Yan Ge went to treat those affected by demonic possession while Huangfu Yuchen returned to the training ground to observe a few practice sessions, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultivators’ strength. Perhaps due to the resilience of the elite shadow guards themselves, their cultivation levels were the most stable among the ten thousand troops.
“Starting today, Cheng Jingfeng will be the leader, and Du Zhengfeng will be the deputy leader. The ten thousand ‘Jingxiu Guards’ will be under your full command,” Huangfu Yuchen said. “Those who will return to the mortal world can be summoned at any time, but remember not to reveal the identity of cultivators.”
“Yes! We understand, Your Majesty,” Cheng Jingfeng and Du Zhengfeng replied in unison.
Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Jun Xiang, and Lu Fei were stripped of their authority, but they remained calm. The Emperor and Huang Guiqing had mentioned before that the cultivation world respected the strong. Many cultivators had surpassed them in cultivation, and they found it difficult to manage these individuals. Losing their authority now could be seen as a fortunate turn of events.
At the entrance of the Tenglong Palace, the Minister of War was pacing anxiously. Although Prime Minister Wu stood at the side without moving, his expression was grave.
Seeing the carriage approach, the two hurriedly went up to meet it.
“We pay our respects to Your Majesty.”
“What’s the matter?” Huangfu Yuchen had already seen them through the curtain with his spiritual sense.
“Your Majesty, we’ve just received an urgent report. The southwest border has gone to war!”
Gao Feng and the others exchanged astonished glances.
Yan Ge’s pupils contracted slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
Huangfu Yuchen’s voice deepened, “Let’s go in and talk.”
“Yes.”
In the hall, Luo Wei handed the report to Deng Mande, delivering a clear and organized account, “Three days ago, General Wei Chi suddenly discovered significant movements among the garrison troops of the Youji Kingdom. He became suspicious and sent scouts to infiltrate Youji to investigate. It was confirmed that they were indeed mobilizing troops, so he immediately prepared our forces and secretly made defensive arrangements. The next day, before dawn, the Youji Kingdom’s fifty thousand troops launched a surprise attack, and the war began. At the time the report was sent out, both sides were engaged in fierce battle, and there are no further updates.”
Jiang Gan said, “Your Majesty, I find this matter rather suspicious. The King of Youji has always avoided conflict and maintained good relations with neighboring kingdoms. First, they lack the economic and military strength compared to us. Provoking us is tantamount to seeking death, and the King of Youji cannot be unaware of this.”
“Prime Minister Wu, now is not the time to find reasons,” Luo Wei said in a hurry. The Great Han Kingdom had not engaged in a war with anyone for many years, and as the Minister of War, he was anxious.
Jiang Gan glanced at him but didn’t say anything, then looked back at the Emperor.
Yan Ge remained silent; military affairs were not his area of expertise, so he listened quietly.
Huangfu Yuchen tapped his fingers silently on the table. His brows furrowed as he pondered, “This matter is indeed strange. Is our army’s food and supplies sufficient?”
Luo Wei replied, “We can sustain for half a month.”
“If they want war, we’ll give them war,” Huangfu Yuchen said, “Issue the decree to immediately gather supplies from the nearest Chanzhou and Mianzhou and be ready to send them to the border at any time. Furthermore, dispatch someone to investigate the reason why Youji Kingdom started a war. Once there’s any further information, report back immediately!”
“Yes!”
After Jiang Gan and Luo Wei left, Yan Ge approached Huangfu Yuchen, “Yuchen, I’ll go to the southwest.”
Huangfu Yuchen looked at his bright eyes and expectant expression, and sighed softly, “Alright.”
He couldn’t refuse; both he and Xiao Ge had just advanced to a new realm and needed to consolidate their cultivation. Besides, the situations with the Mei Kingdom’s defeat and Youji Kingdom’s war were quite suspicious. He had a faint sense of conspiracy and needed to stay in the capital to oversee the overall situation. This time, even if he didn’t want to, he had to temporarily separate from his beloved.
