Princess's Palace!
"Princess, the matriarch of the Mo family has arrived."
"who?"
"The prince consort's grandmother."
"Please come in quickly."
Qiuyue helped the old lady in, but Jin Mudan stopped her just as the old lady was about to kneel down.
“Grandmother, you don’t need to bow. Qinghe is unworthy of it. You are my elder.”
The old lady sat by the bed, looking at Chu Qinghe's thin appearance, and wiped away tears with heartache.
"What a pair of unfortunate children."
"Grandmother, did you suddenly come to the palace to see your granddaughter-in-law?"
"You may all leave."
The old lady cried even harder, holding Chu Qinghe's hand, choking back sobs and unable to speak.
“My dear granddaughter-in-law, I know you are seriously ill and I shouldn’t have come to bother you, but… but…”
"Grandmother, what happened?"
The old lady shakily pulled a letter from her sleeve and handed it to her.
When Jin Mudan opened it, the contents were almost identical to the letter she had received.
However, the letter she received was written by Xiao Bei.
The old lady's letter was actually written by Mo Lingchen himself.
"Grandmother, don't panic. The Emperor's decree has been sent over by express courier. Officials in the neighboring county will collect grain and supplies from nearby areas and send them to the front lines upon receiving the decree."
"My husband will be alright."
The old lady shook her head: "That's just what the Emperor said to avoid making you worry."
"Your father-in-law just returned from the palace. The emperor refused to requisition grain and supplies, and he left... left my precious grandson to fend for himself... Waaah..."
Jin Mudan suddenly sat up in bed, her face full of panic: "This is impossible, Father Emperor would never do such a thing."
"My father said it himself. He has already sent people to escort the grain over there, and he told me not to worry."
The old lady wept uncontrollably: "If that's really the case, why should I have gone to the palace?"
"Princess, I beg you, please save my beloved grandson." The old lady was about to kneel down again when Jin Mudan stopped her.
"Grandmother, please don't worry, I'll go find Father right away."
"Even if it costs me my life, I will not let anything happen to my husband."
Jin Mudan went to the Emperor to question him, and the answer she received was that there was not enough food and supplies. More than half of the 50,000 men led by Mo Lingchen had been killed or wounded, and the strength of the Northern Rong army was far inferior.
After deliberation, the imperial court decided to abandon the land bordering the Northern Rong Kingdom and cease deploying more troops and supplies.
After all, the northern border is harsh and cold, and that land is not of much use to the imperial court. Not only can no taxes be collected every year, but subsidies are also required year after year.
After understanding, Jin Mudan shouted anxiously, "Then let the prince consort lead the troops to retreat!"
She didn't understand the court's policies, couldn't get involved, and couldn't change them; all she wanted was for Mo Lingchen to return safely.
The Emperor sighed helplessly: "We can't withdraw. He has to stay at the front to give the people time to evacuate."
Jin Mudan finally understood that the Emperor not only wanted to abandon the northern border, but he also wanted to abandon Mo Lingchen and his 20,000 troops.
"Father, how can you do this? He is my husband. How can you disregard his life and death and just give up on him like that?"
"Your subject does not want him to die, but he cannot die."
Seeing his daughter's devastated and heartbroken state, the Emperor tried to reason with her, but Jin Mudan remained unmoved.
Finally, the Emperor, with a stern face, reprimanded him: "Nonsense!"
"As a princess, you have enjoyed a life of luxury and honor that ordinary people can never experience in their entire lives since birth."
"Since you have enjoyed the rights and wealth bestowed upon you by the people, you have a responsibility to protect them. This is the mission of a princess."
"Your father has doted on you since you were a child, and he was even reluctant to let you go on a political marriage."
"Instead, you sent Qingyao to marry into the Northern Rong Kingdom in your place, where she suffered endless humiliation and beatings. Not only are you ungrateful, but you are also so ignorant. You have truly disappointed your father."
"Go down and focus on getting better. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Jin Mudan was frightened. Ever since she became Chu Qinghe, the Emperor had never raised his voice at her and had always been kind and gentle.
She had thought the Emperor was a very kind person, but now she finally realized what the Emperor was really like.
His words could determine the life and death of everyone in the world.
Jin Mudan was sent back in tears, but even so, she could not give up on Mo Lingchen.
The emperor possesses the entire world, so he can abandon anyone.
But she couldn't, because Mo Lingchen was her everything!
Despite her illness, Jin Mudan stayed up all night and devised a comprehensive plan.
The next day, she pretended to be sick, and Su Yujiao went to the palace again.
She laid out her plan in detail, and Su Yujiao objected.
"Jiaojiao, my mind is made up, and no one can stop me."
"You've always been the one helping me, so let me help you this once."
"Only by doing this can you and him be saved."
Su Yujiao cried uncontrollably for a long time before leaving the princess's palace and going to the empress's palace, where she did not leave until evening.
No one knows what she said to the Empress, only that she looked very serious when she came out.
In Mobei Prefecture, Mo Lingchen led his remaining 10,000 soldiers to defend the city gates.
They have been without food for three days. If the imperial court does not send more supplies, they will starve and freeze to death.
"Xiao Bei, you're not a soldier, you can leave."
"In a situation where death is inevitable, there is no point in you staying; you will only increase casualties."
Xiao Bei knelt down with a thud: "Young master, this servant will not leave. Whether you live or die, this servant will stay by your side."
"Let's go, I don't need your company."
"This servant will not leave."
Suddenly, the tent curtain was lifted, and Lieutenant General Li rushed in, weak yet incredibly excited: "General, the provisions... the provisions have arrived."
"really!"
Mo Lingchen suddenly stood up, and due to prolonged hunger and the suddenness of standing up, he felt dizzy.
"General!!"
Mo Lingchen waved his hand: "It's alright, let's go out and take a look."
As the group emerged from their tents, they saw rows of convoys carrying grain unloading bags of goods.
The army cooks had already lit a fire and set up pots to prepare porridge.
Mo Lingchen couldn't help but laugh, his chapped lips even bleeding.
"There's hope! There's hope!" the man choked out, his eyes even reddening.
"I knew it, the Emperor wouldn't trust us so easily."
"Summon the officials who are escorting the grain supplies."
He wanted to ask the emperor why he had changed his mind. The imperial edict three days ago had ordered the abandonment of the northern border and instructed him to defend the city gates to the death, giving the people time to evacuate.
Why are supplies being delivered again today?
"What about the Emperor's decree?"
"Reporting to the general, the imperial edict has been burned."
Mo Lingchen frowned: "Burned?"
"Five days ago, the palace eunuchs had just finished reading the imperial edict, and I was about to receive it when suddenly a flaming arrow shot out and struck the edict, instantly turning it to ashes."
"Not only was I delayed, but after writing my apology, I immediately escorted the grain over."
Since the imperial edict was burned, he naturally had to explain to the emperor. Otherwise, if old grievances were brought up later and he was falsely accused of damaging the imperial edict, he would be in deep trouble.
Mo Lingchen felt there was something fishy about this. Could someone be trying to stop the supply of provisions?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
