That night.
Thick clouds moved above the White Lotus Religion military camp on the outskirts of Beijing, obscuring the moon.
Gradually, strange lights appeared in the sky, a group of moving points of light, glowing faintly.
Outside Meng Gexing's military tent, two squads of men stood guard with spears. The cool night breeze rustled the leaves, and one of the guards, who was bored and dozing off, suddenly noticed the light when he looked up and his eyes widened immediately.
He immediately patted the person next to him on the shoulder and pointed to the sky above, saying, "Hey, look! What are those?"
The person who was called looked up as well. "That's... that kind of light, it looks like a firefly? How can fireflies fly so high? Hey, everyone, look up, up in the sky!"
Someone else said, "Aren't they fireflies? Look at the pattern they're forming!"
What pattern is that?
"It looks like a person?"
"No, no, look at his hands, isn't that a mudra gesture..."
"Dharma seal? In that case, it seems to be... Amitabha!"
"Amitabha?...It really is Amitabha. It is Amitabha!"
"Amitabha Buddha has appeared!"
In the night sky, fireflies drifted slowly, forming the shape of Amitabha Buddha, their glow shimmering faintly.
The White Lotus Sect's military camp immediately erupted in commotion. The warriors, clad in golden armor, all looked up at the wondrous sight several dozen feet in the sky. Many of them had been members of the White Lotus Sect for years, but this was the first time they had witnessed a divine manifestation, and they were all incredibly excited.
“Amitabha Buddha has appeared! The hand gesture is the wish-granting mudra, our wishes are about to be fulfilled.”
"Look, everyone! Amitabha Buddha's hand gesture is pointing towards the Forbidden City! Is Amitabha Buddha manifesting at this moment to guide us to attack the Ming Dynasty?"
"Amitabha Buddha appeared to us through fireflies, allowing us to attack the Ming Dynasty!"
"Attack the Ming Dynasty, kill the dog emperor, and our wish will be fulfilled. We will be able to turn the tables and become the masters of our own destiny!"
In the dead of night, the White Lotus Sect's military camp on the outskirts of Beijing was in complete uproar. The news spread like wildfire, and on the eve of the great battle, everyone's belief in the "divine intervention" they had witnessed grew stronger. They believed it was a hint from Amitabha Buddha, a sign from heaven!
Meng Gexing was discussing matters with several people in the main tent when a sudden, thunderous noise erupted outside, like a commotion in a camp, which naturally startled him.
When asked, the person who came over excitedly exclaimed, "Amitabha Buddha has shown his power!"
Meng Gexing frowned, not believing it at all. "What miracle?"
"Amitabha Buddha has appeared! He has granted our permission to attack the Ming Dynasty and has helped us realize our wish. You should go outside and take a look."
Meng Gexing hesitated for a moment, but still stepped out of the tent. He wanted to see how the miracle would work.
Once outside the tent, he looked up at the sky and saw that, just as his subordinates had said, fireflies were arranged in the shape of Amitabha Buddha, with the hand gesture pointing directly to the Forbidden City in the north.
A night breeze blew, causing his cloak to billow and the Buddha statue made of fireflies to sway slightly.
The Ming army disappeared overnight. They were stationed in the same place, and in the middle of the night, Amitabha Buddha appeared and guided them to attack the Forbidden City with the power of granting wishes... Is it really that coincidental?
He didn't believe it. It must be the Ming army doing something shady!
The others who came out of the tent with him were also whispering among themselves.
"We were undecided and decided to remain still and observe the situation. But then this scene appeared. Could it be that Amitabha Buddha is guiding us?"
"Those must be fireflies. How can fireflies fly so high?"
"What we saw during the day was already quite strange, and I think this scene is also somewhat unusual. It's best to be cautious..."
Listening to the discussions around him, Meng Gexing pondered for a moment and said to the person next to him, "Go and fetch my bow and arrows."
"yes!"
The bow and arrow were brought over, and Meng Gexing immediately drew the bow at the Buddha statue in the air. Those around him quickly stopped him, "Boss, that's Amitabha Buddha. This is quite disrespectful; it might be inappropriate."
Meng Gexing frowned.
In front of his followers, he had always been a devout Buddhist, even if he didn't believe in his heart, he had to put on an act. But now he couldn't care less about that. The situation was critical, and he had to find out what the Ming army was up to.
"I know what I'm doing."
He ignored all advice and decisively fired an arrow into the sky.
With a "whoosh," the arrow fell into the night sky and quickly disappeared, while the fireflies remained. Somewhat annoyed, Meng Gexing fired two more arrows, but still missed.
It's too high.
Then, the fireflies' light gradually dimmed, disappearing one by one. The sky was once again completely dark.
"Boss, but that arrow just now angered Amitabha Buddha..."
