Xiping Pass was impregnable. Wei Shao attacked it for a full month, suffering nearly 40,000 casualties, but still could not breach the city walls.
His own troops were riddled with wounded soldiers, groaning in agony all day long. While the Xiping Pass army had also suffered over 20,000 casualties, many of those who should have died were gradually recovering thanks to Su Wan's medical skills. The contrast between the two sides enraged him to the point of fury.
Stopping the attack was incredibly frustrating, but continuing it only resulted in more losses. This battle was extremely difficult.
On the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, he wrote to Emperor Kangping again, requesting permission to use the powerful cannons to attack the city. He believed that once the cannons arrived, Xiping Pass would fall in no time.
After three days of waiting, Emperor Kangping finally replied, and with two imperial edicts in one go, one for him and one for Wei Jingzhuo.
Wei Shao eagerly opened the imperial edict that had been given to him, and his jaw nearly dropped when he read its contents.
Emperor Kangping not only made no mention of the cannons, but also ordered him to immediately cease the attack and withdraw his troops. In another imperial edict, he summoned Su Wan to the capital to treat his illness.
The reason is simple: Su Wan was Wei Jingzhuo's wife. Since Emperor Kangping wanted to ask Su Wan to treat his illness, he couldn't continue attacking Wei Jingzhuo.
Su Wan cured the heart ailment of Danmoji, the king of the Western Rong. Although she never presented the goddess's jade pendant, Emperor Kangping believed that Su Wan was the goddess and that only she could save him. The imperial edict given to Wei Jingzhuo pardoned all his crimes and invited Su Wan to the capital.
Along with Emperor Kangping's reply, there was also a letter from his mother, Consort Li.
In her letter, Consort Li mentioned that Emperor Kangping, in order to save his life, declared that if Su Wan could cure his illness, he would not only forgive his past transgressions but also restore Wei Jingzhuo to the position of Crown Prince. It was only through Consort Li's earnest persuasion that this promise was not included in the imperial edict sent to Wei Jingzhuo.
"My son, if we do as His Majesty wishes, everything will be over." Consort Li earnestly warned in her letter, "Do not retreat, and do not hand over the imperial edict to Xiping Pass. Continue the attack. I am working on it here."
Even if Consort Li hadn't reminded him, Wei Shao wouldn't have done as Emperor Kangping wished.
Su Wan cured Emperor Kangping, and then the Crown Prince bestowed the title upon Wei Jingzhuo. So what was Wei Shao's purpose in working so hard for so long?
Not only will his efforts be in vain, but Wei Jingzhuo might also turn around and settle scores with him.
He gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and burned two imperial edicts, deceiving the generals by saying that His Majesty hoped they would capture Xiping Pass as soon as possible. The generals were all hot-headed and didn't investigate further, allowing him to cover up the matter.
Next, he wrote a secret letter to Consort Li, telling her about burning the imperial edict.
Everyone dies eventually. Since Father has been ill for a long time, let's not let him get up. Otherwise, once Father recovers, he will discover his treasonous act of burning the imperial edict.
To ensure that the secret letter reached Consort Li, he specially ordered a hundred elite cavalrymen to escort it.
The cavalry galloped day and night, arriving in Shangjing in just two days.
The day they arrived in the capital was New Year's Eve, but Emperor Kangping was seriously ill and bedridden, forbidding the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers throughout the city, and even the hanging of red lanterns was forbidden. The entire capital was deathly still in the biting winter wind, much like Emperor Kangping lying in bed.
The cavalry captain entered the inner city and arrived at the palace where Consort Li was located, where he personally handed Wei Shao's reply to Consort Li.
Consort Li opened the reply letter and said to the cavalry captain, "You have all had a hard journey escorting us. Go and rest first. After I write my reply, you can take it to Prince Shao."
She returned to the room and said to the woman sitting there, "Miss Qiu, as you wished, Prince Shao has burned the imperial edict."
The woman said, "Isn't this also Consort Li's wish?"
