Chapter 122: A Fight!

  The horizon at dusk, the setting sun is like blood.

  A desolate and cold silence on the official road ravaged by war.

  A group of about twenty Jin Yiwei, a black lacquered carriage, and several prisoner carts were leaving Shuntian Prefecture on their way to Kaiping. This was Xia Chuyi and the Jin Yiwei Dongfang Qingxuan's party.

  The day Xia Chunqi left the inn, he had no idea that Dongfang Qingxuan was not going to Ping alone this time. He also brought out "Gunzi" from the great prison of Qingzhou Prefecture and put him in a prisoner's cart, heading north.

  It was at this time that Xia Chuyi only knew that the "Guniang" girl was actually Princess Beidi, her mother was the current Empress Dowager of Beidi, and her brother was Hasaer, the commander-in-chief of the Beidi army. Xia Chuyi didn't know what Dongfang Qingxuan wanted to take "Guniang" to Kaiping for, but it was clear that he wasn't a good person, and his actions wouldn't be without purpose, and most of them were probably "crazy" things.

  She didn't ask much.

  Of course, that Eastern fellow is cunning; even if she asked him, he might not necessarily say.

  For several days in a row, she didn't talk to "Gun Jiao" and didn't chat much with Dongfang Qingxuan. In order to avoid being caught by Chen Jing and sent back to the capital, every time she stayed overnight at an inn, she would stay in the room next to Dongfang Qingxuan's. However, unlike that night with Meng Lang, he never made any intimate moves towards her again, which made Xia Chuqi's heart, which had been hanging for a long time, fall once more.

  She said that she is not a girl who is loved by everyone, and how can a man as handsome as Dongfang Qingxuan, who looks like he's not from this world, possibly look at her?

  However, after a few days, she also had some new views on Dongfang Qingxuan. Before, she only thought he was cruel, poisonous, ruthless and cunning, with that smile in his eyes when he wiped the embroidery knife, every time she saw it, she felt like she would lose ten years of her life, and get goosebumps all over. But after being together for a while, she discovered that he had many good points. His temper was really good, he was meticulous and considerate, and very understanding in taking care of women.

  It's actually quite comforting to be friends with him over time.

  She let out a soft sigh and asked him absent-mindedly.

  "How much longer until we arrive at Kaiping? I'm exhausted."

  "It's almost there. At most two more days."

  Listening to his lazy response, Xia Chuqi felt a bit relieved and was about to let out a sigh of relief. However, looking at the distant official road that stretched far and wide, she couldn't help but feel anxious again. "You said we've been avoiding him for several days now, Chen Jing won't catch up with us again, will he?"

  "That's hard to say."

  Dongfang Qingxuan said, swaying in the carriage, he picked up his teacup again and took a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh, and glanced at her again, "You're asking for trouble yourself, I told you to stay in the capital and wait quietly, but you wouldn't listen, insisting on coming all the way to the north, no wonder..."

  "I don't blame you either."

  As she gazed at the sunset, thinking about how close they were getting to Kaiping Prefecture, Xia Qi's heart was filled with joy. It had been a long time since she last saw Zhao Zun, and she missed him dearly. This feeling of longing was different from her usual thoughts of comrades or foolish infatuations - it was a kind of yearning she had never experienced before. Just the thought of his face made every nerve in her heart tingle with sweetness, and memories of their time together floated to the surface of her mind.

  "Hey, Commander, I feel like our convoy is moving too slowly."

  "It's not that the car is slow, it's just that your heart is racing fast."

  With a snort of laughter, she seemed to sigh again as if she had and hadn't.

  "It's true, what's slow is not the vehicle, but the human heart."

  Separate days are hard to bear. As long as we can be together, even in danger, it's all happiness.

  Zhao Nineteen ah Zhao Nineteen!

  She was silently thinking, unable to articulate the emotions in her heart. As she indulged in a mix of bitter and sweet thoughts, a loud horseshoe sound suddenly came from the official road not far away, getting closer and closer until it stopped in the middle of the dusty road. A man on horseback stood with his sword drawn, shouting softly amidst the neighing of the warhorse.

