[Wuxia] Wandering Freely in the Tang Dynasty (Complete) - 15

Chapter 47
The morning after the Battle of Luoyang.
The Battle of Luoyang entered its second day.
Wang Shichong, feigning composure, summoned his key generals and issued formal military orders.
Lang Feng was appointed as the main commander of Luoyang, with Wang Xuanying and Wang Xuanshu as his deputies. Song Mengqiu was dispatched with 15,000 troops to secretly advance towards Yanshi in batches. The heavily wounded Yang Gongqing was tasked with leading 20,000 troops in a fierce attack on Jinyong City.
Although the generals didn't understand why such an arrangement was made under such overwhelming military pressure, they knew Wang Shichong was indeed a master strategist, and he must have his reasons. They accepted the orders and left.
After the military meeting, dawn broke, and a light drizzle began to fall.
The drizzle lasted for over an hour, then the sky changed drastically; dark clouds obscured the sun, thunder and lightning flashed, and the drizzle instantly turned into a downpour!
With the help of the heavy rain, the ground became extremely muddy, and only sporadic skirmishes occurred between the two sides that day.
※※※※※ Yang Gongqing's residence.
In the secluded room within the study, several people sat around, seemingly discussing something.
Among them were Yang Gongqing, Wei Zhenzhen, and surprisingly, Song Shidao.
Yang and Wei both looked unwell, as if seriously ill.
Song Shidao, however, maintained his refined and scholarly demeanor, but his eyes now held a newfound wisdom and boldness.
After recounting for a while, Yang Gongqing sighed, "I thought Wang Shichong was so foolish as to hand over military power to his eldest son, but it turns out he gave it to Lang
Feng. It seems he still has a sliver of clarity." Song Shidao paused for a moment, as if he had sorted out his thoughts, and said, "So, it's meant that you, Yang Gongqing, are used as bait to lure Li Mi's troops stationed in Jinyong City. After all, that's not the main battlefield, and he still doesn't trust you. Right now, the person he fears most is you. If this tactic of yours really works, then Song Mengqiu can better defend Yanshi and then attack the sparsely defended Jinyong City, thereby disrupting Li Mi's formation. But why give you so many troops? Is it just to lure the enemy?"
Yang Gongqing... He laughed and said, "How could that be? Now that Luoyang is besieged, a suspicious man like him wouldn't use so many of my men as bait. These 20,000 men are all my trusted confidants. If Wang Shichong's plan succeeds last night, then these men will be forced to accept their fate. But I'm not dead yet, so Wang Shichong's scheme cannot succeed. He sent me and my personal guards away, firstly as bait, and secondly to indirectly weaken my forces, causing both sides to suffer heavy losses. That old fox, even on his last breath, is still so cunning."
Song Shidao nodded and said, "Now that Li Mi's 100,000 men are surrounding the city, I really can't understand why Wang Shichong would dare to take such a risky move."
The other two also looked puzzled.
After a long pause, Yang Gongqing spoke up, "There's no use talking about it now. Judging from the sky, the heavy rain will stop soon, and dusk will arrive soon. We should set off."
Wei Zhenzhen interjected, "Isn't Yang Gong waiting for Linglong?"
Yang Gongqing smiled awkwardly, "I was too busy putting on an act today and forgot about Linglong."
He then recalled the vicious look in Wang Shichong's eyes when he saw his severely injured state, and how Wang Shichong only looked disappointed and offered a few perfunctory words of comfort when he told him that Linglong had been dismembered while saving him. Yang Gongqing said bitterly, "Linglong and I have served him for many years, but in the end, he only used us as pawns. This time, he will not only lose his wife, but also his troops, and even his own life and the plan for the Ming Dynasty to invade the Central Plains will be lost!"
Song Shidao smiled bitterly after hearing this, "Shidao has also become a pawn of my brother-in-law."
Seeing the puzzled looks on Yang and Wei's faces, Song Shidao explained, "My brother-in-law has the world and all its people in his heart, but in the end, he only pacifies the world, while I will have to wait until his ideal reforms succeed before I can regain my freedom. What else is this but a pawn?"
Yang and Wei couldn't help but smile. They naturally understood the joke in Song Shidao's words.
Yang Gongqing sighed, "Your plan is so grand it's terrifying! I will certainly do my best to assist Master Song in the future and contribute my share."
Wei Zhenzhen also smiled sweetly, "Second brother should know my husband's temperament; it's not that he's unwilling, but that he simply can't."
Song Shidao laughed, and just as he was about to reply, a soft, rhythmic knock came from outside the door.
Yang Gongqing was overjoyed and whispered, "Linglong is back."
After a low shout, the door was gently pushed open, and a figure with an ugly face, a petite figure, and wearing a straw raincoat slipped in.
Wei Zhenzhen got up to help him take off the raincoat, and Linglong delicately pulled off the mask on her face, sat down at the table, looking tired, but with a hint of joy mixed in.
After taking a few sips of tea, Linglong Jiao said, "Today's harvest has been quite fruitful."
The three looked at her expectantly. Linglong Jiao continued, "Li Mi has secretly moved a large number of troops to Jinyong. Jinyong, which originally had only about 10,000 troops, will probably have more than 50,000 troops by tomorrow morning!"
Yang Gongqing's face changed drastically. If this was true, then he and his 20,000 men would probably never return. So he hurriedly asked, "Have you found out who the leader of the troops moved to Jinyong is?"
Linglong Jiao nodded, "It's Li Mi."
Yang Gongqing slumped down, "Last night, Young Master Yuan warned me that Li Mi loves to use 'surprise attacks.' Under heavy preparations, he will secretly prepare a surprise force to launch a surprise attack on the enemy. This is what makes Li Mi truly terrifying. Now it seems that his preparations outside the city were just a diversionary tactic. I was wondering why he didn't attack directly from the east, but instead..." "Go around to the South Gate."
Song Shidao asked, "Will Wang Shichong find out about this information, Miss Linglong?"
Linglong Jiao shook her head and said, "Last night, Young Master Yuan instructed me to fake my death. Today, after disguising myself, I went out to investigate and didn't find any suspects also gathering information. I originally had several secret subordinates, but this matter is of great importance, so I didn't tell them the truth. Besides me, Wang Shichong's intelligence sources in Luoyang also include the Green Snake Gang, but the twenty-odd members of the gang, whose whereabouts are always kept secret, were all killed a few days ago. If I'm not mistaken, it must have been Li Mi or his men who did it. This move successfully cut off Wang Shichong's intelligence network in Luoyang! He could have relied on me before, but now that even I am 'dead,' who can he rely on?"
Wei Zhenzhen pinched her small, delicate nose and scolded, "What do you mean by dead and alive? It's so unlucky!"
Linglong Jiao also laughed back, showing that the two women had a very close relationship.
Song Shidao shook his head and said, "This matter is far from simple. 'Military intelligence' is always paramount. Wang Shichong would never be so careless."
Yang Gongqing suddenly spoke up, "I remember now. Last night I mentioned that after Linglong was killed, it seemed your men were all recruited by Wang Shichong."
Linglong frowned, "In that case, Wang Shichong will know about Li Mi's actions by tonight at the latest."
Song Shidao continued, "Li Mi has now divided his forces into two routes, one to the east and one to the south. The eastern route represents his main force."
Wei Zhenzhen also said, "Zhenzhen heard from Yang Gong that Yuwen Shang is also in Li Mi's camp. Why is he alone?"
The implication was that Yuwen Shang also had men under his command, and logically, he should have been cooperating with Li Mi in the attempt to capture Luoyang.
Song Shidao remained silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "If my guess is correct, Li Mi will definitely order Yuwen Shang to transfer troops from Liangdu. It's just that he did it too secretly and we didn't notice. In this way, Li Mi will be very powerful on the main battlefield in the east, and his chances of winning will be much greater."
Yang Gongqing sighed, "Now that we are about to set off, there's no use thinking about it anymore. However, the offensive south of Luoyang is probably quite threatening."
Wei Zhenzhen seemed to have thought of something: "Right, we initially thought Wang Shichong was too cunning, so we never easily inquired about his residence. But last night, after learning that Wang Shichong's injuries were genuine, Sister Yuzhen secretly went to investigate and overheard Wang Xuanying venting his dissatisfaction. It seemed he was saying that Lang Feng was acting against Wang Shichong's wishes and didn't seem to genuinely care for him. And Wang Xuanying was even more at odds with him." Yang
Gongqing exclaimed in surprise: "Is that really so? Then my suspicions have some basis."
Seeing the three looking at him with doubt, Yang Gongqing continued: "Lang Feng is a cunning and treacherous man, good at flattery. He has always been at odds with me. I heard before that he was a foreigner, which gave me some reservations, but he says one thing to people and another behind their backs. I suspected then that he was not simple."
"Regardless of which faction he is a spy sent by, it is not a good thing for Luoyang right now. Why does Wang Shichong trust him so much?"
Song Shidao asked.
Yang Gongqing replied, "Actually, Wang Shichong probably had his suspicions, but this is the only arrangement he can make right now. The deployment within Luoyang isn't the most important step; his biggest deployment lies with Song Mengqiu. Unexpectedly, his battle of wits and strength with Li Mi has led to their convergence of ideas. The decisive battle appears to be in the south of the city, but in reality, it has moved to the east."
Song Shidao said, "In that case, let's go all the way and lure Li Mi to fight Song Mengqiu, so we can reap the benefits."
Yang Gongqing nodded after a long pause, "He does the first day, I'll do the fifteenth."
Then he laughed loudly, "I've never disobeyed a military order in my life, but I never thought I'd actually do it this time, but it's worth it!"
Song Shidao nodded, "Yanshi is the largest eastern gateway to Luoyang, and also Luoyang's last line of defense." Therefore, if Yanshi falls, Luoyang will immediately fall into an abyss of destruction. Wang Shichong's wishful thinking before knowing Li Mi's troop movements was twofold: first, to use a surprise attack; second, to hold Yanshi and seize the opportunity to capture Luokou and Hulao further east, thus threatening Xingyang, the main base of the Wagang Army. The advance of Li Mi's army was merely a facade. Chen Zhilue guarded Jinyong City, Shan Xiongxin led his army to attack Yanshi, and Bing Yuanzhen led another army to garrison Luokou. The combined forces of these three sides were enough to threaten Yanshi. Moreover, there were Yuwen Shang's subordinates secretly lurking! Even if Wang Shichong was foolish, he wouldn't be unaware of all this. That's why he made this deployment today.
Yang Gongqing nodded in approval, saying, "Since it's inconvenient for Master Song to show himself, would you be interested in secretly accompanying this old man to become a bandit and seize Yanshi?"
Song Shidao nodded and laughed.
Why was Song Shidao here? Where had Yuan Yueze gone?
Last night, Yuan Yueze, Yang Gongqing, and Linglong Jiao talked for over an hour. Afterwards, he summoned Shan Meixian and Wei Zhenzhen to treat Yang and Linglong. He didn't return to his small residence until very late.
The next day, while he was still dreaming, as was his habit of sleeping in, he was awakened by a pale yellow figure pulling his ear. Upon closer inspection,
he recognized Yuan Yueze as Song Yuzhi, whom he hadn't seen for a month or so. A day apart felt like three autumns, let alone so long. Yuan Yueze grabbed the beauty and began kissing her passionately, leaving Song Yuzhi completely disoriented and practically naked. Just as Yuan Yueze was about to mount her, an untimely knock came at the door. Embarrassed, the amorous Song Yuzhi playfully complained.
Yuan Yueze quickly stopped his absurd behavior, and after they tidied themselves up, they followed the unsteady-footed, chuckling Shan Meixian into the hall.
There was one man and two women in the hall. The man was none other than Song Shidao, and one of the women was Susu. The other woman looked quite similar to Song Yuzhi.
After introductions and greetings, Yuan Yueze learned that the unfamiliar woman was Song Que's eldest daughter, Song Yuhua, who had been brought as a guest by Song Yuzhi. Song Shidao had met Song Yuzhi and her group by chance near Jingling, and Song Yuzhi had invited him to meet Yuan Yueze as well. Unexpectedly,
Song Shidao arrived just as things were getting turbulent in Luoyang. Seeing that Song Yuhua was indifferent and only gave a perfunctory greeting before remaining silent, Yuan Yueze, though curious, knew that now was not the time to ask questions. So he started chatting with Song Shidao. Yuan Yueze told him about the recent situation and also advised him to make more contact with Yang Gongqing. Song Shidao, in turn, recounted his experiences in the martial arts world during his recent trip.
Ignoring the presence of the women around them, the two were chatting animatedly when Yun Yuzhen rushed in, looking flustered, holding a piece of paper in her hand.
"Husband, something's happened!"
Yun Yuzhen's breathing was erratic, completely unlike her usual calm self. Yuan Yueze's heart skipped a beat.
Yun Yuzhen handed over a note and said, "Yunzhi went to the North Wharf this morning to retrieve intelligence, but she never returned. Almost an hour later, I found this note at the door."
Yuan Yueze stared coldly at the note in his hand, which read: "Your Majesty's wife and I met on the road, chatted for a few moments, and found ourselves quite compatible. Therefore, without your permission, I invited her to Xiping as a guest. If you are worried, you can come and find her along the way. Your Majesty is my honored guest, and I will certainly treat her with the utmost courtesy. Please do not worry."
"Bang!"
Yuan Yueze's expression changed drastically, his starry eyes flashing with murderous intent. He slammed his hand on the round table
, shattering it, and roared at Yun Yuzhen, "Didn't I tell you to be careful? What are you doing sending Yunzhi out at a time like this? Don't you know we're surrounded by enemies?" This was the first time anyone had seen Yuan Yueze so angry, and they immediately fell silent. Yun Yuzhen even burst into tears
of grievance. Shan Meixian gave Yuan Yueze a reproachful look. The women had been partying with him every night, and they were all exhausted in the mornings, so Yunzhi naturally took on the task of gathering information on time. But now that someone had a handle on him, Yuan Yueze was consumed by rage and lost his temper, which led to his outburst just now.
