Chapter 57 Ferocity
Yu Wanyin didn't have much to pack and take with her.
Bringing too much is inconvenient for traveling, so besides everyday clothes and necessities, there are only some miscellaneous items.
She stood by her vanity case for a while, then took the jade orchid with her.
Late at night, Qin Yuan lured away the guards on duty.
A carriage quietly left from the alleyway in the backyard.
It disappeared into the silent, deserted night.
Sitting in the carriage, Yu Wanyin listened to the sound of the wheels rolling over the snow, and only then did she begin to feel the reality of leaving.
The city gate guards stopped their carriages and horses. "Who goes there?"
The stern and cold voice carried a hint of intimidation amidst the cold snow.
Qin Yuan presented the token.
Yu Wanyin gently clenched the hem of her skirt.
The guards became much more respectful upon seeing that it was Yu Wanyin's order.
They were simply following their lord's orders and never restricted Yu Wanyin's requests or the daily activities of those around her. They merely asked as a matter of routine, "What brings the Lady to the palace?"
"It's nothing serious, the Queen just left something in the previous city and asked me to go and retrieve it."
The guards obeyed and allowed them to pass, saying, "Please be careful on your journey, young lady."
"good."
The carriages and horses left the city with exceptional ease.
They only changed course in a deserted place after they had gone far away.
Yu Wanyin lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the distant moon and stars, the snow clear and bright.
The snow on the ground illuminated the sky.
She leaned against the window, watching the small town slowly disappear from sight.
I remembered my older sister saying that her home had snow-capped peaks and a mirror-like spring.
The snow-capped mountains and ice crystals soar into the clouds, while the pine trees remain lush and verdant, standing tall and beautiful even in winter.
The mountains are shrouded in mist, like a fairyland in winter.
During their winter festivals, they would hang all sorts of colorful ribbons on their tents and houses.
On a vast, white, snowy landscape, we create snow embroidery with the vibrant scents of human life.
Her mother was forced to leave her hometown and come to the Central Plains, where she was forever separated from her homeland.
Yu Wanyin never set foot in her mother's beloved hometown in her entire life.
And for more than a decade, he was bound to the land where his mother died.
She still wants to go back.
It's not just the paradise on earth described in letters.
And her family.
As for the two husbands from the Central Plains...
If they're too difficult to take, then let's leave them in the Central Plains.
Hearing the commotion behind the car, Qin Yuan took a sip of her warming drink and asked slowly, "Aren't you afraid that if we leave at this time, he might stop fighting and come back?"
Yu Wanyin lowered the curtain. "The fifth report of victory has arrived. He has already reached two cities outside the capital of Daizhou."
“Once he finds out I’m gone, I’ll send him the letter. In the meantime, he’ll have enough time to take over the capital.”
"He was trapped inside Daizhou, which made the whole of Daizhou unstable and he couldn't get out."
"By the time he has sorted everything out and found them, it will be enough for me to meet with them in Gan Ning and leave."
After listening to Yu Wanyin finish speaking, Qin Yuan chuckled, "The Lady has planned everything meticulously."
Yu Wanyin was lost in thought for a moment.
Besides that, she didn't tell Rong Si where she was going.
No matter where she sent the letter, she never revealed that it was from Shanshan.
The world is so vast, if Rong Si can't find her, he might not want to look for her anymore.
However, his immediate priority was not to find her.
Perhaps when he is busy with affairs and holds power, he will not have time to look for her.
Yu Wanyin pinched a soft mass between her fingertips.
Looking down, I saw the pair of little snow lions.
*
The sun blazes high above the snow-capped mountains, and during the New Year festival, the foot of the majestic royal palace is deathly silent, with every household staying indoors.
The clamor of battle was carried into the city by the long wind outside. The soldiers patrolling the city stood in solemn formation, lined up along the city gate, and occasionally looked towards the gate.
Smoke and beacon fires stretched endlessly along the thick city walls, while bells and drums resounded.
Outside the city walls, the garrison commander and He Chenqian's troops were entangled in a fierce battle.
