The Concubine's Daughter Travels Through Time and Space and Takes the Road of Confrontation

As boxes and cages were transported from the palace to the hot spring villa, three days passed in a flash.

The fifth prince returned to Kyoto as scheduled, and right after him was an urgent official document sent from the southwest border over a distance of 800 miles.

According to a report submitted by the prefect of Hanzhong, "The King of Nanyue, under the pretext of banditry, has deployed 100,000 troops on the southwestern border, and is suspected of having rebellious intentions."

This news shook the capital. At this crucial juncture, Emperor Longqing's health was deteriorating, and the Qin Dynasty had no military commanders to rival General Lin since his death, creating a generational gap. Furthermore, the terrain in southern Guizhou was complex, the people were tough, and it was easy to defend but difficult to attack.

The King of Nanyue had such sinister intentions.

After receiving the news, Dingyuan Bo immediately entered the palace.

"Your Majesty, the King of Nanyue has deployed his troops to the southwestern border. His intentions are unclear. Your Majesty, please make plans as soon as possible."

Emperor Longqing's face turned pale. "For the past thirty years, this old fellow Zhou Chong has become a disaster right under my nose."

When the late emperor first ascended the throne, internal and external turmoil reigned, with the southwestern chieftains repeatedly causing rebellions that were beyond the reach of the imperial court. The emperor then sent Zhou Chong, then a general, to the southwest under the guise of pacifying the rebellion. Unexpectedly, Zhou Chong conquered the chaotic Sanchuan region in just one year.

Afterwards, Zhou Chong became the only king of a different surname in the Qin Dynasty, known as the King of Nanyue.

The shadow of the King of Nanyue was behind some of the things that happened when the late emperor was seriously ill. Even the main ingredient of Zuisheng Xiaoyao Powder - Baibanjiao was originally a medicinal ingredient unique to Sanchuan.

Lu Yun originally wanted to leave today, but when she reached the gate of Zichen Palace, she was persuaded to go back by Eunuch Wang. The fifth prince Qin Mao was also persuaded to go back.

"What a coincidence! I didn't expect to meet Your Highness here." Lu Yun was very polite.

The Fifth Prince had grown darker and thinner, but he was still the same when he spoke. He bowed to Lu Yun in front of everyone and said sincerely, "I knew what happened in the capital when I came here. Thank you, Ning An."

Lu Yun was actually startled by him. To be honest, she had been at the center of public opinion for the past few days and had finally calmed down. Now, accepting a gift from the future emperor, wouldn't it push her to the forefront again? She was so anxious that she kept saying she didn't dare.

At this moment, a violent cough was heard in the palace. Lu Yun was startled. Emperor Longqing must not think of marrying her to the Fifth Prince again. Despite all the scrutiny along the way, Lu Yun gritted her teeth and invited the guests to Xianfu Palace.

Lu Yun forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, you are a noble man. You must never behave like this again. As a citizen of the Qin Dynasty, it is my duty and responsibility to protect Your Majesty."

After hearing this, the Fifth Prince's expression on his round face was extremely lonely. "What a cruel fate! Even Ning An has become estranged from me."

Lu Yun wiped her sweat while muttering to herself, "They weren't very familiar with each other." She quickly suppressed the pity she felt, for the man in front of her was the future emperor!

Before he could finish his words, Eunuch Wang walked in with his back hunched.

"Your Highness, Princess, His Majesty invites you two to come over."

Emperor Longqing sat, his face pale as paper, leaning against the kang. A bowl of medicinal soup and memorials lay on the small table before him. The smell of medicine lingered in the room, mingled with a faint odor of blood.

The old man on the couch breathed weakly, "Ning An, come to me."

Lu Yun's heart was pounding as she took a cautious step forward, her body just level with the Fifth Prince.

"Ning'an, I have something to entrust to you." Emperor Longqing raised his hand tremblingly, stretched out his fingers and tapped twice on the memorial in front of him. "Take a look first."

While Lu Yun was still hesitating, the Fifth Prince stepped forward, picked up the memorial and stuffed it into her hands.

After a moment, Lu Yun hurriedly handed the memorial to the Fifth Prince, "Your Majesty, I consider myself mediocre and unable to shoulder such a heavy responsibility."

Emperor Longqing was not angry when he heard this. He took a deep breath, his face full of resentment. "My life is coming to an end. Xiaowu is a king who is responsible for preserving the status quo. I dare not gamble, let alone risk the inheritance of my ancestors."

