Chương 227: The Fate of Xuan Yue and Xuanyuan
The Xuanyuan army suffered heavy casualties, their morale shattered and utterly disheartened. After joining forces with Cheng Qiang and the Green Garb soldiers, they pursued the retreating Xuanyuan troops to Baishan, completely driving them out of the Bilu River overnight.
Generals Cen Can and others sacrificed themselves to escort Xuanyuan Hao, while Zhuo Ran, captured, took his own life. Xuanyuan arrived with an army of three hundred thousand, accompanied by numerous commanders, yet fewer than one hundred thousand managed to escape the Bilu River in utter disarray, and over half of their leaders were either killed or wounded. The Xuanyuan forces were gravely weakened; had it not been for the single passage across the Bilu River, where the Lan army could lay an ambush, they might have faced complete annihilation. Xuanyuan Hao's defeat was precipitated by the Bilu River, and his ability to lead ten thousand battered troops away from this place was solely due to it.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Bilu River, Xuan Yue's renown soared, her actions provoking mixed reactions across the realm. While some hailed her intelligence and strategic acumen, others condemned her ruthlessness, yet no one could dispute the undeniable fact of Xuanyuan's heir's devastating defeat at the hands of the Phoenix King.
In this tempestuous landscape, the name of Phoenix King Xuan Yue had become legendary. The outcome of the Bilu River battle had shifted the political landscape, with the conflict between Xuanyuan and Fenglan now leaning unfavorably against Xuanyuan.
After returning to her tent, Xuan Yue did not emerge until well past noon. Ya Er, who had undertaken a mission with the Green Garb soldiers the previous night, had yet to return. Upon lifting the tent flap, Xuan Yue was startled to find Bai Pingting standing at the entrance, quickly regaining her composure. "Sister Pingting."
Xuan Yue set down the curtain and stepped outside. "Have you been standing guard at the entrance all this time? You've gone the entire night without rest; why not return to get some sleep?"
Bai Pingting scrutinized Xuan Yue, noting her apparent vigor. With a knowing smile, she recognized the princess's resilient nature; if she wished to conceal her true feelings, no one would perceive it.
"Will you not rest a while, Princess?"
Xuan Yue gazed at Bai Pingting as she approached her, letting out a light laugh. "What? Are you concerned for me?"
Bai Pingting remained silent. With such monumental events unfolding, how could she possibly sleep? Her thoughts were consumed with worry for Xuan Yue, prompting her to wait in that spot. She was uncertain why the princess had been so resolute this time, but she understood that Xuan Yue was not truly cold-hearted. A person devoid of compassion would not risk their life for another, nor would they invite her to accompany them to the opposite shore the following day. Returning to her tent, she found it impossible to ease her mind, hence her prolonged vigil.
"Sister Pingting, there is no need for concern. I shall not come to harm." This was also for the sake of the countless Xuanyuan soldiers who had perished.
"Is there anything to eat?" Bai Pingting nodded, worrying that Xuan Yue would awaken hungry. With Ya Er absent, she had instructed the kitchen to prepare several of the princess's favorite dishes, which were still simmering on the stove.
"Have the kitchen prepare additional local dishes from Xuanyuan," Xuan Yue instructed, her tone devoid of any sadness. Bai Pingting cast a glance at her, quietly acquiescing before turning towards the kitchen.
Xuan Yue stepped outside the tent. She had barely eaten since last night, but now, surprisingly, she felt little appetite. She sought out Xu An and ordered him to dispatch two hundred Lan soldiers to the northern bank to collect the bodies of the fallen Xuanyuan soldiers. Meanwhile, she and Bai Pingting boarded a ship laden with the local delicacies prepared by the kitchen. By the time they reached the northern bank, the sun had just dipped below the horizon, and the sky remained bright. The soft sunlight shimmered on the river's surface, bringing a coolness that felt refreshing.
Upon arriving at the northern bank, Xuan Yue beheld the neatly arranged rows of Xuanyuan corpses, the sheer number overwhelming. She felt a sudden chill, having known of the heavy casualties beforehand, yet now confronted with the reality of so many lifeless bodies, her heart trembled uncontrollably. This was not merely a visual shock; it was a profound spiritual upheaval. These were lives extinguished by her own hand.
Standing at the ship's railing, surrounded by the icy remains, there was scarcely any space to place her feet. The faces of the fallen were pallid, their eyes wide open; even in death, one could sense the terror they had experienced in their final moments.
Xu An, leading a group, noticed Xuan Yue standing by the edge of the ship, hesitating to disembark. He hurriedly called upon several soldiers to clear the bodies at her feet. From the beginning of their journey from the Lan kingdom to Bilu River, marked by fear, resentment, and even thoughts of revenge, they had now come to respect and fear her. He gazed at the renowned woman clad in simple white garments, staring vacantly at the breathless forms on either side. His foot hovered, unsure whether to step forward or retreat. Suddenly, an inexplicable pain welled within him. It was a sensation he found perplexing. Behind her lay the vast, endless expanse of Bilu River, while before her stretched an open plain. Amidst this vastness, she stood so small and frail at the ship's railing, yet bore a burden heavier than anyone else could imagine. His queen was even younger than his daughter, and this was the first time he had measured her by her age.
