The Emperor decrees, "I bestow upon Mu Qingyao the title of Grand Marshal for this Northern Expedition. An Dingfeng shall serve as the vanguard, and Yin Xuan as the deputy vanguard. Together, with a force of one hundred thousand, you shall march upon the Danfeng Kingdom."
With the Emperor's decree, Qingyao's heart churned with excitement. She was finally going to attack the Danfeng Kingdom, a truly wonderful prospect.
Thinking of the Emperor's unwavering trust in handing over one hundred thousand troops to her, Qingyao was deeply touched. Grateful for his confidence and his fulfillment of her wish, Mu Qingyao and An Dingfeng spoke in unison, "Your subject accepts the decree."
With the Empress leading the charge, An Dingfeng had no grounds for objection. However, he couldn't help but wonder about the deputy vanguard, a figure he had never heard of – Yin Xuan?
"Your Majesty, who is this Yin Xuan? Your subject has never heard of him."
The Emperor smiled enigmatically, his dark eyes as profound as a thousand-year-old well, unfathomably deep. His magnetic voice resonated, "The foremost general under the Empress, to fight alongside her, sharing life and death."
Beneath the night sky, this vow, like clanging iron, sent a tremor through Qingyao. She quickly looked up and called out, "Your Majesty?"
Was His Majesty planning to personally lead the expedition? This could not be. Was he going to let Prince Nan An take his place in guarding the palace again? This matter was of grave importance. If it were to spread, it would surely be detrimental to him. Therefore, she wanted to dissuade him, but in front of An Dingfeng, she could not express it directly.
Yin Xuan was, in fact, the Emperor.
After the Emperor and An Dingfeng departed, Qingyao paced back and forth in the main hall with a grave expression, unable to calm herself for a long time. Mo Chou entered from outside, asking with surprise, "My lady, what is wrong?"
Mo Chou, not understanding the situation, furrowed her brow in thought and suddenly recalled what Xi Men Xinyue had said during the day. Could it be because the Emperor had favored Xi Men Xinyue? Hearing it from that woman, Xi Men Xinyue, made it sound utterly unbelievable. Everyone knew how much the Emperor adored the Empress. How could he possibly pay attention to that woman?
"My lady, what Xi Men Xinyue said may not be true. Please do not worry."
Qingyao suddenly stopped, her gaze drifting towards Mo Chou, her eyes flickering with a cold light that startled Mo Chou.
"Do I look like someone who would be troubled by trivial matters?"
Qingyao spoke softly. Whether the Emperor had favored Xi Men Xinyue or not had nothing to do with her. They were currently in a partnership. Although it was a little uncomfortable, she would leave after this battle was over. Why bother with extraneous affairs? It was another matter that was troubling her now.
"The Emperor decreed that I be the Grand Marshal for the Northern Expedition, with An Dingfeng as the vanguard."
"Isn't that good?" Mo Chou immediately smiled. After all, her mistress had worked so hard for this, aiming to attack the Danfeng Kingdom. Now that her wish had been granted, why was she upset instead of happy?
"But the Emperor appointed Yin Xuan as the deputy vanguard."
After Qingyao finished speaking, Mo Chou was speechless for a long time. Who was appointed as the deputy vanguard? Yin Xuan, wasn't that the Emperor? Mo Chou's mouth widened, unable to utter a word. Finally, she asked nervously, "How can this be? How can His Majesty be the deputy vanguard? What about the palace? If it becomes known that His Majesty has left the palace privately, there will surely be trouble."
"Yes, I am troubled by this and am trying to persuade him to remain in the palace."
Qingyao murmured, extending her slender jade fingers to rub her temples, a chill emanating from her.
Mo Chou said no more, feeling equally uneasy. She watched her mistress pace back and forth in the hall. If His Majesty were to personally lead the expedition, the Grand Marshal should rightfully be the Emperor. Now, it was the Empress who held that position. What did this mean? At this moment, Mo Chou's heart suddenly clenched with pain. It meant that the Emperor loved the Empress deeply and feared she might encounter danger, thus wanting to stay by her side. After all, they were attacking the Danfeng Kingdom.
