Chapter 47: Chess is high in one move, showing kindness and love.

  "Hey!" Ma Qianhu turned his head and exclaimed in surprise.

  "It's me, your grandfather." He looked at her expression and knew she was surprised that he would take the initiative to come out. Xia Chuyi lifted the hem of her blue cotton robe, her black boots making a soft sound on the damp bluestone floor, slightly raising her delicate face, with a sly smile, her slender figure looking like a willow branch, making the heavy and sharp black scabbard sword in her hand even more intimidating.

  "Ah ha! Little rabbit, I've finally found you..."

  Nima Qianhu's small eyes lit up, and he shook off the little monk who was holding his hand. He gave a signal to several of his followers who had come with him.

  "Brothers, let's go! Take the man away and return to report to the Grand Commander."

  How rude!

  In early summer, on the seventh day, he had made up his mind about what was to come next, and in his heart there was a slight tinge of regret.

  She had been holding a grudge against Dongfang Qingyun for being tied up and stuffed into the coffin. Given her vengeful nature, although she couldn't take revenge on Dongfang Qingyun for now, since these few people had come to her doorstep today, if she didn't give them a good scolding, it would be inconsistent with her values.

  Originally wanted to have fun, but looking at Ma Qianhu's silly face, her interest dropped again.

  However, she also figured out from his words that, except for Dongfang Yaoren or a few subordinates who were extremely close to him, most of the people in Jin Yiwei were likely unaware of her true identity as Xia Cao. Including Ma Qianhu and his several direct subordinates who carried out tasks. Moreover, judging from his tone, they seemed to be unaware that she was even a woman.

  She thought it was fun again. She glanced at Ma Qianhu, who held her sword in front of her chest and smiled with a playful pout.

  "Turtle son, do you know who your grandfather I am?"

  Ma Qianhu surprisingly didn't refute that sentence "Turtle Son", he just let out a heavy hum, and endured it silently.

  "Who else could you be? You are the imperial fugitive that I, a member of the Brocade Guard, have been ordered to capture."

  "Oh, so that's how it is. Then I'll ask you, if I'm a fugitive of the imperial court, why don't you dare to capture me openly? Why all the disguise, binding, and hiding in coffins for fake transportation? Don't you really know who I am? Hmph, I say you guys are really foolish. Your great commander, that is, Dongfang Qingxuan, is actually a rebel of the imperial court, always doing things like stealing chickens and framing loyal officials, harming good people. And you? You eat the imperial salary, but do the bidding of Dongfang Qingxuan. Touch your conscience, can you be worthy of your parents who raised you with hardship and toil, and the current emperor who entrusted you with important tasks?"

  It has to be said that being talkative also has its advantages when dealing with enemies.

  She always has a way of using a string of inexplicable words to leave people stunned.

  Including Ma Qianhu, five or six Jin Yiwei stood still with their hands on the hilts of their swords, looking at each other in dismay.

  In fact, they only knew it was a highly confidential major case, where else would they know the inside story?

  But what about the current emperor... has he ever entrusted them with important tasks with tears in his eyes?

  Ma Qianhu was the first to react, and with a "clang" he drew his waist knife, pointing it at Xia Chuyi. "You little scoundrel, how dare you spout nonsense! Wang Er, Zhu San, what are you standing there for? Quickly seize him for me! Otherwise, when we return to Commander-in-Chief's place, none of us will have a good ending."

  "Yes!" With a clanging sound, several people drew their swords and were about to rush up and seize her.

  "Wait a minute"

  On the seventh day of summer, she didn't avoid it, but instead walked down another step from the bluestone slab stage, holding up her unsheathed precious sword with a carefree air.

  "Gentlemen officials, would you trouble yourselves to open your dog eyes and take a closer look? Can any of you recognize this sword?"

  As several people stared blankly at the hilt, she suddenly drew out the cold and shiny black scabbard sword. In the swaying of the sword tassel, she narrowed her eyes slightly and read the words on the scabbard one by one.

  "Imperial Decree: General of Divine Martial Prowess, King of Jin..."

  "Zhao Zhu" - those two words, in private she occasionally dares to shout them out loud.

  She couldn't afford to be so disrespectful in front of outsiders... but she had no way out. She just paused for a moment, then let out a cold snort, her gaze sweeping coldly over the several Jin Yiwei guards.

  "Are you looking clearly? Seeing a sword is like seeing a person. There is the treasured sword of the King of Jin's mansion here, who dares to move me?"

  Ma Qianhu and others naturally knew that the sword was Zhao Zhu's paired sword, and they also knew that this kid was indeed Zhao Zhu's person. However, how would they know that Zhao Zhu was sleeping inside? Moreover, the Jin Yiwei system is strict, and they have always only listened to Dongfang Qingxuan alone. When doing their job, they only need to complete the task at hand, and don't care about the "big gods fighting" above them.

  His face sank, Ma Qianhu grasped the hilt of his sword tightly and shouted again, "You little brat, stop spouting nonsense here. You dare to call yourself the King of Jin with just a rotten sword? Are you trying to fool a three-year-old?"

  "Hey, don't dare admit it," Xia Qi said with a deliberate glare, "Turtle son, can't you read?"

  "Doesn't know."

  "How pitiful." Xia Chuqi almost burst out laughing, "Then, should I call you Daddy and have you teach me?"

  It wasn't until then that he realized she had taken advantage of him, and Ma Qianhu's big pancake face stiffened for a moment, suddenly turning black. "Little boy, you're not afraid to die. Hmph, according to your words, is the official in my hand or the embroidered spring knife of our Jin Yiwei Grand Commander?"

  As soon as she heard the name Dongfang Qingxuan, Xia Chuyi's teeth itched with hatred.

