Li Weiyang directly refused, but spoke very tactfully. Moreover, everyone knew about her previous fall from a horse that injured her ankle, so no one accused her of arrogance.

Princess Anguo glanced at her but clearly didn’t take her seriously.

First, Li Weiyang wasn’t beautiful enough. Second, compared to Mo Niang, she appeared cold and icy with no charm. Third, between Tuoba Zhen and her, they were enemies, not friends.

Princess Anguo’s eyes remained fixed on Mo Niang. Mo Niang couldn’t help but tremble under that gaze. Tuoba Zhen waved his hand and said, “All of you go down. Bring up a different group to perform.” Only then did Mo Niang and Tan Yun retreat together, trembling with fear.

Because the earlier dance had been criticized by Princess Anguo, what came next was a martial performance with fighting scenes, accompanied by the most popular theatrical pieces in the capital recently. Princess Anguo watched absent-mindedly, her face showing a half-smiling expression, but she didn’t say a word.

But for some reason, Li Weiyang felt inexplicably uneasy. She glanced behind Princess Anguo—those dozen-plus guards were all there, but among the four black-robed men, Hui Nu was already gone. Her heart gave a sudden thump. She whispered a few words to Bai Zhi. After listening, Bai Zhi quietly went to Princess Yongning’s side and relayed the words to her personal female official. The official went to tell Princess Yongning. After hearing it, she was slightly shocked and quickly ordered people to go out. Then she nodded at Li Weiyang.

Only then did Li Weiyang feel relieved. She wasn’t being benevolent—she just didn’t want any incidents at such a banquet. After all, this was the princess’s banquet—

The martial performers were at an exciting part when a woman came stumbling over and fell to the ground. She raised her head, her face deathly pale—it was unmistakably Tan Yun. She appeared to have suffered a tremendous shock and couldn’t speak clearly.

Princess Yongning’s heart gave a thump as she quickly said, “Why haven’t you helped her up yet!”

But Tan Yun pushed away the person helping her, her voice trembling: “Princess, Princess, save me! Save me!” Everyone’s expressions changed dramatically. They heard her continue, “Mo Niang… Mo Niang she…”

Princess Yongning instinctively stood up and called loudly, “What happened to Mo Niang?” Mo Niang was a regular at her banquets, invited at great expense. Could something actually happen to her at this banquet?

But Tan Yun’s tongue was tied. All her earlier cleverness and composure had turned to nothing. She pointed toward the distant lake, unable to speak. Princess Yongning turned to glance at Li Weiyang. Seeing her expression equally grave, she called loudly, “Let’s go see first!”

The banquet’s host had spoken. Everyone stood up and quickly followed Tan Yun. Only Tan Yun seemed so frightened her legs had gone soft—she was practically carried along the whole way. They hadn’t gone far when they saw a person lying by the lake, motionless. Princess Yongning quickly said, “Hurry and save her!”

Mo Niang was a woman. None of the men dared move. The female officials went at the call, but when they got close, they all stood there like petrified stones.

“What are you all standing there for! Useless!” Princess Yongning shouted angrily while quickly walking forward. The palace maids behind brought red lanterns over. Li Weiyang looked along the lantern light and for a moment, her breathing stopped.

At that moment on the stage over there, the martial performers had been replaced by a female lead. The female lead was just singing, “It’s just that I’m in late spring in Pujun East, behind closed gates in Xiao Temple; flowers fall, water flows red, idle sorrows by the thousand, speechless resentment of the east wind. In secluded places, can anyone walk? The moss is touched by cold, cold white dew.” That soft and lingering singing voice circled mournfully, elegant and melodious, penetrating deep into one’s lungs sound by sound, thread by thread. Winding and circling gently, it drilled out from the garden and blew all the way here. Somehow, it inexplicably made people feel chilled to the bone.

In this music, they saw Mo Niang lying by the lake like a broken doll. The clothing on her body had been cut into strips of cloth. Knife cuts formed wound after wound. The wounds were densely covered with crawling ants. Especially those pair of eyes—they had become two bloody holes. Her originally beautiful eyeballs were actually gone.

Li Weiyang was considered bold, but even she couldn’t help but retreat half a step. Princess Yongning’s face was even paler as she turned away with dry heaves. A nearby female official quickly supported her to the side. Yongning took quite a while to recover. She turned and said, “Go check if she still has breath!”

