Chapter 52
A crisp slap made Chu Miaomiao wake up instantly, and her trembling hand touched her hot cheek.
It hurts so much.
This pain was even worse than the one she felt when she decided to return the ink seal to Wei Zhen.
This pain was even more painful than the wounds she had suffered from robbers along the way.
The pain made her risky move from the capital to Pingzhou seem extremely stupid.
Tears flowed down my cheeks and into my heart.
"Mother..." Chu Miaomiao looked at her mother with tears in her eyes, her heart as dead as despair. "Actually, the person you want to see most right now is my brother, right?"
Chu Miaomiao's words finally brought Princess Chu back to her senses. She had never expected that she would do such a thing just now.
Princess Chu hurriedly opened her mouth to comfort her daughter, but Chu Miaomiao shook her head and stood up straight.
She looked up at the beautifully painted beams above her, swallowing back all her emotions and trying her best to appear calm. "I realized things were bad after I met Jin Ji in the capital. My brother and sister-in-law and I planned our escape route. They left the capital a while before me, but we were still a step behind. I think the court had already discovered what was going on in Pingzhou and was secretly on guard. So when my father raised his army, the court sent troops to surround our residence. After that, my brother and sister-in-law and I were imprisoned in different places."
Chu Miaomiao sniffed, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and smiled self-deprecatingly.
"I got some luck. The saint allowed me to leave the capital and go to Pingzhou, so I came here."
Then she turned to look at the Princess of Chu, her smile bleak and forlorn. "Mother, are you wondering why it wasn't my brother who got the good fortune to leave the capital? Then, mother, have you ever thought about why I asked the Saint to go to Pingzhou?"
Princess Chu stared at her daughter in amazement, speechless because every word Chu Miaomiao said was exactly what she was thinking.
"Because I told the saint that I had questions in my heart and wanted to seek answers. But now it seems that there is no need."
Chu Miaomiao forced a smile and said, "I think I've got the answer."
After saying that, Chu Miaomiao turned and left, but just before the door, she paused and said, "Anything can happen in a war. Life or death, even God can't tell. Please think carefully, Princess."
Although she was of no importance in her mother's heart, Chu Miaomiao still couldn't bear to think that her mother would also be implicated and die.
As Chu Miaomiao walked out of the princess's courtyard, she saw Aunt Zhou coming with her servants.
"Oh my! I thought it was just a servant's nonsense! How could Lianyue bring a beggar to see the princess?" Aunt Zhou exclaimed, "I didn't expect it to be true! Someone, hurry up and kick this beggar out!"
"You dare!"
Chu Miaomiao shouted angrily and looked coldly at Aunt Zhou.
"Open your dog eyes and see who I am!"
Aunt Zhou then took a closer look, and when she heard the familiar voice, she hurriedly said with a smile, "So it's the princess who has returned."
After she finished speaking, she felt something was wrong and looked at Chu Miaomiao in surprise and suspicion, as if she couldn't believe that she, who should be in the capital at this time, actually appeared in the Prince Chu's Mansion.
"Why are you back!"
Chu Miaomiao glanced at her without answering, walked around her and went towards her own yard.
She was so tired that she just wanted to change her clothes and have a good sleep before continuing to look for the other person she wanted to meet.
Aunt Zhou stared blankly at Chu Miaomiao as she left, until her figure disappeared behind the bamboo grove at the corner. Then she came to her senses and hurriedly asked the people around her to deliver a letter to King Chu at the front line.
The King of Chu is now extremely angry, and he is isolated and helpless.
"That old fox Yuan Zhen! How dare he play tricks on me!"
The King of Chu swept everything off the table in a rage. The staff and generals in the tent were silent, and no one dared to speak. Even Chu Xinxiu kept silent, groaning in his heart.
They originally thought that with the support of Yuan Zhen's army and the troops from Pingzhou, they would not be forced back to Pingzhou by the imperial army in just a few days.
Unexpectedly, when the prince came with his army, Yuan Zhen dared to change sides and join the prince's camp!
Now with these defeated soldiers, what can they use to fight against the imperial army?
Like his father, Chu Xinxiu couldn't believe that they could be defeated to this extent!
"Your Highness, we must first secure Pingzhou City before making any further plans," one of the staff members boldly suggested. "If they split their forces and launch a surprise attack on Pingzhou City, we will have no chance of victory!"
The King of Chu was silent for a long time, then he sighed deeply and nodded solemnly: "For now, this is the only way."
Therefore, under the repeated attacks of the imperial army, the Chu army was forced to retreat to Pingzhou City.
After Wei Zhen got the news, he smiled disdainfully.
He actually wanted to hold Pingzhou City and engage in a protracted war. He'd better not even think about such a thing.
"Your Highness, although with our military strength we can easily besiege Pingzhou City for even half a year, the saint may not have the patience. Moreover, on the battlefield, the longer the delay, the more variables there will be." Xiangzhou Jiedushi Yuan Zhen stroked his long gray beard and said slowly.
"That's what I meant." Wei Zhen's eyes were sharp. "The team we arranged earlier can now go out."
When the King of Chu was leading his army to retreat to Pingzhou City, he met a member of the royal family who was sent by Aunt Zhou to deliver a message.
Upon hearing the news brought by Aunt Zhou, the King of Chu was shocked and immediately ordered his army to advance quickly.
Chu Xinxiu rode forward to inquire about the situation. The King of Chu said, "Chu Miaomiao has actually returned from the capital!"
