Chapter 13
Chapter 13
“Call that guy’s name! Have him look this way!” On the city wall, Shao Yun coldly put his long sword at the neck of the Crown Princess and shouted an order, but within his heart, he was still in awe— Chief Advisor Xu’s plan was really vicious… He even dragged out Crown Princess Zhangsun to distract the Seventh Prince from the arduous battle .
One distraction meant thousands of arrows through the heart!
The poison had already left her without the strength to even stand, yet the snowy-white clad Crown Princess clenched her teeth and just raised her head to look unyieldingly at the setting sun on the horizon, saying nothing .
“Wuchen, why don’t you call for him? Seventh Brother is about to die… If you don’t call him now, you won’t have the chance later . ” Then, suddenly, Crown Prince Chengde, who had been motionless beside her, smiled and spoke unhurriedly, his eyes were like needles as they pierced the person, “Yan Bai… Bai . Is it not? Call it! How many times have you called that name from the bottom of your heart? Now that I’ve let you call it, why do you refuse?!”
When Zhangsun Wuchen suddenly turned to look at her husband, an inconceivable expression was reflected in her eyes .
That venomous and excited look— Was he still the gentle and refined Chengde?
“We all misjudged you… To pin our hopes of restoring the country on you . We, we were truly blind,” unexpectedly, the woman’s adamant head finally lowered and said with a sigh . Her eyes spotted the blood-bathed white-clothed man among the tens of thousands of troops below the city wall, and she couldn’t help but secretly grit her teeth to hold back the tears that filled her eyes .
Although she didn’t open her mouth, the man below clearly saw the change on the city wall and suddenly turned his body from the many layers of soldiers and horses and rushed out, hurrying straight toward the city wall .
“Slut, I have never misjudged you two! You won’t open your mouth to call him, isn’t that right—” Crown Prince Chengde smirked and ordered his personal guards, “Hang this slut at the top of the city wall and lash her with a whip . Let that boy watch properly from below!”
The surrounding soldiers obeyed the order to attach the rope to the Crown Princess . But before it could be tightened, a long arrow, shot suddenly from below the city, whizzed past and nailed the soldier beside Zhangsun Wuchen to the rampart!
Prince Xueya had rushed out of the enemy line on the swift horse, reached the bottom of the city, and killed a personal guard with an arrow . However, as he was simply distracted, the pursuing soldiers behind him had already caught up . One slashed him in the back and fresh blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth .
It was an arrow shot from three hundred paces away, yet it was still so strong and quick!
The two soldiers on the left and right who were holding the Crown Princess paled in fright and couldn’t help but take two steps backward as they let go .
Even Xu Fuyan and Crown Prince Chengde hastily hid behind the ramparts . They did not dare stand at the top of the city wall .
“Xueya!—” Unexpectedly, atop the deserted city wall, the Crown Princess leaned weakly against the bulwark, her voice suddenly echoed through the wind, “Can you hear me? Bai, you, you don’t have to exhaust yourself any longer…”
The people above and below the city wall simultaneously looked up .
But then, suddenly, out of nowhere, the Crown Princess propped herself with her arm on the bulwark and lightly jumped down!
The setting sun was blood-like . As it shined upon that snow-white palace dress, within the evening glow, it became stained with the faint color of blood .
The sandy wind whirred and the long veil rose as if a snow crane with folded wings had fallen from the horizon .
“Wuchen!—” Anger flared within his eyes . He raised his sword and cut down soldiers that surrounded him, seething . But he only helplessly watched as the white-clothed silhouette drifted down and fell heavily onto the stone pile by the city moat as it tumbled away .
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He was about to rush over yet was so entangled in the battle that he couldn’t even take half a step .
The yellow sand flew, and he saw by the moat a few enemy cavalries come and go in a disorderly manner as they stamped over the corpse of the fallen woman .
“Wuchen! Wuchen!—”
Maniacal hatred .
Yan Bai felt the corners of his eyes cracking open as his long blade slashed crazily at everyone who stood in his way .
Kill! Kill! Kill!
He would kill every person who stood between him and Wuchen!
That was the result of his wholehearted dedication to preserving the imperial bloodline of Li Country!
