Divine Eagle Empire, Volume 5, Chapters 101-145

Author: Nine Heavens Word Count: 205022 Previous Chapter Link: 38.103.161.187/forum/thread-4938238-1-1.
Chapter 101 The Scoundrel
Wang Yi strode out, and Lu Chong calmed himself down, suddenly feeling that things might not be so bad. He still held onto a last hope. This Cheng Youcheng, as a general of the empire, surely wouldn't betray the country and the people? If he colluded with the Asura invaders for personal revenge, how could Cheng Youcheng stand in the world? And his Cheng family would become enemies of the Celestial Empire, despised by the world for generations. He figured Cheng Youcheng wouldn't dare to defy the world like that, would he?
"Yes! That prisoner, what he said can't be true. If Cheng Youcheng really was plotting a rebellion, this would be a highly confidential matter. How could a low-ranking general of the Asura clan know about it? Yes, it can't be true, it can't be true, it can't be true..."
Lu Chong muttered to himself, completely unaware of the ridiculousness of his actions.
A short while later, Zhang Chao, the Chief Supervisor of the Ministry of Justice, entered the command hall and asked, "Vice Commander, I heard you have something to discuss with me?"
"Lord Zhang, I'm truly sorry to have woken you so early."
Gathering his thoughts, Lu Chong stood up and bowed to Zhang Chao, saying, "Lord Zhang, do you know Cheng Youcheng, the garrison commander of Saicheng City?"
Zhang Chao nodded slightly and said, "Yes, I know. He was originally the deputy garrison commander of Beitian City, but because he was at odds with Wu Xiongfeng, the garrison commander of Beitian City, and was constantly restricted by Wu Xiongfeng, he voluntarily requested a transfer from Beitian City. Prince Wu had no choice but to transfer him and his son, Cheng Jingang, to Saicheng City. The Vice Commander is asking about him now..."
"I've just received some urgent intelligence!"
Lu Chong frowned. "There's news that Cheng Youcheng in Saicheng is unstable. It's said he's been in private contact with the Shura people. Do you have any intelligence from your military police department?"
Surprisingly, Zhang Chao didn't seem surprised. He replied, "Vice Commander, the military police stationed in Saicheng reported to me that the newly appointed garrison commander Cheng Youcheng and his son Cheng Jingang are indeed acting improperly. Since taking office, they've been practicing nepotism in the garrison, placing their cronies in large numbers. Many upright officers have been marginalized and have no place to stand. The garrison in Saicheng has practically become his private army." "After
the war started, some of the Cheng family's statements were quite shocking. At the war preparation meeting in Saicheng, he said: 'The Shura are no more than ten thousand; if they exceed ten thousand, they are invincible. Our only hope for salvation is to negotiate peace with the Shura.' Fighting means being killed by the Shura, and fleeing means being punished by military law. We need to find another way out for ourselves." "Why should we risk our lives for the noble lords of Tianjing?" For a general of a city's army to utter such demoralizing words in a formal military meeting is utterly unbecoming of his position. The military police of Saicheng City report that recently, unidentified strangers have been frequently entering and leaving Cheng Youcheng's residence. The whereabouts of Cheng Youcheng and his son are also very mysterious; they disappeared twice, only to reappear several days later, and the military police cannot ascertain their whereabouts. In short, we wouldn't be surprised if the Cheng family were secretly colluding with the Shura people. Lu
Chong was surprised: "You knew about these things? Why didn't you tell me?"
Zhang Chao smiled bitterly: "Vice Commander, you're so busy that you barely get an hour or two of rest each day. How could I bother you with these baseless things? You have hundreds of subordinates under Cheng Youcheng's command, and each of them has their own flaws. If you had to report on each one, you wouldn't be able to fight any wars."
Lu Chong felt as if he had a piece of bitter melon in his mouth, both astringent and bitter. After a moment's thought, he asked, "We haven't yet obtained concrete evidence against him. What does the military police think we should do in this situation?"
Zhang Chao bluntly replied, "Vice Commander, it would be best to arrest Cheng and his son immediately. People like them are simply unfit to be generals!"
Lu Chong still had reservations, saying, "But we haven't obtained conclusive evidence yet. Cheng Youcheng is, after all, the garrison commander of a city, a high-ranking official appointed by the court..." "
Vice Commander, during wartime, we can't be so concerned with evidence. You are the Vice Commander of an army, and I am the Imperial Chief Inspector. As long as we both agree to arrest him, it's completely legal procedurally."
"What if we arrest the wrong person?" "If
we arrest the wrong person, we'll release them!"
Zhang Chao said nonchalantly, "If they are truly innocent, I will personally apologize to them!"
Lu Chong remained silent, tacitly agreeing, and then asked, "Can the local military police in Saicheng City accomplish this task?"
"I'm afraid it will be difficult. The Military Police Bureau doesn't have a strong military police force stationed in Saicheng City, and the city's garrison is completely controlled by the Cheng family from top to bottom. If the military police arrest the Cheng family, they might fight back desperately, which would be troublesome. I suggest taking a more prudent approach, such as arresting Cheng Youcheng when he's summoned to a meeting at headquarters?"
"That's a method we can consider,"
Lu Chong nodded. "But I've never dealt with Cheng Youcheng before, and summoning him suddenly would arouse his suspicion. How about changing Cheng Youcheng's position and transferring him to the rear?"
Zhang Chao asked doubtfully. "Would he accept the order to leave? In my experience, people with a guilty conscience are particularly suspicious."
The two discussed for a long time and finally decided to take a two-pronged approach. On one hand, Lu Chong, as deputy commander, would order Cheng Youcheng and his son to lead their troops to Mianyang to participate in the battle. On the other hand, Lu Chong secretly wrote to Song Minghui, the city lord of Saicheng, urging him to be vigilant against Cheng Youcheng and his son, and to be prepared to take over the army at any time. Zhang Chao, meanwhile, authorized the local military police supervisor to preemptively kill Cheng Youcheng and his son if they made any unusual moves.
The two discussed the matter repeatedly, even considering the most minute details.
Zhang Chao drafted the order in Lu Chong's voice, resembling a normal troop deployment document: "To eliminate the Shura enemy, the garrison commanders of Saicheng, Cheng Youcheng and Cheng Jingang, are hereby ordered to lead their troops to Mianyang City to assemble and await further orders before February 5th. No delays are permitted!"
Lu Chong agreed, saying, "This is a good way to write it; it looks very formal, and the Cheng family shouldn't suspect anything."
Zhang Chao accepted the order and left.
