Imperial Secrets - Episode 18

Just as he had predicted, when Shi Yanying turned to look at him again, her eyes flashed with a sharp and intimidating light. However, upon seeing the adoration and admiration in his gaze, the proud yet lonely woman immediately calmed down.

Shi Yanying silently stared at Jiang Hanqing for a while, sighing inwardly, and lowered her head, thinking mournfully, "I never thought that my unparalleled beauty would be appreciated by anyone, or rather, no one would dare to appreciate it to my face. Now, at this middle age, such a spoiled brat has appeared... Alas!"

Filled with the sorrow of a lonely woman, Shi Yanying suddenly felt a sense of recognition towards this young man she had previously completely disregarded. At that moment, she felt that this young man, the first in over twenty years to dare to look at her rudely to her face, was not so unpleasant after all, and his rude behavior no longer filled her with immense anger. She even found, for the first time in many years, a slight sense of panic and restlessness within her body. A sudden impulse welled up within her; Shi Yanying hoped that the young man surnamed Jiang would continue to look at her like that.

However, this was merely a momentary impulse, fleeting and easily forgotten! The mature woman quickly calmed down, giving Jiang Hanqing a warning glare to signal him not to be too presumptuous! After all, given Shi Yanying's proud personality and noble status, she would absolutely not allow a mere young man to be too disrespectful to her.

Jiang Hanqing had been observing Shi Yanying's expression. When her eyes became slightly unfocused, he knew he had succeeded in his gamble. But soon he saw Shi Yanying's eyes sharpen again, and she gave him a warning look. Jiang Hanqing naturally knew how serious the consequences would be if he pushed such a proud and high-status woman too far. So he immediately and tactfully withdrew his gaze from the beautiful lady. Seeing that

Jiang Hanqing understood her meaning and stopped his offensive actions, Shi Yanying breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't explain why this young man, who was only her son's age, could make her feel a slight heat in her body when he looked at her!

Shi Yanying could only console herself with this thought: "There's nothing strange about it! It's just because I haven't been in contact with a man for eight years! ...Or perhaps it's because no man has dared to look at me like that for over twenty years, so I'm no longer used to it!"

Regardless, Shi Yanying now harbored a deep curiosity about this young man: "Among so many young nobles in the court, only he managed to get into the top tier today. He must have some extraordinary abilities, right? He must be very clever, right? As clever as his formidable mother? Judging from his demeanor just now, he seemed quite temperamental. Sigh! Young man! In a few years, I'll see if you can still be so impulsive!"

When the tedious welcoming ceremony finally ended, Shi Yanying could finally continue her journey. Mounting her warhorse, the aloof and great commander, surrounded by ministers and personal guards, headed towards Yong'an Prefecture. On horseback, she couldn't help but look around, wanting to catch another glimpse of the young man who had left such a deep impression on her. But to her disappointment, Jiang Hanqing had already secretly slipped away; there was no sign of him anywhere!

Shi Yanying thought with a touch of melancholy, "This Jiang family lad is quite interesting! I wonder if I'll have another chance to interact with him? Will he still see me as a woman then?"

But in the blink of an eye, this proud and aloof woman completely cast aside the strange emotions Jiang Hanqing had evoked in her. How could a great woman like her possibly harbor such long-held feelings for a young man?

Raising her noble head high, she suppressed the sorrow and resentment stirred up by years of unrequited love, and firmly declared in her heart, "Hmph! Although this lad isn't too bad-looking, if he dares to look at me like that again, I'll gouge out his eyes!"

Thinking this, Shi Yanying suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of ease. Smiling, ignoring the ministers fawning over her, Shi Yanying shouted "Giddy up!" and kicked the horse's flanks forcefully. The warhorse, in pain, neighed and galloped forward. Her personal guards hurriedly spurred their mounts, galloping closely behind her towards Yong'an Prefecture.

The ministers, left behind by Shi Yanying's unexpected move, looked at each other in astonishment for a long while before finally reacting. Shaking their heads helplessly, they brushed the dust off their clothes and slowly followed the direction Shi Yanying had gone.

Looking at Shi Yanying's receding figure, now somewhat blurred, someone suddenly exclaimed, "Look! It really does look like an eagle flying towards Yong'an Prefecture!" Those around

looked up, several immediately nodding in agreement, and another chimed in, "Yes! An eagle has flown towards Yong'an Prefecture!" Chapter 55 First Encounter

with the Eagle's Might According to the rules of the Great Xia Empire, unless permitted by the emperor, no general could lead troops within ten miles of the imperial capital, not even the renowned Shi Yanying, who had traversed the northern frontier and achieved great military exploits. Her "Eagle-Winged Iron Guard" was left outside Yong'an Prefecture, with only about a hundred personal guards accompanying her into the city. The Eagle-Winged Iron Guard's camp, pre-arranged by the Imperial Ministry of War, was located twenty li northwest of Yong'an Prefecture. Between them and the capital was a camp of the Imperial Guard, garrisoned with approximately fifty thousand soldiers. It was clear to everyone that this arrangement was a precautionary measure taken by the Imperial Ministry of War to prevent a sudden rebellion by Shi Yanying's army. Upon hearing the news of Shi Yanying's arrival in the capital, hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic people gathered on both sides of the streets, singing and dancing to welcome the return of this great commander. Young people around twenty years old were particularly enthusiastic, running excitedly through the crowds. At their age, they were deeply in awe of heroes, and Shi Yanying, a legendary, almost godlike, beautiful commander, perfectly embodied their ideal image. Eight years ago, when Shi Yanying left the capital, these young people were still ignorant teenagers. Aside from her unparalleled fame, this renowned general of the empire didn't leave a deep impression on them. As adults, they often fantasized about her image, and now that they finally had the chance to see her in person, it's no wonder they were so excited. The moment Shi Yanying rode her warhorse through the gates of Yong'an Prefecture, cheers erupted from the city gates, then spread like a relay through the crowds lining both sides of the street into the heart of Yong'an Prefecture. Looking at the enthusiastic crowds welcoming them on both sides of the street, Shi Yanying sat proudly on her horse, making no reaction whatsoever, not even a gesture of greeting, as if everything happening before her had nothing to do with her. After Yin Yufeng's great victory, it would be a lie to say that Shi Yanying felt no jealousy or resentment. She could easily imagine the grand welcome Yin Yufeng would receive when she returned to the capital. Compared to this, the welcome from the people of Yong'an Prefecture was nothing special; in Shi Yanying's eyes, it was merely a consolation for the defeated. How could she, with her proud and arrogant nature, accept being overshadowed? Influenced by this sentiment, Shi Yanying felt not a shred of goodwill towards the welcoming crowd, but rather a strong sense of disgust. Riding behind her, Li Zhiqiang watched his wife's aloof figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions. As Shi Yanying's husband of many years, he knew perfectly well what she was feeling at that moment, and felt an even greater sense of guilt towards her. Looking at the incessantly noisy and laughing fools on both sides of the street, Shi Yanying grew increasingly annoyed. She stopped her mount, glanced back at her husband, and said coldly, "How can these idiots have so much energy? They've been making a racket for so long, and they can still shout so loudly!" Li Zhiqiang shrugged helplessly, gave a bitter smile, and didn't know how to answer her. Shi Yanying only wanted to express her dissatisfaction to her husband, so before he could say anything, she turned her head and lightly kicked the horse's belly to urge it to continue.

But then something unexpected happened.

Seeing Shi Yanying stop her horse and turn to speak to someone, perhaps out of respect, or perhaps out of curiosity to hear what she was saying, the crowds around her suddenly fell silent as if by prior arrangement. Just then, a clear boy's voice rang out from the crowd not far from her.

"Mommy, you said this person in front of you is an invincible commander, but a few days ago you said there was another person who was also an invincible commander. Which one is truly invincible?"

Because the surrounding crowd had suddenly quieted down, the boy's voice sounded so clear and high-pitched that even the cheers that still rang out in the distance couldn't stop Shi Yanying from hearing this innocent child's words. Shi Yanying

abruptly reined in her horse, which had just begun to move forward, and glared fiercely towards the source of the voice.

It was a little boy, about ten years old, being led by his mother and squeezed into the crowd to watch the spectacle. His innocent eyes were fixed on Shi Yanying with curiosity.

The young mother smiled and gently patted her son's head, saying, "Silly boy, don't talk nonsense!"

The little boy, still smiling, protested without a care, "I'm not talking nonsense! Both of them are invincible, so if they clash, they're enemies! I heard that the other person defeated a very powerful enemy this time. Is she even stronger? You said the other day that the Emperor summoned another person to the capital, is that true? I'll definitely find her and ask her clearly who's stronger between her and this person! If I can't answer that, I'll make them fight!"

The people around couldn't help but laugh at the little boy's innocent words. To them, it was just childish rambling, unaware that it had directly offended Shi Yanying.

Shi Yanying glared fiercely at the laughing crowd, a strong killing intent surging deep within her.

"Ignorant bastards, laugh all you want now! One day, I'll make you regret making fun of me!"

A sharp glint flashed in her eyes, and Shi Yanying coldly snorted, raising her head and urging her mount forward.

Behind her, the crowd of people were gleefully teasing the innocent little boy. These simple folks could never have imagined that a few years later, this warmly welcomed and great general would ruthlessly take the lives of most of the people in the capital, all because of the little boy's innocent and ignorant words and the indifferent attitude of those present.

"Yanying, don't take those ignorant bastards' words to heart! You..." Li Zhiqiang hurriedly tried to comfort his wife from behind.

Shi Yanying gave a cold laugh, turning back to glare at her husband. The chilling murderous intent in her eyes made Li Zhiqiang's heart tremble, and he lowered his head, not daring to say anything more.

Although her eyes were fixed on the street ahead, Shi Yanying paid no attention to anything else. At this moment, only one person existed in her mind and heart.

"Yin Yufeng! Yin Yufeng! You've won this time! But the future is long, let's wait and see! Let's see if this world truly belongs to your Jiang family or my Li family!"

Suddenly, cheers, applause, and whistles erupted from the street behind her, even more enthusiastic than when she had just passed by. Shi Yanying was even more furious, feeling that the people of the capital were deliberately humiliating her, that the cheers for someone else had overshadowed her, the protagonist of the day. Despite her anger, she still curiously turned around to see who was more popular than herself. Unexpectedly, what she saw dispelled her anger and even made her feel a little smug.

It turned out that the cheers were from the people on both sides of the street, excitedly cheering upon seeing the heroic figure of her personal guards entering the city.

Ordinary people enjoy watching a spectacle. While they claimed to have spontaneously come to welcome Shi Yanying back to the capital, they were really just looking for fun. The young people, in particular, came to see Shi Yanying in person.

To their utter disappointment, after all their efforts and shouting, they were met with a masked woman who remained indifferent to their enthusiastic cheers. This naturally left the crowd feeling quite bored. Just as they were feeling disappointed, Shi Yanying's personal guard cavalry appeared before them.

This carefully selected contingent of guards under Shi Yanying were all strong and well-built, their armor gleaming, their shields sturdy, and their spears sharp. Their proud and self-assured demeanor as they rode their horses inspired a sense of unparalleled dominance and invincibility. Even someone completely ignorant of military strategy could immediately tell that this group was indeed a seasoned and experienced army.

Seeing the heroic and spirited appearance of Shi Yanying's cavalry, the people present finally felt that their trip had been worthwhile, and that they had truly enjoyed the spectacle. Their excitement reached its peak, and they gave the cavalry a warm welcome without reservation.

