Wuxia: Become the 100-Victory Sword King at the Beginning

In the reed marshes outside Jinling City, thirty Tang soldiers sat cross-legged. Shi Shifeng held the manual of the "Water Shadow Skill" and pointed his finger at the three words "Breath-Holding Technique," saying, "Circulate the true qi in your dantian and sink it into the Yongquan acupoint. You can breathe underwater for half an hour." After saying this, he leaped into the water. His green robe turned into a blur in the blue waves. When he surfaced a moment later, he had a lively perch in his hand.

Yelü Shihan stood on the shore, his silver hairpin gleaming coldly in the twilight, and whispered the order: "At midnight tonight, go and scout Lin Renzhao's naval camp."

She distributed the topographical map she had drawn to everyone, marking thirteen hidden sentry posts on the map with vermilion, and instructed them: "Remember, just observe and do nothing. If you encounter a patrol, use the 'golden cicada shedding its shell' technique."

Just after the third watch gong sounded, thirty dark figures leaped into the river like fish.

Shi Shifeng took the lead, moving his limbs according to the "Water Shadow Skill" mental technique, causing fine bubbles to rise all over his body. The iron chains of the Southern Tang Navy camp gleamed with a ghostly blue light under the moonlight. Just as his fingertips touched the chains, he suddenly noticed a lotus lantern floating upstream—an alarm signal from the Beggars' Sect.

"Retreat!" Shi Shifeng gestured, and the group retreated back to the reeds like fish. As soon as they reached the shore, He Quan rushed over with two disciples. His judge's pen was still stained with blood. He reported, "Lin Renzhao tampered with things. He wrapped barbs around the iron chains and fed them 'bone-dissolving powder'."

Yelü Shihan took the lotus lantern, inside which was a note. After reading it, she said, "Li Yu has noticed the unusual activity. Starting tomorrow, a city-wide search for suspicious persons will begin." She held the note up to the candle flame and burned it. The ashes were blown by the wind onto the river. She then decisively added, "It seems we have to act ahead of schedule."

The following day at noon, on the largest pleasure boat in Jinling, the "Yanyu Tower," the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments filled the air. Feng Yanji, the imperial envoy of the Southern Tang Dynasty, was drinking with a singing girl when he suddenly heard a dispute coming from downstairs—a "salt merchant" refused to be questioned, and half of a black iron token was sticking out of his waist.

"Oh? A distinguished guest from the north?" Feng Yanji descended the stairs, fanning himself with a folding fan. His blue robe was embroidered with gold peonies. He questioned, "I am here on His Majesty's orders to inspect the merchants. May I ask if you have any travel documents?"

The "salt merchant" was none other than Shi Shiyue in disguise. He chuckled, took out a piece of parchment from his pocket, and said respectfully, "Lord Feng, please take a look. This document of mine is personally approved by His Majesty."

While Feng Yan was looking down intently, he suddenly struck out with the "Transferring Flowers and Jade" technique, causing Feng Yan's folding fan to fly out of his hand and towards the singing girl, revealing the secret letter hidden inside the fan ribs.

"Take them down!" Feng Yanji shouted sharply, and dozens of guards suddenly poured out of the cabin. Shi Shiyue was prepared, tearing off his outer robe to reveal black armor, and with a swing of his palms, he unleashed the "Breaking Heaven and Earth" move of the Hundred Victories Saber Technique! The palm wind swept past, and tables and chairs flew through the air, crashing through the window frame and falling into the Qinhuai River.

On the pleasure boat, Feng Yanji picked up the secret letter, his face ashen—it contained a map of the Southern Tang navy's defenses. He crumpled the letter into a ball and said to the guard, "Order General Lin to strengthen patrols on the river and search all the ships!"

The river breeze at midnight carried moisture, rustling the reeds. Yelü Shihan gazed at the lights of the naval camp in the distance and whispered, "Lin Renzhao has stockpiled grain in the dock on the north bank. If we can destroy the granary, the Southern Tang navy will lose its fighting power."

