Chapter 604: Lord of Po Feng City? King of the Lan Sea!

Yesterday the Pei household was as jubilant as could be; now everyone is just as despondent.

Each one looks like a frost‑bitten eggplant, heads drooping.

Zhang Mama turned away and wiped her eyes; Zheng Mama went over and snapped at her, "Since when did you become the melancholy‑autumn type?"

"Do you have to make Old Lady cry?"

"Stop it quickly! If everyone starts crying later, see how I'll scold you!"

Zhang Mama shoved her aside, "To hell with you!"

"I was just thinking of Old Deng, weren't I?"

"We're all old now."

"Birth, aging, illness and death are common to all. But you, following the young lady on a south‑to‑north wander, aren't like us, settled as we are now."

"If anyone else were to cause any trouble…"

Li Qingluo heard it and came to comfort her, "Grandma, don't worry. I won't let Zheng Mama go to the front line; next time she returns, I'll have her prepare to enjoy her twilight years."

"From now on you'll stay with Grandmother, wherever you wish—whether retiring in place or traveling the mountains and rivers, okay?"

Li Qingluo was sincere.

The grandmothers around Grandmother should, like her, all enjoy their twilight years.

Pushing themselves to the limit any longer is also unbearable to the heart.

They have already spent a lifetime busy with Grandmother—fighting on battlefields and battling fiercely in the commercial seas.

Each has fought a lifetime; it's time for them to enjoy their later years.

Zhang Mama heard Li Qingluo's words, her face startled, "Young lady, old servant didn't mean that!"

"Old servant just has some—oh dear!"

"Zheng Mama, don't blame me!"

Zheng Mama had been so angry her face was already green.

She flared her nostrils and snorted heavily, "You still say that!?"

"If the young lady doesn't want me anymore, watch me beat you!"

"Young lady, don't let your imagination run wild. Old servant is still as vigorous as ever! One punch could kill… uh, killing a sheep is no problem either."

"Please never abandon me; old servant wants to follow you on a south‑to‑north trek and accomplish something great."

"Old servant hasn't reached the stage of achieving success and retiring yet; how could I quit now?"

"Zhang Mama is just jealous of me, which is why she says these nonsensical things with watery eyes."

"Young lady…"

Zheng Mama was about to cry from anger.

Zhang Mama rubbed her fingers.

She had indeed been a bit too sentimental just now, so she blurted a few nonsense lines, not knowing the young lady took them seriously.

Li Qingluo, unable to laugh or cry, said, "Fine!"

"Can we discuss this later?"

"Let's have a proper farewell first."

But in this way, the originally melancholy atmosphere eased considerably.

Pei Lao Furen smiled and shook her head.

"Qingluo, come back early."

"Grandmother knows you're young and full of daring, but the world is far from peaceful; you must take good care of your life."

"Alive, you can still hope to keep moving forward."

"Did you hear that?"

How could Pei Lao Furen not be worried again?

She's truly the only sweetheart.

Jingchuan is a grandson, but Qingluo is unique; to Pei Lao Furen, that's an entirely different existence.

Only her concern cannot be expressed too plainly.

Because young people can't take it in.

Li Qingluo gave Pei Lao Furen a tight hug and said, "Grandmother, Qingluo takes her leave."

"Take care of yourself."

After speaking, she turned toward Jingchuan and the three remaining disciples of Jin Hua, all of whom nodded.

"My journey to the Western Regions is uncertain, so you need not send any letters."

"Whether Alán carries a nephew or a niece, I have already prepared a meeting gift, placed in the room I stayed in last night."

"Grandfather, Grandmother, senior sister, elder brother, as well as sister‑in‑law and A Duo…"

"And everyone!"

"We shall meet again!"

"Ride—"

The horsewhip cracked heavily, and the horse beneath the saddle immediately surged forward.

Everyone waved their hands reluctantly, bidding farewell, and prayed in their hearts, "Return soon."

A month later, Mantou City.

Que'er pushed the door open and entered.

"Young lady, Po Feng has arrived."

Speaking, she stepped aside, revealing Po Feng behind her.

Subordinate Po Feng pays his respects to the princess!

Po Feng knelt on the ground, kowtowing respectfully, and Li Qingluo immediately rose and went over to help him up with her own hands.

Po Feng, we haven't seen each other for almost two years, right?

When Duan Rongshi married me in MiaoJiang, the news of the empress dowager's passing came from Jinling that very wedding night.

Duan Rongshi immediately left MiaoJiang with the three chief guards.

After that, Po Feng never appeared again.

Duan Rongshi feigned death on the battlefield, afterwards bringing Leng Dian and Zhui Yu with him, but there was no news or trace of Po Feng.

They never mentioned Po Feng's life or death, so Li Qingluo always knew he must have gone on some other mission.

Indeed, he had been hiding in Mantuo City, and now he has even become its city lord.

According to Zhui Yu, he now stations troops and raises horses, and Mantuo City alone already has over thirty thousand cavalry.

Mantuo City lies at the junction of DaLiang, DaChu, and the Western Regions, and originally it had always been a city fought over.

It was once taken by the DaLiang Pei family army and had belonged to DaLiang for twenty years.

The people also finally lived in peace for twenty years.

Later, after DaLiang lost the Pei family army's garrison, the Western Regions deliberately provoked and seized it twice.

