Lu Shenyun turned around and poured a cup of tea for her. Then he took the teapot and went outside the tent to wash his hands.
Qingchen was quite surprised to see him washing his hands.
When he returned, he took out a blood-activating and stasis-removing plaster from the cabinet, a family heirloom of the Lu family, scooped out some, and carefully applied it to her wound.
The ointment was cool and smelled of fresh grass, which was very comforting on such a hot day.
"I can do it myself," she said, quickly putting down her teacup.
He shook his head, looked up at her, and said, "I used to massage this kind of injury myself. You don't know how, and you can't control the pressure." With that, he placed her injured leg on his knee.
Qingchen was a little embarrassed. "Thank you."
He placed his palm on the outer edge of her injury, gently pressing it a few times to let her adjust, then raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "It hurts a little, but it's bearable."
"Wait for me a little longer." He seemed to have thought of something, so he went out of the tent again and came back with a clean white goose feather in his hand.
He sat down and handed her the goose feather. "If it hurts, gently pat the area around the wound with this. It will help relieve the pain."
She tried it as he suggested, and it worked somewhat. She grinned at him and said, "You're so clever."
Lu Shenyun's lips curled up slightly. He himself didn't realize that he hadn't smiled for a long time since the White Lotus Sect attacked.
He bent down and continued massaging her, his large hands holding her slender calves, gently kneading and pressing them. The ointment was moist and cool, spreading evenly as he did so, gradually seeping into her skin under the warmth of his palms.
The once fierce and valiant man moved with incredible gentleness, his lowered dark eyes filled with tenderness and affection.
Qingchen's calves were slender, white, and long, lying across Lu Shenyun's eyes, like a goose feather in her hand, stirring his heart. Lu Shenyun didn't dare to look too much, staring intently at the purplish wound, even his peripheral vision was restrained.
Qingchen noticed the scabbed wound on his neck, "This is from back then, Meng Gexing's knife..."
Her sudden voice startled him, who was somewhat distracted, and he only replied softly, "Mm."
"Does it still hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt." Fortunately, he had persuaded the army doctor to remove the gauze two days ago.
Qingchen was playing with a goose feather when he suddenly brushed it lightly across Lu Shenyun's neck. Lu Shenyun felt a shiver run through his body and a surge of heat coursed through him.
He lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly. "What are you doing?"
"I just used it on my wound, and it felt quite nice," she asked. "How about you? Does it feel good?"
He pursed his lips, looking even more embarrassed, "...Comfortable."
She didn't notice and smiled with satisfaction.
Qingchen stopped bothering him, and Lu Shenyun continued what he was doing.
To completely distract himself, he asked, "After rescuing Grand Secretary Song, you hid in the mountains?"
“Yes. Fortunately, you sent the Imperial Guards to help us. Xu Yan sent assassins to kill our teacher, so we had to hide in the mountains. We stayed there for a few days... Later, the assassins came up the mountain, and we couldn't stay there, so we came down the mountain overnight. The Imperial Guards you sent... may have met with misfortune.” As she spoke, she felt very guilty. “I’m sorry for them.”
He shook his head, wishing he could soothe her heart with his gaze, "Born in chaotic times, this is how it is."
"Where is Grand Secretary Song?"
"After we descended the mountain, we parted ways. I came to find you, while he went to find Consort Zheng." As she spoke, she recalled the scene of their parting that morning, as dawn broke and his figure slowly disappeared from sight. A wave of melancholy washed over her, and she couldn't help but look out the window, only to see the setting sun filtering in.
Upon hearing the name "Consort Zheng," Lu Shenyun frowned slightly. Song Yue had just been entangled with Consort Zheng, and now, having barely escaped with his life, he was going to find her again. Qingchen had risked her life to escape with him; he knew that being with Consort Zheng would hurt her, so why did he still do it?
If he doesn't cherish her at all, then... shouldn't I stop backing down?
Lu Shenyun pursed his lips and remained silent.
"I came to see you because I have a way to deal with Meng Gexing." Remembering her important matter, she continued, "I'll tell you now, and you can see if it's feasible."
He nodded. "Okay. What do you plan to do?"
She gathered her thoughts and said, "First, after a few days when the Shu King's army arrives in Taiyuan, we will spread the news of the Emperor's serious illness so that the White Lotus Sect will know."
