The beloved baby has a space

Chapter 259 Troops Arrive at the Border

On Xiao Ayu's birthday, it wasn't just the Wang family who were busy.

In the distant West Wind Kingdom, thousands of miles away, a sudden upheaval occurred.

The Western Wind Kingdom and the Great Chang Kingdom are similar in size, both being major powers on this continent.

The difference is that before the new emperor ascended the throne, the Great Chang Kingdom experienced a long period of turmoil, and the people suffered everywhere.

Now, Anshun has only been around for 17 years.

The Kingdom of Xifeng has been passed down for over 300 years. The royal family has always maintained self-discipline and adherence to etiquette, resulting in relatively few incidents of nobles oppressing the poor, and the overall national customs are simple and honest.

However, no one would underestimate this country. They do not revere force, but the largest army on the continent is there, and it is in the hands of the imperial court.

Now that army has gathered at the border of the Great Chang Kingdom, and the border guards who are defending the city are so anxious that their lips are almost blistered.

"What's going on? Has the Kingdom of Xifeng gone mad? Why are they suddenly acting like they want to fight us?" The general guarding the city couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried.

Because both countries are large, if they were to actually go to war, it would be a devastating tragedy.

The general's subordinate was even more bewildered: "I don't know either. Although we've made several inquiries, we haven't gotten any good results. The spies from the Western Wind Kingdom can't figure anything out."

"We can't just make something up out of nothing, can we? Our Great Chang Kingdom has had frequent trade with the Western Chang Kingdom in recent years, so there shouldn't be any war between us."

Even the soldiers defending the city were not the most elite troops.

"I don't know."

The general scratched his head, wiping away a bead of sweat: "First, have the soldiers prepare. If we really have to fight their imperial army, we're likely to be in trouble. Also, send a message by carrier pigeon to General Hu in Silver City, and tell him to send reinforcements immediately after receiving the message!"

"Yes!"

After his subordinates left to carry out their orders, the general was so worried that his hair turned white.

Just two more years and he would be able to retire peacefully and return to his hometown, and then this happened. Sigh.

While the Great Chang Kingdom was on high alert, the Western Kingdom's imperial army remained silent.

The stalemate continued until the Mid-Autumn Festival. The soldiers had no festive atmosphere at all, fearing that the enemy would suddenly attack while trying to persuade them to celebrate.

Just then, someone came downstairs to report.

"Report! The West Wind Kingdom has withdrawn its troops!"

Both the general and General Hu, who came to provide assistance, had question marks written all over their faces.

"What? They suddenly withdrew their troops?"

Did they say anything?

"Did the scouts spot the ambush?"

The messenger shook his head: "No, none of them."

The two generals looked at each other in bewilderment.

Is this... just for fun?

The messenger hesitated for a moment, but still said, "However, our scouts discovered that just two days ago, one of our men went to the West Wind Kingdom."

Then they saw two monks, one big and one small, driving a horse-drawn carriage.

The reason they were noticed was that the horses pulling the carriage were not ordinary horses, but three Akhal-Teke horses.

It is said that it can travel a thousand miles a day without changing horses.

If an emergency occurs, the journey from their capital, Wanlin City, all the way to Xifeng Kingdom, a distance of eight thousand li, can be completed in just half a month, including rest time on their precious horses.

A regular horse-drawn carriage can only travel a maximum of 200 li per day; any more and the horses will be exhausted.

The general hurriedly asked, "Why wasn't such an important matter reported?"

The subordinate looked puzzled: "I reported that a few days ago." The general remembered that some time ago, because of the rumors of war, the people in the surrounding areas who heard the news gradually returned to their own countries.

Some of them were from the Western Wind Kingdom, some from the Great Chang Kingdom, and some from other countries.

They all traveled in different ways, and no one stopped them from going home. However, the checks were stricter than usual to prevent spies from getting in.

After hearing this a few times, the general became impatient and told his subordinates not to report such matters again.

Thinking of this, the general glared and said, "Can ordinary people be compared to monks riding Ferghana horses?! Do you even have a brain? Can't you think for yourself?!"

Messenger: "..."

If I were that thoughtful, I wouldn't be a messenger.

General Hu asked, "Did you question those two monks about where they came from and where they were going?"

“I asked them, and they said they came from Wangbei County and were going to the capital of Xifeng Kingdom to beg for alms.”

General Hu: "Since you are a monk from the Great Chang Kingdom, why did you go to the Western Wind Kingdom to beg for alms?"

Messenger: "...I don't know."

The general waved his hand, signaling the messenger to go and investigate further.

Meanwhile, the two monks who had piqued their curiosity had already entered the territory of the Western Wind Kingdom and joined the imperial army.

The leading general, surnamed Ouyang, had a very handsome face. When he sat in his tent inspecting military affairs, he didn't look like a general, but rather like a pale-faced scholar.

When General Ouyang heard that two monks were outside looking for him and had called out his full name, Ouyang Pei, he waved for them to bring him in.

Those two monks were none other than Xiao Qingwu and his master from Puji Temple in Nanhe Town.

After the monk went inside, he smiled slightly at Ouyang Pei behind the table and performed a Buddhist salute: "Benefactor Ouyang, how have you been?"

When Ouyang Pei looked up, he was momentarily blinded by the monk's shiny bald head.

At first, he thought the monk looked familiar, but upon closer inspection, his eyes widened slightly, and his tightly pursed thin lips seemed to have a crack.

His expressionless face looked as if it had cracked open.

"Ye Yuncang? What are you doing!" Ouyang Pei suddenly stood up, walked around the table, and strode towards the monk. "Where have you been all these years? Don't tell me you ran off to some remote mountain forest to become a monk!"

Ye Yuncang took a step back, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes: "Benefactor, my Buddhist name is Yuan Gou. My secular nickname is a thing of the past and not worth mentioning again."

Ouyang Pei glanced at him and said, "You really are a scoundrel."

He took a few steps to the side, his handsome brows furrowed, and then said, "Since you have already converted to Buddhism, I suppose those things I kept for you are useless. You don't want your fiancée anymore?"

"My future is ruined; I have long understood that form is emptiness, and emptiness is form."

"Very well, you don't want the money anymore?"

"External possessions should be left to those who are destined to receive them."

Ouyang Pei sighed: "It seems that you don't care about the century-old peach blossom wine, the eighty-year-old Daughter Red wine, and the pear blossom wine specially made by the wine master for you."

Ye Yuncang's smile deepened, and he bowed slightly to Ouyang Pei: "This humble monk may return to secular life."

Ouyang Pei: "..."

Xiao Qingwu, standing nearby: ? ? ?
I never expected you to be this kind of master!

After the joke, Ye Yuncang and Ouyang Pei sat facing each other. He said, "The Buddhist sect didn't teach me anything, but I did learn a thing or two about divination. Luckily, I managed to stop you in time."

Do you know why I've come here?

"What else can we do? It's nothing more than finding someone," Ye Yuncang said. "This time in the Great Chang Kingdom, I met someone who looks exactly like Ruan Ruan from my childhood."

Ouyang Pei suddenly stood up: "Are you serious?!"

(End of this chapter)