On the third day from the end …
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…
It was raining in Jingdou of the Qing Kingdom. It was snowing in Nanjing. Light snow drifted gracefully and slowly through the air, filling the air with the coldness between heaven and earth. However, it still dropped the temperature to a level that humans detested.
On the majestic city walls of Nanjing, the General of the Nanjing Military Department, Shang Shanpo, who was responsible for Northern Qi's southern defense line, looked at the plains to the southwest with an indifferent expression. There was no snow on the plains. One could still see the hibernating black fertile soil. His gaze pierced through the layers of wind and snow and landed on the solemn Qing military camp that had lasted for decades.
The flags there fluttered in the wind and snow. The endless blackness stopped silently in the wind and snow. It was like a temporarily resting beast that could leap toward Nanjing at any moment.
The Qing Kingdom's Yanjing Camp and Northern Camp had attacked with all their might. During this period of time, they had successively broken through three defense lines laid down by the Northern Qi army. Like a prairie fire, they headed straight North. Along the way, they had killed countless Northern Qi soldiers. They were now 20 li in front of the Nanjing defense line and were resting and reorganizing.
It looked like the bloodiest and cruelest siege battle between two large countries was about to erupt at the foot of Nanjing. Shang Shanpo couldn't resist narrowing his eyes. His palm gently stroked the scabbard at his side. He looked at his subordinates moving quickly like ants around him, preparing to defend the city in the icy weather. He sensed the tense and panicked atmosphere that filled the city and couldn't help but sigh.
More than 100,000 Qing Iron Riders were already pressing in. How long could the most important city in the South of the Qi Kingdom under him hold out?
Shang Shanpo shook his head and sent out a number of military orders to his subordinate officers. He then turned and descended the city walls to the temporary frontline tent that had been set up below the city walls.
This tent was remote and quiet. It was personally guarded by his trusted soldiers outside. He did not have to worry about anyone getting close. Once he entered the tent, Shang Shanpo looked at the man wearing commoner's clothing but was still powerful without anger. Very straightforwardly, he knelt down on one knee and said in a low voice, "Father, it looks like Wang Zhikun has lost his courage after the ambush a few days ago. He probably won't attack the city within three days."
Everyone in the world thought that the pillar of the Northern Qi military, Commander Shang Shanhu, who the Qing Kingdom feared the most, should still be in the city of the Song Kingdom between the waist of the Qing army. Who would have thought that just as the battle in Nanjing was about to break out, this valiant general would come to Nanjing alone without anyone noticing?
Shang Shanhu's black silkworm eyebrows twitched slightly. A moment later, he said in a low voice, "Although Wang Zhikun's marching is a bit conservative, he is not a coward. Otherwise, why would the Qing Emperor let him lead the Yanjing army for a dozen years? The harassment these days looks like my army has taken advantage. In reality, he is like a turtle. He has not been lured out of any troops at all."
Shang Shanpo listened to his father's buzzing voice echoing through the tent. A glimmer of admiration appeared in his eyes as he looked at his father. His father had secretly returned to Nanjing for some time. He had to prepare to welcome the great battle that was about to arrive. If his father had not secretly moved troops like a god and used the three lines of defense to cut through, it would have been impossible for the Qing Iron Riders to take so long to reach Nanjing.
"Wang Zhikun is truly shameless to the extreme. They clearly have the advantage in military power and are at their peak. Yet, they put on a defensive posture on the plains." Thinking of this, Shang Shanpo couldn't help but curse out loud.
"They don't seek to be meritorious but to not make mistakes. This is where Wang Zhikun's power lies. The Qing Kingdom." Shang Shanhu suddenly pulled back his gaze from the map and looked outside the tent. He sighed and said, "They have many soldiers and many generals. I can't take advantage of them."
A glimmer of exhaustion suddenly appeared on the face of this famous Northern Qi general. He had returned to Nanjing from the Song Kingdom because he was truly worried about the defenses here. Once the Qing Iron Riders actually broke through the Nanjing defense line, the center of the Northern Qi court would directly face the flames of war from the South. The court would have to fall into chaos.
