My Lord, the princess doesn't want you anymore.

Liu Piaopiao nodded and pulled her up, "Baizhi, remember what you said today. When I feel better, I will go find her and tell her everything."

Huamei looked at her with tears on her face: "But Yan Shu doesn't agree with this plan."

"It's not his turn to agree or not. It's urgent and I can't wait any longer. Besides, he's just a secret guard who only knows how to execute orders. There were many things back then that he didn't know about at all." Liu Piaopiao sighed, "I can only take a gamble. Even if I lose the bet, the worst that can happen is that I'll die. Anyway, I don't have many days left to live, so what am I afraid of?"

When Mei Xueer came in, Huamei was still wiping her tears, and Liu Piaopiao was struggling to get out of bed.

When Mei Xueer saw it, she was shocked.

Is this still the Liu Piaopiao I knew before?

After not seeing her for many days, her face was full of wrinkles, like a woman in her 50s or 60s, and she even panted when she walked.

The crow's feet at the corners of his eyes were almost pulled into his hair, and he even had age spots on his face.

"You're trying your best to avoid the marriage, huh?" Mei Xue'er pouted. "What kind of medicine are you using?"

"Ah? Miss Mei, you mean someone poisoned me and that's why I'm like this? I always thought I was sick."

Seeing Liu Piaopiao rubbing something in her hands, Mei Xueer asked casually, "Second Miss Liu, what is this..."

"Oh..." Liu Piaopiao forced a smile and spread out her hands. It turned out to be just a jade pendant of ordinary quality. It looked like an eagle was carved on it.

"This is what my mother left for me..." Liu Piaopiao looked a little sad, "My mother was just a maid in this mansion, of low status. This is the only thing she left for me."

"I'm sorry to remind you of sad things." Mei Xue'er just glanced at him without any special expression, "The emperor asked me to come and see you."

Liu Piaopiao nodded, sat down beside the bed, and casually brought the topic back to the topic, "In this world, the deepest love is mother's love."

She gently placed the jade pendant in her hand on the table, right under Mei Xueer's nose.

A trace of vigilance flashed through Mei Xue'er's heart, and she sighed, "Yes, what love can compare to a mother's love? Isn't it because of Miss Liu that the princess became like this... Miss Liu, please extend your hand."

Huamei on the side had been looking at Mei Xueer calmly. Seeing that she ignored the jade pendant, disappointment flashed across her eyes.

Liu Piaopiao didn't say anything else and just stretched out her hand obediently.

Mei Xueer took Liu Piaopiao's pulse, but no matter how she diagnosed, there was nothing abnormal.

"Miss Liu's illness is very unusual, and she got sick at a very good time." Mei Xue'er was extremely surprised, but she didn't show any expression. "My medical skills are not good, so I really can't find the cause of the disease."

Liu Piaopiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a wry smile: "It's okay, I've always had a bad health, life and death are determined by fate, I've already become indifferent to it."

Mei Xueer didn't want to say anything more to her, so she asked Nanxing to pick up the medicine box and leave. "I'll go back and think about it. Maybe I can make you young again soon."

……

***

At this time, a horse was galloping towards the capital of Dazhen, followed closely by several carriages.

On the frame, there is a conspicuous red lion flag with a black background.

The royal flag of Changguo!

In the car was an envoy sent by the Emperor of Changguo.

In recent years, all countries have been frightened when they see this flag.

When the Hengdu Empire collapsed, Changguo was just an insignificant place in the northwest border. However, after several generations of monarchs worked hard to govern the country, rich iron and salt mines were excavated in the territory, and the national strength and military power gradually grew. They began to eye their neighbors covetously and even created an invincible "Tiger Division" with 500,000 cavalry.

Wherever there are Changguo’s cavalry, there will be the Changguo national flag with a black background and a red lion.

The western part of Dazhen bordered Changguo, but fortunately, the mountains and valleys formed a natural barrier to block the cavalry of Changguo.

However, in the northwest, at the junction of Chang, Zhen and Xiling, there is a flat area in Sanyue Bay of Xiling. If Chang State passes through Xiling, the cavalry can march straight in.

There is another way for Changguo to expand eastward, which is to enter from the southwest of Xiling, but it requires crossing the vast Gobi Desert. There is no grass on the Gobi Desert, and marching and supply are all problems, so it is not the first choice.