  "General, stay your step—"

  The man on the horse was in his early twenties, with a young face that was straight and cold, eyes slightly narrowed, bow and quiver on his back, steel knife in hand, emitting a layer of chill under the sunlight. He wore black clothes and light armor, his mouth tightly pursed, clearly impatient with Dongfang Qingxuan's deliberate avoidance for several days.

  "Chen Shou-wei Zhang!"

  Dongfang Qingxuan lifted the curtain of his horse carriage, stopping the startled cry of his attendants. He curved the corners of his lips as he looked at Chen Jing, seemingly having just seen him for the first time, and smiled with an air of innocence. "I didn't expect to run into you here, Commander Chen is also heading to Ping, would you like to travel together?"

  Chen Jing held a knife in one hand and reins in the other, his eyes coldly gleaming.

  "Great Commander, Chen has committed a crime, please hand him over to me."

  "Who is it?"

  "The commander-in-chief knows it in his heart."

  He chuckled and rubbed his nose lazily, with an expression that was quite annoying. "I'm not familiar with Chen Shouwei. How could I 'know your heart' or even 'understand your mind'? Chen Shouzhi laughed."

  Judging from Chen Jing's actions over the past few days, he must have known that he didn't dare to mention the title "Jin Wangfei" or "Jing Yi Junzhu", let alone openly ask for her. Otherwise, it wouldn't have dragged on until now. After all, everyone knows that Jing Yi Junzhu should be in the capital right now, and if they found out she had dared to run to the northern battlefield, many people would be left speechless.

  As expected, Chen Jing was slightly stunned, apparently choked by his words.

  But Chen Jing was a loyal person. Once he accepted a task, he would definitely complete it.

  Furthermore, his patience had also been worn out by Dongfang Qingyun in these few days.

  He pursed his lips, slowly sheathing his sword, and suddenly drew the curved bow from behind his back, nocking an arrow. Without a word, he took aim in the direction of Dongfang Qingyun. In an instant, amidst the shocked cries of the Brocade Guards, the arrow shot through the air. However, Dongfang Qingyun did not dodge or evade, a smile still on his face as he calmly watched the arrowhead strike the axle of the carriage.

  "What does Chief Guard Chen mean? Is he going to use force or is this a warning?"

  Chen Jing's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he turned his bow and arrow towards Dongfang Qingxuan's eyes.

  "Grand Commander, is this a friendly encounter or not?"

  His eyes narrowed slightly, and under the intense sunset glow, the evil glint in his eyes grew a few shades darker. A faint smile played on his lips as he asked, "Commander Chen is renowned for his exceptional martial arts skills, which I have always admired. But I do have some doubts - even if someone were in my grasp, would you be able to single-handedly rescue them from me?"

  "Whether it works or not, just give it a try."

  Chen Jing was introverted and didn't like to talk much, but when he spoke, he meant it. Xia Zhi had been watching him secretly since the beginning of summer, amazed by his archery skills and bravery, yet her expression remained unchanged. She wasn't unwilling to invite Chen Jing over, but she understood Zhao Shi Jiu's stubbornness and inflexibility all too well. If she let Chen Jing take her away today, she would never be able to return to Kai Ping again, and who knows when she would see Zhao Zun again.

  She didn't want it to be like this, so she could only gamble on it.

  Under Chen Jing's expressionless stare, Dongfang Qingxuan smiled instead. A pair of narrow and long phoenix eyes curved very beautifully, not looking at Chen Jing, but rather looking towards Rufeng.

  "Like the wind, did you see clearly? In the future, learn from Chen Shouwei more often. You are representing me in handling matters, if you have half of Chen Shouwei's ability, I will be much more at ease."

  Like the wind, he stood with his hands hanging down, "Yes, Commander-in-Chief."

  Dongfang Qingxuan glanced at Chen Jing, rubbed his forehead, let out a low sigh and said softly, "Chen Shouwei's character and loyalty to the Jin Wang are truly admirable. But I really don't know who Chen Shouwei is looking for. Since I've said it and you don't believe me, why not come up yourself and take a look?"

  Having said that, he signaled to Rong Feng to open the door of the carriage.

