Chapter 65 Meeting the Believers

Chapter 65 Meeting the Followers

On the battlefield.

Moba Zanpu rode a towering warhorse, grasping a long saber. His dark armor made his already powerful frame look even larger.

His deep-set eyes and thick brows were strikingly different from those of the Central Plains people. His gaze swept past the two lieutenants locked in fierce combat, focusing distantly on the tall, upright figure at the forefront of the Great Ning army.

That figure was none other than Qin Xiao, the most powerful "Prince Ning" of Great Ning.

The two lieutenants were evenly matched, and their fight showed no signs of ending soon. However, the moment they noticed Moba Zanpu’s arrival, they knew the situation had changed.

Even though neither had emerged victorious, they wordlessly stopped fighting and retreated to their respective armies.

Once his lieutenant returned safely, Qin Xiao urged his horse forward toward the center of the two armies. Moba Zanpu did the same.

The two commanders—one the Prince Regent of Great Ning, second only to the emperor, and the other the ruler of the Western Regions' Sai Kingdom—faced each other. Victory or defeat for either would impact their country's prestige.

Under normal circumstances, these two leaders should not have fought personally. Moba Zanpu had initially intended to negotiate once more.

If Qin Xiao agreed to hand over Gansu territory to him, he would not hesitate to reveal Prince Dingbei’s collusion with him. After all, real gains were what counted.

When Qin Xiao first arrived, he had also sent envoys for "peace talks." But the moment Moba Zanpu made this demand, Qin Xiao flatly refused, and the very next day, he struck first.

Now, the situation was different. Moba Zanpu felt it necessary to speak with Qin Xiao again.

Moreover, he had bargaining power.

Great Ning was torn by internal conflicts, and Qin Xiao was facing threats from every direction.

If the two of them could reach an agreement, Moba Zanpu could promise to monitor the neighboring Shaanxi and Sichuan regions, preventing Prince Dingbei and Prince Pingxi from plotting anything.

This was an offer Qin Xiao simply could not refuse.

Yet Qin Xiao had no patience for talk. As he drew near, he spurred his horse forward abruptly.

Surprised by the sudden attack, Moba Zanpu’s expression darkened as he swiftly reacted, raising his long saber to meet the attack.

This Prince Ning was from the Qin clan and had already slain several of Moba Zanpu’s fiercest generals in recent days. He wouldn't underestimate him.

Qin Xiao’s spear thrust straight toward Moba Zanpu’s face—fast, fierce, and relentless, no less formidable than a general who had spent years on the battlefield.

Moba Zanpu felt an intense pressure. With a twist of his wrist, his long saber swept horizontally.

The blade clashed against the spear tip, producing a shrill clang that reverberated through the air. The armies on both sides became agitated, poised for action.

After the first exchange, the two immediately launched their next moves.

Qin Xiao’s spear moved with smooth control, each strike aimed at vital points. Moba Zanpu’s expression grew increasingly grim, and a dull pain throbbed in the web of his thumb. Yet Qin Xiao remained composed throughout, his grip on the spear firm and steady.

This Prince Ning’s upper body strength was truly astonishing!

Another thrust targeted his abdomen. Moba Zanpu lifted his saber to parry, but the spear tip suddenly changed direction, aiming for his throat.

He hurriedly adjusted his defense, but he was a moment too late. He barely managed to block with his arm, only for the spear to punch clean through, blood spraying across his face.

Moba Zanpu bellowed in agony, forcefully deflecting the spear tip, though one of his hands had gone nearly numb.

Across from him, Qin Xiao suddenly pushed off his saddle, launching himself upward as he thrust his spear forward.

Injured, Moba Zanpu’s reactions were dulled. This time, Qin Xiao’s spear pierced straight through his shoulder.

Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Xiao yanked back his spear and retreated several steps.

At the same time, Moba Zanpu swung his long saber down with immense force, kicking up dust and wind.

This strike was both a counterattack and a command.

From behind him, a deep, resonant horn sounded from within the Sai Kingdom army. The hardy fighters roared and charged forward.

Qin Xiao did not turn to flee. Instead, he gently urged his horse forward and charged at Moba Zanpu once more.

Behind him, the Great Ning army also surged forward.

For this campaign, Qin Xiao had brought a formidable commander, Cheng Shuo, from the capital. Along the way, while passing through Shanxi, he had also recruited the local garrison commander, Hu Fang.

