47 Mother

"Zhaozhao, are you cold?"

Like a battle cry, a panicked soldier rushed out, wildly swinging his sword. Xiao Pingchuan kicked him into the crowd with a single kick, knocking down a large number of soldiers.

Immediately afterwards, he strode into the surging wall of people, held his sword horizontally against the blade, pushed the wall of people back, and single-handedly forced back dozens of people.

Probably hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Xiao Pingchuan and his men, who had been stationed in the ranks, moved.

One after another, people emerged from the top of the wall, each carrying a bow and arrow. They fired arrows at anyone they saw, quickly felling a large number of people.

Some soldiers in the compound suddenly turned against their comrades and attacked those around them.

In an instant, the courtyard was filled with the sounds of hacking and slashing.

Seeing this, Wei Xun loudly ordered his deputy, "Quickly go and call for the rest of them."

The deputy replied, "The rest have all been summoned to the city gate by General Feng."

Wei Xun cursed under his breath, then drew his sword and went into the fray himself.

With his own people joining the team, Xiao Pingchuan felt much less pressure and escorted Shi Ye toward the courtyard gate.

But Marquis Anping saw it first and roared, "Close the door! Close the door now!"

The courtyard gate slammed shut with a loud bang.

Xiao Pingchuan's eyes flashed with bloodlust as he led Shi Ye straight towards Marquis Anping.

Wei Xun rushed up to stop him.

Xiao Pingchuan gritted his teeth: "You're asking for death!"

Wei Xun had been constantly overshadowed ever since he met him. Now that he finally had a chance to get revenge, he couldn't have been happier.

Without saying a word, he pulled Marquis Anping behind him, then swung his sword down diagonally, the force of which made Xiao Pingchuan's arm go numb.

Xiao Pingchuan was furious.

He gripped the knife with both hands and clashed head-on with Wei Xun. This time, the blades met, producing a teeth-grinding sound and accompanied by blinding sparks.

With a snap, the knife that Xiao Pingchuan had casually snatched broke in two, while Wei Xun's knife, propelled by inertia, slashed viciously into Xiao Pingchuan's neck, nearly severing his pulse.

Seeing this, Shi Ye picked up the broken blade from the ground and stabbed it into Wei Xun's ribs.

Xiao Pingchuan threw away the broken knife in his hand and snatched Wei Xun's knife, slashing it fiercely at the same spot.

"My lord!" Wei Xun cried out in anguish, "Father!"

Marquis Anping was less than three steps away from him when he saw this scene. He turned and ran, grabbing a soldier at random and shoving him towards him, shouting, "Go! What are you guys good for?!"

The man braced himself and slashed at Xiao Pingchuan's back. Xiao Pingchuan didn't move. He simply pulled the knife from Wei Xun's neck, placed it against Wei Xun's neck, and threatened Marquis Anping, saying, "Let us go, or your son will die."

"Xiao Pingchuan! Do you intend to fight to the death with the Marquis of Anping's mansion?" Marquis Anping roared from a distance.

Xiao Pingchuan said calmly, "So what if it is? Will you release it or not?"

Marquis Anping was already in a bloodthirsty frenzy. Even if one of his illegitimate sons died, he still had his legitimate son. What was there to be afraid of?

So he replied, "If you dare to kill him, neither you nor Shi Ye will leave here today."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Pingchuan stopped talking nonsense, twisted his waist and turned to the side, the blade sliced ​​through, and Wei Xun's head, which was still wide open in death, rolled to the ground.

"Ah!" Marquis Anping went mad.

On the other side, the heavily armored cavalry of the North pressed in like a black sandstorm, their hooves pounding through the mud and snow, sending snowflakes flying.

Feng Sanhe dared not linger in the fight. Taking advantage of Shen Suqin's distraction, he hurriedly retreated and returned to the rear of the city guards.

Everyone stopped as well.

Soon, the black-armored heavy cavalry surrounded the area.

"This humble general, Zhao Chengchun, is late." The man dismounted and knelt on one knee before Xu Youcai.

Xu Youcai put away his axe. "Madam is here. Please greet Madam."

Zhao Chuncheng looked up, his gaze sweeping over the sallow-faced, muscular refugees. He didn't see any rough women, and then looked blankly at Xu Youcai.

“Look where you are, the lady is here,” Xu Youcai pointed to him.

"Hiss," Zhao Chuncheng gasped, "Greetings, Madam."

