Chapter 284 The Military Spirit Remains
Everything was proceeding smoothly according to Shen Qingci's plan, except for one thing, which greatly exceeded her expectations.
That is—conscription.
The news that General Shen's former subordinates had been appointed as second-rank generals and were about to lead an expedition against Beiyou, and that he was recruiting righteous men to accompany them, had only been out for half a day. Before even the people arranged by Shen Qingci had made their appearance, the recruitment office was already surrounded by a huge crowd of people who had heard the news.
On the first day alone, the number of registered applicants exceeded five thousand.
Among these people were veterans who had long since retired from the military, but upon hearing that the Shen family's banner had been raised again, they dug out their old armor, which had been sealed away for many years, and came resolutely; there were also chivalrous wanderers whose blood had not yet cooled, who drew their swords and came just because of this summons.
As night fell, when Shen Qingci heard the news, she was completely stunned.
She sat on the bamboo couch by the window, gazing absently at the cold, lonely moon, her heart filled with mixed emotions, a bittersweet feeling that was hard to describe.
When Chu Jichen pushed the wheelchair into the house, he saw her in this state.
The moonlight, like a ribbon, enveloped her slender shoulders, making her appear even more aloof and lonely, as if she might be carried away by the wind at any moment.
His heart tightened suddenly, and he turned his wheelchair forward, breaking the silence of the room with a gentle voice: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Shen Qingci snapped out of her reverie, turned to look at Chu Jichen, then stood up and walked to his side, slowly squatting down until her eyes were level with his.
"I've heard that more than five thousand people went to enlist today to follow Qingming on the expedition to Beiyou?"
Chu Jichen nodded and reached out to take her hand.
The touch was slightly cool, which made him frown slightly. He simply lowered his head and wrapped her soft hand in his palm, gently rubbing it.
"Yes. The notice was only posted yesterday, and there are probably still many people who haven't received the news yet, or whose journey is too far to arrive. Tomorrow, the number should be even greater."
Shen Qingci's eyelashes trembled slightly, realizing that he had misunderstood.
She didn't think there were too few people; she thought there were...too many.
Shen Qingci bit her lip, her voice slightly hoarse: "That's enough..."
"I really didn't expect so many people to apply."
"When the Shen family suffered their misfortune, I sought help from all my old friends in the capital, but not a single one was willing to lend a hand. Later, the entire Shen family was executed, and I..."
Shen Qingci's voice was choked with emotion; those two darkest months were scars she didn't want to touch.
“When I walk down the street, I can hear countless people talking about my father, saying he was a traitor who colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, saying they trusted the wrong person…”
Even now, those vicious words still seem to echo in her ears, causing her eyes to well up with tears.
"With the fall of the Shen family, all the praise for my father and the legends about the Shen family army seemed to vanish overnight. In fact, in this vast capital city, no one dared to mention the name 'Shen family' anymore."
"I really didn't expect... that so many people in this world would still remember the Shen family."
"I even thought that no one would come at all. I had already planned in my mind that if no one volunteered, I would arrange for someone to secretly bribe some desperados to fill the positions. But..."
Seeing Shen Qingci's vulnerable state, Chu Jichen felt a tightness in his throat, and his voice involuntarily became hoarse: "I'm sorry, it's my fault..."
“At that time, I was transferred away from the capital by Emperor Yongming, and I was far away. They also deliberately tripped me up, so I was unable to come back in time to protect you.”
He reached out and pulled Shen Qingci into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, and sighed softly.
"The court officials in the capital, as well as the ordinary people, are mostly driven by self-interest and a desire to avoid harm. In their eyes, preserving their wealth, status, and peaceful lives is the most important thing. They would never think about who risked their lives to bring about this peaceful and prosperous era."
"Therefore, when the imperial power came down and the Shen family was labeled as traitors, they were afraid and subconsciously tried to avoid it. They even went with the flow to criticize and curse in order to protect themselves."
“However,” Chu Jichen’s voice gradually became firm, “those who have truly followed General Shen through thick and thin, those who have truly been protected by the Shen family army, they… would absolutely not believe such nonsense as General Shen’s treasonous accusations.”
"The spirit of the Shen family army has always been there. It was just that it was suppressed by the powerful before, and no one dared to speak out. Now, as long as there is a spark, it will reignite."
Shen Qingci nodded, but tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, landing on Chu Jichen's hand.
"Very good."
She murmured softly, her voice filled with suppressed excitement and sorrow: "If..."
If my parents were still alive, if my older brother were still alive, how wonderful that would be.
If they could see this scene today, see that the spirit of the Shen family army has not been extinguished, and see that so many people still remember the integrity of the Shen family, they would be overjoyed.
Shen Qingci took a deep breath, suppressing the grief in her heart, and stepped back slightly from Chu Jichen's embrace, raising her eyes, which were exceptionally clear after being washed by tears: "I want to go and see tomorrow."
She wanted to go and see those righteous men who were willing to entrust their lives and come to answer the call because of the name "Shen family".
Look at those passionate young men who, even though the Shen family was wronged, were still willing to go to the battlefield with the former members of the Shen family.
Her parents and elder brother would never see this, but she wanted to see it for them and for the Shen family.
But she also knew that with so many people applying, the scene would be chaotic and a mixed bag.
Now that she is the Empress, her status is sensitive. If she were to appear rashly, it would not only cause a great commotion, but she would also face unknown dangers.
Thinking of this, the light that had just ignited in her eyes gradually faded, and she bit her lip, lowering her eyes: "Never mind."
"go."
Chu Jichen made the final decision, his voice firm and unquestionable: "I happen to be free tomorrow, I'll go with you."
“Not far from the palace gate, there is a relatively large conscription point. The terrain there is open, and we can climb the palace tower together and take a look down from above.”
Shen Qingci hesitated for a moment, then looked up at him: "Let's not. Your status is so important now, what if something happens to you..."
Chu Jichen chuckled lightly, a hint of arrogance flashing in his eyes: "What's there to be afraid of? If I were so easily harmed, I wouldn't be where I am today."
“Besides, the palace tower is very high. Even if I'm in a wheelchair, no one outside can see me.” He paused, as if imagining an amusing scene, a sly smile playing on his lips. “Furthermore, even if someone did see me, so what? Would anyone dare to rush up here?”
Shen Qingci couldn't help but chuckle when she recalled his arrogant demeanor, and her heavy mood lightened a bit.
"Go and take a look." Chu Jichen gently stroked her hair, his voice as tender as if he were coaxing a child. "If you don't go, you'll definitely have regrets. I don't want you to have any regrets."
Shen Qingci's eyelashes trembled slightly, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
She looked at the man who had always stood behind her, sheltering her from the wind and rain, and finally nodded heavily: "Okay."
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