Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 348 has finally fallen into my hands.

Lu Xingzhou was fast asleep when he received the order.

In my dream, the two female brothers were dashing and heroic. They rode together on a horse across the grassland, their ponytails flying in the wind. They held the reins with one hand and steered the horse with the other, which went around from the front.

The female brother looked at him with a mixture of resentment and sarcasm, rolled her eyes at him, and then they kissed.

The helmsman's hand began to pry open, peeling back the snow-white...

"Young Master Lu, Young Master Lu~" The knocking on the door interrupted his dream of galloping across the grasslands with his female companions.

Lu Xingzhou opened his eyes angrily and found the female brother being held in his arms. Her hair was loose and long, without a ponytail. His own hand was ruddering the ship, soft and comfortable.

Brothers are reliable.

At this moment, Sheng Yuanyao's eyes were very similar to those in her dream, seemingly both melancholy and resentful, with her small mouth slightly pouting, clearly also quite unhappy about being disturbed from her peaceful dream.

Lu Xingzhou asked angrily, "Who is it? What's the matter? It's past midnight, can't people get some rest? The emperor doesn't starve his soldiers!"

"Uh..." the messenger said awkwardly, "His Majesty has ordered Young Master Lu to come to pay his respects."

"Damn it!" Lu Xingzhou rolled over and sat up in annoyance, then lowered his head and kissed Sheng Yuanyao's forehead: "Get some rest, you're exhausted too. The emperor will probably ask me for advice or something, I'll just go and give him a perfunctory answer."

Sheng Yuanyao, still half-asleep, said, "Maybe they'll bestow a marriage upon you. You can sleep with me in your arms, hee hee..."

"...It's amazing that someone who's still half asleep can argue about this." Lu Xingzhou was both amused and exasperated. He put on his coat and went out, warning the messenger, "You know nothing."

The messenger said helplessly, "I know nothing, but we already knew about Miss Sheng's morning sickness."

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

Melon Girl would never have imagined that her weird melons had quietly spread throughout the border...

The two hurried towards the fortress, and Lu Xingzhou casually asked, "What does His Majesty want with me?"

"I'm not quite sure. I only know that they sent an envoy to find the Demon Emperor, but I don't know what they discussed."

Lu Xingzhou's heart skipped a beat; something was wrong.

As expected, Gu Zhanting and Huo Xingyuan were both in the hall. Upon seeing Lu Xingzhou, their first words were: "Xingzhou, do you have a past with the Demon Emperor?"

During the Battle of Frozen Moon and Cold River, Gu Zhanting knew that Lu Xingzhou had participated and had also heard the rumors of "the Demon Emperor and Holy Lord snatching a man," but he was obviously unaware that Lu Xingzhou had been captured by Long Qinghuang for a short period of time, and even less aware that Lu Xingzhou had done Long Qinghuang a favor.

Lu Xingzhou said, "When I went to the Frozen Moon River for the trial with Mr. Ye, I saw the Demon Emperor from afar. Oh, by the way, there were some rumors, Your Majesty and Lord Marquis, please don't believe them, they're all nonsense."

Gu Zhanting waved his hand: "Who would believe that kind of thing? So, according to this logic, the Demon Emperor doesn't actually know you?"

"I suppose I've seen her from afar. I was positioned next to her, which was probably quite noticeable, but I wasn't qualified to speak to her."

Gu Zhanting nodded: "That should be the case. Well... in any case, you have met her once, so you will be the one to go on this mission."

Lu Xingzhou remained expressionless.

"Don't worry, the Demon Emperor respects his status and will not mistreat the envoy." Gu Zhanting said in a way that seemed to be trying to fool a young man: "You have already made great contributions this time. I originally planned to reward you after returning to the capital, but now that you are about to embark on your mission, I will first appoint you as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. If you perform well on your mission, you will be rewarded again upon returning to the capital."

Huo Xingyuan said from the side, "The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites is a fifth-rank official. You should know that Huo Heng became an official at the age of twenty, and now at twenty-eight, he is only a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, the same rank as you. You have risen rapidly in rank. Why don't you thank the emperor?"

Lu Xingzhou said calmly, "I am twenty years old, with a martial arts rank of three and an alchemy rank of two. Huo Heng? His cultivation must be very high, right?"

Huo Xingyuan choked on his words and couldn't speak for a long time.

