The Hand Reaching the Heavens

"You're quite formidable, King of Han."

Whispers gradually spread across the square before Meridian Gate. Crown Prince Yuan's earlier example naturally led the bewildered court officials to connect the Xu Family head's laughter with the Empress's disappearance. As an atmosphere of unease spread, the Marquis of Martial Achievement suddenly spoke in an exceedingly calm tone:

"It seems everything is unfolding exactly as you wished."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan gathered his thoughts and asked in return:

"So, she told Marquis Mu everything?"

The Marquis of Martial Achievement glanced sideways and replied indifferently:

"The entire plan needed someone informed to hold down Di'an."

"In other words, Marquis Mu, you tacitly approved?"

"No, I never agreed."

The Marquis of Martial Achievement shook his head. "From the time Her Majesty spoke to me of this matter until she secretly left Li Capital, I did everything in my power to dissuade her. Though the method you offered Her Majesty to break the deadlock is flawless, King of Han, we had no way of confirming whether it was real."

Secret realms were an incomparably scarce and vital resource. Ordinary people could see only the endless wealth left behind within them by those of old, but to a general, the strategic significance of a secret realm far outweighed its economic value.

The ability of an unknown secret realm to conceal troops could even alter the course of a large-scale battle.

From the moment Xu Yuan produced that map and the late Emperor's edict, Li Qingyan had seen through his intentions. But the problem was that the imperial clan had no way to verify whether those secret realms were genuine.

At this thought, Xu Yuan smiled meaningfully.

"You couldn't dissuade her?"

"Mhm."

Standing beneath the palace walls with his hands behind his back, the Marquis of Martial Achievement