Chapter 0153: The City Gate

Chapter 0153: The City Gate

The drizzle continued until dawn. Initially, people were shocked, but as the rain persisted, it became unbearable.

It was truly cold. Unlike snow, which could be shaken off, the rain soaked the soldiers, turning them into drenched chickens. When they returned to camp, the kitchen soldiers set up large pots and worked hard to brew ginger soup, preventing everyone from freezing into ice sculptures.

Under such harsh conditions, even inside the king's tent, things were not much better. The ground was muddy, making it impossible to set up a mud stove; thus, they had to make do with charcoal basins. Even so, being inside still made one shiver. Xiao Rong wrapped himself in a dry cloak, added a fur coat, and covered himself with a blanket before he could sit down quietly.

Since his return, he had barely spoken. Jian Qiao felt both love and resentment towards him, wanting to scold him while also wanting to kneel and cry. No one knew how panicked he was when he discovered that Xiao Rong was missing. He even suspected that this mountain might eat people, specifically targeting those of high status. Following this logic, after eating the king and Mr. Xiao, he would be next. ...

The person was found, injured but alive. This should have been a cause for celebration, yet the atmosphere was strange. Everyone came in with clenched teeth and left in silence. ...

The military doctor treated Qu Yunmie’s wounds. As he pressed on Qu Yunmie’s bones, his expression grew grave. When he saw the missing piece of flesh on Qu Yunmie’s leg, his face suggested that Qu Yunmie wouldn’t last long.

Shaking his head, he first wrote two prescriptions for others to brew, then opened a small locked medicine box to check what was available.

Salt Lady Ginseng, Snow Lingzhi, Red Rhodiola...

All precious herbs. This box was given to Xiao Rong by Agusega before he left. Agusega wanted to come along, but Xiao Rong refused, knowing that Qu Yunmie wasn’t in mortal danger and needed troops more than a doctor at that moment.

The medical techniques of the Buteu tribe shared similarities with those of the Central Plains. However, seeing so many valuable herbs, the military doctor felt overwhelmed. These seemed to be life-saving remedies, not for accelerating the healing of external injuries.

As he pondered what to do, suddenly, a finger appeared before his eyes.

The finger pointed to something wrapped in paper at the bottom of the box. The doctor paused, looked at the finger’s owner, and Xiao Rong gestured for him to open the package.

Confused, the doctor unwrapped the paper to reveal a herb. At first glance, it looked like ordinary grass, but upon closer inspection, his years of experience told him it was valuable.

Uncertain, he asked Xiao Rong, "Master Xiao, is this...?"

Xiao Rong pulled his hand back under the blanket and replied, "A Xianbei sacred herb. I don't know if it will work. Try brewing a pot and give some to a sheep. If it survives, bring it to the king's tent."

Qu Yunmie: "..."

The doctor’s eyes widened, "Xibi Hun Sacred Herb?! No need for a sheep, I’ll test it myself!"

Xiao Rong: "...If you’re willing, go ahead."

The doctor rushed out, feeling tears welling up. How fortunate to have the chance to handle such a divine herb! ...

After the doctor left, Qu Yunmie said solemnly, "So you found the sacred herb, but didn’t tell me."

Xiao Rong, bundled up, moved slowly, inching away from Qu Yunmie and leaning against a pillar.

Looking at the flickering firelight, Xiao Rong spoke calmly, "Why should I tell you? If I did, you’d sneak into my room at night and force-feed me the herb. I’ve already said it won’t help me. Besides, if you did that, what would you drink today?"

Qu Yunmie: "..."

He hated it when Xiao Rong was right, especially today.

He grew increasingly displeased, "That’s not the point. The point is you kept it from me."

Xiao Rong looked at him incredulously, "I keep things from you every day. Why are you bringing it up now?"

Without waiting for Qu Yunmie to respond, Xiao Rong sat up straight and pointed at Qu Yunmie’s torso, "Before you blame me, look at yourself. Your ribs are broken. Why did you hide that from me?"