Yan Ge didn’t expect Huangfu Yuchen to agree so readily. He didn’t care about Yunxi and Yan Yin being there and hugged his lover’s neck, kissing him on the lips, “I’ll be careful.”
“Hmm,” Huangfu Yuchen took a jade slip from his storage ring and handed it to Yan Ge, “In case you encounter any trouble you can’t deal with, contact me.” He infused his spiritual sense into the jade slip, allowing him to sense Yan Ge’s distress when he crushes it.
“I understand. I’ll leave now. I’ll be bringing Gao Feng and the others along, so don’t worry. Little Jin, let’s go.”
“Father…” Huangfu Yunxi watched Yan Ge and Yan Jin’s figures disappear at the door and knelt down, “Reporting to Father Emperor, this son also wants to go along.”
Huangfu Yuchen looked at him approvingly, “Even if you didn’t ask, I intended for you to go.”
Yunxi was overjoyed, “Thank you, Father Emperor!”
Huangfu Yuchen didn’t immediately ask him to rise, “But remember, I’m letting you go, not for you to show off or act recklessly.”
“This son understands, Father Emperor. You want me to personally experience everything on the battlefield: the cruelty, the glory, the good, and the evil. Only by doing so will I truly comprehend my current position and future responsibilities.”
“Good,” Huangfu Yuchen said with satisfaction, walking up to his son and lightly patting his head. “You truly are my son. Go.”
Having received his father’s approval and affectionate gesture, Huangfu Yunxi’s voice became even more resolute, “Yes!”
After Huangfu Yunxi left, Huangfu Yuchen sat quietly behind his desk for a moment before communicating with Cheng Jingfeng at the base, “The southwest border has gone to war. Inform all those currently wandering outside the capital to avoid the southwest region. The Jingxiu Guards are our secret weapon and should not be revealed unless absolutely necessary.”
“This subordinate understands, Your Majesty. Please rest assured.”
Huangfu Yunxi returned to the Crown Prince’s Palace and instructed his attendants to pack his belongings. When the Empress heard the news, she hurriedly rode in a phoenix carriage to see him, “My child, I heard you plan to accompany Huang Guiqing to the southwest border?”
“Yes, Mother,” Huangfu Yunxi didn’t even turn around and continued instructing the maids, “We don’t need to bring too many clothes, just two or three sets.”
“Xi’Er!” The Empress’ expression turned slightly grave, “I won’t allow you to go. You are the Crown Prince; how can you put yourself in danger?”
“Mother, Father has already agreed,” Huangfu Yunxi said helplessly, supporting the Empress to sit down, “Mother, this is a rare opportunity. Second Master’s martial skills are exceptional, and he will protect me. Please rest assured.”
The Empress frowned, “How could your father agree…?” Huangfu Yunxi was not only her beloved son but also the only heir to the throne. She couldn’t believe that the Emperor would allow Huangfu Yunxi to take such a risk. If anything happened to him, there would be chaos in the empire since Huangfu Yuchen had no other heirs.
“Mother,” Huangfu Yunxi held her hand, looking straight into her eyes, “You know in your heart that I must do this. Just like what Father could do back then, I can do it too.”
The Empress looked at him, feeling somewhat lost. How could she not know about the Emperor’s past military campaigns? The Crown Prince was becoming more and more like the Emperor. Very well, since he was the Crown Prince, he had to grow up.
With this in mind, a relieved expression appeared on her face, and she kindly asked, “How is the packing coming along? Can Mother help you?”
Huangfu Yunxi smiled at her and looked back, “It’s almost done. I don’t need to bring much.”
Not long after, a small team galloped out of the imperial palace. This was Yan Ge’s group. They were mainly going to assess the situation, so there were only seven of them: Yan Ge, Yan Jin, Huangfu Yunxi, Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Lu Fei, and Jun Xiang. They were all in disguise, and a smaller group was advantageous.
Outside the capital and while riding at full speed, Yan Ge instructed Gao Feng and the others, “Remember, from now on, your mission is to protect the Young Master. No matter what happens, there should be at least one person by his side.”
