The victorious merger with Wei Chenghui’s army greatly increased Si Lanfeng’s military strength. What had been a stalemate instantly changed.

Everyone knew the imperial palace had fallen.

Lian Qin, Murong Ding and others’ eyes were bloodshot from strain. Lian Jie looked coldly at Wei Chenghui: “Great hidden ones hide at court. Though we knew you weren’t good, we didn’t expect you to serve Prince Jin.”

“Prince Jin’s era has passed. Why must you still stir up warfare?”

“This old man stir up warfare? Seventh Master’s words are incorrect. Since you’re so righteous, why not hand over this throne?” Wei Chenghui wasn’t angry and asked with a calm smile.

Lian Jie burned with fury. Over there, Lian Qin also got smart and asked through gritted teeth: “That plague was your doing?”

Wei Chenghui said indifferently: “Oh, wasn’t that heaven’s warning? When emperors are incompetent, there are always disasters.”

“You… you’re talking nonsense!” Lian Qin was so angry he jumped. His sharp eyes suddenly spotted two men below the white-haired old Taoist beside Wei Chenghui, immediately filled with vengeful hatred: “Mao Hui, Yu Jinglun, so it’s you two scoundrels! You nearly harmed Xin’er before – we should never have spared you!”

Beside Wei Chenghui, Si Lanfeng had been smiling slightly, but hearing “plague,” his expression changed somewhat. He looked at Wei Chenghui, opened his mouth as if to speak, then stopped.

Wuliang Shangren said: “Small-minded grief – why waste words with them, Lord Wei?”

“Exactly.” Wei Chenghui smiled and commanded his army to charge forward again, bringing fresh bloodshed.

Though Murong Ding and others fought bravely with righteous fury, the disparity in situation was clear. After over an hour, Murong’s army began retreating steadily.

Gao Chaoyi, watching the battle intently from behind, slapped his thigh, anxious as an ant on a hot pan: “Chancellor Yan, we must ask His Majesty to come out now! His Majesty is wise and surely has countermeasures. Even if… even if there’s no immediate strategy, His Majesty’s presence will boost morale. Whether to advance or retreat, we need decisive leadership!”

Yan Da gritted his teeth. The two mounted horses to head toward the temporary military tent set up one li outside the city – this matter was grave, concerning the imperial palace. Xiao’an and the ministers had also come along, placing the sleeping Lian Yu in the inner section, cared for by Xuanwu and others plus Lian Xin.

Just as they were about to mount, they saw several riders galloping swiftly. The lead rider dismounted and directly spurred his horse up to higher ground. The two were shocked and delighted – it was Lian Yu.

Wei Chenghui and others commanding battle in the army’s rear wing also saw Lian Yu.

Wei Chenghui squinted with a half-smile. Though his mouth was open, his eyes held sinister, ruthless killing intent.

Lian Yu looked coldly, his gaze passing over him to fall on the distance – too far to see anything clearly. There the smoke of battle had also ceased.

Ahead, Murong’s army was trapped in bitter fighting, blood staining their robes. When people fell, others charged forward, using flesh and blood to block enemies rushing up!

His cheeks were taut.

He called over the gray-clothed man beside him, about to say something, when suddenly Xuanwu shouted: “Master, look quickly – what is that?”

Lian Yu was startled and looked up. On the other side, Wei Chenghui, Si Lanfeng and others also noticed dust clouds suddenly rising behind Murong’s army.

Military banners fluttered. Soon, a cavalry unit of about a thousand appeared without warning in everyone’s sight.

Drawing closer, Wei Chenghui’s expression changed – that banner bore not the characters for Murong, but a single character.

— Huo.

“Marquis Huo!”

Murong army’s cheers erupted. After the dust settled, a single rider led ahead, and the mounted person’s features appeared before everyone.

It was a man and woman.

The man was handsome and valiant, the woman incomparably beautiful. Facing the bloody carnage before them, not only did the man lift his chin slightly, but even the woman, though delicate in appearance, showed no fear.

