Meanwhile, inside the White Lotus Sect's main tent, lights were still burning even though it was late at night.
Meng Gexing summoned his strategists and they were discussing their next steps.
They were all impoverished people who fought desperately and finally saw a glimmer of hope for turning their lives around, so they didn't even consider the Ming Dynasty's offer of amnesty.
No matter how good the conditions offered by the Ming Dynasty are, I would rather die than be without freedom.
Therefore, a bloodbath is inevitable; the only question is how to fight it.
Clusters of lights burned, illuminating the faces of those gathered around the sand table. Meng Gexing stared silently at the flag planted between Baoding and the capital. The others, however, were engaged in a heated debate.
Some suggested that they should first capture the Forbidden City, then hold it and defend it against the Prince of Shu. However, this plan had a drawback: Lu Shenyun and his men would lead their troops to defend it to the death, making it difficult for them to break through in a short time. If they launched a strong attack but failed and suffered heavy casualties, they would not have enough troops to resist when the Prince of Shu arrived with his 100,000-strong army, and would inevitably be annihilated after the city was breached.
Some suggested holding back and observing the Shu King's next marching route before making any plans. However, if they dragged it out, the Ming Dynasty might be able to mobilize more reinforcements, while their own supplies might not be able to keep up. In addition, everyone had been fighting for more than nine months and was already exhausted both physically and mentally; if they continued to drag it out, they would eventually collapse.
Others suggested that they should fight to the death to capture the Forbidden City first, but after capturing it, they should not occupy the city immediately. Instead, they should find a secluded place to hide and wait for the King of Shu to attack. Then, they could launch a surprise attack on him when he was unprepared.
Meng Gexing listened to these people discuss it all night, but still couldn't make up his mind. He had several ideas in his mind, but he wasn't sure which one had a better chance of success.
Time was of the essence, leaving him no room for thought. But getting to this point hadn't been easy; the lives of so many brothers were in his hands. He had to plan carefully and strike decisively.
Although a strategy had not yet been finalized, Meng Gexing continued to give the Ming Dynasty no time to breathe. A small group of White Lotus sect members constantly harassed the Ming army to put psychological pressure on them and prevent them from having a chance to regroup.
...
In the other military camp, Lu Shenyun was still awake.
He had been separated from Qingchen for four days, and during those four days, he was exhausted from dealing with the harassment from the White Lotus Sect.
Meng Gexing was skilled in using cavalry and guerrilla warfare. The White Lotus sect members were highly mobile, always appearing and disappearing unpredictably, using feints and diversions. One moment they would launch rockets to burn tents, and the next they would dig trenches to trap patrolling troops, causing the Ming army great annoyance.
Lu Shenyun had just returned to the military camp after a busy day. Upon hearing the news, the military doctor rushed over to change his dressing.
A few days ago, Meng Gexing held a knife to his neck and slashed it open, leaving a bloody gash. When Lu Shenyun returned to the military camp with blood seeping from his neck, it startled the soldiers.
Right now, the wound is starting to itch, and he can't help but frown.
"I'm not going to administer the medicine," he said.
This minor injury deserves to be wrapped in thick bandages; it looks terrible and affects everyone's morale.
The army doctor hurriedly advised, "Sir, you mustn't. The weather is hot, and if you don't treat the wound, it may become infected. If you develop a high fever, you won't even be able to go to the battlefield."
Lu Shenyun thought for a moment, then fell silent and acquiesced.
While the military doctor was applying the medicine, he was lost in thought.
Two days ago, a member of the Imperial Guards reported that Qingchen had rescued Song Yue using the Golden Book and Iron Certificate. However, the worst-case scenario also occurred: Xu Yan sent assassins to hunt them down.
For Song Yue's sake, she risked everything to escape with him, and the thought filled him with both worry and heartache. Just as he loved her, she, too, still loved Song Yue deeply, her affections unwavering.
The escape was arduous, and no one knew how the two of them were doing.
He somewhat regretted that he had sent too few Imperial Guards, but there was a battle to be fought in the capital, and manpower was really tight.
The military doctor helped him wrap the bandage, and Lu Shenyun stopped thinking wildly. He shook his head, trying to shake off the lingering image of Qingchen from his mind.
He still has a tough battle ahead of him.
The flame flickered faintly on the lamp.
In the mountains.
The first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, filling the small bamboo house with the warmth of dawn.
The torrential rain from last night stopped sometime ago, and water droplets lingered under the eaves, slowly dripping down.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
After a night of passion with Song Yue, Qingchen woke up at dawn. When she opened her eyes, he was already awake, lying beside her and looking at her.
