Chapter 779: Raid Their Old Lair!

Song Yongjiuxiu coughed once, then felt his throat as if something was blocking it.

He clutched his throat and coughed violently.

Liu Guiyan, face full of surprise, shouted, "Chief General! Lord Song Yong seems to have inhaled too much dust, feeling very uncomfortable!"

Fujiwara Yoshinobu's face showed anxiety: "Quick! Support the lord into the cabin to rest!"

"Yes!"

Two water soldiers stepped forward, helped Song Yongjiuxiu and walked toward the ship's cabin.

"Cough cough cough…" Song Yongjiuxiu turned his head, pointing at Liu Guiyan, but coughed so hard he could not utter a single word.

He was startled and frightened; when passing by Abe Taichin, he grabbed Abe Taichin's sleeve.

Abe Taichin expressionlessly pried his hand away: "Lord, please go rest properly."

Liu Guiyan coldly watched him being carried away, then turned to Fujiwara Yoshinobu: "Fujiwara Chief General, Koryo indeed still has many troops; if you are absent, wouldn't it be a leaderless flock?"

Fujiwara Yoshinobu smiled: "I have already made proper arrangements; although they have entered the Royal City, there is still a tough battle to fight."

"Even if we cannot defeat that war god, we will still strip a layer of his skin."

He looked at Liu Guiyan: "Just now, thank Madam Cheng."

Liu Guiyan saluted: "Chief General, you overstate it; it was merely a trivial effort."

She paused: "But, this Lord Song Yong, I wonder whether the Chief General intends to take his life or…?"

Fujiwara Yoshinobu gave a slight smile: "I wonder if Madam Cheng can make it so that he lives yet cannot speak, cannot write?"

Liu Guiyan also smiled: "Since that is the lord's wish, I can certainly fulfill it."

Fujiwara Yoshinobu nodded: "I have noted Madam Cheng's merit."

He turned his head toward Abe Taichin: "Master, is this action also as you wish?"

Abe Taichin's heart trembled; this is being done for me to see!

The Fujiwara clan has always been decisive in killing, but this Zhongyuan old lady's poisonous methods are so formidable that one must be wary.

After hesitating for a moment he said: "Let the Chief General handle it as he wishes; my Yin‑Yang Bureau has no involvement in this matter."

Fujiwara Yoshinobu nodded with satisfaction.

Dusk was approaching.

Xiao Ningxun led a dozen cavalry, halting their horses in front of Chu Yuan's tent.

He had just turned and dismounted when Tuan Tuan, having heard the commotion, ran out of the tent: "Third Brother!"

Xiao Ningxun's hair was slightly disheveed, and his battle robe bore specks of blood.

Seeing his sister, his steps faltered briefly, then he bent down, spreading his arms.

Tuan Tuan leapt into his embrace, clutching his neck tightly: "Are you hurt, Third Brother? How are Father and the others? Are they all okay?"

"All fine, all fine," Xiao Ningxun lifted her, resting her on his arm, his voice a bit hoarse: "Good girl, go inside and say that brother's clothes are dirty; go inside, brother will change out of these garments and then hold you again, okay?"

"Not dirty!" Tuan Tuan's small face pressed against his shoulder armor, covered in dust and ash, "Third Brother isn't dirty at all!"

Xiao Ningxun smiled, carrying her into the tent: "National Preceptor, the city interior has been completely cleared."

"Father sent me to escort you and Princess Jingning back to the Royal Palace."

"Jingning!" Tuan Tuan shouted happily toward Wang Jingning, "You can return to the palace now!"

Wang Jingning's eyes filled with tears, she stood up properly: "Thank you, General."

Xiao Ningxun replied: "Princess, you are being too modest."

Chu Yuan nodded: "Has the fighting continued up to this point?"

"Yes." Xiao Ningxun, holding Tuan Tuan, sat down, took a bowl of water from Lu Qi, and gulped it down in one go.

Lu Qi hurriedly poured another bowl for him.

After Xiao Ningxun finished that bowl, he asked: "Then weren't the brothers suffering heavy casualties? How is Xiao Er?"

