Yun Ya smiled, showing his teeth. Under the moonlight, Feng Miaojun thought his white teeth gleamed coldly. “Of course it was me. Otherwise, where do you think I’ve been these past few days? Zhao Yun, that little schemer, calculated well—inciting the Yao people in Yinzi City to resist to the end while trying to stay out of it himself. Unfortunately, he didn’t get far before I intercepted him.”

Feng Miaojun’s expression turned ugly. No wonder this man hadn’t shown his face in the days after she took over Yao territory. He must have been tracking down Zhao Yun to kill him. With his vindictive personality, how could he swallow such a bitter pill in silence?

Indeed, he had been preparing this “grand gift” for her.

He spoke softly: “The Wei army retreated early, yet he died ten miles outside Yinzi City. Guess what the King of Yan will think?”

What else could he think? The Yan King had already lost his first eighteen sons; Zhao Yun was his first in line for succession. Even if not the Crown Prince, his place in the Yan King’s heart was different, and Zhao Yun was quite capable. If he died in Yao territory, how could the Yan King let it go?

Feng Miaojun was so angry her hands trembled. She truly wanted to rip his heart out! Yet even in such a moment of blazing fury, her powerful rationality still diligently functioned. Instead, she grabbed his collar and nearly roared in his ear: “Despicable and shameless!”

With this move to frame others, she could never clear herself. Even if she accused Yun Ya, without evidence, would the Yan King believe her?

Yun Ya wasn’t frightened at all by her lioness roar. He merely smiled and patted her shoulder: “Thanks for the compliment. Just returning the favor.”

Huff, finally he’d said it, how satisfying!

Seeing her beautiful phoenix eyes blazing with fire up close, the anger that had been building in his heart for days suddenly dissipated. Those lips were so close, opening and closing; he rather wanted to lean down and kiss them, but feared this bristling wildcat would explode on the spot.

Feng Miaojun ground her back teeth audibly: “I should never have saved you!”

Remembering how her life was bound to his, she was so vexed she could vomit blood.

“How could An’an bear to abandon me?” Recalling how she had risked herself to save him in Yinzi City, his heart softened, and his eyes flashed with tenderness. No matter how she schemed against the Wei Kingdom and walked away with the fruits of victory, at least she cared about his safety. “From now on, you and I, Wei and New Xia, are like grasshoppers tied to the same string.”

He and she had been so for a long time, even if he hadn’t made this move! The fire in Feng Miaojun’s eyes was so intense it could almost burn two holes in his body.

She had worn that mask of calm detachment for so long that it was rare to see her so exasperated. Yun Ya couldn’t resist placing a kiss on her forehead: “Please, I look forward to working with you in the future.”

Feng Miaojun immediately released him, stepping back twice, her eyes full of suspicion: “Did you kill Zhao Yun?”

“Not me, but General Zhao Rushan who just submitted to you led people to intercept and kill him.” Yun Ya smiled. “At least, that’s what the few survivors from Zhao Yun’s side saw and can identify. By now, they should be nearing the coast, taking Zhao Yun’s corpse back to see his father.”

So this time he had impersonated Zhao Rushan?

Zhao Yun’s official mission had been executing the Yan King’s plan to incite Yinzi City to hold out against Wei forces to the bitter end. The many survivors in Yinzi City who knew this might well turn their hatred toward Zhao Yun. After all, he had pushed them to their deaths; what was strange about them turning around and killing him?

So whether it was Feng Miaojun who killed him or other Yao people, what difference did it make? The Yao territory had submitted to her, so crimes committed by Yao generals were equivalent to her crimes. Logically speaking, this was completely correct.

How could one enjoy benefits without bearing responsibilities?

Feng Miaojun gave him a death glare: “You can get lost now!”

“It’s almost dawn.” Yun Ya stretched lazily. “Get some good sleep. We still have other accounts to settle later.”

Feng Miaojun angrily waved her hand, as if tearing open a curtain.

The surroundings gradually became shadowy, and then darkness fell before her eyes.

The dream ended.

She had already learned how to freely enter and exit dreams; this trick was no longer exclusive to Yun Ya.

Feng Miaojun slowly opened her eyes as the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon.

After Feng Miaojun took over Yao territory, the original Yao Kingdom was divided in two, with the boundary at Yuntong Town, one hundred and ten miles west of Yinzi City, to the Rong River waters. The vast lands to the west and south belonged to the Wei Kingdom, while those to the east and north belonged to New Xia. This was because before Feng Miaojun seized the cornerstone of the Yao Kingdom, Wei had already occupied much land, effectively establishing ownership.

From this perspective, Yuntong Town had become an important border town between Wei and New Xia.

The Yao people who closely monitored Wei’s movements discovered that after the Wei army retreated west of Yuntong Town, although the main force quickly withdrew, they left a force of twenty thousand troops stationed in Yuntong Town, establishing military settlements by clearing mountains and creating fields, as if preparing for long-term occupation.

Yuntong Town was only about a hundred miles from Yinzi City, creating great pressure on the latter. The Yao people knew that Wei hadn’t given up, otherwise why would they be so vigilant?

The voices questioning the Queen, which had resurfaced after the threat seemed gone, quickly diminished. Those who had survived the catastrophe understood a basic fact: currently, only under New Xia’s protection could Yao avoid Wei’s attacks. If it became an ownerless territory, their notorious western neighbor would show no mercy.

The situation in Yinzi City changed several times a day. As time passed, even a small faction couldn’t hold out anymore. On this day, General Wu Jie, who had long been stationed in southwestern Yao, finally came for an audience. He had held onto military authority for a long time without surrendering it and was a key target for persuasion among Feng Miaojun’s officials.

His arrival was within expectations, but Feng Miaojun was somewhat surprised by those who came with him.

This was Grand General Zhao Rushan.

During the Yinzi City incident, Zhao Rushan played a crucial role. If he hadn’t first taken it upon himself to surround the Imperial Garden, the subsequent situation wouldn’t have spiraled out of control like a runaway horse. If the Yao King and his son were still alive, they would certainly punish him. But now with Feng Miaojun in power, from her perspective, he was highly respected with no major faults, giving her no reason to move against him.

So looking at the two generals kneeling before her, Feng Miaojun was genuinely surprised: “What is the meaning of this?”

Wu Jie ranked below Zhao Rushan, so it was the latter who spoke. Zhao Rushan smiled and said: “The Queen has skillfully repelled the enemy, causing the Wei people to retreat without battle. Seeing that the Wei-Xia agreement can maintain stability in Yao territory for decades, we have fulfilled our wishes. We wish to retire from public life and earnestly request the Queen’s permission!”