Beast Taming Mad Concubine: The Useless Young Lady is Back!

Chapter 552 An Invisible Hand

The army set off again early the next morning.

They had been traveling for a long time, and it wasn't until after noon that the army stopped for a short rest.

As soon as Ye Qing'an got off the carriage, she saw the Fifth Prince riding towards her.

Ye Qing'an almost subconsciously glanced at the Crown Prince not far away. The Crown Prince was talking to Liu Enze and didn't seem to notice them.

Ye Qing'an raised her eyebrows, turned her eyes, and greeted Yi Xiao.

Yi Xiao's eyes were full of tenderness: "My destination is different from yours. When we set off again later, I will be going our separate ways. So I came here to say goodbye."

"I see." Ye Qing'an lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, "Then I wish the Fifth Prince a safe journey."

"Well, have a nice trip."

Yi Xiao stared intently at Ye Qing'an for a long time before taking a deep breath and saying in a low, hoarse voice, "You must also be careful. The battlefield is ever-changing, and everyone you know could become the one who harms you. So, be extremely careful and trust no one. Your maid should know some mystical arts, right? You can take her with you wherever you go. Or, you could try to find a spirit beast to tame..."

"Whether or not you form a spirit beast contract is another matter. Once tamed, the spirit beast can help you with many things and may even save your life in a critical moment. You are all alone, and I always feel a little worried."

"Be careful, even though you are now the Supreme Being, there are very few people who can match you in a head-on confrontation. But it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. There are many ways to harm people in this world."

Ye Qing'an was somewhat surprised, but she naturally knew that Yi Xiao was subtly reminding her to be careful of the Crown Prince.

But it is precisely because I know this that I am even more surprised.

The Fifth Prince is ostensibly one of the Crown Prince's men.

Even though he harbored ambitions, he had remained hidden by the Crown Prince's side for so long.

There are too many people around, and reminding her of this here might easily reach the ears of the Crown Prince. If that happens, all his previous plans will be ruined.

Could it be... just to win her over?

Is it worth paying such a high price to win her over?

Ye Qing'an pondered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, simply nodding slightly: "Alright, I understand. Thank you... Fifth Prince for the reminder."

As he spoke, his gaze turned toward the Crown Prince.

Seeing Ye Qing'an's suggestive reaction, the Fifth Prince couldn't help but lower his eyes and chuckle softly: "It's good that you know, then I'm relieved."

The Crown Prince had already finished speaking with Liu Enze, and almost immediately turned his gaze over here.

The Fifth Prince smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, reined in his horse, and turned to leave.

The Fifth Prince had just walked over when the Crown Prince waved to him from the other side.

The two walked away to talk, and then Ye Qing'an strolled over to Liu Enze's side.

"Sir, do you know how long it will take us to reach the front lines?"

"About a day and a half," Liu Enze smiled. "They should be able to arrive before dark tomorrow night."

Ye Qing'an nodded, then tilted her head and looked at Liu Enze with curiosity: "What's the front line like? Is it littered with corpses, blood-stained yellow sand, and deafening shouts?"

Liu Enze chuckled and raised an eyebrow: "Miss Ye, where did you hear that?"

Ye Qing'an stuck out her tongue: "Is that how storytellers in restaurants and teahouses all tell stories?"

"Not all frontline battlefields have yellow sand; yellow sand is only found in the northwest border regions. The deafening shouts are limited to times of battle. As for the fields strewn with corpses..."

Liu Enze's gaze gradually darkened: "After a battle, corpses will litter the battlefield, but after the battle, the battlefield will be cleaned up, and once it's cleared, there's nothing left. Not all the fallen soldiers can return home..."

"Only generals can return their bones to their hometowns. Ordinary soldiers, if they are good, they are buried with a handful of soil. If they are not good, no one will clean up the battlefield. They may just be left to rot there or be torn apart by wild animals."

After Liu Enze finished speaking, he waved his hand, his eyes filled with a hint of pity: "Your Excellency, the battlefield is an extremely cruel place. One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand. However, many generals, whether they rebel or resist, do so for their own selfish desires. This is probably why I can only be a civil official, not a military general, or even a strategist on the battlefield."

"Of course, the main reason is that my Xuanling technique is not high."

Ye Qing'an was amused.

Liu Enze turned to look at Ye Qing'an: "Now that you are a Supreme Being, do you want to go into battle, kill enemies, and make a name for yourself?"

“Sir, you are joking. I am a woman.”

Liu Enze's face showed no trace of a smile: "So what if she's a woman? Throughout history, women have played a significant role in advancing history. Those who destroy the foundation of an empire are called femme fatales, while those who achieve lasting feats are called heroines."

Ye Qing'an lowered her eyes, wondering to herself what was Liu Enze's mindset when he asked such a question.

Is it a test? Or is it hinting at something?

“I have no such lofty ambitions or aspirations. I am just an ordinary woman who only wanted to live a simple and peaceful life, loving my husband and having my children around me.”

"I did have a goal before, which was simply to ensure that I and the people I care about wouldn't be bullied. I hoped that I would have the ability to protect the people I care about."

Ye Qing'an shook her head, a hint of confusion in her expression: "But..."

"But I don't know why, I always feel that there is an invisible hand behind me, as if it is pushing me little by little into an unpredictable future."

"I had no idea what lay ahead, no way of predicting what would happen next. I felt a mix of anticipation and fear. But actually, the fear outweighed the anticipation."

Ye Qing'an pursed her lips: "Even so, I feel as if I am completely powerless to resist or change anything. I don't know whether I should submit or fight to the death."

Liu Enze turned his head and stared intently at Ye Qing'an.

Ye Qing'an looked back at him, her eyes filled with confusion, helplessness, and a hint of fear.

Liu Enze turned his head and smiled: "A person's destiny is always in their own hands. You don't need to worry, just follow your heart and make your choices."

"Although I'm not very good at my mystical arts, I'm still more than ten or twenty years older than you, and I've experienced a little more than you. If there's anything you don't understand, you can tell me."

"Your mother is gone, and I want to protect you in her place."