The Tao in "same way" did not only refer to Diabolism or cultivation.
The Empress had read Ning Que's files many times in order to deal with him, because he had killed her only brother, Xiahou. The relationship between them was very complicated, and the emotions that reverberated between them were very subtle.
Back in Helan City, the subtle emotions still reverberated between Ning Que and the Empress until he entered the quiet room in the attic and saw the gray coffin.
The coffin was very big, made of dozens of pine trees from the Tianqi Mountain cliff.
The bark on the pine trees had not been peeled off, so it looked too simple and crude. Especially compared to the status of the person lying in the coffin.
Ning Que was silent for a long time, and then he walked to the pine coffin and knelt down to greet the Empress.
The Empress said calmly, "When you saw him in the palace, you never liked to kowtow. Now that he is dead, he can't see it no matter how many times you kowtow."
Ning Que stood up and reached out to gently touch the rough bark of the pine tree. He did not say anything.
The Empress had thought that he would smile and say that the dead should be respected as he used to. Then she could mention the dead Xiahou and continue to go deeper into the more serious topic.
Ning Que stood beside the pine coffin for a moment, and then he looked at Master Huang Yang and several generals. He said, "What is the situation now? Why are you staying in Helan City? "
"The Headmaster and His Majesty passed away one after another. It rained heavily, and the Northern Battlefront Army was forced to stay in Helan City. Then there was no news. We don't know what is happening in the south, but we can guess something …"
Master Huang Yang said slowly, and then he told them what had happened these days.
"Since the Golden Palace dared to besiege Helan City, then Chanyu must have led the army to the south."
Ning Que broke off a small piece of bark from the pine coffin that was slightly burnt by the candle. He squatted on the ground and drew a very simple map. He drew a horizontal line at the bottom of the map and said, "Seven Stockaded Villages …"
He suddenly became silent, and his fingers stopped drawing.
The room was quiet. People knew that Ning Que came from the City of Wei, which was a frontier fortress in the Qicheng Stockaded Village.
The expression on Ning Que's face did not change. He continued calmly, "The Seven Stockaded Villages must have been breached. The cavalry of the Golden Tribe has even passed through Pingling Pass and is heading straight for Hebei Prefecture."
He threw away the bark in his hand, looked up at the crowd and said, "One-third of the Northern Battlefront Army's cavalry are in Helan City. Does the North Military Camp have enough soldiers to defend? If Chang 'an City mobilized troops from the Gushan Commandery or even Tuyang City, what would happen to the Eastern Region? Long Qing will definitely not miss this opportunity. "
His speculation was slightly different from the actual situation, but the conclusion he reached was not fundamentally different from the reality, and was completely in line with the Empress's view.
"We must leave immediately."
The Empress said, "Retreat to the south as fast as possible."
Han Qing said, "The journey is long, what about the provisions?"
A general of the Northern Battlefront Army said, "Let's collect firewood along the way. We just need to rob a few more Golden Tribe tribes."
Ning Que shook his head and said, "The Golden Tribe Royal Court must have made arrangements. Their elites must have gone south, and the central part of the Wilderness is empty. They will definitely not give us a chance to take advantage of them. Those tribes will probably retreat to the north after the rain stops. If we chase after them, the journey will be longer. It is too risky to go deep into the Wilderness without provisions."
The Empress asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"I don't have any good ideas."
Ning Que stood up and said, "First of all, we must take all the provisions in Helan City, and we must make a good calculation. All the provisions must be supplied to the warhorses first. People can starve, and they won't die after a few days of starvation, and they can still move forward with the horses. If it is still not enough in the end, we will kill the horses."
The generals were silent for a moment, and then agreed in a low voice.
Han Qing frowned and said, "If we take all the provisions in the city, what about the garrison?"
Ning Que said, "The garrison in the city will follow the Northern Battlefront Army to the south."
Han Qing said in surprise, "The garrison will follow the Northern Battlefront Army to the south."
When Ning Que was about to say something, the Empress said, "As long as the people are still there, the Tang Empire is still there. Even if Helan City is lost, we can take it back one day."
Time was running out. After the discussion, the generals left in a hurry to arrange various matters for the army to retreat to the south. Master Huang Yang went to meditate and treat his wounds, and the Empress went to see the Sixth Prince, who was a little frightened.
At this time, in the quiet room, except for the gray pine coffin, there were only Ning Que and Han Qing.
