Except for some important military and political officials who stayed behind to continue discussing and handling government affairs, the rest of the court officials dispersed and left.

Lu Yunqi never got involved in these matters. Compared to those courtiers who walked in groups of two or three and talked in low voices, he looked lonely walking at the end.

Of course, no one would feel sorry for him, let alone gloat over his misfortune.

The Jinyi Guards were waiting outside the palace, and when they saw him coming, they saluted him one after another.

"Lord Lu."

A male servant who seemed to be waiting for his master came over with a food box in his hands.

As the servant stepped forward, he was immediately stopped by the Royal Guards. He was neither afraid nor angry, but stood there and saluted with a respectful expression.

"Lord Huang will be out in a moment." Lu Yunqi looked at him and said.

"I have something to ask of you, sir." The servant said, "My master is not feeling well. This is the tonic that the imperial physician has told him to take. I wonder if you could help deliver it to him."

There are not many people in this world who dare to ask Lu Yunqi to run errands for them like this.

Lu Yunqi looked at him without saying anything.

"I heard that the princess was not feeling well, and this tonic is just right for coughing, so my master specially ordered two portions to be prepared." The servant continued, "My master has been thinking about the princess and Prince Huai, and hopes that they will be well again."

Having said that, he raised the food box above his head and said nothing more.

Others may not think much of this, as just a daily courtesy, but Captain Jiang, who was standing next to Lu Yunqi, understood it very well.

This is a deal.

Huang Cheng meant that he would ensure the king's long life and peace of mind.

If someone else had said this, Jiang Baihu would have scoffed at it, but Huang Cheng's status in front of the emperor forced him to believe it.

If the emperor wants to kill someone and no one can persuade him to stop, Huang Cheng can definitely do it. Conversely, Huang Cheng can also make the emperor want to kill someone.

Lu Yunqi curled his lips, and Captain Jiang immediately understood and stepped forward to take it. The male servant thanked him, bowed, and walked away.

Baihu Jiang opened the food box and saw two covered cups inside, emitting a fragrant aroma.

"Send it to Lord Huang." Lu Yunqi said.

Captain Jiang responded, took out a covered cup and handed it to a Jinyiwei, who immediately took it and hurried towards the palace.

"I wonder what Lord Huang wants you to do?" Jiang Baihu said in a low voice.

"What can I do?" Lu Yunqi said, "I can only turn a blind eye to it."

This is enough. Lu Yunqi closing one eye is just like King Yan closing one eye. For many people, it can save their lives.

Captain Jiang responded without saying anything else.

"What is the Prince of Chengguo doing now?" Lu Yunqi asked.

Baihu Jiang said "Oh".

"Feeding the horses," he said. "A message just came in that they were brushing them."

He sneered again.

"He must have known the news, but he still acted calm."

"It's not made up." Lu Yunqi said, looking ahead, "I have a good father."

…

The brush brushed across the horse's body, and the red horse wagged its tail. Zhu Zan raised his hand to hit it, and the horse sneezed, indicating that it enjoyed his service.

"Second brother, don't worry. The Juma River has been breached, Rongcheng has fallen, and Xiongzhou is in danger. It's not that we can't handle it." Zhang Baotang said anxiously.

Zhu Zan said "oh" and turned around the horse.

"I'm not in a hurry," he said.

Zhang Baotang also hurriedly turned around.

"…The gold bandits' forces are all on the Xiongzhou line, so it's normal for them to retreat and be unable to resist." he said.

"It's not normal." Zhu Zan said without stopping the movements of his hands.

Zhang Baotang nodded.

"Yeah, so don't... uh... what did you say? Abnormal?" he said, and only realized what Zhu Zan said halfway through, and was immediately stunned.

Zhu Zan's expression remained the same as he brushed the horse's hair with ease.

"Because the Juma River was attacked once, my father must have strengthened the defense. Even if 30,000 gold bandits can break through the Juma River, it is impossible for them to capture Rongcheng so quickly." He said, "There must be something wrong with the Ansu Army."

