Chapter 202
Yuzhang and Longxi stopped fighting and united to take the lead in dealing with Shujun. Two against one, Shujun's troops were no match.
In just a few months, the remaining troops returned to Shu County with their tails between their legs.
Huo Shanrong originally wanted to take advantage of the three parties killing each other and reap the benefits.
But who would have thought that Yuzhang and Longxi would join forces to fight against Shu County.
Not only that, once they met his people at the same time, the two sides would work together in unison to attack.
When Huo Shanrong sat on the throne, only Chuchu Xiaobanyue felt that the world was in his control.
But looking at the empty shell of the national treasury and the unstoppable momentum of Yuzhang and Longxi, he became more and more wary and uneasy.
In the middle of the night, he always dreamed that the throne he had worked so hard to win would be replaced and he would become a prisoner. His adopted son, full of hatred, would stand outside the cell, dragging the rope around his neck and pulling it hard, suffocating him and letting him die in fear.
When he was near death, he seemed to see the prefect Fu who had been dead for more than 20 years, his brothers who were implicated and died because he falsely accused the prefect of collaborating with the enemy, and his own son whom he killed in Yuzhang with his own hands.
They all surrounded him, staring at him motionlessly with empty eyes and numb expressions, as if they were all waiting.
Waiting for him to go to hell.
The last wisp of smoke from the incense burner dissipated with the cool breeze in the hall.
Huo Shanrong's throat was tightly strangled, his face was flushed, and the veins on his neck and forehead were bulging, as if he was suffocating. He suddenly woke up from his dream, sweating profusely, and breathing hard.
He looked around the empty palace. The only light inside the palace was the faint light from the palace lanterns under the eaves outside that came through the gauze windows. Outside the wide dragon bed, there was layer upon layer of gauze.
The veil swayed, and his sight stopped in the dark shadows, as if he vaguely saw a shadow.
It was like the ghosts he saw in his dreams, waiting to devour him.
Huo Shanrong committed countless evil deeds throughout his life, and his hands were stained with countless innocent blood, but he never felt guilty and never felt afraid.
He once thought that even if he met ghosts coming to take his life, he would kill them again with his own hands.
He is not afraid, but why is he so panicked?
He suddenly opened the gauze curtain, picked up the sword hanging on the bedside, drew out the sharp sword with a cold glow, walked barefoot towards the dimness, and slashed with the sword.
"I am not afraid of you ghosts. Come and claim my life if you have the guts. If you don't, go back to your underworld!"
After a few random swings, the noise in the hall was heard outside, and a eunuch knocked on the door: "What's wrong with the emperor?!"
Huo Shanrong was tired, so he sat on the footstool beside the bed and let them in.
The palace maids and eunuchs all entered the hall and knelt down.
Huo Shanrong glanced at the dim area and said in a cold voice, "Light up the entire palace with candles. There must not be a single dark spot."
After the palace maids left the hall, when the maids on duty finished their shift, they went to the harem.
Huo Shanrong had many concubines, most of whom were old and whose families were poor and powerless, so they were left in Wuling.
Those who were brought to the imperial city were either outstanding in appearance or had a family background with great connections.
There was only one person who was not favored by the emperor, had aged, and had no powerful family, but he was still taken to Wuling.
This person is Madam Ru, who raised Fu Wei.
During the years when Huo Shanrong had not yet remarried after his wife's death, he married his first wife and soon she became pregnant again. She was not suitable for raising a child, so the child was raised by Madam Ru.
From the age of four to nine, the child was raised by this lady during those years when he was most in love.
After he turned nine, he was raised in the main wife's room.
Because Huo Shanrong's wife passed away when their relationship was at its best, he loved the child left by his ex-wife even more. Moreover, the child was very smart since childhood, so Huo Shanrong personally taught him, and even his wife did not dare to have any bad thoughts.
This Madam Ru was brought to the imperial city, and Huo Shanrong's purpose was self-evident.
It's just a pawn used to threaten Fu Wei.
The palace where the lady lived was strictly guarded, and only the palace maids who delivered meals were allowed to enter and leave during the specified hours.
The palace maid in the main hall passed by the palace maid who delivered the food, her lips slightly opened, as if she said something.
The palace maid who delivered the meal returned to Madam Ru's palace, put down the breakfast, and hurriedly opened the small Buddhist hall in the inner room.
