I, a useless prince, started with the Xiang Yu template.

Time flies, and four days later.

The sky was not yet fully bright, still a hazy gray, with only a pale, fish-belly white showing in the east. A cold wind swirled dust, stinging one's face.

Outside the capital, a large camp of the Imperial Guards was already bustling with activity.

Smoke rose in wisps as cooks carried firewood and buckets of water back and forth. Large pots were set up on the ground, boiling water bubbling, and the aroma of rice porridge mingled with the smoke from the firewood, filling the camp.

Thousands of soldiers sat on the ground, holding large, rough porcelain bowls, and ate their rice.

No one spoke; the atmosphere was oppressive.

Someone rummaged through the porridge in their bowl and couldn't help but mutter, "Damn it, what bad luck! Of all the times, I had to be selected to go to northern Xinjiang."

A man nearby sighed, his voice barely audible: "This isn't war, this is suicide."

"I heard that the sixth prince is leading the troops this time."

"The Sixth Prince? That prince who spends all his time eating, drinking, and having fun? What's he doing going with him? Does he want to die even sooner?"

"Who knows? Maybe they're just putting on an act in front of His Majesty."

"Don't risk your life to pretend..."

"Forget it, let's not talk about it anymore. Let's eat first. We'll eat as much as we can now. If we really get to the north, we don't even know when our heads will roll."

There were grumbles and complaints, but no one dared to raise their voices.

Everyone knew in their hearts that this trip north was fraught with peril, with a slim chance of survival.

The Northern Barbarian cavalry are swift as the wind. The north has both mountainous terrain and vast open plains. If they were to encounter them in the open, these 20,000 infantrymen would be lambs to the slaughter.

The morale of the entire camp had plummeted to rock bottom.

The atmosphere inside the central command tent was equally somber.

Wang Hu, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, stood in front of the sand table, dressed in full armor with a long sword at his waist, his face grim.

This time, the 20,000 imperial guards marched north, nominally under the supervision of the prince, but in reality, all military power was in his hands.

The emperor's command was not to be disobeyed; no matter how dangerous the situation, he had to go.

The deputy general, Ma Dong, frowned and couldn't help but speak up.

"General, this journey north is already extremely dangerous, and now we have to protect the Sixth Prince as well. It's just too much of a burden for us."

"That's a notoriously useless prince, good for neither literature nor martial arts, what's he doing running to the front lines and causing trouble?"

We're already having a hard time fighting this war, and now we have to distract ourselves by protecting him.

If anything were to happen to him, and His Majesty were to blame, none of us could bear the consequences.

Wang Hu raised his eyes and gave him a cold glance.

"Stop complaining." His voice was deep. "You can say that to me and let it go, but once we're out of here, if you dare to utter another word, you'll be court-martialed."

Ma Dong shrank back, not daring to say another word.

"The Sixth Prince is a prince, representing the royal family. His participation in the military campaign is a boost to both the northern garrison and the people."

Wang Hu said in a deep voice, "His Majesty personally instructed me to protect His Highness at all costs. I entrust this task to you."

He stared at Ma Dong: "No matter what happens on the road, you must protect His Highness. Understand?"

Ma Dong's expression turned serious, and he clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "This subordinate understands! I will protect Your Highness with my life!"

Wang Hu nodded and pointed outside the tent: "Go and see how the army is prepared. Inventory the provisions, arrows, armor, and medicine one by one, without missing a single item."

"At noon, break camp and head north to provide reinforcements!"

"yes!"

Ma Dong responded and strode out of the tent.

Only Wang Hu remained inside the tent.

He looked at the gray sky outside the tent and sighed heavily.

The future of this trip is uncertain.

He himself wasn't sure if he could come back alive.

........

The Prince's Residence.

Chu Yun got up early, sat at the dining table in the front hall, and ate heartily.

Today is the day he leads his troops north to conquer the northern frontier.

There was no fear, no trepidation, only an irrepressible surge of passion.

As a Chinese person, I have heard countless stories of border battles since I was a child, and the passion for leading troops into battle that is ingrained in my bones has completely erupted at this moment.

Chun Tao and Xia He stood to the side, their eyes slightly red, glancing at him from time to time with worry in their eyes.

As soon as Chu Yun put down his bowl and chopsticks, the two women rushed forward, Chun Tao's voice soft and gentle.

"Your Highness, the journey to the northern frontier is long and arduous. Arrows and swords on the battlefield are indiscriminate. You must be extremely careful and never charge ahead. Protecting yourself is the most important thing."

Xia He quickly echoed, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Yes, Your Highness, please remember to eat on time, wear more clothes when it gets cold, and listen to the advice of the military generals. You can't be as willful as before. We... we are waiting for you to return safely in the manor."

The two chatted on and on, full of reluctance and concern, giving each other every piece of advice they could think of.

"I understand. I will be careful. You can stay here in the manor without worry."

After finishing speaking, Chu Yun got up and went straight back to his bedroom.

Inside the room, a set of jet-black Overlord Armor hung on a wooden frame.

The entire suit of armor was forged from refined iron, with layers upon layers of plates that gleamed with a cold, matte finish. The shoulder armor was adorned with ferocious beast heads, the breastplate had an ancient and heavy design, and it was complete with wrist guards and leg guards. The lines were strong and the armor exuded a domineering aura.

Chu Yun stepped forward and began to put on the clothes step by step.

He had thought the armor would be cumbersome and difficult to put on, but this set of armor seemed to be tailor-made for him. Each plate fit his body perfectly, making it exceptionally smooth to wear. In the blink of an eye, he was fully dressed.

The entire suit of armor weighs only sixty pounds. When it falls on your body, there is no feeling of heaviness or pressure. Instead, it fits your body perfectly, allowing you to move freely and without any restriction on your fists or feet.

The items produced by the system were indeed extraordinary, with protective capabilities far exceeding ordinary armor; ordinary swords, spears, and arrows could hardly penetrate them.

Chu Yun raised his hand, lifted his leg, and turned around, moving his body casually without any sense of restraint.

He stepped into the bronze mirror. The boy in the mirror had shed his former frivolous and dissolute ways. He was now clad in black armor, his posture upright like a pine tree. His already handsome face was now accentuated by the armor, making his features sharp and his aura exude an air of dominance that looked down upon the world.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Chu Yun's eyes, and then he pushed open the door and walked out.

The servants and maids in the front hall and courtyard, as well as Chun Tao and Xia He, all froze on the spot when they saw Chu Yun walk out, their faces full of astonishment and complete bewilderment.

Is the person before me still the same sixth prince who spends his days eating, drinking, having fun, and being irresponsible?

That's so awesome!

Chun Tao was the first to react, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, her eyes wide open and her face full of amazement.

"Your Highness, you...you look so dashing in that armor! You're like a god of war descended from heaven!"

Xia He nodded in a daze, "Yes, Your Highness, you're completely different from usual, so cool!"

The servants present were also horrified. They had served the Sixth Prince for many years and had never seen Chu Yun look like this.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Chu Yun didn't say much, but simply instructed the steward to keep an eye on the mansion and take good care of the servants.

After giving his instructions, he went straight to the backyard of the Prince's mansion, where the groom had already led a jet-black warhorse into the yard.

Chu Yun mounted the horse, took the reins with one hand, and gently squeezed the horse's belly with both legs.

"drive!"

The horses' hooves clattered as they trod the cobblestone path.

The people in the prince's residence remained standing in place, unable to recover from the shock they had just experienced.