Chapter 2: Chapter 435: Helian Chuchu Establishes Her Authority

“I am Helian Chuchu, Princess of the Great Qin State! If the nation survives, I survive; if the nation falls, I fall!”

Helian Chuchu's voice was clear and resilient, sounding exceptionally distinct in the deathly silent streets.

The commoners, who had been kneeling in masses, heard these words and looked up one after another. They saw that sitting atop the white horse was none other than the Princess of Great Qin!

Whether it was the death-defying resolve in Helian Chuchu's words or the aura she herself radiated, in an instant, the commoners on the street felt the hot blood in their bodies burning with excitement!

They knelt one after another, shouting loudly

“This humble subject pays respects to the Princess!”

There was excitement in their voices, there was trust, but more than anything, there was reverence!

Some commoners hiding in their homes heard these earth-shaking cries and hurriedly opened their tightly shut doors. When they saw Helian Chuchu sitting upright on her horse, and the terrifyingly imposing iron cavalry behind her, they were moved to tears!

It had already been two full days. The Great Qin's Pingcheng was under siege, and the people were in a state of panic. They had only seen government troops galloping through the streets and soldiers rapidly delivering news; the longer time passed, the more unsettled their hearts became.

But now, a Princess of the Great Qin Imperial Family was personally standing at the entrance of the street. She didn't even need to say anything; her mere appearance provided the people with immense courage!

And the words from her mouth instantly ignited the love for Great Qin in everyone's hearts, igniting the will that even if they died, Great Qin must remain whole and intact!

“With the Princess here, what is there to fear?”

“Right! We are the subjects of Great Qin, we should unite! We must fight the foreign enemy together!”

“The number of soldiers the Tianqi Kingdom could bring to the outskirts of Pingcheng is only a few tens of thousands, while the number of us commoners in Pingcheng is several times that! What is there to be afraid of!”

“Exactly! Everyone, go back and grab your gear! We'll go to the city gates together. Even if we die, we won't let a single person from the Tianqi Kingdom in!”

“...”

Ye Jinxi blinked, watching the righteous and indignant commoners. They didn't even wait for Helian Chuchu to speak; they all rose to go home, some grabbing knives, some grabbing axes. There were even some blacksmiths who brought out the best knives and swords from their shops to distribute to those without weapons. Their fervor was so great that they seemed to have forgotten how they were just moments ago, fighting each other with red eyes!

However, was this a good thing?

Ye Jinxi turned her head to look at Helian Chuchu, only to see her sitting on the horse without moving an inch, like a statue.

As if understanding Ye Jinxi's thoughts, or perhaps murmuring to herself, Helian Chuchu said softly, “This is good. They will influence the other commoners, and the panic among the capital's citizens will diminish. Besides, once they reach the city gates, there will be soldiers to stop them and prevent them from leaving the city. However, this momentum of theirs will infect the soldiers who have been holding the gates for two days, stimulating their numb nerves. I fear there may be unexpected results.”

Hearing this, Ye Jinxi had an epiphany.

She couldn't help but feel embarrassed. She only held her ground because she had read many books in the 21st century and understood many things, but the wisdom of the ancients was indeed unquestionable. They focused most of their energy on studying warfare; things like boosting morale were as easy as breathing to them!

Ye Jinxi also had to admit that Helian Chuchu was indeed the daughter of Helian Jian. Even if she hadn't studied military tactics before, she had heard of many matters regarding state affairs. In this regard, she was far stronger than Ye Jinxi, a special police officer living in a 21st-century world without war.

Bu Feichen glanced at Helian Chuchu, then shifted his gaze to Ye Jinxi, saying in a low, calm voice, “Let's go.”

Helian Chuchu's upright body trembled slightly at that moment. She turned to look at Bu Feichen, her eyes carrying a trace of worry. She had long ago learned from her Empress Mother that he was her Father Emperor's son. Having such an incredibly powerful brother made her very happy; she wanted to earn his recognition, just like her Father Emperor!

Ye Jinxi looked at Bu Feichen, who had turned to fly away on his sword, and then at Helian Chuchu, who was pressing her lips together and staring intently at Bu Feichen's departing figure. The temperaments of these two siblings were sometimes quite similar. She smiled softly, “No rush, take it slow.”

Helian Chuchu froze, then nodded vigorously. “I will definitely do it!”

If not for Father Emperor, then for Great Qin; if not for Great Qin, then for Jun Mo, who was far away at the border!

If the capital could not be held and was conquered, the current chaotic situation at the border would immediately become clear. The other three countries would likely launch their most ferocious attacks against Great Qin. At that time, the destruction of Great Qin would be inevitable, and Jun Mo would certainly be in danger!

Helian Chuchu took a deep breath. A dull pain throbbed in her chest, and a sweet, metallic taste rose in her throat. She reached out to cover her chest, feeling as if her entire heart was being squeezed!

“How are you?” Seeing Helian Chuchu's face turn pale again in that instant, Ye Jinxi asked with a frown.

Deng Ling'er was quick-handed; a silver needle was already stuck into Helian Chuchu's head!

Helian Chuchu frowned deeply with her eyes closed. Only after Deng Ling'er's needle went in did her complexion slowly recover, and her tense body relaxed.

Seeing this, Ye Jinxi breathed a sigh of relief.

“The silver needles First Uncle taught me are really effective!” Deng Ling'er, observing Helian Chuchu's expression from the side, said with a wide grin once Helian Chuchu's expression had softened.

