Junwu

"Oh."

Li Junwu responded softly, then closed his eyes to enjoy the massage.

"."

While pressing down on the well-proportioned calves of this well-breasted young man, Xu Yuan's eyes were strange:

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Li Junwu glanced at Xu Yuan:

"Um?"

Xu Yuan chuckled softly:

"Shouldn't you act a little surprised? And with the Northern Border in such chaos, aren't you worried I might not come back?"

Li Junwu let out a sigh, slightly raising her long, slender legs, freeing herself from Xu Yuan's grasp, and sat up.

"It's not that I'm not surprised; my father and I exchanged letters a while ago."

"The Marquis of Western Pacification?"

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, a look of sudden realization on his face. "No wonder, so they knew about the letter beforehand."

As a powerful marquis who held the army, the Marquis of Western Pacification was sent to guard the Great Desert, which can be considered as directly participating in the Prime Minister's Estate and the royal family's strategy against the Barbarian Tribe.

Some inside information could not possibly be kept from such an important official.

Li Junwu glanced sideways, his handsome yet effeminate face, enhanced by his disguise, showing a complex expression. Finally, he sighed.

"He talked at length about various things, including matters concerning the Northern Border. The old man said that His Majesty and Lord Xu are determined to exterminate the barbarians."

Xu Yuan noticed Li Junwu's expression and felt a little strange.

This was the first time he had seen Li Junwu show such an expression, and the Marquis of Western Pacification guessed that he had talked to Li Junwu about much more than this.

Although he was curious, he didn't ask.

However, when this matter was mentioned, Xu Yuan's voice also took on a serious tone:

"That's true, but..."

"Changtian."

Li Junwu suddenly interrupted, staring into Xu Yuan's eyes and asking, "Aren't you curious about what else my old man said to me?"

Seeing this, Xu Yuan chuckled and rested his elbow on Li Junwu's shoulder, glancing sideways with a smile:

"If you're willing to talk, I'll listen; if you're not, then forget it."

Li Junwu leaned slightly, Xu Yuan's elbow slipped, and he snorted coldly:

"Stop grinning like that."

Looking at Li Junwu's serious expression, Xu Yuan sighed, picked up his wine cup, drank it all in one gulp, leaned back on the soft couch, and whispered:

"Actually, I can roughly guess some of it. The Marquis of Western Pacification wants you to keep your distance from me, right?"

Li Junwu's brows furrowed slightly, his expression neither cold nor indifferent:

"You're quite clever."

"There's nothing I can do about it, I'm just smart." Xu Yuan grinned.

Li Junwu's chest heaved slightly as he snorted coldly and said:

"My father said, your family is related to the Emperor."

"Etc."

Xu Yuan raised his hand to interrupt Li Junwu, his eyes filled with helplessness. "Sister, you really dare to tell me anything?"

Marquis of Western Pacification was one of the few high-ranking officials in the court who did not take sides; he was neither Royalist Faction nor a member of the prime minister's faction.

Both sides fear that under pressure, the other side's attitude will directly tilt towards the other.

The Marquis of Western Pacification has always maintained neutrality, and his attitude is very clear: you can fight your battles.

I'm guarding those Dachao People on the frontier. If there's a rebellion within the sect, I'll intervene, but don't drag me into the power struggles at court.

Li Junwu was very dissatisfied with Xu Yuan's interruption:

"Don't you want me to go and try to persuade my old man?"

Xu Yuan chuckled and reached out to touch Li Junwu's forehead with the back of his hand.

"Sister, did you take the wrong medicine?"

Li Junwu slapped Xu Yuan's hand away in annoyance, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes:

"Xu Changtian, I'm talking to you about serious matters!"

Xu Yuan gave a French military salute, his voice soft and gentle:

"Alright, alright, then let me ask you this: is this your intention, or the Marquis of Western Pacification's intention?"

Li Junwu subconsciously looked away, his voice lowering slightly:

"Yes, that's what I mean."

