Gong Yin’s expression suddenly tightened.
Beside the carriage, Meng Hu looked puzzled, muttering to himself: “Hundred-li royal welcome! Is this custom still practiced? Why are they doing this out of the blue? And why isn’t it Xiang Kingdom who came?”
“What does it mean?” Jing Hengbo poked her head out and saw a black formation in the distance charging toward them like an angry dragon.
“‘When phoenixes appear in the mortal realm, dragons and tigers stir the winds and clouds. Fourteen colorful envoys travel thousands of li without complaint to welcome,'” Meng Hu said solemnly. “This is one of the ancient customs of Dahuang for welcoming royalty. Previously, when a reincarnated Queen first entered the royal city before ascending the throne, the six kingdoms and eight tribes under Dahuang were supposed to send envoys in colorful robes to welcome her. Though welcoming for a thousand li is an exaggeration, they could welcome for a hundred li, with the six kingdoms and eight tribes connecting their horses in relays, one route following another, until the royal procession reached the capital, exactly fourteen envoys in total.”
As he spoke, the squad of black-clad cavalry stopped ten zhang away from the convoy. The leading knight raised his arm with a flourish, and a black flag with golden trim was thrust into the earth. The large black brocade banner unfurled with a whoosh, revealing a golden eagle with wings spread like a canopy and talons sharp as iron.
The knights lined up on both sides of the road, slightly bowing on horseback. From a distance, their chins formed a perfectly straight line, and sunlight passed through the silver pieces on their helmets, casting brilliant silver light.
“The six kingdoms use their rulers’ surnames as their national names. This is a guard squad sent by Yi Kingdom. Yi Kingdom’s territory borders the Shennong Swamp, which produces hallucinogenic grass and heavenly mechanism mud, both having shape-changing and appearance-altering effects. Thus, Yi Kingdom people are famous for transformation and enchantment.” Meng Hu introduced, pointing to a fierce-looking bearded man at the front of the formation. “Your Majesty, tell me, is this person male or female?”
“Obviously male.”
“Yi Kingdom’s Black Eagle Envoy greets Your Majesty.” The bearded man spoke, his voice tender and sweet, even giving Jing Hengbo a coquettish wink.
Jing Hengbo’s head banged against the carriage wall.
Meng Hu pointed to another guard with a graceful figure, bright eyes, peach-blossom cheeks, and skin so delicate it seemed it would break at a touch, asking Jing Hengbo: “What about this one, Your Majesty?”
“Male!” Jing Hengbo simply chose the most unlikely answer.
“Female,” Meng Hu’s answer made Jing Hengbo’s eyes widen in fury. Just as she was about to scold him for toying with her, Meng Hu said matter-of-factly: “But she’s probably already fifty years old. Look at her neck…”
Jing Hengbo lifted her skirt and was about to jump out of the carriage. “Quick, quick! I need to ask her for beauty preservation secrets…”
Meng Hu quickly pulled her back with swift reflexes, telling her: “The Yi tribe’s appearance alteration isn’t as wonderful as you imagine. For every year younger the face becomes, the body ages one year. Would you want that?”
Jing Hengbo thought about the layers of hanging skin on that young, beautiful female guard’s body and shuddered, settling back down.
“What about this one?” Meng Hu pointed to an ordinary-looking tall young man.
Jing Hengbo looked for a long time and answered confidently: “A hermaphrodite!”
“…That’s a child, no more than ten years old.”
“Monster people!” Jing Hengbo clung to the carriage window and lamented, feeling that the place she was going to was abnormal in every way.
Meng Hu smiled dismissively. This was nothing—Yi Kingdom was merely one of the weaker kingdoms among the six kingdoms and eight tribes.
The carriage convoy passed through the guard formation, and the bearded female guard waved her hand. The guards lining the roadside silently merged into the escort group, following at the rear of the convoy.
“They will escort the royal procession all the way to the royal city,” Meng Hu explained.
Just as this group joined the convoy, a green whirlwind was already rolling in from ahead. Jing Hengbo could see a group of green giants rapidly approaching from afar. When they drew near, she could see clearly that this hundred-man team all wore green tall hats—the shortest was half a chi high, the tallest was a full three chi, topped with green gemstones of various sizes. From a distance, they looked like a bunch of lettuce.
“Meng Kingdom.” Meng Hu’s expression didn’t look good, speaking somewhat stiffly. “Near the Green Swamp, they use the unique ironclad beasts from the Green Swamp as their totem, revering all natural forces and worshipping the color green.”
“Hahahaha green hats!” Jing Hengbo hugged her belly and rolled around in the carriage. “There’s actually a people who love green hats hahaha this world is too fantastical…”
When the green-hatted Meng Kingdom guard squad approached, Jing Hengbo discovered that most of these people were quite short—no wonder they liked wearing tall hats. Moreover, the higher their position, the taller their hats. When the two guard leaders at the front bowed to Jing Hengbo’s carriage from either side, their three-chi-tall green hats banged together with a thud.
Jing Hengbo laughed so hard she nearly fell out of the carriage. Her laughter made Meng Hu’s face turn iron-blue, and he ignored her afterward until a yellow whirlwind rolled in. Only then did he reluctantly say: “Yu Kingdom. Near the Thick Earth Swamp, also the place in Dahuang that produces the most gemstones. Wealthy with lazy folk customs, rich and most fond of causing trouble.”