  She gave him a slanted glance, sheathed her sword and drew out a beautiful sword flower, then asked with a sarcastic smile, "Oh? According to your honor's meaning, is the Grand Commander more honorable than His Highness the King of Jin? Can the Grand Commander's sword in your hand be used to take people from the King of Jin?"

  Can't help but say, she's really a sharp-tongued one. Although often getting some small benefits in front of Zhao Zun, it's generally not easy for ordinary people to get any advantage from her mouth. Although it is said that for Jin Yiwei officials like Ma Qianhu, the Grand Commander is their god in their hearts, and Jin Yiwei can walk sideways like a crab wherever they are, arresting, interrogating, imprisoning, and sentencing people without going through the Ministry of Justice or the Three Law Departments, all because of Dongfang Qingxuan. These are facts, but no one dares to say that the Grand Commander is more noble than the Prince of Jin's mansion.

  The King of Jin is the son of Heaven, born different from others.

  This is a truth that everyone in the Da Yan Dynasty understands.

  Then, after a few words, Xia Chuyi's quick wit and Ma Qianhu's poor eloquence soon revealed their true nature. Ma Qianhu was so choked with rage that his dark face turned red. Although he was foolish, he realized that this little guy was intentionally causing trouble and had no good intentions. Immediately, he stopped paying attention to what he said, waved his hand, and shouted loudly.

  "Do I need to say it again? Get a move on!"

  "Yes, Ma Qianhu."

  Five or six Jin Yiwei guards, with inconsistent movements, gestured with the waist knives in their hands, step by step approaching Xia Chuyi, but their speed was not that fast. They were not afraid of the weak and frail Xia Chuyi, but they really dreaded the sword in her hand, the Jin Wang Sword. Most people had never seen Zhao Zun's sword, but the words "Imperial Decree God Martial Great General" on it were recognizable to all.

  They gritted their teeth and made a few false moves, but didn't forget to pretend to surrender.

  "Kid, put away your sword and I won't kill you."

  Xia Zhong Qi remained still with her arms wrapped around herself, knowing that Dongfang Qingxuan was about to make a move. These guys wouldn't kill her anyway, they just sneered at her even more calmly.

  "If you have the guts, come and kill me! Take my grandfather's sword from me, and I'll go with you."

  "Brothers, up... take her."

  That Wang Er, his execution was much stronger than the others. He saw him with a knife in hand, and immediately pounced over. Xia Chuyi's eyes narrowed, and he quickly dodged to the side, sliding out three feet away. Then, he ran to the other end of the Zen temple, under the big banyan tree, and like a cat teasing an old mouse, hooked his fingers at them.

  "Come on, come over here and fight, this place is spacious."

  Several imperial guards exchanged a glance and rushed towards her again.

  Just as she thought, the commander wanted her alive and couldn't kill her casually. Therefore, although they were in a superior position, they were also a bit hesitant to attack, being unable to fully utilize their strength, and were led by her to run around the whole field in disarray.

  "Haha, this is interesting." Xia Chun's eyes were fixed on their movements, one hand holding a sword and the other clenched into a fist, always in a grappling stance. His feet, however, moved like a boxer's during a match, jumping slowly and rhythmically on the bluestone floor, constantly changing direction...

  She made a few strange jumps there, and several Jin Yiwei's heads were dizzy.

  "Hey kid! What's with all the jumping around? You're acting weird."

  "This is what I call..."

  With a whoosh, Xia Qi suddenly smiled and rushed towards them. Just as they were about to clash swords, she made a big sliding dodge to the side, her entire body moving as quickly and nimbly as a swallow. Her movements were swift and decisive, without any hesitation or delay. In the blink of an eye, the sword in her hand was pressed against Ma Qian's neck.

  "Nobody is allowed to move, put down your swords." She sternly said with a straight face, and after several Imperial Guards complied, she smiled slyly and said, "The principle of capturing the leader first, hasn't your great commander taught you? Today, I'll waive the tuition fee, learn from it."

  Jin Yiwei and his group of five or six people were actually deceived by her, and they all felt a bit stunned.

  The situation was too strange, they came to catch her, but she was caught by Ma Qianhe who had been watching from the sidelines?

  Especially, those moves she used, they had never seen them before.

  "You... put down your sword, deceitful and treacherous, what kind of hero are you?"

  At the beginning of summer, Qi Qi burst out laughing, "Those who can win a fight are called heroes. Those who can't are all called cowards."

  If it's about martial arts, Xia Zhiqi is certainly not as good as them. But the way she kills people is a special forces' "one move to defeat the enemy", all of which are things concluded from countless blood and lives. Anyone who has been a soldier knows that when fighting, showing off fancy moves is useless, the more complex the moves look, the more they are only suitable for performing on stage. Apart from looking good when practiced, killing people is not the way to go. In the Red Thorn Special Warfare Team, their training in hand-to-hand combat has only one goal: one move to defeat the enemy, one move to kill, and the move must be clean and efficient, without leaving any room for the opponent to counterattack. If you don't make a move, that's fine, but once you do, it's to kill.

  Maybe...

  She still felt that she was too kind to herself.

  The sword tip drew a few lines on Ma Qianhu's neck, and she slowly rolled up a white eye.

  "Consider yourself lucky, you son of a turtle, and I don't feel like killing anyone today. Otherwise, your head wouldn't be able to eat tomorrow's plain rice."

  Ma Qian's neck was cool and refreshing, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, but his mouth was still fierce.

  "Kid, if you have the guts, then kill me..."

  What? There's still someone who isn't afraid of death?