The garrison commander slashed at He Chen with his sword, striking the scabbard.
The two men were locked in a stalemate, and the increasing force distorted their faces.
He Chen forcefully blocked the attack, and the garrison commander was knocked back several steps by the force.
He recovered and said, "Do you know that because of your negligence, the troops from Long'an have already invaded?!"
"If you surrender now and deal with the foreign enemies, the king may spare your life."
He Chen didn't stop at all, and once again brandished his sword and stepped forward, "If I surrender now, will I still live?"
"I may be a reckless man, but I'm not a fool!"
“He sits on the corpses of our He family to seize power, and we still have to be suspicious and wary of him.”
"He wants me to fight against foreign enemies for him, and he even wants to kill me. Why don't I take his head and sit on the throne myself instead of such a greedy person!"
He Chen's eyes were bloodshot. He knew perfectly well that he had no way out.
The only option is to kill, kill until you reach the highest position.
During the return journey, the Prince of Dai initially sent additional troops to capture and annihilate them.
It wasn't until the Rong Si army broke through the gates of Daizhou that the King of Dai realized something was wrong and repeatedly sent letters to He Chen to discuss the matter.
He was promised much royal power and wealth.
But it was too late.
Once the murderous intent of the person in power is detected, there is no reason to pretend that it is not seen.
If he takes a step back, who knows when the knife from his own royal family will be plunged into his throat.
A knife from one's own side is more dangerous than a knife from the enemy.
The garrison commander retreated in disarray, listening to his blasphemous words, exclaiming, "You're absolutely insane!"
"It's only right that the emperor wanted to kill you! He should have killed you long ago! He should have killed you when you occupied Yanzhou, so that you could leave a mark on history!"
"You fucking want to die!"
The battle to defend the city gates raged for three days and three nights.
The iron cavalry that wreaked havoc on foreign territories were now slaughtering each other on their own land.
After an unknown amount of time, the sounds of attack gradually approached the city gate.
Inside the city gate, everyone immediately stood ready, their swords flashing from their sheaths, blades raised to meet the constantly trembling city gate.
Until a heavy hammer slammed into the city gate!
The nerves of all the soldiers and troops in the city were on edge.
The sounds of attack from outside kept crashing against the city gate, which creaked heavily with each impact.
Every devastating blow adds another layer of devastation.
Like an invisible hand, it slowly tightened its grip on the nerves of everyone inside the city gate.
With each impact, they tightened their grip a little more.
Until it snaps completely!
The loud crashing of doors and shouts echoed through the once-silent city.
However, the one who broke in was not He Chen.
Those inside the city gate were so shocked by what they saw that they took several steps back. Staring wide-eyed at the scene at the city gate, they seemed to think they were hallucinating.
Many people went to the palace to report this.
Rong Si sat atop his tall horse, stepping over the corpses of He Chen and the garrison commander, and appeared at the city gate!
His figure was silhouetted against the morning light, with a blood-red sun behind him.
It made the man's rugged features even clearer.
Only his face remained hidden in the shadows.
The entire capital of Daizhou was instantly thrown into chaos.
"Isn't it too early for them to attack?!"
"How did we get to the city walls already?!"
"Go quickly and inform the emperor!"
But before they could run back, the surging army trampled the long street leading into the city and caught up with the scattered troops.
Zong Cheng threw the flying knife, which pierced straight through the man's chest. As the horse galloped past, he pulled it out again, saying, "I'll tell your lord in the next life."
Most of those charging at the front were soldiers and generals from Yanzhou, seeking revenge. They raised their swords and roared, "Raze Daizhou to the ground! Make them pay for their blood debts!"
The echoing shouts of "Kill!" resounded through the sky.
The surging troops rushed out from Rong Si's side.
He was the only one who remained where he was.
Both generals died under the attacker's blade, causing the surrounding Daizhou soldiers to dare not approach him for a moment.
Even eye contact filled them with fear.
Rong Si's gaze swept over the surrounding troops and landed on the extravagant royal palace beneath the snow-capped mountains.
