Chapter 611: Where to? Kill them all!

"What did you say?"

Li Qingluo rose from her chair, agitated.

"Harmed? What does 'harmed' mean? How dare he!!"

"That's a marriage-alliance princess!"

"Moreover, the DaLiang escort for the marriage alliance numbered at least a hundred people; such a huge commotion—why did no one in the city know about it?"

Liu Li hurriedly said, "They certainly don't know."

"Because the marriage alliance party never even reached Eagle City; Ba Zha first led them into a preset trap."

Li Qingluo: "Please continue."

Liu Li: "I originally didn't know about this either."

"It's Batu'er who has been cozying up to Ba Zha these past years; once, drunk, he let the slip."

"He said that last time, during the tornado, he went to do work for Ba Zha and deliberately brought over a hundred people toward Loulan."

"I was curious, so I asked him why he did that."

"He said Ba Zha doesn't want DaLiang and the Western Regions to reconcile; he has always advocated attacking DaLiang, capturing Jinling, so the Western Regions can take over the Central Plains and become ruler of all under heaven. That way Ba Zha could take at least a hundred Central Plains women as concubines."

"But the Imperial Court has been dragging its feet, so Ba Zha is furious."

"He also wants to use this DaLiang marriage alliance to completely ruin relations between the two countries."

Li Qingluo: "But why would leading them toward Loulan ruin relations between the two countries?"

Liu Li: "Young master, you may not know, but Loulan is the wealthiest tribal state among the thirteen countries of the Western Regions, situated in a low-lying valley."

"But the road to Loulan is extremely rugged and difficult."

"Along the way, besides many ferocious poisonous snakes and wild beasts, there are many man-eating underground tombs."

"There have long been rumors that caravans without a local Loulan guide would disappear on the grasslands."

"According to my years of experience in the Western Regions, Loulan is indeed as mysterious and strange as the rumors say; many people long for it yet cannot reach it."

"I suspect that Ba Zha wants to lure the DaLiang marriage-alliance princess onto the road to Loulan; if anything goes wrong along the way, he can blame Loulan, claiming they deliberately killed the DaLiang princess."

"This would not only sow discord between the Imperial Court and Loulan, but also completely destroy the peace talks between DaLiang and the Western Regions."

Li Qingluo: "So Ba Zha and Loulan are on bad terms?"

Liu Li: "Young master, you're perceptive."

"Since Ba Zha usurped the throne of the Eagle Kingdom, the noble, pure-blooded Loulan royalty has looked down on him; naturally, he harbors resentment."

"These past few years, relations between Eagle City and Loulan have remained tense."

"Loulan rarely participates in the Western Regions' Imperial Court affairs, but its financial support to the court has been constant."

"Because it has many gold and silver mines, as well as the most beautiful women and finest wine in the Western Regions; it is also the most beautiful place in the Western Regions."

"Ba Zha has always coveted Loulan, while Loulan's military strength has consistently been inferior to that of the Eagle Kingdom, merely restrained by the Imperial Court's dignity from acting rashly."

"Young master guesses, what does Ba Zha hope to gain from this opportunity?"

Li Qingluo knows the relations among the various tribes of the Western Regions are complex.

But she didn't expect it to be this complex.

"Could he also intend to annex Loulan?"

From Liu Li's words, it seems Ba Zha's claim to the Eagle Kingdom's succession is of obscure origin.

Liu Li: "I suspect the same."

Li Qingluo gave Liu Li another earnest look.

Unexpectedly, this person's vision is not low.

Moreover, his sensitivity to events surpasses that of ordinary people.

But deep down, she also let out a sigh of relief.

The harm to Nanping that Liu Li spoke of is not what Li Qingluo had in mind.

Fortunately, Nanping might still be alive.

As long as she's alive, that's good!

"Any news about Princess Ana'er? Do you have any leads?"

Liu Li then said, "Young master, you're asking about the Empress Dowager Ana'er of the Wusun Kingdom? She indeed came to Eagle City a few days ago."

However, she only stayed a day; hearing that at dawn she left in a huff with her entourage.

Li Qingluo wondered, "Angry? Did you see that yourself?"

Was there a Han person by her side? Did you notice that?

Liu Li shook his head: "I'm just a commoner; I can't keep watch on nobles. I only heard rumors about this; as for the Han person you mentioned, I have no way to know."

But I heard that the Empress Dowager Ana'er also went north.

Li Qingluo's heart gave a slight jump.

You mean, that's also toward Loulan?

Liu Li nodded.

Li Qingluo rested her hand on the chair back and tapped her fingers lightly.

Then can you find trustworthy Loulan folks? Let's also make a trip to Loulan!

Liu Li seemed hesitant upon hearing that.

Young master, do you really want to go?

The journey to Loulan is extremely perilous; a slight mistake could doom us all...

Liu Li looked at everyone with some worry.

Li Qingluo: "You make the arrangements."

Liu Li understood, got up, nodded, and then withdrew.

Sha Yi followed Liu Li to the rear.

Not long after he returned and said, "He and his family were all hugging each other, crying."

"It seems he never expected to still be alive."

Zhui Yu, however, said, "I think this person cannot be fully trusted."

"What if he is deliberately trying to lure us to Loulan?"

