No title, no marriage? Do you think I'm some kind of lapdog?

Inside the earthen house.

Su Chuang squatted on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

There were seven or eight people sitting below, packed tightly together.

Yue Fei was dressed in black armor, his back straight, his brows furrowed in a knot.

Zhao Yun's silver armor was spotless, his gleaming silver spear rested beside him, and his eyes were fixed on the ground.

Jia Xu was still wearing that gray cloth shirt, his eyes half-closed, as if he were dozing off.

Li Cunxiao, carrying a knife, sat on the threshold, grinning and revealing his white teeth.

Zhang Liao sat on the outermost stool, his back straighter than Yue Fei's, but his hands gripped his knees, his knuckles white.

Lin Ruxue stood behind Su Chuang, wrapped tightly in a plain cotton robe, holding a cup of hot tea in her hands, sipping it slowly, but her eyes scanned everyone in the room.

"Did you hear everything?"

Su Chuang spat out the sunflower seed shells and grinned.

"Sixty thousand Xiongnu cavalry, led personally by that old codger Wanyan Wugu, are heading towards Yumen Pass."

The room was deathly silent.

The only sound was the crackling of the burning charcoal.

"My lord."

Yue Fei was the first to speak, his voice as deep as stone.

"The garrison at Yumen Pass numbers a total of 30,000."

"Ye Qingyue's Divine Might Army numbers 20,000, General Zhang took away 500 elite troops, and there are still 4,500 miscellaneous soldiers left."

"Including auxiliary troops and laborers from within the pass, the death toll is at most 30,000."

He paused.

"The Xiongnu had 60,000 iron cavalry, all elite troops. In open field battles, they could not hold Yumen Pass."

These words are blunt, like a knife stabbing into everyone's heart.

Zhao Yun raised his head: "Unless Emperor Wu sends reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?"

Su Chuang chuckled, grabbed another handful of melon seeds, and asked, "Zilong, how long did it take you to travel from the capital to the northern frontier?"

Zhao Yun remained silent for three breaths: "More than a month."

"How long would it take for Emperor Wu to mobilize troops, prepare provisions, and march to the northern frontier?"

Su Chuang asked.

"At least... two months."

"Two months."

Su Chuang nodded. "Can that woman Ye Qingyue last two months?"

No one spoke.

The answer is clear—no.

Ye Qingyue is capable; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to attain the position of a fourth-rank Yangwei General.

But her soldiers, who had been embezzled and given inferior supplies by her over the years, were already full of complaints.

With Zhang Liao gone, the morale of the army was further shattered.

If the 60,000 Xiongnu cavalry were to launch a fierce attack, Yumen Pass could only hold out for a maximum of ten days.

"so."

Su Chuang clapped his hands, stood up, and paced around the room.

"With the Jade Gate Pass breached, the Xiongnu's next target will be our Wangbeitai."

He turned to look at everyone in the room: "What do you think we should do?"

Li Cunxiao was the first to shout, "Let's fight! Kill as many as they come!"

Su Chuang rolled his eyes at him: "Kill my ass! Sixty thousand people, how could you possibly kill them all?"

Li Cunxiao scratched his head: "Then... run?"

"Where are you going?"

Zhang Liao suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse.

"To the south is the Jade Gate Pass, to the north is the grassland, to the east is the desert, and to the west... it's still the territory of the Xiongnu."

He looked up at Su Chuang: "My lord, we have nowhere to run."

Su Chuang grinned: "Wen Yuan understands best."

Jia Xu opened his eyes at this moment, his half-closed eyes flashing with a cold light: "My lord, actually... there is a place we can go."

"where?"

"The capital city."

Jia Xu said slowly.

"You are the Duke of Xin, ordered to guard the border."

"Now that the northern frontier is in grave danger, it is only right and reasonable for you to lead your troops back to the capital to defend the emperor."

"Emperor Wu will not only not blame him, but will actually reward him."

Everyone in the room had a bright look in their eyes.

Yup!

Back to the capital!

Wangbeitai is such a desolate place, it has nothing. Should we stay here and wait to die?

"My lord," Yue Fei clasped his hands in a fist salute, "Mr. Jia is right. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."

Zhao Yun nodded, "I am willing to escort my lord back to the capital."

Zhang Liao didn't speak, but his eyes showed his agreement.

Su Chuang looked at them and smiled.

He laughed so hard his shoulders were shaking, and tears were almost streaming down his face.

"Going back to Beijing?"

He repeated the two words as if he were telling a joke.

"My father died in the northern frontier, and my mother died in the capital."

"One of my enemies is in the northern frontier, and the other is in the capital."

