Chapter 82 The Bow is Fully Drawn "Wang Xu, issue a summons on my behalf, informing the former and latter dynasties..."
The rebellion broke out suddenly in the middle of the night.
Because Xue Chan and the others were gathered together by Yu Lang to play, they were all together when things got chaotic.
Despite the heavy security outside, Yu Lang was very perceptive and immediately took down his bow and arrows to comfort them.
"Don't be afraid, even if they get in, I can still cut them down!"
Cheng Huaizhu grasped Xiao Yangjun's hand, her voice filled with worry: "But what about Qiaoniang...?"
So when people are unlucky, they really are unlucky.
Xue Chan had only gone out for a short drink, and since it was nearby, she didn't bring anyone with her.
The chaos began at this moment when the rebels broke into the area, and in the panic, everyone, from palace servants to ordinary people, scattered and fled.
The place was too chaotic, and she was afraid of being hunted down. She couldn't go back, so she could only take off her hair ornaments and go somewhere else.
"Huff... huff..."
She was being chased and ran to this place in a panic, but even so, she remained defiant: "You are one of my people, how dare you threaten me? Believe me or not, I'll have my father behead you."
The eunuch grabbed her by the neck, pushing her into the water while trying to pull out the gold, silver, and jade ornaments from her head.
Baojia struggled desperately, feeling that she was really going to die here. She was both scared and regretful, thinking that she shouldn't have listened to the eunuch and thought of going to find Yulang.
He had been with her since she was a child...
"Bang!"
The person holding her down groaned and then collapsed to the ground with a thud. Baojia choked on some water and quickly got up.
The eunuch was dead, blood was gushing out, and there was a large stone next to his head.
Baojia looked up and saw a figure standing on the artificial hill behind her, dressed in flowing white robes. If it weren't for the stone he was holding, he would probably look like a deity.
The man jumped down, startling Baojia, who instinctively cried out, thinking he was another person who would take advantage of the chaos to rob, rape, and kill.
"Shut up, do you want to die?!"
She slapped her on the back of the head and cursed viciously.
Baojia then came to her senses and realized it was Xue Chan.
"Don't come any closer!" She took two steps back. After all, this person was her enemy, and if he really harbored revenge, he might die an even more miserable death.
Baojia was about to pick up the stone that had killed the eunuch when Xue Chan grabbed her arm and slapped her on the head again.
"I told you to shut up! Can't you understand human language? Shouting so loudly, do you have a death wish?"
Even though the voice was low, the threat was palpable.
Xue Chan dragged Bao Jia along as they ran, and if she slowed down or showed any sign of reluctance, she would be scolded.
Baojia was deceived by someone close to her and almost killed. Now, Xue Chan is dragging her around and scolding her, making her feel extremely wronged.
Tears streaming down her face as she complained, "I'm a princess, what right do you have to talk to me like that?"
Xue Chan didn't turn around, but simply let go of her hand and rolled her eyes.
"Fine, I'm not going to bother with you anymore, go by yourself."
After saying that, she immediately tried to leave her behind.
Baojia instinctively grabbed Xue Chan, sobbing, "I..."
Xue Chan: "Stop crying, it's so annoying!"
Baojia said, "Can't I even cry?"
"Do you think this is the time to cry?" Xue Chan said irritably, then looked around. "Oh no, I don't know the way either, where am I?"
Baojia swallowed her tears and sobbed as she grabbed Xue Chan's sleeve: "I know, this is near Feixia Pavilion, very close to Tongxin Lake."
They actually ran to Tongxin Lake?
"I know, I know where to hide." Baojia seemed to remember something and immediately pulled Xue Chan away.
Xue Chan let her grab her and stuff her into a stone cave, then she hid inside herself.
"This place is very secluded. When I was a child, I used to play with them and hide here. The palace servants searched for a very long time but couldn't find us."
Xue Chan: "Does anyone else know?"
Baojia sniffed: "Only my second sister should know. She was the one who found it for me and scolded me for a long time."
She couldn't help but cry when Yu Lang was mentioned.
I wonder how my father, mother, younger brother, and younger sister are doing.
And her maid, Aoki, fell to the ground after being hit...
The two huddled together in this stone cave covered with withered grass and vines; it was dark, cramped, and smelled unpleasant.
"How could this happen? Everything was fine during the day..."
Baojia wanted to cry, but subconsciously she was afraid that Xue Chan would scold her, so she covered her mouth and secretly shed tears.
Xue Chan didn't want to comfort her, so she leaned against the stone wall and caught her breath.
She was also very worried about Huaizhu and her father. When would this fear end?