Shi Yanying was very satisfied with the spirit displayed by her men, and also felt proud of the enthusiastic cheers from the people. She nodded smugly, thinking to herself, "You lowly commoners now know what a real army is, right? Hmph! One day my 'Eagle Wing Iron Guard' will compete with Yin Yufeng's army on the battlefield! Then I'll see if Yin Yufeng's 'Phoenix Flying Army' can withstand the charge of my 30,000 iron cavalry!"

Thinking this, she turned back triumphantly to observe the attitude of the court officials towards her elite troops.

To her utter dismay, the scene before her eyes was exactly what she had expected: in the long procession of court officials behind her, almost everyone was watching her cavalry, and almost everyone's face showed an expression of amazement.

Because everyone's perspective and mindset were different, their expressions naturally varied slightly. But whether it was admiration, praise, awe, or even envy and jealousy, all these complex gazes and expressions revealed one fact: in their eyes, Shi Yanying's army was undoubtedly the most elite force in the world.

Shi Yanying proudly admired the expressions of the crowd; to her, their reactions were an affirmation of the army she had trained, an affirmation of her military talent! This filled her with immense satisfaction.

However, Shi Yanying's joy did not last long, because through the long procession behind her, she could see that the attitudes of two people at the back were noticeably different from the others—Jiang Haoyu and his son Jiang Hanqing!

Although Shi Yanying was quite far from the Jiang family father and son, with many officials and soldiers in between, Shi Yanying still clearly saw their expressions and actions. They were far behind the ranks of the ministers, pointing at Shi Yanying's personal guard cavalry and discussing something, their expressions remarkably calm. Jiang Haoyu even had a relaxed smile on his face. Judging from their gesturing, the father and son clearly didn't think much of Shi Yanying's army like the others.

A feeling of being looked down upon and humiliated surged into Shi Yanying's heart. She could remain calm at any time, but things changed when Yin Yufeng was involved! Thinking about how she had been overshadowed by Yin Yufeng this time, Shi Yanying suddenly felt that the Jiang family father and son's nonchalant expressions were clearly a sign of contempt, an insult, and a provocation.

"What do they mean by those looks? Do they just see my men as ordinary soldiers? Do they think my army, Shi Yanying's army, is no different from other units? Do they really think that bitch Yin Yufeng can overpower me? I'll let you be smug for now, but in a few days I'll show you what I'm capable of! We'll see!"

Jiang Hanqing, lagging behind the group, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. A sense of unease crept into his heart. He looked around, only to meet Shi Yanying's venomous gaze. He thought to himself, "Damn it! What have I done to offend this she-devil? Is it because of my mother?"

Before Jiang Hanqing could even process what had happened, Shi Yanying had already turned away, never looking back.

Jiang Hanqing now understood perfectly well that this arrogant woman, who held considerable military power, harbored deep hostility towards the Jiang family! He sighed, thinking, "It seems the days ahead are going to be tough! I just hope nothing too bad happens before my mother returns home!"

But would things really go as he hoped? Would Shi Yanying simply wait for Yin Yufeng to return to the capital without taking any action? After returning to the capital, Shi Yanying only attended two court assemblies in the first two days, and then didn't appear in public for the next ten days or so. The Li family explained to the emperor that Shi Yanying, having been stationed in the northern frontier for a long time, had suddenly fallen ill with a water-related illness upon returning to Yong'an Prefecture.

The imperial court, of course, had no choice but to accept this plausible explanation. However, the Jiang and Wang families, deep down, didn't believe Shi Yanying was ill. In their eyes, she was definitely hiding at home plotting some conspiracy.

The power struggles within the court continued, but compared to the previous tense situation, the overall atmosphere had calmed down considerably. After all, Shi Yanying's influence in the court was not to be underestimated.

Moreover, everyone knew that Shi Yanying's return this time was definitely not for leisure. Given her personality and abilities, she would surely create some trouble detrimental to the enemy. In the current turbulent situation, who would want to easily offend this powerful general who held military power?

The Jiang and Wang families, who were most affected by Shi Yanying's return to the capital, were even more cautious. The leaders of both families unanimously restrained their subordinates, warning them not to cause any more trouble outside during this period, lest they provoke this female demon, Shi Yanying. Especially the Wang family members, now walking on the streets with their heads down, completely lacking their former imposing aura. The mere presence of Shi Yanying was enough to terrify them, and the thought of their even more deadly enemy, Yin Yufeng, soon returning to the capital to join the fray filled the Wang family with unease. The current situation was extremely unfavorable for them; their primary concern was how to cope with the undoubtedly difficult months to come, leaving them with neither the mind nor the courage to swagger in the capital.

The Jiang family, however, was less worried about Shi Yanying because Yin Yufeng was about to return. But before Yin Yufeng's actual return, the Jiang family feared being exploited by Shi Yanying, so they adopted a cautious approach, avoiding this powerful woman as much as possible.

But how could one escape someone determined to cause trouble? Events quickly revealed to the Jiang and Wang families that they had significantly underestimated the danger posed by Shi Yanying's return to the capital.

May 21st, the sixth year of the Taiping Zhenzhi reign.

Shi Yanying had been back in the capital for twelve days. During this time, the situation in the capital seemed much calmer, but everyone with discerning eyes knew this was merely the calm before the storm. Although no one knew what would happen, everyone anxiously awaited that day.

The day finally arrived as everyone had hoped.

At midday, a caravan of about fifty merchants appeared in Anji Town, about thirty li from Yong'an Prefecture.

The hot summer had arrived, and the temperature was gradually rising. The merchants in this caravan had probably traveled for half a day under the scorching sun; they were all drenched in sweat and looked extremely tired.

Upon entering the town, the merchants chose the largest inn and sat down to have lunch.

Yong'an Prefecture was the capital of the empire and its largest city, with extremely developed commerce, attracting merchants from all over the world. A caravan of fifty people like this was extremely rare elsewhere, and would certainly attract attention on the street; a large group suddenly entering an inn could easily cause a stir. However, under the emperor's nose, what hadn't everyone seen? Caravans of hundreds were commonplace, let alone a mere fifty or so.

So when the hotel owner saw such a large group of merchants flooding into his establishment, he wasn't worried at all. He simply assumed they were big patrons and immediately ordered his waiters to serve them. The hotel lobby and surrounding area were instantly bustling with activity and noise.

The original guests in the hotel only glanced at the commotion before continuing their meals and drinks without a care.

However, once the group sat down, the hotel owner noticed that these merchants were quite different from the usual travelers. Although he didn't say anything, he had already become suspicious of their attire.

In this hot weather, ordinary merchants would have been dressed in shorts and t-shirts. This group, though drenched in sweat, was still wrapped tightly in long robes.

Normally, if such a group had been in the hotel, it would have been a chaotic mess. However, this group of people sat there quietly, heads down, eating and drinking, without whispering among themselves; they seemed almost too quiet.

What caught the shopkeeper's attention most was that each of them carried a long, narrow cloth bundle, which, judging from its shape, clearly contained swords or similar weapons. In the past few years of peace and prosperity, the empire was truly a place where no one picked up lost items and doors were left unlocked at night; merchants rarely carried weapons for self-defense anymore. Although the recent invasion of the Qut people had thrown the empire into chaos, and more people were carrying knives, it was still rare to see such a large group of people carrying swords. Fortunately, the shopkeeper had seen many such groups of merchants, each carrying weapons, over the past two months and was somewhat used to it; otherwise, he might have been so frightened that he would have sent someone to report it to the authorities.

The proprietress behind the counter, like her husband, clearly noticed the unusual nature of this group of customers. Her eyes darted towards their seats as she muttered to the hotel owner, "Honey, look at the world, it's getting worse every year. A few years ago, let alone such a large group, even a single person going out alone wouldn't need to carry a knife. Now… sigh… how many groups of merchants carrying knives have we seen in the last two months? They're like they're heading to war! I think these guys are really suspicious, we…"

Before she could finish, her husband interrupted her hastily.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you ignorant woman! Be careful someone hears you and you get into trouble!"

The owner scolded his wife in a low voice, then looked up at the group of merchants. Seeing they were still engrossed in eating and drinking, clearly not having heard his wife, he relaxed.

He whispered in his wife's ear, "So many armed men have passed through here these past two months. I think there's something fishy going on. Maybe something big is about to happen in the capital! We shouldn't get involved in this! Just focus on making your money! These people are eating and drinking here; they're our big customers. They won't shortchange you after they've eaten, so don't gossip and meddle! You might lose your head without even knowing why!"

The boss had been a seasoned traveler in his youth, so his wife always trusted him implicitly. Hearing her husband's words, she quickly said, "Okay! Okay! I won't say anything more!... But husband, you said something big is about to happen in the capital, could it be..."

Seeing her husband glare at her, the boss's wife swallowed her words and changed her tune, "Uh... I'll go to the kitchen to see how their food is going!"

After saying this, she hurriedly got up and went to the kitchen, no longer daring to concern herself with the strange merchants.

After the group of merchants finished their meal, paid their bill, and left, the shop owner stood at the door, watching their departing figures and sighed, "Such a group of men, all so fierce and strong, clearly soldiers! What are they going to the capital for? Alas! It seems the peaceful days are numbered!"

The shop owner was right; the group of merchants were indeed soldiers. They were the most elite soldiers selected by the Jiang family from their garrisoned army in their fiefdoms to strengthen their power in the capital. Each of them was a warrior capable of taking on a hundred men. To avoid attracting too much attention, they were ordered to disguise themselves as ordinary merchants to enter the capital.

In the past two months, most of the people the shop owner had seen carrying weapons into the capital were Jiang family men. In those two months, the Jiang family had mobilized over 1,400 men into the capital through this method of dispersed movement.

Although they appeared to be disguised, their true identities were already an open secret to the other ducal families. Since the Jiang family, out of consideration for everyone's reputation, hadn't made a big show of sending troops to the capital, how could they openly stop them? Besides, the other three families were also using the same method to bring their own troops from their fiefdoms to the capital. So, everyone tacitly agreed.

The leader of this group was named Jiang Sicheng. His great-grandfather and Jiang Hanqing's great-grandfather were brothers, making him a direct member of the Jiang family. He was only twenty-seven years old, but shrewd and capable, and highly skilled in martial arts, so he had already risen to the rank of deputy general in the army at a young age. He led about fifty brothers, all capable officers selected from the family's elite troops, each with the ability to command independently. Of the Jiang family's troops that had entered the capital in the past two months, this was the strongest in every aspect. The entire Jiang family attached great importance to their arrival in the capital, intending to entrust them with important responsibilities upon their arrival. To show his respect for this officer corps, Jiang Hanqing decided to personally go ten miles outside the city to welcome them.

Less than half an hour after leaving Anji Town, Jiang Sicheng and his group arrived at a place about twenty miles from the capital along the official road.

As they crossed a small hill along the road, a military camp suddenly appeared less than a mile from the road. A dozen soldiers were also stationed on the road, monitoring passersby.

Surprised by the sudden appearance of such a camp in this place, Jiang Sicheng asked his companions, "What kind of army is this? Why are they stationed here? Did you receive any prior notice?"

Seeing his companions shaking their heads in ignorance, Jiang Sicheng frowned and said, "We don't know what kind of army this is. If we just walk past like this, and they see a large group of us passing by, they might send soldiers to investigate us, which would be terrible!"

Carefully examining the well-organized camp, Jiang Sicheng clearly saw soldiers patrolling and maintaining tight security. The camp walls and watchtowers were filled with vigilant guards, keeping a close watch on the surroundings. It was clearly impossible for anyone to sneak across the main road. Even more critically, a cavalry unit of about a hundred men was stationed at the camp gate closest to the main road. If anyone managed to break through the dozen or so soldiers blocking the main road and quickly cross it, a single signal from the sentry on the camp's watchtower would trigger a swift pursuit by these cavalrymen. No one could escape their pursuit on this smooth main road leading to the capital.

