Starting in Exile: Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Lucky Little Wife

Chapter 67 The Palace Master of the Blood Fiend Palace Appears

She said softly, "Nannan, be good. I'm a little tired from the journey. Can I carry you next time?" Nannan tilted her head to one side, her eyes darting around as if she were thinking about something. Then she nodded sensibly and said in her childish voice, "Okay, fairy sister needs to rest."

Seeing this, Xiao Jingchuan smiled, his tense expression completely dissipating. He looked at everyone and said, "Although the peace negotiations had some twists and turns, they went relatively smoothly overall. It's just that the Emperor of Xijing..." He frowned slightly, lost in thought for a moment, seemingly considering how to describe Jiang Liushen.

Mu Zetian hurriedly asked, "Your Highness, is there something wrong with the emperor?" Xiao Jingchuan slowly shook his head and said, "The emperor seems to be sincere about the peace talks, but... his attitude towards Liuli is really hard to fathom."

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this. Bai Jing frowned and said, "Your Highness, is there some hidden story behind this?" Xiao Jingchuan's eyes flashed with worry. "I'm not sure either. I just feel that we should be more careful in the future and not let our guard down."

the other side.

After Gu Liuli and Xiao Jingchuan left, Emperor Jiang Liushen of Xijing Kingdom slowly strolled to a corner of the tent. His eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if he was still immersed in the brief time he spent with Gu Liuli. The candlelight in the tent flickered, casting dappled shadows on his face, adding to his sense of loneliness.

He reached out and gently pulled open a hidden compartment, carefully taking out a painting.

The silk scroll was slightly yellowed, indicating its age. He slowly unrolled the scroll, and the woman's face gradually became clearer, bearing an eight or nine-tenths resemblance to Gu Liuli. Her eyes were full of affection, and a faint smile played on her lips, as if she would step out of the painting at any moment and softly call his name.

"Min'er, if only our daughter were still alive!" Jiang Liushen murmured to himself, his voice low and hoarse, filled with endless longing and sorrow. His fingers gently brushed across the face of the woman in the painting, as if touching the real her.

He and Min'er met when they were both struggling, and they stood by each other through thick and thin. Min'er was gentle, virtuous, and well-educated; in his heart, she was the most beautiful being in the world. Later, Min'er became pregnant, and they eagerly awaited the arrival of their new life. However, fate was cruel. A sudden palace coup endangered Min'er during childbirth, and the two were separated for a long time. Despite his desperate search, he only found Zhao Min's body, and their daughter disappeared in the chaos.

From then on, Jiang Liushen seemed to have become a different person. In the imperial court, he used ruthless methods and showed no mercy to his enemies, gradually earning a reputation for being volatile. But who knew that beneath this hard exterior lay a heart riddled with wounds?

At this moment, the tent was empty. This king, who was usually seen as majestic and unapproachable, could no longer suppress his grief. Tears streamed down his cheeks, dripping onto the painting and wetting Min'er's face. His shoulders trembled slightly, and his sobs were suppressed and painful, as if he wanted to release all the longing and pain he had endured over the years.

"I've searched for so many years, but I've never heard of you. Now, seeing a woman who looks so much like you, Min'er, tell me, isn't this a sign from heaven..." Jiang Liushen cried out to the painting, the candlelight crackling. The deputy general standing outside dared not speak, for he too had been deeply moved the moment he saw Gu Liuli!

Inside the palace of the Nanzhao Kingdom, candlelight blazed. Emperor Xiao Han sat upright in his study, clutching a letter delivered by his secret guards, his brow furrowed and his expression grave. The letter concerned the war between the Xijing Kingdom and Ningguta. He had originally resolved to personally lead the campaign, hoping to secure Nanzhao's interests in this conflict.

However, just as he was preparing to muster his troops for battle, another piece of news arrived—the Western Jing Kingdom and Ningguta had reached a reconciliation. This sudden turn of events filled Xiao Han with doubt, as if he were shrouded in mist, unable to fathom the deeper meaning behind it. Emperor Jiang Liushen of the Western Jing Kingdom had always been ambitious, and Xiao Jingchuan of Ningguta was no ordinary person either. How could they so easily shake hands and make peace? Was there a conspiracy against the Nanzhao Kingdom hidden within this? A series of questions swirled in his mind.

