All Heavens: Starting with Yang Kang playing Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King

Chapter 41 Genghis Khan's Invitation, Farewell to Muqali

The bone-chilling cold gradually receded from the earth.

Since the three arrows shot across the Yellow River last year, another year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Yang Kang sat cross-legged on the couch, exuding a peaceful and serene aura, seemingly having no connection whatsoever with the image of the reincarnation of the Overlord in the eyes of the outside world.

At his feet, his two-and-a-half-year-old son, Yang Qian, sat quietly beside him, blinking his big eyes and looking curiously at the strange creature in his father's arms.

A baby, just a month old, slept peacefully in Yang Kang's arms, its body exuding the scent of milk.

She occasionally moved her little mouth, which made Yang Kang's lips curl into an instinctive smile.

Yang Miaozhen, dressed in a loose-fitting dress, lifted the curtain and walked in. Looking at the peaceful scene between the father and his two sons, her eyes were full of smiles.

After Yang Kang obtained the Nine Yin Manual from Guo Jing, he asked Yelü Chucai to translate the Sanskrit part of it and made a complete copy of the Nine Yin Manual.

After practicing the Nine Yin Manual, Yang Miaozhen, who was already exceptionally talented, had reached a level of martial arts surpassing the Five Greats.

Throughout the world, apart from Yang Kang, Yang Miaozhen had few rivals.

The birth of two children did not make her look tired at all; on the contrary, it added a touch of maternal gentleness to her every move.

After concealing her sharpness, her martial arts skills improved immeasurably compared to when she was a young girl.

"Qian represents Heaven, and Kun represents Earth."

"It's quite reasonable for Dad to name this child Yang Kun."

"Why are you so adamant about waiting for Master Changchun to emerge from seclusion?"

Yang Miaozhen bent down and picked up her eldest son, Yang Qian, and asked curiously.

"From now on, we shouldn't ask his opinion when it comes to naming the child."

Yang Kang was speechless. When he heard Yang Tiexin say he wanted to name his daughter Yang Kun, he almost couldn't help but whip him twice.

"Master Qiu was in seclusion at a crucial time, but upon learning of the child's birth, he still sent someone to deliver the name he had chosen."

Yang Miaozhen chuckled and handed over Qiu Chuji's letter.

"Qian (Heaven) creates the world with its strength and vigor, while Kun (Earth) nurtures and sustains all things with its inherent qualities."

"Let's name this child Hanzhang."

"Those who possess virtue and integrity may serve the king, but their end will be without great achievement."

Yang Kang picked up his daughter and looked out the window at the gradually thawing snow.

"A message came from Fengxiang that Muqali's army was at the city gates, but he suddenly abandoned his main force and personally led a thousand elite cavalrymen toward Shandong."

Yang Miaozhen teased her son with one hand while casually speaking.

"Fengxiang is the key to locking down the entire Guanzhong Plain. Beyond Fengxiang, Jingzhao Prefecture is indefensible, and Mongol cavalry can charge straight into the Sichuan Basin."

"He had planned this battle for a long time, so why did he withdraw when the enemy was at the gates?"

Yang Kang said with a hint of curiosity.

"Genghis Khan sent an envoy, Liu Zhonglu, back to the Central Plains with his decree, ordering his master, the Immortal Changchun, to go to the Western Regions to seek the way to immortality."

"Muqali's personal trip to Shandong was likely for this very reason."

Yang Miaozhen paused slightly before continuing.

"Has this day finally come?"

"Genghis Khan, the pride of his generation!"

"Temujin, have you finally grown old enough to fear death?"

Yang Kang's aura suddenly became fierce.

Seemingly startled by his presence, her daughter Hanzhang in her arms suddenly shifted her body, as if she were about to be startled awake.

Yang Kang quickly suppressed his aura, circulated his Taoist true energy, and comforted the little bean in his arms.

"It's just a matter of issuing an imperial edict ordering Master to go to the Western Regions; there's no need for Muqali to personally go to Shandong."

"Whose name is mentioned in that imperial edict?"

After a moment, Yang Kang asked again, his expression as calm as still water.

"you..."

Yang Miaozhen stared into Yang Kang's eyes and spoke calmly as well.

She wasn't conveying a message; she was asking Yang Kang about his choice.

"Just as I thought."

"Muqali came to see me."

"What is it that makes him so eager to see me?"

"Mu Huali, what exactly happened to you?"

Yang Kang nodded. He wasn't too surprised that Genghis Khan wanted to see him; it was a trivial matter.

What puzzled him was Mu Huali's attitude toward the matter.

Even if she wanted to test his attitude again, Mu Huali shouldn't have done it herself.

"You're preparing to meet Genghis Khan..."

Seeing Yang Kang's reaction, Yang Miaozhen instantly understood his decision.

"Of course we have to go. If I don't go, how can Muqali dare to launch a full-scale attack on the Jin Kingdom?"

Yang Kang revealed a slight smile.

"A person will not yearn for immortality unless he hears the footsteps of death."

"If we don't go and meet Genghis Khan now, we might never have the chance again."

"Moreover, the Southern Song Dynasty was also preparing to send Gou Mengyu to the Western Regions as an envoy to the Mongols."

"He invited me to Bright Summit time and again to help him seize the position of leader. In the past, my goal was too great and it was inconvenient for me to leave Shandong."

"This matter can also be handled conveniently."

"I've wanted the complete 'Great Shift of the Universe' for a long time."

