Prince Jing was of course clear about how risky Qi Shuo’s plan was. It could be said that one wrong step would cost him his life.

No, even if not a single step was taken wrongly, merely because of bad luck, he could still lose his life.

But just as his son had said, at present Great Zhou wasn’t only fighting Northern Qi, but simultaneously waging war on three fronts. Troops, provisions, clothing… these major resources were all deployed to the north, yet they could only barely hold the pass and prevent the Qi army from advancing further.

One defending, one attacking—who held the advantage was self-evident. If they couldn’t employ a risky stratagem and achieve victory through surprise, Great Zhou’s military defeat was only a matter of time. When that time came, would his son be the only one to lose his life?

Then let’s give it a try. If they succeeded, the gains would be enormous.

If they failed?

Prince Jing let out a deep sigh.

The current prosperity and peace in the capital was nothing more than a paper lantern. Once they were defeated and the Qi cavalry broke through the border passes, that brilliantly lit paper lantern would burst with a single poke.

Since that was the case, better to take a gamble.

Thinking of his family far away in the capital, Prince Jing hesitated no longer.

“Thank you for Father’s support.” The young man’s eyes held light. Even having experienced these days of bloodshed and carnage, they remained clear and clean.

Looking at his son with relaxed brows and a slight smile, Prince Jing’s eyes grew somewhat sore. He blurted out: “If I’d known, I should have let you marry before coming here.”

The Crown Prince’s mourning period had not yet ended, but extraordinary times called for extraordinary measures. Marrying before going to the battlefield wouldn’t invite gossip.

“Father jests.” Qi Shuo’s smile was faint, his face showing no unusual emotion.

Prince Jing very much wanted to ask his son if he felt no regret in his heart, but in the end said nothing.

Forget it, forget it—such questions were terribly inauspicious.

It was just that this boy wasn’t like him at all—truly able to conceal his thoughts.

Prince Jing thought again of that sense of unreality when seeing his son valiantly killing enemies.

Clearly at first he had been the one making his eldest son feign illness, yet over time even he himself had begun to truly believe his eldest son was genuinely weak and sickly. This showed the boy had acting talent…

“Go prepare well.” Prince Jing waved his hand, not letting himself think too much.

On this day the snow stopped. Northern Qi’s Great General Wuye led a large Qi army approaching the city walls. A specially selected team of loud-voiced soldiers stood at the very front of the army and began yet another round of verbal abuse.

This situation had continued for some time now.

At the beginning, the Zhou army would charge out the city gates to engage, often suffering heavy losses before fleeing back in defeat. After suffering such losses repeatedly, they stopped rushing out to seek abuse every time. These past few days in particular, they’d had absolutely no reaction no matter what.

For the Qi army, the current attrition of the Zhou forces wasn’t yet enough. If they could provoke the Zhou army to come out through insults, that would be best. If they remained cowardly inside, letting their own soldiers see the Zhou army’s gutless appearance could boost morale and make them even more valiant when attacking the city.

Morale might not play a decisive role in a war, but it certainly played a significant role. One must know that victory also had distinctions—a great victory was victory, but a costly victory was also victory. Naturally it was good if their side’s high morale meant fewer casualties.

On this day, the Qi soldiers’ insults were even more vile.

“We said it long ago—this is a bunch of gutless grandsons. They’re too busy pissing their pants inside to dare come out.”

“Zhou people are all like this. Remember back when they got lucky and won one battle? They quickly offered up their cities and begged for mercy, just like a lapdog…”

“Hahaha—”

The Qi army’s earth-shaking laughter made the complexions of the soldiers inside the city turn iron-dark, nearly vomiting blood in rage.

“General, a man can be killed but not humiliated! Let us go out and fight those mongrels!”

Many soldiers angrily petitioned Great General Xu Jing, yet held no hope.

These past days they’d wasted plenty of breath, yet it had been useless.

General Xu looked toward Prince Jing.

