As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 351 My dear subject, the night is too short…

If Tian Hong were thirty years younger, he would stand before the army, cut down the white horse, and swear an oath that he would not return until Yueyang was conquered.

He would order all his soldiers to fight to the death, cutting off all escape routes. He mounted his warhorse, leading the charge, and fought a decisive battle against Yueyang City.

However, he is now over fifty years old.

A person's mental sharpness gradually changes with age; they become more cautious, more meticulous, and more impeccable.

But at the same time, he also lost that courage to go all in. Or rather, he became too rational; his passion turned into a sophisticated calculating machine, and if the odds were against him, he was unwilling to take the risk.

"Order the entire army to retreat and defend Chengjin City."

The old general lowered his eyes slightly and spoke to Cheng Xinqing in a deep voice, looking as if he had aged considerably.

"Ah? General...this..."

Cheng Xinqing was shocked, his eyes widened, and he looked at Tian Hong in disbelief.

After days of continuous fighting, Bei Lie has suffered many casualties, and the soldiers are exhausted. But the situation in Yueyang City is even worse!
Their city gates were almost breached, and their soldiers were almost entirely wiped out.

The reinforcements won't arrive for another two days, so why not give it another shot?
That's Yueyang City! The Northern Lie haven't been able to conquer this place for hundreds of years.

Such a great opportunity, and the general just... gave it up?

Retreating to Chengjin City essentially meant the end of this surprise attack.

Tian Hong gave Cheng Xinqing a deep look and said, "Withdraw!"

He actually hoped that Cheng Xinqing could say something to persuade him.

Success is just one step away.

He was also unwilling to leave.

However, rationally speaking, this seemingly insurmountable gap was like an insurmountable chasm. With Qian Yuan's reinforcements arriving ahead of schedule, their operation had essentially failed.

Although Yueyang City was sparsely armed, its soldiers and civilians were united in spirit and resolute in their will. In addition, some extraordinary individuals assisted them with their supernatural abilities.

Even if Bei Lie could conquer Yueyang City in a short time, how would they establish defenses, win over the people, and manage the city's internal affairs?

Time is too tight; two days is simply not enough to complete all of this. I'm afraid that before we can even gain a foothold, we will be overrun and wiped out by the angry reinforcements.

Xiao Xinyue did not choose to run away, but instead stayed here to hold on. Her incredible tenacity was beyond Tian Hong's expectations, and the scales of victory had already tipped in her favor at this moment.

Tian Hong was no longer a spirited and passionate young man. As the supreme leader, he was not thinking about how many merits he could make, but rather about maximizing the advantage of Bei Lie and preserving the lives of his soldiers.

If the Qian Yuan reinforcements arrive and these people don't have time to evacuate, they will most likely perish here.

This is a significant blow to Bei Lie.

The Northern Lie are not yet at a point where they have nowhere to retreat; on the contrary, they hold the advantage.

In that case, Tian Hong's first priority is not to risk his life, but to preserve himself.

The Qian Yuan regime was already in a state of chaos, with remnants of the Bloodstained Army and bandits rebelling in various parts of the east. Tian Hong's sudden appearance and unexpected arrival disrupted Qian Yuan's original military plans.

The news that Bei Lie had penetrated deep into the heart of Qian Yuan territory would surely spread, attracting the attention of some ambitious individuals. The anti-Qian Yuan forces needed a powerful ally to cling to, otherwise they would only be wiped out by Qian Yuan's army.

His retreat to Chengjin City, even without capturing Yueyang City, would allow him to gather forces within Qianyuan to resist Xiao Xinyue, erode and spread, and tie down Qianyuan's military strength for a protracted war... which would maximize the interests of Beilie.

"Uh...yes!"

Unfortunately, Cheng Xinqing respected Tian Hong's wishes. Even though he was somewhat reluctant, he didn't intend to say anything more.

"Let Wang Xiaoyi lead 5,000 men to set up an ambush on Xingen Road. If Qian Yuan reinforcements arrive, they can be ambushed. They are in a hurry to rush to rescue the emperor and are probably unprepared. But the battle should not be prolonged; once it is over, they should withdraw."