The Danfeng Kingdom was located northwest of Xian Yue, a land of abundant resources and talented people, with a large population. Moreover, the Empress of Danfeng had not spared any effort in military training over the years; their strength was evident and not much inferior to Xian Yue's. Furthermore, the consort of the Danfeng Kingdom was a master of蛊术 (Gu arts), sinister and venomous. Surely the Emperor knew this.
This was why he insisted on accompanying the Empress under another identity.
But what kind of tenacious love would lead to such a deed? Silently guarding by her side, seeking no reward, merely willing to accompany her, as if their commitment was unwavering.
"His Majesty fears that my lady will be in danger."
As Mo Chou's words fell in the main hall, Qingyao froze. Then, a slight pain throbbed in her chest. She had been racking her brain for dozens, even hundreds, of reasons why Mu Rong Liu Zun would conceal himself within the northern army, but she had completely overlooked this one. This reason – that he would risk everything, even his life, for her.
If she thought of it this way, then the empire meant less to him than a mere woman.
The more Qingyao thought about it, the more her head ached and her heart ached. Everything hurt, and she felt an inexpressible vexation. She hoped she was overthinking it, that he merely wished to unify the Seven Kingdoms and not, as Mo Chou surmised, to accompany her out of concern for her safety.
"Enough. It is late. Let us rest."
"Yes, my lady," Mo Chou stepped forward and helped Qingyao walk out. The figures of the two gradually disappeared.
The Imperial Palace, Liuli Hall.
The Emperor gazed at Prince Nan An below, his face beaming with springlike radiance, clearly in a good mood. His narrow brows were raised like the wind, his jewel-like eyes dark and gleaming, and the corners of his lips curved into a smile as radiant as cherry blossoms. xxs one
Prince Nan An did not know what had happened to make his imperial brother so happy.
"Your subject greets my imperial brother."
"Rise, and sit down beside me." The Emperor's voice was tinged with irrepressible joy. His eyes curved slightly, holding a devilish allure. Prince Nan An rose and sat down to the side, looking up at the Emperor. The Emperor gathered his thoughts slightly and waved a hand, signaling A Jiu, "All of you may leave. I have matters to discuss with Prince Nan An."
"Yes, Your Majesty," A Jiu said with a smile, leading the others out. Although he did not know why His Majesty was so happy, he was happy as long as his master was happy.
"Liu Zhao, I have already appointed Qingyao as the Grand Marshal. She will soon proceed to Yueya Pass to train one hundred thousand troops and march north to the Danfeng Kingdom."
As the Emperor finished speaking, Prince Nan An, Mu Rong Liu Zhao, raised his eyebrows, a trace of dread and disapproval in his eyes. He said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, an army of one hundred thousand to attack the Danfeng Kingdom. This matter may prove difficult to manage?"
The Danfeng Kingdom, along with the Qingluo Kingdom and their Xian Yue Kingdom, formed a tripartite balance. These three nations were also among the stronger states of the Seven Kingdoms. Unifying the Seven Kingdoms was a righteous endeavor, but for the Empress to lead one hundred thousand troops into the Danfeng Kingdom was no small matter. It could very well result in the complete annihilation of the army. Although the Huangyuan Kingdom had surrendered, that was Shen Yu's opinion at the time. No one knew what his final decision would be.
"I know this journey is perilous, which is why I intend to accompany her, fighting alongside her and sharing the danger."
As the Emperor uttered these words, Prince Nan An's expression turned grim, his pupils narrowing with a cold glint. His imperial brother would not do this again, would he?
He immediately stood up and said in a low voice, "Imperial brother, this is absolutely not permissible. If someone must accompany the Empress on the northern expedition, please allow your subject to go. Your subject is willing to undertake this journey on your behalf."