The Road to Glory

Chapter 214: "What Did You Call Me?"...

Wen Yu slightly lifted her gaze, but before she could answer, Tong Que hurried in from outside the hall and reported: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has fallen ill. The people from Lingxi Palace have been kneeling outside, saying the Empress Dowager wishes to see you."

The conversation was thus interrupted.

Only those in Zhaohua Palace knew of A Li's birth after several months.

However, the Empress Dowager knew the month Wen Yu was pregnant, which was one month earlier than her actual due date.

Since A Li's birth, the Empress Dowager had found several excuses to send messages, seemingly wanting to see the child.

This time, claiming illness was likely for the same purpose.

Since the people from Lingxi Palace had been kneeling outside, it was clear the Empress Dowager insisted on seeing A Li. Wen Yu said: "Summon Physician Fang to the palace and accompany me to Lingxi Palace."

Wen Yu had not stepped through the gates of Lingxi Palace for nearly a year.

The palace servants below had long been dismissed. When she entered the Buddhist hall, she saw the Empress Dowager kneeling on a cushion with her back to her. Hearing the footsteps, the Empress Dowager turned to look at her, then stood up with the support of an old maid.

"You've come," the Empress Dowager said, but her gaze swept past Wen Yu and Tong Que, who followed her, looking outside as if to see if she had brought A Li along.

Wen Yu said calmly: "The child is in Zhaohua Palace."

The Empress Dowager's expression immediately turned somewhat gloomy. Over the past year, Wen Yu had not shortchanged Lingxi Palace in any way, but the Empress Dowager no longer met with external officials, devoting herself to Buddhist practices daily. She seemed to have grown accustomed to plain attire, and her former dominance and sharpness had gradually faded.

She asked: "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Wen Yu replied: "A daughter."

The Empress Dowager seemed momentarily disappointed, then added: "You are publicly nearing childbirth. When the time comes, you should still find a male infant..."

Wen Yu interrupted the Empress Dowager, her eyes calm yet distant: "Did Your Majesty summon me only to speak of these matters?"

The Empress Dowager's lips moved several times before she said: "Do you know what will happen in the court if you do not give birth to a heir?"

Wen Yu said: "The war in Liang is nearing its end, while the conflict between Chen and Western Mausoleum has just begun. Last year, the state treasury of Chen relied mainly on trade between Liang and Chen. If I fail to bear a heir, will the court officials demand I return governance to Liang?"

The Empress Dowager was left speechless.

After Western Mausoleum began encroaching on Southern Chen, Southern Chen became the one truly dependent on an alliance with Great Liang to survive.

Seeing Wen Yu about to leave, the Empress Dowager called out to her again: "Wait!"

The old maid supporting her brought over a brocade box placed on the table. She opened it and handed it to Wen Yu: "This is a modest gift I prepared for the child."

The gold lock was sizable and appeared quite heavy.

Wen Yu did not accept it, saying only: "That child has no relation to the Jiang Family."

The Empress Dowager seemed wistful: "I know... I am that child's grandmother, and I ought to give this gift..."

Wen Yu knew the Empress Dowager had misunderstood her meaning. She frowned slightly but felt it inappropriate to say more.

She said: "I have shown no mercy to the Jiang Family, and there is no need for Your Majesty to compensate for your guilt towards the Piaoqi General through that child."

Mentioning Jiang Yu again, pain still showed on the Empress Dowager's face.

He was the child she had watched grow up as her own.As Wen Yu was swiftly exiting the Buddhist hall, the Empress Dowager said, "I know you protected the women of the Jiang Family. Even distant relatives beyond the third degree of mourning were spared from confiscation and exile."

After the initial resentment, over the course of a year, Empress Dowager Jiang had finally come to view the Jiang Family's downfall with some fairness.

Or perhaps, even earlier, she had known that the Jiang Family's zenith would inevitably lead to decline.

Had the original plan succeeded, allowing Jiang Yu and Wen Yu to produce a royal heir, that child would inevitably have purged the Jiang Family upon securing the throne.

The Jiang Family's downfall at Wen Yu's hands merely accelerated the process by two decades compared to her expectations.

The white hair at her temples was starkly visible, and her eyes bore weariness: "I was unwilling before—unwilling to accept how I, alongside the Chancellor, lost to you."

"But you truly... have governed the Kingdom of Chen exceedingly well."

Wen Yu paused briefly but did not turn back, instead taking Tong Que's hand and continuing outward.

Only when Wen Yu was out of sight did the old matron beside the Empress Dowager assist her to sit by the couch. Peering outside, the matron said, "Your Majesty, what of the Third Miss's child?"

After the Jiang Family's confiscation, the female relatives were originally to be sent to the Music Bureau. It was Wen Yu, remembering Jiang Yu's merit in saving the throne, who arranged for them to enter the palace and assigned duties within the Six Bureaus and Twenty-Four Offices.

