" Lao'er, why didn't you tell me you were going away for so many days?"
As Murong Yunji and her entourage entered the city, Murong Yuntian complained incessantly, much like a talkative parent.
Yuchi Feihong curiously sized up the man leading the way. He looked exactly like a refined old man, and his constant chatter along the way was completely at odds with his domineering name.
But no matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem like what the Lao'er of the Murong Family and the others said—something sinister and eerie. How did they come to that conclusion?
In fact, not only was Yuchi Feihong puzzled, but the Murong Family members were also confused. What was going on with their Laoda?
How come your demeanor has changed so drastically in just a few days? This refined and easygoing manner, along with this talkative way of speaking, is completely different from the gloomy guy from a few months ago. If it were just a change in attitude, that would be one thing, but this change in demeanor is too rapid!
They used to say that the Laoda was gloomy, and that wasn't just about his personality, but his entire demeanor. He gave off a sinister and gloomy vibe at first glance. But now, after just a few days apart, the Laoda has a sunny and refined demeanor. It's as if all the impressions we had for the past few months were just an illusion.
" Yunji, you heartless girl, how many years has it been since you got married and haven't come back?"
"It's been quite a few years," Murong Yunji said with a smile. "Brother, please don't blame me. My husband died young, and as a widow, I had to guard the main house. It wasn't easy, especially considering my status. If I wanted to come back, it would probably cause a lot of trouble."
"That's true." Murong Yuntian paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Murong Yunji's identity is not simply that of a married-out daughter of the Murong Family. Before her marriage, she was a renowned military leader in the Northern Wolf Kingdom. The nickname "Wind King " was earned from her exploits on the grasslands!
Before Murong Yunji married into the Northern Wolf Kingdom, the throne was changing hands. There was even a saying among the people that whoever gained Murong Yunji's support would definitely become the next emperor.
At that time, the Murong Family was also extremely powerful. Murong Yunji's momentum in the army was too strong. The key was that the Murong family was also a priestly family with a deep foundation. At that time, among the three priests, the old head of the Murong family firmly held the position of the first priest. In addition, Murong Yunji rose to prominence in the military. To be honest, if the Murong Family had wanted to rebel back then, the royal family would have really had no power to resist.
Even though the old patriarch of the Murong family swore an oath in the Northern Wolf Plain that he would never embezzle imperial power, there were too many powerful ministers in the Northern Wasteland who treated oaths as mere empty words.
It can be said that when the Shen Family came, they saved the royal family's life and prevented the Northern Wolf Kingdom from changing dynasties again.
The old patriarch of the Murong family passed away less than two years after Murong Yunji got married. Murong Yuntian succeeded him as patriarch. Although he is still one of the three high priests, the Murong Family's power today is almost incomparable to what it used to be.
If Murong Yunji were to return after the death of the old patriarch, it would arouse great suspicion.
This is also why Murong Yunji hasn't returned to the Northern Wasteland for decades. She never imagined she would have to come back one day. Now that she thinks about it, what would have become of her if she hadn't met Chen Qing?
Even without the arrival of the ancients, I fear I wouldn't meet a good end in the Shen Family either.
Northern Wolf City is vast, arguably the largest city in the Northern Wasteland. Located on the icy plains, nestled against the largest mountain range, it is a colossal city built atop a mountain peak. This location forms the foundation of the Northern Wolf Kingdom. Over thousands of years, the Central Plains have witnessed numerous rises and falls, and the Northern Wasteland has seen various kingdoms destroyed. Yet, the Northern Wolf Kingdom has remained consistently stable. Even with dynastic changes, it was merely a matter of emperors taking turns on the throne. One day, a powerful family might overturn the table and become emperor, and the next day, another powerful family would seize power, reshuffling the power structure once more. But for thousands of years, no external enemy has ever been able to invade North Wolf City!
This exaggerated mountain city and the largest grassland at its foot are the fundamental reasons for the enduring prosperity of the Northern Wolf Kingdom.
The Northern Wolf Kingdom was once a powerful nation and the trading center of the Northern Wasteland, but now it was deserted. Even though the Northern Wasteland was cold in winter and most people didn't like to go out, the streets were still too quiet.
Murong Yunji frowned as she looked at the street. The mountain city's streets were winding, magnificent, and orderly. In the past, when there were many peddlers, the streets were filled with the shouts of vendors. But now there was nothing there. The huge mountain city looked like a ghost town even in broad daylight.
