Qin Zhao replied, "Let Huo Jun replace Huo Chengjin and go to the battlefield."
Huo Xiaosu immediately widened his eyes and said, "No!
Where are you putting my son? How can he handle himself?"
Qin Zhao sneered and said, "I knew it, you stubborn old man won't agree.
In that case, tomorrow I will inform the emperor about Huo Chengjin's hand being severed.
Guess how the emperor will handle this?
Once a person becomes useless, they will be discarded like worn-out shoes. You should understand this logic.
And soon, everyone will know that he has become a cripple.
He used to enjoy glory, but from now on, he will suffer greatly!"
Huo Xiaosu furrowed his brows and asked, "Your Highness, must you be so forceful?"
"Yes, not only will I force you, but I will also cut off your retreat.
Either you become my accomplice or you die!"
Huo Xiaosu trembled, staggering backward, muttering to himself, "I should never have let Chengjin compete with Huo Jun!
He was never as good as her, never..."
Qin Zhao thought to herself, Huo Xiaosu finally admits Huo Jun's excellence, but it's too late.
Huo Xiaosu stopped and said, "Fine, I agree!"
"That's right, General Huo is a reasonable person."
Huo Xiaosu asked, "Your Highness, how do you plan to arrange them?"
"Huo Chengjin and Huo Jun will accompany me to the northwest border.
Huo Chengjin's military rank will remain the same, but the responsibility of leading troops in battle will be given to Huo Jun.
For convenience, both of them will wear masks."
"What if the soldiers discover that Huo Jun is impersonating someone? What should we do then?"
Qin Zhao said, "That's why Huo Chengjin will accompany her.
When Huo Jun needs to prove her identity, Huo Chengjin will step forward."
Huo Xiaosu nodded and said, "I hope Your Highness will take care of my son."
Qin Zhao replied, "As long as he obeys, everything will be fine."
Huo Xiaosu squeezed through the crowd and seemed to whisper something in Huo Chengjin's ear. After hearing it, Huo Chengjin shouted in a frenzy, "No! I won't go! You might as well kill me!"
Everyone was frightened and stepped aside, while Qin Zhao walked over to Huo Chengjin and said, "This is the consequence of being a loser. You should have realized it long ago."
Huo Chengjin's eyes turned bloodshot as he glared at Qin Zhao, as if he wanted his eyeballs to pop out!
He questioned, "Zhao Yang, why are you treating me like this?
Were all your previous affections for me fake?"
Qin Zhao lowered her gaze and met his eyes, saying, "There was once genuine affection, but you didn't cherish it.
From now on, you only deserve to be treated like this."
The first half of the sentence was for the deceased Princess Zhaoyang, and the second half was Qin Zhao's sincere words.
Huo Chengjin's eyes became vacant, filled with deep regret.
After a while, he bowed his head in resignation and said, "I promise you."
Qin Zhao clapped her hands and said, "Very well."
She looked at Huo Chengjin's severed hand and said, "I will have someone make a wooden prosthetic hand for you.
To maintain basic dignity in front of others."
Huo Chengjin nodded numbly.
Huo Xiaosu immediately said to the people around him, "None of you are allowed to spread this matter!
If I hear any rumors about Chengjin, you will all die!"
The people around him echoed in unison, promising to keep silent.
Qin Zhao noticed that someone's gaze was fixed on him, so he turned his head and saw Huo Jun smiling and looking at him.
Huo Jun's androgynous face, combined with delicate features that carried a hint of youthful charm, captivated anyone who saw him.
Qin Zhao replied with an equally gentle smile, walked over, and said, "You will accompany me back to the mansion today, and from now on, you will stay by my side."
Huo Jun pretended to be innocent and asked, "Are we going to sleep together at night?"
Qin Zhao tilted his head in surprise and said, "I prefer to sleep alone!"
Huo Jun, with an innocent face, responded, "Okay, when His Highness wants to sleep with someone, please remember to call me."
Qin Zhao thought to himself, "My girlfriend just left, and I was already feeling annoyed, and now I'm being flirted with!"
·
Qi Yan Su Luo and her group's carriage had left the capital city and was about to enter the territory of Yu Province.
She looked at the distant mountains and forests outside the window, as well as the bottomless abyss two meters away, and said, "Brother, I want to return to the capital city. There, we can seek revenge in different ways."
Qi Yan Te Mu Er touched his earring and said, "Sister, as long as we regain control of West Lin and unite with our people, why should we fear not being able to seek revenge?"
"Alright."
Qi Yan Su Luo finally relented, and Qi Yan Te Mu Er visibly became excited. He said, "Sister, I will never forget your contributions to West Lin. When I become the queen of West Lin, I will have the historians record your deeds for future generations to praise and remember for eternity!"
Qi Yan Su Luo clenched her hand under her sleeve...
After a short while, she stood up.
Qi Yan Te Mu Er asked, "Su Luo, what do you want to do? Should I ask the coachman to stop the carriage?"
Qi Yan Su Luo remained silent, took a few steps forward, and lifted the curtain.
Before Qi Yan Te Mu Er could react, she pulled out a dagger and stabbed the coachman in the neck!
Qi Yan Te Mu Er widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Su Luo, what are you doing?!"
Qi Yan Su Luo didn't stop and kicked the corpse of the coachman off the carriage. Startled, the horse that was following behind began to scream and gallop wildly!
Qi Yan Su Luo took another step forward and stabbed the dagger into the horse's buttocks!
The horse immediately lost control and ran amok!
Qi Yan Te Mu Er rushed forward to stop her, but it was too late. The carriage plunged straight off the cliff!
Both carriages fell off the cliff one after another, and the valley echoed with the screams of several men!
·
After Qin Zhao brought Huo Jun back to the mansion, he had her stay in the spare room of Mo Qianqiu's courtyard.
Mo Qianqiu would also go to the northwest border, and they would be working together in the future, so it was a good opportunity to get acquainted.
Qin Zhao went to the study and took out a box from a secret compartment.
He picked up "The Path to Healing" and "Lu Ban's Notes."
These two books were likely to be useful during the border conflicts.
To prevent loss or damage, Qin Zhao planned to transcribe the contents of the books.
There were still eight days until they reached the capital, which was enough time.
Knock! Knock!
Qin Zhao had just picked up the brush when he heard a knocking sound.
"Come in."
The person who entered was unexpectedly Yin Xuan!
Yin Xuan walked in front of Qin Zhao, stared at him for a while, and said, "I thought you would frequently come to bother me, but it has been several days without any action from you, so I decided to come myself."
Qin Zhao smiled and said, "You seem to have misunderstood me. I never do anything to force others."
502 couldn't help but complain, "Are there not enough people forcing others?"
Qin Zhao replied, "People often say one thing and do another. That's human nature."
502 responded, "Please don't generalize personal behavior to all of humanity!"
Upon hearing this, Yin Xuan scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
After regaining her composure, she asked, "Would Your Highness like to hear a story from me?"
Qin Zhao replied, "I would be interested to hear the details."
Yin Xuan began narrating, "I was born in the picturesque waterside region of Jiangnan, into a wealthy merchant family. My parents named me Du Yin Xuan with the hope that I would grow up to marry into a well-established family.
However, I had a deep passion for martial arts and spent my days covered in injuries.
In order to deter me from pursuing a rough path, my father beat me numerous times.
But no matter how hard he hit me, I never yielded!
Eventually, my father couldn't resist any longer and agreed to let me learn martial arts.
I fulfilled my wish and became a locally renowned martial arts expert.
When I turned sixteen, my father suddenly revealed a secret to me!
He said that our family belonged to the Wuqu Star Clan, and I was the representative of this generation's Wuqu Star!
This identity was a recognition of my abilities, and I was initially happy about it.
However, he also told me that my duty as Wuqu was to assist the Purple Forbidden Enclosure Star in ascending the throne!
I thought to myself, why should I be obligated to do such a thing? I have my own life.
Why should I sacrifice my life for the sake of others?!"
Confused, Qin Zhao asked, "If you wanted to stay away from the Purple Forbidden Enclosure Star, why did you come to the capital city? Why did you appear here?"