As Jiang Sicheng was pondering, a companion in the crowd spoke up: "This army's defenses are incredibly tight! So close to the capital, and in broad daylight, yet so many soldiers are patrolling back and forth. There aren't any idlers in the camp either; this doesn't seem like an ordinary imperial army!"

Another added, "The camp's layout is clearly a deliberate choice to be near the main road for surveillance. Look at the dozen or so soldiers standing on the road, the cavalry troop stationed near the camp gate, and the imposing presence of those on the watchtowers—this is obviously to intercept and pursue anyone passing through the main road."

Jiang Sicheng nodded: "No doubt about it! These people setting up camp in this place definitely have ill intentions; they must be quite powerful! We must be extremely careful and not let them get us entangled."

(Pointing to...) At the foot of the mountain, a dozen or so soldiers stood on the official road. Jiang Sicheng continued, "Fortunately, those soldiers were only monitoring passersby and didn't search us. As long as we don't go in groups, they probably won't pay too much attention. After this, it's flat land, and we can reach the capital in an hour. The swords and knives we used for self-defense are useless now, so throw them all into the woods to avoid attracting the soldiers' attention."

A companion added, "I think we should take off our armor and throw it away too! We'll have plenty of armor in the capital; there's no need to wear this cumbersome thing and attract attention!"

Jiang Sicheng nodded and said, "Yes! Let's do it! There's a grove of trees over there; let's go there to prepare!"

After the group finished discussing, they were about to head towards a grove of trees when a sudden change occurred on the official road they had just passed at the foot of the mountain.

A deafening sound of hooves rang out, and a large group of cavalrymen in black armor and helmets, even their warhorses, suddenly charged out from the woods on both sides of the road.

After bursting out of the woods and onto the official road, the cavalry charged rapidly towards the mountaintop. Passersby on the road, seeing this spectacle, were terrified and quickly moved aside, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire and become innocent victims.

Jiang Sicheng, seeing this, was immediately alarmed and cried out in alarm. He turned to his companions and said, "Don't panic! Spread out to the side of the road and don't move! Observe their reaction first! Perhaps they're just finishing training and heading back to camp, and aren't targeting us."

The group quickly dispersed to the side of the road, each hoping the cavalry wasn't there to cause trouble.

However, they soon realized that the cavalry was indeed targeting them, and clearly with ill intentions.

The cavalry charged towards the Jiang family, circling them repeatedly and constantly closing the distance. The galloping horses drew ever closer, leaving the Jiang family with no choice but to retreat step by step.

Because the cavalry formed a circle, they continuously compressed the Jiang family members towards the center, and soon they successfully drove the fifty-odd members of the Jiang family into a small group.

After trapping the Jiang family members in the center, the cavalry gradually stopped their galloping horses, coldly watching their trapped "prey," but no one stepped forward to utter a word.

Jiang Sicheng sized up the large group of cavalry before him. At this point, he roughly estimated that there were at least five hundred of them, and judging from their reaction, their leader had clearly not yet arrived; they were now waiting for their leader to arrive.

Jiang Sicheng's mind raced, trying to think of a way to escape his predicament. However, facing a situation where he was surrounded by cavalry ten times his size, even a genius couldn't come up with a good solution.

After pondering for a while, Jiang Sicheng decided to first probe their true intentions. Composing himself, he tried to speak as calmly as possible, "Sirs! I don't know what I've done wrong, how could this be..."

With a creak, a cavalryman standing opposite Jiang Sicheng took a crossbow from his back, nocked an arrow, and aimed it at him. His cold eyes firmly conveyed one message: "If you say another word, you'd better watch your dog's life!"

Jiang Sicheng sighed inwardly, abandoning this futile attempt.

The two groups of men remained locked in a silent standoff, completely blocking a busy official road. Passersby kept a safe distance, watching the situation unfold with bated breath.

Jiang Sicheng then calmed down and carefully observed the cavalry's attire, trying to determine their origins from their clothing. He wasn't disappointed, because their attire was so distinctive and renowned. He didn't even need to think to understand the origins of the cavalrymen standing before him.

Black warhorses were clad in chainmail made of black iron. The burly knights sat upright on their steeds like iron towers. The jet-black armor radiated a cold, clear light, and each rider's breastplate was adorned with a snow-white eagle poised for flight. The tops of the black helmets worn by these cavalrymen were also decorated with lifelike eagles. Upon closer inspection, even the hilts of their swords and the tips of their lances were decorated with the same black eagles.

At this moment, Jiang Sicheng understood their identity: only one army in the entire world possessed such attire; there was absolutely no other like it!

Despite the scorching afternoon sun, Jiang Sicheng felt a chill run through him, his body trembling slightly. He took a deep breath and slowly uttered in a low voice, "Eagle-Wing-Iron-Guard!"

Jiang Sicheng's voice wasn't loud, but to the Jiang family officers present, those four words were like a bolt from the blue. Everyone's heart sank to the bottom; each felt as if they were already dead. Countless epic stories about this legendary army over the past twenty years flooded their minds. For a moment, almost everyone lost the courage to fight, wanting only to close their eyes and await death.

At this moment, a bugle call suddenly sounded from the military camp at the foot of the distant mountain, and the thunderous sound of horses' hooves faintly reached everyone's ears. The Jiang family members looked at each other, all knowing that the leader the cavalry had been waiting for had finally arrived.

Gradually, the sound of hooves grew closer and louder, even the ground began to tremble slightly. Judging from the sound, at least several thousand cavalrymen were galloping up the mountain.

Hearing such a commotion, Jiang Sicheng was both surprised and delighted.

"So many cavalrymen following up the mountain... could it be... her? Good heavens! I've never even seen this legendary, unparalleled general before! If I could see her even once, it would be worth dying for!"

Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on his face. Turning his head, he saw that his companions also wore expressions of surprise and joy. Clearly, their long-held admiration for the legendary general Shi Yanying had outweighed their fear of death. In a

short while, the large cavalry force reached the summit, still uniformly black-clad, black-armored, and black-horse, making one wonder where Shi Yanying had found so many black horses. This in itself was quite a miracle!

The first thing the cavalry did after reaching the summit was to drive away all the pedestrians who had been watching from a distance. Faced with such a powerful cavalry force, the ordinary pedestrians dared not disobey and immediately fled according to the cavalry's orders.

Once they were sure no one had stayed behind to watch the spectacle, the cavalrymen lined up in two columns along the official road.

All their movements were swift. On the mountaintop, apart from the sound of hooves and the clanging of armor and weapons, no one spoke, not even the neighing of the horses could be heard. After everyone had formed ranks, the entire mountaintop fell silent.

Soon, a clear sound of hooves echoed from the foot of the mountain again, this time much quieter; judging from the sound, there were only a few dozen warhorses.

Jiang Sicheng thought to himself, "The main attraction has arrived!"

Thinking that he would soon see the world-renowned "Invincible Flying Eagle," Jiang Sicheng's palms began to sweat profusely, and his heart pounded wildly. His companions around him also wore anxious expressions.

In no time, the dozens of warhorses swiftly charged up the mountain, stopping behind the cavalry surrounding the Jiang family. The Jiang family members could now clearly see the newcomers, and everyone felt extremely disappointed, because the group was noticeably missing a woman.

The leader of the dozens of cavalrymen who followed was an exceptionally tall and burly man. His armor, like the others, was adorned with a soaring eagle, but unlike the black of ordinary cavalrymen, it was a gleaming gold, distinguishing him from the rest.

This golden-armored man wore a golden mask. He immediately stood outside the circle, coldly observing the trapped Jiang family members for a moment, then whispered something to a cavalryman beside him before slowly spurring his horse towards the encirclement.

As he approached the encirclement formed by the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard cavalry, they quickly retreated to the side and rear, creating an opening for him. After he passed through the opening and entered the encirclement, the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard cavalry swiftly returned to their positions, blocking the gap and restoring the previous tight encirclement.

This seemingly ordinary scene immediately evoked a sigh of admiration from the Jiang family officers trapped within: "The Eagle-Wing Iron Guard truly lives up to its reputation!"

As the saying goes, the layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details.

The Eagle-Wing Iron Guard cavalry had performed their series of movements without any verbal command, yet their actions were astonishingly synchronized and swift, without the slightest hesitation or obstruction.

Even ordinary cavalry units, under unified command, would struggle to achieve this level of precision.

This clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of their regular training. While

the Jiang family was still marveling at the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard's remarkable skill, the golden-armored giant's mount slowly approached within two zhang of them and proclaimed loudly, "You lot should know our origins now, shouldn't you? We are the 'Eagle-Wing Iron Guard' under Grand Marshal Shi Yanying. I am General Golden Eagle of the 'Eagle-Wing Iron Guard'—Shen Gongliang. You lot, carrying weapons and gathering in the capital, clearly intend to commit treason! Surrender immediately, and perhaps you will receive leniency!"

Although Jiang Sicheng didn't know the exact rank of General Golden Eagle within the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard, he assumed it was a very high position, as the troops present were clearly under his command. At this point, desperate to save his own life, he had no time to hesitate. Without thinking, he immediately put on an indignant expression and said, "General Shen, don't wrong an innocent man! We are all merchants from Sunset City. We've gathered together for safety on the road. The weapons we carry are only for self-defense. Didn't you see, General, that our weapons are still in our packs?"

Shen Gongliang laughed loudly twice, disdainfully saying, "You petty scoundrels dare to argue? Do you dare to take out your weapons and resist now? Hmph! Even if you did have that courage, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, utterly overestimating yourselves! You say you're merchants on the road? Fine! Take off your outer robes and let me see what you're wearing underneath. As long as it's not armor, I'll immediately withdraw my troops and let you pass, and I'll even kowtow to apologize!"

Hearing this, Jiang Sicheng secretly groaned. They had initially worn light armor under their outer garments as a precaution, fearing an ambush by enemy forces along the way. Little did they expect that this life-saving measure would now become their weapon of death.

Seeing Jiang Sicheng's speechless expression, Shen Gongliang sneered, "If you clearly state which faction you belong to, I might spare your lives! What do you say?"

Jiang Sicheng had no choice but to answer, forcing a smile, "General Shen, does having armor and weapons justify arbitrarily accusing us?"

Shen Gongliang sneered, "You wore armor and carried weapons, attempting to attack imperial troops. Isn't that a capital offense?" Jiang Sicheng, furious at the treachery of Shi Yanying's subordinates, shouted, "You...you're spouting lies!"

Shen Gongliang glanced around for a while with a forced smile, then turned to look at his furious prey. He sneered, "There doesn't seem to be anyone else around here! Even if I'm slandering you, what can you do about it? Besides, your Jiang family has a history of slandering people!"

Jiang Sicheng then realized that his group had been targeted all along, and that they were determined to kill him today! Looking at this shameless scoundrel, he felt like he was about to explode with rage. He shouted hoarsely, "You despicable villain! You... so this was your conspiracy! I never thought that Shi Yanying's subordinates would be such lowly scoundrels as you!"

Shen Gongliang's face darkened, and he roared, "Shut up! You desperado dare to mention Commander Ying's name?"

With that roar, Shen Gongliang, his face ashen, reined in his horse and retreated a foot, then swung his hand downwards. Almost simultaneously with his movement, a bowstring twanged, and an arrow shot from the cavalry formation, piercing Jiang Sicheng's abdomen.

A mouthful of blood spurted out, and Jiang Sicheng felt a piercing pain; his vision blurred, and he collapsed on the spot.