Qu Yunmie: "That’s different. I didn’t want you to worry! What good would telling you do? It would only add to your troubles!"

Xiao Rong smiled slightly, "Hmm, I thought the same."

Qu Yunmie: "........"

The guards nearby: "........"

The guards didn’t understand. Although the doctor left, they were still there. Why did the king and Master Xiao act as if they couldn’t see them? It was awkward, where should they look?

Qu Yunmie seemed to be looking for trouble, but Xiao Rong didn’t point it out. Qu Yunmie, exhausted, sat silently. Xiao Rong glanced at him occasionally, then turned away.

After the herb was brewed, Qu Yunmie drank two bowls before sleeping. Before falling asleep, he ordered Jian Qiao to hunt down the remnants of the Breeze Sect and sent Yu Shaocheng to Liyang with troops. Though he couldn’t move, he didn’t want others to idle.

While Qu Yunmie rested, Yu Shaocheng took Lujiang’s main city within an hour. The resistance was minimal, and he quickly checked the city before heading towards Liyang.

Liyang was rumored to house heavenly soldiers, supposedly with tens of thousands of troops. Yu Shaocheng was skeptical but cautious. After half a day, he realized something.

Liyang had fewer troops than Lujiang; it was practically empty.

Yu Shaocheng: "...What a waste!"

He expected a major battle, only to find an empty city! ...

This wasn’t Liyang’s fault. Sun Renluan had spread the rumor to mislead the Northern Pacification Army. With only twenty thousand troops, he couldn’t spare five thousand elites for Liyang. His initial plan was to send two thousand, creating the illusion of reinforcements from the south. Delaying the Northern Pacification Army even briefly would buy him more time.

Then he fell ill, and his sister took control. Sun Shannu lacked her brother’s resolve to defend Jinling. Her strategy was to flee if she couldn’t win, mimicking her deceased husband.

Thus, when these two thousand troops were about to repeat their tactics in Wujun, the empress dowager recalled them. Now they waited in Jinling for further orders.

But Sun Shannu’s son acted faster. Inheriting Emperor Guangjia’s fear of death, he decided to escape, choosing a different direction. Being a puppet emperor, it didn’t matter where he ruled.

Military reports kept arriving, disrupting Qu Yunmie’s sleep. After two hours, he sat up and saw Xiao Rong reading letters. He asked, "Didn’t you sleep?"

Xiao Rong turned and smiled, "No, I feel quite awake."

Qu Yunmie: "...I can tell."

Usually, when Xiao Rong was happy, Qu Yunmie was too. But now, Xiao Rong’s happiness made Qu Yunmie uneasy. He didn’t know why, but he sensed a subtle yet significant change. Something that had always made Xiao Rong stubborn, tense, and neurotic seemed to have vanished. He no longer needed to be hysterical.

This transformation was both subtle and obvious, leaving Qu Yunmie unsettled, as if standing on unstable ground.

He weakly covered his injured area and got out of bed, sitting opposite Xiao Rong and picking up a military dispatch.

As he took the dispatch, he noticed that Xiao Rong's originally slender and clean knuckles now had several scabs. Before, when they were outside, Xiao Rong was covered in dust, making these wounds hard to spot. Now that he had cleaned himself up, these small wounds stood out starkly.

Qu Yunmie suddenly realized he was a despicable person, because upon seeing these scabs, his first reaction wasn't concern but a faint sense of joy—Xiao Rong still cared about him.

Instinctively, he lowered his eyes, avoiding looking at Xiao Rong, and tore open the letter somewhat roughly. Xiao Rong glanced at him, and under his gaze, Qu Yunmie's expression gradually changed.

After finishing one dispatch, he moved on to another. After reading all of them, he fell silent for a moment before making a decision: "Tonight, we'll break camp and march urgently. We'll join Yu Shaocheng and others early tomorrow morning to attack Jinling."

Xiao Rong was shocked: "Are you crazy? Your injuries haven't healed yet!"

Qu Yunmie: "If I wait for these injuries to heal completely, it will take ten days or even half a month. I can't afford to wait that long."

