In the 348th year of the history of Lixia, King Li of Xia, Xia Chuli, ascended the throne. He changed the state title to Li and the reign title to Jinqi. This year was recorded in history as the first year of Jinqi. Just like its reign title suggests, this year was anything but peaceful.
Not to mention the bumpy road to the throne for King Li of Xia. The first thing he did after ascending was to hold a grand wedding. And the bridegroom was none other than the so - called traitor, Shen Qingfeng.
Although Shen Qingfeng carried such a stigma, King Li of Xia seemed not to care at all. He didn't prepare a decent betrothal gift for Shen Qingfeng, nor did he hold a traditional imperial wedding. Instead, during a court session, with a wave of his hand and a red silk cloth covering, as if on a whim, he dragged Shen Qingfeng into the so - called bridal chamber.
After that, King Li of Xia sent people to widely publicize that he had conferred the title of Queen Shen on Shen Qingfeng. He also ordered the four remaining vassal states to immediately present congratulatory gifts, including Yushan, which was fighting on the front line, and Qimen, which had lost a large amount of territory due to its direct confrontation with the Donghu tribe.
Qimen was already in a desperate situation. Chu Jietian was so desperate that he almost defected to the Donghu tribe. But for the sake of the people of Qimen, he gritted his teeth and raised rice and flour, then sent them to Lige. However, in the end, he still didn't wait for the reinforcements from Lige City. If it weren't for Su Huanyu sending troops to help him, with the remaining old, weak, sick and disabled in Qimen and the small number of Lu's army once led by Lu Yan, the Donghu cavalry would have almost annexed Qimen.
Cen Shuning, who was resisting the Donghu in the northern state, was no better off. Lu Yan was missing, and the people in the northern state and the Lu's army only listened to Lu Yan. If it weren't for Cen Shuning using the pretext of resisting the Donghu, he probably wouldn't even have been able to enter the northern state. But on the second day after Cen Shuning arrived in the northern state, Wei Yan voluntarily reorganized the remaining Lu's army. Although nominally under Cen Shuning's command, in fact, they formed their own faction and fought the Donghu separately.
Cen Shuning several times tried to send the Lu's army to the front line, hoping to cause heavy casualties among them so that after repelling the Donghu, he would be able to suppress the northern state's army by force. But as the supervisor of the Lu family, Wei Yan had served Lu Jiang since childhood. After Lu Jiang's death, he was like a military advisor in the Lu's army. He not only defused Cen Shuning's schemes several times but also lured the Donghu army to Cen Shuning's camp, causing Cen Shuning's military operations to fail and almost suffer heavy losses.
Just then, Cen Shuning received the news that Lu Yan was still alive. Immediately, he made up his mind to return power to Wei Yan, retreat to the capital of the northern state, Beidu, and never send troops again.
Similarly, the news of Xia Chuli's wedding also reached Dongxiang. Although Su Huanyu and Chen Luo ordered their subordinates not to tell Lu Yan, who was recuperating, about this, the truth couldn't be hidden forever. After Lu Yan found out, he spat out blood on the spot and fell into a coma. Three days later, leaving a note, he left without saying goodbye with Yu Shuang, Xiangcheng and Xu Ruhui.
And Lu Yan's departure marked a new turn in history. No one knew that on the day of Xia Chuli's wedding, Shen Qingfeng knelt on the red wedding bed, holding a hairpin across his neck, threatening to kill himself. No one knew the whereabouts of Lu Yan and the other three either. They seemed to have vanished into thin air and disappeared for a whole year.
Just like the quietly changing seasons, by the time people noticed, the ice had melted and the spring flowers had bloomed. In the blink of an eye, spring came and went, and came again.
This year, a sudden riot broke out in the Donghu tribe. The Donghu military advisor rushed into the main tent with a knife and stabbed through Yuwen Qian's neck. No one had expected that such a thing would happen when the war between the Donghu and Lixia was at its height. After that, the Donghu army was leaderless and immediately collapsed like a mountain. They fled in a hurry. Within half a year, they gave up Qimen, which they had almost completely occupied, and were no longer able to continue the war with the northern state.
The so - called ally of the Donghu, the Xirong tribe, was in a dilemma because of the Donghu's defeat. After being defeated again by the southwest forces, they chose to surrender and voluntarily offered tribute, becoming a vassal state of Lixia again.
However, this time Xia Chuli didn't treat the Xirong tribe harshly. Maybe it was because of his Xirong bloodline, or maybe it was because of Liu Mei's request. Xia Chuli reopened the mutual market with the Xirong tribe, preserving their economic lifeline. From then on, there was peace between Lixia and the Xirong tribe, and no more military conflicts.
