She was making it clear to everyone that Si Xitong had to be within the reach of her influence.
As for where that territory comes from?
Those present quickly realized that the other party was a member of the Tianjing royal family, and their territory naturally belonged to Tianjing. The Xie family generals, feeling that there was going to be a battle, were all filled with a burning desire to fight.
Huang Mang heard Xie Lanzhi blatantly hinting at something to everyone. His face immediately turned pale; this Xie was clearly trying to get him to reveal something.
No, he absolutely cannot agree to that!
After Xie Guang understood Xie Lanzhi's thoughts, he quickly went along with it, saying, "Grand Marshal, since the princess is a member of the royal family, her fiefdom should naturally be in Tianjing!"
Upon hearing this, Huang Mang and Yelü Wen's expressions remained unchanged despite their subtle shifts.
General Xie's words completely changed the tide of war. If Xie Lanzhi were to send troops again, Tianjing would fall in no time. Everyone now knows that Marshal Xie has a secret weapon called the "Wo Pao," which blew up three fierce generals in the Northern Region just two years ago. Now, after only two years without war, many people have forgotten the pain of the past.
Now that this was mentioned, Huang Mang's anger was instantly extinguished by the bloody reality. That's right, no matter how many 150,000 troops he was the general, he was no match for the Xie family.
Especially the Xie clan under Xie Ying's command, which was virtually unmatched in the entire south. He immediately broke out in a cold sweat, and then shouted to the person in the main seat: "Grand Marshal, please forgive me for being blind and not recognizing your greatness. I was unaware of your relationship with the First Princess and have slighted her. Please forgive me."
“But Tianjing is already my territory, and Huang Mang has come here today to bow down and submit to you.”
Xie Lanzhi felt that this person's attitude was constantly changing. Just a moment ago he was assertive, but now he had become docile. To put it nicely, he was a valiant general who could bend and stretch, but he was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing.
She looked at the Empress beside her and couldn't help but ask, "Princess, what do you think?"
Si Xitong said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Marshal, how could I possibly deserve such care from you?"
"Now is not the time to be polite, you need to be firm." Xie Lanzhi also whispered a reminder: "I will be your support, so please feel free to bring it up."
Si Xitong looked up, seemingly very confused by her current behavior: "This concubine..."
Cautious as she was, she only said, "If there is a place to stay, I am willing to return to Qi Jin with my royal uncle. I will definitely repay your great kindness in the future."
It seemed she still hadn't let her guard down and dared not take the initiative, Xie Lanzhi thought. But upon closer reflection, if she gave too much at once, the Empress would become suspicious. It wasn't that the Empress was ungrateful, but rather that Xie Lanzhi was a complete stranger to her.
It wasn't that the Empress was already someone she wanted to protect.
Thinking of this, she stopped trying to persuade her and instead silently devised a plan—a way to both dispel the Empress's doubts and gain her acceptance of her help.
Fortunately, Xie Lanzhi had read the first half of the book thoroughly, so she naturally had a good understanding of the Empress.
She leaned closer and said, "To be honest, I, Xie Ying, have long had my eye on Huang Mang, but I've been lacking an excuse. Why don't you grant me an excuse, Princess? Once I achieve my goal, I will definitely repay you."
Si Xitong remained as cautious as ever, nodding and remaining silent for a long time.
Xie Lanzhi was also waiting.
Xie Guang and the others grew impatient, Si Bogong and the others became anxious, and the other Xie clan generals began to glare menacingly at Huang Mang, while Yelü Wen was covered in sweat. Everyone present felt that they were about to witness the beginning of a war.
A war that the Xie clan of the Southern Region launched again after a two-year rest.
At the same time, everyone's eyes were focused on Si Xitong next to Xie Lanzhi, and everyone's eyes were filled with fear.
If the Xie family's conquests were caused by a woman, then that woman must be a wicked monster who brings disaster to the country and its people!
After a long while, Si Xitong sensed that many people were staring at her. She remained calm, contemplating her situation. She had nothing; she was destined to be at the mercy of others in this chaotic world.
Therefore, her opinion is completely unimportant. But starting a war now is something she doesn't want to see either.
The people of Tianjing were already overwhelmed, especially since the reign of Huang Mang, when various exorbitant taxes and levies had been constantly weighing on them. If war were to break out, they would have no hope at all. But even without war, they would still suffer a fate worse than death under Huang Mang's brutal rule.
She didn't know how much truth Xie Ying had in her words, or whether she was really speaking through Xie Ying, but for the moment she felt a sense of security from this marshal who called himself Xie Lanzhi.
She paused for a moment before finally speaking to Xie Lanzhi, "Fu Feng, I hope General Huang will treat the people of Tianjing well."
When Xie Lanzhi heard the word "true," she was stunned.
These words caused Xie Guang's eyes to turn fierce; this woman was utterly ungrateful. Master Si also felt a pang of regret; if the eldest princess had provided a proper place to settle down and live out the rest of her life in peace, it wouldn't have been so bad.