Holding Yun Yuzhen's hand and gesturing for everyone to sit down, Shan Meixian frowned and said, "Husband, you've misunderstood Yuzhen. Those who captured Yunzhi seem to have had a wicked plan all along; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to take her away so easily. Yunzhi has also learned some skills these past few days. Getting angry won't solve anything; let's calm down."
Yuan Yueze closed his eyes for a while, then opened them again, nodding and saying, "Meixian is right. I myself am in a state of panic; how can I possibly fight against those treacherous people?"
He then pulled over Yun Yuzhen, who was still sobbing softly, and said apologetically, "Yuzhen, don't cry. It's my fault. If you're still angry, hit me a few times."
Yun Yuzhen knew he was in a bad mood and was still concerned about her feelings, so she wouldn't blame him. She whispered, "It's Yuzhen's fault. I should have gone myself, but alas..."
Before she could finish speaking, her face flushed red.
Song Yuhua's previously cold expression was now becoming quite interesting. Having seen her rumored brother-in-law in person, she secretly praised him, thinking him truly a dragon among men. His outburst of anger was completely unlike his outwardly gentle demeanor. He then disregarded all pride, apologizing to Yun Yuzhen on the spot, even abandoning his masculine dignity to let her hit him in order to please her. In this era, men held absolute dominance. Let alone a man being hit by his wife, even apologizing to her was extremely rare, especially if the couple had a harmonious relationship and the wife was highly favored. Song Yuhua found Yuan Yueze's concept of gender equality slightly perplexing, but mostly admiring. No matter how heavily influenced by the ancient Confucian virtues of obedience and submission, women in this era still yearned for equal treatment and respect from men. Yuan Yueze,
upon entering the room, only exchanged brief greetings with Song Yuhua; his attention was entirely focused on Yunzhi's abduction.
After taking the note and pondering for a moment, Shan Meixian said, "They must have been sent by the Red-Clothed Empress. They must be worried that you, my husband, will hinder Li Mi's capture of Luoyang, so they used this plan to lure you away."
Yuan Yueze, standing to the side, said curiously, "There is indeed a strange aura on this paper, as if they deliberately left it. But how can Meixian be sure of their origins?"
Shan Meixian smiled and said, "My husband has fought with them quite a few times. Calm down and feel it carefully."
Yuan Yueze nodded and gently stroked the paper. After a while, he nodded and said, "Indeed, I once fought with the Great Ming Saint Venerable. Although the auras of both their forces are very strange, upon careful discernment, there are indeed differences."
After wiping away Yun Yuzhen's tears, Su Su sensed the aura and said with a strange expression, "It doesn't seem to be the evil aura of those strange people in black armor."
Yuan Yueze said, "This is probably a way for them to deceive us, to make us believe that they are being blackmailed by the Great Ming Venerable Sect. Because their aura is more like that of the Great Ming Venerable Sect. But a lie is still a lie. If the evil aura of the Great Ming Venerable Sect is demonic energy, then the evil aura of the Empress's subordinates is demonic energy."
Then Yuan Yueze added, "Their purpose is just to distract me. As long as Yunzhi is alright, I'll chase after them immediately. You all be careful. Second Brother, you'd better make some connections with Yang Gong. He's a person worth befriending, both publicly and privately."
After briefly bidding farewell to the women, Yuan Yueze secretly sneaked out of the city alone, following the auras and signals left by the enemy along the way.
※※※※※ The third day of the Luoyang War.
Yang Gongqing's troops moved slowly and set up camp five miles outside Jinyong City. Meanwhile, the Wagang Army inside Jinyong City seemed completely unconcerned, heavily guarding the city walls without launching an attack. This benefited both sides; the Wagang Army's primary objective was obvious: Yanshi. Yang Gongqing, in particular, did not want a direct confrontation, as that would only benefit Wang Shichong and Song Mengqiu.
Li Mi deployed four armies to Yanshi, with Shan Xiongxin's forces actually launching the attack. However, Song Mengqiu, with his rich military experience, discerned from the dust raised by the troops that this was a ragtag group, likely composed of the old, weak, or new recruits. Therefore, this force was clearly a trap; if Song Mengqiu rashly attacked, the real surprise force would strike Yanshi, leaving him unable to defend both ends and ultimately defeated.
Song Mengqiu remained inactive, waiting for the right moment to react and wait for the right opportunity.
Meanwhile, south of Luoyang, Li Mi personally led tens of thousands of troops in a fierce attack on Lang Feng. Lang Feng was no fool either; the two sides engaged in a battle of wits and strength, resulting in losses on both sides.
However, after Linglong Jiao relayed the news of Li Mi leading the southern army to Yang Gongqing, both Yang Gongqing and Song Shidao were confused, unable to determine which battlefield Li Mi was on.
The war continued for seven days.
A turning point appeared.
Song Mengqiu, who had been hiding in Yanshi, discovered that Li Mi's troops in Jinyong City were behaving strangely, seemingly secretly moving large numbers of troops to Mangshan, north of Jinyong City, every night. If they attacked from Mangshan, they could directly charge down from the northeast of Yanshi. After receiving Tanzi's report, Song Mengqiu did not issue any orders, remaining motionless as if he had not received such important information.
※※※※※ Yang Gongqing's camp.
Song Shidao sat opposite Yang Gongqing, carefully examining the map on the table.
He saw the Luo River running through the center, with the Yellow River flowing parallel to it near the top of the map. The eastern capital Luoyang is represented by a blackened square placed at the western end of the Luo River. To the east are Yanshi, Luokou, Hulao, and Yingyang. The latter two were built next to the Fanshui and Suoshui rivers, respectively, and the Yellow River connected the Luo, Fan, and Suo rivers together.
Song Shidao pointed to the city marker located slightly north of Luoyang and Yanshi and sighed, "Jinyong is truly a brilliant strategic city."
Yang Gongqing nodded and said, "Currently, we, Jinyong, and Song Mengqiu form a triangle, and with Shan Xiongxin and the lurking subordinates of Yuwen Shang, we form an even more complex pentagonal battle formation. Everyone is holding back, but they are constantly making preparations in secret. Song Mengqiu is quite shrewd and has not been attracted by Li Mi's deceptive scheme."
Song Shidao also said, "But Song Mengqiu must be very worried. In terms of military strength, he is absolutely no match for the powerful forces outside. In the current situation, the allied forces of Du Fuwei and Shen Faxing can attack Jiangdu at any time and then move north, while Dou Jiande intends to move south, and the Li clan also has to deal with the large army of Xue Ju and his son in the west. Whether Li Mi can seize Luoyang in time is the key to winning the world. Therefore, Li Mi's desire to obtain Luoyang is more anxious and unbearable than an ant on a cauldron. Now..." "It all depends on whether Jin Yong or Song Mengqiu makes the first move."
Yang Gongqing pondered for a moment and then said, "I wonder what the situation is like in the south of the city. We
'll know once Linglong returns." Song Shidao laughed and said, "Judging from the current situation, the outcome in the south of the city is irrelevant. But where is Li Mi's true identity? And we also need to carefully plan how to seize Yanshi."
Yang Gongqing pondered for a moment, "Ideally, they would fight to the death, and we could reap the benefits, but that idea is too idealistic. Jin Yong doesn't know our purpose and will definitely have a last resort against us. If the outcome is already decided and Song Mengqiu is defeated, then we'll have to fight head-on. If Jin Yong is defeated, then it's much more ideal. Song Mengqiu is fond of fame and fortune; I even think we can persuade him to surrender. But the key point is who will ultimately control Luoyang."
Suddenly, someone came to report that Linglong had returned, and Yang Gongqing immediately invited her to see him.
※※※※※ The Minister's Residence.
The secret room beneath the study, though ornately decorated, was damp and had a chilling, eerie atmosphere.
Wang Shichong, barely breathing, glared at his eldest son, Wang Xuanying, who knelt before him. He coughed for a long time before calming down: "You beast! What good did killing Lang Feng do you? You have military power now, but once Luoyang falls, we'll both be slaves! You're still a worthless general!"
The red finger mark on Wang Xuanying's left cheek hadn't faded. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he looked up and cried, "Father, don't believe the rumors! General Lang was attacked from both sides by Yuwen Shang and Li Mi. It was incredibly lucky he survived to return to the camp. He passed the command to me before taking his last breath. I didn't kill him!"
Wang Shichong closed his eyes and shook his head, utterly despondent. "No need to say anything more. You may leave."
Wang Xuanying hurriedly said he needed to be careful and left the secret room.
After a long while, Wang Shichong's breathing gradually calmed down. Suddenly, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he spoke with difficulty to the screen, "Rongxuan, now I have no choice but to use my last move. Will you support me?"
A figure slowly emerged from behind the screen, thin and pale. He said with surprise, "Does the Holy Envoy intend to use the 'Eight Meridians Reversal Technique'?"
Wang Shichong struggled to sit up and said with a bitter smile, "I, Wang Shichong, have spent my life scheming against others, but I never expected to be schemed against once and lose almost everything. You and I both know the 'Eight Meridians Reversal Technique,' it is the supreme technique of my Holy Sect, capable of bringing the dead back to life. However, the method of practicing it requires the full essence of another person to be channeled into the eight extraordinary meridians of the recipient. This person must also have mastered my Holy Sect's 'Mastering the Roots of All Laws Wisdom Scripture.' Now, only you can help me, otherwise my Holy Sect will suffer a great defeat in the Central Plains."
Rongxuan seemed to be doubting something and did not answer.
Wang Shichong continued, "I have indeed changed a lot in officialdom over the years, but it was all beyond my control. My heart for the Holy Church has never wavered."
Rong Xuan pondered for a long time before replying, "Holy Envoy, please don't blame me for being nosy, but you have indeed changed too much over the years. However, once the 'Eight Meridians Rejuvenating Technique' is used, it will shorten your lifespan by at least thirty years. Judging from your current condition, even after you recover, you will probably only live for a year at most. It is not difficult for Rong Xuan to sacrifice himself for the Holy Church, but if the Holy Envoy is gone, how can we revitalize our Holy Church in the Central Plains?"
Wang Shichong sighed. "We can't afford to think too much right now. If we don't recover, Luoyang might fall within days."
Rong Xuan nodded. "This is the only way."
Wang Shichong said with a sorrowful tone, "Rong Xuan has been by my side for decades, and you've worked hard. From now on, you will live inside my body. After the Great Law is activated, you need a day of quiet rest. Let's begin now."
Rong Xuan nodded silently, his face showing no sorrow of impending death, but rather a hint of honor and joy. He slowly walked to Wang Shichong and placed one hand on his crown...
※※※※※ One day later.
Song Mengqiu received a mysterious message: tens of thousands of elite Wagang cavalry were encamped fifty miles southwest of Yanshi. The shrewd Song Mengqiu immediately dispatched scouts to investigate, who quickly confirmed the information. After a moment's thought, Song Mengqiu deduced that these cavalry were the core of the Wagang army and immediately mobilized over 90% of Yanshi's forces to launch a surprise attack on the enemy camp. Caught off guard by the sudden and fierce attack from the Yanshi army, the entire Wagang army scattered like headless flies. The Yanshi army, poised for encirclement, clashed head-on with the Wagang elite troops. The vast battlefield transformed into a living hell, a slaughterhouse.
Life seemed insignificant and helpless under the immense violence; victory was the only truth on this hellish battlefield.
Although Song Mengqiu held the initiative and advantage, he hadn't expected that Li Mi, the leader of the Wagang army, was actually within the ranks! After several rounds, Song Mengqiu met his end. After several hours of fierce fighting, dusk was approaching. The remaining less than ten thousand Wagang soldiers, led by Li Mi, charged straight for Yanshi.
Although the capture of this crucial city was costly, Li Mi was still elated. While chatting with the Dugu clan members and his subordinates, a scout reported from outside.
Li Mi sat in the main seat, surrounded by his generals and comrades.
The scout knelt and said, "Lord Mi, there are two important pieces of news. First, yesterday morning, the Yuwen clan leader killed Wang Xuanying in front of the enemy lines. Today, Wang Shichong, for some unknown reason, has recovered completely and fought a long and fierce battle with the Yuwen clan leader and Lord Mi's double. Ultimately, both sides were severely wounded, and Lord Mi's double was killed. The remaining ten thousand or so troops on both sides fought fiercely until the sky darkened. After the battle, both sides were almost completely incapacitated. The Yuwen clan leader's whereabouts are also unknown."
The people inside the room were overjoyed, seemingly pleased with Yuwen Shang as their partner. Unconcerned about his companion's life or death, Li Mi laughed heartily, "And what's the second piece of news?"
The scout hesitated slightly before replying, "Jinyong City has been seized by Yang Gongqing. The 20,000 troops originally left behind have all been captured. When they awoke, they had no choice but to surrender. General Chen Zhilue, who was left to defend the city, has also been captured."
Li Mi's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing. He laughed loudly, "Yang Gongqing actually resorted to this trick! Tomorrow, our army will take Luoyang first, and then we'll deal with Yang Gongqing after General Shan arrives!"
Shen Luoyan's delicate brows furrowed slightly. He interrupted, saying, "Lord Mi, please reconsider. Our army is indeed riding high on the victory, but Wang Shichong is known for his cunning. His claim of being able to heal the injury is already baffling. Yang Gongqing's actions are strange; could it be at Wang Shichong's behest? If Yang Gongqing tries to seize Luoyang while we are taking it, how will we resist? Our forces are currently limited. Moreover, Yuwen Shang's whereabouts are unknown, and I'm afraid his hidden forces will no longer be of use to us."