The guards opened the window; it was already broad daylight.
Only then did Lu Chong realize that he had unknowingly spent a full hour discussing Cheng Youcheng's matter.
With the matter settled, he put it aside and resumed his normal military duties. But less than a moment later, a rapid clatter of hooves broke the morning tranquility. A guard shouted, "Who's there?" "I am Zhang Chao, the Commander-in-Chief! Make way!"
Caught off guard, the guards were suddenly confronted as a lone rider charged into the commander's mansion, right up to the entrance of the main hall.
Zhang Chao, who had just left, dismounted and strode towards Lu Chong, his expression grim. "Vice Commander Lu, I just returned when I received a message by carrier pigeon. We're too late! Cheng Youcheng, the garrison commander of Saicheng City, and his son Cheng Jingang launched a mutiny last night, murdering the city lord Song Minghui and the local military police officers. Vice Commander, these two scoundrels, the Cheng father and son, have indeed sided with the Shura people. The Shura army has already appeared on the streets of Saicheng City!"
Upon hearing this news, everyone in the main hall paled.
All eyes turned to Lu Chong, the young vice commander of the empire, who stood silently by the window. The rising sun shone on his face, revealing a deep sorrow, weariness, and haggardness.
After a long silence, he turned to his assistant and said, "Report to the capital immediately. There are new developments at the front, and the situation may be unfavorable to us. The enemy may bypass us and advance straight in. Tianjing should prepare its defenses. I was not vigilant enough and failed to guard against the conspiracy of the Cheng family. I request His Majesty to punish me and I am willing to accept the punishment!"
Zhang Chao said urgently, "Sir, Cheng Youcheng and Cheng Jingang were not appointed by you. You are busy with countless affairs of state and military matters. How could you have foreseen their betrayal? I bear the greatest responsibility for this matter, and I should be the one punished. You, Deputy Commander, are responsible for the overall situation and cannot be easily dealt with."
Lu Chong smiled bitterly, "Sir Zhang, regardless of whose responsibility it is, I am the commander-in-chief of the Mianyang region, and I am the one who bears the responsibility for the war zone. The court doesn't care about the reasons. Anyway, the Shura Army has broken through from the Mianyang war zone, and they will definitely hold me accountable."
The officers remained silent. Thinking of Lu Chong's tireless efforts day and night, and the fact that he ended up like this, everyone felt heartbroken and indignant.
When the incident actually occurred, Lu Chong calmed down. He said calmly, "It is indeed unfortunate. If it weren't for the betrayal of the Cheng family father and son, the situation would never have deteriorated to this extent. But since it has happened, regret is useless. Of course, the war will become more difficult and protracted, but I still firmly believe that the invaders' defeat is inevitable, and there will be no other outcome!" On
February 1, 1677, the Battle of Mianyang took a dramatic turn.
Cheng Youcheng, the garrison commander of Saicheng City, mutinied and defected to the enemy. The 50,000 garrison troops immediately mutinied, creating a large gap on the left flank of the solid Mianyang defense line.
The Shura Army surged in through the gap, appearing on the flank and rear of the Divine Eagle Army's encirclement.
The Central Imperial Guard, facing enemies on both sides, was caught off guard and nearly 130,000 men were routed. The Second Army Shura Legion, which relieved the siege, joined forces with the besieged Seventh Army Yaksha Legion. In this way, the Shura Army became a unified force, forming a strategic encirclement of the right flank and central part of the Divine Eagle Central Army, which numbered over 200,000 men. The situation changed drastically in an instant.
The damage caused by Cheng Youcheng's defection didn't stop there. As a high-ranking officer of the Divine Eagle Empire, Cheng Youcheng was intimately familiar with its overall strategic deployment and troop arrangement. With his guidance, the Divine Eagle army's troop deployment was clearly laid bare before the Shura people. Under Cheng Youcheng's direction, the Shura army systematically eliminated the Divine Eagle troops on the front lines.
On February 4th, the Celestial Clan legion, which had been observing from the sidelines, also joined the battle. This was a fresh force; they charged through Saicheng City, controlled by Cheng Youcheng, and outflanked Mianyang City from the rear, posing a threat to Mianyang City from the rear. More than 500,000 Divine Eagle troops were cut off from their retreat and faced the threat of encirclement.
On February 7th, seeing that they could not withstand the Shura army's attack, Li Hui, the garrison commander of Bailong City, defected to the enemy under the instigation of Cheng and his son.
On February 7th, Lü Yun, the garrison commander of Bazhou City, was defeated and defected to the enemy; his more than 30,000 Divine Eagle troops laid down their weapons and were captured.
On February 8th, reinforcements from the Shura Empire continued to arrive at the front lines. These reinforcements numbered as many as three legions, totaling 250,000 men. They included the Shura Empire's Third Army, known as the Fierce Tiger Legion, and the Empire's Fourth Army, known as the Dragon God Legion, commanded by Long Tengfei. In addition, there were over 40,000 heavy wolf cavalry and air force eagle beast knights. At this time, the total number of Shura troops fighting the Divine Eagle Army on the front lines had reached seven legions, totaling over 700,000 men, exceeding one-third of the Shura Empire's entire military strength.
The battle situation had shifted in Shura Empire's favor, but under Lu Zhong's leadership, the encircled Divine Eagle Army continued to put up a desperate resistance. They held strong fortifications and coordinated their attacks effectively, making it extremely difficult for the Shura army to advance.
At this moment, Cheng Youcheng offered a strategy to the legion commanders: "The main force of the Divine Eagle Army is currently encircled, and their rear defenses are weak. If we capture Tianjing, the morale and fighting spirit of the Divine Eagle Army will completely collapse, and we will win without a fight!"
The Shura legion commanders were invigorated; why hadn't they thought of this brilliant idea? However, some legion commanders still harbored doubts. Meng Taiying asked, "What if, during the attack on Tianjing, the Divine Eagle Army within the encirclement rushes out to attack our rear? Wouldn't our army be caught in a pincer movement?"
Cheng Youcheng laughed, "Your Grace, the reason the enemy within the encirclement is difficult to deal with is simply because they occupy fortifications to resist. If we leave our positions and fight in the open, do you think the Shura Clan would be afraid of them?"
Meng Taiying stroked his beard and nodded, "That's true. In terms of field combat ability, our Shura Iron Cavalry is invincible. You Eagle People are too weak; you're simply no match for us."
The legion commanders cheered, saying, "Only the Eagle People could come up with such a cunning idea!"
