The man in black looked up at her and sneered, "My coin is spent, I ask only who to kill, not who pays."
"Then you can die," Xue Zining's gaze turned cold, and the long sword in her hand pierced the man in black's heart.
The man in black died with his eyes wide open.
She withdrew her long sword. The common folk were no longer here; they had likely fled in all directions.
"My lady..."
The man left without looking back, not leaving a single word.
If she hadn't heard his voice, she would have thought he was mute.
"This humble general arrived late, I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"
Wu Dakang rushed in and saw the young girl standing there, her face as beautiful as ever. When the girl looked at him, her eyes were as clear as water.
His heart skipped a beat. He lowered his head and kowtowed firmly.
"General Wu, please rise quickly." Xue Zining stepped forward and offered a hand to help Wu Dakang up.
Wu Dakang dared not let the Empress help him and quickly rose. Seeing no one behind the girl, he couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, why didn't you bring any guards? Binzhou is not as peaceful as you imagine."
Upon hearing this, Xue Zining asked, "Why is it not peaceful here?"
Wu Dakang replied, "The Red Lotus Sect is kidnapping young girls."
Xue Zining froze, her gaze turning completely cold. "The Red Lotus Sect..."
Wu Dakang nodded. "Yes, I've been collecting information on the Red Lotus Sect recently. If Your Majesty needs it, I can organize some for you."
"Good," Xue Zining did not refuse. Her visit to Binzhou was not only to bring back Hua Yunjin but also to destroy the Red Lotus Sect.
"General Wu, have you heard of the Snow Country's treasure?" Xue Zining believed Dongling Pass was the closest place to the Snow Country, so he should have heard of it.
Wu Dakang was taken aback. Xue Zining saw this and asked, "What is it?"
Wu Dakang looked at her. "Does Your Majesty want this treasure?"
"To be honest, the Prime Minister needs this," Xue Zining did not conceal her purpose.
Wu Dakang was slightly surprised. He had also heard the rumors that the Empress had pursued Hua Yunjin to Binzhou, so the rumors were true.
"Your Majesty, you are too reckless. These matters can be handled by your subordinates; you don't need to make this trip yourself." Wu Dakang shook his head, indicating his disapproval.
"General Wu, have you ever had something that made you act impulsively, something that outsiders might find ridiculous, but you did it regardless of the consequences?"
The girl's voice was low and soft.
Wu Dakang was taken aback and smiled bitterly, "This humble general understands."
His current position at Dongling Pass was the best answer.
"Wu Dakang," the girl suddenly called his name.
Wu Dakang trembled. He saw the girl's clear eyes looking at him, filled with brilliance and radiance.
At this moment, the girl, looking down from above, exuded an aura of royalty that made him unable to do anything but submit.
He knelt on one knee. "This humble general is here."
"Select ten skilled individuals for me."
Wu Dakang was startled. "Your Majesty..."
"I am going to the Snow Country."
"Your Majesty, absolutely not." Wu Dakang instinctively looked up, seeing the girl's clear and resolute gaze, unshakable by anyone.
"This is an order," the girl said softly.
Wu Dakang trembled and lowered his head. "This humble general obeys!"
Not far away, Xue Yunlan sneered and said to the woman beside her, "Xue Zining is amazing, isn't she? She can even control someone as rough as Wu Dakang."
"Xue Yunlan, what do you want to say?" The woman looked up, revealing a scarred face.
Xue Yunlan looked at the woman's scarred face and clicked her tongue twice. "How pitiful. You must have used many means to avoid marrying Wu Dakang."
The woman looked at Xue Yunlan, but there was no hatred as Xue Yunlan expected. Her gaze was calm. "Xue Yunlan, the past is the past. I am very satisfied with my current life."
"Oh, really? Then I'm being overly meddlesome, but..."
"But what?"
"Li Fanghua, don't forget, you are just a favored concubine. Once the legitimate wife arrives, you and the child in your belly will have to make way."
Li Fanghua smiled at this. "So what? At least I dare to stand in every corner of Huangze openly. Do you dare, Xue Yunlan? Don't forget you are still a wanted criminal by the court."
Xue Yunlan smiled. "Then you are mistaken. Within five years from now, I will no longer be a wanted criminal by the court."
Li Fanghua was stunned. "You..."
"Xue Zining promised me," Xue Yunlan said word by word.
Li Fanghua looked into the distance. At this moment, Wu Dakang was kneeling on the ground, prostrating himself with sincere devotion.
She had always thought Wu Dakang, that brute, was heartless.
It seemed that was not the case.
Upon receiving Xue Yunlan's message that the Empress was trapped, Wu Dakang's entire demeanor was such that even she was intimidated.
Wu Dakang was angry, very angry, but more than that, he was anxious, eager to save the Empress.
"Xue Yunlan, even with ten or twenty years, you won't succeed."
Xue Yunlan was stunned, her gaze turning cold. "Why?"
Li Fanghua revealed a smile at the corner of her lips. "Because of people's hearts."
Xue Yunlan's gaze paused. Today was the second person to mention people's hearts to her.
"Why?"
"Look, Wu Dakang truly submits from the bottom of his heart. Such a person will not betray you," Li Fanghua said to Xue Yunlan.
Xue Yunlan was stunned and looked up to see Wu Dakang kowtowing firmly.
"People's hearts are unpredictable; who knows when they might betray you." Xue Yunlan withdrew her gaze.
Li Fanghua shook her head. She said, "Xue Yunlan, you don't understand. You will never succeed, never reach the highest position."
"Li Fanghua, don't think you understand everything now. Everything you have gained, I can destroy."
"Alright, come on!" Li Fanghua looked at her without blinking.
Seeing Xue Yunlan stunned, Li Fanghua said, "I've made up my mind. Life is for oneself. I was foolish in the past, but from now on, I will cherish the days that belong to me even more."
"Hopeless," Xue Yunlan sneered.
"Xue Yunlan, what have you gained by doing this?"
"What I want is enough," she said, then looked up as Wu Dakang and Xue Zining walked towards them.
She rubbed the personal seal in her hand, hardened her heart, and shoved it into Li Fanghua's hand, saying, "Give it to her."
Then she left.
Xue Zining saw Xue Yunlan leave and walked over. Li Fanghua was about to curtsy, but Xue Zining gently supported her. "Don't strain your pregnancy."
Li Fanghua said, "Your Majesty, she asked this subject's wife to give it to you."
Xue Zining looked at the personal seal in Li Fanghua's hand and smiled. "She hasn't really changed."
She still had a heart.
She glanced at Li Fanghua's swollen belly and asked, "Are you due soon?"
Li Fanghua nodded. "Yes, probably next month."
Xue Zining looked at Wu Dakang, who was grinning foolishly, and asked, "Have you chosen a name yet?"
"Not yet," Wu Dakang replied.
"How about Zheng Lu?"
"Good, that's good..." Wu Dakang's eyes lit up.
"May he always walk the path of righteousness."