Big Moon Ballad

Chapter 2642 Alliance
Has the siege of Luoyang been lifted?

Inside the Ganlu Hall of the Epang Palace, Ji Jiashu, dressed in the imperial ancestral robes, sat to the side of the imperial desk, looking at the battle report delivered to him by express messenger, and breathed a long sigh of relief.

"That's wonderful! As expected of His Majesty's personal command, the campaign was a resounding success!"

A young man stood beside him, speaking excitedly upon hearing this. He was dressed in the uniform of a low-ranking military officer, yet he was able to enter the Ganlu Hall, suggesting a close relationship with Ji Jiashu.

This person was none other than Mu Qi. Ying Baoyue led the main force of the Gui family army, headed by Gui Chen, to the expedition, leaving the elite of the Mu family army to guard the Epang Palace.

“It wasn’t His Majesty who defeated the enemy,” Ji Jiashu stared intently at the battle report in his hand, as if trying to see through every line. “The rebels retreated before His Majesty’s army even arrived.”

"Retreating?"

"Yes, before the army arrived, His Majesty fired more than two hundred arrows with a powerful bow from a hundred miles away, wiping out the enemy army that was besieging General Plum Blossom and breaking their morale. The enemy army retreated before the army arrived."

"So that's how it is... As expected of His Majesty," Mu Qi said, his eyes filled with both shock and admiration.

"Regardless, the siege of Luoyang has been lifted, and His Majesty should be able to return soon, right?" Gui Li, a female official standing to the side, served tea to the two of them, her eyes full of worry. "I wonder if His Majesty was injured."

"Your Majesty is a goddess, so even if she is injured, she will recover quickly," Mu Qi said casually. "But Grand Preceptor, you haven't slept for three days and three nights. Now that the siege of Luoyang has been lifted, you should go and rest."

Ji Jiashu, who was sitting at the desk, did not go to war with the army, but he looked even more haggard than those who went to war, with dark circles under his eyes almost reaching his chin.

“I can’t sleep yet,” Ji Jiashu rubbed his temples. “The enemy’s whereabouts are still unknown. His Majesty speculates that they have gone south. Sending scouts from our side to investigate might be faster.”

"After you've finished arranging all this, you can go to sleep quickly," Gui Li glared at him. "His Majesty asked me to make sure you sleep and eat well before he left."

“She has no right to talk about me,” Ji Jiashu sighed, staring at the number “more than two hundred arrows” on the battle report, his fingers gripping the edge of the bamboo slip tightly.

"Grand Preceptor?" Gui Li noticed his unusual behavior. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Ji Jiashu said, lowering his head and speaking in a barely audible voice.

When will you ever think about taking care of yourself?

"The Imperial Advisor?"

“I’m fine,” Ji Jiashu suddenly raised his head, his expression returning to normal. “I’ll go rest after I’ve finished arranging the scouts. You two can go down first.”

Mu Qi gazed thoughtfully at Ji Jiashu, "Grand Preceptor, do you wish to stay by His Majesty's side?"

Ji Jiashu felt a pang of pain in his heart and gave a bitter smile, "Of course I want to, but I have my own responsibilities."

When Ying Baoyue asked him to stay, he had no objections.

He knew someone had to protect her home front, and he was glad that Ying Baoyue trusted him so much.

but……

Ji Jiashu lowered his head, gazing at the black sacrificial robes he was wearing.

The price of wearing this outfit is that I can no longer stay by her side as freely as I used to.

But he was still willing to wear this black dress for her.

"Have any other battle reports been sent?"

Ji Jiashu looked at Mu Qi, "Have you heard anything from the Western Rong... or from Lord Zhaohua?"

“No,” Mu Qi shook his head.

"Really?" Ji Jiashu gritted his teeth. "Even if he were here, it would be better..."

"he?"

“It’s alright, Mu Qi, go and get the red box on the right side of the desk,” Ji Jiashu said.

Mu Qi immediately tensed up. Over the past few days, he had learned what was in that box: it contained the tokens and keys used to contact the Ji family's spies.

Ji Jiashu's desire for this box meant he intended to utilize the Ji family's intelligence network. Mu Qi held his breath and carefully brought the box over.

……

……

The Former Qin army left two days after entering Luoyang.

Ying Baoyue led his army to stay in Luoyang for a day. After discovering that the enemy showed no signs of returning, Ying Baoyue ordered the army to set off towards Zijing Pass.

Ying Baoyue left the exhausted city of Luoyang with 30,000 shi of grain and 10,000 soldiers.

She originally planned to leave 50,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), but after some discussion with Yelü Hua, she reduced it to 30,000 shi. However, the Northern Wei court still felt that this was too much.

"Do we really need to keep this much?"

Meng Shi saw Ying Baoyue off at the city gate, looking worried. "You are going south to fight. The siege of Luoyang has been lifted, and His Majesty has already transferred grain from other cities in Northern Wei. We don't need so much."

"Luoyang is the most important capital in the north. Although the rebels have left, if the Western Rong army marches south, they will still have to pass through Luoyang."

The Great Wall of Eternal Night has been breached, and Luoyang has become a bulwark for the north.

Ying Baoyue grasped Meng Shi's hand, "You must protect this place."

"Don't worry," Meng Shi nodded through gritted teeth.

She sighed, "If it weren't for my status as a princess, I would have liked to go with you."

“You are already the queen of a nation, what are you talking about?” Ying Baoyue smiled and tapped Meng Shi’s forehead. “The Northern Wei and the Former Qin have formed an alliance, and we will have the opportunity to fight together in the future.”

She didn't waste her day in Luoyang. The entry of the Former Qin army into the city caused a huge uproar in the Northern Wei court. The Northern Wei officials were almost starving to death, but they still argued with great enthusiasm.

Many emaciated old ministers, clinging to their last breaths, refused to allow the Former Qin to interfere in the internal affairs of the Northern Wei. They would rather starve to death than accept the provisions brought by the Former Qin army, and they almost pointed at Yelü Hua's nose and cursed him in the main hall.

In the end, it was Empress Dowager Feng Yan of Northern Wei who stepped in to quell the scathing criticisms of the old ministers.

Under the firm stance of Feng Yan and Yelü Hua, the Former Qin and Northern Wei finally formed a military alliance, barely managing to put an end to the Former Qin's interference in the internal affairs of the Northern Wei.

However, when the alliance was formed, the Empress Dowager of Northern Wei proposed an agreement that left the three young people present dumbfounded.

"By the way, about what the Empress Dowager mentioned..."

Meng Shi looked at Ying Baoyue with a complicated expression, "Are you really going to agree?"

“Even if I agree, it’s just empty talk,” Ying Baoyue laughed. “I’m not married yet, and you’re not pregnant. Don’t you think it’s too far ahead of your mind to arrange a marriage between our children?”

Indeed, when Empress Dowager Feng proposed an alliance between the Former Qin and the Northern Wei, she added an additional condition.

That is, in the future, the Former Qin will send a princess to the Northern Wei to marry the crown prince of the Northern Wei.

“Your mother-in-law is really thinking ahead,” Ying Baoyue said with a wry smile. “What if I don’t have a daughter?”

She didn't even think she would survive, yet someone had already set their sights on her daughter.

"No, you've already..."

Ying Baoyue's gaze swept over Meng Shi, startling her.

"No!" Meng Shi's face flushed red. "Not yet!"

"Let's discuss the marriage after the Northern Wei has a crown prince," Ying Baoyue laughed as she mounted her horse and looked at Li Meiniang, who was standing solemnly beside her.

"let's go."

"Ashi, take care!"