If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1463 Difficulty
After navigating numerous checkpoints along the way, Liu Ji finally returned to the main peak of Mangdang Mountain. Only then did he truly realize how swift and terrifying the court's counterattack had been, and how great the losses he had suffered were.

"Didn't you receive a notification? Why did you only take two children? Dad, sister-in-law, and second brother—Peiling captured them all?!"

Looking at Lü Zhi holding her two children, Liu Ji's eyes turned bloodshot, and he flew into a rage, almost unable to resist raising his hand to slap his wife a few times. He really couldn't hold back, or rather, he didn't intend to hold back, but was pulled back by the people next to him.

“Don’t blame your sister-in-law. I personally went down the mountain to inform her and told her about Master Jingjing’s warning in front of Grandfather and Liu Zhong,” Zhou Bo said.

Lü Zhi also said, "I took the children into the mountains that very night, but now the autumn harvest is almost here, and we have dozens of acres of sorghum and millet on our land. Now that there are no more taxes, whatever grain we harvest is our own."

Dad and my second uncle are reluctant to let it go!

And then there's my sister-in-law, who said we separated from the family a long time ago, and even if you broke the law, according to the new law under the current "Ten Years of Benevolent Governance," it won't implicate her.

Father and Second Uncle also believe that you were just framed. If you explain things clearly to the officials, and since the Liu family has already split up, things can be resolved peacefully, just like last time. That's why neither of them wants to leave home.

"They don't want to move. How can I, a junior, force them?"

If Empress Lü had been the eldest daughter-in-law of the Liu family, things wouldn't be like they are now.

Although Liu Taigong respected her, her two sisters-in-law were not to be underestimated.

"Even if the new law is lenient, I am now plotting a rebellion!" Liu Ji roared at Lü Zhi. "They don't know how serious it is, but don't you understand? Can't you explain it to them in detail?"

Even if they won't listen to reason, you should at least inform Han Xin and bring him up the mountain, shouldn't you?"

Han Xin was the main reason for his loss of composure.

Lü Zhi shrank her neck and said, "To be honest, I really didn't expect things to get this serious."

I thought that with Lord Xiao's help, even if my father and second uncle were arrested and taken to the county government, they would at least have a chance to return home and harvest rice.

Han Xin was a Taoist priest with a certificate of ordination, so he should not have been implicated.

I never expected the magistrate of Pei to go to such lengths, even telling the Marquis of Hunhai that Han Xin was your retainer.

"You old hag, still thinking about rice~~" Liu Ji was speechless.

Even if you are ignorant, didn't someone warn you?

Upon hearing this, Lü Zhi became resentful instead, "What warning? It just says that you are being watched by the Xingyang court and that we should be careful. I have no idea how serious it is."

Liu Ji looked at Zhou Bo.

Zhou Bo quickly took out a talisman and handed it to Liu Ji, saying, "Brother Ji, this is a flying talisman I received."

Liu Ji took it and saw that there was only one line of text: Li Si already knows that Liu Ji went to the East Sea to participate in the anti-Qin alliance meeting. The East Sea lords of Sishui will soon take action. Be careful!
"Damn it, that Taoist Jingjing is being far too perfunctory," Lu Wan cursed.

His family was also attacked, but his father had died long ago, leaving only his mother, who had little say in things.

His wife, Qiushui, followed Lü Zhi and fled with their child, and his mother followed as well.

Zhou Bo said, "I reckon even Daoist Jingjing didn't fully anticipate that Li Si and Yu Yu would be so ruthless and act so quickly."

Moreover, Master Jingjing did not send only one letter.

Even if we escape into Mangdang Mountain, so what? If we can go into the mountain, so can the government troops.

Marquis Hunhai is preparing to personally lead an army of 50,000 into the mountains to encircle and annihilate us, and it seems he also intends to slaughter the entire families of Lord Xiao, Lord Cao, and other 'accomplices'.

The appearance of the immortal made Marquis Hunhai wary, so he only detained Lord Xiao and Lord Cao, and did not touch their families.

Hey, seventeen or eighteen immortals were fighting a great battle in the heavens, and at least ten of them died!

Zhou Bo's face showed fear. "I saw with my own eyes the blood of the immortals staining the hillside red, and I also found their limbs by the water and two broken magic treasures."

