The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1697: 826 Seizing the City! (Part 1)_2

Chapter 1697: 826 Seizing the City! (Part 1)_2

Every day, it’s either chopping vegetables or cooking, and today is no exception.

But today, he is particularly absent-minded.

The Han Family and the Nangong Family have openly rebelled, escaping to the border pass and colluding with the Jin and Liang countries, opening the gates of the border pass.

Even the Princess, a mere woman, must go to war on behalf of the emperor.

The Princess’s martial arts were long abolished, making her no different from ordinary people. No, that’s not right; she is different because ordinary people don’t have several iron nails embedded in their backs.

Troops from all over Shengdu that could be mobilized were gathering at the west city gate, and there was also an army from Qiushan Town heading over.

The deputy general of that army was a regular at Xianhe Building, a guy who talks nonsense, brags, and fawns. He owes a lot of debt at Xianhe Building without any intention of repaying.

Sending someone like him to fight is just handing over heads to the rebels on a silver platter!

The more Zhao Dengfeng thought about it, the angrier he became, chopping with the kitchen knife rapidly!

Chef Zheng, standing nearby, noticed his odd behavior and frowned, asking, “Hey! Chef Zhao, why are you so upset? Who’s annoyed you? Don’t break the knife!”

Zhao Dengfeng angrily replied, “Mind your own business!”

Chef Zheng was startled by the knife Zhao raised and remembered that this man had killed before, so he dared not argue with him and rolled his eyes as he walked away.

The streets were filled with the chaotic sound of horse hooves…

Why is it chaotic? Actually, to ordinary people’s ears, it still sounds quite organized, but Zhao Dengfeng, who came out of the cavalry of the Heifeng Camp, could detect even the slightest disorder in the hoofbeats!

“How are these troops being led? How are these horses trained? With horsemanship like this, the formation will be a mess before the battle even starts!”

Chop chop chop!

I’ll chop!

I’ll chop!

Chop chop chop chop chop…

Chop your damn head!

I’m done chopping!

Zhao Dengfeng slammed the kitchen knife down on the cutting board and turned away!

…

At the west city gate, the king, along with civil and military officials, was sending off the soldiers of the three armies.

Earlier, there were rumors among the people that the Jin and Liang countries were invading, and the king was so frightened that he suffered a stroke.

The leakage of this news dealt a fatal blow to morale and public confidence.

It was already a war with slim chances of victory, and if the king himself was so terrified, then Dayan would surely fall.

But today, all the people witnessed the spirited emperor.

The emperor made an appearance, dispelling the rumors, and with his actions, he told the world that not only was the king of Dayan not frightened, but he was actually filled with boundless fighting spirit!

The aged but determined king, re-raising the soaring eagle flag of Dayan, rekindled the nearly extinguished confidence in the people’s hearts.

Perhaps this battle… can really be won?

It must, it must be won.

After watching the Princess and Gu Jiao lead the mighty army out through the west city gate, Xiao Hen said to Long Yi beside him, “We should depart too.”

Long Yi, holding a box of half-used charcoal pencils, stared blankly for a long time until he could no longer see Gu Jiao’s silhouette.

…

Xiao Hen and the group with the old lady were heading east, and after leaving Liaozhou, the two groups split. Xiao Hen, Long Yi, and Wang Xu’s troops headed for the Cangxue Pass in the northeast, while the Duke of Anguo and the old lady, along with the army led by Geng Wuxiu, went to Chishui Pass in the southeast.

Taoist Priest Qingfeng also accompanied them.

After leaving Shengdu, Shangguan Yun and Gu Jiao’s group received the first piece of news from the border pass in Yuzhou, a hundred miles away.

They had just set up camp outside a Village.

The kind villagers invited them to stay in the village, but Shangguan Yun declined.

Shangguan Yun sat in his tent, with Wang Man, the chief general of the infantry, on his left. He was Wang Xu’s uncle, an old general.

The Wang Family was not a martial family; in Wang Man’s generation, he was the only one who pursued martial arts, and in Wang Xu’s generation, he was the only one to inherit Wang Man’s martial skills.

However, Wang Man had fought alongside Xuanyuan Li in the past and had experience opposing the Jin and Liang armies, so the king advised bringing him along and appointed him as the General Who Establishes Might.

He was the highest-ranking officer in the barracks.

He had many military achievements and was quite proud, hardly giving a second glance to anyone other than the Princess, especially the youngest, Gu Jiao.

On his other side sat General Weng Juntin of the Archery Camp, aged thirty-eight.

To Shangguan Yun’s right sat Gu Jiao and Mu Qingchen.

Mu Qingchen accompanied them as the Princess’s personal guard, responsible mainly for her safety, and held no military rank in the Military Camp.

Gu Chengfeng had not yet arrived.

He had to continue impersonating the king until the king fully recovered, staying in Shengdu to stabilize morale and public confidence.

Shangguan Yun said, “The urgent confidential letter we received earlier, all of you esteemed ministers have read it. I wonder what thoughts you have.”

Wang Man angrily said, “Humph! The Nangong Family is too deceitful! They actually deceive the border pass people in the name of acting on behalf of Heaven! It’s utterly shameless!”

Wars were uncommon in Shengdu, and most matters concerning the Xuanyuan Family were heard second hand, but the border pass had experienced countless wars. Everyone had seen how the Xuanyuan Family desperately defended the border pass people back in the day.

After the Xuanyuan Family was exterminated, the border pass was filled with mourning.

The Nangong Family took advantage of this, first announcing the king’s crime of exterminating the Xuanyuan Family due to a prophecy after coming to the border pass, then falsely claiming that they too had only just learned of it, that all these years they had been deceived by the king.

They claimed to seek revenge for the Xuanyuan Family!

More outrageously, they alleged that some of the Xuanyuan Family members were still alive, and they were being protected secretly by them.

They pledged to fight for the descendants of the Xuanyuan Family, even at the cost of their own lives, determined to choose a true wise ruler for Dayan Country!

The people were convinced, opening the city gates, warmly welcoming the Nangong Family’s troops into the city.

Many of the city’s defenders were former Xuanyuan soldiers; since it was revenge for the Xuanyuan Family, everyone was considered allies.

The Nangong Family almost effortlessly captured Quyang City at Yanmen Pass.