This fierce battle lasted from the third watch to the dawn, and the Xiongnu army was defeated step by step. Chaergua led his troops to resist for three hours, but each charge was defeated in disgrace, and each time several senior generals were killed or injured. The expressions of the soldiers around him became more and more panic-stricken. After chopping off the head of the third Xiongnu soldier who was about to escape the battlefield, Chaergua finally recognized the fact with sadness and unwillingness -

the battle they had carefully planned for two months and swore to win was lost.

When the first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and shone on the earth, Chaergua looked at the blade that was about to be bent and the piles of Xiongnu soldiers' corpses on the ground, closed his eyes helplessly, and ordered a retreat. At

this time, there were only more than 200,000 soldiers left out of their 350,000 soldiers. Although nearly half of them were killed or injured, they had saved most of their strength. If they could escape back to the royal court in time, there would still be hope for a comeback.

Facing the dazzling morning light, Chaergua rode on his horse and fled eastward with a group of defeated soldiers.

... But within 20 miles of escaping, they ran into the 200,000-strong army led by Qiu Mingshan.

Chaergua was almost desperate.

Soon, the pursuers led by Su Wei and Qian Feng came from behind. In less than half an hour, they surrounded Chaergua and his remaining soldiers.

Knowing that there was no chance of victory, Chaergua drew his sword and committed suicide, and the rest of his men surrendered.

...

Accompanied by Aunt Liu, Baoning stepped up the stone steps still stained with morning dew, walked to the highest point of the city wall, and looked down anxiously.

There were corpses everywhere, blood was floating on the oars, and the strong smell of blood could be smelled when the wind blew. Baoning resisted the urge to vomit and scanned the faces of the soldiers in black armor one by one, trying to find Pei Yuan among them.

There was nothing to see in the vast sea of ​​people.

Bao Ning did not lose heart. She continued to wait, staring at the direction of the city gate, watching the victorious army walk in like a long dragon. The generals on horseback walked in the front one after another. Bao Ning recognized Su Wei, Qian Feng, and even Wei Meng... But until the last soldier on horseback passed the city gate, Bao Ning still did not see Pei Yuan.

The cold wind blew across her cheeks, and Bao Ning shivered. She gradually expected something bad, and the blood on her face faded.

"Princess, don't let your imagination run wild." Nanny Liu grabbed Baoning's collar, hugged her lovingly, and comforted her softly, "Maybe we are too late, and the prince has already gone home, or maybe we missed him. The prince is very intelligent and powerful, and he has fought so many battles. You have to believe him. Let's go home and take a look?"

Baoning looked at her with red eyes, confused and flustered: "Mammy... I'm scared."

"What are you afraid of?" Nanny Liu held her hand, pulled her down the city wall, and headed towards the palace. "We have survived such a long time, and solved so many seemingly unsolvable problems. Now the enemy has been repelled. God is looking after us. You have to be happy, otherwise when you go home and see the prince, he will be so distressed to see you crying."

Baoning forced a smile.

But when she got home, Pei Yuan was still not there.

Baoning was completely confused.

She sent people to find Qian Feng and Su Wei, hoping to get news about Pei Yuan as soon as possible. But the war had just ended, Qian Feng and Su Wei were both very busy, and the servants sent could not find them at all. Baoning waited anxiously for news, but was disappointed again and again. She sat on the doorstep and stared blankly at the door. She couldn't help thinking of all kinds of terrible consequences in her heart... There are no eyes on the battlefield. What if he is really injured?

Baoning was frightened by this idea for a moment, but after hesitating for a while, she still pulled Madam Liu's sleeve with red eyes: "Madam, please send someone to the wounded camp to ask..."

She really couldn't think of any other way.

Madam Liu felt very sad and her eyes were red. She quickly sent someone to ask.

Baoning watched her walk away, buried her face in her knees helplessly, and couldn't help sobbing softly.

For so long, she didn't collapse because of the support of this belief - Pei Yuan will definitely come back. When everyone doubted this, Bao Ning was the only one who was steadfast and never wavered. When she heard the news that reinforcements were coming, she breathed a sigh of relief. She thought that the mountain she could rely on was finally back, and she didn't have to pretend to be strong and struggle to hold on... Bao Ning was full of beautiful fantasies and expectations about this matter, so when her hopes were dashed, the huge disappointment almost drowned her.

Her faith collapsed suddenly, and her heart was empty.

Baoning sat there in a daze. He could vaguely hear a few maids chatting not far away. One of them said, "Alian, have you heard? That was such a tragic death. The body was found before it could be buried. The soldiers who saw it for the first time were scared and cried. They said that she was stabbed in the abdomen, her intestines were punctured, her stomach was rotten, and her face was destroyed. There was a long scar from the corner of her eye to her mouth. She would be a scarred ghost even after death..."

The one called Alian said, "What a pity. She was such a majestic and dazzling person when she was alive. Who would have thought..."

Baoning looked over in confusion. She didn't know who they were talking about, but she had a bad premonition and became even more panicked.

Nanny Liu came back and heard a group of maids chatting together. She scolded them in dissatisfaction, "Don't you have anything else to do? What are you doing standing here? Go and work!"

The maids looked at each other and dispersed.

Madam Liu retracted her gaze and walked towards the courtyard. When she turned the corner, she looked up and saw Baoning's face as white as paper. She was startled: "Princess?"

Madam Liu hurried over and hugged her, anxiously asking: "Princess, what's wrong with you? Wasn't he fine just now..."

Baoning buried his face in her chest and burst into tears uncontrollably: "Madam, do you think he will be in trouble and won't be able to come back?"

Madam Liu said "Pah" several times: "What nonsense are you talking about? Stop it."

She forcefully pulled Baoning into the room, forced her to sit on the bed, took off her shoes, wrapped her in a quilt, and coaxed her: "Let's have dinner, okay? After dinner, the prince will be back."

"You lied to me." Baoning sobbed, "I've eaten so much, and he hasn't come back, so I won't eat."

Aunt Liu was helpless and distressed. She couldn't do anything with Baoning like this. She wanted to persuade Baoning to be stronger, but she couldn't say it. Her Baoning had already endured too much. She was just a child who needed to be cared for and loved. She herself hadn't grown up yet.

Aunt Liu understood Baoning's mood at the moment very well, but she couldn't find the right words to comfort her. As she thought about it, her eyes turned red.

...

When Pei Yuan pushed open the door, Baoning had already cried and hiccuped. She started out crying because of sadness, but later it became a complete emotional catharsis, as if she wanted to cry out all the grievances that had accumulated for a long time in this way. She had been holding it in her heart for too long, and it hurt.

Pei Yuan hated to see her cry.

He came here with a guilty and self-blaming heart. He thought of countless ways to make her happy and countless sweet words that he couldn't say before. Pei Yuan vowed that he could definitely make Bao Ning happy.

Until now, he suddenly realized that what he owed Bao Ning should not be simply settled with a few nice words or a few kisses.

He will never be able to repay it in his lifetime.

He owed her from the first day they met. They were trapped in a situation of love and affection, inseparable and endless.

Fortunately, he still had a long life left to devote to her without reservation.

Pei Yuan sighed and walked forward, taking Bao Ning from Aunt Liu's hands, and kissed her tearful eyes with his lips: "Okay, baby, I'm back. Open your eyes and look at me, okay?"