The victorious first battle in Wuzhou City swept away the gloom of recent days. Even the commoners, who usually kept to themselves, began to emerge, and some shops on the streets reopened. The Northwest Frontier Army had become like guardian deities in the eyes of Wuzhou's residents, and many who had fled the city returned upon hearing the news.
In the command tent at the western camp, Yu Qi said with a smile, "This time, we wiped out twenty thousand enemy troops. The remaining thirty thousand didn't dare stay at their original camp and fled toward Fengzhou instead. For now, we're free from threats. Those who need to train soldiers can train, and those responsible for repairing the city walls can get to work. In two days, supplies from Mengzhou will arrive as well. In short, everyone can relax a little these days."
Yan Chi's strategy of a night raid had proven remarkably effective. Yang Jia, seated at the far end, wore a pleased smile throughout.
Yu Qi continued, "Scouts report that Fengzhou is facing intense battles these days. The Rong and Man tribes still aim to capture Fengzhou City quickly, but they haven't given up on Wuzhou either. Chongzhou, however, remains relatively stable. Although His Highness hasn't explicitly stated it, the Northwest Frontier Army marched north to annihilate the enemy, not just to provide temporary relief to Wuzhou. So, our next steps depend on His Highness's orders. Everyone can rest for now, but don't let your guard down completely."
The assembled officers voiced their agreement. Yang Jia asked, "It's been a whole day since His Highness returned to the government office. Why hasn't he come over yet?"
At this, Yu Qi and others who had long served under Yan Chi exchanged amused smiles. Yu Qi cleared his throat lightly and asked, "General Yang, are you married?"
Yang Jia, already in his thirties, naturally had a wife. "Yes, I'm married! But I'm from Yuzhou, and my wife and daughter are back in my hometown."
Yu Qi chuckled, "Then General Yang should understand..."
Yang Jia's eyes lit up as he remembered that Qin Guan was currently in Wuzhou City, and he immediately caught on.
"Ah, I understand, I understand! His Highness and the princess consort share a deep bond. We all get it, haha..."
The hall erupted in laughter, everyone well aware of why Yan Chi had lingered at the government office. Gu Ling, however, found himself unable to join in the mirth, feeling an inexplicable emptiness in his heart. When the officers dispersed—some to drill troops, others to tend to the wounded—Gu Ling said during the assignment of duties, "I'll go to the infirmary. I didn't fight yesterday, so the rest of you should get proper rest."
After a major battle, the infirmary was the most demanding post. Even the commanding general had to closely monitor the soldiers' injuries. Yu Qi laughed heartily, "What a true brother! His Highness kept you back for the first battle because only you could be relied upon. You'll have plenty of chances to contribute later. Today, we'll have to trouble you."
Gu Ling gave a faint smile. "No need to say more. Go and rest."
With that, Gu Ling left the tent and headed for the infirmary without another word.
Meanwhile, Yan Chi and Qin Guan had been frolicking in the inner chamber. Yan Chi hadn't wanted to get up but was firmly pulled by Qin Guan to have a meal. After lunch, Yan Chi sent Bai Feng to the western camp. Learning that Gu Ling was in charge, he felt reassured and stayed at the government office to keep Qin Guan company.Though he wasn't seriously injured, Yan Chi still had several minor abrasions with faint traces of blood—nothing severe. In the past, he would have ignored such wounds and let them scar naturally, but now Qin Guan insisted on applying medicine to them.
Being cared for, Yan Chi naturally felt at ease and joked, "I never minded leaving bigger scars before, but now even my rough skin seems precious."
Qin Guan snorted lightly and asked, "What's our next move? Should we pursue them?"
Dusk had fallen, and scouts had already reported the retreat of the Rong and Man Tribes. Yan Chi narrowed his eyes and said, "The Rong and Man are surely heading to Fengzhou to join their main forces. Now that we're here, they won't approach easily. They'll either send heavy reinforcements or focus their attack on Fengzhou. The best strategy would be to seize this chance to pursue them to Fengzhou and coordinate a pincer attack with the troops there. But now, we're labeled as rebels."
