First Lady of the Crown Prince

Chapter 826 Seize the city! (first update)

It’s still dark, and the east is gray. It looks like it’s going to be a cloudy day today.

 After autumn, Shengdu suddenly became colder. Although it is not a bad thing, for people in Shengdu who are used to autumn tigers, it always feels strange.

 The army is setting off today, and the weather is like this again, which does not seem to be a good sign.

 Many people think pessimistically.

In a dilapidated alley in the outer city of Shengdu, Li Shen stayed up all night.

He sat blankly all night, holding an almost flat iron sign in his hand. It wasn't until there was a sound of turning over in the next room that he put the iron sign away, opened the curtain and went to the stove room.

 He cooked a pot of millet porridge for Mother Li, steamed some white flour buns, and boiled two eggs.

Since the last time someone from the military camp sent him his retirement pension and related compensation, he has paid off his family's debts and still has a little money left, so he doesn't have to be as tight as before.

He was reluctant to eat the eggs, so he brought them all to Mother Li.

By the time he arrived at Mother Li's house, Mother Li had already risen, dressed neatly, her hair combed brightly, and she also put on the wedding hairpin.

 “Mother, you...”

He was not used to Li's mother suddenly dressing up so formally.

Mother Li smiled and said, "Sit down and eat."

“Hey.” Li Shen sat down next to Mother Li, handed the spoon to Mother Li’s hand, and took her other hand to let her touch the porridge bowl.

Mother Li said funnyly: "Okay, it's not like I can't eat."

 Li Shen peeled two hard-boiled eggs for his mother.

Mother Li took one to him in a familiar manner and put it into his bowl accurately: "You eat too, don't just look after me."

 “I’ve eaten.” Li Shen said.

“Mother is blind, not her heart.” Mother Li said.

 Li Shen opened his mouth: "Mother!"

Mother Li smiled sadly: "I have packed your things. After breakfast, you can go."

Li Shen was stunned. He turned around and looked in his mother's room, and saw a bundle on the bed.

 He was shocked: "Mom, you..."

Mother Li smiled and said, "While you were cooking, I went to clean up in your house. Did you leave anything behind? Don't wait until you leave the city. You won't be able to get it even if you want to."

Li Shen took a steamed bun and said, "...I didn't say I wanted to leave the city."

Mother Li said: "Can you deceive mother and yourself? Ever since your friend from the military camp came, you have taken out the iron plate every day to look at it. Mother can't see it, but she can touch it. , the edges and corners on the iron plate are almost flat for you to touch."

The last sentence is of course an exaggeration, but every time Mrs. Li went to his room, she could feel the residual warmth on the iron plate. Once or twice was just by chance. The more times it happened, it meant that he took the iron plate away all the time. Come out and remember.

Mother Li sighed: "My mother is not a deaf person. She has heard about it. The Han family has fallen, and the Black Wind Cavalry has changed owners. It should be the Ming Master who can give your retirement pension back." , Son, go ahead. We...can't let the thieves from Jin and Liang bully us anymore!"

Li Shen was shocked and looked at his mother: "Mother..."

Li blamed herself and said, "It's my mother who has delayed you all these years. My mother never went to school and doesn't know a few Chinese characters. But my mother remembers what you said before you joined the army. You said you would serve the imperial court and be the bravest in the Yan Dynasty." General. If it weren’t for my mother, you would have done it long ago.”

Li Shen hurriedly shook his head: "No, mother, I..."

Mrs. Li patted the back of his hand: "Okay, there's no need to say anything else. Besides, we can't make it in time, so just eat and leave. Don't worry about Mom, Mom can take care of herself."

 “Mother…”

 “Go, son, and do what you have to do.”

 Li Shen took a bite of the steamed bun, his throat was swollen and his eyes were astringent.

 He held back the tears with all his might.

　　No one can understand his inner struggle. This is his mother who gave birth to him and raised him. His father passed away early, and it was his mother who worked hard to bring him up. But in the end, he could not fulfill his filial piety in front of his mother——

 “Mother!”

He fell to his knees on the ground, tapped his forehead, and kowtowed three times. His tears fell to the ground loudly.

“The son is unfilial! The son cannot repay his mother for her kindness in raising him!”

We are going to the border now, and I don’t know if I can come back alive.

 You should pretend that you did not give birth to an unfilial son like me.

 In the next life...I will be your son again in the next life!

 …

Xianhe Tower, Zhao Dengfeng was called to the kitchen to cook before dawn.

 Ever since Gu Jiao bought his restaurant by force, he was forced to become a cook.

 Every day I either chop or stir-fry vegetables, and today is no exception.

 But today he was particularly absent-minded.

The Han family and the Nangong family openly rebelled and fled to the border. They colluded with Jin and Liang to open the border gate.

Even the concubines and other female concubines have to go to war on behalf of the emperor.

The princess's martial arts skills have long since been abolished, and she is no different from ordinary people. No, there are still some differences. Ordinary people do not have several iron nails driven into their backs.

The troops that can be mobilized from various places in Shengdu have gathered towards the west gate, and there is also an army from Qiushan Town that wants to pass.

The assistant general of that army was a frequent visitor to Xianhe Tower. He was a talkative, boastful guy who had made a lot of credit at Xianhe Tower and never had any intention of paying it back.

 Letting such people go to war, isn't it just giving the rebels their heads in vain?