They will seize any opportunity to gain benefits.

These are all Tian Hong's habits. Quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes. Perhaps some small gains, when added together, can change the course of the battle.

Before leaving, he did not forget to make some strategic deployments.

"Yes!"

"General, could you send a large army to ambush the Qian Yuan reinforcements and annihilate them? Our troops can then change into enemy uniforms, disguise themselves as reinforcements, and attack Yueyang."

Upon hearing this, Tian Hong shook his head: "Xinqing, we don't have two days to spare. And don't treat the enemy like fools. This method won't work..."

Mingchen is still on the other side. When it comes to these kinds of schemes and tricks, no one can outwit him; his schemes have many flaws and loopholes, they won't work.

"Um……"

"The last general takes orders."

Cheng Xinqing nodded, didn't argue further, and withdrew, accepting the order.

The military tent was quiet, and Tian Hong felt as if all his strength had been drained.

He rose and stepped out of the military tent. The biting cold wind pierced his bones as he gazed towards the direction of Yueyang City in the distance. In the darkness, the majestic city seemed so close, yet also as if it were a thousand miles away.

He lowered his eyes, and the myriad thoughts in his heart finally subsided into a sigh in the cold night.

"Ugh……"

……

"His Majesty!"

"Beilie, Beilie has withdrawn its troops!"

All sorts of thoughts and calculations were submerged in the darkness of night. The next day, the wind and snow stopped, and the bright sun rose from the east.

Compared to the previous few days, the imposing Northern Fierce enemy troops were nowhere to be seen in front of Yueyang City this time.

Xiao Xinyue stood on the city wall, still on high alert.

Suddenly, a soldier rushed up to Xiao Xinyue, his face beaming with excitement and joy, shouting loudly.

Xiao Xinyue, who had been on high alert, was startled and her eyes widened in surprise: "Really?"

"Absolutely true!"

The soldier knelt down on one knee, his voice trembling with emotion: "I saw it with my own eyes; they had already packed up and retreated eastward."

The enemy troops withdrew, which meant they had survived this ordeal.

"They've withdrawn? They've withdrawn..."

Even at this moment, Xiao Xinyue remained uncomfortably calm, her face showing no sign of joy.

The enemy has withdrawn. Could they have some other scheme in mind? Could it be a trap? Could they be ambush reinforcements?

Tian Hong is an extremely dangerous person, putting immense pressure on Xiao Xinyue. As long as Yueyang City is not completely safe, she will not let her guard down.

Two days later,
"Your Majesty, I am late in coming to your aid. I beg your forgiveness."

The Qian Yuan army flag fluttered in the wind as a group of soldiers gathered below the city. A general at the head of the group raised his head and shouted loudly.

On the city wall, Xiao Xinyue stared blankly at the scenery, and the anxiety that had been weighing on her heart finally subsided.

"Okay...okay! Okay!"

The clouds parted to reveal the light.

Xiao Xinyue swayed her body, finally relaxing, and kept smiling.

Now she was certain that Yueyang City was truly safe.

Won!

They won; Yueyang City was truly defended.

She subconsciously turned her head to look at her side, where her favorite person was standing, smiling at her with eyes full of doting and admiration.

She deserves the most credit for this battle.

The next instant, intense fatigue surged forth like a flash flood.

She hadn't had a good night's sleep for several nights, directing battles from the city walls during the day and wandering through the city at night, calming the people and overseeing the overall situation.

She now feels hoarse, her muscles ache all over, and the sunlight stings her eyes.

The tension that had been building up finally eased.

She smiled, closed her eyes, and gradually lost consciousness.

She was very tired and wanted to rest.

"His Majesty!"

"His Majesty!"

Hearing the terrified cries of several of her subjects, Xiao Xinyue's body slumped backward uncontrollably.

However, he did not fall to the ground.

Instead, she fell into a familiar embrace. Through her blurry vision, she saw that person smiling gently at her: "You've worked hard, get some rest!"

Xiao Xinyue felt completely at ease, a slight smile playing on her lips, and drifted off to sleep peacefully.