She recalled the sweetness of last night and felt a little embarrassed to look at him. She wanted to get out of bed but found herself naked.
“Turn around,” she nudged him. “I need to get dressed.”
He smiled and said, "You saw everything last night, are you still shy?"
After saying that, he pulled her close, hugged her, and kissed her again. Qingchen felt a tingling, ticklish sensation from his kiss and couldn't help but kick him with her foot, saying, "It's already dawn..."
Instead, he grabbed her calf, rolled over, and pinned her down. "I only realized how beautiful you are now that it's light. I kind of regret my decision last night. How about..."
Qingchen's face immediately flushed. She pushed aside his bare chest and nimbly slipped out from the side. "I'm getting up now. I'm not going to mess around with you anymore."
As a result, the two of them still fooled around on the bed for a while. He teased her, and she dodged, but the bed wasn't big, and when she had nowhere to hide, she had to shrink into the corner. She covered herself with a thin blanket, wrapped up like a dumpling, but he teased her and stripped her naked several times. She was both ashamed and aroused, so she simply tried to uncover him as well. Unexpectedly, he didn't resist at all, letting her look at him openly, which made her even more embarrassed, and she kicked him with her feet.
Song Yue lay quietly, letting her fuss, just stubbornly guarding the bedside, refusing to let her get out of bed, and chuckling softly. After a while, Qingchen got hot, with a thin layer of sweat on her back.
Later, the two of them got tired of arguing and gradually quieted down. One of them lay at the head of the bed, and the other leaned against the foot of the bed, silently looking at each other without saying a word.
Actually, Song Yue didn't really intend to do anything; she just didn't want to get up. Since there was nothing to do once she was up, teasing her like that allowed them to temporarily forget about what was happening outside.
As dawn broke, Qingchen finally got up. Song Yue went to the stream to fetch some water and brought it back for her to wash up.
After the two finished washing up, there was a sudden knock on the door.
Qingchen glanced at Song Yue, then got up to open the door, a bad feeling creeping into her heart. The Imperial Guards usually didn't arrive this early.
Upon opening the door, it was indeed the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The man got straight to the point: "My lords, I went out to scout around today and found that the assassins have entered the mountains, and their numbers have increased. This place is no longer safe, and we shouldn't stay any longer. Tonight, we must risk going down the mountain. Once we're out, we'll find another place to hide."
She frowned upon hearing this and turned to look at Song Yue with concern. He gave her a reassuring look and replied, "Then let's get ready and leave tonight."
Remembering something, the man added, "When I came down the mountain today, I heard that the Emperor is seriously ill. The court knows that the Grand Secretary was taken away by Lord Shen, but since the Emperor is seriously ill, no one has ordered his arrest, which is a good thing for the Grand Secretary. Xu Yan... has been released and returned to his residence."
"How is the fighting outside?" Song Yue asked.
"The White Lotus Sect is still harassing us relentlessly, and Lord Lu is holding them off at the front. We don't know when they will launch a full-scale attack," the man said. "The Shu King's troops are heading northeast and are almost at Taiyuan."
"Thank you, we understand."
After saying this, the Imperial Guard left.
Both Qingchen and Song Yue were preoccupied with their own thoughts and remained silent, making the bamboo house unusually quiet.
He spoke first, "I know what you're thinking. Since it's unavoidable, let's face it. There's still some time before dark, come here, let's analyze the situation."
She nodded and sat down next to him.
Song Yue asked, "When you and Lu Shenyun went to offer amnesty, what was Meng Gexing's attitude?"
“I told him that the Shu King’s 100,000-strong army was our reinforcement. Zhu Rui ordered him to attack, but actually it was a trap to annihilate them from both sides. He probably believed me.”
"Hmm. Have you already thought of a way?"
"I've come up with a plan, but I don't know if it will work." Qingchen explained her plan. "I've dealt with Meng Gexing a few times. He's very smart and perceptive. People like that don't easily trust others and tend to do the opposite of what they want."
He nodded. "It's worth a try. This should be the only way to resolve the crisis facing the Ming Dynasty."
He paused for a moment, then added, "If you manage to leave the mountain today, go find Lu Shenyun as soon as possible. Tell him for me that you are grateful for his golden book and iron certificate."
"Me?" She frowned. "Aren't you coming with me?"
He shook his head.
"Why?" Qingchen asked anxiously. "We can't stay down the mountain, and we can't go back to the capital. Xu Yan's men are constantly chasing us. Where do you want to go?"