"Get it out?"
The emperor's serious illness would not only lower the morale of the Ming army but also boost the morale of the enemy. Why would they deliberately let them know? He was somewhat puzzled. As a military general, this was the first time he had ever heard of boosting the morale of others while diminishing one's own.
However, since she said it, there must be a reason behind it.
"Hmm. I think we shouldn't get entangled with Meng Gexing in Baoding. You should lead all your troops to retreat to the outer city and defend the city walls. This is my second step," Qingchen continued. "After hearing the news of the Emperor's serious illness, Meng Gexing will surely have the same thoughts as you. The morale of the Ming army will be low, and their troops will be unstable, giving them an opportunity to take advantage. Also, Meng Gexing hates the Emperor and has long wanted to kill his enemy. With the Emperor seriously ill, he will be eager to capture the Forbidden City before the Emperor's death, so that he can personally settle their score."
Lu Shenyun asked, "From south to north, the Ming Dynasty suffered defeats all the way down, only managing to hold out for a few days after they reached Baoding. Why did they abandon Baoding and retreat to the outer city?"
“There is no natural barrier between Baoding and the capital. These days, we are just holding on and delaying the inevitable with the fortifications built by our soldiers. You are working very hard, aren’t you?” She looked at him. “If Meng Gexing were to lead an army of over 100,000 to attack, how long could the Ming army hold out before retreating into the city?”
Lu Shenyun lowered his head slightly, “...It will collapse within three days.”
“That’s it,” she continued. “I know it’s not good for appearances to make everyone retreat, and it will affect morale. But rather than wasting troops like this, it’s better to retreat directly behind the city walls. Once the news of the Emperor’s impending death spreads, you will immediately lead all troops to retreat to the outer city, leaving no one outside the city or on the city walls. Meng Gexing is a smart man, but he is also very suspicious. Seeing that the Ming army has disappeared overnight, he will certainly not attack the city gates in one fell swoop. I think he will stop halfway and wait to observe carefully before deciding whether to attack.”
"The Empty City Stratagem?"
She nodded. "Singing like this isn't enough. At night, we need to proceed with the third step. You need to have someone..."
She leaned close to his ear and explained the rest of the plan to him in detail, "Perfect timing, it's the season when fireflies are flying around."
“Okay. I’ll prepare as you said.” Lu Shenyun nodded, then hesitated, “How can you be sure he’ll fall for the trap?”
Qingchen was lost in memories for a moment, "Because Meng Gexing told me that although he was the leader of the White Lotus Sect, he didn't believe in Buddhism at all."
That person's experiences had long since shown him that gods and Buddhas cannot protect everyone.
Therefore, he only trusts himself.
Ten days later, the Shu King's army of 100,000 arrived in Taiyuan.
Meanwhile, inside the White Lotus Sect's main tent, a scout came to report to Meng Ge: Emperor Zhu Rui of the Ming Dynasty was seriously ill and might die soon.
Meng Ge raised his gaze from the sand table and asked again, "Is the information confirmed?"
“It’s absolutely true,” the man said. “I bribed a eunuch in the palace to confirm it. He said that the dog emperor has been bedridden for the past six months, and these days he is seriously ill and probably won’t make it soon.”
A smile appeared on Meng Gexing's lips. "He's finally getting his comeuppance."
"Boss, the Ming Emperor is critically ill, and the morale of the Ming army is bound to be low. Why not take this opportunity to capture the Forbidden City in one fell swoop?"
Meng Gexing pondered for a moment and said, "You're right, that dog Emperor Zhu Rui won't die so easily. Go, pass on my order: the entire army must assemble and besiege Beijing!"
Meng Gexing's order was quickly relayed, and an hour later, a simple oath-taking ceremony was held in the White Lotus Sect's military camp.
On the high platform, in front of the entire army, Meng Gexing raised a bowl of wine above his head and then poured it on the ground, saying, "I pay homage to Heaven and Earth, and may Amitabha Buddha protect us!" After saying this, he smashed the bowl hard, and the soldiers, whose morale was high, immediately roared with a triumphant cry.
Before long, the marching ranks were arranged, and the army, with its golden armor and iron horses, marched in an orderly fashion toward Yongding Gate in the capital.
