188: Concubine Liang Xu Weixiong married into the palace!

Li Chengqian was not unaware of the minor actions of Liyang.

The Bad People were now his eyes and ears spread throughout the land.

Every word Grand Tutor Zhang Julu spoke in the Taiji Hall of Taian City was placed on his desk, verbatim.

“Blood sacrifice the world? Cultivating yin to supplement yang?”

Li Chengqian looked at the contents of the secret report and found it somewhat amusing.

These fools from Liyang, even now, still thought that he, Li Chengqian, cared about reputation?

What he wanted was power.

Absolute power, enough to overturn this sky!

As long as he could achieve this goal, let alone bearing a bad name, even if he truly became a great Devil Head reviled by all, had he ever cared?

“Let them be.” Li Chengqian casually tossed the secret report aside, “It’s just the clamor of a bunch of frogs in a well, no need to pay attention.”

“Pass My imperial edict, tell Yuchi Gong to speed up. Within half a month, the three hundred thousand strong army must be at the city gates!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Li Junxian bowed and accepted the order, secretly astonished in his heart.

His Majesty was getting serious.

Liyang was still playing tricks, slandering him.

But His Majesty was already preparing to directly overturn the table.

This was not a contest on the same level at all.

“Also, what’s the situation in Northern Liang?” Li Chengqian asked.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Northern Liang King has already assembled three hundred thousand Iron Cavalry, with his adopted son, Yuan Zuo Zong, as the commander. They will arrive in Chang'an soon.” Li Junxian replied.

“Oh? Xu Xiao has sent his most valued adopted son?” A smile appeared on Li Chengqian’s face, “It seems he’s gone all out this time.”

“Furthermore,” Li Junxian continued, “Consort Liang’s Phoenix carriage has already entered the capital region. It is expected to arrive in Chang'an this afternoon.”

Xu Weixiong.

The one who, in the original timeline, was known as “Xu Weixiong,” a top female talent in both literary and martial Dao, the Second Young Miss of Northern Liang.

Li Chengqian was quite interested in this woman.

He was very curious about what kind of waves such a resourceful woman with a heart for the world would stir up when she entered his already completely disrupted game of chess.

“Understood.” Li Chengqian nodded, “Have the Ministry of Rites prepare. Once she arrives, bring her directly into the palace to see Me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

...Afternoon.

Outside the Vermillion Bird Gate of Chang'an City.

A cavalry unit, distinctly different in style from the Great Tang army, slowly appeared on the horizon.

Their numbers were not large, only three thousand.

But each person exuded a hardened Evil Qi, as if they had climbed out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Their armor was covered in marks from blades and axes. Their eyes were like lone wolves on the northern wilderness, cold and vigilant.

This was the renowned Northern Liang Iron Cavalry!

Just three thousand men, yet the sense of oppression they brought was even more suffocating than an army of one hundred thousand.

On both sides of the street, the Chang'an citizens watching the spectacle were so intimidated by this Evil Qi that they dared not utter a sound.

And heavily guarded by those three thousand Iron Cavalry was a large carriage, not overly luxurious in decoration, but exceptionally sturdy.

The curtain of the carriage was gently lifted by a fair hand.

A woman in a red bridal gown, wearing a Phoenix crown, with a face not stunningly beautiful, but eyes as bright as stars, cast her gaze upon the majestic city before her.

She was Xu Weixiong.

She looked at the tall city walls, at the black Dragon banners fluttering in the wind above the walls.

She looked at the Shence Army soldiers guarding the city gate, equally imposing in Aura and fanatical in their eyes.

A complex expression flashed in her star-like eyes.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, and a hint of imperceptible anticipation.

This was that man’s Chang'an, then?

The man who dared to overturn the court single-handedly, confer upon her the title of Consort, and force her fearless father to bow his head.

What kind of person was he, exactly?

Was he a merciless tyrant, as the rumors claimed?

Or was he a magnanimous overlord, as written in the imperial edict he sent to Northern Liang?

Xu Weixiong didn’t know.

But she knew that from the moment she stepped into this city, her destiny, and the destiny of Northern Liang, would be tightly bound to that man she had never met.

“Young Miss, we have arrived.” A hoarse voice came from outside the carriage.

