Isolated town in northern border region

The frost in the northern frontier arrives much earlier than in Jing Kingdom.

When Jiang Min's caravan arrived at Youzhou City, a thin layer of frost had already formed on the city walls.

Bisu did not enter the city. She got off the carriage, took a fast horse at the city gate, and galloped towards Zhou Xun's government office.

The three letters were taken from her bosom and handed to Zhou Xun, still warm from being held in her arms.

Zhou Xun opened the letter, read it, remained silent for a moment, then folded it and stuffed it into his sleeve.

"understood."

"Miss Bisu, don't worry, the prince is just teasing a fool."

"It's just that I'm destined to be a hard worker, and now I'm going to lose my hair again."

Bisu nodded gently.

"Please, Mr. Zhou, I have to rush to deliver the letter. The prince said that I must deliver it personally."

Zhou Xun smiled as she looked at the silly girl.

With his intelligence, he could immediately tell that Xiao Lie had deliberately sent Bisu back.

After all, Bisu is such a weak woman; if something really happened to her on the way, how could she possibly protect these three letters?

"Guards, protect Miss Bisu well!"

Then he turned and went into the back hall, saying something to the captain waiting outside the door.

"Send the order to stop all the fortresses under renovation on the northern border of Northern Xinjiang."

"All artisans, withdraw; guards, return to the city."

The next day, news came from the northern border of Xinjiang.

The Northern Barbarian Khan, Tuge, led his tribe across the border and marched straight in.

The fortress, which was under renovation, was unguarded and thus rendered useless, becoming a breach in the border defenses.

Tug's army encountered almost no significant resistance and marched south, its advance heading straight for the northern border prefectures and cities.

When the news reached Youzhou, Zhou Xun had just finished breakfast.

He put down his chopsticks, wiped his hands, and walked to the main hall of the government office. Jiang Min was already sitting in the main seat.

She changed into a plain-colored dress, her hair neatly tied back, looking less like the renowned talented woman of Jing Kingdom and more like a matriarch taking on a heavy responsibility.

"What did Tug say?"

Jiang Min asked.

Zhou Xun stood beside her.

"Tuge sent someone to tell him that a white blizzard was about to break out on the grasslands, and he would not be able to survive. He came to ask the prince for a way to live."

"I want 300,000 shi of grain and 10 million taels of silver. Take them and leave."

He paused for a moment, then added, "He also said that he knew the prince was not in the northern frontier, so he could only discuss this matter with the princess."

Jiang Min tapped her fingers lightly on the table and turned to look at Zhou Xun.

"Really? Or...?"

Zhou Xun smiled.

"Ever since Your Highness reclaimed the northern frontier, the men of the northern frontier have forgotten how to write the words 'seek peace'."

"We still need to put on a show. As for Tuge, we can have the prince treat him to a drink after this is over."

Jiang Min frowned.

"As Khan, wouldn't Tugh really take this for granted?"

Zhou Xun was taken aback upon hearing this, his eyes darted around, and then he replied with certainty.

"Unless he wants to exterminate his entire clan!"

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door, and Jiang Tai walked in.

He always wore brocade robes when he was in Jing State, but when he arrived in the northern frontier, he changed into a simple deep robe, looking like a disillusioned scholar who had been exiled.

After he entered, Zhou Xun's gaze lingered on Jiang Min's face for a moment before he cupped his hands in greeting.

"Has the Third Prince been summoned by the Princess Consort?"

Jiang Min nodded.

"My third brother also led troops into battle when he was in Jing Kingdom. Why don't you listen in and offer some advice?"

After pretending to hesitate for a moment, Zhou Xun nodded in agreement and even cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Jiang Tai.

Jiang Min looked at Jiang Tai, her tone calm.

"Third brother, you've heard about the situation in the Northern Frontier. Would you be willing to offer some advice?"

Jiang Tai did not refuse and sat down next to him.

His hands rested on his knees, his knuckles slightly tightening and loosening as he quickly adjusted himself.

"Of course, as the Princess Consort of the Northern Frontier, how could I, your foolish brother, stand idly by in the face of this situation?"

After the meeting began, Zhou Xun first reported on the current troop deployment.

Xiao Xiong was raising horses in Qingzhou, Shen Chongyuan was stationed in Bingzhou, and Luo Daniu was suppressing the powerful families in Yongzhou. The only troops that could be mobilized in the northern frontier were the batch of new recruits under Chen Hu who had never been on the battlefield.

Jiang Tai suddenly spoke up when he heard this.

"New recruits should not be engaged in prolonged combat, otherwise it may damage morale."

"I have heard of Tug; he is extremely skilled in cavalry warfare."

"Chen Hu's men are mostly infantry; if we confront them head-on, we'll likely play right into his hands."

As he spoke, he walked to the map and pointed from Bianzhou to Youzhou.

"I suggest sending a cavalry force to bypass Tug's main force and harass his supply lines from the flank."

"General Chen Hu only needs to hold the border."

He paused for a moment.

"If we can hold out for a few months, the Northern Barbarian army will retreat on its own."

His words were perfectly worded, pointing out both the problem and the solution, delivered in a calm tone and with a humble demeanor.

Zhou Xun did not respond immediately after hearing this; he looked at the map and pondered for a moment.

