Chapter 69

A cold wind kept sweeping through the place, and even the tightly shut windows trembled faintly under its force. The hall was brightly lit, and the weapons lined up along one side gleamed with silver light.

After all, this was a military stronghold. Even the inner hall had weapons arranged on both sides—sabers, spears, swords, halberds, all of them. The heavy metal only made the atmosphere feel more oppressive.

“You want me to persuade the Qingzhou Army to rebel for you?”

Mu Xue’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to Xie Tinglan. This wasn’t a test; it was a straightforward negotiation. The moment Xie Tinglan arrived in Qingzhou City, Mu Xue had already understood her purpose.

If, in their youth, she had fallen victim to political scheming because she hadn’t thought things through carefully enough, then after so many years, she ought to have learned something from experience. In terms of power and strategy, she was no weaker than Xie Tinglan; the only difference was that she didn’t have Xie Tinglan’s cruelty.

“I know your Qingzhou Army has reached the end of the road. Sooner or later, you’ll have to choose a side.”

Xie Tinglan didn’t tense at the word rebel. Instead, she grew even calmer, as if Mu Xue understanding her intentions had spared her a great deal of explanation.

“You certainly won’t side with Zhongshan Prince and the Murong family, and the Qingzhou Army would never join hands with the family that once tried to harm you.”

Xie Tinglan laid the situation out for Mu Xue one point at a time. “That so-called carefree prince in the capital has little real power. The other forces are scattered and insignificant. Only I...”

Before Xie Tinglan could finish, Mu Xue cut her off. “Do you know about my fifth brother?”

Mu Xue had already understood everything Xie Tinglan said. The only thing that truly stirred her was when Xie Tinglan brought up the carefree prince; Yan Feiyan’s name made something in her heart move.

“That depends on what exactly you’re asking about.”

Seeing Xie Tinglan’s knowing expression, Mu Xue immediately understood that she knew a great deal. This old fox—if Ye Rui stayed by her side, she was afraid she’d be stripped to the bone.

“He’s been making some unusual moves lately. What exactly is going on?”

Mu Xue didn’t mention Yan Feiyan’s contact with the Ximan King. If she said that outright, it would become leverage for Xie Tinglan in their negotiations.

“Unusual moves? What kind of unusual moves?”

Xie Tinglan lowered her eyes and laughed softly, deliberately refusing to answer directly. That made Mu Xue’s scalp prickle with irritation. Seeing Xie Tinglan’s expression, Mu Xue knew she understood everything; she just refused to tell her. Wait—how did she know about her fifth brother? Could it be...

“You’ve joined forces with him? What exactly are you making him do?”

If they were collaborating with Liang Kingdom, then if that was really their doing, what was the reason?

Seeing Mu Xue’s expression grow darker and darker, Xie Tinglan finally stopped teasing her.

“That prince took the initiative to come to me. He can cooperate with us in whatever we need, and he has only one demand: Yan Mu must die.”

Mu Xue’s brows furrowed tightly. For a moment, she couldn’t tell whether Xie Tinglan was telling the truth or not. Yan Feiyan had withdrawn from the entire power struggle of Great Yan when he was only fifteen. Every day, he tended flowers, watched birds, and sang opera.

Ever since her own feigned death, she hadn’t heard much news of Yan Feiyan. She had never expected the message she received to be so shocking.

Yan Feiyan couldn’t possibly be interested in the throne. He wasn’t that kind of man. Then why?

“You mean the unusual moves are his collusion with Liang Kingdom?”

At that, Mu Xue’s brows rose slightly, and her gaze turned cold. They could fight over power if they wanted; Mu Xue wouldn’t interfere when they shut the doors and brawled among themselves. But colluding with Liang Kingdom to deal with their own people—that was absolutely unacceptable.

“You’re the ones who sent him to do it?” she asked through gritted teeth, clutching the armrest so hard that the sturdy rosewood seemed almost crushed beneath her grip.

“No.”

Xie Tinglan paused, then continued, “He seems to hate Yan Mu especially. He wants to destroy everything Yan Mu has. But he has an agreement with Liang Kingdom: the assistance they provide the Ximan people must not spill over and harm Qingzhou City.”

“If you want to know why he’s doing this, shouldn’t you understand it better than I do?”

Mu Xue’s pupils contracted. This was also why the Ximan people’s power had gathered around Nan Zhenchuan, while the tribes near Qingzhou City remained impoverished. So that was it...

Fifth brother is taking revenge for me?

Back then, some of the generals in Yuzhou had stood by and done nothing, while others had taken the emperor’s orders and hunted her down. She didn’t blame them; after all, imperial orders were hard to resist. But from another person’s perspective, there had certainly been blood feuds between them and her.

“Still, his collusion with Liang Kingdom has given me an opening to hold Nan Zhenchuan in check.”