A bold guard immediately went forward. Shortly after, he came back and said, “She still has breath.”

Yongning’s expression didn’t improve in the slightest. Instead, she appeared even more pallid. Before she could speak, she heard Tuoba Zhen say, “Why haven’t you quickly gone to fetch a physician!”

Seeing Mo Niang’s miserable state, Li Weiyang couldn’t help but frown. Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. Imperial Physician Chen had been invited to the banquet. He had already drunk a bit too much, but now hearing the princess summon him, he quickly washed his face with cold water and rushed over to treat her. Everyone waited a full quarter-hour, but no one dared approach Mo Niang. They could only have a few guards reluctantly carry her to the side.

“How could this happen—” Yongning’s voice was flat and pale, trembling slightly. In the cool breeze, it was like a light, fluttering piece of paper—weak and powerless.

Li Weiyang saw Mo Niang’s lily-like delicate body, her beautiful neck, shoulders, and arms covered with wounds. Her slender waist and beautiful legs were crawling with insects. Those eyes that had been tender as water had been gouged out by someone, yet she still lived on, barely clinging to life. Especially having this appearance exposed to everyone’s eyes—what a cruel thing. Li Weiyang suppressed the churning in her stomach and ordered in a low voice, “Quickly prepare a garment.” Only then did the people nearby react. Someone rushed over and covered Mo Niang’s wounded body with a cloak.

Imperial Physician Chen arrived. When he saw Mo Niang, his legs also went weak. Tuoba Zhen frowned and said, “Why haven’t you quickly gone to treat her?”

Imperial Physician Chen had after all seen countless patients in terrible condition. At this moment, he suppressed the fear in his heart and step by step walked over, crouching down to treat her.

“Imperial Physician Chen, what on earth happened?” Princess Yongning had finally stopped dry heaving but only dared stand far away. At this time, the Ninth Princess, who had gone down to apply medicine, also rushed over. When she saw this scene, her whole body trembled as she clutched Princess Yongning’s arm and wouldn’t let go.

“Master Mo—all the tendons in her limbs and at her waist joints have been severed.”

“What? You’re saying she’s become a paralyzed cripple. But how can there be so many ants in the wounds?” Tuoba Zhen couldn’t help but be shocked. He didn’t understand—Mo Niang was just a dancing girl. Who had such deep hatred with her that they would use such a vicious method, not only gouging out her eyes but also severing all her tendons? For a dancer, what punishment could be more cruel than this? It was even worse than killing her.

“Her wounds… were coated with honey by someone, so they attracted countless ants and other insects.” Imperial Physician Chen said this, his expression also extremely grave. Many noble young ladies watching from not far away were already swaying, frightened by this scene.

“What commotion is this?” At this moment, the crowd suddenly parted and a young woman walked out. These words came out of her mouth one word at a time, her voice extremely crisp and bright.

Li Weiyang turned around and saw Princess Anguo. Her lips were painted with rouge, red as coral. That pair of sweet dimples on her face smiled even more charmingly. Somehow, seeing her smile, Li Weiyang felt a trace of cool wind drill into her sleeves, gently rising like an agile little snake that suddenly bit her body with a small, small bite—the pain was icy and sharp.

Princess Yongning forgot their earlier discord and said in a trembling voice, “Someone severed Mo Niang’s hand and foot tendons, cut her body full of wounds, then coated the wounds with honey to attract ants to bite her all over. I don’t know what kind of person could do such a cruel thing.”

Everyone thought the same—Mo Niang’s pair of beautiful eyes were gone, all the tendons in her body were severed, and she’d been cut with wounds to attract countless ants to gnaw on her. Such pain and itching truly made one unable to live yet unable to die. What kind of deep hatred—to treat a weak woman this way.

“Tsk tsk, how did she get injured so badly?” Princess Anguo leaned forward and glanced at Mo Niang. She muttered in a low voice, “Such a pretty, delicate, pitiable beauty has become like this. If it were me, I’d rather be dead.”

The Ninth Princess looked coldly at Princess Anguo and said angrily, “What did you say?!”

Princess Anguo giggled and said, “I’m saying that if one day I became this ugly, I’d really rather be dead!”

