"Report—Urgent report from the border—"
Upon hearing this voice, Gu Heng sat up abruptly from his chair.
The soldiers who rushed back to the capital to report the news were out of breath. "Da Ning used Prince Yan as leverage to secretly shoot arrows at Marquis Dingyuan. Now Marquis Dingyuan is seriously injured and unconscious, and the morale of the army is in chaos."
"What?"
Gu Heng felt all the blood rush to his head. Jiang He had been shot by an arrow... How could Jiang He have been shot by an arrow?
"Your Majesty, the Second Prince has ordered a retreat. Now the two armies are locked in a stalemate. If Da Ning launches an attack, the consequences... the consequences will be unimaginable."
Gu Heng thought about the possible consequences, and his heart skipped a beat.
"Are the military doctors unable to treat the injuries sustained by the Marquis of Dingyuan's family?"
"Your Majesty, the arrowhead is highly poisoned. The Second Prince said... Please issue an edict to allow Marquis Dingyuan to return to the capital for treatment."
The atmosphere in the court instantly froze, and Gu Heng's hands trembled involuntarily.
"emperor!"
Seeing Gu Heng's swaying body, Cen Hai quickly supported him, saying, "Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."
But Gu Heng waved his hand, "With Marquis Dingyuan injured, who in the court can fight?"
There was no response.
Gu Heng suddenly laughed, but then he coughed violently. "In my Great Qing, apart from Marquis Dingyuan, not a single person has the courage to go to the battlefield."
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
The ministers knelt down, each one filled with trepidation.
Given the current situation on the border, the best course of action is to abandon Hengxian.
Gu Heng's vision blurred intermittently. "Take Marquis Dingyuan back to the capital for treatment. Chang Qing will temporarily assume command and remain inactive."
After uttering the last word, Gu Heng fell into a coma.
The emperor's collapse in the court was a major warning to the officials.
The concubines and Gu Qingling were all waiting outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was the hottest time of day, but no one spoke first.
After a long while, Cen Hai finally came out and looked at Gu Qingling, "The Emperor has woken up. Apart from the Empress and the First Prince, the other ladies may return to their quarters."
Upon hearing this, Consort An tightened her grip on Gu Qingyao's hand and glanced at Jiang Yu with concern.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Gu Heng's lips were pale, and his breathing sounded particularly heavy.
"Father." Gu Qingling's voice rang out with a sob. Gu Heng reached out and patted Gu Qingling with difficulty. "Ling'er, don't be afraid. The imperial physician said that I was just suffering from a sudden heart attack due to anger."
After saying that, Gu Heng turned to Jiang Yu and said, "The Marquis of Dingyuan was injured, and I have already ordered someone to bring him back for treatment."
"Also, recently... for the time being, let Ling'er oversee the country. Ling'er is still young, and if there are any ignorant people, the Empress should help Ling'er."
After saying so much, Gu Heng was a little out of breath.
"Your Majesty, I understand."
Looking at Gu Qingling's sorrowful face, Jiang Yu felt a chill in her heart.
"Alright, Ling'er, keep me company."
As Jiang Yu walked along the palace path, her heart was filled with unease. Even though Gu Lin had told her about her brother beforehand, she still couldn't feel at ease until she actually saw him.
[Gu Qingling serves as regent.]
Everything is about to be revealed.
"Your Highness, I have already sent people to the capital to spread the news of the Marquis's serious injuries." Wanji thought for a moment and then spoke softly, "Should I go and inform the Bai family specifically?"
"At this time, many people will be watching the Bai family's reaction. I will tell A-Qian myself when I go to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence."
Jiang Yu lowered her eyelashes. If she could use this incident to let her brother know A-Qian's feelings, it would be a good thing.
......
On the other side, in the capital city of Daning.
"What exactly is your identity?" Zhong Yi's face was taut with wrinkles. Ling Ku had slipped away quickly. After confirming that Daqing was no longer attacking, Zhong Yi took Gu Qingyan back to the Yongyi Marquis's residence.
"I am the King of Daqing Yan".
"Pah!" Zhong Yi spat fiercely. "If you're just the Prince of Daqing, why did that brat Ling Ku repeatedly tell you to keep you safe before he disappeared?"
"He, Ling Ku, only has one master, yet he calls you 'young master'!"
Zhong Yi paused, then suddenly realized something, and his expression changed abruptly.
"What exactly is your relationship with the king?"
Gu Qingyan was silent for a moment, and in that instant, Zhong Yi already knew the answer.
"General, you are a highly decorated veteran of the Great Ning Dynasty. I would like to ask you how the Marquis of Dingyuan should break this deadlock." Gu Qingyan straightened up and bowed to Zhong Yi.
The Empress Dowager summoned him to the Marquis of Yongyi's residence, presumably for this very moment.
The old general had no children and lived alone; he was the last tomb keeper of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion.
"You are the king's child."
Zhong Yi's eyes instantly reddened, and he couldn't help but get up and circle around Gu Qingyan before letting out a long sigh, "I always thought that the emperor's harem was empty and he had no sons. Even if I close my eyes, I can't face the late emperor."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Zhong Yi said "good" three times in a row. It turned out that the doll he liked from the bottom of his heart was the child of their king.
"I am not without children. Both of my sons died on the battlefield. Ten years ago, Da Ning was beset by internal and external troubles until the appearance of the king."
Zhong Yi seemed to have aged considerably all of a sudden.
“My youngest son personally opened the city gates for the king, and then, for the sake of the reputation of the Marquis of Yongyi’s mansion, he committed suicide at the city gate.”
As he said this, a tear seemed to glisten in Zhong Yi's eyes. "The king may seem cold, but he is actually soft-hearted. He told me to live well and see the Great Ning under his rule."
"Fortunately, my youngest son made the right decision."
Gu Qingyan suddenly became speechless, unsure of what to say.
"But he shouldn't have committed suicide."
"The people of Da Ning are living better lives, but he left me all alone in the world."
Gu Qingyan opened his mouth, "He died for the reputation of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion."
“No.” Zhong Yi reached out and patted Gu Qingyan on the shoulder. “The descendants of the Marquis of Yongyi should die for the people of Daning.”
Gu Qingyan's pupils suddenly contracted, as if his Ren and Du meridians had been opened.
"If he had not committed suicide, Da Ning would have annexed the surrounding countries at a faster pace, the people of Da Ning would have been more prosperous, and the national strength of Da Ning would have been even stronger."
“Now that I am old, I can only rely on young people like Ling Ku to fight the war.” Zhong Yi’s voice trembled. “He has caused my Great Ning to lose a talented general.”
"A talented general has been sacrificed for no reason!"
"General, I understand."
Gu Qingyan's heart trembled slightly, and he reached out to support Zhong Yi.
“You call Marquis Dingyuan your uncle. If you have the chance, have him come to see me.” Zhong Yi smiled. “The most difficult knots to untie are those in the heart. My youngest son is like that, and so is he.”
"Your Highness!"
Zhong Yi's tone suddenly rose, "Will I live to see the world unified?"
"If that time comes, I, this old man, will go alone on horseback to fight for Da Ning!"
An old general, though still aspiring, has his sights set on distant horizons.
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