Jiaochu

Chapter 544 Time
After the dinner, the Queen Mother kept Xia Yuan and asked Qianji to send Ye Qingran and others out. Yan Lianjue glanced at her leaving back and then looked away.

After a while, Qianji came back to report that the Emperor of Qi had sent someone to invite Ye Qingran over. The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Young people are impatient. They have already recruited helpers before the treasure is even found." She restrained her smile and ordered Qianfeng and Wei Fan to bring the person over. The two took the order and left. Not long after, they brought someone over. It turned out to be Shang Shen, who was wearing prison clothes and shackles.

There are two versions of the rumor, one is that he was shot to death by Murong Ze with an arrow, and the other is that he was stabbed to death by Murong Ze with a sword, but in fact the person became a prisoner.

When Shang Can saw Xia Yuan, his face turned pale. Shock, confusion, fear, and regret flashed across his face. After coming to his senses, he sneered and said, "So it was you. Did you plan all this in secret?"

Xia Yuan said, "After being a tutor for so many years, I'm afraid you may have forgotten your original name." His gentle eyes looked at Shang Can and he slowly said one word, "Ya". Upon hearing this name, Shang Can showed obvious disgust on his face, as if he was nailed to a cross of shame. He stared at Xia Yuan with resentment and sneered, "Do you still remember your original name? Do you want me to tell you now?" He emphasized two words, "Your Highness." Seeing that the Queen Mother's expression did not change, he smiled and said, "So the Queen Mother already knew it."

The Queen Mother said, "I have warned you several times before, reminding you not to stretch your hands too far, but unfortunately you are too ambitious, and the position of Grand Tutor can no longer satisfy your appetite. If you just want a higher official position, more glory and wealth, I can still let you go, but you set your sights on my grandchildren. You first instigated the Crown Prince to go to war, and then took the initiative to bring Jue'er back, and even wanted to take the Black Kirin for yourself. Do you really think I dare not touch you?"

Shang Shen bowed and said, "The Queen Mother said before that the Crown Prince was indecisive and lacked experience. Isn't leading troops in battle the best experience?" At this point, he looked at Yan Lianjue, "As for why I brought His Highness back, the Queen Mother should ask His Highness. His Highness wanted to come back on his own, and I couldn't stop him."

The Queen Mother glanced at Yan Lianjue, then her gaze returned to Shang Can, "So, I have wronged you?" Shang Can said, "I am loyal, and heaven and earth can bear witness to it." The Queen Mother said, "Why was Zeng Yi, the God of War of Qi, demoted to a commoner? Was it just because he was arrogant?" Shang Can said, "Please enlighten me, Queen Mother." The Queen Mother said, "The more arrogant a person is, the easier it is for others to find evidence of him. He is not to be feared. The real danger is those who cannot be found but are capable of rebellion." Shang Can said, "Thank you, Queen Mother, for your high regard for me, but I have never had the intention to rebel. Since the Queen Mother cannot tolerate me, can you let me die with a clear conscience?" He looked at Xia Yuan, "Don't let me be a confused ghost in the underworld."

Xia Yuan said, "Before, you and Bai Wuchang sneaked back to the capital and stole something from the palace. Do you remember what it was?" Shang Can said, "Since you know all this, why bother asking." Xia Yuan said, "Although that thing is not an elixir of immortality, it is also a rare treasure. Ordinary people can't bear to eat it. You are a good candidate." Shang Can suddenly thought of something terrible, his expression changed abruptly, and he looked at Xia Yuan in horror, "You..." The rest of the words were stuck in his throat. When he was looked at by those warm eyes, his pupils suddenly lost focus, as if he was hypnotized, and turned into a human-shaped sculpture.

When He Qianfeng came to carry the person, Wei Fan curiously stretched out his hand and waved it in front of Shang Shen, but there was no response. He secretly glanced in the direction of Xia Yuan, and then quickly retracted his gaze to avoid being caught by accident. After the two carried the person down, the Queen Mother asked when they would leave, and Xia Yuan said tomorrow.

……

Ye Qingran brought Yan Fei to Li Chengyuan's side, and Yan Miao came out of the tent to take them in. When Li Chengyuan sent someone to treat them, she said she was tired and went back to rest first. Murongze acted drunk and went back to the camp together.

Li Chengyuan wanted to form an alliance with Dahui, and promised Ye Qingran that if he found the treasure, he would give Dahui an extra 20%. Ye Qingran did not respond in person, so Li Chengyuan asked him to go back and think about it carefully, and it would not be too late to give him a reply tomorrow morning.

After Yan Miao sent the two out, Yan Fei asked him if he was also interested in the treasure. Yan Miao said he was just here to be a consultant and broaden his horizons. Yan Fei then asked him if he had met his mentor recently, and Yan Miao said no.

On the way back to the camp, Ye Qingran asked Yan Fei about his opinion on the alliance. Yan Fei said that Xi Yan and Qi had just joined forces to stage a show, and now they might be repeating the same old tricks. Neither side can be trusted. Ye Qingran said that they had gone to so much trouble for a rumored treasure, and no matter whether they found it or not, they would probably go to war. He looked up at the cold and bright stars in the sky and said to himself, "The so-called treasure is nothing but greed." Yan Fei agreed in his heart. ...

After returning to the camp, Yan Fei patrolled around. When he walked to the right tent, he saw her standing at the door looking at the stars. He stopped for a moment, did not go to disturb her, and turned back. When he sat down by the campfire and looked over there again, she was no longer at the door.

Piles of bonfires lit up in the camp, and from afar they looked like tiny dots of fireflies gathered together, illuminating the sparkling river surface, creating a unique sense of tranquility and peace.

The last tranquility before dawn gradually faded away, the dawn light illuminated the bonfire with a few wisps of blue smoke, and reflected on the cold and shiny armor, and everyone was ready to go.

There were many large warships docked along the coast, with Dahui's fleet leading the way, Western Yan in the middle, and Qi behind.

Dozens of large warships sailed down the river, entered the sea from the east, and continued sailing eastward.

After sailing on the sea for two days, the compass suddenly malfunctioned at night. There were no landmarks on the endless sea, and it was impossible to determine the direction at all.

Xia Yuan said they had arrived.

More than a dozen large warships formed a circle, waiting for the right time that Xia Yuan mentioned to come.

When a bright full moon rose from the sea level to its highest point, nine stars suddenly lit up around it, surrounding the full moon.

Xia Yuan said the time had come and opened the box in his hand. Inside were three ice-blue beads, and the light flowing inside was much brighter than before.

The three beads seemed to be attracted and floated up from the box into the air. The three beams of ice-blue light emitted from the beads gathered together to form a dazzling ice-blue light column that rushed towards the full moon, turning the full moon into a blue moon in the blink of an eye. Nine stars gathered towards the center of the blue moon. A dazzling light column rushed straight to the sea surface, and a huge whirlpool appeared in front of everyone.