She sat upright, her body hidden beneath a wide black robe, her face veiled by a wooden clown mask that revealed only her cold eyes. The mask's mouth was painted with a large, laughing shape in red paint, but the aura she exuded conveyed no joy to outsiders.
She is Qiu Jie, the fiancée of Chu Yi, the seventh prince of Southern Chu, a goddess, and the special envoy sent by Chu Yi to the capital to negotiate with her.
Upon hearing Qiu Jie's words, Consort Li laughed heartily, walked over and sat down opposite Qiu Jie, saying, "Wei Jingzhuo has a blood feud with Miss Qiu, who was responsible for the massacre of her entire family and disfigurement. I also have similar reasons to get rid of him. I believe we can cooperate seamlessly."
Qiu Jie let out a low, cold laugh from behind her mask and said, "Consort Li simply wants the Fifth Prince to ascend the throne, and with Wei Jingzhuo in the way, she wants to get rid of him. However, our goals are indeed aligned."
Consort Li was still smiling, but her smile didn't seem very natural.
She realized that her feelings seemed a little too obvious. Even Qiu Jie knew, and Emperor Kangping probably knew as well.
Of all the princes, only Wei Jingzhuo and Wei Shao were considered outstanding. Emperor Kangping, having been cuckolded by Lu Xiuyuan, harbored resentment and deposed Wei Jingzhuo. He had no other choice but to install Wei Shao. Although Wei Shao was inferior to Wei Jingzhuo, he was still his biological son.
Now that Emperor Kangping was on the verge of death, he suddenly had a profound realization, understanding that no grudge was more important than his life. He immediately issued an edict not only pardoning Wei Jingzhuo but also restoring Wei Jingzhuo to the position of crown prince.
Fortunately, Wei Shao burned those two imperial edicts.
She lowered her voice and said, "That good-for-nothing Yang Yaozu has never dared to make a move, and I have urged him several times to do so without success. Now that Miss Qiu is a goddess, she can enter His Majesty's room, which will make things easier."
Qiu Jie said, "In that case...wouldn't Your Highness have the guards arrest me to take the blame for Your Highness?"
Consort Li laughed loudly, "Miss Qiu is a goddess personally certified by a family of divine healers. Unless I'm brainless, how could I dare to harm you? Perhaps one day, I'll even ask you, goddess, to save my life with your jade pendant."
She was speaking from the heart. After all, only a goddess could use the jade pendant to request a family of divine healers to treat a patient. No one would risk offending a goddess, which is a major reason why the family of divine healers has stood the test of time.
Qiu Jie asked, "So, what is Your Majesty's plan?"
Consort Li took out a medicine from her bosom and said, "Mix it into the medicine soup. Just half an incense stick's worth... Even if the imperial physician finds out the cause, I will make that idiot Yang Yaozu take the blame."
Qiu Jie took the medicine and said, "Your Majesty, Yang Yaozu has been helping us conceal the movements of the Southern Chu army. He intercepted all the urgent reports sent from the southern border."
Consort Li chuckled and said, "It's not that I'm heartless, his role is limited to this. Once His Majesty passes away and Prince Shao holds all the power, it won't matter if we find out then. But Miss Qiu should confirm with the Seventh Prince that I can cede the area west of Xiping Pass to Southern Chu. I hope his appetite isn't too big."
Qiu Jie said, "Your Majesty, we both know that the Fifth Prince's army alone cannot defeat Wei Jingzhuo, nor can the Southern Chu army alone defeat Wei Jingzhuo. I have come to the capital not only to offer Your Majesty assistance, but also to seek help from Your Majesty."
Consort Li said, "I believe the Seventh Prince will keep his promise. I will send a letter later to Prince Shao and the Seventh Prince to cooperate well."
Qiu Jie stood up and said, "Very well, then I will go to His Majesty's room now to treat him."
Consort Li rose to see her off, saying, "This matter is of great importance, Miss Qiu, you must be careful. After it is accomplished, I will reward Miss Qiu with a priceless treasure."
Qiu Jie walked out without looking back, seemingly disregarding the reward offered by Consort Li.
"My only goal is to kill Wei Jingzhuo; I have no interest in anything else."
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