"The Wuya Pavilion welcomes those with aspirations and tolerates those just trying to make a living. There aren't many rules here, but if anyone is found to violate the pavilion's precepts, they will be completely eradicated without mercy!"
At this moment, Rong Xun's voice resounded throughout the Wuya Pavilion.
"Still not confessed?" Rong Xun, wearing a mask, came to the secret chamber in the study. The candlelight flickered inside, and on the couch sat a woman with a cold look in her eyes.
"Who on earth are you people? What exactly do you want me to say?"
Lin Sheng hysterically roared at him, struggling wildly with her hair disheveled, but her ankle was chained by the iron chain behind her.
Rong Xun looked at her expressionlessly and then took two steps forward to stand in front of her.
"Lin Yuan should have told you," he said. The cold light in his eyes was like the chill of the harshest winter, forcing Lin Sheng to take a few steps back and fall to the ground.
"Aunt told me nothing. I've said everything I can remember. You might as well just kill me."
Lin Sheng's expressionless eyes were filled with deep despair. She could still recall the tragedy at the Qiling Manor that day, as if countless wronged souls were whispering to her, "Take revenge! Take revenge!"
"You won't die, not until you confess earlier."
Rong Xun left the secret chamber and noticed that the black lines on his body had become more prominent than before. This was because he hadn't taken the antidote when he was poisoned last time.
In the future, they would only become darker and longer.
"You'er," he stroked the portrait on the table tenderly, as if he were touching the real person.
In the Western Regions, an old white - haired woman angrily smashed the cup in her hand to the ground. "A bunch of useless fools!"
Lin Yuan had been glorious for half her life, but she never expected to end up in this situation.
"Rong Xun, I will never let you go! One day, I will make sure you die without a burial place!"
With a ferocious face, she clenched her fists tightly. Her terrifying and blood - red eyes made those around her tremble with fear.
"Have you found Lin Sheng?"
"Not yet. We've searched the Qiling Manor thoroughly but found no trace of her. Maybe she's already been taken away by that person."
Hearing this, Lin Yuan showed a ghostly smile on her lips. The smile grew wider and wider, and her laughter became more and more unrestrained.
"Without me, let's see how he can cure Ruo Wu's poison. He thought I'd told Lin Sheng where I hid the antidote. What an idiot! How could I tell such an important thing to others? I'll surely make him suffer!"
After saying that, her strange laughter startled the birds on the tree outside the door.
"I heard that Rong Jiangyu, the king of the Western Regions, is now at the Dashuiwan on the border of the Ming Dynasty. He was once imprisoned by Rong Xun for quite a while. He escaped from Rong Xun by feigning madness. He must hate that man to the core. If we can get his help—"
"Rong Jiangyu?" Lin Yuan had heard of this name. Now, there were only a few people left under her, some had scattered and some had died. Their strength was no match for that traitor. If she could get his help, the chances of victory would be much greater.
"How can we make him agree to ally with us?"
"Your Highness, although Rong Jiangyu is the king of the Western Regions, his power in the palace is not optimistic. Nearly half of the military power is in the hands of the chief military advisor. If we can get rid of this advisor, the king of the Western Regions will surely thank Your Highness."
Lin Yuan burst into laughter. "Good! Then let's think about how to get rid of this advisor."
"One more thing. At the Dashuiwan, there's also the former empress of the Ming Dynasty."
"What!" Lin Yuan was greatly shocked. She had failed many times before, but now such a good opportunity had presented itself.
"Capture that person for me! Bring her back even if she's dead!"
Tang Youyou was sitting in the medical clinic when she suddenly felt a chill and couldn't help sneezing.
Ye Yue quickly fetched a cloak and covered her with it.
"You're really becoming more and more considerate," Tang Youyou joked casually. Yue Fusheng beside her turned to look at her.
She saw that there were more and more Hu people passing by outside the door. There seemed to be at least half Hu people on the street.
These Hu people were different from the people in the Central Plains. They were extremely rude. Some molested women in the street, and some ate for free. Since they came here, the Dashuiwan was no longer the peaceful and harmonious place it used to be.
Tang Jun shook his head helplessly. "I really don't know why the city lord has changed. He actually allows these people to live in the Dashuiwan."
Tang Youyou thought that this must be the city lord's arrangement.
...
"The soldiers are assembled and ready to attack the Ming Dynasty at any time," General Lan'er said while munching on a chicken leg in his hand.
Rong Jiangyu looked at the map. The troops of the Xia Kingdom would start from the Dashuiwan, pass through the He Valley County, cross Huizhou, and then climb over the Daliang Mountain to reach the capital of the Ming Dynasty.
However, if the troops of the Western Regions took this route, it would take two or three more months. They had to start from the east, enter from the territory of the Ming Dynasty, pass through Chuanzhou, Shangzhu City, Xiwei County, and Lingnan, and then reach the capital. This was the most convenient and least - defended route.
The chance of getting General Lan'er to compromise and cooperate with the route he had planned was quite slim.
"Can you guarantee that all these soldiers will follow your command? After all, the emperor of the Xia Kingdom regards you as a thorn in his side."
Lan'er burst into laughter. "That young lad? I've long been fed up with him. If it weren't for most of the court officials supporting him, I would have rebelled long ago."
Rong Jiangyu had recruited him precisely because of his rebellious heart. The condition was that after he occupied the Ming Dynasty, he would borrow the troops of the Ming Dynasty to attack the Xia Kingdom. At that time, he would lead the troops to pretend to rescue, but actually assassinate the king of the Xia in secret and then ascend the throne smoothly.
Rong Jiangyu readily agreed. By then, he wouldn't give him the chance to rescue, and the Xia Kingdom would eventually fall into his hands.
But the most important thing now was that they needed to unify their military forces.
"The route of the attack requires your cooperation. The route you've chosen may seem shorter, but it's extremely dangerous. Especially the Daliang Mountain. It's easy to defend but hard to attack—"
Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted. "The route has already been set. Why change it? What easy to defend and hard to attack? The soldiers under me grew up on horseback. They're all mighty and strong. They can capture any place!"
Rong Jiangyu stopped talking, but the look in his eyes had become deep and gloomy. A decision had already formed in his heart.
His attack on the Ming Dynasty could only succeed; failure was not an option!
Tang Youyou always felt that someone was staring at her from behind. She didn't know if she was being paranoid or just hadn't slept well recently.
Ye Yue turned to look for the source of the gaze, but Zhui Feng had already disappeared without a trace.