“You—” The Ninth Princess was almost furiously angry, but Li Weiyang suddenly held her back and shook her head at her. The Ninth Princess was stunned. She had never seen Li Weiyang with such an expression—it seemed very stern. The fury in her heart was like being doused with a basin of cold water, leaving only smoke and no fire.

Others hadn’t heard Princess Anguo’s words. Only Princess Yongning, the Ninth Princess, and Li Weiyang, who were standing here, had heard. However, Tuoba Zhen, who had been standing beside Imperial Physician Chen, suddenly turned to look. Princess Anguo immediately showed a coquettish expression: “The bloody smell here is so heavy. It really frightened me. Third Prince, can you accompany me back to the banquet?”

Tuoba Zhen looked at her face imperceptibly, as if wanting to find some trace. But Princess Anguo stared with a pair of innocent large eyes, looking at him guiltlessly. Tuoba Zhen felt inexplicably cold in his heart, but the smile on his face became increasingly composed: “Naturally. Here—leave it to Imperial Physician Chen to handle. Someone, relay my order. Transfer this case to the Capital Magistrate and ask him to fully investigate.”

“Yes.”

Tuoba Zhen accompanied Princess Anguo back. The others standing here also felt the cold wind whistling, so they also returned to the banquet one after another. Only Princess Yongning, the Ninth Princess, and Li Weiyang remained standing here.

“That Princess Anguo is really sinister,” the Ninth Princess said in a low voice.

Li Weiyang looked at Imperial Physician Chen, who was treating Mo Niang’s wounds, and said slowly, “Poor Mo Niang is innocent.”

Princess Yongning merely asked Tan Yun, who was nearly collapsing beside her, “Tell me carefully what happened.”

Tan Yun had just drunk hot tea and was now slightly better. She turned to look and, seeing only Princess Yongning’s trusted people around, trembled as she said, “After leaving the banquet, Mo Niang and I discussed Princess Anguo for a bit. Who knew suddenly, I felt my neck go cold. An icy large hand grabbed me. My whole body went limp. I was thrown onto a rock by that person, hitting my head. I couldn’t move anymore and could only pant heavily. Then I heard Mo Niang call my name loudly, but at the time I couldn’t answer at all. I turned my head and only saw the black-robed man stripping Mo Niang’s clothes completely off. That person’s hand slowly moved from her forehead down to her eyes. His fingers slid back and forth on her eyeballs. I was so frightened I nearly fainted. The other person’s fingers applied just a little pressure, and Mo Niang’s pair of eyeballs were immediately gouged out by him… I should have saved her, but my whole body couldn’t move and I couldn’t say a word. I’m so useless—”

“Such cruel methods indeed.” Li Weiyang looked at Tan Yun’s terrified expression and could almost imagine the terrible scene at that time.

“What about the female official who took you out?” Li Weiyang suddenly asked.

Tan Yun shook her head blankly. “She took us into the garden, pointed out the direction, and went back.” Because they came to the princess’s residence, they couldn’t even bring guards, and even personal maids weren’t there. But who would have thought that in the dignified princess’s residence, they would encounter such danger?

While treating the wounds, Imperial Physician Chen listened to Tan Yun’s description and was secretly shocked. He heard Li Weiyang say, “If Miss Tan didn’t see that person’s appearance, then the only hope lies with Mo Niang.” Imperial Physician Chen also deeply agreed: “I will do my best to save her.” However, as soon as he turned around, he noticed the person beneath him was no longer moving, and her breathing could no longer be heard. Imperial Physician Chen quickly checked her breath—she had already expired. He was greatly shocked and called out, “Oh no, she’s stopped breathing!” This shout was as if his throat had been squeezed.

Li Weiyang quickly stepped forward and indeed saw that the body that had been trembling was now motionless. She suddenly understood something, and her expression began to change.

Princess Yongning didn’t care about being afraid and quickly stepped forward: “What happened? Didn’t you say there was no life-threatening danger?”

Li Weiyang sneered coldly and said, “The other party calculated the timing precisely, both making Mo Niang suffer fully and preventing her from identifying the murderer. Such a cruel person is truly outrageous.” The person who struck was undoubtedly Princess Anguo. If she used such cruel methods to deal with enemies, Li Weiyang wouldn’t say a word of reproach, because if it were her, she would absolutely make her enemies wish they were dead. However, Princess Anguo’s methods were used against Mo Niang, such a weak woman, and moreover, for no reason.

