Even with Jun Beiyue holding everything firmly in his grasp, there was one thing that still lay beyond his expectations.
This same thing left Ziqing utterly baffled as well.
Neither the Three Realms nor the Xiongnu border had shown any sign of movement — so how had Xuanyuan Lige’s sound-killing troops, such a massive force, appeared seemingly out of thin air within Xichu’s territory?
“Could he have had them lying in wait all along?” Ziqing guessed, the only explanation she could think of.
But Jun Beiyue shook his head. “Unlikely. This sound-killing army has always been stationed north of the northern desert plateau.”
Jun Beiyue had once kept an eye on this particular force, but during the war years ago when Dongqin suffered defeat after defeat without this sound-killing army ever making an appearance, he’d come to believe, like everyone else, that it was nothing more than an empty rumor.
The couple exchanged a suspicious glance, both understanding perfectly well that regardless of how this sound-killing army had appeared in Xichu, one thing was certain — Xuanyuan Lige would soon establish a firm foothold within Xichu’s territory!
The best way to deal with an enemy was to strangle them before they grew strong!
Once Xuanyuan Lige swallowed up Xichu, destroying him would become far from easy!
“We must move quickly!”
Ziqing meant this seriously. This wasn’t just a matter of national duty — it was personal as well.
Toward that man, she had lost all hope, completely.
No matter what methods he used, even if his blade were aimed directly at her, she wouldn’t have thought so little of him.
But how he had hurt Yelu Qianqian — that was simply unforgivable!
The next day, Jun Beiyue and Ziqing didn’t linger, continuing their march west without delay!
If Yelu Qianqian and Situ Haonan’s advance could be called driving straight through, then this couple’s march was unstoppable, sweeping through as though through an empty land!
In less than ten days, they had reached the eastern gate of Xiliang’s capital ahead of Yelu Qianqian and Situ Haonan!
Once there, they had no intention of advancing further. Jun Beiyue set about arranging their return — for him, the true war wasn’t here in Xiliang, nor in the Xiongnu lands, but with Xuanyuan Lige!
Meanwhile, Ziqing personally led her troops to garrison right before the gates of Xiliang’s capital.
She was waiting for Yelu Qianqian and Situ Haonan to arrive. In this battle, both she and Jun Beiyue were merely there to assist — even Situ Haonan was an assistant here. Yelu Qianqian was the true protagonist!
The city of Xiliang’s capital had to be conquered by Yelu Qianqian herself; that beast Wanyan Lie had to die by her own hand.
With the army at its gates, all of Xiliang’s capital fell into chaos — if not for the tightly sealed gates, countless people would surely have fled out to surrender!
After all, along the entire march, whether from Ziqing’s side or Yelu Qianqian’s, countless had already surrendered!
Some cities hadn’t even needed to be attacked at all — the army simply arrived, and surrender followed as a matter of course!
Ziqing had merely stationed her troops there, not shouting a single word toward the gates, yet this action alone was enough to leave Xiliang’s remaining forces trembling with unease.
At this moment, the gates of Xiliang’s capital stood tightly sealed, the walls packed with soldiers, archers lining both sides, tense and waiting for orders.
But far more anxious than them was their master — Wanyan Lie! This crown prince of Xiliang, who only days ago had pinned his hopes entirely on Xuanyuan Lige!
He had originally intended to lead troops out to meet the enemy in battle himself, but before he’d gone even a few days, a secret report had reached him!
Rather than retreating from being caught in a pincer attack from behind, Jun Beiyue and Situ Haonan had instead pressed forward relentlessly, declaring they would force every soldier of Xiliang into submission!
At first he’d assumed the report was mistaken, and waited another two days — but two days later, he himself heard the war horns of Da Zhou’s advancing army!
Not only that, but he’d also received news that left him utterly hopeless — the Xiongnu had run into an ambush at the border between the northern desert and Xijing, and in the clash between the two armies, the Xiongnu had gained no advantage whatsoever!
At this point, Wanyan Lie had shut himself away in his palace hall, smashing everything within it to pieces, leaving the entire hall in ruins.
He sat slumped over the great map, his gaze fixed on it yet utterly hollow.
He had never been a man to give up easily, but this time, his opponent was simply too formidable!
Last time, Jun Beiyue hadn’t come personally, and Han Ziqing had only led a portion of the western border troops!
But this time, Jun Beiyue had personally led his forces here!
Never in his wildest imagination had Wanyan Lie thought Xiliang would be the very first kingdom on the continent of Longyuan to fall at Jun Beiyue’s hand.
At this thought, he suddenly threw his head back and roared, “No…”
Just then, an urgent voice came from outside the door, “Your Highness, Your Highness! His Majesty has woken up, he’s asking for you!”
These words immediately pulled Wanyan Lie back from the edge of madness.
“Father…”
Ever since returning from the peace summit, the Emperor of Xiliang had fallen gravely ill, and Wanyan Lie had already taken full control of state affairs — his formal ascension to the throne was merely awaiting the emperor’s condition to stabilize enough for appearances.
“Father… Father…”
Wanyan Lie, as though gripped by sudden worry, scrambled up and rushed out the door, but just then several soldiers, brushing past the eunuchs trying to stop them, forced their way in, shouting, “Your Highness, Your Highness! Jun Beiyue has reached the gates! Pull yourself together! Your Highness, the entire army is still waiting for you!”
Wanyan Lie stopped short, but only for a moment — as though he’d heard nothing at all, he turned to walk away again!
“Your Highness, do you truly want to watch the soldiers of the capital throw open the gates and surrender?”
At these words, Wanyan Lie stopped dead in his tracks, whipping around, his gaze so ferocious it looked capable of killing on the spot, terrifying the soldiers along with the attendants nearby into dropping to their knees, not daring to say another word!
“Surrender?” Wanyan Lie murmured to himself, turning and walking forward step by step.
The soldiers trembled in fear, and one of them, gritting his teeth, mustered the courage to try persuading him further — but before he could, Wanyan Lie suddenly drew his sword and, with a single stroke, slit the man’s throat, killing him instantly!
“The one thing this crown prince hates most in this life is surrender! You all seem to like surrender, so be it — this crown prince will kill you first! Better to die by this crown prince’s blade than kneel at Yelu Qianqian’s feet!”
With that, his blade flashed, and the remaining soldiers, along with the nearby attendants, met the same fate, all dead on the spot without exception!
“Surrender?”
Heaven only knew how much these words tormented Wanyan Lie. Dragging his blood-soaked sword, he ignored his ailing father entirely, walking step by step out of the palace, heading straight for the eastern gate!
As he walked, every commoner and soldier along the way stepped back out of his path, outwardly deferential, yet whispering furiously among themselves in private!
With the enemy already at the gates, why was Crown Prince Wanyan Lie behaving like this? After all, their fate rested entirely in this man’s hands!
Once the capital fell, everything would be over!
Suddenly, Wanyan Lie stopped, turning a cold gaze toward the source of the loudest murmuring to his right, and instantly, dead silence fell.
Wanyan Lie did nothing further, simply continuing forward, step by step, climbing the city gate tower, every soldier stepping aside to make way. Soon, Wanyan Lie caught sight of the scene not far ahead, and he stopped abruptly, his eyes bloodshot. “Why… why!!!”
Not far ahead…