Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 777 The Life-Saving Master! (Six words) [Thank you! Bow again! 16k words owed]

South of Chunmingfang.

Beside the outer wall of the Viscount Li family compound.

"Hey!"

With a bow and arrows on his back and riding on horseback, Gu Tingye pushed himself up onto the courtyard wall with both hands.

After walking a few quick steps along the wall, Gu Tingye caught up with Xu Zaijing, who was walking on the roof tiles.

Looking down at the empty courtyard, Gu Tingye asked, "Fifth Brother, how is the situation?"

Xu Zaijing shook his head in confusion: "There's no one here."

As they talked, the two of them climbed over a roof ridge and stepped onto the covered walkway ridge not far from the eaves.

Walking along the ridge to the middle of the courtyard, Xu Zaijing called out, "Is anyone there? Taotie? Chimei?"

Gu Tingye also called out twice.

The sound echoed in the courtyard, but no one responded.

"That's strange! Where did everyone go?" Xu Zaijing said, puzzled.

"Erlang! Wulang! Let's go! The scouts report that a large number of bandits are approaching from the direction of Baokang Gate!"

He Guan shouted to the two men from the direction they came from, standing on the rooftop.

"Goro, let's go!"

"Ah."

After the two returned to their original spot, dismounted, and mounted their horses, He Guan said, "A large number of bandits are rushing towards us along the streets below the inner city wall. That road is impassable, so we have no choice but to turn back."

Xu Zaijing nodded thoughtfully and said, "Alright!"

"Walk."

With a clatter of hooves, the cavalry charged northward.

Soon everyone returned to the vicinity of the Duke of Anguo's residence.

Pointing to his mother's body and the still overturned flatbed carriage by the roadside, Xu Zaijing said, "Brother He, the seriously injured Pei family boy will need a carriage to leave later. Let's go take a look."

"it is good."

So the group slowed down and arrived at the flatbed carriage.

Then, some cavalrymen dismounted, straightened the flatbed carriage, and inspected the carriage floor and axles.

Seeing the cavalrymen trying to carry away Xiang's mother's body, Xu Zaijing said, "Take this body with you too!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Tingye glanced at the corpse a few more times, then couldn't help but exclaim, "This is... Mother Xiang?"

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Gu Tingye asked in confusion, "How come she's here?"

"Jing-ge'er, who is 'Mother Xiang'?"

Seeing Rong Xian's puzzled look, Xu Zaijing said, "She is the younger sister of the Marquis of Dongchang, the second wife of the fourth branch of the Duke of Anguo, and the personal mother of Aunt Qin, the aunt of Brother Yu."

Rong Xian nodded and said, "Oh! No wonder! But the Tan family is all gone. How could this mother have suffered such a terrible misfortune!"

Xu Zaijing sighed, "Perhaps we were just unlucky and ran into bandits."

As they spoke, some cavalrymen secured flatbed carriages to the back of their mounts.

After the body was properly placed, the horsemen drove the carriage forward.

The group then gathered several remaining cavalrymen near the Huyan and Tan families.

After lifting the unconscious Pei family boy onto the carriage, the group escorted the carriage in the middle and drove away.

After passing through the previously blocked streets, the cavalry who were cleaning up the battlefield hurriedly followed.

Then, the group hurried westward.

When they were still three or four blocks away from the Imperial Street, the scouts who had been exploring ahead came galloping up.

After everyone slowed down, the scout bowed and shouted, "Reporting to Commander He, there are Imperial Guards arrayed two streets ahead! Judging from the banners, they are a unit of the Imperial Guards!"

"Alright!" He Guan nodded and then looked at Xu Zaijing and the others: "The Divine Guard? Does His Majesty intend to return to the palace?"

"Just ask around and you'll find out," Rong Xian said.

"To avoid misjudgment, we must proceed more slowly!" He Guan said.

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Mm!"

Soon, the group arrived at the place the scout had described.

Xu Zaijing looked around and saw that the Imperial Guards guarding the street entrance were in a well-organized and imposing formation.