Shang Shanhu had used a plan to split himself. The Qing Iron Riders still thought he was still in the Song Kingdom's capital and were probably extremely worried. However, he was secretly in Nanjing presiding over this line of defense. There was only one Shang Shanhu. Using this method, he was able to display more effect than just one Shang Shanhu.
Faced with the Qing Kingdom's strict military discipline, excellent military equipment, and unusually valiant soldiers of over 100,000, no matter how skilled Shang Shanhu was at using troops, it was impossible for him to feel relaxed, particularly since this was not a field battle. It was a head-on collision between two large countries on the Nanjing defense line. In the end, it was still a battle of national strength and vigor.
Shang Shanhu was not afraid of Wang Zhikun. He understood his counterpart in the South too well, so he was not afraid. These years, he had presided over the Northern Qi military in the South. He had always kept his gaze focused on the Royal Palace in the distant Jingdou. He had always thought he understood the Qing Emperor's military thinking. If the Qing Kingdom truly wanted to carry out a Northern expedition, then, according to theory, they would have to gather all the power of the entire country to attack the North. They would have to gather at least three Roads of troops and forcefully push forward with an unstoppable force.
However, there were only two Roads of border troops outside Nanjing. The Qing Emperor's boldness did not seem to be as powerful as he had imagined. Shang Shanhu narrowed his eyes slightly. His heart was heavy with worry. He thought to himself, What exactly is the ruler of the South thinking? Is there some trick that I haven't seen through? Would he still be able to defend this country?
As a general, the most important thing was confidence. In front of the Qing Kingdom's powerful military, Shang Shanhu did not have the confidence to fight and win. He believed that he could stop the Qing Kingdom's Northern expedition for a period of time, but for how long?
A kind of exhaustion took hold of Shang Shanhu's heart. He suddenly thought of the secret edict the Emperor had sent a few days ago. He had heard that Fan Xian of the Qing Kingdom had already returned from the Temple and should be in Jingdou by now. Was the fate of the Qi Kingdom going to be entrusted to the Qing Emperor's illegitimate child? Would Fan Xian kill the Qing Emperor? Could it kill the Qing Emperor?
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While Shang Shanhu was watching the Qing army camp dozens of li away from inside Nanjing, the Qing Kingdom's military camp had already been set up. In the wind and snow, Commander Wang Zhikun was also using a cold gaze to look at the large city in the distance. As long as they broke through that city, the Qing army's most powerful riders would be able to kill their way into the heart of Northern Qi. At that time, they would sweep away everything. Although they would still have to face the two lines of defense in front of Shangjing, presumably it would be much easier to fight than it was now.
While they were attacking Nanjing, they had to defend against Shang Shanhu in the city of the Song Kingdom behind them. Although the Qing army's offensive was steady, it lacked the heroic aura of when they were expanding the borders.
"When will Shi Fei arrive?" Wang Zhikun asked. A deputy general beside him replied without hesitation, "The general should arrive in four days."
Wang Zhikun nodded his head with some relief. At the beginning of the Northern expedition, the Emperor had already drawn up all of the plans. Although, like Shang Shanhu in the distant Nanjing, Wang Zhikun sometimes felt that the Emperor's boldness this time was not as great as it was in the past, his confidence in the Emperor had never weakened.
The Emperor wanted to send Shi Fei to take over control of the wild army in the Northern camp. This did not make Wang Zhikun feel any negative feelings. He did not mind others stealing his credit. He also did not think that the Emperor did not trust him because Shi Fei had been his deputy general in the past.
Furthermore, the Northern expedition was a war to unify the world. No general dared to hope that they could accomplish such a great feat with their own strength.
Wang Zhikun occasionally thought that at least he was better than Commander Ye. Commander Ye's current status was too noble. He could only give orders from the Bureau of Military Affairs in Jingdou and was unable to personally lead troops like him.
How many years had he prepared? Wang Zhikun stood at the entrance of the tent and allowed the snowflakes to fall on his armor. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the distant city of Nanjing. Thinking that his feet were actually already standing on Northern Qi territory, a boundless heroic feeling suddenly rose in his heart.
He had guarded Yanjing for the Emperor for over a dozen years just for this day. The majestic picture was in front of his eyes. How could there be any regret in life?
