What is that?
A group of people were prepared to die for their country when a cry of alarm came from the barbarian army.
A deafening explosion rang out, and the bright flames, along with the sky filled with severed limbs and dust, stirred up a storm in everyone's hearts.
"Gods! The gods are angry!"
The barbarians, who had never seen explosives before, were instantly thrown into chaos.
"Why does it look so much like a firecracker?"
The soldiers on their side were also dumbfounded. As a high-ranking general, Yang Jie vaguely knew that the imperial court seemed to have developed some new type of weapon recently.
He also knew that this meant reinforcements had arrived, and his face lit up with joy.
"Your Highness! It's Your Highness leading the army!"
Amidst the billowing mist, a woman in a silver robe led the way, her long spear clearing the path for the terrified barbarian Tartars. Behind her followed a massive army in black armor, like a god of war reborn.
The remaining soldiers of the Jingji Guard, who had already fought to the point of exhaustion, were once again filled with fierce fighting spirit.
"Drive out the barbarians!"
Gu Zhong led his army at breakneck speed, and when they reached the outskirts of the city, they saw flames engulfing the city in the distance, which filled him with shock and anger.
The barbarians entered the city so easily. After this battle, the number of dead and wounded in the city was unknown, and it was estimated that less than one-tenth of the guards in the capital region survived.
Lingyan was already considering other things. The barbarians had already advanced deep into the territory. Were they merely satisfied with conquering Beiling?
--Won't.
First, they tied down the Northern Army outside the pass, then sent a troop to launch a night raid on Beijun City, capturing the city, blocking the roads, removing the drawbridge outside the city, and cutting off supplies. The Northern Army collapsed without a fight.
News from other prefectures and counties was cut off, and apart from the local militia, there was no other force to resist. The barbarians could simply march south and raid the Western Capital! This was all about exploiting a time difference.
Amidst the chaos, the city gates were unguarded, and the Northern Army stormed through the north gate and rushed into the city. Lingyan raised her concerns at the opportune moment.
"Your Highness, the number of enemy troops in the city seems unusual."
"South!" Gu Zhong was suddenly startled.
Without her saying anything more, Marquis Wu of Wei realized the gravity of the matter and immediately led half of his army through the city, fighting as they advanced, heading straight for the south gate.
The bright moon hung high in the night sky, but the entire city of Beiling County appeared as a scene of purgatory, with piles of corpses everywhere and blood soaking the white snow covering the bluestone ground, like blooming red plums.
"The Prefect's Residence!"
Gu Zhong observed the barbarian defenses and found that they were almost all concentrated in one place. He hurriedly whipped his horse and urged it on, fearing that being too late would cause further complications.
Upon arriving at the gate, they saw that the Jingji Guard, who were defending to the death, had fewer than a hundred men remaining.
In order to achieve a swift victory, Lingyan ordered the disposal of newly developed explosives, even though this was considered morally reprehensible in this era.
After a fierce battle, Yang Jie, dragging his badly injured body, clasped his hands in a salute, the tall and strong man with tears in his eyes.
"Your Highness!"
"Yang Qianniu, no need for such formalities!" Gu Zhong quickly dismounted and helped him up.
"Tonight's bloody battle was arduous... The soldiers of the Capital Garrison... deserve to be treated with the respect due to national heroes, and I will grant them a grand burial!"
Then she turned and gave a series of orders to the military staff.
"Immediately send someone to treat the wounded and register the casualties!"
"The Northern Army will rotate to key positions within the city, conduct vigilant patrols, and search for barbarians within the city."
"Reassure the frightened people, do not disturb them, verify the losses of each household, and report the statistics."
"As for this place, Yang Qianniu need not worry about it anymore; treating his injuries should be the priority."
"Yes! Thank you for your compassion, Your Highness. We will obey Your Highness's decree!" Yang Jie bowed again, his mind finally relaxed, and he could no longer hold on and collapsed heavily.
"Send Yang Qianniu down..." Gu Zhong sighed, looking at the blood-soaked city, his expression filled with unconcealed sorrow.
She then went to Lingyan's horse and extended her hand.
"Your Highness, I am unharmed."
Lingyan couldn't help but hide her bleeding hand behind her back. She had been walking briskly with the reins in her hand, and her already unhealed wound had reopened. She hadn't expected the young prince to be so observant.
Gu Zhong continued to stare at her, his eyes filled with a hint of heartache. Ling Yan finally gave in and helplessly jumped off the horse, supporting Gu Zhong's thin arm.
The surrounding soldiers kept their eyes down, pretending not to see anything. Gu Zhong opened the gate of the prefectural governor's mansion and strode into the hall with a group of soldiers who had just fought their way out of the city.
Upon reaching the front hall, one could see that even though the city had been in turmoil for half the night, everything inside the hall was as oppressive and silent as it had been before Gu Zhong left.
Upon seeing Gu Zhong, it was like a drop of water falling into a pot of oil, instantly churning and boiling.
"Your Highness, we can vaguely hear shouts of battle outside the door. Has something serious happened?"
"I felt a slight tremor in the ground. Was it another avalanche?"
"We've been sitting here for half the night. When will Your Highness allow us to go home?"
Some people are as anxious as caged birds, while others remain calm and unmoved.
Upon entering the hall, Lingyan spotted Chen Muxian in the crowd. When Gu Zhong stepped into the hall, he subtly relaxed his tense back.
He is currently surveying the various figures within the hall, a half-smile playing on his lips, remaining steadfast and unmoved.
