Jiaohua

Chapter 1697 Ah Li, I couldn't ask for more
The death of Shang Taiyu shocked the Northern Yuan people even more than the capture of Tao Lan and Meng Jinci, and the complete annihilation of Meng Jinci's 40,000 troops in the Fengle River Valley.

Even more chilling than the Lanze City incident of the previous year.

Everyone felt that everything had changed, that the world had turned upside down.

Many people suspected that Yi Shurong was behind it, and Shangtai Zhenli thought so too. Because back in Fengge City, the two of them even got into a fight in the Imperial Court.

But in reality, Yi Shurong didn't want Shang Taiyu to die; only Shang Taiyu could support the entire Northern Yuan military system with him.

Yi Shurong hadn't spoken for three days. He Yanpo came to persuade him again. Yi Shurong looked at He Yanpo, who had grown up with him since childhood, and finally spoke: "Tao Lan was arrested and his life is uncertain. He Yanjin was not even ten years old when he died tragically at the hands of his birth mother. But I have never seen you sad or depressed."

He Yanpo lowered his eyebrows: "I am not made of wood or stone, and my heart is also aching. But in addition to being a husband and a father, I am also a subject."

Yi Shurong sighed, "He Yanpo, do you think we still have a chance to fight?"

He Yanpo asked, "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

Yi Shurong said, "You don't need to say anything."

After a moment of silence, Yi Shurong suddenly said, "Should we continue fighting a battle that is destined to be lost?"

He Yanpo whispered, "General, yes."

Yi Shurong stared at him intently.

He Yanpo said, "This battle is not only a national vendetta for them, but also a personal vendetta. It is a battle to the death. What they want is not the territory of the Northern Yuan, but our lives."

Yi Shurong's lips curled into a slight sneer: "That Ali, she's like a mad dog. How could I not have a grudge against her? Shen Lie is even more insane, but he's young. We won't outlast him until he can no longer wield weapons. So let's fight. You're right, even if we lose, we have to fight. If we stop, we'll die."

As soon as he finished speaking, his bodyguard requested an audience and entered, presenting him with an invitation.

Yi Shurong finished reading with a sullen face, then frowned and looked at He Yanpo.

He Yanpo felt a sense of unease: "What is the purpose of the invitation?"

Yi Shurong handed over the invitation: "Take a look for yourself."

In just one glance, He Yanpo's face turned deathly pale, devoid of any color.

The invitation invited Yi Shurong to go with him to Rongtang Gorge on the Unyielding River on August 15th to witness the execution of Meng Jinci and Tao Lan and to collect their bodies.

Signed: Ding Xue.

“The fifteenth of August is the Mid-Autumn Festival for the Han people,” Yi Shurong sneered. “They really know how to pick a date.”

“I…can’t go,” He Yanpo’s voice was weak. “I can’t go.”

“I won’t go either,” Yi Shurong said, taking back the invitation and burning it over the candlelight. “I’d rather use that time to go to Ling Daicheng and take over Shang Taiyu’s mess.”

By August 15th, the Unyielding River, which had been seized by the Northern Yuan army, had been recaptured by the Han army.

Xia Zhaoyi stood in the crowd with a few close followers, watching Tao Lan and Meng Jinci being pushed out of the execution ground, along with Meng Jinci's subordinates.

This execution ground is not the same one as it was back then, and there is no longer a thick layer of snow on the ground, but the surrounding noise is even more deafening than before.

Tao Lan's legs were completely ruined; she couldn't walk and had to be supported by a wooden frame.

For the past few months, she had been abused, beaten, tortured, and suffered terribly. Today's execution is actually a relief for her.

Meng Jinci and the others were in a terrible state; Meng Jinci's face was a pitiful sight.

A familiar fragrance wafted into her nose, and Xia Zhaoyi paused slightly, turning her head. Shen Lie happened to be standing next to her, and her attendants consciously made way for him.

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day when they should reunite.

Xia Zhaoyi smiled faintly at him, looked back at the execution ground in front of her, and said very softly, "It feels like a lifetime ago."

Shen Lie's voice was also low: "It's not just a fleeting feeling, it's truly like another world."

“Fate has taken a turn for the worse,” Xia Zhaoyi said with a smile. “The arrogant onlookers on the execution ground back then have now become the ones being executed.”

Shen Lie held her hand tightly, looking at her calm profile with heartache.

Sensing something out of the corner of her eye, Xia Zhaoyi smiled at him again: "Let's go, I don't want to watch."

"it is good."

After leaving the execution ground, the two walked slowly along the banks of the Unyielding River.

They hadn't seen each other for the past few months, each busy with very important matters.

Many significant events have occurred in the past few months.

Nie Huimo successfully staged a coup, bringing Tian Dayao down from power. He did not kill Tian Dayao, but placed him under house arrest in a mountain villa.

Tian Dayao's sons, those with whom he had little grudge, were also thrown in by him.

He killed the rest.

Everyone thought that Weng Baoshan would not have a good ending either, but in the end, Weng Baoshan was highly valued by Nie Huimo.

It wasn't that Nie Huimo was magnanimous and forgiving, but rather that everyone was shocked to realize at the very last moment that Weng Baoshan had somehow become Nie Huimo's man.

Back then, Tian Dayao followed the advice of the strategists who had come to him, supported Weng Baoshan to counterbalance Nie Huimo, and raised his sons one by one, giving them money and power to suppress Nie Huimo together.

As it turned out, Tian Dayao's sons were all incompetent fools, while Weng Baoshan was actually in cahoots with Nie Huimo.

When the news reached Jin Hongkang, Chen Like was also dumbfounded.

Only then did he finally understand why the person who fell into the trap he had set in Gongcheng County, Jiangzhou, was Tian Dayao's sixth son, Tian Yan'en, and not Nie Huimo.

For Jin Hongkang, the dramatic change in his opponent also meant that he needed to come up with a countermeasure in a very short time.

Aside from man-made disasters, the weather has also been uncooperative this year.

This year's harvest was poor, the flood season was extremely fierce, and now it's the season for strong winds from the southeast, bringing torrential rain and gales.

Several major chambers of commerce in the country had been consciously stockpiling grain a few years ago, and Wang Fengnian had "bullied" several of them, demanding that they be given priority to send grain to the Northwest.

According to the accounts, Wang Fengnian had a total of tens of thousands of taels of silver on credit. He only repaid one-third of it each year. If the merchants were willing to continue supplying grain, he would repay more. This was a cunning and treacherous move. He used debt to lead the merchants by the nose and took the saying "the debtor is the boss" to the extreme.

However, this year, many chambers of commerce are complaining bitterly, saying they really have no surplus funds.

Xia Zhaoyi was thinking about where else she could rob.

Yannan and Hengping in Yunbo are a large granary.

Anjiang and Songzhou in Jin Hongkang are also major granaries.

Back then, she lived in Bajianghu for a while and really loved the environment there. It was extremely livable, a true land of fish and rice, and it didn't have the sticky dampness of Jiangnan.

The two walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had arrived at Tianyunping.

The lush green grass stretches to the horizon, creating a picturesque scene. Herds of cattle and sheep graze on the grassland, while large, clean, fluffy white clouds hang in the azure sky, seemingly within reach.

Xia Zhaoyi stopped gazing into the distance and whispered, "So beautiful."

Shen Lie nodded, wanting to say that the smell probably wasn't very pleasant, but he didn't want to spoil the atmosphere.

“I’ve recently set my sights on someone,” Xia Zhaoyi said, looking at Shen Lie. “Or rather, I’ve taken a liking to him.”

"Who?"

"Akadama."

Shen Lie was somewhat surprised, raising his thick eyebrows slightly: "Her?"

"The war in the Northwest cannot continue indefinitely. Even if we destroy the Northern Yuan, we cannot conquer this vast land in a short period of time. If we cannot conquer it, others will come to take it. The people on the Hechuan Plateau in the south will gradually move north, and other ethnic groups will gradually come from the more northwestern direction that we cannot see. In ten or twenty years, they will form new regimes. As for the Northern Yuan, after so many years of fighting, we have figured out their habits and know them inside and out."

Shen Lie said, "The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans; the next best is to disrupt their alliances; the next best is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities. Your strategy is peace?"

Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Harmony is the key to a perfect world. Of course, military might comes before harmony. Without strong soldiers and fierce generals, harmony is just empty talk."

Shen Lie smiled, his dark eyes sparkling, and nodded: "Mm."

Xia Zhaoyi took his hand, gently rested her head on his arm, and looked at the cattle and sheep grazing freely in the distance: "If distant people are not convinced, first establish our authority with the force of our military might, so that they will fear us. Then, establish trade relations with them, so that we can share in their benefits. Afterward, use the influence of poetry and books, and use our virtues to win their hearts, so that they will admire and be swayed by our culture."

Shen Lie said deeply, “When power is established, people will fear; when interests are shared, they will form alliances; when hearts are convinced, people will follow. This is the long-term strategy for securing the border. Ali, you have a broad mind. Ordinary people would think of eliminating all the Northern Yuan people, but you are thinking of the overall situation of the world.”

Xia Zhaoyi chuckled softly, her eyes slightly red: "The word 'common people' carries a heavy weight."

Shen Lie knew that she must have remembered Zhu Xian's dying words about "the common people" and the old man's words to her, "the suffering of the people."

He raised his arm and embraced her: "Don't be afraid, I, Shen Lie, will stand by you."

Xia Zhaoyi looked up from his arms and said, "There's something I've heard a million times, but I still have to say it."

Shen Lie smiled and said, "Shen Lie, thank you."

Xia Zhaoyi smiled brightly: "Don't you dare interrupt me."

“I’ll never tire of listening to it,” Shen Lie’s smile was equally radiant as he hugged her tightly. “I’ll always love listening to it.”

Ten days later, the messages sent by the birds from station to station landed in Hulanqing's hands.

He dared not look, and went to the Prince's Mansion to find Chiyu.

Chi Yu was dressed in white mourning clothes, her demeanor still noble and elegant, her appearance exquisite and beautiful.

She loved Shang Taiyu deeply, but she didn't let Shang Taiyu's tragic death make her gaunt for too long.

With Shang Taiyu gone, Ling Daicheng cannot be without a leader. Yi Shurong, Shang Taizhenli, and Shang Taizhenli's group of princes have been eyeing her covetously. If she doesn't step forward, no one can support Ling Daicheng.

Chiyu took the letter and, after reading it, her expression was clearly one of shock.

No one else knew the contents of the letter; everyone was watching her.

After a long while, Chiyu said, "The letter was written by Ali."

The crowd's expressions changed drastically; some were furious, some were shocked, and some were filled with doubt.

Chiyu got up and went back to her room without saying another word.

December arrived in the blink of an eye.

With fewer and fewer battles in the northern border, Shang Taiyu's troops all returned home, and Yi Shurong's family alliance troops completely lost their fighting spirit.

But they couldn't retreat. They were afraid that if they did, the Han Chinese army would destroy their first, second, and third Donglu, and swallow up the great cities they had painstakingly built on the grasslands.

On New Year's Eve, Shen Lie and Xia Zhaoyi were together again. They rode horses to Meiling to find Xia Zhaoxue to celebrate the New Year together, where they encountered Zhili, who insisted on coming to join in the fun.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, after the Han people had finished celebrating the New Year, Yi Shurong met his demise.

What's meant to happen will happen eventually.

The final battle in the northern border broke out at Hanquan Ferry in the southeast and Luoxing Lake in the northeast, only thirty miles from Mingze City.

The Han army split into six routes, pointing their swords at Mingze City. Yi Shurong no longer had enough troops to resist.

As the Han army gradually pushed the battle line forward, Yi Shurong gave up completely and ordered a retreat.

Two days ago, 30% of the city's inhabitants had already fled upon hearing the news. Now, the city and its outskirts are filled with terrified figures fleeing. Countless people have been trampled to death before they even left the city.

Yi Shurong was also a proud man, but now, like his former subordinate Meng Jinci, as the situation became increasingly clear, he abandoned his main force and left with only a personal guard.

On his way to Mingfang City, he was stopped by Shen Lie and Xia Zhaoxue with their troops.

Yi Shurong recognized Shen Lie, but was unfamiliar with the man beside him whose hat brim was pulled low and whose face was wrapped in a kerchief.

However, upon recognizing Shen Lie, Yi Shurong knew that everything was doomed for him today.

Either he should die a quick and painless death here.

Alternatively, he could be captured and taken back, where he would be tortured to death like Tao Lan and Meng Jinci.

Xia Zhaoxue spurred his horse forward and called out, "Yi Shurong!"

Yi Shurong frowned and shouted back, "What is it!"

Xia Zhaoxue ripped off the face towel, pointed the long spear held at his side, and said coldly, "Back then, you targeted me not only because I interfered with your marching plans, but also because some busybodies spread rumors that we were equally famous!"

Yi Shurong was stunned. He stared at his face and finally recognized him: "You're Xia Zhaoxue! You're not dead?!"

"Yes, I'm not dead! Yi Shurong, you're narrow-minded and can't stand others arguing with you. Today I'll have a match with you and make you admit defeat. Do you dare?"

Yi Shurong gripped the reins tightly, glaring directly at Xia Zhaoxue: "You want to humiliate me? You want to completely destroy me?! You want to be recorded in history as someone who is defeated by you?!"

"You do not dare?"

"No! You are my defeated opponent! If it weren't for Xia Zhaoyi, you would have died long ago, died a horrible death, tortured to death by me!!"

Xia Zhaoxue sneered, his mount pacing restlessly: "Yi Shurong, if my sister hadn't switched me with someone else back then, you wouldn't have been able to capture me alive. And if my sister hadn't been trying to buy me time, how could you have captured her alive? You call me a defeated opponent? I was never your defeated opponent. I used two thousand soldiers to hold off your main force for half a month, killed more than four thousand of your men, and burned a hundred or so bushels of your rations. I've already made my money back!"

Yi Shurong was so angry that he trembled, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

He drew his treasured sword and pointed it at Xia Zhaoxue: "Alright! Let's give it a try!"

His precious sword was not short, but compared to the spear, it looked pitifully short.

Xia Zhaoxue didn't take advantage of him, so he tossed the spear to Shen Lie and drew his sword.

Yi Shurong first flattered, "Giddy up!"

A sword and a blade, their killing intent clashing, clashed amidst the heavy snow.

As a Northern Yuan native who grew up on horseback, Yi Shurong is a top-notch equestrian, even surpassing Shang Taiyu in skill.

In addition, his competitive spirit and desire to be the best in everything, his ambition to become the best among his peers and unmatched by anyone, led to further improvement in his equestrian skills.

Xia Zhaoxue was the complete opposite of him.

Xia Zhaoxue's heart was neither in the school nor in the court. He only cared about getting decent grades in riding and archery, just enough to pass the test. Those who were too outstanding would be arrested by the court to do manual labor.

But because he kept running away and only returned to the capital after having a great time, his father could no longer tolerate it and finally threw him into the army.

It's no longer good to hide one's talents in the barracks. If one continues to hide them, not only will one suffer physically, but one will also have to do a lot of work.

He can endure corporal punishment, but someone as lazy as him would rather drown in a river than wash someone else's pants.

So in the barracks, he quickly rose to prominence, becoming unparalleled for a time.

After leaving the army, he continued to roam the martial arts world, where his fame grew even greater thanks to his skills.

Yi Shurong is a combination of talent and hard work, while Xia Zhaoxue is simply fed by God.

Later, after family and national upheavals, Xia Zhaoxue returned to the northern frontier. He worked harder than anyone else, his palms bleeding from the gun butts several times. Now, his hands are covered in thick calluses.

In the first month of the lunar calendar, the snow in Mingze City was as heavy as goose feathers, swirling and dancing in the sky. The people who were fleeing for their lives avoided them from a distance, and the number of people in this area became less and less.

Then came the sound of swords clashing, followed by the sound of a large sword falling to the ground and crashing into the thick snow.

Yi Shurong's three fingers were still gripping the hilt of the knife when he fell to the ground along with the broadsword.

Ignoring the pain, he swiftly drew a short dagger from his waist with his left hand and plunged it into his chest.

Xia Zhaoxue spurred his horse to accelerate and kicked him off the horse.

Yi Shurong rolled on the ground, his scalding blood melting the snow. The pain in his chest made him furrow his brows. He looked at the vast sky and seemed to see the faces of his father and elder sister.

Before he could take a closer look, two tall, dark figures blocked out the sky.

Xia Zhaoxue held a sword to his throat.

The other dark figure was Shen Lie, whose spear was also pointed at his throat.

Xia Zhaoxue coldly said, "Our positions are different. You are for your emperor, and I am for my people. Wars will eventually end. You are a talented person, and your insight far surpasses that of other Northern Yuan nobles. Keeping you alive is more beneficial than killing you. However, you tortured and killed my sister." Yi Shurong laughed, his mouth full of blood: "There will never be a day of reconciliation between us. Killing me was the right thing to do."

Xia Zhaoxue glanced at Shen Lie, and then almost simultaneously, their weapons pierced Yi Shurong's neck.

The puncture wasn't deep, but it was extremely painful.

Yi Shurong struggled violently out of control and died in extreme pain.

After confirming that he was no longer breathing, Xia Zhaoxue said in a low voice, "I have avenged my little sister."

Shen Lie said, "If Miss Xia were alive, she would be pleased with this."

Xia Zhaoxue turned her head to look at his face, smiled gracefully, and turned around to say, "Let's go."

For the past six months, he had been trying to subtly probe Shen Lie, intentionally or unintentionally, to find a breakthrough. But Shen Lie was tight-lipped and kept his mouth shut, refusing to say anything, which made Xia Zhaoxue wonder if he had been unaware of the truth all along.

Therefore, Xia Zhaoxue became certain that his younger sister didn't want to talk about it either.

Or perhaps she never let Shen Lie know.

Either Shen Lie knew, or he was keeping a close watch on her.

The brother and sister were exactly alike in temperament, hating conflict yet becoming conflicted themselves. They usually seemed like cheerful people, but that was because they rarely encountered emotional entanglements. When they did, they would run away, disliking crying and being sentimental.

Yi Shurong's body lay on the snow, and his personal guards were also killed.

Before long, heavy snow covered the ground, burying the blood and turning their corpses into the outlines of hills and valleys, blending them into the vast天地 (heaven and earth).

In late February, new talents and rising stars emerged in the Northern Yuan, with young princes stepping forward one by one, full of vigor and ambition, vying for supremacy.

They traveled around giving speeches, recruiting soldiers and horses, and roaming the grasslands in the freezing cold.

Because of their active preparations for war, Shangtai Zhenli wavered between surrender and war.

On March 6th, Queen Chiyu presented treasures and specialties from Lingdai City as tribute. On the evening of the 7th, a coup suddenly broke out in Fengge City of Shangtai Zhenli, and an army of 30,000 surrounded the royal court of Shangtai Zhenli.

The following day, Sangtai Rijin and the Empress were placed under house arrest, and Sangtai Rijin's princes, who had just begun to show their talents, were secretly executed.

In late March, Queen Chiyu ascended the throne, becoming the second female emperor in the history of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.

On the same day, Sangtai Rijin and his queen were also secretly poisoned.

On March 25, Chi Yu and Han army commander Ouyang Jun signed a ceasefire agreement in Sandao Donglu and agreed to jointly send troops to wipe out the bandits in Huangmenhai, designate Huangmenhai as the first commercial market for Han and Northern Yuan people, and build a city there.

The next day, Chiyu finally met Xia Zhaoyi.

To be precise, she arrived early and stopped Xia Zhaoyi's army from heading back.

Chi Yu rode on horseback, dressed in red, like a flame on the grassland, her beautiful big eyes staring unblinkingly at Xia Zhaoyi.

Xia Zhaoyi was dressed simply and lightly, in a black robe, her long, flowing black hair tied into a ponytail that hung high behind her.

Her eyes were dark and lustrous, and her small, slender face, with its dark skin, made her features appear even more defined.

Upon seeing Chi Yu, Xia Zhaoyi frowned slightly and spurred her horse forward: "Were you waiting for me?"

