roccoschili How was Chapter 418? Did he manage to latch onto a powerful patron?
How was Chapter 418? Did he manage to latch onto a powerful patron?
"Madam, Hongluan shouldn't have lied to you."
We are descendants of ordinary people who were slaughtered by the current regime, but managed to escape and survive by sheer luck.
I thought that by doing my duty as an ordinary citizen, I could live a peaceful life, but who would have thought…
At this point, Hongluan was filled with grief and indignation: "A hundred years ago, the late emperor guarded the nation's gates."
Unexpectedly, the barbarian tribe that worshipped the winged creatures invaded the capital.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless and there was no way to reverse it, our emperor entrusted his son to the eunuch beside him, asking him to take the infant crown prince and flee south.
He hanged himself at the gate of the country, just to beg them to spare the lives of our people.
Unexpectedly, barbarian bandits broke into the capital and massacred the city for ten days.
In the end, the people of our dynasty could not escape this catastrophe.
The once bustling street has become a bloodbath.
The cries of the old, weak, women and children were drowned out by the crisp sound of swords slashing, and the hooves of the barbarian bandits trampled over the broken tiles and over the still warm bodies.
They grinned as they plundered gold and silver, burned houses, and turned the century-old capital into a living hell.
Ten days, a full ten days…
Upon hearing this, Gao Mengli staggered backward, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "So...so, Dou Weiyi and Dou Zhan...are descendants of orphans from the previous dynasty?"
Hongluan didn't raise her head, but instead kowtowed heavily, her forehead hitting the blue brick. "Yes!"
"The eunuch entrusted by the late emperor to Hongluan was the adoptive father of Hongluan's great-grandfather."
He did not leave, but entrusted the child to his adopted son whom he had taken in outside the palace, who was my great-grandfather.
He himself changed into the late emperor's clothes, moved the late emperor's body, and hanged himself on the palace gate, leaving the barbarian bandits to dismember his body, thus preserving the late emperor's remains..."
At this point, Hongluan broke down in tears, "Madam, the barbarian bandits have entered the capital and are massacring civilians. Every year, they select thousands of daughters from ordinary families to be tortured in the harem..."
"My great-grandfather, looking at the infant child and the devastated landscape, resolutely took him south and found a remote mountain forest to raise him."
In order to seize power, and for the sake of our suffering people, my great-grandfather arranged for the Dou family's children to join the army, hoping to bring them into the imperial court, but alas, things did not go as planned.
Fortunately, this generation produced a scholar named Lord Dou, who was able to enter the imperial court as he wished.
After passing the imperial examinations, he applied for a transfer to the south and took over the impoverished Pingyao County, where he protected the local people.
"And this campaign, we've waited a hundred years for..."
At this point, Hongluan looked at Gao Mengli with eyes full of gratitude.
Gao Mengli was startled and pointed to herself, tentatively asking, "You know me?"
Hongluan nodded slightly, then looked away somewhat guiltily. "To be honest... Madam, we have a large number of people, more than ten thousand in total..."
We've been traveling for days, and our food supplies are...we've run out.
Upon arriving outside Ling'an Mansion, Old Master Dou said... "You can... you can go into the city, to the west city, and you're sure to meet the kind-hearted lady..."
Gao Mengli's pupils suddenly contracted.
More than 10,000 people...
She steadied herself, her voice trembling with disbelief: "More than ten thousand of you, just hiding outside Ling'an Prefecture like this?"
Hongluan lowered her head even further, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes tightly, her voice barely audible: "Yes... there was an abandoned camp near the mass grave outside the city. We squeezed together there, gnawing on tree bark and chewing on grass roots, and managed to survive for three days."
Old Master Dou said, "Madam, you are Master Dou's most trusted advisor..."
"He is a benefactor of Lord Dou. You and Master Lin are kind-hearted; you will certainly... certainly not stand by and watch someone die."
Gao Mengli's lips twitched violently, her fists clenched tightly. "So, this Old Master Dou is?"
"It is Dou Jing, the father of Lord Dou and General Dou."
Gao Mengli felt a buzzing sound in her head, as if a thunderclap had exploded in her ears.
Good, very good!
Dou Weiyi, your Dou family is truly admirable!
Thick-skinned as always, it's a family trait!
Gao Mengli sighed softly, glanced at Hongluan, and helped her up from the ground. "Since we've come this far, would you be willing to take me out of the city to see your sisters?"
When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.
As a commoner who has received Dou Weiyi's protection, she has no reason not to repay the favor.
Hongluan suddenly raised her head, her eyes still wet with tears, yet bursting with an astonishing light. "Hongluan thanks you, Madam! We, more than ten thousand people, will never forget your great kindness in this lifetime!"
Gao Mengli opened the door, turned her head and shook it gently: "Don't rush to thank me. I just said I'd go see how much I can help, and how much I can do, it all depends on the situation."
After saying that, she went down the stairs and called out, "Xixi, go get the carriage ready, we're going out of the city."
Upon hearing this, Da Niu, who was standing at the door, ran over and subtly glanced at Hong Luan behind his mother. "Mother, why are you leaving the city at this time?"
Gao Mengli rubbed Da Niu's head: "Da Niu, your father and I have some business to attend to outside the city."
"You, your brother Miao, and your cousin Jiang are staying at the inn. The restaurant is closed. Could you ask the kitchen to make some extra steamed buns and deliver them to the women outside for Mother?"
Da Niu was a clever child. He rolled his eyes, didn't ask any more questions, and just nodded heavily: "Don't worry, Mother! I'll go and arrange it right away!"
Watching them board the carriage, Da Niu's obedient expression vanished. He returned to his room and ordered in a deep voice, "Follow them quickly and make sure to protect my mother and father."
"Yes!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several dark figures emerged from outside the window like wisps of smoke, silently trailing behind the carriage.
Da Niu walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and stared intently in the direction the carriage had gone.
Although he is young, his brows already reveal a composure and sharpness beyond his years.
The carriage slowly emerged from the city gate.
Gao Mengli lifted the carriage curtain and saw a carriage parked in the distance.
An elderly man with gray hair and a short stature, leaning on a cane, paced anxiously back and forth in front of the car.
Despite his advanced age, his back was ramrod straight, and every step he took carried the dignified air of someone who had long held a high position.
Upon seeing him, Hongluan's eyes reddened. She lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage, choking back tears as she called out, "Grandpa."
Dou Jing looked up at the sound, his cloudy eyes suddenly lighting up. He quickly stepped forward, "Hongluan, how is it? Did the Golden Thighs agree?!"
His son's powerful connections are no joke!
However, he was quite anxious, unsure if Hongluan had caught him yet!
Upon hearing this, Hongluan quickly gave Dou Jing a meaningful look.
Dou Jing looked anxious, clearly not understanding at all. "Hongluan, why are you winking at me?"
Hongluan was so anxious that sweat beaded on her forehead, and she coughed twice.
She glanced furtively towards the carriage again, and if it weren't for the importance of propriety, she would have loved to rush forward and cover her grandfather's mouth immediately.
Dou Jing, oblivious to everything, took two steps forward, leaning on his cane, his voice low but urgent: "Say it!"
"That couple is our only hope for continuing our journey. If they are willing to help, all of us more than 10,000 people will be saved!"
"Grandpa, you seem to know a lot about this!"
The sudden sound startled Dou Jing.
He then realized what was happening and turned around.
Sure enough, Gao Mengli came out of the carriage and looked at him with a half-smile.