Chapter 488 Slaves of a Conquered Nation
Qin Shi'an sat in the royal palace of the Chu Kingdom.
Those kneeling on the open ground were all members of the Chu royal family.
Behind them were the Chu royal family members being escorted by the Zhenbei Army.
Aman's high-pitched voice echoed throughout the streets of Chu.
When the Zhenbei Army entered the city, they only killed members of the Chu royal family and did not harm the common people.
If anyone is found hiding, their entire family will be executed.
Qin Jinzhi crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair.
One hand was supporting his face, while the other was lightly tapping the handle.
At this moment, several soldiers dragged a woman dressed in a magnificent palace gown.
"Young Master, this should be the princess of Chu. She hit her head against the wall as soon as we entered, but she is still breathing."
Qin Shi'an looked at the pale face where blood was still flowing from the forehead.
His eyes held an indifferent expression.
Suddenly, the woman's eyelids twitched.
She frowned and struggled to open her eyes to see Qin Shi'an's face.
With her last ounce of strength, she spoke: "I, Huangfu Dai, will not be a slave to a conquered nation."
The soldier saw that she had breathed her last and went forward to examine her.
"Young Master, he has breathed his last."
Qin Shi'an waved his hand.
The soldier plunged his sword into Huangfu Dai's heart.
Seeing no reaction, they threw the person onto a pile of corpses nearby.
Until no more soldiers escorted people over.
Suddenly, a royal disciple crawled toward Qin Shi'an.
"My son is only a month old, please spare him!"
As soon as he said that, many people cried and begged her to spare their children.
Qin Shi'an frowned and clicked his tongue as he looked at the wailing sounds.
"I think everyone here knows who I am, right?"
Qin Shi'an curled his lips into a smile. "I've been assassinated by your Chu Kingdom more times than the people here have died. Learn from Huangfu Dai and have some backbone."
The Chu royal family roared, "How innocent are these children! How dare you do such a thing! You will be punished by Heaven! And all the people will despise you!"
Qin Shi'an laughed when he heard his words, "How boring. A century-old royal family is nothing special."
She waved her hand, and all the soldiers behind her raised their swords.
The cries of agony continued as the State of Chu was destroyed.
The Chu royal palace was mostly demolished and rebuilt.
The Zhenbei Army rested and reorganized on the spot.
The good news was sent back to the capital by express courier.
Emperor Jin and Empress heard in the main hall that Princess Zhenguo had defeated the State of Chu.
Both Huangfu Nanfeng, the commander of the Chu Kingdom, and Huangfu Su, the deposed ruler of the Chu Kingdom, died at the hands of Princess Zhenguo.
The emperor and empress were overjoyed and granted a general amnesty.
In the imperial study, the Empress looked at the words on the victory report.
Tears kept falling.
The emperor looked at the empress and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Look how amazing our Golden Branch is."
The Queen calmed down the news of the victory.
It was as if they wanted to see Qin Shi'an on the battlefield through the news of victory.
The Empress raised her head. "Jinzhi, will you ever return?"
When Eunuch Hong delivered Qin Shi'an's words, the Empress felt dizzy and disoriented.
She even abandoned her name.
The phrase "never to see each other again, whether in life or death" became a thorn in the hearts of the emperor and empress.
The emperor suppressed the stinging in his nose and said, "She will come back. What granddaughter can hold a grudge against her grandparents for the rest of her life? Besides, isn't she supposed to preside over the imperial examinations? If she doesn't come back, who will?"
"Your Majesty, Daoist Changfeng has sent a letter requesting an audience with Your Majesty and Her Majesty."
Hong Gonggong's voice came from outside.
The emperor and empress exchanged a glance. The Taoist Changfeng had been teaching at the Imperial Academy for the past two years, and his good reputation had spread far and wide.
The emperor immediately said, "Summon them."
Daoist Changfeng entered the imperial study and bowed to the two men.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the imperial examination is approaching, and my mission has been completed. I have come to bid you farewell."