While munching on a cornbread bun, He Quan quickly twirled the dog-beating stick in his hand and offered a suggestion: "The old beggar will lead three hundred brothers to launch a feint attack from the front, while the Empress and Nephew Shi will sneak in through the waterway."

He suddenly pointed to the buoy in the middle of the river and reminded him, "See that green light? That's the Beggars' Gang's inside man in the dock."

Just after midnight, a raging fire suddenly broke out on the north bank.

Lin Renzhao fell for the trap and personally led the main force to encircle and annihilate them. Taking advantage of the situation, Yelü Shihan led fifty soldiers, using his Water Shadow Technique to infiltrate the dock. The guards protecting the grain were gambling around a campfire when they were suddenly caught off guard by the Tang Dynasty's Xuanjia Army, which descended from the sky.

"Quick! Use sulfur bombs!" Shi Shiyue threw the earthenware jar at the grain pile. The sulfur exploded upon contact with the fire, sending thick smoke billowing up. Just then, a bugle call sounded from the river—Lin Renzhao was returning to the rescue! Yelü Shihan quickly made a decision, decisively saying, "Shifeng, take half the men to cover the rear, the rest of you retreat with me!"

After saying that, he launched three rockets, igniting the pre-placed oil barrels.

The moment the wall of fire roared up, she noticed that Shi Shifeng was surrounded by several enemy generals, his blue robe already stained red with blood.

……

The morning mist at Guazhou Ferry was as thick as milk. When Yelü Shihan counted the number of people, her fingertips trembled slightly—Shi Shifeng and seventeen soldiers had failed to break through.

He Quan squatted on the ground, drawing a waterway map in the mud with a twig, and analyzed, "Thirty li upstream, there's an abandoned salt warehouse where we can take temporary shelter." Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from the south bank. Southern Tang cavalry, carrying torches, searched along the river; the torchlight reflected on the water like a string of dancing blood droplets. Shi Shiyue gripped the short sword at his waist tightly and said urgently, "Empress, go first! I'll hold them off!"

"No one is allowed to leave!" Yelü Shihan took off her silver hairpin, pressed the tip against her throat, and said firmly, "If we're going to die, we'll die together!" Just at this critical moment, dozens of awning boats suddenly drifted onto the river, and the young man in a blue robe standing at the bow of the boat was none other than Shi Shiye.

"By order of the Ancestor, I have come to provide support!" Shi Shiye announced loudly, throwing out a rope and adding with concern, "Hurry up and get on the boats! These boats have hidden compartments in their hulls, which can help us evade searches." He suddenly pointed to the fleet in the distance and reminded them, "Those are the 'Ice Soul Ships' of the Yihua Palace, which are specially designed to break through the fire attacks of the Southern Tang." At this moment, Shi Shifeng led seventeen soldiers running along the shore. Although they were all covered in wounds, they finally managed to break through the encirclement.

Upon seeing this, everyone was overjoyed and excitedly went to meet Shi Shifeng and his group, praising them as extraordinary.

The covered boat drifted downstream. Yelü Shihan watched the city of Jinling gradually disappear into the distance, and suddenly said to He Quan, "Send a message to His Majesty: Lin Renzhao is cautious in his military tactics. We need to use a 'divide and conquer' strategy to eliminate him." The river breeze lifted her hair, revealing a secret letter hidden behind her ear—a plan sent by Shi Feiyang through the Beggars' Sect. It only read, "Bribe Yan Si with a large sum of money, and use Li Yu to kill Renzhao."

Half a month later, the Chengdu Imperial Palace received a secret letter. As Li Danqing unfolded the letter, the four Shi brothers surrounded him. "Good!" the young emperor exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Feng Yanji has indeed accepted the thousand taels of gold and has already falsely accused Lin Renzhao of treason before Li Yu!"

Holding a map of Jiangnan, Shi Shiyun pointed his finger at Jinling City and offered a suggestion: "Your Majesty, now is the perfect opportunity to march south!"