"Don't worry. Right now, there should be someone who can protect me."
Who is it?
"Consort Zheng".
Qingchen's eyes dimmed.
He had previously said he had an affair with Consort Zheng, but she hadn't asked him about it. She wasn't stupid; she could tell he was deliberately trying to provoke her into leaving. She trusted him, so there was no need to ask.
But even now, hearing him mention Consort Zheng still made her uncomfortable. Consort Zheng held a high position and wielded great power; now that Zhu Rui was ill, she controlled almost the entire court and the harem. Naturally, only she could save his life.
He saw through her thoughts and said gently, "It's not what you think."
“When I was still in prison, she sent someone to find me, saying that if I was willing, she could plead with the Emperor for me and save my life. If I wanted to live, I would have agreed then.” He looked at her and patiently explained, “Now the Emperor’s condition has worsened, and we don’t know when he will pass away. Consort Zheng has long coveted the throne. She was only willing to help me back then because she was forced to, and I suppose she also wanted to take advantage of the chaos in the court.”
Not long after Song Yue was imprisoned, Consort Zheng sent a message to him through a trusted confidant, saying she could save him. In fact, she did want to save him. Her son, the Fifth Prince, was still young, and even if he were to ascend the throne, he would need a capable regent to govern the court. Her relationship with Xu Yan had broken down, and Xu Yan's powerful backing had crumbled. If Song Yue were to die as well, there would be no one left in the court to whom she had her ideal candidate.
Beset by internal and external troubles, she knew she lacked the ability to resolve everything. Therefore, she needed him. She needed his wisdom, his ability, his prestige, and she needed him to stabilize the Ming Dynasty and ensure its prosperity for generations to come, starting with her son's mandate from heaven.
But at that time, Song Yue did not agree.
He carried too much on his shoulders. He had been studying hard since he was six years old, and after entering the court, he had been walking on thin ice and being cautious and meticulous for more than ten years. When he finally brought down Xu Yan, he felt completely exhausted.
He had devoted himself to assisting Zhu Rui for many years, yet Zhu Rui, in order to balance the situation, had him unjustly executed. Although he understood, he couldn't help but feel disheartened. Imprisoned with no hope of tomorrow, and with no chance to be with the beautiful woman, he thought that being a lonely man without family or friends, death was preferable. Living was simply too exhausting.
But now, with the Ming Dynasty beset by internal and external troubles, he could no longer sit idly by. Moreover, the person he longed for was right beside him, so vibrant and lovely, so radiant and beautiful, that he couldn't bear to die.
"I understand," Qingchen said, unable to suppress a pang of jealousy, because she had been intimate with him just last night. "I understand your good intentions, teacher. What I seek is actually the same as what you ask for. It's just that I... felt ashamed just now."
He smiled and gently touched the hair at her temple. "I knew it from the moment I met you. You're a woman, it's normal for you to be jealous, and I like seeing you jealous..."
A little embarrassed, she changed the subject, "What do you plan to do?"
“I was being chased by Xu Yan, so I went to Consort Zheng. She would believe that I only agreed to cooperate with her to save my own life. The Emperor is seriously ill, and if she wants the Fifth Prince to succeed to the throne, she will have to use means to frame the Crown Prince. Only by getting close to her can I find out what she really wants to do.”
Qingchen pursed her lips, "Then you must be careful..." Consort Zheng was no simple woman after all.
He gently closed his eyes. "You too. Go find Lu Shenyun, and let them handle the rest. You're a woman, so it's not appropriate for you to stay in the military camp for long. I'll find a way to contact you in a few days."
He didn't know where Consort Zheng would hide him, nor did she. Therefore, now that they were about to part, they couldn't set a time or place for their reunion.
He said that to put her mind at ease, and Qingchen could tell that, but she still couldn't help but worry about him.
"Promise me you'll contact me as soon as possible," she instructed.
He smiled slightly, gazed at her, and reached out his hand to her.
She reached out and took his hand.
"We still have a hurdle to overcome tonight. Are you scared?" he asked.
She shook her head. "I'm not afraid."
What's so scary about death? It's just a period of pain, then you close your eyes and never wake up again.
What they feared most was that they wouldn't make it in time, and would watch helplessly as the entire Ming Dynasty collapsed, with countless lives lost in the palace, on the battlefield, and in the fields.
What I fear most is that this means we will be separated forever, never to be found again, in the netherworld or the underworld.
After nightfall.
Qingchen and Song Yue were ready and went to the Jinyiwei's house to meet them. Although there was darkness and the forest for cover, it was still very risky for the five of them to sneak down the mountain.
