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Li Yunli smiled. “Most Chu people abide by propriety and righteousness. Though the identity of an enemy nation’s prince is troublesome, it is not entirely unmanageable. However, if one’s reputation is ruined, I wouldn’t want to waste my time dealing with those old stubborn officials in the Ministry of Rites.”
Yun Chu’s heart pounded wildly. Li Yunli was leaning against his left shoulder—she could probably hear it.
He opened his mouth. “I…”
Her words left too much room for imagination, so much so that he wasn’t sure if he had the right to follow that train of thought.
Yun Chu lowered his head, forcing himself to regain focus. He cleared his throat and said, “I will follow Your Highness’ arrangements. A nameless general is good enough.”
His response was cautious, making it seem as though he had no improper thoughts.
Li Yunli leaned back slightly and glanced up at him, letting out a light laugh.
Yun Chu’s face instantly turned red.
He didn’t even know why, but he felt incredibly flustered.
Being looked at and smiled at like that by Li Yunli felt as if his carefully maintained composure had completely collapsed, crumbling into pieces.
“…”
His lips pressed together, his face alternating between red and pale, unable to say a single word.
“You never say anything out loud, yet you wear everything on your face,” Li Yunli remarked, having seen right through him.
Yun Chu lowered his head, clearly embarrassed.
“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.” Li Yunli grinned, taking pity on him. Twirling a strand of hair between her fingers, she added, “Actually, you won’t have to pretend to be a nameless general for long. Once Ji Wenxun arrives with the Northern Army, I’ll be returning to the capital. Just treat it as an experience.”
Though she still wasn’t sure of the situation in the capital, it was inevitable that she would return.
Regardless of whether there were unexpected changes, or if Li Han was truly being controlled, she had to go back.
The Northern Army arrived in Yongzhou within a day.
The private soldiers secretly trained by Yongcheng Marquis were no match for the seasoned border troops. Within half a day, they were completely defeated, and He Liancheng was captured alive.
After securing Yongcheng Marquis, Li Yunli repeated her previous strategy—sealing off all news from Yongzhou, ensuring not even a single carrier pigeon could escape.
The captured soldiers were immediately put to work rebuilding the region’s water infrastructure.
The Ministry of Works officials that were supposed to be sent by the court never arrived. In response, Li Yunli personally hired water management experts in the northwest, who worked alongside Qing Nian and Gong Liangchong to repair the banks of the Wei River.
All arrangements were made. When Li Yunli finally left Yongzhou, ten days had passed.
It was the ninth day of the ninth lunar month—a bright and sunny spring day.
Her return procession to the capital was grand, with a wide carriage at its center.
Riding outside her carriage, Shen Ziyu still seemed uneasy.
“I still believe we should bring the Northern Army back with us,” he said while on horseback. “The command token was granted by His Majesty, so leading troops back wouldn’t be considered an overreach. Right now, we only have General Xiao’s few thousand men. If danger arises…”
He was naturally cautious, his worries endless.
Inside the carriage, Li Yunli sat leisurely, flipping through a book resting on her lap.
Yet Shen Ziyu rapped his knuckles against the carriage window again.
“Your Highness, we’ve only just left the city. If you change your mind, it’s not too late.”
“Stop the carriage,” Li Yunli ordered.
Shen Ziyu felt a flicker of hope, thinking she had finally listened to reason. But then, the carriage window opened, and Li Yunli tilted her chin at him.
“Minister Shen, come inside.”
He hesitated for a moment. Yun Chu, who had been riding alongside, also turned to look at him.
Feeling awkward, Shen Ziyu gave him a slight nod before obeying.
Inside, the carriage was spacious. Zhi Lan was present, quietly serving tea.
Shen Ziyu sat near the door, barely settled before Li Yunli spoke.
“When you left the capital with the command token, was His Majesty already under siege?”
Shen Ziyu frowned. “He wasn’t at the time, but we cannot be certain of the situation now! Your Highness must not take this lightly!”
Li Yunli continued, “When His Majesty handed you the token, were there any officials of third rank or higher present to witness it?”
“No.” Shen Ziyu shook his head. “His Majesty’s situation was akin to house arrest—he barely saw any court officials. If not for the fact that my mother is a princess and could visit the palace frequently, I wouldn’t have been entrusted with this task.”
“There’s your answer.”
Li Yunli calmly closed her book and glanced at him with an indifferent expression.
“I have the command token, but I lack an official decree from His Majesty and any ministerial endorsement. If I were to bring tens of thousands of troops from the northwest back to the capital, what would happen when we pass other military garrisons? How should I justify it? If it causes panic, what then?”
Shen Ziyu wanted to argue, “But—”
Li Yunli cut him off. “Furthermore, we don’t know His Majesty’s exact situation. However, we do know the Empress Dowager is not our ally. His Majesty had to go to great lengths to get me this command token. If the Empress Dowager takes this as an excuse to accuse me of rebellion in front of the court, then what?”
Shen Ziyu remained conflicted. Though he still believed the trip was risky, he had to admit that these were very real dangers.
“Your Highness is being overly cautious. It’s disheartening.”
Li Yunli privately thought that there was nothing for her to be disheartened about, but she simply let out a small laugh.
Then, suddenly, silence fell around them.
An intense sixth sense gripped her.
“Minister Shen!”
Li Yunli’s expression sharpened as she sat up straight, her gaze snapping toward the window.
“Be careful. I think someone’s—”
Before she could finish, an arrow shot through the small window of the carriage with a sharp whoosh.
Yun Chu, riding beside the carriage, saw the arrow fly past with his own eyes. A cold sweat broke out all over him, and he immediately pulled open the carriage window.
“Your Highness!!”
“I’m fine.”
Li Yunli had already crouched down. Outside, her guards sprang into action, and the scene erupted into chaos.
Shen Ziyu clutched his hat, frozen in shock. “What—what’s happening?!”
Li Yunli had lost count of how many times she’d faced assassinations since arriving here.
By now, she had become remarkably adept at handling them.
With a wry smile, she quickly lifted the carriage curtain.
To her surprise, however, the number of attackers was… low?
Her returning procession numbered in the thousands, yet there were fewer than a hundred enemies?
What kind of ambush was this supposed to be?
Li Yunli hesitated before stepping out of the carriage.
That first arrow had only been effective because they had been unprepared.
But now, with her soldiers and guards alert, the assassins would be dealt with swiftly.
Yun Chu stood at the carriage window. Seeing that Li Yunli was unharmed, he immediately drew his sword, clenching his jaw as he guarded the carriage.
The fighting had already begun, but Li Yunli remained perplexed.
She stayed eerily calm in that moment.
If the enemy forces were truly outmatched, then they likely weren’t here to kill her.
Which meant… they weren’t sent by the Empress Dowager.
Yongcheng Marquis had already been captured and was being escorted back to the capital. Since these attackers weren’t here to rescue him, they weren’t his men either.
That left only one other faction in the northwest.
Li Yunli peered out the small window, watching Yun Chu’s swift and precise swordplay.
The assassins all wore black veils, unable to get close to her. There was no immediate danger.
But now, a burly man wielding a massive broadsword had engaged Yun Chu in combat.