Chapter 445 Tomorrow, I will prepare to open the city to fight

These days, Helian Feng's mind was as tangled as a ball of hemp.

Xiao Nanyan's life or death was uncertain after he was stabbed, but the army led by Fu Yunqing still besieged Yandu tightly. The tents outside the city wall were connected like a belt, and the sound of trumpets coming day and night hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

The situation in the city has long been grim.

They had rushed into the city in a hurry to force back the enemy, but now it was surrounded and the supply of food and grass was completely cut off.

The booklet handed over by the Ministry of Revenue officials last night was shocking - if the food currently in the granary is divided equally among the soldiers and civilians in the city, it will run out in less than a month.

By then, the city would be in chaos before the enemy even attacks.

Helian Feng stood on the city wall, looking at the dark mass of enemy troops outside the city, his knuckles knocking against the bricks, making a dull sound. He counted the chips in his hand:

The 100,000 imperial guards he personally led, plus the 50,000 surrendered soldiers he recruited, although not the best troops, were enough to compete with Xiao Nanyue's troops.

Rather than waiting for death, it is better to give it a try.

He made up his mind to reorganize his troops today and open the city to fight early tomorrow morning.

When he woke up in the morning, he sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on Xiyan's sleeping face, and his fingertips gently stroked the dark circles under her eyes - she had lost a lot of weight these days.

A struggle flashed through his heart. Was it right or wrong to keep her imprisoned by his side like this?

But he couldn't bear to let her go.

He sighed softly and took out the silver hairpin from his bosom. It was slightly cold to the touch.

Touching the two words "Eternal Night" engraved on the hairpin, his eyes felt a little sore. Then, he gently inserted the hairpin into her hair.

Xiyan's long eyelashes suddenly trembled slightly. He knew that she was awake, but just didn't want to open her eyes or talk to him.

The hall was so quiet that only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard.

Helian Feng looked at her tightly pursed lips and sighed softly, his voice so low and hoarse as if covered by a veil:

"Xiyan, tomorrow, I will prepare to open the city to fight. Don't worry, I will never use you as a bargaining chip. I will fight Xiao Nanyan with real swords and guns. After this battle, if I lose, I will let you go. If I win, I will treat you well in this life and will never let you suffer any injustice again..."

Xiyan still refused to respond to him.

Helian Feng seemed to be talking to himself: "Xiyan, I can actually do this, and be with you for the rest of my life. I don't want to repeat the tragedy of my father, the emperor, and my mother. If I marry a woman I don't love, not only will I be filled with regret, but I will also let down the other woman's life. I have seen too much struggle for favor and power in the deep palace, too much..."

He paused, as if he had a lot to say, but in the end he just tucked the quilt for her and slowly stood up.

"I'm leaving now and won't be back until nightfall. You should get some sleep."

The footsteps gradually faded away until the palace door creaked shut, and Xiyan slowly opened her eyes.

The morning light from outside shines in through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows on the bedding.

She raised her hand and touched the silver hairpin in her hair, and the cool touch spread from her fingertips to her heart.

Helian Feng's words were still echoing in her ears, but she knew in her heart that once this battle started, it would be a matter of life and death. How could she be calm after the battle was over?

She looked at the phoenix embroidery on the ceiling of the tent and suddenly thought of Xiao Nanyan - was he still alive at this moment? Tomorrow, the city would be opened and the two armies would face each other. If he really appeared at the battlefront, what would happen to Helian Feng?

If a war really breaks out, even if Helian Feng doesn't use himself to force Xiao Nanyue, there will always be people with bad intentions. He must escape before tomorrow's war.

If I can't escape, I would rather die than become a puppet coerced by others.

…

At dusk, the palace door was pushed open with a creak, and the afterglow of the setting sun poured in through the gap in the door.

Four palace maids came in. She recognized that they were Helian Feng's trusted maids in the Prince's Mansion.

It seems that he is really afraid of the Queen and Helian Shu, and will do something bad to her.

"Princess."

The leading maid knelt and saluted, her voice soft:

"Let me serve you dinner."

Xiyan sat on the edge of the bed without moving, watching them arrange things in an orderly manner - the copper basin was placed on the carved stand, the brocade handkerchief soaked in warm water was handed to her, and the tea in the mouthwash cup was just the right temperature.

Their actions were deliberately cautious. They didn't dare to get too close, but they also showed a sense of "not daring to neglect" everywhere. It was obvious that they had received strict orders from Helian Feng.

By the time she had finished tidying up, the last palace maid had opened the food box, revealing four plates of exquisite snacks:

A bowl of dense bird's nest porridge sprinkled with chopped osmanthus flowers; a plate of crystal shrimp dumplings with paper-thin skin, through which the pink shrimp meat can be vaguely seen; and two plates of refreshing side dishes, pickled young ginger and cold-mixed green bean sprouts.

Because Xiyan has a light taste, this was something Helian Feng specifically instructed her to do when he left.

"Princess, enjoy your meal."

After several palace maids finished setting up the room, they bowed again and said, "We will be waiting outside the hall. We will come back to clean up after you have finished using it."

After saying that, the four of them retreated quietly, the palace door was gently closed, and the previous silence was restored.

Xiyan watched the backs of the four palace maids disappear outside the palace gate, and her gaze fell back on the dinner on the table. She turned her jade chopsticks half a circle on the food and gently put them down.

Her slender fingers unconsciously brushed across the slightly cool tabletop, but her eyes drifted to the incense burner in the corner.

Burning inside was the calming incense that Helian Feng had found specially for her. Its scent was refreshing and could soothe people's restlessness and depression.

But today, the fragrance seems slightly different from usual.