Just as Xiao Han was lost in thought, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, a gentle figure quietly appeared at the study door. "Your Majesty," a soft voice rang out, like a spring breeze caressing Xiao Han's heart. He looked up and saw Empress Mu Qingling walking in with light, graceful steps.

After the Imperial Concubine's family was executed for committing a serious crime, Mu Qingling moved out of the Cold Palace.

This experience, like a nightmare, also brought about a strange change in the relationship between her and Xiao Han.

Once, the intrigues and schemes of the palace drove them apart, but now, having weathered storms together, their feelings for each other are deeper than ever, as if they have rediscovered the sincerity they had at the beginning.

Mu Qingling walked to Xiao Han's side, gently took his hand, and felt the slight sweat on his palm.

She looked up, her eyes full of concern and tenderness, and asked softly, "Your Majesty, are you troubled by matters of state?" Xiao Han sighed slightly, handed her the letter in his hand, and said slowly, "Qingling, look, the situation is so unpredictable, it's really hard to feel at ease."

Mu Qingling took the letter and read it carefully, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. But she quickly regained her composure and said softly, "Your Majesty, since things have come to this, we might as well wait and see. The reconciliation between Xijing Kingdom and Ningguta may not be a bad thing."

We can send someone to investigate first, to understand their true intentions for reconciliation, before making any further plans.

Xiao Han looked at Mu Qingling, his eyes filled with admiration and love. Her intelligence and composure were admirable. "Qingling, having you by my side is truly my blessing," Xiao Han said, gently pulling Mu Qingling into his arms.

Bai Ling, Lan Yi, and Eunuch Fu exchanged a smile and then left, closing the door behind them.

At the same time, Lu Yifan, the master of the Blood Fiend Palace, had arrived in Ningguta. As the first to receive intelligence, the Blood Fiend Palace already knew that Prince Duan had been executed.

"Palace Master, Prince Duan is dead. What about the mission?" A subordinate of the Blood Fiend Palace, dressed in black, knelt on one knee and asked respectfully. He lowered his head, and his eyes under the brim of his hat gleamed with a cold light as he awaited Lu Yifan's instructions.

Lu Yifan stood with his hands behind his back, his black brocade robe fluttering in the wind. He tilted his head slightly, looking towards the city gate of Ningguta, his expression cold and stern. He parted his thin lips slightly and said, "Well, you should not make any rash moves. I have heard that the Crown Princess has a weapon that can kill people from hundreds of meters away. I will go and meet her!"

The bustling market inside the city gate was extraordinary. Gu Liuli, along with Yu Bai and her little maid, strolled around the market. She recalled the scene in Ningguta before and compared it with the present. It was simply incomparable.

"boom!"

"Oh!" A man's and a woman's voices rang out to each other!

Gu Liuli felt a dull pain in her forehead and instinctively covered it.

She looked up and saw an extremely beautiful "woman" standing before her, with exquisitely beautiful features and skin as white as snow. But upon closer inspection, the subtle rise and fall of his Adam's apple revealed his true gender—he was actually a man!

"I'm so sorry, handsome, I didn't mean to." Gu Liuli quickly apologized with an apologetic smile. She felt a little annoyed; she had been so focused on recalling things that she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going that she accidentally bumped into someone.

Lu Yifan's slightly furrowed brows lifted slightly the moment he saw Gu Liuli.

He hadn't expected to bump into Gu Liuli so coincidentally in this bustling city. Seeing Gu Liuli's apologetic expression, a strange feeling welled up in his heart, but he quickly regained his composure and said indifferently, "It's alright." After saying that, he looked Gu Liuli up and down, trying to find any clues about the mysterious weapon on her.

Seeing this, Yu Bai immediately stepped forward, shielding Gu Liuli behind him, and looked at Lu Yifan warily, a hint of hostility in his eyes. The little maid also nervously tugged at Gu Liuli's sleeve, her face full of worry.

Gu Liuli gently patted Yu Bai's arm, signaling him not to be nervous, and then smiled at Lu Yifan, saying, "Handsome, you look unfamiliar. Are you new to Ningguta?" She tried to ease the slightly awkward atmosphere through conversation.

Lu Yifan nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on Gu Liuli. "Yes, I'm new here. I've heard that Ningguta is a prosperous place, so I came to see for myself."

“Ningguta is indeed much more lively than before. Since you’re here, why not take a look around? There are quite a few interesting things here,” Gu Liuli enthusiastically introduced, unaware of the deeper meaning hidden in Lu Yifan’s eyes.