Hu Fang, a man in his forties, was a former subordinate of the Qin family and a battle-hardened officer.

With Cheng Shuo absent, Hu Fang became the highest-ranking officer under Qin Xiao.

He raised the battle standard high, waving it in a peculiar rhythm. Instantly, the army divided into three sections.

The infantry on the left raised their shields and spears, forming a "copper wall and iron rampart" as they advanced rapidly.

The soldiers in the center drew their longbows, arrows notched and glinting under the tension of fully drawn strings.

The light cavalry on the right numbered only slightly over ten thousand, but they moved with swift agility. Taking advantage of the chaos, they began flanking the Sai Kingdom army from the rear.

"Release arrows!" Hu Fang shouted.

A storm of arrows rained down.

The Sai Kingdom army raised their shields in defense, but the distance was too close. The cavalry and infantry behind the shield wall were struck by the arrows nonetheless.

Screams of agony, the clashing of weapons, and the mournful whinnies of warhorses merged into a horrible symphony. The entire narrow plain was stained with blood.

The battle raged on for three full hours, from dusk deep into the night.

The constricted ground should have favored the Sai Kingdom army, but the Great Ning forces broke through their flank and encircled them from behind, creating a pincer attack.

Fearing encirclement, Moba Zanpu had no choice but to turn and retreat.

But the more than ten thousand Great Ning cavalry blocking their escape route held firm, leaving them trapped.

Within hours, the plain was covered with dead. The Sai Kingdom army eventually broke through the rear blockade and fled.

Qin Xiao led his troops in pursuit all the way to the Sai Kingdom army’s encampment before halting.

The prolonged chase and combat had worn out the troops in body and spirit. The rain was growing heavier, soaking their clothes, and the night wind made them shiver.

Qin Xiao decided not to press further. Instead, he ordered the army to make camp right there and rest.

At daybreak, they would resume their pursuit, aiming to drive the Sai Kingdom army out of Gansu within a few days.

The soldiers pitched tents and lit campfires.

Standing on high ground, Qin Xiao gazed into the distance. He could see the densely packed tents of the Sai Kingdom army and the chaotic, disorganized, fleeing ranks of tens of thousands of retreating soldiers.

Hu Fang walked to his side and stood quietly, squinting as he observed the scene for a moment before speaking. "Sir, Cheng Shuo likely won’t catch up until noon tomorrow. Should we wait until then to make our move?"

"No need." Qin Xiao turned and walked toward the tent. "The enemy has suffered at least forty thousand dead and wounded, while we have sustained only twenty thousand casualties."

Now their numbers are roughly equal, giving us a high chance of victory if we engage.

Moreover, Cheng Shuo wouldn't actually be joining them; he has other tasks to attend to.

But this matter was confidential, and Qin Xiao has not informed anyone else.

Hu Fang, having fought in countless battles and learned much from Grand Marshal Qin in his youth, naturally recognizes that Qin Xiao has other plans.

However, in the military, the greatest taboo is leaking military intelligence—the fewer who know, the better.

Thus, Hu Fang did not probe further and instead asked about something else: "After driving the enemy out of Gansu, should we continue to pursue them?"

"Yes."

"But—" Hu Fang glanced at the twenty thousand soldiers who formed their own faction within the ranks.

They were all Northwestern Army troops, and their commander, Pang Ruizhi, was not among them.

Previously, the northwest had sent a letter to the capital, claiming that the seventy-thousand strong Northwestern Army was no match for Serbian forces and had lost Gansu within three days.

After Qin Xiao led his troops to Shaanxi, he sent someone to find Pang Ruizhi.

This General Pang, the brother-in-law of the Minister of War, Lu Youwei, was in his early thirties and had a careless attitude. Upon meeting Qin Xiao, he launched into tears, admitting his incompetence and pleading for a chance to atone by volunteering to follow Qin Xiao to Gansu.

But Qin Xiao said, "If you know you’re incompetent, then strip off that military armor and go home to play the young master."

While those in the capital were accustomed to Qin Xiao’s blunt words, this was Pang Ruizhi’s first time hearing such words.

Still, being from military origins himself, he could accept it somewhat better.

In response, he continued to insist on his incompetence but still pleaded for a chance to make amends, asking Qin Xiao to give him an opportunity.

He even adopted the tactics of crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide—though it was unclear whom he had learned it from.

But Qin Xiao was not swayed in the least and bluntly stated that if Pang continued to dawdle, he would be stripped of his official position.