  Chen Jing still pursed his lips, reined in his horse, and didn't say much, slowly approaching. But as soon as he got close, his gaze froze. The carriage was spacious and the decorations were luxurious, but there was no one inside except for Dongfang Qingxuan. Chen Jing was stunned, and then examined the other people in the convoy again, without finding anything unusual. His hand on the reins tightened involuntarily as he stared at Dongfang Qingxuan.

  "General, where is he?"

  "I don't know who you're referring to."

  Chen Jing looked around and lowered his voice, "Princess of Jin."

  His eyelids jumped slightly, and Dongfang Qingxuan leaned lazily against the carriage wall, looking as if he had suddenly realized something. He chuckled and said, "I told her earlier that the King of Jin sent you to pick her up and take her back to the capital, but she didn't want to go back to the capital. So, she took the people with the Dingzi flag and took a detour to Kaiping."

  Chen Jing's face sank, "Really?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan smiled slightly, "If Chen Shangshu had been a bit faster, he might have made it in time."

  "Thank you! Great Commander, today's matter, Chen has been greatly at fault."

  A long, drawn-out neigh faded into the distance as Chen Jing galloped away on his horse in the dusty evening sun, looking every inch the heroic knight of a martial arts film. Xia Chuizi watched him disappear into the horizon, then let out a long sigh.

  "You're really handsome! But it's just that people are too honest, and they get cheated by you in such an inhumane way."

  Dongfang Qingxuan narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction of her voice - the prisoner cart escorting the Northern Di people.

  "Should I cheat him?"

  Hehe, on the seventh day of summer, the corners of his lips slightly curved up, "Yes, yes, yes, Commander, you are a good person, it's me who wants to cheat him, okay?"

  Eastern Qing Xuan hummed lightly, "Knowing is good, come on up, he shouldn't be coming back again."

  The lock on the prison cart was opened, and the ropes that bound her were also untied. However, the person who walked out of the prison cart was not Xia Chuqi, but a woman who resembled "Gunuo". Indeed, she had shamelessly taken Gunuo's clothes, combed her hair, put on her makeup, transformed into the Princess of Beidi, and successfully deceived Chen Jing.

  "Chen Jing's kung fu is very powerful, but he's too gullible, always trusting people to the end, it's too easy for him to believe others."

  Watching her get a good deal and still complaining, Dongfang Qingxuan smiled lightly and didn't say anything else. The horse carriage set off again. Amidst the familiar creaking of the wheels, Xia Chuqi looked at the darkening horizon, touched the sable-edged round hat on his head, as well as the strings of pearl "forehead bands" hanging from the edge of the hat, and chuckled quietly.

  "Don't mention it, this Mongolian clothing is quite good-looking."

  Dongfang Qingxuan turned his head and looked at her, his lips curling up slightly.

  "It depends on who wears it."

  She rolled her eyes, and Xia Chun Qi was completely indifferent to his contempt. She stroked the clothes on her body, with countless thoughts turning over in her mind. Suddenly, a bright idea flashed through her mind, and she paused for a moment before gazing at Dongfang Qingxuan as if he were some kind of rare species, without blinking an eye.

  "How could the Grand Commander possibly understand Mongolian?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan met her scrutinizing gaze with raised eyebrows.

  "There's still so much I understand, far more than you can imagine."

  "For example?"

  "I won't tell you."

  "Thanks, you've helped me again." Xia Chuqi said with a lukewarm tone, leaning lazily against the opposite side, her big round eyes gazing at him. Dongfang Qingxuan only smiled, "Verbal thanks without sincerity are meaningless. You'd better think about how to repay me instead of wasting time on empty words. My proposal that day is still valid."

  Her heart skipped a beat, Xia Chuqi suddenly remembered the proposal he had mentioned before, her face flushed with embarrassment, pretending not to have heard it, she propped up her chin and gazed out of the window, her eyes fixed on a certain spot.

  "Great Commander, I have prepared a gift for our meeting."

  "A gift for meeting?" Dongfang Qingxuan looked at her with an unclear meaning.

  "That's right, a small gift is not worthy of our Zhao family, it must be something big."

