Chapter 1269: 1264: The End of an Era
Chapter 1269: Chapter 1264: The End of an Era
At this moment, Li Tianjiao finally realized that perhaps when General Cui Shanzhong captured Bai Qingyu and the Bai family army into the city, their seemingly impregnable Yunjing… had already become a sieve in the eyes of the Zhou and Yan armies!
For some reason, Li Tianjiao suddenly thought again of Cui Fengnian, who had disguised herself as a man and conducted trade.
At this moment… Li Tianjiao was certain that Cui Fengnian was definitely a spy for the Zhou and not the Jin Kingdom. From the very beginning, she entered Xiliang to high buy fur and jade, while also lowering food prices, all to prepare for the future attack of the Zhou on Xiliang!
So, after the Bai family army and Bai Qingyu were captured into the city, for those deeply hidden Zhou spies, it was like their backbone had entered the city, and could now take action!
Recalling how the Imperial Physician said Bai Qingyu’s injury was not fatal, but her pulse was chaotic, and she never woke up, it might have triggered an old disease. Now, Li Tianjiao understood, it wasn’t Bai Qingyu’s injury that had triggered any old ailment, she was merely feigning a coma!
Ha… this man really could endure, lying in bed for so long, enduring the pain of the Imperial Physician’s acupuncture on various acupoints, and the pain of having her nail cover pried off, without moving a muscle. Truly resilient!
Their Imperial Palace had stood for a hundred years, with countless eunuchs and maids, how many spies had mixed among them during this time. After bringing Bai Qingyu into the palace… Bai Qingyu probably pretended not to wake up, and let the spies in the palace constantly leak information, which led to the burning of the granary! That led to the poisoning incidents.
So… how long ago did Bai Qingyan start planning to overthrow the Jin Dynasty? Perhaps Bai Qingyan’s overthrow of the Jin Dynasty wasn’t because the Jin Emperor was using children for alchemy, that was merely an excuse. Perhaps she had long been preparing for uniting the world!
How early was this planning?
In the split second of life and death, Li Tianjiao’s mind was flooded with countless thoughts, and her heart turned cold.
Now realizing these things was no longer of any use, Xiliang… would ultimately fall into her hands.
“Your Majesty, now there is only one way out of the city. Our Xiliang Imperial Palace has a secret passage built for just such a situation. Where is it?” General Cui Shanzhong solemnly asked, “Let me escort you there!”
Li Tianjiao’s hand that held the sword trembled slightly, as the title of the fallen monarch would forever be a disgrace that she could not shake off.
Moreover, both the Emperor of Zhou and the Emperor of Xiliang were female rulers… proclaimed emperors in the same era. She feared she would inevitably be compared to Bai Qingyan by future generations.
However, if Bai Qingyan had truly started her preparations for world unification so long ago, then Li Tianjiao would be sincerely convinced of her defeat.
“General, you should have been able to enjoy your twilight years away from the flames of war!” Li Tianjiao’s voice was hoarse, “It was I… who knelt and begged you to come out of retirement. Let these soldiers protect you as you leave the palace! Whether it’s the Zhou or the Yan Kingdom, as long as you surrender, they will surely offer you a privileged old age…”
“Your Majesty!” General Cui Shanzhong exclaimed in shock, “What sort of talk is this!”
In truth, Li Tianjiao was also afraid, her hand holding the sword trembling: “General, when my father passed suddenly, I did not know where the secret passage was, but… even if I knew, I would not leave! I, Li Tianjiao, am the Emperor of Xiliang, and I will live and die with Xiliang! I would rather die in battle than live on in disgrace!”
“Your Majesty, why go this far!” General Cui Shanzhong gripped Li Tianjiao’s trembling sword-wielding arm, “As long as there’s life, there’s hope! Your Majesty is still young, and there will be opportunities to start again!”
“Does the general believe this himself?” Li Tianjiao shook her head with a smile, “It was I who let the Tianfeng Kingdom into Xiliang, allowing Tianfeng Kingdom to plunder our grains in Xiliang, forcing the people… to eat their own children, to strip the bones for fuel! This time… even though General Cui has come out of retirement, how many commanders were unwilling to come, and why? It’s because Zhou holds Li Tianfu, and Zhou uses Li Tianfu, claiming that they came at Li Tianfu’s invitation to expel Tianfeng Kingdom and reclaim Xiliang for the rightful emperor Li Tianfu, which is why many generals refused to support me, the Emperor of Xiliang!”
Li Tianjiao couldn’t help but sigh: “At first, I thought the Zhou Emperor was foolish for sending food to our people, wasting grain to feed our people of Xiliang. But later, I realized that the Zhou Emperor Bai Qingyan was not foolish, but had the heart to accept all the people of the world! The court officials of Zhou also have this generosity, so they were willing to spare no effort to send grain to Xiliang.”
“Once, when my father was alive, he said that if you have ambitions to rule the nations, you must first have the capacity to accept talented people from all states… with the broad heart of the Xiliang court! Just like Qin accepted Shang Yang and Zhang Yi! Only then, there is talent outside the court, Xiliang can have citizens of other states, and possess the lands of other states!” Li Tianjiao’s voice choked with emotion, “The Emperor of Zhou, and the court of Zhou are united, and their hearts can accommodate… the people of the world, so Zhou will surely rule the world, Xiliang has no room for last-ditch struggling!”
“General!” Li Tianjiao closed her aching eyes, “The fortune of Xiliang has ended.”
Li Tianjiao’s words, how could General Cui Shanzhong not understand?
General Cui Shanzhong looked at Li Tianjiao and spoke softly, “Your Majesty can realize where she falls short compared to the Emperor of Zhou, and has the courage to speak it out, her future is still boundless! Your Majesty… let this old official take the remaining soldiers to escort you out of the city! Though Your Majesty may not return soon, I believe with an emperor like you in Xiliang, the nation will be restored eventually! I… look forward to seeing that day!”
General Cui Shanzhong spoke earnestly.
But Li Tianjiao seemed resolute, shaking her head: “I am determined to die in battle for the country, General, it was I who implicated you! General, quickly leave the city!”
General Cui Shanzhong’s deeply lined eyes showed a touch of emotion, and after hesitating for a long time, he suddenly smiled at Li Tianjiao, like an elder speaking to a junior, revealing a kindly smile he had never shown Li Tianjiao: “To think that Your Majesty, a young girl, would have the courage to die in battle for the country! Well…”
“I am over eighty years old today, and today I will accompany Your Majesty in sacrificing my life for the country!” General Cui Shanzhong said, clasping his fists solemnly and bowing deeply to Li Tianjiao, raising his head with bright eyes looking at Li Tianjiao, “Die in battle for the country!”
“General…” Li Tianjiao always thought that General Cui Shanzhong was a cold-hearted person, and it was only because she, as an emperor, humbled herself and begged that General Cui Shanzhong reluctantly agreed to come out of retirement.
She never expected that General Cui Shanzhong would say… he was willing to sacrifice his life to accompany her!