Chapter 120 Chapter 120 "Lianlian, you are here after all."...
A horse-drawn carriage with the Xie family flag flying on its shaft stood quietly under a locust tree in front of Sirong Mansion.
Inside the car, the candlelight on the small table flickered, and the dim light gently enveloped Ji Lian's profile.
Ever since Xie Tingyu entered the Sirong Mansion to discuss matters, he has been waiting here quietly.
He held a scroll of "Soushen Ji" in his hand, his fingertips gently stroking the pages. He was reading the chapter "The Ghost Scholar Visits the Celebrity at Night" when he heard voices and footsteps outside the carriage. Gently lifting a corner of the curtain, he saw Xie Tingyu emerging first. She was surrounded by a group of military commanders, including Wang Lanzhi and Cui Yuanying. Their expressions were heavy.
He went in at the hour of Xu and didn't come out until the hour of Zi. I think it must be a very important matter.
The car door slid open with a whoosh. Ji Lian looked up, then reached out and held her hand. He gently placed the heater in her palm, holding it together with her hand. "Your hands are so cold."
Ji Lian gathered her robe tightly around her, brushed the water droplets off her shoulders, and asked, "Did something serious happen?"
Xie Tingyu responded softly, his tone grave. He spoke briefly, "Northern Qin launched a sudden attack, sending five thousand elite cavalry to force their way across the Han River. Xiangyang has fallen, and all the defenders have been captured."
Ji Lian was stunned: "Why is it so sudden? Do they have a reason?"
Xie Tingyu looked up at him and uttered, "Ah," in a subtle tone, "Do you really want to hear it?"
"If it's some military secret, then I won't listen."
Ji Lian put his arm around her waist, resting his cheek against her shoulder. He feigned indifference as he whispered, "I've been in your courtyard all day now, and the only people I see are the Grand Tutor, Uncle Xie, and the steward Wei from the mansion. I don't see anyone else. If you tell me, there's no need to worry about leaking any important secrets."
He nuzzled her cheek, "Actually, I don't really want to know. It's okay if you don't tell me."
Xie Tingyu said, "Northern Qin claims that the Great Zhou emperor was abducted by bandits while on his way to the marriage alliance, and his whereabouts are unknown. The Khan is furious, suspecting our dynasty of shielding him, and has therefore sent his troops south, threatening to search every corner of our Great Zhou territory to recover the emperor."
She held Ji Lian's rapidly cooling hand, looked at his instantly pale face, and repeated in a low voice, "This is why they sent troops."
The beautiful fox's eyes were suddenly filled with tears, and the corners of her eyes, which had been raised, drooped weakly, revealing a pitiful look.
Ji Lian stammered, "...So, this incident was caused by me, right? Would you, would you..."
Xie Tingyu followed up his words and said, "Hand you over?"
Ji Lian held her hand tightly: "...You can't hand me over. Besides, are you willing to do that?"
"Lianlian, are you so sure?"
Through tearful eyes, Xie Tingyu saw a stern face, and spoke word by word, "What if I ordered the Jinwu Guards to storm Changhao Courtyard, imprison you, remake you into a groom, put on wedding clothes, and then force you into the chariot? What would you do?"
With every word spoken, Xie Tingyu felt the hand of the person in front of him grow colder. His eyes were clearly filled with tears, but he forced himself not to shed a single tear.
Ji Lian's expression froze, and she seemed to be completely shocked by her words.
Xie Tingyu whispered, "Am I a complete scoundrel now?"
Ji Lian's shoulders relaxed, and she said in a hoarse voice, "That's so mean. Hate it! Don't scare me with something like that."
Xie Tingyu wiped away the tear from Ji Lian's eye with his finger. "This matter has nothing to do with you. If they want to send troops, they naturally need to find a plausible reason. In the vast universe, they can always find one. They just happened to use you as a raft."
"Lianlian, you don't want to leave me, and I don't want to send you away either."
Ji Lian suddenly let go of Xie Tingyu's hand, turned away, wiped the tears from her face, and said angrily, "If you can't bear to let me go, why do you say such nonsense?"