  Against the cool breeze entering through the car window, Dongfang Qingxuan's handsome face, which was against the light, darkened slightly. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, as if he couldn't withstand the wind while moving. He turned his gaze away, leaving only the corner of his flying fish robe, which was blown open by the wind at an angle, revealing a beautiful and picturesque scene.

  After a long while, I finally heard his lazy voice.

  "No matter what you want to do, it's no use."

  "Why?" Xia Qiuli glared at him.

  "I won't let you take risks."

  The hand that was supporting his cheek moved away, and Xia Chuqi sat up straight, looking at Dongfang Qingyun's gentle yet aloof expression. Thinking of how he had taken care of him over the past few days, a hint of a smile appeared on his lips. "Don't be like this, I'm not in any danger, what danger is there? Besides, Commander-in-Chief, you understand, don't you? You can't restrain me."

  The Eastern Blue Mystic's eyes shifted over, his pupils rippling with waves.

  "How did you know I had no other choice."

  "On the seventh day of summer, she raised an eyebrow and smiled at him, 'Because that's my business.'"

  "Oh, is that so?" Dongfang Qingxuan quietly looked at her for a moment, and just as she raised an eyebrow and stared back at him without making a sound, he suddenly leaned forward, grabbed her hand from her knee, tightly pinched it in his palm, and pulled her towards himself.

  It wasn't until the seventh of summer that she suddenly felt a jolt, and her body fell to his feet. Lifting her head to glare at him, she was somewhat annoyed.

  "Hey, what are you doing?"

  Before she could finish yelling, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up.

  His hand grasped hers, lifted it, and a kiss lightly fell on the back of her hand.

  "That's it."

  He replied as a matter of course, but Xia Qi's eyes widened as if she had been struck by a sudden realization.

  The warm and soft sensation on the back of her hand, and his heavy breathing when he kissed the back of her hand, made her feel both embarrassed and flustered. The two people were alone in this space, originally nothing was wrong, but he had to break the calm lake water, stirring up some ripples, making her very annoyed.

  "You're just being a rogue but not breaking the law, right?"

  To dispel the awkwardness between them, she gritted her teeth and spoke while throwing a punch directly at Dongfang Qingxuan's beautiful and charming face. Of course, she knew he wouldn't let her hit him. Sure enough, he smiled and dodged to the side, and her fist ended up smashing into the celadon teacup beside him. The teacup was originally fixed in place by an intricately carved wooden holder, but it was no match for her powerful punch, and the lid "clanged" as it fell onto the blanket inside the carriage, rolling around several times before finally coming to a stop.

  Watching the spinning teacup lid, Dongfang Qing's eyes narrowed slightly as he replied to her previous words with a hint of sarcasm.

  "Kissing you is also something I want to do myself, you have no choice."

  Is there such a shameless logic? Xia Qiuli sneered, glared at him with a slanted gaze, and curled up the corner of his mouth, "Tsk tsk tsk, you can even play a rogue like this without shame, indeed worthy of being the Grand Commander of the Brocade Guard, rotten peaches don't rot flavor."

  He couldn't help but smile, "Learned from you."

  Is that so? When did she become a hoodlum? Xia Chuyi looked at him, his bright red flying fish robe set off a segment of charming and elegant demeanor, as well as his clear eyes that seemed to hold a smile but always gave people an icy feeling. Some words were ultimately swallowed back down, and all he could do was let out a heavy hum, mocking with a jesting tone.

  "Great Commander, have you not left the capital for a long time and haven't been with women for a while, so you can't hold back anymore? Otherwise, how could someone like me enter your eyes? Originally, since you look this good, I should be honored to be with you. But I, maiden, was born with a strange habit."

  "What?" Dongfang Qingyun smiled and asked.

  "One is one, two is two, black is black, white is white. Whether it's doing things or being a person, I like to make things clear and straightforward, most hated is ambiguity, especially when it comes to relationships between men and women." Xia Chuyi said with a smile at the corner of her lips, but that small joke was not without a few hints of truth, as well as her attitude.

