At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty has been captured, and his fate is unknown.

The other two looked at each other in bewilderment.

Wang Yang's white brows furrowed suddenly, his cloudy eyes filled with utter astonishment and shock, the leisurely atmosphere of his tea-drinking moment vanished completely.

He had experienced countless upheavals and changes, but such earth-shattering and shocking news was something he had never seen before in his life.

The Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty, possessing a vast empire, resides in the deepest palace, heavily guarded by the most elite imperial guards in the land. He is the foundation of the nation and the center of the state.

Who in the world has such audacity and such extraordinary ability to sneak into the capital and kidnap the emperor?

Wang Yang was deeply shaken. He stepped forward, his tone urgent and grave: "The palace is heavily fortified, with imperial guards never leaving its side. Who could have committed such a heinous act in the heart of the capital? Who could have done this?!"

Shen Luotang, standing to the side, also paled slightly, her delicate features filled with disbelief, her heart churning with turmoil.

Xiao Yunche's face was cold and solemn, his eyes filled with an unyielding frost. With a slight twitch of his fingertips, he silently handed the secret letter in his hand to Wang Yang.

Wang Yang quickly took the letter and bent down to read it quickly. Shen Luotang also leaned down slightly and looked closely at the dense handwriting on the paper.

Their eyes swept over the signature and key information, and their expressions changed drastically again, their shock even greater than before!

They never expected that this was actually the work of the Yan state!

The Yan Kingdom in the north has been lying low for many years, constantly confronting the Great Qian Kingdom across the border. Despite frequent border clashes, it has always maintained a sense of propriety and has never dared to start a major war.

No one could have predicted that the Yan Kingdom's ambitions had already swelled to this extent. Not only did they secretly plot to infiltrate the capital of the Great Qian Kingdom, but they also took a risk and brazenly kidnapped the Emperor of the Great Qian Kingdom!

It took Shen Luotang a long time to calm her chaotic emotions. She sighed softly, her voice carrying a hint of solemnity:

"I never expected that after several years of peace and stability in the government and the country, such a shocking change would suddenly occur."

"His Majesty was abducted by Yan spies in the deep palace. Once this news spreads throughout the world, the decades-long border balance between the two countries will be completely shattered. The Great Qian and the Yan Kingdom will inevitably face a war of life and death."

"Our Jingzhou is adjacent to Pingzhou and Suizhou. The three prefectures border the northern Yan border and serve as a natural barrier for the southwestern border of Qian.

"Once the war begins, this place will be the first to bear the brunt. Without a doubt, we are already at the eye of the storm of chaos!"

Xiao Yunche stood still, his face cold and indifferent.

He already understood what Shen Luotang meant.

The roots of this storm that swept across both countries were sown long ago, and are closely intertwined with his own experiences.

……

Three years ago, a sudden upheaval occurred in the Kyoto imperial harem, completely altering his and his mother's fate and sowing the seeds for today's chaos in the court and among the people.

At that time, there were two people who were most favored in the late emperor's harem. One of them was his birth mother, Consort Xian, who was gentle, virtuous, and had a proper maternal demeanor, and was deeply loved by the emperor.

The second was Xu Jinniang, who had just entered the palace.

Xu Jinniang possessed stunning beauty and innate charm. After entering the palace, she quickly captured the emperor's heart and was showered with his affections, enjoying unparalleled fame and fortune.

In order to monopolize the emperor's favor, Xu Jinniang revealed her ambition and resorted to any means necessary. She secretly fabricated charges and framed Consort Xian in every way, stirring up a huge storm in the harem.

The late emperor was muddle-headed and biased, indulging in beautiful women and unable to distinguish between loyalty and treachery. He was blinded by Xu Jinniang's slander and, in a fit of rage, without investigating the matter, banished the virtuous concubine to the cold palace, never to be released again.

At that time, Xiao Yunche was all alone and powerless to change the situation. He could only watch helplessly as his birth mother was wronged and imprisoned in a cold and desolate palace. She was depressed and unhappy every day, and eventually fell ill from the depression and died with resentment.

Moreover, to appease Xu Jinniang, or perhaps out of fear of the remaining power behind his mother, the emperor issued an imperial edict banishing him to the southwest to guard the three prefectures of Pingzhou, Jingzhou, and Suizhou, far from the capital and the center of imperial power, which was tantamount to exile.

For three years, he lived in seclusion in Jingzhou, hiding his talents and keeping a low profile, ignoring the court's intrigues, and focusing on martial arts and enlightenment, far away from the cold and ruthless imperial palace that buried his mother's life.

But he never expected that after three years of forbearance and hiding, he would eventually be unable to escape the turmoil in the imperial court.

The Yan Kingdom dared to launch a thousand-mile raid and kidnap the Emperor of Daqian because it was certain that there were rifts in the Daqian court and that the army's morale was unstable.

The three southwestern prefectures he guarded were adjacent to the border and had a strategic location. They were the only way for the Yan army to invade the south and were the eye of the storm in this catastrophe!

At this moment, Shen Luotang looked up at Xiao Yunche, whose expression was icy, her gaze clear, and asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of solemnity:

"In his secret letter, the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu has already issued an order, instructing His Highness to immediately reorganize the border defenses, strictly guard all checkpoints and key roads, thoroughly investigate any unusual activity inside and outside Jingzhou, fully cooperate with the capital in the search for His Majesty's whereabouts, and at the same time keep a close eye on every move on the Northern Yan border to guard against enemy surprise attacks."

As soon as she finished speaking, her gaze became intense, fixed directly into Xiao Yunche's eyes.

She had followed Xiao Yunche for three years, spending every day with him, and knew best the hatred and obsession in the heart of this third prince.

He hated his father, the emperor, for his incompetence, his favoritism towards treacherous concubines, and his wrongful accusation against the virtuous empress.

