The news about the Qin imperial treasury being in the Ghost City quickly spread, drawing countless people to it. Despite the Ghost City's terrifying reputation, the immense temptation made them consciously ignore the danger.
Meanwhile, Feng Moran had lost track of Xiao Man and Nangong Yu. No one knew where these two had gone, and Feng Moran had searched every possible location without finding any trace of Xiao Man.
"What do you mean gone? Find her! Dig three feet into the ground if you have to, to find her!" Feng Moran exclaimed in a rage. Now that the treasure was in Xiao Man's hands, the treasury of Wuyue Kingdom was likely an empty shell. Even if he went there, he wouldn't find what he wanted. But he couldn't let this opportunity slip by. What if... what if what he wanted was inside?
"Master, we have searched. Even our hidden agents buried within the Blue Moon Imperial Palace don't know where the Empress has gone. She left alone, without any guards. We've deployed all our spies, and not a single one has discovered her whereabouts."
"Are there no leads on Nangong Yu either?"
"None. Nangong Yu himself is adept at concealment. By the time we discovered the Nangong Yu in the palace was an imposter, he had already vanished. At this point... these two might be together." The dark guard reported cautiously. Losing Xiao Man was already a grave offense; now losing Nangong Yu as well was unforgivable.
"Useless. You can't even keep track of two people. What good are you to me?" Feng Moran berated him. Lately, he had become increasingly prone to anger, his temper easily ignited by even minor incidents. As the dark guard screamed and fell into a pool of blood, a hint of crimson tainted Feng Moran's eyes.
"You want to hide and have your child peacefully? It won't be that easy!" Feng Moran's lips curved into a cruel smile. "I told you long ago that you have too many weaknesses, and they're all exposed. With so many vulnerabilities out in the open, you still dare to flee? A disobedient child must pay the price."
Wusheng Pass was heavily guarded. The patrol times for the guards were reduced from an hour to fifteen minutes, with patrols occurring every fifteen minutes.
In the General's mansion, Xiao Luo was studying a sand table when He Ye entered. "General, a group of former Beirong civilians wishes to enter the city and seek refuge with us. Should we open the gates to let them in?"
"Beirong no longer exists. They are now citizens of Yusheng. If they wish to enter Blue Moon, they must follow official procedures. Submit an application first, and after it's approved, they can enter our Blue Moon," Xiao Luo said without looking up.
"But General, those people are mostly women and children. If we abandon them, I fear..."
Xiao Luo looked at He Ye. "He Ye, do you know why Man'er chose you?"
He Ye was puzzled by Xiao Luo's question. He was talking about the refugees outside the city, why was the General bringing up the Empress?
"Please enlighten me, General."
"Because you have observant eyes, which can be exceptionally useful in the wild," Xiao Luo praised. "This is your strength, but it is also your weakness."
"Your subordinate does not understand."
"You can detect movement from a great distance and report it promptly, but you can also be burdened by this observation and fall into the enemy's trap."
"Does the General mean that the refugees outside the city are Yusheng spies?"
"He Ye, our enemy is not Yusheng, but the hidden enemies," Xiao Luo said calmly. "This is a time for both countries to recover. Yusheng will certainly be very lenient towards the Beirong people to win them over. Why would they still seek refuge in Blue Moon?"
"They do not wish to submit to Yusheng."
"A group of the elderly, women, and children, leaving their homeland because they don't want to submit to Yusheng?" Xiao Luo retorted.
He Ye was stunned. Yes, why would a group of the elderly, women, and children travel such a long distance to leave their homeland and come to Blue Moon? And to Wusheng Pass of all places? All regular traders passed through Xinyang Pass, while Wusheng Pass was primarily a military stronghold!
"It was my subordinate's recklessness. I beg the General's pardon."
"He Ye, sometimes, we cannot just look at the immediate situation. We must think long-term. At all times, consider the worst-case scenario," Xiao Luo's tone was grave. "If we can accept the worst possible outcome, then we will be fearless. On the battlefield, only fearlessness offers a chance of survival."
"General, the Third Princess has returned to Bianjing. Don't you miss your sister-in-law and child?"
"I do," Xiao Luo answered without hesitation. "But precisely because I miss them, I cannot leave. Until His Majesty safely gives birth, Blue Moon cannot afford to lose. Behind us are our parents, wives, and children. If we fail to defend the front lines, they will be the ones to suffer."
"General, how should we handle the refugees outside the city?"
"Issue a warning first, ordering them to stay away. Then, notify the Yusheng officials to handle the matter."
"What if the Yusheng officials turn a blind eye, and the refugees outside gather at the city walls?"
"Shoot them."
He Ye's eyes widened in disbelief. "General, to shoot them would be too cruel. They are just a group of unarmed elderly, women, and children, and there are even infants in swaddling clothes among them!"
"Do you know who wounded His Majesty last time?"
"Who?"
"A six-year-old girl." Xiao Luo's voice was flat, but He Ye's heart was tormented. A six-year-old child being an assassin? It was simply unbelievable!
"Do you know what I was doing when I was six?"
"Your subordinate does not know."
"When I was six, I stole food to survive, snatched purses, fought with thugs, and even dug up graves. If I hadn't been caught by my father, I wouldn't be here today. He Ye, don't assume children are harmless. Their destructive potential is far greater than you imagine."
"But the infants in swaddling clothes must be innocent."
"Innocent? Who isn't innocent?" Xiao Luo took a deep breath. "Do you know that when Man'er was sent to my father, she was barely a few days old. The cloth she was wrapped in was soaked with blood. Father thought she wouldn't make it, but she lived. That blood was from the dark guards who protected her. She was an infant in swaddling clothes, wasn't she innocent? Yet countless people wanted her dead, wanted to kill her. My father and I did everything we could to ensure she grew up safely. Now, I not only have her behind me, but also my wife and child. I cannot afford to pity those outside the city!"
"General, could we just drive them away, without killing them?"
Xiao Luo sighed. "Go and scout the villages within a ten-mile radius. Check for any abnormalities."
"Yes, General."