Chapter 326
Tao Tao sat there blankly for a long time, motionless, until her limbs were cold and her whole body was stiff, before she finally stood up by the bedside.
He stumbled forward the moment he stood up.
She dragged her heavy steps out of the room, looked at Shen Yu and Granny Sun who were tied to the tree, and waved wearily, signaling Leng Qiao to untie them.
Seeing her like this, Leng Qiao probably guessed that Qi Heng was dead.
After freeing them from their restraints, he immediately stood in front of Tao Tao to protect her.
When Granny Sun and Shen Yu saw that her face was covered in tears, they suddenly realized something and rushed in without pausing for a moment.
Within seconds, heart-wrenching cries erupted from inside the room.
The lingering light in the dark sky added a touch of desolation to the lonely, cold snowy night.
It was a turbulent time, and Tao Tao suppressed the news of Qi Heng's death. She thought that when she returned from Yuquan Pass, she would give him a decent funeral to make up for the grievances he had suffered.
Without delay, Tao Tao arranged everything and led her troops out of the city under cover of darkness the next day.
Rong'er and Granny Wu were kept in the mansion by her so that they could send her messages in time in case anything happened in the capital.
Traveling day and night, they finally arrived at the border town where Wu Lei was after three days and four nights.
Wu Lei had received the news early and was already waiting at the city gate.
However, he still finds it hard to believe that the Regent's wife actually led the troops here personally.
It wasn't that he looked down on women leading troops; it was just that in his mind, the princess seemed to be a delicate and frail young girl.
He was so bold as to lead troops into battle, and those pedantic ministers didn't object at all.
This is going to the battlefield to kill the enemy, not playing house. People could die at any time, so this kind of behavior is really too childish.
Thinking this to himself, dissatisfaction unconsciously surfaced on his face, but his behavior remained respectful.
Braving the wind and snow, Wu Lei squinted at the woman draped in a thick raccoon fur cloak and strode forward.
He clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed respectfully, and said, "This humble general greets Your Highness."
Tao Tao symbolically helped his arm up, "Please get up quickly."
The two entered the city gate one after the other. Tao Tao did not go to her residence immediately, but went up to the city wall and took out a long, black, cylindrical object about the length of a forearm from her sleeve.
She held it in front of her eyes, closed her left eye, and gazed into the distance.
Through the telescope, one can see people on the city wall of Yuquan Pass, a hundred miles away.
At that time, there were crystal magnifying glasses, but there was nothing that could be used to look far into the distance. She knew the principle of a telescope and it would not be difficult to make one.
Wu Lei looked at the things in her hands and her actions with great curiosity. It seemed that she was still looking in the direction of Yuquan Pass. He couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, what do you mean by this? What is this?"
Tao Tao frowned; those faces on the city wall were indeed not from the Central Plains.
She gripped the binoculars tightly in her hand, her mind heavy with thoughts.
She didn't notice Wu Lei's question to her; upon hearing his voice, she assumed he was worried about Duan Gan's safety.
"Don't panic, I'll send someone to sneak into the city and see what's going on."
Sneaking into the city? Does the princess have such a skilled bodyguard by her side?
Wu Lei thought for a moment and nodded, "I will follow the Princess's arrangements."
Tao Tao walked ahead, asking as she went downstairs, "Do you have a map? Let's plan for tomorrow."
Do you know how many troops the Turks had?
He replied, "Before they captured Yuquan Pass, the Prince and they had a very serious war. Gunpowder filled the sky, and I remember that a huge mushroom cloud appeared in the sky at that time."
"At least several thousand people died."
Upon hearing this, Tao Tao stopped and turned back to stare at him intently, repeating, "Gunpowder?"
He paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, gunpowder."
"For some reason, that gunpowder seemed to be several times more powerful than ordinary gunpowder. Even I, a humble general, could feel a very clear tremor here."
The gunpowder she modified was naturally more powerful than ordinary gunpowder.
So, with such powerful gunpowder and a commander who was a genius at warfare, how could they possibly lose to the Turks?
It wasn't that she was overly confident in Duan Gan, but rather that he had the ability.
No, something's not right, and the news of Duan Gan's death has spread far too quickly.
How could the capital city have just received the news and already rebelled, and even emboldened neighboring small countries to launch an attack based solely on rumors without seeking verification?
It looks like someone did this on purpose.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Wu Lei felt strange. "Your Highness? What's wrong?"
She snapped out of her reverie and shook her head. "It's nothing."
Upon arriving at their lodgings, Wu Lei immediately grabbed a map and eagerly asked, "Your Highness, when shall we launch our attack?"
With the current troop strength, plus the imperial reinforcements she brought, we will surely be able to retake Yuquan Pass.
But he saw the princess shake her head and say, "No rush."
"How can we not be anxious about the prince's safety!" He couldn't control his emotions and began to question.
Liang Zhao stepped forward from behind, frowned, and looked at him coldly, "The Princess Consort will make her own decision. General Wu Lei, please watch your attitude."
Wu Lei realized what was happening, scratched his head awkwardly, and said apologetically, "Your Highness, this humble general did not mean to..."
Before he could finish speaking, Tao Tao stopped him.
"It's alright, it's so late, everyone should go and get some rest."
Wu Lei: "We haven't had a welcome feast for the Princess yet. I've already arranged for someone to prepare a table of dishes, and they should be ready by now. Would you like to have something to eat?"
"No, I'm a little tired. You can go now."
After saying that, she sat down at the table, slowly closed her eyes, and rubbed her tired eyebrows with her fingertips.
Seeing this, he closed his mouth again.
Tao Tao looked up at him and said, "You've all worked hard. Knowing that the Prince was in trouble and Yuquan Pass had fallen, you must have been under a lot of pressure."
"Whatever delicious food I've prepared, just go and eat it. Don't worry about me too much."
The border region has always been harsh, and with so many soldiers, it's impossible for them to eat meat and fish every day. She doesn't have much of an appetite right now, so it's better to give the food to the soldiers.
It's a little trick to win people's hearts.
As expected, Wu Lei was stunned when he heard her heartwarming words.
No one had ever said such a thing to them before.
Only they know how harsh the conditions are at the border. It's not just about eating cornbread day after day for ten years; the cold and loneliness also seep into their bones.
Some soldiers have lost count of how many years it has been since they last saw their parents, and they can't even remember what their family members look like.
They are mostly persevering through sheer willpower and an instinctive sense of responsibility towards the Celestial Empire.
Now, surprisingly, people are paying attention to them.
Tao Tao was unaware of his inner thoughts and feelings, but simply smiled and urged, "Go quickly."
Wu Lei snapped out of his daze, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and became even more respectful and polite, "Thank you, Your Highness."
"If you need anything, just tell the people outside, and I will do my best to fulfill it."
She nodded slightly, and after watching them leave, the smile on her face disappeared. She said to Leng Qiao in a low voice, "Let's go to Yuquan Pass later."
Leng Qiao, who was standing by the door, glanced at her and nodded in agreement.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com