Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1699 Succession
"Qianjinfang has always operated between the imperial court and the martial arts world," Zhen Mi'er said casually, then added calmly, "As for the news that Lan'er promised to tell you..."

Upon hearing this, Cui Hai disregarded everything else and eagerly asked, "Where exactly is my senior brother?"

"Dead." The heavy words left Cui Hai speechless for a long time before he finally managed to say, "What did you say?"

Zhen Mi'er succinctly relayed Fang Zilan's message to Cui Hai, omitting the part about the Fei Ling Mountain bandits sending human bones to Miluo, and instead describing it as a treacherous world of martial arts and human scheming.

"I don't believe it..." Cui Hai shook his head vigorously, "My senior brother is highly skilled in martial arts, he wouldn't be so easily..."

"The news that Qianjinfang sells things is absolutely true." Zhen Mi'er interrupted Cui Hai without changing her expression. "Master Cui, please accept my condolences."

"You lied to me!" Cui Hai was agitated and lunged at Zhen Mi'er, but she dodged him with a swift movement. "Hero Cui, now that the money and goods are settled, if you want to cause trouble, I will not be polite."

After she finished speaking, she lightly touched the ground with her toes and disappeared in a few leaps, leaving Cui Hai standing there, listening to the shouts of "The fire is breaking out!" all around him, but he remained unmoved.

When Mingxiang, who was leading the horse outside, saw Zhen Mi'er come out, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Miss Mi'er..."

Before she could even open her mouth, Zhen Mi'er interrupted her, "Where is Lan'er? Why are you left here?"

“My master wouldn’t let me come along.” Mingxiang lowered her eyes, a hint of disappointment in her voice. “After I handed the plum sword to my master, she rode away quickly.”

Zhen Mi'er smiled slightly, "Mingxiang, you know Lan'er's personality quite well. If she doesn't want you to come, just keep pestering her and follow her. She can't possibly drive you away, can she?"

“Master said that if I dare to follow, he will break my legs.” Mingxiang was unusually irritable. Zhen Mi’er chuckled, “Lan’er is just scaring you. She wouldn’t have the heart to break your legs.”

Mingxiang pursed her lips, "Miss Mi'er, shall we now..."

She didn't continue, but Zhen Mi'er interjected, "Never mind, Lan'er must have gone to the Jiangnan camp. It's too late for us to catch up now. Why don't we go to Feiling Mountain for her and make sure Miss Awan is safe and sound?"

“But…” Mingxiang opened her mouth, but Zhen Mi’er’s smile widened, “You didn’t go to Feiling Mountain with Lan’er?”

Mingxiang nodded, and Zhen Mier looked at her with amusement, "How come such a clever and quick-witted girl like you becomes so clueless when it comes to Lan'er's matter? With me here, there's nowhere you can't go?"

Mingxiang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Does Young Master Wan know about Miss Mi'er...?"

"He's not that old, but he has a lot to worry about." Zhen Mi'er smiled and shook her head. "He's already on his way."

"What..." A look of shock flashed in Mingxiang's eyes. Zhen Mi'er casually took the horse reins from her hand. "Aren't you going?"

Seeing that Zhen Mi'er was about to leave, Mingxiang couldn't help but tug at her sleeve and whispered in her ear, "What about Zuiyue Tower? There are still many important people inside..."

She hesitated, then Zhen Mi'er suppressed her smile and whispered to her, "His Majesty, General Zhou Lang of the Southeast Camp, and Young Master Fang Lihui are all here. Why should we worry?"

“Your Majesty…” Mingxiang exclaimed, but Zhen Mi’er quickly covered her mouth. “Lan’er doesn’t want too many people to know, but once tonight is over, it will be impossible to hide it anymore.”

“I can do anything.” Shangguan Min looked up at Fang Zilan, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. “Can you do anything?” Fang Zilan read those words aloud, then suddenly smiled. “If you want to be my apprentice, the first thing you need to learn is to know what to do and what not to do.”

Shangguan Min stood there stunned. Deputy General Cao gave him a sharp look and said, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and kowtow."

Shangguan Min then realized what was happening and kowtowed three times respectfully, saying, "Please enlighten me, Master."

Fang Zilan said softly, "Shangguan Min, remember this: as long as you don't go against your conscience, whatever you do is fine."

“Original intention?” Shangguan Min pondered the word repeatedly, when Wen Ya suddenly spoke up, “Lord Fang’s words are probably inappropriate.”

Fang Zilan narrowed her eyes and said calmly, "I would like to hear the details."

“This young general’s surname is Shangguan. He is skilled with a spear and is stationed in the northern border.” Wen Ya said carefully, “In addition, judging from what Lord Fang just said, he should be the orphan of General Shangguan Jing and a descendant of the Desert Wolf King. Am I right?”

Fang Zilan made no attempt to hide her identity after he guessed correctly, and said generously, "Mr. Wen is very perceptive and knowledgeable, so his guess is certainly correct."

"In that case," Wen Ya said, looking at Shangguan Min, "I would like to ask this young general, if one day the barbarian tribes of the desert were to return, would you continue to defend the borders, or would you join forces with the barbarians to share the spoils?"

Shangguan Min replied without hesitation, "Naturally, we will continue to guard the borders and protect the people."

Wen Ya gave a rare sneer and pressed on, "Among the barbarians, there are many of your blood relatives. If they were willing to offer their necks for you to be slaughtered, would you kill them without hesitation?"

"I..." Shangguan Min suddenly remembered the more than one hundred people in Sanyuan Village who were willing to die for him. At that time, Fang Zilan ordered him to do it, but he simply couldn't do it.

If we could do it all over again, I'm afraid...

“You won’t, but you also won’t help the desert barbarians invade Dajing.” Wen Ya’s eyes were sharp, like a blade, cutting into Shangguan Min’s deepest fears. “If that day ever comes, and you can’t find a place on either side, what will you choose?”

Shangguan Min's lips moved, but no sound came out.

In fact, he had thought about these things before; on the contrary, he often thought about them, and over time they became one nightmare after another.

In the dead of night, he would repeatedly ask himself, "Why am I the one who is alive?"
"I thought it was something else." Fang Zilan slowly bent down, reaching her hand closer to the brazier to warm it. "If that day ever comes and you find yourself caught between two difficult choices, then accept your punishment and stop being a soldier in Dajing. If you are lucky enough to survive, the world is vast, the Western Regions, the islands of the East China Sea—where can't you find refuge?"

"But..." Shangguan Min stopped mid-sentence. Fang Zilan glanced at him and said knowingly, "You don't want to?"

Shangguan Min nodded, and Fang Zilan chuckled, "Then ask yourself, what is your true nature?"

“Protect the people.” Shangguan Min blurted out, and Fang Zilan nodded slightly. “The people of Dajing are the people, and the people of the desert barbarians are also the people.”

Awan was completely confused and couldn't help but interject, "In the end, isn't it still a dilemma for both sides?"