Minglong

Chapter 234 Northward and Southward Travel
The next day, the sky was bright.

The carriage stopped on the old street outside the inn. Coal Ball stood on the roof of the carriage, looking around, searching for the black-clad heroine who was hiding somewhere.

Xie Jinhuan, dressed as a wandering swordsman with a bamboo hat on his head and his two weapons wrapped in black cloth, waited outside the door on the second floor for a while before seeing Sister Bu, who had changed into a dark blue dress and a veiled hat, come out of the room.

Bu Yuehua's physical body was unharmed, but her spirit was injured by the shock, leaving her listless and drowsy. She felt somewhat unsteady as she walked. After following Xie Jinhuan downstairs, she glanced at the deserted old street:

"No need to wait for her, she'll catch up on her own."

In their haste, the three of them sped along the way without paying much attention to concealing their tracks, which resulted in them encountering three powerful enemies in Fire Phoenix Valley.

Although it's unclear whether their whereabouts were leaked halfway through, having returned fully loaded, they certainly wouldn't dare to fly back so openly.

Xie Jinhuan sat outside the carriage and asked his ghost wife to search for clues. They found that Bing Tuozi, feeling ashamed, was hiding in a restaurant on the same street, quietly watching them without coming out.

As a Taoist fairy, she was able to dominate her juniors and was even caught cheating in front of her mortal enemy. Such a horrible thing would make anyone depressed for days.

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan could only pretend not to see it, and quietly drove the carriage northwards, pondering for a moment before asking:

"Where is Senior Sister Hua planning to go next?"

As the master of Queyue Manor, Bu Yuehua's base was outside Zhennan Pass. His original intention in entering the pass was to find a way to unlock the Seven Star Nails. As a result, not only were the Seven Star Nails unlocked, but he also successfully entered the Super Grade and even obtained the Five Directions Divine Gift.

All of this was thanks to the good fortune brought by her son-in-law. Bu Yuehua had even witnessed his treasure-hunting abilities firsthand. She was just a minor estate owner under the Witch Alliance, and she was a little reluctant to say goodbye and head back home.

However, as Wanyi's master, it's a bit inappropriate for her to be constantly following Wanyi's man around and taking advantage of him. Bu Yuehua thought for a moment and said:

"We agreed at Phoenix Mausoleum to help you find a tiger bone vine. I'll take on the task of finding a way for you. Just focus on improving your cultivation as soon as possible. Don't end up like me and Junior Sister Mu, stuck at the peak of the first rank for many years before breaking through."

Xie Jinhuan had no objection since Sister Bu wasn't leaving the team:
"Entering from the third realm to the fourth realm is like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge; it's normal to be stuck for a few years. Senior Sister Hua, there's no need to rush. Take your time to recover your strength; there's plenty of time in the future."

Bu Yuehua chuckled softly. Not wanting to flirt with her son-in-law, she leaned back in the carriage, closed her eyes to rest, and secretly studied the Ling Guang Divine Gift that she had just warmed up.

Coal Ball was very well-behaved. Seeing that the big-eyed girl had fallen asleep, it crawled next to Xie Jinhuan and opened its beak to beg for food.

"drive--"

Hoof-tapping hoof-tapping...

The little carriage gradually disappeared into the distance on the street.

Meanwhile, inside a restaurant on the street, Nangong Ye, dressed in a black dress, stood at the window, watching the small carriage passing by on the street, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.

Although her disguise hasn't been exposed yet, the current situation is no different from being completely disgraced. Not only will she be unable to hold her head up in front of the demoness in the future, but she will also have to speak humbly and kindly to avoid the demoness informing on her.

As the head of Zihui Mountain, how could she be so easily manipulated by a demoness?

To turn the situation around, the only way is for the demoness and Xie Jinhuan to have an ambiguous relationship, and for her disciple to also have an ambiguous relationship. In that case, the demoness wouldn't be able to argue that she's in the same boat as the demoness...

