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

The capital city, the Grand Secretary's residence.

Zhou Wenyuan has been in a very good mood lately.

Ever since he received Wu Chan's "good news," the smile on his face has never stopped.

Everything was proceeding perfectly according to his plan.

To the west, the army of 100,000 Yuezhi soldiers hung like a sword over Xiao Jingchen's head, rendering him unable to move.

In the imperial court, Sun Kejian, the Minister of Revenue, had officially stopped all financial and logistical supplies to the Northern Liang army, citing the empty national treasury.

Minister of Personnel Zhang Zhao has already selected a group of "shrewd and capable" officials, just waiting for the right opportunity to send them to the grasslands to "assist" Xiao Jingchen and undermine his power.

This elaborate scheme targeting Xiao Jingchen has been woven flawlessly.

Now, all he needs to do is brew a pot of good tea, sit quietly in his study, and wait—wait for news to arrive that the Northern Liang army is short of food and clothing and in disarray, and wait for his unruly nephew, Xiao Jingchen, to be driven to desperation and forced to bow down and submit to him.

"hehe……"

Thinking of his triumphant moments, Zhou Wenyuan couldn't help but chuckle as he twirled his gray beard.

Having fought his whole life, what he enjoyed most was the feeling of strategizing and winning battles from afar.

Xiao Jingchen, you are indeed a genius, a peerless war god, but you are still too green on the battlefield of the imperial court.

"Master, master!"

Just then, the butler rushed in from outside in a panic, forgetting to even knock on the door.

"What's the panic! This is outrageous!"

Zhou Wenyuan frowned, disliking having his thoughts disturbed.

"Master, there's someone outside... someone outside says... says he has something extremely urgent to discuss with you personally. He also says he's... from the Northern Frontier," the steward stammered, panting heavily.

"From northern Xinjiang?"

Zhou Wenyuan's heart skipped a beat.

Judging by the time, it's about time.

Could it be that Xiao Jingchen sent someone to ask for help, or... someone begging for mercy has arrived?

His face remained expressionless, but he was overjoyed inside.

It couldn't hold on that quickly? It's earlier than I expected.

"Let him in."

Zhou Wenyuan picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and adopted a composed demeanor as if everything was under control.

Soon, a travel-worn but muscular man was brought in.

He was dressed in ordinary business attire, but the military bearing that emanated from his very bones was impossible to conceal, especially his eyes, which were as sharp as an eagle's.

Zhou Wenyuan knew at a glance that these were definitely Xiao Jingchen's elite personal guards.

"This humble subject greets Your Excellency, the Grand Secretary."

The man bowed respectfully, neither servile nor arrogant.

"No need for formalities." Zhou Wenyuan put down his teacup and asked knowingly, "You've come all the way from the northern frontier. Does the Prince of Zhenbei have some important matter for you to convey to me?"

"Exactly."

The man nodded, took out a letter sealed with sealing wax from his pocket, and presented it with both hands.

"My lord ordered me to personally deliver this letter to the Grand Secretary."

The steward quickly stepped forward, took the letter, and presented it to Zhou Wenyuan.

Zhou Wenyuan looked at the familiar, elegant handwriting on the envelope, and his smile deepened.

He didn't open it immediately, but instead asked slowly, "How is the Prince of Zhenbei... lately? It's freezing cold in the northern frontier, the soldiers should be doing alright, right?"

He was deliberately putting on airs, wanting Xiao Jingchen's people to know who was in charge now.

The man's face remained expressionless as he calmly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Grand Secretary. His Highness is doing well. Although it is cold in the northern frontier, the morale of our soldiers is high and the army is stable."

"Oh?" Zhou Wenyuan raised an eyebrow.

Still being stubborn?

They won't shed tears until they see the coffin.

He sneered, said nothing more, and slowly tore open the envelope.

He wanted to see what humble words Xiao Jingchen would use in this letter begging for mercy.

However, when he pulled out the letter and saw its contents, the smile on his face instantly froze.

