Film and Television: The Collector Who Rampages Across the Heavens

Chapter 85 If I become emperor, you will be empress.

The night was shrouded in mist, with a bright moon and few stars.

Through the dense forests, one could see the crisscrossing Chu army camps, which were very conspicuous under the torchlight, with countless patrols guarding the perimeter.

One by one, the soldiers of Daliang hid in the darkness of the dense forest, breathing quietly, waiting for the signal to launch their attack.

Nihuang was among them, dressed in military attire, her gleaming silver spirit armor glistening with dewdrops. She turned to look at Su Li beside her.

"Still no signal?"

"Don't rush, wait a little longer."

For a group of suicide squads armed with modern weapons, as long as they are not openly surrounded by a large army, it is not difficult to break through the encirclement of thousands of people at night.

Seeing Su Li's calm tone, Nihuang breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her hands together. The early morning forests of Yunnan were still quite cool at this time of year.

"I don't know how you arranged it, but to assassinate the commander of an army amidst ten thousand troops is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Even if all the top ten masters on the Langya List came, it would be impossible."

Looking at her spirited and pretty face, Su Li half-jokingly asked, "What reward will you give me if I succeed?"

Nihuang's tone was stern, and she rolled her eyes at him: "This is war, not a game. Ending it as soon as possible would be a good thing for the people of Liangchu. This war should never have happened in the first place."

"Yeah?"

Su Li watched as she kept rubbing her hands together and breathing on them, then reached out and grasped her calloused but still smooth and soft hand.

The moment their hands touched, Nihuang's delicate body trembled.

She immediately snapped, "What are you doing? Let go!"

"Nihuang, I have something to tell you."

Su Li held the woman's hands tightly in her own, the warmth of her hands transferring to the other's.

"Let go? What time is it? You're still thinking about other things?"

Nihuang's heart pounded wildly like a deer's, and she tried to pull it out but found that she couldn't pull it out at all.

"I must say this, lest I have no chance after this battle." Su Li deliberately put on a forlorn expression.

Nihuang's face flushed, and she bit her moist lips as she whispered, "Didn't we say last time that we should each do our own thing, and once it's over, there's no need to remember it?"

"I don't care what you think, anyway—"

Before Su Li could finish speaking, a crisp popping sound and a deafening explosion erupted from the Chu army camp in the distance. Huge plumes of smoke and fire engulfed a large part of the Chu army camp, and adjacent tents caught fire one after another.

"Damn it, why now?"

Su Li cursed inwardly, released Ni Huang's hand, stood up, drew the long sword from her waist, and pointed it at her.

"All soldiers, listen to my command! Kill!"

"His Highness has ordered: All troops attack! All troops attack!"

As the messenger's voice, coupled with the sound of the horn, reached everyone's ears, a deafening battle cry erupted across the mountains and fields.

The Chu army camp was in complete chaos. Soldiers couldn't find their generals, and generals couldn't find their soldiers. One general shouted for troops to form ranks, but before he could finish speaking, he was shot dead by a hidden sniper.

With the support of modern weapons hidden in the shadows, the Liang army descended like tigers from the mountains, sweeping through the enemy with unstoppable momentum. In just one encounter, they destroyed the Chu army's vanguard camp, and large numbers of soldiers fled in all directions.

The biggest fear for ancient armies was a sudden collapse of their camp. If there was a general in command, it would be fine, but otherwise it would lead to a major defeat.

Nihuang and Su Li stood atop the mountain, gazing at the scene. The soldiers, crumbling like dominoes, exclaimed in surprise, "The Chu army's commander-in-chief hasn't stepped forward to give orders yet. It seems your plan has succeeded!"

Su Li nodded and instructed the messenger beside him: "Send a message to Mu Qing that the Chu army will definitely collapse towards Yixiantian. Make sure to intercept and kill them all there."

"Yes, sir!" The messenger accepted the order and left.

The battle, involving tens of thousands of people, lasted for more than three hours. As dawn broke, the ground was littered with severed limbs, various armors and flags, unburnt provisions and tents, and thick smoke drifted into the sky.

Nihuang and Su Li arrived at the central command tent of the Chu army commander, where the soldiers placed the corpses of these generals before them.

She went closer and saw that even though these people were wearing armor, they were still pierced by some kind of unknown hidden weapon, with small holes in them. Some of them were even blown in two and mutilated.

"What kind of hidden weapon is this? Even armor can't defend against it?"

Princess Nihuang frowned. She could see that the eyes of these Chu generals were wide open, and they could not believe that they would be killed so easily before they died.

"If you want to know why you contacted me privately, I'll tell you."