It was her bodyguard, the “Second Butcher” of Northern Liang, Lady Hehe.

“Mm.”

Xu Weixiong responded and lowered the carriage curtain.

The procession slowly drove into the Vermillion Bird Gate.

There was no welcoming crowd as imagined.

Nor was there the sound of ceremonial music.

Greeting them was only a squad of Bad People, dressed in black flying fish robes and carrying embroidered spring sabers at their waists.

At their head was Li Junxian.

“By His Majesty’s command, I respectfully welcome Consort Liang into the palace.”

Li Junxian’s voice was cold and formal.

The commander of the procession, Yuan Zuo Zong, frowned slightly.

He spurred his horse forward and asked in a deep voice, “May I ask, General, why are there no Officials from the Ministry of Rites? Our Young Miss of Northern Liang has traveled far to marry, is this how the Great Tang treats its guests?”

His voice carried a hint of the unique arrogance and dissatisfaction of Northern Liang people.

Li Junxian raised his eyelids and glanced at him.

His gaze was as if looking at a dead man.

“His Majesty said.”

“Northern Liang sends allies, not guests.”

“On the battlefield, there’s no need for such formalities.”

These words rendered Yuan Zuo Zong speechless.

Only then did he realize that this New Emperor of the Great Tang had, from the very beginning, not regarded this marriage alliance as an ordinary political alliance.

What he wanted was the blade of Northern Liang.

Not a mere vase to be enshrined.

Inside the carriage, Xu Weixiong listened to the conversation outside, and a trace of a smile flashed in her star-bright eyes.

Interesting.

This Emperor was indeed extraordinary.

She liked this directness.

“General Yuan, no need for further words.” Her voice came from inside the carriage, clear and steady, “Let us enter the palace.”

Imperial Palace, Taiji Hall.

Xu Weixiong, in her red dress, walked alone in this palace that symbolized the pinnacle of the Empire’s power.

Behind her, there wasn't a single maid or guard she had brought from Northern Liang.

Li Junxian had said that His Majesty would only see her alone.

Her face, not stunningly beautiful but exceptionally captivating, showed no expression.

Her steps were steady, neither hurried nor slow.

That composure and calmness were completely unlike a young woman entering the Imperial Palace for the first time.

Rather, she resembled a general seasoned in battle.

On both sides of the main hall, the Bad People, like statues, cast their cold gazes upon her.

The pressure, enough to make anyone fearful, felt to her merely like a gentle breeze.

Her gaze was fixed straight ahead.

Directly at the young figure seated high on the Dragon Throne.

Finally, she reached the center of the main hall.

She stopped ten steps away from the Dragon Throne.

She did not perform the customary kneeling bow like other women.

Instead, she bowed slightly to Li Chengqian on the Dragon Throne, performing a cupped-fist salute, a gesture only military commanders of Northern Liang would make.

“Northern Liang’s Xu Weixiong greets His Majesty, the Emperor of Great Tang.”

Her voice was clear, crisp, and devoid of any feminine softness.

On the Dragon Throne, Li Chengqian’s gaze also fell upon her.

He looked at the woman before him, who was somewhat different from what he had imagined, yet all the more interesting to him.

She possessed none of the demureness and affectation of a noble lady.

Nor did she have the unrestrained boldness and roughness of a Jianghu heroine.

She had a very unique Aura.

It was an Aura that perfectly blended the tranquility of scholarly pursuits with the killing intent of the battlefield.

As if she could both strategize in a study, deciding victory from a thousand miles away.

And also draw her sword on the battlefield, staining the sands with blood.

“You are Xu Weixiong?” Li Chengqian slowly spoke, his voice calm, yet carrying an undeniable majesty.

“Yes.” Xu Weixiong raised her head, for the first time looking directly at the man who was about to become her husband.

The moment her gaze met those deep, starry eyes.

Even with her firm resolve, her mind couldn't help but tremble.

She saw too many things in those eyes.

There were mountains of corpses and seas of blood, there was iron-blooded slaughter.

There was the dominance of an Emperor, the majesty of gods and devils.

But more than anything, there was something she had never seen in anyone’s eyes before.

