The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 646 The "Wolf" Infiltrates the Flock of Sheep (5k)

The rising sun illuminated the world, shining on the bodies and faces of the survivors and the vast forest behind them.

Although the operation did not take long, infiltrating the lair of a god was so dangerous that the group felt as if they had spent a long time.

Sensing Zhao Du'an's gaze, Tuoba Weizhi turned back, lowered his eyelids, concealed the joy in his eyes, and humbly bowed.

"Master, what are your orders?"

Zhao Du'an said somewhat awkwardly:
"Nothing, just checking on you."

Tuoba Weizhi was taken aback: "Master wants to see me?"

As she spoke, the priestess began to undress decisively, startling Zhao Du'an into shouting to stop her.

And only after repeatedly soothing him under the strange gazes of the other two women did Tuoba Weizhi finally calm down.

This child is too honest... Well, it could also be interpreted as a kind of unfamiliarity with the outside world.

Having lived in the secluded Layuan Garden for a long time, Tuoba Weizhi was severely lacking in many "common sense of life".

For example, she might not understand jokes or banter, and she would take any unintentional remark from Zhao Du'an to heart without fail.

This quality seemed to be something that those in positions of power should appreciate, but Zhao Du'an did not let his guard down against Tuoba Weizhi because of it.

Even though numerous clues corroborated her words, and that the Dragon Soul could suppress the opponent, given Zhao Du'an's cautious nature, he certainly couldn't easily and completely trust a different race...

Yes, it's suspected to be the gender-swapped version of the last emperor of the Qi Kingdom.

Whether someone is loyal or not still needs to be examined.

"I said, we've escaped, what's next?"

Yu Xiu slowly sat up straight, looking at Zhao Du'an with worried eyes:
"It looks like we can't go back the way we came."

Zhao Du'an said calmly, "The Earth is round."

"what?"

Zhao Du'an didn't explain, he just smiled and said:
"Since we're in Yunfu Road, heading south will take us back. However, our time is precious, and there's no need to waste it on the journey. So, our top priority is to reunite with the Old Celestial Master."

However, if my guess is correct, after Song Zhi realized that we had infiltrated the Wax Garden and taken the priest away, he would definitely follow Zhang Tianshi and try to find us.

Therefore, the Celestial Master won't rush to find us anytime soon; he'll definitely have to stall for time to buy us a chance to escape.

He analyzed the situation meticulously, his tone full of persuasiveness:

"So, all we need to do is find a place in Yunfu where Zhang Tianshi will definitely be able to find us and wait for him to come and meet us."

Yu Xiu nodded and tentatively asked:

Are we going to Zhengyang Mountain?

Last time, when the group was being chased by the God of Death, they fled to Zhengyang Mountain.

“No,” Zhao Du’an shook his head and said:

"Let's go find Zhao Shixiong!"

He calmly said:
"Xu Jianwen led the Liao people to attack the border army led by Zhao Shixiong."

If I were in the capital, it wouldn't matter, but since I'm already in Yunfu, there's no reason not to go. Even if I can't be of much help, I can at least boost morale, especially since... we might be able to help too.

He looked at Tuoba Weizhi.

He asked earnestly, "As a priest, how much influence do you have over the Liao army?"

Tuoba Weizhi thought for a moment and said:

"Uncertain. I have lived in the La Garden for many years and have little contact with the Liao people. Even if I represent the gods, my prestige is certainly far less than that of the clan chief."

In other words, she couldn't use her identity to force the Liao people to retreat... Zhao Du'an wasn't disappointed, and instead said:

"I heard that the strongest soldier in the army that went to war was the tribe's number one warrior?"

Tuoba Weizhi nodded:

"Yes. His name is Poyun, a warrior who was given the Red Flute, and he is very powerful."

"How strong is he? How does he compare to you? What are your chances of winning if you fight him?" Zhao Du'an asked, then added:
I mean you right now.

Tuoba Weizhi shook his head.

So it still didn't work? Zhao Du'an was somewhat disappointed.