Only then did Pang Ruizhi quiet down.

Qin Xiao then asked him for twenty thousand Northwestern Army troops to incorporate into his forces, bringing the total to a hundred and ten thousand soldiers.

In truth, as Qin Xiao advanced, he would select soldiers and officers from local City Defense Force troops or guard troops at each stop.

For military officers, the path to promotion lies on the battlefield, so they were more than happy to join, bringing along their trusted aides. Thus, this seemingly loose organization was actually quite unified.

Except for these twenty thousand Northwestern Army troops.

Perhaps because their commander was absent, leaving them without a core leader, or perhaps influenced and misled by Pang Ruizhi, they always kept to themselves, set apart from the main army.

Fortunately, they still understood the importance of following orders on the battlefield; otherwise, this war would have been impossible to fight.

What worried Hu Fang now was whether there were ill-intentioned people hidden among these soldiers.

For now, they were focused on driving the enemy out of Gansu and thus obedient, but once they crossed Gansu’s borders, it was hard to say.

Qin Xiao was currently the assassination target for everyone. If there were indeed assassins hidden among these soldiers, launching a surprise attack during battle would be impossible to guard against.

So, if Qin Xiao intended to push all the way to Serbia in the Western Regions, deep into hostile territory, the dangers would only multiply.

But Qin Xiao did not even glance in their direction and said casually, "Nearly half of these one hundred thousand soldiers are from various factions. There’s no way to guard against them all."

It would be better to lay the benefits directly before them.

Retaking Gansu is a major merit, but reclaiming lost territory is merely the duty of military officers—any rewards would be minimal.

However, if the army pushes westward and conquers Serbia in the Western Regions, it would expand Great Ning’s territory, an undeniably monumental achievement.

When such immense merits are realized, everyone would receive unforeseen benefits.

Moreover, Serbia in the Western Regions has many valuable goods that would serve as spoils of war, enough to line the soldiers’ pockets.

Why wouldn't they want that?

Hu Fang, enlightened by this guidance, laughed and said, "You are right, sir. This old official was being foolish."

No wonder Qin Xiao had never been worried or particularly vigilant from the start—he had already considered this.

Indeed, these soldiers may be supported by various powers, but they are merely pawns in the hands of those powers.

For them, tangible achievements matter more than empty promises or so-called protection.

These individuals aligned with various powers for gain, so they could just as easily align with Qin Xiao for the same reason and be used by him.

"Rest assured," Qin Xiao added. "Right now, everyone hopes I will continue westward and conquer Serbia. Until then, no one will make a move against me."

Hu Fang started, then his expression changed slightly.

Meanwhile, in the distant Serbian camp, the tens of thousands of troops who had retreated in disarray rushed chaotically into the camp.

Within the endless rows of tents, many tender dancers and singing girls screamed and rushed out, while others were trampled to death by stampeding warhorses.

Baili Yu sat inside his tent, listening to the chaos outside with a calm expression, slowly sipping his tea.

"Master," his subordinate reported gravely, "the Serbian army is preparing to withdraw. What should we do?"

"They haven’t retreated yet, have they?" Baili Yu said lightly.

He had cooperated with Serbia precisely to lure Qin Xiao into his domain.

Everyone wanted Qin Xiao dead, but no one dared to make the first move.

Baili Yu was giving them that opportunity, waiting to see how others would act.

For now, the Wang family could not be counted on, and it was unclear what other factions were planning. Since Prince Ning would remain here for a while longer, Baili Yu was in no hurry to act.

If others failed, he could always employ his own methods later.

But by then, he would inevitably bear greater risks.

So, if possible, he would prefer not to have Qin Xiao die by his hand.

That’s why he had previously hoped Moba Zanpu would eliminate Qin Xiao for him, but now it seemed the other was no match for Qin Xiao’s tactics.

That said, the Serbian army would not retreat just yet.

Gansu was a crucial strategic location. If Serbia occupied it, it would be their first step into the Central Plains.

So, unless forced by extreme circumstances, Moba Zanpu would not withdraw his troops.

His decision to lead the troops back to the camp now is actually the wisest choice.

This encampment is flanked by steep mountains, making it genuinely easy to defend and hard to attack. The terrain is narrower than the previous battlefield, so there's no need to worry about being outflanked from behind by Qin Xiao and facing enemies on both sides.

Instead, it is Qin Xiao who should be more anxious at this moment.

