Chapter 855
Signs of a World in Crisis
In early September, the grasslands become bitterly cold after it rains, especially at night.
With his back to the wind and the rain lashing his body, Jingyuan went to check on the soldiers' condition.
He saw a group of people huddled together in front of him. When he went to take a look, he found that there was a curtain of rain separating them. Apart from Pan Yun, Miao Zhen, Miao He, Tao Yanbai and Xue Shao were all sitting facing outwards. Behind the four of them, there was a square that separated them from the rain curtain. Inside, there were many wounded and sick soldiers sitting or lying down.
Jingyuan stared blankly.
Pan Jun was also searching among the soldiers, and soon he brought over two soldiers and threw them into the rain curtain to protect them from the wind and rain.
Jingyuan glanced at Miaozhen and the other three, noticing that they were holding yellow talismans in their left and right hands, their faces solemn, and their lips slightly pale. He then refrained from asking the foolish question, "Why don't you let everyone hide inside?"
Clearly, that's their capability.
Jingyuan turned and left, just like Pan Yun, carrying the soldiers in the worst condition into the rain curtain. The soldiers inside the rain curtain kept moving their bodies, letting more people in, in, and in again...
The yellow talisman and the continuous flow of Yuan energy can block the rain falling from the sky, but they cannot stop the water from seeping in from the ground.
So the place where they were sitting gradually became soaked, and everyone tried to huddle together for warmth.
This is much better than the soldiers sitting outside.
The soldiers slowly approached, surrounding Miaozhen and her companions. Even though they couldn't go inside, sitting near them made it seem less cold.
Pan Yun watched silently, unaware that even Jing Yuan had approached her.
Jingyuan had been feeling uneasy, and the heavier the rain fell, the heavier his heart became. He couldn't help but ask, "Master Pan, you are a highly accomplished Taoist priest. Could you possibly have foreseen His Majesty's current situation?"
Looking at the lightning flashing across the sky, Pan Yun said, "This is an omen of impending doom for the world."
Jing Yuan swayed, almost losing his balance, and hurriedly asked, "Where is His Majesty now?"
Pan Jun remained silent for a long time. In the thick dark clouds, he seemed to have glimpsed the secret of heaven. He suddenly looked towards the northeast, his gaze slightly narrowed.
There lies the future of the Ming Dynasty. The emperor brought out more than fifty civil and military officials, many of whom were pillars of the state.
When an emperor dies, he can be replaced, but the civil and military officials who take at least twenty years to cultivate are mostly destroyed in this war, especially the military generals. The descendants of military merit are almost exhausted. From then on, the Ming Dynasty was strong in civil affairs and weak in military affairs. Civil officials had more and more say in the court, and the Ming Dynasty's border strategies gradually became more conservative.
Even if those people were destined to die in another time and space, she wanted to save as many as possible.
Pan Yun's gaze fell on Jing Yuan, her eyes filled with surprise.
The emperor's personal expedition was brought forward by four years, and the imperial son-in-law, Commandant Jing Yuan, who should have died shortly after the expedition, is still alive today.
That would allow more people to live, and that should be feasible, as long as she tries a little harder, and then a little harder still.
Jingyuan felt uneasy under her gaze, but he didn't have time to think deeply, his mind filled with the conclusion that "the world is in turmoil."
The lessons learned from the Southern Song and the early Yuan dynasties...
Emperor Taizu overthrew the tyrannical rule of the former Yuan Dynasty and allowed the Han people to live like human beings. It has only been a little over seventy years since then. History is right before our eyes. What difficulty could possibly cause the world to fall into chaos?
Jingyuan's face turned pale instantly.
It certainly wasn't the emperor who died in battle.
Although His Majesty's death in battle is a disgrace to the Ming Dynasty, the Ming imperial family is strong, and the emperor has his own younger brother, uncle, and countless nephews.
Only... like Emperors Huizong and Qinzong, fell into enemy hands.