But she insisted on getting involved.
After hearing this, Huang Mang was no longer so nervous. Everyone present shook their heads, it seemed that the war would not be started by the daughter of the fallen emperor.
Everyone had different expressions, but Xie Lanzhi laughed happily and said, "Since the princess has a desire for peace, why shouldn't I, the general, fulfill it?"
As expected of an empress, she cunningly chose the third path.
"I apologize for making you laugh," Si Xitong said, nodding.
Xie Lanzhi shook her head and said, "No, no, I will do as you say."
After saying that, she gestured for Xie Guang to bring Huang Mang over.
Xie Guang said with some disappointment, "General Huang, the Marshal has already recognized your status in Tianjing. Why don't you quickly step forward to pay your respects and express your gratitude!"
When Huang Mang heard that Xie Ying had no intention of retaking Tianjing, it meant that he still had some prestige. Thinking of this, he regained his confidence and began to think that things should be handled separately. Submitting to the emperor was one thing, but Xie Ying kicking him was another. He still wanted an explanation.
He stood there, staring intently at Xie Lanzhi.
Xie Lanzhi just waited for him to come. Whether he came or not, and what losses he suffered, was his business.
Now, the thought of this man bringing her empress to her like a dog sent to guard her, even though she had never killed a chicken, made her have a fleeting thought: to kill him.
Kicking him was her last act of mercy.
Seeing that he still hadn't come over, Xie Guang frowned and said, "General Huang, are you still angry? Since you're upset, then please calm down before you come to receive your appointment!"
This was clearly a warning to Huang Mang: if he missed this opportunity, he wouldn't be so lucky next time. Xie Guang believed that although Huang Mang had been kicked by the Grand Marshal, the person who kicked him was the Grand Marshal. In this chaotic world, who didn't know the prestige of their Xie family's Grand Marshal? Therefore, in his view, Huang Mang wouldn't lose too much face.
On the contrary, being kicked means you have the right to be beaten, and you might even become famous.
Huang Mang remained standing there, demanding an explanation: "Marshal Xie, I hope you will give me justice today, otherwise I will never go over there."
Xie Lanzhi felt that this guy was sometimes quite clueless, probably because of his arrogance.
Didn't he see that not a single person below dared to plead for him? Or was it that Xie Ying, as portrayed by her, wasn't ruthless enough to intimidate Huang Mang?
For the first time, Xie Lanzhi had some doubts about herself, but she knew very well that given Xie Ying's personality, she would absolutely not apologize. She might even coerce Huang Mang into accepting it.
She had just opened her mouth to say, "This handsome man..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Guang and his generals drew their swords and charged towards Huang Mang. Each of them was equivalent to a general guarding a prefecture. Every one of them commanded tens of thousands of troops, and Xie Guang was a general with two hundred thousand soldiers.
Huang Mang was surrounded by people, and the Xie clan generals were all tall and strong, far superior to Huang Mang, who came from a humble background as a foot trader.
These generals were true military commanders from prestigious families, and they had the best of everything in terms of food, clothing, and supplies. Moreover, each of them was over nine feet tall, with one even approaching ten feet.
Surrounded by them, Huang Mang felt like a dwarf among tall people, and he instantly trembled with nervousness.
Before taking him into custody, Xie Guang asked, "General Huang, will you go up there on your own, or shall I carry you?"
"This general..." Huang Mang had just opened his mouth when he felt his throat being choked by the murderous gazes of the Xie generals. He quickly changed his words and said, "Huang, I can do it myself."
Huang reluctantly submitted. But he could not allow himself to be trampled on by Xie Ying like this. One day, he would get his revenge a hundredfold or a thousandfold, and then ride roughshod over Xie Ying.
He wanted to make Xie Ying grovel before him, and in the end, he would make her taste the pain of being ravaged and abused by him! He also wanted that princess of a fallen kingdom to die a humiliating death like Mo Ailan!
Thinking of this, Huang Mang squeezed out of the group of generals and quickened his pace toward the main seat. Then, within five steps of Xie Lanzhi's seat, he began to kowtow three times and bow nine times. After completing the ceremony, he was considered to have formally submitted to Xie Lanzhi.
Afterwards, Huang Mang will be incorporated into the Xie clan's allied forces. The Xie clan will certainly not harm those who submit to them, much less attack their cities. This shows that the Xie clan still has some conscience.
As Si Xitong watched Huang Mang approach, her eyes grew increasingly dim.
Xie Lanzhi watched as Huang Mang kowtowed at her feet, one, two, five, seven. With only two left, she suddenly felt the person beside her fall towards her. She instinctively put her arm around Si Xitong's waist, looked at her jade-like shoulders, and asked in confusion, "Princess?"
Si Xitong gradually became nervous. She stared intently at Huang Mang, her lips tightly clenched, and her pained expression made Xie Lanzhi's heart skip a beat.