Inside the La Garden, he witnessed firsthand the priestess's monstrous martial prowess and concluded that she was no weaker than a half-step Celestial. However, it seemed that leaving the Great Frontier had weakened her combat strength more severely than he had imagined.

But the next second, Tuoba Weizhi said seriously:
"This servant is not necessarily confident that I can kill him."

The three people: ?

Good grief, so when you shake your head you don't mean you can't beat them, but rather that you might not be able to kill them...

Zhao Du'an was both surprised and delighted, and almost wanted to burst into laughter three times:

With such a fierce general, the world can be at peace.

Yu Xiu, however, was not as optimistic as him, and frowned, saying:
"But what if Song Zhi, with Da Laba, chases them out of Xinjiang and heads to the front lines as well?"

Even if Da La Ba leaves Xinjiang, he will be suppressed, but at least he can retain his Celestial Warrior strength. This is enough to annihilate the southwestern border army.

Tuoba Weizhi shook his head and said:

"No. The gods will not leave the Great Frontier. The chieftain is the god's servant, not his master. The gods are like wild beasts, and they will not invade each other's territories. Therefore, the gods do not want to leave the Great Frontier."

Is that so? Zhao Du'an paused for a moment, then suddenly realized:

Yes!

If Da Laba could be driven away from Xinjiang, then why has Xu Jianwen been hiding for so long? He would have already brought out an evil god to stir up trouble.

This also explains why Zhang Yan's use of the power of the Heavenly Dao angered the sleeping Da Laba... because the Heavenly Dao had invaded Da Laba's territory.

Now that it's confirmed that Da Laba won't come out, and it's just the Liaoren army, the threat is much smaller.

Of course, the Liao people, with their many powerful members, should not be underestimated, especially with the remnants of the Liao clan such as Xu Jianwen and Qi Yuchun still present.

Zhao Du'an pondered for a moment, then wondered if he should perform some visualization and return to the palace to save the information here.

But then he thought that firstly, the matter was not urgent, and secondly, the Empress had only recently left the capital.

Secondly, he still didn't fully trust Tuoba Weizhi. If he were to engage in visualization and lose control of his body, he might not be able to stop Tuoba Weizhi with only Yu Xiu and Jin Jian protecting him.

"Forget it, there's no rush. We'll wait until we meet up with Zhao Shixiong before we go back to talk to Zhenbao about the progress here."

The four of them made a plan and immediately stopped hesitating. They first rested and ate something nearby.

Then Zhao Du'an took out several sets of clothes from the scroll and changed into them. After the four of them had changed their appearances, they headed towards the core of the southwestern border army.

……

……

Yunfu Road, border town.

As a military garrison town in the southwest, Biancheng has gradually expanded over the centuries and has become a city of considerable size, comparable to a county town.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the entire border town was oppressive and heavy, with armored soldiers moving back and forth in the city, as if it were a wartime situation.

Inside the yamen of the border army command within the city.

Zhao Shixiong sat upright at the head of the table, calmly listening to his subordinates' reports one by one. Finally, he slammed his hand on the table with a "bang," his sharp gaze sweeping over the generals:

"I don't want to know the movements of the Liao soldiers. I only ask one thing: the border defense line must never be breached!"

The trusted generals rose in somber countenance and responded:
"This humble general will not allow those wicked barbarians to invade my Great Yu even a step!"

Zhao Shixiong waved his hand: "Go!"

Many generals stood up and rushed out of the government office.

After everyone left, a plump, tall woman with a steady and powerful gait walked in carrying a food box.

Gongsun glanced worriedly at Zhao Shixiong, who was resting with his eyes closed, then slowly walked to his side, put down the food box, lifted the lid, and took out the dishes one by one, saying softly:
"You've missed your mealtime again. Even if you're a martial arts master, this kind of military strategy will lead to your collapse if you don't eat soon."

Zhao Shixiong opened his eyes, grasped one of Gongsun's soft hands, and said bitterly:
"Yunfu was first messed up by Xu Jingtang. I just returned and subdued Yunfu and the bandits in the southwest. Now, the Liao people are marching north like never before in a hundred years. I have heavy responsibilities on my shoulders. How can I relax and have any appetite?"