"To deal with the Eagle People, we still have to rely on the Eagle People themselves! Our Shura tribe can fight, but we're not as good as them when it comes to thinking."
To reward Cheng Youcheng, with the consent of the Azure Dragon Prince and the legion commanders, the surrendered Divine Eagle Army was reorganized into the 20th Army of the Shura Empire, the Shuntian Legion, meaning to submit to the will of Heaven. Cheng Youcheng was appointed commander of the Shuntian Legion, and Cheng Jingang was appointed deputy commander, responsible for leading all Eagle People rebel forces. The Cheng family father and son were in high spirits for this.
On February 11, 1677, the Shura Second Legion, Fourth Legion, Twelfth Legion, Thirteenth Legion, and other legions, totaling 350,000 Shura troops, marched towards Tianjing. Before them lay Wanglong City, the last city in the vicinity of Tianjing.
This was Tianjing's last gateway, and the Shura Azure Dragon relentlessly transferred troops, attempting to use their numerical superiority to swallow the entire city whole.
Defending Wanglong City were 30,000 newly transferred Imperial Guards from the capital, led by Imperial Guard Commander Yang Zecheng.
Although Yang Zecheng's forces were small, the powerful military spirit of the Divine Eagle Empire was fully displayed in them. Their loyalty to the empire, their hatred for the invaders, and the soldiers' tragic and moving spirit of facing death made the defending army seem several times stronger.
No need for mobilization; the soldiers all knew this fact: Wanglong was the gateway to Tianjing!
"The Empire's territory is vast and boundless, but we have nowhere to retreat! Tianjing is behind us!"
As long as the human spirit doesn't wither, flesh and blood can be stronger than steel. The defending soldiers faced death without fear, advancing wave after wave, refusing to yield an inch.
As long as they had breath, no one would stop fighting. Wounded soldiers poured oil on themselves, set themselves on fire, and charged into the enemy ranks, clinging to Shura officers to die together. Starved Shenying soldiers cut off the flesh of Shura soldiers to eat. Facing the rumbling Shura war machines, Wanglong City had become a towering, unyielding threshold.
Despite being outnumbered, the various battalions of the legion fought valiantly, exhausted, yet still managing to annihilate the Shura troops who had stormed the city four times.
Such tenacious resistance, such fearlessness, such barbarity, such cruelty—the Shenying soldiers were more like Shura than the Shura themselves.
Such brutal and savage tactics had only been seen in the Divine Eagle Army during the early years of the dynasty under Yuwen Ying.
Now, facing life and death, like wolves cornered, the Divine Eagle Army roared like wild beasts once more: "Come on, you want my skin, I want your flesh! Let's see who eats whom!"
The battle raged day and night. Wanglong City was considered a death trap, a place of constant warfare and carnage, filled with death, pain, hatred, despair, and hope. The
battlefield was littered with corpses; tens of thousands had died, including warriors defending their homes and greedy foreign invaders.
The defenders fought with unwavering resolve, and the Shura Army was utterly demoralized for the first time.
Even after the Azure Dragon Prince had killed three front-line commanders, he still couldn't capture Wanglong City. Finally, he had to deploy the Air Force's Gryphon Knights, issuing a death order: if they failed to capture it, all attacking troops would be executed!
Under such overwhelming pressure, and relying on the air superiority of the air force, the Shura Army finally broke into Wanglong City, engaging the defenders in street-to-street warfare.
The defending troops fought desperately, but the laws of war are cruel and merciless: the strong prevail. After suffering heavy casualties of 40,000, the Shura army finally annihilated the defending forces in Wanglong City, and Yang Zecheng and his 10,000 guards died heroically in battle.
Within the desolate city of Wanglong, littered with corpses, rivers of blood, and crumbling walls, the exhausted Asura soldiers swayed listlessly, as if in a dream.
So many enemies and comrades had perished before their eyes; they still couldn't believe they had survived this hellish carnage.
After a long while, cheers slowly rose, weak and feeble, mingled with the groans of wounded Asura soldiers, echoing across the ruined city.
Standing on the broken walls of Wanglong, the vast outline of Tianjing could be seen in the distance.
There lay the heart of a powerful empire, the enemy's most stubborn stronghold.
Behind Tianjing lay the enemy's vast territory and hinterland, and further behind, another powerful empire: the Peacock Dynasty.
The Azure Dragon Prince felt a lingering fear: how many more bloody battles like Wanglong would he have to endure to conquer the world and dominate the continent?
The tide of war turned suddenly, smoke billowed, and the Asuras advanced eastward, pressing towards Tianjing. The capital of the Divine Eagle Empire, peaceful for three hundred years, faced an unprecedented catastrophe. At this critical moment for the empire's survival, the people of the distant northern city of Fengcheng also felt the intense atmosphere of war…
Chapter 102 Pimping
Since the fall of Xitian City and the news of the Shura clan's eastward invasion reached Fengcheng, the people of Fengcheng suddenly discovered that the new city lord was making significant moves. Not only did he begin recruiting soldiers and horses without restraint, but he also hired a large number of laborers and stonemasons to carry out city defense construction and expand the city walls.
Originally, Fengcheng was just a small city. Not only was its area small, but the surrounding walls could hardly be considered city walls. Most of them were made of earth, no more than ten feet high, and there was no moat. If an enemy army attacked, they wouldn't need to use ladders; a single charge would be enough to breach the city walls, offering virtually no resistance.
Now, the people of Wind City are astonished and delighted to see that their great city lord has ordered the demolition of the original city walls, moving the site of the walls more than twenty miles outwards. The walls are constructed entirely of solid granite and rock. Furthermore, a moat has been dug around the walls, supposedly to draw water from the Blue River.
This is an enormous project. If completed, Wind City will be more than just a small city; while not a large city, it will certainly be of medium size. However, completing such a massive project will require immense manpower, resources, and finances, especially since Wind City's population is relatively small, and the necessary craftsmen will have to be recruited from elsewhere. Fortunately, Wu Tianjiao has conquered the alien races of the Monster Forest and the Shizhe tribes of the Western Mayan Mountains, providing a large number of strong and cheap laborers.
In addition, the numerous monsters tamed by Wu Tianjiao serve as free labor for transporting stones and supplies. They are perfectly capable of completing various arduous tasks under human command, and their role far surpasses that of manual laborers.