Most Jiang women were exceptionally beautiful, and the Third Miss, through various encounters, had become involved with Yan Zhen, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards.

Yan Zhen abused his authority to transfer her to the cold palace, ostensibly to serve the late king's consorts, but in reality, to allow the Third Miss to quietly carry her pregnancy to term.

The child had since been born, but Yan Zhen was already married. Even taking a concubine—a Jiang woman with a criminal record—would never be permitted by the Yan Family.

It was the Second Miss who, under the pretext of visiting the Empress Dowager, pleaded before her, revealing her sister's affair with Yan Zhen. The Empress Dowager had been furious at the time.

This meeting with Wen Yu served two purposes: firstly, to see the child of her and Jiang Yu, and secondly, to persuade Wen Yu—if she bore a daughter—to take the niece's child under her care, claiming twins publicly, as both were ultimately Jiang Family descendants.

Before the royal heir's first birthday, court officials would not see the child. Raised deep within the palace, who could discern the age difference years later?

But with the current shift in circumstances and Wen Yu's growing firmness, seeing her resolute stance, the Empress Dowager ultimately refrained from asking Wen Yu to adopt her niece's child.

—After all, the entire Lingxi Palace was still guarded by Wen Yu's people; Empress Dowager Jiang had long since lost all influence within the palace.

Leveraging her niece's connection with Yan Zhen, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, she could still covertly have him carry out secret tasks for her.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and said, "We'll discuss it after the Third Miss completes her month of confinement. Even in decline, I, the Jiang Family, still stand firm in this palace. If Yan Zhen dares to mistreat a Jiang woman, the old man of the Yan Family would break his son's leg if necessary—the Yan Family must give our Jiang girl due account."

After leaving Lingxi Palace, Wen Yu instructed Tong Que, "Have our people keep a close watch on Lingxi Palace these coming days."

Tong Que was puzzled, "Is there an issue with the Empress Dowager?"

Wen Yu continued walking calmly, holding her hand, and said, "A gut feeling that something is amiss."Tong Que agreed and, while supporting Wen Yu to continue forward, noticed a pear tree outside the palace wall blooming like snow, the scene identical to last year's.

She couldn't help but remark, "Princess, spring has arrived again this year."

Wen Yu lifted her gaze to the pear blossoms and silently echoed in her heart: Yes, spring has arrived again this year.

The news of Wen Yu giving birth to a princess reached Liang Camp on the eve of the renewed full-scale assault on Luodu.

At that time, Xiao Li was still discussing the next day's siege deployment with Fan Yuan and others when the "joyful tidings from Chen territory" delivered to Liang Camp arrived. Though he grew more taciturn afterward, he maintained his composure and finalized all arrangements.

Only after the generals departed and his guards went to clear the long table did they discover that one armrest of the iron-clad chair Xiao Li had been sitting on was crushed and deformed from his grip.

The next day during the siege, Xiao Li's eyes bore the crimson hue of a sleepless night, his entire being radiating such alarming ferocity that even his own personal guards dared not approach him lightly.

During the month Luodu was besieged, the morale of the Pei Army had dwindled again. The constant strain of repelling sudden attacks from the allied forces outside the city, coupled with prolonged tension, bred exhaustion and anxiety that left the Pei troops increasingly restless.

With limited supplies inside the city, the Pei Army had to treat every assault by the allied forces as a battle for Luodu's survival. Yet they were often tricked by the Liang Army's feigned attacks, designed solely to deplete the city's arrows and oil.

The Pei commanders on rotating guard duty had to remain hyper-vigilant to determine whether the enemy outside was truly launching an assault. As military supplies dwindled, the dread of Luodu's inevitable fall haunted every Pei soldier.

Thus, with each war drum signaling an attack, the Pei troops' mindset shifted from initial desperate resistance to fearful numbness, until now they almost wished the suspended sword above them would drop and end their torment.

Geographically constrained and isolated without reinforcements, with morale collapsing to this extent, even Qin Yi's command could no longer reverse the inevitable decline.

The timing of the triple alliance's renewed full-scale assault after one month was perfectly chosen.

Despite Qin Yi exhausting his lifelong strategies, the Pei Army inside the city ultimately resembled a rotting wooden wall on the verge of collapse.

Though Xiao Li had learned from him, tempered through countless battles against barbarians in the north, his tactics combined cunning with relentless force.

Just as during Pei Song's command at the northern wall that day, though the Pei defenders fought with all their might, the military formations below surged toward them like an unstoppable tidal wave.

The rotting wooden wall crumbled beneath this overwhelming force.

When the city gates were breached by the battering ram, Pei Song listened to the deafening battle cries below and gazed wearily, almost distractedly, at the midday sun from the watchtower.