Xiao Rong clearly disagreed, but just as he was about to speak, Qu Yunmie added: "No worries, I won't go to the battlefield."

Xiao Rong: "..."

Surprised by these words from Qu Yunmie, Xiao Rong paused and slowly closed his mouth. Seeing that he no longer objected, Qu Yunmie instructed the guards to inform the generals. Soon, the entire army was mobilized.

As night fell, the army set off. Qu Yunmie and Xiao Rong rode side by side, with Xiao Rong frequently checking on Qu Yunmie's condition. However, he could discern nothing; if Qu Yunmie wanted to hide his pain, no one could tell how he truly felt.

Tonight was New Year's Eve. When dawn broke, it would be the new year. While others were celebrating with their families, they were marching through the cold wind.

His life was once again his own, but Xiao Rong had little time to celebrate this fact. The system's binding had disappeared, but the real-world ties remained strong.

The imperial palace in Jinling was in chaos.

When the Northern Pacification Army passed Yiyang, Jinling was shaken but still relatively calm. They had known the Northern Pacification Army would come, but hadn't expected them to start the war so close to the New Year.

However, after Yu Shaocheng captured Lujiang and then Liyang, Jinling couldn't remain calm anymore.

Because Yu Shaocheng brought out banners made hastily by seamstresses and arranged for someone with a loud voice to stand outside Jinling's city gates shouting: "Eliminate traitors, rescue the emperor; support the Yong Dynasty, everyone's duty!"

People in Jinling: "…………"

Who wrote these slogans? They're too crude!

Xiao Rong: It’s catchy, and plain language is easier for people to understand. ...

This was just one of the slogans. There were others, which were even more vulgar. These slogans mentioned Empress Dowager Sun, accusing her of favoring villains and imprisoning the Grand Marshal, putting the young emperor in grave danger, thus forcing the Northern Pacification Army to rise against them.

The reasons were not unjustified, and they were all true. But there was a problem: these slogans betrayed the young emperor.

If it were just a matter of supporting the emperor, the Northern Pacification Army might seem cunning, but revealing the palace secrets went beyond what the Northern Pacification Army could do alone.

Xiao Rong's intention was to put the young emperor on the hot seat, at least making the loyalists realize what kind of person he was. Even if they wanted to rebel, they would have to reconsider whether he was worth it.

What if they got angry and killed the young emperor? Well... in a rather heartless way, it would save them trouble.

They had the young emperor's personal letter and another letter bearing the imperial seal, proving they came to support the emperor. They were delayed by remnants of the Breeze Sect, arriving late, and the young emperor unfortunately died at the hands of traitors. They were helpless.

The slogans spread into the palace, causing complete chaos. Some sharp minds noticed something odd: why did the Northern Pacification Army use the term "imprisoned Grand Marshal"?

The most suspicious person was Yang Zangyi. Upon realizing things were exposed, Empress Dowager Sun didn't try to explain but immediately fled with her male favorite.

She didn’t even care about her son, considering him as worthless as his father.

Discovering the empress had vanished, Yang Zangyi nearly suffered a stroke. The Sun family felt even more absurd: You ran away? Just like that?

In a rush, Yang Zangyi took control of the palace guards. The other eunuchs and maids, like headless flies, soon realized there was no one in charge. Led by one person, they quickly gathered valuables and fled.

Overnight, the heavily guarded palace turned into a marketplace. Only the initial group of eunuchs and maids escaped. Seeing the escape, Yang Zangyi stationed guards outside the palace to kill anyone trying to flee.

The old man was furious. Empress Dowager Sun had taken many valuables and supplies, clearly planning ahead. Yang Zangyi was consumed with catching her, even wanting to personally execute her.

The city gates of Jinling were tightly shut. Citizens cried and begged to leave, but the guards threatened them with swords. Faced with life or death, even the lowest among them showed great courage, attempting to seize the swords. The guards, losing patience, attacked the unarmed civilians.

All this happened before the Northern Pacification Army arrived. Jinling had already become a living hell.

