Xiao Jinghan shouted in a low voice: "Grandma Yu! I was attacked on the way here..."
Grandma Yu's cloudy eyes flashed: "I know, it was Dark Moon Fairy who saved you!"
Xiao Jinghan entered the courtyard, which was clean and simple. Several kapok trees were in full bloom, each bright red but not vulgar, adorning the courtyard with a vibrant crimson color. A gentle breeze blew, and the flowers fluttered down, like a group of fairies dancing lightly in the silence.
Xiao Jinghan looked up and squinted slightly under the kapok tree, the spring sunlight filtering through the bright red flowers into his eyes. He sighed softly and followed Grandma Yu through the flower hall to a Buddhist temple.
In the Buddhist temple, an old woman with white hair was kneeling in front of the Buddhist shrine, beating the wooden fish and twisting the Buddhist beads.
Xiao Jinghan's face was solemn, and he called out respectfully: "Grandma!"
The old woman was none other than Chu Yuyan, the eldest princess of Emperor Taizu, the elder sister of the late emperor, and the aunt of Emperor Wen.
The Grand Princess didn't look back at Xiao Jinghan. She closed her eyes and asked Xiao Jinghan: "Have the kapok flowers in the courtyard bloomed?"
Xiao Jinghan was silent for a moment before replying, "It's in full bloom!"
The eldest princess sighed, and her back became even more hunched.
Xiao Jinghan lowered his eyes and asked, "Grandma, do you want to go see the kapok flowers?"
The Grand Princess' voice was a little old: "Han'er! I don't have the face to see the kapok flowers. After all these years, I know you blame me! But... As the Grand Princess of Dazhao Kingdom, I am a member of the royal family, and I must shoulder my responsibilities!"
Xiao Jinghan choked up and said, "I once heard Grandma Yu say that my grandmother fell in love with my grandfather at first sight under the kapok trees! I...I recently heard a rumor that my grandfather and father were poisoned by the Azure Sky Poison!"
The eldest princess didn't say anything else. She kept counting the Buddhist beads quickly.
Xiao Jinghan closed his eyes, a look of pain on his face: "Grandmother! The person who assassinated me today wanted to force out the secret guards behind me..."
He opened his eyes and regained his composure: "Grandmother! You are from the royal family, but I am not! I am from the Xiao family! I will not let my grandfather and father die in vain! And my mother too!"
The eldest princess finally turned around, and Grandma Yu walked over and helped her up. Chu Yuyan looked at Xiao Jinghan with a sad face for a long time before asking, "Are you sick?"
Xiao Jinghan felt bitter in his heart: "The poison of the Azure Sky and other unknown poisons!"
The Grand Princess's cloudy eyes were filled with indignation: "Was it Emperor Wen who poisoned you, or was it Xiao Jingyi?"
Xiao Jinghan was silent for a moment before he said, "It doesn't look like Emperor Wen. When I was poisoned, I was still young, and Emperor Wen used the royal family's secret medicine to save my heart."
The anger in the eldest princess' eyes turned into pain: "No matter who they are, they shouldn't touch the last bloodline of the Xiao family!"
She took out a blood jade from her sleeve and handed it to Xiao Jinghan: "Han'er! After your grandfather died, your father and your mother found out the cause of his death. Ahem... but for so many years, they still haven't found out who poisoned your grandfather!"
She panted lightly for a while, took Xiao Jinghan's hand and said: "The death of your father and your mother may involve people in the royal family. Grandmother only hopes that you will not let Dazhao Kingdom fall into the flames of war and suffer!"
"Don't blame Grandma for leaving you! I was afraid that with me by your side, you would be in danger at any time! Ahem... The Black Armor Army is the dowry my father gave me. It is a divine army scattered among the people. Now Grandma is handing the token to you. In the future, I need you to support a wise ruler!"
Xiao Jinghan's pupils tightened. It turned out that the legendary Black Armor Army really existed!