Chi Yu said, “I have been waiting for you, General Ali. I have long admired your name. There are few people I admire, but you are one of them, and perhaps the most. You are indeed young. You are not even twenty years old. At such a young age, you are already famous throughout the world. Looking at the past and present, there is only one like you. This talent is bestowed by heaven and will be difficult for future generations to replicate.”

Xia Zhaoyi smiled faintly: "You are young and very capable."

Chi Yu smiled faintly, and she could tell that the other party did not want to exchange any more pleasantries with her.

I was mentally prepared for this when I came, because she hadn't shown up for the past two days.

But Chi Yu was itching to see this extraordinary woman, who was unparalleled in all directions.

The mountains are far and the rivers are wide, and the journey is long. It is very likely that this meeting today will be the only time she will ever see Ali in her life.

Now I've seen it, and my wish has come true.

Chi Yu said, "General Ali is on her way, so I won't disturb you any longer. I wish you a safe journey and all the best in the future."

Xia Zhaoyi said, "You are the same. From now on, the rise and fall of the Northern Yuan will all rest on your shoulders. Take good care of yourself."

Chi Yu nodded: "I will."

She tugged on the reins, leading her men to step aside.

Xia Zhaoyi turned her horse around, and Chi Yu suddenly said again, "General Ali, thank you!"

Xia Zhaoyi turned to look at her: "Thank me for what? Your throne?"

Chi Yu said solemnly, "Thank you for not asking for reparations or ceding territory. I dealt with them for two days and could see that they were all resentful, but they respected you. If it weren't for you, no one could have made them compromise. This thank you is on behalf of the people of Bei Yuan."

Xia Zhaoyi's eyes showed no emotion: "I did not do this for the people of Beiyuan, so there's no need to thank me. Farewell."

The army set out again.

The veterans following behind Xia Zhaoyi, such as Xia Xingming and Xia Junnan, gave unfriendly and cold looks as they swept over Chi Yu.

Not only them, but every soldier who passed by did the same.

Chi Yu stood tall and straight, feeling neither ashamed nor proud of it.

Their anger was inevitable, and as the aggressor, she was entitled to bear it and accept it all.

Soon, the army departed, gradually disappearing into the distance, until it became a thin, long line on the horizon.

“Ah Li,” Chi Yu said softly, “she is truly a remarkable woman.”

Xia Zhaoyi led her troops back, first to Gaitang City in Cangjin. The girls who wanted to return to their hometowns were discharged from the army, while those who wanted to continue following her left with her.

In addition to the extra pay, veterans also receive food, meat, and clothing upon discharge.

Many young women, longing for their homes, accepted their travel gifts and left the army.

The remaining girls were combined into one group, still called the Falcon Camp, and left Cangjin with Xia Zhaoyi.

Shen Lie had already left the Northern Border a month earlier, and the letter was still from Nie Huimo.

Nie Huimo was preparing to launch one last large-scale attack on Jin Hongkang. He not only wrote to Shen Lie, but also to Yun Bozhong.

Nie Huimo will depart from Huazhou and Mouye, Yun Bozhong will depart from Guzhou, and Shen Lie will launch simultaneous attacks from the north and south. To the east of Jin Hongkang are towering mountains, and on the other side of the mountains are Guizhou, Xizhou, Muzhou, and Hejing.

Jin Hongkang was completely surrounded on the map.

After leaving the Northwest, Xia Zhaoyi went to the capital again to ask someone to find a bright future for the soldiers of the Xia family army.

This matter is not urgent, but it needs to be arranged in advance.

That afternoon, Xia Zhaoyi was dragged along by Zhao Yu and complained about for a full three hours.

After finally getting rid of Zhao Yu, she slept well and then led her troops south.

Her forces have never been large. It's not that she can't recruit more soldiers, but the key to a good army is quality. If she has too many men, she doesn't have the energy to train them.

She can't help much by leading several thousand people south now, but she wants to join in the fun and see Jin Hongkang fall from grace.

When they stopped at the inn in Jinzhou, a man came to see them and said that Shen Lie had prepared a special gift for them.

With a wave of his hand, an old man was forced onto the platform.

Xia Zhaoyi looked at him and frowned, "Xie Zhong?"

Xie Zhong had been badly beaten; his face was bruised and swollen, and his hands were trembling.