Last year, Prince Su finally retook Mantuo City for DaLiang.

Unfortunately, because DaLiang had a traitor, and the Western Regions colluded inside and out to set a trap for Prince Su, he too was 'killed in battle' on the field.

DaLiang mourned throughout the nation, yet also feared that Mantuo City would be taken again by the Western Regions.

The war between DaLiang and the Western Regions would then blaze fully.

However, unexpectedly, the Western Regions did not launch a strong attack to seize Mantuo City.

Only because after Prince Su's death, Mantuo City was quickly occupied by a new force.

This force came with great might and strong combat power.

More importantly, no one knows who stands behind him.

All we know is that the world calls him— the Lan Hai King!

Only the Lan Hai King's identity is a mystery; no one has seen his true face, and no one knows where he came from or his origins.

All we know is that the current lord of Mantuo City is his man!

Thus Mantuo City is now the territory of the Lan Hai King.

The Western Regions have tried several times to attack Mantuo City, but each time they were defeated in a sorry state, like a bereaved dog.

The Western Regions then turned their focus to DaChu, beating it so badly it lost several cities in a row.

But soon, the Western Regions' ambition was fully exposed.

Because even Li Qingluo discovered that the cities the Western Regions swallowed, aside from DaLiang's territory, all the cities DaChu lost form a ring around Mantuo City.

Now, the Western Regions have already drawn half of that circle.

Perhaps next they will start probing DaLiang and attempt to swallow the DaLiang cities that encircle Mantuo City.

They want to completely encircle Mantuo City and then gradually devour it.

This is also why, though the distance is only a few hundred li, Li Qingluo took nearly a month to reach Mantuo City.

Besides taking a detour, all the DaChu cities occupied by the Western Regions along the way are everywhere scarred by war, showing the miserable state of the people invaded by the Western Regions.

Li Qingluo cannot rescue them.

Yet she cannot simply stand by and do nothing.

Having done a few things along the way, she finally arrived at Mantuo City.

Seeing Po Feng, she was naturally delighted.

"I know you're busy. But I really do have a matter that requires your help."

Po Feng: "It is proper for the princess to summon her subordinate. If not for Zhui Yu, I wouldn't have known the princess had come to Mantuo City."

"I, your subordinate, truly deserve death!"

Li Qingluo laughed and shook her head: "From now on, just do your own business; we remain two groups that know nothing of each other."

"You came quietly this time; leave quietly later as well."

"Also, for convenience, in private just call me 'miss' as before."

Po Feng hesitated a moment: "But if something happens to the princess, I cannot explain it to Your Highness."

Li Qingluo: "What could happen to me? Do you not trust Zhui Yu, or my Twenty-Seven Kill?"

"Po Feng, before coming to the Western Regions, I didn't even know you were here. It was Your Highness who said you were in Mantuo City and could be used by me."

"But perhaps my presence would disturb your affairs, so except when necessary, I will not mobilize your troops."

"Even now, I still will not inquire what your plans are."

"If Your Highness does not say, it means the time has not come."

"So you just keep doing your business, and I will go do mine."

Hearing her speak so sensibly, Po Feng's heart was deeply moved.

"Yes, princess! Po Feng obeys."

Li Qingluo: "This time I came to Mantuo City to enter the Western Regions. So I may need you, the lord of Mantuo City, to lend a small hand."

Po Feng immediately replied: "Anything you need, miss… just tell me."

Li Qingluo knew Po Feng had always been reliable.

So she didn't beat around the bush with him.

She opened her mouth and said: "My people have gathered news and returned; thus I now know that DaLiang's marriage alliance escort is already approaching Eagle City."

"And Eagle City is only ten days' journey from the Western Regions' capital Hala City, so I must catch up with the escort before it reaches Hala City."

"Do you have any way to help me?"

Po Feng thought for a moment, then replied: "Miss, do you know that the Western Regions have now banned caravans from DaLiang and Da Chu from entering Western Region territory?"

Li Qingluo: "I know, otherwise I wouldn't have summoned you."

Po Feng: "So, posing as a caravan won't work."

"Miss, let me think again."

Li Qingluo turned around and personally poured a cup of tea for Po Feng.

Po Feng received it with both hands, then recalled something.

"This time, DaLiang's marriage alliance, the Western Regions' imperial court did not send anyone to greet them."

"When passing Mantuo City, they likely feared its current reputation, so they did not enter the city to rest, only camping outside a hundred li away for a night before hastily continuing on."

"Miss, if I had then taken the initiative to rescue the Princess of Nanping, you wouldn't have to worry about this now."

Li Qingluo: "Do you want Mantuo City to become the target of criticism from both DaLiang and the Western Regions at once?"

"It's not the time yet; no need to stir up trouble."

"As for this matter, I'll handle it."

Li Qingluo: "Besides, for my master's sake I must also go to Eagle City."

Po Feng: "I've also heard that your journey to the Western Regions this time is also for Mr. Nangong?"

Li Qingluo: "Yes. My master was kidnapped by the Empress Dowager of Wusun of the Thirteen Kingdoms of the Western Regions, that is, Princess Anaer of the Imperial Court."

"Princess Anaer is currently in Eagle City."

"This cannot be delayed. At most two more days, I must set out!"

Po Feng: "How about we also pose as the marriage alliance party?"