Chapter 116 The Welcome Ceremony in the Shura Field

Chapter 116 The Welcome Ceremony in the Shura Field

The carriage crunched over the hard, frozen ground, making a teeth-grinding sound.

After passing the last pass, the Yanmen Pass camp, which had stood for a thousand years in the wind and snow, finally came into view at the end of the horizon.

The cold wind howled, swirling snowflakes as sharp as blades, and relentlessly battered the tattered, blood-stained banners.

The flags wailed mournfully in the wind, as if countless souls were crying out.

"arrive."

Pei Yunjing said in a deep voice, and reached out to lift the carriage curtain.

Tang Li wrapped her white fox fur tighter around herself and subconsciously looked outside.

With just one glance, her breath caught in her throat, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

At the camp gate, there was no welcoming procession, only a mountain of corpses.

Because the frozen soil was too hard to dig a pit, and because the war was too intense to bury them in time, the bodies of the fallen soldiers were piled up layer by layer by the roadside, covered with a thin layer of white snow, revealing their bluish-purple, stiff hands and feet and their unseeing faces.

Inside the camp, the cries of wounded soldiers echoed throughout.

Those who survived were all ragged, their faces covered in frostbite, and their eyes were numb and empty.

They leaned against a sheltered corner of the wall, embracing their mutilated limbs, like withered trees awaiting death.

"Stop the car," Pei Yunjing coldly ordered.

When the carriage came to a stop, Pei Yunjing was the first to stand up. He did not wear a cloak, but only his cold, hard black iron armor, with a long sword hanging at his waist. He stepped out of the carriage.

The moment that tall, imposing figure, exuding a fierce aura, appeared in the wind and snow—

The once lifeless camp seemed to have been injected with a powerful stimulant.

The soldiers, who had been numb, suddenly moved their previously cloudy eyes.

They saw that familiar figure, the only war god of the Great Sheng Dynasty.

"It's the Regent!"

"The prince is here! The prince has really come!"

"We're saved!"

Someone shouted first, and then countless wounded soldiers struggled to their feet, even kneeling in the snow with only half their legs remaining.

"Your Majesty the Regent!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The shouts were deafening, filled with the fervor and hope of a desperate escape, instantly drowning out the howling wind and snow.

Pei Yunjing stood on the carriage shaft, his expression cold and stern. He didn't say much, but simply raised his hand and pressed down. His domineering aura was enough to soothe the morale of the army.

However, at this moment of heightened emotion, a slender, fair hand, as smooth as mutton fat jade, rested on Pei Yunjing's arm.

Immediately afterwards, a petite figure emerged from the warm carriage.

—Pear tree.

She was wrapped in a thick, expensive pure white fox fur coat, with a soft fur trim around her small, palm-sized face.

Although she hadn't worn any makeup during her long journey, her skin remained fair and delicate, shining brightly and dazzlingly white in this military camp filled with dust and blood.

She was like a delicate flower carefully nurtured in a greenhouse, who mistakenly stumbled into this hellish battlefield of corpses and blood.

Out of place, even... somewhat ironic.

"..."

The originally enthusiastic cheers seemed to have been snapped at the neck by an invisible hand, instantly subsiding and disappearing.

Tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on the woman standing next to Pei Yunjing.

There was no awe in his eyes, only astonishment, confusion, and... a gradually rising anger and contempt.

Are they here to fight a war? Or for a picnic?

Has this regent gone mad?

At a time like this, why bring along a delicate woman to hold us back?

"Who is that? The princess?"

"Dressed so cleanly... you've probably never even seen a dead person before, have you?"

"Ha, a beautiful woman is a source of trouble! While we're fighting desperately up front, she's here admiring the snow?"

"Why bring a burden along! Do you think we have too much food?"

Whispers spread through the crowd, filled with malice and rejection.

Tangli stood on high ground, taking in all the gazes and discussions.

She did not flinch or show any sign of fear; she simply tightened her fox fur coat and remained calm.

She knew this would happen.

To these soldiers who could die at any moment, her very existence was an offense.

"This humble general, Tie Kui, pays his respects to the Regent!"

Just then, a loud, booming roar broke the awkward silence.

A burly old general with a full beard strode over.

He was wearing tattered armor, his left sleeve was empty (his arm was missing), and there was a hideous scar across his nose.

He was the deputy commander guarding Yanmen Pass, and also the most senior and most stubborn man in the army—Tie Kui.

Tie Kui walked to the carriage, knelt down on one knee with a thud, and gave Pei Yunjing a standard military salute, his eyes full of admiration:

"Your Highness! You've finally arrived! The brothers have been waiting for you!"

Pei Yunjing nodded slightly and reached out to help him up, saying, "General, you don't need to stand on ceremony. You've had a long journey."

Tie Kui stood up, but his gaze did not fall on Pei Yunjing. Instead, it pierced straight at Tang Li, who was standing to the side, like a knife.

He looked Tang Li up and down, admiring her spotless white fox fur coat and then at her delicate face, his eyes revealing undisguised disgust and disdain.

He didn't bow, or even offer a polite greeting.

Tie Kui simply exhaled a heavy puff of white air from his nostrils and let out a cold, mocking snort:

"snort!"

Then, he turned around and shouted at Pei Yunjing:

"Your Highness, the wind and snow are fierce outside. Don't let our 'honorable guest' catch a cold. Let's go into the tent to discuss matters! The military situation is urgent and cannot be delayed!"

The word "esteemed person" was pronounced with extreme emphasis and was full of irony.

It was as if Tangli wasn't a princess, but a spoiled troublemaker who only slowed down the march.

Pei Yunjing's eyes instantly turned cold, and he was about to reprimand him.

A slightly cool little hand gently pressed against the back of his hand.

Tang Li looked at the one-armed old man who was hostile towards her, but she wasn't angry.

She even nodded slightly to Tie Kui, her expression calm and showing no sign of embarrassment.

She didn't need Pei Yunjing to reprimand the veteran general for her sake at this time; that would only further demoralize the army and solidify her reputation as a "femme fatale."

Prejudice is something that can't be controlled by words alone.

We must rely on our strength to fight back fiercely.

"Let's go." Tang Li said softly to Pei Yunjing, lifting her skirt and stepping off the carriage step by step on the blood-stained frozen earth.

The white fox fur swept across the dirty ground, getting covered in mud.

But her back was ramrod straight.