"What is this thing?"
"Don't know who dropped it."
"How, how is there blood on it?"
Amidst the crowd of Imperial City citizens, a commotion suddenly arose.
It seemed someone bent down to pick something up from the ground, or perhaps someone impatiently opened it...
The women of the Ji family turned their heads, their eyes filled with suspicion.
Only Ji Ziyan, looking at the object held by the commoners, instinctively reached for her sleeve. Indeed, it was empty.
Ji Ziyan looked again at the object held aloft by the crowd, and her entire body trembled.
That was...
Grandfather's military dispatch!
While commoners were not like the sons of bureaucratic families, who were tutored in their own family schools from childhood, there were not a few literate individuals among them. Now, looking at the characters recorded in blood on the military dispatch, they were all trembling with shock.
Seeing this, onlookers inquired with even more curiosity about what this object was.
By this time, the citizens of the Imperial City had already been inflamed by the refugees from Luoyi, and now, reading every word recorded on the military dispatch, they wished they could announce to the world what had truly happened in Luoyi!
Among them were scholars who were moved to tears by the blood and sorrow on the military dispatch. They snatched the dispatch, and without any hesitation, began to read it aloud in a clear voice.
On the sixth day of the sixth month, our Ji family men, leading hundreds of thousands of soldiers, rushed to Luoyi. Concerned for the suffering of the Luoyi people, we disregarded celebrating Zhaojie'er's birthday. However, our Zhaojie'er has always been sensible and understanding, and would surely not resent her grandfather for prioritizing the many over the few.
On the tenth day of the sixth month, our Ji family men were en route to Luoyi. Unfortunately, the Second Prince suffered a sudden heatstroke, forcing the army to halt and set up camp, delaying us for a full two days. Su Dan Novel Network.
On the twentieth day of the sixth month, the army finally arrived at Luoyi. However, my initial joy was already overshadowed by the dilapidated state of Luoyi. As if to demonstrate their power, the Turks pushed twenty women and children off the city walls before us. The Second Prince, wielding the military seal, demanded a more measured approach, and the Yulin army had no choice but to temporarily de-escalate.
On the first day of the seventh month, we engaged the Turks for the first time. Swords flashed, and blood splattered.
In this engagement, Yulin had the advantage, but the Second Prince, holding the military seal, ordered the army to retreat. The Turks, realizing they could not confront Yulin head-on, occupied the city to delay, attempting to engage Yulin in a war of attrition.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were trapped in the camp, watching helplessly every day as the people of Luoyi were bullied and slaughtered by the Turks without being able to strike back. The soldiers felt shame! The men of the Ji family felt guilt!
On the twenty-second day of the seventh month, the Second Prince finally ordered me to lead the Ji family men to the front lines to engage the Turks in a direct confrontation, while he would lead the remaining army to encircle and support.
The battle raged for five days and five nights. The Turks' assault was fierce but unsuccessful, and the reinforcements led by the Second Prince were long overdue.
The military dispatch ended there, leaving a large expanse of blank space.
The once emerald green bamboo slips had already been dyed a deep brown by blood.
The scholar reading the military dispatch was choked with emotion, tears streaming down his face. With trembling hands, he spread out the remaining bamboo slips and finally, at the very end, saw a few scattered words.
"Days have passed, I know not how many. Blood lies beneath my feet, and limbs lie beside me. The horns of the Turkic attack sound mournfully again. To us, the soldiers defending the front lines, it is like a death knell. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, after days and nights without sleep, are finally exhausted. But as the General protecting Yulin, even in death, I will never abandon my soldiers who swore to follow me!
"Little Zhao, this time, grandfather fears he will not be able to deliver the military dispatch to you. Grandfather has broken his promise, unable to bring your father, nor all the men of the Ji family, back safely. Do not cry, do not shed tears. We Ji family men have iron bones throughout our lives. To live, we must live honorably! To die, we must die for a worthy cause! I only wish that our Ji family men can use their bodies to secure peace for Yulin! I only hope that the people of Yulin can live and work in peace! Thus... my Ji family will not have failed in its duty to the court. Thus... I, Ji Zhengyong, will not have failed in the Emperor's trust!"
After the military dispatch was read, every person present was in tears, wishing they could rush forward and tear the culprit limb from limb to vent their hatred!
Because the journey for military campaigns was long, and some soldiers would not return to the city for years, those who led armies in battle would typically write military dispatches to comfort their longing for their families.
However, what should have been a heartwarming item had now become a bloody history recording the tragic deaths of the Ji family men!
What's more!
The culprit not only showed no remorse but also intended to kill the widows of the Ji family.
Such heinous crimes were simply unforgivable!
The women of the Ji family stood stunned on the spot, unaware that the men of the Ji family had died so unjustly.
Ji Zizhao bit her lower lip, her eyes bloodshot, her mouth already filled with blood.
She stared intently at the Second Prince, who was retreating step by step under the angry gaze of the crowd, and suddenly said in a cold voice, "Ji Zibi, go and beat the Welcoming Drum for me! Our Ji family can be killed but not humiliated!"
Grandfather's military dispatch was insignificant compared to the travel scrolls.
However, with the identification by the Luoyi refugees and the accidental discovery by the commoners of the military dispatch, all these coincidences now formed a coherent picture, and the weight of the military dispatch was self-evident.
Even if it truly didn't count as evidence, it was enough to incite the hearts of the people.
Ji Ziyan looked blankly at her elder sister kneeling before her. Thinking back on the whole sequence of events, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
No wonder her elder sister had instructed her to place the military dispatch in her sleeve before they left...
It turned out everything was within her elder sister's calculations!
Xie Jingxi never would have imagined that all the non-evidence, when combined, would force him into such a corner. Seeing Ji Ziyan rise and run towards the Welcoming Drum in front of the Imperial Palace, he roared hoarsely, "Quickly stop her!"
Ji Zizhao turned back at this moment and looked at her second sister, who was gripping her whip, "Go, hit it well. Don't bring shame to the Ji family."
Ji Zixiu, who could no longer kneel, immediately leaped up and landed in front of Ji Zibi. "Go and beat the Welcoming Drum with confidence! Second Sister will escort you!"
As she spoke, she swung her nine-section whip, knocking down all the guards in front of her.
Xie Jingxi looked at the guards, who could no longer stop Ji Zibi. He glared back at Ji Zizhao, his eyes like poisoned darts fixed on her. "You, Ji Zizhao, how dare you stir up trouble in front of the palace gate! I will personally cut you down now!"
As Xie Jingxi spoke, he snatched a broad saber from a nearby guard.
Qingzhu and Lianju simultaneously stepped forward, protecting their young lady behind them.
Qingzhu extended her arms, scanning the surroundings defensively.
Lianju, on the other hand, kicked towards the hand holding the saber.
As princes, they were taught martial arts and combat from a young age. However, the princes in the palace were accustomed to a life of luxury. Apart from the Seventh Prince, who was always competitive, the other princes were merely for show.
Xie Jingxi, unable to withstand Lianju's force, stumbled back several steps, his back hitting the palace wall heavily, causing his entire face to contort in pain.
"Dong... Dong... Dong..."
The heavy and long drumbeats suddenly sounded.
Xie Jingxi's eyes widened in shock. Even the saber in his hand fell to the ground.
It was over...