An Yang’s gaze held a hint of worry as she watched Song Chaoyu fall into thought. “Ayu, may I call you that? It feels too formal to address you as Princess Consort.”
Song Chaoyu understood that An Yang had already accepted her wholeheartedly.
She smiled and nodded at An Yang. “Of course. Call me whatever you wish.”
An Yang’s lips curved into a smile, but her eyes were filled with concern. “I want to know, what did you promise the Empress Dowager that made her agree to hand over those five thousand elite troops to the Crown Prince?”
Song Chaoyu paused. “Why would you think that?”
An Yang sighed. “I grew up in the palace, so I know the Empress Dowager’s temperament. If you hadn’t promised her something, she would never have given those five thousand elite troops to you!”
An Yang’s worry deepened. “Ayu, you didn’t pledge your life to the Empress Dowager, did you?”
Song Chaoyu quickly shook her head and patted An Yang’s hand. “How could I? I’m not going to stake everything. There are so many people I love in this world! Besides, my Little Peach and Little Monkey are still so young. If I were gone, wouldn’t they be too pitiful? Don’t worry, the Empress Dowager merely said that after this matter is resolved, she never wants to see me again. Chang Wang and I will live outside the capital, and we won’t bother her.”
After carefully observing Song Chaoyu and confirming she wasn’t lying, An Yang truly breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful! I was worried you’d promised something you shouldn’t have. In that case, if the Empress Dowager were to pass away one day, wouldn’t you be able to return to the capital? We could be together again!”
“Shh—”
Song Chaoyu was truly surprised by An Yang’s sudden remark.
She quickly covered An Yang’s mouth. “You silly girl, you mustn’t say such things! If the Empress Dowager heard you, how would you live in the palace from now on?”
An Yang stuck out her tongue and then snuggled closer to Song Chaoyu. “Ayu, will we be best friends forever from now on? No matter where you and Brother Chang Wang go, don’t forget me!”
Song Chaoyu felt that after this ordeal, An Yang seemed to have learned to cherish the people around her more.
Song Chaoyu nodded, agreeing to An Yang’s request.
In this life, she finally felt she hadn’t lived in vain.
She believed that everything would get better!
—
Perhaps it was because Song Chaoyu was present that the women in the hall were no longer as frightened as before.
They listened quietly to the sounds from outside. Song Chaoyu even heard someone praying for everything to go smoothly and peacefully.
In truth, this was also Song Chaoyu’s first time experiencing the brutality of battle so up close.
The sounds of clashing swords and occasional screams from outside made one’s blood run cold.
An Yang said that since they were in the Guande Hall, what they saw and heard was nothing.
What An Yang had seen when she first arrived at the hall that day was truly terrifying.
Soon, the sounds from outside seemed to gradually subside.
All eyes turned towards the windows and doors.
But no one dared to step forward and open them to see what the situation was outside.
Ultimately, it was Song Chaoyu who stood up first.
She took a deep breath, understanding what opening the door meant today.
If the Crown Prince and Mu Changxi had lost outside, then all of them, the women in the hall, would likely have no way to survive!
“Ayu!”
Even An Yang stepped forward and pulled Song Chaoyu’s arm.
She had been hesitant at first, but after a moment, she seemed to have made up her mind. “I’ll go with you! No matter what it looks like outside, we’ll face it together!”
How wonderful.
Song Chaoyu looked gratefully at An Yang, then nodded. Together, they opened the great doors of the Guande Hall.
“Creak—”
The sound of the heavy doors opening seemed to carve a wound in everyone’s heart.
Sunlight streamed in from outside, preventing them from seeing the situation outside the Guande Hall clearly the moment the doors opened.
Song Chaoyu also squinted slightly, raising her right hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
The next moment, she saw a familiar figure outside the hall.
“Your Highness.”
Song Chaoyu softly called out the name of the person she had in mind. But before she could step forward, Mu Changxi strode in from outside.
He paid no mind to An Yang standing beside her, nor to the gazes of the many women in the Guande Hall.
Mu Changxi walked directly towards Song Chaoyu and pulled her into his embrace. “Ayu, it’s alright now. Everything is settled. We won, and from now on, no one will be able to harm us!”
They won, they truly won!
Song Chaoyu’s heart was filled with joy, but she felt no surprise. “I knew we would win! This is too wonderful, truly too wonderful!”
“We won, we really won!”
Hearing Mu Changxi’s voice, the people in the Guande Hall instantly stood up and rushed outside.
At this moment, they no longer seemed like the noble ladies of the capital whose feet never touched the ground, but had transformed into people overwhelmed by the ecstasy of survival.
They rushed outside without restraint, embracing each other, encouraging each other, and letting go of all past grievances.
Under the sunlight, everything appeared so beautiful.
Song Chaoyu no longer cared about anything else, nestling in Mu Changxi’s embrace. She looked up with a smile at the warm sun above. “It’s so good! Your Highness, we’ve finally reached this point, it’s truly wonderful!”
Mu Changxi lowered his head and gently kissed the knot of Song Chaoyu’s hair. “Ayu, we won, we finally won. From now on, we can live the life we want!”
Song Chaoyu’s mind cleared from its overwhelming joy, and she firmly took Mu Changxi’s hand. “Take me to see outside the Guande Hall!”
Mu Changxi was taken aback. Although he knew the situation outside, he still led Song Chaoyu out. “Alright. Ayu, I’ll accompany you in whatever you want to do.”
Outside the Guande Hall at this moment, a river of blood had already flowed.
Yuan Daren’s men knew they had no retreat, so they fought with all their might.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince’s forces also suffered heavy casualties in their resistance.
As the outer doors of the Guande Hall opened, Song Chaoyu was met with a sea of blood.
Yuan Daren’s head had been severed and was currently held in the Crown Prince’s hand.
Mu Changxi gently covered Song Chaoyu’s eyes. He waited for the Crown Prince to pass before letting his hand fall. “This is war. I hope there will never be such a war in this world.”
That ground covered in corpses – they were all once living beings with flesh and blood and families!