Chapter 1272: 1267: Kowtowing in Grief
Chapter 1272: Chapter 1267: Kowtowing in Grief
Li Tianfu’s consciousness was beginning to blur. It was almost with her last ounce of strength that she managed to sit on the Dragon Throne, her gaze directed toward the main entrance of the hall, tears seemingly welling up in her eyes, gradually blurring her vision. She couldn’t help but sigh, “A heart filled with a desire to support the state, but no power to turn the tide…”
As her words fell, the light in her pupils dispersed and vanished.
“Your Majesty…” The Xiliang soldiers in the hall knelt and wept bitterly.
Some soldiers picked up their blades and shouted, “General! Your Majesty… I have come to follow Your Majesty and the General!”
After speaking, they slit their throats.
That night, fires blazed across Yunjing City as captives surrendered everywhere, yet the main hall of the besieged Imperial Palace, cornered by the Ninth Prince of Yan and Bai Qingyu, saw no surrenders and no survivors.
Once there was no movement inside the hall, Bai Qingyu released Xiao Ruohai’s supporting hand and slowly walked up the stairs to push open the hall door…
Xiao Rongyan, fearing an ambush inside, grabbed Bai Qingyu’s wrist, moved back two steps with the injured Bai Qingyu behind him, and signaled the soldiers to kick the door open.
Yue Shi led people forward and kicked the door open with a single stride…
The brightly lit hall, filled with corpses, showed Li Tianjiao sitting at the highest place on the Dragon Throne, her eyes wide open, staring in the direction of the door. If not for her unblinking eyes, it would have seemed unbelievable that she was already dead.
Bai Qingyu, whose chest ached terribly, glanced at Xiao Rongyan standing protectively in front of him and could no longer hold on, collapsing straight backward.
“Fifth Young Master!” Xiao Ruohai widened his eyes and rushed forward to catch Bai Qingyu, thus preventing Bai Qingyu’s head from hitting the ground.
“Call Doctor Hong quickly!” Xiao Rongyan crouched down and lifted Bai Qingyu onto his back, shouting to Xiao Ruohai, “Hurry up!”
“Yes!” Xiao Ruohai immediately turned and instructed someone to call Doctor Hong, then swiftly ran towards the sleeping chamber where Xiliang had earlier placed Bai Qingyu.
·
Dadu City, Bai Mansion.
In the Qinghui Courtyard, two children slept soundly beside Bai Qingyan.
Yet Bai Qingyan was sleepless that night.
Perhaps due to the connection between siblings, for some unknown reason, even when Bai Qingyan slightly closed her eyes, she would dream of A Yu’s childhood, recalling scenes of A Yu as a child learning to ride a horse, being thrown off, breaking ribs yet not shedding a tear, just shaking his head and remaining silent.
Bai Qingyan, unable to sleep any longer, got out of bed.
Nanny Tong, hearing the movement outside the curtain, quickly came in. Seeing Bai Qingyan already draped in clothing and sitting by the bed putting on her shoes, Nanny Tong hurriedly stepped forward, casually opened the bed curtains to glance at the two children, and said softly, “Why is the young lady up? It’s still early!”
“I can’t sleep…” Bai Qingyan’s voice was somewhat hoarse.
Nanny Tong promptly poured water for Bai Qingyan—the water was warm, just right for drinking brought to Bai Qingyan’s lips.
Seeing her get up, Nanny Tong helped her sit on a soft bench. As Nanny Tong was tying the bed curtains together, she saw Bai Qingyan had already opened the hanging curtain, went around the folding screen, and sat down at the desk.
“Young lady, you should rest more now!” Nanny Tong held a lamp as she approached the desk, putting the lamp down, only to see Bai Qingyan lifting a brush, dipping it in ink, and sketching a rough outline of a city on paper, studying the chart intently.
Nanny Tong suddenly felt that the Madam had made a mistake in the past; fearing that the young lady would read, she had removed all the books from the young lady’s room, but didn’t take away the brushes…
Judging by the time, it’s been so long since A Yu was captured, Yunjing must have already erupted into battle over there!
Because in the previous life, Bai Qingyan was too complacent—after her grandfather, father, and uncles led her brothers to the battlefield, she had never worried. Later, when the Bai family’s male members all perished in the southern border, she was caught off guard.
Even though Xiao Rongyan is at the front lines, utterly protective of her siblings, Bai Qingyan still worries, speculating how A Yu will collaborate in the city.
Bai Qingyan repeatedly analyzed the battle situation in her mind, understanding her brother well enough to know he would position himself in the most dangerous places…visible to both Cui Shanzhong and Li Tianjiao, using himself to stabilize Li Tianjiao and Cui Shanzhong, making Xiliang believe he could become Xiliang’s trump card.
Bai Qingyan stood in front of the window, pushed it open… looked southward, feeling inexplicably anxious.
“Oh my young lady!” Nanny Tong quickly closed the window, “It’s the coldest time right now, be careful of the chilly wind catching you, leaving you with a headache from the wind you can’t cure in time!”
She smiled at Nanny Tong, raised her hand to touch the wild goose hairpin in her hair, believing that no matter what, A Yan would protect her siblings.
Perhaps due to the experiences of the past life, she always maintained vigilance and caution against any danger facing her family.
But, as her grandfather once advised her father, the fledgling will eventually grow up. How will she know her siblings need her to fly higher unless she learns to let go?
“Young lady…” The Hidden Guard called softly at the window.
Perhaps seeing the lights on in Bai Qingyan’s room, the Hidden Guard finally spoke at the window.
Bai Qingyan attempted to open the window, but Nanny Tong stopped her, casting a stern glance at Bai Qingyan, “This old servant will tell the Madam! This won’t allow the Hidden Guards to come again!”
Bai Qingyan: “…”
She had to withdraw her hand and ask, “What’s the matter?”
“Spies have reported movements in Zhongxing City and Yangjiang City of Daliang, Commandant Lu has already sent someone to quietly move troops overnight!” The Hidden Guard hesitated, “Due to concerns about disturbing the young lady’s month of seclusion, this wasn’t reported at night.”
“Alright, I understand, thank you!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking, she added, “Have someone inform Commandant Lu in the name of the Empress Dowager that this time those who intend to provoke our Zhou should be ruthlessly suppressed, the approach must be strong, to make other restless individuals scared of ever acting recklessly again!”
Bai Qingyan knew Commandant Lu’s direct movement of troops must have received her mother’s tacit approval. Her mother’s intent was to let her rest in peace during her confinement, not to trouble her, so it wasn’t reported to her.
The shadows of trees swayed outside, and the Hidden Guard disappeared again in Qinghui Courtyard.
As Bai Qingyan had previously mentioned, Daliang’s soft approach has run its course, if there’s no firmness, those in Daliang might still think Zhou is weak, creating disturbances whenever they wish, which is quite troublesome.
Though Bai Qingyan, being from a family of generals, never feared war, ever since ascending the throne as the Emperor of Zhou, her considerations became broader. She still doesn’t fear war today, but… she doesn’t want endless fighting!
Therefore, despite respecting their loyalty to Daliang, Bai Qingyan will show no mercy to this Daliang instigation.
The future of Zhou will certainly grow better and better!
This time after the palace examination ended, her mother brought all the examination papers over for her.