  Learning from the Eastern Demon's carefree demeanor, Xia Chun Qi slanted his lips and smiled slyly. The sharp sword grazed against Ma Qian Hu's neck as he spoke in a soft tone, "Stunned? I don't like killing people, but I especially enjoy playing with them. I haven't forgotten the various ways your family's Grand Commander treated me. Don't worry, the suffering I endured in that coffin won't be wasted."

  She said with a smile, but Ma Qianhu was so frightened that his face turned pale, "What do you want to do?"

  "What to do?" Xia Chun's eyebrows furrowed, seemingly struggling to press the sword harder against his neck, then smiled and tilted his lips, revealing a big smile.

  "Hand over the silver."

  “……”

  Not just Ma Qianhu, several Jin Yiwei were also stunned.

  How could they have known that a money-grabber is what kind of moral character? And how could they have imagined that at this critical moment of confrontation between the two sides, the little brat would directly ask for money like a bandit on the road?

  Ma Qianhu swallowed his saliva, slowly took out the money bag from his bosom, and secretly winked at the person under his hand.

  "Alright, it's all yours."

  "Hey, why doesn't it look like a corrupt official's?" Xia Chuyi weighed the money bag and wasn't very satisfied.

  She turned her head, pressed the sword and looked at several other Jin Yiwei who were about to make a move. "Don't play tricks, it's not easy to escape your grandfather's eyes. You, you, and what are you called? What sheep, what pig... Hurry up, hurry up. Take out all the silver coins. Otherwise, Grandfather will kill your leader."

  Bang...

  Bang...

  Soon, several more wallets were dropped in front of her.

  At the beginning of summer, Seventh picked up the money bag one by one with his foot and stared at those people. He carefully picked it up and put it in his arms, only then was he satisfied to hook up his lips. However, even if he had already taken their silver, the revenge she had been holding onto since that day in the coffin would not be so easily avenged. That didn't quite fit her personality of having to avenge every grievance.

  "Alright, the silver has been received, the game officially starts."

  As soon as he heard this, Ma Qianhu's face turned even darker. "What exactly do you want? Do you want to kill or skin me? Come on then, damn it!"

  "I won't kill you, nor will I skin you. I just like to play with you, how's that? You and the rest of you, take off your clothes, kneel on the ground, and sing together... We are pests, we are pests, come and get us with enemy poison." She demonstrated by singing two lines, then scowled and loudly ordered Ma Qianhu, "Make them hurry up, or I'll cut off your ears and stew them to drink with wine."

  "You..."

  Looking at Ma Qianhu's green face and the completely stunned expressions of those people, Xia Chuyi felt a great sense of satisfaction in her heart, and the feeling of revenge came very strongly.

  It's indeed more pleasant to pick up after others, no wonder Zhao is so enthusiastic about this activity.

  She thought to herself, her hand on the sword moved down slightly, and she smiled mysteriously.

  "I'll count to three, and if they still haven't made a move, I'll castrate you with one knife cut. Then you can directly get promoted to the palace to become a eunuch..."

  His lips trembled as if he was being pushed to the limit, and Ma Qianhu, who was also a man with blood, closed his eyes tightly.

  "It's permissible to kill a gentleman, but not to humiliate him. Brothers, don't bother about me, take him away and report back to the Grand Commander."

  "Good, you're brave." Pointing at Ma Qianhu's neck, the sharp sword pressed down, and a blood bead emerged. In his painful gasps, Xia Chuqi turned around and smiled at the few Jin Yiwei guards, "Are you sure? Strip or not?"

  These people are also used to being arrogant and bullying others in their daily lives, and they don't show any mercy when taking advantage of others...

  But none of them have ever encountered someone who robbed them of their money, forced them to take off their clothes, and then asked them to sing again.

  "King Two, Zhu Three, you guys come up here, don't mind me, just go up..."

  Ma Qianhuo was probably quite prestigious on a daily basis, and for this reason, those few people were afraid that Xia Chuyi had really hurt their leader. After a moment of silence, under her seemingly smiling but actually piercing gaze, the one called Wang Er suddenly took off his outer garment.

  "My goodness, take it off if you must, but gentlemen, are you afraid of taking off your clothes?"

  He took off one and threw it on the ground, and several others also took theirs off.

  Xia Chuqi smiled with narrowed eyes, "Continue undressing, sing while you take off your clothes. Sing that you are pests... hurry up!"

  "We...are pests..." someone whispered out loud.

  Ma Qian's forehead was covered in cold sweat, his head hung low, and his voice was tinged with sorrow and grief. "Brothers, what is the point of this? I, Ma Renyi, can endure humiliation, but how can I let you all follow me in suffering humiliation? How can our Jin Yiwei suffer such humiliation at the hands of this little brat?"

  A few people's compromise knocked down the last straw in his heart, especially when a weak and feeble young man threatened to strip off his subordinates' clothes by drawing his neck, it was simply a great humiliation for a grown man.

  In the next instant, Ma Qianhuo didn't say a word and charged towards Xia Chuyi's sword.

  But where would she give him the opportunity?

  "Not afraid of death, but afraid of being humiliated?"

  She was startled for a moment, then quickly grabbed him.

  Although she knew that these people were arch-enemies, if she fell into their hands, the means by which they would deal with her might be even more ruthless than this. But she really couldn't do such a thing as to bully and rob men.

  "Alright, alright, don't undress, your scrawny body isn't worth looking at anyway. This is the condition: as long as you all write a confession for me and sign it, testifying that Dongfang Qingxuan instructed you to kidnap the personal attendant of Prince Jin's mansion, with the intention of opposing the prince, I'll let you off this time. Otherwise... the game isn't over yet..."

  "Kid, don't be delusional, we can't betray our commander."

