Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 1006 - 623: The Rebellion of Tatar Chao

Chapter 1006: Chapter 623: The Rebellion of Tatar Chao

After losing the sole light source of the oil lamp, the somewhat cramped guest room was left with only the slender beam of pale moonlight streaming through the window lattice.

The bellwort-woven mat reflected the moonlight as the Western Region girl spoke with a hint of uncertainty in her tone:

"As far as I know... that person should have died long ago in that Holy War."

"Holy War..."

Upon hearing this term, Xu Yuan paused for a moment, then chuckled softly and said: "You’re referring to the Da Chao Rebellion? Official historical records indeed claim so, but a person’s life and death can easily be falsified."

Jia Yi’s rippling emerald eyes darkened into quiet contemplation:

"Life and death can be falsified, but back then, he supposedly died right in front of the military formation. With so many formidable warriors and soldiers present, witnessed by countless eyes, how could it be falsified?"

"....."

Xu Yuan instinctively glanced at Li Junwu.

Regarding the Da Chao Rebellion, he’s only browsed through the simplified historical summaries in the Prime Minister’s Mansion records.

Succession disputes, political turmoil—the Tartar Chao seizing the opportunity to invade—the Zhenxi Army feigning defeat and retreating—the sects being forced to guard the nation’s borders—the Border Army advancing to clean house—the former King Tartar slain in battle.

Nalan Ting’s death marked the end of the Da Chao Rebellion.

But as for the specifics of how he died, Xu Yuan hadn’t delved deeply. After all, it had been nearly fifty years since.

Still, his own lack of knowledge didn’t mean his bosom friend wouldn’t know.

The Zhenxi Prefecture guarding its borders for a century—undeniably first-hand witnesses of the Da Chao Rebellion.

Noticing Xu Yuan’s gaze, Li Junwu, draped in her outer robe, silently rose, her long, white legs moving gracefully to the bedside. She casually snatched the piece of xuan paper from Jia Yi’s hand, glanced at it briefly, and said in a low voice:

"I thought you were talking about someone else, turns out you meant Nalan Ting."

Xu Yuan briefly pondered and replied in a low tone:

"The historical records state that the Marquis of Zhenxi personally severed the head of the former King Tartar, Nalan Ting. But in reality, he’s still alive."

Li Junwu casually tossed the xuan paper back onto the bed, crossed her arms, and remarked with disdain:

"Alive or not, that’s something I, this young lady, am unaware of; but one thing I’m certain of—the person who killed him was definitely not my father."

"Oh? How so?" Xu Yuan queried.

Amid the dim lighting, the woman wrapped in her brocade robe stood tall and graceful, her slender gaze narrowing slightly:

"Nalan Ting died at Thousand Thorn Pass, now the Zhenxi Prefecture City, while my old man was clearing out sect remnants over at Jingxing Pass. Achievements and scapegoats, however, always need someone weighty to shoulder them."

"Scapegoats?" Xu Yuan appeared somewhat startled.

"It seems you really have no knowledge of the hidden truths from back then."

Li Junwu casually flicked her jet-black hair in front of her, asking in a clear voice: "How much do you even know about the Da Chao Rebellion?"

Xu Yuan succinctly replied:

"The Emperor withdrew the Border Army, sects were forced to safeguard the borders, and later the Imperial Court reaped the rewards."

Li Junwu tilted her head in thought, her voice tinged with nostalgia as she explained:

"That’s broadly accurate; on the surface, the war indeed seems as though Dayan won.

"The invading Tartar Chao not only suffered heavy losses but also lost their King within Dayan Territory. With this single campaign, the Tartar Chao dared not breach Dayan’s borders again for thirty years. Yet the true victors of the war were the supposedly ’depleted’ Tartar Royal Court."

At this point, she hesitated briefly, a faint, inscrutable smirk curving her lips:

"Though truth be told, aside from the Tartar Royal Court, my family was the only other victor. After that war, we monopolized Xize State entirely—neither the Imperial Court nor the sects could withstand a single strike."

Xu Yuan furrowed his brow, squinting slightly:

"Even the Imperial Court was undermined?"

Li Junwu smiled lightly and nodded, raising three slender fingers toward Xu Yuan, saying:

"During the Da Chao Rebellion, Dayan’s forces in Xize State were divided into three groups: my Zhenxi Army, the sect coalition forces, and.... the Imperial Border Army."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan’s eyes showed a trace of surprise:

"The Imperial Border Army was involved too?"

"Indeed."

Li Junwu’s voice was brisk as she slumped down beside Xu Yuan, her head bowed slightly as she gently stroked his sleeve: "But the Imperial Border Army’s organizational structure was completely dissolved after that war."

Xu Yuan reacted swiftly:

"The scapegoat you mentioned earlier—does it refer to that?"

"Mm-hmm."

Li Junwu shrugged her shoulders and glanced sideways with a smile: "After defeating the Tartar Royal Court on the front lines, we Dayan forces began to recover lost territories. The division of duties was clear—my old man handled the remnants of the sects within Xize State, while the Imperial Family handled the pursuit of the retreating Tartar forces.

"Up to that point, everything was proceeding according to Di’an’s strategic plan.

"But then problems began to arise:

"The Imperial Family’s commander, trying to intercept the retreating Tartar forces, became unexpectedly ensnared by Nalan Ting’s desperate gambit."

Li Junwu sighed softly, her voice carrying threads of melancholy:

"Still, it’s hard to fault that Imperial commander for being greedy for glory. After all, who could have foreseen Nalan Ting choosing to trade his life in that situation, despite having a clear path of retreat?"

"During that skirmish, Nalan Ting was killed on the spot, yet before his death, he managed to inflict significant losses on the Imperial Family’s Border Army. This temporary setback created a delay of roughly half a month, allowing the remaining Tartar forces to escape Xize State."

"...."

Listening carefully, Xu Yuan’s expression turned somewhat peculiar as he murmured: "That doesn’t seem like too catastrophic a failure. Why would the Emperor go to such lengths to find a scapegoat?"

Li Junwu snorted faintly, casting an amused glance at the Great Desert Goddess nearby:

"Jia Yi, why don’t you explain this? Surely you understand it better than me."

"...."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan turned his questioning gaze toward the Western Region girl on the bed.

Jia Yi lowered her eyes hesitantly for a moment before finally speaking: