That year in Hangzhou, Jiangnan, Ye Liuyun overturned a building with a single sword. Soon after, Haitang received an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager of Northern Qi and gracefully returned north. Since then, Fan Xian and she had never met again, only exchanging occasional letters.

However, the earth-shattering upheaval in the autumn of the seventh year of Qingli cut off the correspondence between the two. The Saintess of Northern Qi, the true closed-door disciple of Grandmaster Ku He, and the current leader of the Heavenly Dao, disappeared mysteriously from everyone's sight.

Even the people of Northern Qi seemed unaware of her whereabouts. Fan Xian had instructed the Fourth Bureau of the Overwatch Council and Baoyue House to inquire about her whereabouts throughout the world, but to no avail. Her disappearance was so resolute and thorough that it gave the impression that Haitang Duoduo had never existed in this world.

But Fan Xian knew that this woman had existed, and would surely exist somewhere in the world, watching him, doing something, because he had held her hand and touched her heart.

He just didn't expect that the missing Haitang Duoduo would appear on the grasslands west of the Qing Kingdom and had stayed there for two years, changing her name to Songzhi Xianling.

"Do you have anything you need to explain to me?" Fan Xian looked into her eyes, his heart twinging slightly, and slowly said, "Like why you're here, like the matter of the knives, like everything about Subida."

Subida, the Great Khan of Western Hu's given name, came out of Fan Xian's lips with a strange hint of sarcasm. The sarcasm wasn't strong, but it was particularly piercing. Haitang was slightly startled, then raised her head, gently smoothing a stray strand of hair from her forehead, and said, "Since you've already come, you must have found out everything, so why bother asking me?"

Today, Haitang was dressed as a Hu maidservant, wearing a leather hat on her head, which made her look rather playful and cute, especially with those strands of hair peeking out from under the brim, making her look even more youthful.

However, Fan Xian's tone remained icy: "Some things, it's one thing for me to find out, it's another for you to tell me yourself... My anger lies in being concealed and used. You know my nature."

Haitang was slightly stunned, took her hands out of her clothes, placed them in front of her, and bowed to Fan Xian very seriously, saying, "Sorry."

Although only two words, the apology was sincere. Fan Xian looked at her, unmoved and silent, waiting for her to give him an explanation.

"Let's take a walk," Haitang didn't explain why she had come to the grasslands, or why those knives had appeared in the hands of Hu experts, but simply suggested that the two of them take a walk on the vast grasslands.

After a moment of silence, Fan Xian said, "Okay."

Parting the knee-high grass, the two left the path hidden in the grass and headed into the desolate depths of the grassland. At this time, the autumn sun hung high in the sky, insects fluttered among the grass, and the surroundings were quiet, with only a vast expanse of greenish-yellow stretching towards the end of the sky.

And the two, a man and a woman, were with their hands in their pockets, like two small dots between heaven and earth, maintaining a steady pace, heading towards the end of the sky.

If, without all the other things between heaven and earth, perhaps these two would be willing to walk on forever, without discussing the problems that would tear people's hearts apart, without discussing the stories that would gradually drive them apart.

However, there were blue skies and white clouds in the sky, and withered autumn grass on the plains. The two walked in the open world, always belonging to the mortal realm. Even the way they walked now was difficult to be as harmonious as before. Wasn't this a chilling loss?

...

...

"The Daoist sect's infiltration into Western Hu has been going on for many years, but it has never had much effect. The Hu people are always difficult to trust strategists from the Central Plains."

The autumn wind gently blew on Haitang's rosy cheeks. She sighed softly, opened her arms, felt the vastness of the grassland, and said softly, "Western Hu has been beaten to pieces by the Qing army. If you want the Hu people to become a force that can contend with the Qing Kingdom, even if it's just to slow down your pace, it's extremely difficult."

Fan Xian was silent, listening attentively.

Haitang walked slowly, looking at the sun hanging above the grassland in the distance, squinting her eyes and said, "Two years ago, before Master passed away, he gave me this task."

"What task?"

"To help the Khan unify the grassland and establish a country." Haitang looked at him expressionlessly and said, "You know, although the Hu people are good at fighting, countless tribes are only nominally under the control of the royal court. The whole is just a pile of loose sand. If they can't unify the grassland and establish a country in the true sense, how can they slow down your Qing Kingdom's pace of unifying the world?"

Fan Xian sneered and said, "In order to stop my Qing Kingdom, you're actually willing to let a rising grassland kingdom rise up on the grasslands. Have you ever thought about what the Hu people will bring to the world if they really become powerful?"

Before Haitang could speak, he stared into Haitang's eyes and said, "When we were in Hangzhou, you once reminded me that the Hu people are ambitious wolves, fierce by nature, and have enjoyed killing for thousands of years... I didn't expect that now you would put armor on this group of wolves. Is the threat of my Great Qing so great to you that your Heavenly Dao has to abandon the tenets of the Daoist sect?"

