#552 - You really don't deserve it
Western Desert, Gobi.
“Young Master, General Han has succeeded!”
The galloping carriage kicked up yellow sand, Zhang San's voice was loud.
“Lord Wei says we can take the palace tonight!”
“...”
The tightly closed eyes slowly opened. Wei Changtian and Yang Liushi exchanged glances for a moment, and then softly asked:
“Where is Ning Wenjun?”
“He has been tied up by General Han and taken to Lord Wei!”
Zhang San replied loudly: “Also the Empress and others, they are all now turtles in a jar!”
Turtles in a jar...
Hearing Zhang San's rare use of an idiom, Yang Liushi couldn't help but chuckle.
Wei Changtian shook his head, helplessly correcting:
“Zhang San, 'with wings, they cannot fly' is more appropriate here.”
“Yes! Young Master, I understand!”
Zhang San immediately changed his words: “The Empress and others are now 'with wings, they cannot fly'!”
“...”
The crescent moon hung in the sky, and yellow sand swirled.
The originally tense atmosphere was relaxed a lot by Zhang San's antics.
No longer dwelling on the “idiom usage” issue, Wei Changtian paused, and then continued to ask:
“What about Huailing? Still no news?”
“No! The last condition seems to have not been agreed upon yet!”
Zhang San replied while driving the carriage: “However, someone heard fighting coming from the government office!”
“Fighting?”
Wei Changtian frowned, looking at Yang Liushi.
After a moment, the two of them almost simultaneously whispered two words.
“Li Qi?”
“Li Qi.”
The question came from Wei Changtian, the affirmation from Yang Liushi.
“What do you think?”
Smiling, Wei Changtian casually asked: “Do you think Li Qi didn't agree to Ning Yongnian?”
“Yes.”
Yang Liushi gently nodded: “That is indeed my guess.”
“Ning Yongnian wants to massacre Huailing City, only to shift the blame onto Da Feng.”
“And if Li Qi dies, then the massacre will be meaningless.”
“So Li Qi might want to use his life to exchange for the lives of the people of Huailing.”
“Yes, that makes sense.”
Slightly nodding, Wei Changtian muttered to himself: “I just don't know if Li Qi succeeded in dying or not...”
“That's hard to say.”
Yang Liushi pursed her lips: “However, Ning Yongnian probably wouldn't want Li Qi to die just like that.”
“Moreover, the situation in the capital should have reached Ning Yongnian's ears by now. He might still want to use Li Qi and Princess Wuping to negotiate terms with you, Young Master.”
“Negotiate terms?”
Wei Changtian sneered upon hearing this: “Hmph, these conditions are not enough to negotiate with me.”
“I've already flipped the table. Even if I can't kill him, I must make him half-dead.”
Looking at Wei Changtian's gloomy expression, Yang Liushi hesitated for a moment, and asked softly with some confusion: “Actually, I still don't understand what you're trying to do.”
“Even if the imperial family members are now in our hands, will Ning Yongnian really care about these people?”
“People, he might not care about.”
Wei Changtian curled his lips: “But he can't possibly not care about the throne.”
“Ah!”
With a soft exclamation, Yang Liushi finally understood completely: “Young Master, do you want Ning Wenjun to usurp the throne?”
“But will Ning Wenjun agree?”
“Even if he agrees, such a thing needs to be legitimate and justified, at least there needs to be a plausible reason...”
“Don't worry, I will make him legitimate.”
Shaking his sleeves, Wei Changtian turned his head to look at the swaying carriage curtain.
“Zhang San, send a message to the Tongzhou Society.”
“Tell them, they can move.”
Huailing City, government office.
The goose-feather snow was getting heavier and heavier, and everyone in the hall was silent.
Standing with his hands behind his back in front of the open hall door, looking up at the crowded snowflakes in the night sky, Ning Yongnian's expression had changed from the previous ferocity to calmness.
Truthfully speaking, it wasn't that he hadn't thought that the Wei family would do something during his absence from the capital.
But he really didn't expect Wei Changtian to be so bold, actually wanting to strike at the very foundation.
And more importantly, Han Zhao was actually also a member of the Wei family...
Originally, with Han Zhao and the Imperial Guards present, guarding the palace should have been no problem.
But now, the palace definitely couldn't be defended.
So, after the entire capital fell, what was Wei Changtian going to do?
Was he going to use the imperial family members to threaten him?
“...”
Frowning deeply, Ning Yongnian still couldn't figure out where Wei Changtian got the confidence to “fight to the death” with him.
Yes, your Wei family can take the capital.
But you need to know that apart from the few southern provinces, the rest of Da Ning's provinces are still firmly under his control.
As long as he gave an order, the several provinces near the capital would definitely send troops immediately.
The capital was not like Shu Province, located in a remote corner of the southwest, wouldn't it become an isolated city then?
Wei Xianzhis subordinates had no army. Even if the city garrison and the Capital Garrison Command were included, they would only amount to tens of thousands of people.
And undoubtedly, many would be lost in the process of attacking the palace.
How could these people defend the capital?
He wouldn't even need to recall the army from Da Feng, relying solely on the loyalist armies from the provinces would be enough to retake the capital.
Wei Changtian and Wei Xianzhis couldn't possibly not know this.
They should be very clear that although the Wei family could temporarily control the capital, they definitely couldn't defend it for too long.
So the Wei family must have other moves next.
But, what exactly is this move...
Also, why is he so anxious to launch an attack?
Thinking of this, Ning Yongnian couldn't help but look back at Li Qi and Li Wutong, who were slumped on the ground.
Could it be for Li Wutong?
“...”
After pondering for a moment, Ning Yongnian slowly walked to Li Wutong's side.
He didn't release her acupoints, but simply looked down at her calmly, and slowly said:
“Princess, you may have just heard.”
“Just a while ago, the Wei family just captured my Da Ning capital.”
“I really didn't expect Wei Changtian to act like this, but...”
“It can only be said that he is ultimately too impatient.”
“Of course, there must be a reason for him to do so.”
“I guess he's doing it for you.”
“What do you think?”
“...”
Tears streamed down her face, and the pain in her heart was like being torn apart.
The regret and despair in Li Wutong's eyes reached an unparalleled level when Ning Yongnian said the last sentence.
She didn't know what Wei Changtian's real purpose was in doing this. At this moment, she only hoped that Wei Changtian wasn't doing it for her.
Recalling her threat to die in Shu Province City.
Recalling Wei Changtian's question, “Do you believe me or Ning Yongnian?”
Recalling that she had just agreed to the “marriage alliance” condition...
Every time Li Wutong recalled a scene, the pain in her heart would deepen.
She felt that she was not worthy, not worthy of Wei Changtian doing anything more for her.
Just like Li Qi said before.
From beginning to end, it was actually she who was sorry to Wei Changtian...
The east wind is cruel, and joy is fleeting.
One wrong thought, years of separation.
In this regret that drowned all emotions, even surpassing life and death, Li Wutong actually trembled and opened her mouth. Under the circumstances that her acupoints were completely sealed, she still used all her strength to squeeze out three almost silent words.
“Kill... me...”
“...”
After being stunned for a moment, Ning Yongnian suddenly laughed.
There seemed to be some disdain in the smile.
“Kill you?”
“Heh heh, it seems I was wrong.”
“A woman as stupid as you really isn't worthy of Wei Changtian making such a big fuss.”
