"Even so, does it have to take ten years?"
Chen Zheng seemed a bit speechless.
"Well, there's no other way."
Chen An suddenly smiled, "If Your Majesty insists on sending me out, the only way I can ensure victory is through this stupid method."
"I'm not good at military affairs, Your Majesty should find someone else."
Just kidding.
I've barely survived on the front lines, and now you're trying to send me back.
I can't bear it.
Chen An had had enough of military camp life and did not want to continue living that way.
In order to practice in peace, even if he had a certainty, he now had to pretend like he didn't.
"Your Majesty must know deep down that I am not suitable to be the commander in this battle."
Chen An smiled, "My lack of knowledge is one thing, but the opinions of the court and officials are another."
"In the current situation, if Your Majesty dismisses me and appoints a new commander, all the accusations will disappear."
"But if Your Majesty insists on using me, the results afterward will be irreversible."
Yes, the pressure coming from all sides is already so great.
If Chen An truly remained as the commander, the situation would likely be even more severe.
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Chen Zheng felt a chill down his spine and eventually dismissed his thoughts.
"Alright."
He sighed, "But this way, it's really unfair to you, Chang'an."
"Not unfair, not unfair."
Chen An hurriedly replied.
As long as you don't send me back to the front lines, then everything is fine.
It doesn't matter if I feel wronged, I can bear a little discomfort.
With the general idea settled, the atmosphere at the dining table seemed to relax significantly.
That night, Chen Zheng returned home drunk and was escorted by Queen Hua.
Even Chen An, who never drank, was forced to drink a few glasses.
Fortunately, although he didn't like drinking, he had a good tolerance and could handle a few glasses as if nothing had happened.
Watching Chen Zheng being supported by Queen Hua, Chen An shook his head and then left.
In the following days, discussions were everywhere.
The officials were shocked to find that the palace gates, which had been sealed off by Chen Zheng himself, were open again.
Just as the officials were feeling relieved, thinking that their actions had finally moved the Emperor and were preparing to discuss and impeach Duke Chen, they were surprised to find that a handsome young man, who seemed quite young, had appeared by Chen Zheng's side.
Could he be a new attendant appointed by His Majesty?
I haven't seen him before.
Many people were whispering to each other.
When they took a closer look, many of them were stunned.
Wow, isn't this Duke Chen?!
The target they had been impeaching for so long had suddenly appeared in front of them in good condition.
The scene fell into silence for a moment.
The officials stared at Chen An, not knowing what to say.
Should they continue impeaching?
It seemed inappropriate.
If he was already back, it was likely that he had been summoned by the Emperor.
Should they impeach him in his presence?
Maybe that would be okay.
To Chen An's surprise, quite a few people directly accused him of colluding with foreign enemies and attempting to rebel in front of him.
Even Chen An himself couldn't help but think about it.
Am I really planning a rebellion?
Listening to various interpretations of his past actions by many officials, he began to doubt himself.
And that was that.
In front of Chen An, all those who dared to speak up were immediately silenced by Chen Zheng.
No one was spared from punishment.
The situation lasted for almost half a month before finally calming down.
Only then did the exact information spread.
Duke Chen, who had been in charge of guarding the southern front, was relieved of his duties and returned to Shengjing. From the surface, he had been stripped of all his titles and duties, leaving him with nothing, as if everything had gone back to before.
And taking Duke Chen's place as the commander of the southern front was Duke Jianguo, who had been idle for many years.
When the news came out, even Chen An's previous opponents couldn't help but look at each other in shock.
The King Tai and Liu Sheng stared at each other in disbelief, not knowing what to say.
This script doesn't seem right.
They were prepared for him to come over, but how did he suddenly leave!
Even if he left, do you know how much we sacrificed to wait for you to come?
The military was mobilized in secret, and the military camps in various places were delayed, but they waited for several months and still got no results.
That was a big loss.
"Duke Chen is indeed Duke Chen. In order to avoid being manipulated by us, he went to such lengths."
Liu Sheng sighed, admiring Chen An's performance once again, "In this way, the pressure on the Great Huadai court is relieved, and the soldiers on the front line can continue to maintain their positions without being affected."
"It's a win-win situation."
"It's a pity for Duke Chen, he was so loyal, but he ended up in such a situation."
