Chapter 136

Magpie and the women’s army, carrying the coffin, had reached the gates of Sisui City.

The streets were swept clean of snow, and the falling snowflakes melted into the wet ground.

The women, wearing their tattered armor, had red, frozen faces but stood tall and straight.

On the flat cart pulled by horses lay a black coffin, tied with a white mourning flower made of silk.

The flower trembled in the cold wind, and a thin layer of snow covered the coffin lid.

Crowds of people lined the streets, watching silently.

The gate guards checked each member of the women’s army against a portrait but found no sign of the wandering doctor, finally allowing them to pass.

Magpie took a deep breath. Once they passed this gate, they would be back in their own territory.

As the women’s army slowly moved towards the gate, a young guard’s gaze lingered on them before stopping at the coffin.

“Wait,” he suddenly called out.

The guards at the gate immediately blocked their way again with crossed halberds.

Magpie’s sharp gaze cut towards the young guard. “What is the problem?”

The young guard nodded towards the coffin on the cart, arrogantly saying, “Open the coffin.”

The women’s army instantly showed their anger, and the watching crowd was shocked, whispering amongst themselves.

Magpie shouted angrily, “This coffin contains our general who died on the battlefield in the north.

We are bringing him home through your Chen State’s territory, not to be humiliated by you!

In our nation’s time of need, while you cowards hid, our daughters went to war.

Now, we bring back a coffin, and you dare to make things difficult! If you want to touch this coffin, you will have to step over my dead body!”

The women’s army immediately formed a protective circle around the coffin, weapons pointed at the Chen State soldiers.

The young guard sneered, “Do you think you can fight with so few soldiers? I suspect you are hiding a criminal in that coffin. Men, seize them!”

Chen State soldiers hesitated, intimidated by the fierce women who looked like wolves from the northern lands.

The young guard angrily whipped the soldiers closest to him. “What are you waiting for? Seize them!”

Reluctantly, the soldiers moved forward.

Magpie shouted to the onlookers, “Fathers and elders, we left our homes to fight for our nation, our people, and our families.

Today, as long as there is one drop of blood left in us, these Chen State dogs will not touch our general’s coffin!

If Great Chu recovers Bianjing and the elders from Jianghuai come to find our bones, tell them the daughters of Jianghuai were loyal in this life, and we will be filial in the next!”

Her words moved many in the crowd to tears, and the people’s anger grew.

Great Chu was fragmented, its territories divided, and with foreign invaders threatening Beiting, it was a women’s army that fought on the battlefield.

To return home and have their general’s coffin inspected was an insult!@@novelbin@@

A man in the crowd, his face red with anger, shouted first, “These damned dogs! They only bully behind the scenes. We can’t let them open the coffin! Let’s escort the women’s army home!”

This shout resonated with many in the crowd.

Voices rose in agreement, “Yes, don’t let them open the coffin!”

The young officer’s face turned livid and he ordered the man who started the commotion to be arrested.

However, the crowd of onlookers surged towards the soldiers at the gate, pushing and shoving, forcing the soldiers to retreat and making it impossible to catch anyone.

The soldiers trying to seize the women’s army were held back by the crowd, who grabbed their arms and weapons, practically carrying them away and creating a path for the women’s army.

The crowd pushed the women’s army quickly towards the city gates.

The young officer, enraged, shouted, “Anyone obstructing military operations will be killed without mercy!”

One soldier, holding a weapon, was about to strike a civilian when the man yelled, “My nephew works for the chief clerk! Touch me and see what happens!”

The soldier, powerless and afraid of causing trouble, hesitated, knowing that if something happened, he would be the one punished, so he didn’t dare harm the civilians and was forced back.

Seeing his men were useless, the young officer tried to chase them himself but found his legs held tightly by an old woman who cried out pitifully, “Help! The gate officer is beating an old woman! Such cruelty! My whole body hurts!”

Furious, the young officer was about to kick the old woman when a group of strong men came to her aid.

“This scoundrel is hitting an old woman!”