"Your Highness, even if we were negligent in our oversight of the witchcraft, we are still a prestigious family in Beiling. Shouldn't we be confined here like pigs and dogs? We are not even allowed to use the toilet. It is truly... truly an insult to our culture!" Amidst the chorus of discontent, one person's condemnation was particularly clear, yet it involuntarily drew laughter from others.
Gu Zhong turned around at the sound and saw a round-faced old man with gray hair. Judging from his flushed face, he must have been holding it in for a long time.
However, this person's words were quite clever; with a single sentence about not checking, he lightly brushed aside the matter of witchcraft, keeping silent about the assassination suspicion and downplaying the seriousness of the matter.
Gu Zhong stared at the person for a long time, looking puzzled, and hesitated to speak. He then turned his head slightly to look at Ling Yan.
"This man is Zuo Yingyuan, the head of the Zuo family, but he is just one of the many noble families in Beiling."
Lingyan understood immediately and said softly.
"Oh, so it's the head of the Zuo family... My apologies, I didn't recognize you at the moment."
Gu Zhong pretended to suddenly realize something, her tone as perfunctory as possible. As for whether she was deliberately "not remembering," who could know except for the Crown Princess herself?
Zuo Yingyuan's already flushed round face turned slightly purple from anger at the two teachers, and his white beard trembled uncontrollably, yet he dared not retaliate.
For these aristocratic families, what would be more painful than his death is the disgrace to his proud lineage.
In fact, the Zuo family was not just one of the many prominent families in Beiling. The Zuo family had produced many famous scholars in this generation, and held a significant place in the hearts of scholars throughout the land. Moreover, it was the leading family among the prominent families of Beiling County.
The word "merely" is truly an insult.
Scholars value integrity, especially those from families of upright officials. To remain silent after such humiliation is either an act of forbearance beyond what ordinary people can endure, or a sign of a guilty conscience.
Therefore, the suspicion surrounding the Zuo family has only grown stronger. Now that they are imprisoned in the prefectural governor's mansion and unable to receive any news from the outside world, only those who were involved in this series of events would be so eager to get out.
"Your Highness..." Zuo Yingyuan called out hesitantly again.
"It was my oversight! Quickly, someone escort Master Zuo to relieve himself!"
Gu Zhong spoke so loudly that everyone in the room could hear him, and the group of people lowered their heads, trying very hard to suppress their laughter.
Zuo Yingyuan's face twitched, but he didn't get angry anymore. When he asked to relieve himself, he had already thrown his pride to the wind.
"Master Zuo, you must remember the way back, otherwise I really don't know where to send your lady."
Gu Zhong said in a low, menacing voice, "Although the situation in Beiling City is probably settled, in order to prevent the spy from actually being from the Zuo family and staging a clever escape, Gu Zhong can only play the role of a despicable threatening villain."
After the two soldiers escorted Zuo Yingyuan out of the palace gate, Gu Zhong turned around and faced the crowd, his tone quite unfriendly.
"As you all know, many exciting things have happened tonight."
Gu Zhong was only attending the banquet today, wearing a silver-white wide-sleeved formal suit. He had just come from outside the city fighting his way here, and his fine brocade was stained with a lot of blood.
The newly arrived soldiers around her were filled with murderous intent, like demons. She walked among the crowd, directly frightening a group of women into tears.
"I have some very unfortunate news. Your homes have all been destroyed in the war, and the city of Beiling will be uninhabitable for the next few months. Please make plans upon your return. I have found a good place for you in Luyi, which I believe you will like."
Gu Zhong continued talking to himself, dropping a bombshell.
As soon as she said that, many people collapsed to the ground, glaring at her angrily.
The destruction of their home was tantamount to the extinction of their family lineage. The fact that they didn't rush up to fight Gu Zhong was already a testament to their restraint.
"Why are you looking at me like that? If you want to blame someone, blame the barbarians."
Beiling is an important border town, and it is naturally not to be handed over to these people with ulterior motives. However, the burning of the noble families' residences was not something Gu Zhong did.
After the barbarians entered the city, a group of people went to the powerful families in the central city. They deliberately poured oil and set fires, not even taking any gold or silver treasures, as if they were destroying some kind of evidence.
Some of the things that Gu Zhong had previously ordered Feng Jia to search were also destroyed in the war.
Fortunately, the barbarians' actions also gave Gu Zhong a legitimate reason to drive all these powerful clans out of Beiling.
As for officials at all levels, it seems Emperor Gu will have to issue an edict to replace them from top to bottom.
"After a whole night of this, I'm exhausted. Let's call it a day."
Gu Zhong turned around and climbed the steps, sitting at the head of the table with his hand on his forehead, looking exhausted.
"Ah, as for Madam Zuo, we can wait for the head of the Zuo family to return before we leave together."
Upon receiving orders, the soldiers standing on either side of the door opened the heavy sandalwood gate, and the terrified crowd rushed out impatiently, like birds scattered by hawks and hounds.
Chen Muxian followed the crowd at a leisurely pace, glancing back at Gu Zhong with an ambiguous expression.
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Author's Note:
Hmm... so, could you please give me some flowers? I've revised each chapter three or four times, but I'm still not satisfied... (losing confidence in writing)
Chapter 15 The Imperial Tutor and the Crown Princess (Part Fourteen)
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In an instant, only Madam Zuo remained in the hall. She knelt there, pale-faced, nervously twisting the handkerchief in her hand, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
What happened tonight was indeed beyond what an ordinary housewife could bear.
"Madam, there is no need to worry."