After Lian Yu returned to his tent, he quickly joined the battle planning discussions. His words were clear and incisive, which left everyone somewhat at a loss. When it ended, the Lian brothers invited him to drink, but he politely declined. Xiao’an wanted to offer advice but ultimately held back and said nothing.

Xuanwu brought in the evening meal. Lian Yu dismissed him and dined alone.

A moment later, the tent flap was slightly lifted and a head peeked in.

“Xin’er, come in.” Without turning his head, he said softly.

Lian Xin quickly ran in, carrying a tray with a wine pot and two small cups.

“Sixth Brother, let’s have a drink.” She stole a glance at him, placed the items on the table, and sat across from him.

“No drinking. It’s wartime, and we’re not celebrating victory. Drinking would be luxurious and dissolute.” He spoke gently, then asked: “Did Mother Empress and Seventh Brother send you?”

Lian Xin was looking at him anxiously and nodded upon hearing this: “Not only them, but I also wanted to come see you and talk with you.”

“Sixth Brother is fine.” Lian Yu smiled slightly, reaching out to lovingly stroke his sister’s hair.

“I thought you wouldn’t return for some time.” Lian Xin said worriedly: “I’m so worried about Suzhen, let alone you. Don’t keep anything bottled up in your heart.”

“I cannot not return – I am the sovereign of a nation. Even if I stayed in the palace, there’s nothing I could do at present. The enemy is deeply hidden, so it’s better to wait and see. I’ve secretly had Wuqing take action. At the same time, I believe that since the opponents captured the person instead of killing her on the spot, they must have some purpose. Her life can still be preserved for now. If Wuqing can’t find clues, the criminals might eventually come to me to negotiate. I just need to wait.”

“Didn’t she encounter danger before too? I weathered it together with her then, and we certainly can this time as well. Tell me, at such a critical juncture, how can I afford to lose composure?” Speaking to this point, he still gently patted his sister’s shoulder: “Go tell them I’m fine. This battle is only half fought – how can I falter?”

Lian Xin nodded, knowing Lian Yu wished to be alone. Not wanting to disturb him further, she squeezed her brother’s hand and quickly got up to leave. Looking back, she saw:

Under the dim lamplight, the table was covered with countless military books in complete disarray. In the middle was a map densely marked with troop deployments. His food occupied just a small corner, the same rations as ordinary soldiers.

He sat at the table, half covered in dust, his hair slightly disheveled with a few strands falling to his shoulders. He lowered his head, eating his meal bite by bite in extraordinary quiet.

It seemed as if mountains upon mountains were pressing down on him… Lian Xin’s nose stung, and she quickly left the tent.

The tent flap fell, trembling slightly before becoming still. Lian Yu slowly raised his head, put down his chopsticks, and suddenly kicked over the desk. Books scattered everywhere with a clatter. Burying his face in his hands, his shoulders shook slightly, over and over.

He could never forget meeting her in that cave that year – her slightly upturned nose, her mouth full of lies, yet her face radiant with spirit. He only wanted her to live well. Even if he was defeated in battle, she could still wander freely in the martial world, still looking as she did then. He believed that a woman like her could surely live brilliantly anywhere.

If only he hadn’t forcibly taken her that Qixi night, if only he had driven her away from the capital then, or perhaps used a fake death to take her away from everyone’s sight and let her go far away, never to entangle with her again…

Taking off the jade pendant at his waist, his vision blurred: “Li Huaisu, whether above the blue sky or below the Yellow Springs, I will certainly find you… If you dare seek death easily… don’t force me to hate you for a lifetime.”

His hoarse voice carried fierce determination.

Outside the tent, starlight was quiet. Watching that slender yet always upright figure finally become bent and desolate, outside the tent, the three Lian siblings stood silently for a long time. Finally, Xuanwu took the tent flap that Lian Jie had slightly lifted from his hands and slowly lowered it, concealing all his master’s dishevelment and helplessness.

A month passed, and the news Wuqing brought was no news. During this period, the two armies had erupted in two more large-scale and four medium and small-scale battles. Murong’s army suffered continuous casualties, with more than twenty thousand soldiers killed in action.

Previously, Lian Yu had used surprise tactics to achieve victory, but comparing the two armies’ strength, Chao’s army confronted Murong’s army with one hundred ten thousand troops against eighty thousand plus. Though Murong’s army had won one battle, they dared not easily launch attacks while waiting for reinforcements. Chao’s army was already fierce, and now reorganized and with numerical superiority, the results of these battles were not surprising.

Though encouraged by their previous victory against superior numbers, Murong army’s morale was rapidly declining, but at least they hadn’t shown signs of complete demoralization.

However, on this day, urgent reports came from the city of “Sui,” hundreds of li from the border city Xianping. Murong’s army of two hundred thousand troops had been caught off guard by Chao’s army’s front and rear pincer attack while marching to “Sui”!

It turned out that Chao’s army had somehow hidden one hundred thousand troops in ambush at “Sui,” while another forty thousand troops had arrived from their original station at Xiangbi, working together.

In this battle, though Chao’s army had fewer than five thousand casualties, this engagement saw the border Chao army defeat two hundred thousand with one hundred forty thousand, temporarily blocking Murong army’s thousand-li march to aid the king – it was an extremely beautiful great victory.

When the news arrived, Chao’s army was encouraged while Murong’s army was severely demoralized.

