The cat bed was lined with fluffy flannel. Jiang Lu was gently placed inside, carefully picked up by a guard, and steadily carried onto a spacious military carriage.
She let out a yawn.
She poked out her tiny head, her round, wide eyes curiously taking in her surroundings.
People bustled to and fro through the streets, and carriages and horses passed by in an endless stream.
The scenery along the way made her suddenly realize—this was the imperial city.
They needed to set out from the imperial city and head all the way south.
On the drill grounds outside the city, military banners fluttered loudly in the wind.
Clad in cold, silver armor, Bai Rou stood at the front of the troops. She raised her hand to tighten her shoulder guards. The metal plates of her armor rubbed and clashed against each other, letting out a series of crisp, sharp clangs, instantly spreading a chilling aura of battle.
Her gaze swept over the entire army, which stood ready to march, and she barked an order,
“Depart!”
A chorus of orderly footsteps echoed, and the figures of the army gradually faded into the distance.
Although various vassal kings had risen in rebellion, perhaps due to the suppression by the Grand Princess and various officials, the commoners around the imperial city were not heavily affected.
However, as the army marched south, the closer they got to the southeastern borders, the more desolation and sorrow they encountered.
Bai Rou rode on horseback. Her personal guard galloped close behind, reporting in a lowered voice that carried a hint of unbearable pity:
“Miss, the further south we go, the more anxious and exhausted the people are. Prince Qi has raised an army to carve out his own territory, forcibly conscripting men, seizing grain, and harassing the countryside. The commoners in this region have long been dragged into the chaos of war, suffering unspeakably.”
Bai Rou's eyes darkened slightly, her cold gaze sweeping over the fields on both sides of the official road.
There were still farmers bending over to work in the fields, but the peaceful tranquility of past cultivation was entirely gone.
Everyone walked in a hurry with panicked expressions, carelessly tending to their farm work. From time to time, they would look up at the distant horizon, their eyes filled with dread for the impending war and confusion about where they would go in the future.
“It won't last much longer.”
Bai Rou slowly withdrew her gaze. She parted her thin lips, her voice cold and resolute, carrying her determination to quell the rebellion.
Had the late emperor not indulged in women and neglected state affairs in his later years, delaying the appointment of an heir, how could the current tragedy of the vassal kings' rebellions have ever come to pass?
Inside the carriage, Jiang Lu curled up in her soft little nest. Currently no different from an ordinary cat, she naturally did not hear their conversation.
Traveling day and night, they journeyed for several days before finally arriving at a location a mere ten li away from Prince Qi's forces.
She watched the brightly lit tents as they endured from the first light of dawn to the deep dusk, and from the pitch-black night until the eastern sky began to pale.
People constantly came and went through the massive main camp, their steps hurried, without a single moment of rest.
Finally, the curtain of the central command tent was suddenly swept open.
A crowd of generals and strategists walked out quickly. Their eyes were bloodshot and their faces pale with exhaustion, yet their postures remained upright and their steps firm. Only the absolute resolve to break the enemy's lines and suppress the rebellion remained in their eyes.
In the next instant—
The desolate, majestic horn of war suddenly pierced the sky!
The low, echoing horn blasts shook the fields, penetrating through layers of military camps and echoing between heaven and earth, instantly raising the tense battle intent to its peak.
Tens of thousands of soldiers in the camp moved at the sound, donning their armor and gripping their weapons. A dense, dark sea of troops stretched across the open wilderness.
Jiang Lu also moved upon hearing the sound. With a light, agile leap, she nimbly jumped onto the high top of a tent, her round cat eyes quietly looking down at the crowd.
Eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating—the war seemed to have lasted for dozens of days, which Jiang Lu's current little cat brain couldn't possibly keep track of.
She only knew that thick smoke gradually rose from all directions, and wounded soldiers were constantly being carried back.
Meanwhile, new soldiers were constantly preparing and setting out.
...