While admiring him, he also felt sorry for him.
Chen An was satisfied with being stripped of all his titles and duties, and this was what he had requested himself, as a way to stabilize the hearts of the people in court.
But in the eyes of Liu Sheng and others, it was clearly being snubbed.
Despite all the efforts and sacrifices to maintain the overall situation, the final result was being treated this way.
"It's a pity."
King Tai also lamented, "We can only blame him for choosing the wrong master."
"If he had been willing to follow me from the beginning, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation."
I seem to recall that he initially wanted to follow you, but you forced him to leave.
Liu Sheng looked at King Tai and silently criticized him.
Of course, he did not say this out loud.
After all, they were still allies, and it was necessary to maintain a certain level of courtesy.
They couldn't afford to ruin their relationship.
"The new commander is Duke Jianguo."
Liu Sheng continued, "I wonder if Your Highness has any plans to deal with him?"
After getting rid of the troublesome Duke Chen, Duke Jianguo took his place.
But Duke Jianguo was not easy to deal with. In terms of experience, he was much stronger than Duke Chen, having led many successful military campaigns in the past.
He was a tough opponent, not as difficult to handle as Chen An, but still not someone to be underestimated.
Their problems remained challenging.
"Lord Liu, have no fear."
Contrary to Liu Sheng's concerns, King Tai appeared confident and wore a self-satisfied smile on his face, "If it were someone else, perhaps I wouldn't have a good solution."
"But with Duke Jianguo, there's nothing to worry about."
"How would you like to deal with it, Your Highness?"
Liu Sheng asked curiously.
However, King Tai just smiled and didn't answer the question.
Time continued to pass gradually.
Soon, more than a year had passed.
As expected, Chen An had successfully spent over a year living a carefree life in his mansion.
Compared to before, these days were quite relaxing. He either focused on practicing, studying martial arts, or traveling with the Fourth Princess.
The situation outside had nothing to do with him.
During this break, Chen An even took the time to visit a few places he had previously visited, hoping to reap some benefits.
Unfortunately, perhaps the time was not long enough, the spiritual energy in those places had somewhat recovered, but overall, it had not reached the previous levels.
As a result, he had to reluctantly give up and wait for another opportunity.
Time continued to pass slowly.
Just when Chen An thought that this kind of life would continue indefinitely, shocking news arrived.
The front lines had collapsed, Duke Jianguo had been defeated by King Tai, and the army was defeated.
Most of Meizhou had fallen, with the defenses that Chen An had perfected over the years being breached, almost leading to a complete collapse.
The main reason for this major defeat seemed to be Duke Jianguo's rush for success, leading to reckless advances.
It was truly frustrating.
Not surprisingly, with this turn of events, the court and the officials were in an uproar.
Under the circumstances, Chen Zheng personally ordered Chen An to dismiss all opinions and return to the front lines.
Chen An's good days were declared over once again.
Just half a month later, he set off again, heading to the front lines.
This time, when Chen An set off again, there were no other voices to object.
Impeaching Chen An for planning a rebellion?
Just a joke.
In this situation, Chen An didn't even need to do anything. As long as King Tai broke through the Meizhou front line, the entire Great Hua Dynasty would have to change leaders.
With such a huge threat, all other issues could be put aside.
In March, Duke Chen arrived at the front lines and faced off against King Tai with his army.
The following year, the two armies were at a standstill, with victories and losses on both sides, but King Tai's army was ultimately held back.
In the third year, a rebellion broke out in several counties in Great Song.
Helplessly, Liu Sheng had to lead his main army back to Great Song.
In the fourth year, the Emperor of Great Song died of illness, leading to turmoil in the court.
King Tai's forces were also affected and suffered greatly.
"It seems that wherever you go, you can't escape having unreliable allies."
Inside the camp, Chen An looked at the message he had just received and couldn't help but feel emotional.
He was somewhat gloating.
Not only had he been impeached by many people before, causing him a lot of pressure, but now it seemed that things wouldn't be easy for Liu Sheng either.
After all, if you calculated it seriously, he and King Tai had been on the move for eight years now.
Eight years, with a thirty thousand-strong army constantly on the move, the pressure they faced was undeniable.
