The intricacies are not something to be shared with outsiders.

...

Meanwhile.

When Xiao Yunqi was pulled from power, Yue Yuxi heard about it as well. Upon learning that the new ruler was named Chen Mo, Yue Yuxi had someone gather information on him.

It was quite a shock once the gathering began.

A First Grade Martial Artist.

Top scorer in the martial exam.

War God of Great Song.

God of Slaughter.

He led troops in several battles, undefeated, and always defeated stronger foes with fewer forces through brilliant strategies.

In the final battle at Qinyang County, he defeated Zhao Jiang’s million-strong allied forces with only a hundred thousand troops.

What an extraordinary record, and most importantly, this man is only nineteen years old.

She thought she was a prodigy, achieving the rank of First Grade Martial Artist before the age of twenty-nine, but he was ten years younger.

Is he even human?

"Your Majesty, do you think this is true?" Moon Slave, upon seeing this, couldn’t believe it, thinking it must be false.

Is this something normal humans can achieve?

"It should all be true, but his age is still up for debate." Yue Yuxi thought it was too exaggerated to have reached this level by nineteen and was somewhat skeptical.

As for the rest, those were already established facts, witnessed by many, unlike age which could be falsified.

"However, it’s quite good. This king likes challenging opponents." Yue Yuxi lightly pressed her red lips and said, "The War God of Great Song, is it? This king originally thought that Zhao Qianyi was the only capable warrior in Great Song, and the rest were just drunkards and gluttons. I didn’t expect Chen Mo to give this king a pleasant surprise."

Yue Yuxi gazed at the flickering lamplight, her red lips slightly curved: "Don’t disappoint this king."

...

Zhao Qianyi knows none of this.

Wind Ridge City was sealed tight, so much so that no mosquito could fly in, let alone information from the outside.

Wei Ying came to Zhao Qianyi during the night, saying, "Princess, they wrote another surrender letter to you."

Zhao Qianyi gazed out at the night, not turning her head, and said, "Didn’t I tell you to burn all such surrender letters without showing me?"

"I know, but they said this letter was personally written by their queen for you, insisting you must read it." Wei Ying responded.

"The Queen of Loulan..."

Zhao Qianyi turned around and took the letter from Wei Ying’s hand.

This surrender letter was far more sophisticated than the previous ones.

The letter detailed Yue Yuxi’s admiration for her and criticized the corruption of the Great Song Court Hall.

It mentioned her months of defending Hulao Pass without receiving any support from the Great Song Imperial Court, stating she was not valued and that such a court was not worth her loyalty. It suggested she defect to Loulan, along with a long list of generous offers.

Yue Yuxi even somehow learned why Zhao Qianyi was exiled to the frontier and included it in the letter, claiming that although she was a daughter of the Imperial Family, she was always ostracized and suppressed, asking if she did not harbor resentment.

The letter employed all manner of provocative tactics.

After reading, Zhao Qianyi clenched her fist tightly, her brows furrowing before letting out a cold laugh: "It seems this Queen of Loulan has investigated me quite thoroughly, hasn’t she?"

A flame rose from her palm, immolating the surrender letter into nothingness.

"Issue the order, bring out all the stored food and distribute it among the city’s citizens. Those willing to join the Celestial Dragon Army, be they young or old, male or female, should be given weapons..."

Zhao Qianyi took a deep breath, eyes becoming resolute: "Tomorrow night, we break out."

Being besieged in Wind Ridge City meant certain death, but breaking out with all might offered a slim chance of survival.

"Understood."

...

The one hundred seventy-second day of the great upheaval, evening.

Zhao Qianyi led the remaining fifty thousand Celestial Dragon Army and the recently assembled sixty thousand militia in a concentrated effort, launching a breakout.

Due to the suddenness of the event, the Loulan army did not anticipate Zhao Qianyi leading troops out of the city to launch a night attack.

The Celestial Dragon Army was fierce and managed to break through.

Zhao Qianyi knew Wind Ridge City was an isolated city surrounded by the people of the Desolate Kingdom.

