The Woman Disguised Herself as a Man and Abolished the Prince, Married a Princess and called the Empress - Chapter 18

Late at night, the small border town of Ningyuan was plunged into unprecedented panic. The dense night was torn apart by raging flames, the firelight illuminating half the sky.

Inside the city, cries, screams, and the rumble of collapsing houses intertwined. The cavalry of the Xi Qu people swept in like a storm. Their horses’ hooves struck the bluestone pavement, sending up showers of sparks.

Their blades glinted in the firelight, mercilessly reaping lives. Amid the chaos, a brave man galloped through the smoke and fire. His red horse was exhausted, a mixture of sweat and blood running down its legs.

He paid no mind, heading straight for the Profound Ice Battalion.

After about four hours, he finally delivered the message to a female guard at the Profound Ice Battalion’s gate. He looked at the majestic war banner fluttering in the wind, his eyes gradually losing focus, and he drew his last breath.

Upon receiving the news, Lin Jingmo immediately convened her generals to discuss a strategy. They ultimately decided that she would personally lead 10,000 female soldiers to provide support. Her deputy, Feng Jueying, would remain behind to guard the camp, and the news would be sent via 800-li urgent dispatch to the Empress.

The Xi Qu cavalry was fierce, and in just one night, they occupied Ningyuan Town.

Lin Jingmo led her army to set up camp ninety li outside the town, one day after the Xi Qu forces had taken it.

Inside the command tent, Lin Jingmo sat in the main seat, her brow furrowed.

The enemy was at their doorstep and the situation was critical. The generals’ faces were grim and the atmosphere was tense.

“Everyone, the enemy is strong. How should we respond?” Lin Jingmo finally spoke, her voice low yet clear, with an undertone of unconcealed anxiety.

Xiong Shaoqing stood up, cupped her hands, and said in a crisp voice, “Commander, the Xi Qu’s momentum is strong, and we don’t know their details. Engaging them rashly is too risky. It’s better to wait for the scout’s report before deciding on a countermeasure.”

She knew in her heart that a blind attack without understanding the enemy’s specifics would only put the Profound Ice Battalion in greater danger.

No sooner had she spoken than a report came from outside the tent.

Xu Jing rushed into the tent like a gust of wind. After a quick salute, she reported urgently, “Report! Commander, bad news! Five thousand Xi Qu cavalry led by Elun Gu are well-disciplined and high in morale. They are wantonly slaughtering the townspeople and collecting and burning their corpses!”

Hearing this, Xiong Shaoqing’s anger flared up again. These innocent people had suffered such a calamity.

Bang! Lin Jingmo suddenly slammed her hand down, causing the teacup to shatter on the ground. Tea splashed everywhere.

Her face instantly turned as dark as the night before a storm, and she exuded a chilling aura.

“Go!” she gritted out, the word squeezed from between her teeth. Her gaze swept around like a knife. “Keep a close watch on the Xi Qu’s movements. Get me more information and report back!”

Xu Jing took the order and left.

Xiong Shaoqing’s eyebrows were tightly knit. Her heart burned with rage, almost unable to contain herself, but her reason told her she must calm down.

She slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled. Her face returned to normal.

“Commander, I have a plan,” Xiong Shaoqing said calmly, giving a slight nod.

Lin Jingmo dismissed everyone else and discussed the plan with Xiong Shaoqing for a long time.

A few days later, the Xi Qu attacked again, but thanks to Xiong Shaoqing’s strategy, they gained no advantage and fled in a panic. Xiong Shaoqing felt a sense of relief, seeing that her plan was working.

However, when Lin Jingmo led her troops in pursuit, they were ambushed at Calabash Pass. The situation was extremely urgent. Fortunately, Mo Li sacrificed herself to save them, allowing them to break through the encirclement.

After this battle, the Profound Ice Battalion suffered heavy losses. Lin Jingmo submitted a battle report to the Empress, listing her faults and reflecting on the situation with deep sorrow.

Three days later, the Profound Ice Battalion prepared to launch a full-scale assault the next day. A farewell ceremony was held that evening.

All the soldiers had a cup of wine, but Xiong Shaoqing, due to a wine allergy, drank tea instead. She raised her teacup, looked at the faces of the soldiers around her, and secretly vowed to achieve victory.

The next day, the entire Profound Ice Battalion was deployed. Lin Jingmo fully adopted Xiong Shaoqing’s strategy. When victory seemed to be within their grasp, a strong reinforcement army suddenly appeared.

Xiong Shaoqing volunteered to meet the enemy, leading the new recruits of the Profound Ice Battalion.

On the battlefield, blades flashed, and hooves flew. The sound of fighting shook the heavens. Xiong Shaoqing led the charge, her long spear a whirlwind. The enemy troops fell back in disarray.