Gu Zhanting didn't seem offended: "Indeed, young talents should have pride."

Lu Xingzhou said, "Since this is an envoy mission, Your Majesty, you should let me know what outcome you hope to achieve beforehand."

Gu Zhanting nodded and said, "First, we need to figure out what Long Qinghuang's true intentions are in this attack. Second, if we can negotiate the return of the cities in the northern border, that would be a great achievement."

Lu Xingzhou sneered inwardly.

You still want to return all the cities in the Northern Frontier? Do you think Long Qinghuang is a fool, or do you think I am a fool?
As for the true intentions... Lu Xingzhou knew almost without thinking that Long Qinghuang's attack this time was not intended to be a real fight. Her purpose was to force the current negotiation outcome, or to put it simply, to meet him openly and legitimately.

It also tells him that even if you stay by the Emperor's side, I can still have him send you here.

The previous claim that she brazenly mobilized troops to steal a man was overly narcissistic. But this time, she's basically not running away; she's here for him.

I initially thought the female tyrannosaurus was rather mediocre in strategy, but it seems she's actually quite capable. She anticipated all of the Great Qian's reactions and led them directly to the outcome she desired. No wonder she was able to unify the demon realm; she's no pushover.

This is something a messenger should not do... if he does, he will most likely never return.

Don't be fooled by Long Qinghuang's apparent interest in you. The heart of an emperor is always hardened. He may think you have the ability and want you, but if he is certain that you cannot be used by him, he would be lucky to be thrown into herding sheep for decades like Su Wu.

Is there any room for refusal?

There wasn't even a chance to escape from the city. If they did run, they would be caught by the Tyrannosaurus Rex the next moment. Their divine sense coverage was no joke.

Lu Xingzhou calmly cupped his hands in greeting: "Your subject obeys."

Gu Zhanting was quite satisfied with his calm attitude, thinking that it might actually make things work, so he said, "Doctor Lu, you may go now."

Lu Xingzhou bowed again, then turned and left.

Stepping onto the fortified city, I looked up at the sky.

After a night of frantic activity, it was already dawn.

It's just dealing with a female Tyrannosaurus Rex... Will they really not come back? That's not necessarily true.

When leaving the Tianyao Holy Land, Ye Tinglan gave him the divination result: "It is advantageous to cross the great river." What does "it is advantageous to cross the great river" mean? It's not just about the usual auspicious interpretations.

This is the Xu hexagram.

"Need" means "must," implying danger ahead. If one is strong and resilient without falling into a trap, one's principles will not lead to hardship or poverty.

Lu Xingzhou leaped out of the pass and arrived at the demon camp ahead. He raised his voice and said, "Lu Xingzhou requests an audience with His Majesty the Dragon Emperor."

"squeak……"

The monster camp, which had been turned away even when Huo Xingyuan came, suddenly opened its gates after these words.

The demon general guarding the camp was the very one he had sent back to deliver the message. Upon seeing Lu Xingzhou standing proudly in front of the camp, he actually bowed and said, "Mr. Lu, His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."

Lu Xingzhou had no idea whether Gu Zhanting and Huo Xingyuan, who were far away on the city wall, were watching, nor did he care. Led by the demon general, he strode into the camp.

There were guards outside the main tent. When they saw Lu Xingzhou arrive, they looked him up and down as if he were a monster.

The demon general stood outside and whispered, "His Majesty is waiting for Young Master Lu inside."

Lu Xingzhou nodded, lifted the curtain, and entered.

Long Qinghuang stood before the table, looking down at a map. There was no one around her, only herself.

She wasn't wearing the golden robe she wore during the previous battle, but rather the clothes she had bought in Hanlan City. The long skirt trailed on the ground, and the sash fluttered, making her appear three times more graceful.

But her tall and imposing figure, her extraordinary temperament, and her unyielding imperial might still remind everyone what a powerful and domineering woman she is.

Seeing Lu Xingzhou enter, Long Qinghuang shifted her gaze from the map to him, looked him over, and suddenly smiled: "Look, no matter if you use the alias Chen Yu or have the King of Hell take action at sea, you have played hide-and-seek with me time and time again... It's a pity that your own emperor will send you here. You can't escape my grasp."

Lu Xingzhou smiled and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Long Qinghuang was taken aback: "Thank me?"

