“Cough, cough, cough…” Yun Poxing coughed incessantly from anxiety. “Such fierce methods will surely backfire in the future! Cough, cough, cough!”

“My dear General!” The Xiliang Empress turned to look at Yun Poxing, her voice indifferent, her expression grave, her eyes filled with desolation. “If things continue like this, will Xiliang even have a future? As long as Xiliang can survive, no matter how it might backfire in the future, even if it sends me to hell… I will have done right by Xiliang’s subjects, by the late emperor, and by our ancestors!”

The Xiliang Empress hesitated no longer and ordered all imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau to go to Shou’an Palace – the Empress Dowager was gravely ill… requesting the Zhai family, one of the eight great families and the Empress Dowager’s maternal relatives, to enter the palace immediately.

The Xiliang Empress knew that if the Empress Dowager was dying and the Zhai family members all entered the palace, the eight great families would surely be unable to sit still and would follow them into the palace to pay their respects.

She had already ordered that news of Princess Pingyang’s arrest not be spread. Once the people of the eight great families entered the palace… they shouldn’t expect to leave.

Yun Poxing said nothing, having never felt such terror before…

Xiliang was already tottering in wind and rain, yet the capital Yun Capital was brewing a new storm. This empress who had been on the throne for several years, dedicated to implementing new policies, was finally going to deal with the trouble close at hand.

Yun Poxing’s second son, Yun Lingzhi, received orders from the palace and led men on horseback, racing to the palace gates to ask Xiao Ruohai and his group to follow him to the Huoyun Army camp.

Yun Lingzhi guessed that since his father dared let him bring the Great Zhou envoy’s people to the Huoyun Army camp, he must have already made preparations. He only needed to delay a little time, taking them on a detour to give the camp time to spirit Yun Lan away.

The Bai family guards accompanying Xiao Ruohai were brothers who had retired from the Huying Battalion after being wounded. As long as they walked through the Huoyun Army once, if there were any Bai family army members, they would surely be recognized.

After all, the Huying Battalion was the sharp arrow of the Bai family army – there weren’t that many in total…

If the one training the Huying Battalion was the Bai family’s young general, there would be no question – they would all recognize each other.

Xiao Ruohai led his men on horseback, following Yun Lingzhi toward the Huoyun Army camp. When they reached a three-way fork in the mountain path and saw that Yun Lingzhi seemed to want to lead them on a detour, Xiao Ruohai reined in his horse.

Yun Lingzhi turned his horse around, smiling as he cupped his hands toward Xiao Ruohai: “Is the lord tired and wishes to rest?”

“Not exactly tired…” Xiao Ruohai’s lips curved in a slight smile as he pointed with his black gold horse whip toward the rightmost path. “Lord Yun seems to have taken the wrong road – going this way would be closer.”

Alarm bells rang in Yun Lingzhi’s mind. He had only received his father’s order to bring the Great Zhou envoy’s people to the Huoyun Army camp, but didn’t know… that these Great Zhou people had already figured out the location of the Huoyun Army.

Yun Lingzhi’s heart skipped a beat, wondering if these Great Zhou people had already discovered Yun Lan’s identity.

His original plan was to lead the Great Zhou people onto this most treacherous path – if the people sent by Great Zhou accidentally fell to their deaths, there would be fewer people able to search for someone at the Huoyun Army camp, and when night fell… it would be even harder to find anyone. Who would have thought these Great Zhou people actually knew the way? He couldn’t help feeling somewhat panicked.

The current Xiliang couldn’t afford to offend Great Zhou. If the Great Zhou people had already grasped the location of the Huoyun Army camp and knew Yun Lan’s identity, if they couldn’t find Yun Lan today, wouldn’t that bring trouble to Xiliang?!

Yun Lingzhi was deeply worried but didn’t show it on his face, smiling as he said: “This path is indeed closer, but the road is somewhat rough, especially one section with a cliff on one side – quite dangerous. This other path, though it takes a slight detour… the journey is somewhat more level! It’s my fault for not explaining to the lord beforehand. According to the lord’s preference… which path would be suitable?”

Having achieved his purpose of testing Yun Lingzhi, Xiao Ruohai no longer insisted, saying: “Then let’s follow Lord Yun’s suggestion. Please lead the way, Lord Yun!”

Yun Lingzhi smiled in agreement, pulling the reins to turn his horse around and lead the way at the front, his hands gripping the reins slick with sweat.

Once they entered the small path lined with tall trees, layers of green overlapping branches and dense foliage blocked out the sky and sun. It was so deep and dark it seemed endless, with only occasional points of golden light filtering through gaps, creating dappled patterns on the dim, cool path.

Following Yun Lingzhi at a gallop, they could see the bright light at the end of the forest path growing larger in the distance, but Yun Lingzhi’s horse actually slowed down.

Emerging from the forest path, golden light blazed so brightly it was blinding. The verdant forest trail was left behind, and the path ahead became narrower… and extremely treacherous. The horses walked very cautiously, but still couldn’t avoid slipping, sending loose stones clattering down the cliff face in a terrifying manner.

Xiao Ruohai glanced at Yun Lingzhi’s back, then turned to observe the surrounding environment. This mountain, with its steep cliff walls, was indeed a good place for training the Huying Battalion.

He quietly sketched a mental map of this Luoxia Mountain in Xiliang, in case it might be useful if they truly went to war with Xiliang in the future – no, it would definitely be useful.

After walking along this cliff position for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they finally saw signs of the narrow path widening ahead. Both horses and men were drenched in sweat from the scorching sun, parched and exhausted.

When the group reached the wider path, none of the Great Zhou people had fallen off the cliff, which was quite beyond Yun Lingzhi’s expectations. To delay time, he slowed his pace again and rode alongside Xiao Ruohai: “Lord, shall we rest a bit?”

“It would be better to reach the Huoyun Army camp quickly! If Lord Yun is tired… you may rest here.” Xiao Ruohai had already thoroughly familiarized himself with the terrain. “I’m not entirely unfamiliar with the route either. Lord Yun could give the token to your subordinates, and we can proceed on our own.”

Yun Lingzhi could only smile: “Not at all. I was worried that the distinguished lords from Great Zhou might be tired. Since the lord isn’t tired, then let’s quicken our pace and try to arrive before sunset.”

“Please…” Xiao Ruohai made a gesture of invitation.

Yun Lingzhi had no choice but to lead the way. Before long… hidden Huoyun Army sentries blocked Yun Lingzhi’s path. Yun Lingzhi showed his token, and only then was the group allowed to pass.

There were six sentry points in total along the way. After passing the sixth checkpoint, they finally heard the training shouts from the military camp.

Emerging from the downhill forest, the military camp appeared before their eyes. Xiao Ruohai saw that directly opposite the camp, on the cliff face turned fire-red by the setting sun’s afterglow… like flames burning on the precipice, hundreds of soldiers were rappelling down from the cliff face using ropes, densely packed. One group of soldiers rushed down, followed immediately by a second group rappelling from the cliff, moving as fast as eagles swooping for prey, so fierce it was shocking.

This… was undoubtedly the Bai family army’s Huying Battalion!

“Lord Xiao!” A Bai family guard who had formerly served in the Huying Battalion pulled on his reins and moved forward, his blood surging with excitement as he stared intently at Xiao Ruohai, wishing he could charge in right now to see if any of their Huying Battalion generals were still alive!

“I wonder, what is the name of the general who trains this Huoyun Army?”