Upon seeing Xia Zhaoyi, he curled up into a ball, utterly terrified.

To be able to turn someone like Xie Zhong into what he is now, one can imagine how difficult his life must have been during this period.

The man said, "It wasn't our general's idea, but he was already like this when we captured him. To be precise, we even saved him."

Xia Zhaoyi asked, "Who did this?"

"I don't know, he won't say anything when I ask him."

Xia Zhaoyi looked at Xie Zhong, whose eyes still shone brightly, but he clearly avoided her gaze when she looked at him.

He was clearly conscious and not truly mentally impaired.

But whether or not one is conscious is no longer important.

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Kill them."

"Yes."

Xie Zhong was shocked and crawled on the ground to grab Xia Zhaoyi's feet.

Feng Ping stepped forward and kicked him away: "Get lost!"

Amidst repeated pleas for mercy, Xie Zhong was dragged away.

When Xie Zhong was captured, he had a bundle with him.

Shen Lie's men brought over a bundle containing a thick stack of maps and several yellowed booklets filled with notes on tomb location, soil analysis, mineral analysis, feng shui analysis, and other related topics.

In the latter half, Xia Zhaoyi turned to the map of Linquan.

However, Xie Zhong seemed not to be very interested in the records about Lin Quan. He only made a few notes in his notes, mentioning that it was near Hengxiang and it was best to avoid it.

Shen Lie's subordinates recounted that the capture of Xie Zhong went very smoothly.

Tai Zicang's painting skills were superb. According to Fang Yiping's description, Tai Zicang painted an identical portrait, then copied it thousands of times and distributed it widely. Xie Zhong had nowhere to escape and was eventually captured.

Xia Zhaoyi thought that Tang Xiangsi was still alive. Perhaps Tang Xiangsi was not as cunning and treacherous as Xie Zhong, but she had lived for hundreds of years and still had to evade Wei Xingchuan's pursuit from time to time. Therefore, Tang Xiangsi's ability to hide and disguise herself was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

As a result, just ten days after she finished praising him, when she arrived in Huzhou, Shen Lie told her that Tang Xiangsi had died.

The summer nights in Huzhou were cool and the moon was as bright as jade. They walked slowly along the official road into the city, distancing themselves from their subordinates.

Shen Lie led her horse and briefly explained the whole process.

Similar to Xie Zhong, Yang Changshan and Xie Huaichu gave detailed oral accounts, Tai Zicang drew portraits, and students copied them to earn money. Afterward, the portraits were plastered all over the streets and alleys.

Tang Xiangsi originally wanted to go to Songzhou and Anjiang, or Xiongchi, which were the safest places for him, but all the land routes were blocked. He couldn't cross the mountains or swim across the waterways. Finally, with nowhere else to go, he hid at the broken cliff of Yeshan.

He thought that Broken Cliff was desolate all year round, with only Yuan Muxue and his two disciples, but unexpectedly, Danxianzhou was recuperating on Broken Cliff, and many people from Lingchuan Taoist Temple came.

Although Gu Xinghai's Wangxing Sect was located on the other side of Yeshan Mountain, he was tireless and brought Mu Tingyu to visit the cliff every day.

The guardian preferred peace and quiet, which Yuan Muxue found objectionable, but Gu Xinghai was shameless, and Yuan Muxue couldn't really fight him.

And so, Tang Xiangsi arrived at the Broken Cliff with trepidation and utmost caution, thinking he could get away with it unnoticed. But on the very night he arrived, he ran right into Mu Tingyu's clutches.

Mu Tingyu is the heir of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion. He learned riding and archery in the Dianjiang Hall from a young age. His skills are not particularly outstanding, but they are certainly better than those of ordinary people.

Mu Tingyu roared and chased after her, scaring Tang Xiangsi so much that she scrambled to her feet.

The mountain path was rugged and dark, and coupled with her exhaustion, Tang Xiangsi finally fell from the hillside and died on a cliff five zhang below.

Just then, Yang Changshan and Luo Xianyin were at the Wangxing Sect. Gu Xinghai sent someone to call them over to identify the body. After repeated confirmation by the two, the deceased was indeed Tang Xiangsi.