Dugu Feng chimed in, "Indeed, as Military Advisor Shen said, if we leave and Yang Gongqing launches a surprise attack, he will isolate us from General Shan. This is the most fatal point. Lord Mi, please do not act rashly." Just as
Li Mi was about to speak again, a soldier outside shouted, "Report! Wang Shichong is leading a large army to challenge us outside the city!"
Everyone inside was stunned. Li Mi laughed loudly, "Isn't he injured again? How dare he come to his death? Everyone, come with me to see!"
The crowd was excited and nodded in agreement.
Beneath the gates of Yanshi, the two sides faced off, each with an army of only a dozen or so men, looking rather meager.
Wang Shichong, in full armor, his face ruddy, seemed completely unscathed, yet his eyes were filled with grief and indignation. He drew his sword and roared, "Li Mi, you cowardly coward, give me back my son's life!"
Li Mi's army was brimming with talent: Li Mi, Dugu Feng, and You Chuhong—three top warriors—along with generals like Cheng Zhijie, Xu Shiji, and Pei Renji, and the formidable Changbai Duo.
Wang Shichong's side consisted only of himself, Yang Gongqing, and a few other minor generals.
Li Mi glanced at Yang Gongqing and smiled contemptuously, "Minister Wang, how does it feel to be a white-haired man burying a black-haired one? I, Li Mi, though proud, have never tasted such a thing!"
Li Mi's simple words shattered his opponent's composure on the battlefield.
The Wagang army was already laughing uproariously. Wang Shichong, having lost his son in his old age, had his wounds reopened and was furious, roaring, "Then you'd better give me back my son's life! That old thief Yuwen Shang has a long life, but if he takes one of my blows, he'll need at least half a year to recover. Now, none of you are a match for me!"
Wang Shichong's plan was well-executed; he had his eye on his opponents' pride. Otherwise, if they attacked all at once, he might not be able to win. But he still had a foolproof plan.
Cheng Zhijie, a burly man, roared in a deep voice, "Old scoundrel, stop your arrogance! I'll fight you three hundred rounds!"
Li Mi shouted, "General Cheng, don't be impulsive! We've got this in the bag. We'll use any means necessary on the battlefield. There's no need for so many tricks. Attack together!"
Before Wang Shichong could hurl another insult, the enemy had already charged in a triangular formation!
The bloody battle began.
The two armies clashed, fighting relentlessly. Arrows flew like rain, cavalry charged, infantry clashed, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and corpses piled up like mountains. A
scene of carnage, grandeur, and ferocity unfolded before their eyes.
Wang Shichong, fighting alone against Li Mi, Dugu Feng, You Chuhong, and the Changbai Twins, was gradually losing ground.
Yang Gongqing was also embroiled in a fierce battle with Xu Shiji and Shen Luoyan.
※※※※※ Not far away, on a large mountain, Song Shidao stood atop the peak, focusing his energy to concentrate his vision on the distant battle.
Song Shidao chuckled inwardly: "Wang Shichong has schemed against countless people throughout his life, only to be outmaneuvered by Li Mi once, and now he's going to be outmaneuvered by Yang Gongqing!"
Song Shidao recalled the message he received from Linglong Jiao yesterday: Wang Xuanying and Lang Feng had been injured by Yuwen Shang, and after returning to their tent, Wang Xuanying, holding the imperial seal, announced Lang Feng's death, entrusting him with the command of the army on his deathbed. Knowing Wang Xuanying as they did, Yang Gongqing and Linglong Jiao naturally assumed that Wang Xuanying had killed Lang Feng. Then, Yang Gongqing secretly ordered Linglong Jiao to deliver top-secret intelligence to Song Mengqiu, hoping for a fierce battle between the two sides, which turned out to be satisfactory. Meanwhile, Song Shidao secretly plotted to poison the well water used by the new and weak soldiers guarding Jinyong City, capturing the city effortlessly.
Today, Wang Shichong suddenly regained his vigor, determined to avenge his son's death. He fought Yuwen Shang head-on, sustaining serious injuries. Song Shidao and Yang Gongqing, in their secret plot, immediately sent a messenger with a half-truth, half-false message to Wang Shichong. Upon hearing that Yanshi had fallen into Li Mi's hands, Wang Shichong felt a chill. Hearing that Yang Gongqing had acquired 20,000 troops in Jinyong, bringing his total force to nearly 40,000, he immediately ordered Yang Gongqing to join forces with him, seize the initiative, and launch an immediate attack to eliminate the weakened Li Mi.
Wang Shichong wasn't a fool. He knew Yang Gongqing wanted to rebel against him, and he was powerless against it. So he promised that if Luoyang was saved, he would be appointed Grand General. Yang Gongqing, playing along, completely appeased Wang Shichong.
※※※※※ The two sides clashed, their battle cries deafening.
Wang Shichong's already suppressed injuries were beginning to flare up. He feigned an attack and retreated, but Li Mi anticipated his move. His accumulated earth energy, which he had been gathering for some time, was now abundant. With a roar, he unleashed a powerful punch, striking Wang Shichong's back with lightning speed.
Already exhausted, Wang Shichong parried with a palm strike. After a loud crash, he was sent flying like a piece of paper, shouting, "General Yang, if you don't act now, when will you?!"
In the moment of Li Mi's surprise, Yang Gongqing raised his head and let out a strange, piercing shriek.
Dust billowed behind them, as if tens of thousands of cavalry, riding the force of thunder, had stormed into the battle.
In an instant, the situation had drastically changed.
Originally, the remaining Wagang Army and surrendered troops numbered less than 20,000. Li Mi was even more worried about the mentality of the surrendered troops, so he naturally dared not send them out immediately. Therefore, when the strength of both sides was about the same, Li Mi was fully confident of taking down Wang Shichong. When the other side suddenly sent strong troops again, Li Mi did not linger and quickly withdrew his troops to return to the city for defense.
Wang Shichong laughed inwardly. With these soldiers at his disposal, he was certain he could defeat Li Mi before his reinforcements arrived.
Though physically weak, Wang Shichong couldn't contain his excitement. Unexpectedly, the two soldiers who had been supporting him suddenly seized him. A chill ran down Wang Shichong's spine. He channeled his inner energy to resist, barely managing to break free when Yang Gongqing suddenly struck, sealing several of his vital points.
The most terrifying thought resurfaced in Wang Shichong's mind, but he forced himself to remain calm and shouted, "General Yang, why are you doing this?"
Yang Gongqing didn't answer, waving his hand to order his men to take Wang Shichong away.
Wang Shichong's remaining troops, already loyal to Yang Gongqing, could only surrender and accept their fate.
The setting sun cast a chilling crimson glow, as if stained with the blood of countless fallen soldiers.
Li Mi and his men had returned to the city walls, preparing to confront the main army's attack, when they witnessed a farcical scene: Yang Gongqing rebelling on the battlefield.
Li Mi and his men chuckled inwardly: Yang Gongqing's army numbered only tens of thousands. If Shan Xiongxin arrived and gathered more troops from Luokou, Luoyang would be under Li's control. But what truly terrified them was Yang Gongqing's reckless attack on the city; at best, it would result in mutual destruction. This was clearly not the outcome Li Mi desired.
Li Mi smiled slyly, "General Yang is indeed shrewd and calculating, but Luoyang is more worthy of your attention right now!"
Yang Gongqing understood the implication and laughed loudly, "I fear no one in Luoyang. Even Yuan Yueze isn't in the city. What's wrong with me taking Yanshi first, then returning to Luoyang?"
Mentioning Yuan Yueze sent a chill down Li Mi's spine. That terrifying fellow had only shown himself once since the start of the Luoyang campaign, and the experts he had sent hadn't returned; they must be dead.
Shen Luoyan's expression became complicated upon hearing Yuan Yueze's name. Xu Shiji, seeing Shen Luoyan's expression, was consumed by jealousy.
A thought flashed through his mind, and Li Mi laughed loudly, "You wouldn't be planning to take Luoyang and hand it over to those demonic sect members, would you?"
Yang Gongqing sneered, "That's none of your business."
Li Mi calmly said, "Then let's attack! Let's see who benefits in the end!"
Yang Gongqing actually ordered an attack.
Li Mi's side wasn't well-prepared, but relying on the sturdy city walls, they could still put up a resistance. Yang Gongqing's side, on the other hand, seemed to have been prepared in advance; various siege equipment, battering rams, and ladders were all in place during their conversation. In the distance, catapults could be vaguely seen being pushed to the front lines.
The people on the city walls were greatly alarmed.
In siege warfare, the defending side usually has the greatest advantage, but Li Mi's current forces were almost entirely composed of cavalry, while the enemy, although not numerous, was well-equipped. Therefore, if the enemy launched a ranged attack, Li Mi would have no advantage.
Yang Gongqing seemed determined to repel Li Mi, unleashing long-range siege weapons. Huge stones and oil slicks rained down on the city walls, causing heavy casualties for the Wagang army even before they could get close!
Li Mi, his resolve hardened, was determined to hold onto this hard-won city. Shen Luoyan frowned, "Lord Mi, Yang Gongqing seems afraid of being attacked again in Luoyang, and is determined to retake this city. We've only just gained a foothold, and reinforcements haven't arrived yet. We can withdraw first, and after meeting with General Shan, we can return with renewed force. Then, what we'll gain won't just be this small Yanshi, but the entire Luoyang!"
Li Mi's concerns were valid. With various factions stirring, if Luoyang wasn't captured quickly, no one could guarantee what would happen to this ancient capital in the future! But as Shen Luoyan said, Yang Gongqing's relentless attack was ultimately causing the Wagang army the greatest losses.
Although unwilling, Li Mi sighed and nodded helplessly.

Chapter 48 The Last Hero
Yuan Yueze gazed at the peculiar markings on the roadside trees, a sense of powerlessness washing over him once more.
He had pursued them for five days, heading west through Jingzhao, Hechi, Tianshui, Longxi, and Jincheng. Everywhere he went, he encountered markings left by his opponent. A feeling of being toyed with surged through him, and Yuan Yueze lost his composure, wanting only to roar to the heavens.
After venting for a while, he slowly calmed down and set off again. Hundreds of miles away was the agreed-upon location: Xiping.
As he approached Xiping, the sandstorms of the Northwest intensified. The wind whipped Yuan Yueze's long hair, and sand stung his handsome face. Yuan Yueze's gaze remained resolute as he sped along.
He wasn't worried about himself, only about implicating Yunzhi.
Yun Yuzhen's original intention was good: to bring a former good friend to live with her, to enjoy a quiet life, and to go out to gather information every now and then. Yuan Yueze was so busy that he barely paid attention to the shy and bashful woman.
He was aware of her ruthlessness, having fought her multiple times. Yuan Yueze worried that those people would insult Yunzhi, causing her immense emotional trauma.
Currently, his two biggest enemies were the Great Ming Sect and the Red-Clothed Dharma Queen. The Great Ming Sect was manageable, but the Red-Clothed Dharma Queen was too mysterious, arousing Yuan Yueze's curiosity. Their constant harassment only intensified his hatred for them.
Lost in thought, Yuan Yueze followed the markings into a secluded valley. Looking up, he was horrified.
In the woods ahead, Yunzhi, her long hair disheveled, head bowed, and clothes in disarray, was tied to a large tree.
Ignoring whether it was an enemy trap, Yuan Yueze leaped into the air, landing in front of Yunzhi in a single bound. He smoothly severed the ropes with a chop to the neck, and Yunzhi's delicate body fell into his arms. Yuan Yueze was startled, but after placing his finger near her nostrils, he felt relieved; she was still breathing.
He channeled his pure inner energy into her body, and after a while, Yunzhi gradually regained consciousness. Feeling someone holding her, she hurriedly opened her eyes and looked over. She met Yuan Yueze's eyes, which were filled with worry.
"Wah!"
Yunzhi's eyes were initially filled with fear when she looked at Yuan Yueze, but upon seeing him, the fear turned to joy, then to grievance. She hugged Yuan Yueze tightly and burst into tears.
Yuan Yueze knew she must have suffered a great deal, and he felt a surge of resentment, but now was not the time to question her. He simply held her on his lap, tidied her still-disheveled hair, gently stroked her shoulders, and softly comforted her.
After crying until she was exhausted and had vented her pent-up grievances, Yunzhi felt a tickle on her neck. She opened her eyes and found Yuan Yueze gently rubbing his chin against her neck. Yunzhi blushed and called out shyly, "Young Master."
Yuan Yueze, who was enjoying the pleasant sensation of his skin rubbing against hers, heard her call him and quickly looked up, saying softly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here. No one can bully you anymore."
Yunzhi had thought Yuan Yueze was cold and indifferent since her arrival a few days ago, as he rarely looked at her. She was surprised that he had chased her all the way to rescue her. Her beautiful eyes reddened again, and she said softly, "Young Master, it's not worth it for me to come here."
Seeing Yuan Yueze's gaze turn cold, Yunzhi realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly lowered her head, saying, "I... I misspoke. Please punish me, Young Master."
Yuan Yueze knew that she was deeply poisoned by the concept of hierarchy. Although he understood that there was little chance of change in a short time, he was still determined to change her.
"I've already said, you're not a servant, and we've never treated you like one. You are Yunzhi, understand? If you dare say anything wrong again, I won't be so polite."
Yuan Yueze kissed her and laughed.