When they saw Xu Zaijing and his cavalry, the crossbow bolts in the army formation were already vaguely aimed.

Whenever Xu Zaijing and his men made any unusual moves, they were met with a hail of crossbow bolts.

The group stopped their horses and stood still. He Guan then steered his horse towards the front of the army formation.

After the negotiations, He Guan waved to Xu Zaijing and the others.

In the well-ordered military formation, the soldiers orderly made way for a gap just wide enough for one horse to pass through.

At the same time, a military doctor carrying a medicine box ran towards the carriage behind Xu Zaijing and the others.

Xu Zaijing and the others slowly walked towards the military formation.

When Xu Zaijing passed through the army formation,
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

From the direction of the Imperial Street in the distance, the sounds of people shouting "Long live the Emperor!" could be heard.

Reaching the rear of the army formation, Xu Zaijing looked at He Guan and said, "It really is His Majesty returning to the palace after entering the city!"

He Guan nodded: "His Majesty's appearance in the city means that the pillar supporting the sky is still there! After the panic this morning, the people in the city must feel at ease now."

“Brother He is right!” Gu Tingye echoed as he walked past the army formation.

The group slowly rode away on their horses.

After passing through two more military formations, the group finally arrived at the edge of the Imperial Street.

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

The shouts of the people on the street grew louder and louder.

In front of Xu Zaijing and his entourage were the onlookers of Bianjing, and to their right was the direction leading to the imperial palace, where they could also see the shadow of the emperor's entourage.

Through the thick crowd, what passed by were the carriages and horses of various families accompanying the emperor.

In one of the carriages, Madam Wu, who was peeking out from behind the curtain, immediately spotted Xu Zaijing and the others behind the crowd.

Madam Wu smiled and waved to Xu Zaijing and the others. When Xu Zaijing looked over, Madam Wu pointed to the back of her carriage.

Xu Zaijing looked towards the back of Madam Wu's carriage and immediately understood what she meant: in the carriage behind her, An Mei was also lifting the curtain, looking out with worry in her eyes.

Upon seeing Xu Zaijing and the others by the Imperial Street, An Mei's face lit up with a smile, and she waved to him.

"Huh? Why is Sister Anmei in the carriage?" Gu Tingye asked, bewildered.

Starting from Jinmingchi, Xu Zaijing's tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and he looked at Anmei with a surprised yet happy expression as he waved his hand.

The beginning of Shen Shi (after 3 PM)

The sun sets in the west.

Jiying Lane, the Sheng family's residence, the main hall in the backyard.

The Sheng family members, still shaken, sat in the hall upon returning home.

"Mother, your daughter-in-law just heard a cannon blast from the pond, and the little maid at the Xu family's gate..."

"With a loud bang, the building-ship capsized at an angle, and then shouts of killing, screams of agony, and roars came from near the water's surface."

"Oh dear, the pool water has turned red."

"His Majesty, the Empress, and His Highness the Crown Prince have boarded the ship."

"When Commander Song of the Divine Guard arrived and met with His Majesty, he led seven or eight thousand soldiers to take over the city gates and streets along the way." "After the Left Wing Army, which was escorting the Emperor, arrived, the officials followed the Emperor out of Jinming Pond back to the palace, and we families were able to follow back to the city."

"Along the way, the people of the capital shouted 'Long live the Emperor!' whenever they saw the imperial carriage. It was quite a sight!"

On one side of the chair, Wang Ruofu, whose throat was dry from talking, took the drink handed to him by Cui Mama and drank several mouthfuls in a big gulp.

The old lady, sitting on the couch at the head of the table, sighed lightly and said, "Alas! This morning, first someone shouted that the warship had capsized and no one had survived! Then someone else shouted that the Emperor and Empress were safe and sound and that we should be on guard against enemy soldiers!"

"All sorts of rumors, both true and false, keep coming in! It looks like the city is about to descend into chaos! And yet you're all out there!"

"I wanted to go to my relatives' houses to find out information, but they were either in Jinmingchi or had heard similar news."

Fang's mother and Cui's mother nodded repeatedly.

