Chapter 84 Taking care of Xiao Xi, showing consideration for Xiao Xie, and caring for His Majesty + Continuing the Struggle...
The carriage stopped, and the woman was led to the carriage door.
Having seen a bit of the world, this woman from an official family could roughly guess the identities of the group when she saw the dragon flags waving and the white-clad, silver-armored soldiers of the Dragon Martial Army.
The person in the carriage was none other than the emperor who was personally leading the southern expedition.
The young woman greeted him softly, "This humble woman pays her respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty!"
The car door was closed, and Ying Xi did not see any outsiders.
The emperor asked through the carriage door, his voice drifting out softly, "What official positions do your family members hold in Xindu? Why did you flee?"
The woman then repeated to the emperor what she had just told Lian Qing.
However, when she spoke to Lian Qing, she had just recovered from the shock, so her words were full of pleading.
Now that she was finally out of danger, her voice became even more melodious, carrying a delicate and timid quality, each word like a pearl.
"My name is Hua Ling."
“My father is the king’s military advisor.”
"The king has eight pillars, sixteen advisors, and twenty-four generals under his command, who together form the core of the new capital. My father was one of these advisors."
If these were official titles, Ying Xi felt they were irregular and sounded like childish stories.
But he wasn't entirely surprised.
Li Yilong's team was a mixed bag; neither officers nor soldiers had much education. They could only rely on familiar stories to create impressive-sounding positions to attract more people to join the army.
As for the nobles within the Jiangnan Army, their titles of kings varied, including titles such as King of Heaven, King of the Sea, King of the Earth, and so on, totaling eight kings.
"With the addition of the Jiangnan Army, the current manpower in the new capital city has reached 100,000 Heavenly Soldiers."
Her report was detailed and clear, befitting someone from the new capital.
Although intelligence had been gathered about Li Yilong's army beforehand, the descriptions given by the people in the city provided a more realistic and intuitive understanding.
The woman knelt outside the car for a while, her legs seemed to go numb from exhaustion, and Hua Ling's frail body trembled slightly.
The movement was very small.
The way she made it was like the gentle fluttering of a butterfly.
She spoke to Ying Xi in a soft, gentle voice, "Your Majesty of Jiangbei, my father was framed by other strategists for incompetence and was murdered. My servants risked their lives to protect me as I escaped from the new capital. I've hardly ever left the house since I was a child, and I have nowhere else to go..."
"Your Majesty, please show me a way to survive."
"Please, Your Majesty, let me live."
At this moment, even Qing's heart was trembling.
And it wasn't just Lian Qing.
The distressed girl was right before their eyes, while the beautiful and charming imperial carriage was a rare sight. In an instant, many gazes were drawn to the girl.
Lian Qing was eager to try, as Hua Ling was homeless and he was of marriageable age.
The Lian family has a respectable background. His father is alive and well, and his mother is easygoing. Although they are not a particularly powerful family in Chang'an, if he marries her, he will surely be able to live a life free from financial worries.
Yes, he would never take a concubine!
A faint noise came from the carriage, followed by a click.
The car door opened.
A fair and delicate hand peeked out from the gap in the carriage curtain, lifting the bright yellow brocade curtain with its left hand.
The emperor appeared amidst the misty rain of Jiangnan. As soon as the emperor stepped out of the carriage, all the soldiers in the ceremonial guard bowed before him.
The gazes that were just directed at Hua Ling suddenly all turned to the ground in unison.
Only Hua Ling seemed to casually raise her eyes and take in the emperor's gaze.
"..."
The eyes were moist, and the pupils were slightly constricted.
Beneath the colorful clothes, her body stiffened involuntarily for a moment.
She never expected that the person who could turn the tide of the declining empire, act decisively, and rule the court was not only young but also beautiful.
His appearance made him approachable, but his power made him distant.
This inherent contradiction constitutes Yingxi's unique appeal.
Hua Ling concealed her utter disbelief!
She subtly adjusted her posture, lowering her head and quickly drooping her eyelashes.
She had practiced this pose countless times in front of the mirror.
Her pointed chin was slightly tucked in, as if waiting for someone to seduce her;
Her hair was slightly disheveled, her clothes were dirty, and she looked rather disheveled.