Xu Yuan raised his hand and patted her head:

"Alright, I appreciate your kindness. The Marquis of Western Pacification's approach is actually the best, and it's what the royal family and my father most wanted to see."

Li Junwu bit his lip, pushed Xu Yuan's hand away, and looked at Xu Yuan with a hint of disappointment in his eyes:

"Fine, don't use it then. Humph, really."

"."

Xu Yuan smiled but offered no explanation.

The Great Yan had no kings of different surnames; marquises were already the highest rank.

Although the current power and status of the Marquis of Western Pacification are not Marquis of Martial Achievement, Marquis Wucheng, he is already quite outstanding among all the marquises.

The Western Pacification Army had essentially become the private army of the Marquis of Western Pacification, since Li Junwu always referred to it as "my family's army."

Moreover, after the rebellion was quelled, they were granted a surname, a noble title, and appointed as the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. They also possessed countless land deeds and, most importantly, their family owned several Source Crystal mines, providing them with a certain source of income.

In other words, the best option for the Marquis of Western Pacification's Estate is to accept the status quo.

Whether he sides with the royal family or with his father, he will gain nothing.

Even if his father rebelled in the future and actually succeeded in seizing the throne, would the Marquis of Western Pacification Marquis of Western Pacification to reward him for his contributions?

I dare not accept it.

Going further up, the Marquis of Western Pacification would have to be bestowed upon his father, Xu Yinhe, the same title he currently holds after his rebellion.

The reason why the old man dared to endure this rebellious graduation ceremony was because the size of the Prime Minister's Estate's Mansion was already comparable to that of the royal family.

The Marquis of Western Pacification's Estate is several levels below.

Choosing sides brings no benefit, but choosing the wrong side can lead to the downfall of your entire family.

The returns are completely disproportionate to the investment.

Neutrality is the best option for the Marquis of Western Pacification's Estate.

The two drank quietly for a while, then Li Junwu suddenly said:

"I want to go to Western Frontier."

"Ah?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan looked at Li Junwu as if he were a monster, and said strangely:

"You, Li Junwu, are going to the Western Frontier?"

Seeing Xu Yuan's gaze, Li Junwu was so angry he wanted to grab a bottle and smash it over Xu Yuan's head, but he held back, uttering each word slowly and deliberately:

"Yes, it's me, Li Junwu, going to the Western Frontier."

"You're not kidding?"

Li Junwu clenched his fist and asked in return:

"I can't go?"

Xu Yuan gasped.

"Going there for tourism?"

"Travel my foot!"

Li Junwu, unable to contain his temper, turned around and delivered a whip kick to Xu Yuan.

"Snap--"

Xu Yuan grabbed her ankle, but the powerful force of the whip kick made his hand go numb, and he gasped.

"Holy crap, are you serious?"

This whip kick was very abrupt.

If it weren't for the hellish training Feng Jiuxuan had given him over the past ten days after it was decided that they would go to the Northern Border, he might not have been able to react at all.

Although he still hadn't grasped the so-called "intention," he had begun to sense some of the energy in response to this sudden attack.

Her ankle was grabbed, and Li Junwu tried to pull back forcefully, but a bloodthirsty glint had already appeared in Xu Yuan's eyes, and she couldn't pull away.

"Xu Changtian, let go!"

"If I loosen my grip, you'll still beat me up. No way I'd loosen my grip."

"."

Li Junwu stopped talking, circulated his Source Qi, supported himself on the soft couch under his buttocks with one hand, and with a slight effort, he rose up. In a flip, his other long leg slashed down from the air.

"Call--"

A whooshing sound came from the air.

"Snap--"

Xu Yuan gripped it again, but the powerful force made him feel like he couldn't hold on any longer.

Although Li Junwu cultivated military formations, his cultivation level had already advanced to the fourth rank.

