webnovelfull Chapter 275 She prayed silently in her heart
Chapter 275 She prayed silently in her heart
As night fell, the Qi King's army had already approached the outer defenses of the imperial city.
The beacon fires on the city walls illuminated the night sky, and the sounds of clashing swords and spears pierced the cold wind, echoing across the fields.
King Qi looked up at the towering city wall, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.
Hou House.
Upon hearing this, Qin Jiuwei immediately turned to look at Xie Yanli.
Seeing his stunned expression, my heart sank instantly.
Oh no, the plan has gone wrong!
Xie Yanli clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve, his fingertips turning white.
Shock, anger, terror...
A flood of emotions rushed over him, but he had no time to deal with them.
They had no time to think about why the King of Qi would suddenly rebel against the appointed time.
The situation arose unexpectedly, but he had to resolve it as soon as possible.
Xie Yanli reached out and stroked Qin Jiuwei's face, then glanced at the children again.
"Wait for me to come back." His voice was low and firm.
Then he turned around, his steps steady yet hurried, and left without looking back.
Qin Jiuwei stood there, watching him leave.
My heart is filled with uneasiness.
But she knew that all she could do at that moment was to trust him.
She prayed silently in her mind.
Beside him, Xie Jue held up his noodles without even putting them in his mouth.
My wrist trembled as I raised it, and my fingertips turned white.
Even though he was young, he realized at that moment that something very, very dangerous was happening outside...
But today is his birthday.
Xie Jue couldn't help but feel a little wronged.
Is he just too happy today? Every time he's happy, something bad happens.
Was it his fault...?
Qin Jiuwei noticed Xie Jue's emotions immediately.
She stepped forward and hugged him, resting her chin on his head and gently patting his back with her right hand.
"This has nothing to do with Jue-ge'er, we'll all be fine."
Xie Jue turned around and buried her little head in Qin Jiuwei's arms.
city wall.
"Your Highness, please forgive us! Prince Qi has suddenly raised an army for some unknown reason! We only received the news half an hour ago! Prince Qi has killed all our spies!"
"This is not the time to talk about that. What is the situation outside the city?" Xie Yanli asked in a cold voice.
He changed into his armor in the shortest possible time.
The armor gleamed coldly, clinging tightly to his body, making his already tall and slender figure appear even more imposing.
His face was cold and stern, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes revealed a hidden murderous intent.
Zhao Ming quickly reported the situation.
Xie Yanli stood on the command platform, his eyes scanning the surroundings like an eagle's.
After listening to the observations, he immediately took command of the battle.
"The left flank has been slightly weakened; order the reserve troops to go and provide support."
"The light cavalry in the front line is too slow. We have sent archers to block the King of Qi's attack route, and at the same time ordered the deputy general to speed up the advance."
Xie Yanli stared sharply in the direction of the battle line.
"In addition, mobilize the firearms troops to suppress the enemy's reinforcements from the high ground on the north side. When the main force of the King of Qi approaches within five zhang, have the city gate guards unleash their arrows."
Zhao Ming nodded immediately: "Understood, I will make the arrangements right away."
"What about in the city?"
Zhao Ming quickly replied, "The Qi King's forces in the city have also begun to cause trouble. We had some prior information, and the Qi King's early action was somewhat unexpected, but our previous arrangements are still effective."
“Very good.” Xie Yanli said in a low voice, “The arrangement is effective, then proceed with the plan. Send people to stabilize the city’s defenses and disperse the King of Qi’s men to prevent them from carrying out large-scale operations.”
Zhao Ming bowed in agreement and quickly withdrew to relay the order.
Xie Yanli pondered for a moment, then turned and instructed another deputy general: "Send another detachment of imperial guards to quickly clear the city's main granaries and water sources. The King of Qi's men must have already set their sights on these key locations, so make sure they are guarded tightly."
Across the torchlight and the glint of swords, Xie Yanli and Prince Qi exchanged a fleeting glance.
Both of them had murderous intent in their eyes.
Hou House.
Qin Jiuwei stood in the center of the main hall, maintaining a calm expression.
"The situation outside is chaotic right now. Let's all rest here at the Marquis's residence for the time being and wait for news together."
Hearing her say this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Staying in the Marquis's residence is definitely the safest place! Being able to stay here is the best thing!