No, perhaps it wasn’t without reason. At that banquet, Mo Niang had sought help from Tuoba Zhen and had also clearly gained Tuoba Zhen’s attention. Princess Anguo’s feelings toward Tuoba Zhen seemed not so simple—Li Weiyang couldn’t help but think that if Princess Anguo would torture a woman so severely for just this reason, her psychology must be extremely narrow and selfish. Not just selfish—simply twisted to the extreme.

It was truly too terrifying—Tan Yun suddenly sat down on the ground, looking at this scene in terror.

The Ninth Princess’s face also showed a horrified expression: “What kind of person is so vicious?” She glanced at Li Weiyang and probed, “Was it just now that—I’ll go find her!”

Li Weiyang waved her hand but said, “Ninth Princess, you must not provoke her. Don’t even look at her. Once the banquet ends later, immediately return to the palace.”

The Ninth Princess was clearly indignant: “Why should I fear her?! She’s just a foreign princess. This is still Great Li, not Yuexi!”

If it came to real blades and open confrontation, no one would fear anyone. But what if the other party used sinister and ruthless methods? Like treating Mo Niang today? Who would lose and who would gain? Li Weiyang didn’t pay attention to the Ninth Princess. She merely glanced at Tan Yun and said to Princess Yongning, “Please send people to protect Miss Tan well.”

“You mean?” Princess Yongning couldn’t help but be alarmed. Would the other party strike at Tan Yun too? “But why?”

Li Weiyang sighed and slowly shook her head: “It’s just speculation. Princess, just be careful.” If Mo Niang was implicated because of Tuoba Zhen’s plea for mercy, then what about Tan Yun? Would the other party spare her? But if they wanted her dead, why not finish her off just now? Why let her see such a tragic scene? Princess Anguo’s thoughts were truly difficult to fathom.

“Miss Tan, from today onward, stay in the princess’s residence. Don’t return for now. I’ll send people to protect you.” The princess said this, but Tan Yun seemed to hear nothing, staring vacantly at her friend’s corpse with empty eyes, clearly lost in her own thoughts. Princess Yongning repeated it again before she nodded violently as if frightened.

“Sister Weiyang, she seems a bit abnormal,” the Ninth Princess whispered. Li Weiyang nodded. Tan Yun had always been a strong and proud person—this could be seen from the earlier banquet. Witnessing her friend’s tragic death while she alone survived was itself a form of torture. Moreover, from the looks of it, the other party might not truly spare her.

After the banquet, she heard there would be another small feast in the palace, but Li Weiyang no longer planned to attend. She excused herself on grounds of feeling unwell and took her leave. When boarding the carriage, Tuoba Zhen was standing on the other side, watching Li Weiyang get into the carriage. At this moment, a charming voice rang out: “Third Prince, what are you looking at?”

Tuoba Zhen turned around. The beautiful Princess Anguo stood behind him, her pair of beautiful eyes sparkling as she stared at him intently: “Nothing, Princess. His Majesty is still waiting for you.”

Princess Anguo smiled and looked thoughtfully in Li Weiyang’s direction: “Third Prince seems quite concerned about this Princess Imperial?” Between her words, there was a faint hint of probing.

Tuoba Zhen sneered and said, “Princess arrived late and doesn’t yet know Princess Imperial Anping’s character. If you knew, you would also be very concerned about her.”

Princess Anguo smiled charmingly: “Oh, really? Why doesn’t Third Prince tell me about it?”

Tuoba Zhen’s smile became increasingly refined and elegant: “Naturally, as long as the Princess wishes to hear—” He had vaguely guessed Princess Anguo’s feelings toward him, and at the same time, he was considering what benefits a marriage alliance could bring. Indeed, Princess Anguo was Empress Pei of Yuexi’s biological daughter. The renowned General Pei was her maternal grandfather. If he married her, plus with Nanjiang between Great Li and Yuexi, and Nanjiang and Great Li being quite at odds, the most obvious benefit of this marriage would be helping Great Li restrain Nanjiang. He would naturally become a pivotal figure before the Emperor. However, Mo Niang’s tragic state just now made him feel inexplicably uneasy.

What he wanted to marry was a gentle, agreeable princess who would submit to his control, not an arrogantly willful little demon to the point of being outrageous. This Princess Anguo appeared incomparably gentle, incomparably innocent, incomparably lovely, but if Mo Niang truly was killed by her, her mindset was very frightening. To eat the mutton but still attract trouble—he wasn’t that foolish. If Princess Anguo was a hot potato, he wouldn’t necessarily obediently take her.

