SBCEJM -Chapter 112 The Free Bird Wants to Fly? More Gossip Beyond Yanmen Pass!

The hanging basket swayed gently.

Zhao Wuji and his son scrambled inside with trembling hands and feet.

“Prince Zhenbei, th-this thing can really carry us up there?”

Zhao Wudi’s eyes darted back and forth over the strange contraption he had never seen before, his voice shaking uncontrollably.

Feng Zexuan adjusted the burner, and flames shot high into the air.

“Relax. My magical artifacts have never failed.”

She put on an air of mystery, though inside she was already laughing herself silly.

【Hahaha! The first time I rode a roller coaster, I looked exactly like this too!】

The sound of roaring flames filled the air as the hot air balloon slowly lifted off the ground.

The Zhao father and son squeezed their eyes shut, their bodies stiff as wooden stakes.

The sensation of weightlessness hit, turning both their faces deathly pale.

Only after the ascent stabilized did Zhao Wudi dare crack one eye open.

The abyss… was drifting farther and farther away.

And sunlight… was right above them.

“Father! We’re going up! We’re really going up!”

He was so emotional he could barely speak, tears pouring down his face.

Zhao Wuji’s entire body trembled as he abruptly opened his eyes.

Looking at the cliff bottom shrinking smaller and smaller below them, even this iron-blooded man’s eyes turned red with tears.

“We’re flying… Prince Zhenbei truly is a divine being!”

【I’m getting embarrassed from all this praise! But seeing them this excited… honestly makes me emotional too.】

System: 【Waaah, Host is beautiful and kind-hearted!】

Feng Zexuan suddenly thought of modern-day miners rescued from collapsed shafts—this was probably how they had felt too.

Half an hour later, the hot air balloon landed smoothly atop the cliff.

The moment their feet touched solid ground again, the two “wild men” could no longer hold back.

“Heaven has eyes! I, Zhao Wuji… have finally seen daylight again!”

Zhao Wuji threw his head back and roared toward the sky, venting out three years’ worth of despair and suffocation in one breath.

His voice echoed through the valley, startling flocks of birds into flight.

“Father! We made it out alive! Those brothers who died… we can finally avenge them!”

Zhao Wudi collapsed to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

Feng Zexuan quietly watched them. Only after their emotions calmed somewhat did she step forward.

“There’s no need to think about revenge anymore, Generals.”

The two froze and looked at her in confusion.

Could it be that the imperial court had already made peace with the Xiongnu?

Then how were they supposed to avenge anyone?

“The Xiongnu have already been defeated. They bowed their heads in submission and even changed their nation’s name to ‘Tingxia,’ forever becoming a vassal state of Great Xia.”

What?!

The Zhao father and son stood there dumbstruck, too shocked to speak.

The Xiongnu… lost?

That Xiongnu—the same people who had dominated the grasslands for centuries and plagued Great Xia endlessly—had actually been defeated?

And not only defeated, but forced into submission and made to change their national title?

How was that even possible?

After a long while, Zhao Wuji finally found his voice again.

“The Xiongnu lost… We won! Great Xia has risen!”

“Wonderful! Those brothers who died can finally rest in peace!”

Zhao Wudi was overwhelmed with emotion.

Only then did they realize that the young prince before them must have played a decisive role in such a monumental achievement.

“Prince Zhenbei’s great kindness!”

Without another word, Zhao Wuji dropped into a full prostration, his forehead slamming heavily against the ground.

“If not for Your Highness, my son and I would have spent the rest of our lives trapped in that lightless abyss! If not for Your Highness, we never would have learned the glorious news of the Xiongnu’s defeat!”

“You’re praising me too much, General.”

【This old general is way too sincere! He’s making me embarrassed!】

【Hahaha, Host, hold steady!】

Feng Zexuan helped him up and took out clean clothes she had prepared from her storage space.

“You two should change first. If you return to the capital looking like this, people will probably surround you thinking you’re actual wild men.”

She joked lightly.

“After that… we’re going home.”