They fought fiercely.

It should be the immortals led by the Taoist Master Jingjing fighting against the Celestial Master of the Great Qin Dynasty.

I heard the Taoist Jingjing roar angrily—Qiu Mingzi, are you determined to ruin your own path for the sake of the tyrannical Qin?

Qiu Mingzi replied, "Having taken the Ancestral Dragon Qi Pill, dying in battle would be a liberation. If you don't want to die, then get out of here."

Liu Ji swallowed hard and muttered, "This is the 'Dragon Guard'!"

"What Dragon Guard?" Zhou Bo asked, puzzled.

Lu Wan sighed, "Every time we travel through the small worlds, we encounter powerful and fearless sorcerers."

They numbered in the hundreds, obeying the orders of the fake Grand Tutor Yu, and secretly guarded the 'Tyrannical Qin,' only responsible for dealing with the sorcerers and mages in the rebel army.

We call them 'Dragon Guardians'.

I now realize that the Dragon Guardians correspond to those 'Martial Celestial Masters' who betrayed their oath to Heaven and consumed the Ancestral Dragon's Qi Pill.

That evening, Liu Ji was still sitting in the cave, sulking, when suddenly shouts came from below the mountain: "Liu Ji, come out and have a chat! Liu Ji, I am the special envoy of the Marquis of the Fast Boat, come out and have a chat!"

Liu Ji quickly got up and walked out of the cave, where his brothers were already coming to greet him.

“Brother Ji, he’s one of Clippers Hou’s men! Do you want to go see him? Or, can I help you get rid of him?” Zhou Bo asked.

"No need, I'll meet him myself."

Liu Ji closed his eyes and sensed the Mangdang Mountains, vaguely sensing that there seemed to be a group of people fifty miles to the east.

But at the foot of the mountain, there was only one person.

Without hesitation, he immediately led his brothers down the mountain.

"Liu Ji, I am Zhang Feng, a light cavalry captain under the command of the Marquis of Kuaichuan."

The special envoy bowed and said loudly, "Your parents, brothers, nephews and nieces have all been captured by the imperial court."

The passage from Mangdang Mountain to Sishui was also blocked.

Why don't you surrender to the imperial court?
Previously you were the head of Sishui Pavilion, now you are famous throughout the land, and the imperial court is willing to appoint you as the prefectural commandant.

Liu Ji, what do you think?

Liu Ji was taken aback and said, "Does Commandant Zhang mean that I can become the Commandant of Sishui Commandery?"

If he were appointed as the Commandant of Sishui Commandery, it seems that surrendering to Qin might not be out of the question.

He first surrendered to the Qin Dynasty and gained control of the troops in Sishui Commandery. Then, when Xiang Liang or someone else invaded, he would engage in a chaotic battle, which he considered a show of loyalty to the Qin. Finally, "forced into capture," he would lead tens of thousands of troops to surrender and become king himself!
"Don't you know that the current Commandant of Sishui is Marquis Hunhai?"

Zhang Feng's expression was sincere and his tone earnest as he said, "If they truly promise you the position of Commandant of Sishui County, it would be a sign of insincerity, and you should be wary of them."

The imperial court's intention is to invite you to serve as the Commandant of Yunzhong County.

You need not doubt the sincerity of the imperial court.

Two months ago, Maodun, the crown prince of the Xiongnu, led an army of 50,000 to invade the border.

Ren Yong, the Commandant of Yunzhong County, died for his country and has now ascended to heaven to become an immortal.

This matter may not be known to everyone, but you can at least find out if you inquire about it to confirm its truth.

Now that the position of Commandant of Yunzhong County is vacant, it is natural that a hero is needed to fill it.

"If the court wants to offer us amnesty, they should at least arrange a decent job for us! Damn it, sending us all the way to Yunzhong County to fight the Xiongnu, how could you even think of such a thing?" Lu Wan cursed.

Zhang Feng said in a deep voice: "The Xiongnu are trying to invade China. Aren't you people from the Central Plains?"

Becoming a rebel in the Central Plains resulted in his own execution, eternal infamy, and the tragic implication of his family.