The Jiang family members cried out in alarm, drawing their weapons from their packs, preparing to fight to the death. The Eagle-Wing Iron Guard cavalry also raised their spears and swords, awaiting their commander's order to charge and chop the unfortunate victims into mincemeat.

At this critical moment, the faint sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the official road leading from the capital. Shen Gongliang paused, listened intently for a moment, and confirmed that he hadn't misheard; a troop of horses was indeed approaching. With

a cold snort, he abruptly waved his hand and ordered, "Five hundred men go forward! Don't let them get close!"

The cavalry on both sides immediately responded with a thunderous roar, and hundreds of cavalrymen rushed to the middle of the road, forming ranks to meet the approaching cavalry.

Just then, several warhorses galloped up the mountain along the official road and appeared before them. However, judging from the attire of the cavalrymen, they were clearly not outsiders, but members of the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard.

As Shen Gongliang was wondering, he heard the approaching cavalrymen shout from afar, "Commander, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, Jiang Hanqing, heard the news from fleeing travelers and is rushing this way.

Our brothers tried to stop him, but he forcibly broke through the pass! The brothers did not receive orders and were afraid of harming the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo. They had no choice but to let him pass. Now the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo is only five miles away!"

Shen Gongliang's expression changed drastically, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Good! He's here so fast!"

The Jiang family officers, surrounded by the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard, were overjoyed to hear that their master was rushing this way. They had already resigned themselves to death, but now they had a glimmer of hope for survival, wishing their master could fly to their side and save them from this deadly trap.

But the unfolding events immediately extinguished their hopes. Since Shi Yanying's men were prepared to annihilate them, why would they allow Jiang Hanqing to come and rescue them? Upon hearing that Jiang Hanqing was about to arrive, Shen Gongliang hesitated briefly before making a ruthless decision, coldly ordering, "Since he's coming soon! Let him collect the corpses!"

The Jiang family officers hadn't yet recovered from the shock of his words when they saw Shen Gongliang raise his right hand high and then bring it down heavily.

"Charge!"

With this command, the Eagle Wing Iron Guards, who had been poised for battle, immediately spurred their horses and charged forward.

Due to the limited space within the encirclement, only one Eagle Wing Iron Guard charged forward every two, while the others remained on the perimeter.

The battle ended almost as soon as it began.

The fifty-odd warriors, huddled together, faced the charging hundred armored cavalry; no matter how skilled they were, they had no chance to retaliate.

Just as a Jiang family officer raised his sword to slash at an oncoming cavalryman, a tremendous force struck his shoulder. After a sharp pain, his last thought was that he seemed to be flying through the air.

Four or five other Jiang family officers huddled together, facing the rapidly approaching cavalry, but before they could even raise their swords, two armored warhorses slammed into them. In the instant before they were sent flying, the cavalrymen swiftly swung their swords. A gust of wind swept by, and several heads flew into the air.

The Eagle-Winged Iron Guards watching from the sidelines saw it even more clearly. Their cavalry? After charging, the warhorses kicked and the cavalrymen swung their swords wildly, and with a clashing of weapons and screams, only a scene of carnage remained. More than fifty people who were alive just moments before were now a pile of dead flesh in the blink of an eye.

When Jiang Hanqing arrived at the scene, his face ashen, he found the Eagle-Winged Iron Guards regrouping to return to camp.

What met his eyes was a scene of carnage on the official road atop the mountain.

Staring with the most venomous gaze at the golden-armored cavalry commander charging towards him, Jiang Hanqing cursed Shi Yanying's ancestors for eighteen generations.

He had encountered a group of panicked travelers on the official road ten miles from the city. From them, he learned that a troop of government cavalry had stopped dozens of merchants, intending to kill them. He immediately realized his men were in danger and led a dozen or so riders at breakneck speed along the road.

Along the way, a troop of Eagle-Wing Iron Guard cavalry had set up a checkpoint on the road, blocking all travelers. Seeing Jiang Hanqing and his group charging towards them, a dozen or so cavalrymen leaped onto their horses to intercept them. Jiang Hanqing's warrior followers shouted, "This is the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo! Anyone who dares to seek death, come at me!"

The group drew their swords, and their mounts, instead of slowing down, charged even faster.

Upon hearing that the newcomer was the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, the Eagle Guards were filled with fear. Furthermore, their superiors had not given clear orders on how to handle this situation, leaving them momentarily at a loss. A moment's hesitation allowed Jiang Hanqing and his men to rush forward.

However, Jiang Hanqing was too late; all the Eagle Guards left him with were corpses.

Shen Gongliang, a cold smile on his face, slowly rode up to Jiang Hanqing, bowed slightly on horseback, and feigned ignorance of Jiang Hanqing's origins, asking, "Young master, what brings you here? Do you perhaps have some connection with these bandits?"

Jiang Hanqing's facial veins twitched slightly, and he forced a smile, saying, "I am the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo. I heard from passersby on the road that the Eagle Commander's men were suppressing bandits here, so I rushed over, hoping to lend the Eagle Commander some assistance." "With such strength, I never imagined that these petty thugs would be a match for the renowned 'Eagle-Winged Iron Guards'! May I ask your honorable name, General?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Gongliang looked astonished, dismounted, and bowed to Jiang Hanqing, saying, "So it is the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Zhenguo! My apologies! My apologies! I am Shen Gongliang, the Golden Eagle General under the Eagle Commander. I was unaware of your identity and mistakenly thought you had some connection with these desperate bandits who dared to attack the government troops. I hope you will forgive my rudeness!" Upon hearing the other party's self-introduction, Jiang

Hanqing immediately recalled her mother's descriptions of the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard's organization: "Shi Yanying established the military system for the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard. A 'Squad Leader' commands five soldiers; every two squads are led by a '

Team Leader'; every hundred soldiers are led by a 'Bronze Eagle Assistant Commander'; every thousand soldiers are led by a 'Silver Eagle Commander'; and at five thousand soldiers, the 'Golden Eagle General' is appointed. The 'Flying Eagle Commander' commands ten thousand soldiers.

There are a total of three 'Flying Eagle Commanders' in the entire army ." There were six "Golden Eagle Generals," thirty "Silver Eagle Commanders," and three hundred "Bronze Eagle Lieutenants." In addition, there was an Imperial Marshal named Xie Piaoping, appointed by the court as the "Commander-in-Chief of the Eagle-Wing Iron Guard," responsible for commanding the entire 30,000-strong Eagle-Wing Iron Guard army.

Recalling his mother's words, Jiang Hanqing was startled: "To deal with a mere fifty-odd people, Shi Yanying actually sent out Golden Eagle Generals; she's clearly determined to win! It seems she's prepared to go all out against us!"

While mentally calculating, Jiang Hanqing outwardly laughed heartily, "General Shen, no need for such formalities! My sudden appearance here has caused you misunderstanding, a grave offense indeed!"

Shen Gongliang chuckled dryly, then bowed again, saying, "This humble general was dealing with these scoundrels who attacked the royal army, but unexpectedly, it alarmed Your Highness. I am truly terrified. Now that the matter is settled, my men are preparing to clean up the scene. I urge Your Highness to return to the capital as soon as possible, lest these filthy things offend your noble eyes."

Jiang Hanqing inwardly hated Shen Gongliang, but was powerless to do anything about it. The man insisted that those they killed were bandits who attacked government troops; if he insisted on getting involved, he would only be branded as a collaborator with bandits.

Looking at the pile of his men's corpses, Jiang Hanqing sighed inwardly, exchanged a few more perfunctory words with Shen Gongliang, and led his entourage back to the capital.

Only about fifty of Jiang's men were annihilated by the Eagle-Winged Iron Guards that day, but each of them was a carefully selected outstanding young officer from the family's army, all destined for important positions after being transferred to the capital. Therefore, this incident dealt a heavy blow to the Jiang family.

More importantly, if ambushes and killings by the Eagle-Winged Iron Guards continued, it would become extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Jiang family to mobilize large numbers of men to the capital in the future.

"You, Shi Yanying, you even made it impossible for me to collect the bodies of my men! You've got some nerve this time! We'll see!"

Although he spoke these harsh words, Jiang Hanqing gradually developed a fear of Shi Yanying and her Eagle-Winged Iron Guards—unwavering determination, accurate intelligence, swift action, and ruthless methods; who wouldn't fear such an adversary? "Sigh! When will Mother be able to return to the capital? Perhaps only she can stand against this she-devil, Shi Yanying?" This was Jiang Hanqing's true thought.

On the same day, the troops that the Wang family, the Duke of Dingguo, had drawn from their fiefdom to reinforce the capital were also ambushed and annihilated by the Eagle Wing Iron Guards outside the city. More than two hundred elite warriors were wiped out.

The Wang family also experienced the power of Shi Yanying's methods!

Chapter 56 The First Appearance of the Beautiful Clouds

Chapter 56 The First Appearance of the

Beautiful

Clouds The morning after the Jiang family's officers were wiped out by the Eagle Wing Iron Guards, the important members of the Jiang family gathered again to discuss how to deal with this sudden incident. The meeting room was full of important members of the Jiang family, but after Jiang Hanqing gave a detailed explanation of what had happened the day before, no one spoke. Everyone was deeply troubled: "Shi Yanying is indeed formidable, so powerful from the very first move! But how are we supposed to deal with this?!"

Jiang Haoyu coldly swept his gaze across the people sitting in the room and sighed, "Why is everyone so silent? Is there really no way for such a large group of people to deal with Shi Yanying?"

Jiang Fengqin said with distress, "Although Shi Yanying himself is powerful, we are not that afraid. But he brought back 30,000 iron cavalry. How can we fight against him? If it's not a regular army, who can deal with such a large cavalry force?"

As soon as Jiang Fengqin finished speaking, the others joined in the discussion, each emphasizing the threat that the Eagle Wing Iron Guard posed to the family, but no one could come up with a good solution.

For the Jiang family, the 30,000 iron cavalry that Shi Yanying brought back to the capital, who had been invincible in the northern frontier, was an insurmountable nightmare.

Jiang Haoyu himself knew that unless a solution was found for the threat posed by Shi Yanying's 30,000 iron cavalry, the Jiang family would be powerless to do anything. But given the current situation, he really couldn't think of any good solutions.

The ever-tempered fifth brother, Jiang Haoran, listened to everyone repeatedly discussing the Eagle Wing Iron Guard, and grew even more irritated. He angrily shouted, "What's the point of discussing this! It's all just boosting the enemy's morale and diminishing our own! Fine! No more discussion!

If you keep bragging about the Eagle Wing Iron Guard like that, I think we might as well just hang ourselves! We can't beat them in a fight, and we can't run away! If things continue like this, the Wang family might be fine, but I think the Li family will devour us first! Or maybe we should wait for God to have mercy and let us suffer! As long as we can endure four months, the..." "Then my sister-in-law can lead the Fengxiang Army back to the capital to save us all."

Hearing his fifth brother's rant, the third brother, Jiang Haoming, felt a surge of anger and snapped, "Fifth brother, we're all talking about serious matters. What are you yelling about?"

Jiang Haoran glared, ready to jump up and lash out,

but luckily, Jiang Haoting, sitting next to him, reacted quickly, pulling him back and saying, "Fifth brother, that's enough! Everyone's in a bad mood, you should be quiet too!" Jiang Haoran mumbled for a while, but finally sat down and stopped shouting.

Lin Fengxian, with a smug look on his face, said, "Then can we impeach Shi Yanying in court?"