Kneeling beneath the shrine was a haggard, frail woman. She knelt on a cushion, her hands clasped together, her eyes closed, and whispered, "Please, Buddha, bless me and keep me safe."
The maids stood by without saying a word.
Madam Ru also had her own child, but the child died at the age of three. That was why the head of the family, who still had some affection for Madam Ru at that time, let Master Jinzhi be raised by her side.
During those years, Madam Ru devoted all her thoughts and care to the child and treated him as her own. Later, after Master Jinzhi was raised by the mistress, she was afraid that the mistress would treat him badly because they were too close, so she deliberately treated him coldly and distantly.
Even so, Madam Ru has been secretly paying attention to this child all these years. She makes clothes and shoes herself every year, and then has people pretend that they were made by an embroiderer outside the mansion and send them to the mansion.
When Fu Wei was driven out, he kowtowed in front of the master until his head was broken and bleeding, but it was of no avail. He then secretly asked someone to protect him, but it was of no avail.
Madam Ru was placed under house arrest and never heard from Fu Wei again. Later, she heard that his leg was broken and he was being hunted down, and she fell seriously ill.
After kneeling for a while, the old woman opened her eyes, stood up and lit three incense sticks to the Buddha.
After burning incense, the maid came forward to support her frail master, whispering, "Last night in the main hall, the emperor seemed to have seen something and attacked with his sword. Then, out of suspicion, he had candles lit throughout the hall."
Madam Ru snorted softly, "He's afraid of ghosts knocking on the door in the middle of the night. That's because he's guilty as a thief."
The maid lowered her voice even more: "The Saint is suspicious. I'm afraid that incense cannot be used."
Madam Ru panted slightly and walked to the edge of the couch in the outer room with great effort and sat down. After a while, she whispered, "Don't light the incense. Mix some crazy medicine in the candles and it will be done secretly."
The maid replied, "My master has spent all his money to bribe the people in the palace, but I don't know how reliable they are."
Madam Ru smiled and said, "Seeing the chaos outside, everyone in the palace knows that Huo Shanrong won't be able to sit on the throne for long. They are eager to save more money during this period so that they can escape one day."
Huo Shanrong was too impatient and was too eager to sit in this position. He was destined to be unstable.
"They may not be very loyal..." As he said this, he began to cough violently.
The maid quickly poured water for her master and poured it down her back.
The master is seriously ill and his physical condition has long been ruined. Now he is just hanging on to his life.
The palace maid who had been with her master since childhood had tears in her eyes: "Master, you must hold on and see Master Jinzhi for the last time."
In Mrs. Ru's eyes, neither her husband nor wealth and glory are important at all. The only thing that concerns her is her child whom she treats as her own and has accompanied her day and night for five years.
Madam Ru smiled bitterly, "It would be most troublesome if we met, so it's better not to meet."
After saying this, his expression darkened for a moment, and he said to the palace maids, "This morning in Wuling, I secretly asked Lord Shen for help. He will help you leave the palace safely."
Lord Shen is Jinzhi's good friend Shen Mingcong. When they first became friends, they both used pseudonyms, so Huo Shanrong didn't know that he had such a friend.
When she couldn't hold on any longer, Shen Mingcong came to her and she knew that Jinzhi had such a friend. He also brought him news about Jinzhi, which allowed her to hold on until now.
Tears welled up in the maid's eyes and she shook her head: "I will not leave. I will stay by my master's side, whether in life or death."
Madam Ru shook her head: "I don't want to become Huo Shanrong's threat to Jinzhi, nor do I want him to misunderstand me for the rest of his life. Go find him and give him what I prepared. He has been smart since he was young, and he will understand it at a glance."
After a long while, the maid nodded with tears in her eyes.
*
Yu Ying looked in the direction of the imperial city, getting closer and closer to that place.
She had never been to the Imperial City, but Fu Wei had pointed her in the direction or told her how long it would take to get there.
Just as they were about to reach the imperial city, Yu Ying was sent to Pengcheng.
The more wars there were, the more casualties there were. Yu Ying seemed to be fighting with the King of Hell for people. She saved people day and night, but finally collapsed. When Sect Master Zhou learned about it, he sent people to send her to Pengcheng in a tough manner.
After all, the road ahead will not be peaceful, and the number of casualties will only increase.
But in the eyes of Sect Master Zhou, her talent cannot be limited to saving lives on the battlefield. Her medical skills can be used for a greater purpose, which is to carry them forward.
