"Although you can train beasts, insects, and birds, you're not facing one or two people, or even one or two hundred people, but the entire population of a city. You can't possibly use insects and birds to deal with all of them, can you?"

"And I can't possibly just kill them one by one, can I?"

"So, for now, the only option is to stay and figure out the situation. Be good, go back to Qingzhou and wait. Someone will meet you there."

By the end, Xie Jin Yan's handsome face had grown even more grave, and his expression held a hint of command as he repeated in a low voice, "A'Wu, you are to leave the city immediately."

Leave the city immediately?

Would leaving the city immediately prevent her from becoming his weakness?

If that were truly the case, it wouldn't be impossible.

Yu Qing Wu admitted that she was worried about Xie Jin Yan and didn't want to be separated from him at a time like this.

But...

After a moment of silence, Yu Qing Wu slowly raised her head, her captivating peach blossom eyes tinged with an even deeper red at the corners.

She gazed deeply at Xie Jin Yan for a moment and said, "Xie Jin Yan, do you really think that leaving the city will solve everything? Do you think that sending someone to meet me will solve everything?"

"As you said, we're already being watched."

"So... even if I leave Yunzhou City right now, I might still be ambushed."

"Besides, since we're already under their noses, don't you think that sending me out of the city right now would arouse even more suspicion?"

"And also, in your eyes, am I really that weak? That useless? So easily a burden to you?"

Yu Qing Wu grew more agitated as she spoke, and her tone couldn't help but become sharper towards the end.

Perhaps it had been too long since he'd seen Qing Wu like this. Xie Jin Yan paused slightly, his expression softening as he said gently, "A'Wu, I'm worried about you..."

"I know that I don't have any martial arts to protect myself, but Xie Jin Yan, I ask you, when have I ever been a burden to you?"

Xie Jin Yan frowned, but before he could speak, Yu Qing Wu interrupted him coldly.

Her eyes fixed on him, she said, word by word, "Xie Jin Yan, is it because I've been your caged bird for too long that you really think I'm just a bird in a cage, weak and useless, only good for showing off my beauty, at anyone's beck and call?"

"I won't blame you for making it impossible for me to practice martial arts, but I also hope that you won't look down on me because of it."

How did this woman manage to turn it around and make it seem like he was looking down on her?

And she even brought up that old incident...

A hint of guilt flashed in his eyes. Xie Jin Yan frowned slightly and explained, "Shijie (Senior Martial Sister), that's not what I meant. I'm..."

"You're afraid that people will harm me?"

Yu Qing Wu interrupted him again, and seeing that they were almost at the inn, she stopped speaking.

Then, she took Xie Jin Yan's hand and quickly walked into the room.

Once they were inside, she quickly bolted the door and made sure that no one was around before speaking again, calling him softly, "Your Highness, are you confused? That Bai Chen person said he wanted to negotiate terms with the imperial court."

"Since he wants to negotiate terms with the imperial court, then the more bargaining chips he has, the better. If he reveals our identities at this moment and puts our lives in danger, what will he use to negotiate terms with the imperial court? Just Xie Qi Yun and the You family relatives? To put it bluntly, your imperial father has many princes, but you are the only one born of the empress, the only one who can be chosen as the heir apparent without any reservations. Naturally, you are more important than others."

"To take a step back, even if you and Xie Qi Yun are both gone, your imperial father can choose someone else. So, in reality, whether that Bai Chen kills us or kidnaps us, it doesn't mean anything. He's waiting for you to appear to negotiate terms, or perhaps he's mistaken you for someone else..."

"But in either case, he won't act rashly."

Yu Qing Wu's expression was calm, but her words were becoming increasingly sharp.

She even carried a hint of the coldness she had possessed in her youth.

Xie Jin Yan frowned as he looked at her, his mood extremely complex.

That's right, his Shijie (Senior Martial Sister) looked weak, but she was definitely not truly weak.

She was never a gilded cage songbird, let alone a burden who would easily hold others back.

Moreover, she understood many things very clearly.

But understanding was one thing, and being certain that no accidents would happen was another.

With a long sigh, Xie Jin Yan reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, saying gently, "A'Wu, it's not that I don't understand what you're saying, but there are always unexpected events. Not everything can go according to plan. Let's not talk about whether Bai Chen will act against us for now."

"To take a step back, even if he doesn't, what about those commoners? You've also seen that those commoners hate the imperial court to the core, wishing they could flay the entire royal family alive. Even if they obey Bai Chen, can you guarantee that there won't be one or two extremists? There's no way to guard against such a thing..."

"Since there's no way to guard against it, why can't we take the initiative?"

Yu Qing Wu's face darkened, and her eyes also grew heavy. She forcefully removed Xie Jin Yan's hand from her shoulder and said seriously, "Jin Yan, in the past, I didn't interfere with political affairs because I understood that you minded it. So, whether it was matters of the court or those outside, I never asked about anything except things related to my Yu family. But just because I didn't ask, doesn't mean I couldn't help you."

"It doesn't mean that I don't have a way."

Yu Qing Wu's serious and composed voice entered his ears, and Xie Jin Yan paused again.

That's right, there were many things she didn't say, but it didn't mean that she couldn't do them.

Moreover, since she was already in this state, if he really sent her out of the city, she might come back on her own.

At that time, it would probably be even more dangerous.

Letting out a soft sigh, Xie Jin Yan saw that Yu Qing Wu was really being stubborn, so he didn't say anything more, only saying helplessly, "Alright, Shijie (Senior Martial Sister), if you really want to do this, then you must stay close and never leave my sight."

"Of course..."

Seeing that Xie Jin Yan no longer wanted to send her out of the city, Yu Qing Wu's expression finally improved a bit, and she asked him, "Then Your Highness, what do you plan to do next?"

What to do?

Naturally, wait and see first.

However...

What did she mean by taking the initiative just now?

Thinking of this, Xie Jin Yan looked at Yu Qing Wu again, pulled her down to sit, lowered his voice and asked, "Shijie (Senior Martial Sister), listening to what you said just now, do you have an idea? You said take the initiative? How should we take the initiative?"

As the saying goes, three cobblers are equal to one Zhuge Liang (a great strategist). If A'Wu could think of a better way than him, that would naturally be the best.

If not, using both methods at the same time would also be good.

Hearing this, Yu Qing Wu didn't keep him in suspense.

She smiled faintly and looked outside again, saying, "Your Highness, haven't you noticed that those commoners almost treat that Bai Chen like a god?"

"This situation is definitely not just because of past relief efforts. After all, there are many new people who have joined. So, why are these new people also like this?"

"It must be propaganda, indoctrination, a subtle influence."

"Bai Chen can do this, so why can't we? Why must we be at their mercy? Fighting poison with poison isn't impossible."

"As the saying goes, in the art of war, attacking the mind is paramount, and executing the heart is the best strategy."