The army of over 100,000 men marched in a mighty procession, fully equipped and well-supplied, their morale soaring like a tiger poised to pounce. The weather was fine today, the sun shining brightly, making the soldiers' armor and weapons gleam. The bright red banners of the White Lotus Sect fluttered high in the wind.
Meng Gexing rode his horse at the head of the procession, his heart filled with a strong desire for the Forbidden City and an unwavering confidence in conquering it in one fell swoop.
Meanwhile, Lu Shenyun had already led the entire Ming army into the outer city through Yongding Gate and tightly closed the gates of all the gate towers and corner towers of the outer city.
The city of Beijing was divided into inner and outer cities. The outer city had seven gates, and the inner city had nine gates. The city walls were both high and thick, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. According to the descriptions in the history books that Qingchen had read, the planning and design of this capital city was "a magnificent masterpiece in the history of ancient Chinese capital city planning and architecture, as well as in the history of world architecture. It was symmetrical, balanced, and its grand scale was unparalleled in the world."
When Meng Gexing's army reached the outskirts of the capital, they found the streets empty yet impeccably clean. Not a single Ming soldier or civilian was to be seen, and all the fortifications had vanished.
The place, once a battlefield teeming with swords and chaos, has suddenly become eerily quiet. Sunlight falls on the flat earth, casting a soft, pale glow that seems strangely unsettling.
Most of the soldiers noticed something amiss, and whispers immediately arose within the ranks. Meng Gexing reined in his horse, lowered his whip to his side, and frowned as he surveyed his surroundings.
After a moment's thought, he ordered the army to halt its advance and said to the man beside him, "Take a troop and go ahead to scout out what tricks that scoundrel is up to now."
The man took the order and left. Not long after, he rode back and reported: "There is not a single soldier to be seen on the city wall or outside the city gate. It seems that the Ming army has vanished into thin air."
"disappear?"
So many soldiers vanished into thin air overnight?
The first thought that flashed into Meng Gexing's mind was: the Empty City Stratagem.
It's a scheme from over a thousand years ago. Does the Ming Dynasty still use it today?
Anything abnormal is suspicious; to be on the safe side, we should not proceed hastily.
"Pass on my order to set up camp here," Meng Gexing said. "Send another team to check the whereabouts of the Shu King's army."
He had spent so many years of his life, and with great difficulty, he had led an army of over 100,000 to this place to fight a decisive battle against the Ming Dynasty. He could only be cautious, cautious, and even more cautious.
...
Meanwhile, Lu Shenyun had been observing the enemy's movements from outside the city. Upon hearing the news that Meng Gexing's army had stationed itself in place, he couldn't help but think of Qingchen.
She was indeed intelligent; based solely on a casual remark Meng Gexing made, she guessed what decision he would make. Such meticulous attention to detail and keen insight into the overall situation made her a worthy contender for a cabinet position next year.
If the Ming Dynasty survives this calamity, next year he should be able to call her "Grand Secretary".
Meanwhile, Qingchen was in the Shen residence, longing for Song Yue.
They had been separated for over ten days, and he still hadn't contacted her. Every day she asked the servant if anyone had sent a letter, and every day the servant's reply was the same: no.
She was very worried that something might happen to him, and she was also worried that Consort Zheng would make things difficult for him.
Unfortunately, she was not allowed to go to the capital to gather information.
Song Yue is still a criminal in the Ming Dynasty, and she also violated the laws of the Ming Dynasty by rescuing a criminal. Originally, she should have been arrested and imprisoned long ago, but according to the "Great Ming Code", for imperial relatives, high-ranking officials and important ministers who belong to the Eight Deliberations, "the legal authorities are not allowed to interrogate them without authorization, but must submit a sealed report to the emperor for a decision."
Now that Zhu Rui is unconscious, the only official in the court with the privilege of arresting people on behalf of the emperor is the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Lu Shenyun was more than happy to treat her well, so Qingchen was able to stay in the mansion without worry.
After a while, a member of the Imperial Guard came to the door and said that Meng Gexing's army had stopped and was stationed in the suburbs of the capital.
Qingchen nodded and asked him, "Is Liuying ready?"
"Lord Lu asked me to tell you that everything is ready."
"Then please go back and tell Lord Lu that the moon will be obscured by clouds tonight, and we can proceed when it gets dark."
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