Yunzhi was stunned. How could she dare to hope that such a world-renowned man would kiss her? Although she knew that according to etiquette, she should be part of the dowry when her mistress married, almost a year had passed, and her mistress hadn't returned to the gang since. The gang leader said that her mistress had long since left the gang and married the world-famous Young Master Yuan. At that time, Yunzhi thought that her mistress was truly blessed, but she hadn't been taken along, perhaps because she wasn't worthy. After continuing to work as a maid for more than a year, Yun Yuzhen suddenly brought her to Luoyang. Upon seeing this young master, Yunzhi secretly admired him even more, thinking that probably no man in the world could compare to him. Moreover, he didn't treat her like a maid, which made Yunzhi secretly fall in love with him. But what was her status? Such things could only be thought about. In the following days, she was harassed by that kind of demonic sound every night. Although Yunzhi was a virgin, she understood some things, and her heart couldn't help but ache.
Having been kidnapped, and judging from the strange and sinister tone of those people, they were using her to blackmail Young Master Yuan. Yunzhi was terrified. On one hand, she didn't want Yuan Yueze to risk his life for her, because her mistress had said that the struggle for Luoyang was a crucial step in the young master's plan. On the other hand, she hoped her beloved would come to rescue her. Thinking of her humble origins, the young girl's heart was in turmoil, filled with indescribable contradictions and sorrow.
Today, finally seeing him come to rescue her, all her grievances vanished.
Seeing her staring blankly into the distance, Yuan Yueze reached out and pinched her delicate nose: "What are you thinking about? Did they harm you?"
Hearing this, Yunzhi's large eyes welled up with tears again, wanting to speak but unsure how to begin. Yuan Yueze immediately realized his words were ill-timed and quickly embraced her, saying, "I won't ask anymore. As long as you're alive, everything else is secondary."
Yunzhi blushed and said timidly, "I'm truly guilty for delaying your grand plan because of me."
Yuan Yueze laughed loudly, "What grand plan or small plan? Compared to those, you're more important."
This was nothing short of a confession, and Yunzhi was overjoyed. Her face flushed, and she lowered her head with extraordinary delight, as if wanting to bury it between his breasts, her voice barely a whisper, "Thank you, young master."
Yuan Yueze didn't speak, but simply held her quietly. A gust of wind blew by, but Yunzhi felt no chill, only warmth and comfort, as if she could stay in Yuan Yueze's broad embrace forever.
"Young master must be eager to know the origins of those bad people, right?"
After a while, Yunzhi spoke. With her delicate mind, Yunzhi could easily sense Yuan Yueze's anxiety. She gritted her teeth and began to speak.
Yuan Yueze nodded, "But if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Just pretend it was a dream."
Yunzhi smiled shyly, "I don't know their origins either. I was just captured by them on the way to the North City Wharf."
Seeing that Yuan Yueze was listening attentively, Yunzhi continued, "They were ugly, with deathly pale faces, unnaturally pale, like the White Impermanence from the stories I'd heard before. Along the way, they seemed to have many contacts, constantly using their light-footed skills to carry me westward. When one got tired, another would come to help. But no matter how good their light-footed skills were, they couldn't compare to Miss's."
As she spoke, Yunzhi revealed her cute and charming appearance, her lips pouting disdainfully.
Yuan Yueze chuckled. Yunzhi's true strength was her light-footed skills; even he might not be able to match her.
"Your little mouth could hold a teapot,"
Yuan Yueze said with a light tap, laughing loudly.
Ah! The young master kissed her again; it felt strange, yet so comfortable.
Yunzhi thought to herself. A strange, tingling sensation quickly spread throughout her body, making her feel hot and flushed. Her clear eyes became hazy. Her delicate body trembled slightly.
Seeing her aroused, Yuan Yueze tapped her smooth forehead and said, "Let's talk about things first, then we can think about other things."
His tone emphasized 'other things'.
Yunzhi snapped out of her daze, blushing with embarrassment. She said shyly, "There were about a dozen people who took me with them along the way. We ended up here. We stayed in a distant town for a few days, but this morning they tied me up here and then left. They must have been afraid of you, young master!"
Yuan Yueze frowned. Judging from Yunzhi's words, these people only wanted to lure him away from the Luoyang battlefield, but they hadn't killed her. Yuan Yueze couldn't figure out the key reason. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. He took Yunzhi's arm, rolled up her sleeve, and saw that the mark of virginity on her smooth forearm was intact. Yuan Yueze was even more puzzled.
Seeing Yuan Yueze's actions, tears welled up in Yunzhi's eyes again. Yuan Yueze, thinking she had misunderstood, quickly said, "I don't care about that. I was just afraid those villains would harm you."
Yunzhi nodded, seemingly understanding, but tears still streamed down her face.
Yuan Yueze asked, "They...they didn't hurt you. Based on my experience fighting them, they are all extremely evil people. How could they let you go so easily?"
Yunzhi cried again, saying intermittently, "They...they are not normal people. They...are...eunuchs..."
Yuan Yueze was stunned and didn't know what to say. After a moment, he spoke, "Then how did you know?"
Yunzhi buried her head in Yuan Yueze's arms like an ostrich for a long time before whispering, "One of them actually stripped naked in front of Yunzhi and said that her body wasn't as good as theirs..."
Yuan Yueze was both amused and exasperated, but worried that these perverts would traumatize Yunzhi, so he quickly asked, "Don't think about them anymore. These kinds of people are unreasonable. Did they, hey, take liberties with you?"
Yunzhi shook her head almost imperceptibly, "They seemed disgusted even by touching Yunzhi a little. They wrapped her in a mat the whole way."
Yuan Yueze chuckled, "Why not be a man instead of a eunuch?"
Yunzhi burst out laughing, "Only they would know!"
Yuan Yueze chuckled dryly and kissed her luscious red lips amidst a soft gasp from Yunzhi.
※※※※※ Su Su, Shan Meixian, Yun Yuzhen, and Shang Xiuxun sat in the living room, carefully analyzing the current situation of Luoyang and the surrounding major forces.
"We've been in constant contact with Miss for the past year, and it's finally come in handy at the most crucial moment,"
Su Su said with a smile.
Shan Meixian also chuckled lightly: "Li Mi is bound to lose. My husband's bet with Shen Luoyan was already under our control."
Shang Xiuxun frowned slightly, saying, "I'm afraid that Luoyang will be vulnerable then, and the surrounding forces will take advantage of the situation."
Shan Meixian nodded, "Lord Yang has deployed most of his troops to the Yanshi area, leaving Luoyang vulnerable. Even with new recruits, it won't be a quick fix."
Su Su smiled, "The only threats are the Li Tang in the west and Dou Jiande in the north. Li Mi in the east is destined to fail, and although Yuwen Shang has that red-clad..." The Empress Dowager supported him, but her weak forces prevented her from achieving much. In the south, Sister Bei kept Xiao Xian in check, and Xiao Xian was already surrounded by dangers; with Li Mi's defeat, he couldn't take advantage of the situation.
After pondering, Shan Meixian said, "Indeed, Li Tang has Xue Ju to restrain them, while Dou Jiande faces no resistance and will be the biggest threat to Luoyang right now."
Su Su said, "I've already discussed it with Miss. After Luoyang stabilizes, Miss's subordinates will submit to Luoyang, thus replenishing the army by tens of thousands, and Dou Jiande won't dare to act rashly."
The women all nodded.
Seeing Yun Yuzhen's worried and dejected appearance these past few days, Shan Meixian felt a pang of sympathy and took his hand, saying, "Don't blame yourself anymore. With my husband on the front lines, what in the world can stop him?"
Shang Xiuxun also said with a serious expression, "That's right. If Sister Yuzhen is worried about it interfering with important matters later, then it's best not to make love with her husband at night. Otherwise, she'll be sore all over in the morning, how can she do important things?"
Yun Yuzhen rolled her eyes at Shang Xiuxun, who was trying to suppress her laughter. She turned to Shan Meixian and gave her a grateful smile.
※※※※※ Li Mi led the remaining less than 10,000 cavalrymen, along with his subordinates and the Dugu clan, to quickly retreat from Yanshi and head northeast towards the ambush point of more than 10,000 infantrymen. It was originally just a step in a plan within a plan, but unexpectedly, it became a lifeline at this moment.
Shen Luoyan was worried that the stronghold had been discovered by Yang Gongqing, so the group wrapped their horses' hooves with soft cloth and gradually approached.
After meeting the infantry, they found that everything was normal, and Li Mi's worries were finally relieved. Speed is of the essence in war. Now they had to join forces with the tens of thousands of troops led by Shan Xiongxin as quickly as possible in order to directly attack the sparsely defended Luoyang City.
During their escape, Shen Luoyan secretly pondered every scene from the past battles. Yuan Yueze's continued absence fueled her anxieties, especially given their gamble on Luoyang.
"Just wait and see, the outcome is still uncertain!"
Shen Luoyan thought to herself.
Seeing the vast, dark mass of troops in the distance, Li Mi was overjoyed. Giving up the Yanshi deal had been a huge loss of face for him.
Shen Luoyan, however, sensed something amiss and subtly reminded Li Mi not to trust Shan Xiongxin too much.
Li Mi, having killed Zhai Rang and usurped the throne, naturally showed no mercy to Zhai Rang's only daughter, Zhai Jiao. Fortunately, Zhai Jiao escaped disaster, but Li Mi, shrewd and calculating, harbored suspicion towards all the generals who had been close to Zhai Rang, preventing them from participating in the attack on Luoyang and reassigning them to other posts.
After reuniting with Shan Xiongxin, Li Mi and his men began plotting.
Normally, Li Mi would have retreated to a safe place to plan a comeback. But the situation was different now. Luoyang was undefended, presenting the perfect opportunity to attack. Therefore, no matter how much he doubted Shan Xiongxin, he still hoped to gather troops as quickly as possible to continue the attack on Luoyang.
In the end, Shan Xiongxin cooperated fully under Li Mi's arrangement, retreating fifteen miles to set up camp.
With this, Li Mi and Shen Luoyan could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Several hours later, everyone dispersed and returned to their tents to rest.
Exhausted, the group soon fell into a deep sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, the highly skilled Li Mi suddenly shivered and sat up. He saw that it was already late, and flames were raging outside the tents. Rushing out of the tents, he saw the disheveled remnants of the Wagang army crying and screaming, scattering in all directions, many tents already ablaze.
Li Mi trembled violently, grabbing a soldier and shouting, "What's going on?"
The soldier, not even fully armored, cried to Li Mi, "General Shan... and... and the young lady... have rebelled..."
Li Mi froze on the spot, the soldier scrambling to his feet and fleeing.
Looking at the current situation, Li Mi's worst fears had finally materialized. He had thought that Shan Xiongxin's retreat of fifteen li would eliminate any further opportunities for rebellion, but Li Mi had still been outmaneuvered. It was highly likely that Shan Xiongxin had already arranged for his men to ambush nearby. Li Mi hadn't expected the enemy's plan to be so meticulous, even concealing their own spies.
"Lord Mi, we've fallen into a trap! Our army is in complete disarray! We must regroup before we can fight again!"
Xu Shiji's urgent voice rang out behind Li Mi.
Li Mi had no time to think, cursing, "Damn it! Order a full retreat!"
How could they retreat? Of the nearly 30,000 troops, 20,000 were new and weak soldiers, easily defeated. Many of the original 8,000 elite soldiers had also perished, leaving less than 60% remaining in Li Mi's retreat.
After Shan Xiongxin's main force arrived, they pursued relentlessly. Li Mi and his men fled southwest for nearly twenty miles before finally entering a deep mountain, shaking off Shan Xiongxin's pursuit.
Seeing his own forces retreating step by step, his remaining soldiers lying on the ground, the cries of agony filling the air, and the devastation everywhere, Li Mi felt a surge of indignation at his impending doom and the loss of his heroic spirit. With
the threat temporarily averted, the men had a chance to catch their breath and rest.
Li Mi, his heart filled with unquenchable hatred, roared to the heavens: "Since I, Li Mi, entered the world, I have been invincible, conquering all before me, establishing a great foundation. Of all the heroes under heaven, besides Li Shimin, only I had the power to unify the Central Plains, yet I have been defeated by a traitor!"
"Lord Mi..."
Shen Luoyan, standing beside him, felt a pang of sorrow and spoke.
Li Mi interrupted her, "If it's worse news, don't say it. Shut up!"
Shen Luoyan stubbornly insisted, "Things have come to this point, our army can no longer hold out. Judging from the footsteps outside, Shan Xiongxin's personal guards are almost inside the mountains. As the saying goes, 'Where there's life, there's hope.' Lord Li, we should withdraw from this desolate mountain in time so we can make a comeback later."
Everyone else chimed in with their advice. After a long while, Li Mi sighed, "Let's retreat!"
Subsequently, under Shen Luoyan's command, more than 10,000 remnants of the Wagang army retreated in an orderly fashion into the deeper mountains. In this critical moment of defeat, Shen Luoyan instead rallied her spirits, commanding with composure and displaying the extraordinary qualities of a female hero.
How could the allied forces of Shan Xiongxin and Zhai Jiao, who were confident of victory, give up so easily? Tens of thousands of troops rushed into the deep mountains, relentlessly pursuing Li Mi, determined to kill him without hesitation.
More than an hour later, Shan Xiongxin's entire force emerged from the deep mountains, but they hadn't seen a single trace of Li Mi's troops.
Shan Xiongxin suddenly looked down at the foot of the mountain: "Why light torches during the day?"
The remnants of the Wagang army at the foot of the mountain seemed to have sensed Shan Xiongxin's rapid advance, and were using smoke and fire to confuse their pursuers. They had split into three groups, retreating in three different directions in an orderly fashion.
Zhai Jiao, her fat body trembling, angrily shouted, "Li Mi is truly cunning! Which group is he hiding in?"
Shan Xiongxin pondered for a moment and said, "Breaking into smaller groups to preserve strength as much as possible—this must be Shen Po Niang's strategy. However, although Li Mi has been defeated, he still retains considerable influence. With him in the ranks, the soldiers wouldn't dare to flee. Therefore, the group with the most intact formation is where Li Mi is."
