"Thank you for remembering me, Ningning." Ji Heng couldn't help but shed tears again.
"I'm so happy that you've finally forgiven me."
Leng Qingning asked, "What will happen to your parents if you come here?"
Ji Heng cried and said, "My mother passed away from cancer two years ago, and my father... well, let's not talk about him."
Leng Qingning nodded and didn't ask him any more questions, knowing that his relationship with his father wasn't very good.
Besides, there's no point in asking him anything now that he's here; it was his own choice.
So he changed the subject, asking, "How are my parents? Are they in good health? And what about Qin Anran and the others?"
Ji Heng reassured her that everyone was doing well.
Jin Yan Cangyuan stood quietly to the side, not interrupting their conversation.
Xiao Ning kept her eyes on her older sister, and with each additional word her sister spoke, Xiao Ning felt a little more at ease.
...
In the days that followed, they continued their attack on the main city of Qi, with Xiao Ning and Leng Qingning joining forces to defeat the enemy.
Xiao Ning has already reached the Immortal Cultivation Realm, and can easily annihilate tens of thousands of troops with a wave of his hand.
However, doing so would harm one's Dao heart. Those who have reached the Immortal Cultivation Realm are subject to the balance of Heaven. If they engage in large-scale slaughter when fighting ordinary people, they will be devoured by Heaven. Therefore, when she went into battle, she did not use magic but only swords.
Even so, his profound internal strength made dealing with enemy surrenders as easy as cutting a watermelon.
Half a month later, the fighting subsided, and Jin Yan was ordered to inspect the camp, with Qiu Ge following him.
The two led their troops to the border of Qi State, where the Yue Army and the Cangqiong Army were stationed, making it the main base of the Cangyue Army.
Little did they know, the Qi general had already sent men to lie in wait along the only route, just waiting for the Yue army general to arrive.
Upon reaching a rugged path, the group had to slow down.
"Young Prince, this main city is impregnable, and we have made no progress in half a month," the deputy commander sighed.
Qiu Ge grinned: "We've killed at least 200,000 of their troops, haven't we? The fall of the city is just around the corner."
“Yes, they can’t hold out much longer,” Jin Yan agreed.
As they were talking, the enemy troops who had been lying in ambush made their move.
Countless arrows flew in.
A fierce battle was inevitable.
…………
Yancheng
"Open the city gates quickly!" Jin Yan shouted anxiously.
They then sped into the city.
Leng Qingning rushed to the scene as soon as she received the news.
She hurried forward, "Brother Yan, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, it's Qiu Ge," Jin Yan said anxiously.
Leng Qingning quickly helped him sit down and asked him anxiously, "Brother Yan, what happened?"
“We were ambushed by the Qi army a hundred miles from the main camp. The Qi army was numerous and powerful, and it was probably premeditated. Qiu Ge took more than a dozen arrows for me to save me. Of our 10,000 men, only a few hundred were left, so we had to flee back the way we came.”
Upon hearing this, Leng Qingning's expression turned solemn. "I understand."
Without delay, she immediately went into the room and, without asking any other questions, fed the pill that Kong Xuanzi had given her to Qiu Ge.
Jin Yan followed him in.
Lying on the bed, Qiu Ge was covered in blood, his face was pale, and his breath was very weak.
After administering the medicine, Leng Qingning asked the doctor, "Doctor, how is it?"
"Alas," the doctor shook his head, "it's too late to save him."
"What!" Leng Qingning was stunned.
A look of pain immediately appeared on Jin Yan's face.
The situation was urgent. He fought bravely against a hundred enemies, but he was too busy to notice the arrows coming from behind him. It was Qiu Ge who rushed forward to shield him from the arrows...
"Doctor, is Qiu Ge... really beyond saving?"
The doctor looked regretful. "He was wounded by several arrows and lost too much blood. He had also traveled a long and arduous journey. It's too late, far too late... If only it had been half an hour earlier..."
The doctor didn't say anything more.
"How could this happen?" Leng Qingning's face darkened.
Upon hearing this, Jin Yan suddenly felt all his strength drain away, and his hand holding the table trembled slightly.
They were being pursued by Qi's army along the way, and almost three hours had passed since Qiu Ge was injured.
So much time...
Jin Yan's heart sank.
Leng Qingning was unwilling to give up: "But I have already given him the pill. Doctor, please check his pulse again."
The doctor sighed and did as instructed.
Leng Qingning came to Qiu Ge's side, squatted down to look at him, and had a bad feeling in her heart.
It seemed that Qiu Ge was nearing his end.
After a moment, the doctor shook his head. "Your Highness, he doesn't have much time left."
Leng Qingning's heart skipped a beat; it seemed that feeding her the pills would be of no use.
Qiu Ge opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.
"Chou Ge, what do you want to say?" Leng Qingning quickly pressed her face to his mouth to listen.
With blood filling his mouth, Qiu Ge uttered a few words in a barely audible voice: "I... am very happy to die... on the battlefield."
A mouthful of blood spilled from his mouth, and he looked at Jin Yan, "Your Highness... don't blame yourself."
Although Jin Yan couldn't hear what he was saying, he instantly understood what he meant by looking at his bloodshot eyes.
His voice trembled: "Chou Ge..."
On his deathbed, Qiu Ge mustered all his strength: "Your Highness, please help me... tell Consort Gu that I thank him... for his guidance, but I... have found my purpose in life. I... want to become... a great general like Your Highness... to serve the country."
Leng Qingning nodded repeatedly, "Alright, I will pass on the message to him."
At this point, Leng Qingning had given up all hope. "Chou Ge, is there anything else you wish for?"
Qiu Ge's pupils began to dilate, and his voice grew even weaker: "Thank you, Your Highness, for leading me to the battlefield. I killed... thousands of enemies. I... died for my country, and I am content. In my next life, I also want to be a great... general..."
After saying this, Qiu Ge was too weak to utter another word.
Leng Qingning immediately raised her left hand and promised, "No need for the next life, I hereby appoint you as the Grand General of the Expedition, bestowing upon you the title of Loyal to the Emperor and Protector of the Country. Your entire clan will be proud of you."
With such a confident assurance, Qiu Ge's eyes suddenly brightened for a moment. He couldn't believe it and could only question with his eyes, unable to speak.
Da Yue has never had a male general.
“Chou Ge, I keep my word.” Leng Qingning nodded affirmatively to him, took off the Azure Phoenix Jade Pendant and assured him again, “I will immediately send a message back to the capital and ask the Empress Mother to personally bestow upon you the title of General.”
Leng Qingning's face was full of sincerity, and her eyes were exceptionally serious.
Thus, Qiu Ge smiled and silently mouthed, "Thank you, Your Highness."
His gaze gradually dimmed and faded...
The room fell silent instantly, the atmosphere incredibly heavy!
………
Two days later, the main hall
The soldier received Leng Qingning's imperial edict.
Leng Qingning ordered: "Send General Qiu's ashes back to Dayue as soon as possible and hand them over to the Imperial Observatory for safekeeping. In addition, please ask the Empress to bestow a title upon General Qiu and to offer condolences to Qiu Ge's relatives within his nine clans."
He then took out two more family letters, saying, "Give these letters to my lord and Consort Gu respectively. Go now."
The soldier bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness."
Leng Qingning gently stood up, her face filled with sorrow as she comforted Jin Yan: "Brother Yan, Qiu Ge must be happy in heaven. He has achieved his wish of becoming the number one male general of Dayue."
………
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