Chapter 11: Fairy Appearance
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qiandeng pulled Shangluo up, turned around and rushed forward.
Shangluo's frightened horse was running past Ji Linyou. He was agile and leaned over the horse's back, grabbed the reins, and pulled the horse for a few steps to slow down its momentum.
But before he could lead the horse back, the chaotic soldiers swarming from behind had already caught up with Qiandeng and Shangluo, slashing at them with swords and spears.
Qiandeng rushed forward with Shangluo, rolled on the ground, and narrowly avoided the falling blade.
But the veil on her head fell off, revealing her face.
The golden phoenix holding a pearl fell off, and the two braids on her head fell down. Her face was revealed in the scorching sunlight of late summer, and it was dazzlingly beautiful at first glance.
King Changhua was a descendant of the royal family of Kucha. He was a well-known handsome man in his time. From the northwest to Chang'an, everyone praised his unparalleled handsomeness.
The Han Chinese ancestry of her grandmother and mother diluted her grandfather's exotic style, making the girl's brilliance reveal a hint of elegance and grace, just like a rare and famous flower that attracts everyone's attention. Even after opening only one or two petals, one can already imagine the peerless splendor of its thousands of stamens in full bloom.
The wind on Leyou Plain blew her hair and clothes, making a long, whistling sound. In this thrilling and rapidly changing life-or-death situation, everyone was captivated by her appearance, their hearts palpitating slightly, and the enemy's advance slowed down.
Looking up, he saw Ji Linyou coming over on horseback. Qiandeng didn't care about his veil hat and pushed Shangluo to signal him to get on the horse.
The chaotic soldiers behind her saw Qiandeng's radiant face, and after coming to their senses, they quickened their pace, with greedy looks on their faces, and chased after her while shouting.
Qiandeng grabbed the reins and, with her gauze skirt flying, she leaped onto the horse. The other gentlemen had also come to their senses and were drawing their arrows to defend themselves. As Qiandeng ran back, they heard a few whooshing sounds as more than a dozen arrows, some of them erratic and some weak, were shot randomly towards the other side.
However, the enemy was outnumbered and powerful. Although the first few soldiers were hit by a few arrows, the people behind them rushed forward like wolves and tigers, which was beyond the ability of just twenty people to resist. Moreover, most of them were not good archers. Only the East Palace guards were well-trained. They cut down the first wave of soldiers who rushed forward and formed a battle array to resist the enemy.
Cui Fufeng signaled the Crown Prince to evacuate immediately: "The Jingyuan soldiers have mutinied and entered the city, looting profusely. We are just a few men and cannot resist them. Your Highness, please leave the city first and find shelter."
The prince looked at the chaotic situation in front of him and was in great confusion. He never thought that he would encounter such an unexpected situation when he took part in the Lingling County Princess's son-in-law selection competition on a whim.
The rebel army on the plain was still shouting at the people below, calling on those behind to come and plunder together. The rebel soldiers below swarmed in, and it seemed that they were unable to resist.
Qiandeng galloped back and saw his mother's pale face from fear. He squeezed her hand firmly to comfort her and then said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, my farm is not far from Yanxing Gate. The walls are very strong and there are all kinds of supplies inside. I believe we can take refuge there temporarily."
The prince shook his head, spurred his horse forward two steps, and said, "I must return to the palace to protect my father, the emperor, and my mother, the empress!"
Cui Fufeng grabbed his horse's bridle, his voice rising slightly amidst the crisis. "The looting army will surely gather at the palace and the royal residence in the north of the city. Your Highness, if you go there, you'll be feeding the tiger with your own body. Besides, the emperor is surrounded by his own imperial guards. It would be meaningless for Your Highness to lead only a dozen men there. You should take care of yourself first and not stand under such a dangerous wall!"
The prince knew this was the truth. He looked down at the soldiers who were setting fire and killing people, and listened to the fighting around him, and he didn't know what to do for a moment.
Seeing that he was confused and unable to make a decision, Cui Fufeng made a prompt decision and ordered several guards from the East Palace to go and find out the news first, and then report back after finding out the situation in the city. At the same time, he asked the prince to temporarily take shelter in the Bai family farm.
Qiandeng took the lead and raised her hand to signal. More than 20 people immediately followed her and rushed down Leyouyuan, bypassed Shengdaofang, went out of the city, and headed towards Zhuangzi.