In the instant of the struggle, with a loud "bang," the soft couch he had been sitting on collapsed.

With a deafening roar, the once lively hall fell silent.

Without any hesitation, Xu Yuan grabbed one ankle with each hand, pulled Li Junwu to the side, and caused him to lose his balance and fall directly onto the collapsed soft couch.

After a while,

Some people recognized the troublemaker as the same scourge, and without a second thought, they got up, paid their bills, and left.

His fame and prestige are even greater than they were two years ago.

Ordinary high-ranking officials and nobles could not afford the antics of this spoiled brat.

Before long, most of the guests in the newly opened "Cloud Heaven Palace" had quietly left.

After the hall fell silent, the madam, who was furious but dared not speak out, could only watch from the sidelines and did not dare to go over.

After a little commotion

Li Junwu lay back on the soft couch, watching the ceiling above the hall remain unchanged.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan chuckled and released his grip, shaking his knuckles which had turned white from the force. He then sat back down on the collapsed soft couch, next to Li Junwu's slender waist.

"Seriously, just kidding. I know you're going to help your old man."

Li Junwu remained motionless, staring at the ceiling, and said in a low voice:

"That's not why I wanted to hit you."

"Huh?" Xu Yuan feigned confusion.

Li Junwu snorted coldly and then said:

"Changtian, going to the Western Frontier was my own idea."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Didn't it you, Marquis of Western Pacification, send you?"

Li Junwu lay on the soft couch, looking at Xu Yuan's profile, his voice tinged with helplessness:

"You may not know this, but my old man actually doesn't want me to take over the Western Pacification Army, which is why I've been keeping him in the Imperial Capital, indulging in food, drink, and entertainment."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan glanced back at her, then remained silent for a moment:

"The Marquis of Western Pacification must have his own reasons."

Li Junwu pursed his lips and whispered:

"Give up military power to ensure peace, do you really think that will work?"

Xu Yuan thought for a moment and replied telepathically:

"The reason why the court allows local military power to grow so strong is that there are sects that need to be checked and balanced. Once these messy things are resolved, the court will definitely take back power, otherwise the regional military governors will become the next sects."

"Now that the Marquis of Western Pacification is in his prime, he should believe that he can finish dealing with these matters before I depart for the west."

Li Junwu remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly said:

"But what if we can't finish dealing with it?"

Xu Yuan remained silent.

Li Junwu let out a long breath, slowly stood up, sat down next to Xu Yuan, rested his elbow on Xu Yuan's shoulder, and chuckled softly:

"Changtian, I don't know when we'll meet again after this trip to the Western Frontier."

"."

Xu Yuan turned his gaze back, saying nothing more:

"Then I look forward to you becoming the next Li Qingyan, guarding the Great Desert."

Li Junwu rolled his eyes and punched Xu Yuan in the kidneys.

"I am Li Junwu, not Li Qingyan, and certainly not a second Li Qingyan."

A moment later, Xu Yuan smiled slightly:

"Quite ambitious, huh?"

Li Junwu gave a light snort:

"I will be no less capable than her in the future."

Xu Yuan's eyes curved into a smile as he said softly:

"Okay, you are Li Junwu."

At this time,

Li Junwu suddenly said in a low voice:

"Xu Yuan, I'll help you if you need it then."

"." Xu Yuan.

Close eye contact,

He could feel her breath.

He also saw seriousness in her eyes.

But he did not reply.

"."

Li Junwu didn't say anything more, picked up the bottle and drank it all in one gulp, then turned to leave.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan quickly called out to her:

"Hey, Wang Chengping and Gong Yuanzeng haven't arrived yet, and you're already leaving? This time you probably won't see each other for a long time."

Li Junwu turned his gaze back, sighed, and said:

"Changtian, are you playing dumb? Their fathers are both Imperial Faction, and they've been under house arrest ever since the last gathering."

"."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan lowered his eyes slightly.

