Yet Gu Chaobei had no intention of retreating. Even at the cost of sacrificing an entire battalion, the Emperor only repeated his order, “Advance.”

This path was essentially paved with corpses. The sound of cannon fire grew increasingly sparse. Only when the barbarian troops began to retreat did Gu Chaobei say in a hoarse voice, “All generals and soldiers, heed the command—avenge our comrades! Annihilate the enemy forces!”

“Kill!” Morale soared, battle cries shook the heavens. The barbarians abandoned their iron cannons and fled, but were still pursued and intercepted by the Emperor. Of three thousand soldiers, only a few hundred escaped.

Gu Chaobei’s losses were also severe. Looking at those iron contraptions, his eyes turned red, “Transport all these things back to the capital. Have the arsenal examine them. If they can be made, we’ll make them ourselves!”

“Yes!”

After clearing the battlefield and transporting the iron cannons, the Emperor took stock. He had brought out fifty thousand troops, encountered barely three thousand enemy soldiers, and lost over five thousand men.

No wonder Gu Chaonan had been defeated!

After regrouping and resuming the march, Gu Chaobei had his calculations. He no longer reported his movements to the border, but instead took the remaining men by small roads to flank the border city.

Shen Guiyan looked at the wooden houses built in Yecheng, where many homeless elderly had been arranged to live. The citizens still voiced considerable complaints about her, because she was so willful—either she wanted residents living near the city walls to relocate, or she wanted to divert water channels near the granary. The recent water channel had nearly reached the granary entrance, and the people all worried this would cause the grain to become damp.

The Governor of Yecheng was helpless and could only let her have her way—after all, she was the Empress.

News that the Emperor had proceeded to the border had already been sent back. Holding the letter, Shen Guiyan sighed. The border was seven or eight days’ journey from here—it truly would be quite a while before she could see him.

Just as she was lamenting this, Vice General Zhang came in frowning, “I’ve heard His Majesty encountered a large barbarian force on the road.”

Shen Guiyan frowned, “Hasn’t the border still not fallen? How did the barbarians get past it?”

“This general does not know,” Vice General Zhang said. “But reportedly the barbarians have iron cannons. General Gu’s army has already been defeated once. Who knows how His Majesty’s battle situation will turn out?”

Iron cannons? Shen Guiyan squeezed her handkerchief, “There should be no problem. If such a small force could destroy the army His Majesty brought, this battle needn’t be fought—defeat would be certain.”

Gu Chaobei had talent for military campaigns. Otherwise, when previously confronting Wen Shoushan, he couldn’t have won so quickly. After all, Wen Shoushan also had over ten years of battle experience.

Even if the enemy had iron cannons this time, he would surely think of other methods. She should trust him.

But whether victorious or defeated, why had not even a single piece of news been sent back?

Gu Chaobei naturally had battle reports sent back to Yecheng, but each time the messenger reached halfway, they would be shot and killed on horseback, and the battle reports would fall into unknown hands.

So Shen Guiyan could only wait quietly in the silence, waiting for news from the border and for any movement outside.

After coming out here, Ming Sigu seemed much more cheerful than in the palace. Every day he and Nuo’er played in the courtyard, and from time to time she would push him around Yecheng. Xu Zhuangzhou constantly guarded the First Prince, practically never leaving his side.

Shen Guiyan asked, “You came all this way to protect the Imperial Prince?”

Xu Zhuangzhou said, “This commoner only came to fulfill the Grand Tutor’s instructions.”

Master Zhou had said that when chaos erupted in Yecheng, the Empress would have difficulty protecting herself and certainly couldn’t look after the First Prince, so he sent Xu Zhuangzhou. At least with his superior martial skills, he could help care for the prince somewhat.

Although Xu Zhuangzhou was very curious about how Grand Tutor Zhou knew Yecheng would descend into chaos, he didn’t ask many questions. Being able to follow along and see the scenery outside the capital was quite good.

Sitting in the courtyard, Shen Guiyan could see Xu Zhuangzhou quietly guarding beside the First Prince. She smiled slightly. She bore no hostility toward Xu Zhuangzhou, but she also hadn’t stopped having him monitored.

Half a month passed this way before there was movement outside the city.

However, this commotion was far too great—so great that the Governor of Yecheng came before Shen Guiyan scared out of his wits, “Empress!”

Shen Guiyan set down the book in her hands and looked at him, asking, “What is it?”

“Outside… General Gu’s remnant troops have escorted back His Majesty’s… His Majesty’s imperial coffin!”

Momentarily disoriented, Shen Guiyan knocked over the teacup on the table. Scalding tea spilled down, soaking her embroidered shoes and the hem of her skirt.

Whose imperial coffin?

Running out recklessly, her robes billowing in the wind, Shen Guiyan rushed up to the city tower. In the distance, she could see a procession bearing white banners, winding its way toward Yecheng.

The person at the front seemed to be Gu Chaonan. Behind him was an imperial coffin drawn by four horses in parallel.

Four horses drawing a coffin in parallel—that was the funeral rite for an Emperor’s death.

“Your Majesty, please accept our condolences. His Majesty reportedly encountered a barbarian ambush at the border and perished under iron cannon fire,” the Governor of Yecheng said tremblingly.

Shen Guiyan’s eyes reddened. She stared at that white procession for a long time, her body trembling slightly as she took a deep breath.

Vice General Zhang stood beside her, thinking for a moment that the Empress might cry out in grief to express her anguish over the Emperor’s death.

Who knew the Empress would blurt out, “Close the city gates!”

Everyone was utterly bewildered. The Governor said carefully, “Your Majesty, that is His Majesty’s imperial coffin…”

“This consort decrees—close the city gates! All garrison troops on alert!” Shen Guiyan shouted angrily, turning to look at the Governor of Yecheng, her brow and bearing suddenly sharp as a golden phoenix.

The Governor was startled and hurriedly gave orders, “Close the city gates! Close the city gates!”

The iron-chained gates slowly rose. In the distance, Gu Chaonan, who was advancing, frowned slightly.

Yecheng’s city gates were tall and constructed as suspended iron gates that could only be opened from within the city. Once these gates closed, no one could enter.

“Your Majesty, not welcoming His Majesty’s imperial coffin into the city is a grave offense of disrespect,” Vice General Zhang said with reddened eyes. “Your willfulness must have limits. Disrespecting His Majesty is a capital offense.”

Shen Guiyan turned coldly to look at him, “If this consort says we will not receive it, then we will not. Lower a bamboo basket to send someone down and ask General Gu what the meaning of this spectacle is!”

She absolutely did not believe Gu Chaobei could die so simply. It had been less than half a month—he should have only just reached the border, not even had time to send her word that he was safe. How could an imperial coffin be transported back already?

She didn’t believe it!

Vice General Zhang swept his sleeves and left, having someone descend from the city gate to inquire.

Looking down from the city gate, the people below appeared as small as ants. The little ant from Yecheng ran to the front of the great army. The army stopped one hundred chi from the city gate and handed the little ant a bloodstained letter.

The little ant returned to the city tower and reported tremblingly, “Empress, that imperial coffin bears His Majesty’s dragon robe. This letter—General Gu says it was left for you by His Majesty.”

The blood on it was garishly red. Shen Guiyan narrowed her eyes and reached out to accept it.