I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 510 This is the Human World

The generals filed out, their footsteps fading into the distance, and the Zhenyue Hall returned to silence.

Xu Longxiang sat back down at the long table, tore open the seal, and took out the letter.

The letter paper was light blue, exuding a faint scent of ink, with silver crescent moons printed on the edges; it was the special stationery of the moon goddess.

He unfolded the letter and his gaze fell upon the neat handwriting.

There were only a few words, just a few lines, but he read them for a long time, looking at each word one by one, as if he wanted to engrave every stroke into his mind.

The letter read: "To Young Master Xu: I have set off and will arrive soon. The journey is long and will take some time. I hope you are well. Sincerely, Su Xin."

Xu Longxiang's lips slowly turned up, the upward curve growing wider and wider until it finally became an uncontrollable smile.

He pressed the letter to his chest, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, as if he could smell the writer's scent through the paper.

He opened his eyes, took the fine wolf-hair brush from the brush holder, dipped it in ink, spread out a new sheet of Xuan paper, and picked up his brush to reply.

He wrote slowly, each word as if carefully considered in his mind—"To Miss Suxin: No rush. Be careful on your journey, I'll wait for you. The martial arts tournament hasn't started yet, it will begin when you arrive. Longxiang."

After he finished writing, he put down his pen, folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and sealed it with sealing wax.

He summoned the messenger and handed him the letter.

"Send it there immediately."

The soldier took the letter, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed. "Yes, sir!" He turned and ran out quickly.

Xu Longxiang leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, a smile still playing on his lips.

Fan Li emerged from the shadows beside the hall.

He had been standing in the corner the whole time. He didn't move when the generals left, and he didn't make a sound when Xu Longxiang was writing the letter. He just waited quietly.

He walked to the long table, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed. "Your Highness."

Xu Longxiang looked up at him. "Mr. Fan, is there anything else?"

Fan Li straightened up, his brows slightly furrowed, a very faint knot forming between them.

"Your Highness, we haven't received any news from the palace for a long time. There's been no word from Miss Jiang and Miss."

His voice was very low, so low it sounded like an echo coming from underground.

Xu Longxiang frowned slightly, and his fingers paused on the armrest for a moment.

He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Let's not ask for now. We're in a sensitive phase; we can't alert them."

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable certainty.

Fan Li thought about it and felt that what His Highness said made sense.

With the martial arts tournament imminent, heroes from all over the land are gathering in the northern border region; this is a crucial moment.

If we rashly contact the palace, the consequences could be disastrous if we are exposed.

He nodded.

"Your Highness is right. I failed to consider this carefully."

Xu Longxiang waved his hand casually. "It's alright. Sir, you're only thinking of the Northern Frontier."

Fan Li clasped his hands and bowed. "Then this subordinate will take his leave."

Xu Longxiang nodded. "Go."

Fan Li turned around, strode out of Zhenyue Hall, and his footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Xu Longxiang leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside the window, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest twice.

The smile still lingered on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with a determined light.

almost.

Soon.

When the Moon Goddess arrives, when the martial arts tournament ends, and when all the heroes of the world are under our command, that will be the time to raise an army.

He lowered his head, glanced again at the letter from the Moon Goddess in his hand, gently folded the letter, and carefully placed it in his sleeve, close to his chest.

The carriage traveled along the official road for several days, and the scenery along the way gradually became desolate.

The rolling mountains have receded, replaced by an endless plain. The withered yellow grass rustles in the autumn wind, and occasionally a few eagles circle high in the sky.

Qin Mu lifted the carriage curtain, gazing at the distant outline of the gray-black city wall, a smile playing on his lips.

Yunluan sat on her horse, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze fixed on the city that was getting closer and closer, her voice cold and clear.

"Your Majesty, Yanmen City is just ahead. This is the vital passage for the northern border to move south. Once we pass through this city, we will officially enter the heart of the northern border."

Qin Mu nodded, his gaze falling on the city, examining it carefully for a moment.

The city walls stood tall, their bluish-gray bricks gleaming coldly in the twilight. Every few dozen steps on the top of the walls stood an arrow tower, and the figures of patrolling soldiers could be vaguely seen behind the crenellations.

The city gates were wide open, and a drawbridge spanned the moat. Soldiers stood guard at the bridgehead, checking passersby.

A glint of light flashed in Qin Mu's eyes.

"This city is easy to defend and difficult to attack, with high and thick walls, a wide moat, and numerous watchtowers. If the enemy were to capture this city, their attack on the imperial capital would be much easier."

His voice was very soft, as if he were talking about something very ordinary, but beneath that softness lay a sharp insight that saw through everything.

Xu Fenghua, sitting in the carriage, was jolted by these words, feeling as if a stone had been thrown into her chest.

She lowered her head, her fingers slowly clenching inside her sleeve, her nails digging into her palms, a sharp pain shooting through her, but she was completely unaware.

Only one thought occupied her mind—was His Majesty reprimanding her, or stating the facts?

He said, "If it falls into the hands of the enemy," but who is this "enemy"? The North? Or is he referring to Xu Longxiang?

Her face was expressionless; she simply sat there quietly, like a cold, lifeless porcelain statue.

Qin Mu suddenly smiled, a genuine smile that carried a sense of relief and ease.

"Of course, it's fortunate that the city didn't fall into the enemy's hands, but is in the hands of Minister Xu. This puts my mind at ease."

He turned his head to look at Xu Fenghua, his smile deepening. "Consort Hua, don't you think so?"

Xu Fenghua's heart skipped a beat.