Suddenly, a glimmer of coldness flashed through Wang Zhikun's eyes. His body trembled slightly. Although it was freezing cold, there were no problems with the Qing army's logistics and aura. However, there was always a strong sense of unease in his heart. Sir Fan junior had returned to Jingdou. Would the Emperor be well?
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The Northern Qi Royal Palace was built against the mountain. There was a mountain stream on the mountain. The stream flowed along the mountain path until it formed a clear pool at the very bottom. Beside the pool were stones. The clear water in the pool flowed out of the Palace through a purposely opened gap.
The Northern Qi Emperor wore a large cloak with a dragon robe underneath. His eyebrows were raised slightly like swords, and his lips were tightly pressed together. Just like this, he sat by the gap in the pool and was silent for a long time without saying a word.
Haitang stood by his side with her back to him. Her gaze followed the clear water flowing out of the pool until it reached outside the beautiful Royal Palace and the river that slowly flowed through Shangjing in winter.
Before the Dong Mountain incident, Master Ku He had talked with the empress dowager in this pool and decided on some things before floating away. In the end, he returned dispiritedly and died of old age. He had lost to the Qing Emperor.
Presently, the Northern Qi court was once again facing the threat of the powerful ruler in the South. However, this time, the threat was more real and direct. Countless Qing Iron Riders had already stepped onto the road to invade the North. No one knew when they would destroy this ancient capital and set this beautiful black Royal Palace on fire.
"I cannot put all my hopes on him." The Northern Qi Emperor's sword-like brows were slightly flat. His expression was slightly light. Slowly, he said, "Although I believe there is an irreconcilable hatred between him and the Qing Emperor, the Qing Emperor is, after all, his father. As for Fan Xian's fickle and naive emotions, I probably understand them better than many people."
"Most importantly, according to my aunt disciple, that blind Great Master has already become an idiot." The Northern Qi Emperor lowered his head and looked at his slightly distorted face in the water. Suddenly, he felt that the coldness between heaven and earth had become an unprecedented burden, pressing down on him until he almost couldn't breathe. With slight disappointment, he said, "If that is truly the case, then who can kill that ruler in the Qing Royal Palace?"
"Everyone knows of the Qing people's ambitions. I have prepared for this for many years. Only when the battle began did I realize that I had still underestimated the valiance of the Qing army." The Northern Qi Emperor raised his face. A glimmer of determination flashed through his eyes. "It is only two Roadside armies, yet they can kill their way to Nanjing. If the Qing Emperor truly brought the entire country to attack, even Shang Shanhu would not be able to hold out for long."
"If General Shang Shanhu cannot hold out, what does Your Majesty plan to do?" Haitang slowly turned around and asked calmly.
"Use the power of the entire country to fight," the Northern Qi Emperor replied with a slight smile. He didn't think at all. "In the end, this world is my world. Even if jade is to shatter, it will shatter in my hands. I have never had any thoughts of admitting defeat."
Haitang didn't say anything else. She only looked calmly out of the Palace and toward the south with her hands gently pressed together.
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In the territory controlled by Dongyi, at the border between the Song Kingdom and the Liang Kingdom, the land was blown by the sea breeze. It had warmer and more humid weather than Shangjing and Jingdou. The trees in the mountains still retained a rare green color. Who would have known that after crossing the mountain ridge in front of them, passing through the Song Kingdom, and passing through that small provincial city, they would come to a harsh and snowy land?
That snowy land was where the Qing Kingdom had sent out its troops. After Northern Qi retreated and firmly defended it, countless people had fought and died.
The Great Prince of the Qing Kingdom, who had rebelled against the Qing court alone and had been silent in the world for over a year, was now in the mountains that were as warm as spring. He stared straight at the sky and imagined the harsh wind and snow.
Behind him were over 10,000 loyal subordinates. There was a black line in the mountains. It was the 4,000 Black Knights that Fan Xian had given him. However, Jing Ge led these Black Knights and did not seem to be willing to listen to him.
If Thirteenth Wang had not returned to Dongyi and brought Jing Ge Fan Xian's personally written military order, the Great Prince would not have been able to do anything to him.