After three double-hours of intense fighting, both soldiers and horses are exhausted and must rest and regroup.

Compared to the Serbian troops resting in their camp, the Great Ning troops have to set up tents again, relight cookfires, and all these tasks are more troublesome, ensuring they won’t rest well.

During this time, with the night dark and the wind high, developments that could sway the battle are likely to occur.

Baili Yu stood up and walked out of the tent, watching the gradually calming camp, then raised his eyes to gaze into the distance.

In the distance, he could make out flickering flames—the location where the Great Ning army was stationed. Situated on higher ground, they would certainly be able to observe every move in the Serbian camp.

The rain seemed heavier than during the day, and the cold wind cut through to the bone.

Baili Yu tightened his robe, his eyes deep and pensive.

By this time, the five-thousand-man unit sent by Moba Zanpu should have reached Ganying Post Station.

That place stored the provisions and fodder of the Great Ning army. Baili Yu had only suggested cutting off the supplies once the weather cleared, but Moba Zanpu had already impatiently sent people over, likely intending to force the issue.

Alternatively, he might have wanted to raid or pilfer the grain from the warehouse to supply the Serbian forces.

Baili Yu leaned toward the latter possibility.

Meanwhile, the five-thousand-strong cavalry unit from the Sai kingdom had indeed arrived near Ganying Post Station.

Ganying Post Station was located in Ganying Town. Due to the sparse local population, the grain warehouse was largely abandoned, so Vice Minister of Revenue, Wang Pengyi had stored the shipment of provisions here.

It was both far enough from the battlefield to allow for timely withdrawal if anything went wrong and close enough to supply provisions as needed.

On a low hillock outside the town, the commanding officer hid with his troops in the woods, observing carefully. Seeing fewer than a thousand guards, he gained confidence.

With a wave of his hand, nearly a hundred soldiers dismounted, moving light and infiltrating the town.

These men moved silently all the way, entering the grain warehouse to verify whether supplies were indeed stored there, checking for ambushes.

Before long, a soldier noticed a fire igniting somewhere in the town.

This was their signal: if the grain warehouse was stocked and the town guards were not a threat, they would set a signal fire at a designated spot in the town.

If compromised, they would burn the grain warehouse directly, allowing the remaining troops to retreat.

Since the fire was not at the grain warehouse, it confirmed that the town was safe and supplies were available.

Thus, the captain gave the order and led the over four thousand soldiers storming into the town.

However, just as they reached the outskirts, a contingent of Great Ning troops, numbering two or three thousand, rushed out from the town.

The captain’s heart sank, and he immediately realized they had walked into an ambush. He decisively prepared to retreat, but another unit of soldiers charged from behind, pinching them in a pincer movement.

Inside the town, Wang Pengyi arrived at the grain warehouse entrance and saw that Cheng Shuo had already led troops to capture all the Sai kingdom soldiers who had slipped into the town.

"Your efforts are appreciated, General Cheng," Wang Pengyi said. "You’ve been busy for most of the day. Leave the rest to me."

Cheng Shuo glanced at him coldly and said, "No need for your concern, Minister Wang. We will leave immediately."

Wang Pengyi knew Cheng Shuo didn’t trust him, so he didn’t argue. "The items requested by Prince Ning are all prepared. Please take them back with you, General."

"Thank you," Cheng Shuo replied formally before striding out of town.

Behind him, the hundred-plus captured Sai kingdom scouts were each had their throats slit by Great Ning soldiers.

Wang Pengyi frowned as he watched. Although he knew these were enemy soldiers, he couldn’t help thinking they were just following orders. It would be better to persuade them to surrender than to kill them.

But military affairs weren’t his domain; his ideas tended to be too lenient and impractical, so he refrained from speaking up.

Unable to bear the bloody scene, he turned away and instructed his attendant, "Have them buried."

It wasn’t that he felt they deserved a proper burial; rather, although the weather was turning cooler, he feared that leaving so many bodies piled up would lead to decay and the spread of disease.

Great Ning Military Camp.

Advisor Qian Ziming sat in the tent, absentmindedly turning a teacup, his thoughts racing.

Previously, when discussing with Prince Dingbei the plan to draw Qin Xiao into the area by collaborating with the Sai kingdom, Qian Ziming and other advisors had already listed all possible scenarios and countermeasures and submitted them to Prince Dingbei.

Given the current situation, Baili Yu would undoubtedly inform Moba Zanpu of the location of the Great Ning army’s provisions and find a way to have him send troops to destroy the grain warehouse.