Li Weiyang returned all the way to the Li family residence before asking Zhao Yue, “Is the injury on your face serious?”

Zhao Yue shook her head: “Miss, today this slave—” She clearly wanted to explain today’s events. Li Weiyang looked at her quietly: “Do you recognize that man with the scar on his face?”

Zhao Yue hesitated, then nodded. However, Li Weiyang saw what seemed to be fear in her eyes. She sighed and said, “You don’t dare to speak?”

Zhao Yue lowered her head, not even daring to look at Li Weiyang. She had originally been sent to protect Li Minde but was given to Li Weiyang instead. At the beginning, she thought Li Minde was the master, but now, she had unconsciously been won over by Li Weiyang and willingly followed by her side. But regarding some matters, some people, she was fearful from the depths of her heart. She didn’t dare even mention them. Even thinking of that person’s name made her tremble involuntarily.

“If she doesn’t dare speak, let me speak.” Just then, a tall, young man walked in from outside—dressed in moon-white brocade robes, with a face like jade and expressive eyes that, once seen, one couldn’t look away from.

Li Weiyang looked at him and smiled: “You’re finally willing to appear?” For three consecutive days, Li Minde hadn’t shown himself, only sending a message saying he still had matters to handle.

“The disaster star has arrived in the capital. I always need to make some preparations. But before I could prepare properly, I heard you encountered her.” Li Minde sighed.

“Disaster star?” Li Weiyang raised her eyebrows slightly. “You mean Princess Anguo?”

Li Minde sighed: “If it were only her alone, it wouldn’t be much trouble.”

Li Weiyang looked at him—he truly seemed somewhat troubled. She couldn’t help but smile: “Are you afraid they’ll discover your identity?”

Li Minde spontaneously went to sit beside her, his long eyelashes blinking as if seriously considering: “Yes, these people are all very troublesome—otherwise, it would be better to kill them all.”

Li Weiyang saw he was indeed seriously considering the feasibility of this approach. She smiled slightly: “I’m afraid it’s not that easy. Today I saw that just around Princess Anguo, there were four top-level experts.”

Li Minde nodded: “That’s the crux of the problem. The question you asked Zhao Yue just now—I can answer it for you. Do you know about death warriors?”

Death warriors? Li Weiyang naturally knew. Generals, nobles, and lords of various countries all focused on cultivating death warrior groups as their primary military force. Because these secret people were quite sharp and domineering tools in both political situations and battlefields, capable of influencing many seemingly irreversible political situations. For instance, the batch dispatched when dealing with the Jiang family in the Northern Desert—those were death warriors.

“Death warriors indeed exist in every country, but Yuexi’s death warriors are particularly different. Legend has it that three hundred years ago in Yuexi, there was a grandmaster of martial arts named Xie Jing. He had an ancestral military manual whose content was bold and sweeping, very suitable for battlefield charges and battlefield melee combat. Moreover, the moves were concise—every move deadly. This military manual accidentally came into the hands of the Yuan clan. The Yuan clan had originally been just an ordinary wealthy family, but the family head Yuan Tiankang absorbed the military tactics’ essentials and trained an elite force of ten thousand men. Their combat effectiveness was outstanding, their strength astonishing. Moreover, Yuan Tiankang, through training, summarized a set of training methods for elite troops. This unique training method required five to ten years. There was a strict elimination system—selecting one from every ten. But once soldiers were trained to completion, their combat effectiveness was absolutely outstanding. In battle formations, they charged like tigers into wolf packs, swiftly cutting down enemies beneath their horses with extraordinary might. In the past, this force was invincible in every battle and was called the Entrapping Formation Army by people.”

“Entrapping Formation Army?” Li Weiyang repeated this name, showing a slightly confused expression. “Why have I never heard of it?”