Gongsun remained silent.

The couple were ordered by Zhao Du'an to attack Yunfu and spent several months wiping out the remnants of Xu Jingtang's forces.

It also took a lot of effort to pacify the people.

He had planned to leave and head north to support Xiping, but unexpected trouble arose again.

"Come for a walk with me," Zhao Shixiong said, getting up.

The couple walked out of the Commander-in-Chief's office, then onto the main street, and finally up to the city wall of the South Gate.

"General!"

The soldiers along the way who saw the two men all puffed out their chests in excitement, which was enough to show the prestige of this border general who was not tall.

Banners fluttered atop the city walls.

Zhao Shixiong leaned forward slightly, his hands resting on the parapet, squinting as he gazed at the distant southwestern frontier that seemed to meet the sky and earth, as if he were silently confronting a sea of ​​land.

"Our men below report that the Liao people's soldiers are steadily closing in on us," Zhao Shixiong said softly.

Gongsun Yingqi raised his eyebrows:
"Is it a key player?"

"Without splitting their forces, the Liao people's army, except for the scouts, has almost all gathered together and is heading straight for us. They're like a giant battering ram, clearing a path through mountains and building bridges over rivers. It seems they're determined to crush this tough nut to crack," Zhao Shixiong remarked.

Gongsun frowned:

"Is this not a normal way of fighting? Is it because they don't know how to fight? Or is it because the Liao people have a small population, so rather than splitting up and being defeated one by one, they prefer to gather together?"

Zhao Shixiong snorted coldly:

"Perhaps both, but I think they are more confident."

The Liao people are indeed few in number. If a real battle were to break out, as long as the fighting dragged on, the Yu Kingdom, with its vast territory, could definitely wear them down and eventually destroy them.

But these guys are individually very strong. If we ignore them and they pounce on us like tigers or bulls, they might just accidentally hit us and become the biggest threat to us.

However, what I'm more curious about is why they suddenly appeared? I have a feeling there's something going on behind the scenes.

Gongsun said worriedly:
"Then why not fight and retreat, abandoning this place? Yes, just like Zhao Du'an always says, use space to buy time. His Majesty's requirement for us is not to repel these foreign enemies, but to hold them off. The real battlefield is still in Xiping."

Zhao Shixiong burst into laughter, his slightly hunched back straightening instantly, a surge of heroic spirit almost soaring to the heavens:
"Retreat? No, I'm determined not to retreat an inch!"

A resolute glint flashed in the eyes of this lean, burly man from the southwest:
“Zhao Du’an killed Xu Wen on the eastern front and quelled the Rebellion of the Eight Princes. How could I, a member of the Zhao clan, lose to him?”

If we retreat, who knows how much we'll be laughed at later? Gongsun, let's stand here and wait for those thieves to come, shall we?"

Gongsun was taken aback, but then she understood that her husband's words were not out of spite, but rather because as a "surrendered general," he had no choice but to stand firm.

He needs to use this battle against the enemy to wash away the shame of having once served under Xu Jingtang.

……

……

on the plains.

The Liao people's army halted their march and set up cooking.

One by one, the Liao warriors thrust their massive, rugged battle flags into the ground.

Suddenly, the patrolling scout looked behind him in surprise and saw a huge, strange bird break through the clouds and descend towards them like an arrow.

Almost instinctively, many warriors raised their bows and arrows.

"Stop! Are you blind? That's the White Flute beside the chieftain!" a Liaoren officer shouted angrily.

A giant bird flapped its wings and landed in the makeshift military camp. Scout Bai Di leaped down, her eyes weary and her voice hurried:

"Where is the general? Chieftain, give the order."

soon.

White Flute arrived at a makeshift military tent amidst the long army.

With the white flute at her waist, she entered the tent without hindrance. There, she saw several generals sitting together, discussing something while looking at a map on the table.

"The clan leader has sent a message," Bai Di said coldly.

The group of generals were startled and looked at each other. At this moment, the clan chief suddenly sent a message. Could it be that something had happened in the clan?
"You all go out first." At this moment, the person sitting in the main seat spoke up.