Great Song's treasury was probably depleted long ago.
The losses were so enormous that even the land they initially occupied was not enough to compensate for such huge losses.
With the army stationed outside for so long, the internal affairs had been neglected, leading to simultaneous rebellions in several places.
The outcome was quite amusing.
Now, even Liu Sheng's biggest backer, the Emperor of Great Song himself, had fallen.
The situation seemed quite sad no matter how you looked at it.
Chen An couldn't help but chuckle just thinking about it.
He had experienced pressure and accusations from many, but now it seemed that even Liu Sheng was in for a tough time.
After all, after eight years of mobilization with King Tai, the pressure and strain were evident.
The Great Song royal treasury was likely depleted by now.
The losses were immense and the gains were few.
The army had been on the move for so long that internal unrest had emerged in several regions simultaneously.
The situation was quite ironic.
Now even Liu Sheng's biggest support, the Emperor of Great Song, had fallen.
The situation was indeed difficult.
Chen An couldn't help but smile as he received the news.
"Chang'an, is it time?"
On the side, Liu Chu's voice came over, his face looking particularly excited.
Several years had passed, and he now appeared much more mature.
The long years in the military camp had turned him into a cautious general.
Perhaps it was because he had been following Chen An for so long, but now he had some of Chen An's style in his actions, which many people secretly criticized.
But no matter how cautious he was, looking at the current situation, he couldn't help but feel excited.
There was no way not to be excited.
After all, the current situation looked very promising.
The hope of victory seemed within reach.
"Let's wait a little longer."
Chen An glanced at him and then smiled, "It's them who can't hold on first, not us who need to rush."
"Let's wait a bit longer and see how long they can hold out."
"Yes."
Liu Chu nodded and went down excitedly.
Although Chen An said so, from his gaze, it seemed that the time for a direct counterattack was not far away.
Just a little more time, and they might end this battle.
No one could contain their excitement about this.
In the following half year, the army continued to advance.
Great Hua gradually reclaimed the lost lands, meanwhile clearing out any hidden dangers.
For the local bigwigs who had sided with King Tai, Chen An showed no mercy. He sent them all to the battlefield to serve as cannon fodder or sent them back to Chen Zheng.
And once these people ended up in the hands of Chen Zheng, the result was clear.
Their simple deaths were inevitable; the only worry was dying a terrible death.
But this was not something Chen An could care about.
Everything continued to move forward steadily.
Victory seemed within reach.
However, past experiences told everyone that the closer they were to victory, the easier it was to encounter danger.
Many people fell before dawn.
Chen An had also had such a lesson once.
The battlefields were cleared.
Pure profound ice energy swept across the land, freezing everything around the battlefield.
The powerful energy killed countless soldiers in an instant.
Life-like statues were scattered in front of them.
Of course, in a sense, they were still alive; many of them had not yet taken their last breath.
Chen An stood on the battlefield, looking ahead with interest.
"Is this a bait after all?"
He looked ahead.
There stood a somewhat familiar figure, who had now stood there for nearly ten years. The loyal and brave Yang Zhong once again stood before Chen An.
He looked a bit more aged than before, but his body was still strong and powerful. Holding dual blades, he exuded a sharp profound energy.
Beside him stood another old man.
Dressed in a purple robe, with a kind face, he appeared compassionate. However, he emitted an extremely cold profound ice energy.
The nature of his energy was exactly the same as the one on Chen An's body.
"This person must be Zhao Yong, the head of the Song royal family."
Chen An shifted his gaze to the old man and spoke softly.
"Yes."
Zhao Yong smiled kindly, but the profound ice energy on him seemed particularly cold, "I didn't expect Duke Chen to know me."
"Zhao Gong is renowned; Chang'an has heard of you in Great Hua."
Chen An chuckled, "But with Zhao Gong and the loyal and brave you, it seems that you still can't take me down."
With that, his body exuded a cold profound ice energy, spreading all around, making it impossible for the soldiers nearby to get close, they could only watch from afar.
Whether Zhao Yong or Yang Zhong in front of him, they were both experts in profound energy, making it not easy for Chen An to defeat them even in a one-on-one battle.
But if he really wanted to leave, these two also couldn't do anything to him.
After all these years, Chen An had not been idle.
