That Man Was Back

Xu Lingyue didn't necessarily want to find out Mu Nanzhi's identity; it was just that this "elder" who suddenly infiltrated the Xu Residence and was later taken to the palace displayed a dignified and arrogant air that even the most refined young ladies could only dream of.

She's so ordinary, so why is she so confident?

Xu Lingyue was curious too, of course.

Anyway, she had plenty of free time at home. She made robes and boots for her father and her two older brothers, read books, and that was about it.

There used to be a little kid at home who would bother her, but since her younger sister went to Southern Frontier, the house has become much quieter.

Occasionally, she would read the Daoist books of the Human Sect and study its mental cultivation methods. When Xu Qi'an entered the martial world, in order to deal with her mother's "forced marriage," she used her elder brother's name to successfully enter the Human Sect and become Registered Disciple of Lingbao Temple, cultivating under the guidance of a female Daoist.

She had asked her older brother, and he agreed.

When I have nothing to do, I like to find something to do, and coincidentally, this woman named Mu Nanzhi came along.

"Aunt Mu, I'll go with you."

Xu Lingyue then stood up and said softly:

"You may not know where Phoenix Palace is, but I've been to the palace once and can show you the way."

Mu Nanzhi waved her hand. "No need, I'll go myself."

She thought to herself, "Back when I was in the palace, you weren't even born yet, you little brat."

Xu Lingyue reminded her:

"Then you must not offend the Empress Dowager."

Mu Nanzhi waved her hand again, speaking as she walked out:

You don't need to worry about it.

She thought to herself, "I outshone the Empress Dowager when I was only fourteen, why would I be afraid of this old woman?"

Xu Lingyue gazed at Mu Nanzhi's retreating figure, lost in thought.

Half an hour later, my aunt came out from the backyard, carrying a pot of miniature bamboo in her arms, her beautiful face full of smiles.

"Hey, where's your Aunt Mu?"

The aunt was about to share the beautiful and delightful bamboo with her good sister when she looked around but didn't see anyone.

"Going to Fengqi Palace will cause trouble for the Empress Dowager."

Xu Lingyue said in a soft voice.

The aunt was startled upon hearing this, and quickly placed the bamboo she was carrying on the stone table, saying urgently:

"Go and cause trouble for the Empress Dowager? She's just a commoner; why would she provoke the Empress Dowager? Isn't that asking for trouble?"

Xu Lingyue said in a soft voice:

"Mother, is Aunt Mu a fool?"

The aunt was taken aback, then scolded:

"Look at what you're saying! You're the fool, just like Lingyin."

She poked Xu Lingyue with her finger.

Xu Lingyue said with a wronged expression:

"Since she's not a fool, Aunt Mu naturally knows what's going on. Mother, didn't you notice? Aunt Mu is very familiar with the palace. She can rattle off all those messy official titles, like the Grand Eunuch and the Grand Secretary."

"If I'm not mistaken, she's either a member of the royal family or a concubine in the imperial harem."

"Really?" Auntie's mouth dropped open, her face full of doubt:

"If she were a concubine in the imperial harem or a member of the royal family, what would she be doing in our house? You silly girl, all you do is let your imagination run wild."

The silly girl Xu Lingyue sighed, losing interest in discussing the matter with her mother. She rested her chin on her hand and stared blankly at the miniature bamboo.

Aunt said:

"Mother is going to Phoenix Palace to check on things. I can't let Aunt Mu offend the Empress Dowager. Now I know, even the Empress Dowager doesn't dare to offend you."

As she spoke, she glanced at her daughter's beautiful and refined face, with big, bright eyes, well-defined features, cherry-like lips, and delicate, fair skin. She had already grown into a graceful young woman.

"When the weather gets warmer, your mother will pick out a suitable husband for you, and it will be time for you to get married," she said.

"Oh dear, Mother, you'd better hurry, or your dear sister will be executed by the Empress Dowager!" Xu Lingyue said impatiently.

"Help Mom put the bamboo in the flower bed so it can bask in the sun." Auntie hurried out of the yard, her skirt fluttering in the wind.

Xu Lingyue rested her chin on her hand, her Spiritual Qi eyes narrowing.

The fact that Aunt Mu reacted so strongly to the news of her elder brother's marriage to Princess Lin'an shows that her relationship with her elder brother, whether as a concubine in the harem or a member of the royal family, is definitely not ordinary.

"Another one."

Xu Lingyue sighed, her eyes, brimming with autumn light, looking at the miniature bamboo in front of her.

