September in autumn, the ground was covered with fallen maple leaves, like flames in full bloom.
The Empress of Great Jin, Qin Liuli, stood in front of the Taiji Hall, which was now the Green Tiles Small House in Present Village. She gazed into the horizon, her eyes empty and devoid of spirit.
Su Qingqiu, dressed in a plain white dress, held her sword in both hands and quietly followed behind the Empress. She had lost her usual lively and charming demeanor and remained silent.
“Have they found the Empress’ Husband?” Dongfang Liuli’s voice was slightly hoarse.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, in the battle before the gates of the Imperial Capital two days ago, the rebel Zhao Yuhuan committed suicide. After detonating the Black Star, both the Empress’ Husband and the Qian Yuan Sword Saint completely disappeared, suspected to have been caught in a spatial node and transported far away,” Su Qingqiu replied.
Since Zhao Yuhuan’s death two days ago, the rebellion in the Shu Region had gradually subsided, and the Empress’ birthday banquet had naturally come to an abrupt end.
Dongfang Liuli’s eyes dimmed for a moment, and a bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Indeed.
That fool, that salt fish, had been missing for two days and nights. Despite exhausting all her means, she had been unable to find him.
It was like that rainy night in the abandoned temple three years ago when Meng Qingzhou had suddenly barged into her world, only to disappear just as suddenly now.
At that time, Dongfang Liuli was not yet the Empress of Great Jin, but a rebellious runaway princess eager to see the world. She had accidentally encountered the extraordinary Meng Qingzhou in green robes.
Back then, Dongfang Liuli had impulsively asked, “Do you think a woman can become an emperor?”
To her surprise, Meng Qingzhou had answered decisively, “Of course, I have great faith in the little princess. She will surely ascend to the throne one day.”
Meng Qingzhou’s little princess was Dongfang Liuli at that time.
A woman becoming an emperor was unprecedented, something ordinary people wouldn’t even dare to imagine.
In the early days of Dongfang Liuli’s rise, even those closest to her were unaware of her ambition. Only Meng Qingzhou had predicted that she would become the Empress.
That one sentence had supported her all the way to where she was now, and it was also why Dongfang Liuli had made a three-year pact with Meng Qingzhou.
“How is Qin Fenghuo’s injury?” Dongfang Liuli sighed softly, counting the falling maple leaves, and asked absentmindedly.
Su Qingqiu respectfully replied, “The Big Column Kingdom is in good health, but he has been persistently seeking an audience with the Empress’ Husband. Should I tell him the truth?”
Dongfang Liuli said, “No need. Qin Fenghuo has a volatile temperament. If you tell him, it might lead to trouble.”
Qin Fenghuo’s avatar had died, and his main body had been nailed in the Forbidden Land of Buried Immortals. It wasn’t until the Empress returned victorious that she personally went to the Forbidden Land to rescue him. He hadn’t witnessed the final battle and didn’t know that Meng Qingzhou had gone missing.
“Empress’ Husband…” Su Qingqiu hesitated, but upon seeing the new ferocity in the Empress’ eyes, she quickly swallowed her words.
Dongfang Liuli suddenly said, “In just one day, the dynasty has experienced the rebellion of a vassal king and the siege by seven major forces. It is their endless ambition and this chaotic era of constant warfare that caused Qingzhou’s disappearance, his fate still unknown.”
“I want revenge. I will annihilate the seven forces that participated in the siege!”
Su Qingqiu’s pupils contracted, and she lowered her head silently, not daring to speak.
At this moment, the Empress, having lost Meng Qingzhou, the only place where she felt at peace, seemed to have rekindled her ferocity.
“Summon Qin Fenghuo, Jiang Canghai, and all officials of the third rank and above. I am declaring war. I will leave no one alive among the seven forces. Blood will flow like rivers.”
“I want them to feel pain, to feel fear!”
As she spoke, an aura of war and slaughter filled the air.
The Empress paused and looked back at the reclining chair that Meng Qingzhou used to love sitting in. She stared at it for a long time, and when she turned around again, her eyes were filled with murderous intent.
A blueprint for a war against the seven forces was quickly drawn up amid the debates of Jiang Canghai and other strategists.
The time was set for fifteen days later.
The goal was to destroy nations and annihilate sects!
“Fifteen days? That’s too long! I suggest we immediately march north and directly target the seven forces,” Qin Fenghuo said.
Jiang Canghai stroked his beard and said leisurely, “The dynasty has just experienced upheaval and needs time to recuperate. We can’t rush.”
Qin Fenghuo retorted angrily, “What are we waiting for? The seven forces also suffered heavy losses in this battle, with many high-ranking members killed in the Black Star explosion. Strike while the iron is hot, an ancient and unchanging principle.”
Hearing this, Jiang Canghai remained silent and looked at the Empress.
Among the officials present, only the Empress and Jiang Canghai knew why the attack was delayed.
Because the Empress’ Husband was missing.
The Empress had given them fifteen days, hoping to find the Empress’ Husband at any cost during this time.
“Are you hiding something from me?” Qin Fenghuo asked suspiciously.
Dongfang Liuli replied calmly, “I am injured. Is that reason enough?”
Qin Fenghuo was taken aback, his anger dissipating instantly. He immediately believed her and bowed, saying, “That’s enough. Your Majesty, please take good care of yourself.”
“Alright, Jiang Canghai stays, everyone else is dismissed.”
…
…
After everyone had left, Dongfang Liuli took out a jade talisman and handed it to Jiang Canghai.
“This talisman is called the Ten Thousand Mile Teleportation Talisman, a treasure left by the previous emperor. If the nation faces a great calamity, breaking the talisman will teleport me back.”
“The Ten Thousand Mile Teleportation Talisman can only be used once. Unless it is a matter of life and death, do not summon me lightly.”
Jiang Canghai took the talisman and looked at the Empress, saying, “Your Majesty, are you going to search for the Empress’ Husband?”
Dongfang Liuli was silent for a long time. She glanced at him and nodded, “Nothing can be hidden from you.”
Jiang Canghai rubbed the talisman with his fingers and said solemnly, “I have something to report. This morning, over ten thousand scouts tirelessly searched the shattered spatial nodes after the Black Star explosion and finally made some discoveries.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress’ eyes, which had been calm but filled with hidden ferocity, instantly brightened. She hurriedly asked, “What is it? Have they found the Empress’ Husband?”
“No, but I have identified a few places where the Empress’ Husband is most likely to have disappeared.”
With that, Jiang Canghai took out a sand table map and placed it on the table.
The sand table map depicted the entire terrain and topography of Great Jin, with every mountain, river, ancient city, and landmark accurately represented.
This was Jiang Canghai’s life treasure, a Map of Mountains and Rivers, which he had refined after traversing the entire Great Jin and measuring it with his own eyes.
“Your Majesty, look. To the extreme north, near the border, there is an Ancient Divine City.”
“To the southeast, there is a place where sects and religious orders gather, with flourishing incense.”
“To the west, Buddhism is thriving, known as the Ten Thousand Mile Buddhist Kingdom….”
Jiang Canghai said, “Currently, these are the only three suspected places. I will not stop Your Majesty, and this is all I can do.”
Dongfang Liuli nodded, “I understand. You may leave. Remember not to reveal my departure.”
“Yes.”
……
That afternoon, the sun was shining brightly.
In front of the gates of the Imperial Capital, a woman in red, wearing a bamboo hat, stood alone.
Passersby couldn’t help but glance at her. Even though she was well-disguised, her unique charm couldn’t be hidden.
The woman in red sighed softly and looked towards the extreme north.
“Ancient Divine City, huh…”
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