The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

Chapter 167 Gu Ye and the Nanzhao Kingdom have a feud

Murong Xuewei recounted what she had learned at Prime Minister Su's residence.

Gu Ye frowned upon hearing this. "Xiao Wan Ning spoke up for me? There must be something fishy going on."

Murong Xuewei nodded, "I think so too. Xiao Wanning is ambitious and wouldn't help you for no reason. She probably has ulterior motives."

Gu Ye pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Could it be a rumor spread by Xiao Wan Ning herself?"

Murong Xuewei was startled. "You mean, she first spread rumors, then spoke up for you to win you over?"

Gu Ye nodded. "Very likely. Xiao Wan Ning has always been cunning and calculating. This would allow her to test my stance while simultaneously trying to win me over. If I were truly colluding with Nanzhao, she would probably have already prepared evidence."

Murong Xuewei couldn't help but sigh, "This Xiao Wanning is indeed formidable. However, she seems to have underestimated your influence in the court."

Gu Ye sneered, "She probably doesn't know that I have many supporters in the military and the government. Even if she wants to use this opportunity to win me over, she's seriously underestimating me."

Looking at Gu Ye's confident demeanor, Murong Xuewei felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

But then she remembered the purpose of her rebirth. She sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Gu Ye, do you think we're playing with fire and getting burned?"

Murong Xuewei then recounted in detail the information that Prime Minister Su had told her.

Gu Ye frowned upon hearing this. "There must be something fishy going on here. Qu Kingdom wouldn't agree to hand over three cities so easily."

Murong Xuewei nodded, "I think so too. Besides, is Nangong Yifeng really worth the Qu Kingdom paying such a price?"

Gu Ye pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Unless... Nangong Yifeng is not only a leading candidate for Crown Prince, but also possesses some important information."

Murong Xuewei's heart skipped a beat. "You mean, Nangong Yifeng might know some secrets?"

Gu Ye nodded. "Very likely. We must find out the truth of this matter as soon as possible."

After discussing it for a while, Gu Ye decided to send someone to investigate the matter secretly. At the same time, they also needed to prepare for the impending changes.

“Xuewei,” Gu Ye suddenly said, “according to the plan, I should ‘return’ to the capital in the next few days. We need to find a way to bring Nangong Yifeng out of the city as well.”

Murong Xuewei pondered for a moment, "I can use the Murong family's merchant caravan. Under the guise of transporting goods, I can send you out of the city."

Gu Ye gave Murong Xuewei an approving look. "Good idea. Let's do it that way."

Over the next few days, Murong Xuewei and Gu Ye were busy arranging various details.

Finally, on the appointed day, a caravan quietly left the capital.

At the city gate, a group of ministers had been waiting for a long time. Murong Xuewei pretended to follow the ministers and wait for Gu Ye at the city gate.

When they saw Gu Ye riding over, everyone's faces lit up with joy.

"General Gu!" Several ministers stepped forward to greet him. "You've finally returned! How is the war on the frontier?"

Gu Ye smiled and calmly replied, "Thanks to His Majesty's great fortune, the borders have been pacified. We have also brought back a distinguished guest this time."

As he spoke, he turned and gestured to a handsome young man behind him. That man was none other than Nangong Yifeng in disguise.

"This is Young Master Nangong of Qu Kingdom," Gu Ye introduced.

Nangong Yifeng politely bowed to everyone, saying, "It is truly an honor to have come to the Taichu Kingdom and witness its prosperity and grandeur."

The ministers welcomed Nangong Yifeng, and the atmosphere became warm and harmonious.

However, Murong Xuewei caught a subtle, almost imperceptible glimpse of something unusual in the eyes of some people.

Just then, a palace attendant rushed over, "General Gu, His Majesty has prepared a banquet in the palace and awaits your arrival."

Gu Ye nodded slightly. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will now enter the palace to meet you."

As Murong Xuewei watched Gu Ye and Nangong Yifeng enter the city with the ministers, a wave of emotion washed over her. She knew that the real test had only just begun.

Inside the imperial palace hall, incense smoke curled and wine cups clinked. Emperor Xiao Yi sat high on the dragon throne, with civil and military officials lined up on either side. Gu Ye and Nangong Yifeng, as the main figures, sat in the front positions.

"You've worked hard, my dear minister," Xiao Yi said with a smile. "You've rendered a great service to the country by quelling the border troubles this time, and I am very pleased."

Gu Ye rose and bowed in gratitude, "Your Majesty, I dare not claim credit; it is all thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom and the soldiers' valiant efforts."