For ten years, he had been practicing diligently. Although he had not reached the third level of profound transformation, he was very close to that level, essentially only one step away.
With his strength, Zhao Yong and Yang Zhong could defeat him, but it was not easy to take him down.
"Just the two of us naturally won't be enough."
Zhao Yong maintained a smile, "But what if there is a third person?"
Bang!
A muffled sound came from a distance.
In Chen An's somewhat surprised eyes, an old man rushed out from behind and directly stepped in front of him.
He was a lean and stern-faced old man with a stern look and brown eyes, looking very dignified.
However, looking at this old man, many people were stunned.
"Duke Jianguo?"
Chen An was surprised, "It's you?"
Surprised, he also felt relieved.
No wonder his actions this time had been known to King Tai's side, and they had specifically set up traps for him to fall into.
It seemed that there was a traitor on their side.
And a high-ranking one at that.
Duke Jianguo had been the commander of the army before. Despite the defeat, Chen Zheng had not done anything to him and had instead ordered him to serve under Chen An.
But no matter what, this Duke Jianguo was also a high-ranking member of the army.
This Duke Jianguo was well aware of all the arrangements Chen An had made this time.
Given this, it was not surprising.
"No wonder."
Chen An felt relieved and couldn't help but sigh, "I knew it. Even though I had revised the army, why did things turn out this way?"
"It's all because of Duke Jianguo."
Yes, even their own commander was a traitor. How could they not lose the war?
Even if they wanted to avoid defeat, it was not possible.
"But the only thing I don't understand is, why did you do this, Duke Jianguo?"
Chen An continued, puzzled, "The Emperor doesn't seem to be too harsh on you, does he?"
From the current situation, it was clear that King Tai was showing weakness while Great Hua was showing strength.
In this situation, did it make sense for Duke Jianguo to do this for King Tai?
He was already a high-ranking Duke in Great Hua, a highly respected figure in the inner court. Taking another step would only be that, was it worth taking such a big risk?
"Lu Yu is dead."
Duke Jianguo looked at Chen An with his usual cold look and said calmly, "He was my only son."
Chen An suddenly realized.
"Even so, does it have to take ten years?"
Chen Zheng seemed a bit speechless.
"Well, there's no other way."
Chen An suddenly smiled, "If Your Majesty insists on sending me out, the only way I can ensure victory is through this stupid method."
"I'm not good at military affairs, Your Majesty should find someone else."
Just kidding.
I've barely survived on the front lines, and now you're trying to send me back.
I can't bear it.
Chen An had had enough of military camp life and did not want to continue living that way.
In order to practice in peace, even if he had a certainty, he now had to pretend like he didn't.
"Your Majesty must know deep down that I am not suitable to be the commander in this battle."
Chen An smiled, "My lack of knowledge is one thing, but the opinions of the court and officials are another."
"In the current situation, if Your Majesty dismisses me and appoints a new commander, all the accusations will disappear."
"But if Your Majesty insists on using me, the results afterward will be irreversible."
Yes, the pressure coming from all sides is already so great.
If Chen An truly remained as the commander, the situation would likely be even more severe.
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Chen Zheng felt a chill down his spine and eventually dismissed his thoughts.
"Alright."
He sighed, "But this way, it's really unfair to you, Chang'an."
"Not unfair, not unfair."
Chen An hurriedly replied.
As long as you don't send me back to the front lines, then everything is fine.
It doesn't matter if I feel wronged, I can bear a little discomfort.
With the general idea settled, the atmosphere at the dining table seemed to relax significantly.
That night, Chen Zheng returned home drunk and was escorted by Queen Hua.
Even Chen An, who never drank, was forced to drink a few glasses.
Fortunately, although he didn't like drinking, he had a good tolerance and could handle a few glasses as if nothing had happened.
Watching Chen Zheng being supported by Queen Hua, Chen An shook his head and then left.
In the following days, discussions were everywhere.
The officials were shocked to find that the palace gates, which had been sealed off by Chen Zheng himself, were open again.
Just as the officials were feeling relieved, thinking that their actions had finally moved the Emperor and were preparing to discuss and impeach Duke Chen, they were surprised to find that a handsome young man, who seemed quite young, had appeared by Chen Zheng's side.
