C7

When Jun Ximo returned to the palace, it was already the first time. He rushed back to his room, but he didn't see Ling Luo on the bed. His heart sank as he hurriedly rushed out of his room to search around the courtyard, but he did not find anything.

"Yun Zhan!"

"Fourth Prince!" Yun Zhan walked out from the darkness and stood respectfully behind him.

"Has anyone been to the courtyard just now?"

"No, I listened to your orders and kept watch outside. No one came in."

"Oh, go down!"

Jun Ximo frowned and went to the pavilion on the lake by himself. In his heart, he felt a sense of loss.

A lantern hung in the pavilion, flickering and flickering.

It was late autumn and the weather was slightly chilly. This lakeshore had already withered away, making it look extremely desolate. This was the Lotus Lake that Royal Father had planted for his mother, and it was her favorite place. Now that it had withered and become like this, it was truly ironic.

For twenty years, Jun Aotian had not set foot in this place since Chu Ningqiu's death. To a certain extent, disregard was also a form of motivation.

Of course, the premise was that that person was definitely restless!

Under the night sky, Jun Ximo's back seemed especially lonely. He stood with his hands behind his back, indifferently looking at the serene lotus lake. No one knew what he was thinking about.

The evening breeze gently caressed the surface of the water. Layers of ripples appeared on the surface of the water, giving it an alluring appearance for an instant. However, this seductive allure seemed to be too … Strange!

"Whoosh!" With a light sound, a cold light shot out from the water's surface like a bolt of lightning.

Jun Ximo's eyes turned cold. He raised his hand and instantly caught the arrow that came from the water. He looked around coldly and carefully examined the cold arrow in his hand.

The arrow was very short, no longer than half a foot. The arrow was made of pure silver, and at the tail was a circular bamboo tube.

He frowned as he opened the bamboo tube and took out a letter that had been rolled inside. He unfolded the letter and only read one line: Thank you so much for your kindness!

The letter was not signed, but he knew who it was.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at the distant darkness for a long time. Suddenly, his hand shook and shattered the letter. He raised his hand and slowly sprinkled the letter, which was like snow, onto the lake.

The corners of his lips curled up into a smile that would make anyone unable to look him in the eye as the pieces of paper began to sway slightly.

He clapped his hands and shook off the dust on his sleeves that didn't exist. Then, he turned around and strode towards the palace. The moment he arrived at the entrance, he saw Yun Zhan anxiously walking over from the path.

"What is it that makes you so flustered?" He frowned in displeasure.

"Your Highness, I heard from the military just now that the border is in a hurry and that the army has retreated to the Mohe County."

"Oh, is the news accurate?"

"Eight hundred miles is a lot of hurry. It is said that it is the blood letter of Vice General Feng. It seems like he really can't hold on any longer." Dongluo State and nation of Nanyue were watching the fire from the other side of the river. Do you think the Emperor will let you dispatch troops right away? "

"Of course. He is a person who is afraid of life and death. The throne is on the verge of collapse, so of course he would do anything to get rid of it."

"But, how can we deal with the frenzied barbarians from the Northern Desert with an army of less than a hundred thousand men?"

"To deal with the barbarians, we don't necessarily need an army. We can also use wits. Furthermore, Royal Father would not give me a huge army of one hundred thousand. " He walked towards his sleeping quarters with large strides.

"Your Highness, we still need to recruit people, right?" Yun Zhan followed and said.

"We do indeed need to recruit troops, but our Yan State has already suffered countless casualties from the last war. If we were to forcefully recruit troops again, the strength of our nation might get weaker and weaker every year. As the prince of Yan State, you cannot disregard the bigger picture. "

"But..."

"Alright, This King has his own ideas, so there's no need for you to worry."

Then, he ignored Yun Zhan and walked into the bedroom. However, before he could put his other foot in, he heard a high-pitched voice.

"The emperor has ordered Fourth Prince and Jun Ximo to hurry to the imperial study to discuss national affairs."

Jun Ximo turned his head and looked up at the black sky. He then looked down at his father-in-law holding the horsetail whisk under the Pear Blossom Tree for a long time before replying indifferently.

"Eunuch Wang, go back first. This King will go right away!"

"Then I won't wait for Fourth Prince." Elder Wang waved his hand and disappeared into the night with his Orchid Finger.

Yun Zhan walked over with a frown on his face, appearing to be very uneasy. It was already a little excessive to let Jun Ximo, who had never fought before, into the battlefield. Who knew that there weren't many troops? Were they trying to kill Fourth Prince on purpose?

The answer was clear, yes.

For some reason, he felt slightly sour in his heart, because it was unfair.

Jun Ximo didn't linger and soon arrived outside the imperial study. A faint shadow of a lamp could be seen on the windowsill. It was very dim, just like his current state of mind. The reason Jun Aotian was able to come here was probably because he had just received some bad news at the banquet and had no choice but to come over.

"My son greets Royal Father." Jun Ximo shouted as he walked to the door.

"Come in!"

As soon as they entered the door, before Jun Ximo could salute, Jun Aotian handed him an imperial edict and a soldier token. He didn't even have time to catch his breath.

"The Northern Desert has already arrived at the city. We have high hopes for you. I will give you fifty thousand elite soldiers, fifty thousand loads of grain, a thousand horses, and a few weapons. Let's set off immediately. Royal Father will sit in the capital and wait for your triumphant return. "

He patted Jun Ximo's shoulder with a smile, but there was no happiness in his eyes. Amongst all the princes, he only hated him. He didn't even want to pretend to be intimate with him.

However, he was well aware that of these princes, he was the one with the most combat ability. He had no choice but to shoulder a heavy responsibility.

Jun Ximo silently received the decree and the soldier talisman, looked at Jun Aotian indifferently and smiled, "Royal Father, I, your son, vow to defend Yan State, you can rest assured."

He did not have any dissatisfaction or rebuttal. He put away his things and left without looking back. His tall back faintly revealed a hint of cold arrogance.

"..."

Jun Aotian wanted to say something, but he couldn't find a word to say. Stunned, he watched Jun Ximo's back as he left. An enchanting figure was dancing in his mind. She was truly a peerless existence.