Her silence speaks volumes.
Hua Ling made up her mind:
Men need beautiful women to enhance their careers.
The Emperor of Qin was not only a man, but also a ruler, and moreover, he was unmarried.
She didn't believe in men with the ambition to conquer the world, and she didn't want women.
Hua Ling feigned retreat, kneeling down and weeping softly:
"If my request is excessive and hinders Your Majesty or delays the army's progress, I will absolutely not agree."
"Please, Your Majesty, leave me some water and food, and grant me a fine horse so I can escape..."
Tears welled up in Hua Ling's eyes.
Tears welled up in her eyes, which seemed to hold stars.
In fact, Hua Ling's last words were the most appropriate way to settle her down.
If Xie Qianli were to handle this matter entirely, he would surely arrange for several reliable people to send the girl to other counties nearby.
The daughter of an official was naturally literate.
After that, whether she worked as a teacher or did needlework and sewing, she was never unable to support herself in the city.
Logically speaking, the emperor would not have created any unnecessary trouble and would certainly have sent the person away.
Perhaps this girl's beauty was so extraordinary that one couldn't bear to see her only once and then forget her forever.
Ying Xi instructed the soldiers: "Go and change her clothes, and let her stay in my entourage for the time being."
Lian Qing was stunned.
Xie Qianli's heart sank, and he raised his eyebrows.
Even Prince Yong looked over from afar.
Hua Ling, a girl from Jiangnan, instantly became the center of everyone's attention.
The Longwu Army soldier replied, "...Yes!"
***
Night falls.
Outside Nancheng County, 120 li from Linchuan, adjacent to the Fushui River, a branch of the Yangtze River, the Longwu Army set up camp on the spot.
The emperor's main tent was four or five zhang long and about two zhang high.
Inside the tent, a large military topographical map was set up, and the military intelligence briefing had just ended.
Xie Meng has surrounded Linchuan, and the commander Cheng Qingtan is about to be defeated. Linchuan will soon be victorious.
This is a good thing.
It could even be called the only thing that went smoothly since the southern expedition began.
Therefore, the army was not in a hurry to leave, and Ying Xi was able to finish her meal and get a good night's sleep.
Ying Xi wants to recover her health.
The emperor coughed a few times, and his head started to ache.
He kept drinking water in the tent, but his throat was still burning and his lungs were burning, hoping to get some relief quickly.
At this moment, a soldier came in to deliver dinner. The soldier lifted the curtain and delivered two vegetarian dishes, one meat dish, and a soup, all of which were very lightly cooked.
"Please have your meal, Your Majesty," the soldier said.
Ying Xi nodded.
The emperor's gaze lingered on the dishes.
Shepherd's purse is a common wild vegetable in southern China, known for its cooling and detoxifying properties.
Needless to say, houttuynia cordata is good for clearing heat and detoxifying, and is especially effective for treating sore throat and lung discomfort.
The meat in question is river shrimp, not fish. Fish is considered a "trigger food" and should not be eaten in large quantities while ill.
Just by looking at the banquet, you can tell that someone had made special arrangements.
Ying Xi smiled slightly.
Sweet Tong can't see the emperor's smile, but she can see the dishes in front of her clearly. With hundreds of gigabytes of BL novels built in, how could she not understand the hidden feelings in Xie Qianli's details?
"Your Majesty, please, you two talk," said Tian Tong.
Sweetheart Tong considerately circled the notes on the dishes and their medicinal properties in front of the emperor.
Sweetie: "The big wolfhound is so gentle and obedient."
Sweetie: "He's nothing like the person I am when we're fighting! He's usually so fierce!"
Sweet Tong: "I can already imagine him peeling shrimp and picking out the bones for you in the future. I suggest you try it out."
Peeling shrimp and picking out the bones was something I never did as a child.
When he was a child, he secretly left Fanglan Palace to go hunting at Lishan and caught a wild rabbit.
Komaru killed and roasted the rabbit, the meat sizzling and dripping with oil. He would hand it to her and warn her that it was very hot.
He baked his face until it looked like a cat's face.
She then used a silk handkerchief dipped in river water to wipe his face clean.
Koma has very bright eyes.
