Looking up at the city wall, Gu Tingchen seemed to be walking in a hurry. Fu Mingchi didn't know what had happened, but looking at the fireworks in the northwest corner, he probably guessed that Wan'er must have used some means to help him break into the city.
"Zhu Wencai, take good care of His Majesty and the Princess."
Fu Mingchi gave an order and took the lead with the Shenwei Army to launch a fierce attack on the city.
Those able-bodied men heard the clamor in the city and realized that the city was in chaos. They no longer had the heart to fight for the Gu family. They rushed out of the city, making the already chaotic city even more chaotic.
In just half an hour, Fu Mingchi and the Shenwei Army captured the west city gate.
The city gates were wide open, and Ye Wanshu accompanied Emperor Zhaolie into the city. However, she saw a ragged man leading several rough men running out from the fleeing crowd.
Seeing Ye Wanshu, the leader came forward, howling and crying hysterically, "Eldest sister, they said that father is dead."
Recognizing Ji Ningxi's voice, Ye Wanshu took a closer look and saw that she was covered in dirt, with not even a clean spot on her face. She could smell a foul odor from a distance.
Subconsciously covering her mouth and nose, Ye Wanshu nodded solemnly and silently made way, revealing her father's body being carried by the soldiers.
"Father, I'm unfilial. I came too late." Ji Ningxi threw herself beside the corpse, sobbing, "How can I live in the future if you abandon me so cruelly?"
The emperor sighed helplessly, his gaze gradually turning to the dazed Ye Wanshu.
Sensing Emperor Zhaolie's gaze, Ye Wanshu quickly regained her composure and answered truthfully, "Your Majesty, it was my second sister who led the condemned prisoners from Prince Qi's mansion to open a secret passage leading into the city today."
Although she didn't expect her concubine sister to come out alive, since she had accomplished the task, she should fulfill her promise: "Your Majesty, please forgive their death penalty."
Thinking about how Ji Yuan had led the way in that tragic leap from the city wall today, which had united the Shenwei Army and turned the situation around, Emperor Zhaolie felt a pang of sadness as he looked at the corpse of this old minister who was both his teacher and friend.
"I am deeply gratified that you have been able to redeem yourself for meritorious service and help me recapture Lin'an City." Emperor Zhaolie lowered his eyes and said, "Today I will pardon your death sentence. I hope you will take good care of yourself."
The dozens of surviving guards knelt in fear and trepidation, quickly expressing their gratitude. Ye Wanshu quickly pulled Ji Ningxi aside, "Why don't you thank His Majesty?"
Ji Ningxi had already cried her heart out and had no energy to thank him. She threw herself on Ji Yuan's body and fainted from crying.
Ye Wanshu rubbed her brows speechlessly and had to send someone to send Ji Ningxi back home first.
As soon as they returned to the palace with the emperor, they saw Tao Anran and Qian Zhang, the commander of the Shenwei Army, coming to meet them with a group of people.
"Where is the Queen Mother?"
After enduring for decades, Empress Dowager Gu was finally overthrown, and Emperor Zhaolie asked anxiously.
Qian Zhang lowered his head and reported with a look of dejection, "Prince Daoan fled south with Queen Mother Gu and the imperial seal."
Emperor Zhaolie suddenly felt something was wrong: "Oh no! That bastard Gu Erlang might have fled to Yuezhou."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Ye Wanshu consoled him. "I've already instructed Yan Jin to rush back to Yuezhou and pass on the message. Yuezhou still has 50,000 troops stationed there. Concubine Zhang and Zhao Changshi will definitely be able to hold Yuezhou."
Emperor Zhaolie was still somewhat worried: "There are still 300,000 troops stationed in Huizhou and Yezhou. If they are taken over by these two people, the consequences will be disastrous."
Ye Wanshu was also worried about this happening. At present, the main force of the Yuezhou army had all gone to the northern border, and it would be difficult to recapture Huizhou with the 50,000 troops brought back by Tao Anran.
After pondering silently for a moment, Ye Wanshu suddenly thought of someone.
Looking at Tao Anran, she asked anxiously, "Brother Tao, after you entered the city, have you found the whereabouts of my uncle?"
Tao Anran nodded and said, "I originally thought that the young master was still in the Duke's Mansion. The first thing we did after entering the city was to rush to the Duke's Mansion. Duke Rong is currently being held in the mansion by the Yuezhou Army."
Ye Wanshu's anxiety suddenly eased. "Your Majesty, my uncle is not someone who doesn't understand the bigger picture. The generals in Yezhou and Huizhou were his trusted confidants who fought alongside him throughout his campaigns. Why not let me persuade him to convince Yezhou, Huizhou, and other regions to surrender, and thus avoid further conflict?"
Emperor Zhaolie knew Gu An very well. Although he had always sided with Empress Dowager Gu over the years, he still had his own opinions on major issues.
"Girl, thank you for taking this trip," Emperor Zhaolie said, "Just go ahead and do it. I will personally arrange for your father's funeral to be conducted with the proper rites of state mourning."
After a pause, he continued, "As for the Rongguo Mansion, as long as Gu An can stop this war, I can preserve the honor of the Duke's Mansion and exempt the Gu family."
Thinking of the Duke's Mansion, which her aunt had toiled for half her life to maintain, as well as Qingmian and Tingji, Ye Wanshu knelt down and expressed her sincere gratitude, "Your Majesty, thank you very much."
"Get up quickly."
He personally helped her up and silently glanced at Ji Yuan's body. Emperor Zhaolie felt a pang of sadness in his heart: "You and your daughter have finally put aside your past grudges, but unfortunately..."
Ye Wanshu followed his gaze and looked at her father's remains. Thinking about how he had traveled to Yuezhou several months ago and stayed in front of her with all his might, just to be a good father, she felt particularly uncomfortable.
"I am content," Ye Wanshu said, secretly rubbing the corners of her moist eyes. "At least I know what it feels like to have a father's love."
After saying this, she quickly turned around and instructed Qian Zhang, "General Qian, please take good care of His Majesty. I'm going to the Duke of Rong's Mansion now."
After bidding farewell to the emperor, she hurried to the Duke of Rong's Mansion with Tao Anran and Zhu Wencai.
As soon as the sky brightened, the Duke Rong's Mansion was already bustling with white banners hanging everywhere.
Seeing their cousin return home, Chunhong, Xingtao, Caiju, and Qiuli all came out to greet her. They surrounded Ye Wanshu and cried, "Miss, you're finally back. We were so worried all night."
Ye Wanshu glanced around the solemn atmosphere in the mansion and sighed softly, "Is my uncle awake?"
"The Duke came back yesterday with the eldest son's body and had the mourning hall set up. He stayed inside the hall all night without eating or drinking. Cousin, please go and persuade the Duke," Caiju begged.
Thinking of her uncle's indulgence of Gu Tingchen recently, Ye Wanshu couldn't help but snort coldly.
Ye Wanshu walked slowly into the mourning hall and looked at the man kneeling in front of two black coffins. She walked straight in.
The sobbing sounds of the maids and servants lingered intermittently throughout the mourning hall. Ye Wanshu walked to the front of the mourning hall on her own, took some paper money, knelt silently beside Gu An, and threw the paper money in stacks into the brazier in front of her.
Gu An took a deep breath and said dissatisfiedly: "How dare you come back?"
"I should be the one asking my uncle about this."
Looking at her aunt's spirit tablet, Ye Wanshu spoke in a cold voice, "Cousin is the only one my uncle cares about as his heir? Aren't Qingmian and Tingji your own flesh and blood?"
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