Realm of Power

Li Long glanced at the message he had just received from the guard in his hand, raised his eyebrows slightly, and showed a bit of amusement at the corner of his mouth. The emperor of Central Asia actually boarded the ship and returned south, because he had been deprived of his status as a special envoy, and the emperor and The ministers were deliberately avoiding him, so it was not until the emperor boarded the large fleet returning to the south that he sent someone to tell him. It is obvious that he was not welcome.

There has been chaos in the south of the river, especially after the Taizhou Army Stronghold, which served as the Long family's military depot, was breached by the refugees. Tens of thousands of weapons purchased by the Long family at a high price were scattered. The turmoil in the south of the river took on a staggering tone. The rate of expansion was that on the 15th, the Taizhou military stronghold was destroyed. On the 18th, seven of the military strongholds on the river had been destroyed by the refugees. They were originally used to block the movement. The cordon that blocked the waves of refugees from moving south had been completely torn apart. Unstoppable, large numbers of refugees poured towards the south. The situation was completely chaotic. On the 23rd, the Prime Minister of China and Bibia Long Po arrived at Biyang, a large city eighty miles away from Dahe Road, and at the same time ordered the original 300,000 garrison on Dahe Road to stop the refugees from going south.

Even Li Long could feel a bloody storm starting to spread across the wide river south of the river, but the emperor chose to return south at this moment... The emperor of Central Asia deprived his special envoy of Central Asia of his His title, but still using his status as the person in charge of the north of the Great River Road, prevented him from returning south with the emperor. He, Li Long, had long given up on the emperor of Central and South-Bia and the court of Central and South-Bia, at least on the surface it seemed so. , with Li Long’s attitude, it’s even more conceivable for the people below

"My lord, they are really deceiving you too much. It was your lord who discovered your majesty in the Imperial Capital. But now that your majesty has returned south, he even deliberately delayed the notification. It is obvious that he did not want your lord to know." The guard captain who delivered the letter said face angry

"Okay, I understand this matter. I believe His Majesty must have considered it in his heart. Don't worry too much. In any case, it will be good for my Li family that the Emperor can return south this time." Li Long's face was deliberately He sighed in frustration, waved his hands, and sighed secretly. After all, it doesn't matter that the Li family is weak. Now even the emperor and court ministers are showing indifference to the Li family, which is enough to show that even if the emperor returns south, there will be no possibility of the Li family recovering. , who would be willing to follow such a futureless master?

"Sir, I have received a letter from home. My mother is seriously ill..." Sure enough, the guard captain hesitated for a moment.

"Go back!" Li Long said with a slight smile, "As a special envoy to China, I needed some people to support the scene. Now I am no longer a special envoy. There is no need for everyone to follow me like this."

"Young man, that's not what I meant. It's really because my family is in a hurry." The guard captain's face turned red with embarrassment. The Li family was no longer what it used to be. It was one of the four great sects in the past, and even if it was just a guard, it was very strong. Now the Li family continues to fluctuate, being suppressed by the emperor and excluded by the court. At first, thousands of servants appeared Now that the number of people has shrunk to less than a hundred, not to mention those who serve as guards, following such an unlucky master, they just take it one step at a time. I originally thought that the Li family would rise again because of the emperor's return to the south, but I didn't expect it. , the emperor simply kicked the Li family out when he returned to the south. Such a Li family really couldn't stay any longer.

"I understand. I will ask someone to write the letter of recommendation, and the money I should have will not be less!" Li Long waved his hand, and seeing what Li Long said so straightforwardly, the guard captain lowered his head and left with an embarrassed expression. , although these guards are all from the Li family, but with the Li family being weak, who can say that not one or two of them have been bribed by other forces, not to mention that these guards are sent by the family to follow them. Going to a dangerous place like the north of the river, I am afraid that my heart will be even more shaken. Even if the emperor and ministers deliberately concealed the news of the emperor's return to the south, how could it really be hidden from the eyes of interested people? The same thing came from the empire. His spies had already sent him the time for the emperor to return to the south and board the ship, but his guards were so slow, which in itself speaks volumes.

I'm afraid there aren't many of these guards who still have the same heart as the Li family. It would be better to send them all away if we keep them.

