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The car traveled for an unknown amount of time, and finally stopped in the middle of the night. Someone pulled back the curtain; it was Chengping. I had been lying on the mat for who knows how long, and I was completely drowsy. He glanced at me in the thick darkness, said nothing, and held out his hand, waiting for me to come over.

When I crawled out from under the mat, I could clearly see his gaze, which was full of contempt. He probably thought it was shameful for a princess of China to sleep in such a position in the car.

Chengping is Chengping; no matter what he becomes, he can't hide his expression. Jifeng, on the other hand, is different. In the past, when I was sleeping soundly in the carriage, he would still reach out and hug me without changing his expression, remaining extremely calm.

Thinking of Ji Feng, I instinctively looked for him again. He wasn't far from me, and he had also dismounted, but he was being held up by that burly man, who was talking to him in a murmur. Ji Feng didn't answer, but as if he sensed that I was looking at him, he turned his head and looked at me from afar. The night was deep, and there was a long, quiet shadow of him on the ground, also pointing in my direction.

I was welcomed to the official post station to rest. The soldiers of the Mo Kingdom seemed to be used to traveling at night. Everyone slept outdoors in an orderly manner without making a sound. They got up early the next morning and continued on their way. This went on for more than ten days. The scenery on both sides of the caravan gradually changed, and the wind gradually carried the smell of sand. We must be getting closer and closer to the border.

I counted down the days, and on the thirteenth day, the convoy began to travel along mountain roads. Finally, it stopped in the middle of the night. Ji Feng waited for me to get out of the car. As soon as the door opened, the first thing I saw was a village with a long, winding roof behind it. Its outline was grand and imposing in the lamplight.

People from the manor came out to greet me, and a scarlet carpet was laid out all the way to my feet. I wanted to speak to Ji Feng, but the group of people who came out to greet me had already reached me and bowed. The one in the lead, an old man in black with white hair and beard, said, "Your Highness, you must be tired from your journey. Please come to my manor to rest for a while."

The Mexican cavalry leader also came over and introduced himself to me. He spoke fluent Chinese, but like Mo Fei, even his fluent speech always had a harsh accent.

"Your Highness, this Lord Li has been doing business with our country for many years and knows the prince. We will be passing through Changchuan to cross the border, and this is a necessary route. The princess can rest here for the night and set off again tomorrow morning."

I glanced at him, then at the wealthy old man. The night was as dark as ink, and everyone was silent. The torches illuminated the scarlet carpet, stretching far and wide like a red river.

Marching at night, a magnificent mansion, Mexican soldiers, an old man with a white beard—everything was extremely eerie. I quietly surveyed everything, and finally, in the silence, gently kicked aside the heavy skirt covering my feet and said, "Lead the way."

The estate was enormous, yet very quiet. Master Li asked me to rest early and that I would lead the entire estate in paying my respects the next morning. I nodded in agreement. Looking around, I noticed that the soldiers from the Mo Kingdom had vanished, as if they had been silently swallowed up by the estate.

The maid led me into a separate courtyard. Chengping and Jifeng stayed by my side the whole time. I felt at ease when I heard their footsteps behind me. The bedroom was very large. The maids who came to serve me were all pale from the bumpy and frightening journey. Their hands trembled violently when they helped me change my clothes.

They are the people who have been with me for many years. Almost all of them are still here except for the old nanny. The old nanny is old, and I don't want her to follow me to any more inexplicable places, as it would shorten her lifespan.

The palace attire was complicated, and I waited for ages before they were all taken off. Looking down at their trembling fingers, I finally sighed and asked, "What are you all trembling about?"

"Isn't the princess afraid? This place is eerie."

I scoffed... "I am born of phoenix blood and dragon fetus, what am I afraid of?"

They remained silent. I had originally intended to say something, but then I thought that when my father ascended the throne, he might have felt that he was possessed by the Dragon God, but he still inexplicably ascended to heaven early. I immediately lost my spirit and just waved my hand, telling them to disperse.