Although it's very difficult, the vixen didn't run away after taking advantage of him, and even dared to follow Xie Jinhuan around. A lone man and a lone woman, something was bound to happen...

Once the demoness goes into the water, the disciple will naturally come into contact with Xie Jinhuan, and then...

What the hell am I thinking...?

Nangong Ye felt he was becoming less and less like the detached and ascetic Daoist, realizing he was being plagued by inner demons. He quickly suppressed his chaotic thoughts, put on a veil, and quietly followed behind, embarking on the long journey home...
-
As early winter arrived, the cold wind carried the first snow of the eighth year of Jingning, scattering it across the vast land beyond the Shanhe Pass.

The envoy procession of over three hundred people proceeded along the remaining, yellowed official road, flanked by soldiers in black armor, with the monk Jingkong, Jing Wuniang, and other celestial officials accompanying them.

The Molin Warriors were originally the private guards of the Dan King. After entering the capital, they naturally merged with the Chilin Guards to become the Emperor's private guards, and the positions of the original personnel also changed.

For example, Tie Fengzhang went from being the commander of the Prince's Palace Army to the commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhu Wenyuan became the deputy commander of the Chilin Guard, and even Fei Ji and Yang Dabiao, through their nepotism with Xie Jinhuan, jumped from county magistrate and clerk to commander and deputy commander of the Chilin Guard.

Yang Dabiao, dressed in a crimson brocade robe embroidered with a qilin, rode his horse through the procession, glancing at the north and south merchant caravans that had stopped to make way for him. A sense of pride, like that of a true man, lingered in his thick eyebrows and large eyes as he muttered to himself:
“I’ve heard my father say since I was little that the northern barbarians wear animal skins, don’t farm, and live by hunting. It doesn’t seem any different from the people inside the Great Wall…”

Fiji, with a sword at his waist, walked beside him, head held high and chest puffed out, as if afraid of losing the majesty of the Great Qian Dynasty. Seeing the little brat looking around, he drew his sword from its sheath:

"The barbarians your father was talking about lived outside the Zhenbei Protectorate of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. The Northern Zhou Dynasty governed twenty-four prefectures, plus the three protectorates of Andong, Anxi, and Zhenbei. Excluding the protectorates newly established during the expansion of the territory, the fifty-six prefectures of the Northern and Southern Dynasties were the land conquered by the Emperor. The dynasty may have split and reunited over the years, but the name has never changed."

Yang Dabiao said in a low voice, "Does that mean there are places where the Great Qian Dynasty did not expand its territory?"

Fiji frowned: "That's not how it works. The main battlefield of the witchcraft rebellion was in the south. The previous dynasty, Great Qi, was destroyed. Our Great Qian has only been established for a hundred years, and we have been recuperating and rebuilding, and haven't even expanded our territory yet..."

The two chatted casually, while many curious students from the Southern Dynasties peered out from the group. Most of them came from the Imperial Academy, while others were students from Confucian institutions such as Danyang Academy and Songshan Academy.

Princess Changning's carriage was in the middle of the procession. At this moment, the carriage window opened, and Duoduo, with the sweet scent of milk filling the air, caught snowflakes in her hands, her eyes full of surprise:

Wow~ It's snowing so early in the north...

Inside the carriage, Princess Changning, dressed in a gorgeous dress, lay on a soft couch. Because she had taken the "Live Dragon and Tiger Pill," she had to fall asleep immediately. When she woke up, she would probably already be in Yanjing.

Linghu Qingmo was meditating earnestly beside him when he heard the sound. He glanced outside and was quite surprised.

South of Huaijiang is all in the south, where it rarely snows even in winter. But once you leave Shanhe Pass, you enter the north, where heavy snow often blocks the roads in winter.

The envoys' procession was large and slow, and Prince Dan urgently needed to understand the specific situation of the high-ranking officials in Yanjing. It was impossible to wait until the spring of next year to go there. Therefore, after making preparations, the procession set off. Xie Jinhuan was also on the list of envoys and would catch up with them on the return trip.

