Chapter 69. He imprisoned her on the dragon bed day and night.
Rain poured down, and the vermilion palace walls were shattered into fragments by lightning, casting dark shadows. Rain dripped from the wolf-fur coat of Ashina Yanji, the second prince of the Turks, leaving winding wet streaks on the white marble steps.
When Ashina Yuansi was "invited" out, Gu Wenqian arrived just in time.
With a stern face, he reprimanded a group of imperial guards, then smiled and personally escorted Ashina Yuansi out of the palace.
Ashina Yuan thought about the situation in the hall at this moment, and his clenched fist never loosened.
He didn't even hear what Gu Wenqian said.
Judging from Zi Shu's voice, it was clear that she was not willing.
Xiao Shenjing is known for his ruthless methods; I wonder if Zishu can handle him.
The more I thought about it, the more turbulent my emotions became.
At this moment, Ashina Yuansi heard a young minister beside him say, "Your Highness, if the Snow Wolf Banner still rises over the grasslands in the future, have you considered what your situation will be like?"
These words barely managed to calm his thoughts.
The Han emperor's words in the palace just now also hinted at this.
He had never grown up in the Turkic region, and his sudden arrival on tour aroused suspicion.
This mission to the Jing Kingdom was also at the suggestion of the eldest prince. If he could get the Han emperor to sign the Yinshan New Alliance, he would naturally have accomplished a great feat. If he failed, he would definitely be suppressed by the eldest prince.
If he agrees to cooperate with Jingguo, he can even make personal requests, such as taking Zishu away.
Would the Han emperor let her go?
Ashina Yuansi didn't know, but if it were just for his own selfish gain, he would betray the interests of the Turkic Khaganate by plotting against a tiger.
Looking at the dark night sky, Ashina Yuansi, even though he had already made up his mind, did not say it aloud. Instead, he said, "Since we've talked so much, why don't you tell me your Jing Kingdom's conditions?"
The State of Jing agreed to secretly help him seize the throne, on the condition that he withdraw from Yinshan and pay tribute every year.
If the Turks were to withdraw from the Yinshan Mountains, a natural barrier, their defenses would be wide open, and their annihilation would be inevitable.
After Gu Wenqian finished speaking, Ashina Yuansi sneered inwardly.
Indeed, cooperating with the Jing Kingdom was tantamount to betraying one's country and one's people.
That's what he thought in his heart, but he said he would think about it and then make a decision.
He thought he would have time to find more breakthroughs on this trip, and at least find a way to rescue Yunxi.
Upon returning to the inn, Sogdian told him with a grave expression, "The Khan has adopted the eldest prince's suggestion that if the Jing Kingdom refuses to sign the Yinshan New Alliance, he will attack the Jing Kingdom."
Kang Fule slammed his fist on the table in anger. "The eldest prince clearly has no intention of letting us return home."
With the two armies at war, the envoys who had not yet left were in the eye of the storm.
If they encountered a foolish emperor, it was quite possible that they would be killed.
Xu Yuansi glanced around at the people in the room; these were all his trusted confidants.
Even if they were detained, they would not be able to play any role in the war.
He slowly shook his head and reassured them, "We'll return to Tumochuan tomorrow. Don't worry, the emperor of Jing Kingdom is no ordinary person."
Zi Shu
He was able to escape the capital thanks to her that day, but this time he can't save her again.
If he weren't the second prince, if he had seized the throne of Khan
He would then have the ability to protect her and take her away.
It's definitely possible, just give him some more time.
Can she wait for him?
The next day, when a minister suggested that the Turkic envoy be executed for requesting to leave, Xiao Shenjing did not agree.
Instead, he simply waved his pen and approved the passage.
"Your Majesty, their journey is so rushed, it must be because the Turks have made some trouble." The Minister of Revenue bowed and advised, "But if this war breaks out now, it will definitely severely damage the Jing Kingdom."
"If we don't fight this battle, our dynasty will lose control of the Hexi Corridor," the newly promoted Vice Minister of War said angrily as he stepped forward. "What you are about to cut off is the key that will allow the Turkic warhorses to reach Tongguan! Once the Turks use our grain to fatten their warhorses, your heads will be used as footballs for them!"
In the imperial court, the Grand Secretary's faction and the young courtiers' pro-war faction argued.
These students from humble backgrounds were all promoted by Lu Xiuran. Even though he is no longer in the court, he has already inherited his integrity.