Upon hearing this news, Chu Xinxiu was also greatly surprised: "How could it be? Shouldn't she be imprisoned in the capital at this time?"
"Either she escaped on her own, or the Saint let her out on purpose." The King of Chu frowned and speculated, "Whatever the case, let's meet her first."
However, at this moment, everyone heard a rustling noise coming from the forest on the left. While everyone was unable to react in time, a group of soldiers in neat military uniforms rushed out of the forest.
The King of Chu saw that the situation was not good, and shouted "Go!" and spurred his horse forward.
Archers on the heights formed a line, nocked their arrows, and fired at once. Many of the King of Chu's closest followers were shot and fell off their horses. The few who remained protected the King of Chu and fought their way out of the encirclement.
But another team jumped up from the low-lying area on the right side of the road, with long swords flashing coldly, and slashed straight at the King of Chu.
The King of Chu first chopped left and right to block the arrows, but was accidentally hit in the left arm by an arrow and fell off his horse. Before he could stand up, he had to defend against the long sword that was coming at him.
"Dad! Save me!"
The King of Chu was already struggling to take care of himself, and now he saw Chu Xinxiu surrounded. He had just cut down one man and was about to rush to save his son when he heard a rumbling sound behind him.
It was Wei Zhen who arrived with the imperial army!
The high-spirited army roared and dispersed the remaining troops of the King of Chu, and the scene immediately fell into melee.
After the battle, corpses were scattered all over the ground, most of them were the King of Chu's men. The decline was obvious, and any struggle was just a fight of trapped beasts.
The King of Chu finally lost his spirit, and was seriously injured and no longer able to pick up his sword to fight.
When he was tied up with ropes and a knife was held to his neck, he looked at the heroic young man on the tall horse and felt only regret.
It would have been better if I had killed him then.
If we kill him, perhaps there will be a chance to turn today's situation around.
But there are not so many "ifs" in the world.
*
When Chu Miaomiao woke up from her sleep, it was already dusk the next day.
This was the only peaceful sleep Chu Miaomiao had had in the past few days. She stared blankly at the pattern on the top of the bed curtain for a long time before she gradually came to her senses and slowly sat up.
The mind suddenly relaxed, and physical fatigue and pain swept over me.
Chu Miaomiao lightly hit her dizzy head, hoping to wake herself up a little, but it had no effect.
At this moment, Lianyue walked in with a tray, followed by two maids.
"Princess, you're awake."
"Sister Lianyue."
Lian Yue hurriedly ordered the maid behind her to go to the kitchen to bring dinner, and then she sat down beside Chu Miaomiao's bed and picked up the ointment and gauze from the tray.
"Yesterday, I saw that the princess had a knife wound on her body, and the princess ordered me to apply medicine to you."
As she spoke, Lian Yue observed Chu Miaomiao's expression. But to her disappointment, Chu Miaomiao still had an indifferent expression, without any change.
Lian Yue sighed inwardly. It seemed the princess truly resented the princess and refused to forgive her.
Seeing that Chu Miaomiao refused to respond, Lianyue stopped talking and just gently took off Chu Miaomiao's pajamas. After just one glance, Lianyue let out a soft cry.
"How could it be...how could the princess be injured so much?"
Chu Miaomiao's body was covered in bloodstains from fighting with bandits on the road, and bruises from fighting with refugees for food.
She was so focused on getting back to Pingzhou at the time, and given limited resources, she only did simple treatment. Some of the wounds are now scarring and slowly healing, while others are already oozing pus, a heart-wrenching sight.
Lianyue turned her head away, not daring to look again. She also didn't dare to think about how Chu Miaomiao had come all the way back. She had endured so much hardship and suffering before she rushed from the capital to Pingzhou and returned to the princess's side.
Thinking back to what the princess said yesterday, Lian Yue felt extremely reluctant.
Chu Miaomiao noticed Lian Yue's tears and comforted her: "It's okay, it's not as bad as you see. Please apply the medicine for me."
"Yeah." Lian Yue quickly calmed down and began to treat Chu Miaomiao's wound.
Chu Miaomiao's wounds were all applied with medicine and bandaged with clean new gauze. Lianyue stayed to serve dinner.
The people around the princess served her personally, and Chu Miaomiao understood that this was her mother's subtle gesture of kindness to her. But she no longer cared.
"Sister Lianyue, please go back and serve the princess." Chu Miaomiao stopped Lianyue from setting the dishes. "The incident with her brother and sister-in-law was a huge blow to her. You are the person she trusts the most. Don't leave her at this time."
Just as Lian Yue was about to answer, she heard a commotion outside. It sounded like someone was trying to break in. Some in the inner courtyard tried to dissuade them, while others screamed and fled.
Lian Yue frowned: "How does Concubine Zhou manage the household? When have the people in the mansion ever been so unruly?"
"Let's go and take a look." Chu Miaomiao said.
With this excuse, Lian Yue finally left. But not long after, a little girl rushed in in a panic.
"Oh no, Princess! Our house is surrounded by many soldiers!"
Chu Miaomiao just said "hmm" lightly, and then continued to have dinner slowly.
She glanced at the frightened and anxious maids and said indifferently, "If I were you, I would stay here and not run around. Maybe I could still save my life."
"Yes." The maids replied softly.
After Chu Miaomiao finished her dinner, the soldiers appeared in front of her door, with a cold knife against her neck and a thick rope tied around her hands, which were tied behind her back.
I had originally wanted to go to the front line to see my father, but now I have no chance.
At least she finally had a full meal.
Chu Miaomiao thought with some relief.
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