But Qin Xiao had clearly anticipated this possibility and directly sent Cheng Shuo to guard the grain warehouse.

Although Qian Ziming didn’t know when Cheng Shuo had left, he guessed that he had taken close to ten thousand troops—a significant number.

Moreover, since it was Cheng Shuo, a formidable commander, who was dispatched, it couldn’t have been solely to guard the grain warehouse. There must be other objectives in mind.

Qian Ziming considered the current position of the Sai kingdom camp and slowly constructed a mental map in his mind.

With steep mountains on both sides, it would be difficult for Cheng Shuo’s nearly ten thousand troops to execute a flanking maneuver unless Qin Xiao pushed the Sai kingdom army further to the Daxing Plain and Cheng Shuo arrived there via another route in advance to form an encirclement.

If that were the case, the Sai kingdom would surely be defeated.

A flash of realization gleamed in Qian Ziming’s eyes.

If so, the Sai kingdom would have served its purpose.

Why not let Qin Xiao continue his campaign and push further northwest?

Whether Qin Xiao appointed his own people to manage the newly conquered lands or assigned others, Baili Yu would have the opportunity to claim these territories into his own domain.

Amidst the turmoil, more land and subjects would provide him with greater stability and resources to secure his power in tumultuous times.

Even if chaos didn’t reign, he would have richer resources to strengthen himself, seek opportunities, and aspire to the highest position.

Moreover, it would take Qin Xiao at least two or three months to conquer the Western Regions Sai kingdom.

After prolonged high-intensity battles, the soldiers would be exhausted, and provisions would dwindle, giving Baili Yu and other factions more opportunities to kill Qin Xiao.

This was the optimal solution.

Qian Ziming knew that once Qin Xiao revealed his intention to continue westward and attack the Sai kingdom, none of the various forces within Great Ning would act rashly.

They were calculating just as he and Prince Dingbei were—playing the same game.

The act of eliminating the hunter after the hunt had already been done once with Qin Jingzhao and his wife. Now, it was simply being repeated with Qin Xiao.

First time unfamiliar, second time routine.

Chu Jiubian, while in the capital, received the battle report from the northwest before Qin Xiao's third secret letter arrived.

The report was presented by Minister of War Lu Youwei during the morning court session.

The report mentioned that Qin Xiao had already driven the Sai kingdom's army out of Gansu, but he did not stop there. Instead, he continued westward, capturing two more cities and expanding the territory of the Great Ning.

In just a few lines, it did not mention the hardships and dangers involved, nor did it mention whether Qin Xiao was safe and sound.

But Chu Jiubian could almost imagine those situations.

And he felt reassured in his heart.

With such a battle report in hand, various factions would certainly not move against Qin Xiao at this moment.

They were all waiting for Qin Xiao to conquer more territory, and also waiting for him to become exhausted.

Several censors and lower-ranking officials congratulated the emperor, saying things like "The Great Ning is fortunate" and "Prince Ning is brave and a meritorious subject of the Great Ning."

Chu Jiubian slightly lowered his eyes, concealing the coldness in them.

What did it matter if he was a meritorious subject of the Great Ning? Hadn't innocent people still died in political struggles?

Chu Jiubian was not referring to Qin Xiao, but to his parents—Qin Jingzhao and Wei Lingyun.

Not to mention the Qin family, Wei Lingyun's Wei family also had a military background. During Emperor Taizong's reign, the head of the Wei family was granted a hereditary marquis title, but after that, the Wei family no longer produced military generals. Instead, they became scholars, making the original Marquis Wei seem like an anomaly.

Until Wei Lingyun was born.

She showed remarkable martial talent from a young age. Many elders said that when Marquis Wei was alive, he must have had such bearing, and that Wei Lingyun would bring glory to the Wei family.

Her family did not want to hold her back, so they sent her to Mobei and entrusted her to Grand Marshal Qin.

Grand Marshal Qin took her under his wing and carefully taught her.

At that time, Qin Jingzhao was also learning martial arts from his father, Grand Marshal Qin, and grew up alongside Wei Lingyun.

They were childhood sweethearts and later naturally married, giving birth to their eldest daughter, Qin Feng, followed by Qin Xiao and Qin Chuan.

Later, they also took Wu Yiniang and the twin girls under their care.

But what should have been a warm family was disrupted by the appearance of Emperor Yingzong, and they could no longer remain detached from court politics, forced into the vortex of power.