Then, brandishing his sword and spurring his horse, he headed upstream towards the palace!
He remained silent, but a sense of oppressive power, like a tsunami, suddenly erupted.
The soldiers who rushed forward engaged him in a fierce battle.
Where the long sword swept, blood splattered.
Not a single blade of armor was left, not a single blade of grass grew.
A sharp and murderous aura expanded and spread with the offensive.
Everywhere they went, the land gradually changed hands.
The flames of war still raged in the capital city of Daizhou.
Blood stained the long street.
The road stretched all the way to the foot of the royal palace.
Bloodshed ensued in the capital.
The palace gates were breached, and the troops that had been trying to defend the palace were no match for the fierce attack.
Some died, some fled, and some surrendered.
Since the start of the war, Daizhou has never had its territory invaded to its doorstep.
These soldiers never imagined that the day of their defeat would come so soon.
The King of Dai sat in the main hall of the palace, listening to the palace servants coming one after another to deliver battle reports.
From "Your Majesty, they've breached the city!" to "Your Majesty, they've stormed the palace gates!"
A palace servant knelt beside him and pleaded, "Your Majesty, let's escape quickly."
"It's not too late to escape now."
The Prince of Dai's voice was hoarse, "It's too late."
He propped his head up with his hand, looking utterly dejected, and opened his eyes to look outside the main hall.
Outside the palace, the sky was clear and the sun was shining.
Suddenly, a strange young man appeared.
The Prince of Dai narrowed his eyes.
The palace servants nearby were so frightened by Rong Si that they fell to the ground and rushed to the back hall without regard for the Prince of Dai.
The Prince of Dai watched as his figure drew closer and closer.
The young man's armor was soaked in blood and dust, adding to his arrogant and bloodthirsty demeanor.
He had probably been fighting for many days, but there was no sign of fatigue in his brows, only an unwavering ferocity, as he walked towards the main hall.
The Prince of Dai was somewhat lost in thought, still maintaining the position of supporting his forehead.
The weather is great today.
Daizhou has a harsh climate and sunny days like this are rare.
The sky was cloudless and the sun was shining brightly; the battle had been raging for days and nights.
After breaching the city gates, he sat there, unable to eat or drink.
Rong Si stepped into the hall, his long sword whittling sparks as he slashed the ground.
The Prince of Dai looked at him and chuckled silently, "I've thought about it for a long time, how did things come to this?"
"Why did my two generals suddenly start plotting against each other?"
"Why are my subjects and I being sown apart one after another?"
"How did my excellent situation turn into a complete mess?"
After the brutal killings, Rong Si's voice was rough: "It's because of yourself."
The Prince of Dai sat up straight and looked at him. "I've heard you have a brilliant strategist, is that right?"
Rong Si's brow twitched slightly.
"I heard about your wife after Helen's defeat in attacking Long'an. She is a remarkable woman."
"The reason I haven't left after all this time is because I want to see her."
"Let's see who has outmaneuvered me and my subjects."
Before the Prince of Dai could finish speaking, Rong Si plunged his long sword into his heart.
The man's eyes widened, and he was swayed by the enormous force.
The King of Dai knew this was impossible.
Only the victors, only those strong enough to win, can possess such a remarkable talent.
He's a loser now.
Or perhaps whoever gets her is the winner.
He could tame a band of mountain bandits and transform them into powerful warlords, gaining influence from the ground up.
He was just too curious.
Despite the surging pain, the Prince of Dai chuckled softly, "It doesn't matter if you don't want me to see you."
He looked at Rong Si and casually mentioned, "After all, I'm not the only one who wants to see her."
Rong Si's cold, hard brows furrowed even more tightly, and he suddenly drew his long sword.
Blood gushed from the dark hole, and the Prince of Dai swayed, forced to lean against the table in front of him.
He moved his lips, and soon the surging blood blocked his throat, spilling from between his lips and teeth.
Rong Si watched indifferently as he breathed his last.
She frowned, pondering his words.
