War broke out suddenly

  War broke out suddenly.

  "Prince Han... are you done reminiscing? If we don't make a move soon, the people from the Imperial Palace will arrive and it'll be too late." The sickly scholar's voice emerged from behind, low and menacing.

  Han Mingyue let out a soft hum, casually pulling out the dagger from his shoulder and throwing it aside. The wound on his shoulder made him frown slightly as he gazed at Han Mingxi with a hint of coldness: "Mingxi, step aside, don't force me to take action." Han Mingxi gritted his teeth, struggling to stand up and block Ye Li in front of him: "You can try to hurt her, but you'll have to get past me first." Han Mingyue didn't say much, simply reaching out to grab Han Mingxi's shoulder. Han Mingxi had just taken a slap, and although Han Mingyue had quickly withdrawn his internal energy, he still suffered a significant internal injury. At this point, his left arm was completely useless, not to mention that he wasn't Han Mingyue's match in the first place. Ye Li, standing behind Han Mingxi, pulled him aside and pushed him away while also catching Han Mingyue's attack. Ye Li's internal energy was lacking, but she excelled at close combat, her every move straightforward and without flair. The silver dagger in her hand flashed with each strike, leaving small bloodstains. This relentless fighting style made Han Mingyue frown, forcing him to retreat several feet with a series of swift palm strikes: "It's been almost a year since we last met, I didn't expect your skills to have improved so rapidly, sister-in-law." If their previous encounter had relied on Ye Li catching him off guard, this time they were evenly matched in terms of real skill.

  Ye Li frowned slightly and said, "I don't dare to be called sister-in-law. Han Gongzi, I do business with you at Tianyi Pavilion with clear prices, but now you turn around and sell me to someone else. Is this your way of doing business? Are you saying that Tianyi Pavilion makes a living by cheating customers?" Han Mingyue's expression was as sincere and helpless as ever, "The princess is still as witty as ever. In this world... there are always many things that make people feel very helpless, even if they don't want to do them but have no choice." Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, "If Mo Xiuyao were here now, would you plan to say 'misunderstanding' again?" Han Mingyue just smiled and didn't speak, while Bingshu Sheng coldly laughed, "If Mo Xiuyao were here, it would be perfect for him to die with you!"

  Ye Li turned around and glanced at the restless Bing Shu, smiling ambiguously: "Third Master, I advise you not to act rashly. In case something happens, it would be difficult for me to explain to Ling Master." Bing Shu sneered coldly and took a step forward, wanting to say something. Suddenly, two feathered arrows flew past his sides, one in front and one behind, shooting into the ground less than a foot away from him. Bing Shu's face turned pale, and Ye Li laughed: "I've told Third Master before, I'm not fond of taking risks."

  Looking at the ugly face of the sick book, Han Mingyue smiled and said: "Sister-in-law, you don't have to scare us. The dark guard has already been led away by me, and now you are rushing here in a hurry, with at most two or three people by your side." Ye Lian smiled and said: "Even so, we still have three people, and what about you, Master Mingyue?"

  Han Mingxi sat on the ground and said loudly: "It's not three, it's four." Apparently he also firmly stood on the opposite side of his brother.

  Han Mingyue ignored her brother and smiled at Ye Lian, saying: "Last time in the capital, the princess made me look up to her, this time it's even more surprising. The dignified Princess of Dingguo actually disguised herself as a man and came alone to Nanjiang. I suppose yesterday's commotion in the palace was also your doing?" Ye Lian replied calmly: "Mingyue Gongzi has set up such an ambush here today, you must have been in Nanxu for quite some time, why bother asking knowingly?" Han Mingyue raised an eyebrow and said: "It just so happened. If I had known the princess was here beforehand, I would have prepared thoroughly and wouldn't have resorted to this desperate move." Ye Lian smiled and asked: "So, Mingyue Gongzi thinks he can kill me today?"

  Han Mingyue shook her head and laughed loudly: "The princess misunderstood, with the king's wife in hand, how much can be done? If it was just killed like this, wouldn't it be too boring?"