Ying Xi recalled those black pupils that had once held her, and her lungs suddenly felt a surge of emotion, turning from pain to sourness.
We've known each other for years, but we're not together every day.
But why is it that those brief moments together, instead of being erased by time, have become more and more vivid in our memories?
Ying Xi choked up, and her eyes welled up with tears.
He shook his head and said, "You think you can turn a man gay if you can't even sway him with nine thousand charm points?"
Sweetie was stunned: "That makes sense..."
This person is too difficult to win over!
Not only do we have to straighten him out, we also have to make him understand.
That's not enough. This person is neither romantic nor has a safe working environment. He's really not a good match.
Sweet Tong muttered to himself, "He's so handsome, yet he's nothing special."
"Um?"
"I mean, what do you want to do?"
"Give him a beautiful wife."
Sweet Tong: "What!?"
“Let his title be hereditary, give important positions to his descendants, and grant him the privilege of having his mausoleum built next to the imperial mausoleum.”
"His name will be recorded in history and passed down through the ages."
"So that future generations will know that Minister Xie was my beloved general."
"If he doesn't rebel in his lifetime, this is the highest honor I can bestow upon my subject," Ying Xi said in a light tone.
Too much calm can make people feel sad for no reason.
The system has a keen sense of romance.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but Sweetie seemed a little uncomfortable.
Sweet Tong was eager to change the subject and hurriedly said, "What if he rebels?"
The way she died in her previous life flashed before Ying Xi's eyes.
The last memories of my past life rushed back to me—
With the fall of Chang'an, the Xiongnu's iron hooves ravaged the capital.
Before the Xiongnu enemy could kill him, Xie Qianli pierced himself with a dragon-slaying dagger, and the two died for their country one after the other.
"A tyrannical ruler."
"You killed my father, slaughtered my brothers-in-arms, you tyrant..."
Ying Xi's breath was tinged with the heat of flames!
Immediately afterwards, he turned sharply to face the inside of the tent and burst into violent coughing, his throat feeling as if it were filled with countless blades.
“Of course, kill the traitor, kill him.”
"Cough, cough, cough—"
"Cough cough cough cough..."
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I just said it offhand, Your Majesty!"
Sweet Tong panicked, not expecting her host to react so strongly.
Sweet Tong naturally steered the conversation back on track.
Fortunately, Ying Xi was also trying his best to control himself. He pressed his hand on the edge of the table and gradually calmed down after a while, but he coughed so hard that he felt a little anxious and was covered in cold sweat.
Sweetheart: "Your Majesty, let's eat. The food is getting cold."
Quickly coax the ice cream cone.
Ying Xi nodded slightly. He slowly picked up his silver chopsticks, but just as he lifted them, the tent flap was flung open: "Brother!"
It was Prince Yong.
Ying Dang plopped down opposite Ying Xi, shamelessly picking up his chopsticks without any hesitation: "Your Majesty, I've been riding a horse for a long and bumpy journey, and I'm almost numb. I'm starving! Please, elder brother, grant me a feast!"
Ying Xi's eyes narrowed slightly.
But before he could even accept the addition of Prince Yong on the other side, the tent flap opened again.
Hua Ling, a slender woman dressed as a commoner, slightly rolled up her sleeves and held a tray: "I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's life-saving grace. I have no way to repay you, so I have picked some wild fruits from nearby. Please enjoy them, Your Majesty. I humbly offer them to you."
She was the first woman His Majesty had chosen to keep, and her beauty was unparalleled. No one in the Dragon Martial Army dared to treat Hua Ling carelessly.
Therefore, the two Dragon Martial Army soldiers guarding the gate could only stand with Hua Ling outside the tent, waiting for the emperor's personal response.
Ying Xi frowned.
Behind Hua Ling and the two soldiers, suddenly appeared another figure as cold and aloof as frost.
The silver armor was eye-catching, so everyone inside and outside the camp looked out at the same time.
Xie Qianli said coldly, "His Majesty is of inestimable worth. How can he allow unauthorized people to approach him? Take them all out."
Two sergeants: "Yes, sir!"
Hua Ling's innocent face froze for a moment.
Ying Dang grew anxious: "What, are you not allowed to eat while in mourning?"
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