A mouthful of thick phlegm.

Two bewildered eyes.

Qu Yi was obviously stunned. He never expected that Zhao Yuan, the deputy general who had always admired him, would commit such a treacherous act against him.

Although the Qu, Jing, and Zhao families were not of the same clan, due to their resistance against the Chu royal family, many things were done together. As an elder, he was highly respected by everyone.

But he never expected.

This young man not only kicked him down, but also...

The phlegm covered his eyes.

With a diluted red color of blood.

Qu Yi felt a great sense of humiliation. In the past, he would have definitely scolded these ignorant juniors loudly, but now, looking at Zhao Yuan's angry eyes, he felt a sense of guilt.

But how could he just let it go in front of so many people?

"Outrageous, really..."

Qu Yi stood up, ready to reprimand these people, but feeling their cold gazes, he subconsciously swallowed the words he was about to say.

He wiped the spit from his face with his sleeve and said in a deep voice, "Zhao Yuan, you should prioritize the overall situation. Listen to my orders and take your men back!"

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"The overall situation?"

Zhao Yuan was about to laugh, "To hell with the overall situation. At this critical moment, you still try to conceal your selfishness with the overall situation? General Qu, I respect you as a superior. Now, I'll give you two options: either follow us and fight the Qian army to the death, or commit suicide and then we'll fight the Qian army."

Qu Yi: "..."

The generals on the city wall did not speak up for him.

He understood that he had no room to maneuver in this matter.

The battle just now was too far from the city wall, and he didn't know what had happened exactly.

Suicide was impossible.

It was impossible in this lifetime.

But...

He looked at the densely packed Qian army outside the city, and his back couldn't help but feel a chill, subconsciously swallowing a mouthful of spit.

Since defending the city of Dancheng, he had always felt a sense of oppression.

And now, this feeling had reached its peak, to the point where it made him suffocate.

The city gate made of mysterious iron had already been closed.

If it were to open now, the Qian army would definitely rush over like madmen. The more than ten thousand people under the city wall would definitely not be able to retreat, and the city gate might not even be able to close once it was opened.

Ying Wuji glanced coldly at Qu Yi, then arched his hand to the others and said loudly, "Gentlemen, I admire your righteousness. If we fight to the death under the city wall today, even if the entire army is wiped out, I, Ying Wuji, will have no regrets. Gentlemen! Follow me to meet the enemy!"

With that, he turned his horse's head and urged the Red Hare horse to the forefront of the ten thousand strong army.

Behind him, the Chu army quickly formed their battle formation.

In a short moment, the formation had become extremely orderly.

This year.

Was a year when the Chu army was greatly underestimated.

Compared to the Qian army, the direct guards of King Zhou and the Black Armor Legion were simply not worth mentioning.

But that didn't mean that the Chu army was unqualified.

They were just weak.

Not incompetent.

When their cultivation improved and their blood was awakened, they could still be considered elite.

Ying Wuji's lips curled slightly, and this time, the effect was considered achieved.

...

On the other side.

Ying Wuque's face was already twisted to the extreme. Now that Ying Wuji's men were all locked outside the city wall, it was supposed to be the best opportunity for him to take revenge.

Because half of these people were from the Bai family, and the other half were the elite troops given to Ying Wuji by the Chu royal family.

There were many strong individuals.

But no matter how many strong individuals there were, the vast majority of them would not be able to fly onto the city wall.

If the Qian army pressed over, at least eighty percent of them could be wiped out, and the losses of the Bai family would be attributed to Ying Wuji, and the losses of the Chu royal family would also be counted on Ying Wuji's head.

But in this way, there would also be two problems.

First, most of Qian Qi's military exploits were mainly on his head. Even if less than ten thousand elite troops of the Chu royal family were wiped out, it would be difficult to cause any damage to Ying Wuji.

Second, the Bai family had many means of self-preservation, and it was impossible to wipe them all out. It would be quite difficult to kill Ying Wuji under the city wall.

On the contrary, if the Qian army all entered the range of the city wall archers, losing the suppression of the trebuchets against the city wall archers, the Qian army would face several times the pressure, and the losses from forcibly attacking the city would likely be greater than those of the Chu Kingdom.

