The horizon was turning bright when the sound of war drums gradually stopped and someone let out the first cry.
âKing Xuan is dead, Cangzhou is going to breakâââ
Cangzhou City was suddenly in a state of chaos, people didnât even have time to pack their bags and flee their homes.
The Great Zhou army was mixed with soldiers and demons. Their young emperor was terrifying and ruthless, and right now, Cangzhou was in terrible turmoil.
The curtain of a horse carriage was lifted, revealing an incredulous face.
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Ye Bing Shang grabbed her maidservant, Xiao Huiâs hand, her face deathly pale, âWhat did you say? Tell me, I misheard.â
Xiao Hui looked at her sadly, âSide Imperial Concubine.â
Xiao Hui looked at Ye Bing Shang in front of her. The womanâs eyes were red-rimmed, filled with disbelief, shock, and sorrow. She seemed to have suddenly lost her soul, and grabbed her long, slender and fair hand, unconsciously exerting a lot of strength.
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The corpse demons were cut down by the soldiers and demon slayers of Great Xia, but the soldiers of Zhou Kingdom who had preserved their strength1Â were like fierce tigers, climbing the city tower like splitting bamboo2.
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Followed closely behind was the roaring of the tiger demon as it charged towards the city gate.
Right then, everyone understood that Cangzhou couldnât be defended anymore.
Ye Bing Shangâs hands and feet were cold, tears streamed down her cheeks and Xiao Hui supported her. The coachman quickly took his position, ready to bring them to escape Cangzhou.
Everyone clearly understood how dangerous it was to stay in a breached city.
Before lowering the curtain, Ye Bing Shang saw a young girl walking over from the end of the long street.
It was her third sisterââ
The hem of the young girlâs golden skirt seemed to be embellished with sunlight. Her gaze was cold as she watched the people of the city flee in panic. She was carrying a sword on her back, staring at the fallen flags from a distance, quietly listening to the sorrowful cries in the air, her gaze like a deep winter pool.
Sensing Ye Bing Shangâs gaze, Su Su raised her head and locked eyes with her from afar.
Ye Bing Shang didnât know how to explain it, but at that moment, she felt cold.
Like a heartless cultivator without desires was glancing at her with an emotionless gaze. But soon, when the young girl walked towards her, the bone chilling cold was gone.
Su Su said, âCangzhou is going to break. Itâs very dangerous here, you should go back to the capital.â
Ye Bing Shang subconsciously asked, âWhat about you?â
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Su Su looked at her.
Ye Bing Shang pursed her lips and weakly said, âCould it be that you want to stay and fight, b-but you are a womanâŠâŠâ
Su Su didnât speak. She took out a talisman paper that could hide oneâs breath and placed it into Ye Bing Shangâs palm, âTake this with you, the demons wonât find you easily, you should follow Commander Zhang and the rest back to the capital.â
Ye Bing Shang still wanted to say something else, but Su Su ignored her and turned back, moving towards Cangzhou.
Countless people fled, she was the only one heading inside.
Among the millions of people, she went against the flow.
Xiao Hui looked at Ye Bing Shangâs hand tightly gripping the hem of her skirt and she restlessly said, âYour HighnessâŠâŠâ
Ye Bing Shang loosened her grip and blankly said, âGo back to the capital.â
*****
A spear stabbed towards him, Ye Xiao had fought all night, seeing that it was impossible to dodge, he could only take this stab.
A silver sword glinted and collided with the spear, breaking it.
Ye Xiao was helped up from the ground, when he saw who came, the blue veins on his temples throbbed, âThird girl!â
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Su Suâs face was covered with blood. She helped Ye Xiao and sent him towards the city, âDad, theyâve ordered the troops to retreat, why arenât you leaving?â
âWhat I do is my own business. You unruly girl, didnât I ask you to return to the capital! Do you want to infuriate your grandmother?!â Ye Xiao said.