"Seeing you crying, I wanted to tease you." The man poked him from behind. "When I snatched you away that day, I pretended to speak Xianbei and circled around in the forest so many times that they couldn't even catch up. As long as no one dares to break into this Changhao Courtyard, no one will know where you're hiding."
A pair of hands gently wrapped around his narrow waist, "I finally got this beautiful man back, how can I give him up to someone else?"
Ji Lian's heart was in turmoil because of Xie Tingyu. He said nothing, but just kept wiping the tears from his face.
After returning to Changhaoyuan, he ordered someone to bring hot water and put a hot towel on his eyes. After the swelling subsided, he lay down on the bed with Xie Tingyu. He turned to face her, interlocked their fingers, and asked, "I see you two have been discussing for so long tonight. Are you going to the war again?"
Xie Tingyu whispered back, "Yes. This battle must be fought. But it still requires His Majesty's order." She then turned to face him, stroking his cheek with her fingertips. "If you want to eradicate the poisonous insects in your body, you'll need the Snow Marrow Ice Lotus from Northern Qin. Even if Northern Qin doesn't attack, I'll find a way to get it. They've arrived just in time, exactly what I want."
Ji Lian nodded silently, snuggled into her arms, and the two fell asleep in each other's arms.
The next day, in the Huagai Palace.
White smoke curled up from the Suanni incense burner, and the ministers of Fengge and high-ranking officials from various departments all knelt on tasseled cushions. The hall was filled with solemnity.
Ji Xun sat upright on the throne, but his eyes could not hide his nervousness as he glanced at the ministers below the stage. Only Grand Tutor Xie was absent because he had caught a cold.
Ever since Fengge presented the urgent military report in the early morning, she hadn't even taken a few bites of her favorite steamed egg custard sent by the kitchen.
Although she had been grateful for the careful instruction of the Grand Tutor who had come to the palace every day since she ascended the throne, when she was faced with such a critical military situation, she still felt lost and as if she was in a fog, and was at a loss for what to do.
Ji Xun couldn't help but steal glances at Xie Tingyu from time to time, but he saw that she was still sitting at the table, with a calm expression, as if the turmoil before her was just an ordinary matter.
"His Majesty."
Ji Xun looked up and recognized the person who spoke as Fengge Manager Xue. Recently, Grand Tutor Xie had specially brought her to recognize him when he was in court.
Xue, the steward, said, "Since the Emperor's wedding, no news has been reported back to Jiankang. We originally thought that the Emperor had arrived safely in Northern Qin, but we never expected that she would be robbed by bandits."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xun couldn't help but glance at Xie Tingyu who was drinking tea with his eyes lowered.
"Since Northern Qin attaches so much importance to marriage alliances, I believe it would be wise to take a step back and select a virtuous and kind-hearted man from the royal family to be reappointed as an imperial minister to continue the good relationship between the two families."
Another minister seconded the proposal, "Your Majesty, the Great Zhou is not yet fully armed. The best strategy would be to resolve the conflict through marriage and obtain the return of Xiangyang from Northern Qin."
As soon as these words were spoken, several high-ranking officials in Fengge nodded and expressed their agreement.
Huan Zhanyue scoffed. "I tell you, civil servants, your courage is probably smaller than the fingernail of your little finger! How could you possibly think that sending another imperial minister as a bride would make the hungry wolf of Northern Qin give up Xiangyang City? Are you two still asleep?"
Wang Lanzhi then added, "General Huan is right. Northern Qin is coming with such force this time, and the so-called search for Emperor Qing is just an excuse. Even if Emperor Qing did arrive in Northern Qin, given his temperament, how could he submit to the invasion? I'm afraid he would have been beheaded long ago."
"Commander Wang."
A civil servant interjected, "Although our Great Zhou narrowly defeated the Xianbei back then, that battle wiped out nearly half of your Wang clan's forces; it's no exaggeration to say they were completely annihilated. But that was only against the Xianbei! Now the Xianbei have annexed the Jurchen tribes and established the Northern Qin. Their power is at its peak, their military might at its peak... How can we, how can we resist them?"
"So what do you think?"
The woman was startled and looked in the direction of the voice. She saw Xie Tingyu looking at her calmly. "In your opinion, how should our Great Zhou respond to the invasion of Northern Qin?"
"Of course, we should send envoys to negotiate with the new Khan of Northern Qin. If they want a husband, we should follow what Master Xue said and choose another man to send to them..."
"What if the Khan takes a fancy to your first husband?"
"What?" The civil servant was startled, then blushed. "Thank you, sir! This is the court, how dare you say such absurd things!"
Xie Tingyu suddenly stood up and pointed at the ministers who advocated for a marriage alliance one by one. "If Northern Qin doesn't want the emperor, but your husbands, beloved sons, and younger brothers, I wonder if you can still feel at ease and nod in agreement?"
Xue, the head official, suppressed his anger. "Thank you, sir. With national affairs at stake, why are you so alarmist? What's wrong with what we say? If this war breaks out, it will take more than a year or two to stop! The Great Zhou has experienced the turmoil of the Qingjun Camp, and the south is plagued by frequent disasters. The Ministry of Agriculture is short of money and food. How can we continue this war?"
"Master Xue's fear before the battle is truly remarkable," Xie Tingyu sneered. "They're just a bunch of barbarians, why should we be afraid? Just now, someone even claimed that the Northern Expedition twelve years ago was only a 'narrow victory'. That's truly absurd!"
Xie Tingyu took out a scroll of silk handwritten orders from his bosom. The special badge embroidered on the edge was very eye-catching.
Several veteran officials in the hall, who had served through three dynasties, suddenly gasped. They recognized it immediately: it was the decree personally approved by Emperor Yang.
Xie Tingyu held up the warrant and said aloud, "I'm sure someone has recognized it. This is indeed a warrant that Emperor Yang issued privately before the Northern Expedition. If anyone doubts this, please come and identify the handwriting and seal."
Seeing that no one stood up, Xie Tingyu turned around and moved.
Wang Lanzhi stared blankly at Xie Tingyu walking towards him, and gently placed the warrant on the table. "Commander Wang, why don't you open it and read it yourself?"
"……good."
Wang Lanzhi slowly unfolded the silk scroll and read aloud word by word: "This Northern Expedition is of paramount importance. We must not lose to the Xianbei. However, I am deeply concerned... The Wang Clan of Langya is too powerful, so I have this request. Yuan Zhaoyun and Ji Yao, you two, seize the opportunity to act. When victory is assured, annihilate the Wang Clan's forces completely and do not let anyone discover your actions."
With a "click," the warrant slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground. She swayed slightly, her eyes fixed on the scroll on the ground, her hands trembling uncontrollably on the table. The tragic scene of Wang Zhuozhang's coffin being brought back from the northern border came flooding back to her like a tide.
Wang Lanzhi closed his eyes in pain and clenched his hands into fists.
So that’s how it is!
The whole hall was in dead silence, and all the ministers were horrified by the contents of the order.
Who could have imagined that the annihilation of the so-called Wang's army was actually a secret order issued by Emperor Yang himself? Thus, an injustice that had been buried for over a decade was revealed.
Huan Zhanyue's eyes opened wide, he was shocked beyond words.
"This, this..." Someone was trembling and unable to speak.
It turns out that the mistake previously recorded in history books was actually caused by someone! And the person responsible was actually Emperor Yang! How abhorrent, how hateful, how... sad!
Xie Tingyu leaned over to pick up the decree, tapping the silk scroll lightly on his palm. His gaze swept across the courtiers in the hall, "Let me ask you all, if it weren't for Emperor Yang's decree, the Xianbei army would have been completely defeated. How could the Northern Qin be so powerful today?"
Some people bowed their heads in silence, their hearts filled with shock and fear, as if a huge rock were pressing down on their chests, making it hard to breathe. The hum of low voices in the hall suddenly ceased, leaving only a quietness so quiet that you could hear the sound of water dripping down your throat.
She continued coldly, "You had already made a marriage agreement with Northern Qin, hoping to secure peace through a marriage. You have lived in peace for so long that you have such naive ideas."
Changing the subject, she bluntly said, "Do you have to wait until the Northern Qin cavalry breaks through Jiankang, invades your gardens, plunders all your cherished treasures, smashes them into dust, and then places a knife on your neck before you are willing to face reality?"
