RPAGF Chapter 431 The Little Doctor Girl Knows How to Pamper and Flirt (Part 26)
Chapter 431 The Little Doctor Girl Knows How to Pamper and Flirt (Part 26)
Imperial Envoy Chen was escorted by two guards and knelt in the center of the military tent, his official hat askew and his face pale.
He looked up at the Emperor, his voice trembling: "General! You...you're planning a rebellion?!"
Emperor Si sat in the main seat, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his eyes as cold as ice: "Rebellion? No, I'm just protecting myself."
He stood up, walked to the imperial envoy, and looked down at him condescendingly: "Lord Chen, tell me... why did His Majesty suddenly issue an edict to strip me of my military power?"
The imperial envoy swallowed hard, forcing himself to remain calm: "This...this is naturally a decision made by the imperial court; how could I possibly know about it..."
"Is that so?" Si Di sneered, suddenly drawing his sword and pressing the blade against the imperial envoy's throat. "And what about this one?"
He pulled out the iron box he had found near the granary from his pocket and slammed it down in front of the imperial envoy.
The character "柳" is clearly visible on the bottom of the tin box.
The imperial envoy's pupils constricted, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead: "This...this has nothing to do with me..."
"It has nothing to do with it?"
The Emperor's voice was icy cold, "You were ordered by Prime Minister Liu to come to my army to investigate and secretly plant this item, intending to destroy my army's food supplies, and then falsely accuse me of mismanagement, paving the way for His Majesty to seize my military power..."
"I said that, right?"
The imperial envoy trembled violently and finally broke down: "General, spare me! I... I was just following orders! His Majesty and Chancellor Liu had been plotting this all along; they wanted to force you to rebel!"
A flash of killing intent crossed Si Di's eyes, but in the end, he slowly sheathed his sword: "I will not kill you."
The imperial envoy was taken aback, then felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, General! Thank you, General!"
"But don't even think about returning to the capital," Emperor Si said coldly. "Guards, lock him up and keep him under strict guard!"
The guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the limp imperial envoy away.
*
Five days later, an urgent report came from the border.
"General! Liu Wuyan has led an army of 100,000 and has reached Qingfeng Pass, which is a hundred miles away!"
The lieutenant rushed into the military tent, his voice urgent.
Emperor Si was discussing countermeasures with Ji Xiaosong when he heard this and frowned: "They've come really fast."
Ji Xiaosong gripped his hand tightly: "Liu Wuyan is the son of Prime Minister Liu. He must have come here with the army on His Majesty's secret orders to completely take over the military power in the northern border."
Emperor Si sneered: "One hundred thousand troops? It seems Your Majesty truly intends to kill me."
He stood up, donned his armor, and said in a steady voice, "Order the entire army to prepare for battle."
The lieutenant hesitated and said, "General, we only have 30,000 soldiers, while the enemy's strength is three times that of us..."
Emperor Si's gaze was sharp as a knife: "It's not about the quantity of soldiers, but their quality. The Northern Border Army has been fighting with barbarians for years; how can those pampered Imperial Guards compare?"
He strode out of the military tent, climbed the watchtower, and gazed in the direction of Qingfeng Pass.
On the horizon, billowing dust could be vaguely seen, and a dark mass of troops surged in like a tide.
“Husband…” Ji Xiaosong stood beside him, her eyes filled with worry.
Si Di held her hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid, we will not lose this battle."
Outside Qingfeng Pass, Liu Wuyan's army had arrived.
Liu Wuyan, clad in silver armor, sat astride his warhorse, his face cold and stern.
He is the only son of Prime Minister Liu, and at a young age he has taken command of the capital garrison. This time he is ordered by the emperor to go on the expedition and is determined to win.
"Report! Scouts from the front report that the Emperor has not withdrawn his troops, but instead has concentrated his forces to defend the northern camp!"
Liu Wuyan sneered: "As expected, you have defied the imperial decree and are now guilty of treason!"
He waved his hand and ordered: "All troops advance, straight to the northern camp! If the Emperor does not surrender, kill him without mercy!"
The army of 100,000 marched in a mighty procession, their iron hooves pounding the earth, causing the mountains to tremble slightly.