Li Minde smiled: “The legend of the Entrapping Formation Army is only known best by the Yuexi imperial family. Outsiders only know this force was invincible, but exactly how formidable it was, no one can fathom. It can be said that in the Yuan clan’s ten-year war against the Yuexi previous dynasty’s Jin clan, the Entrapping Formation Army played a pivotal role. They once used an extremely small force of one thousand elite cavalry to fiercely charge enemy formations, ultimately routing the Jin clan’s two thousand elite cavalry. They also once relied on three thousand Entrapping Formation Army soldiers with four thousand infantry support to break through the Jin clan’s one hundred thirty thousand-strong army, beheading twenty-four Jin clan generals, reaching directly to the Jin Emperor’s imperial tent, pursuing the scattered Jin clan troops all the way to the Yuexi imperial capital, and ultimately seizing the throne.”

Li Weiyang knew every founding emperor had their own ace troops, but did such a formidable secret force truly exist in the world? It sounded truly like an Arabian Nights tale.

Li Minde had said half, then casually lifted the brocade quilt Bai Zhi had just covered her with: “Is your foot better?”

Li Weiyang was listening with interest and wanted to urge him to continue, but he said, “Is that medicinal paste really so effective?”

Li Weiyang smiled: “Since it’s something you gave me, naturally it cures illness immediately. Hurry and continue.”

Li Minde laughed heartily: “Why so anxious?” He beckoned to Mo Zhu, who had been standing to the side without moving, and took the porcelain bowl from her hand. He looked at it and said, “Gold thread bird’s nest is appropriate for your condition, but if it’s cold, it won’t be effective. Eat it first, then I’ll tell you more.”

Li Weiyang had never liked such overly sweet things. Moreover, the physician had added medicine to it, so the smell was even stranger. Who knew Li Minde would push the brocade quilt aside and sit on the bed: “I’ll feed you.”

Li Weiyang was slightly shocked: “No need. I’ll do it myself.”

Li Minde acted as if nothing was amiss, smiling: “Between you and me, why stand on ceremony? If you don’t eat, I won’t speak.”

The spoon was brought to her lips. Li Weiyang only took a small sip before urging him to continue. Li Minde sighed and tasted the bird’s nest himself, also frowning: “It really is too sweet.”

Li Weiyang frowned and took the bird’s nest from his hand: “Such a precious force—no wonder they could only train ten thousand men. Then, after seizing the throne, where did all these people go?”

Li Minde smiled: “This kind of army is incomparably precious. In regular battles, they generally can’t bear to deploy them to the battlefield, but they also can’t just let them gather together like this. So the Yuexi founding emperor thought of a method—extracting these ten thousand men specially from the troops to serve as the Emperor’s personal army, the imperial guards, taking charge of protection, assassination, secret operations, and other tasks. Therefore, almost every Entrapping Formation Army soldier, to ordinary ministers, can be called a kind of terrifying existence. Because their appearance meant the Emperor had begun to suspect you and wanted to eliminate you.”

Li Weiyang looked at Zhao Yue, who kept her head lowered: “Then Zhao Yue and Zhao Nan, they—”

Li Minde blinked and continued: “Listen to me finish. Although this batch of people were all dispersed, quite a few among them gradually committed acts of betrayal against the imperial family. The Yuan clan expended great effort to eliminate the traitors among them one by one. So later, the Yuexi imperial family believed that although the Entrapping Formation Army was powerful, they had already been adults when training began, all with their own families and backgrounds. Therefore, psychologically they weren’t stable enough, not loyal enough. Keeping them close always carried the possibility of backlash. So they found another way, abandoning adults with independent thoughts and specially selecting children with potential to become Entrapping Formation Army members.”

Hearing his narration, Li Weiyang couldn’t help but freeze. Her gaze fell on Zhao Yue and she discovered her spine had begun to tremble slightly. So that was it. The so-called Yuexi death warriors were fundamentally selected from orphans. Li Minde continued. The children the Yuexi imperial family selected ranged from eleven or twelve years old at the oldest to five or six at the youngest. They gathered them together, isolated them from the world, and conducted cruel elimination training. Those who qualified had the seven emotions and six desires ground away, becoming specialized killing tools while ensuring absolute loyalty. The original Entrapping Formation Army gradually became less secret and terrifying. Individual soldier strength also gradually declined significantly. They slowly withdrew from the underground stage and increasingly became specialized guards. But an even more terrifying existence had been produced—this type of killing tool trained from childhood was called Yuexi death warriors.

Seeing Zhao Yue’s body trembling even more violently, Li Weiyang said gently, “Zhao Yue, you may withdraw first.”

