The situation in the Luzhou camp hundreds of miles away was equally tense.
"How is it?" Shen Zhao asked.
The soldiers who went to the city to inquire about the news had just returned. They were wearing ordinary people's clothes and said, "General, there are not 70,000 soldiers and horses in the city at all."
"how many?"
The soldier roughly figured out the number, "It can't exceed Xiwan at most. We have inquired about it. Marquis Xuanping lost a lot of people when he fled from Shengjing to Luzhou. Later, when he heard that we sent troops, many more people fled."
Shen Zhao pondered for a moment, "How is the situation in the city now?"
"It's very chaotic." The soldier said: "The common people wanted to escape, but Marquis Xuanping didn't allow it. He beheaded a few of the people who took the lead in making a fuss to get out of the city gate. Now the common people in the city are afraid to leave."
Chang Heng scolded: "The grandson of Marquis Xuanping is really nothing."
Shen Zhao held his knees and thought for a while, "We can afford it, but the people in the city may not be able to afford it. If the stalemate continues like this, the city will run out of food, and it is not unheard of to exchange children for food."
"Then do it." Chang Heng said angrily: "If we attack by force, Xiwan people will be afraid of being attacked, so they will bulldoze the city wall for him."
Shen Zhao is still thinking.
"General, do you think this can work?" Xiao Chuan said: "If too many people sneak into the city, they will be easily exposed, but it is not a problem to get two or three hundred people in. I will take people in to find out which gate has the weakest guard. General Chang led his men to attack the city, and I took the opportunity to open other gates."
"It's a good idea." Shen Zhao said, "But what if you don't succeed? It doesn't matter if we are outside, the two or three hundred of you will have to be buried inside."
"Sacrifice is inevitable if you want to succeed." Xiao Chuan said nonchalantly.
Shen Zhao sternly refused, "It took a lot of effort for Ayu to bring out a general like you. If I throw you into the city, she will have to make me cry, make trouble, and hang herself."
Xiao Chuan touched the sweaty back of his neck and smiled.
The guards surrounded the courtyard, and there were people kneeling in the courtyard.
The scorching heat and oppressive atmosphere made everyone afraid to breathe.
Xie Tingzhou sat on the edge of the bed with a sullen face, while Doctor Yu was taking the pulse of Shen Yu who was sleeping on the bed.
There was a lot of commotion in the yard at that time. When Xie Tingzhou came over after receiving the news, Shen Yu was still standing and calmly told him that it was okay, but she fell down after saying that.
Doctor Yu felt his pulse, hissed suspiciously, and then changed his hand.
Xie Tingzhou, filled with angry worries, stood up and walked to the door to look at the people kneeling in the courtyard.
"How was the assassin recruited into the house? How was he arranged to be in the courtyard? Including all the maids and servants, please let me find out one by one!"
"And that assassin, if I can't pry her mouth open, I'll take her skin off."
Xie Tingzhou lowered his eyes and glanced at Chang Liu who was sitting on the threshold. His injuries were not serious and he refused to go for treatment. He just sat here waiting for Shen Yu to wake up.
"Your Majesty." Doctor Yu in the room suddenly shouted.
Xie Tingzhou walked in quickly and saw Doctor Yu looking happy. He lifted up his robe and knelt down.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty."
Xie Tingzhou had already predicted something from Doctor Yu's expression.
Doctor Yu said: "The princess is pregnant."
"Are you sure?" Xie Tingzhou's breathing was a little unsteady.
"Confirmed." Doctor Yu said: "Although I am not good at women's surgery, it is not a problem to check the pulse. Congratulations, Your Majesty."
Xie Tingzhou let out a long breath, lifted the bed curtain and looked at Shen Yu's sleepy face, "Why doesn't she wake up?"
Doctor Yu said: "The assassin used a drug. Although the princess avoided it, she still took a small amount. However, the princess has a strong body, so the small amount of medicine has no effect on her body. She may have been working hard recently, so it doesn't hurt to sleep a little longer."
Dr. Yu was not good at women's medicine, so he changed the anti-fetal medicine again and again. Finally, he sent someone to ask the doctors in the city to come and discuss it together.
The people kneeling in the courtyard were cleared away. Changliu had bandaged his wounds and was still sitting at the door waiting, unable to be called away.
Xie Tingzhou sat on the edge of the bed, held Shen Yu's hand, put it to his lips and kissed it without looking away from her face.
He was obviously ecstatic, but he couldn't laugh. Instead, he felt the urge to cry.
Shen Yu slept for three hours before she woke up. When she opened her eyes, she saw Xie Tingzhou staring at her.
"Are you scared?" Shen Yu asked.
Xie Tingzhou shook his head and put her hand to his lips without saying a word.
Shen Yu vaguely remembered the situation before she fainted, "Are Xixi and Changliu okay?"
"Xi Xi is not in fear of his life. He will only suffer minor injuries."
Shen Yu nodded, raised her hand and looked at her palm with some disappointment, "I moved too slowly and my reaction was not as good as before, otherwise Changliu and Xixi wouldn't be like this today."
Xie Tingzhou held her hand, "I was worried about them both when I woke up. Why didn't you ask me?"
Shen Yu looked at him with a smile, "What about you?"
"I'm almost crazy with joy."
Shen Yu was stunned.
Xie Tingzhou said with red eyes, "I'm going to be a father."
Shen Yu was completely stunned at this moment, staring at him for a long time without reacting.
"There's a little thing in your belly. It's normal for you to react slowly." Xie Tingzhou leaned over her shoulder and didn't speak for a while.
Shen Yu touched his head and was about to speak, when her shoulders felt wet.
"I'm going to be a father." Xie Tingzhou said hoarsely, "It's our child."
He moved his hand to her still flat belly and slept beside her. He looked at the side of her face and kissed her. After a while, he couldn't help but kiss her again.
"I have to write a letter to my grandma and my eldest brother."
"And dad." Shen Yu added.
"We couldn't find him." Xie Tingzhou said, "He came back on his own after the news was released."
Shen Yu smiled and leaned into his arms.
The assassin could not open his mouth even if he died, but there were only a few people around him, either from Shengjing or people sent by Marquis Xuanping.
"I have thoroughly checked everyone in the house. The assassin is not the maid in the house. The original maid was killed by her and hidden in the woodshed."
Xi Feng finished his report and waited for Xie Tingzhou's instructions.
"Order the guards to seal the courtyard and select two reliable maids. If the others dare to approach, they will be the first to capture it."
Xi Feng ordered his troops to retreat. On his way out, he passed by Chang Liu and squatted down and said, "Why are you crying? How can you be a guard when you cry like this over a minor injury?"
"No." Changliu shook his head.
Xifeng pointed inside and said, "The princess wants you to go in."
Changliu stood up and patted his robe, which was still the same as before. After entering, he knelt down on the ground without saying a word.
"What are you kneeling for?" Shen Yu asked.
Changliu choked and said, "I failed to protect the princess, and I deserve to be punished."
Xie Tingzhou glanced at Changliu, "Have you sat outside for a long time and figured out anything?"
"Yes." Changliu nodded, "I will definitely practice my kung fu well in the future. I will never be arrogant and lazy just because I am good at light kung fu. Only when my kung fu is good can I protect the princess."
"You're not stupid." Xie Tingzhou tapped his leg with his fingertips, "Get up. The princess said that it's lucky that you and Xi Xi are here, so you should be rewarded."