"Your Majesty has been very tired these past few days, I will escort her back to the palace."

"I'll leave this to you all."

The only person here qualified to touch Xiao Xinyue is Mingchen.

Mingchen's status is now almost on par with that of the emperor.

Mingchen held Xiao Xinyue in his arms, listening to her soft breathing as she slept peacefully. Without any hesitation, he smiled and spoke to those around him.

"Forehead……"

"I will obey your orders!"

"Lord Ming, leave this to us. Quickly, take His Majesty to rest." Several military officers present held high positions and had long been aware of the romantic relationship between the Duke of Anguo and His Majesty within the court.

They dared not think about the emotional lives of those above them; each kept their eyes down, bowed, and responded.

……

"Oh~~~"

"We won! We won!"

"Have you heard? Bei Lie has withdrawn his troops! Hahahaha!"

"That old man Tian Hong brought 30,000 troops, but our Emperor only brought 3,000 troops and defeated them!"

"Hahaha, long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"Let me tell you, the other day, His Majesty gave a speech at the foot of the city wall, and I heard about it! It was truly inspiring!"

"I was all ready to fight the Northern Lie people with pitchforks! It's a pity the Northern Lie didn't give me that chance, otherwise I would have definitely shown those barbarians what I'm capable of."

"Old Liu, come on, everyone knows you were so scared you peed your pants after hearing that Beilie was going to attack the city!"

"you!"

……

The great calamity has finally passed.

The news that the siege of Yueyang City had been lifted traveled on the wind to the ears of every citizen.

In an instant, the oppressive fear was dispelled, and the people spread the news and cheered with joy.

Like a spring that has been suppressed for a long time being suddenly released, what follows is an immense sense of honor, immense relief, and relief.

Even though many people had died, the city walls were damaged, and the city was short of supplies, everyone's face was filled with exhilarating smiles.

How can we win the hearts and minds of the people?

Under the weight of immense fear, and through the united efforts of everyone, we endured hardship together, with leaders and the people sharing joys and sorrows. The city's cohesion and the symbol of its people's spirit would unconsciously accumulate.

This city has a soul.

The snow will eventually stop, and the sun will always shine on the earth.

Yueyang City was saved.

This is Xiao Xinyue's victory, and also the victory of millions of people in Yueyang City.

Everyone felt a sense of pride.

Following the arrival of the first reinforcement, several more reinforcements arrived.

Yueyang City can be said to be completely safe.

The entire city was undergoing repair and reconstruction. Government affairs were reorganized, the army was reorganized and deployed, and the imperial court was restructured. Tian Hong led his troops to Chengjin City on the eastern coast to take up a defensive position.

Everything has settled down, and this crisis can be said to be completely over.

night,

"Thanks to your steamships, which allowed the reinforcements to travel by water, the marching speed was greatly increased, which enabled General Qi to lead the reinforcements to arrive in time."

In the familiar place where the emperor and his ministers met in secret, Xiao Xinyue leaned against Mingchen and said with a light laugh.

After the reinforcements arrived, the exhausted emperor finally got to rest properly, slept for a whole day, and regained his strength.

After everything returned to safety and stability, Emperor Qian gave himself back to the simple woman, "Xiao Xinyue," that night.

Since Mingchen returned to Yueyang, they haven't had any serious intimate moments.

Sometimes, a small, seemingly insignificant improvement can turn the tide of battle at a crucial moment.

Xiao Xinyue did not expect that the first rescue army would actually come by water, scaring away the enemy and successfully supporting Yueyang.

Mingchen shrugged: "I didn't develop it, Zhang did it. I just made a few suggestions."

Xiao Xinyue shook her head, leaning against him and quietly listening to his heartbeat: "You always appear in front of me when I need you most, to help me..."

Although Mingchen said it was just to coax her, she still carefully placed the feather he gave her that day into a brocade box and kept it safe.

Having gone through this war, she has grown a lot, but she has also found that she is increasingly unable to leave the person in front of her.

What can be done then?

Who can blame me when I am blessed with great fortune and have a pillar supporting me?