Zhao Yue’s body shook, then she quietly stood up and withdrew without looking back. Li Weiyang noticed that while she had been here, she seemed extremely tense—even her back was damp with sweat.

“I feel that Zhao Yue and Zhao Nan aren’t that kind of cold-hearted, emotionless death warriors,” Li Weiyang said in a low voice, watching Zhao Yue’s retreating figure.

Li Minde nodded: “They’re not. Their grandfather was once an outstanding general of the Entrapping Formation Army, sent to participate in death warrior training. So although they both received death warrior training, strictly speaking, they’re not true death warriors.”

“No wonder Zhao Yue showed such a terrified expression when she saw that man with the knife scar on his face today. I guess those four people beside Princess Anguo are true death warriors. The reason Zhao Yue fears them so much is because she personally witnessed their elimination process and knows how terrifying those people are.” Li Weiyang made an accurate judgment.

Li Minde’s face showed a half-smiling expression, looking helpless: “Yes, the Yuexi imperial family trained such a batch of monsters. It’s truly difficult not to be frightened.”

Li Weiyang was curious: “Are they really that formidable?”

Li Minde’s amber eyes carried a trace of coldness: “Do you believe that after secret training, even a ten-year-old child can easily kill an adult with one punch?”

Li Weiyang stared at Li Minde in surprise, almost thinking he was exaggerating: “Do you know what kind of secret training that is?”

Li Minde thought for a moment: “Every person is born with a kind of hidden power, but it’s often only activated when encountering danger. Death warrior training mobilizes their self-control and endurance through various unimaginable methods. However—this level is something Zhao Yue and the others can’t achieve.”

Li Weiyang pondered thoughtfully: “It seems it’s not a disaster star that arrived, but a death star. What you said just now—apart from Princess Anguo, there are others who came together. You’re referring to Yuexi’s Fourth Prince, His Highness the Prince of Yan, aren’t you?”

Li Minde nodded: “Yes, that’s truly a great disaster star. I speculate his purpose in coming this time is to eliminate me. And behind him is Yuexi’s Empress Pei.”

In the palace, the sound of the night drum came from afar. In the warm pavilion far from the main hall, the Emperor wore casual clothes, holding a memorial in his hand, his expression slightly weary. Consort Lian at his side perceptively offered ginseng tea, observing his mood: “Your Majesty, rest for a while.”

After giving birth and completing her confinement month, Consort Lian’s body had become even more voluptuous and her appearance even more beautiful. Her position in the palace was currently unmatched. But at this moment, even she couldn’t soothe the Emperor’s anxious heart. The Emperor took the tea cup but didn’t drink. His gaze remained glued to the memorial. From Consort Lian’s angle, that memorial was incomparably luxurious gold-purple, with a phoenix bathing in fire totem drawn in the lower right corner.

“Your Majesty, is there something wrong with this memorial?” Consort Lian asked with concern.

“This is Yuexi’s state letter.” The Emperor sighed.

Consort Lian couldn’t help but be shocked. They had just entertained Yuexi’s Princess Anguo tonight. In her view, she was just an overly pampered little girl. Only that Yuexi Fourth Prince who came with her, claiming ill health, couldn’t attend the feast. But since the envoys had arrived and Yuexi had presented a state letter, so solemnly—she didn’t know what important matter could make His Majesty so grave.

The Emperor set the tea cup aside, sighed gently, and murmured, “Among the princes, who can marry Anguo?”

Consort Lian’s face showed a shocked expression. She glanced lightly at that memorial: “Your Majesty, you really shouldn’t ask your concubine such questions.”

The Emperor smiled: “Since it’s marriage, it’s a family matter. There’s nothing I can’t ask. You tell me what you think.”

Consort Lian smiled: “So-called beauty matches hero—naturally the Seventh Prince is worthy of matching her.” If he could possess the Yuexi imperial family’s power, Tuoba Yu’s strength would greatly increase. Of course, from the small banquet the Emperor held tonight, the other party was somewhat willful, but wasn’t the Ninth Princess the same? There was nothing strange about it. Once married, even the most unruly little spitfire had to become a docile flower. This was what Consort Lian believed. So she wishfully acted as matchmaker for Tuoba Yu.