Su Li winked at her mischievously and teased her, but Nihuang snorted and ignored him. She mounted her horse and disappeared from the battlefield with her personal guards, heading towards Mu Qing's ambush site.

Looking at the bright sunlight appearing on the distant horizon, Su Li knew that after this victory, the Chu Kingdom would have two possible reactions: either send more troops or sue for peace.

He leaned towards the latter, believing that Southern Chu alone could not gain any advantage against Daliang.

Moreover, the war was only started by the killing of the delegation, and the warmongering faction in Southern Chu took the opportunity to provoke it. If they win this war, they can continue to expand the conflict, but if they lose, there will definitely be a purge.

After all, the Southern Chu was not at peace either.

A few days later, the Muwang Palace in Yunnan was filled with joy. All the generals who participated in the battle gathered in the palace for a victory celebration banquet.

Mu Qing dismissed the dancing girls, stood up, spun around the room, raised his wine cup, and said with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest credit for this great battle belongs to His Highness Prince Ling. Let us all raise our cups and toast His Highness."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Your Highness is mighty! The Princess is mighty!"

Nihuang also picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and nodded to Su Li.

After finishing his drink, Mu Qing leaned closer to Su Li and asked curiously, "Your Highness, I'm actually quite curious about who those subordinates you arranged are?"

He later learned from Chu prisoners that a group of people dressed in black, carrying strange hidden weapons, suddenly broke into the Chu army commander's tent and shot all the guards dead.

A few small, black, shiny objects were thrown out, causing chaos and confusion.

Even when thousands of Chu soldiers were drawn to surround and kill them, the group of less than 20 people still stubbornly held on.

"Of course they are extraordinary people. If your sister knows, ask her."

Su Li patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile.

He wouldn't easily reveal his secret weapon for survival: a pistol that could threaten a martial arts master who had practiced for 20 years.

Times have changed, and that's not just a saying.

"Really? Then I'll have to ask."

Mu Qing immediately walked over to Nihuang and asked curiously, but the latter was completely bewildered; how would she know?

But seeing Su Li's smile, her fair face twitched. This guy—

After the victory banquet ended, all the generals were drunk and had to be helped away from the palace by their guards. Even Prince Mu Qing was drunk and had to be helped away by his servants as he disappeared into the main hall.

Su Li got up and went to Ni Huang's side, looking at her: "Are you drunk? Let me help you back to your room."

"No need, I'm not drunk."

Nihuang's fair face was flushed, but her eyes were clear. She wore a pure white and gorgeous court dress, which made her look very elegant and noble.

Su Li shook her head inwardly. The skirts from the Liang Dynasty were really not good. The ones from the Tang Dynasty were even lower than modern strapless miniskirts.

You can spot the bear at a glance —

The two walked out of the main hall, and servants cleaned up the leftovers and cold banquet. The moonlight was bright, and the trees rustled in the wind.

"Nihuang!"

"Um?"

Su Li looked at her: "Do you remember what I said to you before the great battle?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nihuang shook her head and said quickly.

"real?"

Su Li stepped forward and pulled her soft, delicate body into his arms, then lowered his head and bit her fragrant lips.

"Waaah?"

Nihuang struggled fiercely, hitting and trying to break free from his embrace.

However, due to her excessive physical strength, she struggled but to no avail, despite using all her strength.

When the two of them were breathless, Su Li finally released her, looked at the woman with seductive eyes, and said with a smile, "It seems you're not entirely unmoved by me after all—"

"asshole!"

Nihuang cursed and immediately lowered her head to bite his neck, biting him particularly hard.

Even with Su Li's physical strength, bloodstains appeared, and the slight pain stimulated him.

"Hey, you're murdering your husband, you crazy woman!"

Su Li touched his bleeding neck, looking slightly exasperated. This was the first time he had bled in all the worlds he had traveled through.

"Let you take advantage of me."

Princess Nihuang, her face beautiful and breathless, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve and said with an incomparably cold and elegant air.

"If I don't teach you a lesson, you won't know who's in charge. This time, shouting until you're hoarse won't do you any good."

Su Li picked her up and carried her straight to the nearest house, kicking open the door and going inside.

Now it was Nihuang's turn to panic. She struggled and cried out, "You—what do you want to do? Don't do anything rash!"

"I just did whatever I wanted—"

As the morning mist dissipates, rays of bright and refreshing sunlight stream through the carved beams and painted rafters, scattering on the ground like flowing fragments of gold.

Nihuang awoke from her deep sleep, her eyes slowly opening beneath her long eyelashes to reveal a bright, sunny morning.