She gently waved her sleeve, and a breeze carried the potted plant steadily for more than ten meters before it landed in the flowerbed.

Speaking of which, she has recently learned to manipulate objects, but she doesn't know what level that is, since she hasn't been to Lingbao Temple for a long time and has been figuring things out on her own based on the Human Sect's mental cultivation method.

The seventh rank of Daoist School – Absorbing Qi!

The palace was so large that Auntie was out of breath and covered in sweat when she finally arrived at Phoenix Palace.

She entered the harem with ease, and no one stopped her. Firstly, given her status and position, who in the harem would dare offend her? Secondly, the harem was a forbidden area for men, not women.

Thirdly, since the Empress ascended the throne, the harem has become less important.

Although men are still not allowed to enter, this place has become a retirement home for the imperial concubines.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance of Fengqi Palace, Auntie saw Mu Nanzhi walking out with her hands on her hips, looking like a victorious little hen.

Lingyue said you came to Fengqi Palace.

The aunt went up to him and said with concern:

"Is everything alright?"

"What could possibly happen? Coming here is like coming home. Shangguan was no match for me back then, and he still isn't." Mu Nanzhi grumbled twice.

She came to the Empress Dowager to annul the engagement, but the Empress Dowager disagreed. A domineering and confident flower goddess and an Empress Dowager who was indifferent to desires and unyielding, they started arguing, exchanging sarcastic remarks and cold insults.

In the end, Mu Nanzhi won.

The Goddess of Flowers has never lost a fight with women; she can subdue any woman in the world simply by taking off her bracelet and standing on tiptoe.

In addition, the vulgar language she had learned during her travels in the martial arts world infuriated the Empress Dowager.

After Mu Nanzhi finished speaking, she suddenly realized that she had gotten carried away and let something slip, so she quickly looked at her aunt.

Auntie breathed a sigh of relief:

"That's good, that's good. By the way, who is Shangguan?"

She hadn't noticed at all. Mu Nanzhi was relieved, and a feeling of regret for not having met her sooner rose in her heart. She felt that her aunt was a friend she could confide in.

"It's alright, let's go back." Mu Nanzhi pulled her aunt and walked back.

The smile on her face gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of frustration.

Although she won the argument, she didn't achieve her goal. The Empress Dowager did not agree to annul the engagement. Of course, she also knew that with her status and power, she had no way to influence the Empress Dowager's decision.

Hua Shen secretly decided to wait until Xu Ningyan returned before making a decision. She hadn't gone far when she saw Huaiqing, dressed in imperial robes, slowly approaching in a large palanquin.

"His Majesty!"

My aunt was a very proper lady, and she quickly bowed.

Huaiqing nodded gently and hummed in agreement, then gave the Flower Goddess a cold look.

The latter rolled her eyes at her.

The two passed each other by. Huaiqing rode in a large palanquin into Fengqi Palace. With the help of palace maids, she got off the palanquin and entered the room without needing an eunuch to announce her arrival. She saw the Empress Dowager sitting at the table with a livid face, looking as if she was still angry.

"What happened to that woman? Wasn't she dead in the North?"

Upon seeing her daughter arrive, the Empress Dowager loudly questioned her.

"Has Mother eaten a powder keg?"

Huaiqing knew perfectly well what was going on, but pretended not to know, and said calmly:

"She didn't die in the north; she returned to the capital with Xu Qi'an and became Xu Qi'an mistress."

With a single, understated sentence, the Empress sealed the fate of the Flower Goddess.

Although the Empress Dowager had already anticipated this, she still found it absurd, unbelievable, and hard to believe after hearing her daughter's confirmation.

Mu Nanzhi was much younger than her, but still seventeen or eighteen years older than Xu Qi'an. How could he keep Mu Nanzhi Keeping a Beauty in a Golden House outside? Did he have any sense of propriety or shame?

Another reason for the Empress Dowager's reluctance was that Mu Nanzhi had also been a concubine in Yuan Jing's harem, and was of the same generation as her, while Xu Qi'an was of a younger generation in the Empress Dowager's eyes.

This is very upsetting.

"Therefore, Mother, you should annul the engagement." Huaiqing's true intentions were revealed.

"Why did you want to annul the engagement?" the Empress Dowager said calmly.

"The man surnamed Xu has flawed morals, but since he and Lin'an are mutually in love, it's better than handing her over to someone he doesn't love. Besides, in the current Great Feng, who is more worthy of Lin'an than him?"