Outside the main hall, the sharp sounds of clashing weapons still rang out.
A raging fire rolled across the magnificent palace beneath the snow-capped mountains, thick smoke billowed all around, and the wind howled like a herd of cranes.
With the king killed, the remaining troops were no longer able to withstand this fierce offensive.
Rong Si's troops gradually occupied the entire palace.
The troops marched through the streets and alleys, capturing all the prisoners of war.
Soldiers and officers shouted warnings as they passed by, "Do not disturb civilian houses!"
The people of the capital hid in their houses in fear, and only gradually began to move when they heard the shouts outside.
As dusk fell and night descended, the wind howled at the foot of the snow-capped mountain.
Rong Si sat in the main hall, staring at the corpse in front of him, and remained in a daze for a long time.
Outside the palace, soldiers and horses hurried past, each carrying a torch.
The firelight reflected in his eyes, flickering and changing unpredictably.
Rong Si sensed a strong sense of danger. All he knew was that Chu Yu had always been thinking about her.
But they were, after all, a couple from the past.
But what the King of Dai said must not be Chu Yu.
Who is it?
In the dead of night, a cavalryman rode across the vast desert and at the foot of the snow-capped mountains.
We walked through the city gates, past the corpses scattered everywhere and the bloodstains within the city, and went straight into the royal palace.
He dismounted and hurried towards where Rong Si was, calling out, "My lord!"
Rong Si raised his eyes, his sharp gaze falling on the letter held in the man's hand.
The soldiers knelt before Rong Si, holding the letter above their heads, their voices trembling, "The Queen has disappeared."
In the darkness, Rong Si's swift steeds weaved through the crowds and charged straight out of the capital of Daizhou.
Zong Cheng chased after him for a few steps, shouting, "My lord, where are you going? We haven't finished cleaning up yet."
Seeing that he couldn't catch up, Su Fang stopped Zong Cheng, saying, "I'll go with the lord to take a look. You and Prefect He will handle things here."
Before Zong Cheng could even respond, Su Fang mounted his horse and gave chase.
The city was still in ruins and couldn't be left unattended.
Several days and nights passed in succession.
News of the capture of Daizhou spread throughout the country.
Wartime maps were constantly being modified.
A carriage stopped in front of the secret residence, and Chao Yue got out of the carriage.
The guards at the gate were slightly startled when they saw him and quickly sent a message to the mansion.
Chao Yue was recovering from a serious illness, and his physical condition had not yet returned to normal.
He paused at the door for a while until Wu Zhou from the mansion arrived after hearing the news.
Wu Zhou's expression was solemn. Upon seeing him, he stepped forward and asked, "Why don't you come in?"
Chao Yue hesitated to speak, but was still pulled into the mansion by Wu Zhou.
Wu Zhou led him directly to the door of a brightly lit room and went in first to report.
After a short while, Wu Zhou came out and gestured for Chao Yue to go in.
Chao Yue took a deep breath and braced himself to enter the house.
Sandalwood incense was burning inside the house.
The fragrant mist curls and swirls around the screen, outlining the green bamboo painting on it.
A figure as slender as a pine tree sat behind the painted screen.
Even with only a hazy light and shadow, it exudes an air of dignified elegance and refinement.
Chao Yue knelt before the screen and begged for forgiveness, "Your Excellency, please forgive me, I was unable to find the lady."
The person behind the screen hesitated for a moment, then said, "Come and talk to me."
Chao Yue responded softly with "Yes," and slowly got up and walked around the screen.
He kept his head down, and could only see the man's slender, strong, jade-like fingers on the desk, writing something with a pen.
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings, and then the silent pressure dissipated.
Chao Yue had no choice but to speak up and tell him everything that had happened on his way to find Yu Wanyin in Jiangling.
This included his trip to Daizhou to investigate, where he was captured by Daizhou soldiers and subsequently subjected to severe torture, during which he did not divulge a single word.
Later, I don't know how I was rescued by a group of people, but because I was blindfolded the whole time, I didn't know the specific background of those people.