“Yes!”
Yan Ge then looked at Huangfu Yunxi, “Yunxi, remember, this time is just for you to observe. Don’t try to be too brave or take the lead.”
“Yes, Second Master.”
Still feeling worried, Yan Ge took off the Zhantian Vine from his head and instructed it: “From now on, your mission is to protect Yunxi.”
The Zhantian vine nodded its “head” and floated over to Huangfu YunXi, landing on his head.
“Thank you, Second Master,” Huangfu Yunxi touched the Zhan Tian Vine, and felt his anxious heart settle down.
They were all cultivators (though Yan Jin was not a cultivator, he still cultivated). Their physical strength and endurance were extraordinary. Along the way, they rarely stopped except to let the horses rest. After a few days, they arrived at the southwest border.
About three or four miles away, they could already see the distant black military tents. That was the encampment of the Great Han Kingdom’s garrison troops.
“Young Master, we’re almost there,” Gao Yun said.
Yan Ge reined in his horse, looking at Huangfu Yunxi, “Yunxi, lead them over.”
He intended to test Huangfu Yunxi and give him the chance to take charge.
Yunxi understood Yan Ge’s intentions and nodded. “Second Master, aren’t you coming with us?”
Yan Ge smiled faintly, “I have other plans. You don’t need to worry about me. Little Jin, you go with Yunxi too.”
With the addition of Zhantian Vine and Yan Jin, Yunxi’s safety was pretty much ensured.
“Yes.”
Yan Ge watched them depart and smoothly entered the base. He then turned his horse around and galloped in another direction.
On entering a forest, Yan Ge stopped his horse and jumped onto the tallest tree to look into the distance.
About two to three miles away from the Great Han Kingdom’s garrison was Youji Kingdom’s camp. Both sides were on flat ground, allowing them to observe each other’s movements clearly.
It was mealtime, and the enemy’s soldiers and horses were outside. Yan Ge made a rough estimation; there were about forty thousand troops from Youji Kingdom and around thirty thousand from the Great Han Kingdom.
Yan Ge went to treat those affected by demonic possession while Huangfu Yuchen returned to the training ground to observe a few practice sessions, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultivators’ strength. Perhaps due to the resilience of the elite shadow guards themselves, their cultivation levels were the most stable among the ten thousand troops.
“Starting today, Cheng Jingfeng will be the leader, and Du Zhengfeng will be the deputy leader. The ten thousand ‘Jingxiu Guards’ will be under your full command,” Huangfu Yuchen said. “Those who will return to the mortal world can be summoned at any time, but remember not to reveal the identity of cultivators.”
“Yes! We understand, Your Majesty,” Cheng Jingfeng and Du Zhengfeng replied in unison.
Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Jun Xiang, and Lu Fei were stripped of their authority, but they remained calm. The Emperor and Huang Guiqing had mentioned before that the cultivation world respected the strong. Many cultivators had surpassed them in cultivation, and they found it difficult to manage these individuals. Losing their authority now could be seen as a fortunate turn of events.
At the entrance of the Tenglong Palace, the Minister of War was pacing anxiously. Although Prime Minister Wu stood at the side without moving, his expression was grave.
Seeing the carriage approach, the two hurriedly went up to meet it.
“We pay our respects to Your Majesty.”
“What’s the matter?” Huangfu Yuchen had already seen them through the curtain with his spiritual sense.
“Your Majesty, we’ve just received an urgent report. The southwest border has gone to war!”
Gao Feng and the others exchanged astonished glances.
Yan Ge’s pupils contracted slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
Huangfu Yuchen’s voice deepened, “Let’s go in and talk.”
“Yes.”
In the hall, Luo Wei handed the report to Deng Mande, delivering a clear and organized account, “Three days ago, General Wei Chi suddenly discovered significant movements among the garrison troops of the Youji Kingdom. He became suspicious and sent scouts to infiltrate Youji to investigate. It was confirmed that they were indeed mobilizing troops, so he immediately prepared our forces and secretly made defensive arrangements. The next day, before dawn, the Youji Kingdom’s fifty thousand troops launched a surprise attack, and the war began. At the time the report was sent out, both sides were engaged in fierce battle, and there are no further updates.”