To fight or not?

Ying Wuque was in extreme turmoil.

He knew that if he didn't fight this time, this major battle would likely come to an end. The five cities in the western border of the Chu Kingdom were all unexpectedly magnificent. There was still hope to tear open a gap before, but now that the Qian Kingdom had lost more than half of its trebuchets, it would be difficult to tear open a gap again.

Although the Chu Kingdom's losses were greater, Ying Wuji's losses were not great, and even relatively speaking, he had a slight advantage over himself. Then, the struggle for resources...

No!

Just now, Ying Wuji didn't hold back at all with the trebuchets. These things are all treasures of the Qian Kingdom.

Is he not at all concerned about burning down his own family property, but rather has the attitude of fighting for family property?

But what Bai Jie said is not entirely wrong...

Ying Wuque, oh Ying Wuque!

Since when did you become so indecisive?Another five years of life burning away. Are you going to give up the chance to kill Ying Wuji again?

Filled with resentment, Ying Wuque's mind became increasingly confused. Various thoughts were now intertwined, causing him a splitting headache and making the resentment in his body even more uncontrollable, and the killing intent even stronger.

But just at this moment.

It seemed that there were flashing formations on the walls of Dancheng, and these formations were very familiar.

Based on people.

According to the heavens and the earth.

The end connects to the heavens.

Tens of thousands of people formed a formation in the blink of an eye.

Although it was far from the scale and power of the previous battle against the demons, it was enough to make many people tremble in fear.

Ying Wuque: "......"

He felt.

As if he could calm down.

Just tightly gripping his halberd, his hands trembling slightly, his heart full of unwillingness.

At this moment.

Bai Jie shouted loudly, "Wuji cousin, as a prince of Kingdom Qian, openly helping the enemy country to fight against our motherland is truly unfilial and shameless! Do you really not leave yourself any way out?"

With these words, everyone's gaze focused on Ying Wuji.

Ying Wuque's eyes also cleared up a bit, frowning as he waited for Ying Wuji's response.

"A way out?"

Under the scrutiny of everyone, Ying Wuji couldn't help but sneer, "Are you talking about going back to Kingdom Qian to fight over scraps with you? I advise you to clear your head and not try to use those worthless family ties to seek other things. Dare to fight, then fight, if not, then get lost, it's that simple!"

Looking at the formation that was faintly visible in front of the city, the soldiers of Kingdom Qian had different expressions on their faces.

The previous battle had left them with many shadows.

Many of those who attacked Chu this time had participated in the previous battle against the demons.

Last time, they fought side by side with Ying Wuji to besiege the powerful and terrifying demon tide. The power of the formation made them excited and trembling all over.

This time, they stood on the opposite side of Ying Wuji, and Ying Wuji directly led the troops to tear apart the formation. Originally, they thought that the Qian army was invincible, but they did not expect to suffer such a great setback as soon as they came out.

Both times were brought about by Ying Wuji.

The men in the army have always respected the strong.

This person is worthy of respect, but also makes them extremely wary.

What's even more absurd is that Ying Wuji is still their own prince. Although there is no room for sentiment in front of the formation, this kind of emotional gap still gives them a great sense of loss.

Now...

Are they going to fight?

For a moment.

The city wall and the ground were terribly quiet.

Ying Wuque's expression was uncertain, and the resentment in his eyes sometimes surged and sometimes converged, as if he had reached the extreme of entanglement.

"Bai Jie!"

He transmitted his voice in a low drink.

Bai Jie transmitted his voice back, "Your Highness, it seems that Ying Wuji does not intend to go back."

Ying Wuque understood, and he looked at the city gate from a distance, unwillingly gritted his teeth and shouted loudly, "Ying Wuji! I'll let you go this time, but next time we meet, I will make you understand the fate of a traitor to the country! Withdraw the troops!"

After speaking, he turned and left.

The Qian army also breathed a sigh of relief and followed suit in formation.

And below Dancheng.