Seeing the frost in Mu Xue’s gaze, Xie Tinglan smiled and said, “Don’t look at me as if I’m the mastermind behind everything. I think you understand this too: if the Qingzhou Army rebels, Nan Zhenchuan will be the first to come crush it.”

Nan Zhenchuan was a stubborn old blockhead; Mu Xue knew that perfectly well, and she also understood the situation Xie Tinglan described. She had just never expected her fifth brother’s foolishness to end up helping Xie Tinglan achieve her goals.

“The emperor relies on two major pillars: first, Nan Zhenchuan’s frontier army; second, the Azure Dragon Guards who appear and disappear like ghosts in the imperial city. Without the Azure Dragon Guards, he would not have lived to this day.”

There was hatred in Xie Tinglan’s eyes. But if the emperor didn’t even have these cards to play, then probably every emperor of Great Yan would die young.

“As long as we secretly hold Nan Zhenchuan in check, the Qingzhou Army will have a chance to slowly infiltrate the capital.”

Mu Xue shook her head and refused outright. “No. The Ximan forces here haven’t been eliminated yet, and the Qingzhou Army absolutely will not leave.”

Xie Tinglan seemed to have anticipated that answer. She only gave a soft laugh. “That’s also why I came here.”

“Perhaps... I can help a little.”

When Mu Xue saw the cunning, ruthless light flashing in Xie Tinglan’s eyes, her heart suddenly jolted.

In that instant, Mu Xue realized that Xie Tinglan was no longer the helpless girl she had once been. She had become the Xie wolf who had weathered every storm and wave; a blood wolf capable of turning both the emperor and the entire court machinery into fools dancing in circles.

Mu Xue gave a bitter smile and slowly lowered her eyes, hiding the pain in them.

This world had always been changing. The only thing that hadn’t changed was herself, still lost in those memories of helplessness and unable to move forward.

**

The drum that signaled curfew had sounded, but Xie Tinglan still hadn’t returned. Ye Rui stood in front of her quarters and looked toward the sister who had beaten the curfew drum. The pounding sound was deafening.

After the curfew drum, no one was allowed in or out of the camp. If someone really had to enter, they would have to take three military baton strikes. Unless it was wartime, scouts were the only ones allowed to come and go freely.

Seeing Ye Rui leaning a little forlornly on the railing, Lu Yihua walked over and stood beside her. “I haven’t seen you look like this in a long time, except back when we first came to Qingzhou together. What’s troubling you?”

Thinking of the past, Lu Yihua naturally remembered how Ye Rui had stumbled into the mountain stronghold by pure chance and had even helped her apply medicine. It was only because of that chance encounter that everyone in the stronghold was still alive and well.

“Lingchao said she wants to go negotiate with the Ximan people together with us. I don’t want her to come along.”

After hearing that, Lu Yihua already thought it was strange that Lingchao wanted to go too. After all, she wasn’t part of the Qingzhou Army. Wasn’t it normal not to let her tag along? But then she thought again: Zhang Tingluo not only let her move freely around the camp, he even treated her with a measure of respect. This honored guest from the capital did not seem simple.

“Ah Rui, give me the truth. Tell me who she is?”

Lu Yihua had a feeling something was about to happen. A woman who didn’t fit in at all had appeared, and everyone was guessing at her identity. She was curious too.

Ye Rui looked left and right. Seeing no one nearby, she half-covered her mouth with her hand and whispered three words into Lu Yihua’s ear.

Lu Yihua’s eyes immediately went wide. She quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from yelping in surprise.

Xie Tinglan had come all this way for what!

And—wait, and! Before this, they had even been gossiping about Lingchao and Ye Rui, saying they were old lovers reunited or whatever. Could it be... Ye Rui and Xie Tinglan were actually that kind of relationship?!

Lu Yihua was completely unable to speak. Right now, her curiosity about the relationship between Xie Tinglan and Ye Rui had far surpassed her curiosity about why Xie Tinglan had come here.

“You, you’re being way too dramatic!”

Lu Yihua clamped a hand over her mouth—no, rather, she was pinching her mouth shut so hard that she left red marks on her own face, as if the moment she let go, she would let out a world-shaking scream.

“N-no, Ah Rui, what exactly is your relationship with her?”

She remembered that a few months ago, Ye Rui had rushed along the road as if running for her life, barely stopping even to rest, as though someone were chasing her from behind. Lu Yihua had wondered about it then too, but had always assumed Ye Rui simply didn’t want to delay important matters, so she had hurried all the way here.

But now it looked like Ye Rui’s “escape” had something to do with Xie Tinglan?

From not far away came the sounds of everyone still drilling. The orderly footsteps in this moonless, starless night seemed almost heartless, unable to summon even the slightest tenderness that could be borrowed from the moon.