  "Han Mingyue!" Bing Shusheng called out in dissatisfaction. He had agreed to Han Mingyue's plan only because he wanted to kill Mo Xiuyao's wife, so what did Han Mingyue mean now? His sinister eyes coldly stared at the handsome young man in front of him, warning him that if he dared to use Bing Shusheng and not keep his promise, he would make him understand why no one in the jianghu dared to provoke Bing Shusheng. Han Mingyue smiled faintly at Bing Shusheng: "Third Master, it's indeed not possible to kill the Princess of Dingguo yet. Although you are from Xiling, I'm sure you've heard some rumors about the turmoil in the capital of Great Chu over the past half year. If we were to kill the Princess now, neither of us would be able to escape the pursuit of the Dingguo King's estate."

  Bingshu Sheng coldly laughed and said: "You're afraid? I'm not." Who is better at killing people than the Yanwang Pavilion?

  Han Mingyue sighed and smiled wryly, "I'm really a bit afraid. Third Master, today I'll take the Crown Princess away, and tomorrow if you need any help, Han Mingyue will definitely agree. Besides...the one who has a grudge against you is Mo Xiuyao, not his wife. Killing her would at most make Mo Xiuyao lose face, it's not even painful."

  Ye Li glared at the Moonlight Duke in front of him, coldly smiling, "When discussing someone else's ownership, shouldn't the Moonlight Duke first confirm whether he really has the right to own? Third Master, it's better not to deal with businessmen. Look at me now, I've lost money and been sold out."

  "Sorry, Princess," Han Mingyue smiled. "The one who took your money was Han Mingxi. He didn't return a single cent to Tianyi Pavilion, so this time it can only be considered that he used Tianyi Pavilion's influence to take on private work. As for whether I have ownership..." Han Mingyue raised her hand, and a crisp sound pierced the air as a flame burst forth in mid-air. Ye Li tilted her head and clearly heard the sound of a large group of people rushing towards them from all directions. "Does the Princess still have anything to say?"

  Ye Li pursed her lips and smiled, raising her hand to make two gestures in the air. "Looks like I can only surrender?"

  "The princess is a clever person." Han Mingyue looked at Ye Lixi's somewhat strange gesture, he didn't understand what it meant. But clearly sensed that the two pairs of tiger-like eyes staring at him had disappeared, apparently it was a signal to retreat. "Every time we meet, the princess's courage and boldness always shock me."

  "Actually, you should be more shocked by my good luck."

  Han Mingyue's eyes sank, and he stared at her warily. The people from Tianyi Pavilion gradually surrounded the area, and Han Mingyue stared at Ye Li for a long time before slowly relaxing. Surrounded by so many people, Ye Li wouldn't be able to fly away even if she grew wings. Not to mention his eyesight was still

  There's no way Hanyue wouldn't know about the sickly bookworm. Yeli's lightness skill and internal energy aren't even stable yet. Yeli glanced around, her expression calm and composed without revealing a hint of panic, "Sister, Shuyao and I are friends, you don't want me to be rude either, do you? Are you leaving or

  It's... Han Mingyue looked at Ye Lixuan and smiled warmly.

  Ye Li's eyebrows slightly furrowed as she shook her head, saying: "Actually, you can completely forget that you and Mo Xiuyao are friends. The more you mention it, the more I dislike you."

  Han Mingyue smiled and said: "You can't change the fact that Xiu Yao and I were once friends and brothers, no matter how much you dislike me."

  "You also said it was in the past." Ye Li couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. Was this man, Han Mingyue, out of his mind? On one hand, he was nostalgic about their past friendship, and on the other hand, he was mercilessly destroying the remaining emotions between them. His mouth kept mentioning his friendship with Mo Xiuyao.

  But when it comes to the crucial moment, there has never been any mercy. Alright... Last time was indeed merciful, but so was Mu Xiuyao, wasn't he? "Han Gongzi, this time you won't have trouble for someone's sake and make things difficult for me, will you?"

  Han Mingyue's face changed slightly, "He told you?!"

  "Do I need to tell you? Wasn't I there at the time? However... Mu Xi Yao also promised me something afterwards. Do you want to hear it?"

  Han Mingyue's elegant face was slightly stiff, and she smiled faintly: "I'm all ears."

  "I'm not very used to repaying kindness with enmity, and I guess Mo Xiuyao isn't either. So, last time was the only time."

