A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

The council chamber was full of people.

Liu Jingshuang stood on the left, Huo Qingluan leaned against a pillar with her arms crossed, and Su Qingyun sat in the corner with a small stool on her lap.

Tuoba Yue's left shoulder was still wrapped in bandages. He leaned back in his chair without saying a word, but his eyes were fixed on the location of Jianmen Pass on the map.

Several captains stood on either side, their backs ramrod straight.

"I've already decided on the troop deployment for this southward campaign."

Wei Zhao's finger traced a line from Yumen Pass to Jiangnan Prefecture, spanning most of the map.

"100,000 cavalry, 50,000 heavily armored soldiers, 50,000 Western Qiang soldiers, and 100,000 infantry."

An old captain twitched his brow but remained silent.

Wei Zhao glanced at him and knew what he was thinking.

"I will arrange another general to guard Yumen Pass and leave enough troops. We'll talk about that later."

He turned to Liu Jingshuang.

"Jing Shuang, I'm entrusting the reorganization of the army to you. You will lead 100,000 infantrymen and take the rear guard position."

Liu Jingshuang nodded, without saying anything more.

"Azure Phoenix".

Huo Qingluan straightened up from the pillar.

"Take 50,000 heavily armored soldiers and 50,000 Western Qiang soldiers with you, and lead them to the central army."

Huo Qingluan's eyes lit up. The 50,000 Western Qiang soldiers were skilled in mountain night raids, and the 50,000 heavily armored troops were an iron wall.

When these two units are combined, they are good at both offense and defense, and have a great deal of room for formation arrangement.

She nodded, her fingers already gesturing something inside her sleeve—most likely making arrangements in her mind.

"I will personally lead 100,000 cavalry as the vanguard and head south first."

Wei Zhao withdrew his finger from the map.

"The Nanman's elephant cavalry won't advance too quickly, but Jianmen Pass has already fallen, and the garrison along the way can't stop them. I must get to Jiangnan County as soon as possible."

He finally looked at Su Qingyun.

"Qingyun will be in charge of all logistics."

Su Qingyun's abacus beads clicked, and she looked up, her narrow phoenix eyes curving into a smile.

"There is not much pressure on food supplies for the time being."

Her tone was casual, but her next sentence changed the expressions of the captains.

"I have already ordered Zhao Yuanlang's house to be searched."

Zhao Yuanlang, the original garrison commander of Yumen Pass, was Lu Song's man. He was a ghost soldier who embezzled public funds and exploited his soldiers. Of the 100,000 men on the roster, less than 50,000 were actually capable of fighting.

This guy has been operating in Yumen Pass for so many years, and he has accumulated a lot of wealth by exploiting the people.

Su Qingyun moved the abacus beads a couple of times.

"Gold, silver, grain, cloth, medicine, plus the weapons he hoarded—enough to feed 300,000 people for three months."

Wei Zhao's lips curled slightly.

That's just how Su Qingyun is; she never makes empty promises.

She said it would be three months, and that meant a full three months, maybe even a few days extra.

Good riddance! People like Zhao Yuanlang harmed the soldiers on the border while they were alive, and even after they died, they can still be put to good use.

"There's one more thing."

Su Qingyun closed the abacus, her voice becoming calm.

"I have already compiled a list of Zhao Yuanlang's assets. You can take a look at it later. There are a few accounts that involve dealings with people in the capital. I suspect it's not just a matter of receiving a salary without working."

She didn't say it explicitly, but everyone present understood—Zhao Yuanlang had Lu Song behind him, and those accounts were evidence of Lu Song's reach into the Western Territory.

Wei Zhao nodded.

"Keep it for now, you might need it later."

"That's settled then."

He stood up and glanced at everyone in the tent.

"Everyone go about your business. The cavalry should be ready within three days. I'll go first, and the central and rear armies will follow in a steady manner."

The three women accepted the order and rose to their feet.

Liu Jingshuang walked the fastest; when she lifted the curtain and went out, her hand was already on the hilt of her knife, and her steps were swift as the wind.

Huo Qingluan followed behind, a command flag that had appeared in her hand at some point.

Su Qingyun carried the abacus and left last. Before leaving, she glanced back at Tuoba Yue, her eyes filled with something, but she didn't say anything.

The curtain fell, leaving only two people in the council chamber.