  Eastern Qingxuan smiled without smiling, her pale hand gently tapping on the wooden frame of the tea tray. "Seventh Miss is very self-aware, I've always liked beautiful and delicate girls like you, but with your appearance, it's hard to enter my eyes. However, people are strange, eating too much rich food, occasionally seeing some wild vegetables, they also want to adjust their appetite a bit, don't think too much."

  Looking at his elegant and gentle expression, Xia Chuqi smiled lightly and touched her nose.

  "Thanks for the reminder, General. This time, I'll remember and absolutely won't be self-righteous."

  "That's good."

  Two people looked at each other, one seemed lost in thought, and the other smiled ambiguously.

  They engaged in a "battle of stares" in the air for a while, and soon Xia Qi Qi snapped out of her thoughts. She composed herself, bent down to pick up the tea cup that had rolled onto the ground, avoiding his gaze, and pursed her lips seriously.

  "No joking around, General, I have to take care of this matter."

  Upon hearing this, Dongfang Qingxuan's smile suddenly froze. "Just now you saw me for so long? Was it to consider how to give the Duke of Jin a 'big gift'?"

  "What's wrong? Are you looking at me?"

  He didn't answer, remaining silent for a long time before asking with a low chuckle, "How are you planning to do it?"

  The corners of his mouth hung with a smile that could kill people, Xia Qi looked at him and said, "You don't have to worry about this one, anyway, if something happens, it has nothing to do with you, so you won't be held responsible."

  Dongfang Qingxuan smiled lightly, his voice as beautiful as a spring breeze brushing against her face.

  "What if the King of Qin executes me because of this?"

  On the seventh day of summer, Xia's mouth was slightly ajar, and her eyes unconsciously gazed towards the increasingly gloomy sky in the north. She thought about the great war that was brewing there, and also thought about Zhao Jinzhi's majestic figure amidst the neighing of war horses. Suddenly, she raised an eyebrow and jokingly said, "If he kills you, I'll take your place? One life for one life, is it reasonable?"

  His expression paused for a moment, and Dongfang Qingxuan smiled.

  "It's reasonable; if we can't be together in life, then let's be together in death."

  On the seventh day of summer, she closed her mouth and cast a sideways glance, uttering a low, playful laugh.

  "Damn it!"

  ……

  ……

  An imperial edict from the capital arrived at the Northern Expeditionary Army headquarters on May 15th.

  Since the death of Crown Prince Yi De, the matter of establishing a crown prince has been dragging on. Although everyone knew that Emperor Hong Tai intended to make Zhao Mianze the crown prince, Emperor Hong Tai had not taken any action. However, a war with the Northern Di changed the situation and rewrote history.

  The previous opposition to Zhao Mianze's ascension came mainly from military leaders. However, before the war, most of the capable military generals had been deployed to the battlefield, and the group of literati in the imperial court, even if someone opposed it, could not stop the trend of the times. Moreover, Crown Prince Zhao Zhe had been in the Eastern Palace for over a decade, with extensive connections and a reputation for kindness. All those who supported the crown prince also supported Zhao Mianze. Among the sons of Emperor Hongtai, since Prince Ning Zhao Xi was imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, other princes even if they had the heart to oppose, their courage had dwindled greatly, at least as long as Emperor Hongtai was alive, no one dared to confront him head-on.

  This imperial edict came suddenly and indeed had a bit of "kill first, report later" meaning.

  As a result, Emperor Hongtai's "dragon body is not at ease", but the government affairs are complicated, and the court indeed needs to have a crown prince to take the rightful position, so as to avoid the struggle between factions becoming more intense. This was originally a good thing for the country and the people. From this, Zhao Mianze was promoted to the Wenhua Hall to manage government affairs, and all major and minor matters in the court were decided by him. This is a signal that Emperor Hongtai is preparing to let go and cultivate, and everyone understands it in their hearts.

  When the imperial edict was delivered to Kaiping Dazhan, the edict had already been spread throughout the country.

  Zhao Mianze's matter as the Crown Prince has also been settled.

  However, Zhao Zun received not only the imperial edict from the court, but also a message transmitted by Chen Jing through the military post station in Ji Zhou - Xia Chuyi was taken away by Dongfang Qingxuan in Ji Zhou at the beginning of summer.