  Han Mingyue forced a smile, "It seems that Xiāo is indeed very concerned about his sister-in-law. In that case... with his sister-in-law in our hands, I believe he will still show mercy to us."

  Ye Li smiled, "I hope so. Since Young Master Mingyue has already shown his hand, why not take a look at my chips as well?" Han Mingyue was taken aback, "What do you mean?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow and blew a sharp whistle. Not far away, the sky outside Tianyi Pavilion's outer circle suddenly exploded

  A black-colored flower bloomed. Then, in a farther place, there were also black flames rising into the sky. The sound of horseshoes echoed from afar, getting closer and closer. Han Mingyue tilted her head to listen, her expression changing as she said: "Black Cloud Riders... how can Black Cloud Riders be in Nanjiang?"

  When the three words "Hei Yun Cavalry" were heard, not only Han Mingyue's face changed color, but also the faces of Bing Shusheng and the people of Tianyi Pavilion on the side couldn't help but reveal a look of horror. As everyone knows, Hei Yun Cavalry is the most elite force in Dingguo Wangfu. The Mo family army has been invincible on the battlefield, and Hei Yun Cavalry is this very army.

  The vanguard's sharp blade, breaking through the enemy lines and charging forward with ease. If he were really surrounded by such an army, not to mention his hastily assembled forces from Tianyi Pavilion in the south, even if he were to mobilize the entire strength of Tianyi Pavilion and Yanwang Pavilion, there would be no chance of victory. Similarly astonishing

  Also Ye Li, she had only assembled the dark guards distributed in Nanjiang beforehand, and there was no Black Cloud Riders among them. In fact, she didn't even know that Black Cloud Riders existed in Nanjiang.

  Han Mingyue gritted her teeth and pounced on Ye Lili. Once surrounded by the Black Cloud Riders, they wouldn't be able to break through. For now, their only option was to capture Ye Lili first and then try to escape. However, Ye Lili wasn't someone who would be easily captured... The two clashed, and Han Mingyue's chest

  His clothes were torn apart, and fortunately, he dodged quickly and didn't get hurt. If it was an ordinary martial arts competition, Ye Li would have lost due to his lack of internal energy after a long time. However, if they fought to the death, Ye Li's battle consciousness, honed on the battlefield and tempered through a thousand hardships,

  His enemy's technique was more useful. Moreover, Ye Li didn't plan to compete with him for victory or defeat, no matter how many moves it took. The black-clad man riding a fine horse had already arrived in front of them and clashed with the people from Tianyi Pavilion.

  Tianyi Pavilion is an intelligence organization, not a killer organization, nor a martial arts school. The people under him, even if they know martial arts, will not be too high, and the masters of martial arts are naturally there, but absolutely in the minority. And these black cloud riders who have come back from the battlefield with a strong desire to kill

  Compared to them, they would lose in terms of momentum from the start. Moreover, the Black Cloud Riders were well-trained and had already locked onto their targets while still on horseback, silently reaping the lives of their enemies with perfect tacit understanding.

  Two of the Black Cloud Riders leapt off their horses, one on either side, and charged straight at Han Mingyue. Ye Li saw this and swiftly drew her dagger, its blade flashing with a sharp light as she retreated rapidly to the rear, shielding Han Mingyue's technique from view. Han Mingyue tried to move forward again, but was already tightly entwined by the two Black Cloud Riders.

  Can't get away from the body. The sick book student who was watching the battle on the side was also unable to escape, and the black cloud riders clearly recognized the identity of the sick book student, not giving him a chance to approach. Long whips and long guns were all beckoning to his body. An Er and An San fell beside Ye Li, Ye Li asked curiously:

  "How did Hei Yun Qi end up here?"

  "Your Highness, something has happened. The original Dark Guard was reassigned by Qingchen Gongzi, and this Black Cloud Cavalry unit was originally training near Yongzhou, specifically to escort you."

  "What's going on?" was able to make Hei Yun Qi rush hundreds of miles from Yongzhou to respond, Ye Li's heart suddenly exclaimed: "Mo Jing Lei?!" An Er nodded and said: "Three days ago, the army of Fengzhou suddenly attacked Yongzhou, while at the same time Suixue Pass was also attacked by the Nan Zhao army. Hei Yun Qi knew that the princess was in the southern border, so he rushed overnight to come and escort the princess and Qingchen Gongzi away."