Xiong Yi was the overall commander of this city construction project, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk. Meanwhile, Wu Tianjiao, the city lord, rarely appeared, spending most of his time in the castle. Those unaware assumed he was busy with state affairs,
managing countless matters. Only those close to him knew that Wu Tianjiao wasn't busy with any state affairs, but rather with deflowering numerous beautiful women—nine women a night, night after night of passion. This was already the fifth day. In the past five nights, Wu Tianjiao had absorbed the virginity of forty-five beautiful women. Of these forty-five women, besides the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her thirteen disciples, the rest were newly recruited, qualified female guards. Most of them had come for the generous salaries and high-level magical beast mounts. No one suspected that Wind Fortress's recruitment of female guards had ulterior motives. They achieved their goals, but in doing so, they became Wu Tianjiao's "cauldron," "offering" their virginity.
Getting these newly recruited, qualified female guards to willingly "offer" themselves was virtually impossible. The best way to deal with them is like how they were dealt with the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples—make them secretly take "Clear and Sweet Powder." That way, no matter how powerful they are or how fierce their temperament, in bed they'll be completely at Wu Tianjiao's mercy. Each one will be forcibly deflowered by him, their virginity taken, ravaged until they're utterly defeated, their primordial essence gushing forth like a raging river, unstoppable.
Since the notice recruiting beautiful female bodyguards was posted, the number of beautiful women coming to Fengcheng every day has suddenly increased dramatically. While the number of beautiful women has increased, the number of qualified female guards recruited by Fengbao is extremely small. In five days, only thirty-six qualified women have been recruited. However, quite a few female guards with cultivation levels of the eighth level of Pingwu have been recruited, numbering as many as fifty or sixty. Wu Tianjiao has taken them all into the Nine Dragons Jade Bracelet space and made them take Blood Spirit Pills to help them increase their cultivation. He hopes that they can advance their cultivation level within a few days and meet the conditions for becoming a "cauldron".
Of course, even if these beauties, aided by the effects of elixirs and divine stones, met the requirements of becoming "cauldrons," they still couldn't compare to those beauties who had cultivated to the ninth level of the Pingwu realm through their own efforts. Unless absolutely necessary, Wu Tianjiao didn't want to exploit their primordial yin. Now, with his pool of qualified female bodyguards nearly exhausted, Wu Tianjiao and his accomplices in this evil deed were forced to set their sights on the mysterious group of "female soldiers" at the Peach Blossom Inn…
Wu Tianjiao and his group had already learned the origins of the female soldiers from the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples. Initially, the Nine Heavens Holy Mother was very stubborn and refused to reveal the identity of her employer. However, her silence didn't mean her twenty disciples wouldn't speak. Under the combined pressure and persuasion of Xiao Qionghua and the other women, they finally revealed the origins of these female soldiers.
No one expected that the group of female soldiers staying at the Peach Blossom Inn were actually the "Snow Feather Phoenix Guard" from the Snow Feather Legion of the Peacock Dynasty. It was well known that the Snow Feather Legion was the most elite force of the Peacock Dynasty, and the Snow Feather Phoenix Guard was the female bodyguard of Dongfang Xue, the commander of the Snow Feather Legion. The Snow Feather Phoenix Guard's appearance in Wind City meant that their master was naturally Dongfang Xue, the commander of the Snow Feather Legion.
Dongfang Xue's arrival in Wind City surprised Wu Tianjiao and his companions greatly. Due to Dongfang Xue's special status, regardless of her purpose in coming to Wind City, Wu Tianjiao did not want to offend her rashly, as this concerned the political issues and tense relations between the two countries.
Currently, the Asura tribe had invaded, and the Divine Eagle Empire was teetering on the brink of collapse. If they offended Dongfang Xue and the Peacock Dynasty, and the Peacock Dynasty then launched an attack from the southern border to join forces with the Asura army to attack the Divine Eagle Empire, the consequences would be extremely serious.
Although Wu Tianjiao wasn't a patriot, he knew war was cruel, and regardless of the outcome, it was always the common people who suffered. He couldn't drag the Peacock Dynasty's army into the conflict for his own selfish reasons.
However, the pool of suitable "cauldrons" was nearly exhausted. The twenty-seven virgin cauldrons promised by Hua Yanniang, the Dark Saintess of the Dark Demon Prison, were still nowhere to be found in Fengcheng. Besides Dongfang Xue's Snow Feather Phoenix Guards, where else could Fengcheng find suitable "cauldrons"? After discussing with the Sword Queen, the Taiyin Goddess, the Three-Tone Holy Mother, and Xiao Qionghua, Wu Tianjiao decided to try diplomacy first, then force, by "borrowing" the Snow Feather Phoenix Guards from Dongfang Xue. If that failed, he would have to find another way.
Since he wanted to "borrow," he naturally needed a persuader, and the best candidate was undoubtedly the Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens Palace, the Nine Heavens Holy Mother.
The current Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens seems like a completely different person. The reason for her transformation isn't the betrayal of her disciple Xiao Qionghua, nor is it the loss of her virginity to Wu Tianjiao, but rather the presence of several Saint-level female powerhouses in Fengbao.
If the Sword Queen, the Taiyin Goddess, and the Three-Tone Holy Mother impressed the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, then her encounter with the Azure Spirit Holy Mother left her utterly shocked. The small Fengbao actually gathered so many Saint-level experts. The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens couldn't understand how Wu Tianjiao possessed such power, even managing to make the Great Holy Mother of Qiankun Palace, the Azure Spirit Holy Mother, his woman. Was it merely because of his prowess in bed?
Hearing Wu Tianjiao want to "borrow" Dongfang Xue's Snow Feather Phoenix Guards and even ask her to act as an intermediary, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens was both amused and annoyed. Ultimately, she couldn't resist the persistent pleading of her disciples, including Xiao Qionghua, and reluctantly agreed, her heart filled with bitterness: "I never imagined that I, the dignified Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens Palace, would stoop to such a state, becoming a pimp!"
Now, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens knew the reason for her loss of virginity. She knew that Wu Tianjiao needed ninety-nine virgins with profound internal energy to dispel the Netherworld Death Qi within him, and that she was the first. No wonder Xiao Qionghua was willing to betray her master and offer him to her husband.
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, along with her two disciples, Guangxu and Guangqing, left Fengbao and headed to Taoyuan Inn to act as a mediator. On the way, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens kept thinking about her master-disciple relationship with Xiao Qionghua, especially the blissful and intoxicating experience of that night, those shameful actions and positions. She felt her face burning and her body hot, her heart filled with shame: "How could I think about that? Don't think about it, don't think about it..."
But the more she tried to stop thinking about it, the more it haunted her.