More than ten thousand Chu army soldiers suddenly felt the heavy burden on their hearts lifted, and their tense strings finally relaxed, panting heavily, only then did they realize that their backs were already soaked with sweat.

Finally, there's no need to fight!

Qu Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead and prepared to order the city gate to be opened.

But Ying Wuji preempted him, "Hey! Open the gate!"

The generals on the city wall woke up as if from a dream and directly ordered the gate to be opened.

"Clang..."

"Clang..."

"Clang..."

Listening to the sound of the hinges opening the gate, Qu Yi's face became very ugly. This person actually bypassed him and opened the gate directly.

This is outrageous!

He wanted to say something, but found that no one around him paid any attention to him, and they all followed Ying Wuji back.

...

A quarter of an hour later.

Military camp.

Qu Yi held the command token and cursed at his subordinates, "This is outrageous! You are all too unruly. As soldiers, not following orders is like courting death. Someone! Bring the military law!"

His voice and demeanor were severe.

His gaze was icy.

But...

The executioners remained motionless, and no one came to enforce the military law. The expressions of the generals who were scolded were all full of amusement.

Then.

Qu Yi's stern expression softened.

The coldness in his eyes was also full of warmth.He waved his hand and laughed, "The military law is lifted! I'm not that narrow-minded. It's just that you are too impulsive. How can this situation..."

"General Qu, do you need a break?"

Ying Wuji interrupted with a smile, "Everyone is exhausted from fighting. We don't have time to watch your one-man show of saving face."

Qu Yi: "..."

His face suddenly became extremely colorful.

Although everyone knew about this, isn't it unfriendly to say it directly?

Can a person who is not accepted by subordinates still be called a marshal?

Qu Yi glanced at the people present, feeling extremely bad. A commander being sidelined to this extent was quite rare.

This time returning to the court.

Perhaps the younger generations of the Qu, Jing, and Zhao families will still stand on the side of family interests, but their resistance to reform will inevitably weaken. It is already difficult to resist with all their might. What about in the future...

For a moment, Qu Yi felt like the sky was falling.

Ying Wuji stood up, arched his hand to the crowd, "Everyone, I deeply admire your bravery. Without your selfless sacrifice, we wouldn't have achieved this small victory today. However, the Qian army has not retreated, so everyone must not let their guard down. The safety of Dancheng still depends on everyone working together to protect it!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

All the generals responded in unison, with an extremely enthusiastic expression.

Ying Wuji smiled slightly, ignoring Qu Yi's ugly expression, and left with Nangong Yu.

Back at their residence in the city.

Ying Wuji glanced at Nangong Yu, "You've achieved two major victories, can't you show some emotion?"

Nangong Yu still had a gloomy face and shook his head, "The Qi army is not weak, but they are a level below the Chu army. Winning against them is not meaningful. Today, we destroyed the Qian army's catapults, causing their formation to collapse inexplicably. There's nothing worth boasting about. But I'm curious about one thing..."

"What is it?"

Ying Wuji asked, "How did I know that the Qian army's formation would collapse?"

"No."

Nangong Yu shook his head, "If we had put in a little more effort, we could have completely destroyed all the Qian army's catapults. Why did you order a retreat halfway through?"

Ying Wuji sneered, "If we had destroyed them all, how would they attack the Kingdom of Han?"

If it was just to stop the war, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths.

He could have just gone directly and invisibly.

Even if the Qian Kingdom had a way to restrain him, it would be difficult to stop him from stealing the tower.

But after winning, then what?

What benefits could he gain, and what benefits could the Chu Kingdom's reform gain?

The Qian Kingdom now is like a vigorous teenager.

Even the lizards on the road have to run away when they see him.

If he blocked all their gun barrels, wouldn't they explode?

It's better to leave them a few, maybe they can vent their anger on the Kingdom of Han.

Otherwise, if the Qian Kingdom explodes, it's not good for anyone.

But... whether to confront the Chu Kingdom head-on or turn around and attack the Kingdom of Han, it depends on Ying Wuque's decision.

He wasn't worried at all, and he didn't think he would lose.