Linghu Qingmo knew that Xie Jinhuan had gone to the Southern Frontier to seize an opportunity, but she was not clear about his current situation and was quite worried about him. As the group moved forward, she would occasionally look back to see if her boyfriend had caught up, and also to see what the big sour radish who had fallen asleep was doing.

Behind the princess's carriage followed a horse-drawn carriage with a wooden plaque bearing the character "Lin" on it. A window opened, revealing a beautifully sculpted face, who was excitedly speaking:

"Auntie, auntie~ It's snowing!"

"Shh~ Don't be startled when you're out and about..."

……

Lin Zisu was a top student at Danyang Academy. Her mission was ostensibly to lead students on an academic exchange trip to Yanjing. The Southern Dynasty couldn't very well send a bunch of academic failures to embarrass themselves. As one of the "two beauties of the academy," Lin Zisu was naturally chosen as the representative of the medical students. Wang He, the top nanny of Chongwen Academy, was also among them.

Although neither of these two girls are normal, the fact that they can still get top marks in exams despite messing around all day must mean that their talents are so strong that they suffocate their peers in Yanjing.

Upon hearing that she would finally meet the 'female lead' of the TV series "The Secret History of the Empress Dowager" that she had been longing to see for so long, Lin Zisu packed her bags and prepared to run away. As her guardian, Lin Wanyi was not at ease letting Zisu go to a foreign country alone. Hearing that Xie Jinhuan was also going, she followed along as a parent.

Linghu Qingmo glanced around briefly, but before he could see what Lin Wanyi was doing, he noticed Yang Dabiao walking outside and said:
"Lord Linghu, are you waiting for Jin Huan again? I'll keep an eye on things for you, and I'll let you know as soon as he arrives..."

“?” Linghu Qingmo was afraid of being laughed at, so his face darkened and he quickly closed the car window.

Click~
Yang Dabiao withdrew his gaze and looked at Fiji beside him:

"There's a rumor circulating in the city that Jin Huan is... well, you know. If they were to meet in Yanjing..."

Fiji said unhappily, "You believe rumors from the streets? Jinhuan's father never went to Northern Zhou in his entire life, and Jinhuan has been studying martial arts outside for the past three years. Moreover, Empress Dowager Guo is busy with many affairs of state. How could she have time to accompany Jinhuan to travel around all day, let alone go to Beiming Lake to secretly pledge her love..."

"Indeed. Alas, it's a pity Lord Xie passed away so early, otherwise he wouldn't have seen my current splendor..."

"I feel like God is blind. How could you, a little bastard, become a deputy commander..."

……

Meanwhile, in Yanjing.

Xie Wen, dressed in the official robes of a junior official, stood by the window with his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the snow in the courtyard, his eyes filled with a sigh of "The wind is howling, the Yi River is cold, the hero departs, and I am happy to forget the past."

It's a pity I'm all alone in a foreign land. If Bird Deng were here too, seeing this heavy snowfall, he'd probably be rolling around in the yard right now, and Little Deng might even spontaneously compose a poem, something like "The north wind blows, the snow falls in abundance"...

Just as he was pondering this, a clerk from the capital's judicial office approached, carrying a case file, his eyes filled with surprise:
"Lord Guo, this constable has quite the flair of Xie Jinhuan from the Southern Dynasty. She's only eighteen or nineteen years old, yet she's captured seven or eight formidable bandits in just a few days..."

Xie Wen was literally parachuted into the officialdom of Yanjing, without any background or connections. He was also worried that the Southern Dynasty would recognize him, so he was recommended for officialdom as a member of the Guo family. Hearing the voice, he snapped out of his reverie, took the file, and examined it:

"Jiang Xian'er seems to have some ability... The Empress Dowager values ​​talented people, so observe her closely. If she is indeed a teachable talent, report her to the Empress Dowager."

The registrar nodded and said, "I heard from people at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices that Lu Yan, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was apparently beaten up outside."