Ye Jinxi couldn't help but press her hand to her forehead. It turned out Deng Ling'er was using Helian Chuchu as a test subject!

Deng Ling'er turned to look at Ye Jinxi behind her, smiling incredibly cutely. “Since First Uncle isn't here, Ling'er was afraid something might happen to you, Auntie Ye, so I studied hard with First Uncle for a few days! Auntie Ye, don't be afraid, Ling'er will protect you all well!”

Hearing this, a warm current flowed through Ye Jinxi's heart. She reached out and pulled Deng Ling'er into her arms. “With our Ling'er here, Auntie Ye isn't afraid!”

Because they feared Ye Meng's poison might recur while fighting at the border, Bu Feichen had sent the First Physician to be by Ye Meng's side to manage his health. While Deng Ling'er had a photographic memory from reading, she lacked practical experience and was still young, so most of her knowledge came from books; thus, she was not as skilled as the First Physician.

However, her talent in medicine was second to none, even compared to the First Physician, so the First Physician had taken her as a disciple.

The pain in Helian Chuchu's chest gradually vanished. She opened her eyes and looked forward with a determined gaze. “Change horses!”

Change horses?!

Ye Jinxi was stunned. She looked at Helian Chuchu; wasn't the white horse she was riding quite good? Just now, when the commoners rioted, this horse hadn't retreated even half a step!

As soon as Helian Chuchu's words fell, one person among the three hundred iron cavalry behind her flipped off his horse to yield his mount.

Ye Jinxi glanced sideways and saw a dark shadow smiling at her from a corner!

No wonder that group of three hundred iron cavalry under Bu Feichen's command acted immediately after Helian Chuchu spoke; it was because An Ying had secretly given the order.

But how did Bu Feichen know that Helian Chuchu wanted to change horses?

Thinking of this, Ye Jinxi felt a slight pang of bitterness in her heart, but upon regaining her senses, she felt foolish. Bu Feichen was Helian Chuchu's brother; such meticulous care... was only natural.

Ye Jinxi looked back carefully at the white horse. She could feel the horse's steady, even breathing, but it was just a bit too eerie. The horse had remained completely motionless. Her eyes widened in astonishment; it truly was like a living statue!

Helian Chuchu dismounted, walked to the black steed that had been made available behind her, and with a flip of her red dress, mounted the horse!

The white horse remained standing in place, its stiff body motionless.

Ye Jinxi watched in amazement and looked down at Deng Ling'er.

Sensing Ye Jinxi's gaze, Deng Ling'er shrunk her small head, mimicking Yuan Bao. “Sister Chuchu was seriously injured, and I was afraid she was in danger, so I gave her some medicine...”

After saying that, she hurriedly added, “But this medicine only makes the body stiff for an hour; it won't have any other effects!”

Ye Jinxi extended a finger and poked Deng Ling'er between her eyebrows, smiling. “You, really!”

Helian Chuchu rode her horse to Ye Jinxi's side, looking straight ahead. “Let's go!”

Ye Jinxi understood that Helian Chuchu had applied that medicine to the white horse because she was afraid the horse would be startled and retreat. She was the Princess of Great Qin; if she wanted to become strong, she had to withstand all pressure. Moreover, these were the people of Great Qin, her subjects; how could she fear her own people!

It was precisely because her white horse remained motionless that the commoners in the street would respect her even more!

Helian Chuchu had already galloped away. Just as Ye Jinxi's horse took its first step forward, she heard the heavy sound of horse hooves coming from behind in unison—the sound was orderly and perfectly synchronized!

Ye Jinxi turned back in confusion, only to see the three hundred iron cavalry following closely five meters behind her. As long as she took a step forward, they took a step forward, their movements perfectly aligned. She couldn't help but admire them; they were truly iron-blooded soldiers!

Hiding in the shadows, An Ying nodded to Ye Jinxi and vanished.

The corners of Ye Jinxi's mouth curled up uncontrollably, feeling quite pleased. It turned out Bu Feichen hadn't ordered the iron cavalry to give Helian Chuchu a horse; these three hundred iron cavalry were sent by Bu Feichen to protect her. That was why, as soon as Helian Chuchu finished speaking and Ye Jinxi looked back, the cavalry immediately dismounted!

...

At the gates of Great Qin.

Tens of thousands of soldiers stood facing each other, the tension palpable!

First Prince Helian Mingshuo stood at the city gate. He watched quietly as the Tianqi Kingdom soldiers outside the gate focused on a man surrounded by everyone. This man was dressed in cyan Taoist robes and possessed an air of righteous indignation; he was none other than the State Preceptor of Tianqi, Wu Hao!

Wu Hao smiled slowly. “First Prince, your capital is surrounded by us, so you haven't received any reports from the border soldiers. Why don't I tell you? Heh... the other three countries have already launched their most ferocious attacks against Great Qin. Great Qin is finished. If you don't want the people of Pingcheng to suffer, open the gates and welcome us in!”

Wu Hao's voice was not loud, but through spiritual power, it drifted into the ears of every Great Qin soldier.

“Wu Hao! I didn't expect the Tianqi Kingdom to send you!” The First Prince narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing the unrest among the surrounding soldiers. “You say these things merely to suppress the morale of my Great Qin. In a battle between two armies, one only needs to fight until one wins and the other loses. Why bother with such tactics?!”

Good!

Having just arrived at the city gate, Ye Jinxi couldn't help but want to cheer for Helian Mingshuo. His words of "one wins and the other loses" were quite a match for the other man; they were truly evenly matched!