Fireflies have a limited lifespan, and at such high altitudes, they naturally cannot live for long.
Meng Ge ignored him, returned to his tent in silence, plopped down in a chair, and remained quiet.
Amitabha Buddha manifested his power?
That's bullshit.
As the leader of the White Lotus Sect, Meng Gexing never believed in Buddhism. If Amitabha Buddha could protect him, why would he have lost his parents, and why would he have had to fight his way to this point with his own hands?
First, the Ming emperor fell critically ill, then the entire Ming army disappeared overnight, and now there's this miracle of divine intervention... Such coincidences, it seems like everything is in his favor, but he doesn't believe it at all.
The Ming army underestimated him. This must be their doing!
Several strategists followed into the tent, and none of them dared to utter another sound.
Meng Gexing pondered for a moment, then asked, "Have the scouts returned yet? Where is the Shu King's army now?"
"They say they've gradually arrived in Taiyuan. They must know we're going to attack Beijing, so they're coming in our direction one after another."
How many days will it take to get here?
"At their marching speed, it will take no more than seven days."
"Seven days..." Meng Gexing pondered, "Where could they be in four days?"
"It should be able to reach Zhending."
"Go and relay my order: at dawn, the entire army shall be fully equipped and ready to depart..."
...
Meanwhile, on a hill near the White Lotus Sect's military camp, a dozen or so Imperial Guards dressed entirely in black were retreating. They leisurely withdrew their "Amitabha Buddha form," and under cover of darkness, they bypassed the city's main gate, entering the capital through its southeast corner gate.
Lu Shenyun and Qingchen were already waiting in the military camp.
Seeing the Imperial Guards return, Lu Shenyun asked, "How did it go?"
"It's done, sir."
The "Amitabha Buddha image" was thrown to the ground, lightly stirring up some dust. Lu Shenyun looked at the slender, large kite in front of him and smiled at Qingchen.
The so-called fireflies forming the shape of Amitabha Buddha was simply a large kite they made in the shape of Amitabha Buddha, to which they tied the fireflies they had caught.
The kites were painted black, blending into the night sky, so the White Lotus Sect members could only see the glow of fireflies. No one suspected it was just a clever trick.
Qingchen knew that Meng Gexing did not believe in Buddhism and would not believe in such a trick. Therefore, he would definitely guess that the Ming Dynasty was using a scheme to lure him forward.
This is a psychological tactic.
Lu Shenyun arranged other matters and then said to her, "It's getting late, I'll take you back to your residence."
"Okay." She nodded.
The two left the military camp. He first helped her onto the horse, then mounted himself and sat behind her. Although it was night and there was no one else around, Qingchen still felt a little awkward.
He took the reins from her sides with both hands, squeezed his legs, and the horse galloped off.
The night breeze brushed past my ears, slightly cool, but his embrace was warm.
On the way, Lu Shenyun kept his thoughts to himself and remained silent.
"They should be leaving first thing tomorrow morning. Finally, we can catch our breath," she said, breaking the awkward silence.
"Yes," he replied. "Thank you."
"It's nothing. I just came up with a solution. You people have been fighting on the front lines for so long, and you are the ones the people of the Ming Dynasty should be grateful to."
"Qingchen".
"Um?"
He tightened his embrace slightly, leaned close to her ear, and took a breath, saying, "...If we win the war, will we be together?"
The horses' hooves clattered, and the night wind brushed past their ears. She turned around and shouted, "What did you say?"
The wind was too strong, and she didn't hear what he said clearly.
Lu Shenyun looked down at her, pursing his lips, "...It's nothing. Get some rest tonight."
Let's talk about the future after the war is over.
"Okay." She smiled. "You too."
...
Early the next morning.
Lu Shenyun's men went to the vicinity of the White Lotus Sect's military camp to gather information, only to find that, unexpectedly, the entire army had already prepared before dawn, turned around, and was rapidly advancing towards Taiyuan.
As Qingchen had predicted, Meng Gexing did not believe that Amitabha Buddha would appear. Suspicious and wary, he decisively changed his battle plan and headed straight for the Shu King's 100,000-strong army.
Meanwhile, the King of Shu was leisurely watching the two sides fight from the mountain, and the morale of his army was very low. At this moment, Meng Gexing's turnaround attack could catch him off guard and take him by surprise.
Once he has dealt with the Shu King's 100,000 troops, he will have no more worries.
His decision gave the Ming army in the capital a precious respite. The Forbidden City, originally besieged on all sides, finally saw its situation reversed thanks to Qingchen's psychological warfare. With Meng Gexing and the King of Shu locked in a power struggle, Lu Shenyun could then lead his troops to reap the benefits.
This is the best, and only, way out for the Ming Dynasty under these circumstances.