The Emperor sighed: “I’ve already tested Seventh Brother’s intentions. He’s unwilling. Because of his mother consort’s matter, I’m somewhat sorry toward him. Regarding marriage, let him marry whoever he likes.” There were some things that he as Emperor actually knew. He had once heard secret agents report that although Yuexi’s Princess Anguo was talented, beautiful, and of noble birth, her virtue was lacking and her temperament cruel. Such a spirited mare wasn’t something ordinary people could control. He had always valued Tuoba Yu highly. Marrying such a woman home would instead bring him trouble.

It could be said that in this matter, Consort Lian and the Emperor had different ulterior motives. Most importantly, the information they each received wasn’t equal. Therefore, when Consort Lian heard this, she was immediately stunned. Among the civil and military officials in the entire court who were worthy of Princess Anguo, thinking it over, there were only those few people. But hearing the Emperor’s meaning just now, he clearly didn’t want Tuoba Yu to go. Then who else… She calculated in her heart while cautiously answering, “The Crown Prince currently lacks a principal consort—”

The Emperor sneered coldly: “Inappropriate.” He was already planning to depose the Crown Prince, merely seeking an appropriate opportunity. If he married Princess Anguo to him, wouldn’t that disrupt the overall situation?

Consort Lian’s heart slowly sank. Although she had taken revenge on the Jiang family, after that incident, she understood very clearly that she had been targeted by the Crown Prince and Tuoba Zhen, especially Tuoba Zhen—could the Emperor want Tuoba Zhen to marry Princess Anguo? In the Crown Prince’s hands, Princess Anguo could only exert fifty percent of her effect, but if she became the Third Prince’s consort, that would be big trouble. She said gently, “If Your Majesty finds it difficult, why not select another outstanding candidate, enfeoff him with a title, and send him for the marriage alliance?”

The Emperor shook his head: “Without foundation, he could never match an imperial princess. Now, the only truly suitable candidate remaining is the Third Prince.”

Consort Lian frowned but didn’t dare say another word. Just now she had deliberately bypassed the Third Prince—it was already too obvious. If the Emperor saw through her thoughts, wouldn’t that be dangerous?

The Emperor’s eyes shifted slightly. Suddenly he sighed again: “So be it. I see Princess Anguo has been staring at the Third Prince. She must have taken a liking to him. This marriage isn’t bad either.”

Consort Lian felt stifled in her heart. Tuoba Zhen was truly the most cunning person she had ever seen—more tenacious than a wolf, more cunning than a fox. On the surface, he always smiled warmly, appearing very amiable, but the things he did were each more vicious than the last. If he gained Princess Anguo, wouldn’t it be like adding wings to a tiger? To eliminate him then wouldn’t be so easy. She smiled, deciding in her heart to immediately seek out Li Weiyang to discuss how to resolve this matter. But she said, “Since you’ve already decided on the marriage alliance candidate, why are you still so worried?”

The Emperor shook his head disapprovingly, subconsciously extending two fingers to lightly tap the tabletop, one tap after another, unhurried and steady. This sound actually made Consort Lian’s heart skip a beat. After a moment, the Emperor finally stopped tapping the table and spoke: “There’s also Yuexi’s Prince of Yan.”

“Prince of Yan?” Consort Lian couldn’t help but say in shock, “What about the Prince of Yan?” Yuexi’s princes were different from Great Li’s. After each came of age and established their residences, they were directly enfeoffed as princes. For instance, this Prince of Yan was Yuexi’s Fourth Prince.

“Since the other side is willing to send a princess over, I naturally need to select an appropriate candidate to send over.”

Consort Lian was stunned: “Your meaning is—His Highness the Prince of Yan also wants to marry a princess consort?”

The Emperor snorted but showed some amusement: “Correct.” He paused, then said, “However, this candidate is even more difficult to choose.”

Consort Lian immediately showed a very curious expression.

The Emperor indeed explained: “Originally Little Nine was the most suitable candidate, but unfortunately she’s already been promised to someone and will marry soon. To rashly break the engagement wouldn’t be easy to explain to Duke Luoguo’s residence! Among the princesses, there are no other suitable candidates. If we’re talking about matching status, only one person remains—”

Consort Lian’s heart gave a thump. She said hesitantly, “Your Majesty is wise and brilliant. You surely already have a candidate in mind. But in your concubine’s view, the candidate sent to Yuexi must be carefully considered. After all, if it’s an ordinary person, Yuexi might feel slighted…”

The Emperor waved his hand: “No need to say more. My mind is made up.”