The fifth prince knelt down with his head touching the ground. "Your son is incompetent."

Lu Yun closed his eyes in despair, clenching his hands at his sides. "Your son obeys."

The King of Nanyue deployed an army of 100,000 in the southwest. One of his intentions was to request the title of Crown Prince, and the other was to ask Qin Chao to marry Princess Ning'an to be the Crown Prince's consort.

Lu Yun returned to Xianfu Palace in a daze. A month later, she would go to Nanyue to marry the princess, carrying the imperial edict to appoint the crown prince of Nanyue.

When Emperor Longqing saw Wang Quan closing the palace door, he cursed, "The King of Nanyue is full of tricks and is not worthy of being a human being!"

The Fifth Prince read the letter in silence, his expression gloomy and almost dazed. "Father, this villain is so cunning and resourceful that I am ashamed of myself."

This letter was sent to Kyoto together with the memorial from the King of Nanyue requesting the title of Crown Prince.

According to the letter, the account book of the Luzhou official salt case was first passed through the hands of the King of Nanyue, and the account book that brought down Lu Xiang was also his work.

Long before the imperial court realized the value of Princess Ning'an, the King of Nanyue had already planted spies in the Hot Spring Villa, and high-quality grain seeds and potatoes were planted in the land of Sanchuan before the Qin Dynasty.

It was he who intervened and intensified the conflict between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, causing trouble.

Even the grain transport reform that Emperor Longqing never explicitly mentioned was well known to the old villain of Nanyue.

Every single thing that happened was terrifying.

Emperor Longqing couldn't help but think of his deceased third son, Qin Xin. Of his three sons, only he could stand out in terms of intelligence and strategy. However, Qin Xin was excessive, ruthless, and devoid of any sense of justice. Such a person was unfit to be an emperor, let alone a minister.

At that time, thousands of miles away, King Zhou Chong of Nanyue, who was obsessed with fishing, sneezed so loudly that the fish that had just bitten the hook was scared and ran away.

"Who is talking about me? It must be the unfilial eldest son!" The King of Nanyue picked up the fishing rod angrily. The silver hook was empty and the bait had been eaten up.

The second son, Zhou Zhongyi, stood behind his father with a mournful look on his face. "Father, my eldest brother has kicked me out of the army again, and even called me as stupid as a pig."

Zhou Chong was so angry that he said, "Get out of here and don't bother me fishing." The military power is in the hands of that little bastard. Now I have to look at his mood when I go out for a walk.

Zhou Zhongyi's handsome face twisted slightly. "Father, you can't just stand by and watch my brother act recklessly. Sending troops to attack the Qin Dynasty is tantamount to declaring war. And it's all for a little girl."

The King of Nanyue put down his fishing rod, rolled up his sleeves, and looked at his youngest son. "Do you know the current situation of the Qin Dynasty?"

Zhou Zhongyi was startled, unsure. "Emperor Longqing is not in good health, and the Qin Dynasty only has the Fifth Prince left."

"Then do you understand the talents and quirks of this Fifth Prince?"

Zhou Zhongyi shook his head guiltily.

"In your opinion, how does Zhou Boli compare to your father, me, and you in Nanyue?"

Zhou Zhongyi didn't dare to look his father in the eye, and said stubbornly, "Big brother, he just took advantage of the situation to get the grain seeds and potatoes, and he's good at deceiving people—"

Before he could finish his words, he was kicked to the ground. The King of Nanyue looked down at his youngest son and said, "Your brother is right. You are indeed as stupid as a pig. How could I, Zhou Chong, who is famous and well-known, give birth to a fool like you?"

Emperor Longqing was dying. The Fifth Prince, Qin Mao, was loyal, kind, and unscheming, making him the perfect fit for the current Qin Dynasty, which was free from both internal and external threats. To help him ascend the throne, Emperor Longqing would surely clear all obstacles for him before his death.

So, the crown prince was deposed, the third prince died, and Prime Minister Lu was also finished.

The only variable is in the southwest, so even though Emperor Longqing knew that Princess Ning'an was the destined girl, he would still agree to let Ning'an marry.

Princess Ning'an can be said to be a key figure in balancing the situation between the Qin Dynasty and South Vietnam. Coincidentally, this echoes her fate as a girl destined by heaven.

The King of Nanyue stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the calm lake, with a playful smile on his lips. The brat was used to being arrogant and conceited. He hoped that Qin Yong would teach him a lesson.