Yue Qiong had sent three urgent military reports that day, which took seven days to reach the capital. By late April, news of the barbarian invasion of Cangzhou had completely shattered the capital's tranquility. In Chongzheng Hall, the emperor urgently summoned his ministers for discussion. Upon hearing the news, everyone was thrown into disarray.
Minister of War Ge Yang said, "Your Majesty, the barbarians have invaded Cangzhou with overwhelming force. Although we don't yet know how they obtained the information or gathered such a large army, Cangzhou has already fallen. Next, they will likely target the northern prefectures and counties. I believe we must immediately dispatch reinforcements. The army originally prepared for the western expedition is currently stationed north of Luozhou. If we send troops immediately, they could arrive in ten days. Presumably, the Anyang Marquis can hold them off for a while."
Duke Peng Huaichu of Wei also stated, "Your Majesty, decades ago, Cangzhou fell once before. This time, it may be even more severe. The barbarians haven't been able to cross Azure Dragon Mountain for many years. Now that they have, their ambitions must be sky-high. The court must swiftly send reinforcements."
As they spoke, the other ministers all voiced their agreement. However, Yan Han, seated high above, frowned in deep thought and remained silent for a while.
Then, others stepped forward one after another to offer advice. When all had spoken, their message was the same: troops must be sent to block the barbarians in the north and prevent them from advancing southward.
Yan Han finally said, "In that case, Ge Yang will take charge of troop deployment, with the various departments of the Ministry of War coordinating. Quickly prepare personnel and military supplies to head north for reinforcement as soon as possible."
Hearing Yan Han's words, everyone felt somewhat reassured. Immediately, the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War became busy. After the court session, Yan Han summoned Lin Zhang and Ge Yang to the Imperial Study.
Upon arriving, Yan Han said, "This time, I intend to appoint Commander Lin as your deputy general. What do you think?"
Lin Zhang was slightly surprised. "Your Majesty, if I leave, how will the imperial guards be managed?"
Yan Han replied, "Assign them to Zhao Yu for temporary command. You and Ge Yang shall lead the troops north together."
Ge Yang naturally had no objections, though he felt suspicious inwardly. Could it be that Yan Han didn't trust him, hence sending Lin Zhang along? After all, Lin Zhang, the Grand Commander of the imperial guards, was Yan Han's most trusted confidant.
Thinking this, Ge Yang sighed inwardly but dared not show any unusual expression on his face.
Lin Zhang had no objections to Zhao Yu temporarily commanding the imperial guards and could only comply. Yan Han gave Ge Yang further instructions before dismissing him to handle affairs, leaving only Lin Zhang behind. Seeing that Ge Yang had left, Lin Zhang asked, "Why does Your Majesty want me to accompany him?"
Yan Han narrowed his eyes and said, "The news from the north has reached us. Do you think Yan Chi might have learned of it as well?"
Lin Zhang's pupils shifted slightly. "He... probably has."
Yan Han narrowed his eyes further. "With Cangzhou fallen, the next targets will be Wuzhou, Fengzhou, and Chongzhou. Although Fengzhou is closest to Cangzhou, Yue Qiong is defending it now and can surely hold out for some time. The barbarians, though fierce, lack strategy and likely won't engage in a protracted battle with Yue Qiong. Thus, they will naturally choose Wuzhou and Chongzhou. Chongzhou currently has the Northern Garrison Army—if the barbarians reach them, they won't surrender without a fight. Only Wuzhou is practically defenseless now, and the barbarians certainly won't overlook it."
A glimmer of understanding appeared in Lin Zhang's eyes. "South of Wuzhou lies Mengzhou. Your Majesty means to say..."Yan Han nodded, "If Mengzhou falls, Shuoxi will be next. Someone like Yan Chi, similar to Prince Rui, would never stand by idly. I'm afraid he'll likely send reinforcements to Mengzhou."
A trace of surprise flickered in Lin Zhang's eyes, "So Your Majesty intends for this humble general to focus on Shuoxi?"
Yan Han affirmed, "Now that the barbarians have invaded Dazhou, the situation has grown more chaotic, yet within this chaos lies new opportunities. The reason I want you to follow Ge Yang is to await my orders. Ge Yang is overly upright and loyal—there may be times when he hesitates even upon receiving my commands. With you accompanying him, I can rest assured."
Lin Zhang seemed to hesitate, but Yan Han interjected, "Don't you wish to save your nephew?"
Both Lin Xie and Lin Xugui were still in Yan Chi's custody, and Lin Xie was Lin Zhang's own nephew.
Hearing this, Lin Zhang clasped his fists and said, "Very well, this humble servant will strictly follow Your Majesty's orders."