"Enough! You can calculate the silk and silver, but can you calculate how many loyal souls are engraved on the Han steles outside the pass?" Xiao Shenjing slammed his hand on the dragon table and stood up. "If this battle is not fought, today's blood is the blood of three million people in Hexi. How many people's blood will be needed to make up for it in the future? This battle must be fought to uphold the prestige of our country and to protect the people of our Jing Kingdom."
"Only by being able to fight can we stop war. You who study the classics, are you going to bend your spines?" The young emperor swept his cold gaze across his ministers. "Three days later, I will personally escort the Northern Expeditionary Army out of Desheng Gate!"
After the court session, Xiao Shenjing immediately returned to the Qianqing Palace.
The once neat dragon bed now looks messy, but it is imbued with the breath of life, no longer like a cold tomb.
Yunxi lay on her side on the dragon bed, her long black hair cascading down her back, the blanket slipping down to her armpits.
He knew she was exhausted last night, so Xiao Shenjing didn't disturb her.
Seeing that her cheeks were flushed and her chin was pressed against the soft flesh as she slept, he couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her forehead.
He felt that if she continued to be so obedient, he would reward her with palace treasures and elevate her rank, granting her everything except the empress's position.
He straightened the thin blanket for her before leaving the palace.
Before leaving, he paused for a moment.
Yunxi currently has no children. If she were to give birth to his offspring, her temperament would naturally settle down.
Without much thought, he made his decision and said to the imperial guards standing at the door, "Without my permission, Yun is not to be allowed to come out."
He made an exceptional exception and allowed her to sleep on the imperial bed for a few days.
The thought of her carrying his child made Xiao Shenjing's lips curl into a smile.
Even if she is unable to teach, it doesn't matter; he will take the child to his side and teach him himself.
He and her child, they don't know who they will resemble.
On second thought, it's better for girls to be like her.
However, with war about to break out, Xiao Shenjing naturally could not stay any longer and immediately went to the East Warm Pavilion to discuss war plans with the court officials.
Yunxi was thus 'imprisoned' in the Qianqing Palace.
They can't get out, they can't escape.
She was tired of scolding Xiao Shenjing every day, and he wouldn't listen to reason with her even when she tried to calm him down.
Yunxi really gets annoyed just seeing him.
On this day, with her hands and feet tied behind her back, she was forcibly held in Xiao Shenjing's arms and made to sit in front of the imperial desk, her clothes disheveled, as she accompanied him to read memorials.
Holding someone in your arms makes writing extremely inconvenient, but Xiao Shenjing, that madman, doesn't care at all.
He even enjoyed it; after reviewing a few memorials, he would kiss Yunxi as if rewarding himself.
If Yunxi resisted, he would pin her against the imperial desk, ready to threaten her.
"Xiao Shenjing, what do you want from me to let me go?"
Seeing her puffed-up face, Xiao Shenjing couldn't help but kiss her lips again, lingering for a while. "Be obedient and well-behaved, and I will naturally let you go when I get tired of you."
"You think I'd believe you?" Yunxi turned her head fiercely and slammed her head against his.
With a "bang".
The two heads were tightly packed together.
Both of them were seeing stars.
Xiao Shenjing rubbed his head and saw Yun Xi gritting her teeth and enduring the dizziness. He was so angry that he laughed. "If you hurt the enemy by a hundred, you will also lose a thousand."
When will you learn to be pragmatic?
“You think you’re being sensible? You’re not worthy of it,” Yunxi retorted.
Xiao Shenjing wasn't angry at her rude attitude. He rubbed his head, hugged her, and even slowly adjusted to a more comfortable position.
“Yunxi, you should know that those who oppose the emperor have never had a good ending.”
"What do you intend to do?" Yunxi asked him, her neck stiff.
“Then you shall naturally be punished properly.” He said, slowly picking up the imperial brush and dipping it in ink.
No matter what he was going to do, Yunxi couldn't be bothered with him.
As a result, the man grabbed her chin with one hand and held it in place, then drew a turtle on her left cheek.
Yunxi couldn't see, felt a chill in her skin, and couldn't speak. All she could do was stare at him with murderous eyes.
The angry glare made Xiao Shenjing feel a tickle in his heart. He threatened, "If you keep looking at me like that, I won't hesitate to do it to you right here."
Yunxi suddenly closed her eyes.
When he finally settled down to review the memorials, Yunxi cursed, "You dog emperor, you are truly a foolish ruler."
