Tuoba Xiangtai: The Yellow Springs Path is long, Luan'er, I have come to accompany you

The fallen Xiao Mingzhao still wore a look of astonishment on her jade-like face, but that breathtakingly beautiful countenance still brought a trace of a blissful smile to the lips of her executioner, Tuoba Xiangtai.

"Luan'er, you finally will not leave me."

"I said I would be with you for all eternity."

"The road to the Yellow Springs is long, and the nights in the underworld are dark. Do not be afraid, I am coming to accompany you!"

Tuoba Xiangtai raised the dagger he used to kill Xiao Mingzhao, turned it around, and slashed his own abdomen to commit suicide, immediately collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.

However, in the moment he fell, he suddenly realized that he had not held Luan'er tightly in death, so that they could be an envied, loving couple in the underworld.

At once, using his last breath, he dragged himself toward Xiao Mingzhao. Every movement left a bloody trail, yet his face was covered in an intense, unconcealable happiness.

Just as he was barely half a foot away from Xiao Mingzhao, a large foot viciously kicked him away.

"Get lost!"

"Get lost!"

"You savage barbarian! Even in death you dare to humiliate the Emperor of Yu! Get the hell away!"

Pei Jingzhi's shouts shook the heavens and the earth, his face streaked with an old man's tears. He was merely a civil official with no martial prowess whatsoever, completely unable to stop Tuoba Xiangtai's fierce blade.

As a minister of the Great Yu, whose family had received the dynasty's grace for generations, he had failed to serve his country, forced to watch helplessly as Her Majesty died a bitter death right behind him.

He was unworthy to be a minister!

How could he allow a lowly barbarian like Tuoba Xiangtai to approach Her Majesty's dragon body? Thus, when Tuoba Xiangtai tried to draw near again, he delivered another ruthless kick.

This kick, fueled by Pei Jingzhi's hatred, carried his full strength, sending Tuoba Xiangtai another foot away, further distancing him from Xiao Mingzhao.

With this, Tuoba Xiangtai had no strength left.

His eyes widened as he exerted all his might, but only more blood poured out. His body grew weaker and weaker. Inexplicable, broken sounds escaped his lips, but they too grew fainter and fainter...

Ultimately, carrying his unwillingness, he died full of resentment!

Pei Jingzhi cared nothing for this scene. Right now, he only wanted to save the Empress, Xiao Mingzhao. Feeling what seemed to be a faint pulse on Xiao Mingzhao's arm, he immediately said, "Your Majesty, hold on. You must hold on. This old minister will go find a royal physician for you..."

Pei Jingzhi sprinted out as fast as his legs could carry him.

The inner courtyard of the Imperial Chen Mansion was empty, still looking desolate and uninhabited.

He cursed in anger. As he rushed toward the outer courtyard, the clashing sounds of metal weapons reached his ears. He saw flickering flames, and the shouts of battle grew increasingly fierce.

When he reached the outer courtyard, he saw it had descended into complete chaos.

The border army soldiers, fully clad in armor, had already begun a slaughter of the barbarians within the mansion. Without their horses and forced to fight in haste, these barbarians were practically reduced to easy targets for the border army.

The border soldiers cut them down effortlessly.

In no time, the ground was covered with the dead and wounded.

This bloody scene of blades and gore did not give Pei Jingzhi the slightest pause. He charged fiercely toward someone who looked like a general. Grabbing him as he drew near, he realized it was Ren Tianye's deputy general, Wang Ming.

Wang Ming was holding a sword, fighting like a madman. Bathed in blood, he looked like a demon on the battlefield, but Pei Jingzhi felt no fear whatsoever. Instead, he rejoiced, "General Wang Ming, quick, quick, quick, come with me, come with me..."

"Her Majesty has been assassinated; her life hangs by a thread."

"Quickly, fetch a royal physician, fetch a royal physician..."

"What?" Wang Ming put on a look of great shock. "Her Majesty's life is in peril? That is terrible, we must find a royal physician! However, my lord, the barbarians have not yet been wiped out. If we do not finish killing these barbarians, how can this humble general go find a royal physician?"