He died just like that.

The road into the city was quiet, and the lake to their south shimmered. After listening, Xia Zhaoyi said, "Speaking of the Broken Cliff, I wonder how Chongmen Heng is doing."

“Yuan Muxue starved him to death.”

Xia Zhaoyi was slightly taken aback, then nodded gently.

Shen Lie added, "Wei Xingchuan is still left, but very few people have seen him, so we can't draw a portrait of him."

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Wei Xingchuan is not in a hurry. Although he has committed many evils, at least he has not betrayed the country like Tang Xiangsi. Moreover, he lives a secluded life and rarely shows his face, so portraits will not work on him."

Shen Lie stopped, took her hand, and said solemnly, "Ali, leave Wei Xingchuan and the others to me. I'll deal with them."

Xia Zhaoyi asked, "Are you able to manage all that?"

"This isn't busy at all. I enjoy doing things for you, don't you remember?"

A gentle lake breeze swept by, causing Shen Lie's tousled hair to flutter lightly. His brows were clear and bright, his eyes gentle, and his dark eyes shone with a starlike brilliance.

Xia Zhaoyi loved his eyes the most; they were so deep, so focused and earnest, like the still, deep lake beside them, both serene and profound.

Even now, Xia Zhaoyi can still read the joy hidden deep in his eyes.

This joy touched her, and she knew what he was so happy about.

They can be together forever, no longer separated by distance, no longer having to travel hundreds of miles under the stars and moon just to see each other.

The war with the Northern Yuan ended, and the war in the Central Plains stabilized.

Nie Huimo and Yun Bozhong have reached a consensus: as long as Jin Hongkang is destroyed, their past grievances will be wiped clean, and they will not bother each other in the future.

This is good. Although it is not a unified state, with the same skin color, the same customs, the same language and ideas, unification is inevitable.

As long as the world is stable, she can roam freely across the land.

Shen Lie will stay with her, which is really good.

Xia Zhaoyi couldn't wait to imagine how happy she would be to ride with him in a small boat, drifting freely under the starry sky.

Xia Zhaoyi laughed and pressed her advantage, saying, "Fine, since you like doing things for me, from now on you can do all the things I don't like, and I'll only do what I love. Are you willing?"

Shen Lie smiled and said, "Ah Li, I couldn't ask for more."

Xia Zhaoyi stepped forward, leaned into his arms, and wrapped her arms around his slender waist.

His pleasant fragrance enveloped her completely, and Xia Zhaoyi said, "Shen Lie, I'm tired."

During the years of fighting, she did not feel any hardship or fatigue. Sometimes when her men could not keep up after a long march of hundreds of miles, she would cheer them up and comfort them.

Aside from the sadness and helplessness she felt when seriously injured people died in front of her, she was always cheerful and her spirits were as bright as the sun.

But now, for some reason, she suddenly feels very tired.

However, Xia Zhaoyi quickly figured out the reason: in front of Shen Lie, she could relax and be lazy to her heart's content.

Once laziness sets in, things can collapse in an instant; when laziness becomes utter, one begins to slack off.

Shen Lie said gently, "Shall we mount our horses? We'll ride back."

"it is good."

Shen Lie paused for a moment, then said, "Ali, you do it yourself. Your men are following behind you."

Although her men deliberately kept a great distance between them, at least two hundred paces apart.

Xia Zhaoyi chuckled, recalling the time in the outskirts of the capital when he lifted her onto a horse and she said a few words to him afterwards.

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Okay."

Shen Lie's dragon eagle was being led by Wu Shaoning. After Xia Zhaoyi mounted her horse, Shen Lie also got on and put his arm around her from behind.

The two of them rode their horses slowly into the city, the sound of hooves echoing softly.

The moonlight was like water, and all things were peaceful. The war and the mountains of corpses seemed to be things from a distant time and space.

That night, Shen Lie was very restrained, and because of her words "I'm tired," he didn't dare to ask for too much.

Just as I finished cleaning her, there was a knock on the door. Ye Zheng came to report that Fan Zhuyi was requesting an audience and had just arrived from Guizhou.

If nothing unexpected happens, the next chapter will be the finale.