He seemed to have aged many years, âKing Xuan died on the battlefield, if dad returns alive and well, I wonât be able to justify myself.â
Su Su wiped the blood off her face and calmly said, âYou canât die. Great Xia has already lost a hero. Dad, youâre Great Xiaâs God of War, as long as you live, Tantai Jin wonât be able to invade Great Xia too quickly.â
Curved Jade had thought sheâd be sad, but unexpectedly, she braced herself up very quickly. She seemed to have grown up overnight and become tough.
Before, the Hengyang Clan had protected her, her elder and younger senior brothers had protected her, and Curved Jade had accompanied her and taught her about the path of cultivation. Su Su was very talented, so she hadnât suffered many setbacks.
But now, under Tantai Jinâs puppet spell, she had personally killed Xiao Lin.
Curved Jade couldnât glimpse into the pain in her heart, but it also knew how grave this matter was.
The Sixth Prince of Great Xia, Xiao Linââ
Since his birth, the National Councilor had foretold that Xiao Linâs future was related to the dragonâs vein. His death meant that the fortunes of Great Xia had begun to decline.
It wouldâve been fine if Su Su had nothing to do with this incident, but unfortunately, reality was cruel.
She had personally pushed the dagger into Xiao Linâs heart. Xiao Lin told her not to turn back and to keep moving forward. In the end, what kind of perseverance did he rely on to die on the battlefield, protecting Su Su and the entire Ye family?
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Even Curved Jadeâs heart was heavy. If it werenât for its previous negligence, Little Master wouldnât have been hit by the puppet spell.
Su Suâs words convinced Ye Xiao, who also knew his priorities3, so he could only retreat with the army for now.
Su Su glanced into the distance at the dense and dark mass of the Great Zhou army who were attacking. There was an honorable and unparalleled black nine-headed bird carriage stopped over there, on which a young man was sitting, and she suddenly asked, âDad, do you have a bow and arrow?â
âWhat?â Ye Xiao asked.
Su Su took a soldierâs bow and arrow. The sharp feather of the arrow pierced her index finger, and her expression was cold as she nocked the arrow and drew the bowââ
The twang of the arrow cut through the long sky, facing the sun, shooting straight towards the young man in black.
Curved Jade shouted, âSu Su! You canât do this!â
She condensed her immortal power, and the arrow carried a light golden color, passing through the two armies and finally stabbed into the Great Zhouâs flag behind Tantai Jin.
The flag fell.
Nian Muning said in surprise, âYour Majesty, be careful.â
She hurriedly flew up and led Tantai Jin to avoid the broken flag.
When she looked up, she saw that Tantai Jinâs face was shockingly pale.
The young man pathetically looked up to the place where the two armies were fighting and whispered to himself, âShe wants me dead?â
Nian Muning helped him up, and with her extraordinary eyesight, she naturally quickly understood where the arrow was shot from.
Tantai Jin let out a laugh and pressed his fingers against his lips, speaking quickly like he was convincing himself, âIt doesnât matter, Xiao Lin is already dead anyway.â
Xiao Lin was dead, Great Xia wouldnât last long,
The Emperor of Great Xia was weak, King Zhao was a good-for-nothing who bullied the weak and feared the strong. The happiness and prosperity4Â that had lasted for more than a decade had made Great Xia raise a bunch of harmful insects.
With Xiao Lin dead, the backbone of Great Xia was broken.
He said this in an irreverent and mocking tone. Nian Muning looked at his tightly pursed lips and knew that His Majesty was in a terrible mood.
He wasnât as happy as heâd expected after breaking through Cangzhou.
Even he himself might not know where this unpleasant feeling was coming from.
Nian Muning drew her sword, looking towards Great Xia, but the young girl was already gone.
*****
The war continued from the seventh month to the eleventh.
The autumn wind rustled, it was almost early winter.
When Su Su, dressed in a cloak, supported her grandmother to go out, she saw that the faces of the people in the capital were filled with worry.
The Old Madam also had a bit of anxiousness in her tone, and she held Su Suâs hand, âXi Wu, how long do you think Fei City can last this time? Will your dad and brother be alright?â
Su Su was silent for a moment, then smiled and comforted the Old Madam, âItâll be fine, grandmother. You have to believe in dad, he has been in the army for half his life, so he must have more experience in war than others. You pray to the gods every day, the deities will surely bless dad and brother.â
The Old Madam didnât speak.