Qin Guan replied, "The Anyang Marquis is commanding the troops in Fengzhou. He's probably thinking the same as you."
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. "Stay calm. Let's wait for the supplies from Mengzhou to arrive."
...
Although the Rong and Man Tribes were fierce and skilled in combat, they were not adept at siege warfare, as their tribes had few cities. Thus, when faced with a city that refused to engage, they were temporarily stumped. Yue Qiong in Fengzhou employed this very tactic. Upon learning that nearly two hundred thousand troops were advancing toward Fengzhou, he made no elaborate deployments but instead stockpiled ample military supplies within the city. Through staunch defense, he managed to wear down a small portion of the Rong and Man forces with minimal casualties.
After two days of unsuccessful attacks, the Rong and Man Tribes, finding Fengzhou difficult to capture, dispatched fifty thousand troops to Wuzhou. The Man Tribe hailed from the north, while the Rong Tribe came from the west. Having long plundered the western regions of the Great Zhou, they coveted the western territories and naturally aimed to seize Wuzhou.
They had expected an easy capture of the undefended Wuzhou, but Yang Jia and others were determined to hold their ground. Coupled with Yan Chi's timely arrival, the fifty thousand troops returned in defeat. When the news reached Fengzhou, Yue Qiong was overjoyed.
"Who would have thought! At such a time, Prince Rui actually led his troops north. If not for them, Wuzhou would have been slaughtered by now!"
In the central command tent, Yue Qiong sighed with emotion. Beside him, Yan Qi remarked, "Marquis, do not forget that Yan Chi is a rebel. His arrival in Wuzhou is likely a ploy to seize the city under the guise of defending it. It's best not to think too highly of him."
Yue Qiong's smile faded. "Oh? So, Prince Cheng, are you suggesting we send troops to reinforce Wuzhou?"
Yan Qi's expression darkened, and he fell silent. As the supervising official of this campaign, he dared not lead troops to reinforce Wuzhou, let alone take command of the city's defense. Otherwise, he would have already seized military authority to claim credit. Only now, marching north, did he realize that warfare was far more challenging than he had imagined!
Someone below voiced concern, "Marquis, while Prince Rui's reinforcement is welcome, the Rong and Man still have over a hundred thousand troops. Having suffered this defeat, they will likely return to attack Fengzhou. Merely holding our ground isn't a long-term solution, and the city's supplies will eventually run out! What shall we do then?"
Yan Qi snorted. "This is probably Yan Chi's plan—to drive the Rong and Man back and make us suffer the consequences!"Yue Qiong let out a cold laugh. "Prince Cheng, you should refrain from saying such things. At this moment, we alone are incapable. Minister Ge’s reinforcements are still on the way. If we wish to hold Fengzhou, I do have an idea."
Everyone looked at Yue Qiong. The situation was one-sided, and Fengzhou was in imminent danger. They all pinned their hopes on Yue Qiong. As long as Yue Qiong remained steady, everyone could hold on.
Yue Qiong pondered for a moment and said, "We can join forces with Prince Rui!"
"Absolutely not! Yan Chi is a rebellious traitor!"
Yan Qi slammed the table, firmly objecting.
Yue Qiong glanced at the others. "What do you all think?"
The other officers looked at Hu Shi with complicated expressions, all somewhat uncertain.
"Prince Rui is indeed a rebel. While there are benefits to allying with him, I fear the Emperor would not be pleased."
"But if we don’t join forces, how can we deal with the over 100,000 Rong barbarians outside? Right now, the only ones we can ally with are the Northwest Frontier Army to the west and the Northern Garrison Army to the east. Between Prince Rui and the Empress, Prince Rui is more principled and righteous. This time, the Empress stayed behind to defend the city, while Prince Rui came all this way to reinforce us. Such righteousness is admirable..."
"That’s true. Whatever the decision, we support the Marquis."