In short, nothing was gained this time.
He even broke the lady's bracelet.
Chao Yue took out the jade bracelet wrapped in a handkerchief, knelt down, and presented it to him.
The delicate hand holding the pen stopped, and Chao Yue felt a slightly cool gaze fall on her hand.
He closed his eyes.
At this moment, Chu Yu was not looking at the broken bracelet on the handkerchief, but staring intently at the plain handkerchief that wrapped the broken bracelet.
The dim light inside the room made his gentle features appear even more profound.
The calm expression on his refined face crumbled in an instant.
Duanfang's tearing apart turned into a mysterious obsession, as if he had sensed some signal that could trigger his outburst.
Chu Yu asked, "Where did this handkerchief come from?"
Chao Yue paused, then suddenly recalled the scene from that day, "It was the handkerchief of a young lady from that family that was smashed that day."
Chu Yu reached out and handed it to Yue.
"Where is that family you mentioned?"
Chao Yue frowned. "My lord, please forgive me. I was unconscious for a while and then I arrived at Shuping. I think it was in the direction of Shuping, or anywhere within a radius of two hundred miles."
The handkerchief was an ordinary handkerchief, moon white, without the slightest pattern.
Girls in any household probably have a handkerchief like this.
But Chu Yu recognized him.
This is Yu Wanyin's handkerchief!
Chao Yue vaguely sensed that Chu Yu seemed to have noticed something because of the handkerchief. "But this handkerchief..."
It was just an ordinary handkerchief.
Chu Yu took a deep breath, "Shu Ping."
"Then our next step is to hit the tree flat."
“We will take down trees that are 200, 300, or 500 li in circumference.”
"I can always find Yaoyao."
"I want to see him alive or dead."
"Even if she dies, she must stay by my side."
*
At the gate of the mansion, Rong Si dismounted his horse and strode into the courtyard.
Su Fang's horse died from exhaustion, and he barely managed to catch up despite his best efforts.
He dismounted and saw Rong Si's horse had fallen to the ground, its chest and abdomen heaving violently.
If it weren't for this thoroughbred horse's exceptional stamina, having followed Rong Si all the way across the country.
I'm afraid I'll be exhausted on the road this time.
Su Fang hurriedly ordered someone to lead Rong Si's horse aside to check it.
He followed them into the courtyard.
The courtyard was no longer the same as it had been before I left.
The place had been uninhabited for a long time, and the red lanterns hanging high were covered in dust. After the snow melted, it looked rather desolate.
The Queen seems to have been gone for quite some time.
Rong Si walked straight through the courtyard to the bedroom and pushed open the door.
Qingsong, who was cleaning the house as usual, was startled.
When she saw that it was Rong Si returning, she quickly stepped back a few paces.
Rong Si couldn't find her anywhere, so he asked Qing Song directly, "Where did she go? Who took her away?"
“Madam, Madam wasn’t taken away.” Qing Song’s voice grew softer as she spoke. “Madam, it seems, she wanted to leave on her own.”
Rong Si frowned, disbelieving. "If he left on his own, why didn't he leave a message?"
She said she would wait for him to come back.
Qing Song also seemed at a loss. She explained, "Madam took her usual clothes and some important things with her."
Rong Si stepped into the inner room and then sat on the table.
I unexpectedly saw a bottle of...contraceptive pills that Qing Song had packed up.
Rong Si suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and stared at it for a while.
Almost simultaneously, in the days leading up to his departure, Yu Wanyin's unusual obedience and thoughtfulness towards him flooded back into her mind.
The guard who followed in also said, "Madam went to bed very early that night, and only Qin Yuan stayed with her the whole time."
"That day, the guards said that Miss Qin left the city late at night, saying that the lady had left something in the previous city."
"Because you said that all orders from the Queen must be obeyed, they let them pass."
"After that night..."
Rong Si's teeth itched as he listened.
He remained silent for a long time.
All I could hear was her saying, over and over again, "I'll wait for you to come back."
Little liar.
This is the third time.
They completely fooled him.
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