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墨書 Inktalez
Yan Ziyi had been in a deep slumber for an entire day. Upon waking, he learned that Li Yiyi had been captured by the Turks.
His soldiers looked helpless as they explained that the young lady possessed a token, and they dared not stop her.
Little did they know she had left a note before her departure, and somehow, she had been taken by the Turks.
"Token? When did she take the token?" Yan Ziyi murmured to himself, suddenly realizing, "So that day she stole the washbasin was to retrieve the token! Could it be that she had planned this all along?"
He quickly opened the letter left by Li Yiyi, which read: "Yan Ziyi, the Turks should not attack again in the short term. Wait for reinforcements peacefully; you don’t need to rescue me. I found the token; I am not a princess at all. Goodbye."
Yan Ziyi was taken aback. Li Yiyi was not a princess? His mind was in turmoil, confusion swirling within him, but one thought became increasingly clear—regardless of whether she was a princess or not, he had to ensure her safe return.
As expected, the Turks did not launch another attack. After all, they held Princess Danyang, the emperor's favorite; even if they demanded half of the kingdom, there was no need to expend troops to besiege a city. Moreover, this war had dragged on for too long, and with Yan Ziyi stationed there, they had gained little advantage.
Upon receiving news that reinforcements were on their way, Yan Ziyi could hardly contain his eagerness to lead his troops into battle and negotiate with the Turks.
From a distance, he spotted Li Yiyi locked in a prison cart. His expression froze instantly; he nearly impulsively urged his horse forward. Digging his nails into his flesh brought him back to reality with a sharp pain. He quickly composed himself and decided to observe the situation.
The Turk General presented pre-prepared conditions: if the Tang Army retreated ten miles and ceded three cities, they would return the princess.
"Yan Ziyi, don’t listen to him! I am not a princess at all!" Li Yiyi shouted, but before she could finish her words, Turkic soldiers roughly silenced her.
Clad in golden armor that gleamed under the sun like a war god descending from above, Yan Ziyi spoke arrogantly: "She is indeed not a princess; capturing her is of no use to you."
"Not a princess? If she’s not a princess, how could she have a token?"
Yan Ziyi threw his head back and laughed loudly, “What a joke! Just because I picked up a token, do you think I can turn into a princess in an instant?”
He appeared completely at ease, as if he were strolling through his own garden. “How could the general be so confused? I, Tang Princess, am of noble birth; how could I easily appear on the battlefield? This woman is merely a decoy I arranged, intentionally allowing the general to capture her, so that you would think you held the upper hand and delay your attack, giving us time to wait for reinforcements.”
After saying this, he cupped his hands in salute and said leisurely, “If the general does not believe me, feel free to take action.”
The Turk General’s eyes darted around, beads of sweat forming on his palms. He carefully observed Yan Ziyi’s expression while suddenly smiling coldly, “If you truly didn’t care about her, would the formidable and decisive Yan Ziyi waste so many words with me? Even if she is not a princess, she must be someone of great importance to you.”
The Turk General gritted his teeth. “Believing you would be falling into your trap!”
With that, he shouted loudly and abruptly turned his horse around.
Without a second thought, Yan Ziyi immediately pursued him; today’s battle was imperative.
Behind him, the deputy general anxiously called out, “General, don’t chase after him! Be careful of falling into a trap!”
Yan Ziyi paid no heed and charged into the enemy ranks alone. With his long knife raised high, he struck down fiercely, causing the Turks to scatter in panic.
He spotted the prisoner cart and forcefully hacked it open, swiftly pulling Li Yiyi out and placing her behind him. Just as the Turks were about to pursue them, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted from afar.
Yan Ziyi stood firm with his sword raised and confidently shouted, “My Three Hundred Thousand Reinforcements have arrived! If the general doesn’t flee now, it will be too late!”
The Turk General hesitated for a moment, gritting his teeth in frustration before reluctantly leading his men to retreat.
Upon returning to the main camp, Yan Ziyi immediately knelt on the ground and declared loudly, “I pay my respects to the Princess. I apologize for arriving late to rescue you; please forgive me.”
Li Yiyi couldn't help but be taken aback. Hadn't she just revealed her true intentions on the battlefield? Why did he still insist on calling her a princess? A thought exploded in her mind, and she struggled to suppress the panic rising within her. With a trembling voice, she asked, "So you saved me just because I am a princess?"
"Not at all," Yan Ziyi blurted out. He saw Li Yiyi's eyes brighten for a moment before he quickly averted his gaze.
Li Yiyi had deceived him into believing she was not a princess, even willing to be taken by the Turkic forces, just to buy time for him to wait for reinforcements. If it weren't for the court's secret report stating that Princess Danyang had disguised herself and left the palace, urging officials to act accordingly, he might have fallen for her trick.
At this thought, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Here he was, merely a lowly military officer; what right did he have to express his feelings to a proper princess?
Yan Ziyi collected his thoughts and said slowly, "Even if you were an ordinary person, if one could hold back the enemy single-handedly, I would still do everything in my power to save you."
His words were sincere and devoid of any pretense.
So that's how it is; even ordinary people would be saved. Hearing this, Li Yiyi felt a wave of bitterness wash over her, disappointment and sadness surging like tides within her.
Yan Ziyi continued earnestly, "Your Highness understands the greater good and risks herself for it, caring deeply for the people of Tang. You are truly a blessing to the nation."
His tone was filled with unfamiliar respect.
Li Yiyi swayed slightly, feeling helpless. In her heart, she thought: I did this not for Tang or its people, but for… for you.
The swirling mist instantly blurred her vision. With her heart aching like a knife wound and no more waves of emotion left within her, she forced a sorrowful smile and said blankly, "Please rise, General."
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