Li Long also knew it well and didn't bother to investigate these guards. Everyone has his own ambitions, so there is no need to force it. As for his safety in the north of the river, that is not the same thing at all. Li Yuehua has already arrived at Dijing West Road Presiding over imperial affairs, just this point, whether it is on the Imperial Capital West Road controlled by the empire or This is the Imperial Capital area controlled by the Yelu family. Even if he is walking sideways on the road, who would dare to stand up and bite it? But how can such a thing be said? Every time Li Long sees Yu Fenlong's self-righteous smile, in fact, I feel pity for him in my heart. Do you really think that following the emperor back south is a great achievement? Don’t even think about it, even without the power of the court, who is the most powerful person in Central Asia now? , if the person the Long family hated the most was themselves before, then the person they hate the most now should be Yu Fenlong. He was obviously the one who attracted the hatred of the Long family on his behalf, but he was still proud of this idiot. The only word he could express was pity. can describe,

As the first guard captain left with his baggage, soon the other guards began to become unable to sit still. They already knew the news of the emperor's return to the south, and their master was even deprived of the qualification to accompany him back. Whoever continues to serve such a master is not a fool. Soon, the guards started to The group began to ask Li Long to return to the Great River. Li Long was also straightforward and agreed as soon as someone asked. This further confirmed the rumor that Li Long was disheartened by this blow. In just three days, the people who originally followed Li Long's hundreds of guard slaves who came to the north of the river have all left.

In such a huge house, only Li Long was sitting on a chair with his eyes closed and meditating. A cup of smoky tea was gently placed on the table by a pair of white and tender hands.

"They have all left, and the letter is on the table. I have explained everything." Li Long opened his eyes, his eyes fell on a girl in a long skirt in front of him, and said in a calm tone, the girl's hair was like a wave. The beautiful hair, the right Emei eyebrow color, and the straight nose are even more cool and charming, "No one from the Lu family is in the south, so there is no point in me going back to the south."

"Your uncle Lu Hanqing is currently serving in the court's etiquette department. You can go find him!" Li Long took a deep breath and said

"Do you think my uncle will still recognize me?" Lu Linyuan's beautiful face flashed with a trace of ridicule. After hearing Li Long's words, she said coldly

Li Long took a deep breath, and a complicated look flashed through his eyes. He didn't know what to say. Lu Linyao was the only person in the house who hadn't left yet. The reason why he hadn't left was because Lu Linyao was not Li Long at all. What followed was the daughter of an old friend Li Long met in the north of the river. Lu Linyao, the daughter of the former deputy general of the Fengtian Army, Lu Linyao, was also the daughter of Fengli. The general in Chengjun had a good relationship with this Lu Jin. Later, the Imperial Capital was captured by the Yelu family. Lu Jin died in the battle of the Imperial Capital, and his daughter was also captured by the Yelu family. This time Li Long came on behalf of Zhongbia. Imperial Capital attended the founding ceremony of the Yelu family and accidentally saw Lu Linyao being chased by prairie people on the street. Finally, Li Long found the emperor and asked Lu Linyao from the Yelu family.

"Do you really not want to go back to China? Judging from the current situation, it's still a matter of time and again whether I can go back. If you follow me, I'm afraid you won't be able to go back!" Li Long sighed hesitantly. "Zhongbia? The day the imperial capital was broken, it was already dead in my heart, Lu Linyao. I will always remember that day. Hundreds of thousands of Zhongbia troops were slaughtered like pigs and dogs by the grassland people. We These people were ruthlessly abandoned in despair, and now Do you want me to go back to that despair again? "Lu Linyao's body trembled slightly, a hint of coldness appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her eyes flashed with hatred. This kind of catastrophe was like a world-ending disaster for a teenage girl. , has become an indelible nightmare, "Well, since you don't want to go back to China, you might as well stay." Li Long sat on the armchair and stretched out his hand to pick up the tea on the table and took a sip. After more than two years, he said that he would never grow up. Long, not short at all. Lu Linyao, who was only thirteen or fourteen years old at the time, is now a tall and graceful beauty. For Lu Linyao, Li Long never asked about Lin Yao's experiences in the Imperial Capital in the past two years. When the Imperial Capital suffered a disastrous defeat, how many noble women were plundered and captured by the Yelu family. It was not easy to survive in the end. What should he do if he asked so many questions? Because the Central and African soldiers are too incompetent, how could these women suffer such heinous crimes!

"As long as you don't drive me away, I am willing to stay with you forever." Lu Linyao looked at Li Long silently, biting her lips with her white jade teeth, and murmured in a low voice.

"Your father and I are both colleagues and friends. This is inappropriate!"

