After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

"Zhuang Qi, didn't you say you had already spoken with people from Jiangnan, Xianzhou, and Langzhou?"

"How come these people are so eager to cooperate with the deployment of troops as soon as Lin Yunche's appointment is announced?"

"Did we just throw all our money away?"

The Prince of Huai smashed his cup and cursed angrily. Zhuang Qi found it strange and summoned people to question him in detail. However, seeing the documents brought by the informant, Zhuang Qi had no choice but to believe them.

"Lord Liang, Lord Feng, and Lord Huang did indeed promise me!"

"Their sudden deployment of troops now suggests they may have some unspeakable difficulties!"

The Prince of Huai sneered, his gaze towards Zhuang Qi filled with disdain. "An unspeakable secret?"

"What unspeakable difficulties could they possibly have! Did they take so many benefits from me and still complain before me?"

"Now look what's happened. Suddenly, 100,000 troops have appeared and been given to Lin Yunche. Our chances of attacking the capital have dropped even further."

"Not only that, Zhuang Qi, look at your good nephew!"

"It's only been a few days, and you've already surrendered to Lin Yunche. If Beifeng City falls now, you're going to cut off my retreat!"

The more the Prince of Huai thought about it, the more alarmed he became. The teacup he threw almost hit Zhuang Qi on the head.

Zhuang Qi looked at the shards of porcelain lying at his feet and knew that the Prince of Huai probably had suspicions about him, but he still felt something was wrong.

Zhuang Er has been with him since he was a child, and he knows his temperament best. Even if the Prince of Huai had not yet conquered Youzhou, Zhuang Er would not surrender.

"Your Highness, I feel there's something amiss with Zhuang Er's matter!"

"Zhuang Er has no reason to surrender!"

"There might be a trap!"

"Why don't we send a more reliable person back to Northwind City to investigate the situation?"

"It's better than falling into someone's trap."

The Prince of Huai is currently most worried about Beifeng City, where he has devoted half his life's work.

He readily agreed to Zhuang Qi's suggestion, "Alright! Fu Yan, you go!"

Fu Yan is a secret guard by the Prince of Huai's side, and can be said to be the person the Prince of Huai trusts the most. Now that Fu Yan is being sent, Zhuang Qi is at ease.

Even after Fu Yan left, the Prince of Huai still felt uneasy, staring blankly at the map behind him.

It's no wonder that Prince Huai would act this way. Back then, he was stationed in the northern border with the Lin family army. Others might not know the strength of the Lin family army, but he certainly did.

It's unbelievable that the Lin family army hasn't been wiped out after all these years!

As expected, if those stubborn old men in the Lin family don't die, his grand plan will be affected.

He should have gone all the way and wiped out the Lin family from the start.
"Your Highness, the Lin family army's situation is also very strange. I have just sent people to wait on the only road to Youzhou. If there is any news, I will report to Your Highness immediately."

Upon hearing this, the Prince of Huai relaxed.

Zhuang Qi continued, "Besides, Your Highness, although Lin Yunche has gathered 100,000 troops, it may now seem like a good thing!"

"Good news?" Prince Huai raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Zhuang, are you perhaps stunned by this news?"

Zhuang Qi shook his head and said, "Your Highness, that's not true! Lin Yunche and the entire Lin family army have already left the Northern Territory. Even if Beifeng City and Huaizhou City are now under their control."

"It seems unlikely that there will be heavy troops guarding it now. Moreover, I believe that Beifeng City still belongs to the Prince!"

"We just need to wait for the right opportunity to take Kyoto!"

The Prince of Huai snorted coldly and glared at Zhuang Qi. "What you say is true, sir. Then let's wait for news and see if your good nephew has properly defended my Beifeng City!"

That night, it was dark and windy, with a bright moon.

Unaware that he was already under suspicion, Zhuang Er was preparing to go to bed.

He had been keeping a close eye on the situation in Huaizhou City for the past two days. He was quite startled when Lin Yunche led his army out of the city that day.

Fortunately, he didn't act rashly during the last siege, otherwise, his remaining few thousand elite soldiers probably wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between the Lin family army's teeth.

However, after observing the situation carefully over the past two days, he realized that with the Lin family army no longer in Huaizhou City, he might have another chance to attack Huaizhou City.

Two days had passed since the message was sent, and he had not yet received a reply from the Prince of Huai or his uncle. He was getting anxious, but he dared not take action without permission.

Just as he lay on his couch sighing deeply, the guards at the city gate rushed in to report.