Therefore, the flat area of ​​Sanyue Bay is the only way for Changguo to expand eastward, and Changguo has always wanted to occupy it.

Xiling knew that it was no match for Changguo, so it had been paying tribute and sending princesses to Changguo for marriage over the years, trying its best to befriend Changguo.

But if Changguo wants to pass through Sanyue Bay, Xiling will be cautious.

Just as the envoy that Cui Qimo secretly sent to Xiling a few days ago said, if Changguo occupied the northwest of Zhenguo, then the two would be in a predicament, and Changguo would attack Xiling from the west and south at the same time, and Xiling would surely perish.

Emperor Xiling also understood that in order to resist the invasion of Changguo, he could only unite with Zhenguo to fight the enemy together.

The envoy of Zhenguo also said that they would send a princess to marry Xiling so that the two countries could form a friendly relationship.

Changguo had always wanted to use military force against Zhenguo. The death of the crown prince in Dazhen just gave it a good reason to send troops.

Zhenguo might be able to resist for a while, but in the long run it will not be a match for Changguo.

Emperor Xiling had originally only hoped that the war would not spread to his doorstep, but now it seemed that remaining neutral was not an option.

Xiling must take sides.

If Zhenguo stands on the side of Changguo and allows it to pass through, the obvious outcome for Zhenguo will be the future of Xiling.

If we stand on the side of Zhenguo, Changguo might attack Xiling first.

Therefore, ever since he learned that the Crown Prince of Changguo died in Zhenguo, the Emperor of Xiling has been in a dilemma and can only wait and see.

The envoy sent by the Emperor of Changguo to Zhenguo this time was the fourth prince, King Chu, who was also the most powerful rival of the late crown prince.

The King of Chu was born into a poor family, but he was arrogant, cruel, eccentric, moody, and extremely cunning.

His biological mother was just a palace maid favored by the emperor on a whim. However, such a prince of humble origin managed to gradually change the emperor's attitude towards her from ignoring her to admiring her, and she even became the prince's strongest opponent.

If we talk about the death of the prince in Zhenguo, the happiest person in Changguo would be the King of Chu.

The next morning at court, Cui Qimo summoned the King of Chu.

"Your Majesty, I came here this time to firstly take His Royal Highness the Crown Prince back to the country. Secondly, I also want Your Majesty to give me an explanation. The Crown Prince of Dachang actually died in the capital of Zhen Kingdom. If this gets out, how can Dachang keep its reputation?"

The King of Chu was arrogant, which made Cui Qimo very unhappy: "Your Highness, your country's prince sneaked into our Dazhen capital without permission. What he wanted to do is still unknown. How can we know that he didn't have some ulterior motive? Yes, he died here, but it is still unknown who killed him. It is possible that it was done by the people of Chang. Before this matter is investigated clearly, I will not give Your Highness any explanation!"

The King of Chu laughed and said, "Your Majesty, the fire in Xiangxi River has been burning for a month, and your country has no clue at all. Haha, could it be that the court of Zhen Kingdom is full of good-for-nothings?..."

"Your Highness, please be careful with your words! This is in the court of Dazhen. Please be aware of your status when speaking." Prime Minister Mei sneered and looked at the King of Chu meaningfully. "This case is still under investigation. We don't need to report any progress to Your Highness. Because, it is hard to say whether the death of the crown prince was caused by the struggle in your court."

"Prime Minister Mei, right?" The King of Chu turned his body to the side and looked at him arrogantly. "I heard that the Prime Minister has a daughter who is the most talented woman in Dazhen. I am also a scholar. As the saying goes, we appreciate each other. I must find an opportunity to exchange ideas with Miss Mei... The Prime Minister does not need to be angry. We are just discussing poetry and songs. I am also a scholar and I definitely do not have the slightest intention of being frivolous... I also heard that the day before yesterday was the wedding day of the Prime Minister's daughter and Prince Xiao. I did not make it in time, but I have prepared a small gift in advance. Please accept it."

After saying this, he took out a scroll of silk from his bosom and said, "Your Majesty, this is the declaration of war that Dachang has issued to Zhenguo! My father said that if Zhenguo does not have a reasonable explanation for the death of the crown prince, this declaration of war will be handed to Your Majesty personally by me."

Changguo’s declaration of war!