Li Danqing looked out the window; the spring flowers in Sichuan were already in full bloom. He immediately and decisively said, "Issue the decree: the army will march to Jiangnan in three days! Order the 'Ice Soul Ship' fleet of the Yihua Palace to go first, with the Beggar Clan disciples as guides!"

……

Inside Jinling City, Li Yu hesitated, staring at the secret letter. Feng Yanji, stirring the flames, said, "Your Majesty, Lin Renzhao holds military power. If he truly colludes with the Tang army..." He suddenly presented a token bearing the inscription "General Zhennan of the Great Tang," and whispered, "This was found in his residence!"

Li Yu's face turned ashen. He slammed the token to the ground and said angrily, "Issue my decree: bestow upon Lin Renzhao a cup of poisoned wine!" When the news reached Guazhou, Yelü Shihan and Shi Shiye were modifying warships.

Upon hearing the news of Lin Renzhao's execution, He Quan stroked his beard and laughed, "Master Shi's method of using someone else to do the dirty work is much easier than our own fighting."

On the river, the "Ice Soul Ship" of the Yihua Palace is cutting through the waves, the black ice at the bow gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The crabapple blossoms in the Lin family mansion were in full bloom, their crimson petals falling onto the bluestone slabs like specks of blood.

Lin Renzhao held the cup of poisoned wine bestowed by the emperor, the bronze goblet slightly warm in his palm. His lieutenants knelt in the courtyard, their clashing armor mingling with sobs, and cried out in unison, "General, our Great Tang cannot be without you! Let us rebel!"

The old general's white beard trembled as his gaze swept over the "Yangtze River Defense Map" on the wall. The map was covered with dense annotations, the culmination of his thirty years of naval service.

He said sadly, "If the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die." After saying this, he tilted his head back and drank the poisoned wine, and immediately felt a burning pain in his throat.

As he collapsed, gazing at the Yangtze River outside the window, he murmured, "Shi Feiyang...you won..."

When the news reached the Guazhou ferry, Yelü Shihan was tidying his hair in front of a bronze mirror.

When He Quan brought the news of Lin Renzhao's death, her hand holding the comb paused slightly, and her face in the mirror reflected the shimmering waves of the Qinhuai River.

She lamented, "It is ultimately not a glorious thing for a loyal minister to die unjustly."

He Quan sighed, "In chaotic times, how can one have it all? Old beggar, pass down the order now: at midnight three days from now, the Ice Soul Ship will launch a full-scale attack on Caishiji!"

On the Mid-Autumn Festival night, the Yangtze River was bathed in a moonlit glow like frost. The main force of the Tang army, personally led by Li Danqing, was already arrayed on the north bank. The "Ice Soul Ships" fleet from the Yihua Palace floated in the middle of the river like ghosts, their hulls made of black ice gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Shi Shiye stood at the bow of the flagship, waved his command flag, and the thirty ice ships suddenly accelerated, their bows ramming into the iron chain formation of the Southern Tang navy.

"Clang—" The ice shards crashed into the iron chain, scattering ice fragments everywhere.

The rockets fired by the Southern Tang soldiers were frozen solid by the cold air emanating from the ice ship as soon as they approached the hull, and fell into the river. Yelü Shihan stood beside Li Danqing, his Tianlang Bow nocked with three rockets, the arrowheads pointing directly at the beacon tower on the south bank, and reminded him, "Your Majesty, it's time to light the fire."

Watching the battle raging on the river, Li Danqing suddenly unleashed a move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms"—"Shocking the Hundred Miles." The gust of wind from his palm strike caused a massive wave to capsize three Southern Tang warships. He raised his arm and shouted, "Soldiers of the Great Tang, follow me to kill the enemy!"

The Xuanjia Army charged forward on ice ships, their long-handled swords slicing through the enemy decks with a sickening cracking sound.

