Simultaneous travel: I am rampant in the domestic area

The news of the decisive battle at Ming'an Township on August 15th was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves throughout the world and directly affecting the most sensitive nerves of the two great dynasties of Southern Qing and Northern Qi.

It is something anyone can imagine: a grandmaster, if he goes mad, possesses the power to shake the rule of the court.

He could easily storm the palace alone and slaughter the royal family, or roam the world alone, killing all the prefects and officials in the various counties and prefectures, without having to worry about being surrounded by the army.

Therefore, Ku He was able to single-handedly intimidate all the princes, nobles and officials in the north who wanted to rebel. Si Gu Jian was able to protect Dongyi City with his sword for so many years, and he could spread his sword's might to straighten the backs of those small vassal states sandwiched between two great powers.

Now, the potential for casualties in the Grandmaster battle, and the resulting upheaval in the political landscape, are causing both royal families great anxiety.

The eldest prince of Southern Qing, Li Chengru, and the Shangshan Hu of Northern Qi each personally led their elite border troops and deployed them on both sides of Ming'an Township. However, they tacitly stopped outside the border, and no one dared to cross the line.

In such a climate where every rustle of grass seems like a threat, they can hardly guarantee that their actions won't be labeled as provocative, thus provoking a wrath and making their opponents laugh their heads off.

Russell, the sole protagonist of this major event, had no awareness whatsoever of stirring up the world's troubles. He swaggered into the carriage with Si Lili and embarked on a journey to Ming'an Township with Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er.

The convoy traveled north for more than half a month and finally passed through Cangzhou. The small village that was destined to be recorded in history was now in sight.

The carriage was comfortably furnished.

Russell leaned lazily against Si Lili's soft, warm embrace, closing his eyes to rest. Si Lili carefully peeled an orange, meticulously removing every white pith, and then gently fed the glistening, plump flesh into Russell's mouth.

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing that Russell seemed a little lost in thought, Si Lili smiled sweetly and asked softly.

Russell slowly opened his eyes. Without the black silk covering, his gaze couldn't find its focus. He stood up, smiled, took her hand, grasped her wrist, and pulled her into his arms. His palm gently caressed her body as he whispered, "I wasn't thinking about anything."

Along the way, apart from necessary supplies, they spent most of their time cuddling and chatting in this small world. The peacefulness of the time made her secretly hope that this journey would never end.

But while I may have these thoughts, my journey will not be slowed down.

Two more days passed before the convoy finally slowly drove into Ming'an Township.

Because of its location on the border and the impact of years of war, Ming'an Township is not considered wealthy, but it is blessed with excellent natural scenery, surrounded by green mountains and winding green waters.

At this time, Dori was no longer home to ordinary people. Instead, it was filled with wandering heroes from all directions, as well as wealthy merchants with extensive connections and resources.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating the upcoming epic battle that would determine the fate of the world.

Russell and his party stayed at Yunxiu Villa, located on the picturesque shore of Yunchuan Lake.

On this day, the sky was clear and the lake breeze was gentle. Luo Su and Fan Xian each led Si Lili and Lin Wan'er to sit on the lake shore and fish.

In the distance, waterbirds glide leisurely along the mirror-like surface of the lake, their long beaks creating delicate ripples in the water. Suddenly, with extreme agility, they peck downwards, precisely snatching a silver fish, then flap their wings and fly to the shore. They use their slender claws to step on the constantly bouncing prey, tilt their heads back, and swallow it whole with a gulp. The whole process is relaxed and carefree, like a vivid painting.

Fan Xian held the fishing rod, but his gaze was not focused on the float.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been buried in his heart for a long time: "Russell, you've made such a big fuss this time, don't tell me it's just to force that person in the palace to show up. What are you planning to do after that?"

Fan Xian was by no means a dull person; he had already vaguely sensed that his friend seemed to be hiding something important from him from his father, Fan Jian, and the head of the Supervisory Council, Chen Pingping.

Of course, he understood that this tripartite alliance was for his own good, but being kept in the dark was a truly unpleasant experience.

Just as he hated others being the riddle tellers, he also hated being the one keeping the truth hidden; he couldn't stand not knowing the truth for a day.

Russell himself hates being kept in the dark. He didn't say anything before because Fan Xian didn't ask, but now that Fan Xian has asked, he naturally won't hide it anymore.

He maintained his fishing posture and casually asked, "Fan Xian, do you want to be the emperor?"

