Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 321 The other party noticed
"..."

Faced with Lin Chongshan's resounding words, General Yuchi was at a loss for words. After his initial anger subsided, he realized that Lin Chongshan was right. A general with only a title and no actual military achievements would not earn the respect of his soldiers. Similarly, an official without military power, whose entire honor and disgrace depended on the emperor's favor, could be elevated to the heavens by that same trust today and condemned to hell tomorrow.

Neither he nor Lin Chongshan had any children, and there were many reasons for this. They had indeed cared about Jiu Que before, but unfortunately, all their letters and gifts went unanswered. Only after Jiu Que stood before him and they spent some time together did General Yuchi realize what his nephews and nieces were like. This wasn't his child, but Yuchi felt as if he were.

Parents who love their children will surely plan far ahead for them. Jiu Que is now going to the battlefield, and of course he will encounter all sorts of dangers, but in other words, this also represents unlimited opportunities in the future.

At this point, Lin Chongshan had completely convinced General Yuchi. He didn't say anything more to stop him, but stared absently at the slightly worn cloth overhead. Jiuque should be on his way by now, right? According to their information, the two princes of the grasslands had split up and were preparing to besiege the Northern Frontier Pass. Now they could only hope that Jiuque could smoothly execute their previously agreed-upon plan and secure this final victory.

Everyone thought the same thing, and everyone prayed the same way. Even the generals who originally wanted to go to the battlefield and gain merit were now silently praying that Jiu Que would succeed. Because that child represented not only themselves, but the entire Da Jing, and the people of Da Jing desperately needed a period of rest and recuperation.

However, things didn't go as planned. When the first group of scouts who went out to investigate returned in a panic to report, all the generals and officers of the Northern Frontier Army were stunned.

"What? You're saying the two princes of the grasslands didn't attack from the southeast as planned? Where did they go?"

Faced with Lin Chongshan's question, the scout broke out in a cold sweat, but he still kept his duty in mind and gave a clear answer as quickly as possible.

"Our scout team that we sent out earlier was well hidden, but just an hour ago, they suddenly lost contact. I risked my life to investigate and found that all the brothers in the scout team had been captured, and their heads were buried by the roadside... The tracks of a large group of people passing by were real, but when I made contact with Teams A and C, I discovered that they were tracks left by slaves kept by the steppe people. Although a small number of steppe cavalry did remain, the main force was nowhere to be seen. I still don't know where they went..."

Lin Chongshan's figure, which had remained as steadfast as a mountain, suddenly swayed. General Yuchi quickly supported her, whether to comfort her or himself, it was unclear.

"Don't worry, that child is blessed with good fortune and will definitely be fine."

Lin Chongshan was not a weak person. She quickly realized what was happening and, struggling to stand up, gripped the armrest of the chair. However, she was currently suffering from a deadly poison, and although she had been fortunate enough to have the poison removed, her body was still very weak. Even the simple act of standing up took almost half of her strength, and she swayed unsteadily.

The generals and officers standing nearby kept volunteering to go out and meet Jiu Que.

However, General Yuchi refused them all. His face was pale, but his resolve was unwavering.

“No, none of you can go out! Now, Murdon and Namtso are eyeing our territory with predatory intent. They have elite troops and powerful generals, and we don't know where they're hiding, coveting our Great Jing land. The Northern Frontier Pass is Great Jing's last line of defense. If this place falls, the remaining grassland army will surely swarm in, advance unimpeded, and destroy our Great Jing's land. Our task now is to guard this pass and prevent the grasslands from having any opportunity to exploit. As for Jiuque…” General Yuchi closed his eyes, refusing to look at the incredulous gazes of his colleagues.

“She is already an adult, and a military commander, with her own judgment. In addition, she has 80,000 elite troops under her command, while the manpower inside the Northern Frontier Pass is slightly insufficient. If we were to send troops to support Jiu Que at this moment, what would happen to the people of Da Jing if something went wrong? Don’t forget, there is a city a hundred miles south of our Northern Frontier Pass. There are hundreds of thousands of people there, and we have to be responsible for them.”

"General!"

"No need for further words! My mind is made up! I hereby order that from this moment forward, the entire northern border region be on high alert to guard against a surprise attack from the steppes. I command messengers to go to Beiyong City and instruct them to strengthen their defenses. All soldiers, be vigilant and do not overlook the slightest detail. We must not allow the steppe cavalry to return!"

"...This subordinate obeys the order."

The generals, their faces grim, went out to carry out their duties. None of them could say that General Yuchi's handling of the situation was wrong, but they were all seething with resentment. They had personally watched Jiu Que walk out of this northern border pass, thinking she was just going to sweep up some loose ends and gain some merit. Who would have thought such a mishap would occur? The two princes of the grasslands hadn't shown any signs of trouble beforehand, clearly indicating that it was premeditated. How could Jiu Que, a naive young girl, possibly cope with two opponents with such extensive battlefield experience?

Moreover, they have no idea where the enemy is. The cavalry's mobility is simply too great, and the two princes' cavalry are among the best on the grasslands, plus their horses, which are more than 30% faster than their own. Even seasoned generals would find this situation difficult to handle. How will Jiu Que deal with it?

Xie Mingchen, who had been by Lin Chongshan's side, treating her poison, was now deathly pale, his fingers trembling slightly. How would Jiu Que handle this thorny situation? He didn't necessarily hate General Yu Chi because of this, as even he knew how critical the situation was. The two princes, who were originally part of the planned operation, had suddenly disappeared with their cavalry; they must have a backup plan. How should the inexperienced Jiu Que respond?
Unfortunately, none of them are by Jiu Que's side now, except for the highly skilled Senior Cui. However, no matter how high Senior Cui's martial arts are, he cannot turn the tide of the battle. Now they can only hope that Senior Cui can protect Jiu Que's safety amidst thousands of troops.

General Yuchi suddenly covered his eyes with his hands, concealing the worry on his face.

"You must really want to beat me up right now."

"...Not now."

These two comrades, who had been together for many years and had a great understanding of each other, were talking about things that seemed completely unrelated. Then they fell silent, but the worry and anxiety in their eyes could no longer be concealed.

Jiuque, what will you do?

(End of this chapter)