“I don’t know what kind of relationship it is.”

A joint scheme—Ye Rui still remembered Xie Tinglan clearly saying that the nature of their relationship was a joint scheme. But those two words involved not just the two of them, but also the storm and upheaval in the entire capital; she couldn’t say it.

And beyond that, how was she supposed to define that ambiguous relationship that seemed to exist only under moonlight and only in the dark?

Ye Rui smiled bitterly. In this world, what relationship could truly be defined with perfect clarity?

Seeing that Ye Rui had once again put on that tormented expression, Lu Yihua could only suppress her gossiping heart. After catching her breath, she asked, “Did she come with an imperial order?”

Ye Rui shook her head and said, “I can’t keep talking about this. But as for the negotiation, I keep having a ridiculous idea.”

“What?”

Lu Yihua asked, looking at Ye Rui’s profile and feeling that since Xie Tinglan had arrived, Ye Rui had been somewhat absent-minded. If they had no connection at all, even the camp’s stupid big yellow dog wouldn’t believe it.

“If she’s there, this matter will definitely succeed. I’ll feel a lot more at ease too.”

Ye Rui had never expected that even after being apart from her for several months, her trust in and reliance on her would still be like an incurable illness. Sometimes she even consciously tried to change her handwriting, but she still couldn’t do it. Her writing had been taught by Xie Tinglan; so many things after coming to this world had been taught by Xie Tinglan. She simply couldn’t cut the three characters “Xie Tinglan” out of her life.

“But this negotiation is full of danger. She doesn’t know martial arts..."

Before she could finish, Lu Yihua interrupted. “So that’s what it is. You’re worried about her safety.”

Ye Rui choked. Goosebumps instantly rose all over her body. Being seen through didn’t feel all that great; even her ears were burning hot.

“If you like her this much, and she’s come all this way to be here, then she must have feelings for you too. So why are you two..."

Lu Yihua didn’t understand. Was she thinking too simply, or was Ye Rui thinking too much? Never mind; there had to be some knot between them, or Ye Rui wouldn’t have run all the way here.

“Whatever you decide, I support you. If she really wants to go, then with our sisters’ strength, how could we not protect her? Besides, the two people beside her are definitely no ordinary figures, so don’t worry.”

Lu Yihua also wanted to see what ability the current prime minister, the terrifying Xie wolf everyone feared, actually had.

“Let’s talk about it later.”

Ye Rui still couldn’t make up her mind. Sometimes she wished she could be like Lu Yihua, able to make decisions cleanly without dragging her feet; if she wanted to do something, she would just do it.

She really did both love and hate this version of herself that thought too much.

**

Early the next morning, Ye Rui saw Xie Tinglan return to camp accompanied by Gong Yinzhi and Yin Yue. During the days Xie Tinglan had stayed in the camp, Ye Rui had felt that Xie Tinglan’s complexion was always a bit pale in the mornings. Now that she had spent one night outside, her face looked much better.

She probably wasn’t used to the camp’s hard beds. If her poison hadn’t been cured, she might not have been able to endure such an environment for long.

Ye Rui took the initiative to seek her out and discuss the negotiation with the Huairou people. Though the timing was not yet right, Ye Rui was very confident that the Silverstone Tribe would definitely grow weaker, and then they could seize the opportunity to strike.

When Xie Tinglan came to Ye Rui’s quarters again, she hadn’t taken a close look last time. Only now did she realize Ye Rui was sleeping in a six-person room. The bedding on the bed was folded neatly, the daily necessities were all arranged in order, and there was no unpleasant smell at all.

It was just that the hard bed made even Xie Tinglan’s back ache a little to look at it.

“Are you sure you want to go with us? Those people are tyrannical when they turn rough; they won’t reason with you at all. Your eloquence will be useless.”

After Ye Rui said that, Xie Tinglan was first stunned, then gave a bitter smile. “Do you think I’d be dragging you down?”

Ye Rui was clearly worried about her safety, but she... couldn’t say it no matter what. “That’s not what I mean. I just think whether you go or not won’t directly decide success or failure.”

“What if I said it can directly decide success or failure?”

Xie Tinglan walked closer to Ye Rui, and a familiar cold fragrance drifted over—familiar gardenia scent, mixed with Xie Tinglan’s unique smell.

Xie Tinglan stopped three steps away from Ye Rui. Seeing the surprise on Ye Rui’s face, she said, “Over the years, I’ve planted quite a few people at the border. Those people are not useless.”

As soon as she said that, Yu Lang’s young face immediately appeared in Ye Rui’s mind. He had been at the border for several months now, but because they served in different camps, she hadn’t seen him.