Haitang met his gaze without a trace of fear, and slowly said, "The establishment of a grassland nation cannot be accomplished in a day or two. The strategy planned by the late master must be calculated to be twenty years later... I must admit that when Master returned to Qingshan seriously injured, I was indeed shocked. I never thought that your Majesty the Emperor was so powerful."

She smiled self-deprecatingly and said, "Since the Qing army's iron cavalry sweeping the world has become an established trend, how can Great Qi be willing to be fish on the chopping board? Of course, we have to think of some ways to slow down your pace."

Fan Xian frowned, waved his hand to stop her explanation, and asked directly, "This strategy is indeed vicious and has a very long-term vision. If the grassland royal court can really establish a country in the true sense, I'm afraid my Great Qing will have difficulty resting easy for the rest of our lives. Even if we conquer Northern Qi, we will have to worry about the situation in the west at all times... which will leave you some opportunities."

"But..." he said quietly, "Although I only saw Subida from afar, I also know that this Khan has the nature of an eagle and is definitely not an ordinary person. Since Ku He chose him before his death, how could you make him believe your deployment and follow your plan?"

"You also said earlier that the Heavenly Dao intended to infiltrate the Western Hu royal court, and it wasn't a matter of a day or two. Why can you do this?" Fan Xian looked down at the small leather boots on Haitang's feet and said, "The people of Northern Qi have already begun to enter the Western Hu royal court, handling political affairs and making plans for Subida. I assume that in addition to civilian officials, there are also some military advisors who understand the military situation of my Great Qing... How do you persuade the Hu people to accept these people from Northern Qi?"

"You're talking about Wei Wucheng and these people," Haitang responded lightly. "They are not all from Northern Qi, but also from Dongyi City and your Southern Qing."

Fan Xian was slightly surprised and looked at her.

Haitang continued indifferently, "These people are just talented people hired by the Khan with a lot of money. They don't know me, nor do they know my position in the royal court. All I need to do is persuade the Khan that a king with a heart as vast as the sea should be good at accepting all external wisdom. To subjugate the four seas, one must use the people of the four seas."

Fan Xian's brows furrowed tightly as he looked at her and said, "But you still haven't explained why Subida, a man of great ambition, listens to you so obediently... You must know that in the Hu people's tribes, women have never had any status."

Haitang smiled slightly, and a few interesting expressions suddenly appeared on her plain face. Looking at Fan Xian, she asked, "Do you think I used a beauty trap?"

Fan Xian choked and didn't know how to respond. He had already discovered that the Khan had entered Haitang's hidden tent more than once at night, and that the Khan clearly had some kind of feelings for Haitang.

Haitang laughed, looked into Fan Xian's eyes, sighed, and said, "I'm not as beautiful as you, so I don't have the capital to use a beauty trap."

At this moment, something extremely wonderful happened between the two. When Haitang sighed at Fan Xian's appearance, her arm seemed to rise uncontrollably, her fingertips trembling slightly, touching Fan Xian's cheek, sliding an inch across his face. The light touch of her fingertips against his facial skin was so profound that it touched the deepest feelings in both of their hearts.

When the two discovered this ambiguous scene, they were immediately stunned. Fan Xian's body was somewhat stiff. He raised his left hand with great difficulty, held the hand beside his face, and once he held it, he refused to let go.

Haitang's body was also somewhat stiff as she was held by Fan Xian's warm hand.

"I find that it's difficult for the two of us to walk as harmoniously as before," Fan Xian said softly as he held her hand. "Perhaps it's because the range of our swings is different. Would it be better if we held hands?"

"But the pace is still different." Haitang's face was filled with a serene and peaceful smile, but her words were filled with endless regret and loss.

"We have to try," Fan Xian ignored what she was thinking at the moment, took her hand, and continued to stroll into the depths of the grassland. There were only the two of them between heaven and earth, so why say bad things at this moment?

...

...

"Are you jealous?" Haitang leaned halfway on Fan Xian's shoulder, and the two held hands tightly, as if they were afraid that the other would suddenly let go.

At this time, they were sitting on a meadow, below which was a small lake. On the opposite side of the lake was the setting sun, and the golden twilight shone on the water, drawing a golden line. Occasionally, a few wild ducks flew across the water, squawking strangely.

How familiar this scene was, just like when they were still in Jiangnan, at the same lake, still the same two people.

"What am I jealous of?" Fan Xian said with some discomfort, "Subida has managed to suppress the Wise Kings of the Left and Right within a few short years, and the royal court's strength has crowned the grassland. Although your help is a factor, this person is indeed formidable."

"You're still jealous after all," Haitang said with a smile, but her face didn't show the petty pride of an ordinary woman, nor was there any discomfort, as if she was just stating a fact.

