The situation in Xijing was on the verge of reversing, yet here at the northern frontier, the stalemate continued!

Jun Beiyue was waiting, and also testing — testing to see what was real and what was bluff.

The Empress of Eastern Qin was dead set on holding her ground no matter what, while Minhan Mude’er, heeding Jun Beiyao’s advice, was insisting on retreating in order to draw the enemy deep into their territory!

Minhan Mude’er was impulsive, but Jun Beiyao was a cunning old fox. Left to his own temperament, Minhan Mude’er would never have been able to sustain a standoff this long — he had always been the type to act without regard for consequences!

Jun Beiyao, however, weighed every advantage and disadvantage. Despite all his scheming and obstruction, he never once pushed the Empress of Eastern Qin to the point of true desperation!

He only wore down her patience, bit by bit.

And sure enough, in the dead of night, the standoff flared up again!

Minhan Mude’er personally went to the Empress of Eastern Qin’s camp, determined that they would settle the matter in a single decisive contest — whoever won would decide whether to retreat or not!

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I understand the Xiongnu have their own customs, but do the Xiongnu truly lack even the barest courtesy? Look at the hour, look at where we are — is there truly no matter, however grave, that cannot wait until tomorrow to discuss?”

“No? Your Majesty, this prince’s patience has its limits. If you don’t give me a straight answer tonight, this prince will leave this very night!” Having said this, Minhan Mude’er sprawled carelessly onto the heated couch beside him. He spoke of leaving, but his behavior was that of a shameless loiterer through and through!

And yet, loiterer or not, his naturally striking, wild handsomeness kept him from ever seeming truly shameless. It was Jun Beiyao — leaning silently off to the side, doing nothing at all — who looked, for all the world, exactly like a mangy dog.

The Empress of Eastern Qin saw at a glance that Minhan Mude’er had once again been incited into coming tonight!

Provoked, she made no effort to hide it. She turned a cold glare directly on Jun Beiyao and sneered, “Jun Beiyao, why don’t we do this — if your Fourth Brother makes no move within five days, I will withdraw my troops at once. How does that sound?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Minhan Mude’er’s brow furrowed, and Jun Beiyao tensed despite himself — the Empress was clearly trying to drive a wedge between him and Minhan Mude’er!

After all, Minhan Mude’er held him in high regard, and in front of outsiders, Minhan Mude’er’s face and standing mattered a great deal to him!

By speaking this way, the Empress was plainly telling Minhan Mude’er that Jun Beiyao was the true power here.

Jun Beiyao hurried to say, “Your Majesty, this matter is not something a mere servant like myself can decide. This must be decided by His Highness Minhan.”

No matter how Jun Beiyao explained himself, something felt off to Minhan Mude’er. He eyed the Empress suspiciously, then eyed Jun Beiyao suspiciously as well, unable to stop himself from recalling the warning Aunt Gu Xin had given him before he left.

He looked to the Empress, waiting for her to ask him something — but she stubbornly refused to ask anything at all, and the two of them fell into a standoff.

The Empress’s refusal to ask was, to Minhan Mude’er, nothing short of a rejection — a form of contempt!

How could Jun Beiyao not grow anxious? He hurried to ask, “Your Highness, what do you think of the five-day wager?”

Only then did Minhan Mude’er speak coldly. “This prince will add another stake! If Jun Beiyue makes no move within five days, this prince will not only demand Eastern Qin’s withdrawal — from now on, every military decision must have this prince’s approval as well!”

This was nothing less than seizing Eastern Qin’s military authority!

How could the Empress possibly agree? And yet, under these circumstances, she had no choice but to agree — only by agreeing could she buy herself five days!

“Very well!” the Empress answered gravely.

“Five days. This prince will be waiting!”

Minhan Mude’er was clearly furious. Without waiting for Jun Beiyao, he turned and stormed off. Jun Beiyao shot the Empress a resentful, warning glance before hurrying after him!

Once they had gone, the Empress sank back onto the couch, utterly exhausted. These past few days, Minhan Mude’er had tormented her no end — she’d barely slept a wink night after night!

That man was more terrifying than Jun Beiyue’s entire siege army!

But she couldn’t afford to rest. She had only five days, and she had no choice but to play her very last card.

“Someone — has Bai Mengmeng sent word back yet?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, she says she will act tonight. Five days should be enough time.”

Bai Mengmeng was the deepest piece she had planted within Da Zhou — the adopted daughter of General White Tiger, one of the Three Great Tiger Generals.

General White Tiger had no children of his own, and in his whole life he’d had only this one adopted daughter, whom he cherished like a pearl in his palm. He’d kept her at his side to attend him always — even on campaigns, even in the thick of battle, Bai Mengmeng was never far from him.

Within the White Tiger camp, aside from Han Ziqing, Bai Mengmeng was the only other woman who could come and go as she pleased!

Unless it was absolutely necessary, the Empress would never use her.

But Minhan Mude’er’s relentless pressure these past days had left her no choice but to activate Bai Mengmeng.

To sacrifice a pawn she had cultivated for over a decade, in order to save Yandang City, to save the heart of Eastern Qin — it was worth it.

“Tell her — she must force Jun Beiyue into making a major move!” the Empress instructed coldly.

“This one understands!” The guard immediately took his leave. Just then, a maidservant hurried in with quick steps, bringing a letter.

The instant the Empress saw the envelope, she couldn’t help a flicker of delight — she recognized it as coming from Nanny Qin.

She had thought Nanny Qin would truly never return to her!

Yet as the Empress suppressed her joy and opened the letter, its contents delighted her even more!

She had never imagined that Nanny Qin, far from cutting off all contact, would bring her such excellent news!

“Yelu Qianqian! Ha ha, truly Heaven favors my Eastern Qin!”

The Empress burst into laughter — the news Nanny Qin had sent could be called the only piece of good fortune since the war between Eastern Qin and Da Zhou had begun!

The Empress immediately summoned her advisors, openly handing them the letter to read, a cold, proud smile spreading across her face — one that had not been seen in a long while.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty, our felicitations! With this, Eastern Qin is saved!”

“Your Majesty, it appears that as long as we hold firm, the day will come when Da Zhou is attacked from behind, and their forces will inevitably be divided! Jun Beichen’s three armies at the western border will have to return there!”

“Your Majesty, Nanny Qin has rendered a tremendous service this time!”

…

Nanny Qin had captured Yelu Qianqian and was on her way to Xiliang. Once Yelu Qianqian was delivered to Xiliang, it would mean Xijing and Da Zhou would be locked in hostility forever!

On this point, both the Empress and her advisors were utterly confident.

After all, Yelu Qianqian was the sole condition for cooperation between Da Zhou and Xijing — without her, the Xijing emperor would be itching to personally kill both Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue!

“We hold. No matter what, we hold. I will not allow so much as a single soldier of Da Zhou’s to set foot past my Yandang City!” The Empress was brimming with confidence — and that confidence came not only from Nanny Qin’s letter, but also from her five-day wager with Minhan Mude’er.

Just five days. She would wait, and watch for Jun Beiyue’s fine performance.

She was certain Bai Mengmeng would not disappoint her.

With the two armies locked in stalemate, whoever moved first would be exposed, whoever moved first would fall into a disadvantage!

Jun Beiyue — you’ve run wild in the northern frontier for years. This year, I will make you tuck your tail and run home.