The manor house at the Changhua Palace embodies the military style of a general, with its strong and towering walls and vast, deep buildings, giving it a touch of a fortress-like atmosphere. As long as the gates are tightly closed to prevent the intrusion of unauthorized soldiers, the interior will be a world of its own, and there should be no danger.
Fu Bo, the manor's steward, was Daimao's father. In his youth, he served the Prince of Changhua. Later, due to injury and being unable to fight, he was placed here to recuperate. He managed the manor in perfect order, earning the trust of three generations of masters.
Nanny Tian in the manor led a group of servants and was also very capable. They quickly settled the group of guests and prepared food and water for them.
Cui Fufeng personally led the guards to patrol everywhere, and after confirming that everything was fine, he told the prince that he could rest assured.
Everyone finished their meal hastily in the hall. The guards who went to the city to inquire had also rushed back. They knelt before the prince, kowtowed and dared not speak.
The prince knew something big was going to happen, so he immediately asked, "What's the situation in the city?"
"The rebel army has entered the city, supporting the Jingyuan Jiedushi Zhu Ci in a rebellion, and has already stormed the palace. Your Majesty..."
Everyone's expressions suddenly changed drastically, and the Crown Prince was extremely anxious, his voice slightly changed: "How is the emperor?"
"The rebel army is powerful, and the palace is under-defended. It seems impossible to resist. As a precaution, His Majesty and the Empress, escorted by court officials and the Imperial Guard, have already fled the city westward!"
The rebellion erupted suddenly and unstoppably, with the imperial family bearing the brunt of the attack, and the royal residences were completely ransacked. Hastily, the emperor and empress had no choice but to follow the example of previous emperors, like Xuanzong's departure for Sichuan and Daizong's for Shaanxi. They, along with the officials who had rushed to the scene, headed for Fengtian, sending only a few eunuchs to inform the crown prince.
Unexpectedly, the prince had already arrived at Leyou Plain, unaware of the sudden disturbance in the city. The eunuchs, unable to find the prince, were at a loss, but fortunately they met up with the guards from the Eastern Palace who had been sent there and were able to relay the news.
The emperor and empress fled westward, but no one dared to ask the prince to pursue them.
After all, the hordes outside were swarming like locusts. Zhu Ci might have entered the palace with the intention of establishing himself as emperor. As the crown prince, he would be the first target for slaughter. Furthermore, he couldn't contact the Eastern Palace guards, and with only a dozen or so guards, he had no way of following the Empress to Fengtian. He was already in a desperate situation.
"Could it be..." The prince looked confused and fearful, looking around the Bai family manor, thinking, could it be that I can only be trapped in the manor?
However, although this village is stable, if the news leaks out and the rebels besiege it, these few people will be unable to withstand the attack. Wouldn't it be extremely dangerous at that time?
Everyone in the hall also thought of this and remained silent, not daring to speak.
In the dead silence, only Cui Fufeng said, "It's alright, Your Highness, please be patient for a while. I've calculated the journey time and the Prince of Linhuai will be able to reach the capital in a day or two."
"Prince Linhuai..." These three words were like a life-saving rain, making the prince's eyes glow with hope. "How many soldiers does he have? Can he possibly defeat the Jingyuan troops? Can he... put an end to the chaos in the capital?"
Cui Fufeng knew what the prince meant, and this was also the question everyone in the village had.
How many soldiers could he bring with him to pay homage to the emperor? If the Jingyuan army could rebel, would the even more powerful Prince of Linhuai also rebel? The emperor and empress fled to Fengtian. After Prince of Linhuai recaptured Chang'an, would he, like Zhu Ci, covet the throne in the Daming Palace and seek it?
After all, Lian Qiandeng still remembered his grandfather's words - Prince Linhuai was unruly and ambitious, and would definitely be a great threat to the court in the future.
Cui Fufeng said firmly, "Your Highness, rest assured. I know the character of the Prince of Linhuai. As long as he reaches Chang'an, he will be able to kill Zhu Ci, put down the rebellion, and recapture Chang'an!"
Seeing the prince's pale face, Qian Deng also comforted him: "Your Highness, don't worry. At least, I can guarantee that this manor is absolutely safe and secure. The people in the manor are all trustworthy."
Seeing her expression as resolute as Cui Fufeng's, the Crown Prince's fear receded slightly, and he felt a touch of shame. Although the situation was dangerous, Qiandeng, a young woman, was not afraid. How could he, as the Crown Prince, lose his composure like this?
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