In the northern camp, war drums resounded.
Emperor Si stood at the front of the formation, with 30,000 elite troops from the northern border behind him.
The soldiers stood solemnly, and not one of them flinched.
In the distance, a dark mass of enemy troops had already reached the front lines.
Liu Wuyan spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Emperor Si! His Majesty has decreed that you immediately relinquish your military power and surrender! Any further resistance will be a capital offense punishable by the extermination of your entire family!"
Emperor Si sneered and stepped forward, sword in hand: "Liu Wuyan, you and your son framed loyal officials, and you still dare to spout nonsense here today?"
Liu Wuyan narrowed his eyes: "Emperor Si, you have only 30,000 soldiers. How can you stop my 100,000 troops? If you know what's good for you, surrender now, and perhaps His Majesty will spare your life!"
Spare my life?
Emperor Si laughed loudly, his laughter filled with sarcasm, "My Si family has been loyal and brave for generations, dying on the battlefield, only to be treated like a hunted dog after the hunt is over! Today, I will show you..."
"What truly defines the Northern Iron Cavalry!"
He suddenly drew his sword, its blade pointing straight at the sky: "Northern Army!"
"Here!!" The 30,000 soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
"Follow me... and kill!!"
Warhorses neighed, and a rain of arrows blotted out the sky.
Si Di took the lead, piercing into the enemy ranks like a sharp blade.
The long sword in his hand gleamed coldly, and wherever it passed, enemy soldiers fell and horses collapsed.
The Northern Army followed closely behind, like wolves among sheep, and routed the Beijing garrison.
Liu Wuyan's expression changed drastically: "How is this possible?!"
He urgently ordered the central army to advance, but the fighting power of the Northern Army far exceeded his expectations.
These border soldiers, who had fought against barbarians for years, were all fearless and could fight ten men against one.
As the battle reached a stalemate, Liu Wuyan gritted his teeth and suddenly waved his flag, ordering, "Fire rockets! Burn their granaries!"
Rockets roared out and headed straight for the northern camp.
However, the expected flames did not ignite.
"What happened?!" Liu Wuyan was both shocked and furious.
Si Di sneered amidst the chaos of the army: "You think I'd let you destroy my supplies again?"
Even before the war, he ordered his men to move the grain and fodder to underground warehouses. The tents were filled with wet grass, which the rockets could not ignite!
Liu Wuyan finally panicked and hastily ordered a retreat, but how could the Emperor give him the chance?
"Surround them! Leave no one alive!"
The northern army surrounded the capital like an iron barrel, forcing 100,000 Beijing garrison soldiers into a desperate situation.
As dusk fell, the battlefield finally fell silent.
Liu Wuyan was desperately protected by his personal guards and managed to escape the encirclement in a sorry state, but more than half of the 100,000-strong army had been lost, and the rest had scattered.
Si Di stood on the battlefield strewn with corpses, his body covered in blood, his gaze cold and stern.
"General, should we pursue them?" the lieutenant asked as he stepped forward.
Emperor Si shook his head: "No need, let him go back and report to His Majesty."
He looked up towards the capital, his voice low and deep: "After this battle, His Majesty should understand..."
"The Northern Territory is not one he can easily conquer!"
*
That night, inside the military tent.
Ji Xiaosong bandaged the Emperor's wounds and said with heartache, "Although we have won this battle, His Majesty will never let it go."
Si Di grasped her hand, his gaze resolute: "I know. But since he has forced me down this path, I will see it through to the end."
He looked out of the tent; the night sky over the North was filled with twinkling stars.
"From this day forward, we..."
"Declare yourself king!"
Ji Xiaosong was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled broadly.
She gently stroked her swollen belly and said softly, "Whatever my husband chooses, my child and I will stay by your side."
Moved, Emperor Si embraced her, solemnly promising in her ear, "I, Emperor Si, hereby swear that I will protect you and our child for the rest of my life. When the Northern Border is at peace, I will make you the most honored woman in the North, and our child will inherit this land we have protected together."
Ji Xiaosong leaned against his strong chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat, and whispered, "I don't want any honor or status, I only wish to build a peaceful land with you, so that the people of the Northern Border can live and work in peace."