial Father, he...

Thinking of this possibility, he felt no sadness, but his heart was filled with excitement!

"Do you understand?"

Zheng Fu said indifferently: "It is time for you to exert your strength. The Crown Prince has already gained the support of the Prince of Qin. It seems the Prince of Wei is also leaning toward stability..."

Xie Ling grew anxious: "Mother, then what about us?"

Zheng Fu said: "Since the nobles have already chosen their direction, we can only seek the assistance of the scholar-officials. Fortunately, this group of scholar-officials does not care for tradition, only for temperament. Over these years, Ling'er, you have done well; promising them heavy profits and high official positions to win them over should not be difficult."

Xie Ling was overjoyed. Over these years, he had established his persona quite firmly, and at this moment, his advantage emerged. Everyone knew that this group of scholar-officials loved nothing more than seeking change, because in change, they could seize the interests they desired. Although they supported the theory of lineage and Heaven-Given Imperial Power, that was only within certain limits.

Since there were two princes who could be brought forward, why not support the one who could guarantee their own interests?

Facts proved it.

Every historical change, the scholar-officials were the winners; that was just how it was.

The noble class, with the development of history and the changing of eras, would be slowly eliminated.

"Ling'er, do you know what is most important right now?"

Zheng Fu stared intently at her son.

Xie Ling lowered his head and whispered: "Military power!"

Zheng Fu then smiled: "Ling'er has grown... Go, strive to gain full control over the military power of the several regional commanders among the scholar-officials."

"Yes, Mother!"

Looking at the Crown Prince's side.

Likewise, a group of advisors were all talking at once.

"Hahahaha, the Third Prince, I'm afraid he is currently trying to win the support of those scholar-officials!"

"Hmph, what use is that?"

"Without military power, no matter how many people support him, what is the use?"

Crown Prince Xie Fang was also full of smugness: "Regional commanders are not allowed to bring troops into the capital; this is a rule that has existed since ancient times. And in our hands, we have the Jinghua City Defense Army and the Imperial Guard."

"That mere Third Brother cannot stir up any waves..."

"Cheers!"

"Congratulations to the Crown Prince for ruling Longyan soon!"

This time.

It was estimated that the old Emperor was truly on the verge of death.

The hearts of the people across the country were filled with panic.

The Prince of Wei, the Prince of Qin, Zhu Zhen, and others were each forming their own factions, beginning to dance and manipulate power.

It was estimated that everyone knew.

At this moment, the old Emperor was just hanging on by a single breath.

He was still waiting...

He was waiting.

Those who knew about that matter understood what he was waiting for; he was waiting to see if the Western Regions Protectorate could be successfully established. He was waiting to see if, in this lifetime, he could successfully retake the Western Regions and kill that Xie Lao'er in a foreign land.

If he could not wait.

He would not die.

The Immortal Pill he had relied on for many years could only sustain his final breath at this time.

The world.

Seemed to be on the verge of a storm.

"You, you..."

Reguli glared at Liu Zheng: "Do you want to rebel?"

This topic was truly sensitive, and it gave these people quite a shock.

Liu Zheng, however, was not alarmed and smiled faintly: "No, for now, I just want to live."

Reguli's eyes flickered: "Young Master, Reguli understands. That Longyan Emperor sent you to attack the Ghost Army just to send you to your death!"

"That damned old thief, actually bullying my Young Master! Once my Loulan forces rise, I will definitely slaughter my way into his Jinghua!"

The crowd curled their lips in response.

If these words were spoken in the Longyan Dynasty, whoever dared to say them would likely be beheaded immediately; those Secret Guards of the old Emperor were not to be trifled with.

Reguli suddenly said excitedly, "Why doesn't the Viscount stay in Loulan and simply not return to that Longyan!"

Liu Zheng gave a wry smile: "No, no, no. Empress Dowager, just give me a straight answer, whether you agree or not. If I, Liu Zheng, can break the Ghost Army, the Northern Western Regions will belong to me, and my Yinzhou Army will help Loulan level the Southern Western Regions; you and I shall divide the Western Regions between us!"

In reality.

Liu Zheng was taking advantage with this proposal.

Because Loulan was already the premier power in the Southern Western Regions, and although unification would still take time, if it developed this way, it would not be too difficult a task.

But the Northern Western Regions were different.

Loulan could not obtain a single inch of it.

Who would have thought, Reguli looked at Liu Zheng infatuatedly: "Fine, who told me I just like the way the Viscount is so confident!"

The crowd covered their foreheads.

It was settled just like that.

The 150,000-strong Yinzhou Army rested in Shancheng for three days and finally began their journey. Liu Zheng did not dare to be negligent during these three days, as he was worried about the long trek and acclimatization issues; once an illness broke out, it would have the effect of a plague.

The 150,000-strong army began to march toward what was known as the "Ghost Desert."

The 50,000-strong Loulan Army would set out for Qiuci starting today.

As they traveled further, Liu Zheng actually felt more confident in his heart.

What left him unable to laugh or cry was.

The desert and Gobi where this Ghost City was located overlapped extremely well with a place from his impressions of later generations.

Flame Mountain!

On the way to Turpan in later generations, Liu Zheng had seen this Flame Mountain.

Of course.

This Flame Mountain was not the Flame Mountain of the Princess Iron Fan from Journey to the West. The entire name actually existed just because it was very hot here, very barren here, and not a place for people to stay.

This further confirmed Liu Zheng's imagination.

When the army set out, the thing the 150,000 men prepared the most was water.

In Loulan, they also borrowed tens of thousands of camels.

Vast yellow sands, rolling Gobi.

At this moment, no one noticed a vulture circling in the air, making several laps around this army.

No one would have thought.

In a desolate place like the Western Regions.

Such a city would exist.

At first glance.

One would think they had arrived at Longyan Jinghua; the same city, the same city walls, the same magnificence, the same color, and even the same prosperity.

Only.

The capital of the Dayuan Kingdom was called Guishan City.

It was located at Congling, on the upper reaches of the Syr Darya, in the present-day Fergana Basin.

The people here were also not all of the skin color of the Longyan people, but rather tall, sturdy Hu people.

At this moment.

A military report.

Was passed from the city gate to the city, and then to the Imperial Palace.

"Report!"

"Report!"

"Report to Your Majesty, the Longyan Army is invading, taking the route through Cheshi, and will arrive at the Ghost City in three days!"

At this time,

Sitting on the golden Dragon Throne was a white-haired old man with a vigorous spirit, imposing without anger, who was discussing state affairs with his civil and military officials.

Hearing this, he was slightly startled, and suddenly his eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Is Xie Tianyao finally going to die?"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

This group of ministers of different skin colors knelt and bowed one after another, shouting "Long live" in unison.

Xie Xuan could not help but laugh out loud: "Xie Lao'er, oh Xie Lao'er, after struggling for a lifetime, you still didn't outlast me!"