Bright sunlight shone under the eaves of the palace, and a gentle autumn breeze rustled through the lotus flowers in the clear pond. The narrow blue stone path was covered with azalea petals, making that tall figure appear desolate and forlorn.
When Taozhi arrived, she saw the princess, dressed in white, lying under the eaves. Bright sunlight streamed through the pine branches, casting dim shadows on her pale face.
Her eyes stung with tears, and she quickly called to the palace maids behind her to help the person up and return to Xuanming Palace.
Winter came early that year, and Jiankang was hit by snow early as well, with temperatures dropping frighteningly low.
No news of the Great Qi Emperor had been received from the North, while the Western Regions and the Northern Capital were locked in fierce fighting.
The Western Regions invaded beyond the pass, and Helian Ye launched a fierce attack. His generals were all formidable warriors, and battles of all sizes were constant. Floods of refugees had spread to the northwest, and the people were living in misery.
The entire area outside the pass was filled with troops from the Western Regions. The general from the Western Regions stood on the city wall, laughing loudly and making wild pronouncements.
The Great Qi Emperor is dead, leaving behind a bunch of bloated, fat officials and nobles who only know how to build magnificent palaces and indulge in extravagance. Have they ever seen the thousands of lives slaughtered here? Wise people, surrender! My king of the Western Regions will rule this fertile land, and will personally slaughter those fat, rotten parasites in the palace, leading everyone to build a new home. Our king is the true ruler of this world. Open the city gates and welcome your new king.
The triumphant shouts of the victors echoed across the pass, the heads of the soldiers who tried to persuade the surrender were riddled with bullets by the valiant warriors, the blood stained the city walls, and the angry roars filled the land.
The savage and brutal slaughterers stormed into the new city, their cheers and shouts echoing across the plains of Lichuan.
The eight cities that Daqi had initially occupied were wiped out, and the generals in the north were left without a leader. Daqi's troops all withdrew from the north, crossed the Donglu River, and held the last gate of Daqi—Tongguan—refusing to fight.
The Western Regions seized eight cities in Yinshan in one fell swoop. The Great Qi Emperor is dead, and the Great Qi is no longer a threat. After killing the Northern Emperor, the Western Regions will enter the Central Plains and unify this vast land.
The snow fell for several months that winter, and the fighting continued, with battle reports coming in batch after batch from the front lines.
Just after the New Year, in early January, the ice on the Beichuan River cracked, and a large number of large ships from Beidu crossed the river.
On the eighteenth day, the Yan army ambushed Qinshan, trapping the Western Region troops in the mountains, killing 10,000 Eagle Army soldiers, and beheading General Helian Hu on the city wall.
Crimson blood splattered across the entire city tower. The soldiers from the Western Regions roared in fury and launched a three-pronged attack, determined to take the head of the Northern Emperor and offer it as a sacrifice to his Western Regions general.
The war in the north was fierce. After the death of the Great Qi Emperor, the two sides fought for more than a year. In September of the fourth year of Jianyuan, the Battle of Chidu brought about a historic turning point.
The two sides have been at war for the past year, resulting in a protracted war that has depleted their military, manpower, and resources.
The Western Regions suffered repeated defeats at Chishui, and the grain and fodder transporting supplies on the Beichuan Plain were inexplicably burned. During the battle with the Yan army, they suffered setbacks in the rear and lost several generals in succession.
Beidu has also suffered heavy losses in the past year. In early September, its troops set off from Yuehan Pass with 300,000 elite soldiers, crossed the Chishui River, and arrived at the Beichuan Plain.
This battle came with overwhelming force.
That year in Jiankang was also difficult. More than a year had passed, and the body of the Great Qi Emperor had still not been found, leaving the throne vacant.
A few months ago, a turmoil broke out in the previous dynasty, and the powerful families in the court were in an uproar, saying that the country could not be without a ruler for even a day.