Jiang Gan said, “Your Majesty, I find this matter rather suspicious. The King of Youji has always avoided conflict and maintained good relations with neighboring kingdoms. First, they lack the economic and military strength compared to us. Provoking us is tantamount to seeking death, and the King of Youji cannot be unaware of this.”
“Prime Minister Wu, now is not the time to find reasons,” Luo Wei said in a hurry. The Great Han Kingdom had not engaged in a war with anyone for many years, and as the Minister of War, he was anxious.
Jiang Gan glanced at him but didn’t say anything, then looked back at the Emperor.
Yan Ge remained silent; military affairs were not his area of expertise, so he listened quietly.
Huangfu Yuchen tapped his fingers silently on the table. His brows furrowed as he pondered, “This matter is indeed strange. Is our army’s food and supplies sufficient?”
Luo Wei replied, “We can sustain for half a month.”
“If they want war, we’ll give them war,” Huangfu Yuchen said, “Issue the decree to immediately gather supplies from the nearest Chanzhou and Mianzhou and be ready to send them to the border at any time. Furthermore, dispatch someone to investigate the reason why Youji Kingdom started a war. Once there’s any further information, report back immediately!”
“Yes!”
After Jiang Gan and Luo Wei left, Yan Ge approached Huangfu Yuchen, “Yuchen, I’ll go to the southwest.”
Huangfu Yuchen looked at his bright eyes and expectant expression, and sighed softly, “Alright.”
He couldn’t refuse; both he and Xiao Ge had just advanced to a new realm and needed to consolidate their cultivation. Besides, the situations with the Mei Kingdom’s defeat and Youji Kingdom’s war were quite suspicious. He had a faint sense of conspiracy and needed to stay in the capital to oversee the overall situation. This time, even if he didn’t want to, he had to temporarily separate from his beloved.
Yan Ge didn’t expect Huangfu Yuchen to agree so readily. He didn’t care about Yunxi and Yan Yin being there and hugged his lover’s neck, kissing him on the lips, “I’ll be careful.”
“Hmm,” Huangfu Yuchen took a jade slip from his storage ring and handed it to Yan Ge, “In case you encounter any trouble you can’t deal with, contact me.” He infused his spiritual sense into the jade slip, allowing him to sense Yan Ge’s distress when he crushes it.
“I understand. I’ll leave now. I’ll be bringing Gao Feng and the others along, so don’t worry. Little Jin, let’s go.”
“Father…” Huangfu Yunxi watched Yan Ge and Yan Jin’s figures disappear at the door and knelt down, “Reporting to Father Emperor, this son also wants to go along.”
Huangfu Yuchen looked at him approvingly, “Even if you didn’t ask, I intended for you to go.”
Yunxi was overjoyed, “Thank you, Father Emperor!”
Huangfu Yuchen didn’t immediately ask him to rise, “But remember, I’m letting you go, not for you to show off or act recklessly.”
“This son understands, Father Emperor. You want me to personally experience everything on the battlefield: the cruelty, the glory, the good, and the evil. Only by doing so will I truly comprehend my current position and future responsibilities.”
“Good,” Huangfu Yuchen said with satisfaction, walking up to his son and lightly patting his head. “You truly are my son. Go.”
Having received his father’s approval and affectionate gesture, Huangfu Yunxi’s voice became even more resolute, “Yes!”
After Huangfu Yunxi left, Huangfu Yuchen sat quietly behind his desk for a moment before communicating with Cheng Jingfeng at the base, “The southwest border has gone to war. Inform all those currently wandering outside the capital to avoid the southwest region. The Jingxiu Guards are our secret weapon and should not be revealed unless absolutely necessary.”
“This subordinate understands, Your Majesty. Please rest assured.”
Huangfu Yunxi returned to the Crown Prince’s Palace and instructed his attendants to pack his belongings. When the Empress heard the news, she hurriedly rode in a phoenix carriage to see him, “My child, I heard you plan to accompany Huang Guiqing to the southwest border?”