In truth, the situation had been even more dire when they first arrived; upon reaching the midpoint of the river, they had encountered numerous bodies. The corpses now lining the shore were merely those retrieved along the way, with the most severely affected area—closest to the northern bank—still just beginning to reveal its toll.
Xuan Yue stepped off the ship, surveying the charred wreckage. The flames had been so fierce that the ships were utterly destroyed, leaving only the blackened iron chains that had once connected their hulls. At this moment, many Lan soldiers were inside, and Xuan Yue watched as the bodies of the Xuanyuan soldiers were brought out—what remained were hardly recognizable as soldiers, their features grotesquely altered by fire. As she looked upon them, a wave of nausea washed over her. In the tomb of the Chu kingdom, she had encountered a pit of corpses—a dark void that had been hauntingly terrifying, yet this current wave of nausea was far more intense. She had thought that once she emerged from death, she could maintain her composure, but now she realized she could not. The philosophy of victors and vanquished had always been her counsel, yet faced with this reality, she found herself grappling with a sense of unresolvable sorrow. So many lives lost; their loved ones must surely harbor hatred towards her.
"Do not bother with those on the ship; simply retrieve those from the water."
With the Xuanyuan army reduced to mere remnants and over two hundred Lan soldiers laboring from afternoon until late into the night, the icy bodies piled upon the riverbank suggested that the recovery efforts were far from over.
"Princess, they have been laboring all day and have yet to eat. Perhaps it would be best to let them rest for a while," Bai Pingting remarked, her gaze filled with concern as she studied Xuan Yue's pale face. The soldiers had been working tirelessly without rest, and Xuan Yue was not faring much better. Judging by her current condition, she likely hadn't slept since returning to the tent in the early morning, perhaps prolonging her emergence until noon to avoid causing her worry. Having eaten so little while aboard, Bai Pingting observed that if the soldiers were struggling, how could the princess withstand such burden? Knowing that this approach would inevitably lead to heartache, she questioned why Xuan Yue had chosen to proceed with such unyielding determination.
After a moment's pause, Xuan Yue finally conceded. Although the sun still shone upon the river in the afternoon, the night breeze was fierce, especially now that the trees on the northern bank had all been felled, channeling the winds directly towards them. With winter not yet past, the soldiers had spent the entire day submerged in the frigid water without food, and as the northern winds blew, their damp clothes clung to them, leaving them feeling as though they would freeze solid.
"You may return now."
All eyes turned to Xuan Yue, and at that moment, they truly wished to return. Yet, to leave Xuan Yue alone here—was the queen truly prepared to take matters into her own hands? The battlefield was merciless, and the cruelty of war was undeniable. Though they had not previously contemplated the flames, they did not regard Xuan Yue as heartless; on the contrary, they felt a deep gratitude towards her. Had it not been for Xuan Yue, they might well have been gathering the remains of their fallen comrades. In the theater of war, there was no room for sentimentality, and if blame were to be cast, it lay solely on the ambitious shoulders of the Xuanyuan heir.
"Your Majesty," Xu An approached Xuan Yue with unprecedented respect, "The night winds are fierce; it would be wise for you to return with us. Otherwise, these soldiers will remain uneasy."
"Indeed, Princess, let us return for now and gather more hands to assist tomorrow," Bai Ping Ting urged further.
"No need for that," Xuan Yue replied with a soft sigh, gesturing towards a few individuals. "Prepare a fire and gather some dry kindling—anything flammable will suffice. The rest of you, go aboard and seek shelter from the wind."
They had kept fire with them, and though the nearby trees had been incinerated and were unsuitable for shipbuilding, there remained plenty of suitable material for kindling. With many hands, they quickly found what Xuan Yue required.
Xuan Yue arranged the kindling around the bodies and instructed Bai Ping Ting to fetch some alcohol-soaked cloths from the ship. Once ignited, the flames leaped eagerly to life.
"There's no need for anyone to return tomorrow. The dead are the dead, whether in water or on land." They had only recovered nearly ten thousand bodies, a sight that was already overwhelming for her. The thought of retrieving the entirety of them would only deepen her sorrow. In the harsh reality of the battlefield, it was indeed a matter of life and death. Were it Xuanyuan Hao in her position, he would likely make the same difficult choice for the greater good.
"Xu An, you lead them back."
Xuan Yue met Xu An's gaze, her tone commanding. Xu An looked at her and, without daring to resist, obediently gathered the remaining few and departed on the boat.
"Your Highness," Bai Ping Ting said, watching the towering flames with evident concern.
"Sister Ping Ting, do you know? While the deaths of these individuals sadden me, there is also a strange sense of relief in my heart. I am grateful that it is not your lives that have been consumed by the fire. My sorrow stems from the sudden realization that so many innocent souls are on my conscience. Yet, on the battlefield, how many of the fallen truly deserved their fates? Sister Ping Ting, after I have done this, I will let the matter rest. So, there's no need for worry; simply stay by my side in silence."
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