Go to Yunzhong County to protect the land. If you are capable, you can be ennobled for your military achievements. If you are unlucky and die on the battlefield, you can still bring glory to your ancestors.

"Do I need to think more about how to choose?"

Lu Wan wanted to call out again, but Liu Ji stopped her with a look.

“Commander Zhang, the Commandant of Yunzhong Commandery, you can indeed see the sincerity of the court. But I wonder which minister in the court made this promise?” Liu Ji asked.

“The imperial decree came from Xingyang and was personally approved by Prime Minister Li, so you don’t need to worry about any unforeseen changes along the way,” Zhang Feng said.

Liu Ji pondered for a moment and said, "Since the decree has been approved by Prime Minister Li, there should be no problem. However, given the suddenness of the matter, could you give me a few days to consider it carefully?"

"How long do you need to think about it?" Zhang Feng asked.

Liu Ji said with distress, "I was originally a hermit in the mountains, devoted to cultivating the Tao and not concerned with worldly affairs."

He was overjoyed to receive the Dragon King's invitation without considering the consequences.

Now, rushing back in haste, I find my home has been ravaged by a catastrophe, leaving me bewildered and anxious.

It will probably take at least ten days to two weeks for them to recover.

Zhang Feng almost couldn't hold back and blurted out "shameless scoundrel".

"Your parents and brothers are all in the Heavenly Prison, what are you still hesitating for? Even if you are ruthless and heartless, and don't care about their lives."

The imperial court will write a special proclamation to the people regarding your situation, to see which rebel king will accept you and which heroes will pledge allegiance to you.

He disregarded the lives of his parents and siblings; he was practically the greatest villain in the world.

Liu Ji was furious.

"I will come back to ask you again tomorrow. If you still have no answer, I will take it as a rejection."

Without waiting for Liu Ji's response, Zhang Feng uttered a sentence, then shrank down and used earth magic to escape.

Liu Ji's face was grim.

“Brother Ji, when we get to Yunzhong County, we can seek refuge with the Xiongnu! In fact, the Xiongnu are our allies!” Lu Wan said.

"Nonsense! The Xiongnu have committed endless slaughter in the north and are the greatest scourge to our land!" Liu Ji shouted.

Lu Wan muttered to herself, "Back then, when Zhang Er came to Pei County to invite you to join Chen Sheng and explained the strategic deployment of the rebel army, he said it himself: the Xiongnu were also a member of the anti-Qin alliance. With attacks from both the north and south, the tyrannical Qin would surely be destroyed."

The situation in the north over the past two years has also validated Zhang Er's words.

Last year, the Xiongnu and Yuezhi had been harassing the north, holding back the Great Wall army for the Central Plains rebels.

This year, even the crown prince of the Xiongnu has marched south and executed the military commander of Yunzhong Commandery, demonstrating the intensity of the war.

Liu Ji said helplessly, "Some things can be done, but it doesn't sound good to say them."

“These are all our brothers, there’s no need to be shy about anything,” Lu Wan said.

“Brother Ji, I think Lu Wan’s words make sense,” Fan Kuai said. “Although the Xiongnu are barbarians, we Chu people are also southern barbarians!”

Before the Qin state marched east out of Hangu Pass, they were still the Western Rong.

Even the great hegemons of the Central Plains, such as Chong'er, were descendants of the Rong and Di tribes!
As for the Xiongnu's killings, no matter how severe their slaughter, could they have killed as many as the tyrannical Qin Dynasty?

It is worth mentioning that although the idea of ​​"honoring the king and repelling the barbarians" existed in the Central Plains many years ago, the territory of China was not yet completely fixed, and many "barbarian lands" were later incorporated into the Chinese nation.

At this time, the people of the Central Plains, especially the feudal lords, did not reject those who sought refuge with or allied with the barbarians.

Liu Ji hesitated for a moment, then said, "To join forces with the Xiongnu to invade China is absolutely the worst possible strategy."

I would rather bear the name of being unfilial than hand over Yunzhong Commandery to the Xiongnu.

"I thought Brother Ji was saying he'd rather actually surrender to the Qin Dynasty," Lu Wan muttered.

Liu Ji glared at him, "If you can't speak properly, then don't speak!"
“What Brother Ji means is that the Qin Dynasty is not trustworthy. If we really surrender, we’ll just go from losing our grandfather to losing Brother Ji’s whole family,” Zhou Bo said.

