Hearing Mo Yunxuan's order, Gao Lan hesitated, then—unusually—offered his opinion:
"Duke, Commander Li has already taken all the Nascent Soul cultivators out on their mission."
"If we pull more men from the Imperial Guard now, there'll be a gap in your security."
Mo Yunxuan looked through the crack in the window at the Elite Vanguard, clad in heavy armor, carrying long spears and swords at their waists, and said calmly:
"Don't worry. No one in the Imperial City would dare lay a hand on me during such a sensitive time—not even the Empress who had suppressed Dagan."
"For now, the Elite Vanguard can handle security. They only need to maintain a minimal defense. With Uncle Wang's Peak Spirit Transmutation strength, that'll be enough."
"Yes! I'll obey your orders."
Seeing that Mo Yunxuan had made up his mind, Gao Lan said no more. He found Qiao Heng and passed on the order, waiting only for Mo Yunxuan to return to the estate before taking the Imperial Guard out to carry out their mission.
Mo Yunxuan ate a fruit that was both unfamiliar and familiar. Its crisp, sweet flavor refreshed him completely.
At that moment, inside the Imperial Palace,
Empress Ji Ruxue lay languidly on her side on the bed, listening to the news delivered by a sword-bearing woman in blue. Her expression turned somewhat surprised.
"Qing Li, are you saying that boy Mo Yunxuan ordered Fang Liang killed? Could he really have been so decisive?"
The woman with the sword, Qing Li, nodded and replied unhurriedly:
"Yes. According to our informant, not long after Duke of Wei and a group of Imperial City Imperial Guard officers entered the Council Hall, those generals dragged Commander Fang Liang's corpse out. It seems... there was an internal conflict."
"Heh."
After hearing Qing Li's report and analysis, Ji Ruxue let out a cold laugh and said disdainfully:
"With Fang Liang's arrogant, conceited nature, he was probably cut down for putting on airs during the handover meeting."
Ji Ruxue paused, then sighed regretfully. "Alas, I only recently discovered that Fang Liang had been keeping an ambiguous stance within the Imperial City Imperial Guard."
"I'd planned to use him as a breakthrough point and take complete control of the Left Wei Guard's fifty thousand troops. What a pity! Before I could make a move, Fang Liang was already eliminated."
"Tell me, was this really a coincidence, or did Mo Yunxuan discover something in secret and use this opportunity to get rid of Fang Liang?"
At Ji Ruxue's question, Qing Li knitted her brows and lowered her head slightly. "I don't know, Your Majesty."
But the red-dressed woman beside Ji Ruxue smiled playfully and teased, "Everyone knows that although Mo Yunxuan isn't exactly a wastrel, he knows nothing about the affairs of his lineage."
"He only barely managed Old Duke's funeral with the help of the steward, Wang Yuan. How could a man like that know whether Fang Liang was loyal?"
"Could it be that Your Majesty's heart is fluttering and you've fallen for Mo Yunxuan, so you're crediting him with the achievement?"
Ji Ruxue shot the woman in red an exasperated look. "How about I send you, Hong Yu, to Mo Yunxuan's bed to serve him?"
Hong Yu smiled faintly, letting the remark pass without answering. Instead, she brought up something else. "By the way, Your Majesty, have you heard? Tianxiao was quite the big shot today."
"He not only broke off his engagement with Li Qinghan to her face, but also demanded, adamantly, that she return the betrothal gifts!"
"I heard the crowd blocked the whole street. It was quite a spectacle."
Qing Li had happened to witness it that day, and spoke earnestly:
"Yes, I saw it today. Jun Tianxiao seemed to have lost all his feelings for Li Qinghan."
"He was utterly resolute about breaking off the engagement and demanding the gifts back. It was as if he'd become a different person."
Hearing Qing Li's words, Ji Ruxue and Hong Yu both narrowed their eyes slightly. Ji Ruxue murmured, "A different person..."
Sensing the sudden silence, Qing Li belatedly turned to Ji Ruxue and asked, "Your Majesty, is there anything else?"
Ji Ruxue was pulled from her thoughts. Looking at Qing Li's clear-eyed but somewhat foolish expression, the corner of her mouth twitched. She replied helplessly, "Nothing else. But I need you to keep an eye on Tianxiao."
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but there seems to be a Peak Nascent Soul expert guarding Jun Tianxiao closely."
"With someone like that watching, my Nascent Soul Middle Stage strength makes it easy for me to be discovered if I try to spy on Jun Tianxiao."
Qing Li had been about to accept the order outright, but then she remembered the young man who had stopped Lin Fan's attack.
After comparing their strengths and realizing she was no match for him, she had no choice but to admit that she wasn't capable of carrying out the task.
Hearing Qing Li's explanation, Ji Ruxue's eyes flashed with killing intent, as sharp and tangible as a blade. She seemed ready to give an order, but in the end, she said nothing.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
At last, Ji Ruxue let the killing intent fade from her eyes and turned to Qing Li. "Didn't you say that the post of Commander of Left Wei Guard had been left vacant for now?"
Qing Li hadn't noticed the shift in the room's atmosphere. She was merely wondering why everyone had gone quiet.
Now that she'd suddenly been asked a question, she answered somewhat awkwardly, "Y-yes. According to the latest report, Duke of Wei will appoint someone new to take over as Commander of Left Wei Guard in a month."
After answering Ji Ruxue, Qing Li maintained her usual cool expression, but inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
She couldn't understand why Her Majesty had been so unpredictable today. She'd nearly scared her to death!
Satisfied with the confirmation, Ji Ruxue nodded and then turned to Hong Yu, asking with interest:
"What are the odds that I could send a fierce general to take over the Left Wei Guard by force, on the grounds that an army cannot go a single day without a commander?"
Hong Yu lowered her head and pondered for a moment. Her tone was no longer as cheerful as before; she spoke flatly.
"The odds of successfully taking the post are 100 percent. Duke of Wei probably won't directly refuse Your Majesty's decree."
"Even after the appointment, the officers of the Left Wei Guard will cooperate with his work."
"But judging by Duke of Wei's conduct this time, in the few days before his chosen commander arrives, the general you appoint may die in some kind of 'accident.'"
At first, Hong Yu's opening words had pleased Ji Ruxue, who had privately thought, Duke of Wei knows how to see the bigger picture. Very good!
But the second half of Hong Yu's analysis sent her crashing back down. After listening in silence, Ji Ruxue lowered her eyes, her expression dimming as she sighed involuntarily:
"Alas, if only Duke of Wei and the Imperial City Imperial Guard were loyal to me instead of the Dagan Dynasty!"
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