The enemy leader, Elun Gu, fled in a panic, and Xiong Shaoqing gave chase.

Peng Yongsen watched Xiong Shaoqing’s retreating figure. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, a movement so small that it would be unnoticeable unless one was specifically looking for it.

Hmph, you think you can take all the credit? she sneered inwardly. A cold glint, like a blade of ice on a winter night, flashed in her eyes.

Xiong Shaoqing chased for about half an hour, getting within half a horse length of Elun Gu.

She used her spear to knock Elun Gu off his horse. Just as she was about to capture him, a sharp, twisting pain shot through her abdomen.

She furrowed her brow, her long spear faltering, and her steps became unsteady.

Xiong Shaoqing thought, This is bad. Could I have been poisoned with a laxative? The pain came in waves, like a tide. She tried to use her internal energy to suppress it, but it was no use.

Elun Gu, who had fallen to the ground, saw what was happening and laughed uproariously, “It seems I’m not destined to die today.”

With a flash, Elun Gu drew his saber and charged. Xiong Shaoqing, enduring the pain, dropped her spear, drew her short sword, and struggled to block him.

Bang! The sword and saber clashed in mid-air with a crisp sound, but her arm was numb from the impact, and she could barely hold her sword.

Xiong Shaoqing felt a chill on her left side. Elun Gu’s saber had cut through her clothes, and blood seeped out, staining her battle gear red.

She grunted, her footing unstable, almost falling to the ground. She immediately covered her wound with her hand, trying to stop the bleeding, but the sharp pain in her abdomen and the sting of the wound made it almost impossible for her to stand.

Her face was ashen, her lips trembled slightly, and her eyes were filled with pain and frustration.

As Elun Gu’s saber came down again, a figure shot forward like a gale.

Huang Yu held her long sword horizontally. Dang! The sound of steel on steel rang out as she blocked Elun Gu’s saber.

Without a backward glance, she stood in front of Xiong Shaoqing, took a pill from her pocket, and offered it to her, saying, “Take this.”

Xiong Shaoqing took it without hesitation. A moment later, the pain subsided slightly, and a hint of color returned to her face.

She slowly looked up and saw Huang Yu moving like a gust of wind around Elun Gu. Her long sword was a blur, each move vicious and unforgiving. With every clang of their blades, brilliant sparks flew.

“Shaoqing, hang in there!” Huang Yu shouted, her voice loud and firm, particularly clear in the clamor of the battlefield. “I’ll take care of this scumbag and get you out of here!”

“Okay,” Xiong Shaoqing managed to say.

As she spoke, Huang Yu finally found an opening in Elun Gu’s defense. She used a lethal move that Xiong Shaoqing had taught her and killed Elun Gu with a single blow.

She then cut off Elun Gu’s head, wrapped it in a cloth, and helped Xiong Shaoqing onto her horse.

The two of them rode at a gallop until they reached a safe place.

Xiong Shaoqing caught her breath and looked up at Huang Yu, her eyes filled with sincerity. “Sister Yu, I couldn’t have made it back without you. Thank you.”

Huang Yu laughed heartily and patted Xiong Shaoqing’s shoulder. “Don’t mention it! We’re like sisters. No need for formalities.”

The corners of Xiong Shaoqing’s mouth turned up slightly before she quickly became serious again, her brow furrowed. “Sister Yu, you need to be careful of Peng Yongsen from now on.”

“Her?” Huang Yu was stunned for a moment. She scratched her head, recalling, “The first time we had a break, she invited me to dinner at the Fragrant Heaven Restaurant. When she talked about you, I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now that I think about it, her words were a bit sour. She must have had it out for you for a while.”

Xiong Shaoqing understood. The tea last night must have been tampered with by Peng Yongsen. Only she, because of her wine allergy, could not drink wine and had to drink tea instead.

Peng Yongsen had known about this since the victory celebration for their sparring match with the veteran soldiers. So she had deliberately tampered with the drinks at last night’s farewell banquet.

It was a shame that she had no evidence, so she couldn’t do anything about it for now.

Xiong Shaoqing explained her suspicions to Huang Yu in detail.

Upon hearing this, Huang Yu was enraged. Her lower lip turned white from clenching her teeth, and she tightly clenched her fists, roaring, “That beast! How dare she do this to you? I will never let her get away with it!”

Xiong Shaoqing raised her hand and patted Huang Yu’s arm, her tone sincere. “Even though ‘thank you’ feels too light, I still have to thank you.”

Huang Yu patted her back, feigning anger. “If you keep being so formal, I’ll be really mad! We have a bond where we’ve faced life and death together.”

The two looked at each other and smiled. Xiong Shaoqing’s eyes were firm. “Peng Yongsen… sooner or later, she will pay for this.”

With the battle won, Lin Jingmo consolidated the female soldiers and led the triumphant army back to camp.

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