There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 432 Night Visit to the Conspiracy

It may be a disaster, or it may be a ray of hope.

But seeing the pain and resentment in Zoya's eyes, and recalling the hardships she had witnessed along the way, she felt that some risks were worth taking.

"It seems this drama in the desert is getting bigger and bigger..."

She muttered to herself, touching the cold handle of the whip in her arms.

In the distant east, dawn seemed to be approaching.

As Zoya left Li Shuchen's room, her footsteps paused for a moment on the sand outside the window.

The night breeze caressed her burning cheeks, dispelling the last trace of confusion in her emerald eyes, replacing it with a clear and resolute light like the starry sky over the desert.

"I want to be king!"

Once this idea took root, it grew wildly in her mind at an astonishing speed.

It wasn't for power, it wasn't for revenge.

It is for those lives gasping for breath in the mines, for those eyes that lost their homes in the sandstorms, for the mother's unwilling gaze towards the tribe before her death, and for the utter despair shown by the father's handling of "Pink Clouds Chasing the Moon" at tonight's banquet.

"Since he can't, then I will."

Over the next two days, Zoya, like a dormant sand scorpion, appeared calm on the surface, but inside she was engaged in a raging storm of thought.

She no longer merely recalled the suffering, but began to calmly analyze it.

The power structure, military distribution, financial lifeline, subtle relationships between tribes, factions and weaknesses among the nobles, her father's daily routine, the weaknesses of the market, the spies and capable people in the palace... countless details were arranged and reorganized in her mind.

With her astonishing memory, she even sketched a simple yet crucial diagram on tattered parchment with charcoal.

The changing of the guards at the palace, the location of the treasury and armory, the layout of the residences of several key ministers, the secret passage leading to the underground water veins outside the city...

When this rough but painstakingly crafted "plan outline" was completed...

Late on the third night, she sneaked into the inn again.

Li Shuchen had just finished removing her makeup and hair when she heard the familiar soft creaking of the windowpane.

This time she was well-prepared; she even had two glasses of warm water on the table.

Zoya rolled in, and without exchanging pleasantries, immediately spread the parchment she had taken from her bosom on the table. Her emerald eyes burned with a scorching flame in the candlelight.

"I've thought it through. I want to do it. This is my initial idea."

Li Shuchen leaned closer, and after just one glance at the dense markings and annotations, his heart skipped a beat.

This was not the product of a momentary impulse, but rather a well-thought-out plan.

"Princess, you..."

“Call me Zoya,” Zoya interrupted her, her tone resolute. “From now on, there is no princess, only Zoya Savar, who wants to change the Kingdom of Boyu.”

She pointed to the location of the royal palace on the map. "A direct assault is a dead end. We must outsmart them, win their hearts and minds, and we also need... external pressure and support. Your delegation is a crucial link."

The two touched heads together and began to communicate rapidly in hushed tones.

Zoya explained her idea:

Taking advantage of the public opinion surrounding the Golden Camel's bankruptcy and the King and his son's misconduct, they secretly contacted lower- and middle-ranking military officers, border tribe leaders, and marginalized minor nobles who were dissatisfied with the status quo.

Make use of the opportunity presented by the upcoming "sandstorm season" for resource allocation;

Most importantly, an "accident" or "miracle" is needed to publicly question the legitimacy of the king's rule, while simultaneously pushing Zoya to the forefront...

"The plan is good, but where are the manpower? What about the execution details? Especially inside the palace..." Li Shuchen raised the key questions.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door, not too loud, not too soft, exactly three knocks.

The two froze instantly. Li Shuchen gestured for Zoya to hide behind the screen, then walked to the door and asked in a low voice.

"Who?"

Liang Yuying

Li Shuchen felt a sense of relief and opened the door.

Outside the door, Liang Yuying, dressed casually, stood calmly, but her gaze was sharp as an eagle's as she swept across the room, pausing slightly at the screen.

"Shu Chen, it's late. Are there any visitors?" Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of authority.

Li Shuchen knew he couldn't hide it from her, so he simply stepped aside and said, "Yuying, come in and talk."

Liang Yuying entered the room, closed the door behind her, and looked directly at the screen.

“Princess Zoya, since you’re here, why not show yourself? Although there are no visible sentries around the inn, there are plenty of eyes watching from the shadows. Your frequent nighttime visits are quite risky.”

Zoya emerged from behind the screen, her expression tense, her hand resting on the leather whip at her waist.

Liang Yuying, however, gave her a simple greeting as a peer.

“Your Highness, there is no need to be nervous. At the banquet that day, you sat alone in a corner, your expression sorrowful; the rumors circulating in the city recently about the golden camel are cleverly crafted and hit the nail on the head; the King bestowed horses upon the market, and the princess was heartbroken… I have seen all of this. Tonight, I saw a faint light in Shu Chen's room and heard a soft creaking of the window, so I guessed that the princess had arrived.”

She paused, her gaze clear, "Has the princess already made a decision and intends to do something extraordinary?"

Zoya and Li Shuchen exchanged a glance, and Li Shuchen nodded.

Zoya took a deep breath and met Liang Yuying's gaze.

"Yes, I want to overthrow my father and Bashar's rule. I want to become the new king of Boyu and lead this country down a different path. General Liang, your delegation... are you willing to help me?"

Liang Yuying did not answer immediately. She walked to the table, carefully examined the parchment map for a moment, and pointed to certain key locations with her finger.

"The plan is sloppy and full of loopholes," she said bluntly, causing Zoya's face to turn pale.

But Liang Yuying immediately added, "While the direction is correct and the intention is commendable, more importantly... this may be the only way to break the current deadlock."

She raised her head, a resolute glint in her eyes.

"My Mulan Army is entirely composed of women. What we despise most is the degrading of women and the exploitation of the common people. Since the princess has this aspiration, I, Liang Yuying, and the twenty elite Mulan Army soldiers accompanying me are willing to lend the princess a helping hand. This is not to interfere in internal affairs, but simply to... find a possible outlet for the suffering in this desert."

Zoya was stunned. A huge wave of surprise and disbelief washed over her, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"General Liang... thank you!"

"Don't rush to thank me," Liang Yuying said calmly. "This matter is fraught with difficulties and requires careful planning and meticulous arrangements. Moreover, the few of us alone are far from sufficient."

As if to confirm her words, the door was gently pushed open a crack again, revealing Gu Ziying's serene face. She had clearly been listening outside for a while.

"Such a momentous event couldn't possibly be without planning and scheming. Changning and Bingli also sensed something amiss and were both outside."

As she spoke, Princess Changning and Ye Bingli also slipped in.

Princess Changning crossed her arms and snorted.

"Li Shuchen, I knew you and Princess Zoya were up to something big! You didn't even call me!"

She looked at Zoya, her gaze less distant than usual, and more appreciative.

“Princess Zoya, I noticed you at the banquet. You have guts! Count me in! Whether it's fighting or bluffing, this princess has never been afraid of anyone!”

Ye Bingli remained silent, but nodded slightly, her voice clear and melodious: "Although Bingli is not skilled in martial arts, perhaps... she has other uses."

The small room suddenly felt a bit cramped, yet it was filled with a strange, exhilarating atmosphere.

A group of women from different places and with different backgrounds came together because of a common goal.