The court swiftly mobilized to deploy reinforcements, and the news soon spread throughout the capital. At the Marquis Anyang Manor, where festive lanterns and decorations were being hung, the news prompted Yue Jia and the Grand Princess to discuss the matter in the main hall.
Yue Jia said, "With such a sudden turn of events and no extra personnel at Father's side, Grandmother, perhaps I should request an official post tomorrow and head north to join him."
The Grand Princess, however, showed some hesitation, "This... though it sounds good, your father has already gone north. If you leave as well, who will uphold our household's standing? Moreover, the day after tomorrow is your sister's wedding day. How can you leave at such a time? If you must go, it should be after the wedding."
Sighing, the Grand Princess spoke, and Jiang Shi beside her nodded in agreement. Hearing this, Yue Jia fell silent.
Yue Ning's impending wedding was already a great regret in Yue Qiong's absence. If her eldest brother were to leave as well, there would truly be no one to manage the affairs. With only Yue Qing present, he wouldn't even be able to handle the male guests during the grand banquet. Yue Jia sighed, "Yes, Grandmother speaks wisely. Let's discuss this again after my sister's wedding."
As they spoke, the Grand Princess looked at Yue Jia and said, "Your sister's wedding has come before yours. Now, it's time to consider your own prospects."
Yue Jia showed no resistance to this idea, as he was already of age and naturally needed to think about taking a wife. Jiang Shi smiled and added, "Mother, speaking of this, I have something to tell you. The day before yesterday, while visiting the Marquis of Wu'an, I met the Duchess of Wei. Do you remember her daughter, Jin'er?"
The Grand Princess naturally remembered the young lady from the Duke of Wei's household, "How could I forget? She's a spirited girl. Why? Does she have an interest in our Jia'er?"
Jiang Shi nodded but then frowned, "However, there's a complication. Jin'er previously had intentions toward the heir apparent of the Qin family. Their parents had even verbally agreed to the match. But then the Qin family fell into disgrace, delaying the matter. Although the Qin family isn't considered a criminal clan now, they've been reduced to commoners and faded from the capital's social circles. This match, of course, couldn't proceed. So, when they learned that Jia'er had returned, they set their sights on him."
The Grand Princess furrowed her brows, "Jin'er is fine, but having been previously promised to the Qin family and now coming to us... If it weren't for Wan Yatou, it wouldn't matter—we do have ties with the Qin family. But as it stands, it would be unseemly. Let it be, this match is not suitable."Upon hearing this, Jiang Shi smiled and said, "I thought the same, which is why I didn't agree with the Duchess of Wei that day. Instead, the Old Madam of Wuan Marquis mentioned her grandniece to me when she learned I was worried about Jia'er's marriage. The girl is from the Su family of Luozhou."
The Grand Princess raised her eyebrows, "The Su family of Luozhou known for producing five imperial scholars in one generation?"
Jiang Shi smiled, "Exactly. Both the Su family and Empress Dowager's maternal clan, the Mu family, are top-tier aristocratic families in Luozhou. One of Wuan Marquis's nieces married into the Su family, and this girl is her daughter. She's fifteen now, renowned in Luozhou as a talented lady with excellent appearance and temperament."
The Grand Princess smiled, "This sounds quite promising. You should visit the Wuan Marquis residence another day to settle this matter and arrange to meet the girl when possible. Jia'er's temperament is rather rigid and dull - he needs someone with a better disposition to achieve marital harmony."
Yue Jia listened calmly nearby, though his mind was preoccupied with the northern military affairs. After discussing Yue Jia's matters, Jiang Shi began worrying about Yue Ning, "These past few days, Ning'er has been staying secluded in her courtyard as if ill. I truly don't know what's wrong with her. She won't speak despite my repeated inquiries, and refuses to see the physician I summoned."
At this, both the Grand Princess and Yue Jia grew solemn. Yue Ning's unusual behavior hadn't escaped anyone's notice, yet since she was never particularly outgoing to begin with and had no close female friends in the capital, no one could discern her true thoughts.
The Grand Princess sighed while looking at the festive lanterns hanging outside, "Somehow I feel Ning'er isn't pleased with this marriage. I fear... this might lead to trouble."
Jiang Shi and Yue Jia exchanged glances, both equally perplexed.
Meanwhile, Yue Ning's attendant was repeating to her what had been said earlier at the Grand Princess's quarters.
After listening, Yue Ning asked, "Is it true? Cangzhou was actually massacred?!"
The attendant replied, "Yes, out of hundreds of thousands in Cangzhou, only about a thousand escaped. The Marquis certainly won't be returning from the north anytime soon, and the court plans to send reinforcements. The Eminent Son also mentioned he would head north to find the Marquis after your wedding."
Yue Ning looked despondent and remained silent for a long while before turning to gaze at the gloomy sky outside.