The maids all withdrew, and I sat alone in the spacious and magnificent room. After thinking for a moment, I stood up again, turned around twice, found a direction, closed my eyes, and silently clasped my hands together.

The window frame rattled slightly, as if a breeze had blown by. Before I could even open my eyes, a sound rang in my ears, crisp no matter how low I tried to suppress it—it was the long-lost Yi Xiaojin.

"Big brother, what is she doing?"

Chengping's voice was as cold as ever, and it wasn't an answer to her question, but rather a dismissive one directed at me.

He said, "The capital is over there; you've gone to the wrong place to pray."

I was halfway through mourning my father when I heard this and was furious. I opened my eyes and saw Ji Feng standing beside me, dressed smartly with a long spear wrapped in cloth on his back. Everything seemed ready. Cheng Ping and Yi Xiaojin, disguised as a maid, stood under the window.

Cheng Ping had his back to me, peering out the window through the crack. Yi Xiaojin, on the other hand, was idle, staring intently at me and Ji Feng with his big eyes.

Ji Feng had already reached out his hand. I glanced at her, raised my chin, and wrapped my arms around his neck, even pressing my cheek against his.

Yi Xiaojin was indeed provoked. Her eyes widened, and she gave Cheng Ping, who was standing next to her, a very resentful look. As soon as Cheng Ping turned around and met her gaze, his perpetually cold expression finally twisted for a moment, which made me feel very happy.

~~ ...

Hai: I've finally left the palace safely, I'm finally back... But I have to fly away again the day after tomorrow...

Narrator: Did you land this July?

Chapter 39

Ji Feng hugged me back, using a little force. His body was warm, and I suddenly thought of what my brother had said about never leaving me. I wanted to tell him, but I didn't know where to begin. My heart was conflicted, and I couldn't help but hug him even tighter.

He spoke first, asking me, "Ping An, do you want to come with me?"

He spoke slowly and clearly, looking me in the eye with a calm gaze when he asked the question.

I was silent for a moment, not out of hesitation, but because I was dizzy with joy.

What is there left to cherish? My father is dead. My elder brother smiled and saw me off at the ten-mile pavilion. What awaits me is the frontier beyond the Great Wall, and a man whose face is vague to me.

My elder brother's words still echoed in my ears: "From now on, I will be the Empress of the Mo Kingdom, and I will be very powerful."

Who wants to be empress? One royal family after another, it's all about twisted and abnormal things. Let whoever wants to be empress, I've had enough.

I want to be with Jifeng. I knew it from the first moment I saw him. I want to be with him, to never leave him. How wonderful.

Chengping urged softly by the window, "Don't waste time."

Ji Feng didn't answer, still looking at me. My throat hurt, and I couldn't speak, so I could only nod, using a lot of strength to show my determination. After thinking for a moment, I struggled again and added in a hoarse voice, "I will live well, I promise." After saying that, I even gestured to my chest with my hand, not caring whether he could understand.

Cheng Wei once said that if he were to operate, I wouldn't die before sixteen. Ji Feng is older than me. If I try my best to live, even if I'm with a worm, it's nothing. I won't tell him, and he won't feel bad. He doesn't have to worry about anything, as long as we're together.

He looked at me, nodded, and said, "Okay." A smile suddenly welled up in his eyes, like a flower blooming on a calm lake.

Ji Feng is taciturn and rarely smiles. When she does smile, it always amazes me. But never before has a thousand streams of light completely overwhelmed me like this.

My face was wet. I touched my nose, it was dry. Then I touched my eyes, but before my fingers could touch them, he pressed them down and squeezed them gently in his palm.

Chengping was impatient and didn't wait any longer. He left through the window first. Yi Xiaojin didn't want to look at me again. He turned his back to us and followed him. Jifeng hugged me tightly and finally jumped onto the roof.

As dawn approached, the moonlight dimmed to its lowest point, and the entire village was utterly silent. A fog had risen sometime earlier, enveloping the undulating gray rooftops in a thick mist. The fog drifted slowly, so dense that it seemed one could grasp it with their hand. Only the nearby scenery was faintly discernible. In the distance, a faint sound drifted, like that of some wild beast, but upon closer listening, it sounded like only the wind. It was extremely eerie to the ear.

