183.2 – Four Guard Forts and Gong Tianqing

“The Great General of the North?” Xue Qilin seems to have some impression of him, “You mean the great general whose surname is Gong?”

Li Wanting nodded.

“Oh, it seems to be the case. I heard Little Seven talk about it a while back, but I don’t know the details.”

Then again, the news about this incident seems to have spread all over already. Even I, who don’t know much about current affairs, have heard about this. Why isn’t Little Ting sure about this?

However, after a little thought, Xue Qilin found that it is not surprising.

After all, Li Wanting is obsessed with forging swords and mechanical arts. She doesn’t care much about the outside world. It is not surprising that some news don’t reach her. Xue Qilin is responsible for “listening to Qi Qiqi’s whines during mealtime every day”, so it’s only natural that she knows more than Li Wanting.

“I see…”

Lost in thought, Li Wanting responded sluggishly.

“What’s the matter? Why did you suddenly ask about this?”

As she closed the book and handed it back to Li Wanting, Xue Qilin asked curiously.

“Um…” Li Wanting has a serious expression, “Young Ancestor, do you know of the Northern Guard Fort?”

“I seem to have heard of it.” Xue Qilin thought for a while, then shook her head and said, “But I’m not too clear about it.”

“Young Ancestor, you really know too little. You should learn more about the outside world… at least some of the most basic common sense.”

Xue Qilin knows that Li Wanting is right, so she just laughed awkwardly, “Ah ha-ha…”

Li Wanting sighed helplessly, and then explained, “Although there are hundreds of thousands of troops in the Hua Dynasty, but few can be regarded as elite divisions. The most famous of them is the Dragon Guard in charge of defending the imperial capital and protecting the imperial palace and the Four Guard Forts guarding the borders. The Four Guard Forts are the Eastern, the Southern, the Western, and the Northern Guard Forts. Since the Four Guard Forts have been fighting foreign troops for a long time, they have rich battle experience. They are elites among elites.”

As if to give Xue Qilin time to digest the information, Li Wanting paused for a while, and then went on to say, “The Northern Guard Fort has guarded the northern border for a long time and has fought against the northern kingdom many times. Among the Four Guard Forts, it has the greatest fighting strength. However, the Imperial Court suddenly transferred them back to Chang’an… I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

Xue Qilin pondered.

Apparently, the Imperial Court’s transfer of the Northern Guard Fort is not a routine operation–

“For the Imperial Court to transfer the Northern Guard Fort to the imperial capital, it means that they changed their focus from ‘external’ to ‘internal’, right?”

Xue Qilin voiced her conjecture.

Immediately afterwards, she suddenly remembered what Xihe mentioned in her letter.

“Speaking of which, it seems like the Western Guard Fort has also returned to the imperial capital…”

In the next moment, Xue Qilin distinctly heard Li Wanting’s gasp.

“Even the Western Guard Fort has returned to the imperial capital?”

“Yes…”

Slightly frightened by Li Wanting’s emotional tone, Xue Qilin shrank back.

“That’s what Xihe said.”

“Xihe?” Li Wanting asked uncertainly, “Is that the Heaven Demon?”

“Yes.” Xue Qilin touched the earlobe of her right ear, “She is in the Martial Demon Realm, and the encampment of the Western Guard Fort appears to be located no far from it. It seems that she got the news because a water-front pavilion gets the moonlight first [1].”

“Young Ancestor, that’s not how you use a water-front pavilion gets the moonlight first.”

“Uh, it should be enough to convey the point, right?”

“That’s true.”

Li Wanting showed a troubled expression.

“I just hope that the transfer of the Two Guard Forts is not aimed at the Martial World.”

“No way? Wasn’t the–”

Xue Qilin suddenly fell silent.

–“The undercurrents from five years ago are about to surface. The darkness lurking in the abyss of the imperial palace is deeper and thicker than what you and I have imagined.”

She recalled Beiming Youyu’s words.

If — if there is a deeper meaning to those words, then only one possibility can be derived…

“No way…”

Xue Qilin finds it hard to believe — the Imperial Court is going to start a war with the Martial World?

–that’s, that’s not necessarily the case.

As far as Xue Qilin knows, the turmoil caused by the assassination attempt on the Emperor five years ago ultimately was unsettled. If the person sitting on the throne still has a grudge regarding this incident, then it is not impossible for him to settle this old account at any time.

In other words, the Imperial Court may have the intention to attack the Martial World.

This is why Beiming Youyu told Xue Qilin to become stronger.

Only in this way — will Xue Qilin be able to protect the people she cares about from everything that may happen next.

Xue Qilin’s mood suddenly became gloomy.

She feels like something heavy suddenly weighed heavily on her back.

If this speculation becomes reality in the near future, then what path should be taken?

Silence lingered between the two for who knows how long.

During this time, it seems that even the air has frozen and become extremely heavy.

“–does Qing’er know that Great General Gong has returned to the imperial capital?”

It was this question that finally broke the silence.

Xue Qilin came back to her senses and raised her head, stunned.

“What? I don’t know. Why did you mention Little Qing all of a sudden? She should know. After all, she is a disciple of Little Seven.”

“No, Little Sister Temple Master shouldn’t have mentioned this to Qing’er.”

Why? Xue Qilin integrated this question into her expression.

“Ah, you don’t know, Young Ancestor?”

The rather surprised look on Li Wanting’s face made Xue Qilin a little jittery. It is not that she is weary of Li Wanting, but that she suddenly realized that she really knows too little — whether in regards to the Hua Dynasty or the people around her.

Am… am I just stuck in my own world?

Or is it that I haven’t really lived in this world until now?

Bewilderment enveloped Xue Qilin’s mind, making her feel jittery.

“What the hell!”

She held her head and screamed, trying to vent her feelings.

“… Young Ancestor, what’s wrong?”

In response to Li Wanting’s concern, Xue Qilin waved her hand wearily and said, “It’s nothing.”

“So, how is Great General Gong’s return to the imperial capital related to Little Qing?”

“Qing’er — Gong Tianqing is the granddaughter of Great General Gong!”

At this moment, Xue Qilin was finally able to confirm–

She knows nothing.

[1] – a water-front pavilion gets the moonlight first — the advantage of being in a favored position

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