Chu Jiubian had always known there was something suspicious about the deaths of Qin Jingzhao and Wei Lingyun.

Recently, he suspected that the invasion by the Sai kingdom might have been a scheme orchestrated by the Lu family in collusion with Prince Dingbei, so he investigated.

This investigation had not yet uncovered evidence of their collusion with Prince Dingbei, but it did reveal traces of their previous meddling in Mobei.

Therefore, the deaths of Qin Jingzhao and Wei Lingyun must be related to the Lu family!

Chu Jiubian did not know how much Qin Xiao knew about this, and he lacked concrete evidence, so he could only keep it to himself for now and wait until Qin Xiao returned.

The morning court session continued, and everyone tacitly supported Qin Xiao's campaign against the Western Regions Sai kingdom.

Only Minister of Revenue Su Sheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the imperial treasury likely cannot support Prince Ning's continued campaign. Please make a decision."

Baili Hong looked at Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian then stepped out of the ranks and said, "Su Sheng, don’t worry. The second batch of fine salt agreements has been signed, and the down payments should be paid by various families in the next couple of days."

He had originally planned to sell only one batch of fine salt, but the northwestern war caught him off guard, forcing him to sell another batch.

To get the Qiu family to contribute more money, he even bought some baijiu from the mall for them.

This time, he didn’t buy the expensive jiangxiang baijiu, but even ordinary liquor was much better than the turbid wine available now. The Qiu family naturally couldn’t resist and signed a sales agreement at a price even higher than that of fine salt.

Su Sheng had already asked these families for debt repayments several times and was becoming increasingly skilled at it.

So when he heard Chu Jiubian say this, he agreed without hesitation and went to collect the money from these families right after court.

To support Qin Xiao’s continued campaign, these families did not hesitate and paid their shares in full.

After registering these funds, Su Sheng allocated most of them and assigned Vice Director Cai Peng from the Ministry of Rites to oversee the escort.

This appointment was chosen by Chu Jiubian after review.

Cai Peng came from the scholarly Cai family. Although not as prominent as the Wang or Yuan families, they still had some standing.

However, he reached his current position largely because he served Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan.

Unlike the first group tasked with transporting military funds, this time, whoever was chosen would take the responsibility seriously.

So Chu Jiubian selected the usually upright and rigid Cai Peng. Another reason for choosing him was for the Xiao family.

The Xiao family had been quiet for too long, and Chu Jiubian did not want to see them remain overly cautious. He needed to make them proud again.

To make them fall, they must first become arrogant.

Only then would they reveal more weaknesses.

After court, Chu Jiubian had Hong Fu take Baili Hong back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, while he himself left the palace.

Wang Qichen had not yet set up his own paper shop but was busy opening the "Southern Xinjiang Silk Store" first.

The day before yesterday, Situ Zhaoling brought a large quantity of fabrics, handed them over to Wang Qichen through the Divine Realm, and asked him to display them in the shop.

At that time, Wang Qichen finally found an opportunity to say to the High Priest, "I suspect that Senior Tutor Chu may already know of your existence."

Actually, after hearing that Chu Jiubian had worn Southern Xinjiang silk at the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet, he felt something was off, thinking that the High Priest might have rushed to give the fine goods to Chu Jiubian.

But this was a private matter between deities, so he could not ask directly and had to phrase it subtly.

Chu Jiubian, sitting on the divine throne, felt somewhat divided.

He pretended to ponder for a moment before lightly laughing and saying, "I knew I couldn’t hide it from him."

He deliberately infused his tone with subtle emotions like "helplessness" and "indulgence," and then watched as Wang Qichen showed an "I knew it" expression and smiled understandingly.

Chu Jiubian: "..."

He cringed internally but kept his tone calm: "If you see him, there’s no need to bring me up specifically. If he asks, just say I am in this realm."

Situ Zhaoling still did not know the relationship between Chu Jiubian and the High Priest. She was confused but obediently did not ask more.

Although she was lively, she knew some things could be joked about, while others could not.

Wang Qichen did not gossip actively but kept the High Priest’s words in mind.

Chu Jiubian left the palace gate, boarded his carriage, and headed to Brocade Lane.

Today was the opening day chosen by Wang Qichen and Situ Zhaoling together, and the location of the silk store was set in the most bustling Brocade Lane.

Chu Jiubian decided to take a look and, incidentally, meet his believers in person in the mortal realm.