Chapter 63 [VIP]

Chapter Summary: The War.

"No need to announce my arrival. I just remembered I have important matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." Su Siyang said in a deep voice, then turned and left, leaving a group of people standing in front of the palace gate, looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Sister Ayu, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager hasn't gotten up yet. Shall we wait?" the palace maid next to her asked tentatively.

"Leave two people here to wait, the rest of you can go do what you're doing," Ayu was giving instructions when she suddenly saw the little palace maid she had just sent away return.

"What did Lord Su say?" Ayu asked.

"Lord Su suddenly said he had important matters to attend to, so he went back first," the palace maid replied, enunciating each word clearly.

Hearing this, Ayu glanced sideways at Xie Xuan. She had a feeling that Su Siyang had left because he heard Xie Xuan was there. But these things didn't concern her; she only needed to take good care of Yu Jing.

When Yu Jing woke up, she was completely dazed. She lay on the couch for a long time before she finally called out, "Ayu."

"This servant is here." Ayu was waiting at the door and quickly responded upon hearing Yu Jing's voice. "Is Your Majesty about to get up?"

"Hmm." Yu Jing responded, and then the door opened, and A Yu led a group of people in. A Yu walked to Yu Jing's side and whispered, "Lord Su came by just now, but said he had important business to attend to and left."

Upon hearing Ayu's words, Yu Jing immediately understood that Su Siyang probably knew Xie Xuan was there last night, which was why he left. But that was for the best; she and he shouldn't have had any connection in the first place.

She spent several days recuperating in the palace. Aside from going to the training grounds, Xie Xuan stayed at Cining Palace. Occasionally, he would climb in through the window to talk to her or read with her. Yu Jing felt that this life was quite peaceful.

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is just two days away. Has Your Majesty decided what to send to each palace?" Ayu asked as she brought in a cup of tea and placed it in front of Yu Jing.

Yu Jing had been learning to paint these past few days out of boredom. He dipped his brush in ink, picked it up, and slowly lowered it: "Just pick some things from the storeroom and send them out."

"Yes," Ayu replied.

Ayu suddenly remembered the rumors she had heard a few days ago and said, "I heard that news came from Youzhou a few days ago, and it seems that things are not very peaceful. His Majesty has been busy in the front court for several days."

"Is that so?" Yu Jing asked casually, her mind elsewhere. The affairs of the previous dynasty had nothing to do with her, and she still believed in Qi Jin's abilities.

“Yes,” Ayu replied, and seeing that Yu Jing didn’t seem to care much, she didn’t say anything more.

Yu Jing had just finished painting the orchid and was very satisfied with it, looking at it from all angles. It was probably the best orchid she had painted in the past few days.

"Ayu, what do you think?"

Ayu leaned closer to take a closer look, then smiled and praised, "The Empress Dowager's hands are truly skillful."

Although she knew that Ayu's words were somewhat flattering, Yu Jing was still very happy. Suddenly wanting to show Xie Xuan as well, she turned to Ayu and said, "Go and invite Lord Xie in. I have some things I want to ask him."

"Yes." Ayu immediately understood, led the people out, and then called Xie Xuan in. When Xie Xuan entered the hall, he saw Yu Jing at the desk.

The small window was half-open, a gentle breeze was blowing, and freshly picked lotus flowers were placed in a vase with double handles on the shelf. Yu Jing was wearing a light red, wide-sleeved robe with auspicious patterns, covered by a white gauze over it, and her hair was adorned only with a single, exquisite white jade hairpin. Perhaps to avoid getting ink on her sleeves, she had tied them up with red straps, revealing a section of her fair, lotus-root-like arm.

Yu Jing looked up at Xie Xuan, smiled and beckoned, "I just painted an orchid, come and take a look."

Xie Xuan walked to Yu Jing's side and carefully looked at the orchid she had just painted: "It's very beautiful."

Yu Jing was very happy to hear Xie Xuan praise her, but before she could be happy for long, she heard Xie Xuan say, "However, your writing is a little lacking."

Before Yu Jing could react, Xie Xuan had already grasped her hand. He held her hand, lifted the brush, and began to paint. He was right behind her, very close, and Yu Jing could hear his strong heartbeat and smell the faint scent of soap on him. Her own heart began to pound faster. Completely absorbed in his painting, Xie Xuan quickly painted another orchid. His work was far superior to Yu Jing's, which surprised her.

"I thought you were only good at leading troops into battle, but I never expected you to be so good at painting as well."

Xie Xuan, standing beside Yu Jing, smiled with his eyes crinkling upon hearing this: "There are many things you don't know."

Just as Yu Jing was about to respond, she saw Xie Xuan pull out a handkerchief from his pocket, which looked like it contained something long.

"What is this?" Yu Jing asked curiously.

"Open it and take a look," Xie Xuan said, looking at Yu Jing with expectant eyes.

Yu Jing opened the handkerchief, and what she saw was a bright red color.

“Magnolia flower!” Yu Jing asked in surprise, taking out the entire hairpin. The hairpin had a silver base, and the flower was finely carved. The red material was of unknown origin, looking translucent and warm, with a bright and flamboyant red color.

"So beautiful!" Yu Jing exclaimed.

"I'm glad you like it." Seeing that Yu Jing was so happy, Xie Xuan couldn't help but feel happy too. "Shall I put it in your hair?"

Yu Jing sat down in the chair, and Xie Xuan skillfully picked up the hairpin and put it in Yu Jing's hair bun.

"Is it ready?" Yu Jing asked.

"Hmm." Xie Xuan responded, and Yu Jing got up from her seat and walked to the bronze mirror to take a look. The red color suited her well, and with this hairpin in her hair, her skin looked even whiter.

Yu Jing walked up to Xie Xuan and asked with a smile, "Xie Xuan, is it pretty?"

"Beautiful." Xie Xuan looked straight at Yu Jing and said sincerely.

As Yu Jing smiled, a few words suddenly popped into Xie Xuan's mind: "A charming smile, beautiful eyes."

"It looks good." Xie Xuan repeated it again, still in a daze.

Yu Jing looked at Xie Xuan, and seeing him staring intently at her, she lowered her head somewhat embarrassed. After Xie Xuan left, A Yu came in to serve her and immediately noticed the hairpin in Yu Jing's hair. It was a magnolia flower hairpin, the same as the wooden hairpin she had seen in Guizhou, except this one was made of red agate and was much more exquisite. She didn't even need to say anything to know who had given it to her. She could tell that Yu Jing had truly fallen for Xie Xuan.

"Your Majesty, news from the previous dynasty indicates that barbarian tribes are repeatedly invading the borders. It seems that Youzhou will soon fall." Ayu whispered as she approached Yu Jing.

Upon hearing this, Yu Jing's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously asked, "How could this be? Didn't you say you only received the news a few days ago? How could it be so sudden?"

"I heard from the border this morning that the barbarians launched a night attack. The troops of Youzhou City have been resisting for two days, but most of them have been killed by the barbarians. Now the gates of Youzhou City are closed. With the strength of Youzhou City's troops, I'm afraid they won't be able to hold out for more than a few days." Ayu told all the things she knew in one go.

Yu Jing asked, somewhat puzzled, "How could such a large city like Youzhou not be able to hold out?"

"Since the last great defeat of the barbarians, I heard that their surrender was feigned. This time, they have invaded together with the bandits who fled to Youzhou and the Xiongnu in the north. This time, I'm afraid they are preparing for war and coming in a fierce manner."

Yu Jing's first thought was Xie Xuan. He used to guard the border, and if there was a shortage of manpower after this incident, he would probably have to go.

"What did His Majesty say?"

Ayu shook her head and replied, "His Majesty has been in the Imperial Study with all the officials since the morning court session ended and has not come out."

"I understand," Yu Jing replied somewhat nervously.

Ayu knew that Yu Jing was worried about Xie Xuan, and she was also a little worried about Yu Jing, but all she could do was help Yu Jing find out more about the palace. There was nothing else she could do.

"Your Majesty, is it time for dinner?"

"I have no appetite," Yu Jing replied. "Where is Xie Xuan?"

Ayu paused for a moment: "This servant will go out and take a look."

Ayu returned shortly after leaving: "I heard that someone from the General's Mansion came just now, and Lord Xie has just left."

She paused, then asked, "Should I send someone to deliver this message?"

Yu Jing turned around blankly and looked at the bronze mirror: "No need."

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager has no appetite, but she still needs to have dinner. Shall I ask the kitchen to cook a bowl of wontons?" Ayu suggested cautiously.

"Okay." She had a feeling that Xie Xuan was unlikely to get through this.

Ayu turned to leave, but before she even left the inner hall, she heard Yu Jing's slightly flustered voice call out, "Ayu."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ayu quickly turned around and replied.

"As soon as there is any news from the Imperial Study, come and inform me immediately."

"Yes," Ayu replied, then turned and left.

"The barbarians are invading from the border, and there are no capable people in the court. If word gets out, wouldn't we become a laughing stock?" Qi Jin sat in the main seat, looking at the group of people standing below, his eyes filled with slight displeasure.

A group of people were standing below; they had been standing in the Imperial Study for a whole day.

“Your Majesty, I believe that the General Who Guards the Nation and the General of the Central Army are suitable. When they were guarding the border, this kind of thing never happened there. Moreover, they have only recently returned from the border and are familiar with the terrain. No one is more suitable than them.” An old voice rang out in the hall.

"I second that!" Su Siyang was the first to stand up and agree.

"We second that proposal!" After he finished speaking, everyone else chimed in their agreement.

"Tap, tap, tap." The sound of fingers tapping on the table was exceptionally clear. Qi Jin's gaze fell on the group of people standing below. After a long while, he responded, "Then draft an edict, appointing General Xie Jin, the Grand General of the State, along with Xie Xuan, to lead 50,000 elite troops..."

As soon as Qi Jin finished speaking, the people below were all stunned by his words.

On the path, several adults were whispering to each other, their voices even softer than the chirping of crickets in the nearby grass.

"Fifty thousand elite troops, isn't that too few? I've heard that the barbarians also have nearly fifty thousand. The journey to Youzhou is long, and their chances of victory will be slim..."

“Alas, after the last battle, the capital’s military strength was already weak, and the newly recruited soldiers are probably not even able to adapt to the climate of Youzhou. Sending them there would be sending them to their deaths! His Majesty has his own considerations.”

"I only hope that General Xie and his men will return victorious from this mission."