This is her luck, this is what she deserves.

Xiao Xinyue accepted.

Mingchen chuckled and said, "There's no other way. I've gone through so much hardship to finally become a Duke. I haven't even had a chance to enjoy bullying men and women yet. I can't let my Emperor fall."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xinyue couldn't help but roll her eyes at him: "The dignified Duke of Anguo, thinking of bullying men and women, aren't you ashamed?"

This person just talks nonsense without any restraint.

Any other monarch would have cut out his tongue long ago.

"What's there to be ashamed of! If I didn't bully others, wouldn't I be a useless official?"

Xiao Xinyue: ...

If the people of Qianyuan were to see the face of their revered Duke Anguo like this, I wonder what they would think.

Mingchen played with Xiao Xinyue's hair and laughed, "Your Majesty, shouldn't you reconsider whether to move the capital to Yueyang?"

"Move the capital to Yueyang?"

Xiao Xinyue raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

Yueyang and Jiqu are two cities of great significance to the new Qian Yuan dynasty.

One is an ancient capital with a history of five hundred years, and a political, economic and cultural center.

One is the place where the new dynasty rose to prominence, the place of its origin.

Originally, the decision had already been made to establish the capital in Ji County. Now, staying in Yueyang and lingering there would only be a way to lure the enemy into a trap.

The original plan was to go back to Ji to pick it up after the New Year.

However, Mingchen has brought it up again now, asking him to consider it carefully.

"This battle to defend Yueyang has helped you establish yourself here."

It seemed that Yue Yang had encountered a calamity, facing numerous dangers. But in reality, he won the battle, and Xiao Xinyue gained enormous, hidden benefits from it.

Fate always rewards the brave.

Surrounded by a vast army, she led from the front, sharing life and death with the city, inspiring the people, leading the soldiers to defend the city, forcing back the enemy, and winning this defensive battle against an army ten times her size.

The immense prestige and value this brought cannot be ignored. These honors were something she had always lacked, and she became known throughout the world overnight.

Based on this defensive battle, her ranking among historical monarchs would advance several places.

In Yueyang City, everyone united as one, sharing life and death with Xiao Xinyue in the face of hardship, and ultimately achieved victory.

Xiao Xinyue has unknowingly won the hearts of the people here, leaving her mark on this place. The people here will love and support her from the bottom of their hearts.

He's no worse than Ji Qu.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Xinyue shook her head and said, "Forget it. It's not trustworthy to keep going back and forth. I will stay in Yueyang until the East is at peace. The capital of our new dynasty should still be located in Jiqu."

"A new dynasty brings a new atmosphere; Yueyang City's prosperity remains unaffected even though it is no longer the capital."

Her roots in Jiqu are as deep as those in Yueyang.

Mingchen shrugged, not really bothered. Ji Qu lived close to him anyway, and he was more than happy to have him there!
The two chatted idly for a while, when suddenly Xiao Xinyue changed the subject: "Mingchen, why are you always talking to me about official business today?"

Beneath the crescent moon, His Majesty's eyes shimmered with bright, watery light.

The next moment, the world spun around them.

His Majesty the Emperor was roughly lifted up and carried.

"Yeah~"

Xiao Xinyue instinctively put her arm around Mingchen's shoulder and exclaimed in surprise.

"What is it, Your Majesty? Do you wish to discuss some private matter with me?"

Mingchen moved closer to her, his eyes seeming somewhat dangerous.

His Majesty is still different from that shy, naive older sister.

After experiencing it, she became much more relaxed. She reached out and gently stroked Mingchen's chin: "Guess what kind of rumors are circulating in the court right now?"

Mingchen and Xiao Xinyue have a close relationship.

This fact has already spread throughout the imperial court.

Xiao Xinyue was pleased to see this.

She waited until the rumors, whether true or false, were gradually accepted by everyone subconsciously before finally making a definitive judgment.

This naturally led to the matter being resolved.

"My dear minister, the night is too short, what are you waiting for?"

Now that the war was over, she decided to reward herself.

(End of this chapter)