"His Highness's suggestion is good."

"The grasslands are getting colder and colder right now, which is indeed an effective strategy."

"Announce Chen Hu!"

Jiang Min remained seated in the main seat without speaking, her gaze fixed on Jiang Tai.

Chen Hu entered the government office, and Jiang Min, on behalf of Xiao Lie, bestowed upon him the tiger tally.

Chen Hu pounded his chest with his right hand and gave a military salute.

"This humble general will surely drive out the northern barbarians and protect our northern border!"

Two hours later, Chen Hu led 30,000 new recruits out of Youzhou City.

Zhou Xun personally saw him off, pulling the reins and speaking softly.

"In the past, we would just have a good meal of fat mutton, let the brothers wrestle with Tug's men, and practice archery. That was enough for training."

Chen Hu was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then immediately understood, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Zhou Xun! You bastard, you set me up!"

Zhou Xun smiled and shrank back a little.

"How can I call it ripping you off when I'm providing you with good food and drinks?"

"Remember when the whole army was wiped out? Otherwise, it'll be hard for my side to perform."

Chen Hu looked at Zhou Xun as if he were looking at a fly.

"Screw you! I thought my chance had come, a chance to make a name for myself!"

"Damn it! You heartless, rotten scholar! Get lost!"

On the evening of the third day, the scouts brought back the battle report that Chen Hu's entire army had been wiped out, and that Tuge's cavalry had already reached the gates of Youzhou.

Standing on the city wall, Zhou Xun looked at the dark mass of camps outside the city and kept reminding himself that he had to keep his composure and not give himself away!

After a long period of mental preparation, Zhou Xun hurriedly rushed into the government office.

"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"

"Chen Hu was ambushed and his entire army was wiped out!"

Jiang Min sat in the main seat, her expression somewhat unnatural, but in Jiang Tai's eyes, it was his imperial sister putting on a brave face.

At this moment, Jiang Tai spoke first.

"The best course of action now is to negotiate peace."

Zhou Xun nodded.

"Oh dear, it's no problem to delay for half a month. Please, Your Highness, send someone to bring the Prince back immediately."

"As long as Your Highness returns to the Northern Frontier, even if that Tug had three times the courage, he would never dare to act recklessly!"

Jiang Min nodded.

"Send someone there immediately. At this point, we can only ask Your Highness to make do."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Min saw Jiang Tai open his mouth, a moment of unease flashing across his face.

For the next two weeks, Zhou Xun went out of the city every day to negotiate with Tuge, exchanging documents and going back and forth.

Tug wasn't in a hurry. He was like a wealthy old landlord collecting rent, sending people every day to urge for grain and silver, but he never attacked the city.

The city gates of Youzhou open and close twice a day, and each time Zhou Xun leaves the city with documents and returns empty-handed.

The northern barbarian cavalry outside the city also frequently engaged in verbal battles, their tongues flying high.

Jiang Tai would appear in the government office every day to help allocate grain and check the list of military equipment, and he was meticulous in his work.

Meanwhile, in Yinzhou, Jing Kingdom, a thousand miles away, a fire suddenly broke out at the official post station late one night.

The fire was extremely large, and by dawn the entire inn had been burned to the ground, with the air filled with the smell of burning.

The guards searched through the ruins but found only two charred corpses.

One body was unrecognizable, while the other had a jade belt tied around its waist.

The patterns on the jade belt were exclusive to the King of the Northern Frontier of the Great Chu.

The message was sent out by carrier pigeon from the Bureau of Folklore and landed in a secret container on Jiang Min's desk three days later.

Jiang Min unfolded the note, read it, remained silent for a long time, and then burned it to ashes over the candle flame.

"Your Highness, could it really be my elder brother?"

The next day, news came from Yongzhou that a mob had broken out, and that someone was taking advantage of the turmoil in the northern frontier to incite a rebellion in Yongzhou.

Then news came from Bingzhou that a rebel army calling itself the Panlong Guard was attacking Bingzhou's armory.

The troops stationed in the northern frontier have been tied down outside Youzhou City by Tuge. The simultaneous attacks in Yongzhou and Bingzhou mean that both the northern and southern fronts are in dire straits.

At this time, only Qingzhou could still spare troops!

Xiao Xiong has a cavalry unit called the Azure Wolf Cavalry, which can rush north to provide reinforcements overnight.

When the news reached the government office, Jiang Tai was checking the grain and fodder list.

He looked up at Zhou Xun.

"Qingzhou is at least three days' journey from Youzhou. Can Youzhou hold out in those three days?"

Zhou Xun stood in front of the map without answering, looking troubled.

Jiang Tai put down his pen.

"If Mr. Zhou trusts me, I am willing to lead my troops out of the city to meet the enemy."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun's eyelids twitched, and he quickly refused.

"His Highness the Third Prince is from the Jing Kingdom!"

"It is not appropriate for the soldiers in the northern frontier to be led by people from the Jing Kingdom."

Jiang Tai did not argue, but simply said...

"If the situation does not improve after General Xiao arrives, Mr. Zhou may reconsider."

This time, Zhou Xun didn't give a definitive answer, but nodded with a troubled expression.

"Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince."