Chapter 2104: Bailie’s Surprise

She understood perfectly. After all, once she obtained the *Cocoon Break* cultivation method, she would be leaving for Mu State. What if she had other ideas? Emperor Jiuyou would therefore need to keep her hooked with more cultivation methods and divine abilities, like the long string controlling a kite.

But she didn't mind at all. She had been used her entire life, and He Lingchuan’s approach, first showing kindness and then offering incentives, was a hundred times gentler than anyone else's.

Besides, he was the Lord of Blazing Gold.

In that case, it wasn’t being used; it was serving an emperor.

"Take this cultivation method with you and study it at your leisure on the journey," He Lingchuan said, getting straight to the point. "You have five days to prepare. The team assigned to you will escort you to Mu State. As for your business in Tucheng, I can find someone to manage it for you."

"Then I thank Your Majesty very much," Consort Mei said, standing up. "I shall take my leave now."

She was radiant and spirited, and left without her cloak. To anyone who looked her way, she responded with a captivating glance. At that moment, she was like a blooming red lotus, dazzlingly beautiful.

Compared to when she had first sat down, she seemed even more beautiful and vibrant.

Half the tea drinkers on the second floor had their eyes glued to her.

A waiter from across the way, carrying a tray, was so preoccupied with looking at her that he directly knocked into another customer.

As she gracefully exited, He Lingchuan waved his hand twice in front of Dong Rui’s eyes. "Are you back among the living?" he asked.

Dong Rui finally managed to tear his gaze away, then sighed.

He Lingchuan took a sip of tea and said leisurely, "Some delicate flowers are both beautiful and poisonous. If you try to cultivate them in your own garden, all the other plants will die."

"So, it's better to let them harm someone else's garden, right?" Dong Rui murmured.

He Lingchuan shrugged.

"If you ask her to approach You Su, will she do it?"

"Yes. But her ultimate target will definitely be You Huan," He Lingchuan said, calling a waiter over to settle the bill. "You Enguang must have already realized that Consort Mei is difficult to control; she acts according to her own will. That's why he wanted to eliminate her."

"Does she really want to go to Mu State?"

"Absolutely," He Lingchuan said, amused. "Do you think she would prefer staying in an obscure small town opening a tavern over networking and wielding influence in Mu Capital? Her abilities extend far beyond making two wealthy young men fight over her."

When people cannot utilize their full potential, it's actually quite stifling.

A stable and prosperous life might be the lifelong aspiration of most women, but it was not Consort Mei’s.

This captivating woman had been steeped in the venom of revenge for too long; He Lingchuan saw at first glance that she could no longer return to an ordinary life.

How could her life be without lies, betrayal, deception, bloodshed, and killing?

Fed by these, she was the most delicate and dazzling poisonous flower in the world.

He Lingchuan had once asked her who she was and who she wanted to become.

Clearly, Consort Mei had found her answer.

***

The abductions by Ya State caused widespread resentment among the people of Baile.

Besides Ya State, the target of their resentment was the Lu family of Baile.

As the lords of Baile, it was one thing for the Lu family not to protect the common people's money and belongings, but now they couldn't even protect their population!

Previously, people endured Ya State's harassment and stayed because they coveted Baile's fertile land, which yielded high harvests for anything planted. Even if their money and grain were stolen, there was still a little left, enough to feed themselves. But now, if they couldn't even keep their lives—if they could be working in their fields peacefully one moment and then suddenly be abducted to become farm slaves the next—who would dare to stay in Baile?!

If the Ya people raided twice more, a large number of common people would migrate south, either to Qing State or to Blade Port and Yangshan Islands. In short, they would not want to stay in Baile.

It was important to note that it was now the busy farming season; a sharp decrease in the able-bodied population would certainly affect the harvest in the fields, thus dealing a heavy blow to Baile.

At that time, Lu Qinglin had already been recalled to fight on Mu State's western front. Baile's plea for help to Mu State was fruitless, so they had no choice but to bite the bullet and handle it themselves, sending Lu Qingbang, the son of Lu Zhenxian (the Lu family's sixth elder), to intercept the Ya army.

Lu Qingbang had grown rapidly on the battlefield in recent years and had fought several victorious battles; he was the pride of Lu the Sixth's family. If not for the Ya State army's significantly superior quality compared to Baile's, he would have distinguished himself even more.

That afternoon, Lu Zhenxian was enjoying some fruit after his meal. The mulberries grown in his own garden were incredibly sweet, and the green dates were fresh, sweet, juicy, and wonderfully crisp when bitten.

His personal attendant, however, rushed in and tripped heavily right in front of him:

"Master, it's bad, Master!"

Lu Zhenxian slapped him and snapped, "What are you talking about?!"

The attendant, reeling from the slap, stuttered slightly, "The Young Master engaged the Ya army at Erlianggou and won a great—a great victory."

"What's bad about a great victory?"

"But the Young Master shot the enemy commander dead with an arrow!" The attendant pointed to his own eye. "It went right into his eye, killing him instantly!"

"What's bad about that?" Lu Zhenxian said, proud that his son was becoming more powerful. "Wait, no, hold on. Who was the Ya army commander who was shot dead?"

"It was—it was Prince Xindaye, the Third Prince of Ya State!"

Hearing that name, Lu Zhenxian's vision went black, and he almost staggered and fell, but the attendant quickly supported him.

This was bad, truly bad.

The Ya King's son was shot dead by his own son with an arrow; would the Ya King let it go?

Sure enough, half an hour later, Lu Zhensheng, the patriarch of the Lu family, sent for him and cursed him vehemently:

"Look at what your son has done! He might have felt good about shooting the Third Prince of Ya State dead, but where does that leave Baile?!"

Lu Zhenxian weakly retorted, "On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes. Who knew his son was so vulnerable to an arrow..."

"Ya State will retaliate against Baile, what do you suggest we do?" Lu Zhensheng's face turned liver-colored with rage. "Originally, the Ya army would only abduct some money, grain, and people. But now, the Ya King will definitely not let this go."

Upon receiving the patriarch's urgent summons, Lu Qingbang and his sister quickly led their troops back.

As soon as they returned to the mansion, Lu Zhenxian immediately dragged them to a secluded spot to question them: "How could you have shot Xindaye?!"

"That night, there were stars but no moon, and the light was dim," Lu Qingbang said, his expression grim. "I only knew I hit someone, but I didn't know I killed him! I'll take responsibility for my actions. If Ya State blames me, I'll bear the consequences myself!"

Lu Feiyan was furious. "Ya State rampages and plunders on our land, and after repelling the enemy, we're supposed to apologize to them? That's outrageous! We'll die anyway, so we can't bow our heads and wait to be slaughtered. My brother still has three thousand men under his command, and I have fifteen hundred. If the Ya people dare to set foot in Baile again, we'll die fighting alongside them! Let them know that not all people of Baile are cowards like Lu Zhensheng!"

Lu Zhenxian looked at his two children, and old tears streamed down his face. His wife had long since fainted from crying.

They were clearly so outstanding, clearly had pure hearts, and clearly shed blood and sweat fighting to the end for Baile. Why couldn't his children have a good outcome?

Was it they who were wrong, or was this godforsaken world wrong?