Huaiqing's face darkened slightly, and his tone turned cold as he said:

"Anyone who didn't know better would think Lin'an was born to the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager's tone was equally cold:

"She's a pure person, more likable than you."

There's another very simple reason: she hopes that lovers can be together forever. Just seeing it makes her feel content, as if it makes up for the regrets of the past.

Huaiqing glanced at her and said expressionlessly:

"I am not a simple person, so even though I'm very unhappy right now, I still have to tell you something!"

The Empress Dowager looked at her.

Huaiqing said calmly:

"Yesterday, Duke Wei came back to life. Before he sacrificed himself, he had already planned his escape route. For the past five months, Xu Qi'an has been trying to collect materials, refine Law Artifact, and summon back his soul."

"He won't be coming to see you for now. He said he hopes to see you easily, rather than burdened by national and personal grievances as he did back then."

After saying that, Huaiqing turned and left.

The Empress Dowager sat blankly at the table, her face expressionless, two lines of tears silently streaming down her cheeks, endlessly.

A large cavalry force crossed the border of Yuzhou and entered Qingzhou.

Nangong Qianrou did not rush on her journey. After instructing the team to change into Yunzhou flags, she advanced south at a moderate pace.

Heavy cavalry cannot undertake long-distance raids; slow, sustained advances are necessary for endurance.

However, Nangong Qianrou's purpose in ordering the team to slow down was not to conserve the horses' energy, but to wait for someone.

"General Nangong, the journey to Yunzhou is long and arduous. Our marching speed is slow; perhaps we should switch to water transport?"

The experienced lieutenant galloped quickly to catch up with Nangong Qianrou and ride alongside her.

At the speed of heavy cavalry, it would take at least half a month to travel from Qingzhou to Yunzhou.

It will take another three to five days to get from the border of Yunzhou to Baidi City.

This doesn't even include the time it took to capture Baidi City.

Nangong Qianrou said calmly:

"No rush, take your time."

The deputy general hesitated, but ultimately chose to believe Nangong Qianrou and Duke Wei.

Nangong Qianrou stopped talking and walked around, surveying her surroundings. Since entering Qingzhou, she had traveled through a deserted area.

In just five months, the Central Plains had become so desolate and miserable that even Nangong Qianrou, who was somewhat cold-hearted, was filled with emotion.

Around noon, the slowly advancing heavy cavalry suddenly sensed a huge shadow looming over them.

Nangong Qianrou raised her head, squinted, and showed no panic; instead, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

The massive wind-riding boat landed in front of the heavy cavalry, with seven people standing on the edge of the ship's side, one of whom had his back to the common people.

Nangong Qianrou looked at the person with a cold and expressionless face and smiled:

"Haven't seen you for a long time!"

Yang Yan nodded slightly.

The lieutenant suddenly realized, slapped his forehead, and exclaimed in delight:

"So you were waiting for help."

Nangong Qianrou raised the corners of her mouth:

"The oversights you can think of, surely Duke Wei could have foreseen them?"

Once the heavy cavalry leaves the abandoned military town and is seen by more than three bystanders, the technique to shield their celestial secrets will dissipate, and at that moment, the adoptive father will remember that he left behind a heavy cavalry force.

With his adoptive father's wisdom, as long as he remembered the heavy cavalry, he could fill in and make up for all the flaws in the plan in his mind.

For example, they lacked siege weapons, and their marching speed was slow.

Nangong Qianrou has followed Wei Yuan Wei Yuan so many years, so she still has some confidence in him.

Yang Qianhuan stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from the heavy cavalry, and said calmly:

"Ten thousand people will be transported in three trips and are expected to arrive in Yunzhou before dusk tomorrow. However, we are not going to Baidi City."

Nangong Qianrou frowned and said:

"Not Baidi City?"

He had already learned from Huaiqing's chief guard that five hundred years ago, that lineage had declared itself emperor in Baidi City at the beginning of winter.

Yang Yan wasn't a talkative person. He glanced at Chen Ying beside him, who chuckled and said:

"There can't be any extraordinary experts in Yunzhou, and with the main force of the army heading north to attack Feng, even if there are quite a few troops left behind, there won't be too many. They must have ways to guard against a sudden attack. So, given the situation in Yunzhou, what kind of methods would they use?"

Nangong Qianrou pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized:

"By hiding in the mountains, holding strategic passes, and taking advantage of the terrain, one can withstand an army ten times one's size."