Everyone thought that the Black Armor Army belonged to Prince Wu'an! Who would have thought that the Black Armor Army belonged to the Grand Princess?
The eldest princess Chu Yuyan was also a female general in her time. She followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns to the east and west, expanding the territory of the Dazhao Kingdom.
She disliked makeup and loved weapons, even being more sturdy than men. She could ride a horse and draw a bow at the age of ten, and could shoot an arrow through a willow tree from a hundred paces away. She was also proficient in swords, spears, swords, and halberds, especially a small silver spear, which she wielded with such skill that many men were left feeling inferior.
When Emperor Taizu was besieged by tens of thousands of Yuewu cavalrymen at the Nanyi border, she volunteered to leave the city to seek help. Leading over ten warriors, she broke through the siege, summoned reinforcements, and lifted the Nanyi border, successfully saving her father from danger.
As a woman, she has such courage and has achieved such a feat at such a young age. She is truly a heroine.
The reinforcements that the Grand Princess had requested were none other than General Wu'an, who had blocked an arrow for Emperor Taizu during the battle.
Later, he was named Wu'an Wang by Emperor Taizu and became Chu Yuyan's consort. It is said that it was Chu Yuyan who took the initiative to pursue Wu'an Wang.
At that time, King Wu'an was a famous handsome man in Dazhao. He was tall and mighty, but his facial features were extremely handsome.
The Grand Princess looked at Xiao Jinghan and reached out to touch his face. "You have some of... your grandfather's elegance. The poison of the Azure Sky can be cured, and only Youli... the royal family has the antidote! Han'er! Don't rush until you're fully grown! Grandmother... it's time to go and accompany your grandfather! The leader of the Black Armor Army... is in Fengying Village!"
"Bury me... in your grandfather's tomb... there are many kapok flowers there!" The eldest princess lowered her hands, tears streaming down her eyes...
Xiao Jinghan hugged the eldest princess tightly, suppressed his grief, and whispered: "Grandma!"
Granny Yu knelt beside the Grand Princess, wailing, "Princess!" She then stood up and banged her head against the wall. She followed the Grand Princess...
Xiao Jinghan hugged the Grand Princess, silently shedding tears...
Last night, the Grand Princess sent a message to Emperor Wen, saying that she wanted to see Xiao Jinghan again before she died.
It had been ten years since Xiao Jinghan last saw the Grand Princess. After Xiao Qichen and Xiao He passed away, the Grand Princess was heartbroken and went to the back of the White Horse Temple to chant sutras and pray for her son and daughter-in-law.
She hadn't set foot in the Imperial City for ten years! She was filled with hatred and resentment, but she never took action against the royal family!
She wanted Xiao Jinghan to grow up safely, away from the disputes of the royal family. But before she died, she clearly realized that being in the royal family, you can't survive by just being tolerant.
She wanted to leave her Xuanjia Army to Xiao Jinghan! Only Xiao Jinghan's survival was more important than anything else!
But when she finally understood these truths, it was too late. Her husband, her son and her daughter-in-law were all victims of the struggle for imperial power!
Not long after, the guards sent by Emperor Wen took away the bodies of the Grand Princess and Grandma Yu.
Xiao Jinghan said to the guards: "You guys send the eldest princess back to the city first. I want to pray for my grandmother in the temple!"
The captain of the guards left a team of men to protect Xiao Jinghan, and the rest returned to the city.
In Empress Dowager Xue's Cining Palace, Emperor Wen tried hard to suppress his anger: "Mother! Why did you send someone to assassinate Xiao Jinghan? Once Xiao Jinghan is dead, Xiao Jingyi of Nanyi will have an excuse to raise an army and attack Shangjing!"
Empress Dowager Xue said indifferently, "Emperor! Are you afraid that Xiao Jingyi will start a rebellion? No! You are afraid that the woman's son will die! You are afraid that she will not forgive you in your dreams!"
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