The county lord has issued an order, and it cannot be changed.
After a day, Yu Ying finally arrived in Pengcheng before nightfall.
Before coming, a fast horse would go to Pengcheng to deliver the message, so Yu Ying was able to enter the city smoothly.
The King of Pengcheng was no longer in Pengcheng, but was leading his troops to intercept the army from Longxi heading towards the imperial city.
When Zhou Ling, who was already the Princess of Pengcheng, heard that her husband would come to Pengcheng, she went to the city wall early to look out.
When he saw the carriage, he hurried down from the city wall, watched the city gate open, and the carriage drove into the city.
The carriage stopped in front of her, and before she saw the man, she called out, "Sir."
The carriage stopped, and Yu Ying lifted the curtain and looked out. She saw Zhou Ling, whom she hadn't seen for half a year. She smiled faintly, got out of the carriage, and bowed to her: "Greetings, Princess."
Zhou Ling quickly stepped forward to support her: "It is the students who should pay their respects to the teacher."
After saying this, she looked at her husband, who looked much more haggard. Her heart was blocked and her voice was choked with sobs: "My husband has become thinner and more haggard."
Yu Ying smiled at her: "It doesn't matter if you're thinner or more haggard, as long as you're safe."
Zhou Ling has been staying in Yuzhang and is well protected. She has never seen the world outside Yuzhang.
It was only when she left with King Pengcheng half a year ago that she saw the cruelty of war.
His mood also became more solemn, and he nodded in response: "As long as you are safe."
The depression lasted only a moment. Zhou Ling supported the gentleman and broke the solemn atmosphere with a smile. She said, "Sir, please take my carriage back to the mansion. I want to talk to you."
Yu Ying nodded and followed Zhou Ling into her carriage.
The carriage was spacious. As it was winter, it was covered with a thick layer of fur and contained a small cabinet. There was also a faint warm fragrance.
Yu Ying felt relieved when she saw the specifications of the carriage. She looked at Zhou Ling and said, "It seems that King Pengcheng treats you well. I am relieved too."
Although Zhou Ling's choice of an arranged marriage was her own, Yu Ying understood that there were also her own factors involved, so she was worried that she would not be happy after marriage.
After all, Zhou Ling had just gotten married and was very thin-skinned. When she heard what her husband said, she lowered her head slightly with a bit of shyness.
She whispered, "He looks scary, but he treats me very well. My husband lives a rough life, but my food, clothing, shelter and transportation are carefully prepared."
When Yu Ying heard her words, she felt that King Pengcheng treated his wife as his own daughter.
"That's good."
Yu Ying was indeed tired. After arriving at the mansion, she washed up, had a meal, and then rested.
But he slept for a whole day and night. If Zhou Ling didn't know some medical skills and knew that it was caused by excessive fatigue, he would have been frightened.
Have someone guard him and keep food ready at all times, and deliver food as soon as he wakes up. If he still doesn't wake up at night, call him.
Fortunately, Yu Ying woke up after nightfall.
After sleeping for ten hours, she felt a lot more relaxed when she woke up. She had indeed stretched herself like a bow and there was no time to relax.
Knowing that Yu Ying had woken up, Zhou Ling came over to talk to her.
They were all waiting for news from the front line, and they all had people they were worried about.
It was half a month later that the news came.
Yuzhang won a great victory and reached the imperial city before Longxi.
After several days of fighting with Wuling Commandery, they entered the imperial city half a day before arriving in Longxi.
They were very tired from traveling all the way and marching, and had no energy to fight.
If they fight again, neither side will be able to stay in that position for long.
Although they are the dominant power, there is still the unwilling Shu County and some small forces that are ready to make moves.
Ants are not scary, what is scary is when they stick together.
Furthermore, the conditions for the previous alliance were proposed by Longxi. The conditions of first going to the imperial city to become king and then submitting to the emperor were also proposed by Longxi. What else can they do if they don’t accept it?
The Duke of Longxi decided to withdraw his troops, but on the condition that the Xin Dynasty would not attack Longxi within a period of sixty years. Naturally, Longxi would never have any other intentions within this period of sixty years.
No matter how much time is said, the people who signed the treaty will have passed away, and by then the treaty will be as thin as paper and not very realistic.
After signing the treaty, the Duke of Longxi led his army back to Longxi with a lifetime of regret.
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