"Splash!" Fan Xian's fishing rod jerked violently, almost slipping from his grasp and falling into the lake.

Lin Wan'er, who was standing next to him, turned her head suddenly in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide open. Even Si Lili, who was pouring tea for Luo Su, stopped in her tracks and looked at Luo Su curiously, not understanding why he suddenly asked such a question.

Fan Xian quickly regained his composure, and many clues flashed through his mind like lightning. He finally realized what was going on and blurted out, "So your so-called princely identity was deliberately spread by you?"

Russell nodded slightly: "Besides the Overwatch Council and your father joining forces, who else could make such a shocking piece of news spread throughout the world in such a short time, yet remain untraceable?"

Fan Xian frowned, still puzzled: "Even if I am a prince, my title is not legitimate and I am not recorded in the family genealogy. Moreover, His Majesty is still in the prime of his life. Do you mean you are plotting with me to usurp the throne?"

Upon hearing this, Russell chuckled and shook his head: "Usurpation? What usurpation? You just did it right."

Seeing that Fan Xian still had some doubts, Russell asked, "How many children does Emperor Qing have?"

“Including me, five,” Fan Xian said.

Of Emperor Qing’s five sons, the eldest prince, Li Chengru, was in charge of military affairs outside the capital, while the second prince, Li Chengze, the crown prince, Li Chengqian, and the third prince, Li Chengping, were in the capital.

Because Lin Wan'er was present, Russell did not mention the news of the Crown Prince's affair with the Eldest Princess. He only said that the Crown Prince and the Second Prince had committed a grave offense and were no longer related to the throne.

Because the eldest prince has the bloodline of Dongyi City, what follows is a matter between the third prince and Fan Xian.

Frankly speaking, with Fan Jian and Chen Pingping around, Russell really didn't know what the Third Prince could possibly use to compete with Fan Xian.

It can be said that immediately after Emperor Qing left the capital, Chen Pingping would carry out a purge of the court to clear obstacles for Fan Xian's succession.

Seeing that Fan Xian remained silent, Russell continued, "Furthermore, you cannot leave your mother's death unavenged."

The lake breeze seemed to freeze at that moment.

Fan Xian's gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked at Russell: "What makes you say that?"

Russell then recounted in detail how Emperor Qing had planned and manipulated the temple's envoys, how he had tacitly approved and even facilitated the assassination of Ye Qingmei, and Emperor Qing's own deeply hidden Grandmaster identity.

The truth struck Fan Xian's heart like a heavy hammer, word by word.

He listened in silence, his expression shifting constantly. After a long while, he finally processed the news and let out a long sigh: "I see."

He finally understood what Russell and the others were planning, but a bitter look appeared on his face as a result.
"Russell, you know me. My greatest wish is simply to be a wealthy man, with money and leisure, living a carefree life with the one I love. The throne and such are perhaps not quite right for me."

“Whether you want it or not is not important,” Russell shook his head and said, “What is important is that you must firmly grasp the highest power in your own hands.”

Fan Xian's identity is too special. He is Ye Qingmei's son, has royal blood flowing in his veins, and possesses the power and ideas to overturn the world.

Such a person either becomes emperor himself, or he must ensure that the person sitting on that throne is someone he absolutely trusts and who trusts him implicitly. Otherwise, he will face a constant stream of suspicion from the new emperor, a suspicion that will last until his death.

Even if he could subdue everything with his own power while he was alive, what would happen after he died?
Will the emperors after Qing Kingdom continue to be wary of his family?

Fan Xian remained silent.

He knew Russell was right; in the game of power, there was never a middle way.

His very existence was the greatest threat to imperial power.

Seeing that he had come to a conclusion, Russell stopped talking about it and said instead, "After this battle, no matter what the outcome, I will probably leave Nanqing and go to Beiqi."

Fan Xian was taken aback, feeling somewhat reluctant, but there was nothing he could do.

By killing Emperor Qing, Russell essentially severed his ties with the Great Qing Empire.

Although no one in the world has yet been able to harm him, it's always best to stay away.

Actually, Russell hadn't thought that much about it.

He went to Northern Qi for two reasons: first, because he had promised Si Lili and Haitang Duoduo; and second, because he did not want to get involved in the turmoil in the Qing Kingdom's court.

His wish was similar to Fan Xian's: to become a wealthy man.

As for the unification that followed, he would no longer concern himself with it after this matter; who won or lost was none of his concern.