Xiao Yi nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Nangong Yifeng, "This must be Young Master Nangong, right? I've long admired your name; meeting you today, I can see it's truly well-deserved."

Nangong Yifeng bowed respectfully, "Your Majesty flatters me. My visit is solely to enhance the friendship between our two nations."

Xiao Yi laughed heartily, "Good! Good! Someone, fill Young Master Nangong's cup!"

The banquet was in full swing, but Murong Xuewei remained vigilant throughout.

Murong Xuewei noticed that Xiao Wanning's gaze kept sweeping over Gu Ye and Nangong Yifeng, her eyes flashing with an inexplicable light.

Just then, Xiao Yi suddenly spoke up, "Minister Gu, I've heard that you've achieved great military exploits on the frontier, uncovered the Nanzhao conspiracy, and saved the people of Taichu Kingdom from peril?"

The hall fell silent. All eyes were on Gu Ye.

Gu Ye remained calm and replied, "Your Majesty, as a soldier of the Taichu Army, this is what I should do."

Xiao Yi nodded thoughtfully. "Very good, very good. Has the Nanzhao Kingdom made any moves lately?"

Gu Ye was about to answer when Xiao Wan Ning suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, I have heard that the Nanzhao Kingdom has recently expressed its intention to reconcile with our Taichu Kingdom."

These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion within the hall.

Murong Xuewei's heart tightened; she knew that Xiao Wanning was testing Gu Ye.

Gu Ye's expression remained unchanged as he calmly stated, "*** is well-informed. However, in my opinion, the Nanzhao Kingdom has always been cunning and treacherous; we should still exercise caution."

Xiao Wan Ning smiled slightly, "General Gu is right. However, if there truly is an opportunity for reconciliation, we shouldn't miss it, should we?"

Xiao Yi nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, "Wan Ning is right. Gu Aiqing, what do you think?"

Gu Ye pondered for a moment, then solemnly replied, "Your Majesty is wise. In my opinion, while peace is precious, it must be built on a foundation of mutual benefit and trust. If the Nanzhao Kingdom is truly sincere, we naturally welcome it. But if it is merely feigning cooperation, then we must be even more vigilant."

Xiao Yi readily agreed, "Well said! Come, let me offer you a cup of wine, my dear minister."

The banquet continued, but Murong Xuewei sensed a tense atmosphere in the air.

Murong Xuewei knew that beneath the seemingly peaceful banquet, undercurrents were surging.

Upon returning to the General's Mansion, Murong Xuewei immediately pulled Gu Ye back to her room to inquire about Xiao Wanning's attitude at the banquet earlier that day.

Gu Ye's expression turned grave. "Xiao Wan Ning is indeed no simple woman. Her proposal for reconciliation with Nan Zhao is clearly a test of my attitude."

Murong Xuewei nodded, "I think so too. Moreover, it's probably not a coincidence that the Emperor asked about the Crown Prince of Nanzhao."

Gu Ye pondered for a moment, "Xue Wei, we must act quickly. Xiao Wan Ning has clearly begun making arrangements; we cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom."

Murong Xuewei's heart tightened. "You mean..."

Gu Ye said firmly, "Yes, we need to implement the plan ahead of schedule."

Looking into Gu Ye's resolute eyes, Murong Xuewei felt both worried and expectant.

“Gu Ye,” Murong Xuewei said softly, “no matter what happens, I will stand by your side.”

Gu Ye looked deeply at Murong Xuewei, then gently took her hand. "Xuewei, thank you. With you by my side, I have nothing to fear."

They smiled at each other, their eyes filled with determination and trust. They knew the days ahead would be full of challenges, but as long as they worked together, nothing could stop them.

It was late at night, but the General's Mansion was still brightly lit. Murong Xuewei and Gu Ye were still discussing countermeasures in the study. Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps interrupted their conversation.

"General, Madam," Uncle Lin rushed in, his face filled with anxiety, "we just received news that His Majesty has ordered that Young Master Nangong must also attend the morning court session tomorrow."

Gu Ye and Murong Xuewei exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

“It seems things are far more complicated than we imagined,” Gu Ye said in a deep voice. “We must prepare for the worst.”

Murong Xuewei nodded. "I will have Liuli keep a close eye on our surroundings. If anything unusual happens, we will take immediate action."

Gu Ye grasped Murong Xuewei's hand. "Xuewei, you must be careful. No matter what happens, protect yourself."

Murong Xuewei felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at Gu Ye's concerned eyes. "You too, you must stay safe."