From far away, Jing Hengbo could hear jingling sounds. A large patch of golden light was rapidly approaching—each person was a mobile golden castle, with golden armor, golden robes, and golden arm guards inlaid with colorful gemstones. Even their scabbards had various bizarre patterns inlaid with gems. Their robes were especially long, dragging on the ground with obvious intention—the longer the hem, the more gemstones could be attached. Every horse walked slowly under the unbearable burden, panting heavily from the weight of luxurious items.
“How do they fight like this?” Jing Hengbo noticed that the guards’ swords were made of gold and was dumbfounded. “Do they pry off the gemstones to use as ransom every time?”
“Your Majesty is wise.”
“…”
When the next formation approached, everyone in the convoy except Jing Hengbo and her few outsiders covered their noses.
“Huh? Why are you covering your noses? Is something wrong?” Jing Hengbo also covered her nose with her sleeve while looking around, seeing a red guard squad rapidly approaching ahead. No tall hats, no golden robes, no gender confusion—they looked perfectly normal.
“Shang Kingdom.” Meng Hu covered his nose, speaking in a muffled voice. “Near the Raging Fire Swamp, which produces various famous medicines for strengthening muscles and bones and treating external injuries. It’s Dahuang’s most renowned medical capital.”
“We need to build good relations with them. Doctors are all important people—who knows when we might need medical treatment.” Jing Hengbo ordered the curtain to be lifted, not noticing the sympathetic looks from everyone.
The red Shang Kingdom colorful envoys were as enthusiastic as their clothing. Seeing the Queen lift the curtain, they rushed forward eagerly. The leading red envoy bowed respectfully, not daring to raise his head.
“Your humble subject… poot… Shang Kingdom Red Envoy Zheng Xiang… poot… greets Her Majesty the Queen… poot… May Your Majesty live for thousands of years… poot… Your virtue reaches all directions… poot…”
The poot poot sounds continued incessantly, and an indescribable odor gradually spread. Jing Hengbo’s face turned iron-blue as she endured the suffocating smell, asking Meng Hu in a low voice: “Tell me… you must tell me… he’s not talking and farting at the same time…”
“Your Majesty is wise.”
Jing Hengbo’s head thunked against the carriage wall.
“Help! Quick, lower the curtain!”
Jing Jun was already vomiting to one side, and Cui Jie crawled over weakly to quickly pull down the curtain.
The Shang Kingdom red envoy’s expression was resentful, but Jing Hengbo was even more resentful.
She discovered that even lowering the curtain couldn’t prevent that strange gas from seeping in, because all the guards in the entire formation were farting. The poot poot sounds sounded like a modern arcade game with high sound effects.
“Though the Raging Fire Swamp produces abundant spiritual medicines, it also has one bad aspect,” Meng Hu finally explained. “The swamp emits a strange aura that, while strengthening the body, causes abdominal bloating if one stays near it too long, leading to easy… gas release.”
Jing Hengbo glared at him furiously, hating his lack of warning. It turned out the seemingly honest guy was the most vicious.
She glanced at Gong Yin and found that guy had somehow put on a strange mask, presumably to block the stench offensive from the Shang Kingdom colorful envoys.
Indeed, like master, like servant!
The Shang Kingdom red envoys were arranged at the very rear of the convoy, still a hundred meters away. When they joined the formation, Jing Hengbo discovered that their red banner actually had a weasel embroidered on it.
…
The formations came one by one, and gradually colorful flags filled both sides of the hundred-li road. Under the lights, they stretched like a colorful dragon, looking quite spectacular.
Throughout this day, Jing Hengbo’s eyeballs had dropped to the ground and never been picked up. Although she hadn’t officially ascended the throne yet, according to strict Dahuang rules, she couldn’t interact with these colorful envoys now. But the distinctively styled six kingdoms and eight tribes of Dahuang were enough to make her “amazed and exhausted.”
Among the six kingdoms, Ji Kingdom was entirely composed of women, living near the highest altitude Heaven-Reaching Swamp. They didn’t ride horses—they rode alpacas!
Of course, they called those beasts camel sheep, supposedly brought back by one of their ancestors who crossed the seas. They successfully bred them near the uniquely climate-conditioned Heaven-Reaching Swamp, and now they had become Ji Kingdom’s main pack animals. There were even mutant camel sheep that not only possessed the original alertness and keen traits of camel sheep, but were also fierce and brave, with the largest specimens capable of fighting lions and tigers.
After discovering the alpacas, Jing Hengbo lay in the carriage crying incessantly: “Give me one! Give me one!” She finally got her wish and obtained a small alpaca, naming it Little Yin Yin, planning to train it as her personal mount.
“Little… Yin Yin?” Meng Hu, who brought over the alpaca, looked puzzled.
“Little Ying Ying.” Jing Hengbo smiled charmingly at him, lovingly hugging the small alpaca. “Hi, Little Yin Yin, good evening!”