"Where do you want me to go back to?"

The room fell silent again.

Su Chuang walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.

A cold wind blew in, making the candlelight flicker wildly.

Six years ago, my father died in battle at Luofengpo. The military report stated that he was "ambushed and killed."

His voice was soft, but every word struck a chord in people's hearts.

"I investigated for six years, and what did I find out?"

"The deployment map was sold by someone."

"The person selling the map is in the Ministry of War."

"Who holds the highest position in the Ministry of War? Yue Zhanpeng."

He paused.

"Yue Zhanpeng's son, Yue Xinyang, is currently in Yumen Pass, having an affair with that bitch Ye Qingyue, and he wants to kill me."

"Tell me, who should I seek revenge against?"

No one spoke.

Su Chuang turned around and looked at everyone in the room.

The carefree smile on his face vanished completely, leaving only a cold calm.

"When my mother died, blood flowed from all seven orifices, and her fingernails were all black."

"The imperial physician said it was an acute illness, but my mother has always been in good health."

"Later I examined the dregs... and there was Gelsemium elegans in them."

"The maid sent by the Ye family threw herself into the well the next day, with twenty taels of silver in her pocket."

He grinned, a smile that was both cold and chilling.

"Twenty taels of silver, and a human life."

"Ye Qingyue got engaged to me back then because she wanted my father's title and the Su family's military power."

"My father died, my mother died, she thought I was useless, so she publicly broke off the engagement and forced me to give up my title."

"Now that I have established a foothold in the northern frontier, she wants to use the Xiongnu to kill me."

Su Chuang walked back to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and plopped down on it.

"You want me to go back to Beijing?"

"What are you doing back in Beijing?"

"Are you waiting for her to poison me again someday?"

"Are you waiting for Yue Zhanpeng to make things difficult for me in court?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not leaving."

"I'm standing firm here on this Wangbeitai, on this northern frontier."

"Ye Qingyue wants to kill me, the Xiongnu want to kill me, then let them."

"Let's see who dies first."

After he finished speaking, the earthen house fell into a deathly silence.

The only sounds were the crackling of the charcoal fire and the howling wind outside the window.

Yue Fei opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

Zhao Yun gripped his gleaming silver spear tightly, his eyes resolute.

Zhang Liao's eyes were red, and he nodded emphatically.

Li Cunxiao grinned, "If my lord says he's not leaving, then he's not leaving! I'll stay with you!"

Only Jia Xu had his eyes half-closed, but a very faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"My lord."

He spoke, his voice flat, "Actually, it's safer for you not to leave."

Su Chuang raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

"First, Wangbeitai is easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Jia Xu stretched out his withered fingers and counted them one by one.

"The walls are three zhang high, the moat is one and a half zhang deep, the food and fodder are plentiful, and the troops number two thousand. The Xiongnu's sixty thousand iron cavalry are formidable, but they came to attack Yumen Pass, not to gnaw on our tough nut."

"Wanyan Wugu has just unified the grasslands and is internally unstable. He will not waste his precious troops on us."

"second."

He paused.

"My lord has a golden knife in his hand."

"That golden knife is a token of the Xiongnu royal court; whoever is capable will obtain it."

"If Wanyan Wugu really attacks, our lord can simply draw his golden sword and claim to be the 'chosen son-in-law,' challenging him to the position of Chanyu."

"The Xiongnu will surely descend into chaos at that time."

Su Chuang chuckled: "That's a pretty cunning move."

Jia Xu bowed and said, "It is my duty to share the burdens of my lord."

"third."

He continued, "Even if Yumen Pass falls, there are still seven important military strongholds behind it. If the Xiongnu want to move south, they will have to take them down one by one."

"It will be at least six months before they manage to take over Wangbeitai."

"fourth......"

Jia Xu raised his eyes and looked at Su Chuang.

"As the year draws to a close, winter in northern Xinjiang is like a tiger that eats people."

"Heavy snow blocked the mountains, and food supplies were running low. The 60,000 Xiongnu cavalrymen had to consume several thousand shi of horse feed every day."

"They won't last long."

When he finished speaking, everyone in the room's eyes lit up.

Yup!

Why didn't you think of these things?

Su Chuang staying might seem dangerous, but he's actually perfectly safe!

"Wenhe, oh Wenhe."

Su Chuang grinned, patted Jia Xu on the shoulder, and said, "Your brain is really..."

He couldn't find the words to describe it, so he could only give a thumbs up.

Jia Xu bowed and said, "You flatter me, my lord."

"Alright."

Su Chuang waved his hand, "Since you're not leaving, let's talk about what to do next."

