Chapter 143

 Li Xuanzhen reported to Li De about Du Sinan’s plans, but in fact, these plans had already been implemented in the dark. At present, they needed to make a decision: whether to attack Western Shu.

    Li De, afraid that the Northern Rong would turn around and march south, felt that they could wait a little longer.

    Li Xuanzhen said: “Haidu Aling was unable to break through last time and decisively withdrew their troops. That was because their main force is concentrated in the north of the Western Regions, and their rations and provisions are insufficient. At present, Southern Chu has just changed heirs and also banished several generals. They cannot deploy their soldiers for the time being. We promise benefits, and they will certainly stand by and do nothing. Now is the right time for us to attack Western Shu. If we delay again and again, when the Northern Rong turns their forces back to the east, we will be attacked from the front and rear. Then, how will we resist?”

    Li De was still hesitant.

    Li Xuanzhen stood up and said, “This subject would like to make a military order. If we cannot capture Chengdu Province within three months, we will be at Your Majesty’s mercy.”

    Li De furrowed his brows and raised his eyes, his sight falling on Li Xuanzhen’s face.

    He had been out consistently on the battlefield this month. When he returned to Chang’an, he was busy planning for the attack on Western Shu. He had lost a lot of weight and looked a bit haggard, but his pair of phoenix eyes were burning like two clusters of blazing flames.

    Li De sighed.

    He had gone this crazy because Zhu Luyun disappeared?

    This was the son he had watched grow up… Li De weighed the pros and cons for a moment before signaling a eunuch to spread paper and grind ink. He composed the imperial decree to send troops.

    He could not stop his son.

    The imperial court began to make preparations for the expedition in earnest. Du Sinan once again went to Southern Chu to persuade Southern Chu to join forces with Great Wei to divide Western Shu. At the same time, in order to stall for time, he put out the rumor that Western Shu was ready to join forces with Great Wei to divide Southern Chu, obstructing the alliance between Southern Chu and Western Shu.

    Li Xuanzhen requested to lead the front lines and set off with the Flying Cavalry in advance.

    Zheng Biyu sent him on his military campaign with a heavy heart.

    Last night, Li Xuanzhen instructed her on one thing: “If there is any news from Helong, make sure to send a fast horse to the front line, no matter how big or small. Do not delay.”

    Zheng Biyu’s heart skipped a beat: “News from Helong?”

    Li Xuanzhen glanced at her, “I sent people to follow Li Zhongqian. They send back news every few days.”

    Zheng Biyu’s hands gently trembled, “Why did Your Highness send people to follow Grand Duke Wei?”

    Li Xuanzhen’s narrow phoenix eyes were like stagnant water, without a single ripple.

    “I want to know if she has been found.”

    Zheng Biyu looked at her husband’s calm, almost eerie face and did not dare to pursue the matter further.

    Li Xuanzhen had changed.

    He was like a crazed person who sought instant results, bent on conquering Western Shu as quickly as possible, not caring at all about anything else. He hadn’t even asked a single question after Zhu Luyun had vanished for so long.

    An ominous premonition lingered in Zheng Biyu’s heart. She tossed and turned, not daring to sleep peacefully. Every day, she sent people to inquire about the news of the front line, fearing that Li Xuanzhen had an accident.

    In half a month, the army departed from three roads in succession, attacking Western Shu from three directions.

    Southern Chu’s officials truly were short-sighted and promised to join hands with Great Wei to attack Western Shu. They soon sent armies along two roads to attack Western Shu’s southernmost strategic town by water.

    When the two countries suddenly attacked, Western Shu was under pressure to respond. Meng shi had to divide his army to meet the enemy.

    With Li Xuanzhen taking the lead, an army of 30,000 soldiers stormed Western Shu’s northern border. With irresistible force, fighting formidably, they conquered more than a dozen cities within a month. Chengdu Province was in an emergent situation; one after another, the princes and noblemen in the city had packed up their valuables and fled, and civil strife soon broke out in Western Shu. 