“Let’s teach him a lesson!”

There is a saying that the law doesn’t punish the masses.

With thousands of civilians gathered, the young officer was beaten black and blue, unable to recognize who hit him.

The women’s army, having left the city gates, headed straight for the Ten Mile Pavilion to meet the two thousand Chu soldiers waiting for them.

On the way, they encountered Shen Yanzhi’s three thousand troops.

Magpie’s heart nearly skipped a beat with tension.

But the three thousand cavalry passed by in a hurry, not stopping to engage with them, heading straight towards Sisui City.

Magpie’s small group stepped aside to let them pass.

Watching them go, she thought deeply.

One of the women’s soldiers worriedly asked, “Sister Magpie, what if these Chen soldiers find out we forced our way out and come after us?”

She glanced at the coffin on the cart.

Magpie, uncertain but resolute, ordered, “Once we turn the corner ahead, we’ll release the person inside and then quicken our pace.

The princess and her two thousand soldiers are waiting at the Ten Mile Pavilion. Even if the Chen soldiers catch up, they won’t be able to do anything to us!”

The women’s army paused for less than a quarter of an hour at the bend and then sped towards the Ten Mile Pavilion.

The wind and snow grew fiercer, turning the road into a muddy mess, but the women trudged through, determined to return home.

After what seemed like an eternity, the white expanse of snow ended, revealing a black line of soldiers, their banners of black with gold trim flying in the cold wind, clearly marking the Chu army.

The women’s soldiers stopped, tears choking their throats.

They had finally made it home.

When they got closer, they saw the Prince and Princess standing at the front of the army, cloaked in snow, clearly having waited a long time.

The women’s soldiers were overwhelmed with emotion.

Magpie, with red eyes, saluted Qin Zheng and Chu Chengji, “General Lin was severely injured and couldn’t travel far. I escorted Captain Wang Damma’s body home on his behalf.”

Qin Zheng thought she had seen enough of the world’s sorrows, but seeing the women’s soldiers return in such a state, her heart tightened, and tears welled up.

She looked at the snow-covered cart, “Is Madam Wang inside?”

Magpie couldn’t hold back her tears anymore, wiping them away with her sleeve as she replied, “Yes. The northern king’s son was taller and stronger than most, with fierce martial skills.

Marquis Lianqin almost died at his hands. Our general, fearing chaos if something happened to Marquis Lianqin, fought recklessly to protect him.

Captain Wang took several blows for her, her entire back shattered…”

Magpie couldn’t continue, choking on her sobs.

The other women, remembering Wang’s sacrifice, also wept.

Qin Zheng’s eyes reddened.

Upon hearing the news, she feared for Lin Zhao and hadn’t slept well for days.

Learning that Wang Damma had protected Lin Zhao, her grief was no less.

Madam Wang had been fierce in appearance but kind-hearted, always helping Qin Zheng in their early days and later training the women soldiers.

Besides Qin Zheng, the one most affected was Lin Yao.

Outwardly calm, Lin Yao had been deeply worried.

After Magpie finished speaking, for the first time, he didn’t wait for Qin Zheng and Chu Chengji to speak first.

Instead, he hoarsely said to Magpie, “Open the coffin. I want to see Madam Wang.”

Within the women’s army, following military regulations, they addressed Lin Zhao as General and Madam Wang as Chief Guard.

However, Lin Yao still addressed them as he used to.

He and Wang Biao were the same age, and his mother fell ill when she gave birth to him, unable to produce milk.

It was Wang Damma who nursed him, making her like a second mother to him.

Over the years, Wang Damma had indeed treated them like her own children.

Magpie wiped her eyes and motioned for a few women soldiers to open the coffin.

As the thin layer of snow on the coffin lid fell away, the middle-aged woman lying inside appeared robust, with a hint of sternness in her face, though now pale without color.

Her eyes were closed, exuding an indescribable peace.

The coffin appeared large from the outside, but with Madam Wang inside, it seemed somewhat cramped.