Yang Kang suddenly changed his tone and spoke in a relaxed manner.

Yang Miaozhen nodded, showing no intention of stopping her.

Three days later, Muqali arrived in Yizhou Prefecture, escorted by more than a thousand elite cavalry.

Liu Zhonglu was only interested in finding Qiu Chuji, while Muqali was only after Yang Kang.

Yang Kang did not go out of the city to welcome Muqali, and Muqali did not need the Han people's etiquette.

Guided by the monk Wanyan Chen, he arrived at Yang Kang's residence on a hillside.

This is an ordinary courtyard. Apart from the view of the people of Yizhou Prefecture farming in the distance when the gate is wide open, there is nothing special about it.

Yang Kang sat there, gazing into the distance, waiting for Mu Huali.

Wanyan Chenheshang stopped in the courtyard and let Mu Huali go in by himself.

Mu Huali walked to the door, hesitated slightly, raised her hand and knocked on the door before entering the courtyard.

"You are much younger than I imagined."

"I heard from Borju that you also became sworn brothers with Prince Tolui and Guo Jing."

Muqali was not enthusiastic about the Han Chinese practice of using cryptic language.

This formidable general, surprisingly, tried to start a conversation with a slightly embarrassed tone.

"King Muqali is much older than I imagined."

"I still remember six years ago, you took the lead and led the vanguard to defeat Wanyan Jiujin's central army, which caused me to fail at the last moment."

"You were so full of youthful vigor back then, I never imagined it would be six years since we last met."

"Your hair has all turned white."

Yang Kang raised an eyebrow, looking at Mu Huali in front of him with slight surprise.

At this time, Muqali's eyes were still sharp, but as a grassland soldier who had fought for many years, accumulated injuries and illnesses, and lived a life of hardship, aging was inevitable.

Although Mu Huali tried his best to suppress the jealousy that occasionally welled up in his heart, the old man's jealousy and fear when faced with the boy's confidence were still hard to hide.

"I set out from Yanjing and wiped out all the Jin army that had been stationed in Hebei."

"Now they can only stay in Bianjing City, and they don't even dare to go out."

"But after a year of fighting, my forces are dwindling."

"Because every time I capture a key city, I leave a troop to garrison it, to prevent you from causing trouble behind my back."

"Just one Daming Prefecture has drawn up 30,000 of my troops."

"Yang Kang, what exactly do you want?"

"Aren't you afraid that when the Khan returns, he'll kill you?"

Mu Huali said bluntly.

"King Muqali seems to think I'm an enemy?"

Yang Kang asked calmly.

"Aren't you the same?"

"If you don't come to the Yanjing Alliance, I will attack Hebei, and you will take my prisoners."

Mu Huali's tone was equally silent; he was a man who rarely showed his emotions.

"There are no eternal enemies or friends in the world."

"King Muqali, at least for now, I am not your enemy."

Yang Kang revealed a strange smile.

Mu Huali instinctively felt a sense of unease.

"You mean, we'll be enemies in the future?"

Mu Huali's tone became more sinister.

Yang Kang raised an eyebrow and smiled, without saying a word.

Mu Huali's eyes were filled with coldness as he took out an imperial edict from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"The Great Khan wants to see you."

Whether you go or not is up to you.

Mu Huali snorted coldly.

"I understand, I will go."

Yang Kang laughed and put the imperial edict into his pocket.

Mu Huali walked out with a gloomy face. He did not go to see Qiu Chuji, nor did he pay any more attention to the envoy Liu Zhonglu who accompanied him. Instead, he set off for Fengxiang almost without stopping.

At the headquarters of the World Society, Yang Kang convened a meeting of his ministers to arrange various matters during his departure. Afterwards, he and Yang Miaozhen went to the city wall.

The figures of Muqali and his cavalry had long since disappeared into the horizon.

"He's going to die soon!"

"His body is riddled with wounds; he won't live for more than a few years."

"Once he dies, no one in Mongolia will knock on the door before entering."

Yang Kang sighed.

"A loyal dog, before it dies, will frantically tear apart every potential enemy for its owner."

"It's not surprising that he wanted to destroy the Jin Dynasty before he died."

Yang Miaozhen said.

"Not just the Jin Kingdom, but also us."

"Unfortunately, he didn't get his chance."

Yang Kang looked into the distance, in the direction where Mu Huali and his group had gone.

"King Muqali, didn't you come here personally to persuade Yang Kang to submit to our Mongols and assist us in attacking the Jin Dynasty?"

"Why did we just go back like that?"

The deputy general beside Mu Huali asked curiously.

"I have the answer I wanted."

"Yang Kang will become our enemy sooner or later."

"He received the Khan's edict, and after he leaves Shandong, we must seize the time and do our best to capture Fengxiang."

"Once Fengxiang falls, the Jin state will be like meat on a chopping board. I must immediately mobilize troops to march north and attack Shandong."

"Before Yang Kang returns, eliminate this last thorn in the side of the Central Plains for the Great Khan."

Mu Huali's face was gloomy and indifferent.

"But King Muqali, what if Yang Kang doesn't go to see the Great Khan?"

The envoy asked curiously again.

He will go.

"If he dares to disobey the Khan's orders, even if I can't do anything to him now, the Khan will not let him off when he returns."

Mu Huali spoke with certainty, but for some reason, the words Yang Kang had said to him—that they were not enemies now—kept echoing in his mind.

A shadow fell over his heart.