"When you and the Daughter of Yama crossed the border in the black carriage, I was watching you from the top of the city wall."
Han Qing looked at him and said.
Ning Que said, "Now is not the time to be sentimental. General, please say what you want to say."
Han Qing glanced at the gray pine coffin and said, "His Majesty loved you very much, and now you have already known his last wish. So what do you think?"
Ning Que said, "Go on."
Han Qing continued, "Everyone knows that you are close to the Princess, but you have an old grudge against the Empress. His Majesty passed the throne to the Sixth Prince … In fact, I don't care which side you support, but I hope that you can make your attitude clear now. The road to the south is difficult, and if there are problems at that time …"
Footsteps came from outside the door.
Han Qing said no more.
The Empress came in with a young man.
The young man was wearing a bright yellow prince's costume. He rolled his eyes and looked at Ning Que up and down. He seemed to be a little curious and a little timid, as if he was not used to seeing strangers.
Ning Que was silent for a long time beside the pine coffin.
Then he looked at the Prince and asked, "Do you want to be the Emperor of the Tang Empire?"
The Prince was a little confused and looked up at his mother.
The Empress gently touched his head, and her expression was very doting.
The Prince looked at Ning Que and thought for a long time. Then he said, "My father asked me to be the Emperor, so I will be the Emperor."
Ning Que said, "Very good. What is yours is yours, and no one can take it away from you."
The Empress looked at him quietly and said, "Is this the Academy's promise?"
Ning Que said, "This is my promise, but it is still effective."
The Empress said, "I don't doubt this."
Ning Que asked, "Why?"
The Empress said, "Because you married Sangsang in the end."
Looking at her gentle and beautiful face, Ning Que recalled the scene when she turned to look at him on the grassland below the city. Her black hair flew across her face. That scene was very beautiful, with a kind of soul-stirring beauty.
He found that the Empress knew him very well.
Then he suddenly understood why His Majesty insisted on marrying her.
…
…
The food stored in Helan City for many years was moved away. The horses that died on the battlefield in front of the city were cut off by the Tang Army and piled up in the trailers as backup food.
It didn't take long for tens of thousands of Tang Army to leave Helan City. A general of the Northern Battlefront Army asked if they should burn down the City Guarding Crossbows and buildings to prevent them from falling into the hands of the barbarians of the palace. The Empress and Ning Que both disagreed. In their opinion, the Tang Empire would come back in the future, and these were all the wealth of the Tang Empire.
The Tang Army, besieged by the storm and enemies in the depths of the Wilderness, finally began their journey to the south. When they came, their country was the most powerful in the world. But when they returned, their country was already in a precarious situation, like a broken boat in the ocean that could be destroyed at any time.
Therefore, the journey back was a bit silent, depressed, and nervous.
Ning Que's expression did not change, but his hand holding the reins clenched from time to time for no reason, and his knuckles turned white. It showed that he was more nervous and depressed than anyone else.
After a difficult journey, the Tang Army finally arrived at the foothills of Min Mountain. The green in their field of vision was getting thicker, and the autumn trees on the mountain were getting redder.
There was still a long way to go to the Northern Military Camp. The Tang Army was very hungry and tired, and there was not much food left. But as long as there were no major problems, they should be able to return to the south smoothly.
Ning Que finally relaxed a little, and the fear and nervousness that had been hidden deep in his heart broke out at the same time. He could no longer control his emotions and proposed to go west.
Several generals of the Tang Army strongly objected. Under the background of the Golden Palace's invasion, no matter how strong he was, once he was alone and surrounded, he could only die.
Everyone knew why Ning Que wanted to go west. But so much time had passed, and even if he went there now, what could he do?
In the end, Her Majesty agreed to Ning Que's request, and even sent an elite cavalry team to escort him.
"The Seven Cities Fortress could not have lasted until now."
Han Qing looked at the dozens of cavalry rushing to the west of the Wilderness, and said with a frown, "It is meaningless for him to take a look now, except for adding to his pain."
Her Majesty said, "There are many things that you can only really give up when you see it with your own eyes. Although Ning Que is not an ordinary person, he is no different from ordinary people in this respect. "
…
…
The City of Wei was right in front of them.
In the middle of the barren wilderness, there was a quiet city made of earth. When the wind blew, the dust on the city walls would fall down, landing on the butcher's chopping board, and falling into the wine jars that had forgotten to cover them.
