Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

Meng Qianqian, along with Cui Hu and Yu Zichuan carrying Tan'er, walked out of the Miasma Forest and arrived by a small stream.

Meng Qianqian planned to feed Tan'er some water. Just as she took out the water pouch, she felt a sudden tremor of the earth.

Cui Hu swayed, his eyes glaring, and said, "What's happening? Is the earth dragon turning over?"

Meng Qianqian looked at the circles of ripples forming on the water surface, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart.

She clutched her chest.

What was wrong with her?

Why did she suddenly feel anxious and distressed?

"Are you feeling nauseous again?"

Yu Zichuan noticed her abnormality.

"No."

Meng Qianqian shook her head, filled the water pouch, and fed Tan'er a little.

Tan'er groggily drank a couple of sips and then fell back into a slumber.

The lingering poison of the miasma, combined with the stimulation from the hallucinations, had left her in extreme exhaustion.

Meng Qianqian, feeling the growing sense of unease in her heart, said to Yu Zichuan and Cui Hu, "Let's keep moving."

Yu Zichuan thought for a moment and said, "You need to rest."

Meng Qianqian replied, "I'm not tired."

Yu Zichuan hesitated.

Meng Qianqian had already put on her water pouch and set off.

Yu Zichuan stood sternly in place.

Cui Hu asked curiously, "What are you thinking, not going?"

Yu Zichuan said seriously, "I was wondering if I could defeat her."

Cui Hu: "..."

Ultimately, Yu Zichuan gave up on the idea of forcibly making Meng Qianqian rest. It wasn't that he couldn't defeat her, but that he had fewer Gu worms than she did.

"Young Madam, where are we heading?"

Cui Hu caught up with Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian said, "We are not far from the Black Armor Army's camp. Let's see what the commotion is about."

"Alright!"

Cui Hu was quite curious as well.

-

The North Canyon where Chen Long was trapped for twenty-four hours suddenly stopped with the constant shifting of its stone walls. It seemed as if they had been acupressure-pointed, standing motionless.

This might be his only chance to walk out of the array.

But just as he was about to walk out, half of the canyon suddenly collapsed.

The stones on the cliffs tumbled down in pieces, crashing onto the stone walls below, causing waves of earth-shaking tremors.

Chen Long was also hit and fell into a collapsing crevice.

His long sword flew out of his hand.

He tried to stand up from the crevice, but his right leg was pinned by a large boulder.

Having already exhausted his inner strength in the array, he had no way to move the huge rock.

To climb out before this place completely turned to ruins, he would have to... cut off this leg.

He lay on the sharp, cold, hard gravel, desperately extending his right hand, and finally managed to touch the hilt of his sword just as he was about to stretch his arm to its limit.

He breathed.

At this point, where did he have the strength to wield his sword?

It was merely by sheer willpower that he shouted and lifted the heavy sword, ruthlessly cleaving it towards his right leg!

Clang!

A meteoric arrow flew from the sky, with a sound like a dragon's roar, piercing through the falling shards of stone, striking his heavy sword away!

He looked up in bewilderment.

Meng Qianqian, clad in dark attire, stood fiercely atop the mountain, clutching the Houyi Bow.

The canyon was collapsing.

She leapt down without hesitation.

Chen Long: "No..."

The massive rocks crashed down towards Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian leaped, easily avoiding them. Mid-air, she drew the Houyi Bow and shot a fierce arrow in Chen Long's direction!

Chen Long did not dodge.

The arrow zipped past his right ear.

A sound of breaking rocks echoed from behind him, followed by the clicking sound of a mechanism.

The previously collapsing canyon suddenly stopped moving.

The last piece of rock fell, and everything returned to calm.

-

Xu Zhongping had just returned to camp from the North Canyon when he learned an unexpected visitor had arrived.

"A visitor?"

Xu Zhongping frowned.

He was a very strict general, always stern.

His confidants, seeing that he was in a foul mood, assumed someone had again intruded into the military camp.

It was said that things were not peaceful in Great Liang's Imperial City lately, and forces searching for the Black Armor Army were increasing.

They did not know who this visitor was this time, but it seemed they had some skills, enough to warrant a personal visit from the Great General himself.

"I will not see them."

Xu Zhongping refused.

Vice General Huang opened the tent's flap for him.

As soon as he entered the tent, he met a pair of amused eyes.

"Brother Han, long time no see, how have you been?"

Duan Mingyue sat in a wheelchair, smiling as he greeted him.

Xu Zhongping furrowed his brow.

The soldiers outside the tent quickly explained, "He has the Great General's token, and the Great General instructed that anyone bearing the token should be treated with respect."

Xu Zhongping had indeed said those words, but now he only felt that decision was a bit troublesome.

He exchanged a glance with Huang An.

Huang An understood and remained guarding outside the tent.

"Why have you come?"

Xu Zhongping sat in his commander's chair.

Duan Mingyue smiled and introduced, "My younger brother, Duan Wenliang. Wenliang, quickly pay respects to the Great General."

Duan Wenliang clasped his hands and respectfully saluted Xu Zhongping, "Wenliang has long admired the Great General's formidable reputation. Seeing you today, the reputation is indeed well-deserved."

Xu Zhongping merely glanced at Duan Wenliang, then said to Duan Mingyue, "You know I despise such formalities."

Duan Mingyue chuckled, "Alright, I'll get straight to the point. I've come today to act as an advocate for someone."

Xu Zhongping sarcastically asked, "Prince Jin or Gongsun Yanming?"

Duan Mingyue replied, "Brother Xu, you haven't completely retreated from public life; you're quite insightful about the situation in Liang Country."

Xu Zhongping impatiently said, "I don't even want to get involved in the Great Zhou Court's mess. What makes you think I want to wade into Great Liang's muddy waters?"

Duan Mingyue smiled and said, "You may not want to wade into muddy waters, but you are already in the mire. You think that the Black Armor Army's stability in Huai County these past years is really due to the Eldest Princess's protection? It's just that no one has targeted you yet. Times have changed; Liang Country is heading for internal strife, and the Black Armor Army is a piece of juicy meat that someone will eventually want to gobble up."

Xu Zhongping said nothing.

Duan Mingyue said, "See, you understand as well."

Xu Zhongping asked, "So who exactly are you advocating for?"

Duan Mingyue said, "The Eldest Princess, Lu Fengyin."

Xu Zhongping frowned, "Why her?"

Duan Mingyue smiled, "Because she offered me an irresistible price."

Xu Zhongping said testily, "Duan Mingyue, you've amassed more wealth than you can spend in several lifetimes; I honestly don't understand what more you could be greedy for?"

This time, Duan Mingbai also chose to ignore his question: "The Black Armor Army has somewhat benefited from the Eldest Princess's grace these past years. It's only right to repay her by pledging allegiance to her camp, isn't it?"

Xu Zhongping looked deeply at Duan Mingyue, "Duan Mingyue, could it be you intend to support Lu Fengyin to become Empress?"

Duan Mingyue smiled, "Pledging allegiance to the Eldest Princess is the best choice for the Black Armor Army."

Xu Zhongping contemplated, "I said before..."

Duan Mingyue's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "The person you are waiting for will never return. You should plan for the entire Black Armor Army. Even if you choose not to come down from the mountain now, there will come a day when the Black Armor Army is either annexed or eradicated. Do you really think Emperor Liang could tolerate others sleeping soundly beside his bed?"