"First, I thank Your Majesty for thinking so highly of me. It is tantamount to bowing three times to visit you. How could I not feel grateful for your recognition? Second, I thank Your Majesty for not capturing me directly from among the thousands of troops at night. Gu Zhanting brought me here himself... That was because Your Majesty was thinking of my reputation. Although Your Majesty may not let me go back, it seems there is no essential difference, but at least some leeway has been left."

Long Qinghuang smiled and said, "It's so comfortable talking to smart people. At least I didn't give my flirtatious glances to blind people."

Lu Xingzhou sighed: "But I don't understand why Your Majesty would do this? The demon race has plenty of talented people, and they don't need me. If it's just because of my past offenses, it seems like you're making too much of a fuss."

"So you know you've offended me?" Long Qinghuang took a few steps forward, reaching out to lift Lu Xingzhou's chin, her smile radiant. "You're clearly in cahoots with Ye Tinglan, yet you deceived me so thoroughly, ultimately helping Ye Tinglan resolve the siege and even giving me a false name. I, Long Qinghuang, have never been played like this before in my entire life..."

The slender, long finger flicked out, and Lu Xingzhou dodged it by tilting his head.

Pick again, dodge again.

Enraged, Long Qinghuang grabbed the boy's chin, who was trying to dodge her gaze, and her tone turned vicious: "Now that you're in my hands, how do you plan to die?"

Lu Xingzhou stopped dodging and looked at her calmly: "I helped His Majesty, can't I repay this little offense? His Majesty said that I helped Ye Tinglan get out of the siege, but that time I also warned His Majesty about the sneak attack; this time I saved the soldiers of Daqian, but I also protected the Holy Mountain for His Majesty."

Long Qinghuang knew, of course, that Lu Xingzhou didn't owe her anything; strictly speaking, it was she who owed him.

The act of protecting the holy mountain is enough to offset any offense.

But she still retorted fiercely, "Then what about the fact that you lied to me using a false name? I hate being lied to the most!"

Lu Xingzhou said calmly, "However, Lu Xingzhou is also an alias. If I had given that name back then, would His Majesty have thought I was lying to you?"

Long Qinghuang stood there, stunned.

Oh yes, I heard Lu Xingzhou is Huo Shang...

“There are only two people in the world who know my real name. One is Anuo, who has been my only family since childhood, and the other is Sheng Yuanyao, who was the one who uncovered some clues during the investigation of the case. Your Majesty is the third.” Lu Xingzhou smiled: “My real name is Huo Qing, not Huo Shang as rumored outside.”

Long Qinghuang had thought he was going to mention Huo Shang, but the answer was one she had never expected, which surprised her greatly. She paused, then quickly put on a stern face and said, "I don't believe you. There are only two? You've followed Yama since childhood, how could Yama not know?"

"Yan Jun herself kept my real name and background a secret from me... She knew that my name was based on her and must be a pseudonym, but since she didn't tell me her real name, she didn't press me for details. That shows her magnanimity."

"...Then what about your current sect leader, Shen Tang?"

“She knew Lu Xingzhou was an alias, but she never asked me about my privacy.”

"Ye Tinglan?"

"She didn't ask either."

In fact, Lu Xingzhou really wanted to say that, because they all knew that a name was just a label, whether they were called Huo Qing or Lu Xingzhou, it didn't affect the fact that the person they were in love with was me, so it didn't matter at all.

Why ask those questions? Asking them will only reopen old wounds in your lover's childhood, which is not a good experience. The understanding Tangtang and her maternal husband would never do that.

But obviously only a fool would say that. The mother tyrannosaurus was angry that she had lied to him, so telling him the truth and making him feel that he knew more truth than anyone else was the best choice.

As expected, Long Qinghuang finally showed a hint of joy, but forced a straight face and said, "Even if you tell me your real name, it's only a case of locking the barn door after the horse has bolted, it's not enough."

Lu Xingzhou smiled helplessly, his smile containing a mixture of exasperation and doting affection as he looked at his spoiled little girlfriend: "Then what does Your Majesty wish to do?"

It's that same affectionate gaze again, and that same smile again.

That bastard is a con artist.

Long Qinghuang gritted her teeth and suddenly pulled out a pig bristle brush.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: Another day of posting 10,000 words a day, please vote with monthly tickets!
(End of this chapter)