On Caishiji, Wang Yanzhang, the Southern Tang general defending the city, brandished his sword in resistance, but was forced to retreat repeatedly by Shi Shiyue's "Hundred Victories Sword Technique." "The Southern Tang's fate is sealed, yet you still stubbornly resist?" Shi Shiyue's palm strikes were like blades, striking while simultaneously offering words of advice. He then unleashed a "Breaking Heaven and Earth" move, knocking Wang Yanzhang's long sword away. Immediately afterward, he grabbed Wang Yanzhang's throat and roared, "Those who surrender will not be killed!"

Looking at the corpses floating on the river, Wang Yanzhang suddenly threw down his sword, knelt down, and said in a trembling voice, "I surrender!" On the day the Tang army entered Jinling, Li Yu was still composing poems in the palace. The ink of "Yu Meiren" was not yet dry when shouts of battle came from outside the palace.

Feng Yanji rushed in, his brocade robe stained with blood, and said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, run! The Tang army has breached the Vermilion Bird Gate!"

Li Yu gazed at his pale face in the bronze mirror and suddenly laughed bitterly, "Escape? Where can I escape to?" He threw the manuscript into the brazier, the flames licking at the lines "When will the spring flowers and autumn moon end?" He said sadly, "It was my mistake to kill General Lin that led to this calamity." At this moment, Li Danqing had already led his army into the palace.

The young emperor's black armor was stained with blood as he looked down at Li Yu, who was holding the imperial seal. He suddenly remembered his father's words: "A true king's army does not kill prisoners of war." So he said to Shi Shifeng behind him: "Demote Li Yu to the title of Marquis of Disobedience and relocate him to Luoyang." Yelü Shihan walked to his side, gently wiped the bloodstains from his cheek, and said excitedly: "Your Majesty, Jiangnan has been pacified."

Li Danqing grasped her hand, the warmth of his palm seeping through the bloodstains, and said firmly, "No, the Tang Dynasty's empire has only just begun."

At the victory celebration banquet in Jinling City, Li Danqing was drinking with the four Shi brothers. Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the hall. It turned out that the Beggar Clan disciples and the Yihua Palace members were arguing over their rankings on the merit list.

He Quan stroked his beard as he watched the spectacle, while Li Danqing stood up and laughed, "The Beggars' Sect broke the iron chains, and the Flower Palace propelled the ice boat; their merits are equally great."

He took out two gold medals from his pocket and handed them to He Quan and Shi Shiye respectively, saying warmly, "From now on, whoever holds these medals will see the Emperor as if he were present."

Shi Shiye accepted the gold medal and suddenly remembered Shi Feiyang's instructions before his departure: "The imperial court and the martial world are one." He bowed to Li Danqing and said: "Your Majesty, I request permission to establish a branch of Yihua Palace in Jiangnan to protect merchants and investigate bandits."

Li Danqing laughed loudly, "That's exactly what I wanted!"

At this moment, an urgent report came from Chengdu—Empress Dowager Zhu Huiran was seriously ill.

Upon hearing the news, Li Danqing immediately arranged for Yelü Shihan to guard Jiangnan, while he himself rushed back with Shi Shifeng overnight. On the eve of his departure, gazing at the lights of the Qinhuai River, he suddenly said to He Quan, "Please ask the elder to tell my father that Jiangnan is now secure, and he can rest assured."

The following year, during the Qingming Festival, on Mangshan Mountain outside Luoyang City, Shi Feiyang held Dilirena's hand and walked slowly through the newly planted peach grove.

Dilirena fiddled with the Sacred Flame Token at her waist, then suddenly pointed to the official road below the mountain and said, "Hey, husband, look, isn't that Danqing?"

Shi Feiyang looked up and saw the young emperor's black armor gleaming in the spring light, with Shi Shifeng following behind him, holding a brocade box.

"This kid is more successful than I was back then," he sighed, then greeted him with a smile. But when he saw the white hair at Li Danqing's temples, his eyes welled up with tears.

“Father.” Li Danqing knelt on the ground, the brocade box containing a rubbing of the “Benevolent Governance Stele” erected for him by the people of Jiangnan. He said excitedly, “Your son has lived up to his mission.” Shi Feiyang helped him up and suddenly realized that his son’s eyes were so similar to his own—both had the carefree spirit of the martial world and the composure of the imperial court.