Later, eight tribal chase-wind envoys came from afar to welcome them. Floating Water, Sinking Iron, Falling Cloud, and Severing Feather were the upper four tribes; Tortoiseshell, Glazed Glass, Golden, and Jade were the lower four tribes. Jing Hengbo discovered a pattern: the division of tribes and kingdoms in Dahuang was mostly related to the most characteristic swamps in their territories. For example, the upper four tribes’ Floating Water, Sinking Iron, Falling Cloud, and Severing Feather referred to the characteristics of their local swamps. On Floating Water swamps, water couldn’t sink anything—it would float any object. Sinking Iron, Falling Cloud, and Severing Feather, as their names suggested, could dissolve anything that passed through, with even a single hair being strangled by the swamp. As for Golden, Jade, Tortoiseshell, and Glazed Glass, naturally these places produced such treasures. Upon hearing these four names, Jing Hengbo had already ranked them first on her “Must-Visit Dahuang Guide” list.
In one day and night, five kingdoms and eight tribes welcomed her for a hundred li, with thirteen colored banners fluttering along the winding road. Jing Hengbo’s guard convoy had also become a magnificent long procession, quite befitting a queen’s stature.
However, what somewhat displeased her was that although the other side’s ceremony for welcoming the Queen was complete and very grand, they seemed indifferent toward her as the actual person. Those with good attitudes would bow before the carriage, while those with poor attitudes would just circle the carriage and be done with it. Instead, everyone was very deferential to Gong Yin. The thirteen guard leaders surrounded Gong Yin, and that bearded woman’s laughter rang like silver bells incessantly, making Jing Hengbo’s teeth itch with the desire to pluck out every hair of her beard.
Each time they reached a kingdom or tribe, the other party would insert a small colorful flag on the Queen’s carriage shaft. When it was nearly dark, Jing Hengbo counted and said with surprise: “We’re still missing one.”
“We’re still missing the strongest one, Xiang Kingdom, which is closest to the royal city,” Meng Hu replied, his eyes showing worry as he gazed into the night.
“Why didn’t they come?”
“Among the six kingdoms and eight tribes, most appear to be on good terms with the State Preceptor, but there are also restless troublemakers, such as the powerful Xiang Kingdom, which has always wanted to replace the State Preceptor and become the number one power holder in Dahuang Ze.” Meng Hu said. “The old custom of the hundred-li Queen welcome has actually been abandoned for decades. The last five generations of Queens never enjoyed this treatment. Moreover, even if there were a hundred-li Queen welcome, it should follow the order of kingdoms and tribes’ status, either from weak to strong or strong to weak. There’s never been such a disrupted order like this time, let alone Xiang Kingdom being absent for so long. It seems this hundred-li Queen welcome ceremony hasn’t come so simply.”
Jing Hengbo’s eyes widened, her joyful mood plummeting to rock bottom—could it be that before even entering Dahuang territory, she would first face a show of force?
She thought of the Severing Feather tribe that had colluded with Yelu Qi to assassinate her and Gong Yin, and said resentfully: “Indeed, wherever there are people, there are power struggles.”
“Wherever there are people, there are power struggles…” Meng Hu repeated, giving a thumbs up. “Your Majesty, excellent saying!”
“Not just an excellent saying—I can compose excellent poetry too, authentic pear blossom style. Let me show you.” Jing Hengbo said enthusiastically. “Listen, the poem is called ‘A Person in Dahuang Ze.’ Ahem.”
Gong Yin, who was surrounded by a group of people while conducting business, suddenly stopped. The others stopped in confusion, and then everyone heard the Queen loudly reciting from the carriage:
“A person in Dahuang Ze”
“Without a doubt.”
“The Queen I am.”
“In all the world.”
“The most awesome.”
…
There was a moment of silence on the road.
“This poem…” someone looked puzzled.
“This poem…” someone answered awkwardly.
“This poem is good!” Someone glanced at Gong Yin’s expression and quickly flattered: “Bright, concise, straightforward, and moving. ‘A person in Dahuang Ze’ expresses the loneliness and sorrow of a wanderer alone in a foreign land most vividly, while the heroic spirit and ambition hidden in the poem leap off the page, penetrating to the bone…”
Everyone showed expressions of disgust, moving away from this nauseating fellow. Gong Yin frowned at this Shang Kingdom colorful envoy, wondering if the farting function was connected to the flattering function.
Before this was finished, the newly promoted pioneer female poet, having found her groove, suddenly slapped the table and declared loudly: “I have an even better one!”
“‘A State Preceptor in Dahuang Ze'”
Gong Yin, who was about to leave, stopped, his eyes narrowing to slits, his gaze deep and dark with jumping black light flickering.
Jing Hengbo’s voice carried far in the quiet night.
“Without a doubt.”
“Dahuang’s Right State Preceptor.”
“In all the world.”
“Most like a zombie!”
…
Dead silence.
After a long moment, Gong Yin walked away expressionlessly.
He was wrong—he shouldn’t have stopped to listen.
Having expectations for Jing Hengbo was like believing Shang Kingdom people could stop farting.
A large group of colorful envoys hung their heads and trotted after him, as if they hadn’t heard anything.
Jing Hengbo, unaware of the many listeners outside, cackled in the carriage after finishing her recitation—she especially hated Gong Yin lately, really really hated him. Even cursing him felt like drinking ice-cold cola in June—refreshing.
Soon she couldn’t feel refreshed anymore.
