Ye Luan hadn't expected Li Qiong Yu to act so swiftly and was slightly surprised.
Wei Qing Ge was still chattering in her ear, asking her questions out of curiosity.
Ye Luan came back to her senses and babbled a few words.
"Really? Will it not hurt anymore?"
"Mm."
Wei Qing Ge became even more curious and wanted to ask something else, but saw Ye Luan constantly looking towards the door. She teased, "The Prince will be back soon."
Ye Luan shook her head, "Strange, I just feel like something is off."
Wei Qing Ge, not understanding, was about to ask when Xue Ren's voice echoed from outside.
"Miss Ye."
Ye Luan immediately stood up and went to open the door.
"Where is Xiao Chi Zhan?"
Xue Ren lowered his gaze and respectfully said, "The Prince had matters to attend to and left ahead of time. He sent his subordinate to escort Miss back to the capital."
"Where did he go?"
'This subordinate does not know.'
Ye Luan's eyes turned cold, "Tell me, where is he?!"
Xue Ren detected the sharpness in her voice and his expression faltered. He looked up, seeing her face turn stern. After a moment of thought, he spoke.
"The Prince went to the military camp."
"The military camp? Why would he go to the military camp instead of returning to the capital?"
Xue Ren remained silent.
Ye Luan narrowed her eyes, "Is there going to be a war?"
Xue Ren was still silent.
"Ah, A' Luan, are we going to war? Against Northern Qi?"
Wei Qing Ge, hearing the commotion from inside, shouldered her baggage and strode out confidently.
Ye Luan said nothing, looking at the gloomy sky outside, her eyes becoming distant.
Useless.
She couldn't stop them, couldn't stop anyone.
They were born enemies!
According to records, in the twenty-fourth year of Emperor Shi Zong's reign, the Emperor of Northern Qi was seriously wounded by the King of Dingbei of Da Liang outside the Great Wall and almost died. The two clashed at the Ruo Shui River, fighting for an entire day and night.
The waters outside the Great Wall were vast and desolate. Xie Bei Han was injured and fell into the Ruo Shui, his fate unknown.
Within three days, the Northern Qi troops reached Ye Zhou City. The entire Qu Nan River was filled with warships, fully armed and armored, their black armor glinting.
Under the pretense of Da Liang assassinating the Emperor of Northern Qi, they bypassed the eastern part of the Qu Nan River and began their march towards the border of Da Liang.
Banners fluttered, creating a mighty spectacle.
This meant that Northern Qi was about to officially go to war with Da Liang!
Upon the release of this news, the entire Kyushu began to fall into turmoil. Surrounding smaller nations, fearing collateral damage, began seeking alliances for protection.
However, both imperial dynasties possessed strong armies and military might superior to the Western Regions. The entire northern Kyushu was gripped by fear as the war approached.
The two armies faced each other, warships crossing the Qu Nan River, engaged in a fierce battle.
They both wanted to kill the other!
The entire Western Regions were in a state of upheaval, ravaged by war. The common people were displaced, and chaos reigned everywhere.
The people of the world cried out in misery. The nations of the Western Regions wished for the two countries to cease their conflict, but who knew that Xie Bei Han had not died. Upon returning to court, he directly marched his forces to the Qu Nan River.
The army pressed forward, the surging sea water churning. A vast expanse of iron-clad warships stretched as far as the eye could see, their end not in sight.
The Qu Nan River, from the eastern border of the Western Regions at Guigu Mountain to Da Liang's Endless Sea in the west, was magnificent and turbulent.
Looking out, the two armies faced each other with imposing might, shaking the heavens and earth.
The rolling river and sea crashed against the vast sky and earth, the sound of waves roaring without pause.
Xie Bei Han's voice, amplified by his internal energy, pierced through the entire river and sea.
"Go back and tell your Prince, this King only wants Ye Luan."
Upon hearing this, the people of Da Liang were furious. Ye Luan was the Princess Consort personally enfeoffed by their Prince, and a target of covetousness for Northern Qi.
On the river, war erupted, cannons roaring, the sky resounding.
