Originally, she decided never to meet him again in this life.

Who knew... there would be such a day like today.

She was truly at an impasse.

When one falls into a predicament, one instinctively grasps at any straw for survival.

Even if that straw isn’t very sturdy, it might not even be caught!

This is human instinct, the instinct to survive.

She’s not afraid of death.

But she fears her father and brother dying in vain!

They have already endured years of unrest because of her.

If in his old age, her father was once again implicated by her and died miserably in prison.

Such a result, she simply couldn’t imagine!

...

Facing Hai Tang’s kneeling plea.

Xia Tingfeng didn’t have time to lift her up, nor to say a word.

People were already trying to rush in from outside.

In desperation.

He had to leap out of the window, swiftly disappearing into the night.

After Hai Tang put on the human skin mask.

She quickly took out a dagger and brutally slashed her own arm!

Blood flowed down her arm, right where Xia Tingfeng had just spat blood.

When several generals led soldiers and broke through the door.

Hai Tang was holding her arm, crying out in pain!

"What’s wrong with you useless lot?! The assassin came in and nobody knew!"

"Caused me, the Crown Prince, to be injured by the assassin!"

"Hurry up and chase him!"

The generals immediately knelt and begged for mercy.

"Subordinates failed in duty, please forgive us, Crown Prince!"

"Crown Prince, can you tell us in which direction the assassin fled?"

Hai Tang cursed harshly in anger.

Pointing in the opposite direction of Xia Tingfeng’s escape.

"He went that way!"

"You hurry up and chase him!"

"If you don’t catch him, be careful of being punished by me, the Crown Prince!"

The generals were ordered to get up.

"Subordinates obey!"

Upon speaking, they scrambled to head out, pursuing in the given direction.

One of the generals suddenly stopped halfway through the chase.

"Something’s wrong!"

"How could the Crown Prince be injured?!"

"Clearly it was the assassin who got hurt!"

That assassin broke in, was surrounded and injured severely by patrolling generals.

He dodged and fled in haste.

Why would he risk his life to assassinate the Crown Prince?!

Would a Crown Prince like that attract attention?!

Hai Situ thought it over and became more puzzled.

Hai Situ and Hai Geli are close nephews of Hai Xiangjin.

Both received orthodox education from the Western Xia Royal Family since childhood.

Sly, vicious, ruthless, unscrupulously cowardly.

He frowned, growing increasingly suspicious, decided to turn back and take another look.

In the tent.

The bloodstains on the ground had been cleaned by the attendants, and the Crown Prince’s wound was being bandaged.

Military doctors and attendants clustered around the Crown Prince’s bedside.

Some offered tea, others took pulses and examined, some gently bandaged with gauze.

He was attended to very carefully.

Seeing Hai Situ enter, the Crown Prince chuckled lightly.

"Cousin, why have you returned?"

Hai Situ looked around, the room bare and nothing out of place.

Forget about black-clad men, even a black cat wouldn’t hide here.

Feeling awkward, he randomly replied and quickly left.

A complex glint appeared and swiftly vanished in the Crown Prince’s eyes.

Hai Situ of course didn’t see it.

However, he still felt something was amiss.

As to what specifically is amiss?!

He thought for a long time without an answer, so he set the matter aside.

...

The black-clad intruder ultimately wasn’t caught.

King Western Xia’s mood worsened.

Unable to find anything to vent anger on, he grabbed a few nephews and scolded them fiercely.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and issued a dire command.

"In at most half a month, you must capture Yinshan City for me!"

"Otherwise, you should bring your heads to see me!"

The nephews felt severely wronged by the scolding.

Who did they provoke?

However, a half-month deadline to capture Yinshan City.

The young lords expressed:

Why would it take half a month?!

...

Xia Tingfeng forcefully broke into the Western Xia military camp, sustaining serious injuries.

Upon returning, he relayed the news that ’Hai Tang was indeed secretly aiding in the Western Xia camp’ to a few of them.

He spat out blood and fainted.

Several people were so frightened they fumbled clumsily.

Calling for a military doctor, fetching medicine, brewing and decocting medicine, feeding medicine, bandaging wounds—they were rushing around insanely busy.

Fortunately, in the end, the military doctor concluded.

"Severely injured, can’t be moved, need proper medication, and another ten days to half a month to recover!"

They finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If it’s not severe, that’s good!

Lying down for ten days to half a month, is a fair trade for such earth-shattering news.

But Tiger was very distressed.

"Had I known, I would’ve gone in Brother’s stead!"

Monster and Rat quickly comforted him.

"Alright, don’t think about it anymore, is the Western Xia camp someplace anyone can break into? Especially by force!"

"Is surviving and coming out even a question!"

"Exactly!" Monster said, arrogantly.

"Even if you barely managed it, you couldn’t achieve Brother’s result!"

Tiger meekly asked.

"Then... what would happen to me?!"

Rat pondered.

"At least... either paralyzed or disabled, perhaps missing a limb."

"Of course, high spinal cord injury is also possible!"

Tiger was very disappointed.

"Is it that serious?!"

Monster was mournful.

"It’s the military camp, dude! Full of experts and heavily guarded, do you think you can come and go as you please?!"

"Oh!"

Tiger nodded, feeling a sense of loss.

"Then... what about Brother Ye?! Can’t I lead troops to rescue him?"

Rat and Monster collectively fainted.

’Is there something wrong with this guy’s head?!’

’Why is he so adamant about rescuing Brother Ye, could it be...’

Monster’s eyes gleamed.

"You wouldn’t happen to like Brother Ye, would you?!"

Tiger looked bewildered. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Like? Oh, of course, I like him!"

"You forgot, Brother Ye said when he left he’d find spouses for us!"

"..."

After a dead silence, the two awkwardly laughed and quickly changed the subject.

Some people, you know!

Are not suitable for deep conversations.

Some people, you know!

Are not suitable for far promises!

Look at Tiger, remembering spouses owed to him for years?!

However, speaking of which.

Brother Ye oh Brother Ye, you indeed promised such!

You brat better live well.

Our marital affairs are still relying on you!

...

The days passed one by one.

As Xia Tingfeng’s injury gradually improved.

Western Xia’s offensives also grew more intense.

They were like a bunch of mad dogs.

Random timing, disorderly, attacking everywhere anytime.

The Chu Dynasty sent out all deputy generals.

Everyone guarding their own places, not retreating an inch, neither army admitting defeat.

This was the longest-lasting battle since the war started.

It lasted seven whole days and nights.

During this time, every kind of Western Xia’s trick was used, whether above board or not.

And the Chu Dynasty wasn’t short of such talents either.

Rat’s mind was full of cunning ideas one after another.

Overall, the Chu Dynasty did not lose out!

After seven days and nights.

The Chu Dynasty narrowly defeated Western Xia, achieving a phased victory.

Western Xia Kingdom had to retreat fifty miles.