Cherish yourself
In the study room in the backyard of the Mingzhou government office, the charcoal basin was burning warmly, dispelling the cold air that seeped in through the gaps in the window frames. Ning Lingyao and Ning Yanhe lay side by side on the large desk, their little faces tense as they stared at the rice paper spread out in front of them.
Ning Lingyao held a tiny rabbit hair brush and dotted a small pearl flower next to the bun of a woman in palace dress on the paper. Ning Yanhe held an ink brush and tried hard to make the hem of the cloak of another slightly taller figure more flowing.
"My sister's eyebrows, as I remember them, were like distant mountains, faint and a little..." Ning Lingyao bit her lip, trying hard to recall, the tip of her pen hanging in the air, unable to put it down.
"That's not the case," Ning Yanhe leaned over to take a look, frowning. "Sister's eyes are bright, like stars. You drew them too round."
He stretched out his ink-stained little finger and tried to modify the eyes his sister had drawn.
"Ouch! Don't move! It's mine!"
Ning Lingyao hurriedly protected her painting, as the ink droplets almost rubbed onto the paper.
The two little guys argued for a while, and then both lost their temper.
Ning Yanhe put down his pen, his head drooping, and said in a muffled voice, "I can hardly remember what my mother looked like."
He pointed at the woman in palace dress and with a gentle smile on the paper, "I only remember that she smelled good and was warm when I hugged her."
Ning Lingyao fell silent. She stared at the spot on the paper that belonged to her mother, her eyes a little lost. The gentlest face in her memory had become blurred, leaving only a distant, hazy warmth.
"Sister has been gone for many days," Ning Lingyao's voice became nasal as she looked out the window at the gray sky. "It's snowing in Mingzhou. It must be even colder in the north. Did Sister bring enough clothes? Did she eat? Those bad guys..."
Ning Yanhe also raised his head and looked in the same direction: "When will my sister come back? I miss her..."
The two children's voices became quieter, and in the small study, the only sounds left were the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire and the unfinished painting.
Shen Qingyan stood quietly in the corridor outside the door, listening for an unknown amount of time.
He was still holding a roll of documents that he had just approved in his hand, but his fingertips were slightly cold. His Highness had gone north, and the two little princes remained in Mingzhou, and he was responsible for their upbringing.
They miss their sister.
He sighed silently, a sigh so soft it almost dissipated in the cold air. He didn't push the door open to disturb her, but simply tucked the document into his sleeve, turned around, and quietly left.
Back in the side hall, the charcoal fire was just as warm, but the pile of files on the desk could no longer attract his attention. He walked to the window, opened it a crack, and a biting cold wind rushed in, scratching his face painfully.
His gaze passed over the low wall of the government office and turned to the boundless north, where wind and snow raged and swords and weapons were everywhere.
Lingyi, where are you now?
The three thousand guards, composed of refugees and experienced only in suppressing bandits, faced the fierce and battle-hardened Western Qiang cavalry...
He didn't dare to think too deeply, but he couldn't control his thoughts drifting to the north.
Is her frail figure standing before a thousand enemies? Is she facing a life-or-death decision? Can Su Qingfan's fleet deliver the food and supplies in time? Although Zhou Wenyuan has been eliminated, the murderous intent in the capital is even greater...
Shen Qingyan closed his eyes, trying to suppress the surging emotions in his heart.
When I opened my eyes again, only determination remained.
Your Highness, please stay safe.
*
The north wind was howling, hitting his face like gravel. Ning Lingyi pulled the reins of his horse, and his fierce warhorse was emitting thick white mist. Before his eyes was an extremely bleak and vast plain. In the distance, gray mountains rose and fell, outlining the outline of Weizhou's territory.
They finally set foot in the Heshuo area.
Wang Mengzi rode his horse forward, followed by two bodyguards, carefully holding a long object wrapped in thick oilcloth. His rough hands untied the rope and lifted the oilcloth, revealing a neatly folded black flag.
"Your Highness, it's time to raise our flag."
He held the flag in front of Ning Lingyi with both hands.
Everyone's eyes were focused on the flag that was about to be unfolded, and also on Ning Lingyi. The three thousand guards straightened their backs. The two words "Mingzhu" on the flag became their symbol from then on.