"General Zhuang, something terrible has happened! Someone has launched a night attack on the north gate."

Zhuang Er immediately jumped out of bed, all the sleepiness he had just felt vanished.

With no soldiers in Huaizhou City, who else could possibly launch a night raid on Beifeng City?
"Don't panic! Take me with you to see!"

Zhuang Er turned and donned his armor, quickly following the guards to the north gate. There, he saw that the north gate of Beifeng City was already open, and the guards lay sprawled on the ground.

Zhuang Er felt as if the blood in his body had frozen for a moment. He hurriedly pulled up a guard who was still conscious and asked, "Tell me quickly, who exactly are you?"

The dazed guard saw Zhuang Er in front of him and licked his lips lecherously.

"Young lady, don't run away! Young lady, come and have some fun with me!"

As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed Zhuang Er's waist!
Enraged, Zhuang Er threw the guard back to the ground with a thud.

"Go! Pass on my order: assemble immediately and search the city!"

"Yes!"

Zhuang Er watched the guard who brought the news run away, and gritted his teeth as he looked at the city gate behind him.

What kind of place is their North Wind City? If the prince finds out that he let these rats in, he won't be able to gain any merit when things are settled later; he'll probably be punished instead.

He had to find those people before the prince knew about this.

Just as Zhuang Er was about to turn and leave, the wide-open city gate suddenly creaked open.

Zhuang Er suddenly turned around and saw Bai Wanqing's bow and arrow, which was nocked, fly straight toward Zhuang Er's face.

It's that woman again! Zhuang Er didn't have time to think. He quickly looked down, and Bai Wanqing's arrow tip pierced his ear and stuck directly into the stone ground not far away.

"That was close! I almost lost my life!"

But before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he turned around and saw Bai Wanqing smiling at him.

Zhuang Er suddenly felt a chill creep up from his feet to the top of his head. Before he could react, he felt a sudden chill on his neck, followed by a gush of blood.

Zhuang Er covered his neck with both hands and looked at the man hiding in the shadows in horror.

"You...you're not."

Before he could say anything more, Cui Jingcheng reached out and gently twisted his neck, causing Zhuang Er to fall to the ground unwillingly.

Wang Dafu, who had been hiding in the shadows, wearing the armor of the Prince of Huai's army, finally dared to come out.

Zhuang Er probably only realized before he died that the person who tipped him off was actually Bai Wanqing's man.

This was the first time Dr. Wang had done something so exciting, and he was still very excited. "Madam Lin, Young Master Cui, is this it?"

Bai Wanqing shook her head, "Not yet!"

"Dr. Wang, you take a team and guard the north gate!"

"Don't forget to plant the Lin Family Army flag!"

"Jingcheng, you and I will take a group of people, along with Zhuang Er's head, to the other city gates and demand their surrender!"

Cui Jingcheng nodded, then chopped off Zhuang Er's head with a single stroke and followed Bai Wanqing.

The other guards of Beifeng City were so frightened by Zhuang Er's head that they immediately wet themselves.

With the Prince of Huai gone, Zhuang Er was the highest leader of Beifeng City. With his death, Beifeng City was like a deflated balloon. In addition, with the appearance of Uncle Lin and a group of Lin family soldiers, the flags of the Lin family army were quickly planted on all four city gates of Beifeng City.

"Wanqing, I'm afraid we won't be able to completely control Beifeng City!"

Lord Liu then appeared from the east gate with several men, and said with a worried expression.

Bai Wanqing nodded solemnly, "I know!"

"So, under the cover of night, we're going somewhere else."

Cui Jingcheng immediately stepped forward and said, "I'll go with you!"

So, Bai Wanqing selected a few skilled people and they followed her on a jog all the way to the mountains north of Beifeng City.

"Wanqing, I've been here before!"

"My father and Uncle Lin were imprisoned here back then!"

Cheng Susu crouched down, hiding herself in the bushes, and spoke softly.

What are we doing here?

"The remaining four thousand troops of the Prince of Huai should have been arranged by Zhuang Er in the manor to the west."

“Shouldn’t we try to trap those people first to prevent them from retaliating?” Fengniang said.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Bai Wanqing's eyes as she said softly, "The troops in the western manor certainly need to be dealt with, but we're afraid we don't have enough manpower right now!"

"We have no problem with the people of Huaizhou helping us out, but when it comes to real fighting, we need those who have actually tasted blood." (End of Chapter)