But admiration was admiration, and on the battlefield, there was no room for mercy; it was a life-and-death struggle after all.
Wang Heng gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and with a splash, his blood spilled out, and his body fell to the ground.
The poor Wang Heng never understood what he was fighting for, nor what he had gained, until his death.
With Wang Heng's death, the remaining soldiers and their horses jumped off their steeds, surrendered their weapons, and the battle dissolved into nothingness.
The tens of thousands of troops in Qingniu County were thus resolved in a dramatic fashion.
The speed and ease with which it was resolved far exceeded Xiao Jingyun's expectations.
The dispute in Qingniu City was resolved almost without bloodshed, which greatly pleased Xiao Jingyun.
The next step was to head to Jizhou.
Early the next morning, an order was delivered to Hetou Village. Princess Zhaoning and Liu Rumei were summoned to Qingniu County to attend a meeting.
Capturing Qingniu County overnight still surprised Liu Rumei and Princess Zhaoning.
But no matter what, it was a good thing, so the two tidied up briefly and hurried to Qingniu County.
Chen Xiaobei, along with the villagers, arrived at the Mountain God Temple again in the dawn light. This was the last trip; once the supplies in the temple were transported down, it would be empty.
Chen Xiaobei held a bag of dried meat and dried fruit, pondered for a long time, and finally turned behind the stone statue of the Mountain God.
Behind the statue was a secret door that opened to the statue's belly. It was empty inside. Chen Xiaobei placed the dried meat and dried fruit there and closed the door again. It was always good to keep some in reserve, just in case of an emergency.
Liu Rumei and Princess Zhaoning returned to Qingniu County. The moment Liu Rumei set foot in the county town, she took a deep breath. It was a familiar scent; she couldn't remember how long it had been since she had returned.
This time, she had only brought Liu Ce and others back. As for Liu Tie, he remained in Hetou Village, as Liu Ce was the steward of the Liu Mansion.
After arranging for Liu Ce and others to clean the residence, Liu Rumei hurried to the county yamen to pay her respects to Crown Prince Xiao Jingyun.
Upon seeing Xiao Jingyun, Princess Zhaoning was overjoyed and began to boast of her achievements.
"Imperial Brother, we captured a man named Zhu Ting on the mountain. He is Zhu Meng's disciple, and we also took two thousand soldiers captive."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingyun was ecstatic and couldn't help but slap the table.
"Excellent, wonderful! Shen Qiang said they had about five thousand men on the mountain. This way, half of them have been eliminated, and the pressure on Hetou Village will be reduced!"
"Imperial Brother, this was extremely dangerous. Zhu Ting captured dozens of villagers. If we hadn't arrived in time, Chen Xiaobei would have been in danger too."
Princess Zhaoning, Xiao Jingfeng, recounted the events vividly, focusing on her own bravery and recklessness. Liu Rumei, listening beside her, sighed inwardly. Although Liu Rumei had no desire for credit, she felt that one shouldn't take all the glory for oneself.
Liu Rumei felt a sense of loss, and with that loss came a touch of despondency.
Was it truly meaningful to protect such a Crown Prince and Princess?
Xiao Jingyun, completely oblivious to Liu Rumei's emotional shift, was delighted after hearing his sister's account. "Well done, Jingfeng. You have performed a great service this time. I will certainly request a significant reward for you from Father Emperor when we return."
He then turned to Liu Rumei. "Rumei, I summoned you here today to discuss. The matter in Qingniu City has been resolved, and we must head to Jizhou."
Liu Rumei bowed. "Your Highness, the county town's affairs are settled, but there are still remnants of Zhu Meng's forces on the mountain. I wish to stay and thoroughly clear Qingniu Mountain to prevent the common people from being harassed further, so that you may proceed to the front lines with peace of mind."
Xiao Jingyun was slightly surprised by Liu Rumei's words but then found them reasonable upon reflection.
"You are correct. We must thoroughly clear Qingniu Mountain. You shall stay behind with your men."
"Once you have cleared the area, you may join me in Jizhou."
As they spoke, Prince Liu and Prince Zhao arrived. They greeted Liu Rumei warmly.
"Greetings to both uncles." Liu Rumei appeared even more respectful. After bowing, she stood quietly to the side, not uttering a word.
Xiao Jingyun was skilled at winning people over. He ordered seats to be brought for the two old princes and invited them to sit.
"My lords, our various armies have intercepted the Great Tuguo and Dalin Guo, blocking them about five hundred li away from Wannian City."
"Therefore, we must reach Jizhou as quickly as possible and eliminate Zhu Meng swiftly, lest more complications arise."
Indeed, they were only five hundred li from the capital. If any misstep occurred, the cavalry could reach Wannian City in at most two days, making the situation even more precarious.
Princes Liu and Zhao stood up almost simultaneously. "Your Highness, in that case, we shall depart immediately."
Xiao Jingyun was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily. "I did not expect my esteemed officials to be more impatient than I. Very well, we shall set off after lunch."
Hearing this, Liu Rumei quickly cupped her fists in salute. "Your Highness, then I bid you farewell. I shall return to Hetou Village."
Liu Rumei was anxious to return because she had another matter on her mind. Although she wasn't accompanying Xiao Jingyun, his guard detail needed to be sent back.
Not only the Crown Prince's guards but also some of the three thousand troops needed to return.
After all, there were only over two thousand men on the mountain. Leaving three thousand in Hetou Village seemed like overkill. Based on Liu Rumei's assessment, it would be difficult for the scattered remnants on the mountain to re-form into organized units. Therefore, leaving a thousand men would suffice.
At this moment, Princess Zhaoning, Xiao Jingfeng, returned to her tent and was greeted by a pleasant surprise.
Lotus Cult Leader Tang Lianhua was there, sipping tea with a smile.
Seeing her master, Princess Zhaoning was overjoyed and bowed. "Greetings, Master."
Lotus Cult Leader nodded. "Jingfeng, you've returned. I heard you went to Hetou Village."
Princess Zhaoning recounted her experiences vividly again. After listening, Lotus Cult Leader nodded repeatedly.
"Well done, excellent work. Finally, you have some merit to bring back, and you can report to the Emperor."
"Yes, Master. We must depart for Jizhou immediately. Once there, I will strive to achieve new accomplishments."
Hearing this, Lotus Cult Leader's brow furrowed. "What did you say? We are going to Jizhou?"
"Yes, Master. My Imperial Brother just said we would depart after lunch."
Lotus Cult Leader's expression turned serious. She suddenly stood up.
"No, no. I must have a good chat with my two junior sisters. If I truly go to Jizhou with you, who knows when we will meet again."
"By the way, don't wait for me. You go ahead. I will catch up with you in Jizhou."
"Also, take Chu Han and the others with you. They don't need to follow me. I can manage alone."
Lotus Cult Leader made arrangements in one breath and then, summoning her personal disciple Molly, they rode towards Hetou Village.
Shen Ziyan and Huang Ying were her own junior sisters, and they hadn't had a proper chance to speak.