It was an absolute control that viewed heaven and earth as a chessboard, all beings as chess pieces, and gods and devils as mere pawns!

She suddenly understood.

Why her fearless father had chosen to surrender without hesitation after receiving the imperial edict.

Because the man before her was not a Mortal at all.

He was an existence that stood on another dimension, looking down upon this world.

To be his enemy was not merely courting death.

It was not even having the qualification to die.

“You are not afraid of Me?” Li Chengqian looked at her, asking with interest.

“Why should I be afraid?” Xu Weixiong retorted, her voice still calm, “Your Majesty marries me for Northern Liang’s three hundred thousand Iron Cavalry. I marry Your Majesty so that Northern Liang’s three hundred thousand Iron Cavalry can have a better future.”

“This is a transaction. A transaction only requires understanding the stakes, why fear the other party?”

“Well said.” Li Chengqian smiled.

He stood up and walked down the high steps, one by one.

He walked in front of Xu Weixiong, looking down at her.

“You are right, this is a transaction.”

“But you only got half of it right.”

“I marry you not just for Northern Liang’s Iron Cavalry.”

His hand gently lifted Xu Weixiong’s chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

“I am also for you.”

Xu Weixiong’s body stiffened abruptly.

She could feel a scorching Qi emanating from his fingertips, an irresistible force.

That domineering Qi invaded her body, making her heart skip a beat.

“A woman whom Li Yishan praises endlessly. A woman whom Xu Xiao trusts enough to entrust the future of Northern Liang to her hands.”

A playful curve appeared at the corner of Li Chengqian’s lips.

“I am very curious about what interesting things are in your mind.”

“And also curious about what kind of surprises you will bring Me when I place you, this smartest chess piece, on My chessboard.”

Chess piece.

She heard that word again.

Xu Weixiong felt no humiliation in her heart.

Instead, a strange excitement arose within her.

Because she knew that to be regarded as a chess piece by this man was, in itself, an unparalleled honor.

This meant she was qualified to participate in this game of chess against Heaven.

“Then it depends on whether Your Majesty, the chess player, is skilled enough.” Xu Weixiong met his gaze, enunciating each word.

“Hahahahaha!”

Li Chengqian burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this.

“Good! What a Xu Weixiong!”

“From today onwards, you are My Liang Consort.”

He released her hand, turned, and walked towards the back hall.

“Li Junxian.”

“Your subject is here.”

“Take Liang Consort to Tingfeng Courtyard.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Tingfeng Courtyard?

When Xu Weixiong heard this name, a subtle glint flashed in her star-bright eyes.

Before she arrived, she had already thoroughly investigated all the notable people and events within Chang'an City.

She naturally knew who lived in that Tingfeng Courtyard.

One, a pawnshop clerk with an unusual destiny, “invited” by His Majesty from Yuzhou City.

One, a highly skilled Daoist disciple from Shu Mountain, sent to protect and guide that clerk.

And another... a mysterious woman, also conferred the title of Consort by His Majesty, but sent to Changan Academy for cultivation.

Consort Nan, Nangong Pu She.

Interesting.

This Emperor actually arranged for her to be there.

What was he trying to do?

Did he want her to monitor them?

Or did he want her to become one of them?

Or perhaps, he wanted to see what kind of sparks would fly when her chess piece from Northern Liang collided with those chess pieces from Jianghu and the immortal sects?

A faint, yet Battle Intent-filled, smile also curved on Xu Weixiong’s lips.

“Your Majesty, your game of chess is truly becoming more and more interesting.”

She thought silently in her heart.

“Your subject accepts the imperial edict.”

She curtsied gracefully to Li Chengqian’s departing back.

This time, she used “Your subject.”

When Xu Weixiong, under Li Junxian’s “guidance,” arrived at Tingfeng Courtyard, dusk had already begun to fall.

From the outside, this courtyard didn’t seem remarkable.

But upon entering, one discovered a hidden world.

Pavilions, towers, rockeries, and flowing water were arranged elegantly but not ostentatiously.

Everywhere exuded a subtle, noble Qi.

“Consort Liang has arrived.” Li Junxian’s perpetually stoic face showed no expression, “Your residence is in the east wing. All provisions are ready. If there is nothing else, your subject will take his leave.”