“Yes, Mother,” Huangfu Yunxi didn’t even turn around and continued instructing the maids, “We don’t need to bring too many clothes, just two or three sets.”
“Xi’Er!” The Empress’ expression turned slightly grave, “I won’t allow you to go. You are the Crown Prince; how can you put yourself in danger?”
“Mother, Father has already agreed,” Huangfu Yunxi said helplessly, supporting the Empress to sit down, “Mother, this is a rare opportunity. Second Master’s martial skills are exceptional, and he will protect me. Please rest assured.”
The Empress frowned, “How could your father agree…?” Huangfu Yunxi was not only her beloved son but also the only heir to the throne. She couldn’t believe that the Emperor would allow Huangfu Yunxi to take such a risk. If anything happened to him, there would be chaos in the empire since Huangfu Yuchen had no other heirs.
“Mother,” Huangfu Yunxi held her hand, looking straight into her eyes, “You know in your heart that I must do this. Just like what Father could do back then, I can do it too.”
The Empress looked at him, feeling somewhat lost. How could she not know about the Emperor’s past military campaigns? The Crown Prince was becoming more and more like the Emperor. Very well, since he was the Crown Prince, he had to grow up.
With this in mind, a relieved expression appeared on her face, and she kindly asked, “How is the packing coming along? Can Mother help you?”
Huangfu Yunxi smiled at her and looked back, “It’s almost done. I don’t need to bring much.”
Not long after, a small team galloped out of the imperial palace. This was Yan Ge’s group. They were mainly going to assess the situation, so there were only seven of them: Yan Ge, Yan Jin, Huangfu Yunxi, Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Lu Fei, and Jun Xiang. They were all in disguise, and a smaller group was advantageous.
Outside the capital and while riding at full speed, Yan Ge instructed Gao Feng and the others, “Remember, from now on, your mission is to protect the Young Master. No matter what happens, there should be at least one person by his side.”
“Yes!”
Yan Ge then looked at Huangfu Yunxi, “Yunxi, remember, this time is just for you to observe. Don’t try to be too brave or take the lead.”
“Yes, Second Master.”
Still feeling worried, Yan Ge took off the Zhantian Vine from his head and instructed it: “From now on, your mission is to protect Yunxi.”
The Zhantian vine nodded its “head” and floated over to Huangfu YunXi, landing on his head.
“Thank you, Second Master,” Huangfu Yunxi touched the Zhan Tian Vine, and felt his anxious heart settle down.
They were all cultivators (though Yan Jin was not a cultivator, he still cultivated). Their physical strength and endurance were extraordinary. Along the way, they rarely stopped except to let the horses rest. After a few days, they arrived at the southwest border.
About three or four miles away, they could already see the distant black military tents. That was the encampment of the Great Han Kingdom’s garrison troops.
“Young Master, we’re almost there,” Gao Yun said.
Yan Ge reined in his horse, looking at Huangfu Yunxi, “Yunxi, lead them over.”
He intended to test Huangfu Yunxi and give him the chance to take charge.
Yunxi understood Yan Ge’s intentions and nodded. “Second Master, aren’t you coming with us?”
Yan Ge smiled faintly, “I have other plans. You don’t need to worry about me. Little Jin, you go with Yunxi too.”
With the addition of Zhantian Vine and Yan Jin, Yunxi’s safety was pretty much ensured.
“Yes.”
Yan Ge watched them depart and smoothly entered the base. He then turned his horse around and galloped in another direction.
On entering a forest, Yan Ge stopped his horse and jumped onto the tallest tree to look into the distance.
About two to three miles away from the Great Han Kingdom’s garrison was Youji Kingdom’s camp. Both sides were on flat ground, allowing them to observe each other’s movements clearly.
It was mealtime, and the enemy’s soldiers and horses were outside. Yan Ge made a rough estimation; there were about forty thousand troops from Youji Kingdom and around thirty thousand from the Great Han Kingdom.
