The old man’s words infected the emotions of many scholars, who clamored that Yan Country’s attack on their emperor was trampling on Great Zhou’s dignity. They wanted to abandon their brushes and take up arms, rushing to Yan Country to protect the emperor and fight a bloody battle to wash away the shame.

“Yan Country was struck by plague, and the cities they wagered to our Great Zhou… after all, the people in those cities are still Yan Country’s citizens. Our Great Zhou emperor treated the people of Yan territory within Zhou’s domain as his own subjects, personally taking risks to go to plague-stricken cities, sending medicine and grain. Who would have thought that Yan Country, with their wolfish ambitions, would repay kindness with enmity and try to kill our Great Zhou emperor! This is outrageous!”

“When Yan Country was about to fall and Great Zhou held every advantage, His Majesty chose not to send troops to destroy Yan for the sake of the people’s peace and his soldiers’ lives. He willingly gave up the perfect opportunity of favorable timing, terrain, and popular support to annihilate Yan, agreeing to settle the outcome through a national wager with Yan Country. Yet Yan Country repeatedly broke faith and stabbed our Great Zhou in the back. If this can be tolerated, what cannot be! Fight! This battle must be fought!”

People everywhere responded to the conscription call, and recruitment centers were bustling with activity. The entire nation displayed a momentum of shared hatred against the enemy and united effort, showing no fear or panic about the coming war. Instead, their anger was mixed with excitement, as if the unification of the realm was within reach.

The Yan Country feudal princes’ attack on Emperor Bai Qingyan, who enjoyed extremely high prestige among the people, was like poking a hornet’s nest in Great Zhou. Both officials and civilians were filled with righteous indignation, wishing they could take up knives and fight Yan Country to the death.

Even the First Prince, Second Prince, and Xie Xun of Yan Country, who were being held in the capital city, heard about Great Zhou’s united determination to annihilate Yan Country.

Xie Xun wanted to find a way to escape, either to Great Zhou’s Yan Country cities or back to Yan Country.

The night before the First Prince, Second Prince, and Xie Xun were about to implement their plan, they met Feng Yao, the personal eunuch who had once served by the side of Yan Country’s late emperor Murong Yu and now served Xiao Rongyan.

When Xiao Rongyan parted with Bai Qingyan at Shequ, knowing that the journey to Yan’s capital would be extremely dangerous, he sent Feng Yao to Yan’s capital to see the First Prince, Second Prince, and Xie Xun. This was both to have Feng Yao warn them not to act rashly and to keep Feng Yao away from the dangerous journey to Yan’s capital.

Feng Yao, carrying the Regent Prince of Yan’s token, met with Bai Qingyun and, after receiving permission, followed Fu Ruoxi to see the three men.

“Eunuch Feng, how are Mother Empress and A’Li now?” the First Prince asked, looking at Feng Yao with worry in his eyes.

“First Prince, do not worry. The master has already rushed back to Yan’s capital and will surely protect His Majesty and the Empress Dowager!” Feng Yao replied respectfully.

Xie Xun glanced at Fu Ruoxi beside Feng Yao and asked tentatively, “Eunuch Feng, does the Regent Prince have any other instructions?”

Feng Yao straightened his back and nodded to Xie Xun, “The Yan Country feudal princes hold military power, and now Yan Country has strong branches but a weak foundation. Some things are already beyond Yan Country’s control. After this desperate struggle, if Yan Country continues in a chaotic civil war, it will still be the common people who suffer, so… let the people suffer less.”

These words were already very clear—the Regent Prince truly didn’t want them to interfere.

Xie Xun’s lips parted slightly, and after a long moment, he nodded, “I understand!”

From beginning to end, the Second Prince Murong Ping knew about the national wager, and he also knew… Xiao Rongyan’s identity!

Murong Ping thought the same as Murong Li—if in the end the realm was unified… handing over the kingdom to the offspring of Ninth Uncle and the Great Zhou emperor would not be inappropriate for him.

The throne of Yan Country originally belonged to Ninth Uncle anyway. While others might not be clear about this, Murong Ping understood it very well!

The purpose of Yan Country’s unification of the realm was to let the people suffer less. Yan Country’s feudal princes… had long become parasites attached to Yan Country’s bones, like spreading weeds difficult to remove.