Yi Xiaojin, who had been standing behind Cheng Ping, moved slightly closer to him, his voice a little hoarse, "Big brother, where are the others?"

Cheng Ping frowned slightly as he glanced at the thick fog around him, but his voice remained calm as he spoke.

"Don't worry, now that the drug has taken effect, Cheng Wei and the others should still be waiting for us at the water source. Stay close to me, Ji Feng." He turned back at the end, but then turned back again, gazing intently ahead.

The faint strange sound gradually grew louder and closer, but everything was frozen and stuck in the fog, and nothing could be seen. Although Cheng Ping had been so calm in comforting Yi Xiaojin, his face was now somber. He pulled her behind him and with a soft "clang", he drew his sword from his waist. The sword was originally soft and could not be seen at all when it was wrapped around his waist. But when he swung it in the wind, it suddenly shone brightly and stood straight.

Ji Feng didn't say anything, but put me down and let me stand on the roof ridge. I didn't know what he was going to do, but I listened to him and let him do as he pleased, being extremely obedient.

I was willing to obey him, and he asked me, "Ping An, are you willing to come with me?" From that moment on, I was no longer Princess Ping An, but simply Ping An.

He pulled the gun from behind his back, hoisted me onto his back, tightened the reins, then turned back to smile at me, his entire body radiant in the mist, and spoke in a low voice.

"Hold on tight, are you scared?"

I smiled and shook my head. The strange sound was imminent, and there seemed to be ghostly figures looming in the thick fog. But at this moment, I felt at peace. I felt that as long as I was with him, anywhere would be fine, and no matter how strange the place was, it wouldn't be scary.

He glanced at me one last time, then straightened up, flipped his wrists, and revealed the icy spear tip, which was over a foot long. The dim moonlight exploded on the spear tip, and the thick fog in front of me was forced back.

Countless green lights suddenly appeared in the darkness, and a stench filled the air. I heard Yi Xiaojin gasp and scream softly beside me.

"monster!"

~~ ...

Hai: I'm back

All the main characters in this story: Close the door, release the Transformers...

ocean:……

Chapter 40

The thick fog dissipated slightly, and now I could see clearly that the surroundings were covered with giant snakes. They were black and smelly, with two green spots on their foreheads and barbs on their tails. They were snakes but not snakes, extremely eerie. No wonder Yi Xiaojin blurted it out like that.

Cheng Ping moved with lightning speed, slicing off the head of the first snake with a single sword stroke. Black blood splattered, and the already thick stench in the air mingled with the smell of blood. The other snakes seemed to be provoked, raising their heads together, their lips parted and their tongues spitting out, their hissing sounds sending chills down one's spine.

“These are exotic creatures from the Western Regions. Someone is controlling them. Killing them won’t help. We need to find the snake controller.” Ji Feng suddenly spoke, flicking the tip of his spear to deflect several large snakes that were attacking from the air. A sharp whistle came from afar, and the snakes swarmed up, filling in the empty space that had just been cleared, as if to confirm what he had said.

Cheng Ping snorted, "You should have said so earlier." Then he grabbed Yi Xiaojin with one hand and said only two words, "Stay close." He then leaped away.

The monsoon then emerged, dawn was approaching, and the moonlight grew dimmer. The Li family's estate was vast and boundless, with gray rooftops undulating in the mist. Giant snakes leaped up at our feet, some getting so close that I could almost feel their sticky, slippery texture.

Chengping and Jifeng were both excellent at light footwork. Their clothes fluttered in the mist, and they leaped extremely far. However, the snake formation was boundless, and human strength had its limits. Jifeng led me into the snake formation. Just as we were about to land, he suddenly swung his spear and touched the ground. The ground was full of hissing, tongue-spitting giant snakes. The spear tip landed in the snakes, and countless giant snakes coiled around him. But he moved lightly and instantly pulled back his hand. Using this fulcrum, he leaped again, and it looked like he could leap onto the outermost wall.

