It was already evening, and Emperor Chai Rong ordered the inner palace cavalry to accompany him and prepare to return to Chenzhou first.
The siege that lasted for a whole day gradually eased, and the Zhou army retreated to the outer fortifications like a tide. Occasionally, a fireball flew across the sky, leaving a shining tail of fire like a meteor.
Chai Rong and the others gradually moved away from Shouzhou City, and the noisy crowd gradually faded away. After the sun went down, the night gradually fell. He looked back at the direction of Shouzhou City again. The dark towers stood on the horizon, like a scar in the sky and a pain in the emperor's heart.
The emperor's gaze finally left Shouzhou City. He turned his head, raised his head and sighed. The stars above his head had come out, and the Milky Way covered the entire vast sky. In an instant, Chai Rong was suddenly shocked by this scene. He subconsciously stretched out his hand as if he wanted to touch the miracle of the god.
Mortals, even the highest emperors, cannot control the heavens; but all things on earth should be controlled by the king of the world. Chai Rong felt that a certain area above his head was the Jianghuai Plain, and the brightest stars were Shouhao, Sichu, Chudongdu and Chai Rong was a little absent-minded for a moment, and his fingers gently stroked Shouzhou, Qingliuguan, Chuzhou, Dongdu and Yangtze River in front of his eyes.
He wanted to control all of this, and he wanted all of this in his dreams. In the haze, the golden swords and iron horses broke through the air, and the fierce generals and elite soldiers roared like clouds in the sky. A rush of horses, they flattened Shouzhou, broke through Qingliu Pass and occupied Chuzhou, defeated Jiangdu Prefecture, drank from the Yangtze River, and the mountains and rivers were torn apart. The power surged between the Yangtze River and the Huai River, and thousands of troops swept across, cleansing all those who did not submit to the power of the king.
Chai Rong wanted to surpass all the emperors from ancient times to the present. He not only had to accomplish the great feat of unifying the world like Qin Shi Huang, but also let the people of the world live and work in peace and contentment, and govern the country so that doors are not locked at night and lost items are not stolen on the streets. He wanted to combine the advantages of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Taizong of Tang in one person. The Chinese people for thousands of years will praise his good name year after year, and appreciate the grace and glory he brought to the world that belongs to him alone. He only needs one word to change, create, or destroy anything. He is the king here, and the whole world is his territory.
Chai Rong could no longer wait and closed his eyes, hoping that as soon as he opened them someone would tell him that Huainan had surrendered.
Break through the situation from the middle and reach the Yangtze River; the strategy of dividing first and then sweeping. Chai Rong thought about it again and again and felt that it was right. At this time, he made a decision. Shouzhou could not be captured, but it could not hinder the rapid implementation of the strategy.
Wang Shenqi. Chai Rong reined in his horse.
A general in front of him turned around and got off his horse and knelt on one knee:
Chai Rong held out his hand, and the eunuch beside him hurriedly found a used brush, licked it hastily with his tongue, and placed it in the palm of Chai Rong's hand. Chai Rong asked Wang Shenqi to hold out his left hand, wrote the word Chu on the back of his hand, and said: You don't have to follow me to Chenzhou, rush to Wokou immediately, and order Zhao Kuangyin to receive the order and immediately lead the Iron Cavalry to attack Qingliu Pass and eliminate the enemies outside Chuzhou.
"Your Majesty, I obey your order." Wang Shenqi carefully withdrew his hand and shouted loudly.
Chai Rong continued his journey overnight. He planned to return to the front line as soon as possible after visiting the queen in Chenzhou.
No one could stop the great things in his heart. His wife died, his son died, his daughter died, all of them died tragically, his whole family died, but all this could not make Chai Rong fall into sadness, could not make him give up his ambitions in depression.
He felt that he had been good enough to the queen. She wanted to come on her own, but she fell ill when she arrived in Chenzhou. Who could blame her? And now it was a critical moment at the front. Even at this time, he rushed to see her overnight. He hoped that the queen could understand the emperor's favor to her and what he had done for her, and could return to Tokyo with peace of mind and die in the palace with dignity and honor.
Chai Rong still felt a little sad in his heart, but then he thought: She almost lost her life in Li Shouzhen's house. Now she died as the queen, with the highest honor, so she did not have many regrets in her life.
The whole army was guarding the emperor. Everyone was on horseback, but they dared not run too fast at night, so they slowly marched towards Chenzhou. It was not until the next morning that they arrived in Chenzhou.
Chai Rong did not bother to rest. He knelt before the governor, washed his face, and rushed to the requisitioned residence to see Fu. The imperial doctors and palace maids on duty inside and outside the courtyard had heard that the emperor had arrived, and knelt in a long row at the door to greet him.
Stand up. Chai Rong, still wearing armor, waved his hand and said something before ignoring the group of people and not talking to the imperial physician anymore.
