425: Chapter 425 Personal Charisma

"Commandery Princess, if the Zhenbei Army cannot arrive in time, Qizhou might be in danger. How about I escort you to Tong Province first?" Wei Kongming asked worriedly.

Princess Li Xinglan pondered for a moment before flatly refusing: "The reason I, Li Xinglan, can defy the imperial edict is because of the support and trust of the people of the Three Prefectures of Yan."

"If the barbarians come and I flee first, what will the commoners think? Wouldn't I be destroying my own foundation?"

"Even if Khitan King Yelü Dachuan and Marshal Suhe join forces, they aren't truly allies after all; they can't possibly be a monolithic front."

"Although our Yan Army isn't as elite as theirs, at least we are of one mind. Holding out for a while won't be a problem; there's no need to panic."

Princess Li Xinglan then immediately ordered: "Send word to the Border Army commanders. I will personally go to the front lines to oversee the defense. Tell the soldiers to sharpen up."

"Everyone here is a soldier of the Central Plains. If the Zhenbei Army can strike directly at the Mobei Royal Court, can we not even hold Qizhou?"

"In this battle, we must turn crisis into opportunity! Even without the Zhenbei Army, we must hold our ground, and even counterattack!"

"I, Li Xinglan, want to show those fellows in the palace that even without the Imperial Court, I can still hold the Three Prefectures of Yan!!"

Wei Kongming was startled at first, but then a look of gratification and excitement appeared on his face as he shouted his acceptance: "This general obeys your command!!"

After Wei Kongming left, Shu Yelan looked at Princess Li Xinglan with a playful gaze.

"Commandery Princess, do you truly intend to go to war yourself?"

If Princess Li Xinglan intended to go out to fight, then the plan would change, and Shu Yelan would need to contact Lin Xiao urgently.

Princess Li Xinglan giggled: "How could that be? Even if our military strength isn't inferior to the Khitans, we still can't stop them from pillaging the border."

"The twenty thousand barbarian troops Marshal Suhe took to the Khitan are battle-hardened elites. They are stronger, not weaker, than the previous Iron Kite Army. Going out to fight them would just be seeking death."

"However, as long as we are of one mind, holding the border cities will definitely be no problem. Once the Prince sends reinforcements in a few days, everything will be fine."

Shu Yelan smiled faintly: "Then why were you so solemn about relying on yourself to defend the Yan Region?"

"Of course I have to say it that way! If even I, the Commandery Princess, have no confidence, how can the soldiers below have the heart to face the enemy?"

Princess Li Xinglan pressed her hands together in a pleading gesture: "Pavilion Master, this Commandery Princess is going to the front to boost morale. My little life depends entirely on your protection. I'm begging you!"

"When I become the Prince's bedfellow in the future, I'll definitely put in a good word for you!"

"Let's form an alliance now so we can both have a place in the inner palace later. What do you think?"

Looking at Princess Li Xinglan, who had just performed a Face-Changing act, Shu Yelan didn't know what to say. Where did the Prince of Zhenbei pick up such a character?

However, she also had to admit that this seemingly flighty Commandery Princess possessed quite a bit of personal charisma.

For a leader, literary talent and military strategy are often not the most critical factors; personal charisma is the soul.

No wonder the Prince chose her... Shu Yelan admired Lin Xiao's ability to judge people even more.

"Rest assured, Commandery Princess. Unless a Great Grandmaster personally intervenes, I..."

Just as Shu Yelan was about to say something, a messenger pigeon suddenly flew in.

She furrowed her brows, lightly leaped into the air to catch the pigeon, and retrieved the intelligence attached to it.

After reading it, Shu Yelan fell into deep thought.

"What's wrong?" Princess Li Xinglan noticed Shu Yelan's expression was off.

"Our Yanyu Pavilion's intelligence network in the Capital Region, and even all the main forces of the six pavilions, have been uprooted."

"Ah?! Who has such great capability?"

Princess Li Xinglan was astonished. Having spent time in the martial world, she knew how capable the assassins of Yanyu Pavilion were.

Not only were they secretive, but their strength was also formidable. An ordinary Martial Arts Grandmaster wouldn't even dream of challenging an entire pavilion.

