VBNWDW - Chapter 121
Chapter 121
The Crown Prince requested to go to battle, but none of the court officials agreed. The Emperor, furious, could only issue a decree forcing a few generals and soldiers to accompany him. Only then was the Crown Prince able to lead his troops out.
However, the Crown Prince and his soldiers galloped to the border, only for the city gates to be breached in less than four days.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Great Chu has broken through!" Within the beacon-lit city walls, a soldier hastily pushed open a door and rushed into the room.
"Your Highness, the army… Your Highness…" The soldier stared ahead, somewhat bewildered. The panic on his face had yet to fade before it froze in place.
The room's furnishings were in disarray, a clear sign that its occupant had left in a great hurry. They had grabbed a bow but not the quiver, even knocking over a wooden rack in the process. A scrap of fabric from a robe remained on the floor, perhaps torn off when it snagged on a corner as they ran.
Before that soldier could even step inside to investigate, a sword-wielding soldier ran up from behind. He had just raised his blade to resist when the longsword stabbed viciously into his side.
The soldier blinked and looked down to see a gruesome hole torn in his abdomen, blood gushing madly along the fuller of the blade.
He suddenly cried out, "Your… Your Highness…"
Perhaps it was his only lingering thought before death, or maybe it was just instinct after his mind went blank.
The enemy pulled the blade out without hesitation. Its sharp edge sliced through flesh and white fat, and then blood gushed out wildly!
The man instantly collapsed to the ground, dark blood staining the floor tiles like a stream. The enemy, however, stepped over his corpse and headed out, then roared, "The Crown Prince of Great Liang has fled! After him!"
As the voice fell, the soldiers heading in this direction quickly turned and ran outside.
And the body on the ground, already lifeless, reflected in its unseeing eyes the image of the murderer striding over him and chasing after the others outside.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was slumped wretchedly on his swift steed, cursing as he whipped it, "Useless! All of you are useless! A bunch of good-for-nothings!"
But his expression was filled with terror, his eyes constantly darting toward the surrounding guards. The curses seemed more like a desperate attempt to feign strength in the face of fear.
The surrounding guards glanced back from time to time, their hands white-knuckled on the reins, looking as if they might turn their horses around at any moment.
—Swoosh!!!
The sound of something slicing through the air rang out instantly. A feathered arrow plunged directly into the ground, burying itself halfway, a testament to the archer's immense strength.
The startled horses shrieked. It was unclear who shouted, but a voice cried out, "Protect His Highness! The rest of you, with me, to the rear!"
Immediately after, flashes of white light glinted from scabbards. Amid the shouts, Zhong Jueren's face turned pale. He leaned so low his body seemed completely plastered to the horse, muttering, "Faster, faster, go faster!"
The screams behind him grew fewer and fewer. His hands trembled so violently that he nearly fell from his horse several times.
Another feathered arrow shot toward him.
His pupils dilated, and he screamed, "Father Emperor, save me!!!"
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
"Your Highness, wake up!"
A hazy voice startled him from his deep sleep. Zhong Jueren sat up abruptly, his clothes soaked through with a cold sweat. He gasped for breath, his eyes completely bloodshot.
The eunuch beside him said hurriedly, "Your Highness, you have already returned. It was just a nightmare."
Right, a nightmare.
Zhong Jueren nodded hastily, repeating, "A nightmare. It was a nightmare. I escaped and came back."
The eunuch affirmed, "Yes, Your Highness has returned."
Hearing this, Zhong Jueren's expression gradually relaxed, the terror once again buried in a secret place from which it could never be erased.
That day, he had been pursued by hundreds of enemy soldiers. Two-thirds of his guards were gone, and he himself had nearly been thrown from his horse several times. Fortunately, he had finally made it back behind the walls of Great Liang. Otherwise, he would have become a hostage of Great Chu!
