Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law-Chapter 439: The Former Empress Heads North

Luonan.

Outside the palace.

Liang Ji, wearing a golden ornate dress and a five-colored phoenix crown, with a light layer of pale makeup obscuring her expression, gently lifted the curtain of the carriage compartment, gazing at the Music Bureau not far away.

Several beautiful women emerged from the Music Bureau, among whom a woman in a purple dress, holding a pipa, exuded a mature charm that drew the most attention, akin to overshadowing the peony with her singular beauty.

The woman was Xu Ying; this pipa was the only thing she took from the Xu Family after it was ransacked. It was the first pipa her father, Xu Guozhong, spent a fortune on when she learned to play, making it highly significant.

It was also her object of remembrance.

Her power and status were gone, her husband gone, her parents gone, initially forced into slavery and sent to the Music Bureau, contemplating a fate of being ravaged by countless men, Xu Ying had considered hanging herself. But then news came that she was bestowed by the new Emperor to Grand Commandant Chen Mo.

At this moment, she felt a sense of relief.

Indeed, relief.

To think of her as the Prime Minister’s daughter, an Empress by dignity, now bestowed like merchandise to another—it should be an extremely humiliating event. Yet, compared to the life that awaited her in the Music Bureau, being given to Chen Mo was undoubtedly fortunate.

Unless absolutely necessary, no one wants to choose death.

This outcome made Xu Ying want to continue surviving.

The carriage transporting them to Huai State slowly approached.

At this moment, Xu Ying felt an inkling, turned her head to see, only to find a luxurious carriage parked on the street not far away, yet she saw no one.

Xu Ying thought she was mistaken.

Without further thought, carrying some attachment, she took one deep look at Luonan City and boarded the carriage.

Once the carriage left, the curtain of the carriage parked on the street opened slightly.

Liang Ji, upon learning Xu Ying was degraded to a slave and bestowed upon someone else, intended to see this enemy’s daughter and say some harsh words.

Though she had come to terms with many things, certain issues still mattered to her.

The Xu Family being one of them.

But once at the Music Bureau, Liang Ji lost such thoughts.

She even envied Xu Ying a bit.

Of course, not because Xu Ying was given to Chen Mo like merchandise.

But because Xu Ying, a convict, was able to escape the palace’s Sea of Suffering, to fly out of the cage.

Though Chen Mo killed Liang Xuan, seized Ning Wan and Liang Xue, and was considered an enemy to Liang Ji, apart from these points, he was a highly influential figure in the world today, powerful and holding authority, being with him was far better than being the wife of a puppet Emperor.

If one is lucky enough to be given a title by him.

That would truly be...

...

Being the political center of the Great Song Dynasty, Luonan was a mix of various forces and factions internally.

Now, such a significant event occurring in Luonan cannot be kept under wraps, and this news quickly spreads to the surrounding areas.

...

Youzhou.

Bing City.

In this state city of Youzhou, the flag of Jin Xia already flies high, with the stationed military being commanded by a Jin Xia commander, comprising hundreds of Jin Xia soldiers and surrendered Song captains and clerks numbering in the hundreds.

Throughout history, every dynasty lacks not traitors surrendering to foreign tribes.

These Great Song traitors assist Jin Xia, using Bing City as a base to plunder widely, already ruining the nearby villages and hamlets beyond recognition.

In fact, after Jin Xia took Ying City, Bing City received warnings urging citizens to flee.

Yet, the people were unwilling to abandon their homes and lands; for them, their roots were here.

Secondly, they held onto a glimmer of hope, choosing to remain in Bing City and surrounding villages, only to meet great calamity.

An eagle soared over Bing City’s skies, above the numerous ravines, where hamlets emitted thick plumes of smoke, lingering unswervingly.

On the roads, Jin Xia cavalry frequently passed by, behind them tying the staggering Youzhou people, with headless corpses along the roadside, shocking to behold.

The elderly and weak were slain by Jin Xia soldiers, the able-bodied driven to serve as military labor, women became Jin Xia tent prostitutes.

The ones driving these citizens were their own people, the original constables of Bing City’s Government Office.

Wherever Jin Xia soldiers step, such is the outcome.

And the main force of this Jin Xia Eastern Route Army, from Bing City, proceeded straight southward.

Jin Xia had numerous cavalry, not so much armored cavalry, many taking naps on horseback when weary, nibbling dry rations they carried when hungry, each with two war horses, switching rides alternately.

In the dust stirred by thousands of troops and horses, the army moved down the official road, winding ten miles, with Tie Muer’s Jin Xia battle flag standing tall.

Dozens of burly warriors surrounded Tie Muer, with Jin Xia cavalry constantly galloping back and forth, reporting front-line military intelligence and conveying Tie Muer’s orders.

"The Great Song is indeed prosperous; even this province here is more prosperous than our towns," a deputy general said loudly.

Having already quite understood the Great Song, Tie Muer smiled and said: "Great Song citizens know best how to accumulate wealth and survive in narrow circumstances. Look, we’ve killed our way here, yet so many still wish to survive by chance. Actually, what’s wealthy about Youzhou? Compared to Song land further away, it’s worlds apart; when we hit Jiangnan, known as the richest of Great Song, only then will we understand what opulence means."

"By that time, perhaps we may experience the taste of the Yangzhou Thin Horses General Xia Ji spoke of."

"Ha ha ha." Hearing Yangzhou Thin Horses, the generals below laughed lewdly.

"This Great Song truly rotted, remember over four hundred years ago, our ancestors were driven to that cold place by Song Taizu, unable to resist. But now, Song people flee at our sight; at this rate, in less than a month, we can seize the entire Youzhou, within three months, we can directly storm into Qingzhou," Jin Xia commander said.

"Before departing, Khan told us, to conquer Great Song, we must proceed gradually like against Gao Liao, but now it seems, by year’s end, we may well hit Celestial River and capture Emperor Song alive. Ha ha ha."

Youzhou’s weakness had greatly bolstered Tie Muer and his troops’ confidence.

...

In Dongyou Kingdom, royal power is supreme.

But now, the Royal Capital was seized by Wanyan Xiaji, the king captured, and many of the imperial family reduced to prisoners, the entire Dongyou Kingdom military now enslaved by Wanyan Xiaji. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

This allowed Wanyan Xiaji’s army to gradually devour Dongyou Kingdom.

For Wanyan Xiaji.

Negotiation is nowhere near as reassuring as turning it into one’s own territory.

After conquering the Royal Capital, Wanyan Xiaji’s army immediately raked in large quantities of grain and money.

The supplies looted from just the Royal Capital were enough to allow Wanyan Xiaji’s army to proceed in attacking Great Song without needing domestic military stipends.

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