The three women, master and disciples, were all stunning beauties. Their hair was styled in high buns, flowing freely, and they wore three-colored robes embroidered with the Nine Heavens Clouds. The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, in particular, was dignified and solemn, holding a whisk, exuding a sacred and majestic aura, drawing the attention of passersby, many men staring intently.
Just as the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens arrived at the entrance of the Peach Blossom Inn, a woman emerged from the inn and bumped into them.
The woman was tall and strikingly beautiful, with a cold and elegant appearance. She wore a snow-white cloak over a gleaming silver armor, cloud-patterned boots, and a three-foot-long sword at her waist. She led a magnificent white horse, appearing imposing and heroic.
The three women recognized her; this woman was Xu Xueying, the captain of the Snow Feather Phoenix Guard.
"Eh! Captain Xueying, where are you going?"
Guangxu blurted out.
Upon seeing the three disciples of the Nine Heavens Holy Mother, Xu Xueying paused slightly, then smiled and said, "I'm delivering an invitation to... my master!"
She gestured with her right hand. The Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples then noticed the invitation in her hand.
"An invitation!"
the Nine Heavens Holy Mother exclaimed in surprise. "Who is your master inviting?"
"Of course it's..."
Before she could finish, Xu Xueying suddenly realized, and smiled, "I'm going to Wind Fortress. Holy Mother, it's been several days since I've seen you; you look much better. Please go in quickly; my master is waiting for you!"
With that, she leaped onto her horse and galloped away.
Watching Xu Xueying's departing figure, Guangxu said thoughtfully, "Master, it seems you don't need to go to all that trouble. Dongfang Xue has already gone to invite Wu... him!"
The Nine Heavens Holy Mother frowned slightly, and said deeply, "I've never understood why Dongfang Xue traveled all this way to Wind City. Why did she come? She had her subordinates deliver the invitation to Wind Fortress; could it be... that her purpose here is to invite Wu Tianjiao?"
"I think it's most likely!"
Guangqing said. "Otherwise, why would she send someone to invite Wu Tianjiao? Master, I think Dongfang Xue is most likely here for Wu Tianjiao?"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens said sternly, "Why she came is not something we should know! Yes! When you see Dongfang Xue later, you two should be careful not to say anything carelessly, and don't let her see anything."
Guangxu and Guangqing exchanged a strange look. Guangxu chuckled and whispered, "Master, are you afraid Dongfang Xue will see anything? We're all better now, not walking with a sway like we did a few days ago! Master, you don't need to worry!"
These words made the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens blush with embarrassment. She scolded lightly, "You two brats, so disrespectful! How dare you make fun of your master! You want a beating?"
Although she said this, she felt ashamed when she thought of the embarrassing situation of the past few days.
Since the incident that night, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens and her disciples had to stay in Fengbao to "recover their injuries" and were almost bedridden. The master and disciple spent three whole days in bed recovering before they could walk, taking each step with extreme caution, afraid of aggravating their injuries.
Recalling their embarrassing state over the past few days, the Nine Heavens Holy Mother felt both ashamed and guilty, and her teeth itched with hatred for Wu Tianjiao. She cursed inwardly, "Boy, you've ruined my chastity and now you want me to pimp you out? How can I forgive you! Just you wait, I'll make you pay for your evil deeds sooner or later!"
Chapter 103 Dongfang Xue
Unbeknownst to them, the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her two disciples had already arrived at the Heavenly No. 7 annex behind the Peach Blossom Inn. These annexes behind the inn were divided into Heavenly and Earthly levels. Heavenly annexes were much more expensive, costing no less than five or six hundred gold coins per night. Even Earthly annexes cost three or four hundred gold coins per night. Despite their high price, almost every annex here was occupied every day, with demand exceeding supply.
At the entrance of the Seventh Courtyard of the Heavenly Palace, two Snow Feather Guards stood on either side. They were beautiful, tall, and ramrod straight, their snow-white uniforms making them appear like two ice peaks—cold, aloof, and unapproachable.
Upon seeing the arrival of the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens and her two disciples, the two Snow Feather Guards nodded slightly and gestured for them to enter. One of them said, "Holy Mother, why have you only just returned? My master has been waiting anxiously for you!"
"My disciple and I visited a friend. We haven't seen each other for many years, and we had so much to talk about, so she asked me to stay a few more days!"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens blushed slightly as she lied, feeling ashamed: "A nun doesn't lie, yet I've lied!"
Seeing the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens' flushed face, the two Snow Feather Guards were somewhat surprised. The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens felt a little guilty and unconsciously quickened her pace, entering the courtyard. Just then, someone approached from the opposite direction.
Approaching was a handsome young man in his early twenties, dressed in fine clothes. He was strikingly handsome, with a face like jade, red lips and white teeth, willow-leaf eyebrows, and captivating phoenix eyes. He was also very tall, with a perfect physique, and dressed in exquisitely handcrafted clothing. He was truly a dashing and elegant gentleman, an unparalleled beauty.
Especially striking was the strange glint in his eyes, making him the dream lover of a young woman in love.
"Holy Mother, you've finally arrived!"
the young man in fine clothes said with a smile, quickly approaching. His voice was soft, delicate, and slightly seductive, making it clear to everyone that this was no gentleman at all, but rather a woman disguised as a man.
"Miss Dongfang Qin, is your sister here?"
the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens asked with a smile, intentionally or unintentionally glancing at the woman from head to toe.
She had always been puzzled by this woman who claimed to be Dongfang Xue's younger sister, named Dongfang Qin. As far as she knew, Dongfang Xue didn't have a sister named Dongfang Qin, and the Dongfang family didn't have a woman named "Dongfang Qin." Who was she?
"Yes! These past few days, my sister and I have been waiting for the Holy Mother to return. If you hadn't come back soon, we would have gone out to look for her!"
Dongfang Qin smiled.
As Dongfang Qin entered the house, several tall, elegant female guards in silver armor bowed respectfully upon seeing them enter. Dongfang Qin ignored them and led the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens into the inner room. Inside, a beautiful woman sat thoughtfully at a table. Over her white robes, she wore a snow-white cloak. Her features were exquisite, and her white clothes were more beautiful than snow, making her so dazzling that one dared not look directly at her. On her table was a letter, and a sleek sword, half-drawn from its sheath, leaned against the table, its blade gleaming with a sharp black light, giving the impression that it was a fine sword that had killed countless people.
A censer sat at her feet, from which a wisp of white smoke rose, filling the room with a faint sandalwood fragrance that soothed the soul.
