Su Muchen mustered up his spirits, struggled to suppress his grief, squeezed out a smile, and walked toward the four little ones. He comforted the four little ones and played with them. Soon, they stopped crying and happily accompanied Su Muchen into the Jun Palace.
On the twelfth day since An Jing and the others had entered the city, more people from the Imperial Capital had arrived at Nanshen City.
These two were Tobanya and Crown Princess Ning Wen Xian.
Tobanya’s arrival was, of course, because of Meng Zhuqing. She didn’t believe the epidemic could be cured, and felt it likely that Meng Zhuqing would eventually succumb to it and die in this city. Therefore, she came.
Meng Zhuqing was her only concern, the only tie she could not feign ignorance of while merely staying in the Imperial Capital.
Even if Meng Zhuqing didn’t know of her affection for him, even if she no longer harbored any hope of being together with him, she still came without hesitation to this place—Nanshen City, ravaged by epidemic.
It was good to die in the same place as him. Although Tobanya’s expression remained cold as ever, this was what she thought to herself.
As for why Crown Princess Ning Wen Xian came...
Tobanya turned to look at Ning Wen Xian, who, as the Crown Princess Consort, nodded at her. Tobanya then called out loudly to the soldiers on the city gate tower, "The Crown Princess Consort is here, General, please quickly open the city gates and let us in."
General Lu looked closely and, having once held office in the Imperial Capital, immediately recognized that it really was the Crown Princess Consort. He was quite surprised, as he hadn’t expected the Crown Princess Consort to come. "As for opening the city gates, This General doesn’t have the authority. This General must go and ask Prince Yi for instructions."
This visitor was the Crown Princess Consort; he couldn’t just let anyone in. If she were to catch the epidemic, it wouldn’t be good. Better to ask Prince Yi for instructions, then even if something went wrong, it wouldn’t be blamed on him.
When Ning Wen Xian heard that it was to ask Prince Yi and not the Crown Prince, she immediately asked anxiously, "What about His Highness, the Crown Prince? Why not ask His Highness, the Crown Prince?"
General Lu replied, "His Highness, the Crown Prince, is currently resting and recuperating, and since Prince Yi has entered the city, all matters of Nanshen City are under Prince Yi’s control, no need to report to His Highness, the Crown Prince again."
Hearing that Su Chengyu was recuperating and not dead, Ning Wen Xian breathed a huge sigh of relief.
General Lu was just about to send someone to ask Xiao Changyi for instructions, but he saw Meng Zhuqing preparing to inspect the city walls, so he called out loudly, "Vice General Meng, your timing is perfect. The Crown Princess Consort has arrived; what do you think...?"
Upon hearing that the Crown Princess Consort had arrived, Meng Zhuqing quickly ascended the city wall, leaned over, and looked down.
General Lu had mentioned the Crown Princess Consort’s arrival, so Meng Zhuqing wasn’t surprised to see her, but when he saw Tobanya standing at the city gate, he was immediately startled.
How did she come here?!
Meng Zhuqing tried hard to suppress his concern for Tobanya’s situation and respectfully asked, "Why have the Crown Princess Consort and the Commandery Princess come? Did the Emperor permit you to come?"
Upon seeing that Meng Zhuqing was in good condition, Tobanya, who had been uneasy since he left the Imperial Capital for Nanshen City, finally settled down.
Ning Wen Xian didn’t know how to respond. She and Tobanya had sneaked here, and the Emperor of Xiyun was completely unaware of this.
Seeing Ning Wen Xian remain silent, Tobanya shouted loudly, "You’ve got some nerve! What the Commandery Princess and the Crown Princess Consort are here for is not something a Deputy General should question! Now open the city gates and let us in!"
Meng Zhuqing immediately asked for forgiveness, "I beg the Crown Princess Consort and the Commandery Princess for forgiveness. This General did not intend any disrespect; it’s just that Nanshen City is too dangerous right now, and it truly isn’t safe for the Crown Princess Consort and the Commandery Princess to be here."