At this thought, he couldn't help but feel fortunate. Luckily, he had been perceptive enough to have his men prepare the moment he sensed something was amiss. Before the enemy had even breached the city, they had already slipped out secretly, gaining the advantage of a head start. That was the only reason they had managed to escape.
As for the commoners and soldiers inside, who among them was as noble as he, Zhong Jueren? If they were sacrificed, they were sacrificed. At worst, Great Liang could just fight its way back and avenge them.
Zhong Jueren's breathing slowed, and someone immediately brought a towel of just the right temperature to wipe away his sweat.
Zhong Jueren simply raised a hand, squinted toward the doorway, and asked again, "Where is Father Emperor?"
"His Majesty…" The young eunuch paused for a moment before saying, "His Majesty is looking for someone else to lead the troops."
Zhong Jueren looked indignant, his expression conflicted for a long while. Finally, he kicked the young eunuch wiping his sweat and cursed, "Get out, you useless thing!"
The frightened young eunuch scurried out, and the wooden door was shut.
—Creak!
Green mountains rose in layers, shrouded in white mist. Within Xuanmiao Temple, the door to a room with carved wooden lattice windows was pushed open, emitting a sharp sound.
The person waiting outside heard the sound, and a trace of joy appeared on his aged face. He began to speak in a shrill voice, "Your Highness…"
The last word stopped abruptly. Upon seeing who had emerged, his voice, which had taken eight hundred turns to prepare, came to a halt. The old eunuch forced his mouth shut and took a step forward. "Where is Her Highness?"
The Daoist in blue robes, who had just stepped over the threshold, froze in place and uttered stiffly, "Senior Sister refuses to see you. You should leave."
The last time, the Emperor had decreed that Zhong Jueyu take the abbot of Xuanmiao Temple as her master, officially making her a disciple of the temple. Though she had joined late, the abbot's seniority was high, and Zhong Jueyu benefited from his standing. More than half the disciples in the temple had to call her Senior Sister, even Luo Yueqing, who had been quite vexed by the matter these past few days.
Hearing this, the old eunuch stomped his foot anxiously and squawked in his duck-like voice, "How could this be? How could this be! Did you not explain clearly? It is an imperial edict from His Majesty! His Majesty is summoning her!"
The young Daoist waved his hand impatiently. "I told her, I told her. Word for word."
The old eunuch's eyes darted about. He pulled a gold ingot from his sleeve, stuffed it into the other's hand, and said in a low voice, "Daoist, please help this old slave ask again. Make it clear that His Majesty requests the Grand Princess to descend the mountain."
That word, "requests," was deliberately emphasized and drawn out.
The young Daoist was stunned, then quickly shoved the gold back into the other's hand, both anxious and angry. "What is wrong with you? I already told Senior Sister exactly what you asked. Why are you trying to corrupt my Daoist cultivation!"
The Daoist's face flushed red with anger as he scolded, "Senior Sister is devoted to seeking the Dao. Why must you all pester her to descend the mountain! Why can't you people of the secular world understand plain speech!"
The young Daoist retreated inside and slammed the door shut, leaving without so much as a word of farewell.
All that remained was an old eunuch with a mournful face. Did he want to force the Grand Princess down the mountain? It was Great Liang, it was His Majesty who wanted her to descend!
The young eunuch holding the imperial edict beside him took a small step closer and asked in a low voice, "Eunuch, what should we do? Her Highness still refuses to accept the edict."
"What should we do? What should we do!" The old eunuch's anger flared, and he turned to scold him. "How should I know what to do? I can't very well storm in and force Her Highness to accept the edict, can I!"
The young eunuch was too frightened to speak.
The old eunuch, however, just sighed. This was already their second trip up the mountain. The last time, they were at least able to see the Grand Princess. This time, they couldn't even get through the door.
He couldn't help but curse inwardly, blaming the Emperor for writing the previous edict in such a self-righteous tone. He had felt ashamed just reading it aloud, let alone the Grand Princess, who was being compelled down the mountain with such harsh words. She had simply stated her intention to devote her life to understanding the Dao and then turned and walked away.
The second time, His Majesty finally understood the situation and wrote a great deal in a much kinder tone, but Her Highness was no longer willing to listen.
"Truly, when gods fight, it's the ghosts who suffer," he muttered.
The young eunuch behind him was too timid to speak, just standing there.
Then he suddenly turned his head and said, "What if we climb over the wall?"
The young eunuch was so frightened he couldn't speak, just waved his hands frantically.
He sighed again. "That won't work, I suppose."
The young eunuch nodded eagerly, expressing his agreement.
The group just stood there at the door, anxious but not daring to press the matter, afraid that if they went too far, the Grand Princess would cut her hair and become a nun. Then they would all be finished.
Amid their anxiety, the wooden door was suddenly pushed open again. Everyone immediately looked inside.
They saw a woman in blue robes and another in riding attire walking out side by side.
The one in riding attire had a cheerful expression, as if she were inquiring about something, pressing close to the other woman.
The other woman in blue robes looked somewhat weary. Her steps were not as steady as usual; she even had a slight limp. She paid no mind to the person beside her, walking on her own.
The old eunuch hurried forward and called out, "General of Guerrilla Cavalry!"
"Ah, isn't this Li Shigui, and General Ruan He?" His tone was exaggerated, but his delight was genuine, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.
"Have the two generals come to see Her Highness?" The old eunuch's tone shifted. "This old slave heard that both generals were injured in the last battle. To be able to climb these hundreds of steps to see Her Highness today—such devotion is truly enviable."
Though his words were phrased as such, the underlying threat was obvious.
Only then did Li Shigui look over, her expression instantly turning cold as she snapped, "What are you trying to say?"
The old eunuch continued, "I wonder if the two generals could help this old slave put in a good word with Her Highness, and perhaps allow this old slave to see if Her Highness has grown any thinner?"
Ruan He grabbed the wrist of the person beside her, stopping Li Shigui from acting rashly. Then, she stepped forward herself. Her gentle voice was polite but devoid of any emotional fluctuation as she said, "Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Ma. Shigui and I were indeed injured on the battlefield."
She paused for a moment, then added, "Shigui injured her internal organs. She seems fine when she's laughing and joking around on a normal day, but if she aggravates the injury, she'll be bedridden for another half a month. If she weren't so anxious to see Her Highness, I wouldn't have brought her here."
Regardless of whether he believed her, she continued, "My legs are giving me trouble, so I won't keep you for a chat, Eunuch."
As soon as her voice fell, she made a move to leave.
The frightened old eunuch said hurriedly, "It was this old slave who misspoke, this old slave misspoke. But this old slave is also anxious. The situation in Great Liang is critical right now, yet there is no one capable to lead. The matter of His Highness the Crown Prince becoming a deserter is already known to everyone. His Majesty suffers from insomnia daily and has not closed his eyes in two days."
He sighed, "I beg you, two generals, for the sake of the people of Great Liang, please show us a way forward!"
Li Shigui let out a cold snort, not even deigning to acknowledge him, and directly pulled Ruan He to leave. Her temper had always been like this. If he had spoken politely from the start, she might have been willing to say a few words. But if threatened, it was a wonder she hadn't already drawn her sword.
The old eunuch could only watch them descend the steps, his expression growing increasingly desperate.
The surrounding trees were no longer dotted with white blossoms. The dense woods felt strangely desolate, and when the wind blew, there was only an empty sound, not even the chirping of birds.
Just as the old slave was about to fall into complete despair, a faint voice drifted from the distance.
"Her Highness is quite concerned about the daughter of the Luo Family."
The words were carried away by the wind as soon as they were spoken. The old slave stood in place, pondering their meaning alone.
Looking down the steps, Li Shigui was full of dissatisfaction, grumbling, "Why did you remind him!"
"And another thing, Ruan He, don't change the subject! What on earth did you show Her Highness! Why did she punish you…"
"Tell me! Why are you running!"
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