Big Moon Ballad

Chapter 2616 Arrangement
"Go home and visit when you have time. Your mother and your cousin miss you very much."

Ji Mo's indifferent words drifted to Ji Jiashu's ears, but his figure had already disappeared, as if those words were not left by him.

"father?"

Ji Jiashu stared blankly into the dark void, momentarily thinking he was hallucinating.

He turned to look at Ying Baoyue, "Baoyue, just now..."

"I heard it too," Ying Baoyue said, somewhat dazed. Ji Mo hadn't used telepathy, and when she first heard it, she thought she was hallucinating.

After all, such words are hardly the kind of thing the Grand Preceptor of Southern Chu would say.

“Your father wants you to go home and visit,” Ying Baoyue said, looking at Ji Jiashu with a complicated expression. “Why don’t you go back in a couple of days?”

"I'll give you three days off."

“But…” Ji Jiashu was taken aback, unsure what to say, “What about state affairs…”

Although he had never actually experienced war, he instinctively sensed the impending great battle. Seven years ago, when the war raged, he was only eight years old, yet he already remembered the feeling of impending doom.

If Ji Jiashu is not mistaken, the Shan Hai Continent is about to undergo a new reshuffle, and the final decisive battle is likely imminent.

As the Grand Preceptor of the Former Qin Dynasty, this is a critical time when preparations for war are needed, and there are many matters in the court that require his attention. How could he possibly go home to visit his family at this time?

“You haven’t been home for a long time,” Ying Baoyue said, looking at Guiyang City under the moonlight. “This is a good opportunity for you to go back. I also have a letter for you to deliver to the King and Queen of Southern Chu.”

What should be brought to Jiang Yuanyuan and Jinniang?

Ji Jiashu felt a pang of unease as he thought of his two old friends whom he hadn't seen for some time.

His father had already said that the Southern Chu army was willing to obey Ying Baoyue's orders, but Ying Baoyue still had something to discuss with Jiang Yuanyuan.

Southern Chu is the country furthest from the Western Rong. Is even Southern Chu making preparations?

Could it be that the Western Rong people will cross the Great Wall and march south into the Central Plains this time?

“Meng Shi,” Ying Baoyue looked at the Northern Wei princess beside her, “is Chen Zichu in the Northern Wei army?”

Meng Shi nodded. "He is at the border with your senior brother, fighting against the Western Rong people."

"And what about Zihan?" Ying Baoyue looked at Murong Yin. "Is Zihan in Xiling Snow Mountain?"

Murong Yin nodded. "I originally arranged for him to patrol the Great Wall of the Later Liao, but after I left, Yunshou Peak could not be left unguarded, so he is now with Hua Li at Yunshou Peak."

“Then it seems he can’t leave,” Ying Baoyue pondered for a moment. “Meng Shi, please send a message to the Northern Wei army to have Chen Zichu return to Southern Chu.”

Meng Shi nodded and quickly summoned a carrier pigeon from Northern Wei to send out a letter.

When Ji Jiashu heard Ying Baoyue mention the two brothers, Chen Zichu and Chen Zihan, he realized what Ying Baoyue was planning.

Chen Zichu and Chen Zihan both left Southern Chu with Ying Baoyue. Now, one is in Northern Wei fighting against the Western Rong people with Xu Yishan, while the other has become a disciple of the Mountain Spirit and a disciple of the Later Liao people.

Although the two brothers have different personalities, they both share the same father, Chen Yan, the Grand Marshal of Southern Chu.

"Should we make arrangements at the Jixia Academy?"

Ji Jiashu glanced at Ying Baoyue, "Why don't we just let Yishan and Zichu go back together?"

“There are enough cultivators at Jixia Academy,” Ying Baoyue pondered for a moment. “As for my senior brother, let’s see what he chooses.”

Chen Zichu will receive the letter, and Xu Yishan will also receive the news at the same time. If he is truly worried about the Jixia Academy, Xu Yishan will choose to return on his own.