Although the Qu, Jing, and Zhao families as a whole resist the reform, they have been a large clan for hundreds of years. How could the younger generations in the clan have no courage? As long as the words "fall behind and you will be beaten" are engraved in their minds, they will eventually become a great help to the reform.

...

In the Qian army camp.

"Idiots!"

"Idiots!"

"Idiots!"

Ying Wuque was uncontrollably angry, and his violent energy ravaged the tent, destroying almost ninety percent of the things inside.

Including the clothes of the soldiers in the camp.

Each of them was shivering, covering their fronts with their left hand and their backs with their right hand.

They had heard about Ying Wuque's preference for male style, but they didn't know what role he was playing, so they could only cover both places.

Ying Wuque, however, had no intention of venting his anger on their bodies. He looked at their trembling appearance and showed a disdainful expression.

Useless!

Not even as good as Bai Jie.

Who gave you the face to cover yourselves randomly?

Thinking about what happened on the battlefield, he was shaking with anger.

His face had become extremely dark, pointing at the sand table, "Tell me! Who is the problem?"

The generals looked at each other.

They could only replay the situation on the battlefield on the sand table.

Ying Wuque's eyes were fierce. This time, he had to find the traitor. With so many people present, there shouldn't be a problem with replaying the situation, unless they were all traitors.

But how could that be possible?

These were all people personally sent by Ying Yue. Even if there were traitors, there couldn't be too many.

Under his sharp gaze.

The replay was quickly carried out. The early stage was normal, and Ying Wuque frowned, feeling that no one was the problem. But the entire formation had a strange smell, accumulating a small breakthrough in the formation through small, negligible problems.

This breakthrough was basically ruled out as intentional, unless they were all traitors.

And this breakthrough was very hidden.But, Ying Wuji's main force happened to stumble upon this place by accident.

So, it's more likely that the traitor in the army realized the existence of this breakthrough and somehow informed Ying Wuji.

Either all of them are traitors.

Or there's only one traitor.

It's obvious what the situation is!

And the most likely person to realize this...

Ying Wuque quickly analyzed the situation and suddenly asked, "Where is Fan Wu?"

The people looked at each other, and the tent suddenly became chaotic because Fan Wu, whom Ying Wuque mentioned, was not there.

At that moment...

"Report..."

"Enemy general Jing Rui has been released, and General Fan Wu's whereabouts are unknown."

Ying Wuque: "?"

He raised his eyebrows at Bai Jie, and Bai Jie nodded darkly, then immediately left the tent.

The atmosphere inside the tent was extremely oppressive, and it continued until half an hour later when Bai Jie returned.

"Bang!"

Bai Jie dropped a body: "Your Highness! Fan Wu led a small team to join Chu with Jing Rui. I intended to capture them, but Fan Wu resisted, so I had to kill him. With Fan Wu's protection, Jing Rui also escaped. These things were found on Fan Wu's body."

Ying Wuque's eyes flashed with anger.

He quickly flipped through the letters on Fan Wu's body, and sure enough, they were evidence of communication with Chu, or more accurately, with Ying Wuji.

Fan Wu used to be a deputy general of a certain Bai family, and was also a member who assisted Bai Qing in betraying the entire Bai family. Judging from the content of the letters, it seemed that Fan Wu, tormented by guilt for his betrayal, finally couldn't bear it and contacted Ying Wuji.

Some important content had already been burned by Fan Wu, making it even more believable.

And the handwriting in Ying Wuji's reply was indeed his.

As for Jing Rui, it was their letter of introduction when they entered Chu.

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

Ying Wuque couldn't contain his anger and immediately smashed Fan Wu's body into a pulp. Ying Yue believed in Fan Wu because this man had betrayed the Bai family, but he never expected that such a person would be unable to bear the condemnation of his conscience and would betray them.

This kind of person... actually has a conscience!?

He felt incredibly absurd and just wanted to laugh out loud.

But at the same time, he also felt somewhat fortunate. Fortunately, it was only one person. If it had been the entire group, he really didn't know how to handle it.

Bai Jie said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, what should we do now? Continue to attack Chu, or retreat to the capital?"

"Retreat?"