"A tyrannical ruler? I've never seen a monarch neglect his morning court sessions before. How about..."
He turned his head to look at Yunxi, his eyes holding a glimmer of light that was astonishingly bright.
"Get out!"
Yunxi only hoped that the women in Xiao Shenjing's harem would be reliable and that they would fight over her as soon as possible to get her out of the Qianqing Palace.
The Turks launched their attack five days later.
Xiao Shenjing astutely discerned that the enemy's feigned attack on Datong was intended to tie down the main force of the Jing army, while their true objective was to launch a major attack on Xuanfu Town.
He promptly adjusted the strategy, ordering the rear troops to advance at full speed into Xuanfu Town.
Various battle reports came in every day.
Because Jingjun adjusted his strategy in time, the Turks failed to capture Xuanfu Town, and the war became deadlocked for a time.
But everyone knew this was only temporary. If the main force of the Jing army could not arrive to provide support within two days, Xuanfu Town would surely fall. The fierce Turks would break through the weak section of the Great Wall at Zhangjiakou and advance straight in.
The situation was extremely dangerous at the moment.
Xiao Shenjing would always be busy until very late before returning to his palace, yet he still refused to let Yunxi go.
When he returned, she was already asleep. He would hold her for a short nap, and then leave again at cockcrow.
The fact that Yunxi served the emperor day and night had already spread throughout the palace.
This was tantamount to a heavy slap in the face to the Empress.
A commoner with no background or education was stripped of her "Beauty" title, demoted to a low-ranking concubine, and confined to her quarters to reflect on her actions. Before long, she was on the emperor's bed.
Given time, she will probably have to bow down and beg to relinquish her position as empress.
That night, amidst the torrential rain and turmoil, she stood under the eaves, gazing blankly at the water that flowed like beads on a string.
Xueyu was startled. "Your Highness, why did you come out?" she said, and immediately helped her up, intending to take her back to her room.
"It's been twelve days, Aunt."
Xueyu remained silent.
Yunxi has been staying in the Qianqing Palace for twelve days. With war raging, the previous dynasty dares not interfere or criticize.
“I’m going to the Qianqing Palace tomorrow,” Cen Yuwei suddenly said. “I don’t believe that Brother Yin’an has no feelings for me whatsoever.”
She doesn't have much time left.
At the very least, she needs to conceive Yin'an's child.
She gave birth to a child.
The next day, as dusk approached, Cen Yuwei requested an audience with Xiao Shenjing.
"Your Majesty, I have prepared your favorite dishes today."
Without hesitation, Xiao Shenjing replied, "I appreciate my beloved consort's kindness, and I have more..."
Cen Yuwei interrupted him, "Brother Yin'an, you haven't been to Chengqian Palace for over a month."
Seeing her slightly furrowed brows and lonely figure, Xiao Shenjing eventually went to accompany Cen Yuwei to Chengqian Palace.
The two finished their dinner quietly.
Xiao Shenjing barely spoke during the meal.
Cen Yuwei knew that ever since she had offended Yunxi, His Majesty had been intentionally or unintentionally neglecting her.
The clearer one is about this resentment, the harder it is to bear.
Just as Xiao Shenjing got up to leave, Cen Yuwei suddenly stood up, knelt on one knee in front of him, and blocked his way.
He remained silent for a few moments, then asked, "What is my beloved concubine trying to do?"
Cen Yuwei slowly raised her head, her eyes trembling with affection as she looked at the tall man before her. "Brother Yin'an, shall we stay at Chengqian Palace tonight?"
This time, Xiao Shenjing remained silent for a long time.
It wasn't until quite a while later that he bent down and helped Cen Yuwei up.
Without saying a word, he turned and left.
This silent rejection hurt Cen Yuwei more than a lie.
"Brother Yin'an!" she cried out suddenly, clutching her chest.
Xiao Shenjing paused in his steps.
"I am your wife, the rightful wife you rightfully married." With tears in her eyes, she walked up to him and asked, "Do you really want the tragedy of the illegitimate son vying for the throne to happen?"
"I will not allow such a thing to happen," Xiao Shenjing replied resolutely.
“But how is it any different from favoring a concubine over one’s wife by doting on Yunxi day and night?” she questioned, speaking in such a rebellious tone for the first time.
"Yuwei." Xiao Shenjing narrowed his eyes. "I have fulfilled all my promises. Do you want more?"
Cen Yuwei trembled slightly but still raised her eyes. "Brother Yin'an, don't you have any feelings for me at all? Have you never liked me even a little bit?"
