The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

"My lord, this matter is extremely risky. Once it is exposed..." Liu Changqing couldn't help but advise.

"No matter how great the risk, we have to do it." Xiao Jingchen's tone left no room for doubt. "My soldiers cannot shed blood and tears. I cannot let them risk their lives for me on the front lines while worrying about their families being humiliated back home."

"This is the promise I made to them."

Lei Lie looked at Xiao Jingchen, his eyes slightly red.

He suddenly knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse: "My lord! This humble general... this humble general thanks you for your great kindness on behalf of those bastards, Wang Ergou!"

He knew that the Marquis was doing this not just to save a few people.

It was also to win over the hearts and minds of the entire northern frontier army.

With a leader who is willing to risk everything for them, what more could one ask for?

"Get up." Xiao Jingchen helped him up. "The battle isn't over yet."

He walked to the table, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote a letter on a blank sheet of paper.

After finishing writing, he put the letter into an envelope and also put the jade pendant that represented the princess's identity into the envelope after searching Zhao Yi, who had been captured.

"Liu Changqing".

"Your subordinate is here."

"Go to the outskirts of the city yourself and deliver this 'gift' to Princess Chang Le." Xiao Jingchen handed him the envelope.

Liu Changqing took the envelope; it felt heavy in his hand.

He knew that what was inside was probably more than just a letter.

"Tell her that her commanders and men are guests here. If you want them to live, give me something in exchange."

"What is it?" Liu Changqing asked.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Xiao Jingchen's lips.

"Wei Yong's head."

……

Early the next morning.

When Liu Changqing, the head of the Imperial City Guard who had "escaped by chance," appeared outside the city's Imperial Guard camp, his face bruised and swollen, and his clothes in tatters.

Princess Chang Le, Li Qingluan, was completely stunned.

When she heard Liu Changqing recount the "tragic scene" of the previous night with tears streaming down his face—how they had fallen into Xiao Jingchen's trap, how Zhao Yi and the others had been captured, and how he had only managed to escape by risking his life—she was deeply moved.

Her face was extremely pale.

When Liu Changqing handed her the "gift" containing the letter and jade pendant...

She opened the letter, glanced at it, and then trembled with rage, tearing the letter to shreds.

"Xiao! Jing! Chen!"

She let out a hysterical scream.

The letter contained very little, just two sentences.

"Zhao Yi is in my hands."

"Trade Wei Yong's life for it."

This is a blatant threat! It's a blatant insult!

She was sent by her elder sister to exchange Shuobei City for Wei Yong's life.

But now, Xiao Jingchen is turning the tables and wants to use her people to exchange for Wei Yong's life!

And it's about taking Wei Yong's life, not taking Wei Yong as a person!

He wants Wei Yong dead!

"How dare he! How dare he!" Li Qingluan paced back and forth in the tent, like a trapped lioness.

She now finally understands that she underestimated this powerful figure from the very beginning.

This man was not at all the kind of military man she and her elder sister had imagined, the kind they could easily manipulate.

He is brave and resourceful, ruthless and meticulous.

The political maneuvering and scheming she had learned in the deep palace were nothing more than child's play in front of him.

"Your Highness, what should we do now?" Liu Changqing asked cautiously from the side.

Li Qingluan took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Now that things have come to this, she has no other choice.

Zhao Yi is the commander of the Imperial Guards and the key figure in her operation. If Zhao Yi dies or is turned against her by Xiao Jingchen, the morale of the three hundred Imperial Guards she brought will surely be thrown into chaos.

She cannot lose Zhao Yi.

"Reply to him!" Li Qingluan said through gritted teeth. "Tell him I can agree to his conditions!"

"However, Wei Yong is a prisoner of the three-race allied forces; killing him is no easy task."

Upon hearing this, Liu Changqing immediately had a flash of inspiration, leaned forward, and whispered, "Princess, I have a plan."

"explain!"

"We can unite the three tribes and form an allied army," Liu Changqing said in a low voice. "We can tell them that the imperial court has agreed to exchange Shuobei City for Wei Yong. However, Xiao Jingchen is a powerful and arrogant official who has defied the imperial decree. We can work with them from within and without. As long as they help us eliminate Xiao Jingchen and take Shuobei City, we can not only return Wei Yong to them, but also... kill Wei Yong and frame Xiao Jingchen!"

"Then we'll say that Xiao Jingchen, in order to dominate the Northern Frontier, colluded with the barbarians and murdered a court official. This way, the court will have a legitimate reason to send troops to punish him!"

"As for the allied forces of the three races, they already wanted to kill Wei Yong to establish their authority, and they also wanted to obtain Shuobei City. Our proposal is exactly what they want, and they have no reason to refuse!"

Li Qingluan's eyes grew brighter and brighter as she listened.

Kill two birds with one stone!

Use someone else to do your dirty work!

This scheme is undeniably ruthless!

"Okay!" she slammed her hand on the table. "That's it!"

"Manager Liu, you truly are a pillar of the Empress! If this matter succeeds, I will certainly petition the Empress for the greatest credit on your behalf!"

"It is my duty to share the burdens of Her Highness the Princess and to be loyal to His Majesty." Liu Changqing bowed deeply, but a cold smile, unnoticed by anyone, flashed deep in his eyes.

Your Highness, you really are... adorably naive.

You think this is your plan?

No.

This, from beginning to end, is another great gift that my lord has prepared for you.

A truly astonishing gift, sent to the Empress Dowager far away in the capital.

The camp of the three-race allied forces was shrouded in gloom and despair.

The atmosphere in the royal tent of Ashina Sun, the Left Wise King, was so oppressive it seemed to drip water.

The disastrous defeat the night before not only burned almost all of their provisions, but also cost them nearly 20,000 vanguard cavalrymen.

More importantly, morale suffered a devastating blow.

What was originally thought to be a straightforward battle turned into a shocking defeat before it even officially began, leaving them completely disoriented.

Ashina Sun looked ten years older these past two days. He sat in the main seat, silent, his face terribly gloomy.

The tribal leaders below were also dejected, their pre-war arrogance completely gone.

"Your Majesty, our provisions will only last the army for less than ten days," a logistics officer said cautiously. "If we cannot capture Shuobei City within ten days, or if we do not receive new supplies, we... we will have no choice but to withdraw."

withdraw troops?

Ashina Falcon clenched his fist tightly.

They paid such a high price, so many of their people died, and now they're slinking away in disgrace.

He can't afford to lose this person!

The entire grassland will treat him as a joke!