“Alright,” Ji Jiashu nodded.

Even if the Western Rong people really marched south, he didn't think they could reach the Jixia Academy unless they were looking for death.

Ying Baoyue's gaze suddenly faltered again, "But..." "But what?"

“I’m worried that there might be problems within the Jixia Academy,” Ying Baoyue said, feeling uneasy.

Originally, the Northern Cold Pavilion and the Jixia Academy were divided into the North and South, but the Northern Cold Pavilion has now been dismantled, and the Jixia Academy is now the only remaining core of the cultivation world in the Central Plains.

If Emperor Ying truly wanted to destroy the cultivation world of the Central Plains from within, he would inevitably start with the Jixia Academy.

“If there are problems within the Jixia Academy, it won’t matter who comes back,” Murong Yin suddenly said. “If Ji Mo can’t even protect the Jixia Academy, then he’s wasted these seven years, and no one can save Southern Chu.”

Ying Baoyue nodded, "That's true."

“Although I don’t want to praise him,” Murong Yin said expressionlessly, “he is still much better than Xu Canghai.”

Emperor Ying was adept at manipulating people's hearts. Seven years ago, both Xu Canghai and Ji Mo were framed by him. However, Ji Mo was not overwhelmed by guilt and instead quickly stabilized the situation.

Xu Canghai could not resist the temptation and accepted the pharmacopoeia, the breakthrough pill, and Lin Baoyue's soul.

These things were definitely given to him by Emperor Ying through some channel.

These things ultimately destroyed Xu Canghai and Beihan Pavilion, and even his wife and children were dragged into it.

Murong Yin knew that the same temptation must have been offered to Ji Mo back then, but Ji Mo resisted the temptation.

In Emperor Ying's heart, Ji Mo's priority must be higher than Xu Canghai's.

But over the years, Ji Mo has not fallen into Emperor Ying's trap.

“Ji Mo is wary of that old fox,” Murong Yin said. “Don’t underestimate us old folks.”

“He was right about one thing,” she said, reaching out to pat Ying Baoyue’s head. “Emperor Ying is not your peer, so he shouldn’t be the opponent you need to deal with.”

“You’re worrying too much, girl,” Murong Yin ruffled Ying Baoyue’s hair. “We old folks aren’t dead yet.”

"You think you're the only one among the Eight Gods?"

"Master's wife?" Ying Baoyue became uneasy. "But..."

“No buts,” Murong Yin sheathed her sword. “Emperor Ying is not your only enemy. Don’t even think about dealing with him by yourself.”

“Go back to your court, it’s almost dawn,” she said, looking up at the sky that was just beginning to lighten. “I also need to return to Later Liao.”

“Girl, come back with me,” Murong Yin gestured with her chin toward Meng Shi. “It’s not good for you, a princess of Northern Wei, to stay in Former Qin.”

“But…” Meng Shi hesitated.

"The Southern Chu army is ready, and the Northern Wei should also prepare for war. Although you have been fighting all along, the next battle will be different."

Murong Yin narrowed her eyes. "You should go back and clean up your own mess."

"Clean house?" Meng Shi was stunned. "What do you mean?"

“The Western Rong are currently divided. There aren’t many Zhai kings who follow Zhao Guang, but at least they’ve taken away a portion of the forces,” Murong Yin said to Meng Shi, but her eyes were fixed on Ying Baoyue.

"If, as Baoyue says, Emperor Ying wants to launch a war on a continent-wide scale, where will the people come from?"

Could they have accomplished this relying solely on Yun Zhongjun and Chunyu Ye's subordinates?

Obviously not.

"Could it be..." Meng Shi thought of a possibility and was suddenly so frightened that she couldn't move.

“If he really wanted to take action, he would have people planted in every country and every army,” Ying Baoyue said softly. “His Majesty has spies in every country.”

This was exactly what Emperor Ying was best at.