Could he be a new attendant appointed by His Majesty?
I haven't seen him before.
Many people were whispering to each other.
When they took a closer look, many of them were stunned.
Wow, isn't this Duke Chen?!
The target they had been impeaching for so long had suddenly appeared in front of them in good condition.
The scene fell into silence for a moment.
The officials stared at Chen An, not knowing what to say.
Should they continue impeaching?
It seemed inappropriate.
If he was already back, it was likely that he had been summoned by the Emperor.
Should they impeach him in his presence?
Maybe that would be okay.
To Chen An's surprise, quite a few people directly accused him of colluding with foreign enemies and attempting to rebel in front of him.
Even Chen An himself couldn't help but think about it.
Am I really planning a rebellion?
Listening to various interpretations of his past actions by many officials, he began to doubt himself.
And that was that.
In front of Chen An, all those who dared to speak up were immediately silenced by Chen Zheng.
No one was spared from punishment.
The situation lasted for almost half a month before finally calming down.
Only then did the exact information spread.
Duke Chen, who had been in charge of guarding the southern front, was relieved of his duties and returned to Shengjing. From the surface, he had been stripped of all his titles and duties, leaving him with nothing, as if everything had gone back to before.
And taking Duke Chen's place as the commander of the southern front was Duke Jianguo, who had been idle for many years.
When the news came out, even Chen An's previous opponents couldn't help but look at each other in shock.
The King Tai and Liu Sheng stared at each other in disbelief, not knowing what to say.
This script doesn't seem right.
They were prepared for him to come over, but how did he suddenly leave!
Even if he left, do you know how much we sacrificed to wait for you to come?
The military was mobilized in secret, and the military camps in various places were delayed, but they waited for several months and still got no results.
That was a big loss.
"Duke Chen is indeed Duke Chen. In order to avoid being manipulated by us, he went to such lengths."
Liu Sheng sighed, admiring Chen An's performance once again, "In this way, the pressure on the Great Huadai court is relieved, and the soldiers on the front line can continue to maintain their positions without being affected."
"It's a win-win situation."
"It's a pity for Duke Chen, he was so loyal, but he ended up in such a situation."
While admiring him, he also felt sorry for him.
Chen An was satisfied with being stripped of all his titles and duties, and this was what he had requested himself, as a way to stabilize the hearts of the people in court.
But in the eyes of Liu Sheng and others, it was clearly being snubbed.
Despite all the efforts and sacrifices to maintain the overall situation, the final result was being treated this way.
"It's a pity."
King Tai also lamented, "We can only blame him for choosing the wrong master."
"If he had been willing to follow me from the beginning, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation."
I seem to recall that he initially wanted to follow you, but you forced him to leave.
Liu Sheng looked at King Tai and silently criticized him.
Of course, he did not say this out loud.
After all, they were still allies, and it was necessary to maintain a certain level of courtesy.
They couldn't afford to ruin their relationship.
"The new commander is Duke Jianguo."
Liu Sheng continued, "I wonder if Your Highness has any plans to deal with him?"
After getting rid of the troublesome Duke Chen, Duke Jianguo took his place.
But Duke Jianguo was not easy to deal with. In terms of experience, he was much stronger than Duke Chen, having led many successful military campaigns in the past.
He was a tough opponent, not as difficult to handle as Chen An, but still not someone to be underestimated.
Their problems remained challenging.
"Lord Liu, have no fear."
Contrary to Liu Sheng's concerns, King Tai appeared confident and wore a self-satisfied smile on his face, "If it were someone else, perhaps I wouldn't have a good solution."
"But with Duke Jianguo, there's nothing to worry about."
"How would you like to deal with it, Your Highness?"
Liu Sheng asked curiously.
However, King Tai just smiled and didn't answer the question.
Time continued to pass gradually.
Soon, more than a year had passed.
As expected, Chen An had successfully spent over a year living a carefree life in his mansion.
Compared to before, these days were quite relaxing. He either focused on practicing, studying martial arts, or traveling with the Fourth Princess.
The situation outside had nothing to do with him.
During this break, Chen An even took the time to visit a few places he had previously visited, hoping to reap some benefits.
Unfortunately, perhaps the time was not long enough, the spiritual energy in those places had somewhat recovered, but overall, it had not reached the previous levels.