Dilirena, pulling Yelü Shihan who arrived shortly after, said, "Your Majesty, let's go see that rubbing of the stele." The two women left together, leaving Shi Feiyang and his son standing deep in the peach grove.

"The peonies in Jiangnan bloom more beautifully than those in Luoyang." Li Danqing gazed at his father's handsome face, lamenting that he was aging faster than his father. Then, suddenly, he added, "Father, I've already ordered the branches of the Yihua Palace to be filled with peonies." Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, his laughter shaking down a shower of peach blossoms, and exclaimed repeatedly, "Good! Good! Good!"

In the distance, smoke rises from the chimneys of Luoyang, and the banners of the Tang Dynasty flutter in the wind.

The peonies in Jinling were in full bloom, displaying a magnificent and opulent beauty. Yelü Shihan was reviewing documents at the Tingtao Pavilion on the banks of the Qinhuai River. On the windowsill, a celadon vase held the latest tribute of "Yaohuang" peonies, the morning dew on the petals reflecting a faint worry between her brows—former officials of the Southern Tang were secretly colluding, inciting refugees to riot under the guise of "restoring the Tang."

"Your Majesty, a secret report from the Beggars' Sect." A maidservant came over and whispered the report, handing over a wax pill containing a note written in cinnabar: "There is unrest in Runzhou, and the leader is Zhou Weijian, a former subordinate of Li Yu."

Yelü Shihan traced the characters "Runzhou" with her fingertips, suddenly recalling Li Danqing's parting words: "The waters of Jiangnan are gentle, but the people's hearts are hard; a balance of firmness and gentleness is needed." She picked up her brush and wrote three lines: "Pardon the refugees, distribute grain and seeds to appease them; for those who are ruthless, capture them but do not kill them." She sealed the letter and handed it to the Beggars' Sect disciples, then said to Shi Shiyue: "Take fifty disciples from the Yihua Palace and come with me to Runzhou."

Shi Shiyue touched the prison token at his waist and chuckled, "Perfect timing to test the newly forged 'Heart-Locking Chain'."

At the local temple outside Runzhou City, Zhou Weijian was inciting hundreds of refugees to storm the granary. Holding a jade pendant bestowed upon him by Li Yu, he cried out, "The Tang soldiers have occupied my home and taken my wife and children. Today, we will not rest until we have taken back the granary!"

The refugees, blinded by greed, charged at the guards with hoes and carrying poles. When Yelü Shihan arrived, he saw Shi Shiyue about to arrest them.

She immediately shouted, "Stop!" She dismounted, removed her cloak to reveal plain clothes, and waved her arm, saying, "Fellow villagers, I am Empress Yelü Shihan of the Great Tang Dynasty. His Majesty has decreed that all those who return to their fields will be exempt from taxes for three years and will also be given a calf."

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Don't believe her! The Tang army are all liars!" Zhou Weijian seized the opportunity to draw his dagger and stab Yelü Shihan in the heart. Shi Shiyue reacted quickly, throwing out his "Heart-Locking Chain" to entangle Yelü Shihan's wrist.

The barbs on the chain embedded themselves in his flesh, and Zhou Weijian screamed as he fell to the ground.

Yelü Shihan squatted down and asked the trembling refugees, "Who is willing to come with me to collect grain seeds?"

A lame old man asked in a trembling voice, "Really...really there are grain seeds?"

Yelü Shihan personally handed over a bag of brown rice, saying kindly, "This is a prepayment. Go to the county office tomorrow to register, and there will be more."

As the sun set, the refugees lined up to receive their grain seeds. Zhou Weijian, tied to a temple pillar, watched this scene and sighed, "I've lost."

Yelü Shihan untied him, handed him a bowl of water, and said kindly, "His Majesty said that you are a loyal minister, but you have chosen the wrong path."