Liu Ji liked hearing this.

But the Liu family wasn't just led astray by the imperial court!
Lu Wan was not an ignorant novice after all; he was just too close to Liu Ji and had no scruples, saying whatever came to mind.

"We might have other options!"

Liu Ji looked around and said, "Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo, you two take the brothers and guard the mountain path. Don't let the Marquis of the Fast Boat sneak up here with his men."

"Don't worry, Brother Ji, we've already clashed with them several times before you came back," Fan Kuai said.

"Lu Wan, prepare the incense burner and yellow paper. We're going to the mountaintop," Liu Ji said again.

"Want to pay respects to the old patriarch? That's too early. He hasn't been torn apart by five horses by the imperial court yet," Lu Wan said.

Liu Ji really wanted to slap him.

"I want to offer sacrifices to the immortals, please help me."

"Oh, so Brother Ji is already inviting Master Fuqiu?"

Lu Wan looked excited. "If we really get help from Master Fuqiu, it might not be impossible to save the old man."

Fuqiu Gong actually responded to Liu Laosan's call and sent an avatar to Mangdang Mountain.

“I understand your situation. But I am not a Qi Refiner from Fulongting, remember?”
However, the fact that your family members fell into the hands of the imperial court is indeed directly related to this East China Sea Alliance.

We can't really just stand by and do nothing.

Fuqiu Gong pondered for a moment and said, "After your father and brothers are killed, I will write a petition to the underworld so that they can be reborn into a better life. What do you think?"

Liu Ji pleaded tactfully, "I have to give an explanation to the world! Could you please ask the Taoist Master Jingjing Kongkong to organize a group of immortal masters to go to Xingyang and rescue my father?"

Fuqiu Gong sighed, "Jingjing Daoist has already passed away and gone to Fengdu."

"Ah, Daoist Jingjing is dead? The Great Qin Martial Celestial Master Corps, is that powerful?" Liu Ji exclaimed in surprise.

“Thirty-five of them also died,” said Fuqiu Gongdao.

Liu Ji was shocked again, "Weren't there only a dozen or so immortals fighting?"

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "Do you think you're the only one on that list? At that very moment, a tremendous battle was breaking out in Kuaiji County."

Xiang Liang led eight thousand men from Jiangdong in a great battle outside Wu County against Yin Tong, the prefect of the county, and Ying Song, the heir apparent of the King of Wu.

In Dang County, right next to you, Jingju's father, Jingbo, was defeated in battle, captured, and beheaded by the county governor.

Immortals are engaged in life-or-death battles in various places.

The anti-Qin alliance lost 85 Qi Refiners, while the Qin dynasty lost 35 'Martial Celestial Masters' and 12 Qi Refiners from the East Sea, who were also the Immortal Masters recruited by the East Sea Navy.

Liu Ji swallowed hard. "Where is Grand Tutor Yu? Where is she on the battlefield right now?"

Fuqiu Gong looked puzzled. "Aside from submitting the list to the Xingyang court, she never participated in this conflict from beginning to end."

Several days ago, immortals discovered that the earth's veins north of the Great Wall showed signs of being reconstructed.

Liu Ji glared and said, "With the situation in the Central Plains in such chaos, she still has the mind to reconstruct the earth's veins? What makes her so calm?"

Fuqiu Gong sighed, "If Huhai and Zhao Gao had not wreaked havoc on the court and persecuted loyal officials, the civil and military officials of the Emperor would have been preserved."

Yu Fengxian also gave them more power, distributing the powers that Ying Zheng had previously held to them, and optimizing and adjusting their work, making them more efficient.

However, Yu Fengxian was so popular that she overshadowed them, causing people to overlook their existence.

The fact that they were not as prominent as Yu Fengxian did not mean that they had lost the wisdom and courage to help Ying Zheng conquer the world.

In fact, this surprise attack on all the heroes of China was solely the work of Li Si.

Feng Quji was still busy with ten years of benevolent governance, while Prince Lieyang was working with Meng Yi and Meng Tian to carry out military reclamation in the north.

For the time being, the pressure from the Xiongnu is greater for them than for you.

(End of this chapter)