An Autumn of Turmoil

Li Wanyi watched it all, knowing it was fake yet powerless to do anything.

Otherwise, if Wu Zetian grew suspicious, she would be the one to suffer.

Longyou Circuit, the imperial road.

A courier raced toward them on horseback. Suddenly, the horse let out a mournful whinny, its forelegs slipped, and the courier fell from the saddle.

Ignoring the horse, the courier hurriedly sprinted away along a small path beside the road.

Taiji Hall.

Wu Zetian sat upright upon the dragon throne. She suddenly raised her head and said, "What? They are leaving tomorrow?"

Below her, an old man of around fifty with a sinister gaze and a gloomy face nodded. "Yes. Shibi said that Jieli Khan is urgently awaiting a report, so he dared not delay."

Wu Zetian slowly rose to her feet. "Even so, there is no need to be in such a hurry."

Then she descended from the throne and began pacing slowly.

Suddenly, Wu Zetian stopped. "Could they be plotting something?"

The old man froze, then thought for a moment. "I do not think so.

Otherwise, why would they have come all this way to seek reconciliation and even presented their tribe's sacred relic?"

Wu Zetian nodded at his words. "Mm, I suppose not."

The old man continued, "Your Majesty, could it be that internal strife has broken out among the Göktürks again, and Shibi urgently needs to return? Such a matter is something Shibi would never reveal."

Wu Zetian turned back. "Mm, that makes sense.

The Göktürks are constantly plagued by internal conflict and slaughter one another. It is entirely possible. In that case, there is no need for us to detain them any longer.

Notify the Ministry of Rites to see them off tomorrow morning. They need not come to take their