Chapter 56 – Ancient Era: A Dance to Enchant the City—The Emperor’s Celestial Fairy (26)
In the end, Jiang Liangwu abandoned the idea of bringing Bai Tang to the border.
Even though Bai Tang was a little squirrel spirit and might have his own ways to protect himself, Jiang Liangwu couldn’t bear the thought of putting him in danger.
Thanks to Jiang Liangwu’s efforts to smooth things over, Bai Tang resumed his visits to Cishou Palace.
The Empress Dowager had spent years in solitude, and just when she finally got to see Jiang Liangwu ascend the throne, not even two years had passed before he was about to leave the palace again. Naturally, she was reluctant to let him go. War was no child’s play, and this time, the Xiongnu were clearly well-prepared.
But she also knew that once her son had made up his mind, no one could change it. Entrusting Bai Tang to her care was, in a way, his way of leaving behind someone to protect.
Not wanting her son to have any worries while on the battlefield, the Empress Dowager promised to keep Bai Tang safe within the palace. Besides, she had always been fond of the child.
Meanwhile, Wu Fanghao, who had been obsessed with the emperor, had tried everything to enter the palace, but after more than a month, she hadn’t even seen Jiang Liangwu—let alone been able to leave her own palace quarters. Even the Empress Dowager ignored her.
When she learned that Jiang Liangwu was personally leading the troops into battle, a cold, vicious smile appeared on her lips.
Summoning her most trusted servant, she had a homing pigeon from her family’s estate brought into the palace. She quickly penned a letter, tied it to the pigeon’s leg, and watched as it flapped its wings and disappeared into the sky.
“Since you are heartless, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
…
Bai Tang was the last to find out that Jiang Liangwu was personally leading the expedition.
According to the original plot, the male lead would fight for half a year, and on his way back, he would encounter the poisoned female lead and accompany her to Butterfly Valley to seek out the divine healer…
Just thinking about how Jiang Liangwu was going to leave him for six whole months and even get involved with the female lead made Bai Tang feel very, very unhappy.
“Ah Wu, do you… do you really have to go?” Bai Tang nestled against Jiang Liangwu, acting spoiled. He didn’t want Jiang Liangwu to leave.
“Tang Tang, be good. I’ll be back very soon. If you get bored, you can go play with Mother.” Jiang Liangwu comforted the sulking Bai Tang, holding him tightly and taking a deep breath, as if trying to memorize his scent.
If he had a choice, how could he possibly bear to leave Bai Tang?
But Bai Tang wasn’t someone who threw tantrums unreasonably. He understood the weight of responsibility—otherwise, after the last world ended, he would have chosen to sleep forever alongside Hudson instead of continuing to complete tasks.
“Fine, then.” Bai Tang pouted, but deep inside, he was already forming a plan of his own.
…
On the day of departure, Jiang Liangwu stood clad in silver-white armor. His sharp, chiseled features were even more striking, yet his handsome face carried no warmth. His piercing gaze swept over the neatly assembled soldiers below.
Meanwhile, back in Tiancheng Palace, Bai Tang had declared that he wanted to play hide-and-seek. The moment Eunuch Li turned his back to count, Bai Tang silently slipped away.
“Set off!”
At the command, the soldiers answered in perfect unison, their voices like thunder rolling across the vast space.
“Yes—!”
The deafening roar nearly scared the timid Bai Tang into falling to the ground—let alone the fact that he was sneaking out.
“Qiu’er, I want to turn back into a little squirrel.”
“Got it!”
With a soft “poof—”, Bai Tang’s luxurious robes crumpled to the ground, and a tiny squirrel scurried out from the pile, chirping “zhi zhi zhi” before swiftly darting into the supply carts.
Hearing footsteps approaching, the system quickly stored Bai Tang’s discarded clothes into a small storage pouch.
The newcomers were in charge of managing the army’s provisions. Since the emperor had already ordered the troops to march, the supply unit had to keep pace with the main forces.
The wheels of the carts rumbled as they rolled out of the capital. Meanwhile, the palace was in complete chaos.
“Has anyone seen the Empress Consort?” Eunuch Li asked anxiously.
“No, we still haven’t found him.” The young eunuch, panting heavily, reported back, his breath ragged and uneven.
