Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 320 Several months have passed

Jiang Yueli forced herself to remain composed and asked in a deep voice, "What happened? And why are you all here?"

The scout immediately replied, "Your Highness, three months ago..."

"Wait, what did you just say?"

The scout, still confused, truthfully replied, "Your Highness, I just said that three months ago..."

"What month is it now?"

As soon as Jiang Yueli finished speaking, she looked around and noticed something unusual.

When they left the capital, the snow disaster had just passed, and the New Year was just around the corner.

But now, the sun is shining brightly outside, and there is still steam rising from the ground, but it is not scorching hot.

"Your Highness, the Autumn Equinox has passed."

Jiang Yueli staggered a few steps. Had almost seven months passed?

They actually stayed in the illusion for so long!

Jiang Yueli's heart pounded; she knew that something terrible must have happened in the capital.

"Go on."

“Your Highness, three months ago, the Great Qing suddenly attacked. The enemy army advanced with unstoppable momentum, and in just three months, they had already breached more than half of the Great Zhou's cities,” the scout’s voice trembled. “Now they have crossed the last barrier and are heading straight for the capital!”

"A battle report arrived a few days ago: the enemy is no more than a hundred li from the capital. Your Highness, the Great Zhou is in grave danger!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yueli felt dizzy. She never imagined that the world situation would change so drastically in just a few months.

"Where are the generals in the capital? Daqing has no fierce generals, so why is the attack so powerful?"

The scout's voice choked with emotion: "Your Highness... almost all the generals in the court who are capable of fighting have been dispatched."

"General Qian Tao, a Grand Master of Ceremonies, defended Yizhou City for twenty days. When he ran out of ammunition and food, he died for his country."

"General Zhaoyong Feng Polu was captured in the field and, taking advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, slit his own throat and committed suicide."

As the scouts announced the names of the generals who had died in battle, Jiang Yueli's heart clenched violently.

These were all people who had guarded the border with her back then, and they had all died tragically!

Seeing Jiang Yueli's sorrowful expression and inability to speak, Zhou Wei stepped forward to support her and asked on her behalf, "Then who is guarding the capital now?"

The scout reported: "His Highness the Third Prince has led his troops to defend the last line of defense a hundred miles away. Most of the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital have fled, and a rebellion broke out not long ago."

"It was Ning He, daughter of Prime Minister Ning, who worked with Sun Cheng, the garrison commander of the Five Cities Garrison, to suppress the rebellion! Now General Sun is guarding key locations in the capital, while Miss Ning is responsible for pacifying the people in the city and maintaining order."

Jiang Yueli was shocked when the Third Prince's name appeared.

Hearing that Ning He had actually donned armor and gone into battle to suppress the judgment, her hands and feet turned ice cold!

"Ning He? Isn't Sister Ning already pregnant?"

The scout nodded: "Your Highness, Miss Ning is indeed pregnant, but the capital is leaderless, and there is no general with high prestige to quell the situation."

“Miss Ning previously opened a soup kitchen to benefit the people, and the people trusted her a lot. Only when Miss Ning came forward would the people not run away in secret.”

The thought of Ning He being seven months pregnant and still having to go into battle filled Jiang Yueli with heartache.

The Third Prince has been ordered by Jiang Yueli to be confined to his residence. Why he went to the battlefield is still unknown. The only way to find out is to ask him about it when they return to the capital.

"Why are you, the soldiers of Nanguang, waiting for me here?"

The scout bowed and said, "Your Highness, when the Great Qing swept in, the First Prince sent out several scouts to search for and wait for Your Highness in various places."

"Who knew that this wait would last for three months? Now the two princes have led the Southern Guang Army to the capital to defend the emperor. We request Your Highness to return to the capital to take charge of the overall situation."

The scouts sent by the eldest prince were very clever; they conveyed the situation in the capital to Jiang Yueli in the shortest possible words.

"I ask you, with the capital in such chaos, has His Majesty... has His Majesty left Hexi Palace?"

The scout lowered his head and said, "Your Highness, since the Daqing army launched its invasion and is now besieging the capital, His Majesty has not left the Hexi Palace."