Ying Wuque snorted coldly, "Retreat my foot!"

Bai Jie felt the ferocity in his gaze and subconsciously tensed his gluteus maximus: "Then... should we attack Han?"

Ying Wuque gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Attack! We must attack! Within two months, we must conquer at least five cities!"

Bai Jie was taken aback, "Your Highness, isn't that too difficult?"

"Difficult?"

Ying Wuque snorted coldly, "With my current strength, can't I even do that?"

Bai Jie's eye twitched and he quickly transmitted, "But the medicine..."

Ying Wuque coldly transmitted, "In the prime of my life, can't I even burn a few years of life?"

Bai Jie: "..."

Ying Wuque's gaze was dark and fierce. This was the battle to establish the might of Kingdom Qian.

If they couldn't even capture a single city, would he still have the face to sit on the throne as the crown prince?

It was true that more than half of the catapults were broken, but it was no problem to deal with the internal strife in Kingdom Han after cutting off ties with them.

They must capture several cities for Kingdom Qian to barely save face.

And his ascension to the throne would also have a good reason.

He was not yet of age, and still in the prime of his life.

What's wrong with burning a few years of life?

"The entire army will rest, and we will set out to attack Han tomorrow morning!"

Ying Wuque gritted his teeth and gave the order, then left the camp with large strides. When he reached the door, he turned and glared at Bai Jie, "What are you standing there for? Aren't you coming back to the tent with me?"

Bai Jie: "..."

It was clear that Ying Wuque was full of pent-up anger right now.

He subconsciously reached for the bottle of whale oil hanging from his waist.

Today... he was probably going to suffer.

...

The army of Kingdom Qian retreated quickly.

After observing for several days, Kingdom Chu confirmed their departure, and their army also returned to the capital. The entire country celebrated, as no one had expected that Kingdom Chu, facing the simultaneous attacks of Kingdom Qian and Kingdom Qi, would repel both of them in less than a month.

They had been prepared for the simultaneous attacks of the two kingdoms, especially since the morale of Kingdom Chu had been low ever since the start of the demonic troubles.

But they won!

And they won against both Kingdom Qian and Kingdom Qi.

For a while, the usually gloomy Kingdom Chu, which had been in a slump for over two years, was revitalized, both in the court and among the people.

After the two armies returned to the capital, the King of Chu ordered a three-day feast and lifted the curfew, allowing the entire nation to celebrate.

At the grand court assembly, Ying Wuji was directly appointed as the Marquis of Zhenxi. There were naturally some objections in the court, but none of the people stationed in Dancheng, except for Qu Yi, spoke up in support. In the end, the position of Marquis of Zhenxi was confirmed, and Ying Wuji graciously declined the land.The King of Chu still gave a lot of benefits, such as reducing taxes by half for Ying Wuji's industry in the five cities of the Western Territory, so that Ying Wuji could develop the Western Territory as much as possible in order to resist the Qian army.

Ying Wuji just nodded and thanked him, showing neither joy nor sorrow.

After the morning court was dismissed, he went home.

Just as he was about to enter the door, he saw a carriage following behind him.

"Brother Ying! Aren't you going to the celebration banquet today?"

Mi Xingli jumped off the carriage with a smile, "With you gone, the enthusiasm of the soldiers will decrease by half!"

Ying Wuji smiled and waved his hand, "I don't like to join in the fun, I'd rather spend time with my family."

Mi Xingli pursed her lips, knowing that he didn't want to form cliques and arouse suspicion. After all, his prestige in the entire Chu army had reached its peak, almost single-handedly holding off the armies of Qian and Qi.

As long as he was willing to maintain his position in the army and not directly participate in the reform, few people would be willing to oppose him, including the three families of Qu Jingzhao.

Not to mention anything else.

At the great morning court today, the generals of the three families of Qu Jingzhao were all very polite when they saw Ying Wuji.

There was even admiration in their eyes.

These people were all from noble families, and naturally, their families were quite wary of Ying Wuji.

But they were also human, and the commonality of all people in this world is to admire the strong.

And Ying Wuji was that strong person.