The old lady looked at Minglan beside her, and Changbai and the others below her, and said, "Now that you've returned home and have news of Hong'er, I can finally rest assured!"

Wang Ruofu put down her teacup, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "Mother, I heard that things are really chaotic in the southeast of the capital! There are mutinous soldiers looting, killing, and burning! Luckily, our courtyard isn't there, otherwise..."

"Ah? Murder and arson?" Upon hearing this, the old lady couldn't help but sigh.

"No wonder the neighbors were saying there was black smoke rising from the east. It really is in chaos!" After saying that, the old lady said worriedly, "The Huyan family's residence is over there, isn't it? I wonder how Anmei is doing!"

Wang Ruofu said, "Mother, don't worry! Anmei is fine! She reunited with her cousin-in-law outside the pond this afternoon!"

Upon hearing this, the old lady closed her eyes slightly and nodded: "That's good! That's good! It's good that the children are alright!"

Wang Ruofu: "Mother is right!"

Then, the old lady added, "Listening to what you've said, Madam, today at Jinming Pond was truly fraught with danger and peril! The slightest mistake could have caused a cataclysmic event!"

Everyone in the room nodded and sighed in agreement.

Although Wei Shuyi did not go to Jinmingchi, she felt her heart pound with fear just from listening to Wang Ruofu's account.

Taking advantage of the pause in the conversation, Rulan looked at the old lady and said, "Grandmother, I saw it clearly from the shore. Brother Xu Wu's contribution today was quite significant!"

Minglan nodded in agreement.

Wang Ruofu hurriedly said, "Mother, what Ru'er said is true! Bai'er was on the ship today and said that Jing'er not only repelled the bandits and saved His Majesty, His Majesty, and the Crown Prince, but also went into the water to save many nobles, officials, and fellow graduates!"

Changbai, sitting upright with his hands on his knees, nodded to the old lady who was looking over when he heard his mother's words:

"Yes, Grandmother! Wulang really gave it his all today. Right there in the Linshui Palace, Wulang thought that Sister Xu's husband's family had been attacked by bandits, so he led the cavalry to Chunming Ward to rescue them. I don't know if he has returned home yet."

Wang Ruofu remarked, "Wulang has certainly been very busy today."

As he spoke, Wang Ruofu seemed to have thought of something, and after a glance at Rulan, he looked at her meaningfully.

Seeing Wang Ruofu's expression, the old lady pursed her lips slightly and said, "Just now, Madam said that the Tianwu Army might have been involved in the rebellion! What is the current situation of those rebel soldiers?"

Wang Ruofu shook his head blankly and said, "Mother, I don't know about this daughter-in-law! But my cousin-in-law, Hua'er, or her relatives will definitely tell us if they have any news."

"Furthermore, Ming'er also entered the Linshui Palace today. Perhaps she also saved the Emperor's life! I wonder what reward the royal family will bestow upon her!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room turned to look at Minglan, who was standing next to the old lady.

Rulan looked at Minglan with a mixture of envy and joy in her eyes.

Minglan stole a glance at Wei Shuyi and quickly waved her hand, saying, "Madam, what I did is nothing compared to what Brother Xu and the others did!"

The old lady looked at Minglan with a hint of pride in her eyes and said, "Ming'er, your decision doesn't count!"

“Yes, Grandmother.” Minglan lowered her head.

Changbai bowed slightly to the old lady and said, "Grandmother, Liang Liulang, who rowed the boat to rescue the emperor, said that if it weren't for my sixth sister kicking open the locked dock with her horse, they don't know how much more effort they would have had to put in to get in!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ruofu smiled and said, "Mother, you taught Ming'er how to ride a horse! You deserve some credit for that too."

The old lady shook her head helplessly and said, "Ming'er's mount was a gift from that boy Wulang!"

“Then give another portion to Jing-ge!” Wang Ruofu said with a smile.

These words lightened the atmosphere in the hall considerably.

suddenly,

Wang Ruofu slapped his forehead in annoyance, looked at the bewildered old lady, and said, "Mother, I've only talked about what happened at Jinming Pond! There's one more thing."

