Seeing that they were taking Xie Sheng away, the soldiers standing nearby thrust out their spears, trying to stop Xie Sheng from leaving.
At this moment, Empress Wang rushed forward and stopped those who were chasing Xie Sheng.
She seemed fearless, yet also seemed intent on dying, so without any hesitation, she charged into the spear.
"Ah—" she cried out softly, grabbing the spear stuck in her body.
The soldiers were terrified by her, and they suddenly released their spears and took a few steps back.
Empress Wang pulled the spear tip straight out of her body, then raised the spear and stabbed at the retreating person.
The man was forced to the ground and unable to get up by Empress Wang's stabbing.
Next, Empress Wang fought valiantly and killed many soldiers.
The soldiers began targeting her, but Empress Wang never gave up until she was shot dozens of times and finally collapsed.
-
Xie Xin was somewhat surprised when he saw the guards.
"Those people actually followed her?"
Yun Chu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who is it?"
"My uncle went on a campaign in the northern deserts, and by a twist of fate, he rescued some condemned prisoners from other tribes. They were probably victims of the struggle for the throne in the northern deserts. To repay my uncle, they followed him. After my uncle passed away, they disappeared. I thought they had returned to the northern deserts, but I never expected..."
Yun Chuwei understood. No wonder these people seemed so skilled at riding horses; they were from the northern desert.
When she saw one of them lift Xie Sheng up and about to run away, Yun Chuwei's voice was slightly cold.
Give me the bow and arrows!
Xie Xin untied the bow and arrow from his back and handed them to Yun Chuwei.
Yun Chuwei nocked an arrow and aimed it at Xie Sheng and the person who took Xie Sheng away.
She suddenly released the bowstring, and the long arrow pierced the air and flew out like an eagle pouncing on its prey, heading towards Xie Sheng and the person who had taken Xie Sheng away.
The arrow pierced straight through the two men, who collapsed violently, about to fall from their horses.
At this moment, two mounted guards scooped them up on horseback.
The others spread out in a defensive posture.
Yun Chuwei wanted to fire another arrow, but it was too late.
She gritted her teeth slightly.
Xie Xuan reached out, took Yun Chuwei's hand, took the bow and arrow from her hand, and returned it to Xie Xin before saying, "Don't worry, even if he escaped, he won't survive!"
With an arrow wound of that severity, survival is extremely difficult.
Yun Chu pursed her lips and remained silent.
She couldn't rest easy until she saw Xie Sheng's body.
Xie Xuan saw through Yun Chuwei's thoughts and said, "I will send people to pursue them!"
Yun Chuwei nodded.
At this moment, she saw Empress Wang covered in blood, lying on the battlefield.
She was slightly surprised.
"Your Majesty the Empress had this trick up her sleeve? I didn't know that!" Yun Chu said in a low voice.
Whether in her previous life or this one, she never realized that Empress Wang possessed extraordinary skills and was highly proficient in martial arts.
Xie Xin sighed almost inaudibly.
"Before my maternal grandfather was recommended to His Majesty by the Marquis's family, he was a stable boy. The Empress and my mother were dancers and singers kept by their master. The Empress practiced martial arts from a young age in order to perform dances such as the female warrior role."
Yun Chuwei nodded knowingly: "I see."
-
Because of the vast difference in strength, the battle ended quickly.
Just as Lin Ji was leading his soldiers to clean up the battlefield, the gates of the Hot Spring Palace were opened.
The Tianqi Emperor emerged from inside in a carriage.
Soon, he arrived at the battlefield.
Lin Ji brought the Empress's body up and placed it beside the carriage, then reported the situation to him.
Emperor Tianqi lifted the curtain and looked down from the carriage at the ground, where he saw the empress, her body mangled and bloody, yet her features were still clearly discernible.
There wasn't much blood on her face.
The bloodstains, resembling the red spider lilies, made her face appear pale and eerie.
Emperor Tianqi recalled their first meeting, when she wore a veil and had floral decorations on her face, and danced for him.
Those stunning dance moves still linger in my heart.
He tightened his grip on the gauze curtain, a slight pang of pain shooting through his heart.
He forced himself to turn his head and asked Lin Ji, "Where is the Crown Prince?"
Lin Ji lowered his voice and truthfully told Emperor Tianqi, then lowered his head and waited for the emperor's instructions.
Emperor Tianqi said in a low voice, "Now that the Crown Prince is dead, take the bodies of the Empress and the Crown Prince back with you!"
Lin Ji didn't quite understand what the Tianqi Emperor meant, but he dared not ask. He could only bow his head and agree.
Emperor Tianqi's carriage set off again, heading towards the capital.
Lin Ji had his men clean up the battlefield, and seeing Yun Chuwei and the other two in the distance, he rode over.
"Miss Yun, may I speak to you in private?" He vaguely guessed the emperor's meaning, but he wasn't sure.
He felt that Yun Chuwei might understand the emperor better, so he wanted to confirm this with her.
Yun Chuwei nodded in agreement and followed Lin Ji to the side.
Lin Ji repeated his conversation with Emperor Tianqi.
Yun Chuwei immediately understood Emperor Tianqi's meaning.
When the Tianqi Emperor said the Crown Prince was dead, he meant there was no need to pursue him.
They also told him to take the prince's body back, meaning he could just find any corpse and impersonate the prince.
Yun Chuwei shared her thoughts with Lin Ji.
Lin Ji pursed his lips slightly and said, "That's what I think too, but why?"
Why did Your Majesty suddenly make such a decision?
Yun Chuwei glanced at the Empress Wang lying on the ground, who was no longer breathing.
She said in a low voice, "Why do you think Empress Wang became empress?"
Lin Ji was taken aback, then said, "Empress Wang's father and brothers have rendered great service to the Great Chu, Your Majesty..."
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