One of the Imperial Guards said, “My lords, it’s not advisable to light torches. The mountain path is difficult to traverse at night, so please be careful. The route we took a few days ago was one of the ways down the mountain. If there are their men on this route, we will have to take another way down the mountain, but that route is even more rugged and difficult to traverse.”
Song Yue nodded. "Thank you for the reminder. We are already prepared. You are most familiar with the environment in these mountains, so we will follow your arrangements."
“Let’s go then. Once we get down the mountain, it’ll be fine. Before we came up, I hid a horse in the woods.”
Under the dim moonlight, the five of them began their descent down the mountain.
Tonight is a cloudy night with thick clouds in the sky. The moon only shows a small part of its face, and there is a lot of fog in the mountains. The night wind is cool.
As they descended the mountain, they walked very quietly, afraid of alerting the assassins lurking in the mountains. Qingchen didn't even dare to breathe loudly. After walking a short distance without encountering anyone, she was already almost exhausted. Going up the mountain was easy, but going down was difficult, especially at night like this, when there were no lights to see the path and she had to be careful not to be discovered.
The men weren't much better off than her; in the quiet night, she could hear their increasingly heavy breathing.
Fortunately, Song Yue held her arm the whole time, and the warmth of his palm calmed her down.
After walking for a while, suddenly, the Imperial Guard leading the way stopped. The others behind him stopped one after another, holding their breath.
“There are people ahead,” the man said softly. “There’s a fire; they must be taking turns patrolling the mountain. I can’t see how many there are.”
After saying that, he looked at Qingchen and Song Yue, "This road is probably blocked."
She had initially held onto a sliver of hope, hoping the assassins would slack off under the cover of night. But the distant, flickering light in the darkness was moving, forcing them to turn back and take the steeper, alternative path.
Once they reached another, even steeper path, the five of them descended the mountain at a much slower pace. This path was not only steep, but also riddled with rocks and potholes. These sharp rocks and potholes were often covered by shrubs, so every step had to be taken with extra care.
Qingchen felt very tight, as if there was a blockage from her throat to her chest.
The night was deep, and the moonlight was so faint it was almost nonexistent. They moved very quietly and dared not make a sound, only occasionally stepping on loose pebbles, which would roll down and make a sound.
Soon after, the clouds moved, and the moonlight peeked out. Qingchen walked cautiously, when suddenly she saw something lying diagonally in front of her!
Its curled body, vibrant markings, and icy, sharp eyes were staring at me.
snake!
She suddenly stepped back, but lost her footing and fell to the ground.
The Imperial Guard and Song Yue reacted at the same time and tried to pull her up, but they saw that she had already rolled down the slope and quickly disappeared into the bushes and the night.
"Qingchen!" Song Yue couldn't help but call out softly.
There was no response.
Qingchen rolled uncontrollably down the slope, then fell a short distance in mid-air before finally crashing into the bushes halfway up the mountain with a "thud," breaking several branches and leaves.
Her whole body ached, but she managed to lift her head and saw the light of torches not far away. Then a voice quickly came, "Who's there!"
She immediately lowered her head, enduring the pain and daring not to utter another sound. Then, she could vaguely hear footsteps approaching from afar, and the owner of the torch gave the order, "It should be them, search them!"
Qingchen lay face down, cold sweat pouring down his face, not daring to move an inch.
But soon she realized that they should be finding her soon. Song Yue and the others were still upstairs, and if they searched the area, he would be discovered as well.
If she were to show herself and attract their attention, she might be able to cover for them.
Thinking things through, Qingchen was about to stand up when she felt someone suddenly approach and cover her mouth from behind.
Just as she was about to struggle, the man whispered, "Don't move, it's me."
The familiar voice, the familiar scent—it was Song Yue. He put his arm around her, gently released his hand from her mouth, and made a "shh" gesture.
Qingchen nodded blankly, her body trembling with cold sweat from the tension. She had sustained several scrapes and aches from the fall, all of which were still painful, especially her calves near her ankles; she wondered if she had broken any bones.
The chaotic footsteps grew closer, and the firelight in the darkness grew brighter. Every step they took felt like it was treading on her head. She held her breath, her fingers gripping Song Yue's arm tightly.
A rustling sound began to reach his ears; someone was carrying a torch and searching around the vicinity. Through the bushes, Qingchen could see the person's hand, and his heart skipped a beat.
Just then, someone shouted from nearby, "Found him! He's here!"
The person searching immediately stopped and left their hiding place.