Wei Zhao didn't leave immediately. He sat back down in his chair and looked at Tuoba Yue across from him.

She was still leaning back in her chair, the bandage on her left shoulder bulging out from under her tight-fitting clothes. Her complexion was better than yesterday, but still pale.

"I need to tell you what's going to happen next."

Tuoba Yue looked up at him.

"After I leave, a reliable commander will be appointed to guard Yumen Pass."

Wei Zhao's tone softened, unlike when he was assigning military tasks earlier.

"But the Western Qiang region—it has to be left to you."

Tuoba Yue didn't speak, but her fingers tightened on her knee.

She knew these words would come sooner or later.

"You are now the King of the Western Qiang, both in name and in reality."

Wei Zhao looked into her eyes.

"More than 100,000 Western Qiang people are waiting for someone to take care of them. The tribes need to be appeased, order needs to be restored, and the surrendered tribal soldiers on the front lines need to be sent back."

He paused for a moment.

"These are things only you can do."

Tuoba Yue's lips moved, but it took her a long time to speak, her voice still hoarse.

"I know."

Three words, spoken softly, but without hesitation.

She really couldn't go with Wei Zhao. The Western Qiang had just experienced an internal turmoil: the royal palace had changed hands, the old king had died, the eldest prince had defected, and the hearts of the people in the various tribes were unsettled.

Would the new king just turn around and leave at this point?

The Western Qiang will be in chaos again in less than three months.

She knew it in her heart, but no matter how clear she was, she couldn't suppress the feeling of tightness in her throat.

Wei Zhao continued.

"Tuoba Ye fled south, most likely to join the Southern Barbarians."

Tuoba Yue's fingers clenched tightly.

"When I head south to fight the southern barbarians, I'm sure I'll run into him."

Wei Zhao's voice turned serious, and it was no longer in a tone of negotiation.

"I'll bring his head back for you."

Tuoba Yue stared at him for several breaths.

She found no hint of politeness in those eyes.

He said "kill" and that was it. He spoke in the same tone as when the whole army was charging forward, calm and indifferent, as if he were saying something that had already been decided.

There was a few seconds of silence.

Tuoba Yue suddenly stood up.

The movement was too fast, which aggravated the wound on her left shoulder. She frowned slightly, but didn't stop.

She walked up to Wei Zhao, so close that she could see a faint scratch on his chin—she didn't know when he had gotten it.

Before Wei Zhao could react, Tuoba Yue tiptoed and gently kissed him.

It's very light, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, touching and then leaving.

Wei Zhao froze for a second.

Tuoba Yue took half a step back, her face burning red, from her ears all the way to her collarbone, even the vein on her neck felt hot.

But she didn't dodge.

"I will stay and govern the Western Qiang."

Her voice was strained, as if she were prying each word out from between her teeth.

"We won't be able to return to Great Wei in the short term."

Wei Zhao's mind finally restarted, but only halfway.

"I don't know when we'll meet again after this parting."

Tuoba Yue stared intently at him, her eyes burning with a mixture of fire and water, something indescribable, something she could only express with her life on the line.

"I want... a hope."

Wei Zhao was stunned.

"The bloodline of the Wei family."

Tuoba Yue uttered the last few words, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, but her enunciation was extremely clear.

"Leave me one of your children."

The tent remained quiet for several breaths.

Wei Zhao finally realized what was happening.

He looked at the woman in front of him.

Princess of the Western Qiang King, wife of the Wei family, returned alone to the enemy country to act as an inside agent, seized the palace, killed the traitorous general, and led 100,000 slave soldiers to the front line to shield the enemy from harm.

The wounds on his body hadn't healed yet, and the bloodstains on the bandages were still dark red.

But she stood in front of him, blushing, and said she wanted a child.

Wei Zhao reached out and grasped her right hand.

My fingers were slightly cool, and there were calluses on my knuckles—from holding a sword.

"it is good."

One word.

Tuoba Yue's eyes welled up, but she didn't shed a tear. The Wei family members didn't cry in front of others, and she studied harder than anyone else.

No one knows the details of what happened that night.

All the guards knew was that the light in that sleeping quarters stayed on all night, only going out at the crack of dawn.

The next morning, when Wei Zhao came out of Tuoba Yue's room, he was holding his waist with one hand and his steps were unsteady.