Originally, with the enemy strong and them weak, they wouldn’t act like cowardly turtles every time, letting others point at their noses and curse. It was Prince Jing’s Heir who had privately suggested holding troops still like this, saying there would be benefits in time.

He couldn’t see the benefits. He only knew that if things continued like this, the Great Zhou soldiers would all die of frustration, and he would die of frustration too.

However, he wasn’t the only one in charge here. Though he was the commander of the Northern Expedition Army, he had to defer to Prince Jing’s opinions. This wasn’t only because Prince Jing had come by imperial command, but also because of Prince Jing’s still-existing prestige in the northern territories, and because of those perfectly appropriate arrangements he’d made due to his familiarity with this place.

But this time, resentment had truly grown in his heart.

Not only did he not prevent Prince Jing’s Heir’s suggestion, he even supported it—what kind of father did that!

Prince Jing raised his eyes to look at the sky, pretending not to see.

General Xu secretly gritted his teeth, glancing at the young man who had been standing quietly all along.

The young man wore silver soft armor, his bearing like a pine tree—none other than Prince Jing’s Heir, Qi Shuo.

Meeting that calm, stern countenance, General Xu’s bellyful of resentment couldn’t help but diminish somewhat.

Though he doubted Prince Jing’s Heir’s suggestion, he had witnessed the other’s brave performance on the battlefield with his own eyes.

A royal clan member so fearless of death deserved three measures of his respect.

Ultimately, that bellyful of resentment was more the stifled anger from hearing the Qi army’s insults, and the helplessness under the disparity in both sides’ strength.

Qi Shuo stepped forward and clasped his hands toward General Xu: “This junior officer requests to go out and fight.”

General Xu’s heart stirred with excitement: Were they finally not going to keep hiding?

But then he couldn’t help looking toward Prince Jing.

The Qi army’s morale was getting higher and higher. Facing them this time would be quite dangerous. Wasn’t Prince Jing worried about his son?

Prince Jing finally reacted: “This Prince will also go.”

General Xu immediately widened his eyes: “Your Highness!”

This wasn’t what they’d agreed on!

Prince Jing was somewhat impatient: “The soldiers are all waiting. General, don’t hesitate any longer.”

“But—”

Prince Jing’s face turned cold: “In earlier years, this Prince dealt with that old turtle Wuye plenty. What, that old turtle can lead troops into battle, but this Prince is useless? Stop dithering and hurry up with preparations!”

If he didn’t take the field, how could he attract the majority of the enemy army’s attention and facilitate his son’s actions?

Thus, amid the Qi army’s cursing, the city gates suddenly opened.

As he charged out on horseback, Qi Shuo instructed the shadow guard following close beside him in a low voice: “Protect the Prince well.”

“Charge!” The Great Zhou soldiers who had been holding back for many days, whether on horseback or running, were like a rapidly approaching tornado that swept onto the battlefield.

Because many days of battle provocation had been fruitless, though the Qi army’s confidence was high and they looked down on the Zhou army as dust, mentally they had inevitably grown somewhat lax.

They hadn’t expected that today the Zhou army would suddenly engage in battle.

In their shock, the rolling dust kicked up by the Zhou cavalry closed in before they finally reacted.

Wuye clearly saw who was leading them and shouted excitedly: “Attack! Capture Great Zhou’s Prince Jing alive!”

He yanked the reins, speeding up and charging straight toward Prince Jing, his eyes red with excitement and full of certainty of victory.

As long as he captured Prince Jing, these stubbornly resisting Zhou troops would become scattered sand, collapsing instantly. At that time, forget ceding territory and paying indemnities, princesses and beauties—he wanted none of it. Claiming Great Zhou’s fertile lands for Northern Qi would be the greatest benefit.

The two armies quickly became entangled. One side was stifled with anger, the other excited—for a time they fought evenly matched.

Amid the chaos, Qi Shuo’s target had always been very clear: Wuye’s nephew, Eli.