Because Gong Yin ordered that they had missed the lodging place, camping would be unfavorable, so they might as well travel through the night. Her Majesty the Queen was requested to remain in the carriage without getting out.
Jing Hengbo immediately collapsed.
For the past two days, she had been wearing heavy formal attire in the carriage pretending to be a wooden puppet. After a day, she was soaked with sweat inside and out. She had been counting on sleeping at night and finding a nearby pond to bathe and refresh herself. Although this was a mountain forest route, there were many ponds with clean, warm water—her best enjoyment of the day.
But now, just because of one apt poem, her only enjoyment was stripped away.
“No—way—” Jing Hengbo, who was sweaty and sticky all over, had been enduring and waiting for rest and a bath. Hearing this sentence, she immediately felt itchy all over and couldn’t bear it for another minute. She whooshed open the carriage curtain and began unbuttoning her clothes. “I—want—to—bathe—”
Beside the carriage, Gong Yin’s eyes swept over, clear and cold like the most piercing stars in the night sky. Jing Hengbo didn’t back down, glaring back angrily.
“You’ve locked me in a dark room and won’t even let me bathe!” she accused, looking deeply wronged.
Gong Yin seemed to pause, his gaze softening slightly, then he waved his hand.
The carriage stopped, and Jing Hengbo was overjoyed, spreading her arms to pounce on him. “Little Yin Yin, you’re the best…”
“Move aside.” Gong Yin immediately stepped back.
“Get lost!” Another voice came from the darkness, not Gong Yin’s. At the same time, a dark light whistled through the air, aimed directly at Jing Hengbo’s heart.
Before the dark light arrived, a thick, turbid odor forced its way into her nose and mouth. The smell was somewhat like rotten eggs, extremely irritating. Jing Hengbo was instantly dizzy and weak, falling to the ground with a thud in a face-first sprawl.
She lay spread-eagle on the ground, and something seemed to crash down from above her head, hitting her back. The rotten egg smell became even stronger, and she nearly vomited on the spot.
“Who the hell is ambushing me!”
“Clap, clap, clap.” Someone applauded in the darkness, unhurried and measured. A person laughed hoarsely: “Worthy of Her Majesty the Queen—even falling looks better than others.”
Hearing this voice, Gong Yin, who was about to help her up, stopped and slightly tensed his jaw.
Jing Hengbo raised her head. From the darkness across from her, a figure slowly emerged. At first glance, one noticed her exquisite, curvaceous figure. Her clothing was strange—soft armor on top, long skirt below—yet this very outfit perfectly outlined her outstanding figure, making the full parts appear fuller and the slender parts more slender. The flowing long skirt emphasized her long legs and slim waist with graceful curves. It strangely combined roughness with refinement, boldness with elegance, hardness with softness, making one’s eyes light up before even seeing her face.
Her voice was also slightly hoarse. At first listen, it wasn’t pleasant, but careful listening revealed several parts laziness, vicissitudes, and coldness—equally memorable and distinctive.
“Xiang Kingdom’s Female Chancellor!” Jing Hengbo heard someone in the crowd exclaim in surprise.
Accompanying this exclamation was a sudden explosive sound. Ahead, a ball of white light blazed brightly. In the bright light, a group of purple-clad cavalry charged like gods, continuously thrusting flagpoles to both sides of the road while galloping at high speed. Crack, crack, crack—the explosive sounds continued, and every flagpole would inevitably break the flags of other kingdoms and tribes that had already been planted in half.
After the cavalry approached the carriage, they didn’t stop. The lead cavalryman whistled, and all horses paused in unison, then flowed apart like water, sweeping past both sides of the carriage. The cavalrymen took out another bundle of flagpoles from the sides of their horses and whistled away along the road. Another series of rapid cracking sounds followed as Xiang Kingdom’s flags broke all the other kingdoms’ flags on the incoming route in half.
Thirty zhang before and after the road, soon only Xiang Kingdom’s bright purple flags remained. From the darkness ahead came a sudden drum beat that shook the road and even the carriages. Those planted flags unfurled with a swoosh, and countless bright yellow “Xiang” characters fluttered in the night firelight.
Xiang Kingdom’s appearance was shocking and arrogant, causing all other kingdoms and tribes to show angry expressions, though no one dared speak up.
All the guards looked at Fei Luo with deep wariness. The woman before them could be said to be the truly most powerful woman in Dahuang Ze. Rumors said she was either the illegitimate daughter of Xiang Kingdom’s Regent or the secret lover of the former Xiang King, but neither of these rumored identities had any relation to her current high position. Her power came from marriage. This woman, starting from age twelve, had successively married three husbands, all rulers of regions in Dahuang, men of high position and great power. After encountering her, these powerful husbands all became short-lived ghosts, leaving her with substantial strength and enormous wealth, helping her climb step by step to her current position in Xiang Kingdom’s political arena. Thus, she earned the nickname “Colored Scorpion”—like a scorpion that kills its mates, like a scorpion that is beautiful but venomous, moody and fickle. Reportedly, in recent years, her pursuit target had been Dahuang’s so-called “Twin Pearls”—the Left and Right State Preceptors.
A firework rose and exploded in the night sky. The huge colored light covered half the sky, with the character “Xiang” in the center spanning dozens of zhang.