Li Junwu smiled slightly and patted Xu Yuan on the shoulder:

"Alright, I'm leaving now. Don't miss me. I'll show you my legs next time we meet."

Having said that,

She waved her hand dismissively, turned, and walked away.

After walking a distance, several attendants followed and disappeared from the entrance of the Cloud Heaven Palace along with Li Junwu's graceful figure.

Because of the farce that had just happened, the guests in the lobby all left, fearing for their lives.

It was very quiet around, except for a few courtesans who had been forced to stay and were still playing music.

Xu Yuan practically booked the entire Cloud Heaven Palace.

Sitting on the collapsed soft couch, Xu Yuan poured himself a drink, one cup after another, feeling inexplicably melancholy.

Imperial Faction

Wang Chengping's father, as the commander of the Imperial Guards, was naturally a member of the Imperial Faction. If his father Xu Yinhe, were to control the Imperial Guards, a coup could occur at any time.

The second prime minister was an important minister in the court who helped the emperor check and balance his father.

If we really turn our armies against the royal family, then...

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan suddenly remembered what the old aunt Lou Ji had told him before.

"Changtian are some things you have to do even if you don't want to. Your father and Li Yaoxuan killed almost all of their former friends back then."

A sigh.

"Well"

Xu Yuan put down his wine cup and rested for a while before settling the bill and returning home. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an old acquaintance walking in through the door.

The Third Prince stared blankly at the empty Cloud Heaven Palace for a moment, then his eyes began to twitch uncontrollably when he caught sight of Xu Yuan sitting alone in a private seat.

damn it.

Is this plague god never going to stop?

He runs a brothel, and they come to demolish it?!

After gesturing for the brothel madam to shut up, the Third Prince took a deep breath to calm himself down, then slowly walked over to Xu Yuan, plopped down familiarly, and chuckled:

"Young Master Xu, which blind fool has offended you?"

Xu Yuan shook his head and took out two thousand-tael silver notes from his Sumeru Ring, placing them on the table in front of him.

"No, Your Highness, this is one of your properties. I had a little misunderstanding with my friends earlier."

Upon seeing the silver notes, the Third Prince chuckled and said:

"Young Master Xu, you're too kind. There's no need for you to compensate me."

As he spoke, he reached for the silver notes.

"Your Highness is so magnanimous."

Xu Yuan immediately took the silver note back.

"." Li Yunqing.

Xu Yuan glanced at him with a slight amusement, then turned his gaze to the two people behind Li Yunqing.

One of them was Eunuch Hou.

The other one was somewhat unexpected.

It was Chu Jingyi, the Eastern Isles assassin who had come to assassinate him earlier. She was dressed in a black, form-fitting outfit, somewhat similar to Ying'er, but with a style more reminiscent of the Eastern Isles.

Seeing Xu Yuan's gaze, the Third Prince didn't care about the loss of two thousand taels and said with a smile:

"A maid I recently recruited, she's from Eastern Isles."

Xu Yuan, his eyes gleaming with interest, asked, "Eastern Isles? Where did the Third Prince find them?"

Li Yunqing said with a smile:

"I caught him with a friend who went through thick and thin with me, and it took a whole month of hard work to train him."

"Caught?" A hint of doubt flashed in Xu Yuan's eyes at just the right moment.

Li Yunqing said with a smile:

"A so-called ' Daimyo ' from Eastern Isles wanted to buy weapons from me. How could I possibly give weapons to those Wokou? And this woman was sent to collect a debt."

Is that so?

Xu Yuan nodded and kindly reminded him, "Your Highness, you must be careful. If there's one, there will always be another. The journey to the Northern Border may not be peaceful."

Li Yunqing smiled nonchalantly and said:

"These Japanese pirates won't have time to assassinate me again."

"How so?" Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Li Yunqing glanced at Chu Jingyi behind him with interest and said:

"This woman said that their homeland seems to have been invaded by a group of blond-haired devils who came from the sea."

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