Chapter 50 A Sudden Turn of Events Before the Emperor
No, the Grand Tutor cannot be harmed!
At least nothing can happen to her until she gets out of this awful place!
Xiao Qing's forehead was suddenly covered in cold sweat. If it weren't for his leg injury, he would have been able to stand up immediately.
That was a messenger soldier.
He was covered in dust and his clothes were tattered. When he fell to the ground, he didn't even have time to be frightened by Zhao Youchen's reprimand. He shouted loudly, "The Grand Tutor is seriously injured and unconscious. This is a letter from the Northern Lord. Please open it personally, Your Majesty!"
"The Northern Lord?" Zhao Youchen glared angrily, about to speak, when Xiao Qing said, "Bring it here."
Ma Hong quickly stepped forward and took the letter of state from his hand. He felt that the deep black color was like thick ink, which could not be wiped off once it was on his hand, making his heart sink.
He took two quick steps and placed the letter into the yin-yang gauze. Before he could even stand up straight, he felt his hand go empty, and the rough texture of the cloth made his palms ache.
Xiao Qing unfolded the official letter, intending to skim through it, but unexpectedly found only a few sentences inside.
I have long admired the Grand Tutor of the Southern Kingdom, and I thought such a person would surely be revered and worshipped by all under heaven. Unexpectedly, he is a pearl hidden in the dust, abandoned by the Southern Kingdom. I am deeply saddened. If I could have one more person like him, and a few others who cherish the Southern Kingdom, I would gladly release them all.
The words weren't particularly harsh, but...
Is this telling her that if she wants those captured subjects of the Great Xiao Dynasty, she doesn't need the Grand Tutor?
How is that possible?
"What happened to the Grand Tutor, who is seriously injured and unconscious?"
There were already quite a few participants around who had passed the competition and received their martial arts positions, and were preparing to step forward to express their gratitude.
Their faces displayed a variety of expressions: some were surprised, some worried, some curious, and some indifferent...
Each face in her mind was like a canvas outlined in heavy ink, then plunged into water, its lines blurred and distorted by the staining.
"The Grand Tutor was encountered at the border of Yizhou and Pingzhou. He was attacked by refugees and bandits and captured. Later, he was rescued by the Northern Barbarian army and sent to Ping'an City, but... but he has already..." The soldier stammered, wiping his forehead as he spoke.
Yizhou is located north of the Xiao River, and it is said to be the place where the Fu family has been running their business for generations.
Pingzhou is the prefecture where Ping'an City is located. It is currently firmly controlled by the Northern Barbarians.
"Nonsense! How could the Grand Tutor have been attacked and captured by refugees and bandits? Besides, how did the Northern Barbarian army rescue the Grand Tutor? Did you see it with your own eyes? Is the Grand Tutor still unconscious?" Xiao Qing raised his voice, his hand unconsciously reaching out as if to grab something.
Impossible. The Grand Tutor should know martial arts. How could he have been captured by bandits and refugees?
How many people are on the other side?
Or are they actually not bandits or refugees?
She suddenly thought of the Snow-Drinking Arrow and the night she was surrounded by assassins at the Fu residence.
Seeing that her expression was off, Mingxiu quickly reached out and grabbed Xiao Qing's hand.
Xiao Qing was startled and suddenly turned to look at her hand that Mingxiu was holding, then looked up at Mingxiu.
"Your Majesty, this place is not suitable..." Zhao Youchen's voice came to her ears.
Mingxiu, Zhao Youchen...
She subconsciously looked to the side again and saw Mei Shu and Ma Hong.
For some reason, she felt that Mei Shu seemed more flustered than she was.
Yes, panicked.
She was panicking.
Xiao Qing seemed to suddenly realize her own emotions.
Then she looked outside and saw Wang Xiang bowing and Sun Jinyi's upright profile.