He looked at Yue Fei: "Pengju, get the troops in training, especially the newly recruited ones."

"For snowfield warfare, prioritize bows and crossbows, and prepare plenty of rolling stones and logs."

"Here you are."

"Zilong, the White Horse Cavalry should increase patrols. Report any disturbances within a fifty-mile radius to me immediately."

"Yes."

"Wen Yuan".

Su Chuang looked at Zhang Liao.

"You are familiar with the defenses of Yumen Pass, so draw a detailed map."

"Clearly mark out where there are vulnerabilities and where there are opportunities for a sneak attack."

Zhang Liao clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general obeys the order."

"Thirteen."

Su Chuang then looked at Li Cunxiao and said, "Take your men and guard the warehouse well, especially the gunpowder. Don't let anyone touch it."

Li Cunxiao grinned: "Don't worry, my lord, I'll chop down anyone who touches me!"

"Wenhe."

Su Chuang finally looked at Jia Xu.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards are keeping a close eye on the movements of the Xiongnu, and also on Ye Qingyue's side."

"If she dares to surrender... you know what to do."

Jia Xu nodded: "Understood."

After the tasks were assigned, everyone dispersed.

Only Su Chuang and Lin Ruxue remained in the earthen house.

The charcoal fire was burning brightly, making the room warm and cozy.

Lin Ruxue walked to Su Chuang's side and asked softly, "Brother Chuang, are you really not afraid?"

"I'm scared."

Su Chuang grinned, reached out, and pulled her into his arms.

Lin Ruxue stiffened for a moment, then softened and let him hold her.

"I'm terrified."

Su Chuang buried his face in the crook of her neck, his voice muffled.

"Sixty thousand cavalrymen, if each of them spat on the North-Looking Terrace, they could drown it."

"Then why..."

"But I can't leave."

Su Chuang looked up at her and said, "Ru Xue, some things can't be avoided by being afraid."

"My father died here, and my mother died in the capital."

"I'm leaving. Who will avenge them?"

Lin Ruxue didn't say anything, but simply reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist.

The two of them just hugged each other without saying a word.

The candlelight flickered in the wind, and the shadows overlapped on the earthen wall.

Lin Ruxue walked to his side and took his hand.

My palms are warm.

"Brother Chuang," she whispered, "I will help you."

Su Chuang turned to look at her.

The candlelight flickered on her face, and the firelight reflected in her clear eyes, making them shine like tempered glass.

"How can you help?" he asked.

Lin Ruxue smiled gently, but a hint of cunning flashed in her eyes.

"I grew up in the palace and saw a lot of dirty things."

"Ye Qingyue's methods are like children playing house in my eyes."

She took a small porcelain bottle out of her sleeve and handed it to Su Chuang.

"This is 'Love's Desire,' a secret poison made in the palace. It is colorless and odorless, and dissolves instantly in water."

"After drinking it, people will not die immediately, but will have three days of beautiful dreams, dreaming of the people they most want to see and the things they most want to do."

Three days later, he breathed his last in a sweet dream, with a smile on his face.

Su Chuang took the porcelain bottle and weighed it in his hand: "You carry this with you?"

"For self-defense." Lin Ruxue blinked. "In a place like the palace, you wouldn't have survived this long without something."

Su stared at her for three breaths, then suddenly grinned.

"Ru Xue, just how many more tricks do you have up your sleeve that you're hiding from me?"

"There's plenty more." Lin Ruxue tilted her head. "Does Brother Chuang want to discover it slowly?"

Su Chuang's throat moved.

He looked down at the face so close to his.

The candlelight flickered on her face, and the blush spread from her ears to her neck, then down to her collar.

Her eyelashes trembled like a startled butterfly, but her eyes were incredibly bold.

"think."

Su Chuang's voice was a little hoarse.

He lowered his head, his lips about to touch hers.

Lin Ruxue didn't dodge; instead, she tilted her head back slightly.

Their breaths mingled, warm and moist.

In that very instant.

"My lord!"

Lu Bing's hurried voice came from outside the door.

Su Chuang froze.

Lin Ruxue hurriedly shrank back, her face flushed.

Su Chuang gritted his teeth, turned his head, and yelled towards the door, "What is it now?!"

Lu Bing burst through the door, knelt on one knee, and spoke with an unusual urgency:

"The Xiongnu vanguard of three thousand cavalry has reached ten miles outside the Jade Gate Pass!"

"Judging by their banners, they are the elite 'Wolf Riders' of the Blackwater Tribe!"

"Ye Qingyue... has already climbed over the wall!"

Su Chuang's pupils contracted.

coming.

So fast?