The Supporting Female Character Enters the Game, the Crazy Crown Prince Slowly Falls Deeply in Love - Chapter 67

Five years ago.

The wind in Shuobei rolled up yellow sand, making it hard to keep one’s eyes open.

When the soldier entered, Xie Yunian happened to be in his father’s military tent.

“General, Hetu County has lit the beacon tower!”

The Chengbo Marquis was shocked and stood up from his chair. “Are enemy troops invading?”

Hetu County was only a hundred li from his father’s military camp. At a swift gallop, they could arrive within a single day.

Seeing his father grab the armor hanging in the tent, Xie Yunian quickly stood up, gripping the long sword at his waist. “Father, I will go with you!”

“General, you must not!”

Deputy General Li strode forward, blocking the Chengbo Marquis, his expression solemn. “Without a military order, you may not leave the garrison! Wait… wait a little longer.”

“General Qi is in Hetu; he surely won’t let the enemy succeed.”

The Chengbo Marquis frowned tightly. “Qi Zhan does not have many men. I fear he won’t be able to hold out for long!”

Qi Zhan was the commander stationed in Hetu County.

Seeing the Chengbo Marquis continue to walk forward, Deputy General Li blocked him directly. “General! Military orders are like mountains!”

Right now, both the Regent King and His Majesty hoped for the General to make a mistake so they could quickly reclaim his military authority.

Perhaps at that time… it would be more than just reclaiming military authority.

“I’ll go!”

Xie Yunian, at fifteen, was at the age of hot-blooded valor. How could he endure such frustration?

The enemy troops were at the city gates, and they were expected to wait here for a military order?

By the time the news reached the capital and the court dispatched troops, it would take at least ten days.

However, he also understood that his father held a high position and was greatly feared. One wrong step could lead to an abyss of ruin.

Xie Yunian pondered for a moment and said, “Father, I hold no military post. I will take a company of men to help Uncle Yan hold the fort first. When you receive news from the capital, you can come and reinforce us.”

Hearing this, the Chengbo Marquis looked deeply at his son.

That look—Xie Yunian only understood its meaning much later.

In the pitch-black night, not a single lamp was lit in the study.

The moonlight outside the window was obscured by thick clouds, with only sporadic light filtering in.

Xie Yunian leaned against the back of the chair, his eyes closed, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing a string of bodhi beads.

His brows carried a hint of fatigue.

At that time, he galloped fiercely, leading his men all the way to Hetu County, but the situation was far more severe than he had imagined.

Many parts of the city wall had collapsed, thick smoke billowed from the beacon tower, and blood had already stained the ground outside the city gate. A heavy smell of blood pervaded the air.

Uncle Qi told him that the defense map for Hetu had been lost.

Xie Yunian’s heart immediately sank.

With the defense map gone, the entire layout of Hetu County was known to the enemy.

They held out for five days.

He led three hundred light cavalry, carving a bloody path through the snowy night.

It wasn’t until the sixth day that the Chengbo Marquis arrived with reinforcements.

Corpses were piled like mountains beneath the city walls, and less than one in ten of the city’s inhabitants remained.

After driving off the enemy, they did not have much time for cleanup because people from the capital arrived.

Xie Yunian’s fingers tightened slightly, the edges of the bodhi beads digging painfully into his palm.

He lowered his head, looking at the prayer beads in his hand, a hint of mockery playing on his lips.

What awaited him was not the Emperor’s commendation, but an Imperial Decree ordering him to enter the capital as a hostage.

When the eunuch carrying the decree stepped onto the sand, he was standing before Uncle Qi’s gravestone. Hetu was like a fresh wound, yet it had barely caused a ripple in the capital.

The gilt handwriting on the Imperial Decree gleamed coldly under the sunlight. Xie Yunian watched his father’s hands clench into fists at his side, veins bulging.

“We request that the Young General enter the capital immediately.”

The eunuch’s shrill voice grated painfully against his eardrums.

The night deepened, and only a dim oil lamp was lit in the military tent.

The Chengbo Marquis sat opposite Xie Yunian, his voice hoarse. “It is good that you return to the capital. Spend more time with your mother; she is lonely living alone in the capital.”

Xie Yunian’s lips curved into a sneer. “Keeping Mother in the capital initially was to constrain you. Now that I am older, calling me back, too, is merely because they fear your influence and take us, mother and son, as hostages.”

The Chengbo Marquis’s expression changed slightly. “You must not speak such careless words!”

“Careless words?” Xie Yunian laughed coldly. He placed the teacup heavily on the table, emitting a dull thud.

“How many died in the Battle of Hetu? Do they care? The Emperor does not trust you, nor does he trust me. He fears the Xie family’s military authority, he fears the Xie family’s reputation, and he fears the Xie family will one day threaten his throne!”

“The New Emperor (Xin Di) has just ascended, and the major affairs of the court are still controlled by the Regent King,” the Chengbo Marquis’s voice was weary. “Though the capital is a cage, at least it can keep you safe.”

“The capital is unlike the frontier. After you return, you must be extremely cautious in your words and actions, and not act rashly.”

The night wind blew in from the window, bringing a chill.

Xie Yunian slowly opened his eyes.

He knew that in the eyes of those in power, he was merely a chess piece, pushed onto this chessboard.

But until the last moment, who the true chess player was remained uncertain.

The decree canceling this year’s selection of imperial consorts came down quickly, but comparatively, another matter garnered more attention.

“Miss,” Chunlan peered in from outside. “It’s getting late; we should be leaving.”

The Eldest Young Miss is already waiting outside the manor gate; they are only waiting for their Young Miss.

Jiang Yao sighed, dragging her feet as she walked out.

This Empress Dowager (Taihou) truly won’t give up. The Emperor has already canceled the selection, so why is she still struggling?

She insists on hosting this Autumn Banquet, inviting young ladies from various families to gather in the Imperial Garden.

Isn’t this just a matchmaking event?

And one with a script.

The Empress Dowager wants to fill the Emperor’s harem, but still has to go through the motions, dragging them along as mere decorations.

Forget it, I’ll just consider it a one-day tour of the ancient imperial palace.

“Zhen’er has already left ahead of us,” Jiang Ying commented, seeing her attire today, and complimented her with a smile. “That scarf you are wearing is rather lovely.”

The snow-white, fluffy fur made her face appear even smaller and more delicate.

Jiang Yao abruptly stifled a yawn she had half-finished and gave a dry laugh. “Is, is that so…”

Her clothes were usually put together by Xiachen. Since it was a bit cold today, Xiachen had brought out this scarf.

She had gotten up too quickly and hadn’t looked closely at all.

“Was it a gift from Young Master Xie?” Jiang Ying chuckled softly, as if she had figured something out.

“Mm…” Jiang Yao nodded.

Jiang Ying suddenly remembered something and asked, “Young Master Xie’s birthday is in a few days. What are you planning to give him?”

Hearing this, Jiang Yao was momentarily stunned.

Xie Yunian was having a birthday?

Her eyes darted away, and she replied in a low voice, “I haven’t decided yet…”

Seeing her shyness, Jiang Ying couldn’t help but cover her mouth with a light laugh, a hint of teasing in her eyes. “Then you must think carefully.”

Jiang Yao lowered her head.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t really given Xie Yunian anything.

This time… let it be a return gift for the rabbit fur scarf.