Langtou sighed, “If you want to die, go in. I guarantee you’ll be torn to pieces this time!” He was quite curious himself. He wanted to see their leader, somewhat different from usual, to see what he was like when truly excited.
“How am I different from her?” Ge Xinwei leaned against the doorpost, still muttering to herself.
Manhu turned to look at her. Women who fell in love with the leader either became submissive or went insanely obsessed. It seemed Ge Xinwei belonged to the latter category. He shook his head, suddenly feeling a bit sorry for her, because there was no room for love in the leader’s heart.
“Let me tell you how you’re different from her!” Manhu looked into her ice-blue eyes. Undeniably, she was also beautiful. After staring for a while, he said coldly, “You’ve thrown everything away! While she, never!”
On the snow plain.
Qing Yun sat in the tent, discussing military intelligence with General Liao Zhen and other commanders. Miao Jing was also waiting on the side. In the middle of the tent was a two-meter-long, half-meter-wide model of the South Great Desert. Some of the key fortress cities on the snow plain had Cloud Pei flags inserted, while others had Tiandu flags. Ji Hua stood beside the model and said, “Your Majesty, our advance in the vanguard battle has been slow, not achieving the expected effect! It seems Na Zhan thinks the same as us, both wanting to push the other’s battle line inward.”
Liao Zhen also added, “Indeed, we’ve occupied Snow Plain, but they’ve occupied Gua Zhou. The two armies are like gears, mutually restraining each other, neither gaining much advantage!”
Qing Yun sat in his chair, staring at the sand model, silent for a long time.
Soon, a man in black tight-fitting clothes entered. Miao Jing, seeing this man, quickly nodded. The man knelt on one knee and reported, “Your Majesty, news from Fen Tian. Ruo Wen’s main force of 130,000 has broken camp, intercepted the Cloud Pei diplomatic mission from Mizan, and should have returned to Zhun City by now.”
Qing Yun raised an eyebrow, “What diplomatic mission? Na Zhan wouldn’t possibly arrange for envoys to leave the country at this time!”
The man in black replied, “Your Majesty, it seems Queen Guanying of Cloud Pei was on a diplomatic mission to Mizan, apparently for peace talks. However, she was intercepted by Ruo Wen before even reaching You Zhou!”
“What!” Upon hearing this, Qing Yun’s palm slammed down on the table beside him, veins bulging on the back of his hand. “Na Zhan…” he called out Na Zhan’s name, unable to contain his anger.
Miao Jing and Liao Zhen were stunned. One controlled the Mang Flow and knew a little about Qing Yun and Huang Beishuang’s affairs, while the other had personally witnessed the once-ridiculed White Horse Exchange. So when they heard the name of Queen Guanying, they felt something was amiss.
“Na Zhan…” Qing Yun’s face could barely conceal his fury. “If you want to fight, then fight. How dare he use a woman in his schemes! She is my woman.”
Ji Hua, standing nearby, was confused and replied naively, “Your… Your Majesty, she’s not your woman, she’s Na Zhan’s woman! She’s his wife!”
Qing Yun glared at him fiercely, then suddenly stood up. “Miao Jing, bring him out! I want to use him now!”
Miao Jing was shocked, “Your Majesty, according to the plan, it should be after breaking through the pass…” Before he could finish, Qing Yun’s glare silenced him.
Striding to the sand model, Qing Yun began pulling out the small Cloud Pei flags one by one. “Write to King Zhan, the Three Queens, both sides for peace talks. The third-party mediator is named Na Yanxing. If he refuses the talks, behead the mediator immediately!” After saying this, he turned and sat in his chair. “Miao Jing, send all the Mang Flow people to the east. Although the chances are slim, if there’s any opportunity, find a way to get her out for me!”
“I obey your command!” Miao Jing’s eyes focused, and he turned to run out of the tent.
Only Ji Hua and Liao Zhen were left, looking at each other in bewilderment.
What I want, I won’t give up a single thing,
What I want, I won’t compromise even once!
In early 332 CE, Tiandu and Cloud Pei went to war, cutting through the desert from north to south. Nearly 400,000 commanders were engaged in chaotic battles. The first battle ended in a draw, causing the Weak Water to shift and the Dry Sea’s quicksand to engulf seven small oases. Seven million refugees fled for their lives, mostly eastward. King You Guang of Mizan watched the tigers fight from the mountain, not participating in the war, and predicted in the Repay Wishes Palace that this war would inevitably last a thousand days without result. However, this was a mistake.
In less than ten days, the two countries held talks, and each army retreated ten miles. The reason was unclear, with the only common point in the intelligence reports being a name: Guanying!
Chapter 12: By the Bridge of No Return
Between Snow Plain and Gua Zhou, the yellow earth and withered sand had forgotten time, layer upon layer rising and falling, silently carving new moons in the desolate gaze of people across the desert’s hills and trenches. As far as the eye could see, it was as vast and magnificent as the sea. However, no matter how ingenious nature’s work is, what moves heaven and earth most in this world is always people – those densely packed, ant-like people, not to mention those outstanding individuals among them, and the turmoil they cause.
“Exchange national flags!” A high-pitched voice commanded.
Before the two armies, a splendid tent had been set up at some point. Two burly soldiers, faces full of hostility, carrying flags weighing at least several dozen kilograms, walked toward each other with fierce gazes. They reluctantly bowed to each other and exchanged the flags in their hands – the Tiandu flag and the Cloud Pei flag.
The master of ceremonies was a middle-aged man from Weak Water. Seeing that both sides had completed the flag exchange ceremony, he shouted again, “Destroy the flag and fall, return the flag, and prosper! Please welcome the third-party witness, Mr. Na Yanxing!” As he finished speaking, about thirty people from the Tiandu military gate pushed out a thin young man. The young man had regular features with a scholarly air, looking very nervous. He was pushed forward until he reached the splendid tent. He kept his head down, neither looking at Tiandu on the left nor Cloud Pei on the right. He just stood there alone and powerless, completely out of place among the army and the angry faces.
Seeing him in position, the master of ceremonies shouted again, “The drum will sound three times and then cease. We respectfully invite the kings of both countries to take their seats!”
Then, beneath the yellow sand, amidst the fierce wind, boom—! Boom—! Boom—! Three muffled drum beats brought forth King Zhan Na Zhan of Cloud Pei and King Jing Tian Huo Qing Yun of Tiandu, approaching from south and north, their presence commanding in all directions. One was in bright red attire, the other in a black robe and sturdy shoes, their footprints on the ground were deep and fierce, their gazes at each other angry yet profound.
“Please be seated!” Seeing these two outstanding men standing before him, Na Yanxing couldn’t help but shrink back a little.
Na Zhan turned his head slightly, looking at this thin young man with an ambiguous gaze, while Qing Yun smiled and sat down first.
“I don’t consider him a neutral third party!” Na Zhan sat down subsequently, looking at Qing Yun.
“If you want to put it that way, fine. After all, he was also born in the Guanghan Palace!” Qing Yun leaned back, interlocking his hands.
Na Zhan’s eyes turned cold, “I’m very curious, what else do you know?”
Qing Yun looked at him, “I hope we can get to the main point quickly!”
Na Zhan raised an eyebrow, “Let’s hear it then!”