The most eye-catching thing is the lamp hanging outside each house.
"Brother, what is that?" Murong Yunji asked curiously.
Turning her head, she found that Murong Yunliu and the others also looked puzzled, which made her heart skip a beat. It seemed that these black lights had only appeared in the last few days.
"Oh, that one?" Murong Yuntian glanced around and lowered his voice, "It's a distinguished guest invited by the Beiyu Family three days ago. He's also from the north, and the Beiyu Family recommended him to meet the royal family. Perhaps they persuaded the royal family, because now every military household has one of these lanterns hanging at their door."
Murong Yunji: "."
"Such a thing is true?" Murong Yunliu and the others were shocked. "Big Brother just stood by and watched?"
"I have no one to consult with, isn't that right?" Murong Yuntian rolled his eyes at everyone. "The Yu family is now the first priest family, and can directly meet with the royal family. Whoever they recommend to meet the emperor, can I stop them? After Yunji left, our family's control over the military has become weaker and weaker. I didn't receive any intelligence after the announcement. After every household hangs these lanterns, what else can I do?"
"Uh..." Murong Yunliu's expression was complicated upon hearing this, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
The Murong Family has indeed declined, and I never expected it to decline so drastically. The fact that the eldest brother had no prior intelligence shows that those generals within the military who once had connections with the Murong Family Murong Family no longer care about them much.
Yuchi Feihong found this intriguing and asked curiously, "Are these envoys divided into several groups?"
"Yes," Murong Yuntian explained, "The envoys from the north have indeed come in several waves, which shows that their internal power structure is quite complex. There are currently three waves that have come to my Northern Wolf City. The first wave was the Black Lotus Envoy from the old priestly families led by my Murong Family. They used this Infinite Spirit Method to reach an agreement with us. The Horde to which several of our families belong will consume the demon flesh they provide and offer human sacrifices."
"The second wave arrived three days ago, carrying a Black Lantern. That messenger arrived at night, claiming to be the Moon Nether Envoy, and said he had the support of the royal family and the Beiyu Family. And today, this is the third wave."
"The third wave?" Yuchi Feihong was taken aback. Such a large-scale operation today, was it all a newcomer?
"Perhaps you'll see it soon," Murong Yuntian said in a low voice. "You saw the scene outside, the mountains of demon flesh—far more than the previous two groups. And you should have heard of the messenger who brought the gifts; he's called the Radiant Sun Envoy!"
" Radiant Sun?" Yuchi and Murong Yunji had never heard of him, but the rest of the Murong Family immediately recognized him. "Is he the Radiant Sun Envoy who went to the Northern Qi Kingdom and Snow Eagle Kingdom before?"
Many families in the Northern Wasteland had heard of Radiant Sun's reputation months ago. He was the envoy who visited Northern Qi and Snow Eagle, and it was said that he had even instigated rebellions in those two countries. In just a few months, both Northern Qi and Snow Eagle had changed dynasties and reshuffled the cards, with many large families disappearing.
However, no matter how turbulent things were inside, people on the outside could never find out.
All that is known is that after that, only this Radiant Sun Envoy continued to provide demon flesh and blood to Northern Qi and Snow Eagle.
Now that this infamous fellow has arrived in the Northern Wolf Kingdom Northern Wolf Kingdom, what kind of turmoil will this cause?
"Has the envoy come to visit our Murong Family?" Murong Yunliu asked anxiously.
"Not yet," Murong Yuntian. "But it should be soon. My Murong Family's status is not as high as the other two families, so they probably won't be visiting our family first. Let's hurry back. We can't let the news of Yunji's return get out. At this time, we're most afraid of attracting attention."
That's true.
Upon hearing this Murong Yunji and Yuchi exchanged a glance, their hearts sinking.
The situation in the Northern Wasteland is more complicated than imagined. The three envoys may represent three different forces within the Northern Wasteland. Once these envoys enter a capital city, it will inevitably cause chaos, and may even lead to a change of dynasty. The Northern Wolf Kingdom will probably soon fall into internal strife as well.
They had brought so many people to infiltrate the merchants and gather intelligence, but they feared they had come at the wrong time.
The crucial point is that there is a high possibility that a traitor has infiltrated their own ranks.
These matters must be reported to the Lord Chen Qing as soon as possible.