The moment they heard the words “going home,” the eyes of the two hardened men reddened again.

Zhao Wuji was overcome with emotion.

He was finally going to see the wife, daughter, and… sworn brother he had longed for day and night!

Zhao Wudi was equally excited.

Wuwuwu, I miss Mother, little sister, and Second Father so much!

Home!

They could finally go home!

【System, how many gossip points do we have left now?】

Feng Zexuan asked silently in her mind.

【Host, current balance: 2.373 million gossip points.】

【Ding! Major good deed detected: Rescuing loyal ministers and valiant generals.】

【System bonus reward: 50,000 gossip points!】

【Updated balance: 2.423 million gossip points.】

【Nice, nice! This trip definitely wasn’t wasted!】

In a great mood, Feng Zexuan stored away the hot air balloon, led out a carriage she had prepared nearby from the bushes, and took out a money pouch.

“You father and son should take this carriage back to the capital. It’s still more than ten days away—traveling by carriage will be more comfortable.”

“There’s one hundred taels of silver inside for travel expenses.”

When Zhao Wuji accepted the pouch, it felt unexpectedly heavy in his hands.

Opening it, he saw it was filled with shining silver ingots worth a full hundred taels!

He hurriedly tried to refuse.

“Your Highness, we absolutely cannot accept this!”

“You already saved our lives. How can we possibly take your money too?”

“Just take it. I’m not lacking in money.”

Feng Zexuan stuffed it back into his hands without allowing refusal.

“I’m happy to spend money on you.”

Zhao Wuji had no choice but to accept, though confusion appeared on his face.

“Your Highness isn’t returning with us?”

Feng Zexuan scratched her head.

“Mm… I still have some private matters to handle. You two should go ahead first.”

“Very well! Your Highness’s great kindness, my son and I—”

“No need to say more.”

Feng Zexuan waved him off.

“Once you return to the capital, His Majesty will make arrangements himself. You only need to know this—Great Xia never forgot you, and neither did its people.”

Zhao Wuji’s eyes reddened as he clasped his fists solemnly.

“Take care, Your Highness! If I ever have the chance in this lifetime, I shall repay you even at the cost of my life!”

Zhao Wudi also bowed deeply.

“Your Highness’s grace of rebirth—I, Zhao Wudi, will never forget it!”

Feng Zexuan nodded and watched as their carriage gradually disappeared into the distance.

【Wulalala! Mission complete!】

【For the next half month, I’m a free bird!】

【I can go wherever I want, eat whatever I want!】

【Once I’m done having fun, I’ll just teleport home through the storage channel. Perfect!】

She rode Mofeng leisurely toward Yanmen Pass, feeling more relaxed and carefree than ever before.

Two hours later, the towering walls of Yanmen Pass came into view.

【Host! Vacation mode officially activated—】

Before the System could finish its cheerful announcement, Feng Zexuan’s brows suddenly furrowed.

She pulled on the reins and stared toward the distant city gate.

Under the setting sun, the fortress stood majestic and imposing, yet the tranquility was shattered by waves of heartbreaking sobbing.

Dozens of ragged commoners were kneeling outside the gate.

Men, women, old people, children—all crying to the heavens.

A man in his fifties held a child in his arms while wailing toward the sky.

“Heavens above! Open your eyes and look! Are you really going to wipe out our entire Qingshi Village?!”

“My son! How did you end up with such a terrible illness?!”

The cries were miserable enough to wrench at anyone’s heart.

The guards recognized Feng Zexuan and were about to step forward to greet her, only to see that she had already dismounted and walked directly toward the villagers.

“Marshal!” The commanding officer hurried after her.

But Feng Zexuan had no time to pay attention. She stopped before the man.

The child in his arms was only three or four years old, with a waxy yellow face and weak breathing.

Dense red rashes covered his body, and some areas had already ulcerated and begun oozing pus.

The sight was horrifying.

【System, what’s going on?】

【Host, detected a gossip source! Scanning… Scan complete!】

The System’s voice suddenly turned grave.

【Host, this isn’t an ordinary illness!】