Southern Park

All of Emperor Yuanjing's unusual behavior was related to a certain event in the 26th year of Zhende's reign, and it was all related to the head of the Earth Sect.

My guess was right. The leader of the Earth Sect is the thread connecting all the clues; he is inextricably linked to what happened back then. In that case, it's very clear what to investigate next and where to investigate.

The next target in the investigation is the royal hunting grounds—Nanyuan!

As a boy, Prince Huai and as a young man, Emperor Yuanjing, encountered a ferocious beast attack in Nanyuan. The guards were almost all killed or wounded. In the end, Prince Huai tore the bear apart with his bare hands and resolved the crisis.

This passage has too many plot holes. Among the guards of the two princes, there were definitely many skilled fighters. What kind of bear could possibly kill all the top guards in the imperial palace?

A black bear spirit?

I felt it was unreasonable at the time, but without any clues to compare it with before and after, this piece of information alone doesn't explain much.

After all, the daily records of the emperor's reign can be altered. It cannot be ruled out that the court officials or the late emperor were promoting and exaggerating the Prince of Huai's image, and that the royal family had done too many things like forcibly elevating the historical image of the usurper.

Xu Qi'an's mind raced, but he gradually suppressed his shock and returned to normal. He looked at Li Yuchun and said, "Boss, let's go. I've gotten the answer I wanted."

Li Yuchun nodded.

The old woman watched the two men step out of the courtyard gate and disappear through the doorway. She hugged her grandson tightly and muttered, "When will these government lackeys ever have a conscience?"

She immediately looked at her daughter-in-law, who was still staring at the courtyard gate. Anger surged within her, and she shrieked angrily:

"You little hussy, you can't even close your legs when you see a handsome man. As long as I'm alive, you can forget about remarrying or having an affair. You'll be a widow until I die."

After bidding farewell to Li Yuchun, Xu Qi'an mounted his beloved mare and sped back to the Xu Residence.

He rushed back to his room and found the late emperor's daily records left by Erlang on the bookshelf. The pages flipped through with a "rustling" sound, stopping at the 26th year of Joan of Arc.

He couldn't understand the cursive script, but he could barely make out the date.

"If I remember correctly, it was indeed the 26th year of the Zhen De era. In that year, the head of the Di Zong Dao clan entered the palace. In that year, the Earl of Pingyuan officially began sending people to the palace. In that year, the Prince of Huai and Yuan Jing encountered bears in the Southern Garden."

"Also, the records of the late emperor's daily life end in the 30th year of the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, which means that the late emperor passed away four years later. Hmm, I haven't read any history books, so I'll ask the experts."

Xu Qi'an sat down behind his desk, took out a fragment of the Earth Book, and was about to send the message when his fingers suddenly paused. He switched to private messaging and used his mental power to connect with the first fragment of the Earth Book.

Number One ignored him and slapped him.

Xu Qi'an persisted in initiating a private chat, and seeing this, Number One no longer refused and accepted his message: [What is it?]

[Part 3: When did the late emperor pass away?]

[One: Why are you asking this in the 30th year of Joan of Arc's reign?]

[Three: Of course, it's related to the investigation. I have some questions. Please tell me the specific situation in Nanyuan, the more detailed the better, especially the situation in the 26th year of Zhen De's reign. Also, what was the late emperor's health like when he was alive? Did he have any hidden illnesses? What was the cause of his death?]

[Part 1: Nanyuan was the royal hunting ground, located in the southern suburbs of the capital, covering an area of 260 li. Nanyuan had four imperial palaces, named after the four gates in the east, south, west, and north. Nanyuan was a forbidden area, almost entirely uninhabited and uncultivated, managed only by the Haihu (sea households).]

"Sea dweller? Heh, a professional fish farmer? Then I, the Sea King, am also a sea dweller. "Xu Qi'an chuckled and relayed the message:

[Part 3: What is Haihu?]

[One: A eunuch who cannot be tolerated in the palace.]

Xu Qi'an squeezed his legs together. "."

[1. As for the situation in Joan of Arc's 26th year, I am not clear about it, at least I cannot answer you at this time.]

After a few seconds' pause, the messenger, Number One, relayed. "[The late Emperor's health was already very poor a year before his death, but he persevered for another year before passing away. Regarding his hidden illness, I need to check the records before I can answer you.]"

[Three: I'm leaving this matter to you. I hope you can give me an answer as soon as possible. I've found some clues, but I can't be completely certain yet; I'll have to wait for your feedback.]

Given Huaiqing's boundless curiosity, she will surely do her utmost to complete the task and then obtain information about the case's progress from me.

That's the advantage of Huaiqing; if it were a peddler, one would read a short story and forget everything.

Of the three kingdoms in the Northeast, Jing Kingdom is located in the far north, bordering the territory of the northern Demon Race. Yan Kingdom is in the central position, directly facing the three provinces of Great Feng. Kang Kingdom is located to the south, a country bordering the sea.

Each of the three kingdoms had its own unique characteristics. The Yasukuni cavalry was unparalleled in bravery. After the Battle of Shanhai Pass, the northern barbarians fell from their throne as the number one cavalry in Kyushu, and Yasukuni took the opportunity to ascend to the top.