Cheng Ping and Yi Xiaojin had already leaped over the wall. Ji Feng's toes had just landed, and he was about to jump down when a dark shadow flew up beside him. Ji Feng moved the tip of his spear, and the shadow let out a "Hi!" It was Yi Xiaojin who made the sound.

I looked down and saw a flash of silver light in the darkness. Cheng Ping was already entangled in a fight with someone. The person was wearing a black bamboo hat, his entire face was buried in a black veil, and he looked very strange. He was holding a silver object about a foot long to block Cheng Ping's sword light. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a flute.

The giant snakes that had been hissing and spitting their tongues were now in disarray on the ground. I remembered what Ji Feng had said about the snake driver and immediately understood. My body sank down, but Ji Feng had put me down. The wall was narrow and had tiles that tilted outwards. I slipped, but Yi Xiaojin, who was right next to us, grabbed me.

"Thank you, please take care of Ping An." Ji Feng nodded to her. I knew he was going down to be with Cheng Ping, but I suddenly felt uneasy and panicked. He had already turned around, but then turned back. When I looked down, I realized that my own fingers were tightly hooked on the hem of his clothes, and I just wouldn't let go.

Beneath the wall, the sounds of clashing weapons echoed, the air thick with the stench of blood. A thick fog hung in the night, a waning moon hung in the sky, yet the monsoon smiled upon me, its gaze meeting mine, as if it could see into my very soul. It was a warm, silken thread, so tender it made me want to weep upon it. (This isn't my original line; I just read it and loved it so much I used it. The original author is that great writer from Juechen Mountain Villa. Sorry, great writer, I'm just using this line because I love it so much.)

My fingers were weak and I could no longer hold onto him. The battle changed immediately after Ji Feng jumped down. Originally, Cheng Ping and that man were almost evenly matched, which is why they had been fighting for so long. But when the two joined forces, the snake-driving man was immediately at a disadvantage and fell into a disadvantageous position in the blink of an eye. With a flick of his flute, it seemed as if he was about to leave.

Yi Xiaojin and I, perched on the wall, had a clear view and were feeling quite pleased when suddenly our bodies turned icy cold, as if a chilling current was pressing down on us. Before we could even look up, a sharp gust of wind was already close to our ears. Yi Xiaojin, who was holding a sword, frantically tried to block it with her hand, but with a clang, she was sent flying by the sword wind and landed far away in the snake swarm. However, the snakes showed no interest in her and surged towards the snake-driving man, entangling Cheng Ping and Ji Feng...

I looked up and saw only me and a blurry figure in black standing under the waning moon on the wall. The sword in his hand was etched into my memory; it was the same man who had tried to kill me in the capital.

This time he didn't cover his face with a black veil. He looked down at me, his skin was dark, his eyelashes were long and curled, and his face vaguely resembled that of the inexplicably handsome Mo Fei.

I lay face down against the wall, my blood frozen. Why did all this happen?

~~ ...

Hai: Regarding the update about Ping An, it's not that I'm writing in Tibetan, it's just that I really haven't written anything lately...

Narrator: Squinting

Hai: Okay, just leave me alone. Let me write slowly, wherever I feel like it. I'm not leaving any cliffhangers...

Additionally: Detailed schedule and venues for the Shanghai book signing.

Book signing event at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, 1000 Yan'an Middle Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai, August 16th, from 12:00 PM to 1:50 PM.

Booth 99 Readers on the ground floor of Hall 1 (next to the freight elevator)

The next event is Ethan Juan... It seems like it's a signing event for the "Queen of Losers" (a popular online figure in Taiwan).

Chapter 41

There was a voice in my ear, three soft words.

"Why?"

I froze, only then realizing that I had asked the question without realizing it. The black-clad man approached me, his eyelashes dark, the sword energy cutting my face. His gaze met mine, and he suddenly spoke, just a few words, without any inflection.

He said, "You can't marry Murphy."

Upon hearing this, I forgot all my fear, my hands trembled, and I was filled with despair.