 Zhao Dengfeng became more and more angry as he thought about it, and the kitchen knife was chopping with a swishing sound!

Chef Zheng on the side noticed something was wrong with him, frowned and asked: "Hey! Chef Zhao, why are you so angry? Who messed with you! Don't chop the kitchen knife!"

 Zhao Dengfeng said angrily: "You care about me!"

Chef Zheng was startled by the kitchen knife he raised. Thinking that this guy had killed people before, he didn't dare to choke him, so he rolled his eyes and walked away.

 The sound of horse hooves came from the street...

Why is it messy? In fact, it sounds neat to ordinary people's ears, but Zhao Dengfeng is a cavalryman from the Black Wind Camp, and even a horse with uneven hooves will be disgusted by him!

"How do you lead soldiers? How do you train horses? With this riding skill, the formation will be messed up before the battle begins!"

 Chop chop chop!

 I’ll chop it!

 I’ll chop it!

 I chop chop chop chop chop…

 Chop your uncle’s pieces!

 I won’t chop it up anymore!

 Zhao Dengfeng smashed the kitchen knife on the chopping board, turned around and walked out!

 …

At the west city gate, the monarch led hundreds of civil and military officials to practice for the soldiers of the three armies.

Earlier there were rumors among the people that Taoism was invaded by the Jin and Liang countries. The king was so frightened that he suffered a stroke on the spot.

 The leakage of this news was a fatal blow to morale and public sentiment.

It was originally a battle with a slim chance of winning. If even the king of a country was so frightened, then Dayan would really be destroyed.

 But today, all the people have seen the emperor who is in high spirits.

The emperor showed up, broke the rumors, and told the whole world with practical actions. Not only was the King of Yan not frightened, but he was filled with endless fighting spirit!

The old and arrogant monarch reappeared the flying eagle flag of Dayan, once again igniting the confidence that was about to disappear in the hearts of the people.

Perhaps this battle...can really be won?

 Must, must win.

After watching the concubine and Gu Jiao lead the army out of the west city gate in a mighty manner, Xiao Heng, who was behind the crowd, said to Long beside him: "It's time for us to set off."

Long Yi held a box of unfinished charcoal pencils and stared blankly for a long time until he could no longer see Gu Jiao's back.

 …

Xiao Heng, his aunt, and his party all headed east. After leaving Liaozhou, the two sides split into two groups. Xiao Heng, Long Yi, and Wang Xu's troops headed toward Cangxue Pass in the northeast. An Guogong, his aunt, and others, as well as The army led by Feng Wuxiu headed to Chishui Pass in the southeast.

Taoist priest Qingfeng also accompanied him.

After Shangguan Yan and Gu Jiao left Shengdu, the first news they received from the border was from Yuzhou, a hundred miles away.

At that time they had just camped outside a village.

The kind-hearted villagers asked them to live in the village, but Shangguan Yan refused.

Shangguan Yan is sitting in his tent. On his left is the infantry general Wang Man. He is Wang Xu's uncle and a veteran general.

The Wang family is not a family with military power. He was the only one in Wang Man's generation who practiced martial arts, and in Wang Xu's generation, only Wang Xu inherited his martial arts.

But Wang Man had fought with Xuanyuan Li in the war and had experience in fighting against the armies of Jin and Liang. Therefore, the monarch suggested bringing this man along and naming him General Jianwei.

 He is the highest-ranking general in the camp.

He has many military achievements and is quite arrogant. He almost never takes a serious look at anyone except the concubine, especially the youngest Gu Jiao.

 On the other side of him sat General Wei Junting of the Bow and Arrow Battalion, who was thirty-eight years old this year.

To Shangguan Yan’s right are Gu Jiao and Mu Qingchen.

Mu Qingchen was accompanying the concubine as a close bodyguard. He was mainly responsible for the concubine's safety and had no official position in the military camp.

 Gu Chengfeng is not here yet.

 Until the monarch recovers, he must continue to act as the monarch and stay in the capital to stabilize the morale of the military and the people.

Shangguan Yan said: "All of you have read the eight-hundred-mile urgent letter that was just sent. I don't know what you think."

Wang Man said angrily: "Huh! The Nangong family has gone too far! They actually fooled the people at the border in the name of doing justice for heaven! It's really shameless!"

There are often wars in Shengdu. Most of the things about the Xuanyuan family have been heard, but the border has experienced countless wars. Everyone saw how the Xuanyuan family fought desperately to defend the people at the border.

After the Xuanyuan family was exterminated, there was a wailing in the border areas.

The Nangong family was in control of this. After arriving at the border, they first announced the monarch's crime of destroying the Xuanyuan family for a prophecy, and then lied that they had just received the news. It turned out that they had been deceived by the monarch all these years.

 They want to avenge the Xuanyuan family!

What's even more outrageous is that they claim that there are still people alive in the Xuanyuan family, and they are protecting them in the dark.

They are willing to fight for the descendants of the Xuanyuan family, even if they are in vain, they must choose a truly wise king for the Yan Kingdom!

The people were persuaded, opened the city gates, lined the streets to welcome him, and put the Nangong family's army into the city.

Many of the defenders in the city are old members of the Xuanyuan family. Since they are avenging the Xuanyuan family, they are all members of our own family.

The Nangong family captured Quyang City at Yanmen Pass almost effortlessly.

 (End of this chapter)