However, the Empress, who had been bedridden for several months, suddenly appeared in court with the Crown Prince, took over the reins of government, and declared that His Majesty was not dead, the Crown Prince was too young, and she would act as regent. She said that His Majesty would return to the palace once the war in the north was over.
The court officials all said that the Empress had gone mad; His Majesty had already died in battle, so how could he possibly return to the capital? It was all nonsense.
There are many generals, noble families, and scholars who can support the Great Qi Emperor. They suppress the regime. The generals from the north suddenly returned to the capital. Several corrupt officials who plotted rebellion were killed in court. With the support of the north, no one dared to speak out. They all secretly cursed and condemned the empress for taking power, saying that heaven would send down punishments, that women were in power, and that the country was doomed.
In the past two years, winters in Jiankang have been unusually cold. A few days ago, a heavy snow fell, and the dazzling sunlight shone on the snow, casting large patches of white.
When Chu Changning returned to Xuanming Palace with her son, she saw the chubby baby lying by the door. When he saw his mother and brother, his dark grape-like eyes became big and bright. He waved and called out to her, kicking his little legs and rushing towards her.
The child was only a year old and walked very unsteadily. After taking only a few steps, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.
Shuangyue, who was following behind, was already used to the child's antics. She caught the child in a few quick steps. Seeing that he wasn't afraid and was waving his hands as if calling for his mother, she quickly picked him up and handed him to the Empress.
Chu Changning reached out and caught his limp son, sighing, "He's much more mischievous than your brother was when he was little."
Ayu has become much quieter and more reserved over the past year, showing none of the innocence and naivety of a child. In her daily life, she either accompanies her mother to court or practices martial arts. During the day, she immerses herself in studying in the Wenhua Hall, and at night she stays with her mother and takes care of her troublesome younger brother.
The hall was warm from the underfloor heating, and the incense burning in the incense burner added a touch of tranquility to the hall.
Chu Changning carried her son back, wiped his hands with a warm handkerchief, and ate with the two children.
The youngest son is a glutton and a troublemaker. A meal is like a battle, and the whole hall is filled with the noisy sounds of children. Chu Changning sighed helplessly, wondering what kind of little devil he would grow up to be.
"An'an, you're not allowed to take your brother's musket---"
My son's nickname is An'an. I pray that he will live a peaceful and carefree life and grow up happily and healthily in this chaotic world.
Seeing her mother angrily rushing forward to snatch it, Ayu quickly stopped her, saying, "Mother, that's a fake one I made; it doesn't have gunpowder."
The younger son was mischievous and liked his older brother's weapons, always trying to play with them, so Ayu made him a fake musket.
Chu Changning was slightly taken aback. Looking at her noisy son, she stopped trying to take the food and sat down to add some dishes to Ayu's plate. "Eat more. You've lost weight recently."
As Ayu grew up, she displayed an amazing talent for making weapons, often looking at the secret manuals and weapon illustrations in her father's secret room.
She had drawn some weapon blueprints from her previous life and given them to her son. He studied them every day and actually made one: a crossbow with an extremely long range, faster and more powerful than the bows and arrows used by soldiers today. However, it had not yet been deployed on a large scale.
Chu Changning didn't dare to teach him too much, but instead gave him pointers slowly.
After dinner, Ayu went to Wenhua Hall. He changed his clothes and came out to see his mother sitting at her desk, holding the black beads that his father used to play with, lost in thought.
He lowered his eyes, walked over, and cupped his hands in greeting. "Mother, I'm going to class."
Chu Changning snapped out of his reverie and said, "It's snowing outside. Put on a fox fur coat and come back early tonight."
"good."
White birds flew across the sky, and bright light shone into the golden palace. When Ayu reached the palace entrance, she suddenly turned around and looked at her mother in front of the imperial table.
"Father---will he come back?"
Her heart felt as if it had been ripped open, and the cold wind howled in. Her eyes were dry, and her mind seemed to drift away. "I'll come back."
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