After the matter in Runzhou was settled, Yelü Shihan had just returned to Jinling when Li Xing rushed over, covered in dust. The old beggar, his tattered clothes stained with dirt, held a brocade box in his hands and said sadly, "Empress, a fast horse from Luoyang says... says the Empress Dowager..."

Yelü Shihan's heart sank. He opened the brocade box, inside which was Zhu Huiran's last will and testament. The ink had become somewhat smudged, clearly written while he was ill: "Jiangnan has just been pacified. My son Danqing, you should prioritize the people's livelihood and not worry about your mother..."

Upon reading the phrase "Yelü Shi is virtuous and capable of assisting the ruler in governing the country," Yelü Shihan suddenly burst into tears. Three days later, Li Danqing rushed back from Luoyang, his black armor still dusty from the journey. He knelt before Zhu Huiran's memorial tablet, having not eaten or drunk anything for three days, his eyes sunken like black holes.

Yelü Shihan brought over the ginseng soup and said softly, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager said before she passed away that the person she was most worried about was you." Li Danqing took the soup bowl and said to Shi Shifeng, "Issue the decree to bury the Empress Dowager with national honors and posthumously confer the title 'Zhaolie'."

He gazed at the portrait on the memorial tablet and said in a hoarse voice, "My mother always said that the water in Jiangnan is good for people. I'll come and visit her when she recovers..." At this point, tears streamed down his face, and he choked up, unable to speak.

Just as the entire Tang Dynasty was in mourning, an urgent report came from Yihua Palace—Shi Shiwei had been ambushed and poisoned with "Power-Dissolving Powder," and the power of Yihua Palace had been seized by the deputy palace master, Wei Minghui. Shi Shiye held the letter for help, his hands trembling slightly, and said in a trembling voice, "Wei Minghui is my third uncle's female disciple. She usually seems honest, but I never expected her to..." Li Danqing pondered, "This person must have colluded with the remnants of the Southern Tang."

He turned to Yelü Shihan and said, "I'm leaving Jiangnan to you. I'll take Shiye and Shiyue back to Yihua Palace. I've never been to Yihua Palace before. I am the direct descendant of the Ancestor and the Palace Mistress Yaoyue!"

Yelü Shihan advised, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the Tang Dynasty and should not act rashly. Let me go instead." She turned and took the Heavenly Wolf Bow, then said, "I have successfully cultivated the 'Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions: Ice Soul Cold Prison Realm' of the Mingyu Skill taught by the Ancestor."

Looking into her resolute eyes, Li Danqing suddenly remembered his father's words: "True husband and wife should be comrades-in-arms on the battlefield."

He took off the black iron token and said reluctantly, "With this token, I can mobilize all the troops within the Great Tang territory."

Shi Shiye watched Yelü Shihan's retreating figure and teased, "The Empress's 'Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison' has three more points of gentleness than Great-Grandfather's." Li Danqing laughed loudly upon hearing this, "Of course, she is my wife, Li Danqing's wife."

……

Inside the Cold Ice Hall of the Yihua Palace, the alluring Wei Minghui was forcing her husband, Shi Shiwei, to hand over the "Yihua Jieyu" (Transplanting Flowers and Replacing Jade) manual. Shi Shiwei, heartbroken, questioned, "You crawled into bed with me back then just for the Yihua Jieyu manual? Were you not truly there to bear children for the Shi family?"

Wei Minghui angrily rebuked, "You're utterly hopeless! You greedy and lustful scoundrel, how many wives have you married? How many concubines have you taken? Over a thousand, right? Even the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty couldn't be more corrupt than you! Humph!"

After cursing, he slapped Shi Shiwei hard across the face several times.

Suddenly, the sounds of fighting came from outside the palace. Wei Minghui shouted angrily, "Who is causing trouble outside?" Before she finished speaking, an ice arrow pierced her left shoulder—Yelü Shihan came stepping on the ice steps, the frost flowers on her silver armor reflecting her face, like an ice goddess.