  Ye Li's face sank, "What nonsense! Since the Nanzhao army is attacking Suixue Pass, why didn't the Black Cloud Riders help General Murong defend the border pass?"

  An Hei smiled wryly, "The Black Cloud Riders' training in the south was conducted in secret. The Emperor wasn't informed beforehand. Once the Black Cloud Riders appear at Shui Xue Guan, I'm afraid the Emperor's edict to investigate will soon arrive at Ding Guo Wang Fu." In fact, the Emperor didn't want the Black Cloud Riders or the Mo Jia Army to have any training at all; he would rather find a place to enclose them and raise them, making them useless and crippled.

  "Alright, let's end this quickly!" Ye Li's clear eyes swept over Han Mingyue, who was still fighting, and a hint of cold light flashed in his eyes. An Si had not sent any news, proving that Han Mingyue had not returned to the capital, but had come directly from Xiling to Nanjiang. At first, in the imperial city, Han Mingyue had been eager to make amends with Mo Xiuyao, and Ye Li believed that his thoughts were genuine at the time. But now, as soon as he arrived in Nanzhao, he was willing to kidnap himself to threaten Mo Xiuyao... what was he really doing in Nanzhao?

  A well-trained army and a motley crew are worlds apart, so the Black Cloud Riders' sweep of the entire battlefield took no more than half a minute. The Bookworm fled in disarray, one of the Black Cloud Riders swiftly drew his bow from behind, aimed, and fired an arrow.

  A long sword shot towards the back of the sickly scholar with a thunderous momentum, when suddenly a black shadow flashed out and swung its sword to sweep away the feathered arrow. Two loud clanging sounds were heard, and sparks flew everywhere. A tall and majestic man wearing deep blue clothes stood holding his sword, laughing loudly: "Black Cloud Riding Arrow is indeed not an empty reputation." Behind him, the sickly scholar fell to the ground with a pale face, calling out in a low voice: "Big brother..."

  A dark cloud of people all drew their bows together, dozens of arrows pointing at the man in blue.

  Ye Li raised her hand and said: "Stop, let Ling Ge's master go."

  The man in blue was none other than the master of Yanwang Pavilion, Ling Tiehan. Ling Tiehan raised an eyebrow and sized up Ye Li for a moment before bowing his head and saying, "Princess Dingguo, my third brother has been impolite and offended you, please forgive him." Ye Li nodded and smiled faintly, "My older brother is close friends with Pavilion Master Ling, so there's no need to be polite. It's just that Third Pavilion Master's temper..." Ling Tiehan sighed and turned his head to glance at the sickly bookworm on the ground, "My third brother has a complicated fate and a eccentric personality. I will definitely keep a closer eye on him. This is the Yanwang Order, if you have any matters in the future, Princess, just bring this token to Yanwang Pavilion and ask for me. As long as you hold the Yanwang Order, my third brother will absolutely not lay hands on you again." Ye Li reached out to take the black iron nameplate that Ling Tiehan tossed over, carefully putting it away and saying, "Thank you, Pavilion Master." Ling Tiehan bent down to pick up the sickly bookworm and said, "If that's the case, I'll take my leave."

  "Not sending."

  See off Ling Tiejian going far away, and turn back to see Han Mingyue under the siege of several black cloud riders is already struggling to support the strong crossbow. The black cloud rider has no idea of ??winning with many people, as long as they can knock down the enemy, even if one hundred people beat one person, they will not have any guilt. They are soldiers, not Jianghu knights.

  "You... you only." The always silent Han Mingxi, supporting his heavily injured body, walked to Ye Li's side. Ye Li took a glance at the still fighting Han Mingyue and let out a helpless sigh in her heart.

  "Please, spare my brother." Han Mingxu looked at her with a bitter expression in his eyes. Although he had already discovered his true identity, he really wanted to be friends with him. However, he also knew that if he begged for mercy, they might not even be able to remain friends afterwards.

