Chapter 2, General White Horse

General Ye is coming

Ye Zhao: "Willing."

Poor Prince of Nanping

A whip shot out with a whistle, like a soft and agile serpent, coiling around the auspicious knot.

The sound of hooves gradually fades away, leaving a lingering resonance

Isn't it too ugly

After falling into the water, Xia Yujin has been feigning illness in bed. Upon hearing the bad news, she was so enraged that she bit through three bamboo pillows.

In the thirteenth year of Emperor De's reign, during winter, a thin layer of fine snow had accumulated on the thoroughly cleaned roads of the capital, with the sides crowded with thickly dressed commoners, peering and craning their necks in anticipation of something. In the middle of the road, messenger horses arrived one after another, and the Imperial Guard shouted, exerting great effort to restrain the frenzied pushing of the crowd

Excited women pushed open the windows, eagerly leaning out to catch a glimpse of the world's most extraordinary woman, the foremost female general of the Qin Dynasty

The Emperor let out a sigh of relief and ordered Ye Zhao to return and prepare for marriage. He also granted the Nanjing Prince's residence, instructing that it be well managed in anticipation of the wedding two months later. After Ye Zhao left, the commander of the Left Feather Guard came forward, gritting his teeth as he commanded: "Send more people to keep a close watch on Xia Yujin. That fellow dares to do anything outrageous. Inform him that if he attempts to flee from the marriage, his entire family will be charged with deceiving the Emperor. Any signs of trouble must be reported immediately. Otherwise... if the Empress Dowager holds you accountable, you will end up marrying the general!"

Is anyone betting that the general will be defeated? Don't look at me, I won't bet, not even at one to one hundred.

The girls peered among the generals embraced by the tigers and wolves, chattering incessantly and speculating.

This general, with the demeanor of a phoenix and the bearing of a dragon, is Ye Zhao

She lightly flicked the long whip's tail, casting a beautiful arc. In the blink of an eye, it had leaped over the surging crowd and accurately landed in its owner's embrace. The woman felt a bit embarrassed and was about to lower her head. However, she noticed a faint smile at the corner of Ye Zhao's mouth, which left her completely stunned.

The Emperor, considering the uselessness of the Prince of Nanping, feared that the loyal ministers might feel discontent. After returning to the palace, he privately offered some words of comfort: "My dear minister, the Empress Dowager believes that the general has been working tirelessly for the country for so many years. Although his status is special, he is not cut off from the world. The Great Qin does not have relatives or noble families that remain solitary for life, and we cannot let this delay your entire life. Unfortunately, after selecting from the royal family for a long time, those of suitable age have already married. It would not be appropriate to pull someone out from among fifteen or sixteen-year-olds to match with you. The only remaining option is the Prince of Nanping, whose status and age are suitable. Although his temperament is a bit wild, he does have some merits: he is good-looking, and there is also..." He hesitated for a while, truly unable to think of anything else, and could only conclude, "In any case, he is still very good-looking. You are willing, aren't you?"

Pah, what kind of gaze is that? No matter how much of a man Ye Zhao is, he shouldn't have a beard, right?

Years of continuous warfare have left the national treasury depleted, and this substantial amount of wealth is urgently needed to address pressing concerns

How to describe this smile

Bet ten copper coins! The body of the Prince of Nanping is only meant to be suppressed.

How to describe this face

The person standing in the attic saw the onlookers on the street excitedly whispering to each other. However, due to the overcast snowy day and their elevated position, they were shrouded in shadows and could not clearly see the faces, which made them quite anxious. A bold woman, in a daring move, quietly untied the silver double fish knot from her waist and "accidentally" threw it onto the road, landing right beside Ye Zhao's horse.

"Virtuous minister, oh virtuous minister," the Emperor joyfully reached out to support him, almost touching his shoulder, when the chief eunuch beside him hurriedly cleared his throat with a heavy cough. Only then did he remember Ye Zhao's gender, retracting his hand in mid-air, and lightly waved it, praising, "General Ye Zhao has taken the place of his father in battle, achieving remarkable feats, surpassing even the renowned General Qin Yunu of the previous dynasty"

As spring returns to the earth, the icebergs melt under the sunlight, giving rise to gentle streams, creating a picturesque scene. It is perhaps during the season of youthful longing for love that the young maidens of the Great Qin envision the appearance of their future husbands in their dreams

That fat man on the right

The originally tense onlookers finally relaxed, brewing two pots of tea, whispering among themselves. The women naturally praised her as a rare gem, unmatched in the world, lamenting only that heaven was blind, reversing the natural order, leaving them without fate in this life. The men, aside from a few who admired her, all scoffed at Ye Zhao, gleefully saying:

The air fell silent for a moment, and the atmosphere of clamor grew even more intense

It is said that the founding ancestor of the Duke of the State has some Hu blood, which is why Ye Zhao's features are very distinct. She has been traveling and fighting for years, her skin tanned to a slightly darker wheat color by the sun, radiating a honeyed glow. Beneath her sharp sword-like eyebrows, her irises are slightly pale, cold like glass beads, exuding an air of ruthlessness that seems capable of piercing through everything. Her nose is straight, and her thin lips are tightly pressed. Every gesture and movement is masculine, and there is not a trace of femininity about her; rather, she resembles the image of a young maiden in the great Qin dynasty, dreaming of her husband.

The sound of hooves is approaching, loud and orderly

The social atmosphere of the Great Qin was relatively relaxed, with not overly strict gender segregation. Poor families' daughters would accompany their parents or husbands to enjoy the festivities, while bold women from wealthy families would go out veiled, sitting in the pavilions of restaurants and tea houses, whispering to each other, laughing charmingly, and eagerly gazing into the distance

Ye Zhao raised her whip and looked towards the loft by the roadside. A bright ray of sunshine arrived just in time, piercing through the gray sky, filtering through the drifting snowflakes, and landing on her face

In an instant, no one doubted any longer

Ye Zhao dismounted to pay his respects, presenting captives and spoils of war. The Manjin had long plundered foreign tribes, having once bloodily ravaged the Haiyi Kingdom, known for its specialty jewelry, and other weaker neighboring states. Now, with the royal family shattered, most of the valuable treasures in their national treasury had been presented by Ye Zhao to the Great Qin. Cat's eyes the size of longan, fist-sized emeralds, pigeon blood red rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and various pearls, accompanied by countless gold and silver, were exquisitely carved and inlaid by the skilled artisans of the Haiyi Kingdom, dazzling nearly everyone present. Most of the valuable treasures in their national treasury had been presented by Ye Zhao to the Great Qin. Cat's eyes the size of longan, fist-sized emeralds, pigeon blood red rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and various pearls, accompanied by countless gold and silver, were exquisitely carved and inlaid by the skilled artisans of the Haiyi Kingdom, dazzling nearly everyone present

Amidst the bustling discussions, the tiger and wolf cavalry swiftly parted to the sides, creating a narrow path. A tall white horse approached at a brisk pace, adorned with a red tassel around its neck and a silver saddle. Upon it sat a tall and slender figure, clad in silver-embellished chainmail, wearing a feathered nine-curved silver helmet, and carrying a heavy sword at her waist. With a straight back, every movement she made was agile and powerful. She quickly reached the front of the ranks, standing at the forefront, while the horses of the other generals slightly stepped back, their expressions showing respect. A tall white horse approached at a brisk pace, adorned with a red tassel around its neck and a silver saddle. Upon it sat a tall and slender figure, clad in silver-embellished chainmail, wearing a feathered nine-curved silver helmet, and carrying a heavy sword at her waist. With a straight back, every movement she made was agile and powerful. She quickly reached the front of the ranks, standing at the forefront, while the horses of the other generals slightly stepped back, their expressions showing respect.

The eight hundred elite cavalry under the command of Ye Zhao followed closely behind, clad in uniform bronze armor, riding fine horses, arranged in an orderly formation, their expressions solemn, gazing straight ahead. Aside from the faint sounds of swords clinking against the decorative fittings of their saddles, not a single person uttered a word

In the Imperial City, outside Chongwenmen, the Son of Heaven personally led the officials to welcome.

Who is Ye Zhao? Is it the one on the left riding the chestnut horse? He looks like a general

Who caused him to be so reckless in the past, retribution, oh retribution

Ha, it is unclear who is being suppressed when the two of them are together

Approaching are two enormous bright yellow flags, one embroidered with a dragon totem and the other with the characters "Da Qin". Following them are two dark-colored flags, one adorned with a tiger totem and the other with the character "Ye", fluttering in the wind with great momentum. Behind them are two cages containing the Barbarian Gold Emperor and the Barbarian Gold Crown Prince. Due to the cold weather, they are not made to bear the thorny crown in the nude; they still wear fur coats. In accordance with the customs for presenting captives, their faces are painted with various colors, and several dried grasses are inserted into their heads, creating a grotesque appearance. Behind them are two cages containing the Barbarian Gold Emperor and the Barbarian Gold Crown Prince. Due to the cold weather, they are not made to bear the thorny crown in the nude; they still wear fur coats. In accordance with the customs for presenting captives, their faces are painted with various colors, and several dried grasses are inserted into their heads, creating a grotesque appearance

The Duke of Nanping despised male aesthetics throughout his life, being frail and unable to withstand the wind. The Marquis of Xuanwu possessed unparalleled martial skills and was also remarkably handsome; it is likely that the couple found it difficult to maintain harmony.

Little girl, spare me. Regardless of whether your family sells pork or if you are a noble lady, no one would marry you

All the women stared intently at the general on the white horse, wishing they could see her killed on the spot

I have arrived, I can hear the sound of hooves.

For many years, the Manjin people have committed acts of pillage and plunder along the borders of the Great Qin, harboring deep-seated hatred. Now that their great vengeance has been avenged, the common people applaud with joy and take pleasure in throwing stones at them

You group of gossipers, in public, with your filthy mouths, stop provoking others

The two of them, the ruler and the subject, exchanged pleasantries in front of the crowd, praising General Ye's loyalty and spirit of sacrificing for the country. The emperor, who has always esteemed "benevolence and virtue," even shed a few tears in public. He then ordered the proclamation of an edict, bestowing the military insignia of the Grand Marshal of the Empire, granting a red document and an iron token, presenting the black iron whip passed down from the founding emperor, and bestowing a marriage to the Prince of Nanping, among other honors.

Ye Zhao expressed gratitude, with no discernible emotions on his face

The expression on the face of the Left Wing Guard Commander changed dramatically. After returning, he dispatched people to surround the Duke An's residence with layers of guards, both inside and out, and personally held a gun to stand guard within, not leaving day or night. This took a toll on him, causing him to lose weight. This matter will be set aside for now

Ye Zhao remarked: "The Emperor is not constrained by conventional standards in employing talent, possesses a unique vision, and has a broad mind, comparable to the illustrious sovereigns of antiquity"

In the future, it seems that the first place in the capital for the Mother Night Demon should no longer be held by Madam Xu, right

Damn it! Don't push! It's going to fall!