Chapter 35: Changping

With eyes swollen and red from weeping, the Prince of Wei cast a provocative glance at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince suppressed the fury rising in his heart and replied gently, "As you command."

Emperor Xiaowen continued, "The Empress and the Prince of Wei are here to attend to me; that is sufficient. You are the Crown Prince; you must shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the state, manage national affairs well, and ease my burdens."

As was always the case, no matter how well or thoroughly he performed his duties, there was never any praise or affirmation. In the eyes of Emperor Xiaowen, there existed only Empress Liu and her son.

Suppressing the rage within, the Crown Prince bowed, accepted the order, and withdrew.

"To be honest, I do have something to discuss," he said, pulling a letter and a stack of silver banknotes from his robes and placing them on the table.

The recent crisis had become too concentrated. One could say this was a mess created by his father, yet to a large extent, it required his nephew, Cheng Long, to step in and resolve it.

Before them lay an incredibly vast swamp, filled with rotting sludge and shrubs. One could even spot a skull or two floating on the surface. The sky was overcast, blending seamlessly with the murky marsh, creating an oppressive atmosphere that weighed heavily on the soul at the mere sight of it.

The breadth of mind she revealed in her understated words was entirely different from that of an ordinary cultivator.

Two days ago, she passed by her grandmother’s window and overheard her grandmother and aunt discussing selling her as a concubine to a wealthy man—a man old enough to be her grandfather. She refused to accept this fate.

As for why Loki did not watch Sif be killed by Caesar, one must delve into the complex web of love and hatred between those two brothers.

The Golden Bell Shield had evolved; it no longer merely reflected melee physical attacks but now provided excellent defense against magical arts. As long as the damage did not exceed the threshold of what the shield could withstand, even spells could be neutralized, with a portion of their power absorbed into the shield to be unleashed later as a torrent of spiritual energy for a counter-strike.

However, when he reached the fourth door, it merely creaked, failing to open completely.

It was an exquisitely carved vanity box; the mirror could be propped up for use or folded down when not needed.

With a low curse, he pulled her around from her seat, reached out to tear the veil from her face, cast it to the floor, and leaned down to kiss her lips.

Wang Feng’s pupils contracted. Instinctively, he unleashed a fierce punch. The astonishing force shattered the black arrow that had been whistling toward his back, sending a flurry of tangled feathers drifting slowly down amidst the turbulence of the air.

Li Baoqiang looked at the man with contempt. Seeing his wretched demeanor, he plunged a bayonet into the man’s chest. "You don't look like much of a good person anyway." Li Baoqiang tossed the man’s corpse over the wall.

This lopsided battle was, at this very moment, being turned against the Gili, who were being steadily forced back by this miraculous infantry unit.

Xia could not deny that her original intention was never to seek Su's consent or to truly live with someone as large as him. Her primary goal had always been to frighten him away, to make him choose to leave her of his own accord. That was her main, original objective.

The robbers showered them with thanks, though they certainly did not dare—nor did they have the appetite—to consume the free food and drink. They retreated from the hotel in a disheveled panic, fleeing southward, while the giant dragon behind them continued to watch them closely, pausing only to hiccup.

The Liao soldiers were initially alarmed by the appearance of the Song ships, but once Xiao Ming signaled that these were merchant vessels coming to trade, they were put at ease. Xiao Ming arranged for his men to unload the cargo piece by piece, and then the Song merchant ships turned and departed; the entire process took no more than a day.

Every time a photo was taken, people had to strain to keep their eyes open. The venue was filled with flashes like fireworks. Some distinguished guests were too shy to go on stage for a photo, while others, more thick-skinned, sought out Li Guolou for a picture. Li Guolou had become the man of the hour, and as person after person went on stage to be photographed with him, those seated below burned with envy.

Wang Wu shook his head and said, "Forget it, you fake foreigner. Your footing is unstable; I could cut you down in three moves." Having said this, Wang Wu turned away with haughty indifference, no longer deigning to engage with Li Guolou’s unreasonable provocations.