  "I need some information from Master Mingyue," Ye Li said, frowning. She actually didn't want to keep Han Mingyue around. Han Mingyue gave her a very bad feeling, and if she hadn't been on guard against him from the start, she would have fallen into his trap by now.

  But... looking at Han Mingxu's pale face due to his severe injuries, she couldn't bring herself to refuse him.

  "He won't say anything, you want to know what I know, I can tell you." After all, they grew up together as brothers since childhood, Han Mingxi was very familiar with his older brother. What he didn't want to say, no matter what, he wouldn't utter a single word.

  "Shut up, Ming Xue!" Ming Yue yelled out in distraction during the fight, and immediately added a new wound to her shoulder.

  "Shut up! You want to die, don't drag the subordinates of Tianyi Pavilion down with you! Look at all these people, they're all here because of you. The foundation of Tianyi Pavilion is in Great Chu, and the Han family is also in Great Chu. Are you out of your mind for provoking Mo Xiu Yao? Is that woman more important to you than your parents and ancestors?! Fine, if you want to die, I don't want to live either! I'll accompany you to death!"

  Han Mingyue was stunned by his suddenly enraged brother's scolding. A black-clad guard took advantage of the opportunity to kick him in the leg, and three knives were immediately placed at his throat. Han Mingyue looked down at the gleaming blades on his neck, then raised his head to look at Ye Li with a helpless smile: "Looks like I lost again this time. Do as you please, kill or beat me... And, Han Mingxiao, are you out of your mind? Don't make it seem like we're going to die together in love."

  Han Mingxi thought of the angry words he had just uttered, and the seemingly unintentional gaze of Hei Yunqi beside him, his handsome face darkened. This life's face has lost its light today.

  Ye Li glanced at Han Mingxi's dark face and said, "Brother Han, you can take Mingyue Gongzi away."

  Han Mingxi's face lit up with joy, and he gazed at Ye Lian with a grateful expression. Even Han Mingyue looked surprised. Ye Lian smiled ambiguously and glanced at Han Mingyue before saying calmly, "But it comes with conditions." Han Mingxi didn't care about the conditions; he wasn't like Han Mingyue, who loved money more than life itself. Being able to save his brother's life was already a huge surprise. Ye Lian slowly took out a small porcelain bottle from her pocket and handed it to Han Mingxi, saying, "Drink this." Han Mingxi raised an eyebrow but didn't hesitate, taking the bottle and drinking its contents in one gulp. Han Mingyue tried to stop him, but it was too late; she only saw Han Mingxi make a face of distaste, saying, "This tastes terrible!" Ye Lian smiled and said, "This is a poison personally concocted by the world-renowned doctor Shen Yang, with secret ingredients. As for its effects... if you don't take an antidote once a month, your meridians will rupture, and you'll become paralyzed and die. The only reason it's not very practical is that it tastes too bad, making it hard to trick someone into eating it. But... there are always people willing to drink it down willingly, aren't there?"

  Han Mingxi smiled and said: "I know you won't take my life."

  Ye Li raised an eyebrow and said, "Keep a close eye on your brother. I'll send someone to deliver medicine to you once a month. If I ever find out that he's left your sight or done something he shouldn't have, I'll make him see you bleeding and suffering in agony." Han Mingxi nodded with a smile, "Understood, big bro... for the sake of your only younger brother's life, you'll behave, right?" He batted his eyelashes, looking pitifully at Han Mingyue. Han Mingyue's face darkened as he stared at Ye Li, "How do I know you won't cheat me? How do I know you'll deliver the antidote on time?" Ye Li replied calmly, "Han Mingxi is my friend."

  Han Mingyue sneered, "Friend? Is this how you treat friends?"

  Ye Li smiled faintly: "If you can do that to your brother, why can't I do the same to my friend? If you didn't do it, I naturally wouldn't have done it either. In that case, Han Mingxi wouldn't have had any trouble. Isn't that equivalent to... me not doing anything at all?" Han Mingyue narrowed her eyes: "What if I find someone to concoct an antidote?"