Chai Rong walked straight into the bedroom, and the palace maids knelt down and said in unison: "May the emperor live forever." After a moment, a middle-aged palace woman said softly: "Your Majesty, the emperor has come back from Huainan to see you."
Hmm. I didn't expect Fu to be able to hear and respond. It seemed that she had not yet reached the point of last breath as the eunuch said; but when Chai Rong went forward to take a look, he felt that it was almost the same. Fu's face had become thinner, her skin was dull and bloodless, and it was indeed a sign that she didn't have much time left.
Chai Rong waved his hand and said: Go back.
The middle-aged palace woman hurriedly left the bedroom with a group of serving palace maids.
Fu finally pulled her hand out from under the quilt, and immediately felt a pair of rough hands holding her. These hands felt so strange. Why did they still feel so strange after knowing him for several years? However, her heart immediately warmed up and she was slightly excited.
Chai Rong put his head close to her face and said gently: If you have anything to say, just speak to me slowly.
Fu said: I don’t want to die, please save me, sir.
Chai Rong frowned slightly and said: Queen, if you have any wishes or instructions, please tell me and I will do my best to help you.
Fu opened her eyes slightly and stared blankly at the top. Her eyes were lifeless and she spoke weakly, her voice as small as the sound of a mosquito flapping its wings: "I don't have any wishes, I just don't want to die."
Chai Rong advised: You should be more open-minded.
Fu whispered: It's not you who died, of course you can let it go, but I can't.
Chai Rong was a little angry when he heard it. It is said that when a person is about to die, his words are good. How could she curse me to death? He held back. It was not the right thing to do to get angry at a person who was almost dying.
He no longer asked Fu what her wish was, thinking that she was confused, and went straight to the point: "Don't worry, the Fu family will not be affected in any way, and my favor to Taifu Fu Yanqing will not diminish. I have discussed with the court officials and plan to remarry your sister, so that Taifu and his brothers and sons who are in charge of the army will continue to be trusted as before."
Originally, Chai Rong had good intentions. In this era, family interests were above all else, and he told Fu Shi all this in person to reassure her that even if she was gone, everything the Fu family had acquired would remain the same without any risk.
But Fu Shi felt even more sad after hearing this, and said in a weak voice: So you really planned to marry my sister a long time ago
Chai Rong said: You don't want me to do this
Fu's eyes are dry, otherwise she would be so sad that she would cry. I am so scared, it is so dark ahead. I am only 25 years old, why am I dying? What crime have I committed
Chai Rong said: The Queen is not guilty at all. If she is guilty, I will pardon you.
Fu shook her head and sighed. In the past, Li Shouzhen's family died, and she was the only one alive. Fu Yanqing said that she was guilty and should become a nun to atone for her sins. But Fu never did anything wrong, but God didn't think so. Would he let her die to be satisfied? She was very dissatisfied and unwilling. Her life was so good, she had everything, but there were still many things in life that she hadn't enjoyed enough and hadn't had enough fun.
She murmured intermittently: Your Excellency, have you never cared that I was following the order of the late emperor
Chai Rong was silent. After a while, he suddenly remembered the scene when his most respected adoptive father died, and said thoughtfully: When the late emperor passed away, he told me that with the queen, I could protect the Great Zhou in the future. But Fu Taifu's performance in Jinyang disappointed me. Fu Taifu is old. Or maybe the late emperor had more far-reaching considerations.
Fu suddenly felt like a chess piece. Although she was listless, she could easily think: If the emperor died before her, this was what Emperor Taizu of Zhou was thinking.
Chai Rong added: But things have come to this point, I have no choice but to marry the second daughter of the Fu family as my queen, and I have no choice but to continue to respect the late emperor's will.
Fu whispered: I am me, my sister is my sister
Chai Rong seemed very unhappy after hearing this. He could not help but said: Your sister should be more suitable to be the queen than you. Just go with peace of mind. I will bury you with honor.
Fu said quietly: Didn't the minister say that there would be no funeral
Chai Rong was stunned for a moment, then said coldly: It must be that official who talked too much.
A tear welled up from Fu's dry eyes, slid down the corner of her eye, flowed down her cheek and then disappeared, leaving no trace.
Chai Rong said again: "This country needs a monarch and a queen. You come from a noble family, I thought you understood this. Whether I treat you as my wife or not is not important at all compared to such a big thing. I am not a lustful and incompetent monarch like the Liu family of Lulong. I will not give a woman a noble title just to pamper her. If you don't have any wishes, I will leave."
Fu stopped talking and ignored him. She felt cold in her heart.
Perhaps, after a few years, the country will be prosperous and peaceful, and people will enjoy the joy of prosperity. The king and his ministers will be respected by the people and leave their names in history. What a wonderful prospect. But what does this have to do with me? What about the Huainan War that the officials are anxiously thinking about? What does the victory or defeat have to do with me
When people die, where do they go? Is there a hell? Or do they know nothing once they close their eyes
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