Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general, covered in blood, clasped his fists to Bai Qingyan: “Princess Zhenguo, please petition His Highness the Crown Prince on our general’s behalf. Our general… he must have been coerced by someone!”
“That’s right! That messenger…” Fu Ruoxi’s straightforward subordinate general pointed at the messenger’s corpse, “He must have been sent by someone to coerce our general!”
Bai Qingyan nodded: “General Fu has guarded the borders for many years with unwavering loyalty. If he was truly coerced and forced into desperation, I will personally petition the Crown Prince and His Majesty on his behalf. However, the urgent matter at hand is to escort the Crown Prince back to the capital. As long as the Crown Prince can be safely delivered to the capital… You will all have merit. When rewards are distributed based on merit, you can plead for General Fu!”
With Bai Qingyan’s words, several of Fu Ruoxi’s generals nodded and clasped their fists in agreement.
Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general had once rushed to the northern frontier with Fu Ruoxi and fought alongside Bai Qingyan. He deeply admired Princess Zhenguo with her proud bearing and noble character.
Moreover, Princess Zhenguo was a descendant of the Bai family, and the great victories in both the southern and northern frontiers were all Princess Zhenguo’s accomplishments. This made the soldiers of Anping Camp naturally hold an additional layer of respect for Bai Qingyan.
Anping Camp mobilized half its troops. Before departure, Bai Qingyan called Lu Ping, who would remain at Anping Camp, aside and whispered instructions: “This time, due to Fu Ruoxi’s public assassination attempt on the Crown Prince, most of the generals holding important positions in Anping Camp will be taken away by the Crown Prince. Tell uncle… he must take control of the remaining half of Anping Camp’s forces.”
Lu Ping nodded: “Miss, rest assured!”
·
A light rain had just fallen during the night, washing the azure bricks and jade tiles until they gleamed.
Dawn was just breaking, and even the merchants who usually rose earliest had not yet awakened. The lanterns at the main gate of the wealthy household with the yellow residence plaque and black lacquer with golden nails had not yet been extinguished.
The sound of over ten galloping hooves thundered down the long street, reining to a stop before the yellow residence.
Zhang Yan, who had been waiting at the gatehouse of the yellow residence, heard the commotion and opened the mansion gate…
He saw Xiao Rongyan in moon-white robes with a black cloak, holding the reins in one hand and a black gold riding whip in the other, leaping down from his horse, dust covering his entire body.
Zhang Yan hurried forward to greet him. As soon as he approached… Xiao Rongyan smelled the bitter medicine scent on Zhang Yan’s body.
Xiao Rongyan tossed the black gold whip in his hand to Zhang Yan, strode quickly up the steps, and headed rapidly into the Huang residence, asking: “How is Xie Xun?”
“As soon as Princess Mingcheng’s remains were taken away, General Xie collapsed with illness. His high fever won’t break, and he sleeps more than he’s awake.” Zhang Yan’s voice was full of worry, “General Xie doesn’t refuse medicine, but whatever he takes, he vomits it back up.”
Xiao Rongyan gritted his back teeth, his sharp features tense as he said: “If he vomits, continue brewing medicine and continue feeding him! Until he can drink down a full bowl of medicine. Take me to see him!”
Zhang Yan responded and quickly led the way, passing through courtyard walls and powder-white barriers, vermilion pillars and long corridors, entering a relatively secluded and elegant courtyard filled with golden osmanthus.
The golden osmanthus was in full bloom, richly fragrant, scattered all over the bluestone ground by the night rain, not yet cleaned up.
Zhang Yan stepped forward to push open the latticed partition, then stepped aside.
The carved latticed partition suddenly opened, and the damp wind carrying cold air entered the room. The candlelight dimmed, then brightened again.
Xiao Rongyan lifted the hem of his robes and stepped into the room, seeing the gaunt and pale Xie Xun stiffly turn his head.
Seeing that the visitor was Xiao Rongyan, Xie Xun’s throat rolled. He pushed away the brocade quilt, supported himself on the bed’s edge to get down, knelt on one knee in salute, his lips moving, but whether from guilt or sorrow, he couldn’t make a sound for a long time.
Zhang Yan tactfully closed the door and stood guard in the corridor.
Xiao Rongyan’s profound gaze fixed on Xie Xun, who wore only an inner robe. He untied his cloak and casually draped it aside, sitting down by the black lacquered Eight Immortals table facing Xie Xun, his brow and eyes carrying a grave and restrained murderous aura: “Mingcheng is gone, and you’ve collapsed?”
Xie Xun lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his eyes reddening as his breathing became heavy and rapid. He bit his teeth hard and remained silent.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Xiao Rongyan’s sharp profile. He took out the purse Mingcheng had left for Xie Xun from his sleeve, his fingers caressing the embroidered flowers on it: “Mingcheng was your childhood sweetheart, you made vows of eternal love, your feelings were deep and meaningful. You may grieve and feel sorrow, but you cannot fall!”
Xiao Rongyan placed the purse on the Eight Immortals table: “Whether Mingcheng… or you, Xie Xun, I once thought you were both hot-blooded children of our Great Yan! Xie Xun, tell me… did I misjudge you?”
“Why did Mingcheng die? Don’t you know? Whether in life or death, she brought no shame to her motherland! Can you, Xie Xun, dare claim you bring no shame to Great Yan?!” Xiao Rongyan’s voice rang out resoundingly, powerful and forceful, “At that time, Great Yan was weak and its people poor, with frequent internal rebellions and external threats pressing in. You knelt before the Imperial Brother with tears, saying that if he dared trust you and give you troops, provisions, and funds, within three years, you would forge an iron-armored elite force for Great Yan that would conquer in attack and triumph in battle! Great Yan was then almost on the brink of national destruction. The Imperial Brother sold the treasures left by ancestors and ordered the royal family to eat only one meal per person per day, saving food and money to provide provisions and funds for new troops, to purchase warhorses, halberds, and heavy shields! The entire nation of Great Yan, from the Imperial Brother down to officials and common people, all donated their family wealth! They placed their hopes on the new troops, counting on them to revitalize and strengthen the nation! Even during snow disasters and famines, you, Xie Xun, were never short a single grain of rice or millet. Now… among our Great Yan, only you, Xie Xun, are the fierce general who can deter the Beirong. Yet you abandon your responsibilities and hide here in self-pity!”
Xie Xun hunched his gaunt body, closing his eyes as tears streamed down his face.
Xie Xun was not unaware of how difficult Great Yan’s journey had been. That year… though young, he had a heart devoted to serving his Kingdom, afraid that His Majesty wouldn’t dare trust him. It was the Ninth Prince who argued against all opposition and brought him to kneel before the Yan Emperor.
All these years, he could focus on training new troops because the Yan Emperor and Ninth Prince had strived to provide him with provisions and funds, allowing him to train troops without worries.
“When Great Yan was handed down to our generation, it was a mess. The Great Yan royal family and loyal ministers worked together with one heart, struggling through hardships for over ten years to reach today’s position. Any slight mistake… today’s situation in Great Yan would go up in flames. Great Yan still walks on thin ice!” Xiao Rongyan supported himself on the Eight Immortals table and stood up, breathing out a long sigh, “Xie Xun… the reason Mingcheng abandoned you to go for the marriage alliance was because our Great Yan is still not strong enough! If you truly feel for Mingcheng, then stand up, take your sword, and return to Beirong! Firmly control Beirong in the palm of your hand, so that the Beirong people never dare mention marriage alliances again!”
Xie Xun’s lips turned pale as he looked up at Xiao Rongyan, gazing at his cold and hard profile, choking out: “Your Highness…”
Xiao Rongyan pointed at the purse Princess Mingcheng had left for Xie Xun on the Eight Immortals table, his sharp and profound pupils looking at Xie Xun with stern intensity: “When our Great Yan dominates a region or unifies the realm! There will no longer be any need for Great Yan women to use marriage alliances to exchange for the motherland’s peace!”