All the generals and officers looked over and saw that two of the three fleeing groups were already showing signs of disarray and scattering. Only the group on the left maintained its orderly ranks.
Zhai Jiao, her body as large as a bucket, rushed down the hillside, brandishing her sword and shouting, "Hurry up and chase them!"
Shan Xiongxin's tens of thousands of troops pursued relentlessly. Defeat after defeat, Li Mi's heart trembled with fear.
The situation was completely one-sided; Shan Xiongxin's army, with its overwhelming momentum, swept through the remnants of the Wagang army like a whirlwind. Within an hour, the Wagang remnants were either dead, wounded, or begging for mercy and surrendering.
Li Mi and his men, under the cover of the remaining soldiers, escaped for several miles, managing to shake off Shan Xiongxin's pursuit. After a day and night of frantic running, they finally reached a mountain gorge path, stopped, and, exhausted, sat down to rest in the valley.
Li Mi glanced around; now only a few dozen soldiers remained, with Xu Shiji and the Changbai Twins beside him.
The exhaustion was irresistible, despite his fear.
The dozens of people who had been fast asleep were suddenly awakened by the sound of footsteps. Terrified, they huddled around Li Mi, unable to escape as there was a dead end behind them!
"Lord Mi, it's me!"
Dugu Feng's voice came, and then he entered the valley with Shen Luoyan and Cheng Zhijie.
Li Mi relaxed and said with a wry smile, "I thought you had given up on Li Mi."
Shen Luoyan said helplessly, "Lord Mi, you mustn't lose heart. Luoyan and the clan leader's two groups weren't pursued, and Old Madam You is also missing. We were also planning to look for you, Lord Mi, but we didn't expect to run into you here again."
Cheng Zhijie, covered in blood and carrying a battle axe, said, "My group and Military Advisor Shen's group found a small cave on the way. Inside, there were nearly a hundred barrels of buried homemade gunpowder. I don't know who put it there."
Li Mi didn't answer. This homemade gunpowder was indeed very powerful, but it couldn't bring back everything that had been lost.
Whether from the blow of defeat or some other emotion, Xu Shiji coldly asked Shen Luoyan, "Why did you come back? Isn't this the result you wanted?"
Shen Luoyan roared, "Explain yourself! How have I, Shen Luoyan, wronged Lord Mi or the Wagang Army?"
Cheng Zhijie also retorted indignantly, "General Xu, don't make false accusations. When has Military Advisor Shen ever done anything wrong?"
Xu Shiji didn't even look at Cheng Zhijie, pointing at him angrily, "Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!"
Dugu Feng stood silently by, coldly watching the madness buried beneath humanity in desperation.
Li Mi shouted, "Enough!"
Xu Shiji gritted his teeth and glared at Shen Luoyan, who glared back defiantly.
"Luoyan, do you think we don't know what you've done? Do you think I, Li Mi, am stupid?"
Li Mi said slowly, his words devoid of any emotion, yet chilling to the bone.
Shen Luoyan was stunned. She might have scoffed or objected to these words coming from others, but hearing them from Li Mi left her speechless.
Seeing Shen Luoyan's puzzled expression, Li Mi said, "Yang Gongqing's behavior is abnormal, and Shan Xiongxin is plotting a rebellion. What do these two things have in common?"
Shen Luoyan frowned. As clever as she was, she could easily understand the implication. She simply replied, "The spies reported that Yang Gongqing has a close relationship with one of Yuan Yueze's wives. Shan Xiongxin is plotting a rebellion with Zhai Jiao, and Zhai Jiao's sisterly friend, Susu, is married to Yuan Yueze."
"On your last night in Luoyang, you went to Yuan Yueze's house. You left all your entourage behind. Is that true?"
Li Mi stared intently at Shen Luoyan and asked again.
Shen Luoyan, her face expressionless, nodded and said, "At the time, Luoyan was afraid that the news would reach Lord Mi's ears and cause misunderstandings..."
Li Mi shouted angrily, interrupting her, "No need to say more! You also went to see Yuan Yueze after Lord Chao was killed, didn't you? How do you explain that?"
Xu Shiji interjected sarcastically, "You wouldn't have been having some romantic affair with that Yuan fellow, would you?"
Shen Luoyan didn't speak, her beautiful eyes filled with disappointment.
Xu Shiji could be jealous, because he did think of Yuan Yueze from time to time, and his behavior was occasionally a little abnormal. Faced with a defeat that no one could accept, someone with a weak constitution might have gone mad long ago. Xu Shiji was just venting his long-suppressed dissatisfaction, which was already rare, so Shen Luoyan didn't blame him. But Li Mi was different. From the time she began to assist Li Mi, in her eyes, Li Mi was a spirited, arrogant, powerful, and unparalleled hero who dominated the martial arts world and swept across the land. But today, here, Li Mi, having become a complete loser, actually uttered insults. If he were simply venting his anger on him, as a subordinate, he could accept it. But the meaning behind Li Mi's words was crystal clear: Shen Luoyan had conspired with Yuan Yueze to murder him.
There are some people in this world who can conceal their base nature when things are going smoothly, but once they fall into hardship, especially when that hardship is irreversible, their true nature is completely torn apart by the adversity, their pretense shattered and fully exposed. Xu Shiji and Li Mi are both such people. Cheng Zhijie,
with his indignant expression, is not such a person. As for what Dugu Feng, standing to the side with a cold expression, was thinking, no one knows.
Although disappointed, Shen Luoyan remained kneeling, her voice filled with stubbornness as she said, "Luoyan has always wholeheartedly assisted Lord Mi, and has never felt guilty. If Lord Mi has any doubts, he may take Luoyan's life now."
Xu Shiji, standing to the side, laughed loudly, his voice shrill, "What good would killing you do? What a brilliant scheme by that Yuan fellow! A single seduction plot has destroyed the entire foundation of the Wagang Army in the hands of a woman willing to die for him!"
Shen Luoyan could no longer tolerate Xu Shiji's madness. She gritted her teeth and roared, "Xu Shiji, you may not believe me, but you cannot insult me. I, Shen Luoyan, though a woman, am not someone you can look down on!"
"I can't insult you? You have me as your fiancé, yet you still seduce other men. Why can't I insult you? Why can't I look down on you?"
Xu Shiji stared at Shen Luoyan.
As Shen Luoyan was about to retaliate, Li Mi stopped her with a gesture, saying in a deep voice, "My defeat is entirely due to Yuan Yueze. Luoyan, tell me, am I right or wrong?"
A sense of absurdity welled up in Shen Luoyan's heart. While the opponent certainly bore some responsibility for the defeat, the greater responsibility lay within herself. Li Mi was now at his wit's end, his narrow-mindedness and stubbornness blatantly exposed. If Shen Luoyan denied his words, it would mean she was indeed having an affair with Yuan Yueze; but not denying it meant she was losing the autonomy she had always upheld.
Seeing that Shen Luoyan didn't answer, Li Mi seemed to know the answer and said softly, "Since Luoyan can't answer, I won't force you. You have made great contributions to me, Li Mi, and to the Wagang Army, so I won't kill you. But are you willing to do something to prove your loyalty?"
Shen Luoyan was intelligent and quick-witted. How could she not guess Li Mi's thoughts after hearing these words? She immediately smiled and said, "If Luoyan frowns even half a brow, she's not a Shen."
Her beautiful face, which was originally smiling, showed helplessness, bitterness, hatred, and desolation. Yet her words were still full of stubbornness and heroism. The scene was indescribably strange.
At this moment, she had no regrets. She was completely convinced of her defeat at the hands of Yuan Yueze. Yuan Yueze hadn't even shown his face. With only Yang Gongqing, a general with only 20,000 men, Shan Xiongxin, who seemed to have no intention of getting involved in this war, and Zhai Jiao, who was full of hatred, she had shattered all of Shen Luoyan's carefully laid plans.
At this moment, she felt no hatred towards Li Mi. From beginning to end, she had wholeheartedly assisted him. If there was any mistake, Shen Luoyan only believed that she had chosen the wrong person! She knew her life was about to end.
At this moment, she felt no fear either. Images of Yuan Yueze flashed through her mind: his purple robe, his long hair that was never tied up, his handsome face, his deep eyes, his faint smile, his carefree demeanor, and even their 'intimate contact'.
However, Shen Luoyan did not know that in terms of wit, a hundred Yuan Yuezes would not be her match. Yuan Yueze's strength lay in the think tank behind him.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Li Mi said three times.
Xu Shiji's expression changed drastically.

Chapter 049 The New Lord of Dongdu
In a picturesque grove north of Hedong County.
Yuan Yueze lay contentedly on the soft blanket spread directly on the ground, recalling the events of the past few days.
Since his first encounter with the Red-Clothed Empress's subordinates, and up to this recent conflict, Yuan Yueze's hatred for them had reached an unbearable level. They had repeatedly provoked him, resorting to any means necessary. However, Yuan Yueze was also helpless, unable to find the whereabouts of these demons despite trying every possible method.
That day, a passionate kiss completely melted the heart of the little girl in his arms. Yuan Yueze, who had long been accustomed to sleeping with a beauty in his arms every night, had been holding back for several days. Finally, on that night, with Yunzhi's half-hearted resistance, they consummated their relationship. He thought of the little girl, who seemed shy but was actually passionate as fire. On their first night, she had wildly and recklessly responded to him. After their bodies were refined with both hands and mouth, she was as happy as a little bird, chirping incessantly all day long. After hearing about his whole background, the little girl was only stunned for a moment, seemingly not taking these things to heart at all. She only felt infinitely satisfied to be loved by someone like Yuan Yueze. Yuan Yueze couldn't help but chuckle.
Nine days had passed since he left Luoyang. He had spent several days on the way to Xiping. These past few days, he had slowed down his journey with Yunzhi, mainly to help her relax. Although her body hadn't been defiled, her mind had been tormented by those perverts. If it developed into a mental illness, it would be terrible.
Yunzhi in his arms seemed to wake up, her hazy eyes slowly opening. Seeing Yuan Yueze looking at her tenderly, Yunzhi said contentedly, "Husband, let's not delay any longer. My sisters must be getting impatient." Under
Yuan Yueze's coercion these past few days, she had finally gradually loosened up a bit; otherwise, she would never have dared to address him like that.
Remembering how the little girl had to rely on herself to cope with his abnormal abilities these past few days, always using both hands and mouth, her oral skills becoming increasingly proficient, Yuan Yueze pointed to the still-wet, milky-white mark on her cherry-like lips and asked, "How does it taste?"
Yunzhi was greatly embarrassed, her small hands slapping Yuan Yueze's chest repeatedly, her jade cheeks flushed red. She glared at Yuan Yueze and scolded, "Husband, you're so mean! Who told you to be so amazing? I'm exhausted. And you're laughing at me!"
Yuan Yueze couldn't bear it either, saying, "I already told you you couldn't do it alone, but you insisted. I was just afraid of you... " "Feeling unwell? Did you hurt yourself?"
Yunzhi quickly straightened up and said, "I was just joking with my husband! How could I only think of myself? Besides... besides... the taste seems... still... not bad..."
Seeing her pretty face getting redder and redder, as if it could drip blood, and her voice getting softer and softer until it was almost inaudible, Yuan Yueze laughed loudly, "That's right, this is the elixir of life that brings rebirth! Look at you now, aren't you a little fairy?"
Although Yunzhi was shy, she nodded, because she herself couldn't believe her transformation, but it was indeed true.
"I wonder if the sisters will find Yunzhi unpleasant."
Yunzhi nestled against Yuan Yueze's chest and whispered.
Yuan Yueze knew that she was feeling inferior again, so he immediately comforted her.
The two rested for a night, and the next morning, they entered Luoyang.
At this time, Luoyang was more prosperous than during the war, but there were still not many pedestrians on the road, and everyone was in a hurry. Yuan Yueze leaped over rooftops and pulled Yunzhi towards his home.
Upon entering the courtyard, Yuan Yueze sensed a suffocating atmosphere, and a sense of unease immediately rose in his heart.
"Bang!"
He pushed open the door, and everyone was there except for Hong Fu.
The women almost all looked at Yuan Yueze with delight, rushing forward to grab and pinch him, leaving only Shang Xiufang and Song Yuhua, seated, with somewhat strange expressions.
Yuan Yueze hurriedly stopped the women: "What has happened these past few days? Where is Second Brother?"
Song Yuzhi, holding the shy Yunzhi's hand, laughed, "Second Brother is like a husband, coming and going as he pleases. We don't know where he's gone. Li Mi finally failed the other day! Now Yang Gong is in charge of Luoyang."
Yuan Yueze smiled and nodded: "Shen Luoyan has finally been defeated by me! Haha. But all of this is thanks to you all."
The moment the name Shen Luoyan was uttered, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly, and the women's expressions became extremely unnatural.
Yuan Yueze asked Shan Meixian curiously, "What else happened?"
"After Li Mi was betrayed by Miss Zhai and General Shan, he fled towards Xiangyang. This morning, someone sent a message demanding that you, my husband, meet him alone, or they will kill Shen Luoyan."
*Thump!*
Yuan Yueze dramatically fell to the ground, legs in the air.
The women in the room were startled, then burst into laughter. Even Shang Xiufang and Song Yuhua, sitting nearby, covered their mouths and chuckled.
Yuan Yueze asked in surprise, "What does it matter to me whether Li Mi kills Shen Luoyan or not? What makes him so sure I'll go see him?"
Yun Yuzhen was delighted that her little sister had finally become a real sister, and immediately glared at Yuan Yueze, saying, "Husband's relationship with Shen Luoyan is ambiguous. What's wrong with Li Mi using her to threaten you?"
Yuan Yueze cried out with a wronged expression, "You can't just say things like that! I only kissed her once, nothing else."
