After handing over that defense map, he suddenly felt much lighter. Although his palms were still drenched in cold sweat, his heart had settled, feeling there was nothing more to fear. If only Prince Gong could establish himself, he wouldn’t have switched sides midway – back then, he had even helped scheme against Prince Zhennan, nearly causing Prince Zhennan’s death in Taiyuan. Having done all these things, he had truly been wholeheartedly devoted to supporting Prince Gong in rising to power and achieving great things, but Prince Gong just had to be this kind of person…

The night was dark as ink. After finishing his instructions to Sun Ergou, he found a way to send Sun Ergou out again, then stumbled back unevenly to arrange his family affairs. He had followed Prince Gong in Taiyuan for over ten years. Most of his family members had already been brought to Taiyuan, but some close clan relatives still remained in their ancestral home in Huizhou. Back then he had thought it didn’t matter – his branch of the family rising up would be the same either way. But now, seeing that probably only his branch would be completely eradicated, he felt grief welling up from within.

Pulling himself together, he arranged for his children to leave the city overnight – Sun Ergou had already said he could help preserve these children, though Wu Qianli himself would probably have to die. But if the children could live, of course it was better for them to live.

The children were all crying terribly. Dug out from their bedding in the middle of the night, they were all shivering one by one, looking at Wu Qianli and weeping bitterly. Wu Qianli steeled himself and instructed his eldest son to take good care of his younger siblings. After one last look at them, he had trusted confidants pack up their valuables and take them out of the city overnight.

After sending off the children, he went to the bed in the back and slept peacefully through the entire night. That night he had countless dreams, but when he woke up the next day, he suddenly couldn’t remember a single one of those terrifying nightmares. He shook his head to clear his mind. Before he had time to wash up, someone from Prince Gong’s manor came to summon him.

The first person he saw wasn’t Prince Gong, but Wu Feng with a stern face that looked ready to devour someone at any moment. Wu Feng came up to meet him, and his first words were to ask: “Have you seen Zou Yanzheng?”

Zou Yanzheng? Wu Qianli was stunned for a moment before shaking his head. Already sensing what this meant in his heart, his movements involuntarily slowed a beat: “The Prince is looking for him?”

Wu Feng neither confirmed nor denied, glancing at him before leading people past him and striding away.

Come to think of it, Zou Yanzheng had indeed been missing for some time now. Wu Qianli belatedly realized this. Just as he was about to say something, the study door had already opened, and a group of advisors and retainers came out looking as mournful as if attending a funeral. Wu Qianli didn’t look at them, lowering his head and hurrying into the study.

Inside, Prince Gong was in a towering rage. Huang Yiqing was pressing forward step by step, and on Cui Shaoting’s side, even Han Zhengqing had been defeated. He had finally realized the sense of crisis, and this crisis came so fiercely that overnight he seemed to have become a complete madman.

“You quickly think of a solution!” Wu Qianli was jolted back to his senses by Prince Gong’s roar and asked blankly: “What solution?”

Prince Gong was already furious beyond measure. He grabbed a book from beside him and hurled it at Wu Qianli’s head: “Of course, think of a way to find Han Zhi! If we still can’t find Han Zhi now, we’re all finished!”

Wu Qianli’s lips trembled. He responded with a “yes” and quickly turned to leave, but in his heart he laughed coldly.

Han Zhi was being escorted to see Cui Shaoting. The wound on his leg had been carelessly bandaged. After a day and night of being brought from Jingzhou back to Guyuan, with injuries on his body, he couldn’t hold up. His face was pale, even his lips were purple, like a ghost crawling out of hell.

Cui Shaoting had little interest in him and was still discussing Yecha’s matter with Prince Zhennan: “Why don’t we release the news and let Yetan know that Yecha is in our hands?”

After all, Yecha was the Tatars’ Grand Preceptor. To the Tatars, his significance was roughly equivalent to Emperor Jianzhang’s position in the hearts of the Great Zhou’s common people. Once this news got out, the Tatars would have to give some kind of response.

Prince Zhennan also thought it was feasible: “That makes sense. If we kill Yecha now, the loss would far outweigh the gain. Better to use him to make a deal with Yetan.”

Marquis Dingyuan lifted the curtain and entered. Hearing them discuss this, he shook his head: “I’m afraid it won’t work.” Seeing Prince Zhennan and Cui Shaoting both turn their heads, he smiled bitterly: “Just received news – Yetan has led the remaining eighty thousand men to attack Zijing Pass with full force.”

Yetan couldn’t possibly not know that Yecha had lost the battle at Qingzhou Prefecture, yet he didn’t pause for even a moment, directly gathering his forces to attack Zijing Pass. This showed he had made up his mind and was determined to take the Great Zhou.

Come to think of it, they had waited eighty or ninety years for the opportunity to fight their way back into the Great Zhou – how could they be willing to give it up?

Cui Shaoting put down his brush and laughed coldly: “Either way, the letter still needs to be sent.”

Marquis Dingyuan immediately understood Cui Shaoting’s meaning. Of course it wasn’t futile effort, nor was it being overfed with nothing to do. While Yetan most likely wouldn’t care about Yecha’s life or death, the key point was that people from the other Tatar tribes were all watching.

There would always be Yecha’s trusted followers who would think Yetan’s actions were excessive – after all, Yecha was still alive.

“How are preparations on Prince Gong’s side?” Cui Shaoting stood up, handed the letter to a scout to send out, then asked Marquis Dingyuan: “Any news from Sun Ergou’s end?”

Sun Ergou had come out from Prince Gong’s place following Han Zhi. He knew who around Prince Gong could still be bought off, so Cui Shaoting had specifically sent him out to persuade Wu Qianli. If they could obtain Taiyuan’s defense map and have Wu Qianli provide inside assistance, the time needed to take Taiyuan would be greatly reduced.

Marquis Dingyuan nodded: “Sun Ergou just sent word back saying he’s already persuaded Wu Qianli. Wu Qianli has already sent his children out to Huang Yiqing. What about our side?”

The closest place to Taiyuan from here was Guyuan. Cui Shaoting, Prince Zhennan, and Marquis Dingyuan deliberated for a moment longer and unanimously decided to have the Guyuan Commander-in-Chief and Marquis Dingyuan fight this battle.

As for Han Zhi, Cui Shaoting really had no mind to concern himself with him. In his view, this person’s value wasn’t even as much as Han Zhengqing’s. Han Zhengqing, who had openly rebelled and colluded with the Tatars, was the real criminal who absolutely had to be kept alive to return and satisfy the common people’s grievances.

Speaking of Han Zhengqing, he asked again: “Han Zhengqing won’t die, will he?”

Prince Zhennan was already prepared: “He won’t die. His son is also a ruthless character – he’s made him practically a cripple, yet he just won’t die. They’re keeping him alive now.”

Cui Shaoting nodded. Thinking of Han Yu and Han Yang, he specifically instructed: “Have Han Yu and Han Yang stay far away – seeing him would be distressing after all.”

Having followed along for so long, they had all gone through life and death together. Better not to have them confused at this final critical moment.