Beauty and sword, all seemingly contradictory, were presented in such harmony before the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples in an instant. The scene was so beautiful that the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her companions couldn't bear to utter a sound and disturb this rare, serene moment, standing motionless at the doorway.
She was none other than Dongfang Xue, the first female general of the Peacock Dynasty and commander of the Snow Feather Legion.
Hearing the rustling of the curtain, Dongfang Xue calmly put away the letter, looked up, and saw the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens standing at the door. She immediately stood up, exclaiming joyfully, "Holy Mother, you're back! Quickly! Please sit down, don't stand!"
"I'm truly sorry for the few days I was away, causing Miss Dongfang to worry about me!"
the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens said politely, sitting down at the tea table on the left side of the desk. Guangxu and Guangqing stood behind her. Although they were also highly skilled individuals from the Nine Heavens Palace, they clearly had no place in front of their master and could only stand out of respect.
Dongfang Qin stood beside Dongfang Xue, seemingly having noticed something. Her large eyes curiously observed the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples. She said to Dongfang Xue, "Sister, have you noticed that the Holy Mother and the two cultivators seem much more energetic than they were a few days ago?"
Dongfang Xue glanced at the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples, nodded slightly, and agreed, "Judging from your rosy complexions and radiant faces, you must have had a very pleasant time these past few days. Last time, the Holy Mother told me she was visiting a friend. May I ask who this friend is? Could you introduce me?"
"Uh! This…"
The Nine Heavens Holy Mother couldn't help but blush, her face turning a vibrant red, making her even more beautiful and charming. She said shyly, "Miss Dongfang, last time… I was just saying it casually. Actually, I wasn't visiting any friend, but rather one of my disciples!"
"Disciple? So the Holy Mother has disciples even in a small place like Fengcheng. It seems the Holy Mother has disciples all over the world!"
Dongfang Xue exclaimed in realization. Seeing the rosy face of the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, he was momentarily stunned, puzzled as to why she had such a strange expression. She didn't seem like a Holy Mother at all, but rather like a shy sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl.
Guangxu and Guangqing also noticed their master's embarrassment, fearing she might give herself away. Guangxu quickly stepped forward, calmly smiling, "General Dongfang, actually my master doesn't have many disciples, only about thirty. We happened to have a junior sister in Fengcheng, so my master and we went to visit her! By the way, General Dongfang, when we came in, you looked very worried. Did something important happen?"
"Cultivator Guangxu is quite right!"
Dongfang Xue's expression turned serious, "To be honest, I just received news from Tianjing. The Mianyang battle has taken a dramatic turn; the situation has deteriorated rapidly. The Asura army has broken through the Mianyang defenses and is advancing like a whirlwind towards Tianjing! Tianjing is now in grave danger!"
Ah! Even with their high level of composure, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens and her two disciples couldn't help but be shocked and horrified. The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens exclaimed in astonishment, "How could this be? How could the army of the Divine Eagle Empire be so easily defeated? How could the Asura Army have broken through the defenses?"
"It's not that the Divine Eagle army is easily
defeated, but rather that among its generals, there are traitors who have defected to the enemy!" Dongfang Xue's eyes flashed with cold light, her brows furrowed with murderous intent as she said sternly, "According to news from Tianjing, the reason the Asura Army was able to break through the Mianyang defenses was not because the Asura army was particularly strong, but because Cheng Youcheng, the general guarding Saicheng City of the Divine Eagle Empire, betrayed his country and defected to the Asuras, handing Saicheng City over to them. This resulted in a large gap in the entire defense line, allowing the Asura army to advance unimpeded and threaten Tianjing. Hmph! If a traitor like Cheng Youcheng were to appear, my Peacock Dynasty would surely kill him."
"A coward who disregards his country and people, betraying his country and surrendering to the enemy—such a shameless traitor deserves to be torn to pieces! " "Death by a thousand cuts!"
Dongfang Qin snorted softly, gritting her teeth, appearing indignant.
Guangqing laughed upon hearing this, "Generals, the Asura Empire and the Divine Eagle Empire are fighting to the death. Whether Cheng Youcheng deserves to die or not is none of our business! We are all citizens of the Peacock Dynasty!"
"That's true!"
Dongfang Xue sighed, "What Cultivator Guangqing says makes sense. On the surface, the Asura Empire and the Divine Eagle Empire's life-or-death struggle seems unrelated to our Peacock Dynasty; we can remain neutral and watch them fight. But we must understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' If the Asura Empire truly destroys itself, the next country to perish will be our Peacock Dynasty!"
Hearing this, the Nine Heavens Holy Mother and her disciples felt a chill. Guangqing asked in astonishment, "General Dongfang, do you mean... the Asura Empire wants to destroy the Divine Eagle Empire, and also our Peacock Dynasty? Do they have that power?"
"Whether they have that power, I don't know!"
Dongfang Xue said solemnly, "But I do know that the Asura Emperor is ambitious and has long harbored ambitions to unify the continent." His ambition to dominate the world. This time, he captured Xitian City, which the Shura people hadn't conquered in a century, and launched a massive eastward campaign. He must know that this is the weakest point for the Divine Eagle Empire, and he intends to take Tianjing with overwhelming force, destroy the Divine Eagle people's will to resist, and then quickly occupy the entire territory of the Divine Eagle Empire, giving the Divine Eagle court no chance to breathe! The Shura Emperor will never let go of such a golden opportunity, even if it means mobilizing the entire nation's army, he will not let the Divine Eagle Empire perish! "
So, the Divine Eagle Empire is doomed?"
Guangxu frowned.
"Whether the country falls or not depends on the course of the war!"
Dongfang Xue frowned and said, "The Divine Eagle Empire is vast and rich, with a population several times that of the Asura Empire. It won't be so easy for the Asura Emperor to destroy the Divine Eagle Empire and occupy its entire territory! What I'm worried about is whether there will be traitors like Wu De and Cheng Youcheng among the Divine Eagle people. If that happens, it will truly be a misfortune for the Divine Eagle people! It's infuriating that I chose such an inopportune time to come to Fengcheng. I never expected the Asura people to take Xitian City!"
She shook her head and sighed.
Hearing Dongfang Xue's words, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens' heart stirred, and she said calmly, "Miss Dongfang, I have a question, but I don't know if I should ask it?"
"Holy Mother, please ask whatever you want. There's nothing inconvenient about it!"
Dongfang Xue said with a smile.
"Miss Dongfang, you are the commander of an army. Unless it's for something extremely important, you would never leave your own country to come to an enemy nation!"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens said sternly, "But I don't understand why you've traveled so far to Wind City? What is it about Wind City that makes you want to come here?"