"Wei Minghui, you traitor, why don't you surrender? Do I need to send the Tang army into Yihua Palace to quell the rebellion? Get out here!" Yelü Shihan cursed angrily. The bowstring twanged again, and three ice arrows shot towards her heart in a triangular formation.

Wei Minghui tried to block the arrow with her "Transferring Flowers and Jade" technique, but the ice arrow curved in the air and struck three of her trusted confidants behind her.

"Impossible! How could your 'transfer of flowers and jade' be..." Wei Minghui cried out in horror.

Yelü Shihan sneered, "What you've learned is nothing but the tip of the iceberg. What do you know about the art of 'transplanting flowers and grafting jade'? Humph! There's a lot you haven't seen yet!" She suddenly unleashed the Mingyu Skill, "Supreme Forgetfulness: Ice Soul Cold Prison," and the icy energy instantly froze Wei Minghui's meridians. Gradually, Wei Minghui became a charming ice sculpture.

Yelü Shihan walked over and asked with concern, "Nephew Shiwei, are you alright?" Shi Shiwei struggled to get up, looked at the beautiful woman in front of him, and asked in surprise, "You, you, you are the Empress of the Tang Dynasty?"

Yelü Shihan smiled upon hearing this, her eyes sparkling, and said with a smile, "After the rebellion is quelled, you will take me to pay my respects to my grandmother, Zheng Lingyi!"

At this moment, Zheng Lingyi emerged from the inner palace carrying her infant son, Shi Fengyi. The pearl hairpin at her temple gleamed softly in the icy light. She exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Oh, where is that heartless man, Shi Feiyang?"

The two women's eyes met, and they smiled simultaneously—one was the mistress of the Yihua Palace, the other the Empress of the Tang Dynasty, yet they shared the same resilience and gentleness. Three years later, the peonies in Luoyang bloomed even more profusely than in previous years.

Li Danqing, holding Yelü Shihan's hand, stood atop the corner tower of the imperial city, gazing down at the bustling crowds below. Shi Feiyang and Dilirena sat at a nearby tea stall, watching Shi Fengyi chase butterflies, laughing like children.

“Father said he wants to take Dilirena to see the Western Regions,” Li Danqing said softly. “He said he wants to plant peonies all over the Tianshan Mountains.” Yelü Shihan leaned on his shoulder, listening to the distant sounds of string and wind instruments, and said tenderly, “When Fengyi is a little older, we’ll go too.”

At this moment, He Quan and Shi Shiye walked over side by side, holding a memorial from Jiangnan in their hands, and reported: "Your Majesty, the people of Jiangnan are now able to eat their fill and dress warmly, and Li Yu's poems are also circulating among the people."

Li Danqing took the memorial, which depicted children flying kites in the fields.

He suddenly shouted to Shi Feiyang, "Father, the peonies in Jiangnan are in bloom, even more beautiful than those in Luoyang!" Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, his voice carrying throughout the entire street. He teased, "Of course, they were planted by my granddaughter-in-law!"

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on Luoyang City, casting long, long shadows on everyone.

Yelü Shihan gazed at Li Danqing's profile and said affectionately, "Your Majesty, let's go to Jiangnan for the New Year next year." Li Danqing held her hand tightly, his eyes filled with tenderness like the spring waters of Jiangnan, and said excitedly, "Okay, our whole family will go."

In the distant palace, Shi Fengyi was holding the small wooden sword that Shi Feiyang had made for him, mimicking Li Danqing's gestures.

Zheng Lingyi stood under the eaves and looked at her, saying to Dilirena beside her, "This child looks just like Feiyang when he was young."

Dilirena's cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye gleamed in the twilight as she softly said, "Yes, new talents emerge in every generation, let's just wait to enjoy our blessings."

……

At the Hangou Wharf in Yangzhou, merchant ships were everywhere, and grain transport vessels stretched for miles, one after another.

Li Danqing, dressed in a blue robe, was conducting an incognito visit to observe the lives of ordinary people. He mingled among the merchants and frowned slightly as he looked at the suspicious corpses floating on the water.