"He's fine," Xiao Ningxun shook his head, "the casualties… actually aren't that severe."

"Infinite Celestial Venerable!"

Xiao Ningxun continued: "Fujiwara Yoshinobu fled with his close followers, but had already arranged troops to stay behind in the city."

"Ten thousand are in the Royal Palace; the remaining scattered soldiers guard the city's vital passages, making the main army's advance extremely difficult."

"He's truly ruthless, just abandoning his troops and running away." Lu Qi snorted: "When the Chief General flees at the front, those Eastern soldiers actually still manage to hold firm?"

Xiao Ningxun nodded: "Speaking of this, Father also finds it unbelievable."

"Those Eastern soldiers each act like puppets; with the Chief General absent, they show no sign of wavering."

"However, we have the Sky‑Fire Cannon in hand; no matter how they defend, they are helpless, though clearing them is extremely time‑consuming."

"The Royal Palace was the last hard bone to gnaw; the soldiers inside fought to the death without surrender."

"We expended a lot of effort to take it; when we rushed in, they realized they could not hold it and even set fire inside, trying to burn the Royal Palace down."

Wang Jingning's complexion turned pale: "Burned—how many places?"

"Not many, just a few side halls. We arrived in time and extinguished them."

Xiao Ningxun looked at her: "Princess Jingning, please rest assured, the Royal Palace is safe."

Tuan Tuan touched her small chest: "Jingning, your home isn't completely burned, it's still there, don't worry."

Lu Qi asked: "Are there still scattered soldiers and roaming warriors inside the city?"

"Speaking of that," Xiao Ningxun smiled, "the Korean civilians have long suffered their poison; the main army dares not provoke them, but any isolated ones are dealt with by the civilians."

"The Easterners' burning, killing, looting—deserved!" Lu Qi said resentfully: "Indeed!"

Tuan Tuan buried her face in her brother's shoulder hollow: "Third Brother, I miss Father."

"Third Young Master, let's go," Chu Yuan stood up, "the Prince is probably waiting for Tuan Tuan to return."

"Alright." Xiao Ningxun, holding his sister, rose.

Tuan Tuan waved at Wang Jingning: "Come on! Jingning! You should go home!"

Wang Jingning nodded firmly.

Several people walked out of the tent, the Goguryeo guards had prepared a carriage, and they helped Wang Jingning aboard.

Lu Qi lifted the carriage curtain: "Miss?"

Tuan Tuan clung to her brother, refusing to let go: "I want to ride a horse! With Third Brother!"

"All right, staying with brother." Xiao Ningxun smiled, shook his head, placed her on the horse's back, swung up onto the horse, sat behind her, and stretched out his arms to hold her firmly against his chest.

Lu Qi and Chu Yuan also mounted their horses, and the group headed toward the Palace.

Arriving at the Palace, the palace gates still bore the marks of axe and sword cuts, someone was washing bloodstains on the steps, and the air was filled with a faint burnt smell.

Several people dismounted and came to the front of the main hall.

Wang Jingxiao and Xiao Yuanhang were standing at the doorway, speaking softly.

Wang Jingning lifted her skirt and ran over, throwing herself into her brother's arms.

Wang Jingxiao tightly held his sister, turned, and walked inside.

Xiao Yuanhang saw his daughter, strode over, and took Tuan Tuan from Xiao Ningxun's arms.

"Father!" Tuan Tuan cupped her father's big face, looking left and right, "Are you hurt?"

"No, don't worry." Xiao Yuanhang rubbed his chin against her little head, lowered his head, and lightly kissed her forehead.

"Where are Second Brother and Second Uncle? And Ninth Brother and the others?"

"They're still outside, checking if any enemies slipped away; they'll come back when it gets dark."

"Oh." Tuan Tuan snuggled into her father's embrace, "Father, we won!"

"Hmm, too bad, Teng Yuan Liangxin still got away."

"It's fine, Father," Tuan Tuan lifted her head to look at her father, "Aren't we still going to the Eastern Ocean to fight them?"

"Yes," Xiao Yuanhang laughed, "His Majesty wants to completely subjugate the Eastern Ocean people; our next step is to raid their lair! He can't escape!"