Wei Shao now commanded an army of 400,000 men. Along the northern border, stretching thousands of kilometers from west to east, military garrisons stood in abundance, with nearly 100,000 of his troops deployed.

While the Han dynasty’s warlords engaged in constant strife and division, the Xiongnu people, separated from the Han by the Sanggan River, had entered their most prosperous golden age in a century. Though the Great Chanyu Yizhixie Moru had grown old and his sons now vied for power, causing undercurrents of tension—and even though Wei’s iron cavalry had once trampled the grasslands of their royal court—Wei Shao knew well that this northern nomadic leader, who had risen to power in the same era as his grandfather, was one of the few outstanding military commanders he had ever encountered.

During this Great Chanyu’s decades of rule, the Xiongnu population had grown substantially. Their cavalry force had expanded from less than 100,000 in Wei Shao’s grandfather’s time to a claimed 300,000 now. It was well known that warhorses were precious; in some ways, the value of a single warhorse far exceeded that of a foot soldier. In the decade since their southward expansion had been checked by the Wei family, the Xiongnu, under this Great Chanyu’s leadership, had conquered more than ten polities to the west, including the Donghu, Wuhuan, Sushen, and Loulan, controlling vast territories in the Western Regions. To the north, they had subjugated nations of fellow archers such as Qushe, Gekun, and Xinli. Even the mighty Wei Shao of today had to admit that this aging Great Chanyu of the Xiongnu was certainly not an enemy to be taken lightly.

Wei could afford to lose Liangzhou, which he had seized from others. He could lose Bingzhou and even Jizhou. But Youzhou was indispensable. The troops he left behind were not just another Great Wall protecting the northern border; they were the guarantee of his rear base in Youzhou. No matter what happened at the front, these forces could not be transferred.

Tomorrow at dawn, after the flag consecration ceremony, he would lead his mobilized force of 300,000 troops southward. Together with the vanguard, they would confront Xing Xun’s 500,000-strong army on the north bank of the Yellow River in a life-or-death battle. Wei Shao knew very well that this would not be an easy war. Though Xing Xun was arrogant and self-important, his strength could not be underestimated. Buoyed by his victory over Yuan Zhe last year, he was sure to march north with great momentum this time.

Yet Wei felt no fear. On the contrary, from the moment he learned of Xing Xun’s self-proclamation as emperor and his intention to launch a punitive expedition northward, the blood in Wei’s veins began to flow faster, even boiling with excitement. He felt an unprecedented thrill brought on by the impending war. Unlike the various battles he had experienced over the years, this would be his first confrontation with one of the strongest opponents in the Central Plains. The fate of the empire hung in the balance, and a new Zhe Yao – Chapter in the grand scheme of the Nine Provinces was about to unfold.

With the overall strategy already in place, all that remained was to await the flag consecration ceremony and the army’s departure tomorrow morning. Gongsun Yang, Wei Quan, and others were still in the council hall, making final, tense checks on seemingly trivial but crucial details such as the supervision of grain transport and the distribution of command tokens.

As dusk approached, Wei Shao returned to his quarters. With the expedition imminent, thoughts of the young woman carrying his child flooded his excited mind, which had been preoccupied with war matters for days. A deep sense of tenderness and reluctance to part welled up within him.

He entered Sheyang Residence and paused when he saw the dim light filtering through the window. For the past fortnight, no matter how late he returned, the lamp in this window had always been lit for him.

Quickening his pace, he reached the steps and signaled the servant on duty who was about to greet him to remain silent. In a few strides, he climbed the stairs and gently pushed open the half-closed door.

Treading softly past the screen, he saw that she was not lying in bed. She sat at her dressing table, her back to him. An opened message tube lay on the table surface.

She was reading a letter, head bowed. Hearing his footsteps, she put down the letter, folded it, and casually tucked it under her cosmetics box.

Wei Shao knelt behind her, embracing her waist and placing his palm on her slightly swollen belly. “Who sent the letter?” he asked.

Xiao Qiao turned her face to meet his gaze and smiled. “My elder sister in Lingbi wrote it. General Jia just delivered it.”

Wei Shao’s eyes flickered slightly. He merely uttered an “Oh” and didn’t ask anything further.