Fu Junzhuo also laughed, "What do you mean 'only kissed her once'? How many times do you plan to kiss her? Is that what you call 'nothing else'?"
Song Yuhua, who hadn't spoken until now, also frowned slightly and chimed in, "Brother-in-law shouldn't be so fickle. He should go and help the girl."
Seeing her overly serious expression, Yuan Yueze felt a sense of awe, but how could he be the one to start something and then abandon it? Yuan Yueze frowned and sat down opposite Song Yuhua, looking puzzled. "Elder sister's words are indeed something to be listened to, but how could I have started something and then abandoned it?"
Seeing him sitting so close, Song Yuhua felt embarrassed and didn't know how to begin.
Except for Shang Xiufang, the other women all knew Yuan Yueze's temperament, but Song Yuhua was deeply influenced by feudal ideas. In this era, for a man to even touch an unmarried woman, let alone kiss her, was a grave offense. Although Shen Luoyan was somewhat of a free spirit and didn't value such etiquette, Song Yuhua came from a prominent family and was very strict about manners. As Yuan Yueze's elder, she naturally had to discipline him.
Song Yuzhi quickly pulled Yuan Yueze up and whispered a few words in his ear. Yuan Yueze nodded and said calmly, "I was too rude just now, please forgive me, elder sister. I'll go see Li Mi now."
After comforting the women for a few moments, he picked up the cloth bag prepared by Song Yuzhi and ran off following the route described by Shan Meixian.
Heading southwest, Yuan Yueze was both amused and exasperated. Everyone else was fighting for their country, nation, and people, while he was being dragged around by two women's affairs.
He hadn't caught those eunuchs, so he might as well take his anger out on Li Mi this time.
Yuan Yueze thought to himself.
※※※※※ Northern foothills of Funiu Mountain.
Funiu Mountain borders Song County to the east, Lushi County to the west, Xixia County to the south, and Luoning County to the north. It has always been known as the 'back garden of Luoyang.'
But today, it seemed destined to be anything but peaceful.
Yuan Yueze, releasing his aura to explore, finally sensed the presence of hundreds of people. After some maneuvering, Yuan Yueze landed on a solitary, towering rock. Looking down, in a clearing about a hundred feet in diameter, five men stood in the center, each wielding a long sword. Shen Luoyan was surrounded by them, her face blank. Behind them, the towering rock formations reflected a chilling light, suggesting an ambush.
Shen Luoyan's expression, initially numb, suddenly turned sorrowful when Yuan Yueze approached carrying a bundle. This fierce and beautiful woman finally revealed her vulnerability; tears welled in her eyes, her reddened gaze fixed on Yuan Yueze, as if she wanted to speak but couldn't.
"Where is Li Mi!"
Yuan Yueze guessed she had been acupunctured, and gave her a reassuring smile before shouting, the sound echoing through the mountains.
"Hehe!"
A sinister laugh resounded, and before it subsided, many burly figures emerged from behind the towering rocks opposite.
Li Mi and Dugu Feng stood in the center, dozens of burly men spreading out behind them to protect them.
Yuan Yueze glanced at Li Mi disdainfully: "You're in quite a mood, inviting me here for tea? In this situation?"
A chilling murderous intent flashed across Li Mi's already ashen face, his dark pupils seemingly burning with murderous intent. He sneered, "You, surnamed Yuan, you've used some clever tricks! Colluding with that bitch Shen Luoyan to plot against me! I, Li Mi, entrusted her with great power, and she was seduced by you, you pretty boy!"
A sharp glint flashed in Shen Luoyan's pretty eyes.
She was now filled with remorse. Yesterday, she thought she had always been most loyal to Li Mi, and she could let him wrongly accuse her. Who knew that now she had implicated Yuan Yueze? Li Mi was now insane, pushing all the blame for the failure onto her and Yuan Yueze, and even insulting her for colluding with Yuan Yueze. For the first time, Shen Luoyan felt a pang of foolish loyalty, but there was no turning back now. Her thoughts were similar to Yunzhi's: on one hand, she hoped Yuan Yueze wouldn't risk coming, because Li Mi was practically doomed here; on the other hand, she vaguely hoped Yuan Yueze would come to rescue her from this predicament.
But she couldn't speak, so she could only keep trying to signal Yuan Yueze to leave, but he completely ignored her.
Yuan Yueze also said coldly, "Li Mi, remember the insults you just hurled at me and Luo Yan, and don't forget them."
Li Mi, already like a stray dog, revealed the deepest wickedness in his character, laughing wildly, "If you did it, don't be afraid to admit it! You two ruined my foundation, and today I will demand some interest!"
Dugu Feng echoed, "How can we not avenge the theft of our daughter? Otherwise, how can the descendants of the Dugu family hold their heads high?"
Yuan Yueze scoffed, "Li Mi, Luo Yan and I have no collusion whatsoever. It was your arrogance and inability to accept defeat that drove this loyal and meritorious heroine to her doom! I do indeed have feelings for Luo Yan, and I originally planned to pursue her after she achieved her dream if she didn't mind that I already had a family. If you hate me, release her, and I will accept all your punishments for her!"
Shen Luo Yan finally couldn't hold back her tears. Yuan Yueze's words were already blatant enough, and at this moment, she felt content to die here. But the guilt she felt for implicating Yuan Yueze surged again, tormenting her.
Li Mi laughed loudly, "You shameless brat! This isn't a place for your sweet talk, for your tender feelings, for your deepest confessions!"
Yuan Yueze waved his hand, "Enough nonsense, what do you want?"
Li Mi sneered, "It's because of you that I lost everything. Now I only want a few things: the He Shi Bi jade, Yang Gongqing, Shan Xiongxin, and Zhai Jiao's head! It should be clearly written in the letter. Don't you dare say you didn't bring them, or Shen Luoyan will truly become a pile of bones!" As
soon as Li Mi finished speaking, the people surrounding Shen Luoyan all placed knives against her jade-like neck, the blades flashing with a strange blue light, as if they were poisoned.
Shen Luoyan seemed not to be the one being held hostage, her eyes filled with pleading as she looked at Yuan Yueze, as if begging him to leave quickly.
Yuan Yueze said softly, "Luoyan, don't blame me for calling you that. If we're going to leave today, we'll leave together; if we're going to die, we'll die together."
With that, he threw the package in his hand in front of Li Mi.
Li Mi, cunning and shrewd, ordered his men to open the package and the wooden box inside.
Shen Luoyan's expression was complex, a mixture of happiness, sorrow, and disbelief.
Li Mi and Dugu Feng stared at the contents of the package. After a brief pause, Li Mi turned to Yuan Yueze and roared, "Boy, do you think I'm stupid?"
In that brief moment of hesitation, Yuan Yueze had already leaped into the air, rushing towards Shen Luoyan and the burly men holding her hostage like lightning.
"Kill!"
The instant Li Mi turned his gaze, Yuan Yueze's figure had already taken flight. The words had barely left his lips when Yuan Yueze's longsword thrust out, unleashing five consecutive strikes at unimaginable angles, like a gazelle leaping from its perch. As the sword flashed, the five men felt the oppressive aura that had just made their hearts pound surge several times over, leaving them without even the strength to lift their hands. All they could do was watch the transparent hilt of the sword grow larger and larger.
"Pfft!"
With a single sound, blood spurted from the necks of all five men, their deaths gruesome.
The instant Yuan Yueze leaped into the air, the enemies hidden behind Li Mi unleashed a torrent of arrows, aimed directly at Yuan Yueze and Shen Luoyan, who was bound to the ground.
Yuan Yueze wasn't worried about himself, but Shen Luoyan couldn't withstand the arrows head-on. She roared, her sword flashing again.
An impenetrable sword aura blocked the first wave of arrows.
Before the second wave arrived, Yuan Yueze's eyes swept across the area, discovering that Li Mi and Dugu Feng had vanished.
The second wave of arrows was about to be launched in the distance.
Yuan Yueze quickly released Shen Luoyan's acupoints, and was about to pull her away from the battlefield when he realized his feet were locked underground. Just as he was about to channel his power into her body, a sudden change occurred.
The earth shook violently, and the sky seemed to collapse.
Shen Luoyan was horrified, her voice trembling with tears as she cried out, "You must leave quickly! They've already buried a lot of explosives underground, and they'll detonate them later. Don't let Luoyan die in fear!"
Many auras hidden behind the rocks also began to scatter and become chaotic. Yuan Yueze instantly realized that this was a trap set by Li Mi. The soldiers knew nothing and, faced with this sudden change, could only try their best to escape.
Yuan Yueze could no longer think. He suddenly released all his energy, forming a faint, intangible ball of energy that enveloped the two of them.
"Boom!"
A series of deafening explosions rang out, a large section of the northern foothills collapsed, debris flew everywhere, and black smoke rose.
After a while, as if sensing that things had calmed down, Shen Luoyan slowly opened her swollen, red eyes. She saw Yuan Yueze holding her tightly, and their bodies were enveloped by a layer of true energy.
Yuan Yueze breathed a sigh of relief, feeling weak all over. He gently pulled Shen Luoyan away, using his last bit of strength to break the chains binding her hands and feet, and pulled her into his arms again, whispering, "It's all over."
Shen Luoyan sobbed silently. She didn't even understand her own feelings at that moment, but excitement was the most obvious.
"Luoyan almost hurt you, why did you come!"
Shen Luoyan looked up at Yuan Yueze, who seemed to have no strength left to even lift his hand, and murmured.
After Yuan Yueze closed his eyes and meditated for a quarter of an hour, he recovered somewhat and then smiled, "What's wrong with me coming to save my wife? This should be something to be praised and commended!"
Seeing Yuan Yueze quietly meditating, Shen Luoyan stared at him silently. Seeing his complexion gradually become rosy, she was overjoyed. But upon hearing Yuan Yueze's words, her cheeks immediately flushed red, and she spat under her breath, "Who is your wife? Where is she?"
Meeting Yuan Yueze's starry eyes, after a long while, she finally couldn't resist his burning gaze and lowered her head first. She heard Yuan Yueze sigh sadly, "It seems that Luoyan still dislikes me. The falling flower is willing, but the flowing water is indifferent!"
Shen Luoyan was very anxious. She raised her head and met his gaze again, her pretty face flushed. She wanted to explain but didn't know how. After a long pause, she said in a self-pitying voice, "How could Luo Yan dare to presume? Every one of your wives is a hundred times better than Luo Yan. Don't tease Luo Yan anymore. Besides, Luo Yan has hurt you so badly this time, how can I have the face to..."
Yuan Yueze laughed, "I can't help it if you don't agree, but I must express my feelings. However, I never felt that you hurt me or implicated me. You are a woman with your own opinions and grand ideals, you shouldn't give up like this."
Disappointment flashed in Shen Luo Yan's eyes, and she smiled bitterly, "You are the first person to understand Luo Yan's thoughts, and you are also a man. Luo Yan is satisfied to have you as a confidant in this life, and I dare not ask for anything else."
Yuan Yueze looked at her with a half-smile and said, "What if I forcibly take Luoyan home as my wife? Anyway, it's not like I haven't done this before!"
Shen Luoyan lowered her head shyly, her heart filled with joy, but she felt a tingling heat spreading through her pert buttocks, and her whole body began to feel hot. Only then did she realize that Yuan Yueze's strange hands were already caressing her. Shen Luoyan was extremely embarrassed, but she was unwilling to let him let go, so she could only slightly twist her body, but the tingling sensation became even stronger.
If it were the usual Shen Luoyan, she would never be so shy, but the relationship between this man and her had always been ambiguous, neither friend nor foe. It could be said that if Yuan Yueze hadn't come to save Shen Luoyan today, she would have had no reason to blame him, but not only did Yuan Yueze come, he actually saved her, and he also openly expressed his admiration. Shen Luoyan, who had always been unrestrained and bold, was completely intoxicated, becoming a little woman who was completely immersed in her lover's arms.
"Ahem!"
Yuan Yueze and Shen Luoyan looked over simultaneously, only to see Dugu Feng carrying the unconscious Li Mi, looking at them with a playful smile.
Shen Luoyan's heart skipped a beat. Seeing Yuan Yueze's indifferent expression, her mind raced, and she gave a bitter smile: "You two are really good at acting. Luoyan has been fooled terribly and is completely convinced."
Dugu Feng smiled awkwardly, lifting Li Mi up, and said: "Military Advisor Shen, you flatter me. I've only done this one thing from beginning to end."
Yuan Yueze asked in surprise: "How did you capture Li Mi, Father-in-law?"
Dugu Feng replied: "Sneaking into someone isn't difficult, especially a sneak attack on someone who's overconfident. However, if we were facing each other normally, I really wouldn't be able to guarantee..." "We can capture him."
Yuan Yueze nodded and smiled, "Father-in-law seems to have admitted defeat. What are your plans now?"
Dugu Feng said, "Mother should have returned to Luoyang with the clansmen. She should be going to see Feng'er now. I'll do my part to help you complete your grand plan."
Yuan Yueze smiled faintly, "Father-in-law, please go back first. I'll talk to Luoyan a bit more. Just hand Li Mi over to Susu. She seems to have made some kind of agreement with Zhai Jiao."
Dugu Feng nodded, said nothing more, and flew up, disappearing into the distance.
Shen Luoyan seemed to have something to say, but didn't know how to begin. Yuan Yueze guessed her thoughts and advised, "You must want to plead for Li Mi, but it's too late now. He should pay the price for his actions. Besides, he just insulted you and me. If he insulted me, I might forgive him if I was in a good mood, but if he insulted you, he will have to pay a hundredfold for that one swear word." Shen Luoyan sighed softly and nodded weakly. Yuan Yueze's affection made her heart flutter with joy, and she immediately asked curiously, "You and the Dugu Clan Leader put on such a good show. Can you tell Luoyan about it? Luoyan has always suspected him, but couldn't find any evidence. On the contrary, he has been trying his best to help Mi... Li Mi, which makes Luoyan believe him more and more."