The territory of Yan is dotted with treacherous peaks and steep mountains. Most of the important cities are built in places that are easy to defend and difficult to attack. Relying on the advantages of the terrain, they are as stable as Mount Tai.

In addition, the inhabitants of Yan Kingdom made their living by hunting and were skilled archers.

Besides its advantageous geographical location, the Yan Kingdom also possesses an elite army: the Flying Beast Army.

The Geography of Kyushu, Eastern Classic: Mount Dongtong has abundant blue jade. There is a tree there, which looks like a poplar but has red veins, and its sap is like blood. It is called Qi. Dogs eat this.

The Qiegou is a mythical beast with a wingspan of three meters, a dog's head, and a rat's tail, capable of flying five hundred li a day.

Dongtong Mountain is located in the central part of Yan Kingdom. Like the Feather Spider of the Golden Wood Tribe, Yan Kingdom possesses an air force.

The downside is that the number of Dog-Carrying Army soldiers is even smaller than that of Fire Armor Army soldiers, and they are generally used as a trump card.

Dingguan City is located on the border of Yan Kingdom.

As a major border city, Dingguan City has sufficient troops, supplies, and military equipment to defend against the attack of the Great Feng army. If the Witch God Sect wants to stop the army from attacking the Central Plains, Dingguan City can launch a rapid attack because it is always ready to fight.

Two days ago, Dingguan City entered a state of high alert, prohibiting merchants from both countries from entering or leaving, as well as civilians. The army in the city patrolled tirelessly throughout the night, and scouts outside the city constantly sent back secret messages.

The Great Feng army is here!

After so many years of peace on the northeastern border, war is finally about to reignite.

Wearing bright armor and a curved sword at his waist, Tuowohei, surrounded by his lieutenant and other subordinates, ascended the city wall of Dingguan and stood on the distant plain.

He was the commander of Dingguan City and the highest-ranking military leader.

As the sun rises, autumn arrives, and the once verdant mountains are tinged with a touch of dull, withered yellow.

"Everyone says Wei Yuan is the God of Great Feng. I've always wanted to know if Wei Yuan can take down Dingguan City, which is as solid as a rock in my Yan Kingdom," Tuohei said calmly.

He was a young and middle-aged man in the Yan army. During the Battle of Shanhai Pass, he was just a low-ranking officer responsible for guarding the country.

I had long heard of Wei Yuan.

"In terms of battlefield strategy, there's probably no one who can surpass Wei Yuan. Even Xiahou Yushu, in my opinion, is far inferior to Wei Yuan." The bearded lieutenant sighed, then sneered.

"But the battle between two armies is not the same as the attack and defense of a city. General, if you can defeat Wei Yuan at Dingguan, you will become a highly sought-after figure in the entire land."

War has always been difficult, and besieging a city is the most difficult, often requiring ten or even more times the number of troops. Even the most capable generals will have a headache and give up if they encounter a city with a strategic advantage.

If they were determined to succeed, it might even change the outcome of a war.

Historically, there are many similar examples.

Tuowohei laughed and said slowly, "We must not be careless."

His heart was burning with passion. He wasn't confident he could defeat Wei Yuan in a direct battle, but defending the city was precisely his forte. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been trusted by the Yan Lord and appointed as the border commander.

Dingguan City is bordered by a mighty river on the left and steep mountains on the right, making it impregnable. To enhance its strategic advantage, Tuwohei sent people into the mountains to carve rocks, which took two years. Apart from the main road for marching, the city walls are now surrounded by jagged rocks on both sides.

Siege engines and ladders shouldn't even think about getting close; if you try to clear them out, you'll just be sitting ducks.

"Aww!"

A deep, powerful roar came from the distant sky, and the generals and soldiers on the city wall immediately recognized it as the barking of the dog.

Looking in the direction of the sound, a dark figure flew in from afar, gradually becoming clearer; it was a dog-carrying servant.

The flying beast with a dog's head and a rat's tail landed on the wide horse path, folded its wings, and stared ahead with its scarlet, fierce eyes, like a human soldier standing guard.

The dog was wrapped in a sturdy leather harness, connecting it to the scout on its back. The scout unbuckled the "seatbelts" around its thighs and waist, leaped off the bird's back, and hurriedly ran to Baldy, clasping his hands in greeting:

"General, the Great Feng army is only twenty li away from Dingguan City."

The expressions of the people on the city wall immediately turned solemn.

Tuowohei pondered for a moment, then said, "Pass on my letter: I am Tuowohei, the garrison commander of Dingguan City. I have long admired your name, but in my eyes, you are nothing more than a charlatan eunuch."

The staff quickly spread out paper and ink and began writing furiously.

Tuowohei's handwritten letter contained nothing but insults against Wei Yuan, accusing him of luck in winning the Battle of Shanhai Pass, of being a fraud, of being a eunuch with no descendants, and even including his ancestors in the insults.

Use the harshest language possible, write the most vicious words imaginable.