  Ma Qianhu spat and shouted coarsely again, telling people not to bother him, but it stunned Xia Chuyi.

  I didn't expect that Dongfang Qingxuan still has die-hard fans?

  Her lips curled slightly, she ignored Ma Qianhu and coldly stared at the others, "What about you? Are you also unwilling? If so, I'll tell you a heartfelt truth, just for this time, if you mess up this task, can you explain it to your commander? Honestly, sooner or later it's all the same, why not plan a better future for yourself?"

  Although his words were simple, those people weren't fools and naturally knew about Dongfang Qingyun's methods.

  That day when they received their orders outside Chongning County, they had already made a pact to live or die together. If something went wrong, it would be hard to explain themselves when they got back.

  Someone shouted in a low voice, "Ma Qianhu, it's better for us..."

  " Cowardly son of a prisoner, come on! Take this guy." Ma Qianhu shouted again.

  The summer is just around the corner and everything looks great.

  In her past life, she was a military doctor who did good deeds and saved lives. She had always been on the side of doing good, but now the situation has completely reversed. She found herself playing the role of a bandit, while those Jin Yiwei guards who were originally supposed to capture her had become the pitiful ones being coerced? Especially that Ma Qianhu, shouting so righteously, it was almost as classic as the phrase "Fire at me"...

  Silently giving him a thumbs up, she was about to continue deceiving him when a soft voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate.

  "A place of quiet contemplation for Buddhists, yet they openly wielded weapons and killed people. The attendants under the King of Jin's command indeed had some courage!"

  That voice was slow and gentle, yet carried a lingering chill of murderous intent.

  Besides Dongfang Qingyun, who else can be so enchanting?

  Wow! On the seventh day of summer vacation, I thought about it and felt that this time was really lively. How did he also get involved?

  Soon, she saw a red robe with a beautiful and charming face. Except for Dongfang Qingxuan himself, dozens of men in brocade clothes and armor suddenly rushed into the Zen temple, completely surrounding them.

  Did you come prepared? Things won't be that easy anymore.

  On the seventh day of summer, Xiaoyi sneaked a peek at Zhao Zun's resting room and wondered how he could sleep so soundly.

  Pulling on Ma Qianhu's reins, Xia Zhongsi added a few more strokes to his sword, and smiled as he opened his lips.

  "The Dongfang Dazhuguo's counter-attack skills have really improved day by day, it seems that the more you bite, the better."

  "Oh, did I say something wrong?" Ignoring the scolding implication in her tone, Dongfang Qingxuan's smile spread from the corner of his lips, and he glanced at her before turning to look at Daoshi Dachang, the abbot of Puzhao Temple, and several other high-ranking monks who had followed him, "Daoshi Dachang, you all take a good look, how is this person coercing my Jin Yiwei subordinates?"

  "Are you still shameless?" Before the old monk could speak, Xia Chuyi snorted and interrupted, "Can one person coerce a group of people? Doesn't that prove that all of you Jin Yiwei are just a bunch of useless fools?"

  She has always been sharp-tongued, while Dongfang Qingxuan's temper has always been very "gentle".

  "What the eyes see is the truth."

  He said, his light amber eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke in a gentle voice, "Someone's coming!"

  With a sudden movement, several brocade-clad guards stepped forward, their voices in unison as they held their knives and clasped their fists, "Great Commander!"

  "Take down that little brat who humiliated and coerced the Thousand Households of the Brocade Guard, and send him to the capital for investigation."

  Brocade Guard Commander, this official position is actually not small at all. Ma Qianhu being able to hold such a position, Xia Chuyi suspected that it was really because of his "dead loyalty" to Dongfang Qingxuan. Otherwise, the guy didn't have any redeeming qualities. However, if Dongfang Yaoren had indeed distorted the truth and pinned such a crime on him, sending him to the capital for investigation would be extremely reasonable. But holding Zhao Zhu's sword in hand and watching the Brocade Guard approach step by step, Xia Chuyi couldn't shake off the feeling that this matter was not ordinary.

  How would Dongfang Qingyun know she was here?

  Bumped into each other? It's impossible to be so coincidental.

  Something's off! Just as she was about to let out a loud shout for Zhao Zhu, his low and husky voice came from behind her.

  "What the Eastern Grandmaster sees with his eyes may not necessarily be the truth."

  On the seventh day of summer, my heart felt at ease. As I turned my head, I saw Zhao Zhen wearing a dignified and elegant silk robe with a black cloak casually draped over his shoulder, as if he hadn't slept well. His beautiful eyes were half-open, half-closed, and his already handsome face was even more stunning under his calm and composed expression, unparalleled in the world.

  She snorted softly and Xia Chuqi had an idea. She pushed Ma Qianhu away, walked to his side, and whispered softly.

  "Are you a reincarnation of the sleep god? It's so loud outside, and you still haven't woken up?"

  Zhao Zun seemed to have not seen Dongfang Qingxuan and the others in the Chan temple, he just slightly lowered his head, gave her a warning glance, before softly saying.

  "Who made you so happy last night?"

  "...At the beginning of summer, Zhang opened his mouth to refute, but received his profound gaze, and had to shut up. Alright, who let them be brothers, just bear with it."

  "You're dressed like that and ran out, what if you catch a cold?" Zhao Zun's rarely gentle gaze still lingered on her face, as if he was pampering her to the extreme, not caring if people would suspect him of having "that" tendency. He quickly took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders, adjusting it carefully and tying it securely before casually putting his arm around her shoulder, gazing out at the Eastern Qingyun with a distant expression.

  "Long time no see, Master Dongfang."

  His recent move has scared a lot of people silly.