Li Long suddenly stood up from the chair like a rabbit whose tail had been stepped on. He obviously did not expect Lu Linyao to say such a thing. Although in Central and South Asia, the marriage system of polygamy and multiple concubines is practiced. , but thinking that he would marry Lu Jin’s daughter, beads of sweat still appeared on Li Long’s forehead.

"Since your Excellency is my father's former friend, and my father died in the bloody battle for China and Biya, morally speaking, shouldn't your Excellency take care of his family? If it comes to taking care of him, what is better than marrying me?" Lu Lin Yao's pretty nose snorted, and Li Long didn't know how to answer. How could a shy Central and Bian woman become so aggressive when she got to the land of grassland people?

Li Long could only raise his head and look at the sky. The clouds in the sky above his head were all gray, which was obviously a sign of a bigger rainstorm. When the emperor returned south, he was afraid that the rainstorm would cause lightning and thunder in the court of China and Biya. The conflict between the Long family and the emperor was enough to make the ministers in the court drink.

"It's no use even looking at the sky, sir. If you don't answer, you are acquiescing!" Lu Linyao's face showed a hint of complacency like a little daughter. When the servants and guards were there, she did not dare to be so bold. Now the only thing left in the whole house is She and Li Long are naturally more relaxed. After all, She has experienced catastrophes, seen life and death, and is no longer the housekeeper she used to be. In the past two years, Lu Linyao was bought as a maid by the daughter of a noble family because of her beauty. The style of a prairie woman He has always been decisive and bold, which naturally had an influence on Lu Linyao.

"Who said I was looking at the sky?" Li Long looked dumbfounded. The dignified head of the Li family was actually forced to such an extent by the daughter of his old friend. If the news spread, it would probably make people laugh.

"Didn't the lord look at the sky?" Hearing Li Long's words, Lu Linyao was nervous instead. She walked over in small steps, looked up and down at Li Long, and suddenly exclaimed, "Did the lord get crazy because of anger? I heard them say that people often become crazy when they are disappointed. What should I do if the lord is like this!"

"Nonsense, I'm waiting for someone." Li Long's face was distorted and showed a bit of madness.

Lu Linyao's face turned pale. Waiting for someone? Who would come here at this time! All the ministers returned to the south with the emperor, and the guards were scattered. This is not a prosperous area, but just a yard near the river. Who would come here after eating? It's over, it's over, it seems that the lord is really crazy!

"Knock, knock!"

Just when Li Long was about to go crazy, there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard. Li Long's face was brightened, and there was no longer any frustration just now. His eyes were bright and scary. Finally, he came! Looking at the stunned Lu Linyao next to him, he snorted heavily, "What are you still standing there for? Go open the door!"

Someone really came! Lu Linyao muttered with a confused look on her face, walked to the courtyard door, and opened it in surprise. She saw a beautiful woman in a Chinese palace dress also looking at her in surprise. Behind this beautiful woman in palace dress, more than a dozen foreign soldiers in black armor and red cloaks seemed to suppress the air around them. Lu Linyao's breathing suddenly paused, and she felt a bloody smell coming towards her

"Where is Li Long?" The beautiful woman in palace dress blinked her eyes. She didn't expect to see such a beautiful girl in Li Long's yard. Seeing the girl's pale face, she raised her hand and waved to the imperial guards behind her, "Wait for me outside"

"Yes! "The imperial guard nodded in response.

"Lord Li Long is resting inside." Lu Linyao shivered timidly. For some reason, she felt that she was dwarfed in front of the palace-dressed beauty in front of her. It seemed that she was not facing a Central Asian woman, but a black phoenix with black wings.

"Rest? At this time, Li Long still has the mind to rest?" The palace-dressed beauty walked into the yard. This woman was naturally Li Yuehua who came to greet her. After entering the yard, Li Yuehua handed a report in her hand to Li Long who came to greet her. Her pretty face was cold and said, "This is just received. Long Po ordered the army to march north to quell the rebellion. At the same time, he appointed Long Xueshan as the Central Asian special envoy and you, Li Long, as the deputy envoy! "

"What does this mean?" Li Long glanced at the information and was also stunned.

"Can you still see it? "Li Yuehua took a deep breath. "His Majesty the Emperor told me that the Long family was going to run away. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do. The main envoy, Long Xueshan, will arrive at Gaoxi Road in the Imperial Capital in three days, and then sign the negotiation terms and return to the South Bank with some food. The other food will be brought back by the deputy envoy. This means that the Long family will take away some food, and the Li family will take the blame. Fortunately, I am responsible for the Empire. Since the Long family wants to play a big game, then we will play a big game with them."