The Great Prince pulled back his gaze and glanced at Thirteenth Wang beside him. There was not a trace of emotion on his heroic face. Although the number of soldiers he led was not large, it was the most powerful force that Dongyi relied on. If they joined the battle between the two countries, particularly if they fought their way out of the Song Kingdom that Shang Shanhu had miraculously taken last year, they would probably bring results that would shock the world.
However, Fan Xian did not request or beg him to do this. Fan Xian only gave all of his power to his big brother. Then, through Thirteenth Wang's mouth, he told him his analysis of the situation in the world. After that, he said nothing more.
The Great Prince kicked his horse lightly. With a silent expression, he led the ten thousand elite soldiers toward the northwest. After a few breaths, the four thousand Black Knights above the mountains also began to move with an eternally unchanging somberness and the aura of the netherworld.
Immediately silent, he knew very well why Fan Xian did not have any specific words for him. He was the same as Fan Xian. Although they both had Dongyi blood, they were, after all, Qing people. Most of these 14,000 powerful elite soldiers were also Qing people.
If the Qing Kingdom was on a Northern expedition, were they going to betray the court and strike back? Probably no one would do such a thing. Although these people were all exiled and had no loyalty to the Emperor, betraying the monarch and treason were, in the end, two different concepts.
However, Dongyi could not just watch as the Qing Emperor broke apart Northern Qi in one go. If that happened, Dongyi would become the powerful Qing army's second target. In name, Dongyi already belonged to the Qing Kingdom. Under Fan Xian and the Great Prince's power, the Qing court could not control this place. Once there was an opportunity to mobilize troops and truly conquer, the Qing court would not pass up the opportunity.
At that time, Dongyi would be destroyed, and the Great Prince would only have death awaiting him. From the moment Chen Pingping died, the Great Prince had already mentally prepared himself for this. Now that he knew what Fan Xian was preparing to do in Jingdou, the Great Prince's heart still couldn't suppress the darkness.
Regardless of whether Fan Xian won or lost, his mood would still be dark because that person was his father. His mother was still in the Qing Royal Palace, and his wife and concubines were still in Jingdou.
The Great Prince slowly raised his head and looked in the direction of Jingdou. For a moment, he sighed. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he was silent for a long time without saying a word.
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The great battle had already begun. The Shuraba had already been laid out. Bones were buried in the road, blood and flesh splattered on the wilderness, and crows cried strangely in the wind and snow. Endless severity and danger enveloped the entire world. It was like a shadow that could not be moved away, covering the sky above the heads of millions of common people.
Amidst such a tense situation, many people's gazes, including the valiant generals on the battlefield, the supreme Emperor, and the solitary unfilial son, were actually all focused on Jingdou. They knew that the true victory or defeat, the direction of the world, was still in the Qing Kingdom's Jingdou, between the father and son who were particularly cruel and merciless to others.
Just as the Qing Emperor had once said to Ye Wan, the life and death survival between him and Fan Xian was the true point of the game. However, this situation was not something a person could set up. Rather, it was the result of decades of karma and fate. In the process of this formation, the Emperor himself, the dead woman, Chen Pingping in the autumn rain, and even Fan Xian himself had all added fuel to the fire. Thus, in the end, there was no solution to this situation and it became a dead end.
Only a sword could cut the knot. Only life and death could release it.
In Jingdou, watched by countless eyes, the common people did not feel much of the stench of blood on the front lines. They didn't even know about the shocking event happening in the Imperial Palace. Their emotions were calm as they passed their days as usual, other than the common people at the crossroads of the Tianhe, who were crying endlessly.
In the scholar's manor, Hu the Scholar could not hear these cries, but he knew at the first instant what had happened in the Royal Palace. It was not a day for the court conference, but he still had enough spies and ranks, so he was immediately dumbfounded.
A year ago, all of the officials of the He faction had been killed by Fan Xian and the Overwatch Council. During this year, Hu the Scholar led the Hall of Governmental Affairs, as well as the three temples, three schools, and six ministries. He managed the Qing court in good order. Even when the Emperor was heavily injured and could not attend to matters, this scholar remained calm and indifferent. His expression did not change even when Dong Mountain collapsed in front of him. He effectively maintained the peace of the Qing Kingdom.