  At the sound, almost no one came back to their senses. Only Dongfang Qingxuan's expression was the most calm. "It's just a few days," he said lightly with a smile as he stepped forward, his eyes gleaming like an open red peony. "However, Your Highness's first sentence earlier, Qingxuan didn't quite understand. If according to what you said, everything seen by the eyes isn't true, then what is true? Could Your Highness enlighten me?"

  Without changing his expression, Zhao Zhuo grasped Xia Chuqi's shoulder, his voice carrying a chilling coldness that pierced to the bone, each word falling like a heavy object.

  "What the king says is truth, is truth."

  This sentence is simply arrogant to the extreme.

  Nowadays, in this temple and Chan courtyard, it is really impossible to find someone more noble than the King of Jin. It should be known that the current emperor believes in the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism and has always positioned it as the orthodox school. Therefore, people at that time attached great importance to the concept of hierarchy, even if Zhao Zun was arrogant and domineering, he was a prince of the heavenly family, and his arrogance was justified, no one dared to say half a word against him.

  The cold wind blows quietly.

  The leaves of the banyan tree rustle and flutter.

  After a moment of silence, Zhao Zun's cold gaze fell on Dongfang Qingxuan's face once again.

  "Sir from the East, do you have any objections?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan just smiled, "Nothing."

  Zhao Zun raised an eyebrow, "Then, I dare ask, Lord Dongfang, you who have come to the king's resting Chan temple, what do you intend to do with the person you want to take away?"

  "I apologize for the sudden intrusion, I didn't know Your Excellency was resting here." Dongfang Qingxuan's phoenix-like eyes curved slightly as she spoke with utmost respect, but her expression showed not a hint of fear. "Yesterday, the Jiangyan Dam suddenly burst, triggering a flood disaster that occurs only once in a century. Upon learning that Your Excellency encountered danger in Jinsha Village, I joined forces with several high-ranking officials from the Sichuan Prefectural Government and the Jincheng Prefectural Government to organize a rescue team to search for Your Excellency along the way. Today, one of my hundred-man commanders saw the signal arrow shot by Your Excellency on Zhangren Mountain and hastily brought people over. Fortunately, Your Excellency is safe, what a great fortune!"

  Resonant arrow?

  Xia Chui Qi turned her head and glanced at Zhao Zhu.

  The fire arrow is a kind of signal rocket in this era, also made using the principle of gunpowder. When did he shoot the fire arrow? The only possibility was when she went to line up for porridge. But she couldn't quite figure it out - if Zhao had such a useful thing on him, why didn't he use it last night? Why did he have to let her be scared by the snake and spend a sleepless night before shooting it off at Jianshan?

  Her mind was full of doubts, she thought this was a joke.

  Looking at the current situation, Zhao Zun's arrow has not brought Chen Jing and others over, but instead brought Dongfang Qingxuan.

  Zhao You still stroked her shoulder, as if comforting her slightly, with a long and majestic sleeve that was noble beyond ordinary things.

  "Since you, Lord Dongfang, are aware of the danger I faced in Jinsha Village, then shouldn't you give me an explanation about what happened there?"

  "Is it a replacement?" Dongfang Qingxuan brushed off the fiery red long gown, walked over slowly, and slightly hooked his tender pink lips that were tempting to commit a crime, saying something with unclear meaning.

  "Your Highness wants to hand over, Qing Xuan naturally dares not disobey"

  Soft and gentle words had just been spoken halfway, when in the next blink of an eye, a flash of knife light was seen. The Eastern Grand Commander, with a flirtatious smile on his face, didn't even change his expression, and the embroidered spring knife in his hand had already been unsheathed. Under the reflection of his large red python robe, were Ma Qian's widest eyes in this lifetime, as well as the bright red blood that splashed out from his body, more vibrant than fire.

  "Plop!"

  The sound of a knife entering flesh was dull and terrifying.

  One, another, five in a row, Eastern Green Mystical hand rises and knife falls. The sound is as gentle as a lover's whisper.

  "You dare to offend His Highness, the King of Jin, and secretly take away his attendants. You almost let him die in the flood. And yet you still have the audacity to chase after us here, intentionally causing me to misunderstand. Your crime is punishable by death, and your life is not worth sparing."

  The last eight words he spoke very slowly, but announced the fate of five people.

  Only to see that the big red ribbon fluttered between, several Jin Yiwei who were on a mission in Jinsa Village had knives in their hearts one by one. Not a single hum was heard, and they fell straight down. Dongfang Qingxuan's pair of narrow and long phoenix eyes still had a smile, and his face as white as condensed jade didn't change color at all.

  On the seventh day of summer, I was shocked and speechless.

  Those other five people died, they failed in their mission, were killed by the boss or silenced, that was because they didn't have enough loyalty to Dongfang Qingxuan. But Ma Qianhu, although a bit rough, was someone who would protect his people, even if it meant dying for them, he wouldn't betray him. However, Dongfang Qingxuan showed no mercy and killed him with the first strike.

  Ma Qianhu thought of the guy who had been fooled by him not long ago, and thought that he still had his silver in his arms. When she looked at Dongfang Qingxuan again, her eyes changed slightly.

  This person...

  She was so furious that even her hair follicles were unhealthy.

  In this bloody and shocking scene, the Zen temple has been quiet for a long time.

  Slowly, Dongfang Qingyun drew out the Embroidered Spring Knife stained with fresh blood, smiled at Zhao Zhen, and asked with a beautiful face.

  "Your Highness, is the handover of Qingxuan still clear?"

  Everyone has a different expression, but Zhao Ziluo is the only one who doesn't have any expression. Or perhaps he just doesn't think there's anything wrong with killing a few people, and calmly says, "Lord Dongfang is indeed straightforward."