On the city walls, someone looked down at the chaotic scene, not caring about the lives below. He only wondered why the Northern Pacification King hadn't arrived yet.

Five miles outside the city gates, the Northern Pacification Army was camped, led by a certain Yu, a fallen noble who defected from Huaiyin City last year.

General Sun despised such people. With a fallen family, one must struggle personally—pitiful indeed.

Not understanding why the Northern Pacification King hadn't arrived, General Sun returned to Mr. Zhou for advice. Unnoticed by him, Mr. Zhou was sweating profusely. Han Qing hadn't delivered the message yet, and the Northern Pacification Army had mobilized earlier than expected. Something must have gone wrong, and the plan had likely failed.

He should flee now, but General Sun treated him like a precious gem. His courtyard was full of people, and General Sun, acting like a giant baby, kept running back to ask questions, big or small, as if he had no brain.

If he had a brain, Zhou Liang wouldn't have targeted him.

Zhou Liang could only reassure him, telling him to wait. At this point, Zhou Liang didn't care about General Sun's wishes. He could open the city gates for whoever he wanted. Zhou Liang only wanted to escape quickly.

Plan failure didn't matter. Not being able to wield power in the future didn't matter. He just wanted to survive.

On the first day of the new year, traditionally a day for visiting and exchanging greetings, the people of Jinling were in a panic. Compared to them, the Northern Pacification Army seemed calm.

As dawn broke, Xiao Rong asked Qu Yunmie from his horse: "How many days do you think it will take to capture Jinling?"

Qu Yunmie: "Ten days."

With Sun Renluan, it would have been ten times ten days. Without Sun Renluan, relying on a ragtag group and with the young emperor's help, it would be no more than ten days.

Xiao Rong didn't know how Qu Yunmie made this judgment, but he trusted him. Turning his head back, Xiao Rong gently exhaled a puff of white breath, watching it appear and disappear. He couldn't help but smile: "This year will be a good year."

Qu Yunmie looked at him and also smiled slightly.

But soon, they realized they had underestimated the situation.

Seeing the great banner symbolizing the Northern Pacification King's personal presence, General Sun became ecstatic. He drew his sword and ordered the men around him to open the city gates. The men were stunned; they did not dare doubt General Sun but wondered if their minds were playing tricks on them.

However, General Sun was serious. His close aides also drew their weapons, and he roared at them, "Do you want to die?! Open the gates! Only then can you survive and earn merit!!"

The soldiers guarding the city had long been replaced by General Sun with his own men or those less loyal. Though their bond was not deep, after exchanging glances, they surprisingly reached a tacit agreement. They wanted to live!

They wanted to live!

Who wants to die! Didn't they see that even the Emperor wanted to live!

In an instant, these men rushed toward the city gates, emitting a strange howl that sounded like crying or excitement. It was neither; it was simply the purest desire for survival.

For these people who had no control over their fates, surviving required courage. This sound was their way of encouraging themselves. ...

Qu Yunmie had traveled all night. It must be said that he looked quite worn out. He had promised not to go to battle, and he intended to keep his word. Upon arrival, his first task was to have the soldiers set up camp.

But just as everyone dismounted and began tidying up, a scout, who had been sent ahead, came rushing back in a panic, looking terrified.

"Your Majesty! The gate, the gate is open!"

Qu Yunmie was exhausted. He was drinking water from a military water pouch held up by Xiao Rong. Xiao Rong raised his arm high, holding the pouch, and fortunately, being tall himself, he could maintain this position.

Hearing this, Qu Yunmie did not immediately react. After wiping his mouth, he asked, "Which gate is open?"

The scout almost wanted to kneel: "The Jinling gate! The very gate opposite us! The one Your Majesty planned to attack!"

Qu Yunmie: "Oh."

Xiao Rong was about to cap the water pouch when he paused, suddenly looking up at Qu Yunmie. Qu Yunmie also realized what was happening and stared back at him, both wearing dumbfounded expressions. In the next moment, they simultaneously turned their heads and exclaimed, "The gate is open?!"

Scout: "…"

Kill me now; I never want to do this job again.

Author's note: