CHAPTER 609: CHAPTER 609 YANGUAN CITY

Consort Ning...

Noble Concubine Shih narrowed her eyes.

At this moment, Consort Ning was glowing with elation, eagerly brown-nosing the Empress!

The Empress’s face, on the surface, beamed with the brightness of spring, making everyone think the Emperor had been particularly considerate of her last night.

In reality, only she herself knew what had truly happened last night.

Wearing a human mask for too long always becomes uncomfortable.

After smiling for a while, the Empress felt tired and waved her hand to dismiss everyone.

The crowd left Jiaofang Hall in order of rank.

Noble Concubine Shih departed first, with Consort Ning closely following.

The Empress was pleased, and Consort Ning was very much so as well. Therefore, Consort Ning showed little regard for the Noble Consort walking ahead of her. She chatted and laughed with Consort Hui Pin, her words laced with veiled criticisms. Consort Hui Pin, who did not wish to respond, was forcibly dragged into the conversation, making her very uncomfortable.

Xia Ruqing followed behind and heard everything clearly.

She glanced at Consort Ning in surprise and sneered inwardly: So oblivious to the danger, isn’t she practically asking for trouble? Is she tired of living?

And surely enough, before they even reached the fork in the road, Noble Concubine Shih turned around.

Xia Ruqing’s heart pounded with fright. Her face turned pale, and she hurriedly pretended to faint.

"My Lady! What’s wrong with you?"

Zi Yue and Zi Su frantically rushed to her side.

Enduring the intense ’discomfort,’ Xia Ruqing said, "I accidentally caught a chill in my stomach last night. I... I want... I think..."

Zi Su quickly played along, "My Lady, you must have eaten something bad!"

"Sister Zi Yue, help Our Lady back first. I’ll go call the Imperial Physician!" With that, Zi Su ran off.

Supported by Zi Yue, Xia Ruqing bowed to the Noble Consort and Consort Ning. "This concubine... truly feels unwell and must take her leave first!"

Even if the two had intended to make things difficult, they found it inappropriate to say anything further now and merely nodded.

Xia Ruqing felt a surge of relief. Leaning on Zi Yue’s arm, she successfully fled the troublesome scene.

Back at Qingya Residence, Xia Ruqing quickly had someone wash the thick powder from her face.

"It’s too thick; you can’t even see my natural color!"

Zi Yue chuckled. "It’s a good thing you came up with this idea! I even thought, ’The Noble Consort’s complexion was frightening today; Consort Ning must be in for bad luck!’"

After washing her face, Xia Ruqing revealed her naturally fair and rosy cheeks. She changed into a set of casual clothes. After sending away the Imperial Physician whom Zi Su had summoned, she sat on the large kang bed by the window. She picked up a storybook, intending to read.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Xizi entered to deliver a message.

"My Lady! News from the front: Palace Maiden Lan Xiang, who serves Consort Ning, offended the Noble Consort. She is currently being punished by kneeling in the Imperial Garden!"

Xia Ruqing wasn’t surprised at all.

"You may rise," she said.

Only then did Xiao Xizi acknowledge the dismissal and withdraw.

Closing the storybook, Xia Ruqing smiled. "See? I knew Noble Concubine Shih was bound to take her anger out on someone today!"

Heh, Consort Ning is indeed quite short-sighted. Pitiable people often have detestable aspects. Now... to have her status as a consort so blatantly disrespected by the Noble Consort, it’s well deserved! Such a fool. How on earth did she survive in the Harem and even give birth to a daughter?

Zi Yue laughed. "You’re absolutely right, My Lady! No matter her current standing, the Noble Consort is still a Noble Consort!"

A starved camel is still bigger than a horse, and a higher rank can crush those below.

It’s best not to challenge the strict hierarchical authority of this feudal society, Xia Ruqing thought.

"Enough, enough, let’s not dwell on it!" she said aloud. "Let whoever wants to kneel, kneel! It’s not us, anyway!"

"Mhm!" Zi Yue nodded with a smile, then fetched the Beauties’ Mallet and began to gently massage Xia Ruqing’s shoulders.

Xia Ruqing, in turn, picked up her storybook and began to read with relish.

「At this time, at the frontline.」

Yanguan City had been besieged by several Grassland Tribes for many days. The city’s food reserves could only last another month. If the siege wasn’t lifted within a month, not only the civilians but also the soldiers would starve to death!

General Fan You, responsible for defending the city, was deeply anxious—not just anxious, but also scared and angry. He could never have imagined that he, who had always been invincible on the battlefield, would find himself in such a dire predicament.

Only one more month! What can be done? Are we just to be worn down and die like this?! There are thousands upon thousands of civilians in the city!

General Fan You was utterly terrified. If so many civilians died, the Emperor would surely not spare him. He might even be sentenced to death, or his entire family executed! This was not without precedent. During the Late Emperor’s reign, a general’s mistake led to a town’s fall, and several thousand civilians perished. The Late Emperor had been furious. He ordered the general to be executed on the spot and did not spare his family either, exiling dozens of them beyond the border! He even decreed that for three generations, collateral branches of this general’s family were forbidden from holding military posts. Anyone found doing so would be stripped of their rank and exiled beyond the border. This was to prevent any suspicion of collusion with the enemy or treason.

Now... The more General Fan You thought about it, the more terrified he became. Could it be his turn now?

In his tent, he was sleepless day and night, pacing restlessly.

Early one morning, someone rushed in frantically. "General Fan! Good news, good news! Reinforcements from the Capital City have arrived! They are already fifty li away and should enter the city today!"

Upon hearing the news, General Fan You’s face lit up with joy. "Reinforcements? Did you say reinforcements? Who is the Commander, and how many men have come?"

Amidst his despair, he finally saw a glimmer of hope.

"Well... it’s said to be a Commander from the Emperor’s side. As for how many men... it looked like... there weren’t many, perhaps... 5,000!"

Hearing this, General Fan You’s initial joy instantly vanished, replaced by the crushing disappointment of false hope.

Five thousand... They’re underestimating the enemy if they think they can lift the siege with just 5,000 men. Truly...

General Fan You gave a cold laugh, utterly disheartened.

「Outside Yanguan City, fifty li away.」

Xia Tingfeng was here, having selected a site to set up camp. Accompanying him, besides several Deputy Commanders and Vice Commanders from the court, were his two brothers—Rat and Monster.

These two had spent some time in the Capital City. They didn’t dare cause trouble, had nothing to do, and spent their days drinking floral wine; they were about to go mad from boredom. Now, hearing there was a battle to fight, they had insisted on coming, ready to die if necessary. Xia Tingfeng, helpless, could only let them disguise themselves as his personal servant boys and accompany him. Usually, they stayed in his tent, handling minor private matters for him. In short, they were inconspicuous, and no one made an issue of it.

That evening, Xia Tingfeng led his 5,000 elite soldiers and settled in.

At night, after dinner, Xia Tingfeng bent over his maps, studying them carefully, while Rat and Monster bickered as usual. The others either rested or stood their watch.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, bright and early, Xia Tingfeng issued an order: "Send someone to Yanguan City with a message for General Fan You. Tell him to find a way to get information out. It would be best... if we could coordinate an attack from both within and without, and crush these barbarians in one fell swoop!!"