Because the space was too small, the two could only lean against each other, half-forced and half-willing. They didn't know the time or the situation; only their sorrow flowed like a river in their hearts.
Perhaps it was the tension and rush of the first half of the night, but now that I had found some peace, I felt tired and leaned against something and fell asleep for a while.
Footsteps approached from outside, and Xue Chan suddenly woke up with a start, pinching Bao Jia.
The two clasped hands tightly, huddled together in the cave, relying solely on it for support.
Their hearts pounded wildly, separated by vines, unsure whether they were alive or dead.
In the next instant, all the vines were severed!
The firelight shone in, and the two couldn't help but squint.
"Bojia!"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Baojia immediately crawled out and threw herself into Yulang's arms, crying, "Waaaaah, second sister, I thought I was going to die."
Yu Lang gently patted her shoulder, and unusually, he didn't mind that she was dirty. He personally removed the spider webs and withered leaves from her head.
In the midst of their deep affection, Xue Chan climbed out on her own.
Yu Lang was quite surprised to see her: "What's going on with you two...?"
Xue Chan said, "We met on the way."
Baojia wanted to complain to Yulang about how Xue Chan had scolded and even hit her.
Xue Chan's gaze drifted over and landed on her. Bao Jia sniffed: "I was tricked away by the eunuch, and when my life was hanging by a thread, she helped me..."
Yu Lang raised an eyebrow: "Really?"
Xue Chan slowly tidied her hair, brushed off the dust, and Bao Jia responded with a soft "Mm..."
Yu Lang said, "You deserve to be praised by the Emperor for bravely rescuing the princess."
Xue Chan asked her, "Has everything calmed down?"
Yu Lang nodded: "Yes, most of the rebels have been quelled, except for a small group, Jiang Bozhou, who is still being pursued."
After inquiring about the current situation of her father and Cheng Huaizhu, and receiving a reply that they were all well, Xue Chan breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the moon.
It's almost the fifteenth of the lunar month, and this matter has finally come to an end before the annual autumn reunion.
Jiang Ce led his men, shattering the moonlight, and chased them all the way to the edge of Mount Jiuhua.
He sat high on his horse, gripped his knife tightly, and pointed it directly at the disheveled man in front of him.
"Put down your knife and come back with me. There's still room for negotiation."
Su Yun shook his head and said, "Bo Zhou, as you said, we can't go back."
The autumn night wind chilled me to the bone.
Jiang Ce pursed his lips, dismounted, and approached step by step, sword in hand. He suppressed his anger and shouted again.
"Put down the knife!"
Su Yun drew his sword first, and the two began to fight.
Silver sparks flew where the two blades clashed, their faces reflected on the blades, a mixture of anger and reluctance.
Jiang Ce spun around a few times and slashed his arm twice: "I already said, put down your knife and come back with me, there's still room for negotiation."
He forced him to retreat repeatedly, but Su Yun continued to strike with his sword. During the fight, the two got closer, and he laughed and said, "Bo Zhou, take me to claim credit."
Jiang Ce was stunned for a moment, and his own knife was already embedded in Jiang Ce's shoulder.
"you!"
He drew his knife and took two steps back. Behind him, someone nocked an arrow, drew a bow, and fired two arrows.
Su Yun fanned Jiang Ce away, and the arrows grazed his arms and legs.
Jiang Ce was wounded and could only watch helplessly as Su Yun disappeared into the mountains. He stood up, leaning on his sword, wanting to continue the chase, but Zheng Shaoyu rode up on horseback and rushed to catch him.
"Bo Zhou, you're injured, don't chase after them."
He gently pushed Zheng Shaoyu away, clutching his arm, his heart filled with regret.
"I was too kind-hearted; I should have killed him on the spot!"
Zheng Shaoyu quickly wrapped Jiang Ce's wound, glanced at the place where Su Yun had left, and then turned back to help Jiang Ce: "Don't pursue a desperate enemy. It's more important for you to treat your wound first."
Jiang Ce simply bandaged up the wound and stopped the bleeding before rushing to the emperor.
Wang Xu came out and told him that the emperor was still talking to the Prince of Shouchun and asked him to wait.
Jiang Ce stood in the wind and dew, looking at the moon hanging low over the mountain peak.
It's getting light.
After a while, Wang Xuxiao led the Prince of Shouchun out. The two greeted each other, and Jiang Ce bowed first.
"Your Highness."
When the Prince of Shouchun saw it was him, a smile appeared on his kind and round face: "It's the young master of the Jiang family."
Jiang Ce said, "The old prince looks very tired."