    Half a month later, the soldiers were at the city walls. In desperation, the king of Western Shu killed his concubines, burned the palace that he personally built, and martyred himself.

    Li Xuanzhen was soaked in blood, leading the flying cavalry to cut off the last line of defense of the Western Shu army. After rushing up the cliff, he sheathed his sword and brought his mount to a halt. In a blood-stained military uniform, armor tattered, wounds on his face, he looked at the city burning with raging fires in the distant horizon, his phoenix eyes seeming to flicker with two icy-cold flames.

    Qin Fei and the others, hacking and striking all the way, came behind him. Following his line of sight, their hearts suddenly thumped.

    The Crown Prince was afraid of fire. This was an unspoken secret among the generals.

    A few people looked at each other in dismay. Qin Fei smiled, urged his horse a few steps forward, and said: ”Your Highness, it’s almost dark. The soldiers have fought for many days and nights. Why don’t we set up camp where we are for now? We can enter the city first thing tomorrow morning.”

    Li Xuanzhen lowered his head and wiped his long sword on his sleeve, rubbing away the sticky blood.

    “Pass down the order. Immediately enter the city.”

    Qin Fei froze. Not daring to ask more questions, he turned back toward the others with a look.

    Two days later, the victory report was sent back to Chang’an. Li De was overjoyed, rewarding the three armies. The entire court cried out Long live.

    The whole empire celebrated.

    Half a month later, Li Xuanzhen returned to the imperial court.

    The people of Chang’an were full of smiles, still basking in the joy of the army’s victory, looking forward to the Flying Cavalry’s early return.

    Li Xuanzhen, dressed as an ordinary soldier, walked through the throngs of people and appeared in front of the palace gate.

    The guards, recognizing him, were startled.

    Li Xuanzhen signaled the guards not to alarm the others and returned to the Eastern Palace.

    Zheng Biyu was accompanying the imperial grandson playing cuju in the courtyard.

    Li Xuanzhen walked down the corridor. The palace maids and eunuchs saw him and were about to bow, but he waved his hand. They did not dare to utter a word and noiselessly withdrew.

    The imperial grandson stood in the corridor kicking the cuju. He did not kick it accurately, and the cuju skittered and rolled far away, stopping right at Li Xuanzhen’s feet.

    Li Xuanzhen looked at the cuju by his foot, looking somewhat absent-minded.

    Zheng Biyu smiled and raised her head. Seeing Li Xuanzhen, she was stunned.

    Li Xuanzhen picked up the cuju, walked to his son, and touched his head.

    His son was not very close to him. He hadn’t seen him for a few months, and Li Xuanzhen was wearing an ordinary soldier’s armor, so he was a little afraid to recognize him for a moment, and timidly took two steps back and hid behind Zheng Biyu.

    Li Xuanzhen shook his head and laughed.

    Zheng Biyu’s heart jumped, tremoring. Closing her eyes, she received the cuju handed over by her husband.

    Li Xuanzhen looked at her. His lips opened and closed a few times, not knowing what to say. The corner of his mouth tugged, “Yu niang, take care.”

    Zheng Biyu’s eyes reddened in a flash. She smiled, “Dalang, take care.”

    Being husband and wife for several years, there was no love between them, but there was probably no one in the world who understood each other better than the other.

    Zheng Biyu had long seen Li Xuanzhen’s intentions; she just couldn’t believe it. Now that Li Xuanzhen had conquered Western Shu, stirred up Southern Chu, promoted a group of brave generals, recommended dozens of poor sons, and made proper arrangements for his son, he had done his part. It was time to live for himself.

    Many feelings welled up in her heart. There were a thousand words she wanted to say, but in the end, she couldn’t say a single word.

    Li Xuanzhen smiled at her and turned to leave.

    This smile was the first time Zheng Biyu had seen him genuinely smile for as long as she had known him.

    She looked at his back and tears fell.