That was his fate when he risked everything to help his imperial brother reunify the country and gave up on Wuchen as they watched over each other in silence!
Everything was just in vain…everything was just in vain .
Had he known it would be like this, why would he have bothered? Why? Having betrayed elder brother and made oneself king, one already should have had half of the country by now!
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The people on the city wall didn’t have the chance to hinder her . They were stunned to see the originally powerless woman leap down from the high city wall . After that, they watched the white-robed man below the city wall slashing and killing like a madman .
Lord Yonglin’s army had overlapped and surrounded the lone warrior as they plunged into a bloody battle . In a matter of moments, blood would be splattered on the yellow sand .
“I don’t understand…I don’t understand them . ” Suddenly, Crown Prince Chengde, who had hidden behind the ramparts to avoid the long arrows, leaned down from the top of the city wall and looked at his wife that had fallen to the ground below . Unexpectedly, for some reason, there was actually a piercing sadness in his eyes .
In fact, when did they ever understand him? Besides the two of them, who would have known his life under the shadows, the fear in the Crown Prince’s heart who was constantly afraid of losing everything?[1]
Suddenly, Crown Prince Chengde’s eyes glazed over—
Vice General Shao Gyun had gone so far as to quietly take a dagger from his wrist and pressed it against his waist!
“Shao Yun, what are you doing? —Are you rebelling?!” Crown Prince Chengde’s complexion changed greatly and he asked harshly, however he saw Shao Yun laughing . His eyes had an indescribable complacency as he blurted out the words, “Being toyed with by someone and right in the palm of their hand yet still not aware… Idiot . ”
“Crown Prince, as matters stand, it’s better to order the city gates to be open and surrender . ” Suddenly, there was another voice in his other ear as it coldly sounded, with unmoving contentment, “Lord Yonglin said that if the Crown Prince is willing to surrender, he can even keep you alive . ”
Crown Prince Chengde looked back in horror and saw that the one who spoke… was actually his mentor!
Chief Advisor Xu Fuyan pinched the long beard beneath his chin and looked at the shocked expression of his student as he suddenly laughed, “Chengde, did I not teach you that wise men understand when to submit? —Lord Yonglin is so powerful that he’s bound to conquer the world . What do we gain by clinging to Ye City? Haha… while we still have some sellable prices on hand, we might as well plan our way out early . Moreover, what Lord Yonglin is offering us is very high . ”
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“You all are Fourth Imperial Uncle’s spies? —Traitors!” Crown Prince Chengde suddenly realized the truth — So it turned out that the human heart was as sinister as this! Until now, he had grown up under the tutelage of Chief Advisor and after the turmoil within the country and his family began, he even treated his teacher as his only elder . His voice couldn’t help but tremble a little, “In vain I have relied on you so much! Xu Fuyan…you, you are my mentor!”
“However, Xueya is your younger blood brother! —Did you not follow my plan to remove him as soon as you heard my analysis of him being detrimental to you?” Xu Fuyan smiled coldly, “I also taught you that even your younger brother and wife could not be trusted, correct? Self-destruction of the impregnable wall… Now it’s only a matter of time before Ye City is destroyed!”
Crown Prince Chengde’s face was ashen and withered, unable to say a word as he stumbled . As things stood now, if he truly said something to the Chief Advisor that he genuinely treated him like a father, such words would sound weak and ridiculous to even his own ears… Although, that was the truth .
Throughout a person’s life, there will inevitably be people that they won’t be guarded against, and there will also always be their respective weaknesses .
Shao Yun also sneered, but the dagger in his hand tightened, “Crown Prince, don’t expect anything… The left flank has already been transferred out of the city by you, and here on the city wall are all my own troops— Do you want us to cut off your head to surrender!? Or are you going to leave the city with your white gown and a white hat?”
The vice general spoke as he looked out of the city wall toward the Dragon Head Plains when suddenly, his expression froze .
“Northwest! Whose troops came from the northwest?!” the one who blurted out first was Chief Advisor Xu . His eyes watched the kicked up yellow dust in the sky as his disbelief and worry piled up .
TL Note: The Chief Advisor’s honestly been pretty shady from the start
Footnotes:
[1] This may be a little incorrect