The Northern Zhou Dynasty revered the lineage of the priests and priests, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was in charge of rites, music, and temple affairs. The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was always the head of the priests and priests. Over time, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices evolved into the top violent institution of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, with responsibilities and power almost identical to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau of the Southern Dynasty.

Although the Northern Zhou Taoist sect wanted to replace the Zhuji lineage as the state religion, the sect leader couldn't very well become a subordinate of a foreign religion, and the capital city was a place they couldn't leave unclaimed. Therefore, the second-in-command of the Divination School, Lü Yan, was stationed in the capital, and his office was quite close to the Ministry of Justice.

"How could someone as powerful as Master Lü be beaten up? Who has such great abilities?"

"I don't know the specifics either, but someone who can deal with Master Lü must be at least the sect leader or patriarch. We should know the answer when Master Lü returns in a few days..."
-
After departing from Ruizhou, Xie Jinhuan traveled north by boat and car, and by the time he returned to Luoyang, it was already October.

Xie Jinhuan had agreed to return in ten days with Lu Wuzhen, but a small mishap occurred during the process of obtaining the opportunity at Fire Phoenix Valley, inevitably causing a few days' delay. In order to return as soon as possible, Xie Jinhuan did not stop along the way.

Although Bu Yuehua followed, she spent 90% of the time nourishing her soul, and no incidents occurred between them. Bing Tuozi, on the other hand, followed behind until they arrived in Luojing, at which point he disappeared. It is no surprise that he went back to Fengyi River to hide and isolate himself.

Xie Jinhuan returned to the capital smoothly, and his heart was finally at ease. He first sent Bu Xianzi to the Marquis's residence to recuperate, and then inquired about the situation in the capital on Zheng'an Street.

With the new emperor's change of reign and the situation unstable, everything must be done quickly. To prevent any further accidents, the Dan King officially ascended the throne a few days ago and became the new emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty. From now on, he should be called the Emperor.

The delegation sent to Northern Zhou had set off seven or eight days ago, leaving only Steward Hou in the Prince's Mansion on Zheng'an Street.

The reason he didn't bring it wasn't because Steward Hou was unworthy, but because he was a loose cannon fodder. No one in the Great Qian Dynasty would blame him, but in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, he'd say something like:

"The one sitting upstairs is Xie's ex-girlfriend..."

That situation might be a bit difficult to handle.

Xie Jinhuan discovered that Princess Momo was not there, and even the very sensible Naiduo was nowhere to be found. Naturally, he had no interest in catching up with Steward Hou, so he went to the Lin family instead. However, he found that Wanyi and Zisu had also left, and even Da Biaozi had not stayed behind.

Upon discovering that his relatives and friends had gone to Northern Zhou in a group, Xie Jinhuan felt that he might as well leave Luoyang and picked up his bag to leave.

However, before setting off, the new emperor still had to be met, so after packing his things, he went to the palace.

As the saying goes, a new emperor brings a new court. With the new emperor's ascension to the throne, the palace was basically filled with a new batch of people. Xie Jinhuan was led by a eunuch to the imperial study, where Zhao Xiao, dressed in a dragon robe, was discussing matters with a civil official.

The civil official was wearing the same official robe as Li Gongpu, so he must be a newly appointed Huangmen Lang, but Xie Jinhuan did not recognize him, only feeling that he had a very imposing presence.

Since Zhao Xiao ascended the throne, he had been extremely busy for the past two weeks and hadn't had a good night's sleep. Only when he saw Xie Jinhuan arrive did a look of joy appear on his face as he rose to greet her.
"Jinhuan, you're finally back! I heard there's been a huge mess in the Southern Frontier. Are you alright?"

Xie Jinhuan stepped forward and bowed: "It was just a bunch of people fighting over treasure. I ran fast and was fine. And who is this gentleman?"

The refined civil official standing beside him had a gentle and approachable demeanor.
"Xu Tong from Jiangzhou has long admired Young Master Xie's name, and meeting you today confirms that it is indeed well-deserved."

Xie Jinhuan was being polite, but upon hearing the name, he was startled, for he had long admired the name 'Xu Tong'.

There are too many Confucian scholars in the Great Qian Dynasty, and they are all in officialdom, but the most influential are no more than three branches: the Li family of Hualin, the Xu family of Jiangzhou, and the Ye Sheng lineage.

The Li family of Hualin represented the northern gentry, while the Xu family was the leading gentry in the south. Their influence was so great that one could see it from the fact that Li Gongpu, who held the official position of Huangmen Lang, still claimed the Li family of Hualin as his ancestor.

Xu Guanfu, one of the Seven Heroes of Martial Arts, was also a collateral descendant of the Xu family of Jiangzhou. His ranking among the Seven Heroes of Martial Arts would be enough for an ordinary family to have a separate page in their genealogy. However, the Xu family of Jiangzhou did not recognize him at all, for the same reason that the Li family of Hualin did not recognize Li Gongpu: they felt that he was shameful and disgraced their family.

Xu Tong is the head of the Xu family in Jiangzhou. Regardless of his influence in the court, his swordsmanship is unfathomable. After all, Confucianism emphasizes "both literary and martial skills, and a heart of music and courage of swordsmanship." One can leave a name in history just by being good at writing, but one cannot be the leader.

Xie Jinhuan knew that Princess Dan was from the Xu family of Jiangzhou, but she was a second daughter, not Xu Tong's daughter. Seeing that Xu Tong had personally come to support Prince Dan, he was genuinely surprised and bowed again.
"So it's Mr. Xu. I've long admired your name. It's an honor to meet you today."

Xu Tong was quite easygoing. Seeing that the King of Dan wanted to talk about something, he took his leave and left the Imperial Study.

Even though Zhao Xiao was now the Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty, he remained as amiable as ever. After Xie Jinhuan took his seat, he first exchanged a few words of concern before getting down to business:

“You are not a member of the court, yet you have already done so much for the peace and well-being of the people. As your elder, I really shouldn’t be ordering you around. But you know the current situation. It is already difficult enough to stabilize the court and the country. If we encounter foreign enemies, I really don’t know what the situation will become.”

"The reason for sending an envoy to Northern Zhou this time is that our spies and agents have no idea what the high-ranking officials in the north are thinking. You are exceptionally capable and have a great reputation. You have had the opportunity to interact with many members of the imperial family and nobility in the past. With your abilities, you should be able to discern the truth behind their words..."

Xie Jinhuan asked, "Does His Majesty mean that I should find out whether Northern Zhou has any intention of moving south?"

Zhao Xiao nodded slightly: "The Northern Zhou definitely wants to move south and unify the world. My Great Qian also wants to launch a northern expedition, but this matter depends on the right time, place, and people. It can't be decided on a whim."

"Your main purpose in going there is to find out the situation of the person in power, and then, based on her personality and behavior, to deduce whether she will risk going south in the next few years. This is a difficult matter. Whether or not to fight depends mainly on Empress Dowager Guo. Empress Dowager Guo is not a simple person. Even if you meet her, you won't be able to figure her out. You have to analyze the clues from top to bottom..."

Xie Jinhuan was even more afraid of a war breaking out between the North and South than the Pill King, since he would be caught in the middle and wouldn't be able to handle it. He then said:
“I have tried my best to understand the situation. Your Majesty need not worry too much. The war between the North and the South will inevitably sweep across the entire country. The Great Qian is not a paper tiger that will collapse at the first touch. Even if Empress Dowager Guo has her own thoughts, she must consider them carefully.”

"Just do your best. It's okay if you don't find anything. Just consider it a trip to Northern Zhou to broaden your horizons..."

……
-
I haven't been able to concentrate on writing these past few days. I keep dozing off while thinking, and it takes me ages to write even a single line. I apologize for the short update; I might have to update again tomorrow night.

(End of this chapter)