Under that huge “Xiang” character, the wild yet fairy-like Xiang Kingdom Female Chancellor walked toward Gong Yin, extending her hand while smiling sweetly: “I heard someone dared to insult the State Preceptor as a zombie behind his back. Fei Luo was indignant and wanted to act for the State Preceptor, but unexpectedly, the State Preceptor had already acted first to punish her. But this fall was too light a punishment. How about we make it heavier?”
As soon as she approached, Meng Hu became nervous, unobtrusively moving to protect Jing Hengbo. Hearing this sentence, Meng Hu stepped forward, about to speak, when Fei Luo’s hand, which had been smiling charmingly, suddenly bypassed him and landed on Jing Hengbo’s face.
“So beautiful…” She gently caressed Jing Hengbo’s delicate white skin, her eyes intoxicated.
Being touched by a woman with such a gaze and gesture made all of Jing Hengbo’s hair stand on end, especially since the other’s look, though somewhat admiring, was more possessive and indifferent, like looking at a mask she could casually buy in the market.
This feeling made her shudder, and she raised her hand to slap away Fei Luo’s hand.
“I know I’m beautiful,” she said with a smile, “so don’t dirty me with your touch.”
Fei Luo’s hand paused slightly in mid-air, and Gong Yin’s face turned toward them.
Everyone held their breath.
No one had expected that Dahuang’s nominal female ruler and Dahuang’s actually most powerful woman would be so explosive upon first meeting.
Thinking about it carefully, it wasn’t strange. Fei Luo had always been willful, and given her position and temperament, whether the Queen was strong or weak, she wouldn’t take her seriously.
Compared to a puppet queen, Female Chancellor Fei Luo, who controlled the military and political power of Dahuang’s largest vassal state, was truly the one with more advantages and status.
The previous Queen had once given way to her, and the Queen before that had once been forced by one of her glances to claim illness and leave a banquet after wearing the same color and style dress as her.
Let alone a newly arrived Queen.
Fei Luo’s hand only paused slightly, then she smiled.
This woman’s smile was very special, rippling from the corners of her eyes and spreading inch by inch to her cheeks, while her lips barely moved. This made her eyes appear even more watery and sparkling, seemingly filled with genuine relaxation and joy.
Yet people all around tensed their muscles.
“Yes, you’re absolutely right.” Fei Luo’s fingers slid down, smiling as she supported Jing Hengbo’s shoulder. “Such a beautiful person—how terrible it would be if I dirtied her. How did I become as insensitive to beauty as the State Preceptor? I deserve to be hit. Come, let me help you up first.”
People all around breathed a sigh of relief.
But Jing Hengbo keenly noticed that she had never called her “Your Majesty,” and then she felt sharp pain—Fei Luo’s fingernails seemed too sharp, almost piercing her skin.
Jing Hengbo tried to lean back but couldn’t struggle free. Fei Luo’s fingers were like iron clamps, tightly gripping her shoulder acupoint. Jing Hengbo looked up to see Fei Luo’s smiling face, but those eyes were cold and deep like a long-frozen black river.
Her heart jumped, and she looked around. The guards reacted normally.
Indeed, Fei Luo was magnanimous, and the atmosphere between them was harmonious—no one felt anything was wrong.
Jing Hengbo felt Fei Luo’s fingernails were about to penetrate her thick outer garment.
“Your Majesty, Fei Luo is an important minister of the state. Your wording was too discourteous.” Gong Yin, who had been silent, suddenly spoke coldly. His sleeve swept across her shoulder, and her body shook as she broke free from Fei Luo’s control, falling backward against the carriage.
The surrounding guards didn’t move, some showing pitying looks—indeed, it was the same as before.
As always, the Queen was forever a puppet with superficial honor, and the State Preceptor unhesitatingly chose to preserve Xiang Kingdom Female Chancellor’s face.
Jing Hengbo couldn’t get up for a moment—the clothes were too heavy, dozens of jin of thick satin and jewelry weighing down like a mountain, pinning her down.
She had reluctantly worn these clothes to avoid embarrassing Gong Yin in front of the six kingdoms and eight tribes. After all, he was the one welcoming the royal procession, and if she acted inappropriately, his dignity would be the first to suffer. Jing Hengbo didn’t want him to face criticism. If she was going to challenge the rules, she’d wait until entering Dahuang to face those old fogeys directly.
Now she somewhat regretted it.
Fei Luo elegantly clasped her hands in front of her abdomen, not looking at others, only smiling as she observed Gong Yin, her gaze seemingly meaningful. Meng Hu wanted to step forward but was intentionally or unintentionally blocked by Fei Luo’s guards.
Meng Hu looked toward Gong Yin, seeking instruction with his gaze. Gong Yin’s finger moved slightly, then stopped. In the night, his expression was emotionless, a slight glimmer in his eyes.
Jing Hengbo lay on the ground, seeing two pairs of feet side by side before her—Gong Yin’s snow-white long boots and Fei Luo’s delicate embroidered shoes under her skirt. The shoes had large, brilliant flowers, red as blood.
Those two pairs of feet remained unmoved and unmoving under her gaze, showing a confident indifference.