Before anyone else could react, his parents glared at him and scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting, child! What good will this do besides forcing people to break off relations? Listen to them properly and don't talk nonsense!" Hearing

his parents' scolding, Lin Fengxian's face flushed red, and he sat down with his head down, not daring to say anything more.

Jiang Haoyu sighed heavily, saying helplessly, "This emperor is getting more and more muddled! He actually agreed to let Shi Yanying bring 30,000 iron cavalry back to the capital. Alas! Isn't he afraid that they'll fight their way into the city one day?"

Jiang Wuxiong had been promoted several ranks due to his merits in the Qiu Te trip, and his status in the family had improved considerably. He was now qualified to attend the family's core members' meeting. Hearing Jiang Haoyu's sigh, he couldn't help but speak up, "The emperor probably thinks that his own Imperial Guards are too numerous to worry about Shi Yanying's mere 30,000 men, right?" As

soon as Jiang Wuxiong said this, Jiang Hanqing and his son exchanged glances and simultaneously exclaimed with joy, "The Imperial Guards!"

Jiang Fengqin was stunned for a moment, then understood and excitedly said, "That's right! No matter how powerful Shi Yanying's Eagle Wing Iron Guards are,

their excitement quickly dimmed. Although she didn't finish her sentence, everyone present understood her meaning: "But how can we mobilize the Imperial Guards?" "

Just as a glimmer of hope appeared, it was immediately obscured by thick dark clouds. For a moment, no one knew what to say, and an unusual silence fell over the hall.

But Jiang Hanqing and his father exchanged excited glances. Both thought of Crown Prince Yisheng and the 50,000 Imperial Guards he had mentioned he could control.

This crucial secret was something neither of them would ever reveal to anyone in the family, and even now, seeing their subordinates' dejected appearance, they still refused to speak.

Jiang Haoyu simply whispered to his son... " Jiang Hanqing raised his chin slightly, understanding that his father wanted him to discuss the matter with Yisheng immediately after the meeting, so he nodded slightly in response.

The father and son assumed no one would notice their subtle actions, unaware that a pair of discerning eyes had already seen through their behavior. That person was Jiang Fengqin!

From the beginning of the meeting, Jiang Fengqin had been stealing glances at Jiang Haoyu and Jiang Hanqing. Seeing the father and son's private exchange, she smirked disdainfully, then quickly turned her head away, as if she hadn't seen anything at all.

Jiang Haoyu was unaware that his sister had been observing his and his father's expressions and actions. At this moment, he was busy calculating his own plans. Thinking that if things went smoothly, he could obtain the Imperial Guard's help to deal with Shi Yanying's Eagle Wing Iron Guard, he felt much more at ease than before. He didn't expect the Imperial Guard under Yisheng's control to be able to wipe out Shi Yanying's iron cavalry, but as long as those 50,000 Imperial Guards were keeping Shi Yanying occupied, he believed she wouldn't have much power left to attack the Jiang family. With the Imperial Guard involved, no matter how domineering Shi Yanying was, she couldn't act arbitrarily unless she wanted to rebel immediately.

Jiang Haoyu calculated that as long as the Imperial Guard could restrain Shi Yanying, he could continue to mobilize troops to reinforce the capital. He could even have Yisheng send the Imperial Guard to directly escort his subordinates into the capital, which would be even safer and more reliable.

Once a certain number of troops had been gathered in the capital, Yin Yufeng should be leading the Phoenix Army from the Western Regions to the capital around the same time. At that time, within the capital, the Jiang family's armed forces, in conjunction with the Imperial Guards controlled by Yi Sheng, would launch a surprise attack on the palace and the three other ducal families. Outside the city, the Phoenix Army, brought back by Yin Yufeng, would confront Shi Yanying's Eagle Wing Iron Guards and the Imperial Guards loyal to the emperor. With this

coordinated effort, the capital would surely be under control. Then, by killing the emperor and the three Yuan dukes, the fate of the world would be sealed. Even if the remaining forces of various families united to launch a counterattack, he could safely retreat to his fiefdom with the power he held.

By integrating the family army and the Yufeng Legion, he could wipe out the leaderless remnants one by one. In less than two years, Jiang Haoyu could become the founding emperor of the Jiang family dynasty!

While his father, Jiang Haoyu, was calculating the future of the world, Jiang Hanqing had his own thoughts.

Jiang Haoyu only knew that it was possible to mobilize a portion of the Imperial Guards through Yi Sheng, but he didn't know that his son harbored a shocking secret.

When planning to use the Imperial Guard against Shi Yanying, Jiang Hanqing not only thought of the incompetent Emperor Yisheng, but also of the power of the two palaces and the generals, led by He Bingzhang and Zhang Sihai, whom the palace masters had placed within the Imperial Guard system.

If the palace masters agreed to use He Bingzhang and his group, the support the Jiang family could potentially gain from the Imperial Guard system would increase exponentially. However, deep down, Jiang Hanqing wasn't entirely willing to do so.

Since separating from his mother, Jiang Hanqing had been diligently learning how to survive and thrive in the complex and treacherous political environment of the capital. Now, nearly five years later, he was no longer the impulsive young man he was at eighteen. The treacherous struggles within the court had rapidly matured him, giving him the ability to stand alone.

Perhaps some of his talents were still lacking and required long-term training, but he possessed the most essential qualities for political struggle: cunning, ruthlessness, and cruelty.

He didn't know when it started, or why, but the desire to become the most powerful person in the world had become deeply ingrained in his mind. Perhaps it was because he had grown up in an environment where power was extremely coveted, or perhaps it was because he believed that one day, when he became emperor, he could completely legitimize his mother's possession of him. In short, seizing the throne was his only goal.

To achieve this goal, he would stop at nothing and fear nothing. However, given the current situation, even if the Jiang family did seize power and become emperor, it would be his father, not him. Although as his father's only son, he would certainly be established as the heir to the throne, he was not yet the emperor. The power struggles within the royal family were even more intense than those within ordinary noble families—a well-known fact in history. He, the crown prince, might be murdered before even becoming emperor. Moreover, his greatest fear was what would happen to him if his father discovered his affair with his mother. Knowing his father's character, he was completely certain that his father would not hesitate to have him executed by slow slicing!

He often asked himself whether he wanted his father to become emperor, or whether he hoped his father would die before becoming emperor, so that he could use the family's power to become the founding emperor of the Jiang family.

For his beloved mother and the supreme throne, if necessary, he might even personally eliminate his own father.

Such thoughts had suddenly surfaced in his mind several times. Although a sliver of conscience always prevented him from thinking about it further, and after calming down, he felt intense guilt for having such wicked thoughts, once such thoughts formed, they could never be erased from his mind.

Jiang Hanqing hadn't figured out the specifics yet, but he had already made up his mind not to completely follow his father's path; if he did, it would be his father, not him, who became emperor. If he wanted to survive in this dark political world, he had to choose the path most advantageous to himself.

Jiang Hanqing glanced at his father, who had a slight smile on his lips, and thought to himself, "Father, why are you smiling? Is it because you think you have a good chance of dealing with Shi Yanying? Or do you really believe you can become emperor? If you really become emperor one day, how will you view your son? Will you kill me because you suspect I'm trying to usurp your throne? I think you would kill your own son without hesitation!"

He decided to visit the two palace masters when he had free time in the next couple of days, hoping to get some advice from them.

Under the current circumstances, he believed that the two palace masters would wholeheartedly help him, because Wang Mingsi's betrayal left them with no other choice. With the advice of the cunning and shrewd palace masters, Jiang Hanqing was confident that he would not suffer losses in this matter.

While the Jiang family father and son were each lost in their own thoughts, the others continued to discuss the current situation and how to deal with it.

After much discussion, no one could come up with a good solution. The most frequent suggestion at the meeting was to protect oneself, properly consolidate the family's power in the capital, and wait until Yin Wufeng returned to the capital after four months to launch a counterattack.

Jiang Haotian remained preoccupied throughout the meeting, sitting silently to the side. Although the crowd was making a ruckus, he completely ignored them. However, his eyes frequently drifted towards the door, as if waiting for something, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Jiang Fengqin had been observing everyone's reactions. Seeing Jiang Haotian's complete distraction, she secretly winked at her husband, Lin Hongbin, and gently gestured towards Jiang Haotian with her lip.

Lin Hongbin nodded in understanding and coughed lightly, saying, "Second brother, you haven't said much today! Tell us your thoughts! Second brother! Second brother!"

Jiang Haotian seemed to have been possessed, not responding even after Lin Hongbin called him twice. Finally, it was Jiang Haoming, sitting next to him, who grabbed his shoulders and shook him a couple of times before bringing him back to his senses.

"Ah! This... what is it?... How did everyone's discussion go?"

Seeing Jiang Haotian's absent-minded appearance, Jiang Haoyu and Jiang Hanqing exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with suspicion, wondering what this scheming second-in-command of the family was thinking at this moment.

Jiang Fengqin smiled and said, "Second brother, everyone wants to hear your opinion on the matter of Shi Yanying."

Jiang Haotian's face turned pale and then red, and he hurriedly said, "Opinion? What opinion can I have? What were you talking about? Shi Yanying... oh! What is Shi Yanying

anyway?" At this point, his voice suddenly became very low and mumbled something incomprehensible.

The shrewd Jiang Hanqing could easily see through his trick and secretly found it amusing: "You old fox, you got caught thinking about something, and now you're just stalling for time like this! Do you think we're all stupid!"

Jiang Haoyu, increasingly sensing something amiss with Jiang Haotian today, knew he was up to something again and bluntly asked, "Second brother, what are you thinking about? Why are you so distracted during the meeting? Since you say Shi Yanying is nothing, tell me how you plan to deal with this nobody?"

He expected Jiang Haotian to immediately retaliate angrily, but Jiang Haotian merely rolled his eyes and didn't answer, instead beginning to sigh repeatedly.

At this moment, Lin Fengxian couldn't help but ask, "Second uncle, why are you sighing? Have you something to say to everyone?"

Jiang Haotian sighed for a while before raising his head and smiling bitterly, "Eldest brother, you usually see things very clearly, why are you confused this time? Shi Yanying's return has indeed caused us a lot of trouble. But think about it, can the Li family really devour us? Even with Shi Yanying around, can their strength increase two or three times out of thin air and wipe out the Jiang and Wang families? The Li family can't! At most, they can only give..." "We're just causing a little trouble. But the Wang family is truly terrifying! Look at them these past few days, they've been completely silent and haven't made a move. This isn't like the Wang family's usual style! In my opinion, the Wang family must be up to something again! If we don't figure out the Wang family's true intentions, we're truly doomed!"

Jiang Haoyu thought about it briefly and realized it made sense. He forgot to ask Jiang Haotian why he had been so distracted during the meeting and awkwardly cleared his throat, saying to everyone, "Well... what the second brother said is also quite insightful." "Reasonable...but...this...Second Brother, we can't underestimate the threat posed by Shi Yanying! This...Qing'er, you need to quickly send people to find out what the Wang family is up to, otherwise the family's decision-making will be difficult! Everyone is waiting for your intelligence!"

Jiang Hanqing verbally agreed, but secretly he was furious: "Second Uncle is right, Father was really confused today! Just now, Second Uncle was clearly lost in thought about something, and when Father pressed him with words, he had no choice but to come up with these few platitudes to deal with the old man. Who doesn't know that the Wang family is the biggest trouble? Why did he have to say it! Father actually couldn't react, and he was so easily blinded, and the topic was easily changed to fool him! It seems that Father is really getting old! Heavens! Maybe one day he will be as incompetent as Emperor Wu Ming!"

