Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

Chapter 143: Making a Decision

An ominous premonition lingered in Zheng Biyu's heart. She tossed and turned, not daring to sleep peacefully. Every day, she sent people to inquire about the news of the front line, fearing that Li Xuanzhen had an accident.

In half a month, the army departed from three roads in succession, attacking Western Shu from three directions.

Southern Chu's officials truly were short-sighted and promised to join hands with Great Wei to attack Western Shu. They soon sent armies along two roads to attack Western Shu's southernmost strategic town by water.

When the two countries suddenly attacked, Western Shu was under pressure to respond. Meng shi had to divide his army to meet the enemy.

With Li Xuanzhen taking the lead, an army of 30,000 soldiers stormed Western Shu's northern border. With irresistible force, fighting formidably, they conquered more than a dozen cities within a month. Chengdu Province was in an emergent situation; one after another, the princes and noblemen in the city had packed up their valuables and fled, and civil strife soon broke out in Western Shu.

Half a month later, the soldiers were at the city walls. In desperation, the king of Western Shu killed his concubines, burned the palace that he personally built, and martyred himself.

Li Xuanzhen was soaked in blood, leading the flying cavalry to cut off the last line of defense of the Western Shu army. After rushing up the cliff, he sheathed his sword and brought his mount to a halt. In a blood-stained military uniform, armor tattered, wounds on his face, he looked at the city burning with raging fires in the distant horizon, his phoenix eyes seeming to flicker with two icy-cold flames.

Qin Fei and the others, hacking and striking all the way, came behind him. Following his line of sight, their hearts suddenly thumped.

The Crown Prince was afraid of fire. This was an unspoken secret among the generals.

A few people looked at each other in dismay. Qin Fei smiled, urged his horse a few steps forward, and said: "Your Highness, it's almost dark. The soldiers have fought for many days and nights. Why don't we set up camp where we are for now? We can enter the city first thing tomorrow morning."

Li Xuanzhen lowered his head and wiped his long sword on his sleeve, rubbing away the sticky blood.

"Pass down the order. Immediately enter the city."

Qin Fei froze. Not daring to ask more questions, he turned back toward the others with a look.

Two days later, the victory report was sent back to Chang'an. Li De was overjoyed, rewarding the three armies. The entire court cried out Long live.

The whole empire celebrated.

Half a month later, Li Xuanzhen returned to the imperial court.

The people of Chang'an were full of smiles, still basking in the joy of the army's victory, looking forward to the Flying Cavalry's early return.

Li Xuanzhen, dressed as an ordinary soldier, walked through the throngs of people and appeared in front of the palace gate.

The guards, recognizing him, were startled.

Li Xuanzhen signaled the guards not to alarm the others and returned to the Eastern Palace.

Zheng Biyu was accompanying the imperial grandson playing cuju in the courtyard.

Li Xuanzhen walked down the corridor. The palace maids and eunuchs saw him and were about to bow, but he waved his hand. They did not dare to utter a word and noiselessly withdrew.

The imperial grandson stood in the corridor kicking the cuju. He did not kick it accurately, and the cuju skittered and rolled far away, stopping right at Li Xuanzhen's feet.

Li Xuanzhen looked at the cuju by his foot, looking somewhat absent-minded.

Zheng Biyu smiled and raised her head. Seeing Li Xuanzhen, she was stunned.

Li Xuanzhen picked up the cuju, walked to his son, and touched his head.

His son was not very close to him. He hadn't seen him for a few months, and Li Xuanzhen was wearing an ordinary soldier's armor, so he was a little afraid to recognize him for a moment, and timidly took two steps back and hid behind Zheng Biyu.

Li Xuanzhen shook his head and laughed.

Zheng Biyu's heart jumped, tremoring. Closing her eyes, she received the cuju handed over by her husband.

Li Xuanzhen looked at her. His lips opened and closed a few times, not knowing what to say. The corner of his mouth tugged, "Yu niang, take care."

Zheng Biyu's eyes reddened in a flash. She smiled, "Dalang, take care."

Being husband and wife for several years, there was no love between them, but there was probably no one in the world who understood each other better than the other.

Zheng Biyu had long seen Li Xuanzhen's intentions; she just couldn't believe it. Now that Li Xuanzhen had conquered Western Shu, stirred up Southern Chu, promoted a group of brave generals, recommended dozens of poor sons, and made proper arrangements for his son, he had done his part. It was time to live for himself.

Many feelings welled up in her heart. There were a thousand words she wanted to say, but in the end, she couldn't say a single word.

Li Xuanzhen smiled at her and turned to leave.

This smile was the first time Zheng Biyu had seen him genuinely smile for as long as she had known him.

She looked at his back and tears fell.