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When the beginning of the twelfth lunar month arrived, it was already snowing heavily in the northern city, but the streets were still bustling with people, full of life in the cold winter lunar month.
Sheng Ling had just returned from picking up the letter. Ever since He Ruoxin left for southern Xinjiang half a month ago, a letter had come back almost every five days. The content of the letters was not much, and they were often simple words about her. Say you are safe and say hello to her.
Sheng Ling himself was not very good at talking. Every time he wrote back, he just told him that everything was fine and asked him to take care of himself.
However, another half month later, Sheng Ling realized in hindsight that He Ruochen had not sent any message for half a month.
At that time, Sheng Ling didn't think much about it. She just thought that the battlefield was dangerous and He Ruochen had no extra time to send her a message.
The day she knew the accident happened, she was taking a nap in the academy. She ordered the people in the dining room to make snacks, and wanted to go into the palace to accompany her father, the emperor, and her mother. But what she didn't expect was that Mrs. He rushed to the princess mansion early in the morning. coming.
Sheng Ling was a little stunned by Mrs. He's sudden arrival, but then quickly asked the housekeeper to invite Mrs. He in.
Mrs. He seemed to have cried when she came. When Shengling saw her eyes were red, she had vague bad thoughts in her heart. She walked over and wanted to help Mrs. He, but Mrs. He knelt down in front of her with red eyes. Come down.
Sheng Ling was dumbfounded and quickly knelt down and helped her, "Madam, what are you doing? Get up quickly."
Mrs. He held her hand and told her, choked with sobs, that the army led by He Ruochen to southern Xinjiang was ambushed by Liang Guo, and his life or death was unknown now.
The battle report came early in the morning, but Sheng Ling didn't pay much attention to what was happening on the battlefield, always thinking that He Ruojin was safe.
So much so that after hearing Mrs. He's words, she was completely stunned, as if she had never thought of this possibility.
She opened her mouth and was stunned for a long time before she realized what Mrs. He said. However, Mrs. He's mood seemed to be much more uncomfortable than hers. Sheng Ling could only steady her mind, comfort Mrs. He and whispered: "Don't If you think about it, he will definitely be fine. I will go into the palace to find my father now, and he will definitely find a solution."
Mrs. He nodded with tears in her eyes, shook Sheng Ling's hand tightly and said, "Princess, you must save Ruo Jin no matter what."
Sheng Ling was also panicking. After all, she had never encountered such a thing before, but because she was in front of Mrs. He, she nodded and repeated: "I will, and he will be fine."
Sheng Ling asked the people from the Princess Mansion to send Mrs. He back to have a good rest, while she went directly into the palace to find her father.
However, after she entered the palace, before anyone could tell her father that she wanted to see him for something, she was stopped by someone from Ziyun Palace, saying that her mother asked her to come there.
Although Sheng Ling was anxious, she didn't know what important matter the queen mother had with her, so she had no choice but to go to Ziyun Palace.
At that time, Ji Xili was sitting on the couch next to the window sill, reading several battle reports. When he heard the footsteps, he raised his head and glanced at Sheng Ling, who came over and looked at her but hesitated to speak. He blinked calmly and put down his hand. The clerk raised his hand to ask her to come over.
Sheng Ling walked over obediently and sat down next to her mother.
Then, his eyes caught a glimpse of several battle reports placed on the desk, and his lips moved slightly.
"Why did Ruojin's incident come about?" Ji Xili asked her calmly.
Sheng Ling hesitated for a moment, nodded honestly, and told her mother about Mrs. He's visit to her.
"My mother originally thought it was just an ordinary war, but after the battle reports came in one after another in the past half month, I realized that the Liang Kingdom had been lurking for two years. This time it was premeditated. Now the southern Xinjiang is more dangerous than you thought. It is difficult to defend, your father has been up for almost two nights because of this matter, and he is still discussing this matter with Prince Sheng and others in the court hall."
When Sheng Ling heard Ji Xili's words, she was stunned for a moment. She probably didn't expect the matter to be so serious. She opened her mouth and asked softly: "Then... will Southern Xinjiang be lost?"
Ji Xili reached out and touched her head, hugged her over and coaxed in a low voice: "Believe in your father, believe in our army in the North, they can do it."
Sheng Ling nodded with red eyes, but was still worried, "Did He Ruochen fall into an ambush by Liang Jun?"
Ji Xili was silent for a while before saying, "Yes."
"So how is he doing now?"
Ji Xili wanted to find an excuse to fool Sheng Ling, but after thinking about it, he told her the truth, "There is no news about him yet, but your father is already discussing something urgently, Ling'er, don't worry too much."
But Sheng Ling was not stupid. She vaguely heard that Ji Xili's words seemed to be revealing a message to her, that He Ruojin was in danger.
Sheng Ling raised her head a little at a loss, looked at Ji Xili blankly and asked: "Mother, if Southern Xinjiang is lost, what will happen...?"
"The southern border is an opening to the north, Ling'er," Ji Xili suddenly looked at Sheng Ling seriously and said, "No matter what, we will never allow the southern border to fall."
Sheng Ling's eyes were red, she bit her lips and nodded vigorously.
She knew that she could not disturb her father now, and she also knew that things on the battlefield were beyond her control. The only thing she knew clearly was that the people of Southern Xinjiang, including the soldiers stationed in Southern Xinjiang, were in dire straits. …
After Sheng Ling came out of the palace, she was in a daze. She couldn't help but send a letter to the inn. She didn't know if He Ruochen could still receive her reply, but other than that, she didn't know what else she could do. What would be good.
In the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve was approaching, and lights and colorful decorations had begun to be decorated everywhere inside and outside the northern city, but she knew that people far away in southern Xinjiang were living in danger...
Shengling waited for a few more days, but did not receive a letter from He Ruoxin. Instead, she received another piece of bad news. This was the news that she personally went to Qingzhi to confirm—
He Ruojin's army was surrounded and suppressed all the way, resulting in numerous casualties.
He Ruochen's life and death are unknown.
She remembered that when Mrs. He came to see her two days ago, she repeatedly assured Mrs. He that Southern Xinjiang would be defended. She said that her father had successively ordered troops from various places to be sent for support. As soon as reinforcements arrived, He Ruojin would be fine.
But Sheng Ling now dared not tell Mrs. He the news.
She was afraid that Mrs. He wouldn't be able to bear it.
But what she never expected was that the next day, the battle reports would come out one after another—
Nanjiang City was lost.
Nanjiang City was captured by the Liang army.
Sheng Ling even forgot to put on her cloak and ran towards the palace in the strong wind and heavy snow. Chen Fei and the others stood guard outside the hall and did not let her in.
Sheng Ling stood waiting outside the hall. The quarrel in the hall was very loud, and she suddenly heard a few harsh words -
The imperial driver personally conquered.
The father said that he wanted to lead the expedition in person.
When the fierce wind blew over, Sheng Ling shivered a little. Her eyelashes trembled, and she looked at Chen Fei almost pleadingly, begging him in a low voice not to tell her father that she was here.
(End of chapter)