The Young Swordsman of Dalu

Wenfei spotted several suspicious people around the valley, and he captured one of them while he was out practicing his martial arts.

"Who sent you?" Wen Fei asked.

"Spare us! We have no intention of killing you. We were sent by Lord Baili Heng of the Northern Dynasty to find the Empress Dowager," the man pleaded.

Wen Fei released the man and asked, "Since Senior Jin isn't going back with you, why are you still lurking around here?"

"We discovered another group of people coming here to disturb the Empress Dowager, so we voluntarily stayed behind to protect her," the man said.

Hearing the man's sincerity, Wenfei released him and said, "Since that's the case, let's be open and aboveboard."

"We wanted to hide too, but Ji Wuchang and that giant python found us and beat us up, so we had no choice but to hide," the man said aggrievedly.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! I see!" Wenfei laughed.

The snow python came out of the cave looking for Wen Fei. Upon seeing the man, the snow python immediately assumed an attack posture, which made the man tremble with fear.

"Brother Python! Calm down!" Wen Fei stopped the snow python's attack in time.

The snow python straightened up and raised its head to remain vigilant towards the man. Wen Fei patted the snow python's head and said, "Brother Python, not bad! Thank you for protecting them."

The snow python rubbed against Wenfei a couple of times, feeling embarrassed, and then licked Wenfei's face with its tongue.

"Brother Python! It tickles!" Wenfei pushed the snow python aside.

The snow python then stopped, retracted its tongue, and quietly stayed beside Wenfei.

The man's face showed disbelief when he saw how close Wenfei and the snow python were.

"Xiao Hai! Aren't you going back to Yancheng yet!" Jin Yuanying came out of the valley.

"Your Majesty! I am worried about your safety and dare not leave here," Xiao Hai said.

"Does Senior Jin know him?" Wen Fei asked.

"He is Baili Heng's confidant. It must have been difficult for Baili Heng, who even sent out his personal guards just to invite me back to court," Jin Yuanying said.

"So, Baili Heng is still a loyal subject to you!" Wen Fei said.

"The Baili family has followed our late emperor since he founded the dynasty, and they have made many great contributions to our Northern Dynasty. They are meritorious officials of our Northern Dynasty," Jin Yuanying said.

"Your Majesty! Lord Baili is hoping you will return to take charge! Lord Baili says that our Northern Dynasty can no longer withstand any more turmoil!" Xiao Hai said.

"Old Ji! What should we do? Do I, Jin Yuanying, not even have the right to stop and rest after working so hard for the Northern Dynasty for so many years?" Jin Yuanying looked at Ji Wuchang with aggrieved expression.

“Ah Ying! If you can’t let it go, I, Ji Wuchang, will definitely go back with you, resolve things, and then I’ll come back with you,” Ji Wuchang comforted her.

"I am but a woman, and I have exhausted myself for the country. The Murong family owes me, Jin Yuanying! I will never set foot in the Murong family again in my next life!" Jin Yuanying said.

Seeing Jin Yuanying's pained state, Wenfei felt deeply sorry for her, realizing that a woman had sacrificed her entire life for the rise and fall of a dynasty.

Jin Yuanying patted Ji Wuchang's arm and said apologetically, "I'm sorry!"

“I’ll go with you!” Ji Wuchang said.

“Xiao Hai! I’ll go back with you!” Jin Yuanying said.

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty!" Xiao Hai said, kneeling in gratitude.

"Senior Jin! Are you really going back with them?" Wen Fei asked.

“Go back!” Jin Yuanying said.

Wen Fei wanted to say something more, but Ji Wuchang waved his hand, signaling him not to say anything more, so Wen Fei didn't say anything more.

Jin Yuanying and Ji Wuchang returned to the valley, tidied up, and then left the valley. Xiao Hai had already prepared a carriage, and Jin Yuanying and Ji Wuchang boarded the carriage.

The snow python stopped the carriage, poking its head inside. It looked reluctantly at Ji Wuchang and Jin Yuanying, who patted it. The snow python's head seemed to say, "Wait for us! We'll definitely come back!"

The snow python pulled its head back from the carriage and looked at Wenfei. Wenfei said, "Brother Python! Keep a close watch on this place. We'll be back!"

The snow python nestled its head in Wenfei's arms, reluctant to see Wenfei and the others leave. After all, it had grown accustomed to their company over the long period of time.

"Brother Python, listen to me! Let's go and come back quickly! I promise to deliver the two seniors to you safely," Wen Fei said.

The snow python then left Wenfei's embrace, making way for him. Seeing this, Xiao Hai immediately steered the carriage forward. Wenfei pulled the snow python into his arms and gave it a tight hug, saying, "Farewell! Brother Python!"

Wenfei strode after the carriage, and the snow python crawled forward with him. Wenfei resisted the urge to look back. The snow python slowly stopped and watched Wenfei and the others getting further and further away from it. The snow python shed tears of reluctance.

After receiving news that Naburu Khan of the Western Regions was attacking the Great Lu Kingdom, Murong Bo of the Northern Dynasty immediately ordered a full-scale attack. He appointed Han Jue as commander and led 300,000 elite troops of the Northern Dynasty to advance towards the border.

Meanwhile, the men Liu had sent to the far north returned to Yancheng. Seeing the disheveled state of his men, Liu knew their mission had failed.

"You bunch of good-for-nothings! You shouldn't have given our family any face!" Eunuch Liu shouted angrily.

"Eunuch Liu! I have done my best! Baili Heng's men are protecting the Empress Dowager, so we have no way to make a move."

"Are Baili Heng's men protecting the Empress Dowager and the others?" Eunuch Liu asked.

"On the way, we encountered a young man who was highly skilled in martial arts. None of us were his match, and he drove us back!"

"A bunch of useless trash! Get out!" Eunuch Liu shouted angrily.

The burly man and his men slunk away. Eunuch Liu said, "Men! Leave no one alive!"

A eunuch followed behind the burly man and his entourage, and in a secluded spot in the palace, killed them all.

Eunuch Liu then entered the Zhengqian Palace, where Murong Bo was standing in front of a map.

"Your Majesty!" Eunuch Liu approached Murong Bo quietly.

"What is it?" Murong Bo asked, his eyes fixed on the map.

“The men I sent to the far north have returned; their mission failed!” said Eunuch Liu.

"I only asked them to keep watch, what else did you ask them to do?" Murong Bo looked at Eunuch Liu.

"This servant is merely sharing Your Majesty's burdens!" Eunuch Liu knelt on the ground.

"You audacious servant! Do you want me to become an unfilial son?" Murong Bo roared.

“Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager’s life is always an obstacle to Your Majesty’s grand ambitions. Why not let this servant solve this big problem for Your Majesty? This servant is also doing this for Your Majesty’s grand cause!” Eunuch Liu said, kneeling on the ground.

"You damned servant! You've ruined me!" Murong Bo threw the map in front of him to the ground with both hands.

Inside the Zhengqian Palace, a murderous aura filled the air. Murong Bo, his eyes bloodshot, looked at the kneeling eunuch Liu and said, "Send more men this time, and make sure they are left in the far north forever! I don't want to see them again!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Eunuch Liu got up from the ground and hurriedly left.