So this was the power and hierarchy of another world’s society…
Jing Hengbo sighed. She was starting to want to learn martial arts. Was there any martial art that wasn’t too painful, too tiring, wouldn’t make joints swell, or skin age?
The clothes were too heavy, so she’d just throw them off.
The anger in her heart was rising—she’d deal with that later.
She raised her hand and threw off the heavy cloak, pulled out the cumbersome golden hairpins, and casually tossed them on the ground.
“Removing clothes and hairpins in public—is this lady begging for forgiveness?” The crimson skirt hem shifted slightly as Fei Luo smiled while approaching her.
Snow-white boots moved, blocking Fei Luo’s path. Gong Yin’s voice was clear and cold: “Female Chancellor, I happen to have important matters to discuss with you. How about we move ahead and talk?”
Fei Luo paused, then spoke cheerfully: “Alright.”
The snow-white boots and delicate embroidered shoes moved away gracefully. Only then did Cui Jie and Jing Jun dare to emerge and help Jing Hengbo up. Before Jing Hengbo could sit steadily, Fei Luo suddenly said while passing the carriage shaft: “What a magnificent horse!”
She seemed very fond of the carriage horse, patting its head and laughing melodiously as she walked away.
The horse trembled all over, suddenly neighing loudly and rearing up to charge wildly!
The carriage was violently jerked forward, and Jing Hengbo, who was standing at the carriage entrance without having sat down, leaned forward and was about to tumble out!
A cold light flashed, cutting the reins attached to the horse with a sharp sound. The horse immediately galloped away wildly, striking fierce hoofbeats in the silent night.
The distant horse’s neighing was intense—the horse seemed to have gone mad in an instant.
Jing Hengbo, who was swaying precariously at the carriage entrance, was caught in time by Meng Hu, avoiding falling under the carriage wheels.
Gong Yin’s voice came, containing slight anger: “Female Chancellor! You’re being presumptuous! This is the royal carriage!”
Fei Luo’s voice sounded innocent and light, allowing people to imagine that she must be round-eyed, covering her lips with both hands, looking completely bewildered at having caused trouble.
“Oh my, I’m sorry, I forgot!”
…
Jing Hengbo lay limply in the carriage, staring blankly at the carriage roof with empty eyes.
Beside her, Jing Jun, Cui Jie, and Yong Xue didn’t dare speak, occasionally looking at her worriedly, afraid she might suddenly have a breakdown because of what just happened.
Reality was always worse than imagination. Compared to this, the days of being controlled by Gong Yin seemed like heaven.
Jing Hengbo’s eyes were blank, but her mind wasn’t. Her gaze had long since passed through the carriage roof, crossed the vast starry sky, and returned to those modern days.
It seemed she was still in that four-person apartment, with Wen Zhen forever cooking various delicacies in the kitchen, Taishi Lan forever throwing Yaoji, who was trying to climb onto her bed, out of the room, Jun Ke forever browsing online, and herself forever secretly eating Wen Zhen’s snacks while painting her nails and watching Korean dramas.
Those trivial, boring days of the past now seemed to make her heart feel somewhat sour and soft when remembered.
She boredly raised her hand and pressed her eye sockets. Her fingers were slightly moist. She pursed her lips and wiped that moisture on her sleeve, then her expression became somewhat fierce—her thoughts suddenly returned to the scene just now. Gong Yin’s snow-white boots and Fei Luo’s crimson skirt hem standing side by side, each possessing calm composure and an attitude of controlling everything. The more she thought about it, the more unpleasant it became.
She turned her head to listen to the commotion outside. The night was gradually deepening. With so many people today, the guards were setting up tents on flat ground, preparing to camp. The most luxurious and largest tent in the center was Jing Hengbo’s, not yet erected, while Gong Yin’s and Fei Luo’s on either side were already built and heavily guarded.
The carriage was temporarily ignored. Just when Cui Jie and the other two thought Jing Hengbo had fallen asleep, she suddenly raised her hand lazily.
“I want food.”
Large amounts of food were brought up. Jing Hengbo actually had a good appetite, feasting heartily with her new pet Feifei. While eating, she sucked the meat juices from her fingernails, turning to look at Fei Luo’s tent with blazing eyes.
Cui Jie saw this kind of look and inexplicably shivered.
“Bring some stinky salted fish, the stinkier the better.” Jing Hengbo ordered.
This request was rather bizarre, but fortunately, various tribal guards were present, and stinky salted fish happened to be a favorite of a certain tribe. The foul-smelling salted fish was quickly brought up. Jing Hengbo giggled with a rather scary-sounding laugh.
She ate and cleaned up a large pile of bowls and plates. Cui Jie, Jing Jun, and the other two took them down to wash, leaving the carriage empty.
Jing Hengbo began her meticulous work.
She tore open the stinky salted fish, sniffing around and around, selecting the smelliest belly portion and carefully wrapping it in a silk cloth.
Then she pulled out the extremely hard spines of the stinky salted fish. Feifei came over and peed on the spines.
The fish spines soaked in Feifei’s urine took on a faint red color, looking somewhat eerie.
Feifei made a giggling sound, grabbed a spine, and pretended to stab his butt with it. His big head swayed, and like a drunk, he stumbled and fell onto his own tail.