  "Ah, I heard that this bottle of poison is made from a special herb collected by Mr. Shen from a small island in the East Sea. There's no similar medicine in the Central Plains. If Master Han has great abilities and can find the antidote within a month, then I'm just out of luck. After all, the Black Cloud Riders have tens of thousands of men, it shouldn't be difficult to assign a few hundred of them to hunt down someone 24/7. Coincidentally, I still have a piece of the King of Hell's Order, I wonder if Master Ling would be willing to hunt down his friend who used his brother for his own gain in exchange for this order. And even more unfortunate... the Dingguo Palace has plenty of money, what do you say, Master Han?"

  Han Mingyue hummed and stopped talking. Han Mingxi didn't mind, pushed away the sword on Han Mingyue's neck, and smiled at Ye Li: "Don't worry, I guarantee my brother won't bother you again. What you want to know, I'll send someone to deliver it to you later. So..." Ye Li smiled: "If you can really take care of your brother, I can forget about today's matter. However... if there's a next time... Brother Han, even begging for mercy won't work every time."

  "I understand." Han Mingxi nodded solemnly, reached out and pressed the acupoints on Han Mingyue's body to seal his internal energy, then waved at Ye Li and pulled her away.

  "The subordinate officials pay their respects to Her Highness." The black cloud riders all bowed in unison.

  Ye Li nodded, "Get up, all of you. What's going on?" Looking at the majestic and imposing black-clad knights in front of her, Ye Li couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Indeed, they were worthy of being the elite troops of Great Chu, their aura alone was not something that ordinary soldiers could match. Moreover, during the battle earlier, the Black Cloud Knights had traveled far and wide without suffering a single casualty, which spoke to the strength of their combat power.

  One of the robust men stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Your Highness, three days ago, the garrison troops in Fengzhou suddenly launched an attack on Yongzhou. At the same time, the Nanjiao army began attacking Suixue Pass. General Murong is defending Suixue Pass, but the Nanjiao army has been attacking for a day and night without making any progress. However... the garrison troops from Fengzhou have been advancing smoothly, and it's likely that they will reach Suixue Pass within ten days. By then, General Murong will be caught between two enemies..."

  "Does the capital know about this?"

  The man nodded and said, "It has already been sent to the capital by fast horse. At the latest tomorrow, the news will reach the capital. It's just that even if we want to send reinforcements, it will take at least half a month, I'm afraid... Shui Xue Guan won't be able to hold on for that long. Just now, Qing Chen Gongzi also ordered his subordinate to pass on a message to the princess, saying that the king of Nanzhao has put the king's daughter under house arrest, and the king has issued an edict to confer the title of Hu Guo Sheng Nu (National Protector Saint) on Nan Xiang Sheng Nu, allowing her to participate in the governance of Nan Xiang. Xu Gongzi asked the princess to leave Nanzhao as soon as possible. Xu Gongzi said... we've all been played by the king of Nanzhao."

  Ye Li's expression was solemn, and he nodded as he asked: "Where did big brother go?"

  The man said, "Xu Gongzi brought some dark guards and said he had something to take care of. After finishing, he will also leave Nanzhao." Ye Li furrowed her brow, thought for a moment, and said, "Divide a team to find Big Brother, escort him out of Nanzhao as soon as possible. If he doesn't agree...then knock him unconscious first and take him away! The others follow me to rush to Suixue Pass."

  "Yes, Your Highness!"

  The black cloud cavalry quickly divided into two teams, with one team of about twenty people led by a man leaving, and the remaining dozens of people staying in place on standby. Ye Li asked: "What troops are there near Shuixue Pass?" The leading man looked at Ye Li with some surprise and replied respectfully: "A few months ago, the prince indeed deployed some troops in Yongzhou and Lingzhou. However, the emperor's defense against the Dingguo King's mansion is extremely strict, and it is impossible to mobilize troops on a large scale. Moreover, most of the Mo family army still bears the task of deterring the Northern Rong. Therefore, only 2,000 black cloud cavalry and 20,000 garrison troops under Wu Chengliang, the general of Jiangbei Yongzhou, can really play a role in Yongzhou. As soon as the war broke out, I immediately sent a message to General Wu, and if there is no accident, he should arrive at Shuixue Pass tomorrow afternoon."

