His entire family perished in battle; he rose from the ashes to conquer the world.

The next morning, the autumn wind was bleak.

As we left the Mu Prince's residence, the sky was overcast, and several crows circled overhead, cawing incessantly, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

Stepping into the carriage, Mu Yuan galloped towards the Western Army camp, twenty miles north of the city.

Qin Hongxiu, the eldest sister-in-law, was also in the carriage.

She had a long sword at her waist and had changed into a set of fine armor. The white armor was extremely form-fitting, making her look heroic and revealing her slender figure. Only the white cloth tied around her forehead indicated that she was a widow.

Throughout the journey, she remained indifferent and silent.

When the carriage came to a slow stop, Qin Hongxiu jumped out first, then turned around and said coldly:

"Uncle, the Western Army camp is just ahead. It's not too late to change your mind."

Qin Hongxiu was somewhat dismissive of Mu Yuan's entry into the military camp. Even though Mu Yuan had performed exceptionally well yesterday, he had no prestige in the army. Now that he had come here so rashly, it was hard to say what kind of trouble he might cause.

Lifting the carriage curtain, Mu Yuan's thin, pale face was revealed.

He was wrapped in a thick robe, his face relaxed, looking more like a scholar going on an outing than the grim atmosphere of the military camp.

"Does sister-in-law think I should go back to the manor?" Mu Yuan asked casually, seemingly afraid of the steep, cold wind, and shrank back.

Qin Hongxiu saw this and her opinion of him rushing to the army immediately dropped a few points.

"Going there now will only backfire and create more trouble."

Qin Hongxiu always spoke directly: "The Western Prefecture Camp is guarded by the strongest 'Thousand-Edge Cavalry' and 'Zhenyue Camp' of the Southwest Border Army. Those soldiers and commanders have all fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Only true powerhouses can truly win their hearts and minds!"

She let out a long sigh, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes: "Now the army is leaderless, and morale is bound to be unstable. Those arrogant and fierce generals are not docile lambs; they're full of anger with nowhere to vent it. If you take the military seal now, they'll only think you're abusing your power. At that point, your personal humiliation will be a minor matter; the real problem will be the damage to the Mu family's prestige!"

"Sister-in-law, you're right."

Mu Yuan nodded in complete agreement and said earnestly, "My appearance does indeed seem somewhat out of place."

Qin Hongxiu was stunned; she hadn't expected him to admit it so readily.

"Speaking of which," Mu Yuan's tone suddenly changed, his previously half-closed eyes suddenly turning sharp, and he smiled slightly with amusement: "Sister-in-law, do you know that killing doesn't necessarily involve bloodshed, and taming a wild beast doesn't always require shouting and killing..."

"Just go inside and we'll talk."

Mu Yuan jumped down from the carriage, his expression nonchalant.

Qin Hongxiu gritted her teeth, thinking: I've said everything I needed to say. You're determined to make things difficult for yourself, so who can you blame?

The military camp is not the Southwest Prince's mansion; you'll only realize the importance of listening to advice after you've suffered a great loss!

……

Inside the Xifu Army camp.

Gone is the vibrant scene of the past, with bugles sounding throughout the camps and banners waving. Now, it is shrouded in a deathly silence and oppression.

White banners were hung in front of the camp gate, on the tower, and in the tents. The patrolling soldiers were dressed in white and walked in neat formation, but they looked dejected and had lost their former vigor.

The commander-in-chief died fighting, and his successors all perished in battle. For this army, it was as if the sky had fallen.

"Who dares to trespass into the military camp? Kill them without mercy!"

As soon as they approached the camp gate, dozens of crossbows were instantly aimed at the outside, their sharp arrows gleaming with a cold light.

"It's me!"

Qin Hongxiu stepped forward, grabbed the long sword at her waist, and shouted.

"It's the young mistress!"

The junior officer recognized Qin Hongxiu, and was both surprised and delighted, but soon his expression turned to one of grief and indignation: "Madam, you've come at the right time! The generals are waiting in the tent. There's a rumor going around that Prince Ning wants to seize military power, and the brothers can't sit still anymore. They might as well rebel against this damned court!"

"How dare you!" Qin Hongxiu scolded, but she was powerless to do so, revealing a deep sense of exhaustion.

Horse-drawn carriages were not allowed to travel in the camp, so the two walked and soon arrived outside the central command tent.

Even before they reached the tent, they could hear the sounds of tables being slammed and benches being thrown inside, along with a constant stream of shouts and curses.

"Damn it! The old prince is a hero, willing to die for the court! And now the court wants to strip him of his military power? Is this something a human being would do? I'm not putting up with this anymore. If they push me any further, I'll rebel!"

"What's there to hesitate about? Gather the troops immediately, kill that Prince Ning first, then head straight for the capital. I'll go and ask that damned emperor to his face if he's even human!"

"I heard that Prince Ning fled back to the capital overnight. He might as well just kill the emperor."

"Yes, that's what we'll do!"

The roars, like heavy hammer blows, relentlessly pounded on Qin Hongxiu's heart. Her mind was in turmoil.

She couldn't help but turn around and glance at Mu Yuan.

Mu Yuan seemed unaware of all this and went straight forward to lift the tent curtain.

Dressed in a white robe in mourning, he stood before this group of heavily armored generals, exuding a murderous aura. He was so conspicuous, like a helpless lamb that had mistakenly wandered into a pack of tigers and wolves.

"Is it the young master?"

"Wasn't he always bedridden and rarely left his residence? Why is he here?"

"What's a sickly person like you doing here causing trouble?"

After a moment of whispering among themselves, the crowd looked on with nothing but disdain and disappointment.

Mu Yuan seemed not to hear him. He patted his robes, brushing away the dust, and said to Qin Hongxiu, "Sister-in-law, please go first."

Qin Hongxiu glanced at him, pursed her lips, and went inside first.

Mu Yuan followed leisurely behind.

Inside the large tent, the strong smell of alcohol and blood filled the air.

More than a dozen burly men sat there, the tables and chairs were overturned, and the floor was covered with spilled wine and smashed wine jars.

Upon seeing Qin Hongxiu, the men who had been roaring and cursing fell silent and hurriedly stood up to greet her: "Greetings, Madam!"

It should be noted that Qin Hongxiu is a general in the army and the wife of the young master. Given her status, her martial arts skills are superb, and she has served in the army for many years, so she is quite prestigious.

However, when they saw Mu Yuan following behind Qin Hongxiu, their expressions immediately changed. Their respectful demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised impatience and contempt.

A burly man with a dark complexion and an ox-like build plopped back down unceremoniously. He picked up his wine bowl and downed it in one gulp. He mumbled, "Heh heh, quite a few young masters here? Why aren't you lying in bed today? What are you doing here at our barracks?"

This man is Yang Daye, the commander-in-chief of the "Zhenyue Camp".

Yang Daye had a bad temper, but he was always loyal to Prince Mu. Because of his loyalty, he was even more disappointed in the sickly Mu Yuan and couldn't stand him.

"Yang Daye! Don't be so insolent!" Qin Hongxiu shouted.