"It's unclear. Based on the intelligence, it's not just our Yanyu Pavilion; many experts from various martial world factions have died mysteriously over the past few days."

"Even more bizarre is that the local governments in the Capital Region are actually staying quiet. Despite so many deaths—many of whom were from famous righteous sects—they aren't doing anything."

Princess Li Xinglan said: "Isn't it normal for the government not to interfere in the affairs of the martial world?"

"But without investigating, how would they know it's a martial world affair?"

Shu Yelan shook her head: "This matter is too unusual. It's as if it has the tacit approval of the Imperial Court."

"Could those useless fools in the Imperial Court actually deal with your Yanyu Pavilion? Could it be that those Great Eunuchs made a move?" Princess Li Xinglan speculated.

"The Five Great Eunuchs... It's possible it was them. But why would they target the martial world factions at a time like this?"

Shu Yelan was perplexed and sighed: "There must be something strange going on. Let's send a message to the Prince first..."

...

Lincang.

With the World's Number One Wine Festival approaching, the inns in the city were almost full.

The newly opened Lincang branch of Baiyu Pavilion was packed with guests every day, and the parking area at the entrance already required dedicated staff to guide the carriages.

In a large private manor within the city, the primroses were in full bloom.

In the garden pavilion, Xiao Qingxuan was using a cinnabar brush to trace incantations on yellow paper.

No matter how busy she was each day, she would spend time practicing the Purple Mansion Thunder Curse, as it was a very important life-saving technique Lin Xiao had entrusted to her.

Mu Wanying, Zhao Caiwei, and the other women were observing curiously from the side.

Xie Juner had taken an ink brush herself and was imitating the strokes nearby.

"Juner, you don't have the Mysterious Yin Physique. Why are you learning this?"

Lin Xiao sat nearby sipping tea, watching the lovely women and enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

The wine festival was set to open the day after tomorrow. For these two days, he only saw VIP guests; most other matters were being handled by Prefect Cai Heng.

"It is the legendary Purple Mansion Thunder Curse, after all. Even if I can't learn it, I want to experience it. What if I can grasp even a tiny bit of its essence?" Xie Juner said with a charming smile.

"These crooked lines look like a bunch of earthworms to me. How does this thing actually summon heavenly thunder?" Mu Wanying asked, her face full of confusion.

Xiao Qingxuan looked up and smiled: "This Thunder Curse requires the physique, the cultivation method, and the talisman to merge into one before one can glimpse a sliver of the mysteries of heavenly thunder."

"You feel you can't understand it because, to you, heavenly thunder is an incomprehensible natural phenomenon. You don't realize that this thunder actually follows a traceable path."

Mu Wanying shook her head upon hearing this: "Too profound. I'll stick to practicing the spear; it's simpler."

Lin Xiao looked at the talisman and felt a faint sensation.

Although he had reached the Earth Immortal realm through the system, his cultivation level was real and solid.

Speaking of which, one of the formations in his Zhu Xian Sword Formation was the 'Thunderous White Tiger Formation,' which should also utilize the power of lightning.

He wondered if there was a connection between this Thunder Curse and that White Tiger Formation. If they could complement each other and increase in power, he could discuss it with Xiao Qingxuan later.

"It's here, it's here! Husband, sisters, it's time to eat!"

Su Wansha led several maidservants over, carrying dishes of food.

"Baiyu Pavilion is too busy. If I weren't the boss, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to eat today."

Lin Xiao turned back and teased: "Congratulations, Boss Su. You've been making a fortune these past few days."

Su Wansha smiled beautifully: "No matter how much money I earn, doesn't it all belong to the Prince?"

"Haha, isn't that right? Since you are mine, the money is naturally mine too!"

Lin Xiao pulled the woman close for a kiss and waved his hand. "Let's eat, let's eat! My wife, stop drawing for now. A person is like iron and food is like steel; you'll feel the hunger if you skip a meal!"

"Where does Husband get all these witty sayings?" Xiao Qingxuan shook her head with a smile but silently put down her cinnabar brush.

Just as the family was sitting down in harmony, they noticed Leng Bingyan was missing.

Just as they were about to look for her, Leng Bingyan rushed in, an excited look on her face.