He looked at Chen Ying and clicked his tongue:

"You're actually quite clever, kid."

Chen Ying grinned:

"It was said in the brocade pouch left by Duke Wei. I don't need to think. I just do what Duke Wei says. That's how it was when we attacked Jingshan City. Anyway, we've never lost."

As he spoke, he patted the side of the boat and laughed:

"Yang Qianhuan will be in charge of finding people. We'll use this Law Artifact to airdrop directly and wipe out the rebel stronghold in one fell swoop."

Yang Qianhuan followed up:

"I reach out to invite the bright moon and pluck the stars; there is no one like me in this world."

"Stop talking nonsense and get up here right now."

His tone was somewhat urgent, as if he couldn't wait to return in triumph and then urge the historians of the Hanlin Academy to record this battle in the history of the Great Feng Dynasty.

I've already thought of a name:

Though Xu is arrogant and reckless, his downfall is inevitable – Yang Qianhuan ends the rebellion in Yunzhou.

Xu can be either Xu Pingfeng or Xu Qian, the word has two meanings.

The following day, in the capital.

As dawn broke, the cold wind blowing on my face was not as biting as it had been two weeks ago.

To the sound of drums, civil and military officials passed through the Meridian Gate, crossed the Golden Water Bridge, and stood in their positions on the steps and in the hall according to their rank. The officials then entered the Golden Palace.

The Empress did not keep the officials waiting long. Soon, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, with a majestic and aloof demeanor, she slowly ascended the throne with the help of eunuchs.

After the proper audience, Huaiqing narrowed his phoenix eyes, looked at the officials in the hall, and said:

"Yesterday, I ordered Yang Gong and others to withdraw from Yongzhou and retreat to the capital. I entrust the task of setting up defenses to all my beloved ministers."

Her tone was cool and her voice was slow, as if she were talking about something trivial.

But to the gentlemen, it was like a bolt from the blue.

In an instant, the panic and anger that surged within them almost engulfed them.

He was furious at the Empress's autocratic and stubborn nature.

Retreat to the capital?

But what if the capital city can't be saved?

The vast city of Yongzhou, just handed over like that?

Isn't this aiding the enemy?!

"How could Your Majesty be so foolish?" Grand Secretary Qian Qingshu was both shocked and furious.

"Tens of thousands of soldiers risked their lives to defend Yongzhou and wiped out the enemy's elite troops. How can we simply hand it over to the rebels?"

"Does Your Majesty wish to repeat the events of five hundred years ago?" Radicals tend to speak more forcefully.

"Foolish, foolish!" the professional critic, Jushizhong, retorted without holding back.

"Is Your Majesty going to hand over the ancestral legacy to others? How can Your Majesty face our ancestors?"

I almost blurted out things like "a foolish ruler" and "women are indeed incapable of being of great use."

It's no wonder that you gentlemen are in a state of panic, because the enemy has already reached your doorstep. In the past, the rebels in Yunzhou were aggressive, attacking Qingzhou and then Yongzhou. You gentlemen are well-read and have a refined demeanor, and each of you is calm and composed.

But this is because whether it's Qingzhou or Yongzhou, they haven't reached the capital yet.

Now, there is no way to retreat. If the capital falls, everything will be over. It has come down to our personal interests and safety.

Some people were also angry that Huaiqing acted without consulting others, making such an important decision unilaterally, which was a disaster for the country!

"My lords, please calm down!"

The Empress's clear, deep eyes cleverly concealed a hint of mockery. The reason she had kept it a secret beforehand was to provoke the officials in the capital to go all out, so as to unite their hearts and minds and gather financial and material resources.

Of course, this is all predicated on giving civil and military officials hope for victory.

Otherwise, it's like playing with fire and getting burned.

Inside the hall, the noise subsided slightly.

The officials still looked indignant, fearful, or worried. Those who were less enlightened had already begun to ponder how to surrender to the enemy when the tide had turned against them.

The Empress said calmly:

"I wish to introduce an old friend to you gentlemen."

The terms "introduction" and "old friend" are contradictory, leaving the gentlemen somewhat puzzled.

The Empress looked towards the gates of the Golden Palace and proclaimed loudly:

"Announce, Wei Yuan!"

The officials turned around abruptly and saw a figure in a blue robe stepping over the high threshold in the azure sky. His temples were gray, and his eyes held the vicissitudes of time.

He walked across this long carpet as if traversing a long period of time, returning to the presence of his esteemed guests.

This man is back!