"This…"
Dongfang Xue's expression changed slightly. After a moment's thought, she sighed, "To be honest, Holy Mother, I came to Wind City for two reasons. First, to travel and see the magical beasts in the Magical Beast Forest. Second, to find someone. This person was once a general of our Peacock Dynasty, but he disappeared after coming to the northern part of the Divine Eagle Empire more than ten years ago. Only recently did I learn that he has been in Wind City all this time!"
Oh! The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens suddenly realized, "Have you found this person?"
"Yes!"
Dongfang Xue smiled, "I've already sent Xu Xueying to invite him; I believe he'll arrive soon! By the way, Holy Mother, where are your other ten disciples? Haven't they returned?"
Hearing her question, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens' heart skipped a beat, only then remembering the purpose of her visit. Looking at her two disciples behind her, Guangxu understood and said, "General Dongfang, my junior sisters are staying with my youngest junior sister. If you need them, they're at your beck and call; they're not far from here!"
"Miss Dongfang, I have something I'd like to discuss with you privately,"
the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens shamelessly asked. She felt ashamed, thinking, "I've utterly disgraced myself! A dignified Holy Mother of the Martial World, actually being persuaded to do such a thing!"
Chapter 104 A Nature of Desire
Seeing the strange and mysterious expression on the face of the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, Dongfang Xue was slightly taken aback and immediately dismissed Dongfang Qin. Seeing this, Guangxu and Guangqing also left the inner room, leaving only the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens and Dongfang Xue inside.
"Holy Mother, now it's just the two of us. Is there anything you want to discuss with me?"
Dongfang Xue asked.
"Miss Dongfang..."
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens blushed again, feeling extremely embarrassed. "I don't even know how to bring this up with you. Please don't take offense if I say something wrong!"
"Holy Mother, just say what you want to say. There's no need to take offense!"
Dongfang Xue smiled. "Before you, I am your junior. Whatever your request, as long as it's within my power, I will go through fire and water for you!"
"If that's how it is, Miss Dongfang, then I'll speak frankly!"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens suppressed her embarrassment and slowly said, "Miss Dongfang, to be honest, when I went to visit my disciple, I encountered a very troublesome matter. My disciple's husband... he was afflicted by the Netherworld Death Qi..."
"Netherworld Death Qi!"
Dongfang Xue's face changed horrified, her eyes widening. "That's the unique skill of the Death God's assassins! Your disciple's husband... was assassinated by the Death God!"
"That's right!"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, having gone all out, went straight to the point: "Miss Dongfang, since you know the power of the Netherworld Death Qi, I'll be frank. My disciple's husband is afflicted by the Netherworld Death Qi, losing all his power and becoming practically useless. But dispelling the Netherworld Death Qi and restoring his power isn't difficult; it requires ninety-nine virgin yin essences with internal energy cultivation reaching level nine of the Pingwu realm. But Fengcheng is small and sparsely populated; where can we find ninety-nine in such a short time…?"
"Wait a minute!"
Dongfang Xue suddenly waved her hand, stopping the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens from continuing, her eyes fixed on her. "Holy Mother, can you tell me who your disciple is? Is she related to Wu Tianjiao, the City Lord of Fengcheng?"
Uh! The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens was stunned by Dongfang Xue's quick reaction, stammering, unsure how to respond.
Seeing this, Dongfang Xue understood somewhat, giggled, and said, "When I first arrived in Fengcheng, I discovered that Fengbao was recruiting a large number of beautiful female guards, and they all had to be unmarried women with profound internal strength. This made me very suspicious, but since it didn't concern me, I didn't investigate further. However, in the past few days, I've noticed many more spies around the villa, constantly watching us. After our counter-investigation, we discovered that they were all Fengbao's spies. At that time, I knew they were after us, but I didn't know exactly what they wanted to do. Now, after hearing what the Holy Mother said, I understand everything. It turns out that Fengbao's ultimate goal in recruiting beautiful female guards is to seize their virginity to dispel the Netherworld Death Qi!"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens nodded and said, "Miss Dongfang is indeed very intelligent, understanding things immediately! Since things have come to this, I will tell you the truth. My disciple is Xiao Qionghua, the second wife of the Fengcheng City Lord. Her husband, Wu Tianjiao, is afflicted by the Netherworld Death Qi and urgently needs ninety-nine virgin yin essences, but the number of female guards he has recruited is limited, so..."
"So you're looking for my bodyguard, Xueyu?"
Dongfang Xue's face darkened, and she said somewhat displeasedly, "Holy Mother, it seems you really value your disciple. For her sake, you're willing to do something as absurd as a brothel madam! Does the Holy Mother think I would agree to such an outrageous thing?"
Brothel madam? Even with her excellent self-control, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens couldn't help but feel a surge of anger rising within her. Her face flushed red, and she pointed at Dongfang Xue, saying, "You..."
Dongfang Xue brushed her finger away and giggled, "Holy Mother, you don't need to get angry. I was just using an analogy; I didn't mean to imply you're a brothel madam! I think there's no brothel madam as beautiful as you in the world! Hehe! Holy Mother, if I'm not mistaken, you and your twelve disciples haven't returned to the inn yet because you've stayed at Wind Fortress to 'sacrifice' yourselves, offering your primordial yin to dispel the Netherworld Death Qi for that Wu Tianjiao, right?"
"You..."
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens suddenly stood up, glaring at Dongfang Xue, and said angrily, "Nonsense! No...it's not true at all! Don't talk nonsense!"
She never expected Dongfang Xue to say such a thing, her face showing a hint of frivolity, which was completely opposite to her usual dignified, beautiful, and solemn demeanor. She didn't look like a leader at all.
"Princess... Holy Mother, are you feeling guilty?"
With a coquettish laugh, Dongfang Xue stood up and slowly walked to the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens. She casually grasped her right arm and said, "Holy Mother, you know perfectly well whether I'm lying or not!"
As she spoke, she lifted the Holy Mother's sleeve, revealing her snow-white arm, smooth as snow, her skin like solidified cream.
Ah! The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens suddenly awoke with a start, withdrawing her hand in a flash. She took three steps back as if she'd seen a ghost, staring nervously at Dongfang Xue, and exclaimed in horror, "You... what are you doing?"
"Princess..."