"If peace between the two countries is achieved through a simple marriage, how fragile it is. It's like an ant in the palm of your hand, which can be crushed with one hand."
"True peace has always been won with swords and spears! Since Northern Qin dares to invade, our Great Zhou will strike back head-on and let them witness the might of our Great Zhou army!"
At this point, Xie Tingyu raised the order with both hands and placed it in front of Ji Xun's desk, looking at the young emperor. "I dare to ask Your Majesty to issue an edict to announce to the world, denouncing the Northern Qin's betrayal and swearing to go to war to restore the prestige of the country!"
Unlike those civil officials who cowardly sought peace and tried to appease the situation through marriage, all the military officers had reached a consensus with Xie Tingyu at the Sirong Mansion last night.
This battle must be fought.
Seeing Xie Tingyu step forward, everyone's blood boiled. They left their seats, knelt on one knee, clasped their fists, and shouted, "I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
The sound was like a tide, echoing throughout the palace.
Ji Xun raised his head and solemnly said to Xie Tingyu, "I will follow your advice and issue an order to march out and attack Northern Qin."
"Your Majesty." Wang Lanzhi, who had been silent since reading the order, suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with a burning light. "I would like to serve as the vanguard officer to wipe out the barbarians for Your Majesty, to comfort... my mother's spirit in heaven."
"I agree."
Since the meeting in Huagai Hall that day, Xie Tingyu returned to his life of going out early and returning late, spending most of his day in the military camp on the outskirts of the city.
He always gets up at the hour of Mao and returns home at the hour of Hai.
Even though it was so early, Ji Lian was so sleepy that she couldn't open her eyes, but she still forced herself to get up and help her change clothes and wash up.
Xie Tingyu held up his sleepy face with pity, "Why don't you go back to sleep for a while?"
Ji Lian just shook his head, insisted on getting up and putting on his clothes, holding a lantern, and personally escorted her to the garden gate, watching her disappear on horseback into the morning mist.
Whenever Xie Tingyu returned home late at night under the moonlight, the first thing he saw was always the warm yellow halo of light in the corridor. The halo slowly moved closer, gradually illuminating a beautiful and picturesque face.
Xie Tingyu took his hand holding the lantern and said, "I thought you had already fallen asleep."
Ji Lian held her tightly with his backhand, "I won't sleep until you come back."
That night, the two of them lay on the couch, hugging each other. Ji Lian buried his face in the crook of her neck and said in a muffled voice, "You will be leaving for the battle tomorrow. Yu Niang, please allow me to see you off."
Xie Tingyu entwined her fingertips with his hair and sighed softly, "Don't see me off. If you do, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave."
After a long time, there was a low response.
On the day of the expedition, the army was like a black dragon, winding along the mountain path, just like the scene when they defeated the Black Mountain Army in the past. When they reached the foot of Ci'en Temple, they suddenly heard the deep ringing of the temple bell, and at the same time, the clear sound of a zither broke through the air.
When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but stop.
That is "Eighteen Beats of the Hujia".
Xie Tingyu did not ride her horse up to the mountain temple as she did last time. She just pulled the reins, slowly raised her head on horseback, and looked towards the source of the bell and piano sounds.
The voice is deep, sad and clear, mixed with a few traces of lovesickness.
The song ended, the lingering sound faded away. She looked over and saw the man still wearing the purple robe of calamus, standing in the pavilion and bowing deeply to her.
"Lianlian, you are here after all."
Xie Tingyu squeezed her legs against the horse's belly and galloped a few paces. Then she suddenly looked back. The figure was still hidden in the hexagonal pavilion, his clothes fluttering in the wind, but he hadn't moved a step. She hardened her heart, turned around and galloped away, never looking back.
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The author has something to say: Ji Lian, a male protagonist who is tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and a hypocrite. (He says, "I won't go see you off, don't worry," but in reality, he longs to wear women's clothes, pretend to be a personal guard, and go to war with Xiao Xie.)
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Help, I have written 120 chapters, why is there still no 2500 collections (pointing and pointing, it seems that my dream of 10000 collections is so far away (PS. I don’t mean this book with 10000 collections
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