Since most of the troops here were from Jinzhou, naturally more people chose to follow Yue Qiong. Seeing this, Yan Qi was displeased but said nothing.
Yue Qiong said, "Don’t be too quick to dismiss this. Perhaps Prince Rui has no intention of allying with us at all."
One person suggested, "The Marquis is, after all, Prince Rui’s royal uncle. Why doesn’t the Marquis send someone to liaise with Prince Rui? Reinforcements from the capital will take at least ten days to arrive, and our supplies are running low. If we delay further, we may have no choice but to seek Prince Rui’s help when the city falls. Rather than that, it’s better to contact him sooner."
Yue Qiong looked at everyone for a moment. "Very well, since that’s the case, I’ll take it that everyone agrees."
Just as Yan Qi was about to speak, Yue Qiong added, "If anyone disagrees, propose a better strategy. If you can’t, it’s best to remain silent."
With these words, Yan Qi had no choice but to swallow his discontent.
After leaving the main tent, Yan Qi’s expression darkened. He was Prince Cheng! Now that the Crown Prince had turned traitor, he would be the next Crown Prince. Yet these people showed him no deference, especially Yue Qiong! The thought infuriated him. Returning to his own tent, he summoned his trusted aide Lu Xiao and ordered, "Send a letter to His Majesty immediately. Report that Yan Chi has led troops to reinforce Wuzhou, and now Yue Qiong wants to join forces with Yan Chi! Send it by messenger hawk."
Lu Xiao immediately went to prepare. Yan Qi sneered coldly. This was the role of a military supervisor—to act as the Emperor’s eyes and ears. Yan Qi also thought that the Emperor was likely testing him through this. If so, he would naturally demonstrate his loyalty thoroughly.
Unaware that Yan Qi had sent the letter, Yue Qiong discussed further with the officers and decided to send someone to contact Yan Chi. If the two sides could unite, they would stand a chance against the Rong barbarians, and the situation would no longer be so passive. After dispatching the messenger, Yue Qiong continued to anxiously await news from Wuzhou.At the same time, Chongzhou City was more tranquil than Wuzhou and Fengzhou. Located furthest east among the three, it was the farthest from Cangzhou. Neither coveted by the Rong tribe to the west nor threatened by the Northern Garrison Army that the barbarians feared, Chongzhou temporarily remained unassailed. However, thirty thousand troops stationed south of the city still monitored the Empress's movements, preventing her forces from advancing southward.
Within the city's government office, Zhao You's condition showed no signs of improvement. Because of this, Zhao Shuhua had refrained from mentioning heading south these past few days, fearing it might worsen his illness. Yet Zhao You persistently urged Zhao Shuhua to send reinforcements to Fengzhou.
"Shu'er, if we wait here idly while the Rong barbarians grind Fengzhou's defenses to dust, Fengzhou will be the first to fall. But when lips are gone, teeth will be cold! If Fengzhou falls, can we truly benefit? Cangzhou serves as a stark warning!"
Zhao Shuhua smiled bitterly. "Father, Fengzhou is led by Yue Qiong and Prince Cheng. Our relationship with them is already hostile—how could we possibly join forces? If we dispatch troops, we might even provoke the barbarians! Then it wouldn't be us standing by idly."
Coughing, Zhao You shook his head. "That won't happen. Yue Qiong isn't that kind of man. It's precisely because of him that I urge you to do this. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't trust them. Shu'er, first drive out the Rong invaders. Afterward, whether you want Che'er to be Crown Prince or Emperor, I'll follow your decision. I will support you. But now, with the nation in peril, even if I cease to be Yan Huai's subject, I am still a citizen of Zhou. How can we prioritize personal interests over the world? I already feel ashamed toward the people of Cangzhou! Must I now bear guilt toward even more?"
As Zhao You coughed violently, Zhao Shuhua could only sigh. "Father, you speak reason. How about I first send someone to contact the Anyang Marquis?"
Hearing this, Zhao You finally relaxed. Zhao Shuhua comforted him further, personally ensuring he took his medicine before leaving.
