Chapter 1218: 1212: Thank You for Your Hard Work

Chapter 1218: Chapter 1212: Thank You for Your Hard Work

Overnight, although the piles of corpses outside Jiangzi City had been cleared away, the blood soaking into the land could not be dealt with. The ground outside the city looked dark red in large patches, mixed with blood and mud.

Soon, Liu Pinggao and Du Sanbao, leading the Zhou Army and the Yan Army, galloped back under the dazzling morning light emerging from the eastern sky, followed by Xiliang prisoners captured by both armies.

The sentries atop the city walls saw the flags of the Zhou Army and the Yan Army and shouted loudly: “They’re back… The General and reinforcements have returned, and they’ve brought prisoners!”

The Zhou soldiers looked into the distance, cheering joyfully. They hoped Liu Pinggao and Du Sanbao could capture the Xiliang’s Commander, General Cui Shanzhong, igniting morale and spreading the news to the frontline… surely encouraging the frontline soldiers to fight even more bravely.

Du Sanbao’s arm was wrapped haphazardly with torn strips from a cloak, and his chest armor still held the feathered bolts of arrows that had broken inside.

Though Du Sanbao wasn’t seriously injured, he had many external wounds, and his expression wasn’t pleasant, hanging his head with a look of self-reproach.

Originally, he wanted to capture General Cui Shanzhong alive to redeem himself, but in the end, he failed to capture the General and didn’t know how to explain himself to His Majesty upon returning.

Liu Pinggao turned back to look at Du Sanbao, riding behind him, and lightly tapped Du Sanbao’s helmet with his whip, reprimanding: “Enough! Lift your spirits!”

Du Sanbao, swaying on horseback, adjusted the helmet that Liu Pinggao had tilted, ignoring Liu Pinggao’s words.

This time, Du Sanbao had acted on his own to attack the camp, causing Xiliang to advance the siege prematurely, and he was genuinely terrified. From now on, even if someone urged him to act before reporting, he wouldn’t dare.

Previously, under Wang Xiping’s command, Du Sanbao would often act first and report later, somehow hitting the mark by chance, and Wang Xiping never punished him. In fact, he quite liked Du Sanbao, who was brave in battle, and highly valued him, which shaped Du Sanbao’s disposition.

Liu Pinggao pulled the reins to slow down, riding alongside Du Sanbao, saying: “Later, I’ll plead with His Majesty for you, send you to the front lines as a vanguard, and let you redeem yourself properly! In the future… you must not act before reporting! Did you hear me?”

Du Sanbao, hearing that he would be sent to the front lines as a vanguard, immediately responded: “Alright!”

“We’ve returned victorious; the soldiers are rejoicing, so don’t hang your head.” Liu Pinggao was used to seeing Du Sanbao’s proud demeanor and couldn’t get used to his appearance being so dispirited like a frost-beaten eggplant. “Anyone who doesn’t know might think we’ve been defeated!”

Du Sanbao tightly clutched the reins, saying: “I’ll go kneel outside His Majesty’s residence and beg for forgiveness later! General Liu… please be sure to plead for me!”

“First, see the military doctor to bandage your wounds! His Majesty can’t stand seeing us soldiers injured!” Liu Pinggao comforted Du Sanbao. “Don’t worry, I will definitely speak well for you!”

As they approached the city gates, Du Sanbao lifted his spirits and entered the city alongside Liu Pinggao and the Yan Kingdom’s general.

The soldiers and civilians cheered for their victory and for narrowly escaping disaster.

Seeing Wang Jin on the building waving at him, Du Sanbao finally showed a smile and waved back at Wang Jin, only to pull his wound, gritting his teeth in pain.

·

The sun climbed slowly, and the sunlight increased, the dazzling golden rays moving from the blue-black glossy roof tiles to the western courtyard wall. Soon, they coated the red columns under the porch eaves with gold, enveloping the bricks with tiny rain pits and the carved lattice windows.

Beams of light shone in from the outside, revealing floating dust, slowly moving from the cypress-wood carved bed with fortune patterns to… the forehead of the woman sleeping at the foot of the bed resting on the bedside hidden pouch.

Feeling the brightness, Bai Qingyan’s eyelashes trembled, trying to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. Groggily dreaming, she saw Xiao Rongyan, suddenly opening her eyes, and in a moment of clarity, she hurriedly sat up to touch Xiao Rongyan’s forehead.

It wasn’t as burning hot as yesterday; the fever had finally declined.

Bai Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that she had been lying for so long that her legs were severely numb.

She braced herself against the bed edge, called softly: “Chun Zhi…”

Wei Zhong, stationed outside the door, hurriedly entered: “Your Majesty, Chun Zhi kept watch all night, now she’s asleep! What are your orders, Your Majesty?”

“My legs are numb, help me stand up…” Bai Qingyan said.

Pregnant, Bai Qingyan didn’t dare be careless, fearing she might trip and fall just by standing up.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhong moved past the screen, pulled open the drapery, and came in, helping Bai Qingyan up, then added: “Your Majesty, would you like some chicken soup? It’s been simmering over a small flame in the kitchen. I’ve also given some to the Ninth Prince.”

Wei Zhong didn’t say that earlier this morning, Yue Shi had come by, wanting to serve his master, but Wei Zhong had persuaded him back. After all, publicly, it’s been said that the Ninth Prince is recovering in the neighboring courtyard, and Yue Shi hanging around Bai Qingyan would surely arouse suspicion.

Agreeing with Wei Zhong, Yue Shi hung his head and returned.

Bai Qingyan was just about to say to serve Xiao Rongyan a bowl, when she felt the baby in her abdomen move. She looked down and gently stroked her belly, nodding: “Alright, have General Liu Pinggao and the others returned?”

“They’ve just entered the city, captured many prisoners, but couldn’t capture General Cui Shanzhong. As for the specific battle report, General Liu said he’d personally report when Your Majesty awakes! The Yan Army is settled in smoothly, rest assured, Your Majesty.” Wei Zhong replied candidly before adding, “Last night, the grains from Bailong City arrived; Your Majesty was asleep, so the Bai family guards checked and accepted them. The records are already placed on Your Majesty’s desk by Chun Zhi.”

She nodded: “There’s a letter on the table, send someone to deliver it to A Yu at the front line! Also, the reward standard for defending the city, and the punishment for Du Sanbao’s unauthorized nighttime attack on the Xiliang camp, give it to General Liu Pinggao for him to handle as he sees fit.”

“Understood!” Wei Zhong nodded, “Then I’ll go now, send in warm water for Your Majesty’s washing, and have the military doctor come for the Ninth Prince’s pulse check.”

“Mm!” She agreed, then turned to look at the still-sleeping Xiao Rongyan.

Soon, the maids entered in a line, placing the hot water and toilet articles inside before exiting, not understanding why His Majesty wouldn’t allow anyone to serve today.

The military doctor, aware of Bai Qingyan’s worry for Xiao Rongyan, had prepared early. No sooner had Wei Zhong sent someone over than the doctor arrived carrying his medicine box.

Checking the pulse and seeing that Xiao Rongyan’s fever had subsided, the military doctor breathed a sigh of relief, bowed to Bai Qingyan, and said: “Your Majesty need not worry, the fever has receded. As long as the Ninth Prince takes his medicine properly, he will be fine.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Thank you!”