Jing Hengbo was amused by this guy’s vivid performance and laughed with a “ha” sound. “Good brother, I knew you would definitely help me!”
Moments later, Cui Jie and the others returned, wiping their hands, and looked around the empty carriage in bewilderment.
“Where did Da Bo go?”
…
Jing Hengbo surveyed Fei Luo’s tent from all sides, pursing her lips.
Xiang Kingdom Female Chancellor’s tent, though not as large as hers, was extremely luxurious in materials and interior decorations—truly differential treatment.
Jing Hengbo took out the bundle of fish spines, lifted the carpet at the tent entrance, calculated the steps, and gradually buried the fish spines in the ground.
She had originally planned to bury these fish spines in the bed, but since Feifei had added his special ingredients, she’d let the Female Chancellor step on them.
Jing Hengbo cherished her appearance, so unless absolutely necessary, she was unwilling to harm others’ faces.
The tent was quiet inside. Behind Jing Hengbo, the curtain seemed to be blown open slightly by the wind, with what appeared to be a flash of dark light, but it disappeared in an instant.
Jing Hengbo had her back to the curtain and naturally didn’t notice, concentrating on burying the fish spines. When she looked up, the tent was supported by a wooden frame with a round wooden beam overhead. She thought for a moment and made a soft whistle.
A white shadow flashed as Feifei silently snuck in.
Jing Hengbo pointed to the round beam and made a throat-slitting gesture. Feifei immediately understood, leaping up and wildly swiping with his claws. With several scratching sounds, deep cracks appeared in the round beam.
Jing Hengbo snapped her fingers, beaming with joy. She turned to look around for something handy to use for hitting people.
Da Bo’s revenge never waited overnight. Whoever made her take a face-first fall would get to roll in the mud a few times. Rolling a few times wasn’t enough—it would be best to pounce on them and give them a beating. Of course, Fei Luo seemed to have high martial arts skills, so she needed to plan an escape route. If she couldn’t get away, she’d use a hard object to break the support beam and bury her under everything.
There was a double-eared porcelain vase on the desk. She nodded with satisfaction. Weighing the stinky salted fish bundle in her hand, that soul-stirring smell became even stronger.
She hesitated slightly. This stinky salted fish bundle was originally meant to be thrown into Gong Yin’s bedding, but at this moment, it seemed inconvenient to leave Fei Luo’s tent to carry out her revenge plan. She was considering this when she suddenly heard footsteps and voices outside.
“…The night is deep with heavy dew. Why must we stand outside discussing matters? How about entering my tent, where we can hold candles, drink wine, and talk through the night? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
It was Fei Luo’s voice. Gong Yin seemed to give a light “mm” sound.
Jing Hengbo almost crushed the stinky salted fish bundle with a crack—talk through the night? Talk about your sister!
Shadows moved outside the tent, about to enter. If she wanted to leave, it had to be now, but Jing Hengbo didn’t want to leave anymore.
She wanted to see what these two dogs were planning to talk about all night!
With a swoosh, she turned around. Looking around, she found curtains hanging at the back of the tent. She quickly lifted them and slipped inside, immediately tripping over something and falling forward. Beneath her was something soft—it turned out to be a bed.
Fei Luo was really particular, dividing even a tent into inner and outer rooms.
Jing Hengbo looked down at the snow-white, delicate bedsheets and blankets. Clearly, this person also had a cleanliness obsession—there wasn’t even a wrinkle on the bed. She silently chuckled, put on her shoes, and got on the bed, propping up one leg and crossing it over the other. Sway, sway, sway away…
Mud from her shoe soles scattered down onto the blanket crevices, some falling into gaps beside the bed. There seemed to be some slight noise in the darkness under the bed, but Jing Hengbo didn’t pay attention.
Under the bed, a figure protected his head, looking up annoyed, not understanding why dirt was falling from what should be a perfectly good bed.
Jing Hengbo worked busily, stuffing the stinky salted fish under the three-layer mattress, sighing regretfully. She had originally planned to stuff this thing under Gong Yin’s mattress so that when he went to bed, he would smell the stench but couldn’t find the source. The juicy stinky fish meat, when squeezed, would slowly seep into the mattress, allowing that soul-stirring smell to linger faintly and persistently. The clean and noble State Preceptor would have to spend all night changing bedding and wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Now this wonderful gift had to be enjoyed by Fei Luo.
The stinky fish was properly placed. She knelt on the bed and patted it satisfactorily. Through the mattress, the stench was much fainter—this way had the best effect, guaranteed to torment Fei Luo into a sleepless night.
The salted fish stench couldn’t penetrate through three layers of mattress to reach Jing Hengbo’s nose, but it was separated from under the bed by only a bed board. That soul-stirring, pungent smell was extremely penetrating.
The black shadow under the bed desperately covered his nose, but that smell was truly fierce. He endured and endured but really couldn’t stand it…
“Achoo.” A light sound.
“Who’s sneezing?” Jing Hengbo heard this and suspiciously sat up straight, looking around. Feifei’s big tail suddenly hung down from the head of the bed, his purple eyes peering down at her with slow blinks. Jing Hengbo breathed a sigh of relief. “So it was you, little guy.”
In the darkness under the bed, someone covered his nose in agony…
Jing Hengbo lay back down comfortably. Outside, the curtain was lifted as someone entered. Jing Hengbo suddenly remembered something and silently exclaimed: Terrible!
She had buried doctored fish spines at the entrance—what if Gong Yin stepped on them…
Jing Hengbo hugged the blanket and rolled around, her heart slightly tormented—should she warn him… She peeked out and saw two shadows reflected on the curtain, immediately feeling her anger flare up.
Let him step on them—serves him right if he gets poisoned!
Light laughter came from the entrance. Fei Luo’s voice was much softer than during the day. “Why are you standing at the entrance without coming in? I don’t have tigers here that will eat you.”
Jing Hengbo the tiger sat cross-legged on the bed, hugging Fei Luo’s snow-white pillow, glaring darkly at the tent entrance.
Gong Yin still stood motionless, his voice cold as jade pearls: “Female Chancellor, you said earlier you had secret military intelligence to discuss with me privately. Now you may speak.”
Fei Luo laughed lightly. “The State Preceptor is so impatient.”
Gong Yin remained silent.
The two stood at the tent entrance, neither entering nor retreating. Jing Hengbo watched with unbearable itching curiosity.
“Actually, even without my saying it, the State Preceptor should already know.” Fei Luo’s laughter was soft and sweet as she began chatting right at the tent entrance. “Ten days ago, the Severing Feather tribe suddenly turned against Lord Yelu. The two sides reportedly had a fierce battle at Tianwang River, with casualties on both sides. Afterward, the Severing Feather tribe attempted to assassinate Lord Yelu. Lord Yelu was thunderously enraged and immediately retaliated, sanctioning Severing Feather tribe officials in court. In one day, sixteen officials were exiled, and the conflict between the two sides intensified. Subsequently, except for my Xiang Kingdom and the weakest Shang Kingdom, the other four kingdoms and seven tribes were more or less drawn into the conflict between Severing Feather and Yelu. Yelu controls the Left Imperial City, while the Severing Feather tribe and its supporters control the outer capital’s thirteen districts. Your Jade Guard Army is positioned between the two, maintaining neutrality and managing the palace city. The Kang Long Army guarding the capital is on full alert, sealing the capital and awaiting your return… Undercurrents surge in the imperial city. A slight misstep could bring catastrophic disaster. Whether to fight or make peace, whether to suppress forcefully or guide and channel—my State Preceptor, the entire imperial city and even all of Dahuang await your decision.”
Jing Hengbo finally heard news of Yelu Qi. It seemed he was indeed fine that night, not only unharmed but had returned to Dahuang early to continue causing trouble. Truly an unkillable cockroach, a thousand-year turtle living long.
“So you arranged this chaotic hundred-li Queen welcome actually to probe my intentions early and decide your next moves?” Gong Yin seemed to have known about Yelu Qi’s activities long ago, showing no surprise in his tone.
“I’m afraid it’s more than just that.” Fei Luo laughed lightly, turning to gently grasp Gong Yin’s sleeve. “Come in, come in, come in and I’ll quietly tell you…”
The last few sentences were spoken lightly and coquettishly, full of invitation yet not appearing intimate, only making one feel pure and adorable, unable to resist melting in her charming and sweet gaze.
Jing Hengbo crumpled the wool blanket as fiercely as her face, yet couldn’t help but carefully observe Fei Luo’s posture and expression. She felt this posture was excellent—seduction without leaving traces. She should learn it.
“If the Female Chancellor is willing to speak, then speak. If unwilling, then don’t.” Gong Yin said indifferently. “This tent seems to have a strange odor. I’d rather not enter.”
Jing Hengbo stared wide-eyed—what a dog nose! He could smell that too?
Fei Luo couldn’t smell it. She only detected the rich dragon ambergris fragrance at the tent entrance, thinking the always aloof State Preceptor was deliberately being picky. She wasn’t angry either, smiling and raising her eyebrows, her fingers gracefully sweeping past her temples. “Strange odor? Is it the scent from my body? Smell again—is it fragrant?”
She raised her sleeves, and a clear, pleasant mint and dragon brain fragrance wafted from between them. Fei Luo smiled with complete confidence—she knew Gong Yin liked this kind of scent.
Her finger drew a delicate arc in mid-air, seeming intentional yet unintentional as it landed on Gong Yin’s sleeve.
Under the bed, a pair of eyes glowed darkly, seemingly with cold intent.
On the bed, Jing Hengbo raised her arm and sniffed her armpit, then somewhat resentfully raised her head, mouthing: “Vixen!”
“It’s late,” Gong Yin’s voice was calm and resolute. “The Female Chancellor should also rest. I take my leave.”
Without waiting for Fei Luo’s response, he turned to go.
Fei Luo maintained that leisurely appearance, unhurriedly watching Gong Yin turn around before smiling: “The hundred-li Queen welcome ceremony hasn’t appeared for decades, so much so that even the State Preceptor has forgotten the rules.”
Gong Yin paused, seeming to remember something.
“The hundred-li Queen welcome shows great honor, but Her Majesty the Queen must also display talents and grace that will captivate the six kingdoms and eight tribes at the city entrance welcome ceremony!” Fei Luo put away her smile, speaking word by word: “Otherwise, her fate will be—deposition, exile, death, and destruction of her family!”