Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 324 - 234 The Battle Begins_2

Chapter 324: Chapter 234 The Battle Begins_2

During the previous siege of Northern Border City by the Barbarian Tribes, they too had used this method to attack the city, attempting to completely deplete the Source Crystals that sustained the Protective City Formation. Unfortunately, at that time, Northern Border City was filled with powerful individuals, and Elite Troops were plentiful.

The Protective City Formation didn’t even need to be activated; the high-level cultivators inside the city could shatter these projectiles in the air.

However, now the city is virtually empty, and facing such a barrage, they can only rely on the city’s defensive formation for protection, which consumes an immense amount of Origin Qi every moment.

The cost of attack and defense is not on the same scale.

Draining his cup in one gulp, Xu Yuan stood up without further delay:

"If that’s the case, then let’s depart."

Li Junqing cast one more silent glance towards the south of the city and stood up as well.

Without another word,

as the two men just walked out of the private room, they immediately discovered a slight chaos on the corridor outside.

Many attendants armed with weapons were hurrying along the corridor, their expressions varied—some panicked, others with faces as still as water.

Descending the stairs, the sound of knocking and murmurs were incessant, and along the way, some scantily clad women and men rushed out of the doors.

Clearly, the Barbarian Tribes’ attack on the city had also impacted the most expensive Hook Bar in Northern Border City.

Beneath the war, the myriad facets of humanity are revealed.

But this chaos didn’t last long.

By the time Xu Yuan and Li Junqing descended into the main hall, under the organization of the madams and pimps, the hall had returned to its usual appearance of peace and revelry.

Because they knew the Barbarian Tribes wouldn’t break through any time soon.

Tall women twisted their slender waists on stage, and musicians played soft tunes, unaffected.

Xu Yuan gazed at such peace and revelry, and breathed out gently, asking in a low voice:

"Your Highness, what do you think of this sight?"

Li Junqing continued downstairs, pausing his gaze for a few moments in the hall, before smiling wryly:

"Third Young Master, I’m not in a position to judge them right now."

After a pause,

Li Junqing glanced at Xu Yuan:

"But I guess, in a few days when the Barbarian Tribes break through South City, this orderly hall will likely become frenzied."

"..."

Xu Yuan scanned the entertainers on stage and the well-dressed patrons below, and gently shook his head.

Is that so?

Upon leaving the main hall, as the two arrived at the stables, they found quite a few people whispering among themselves.

However, these people were using secret voice transmission techniques. Hearing their conversations indicated that they were Sect disciples privy to some insider information, now devoid of interest in leisure here.

Moreover, if one without backing is out at night in the military-controlled, curfew-imposed Northern Border City, soldiers have the right to execute them on the spot.

On the night of the blizzard, aside from the wind and the booming from the sky to the south of the city, everything else was eerily silent, with Bright Pattern Lamps carved on both sides of the road flickering faintly.

Occasionally, fully armed soldiers could be encountered patrolling the streets amidst the snowstorm.

But when they saw the mark of Northern Border Government Office on the carriage, these soldiers did not inquire much and let them pass directly.

After yet another patrolling soldiers’ inquiry,

Li Junqing looked through the carriage window at the houses on both sides and suddenly sighed softly, saying:

"When the city falls, all the common folk here will likely be slaughtered by those barbarians."

Resting with his eyes closed, Xu Yuan opened his eyes upon hearing this and glanced at the Third Prince:

"For those barbarians, we citizens of Great Yan are but two-legged sheep."

"Two-legged sheep..."

Li Junqing looked out of the window, his hair blowing in the cold wind, and murmured before falling silent again.

The carriage became silent once more.

After an unknown amount of time,

Li Junqing sighed suddenly and asked:

"Changtian,

"Do you think... my father the Emperor and Minister Xu foresaw this?"

"..."

Silence.

After a while,

Xu Yuan replied quietly, "Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t."

Li Junqing rolled his eyes at this response:

"Your answer is as good as saying nothing."

With a slight smile, Xu Yuan reminded him:

"This Second Grade Origin Initial will only take you to Houting County. Remember to be cautious when you get there; the situation isn’t good, and the food stockpiled might only be enough for Sect elite troops to last about a month."

Li Junqing fell silent for a while before saying:

"Changtian, you must have something to do by remaining in Northern Border City, right?"

"I’m merely a hostage kept on your Imperial Family’s side." Xu Yuan’s response gave nothing away.

