Chapter 330: Return to Yan’zhou Kingdom

The next day, Si Nan’s Concubine Mother woke up and Lou Mu Yan checked her thoroughly.

“The Water Illusion Nether Dream’s poison has been completely cured. Now, your Imperial Concubine’s body will be very weak, but it will recover after a period of conditioning.” Lou Mu Yan said with a smile.

Mu’rong Qian Qian had been sleeping for a decade, so her body was still very weak, and her pale face was even softer with a slight smile, “Thank you Miss Lou for saving my life!”

“Imperial Concubine, there’s no need to be polite. Si Nan is my friend and we have already made a deal, so you don’t owe me anything.” Mu’rong Qian Qian was stunned for a moment, and there was a gentle smile on her lips—she liked Lou Mu Yan’s frankness even more, “Regardless, you saved me, so a thank you is necessary.”

“Imperial Concubine, you just woke up and you still need more rest. I’ve left a bottle of pills to replenish your essence. You can take it for a month and you’ll see its effects.” Lou Mu Yan took out a bottle of pills and tossed it to Lou Qing.

Lou Qing put it away without opening it. He recognised Lou Mu Yan’s medical skills highly, “I heard from Little Nan that Young Miss Lou is leaving today?”

“Mm, the kingdom I’m from is now at war with another kingdom. All the members of my family have gone to the battlefield, so I’m naturally no exception.” Lou Mu Yan’s expression was a little grim.

“I’m also about to tell Concubine Mother and Uncle Lou about this. I’ll accompany Lou Mu Yan to the battlefield to help out today.” Si Nan pursed his lips and looked at Lou Qing, saying: “I’ll trouble Uncle Lou to take care of Concubine Mother during this time.

“If Emperor Father comes to visit, Uncle Lou can say that due to you helping to treat Concubine Mother, you cannot meet him. I’ll leave a part of the secret guards to protect this place.” Si Nan paused, then said with a cold expression: “The fact that Concubine Mother has woken up, don’t let anyone know first.”

Mu’rong Qian Qian naturally heard the resentment and indifference towards that man from her son’s tone, but she didn’t stop it. Ten years had allowed her to see a person clearly.

After waking up, she no longer had that man in her heart, and she would no longer break her wings for him and be locked in the cage that is the palace like a canary.

After her son goes to the Heavenly Secret Palace, she would also leave this palace where she paid her pure youth and innocence.

“You can go. This is what should be done.” Mu’rong Qian Qian nodded in response.

She could see that her son was interested in Lou Mu Yan. Since the two wouldn’t be in the same Sect in the future, going to the battlefield together now was perfect to raise their relationship.

She still had a good impression of Lou Mu Yan, this stunning, straightforward woman.

Si Nan was ready long before, from when he received the news. After chatting idly for a little bit, he would leave the palace with Lou Mu Yan.

Not only did Si Nan follow this time, but he also brought twelve Sword Monarchs and twenty Sword Kings together. These thirty people were all secret guards trained by Si Nan and Lou Qing and they didn’t use those of the Imperial Family.

In Yan’zhou Kingdom’s palace, Yun Tian Chen stood in front of the Imperial Ancestor and reported the battle situation.

The Imperial Ancestor’s expression appeared grim. There were originally three Sword Sovereigns, and now with Lou Mu Bai and three others, there were a total of seven.

Of them, three guarded the Empire, and the other four rushed to the battlefield to support. After all, the other party also apparently had five Sword Sovereigns appear.

“Do you have any news from little Lou girl?”

Yun Tian Chen replied: “No news for now.”

“Aye! I didn’t expect that despite being so well prepared, the Gu Clan and their elites still all escaped. It was truly a miscalculation.” The Imperial Ancestor sighed.

“No one would’ve thought that the Gu Clan had already made preparations to escape, that there were six Sword Monarchs in the Mansion to help out, and all the secret guards of the Imperial Family that went to the Gu Clan would all be lost.” Yun Tian Chen revealed a sad expression.

Those Royal Secret Guards were all carefully cultivated by them for many years, but they didn’t expect half to have died in the hands of the Gu Clan.

“If we continue like this, Yan’zhou Kingdom would be in danger!”

Yun Tian Chen smiled bitterly: “I can only do my best to fight. If all really is lost in the end, then it’s either the fish dies or the net gets torn1.”

Although Yan’zhou was a small kingdom, but they weren’t powerless to fight back. If they really were going to be destroyed, even if it was risking their lives, then they would still use their trump card to severely damage their enemy.

The two discussed a few more countermeasures. As soon as Yun Tian Chen left the palace where the Imperial Ancestor was, there was someone who came to report that Lou Mu Yan was back, and also brought along a group of strong people.

Yun Tian Chen was extremely excited. He was an Emperor who worked hard to rule, so naturally he didn’t want to see the scene of his country’s ruin. He wasn’t the only one who was responsible for the rise and fall of his kingdom. With Lou Mu Yan back, he was inexplicably relieved.

Lou Mu Yan led Si Nan to meet Yun Tian Chen.

“Uncle, this is Si Nan who’s come to help our Yan’zhou.” Lou Mu Yan introduced Si Nan to Yun Tian Chen with a light smile, but didn’t mention his kingdom. With Si Nan’s current attitude, he seemed to want to leave the Imperial Family.

Yun Tian Chen naturally knew who Si Nan was, and his attitude was very friendly, “It’s a great honour for Yan’zhou Kingdom to have the Fifth Prince join us, we are extremely grateful!”

“I’m friends with Mu Yan, so it’s only right to come help out.” Si Nan smiled, his meaning very clear—today he came to help, not for Yan’zhou Kingdom, but because of Lou Mu Yan.

“How about you all take a day to rest before going to the battlefield.” Yun Tian Chen naturally hoped that they would rush to the battlefield as soon as possible, but he still said very considerately.

How could Lou Mu Yan not be able to guess Yun Tian Chen’s thoughts? She smiled lightly and asked: “Emperor Uncle, how is the battle at the frontier? Did my Elder Brother and the others arrive?”

“The battle situation at the frontier isn’t satisfactory. Many mysterious Sword Kings and Sword Monarchs suddenly appeared in Po’luo Kingdom. With their addition, our side is simply unable to fight directly.”

Yun Tian Chen sighed, “Mu Bai, Zi Mo and the others have already rushed over, but I heard that the other party seems to have five Sword Sovereign powerhouses, so our chances of winning aren’t big.

“As for your maternal grandfather, he’s already overseeing the frontier, but it’s useless if we have no high-level powerhouses in hand. In front of strength, strategy isn’t that useful anymore.”

Lou Mu Yan furrowed her brows. It seemed that the battle situation had indeed exceeded expectations.

“Your Majesty, there is an urgent report!” At this moment, a guard hurriedly walked in and delivered a battle report respectfully.

Yun Tian Chen took it and read it, his eyes filled with shock and anger. Seeing Lou Mu Yan staring at him, he handed her the battle report.

Lou Mu Yan took the battle report and looked at it. Her furrowed brows knitted even deeper, and she read the news out loud: “Ten cities have fallen in the border. Old General Lou was injured by a sneak attack by a Sword Monarch, but fortunately Lou Mu Bai and the three others arrived on time and rescued him, otherwise he almost died for the kingdom.

“They’re courting death!” She tossed the battle report back to Yun Tian Chen with a rare cruelty in her expression.

The people of Po’luo Kingdom sure planned well to even target her maternal Grandfather and Father. It completely stepped on her baseline and touched what was considered her reverse scale on a dragon that no one should touch2.

“Emperor Uncle, the ten fallen cities are inseparable from the Gu Clan colluding from inside with the outside. The Imperial Family hadn’t dealt with the Gu Clan for so long before, are you still thinking about your ‘old relationship’ with Concubine Gu?” She felt a surge of anger inwardly and her attitude towards Yun Tian Chen was also a lot colder.

Yun Tian Chen immediately retorted with embarrassment: “How could I have any feelings of an ‘old relationship’ with Concubine Gu. I’ve already discovered that something was wrong with the Gu Clan, and after bringing her into the palace, the person who ‘favoured’ Concubine Gu wasn’t me at all, just a secret guard that I arranged who looks like me.”

On one hand, he confessed it to appease Lou Mu Yan, and on the other hand, it was also an explanation to Lou Mo Zi.

Lou Mu Yan looked at him in surprise, not at all expecting that such a thing was occurring.

1idiom meaning to fight desperately in the end until either the enemies (fish) dies or they, themselves, die (net torn).

2a reminder that ‘逆鳞’ (nì lín) means ‘reversed scale’ or a scale that grew incorrectly. Figuratively, it’s a scale on a dragon one cannot touch. It’s also used to describe a person’s weak point, but not necessarily used with a negative connotation, and instead, in a more ‘you touch, you die’ sense. It’s usually used as a kind of threat.