Chao’s army pressed their advantage, reorganized briefly, and three days later came to attack again.

Murong’s army was on the verge of extreme danger. If they lost another battle, the consequences would be unthinkable. Unless the reinforcements could break through and arrive quickly…

When the two armies faced each other, Chao’s army didn’t rush to fight. In the previous two battles, Chao Huang had led the troops, but this time, Quan Feitong personally supervised the battle. Before the army, he lined up with Chao Huang, Qiu Jing, and Li Zhaoting. Quan Feitong held the reins, sitting on his horse leisurely: “What? Won’t your commander come out? After suffering defeat, has he become a cowardly turtle hiding in his tent?”

Murong Ding was furious: “Rebellious traitor, what qualifications do you have to mention His Majesty? We’re here to fight – why would His Majesty need to personally supervise?”

“Exactly, we’re still here. Why use a cleaver to kill a chicken?”

Soon, two young men in armor and battle robes spurred their horses forward from the army.

Across from them, the four men looked at each other and laughed. Li Zhaoting smiled faintly: “Yesterday we made a bet – whether His Majesty was too cowardly to fight or had no strategy and couldn’t come to battle due to anxiety. Now that His Majesty doesn’t appear, we don’t know who should win the wager.”

After he finished speaking, Quan, Chao and the others laughed heartily, followed by their army laughing loudly. Soldiers raised their weapons and shouted: “Lian Yu is a coward! Murong’s army will surely be defeated!”

Why were they using such provocation? According to their spies’ reports, after receiving two consecutive defeat reports, Lian Yu had fallen ill! This spy wasn’t as close as the previous tall, thin attendant and had only seen from afar, so they couldn’t tell if it was true or false. Quan Feitong deliberately led the crowd in provocation to find out.

Now—

Lian Jie and Lian Qin were both shocked and angry. Murong Ding and the generals were so furious their faces turned green.

Murong’s army fell into deathly silence. Remembering last night’s latest urgent war report from “Sui,” Murong Ding’s heart was filled with alarm. Facing this dangerous situation, he nearly ground his teeth to pieces. Spurring his horse forward, he grabbed a military banner from a soldier’s hands and was about to shout “Kill!” when he saw the deputy general beside him turn to look back, followed by all the generals, the Lian brothers, and the cavalry and infantry behind them all turning their heads. He was startled and quickly turned to look, seeing two people – one wearing white robes and silver armor, the other in Murong family’s signature blue shirt and armor – spurring their horses at incredible speed from the rear of the army.

The two riders charged to the very front of Murong’s army.

The blue-shirted rider removed her helmet, her hair pinned high. It was Empress Dowager Xiao’an. Beside her, the silver-armored youth slowly turned back, his gaze piercing as he spoke loudly to everyone: “The Empress Dowager says that the Murong family has followed the Lian family in conquering the world ever since the Supreme Ancestor Emperor overthrew tyranny.”

“From the founding of the nation until today, Murong’s army has experienced a hundred battles. They have suffered crushing defeats and won great victories. They are not an invincible army, but after a hundred years, they still stand tall. Because they can be defeated, but can never be crushed. Today, as a member of Murong’s army, she personally supervises this battle with me! We swear to defend the dignity of the imperial family to the death.”

Murong’s army was immediately greatly inspired, cheering in unison: “Long live His Majesty! Long live the Empress Dowager!”

“We swear to protect the Lian dynasty to the death and will never retreat!”

“Never retreat!”

Their voices thundered like an earthquake.

Li Zhaoting’s pupils contracted rapidly, heat boiling in his heart. In the corner of his eye, Quan Feitong’s phoenix eyes shone like brilliant pearls. At this moment, the blazing sun filled the sky without a cloud, and the bright red light reflected off his and Chao Huang’s armor in brilliant radiance!

He could see Quan Feitong’s incomparably high fighting spirit. He felt the same.

Lian Yu was undoubtedly an excellent opponent who understood strategy and layout, skilled at inspiring military morale. If not for their use of external enemies to force him unable to deploy troops in time, and their pincer attack that intercepted and killed his main army at “Sui,” forcing him into this situation today, they might not have been able to… take him down today!

For a man, for a true king, in this lifetime one always yearned for an equal lover, an evenly matched opponent!

Quan Feitong smiled slightly, waving his feather fan: “This minister pays respects to His Majesty.”

“Though His Majesty’s complexion looks as pale as paper, he can still force himself out. This can only be considered serious illness, not critical condition. This isn’t cowardice either – coming to battle. It seems we’ll all lose our bet.”

“You…”

Lian Jie and Lian Qin were alarmed. Lian Qin was furious. The commander being ill was a great taboo, but they had forced Lian Yu to come out! Now that his illness was declared publicly, the military morale they had worked so hard to rally might inevitably suffer.

Lian Yu pressed his fever-blistered lower lip and also smiled slightly: “Whether it’s a minor ailment or serious illness, whether I can fight – we’ll know after the battle.”

Seeing him draw his sword from his waist, letting the blade flash brilliantly in the sunlight, Li Zhaoting seized the opportunity: “Your Majesty, there’s something you and your loyal generals have probably hidden from your devoted soldiers?”

“At Xianyang’s Sui, you weren’t just defeated by our pincer attack – three major generals and forty thousand soldiers from your Liu division rebelled and joined our army. You’re now beaten with no power to fight back. Reinforcements… won’t come.”

He spoke these words slowly and clearly.