"Your Grace, I don't understand your words."

Leng Qingtang stood there and suddenly raised his dark eyes, staring at Empress Qian directly and motionlessly. The man was so handsome with a slight smile in his mouth.

Empress Qian suddenly held her breath. Tremble and fear flooded her back in waves. It seemed that a sense of gloom burst from the earth and spread to surround her instantly.

She stared at the dark eyes of Leng Qingtang nervously. Reflected by his blinking eyes, she could see her scared expression clearly and deeply.

Was this an illusion?

Evidently, his smile was as warmly as the wind in March. However, why did she feel a sense of cold pressure from him?

Could it be that, as people said, someone was able to kill people only by one look or imposing manner?

She heard the rapidly thumping sounds, which were the upset beating of her own heart.

With her mouth half-open, Empress Qian tightly grabbed the white jade barrier. She didn't even realize that her fingertips were tightened trembling and fading.

Leng Qingtang witnessed her fear, and looked down peacefully. Quietly he turned to be a gentleman again.

In the dark, Empress Qian breathed a sigh of relief, as she was not uneasy anymore. After putting her delicate hands into sleeves swiftly, she sullenly fiddled with the jade pendant in the skirt for a while, giving a few coughs.

"In spite of the fact that people in the imperial harem can't interfere in political affairs, currently His Majesty is in bad condition. Now that I have come here, I'd like to ask, do you have some good suggestions about fighting against the enemy?"

Leng Qingtang made a fist-and-palm salute,

"As far as I am concerned, since the Wans were executed, their 100,000 soldiers in Yi Army have been established into the army in mid-border. At the time when we suppress Lang Army, there are totally 100,000 soldiers in southwestern and northwestern regions."

"Currently, there are 100,000 soldiers in Capital Army safeguarding our core capital. So we can't freely move them. Besides, in the 450,000 soldiers of our affiliate tribes, An Guo and Bo Ku, there are 150,000 soldiers in An Guo. Presumably, the 150,000 soldiers should be its main force..."

Empress Qian listened and slowly nodded. Then she averted her eyes to the lake and asked softly,

"And then?"

"It has been one hundred years since the little tribe An Guo became one affiliate of Da Yi. Now that it dispatched its main force out, the headquarter must be weak. If we swiftly moved 80,000 soldiers in Dongqing Fleet to start south and detour to Qiongyang to land, and attack the headquarter of An Guo, I consider that the 150,000 soldiers would retreat to safeguard the capital of An Guo. As for the main support army of Da Yi, we could move 200,000 soldiers from Yanyi Fortress and Qinghu Fortress in mid-area to fight against Bo Ku Army in Dianyun in full swing."

Empress Qian seriously frowned with slim eyebrows,

"200,000 soldiers? There are 300,000 soldiers in Bo Ku Army! Do you only need 200,000 soldiers of Da Yi?"

Leng Qingtang saluted and made a smile. It seemed that he already had a well-thought plan in his mind.

"When suppressing Lang Army before, we had 100,000 soldiers in Da Yi moved into Guangxi. But the war happened in Yunnan, which is far from the northwestern regions. Therefore, it would be too late to move other soldiers to support Yunnan.

I once considered that the soldiers of Lang Army were rough and sturdy, tenfold stronger than others. We'd better not suppress and kill, but amnesty and recruit them, thus they could help us fight against Bo Ku Army. After Bo Ku were forced to surrender, it might as well register soldiers of Lang Army into our authorized establishment and order them to safeguard the south borderline."

Empress Qian was astonished and showed a little amazement on her face.

Leng Qingtang, Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, was indeed somewhat talented in the military. However, if he were unintended to assist His Majesty, keeping him around His Majesty would...

Mouth lightened up, she stared at him seriously to catch every nuance of expression. In her eyes, there was a strongly and deeply homicidal intent to him.

"The idea of making amnesty and recruitment to soldiers of Lang Army was so great. They are all people of Da Yi and are supposed to share bitter hatred against the enemy. If so, we should dispatch one reliable person to finish the task."

Leng Qingtang bowed and smiled, with a gloomy glint flashing in his eyes,

"Your Grace, do you mean that you have found a qualified person?"

Empress Qian smiled and slightly raised her chin, sincerely and earnestly illustrating,

"Master Leng, I find you possess both political integrity and ability, and are one key official in the court. Besides, as a key official in the court, you are the most trusted one of His Majesty. You once relieved people in stricken Jiangan, and now you execute the Wans. Whether punishing the corrupt officials or suppressing rebellions down was a good deed, being supported by our citizens. As far as I am concerned, only if you went to Southern Jiang as an inspector in person, Yunnan and Guangxi would be relieved."

Sure enough, the woman was calculating.

Leng Qingtang kept behaving obediently, but he nodded and smiled more and more coldly,

"It's naturally my honor to be believed in the court, and I am bound to bear the duty. But Your Grace, could you replace His Majesty to make decisions?"

A long and low voice arose in her eyes, but Empress Qian was neither shamed nor annoyed. With a cunning smile in her red thin lips, she looked at the gloomy man. Suddenly she raised her eyebrows and asked,

"Even so, I must call the shots. After all, His Majesty is feeble now. Besides, now that among all officials, only you can replace His Majesty to deal with political affairs. As the empress of Da Yi, I am in charge of the Eastern Palace. Now our country is in danger, couldn't I replace His Majesty to make one determination?"

While contacting each other's gaze directly, there was a lightning and flint-like clash between them.

Leng Qingtang lowered his eyes earlier and saluted,

"I'm afraid that Your Grace blamed me for something I don't know. Have I ever offended you? I'd like to suffer heart penetration to testify myself."

Covering her mouth with loose sleeves, Empress Qian laughed,

"I was just joking. Why should you take it seriously? Master Leng, you are a critical official in the court. Of course, I will appoint you to important jobs. How could I punish you?"

Then she unfolded her arms. Supported by Sulian with her arms, she went into the sedan.

As the honor guards faded away, Leng Qingtang straightened up. In his teasing eyes, there were more and more gloomy glints.

"The old woman should order you to court death on the battlefield?!"

Yu Xuanji rushed from Elixir Chamber and sat beside Leng Qingtang. In the wide visual field, he asked in annoyance.

In Elixir Chamber, he heard clearly what they had said just now.

Leng Qingtang smiled gently and calmly,

"Perhaps she has realized something, but her proposal exactly coincides with my aspiration..."

"Are you mad?"

Yu Xuanji interrupted him indignantly,

"There is a narrow escape on the battlefield, so you can't take risks!"

Leng Qingtang slightly raised his thin lips,

"Take it easy, nothing will happen to me. Our army of Da Yi is powerful. And the soldiers of Dongqing Fleet also join the war, which will bring us great assistance. Besides, the soldiers of Lang Army led by the local official in Guangxi were well trained. If I made amnesty and recruitment to them in person, they would be my own army. What's more, I will go to Southern Jiang and be accompanied by 10,000 Imperial Guards."

Yu Xuanji's expression was as gloomy as the sea. He fidgeted and sighed,

"At that time, An Guo Army, Bo Ku Army, Lang Army, Dongqing Fleet, and our Frontier Army of Da Yi are all involved. It will be a hard war. You must be careful. Besides, Huanan Ze can't hold up too long..."

"I know..."

There were smiles in his dark eyes,

"I shall certainly come back intactly. If I couldn't return in time, you would be bound to ask Emperor Jingxiao to order a last legacy."

...

The next day the imperial decree announced, Leng Qingtang, Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, was appointed as an inspector and he would lead 10,000 Imperial Guards to Southern Jiang, in order to assist the army of Da Yi."

"Master, please let me go with you..."

Immediately the eunuch who read the imperial decree left, Gu Yunxi badgered Leng Qingtang. Where there was Leng Qingtang, there was Gu Yunxi. She insisted that he should make her accompany him to Southern Jiang.

Leng Qingtang had no choice, but to stop to coax her gently,

"The battle is not a game. Different from the fight in Imperial Palace, it can't be easily solved by a simple sentence. In the battle, real swords and spears are all over the place.

"Master, I am both your apprentice and close guard. Therefore, anywhere you go, I also go. I can't leave you, naturally the same as you..."

In her worried expression, there were some anxieties. As Leng Qingtang still sticked to disagree with her, she directly fawned to him. While calling him softly, she embraced his neck with her arms. Then she tiptoed and kissed his chin.

Seeing that he remained unmoved, Gu Yunxi turned to kiss his lips.

Leng Qingtang's heart beat faster, and he felt his whole body’s blood moving faster.

With his steady arms unfolded, he held her slim waist and made soulful kisses with her.

There was a knock at the door.

At that time, Gu Yunxi swiftly acted, biting his lower lip with her teeth.

The voice of Cheng Wanli occurred outside the door.

"Master, all is ready."

Leng Qingtang was bowing and he couldn't move. Otherwise his lip would be pulled in ache.

In astonishment, he widened his eyes. In his sight, the organs of Gu Yunxi were broadened to the full and became obscure. She looked evidently rampant and proud.

In this way, they kept in such a stiff condition.

"Master..."

The person outside the door couldn't hear the sound, so he asked again.

Leng Qingtang's lower lip was firmly bitten by Gu Yunxi and he felt painful.

That girl behaved harder and harder to achieve her goal. At that time, she should bite him like a dog!

He frowned and made a vague sound of "OK" to answer Cheng Wanli. Then he stabbed her armpit with his forefinger.

Gu Yunxi was ticklish so she relaxed her bite pettishly.

With his eyebrows tightly frowned, Leng Qingtang rubbed his lower lip. He scowled and blamed her in a low voice,

"Naughty! You stay there mildly! I will go to the Court of Patrol in North Town."

"No!"

Gu Yunxi was stubborn as usual, so she stopped him in front of the door,

"If you disagree to bring me to Southern Jiang today, you are not leaving this room!"

Leng Qingtang was upset but he couldn't bear to hurt her, so he shook heads and compromised,

"OK, OK, I will take you! I will take you!"

"Thank you, Master."

Gu Yunxi flipped out. Just like a monkey, she threw herself around him, with two long legs twinkled in his waist, hugging and kissing him.

Leng Qingtang felt both funny and annoying, "OK, could I leave now?"

"OK, you can go out! Bye, bye! Haha..."