112: Chapter 112 Living Better Than You: The General Male Supporting Character 30

[Brothers, did Meng Zhu already know something was wrong with Prince Yu?]

[Holy crap, last time someone said the male lead had blackened, they weren't joking!]

[We're totally screwed now. Please don't let it be a bad ending, I can't accept that!]

Once these loose-lipped viewers went back and spread the word, all the other viewers instantly lost their composure.

In this current situation, Meng Zhu was truly walking on ice; a single misstep, and the movie would be ruined.

But the worries of the bullet-screen viewers were meaningless; it all depended on how Meng Zhu played his cards.

Time passed in this agonizing manner.

Meng Zhu's arrival at the border was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly stabilizing the eastern front, which had been on the verge of collapse.

In just one month, at a minimal cost, the offensive of Daqing was firmly halted, and the border defenses were secured once more.

By the second month, reports of victory began to flood back.

Night raids by surprise troops, feints on the battlefield, marching secretly by an unknown path, and decapitating the enemy's vanguard.

By the time the Husha Army from the Western Liang border arrived, the situation had completely reversed.

The Daqing army had marched a long distance to invade another country in the dead of winter, which was already a massive test of their logistics.

Now that the situation had stabilized and they could no longer win consecutive victories to sustain themselves through plunder, a counteroffensive was only a matter of time.

Just as the entire Great Wu Dynasty began to breathe a sigh of relief, an inconspicuous carriage quietly stopped at the back door of the Generals Mansion.

The manager of Yanyu Pavilion secretly met with Nan Jin.

"Madam, are we not leaving directly?"

The manager's expression was grave.

"I have an appointment with Princess Consort Yu in Hulu Lane. I must see her before I leave."

Nan Jin's gaze was resolute.

After a moment of hesitation, the manager turned the carriage around.

"Madam, Prince Yu has been frequently contacting key ministers of various departments lately. Those old geezers with dirt on them are starting to waver, and The Old Emperor won't survive past the New Year. Your departure this time must be kept strictly confidential."

"Before leaving, the General instructed that we must safely escort you to Shuntian Prefecture and ensure your safety."

"I know. Nan Li won't betray me."

Although Nan Jin's heart was heavy, she was not one to act recklessly.

Sure enough, when they arrived at Hulu Lane, Nan Li was there alone.

The two sisters faced each other, remaining silent for a long time.

In the end, Nan Jin spoke first, her tone calm and open.

"Sister, I think we both already know about each other's rebirth."

Nan Li's hand paused slightly. She raised her eyes to look at her, her gaze filled with complexity.

Nan Jin looked at her and continued, word by word.

"In our past life, I killed you out of jealousy. I will definitely repay you for this in the future. As for Prime Minister Nan Ling's years of favoritism, I have also let it go now."

Nan Jin paused, her eyes sincere.

"I came today to ask a favor of you."

"In this life, Prince Yu might ascend the throne, but he has changed."

Nan Jin's words were earnest.

"I hope that for the sake of your past-life affection for Meng Zhu, if that day truly comes, you can... help him a little."

"Nan Jin will be deeply grateful."

With that, Nan Jin bowed deeply to Nan Li.

She didn't need Nan Li's response; she knew Nan Li would definitely agree.

Nan Li gazed at her for a long time, as if looking through her to recall or watch something else.

"Alright"

Sure enough, as Nan Jin straightened up, Nan Li nodded almost imperceptibly.

Having obtained the answer she wanted, Nan Jin said no more and turned to take her leave.

Then, she resolutely set off on the road to Shuntian Prefecture.

...

Great Wu, the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, in the forty-seventh year of Yongan.

As the New Year approached, the sky over the capital was filled with shifting clouds, strangely mysterious.

At midnight, the distant, heavy toll of the funeral bell pierced through the wind and snow, echoing throughout the Imperial City.

The Old Emperor, Xuanyuan De, had passed away.

Not long after the tolling of the bell ceased, the sounds of battle erupted!

Xuanyuan Zhan, who had long been prepared, tore off all his disguises the moment he received the signal from his inside contact in the palace.

The Patrol Camp and a portion of the Imperial Guard, which he had long since infiltrated and controlled, seized the nine gates of the Imperial City with thunderous speed, their forces pointing directly at the Chaotian Hall.

When Prince Liang received the news, he was secretly rejoicing with the imperial edict in hand, never expecting that his sixth brother still hadn't given up.

He thus hastily set up defenses, leading another portion of the Imperial Guard loyal to the royal family.

Beneath the Xuanwu Gate, swords clashed, and flesh and blood flew.

The slaughter did not last long.

Before dawn, amidst a dead silence, Xuanyuan Zhan personally pierced his brother's heart with a longsword.

He had won.

Stepping over Prince Liang's corpse and the blood-soaked ground, Xuanyuan Zhan became the new master of this imperial city, the future new ruler of the Great Wu Dynasty.

However, in just a few days.

Before Xuanyuan Zhan could even hold his enthronement ceremony.

Earth-shattering news arrived from the front lines.

At first, it was a triumphant victory report: Daqing had retreated, their commander-in-chief Li Mu had been killed, and all the lost cities had been reclaimed.

But immediately following that was the devastating news that Marquis Pingan, Meng Zhu, had been surrounded and died in battle.

When the news arrived, The Old Emperor had only recently passed away. For a time, the entire nation was clad in mourning white, leaving people unsure for whom they were grieving.

Traveling day and night for several days, the coffin of Marquis Pingan arrived in the capital ahead of the main army. The new ruler, Xuanyuan Zhan, personally received it and had it placed in the Generals Mansion, posthumously honoring him as "Prince Wuan" and granting him a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

On that day, countless citizens voluntarily took to the streets. White banners blotted out the sun, and their cries shook the heavens as they mourned and remembered Prince Wuan's act of defending the nation with his life.

...

The Imperial Palace, the Central Palace's bedchamber.

Ever since Empress Nan Li heard the devastating news, she had locked herself tightly inside her hall, refusing to see anyone, including Emperor Xuanyuan Zhan.

"Li'er, open the door. It is I."

Xuanyuan Zhan stood outside the tightly shut palace doors, a hint of impatience suppressed in his voice.

"Get out!"

From within the hall came Nan Li's hoarse and weak roar.

Xuanyuan Zhan's face darkened completely. He waved his hand, and several eunuchs immediately stepped forward to break down the door.

As the door burst open, Nan Li was startled. She immediately pulled out her hairpin and held it against her neck.

"Xuanyuan Zhan, I told you to get out!"

Nan Li's shrill voice rang out.

"If you dare step inside, I will use this hairpin to die right in front of you!"

Xuanyuan Zhan's movements froze. That resolute look in her eyes filled his heart with both pain and irritation.

"What on earth do you want?"

"I don't believe it! Meng Zhu wouldn't die! I want to see his body!"

Nan Li's voice trembled with emotion.

"If anything really happened to Meng Zhu, it could only have been your doing, Xuanyuan Zhan. I don't need any proof!"

"You..."

Xuanyuan Zhan could not understand why Nan Li insisted on believing that he was the one who killed Meng Zhu.

"Xuanyuan Zhan, tell me Meng Zhu isn't dead. Don't make me hate you."

These words carried immense weight. If Meng Zhu were truly dead, one could easily imagine that Nan Li would be absolutely convinced that Xuanyuan Zhan was the killer.

"That's enough!"

Xuanyuan Zhan practically roared.

"I will absolutely never allow you to see him!"

Xuanyuan Zhan's expression was distorted and ferocious, but upon hearing this, Nan Li broke into a smile through her tears.

"As I thought, Meng Zhu isn't dead yet."