He was tall and handsome, with dark skin and slightly curly hair; even among the Liao people, he was exceptionally good-looking.

However, what is most striking is his pair of pale gold pupils, which inspire fear just by looking at them.

At this moment, the supreme commander of the entire army sat casually, even somewhat lazily, on a rough horn chair.

The generals all stood up at the same time, and walked out without saying a word.

In the blink of an eye, only four people remained in the tent.

"White Flute, what did the clan leader send you here for? Heh, the spoils of war won't be so quick to come," the languid man with golden eyes joked.

"General Breaking Clouds".

Although Bai Di disliked the man's unrestrained personality, he still bowed deeply to show his respect for the clan's number one warrior.

Then, she approached another Yu countryman beside Po Yun, who was wearing a black cloak, had an elegant demeanor, and pale skin, and bowed slightly: "Your Highness."

Xu Jianwen smiled:

"What did Song Zhi say? We've only been out for a short time. Could something have happened to the clan?"

White Flute nodded truthfully:

"Yesterday, Zhang Yanyi of the Celestial Master's Mansion suddenly broke into the Great Frontier, angering the gods. He fought a battle with the clan chief in the Great Frontier, and Mangu died."

Meanwhile, Zhang Yanyi allegedly sent disciples to infiltrate the Wax Garden and kidnap Priest Tuoba. The clan chief instructed me to inform the two of you to cooperate in capturing the Celestial Master's Mansion disciples and rescuing Priest Tuoba.

At first, Xu Jianwen was still smiling, but after hearing this report, his smile froze and his hands suddenly clenched.

Behind him, Qi Yuchun, who was sitting quietly, was suddenly startled.

Zhang Yan has made a move? What is his purpose at this time?
Beside him, even the languid Po Yun frowned.

"Explain yourself clearly! Explain yourself clearly!" Xu Jianwen said sternly.

After learning what had happened from Bai Di, Xu Jianwen frowned, feeling a deep sense of worry and unease.

"Have you confirmed how many people infiltrated the wax garden, and who they are?" Xu Jianwen suddenly asked.

White Di shook his head:

"It's not certain yet. But based on the intelligence we've gathered, there should be Zhang Yanyi's fourth disciple, Han Zhao, his second disciple, Yu Xiu... and two or three others, but that's uncertain."

Zhao Du'an fled all the way, killing everyone who witnessed him, and did not leave many traces in the La Garden, so he has not been exposed yet.

Is it only the people from the Celestial Master's Mansion who are taking action?
Xu Jianwen subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, the name "Zhao Du'an" had subconsciously popped into his mind, but then he realized that he was being paranoid.

Zhao Du'an was seriously injured in the battle with Prince Jing. He should be in the capital now, so why would he suddenly appear in Xinjiang?
It was completely unnecessary. Even if they were to appear, they should have gone to meet up with Zhao Shixiong.

So... could it be that Zhang Yan felt pressure from the Buddhist sect, which led to his actions?
But what was the purpose?
The treasures inside the temple? Not much of them are left.

The Tuoba priest? That divine servant who was suspected of being connected to the crown prince of Qi? But I've clearly investigated him many times, and the priest has always refused to cooperate...

If they're trying to stop me from launching an attack, they should be targeting me, not me. There's no reason for them to seek out Da Laba's misfortune.

Xu Jianwen's mind raced with thoughts, but despite his intelligence, he couldn't figure it out.

"I understand. Go out and rest first."

At this moment, Po Yun, tall and handsome with strangely cold golden eyes, waved his hand, signaling Bai Di to leave first. Then he looked at Xu Jianwen and said calmly:
"Does Your Highness know Zhang Yanyi's purpose?"

Xu Jianwen shook his head:
"I still don't understand. However, it's definitely not a good thing. You should immediately issue an order to send people out to search."

Po Yun frowned and said unhappily:

"The border town is just ahead. Now that the army has set out, it is time to advance all the way. How can we stop and spare manpower to search for people? My Liao warriors are not as numerous as your Yu soldiers. They are as numerous as ants."