"Just wait a moment. Once this humble general finishes killing the barbarians, I will immediately go get a royal physician, I promise without any hesitation."

Pei Jingzhi was furious. "Why are you still killing barbarians?"

"It is Her Majesty whose life hangs by a thread! That is Her Majesty!"

"If you do not go save Her Majesty, what is the point of killing barbarians?"

Wang Ming said weakly, "Aren't the barbarians blocking the way? If I don't kill them, I can't get out!"

"You..."

Pei Jingzhi pointed a trembling finger at him, his anger erupting, yet his mind remained clear. He knew Wang Ming was intentionally stalling. After all, Wang Ming was Ren Tianye's deputy general and was undoubtedly following Ren Tianye's orders.

A wave of regret washed over him.

If Hongxiu had been reliable, this Wang Ming would have been his man by now.

However, he could not afford to dwell on this matter right now. He turned around to find someone else.

But even though his old and frail body moved as fast as it could, grabbing one border army general after another, these generals only cared about killing barbarians. They showed absolutely no concern for Her Majesty.

Pei Jingzhi was also unable to charge out of the chaotic battlefield to find anyone else.

Moreover, Her Majesty might not be able to hold on.

For a moment, his heart burned with anxiety. He felt a monstrous pressure crashing down upon him. So desperate that he no longer cared about anything else, he suddenly screamed, "Generals, I, Pei Jingzhi, beg of you!"

"Save Her Majesty first! Save Her Majesty first!"

His shrill cries sounded exceptionally mournful amidst the slaughter of the battlefield, yet they were still met with total indifference.

With a heavy thud,

Pei Jingzhi fell to his knees.

He kowtowed heavily.

"Generals, I beg all of you!"

"A nation cannot be without its sovereign! Please, save Her Majesty!"

A fierce wind swept up the stench of blood, brushing past the eaves of the Imperial Chen Mansion. The gilded tiles were stained with drops of blood. This ornately carved outer courtyard was littered with corpses and broken blades, overwhelmed by the swarming border army.

But while the border soldiers swung their blades with immense vigor, not a single one of them spared even a glance at Pei Jingzhi.

Pei Jingzhi's heart suddenly sank.

The hearts of the people were scattered, the border army disobeyed royal commands, and Her Majesty's life hung by a thread. Was the vast empire of Great Yu truly going to collapse amidst this sky full of bloody mist?

The shouts of battle gradually ceased. The thousands of barbarians within the mansion were quickly wiped out beneath the blades of the border army. Surrounded by numerous personal guards, a man finally made a leisurely entrance.

Pei Jingzhi looked up and saw that it was none other than the commander-in-chief of the Northern Border Army, Ren Tianye. In the past, Pei Jingzhi wouldn't have given him a second glance, but right now, Pei Jingzhi stumbled and threw himself toward him.

"General... General Ren, save Her Majesty! Her Majesty was wounded by Tuoba Xiangtai's blade and her life is in peril. She needs a royal physician's treatment!"

Ren Tianye's expression instantly changed drastically as he said, "What? That barbarian Tuoba Xiangtai is truly detestable! This general will go chop off his dog head right now!"

"He has already killed himself! General Ren, quickly go save Her Majesty! Quickly summon a royal physician!"

"Of course!" Ren Tianye wore a face full of righteous indignation as he looked at Wang Ming. Understanding his meaning, Wang Ming leaned in close to Ren Tianye and muttered, "It's been almost an hour. By now, her blood should have completely drained."

Ren Tianye nodded, but then his expression suddenly shifted to anger. "Wang Ming, how bold of you! Her Majesty's life is in peril, why haven't you gone to call a royal physician yet? What are you waiting for here?"

"In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, this general must see a royal physician."

"Yes, sir!" Wang Ming understood immediately. He ran out to find a personal guard and relayed the order: "I give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn; the royal physician must arrive by then."

The personal guard, having been trained by Wang Ming, immediately went out and passed the order down the line: "I give you two hours; the royal physician must arrive by then!"

The messenger acknowledged the command and immediately turned to the young man who had just joined their ranks as a messenger, ordering, "You have exactly one day and one night. The imperial physician must be here!"

...