As a result, he had to reluctantly give up and wait for another opportunity.
Time continued to pass slowly.
Just when Chen An thought that this kind of life would continue indefinitely, shocking news arrived.
The front lines had collapsed, Duke Jianguo had been defeated by King Tai, and the army was defeated.
Most of Meizhou had fallen, with the defenses that Chen An had perfected over the years being breached, almost leading to a complete collapse.
The main reason for this major defeat seemed to be Duke Jianguo's rush for success, leading to reckless advances.
It was truly frustrating.
Not surprisingly, with this turn of events, the court and the officials were in an uproar.
Under the circumstances, Chen Zheng personally ordered Chen An to dismiss all opinions and return to the front lines.
Chen An's good days were declared over once again.
Just half a month later, he set off again, heading to the front lines.
This time, when Chen An set off again, there were no other voices to object.
Impeaching Chen An for planning a rebellion?
Just a joke.
In this situation, Chen An didn't even need to do anything. As long as King Tai broke through the Meizhou front line, the entire Great Hua Dynasty would have to change leaders.
With such a huge threat, all other issues could be put aside.
In March, Duke Chen arrived at the front lines and faced off against King Tai with his army.
The following year, the two armies were at a standstill, with victories and losses on both sides, but King Tai's army was ultimately held back.
In the third year, a rebellion broke out in several counties in Great Song.
Helplessly, Liu Sheng had to lead his main army back to Great Song.
In the fourth year, the Emperor of Great Song died of illness, leading to turmoil in the court.
King Tai's forces were also affected and suffered greatly.
"It seems that wherever you go, you can't escape having unreliable allies."
Inside the camp, Chen An looked at the message he had just received and couldn't help but feel emotional.
He was somewhat gloating.
Not only had he been impeached by many people before, causing him a lot of pressure, but now it seemed that things wouldn't be easy for Liu Sheng either.
After all, if you calculated it seriously, he and King Tai had been on the move for eight years now.
Eight years, with a thirty thousand-strong army constantly on the move, the pressure they faced was undeniable.
Great Song's treasury was probably depleted long ago.
The losses were so enormous that even the land they initially occupied was not enough to compensate for such huge losses.
With the army stationed outside for so long, the internal affairs had been neglected, leading to simultaneous rebellions in several places.
The outcome was quite amusing.
Now, even Liu Sheng's biggest backer, the Emperor of Great Song himself, had fallen.
The situation seemed quite sad no matter how you looked at it.
Chen An couldn't help but chuckle just thinking about it.
He had experienced pressure and accusations from many, but now it seemed that even Liu Sheng was in for a tough time.
After all, after eight years of mobilization with King Tai, the pressure and strain were evident.
The Great Song royal treasury was likely depleted by now.
The losses were immense and the gains were few.
The army had been on the move for so long that internal unrest had emerged in several regions simultaneously.
The situation was quite ironic.
Now even Liu Sheng's biggest support, the Emperor of Great Song, had fallen.
The situation was indeed difficult.
Chen An couldn't help but smile as he received the news.
"Chang'an, is it time?"
On the side, Liu Chu's voice came over, his face looking particularly excited.
Several years had passed, and he now appeared much more mature.
The long years in the military camp had turned him into a cautious general.
Perhaps it was because he had been following Chen An for so long, but now he had some of Chen An's style in his actions, which many people secretly criticized.
But no matter how cautious he was, looking at the current situation, he couldn't help but feel excited.
There was no way not to be excited.
After all, the current situation looked very promising.
The hope of victory seemed within reach.
"Let's wait a little longer."
Chen An glanced at him and then smiled, "It's them who can't hold on first, not us who need to rush."
"Let's wait a bit longer and see how long they can hold out."
"Yes."
Liu Chu nodded and went down excitedly.
Although Chen An said so, from his gaze, it seemed that the time for a direct counterattack was not far away.
Just a little more time, and they might end this battle.
No one could contain their excitement about this.
In the following half year, the army continued to advance.
Great Hua gradually reclaimed the lost lands, meanwhile clearing out any hidden dangers.
For the local bigwigs who had sided with King Tai, Chen An showed no mercy. He sent them all to the battlefield to serve as cannon fodder or sent them back to Chen Zheng.
