Chapter 1123: Grand Finale: Return of an Old Friend (31)
Shen Miao shook her head: "If I leave, I'm afraid that the next day those people will say that I ran away. This palace is like a battlefield. If I retreat first, once the rebels come, the royal family's prestige will be gone."
"But..." Luo Tan wanted to speak.
"It's nothing to worry about. Just hold on for a few more days, and Xie Jingxing will be back." Shen Miao said, "As long as we can get through this period, everything will be fine."
As Shen Miao had predicted, within the next day, rumors began to spread throughout the streets and alleys, saying that the Princess of Rui had already fled with her own men, not caring about the lives of the people of Longye. Now, there was no one in the Daliang court who could make decisions. The remnants of the rebels were fighting the city garrison at the Longye city gates, and they might enter the city at any time. If that happened, Longye would surely be a river of blood.
The people were kind, and kind people are the easiest to exploit. All they could rely on, whether in words or deeds, was the emperor's blessing. But now, after hearing this rumor, the most powerful person had already fled, leaving the rest like fish under the knife, at the mercy of others.
For a time, the sound of curses against the imperial family for being ruthless and Shen Miao for being cruel was heard everywhere. They cursed Xie Jingxing for only caring about his own achievements and not caring about the lives of the people of Longye, and they cursed Shen Miao for being so heartless that she actually abandoned the city and fled.
Shen Miao sat upright at the side of the Golden Throne Hall. She was dressed in a long purple-gold robe, shimmering with light, and had her hair styled in a traditional imperial bun. Her youthful features were surprisingly concealing this gloomy complexion. She said, "Go up to the palace."
The court officials looked at each other in bewilderment. One of them stepped forward and said, "Princess, isn't this move too risky?" This person had been the most vocal in opposing Shen Miao's supervision of the court. However, he had been much more obedient in recent days.
"Only by taking risks can the people believe that you will not abandon them in times of crisis." She stood up, and Jingzhe and Guyu hurriedly supported her. She was pregnant now, and it was always inconvenient for her to walk.
The palace is more like a tower than a city. When Shen Miao led the officials upstairs, some civilians gathered below, and the number of civilians increased. Mo Qing led the Mo Yu Army, and the palace guards were all ready to go to prevent any assassins from attacking secretly.
There were also people among the common people who recognized Shen Miao, and someone immediately exclaimed: “It’s the princess!”
But in just a short moment, the area below the tower was almost completely packed, and I was afraid that most of the people in Longye had come over. Shen Miao looked down and then slowly spoke.
"Common people, there have been many rumors recently. The remnants of the Lu family and the rebellious Ye family are constantly entangled. They even raided Longye with the intention of confusing the people."
In the wind, her voice was neither high nor low, and seemed to have the power to soothe people, yet full of firmness, so that people could feel the determination in her tone.
"However, everyone, please do not believe it easily. I swear in the name of Princess Rui: if the city survives, I will be there; if the city falls, I will die. I will be with you, and I will fight with you!"
There was an uproar in the city, but there were doubters and believers.
"The soldiers of Daliang are fighting outside, and I am in Longye. I am also a member of the Longye Xie family. As long as the Xie family's glory is not extinguished, I will not flee. A family of military generals will not produce cowards. You can lose, but you cannot flee. Moreover, how can a mere remnant disrupt the government? What a joke!"
Her words were resounding, yet not loud. Everyone looked up at the woman in the purple and gold robe. She raised her chin slightly, and in a trance, they saw a young prince on the battlefield, arrogant but qualified.
“So, do not believe, do not speak, do not fear, do not be timid.”
"I will stay in this palace and see who dares to come."
The purple cloak fluttered in the wind and the flag behind him flew high.
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