The vicious thought surged into Jiang Hanqing's mind again: "If that's the case, I will also be in danger! If it really comes to that, I..." Just as

he thought of the crucial moment, a family member suddenly rushed in, interrupting his thoughts.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has sent someone to invite the young master to discuss important matters! The messenger is waiting at the outer gate with a carriage, saying he wants to take the young master there!"

Jiang Hanqing immediately stood up and said, "It seems the Emperor is in a hurry now! Father, let me go and talk to him first!"

Jiang Haoyu nodded and said, "Go ahead! Test his words and see what he's planning!"

Neither Jiang Hanqing nor his son noticed that Jiang Haotian's lips were slightly upturned, clearly suppressing a smile.

Jiang Fengqin, who had been secretly observing Jiang Lao Er's expression, turned to look at her husband, her eyes revealing a strong sense of pleasure.

Lin Hongbin's gaze was fixed on Jiang Hanqing's departing figure, the veins on his face bulging slightly, his eyes shooting out intense killing intent.

Jiang Hanqing suddenly felt an uncomfortable sensation, like thorns in his back. He subconsciously stopped and turned around to look, but saw nothing. Lin Hongbin had already lowered his head in time, preventing Jiang Hanqing from seeing his strange gaze.

Finding nothing amiss, Jiang Hanqing shook his head, chuckling to himself for being paranoid, and strode towards the city gate

of the Jiang family compound. At the city gate, Jiang Hanqing met the messenger sent by the Emperor to invite him—a middle-aged man dressed in royal servant attire, who looked very kind, but was completely unfamiliar to Jiang Hanqing.

Jiang Hanqing sized up the man, then looked at the five guards standing on either side of the carriage. Finding none of them familiar, he hesitated, "Are you from the Crown Prince's residence? I've never seen you before."

The man smiled frankly, "Young Master Jiang, there are at least several hundred people like me in the Crown Prince's residence. How could you possibly recognize them all? I used to be in charge of the Crown Prince's internal affairs, and only recently was I transferred here by His Highness the Crown Prince's grace."

Jiang Hanqing, unsuspecting, nodded, "I see! That explains why you look so unfamiliar!"

The messenger beamed, "Alright! Young Master Jiang, please get in the carriage! We're in a hurry to get back; His Highness the Crown Prince is eager to see you!"

Jiang Hanqing glanced at the carriage. This was a large carriage commonly used by nobles and powerful families in the capital. The carriage itself was six feet square, making it extremely comfortable. The entire carriage was encased in thick steel plates to protect against enemy attacks; even the tightly closed doors and windows were reinforced with a layer of sturdy steel. Once inside, even a powerful bow and crossbow would be useless against a person shooting at close range.

The driver quickly opened the carriage door, which was engraved with the insignia of the Crown Prince's residence, and urged Jiang Hanqing to get in.

Jiang Hanqing nodded without saying anything more to the Crown Prince's messenger, leaped onto the carriage, and lifted the curtain to slip inside.

However, as soon as his upper body entered the carriage, Jiang Hanqing had a bad feeling. A woman's fragrant scent wafted out from behind the lifted curtain.

Startled, Jiang Hanqing was about to leap off the carriage... But it was too late; something hard was already pressed against his waist. Jiang Hanqing froze for a moment, then stopped. Immediately, a hand grabbed his collar and dragged him into the carriage. With

a "bang," the iron door of the carriage slammed shut from the outside, plunging the already dimly lit carriage into complete darkness.

Jiang Hanqing only heard a soft shout from outside the carriage, and the carriage began to sway and move slowly forward.

"Jiang Hanqing, this is the Divine Martial Repeating Crossbow used by the Imperial Guards. If you don't want to experience its power, please sit quietly. Otherwise, if you get hurt, it won't be good for anyone!"

A gentle and melodious young woman's voice drifted from a corner of the carriage, about three or four feet away from him.

Jiang Hanqing's eyes hadn't fully adjusted to the darkness of the carriage, so he could only vaguely make out a woman sitting in the corner; the gentle female voice he'd just heard came from her. Beside him, near the carriage door, sat another person—the one who had pressed a crossbow against his lower back and pulled him into the carriage. Jiang Hanqing couldn't tell if this person was male or female, nor could he smell their scent, but the swiftness with which the person had grabbed him confirmed that this person's martial arts skills were extremely high.

With a wry smile, Jiang Hanqing slowly said, "I was originally going to move, but when I heard your melodious voice, I didn't want to move anymore. And when I realized it was a repeating crossbow pressed against my lower back, I simply wouldn't move! Who wants to have eighteen holes pierced through their waist in the blink of an eye just because they moved?"

"You little rascal, you dare to talk back even when you're about to die?" another clear, young woman's voice rang out beside Jiang Hanqing.

He finally realized that the person sitting next to him was also a woman, but this time he dared not reply easily, because his waist had just been forcefully stabbed twice by that woman with her powerful crossbow. The threat conveyed by that action was obvious, and Jiang Hanqing did not want to take any risks before figuring out the person's true identity or background, so he wisely chose to remain silent.

At this moment, the woman who had spoken first in the corner of the carriage spoke up again: "Hey! Jiang Hanqing, why aren't you saying anything? Cui Cui, did you frighten our distinguished guest? What if he fainted from fright?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Hanqing heard her chuckle softly. The laughter was exquisitely sweet and melodious.

Although Jiang Hanqing hadn't yet seen the woman's face, just hearing her voice made her weak in the knees, her heart itch with an irresistible urge to immediately embrace her and shower her with tender affection.

"Palace Master, how could I have frightened him! I was just afraid he'd say something even more offensive and anger you!"

Hearing the woman beside her utter the words "Palace Master," Jiang Hanqing's heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran through her body.

"Did I hear 'Palace Mistress' or 'Princess'? How could a princess treat me like this? And her personal maid has such high martial arts skills, could she be the Goddess Palace Mistress of the Xianzong Sect?"

Composing himself, Jiang Hanqing tentatively asked, "Princess? Are you a princess from the palace? Why are you playing such a joke on your subject? It's too dark here, quickly light the lamp so I can pay my respects to the princess!"

The woman in the corner of the carriage chuckled twice and said, "Cui Cui, look how stupid you are! You gave yourself away as soon as you called out, it's not funny at all!"

Hearing this, Jiang Hanqing felt as if he had received a royal pardon, and he was almost ready to kneel down and shout "Long live the Emperor!" He quickly said, "I don't know which princess has graced us with her presence, it has truly startled this humble subject!"

"Forget it! Cui Cui, it's not funny at all! Let him go, open the carriage window. It's too dark and stuffy in here, I'm almost suffocating!"

As soon as she said this, the crossbow pointed at Jiang Hanqing's waist was immediately moved away.

Jiang Hanqing finally felt completely relieved, confirming that the person in the carriage was not some palace master from the Xianzong sect.

The woman named Cui Cui quickly opened the carriage window, making the carriage much brighter.

Jiang Hanqing then clearly saw the two people inside.

The woman sitting in the corner, who claimed to be a princess, was dressed in embroidered palace attire, her hair styled in a three-loop bun often worn by noblewomen. She had a pretty oval face and looked to be no more than twenty years old.

What impressed Jiang Hanqing most were her large, watery eyes. Her dark pupils darted around lively, indicating that her owner must be exceptionally intelligent. Her innocent and lively expression made her seem incredibly sweet and lovely.

While the maid named Cui Cui was also pretty, she paled in comparison to the princess.

Upon seeing the young girl who claimed to be a princess, Jiang Hanqing immediately pictured his cousin Jingwen and couldn't help but compare the two girls, who were about the same age, in his mind.

Although the two girls seemed completely different at first glance—Jingwen was quiet, petite, and gentle, while the girl before him was naturally lively, graceful, and cheerful—they also shared a similarity: an innocence and purity that flowed from their very bones. The

ethereal beauty they possessed gave Jiang Hanqing, a man who spent his days navigating the darkest and most cunning aspects of the world, a sense of ethereal pleasure that seemed to cleanse his soul and purify his character.

"If my cousin is a spring orchid, then this princess is comparable to an autumn chrysanthemum!" Jiang Hanqing thought to himself, praising the two beautiful girls.

Perhaps it was the first time in her life that a man had stared at her so intently, and the girl who claimed to be a princess blushed.

If it were Jingwen, she would have shyly lowered her head, but this girl, though equally shy, still managed a coquettish sigh: "What are you looking at! Haven't you ever seen a beautiful girl before? Well, this princess will let you see enough!"

Jiang Hanqing had never seen a girl like this before. He chuckled softly, his mind racing, racking his brains to try and guess the girl's identity.

"Princess? Emperor Wuming has fathered quite a few princesses in the past fifty years, hasn't he? Which one is she? But this one in front of me should still be a little girl, right?... Ah!... Could she be..."

Surprised, Jiang Hanqing hesitated, "Princess... May I ask if the princess is... Princess Xiuyun?"

The girl seemed equally surprised, her large, adorable eyes widening as she tilted her head to examine Jiang Hanqing.

Her slender fingers tapped lightly against her beautiful cheek, as if she were pondering something.

After scrutinizing Jiang Hanqing for a long time, she finally asked curiously, "How did you guess my identity? Are you perhaps a fortune teller?"

Jiang Hanqing pretended to be serious and said, "Of course! This fortune teller calculated with his fingers and predicted that a remarkable Princess Xiuyun would be coming to see me today. So I rushed out to greet her."

Princess Xiuyun giggled and playfully scratched his cheek, teasing him, "You have the nerve! You were clearly fooled, yet you still boast!"

After saying that, she and the maid named Cui Cui hugged each other and laughed heartily, showing no restraint despite the presence of a man watching.

Jiang Hanqing chuckled softly, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

Emperor Wuming had reigned for fifty-seven years, and since the birth of his eldest son, Yisheng, he had fathered eleven princes and seventeen princesses. Of his eight sons, apart from Yisheng and Yiyu, all were mediocre and incompetent, whom even he himself disliked. None of the princesses had ever truly won his favor, until the birth of his last daughter, Princess Xiuyun, twenty-one years ago.

That spring, a concubine gave birth to a daughter, his twenty-eighth and final offspring. When this young life was born, the emperor reacted with the same indifference as with any of his daughters' births.

However, the very next day, news of Shi Yanying's resounding victory in the northern frontier—nine battles in nine engagements, annihilating 400,000 Xiongnu cavalry—reached the capital. Overjoyed, the emperor immediately issued an edict appointing Shi Yanying as Grand Marshal of the Empire.

The little princess, born the day before, was forever changed. Believing her birth brought news of victory, Emperor Wuming, unusually, personally bestowed upon her the title "Princess Xiuyun" when she was just a month old.

On the third day after Princess Xiuyun turned seven months old, she suddenly began to giggle incessantly at the emperor. Just as the emperor thought something was wrong with the little girl, he received news of Yin Yufeng's decisive victory over the Western Regions' barbarian coalition. Thus, another Grand Marshal of the Empire was born.

From then on, the Emperor cherished Princess Xiuyun as his own lifeblood, believing her to be a gift from heaven, capable of bringing him unparalleled victories.

As Princess Xiuyun grew older, her appearance and personality became increasingly endearing, further winning the Emperor's favor. He never refused his beloved daughter's requests, and eventually, Princess Xiuyun became almost the most honored person in the Empire besides the Emperor, even the Crown Prince Yisheng treated her with deference.

As the Emperor's most beloved daughter, Princess Xiuyun was frequently taken by her father to various court ceremonies and grand banquets in her childhood, and many nobles and ministers naturally came to know this lovely little princess. However, as Princess Xiuyun grew older, her active nature made her increasingly dislike sitting like a puppet at rigid celebrations and banquets. Gradually, she stopped appearing in public, and the nobles and ministers had fewer and fewer opportunities to see this noble princess.

