Probing

Deep within the grand palace compound, the solemn and imposing architecture possessed a quiet, striking beauty amidst the swirling snow. Xu Yuan gazed at the vast expanse of white horizon as he walked alongside the woman in red. She seemed fond of fiery scarlet, a color of vivid intensity. Today, she wore neither the loose-fitting red robes nor the flowing gowns of previous days, but rather a snug suit of fiery warrior's garb. Xu Yuan casually swept his eyes over her. Stripped of the voluminous red robes, a few modest curves finally became discernible. Acting was an art that demanded pouring genuine emotion in, pulling it out ruthlessly, and then thrusting it back in, pulling it back out—in, out, in, out, on and on. Thus, when Li Qingyan noticed his gaze and cast a cold sidelong glare his way, Xu Yuan merely gave a chuckle and asked, "We've walked this far. Can you finally tell me what you wanted to ask?" Li Qingyan halted her steps, fixing her gaze on Xu Yuan as her red lips parted slightly. "Did Chief Lou... already leave the city?" Hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately feigned ignorance. "Huh? Didn't you already seal off the entire city with a formation? How could she get out?" Li Qingyan stared at him with a placid look, as if regarding a fool. "Xu Changtian, by saying that, do you take this princess for an idiot?" "Not at all." Xu Yuan looked grave. "Don't talk nonsense." *Only big-breasted women are brainless; of course you have a brain.* Li Qingyan closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, and spoke bluntly: "This princess personally leans toward believing she hasn't left. After all, even you haven't fled. So if Lou Ji has not yet departed, I want you to contact her and leave two of the Cloud Qi Bombs meant for Zong Qingsheng and Uncle Mu here in Beifeng City." Xu Yuan fell into thought upon hearing this, then asked, "And if she has already left?" At this question, the corners of Li Qingyan's lips curved slightly, her phoenix eyes narrowing as she locked eyes with him. "If she left, she would have certainly offered to take you with her. Yet you remain here. So, you may now start considering how you intend to explain to this princess why you chose to stay in Beifeng City." "......" Xu Yuan's expression grew faintly peculiar. He had come to realize that these imperial royals were each harder to fool than the last. The one who wanted Xu Yuan to stay in Beifeng City as a hostage was you, Wuyuan; yet now, the one demanding an explanation for his staying was also you. After a long pause, Xu Yuan let out an amused chuckle. "What are you suspecting?" Li Qingyan smiled faintly, her gaze unwavering. "What do you think this princess is suspecting?" "How would I know if you don't tell me?" "What this princess suspects, you know very well in your—" "All right, all right." Xu Yuan raised a hand to cut her off. "You suspect nothing more than that I, Xu Changtian, stayed behind to stir up trouble in Beifeng City." Pausing, he pointed at himself. "Your Highness, do you truly believe a profligate like me has the capacity to cause trouble under these circumstances?" "A profligate?" Li Qingyan looked Xu Yuan up and down, a trace of amusement surfacing across her exquisite features. "This princess never puts faith in rumors and reputation; I only believe what I see with my own eyes." "And what have you seen?" "Xu Changtian, having spent this past month around you, this princess finds you do not resemble a profligate in the slightest." "Could I even beat you in a fight?" "......" Li Qingyan fell silent. After a quiet moment, the woman in red brushed off the snowflakes resting upon her shoulders. "It seems Lou Ji truly has departed." Xu Yuan no longer hid it from her. "She indeed left. And she did, in fact, offer to take me with her." "Oh?" A glimmer of confusion surfaced in Li Qingyan's lovely eyes. "Why are you suddenly willing to tell me? Have you figured out how to explain yourself to this princess?" Xu Yuan shook his head and said in all earnestness, "It was my father's intention." "......" Li Qingyan appeared somewhat resigned, looking as though she had long anticipated such an explanation from him. Xu Yinhe. From childhood to adulthood, she had heard this name countless times from Uncle Mu's mouth. When she was young, Uncle Mu's appraisals of Duke Xu had usually consisted of praise and admiration, calling him 'a chancellor unmatched through the ages' or praising his 'astounding strategic brilliance.' Yet as she grew older, this Duke Xu gradually transformed in Uncle Mu's words from an object of praise into furious curses like 'traitor who steals the state,' 'old bastard who refuses to die,' and 'a piece of filth who knows nothing of a subject's duty.' Such a figure was indeed remarkably convenient to use as a scapegoat. Seeing Li Qingyan's expression, Xu Yuan knew she didn't buy it. He sighed, lies tumbling from his mouth without a second thought: "Come on, my dear princess, did you really think I, Xu Changtian, wanted to stay in this damned city?" As he spoke, Xu Yuan pointed toward the south of the city. "The city gate over there was blown open. Once the barbarians storm the walls, we both know full well how many days we can hold out. "But my father said that he needed me, his son, to remain in Beifeng City as a hostage to put your minds at ease—to reassure you that whatever the Chancellor's Manor does hereafter will not jeopardize the court's interests." Listening to this impassioned speech, Li Qingyan's eyes showed a flicker of contemplation. "Didn't you claim to be a profligate? Since when do profligates concern themselves with such matters?" Xu Yuan knitted his brows, a trace of indignation coloring his gaze. "Li Qingyan, I, Xu Changtian, may not have behaved like a decent human being in the past, but having grown up immersed in such matters, I still understand the weight of the greater picture." Li Qingyan watched him. Xu Yuan met her gaze, his expression earnest and sincere. After a long while, Li Qingyan's eyes curved as she burst into laughter. "It seems Lou Ji has already prepared an escape route for you." "......" Xu Yuan's expression froze. *Damn it. Whenever I try to act impressive, why is each of these women more merciless than the last at tearing down my stage?* While he was still stunned, Li Qingyan slowly lifted a jade-like hand and gently stroked Xu Yuan's cheek. Chuckling softly at close range, her crimson pupils burned hot as fire. "Regardless of whether you have an escape route, the fact that you dared to stay in Beifeng City under these circumstances means you do not fail as this princess's man." With that, she patted Xu Yuan on the shoulder. "In this matter, this princess is very pleased with you." "......" Xu Yuan was speechless. Drawing back her hand, Li Qingyan resumed walking forward and said, "As for the barbarians, they will likely begin their assault in about two shichen. I shall head over to the gate tower shortly to oversee the defense." Two shichen... Xu Yuan paused for a moment before quickening his pace to keep up, his brow furrowed as he asked, "Lou Ji told me the barbarians are adjusting their deployments to prepare for a siege. Any assault would take until tomorrow or even the day after." The valiant woman in red lifted her crimson eyes to glance at the vast, snowy horizon. "Completely surrounding Beifeng City would indeed take until tomorrow. But that Barbarian Heterodox King would never do something so foolish. At most, he will extend his military array up to the Dongxian Gate and advance no further north." Realization dawned upon Xu Yuan at once. "'When surrounding an army, leave an opening'..." "'When surrounding an army, leave an opening'? A fine phrase." Li Qingyan narrowed her phoenix eyes. "Though more than that, it is because that Heterodox King understands the internal strife within our Northern Border army all too well. As long as he keeps his forces concentrated to the south, the sects within the city will inevitably harbor other thoughts." Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, his brow knitting slightly. "You mean the sects will think of fleeing?" Saying this, Xu Yuan cast a strange look at the drifting snow blanketing the sky. "Attempting to flee with troops in this weather—isn't that courting death? Besides, if Beifeng City falls, those seven hundred thousand troops will truly become an isolated force." Li Qingyan's voice turned chilly. "The rank-and-file troops won't flee, but the high-ranking figures will certainly think of escaping with their resources. There are those among the barbarians who understand the language of our Great Yan; when the time comes, they will certainly use this to throw the city's garrison into disarray. Furthermore, stripped of these leaders, reorganizing the army below will create a critical window of vulnerability." The higher one's rank and power, the more one treasured one's life. It was not difficult for high-tier cultivators to cross the northern mountain ranges. As long as their luck was not so terrible that barbarian experts intercepted them, they could generally flee straight back into the territory of Great Yan. Xu Yuan thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Didn't you raise the defensive array?" Li Qingyan shook her head. "Maintaining Beifeng City's grand array consumes immense resources every day. If it has to withstand siege engines, that expenditure will only multiply. Once the battle begins, most of the Source Crystals will be allocated to the southern array, meaning the northern array naturally cannot maintain such intensity." With that, Li Qingyan gave Xu Yuan a reassuring, radiant smile. "Rest assured. Even if the city falls, you will never die before this princess." Hearing those words, Xu Yuan's heart sank, a foreboding premonition suddenly washing over him. "Princess, what do you mean..." Without a word, Li Qingyan retrieved a suit of armor from her Sumeru ring. "Try this on to see if it fits." "......" Xu Yuan glanced at it. It was the armor of a battalion commander's personal guard from the Feather Forest Guards. While the art of engraving defensive array runes onto fabric clothing remained rare in Great Yan, the technique of engraving them onto armor, though expensive, was quite mature. Human life held little value in this supernatural feudal dynasty, but martial apprentices and cultivators were valuable. Training a combat-ready soldier required at least five years, while elite troops took over a decade. Because of this, most factions were never stingy when it came to life-saving gear like armor, and regular armies were virtually all equipped with standard-issue suits. From the lowliest soldiers to mid-level captains and high-ranking commanders, standard armor was provided. However, the armor Li Qingyan handed him appeared custom-made; his intent-soul could sense intricate, profound array runes inscribed across its surface. After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan reached out to accept it, asking softly, "May I ask what Your Highness intends by this?" Li Qingyan curled her lips in a smile. "From