"Are you going with me, or will you wait for me to return in Jinling?" Ye Longlin asked Mu Hanqi.
Within the Murong royal family, Ye Longlin looked at this Denglong Terrace, his hands behind his back, his gaze deep.
Such a Denglong Terrace, with thirty-six steps, represented the thirty-six heavens, and also the meaning of ascending to heaven in one step.
Upon hearing his words, Mu Hanqi's lips curved into a smile, and she tilted her head, her adorable appearance giving a very good impression.
"If you're going, when will you be back?" Mu Hanqi asked curiously. She didn't know how long Ye Longlin would be gone, and the feeling of separation made her uneasy.
Ye Longlin patted her small head and pondered for a moment, "I'm not sure."
Indeed, he couldn't be sure. Currently, he was returning to the capital to report for duty, which wouldn't take long, perhaps a day to sort out. However, the matters that followed were the most troublesome.
On one hand, the Ye family would undoubtedly make a move. This was a given.
There would have to be a reckoning between him and the Ye family, that was also a given. The problem was how the Ye family would make their move. For them, the sooner it was resolved, the better.
But the Ye family might not be able to deal with him.
On the other hand, besides the Ye family, there were many other people in the capital who wanted him dead. To put it plainly, they coveted the power he held.
If he died, the power he held would be redistributed, and they would gain even more. Their voice in the capital would also be further amplified.
Therefore, for them, as long as Ye Longlin was not in his position, the benefits would outweigh the disadvantages.
Of course, if the other party were like Qin Hanlie, they wouldn't be able to say anything, unable to voice any complaints because they had no grounds whatsoever.
But Ye Longlin was different. He had held this position for years and never interfered in military affairs, which led to many people disliking him.
Coupled with his straightforward personality, he disdained conspiracy and schemes, which made those people dislike him even more. Moreover, he had a history of executing prisoners.
He remembered that year, when the Chou Kingdom invaded the border of Da Xia, Ye Longlin rushed back from overseas with his troops and routed the Chou Kingdom's army in just three days, capturing fifty thousand of their soldiers. However, the capital wanted Ye Longlin to imprison them all.
The result? Ye Longlin refused, with only one word: Kill!
That same night, the capital issued three orders, forbidding killing!
However, these three orders were met with only one response: "Out on the battlefield, military orders can be followed or not followed."
It was this statement that led to the death of fifty thousand Chou Kingdom soldiers on the border.
But in return, Ye Longlin was placed on the Chou Kingdom's most-wanted list, and after that incident, the Chou Kingdom never dared to mass troops on the border again.
In his words, authority was earned, built on might, not on a string of orders!
It was after this incident that Ye Longlin became disliked by many in the capital.
They enjoyed the feeling of controlling everything, while Ye Longlin was not under their control. Sometimes, even a casual remark from him could be like a slap in the face, which made them even more displeased.
Therefore, whenever an opportunity arose, they would impeach him before the elders.
"Then I'll go with you," Mu Hanqi said firmly, her fingers intertwined.
Ye Longlin said slowly, "It will be very dangerous."
Mu Hanqi shook her head, "I'm not afraid. You'll protect me anyway. Besides, I'm your fiancée. I'd like to see who dares to touch me in the capital! Hehe."
The reality was indeed like this. Just like in the past, after Ye Longlin's protective actions were exposed in the capital, countless families were shocked and filled with fear. None of them were not afraid.
Otherwise, the Dragon Pavilion's protectiveness would not have spread throughout the entire capital.
Even if someone dared to touch those associated with the Dragon Pavilion, Ye Longlin would cause a city-wide uproar, let alone touching his fiancée.
This would be like the Old Man in the Moon hanging himself – seeking death!
"Oh, Tian Ai is in Jinling. Do you want to meet him?" Mu Hanqi asked, blinking her bright eyes. Although she was smiling, her smile made Ye Longlin feel a… strong hint of jealousy.
After all, he had been married to Lin Tian Ai.
"No need," Ye Longlin said quickly, his survival instinct kicking in. There was no need to meet.
They were not from the same world. If it weren't for Ye Guohui's letter, he wouldn't have married Lin Tian Ai, nor would he have met Mu Hanqi.
It could be said that Mu Hanqi had disrupted his entire plan.
But it didn't matter; it wasn't important.
After the two had a family dinner at the Murong family's residence, a convoy of vehicles had already stopped at the entrance of the Murong family. After the meal, they got into the cars and left.
Mu Ye also urged Ye Longlin to take good care of Mu Hanqi.
The news of Ye Longlin's return to the capital to report for duty spread throughout the capital. For the capital, this was undoubtedly bad news.
The highest level of martial law issued by the Inner Court plunged this usually solemn and bustling metropolis into an eerie atmosphere.
Ordinary people were unaffected. They continued to work, rest, and live their fast-paced lives, which were already overwhelming.
However, for those at the top, even for the powerful families whose words could decide life and death, this was not good news.
But the order came from the Inner Court of the Glorious Hall, and they could not prevent Ye Longlin from returning to the capital.
The capital was under martial law.
The Martial Arts Association was in emergency combat readiness.
A series of sensitive actions all pointed to the legendary figure who had fought overseas for many years.
Most importantly, he had publicly stated that he would flatten the Martial Arts Association.
This was not good news for the Martial Arts Association.
The current Martial Arts Association had deviated from its original intention and had become a special interest group.
This loss was not just from one faction, but from multiple factions, and these multiple factions also involved the Ten Venerables of the Glorious Hall.
Therefore, to flatten the Martial Arts Association was not just a struggle between the Dragon Pavilion and the Martial Arts Association on the surface, but also a game of chess played by many prominent figures in the shadows.
Especially after learning that Ye Longlin was about to return to the capital, the tense atmosphere in the capital intensified, and the leaders of the Ten Venerables' families held emergency meetings overnight to discuss countermeasures.
In short, the capital was in a state of impending storm.
Ye Longlin's return to the capital for duty this time was something no one had anticipated. Currently, they were unclear about the intentions of the Inner Court.
They were well aware that Ye Longlin's return at this time would undoubtedly stir up much turmoil in the capital. With the end of the year approaching, such turmoil would prevent them from even celebrating the New Year.
The repercussions were too great.
"Heh, Capital, I, Ye Longlin, am back. Are you ready to bear my wrath? Ye family!"