Besides Yu Lang, Ye Rui believed there were probably many more of Xie Tinglan’s people hidden in Qingzhou City and around Nan Zhenchuan’s territory. But if the goal was to infiltrate the military’s core, then those people would definitely be in the divine-beast camp; the Phoenix Army was stationed in a relatively remote area, so there probably weren’t any of Xie Tinglan’s people there.

“Tell me your plan.”

Ye Rui could no longer stand Xie Tinglan’s games. They were equals, and they should have always been equals. Ye Rui felt she ought to be the one in control of this matter; if Xie Tinglan wanted to take part, then she needed to tell her her plan without reservation.

“Alright.”

Xie Tinglan smiled, glanced around at the hard beds, and asked, “Which bed is yours? I want to sit down and talk slowly. My back hurts.”

After rushing all the way to Qingzhou City, Xie Tinglan had been jolted along the entire journey, and her back and waist hurt from it. After arriving, she had slept on hard beds every day; as long as she stood for too long, it would ache. When Gong Yinzhi examined her injuries, she had only said faintly that she needed more exercise.

Now that she thought about it, Xie Tinglan felt a little embarrassed. She really should exercise more; only then would her body not be so weak.

Ye Rui pointed to the bed at the very back. Xie Tinglan sat down on one side of it and leaned against the bedhead, and the soreness in her back finally eased a little.

“You... should stop living in the camp. The living conditions here are nothing like the Xie residence.”

After Ye Rui said that, Xie Tinglan raised a brow. “You can live here; why can’t I?”

Ye Rui: “...”

Was this the time to be arguing over petty things? This was a military camp, not a playground for children.

“There are sixty-seven Ximan tribes, plus a number of smaller, scattered tribes that exist outside the system. Ye Rui, do you really think one Ximan King is enough?”

Ye Rui’s expression sharpened. “You want to make another king?”

At that, Xie Tinglan burst out laughing. Seeing her cheeks flush with color from laughing, Ye Rui suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance flow through her body. Her face finally had some blood in it.

“Not another. This time, it’s just making use of the current situation to intensify the infighting among the Ximan tribes.”

Xie Tinglan looked up at Ye Rui, who had become far more steady and serious. In such a short time, she had already become the leader of a camp; in places Xie Tinglan couldn’t see, she had gradually grown into a towering tree.

“Do you know what kind of background that Kayani has?”

Xie Tinglan leaned so casually against the bedhead, discussing matters of military strategy with Ye Rui, that it gave Ye Rui a strange sense of disconnect. It was as if she had suddenly traveled back to the Xie residence and was chatting idly with Xie Tinglan all over again.

“He’s the Ximan King’s cousin, and he carries quite a lot of weight in the army.”

Ye Rui of course knew that. If she didn’t, Li Yan would probably have made her run twenty laps around the camp.

“Yes. But do you know what his relationship with the Ximan King is really like?”

Xie Tinglan’s gaze shifted, the smile at her lips deepening. Seeing Ye Rui able to speak to her so properly like this, it seemed like it had been a very, very long time.

They seemed to have changed; then again, it also seemed like nothing had changed at all.

That, Ye Rui didn’t know. She privately thought that if the Ximan King was willing to send Kayani here, then he must trust him quite a bit.

“Looks like you don’t know.”

Seeing Ye Rui’s eyes turning this way and that, her brows locking tighter and tighter, Xie Tinglan knew she wasn’t familiar with the matter.

“Kayani was essentially banished to the border this time. Last month, after getting drunk, he harassed the Ximan King’s newest concubine. But he has military merit, so the Ximan King couldn’t openly do anything to him. This was a perfect opportunity to send him here, far away from the center of power and military struggle.”

Xie Tinglan gave a cold laugh and sighed. “Do you think Kayani truly wants to stay here?”

“If he really wants to rebel, his influence would definitely be greater than the Silverstone Tribe’s. As long as we make him give up helping the Flying Horse Tribe, everything can be accomplished.”

As she said this, Xie Tinglan paused. Her expression darkened slightly, and she continued, “But I’ll say it again: the Ximan people have no sense of righteousness. They can only be used for a short time; they can’t be relied on.”

“This can only buy you breathing room; let them tear each other apart. The ripple Kayani stirs up will definitely be greater than the Silverstone Tribe’s.”

Hearing that, Ye Rui gradually sorted the logic out. “So when we’ve bought ourselves breathing room, that will be the time to enter the capital and work with you on your plan?”

Xie Tinglan’s eyes lit up. She didn’t speak, only smiled; and that smile was as bright as the sunlight today.

She reached out and took hold of Ye Rui’s fingers. Ye Rui wanted to pull away, but those slightly cool fingertips seemed to carry some kind of spell, leaving her unable to move.

“Ye Rui, the official business is done. Can we talk about private matters now?”

-----------------------

Author’s note: The big yellow dog in camp: Saying the two of them have nothing going on? Even I don’t believe it!

[dog head][dog head]