However, when he learned of this news, all of Hu the Scholar's calmness immediately collapsed. He had not put on face cream, so the wrinkles on his face appeared particularly deep. Standing in a daze in the garden of the scholar's manor, he appeared particularly old. He prayed that the heavens would not bring any misfortune to the Qing Kingdom.
In a simple and crude private residence in another poor place in Jingdou, the previous Jingdou magistrate, Sun Jingxiu, who had been released from prison a long time ago, was coughing and drinking medicine with the support of his daughter, the young lady of the Sun family. He had been tormented in prison to the point of almost dying. If it were not for a few madams in the Fan manor secretly taking care of him, this stern Jingdou magistrate would probably have died long ago. However, the Sun family had long declined. Other than three generations of the family, all of the servants had left. The concubine had also escaped. Their days were truly unbearable.
Sun Pin'er comforted her father in a warm voice. In her heart, she was thinking that she would probably have to go to the Fan manor to thank the princess for the medicine. However, she didn't have any clothes to wear. She also thought, Sir Fan junior was now poor. Was he dead or alive? For a moment, she couldn't help but feel dazed.
In the Fan manor, Lin Wan'er was sitting in the Flower Hall with a serious expression. Sisi sat behind her. Each of them was holding a child. She said to the wife of the Teng family in front of her, "There is no need to escape. However, if the servants in the manor can scatter, then scatter as much as possible."
The wife of the Teng family vaguely guessed something and was unwilling to leave. Lin Wan'er would not force it. Even if these family members of the Fan clan wanted to leave, they would probably not be able to leave cleanly. She only looked in a daze at Fan Liang in her arms.
Last night, Fan Ruoruo had been urgently summoned into the Palace. Recently, there had been no news of the Emperor being unwell. Lin Wan'er immediately guessed something. In particular, since last night, the strange atmosphere that had begun to pervade the capital made her even more confident.
You are still alive. Why don't you go home and have a look? Even if uncle wants to kill you and you want to kill uncle, but … but … were you not willing to let me see you one last time?
As soon as she thought of this, she was overcome with sadness. A few drops of tears fell from her eyes and landed on Fan Liang's puzzled face.
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While Lin Wan'er was helplessly and sorrowfully worried about Fan Xian's life and death, Fan Ruoruo, who had been summoned into the Palace last night, had successfully escaped the watch of the aces of the internal court and disappeared into the depths of the Palace. The Royal Palace was in a mess. For a moment, it was impossible to find her whereabouts. It looked like this girl was not only successful in her studies on Qing Mountain. The training Wu Zhu gave her on that snowy night in the Cang Mountains was far more successful than his teaching of Fan Xian.
She was wearing the clothes of a serving girl, but it gave off a moving feeling. Her clothes fluttered slowly in the light rain. Following the walls of the Palace, she slowly walked in the direction of Taiji Palace. Along the way, she saw the eunuchs and serving girls, whose faces were pale from the sounds of fighting, sneaking in the direction of the rear palace. No one cared who she was or what she was doing there.
Just as she was about to turn into a remote Palace door in Taiji Palace, she saw Eunuch Hong Zhu. It seemed that Hong Zhu had been waiting for her for a long time. The two of them looked at each other calmly.
Fan Ruoruo looked calmly at Hong Zhu. In reality, countless thoughts were running through her mind. She had no idea why a few months ago, this popular chief eunuch had suddenly contacted her in secret.
Hong Zhu left the Palace door with his body bent. He didn't explain anything because he had thought Sir Fan junior was already dead. After thinking for a long time, what little he had hidden in his bones finally allowed him to find the young lady of the Fan family and tell her about his relationship with Fan Xian. Perhaps this eunuch did not want her to guard the secret between him and Fan Xian and wait alone in the depths of the Palace.
Fan Ruoruo knew that her brother was still alive and had snuck into the Royal Palace with the help of this eunuch. This reality made her very happy. Immediately after, her joy turned into deep worry because she knew why her brother had entered the Palace.
She walked to the side of the palace gate and walked to the side of a large copper vat filled with water. Through the palace gate, she could hear the heart-palpitating sounds coming from the palace walls not far away, the sounds of iron drills piercing through armor and bones. The worry between her brows grew even heavier. She knew that even her teacher had come today.