As he spoke, Wang Ruofu stood up, walked to the old lady's side, bent down, and whispered a few words to her.

After hearing this, the old lady nodded with a smile and said, "Good! Good! This is really a good thing!"

After sitting back down with a smile, Wang Ruofu glanced at Changbai with a hint of amusement.

The Great Zhou Imperial Palace

Outside Xuande Gate,

Qingyun, frowning as she stood in front of Xu Zaijing, looked in the direction Xu Zaijing was pointing.

Right outside the palace moat, a flatbed carriage covered with a white cloth was parked on the roadside.

"My fourth sister told me everything before I entered the palace! The person who informed her was an old friend of my master's, and also the husband of the deceased Xiang Mama."

"There's still no news of Madam Qin. But given the Tan family's situation, there's probably no chance they'll have a proper burial."

“They kindly warned us, so no matter what, we must protect their relatives and their affairs after death.”

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, Qingyun nodded with great emotion: "Young Master, I understand!"

"Hmm! I don't know when I'll be able to return to the Marquis's residence. You should mention this to your master first, so that he can be prepared."

Qingyun nodded.

At this time,

The eunuch Huai Bao approached with heavily armed imperial guards, bowing and saying, "Fifth Prince, please enter the palace! His Majesty, the Empress, and the Grand Masters are eagerly awaiting your arrival."

"it is good."

Xu Zaijing waved to Qingyun and then turned and walked towards Xuande Gate.

Before entering the palace gate, Xu Zaijing glanced southeast: faint sounds of fighting could be heard coming from there.

On the way,

Xu Zaijing looked at the eunuch beside him and asked, "Lord Huaibao, what is the situation in the capital?"

Huai Bao, walking along, bowed and said in a kind voice, "Reporting to Fifth Master, I heard that the rebel soldiers were stopped by the Imperial Guards before they even reached Panlou Main Street!"

"As soon as the Japanese army and the Dragon Guard arrived, the rebels were driven back in defeat! But the rebels are numerous and are still fleeing towards the outer city in the southeast direction."

"It shouldn't be long before we can drive the enemy soldiers outside the city and annihilate them."

Xu Zaijing nodded repeatedly upon hearing this: "That's good!"

Huai Bao continued, "His Majesty, His Majesty, and His Highness are blessed with great fortune, and it is also thanks to you, Fifth Prince, that the great empire was saved from collapse! Otherwise, those bandit soldiers would probably have already occupied the palace."

As he spoke, Huai Bao led Xu Zaijing to a side hall.

Looking at the splendid robes on the table, Xu Zaijing opened his arms and let Huaibao take off his imperial guard armor.

After washing his face and changing his clothes, Xu Zaijing continued to follow Huaibao toward the rear court.

After receiving thanks from the emperor for his military achievements and from the high-ranking officials, Xu Zaijing also listened in on the current battle situation in the capital.

The most important aspect of this treasonous act was to trap the emperor and key officials in Jinming Pond, thus paralyzing the command of the Three Departments, Six Ministries, and Imperial Guards in the capital.

However, the emperor and his high-ranking officials were not seriously injured.

In less than half a day, the emperor had mobilized the elite troops inside and outside the capital to launch a siege against the Tianwu Army, which had plotted rebellion and joined the traitors.

Moreover, some imperial guards in the Tianwu Army have been misled by the second son of the Tan family and blindly followed the rebels, and they occasionally defect. The current chaos in the capital is no longer a concern.

Then, the emperor frowned and smiled, "Alright! Stop listening, kid! Go to the empress's place now!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After bowing respectfully, Xu Zaijing, led by Huaibao, continued walking towards the Empress.

Upon arriving at the Empress's palace and being informed of the arrival, Xu Zaijing discovered that, in addition to Crown Prince Zhao Fang, Consort Rong and the Second Prince were also sitting beside the Empress.

Upon seeing Xu Zaijing enter the hall, Consort Rong smiled and nodded at him.

Zhao Fang, who was standing to the side, stood up and beckoned, saying with a smile, "Jing-ge'er, come here, I have something to say to you."

(End of this chapter)