The letter was very short, containing only a few words.

[Premier Zhou, how have you been?]

I have heard that you have a close friendship with Wuchan, the prime minister of the Yuezhi Kingdom, and that you are plotting important matters together.

Now, Wuchan is dead, and the Yuezhi have been destroyed.

This king has specially dispatched a messenger to present his head as a small gift upon our meeting.

This item is a testament to our friendship; please cherish it.

Furthermore, I have also properly kept the correspondence between Wu Chan and you.

One day, I will personally visit you and share this with you.

Respectfully submitted by Xiao Jingchen.

"boom!"

These few lines of text were like a thunderbolt exploding in Zhou Wenyuan's mind!

Is Wu Chan dead?

Did the Yuezhi perish?

Head?

letter?

Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, searing his nerves!

His mind went completely blank; he couldn't understand the contents of the letter at all.

How...how is this possible?!

That's absolutely impossible!

What about Wuchan's 100,000-strong army?

That's 100,000 elite troops!

How could... how could it just disappear like that?

Wasn't Xiao Jingchen stuck at Yumen Pass, unable to move?

How did he get the ability to destroy the Yuezhi?

hallucinations!

This must be an illusion! Xiao Jingchen is just bluffing!

Zhou Wenyuan's body began to tremble violently and uncontrollably. He gripped the letter tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

"You...you're talking nonsense!"

He suddenly raised his head, staring intently at the guard, his voice shrill with fear and rage.

"Xiao Jingchen... he actually dared to falsify military intelligence and deceive this official! How dare he!"

The guard looked at him, and finally revealed an undisguised, cold mockery on his face.

"Your Excellency, why don't you take a look and see for yourself whether it's true or false?"

As he spoke, he turned to the side and took off a heavy bundle wrapped in black cloth that he had been carrying on his back, placing it on the ground.

Then, in front of Zhou Wenyuan, he slowly pulled back the black cloth.

A large, unseeing head rolled out from inside.

The head's face still held the complex expression of fear, confusion, and resentment it had before dying.

Although it was covered in blood and dust, Zhou Wenyuan recognized the face at a glance!

It was the portrait brought back by the envoy he sent that depicted the prime minister of the Great Yuezhi Kingdom—Wuchan!

"what!"

Zhou Wenyuan let out a shrill scream that sounded inhuman, as if all his strength had been drained, and he collapsed onto the armchair.

His eyes widened, staring intently at the head on the ground. The color drained from his face in an instant, leaving him paler than a dead man.

Really...

It turned out to be true!

Xiao Jingchen didn't lie!

He really did wipe out the Yuezhi without anyone knowing!

They even returned Wu Chan's head to me!

it's over...

Only those two words remained in Zhou Wenyuan's mind.

His plan, his supposedly flawless, two-pronged strategy to trap and kill Xiao Jingchen, became a huge joke at this moment!

Instead of trapping Xiao Jingchen, he seemed to have personally handed this tiger the sharpest knife, allowing him to cut off one of his most important allies!

Even more terrifying, Xiao Jingchen obtained the letters he exchanged with Wu Chan!

That's irrefutable evidence of treason and collusion with the enemy!

Once this is made public, Zhou Wenyuan will be executed without a proper burial! Confiscating his property and exterminating his entire clan will be the least of his worries!

"No...no..."

Zhou Wenyuan muttered to himself in a daze, cold sweat pouring down his forehead like a waterfall.

He felt as if the sky had fallen.

The guard who delivered the message looked at his dazed appearance, sneered, and said nothing more.

He bowed to Zhou Wenyuan again: "Your Excellency, the goods have been delivered. This humble subject takes his leave."

After saying that, he turned around and strode out of the study, leaving Zhou Wenyuan alone, staring at the unseeing head on the ground.

After a long silence, a scream filled with boundless fear and despair echoed from the study: "Someone! Quickly! Go and fetch Lord Zhang and Lord Sun! Quickly!"