Even if their positions were different, they would still look favorably upon Ying Wuji, who had extended a helping hand to them.

But Ying Wuji just smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with them, looking as if he was being cautious.

Mi Xingli felt a bit complicated in her heart for a moment, but her smile did not diminish. She shook the wine bottle in her hand and said, "It's okay not to join in the fun, but we can't neglect this achievement. Today, I will accompany Brother Ying to celebrate with a drink!"

Ying Wuji curled his lips, "Did you hear that my mother roasted a leg of lamb again? Taking my family's wine and eating my family's leg of lamb, you really have the nerve."

"Thick-skinned and eloquent, aren't I?"

Mi Xingli walked over with a smile and took Ying Wuji's arm, then entered the General's Mansion.

Ying Wuji felt his arm sink into a softness, and subconsciously wanted to pull it out, but Mi Xingli held him tightly.

He turned his head to look, and happened to meet Mi Xingli's bright eyes.

Mi Xingli tilted her head and smiled, "Brother Ying! You've helped me a lot this time. Do you want any rewards? Whatever I can offer, I will definitely satisfy you~"

Before the reform, the three families of Qu Jingzhao were like three stubborn rocks.

The situation on the front line this time, although it did not lead to internal conflicts reaching the point of disintegration, it did create a crack.

This bottleneck of the reform had been broken through!

She was confident that she would complete the reform completely within three years.

Ying Wuji looked at her soft, shimmering eyes and couldn't help but smirk, "No need! The reform is also my ideal. If you really want to repay me, then be more ruthless, let the day of the successful reform come sooner, and I can become a rich man a few days earlier."

A hint of imperceptible disappointment flashed in Mi Xingli's eyes. Since coming to the Kingdom of Chu, the relationship between the two of them had remained very close, but it had become increasingly distant.

But her smile became even more charming, "I remember when you were in the Kingdom of Li, you said that you were just talking about the reform, why are you so enthusiastic now? Also... I've always wanted to ask you, I'm reforming to make the Kingdom of Chu stronger, what are you reforming for?"

Ying Wuji grinned, "To show off, of course! Look at Shang Jun's reform, he personally took action, leaving a glorious name for future generations, but he himself was divided into fifths. As for me, with you leading the way and taking the brunt, I am safe, and I can also enjoy a share of the glory. How great is that!"

Mi Xingli gave him a look, "Can you be serious?"

"Really serious?"

"Otherwise, could it be fake?"

"Then let me think..."

Ying Wuji thought for a moment and replied with a smile, "I hope that in this world... as long as the people are willing to work, they can all eat well and live happily. All the efforts in the world will receive the rewards they deserve, and all those who have a privileged background but do nothing will go eat shit."

Mi Xingli's eyes lit up, "Do you really think so?"

Ying Wuji curled his lips, "Isn't it obvious? Haven't you seen that I've always been a proud laborer!"

Mi Xingli thought for a moment, and it seemed to be true. No matter how high Ying Wuji's status was, he was actually working every day. He was the head craftsman of the Mohist Guild, a model teacher at the Great Li Academy, and he remained the same after coming to the Kingdom of Chu.

You might think he enjoys luxury... but he usually eats simple home-cooked meals, and he never thought about indulging in extravagance.

It was the first time she had heard Ying Wuji speak from the heart, and she felt a sense of self-reproach.

Although she also believed that the core of the reform was to open up channels from the bottom to the top and activate the vitality of the entire country.

But for her, this was just a means.

For Ying Wuji, it was the goal.

She couldn't help but smile and say, "Brother Ying, you are truly admirable. Today, you have to give me a chance to toast you with a hundred and eighty jars of wine, or I won't agree!"This was the first time Ying Wuji had heard her refer to herself in this way.

But it wasn't a small matter either...

...

In the following days, joy and sorrow varied among the nations under the heavens.

Upon hearing that the Kingdom Qian had withdrawn its troops, the Kingdom Qi also retreated at lightning speed. When they learned that Kingdom Qian was preparing to attack Han, they immediately turned around and stationed troops at the Qi-Yan border. Their strategy was simple: wherever Kingdom Qian thought there was an easy target, they would join in squeezing the same one.