It was for this reason that, although the young Jiang Hanqing was very familiar with the story of this princess, he had never seen her face. He had only guessed that she was Princess Xiuyun because she claimed to be a princess and her age matched, and he was surprised to find that he had actually guessed correctly.

But how did this noble princess end up in the carriage? Was she a guest at the Crown Prince's residence, and knowing the carriage was coming to pick someone up, did she take the opportunity to come out and have some fun? Or was this simply a trap she set to play a trick on people? Or was there some other reason?

Jiang Hanqing tentatively raised his questions to Princess Xiuyun. To his surprise, Princess Xiuyun smiled smugly, puffing out her chest and saying, "Do you know that I, the princess, am your savior? You should be thanking me!"

Jiang Hanqing was stunned. "Savior? What's going on?"

Princess Xiuyun twitched her small, delicate nose slightly and said proudly, "Do you know that this carriage doesn't belong to my elder brother's residence at all! It was specially designed to kill you!"

Jiang Hanqing was shocked, his face turning pale. "What? This carriage doesn't belong to the Crown Prince's residence? This... how does the princess know it's meant to kill me?"

Princess Xiuyun raised her head high and drawled, "You can want to know! But... you have to kowtow twice to me to thank me for saving your life, and then I'll tell you what really happened!" The

way she shook her head as she spoke was exceptionally innocent and adorable. Jiang Hanqing saw it and loved it, but he wanted to tease her a little. The lovely princess, feigning seriousness, said, "If Your Highness doesn't tell me how you saved my life, how can I be sure what you're saying is true? What if you didn't save my life at all, and were just toying with me? Wouldn't those two kowtows have been for nothing?" Princess

Xiuyun, realizing Jiang Hanqing's words clearly implied deception, didn't immediately understand that Jiang Hanqing was mocking her. Deeply angered by the injustice she felt, she retorted angrily, "You...you really are...I clearly saved you!...You...you still don't believe me?...Do you think I care about your two kowtows?...Pah! I'm ignoring you, you stingy brat!...Cuicui, just tell this stingy brat how we saved his life."

As she spoke, her pretty face flushed red, and her words became fragmented, clearly showing how angry she was at Jiang Hanqing's words.

After saying these two sentences, she turned her face away, refusing to even glance at Jiang Hanqing again.

The maid named Cui Cui rolled her eyes at Jiang Hanqing and said irritably, "You rascal! My princess saved your life, and you dare not believe her! Would my princess lie to you over something so trivial? Humph! Fine. I'll tell you the whole story. Let's see if you're convinced!"

Cui Cui then carefully recounted the events to Jiang Hanqing: Princess Xiuyun was extremely active by nature. With such a personality, staying in the palace for many years inevitably made her feel restless and depressed, and she seemed sullen all day long.

Seeing his most beloved daughter unhappy, Emperor Wuming was naturally very distressed. In order to cheer up his daughter, Emperor Wuming specially allowed Princess Xiuyun to go out of the palace to play at will.

Several dozen days ago, this lively Princess Xiuyun began to go out of the palace with her personal maid Cui Cui, accompanied by nine top imperial guards specially sent by the emperor to protect his beloved daughter.

After wandering the bustling streets for over ten days, having seen and experienced everything,

Princess Xiuyun no longer wanted to explore the main streets and insisted on venturing into the back alleys.

Cui Cui and the imperial guards, unable to dissuade the noble princess, could only escort her as she wandered through the alleys.

One day, as the group strolled through a remote, narrow alley near the city wall, Princess Xiuyun was suddenly surprised to find a noble carriage parked there. The carriage door bore the insignia of her elder brother—the current Crown Prince Yisheng. Around the carriage stood a dozen or so men dressed as servants of the Crown Prince's residence, whispering amongst themselves.

Princess Xiuyun initially assumed that Yisheng's men were simply riding in his carriage and decided to investigate.

Before they even got close, the dozen or so men barked menacingly at them, ordering them to get out of the way. Three or four of them even reached for the hilts of their swords, looking ready to kill if they weren't driven away.

Princess Xiuyun, who had never been dared to speak harshly to anyone since she was old enough to understand, was furious and wanted the imperial guards accompanying her to teach these ignorant servants a lesson.

But the moment this thought crossed her mind, the clever Princess Xiuyun realized something was amiss.

Crown Prince Yisheng had always doted on her. When Princess Xiuyun was very young, Yisheng often carried her around to play. Later, after Yisheng married Yin Yuji and the couple moved to the newly built Crown Prince's residence, he spent less time with his sister, but this didn't mean he had no contact with Xiuyun.

In fact, after Crown Princess Yin Yuji and Princess Xiuyun gradually became closer, Crown Princess Yin Yuji grew quite fond of this younger sister and often invited Princess Xiuyun to chat with her. Therefore, Princess Xiuyun was a frequent visitor to the Crown Prince's residence, visiting her brother and sister-in-law every month for over a decade without fail.

Because of Princess Xiuyun's frequent appearances at the Crown Prince's residence, it could be said that everyone there knew this noble princess.

However, the dozen or so people standing before Princess Xiuyun at this moment, although all dressed in the attire of servants from the Crown Prince's residence, none of them knew Princess Xiuyun's identity.

"Huh! Why doesn't any of them recognize me? Could it be that these people are all new recruits from my elder brother's household? But why would the Crown Prince's residence recruit so many new people at once? And why are these people with nothing to do, gathering together to wander around, even driving a carriage into a secluded alley to chatter amongst themselves? And a bunch of servants actually dare to threaten someone of noble status! Something's not right! There 's definitely

something fishy going on here!" A sudden thought flashed through Princess Xiuyun's mind, and she realized that there must be something amiss. The anger she was about to vent was immediately suppressed.

Cui Cui and the nine elite imperial guards beside her were also furious. They were just about to teach these ignorant lackeys a lesson when they saw their mistress turn around and give them a sharp look. It was clear that she wanted them to stand there obediently and not react. Although they didn't understand what tricks this quirky princess was up to this time, the servants immediately obeyed her orders, calmly standing aside to wait and see her next move.

Princess Xiuyun didn't get entangled with the group of fierce-looking people; instead, she made a cute face at them and turned to walk out of the alley.

Her subordinates had expected her to at least tease them a little, but they hadn't expected her to back down without any reaction at all—this was unlike her usual character. Confused about their mistress's intentions, Cui Cui and the nine top experts could only follow her towards the alley entrance, full of suspicion.

The mocking laughter from the group behind them was clearly audible.

Two imperial guards went over from the rooftop to eavesdrop, while the others waited for news at the alley entrance.

After waiting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two imperial guards who had been eavesdropping returned and reported to the princess: "We don't know which gang the other party belongs to, but we heard them mention a word from time to time, something like 'our sect.' From their conversation, it seems that this group of people belongs to a gang that was commissioned by someone in the Zhenguo Duke's family to disguise themselves as people from the Crown Prince's residence to pick up the Zhenguo Duke's heir, planning to assassinate him on the way! It seems that this is related to the internal strife within the Zhenguo Duke's family!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Xiuyun was furious and said: "What! They actually dare to disguise themselves as people from His Highness the Crown Prince's residence to assassinate the Zhenguo Duke's heir? Humph! They even dared to disrespect this princess just now! These gangsters are too arrogant! Go! Kill them all!"

At her master's command, the imperial guards dared not delay in the slightest. They immediately drew their swords and rushed into the alley. Princess Cui Cui, being of noble birth, was naturally protected by the princess and left outside the alley to await news.

A clang of clashing swords quickly echoed from the alley, but to the princess's surprise, the fight didn't end as quickly as she had hoped. Instead, it dragged on for nearly half an hour.

The princess initially showed impatience, but this gradually turned into astonishment—astonishment at the incredible strength of her opponents.

Just as she began to worry about whether her side could win the fight, the blood-soaked imperial guards finally appeared before her, having defeated their opponents.

In this battle, three of the nine imperial guards were dead, and two were wounded, while the opposing force was completely wiped out. This outcome surprised not only the imperial guards themselves, but even Princess Xiuyun could hardly believe it. These nine imperial guards escorting the princess were the strongest men handpicked by the emperor from among all his guards to protect his beloved daughter; each one was a top-tier expert of their time! Yet, even with these nine experts working together, it had taken them so long to resist, and they had even suffered three deaths and two injuries. The bandits were incredibly powerful!

Princess Xiuyun had never imagined that a martial arts gang would have so many experts. She wondered, "If these weren't the nine top masters present, what would the outcome of the battle have been?" Princess

Xiuyun really wanted to question one of the bandits about his background, but the imperial guards were clearly determined to carry out the princess's orders. The princess said, "Kill them all," and the entire group of bandits in the alley was wiped out, leaving no survivors. It wasn't that the imperial guards didn't want to leave any survivors, but the enemy's strength had reached a point where a fight to the death was necessary; there was no way to leave any alive.

Looking at the dozen or so corpses that couldn't speak, Princess Xiuyun had no choice but to suppress her many questions.

However, being the playful person she was, she quickly put the matter out of her mind, because as the imperial guards cleaned up the scene, another whimsical idea suddenly popped into her ever-active head!

Turning to look at Cuicui, Princess Xiuyun asked earnestly, "Cuicui, shall we borrow these people's carriages and clothes to play a trick on that heir of the Duke of Zhenguo?"

Seeing Cuicui's stunned expression, Princess Xiuyun didn't wait for her answer and continued excitedly, "Yes! That's it! The two of us will hide in the carriage, and we'll have the guards wear the clothes left behind by these dead people, pretending to be people from the Crown Prince's residence going to pick up the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, and trick him into getting in the carriage to scare him! I heard my sister-in-law, who is the Crown Princess, mention this nephew of hers. I heard he's only three years older than me, but he's very capable! Oh, and my niece Jingwen seems to admire her cousin a lot! I want to see what's so great about him! Hey! You guys hurry up and clean up the scene, and then go change your clothes. Hurry! We still need to see that heir of the Duke of Zhenguo!"

Without allowing Cuicui and the remaining six imperial guards to strongly object, Princess Xiuyun made up her mind to see Jiang Hanqing.

Thus began the story of how Jiang Hanqing was teased at the beginning.

After listening to Cui Cui's description, Jiang Hanqing remained silent for a long time. Cui Cui's words just now confirmed his long-held suspicions once again.

Cui Cui said that the imperial guards had heard the bandits who planned to assassinate him mention the word "our sect"; and these people possessed astonishing strength capable of fighting to the death with the nine top experts of the imperial court. Apart from the Holy Sect, Jiang Hanqing couldn't think of any other possibility.

However, within the Holy Sect, there were two completely opposing factions, the Manifest Sect and the Hidden Sect. So, were these people disciples of the Manifest Sect, or followers of the Hidden Sect controlled by his master, Wang Mingsi?

Jiang Hanqing also carefully analyzed and considered this point.

In Jiang Hanqing's view, his master, Wang Mingsi, shouldn't have any need to harm him yet. After all, Wang Mingsi still considered him useful, and he was unaware that Jiang Hanqing already knew his true identity. The imperial guards had overheard the massacred bandits say that they were instructed by a high-ranking member of the Jiang family to prepare this operation against Jiang Hanqing. Connecting this with past events, it was highly likely that it was someone from the Xianzong sect again!

Recalling the events of the past six months: Qiu Te's whereabouts being leaked, leading to the Xianzong's attack, the near-fatal ambush after returning to the capital, and this failed conspiracy, coupled with the reminder from the Goddess Palace Master Jiang Xiaoyun, Jiang Hanqing could now conclude that this series of events targeting him was orchestrated by a high-ranking member of his family in collusion with someone from the Xianzong sect.