This time, Xiao Shenjing gave her a deep look.
After a few moments, he replied, "The Empress will only be you."
After saying that, he took a step and walked past her.
As they brushed past each other, Cen Yuwei's tears finally rolled down her cheeks.
She could no longer restrain herself and reached out to hug Xiao Shenjing from behind.
Xiao Shenjing stopped and stood still.
"Brother Yin'an, please give me a child?" She buried herself in his back, her body trembling slightly.
"Let go, Yuwei." Xiao Shenjing seemed oblivious to her fear and embarrassment.
Why is it still not working even after she's done all this?
Is she still no match for that bitch Yunxi?
She was furious and agitated. "What do I lack compared to her? Brother Yin'an, why are you humiliating me like this? She serves me day and night, while we haven't even consummated our marriage."
"Do you know that the whole world is laughing at me? What are the powerful officials and concubines in the harem saying about me behind my back?"
Xiao Shenjing frowned, turned around, shook off her hand, and asked, "When you said you wanted me to marry you, didn't I make that clear to you?"
"But... but I thought that as long as we were together forever, Brother Yin'an, you would eventually come to like me."
Seeing her face streaked with tears, Xiao Shenjing finally lowered his voice and said, "Yuwei, whether you have children or not, you will always be my Empress."
After saying this last sentence, Xiao Shenjing strode away without hesitation.
He didn't turn around even as he coughed uncontrollably.
Until she could no longer see him, Cen Yuwei coughed, her shoulders slumped, and she collapsed to the ground.
When I removed the handkerchief, I saw bright red blood inside.
"Your Majesty" Aunt Xueyu rushed over.
Cen Yuwei immediately hid the handkerchief in her hand.
After boundless despair and pain, when her tear-streaked eyes were raised again, they burst forth with boundless hatred.
On this day, the city gate was breached because the Turkic general deliberately polluted the water source of Xuanfu Town.
The Turkic cavalry charged straight towards the Yanshan barrier.
When locusts swept through the land, the Turks, at the behest of the eldest prince, engaged in burning, killing, looting, and plundering, sparing neither women nor children.
On the evening of the second day, the main force of the Jing Kingdom arrived, and the two sides fought all night before retreating to their respective strongholds.
As dusk approached, scout Zhang Liu lay prone in the locust bushes on the earthen slope north of Xuanfu Town, the copper bell pricking his cheekbone painfully.
Looking through the brass mirror, one sees only broken eaves of the city tower, and the banners of the nine sides hanging upside down at the gap in the parapet, their corners soaked in dark red bloodstains.
A dismembered woman's corpse hangs among the branches, and a river of blood meanders along the long street's bluestone slabs, reflecting the grinning totems amidst the towering flames.
"Lord Lu, Xuanfu Town has fallen!" Zhang Liu reported back with a look of horror in his eyes. He fell and hurt his right arm when he dismounted, but he didn't feel any pain.
He knelt down in front of Lu Xiuran with a thud and said, "It was too horrible. There were severed heads everywhere. Those beasts didn't even spare the children."
"Beasts!" Left Lieutenant Pei Yan's knuckles cracked as he gripped the riding whip. "I really want to go back and chop off these beasts' heads so I can have some wine!"
“We are here on imperial orders only to go to the Tiele, and we should not cause any trouble,” said Li Chongyi, the right deputy general, in a deep voice. “Besides, we only have nine hundred men, while the Turks have fifty thousand. If we act rashly, we will only be sending ourselves to our deaths.”
"How the hell didn't I know? But we can only watch helplessly as these grassland beasts slaughter the people of my Jing Kingdom?" Pei Yan glared angrily, but in the end, he could only slump his shoulders in frustration.
At that moment, someone suddenly said something.
"But if the Turks win this time, they will slaughter our wives, children, and parents."
Nine hundred people hid in the forest, each with an indignant expression, yet helpless.
No one can defy the imperial edict.
Amidst this gloom and despondency, the young Lord Lu slowly ascended to the highest point.
Until I stood before a crescent moon.
He was slender and had a refined, scholarly air about him, but somehow he was holding a sharp knife in his hand.
“The Turks once massacred Shanshan City. They used iron hooks to rip out my father’s intestines to measure silk, and impaled my newborn brother on the tip of a spear as a trophy.” At this point, Lu Xiuran asked in a resolute voice, “Would you want your wives, children, parents, and relatives to be treated like this?”
"No! No!" the soldiers shouted suddenly, their eyes filled with fierce anger.
"In the third year of the Tianbao era, Zhang Yichao led eight hundred Guiyi soldiers in a surprise attack on Shazhou. Xin You'an charged into the enemy camp with fifty riders. What do we have to fear today!" Lu Xiuran suddenly spoke, the back of his hand holding the sword revealing pale blue veins, much like the brushstrokes of the wolf-hair brush he used to transcribe his essays during the imperial examination. The killing intent in his eyes grew stronger. "Now, are you all willing to follow me as lone ministers in a rebellious saga? To charge into the Turkic stronghold and cut off the Khan's head to offer as a sacrifice to the people of my Jing Kingdom?"
Moonlight streamed across Lord Lu's face, tracing a sharp, cold curve on the bridge of his nose. This scholarly profile, once admired by noble ladies, now resembled a drawn Tang sword, chilling and menacing.
The nine hundred people were stunned for a moment, never expecting to hear such passionate words from the scholar in front of them, and they all thought they had misheard.
"Are you willing to follow me into the Turkic lands, to fight back with blood and teeth?" Lu Xiuran's voice suddenly rose. "Are you willing?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The nine hundred warriors were filled with fervor, and nine hundred swords were drawn in unison, reflecting the moon over the frontier.
"Very well, this journey is not for the sake of being granted a title." Lu Xiuran declared loudly, the tip of his sword pointing straight to the sky. "I want those barbarian hordes to know that the books of my Han people must be read with the blood of barbarians! Are you afraid?"
"Don't be afraid, don ...!"
"Tonight, even if it means being shattered to pieces, I will cut off the head of the Turkic Khan."
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The unified shouts were deafening.
That night, the young Lord Lu displayed extraordinary combat skills.
He broke up the nine hundred light cavalry into smaller units.
Divided into four teams, they transformed into a poisoned dagger, fiercely stabbing towards the throbbing throat of the Turkic royal court.
One team, with horses wrapped in sheepskin soaked in kerosene, charged into the outskirts of the Turkic royal court.
The second team was responsible for setting fire to the Turkic granary.
The third team was responsible for using firecrackers to scare away the cattle and horses.
The fourth team, equipped with thunderbolts, is responsible for a surprise attack on the royal court.
No one would have imagined that this force of nine hundred men would dare to travel thousands of miles and venture deep into the heart of the Turkic territory.
When they were exhausted in the dead of night, the nine hundred men, who had stayed up all night, launched a surprise attack under the leadership of Lu Xiuran.
Thirty whistling arrows, soaked in pine resin, pierced the night sky, and bursts of flame exploded above the granary.
The three-edged arrow pierced through three connected felt tents, and the sulfur fire instantly transformed into a fiery dragon.
"Straight to the Golden Tent!" Lu Xiuran suddenly spurred his horse.
The group appeared as if divine soldiers had descended from the sky, catching the Turks completely off guard.
Historical records state that on this night, the southern desert was as bright as day.
Screams, cries of pain, the neighing of horses, and the roar of flames filled the Turkic royal court as the young Lord Lu beheaded a Turk with a single stroke.
Blood sprayed into the air, but he was completely unafraid.
Lu Xiuran's long sword pierced the Turk's chest, and blood splattered on his face.
His raven-black robes were soaked with blood, his long, ink-black hair flew wildly amidst the blood rain, and his scholarly air had transformed into a fierce and bloodthirsty warrior.
In this battle, he finally avenged his parents and his comrades.
In this battle, he did not seek to be remembered in history, but only to return to his hometown and hear the familiar sounds of his native tongue.
In this battle, he was finally able to stand up straight and look at her with dignity.
He once carried a heavy burden, fearing that his weight would taint the girl in the slightest.
Therefore, he could only stand in the shadows and watch, not daring to get any closer.
That girl should be free from all the burdens of this turbid world; she should laugh and make a ruckus as she pleases.
She is like the wind in the wilderness, like a burning wildfire.
Another Turkic rider charged in on his warhorse, neighing. He wiped the blood from his eyelashes and gripped his long sword tightly.
That girl, even though she didn't need him
But she kept him by her side, fighting relentlessly through the endless night.
Fight your way out
Survive
She was still trapped inside the Forbidden City.
Only by surviving can you save her.
Lu Xiuran, you have to survive.
You owe nothing to your family, your country, or your parents, but you still owe her, and have yet to repay her.
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