The City of Wei was still the same City of Wei, simple and crude. The city gate was a little crooked as in previous years, but if it was closed from the inside, even a battering ram could hardly break it.
Today, the City of Wei seemed a little too quiet. The old dust accumulated under the earth wall had traces of black in it, but no one knew whether it was the color of blood coagulation or something else.
Ning Que waved his hand to signal the cavalry to stop.
He jumped off the horse, walked to the city gate, and pushed it. The crooked city gate fell with a sound, and the dust rose slightly. He stood at the city gate in silence for a long time, and then walked inside.
The cavalrymen sat on horseback, watching him walk into the City of Wei, and their expressions were a little complicated.
After a long time, Ning Que walked out of the City of Wei.
His expression was still calm, his back was still straight, and his right hand on the hilt was still stable. No change could be seen, as if he had seen nothing in the City of Wei.
"What's the situation inside?" The Tang cavalry officer asked.
Ning Que shook his head, and said, "Nothing."
The officer frowned slightly, and signaled several cavalrymen to enter the City of Wei.
Ning Que whispered, "Don't go in."
The cavalrymen glanced at the officer, and seeing that he did not say anything, they lifted the reins and rode towards the City of Wei.
Ning Que did not turn around, and roared, "Don't go in!"
His voice was loud and violent, like thunder, exploding in the Wilderness outside the City of Wei. The horses under the cavalrymen were startled, and stood up.
A broken wine banner swayed gently in the City of Wei.
Hearing Ning Que's angry roar, people finally understood what had happened in the City of Wei.
No one tried to go in to have a look.
Ning Que walked to his own horse.
With every step he took, his head lowered a little, and his body became a little shorter.
"When I left, I told you, don't grow old, don't die, and wait for my filial piety … But now? You old fox, always like to go back on your words. "
Ning Que muttered to himself.
Then he laughed, and the smile was a little tragic.
…
…
Although the army did not pass through the City of Wei, they finally entered the war zone. The terrible destruction caused by the cavalry of the Golden Tribe Royal Court at the frontier fortress, and the ruins of the Tang settlements, appeared in front of people's eyes.
This was an exhausted army, but the blood, fire, ruins, broken walls, and dead clansmen they saw along the way had aroused their almost crazy fighting spirit. After a period of rest and replenishment of food and fodder, they would become a terrifying military force. Even now, many soldiers were eager to fight with the Golden Tribe cavalry with red eyes.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the Tang army returning south along the Min Mountain did not encounter the main force of the Golden Tribe Royal Court. After killing dozens of grassland cavalry, they approached the Northern Military Camp.
The Tang army returning south reestablished contact with the General's Mansion. Because of the large number of people, it was not convenient for them to enter the Northern Military Camp at the same time. The General's Mansion sent an elite cavalry to meet them, deliver food and fodder, and at the same time, they were ordered to take the Empress, the prince, and most importantly, the emperor's coffin back to the Northern Military Camp.
After a temporary discussion, the Tang army did not raise any doubts about the order of the General's Mansion. The army rested on the spot, while the Empress and the Sixth Prince set off with the emperor's coffin.
His Majesty's coffin was simple, but very heavy. It weighed dozens of pine logs and needed several warhorses to pull it. This was the biggest difficulty the Tang army encountered all the way back south.
Now the Northern Military Camp was responsible for resisting the Golden Tribe Royal Court, so it was naturally a bit chaotic. The Tang army guarding around the General's Mansion looked anxious. However, when the carriage carrying the pine coffin came from outside the city, soldiers and ordinary people all knelt on the ground, looking sad.
Not many people noticed that Ning Que was sitting in the carriage beside the pine coffin.
Several warhorses pulled the heavy gray coffin slowly on the street. The wheels rolled on the hard stone ground, making a monotonous and frightening sound.
Suddenly there were several shouts on the street.
"Kill the Demon Empress!"
"Wash away the shame for His Majesty!"
The shouts shook the sky. A Tang general led hundreds of cavalrymen, rushing from the street, their podaos shining.
In the carriage in front, the Empress held the Sixth Prince in her arms, looking calm. Ning Que sat beside the pine coffin with his head slightly lowered, looking calm, as if he heard nothing.
…
…
(At the beginning of the book, when Ning Que left the City of Wei, he left three sentences for General Ma Shixiang. They are the three sentences mentioned in this chapter.) (To be continued.) If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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