“Then keep searching!” Eunuch Li was on the verge of panic. Oh, Your Highness, where have you gone? The Emperor has just left, and you mustn’t get into trouble right after!
Thinking of the Emperor, Eunuch Li suddenly had a bad feeling. No… it couldn’t be what I’m thinking, could it?
He hurried to the inner hall of Tiancheng Palace, hoping to find Bai Tang asleep after tiring himself out from playing.
However, Bai Tang was nowhere to be found. Instead, Eunuch Li discovered a letter.
“Grandpa Li, I’ve gone to find Ah Wu. Don’t worry about me, I’ll take care of myself.”
— Bai Tang
Eunuch Li was so shocked that he fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
He could still recall Bai Tang sweetly calling him ‘Grandpa Li,’ his cheeks dimpling when he smiled, always curling up in the Emperor’s arms to sleep. Everything he ate, wore, and used was meticulously prepared by the Imperial Household Department. Even a minor bump would leave his delicate skin flushed red, even if it didn’t break.
And now, the borderlands were harsh and unforgiving. The Empress Consort had run off on his own, without bringing anything with him—how could he possibly endure such conditions?
Worst of all, the enemy they faced was the Xiongnu. They were ruthless and showed no mercy, even to their own kin. Bai Tang, so lively and adorable, would be in unimaginable danger if he were captured by them…
Eunuch Li didn’t even dare to continue that thought. Just the idea of Bai Tang being out there—cold, hungry, and exposed to the harsh elements—made the old man’s heart ache painfully.
“Eunuch Li, we still can’t find the Empress Consort… Wait, why are you sitting on the ground?” A young eunuch hurried over and helped him up.
Eunuch Li finally came back to his senses. Staggering to his feet, he rushed outside, ignoring the young eunuch calling after him.
“Eunuch Li! Eunuch Li! Where are you going?”
Where was he going? He had to find someone to send word to the Emperor— The Empress Consort had gone after him!
…
Meanwhile, Bai Tang had successfully evaded the palace guards and transformed back into his human form within the supply wagons.
There was no other choice. He couldn’t freely switch between his human and squirrel forms just yet—his time was limited, and he had to use it wisely.
Thankfully, the grain sacks were thick and heavy. Even though Bai Tang had returned to his human form, he remained completely hidden inside.
During the day, Bai Tang hid within the grain supply, traveling with the troops. Whenever he got hungry, he ate from the food stored in his small spatial pouch.
At night, when everyone was asleep, he would stealthily avoid the patrols and sneak over to peek inside Jiang Liangwu’s tent, watching him sleep.
When he got tired, he would curl up outside the tent to rest.
Before dawn, his system’s alarm would wake him, allowing him to slip back into the grain supply before anyone else woke up.
This routine continued for several days. The farther Jiang Liangwu traveled from the capital, the more uneasy he became
…
“Report—Your Majesty, an urgent message from the capital!”
Jiang Liangwu’s heart sank as he ripped open the urgent missive. It was from his trusted aide, Eunuch Li.
What do they mean, ‘The Empress Consort is missing’?!
Jiang Liangwu felt the world spinning around him. Bai Tang had gone missing on the very day he set out for war—that was six days ago. Six whole days… Where had Tangtang gone?
Everything in the army remained normal—there had been no disruptions. If Bai Tang hadn’t caught up to them, did something happen to him along the way?
…
At the same time, Bai Tang—who had been hiding all this time—was finally discovered.
A burly campfire worker yanked him out of the grain supply, glaring down at him fiercely.
“You little brat, how did you sneak in here? Are you a Xiongnu spy?!”
The military was strict by nature, and the sudden appearance of a stranger immediately raised suspicion.
Bai Tang hadn’t bathed in days. While he didn’t smell bad, he wasn’t exactly clean either. More than that, he couldn’t handle being yelled at. His eyes stung with tears as he wiped his face and stammered, “I’m not a spy.”
His voice was soft and sweet, like a piece of marshmallow—so much so that the campfire worker couldn’t help but relax slightly.
Looking at Bai Tang’s small, dirt-smudged figure, the worker frowned. He didn’t look like a Xiongnu at all. Could he be a starving child from a nearby village who had snuck in to steal food?
Author’s Note:
Tang Tang: Ah Wu can fly wherever he wants—Tang Tang will follow forever!