Zhang Baotang's expression changed for a moment.

If there is a problem among our own people, that would be bad.

"Don't be anxious." He looked at Zhu Zan and said again, but compared to before, his tone was not as comforting.

Zhu Zan said "oh".

"I'm not in a hurry," he said.

This was the third time he said there was no rush after I told him about the current military situation in the north.

The first and second time, Zhang Baotang thought he was consoling himself, but the third time is a waste of time, and now it seems that he is really not in a hurry.

Zhang Baotang stared at him.

"Why aren't you in a hurry?" he asked.

Zhu Zan patted the horse's back. In the early winter sunlight, the red horse looked even fatter and stronger.

"First, I believe my father can handle this matter." He said, his expression calm, his voice unusually steady, "Second, it's useless for me to rush here, so why bother?"

Yes, what's the use of being anxious? We are thousands of miles apart and you can't fly over us even if you have wings.

This lack of urgency is both a sense of relief and helplessness.

Zhang Baotang was silent for a moment.

"Yes, there will be no problem with uncle here." He smiled and said firmly.

"Of course." Zhu Zan said, patting the horse's buttocks.

The red horse sneezed and walked away, and the other horse that was wandering around and chewing the rope immediately stood obediently in front of Zhu Zan.

"You beasts know how to enjoy yourself by letting me serve you," Zhu Zan scolded, "but you have to pay for it."

While cursing, the brush had already fallen on the horse's back.

"Why don't you go and make trouble with the emperor?" Zhang Baotang said again, "It would be best if you can return as soon as possible."

Zhu Zan snorted.

"It's too much trouble," he said.

Does it mean that the emperor is annoyed by the noise?

"This is a matter of loyalty and filial piety, and it is reasonable and should be done," said Zhang Baotang.

Zhu Zan smiled and patted the horse's back with a brush.

"There are so many things that should be done." He said, frowning again, "Okay, don't worry about it. I know what to do."

Zhang Baotang said "oh" and nodded.

Zhu Zan stopped again.

"Don't worry, father will be in Xiongzhou in two days at most," he said.

Two days?

Zhang Baotang calculated the distance and looked a little uneasy.

"The gold thieves have already split into three groups to stop my uncle..." he said, "If it really doesn't work, it would be better to give up Xiongzhou."

Zhu Zan held the brush and brushed the horse's back carefully and seriously.

"Every inch of our territory is shed with blood," he said, "how can our blood be shed in vain?"

…

Blood is never shed in vain.

The setting sun was as red as blood, and the Xiongzhou city was covered with blood and corpses, and the sound of shouting and killing filled the air.

The armored Jin soldiers shouted and climbed up to the top of the city wall using ladders, where they engaged in a bloody battle with the Zhou soldiers on the top of the city wall.

At this time, there was no need to talk about team formations, only blood for blood and flesh for flesh.

After a fierce battle, the Jin soldiers who climbed up the city gate were repelled with the help of stones, hot oil and torches. The fighting on the top of the city came to a temporary end, but the weeping horns continued to sound outside the city.

Li Xianlin stood on the top of the city wall, his body covered in blood, both his own and others'. After three consecutive days of fierce fighting, this man in his forties who had fought for many years looked a little haggard.

He took a few steps forward, as if trying to see how many more Jin soldiers were gathering outside the city, but he stumbled and saw the soldiers who had died in the battle still lying on the ground.

Looking around, the city walls were littered with dead and wounded soldiers. Some were rolling on the ground, while others were struggling to sit up and bandage their own wounds. There were cries, shouts, and groans everywhere.

"Where are the civilians?" Li Xianlin shouted, somewhat angrily, "Hurry up and lift the people down from the city wall."

The five generals standing beside him looked grief-stricken.

"Sir, there are no more civilians." A general said in a hoarse voice.