Finally, he challenged Wei Yuan to a duel, vowing to crush the Great Feng genius. In plain terms, he said, "Come on, if you dare!"

After finishing writing, the advisor blew on the ink to dry it and laughed, "General, is this plan intended to provoke Wei Yuan?"

Tuowohei nodded. "That's only one of the objectives."

The advisor humbly inquired, "Are there other objectives?"

Tuwohei sneered arrogantly, "I just want to insult this eunuch."

A burst of laughter erupted from the city walls, easing the serious atmosphere considerably.

Tuowohei added, "Given Wei Yuan's level, he's probably not so easily provoked. So, we'll curse him every fifteen minutes. The more people, the more we talk."

The lieutenant laughed heartily, "To be able to humiliate the Great Feng god is a truly delightful thing."

The laughter from the city walls grew even louder.

The capital city.

In the Eastern Palace, Lin'an was playing Connect Four with her elder brother, the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was getting impatient, but he patiently played along. It was almost impossible for a brother not to dote on his beautiful and affectionate younger sister.

"I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore."

Lin'an angrily threw down her chess piece, puffing out her cheeks as she complained, "You're not paying attention; my brother the Crown Prince doesn't want to play with me at all."

Is it that storytelling has lost its appeal, or that shuttlecock has become boring, or perhaps Huaiqing hasn't been annoying enough lately? The Crown Prince wondered to himself, then said helplessly:

"Lin'an, I am busy with many affairs; I have no time to play such trivial games with you."

Lin'an frowned. "What's the point of having servants play with me? I want to play with my brother, the Crown Prince!"

How could the company of palace maids and eunuchs compare to the companionship of family?

When Lin'an was little, she was always the Crown Prince's shadow, wearing a little skirt and being quite short. Wherever the Crown Prince went, she followed. As she grew older, Consort Chen encouraged her to cause trouble for Huaiqing.

At this moment, a eunuch approached the door with small steps and whispered, "Your Highness, Princess Huaiqing has arrived."

The brother and sister exchanged a glance, and the crown prince muttered, "What's she doing at the Eastern Palace?"

The Crown Prince was immediately ordered to lead Huaiqing in. A moment later, Huaiqing, dressed in plain palace attire, with exquisite features and a graceful appearance, stepped across the threshold, bowed to the Crown Prince, and then glanced at Lin'an.

"Huaiqing, what business do you have with me?"

The crown prince asked in a lukewarm tone.

Huaiqing chuckled lightly, "I heard that the Crown Prince has Yan Huasheng's 'Autumn Hunting Scene' here. With the autumn hunt approaching, I suddenly felt like taking it back to make a copy."

The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment, then said, "I will send someone to deliver it to you later."

Although everyone's mothers are engaged in a fierce power struggle within the harem, the superficial sibling relationship still needs to be maintained.

"It's time for the autumn hunt!" Biao Biao's eyes lit up, and she said happily, "Brother Crown Prince, let's go hunting in the South Garden!"

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince frowned and shook his head, saying, "Why would we go to the South Garden for no reason? It's a long way."

Biao Biao kept swaying her hips and said coquettishly, "It's not far at all, not far at all, we can just ride a horse. Prince, please take me there."

The Crown Prince couldn't stand her act, yet he was also most susceptible to it, just like Emperor Yuanjing. He said helplessly, "Alright, alright, I'll make the arrangements today, and we'll go first thing tomorrow morning."

He had other matters to attend to, so he took the opportunity to send Lin'an and Huaiqing away.

The autumn hunt was a grand event, but since Emperor Yuanjing became obsessed with Daoist cultivation, he rarely held autumn hunts. In previous years, the princes and princesses would go hunting in the Southern Garden on their own, only needing to report it.

For Lin'an, hunting was the happiest thing, regardless of whether she could draw a bow.

Just like in Xu Qi'an's previous life, some girls were addicted to playing games, which had nothing to do with them being noobs.

Upon returning to the palace in Lin'an, a young palace maid immediately stepped forward to report, "Your Highness, Princess Huaiqing came to see you just now."

Huaiqing is looking for me? Then why didn't she say a word to me in the East Palace just now? Lin'an blinked, making a blank expression.

Oh well, never mind, I'll read the storybook first, and go hunting in Nanyuan tomorrow.

late at night.

While Xu Qi'an was asleep, he felt as if someone had tapped his head. This was a response from his Primordial Spirit, not an actual tap on the head.

The only people in the room who could tap him on the head were one person and one knife. Zhong Li would usually tap him lightly on the knee and call his name in a soft voice.

If it were a Taiping sword, it would be used to stab him with the tip of the blade with a "clang clang clang," not so gentle.

Feedback at the Primordial Spirit level: Someone messaged me privately. Xu Qi'an squinted, reached out and pulled out the fragment of the Earth Book. Then, he knew who had messaged him privately.

Number One, Huaiqing.

After accepting Huaiqing's private message request, he sent a message: "[Why send a message in the middle of the night? Don't you have a sex life?]"

PS: Sorry for the late update. I feel very ashamed and guilty for Great Feng the update. I will write a long chapter tomorrow morning to make up for it.