"The Crown Prince said that if Your Highness does not return to the capital, there may be unforeseen events in the capital."

Jiang Yueli immediately understood what the eldest prince meant.

"Is the deposed crown prince still under house arrest?"

"I am unaware of this matter," the scout replied truthfully. "Since the Nanguang Army besieged the capital, news from the capital has been difficult to get out. The most recent news was from half a month ago."

"It is said that the Imperial Concubine is still overseeing the country in the palace. She once ordered that the ladies of the capital enter the palace and that children under the age of eight from noble families could also enter the palace for refuge, but very few responded."

Jiang Yueli sneered: "Of course no one will listen to her. Sending women and children into the palace at this time is no different from taking them hostage."

The scout reported, "Shortly after the Imperial Noble Consort issued the order, some high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital secretly fled the city."

Bai Xiaoxiao's order was tantamount to announcing to the nobles and officials in the capital that the capital was in danger.

If the nobles don't run now, when will they?

Jiang Yueli had a general understanding of the situation in the capital.

"I will depart for the capital immediately. You wait..."

Before Jiang Yueli could ask, the scout said, "Your Highness, we have completed the First Prince's orders and will now gather all the scouts and ride at full speed to the capital."

"Very well then, you may go."

The scout bowed again, mounted his horse, and soon disappeared from everyone's sight.

Jiang Yueli turned to the crowd and said, "Something has happened in the capital. I must return to the capital. Mr. Tan, the matter of your Zhengshan Academy is probably related to that person in the capital. Would you like to return to the capital with me?"

Tan Lin agreed without any hesitation.

Zhu Qi thought for a moment and said, "The Great Qi has invaded and besieged the capital. I naturally cannot leave at this time. If I am here, I can also help my two elder sisters."

Zhou Wei then looked at Shen Shuqing and Wan Qianliang. Shen Shuqing immediately said, "I also want to go back to the capital. My family is still at the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence."

Wan Qianliang remained silent; he was unwilling to go back no matter what.

Now that the Valley of Divine Healers is so close, and he will be able to go home soon, how can he accept having to return the way he came?

Zhou Wei didn't press the issue, but her words were loaded with meaning: "Wan Tianjiao, you've seen the situation at Kongshan Temple and Zhengshan Academy. Don't you have any thoughts on that?"

Wan Qianliang was shocked, and then said, "Didn't you say I was impersonating a disciple of the Divine Doctor Valley? Why are you admitting it now?"

Zhou Wei sneered: "Whether you are a true disciple of the Divine Doctor Valley or not is irrelevant to me. On the contrary, if you are not, things will be easier for you in the future."

Wan Qianliang asked in surprise and doubt, "What do you mean by this?"

Zhou Wei didn't answer, but instead raised her hand and patted Wan Qianliang a few times.

"Wan Tianjiao, I have returned your cultivation to you. You may return to the Divine Doctor Valley. I only hope that everything is well in the Divine Doctor Valley."

Wan Qianliang's expression changed several times. Thinking of everything he had experienced at Kongshan Temple and Zhengshan Academy, a sense of fear suddenly rose in his heart.

"Zhou Wei, how dare you curse my Divine Doctor Valley?"

Zhou Wei ignored him and told everyone to get in the car, as they were heading back to the capital without stopping.

Shen Shuqing was filled with worry and whispered to Wan Qianliang, "Senior brother, three of the four blessed lands have encountered trouble. What about Divine Healer Valley... what if Divine Healer Valley?"

Wan Qianliang interrupted her sharply: "Absolutely not! Master is still in seclusion. When Master comes out of seclusion, I will definitely invite Master to the Great Zhou Imperial City to kill Zhou Wei."

Seeing that she couldn't reason with her senior brother, Shen Shuqing could only offer her final words of advice.

"Senior brother, think about what happened to Kongshan Temple and Zhengshan Academy. When you return to Shenyi Valley, be sure to be on high alert. If anything seems amiss, leave the valley immediately!"

Wan Qianliang's expression softened slightly. "Junior sister, don't worry, I know."

Shen Shuqing boarded the carriage, lifted the curtain, and waved goodbye to Wan Qianliang one last time.

"Senior brother, take care!"