Suddenly, a chaotic commotion broke Jiang Lu's train of thought. Hurried, disorganized footsteps echoed one after another, mingled with the panicked shouts of soldiers and hasty military orders.
Jiang Lu's heart tightened as a bad premonition loomed over her mind.
No longer staying on the tent roof, she leaped down and landed steadily on the ground.
Surrounded by a crowd of soldiers, a simple stretcher was hurriedly carried into the main tent. Lying on the stretcher was none other than Bai Rou.
She lay quietly on the cot, all color drained from her face, looking almost transparently pale. Strands of her black hair fell in a messy tangle, sticking to her sweat-drenched forehead and cheeks, completely lacking her usual neat and sharp appearance.
Her breathing was shallow and weak, and she had fallen into a deep state of exhaustion, having long lost the sharp edge that once commanded the entire army.
Most striking of all was the crimson on her chest, where a sharp blade had torn open a gruesome wound.
Scarlet blood seeped out continuously, slowly flowing down the side of the cot, a horrifying sight to behold.
The situation was critical. Two accompanying female doctors carrying medicine chests rushed into the tent, not daring to delay for even a single second.
Inside the tent, only the soft clatter of needles and surgical tools and the rustle of wiping cloth could be heard.
The female doctors worked nimbly, quickly cleaning the wound, disinfecting it, and stopping the bleeding.
Jiang Lu stood quietly at the entrance of the tent, her tiny figure completely still, her round eyes staring fixedly at the bustling crowd inside.
A suffocating panic and worry filled the entire tent, the atmosphere heavy enough to choke.
On both sides of the cot, two female vice-generals who followed Bai Rou stood guard strictly.
At this moment, they could not hide the anxiety and dread in their eyes. Their gazes were locked onto the figure on the cot without looking away for a single second, their fingers clenching slightly, their hearts filled with tense unease.
Only when the female doctor had temporarily stabilized the wound, the two of them immediately took a step forward and asked anxiously:
“Doctor, how is Miss now? Is her condition stable?”
The female doctor let out a long, soft sigh. She quickly picked up her brush and wrote down a detailed prescription, handing it to the medical apprentice waiting nearby and instructing them to prepare and brew the medicine immediately.
Only after finishing all of this did she slowly look up at the two anxious vice-generals, her tone carrying a hint of gravity:
“Vice-generals, the bleeding from the blade wound has been temporarily stopped, and her life is not in immediate danger for now. However, this cut went deep into the muscle, causing a severe loss of qi and blood. Coupled with the battlefield's baleful energy invading her body, tonight will be the hardest hurdle to clear.”
She paused slightly, her brow furrowing tightly as she lowered her voice a bit:
“Once night falls, there is a high probability that Miss will develop a sudden high fever. If she successfully pulls through tonight, she can slowly recover. But if she cannot...”
At this point, the doctor's voice faltered. The remaining, most perilous words ultimately remained caught in her throat, left unsaid.
The tent instantly fell into a deathly, oppressive silence, a wordless worry weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
The two vice-generals took a deep look at Bai Rou, instructed the female doctor to take good care of her, and hurriedly left the tent.
Others might have panicked and wavered, but they were incredibly clear-headed.
Just now, amidst the chaotic battlefield, Bai Rou had used herself to break the deadlock, personally slaying Prince Qi and shattering the enemy's main force.
Now that the enemy was leaderless and their morale had collapsed, it was the most critical moment to take advantage of the situation to wipe out the remaining forces and completely end the war.
The two of them quickly suppressed all their emotions, pushing down their concern for Bai Rou's injuries. Following the deployment plans they had discussed overnight before the battle, they methodically took over the subsequent military affairs, arranged personnel, and eliminated the remaining enemies.
In this battle, they could not afford to lose.
They would not allow it, their Miss would not allow it, and Her Highness would allow it even less.
Of all the troops sent to attack the various vassal kings, theirs was the only all-female army. They had to win!
Rate on N.U.
