"Your Highness, it is some officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War who wish to support His Majesty's ascension. The matter was urgent and there was no time to inform Your Highness. Please forgive us."
Li Mengdie was startled. "Ascension? Why? My Empress is perfectly fine. Why should I ascend?"
Although she desired the throne, it didn't mean she would be heartless towards her Empress. Hearing the hooked-nose man's words, Li Mengdie felt a pang of unease.
Seeing Li Mengdie's reaction, a smile crept onto the hooked-nose man's lips. "Your Highness, you still care so much for His Majesty. Your filial piety is evident. Truly commendable."
Li Mengdie rolled her eyes. "What exactly is going on? Speak quickly, without all this nonsense."
"Reporting to Your Highness, after your defeat, there was no news of you from Shuangyue City."
"However, His Majesty received a diplomatic letter from the State of Wei, stating that there are immortal elixirs and realms in Huashan Mountain and inviting His Majesty to visit."
Li Mengdie was taken aback. "Did my Empress really go? That's impossible. When things are unusual, there must be a reason."
"Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty not only went but has not returned to this day."
Li Mengdie let out a scoff. "If that's the case, then it means my Empress is fine. Why are you so eager to call me back to Shuangyue City?"
The hooked-nose man pondered. "That is not something I can guess. I was ordered by the elders to rescue Your Highness."
"Once we are in the carriage, Your Highness will disguise yourself. Even if we encounter others, they won't recognize you."
"Are you just going to bring me back to Shuangyue City like this? Without any troops, will Li Xinyue and Chu Chen just yield?" Li Mengdie looked puzzled. These people seemed to have no idea what they were doing. She had been well-prepared before, yet she still ended up defeated.
However, the situation now was very different. If her Empress had truly met with an accident, she might have a chance.
"Your Highness, please rest assured. Since the elders intend to support you as Empress, they have naturally made preparations."
"Furthermore, Chu Chen has dispatched troops to confront the States of Zhao and Wei. It is highly likely they will be defeated."
"At that time, Chu Chen and Li Xinyue's faction will surely lose power in the court. It will be as easy as taking a palm to control the court."
Hearing this, Li Mengdie's eyes lit up. "Such a thing? But Chu Chen is a master of war. I find it hard to believe he would be defeated."
Li Mengdie shook her head, finding the words of these people to be of low credibility. If anyone else were defeated, she would believe it. But to say Chu Chen would be defeated, she absolutely did not believe it, especially since she had sparred with him. Chu Chen's hot air balloon tactics still made her tremble. Therefore, she firmly refused to believe Chu Chen would lose.
"It is the judgment of the elders. Two soldiers came to the court as messengers, claiming a great victory. However, days have passed, and the army has not returned. The elders have also sent investigators, who report that the army's return is delayed."
"Moreover, the army appears to have suffered a defeat, their spirits are low, and their numbers have significantly decreased."
Upon hearing this, Li Mengdie felt reassured. If this were true, it would mean the army had indeed been defeated.
"Impossible. How could Chu Chen, a master of war, be defeated? Tell me the specifics."
The hooked-nose man hesitated for a moment, then nodded and continued, "Indeed, they were defeated, Your Highness."
"The elders say that Chu Chen merely selected a dozen generals to command those soldiers. The soldiers did not know their generals, and the generals did not know their soldiers. To send them into battle hastily was to invite disaster."
"Furthermore, fighting against two states simultaneously is a sure path to defeat."
Li Mengdie suddenly asked, "Did Chu Chen not personally lead this battle?"
The hooked-nose man shook his head. "No, Prime Minister Chu arranged for over a dozen generals to be placed in the two armies."
Li Mengdie pondered for a moment, then nodded. "If that is the case, then a defeat is indeed possible."
"Where do you plan to take me? Until things are settled, I will not enter Shuangyue City."
"Why, Your Highness? Please rest assured, we have already secured the guards and the army in Shuangyue City. We are just waiting for your return."
Li Mengdie sneered. "I have crossed paths with that brat Chu Chen. I know he is not to be trifled with. If I enter the city just like this, it would be troublesome if he catches me again."
"Your Highness, the elders have stated that everyone in the city is on our side. You can put your mind at ease."
The hooked-nose man led Li Mengdie to the carriage. "Your Highness, please disguise yourself immediately to avoid any trouble along the way."
Li Mengdie nodded and got into the carriage, her face filled with disdain. "You are thinking too simply. It's not that easy."
As she changed her attire, she sneered, "Chu Chen must have already thought of countermeasures. He and Li Xinyue hold great power, and the army in Shuangyue City is surely under his control. All of them are unreliable."
The hooked-nose man was dumbfounded. "Your Highness, how do you know?"
Li Mengdie sneered. "If you had interacted with that brat Chu Chen for a long time, you would know too."
"If those two armies had won, perhaps he wouldn't have been so cautious. But if they truly lost, he would definitely tighten his grip on Shuangyue City." Li Mengdie was very confident in her judgment.
"Enough. Why am I talking so much with you? Hurry and take me to see your elders."
With that, Li Mengdie lifted the carriage curtain, sneered, and then let it fall. Seeing Li Mengdie's smile, the hooked-nose man couldn't help but tremble slightly. For some reason, he felt a little afraid of Li Mengdie. If Chu Chen could defeat people on the battlefield, Li Mengdie could make people fear her. Especially after her encounter with Chu Chen, her cunning had become even more mature than before.
The carriage moved rapidly towards Shuangyue City. The hooked-nose man had calculated before making his move. They would reach the vicinity of the carriage just as their spiritual energy was about to be depleted. They had the carriage for transport, and when the pursuers' spiritual energy ran out, they would have to return to find horses. With the back and forth, the King of Liu would have long since disappeared.
An hour later, the carriage carrying Li Mengdie stopped, and she switched to another carriage. It turned out that this carriage had been moving intermittently, with people changing in and out. When the Jin Yi Wei pursuers arrived, they discovered that the person inside had already been replaced, and they had to continue their pursuit with annoyance. Meanwhile, Li Mengdie, traveling by carriage along other small paths, vanished into the vast expanse of the world.
The Jin Yi Wei searched for a day without success and immediately went to Shuangyue City to report to Chu Chen. Upon receiving the news, Chu Chen immediately stood up.