He still felt unwilling to accept it, yet also an empty bewilderment, as if he himself didn't understand what he was unwilling to accept about.

Was it unwillingness about failing to completely destroy former Liang, to crush the imperial power that had once ruined his destiny, and to ascend the throne?

Or was it unwillingness about not proving himself right by scheming to conquer the entire world?The four great families that falsely accused and ruined his Qin family in the past deserved to die, and Wen Shi'an deserved to die! Those common folk of the world, who were desperately protected by his father but turned to scorn and curse his Qin family after his father was wrongly imprisoned, were nothing but a swarm of ants fit only to suffer endlessly, undeserving of the slightest pity, suitable only to be manipulated like pawns!

Yet he had lost to one such ant crawling out of the streets.

He thought it was because the other had been taught by Qin Yi, but Qin Yi had also been defeated.

Resentment gathered in his chest, fueling his unwillingness until it grew increasingly intense, making Pei Song taste an emotion called humiliation, so much so that a crimson-tinged hatred rose in his eyes.

Soldiers who had breached the city were already attempting to charge up the city tower.

His advisors and trusted generals urged Pei Song to flee quickly, sending an elite cavalry unit to escort him out of the city.

Suppressing his hatred, Pei Song closed his eyes briefly, then slowly nodded and said, "Take the old madman with us."

The Hawk Hounds stepped forward to seize Qin Yi but nearly got slashed by his blade, forcing them to retreat.

Qin Yi drew his sword and turned to glare furiously at those around him, tearing off his war helmet and hurling it away, leaving only his sparse, disheveled hair bristling like a lion's mane in the cold wind. His clouded eyes burned with a fierce, combative glare: "The Emperor is still in the palace! How dare you desert and surrender, disrupting our army's morale? By military law, you shall be executed on the spot!"

Everyone knew he was mad, and no one attempted to reason with him now.

Time was pressing, and Pei Yuan even intended to knock him out directly and carry him away.

Unexpectedly, though Qin Yi was deranged, his reflexes were exceptionally sharp. The hand chop Pei Yuan aimed at the back of his neck hadn't even touched him before Qin Yi's counter-swing of his blade nearly severed Pei Yuan's arm. Startled, Pei Yuan hastily retreated a step.

"Deputy general, take command! Hold the city tower at all costs! Soldiers of the eastern and western four major camps, follow me out to slay the enemy!" Qin Yi shouted, leaping down from the inner battlements of the city tower and landing steadily on the platform of the ascending and descending stone steps. Spotting deserters, he swung his blade again, sending one to his death. Amid the crimson blood, he roared, surveying the surroundings, "This is the fate of any more deserters!"

Some of Pei's fleeing soldiers were indeed intimidated by him.

Qin Yi then pressed on toward the barbican, wresting a lance from one of Pei's generals, mounting a horse, and charging out of the city, skewering allied soldiers as he went, shouting battle cries.

Pei Song, leaning against the inner city wall battlements, witnessed this scene, his face turning extremely grim. He urgently ordered Pei Yuan and the other Hawk Hounds, "Quickly, bring him back!"

Pei Yuan promptly led men to pursue Qin Yi, but after the city gates were breached, the barbican was a scene of chaotic fighting. Outside, soldiers from various camps were practically piling into a human wall, completely blocking the gate passage.

Pei Yuan and his men could only wade through, their hands drenched in blood, fighting inch by inch against the human wall to push outward.

Once Qin Yi rode out of the city, he skewered anyone in his path. Despite his gaunt appearance, his strength was immense. When an allied general tried to capture him, their weapons clashed, and the impact sent the general and his horse staggering backward. Fortunately, a long halberd thrust out from the side, blocking him at the waist and preventing the young general from falling off his horse.

Recognizing the newcomer, the general gasped in gratitude and fear, "Lord Marquis!"

Xiao Li's eyes, bloodshot from a sleepless night, were calm as he said, "Leave this one to me."The young officer had already witnessed the old man's prowess and naturally didn't dare act arrogantly before Xiao Li anymore. He quickly spurred his horse to engage General Pei in battle nearby.

Spotting Xiao Li, Qin Yi raised his horse lance and pointed it directly at him: "Little brat from the Huyan clan, come meet your death!"

Xing Li frowned, sensing something amiss, and asked: "What did you call me?"

Author's Note: I understand readers are eager to see the male and female leads meet soon, but there must be reasons why Xiao Huan could lead his army across the Southern Border territories already conquered by Yu Bao, pressuring Chen State, and why Yu Bao could be captured and offered in surrender while controlling Chen State's court politics. Therefore, before writing their meeting scene, many elements need proper setup and explanation, otherwise the plot would collapse.

Good night, everyone~