A few who wanted to talk and cause trouble were silenced when she swept her bright eyes over them. They dared not say anything more and sat quietly.
Qin Jiuwei, who was now in charge of the household, immediately instructed the steward to gather the servants and inspect all the doors and windows in the mansion.
He then had servants bring out hot tea and snacks, which were then distributed to the guests in the hall.
The guests were still a little uneasy, but seeing her composed demeanor and steady words, they gradually calmed down.
"Don't worry, everyone." Her tone was earnest and gentle. "Just rest a little tonight. Trust the young master, everything will be clear by dawn."
She then turned to the servants and instructed them, "Prepare plenty of bedding, and arrange rooms for anyone who needs to rest. If there are any other needs, take care of them as soon as possible."
Seeing how methodically she handled things, Madam Xie's eyes were full of admiration.
It is truly a blessing for the Marquis's family that Jiuwei was able to marry into their Xie family.
The atmosphere inside the hall gradually calmed down. Although there were still whispers, no one seemed flustered anymore.
After arranging for the servants, Qin Jiuwei personally walked around to make sure that all the doors and windows in the mansion were tightly closed before she breathed a sigh of relief.
She was preparing to return to the hall to continue overseeing the proceedings.
But suddenly they discovered that Xie Zhongzhi and Xie Siyuan were gone!
Qin Jiuwei stopped and asked the maid in a somewhat urgent voice, "Where are the second young master and the young master? Where did they go?"
The maid hurriedly replied, "The second young master and the young master were just talking to the old lady in the front hall. Later, when I went to serve tea, they were gone when I came back."
Ever since she learned of Xie Zhongzhi's unusual behavior, Qin Jiuwei has been paying close attention to his movements.
Xie Zhongzhi and Xie Siyuan were also present at Xie Jue's birthday banquet today.
But in the blink of an eye, the person disappeared without a trace.
Moreover, this happened at a crucial time when the King of Qi raised his army.
Is it...
Xie Zhongzhi was actually siding with the King of Qi?
Qin Jiuwei frowned instantly. She glanced around the hall and whispered, "Go find them quickly, but don't disturb the guests."
"Send more people to conduct a thorough search. If they are found, report it immediately, but remember not to make a fuss about it."
backyard.
The firewood in the corner had already started to burn, and the red light cast an eerie glow on Xie Siyuan's young face.
He stood beside a pile of messy firewood, holding a tinderbox that was still smoking in his hand.
A hint of pleasure flickered in his eyes as he watched the flames lick the dry wood.
Xie Jue wants to have a proper birthday celebration? Don't even think about it!
When they took Xu Liuer away, they also set a fire.
This fire is to be returned to them!
The firewood burned brighter and brighter, the flames engulfing the dry wood and crackling loudly.
Xie Siyuan's lips curled up slightly, carrying a strange malice.
The match burned brighter and brighter, gradually rising to a height of ten feet.
Xie Siyuan became even more excited.
in the house.
"Young Madam, we've found it." The maid whispered in Qin Jiuwei's ear.
Upon hearing this, Qin Jiuwei's face immediately darkened.
Xie Siyuan has gone mad! He actually started a fire at this time!
When Madam Xie saw Qin Jiuwei's expression, her heart immediately jumped.
Could something have happened outside again?
"Jiuwei, what's wrong?" Old Madam Xie asked immediately.
"No..." Qin Jiuwei started to speak, but immediately stopped and changed the subject.
She sighed heavily. "It's about the backyard. I don't know why, but the backyard suddenly caught fire. I was just about to go check it out."
Is there trouble in our own backyard? Could it be that the King of Qi's men have invaded?
The guests immediately panicked.
Lord Xie and Madam Xie were also taken aback.
"Don't worry, everyone, they're not one of King Qi's men," Qin Jiuwei reassured them upon seeing the situation.
She had already stood up. "It must have been some clueless little servant who did it. I'll go take a look."
“Jiuwei, I’ll go with you,” Lord Xie said, frowning.
Madam Xie immediately followed suit, saying, "I'll go take a look too."
With the situation outside so tense, how could they possibly sit in the main house if something really happened in the backyard?
Qin Jiuwei smiled upon hearing this.
Just what she wanted.