Coming through thousands of troops and ten thousand horses.

We go to find our own path, but one day, when you need us, we will certainly return.

Lian Yu’s lips curved slightly upward. For the first time in days, his deeply furrowed brow relaxed a bit. Except for Lian Jie’s whole body trembling with complex emotions, from Lian Qin to Murong Ding, Yan Da, Gao Chaoyi, and even several Murong army deputy generals, all felt their eyes grow warm.

Perhaps because both commanders were staring intently at this unexpected guest, the battle between the two armies seemed to suddenly halt.

The man spurred his horse closer. Lian Yu unhesitatingly drove his horse down as well. The two riders quickly met, each extending a hand. They struck once in mid-air with a clear sound that, falling upon the loud sounds of war, seemed to create ripples.

Huo Chang’an’s face seemed somewhat unnaturally pale, but this didn’t diminish his imposing presence at all. He laughed heartily and suddenly threw Wei Wuyan from his arms. Wuyan landed on Lian Qin’s horse. Lian Qin was rather dumbfounded: “Why me?”

“With your Sixth Brother there, Huaisu wouldn’t spare me. Your Seventh Brother – hmph, can’t give him such an advantage! Please protect my wife for me.”

Wuyan turned back with a smile: “Ninth Master, I’ll be in your care.”

Lian Qin’s face reddened as he quickly said: “Of course, of course.”

Lian Jie quietly looked over. When Wuyan’s gaze met his, she nodded to him. He smiled in return, snorted coldly, then spurred his horse toward Huo Chang’an’s direction, not falling behind.

“Murong army, heed my command – all retreat!”

From ahead came Huo Chang’an’s high voice: “Long-tasseled spears, halberds at ready, lead troops and follow me up – we’ll take the vanguard!”

Murong’s army had all been led by him before. Hearing this, they immediately retreated. Though Murong Ding and others didn’t understand, they also followed orders and quickly retreated!

Wei Chenghui felt some doubt. The young master had said he’d had someone give this man false route information for seeking medicine, and en route had dispatched people to lead them astray and… surround and kill them. At that time subordinates had sent word back that the mission was completed. Could Huo Chang’an have only feigned death then?! His gaze was sinister as he slowly smiled: “Huo Chang’an, you just called Wuyan your wife. Then this old man is your relative. How is it you treat your father-in-law like this?”

“Bah!” Huo Chang’an reined in his horse with a cold laugh: “Just for your ‘kindness’ to Wuyan, I should have taken your life long ago, father-in-law.”

“Wuyan, if I want to take this dog traitor’s life today, would you object?” He turned to look at the woman on Lian Qin’s horse.

She shook her head: “He is not my father.”

Wei Chenghui had never really treated Wuyan as a daughter. Hearing this, he wasn’t angry but laughed instead. He knew this man was formidable at military campaigns with no record of defeat. Losing such an enemy would be good, but he wasn’t particularly afraid either. His subordinates were elite troops with harsh training. Even after losing over ten thousand men capturing the imperial palace, they still had forty thousand more troops than Lian Yu.

What could he do with just the thousand-plus men he’d brought!

Lian Yu and Quan Feitong’s conflict had weakened their strength. This battle – even if he couldn’t kill and defeat Lian Yu, making him flee in panic wasn’t impossible. Li Zhaoting’s side was confident. Once those troops returned to the capital, Lian Yu would certainly die.

“Kill! Whoever takes down Huo Chang’an will be richly rewarded!” He drew his blade toward the sky and sternly ordered.

“Very good. Brothers, charge! You once aided tyranny, but His Majesty forgives past wrongs. Now is the time to serve the country. You’re afflicted with plague poison and hard to cure. Since you hold death-defying hearts, bring all these disasters to your enemies. Your breath, your blood will all bring them the terror of death.” Huo Chang’an seemed not to hear what he said, only smiled faintly while speaking loudly.

Wei army’s charging momentum seemed suddenly frozen by something…

Two hours later, Murong’s army returned to their starting point and made camp again.