This message spread throughout the Western Regions. Historically, wars between nations were fought for power and ambition, or for territorial expansion.
Since Xiao Chi Zhan ascended the throne, Da Liang had repeatedly expanded, conquering new territories, becoming the only dynasty in Kyushu that could contend with Northern Qi.
And in Kyushu, amidst the vying for power, who didn't wish to unify the nations and be remembered for generations?
It was thought that the war between these two countries was due to a struggle for power, but unexpectedly, it was over a woman.
A femme fatale!
Ye Luan instantly became the target of criticism from scholars and literati across the land, her name thus resounding throughout the Western Regions.
Furthermore, in previous years, when Xiao Chi Zhan led his troops to attack the Western Regions and annihilated the Xichuan army, his reputation in the Western Regions had already vanished, leaving behind only the word "slaughter" for future generations.
Now, with the addition of Xie Bei Han, the conflict raging in their Western Regions was simply a disaster.
However, regardless of what the world said, the Northern Qi troops had crossed the Qu Nan River and begun their advance northward.
The border of Da Liang faced fierce attacks, cities in conflict between the two nations in disarray.
On Ye Luan's journey back to Da Liang, she saw refugees displaced by war everywhere. The life in the border regions was already impoverished, and the economy was not developed. Now, caught between the two countries, the land seemed to weep.
"A' Luan, they are so pitiful."
Wei Qing Ge, riding her horse, sighed.
"Let's distribute the food we brought to them."
Xue Ren, escorting them back to Da Liang, immediately stopped her upon hearing Wei Qing Ge's words.
"Miss, the refugees are countless. You can save one, but you cannot save them all."
Ye Luan withdrew her gaze and said, "Xue Ren is right. If they all swarm us, we won't be able to leave."
Wei Qing Ge sheepishly withdrew her hand and cast a sympathetic glance around.
"Why is Northern Qi fighting us? What's the benefit?"
Ye Luan's body stiffened, and a silent ache welled up in her heart.
She said nothing, lowering her gaze.
After entering the city, they found even more refugees. The cries of children echoed through the streets, and on both sides, the ragged and pitiable begged for alms. The noise was everywhere.
Ye Luan looked at the scenes, her heart struck again, the pain making it difficult for her to breathe.
"Miss, let's stay at the inn ahead."
"Mm."
The Northern Qi troops advanced north, while Da Liang divided its forces into several routes. With Cang He as the demarcation line, they attacked the fourteen cities of Jiuchuan in Northern Qi. The remaining 300,000 troops remained in the Western Regions, crossing the Qu Nan River to intercept Northern Qi.
However, the Emperor of Northern Qi, Xie Bei Han, personally led the campaign in the Western Regions. In previous years, he had also frequently been on the battlefield. His tactics were cunning, and his deployments completely unconventional. He didn't even care about the turmoil at the Northern Qi border, instead gathering troops to sweep through the Western Regions.
The soldiers of Da Liang also set up camp in the Western Regions, forming alliances to resist, and the two countries were locked in a fierce battle.
On the fifteenth, Northern Qi suddenly attacked Ruo Qiang's Ding Xi City. Disregarding Da Liang's army, they directly occupied Ding Xi City. The King of Ruo Qiang was greatly alarmed and wished to surrender to Northern Qi.
Xiao Chi Zhan heard the news while he was in the military camp.
"Your Highness, their sudden attack on Ruo Qiang is likely a conspiracy. Are they planning to unite with the Western Regions?"
Inside the grand tent, people stood crowded, all offering various opinions.
Xiao Chi Zhan's face was stern, and a killing intent flickered in his lowered gaze. He called out.
"Long Tian, come in."
Long Tian, who was guarding outside the tent, immediately lifted the tent flap and entered.
"Your Highness."
"Has Xue Ren escorted the person back? Where are they now?"
Long Tian respectfully replied, "We received a letter two days ago. They are close to returning to Da Liang, having just entered Che Ye."
Che Ye?!
Xiao Chi Zhan shot to his feet, his eyes filled with a bloodthirsty ferocity.
"Assemble the troops and attack Ding Xi City."