  Outside the commander's tent, the sun shines brightly.

  In the tent, a group of people who received the news were icy and stern.

  Zhao You looked cold and his face was very unsightly.

  A group of high-ranking generals gathered here to listen to the imperial edict, also looking at each other in dismay, whispering to each other in low voices. After discussing the situation for a while, seeing that King Jin's mansion was silent, they all thought it was about making Zhao Mianze the crown prince, and they all shut their mouths tightly, not daring to speak more.

  No one here doesn't think Zhao Zun is being wronged.

  But Dahan had laws, and the heir must be established as the eldest son. Zhao Zun, even if he had extraordinary talent, was still a younger brother, and even the youngest son. Even if his brothers took turns, it would not be his turn. Even if he made great contributions to Dahan, that golden throne would be hard to get for him. Whether he felt suffocated or sad, those were realities that could not be changed.

  In silence, everyone thought about their own things, and all the students thought they had guessed Zhao Zilong's mind, but no one knew that he was just worried about a woman, and it had nothing to do with the throne in the Golden Hall that they imagined.

  After a long time, perhaps to comfort his mood, Chen Daniu cleared his throat and spoke first, "Your Highness, Hasar has now moved his troops to Daning City. The scouts reported that the main force is stationed in Xingzhou Wuwei, Longhua, and Pingquan areas along the Luan River. I request to lead the troops across the Luan River."

  Zhao Zun did not speak, his eyes still cold and calm.

  Yan Ergui also stepped forward and knelt down on the ground after glancing at Chen Dajun.

  "General, I wish to lead the vanguard of 5,000 men to scout ahead and coordinate with General Chen."

  Zhao Zun remained still, staring at the imperial edict and memorial in front of him, silent for a moment before finally reacting.

  "It's okay."

  A loud noise startled everyone in the tent.

  Before receiving the imperial edict from Beijing, Zhao Kui summoned the military officers to discuss how to cross the Luan River and engage in a decisive battle with the Hada nation at Dading. But as soon as the imperial edict arrived, he inexplicably changed his mind, leaving everyone puzzled.

  Liu Can glanced at everyone, furrowed his brow and said: "General, I think that Haxial's defeat in the Battle of Kaiping was a sign of his desperation, and his retreat to the north is an excellent opportunity for us to attack Daining. We must not miss this chance."

  Zhao Zuo gave him a glance, "Hassar is an old fox, rashly advancing northward, it's not advisable."

  His completely changed tone left everyone bewildered.

  "Great General, but now the imperial edict has arrived, the court orders us to take Daining directly..."

  He lightly said "oh" and glanced at him, looking towards the other generals below, saying calmly, "His Majesty has given me command of the army, I have absolute authority over the troops. As the saying goes, 'the general is in charge outside, military orders are not always followed.' How can the court know the situation on the battlefield? At critical moments, one must grasp it oneself."

  Suddenly, even Chen Da Niu and Yuan Yu didn't quite understand either.

  What war situation they all see in their eyes. The Da Yan army will have to cross the river early or late to fight against the Huihe, and it's better to fight early than late. The northern line is originally the territory of the Northern Di, and taking down the Huihe cavalry with one effort is the king's way. The previous battles on both the east and west routes were originally a strategy of dividing troops to attack separately, and it was precisely because they caught the Huihe off guard that they easily won the battle. Now, if they wait for his reinforcements to arrive, catch their breath, and stabilize their foothold in Danning, it will be troublesome to fight them again.

  "What is this thing called Tianlu?"

  Yuanyou finally asked on behalf of all the generals.

  "Although our army's morale is high, we are exhausted from the battles at Datong and Jizhou. We need to regroup and replenish our supplies. Issue the order: starting today, have the officers and soldiers intensify their training, prepare food and fodder, repair the city walls and build camps, with defense as the priority. Wait for an opportunity to strike again."

  "Defense?"

  Chen Daniu was a straightforward person, he looked forward with confusion and clasped his hands, "Your Highness, now that Hasar is right in front of us, what's the point of us guarding here? On the contrary, it gave them the opportunity to rest and recover. Why not take advantage of the situation and attack now?"