Whether it was the Southern Qing conquering Shangjing or the Northern Qi attacking the capital, he would simply remain a spectator, observing coldly from the sidelines.

Unification is an unstoppable trend in the course of history. While Russell would not actively promote it, he would not prevent it either.

Fan Xian needs stability for various reasons, yet he has no scruples about it.

As long as you don't provoke him, he won't get involved even if the world is in chaos.

Days passed by, and before we knew it, it was August 13th.

There is only one day left until the Mid-Autumn Festival.

On this day, the young emperor of Northern Qi finally arrived in Ming'an Township.

The first thing Zhan Doudou did upon arriving here was to bring Haitang Duoduo to Yunxiu Manor to pay a visit to Russell.

Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er wisely refrained from disturbing Zhan Doudou and went out for a stroll before Zhan Doudou arrived.

"I have long admired Master Luo, and today we finally meet in person," Zhan Doudou said with a smile as she sat opposite Luo Su in the pavilion.

Si Lili and Haitang Duoduo sat on opposite sides. Si Lili was mainly in charge of entertaining, while Haitang Duoduo was mainly in charge of eating.

Russell didn't answer, but looked at Zhan Doudou with a strange expression.

Under Russell's pure white gaze, Zhan Doudou looked puzzled and asked, "Why does Grandmaster Luo look at me like that?"

"It's nothing." Russell coughed and waved his hand.

Listening to the voices of all things, he could clearly hear that the emperor of Northern Qi was lusting after his body.

"When will Master Kuhe arrive?" Russell then asked.

"Don't worry, Master will definitely not be absent on the Mid-Autumn Festival." Saying this, Haitang Duoduo's lips curled into a smile as she looked at Luo Su, asking curiously, "But is what you said true?"

"Why would I lie to you for no reason?" Russell retorted.

The matter they were referring to was, of course, the fact that the Grandmaster of the Qing Kingdom's Imperial Palace was Emperor Qing, and that Ye Liuyun was an undercover agent.

Since Russell already knew that Ye Liuyun would secretly betray him, he naturally wouldn't leave this potential threat unresolved and revealed the news to Ku He early on.

He didn't tell Si Gu Jian because, compared to Ku He, who had Haitang Duoduo as a communication bridge, the more information Si Gu Jian knew, the greater the uncontrollable factors would be.

In addition, Si Gu Jian is the most powerful of the four grandmasters in terms of killing power. Even Russell would not dare to say that he could win easily if he only considers killing power without considering destructive power. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Let Si Gu Jian bear this little bit of pressure first.

"What a fine Emperor Qing." Zhan Doudou played with the Buddhist beads in her hand, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, and said with a light laugh, "This time, both Northern Qi and Dongyi City owe Master Luo a huge favor."

As an emperor herself, her imperial strategies, honed over so many years, are naturally beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Although she didn't know what Emperor Qing's plan was, putting herself in his shoes and thinking from an emperor's perspective, she could roughly guess that Emperor Qing's final plan should revolve around the four grandmasters.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. With the current strength of the Qing Kingdom, if it develops for a few more years, no country will be able to check and balance it.

At that time, the only thing standing in the way of the Qing Kingdom will be the Grandmasters who are enemies of the entire nation.

If it weren't for Russell, given Emperor Qing's cunning and shrewdness, he might have actually found an opportunity to join forces with Ye Liuyun to eliminate Ku He and Si Gu Jian.

"Personal favors aside, after this battle, I hope Your Majesty will find me a beautiful and prosperous residence in the capital," Russell said.

“What’s so difficult about that? If Master Luo is willing to join my Northern Qi, I would be willing to go to the capital, or even the palace.” Zhan Doudou’s tone was sincere, her eyes fixed on Luo Su like a hungry wolf eyeing a big white sheep.

Russell's lips twitched slightly; it was the first time a woman had stared at him like that.

Most importantly, the other party wasn't lusting after his body at all; they just wanted to have a child with him.

Damn it, what a disgrace! I, a grandmaster and a dog among men, am nothing more than a breeding tool in this little emperor's eyes.

After hastily ending the conversation, Russell left with Si Lili.

"Why did you act like you'd seen a ghost when you saw His Majesty, young master?" Si Lili asked curiously as they returned to their room.

“Isn’t it a ghost?” Russell shuddered.

This girl, I don't know if she's been suppressing her feelings for too long or what, has a really wild heart. The lewd thoughts in her head are things she dares to imagine but he wouldn't dare look at. (End of Chapter)