Not daring to speak further upon seeing Yue Ning's expression, the attendant remained quiet while her personal maid Luqi said, "My Lady, what exactly is troubling you? Her Ladyship and Old Madam have been very worried these days. Your wedding is the day after tomorrow, yet you show no enthusiasm. Perhaps you should visit Eminent Son Yan Ze?"
Since meeting Yan Ze over ten days ago, Yue Ning had remained obediently in the residence preparing for marriage. Though the two families were related by marriage, it was customary in Great Zhou for betrothed couples not to meet before the wedding, so Yan Ze hadn't visited again. Thus, they hadn't seen each other since.
Hearing this, Yue Ning stood up distractedly and walked dazedly to the doorway. Lifting her eyes to the overcast sky that mirrored her current state of mind, she remained lost in thought before suddenly asking, "Did my elder brother just say he wishes to depart for the north immediately?"
"Yes, but the Grand Princess worries about any mishaps befalling the heir apparent during his journey north, and feels he shouldn't leave with your wedding approaching."Yue Ning nodded upon hearing this, then glanced at the freshly decorated courtyard outside and suddenly remarked, "With the nation in peril, what does a wedding matter?"
Luqi, standing nearby, didn't catch her words clearly. "What did you say, Your Highness?"
Yue Ning shook her head and simply instructed, "Bring out my Cheng Ying Sword and pack the clothes I usually wear."
Luqi smiled, "They've long been prepared. These are all to be taken along."
Yue Ning said nothing more, standing alone at the doorway in a daze for a long while.
Early the next morning, Luqi rose and went to the main chamber, only to find the door tightly shut. Yue Ning had not yet risen. Since turning fifteen, Yue Ning had forbidden her maids from keeping watch overnight, so Luqi merely assigned a young maid to wait by the door to attend to her when she woke, while she herself went to the kitchen to fetch breakfast. It took her the time of two cups of tea to return, yet the door remained closed, and the young maid reported that Yue Ning still had not gotten up.
Luqi glanced at the sky and frowned. "On ordinary days, Her Highness would have been up long ago. Could she be ill?"
With that, Luqi stepped forward and knocked on the door. To her surprise, there was no response after several knocks. Panic set in, and she pushed the door—it swung open easily. Calling out "Your Highness!" several times, she hurried into the inner chamber. But upon entering, she found the bed neatly made, with no sign of anyone having slept there. Luqi's heart sank. "Your Highness?! Where are you?!"
As she called out, she rushed to the Warm Chamber. There was no sign of Yue Ning, only a letter placed on the low table!
Luqi stepped forward to look and saw four words written on it: "To Be Opened by Grandmother." Her face paled, and she immediately took the letter to seek out the Grand Princess.
Upon reaching the Grand Princess's quarters, Luqi had barely explained the situation when the Grand Princess snatched the letter and opened it. After reading just a few words, her expression changed, growing increasingly grim until she finally collapsed onto a low couch. Just then, Jiang Shi, Yue Jia, and others, having received the news, rushed over and asked what had happened. The Grand Princess handed the letter to Jiang Shi and said with a bitter smile, "Ning'er is gone. She says Jia must hasten north to provide reinforcements, and that she... she has gone to find Wan Yatou!"
Jiang Shi, Yue Jia, and the others each read the letter, their faces darkening. Jiang Shi fumed, "This is truly reckless! To leave without a word! Jia, is there still time to chase after her? If something happens to her out there alone, what are we to do?!"
Yue Jia replied, "I'm afraid it's too late. You know how stubborn my sister is."
The Grand Princess heaved a long sigh. "Enough, enough. No wonder she's been acting strangely these past few days. She must have had some unspeakable sorrow in her heart. If that's the case, how can we force her into marriage? For now, send a few people west to see if they can catch up with her. If they do, there's no need to bring her back—just ensure her safety. As for us, we must focus on how to handle tomorrow's affairs."
Jiang Shi, both angry and worried about Yue Ning, asked, "What do we do now? This is a marriage decreed by imperial edict... Fortunately, due to last year's incident, we didn't dare invite too many guests. Now we must inform each family one by one. The key is, what do we say to Ze'er? How could Ning'er, a mere girl, dare to go west alone?!"Jiang Shi was pacing anxiously and went to ask Luqi, who relayed Yue Ning's instructions from the previous day. Everyone then realized she had long intended this. Seeing this, the Grand Princess had no choice but to say, "Stay with me, we'll make a trip to Prince Yi's royal residence. I'll have to swallow my pride and settle this for her!"
Jiang Shi felt guilty again, "It's truly my fault for not keeping a better watch over her, making Mother trouble yourself with such matters."
The Grand Princess shook her head, "Compared to this, I'm more curious about what could have caused Ning'er to change so drastically that she's even unwilling to get married!"
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