Ning Lingyi's eyes fell on the flag. Once this flag was unfolded and fluttered in the wind and snow of Heshuo, there would be no turning back. It meant a declaration of war, and it also meant that the three thousand of them would become the most conspicuous prey in the eyes of the Western Qiang people.
She raised her eyes and slowly scanned the faces that were roughened by the cold wind.
Wang Mengzi, Wang Dayong, Niu Zhuang...
These names, these faces, from refugees to guards, may not be proficient in martial arts yet, or have not yet mastered the battle formations, but there is no time for them to grow.
How many of them will ever see the mist and rain of Mingzhou again? How many of them will ever be able to return to their wives, children, and parents?
Ning Lingyi felt a pang of grief. She took a deep breath, looked at the guards who trusted her, and said, "Gentlemen, as the saying goes, kindness is not in charge of military affairs, and righteousness is not in charge of wealth. I shouldn't have been weak."
“But I still want to say it now.”
"The road ahead is full of blind swords and the uncertainty of life and death."
"If we encounter an enemy, I will be the first to bear the brunt of the attack and fight bravely. I will never let you down, nor will I abandon you. If I flee in fear of death, you can all cut me down and offer my head as apology. I, Ning Lingyi, will not hesitate."
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness, you..."
Ning Lingyi waved her hand and continued.
"Therefore, I hope that you will join me in supporting this crumbling edifice and saving our country and its people from suffering. To this end, I, Ning Lingyi, am willing to entrust my life to you, fighting bravely and never retreating."
"But even so, I still hope that you will cherish yourselves and not abandon your lives unless absolutely necessary. You are priceless to me, and you are as precious as Mount Tai to your parents and families."
"You all are as fierce as the sky!"
"Your Highness!"
Before Ning Lingyi could finish her words, all her guards dismounted from their horses and knelt before the sky.
"I am willing to die for your Highness and for the people of the world!"
"Today, we unfurl our flags. From now on, our Pearl Guard will be famous throughout the world and will go down in history!"
She took the flag and flicked her wrist.
“Hula!”
The dark flag suddenly unfolded, fluttering in the wind. In the center of the flag, the word "Pearl" embroidered with gold thread shone brightly under the gray sky.
"Kill the enemy! Protect the people! Defend the country!"
Wherever the flag points, that is the direction they fight!
Ning Lingyi gripped the flagpole tightly and raised her arms high.
The dark cloak behind her was pulled straight by the wind, and she shouted clearly: "Enter Weizhou!"
Three thousand cavalrymen, surrounding the "Pearl" flag that was fluttering in the cold wind, poured into the Weizhou territory like a silent and determined black torrent, and headed straight for the strategic point - Qinghe.
*
Qinghe, known as the "Northern Reservoir of the World," is nestled against rolling mountains and bordered by a vast plain. It controls a vital north-south thoroughfare. Its walls are tall and sturdy, and its moat, formed by flowing water, is covered with a thin layer of ice in winter.
Ning Lingyi's army did not approach the city directly, but set up camp in a leeward valley about twenty miles away from Qinghe City. The terrain here was concealed, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it could avoid the sight of the lookout post on the top of Qinghe City.
As soon as the camp was set up, the scouts sent out returned to the main tent one after another.
In the brightly lit tent, Ning Lingyi took off his light armor and wore only dark clothes. He listened attentively to the report from the scout leader.
Several core generals including Wang Mengzi and Wang Dayong stood on both sides with solemn expressions.
"Your Highness, the main city of Qinghe has indeed been occupied by the Western Qiang people." said the spy.
"The defending commander's name was Helian Bo, a renowned warrior serving under the Western Qiang king. He was brutal and bloodthirsty. When the city was captured, the original defenders put up a fierce resistance, but he ordered the slaughter of most of them. There are still three to four thousand captured Southern Dynasty soldiers in the city, being forced into hard labor, facing a situation worse than death."
The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became more gloomy.
The scout leader continued, "After entering the city, Helian Bo allowed his soldiers to loot for over two months. The wealthy families in the city have long been plundered, and all the women of even a little beauty have been taken into the military camp. Now, the only ones left in the city are mostly the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the poor who have nowhere to escape. There are less than 50,000 people in total. The city is filled with resentment and is like hell."