The capital had fallen – they were homeless. In the second battle, they had again lost many brothers.

The only consolation was that later, Wei’s army gained no advantage from them and was ultimately killed by them – three to four thousand troops.

On the battlefield, some soldiers embraced death, but more soldiers hoped to survive.

The word “plague” was too terrifying – they hadn’t expected that the plague they themselves had created would ultimately harm them.

Of course, that was false – they only thought so.

Huo Chang’an wasn’t cruel enough to force those suffering soldiers to march to their deaths.

“Yes, we heard of the battle along the way and searched all the way to your previous camp. Only upon arrival did we learn this great army had gone to defend the capital. I sent Ji’er Zhang and Changying Spear to scout military intelligence. Knowing the capital battle wasn’t going well, I thought of this method. These thousand-plus soldiers are troops left behind to care for sick soldiers – perfectly healthy. Wei Chenghui has a guilty conscience – he deserved it.”

By the campfire, he laughed as he spoke. His face had a cut from Wuliang Shangren’s blade, the scab ugly, but he didn’t care. Everyone laughed. Lian Yu asked: “What was that about your earlier letter seeking rescue? Were you surrounded on the road? How did you escape danger later?”

At this question, Lian Qin exclaimed: “Hey, Sixth Brother, wasn’t this a strategy you and Marquis Huo devised to lure enemies? Making enemies think they succeeded when actually Marquis Huo deliberately disappeared…”

Everyone was also surprised. Lian Yu smiled slightly: “You think I’m a deity? Where would I get so many enemy-luring strategies? Fighting wars is like playing chess – you can only guess how your opponent will move, but can never predict every step. I originally knew nothing about Chang’an’s situation.”

“Cousin, what exactly happened to you then? How did you finally escape? Is Wei Concubine’s… I mean Wuyan’s poison cured?” Lian Xin asked curiously, voicing everyone’s questions again.

Lian Jie had been looking down, using a branch to stir the fire. Hearing this, he almost immediately looked up.

Huo Chang’an glanced meaningfully at him, gestured toward Wuyan with his mouth. Wuyan slapped his hand hard. Everyone was considerate of Lian Jie and didn’t dare laugh, only hearing Huo Chang’an smile faintly: “This matter is a long story. I’ll tell you when the war situation eases. We had strange encounters on the road – Wuyan was saved by an expert and is fine now.”

“The current battle situation remains perilous. Next time dealing with the Wei traitor won’t be so easy. General Liu is certainly now battling border Wei forces bitterly. We can’t count on him and must plan carefully.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. The joy on their faces faded in the firelight. This reunion’s happiness was only momentary. Lian Yu’s gaze was extremely sharp and caught something amiss… Wuyan had remained silent throughout, and her hand clasped with Huo Chang’an’s kept trembling slightly.

What had really happened on their journey? Why was Wuyan in such a state? Could the poison in her body still be unresolved? But calculating by dates, if the toxicity weren’t eliminated, she would now be critically ill, certainly not looking as rosy-lipped and white-teethed as today.

Just as he was planning to speak privately with Huo Chang’an, a soldier approached and respectfully handed a letter to Xuanwu while whispering something in his ear.

Xuanwu was shocked and quickly handed the letter to Lian Yu. Everyone’s gaze immediately focused on him.

Whose letter was this? Why was Xuanwu so surprised?

Lian Yu opened and read the letter. After a long moment, he gripped the paper tightly and stood up.

Blue veins throbbed on his brow, his knuckles clenched white.

Everyone was alarmed – whose letter was this?

— Feng Suzhen suffered severe injuries and mistakenly entered this minister’s residence. She being His Majesty’s beloved, this minister naturally cares for her well. When will His Majesty come to receive her? If His Majesty doesn’t come, her injuries are quite severe and she worries about His Majesty – she may not last three days.

Your minister Wei Chenghui respectfully reports.

This was what Lian Yu saw in the letter.