  "It is only right to serve Your Highness." Dongfang Qingxuan said softly, taking the white handkerchief handed over by Rufeng and slowly wiping away the bloodstains on the embroidered spring knife, treating it like his treasure, wiping it with great care. His mouth continued to speak, "The Jiangyan Dam has been neglected for years, resulting in a breach of the dam body. Qingxuan has already sent an urgent message 800 miles back to the capital, requesting that the Emperor deal with the Jin City Prefecture's river course and hold the Vice Censor-in-Chief accountable for dereliction of duty."

  Zhao You's expression didn't change, and he said coldly, "Matters that have nothing to do with me, Lord Dongfang doesn't need to report."

  "That being said..."

  The Eastern Blue Mystic suddenly laughed and lengthened his voice, with that bloody wind posture, he walked towards them step by step, his gentle voice warm as the spring breeze.

  "Qing Gang County's Lian Nian Village had a well that hadn't dried up in 100 years, but during the heavy rain two days ago, it suddenly gushed out large amounts of bloody water. When villagers went to investigate, they found a woman's corpse with no wounds inside, as well as an ancient stone tablet buried for thousands of years. And you know what? The villagers are all saying that it was because Mrs. Liu, who was fetching water, offended the Well God, which is why she suffered such a mysterious death..."

  This matter Xia Zhiqi had a plan in her heart, and the Liu family's affair was also hinted at by Fan Congliang. Originally, she just wanted to give him a warning, but who would have thought that Fan Congliang would take her life?

  Her heart thudded, she looked up to see Zhao Zun Han's face was stiff, his voice extremely light as he said, "Lord Dongfang, when did you become interested in these ghost stories?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan gently stroked the corner of his forehead, only pursing his lips and smiling. "Qingxuan is not interested in ghostly affairs, but he is particularly interested in a poem on that unearthed stone tablet."

  Zhao Zun lightly hummed and spoke in a cold tone, "Is there still something like this?"

  "Dongfang Qingxuan's smile grew even more radiant, 'Your Highness, would you like to hear what poem it is?'"

  Zhao You looked over with a lukewarm expression, "If Lord Dongfang is willing to speak, I'll listen. It's no big deal."

  Phoenix eyes shallowly closed, Eastern Qing Xuan's slow and leisurely thoughts.

  Alongside Jin River, taking advantage of the east wind

  King Shu of Southern Tang conquered Wuna in Zhong.

  Climb high and look far, mountains and rivers are there.

  The foundation was laid by Ma Hualong.

  As soon as this poem came out, it shocked everyone on earth.

  Although it's not an era where everyone recites poetry, the people in this temple, from the brocade guards to the old monks, are not simple characters. Even if you're a bit foolish, you can still tell that this is a hidden-head poem, and taking its first line gives the meaning "Duke of Jin ascends to the throne".

  "His Majesty's dragon body is still healthy and strong, with good fortune and longevity... Your Highness, do you need Qing Xuan to remind you?" Dongfang Qingxuan smiled and stared at Zhao Zhu, her eyes gleaming with a sly light, as if she didn't want to miss any expression on his face.

  "Is there such a strange thing?" Unfortunately, Zhao Zun's expression was extremely calm, "This king has never heard of it before."

  "Now that you've heard it, Your Highness thinks, according to Qingxuan's duties, how should he do his job?" Dongfang Qingxuan asked with a smile.

  "Eastern Sir, what do you think should be done?" Cutting off his words, Zhao's voice carried a hint of chill.

  "Your Highness moved the troops from Wu Na to Shu, but has been delaying returning to the capital to report for duty. Now that the imperial court is already beset on all sides with troubles, another 'strange occurrence' has appeared in Qing Gang. What will the Emperor think? What will the people of the empire think? What will the officials at court think? In this situation, Qing Yuan can only follow the Emperor's edict and 'request' that Your Highness return to the capital."

  Dongfang Qingxuan finished speaking, and the demon's face lifted into a smile. The large red sleeves gently fluttered upwards.

  "Someone has arrived, please ask King Jin to return to the capital."

  "Yes!" several Jin Yiwei guards responded loudly.

  Action has not yet begun, but in front of the arched gate of the Zen temple, a figure suddenly darted over.

  "Great Commander, wait!"

  Everyone's gaze turned to the old monk wearing a cassock. The Jin Yiwei, who were waiting in array, had already drawn their embroidered spring knives, with cold glints exposed, awaiting Dongfang Qingxuan's next command, ready to stir up another bloody storm at any moment.

  "Master Daochang, what do you mean by this?" Dongfang Qingxuan asked with a smile, being very polite.

  Amitabha Buddha

  He shouted a Buddhist slogan, just when Xia Qi was in doubt. He saw the old monk who was said to be highly accomplished and had a divine aura, with his hands clasped together, his whole person seemed to be communicating with the gods, muttering to himself.

  "A few days ago, a rare and severe rainstorm occurred, and yesterday, the Qianjiang Dam burst its banks again. I, an old monk, couldn't sleep at night, feeling sympathy for the suffering of all living beings, fearing that there might be a warning from heaven. So, I spent the whole night studying the 'Push Back Diagram' written by our ancestors according to the Eight Trigrams of the I Ching."

  "Oh?" Dongfang Qingyun smiled, "Did Dachang Master have any epiphany?"

  The old monk's tone was solemn, "The Eastern Governor must know that for decades since our great nation was founded, the government has been clean and the current emperor is even more wise and martial. But why did this heavenly disaster suddenly occur at this time? There is a heavenly way with every heavenly disaster. This is the usual state of affairs. Although I am foolish, I have also come to a conclusion according to the guidance of the 'Push Back Diagram'..."

  Dao Chang Lao Shang said up to here, sold a suspense, stopped.

  At this time, the commotion here attracted more and more people. However, due to the presence of so many Jin Yiwei guards, those people only watched from a distance, listening but not daring to enter the temple grounds.

  Seeing that the old monk was slow to speak, Dongfang Qingxuan smiled and said, "Master, you may speak freely."

  Dao Chang Lao and Shang looked up at the sky, then immediately clasped his hands together in a Buddhist greeting, and with a thud, he knelt down heavily in the direction of the capital.

  "As the Grand Tutor asked, I, an old monk, will risk my life to speak the truth for the sake of the people's well-being. In the past, I was chosen by our great Emperor Hongtai to serve as a attendant to Prince Jin, but I failed to fulfill my duty and escaped to Sichuan to live in seclusion, not wanting to get involved in worldly affairs again. However, now that heaven is showing warning signs, I have no choice but to speak out. Remember when the emperor first ascended to the throne, he appointed his eldest son as crown prince, and the world was at peace. But now, with the crown prince gravely ill, the emperor intends to follow ancestral tradition and appoint his eldest grandson as heir, which is in line with the teachings of our ancestors, but according to the warning signs in the 'Push Back Diagram', this is actually a sign that our great Yan dynasty is about to decline from prosperity."

  "How dare you! You're just spouting nonsense!" Dongfang Qingxuan's expression changed, "Guards! Take down this old monk and send him to the capital for punishment."

  "How dare you!" Zhao Zhuang shouted in a cold voice, "Does the Eastern Great King really think that I am just a decoration?"

  The words had just fallen, and the temple, which was originally surrounded by the Imperial Guards, suddenly saw a large number of Golden Guards pouring in from the rooftops and the gate. The leaders were Zhao's twelve most trusted guards, each with a powerful stride, wearing armor and carrying swords, exuding an aura of power. In just a short moment, they had already surrounded the Imperial Guards, clearly having the upper hand in terms of numbers.

  "Master, please continue." Zhao Zun didn't look at Dongfang Qingxuan, his mannerisms were stern and imposing.

  "Yes, Your Excellency." Dao Chang Laohe got the order and his voice became even louder, saying that it was a wonderful combination of tone and emotion, and every word pointed to Dongfang Qingxuan. "I dare to ask, Commander-in-Chief. If you say that the 'Push Back Diagram' is just a warning from our family, it's not enough to adopt. But now, in Shu, there have been continuous heavy rains, causing disasters for the people, and even the Weijiangyan water conservancy project, which has been undecided for over a thousand years, suddenly burst its banks and destroyed the dam? And what about the ancient well of Lian Nian, where a thousand-year-old stone tablet suddenly appeared in the world? Commander-in-Chief, this is indeed a warning from Heaven..."

  I don't know what others think, but Xia Qi's heart has been made to thump wildly by this old monk.

  She always felt that these things were getting more and more bizarre.

  She glanced sideways and stole a glance at Zhao Zhu.

  He remained calm and expressionless, without revealing any emotions.

  Only the sound of Tao Chang and Shang slowly saying, "Great Commander, from the ancient stone stele that appeared in the old well in Lianyuan, I suddenly realized the heavenly secret... Thinking about our great Yan dynasty, although there are many talents, the literary and military strategies of King Jin's palace are obvious to everyone. Conquering the northern desert and southern borders, it only took a short period of time for King Jin's horse hooves to spread across the borders of our great Yan, his reputation spreading far and wide across the four seas, his power, virtue, and character making enemies tremble, making the people praise him, making all the ministers and citizens bow down. Combining this with the guidance of the 'Push Back Diagram', I dare to speak again, originally using my own head as a guarantee, our great Yan dynasty must have a clear river and peaceful people, all states obeying, the monarch and ministers in harmony, the emperor must establish King Jin's palace as the crown prince, only then can he support the state and resolve the crisis of the shaking foundation of our great Yan country, otherwise there will be great chaos."

  A very eloquent and lengthy speech.

  Those words, that tone, startled Xia Chuqi into a daze.

  If she wasn't born in the 21st century, it's estimated that people would really have to believe that except for Zhao Zun, no one else could sit on the throne. Otherwise, there would be thunder and lightning in the sky, violent winds, heavy rain, floods, and possibly even earthquakes, and ordinary people wouldn't be able to survive. Except for Zhao Zun's stabilizing needle, no one else could stabilize this great Jiangshan.

  To be honest, this was originally part of her plan.

  Now, looking at the extent of implementation, it is far more meticulous than her original plan. Every link is in place, even including the heavy rain, the bursting of the dam, the appearance of a high-ranking monk, Ma Qian's search for trouble, and the shooting of the arrow - all are within Zhao Zun's calculations. Not too much or too little, just like the nine linked rings, if one ring is missing, they won't fit together. She thought that if someone were to tell him now that the river dam at Xuanjiang was actually destroyed by someone sent by Zhao Zun, she might even believe it. Of course, this assumes that the two of them had not shared a life-or-death experience in the floodwaters.

  The old monk's voice had just fallen over there.

  Zhao Zun didn't say a word, and Dongfang Qingxuan started clapping his hands with a "pa pa" sound.

  "Master Daochang, you are still as... eloquent and articulate. Truly worthy of the title bestowed upon you by His Majesty."

  Amitabha Buddha

  The old monk Dao Chang loudly chanted a Buddha's name and immediately stood up with his palms together.

  "When a general sets out on an expedition, he does not speak deceitfully. The great commander must not guess or suspect the will of Heaven, lest he incur its wrath and punishment."