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Shouchun patted his broad chest and said, "Oh dear, I'm already so old, and I still have to suffer like this. It's truly terrifying."
Wang Xu smiled and said, "Today, we owe a great debt to Your Highness for taking charge of the overall situation on behalf of His Majesty."
"Oh dear, Eunuch Wang, please don't say such things." The Prince of Shouchun waved his hands repeatedly and rubbed his waist. "I hope such a thing will never happen again. I'll let this old body listen to music and play with my little granddaughter every day."
As he was talking, he walked down the wooden steps, slipped, and fell straight down.
Jiang Ce reacted quickly and grabbed him, and with the help of the guards outside, he only swayed slightly.
"Your Highness, watch your step."
The old prince, his plump body supported by them, quickly touched his chest; his heart was beating very fast.
"It's alright, it's alright, I just didn't see it clearly for a moment."
Jiang Ce said, "It's almost dawn. You're getting old, you should go back and rest."
The Prince of Shouchun nodded: "Good, good, good."
After passing several tents, the Prince of Shouchun looked back.
The scene of the emperor thanking him was still vivid in his mind.
However, Princess Huayang and Prince Ning, who had helped him ascend the throne, were both gone.
Both were handled by him, either directly or indirectly.
A gust of wind blew by, making the Prince of Shouchun shiver. He quickly touched his arms, muttering, "So cold, freezing!" as he walked away.
Jiang Ce watched him walk away, and then Xiao An came out and led him inside to see the emperor.
The emperor was quite relaxed, still fiddling with the incense.
Jiang Ce lifted his robe and kowtowed to the ground: "Your subject is incompetent and has failed to capture the remaining rebels."
The emperor glanced at him only and said indifferently, "It's alright, it's alright. You're injured, so you should go back soon."
Jiang Ce cupped his hands and said, "Yes."
He left, and the emperor, holding the small incense burner, went into the depths of the screen. He placed the incense burner on the incense table to the side, lifted the curtain, and sat down by the edge of the bed.
Consort Xue was still asleep inside.
The emperor reached out and gently stroked her arm, which had been scratched but was now bleeding and treated, and sighed softly. His hand then slid up to her cheek, where the finger marks were still visible.
Consort Xue turned over and, still half asleep, saw the Emperor sitting by the bedside. She propped herself up to sit up.
His gaze fell upon her, and she shifted slightly, resting her head on his lap.
"The Imperial Concubine was frightened tonight."
Consort Xue's voice sounded somewhat resentful: "Why didn't Your Majesty tell me anything? It made me worry day and night."
The Emperor gently stroked her hair and face: "This matter is too perilous. If it fails, I cannot bear to see the Imperial Concubine die at the hands of the rebels. However, I am both surprised and comforted by the Imperial Concubine's actions."
"Your Majesty, do you think I am a cold-hearted and heartless person?" Consort Xue turned her face, now nestled in his arms, staring straight at him. Her eyes flickered, and she said softly, "If Your Majesty is in trouble, I will naturally go with you."
The emperor lowered his head and smiled at her: "You're lying, Consort. You value your life the most. Even if you weren't my Consort, you would still live a good life."
The incense in the incense burner lingered, carrying a sweet fragrance.
Consort Xue asked him, "Your Majesty, do you still remember what you said to me when you asked me to stay in the palace?"
The emperor said, "I say, whatever you want, as long as you can afford it, I will give it to you."
"Your Highness, what do you desire?"
She nestled in his arms, her eyes, which had seen him for many years, clear and bright, still revealing everything at a glance.
"I hope Your Majesty is well and lives a long life. May you live longer than me."
The emperor chuckled softly, pinching her cheeks until he made them into expressions that he found amusing.
"Don't think I don't know. You just want me to live so you can have anything you want, and after you die, you'll have to arrange your funeral."
Consort Xue slightly raised her chin, appearing somewhat playful.
"Of course, you promised me."
She buried her face in his warm embrace, yawned, and her voice gradually became as faint as the incense burning in the incense burner.
"Therefore, only if Your Majesty is well can I have what I want."
The emperor patted her shoulder and back: "I promise you, I will live well and live a long and healthy life."
But Consort Xue seemed to have fallen asleep, quietly curled up in a ball.
He knelt down and embraced her, becoming one with her as a whole jade disc.
As the candlelight burned slightly, the shadows of the two people merged into one on the screen.
He gently put her down, carefully tucked her in, and got up to walk outside.
The emperor bypassed the beaded curtains and jade screens, the brocade screens and fragrant tents.
"Wang Xu, issue a summons on my behalf, informing the court and the inner palace."
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