Qi Yuchun, who had been silent, suddenly spoke in a cold voice:
"You dare disobey His Highness's orders?"

Po Yun glanced sideways at Qi Yuchun and said disdainfully:
"Do you even have the right to speak here? What are you looking at? If you're not happy, let's fight!"

Qi Yuchun dared not speak out against his anger!

He knew all too well how powerful Poyun was; the opponent was only a hair's breadth away from becoming a Celestial Being, and he had no chance of winning against him.

At the same time, this first warrior of the Liao people was also their greatest asset in dealing with the southwestern border army.

Without such a master, it would be extremely difficult to capture Zhao Shixiong, who wields the Soul-Severing Blade and is suspected of approaching the level of a half-step Celestial.

"General Poyun!" Xu Jianwen suppressed her anger. "Before we set off, Song Zhi said that he had to listen to me in everything."

Po Yun said calmly:
"Your Highness, I have also heard a saying in your Yu Kingdom: 'A general in the field may disobey orders.'"

He paused, then met Xu Jianwen's cold gaze calmly and said:

"Furthermore, Your Highness, you must understand that if Chief Song hadn't spoken up, do you think we would have been willing to come here and risk our lives against Zhao Shixiong, to expand your territory?"

Xu Jianwen suddenly laughed and comforted him:
"I promised that as long as you help me reclaim the throne, I will reward the entire Liao tribe. That will be a benefit you can't even imagine."

He paused, then said seriously:

"Of course, you also have your reasons for not splitting up the search."

However, you must order everyone to be on high alert and watch out for anything unusual; otherwise, if those priests stand before Zhao Shixiong, they will be formidable enemies as well.

Po Yun laughed heartily, stood up, stretched, and said in a disdainful tone:
"I understand, Your Highness is far too timid."

He walked out, and Xu Jianwen, feeling uneasy, got up and followed.

The two walked out of the tent.

The sky had become full of dark clouds, and it looked like it was going to rain.

Xu Jianwen reminded him:

"You may be powerful, but there are always those who are more powerful. For example, Zhao Du'an, whom I mentioned, recently killed a pseudo-celestial being."

Po Yun's golden pupils were filled with indifference, making one momentarily mistake him for someone who was no longer a human being, but rather some kind of higher-dimensional life form.

He said calmly, "Zhao Du'an? He'd better pray he doesn't show his face in front of me, otherwise..."

Without warning, Poyun swung his arm and punched towards the sky.

"boom!!!"

A thunderclap resounded across the dry land, and countless Liao people looked up to see a huge hole pierced through the dark clouds high in the sky. Sunlight streamed down, and the dark clouds shattered and dissipated.

The Liao people cheered.

Po Yun looked up at the sky, a cold smile playing on his lips, and said:
"Beat him to a pulp!"

……

……

Under the same sky.

On a rugged official road further south.

The four-person group of Zhao Du'an, now disguised, mingled among a group of refugees who had fled with their families after learning of the war, intending to gather information.

Just then, Zhao Du'an suddenly looked up, gazing towards the far north, and muttered:

"Did you hear that? It sounds like thunder up ahead."

Tuoba Weizhi, Yuxiu, and Jinjian were stunned for a moment. Just as they were about to examine the situation carefully, a shadow suddenly loomed over them, covering all four of them.

Then, shouts came from above their heads:

"Listen up, you people on the ground! Crouch down and cover your heads immediately! Otherwise, you'll be shot on the spot!"

The four were stunned for a moment, and like the people around them, they looked up and were astonished to see a huge "flying boat" covered with vines traveling in the distance!
The flying boat was like a vessel on water, except that thick ropes were taut at all four corners, extending upwards and being held by several enormous, strange birds, which together pulled the flying boat forward.

"Holy crap... this works too..." Zhao Du'an was shocked.

Immediately, they noticed that on the edge of the airship, warriors of the Liao tribe were drawing their bows and aiming their cold arrows at the people below.

Yu Xiu's heart stirred, and she whispered:
"We've run into a recruitment corps of the Fang people!"

(End of this chapter)