Phoenix Dance: The Eldest Daughter's Physician Consort Shocks the World

After repelling the imperial army, a tense and exhausted atmosphere permeated the village. Xiao Yichen knew that a brief victory could not lower their guard, and they had to quickly devise a plan for the next step.

Xiao Yichen and Su Yao sat facing each other in the room, their faces grave. Su Yao broke the silence first: "Yichen, the imperial court's retreat this time is likely to allow them to reorganize and redeploy their forces. The next attack will probably be even more intense. We have limited manpower and resources; this cannot continue indefinitely."

Xiao Yichen nodded slightly, his eyes filled with worry: "I understand, Yao'er. So I plan to personally visit the nearby rebel camp to see if we can reach an agreement with them. We have a common enemy, so perhaps we can join forces to fight against them."

Su Yao gripped Xiao Yichen's hand tightly, her face full of worry: "This is too dangerous. There's chaos and war outside. What if something happens to you on this trip... How can I be at ease?"

Xiao Yichen gently stroked Su Yao's cheek, saying tenderly yet firmly, "Yao'er, this is our only way out right now. For the sake of the village, for you and the child, I have to try. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Su Yao's eyes were filled with tears, but she knew that Xiao Yichen's mind was made up, so she could only say, "Then you must come back safely. I will stay in the village and wait for you."

The following morning, Xiao Yichen, accompanied by several trusted villagers, disguised himself and set off for the rebel camp. Along the way, they carefully avoided the imperial army's patrols, traversing mountains and valleys, enduring many hardships.

Finally, they found the rebel army's camp. After Xiao Yichen explained his purpose, the rebel leader welcomed him but also harbored doubts.

"Master Xiao, I have long admired your name. You say you want to cooperate with us to fight against the imperial court, but how can I trust you? What if this is a scheme by the imperial court to lure us in?" The rebel leader looked at Xiao Yichen with scrutinizing eyes.

Xiao Yichen said sincerely, “Chief, I understand your concerns. But please think about it. The imperial court is now targeting my village as well. We are victims as well. If I wanted to collude with the court, why would I risk coming here? We have a common goal: to overthrow this corrupt court and bring peace and prosperity to the people. I am willing to guarantee with my life that this cooperation is absolutely sincere.”

After listening, the rebel leader pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, Master Xiao, I'll trust you for now. But we need some time to discuss the specifics of our cooperation. You should rest in the camp for a few days."

However, while Xiao Yichen was waiting, the imperial army launched another surprise attack on the village. With Xiao Yichen absent, the village's defenses were thrown into disarray. Su Yao remained calm and directed the villagers to fight back fiercely.

"Don't panic, everyone! Stick to the plan and hold your positions!" Su Yao shouted.

But the imperial army came prepared this time. They breached part of the village's defenses and began burning, killing, and looting. Su Yao was extremely anxious. On one hand, she organized the villagers to resist, and on the other hand, she worried about Xiao Yichen's safety.

"Yichen, where are you? You must be safe and sound..." Su Yao prayed silently in her heart.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yichen, upon learning of the attack on his village at the rebel camp, was extremely anxious. He requested the rebel leader to send troops to its aid immediately.

"Chief, the village is full of unarmed civilians who are being slaughtered by the imperial army. We beg you to send troops to help them. We cannot stand by and watch them die!" Xiao Yichen said anxiously.

Moved by Xiao Yichen's sincerity, the rebel leader finally decided to send troops to rescue the village. Xiao Yichen led the rebel army back to the village without stopping.

When they arrived at the village, they found it in complete disarray. The villagers were fighting desperately against the imperial army, suffering heavy casualties. Upon seeing this, Xiao Yichen was enraged and immediately joined the battle.

"You lackeys of the imperial court, prepare to die!" Xiao Yichen brandished his sword and charged towards the enemy.

With the help of Xiao Yichen and the rebel army, the imperial army was finally repelled. However, the village also suffered heavy losses, with many houses burned down and countless villagers killed or injured.

Seeing Xiao Yichen return safely, Su Yao burst into tears of joy: "Yichen, you're finally back..."

Xiao Yichen hugged Su Yao tightly, his eyes filled with self-reproach and heartache: "Yao'er, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry everyone. I'm late..."

Su Yao shook her head: "No, Yichen, it's good that you're back. We'll rebuild the village together. As long as we're alive, there's hope."

This disaster strengthened Xiao Yichen and the villagers' resolve to fight the imperial court to the end. With the support of the rebel army, they began to rebuild the village, strengthen its defenses, and actively prepare for their next battle with the court.

At night, Xiao Yichen and Su Yao sat on the ruins, gazing at the starry sky. Xiao Yichen said softly, "Yao'er, we don't know how long this war will last, but as long as we are together, I have the courage to face everything."

Su Yao leaned on Xiao Yichen's shoulder: "Yichen, I believe we will definitely achieve victory. Then, we can finally live a truly peaceful life."

They huddled together in the darkness, hoping for dawn, firmly believing that the power of love and hope could dispel the gloom over this land and bring peace and happiness back.