Zhao Changhe laughed, "I see. Horse bandits are hard to clean up, aren't they? They are truly elusive, and the Li family's influence hasn't reached that level yet."

"But correspondingly, horse bandits are just horse bandits, they can only be used for harassing trade routes, and don't have much ability to seize cities or lands. So you can't count on a two-sided assault." Li Ba said, "Fifth Grandpa believes that if the Great Han wants to fight a protracted battle with Guanglong, they might have more advantage."

Zhao Changhe pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "Let's leave that for now. I came here to see if there are any noteworthy news from Ba here, especially regarding whether Fifth Grandpa himself is here... Since he isn't, let's ask about any special situations in Chang'an."

"There's only one special situation," Li Ba said solemnly, "Don't think the Li family doesn't have much high-level martial power, they're actually very strong... A few days ago, they brought back a 'miss' from somewhere unknown, and from what I see, she's definitely not just a miss, more like an ancestor, the whole Li family bows before her. This miss's power... well, I got goosebumps just looking at her."

"Someone brought from outside?"

"Yes, I said I'm a distant relative of the Li family, but I've never seen this cousin in all these years, and suddenly she's the Li family's miss."

Zhao Changhe immediately thought of Jiuyou, could it be her?

If it is her, with her ability to control people's minds, or her power to awaken ancestors underground, she could easily become the Li family miss or even an ancestor.

Indeed, the Li family's various maneuvers are not necessarily walking on a tightrope, they have their own confidence. Or perhaps, the Li family is simply Jiuyou's mundane agent.

Uh wait... Zhao Changhe cautiously asked, "Does the Li family have any other misses? The unmarried kind."

Li Ba shook his head, "Among the direct line, they've all married out, the only one unmarried is just this one."

Zhao Changhe's expression became very peculiar.

Huangfu Qing mentioned it casually, clearly not considering how many daughters hadn't married out, so if things are going this way, was she helping him propose to Jiuyou in the Li family?

This is a mess.

But clearly it was too late to stop, while he was negotiating with Li Ba at the gambling house, the sky had just brightened, and a fast horse rushed straight to Chang'an: "I am the Great Han envoy, ordered to deliver a national letter!"

Chang'an was in an upheaval.

Li Family Head Li Boping personally received the envoy in the grand hall, opened the national letter and took a glance, his face turned green.

The national letter clearly stated: "...especially dispatched Four Symbols Sect Vermilion Bird Venerable to Chang'an, arriving soon. Seeking to marry the Li family's miss, to form a bond of Qin and Jin, to cease hostilities, and to jointly plan resistance against the Hu people."

Li Boping was dumbfounded.

Once this national letter was delivered, the Great Han grabbed all the prestige, soon all will know how much the Great Han has a grand view, pausing internal conflict to unite outwardly, capturing public sentiment and putting their Li family on the spot. The Great Han is willing to cease hostilities and unite outwardly, what about you? Are you still colluding with the Hu people? There are still a bunch of Hu people in Chang'an City, right? How will you respond?

What's infuriating is, Li Boping dared to bet this national letter from the Great Han isn't sincere, if Vermilion Bird truly arrives they'll definitely make outrageous demands, forcing him to refuse, stamping them with the reputation of "refusing collaboration" and "willing to be Hu people's lackeys."

Look, that stamp on the national letter may have been carved with a radish on the spot, but as long as Vermilion Bird arrives, their presence is the evidence, it was pointless to argue the letter.

Forget it all. If there's truly a miss in the family, using her as a scapegoat and marrying off might not be a big deal, it can smooth over the public opinion, who cares about whether to fight.

The problem is, is that person a miss?

She's an ancestor, isn't she!

Are you trying to marry my ancestor?

Li Boping quickly rushed to his family's rear courtyard, sweating profusely as he reported to Jiuyou.

Jiuyou's snow-white face turned iron blue.

In the void, a blind man was laughing and rolling in clouds, "So you have your day too. Didn't anyone remind you to avoid getting close to Zhao Changhe, it will ruin your reputation."

Jiuyou didn't hear the blind man's mockery, so she naturally couldn't respond. Yet when the blind man said this, it was forgotten that the closest one to Zhao Changhe was herself, closer and longer-lasting than anyone else.

This was an afterthought, and at present Zhao Changhe was still conversing with Li Ba in the room, unaware the envoy delivering the national letter was on the way, he continued probing for news with Li Ba, "Besides the special matter of the Li family's miss, is there anything else?"

Li Ba thought for a moment, "A few days ago, the Hu people hastily attacked the Capital, were completely ambushed, and then fell silent for a while. The Li family used this opportunity to support Buddhist teachings, breaking free from Hu people's control. But recently the Hu people started to act arrogantly again, if I'm not mistaken, Bo'e secretly entered Chang'an, giving the Hu people in Chang'an a backbone. If you have plans to assassinate Hu leaders, I suggest shelving them; if the so-called assassination collides with Bo'e, it's no joke."

In the early morning, Yue Fenghua knocked on his apprentice's courtyard door: "Hongling, there's news from the Hu people."

"Creak~" The courtyard door opened, Yue Hongling, who had meditated all night, looked refreshing as the morning sun rose, smiled, "Where?"

"Just on Vermilion Bird Street, Honglu Temple."

Yue Hongling smiled slightly. No need to mention there are Hu people in Honglu Temple, right?

Only two reasons to come and say such useless things, one being after a night of preparation, the Hu people there have already withdrawn; or they had set up a Heavenly Net, waiting for her Yue Hongling to dive in.

"Got it." Yue Hongling strode away, "Master, don't interfere with these, I'll go check myself."

Having just entered Chang'an City, hearing quickly that the Great Han envoy was coming.

Yue Hongling was taken aback, standing beside the road watching, soon saw Vermilion Bird wearing a firebird mask, clad in fiery red robes, leading several followers and riding into the city.

This was Yue Hongling's first time seeing Vermilion Bird.

As if sensing someone watching, Huangfu Qing turned to glance, a pair of red-clothed rivals met eyes at the street corner, seemingly a flash of sparks, each with complex and unspoken feelings.

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