kvmb Chapter 926 Death Knell
Chapter 926 Death Knell
The palace bells tolled.
Twenty-seven tones.
Empress Dowager Dugu held power for many years, and compared to the Emperor of Great Yan who spent his days eating, drinking, and having fun, she was the backbone of Great Yan.
So when the funeral bell rang, everyone initially thought the emperor had died. Although they were flustered, they were not completely disoriented. But after the twenty-seven tolls, when no more bells rang, they realized that it was Empress Dowager Dugu who had died.
After the Zhao army entered the city, the Yan army was already in a state of continuous defeat. When the death knell sounded, the Yan army, having lost its leader, fled in disarray, no longer caring about defending the city.
Chaos reigned in Yanjing City.
Even the private army of the Dugu clan, who followed Lin Wuji on the orders of Empress Dowager Dugu, lost their composure upon hearing the death knell.
They forced Lin Wuji to leave Wanguo Temple immediately and return to the palace to take charge of the overall situation. However, although Lin Wuji had some affection for his birth mother, Empress Dowager Dugu, he had no intention of returning at this time.
After he resolutely refused to leave Wanguo Temple, the Dugu clan leaders had no choice but to leave with a group of people.
After the army entered the city and Zong Que made arrangements for the battle, he led his men directly to Wanguo Temple.
Dugu's private army had already withdrawn before Zong Que arrived. One part of the guards at Wanguo Temple were Lin Wuji's men, and the other part were brought by Sheng Junyi to hide in the shadows and protect Crown Prince Chongwen.
Therefore, after arriving at Wanguo Temple, Zong Que took control of the temple without much effort and led his men to Zhaota.
The door of the tower opened, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone in, making the perpetually dim tower appear as if it were covered with a layer of golden light.
Zong Que ordered his men to unlock the chains on the people inside. These people had been in the Great Yan for twenty-five years, and even if they were still alive, they would have long since gone mad. Once the chains were unlocked, they didn't know how to escape. When they were taken out, they sat on the ground in panic, crying and laughing at the same time.
These people were all promising young talents in the past.
Some were scions of noble families with a strong sense of righteousness, while others were newly appointed candidates in the imperial examinations. They admired Crown Prince Chongwen and were even more impressed by his courage to sacrifice for the country. They were willing to travel thousands of miles to follow him to Northern Yan as hostages.
The initial humiliation was merely a form of training for them.
Even as those around them were injured or killed, they remained steadfast in their principles, willingly enduring this inhuman torture for the sake of peace between the two nations.
But five years, ten years, fifteen years, twenty years.
Twenty-five years.
Twenty-five years in total.
In Da Zhao, where the average lifespan was less than fifty, many of them came to Da Yan as hostages when they were not even twenty years old.
These twenty-five years have gradually eroded and devoured their self-righteous first half of life.
All that remains is a damp, gloomy atmosphere.
They even began to forget who they were, why they came to the Great Yan, and what they hoped for, what they thought was that one day they would be able to return to their homeland. Such thoughts disappeared very, very long ago.
So when they were finally able to leave, when they learned they could leave Great Yan and return to their homeland, their reaction was not excitement or exhilaration, but panic.
Panic is just a dream; panic may be that they have died without even knowing it.
The physical body no longer exists, and the broken soul can never be fully restored.
I have no idea what day it is, or whether I am alive or dead.
Zong Que led his men into the Zhaota Tower and walked up to Crown Prince Zong Huai. Zong Huai had already put down the well-worn book that he always held in his hand. He looked up at the person coming against the light, and was in a rare daze.
Zong Que walked up to him and bowed respectfully.
"Zong Que greets Your Majesty. Yanjing has fallen, and your nephew has come to escort you back to Dazhao."
Zong Huai sat in the chair, looking down at Zong Que kneeling on the ground, and remained silent for a long time.
Zong Que met his gaze and let him scrutinize him.
Only when the candlelight hanging on the pillar flickered slightly did Zong Huai finally come to his senses and slowly reach out his hand towards Zong Que.
"it is good."