If the people who wanted to kill Qian Jieren this time were truly sent by the Xiongnu, then his saving Qian Jieren would likely have profound implications for the future situation.
It might even affect his own development and safety!
The Xiongnu's attempt to meddle with Yunyue Kingdom showed their long reach and ambitious nature.
With Zhao and Yan acting as northern barriers between the Xiongnu and Yunyue Kingdom, was the Xiongnu aiming to annex Yunyue and use it to provoke conflicts among the states, thereby paving their way south for conquest?
This possibility seemed high. The Xiongnu were a powerful nomadic nation, far from the Central Plains, and this was likely their only path to infiltrate the heartland.
Although Yan was weak, it was filled with valiant scholars, and Zhao excelled in cavalry warfare. A direct assault might succeed, but failure could render them unable to advance south for years!
However, Yan and Zhao were strategically allied and shared kinship, making it unlikely they would stand by and watch each other be annihilated by the Xiongnu without intervention.
Therefore, the Xiongnu's only route south was through Yunyue. If successful, they could then attack Yan and Zhao from Yunyue, creating a pincer movement that would surely lead to their defeat. This would then allow the Xiongnu's southward expansion to flourish!
But there was a flaw in this plan: how would they deal with the Empress?
Would they resort to using her weakness again?
However, Xin Yue was now protected by Chu Chen, and the other princesses were either enfeoffed or had rebelled and been demoted. It seemed there was no one left who could force the Empress to relinquish her kingdom.
Chu Chen couldn't fathom it. On his way back to the Prime Minister's mansion, he pondered the Xiongnu's next move, ultimately concluding that their deep reserves and hidden strategies must be at play.
Upon returning to the Prime Minister's mansion, he saw Xin Yue waiting in the courtyard. Chu Chen's eyes lit up, and he approached her.
"Why are you dressed so beautifully today, and you even came to my mansion? Do you miss me?"
Hearing this, Xin Yue couldn't help but blush, pouting, "You're overthinking it. I don't miss you at all. I just happened to be passing by. Don't get ahead of yourself."
Chu Chen chuckled heartily, not calling her bluff, "Oh, so you were just passing by. Alright, then. You've seen who you came to see, so let's go back. I need to rest."
Seeing that Chu Chen was actually about to return to his room, Xin Yue became anxious, "What kind of person are you? I made an effort to come see you, and you're trying to avoid me."
Chu Chen smiled slightly, "Oh, so you admit it. Fine, then, Your Highness. If you want to see me, you could just send someone."
Xin Yue huffed, "It's because I sent someone to say you weren't here that I thought I'd come here and wait for you."
Chu Chen nodded, "I see."
Xin Yue asked, "Where did you go? I heard that in the imperial court, the officials were almost beheaded, and you, speaking on their behalf, were almost killed too. Are you alright?"
Hearing this, Chu Chen felt a warmth flow through him.
"Your Highness, of course, I'm fine. Look, aren't I alright?"
Xin Yue examined Chu Chen from head to toe. Seeing that he was indeed unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Noticing Xin Yue's hesitant demeanor, Chu Chen smiled, "Your Highness, don't worry. It was all a false alarm. His Majesty has calmed down. If Your Highness is in the mood, I can accompany you for a stroll."
Xin Yue waved her hand, "Never mind. You've had a scare this time, so rest well. You can accompany me some other day."
With that, Xin Yue bid Chu Chen farewell and left by carriage.
Chu Chen returned to his room, intending to rest. However, recalling Xin Yue's words, a trace of worry lingered in his heart. He decided to enter the system and run a simulation.
[Simulating Protagonist: Chu Chen!]
[Chu Chen saved Qian Jieren. The news reached the Xiongnu Chanyu, who, fearing leaks, dispatched three Qi Refining realm experts to assassinate you. You were ambushed while inspecting the farmlands.]
Chu Chen broke out in a cold sweat as he exited the simulation system. He hadn't expected the Xiongnu Chanyu to be so ruthless, wanting to eliminate him simply for saving Qian Jieren!
Putting aside other matters, it was clear that the Xiongnu were behind this, and their ambitions were significant.
Were they truly planning to conquer Yunyue Kingdom?
Chu Chen had indeed planned to visit the farmlands again in a few days to inspect the actual harvest and planting conditions of sweet potatoes and corn.
Although the imperial farms and reports from various ministries were excellent, Chu Chen still trusted his own eyes more.
Now, it seemed he would either have to cancel or postpone his inspection plan, or bring ample guards to prevent any accidents!
He had initially thought the other party wouldn't cause trouble, but unexpectedly, they were so vicious. It seemed their preparations were thorough.
In the near future, something significant was likely to happen in Yunyue Kingdom!
[Congratulations to the Host for completing the life simulation. Choose one of the following three rewards:]
[One: A mysterious small box, its contents unknown, filled with imagination. It could be Pandora's Box, or it could be the answer to a question that has long troubled you.]
Chu Chen's eyes lit up. The description of the mysterious small box had changed. The answer to a question that had long troubled him – there was only one such question: why did the Empress still want to kill him?
He had never reached a definitive conclusion on this matter, though he had some conjectures.
Moreover, if it truly was Pandora's Box, he had no idea what might be released. This choice was less secure.
Chu Chen continued to the next reward.
[Two: Dragon Ascending Pill. Costs two thousand points. Can temporarily double combat power. The drawback is that after consumption, it is effective for half an hour. After the duration, twelve hours of rest are required to recover.]
Chu Chen's eyes gleamed. Although the Dragon Ascending Pill cost two thousand points, it was perfectly suited to his current predicament.
If three Qi Refining realm experts were to assassinate him, he doubted he could escape.
Even if he was considered a master among the Qi Refining realm, he couldn't fight three opponents alone.
However, with this Dragon Ascending Pill, the situation would be vastly different. Doubling his combat power for half an hour, though short-lived, was clearly a one-time use item.
But it could at least help him survive this crisis.
Although he would need twelve hours of rest afterward, the simulated scenario did not involve any other experts. One Dragon Ascending Pill would be sufficient.
After reading this, Chu Chen continued to the final option.
[Introduction to Xiongnu grain distribution, tribal relations, and strength. Costs one thousand points.]
Chu Chen looked perplexed. The rewards from the simulation system were quite practical. If he were to deal with the Xiongnu, this information would undoubtedly be useful.
However, Yunyue Kingdom was still a long way from confronting the Xiongnu. He needed to deal with the high-ranking assassins first.
After reading this, Chu Chen no longer hesitated and immediately decided to spend points to obtain the Dragon Ascending Pill.
[About to consume two thousand points to obtain one Dragon Ascending Pill. Confirm consumption?]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining one Dragon Ascending Pill. It has been placed in the system backpack.]