  Zhao Zun furrowed his brow, "Daniu, currently the actual military strength of Kaiyuan and Yongping is only 300,000. The garrison troops in Daining and Xingzhou under Hasar's command are also nearly 300,000 strong. Moreover, there are reinforcements from the Beidi rear, most of which are Mongolian cavalry skilled in mounted archery. Not to mention the comparison of military strength, many of our soldiers come from the south and some are not adapted to the water and soil of the north, needing time to adapt. For now, we should avoid their sharp edge, observe the situation, and it's not suitable to launch a strong attack."

  All the generals and soldiers suddenly gasped in unison, as if they didn't recognize him.

  Does this sound like something "Cold-Faced Yan Wang" Zhao Yun would say?

  "Your Highness, we originally came to conquer the Northern Di, what kind of talk is this about hiding here?"

  He glanced at him, Zhao Zun furrowed his brow and finally came to the most crucial point. "Everyone, this king is not afraid of a hard fight, but I'm afraid that once the war begins, our reinforcements will be weak and we'll lack food and grass... Thirty million troops, are they going to drink wind?"

  This sentence is quite strange.

  Hong Taiji made sufficient preparations for this battle, it can be said that the whole country's strength was used to drive out the Northern Di from the territory of Dayan, how could there be a crisis of inadequate reinforcements and insufficient food and grass?

  Everyone thought Zhao Zhu was worrying too much.

  When their eyes shifted to the imperial edict, some people suddenly understood. The flying birds were exhausted, and the good bows suffered; this was the result of the unchanging winds and clouds in the imperial court for thousands of years. Now, in the imperial court, it was no longer Emperor Hongtai who held power, but the new crown prince who wanted to take his place. Coincidentally, he chose to issue the edict during Zhao Zhu's northern expedition. If he was wary of Zhao Zhu, it would not be difficult for him to "kill two birds with one stone" and reap the benefits. By then, these 3 million people would fall into a desperate situation.

  No one said anything more, and they all looked at their commander in chief, who was kneeling on one knee.

  "We have been waiting for Your Highness, our eyes fixed on your horse's head..."

  At this moment, the guard outside the account suddenly shouted a report.

  "Jinyiwei Grand Commander Dongfang Qingxuan has been ordered to supervise the army and has arrived at the Kaiping grand camp."

  Dongfang Qingxuan has arrived?

  Zhao Zun tightly grasped the memorial submitted by Chen Jing, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he gazed coldly at the sand table. He quickly rose from his chair and strode out of the commander's tent, amidst the puzzled gazes of the others, to meet Dongfang Qingxuan who was walking towards him from the entrance of the camp. He looked at him with a chilly expression, lowering his voice.

  "Come over here."

  He cast a glance at him, Dongfang Qingxuan smiled and restrained the Jin Yiwei who wanted to follow, walking with him towards the grassland behind the barracks. The scorching sun shone on Zhao Zhu's cold hard armor, shining brightly, solemn and indifferent, while shining on Dongfang Qingxuan's bright red Feiyu attire, it was as if set aflame.

  They exchanged a glance, and a faint smile flashed across Qingxuan's lips.

  "What can't be said in front of everyone?"

  Under the sunlight, Zhao Zhu's iron armor was cold and eerie. He gazed at Dongfang Qingyuan, step by step approaching him, his black eyes filled with a chilling intent that seemed to carry blood.

  "Where is she?"

  His eyes moved slightly, and Dongfang Qingxuan also took two steps forward, glancing at him with a sly smile, his face radiant like a flower. "Who did you say? Chu Qi? Oh, I remember now, she said she wanted to prepare a big gift for you, disguising herself as the Northern Di princess Wu Renshengsheng, leading a few people with the Dingzi flag, and went to the opposite bank of the Luan River.

  "What did you say?"

  One word at a time, Zhao Zun's voice burst out from his throat, almost biting through his teeth. A pair of black eyes, as if stained with blood, stared coldly at Dongfang Qingyun, looking at him like an archenemy from a past life. Suddenly, he pounced forward, grabbing the front of Dongfang Qingyun's robe and punching him in the right cheek, heavily slamming him to the ground.

  "Damn your mother..."