She Holds the World After Being Reborn-Chapter 571 - 570 Sister Liu, No Hard Feelings, Have a Safe Journey
"What? Jumped into the river?!" Chu Qi stood up immediately upon hearing the news brought by the Hidden Guard, unable to believe his own ears.
He looked angrily at Huaxu Song standing beside him, "Is this your so-called foolproof plan?!"
"She jumped into the river, and her life and death are uncertain!"
Huaxu Song frowned, gesturing with one hand and then pulling a turtle shell from his robe, "Don’t panic, let me calculate."
Chu Qi’s face turned ashen. After hearing that Xiao Pingfeng had coughed up blood and fainted, his expression eased slightly.
"That’s more like it, at least there’s some good news."
At that moment, Huaxu Song lifted his head from the turtle shell, and Chu Qi immediately asked, "How is it?"
"She’s still alive," said Huaxu Song, choosing his words carefully, his expression slightly grave.
The divination was quite peculiar; even he found it somewhat unclear, as if everything were enveloped in fog. Normally, as the architect of this scheme, he now vaguely felt himself surrounded by fog as well, which was not a good sign.
A sense of heaviness settled in Huaxu Song’s heart, realizing that after finding Yan Wanqing, he must arrange a trip to Penglai as soon as possible.
Upon hearing she was still alive, Chu Qi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ordered the Hidden Guard, "Hurry to the riverside to search, you must find General Su and bring her back to me!"
Watching the Hidden Guard leave, Chu Qi paced back and forth within the tent, his expression very excited.
"Xiao Pingfeng is seriously injured just as we predicted; is tonight not the best opportunity to attack the Dawei Camp?"
Huaxu Song tucked the turtle shell back into his sleeve, emphasizing, "It is as your humble servant has predicted."
Chu Qi: "..."
Huaxu Song then said, "Xiao Pingfeng is extremely calculating and adept at strategizing. Logically, the news of his severe injury shouldn’t have reached us so soon."
"You mean he did it on purpose?"
"I wouldn’t rule out that possibility."
Chu Qi’s expression darkened. He began pacing back and forth in the tent again; after a long while, he suddenly slapped his thigh, "Regardless of whether it’s true or false, Xiao Pingfeng is already severely injured now. The Dawei soldiers are leaderless, and that cunning Think Tank, Ming Quan, is also dead. This is the best opportunity. If we don’t strike now, when will we?"
As a ruler, he could not miss such a great opportunity!
Huaxu Song shook his head, "That’s not good, that’s not good."
"This won’t do, that won’t do, what then, in your opinion, is suitable? You’re getting on my nerves here, Huaxu Song. If you’re so capable, take charge of the next battle yourself. Aren’t you Yan Wanqing’s former mentor? Since Yan Wanqing is so adept at leading troops, you must be even better."
After saying this, Chu Qi immediately issued an order in front of Huaxu Song, appointing him as the commander-in-chief, able to order the entire army.
Huaxu Song, clutching the Imperial Edict of his new title, mounted the battle horse with a face as pale as iron.
He had been advising various countries for many years and was also well-versed in military strategy, or else he could not have been on such good terms with the respected Yan Guozhong.
However, Chu Qi’s strategy of using and then discarding him was quite displeasing.
But thinking of the agreement between the two of them, Huaxu Song decided to give Chu Qi a taste of success.
"Then Your Majesty may await good news from your humble servant in the camp." Tonight, he would lead the cavalry in a surprise raid on the Dawei Camp.
Watching Huaxu Song ride out with three thousand cavalry through the side gate, Chu Qi’s expression became cold.
Then, a slender figure appeared by his side, dressed in a dusty robe, her complexion pale as if deeply weathered.
"Is Ming Quan truly dead?" Chu Qi asked once more. Ming Quan was somewhat skilled; if Xiao Pingfeng was injured and Ming Quan was in command, Huaxu Song’s night would certainly be difficult.
The dusty weathered old figure nodded, "Absolutely certain, I checked his breath myself; he was killed by the hand of Yan Wanqing."
The voice was familiar, clearly that of Liao Cuihua who had just escaped from the Dawei military camp!
"The maid also killed her personal maid, Cong Ge, and framed the Dawei soldiers, completely severing the relationship between them, making reconciliation impossible!"
Listening to Liao Cuihua’s report, Chu Qi laughed loudly.
"Very good, very good! You handled this beautifully. You haven’t infiltrated Dawei in vain all these years!"
Liao Cuihua bowed her head, a smug smile playing on her lips.
"This is all I should do. If His Majesty had not sent someone to meet me at the crossroads in advance this time, I fear I would already be dead. My life belongs to His Majesty, and it’s natural for me to serve him."
Chu Qi nodded in approval.
"Your child in Dawei, once I win this war, I will ensure you are reunited with your child," Chu Qi thought about the child Liao Cuihua had borne for this mission.
Unexpectedly, Liao Cuihua shook her head and said, "Your Majesty need not worry about me. I only have Your Majesty’s kindness in my heart, nothing else."
She wouldn’t even consider her own child.
"Good, very good," Chu Qi extended his hand and patted her shoulder, "Indeed, those who accomplish great things must be ruthless. You truly deserve to stand by my side."
After speaking, he walked towards the tent, Liao Cuihua’s expression filled with joy and pride, completely oblivious to the ruthlessness and murderous intent in his eyes.
Liao Cuihua received a large reward and went back to her quarters, still admiring it when a Hidden Guard said enviously, "His Majesty really treats Sister Liao well."
Liao Cuihua, adorned with a string of gold bracelets and wearing agate and gemstone necklaces, said, "All of this is what I deserve."
Having infiltrated Dawei for many years, she had even seduced a coachman and bore the offspring of this despicable man, dutifully playing the role of a mother.
These jewels, weren’t they rightly Liao Cuihua’s due?
Yet, what she desired most was still the Emperor’s favor.
But someone as tainted as her was not fit to enter the Emperor’s harem.
"What’s the matter with Sister Liao?" the Hidden Guard noticed the change in Liao Cuihua’s emotions and set down the jade bracelet.
Liao Cuihua, hiding her thoughts, shook her head, "It’s nothing." She picked up the Jade Buddha. "If you like it, take it."
"Really?" the Hidden Guard was overjoyed.
Liao Cuihua nodded, "Plenty more where that came from; I don’t mind sharing."
The Hidden Guard sighed with pity, "Sister Liao is so good to me; I can hardly bear to give you the last gift His Majesty sent you."
"His Majesty has another gift?" Liao Cuihua completely missed the pity in the Hidden Guard’s eyes.
All she heard was ’the last gift.’
It wasn’t until the Hidden Guard’s golden wire tightened around her neck that she realized with shock.
"Why... why?" Liao Cuihua couldn’t understand why Chu Qi would want her dead.
The Hidden Guard looked at her red-faced, agonized expression without emotion, "Blame your own excellence, Sister Liao. You really completed all the tasks."
If the public knew these dirty deeds were orchestrated by the hands of Chu Kingdom’s Emperor, it would be the greatest scandal.
So Liao Cuihua had to die.
From the moment she set out for Dawei, her fate was sealed.
"We are all the Emperor’s Dead Soldiers, sacrificing our lives wholly for His Majesty is our duty," the Hidden Guard said gently, "Do not blame me, Sister. Safe travels."
As his words fell, he tightened his grip, Liao Cuihua stopped struggling, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as she stared fixedly at the tent ceiling above.
Until death, she couldn’t understand why Chu Qi, for whom she had sacrificed so much, would still want her life!