I moved my body and felt a wave of fatigue and numbness. Memories of last night unfolded vividly in my mind like a tide.

The fierce battle was unlike anything she had experienced in decades.

"Princess, you're awake. Prince Mu is in the side hall and needs to see you."

Upon hearing the commotion, the maidservants of the Prince's residence hurried over, gave a graceful bow, and spoke softly.

"I understand. Prepare my toiletries."

Nihuang closed her eyes and sighed softly, her red lips moving as she spoke.

"yes""

-

After washing up, Nihuang put on her palace dress and walked with slightly uncomfortable legs to the side hall.

By this time, Mu Qing had been waiting for more than an hour, and the tea had been changed five or six times.

"Sis, you're awake?"

"What's up?" Nihuang sat down in the chair opposite her, propping her head up with one hand, clearly still feeling tired from last night.

"Um—you and Prince Ling?"

Before Mu Qing could finish speaking, Nihuang interrupted him, saying rapidly, "You don't need to concern yourself with my affairs with him—"

Nihuang realized her words were a bit harsh, and bit her lip as she explained, "My relationship with him is a bit complicated, but you don't need to know."

"But didn't you support Prince Jing's bid for the throne along with Mr. Su? What if Prince Ling also harbors such intentions?"

Mu Qing solemnly took out a letter and handed it over.

"This is a letter from Jinling. In less than three months, the situation in the court has changed drastically. The Crown Prince has been deposed. Prince Yu and Xia Jiang of the Xuanjing Division failed to frame Prince Jing. One was arrested and imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, and the other was directly confined to the Prince's Mansion. Next, Prince Ling will return to the capital. I'm afraid he and Prince Jing will be his opponents."

Princess Nihuang took the letter, glanced at it, frowned, and sneered: "The factional strife in this court is truly incessant. Even though the country has foreign enemies and we are fighting bloody battles here, the court's focus is still on the throne."

Mu Qing shook his head and said, "There's no way around it. Throughout history, as soon as a prince comes of age, the struggle for the throne begins. The factional strife will never end until a new emperor is chosen."

Suddenly, Princess Nihuang asked, "Who do you think is more suitable for that position, Prince Jing or Prince Ling?"

"That's hard to say?" Mu Qing thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "I also know Prince Jing. He's a very honest prince, even a bit stubborn and simple-minded. As for Prince Ling, I don't have much contact with him usually, except for this battle."

He is a man of great strategic acumen, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and I feel that he is a man of exceptionally deep cunning.

Anyway, whoever you support, I'll support.

Nihuang chuckled twice, her fingers gripping the letter tightly, her eyes flickering.

At the same time, Su Li also received a report from the Qingyi Tower spies, which was the same as Mu Qing's letter, but with more detailed content.

With Mei Changsu's help, Prince Jing not only passed the test but also made Prince Yu suffer in silence, with all sorts of crimes pinned on him, causing his mentality and power to plummet to rock bottom.

Although he was not in Jinling, he was fully aware of Mei Changsu's arrangements, and the pieces that the other party had placed in various places were all marked by Qingyi Tower.

With just a single order from him, Mei Changsu's Jiangzuo Alliance forces in Jinling could be eradicated completely.

"Now we just need to wait for the imperial decree to return to the capital, and then we'll make contact with Qin Banruo and Xia Jiang."

In the afternoon, Su Li returned to the Mu Prince's residence, where Nihuang was already waiting for him. She walked straight up to him and asked, "You know about the news from Jinling, right?"

"What?"

"Stop pretending. The Crown Prince has been deposed, Xia Jiang is imprisoned, and Prince Yu is confined. How could you not know about such big things?"

"So, what do you want me to do by asking me these questions, Nihuang?"

Su Li stepped forward, reached out and took her hand. She resisted slightly, but then acquiesced to his firm grip on her hand.

"I just want to know—do you also harbor ambitions to seize the throne?"

Looking into those bright and spirited eyes, Su Li didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "Then, Princess Nihuang, do you have the ambition to become an empress?"

Nihuang was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"If I become emperor, you will be my empress!"

Su Li took another step forward, pulled her into her arms, and said, "Let's rule the world together—"

"In the end, you still want to ascend to that position. Bringing me along is just to make the Mu Royal Palace your ally," Nihuang sneered.

"Even without the Mu Prince's Mansion, the throne will still be mine. Prince Jing and Prince Yu are no match for me."

Su Li's confident words made Ni Huang stare at him for a while, as if trying to figure out what kind of plan this guy had.

"Nihuang—think carefully about what I'm saying. The position of Empress will always be yours."

5

After saying that, he disappeared down the corridor.