Cheng Wei, who had also been in the room, followed her out and asked, "Your Majesty, shall we contact the Anyang Marquis immediately?"
Zhao Shuhua glanced at him. "Father has grown soft-hearted in his old age. Has General Cheng also begun to soften?"
Cheng Wei immediately understood—Zhao Shuhua had no intention of allying with Yue Qiong whatsoever. He pressed his lips together and fell silent.
Though Zhao Shuhua didn't send anyone to contact Yue Qiong, she continuously dispatched scouts toward Fengzhou and Wuzhou. Two days after Wuzhou's victory, she received news that Yan Chi had led troops to reinforce Wuzhou.
Yan Che and Qin Chaoyu were both present when the report arrived, and they were equally astonished.
Frowning, Zhao Shuhua sneered repeatedly. "Yan Chi, oh Yan Chi, truly aiming to save all living beings! But I fear he underestimates the cruelty of the one in the capital. Once he leaves, how can his Shuoxi possibly hold?"
She no longer held back, repeatedly criticizing the Emperor in Yan Che's presence.
Yan Che and Qin Chaoyu had grown accustomed to it. Staring at the report, Yan Che's expression turned grave. "I never expected he would actually send troops."
The distance from Shuoxi to Wuzhou was far greater than from Chongzhou to Fengzhou. Yet Zhao Shuhua refused to deploy forces, while Yan Chi had come without hesitation—and had truly saved Wuzhou City.From childhood to adulthood, Yan Che had been deeply influenced by Zhao Shuhua while simultaneously striving to resist her. There were many times when he genuinely wished to be a good emperor. A voice within him sighed in admiration for Yan Chi's actions, and he even felt a growing respect. The journey north had increasingly exposed him to the hardships of the common people. Under the threat of two hundred thousand Rong barbarian cavalry and the chaos of war, he often felt powerless and even fearful when recalling these realities. Yet Yan Chi was different—he never shied away from battle, displaying such resolute courage that he truly lived up to his reputation as the God of War. Stationed in Chongzhou, Yan Che thought of Yan Chi in Wuzhou City, overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy, as if he could never measure up to him.
Zhao Shuhua also felt a pang of admiration inwardly, but she sneered coldly, "What good will sending troops do? He's still too young and too much like his father. Yet with his father's cautionary example right before him, he's forgotten the pain once the wound healed. Now that Shuoxi is undefended, the emperor will surely seize the opportunity!"
Yan Che asked, "But... hasn't the court already dispatched reinforcements? Where would we find more troops for the west?"
Zhao Shuhua glanced at him, unable to bring herself to reveal the truth, and merely said, "As long as the reinforcements haven't arrived, anything can change. Mark my words, child—Yan Chi is heading for a major setback this time."
Yan Che pursed his lips. "At least Yue Qiong is leading the troops. Even if Shuoxi is ambushed, I believe he has a plan."
Zhao Shuhua shook her head with a mocking smile but said nothing more.
After a moment's hesitation, Yan Che ventured, "Mother, are we truly not sending troops?"
Zhao Shuhua immediately fixed him with a stern gaze. Yan Che pressed on, "I overheard you and Grandfather. I think Grandfather is right—internal strife persists while external enemies invade. If we don't drive them out, we'll face even greater hardships."
It was rare for Yan Che to stand his ground under Zhao Shuhua's severity. Seeing this, she relented, "I need more intelligence from the front before making arrangements. If it truly comes to that, I won't sit idly by and let the barbarians grow stronger. I certainly won't negotiate or make deals with savages."
Relieved, Yan Che left the front courtyard with Qin Chaoyu and remarked, "Yan Chi is indeed admirable at times."
But Qin Chaoyu's thoughts were elsewhere: "Since Prince Rui has reached Wuzhou, I wonder where Qin Guan is."
At these words, Yan Che halted abruptly. His expression grew distant as the image of a figure in blue robes, long suppressed in his heart, resurfaced.
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