Before Fan Xian could speak, Haitang rested her head on his shoulder. This woman's shoulders had borne too many things since she was a child. Although no one had ever known how old she was or where she was born, her identity as the Saintess of Northern Qi and the successor of the Heavenly Dao forced her to bear all of this. She would also have a tired day. She also hoped to unload the burden on her shoulders and then lean on a shoulder she could rely on.

Just like now.

"I came to the grassland from the north. My name is Songzhi Xianling. I am the lost princess of the Karna tribe." Haitang stared blankly at the setting sun across the lake and slowly said, "On the northern grassland, I helped many people and led the last group of migrating tribes to the Western Hu grassland. Those tribesmen who came south in advance recognized my identity as the Karna tribe's princess, so the Khan... had to value me, at least in the beginning, value the strength behind me."

"Karna?" Fan Xian turned his head, looked at her bright forehead, and said quietly, "You actually went to such great lengths. Ku He really put his heart into it in order not to let Subida become suspicious."

Although Haitang said it simply, Fan Xian knew that the northern barbarians could not withstand the icy might of the heavens and were forced to migrate south, with countless deaths and injuries along the way, but more than ten thousand cavalrymen still remained on the grassland. Haitang must have paid an extremely arduous price to be recognized as a leader by these northern tribes.

And the reason why Khan Subida's royal court could clear the resistance on the grassland in such a short period of time was largely because he resisted public opinion and accepted the brothers from the northern grassland, thereby gaining the support of more than ten thousand northern barbarian cavalrymen.

Now it seemed that these supports also had Haitang's factor in them.

"You are the Saintess of Northern Qi, but suddenly you have become the Saintess of the Northern Tribe. Aren't you worried about your identity being exposed?" Fan Xian said softly, "I believe in your wisdom and ability. The Khan will definitely need your help, especially after seeing some results. But your identity is always a big problem."

"Expose what identity?" Haitang straightened up and said with a slight smile, "Expose my identity as the successor of the Heavenly Dao?"

Fan Xian was stunned and thought to himself that was right, even if Khan Subida knew Duoduo's true identity, it would not have any impact on his choice. But what about the more than ten thousand cavalrymen from the northern tribes? That was the greatest force in Haitang's participation in the affairs of Western Hu. If they knew that this princess of the Karna tribe was a fake, how would it end?

Logically speaking, if Haitang's identity were exposed and the plot of the people of Northern Qi was shattered, it should be the most pleasing thing for Fan Xian and the people of Qing to see. But for some reason, Fan Xian believed that Haitang would not make this mistake, or rather, that Grandmaster Ku He, who was already dead, would not have failed to think of this most problematic link, so he listened quietly to Haitang's explanation.

"What do you know about Karna?"

"The royal tribes in the northern grassland tribes were wiped out by Marshal Zhan Qingfeng decades ago. Since then, the northern tribes have been without a leader, and Shang Shanhu has been guarding the Tianmen Pass in the north, so they can't cause any major trouble."

Haitang looked quietly into his eyes and said, "What did you like to ask me most before?"

Fan Xian's brows furrowed tightly. He didn't know what the connection was between these two questions, but it was a matter of great importance. He thought carefully and said hesitantly after a long time, "I like to... ask you how old you are." He smiled and explained, "Although I don't mind a May-December romance, I'm also afraid that you're forty or fifty years old and are relying on your youthful appearance to deceive me, this poor man. An old bull eating young grass, how innocent is the young grass?"

A blush appeared on Haitang's face, fleeting, and then she said with a smile, "I have never answered you because I myself don't know how old I am."

Fan Xian was silent. He knew that Haitang was an orphan and had been carefully cared for and raised by Grandmaster Ku He since she was a child.

"I am nineteen this year," Haitang suddenly stared into his eyes very seriously and said, "My mother was a princess who escaped from the Karna royal court."

Fan Xian didn't hear this sentence clearly and thought to himself, nineteen? So when he gave her aphrodisiac on the shore of the North Sea, she was only fourteen? Would he be considered a molester or a poisoner of teenagers? This girl is indeed younger than him... Wait, princess? Mother? Karna royal court?

He suddenly stood up and looked at Haitang in disbelief. Haitang was sitting with her knees bent at this time, looking at the water ducks dancing on the lake with a peaceful expression, seemingly unaware of what shocking secret she had just told Fan Xian.

"You... are... really a princess of the Karna tribe."

Fan Xian said with a trembling voice. He could calculate everything about the grassland clearly and had arranged all the countermeasures against the conspiracy left by Ku He. Even revealing Haitang's identity at the right time was one of his plans. But he never expected that Haitang could influence the Khan and secretly help the grassland royal court to build a country, relying not on a false identity, but because she was originally... a princess!

Haitang hugged her knees, rested her head lightly on her knees, looked at the golden light on the water in front of her, with a hint of confusion in her eyes, and said softly, "You are indeed more calm than me. When I heard about my life story from Master two years ago, my reaction was much bigger than yours."

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