Chapter 690 - 212: Pursuit
At the transition from spring to early summer, the night should have been delightful, capable of fostering sweet dreams, after which one awakens to new sunlight and new vitality. However, this night, the darkness stretched on interminably, with everyone’s eyes wide open, sleep eluding them as they awaited the uncertain arrival of good news with heavy hearts.
It was the same for Jiang Li.
Slowly, the sky shed its black hues as if water that had been dipped in ink suddenly lost its color, becoming clear and bright once more. At some point, the moon had vanished. From afar, the sound of roosters crowing could be heard, and at the gradually lightening edge of the sky, the dawn glowed.
A panting servant rushed in from outside, saying, "The retreat, it’s happened, Prince Cheng has retreated his troops!"
Lady Lu asked urgently, "Really?"
"Yes, everyone is coming out from their homes," the servant replied with palpable joy. "I also encountered the master on the road; he said that everyone has had a hard night and should eat and rest early, as there’s nothing to worry about anymore."
Jiang Li thought to herself that, evidently, Yanjing City had held its ground.
Madam Jiang the Elder also breathed a great sigh of relief. With her advanced age, after enduring the night, her maid hastened to take her back to her room to rest. Lady Lu also stood up, and both Jiang Jingrui and Jiang Jingyou stretched languidly. Only Jiang Youyao had slept well—oblivious to everything, she slept when tired. Jiang Bingji also had no idea what had transpired.
It seemed as if only now did everyone feel the exhaustion in their bodies, one after another seeking to return to their slumber, refusing even breakfast. Having sat through the night, Jiang Li felt sore and achy, yet she was somewhat more spirited than the others. Once back in her courtyard, she ate some pastries and drank hot tea in a hurry, then stripped off her outer garment and lay down on the bed, but for a while she couldn’t fall asleep, her mind instead preoccupied with the matter of Prince Cheng.
Zhaode General had defended Yanjing City, but it was still unknown how much Prince Cheng’s forces had diminished. If the general intended to completely resolve this threat, he would likely pursue them beyond the city walls and eradicate the rebels altogether. Although Prince Cheng’s forces were numerous, they couldn’t surpass those of Yin Zhan. The original plan of Prince Cheng hadn’t accounted for the likes of Yin Zhan, and even if it had, he wouldn’t have expected that after so many years, Yin Zhan’s troops could still fight—in Yunzhong, that godforsaken place, not an ounce of their fighting spirit had been eroded but rather appeared even more ferocious than before.