These corpses all had tiny needle marks in their throats, clearly indicating they had been struck by the "Bone-Piercing Nails," a secret technique passed down in the martial arts world of Southern Wu. "Your Majesty, the envoy from Wu has arrived," Yelü Shihan whispered, her fingertips brushing against the Heavenly Wolf Arrow at her waist.

A painted boat slowly approached the shore, and a middle-aged man in a brocade robe stood at the bow. He was Yan Xu, the strategist of Xu Zhigao, the prime minister of the Wu Kingdom.

Upon seeing Li Danqing, this man arrogantly refused to kneel, but simply cupped his hands and said, "My lord has decreed that if the Great Tang is willing to cede Huainan, my Great Wu Kingdom will no longer harass the grain transport."

Li Danqing toyed with the teacup in his hand and said with a faint smile, "Mr. Yan, do you know that last year's grain tribute from Jiangnan was enough to feed the entire Wu army for three years?" Yan Xu's expression changed slightly. He was about to retort when he saw Li Danqing flick his finger, and the tea froth shot towards his sleeve like a needle—where a bone-piercing nail was hidden.

"Your Majesty is truly skilled!" Yan Xu said, trying to remain calm. "However, the 'Black Cloud Capital' under my lord's command is far superior to the Southern Tang navy."

He clapped his hands, and ten black-clad warriors leaped out of the pleasure boat. Their swords, adorned with Wu hook patterns, were mounted on their waists. He then said mockingly, "These are all experts who can hold their breath underwater for half an hour. Would Your Majesty like to see them?"

Yelü Shihan smiled and said, "No need." She pointed to the reeds in the distance and said firmly, "Our army's 'Water Shadow Battalion' is practicing holding their breath there."

Yan Xu looked around and saw only dozens of lotus leaves floating on the water, but not a single person in sight. A chill ran through him, and he broke out in a cold sweat, becoming much more subdued. Three days later, Li Danqing hosted a banquet for the envoys from Southern Wu at the Yangzhou Imperial Palace.

After several rounds of drinks, Yan Xu suddenly clapped his hands, and a group of dancers walked in from outside the hall. Each of them had a graceful figure and wore a small Wu hook at their waist.

Yan Xu smiled meaningfully and said obsequiously, "These are 'Wu girls' specially sent by my lord to entertain Your Majesty." Li Danqing's gaze swept over the dancers' ankles—there were faint traces of water there, indicating that they had just come out of the water.

He turned to Shi Shiyue and said, "Shiyue, give Mr. Yan a demonstration of 'disarming an opponent with bare hands'."

Shi Shiyue chuckled, snatched the Wu hook from the dancer's hand, and hurled it towards the palace beam. The hook precisely caught a bat—its wings still coated with poison powder. Li Danqing picked up his wine cup but didn't drink, saying mockingly, "Mr. Yan's 'welcoming ceremony' is quite unique. I heard Xu Zhigao has built a dragon boat in Jiangdu, preparing for a southern tour?" Yan Xu's face changed drastically, and he trembled, saying, "How did Your Majesty know..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was forced back three steps by Li Danqing's "Dragon Appearing in the Field" palm strike, knocking over the wine table.

Li Danqing slowly approached, teasingly saying, "The 'heart-piercing crossbow' of Southern Wu must have a range of a hundred zhang, right?" He paused, then said sternly, "Hidden in the secret compartment of the dragon boat's base, you wanted to take action while I was on my southern tour, didn't you?"

Yan Xu, sweat beading on his forehead, suddenly overturned the table. Ten dancers simultaneously drew their swords, but were cornered by Shi Shifeng's "Hundred Victories Sword Technique." A flash of light, and all the swords fell to the ground. "Tell Xu Zhigao, I'm waiting for him at the Huai River," Li Danqing said coldly, then swept away the mess in his black robes. He turned back and said, "If he dares to come, I will use his dragon boat to carry the surrender letter from Southern Wu." (End of Chapter)