Everyone was well aware that in the past four months, Tantai Jinâs army had been unstoppable, and since seizing Cangzhou, heâd successively conquered Yuanzhou, Chuanwu Mound, and, even just last month, the general of Yuanpei5 city had directly opened the city gate and surrendered.
What a terrible trend.
Ye Xiao and Su Suâs Eldest Brother had retreated back to Fei City and continued to defend the city. If Fei City was also taken by Tantai Jin, it was only a matter of time before the fall of Great Xia.
Su Su accompanied the Old Madam to offer incense.
The carriage moved unhurriedly along the road. Tantai Jinâs army was pressing on the border, sending the entire capital into a depressing atmosphere.
Su Su leaned back on the seat in the carriage and suddenly felt that time had passed very fast. It had been a year since sheâd come to this world.
Last year, it was also after offering incense that sheâd entered Ye Xi Wuâs body. After a narrow escape from the hands of the mountain bandits, sheâd first met Tantai Jin.
Perhaps due to the trauma of what had happened last year, this time, the Old madam had also begun to offer incense at another temple.
Su Su got off the carriage, hearing the echoing temple bells ringing out for a long time.
A little monk in gray was ringing the bell.
The Old Madam went in to offer incense and Su Su waited for her at the bottom of the stairs.
A young girl dressed in palace maid clothing walked down the steps with a pale face, and the moment she saw Su Su, her eyes suddenly widened and she ran over angrily, âYe Xi Wu!â
Su Su looked at her in surprise, feeling that she was somewhat familiar.
It was still Chun Tao, who was behind her, who reminded her, âWhy is the Ninth Princess here?â
So she was the Ninth Princess.
The Ninth Princess looked at Su Su like sheâd seen the enemy whoâd killed her father, she tugged at the collar of Su Suâs cloak, âYe Xi Wu, do you have a grudge against this princess!â
Su Su slapped her hand away.
âIf you have something to say, speak properly, otherwise, if you touch me again, I wonât be polite to you either.â
The Ninth Princess looked haggard and she sternly said, âItâs all your fault for inviting a wolf into the house6 and allowing Tantai Jin to smoothly return to Zhou Kingdom to become the emperor. You fool couldnât control his heart, otherwiseâŠâŠ this princess wouldnât haveâŠâŠâ
Su Su asked, âYou wouldnât have what?â
The Ninth Princess stomped her feet and said hatefully, âFather Emperor wouldnât have let this princess marry Tantai Jin to make peace7!â
As soon as her words came out, not to mention Su Suâs surprise, even Chun Taoâs eyes widened.
Since ancient times, when one couldnât win a war, they could only seek peace. Since Xiao Linâs death, Great Xia had suffered defeat after defeat8. The emperor wanted to make peace, and even planned to marry the Ninth Princess to Tantai Jin.
âAnd you also knowâŠâŠ how this princess treated him before,â the Ninth Princessâs small face paled, âHeâll definitely torture this princess to death.â
Thatâs right. The one who used to make fun of Tantai Jin like a dog, besides King Zhao, was the haughty Ninth Princess.
She would definitely not have a good ending if she really fell into Tantai Jinâs hands.
âThis princess doesnât care, youâŠâŠ you have to think of a way for me!â
âThis is your Royal Fatherâs decision, what does it have to do with me?â Su Su asked.
âYou good-for-nothing9Â woman, to think that youâre his wife!â
Su Su expressionlessly said, âYouâre right, Iâm worthless.â
âYou!â
Su Su took two steps away, but seeing how the Ninth Princessâs face turned deathly pale from fear, and remembering that she was Xiao Linâs beloved sister, she sighed, âNinth Princess, donât worry, he wonât agree.â
The Ninth Princess looked at her in surprise, âW-what?â
Su Su thought to herself, because the one he wants is Ye Bing Shang.