Meanwhile, Lan Tan, the future Governor-General of Liaodong and General of the Dragon and Tiger Army, had already led his troops to repel the Oirat invasion and driven them to a hundred miles beyond the border. He was currently leading 20,000 elite soldiers towards the capital. He would be able to reunite with Lu Shenyun in about half a month.
In a secluded spot within the inner city of Beijing, there stood a residence owned by Consort Zheng.
It was raining continuously.
Song Yue leaned against the window, looking out at the banana leaves in the courtyard swaying gently, and on the misty pond, the newly emerging lotus buds were holding up the misty rain.
Consort Zheng came in from outside, took off her cloak, hung it on the clothes rack, and wiped the water droplets off her shoulders with a handkerchief.
She walked up to him, wanting to take his arm, but hesitated and didn't, instead giving a self-deprecating smile.
Before a woman is certain of the other person's feelings, taking the initiative is a sign of enthusiasm. However, once she understands the other person's feelings, it becomes inappropriate to take the initiative again. Song Yue doesn't like her right now, and she knows that. She understands that a woman should cherish herself, otherwise men will look down on her.
Since he's settled here, there's plenty of time for him to come back.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
He didn't turn around, only saying calmly, "It's nothing."
"They say you've been acting like this all the time. Is something on your mind, or are you thinking about someone?" she asked tentatively, glancing at him with her alluring eyes.
His gaze swept over her delicate face, then returned, but he remained silent.
She had an unusual fragrance about her; he had noticed it the last time she came. This time, the scent was even stronger than before.
"You're always like this." She sighed softly. "You're always like this in front of me, cold and aloof, as if you never smile. Do you... really have someone you like?"
A refined and elegant scholar, a charismatic and unparalleled minister, he has captured the hearts of countless noblewomen over the years, yet remains unmarried. The more so, the more mysterious he appears, enigmatic and captivating.
It makes one wonder, to imagine, whether he doesn't like anyone, or just hasn't met someone he likes yet. If one day, on a beautiful and serene day, she appears before him, would he fall in love with her?
Even as a noble consort with a face of unparalleled beauty and a graceful figure, Consort Zheng had thought this way countless times.
The rain pattered outside, but Song Yue remained silent.
Before he came here, he originally intended to feign cooperation with her to extract information and see how she would deal with the Crown Prince. The court was in too much chaos, and he and Qingchen couldn't return. Only in this way could he possibly obtain even the slightest bit of information to protect the Crown Prince.
But once he got here, he realized he didn't want to do that at all. His heart belonged only to Qingchen, and he didn't want to be insincere with other women or have anything to do with her.
He can't do it.
Even if Xu Yan were to hunt him down outside, he didn't want to stay here any longer.
He wanted to leave, but she held him captive.
"Is that right?" she pressed.
"Yes, I have someone I like, and I love her very much." He turned to look at him, his gaze shifting from cold and indifferent to tenderness when he spoke the word "her."
After a moment of silence, she frowned. "Who is she?"
Although his answer was exactly what she expected, she still felt bad hearing him say it himself.
"You don't need to know this. All you need to know is that I will not help you." He said calmly, "The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, and after the Emperor's death, it should be him who inherits the throne. Why are you so fixated on that position? The Fifth Prince is still young and does not yet have the ability to govern the country. If you let his brothers fight each other and push him onto the throne, will his childhood be happy? You are a woman, with no one to help you, governing will be very difficult. Will you be happy then? Right now, the war with the White Lotus Sect and the Prince of Shu is still uncertain, and the Ming Dynasty is on the verge of collapse. Even if you frame the Crown Prince and obtain the throne, what good will it do? You should give up."
“The Crown Prince is a kind and honest man. Even if the Emperor were to go, he would not make things difficult for you and your son.”
This wasn't the first time he'd tried to persuade her. The day they met, the same day he'd made up his mind to leave, he'd made it clear to her that he wouldn't help her and urged her to give up her ambition for the throne. But she never listened.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” she said, sounding a little unhappy. “I don’t care who you like, all I need is for you to be by my side. You have no idea how happy I am to see you come to me.”
“You know very well that I didn’t come to you to save my life.”
“I understand. But don’t even think about getting out of here. Xu Yan wants to kill you, and I won’t let you die.”
She needed him, both emotionally and politically.
She can wait. Once she finds out who the woman he loves is, she will kill her, making him give up on the idea forever.
"It won't be long before this world is mine. I will make you exactly what you want and make you the Grand Secretary." As she spoke, she put on a charming and alluring smile and tried to embrace him.
He glanced at her briefly, said nothing, pushed her aside, and walked outside into the rain.
"You really don't want to stay with me?" she called after him. "You're already weak; you'll get sick if you get caught in the rain!"
"Song Yue!"
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