Huo Wei nodded. "I had already finished everything before Empress Dugu came to Danyang City."
Shen Guilan pondered for a while and said earnestly,
"Have you thought about your way back this time? Will you seize the opportunity to launch an attack on Southern Chu and seize military power, or start to make plans in the court?"
Huo Wei was sitting sideways on the carved wide chair. His crow - like feathers cast a shadow under his eyelids, and his well - defined jawline tightened.
"I've thought about it for a long time and I've already made up my mind. I'll choose the second way.
Eldest Senior Brother, I did come for revenge. Although revenge is my greatest goal in this life, I can't let everyone gamble their lives and futures for it.
It doesn't matter if I die, but I can't let all those who follow me gamble everything with me.
Now I do hold the military power of the entire western border of Northern Yan. If I were to launch an attack on Southern Chu again, half of the military power of the four borders of Northern Yan would be in my hands.
It may seem that I'm in a high position and hold heavy troops, but in fact, it's like hanging a life - taking knife over my head."
Shen Guilan put down his chopsticks. The emotion in his eyes became solemn. He slowly let out a breath.
"Indeed. An emperor as suspicious and jealous as Murong Min would never allow you to stand at such a high position at a young age.
I guess that after you launch an attack on Southern Chu and the battle is almost over, he will surely come to deal with you.
After your downfall, he only needs to send a noble general of Northern Yan to Southern Chu to clean up the mess.
Murong Min will bring you down and gain the territory of Southern Chu. He will reap all the benefits. He's the most cunning one."
At this point, he sighed.
"But Master won't agree. According to the plan, you are supposed to control the military power and lead troops back to the imperial capital.
If you insist on making plans in the court, it will take at least three to five years to achieve what you want."
Huo Wei lowered his head a bit, and his sharp browbones lifted coldly. "Don't tell Master for now."
Their master was the one who had raised them since childhood, like a father and a teacher.
Master had told Huo Wei since childhood that revenge was the only purpose of his life, and he must seek justice for the nine clans massacred in the bloodshed.
For revenge, he had massacred the entire Western Liao. Every success of a general was built on the bones of thousands. He had stained his hands with countless lives to earn today's military medals.
But Dugu Luanyue had told him that after people got everything, they were supposed to live better and more stably, rather than pursuing something regardless of the future.
Huo Wei gradually realized that without any connections in the court, a single word from the Censorate saying that his merits were too great to be tolerated by the emperor could bring him and his brothers who had fought alongside him to their knees.
Shen Guilan stood up, smoothed his simple cloth robe, and his tone turned cold.
"It's okay not to tell Master, but you must draw a clear line from Empress Dugu.
You're getting deeper and deeper into this. A Jue already knows about it, and there's the Wei family behind A Jue. If the news leaks out, it won't look good for you to be involved with your adoptive father's widow."
Huo Wei fell silent and glanced at him. "I've fought against it, but I failed. It's better to keep making mistakes."
Shen Guilan flicked his sleeves and left. He was so angry that he felt all the classics he had read since childhood were in vain.
...
After Dugu Luanyue returned to her room, she was always restless. Looking at her snake - bitten instep, her mind was full of the scene where she had thrown herself at Huo Wei just now.
Wasn't the person she had always loved Sheng Yunqi? Then what was that behavior just now?
Sheng Yunqi was her destined imperial husband. If she returned to Southern Chu in the future and the Sheng family still recognized the marriage, she would marry Sheng Yunqi.
The alliance between the royal family of Southern Chu and the No.1 noble family in Southern Chu had been decided long ago.
She slowly let out a breath and closed her eyes. She thought that her behavior just now must have been due to the after - effect of the Bamboo Viper's venom, which might have had aphrodisiac properties, so she had thrown herself at him so desperately.
The next day, when it was just getting dark, Huo Wei began to send people to escort Dugu Luanyue away.
The departure was scheduled for the evening and was kept extremely secret.
Huo Wei told Dugu Luanyue that there was more to the situation in Danyang City than just the plague.
Aunt Meijiang packed everything and loaded it onto the carriage. "Your Majesty, please get in the carriage. We have to travel tonight."
Dugu Luanyue got into the carriage without saying much and the carriage headed north.
But halfway through the journey, Huo Wei ordered the carriage to stop, then turned the carriage around and went up Xianyun Mountain, where they set up camp at the base they had stationed before.
Huo Wei ordered people to sprinkle a lot of realgar, white wine, and the special powder made by Shen Guilan around the camp. Ordinary snakes, insects, rats, and ants couldn't get close.
Aunt Meijiang stood in the camp and sighed,
"He's really a general who has returned from the battlefield. He knows these common - sense things. Now we can sleep soundly."
Dugu Luanyue also looked around and asked, "Huo Wei, why don't we go to the town to rest? Why do we hide in this Xianyun Mountain?"
She knew that Huo Wei must know that the mountain forest was not safe at this season. If he didn't foresee some tricky things, he would never stay in the mountain.
Huo Wei was dressed in black, and his black eyes glowed in the dark night. "This matter is too complicated. I don't know how to tell you yet.
Anyway, after we return to the imperial capital, we have to make up a new story about everything we did in Danyang City and tell it to His Majesty. Otherwise, neither you nor I will have a good life."
Everyone hid on the halfway up Xianyun Mountain and quietly waited for Shen Guilan to send someone to light the smoke signal.
Xianyun Mountain was quite high, and from the top, one could roughly see the situation in the city.
But it was late at night, the dew was heavy, and the cold wind blew through his body which had just recovered.
Dugu Luanyue walked over with a cloak. "Huo Wei, put this on."
Huo Wei glanced at her casually. "Wasn't your tryst in the small woods yesterday ruined by the Bamboo Viper? Now I'm giving you two a chance. Why don't you go into the camp and be lovey - dovey?"
Dugu Luanyue looked up and glared at Huo Wei, then turned around and left. She was too lazy to take this kind of anger.
Huo Wei turned around and saw that she really left. He quickly walked over and grabbed her. "Can't you tell I'm angry?"
Dugu Luanyue asked, "What are you angry about?"
Huo Wei lifted his chin and pointed in the direction of the southwest side of the camp. "Sheng Yunqi. Why is he retreating with us? Did you arrange it?"
She also looked back at the troops of Sheng Yunqi who were setting up camp and explained,
"I still have something important to discuss with him. We didn't finish discussing yesterday's matter, so I let him come with us."
She needed to figure out her plan and then let Sheng Yunqi cross the border and take the news to her father and mother. If it was really dangerous, she couldn't take the risk to meet them.
Huo Wei turned around and looked down. "You can go back. I'll guard here tonight."
Seeing that he was always looking in the direction of the city, Dugu Luanyue stood beside him and accompanied him. "I know you're worried about Military Advisor Shen. Don't worry. It's just a smoke signal. There won't be any trouble."
Early the next morning, the smoke - lighting in Danyang City began.
Thick smoke billowed up from the city.
Looking down from the mountain, it was as if the whole city was on fire. The thick gray - white smoke drifted over the entire Danyang City with the wind.
However, Huo Wei had blocked all the information about the plague treatment in Danyang City early in the morning. In the imperial capital, no one knew what was going on in Danyang City at all.
One secret letter after another was sent to Danyang City, but Huo Wei didn't respond at all. This matter had already caught the attention of Emperor Wenhui, Murong Min.
A small troop secretly sneaked into Danyang City, determined to break through the south gate and let the plague spread into Southern Chu.