This year, the situation changed rapidly. On the land of the divine state, after the smoke of war rose and then dissipated, great changes took place in the blink of an eye.
In the dark, everything was so similar to the previous life. Xia Chuli continued to carry out his tyranny in Lige City. The people of Lige dared not speak out their anger. Shen Qingfeng was once again locked in Qifeng Hall, living on medicine every day. All the imperial doctors diagnosed that he didn't have long to live.
But it seemed that something had changed.
Lu Yan and the others were still missing. Cen Shuning sat in Beidu and recuperated for a whole year. He never once stepped into the council hall of the northern state's vassal king, as if he was waiting for something.
The peace of the whole Lixia was like a calm puddle. A slight breeze could stir up a series of ripples. No one knew how long this surface calm could last, nor did anyone know when the next war would break out.
Just then, almost silently, traces of human presence began to appear in a desert known as the "Desert of Death" in the far north of the northern state.
This desert was located in a remote area. It was said that once a person entered, they would never come out alive.
A passing farmer took a distant look and seemed to see General Qi Qi, who had gone to Lige City with Lu Yan to force the emperor to abdicate and died on the battlefield. The farmer was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly ran back to the small border town in the northern state, telling the locals about this.
The news spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred. Finally, people all said that the souls of the Lu's army were gathered in that desert. They had all died unjustly during the forced abdication in Lige City, and their souls had returned to the northern state.
Although the rumors were very mysterious, as it was the "Desert of Death", no one dared to get close to check. But the rumors spread far and wide.
Many days later, a man walked from the east to the west and arrived at Beidu City. He was dusty, wearing a very large ink - purple robe that covered his head and face tightly. He stood alone on his horse under the city wall for a long time. Finally, he nodded and stepped into the city gate of Beidu.
It was like a drop of water suddenly falling into the clear puddle of Lixia.
Half a month later, an army suddenly emerged from the desert and headed straight for Beidu, the capital of the northern state.
The army advanced like a broken bamboo. They had strict military discipline and mature marching strategies. Compared with the former Lu's army, they were even better. Strangely enough, on their way to Beidu, the army kept growing. They didn't burn, kill or loot, as if they had only one goal.
Some people said that although they didn't wear the black - iron and gilded armor of the Lu's army, this army looked like the former Lu's army. Others said that they saw former soldiers of the Lu's army in this army. Some even said that they saw a man who looked very much like the missing Lu Yan.
Amidst all the rumors, the army advanced unimpeded all the way and broke into the Lu family mansion.
Cen Shuning was sitting on the side seat, holding a cup of tea. He watched the approaching man with a cold expression.
Compared with a year ago, the man had become more mature and sharp, like a precious sword that had been re - forged in the furnace, emitting a more dazzling light.
"I knew you weren't dead." Cen Shuning slowly put down the teacup in his hand, stood up and walked in front of the man. "Lu Yan, I've been keeping this throne for you."
Lu Yan raised his eyes and looked at him. His sharp aura was as unstoppable as an army breaking through a city.
"Leaving?" Lu Yan seemed reluctant to say too much.
"The tea in the Lu Mansion doesn't suit my taste. The tea in Yushan is more fragrant."
Lu Yan sneered. "You didn't seem so carefree when you helped Xia Chuli a year ago."
Cen Shuning thought for a while. "He said he would give me the northern state."
Lu Yan said, "You accepted it."
"If you were dead, of course I would." Cen Shuning pointed at Lu Yan. "But you were lucky and didn't die."
Lu Yan snorted. "So?"
"I just want to kill King Jie of Xia to avenge Li'er. As for King Jie of Xia's offspring, if it's beneficial to me, I'll help. If not, why should I confront you, the God of War, head - on?" Cen Shuning said.
"Oh?" Lu Yan raised his eyebrows and stared at him. "Then why didn't you leave when you knew I was alive? Why did you wait for me to come back?"
"To help you guard the northern state and do you a favor." Cen Shuning said, standing with his hands behind his back. His eyes looked into the distance over Lu Yan's shoulder. "Now that you're here and the northern state is still intact, you have to accept this favor whether you like it or not."
Lu Yan turned to look at him and sneered. "You're a sensible man. Alright, I promise you that after I capture Lige City, I won't continue to attack Yushan."
"Thank you." Cen Shuning forced a smile. "Then I wish the Marquis of Dingbei will achieve his goal soon!"
After saying that, Cen Shuning flicked his sleeves and strode out of the hall. His dark - green figure finally disappeared with the Yushan army from the territory of the northern state.