At this moment, Shen Suqin was dressed in a smart outfit, looking heroic and dashing, unlike any ordinary woman.

"General, there's no need for such formalities. You've worked hard," Shen Suqin said.

Not far away, Feng Sanhe coldly watched this side and said in a sarcastic tone, "The border troops entered the capital without cause. It seems that General Xiao is also going to rebel."

Zhao Chengchun had a much more violent temper than Xu Youcai. Upon hearing this, he shouted back, "Bullshit! I was summoned by His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Feng Sanhe was taken aback. Yes, the power to mobilize troops was in His Highness's hands.

But when he looked around, how could they have arrived so quickly? Could they have been lying in ambush around the capital all along?

"General Feng, can we make way now?" Shen Suqin asked.

Feng Sanhe: "What kind of sweet dream are you having?"

Seeing that the fighting had subsided, a messenger ran from inside the city and whispered something in his ear.

Feng Sanhe nodded, "I will try my best to stall for time and urge Marquis Anping to act swiftly."

"yes."

Across from him, Xu Youcai asked Zhao Chuncheng in a low voice, "What did that person say?"

Zhao Chengchun can read lips.

"They say Marquis Anping made a move. What does that mean?" he asked.

Xu Youcai gripped his axe tightly and looked at Shen Suqin: "Madam, Mingde Hall has made its move, we need to hurry."

Shen Suqin nodded.

Xu Youcai turned to Zhao Chuncheng and whispered, "The general and the crown prince are trapped in the Mingde Hall and are currently being besieged."

"What? My goodness! What are we waiting for? Let's go save them!"

"Hey, you dogs blocking the way, can you kill them all?"

Zhao Chengchun glanced at it briefly and said, "It should be fine if it doesn't cost more than ten thousand."

"Bullshit, by the time we kill them all, it'll be too late."

Feng Sanhe was also observing this area.

His gaze was fixed on the Black Flag Army, who had made a long march. Seeing that they were covered in armor and exuded a murderous aura, they looked like they were not to be trifled with.

He beckoned to the side and whispered, "Go to the Shen residence..."

After he finished, he called out loudly to Shen Suqin, "Madam Xiao..."

Shen Suqin was too lazy to listen to his nonsense and interrupted him directly: "There are two paths. Either you get out of the way, or we will step over your dead body to get in."

Then, she held up three fingers, "One, two, three."

Feng Sanhe remained motionless.

Shen Suqin waved his hand, "Go! No lingering in battle, charge straight through the pass, target Mingde Hall."

"Yes, madam."

"Yes, madam."

At the same time, she said, "The people step back."

As soon as he finished speaking, the refugees retreated like a tide, and the heavily armored Black Flag Army stepped forward. At Zhao Chuncheng's command, the cavalry shot out like arrows released from a bow.

As Zhao Chuncheng passed by Shen Suqin, he bent down and reached out, lifting the man onto the horse's back.

And so, the cavalry charged headlong into the city guards, cleaving open the city gates like a giant iron sword. No one dared to stop them, and even if someone did, they would be instantly trampled into mincemeat by the horses' hooves.

The city gate, which had been impassable for half a day, was breached by a single cavalry unit.

Feng Sanhe was so angry he almost vomited blood.

"General, what do we do now?"

“Go to Yongsheng Gate? I don’t believe Shen Suqin can get through Yongsheng Gate.”

Yongsheng Gate is the first gate before entering the palace, and the imperial guards begin their duty from here.

When Feng Sanhe and his men arrived here, they indeed saw Shen Suqin and her group forced to stop.

Princess Changtai, holding Jiang Yao hostage, stood in front of a group of imperial guards, confronting Shen Suqin.

"Take your people and leave the city, or I will kill her," Shi Yunzhu said.

Shen Suqin gripped her curved sword tightly and said coldly, "Even Pei Ruhai isn't coming, so what are you doing here?"

"The prosperity of a noble family is shared by all, and the loss of a noble family is shared by all. Why can't I come?"

"Do you think I would disregard the lives of thousands of people behind me for the sake of one person?"

If she were to step down, the Crown Prince would surely die, the Black Flag Army marching south would surely die, the refugees outside the city would surely die, and even those poor families who had previously caused trouble would suffer as well.

"So what?"

Shen Suqin was amused and automatically added the second half of her sentence: "Preserving the wealth and glory of a noble family is the real goal, isn't it?"