Then, through the crack in the Palace door, she looked at the bright yellow figure in the distance in front of the main hall of Taiji Palace. She pressed her lips together slightly. After a long silence, she finally made up her mind.
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The Emperor held his hands behind his back. His hands gripped the white handkerchief slightly tightly in his sleeves. Only he knew that the white handkerchief was stained with blood like peach blossoms. He had coughed up blood. Was he really going to die?
Eunuch Yao had already been chased away by him. At this moment, there was not a single guard around him. Standing in front of the curtain of rain, he appeared very lonely.
In the light rain in front of him, an even lonelier figure slowly walked over.
Wu Zhu had finally come.
The light rain continued to drip endlessly onto the black cloth on his face. The metal drill he held tightly in his hand continued to drip blood. An aura filled with the scent of blood seeped out from his soaked clothes.
After killing an unknown number of Imperial Soldiers, Wu Zhu finally walked step by step from the direction of the Royal Palace to this place. The usually indestructible metal drill in his hand had pierced through countless tough armors and countless throats. At this moment, the sharp tip of the drill had been ground flat. The body of the drill had begun to bend.
Wu Zhu was not human, but he was also not a god. In the face of the world's elite battle power, wave after wave, under the unscrupulous attacks, he was still injured. On the road down from the Royal Palace, the imperial soldiers wearing heavy armor used their bodies as giant rocks to control the enemy and blocked in front of him. They successfully delayed his steps and injured his body.
The Imperial Soldiers' interception could not be said to not be heroic, but Wu Zhu still managed to kill his way out.
Only, the iron drill in his hand was already useless, his tightly bound black hair had long been disheveled, the cloth clothes on his body had even more holes, the clothes below his waist even more so, for some reason, had been burned into pieces.
What was most frightening was that in the chaotic battle, the blind youth's leg seemed to have been broken by some heavy weapon. It was twisted to the side and back at an angle that did not conform to common sense. It looked like the bone had been twisted into a strange shape. It was impossible for him to walk.
However, Wu Zhu continued to walk. Separated by the layer of black cloth that was about to fall off, he stared at the Qing Emperor below. Using the deformed metal drill in his hand as a walking stick, he dragged his already useless left leg and walked with great difficulty and stubbornly in the rain until he reached the Qing Emperor.
The rain had long lightened and was pattering down. There was still water on the stone tiles in front of Taiji Palace. Wu Zhu's twisted left leg dragged in the rain and made a terrifying sound from the friction.
With each friction, the corners of Wu Zhu's thin lips twitched slightly. Presumably, he also felt pain. However, he had already forgotten the pain. He only walked step by step toward the Qing Emperor in front of the Palace.
The Qing Emperor quietly watched Wu Zhu come closer and closer. Suddenly, he said, "I have finally confirmed that you are not an inanimate object. If you are an inanimate object, how could you have such powerful love and hate?"
The tightly closed Palace doors suddenly opened wide. Ye Zhong, covered in filth, rode on a horse. Leading the remaining Imperial Soldiers and his own family's riders, he rushed toward Taiji Palace. The sound of hooves was like thunder, shaking up the rainwater on the ground and making it tremble.
In an instant, hundreds of Qing elite soldiers once again surrounded Wu Zhu. However, they looked at Wu Zhu, who was surrounded by them, at the man who was already twisted but still standing stubbornly. There was not a trace of joy in them.
Particularly, the dozen or so Qing Temple Ascetic Monks who had suddenly appeared beside the Emperor, the powerful Ascetic Monks wearing straw hats paled and trembled all over when they saw Wu Zhu, particularly when they saw the color of the liquid flowing out of Wu Zhu's wounds.
The blood flowing out of Wu Zhu's body was also hot and red. However, it was golden-red. Gradually fading in the light rain, not many people noticed it. However, the Ascetic Monks wearing straw hats did.
All of the Ascetic Monks seemed to have been struck by lightning. They knelt in the rain in front of Wu Zhu. They were the Qing Emperor's most powerful personal defense. In this moment, they had no choice but to submit in front of this blind cripple.
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