Yuan Yueze pulled her to sit down and began to tell her story.
On the day the He Shi Bi was stolen, after Yuan Yueze defeated the Great Ming Saint Venerable, he discussed things with Shan Meixian and the other women for a long time before returning to the city. Dugu Feng looked worried. Yuan Yueze knew the source of her anxiety, so he secretly sneaked into the palace to meet with You Chuhong and Dugu Feng.
Their hatred for Yuan Yueze still dominated; placing Dugu Feng by his side was part of their plan. Yuan Yueze didn't waste words with them, directly displaying his formidable strength and revealing his background and plans. The mother and son were stunned, taking over an hour to process what he had heard. For the first time, they felt fear at being enemies with someone like Yuan Yueze.
Afterwards, Yuan Yueze gave them two pills. Because of his continued collusion with Li Mi, Dugu Feng told Yuan Yueze everything. He also believed that if Yuan Yueze didn't directly participate in the battle, Li Mi's chances of winning were still high. The two then made a bet and staged a scene of 'forcibly abducting a woman.' This was just a joke; the main purpose was to mislead Wang Shichong.
Today, seeing that Yuan Yueze couldn't possibly survive the power of the gunpowder, Li Mi rejoiced at his plan and, on the retreat path, smugly plotted with Dugu Feng how to cooperate with Qian Duguan and make a comeback. Dugu Feng, however, believed Li Mi was finished. So, before Yuan Yueze could catch up, Dugu Feng launched a sneak attack on the smug Li Mi, personally ending this meaningless gamble.
Because Yuan Yueze's words contained all his secrets, including his background, Shen Luoyan listened, barely daring to breathe. After Yuan Yueze finished speaking, he left Shen Luoyan to digest the information slowly.
Time passed, and Shen Luoyan gradually calmed down. Looking at Yuan Yueze, she sighed, "Today will be an unforgettable day for me, for I have heard things more unbelievable than a dream, yet they are happening right before my eyes."
Yuan Yueze smiled gently, "Will Luoyan accompany me and my family on this endless journey of life?"
Shen Luoyan's expression was complicated as she said, "Which of your wives isn't more beautiful than me? Don't tease me anymore!"
Seeing her say this again, Yuan Yueze sighed, "It's impossible. " "I admit, appearance is indeed a factor in mutual attraction, but it's not the only one. For example, kindness, wit, and so on can all be symbols of a person's charm. And what attracts me to you isn't just your looks. Once Luo Yan completes her physical training, she will definitely be no less attractive than Mei Xian and the others."
Having said all that, Shen Luo Yan suddenly giggled and said, "Then how could you let me in after I've hurt you so badly? It would be strange if you didn't bully Luo Yan!"
Yuan Yueze was taken aback by her sudden change of heart, thinking to himself that this pretty strategist also had the potential to be a witch.
With a wicked smile, amidst a clear, melodious chirping, Yuan Yueze grabbed Shen Luo Yan's slender waist and pressed his lips directly against her delicate, moist cherry lips, which resembled rose petals. Shen Luo Yan's mind went completely blank.
Forcibly prying open Shen Luoyan's pearly teeth, Yuan Yueze teased the soft, moist lip of the beauty in his arms. Shen Luoyan let out soft moans from her delicate nose, her fragrant breath washing over Yuan Yueze's face, making him utterly intoxicated. Shen Luoyan gradually forgot everything, only knowing to wrap her arms around Yuan Yueze's waist, her clumsy tongue entwining with his.
The two exchanged blows, and Shen Luoyan, with her exceptionally strong learning skills, soon took the initiative, actively teasing Yuan Yueze, making him secretly delighted.
After a while, they separated, Shen Luoyan immersed in the passionate kiss. Her body was burning hot, and she felt a surge of heat coursing through her body. Her private parts felt warm and slippery. Although she had never experienced this before, she knew it all too well. She didn't want to leave Yuan Yueze's embrace, only knowing to lie on his chest, panting softly, as if intoxicated, or perhaps savoring the memory.
For the first time, she felt the bliss of a woman completely in love.
Seeing Yuan Yueze's hands still caressing her body, her private parts seemingly growing increasingly wet, Shen Luoyan twisted her waist, pressing down on Yuan Yueze's groping hands, and scolded, "You lecherous devil, are you trying to kill Luoyan?"
Yuan Yueze chuckled dryly, "A fool wouldn't pass up a good opportunity."
Shen Luoyan was startled, then burst into laughter, her body trembling with embarrassment. She gave Yuan Yueze a charming glare, her expression slightly somber: "I wonder if my sisters will find Luoyan repulsive, after all, we've always been enemies."
Yuan Yue... Yuan Yueze pinched her soft cheek and said, "You've met them a few times, you should know what they're like. Saying things like that not only shows a lack of self-confidence, but it's also an insult to them."
Shen Luoyan smiled charmingly, "I know. Let's get down to business."
After satisfying his masculine desires, Yuan Yueze said seriously, "Indeed, we should talk about the bet. Luoyan said she'd be at my mercy if she lost, right?"
Shen Luoyan nodded with a puzzled look. *Thinking to herself* "Isn't that what you're going to do with me?"
Yuan Yueze smiled and said, "Our feelings are from the bottom of our hearts, they're not part of this bet."
Shen Luoyan asked in surprise, "Then what do you want Luoyan to promise you?"
Yuan Yueze smiled mysteriously, "I want Luoyan to sit in the position of the City Lord of Luoyang."
"What!"
Shen Luoyan, who had been nestled in Yuan Yueze's arms, immediately sat up straight, her face filled with disbelief.

Chapter 050 Luoyan's Springtime Affection
Shen Luoyan stared at Yuan Yueze for a long time before 'pfft'ing, her alluring eyes sparkling.
"Your sisters' talents are no less than hers, are they? Or have you decided to use Luoyan as your henchman while you become the emperor?"
Yuan Yueze's faint smile vanished immediately after these words, his eyes filled with utter disappointment.
"Alas!"
He sighed desolately.
Shen Luoyan's smile also stiffened, and she lowered
her head and whispered, "Isn't what Luoyan said true?" Yuan Yueze turned and stared at her for a long time, then nodded, his tone icy, "Yes, then we shall part ways forever, please!"
With that, he turned to leave.
Shen Luoyan panicked and grabbed his arm with all her might, anxiously saying, "Can't I even joke around with you?"
"Joking my ass! You can joke about this, but I'm not in the mood for that!"
Yuan Yueze roared, his eyes blazing with anger. Shen Luoyan
felt wronged; her previous shrewdness vanished, her eyes reddened, and she began to sob softly, yet she still dared not let go of Yuan Yueze's arm.
Everyone has their own bottom line. Perhaps Shen Luoyan could joke about this, or perhaps Yuan Yueze was simply clueless, but this was precisely his character. Shen Luoyan
's joke sounded to him like an insult to his feelings for her. In fact, Shen Luoyan wasn't wrong. Given the current situation, almost anyone would have the same first thought as Shen Luoyan.
But in Yuan Yueze's mind, everyone else could criticize, but not Shen Luoyan, because he believed that with her intelligence, she would have already understood his feelings. It was precisely because of Shen Luoyan's high place in his heart that he wouldn't allow her to tarnish his feelings so easily.
After his heavy breathing calmed down, Yuan Yueze took a deep breath, wiped away the tears that kept streaming down her face, looked into her red and beautiful eyes, and said in an icy tone, "In many people's eyes, I, Yuan Yueze, am just a blockhead. I know my own strengths and weaknesses quite well. I was wrong just now, so let go."
This was originally a simple matter of playful banter between lovers, but when it came to Yuan Yueze, it took on a completely different meaning.
Shen Luoyan dared not let go of him, and rushed to him, hugging him tightly, apologizing incoherently.
With a few firm slaps on her shapely buttocks, Yuan Yueze pulled her to sit in his lap, wiped away her tears, and pressed Shen Luoyan's trembling head against his chest like a frightened little bird. He murmured, "You can say anything else, but please don't insult our feelings for each other or my love for you!"
Shen Luoyan naturally understood how deep Yuan Yueze's love for her was. Overjoyed, her previous grievances vanished, and she nodded vigorously, sobbing. Like a wronged little wife, she whispered, "You scared me to death! I'll listen to you, okay?"
Yuan Yueze sighed again, calmed down, lifted Shen Luoyan's chin in his arms, and gently kissed her cute nose, saying, "I didn't say you had to become the Lord of Luoyang City, I was just discussing it with you. You should know all my secrets. My second brother and I are actually two branches symbolizing unification. I'm in the shadows, and my second brother is in the light. The forces in the shadows are not only terrifying but also dangerous. What I'm even more wary of is that their whereabouts are too mysterious. Before we eliminate their main force, I can't be too high-profile. Meixian and the others have no interest in this position. And now is not the best time for my second brother to truly show his face."
Shen Luoyan nodded and then asked in a low voice, "Is it... because Luoyan is colder?" "Blood is ruthless, heart is like a snake, cunning and treacherous, and you'll stop at nothing to achieve your goals. So, are you really suited to be the city lord?"
Seeing Yuan Yueze's furrowed brows, Shen Luoyan's heart panicked again. "I...I..."
Yuan Yueze shook his head slightly and said, "Don't be afraid. At first, I was insensitive. I took your joke seriously. I'll never get angry with you again."
Shen Luoyan pressed herself against his chest, nodded almost imperceptibly, and whispered, "Luoyan was also wrong. Knowing your feelings, I still doubted your love for him."
Yuan Yueze shook his head and smiled, "What you said are your characteristics in politics or on the battlefield. These are necessary. It was indeed for these reasons that I wanted you to be the city lord."
Shen Luoyan buried her head in Yuan Yueze's chest, a hint of sadness flashing in her swollen, red eyes.
“But I don’t think what you said is right. You should be a woman of great character, compassionate and righteous, worldly-wise, and able to assess situations. As for what you just said, that’s the evaluation of your enemies, or people who hate or envy you.”
Yuan Yueze gently stroked her cascading black hair and said softly.
Shen Luoyan looked up at him with delight: “It’s not as good as you say, but I’m very pleased!”
Yuan Yueze’s lips curled up slightly: “What I said is all true.”
“But, if we follow your logic, wouldn’t Luoyan be unable to… unable to…”
Shen Luoyan’s voice grew softer and softer until it was completely inaudible.
Yuan Yueze chuckled mischievously, "Can't what?" Shen Luoyan
looked up and met his wicked gaze, immediately feeling embarrassed. She rolled her eyes at him and scolded, "You're so annoying, you know perfectly well..."
Yuan Yueze tightened his arms, saying, "Let others think what they want, but Luoyan, while being the city lord, must also be my little wife. Otherwise, I really can't trust your skills." Shen
Luoyan, of course, understood the importance of strength in this chaotic world, and nodded, saying, "In that case, what difference would it make if you were the city lord?"
Suddenly realizing that the topic seemed to have returned to the original point, Shen Luoyan hurriedly glanced at Yuan Yueze's expression. Seeing that he showed no emotional fluctuation, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The implication was that, in the eyes of outsiders, Shen Luoyan was a puppet, and Yuan Yueze was the one in power behind the scenes.
“Besides the reasons I just mentioned, there’s another point you should understand: I really don’t have the ability to deal with all sorts of people or manage subordinates with different personalities. As for what outsiders think, let them think what they want. But I will never interfere with any of Luo Yan’s decisions because we all believe in your abilities. If you feel tired, you can ask Mei Xian and the others for help; otherwise, I’ll feel sorry for you,”
Yuan Yueze said softly.
Shen Luoyan pursed her lips in thought, remaining silent for a long while before finally asking, "Then you must have already discussed with the sisters how to elevate Luoyan to the position of city lord, right?"
Yuan Yueze nodded, sighed, and said apologetically, "The world is in chaos right now. Luoyan probably wanted to enjoy life, but I've pushed her into the limelight. It will only take a few years, and then we'll be completely free from this mortal world."
Shen Luoyan puffed out her high breasts and said in a seductive voice, "The sisters are all working hard for their lord. Luoyan has some skills, so naturally she can't be idle. Since you're so understanding, Luoyan will cause a ruckus one more time!"
Seeing Yuan Yueze's grateful expression, Shen Luoyan giggled, gave him a sweet kiss, and said, "Then tell Luoyan about the expansion plan in detail."
Yuan Yueze laughed, "You're such a little vixen, daring to provoke me?"
Then, ignoring Shen Luoyan's eye roll, he immediately took out a world map.
Yuan Yueze circled the Central Plains on the map with his finger and said to Shen Luoyan, who was curiously looking at the large map from side to side, "This is what you often call 'the world.' Now you realize how small your perspective is, don't you?" Shen
Luoyan had already roughly understood this from the markings on the map, such as the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Qinling Mountains. She nodded and sighed, "So the Central Plains that everyone's been fighting over is actually such a large area."
Yuan Yueze pulled her to sit down and pointed to the map, saying, "Because of its long history, geographical advantages, and cultural background, the Central Plains is considered the most prosperous region in the world today."
Shen Luoyan asked in surprise, "'The world' means all the land on this map?"
Yuan Yueze thought that at this time, the word 'world' only existed in Buddhist scriptures, and its meaning was very different from the 'world' of later times. Moreover, this word was only introduced to the Central Plains with Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty, so it was not surprising that Shen Luoyan did not understand it.
Yuan Yueze nodded.
Shen Luoyan looked carefully and kept marveling.
Yuan Yueze pointed to the map and explained to her, "In this world today, the Central Plains where we live is the most prosperous region. While other areas are vast, there are very few truly prosperous and civilized regions."
