When they reached the manor gates, the Royal Knights Corps was already waiting in formation.
Xue Qinghe stood before the carriage, turned toward Xiong Shaoqing, and cupped her hands slightly, speaking gently in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Shaoqing, I'm leaving. Once I finish playing this game of chess in the Heaven Dou Empire, I'll go back to being your Xue'er completely. You... take good care of yourself."
"Go. I'll back you up no matter what, so play your game boldly." Xiong Shaoqing straightened her collar, his gaze firm.
Xue Qinghe gave him a long look, then turned and boarded the carriage.
As the rumble of wheels faded down the early-morning streets, Xiong Shaoqing stood before the gates with his hands behind his back.
The tenderness gradually faded from his eyes, replaced by the Primordial Heaven-Shaking Bear's wild arrogance that looked down upon the world.
It was time to thoroughly stir up Heaven Dou's muddy waters.
Xiong Shaoqing turned and walked back into the hall, the light of reason flickering in his deep eyes.
He knew very well that Xue'er was proud and meticulous.
She had spent over ten years undercover in Heaven Dou, using a rare, slow-acting mixed poison to eat away at Emperor Xue Ye's vitality, step by step.
According to her plan, once Emperor Xue Ye died a natural death, she could take over this vast empire legitimately as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
In the original story, the greatest variables that had caused Xue'er to fail at the final hurdle were Tang San and Yang Wudi.
Xiong Shaoqing sat in a rosewood Grand Master's Chair, tapping his fingers lightly against the table as he calmly calculated inwardly.
*Now Yang Wudi has submitted to me completely. This Soul Breaking Spear and Antidote Master has