She hated him for being heartless and ungrateful, for destroying his own family and exiling his own son to the frontier.

To Xiao Yunche, that emperor in the deep palace was never a loving father, but a cold, unjust, indifferent, and muddle-headed ruler.

Shen Luotang paused briefly, then softly asked, "Now that things have come to this, Your Highness, how do you intend to handle this?"

Xiao Yunche stood silently, his brows furrowed and his aura chilling, without uttering a sound.

Seeing that he remained silent, Shen Luotang lowered her head again to carefully read the secret letter in her hand. Her gaze swept over the rest of the contents, and a bright light suddenly flashed in her eyes. She paused slightly and said:

"Your Highness, there is also good news in the letter!"

"Xu Jinniang, who once wreaked havoc in the harem, has been thrown into the imperial prison to await her fate."

"And the mastermind behind supporting Xu Jinniang and framing Consort Xian, Prime Minister Li Yuan, has been executed on the spot, beheaded in the bustling street!"

"Three years of injustice, two major culprits, one imprisoned and one dead, Your Highness can be said to have gotten what you wanted and vented some of the anger from back then."

Shen Luotang murmured softly, but her eyes were still filled with worry.

"But now His Majesty has disappeared, the Prime Minister has been executed, the court is leaderless, the civil and military officials are leaderless, the court and the country are in turmoil, and the powerful are fighting for power. I'm afraid the Great Qian court is already in complete chaos."

The forest fell silent once more, the rustling of the wind making the surroundings feel even more somber and oppressive.

Just then, Xiao Yunche, who had been standing silently all along, slowly shook his head, and his clear, deep voice suddenly broke the silence: "You're wrong, the court won't be in chaos."

Both of them were startled and turned to look.

Xiao Yunche raised his eyes, looking towards Kyoto, his eyes filled with certainty and approval, and slowly began to explain.

"The secret letter clearly states that after the emperor's disappearance, amidst the chaos in the court and the public, my third uncle, Xiao Jingyu, was appointed to temporarily take charge of the government, lead all officials, and stabilize the overall situation in the court."

"At the same time, the centenarian war god Su Mu was conferred the title of National Guardian War God, and was given command of the military power in the capital region to guard the capital."

He spoke calmly and clearly.

"My third uncle, Xiao Jingyu, has always been concerned about the common people, has the world in his heart, is exceptionally wise and resourceful, and is upright and virtuous."

"Although he held a high position, he never formed cliques or engaged in personal gain; he was only concerned about the well-being of the nation and its people."

"In my eyes, he is far more suitable to rule the country and secure the throne than the muddle-headed, biased, and lustful Xiao Jinghuan."

"Now, with my third uncle in charge of the government and ensuring the stability of the country, and the centenarian war god Su Mu stationed in the capital, he firmly holds military power and intimidates all sides."

"Even if the emperor disappears and the court is without a ruler, the civil and military officials are in charge, and the military power is stable, the foundation of the Great Qian Dynasty will not be shaken, and the court and the country will certainly not fall into chaos."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yang stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his eyes filled with longing, his white beard swaying slightly in the wind.

"I have long admired the unparalleled fame of the centenarian war god, Su Mu!"

"His military exploits in the northern borderlands, safeguarding the stability of the Great Qian Dynasty's frontiers, have earned him widespread renown, making him a role model for countless martial artists and soldiers!"

"I have spent half my life practicing martial arts, but I have never had the chance to see his true face. I truly regret this. If I have the opportunity, I would love to meet the War God Su."

"They are all elderly men, perhaps we can discuss martial arts and chat about our lives!"

Upon hearing this, a faint smile flickered across Xiao Yunche's indifferent eyes, and he slowly said:

"This matter is not difficult. Now that the situation between Yan and Qian has deteriorated, a major war between the two countries is imminent."

"Once the border war breaks out, the old war god Su will definitely personally lead the troops to the front line."

"At that time, you will naturally have the opportunity to meet with Elder Su and discuss martial arts and the state of the nation."

"Excellent, excellent!" Wang Yang's eyes gleamed, and he nodded repeatedly, overjoyed. "Then I will wait and see. I will trouble Your Highness to make the introductions!"

The atmosphere eased slightly, and the tension dissipated somewhat.

At this moment, the personal guard who had been standing at attention stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and asked in a deep voice with a respectful and solemn expression:

"Your Highness, the Third Prince's secret order is of paramount importance. Matters concerning border defense and reconnaissance of the Yan army's movements urgently require a decision. May I ask Your Highness, what action should our troops take immediately?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the forest became solemn once again.

When the conversation turned to business, all the casualness on Xiao Yunche's face vanished, and his aura suddenly became sharp and dignified, his brows filled with solemnity and seriousness, with no trace of relaxation.

He always remembered that when his mother was unjustly imprisoned in the cold palace, no one in the court dared to speak out or offer advice. Only his third uncle, Xiao Jingyu, was not afraid of the emperor's anger. He stepped forward, spoke frankly in court, and argued his case to clear his mother's name and to speak out for her and her daughter.

In his fury, the emperor nearly imprisoned his third uncle as well.

For the past three years, he has lived in a remote border region, isolated from the world. Only his third uncle has been secretly looking after him and protecting him.

To him, his third uncle, Xiao Jingyu, was the only person in the imperial court worthy of respect, trust, and loyalty, and worthy of being followed to the death.

He will obey his third uncle's orders without question!

Xiao Yunche's gaze swept across the vast mountains and rivers in the distance, looking towards the thousands of miles of territory on the southwestern border. A resolute look filled his eyes, and his words, each resounding, echoed through the forest:

"Set off immediately and return with me to Jingzhou City to set up defenses on the border, strengthen the city's defenses, and be ready for battle."