Jingyuan glanced northeast, and without a second thought, turned around to fetch his horse, shouting loudly for his personal guards to mount immediately. A hundred or so men followed Jingyuan and quickly mounted their horses.
Jingyuan looked down at Pan Yun and said, "Master Pan, thank you for your help. I know that you monks do not participate in worldly affairs, but this is a time of national crisis. If His Majesty is in trouble, the Northern Yuan will invade the south, and the Ming and Song dynasties will be in danger of extinction. At that time, I am afraid that our Han people will be in danger... I ask Master Pan to take scouts across the Great Wall to warn the capital and send reinforcements as soon as possible."
He left behind a lieutenant general named Song Yu, ordering him to gather the remaining troops and, after they had rested and regrouped, head northeast to find the emperor.
Jingyuan tore off a piece of his inner garment, wrote a plea for help in his blood, handed it to the scout, and then stared intently at Pan Yun.
Pan Yun said, "When the world is in turmoil, even I, a monk, cannot escape it."
Upon hearing this, Jingyuan took it as a promise from her, clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned his horse around, and silently led his personal guards into the rain, disappearing into the darkness in no time.
Apart from his personal guards, all the other soldiers had reached their limits. Jingyuan knew that if he continued to take them with him, they would not only become a burden but also die.
Therefore, he had no choice but to make a quick decision and only take his personal guards with him.
We hope that those who remain will uphold their duties and come to provide support once the situation calms down.
Pan Yun watched them leave in silence, then sat alone in the rain, drawing talismans.
It wasn't until late at night, when the rain stopped, that Miaozhen and the other three got up to check on the wounded.
It seems that the more hardships they endured, the more resilient their bodies became. After long battles, injuries, and being soaked in the rain, the soldiers actually managed to pull through.
The five people gave them a simple treatment, and at daybreak, they distributed the yellow talismans they had to each of them, one for each of them, and let them take turns holding them.
Pan Yun said, "It will protect you as you return to the capital."
The soldiers stared at her blankly: "Back to the capital?"
Pan Yun nodded and said to Song Yu, who was also stunned, "At this time, the capital city knows nothing about the true situation of the war. We not only need scouts, but also a person of substance to go back and report."
The Northern Yuan soldiers have crossed the Datong and Xuanfu defense lines. No one knows how many enemy troops are in these lines. Your forces are scattered and your information is delayed. You can neither protect the emperor nor coordinate your operations. Staying here will only lead to your deaths.
Therefore, you should return to the inner Great Wall and warn the capital. I will go find the Imperial Son-in-Law and others; if we are fortunate, perhaps we can rescue His Majesty.”
Upon hearing this, Song Yu recalled their ability to descend from the sky and their skill in keeping out the heavy rain last night. He then turned to look at the soaking wet remnants of his army behind him, gritted his teeth, and agreed.
Pan Yun handed the yellow talisman to him, watched them leave, and after they had gone some distance, he took out the Three Treasures Cauldron, called his friends, and they soared into the sky, heading northeast.
Song Yu and some soldiers occasionally turned around and saw the Three Treasures Cauldron soaring into the sky. They were stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
Therefore, they later worshipped Pan Yun like a deity. Under their fervent propaganda, the Ming army, especially the Zhenbei Army, had complete faith in Pan Yun and would ask the Imperial Preceptor Pan Yun for blessings at almost every meal.
Of course, they were still in shock at the time, and it took them a while to remember to call their friends over to see.
The soldiers turned around and only had time to catch a glimpse of a black dot in mid-air. One of them asked, "What kind of big bird is that?"
Song Yu shouted, "What bird! That's Master Pan. I personally watched them fly into the air."
Many soldiers in the army corroborated that they also saw it.
Recalling their skills from last night, no one doubted their words.
If they can insulate themselves from heavy rain, then their ability to fly isn't so surprising, is it? (End of Chapter)