Could it be that she suffered other hardships? Just imagining it made Xie Lanzhi feel as if she was being stabbed with a knife.
Si Xitong also spoke up at this moment: "Marshal, don't you think my body is already impure?"
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Xie Lanzhi said, "You stay here and I won't let anyone hurt you again."
"Thank you. But I don't want to be your plaything for a moment!" This time, however, it was Si Xitong's firm and powerful words that swept over her ears, leaving Xie Lanzhi astonished.
"I didn't think you were..." Xie Lanzhi hadn't finished speaking when she felt Si Xitong hug her tightly around the waist. Smelling the sandalwood scent on her body, she suddenly realized that Si Xitong disliked sandalwood the most and would feel nauseous at the slightest touch. So how come she had such a strong sandalwood scent on her body now?
Is this her last resort to protect herself? If anyone dares to get close to her, she will... vomit all over them with the sandalwood scent emanating from her body.
Naturally, no one would be interested in her. So, the reason she hasn't vomited is because she hasn't eaten for a long time, so there's nothing to vomit.
She then realized that the Empress was not as calm as she appeared. Now she was like a helpless little beast. When faced with danger, she would howl and fight back with all her might.
Thinking of this, Xie Lanzhi looked at Huang Mang, who was kowtowing and approaching her, and moved her right hand...
The next moment, Si Xitong pulled out the sword from Xie Lanzhi's waist first, leaving Xie Lanzhi's hand empty. Si Xitong stood up, her steps still a little unsteady, but she still rushed out with all her might, and Xie Lanzhi's arms were also empty.
"Qi Tong!!" When she reached out to her back, she only saw Si Qi Tong's resolute back as she faced death. She was holding her sword, E Bai, and was kowtowing to Huang Mang for the eighth time. As soon as he looked up, he saw a familiar sword coming down towards his forehead. He was so frightened that he shrank back to dodge, but he did not expect E Bai's sword to be so sharp. The wind from the sword alone cut his hair.
"You scoundrel, prepare to die!" With another sword strike, Huang Mang pulled out his dagger to block, but Si Xitong's sword rose and fell, severing Huang Mang's right arm along with the dagger.
She wanted to avenge her father and all the innocent brothers and sisters who had died. She knew very well that she would soon be used and discarded, just like Mo Ailan's tragic fate, so she might as well take advantage of her temporary rise to power to seek revenge.
This is her only chance; if she misses it, she may never have such a great opportunity for revenge again. For revenge, she is willing to die today.
"Ahhh!! My hand!" Huang Mang didn't expect that he couldn't stop it. When he came to his senses, his right arm was already gone, and a sharp pain in half of his body rushed to his brain.
Blood splattered all over Si Xitong, staining her golden phoenix palace robes crimson. Her sleeves fluttered as she swung her sword again, but Yelü Wen deflected E Bai's sword hilt with a single stroke.
"You shameless woman!" When Yelü Wen was about to make a move against Si Xitong, Xie Lanzhi was so nervous she could barely breathe. She tried her best to calm herself down, but her hands were shaking so badly that she stood up and overturned the table, intimidating everyone: "Let's see who dares to touch her!"
"All of you, step back!"
Xie Guang immediately used his military knife to deflect Yelü Wen's sword. He was about to kick Yelü Wen away when Yelü Wen immediately backed down: "Marshal Xie, please calm down. I only acted because I was angry and lost my temper when I saw my friend was injured."
"I was wrong, I will now step down."
Then Xie Guang snorted coldly and tossed the troublesome Si Xitong toward the Grand Marshal.
Taking advantage of the moment, Xie Lanzhi hugged Si Xitong and snatched the Ebai from Si Xitong's hand. She then casually threw it onto the table to her right, startling the distinguished guest who scrambled backward.
"The Marshal acted out of kindness for me, but I have failed him. I will take responsibility for this!" Si Xitong, seemingly out of nowhere, pulled out a dagger and prepared to stab herself in the neck. She was willing to die to take responsibility.
Xie Lanzhi hadn't expected that she already had thoughts of self-destruction. She immediately grabbed the hand holding the dagger and angrily rebuked her: "As my future wife, how dare you, how dare you commit suicide without my permission!"
"Si Xitong, let me tell you, you are not allowed to die without my orders!!"
As Xie Lanzhi gasped for breath, thinking about how the Empress had almost died before her eyes, her eyes suddenly reddened, her heart ached uncontrollably, and her eyes became moist.
How much suffering did the Empress endure that led to thoughts of suicide? What was the author even writing? Is it really worth sacrificing Si Xitong for the sake of popularity?
But what brought her here? Her heart attack wasn't just due to simple empathy, but rather to affection—because she loved the character Si Xitong so much.
She had already deeply imprinted her in her heart.
Now we're watching helplessly as she tries to commit suicide.
Xie Lanzhi finally couldn't hold back anymore. The moment she lowered her head and rested it on Si Xitong's shoulder, tears fell like pearls onto her earlobe.