After traveling from Beiting to Jianghuai, the delay meant that, thanks to the cold weather, there was no unpleasant odor emanating from the body.

Feeling a mix of sadness and joy, Qin Zheng didn’t dwell on why the coffin looked shallow from the inside.

She turned away to wipe her tears, and Chu Chengji gently patted her back in silent comfort.

Lin Yao gazed at the woman who had long passed away in the coffin for a long time, then knelt in front of the coffin and kowtowed three times.

His tears fell silently on the snowy ground, leaving no trace.

After rising, he simply said, “Close the coffin.”

Then he looked at Chu Chengji, his jaw clenched tightly. “Your Highness, in the northern campaign, I earnestly request permission to accompany the expedition.”

Chu Chengji placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “Granted.”

The coffin was closed again, and as the women’s army was about to return with the main army, amidst Magpie’s grief, she remembered something else. “Your Highness, Princess Consort, I have something to report.”

Qin Zheng nodded, “Speak.”

Magpie said, “I brought back the Wandering doctor from Sisui City who claims she can cure the plague.”

This statement changed Qin Zheng’s expression, and she asked, “Where is this doctor now?”

Magpie looked towards a one-eyed woman among the women soldiers, who stepped forward and bowed to Qin Zheng and Chu Chengji, “This commoner has seen Your Highness, Princess Consort.”

She exuded a peaceful and serene aura similar to Lady Qin’s, making Qin Zheng feel comfortable.

“Are you the Wandering doctor who treated the plague victims in Zhuzhou earlier?” Qin Zheng asked.

The doctor nodded, “Yes, I am, Your Highness. I was fortunate enough to leave the city because General Lin’s soldiers created a hidden compartment in the coffin and concealed me underneath it. Despite this, leaving the city was not without obstacles.”

Qin Zheng’s heart was filled with mixed emotions for a moment.

She felt sorrow for Madam Wang’s passing but joy that the doctor had been saved.

Regardless of whether Shen Yanzhi would give them the prescription, the people infected with the plague now had hope.

Hearing the doctor’s account of the difficulties they faced, Qin Zheng couldn’t help but ask Magpie, “Did you encounter any trouble on the way?”

Magpie replied, “To allow for ventilation, I ordered holes to be drilled in the bottom corner of the coffin.

When we left Sisui City, the city gate guards noticed it and detained us for inspection.

I incited public outrage and took advantage of the chaos to lead the soldiers out of the city.

On the way, we encountered a troop from the Chen camp. Afraid they might return to Sisui City and pursue us, I released the doctor halfway.”

Once they left Sisui City, it was no longer under the control of the Chen camp.

Even if the Chen soldiers came after them, separating from the doctor meant she could still make it to Jianghuai.

Qin Zheng knew that the troop they encountered on the way must have been Shen Yanzhi’s.

Magpie, having accompanied Lin Zhao to Beiting, now showed adaptability in handling situations.

With Madam Wang gone, these children she once worried about had grown up.

Amidst her melancholy, there was also some comfort. “Magpie, you’ve done a great service this time.”

When Magpie followed Lin Zhao to Beiting, the Yuzui Dam reservoir had not yet been destroyed, and there was no plague rampant south of the Yangtze River.

Although she hadn’t seen the devastation caused by the plague with her own eyes, she had heard of its horrors.

Magpie wasn’t concerned about Qin Zheng’s remarks about being credited.

Instead, she said with red eyes, “It’s not my merit. It’s Madam Wang who brought the doctor back.”

Without Madam Wang’s coffin, under the strict blockade from the Chen camp, the doctor couldn’t have left the city.

Said in this way, Qin Zheng also felt a bit sad.

She said to Magpie, “Madam Wang deserves credit, and so do you.”

After wiping her eyes again and stabilizing her emotions, Magpie, fearing that the Chen camp would discover the doctor had left the city and come after them, said to Qin Zheng, “Princess Consort, let’s start our journey back quickly. If the troops from the Chen camp learn about the situation from the city gate guards, they might pursue us.”