Only Sha Yi could look toward Li Qingluo.

These assassins cannot have their own opinions.

Whatever the master orders, he does.

Li Qingluo: "Just wait."

"First wait for Que'er and the others to come."

"Then wait for Xuan Cang."

Not long after, Que'er and the others all arrived.

A small farmhouse couldn't hold Li Qingluo and the many people with her, so they set up camp on the nearby open ground, and the tents were pitched in no time.

Li Qingluo had just entered the tent when Que'er came in to report, "Miss, the whole city is rounding people up; we went through great trouble to get out."

"But perhaps we can't hide outside the city for long either."

"What if they suspect us?"

Li Qingluo: "Don't rush."

"I have another good place. However, we need to test Liu Li again to see if he is truly trustworthy."

Li Qingluo waited patiently.

At night, Xuan Cang also returned.

"Senior Brother, how is it?"

Li Qingluo personally poured a cup of tea for Xuan Cang.

Zhui Yu stood to the side, clutching his sword, with no intention of withdrawing.

Li Qingluo couldn't be bothered to manage him.

Along the way, whenever Xuan Cang appeared, Zhui Yu would linger like a ghost beside him.

Could Li Qingluo not know his thoughts?

He was basically keeping watch for Your Highness.

Li Qingluo, being upright, had nothing to fear from shadows.

Anyway, Zhui Yu could hear about anything.

As for Xuan Cang, he often wore a dark face, perhaps still not accustomed to this situation.

Xuan Cang shook his head: "No news."

Xuan Cang went today to inquire about the news of his sect's second senior sister, sixth senior brother, and the other disciples from various sects.

After all, they had been gone for quite some time.

According to the elapsed time, they should have arrived at Eagle City around the same time as them.

However, now there is not a trace of news about them.

It was as if they had vanished; since entering the Western Regions, contact with Xuan Cang had been completely cut off.

"Senior Brother, don't be anxious; they may have been delayed on the road."

"We can leave some letters; if they come to Eagle City, they'll then know where we went."

Xuan Cang rubbed his forehead and sighed: "That's all we can do."

"Are we really setting out for Hala City tomorrow?"

Li Qingluo: "No. We're going to Loulan."

As soon as her voice fell, a low voice from Sha Er came from outside: "Miss, someone is coming."

Hundreds of official troops came this way.

Li Qingluo immediately put on a veil and sat motionless in the tent.

When the troops approached, Liu Li hurriedly ran out from the courtyard to deal with them.

Those troops naturally saw the camp here.

Li Qingluo didn't understand a bit of the Western Regions speech, but Liu Li soon came over and whispered, "Miss, they ask you to come out."

Li Qingluo: "What do they intend to do?"

Liu Li: "They say Alikun is dead, and they now suspect Batur killed him."

"But Batur is also missing; however, hearing that Batur has recently been in close contact with us, they want to ask you a few questions."

Li Qingluo immediately understood Liu Li's meaning.

She turned her head to look at Zhui Yu, who nodded heavily.

And she quickly made a sign language: "He is not lying."

Zhui Yu understands the Western Regions language.

So, Li Qingluo's earlier test of Liu Li also counts as having passed smoothly.

Li Qingluo gave Zhui Yu a gesture.

Zhui Yu turned, lifted the curtain, and went out.

"Bold!"

"This is the Princess Luoluo of Mantuo City; how dare you be rude!?"

Still not retreating!

The Western Regions speech of Princess Luoluo scared Liu Li.

Those Western Regions people outside the camp were even more staring at each other.

The princess of Mantuo City?

Isn't there already no news?

They said he died on the road, so how did he suddenly appear again?

He must be an impostor. If he truly were the princess, wouldn't he report to Lord Baza about residing in the palace inside the city? Suffering here?

There must be something fishy; just arrest them first and torture them to find out, right?

It would be better if she were the princess; our Lord Baza likes Central Plains beauties.

The lewd laughter hadn't even faded when, with a 'whoosh', an arrow pierced that person's skull.

Li Qingluo gave an order: 'Kill them all.'

She put away her bow and sat inside the tent.

Sha Yi and the others could no longer hold back and rushed out.

Instantly, screams rose everywhere.

Liu Li turned and ran toward the houses, but he merely went to close his own door, letting his wife, children, and elders stay inside.

He himself then drew a cleaver from the firewood pile by the door and rushed out to hack at the officials and soldiers.

Zheng Mama entered and poured tea for Li Qingluo.

Miss, that Liu Li still has some skill.

Li Qingluo grunted and asked, 'What about Qin Ling and Li Yunchu?'

Why haven't I heard their cries?

Que'er also sensed something wrong: 'Could they have run away?'

Zheng Mama exclaimed: 'They ran away early. They ran to Liu Li's house courtyard. Do they know how to hide to save their lives?'

Li Qingluo shook her head.

Outside, the sounds of slaughter and screams rose continuously.

Li Qingluo still calmly ate fruit.

The strong smell of blood drifted into her nostrils, and she suddenly lost her appetite.

After everyone had been killed, Sha Yi and Zhui Yu rushed in excitedly, preparing to report, but Li Qingluo saw them covered in blood and suddenly felt nauseous.

She turned and let out a dry retch.