As for Kingdom Qian, they showed no martial virtue.

They directly attacked Han, which had once participated in the encirclement and annihilation of the Li family and Qian's elite forces, with a fierce onslaught.

The cities of Han were not reinforced with concrete, and they were far inferior to the five western border cities of Chu.

Moreover, Ying Wuque was truly fierce. In just two months, he had taken seven cities, heading straight for the capital of Han.

Han had never seen such a force before; both civil and military officials were stunned. Internal strife was put aside as they desperately sought reinforcements from all over.

But Yan was engaged in battle with Qi.

The reforms in Wei were just beginning to show results. The Wei warriors were fierce, but since the reforms had just started and they faced the same financial shortages as Chu, their support was limited.

Ji Tong, the so-called ally, was even less reliable, as Wu Yan was in a period of economic recovery.

In the end.

No one expected.

It was Kingdom Li that extended a helping hand, lending a large sum of money and provisions to Han to hire Wei warriors. It took another two months, but they managed to halt Qian's offensive and forcibly recaptured five of the seven lost cities.

Ying Wuque wasn't unable to win, but deep in enemy territory, facing the strongest troops of both Wei and Han, not only was the frontline pressure immense, but logistical pressure also broke through the heavens. Coupled with the previous battle with Chu, which had already slightly damaged his essence, he had no choice but to retreat.

After all, the remaining two cities were close to Qian and not so easy to take down.

A small fly is still meat; it was at least something to report back to the nation.

As for Li.

After the ceasefire, they immediately sent Luo Ming as an envoy to the Han court to lobby for the reconstruction contract rights of the seven cities of Han.

The price was steep, not only putting financial strain on Han but also requiring them to mortgage a saltpeter mine and a mysterious iron mine.

So Luo Ming was initially met with a lot of abuse and accusations, but the near fall of Han's capital to Qian had left the officials trembling with fear, realizing that aside from military weakness, the biggest problem was the lack of sturdy city walls.

Thus...

The Yinshan Fortress and the five western border cities of Chu quickly became benchmarks.

After much debate in the court, under the strong support of Han You's faction, Han Zhe was forced to finalize this exorbitant order.

On the other hand.

Ying Wuque returned to the court with his troops. Although he had only taken two cities from Han, he was lavishly praised by Ying Yue in the court, proclaiming that with a son like this, the royal family could surely unify the world.

He was immediately rewarded with many heavenly materials and earthly treasures to aid in his cultivation.

And he was told to rest for a few days before going into seclusion to cultivate the divine ability of creating an external incarnation.

Such care.

Shocked the entire court.

A father's kindness and a son's filial piety.

Moved heaven and earth.

This also led to a surge of excitement throughout the court and the nation, despite the less than ideal outcome of the campaign.

...

Kingdom Chu.

Divine General's Mansion.

"This Lao Bideng... there's something off about him!"

Ying Wuji rubbed his cheeks, feeling a bit of a toothache. Bai Jie had been closely monitoring Lao Bideng's every move these days, and it was beyond abnormal.

Indeed, it could be described as a father's kindness and a son's filial piety.

But was Lao Bideng the type to be a kind father?

Moreover, this battle was merely a face-saving effort; in reality, they had lost everything but their underpants.

Wasn't he angry?

There must be a catch.

Ying Wuji shook his head and gently knocked on the door: "Sister Hua Chao?"

"Come in quickly!"

Hua Chao's voice was gentle.

Ying Wuji pushed the door open and found Hua Chao had already put down her brush. On the paper was a portrait of a fallen member of the Bai family. Although lifelike, it was still far from the masterful paintings of the past.

He smiled: "No worries, just practice slowly, no rush."

But Hua Chao didn't show any signs of defeat. Instead, she was somewhat excited: "Wuji! These days I've had some insights into the art of painting, and perhaps... I know what King Qian wants to do!"

Ying Wuji's eyes lit up: "What?"

Hua Chao took a deep breath and said word by word: "Possession!"

Ying Wuji: "!!!"