"Heh... it’s fine if you don’t say."

Li Junqing’s serious expression faded as he stretched and sprawled on the soft couch. "I’m just an ordinary man; the more I know about these vexing matters of the Northern Frontier, the more troubled my mind becomes."

Xu Yuan nodded in agreement, looking towards the southern horizon:

"Indeed, the more you know, the more troublesome it is."

Li Junqing turned back to gaze intently at Xu Yuan’s profile for several moments, then suddenly smiled and said:

"Third Young Master, I’m offering you a piece of advice. You could learn from my second brother; be cold-hearted, unscrupulous. Only that way, can you become the next Minister Xu of Great Yan."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan’s eyes sparkled with interest as he replied:

"Becoming the next Minister Xu, could your Imperial Family swallow that?"

Li Junqing shrugged his shoulders:

"If you became the next Minister Xu, my eldest brother and second brother, along with the Sects under the heavens, would be the ones with headaches, not me."

Xu Yuan’s eyes flickered as he stared at the other man, trying to discern the truth in his words.

Eventually, he chuckled:

"You’re quite carefree."

"It’s not carefree; it’s self-awareness."

Li Junqing spread his hands:

"Although I consider myself quite decent and understand many things, compared to my second brother and eldest brother, I fall short by a great margin.

"Therefore, I don’t care whose name is under the heavens. As long as I have money, if I can’t get soldiers on this trip back to the capital, I might as well retire to a remote place, marry a few beautiful wives, and live out a comfortable life in wealth."

A smile touched Xu Yuan’s eyes:

"In storybooks, it’s usually people like you who end up becoming the emperor in the end."

Li Junqing chuckled and bowed slightly:

"Thank you for your high regard, Third Young Master."

As they spoke, the carriage slowly came to a stop.

Xu Yuan glanced out the carriage window:

"We’re here."

Li Junqing also looked back:

"A pawnshop?"

The carriage had stopped in the snow in front of a large pawnshop. Illuminated by the Bright Pattern Lamps on the street, they could see the flamboyantly written sign "Under Heaven Pawnshop."

Stepping down from the carriage,

the cold air outside made Xu Yuan wrap himself a bit tighter in the coat Li Qingyan had prepared for him, and he stepped forward to gently knock on the door.

"Knock-knock—knock-knock-knock—knock-knock—"

Short and rhythmic, very soft.

Li Junqing seemed hesitant upon seeing this:

"Shouldn’t I step aside?"

Xu Yuan chuckled softly:

"It’s a one-time code; if you tried to use it again, you might be taken for a spy."

Li Junqing looked somewhat disappointed.

At that moment, an age-worn voice came from inside:

"Young Master, our shop has already closed for the night, come back early tomorrow."

Xu Yuan replied with the contact code given by Lou Ji:

"I’ve come to pawn a jade pendant."

"A jade pendant?" The elderly voice was tinged with impatience.

"A Black Dragon Jade Pendant."

"Creak—" The door opened, revealing a middle-aged man who looked nothing like the old voice they’d just heard.

Dressed in nightwear, he seemed ready for rest.

Without a word, Xu Yuan took out a token engraved with a black dragon and stamped with three characters from his Sumeru Ring. Before tossing it to the middle-aged man for inspection, the man bowed respectfully:

"Third Young Master."

Xu Yuan, observing the middle-aged man, withdrew the token and gave a slight bow:

"You must be Mr. Jiu?"

The middle-aged man stood up straight, his gaze shifting to Li Junqing who stood slightly behind Xu Yuan:

"Indeed, Lord Lou Ji has already informed me. Are you looking to leave the city?"

Xu Yuan waved his hand, gesturing toward Li Junqing:

"Not me, him."

"Him?"

Mr. Jiu frowned slightly, hesitating:

"Third Young Master, are you sure? If I help him leave the city, it will be very difficult for him to return."

"..."

Li Junqing’s pupils contracted upon hearing this. He realized that within Northern Border City, there should be only this Second Grade Origin Initial.

With that thought,

accompanied by the roaring of the Formation above the city, Li Junqing’s gaze toward Xu Yuan became a bit strange.

It wasn’t out of gratitude; after all, the young man had just swindled him out of five million.

Instead, it was the realization that Xu Changtian was selling him the route of escape. What was he going to do himself?

He didn’t believe that the young man would engage in a scheme where he shared a fate with the city.

So,

what exactly was this fellow planning to do?