And once these people ended up in the hands of Chen Zheng, the result was clear.
Their simple deaths were inevitable; the only worry was dying a terrible death.
But this was not something Chen An could care about.
Everything continued to move forward steadily.
Victory seemed within reach.
However, past experiences told everyone that the closer they were to victory, the easier it was to encounter danger.
Many people fell before dawn.
Chen An had also had such a lesson once.
The battlefields were cleared.
Pure profound ice energy swept across the land, freezing everything around the battlefield.
The powerful energy killed countless soldiers in an instant.
Life-like statues were scattered in front of them.
Of course, in a sense, they were still alive; many of them had not yet taken their last breath.
Chen An stood on the battlefield, looking ahead with interest.
"Is this a bait after all?"
He looked ahead.
There stood a somewhat familiar figure, who had now stood there for nearly ten years. The loyal and brave Yang Zhong once again stood before Chen An.
He looked a bit more aged than before, but his body was still strong and powerful. Holding dual blades, he exuded a sharp profound energy.
Beside him stood another old man.
Dressed in a purple robe, with a kind face, he appeared compassionate. However, he emitted an extremely cold profound ice energy.
The nature of his energy was exactly the same as the one on Chen An's body.
"This person must be Zhao Yong, the head of the Song royal family."
Chen An shifted his gaze to the old man and spoke softly.
"Yes."
Zhao Yong smiled kindly, but the profound ice energy on him seemed particularly cold, "I didn't expect Duke Chen to know me."
"Zhao Gong is renowned; Chang'an has heard of you in Great Hua."
Chen An chuckled, "But with Zhao Gong and the loyal and brave you, it seems that you still can't take me down."
With that, his body exuded a cold profound ice energy, spreading all around, making it impossible for the soldiers nearby to get close, they could only watch from afar.
Whether Zhao Yong or Yang Zhong in front of him, they were both experts in profound energy, making it not easy for Chen An to defeat them even in a one-on-one battle.
But if he really wanted to leave, these two also couldn't do anything to him.
After all these years, Chen An had not been idle.
For ten years, he had been practicing diligently. Although he had not reached the third level of profound transformation, he was very close to that level, essentially only one step away.
With his strength, Zhao Yong and Yang Zhong could defeat him, but it was not easy to take him down.
"Just the two of us naturally won't be enough."
Zhao Yong maintained a smile, "But what if there is a third person?"
Bang!
A muffled sound came from a distance.
In Chen An's somewhat surprised eyes, an old man rushed out from behind and directly stepped in front of him.
He was a lean and stern-faced old man with a stern look and brown eyes, looking very dignified.
However, looking at this old man, many people were stunned.
"Duke Jianguo?"
Chen An was surprised, "It's you?"
Surprised, he also felt relieved.
No wonder his actions this time had been known to King Tai's side, and they had specifically set up traps for him to fall into.
It seemed that there was a traitor on their side.
And a high-ranking one at that.
Duke Jianguo had been the commander of the army before. Despite the defeat, Chen Zheng had not done anything to him and had instead ordered him to serve under Chen An.
But no matter what, this Duke Jianguo was also a high-ranking member of the army.
This Duke Jianguo was well aware of all the arrangements Chen An had made this time.
Given this, it was not surprising.
"No wonder."
Chen An felt relieved and couldn't help but sigh, "I knew it. Even though I had revised the army, why did things turn out this way?"
"It's all because of Duke Jianguo."
Yes, even their own commander was a traitor. How could they not lose the war?
Even if they wanted to avoid defeat, it was not possible.
"But the only thing I don't understand is, why did you do this, Duke Jianguo?"
Chen An continued, puzzled, "The Emperor doesn't seem to be too harsh on you, does he?"
From the current situation, it was clear that King Tai was showing weakness while Great Hua was showing strength.
In this situation, did it make sense for Duke Jianguo to do this for King Tai?
He was already a high-ranking Duke in Great Hua, a highly respected figure in the inner court. Taking another step would only be that, was it worth taking such a big risk?
"Lu Yu is dead."
Duke Jianguo looked at Chen An with his usual cold look and said calmly, "He was my only son."
Chen An suddenly realized.