She raised her head, met Qin Mu's gaze, and forced a smile at the corner of her mouth, a smile that was just right, neither too deep nor too shallow.

"Your Majesty is right. The Northern Border is Your Majesty's Northern Border, and the Xu family is Your Majesty's subject. Naturally, Your Majesty can rest assured."

Her voice was soft and steady, without any discernible emotion.

Qin Mu looked at her for a long time, then smiled and said nothing more.

The carriage passed through the city gate and entered Yanmen City.

The scene inside the city was completely different from that outside.

The streets are wide, lined with shops, and bustling with pedestrians, with vendors' shouts rising and falling.

The air was filled with the aroma of baked flatbread, the savory fragrance of braised meat, the bitterness of medicinal herbs, mixed with the pungent smell of horse manure—intense and vibrant.

Qin Mu lifted the carriage curtain and looked around this important town in the northern border with great interest.

His gaze swept from the blacksmith shop on the street to the restaurant, from the cloth shop to the pharmacy, from the teahouse to the general store, with a half-smile always playing on his lips.

The carriage stopped in front of a restaurant.

The restaurant has three floors, with flying eaves and bracket sets. A golden plaque with the three characters "Zui Xian Lou" (醉仙楼) hangs above the door, written in a vigorous and powerful style.

Qin Mu alighted from the carriage, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked up at the plaque.

"This will do. It looks pretty good."

Yunluan dismounted, placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, scanned her surroundings to make sure there was nothing amiss, and then nodded slightly.

Qin Mu stepped into the restaurant.

The lobby was bustling with activity, and every seat was taken.

There were northern men wearing fur coats, scholars waving folding fans, wandering knights carrying long swords, and peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders.

They ate meat heartily, drank wine from large bowls, and talked about everything under the sun, their spittle flying everywhere.

A waiter with a white towel draped over his shoulder greeted us with a broad smile. "How many are in your party, sir? Please come upstairs!"

Qin Mu smiled, casually pulled a silver ingot from his sleeve, and tossed it to the waiter. "A private room upstairs. Bring on the best wine and food."

The waiter's eyes lit up as he took the money, bowing repeatedly. "Alright! Please come upstairs, sir!"

Qin Mu followed the waiter to a private room on the third floor.

Open the window and you can see the view of the entire street.

The street was bustling with people. A troupe of acrobats was playing drums and gongs on a street corner. A girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old was doing somersaults on stacked benches. Every time she did one, the crowd would erupt in cheers.

Qin Mu leaned against the window, watching the girl do somersaults, and the smile on his lips deepened.

"That's interesting."

Xu Fenghua stood beside him, her gaze fixed on the girl, but her mind was on something else.

She didn't know why Qin Mu suddenly wanted to come to the Northern Border, what he was going to do, or whether he had already discovered something.

All she could do was follow, watch, and wait.

Jiang Zhaoyue walked behind Qin Mu, placed her slender fingers on his shoulders, and massaged them gently.

"Your Majesty, you must be tired after traveling for so many days?"

Qin Mu shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the view outside the window. "Not tired. It's been a long time since I've felt this relaxed."

Yunluan stood at the door, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over everyone who passed by.

Her only mission was to protect His Majesty.

No matter where, no matter when.

The food and drinks were served quickly.

Braised pork knuckle, steamed sea bass, braised beef, braised chicken feet, and a pot of aged Shaoxing wine filled the table.

Qin Mu sat down at the table, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork knuckle, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and nodded.

"Not bad. The food from the North has more texture than that from the capital."

He raised his wine glass to Xu Fenghua. "Consort Hua, have a taste. This is the taste of your hometown."

Xu Fenghua looked at the amber-colored liquid in the glass, and a complex feeling welled up in her heart.

She picked up her glass, took a small sip, and felt the spicy liquor burn as it slid down her throat, making her chest feel hot.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Her voice was very soft, with a slight tremor that she herself was unaware of.

Qin Mu smiled and downed the wine in his cup in one gulp.

Downstairs, the drums and gongs of the acrobatic troupe grew louder, and the cheers from the crowd came in waves.

An old man in a tattered Taoist robe walked past the street corner with a cane, followed by a little girl with pigtails. The little girl held a broken bowl in her hands, which contained a few copper coins.

Qin Mu's gaze lingered on the grandfather and grandson for a long time.

"Yunluan".

Yunluan stepped forward. "Your Majesty."

"Go and give some silver to that old man and that child. Don't say it's from me."

Yunluan was slightly taken aback, then lowered her head. "Yes."

She turned and walked out of the private room.

Xu Fenghua looked at Qin Mu, and the complex emotions in her heart deepened even further.

She didn't know what this man was thinking; sometimes he was as cruel as a demon, and sometimes as gentle as a bodhisattva.

She could never see through him.

Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, propping his chin up with one hand, his gaze fixed on the bustling street outside the window, a smile still playing on his lips.

"The wind in the North is cooler than in the capital."

He spoke softly, as if talking to himself.

Jiang Zhaoyue stood behind him, her hands still massaging his shoulders, her voice soft. "If Your Majesty feels cold, I will have someone put on another garment for you."

Qin Mu shook his head and smiled. "No need. It'll be clearer if it's a little cool."

He picked up his glass, took another sip, and gazed into the deepening twilight.

As night fell, lanterns lit up one by one, illuminating the entire street.

The noise in the restaurant grew even louder, with the sounds of dice games, laughter, and cursing all mixed together, like a pot of boiling porridge.

As Qin Mu watched all this, the smile on his lips deepened.

"This is what life is all about," he said.