Early the next morning, nearly 80,000 soldiers of the Celestial Dynasty and 130,000 Northwestern Iron Cavalry troops gathered in great haste and set off in the direction of Jiangcheng in Xiliang.
Inside the carriage, Wei Dongling, dressed in a black cloak and wearing a ghost - face mask, sat upright. Even though she tightly held the small charcoal stove with both hands, the cold weather still made her shiver all over.
But afraid of being seen through, Wei Dongling didn't dare to show any sign of fatigue.
Two flags on the carriage fluttered in the wind, leading the two armies behind.
On the snow - covered mountaintop in the distance, there stood two figures like statues. The cold wind blew their clothes in all directions.
Suddenly, there was a shrill cry of an eagle in the sky. An eagle swooped down from the clouds towards the two people.
Tian Qi raised his arm. The raptor dived down and landed obediently on his arm. Tian Qi took out a scroll of paper from the eagle's foot, unfolded it and took a look. Instantly, his face darkened. He said in a deep voice, "Young master, just as you expected, something has happened in the capital! We're afraid we can't stay here any longer."
Yu Zixi stared firmly at the direction where the carriage had left. There was a touch of sorrow between his eyebrows. He sighed and said, "Alright, let's go back."
Tian Qi glanced at the winding army at the foot of the mountain. He hesitated and asked, "Young mistress's actions have almost cut off one of our back - up plans! I'm afraid it will be a bit difficult for us to command the Iron Cavalry troops in the future. Are you just going to let it go?"
Yu Zixi's eyes dimmed. He said in a deep voice, "Originally, these things should have been done by me. But now she doesn't even want to say a few more words to me. Alright, just let her do as she wishes!"
Tian Qi hesitated for a while and asked, "If we just let it go like this, I'm afraid we can't hide it from our master! You'll surely receive severe punishment in the future."
Yu Zixi looked into the distance. His eyes had long lost their former luster. He smiled bitterly and said, "Everything is predestined. We have no control over it!"
Tian Qi sighed deeply and said nothing.
Yu Zixi waved his hand and said, "I'll go back to the capital now. You follow her and secretly protect her. Make sure nothing happens to her."
Tian Qi hesitated and asked, "What about you, young master?"
Yu Zixi waved his hand and got up to leave. His sigh came through the cold wind: "She is so delicate, and Zhao Chuanyi is so cunning. I'm afraid Cuihuan can't protect her."
Tian Qi watched Yu Zixi's departing figure. He absent - mindedly stroked the frolicking eagle on his arm and couldn't help sighing secretly in his heart. The young master clearly cared so much about the young mistress, but why had they drifted apart like this?
General Cui came every day to report the consumption of food and supplies. Several times, he implicitly expressed his worry, fearing that the army's supplies would run out.
Cuihuan waved her hand impatiently and snorted, "How could the Flying General let his own troops go hungry and cold? He has already ordered people to make arrangements!"
Hearing this, General Cui didn't say anything more.
Prince Jiu was even more burdened with the blame and complaints from several veteran generals of the Xue family's army. He was worried all the way.
Those veteran generals of the Xue family's army were originally reluctant to submit to Prince Jiu. Previously, due to the presence of the young master Shangguan Yun in the camp, they had to lower their heads. Later, when they learned of the young master Yun's death, they became even more insolent. They were always nit - picking in front of Prince Jiu.
Finally, one night when the troops were camping and resting, Wei Dongling couldn't bear it any longer. She waved her hand and told Jingzhe to behead the most protesting veteran general. In full view of everyone, the head of that veteran general of the Xue family's army rolled far away. Everyone was so frightened that they dared not speak out, and they all looked at Prince Jiu.
Murong Yuchen stood with his hands behind his back. Frowning, he said coldly, "If anyone dares to question my decision again, the same fate awaits them!"
These words silenced everyone on the scene.
Wei Dongling sat in the carriage and watched the terrified looks of the remaining veteran generals of the Xue family's army coldly. She felt very disdainful in her heart. Since Prince Jiu couldn't bring himself to deal with these rebellious subordinates, she didn't mind doing it for him and getting rid of them one by one.
Seven days later, the two armies reached the border of Xiliang.
Cheng Haoluo and Xun Long rushed to the border day and night with a large amount of silver notes, waiting for orders.
Wei Dongling waved her hand and told someone to summon General Cui and Prince Jiu. She asked them to make their own lists and sent the logistics troops to purchase and transport a large amount of food and supplies.
Soon, all the supplies were in place, much more abundant than General Cui had expected.
General Cui was overjoyed. The Flying General really kept his word. He could even control the Ninth Prince of the Celestial Dynasty so well! It was really unexpected that this Ninth Prince of the Celestial Dynasty was so wealthy!
Cuihuan felt a bit bitter in her heart when she saw Wei Dongling spending so much money to punish Xiliang. Her Miss Wei used to be so money - loving, but now she had gone through so much trouble and spent all her fortune just to save the country in a roundabout way and defend Hanzhong City for the young master Yun.
On the Xiliang side, when Zhao Chuanyi received the news that the army was approaching, he was so shocked that he almost fell off his sickbed.
He had once been stabbed in the neck by the small crossbow in Wei Dongling's hand. The needle tip was poisoned. A group of military doctors had tried their best to save his life. As a result, he had three extremely ugly lumps on his neck permanently!
In the battle on the ice lake, he was stabbed by Shangguan Yun and Jingzhe together. The broken sword in his chest made him suffer so much that he had to lie in bed for nearly half a month before he showed some signs of improvement.
In the middle, the Xiliang Prince Li Mingyang returned to Jiangcheng and scolded him severely.
Zhao Chuanyi knew he was in the wrong. It was he who had defied the imperial edict and acted on his own to harm the Fifth Princess of the Celestial Dynasty. Not only did he get himself injured, but also a number of his cavalry were lost on the ice lake.
Li Mingyang was heart - broken and scolded him so much that he began to doubt his own life. He didn't even dare to say a single word to persuade the Xiliang Prince not to act on his emotions.
Hearing that the Iron Cavalry troops were approaching again, Zhao Chuanyi panicked. He crawled and rolled, telling his confidant to ride a fast horse back to the capital to ask the Xiliang Prince for instructions.
Wei Dongling didn't give Zhao Chuanyi any chance to catch his breath. She directly ordered the Northwestern Iron Cavalry troops to attack the city head - on! The soldiers of the Celestial Dynasty were to go around the ice lake and enter the inside of Jiangcheng to cooperate with the outside troops to attack Jiangcheng in Xiliang.
In addition, the soldiers of both armies received a reward notice at the same time. Anyone who personally beheaded Zhao Chuanyi, the Grand General of Xiliang, would be rewarded with 100,000 taels of silver!
100,000 taels?
The soldiers on both sides were so shocked when they saw the huge reward notice that their eyes almost popped out!
Who was so generous as to offer 100,000 taels of silver to take the life of that Xiliang General!
Looking at the signature - the rewarder was Prince Jiu Murong Yuchen of the Celestial Dynasty!
Everyone was amazed. It seemed that this Ninth Prince of the Celestial Dynasty was really a hidden rich man!
When Zhao Chuanyi heard that the Celestial Dynasty had issued such a generous reward notice, he was so scared that he didn't even dare to leave his military camp!
He really couldn't figure out why the Northwestern Iron Cavalry troops had suddenly given up attacking Hanzhong City and turned to Xiliang.
At present, there were only about 30,000 soldiers stationed in the military camp in Jiangcheng, Xiliang. Even though there were nearly 80,000 soldiers in the capital on standby, by the time they rushed here day and night, it would probably be three or five days later! What should he do!