"Beast!" Wang Dayong couldn't help but curse.
Ning Lingyi's face didn't show much emotion, but the coldness in her eyes deepened.
She highlighted the location of Qinghe City on the map. "How many troops does Helian Bo have? How are the city's defenses?"
"According to prisoners and informants, Helian Bo's elite troops numbered approximately 3,000, with an additional 5,000 or so dependent soldiers. He was self-confident in his bravery and disdainful of the remaining Southern Dynasty troops, so he didn't request more reinforcements from the rear. The city defense..."
The spy said, "Because of the large number of hard laborers working day and night, and the original strong foundation, the city walls and moat have been repaired and reinforced, and there are sufficient defensive equipment, a forced attack is extremely difficult."
Three thousand elite soldiers and five thousand miscellaneous soldiers, relying on the world-famous strong city!
There was dead silence in the tent.
Everyone knew that they only had 3,000 people and were at a disadvantage in terms of manpower, equipment, and terrain.
"Your Highness," Wang Mengzi looked at Ning Lingyi, "If we go head-on, with so few of us, we won't even make a sound. It seems we can only outsmart them."
Ning Lingyi's gaze moved slowly across the map, from Qinghe City to the mountains, rivers, and villages around it, and finally stopped on the wide Qinghe River that meandered around the city.
"Commander Wang is absolutely right." She said in a calm voice.
"Qinghe is the gateway to Weizhou. Helian Bo must rely on it as a natural barrier, heavily guarding the city gates and key land and water routes. However, his troops are arrogant, and the people in the city are deeply resentful. The captured soldiers harbor hatred. These are all opportunities for us."
She traced her fingertips over several key locations on the map. "The most urgent task is to quickly find out the specific deployment of Helian Bo's troops, where his food and fodder are stored, and whether there are any potential insiders in the city, especially those captured soldiers. They are the biggest variable."
"I understand!" Wang Mengzi responded solemnly, "I will immediately dispatch more personnel to thoroughly investigate the situation inside and outside Qinghe City as quickly as possible!"
Wang Dayong and others also accepted the order and began to discuss in a low voice the specific direction and candidates for the spying.
As the night deepened, the camp gradually became quiet except for the footsteps of patrolling soldiers.
Inside the main tent, the generals received orders and withdrew, making their own arrangements.
Ning Lingyi stayed alone in the tent.
The map was spread out on the table, and the flickering light cast a shadow on her beautiful face. She stared at the word "Qinghe" with a heavy heart.
A violent attack was not an option. Fire? Water was plentiful, and innocent civilians would be harmed. Tunnels? Time, manpower, and secrecy were all issues. Internal and external coordination? Where would the internal support come from? How could they be contacted? And how could they avoid being detected by Helian Bo?
Plans emerged in her mind one after another, but were quickly rejected by herself.
The disparity in strength between the enemy and us is too great. Any mistake in any link will be a catastrophe. Three thousand lives, the hope of Mingzhou, and even the future of the Heshuo remnant all rest on her shoulders.
She felt a little breathless, so she stood up, walked to the edge of the tent, and lifted a corner of the heavy curtain.
Outside the tent, the cold wind blew snow foam in my face, and I finally woke up a little.
In the distance are the outlines of continuous tents, and further away is the inky night and the vaguely visible huge and silent shadow of Qinghe City. The soldiers on duty hold long spears and guard this small camp in the cold wind.
Just when everything was silent and there was only the howling of wind and snow.
“Swish!”
The curtain of the main tent was lifted from the outside!
A strong cold wind carrying icy snow particles instantly filled the entire tent, causing the lamp on the table to sway violently and almost go out.
Ning Lingyi turned around abruptly, her hand subconsciously pressing on the hilt of the sword at her waist.
Against the faint light outside the tent and the flickering firelight inside, a figure wrapped in a thick dark cloak was striding into the tent.
The man took off his frost-covered hood, revealing a handsome face that was tired from a long journey. His eyes were surprisingly bright in the dim light.
She brushed off the snow on her cloak and looked at Ning Lingyi, who looked astonished. A familiar smile appeared on her lips. "Your Highness, do you have any questions? Qingfan, though not talented, may be able to answer them."
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