Therefore, after breaking out of Wind Ridge City, Zhao Qianyi followed the plan to divide into small units for the breakout, reducing the chance of detection, splitting into dozens of small teams, escaping in all directions.

Zhao Qianyi was ready to die, only breaking out to avoid having her subordinates die with her. She wished to preserve the spirit of the Celestial Dragon Army, praying that at least one person would escape.

But what she didn’t know was that after dividing, guilt-filled Wei Ying cried out claiming to be Princess Zhao Qianyi, immediately drawing large numbers of Desolate Kingdom soldiers.

"Zhao Qianyi is over there!"

"Don’t let her escape, Zhao Qianyi is someone the king has specifically named!"

"The king says she must be captured alive, do not harm her."

"Quick, after her."

...

The one hundred seventy-third day of the great upheaval.

After giving instructions to Huangfu Hao and leaving Quan Qiyang to assist, Chen Mo led nearly four hundred thousand Imperial Guard forces and grandly marched north.

Two days later, the vanguard reached Nanyang, where Gao Zheng secretly took away a battalion to the Gunpowder Workshop, taking eight Red Barbarian Cannons along with several Fire Bottle Bombs and High-Explosive Bombs.

Chen Mo did not take the defenders of Nanyang, nor did he take Jiang Ruoqing or any of his women. Instead, he withdrew three thousand elites from the army, officially to protect Nanyang County, but in reality, to ensure their safety.

Without any rest, they continued north.

The people along the way warmly welcomed them, and some wealthy families even provided food supplies.

They knew Chen Mo and his forces were marching north to drive the barbarians of the Desolate Kingdom out of their lands.

The saying goes, when the nation is in peril, every citizen is responsible—everyone was eager to do their part.

Some even wanted to join the army midway.

However, at this stage, if they weren’t martial artists, Chen Mo refused them all.

Accepting them would only become a burden to the army, slowing their pace.

The one hundred seventy-fifth day of the great upheaval.

The army arrived at Cold Water Pass.

Simultaneously.

In Yue Yuxi’s royal tent.

All the generals of Loulan’s southern expedition, numbering in the dozens, knelt trembling before Yue Yuxi.

Yue Yuxi’s face was cold as frost: "Outside Wind Ridge City are our hundred thousand troops, the surrounding towns and counties are guarded by our forces, forming a massive encirclement, and now you tell me Zhao Qianyi escaped.

With tens of thousands of men, she still escaped—what were you doing?"

Seeing Yue Yuxi’s wrath, the generals quickly shirked responsibility. The beheading of Fifth Barbarian that day still seemed fresh in their minds. If this king chose to punish them, they knew she would show no mercy.

"It was all Tuoba Han’s failure. He even mistook Zhao Qianyi, which misled our direction, causing us to mistake Zhao Qianyi’s deputy for her, pursuing the wrong person."

"What General Wu Qiong said is right, Tuoba Han’s wrong identification led to Zhao Qianyi’s escape."

"..."

"Wu Qiong, Barbaro, you are falsely accusing. It was clearly your greed for merit that led the army away from Iron Bull City and Yan City, creating an opening in the encirclement, allowing Zhao Qianyi to escape..."

Speaking thus, Tuoba Han quickly turned his gaze to Yue Yuxi, kneeling as he protested respectfully: "Your Majesty, let me explain, I..."

"Enough." Clearly disinterested in Tuoba Han’s defense, Yue Yuxi interrupted: "General Tuoba, initially, it was you who requested this from me, and now due to your incompetence, Zhao Qianyi escaped, what’s your excuse?"

"It was all Tuoba Han’s error, even mistaking Zhao Qianyi, which misled our direction, causing us to mistake Zhao Qianyi’s deputy for her, pursuing the wrong person."

"What General Wu Qiong said is correct, Tuoba Han’s misidentification caused Zhao Qianyi’s escape."

"..."

"Wu Qiong, Barbaro, you are false-tongued, clearly your lust for glory led to withdrawing the army from Iron Bull City and Yan City, forming a breach in the encirclement, letting Zhao Qianyi slip away..."

Saying this, Tuoba Han quickly caught Yue Yuxi’s eye, hitting his head on the ground as he spoke.