Who was this person? Jiang Hanqing thought of similar analyses he had previously conducted with his father and the Goddess Palace Master Jiang Xiaoyun, and immediately focused his suspicions on his second uncle, Jiang Haotian. Thinking back to Jiang Haotian's unusual demeanor today, Jiang Hanqing's anger burned even brighter: "Fine! Jiang Haotian, you really want to kill me before you're satisfied! Hmph! You think colluding with the Xianzong people will give you any benefits? Bah!"

At this point, Jiang Hanqing had made up his mind to find an opportunity to deal with Jiang Haotian soon!

However, a lingering question remained in his mind: "Why doesn't Jiang Haotian target Father, but keeps bothering me? With Father around, even if he kills me, he'll still be the second son!" But

Jiang Hanqing quickly figured out this simple question: "Father rarely leaves the compound alone in the capital, let alone travels far. Jiang Haotian can't find an opportunity, so he has to kill me first. If Father doesn't have a biological son as his heir, then he, as the second brother, will naturally become the first choice. What a clever plan!"

At this moment, a wicked thought surged through Jiang Hanqing's mind once again.

"If my father were gone, and if I were in power myself, wouldn't these kinds of dangers be greatly reduced? Even if someone wanted to harm me, I could take measures to eliminate them first! But how can I become the head of the family?"

Jiang Hanqing dared not think any further. Although he already knew the answer, he still lacked sufficient motivation, courage, or, more precisely, power to do so.

While Jiang Hanqing was lost in thought, Princess Xiuyun secretly and curiously observed him.

Princess Xiuyun had heard Jiang Hanqing's name many times from Yin Yuji and Jingwen, but this was the first time she had seen him in person.

Before this, she had only heard others praise Jiang Hanqing's appearance as very handsome, but this time she herself told herself, "This Jiang Hanqing is really handsome!"

Jiang Hanqing, already very handsome, possessed an even more melancholic beauty when he frowned in thought. That elegant temperament unique to mature men had an incredibly powerful appeal to a girl of Princess Xiuyun's age.

In the Great Xia Empire, most girls of Princess Xiuyun's age were already mothers, but Princess Xiuyun was still far from it. There were many reasons for this: firstly, being naturally innocent and lively, she wanted to play more and wasn't in a hurry for such matters; secondly, always pampered by her father, the Emperor, she naturally had high standards, making it difficult for her to find a suitable partner; and thirdly, Emperor Wuming himself couldn't bear to let his most beloved daughter leave him, so the matter of choosing a consort was repeatedly postponed. However, no matter what, every girl will eventually experience the stirrings of love, and Xiuyun, though a princess, was no exception.

At this moment, looking at Jiang Hanqing's handsome face—a face that would captivate any girl—Princess Xiuyun suddenly felt inexplicably nervous. Then she noticed her heart was pounding rapidly, and her head was dizzy, as if she had a fever.

She gently touched her forehead.

"That's strange! It's not hot at all! Why do I feel dizzy? Is it because the carriage is too stuffy? Or is it because... Jiang Hanqing is really handsome! No wonder Jingwen always mentions her cousin! This girl is so lucky to have such a cousin!"

Although Princess Xiuyun and Jingwen are aunt and niece in terms of generation, they are only four years apart in age, so they are as close as sisters. However, Princess Xiuyun suddenly thought of all the times Jingwen had been alone with Jiang Hanqing in the past, and for some reason, she suddenly felt a little jealous of Jingwen.

"What would it be like when Jingwen is with him?... Would he hold her hand?... Have they ever kissed?" Thinking of Jingwen and Jiang Hanqing embracing and kissing, Princess Xiuyun felt an inexplicable unease.

While Princess Xiuyun sat there lost in thought, Jiang Hanqing was terrified by what had happened that day.

If it hadn't been Princess Xiuyun and her guards who came to pick him up, but instead Xianzong's assassins, Jiang Hanqing dared not imagine the consequences. Having killed three of the nine imperial guards, Jiang Hanqing knew that facing this group alone, even with prior precautions, would only lead to certain death, let alone being caught off guard and ambushed! If the assassination succeeded, he would truly die without even knowing why.

History is always full of coincidences, leaving those caught in its course completely disoriented.

If Princess Xiuyun hadn't happened to deal with Xianzong's assassins that day, Jiang Hanqing's life would have ended, and history would have unfolded in a different direction. Go down.

If Princess Xiuyun hadn't met Jiang Hanqing, her later experiences would have been completely different.

But everything had already happened, and nothing could be reversed! Perhaps this was fate, the will of heaven already predetermined!

While the two were lost in their own thoughts, someone else was feeling uneasy beside them.

Cui Cui curiously observed the two, wondering what was wrong with them, that they hadn't uttered a single word for so long. She wanted to say a few words to Jiang Hanqing to relieve her boredom, but since her mistress hadn't spoken, what right did she, as a maid, have to say anything? She could only sit there, bored and staring blankly.

Fortunately for her, this period of silence that made her feel bored and annoyed didn't last forever.

Jiang Hanqing was the first to snap out of his reverie. Looking at Princess Xiuyun, who was still in a daze, he knelt properly before her and said very solemnly, "Your Highness, Hanqing sincerely thanks you for saving my life!" "

After saying that, he kowtowed three times heavily to Princess Xiuyun.

Startled awake by his action, Princess Xiuyun, seeing that he had actually kowtowed three times, was both pleased and ashamed inside, but outwardly still stubbornly said, "Who cares about your kowtows? ...Alright! Get up!" As Jiang

Hanqing obediently sat up, his eyes met Princess Xiuyun's captivating eyes again, and his heart trembled slightly. He secretly sighed, "Emperor Wuming hasn't done anything good! He's only made a small contribution to the world by giving birth to such a beautiful daughter!" Princess Xiuyun, feeling

a little overwhelmed by Jiang Hanqing's gaze, glared displeasedly at the young man staring at her in a daze, reminding him not to go too far. Unexpectedly, Jiang Hanqing didn't react at all, still gazing at her intently. Princess Xiuyun's eyebrows furrowed, about to erupt on the spot, when she heard a guard outside the carriage report, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince's residence is just ahead, we'll be there soon!"

Before Princess Xiuyun could speak, Jiang Hanqing exclaimed in surprise, "What? We've really arrived at the Crown Prince's residence? Didn't you just say you were lying to me? I forgot to ask where the carriage was going, but it really is!" Cui

Cui giggled and answered for her mistress, "How could our princess lie? Since she said she was taking you to the Crown Prince's residence when she invited you out, of course we'd take you there! As for whether you have anything to do after we get there, that's none of our concern!"

Jiang Hanqing, surprised by the princess's strange behavior, smiled and said, "Then thank you for your kindness, Your Highness! I'll have to accept it!"

Suddenly remembering something, Jiang Hanqing asked Cui Cui, "Miss Cui Cui, judging from the way you grabbed me earlier, your martial arts are quite impressive! I wonder where you learned them?"

Cui Cui proudly replied, "That's nothing! I learned from Your Highness, the princess is the one who..."

"Cui Cui, don't be so talkative!" Princess Xiuyun

, clearly unwilling to hear Cuicui say anything more, interrupted her maid with displeasure.

Cuicui glanced at her mistress's expression, then turned her head and stuck out her tongue at Jiang Hanqing, making a funny face, looking quite adorable.

Jiang Hanqing smiled slightly, but thought to himself, "It seems Princess Xiuyun's martial arts skills are quite formidable. I wonder how she learned them? Perhaps they were taught by the imperial guards!"

Just then, the shouts of the imperial guards rang out from outside the carriage: "Princess Xiuyun has arrived! Quickly go in and report!" "

So we've arrived at the Crown Prince's residence. Everyone should get out of the carriage now. "

The carriage door opened quickly, and Princess Xiuyun, supported by Cui Cui, slowly stepped out. Jiang Hanqing followed closely behind them.

The group quickly passed through the respectfully welcoming crowd and entered the Crown Prince's residence.

Chapter 57 A Lifelong Affair

Chapter 57 A Lifelong Affair

Upon hearing the news of Princess Xiuyun's visit, Crown Prince Yisheng and his wife, Yin Yuji, hurriedly and excitedly came out to greet her.

When they saw Jiang Hanqing and Princess Xiuyun walking together, the couple were immediately stunned. In their memory, this little sister seemed to have never had any contact with her nephew. How could they be together today?

Leading Princess Xiuyun and Jiang Hanqing to sit down in the living room, Yin Yuji first asked her nephew, "Qing'er, how did you end up with Xiuyun? Have you met before?"

Before Jiang Hanqing could answer, Princess Xiuyun snuggled up to Yin Yuji and said coquettishly, "Sister-in-law, I've missed you so much lately!" "Don't ask him about this, let Xiuyun tell you!"

Although Yin Yuji and Princess Xiuyun were aunt and sister-in-law, they were twenty years apart in age. Yin Yuji doted on her younger sister, whom she had watched grow up, and their relationship was somewhat like that of a mother and daughter.

Seeing her obedient and adorable younger sister acting coquettishly towards her, Yin Yuji naturally smiled and replied, "Okay! Okay! Tell me! I'm listening!"

So Princess Xiuyun eloquently told Yin Yuji what had happened that day.

After hearing Princess Xiuyun's story, Yin Yuji was still shocked by the fact that her nephew had almost lost his life, and asked Jiang Hanqing in a trembling voice, "Qing'er, what's the background of these guys? Who bribed them to deal with you? Could they be connected to the group that attacked you last time?" Although Jiang

Hanqing already knew in his heart that they were from the Xianzong sect, how could he tell his aunt such an unspeakable secret?

Feigning confusion and ignorance, Jiang Hanqing replied, "Alas! Aunt, please don't mention it! If only I knew where these guys came from, I could wipe them out immediately! But... I really don't know where they came from!"

Yisheng frowned beside him and said, "To be able to take down three of the nine top experts of the Emperor, their strength is indeed extraordinary. They must be someone of great importance. It's a pity that no one was left alive, otherwise, a thorough interrogation would surely have yielded some clues!"

Princess Xiuyun, however, was concerned about something else. She said to Yisheng, "Brother, three of the nine top experts Father sent to protect me are dead. How am I going to explain this when we get back? Can you help me think of a good way to say it?"

Yin Yuji said to Princess Xiuyun, "Xiuyun, you're fine. Your father loves you so much; knowing that three of your guards died, he'll only worry more about your safety. He won't blame you for killing his men! I think he'll send more men once he finds out, so you don't need to worry about anything else. However… this matter involves the Jiang family, and we absolutely mustn't let the Emperor know. Otherwise, it will be extremely detrimental to Hanqing!"

Although Princess Xiuyun usually didn't care about the power struggles in the court, she understood that if her father found out about this, Jiang Hanqing's side would indeed face a lot of trouble.

Having spent half a day with Jiang Hanqing, she had developed some goodwill towards him and didn't want him to cause any trouble. Therefore, she took the initiative to say to Yin Yuji, "Yes! I understand that too. So, what do you think I should say when I go back?"

Yin Yuji answered her with a smile without hesitation, "What's so difficult about this? Xiuyun, just report it to the Emperor like this! Say that you encountered a group of martial arts heroes who wanted to harass you, and the imperial guards intervened. Unexpectedly, the opponents were extremely skilled in martial arts, and a fight ensued, resulting in these deaths and injuries. That's it! Would the Emperor doubt your words?"

Princess Xiuyun laughed upon hearing this, "Yes! Such a simple answer! How come I didn't think of that? You're so clever, sister-in-law!"

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