"Beyond the Central Plains, the Great Qin, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, can be considered the political, economic, and cultural center of this vast region,"
Yuan Yueze said, pointing to the Mediterranean Sea.
Shen Luoyan nodded and said, "When I was young, I read Wei Yuhuan's 'Wei Lue' and vaguely remembered that it said, 'The first kingdom of Daqin is Liqian, located in Parthia, west of the Tiaozhi West Sea. From Angu City on the Parthian border, one can travel directly to the west of the sea. With favorable winds, it takes two months to arrive; with slow winds, it may take a year; without winds, it may take three years. The country is located west of the sea, hence the common name 'West of the Sea.'" Yuan Yueze continued to point out, "It's here. Then there are countries like Tianzhu and Persia, which are no less powerful than Daqin. The people on this continent have almost all just emerged from the life of savages. The most prosperous area is a kingdom here, the Kingdom of Aksum."
"You know about the Turks and other foreign tribes near the Central Plains, so I won't go into detail. On this small island, all the men must be killed in the future, and all the women will be used as tools for sexual gratification and slaves,"
Yuan Yueze said, pointing to a small island in the northeast.
Shen Luoyan was startled, her expression strange. "How many people could there be on such a small island? Have they ever offended you? Your idea is too vicious. Wouldn't it be better to capture men and enslave them too?"
Yuan Yueze smiled mysteriously, pointing to the continent to the east of the sea. "I'll explain this to you in detail later. Although there are some people with their own civilization on this large landmass, most areas are still inhabited by uncivilized savages." Shen
Luoyan examined the area for a while and sighed, "These areas are so far away; it's too difficult to conquer them!"
Yuan Yueze laughed, "Actually, that's exactly what I was thinking. If we simply unify the Central Plains, after the peak period, we'll still be coveted by foreign tribes. My second brother, father-in-law, and I have discussed this and believe that we should directly achieve global unification, with the Han people as the main body, to absorb and integrate other ethnic groups. This way, there won't be any more instances of 'unity after a long period of division, and division after a long period of unity.' As for these remote areas, it's true that we need to conquer them with our army, but before attacking them, we can use other methods..."
※※※※※ Qin Dynasty, Constantinople.
To the left of the majestic Hagia Sophia, atop a strangely shaped tower—built with Egyptian porphyry, Thessaly green marble, Bosphorus black stone, and Syrian yellow stone, and based on the ancient Greek columns of the Temple of Artemis at Phoebus—standing atop a window is a handsome young man, tall and slender, dressed in a grey robe, with long, flowing hair that sways in the wind. His deep, jewel-like eyes are fixed on the distant Hagia Sophia.
From below, various strange, indistinct sounds drift, their language discernible yet filled with respect.
The handsome man relaxes, lets out a long sigh, and is about to turn around when he hears a soft, charming call behind him, a slightly accented laugh: "I've made you some soup, drink it quickly."
The man reluctantly sits down at the elegantly designed round table, gazing at the woman before him.
The woman appeared to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, tall and voluptuous, with long, flowing, golden, curly hair. She had a high nose, deep-set eyes, and a captivating, wild allure in her blue eyes. At this moment, however, she looked docile, holding a golden tray in her hands, and sat before the man.
"Why have you come to see me again?"
the man asked irritably, finishing his soup in the golden bowl.
The woman's expression turned angry: "Didn't you say that a night of marriage brings a hundred days of kindness? Are you going to deny what you did?"
The man smiled bitterly: "Can't you say it the other way around? If you hadn't used that evil witchcraft to bewitch me, how could I... Never mind, if it weren't for the fact that you have half Han Chinese blood, I would have killed you long ago!"
The blonde woman snuggled up to the man and said coquettishly: "I just like you, what's wrong with trying to win over someone you like? Or is it because you're everyone's 'god' that you look down on me?"
Seeing her aggrieved expression, the man's tone softened: "Liking someone isn't wrong, but your methods are too extreme. What kind of woman bewitches a man?" "And then what happened if you forced it?"
The blonde woman scoffed at the man's words. "I always thought you were just good-looking and had decent medical skills and knowledge, but I never expected that you, whom people call a 'true god,' could break the Emperor's 'Five Dragons Entanglement' with a wave of your hand in the arena. I fell in love with you instantly!"
Then she added worriedly, "The Emperor won't let you off easily. You've taken almost half of his people. You must be careful. I'll let you know if anything happens. Remember to think of me."
With that, she planted a sweet kiss on the man's cheek. Seeing his helpless expression, the blonde woman let out a silvery laugh, tidied up the soup dishes, and walked towards the door.
The man suddenly realized that this passionate woman was also somewhat cute. He turned around and watched her retreating figure, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.
The blonde woman, who hadn't gone far, seemed to sense his gaze and immediately turned back, exclaiming softly, "See, you're starting to fall in love with me too!"
The man shook his head with a wry smile and waved impatiently, saying, "Hurry up, hurry up!"
The blonde woman didn't mind at all, humming a little tune and skipping away.
The man stood up, looked out the window again, and after a long while, let out a sigh of relief, muttering, "Heraclius is really not an easy opponent! Master Lu, you're such a bastard!"
※※※※※ Behind the Pegasus Ranch. A
cozy nest.
"Achoo!"
Lu Miaozi, who was holding a thick book and studying it carefully, suddenly sneezed.
Rubbing his nose, Lu Miaozi muttered, "Someone must be talking badly about me behind my back again."
"Haven't you done enough bad things?"
A fragrant breeze blew by, and Shang Qingya had already sat in Lu Miaozi's lap, speaking with a hint of reproach.
Lu Miaozi chuckled awkwardly, "Seems like quite a lot, hehe."
Shang Qingya rolled her eyes at Lu Miaozi again and said, "Xun'er has sent word that Luoyang's fate should be decided in the next few days."
Lu Miaozi nodded seriously, "Has there been any new information from Song Zhi?"
Shang Qingya replied, "Xiao Xian sent people to Shancheng, and it seems he's being pressured by the surrounding forces and is planning to form an alliance with the Song family."
Lu Miaozi said, "If we could temporarily send a small force to cover our tracks and take control of the southern sea area, that would be ideal."
Shang Qingya nodded, "Shancheng is planning the same thing. For now, we just need to focus on our own affairs."
Lu Miaozi asked again, "How's the investigation into that spy from the Western Regions going?"
Shang Qingya replied dejectedly, "We have no idea where he went, but we're certain he's still alive."
"Don't worry, he won't give up. If he comes back, we'll never let him go!"
Lu Miaozi comforted her.
Shang Qingya sighed deeply and didn't speak again.
※※※※※ Yuan Yueze talked incessantly until his throat was dry. After taking a deep breath
, he said, "That's about it." Shen Luoyan nodded repeatedly. Yuan Yueze pulled her up and said, "Let's go. Lord Yang should have arranged everything. Let's go back and see him first."
Shen Luoyan said shyly, "You must say a few good words for him in front of your sisters."
Yuan Yueze pinched her cheek and said, "I know, let's go back first."
Carrying Shen Luoyan, Yuan Yueze ran and soon arrived outside the South Gate. The heavy smell of blood still lingered in the air, creating a strange scene against the atmosphere of victory that filled the city. Many soldiers were cleaning up the battlefield; wheelbarrows loaded with corpses moved back and forth across the battlefield, thick smoke billowing in the distance.
Even Shen Luoyan couldn't bear to look any longer, burying her head in Yuan Yueze's arms as the two headed straight for Yang Gongqing's residence.
In the living room, Yang Gongqing, Dugu Feng, Zhang Zhenzhou, and several other city defense generals from other regions were present. Seeing Yuan Yueze and Shen Luoyan enter side by side, they hurriedly rose to greet them.
The meeting lasted for more than an hour.
By the time it ended, it was nearly dusk.
After bidding farewell to everyone, Yuan Yueze took Shen Luoyan home.
Almost everyone was chatting and laughing in the living room; even Hong Fu, who usually meditated, had come to join in the fun, while Shang Xiufang was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing Yuan Yueze return with a new wife every time he went out, Song Yuhua's face grew increasingly cold, while Hong Fu's eyes flashed with a hint of disdain.
Yuan Yueze had no time to pay attention to them. After introducing Shen Luoyan to his wives, he let the shy Shen Luoyan talk about her experiences with the women, while he, half-asleep, simply lay down on Shan Meixian's incredibly supple legs.
Time was of the essence. To improve Shen Luoyan's strength as quickly as possible, Yuan Yueze had to refine her body that very night. Otherwise, when he ascended to the position of city lord, he would certainly not be spared by those with ulterior motives; conspiracies, assassinations, and other means might be used.
After sitting together for a long time, the two began to react. Yuan Yueze said, "Isn't it my fault for being too abrupt?"
Shen Luoyan didn't answer, but gently shook her head.
"I, Yuan Yueze, hereby swear that if I ever betray Luoyan in the slightest, may I..."
Before Yuan Yueze could finish speaking, Shen Luoyan's fragrant, soft lips were already pressed against his. Practice makes perfect; clever and intelligent women are always so adorable. And now, she had already begun to tease Yuan Yueze's pursuit with her soft lips. Like a game of hide-and-seek, they chased each other, one coming and the other hiding. In a moment of urgency, Yuan Yueze grabbed her and took the initiative.
In her dazed state, Shen Luoyan felt a chill on her chest. When she opened her misty, beautiful eyes, she found herself lying on the bed. Yuan Yueze was also looking her up and down at the exquisite, undulating beauty before him.
A quick glance downwards sent a shiver down Shen Luoyan's spine. She gently closed her eyes, thinking to herself, "That thing is terrifying!"
Yuan Yueze's wicked hands had already begun to caress the ivory-white jade before him, as if he knew all her sensitive acupoints perfectly. With each touch of Yuan Yueze's fingers, Shen Luoyan felt a surge of heat within her, seemingly rhythmic yet also chaotic, coursing through her meridians and flesh. Shen Luoyan tried her best to suppress the embarrassing sounds, but ultimately, after the slight touch of his tongue on her private parts, her mind went blank, and she involuntarily let out soft moans and cries.
Yuan Yueze kissed her entire body with a passionate kiss, and after indulging in some hand and foot caresses, his hands stopped on her beautiful, perky breasts. He chuckled and said, "May I ask, my beautiful strategist, are you on top or am I?"
Shen Luoyan, already aroused and swaying her slender waist, wanted to ask Yuan Yueze to fill her emptiness, but felt too shy to speak. Suddenly hearing Yuan Yueze's wicked laughter, she immediately opened her hazy eyes, her cheeks flushed, her beauty radiant, and weakly scolded, "Don't call me that, hurry up... hurry up..."
"Yes, sir!"
Yuan Yueze already knew that the foreplay had been sufficient, and Shen Luoyan's valley was already flowing with lubrication. With a strange cry, his 'first weapon' struck directly at her heart.
As the plum blossoms began to bloom, Shen Luoyan, her pale hands gripping Yuan Yueze's back tightly, her delicate brows furrowed, her teeth biting lightly, tears welling in her eyes, yet she didn't utter a sound.
Yuan Yueze tenderly stopped, kissing away her tears one by one.
"Is...is it all in?"
Shen Luoyan asked tremulously as the pain subsided.
Yuan Yueze pursed his lips, making a helpless expression.
Shen Luoyan looked down, her heart pounding; it was still halfway out.
"It's like this the first time, you'll get used to it gradually, don't be nervous, baby,"
Yuan Yueze comforted her.
Shen Luoyan tried to take control, her delicate brows furrowed, gently twisting her waist to swallow and release the weapon, laughing through her tears, "Who's your baby! It hurts so much!"
"The flower path has never been swept for guests, but today the humble gate opens for you,"
Yuan Yueze recited, swaying his head.
Clever as Shen Luoyan was, she could easily understand the meaning and chuckled, "Who wrote this lewd poem? Oh!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, Yuan Yueze finally thrust in and out!
Accompanied by intense pain, an unprecedented feeling of pleasure coursed through her body, finally filling Shen Luoyan's emptiness.
Celestial music gradually began to play rhythmically, filling the bedroom with an atmosphere of debauchery.
"Ah!"
The beautiful strategist, with her stunning looks and radiant beauty, was dizzy and her mind went blank. Her slender waist arched desperately, and her tender, red lips let out a charming, melodious, and high-pitched cry as she finally reached the peak of ecstasy for the first time.
Shen Luoyan's fighting power far exceeded Yuan Yueze's expectations. She could actually last for more than half an hour on her first try. Looking at the panting beauty with her seductive eyes and rosy skin, Yuan Yueze gently comforted her.
After regaining her strength, Shen Luoyan, nestled against Yuan Yueze's chest, felt the still-stirring 'little Ze' below her. Her face flushed, she whispered, "Husband, I...I still..."
Yuan Yueze interrupted with a laugh, "You want more, don't you?" Shen
Luoyan was extremely embarrassed. The intense pleasure she had just experienced made her want to try again, but she was afraid Yuan Yueze would laugh at her, so she hesitated, wanting to speak but too embarrassed to say it.
"Isn't Luoyan too wanton?"
Shen Luoyan asked softly.
Yuan Yueze nibbled on her delicate earlobe and laughed, "It's most important to be open-minded in front of your husband. In front of outsiders, you're a virgin; in bed, you're a slut. All your sisters are like that, hehe."
"Then why don't you come quickly?"
Shen Luoyan gave Yuan Yueze a flirtatious look and said sweetly.
"Come on, I'm not afraid of you!"
"No, this time I want to be on top!"
"Wow! Be careful, you've just lost your virginity!"
"Baby, how old are you this year?"
"Twenty-four... what's wrong?"
"You look like you're in your thirties or forties, so 'fierce'!"
"Hey! Be gentle, you're going to break me apart..."

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