Dongfang Xue said with a coquettish laugh, "Feeling guilty, aren't you? Holy Mother, you don't need to be nervous or afraid. Although the mark of virginity on your arm is gone, who am I, Dongfang Xue? I know what I should say and what I shouldn't say. I won't go around telling everyone about your loss of virginity!"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens blushed, both ashamed and angry, frozen in place, not knowing what to say. But Dongfang Xue continued on her own, "However... I, Dongfang Xue, am also a woman, and women tend to talk a lot. Besides, I enjoy drinking. When I meet a close friend, we sit down for a drink and chat endlessly. If I drink a few too many, the alcohol kicks in, and I accidentally let something slip... Hehe! Holy Mother, please don't take offense!"
"You..."
The Holy Mother's anger surged, her chest heaved, and she nearly vomited blood. She said, "What... what exactly do you want? Are you trying to blackmail me?"
"I wouldn't dare! How could this junior dare to threaten the dignified Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens Palace!"
Dongfang Xue giggled as she approached the Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, her right arm naturally encircling her slender waist. She breathed a fragrant breath into the Great Holy Mother's ear, her voice sweet and coquettish, "Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, do you know what my greatest hobby is? My greatest hobby is beautiful women, especially a Holy Mother like you, with your noble status and honored position!"
As she spoke, her sexy, scarlet lips slowly parted, kissing the Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens's round and smooth earlobe...
Ah... Just as Dongfang Xue took the earlobe into her mouth, the Great Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens cried out in surprise, abruptly pushing Dongfang Xue away and taking three steps back. Staring at Dongfang Xue in astonishment, she said, "You...you...I never thought you had such a hobby?"
A thought suddenly struck her, and she blurted out, "So you're from the Goddess Palace!"
As far as she knew, the only women in the world who had same-sex relationships were those perverted women from the Goddess Palace. As the two major sects of the Peacock Dynasty, the Goddess Palace and the Nine Heavens Palace knew each other inside and out. Therefore, as soon as Dongfang Xue revealed her true nature, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens immediately guessed that she was from the Goddess Palace. Only a sect like the Goddess Palace could produce a freakish woman like Dongfang Xue.
Sure enough, Dongfang Xue did not deny it, and said with a charming smile, "Holy Mother is right, my sect is indeed the Goddess Palace!"
"You...whose disciple are you?"
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens said sternly, "Is it Ye Fengying or the three elders Wuqing, Jueqing, and Duanqing? Hmph...no! They shouldn't be able to teach such a powerful disciple as you. Who is your master?"
Dongfang Xue's cherry lips parted, but before she could speak, a series of footsteps suddenly came from outside. The curtain was lifted, and Xu Xueying, the captain of the Snow Feather Guard, walked in and bowed, saying, "Miss, the person you invited has arrived!"
"He's here!"
Dongfang Xue's expression brightened, and she slowly walked to the desk and sat down, saying, "Since he's here, please invite him in!"
Then, she turned her gaze to the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens and said, "Holy Mother, I will consider what you just said. Please excuse me for now, and I will make a decision after I have finished seeing my guest!"
Hearing this, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens knew that the guest was no ordinary person, and that Dongfang Xue must have something important to discuss. She immediately followed Xu Xueying out of the inner room. As she stepped out of the hall, she saw a familiar face. Xu Xueying said to the man, "My master invites you in!"
The man acknowledged, glanced at the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens, and without replying, hurriedly passed her and rushed into the house.
The Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens suddenly turned around, staring in astonishment at the man's retreating figure, thinking, "Isn't that Xiong Yi, Wu Tianjiao's strategist? Why is he seeing Dongfang Xue? Could it be… that he's the person Dongfang Xue is looking for?"
It was indeed Xiong Yi. After receiving Dongfang Xue's invitation, he was reluctant to come, but Dongfang Xue seemed to have anticipated this and made preparations in advance. When Xu Xueying took out a letter and gave it to Xiong Yi, Xiong Yi, without even informing Wu Tianjiao, immediately followed Xu Xueying to the No. 7 courtyard of the Peach Blossom Inn.
Xiong Yi rushed into the inner room and immediately spotted Dongfang Xue sitting behind the desk. He blurted out, "You're Dongfang Xue?"
Dongfang Xue slowly rose, looked Xiong Yi up and down, and said calmly, "That's right, I am Dongfang Xue. Prince Qin Wu, you've been hiding in Fengcheng for over a decade, making it quite difficult for Her Majesty the Empress to find you!"
"Enough nonsense!"
Xiong Yi's eyes reddened as he pulled a letter from his robes and waved it around, almost hysterically shouting, "Tell me, is this letter real? Are my family members still alive?"
"Of course it's real!"
Dongfang Xue said calmly, "Even after so many years, Your Highness shouldn't have trouble recognizing the old prince's handwriting. Her Majesty the Empress is kind-hearted, diligent, and loves her people. She is not as cruel and ruthless as the rumors suggest, eliminating dissidents and indiscriminately killing loyal ministers! Back then, although Your Highness was on the opposite side of Her Majesty the Empress and opposed her at every turn..." But Her Majesty the Queen did not blame him. Later, the old prince was arrested and imprisoned. On the surface, Her Majesty the Queen executed him, but in reality, Her Majesty not only spared the old prince's life, but also spared none of his family members. She simply placed them in a place where no one knew them. "Your Highness, Her Majesty misses you very much. She has been searching for you for so many years and hopes that you can come back to the country with me, back to the Peacock Dynasty, and reunite with the old prince and the others. That is your home! The old prince and queen miss you very much, and your younger siblings miss you very much too!"
"Is Father really still alive?"
Xiong Yi was overwhelmed with emotion, his hands trembling uncontrollably. But he remained clear-headed, looking at Dongfang Xue with a mixture of belief and doubt, and said, "Just this one letter... I'm afraid it might not convince me that what you're saying is true? My father was clearly taken to the execution ground back then..."
"Those were all doubles!"
Dongfang Xue sighed, "Those who had their heads chopped off were all death row inmates in disguise! Back then, Her Majesty the Empress did that to establish her authority and deter those ministers with rebellious intentions! In the more than ten years since Her Majesty the Empress ascended the throne, she has governed our country in an orderly and peaceful manner, a fact that the people have witnessed!"
As she spoke, she took something out of her bosom and handed it to Xiong Yi.
The object was a jade hairpin with a green butterfly design, crystal clear, gleaming with a dazzling pale green light under the crystal lamp, clearly not an ordinary item.
Upon seeing it, Xiong Yi immediately snatched it, both surprised and delighted, and said, "This... is my Queen's jade hairpin!"

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Divine Eagle Empire, Volume 5, Chapters 101-145

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