  Ye Li furrowed her brow for a moment, then shook her head and said: "No! Let him lead the troops to reinforce the garrison in Yongzhou and block the advance of the Li Wang's army. The Snowflake Pass is guarded by 80,000 strong, as long as General Murong does not engage in a life-and-death battle with the enemy outside the city, defending the city for half a month will be no problem at all! Once the Li Wang's army arrives at Yonglin City and forms a siege with Nanzhao, even if there are two more armies of 20,000 men, it won't work!"

  The leading man was also startled and hastily said, "I will immediately dispatch someone to inform General Wu by fast horse. Without stopping, we can catch up with them before they cross the river tomorrow." After finishing speaking, he hastily turned around to instruct someone to report the message. Ye Li rubbed her brow, and at the bottom of her heart, there was always a not-too-good premonition. "Instruct them to set off immediately without returning to the city, and head straight to Shuixue Pass with the fastest speed."

  "Yes."

  It seemed that the flames of war had suddenly erupted. Leaf Lian couldn't help but feel a little unreal and dizzy, looking up at the sky which was unknowingly shrouded in dark clouds, her heart growing heavier.

  Snow Pass

  On the ancient, worn city walls, the soldiers stood guard with swords and guns at the ready. The young faces were all etched with fatigue. Today they had repelled three attacks by the Nan Zhao army and were preparing to face the next wave of assault. Murong Shen was only forty years old, his angular face set in a resolute expression. He gripped his long spear tightly as he walked on the city walls, his thick black eyebrows furrowed in concern. From the day he was dispatched to guard Shui Xue Guan, he knew that Shui Xue Guan would not be peaceful for long. But he had not expected that the real danger came not only from the restless Nan Zhao, but also from within the Great Chu itself - the Emperor's younger brother, Li Wang. He couldn't help but think of a letter he received when he left the capital, with only four simple words: "Be careful of Ling Zhou". It turned out to be this meaning? The other party had known about Li Wang's treacherous intentions all along, but unfortunately...he had not taken it seriously enough. Or rather, the environment did not allow him to take it seriously - the Emperor needed him to guard the border, yet because he had once served under the previous King Ding, he was unwilling to give him sufficient military power. The local officials were also restrictive in every way. And now, even though he knew that if Li Wang occupied Yong Zhou and formed a pincer movement on Shui Xue Guan, he would be surrounded with no retreat...because in front of Shui Xue Guan was tens of thousands of Nan Zhao barbarians, and once they crossed Shui Xue Guan, they would sweep across the entire southern Great Chu like a flood or plague. He hoped...that reinforcements could arrive on time...

  "Father." A clear voice came from behind, Mu Rong Shen turned around. Mu Rong Ting, dressed in a bright red warrior suit and holding a precious sword, walked up to the city wall. Mu Rong Shen's face sank, and he sternly said: "What are you doing here? Get down now."

  "Father!" Muyong Ting said firmly: "Daughter will accompany father to guard the city."

  "What nonsense! I told you to leave Shuixue Pass immediately, why are you still here?" For his only daughter, Murong Shen was extremely fond of her, and now that Shuixue Pass was in danger, he had to stay behind. However, he insisted that she leave first. Murong Ting stubbornly bit her lip and said: "I'm not unaware of the current situation. If I were to leave Shuixue Pass now and fall into Li Wang's hands, being used as a bargaining chip against Father... then I would have no choice but to die." Seeing that Murong Shen wanted to say something, Murong Ting continued before he could: "If Father says I should protect myself and return to the capital, that's even more unacceptable. With the Nanzhao army attacking the city imminent, it's precisely when we need people. As the daughter of the Shuixue Pass guardian general, I would still be taking away people who can be used... If I were to do so, I would be unworthy of being a Murong family daughter."

  Murong Chen was left speechless by his daughter's words and only sighed after a long while, saying: "Shui Xue Guan is very dangerous now."

  "Father, which battle you've fought hasn't been dangerous? Since Father is going to guard the Snowflake Pass, as a general's daughter, I naturally cannot retreat." Murong Shen deeply understood his daughter's temperament and also knew that the road back to the capital was indeed not safe at this time. He could only sigh, "Alright, be careful with everything."

  "Thank you, Father..." Seeing Murong Shen no longer insisting, Murong Ting was overjoyed. "Ting'er will absolutely not lose face for Father!"