The Emperor and Empress were startled. "Why so suddenly?"
Master Changfeng smiled and said, "There are countless people in the world who can teach students. I am just old and have some empty reputation. Now, under the rule of His Majesty and Empress, Jin is no longer the dynasty that was all show and no substance. It is time for me to retire after achieving my goals."
Despite the Emperor and Empress's repeated attempts to persuade him to stay, Changfeng Daoist was not retained.
On the day Changfeng Daoren resigned, he could no longer be found.
The Taoist Changfeng sat cross-legged on the rock, holding his precious flowers in his hands.
They leisurely disappeared into the winding path.
The good news spread throughout the entire state of Jin.
Everyone was singing praises of the Zhenbei Army.
And the name of Qin Shi'an, the young master of the Zhenbei Army, spread throughout the entire Jin Kingdom.
When Cui Ying heard Qin Jinzhi's name mentioned in the victory report in the imperial court, she almost lost her composure.
She conquered the State of Chu and regained her name.
Her name was Qin Shi'an.
There were many suspicious points about the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince's palace two years ago before Qin Shi'an left the capital.
She secretly investigated and guessed a shocking secret.
On the day the good news reached the capital, she sent an urgent letter to Qin Shi'an of Chu.
Cui Ying doesn't want to concern herself with any secrets right now.
She was only afraid of one thing.
Qin Shi'an will never appear again.
If she weren't tied up with official duties, she would have gone to see Qin Shi'an in person.
Moreover, she wasn't the only one who guessed the secret of the Crown Prince's palace.
The capital city today is even more vibrant than when Qin Shi'an left.
The Crown Prince and his grandson both died in that assassination attempt at the Eastern Palace.
Princess Anle, the daughter of the Crown Prince, was so frightened that the Emperor and Empress granted her a fiefdom, and she went to Lingnan.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince's bloodline was not broken, and Consort Shen gave birth to a son who was named the Imperial Grandson.
The current mistress of the Eastern Palace is Shen Liuying, the mother of the Crown Prince.
But the grandson of the emperor was very young, while the other princes were all fully grown and powerful.
When Qin Shi'an was in the capital, most of the powerful princes were killed or injured.
The emperor and empress are old, and the future ruler of Jin is the target of everyone's criticism.
Moreover, Qin Shi'an is now expanding his territory.
The state of Jin is no longer what it used to be.
However, there is one thing that these people agree on.
That was Qin Shi'an's position in the hearts of the Emperor and Empress.
The things Qin Shi'an did while in Beijing did not elicit any repercussions after he left the capital.
Instead, it received strong support from many princes and ministers.
Even the matter of women participating in the imperial examinations.
There are many intelligent people in the capital.
They were princes.
But they knew in their hearts just how much affection His Majesty truly had for them.
But they knew better than anyone how much affection they had for Qin Shi'an.
Therefore, the things that Qin Shi'an promoted before leaving the capital have been greatly developed in the past two years.
The White Crane Academy has now gained a reputation in the State of Jin.
There has come a growing sense of pride in having one's daughter attend the White Crane Academy.
Baihe Academy has also undergone expansion.
The girls here can all learn a skill.
The school's corridors are adorned with portraits of the various teachers who give lectures.
Both were accomplished in both literary and martial arts, and each one was full of vigor and spirit.
Two portraits hang in the main hall of Baihe Academy.
One of them is Mr. Lang, the founder of Baihe Academy.
One of the paintings was created by He Nian when he climbed the city wall as the army was leaving the city.
On that day, He Nian thought he could only paint Qin Shi'an's back view.
But the Empress's mournful cry still made Qin Shi'an turn around.
A white horse, armor, and a fleeting glimpse of a young general.
The small mole at the corner of the eye leaps off the page.
These two are the soul of Baihe Academy.
Without them, the women of Jin would still be like caged birds trapped in local courtyards.
Now, they are free to choose whether or not to fly high.
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