Qingchen recognized that the voice just now belonged to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
A feint attack to the east while striking in the west.
Soon, the sounds of fighting broke out.
"Let's go!" Song Yue glanced around and quickly asked, "Were you hurt anywhere? Can you move?"
Qingchen shook her head. "I'm fine, I can go."
Later, he helped her down the mountain as quickly as possible. Qingchen's ankle hurt a little, but she endured it without saying a word.
Half an hour later, they finally reached the foot of the mountain and found the horse tied to the tree, just as Jin Yi had indicated.
Both of them were panting heavily, almost completely exhausted.
They rested against a tree trunk for a while, and finally saw a member of the Imperial Guard also coming down the mountain. The man was holding his right shoulder, clearly injured.
"My lords, please hurry. Those two can't get down. I'll wait here. If the assassins catch up, I'll lead them to another path."
A horse can only seat two people; it's impossible for three people to travel together.
"Then what are you going to do?" Qingchen blurted out.
"Don't worry, sir. They are not as familiar with this place as I am. They won't be able to catch me." He said, looking back at the mountain where the firelight was already close. "Let's go quickly. If we hesitate any longer, none of us will be able to leave."
Song Yue frowned, went to fetch the horse, helped Qingchen sit down, and then looked at the man, "Brother, please take care and be sure to come back. I'll be waiting for you in the capital for drinks, we won't leave until we're drunk."
The man cupped his hands in greeting, "Your Excellency, please mount your horse!"
Song Yue mounted his horse, said "Take care" again, then picked up the reins and spurred his horse forward.
The horse galloped into the dark, silent mountain path, its clattering hooves echoing into the quiet night, sounding utterly unreal.
From then on, no one escorted them anymore.
...
At dawn, they finally left the mountains and arrived at a small village on the outskirts of Beijing.
The sky was still dark, with only a sliver of light peeking through the distance, and the village remained quiet. Qingchen, sitting on horseback, looked back at the road they had come from and, seeing no one chasing after them, felt slightly relieved.
Song Yue dismounted and handed the whip to him. "Let's part ways here. You ride your horse to find Lu Shenyun. I'll wait for the villagers to wake up and then borrow a horse from them. It will be dawn soon."
She sat on horseback, looking down at him. It was time to part ways, and she felt both worried and melancholy.
He took her hand and gently squeezed it. "Don't worry, I'll contact you soon. When we get to Lu Shenyun's camp, have him find a medic to check your leg. I accidentally bumped it just now, and you were shaking all over. Don't do that again. Tell me if you get hurt."
Her eyes welled up with tears instantly. "You must be extremely careful too."
"Yes, I will." He smiled slightly and released her hand. "Let's go."
She was reluctant to leave him, so Song Yue simply slapped the horse's back hard, "Let's go!"
The horse, feeling the pain, quickly took off running. Qingchen, sitting on the horse's back, held the reins and looked back at him.
In the thin morning light, he stood there quietly, waved to her, a faint smile on his lips. A gentle breeze stirred the grass, and his clothes fluttered in the breeze.
She turned to look ahead, a tear sliding down her cheek. She wiped it away sharply, cracked her whip, and shouted, "Giddy up!"
God bless them so that they can be reunited in this lifetime.
The horse ran for most of the day, and Qingchen finally arrived at Lu Shenyun's military camp as the sun set.
As far as the eye could see, there were tents, carts, and supplies, along with soldiers in armor and armed with weapons. Outside the camp, a wooden fence studded with iron nails stood, and on the watchtower, the Ming Dynasty's flag fluttered alone in the setting sun.
Lu Shenyun went to greet her and led her back to his tent. Looking at her, he was so heartbroken that he couldn't speak.
She was disheveled, covered in dust, her clothes were covered in prickly grass seeds from the bushes, and she dragged her legs as she walked, sweat dripping from the back of her hands.
Seeing him after a long journey, Qingchen was also a little excited, "Lu Shenyun..."
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he lifted the curtain of the tent behind him, stepping aside to let her in.
As soon as she entered the tent, he picked her up from behind, held her close, and looked at her.
People who are not good at speaking still can't express themselves.
Qingchen was stunned and didn't know what to say.
Lu Shenyun carried her to his bedside, placed her on the bed, and then bent down to take off the boot from her injured leg.
"Lu Shenyun..."
A large bruise, even tinged with purple, covered her fair skin, making his heart ache. His rough fingers gently stroked her leg, and Qingchen involuntarily flinched.
He looked up and said with concern, "Let me rub it for you. It will hurt a little, but bear with it."
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