  Eastern Qingxuan chuckled softly, slightly narrowing his eyes, the smile at the corner of his lips had not yet faded, and the entire temple was already filled with the whispers of the common people, saying things like "Only King Jin's son is the true heir" and "If the emperor's grandson is made crown prince, do we still have a way to live?" This made Xia Chuyi realize that even the timing of these common people's appearance was so seamless, it was really beneficial for future dissemination.

  Then, also don't know in whose incitement, a courtyard of Jinwei army and the common people who were avoiding flood disaster, one by one "plop plop", like putting dumplings into a pot, knelt on the cold and wet ground.

  "Long live Your Highness, the King of Jin, for a thousand years, a thousand years, and ten thousand years..."

  "Please, great commander, sympathize with the people of the world and let our people's will be heard by heaven..."

  The earth-shaking roar, with an imposing momentum, carrying a shocking attitude that can swallow mountains and rivers, shouting to the point of moving heaven and earth...

  This play is simply too wonderful.

  In one word, it's **undulating**.

  Xia Chuqi had been hiding in Zhao Yu's arms, watching the scene with wide eyes, until Dongfang Yao's stunningly beautiful face sank down, and he left with his Jin Yiwei guards, she still hadn't recovered from one surprise after another.

  From start to finish, there was only one winner.

  Dongfang Qingxuan originally wanted to take control of Zhao Yu, but he was easily shaken off by him.

  It's clear who will win and who will lose, so there is no need for her to say more.

  With just a pair of slightly narrowed eyes, when they fell on Zhao Zun's body, her thoughts became even more complicated.

  Quietly, coldly, without a sound, wherever he goes, people kneel down to worship him. That's him.

  To be honest, Xia Qi has never thought of herself as a person who is at a loss for words, but at this moment, amidst the rising and falling sounds of praise, she couldn't find an accurate word to describe the nobility and charm of the man beside her.

  She didn't dare to use "handsome", that's blasphemy. She didn't dare to use "cool", that's too superficial. She didn't dare to use "good-looking", that's too ordinary. She couldn't find any adjective to describe him.

  No matter how beautiful the words are, they cannot bear such a great responsibility.

  "Your Highness... Please protect us..."

  "Your Highness..."

  Her ears were always filled with these words.

  It wasn't until the Jin Wei army had efficiently evacuated the civilians and cleaned up the bloody bodies at the scene that she still stood there silently, holding the sword she had taken from Zhao Jun's bedside.

  "Little slave," a low, familiar voice suddenly entered his ears, "not willing to leave yet?"

  At the beginning of summer, she puckered up her mouth and forced out a complicated smile.

  "I've always known you're formidable, but I never thought you'd be this formidable. It's not like I can blame myself for being outplayed by you. You must have woken up a long time ago, right? Listening to me and others fighting in circles, waiting for Dongfang Qingyun to capture me, also waiting for the crucial moment to come out and show off your affection with me, and then turn the tables on him. Waiting for him to say those ancient stone tablet words from the well in front of everyone, you had already planned to come to this Zhangren Mountain and fire the arrow, luring him here. But you're colluding with Dao Chang monk on some 'Pushing Back Diagram', some heavenly warning, some protection of all living things... it's all just nonsense! You're playing with people all by yourself!"

  Zhao Zun furrowed his brow, moved his lips, and wanted to say something.

  But in the end, he still didn't speak up, just gazing at her lightly.

  "On the seventh day of summer, she playfully scolded him with a smile and gave him a thumbs up. 'Master, you're simply an ancestor of evil intentions! Of course, I'm not mocking you, but truly praising you. Someone like you, living without any opponents, would be quite boring, right? So, I thought it'd be fun to tease you a bit, and that's why I brought you here, holding you in the palm of my hand, watching you jump around... Hmm, think about it, you couldn't possibly not have any spies planted near Dongfang Yaoren, could you? Come to think of it, I'm starting to suspect that you knew all along about Dongfang Qingyun's kidnapping of me. Otherwise, how would you have coincidentally appeared in Jinsha Village and rescued me from the coffin?"

  Zhao Zun's face was expressionless, "Are you done?"

  It was early summer. The seventh day of the seventh month had just passed, and the weather was getting hotter. He moistened his throat, stretched out his hand, threw the sword to him, "It's over. Now it's your turn, do you have anything to say?"

  He naturally patted her head with one hand, his movements very intimate, but the words that came out of his mouth were still so infuriating to her.

  "Oh yeah. That poem of yours, it's really poorly written. What's with the pretentious title? It's just a childish nonsense verse from some rural private school student, who would believe that?"

  Having said that, he left with a flourish.

  "Little slave, follow me"

  Looking at his slender and tall figure under the black robe, Xia Chuqi pulled down his cloak and scolded him secretly.

  Zhao, you're such a cheap person!

  She never wrote poetry in her life, was she easy on herself?

  Girls, happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

  Two matters to discuss. Firstly, the chapter is a bit long and I'm blind, so please forgive any typos. Secondly, do you girls think that our 19th Master is handsome? Does he have a charming smile? If you think so, then please throw your monthly tickets, evaluation votes, and all other votes into the bowl for me. Thank you in advance...

  It's been a long time since I last slapped you in the face, huh? Come on, let me give you one.

  Two Jins (already rolled away): See you tomorrow, love. Don't forget to eat your buns.

  Acknowledgments:

  Miss Lixinzhi, congratulations on your promotion! Love you.

  "Apple sauce" Madam, the bill is ready.

  PS: On the second day, the 1000th subscriber is 【juran1202】, and the 2000th subscriber is... none. Haha, let's all laugh at me, yesterday's highest subscription was only over 1700. Hmm, please ask juran1202 to join the QQ group and find the administrator.