A few days ago, Yang Xin had reported that scouts had observed Liu Yan visiting Lingbi again, presumably to meet with Bi Zhi. The outcome was unknown, but they had seen Bi Zhi personally escorting Liu Yan out of Lingbi from a distance. Three visits showed sincerity; it would be difficult not to be moved.

“Is Manman tired today?” He brought his face closer, deeply inhaling the fragrance of her hair, his nose teasing her soft, jade-white earlobe as he asked gently.

Xiao Qiao glanced at him. Liu Yan had suddenly appeared in the chaotic situation in Xuzhou. Since Yang Xin had pledged allegiance to Wei Shao, she didn’t believe Wei was completely unaware of this. Yet in front of her, he acted as if nothing had happened, not mentioning a word.

Xiao Qiao leaned back against his chest. “My lord, do you remember Liu Yan, the young master from Langya?” she suddenly asked.

Wei Shao, nuzzling her ear and temple, had slipped his hand into her robe and was untying her undergarments. He paused briefly at her words but continued to undo the thin fabric covering her innerwear. His slightly rough palm cupped her breasts, which had grown increasingly full due to her pregnancy.

“Why mention him?” Wei Shao asked, his tone still casual as he gently kneaded, feeling their soft, springy texture in his hands.

Xiao Qiao forcefully removed his hand from her clothes, extricated herself from his embrace, and turned to kneel facing him.

“My lord doesn’t ask what my sister’s letter says, but I want to tell you,” she said. Wei Shao’s gaze settled on her face.

“My sister says that despite the Langya Prince’s three visits to persuade Bi Zhi to join him, Bi Zhi has not agreed. She also mentions that Bi Zhi now knows Yang Xin’s withdrawal was due to the Marquis of Yan’s intentions. With the misunderstanding cleared, he doesn’t wish to cause further trouble. I know Bi Zhi’s character—he values his word and upholds righteousness. Doesn’t this put my lord’s mind at ease?” Xiao Qiao spoke directly, without any attempt to hide or evade.

Wei Shao stared into her eyes. “I dislike Liu Yan,” he suddenly said, completely unrelated to what Xiao Qiao had just shared.

“Manman, he was your former fiancé, and I know you once had feelings for each other. His current actions show he too aspires to compete for the world. If he ever falls into my hands, I will show no mercy or leniency.”

“Don’t blame me for this!” He emphasized each word heavily.

Xiao Qiao was stunned. She hadn’t thought about Liu Yan in a long time. But now, memories of that final scene from her previous life in her dreams, along with the events that unfolded two years ago when she married Wei Shao and was sent to Yuyang the day after their wedding, only to be abducted by Liu Yan on the way, suddenly flooded back. The strange look in his eyes when she refused him then was still vivid in her memory.

She fell silent.

“Did your sister’s letter mention anything else about Liu Yan?” Wei Shao suddenly asked, his tone seemingly casual.

Xiao Qiao hesitated briefly, about to shake her head when Wei Shao leaned forward, reaching for the letter tucked under her cosmetics box.

She hadn’t expected him to reach for the letter in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat. Seeing his hand touch the letter, she instinctively pressed her hand on top of his.

Wei Shao quickly looked up, fixing her with a stare.

Xiao Qiao suddenly realized her mistake. She had an intuition that it wouldn’t be good for Wei Shao to see the part about Liu Yan at the end of Daqiao’s letter. Of course, with the great battle imminent, her original intention was to avoid arousing any unnecessary suspicion in Wei Shao. But her attempt to stop him might have the opposite effect.

She released his hand, saying, “If you want to read it, go ahead.”

Wei Shao held her gaze for a moment, then slowly let go of the letter between his fingers and sat up straight.

“I want you to tell me yourself,” he commanded.

Xiao Qiao sighed inwardly. “There was also a message from him. He said he has let go of past matters and wishes me well from afar.”

“Isn’t that good?” she said in a light tone.

Wei Shao’s expression remained cold. After a long silence, he suddenly smiled slightly and nodded. “Yes, it is good.”

He then opened his arms to her.

Xiao Qiao entered his embrace.

Wei Shao lowered his head to kiss her fragrant, moist lips. Suddenly, he recalled the rumors from south of the Yellow River about Xing Xun boasting that he would capture Wei alive and take Xiao Qiao into his Lotus Terrace.

Although he knew this was merely a bluff, a psychological tactic spread before the battle to disturb his mind, he still felt a surge of anger deep in his heart.

His kiss on her lips grew more forceful.