this moment on, you are this princess's sole personal guard." The corner of Xu Yuan's mouth twitched. "Sole?" As they spoke, the two arrived before a courtyard. Pushing open the courtyard gate, Li Qingyan remarked offhandedly, "When my cultivation was modest, I stayed by Uncle Mu's side. Once my cultivation grew high enough, I naturally had no need for personal guards. So you are the first." The small pond within the courtyard was already frozen, the pavilions and verandas blanketed under a thick layer of snow. Yet the flagstone path seemed to be made of some special material; the moment snow touched it, it vanished without a trace. Walking together along the stone path, Xu Yuan smacked his lips. "Is that really necessary? Given the current situation, there's no need for me to conceal my identity." A personal guard was virtually equivalent to a twenty-four-hour personal bodyguard. That was virtually equivalent to being unable to attend the Third Prince's invitation tonight, which in turn was virtually equivalent to making it impossible for him to carry out his own plans later. As if discerning Xu Yuan's thoughts, Li Qingyan shot him a cold glance. "Once battle erupts, with both the city-protecting array and the military arrays in place, beside this princess is the safest place to be." Xu Yuan did not agree, saying instead, "Hostilities haven't even commenced yet. There's no need to rush." Li Qingyan's delicate brows knitted, but then she seemed to realize something. Shifting her gaze to look at him sidelong, she asked, "Did you and Li Junqing leave something unfinished back in that pavilion?" "......" Xu Yuan was struck dumb. This washboard princess seemed a bit too sharp. If this marriage truly went through, trying to pull a fast one when going out after the wedding might prove rather difficult. *Mm, the big ice block is still the dearest.* *Whatever he told her, she believed.* *Day one of missing the big ice block.* While Xu Yuan's mind was wandering through these random thoughts, Li Qingyan spoke unexpectedly: "In that case, you may report to this princess as a guard starting tomorrow." "......" Surprise flickered in Xu Yuan's eyes. This woman was actually letting him go? Li Qingyan's stunning features softened slightly amid the wind and snow. Meeting his gaze with her phoenix eyes, she spoke in a measured tone: "If you wish to visit pleasure houses, this princess will not stop you before our grand wedding." Xu Yuan paused instinctively in his tracks, staring in astonishment at Li Qingyan's tall, slender back. Immediately after, however, he heard the rest of her words drift faintly over: "Though I know not what you wish to discuss with Li Junqing, if it touches upon the succession struggle, I advise you not to recklessly involve yourself. This princess will not be like Li Junqing." With that, she pushed open the door to her wing room and walked straight inside. Xu Yuan remained where he stood, momentarily dazed. *Hiss...* *What did this woman mean by those parting words?* Following her into the room, Xu Yuan glanced around, quickly locking his gaze onto the woman in red who was tying up her hair within the simply furnished chamber. He asked directly: "Hey, what did you mean by that last remark?" Li Qingyan retrieved a hairpin from her Sumeru ring, gathering the long, straight black hair draped behind her back and efficiently tying it into a clean bun. She replied softly: "Literally what I said." Xu Yuan walked over, sat down across from Li Qingyan, and probed, "If you don't support the Crown Prince, do you intend to back the Second Prince..." Li Qingyan looked at Xu Yuan with a helpless expression. "Changtian, in your eyes, must one pick a prince in an imperial succession struggle?" Xu Yuan drew a sharp breath of cold air, continuing his act to test the waters: "Are you saying you want me to become a prince consort and..." "Foolish." Having tied up her hair, Li Qingyan rose to her feet. Her tall figure and simple bun lent her an even more heroic air, her gaze cooling slightly. "Great Yan faces internal turmoil and foreign aggression; the common folk suffer in misery. Whoever is willing to resolve this, whoever is capable of resolving this—that is who this princess will support." "......" Xu Yuan placed the armor onto the table before him and let out a long breath. Well then. Here he had thought this washboard princess intended to become an empress regnant. True to someone raised by Marquis Wucheng, she protected only the imperial house, not any specific person. Just as he was thinking this, Xu Yuan's gaze suddenly focused, staring at the woman in red across from him. "What are you doing?" Untying the sash at her waist, Li Qingyan spoke in a voice as calm as still water: "Changing clothes and donning armor." Xu Yuan stared unblinkingly, an earnest expression on his face. "Need some help?" Meeting his gaze without a hint of bashfulness, Li Qingyan asked, "You seem quite eager to help this princess don armor?" Pausing, a mocking trace of amusement surfaced within her crimson pupils. "Oh, no. You seem far more eager to help this princess undress." As the words fell, her red garments drifted to the floor, plunging the room into dead silence. Xu Yuan's eyes first widened, then fell into disappointment, followed by surprise. Across the stunning woman's fair, flat abdomen ran graceful, alluring abdominal lines, but above that, there was nothing more to see. A specially made chest binder was wrapped tightly around her, obscuring everything completely from view. Xu Yuan slumped his head in utter defeat.