"Your Majesty, General Zhao is absolutely right," Wang Xiang said in a low voice. "The Grand Tutor is a man of good fortune, Your Majesty need not worry. As for the letter from the Northern Barbarians..."
"They...they want to exchange the Grand Tutor for hostages. The Grand Tutor is still unconscious. I saw it with my own eyes..." the soldier quickly replied, then let out two more howls.
Xiao Chongle sneered, "The Northern Barbarians are going too far! Your Majesty, the Northern Barbarians are untrustworthy. Now that the matter of detaining the Grand Tutor has been confirmed, I beg Your Majesty to give the order so that we men can don our armor and go into battle, defeat the Xiao River, save our people, and restore our national prestige!"
He turned his head, raised an arm in righteous indignation, and shouted, "Brave warriors, do you dare to follow Xiao Chongle into battle to fight the enemy and repay the Emperor's grace?!"
However, some of the participants below lowered their heads, some turned to talk to the people next to them, and some even seemed to take a small step back.
"Brave warriors, is there anyone who dares to fight alongside me, Xiao Chongle, to repay the Emperor's grace?"
The entire South Campus was eerily quiet.
Yu Zaiting suddenly said, "Lord Dinghai, the matter of going on a campaign needs to be discussed in court and then decided by His Majesty. Some of the generals and soldiers were only appointed today, while others will have to go through the competition this afternoon before they will be incorporated into the army and registered."
He spoke in a measured and serious manner, his expression calm to the point of being solemn, but through his words, the tense atmosphere that seemed about to erupt gradually eased.
"Let's go to the council hall." Xiao Qing released Mingxiu's hand.
"Your Majesty! I also have a token from the Grand Tutor that I wish to personally hand over to Your Majesty..."
Xiao Qing's mind was in turmoil. Upon hearing that it was a token from the Grand Tutor, she quickly said, "Come up here."
"Yes!" The soldier staggered to his feet, reaching into his sleeve as he walked upstairs, approaching Xiao Qing as Mingxiu lifted a gauze curtain.
Mei Shu had taken a step back at some point and was now standing at Xiao Qing's feet.
"Please, Your Majesty..." His hand finally pulled something out of his tattered sleeve and into my palm.
Xiao Qing looked up and suddenly saw a flash of cold light.
She froze for a moment, feeling a chill run down her spine, and then she heard Mei Shu shout, "Your Majesty, be careful!"
The timid, stuttering soldier's face contorted with rage. He raised his dagger, barely wider than a palm, and plunged it fiercely into her heart, while Mei Shu pounced on her and pinned her down.
A muffled groan and the sound of a blade piercing flesh were clearly heard inside the imperial carriage.
Zhao Youchen's expression changed drastically. He suddenly drew his sword, slashed open the curtain, and stabbed at the soldier.
Mingxiu finally realized what was happening, mustered her courage and kicked the soldier, then pulled at his arm.
Zhao Youchen twisted his wrist, ripped the soldier aside and threw him out, then anxiously asked, "How is His Majesty?"
Xiao Qing's legs ached from being pressed down by Mei Shu, and his entire soul felt as if it had left his body once again.
But when her hand touched the knife on Mei Shu's back and her wet clothes, she only asked, "Mei Shu, how are you?"
Ma Hong rushed in to check, but Zhao Youchen, seeing that Xiao Qing was alright, turned and went out again, shouting, "Come on, take him down!"
He was so angry that his face turned black. This had actually happened in front of everyone, right in front of him, Zhao Youchen!
"Hahaha!" The soldier, having failed in his assassination attempt, instead burst into laughter.
"You damned emperor! Coward! All you do is hide here and enjoy yourself, while leaving the common people locked up outside Jiangzhou City to starve to death and be killed by the Northern Barbarian army! You damned emperor, die! Die! Waaah!"
Soon someone came and covered his mouth, then dragged him away. He glared at Xiao Qing with hatred, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground as he was dragged away, a horrifying sight.
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