Only the First Prince still couldn’t accept it, his face pale with horror as he asked Feng Yao, “Does this mean… even Ninth Uncle… even Ninth Uncle cannot save Yan Country anymore?”

Feng Yao remained silent, lowering his gaze and standing to the side.

“Please have Eunuch Feng convey a message to Ninth Uncle—I will follow Ninth Uncle’s instructions!” Murong Ping said.

Fu Ruoxi spoke slowly, “Prince Xingguo has commanded that since Eunuch Feng is advanced in years, there’s no need to trouble him with going back and forth. If the two princes and General Xie have any words to convey to Yan Country’s Regent Prince, our Great Zhou has plenty of capable people who can help deliver the message.”

Hearing these words, the First Prince staggered back a step and collapsed into his chair, unable to accept that Great Zhou was about to annihilate Yan. He cursed those feudal princes a hundred and eighty times in his heart, but remembering that those feudal princes shared the same ancestor as him, the First Prince ultimately didn’t curse their ancestors in his mind.

The First Prince had heard his father, Emperor Murong Yu, mention the threat of feudal princes long ago. It was just that Yan Country’s current situation hadn’t yet reached the point where feudal power could be reduced. This time, the feudal princes only cared about their interests without considering Yan Country’s overall situation, which led to Yan Country’s current predicament. Who else could he blame?

Feng Yao understood Bai Qingyun’s caution. Before coming, Xiao Rongyan had already given instructions, so he said to Fu Ruoxi, “Before coming, the Regent Prince had already instructed that if Great Zhou’s current governing officials are concerned, this old servant can remain. If I must stay, then I shall stay.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Eunuch Feng. In that case… this humble general will take Eunuch Feng to see your lodging quarters.” Fu Ruoxi made a gesture of invitation to Feng Yao.

·

On the twentieth day of the second month in the third year of Yuanhe, Prince Zhenguo Bai Qingyu and Prince Fuguo Bai Jinxiu led the Yuanping Army to Yan Country’s border, raising troops to attack Jinyang. The defending soldiers of Jinyang were no match, and the city was broken in two days, as they pressed toward Yan’s capital.

On the twenty-fourth day of the second month in the third year of Yuanhe, Prince Huguo Bai Qingqi, Marquis Yongyi Bai Jinzhao, Marquis Zhongde Bai Jinhua, and Lord Yinghui Bai Jinse led the Anping Army to join with the Zhao Family Army led by Zhao Sheng. With Prince Huguo Bai Qingqi as commander, they attacked Yan Country’s Huyi.

On the twenty-sixth day of the second month in the third year of Yuanhe, Prince Zhennan Shen Kunyang received orders from the Great Zhou emperor to lead the Bai Family Army to capture Mengcheng, annihilating Yan’s Prince Chong’an. Afterward, they split into two routes—one to intercept Yan troops attempting to return from Xi Liang for reinforcement, and the other to march toward Yan’s capital as the imperial army.

The force led by the Great Zhou emperor departed from Jiujiang, striking toward Yan’s capital.

The Great Zhou was divided into four routes, all engaging in battle simultaneously with the unified goal of advancing toward Yan’s capital. This was full-scale warfare with a firm determination to annihilate Yan, an unstoppable force.

Yan Country had never experienced such a massive military campaign aimed at destroying their nation. Moreover, all of Great Zhou’s soldiers were elite troops who had experienced several major battles, while half of Yan Country’s elite forces were within Great Zhou territory, restrained by Great Zhou’s army.

When the battle reports rushed into Yan’s capital, Murong Li had just learned that the Imperial Guard commander he had reinstated… had died tragically in his home during the night.

The battle report only stated that the Great Zhou emperor had personally led a large army to break through Xiping City and initiated war with Yan Country, that Prince Xiping’s mansion had been broken through, Prince Xiping had died in battle, and nothing else was written—not even the reason why the Great Zhou emperor had started the war.

Murong Li understood Bai Qingyan, so he knew that the contents of this battle report were only what the people at the front wanted him to see, not the complete truth.

When it was time for the morning court session, Murong Li brought the memorial to court. Just as he was about to summon Great Zhou’s envoy to Yan for questioning, the Empress Dowager appeared outside the golden hall in full ceremonial dress and makeup.