Shi Yunzhu tightened the dagger pressed against Jiang Yao's neck even more and asked Shen Suqin, "Are you going to back down or not?"

Shen Suqin did not return.

Shi Yunzhu pushed the person two steps closer, "Back off or not?"

Shen Suqin withdrew, her fingers clenched so tightly that her nails dug deep into her flesh.

She looked into Jiang Yao's eyes, which were filled with confusion. It was clear that Jiang Yao did not know why he had suffered this undeserved misfortune.

Shen Suqin looked at the people beside and behind her. They stared intently at her, but looked away when she looked over.

For the first time in her life, she realized what it meant to be caught between a rock and a hard place.

"I want her to live. Name your terms." She swallowed hard and said to Shi Yunzhu.

Shi Yunzhu refused, saying, "Withdraw your troops. Nothing else is negotiable."

Shen Suqin was soaked in blood, and the cold wind chilled him to the bone.

"Madam," Xu Youcai called to her softly.

The general and the crown prince are still trapped in the Mingde Hall and cannot wait any longer.

Shen Suqin nodded.

“Princess, if she dies, Shen Jinghe won’t survive either. Is that what you want to see?” she said.

Shi Yunzhu clearly hesitated.

Feng Sanhe, who had just arrived, quickly reminded her: "If that person doesn't die, then we will be the ones who die. Shi Yunzhu, think carefully."

He was referring to the crown prince.

"Feng Sanhe! You're asking for death!" Shen Suqin gritted her teeth and roared.

Feng Sanhe snorted coldly, walked into the Imperial Guard, stood beside Shi Yunzhu, and said to her, "If you can't do it, I will."

Shi Yunzhu said coldly, "No need. I know what's important. Shen Suqin, withdraw your troops unless you want her dead."

Shen Suqin took a deep breath. She couldn't back down, nor could she remain stuck here.

“Zhaozhao,” Jiang Yao suddenly spoke, her voice gentle and soothing, “Aren’t you cold? You’re dressed so lightly.”

Shen Suqin gently shook her head.

"You need to wear more clothes and eat more, eat your fill, don't get hurt, don't bleed..."

"Jiang Yao!" Shen Suqin interrupted her abruptly, "You are not allowed to do anything. I will find a way."

Jiang Yao smiled and said, "Zhao Zhao, you are a good child. You did something important and a good thing. Mother... I can't help you, so I must not get in your way anymore. Go back and tell him for me that I will still be with him in the next life."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yao suddenly raised his hand, pressed down on the knife in Shi Yunzhu's hand, and slashed it fiercely across his own neck...

Almost at the same moment, Shen Suqin roared and charged at Jiang Yao, but she was too late. Apart from having half of her face splattered with blood from Jiang Yao, she got nothing.

The blood was warm, but when it splashed on her face, it felt as hot as boiling oil.

Shi Yunzhu screamed and threw the person away, but Shen Suqin caught her steadily in his arms.

She tried to cover her wound with her trembling hands, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop it.

"Mother," she murmured.

Jiang Yao did not respond.

She was completely lifeless.

Shen Suqin raised the hand that was covering her wound, and the glaring blood reminded her of the wedding dress that Jiang Yao had embroidered for her stitch by stitch before she got married.

She said that every stitch she embroidered symbolized the unity of husband and wife, and that it didn't matter if she didn't get along with Xiao Pingchuan; she would support herself when she returned home.

She knew nothing, and yet she died!

Shen Suqin looked up at Shi Yunzhu with a blank expression.

Shi Yunzhu was stunned. Although she disliked Jiang Yao, they had kept to themselves for many years. She had never killed anyone, let alone let anyone die by her hand.

She took a half step back, her toes getting tangled in Jiang Yao's clothes, causing her to fall to the ground.

Shen Suqin gripped the curved knife tightly. She knew she should kill this man to avenge him, but... but...

"ah!"

She roared and turned to Xu Youcai, saying, "Let's go! I'm going to raze Mingde Hall to the ground."

While she was distracted giving instructions, Shen Suqiu arrived without her noticing and dragged Shi Yunzhu away.

Shen Suqin turned back and met Shen Suqiu's gaze.

Unaware that the murderous intent in her eyes resembled that of a demon from hell seeking revenge.

"Shen Suqiu, this score isn't over yet," she said, enunciating each word clearly.

Shen Suqiu: "I know, just put it on my head."