The Evil Emperor's Favorite: The Sickly and Poisonous Concubine Goes Crazy

The military camp of Yushan City in the southern border.

In the big tent, the Duke of Zhenguo stood in front of a group of generals, drawing on the map with a pen in his hand. Guan Hong, the governor of the Southern Border Army, stood beside him, carefully watching the position where the Duke of Zhenguo put his pen.

The Duke of Zhenguo put down his pen and looked at the map again.

"Everyone, please take a look."

"The cinnabar circles represent the garrisons and secret settlements of the various armies in the southern border, while the black circles represent the routes that the South Vietnamese army used to attack the city. These routes either bypassed the defense points or directly hit the secret settlements within the army, almost killing them in one blow."

Guan Hong was silent for a while, then raised his head and asked, "What the commander means is that someone leaked the deployment map of the southern garrison, so the Nanyue siege was so smooth."

He nodded. "Well, not only that, they even know exactly how many defenders there are in these cities and where the defenses are weakest. If there were no insider help or military intelligence leaks, it would be impossible for the South Vietnamese army to break into the city so quickly with the defenses of the southern border armies."

Guan Hong showed worry on his face: "Nanyue has broken through six cities in the southern border. We don't know how many cities of the Great Zhou they know about their defense maps. What should we do next?"

The Duke of Zhenguo looked calm and resolute, and spoke to Guan Hong in a leisurely manner about the deployment:

"Leaking military secrets is a serious crime punishable by beheading. I have already ordered people who had access to the southern border defense map to interrogate them. No abnormalities were found. However, out of caution, a new rotation has been deployed and the original southern border garrison has not been touched."

"Based on their previous siege routes, the cities they are most likely to attack next are Rongcheng and Changyicheng. Rongcheng is located on a steep mountain, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it is not easy to march during the rainy season. However, Tianshi Pass in Changyi City is the lifeline of the southern border. After this pass, there is a plain of 800 miles. If Nanyue captures this pass, the southern border will surely suffer a great disaster. At present, in addition to retaking the three cities in the southern border, the most important thing is to defend Tianshi Pass, so I have to trouble the general to defend Tianshi Pass at all costs."

"Commander, please rest assured and leave Tianshi Pass to me. If those Nanyue barbarians dare to get one step closer, I will behead them at the foot of Tianshi Pass." Guan Hong gnashed with hatred when he mentioned the insidiousness of Nanyue, and said in a loud voice.

The Duke of Zhenguo nodded and gave orders to the commanders of the various camps in the tent:

"Commanders of all camps of the Su family army, listen to my orders!"

"Yes!"

"Su Ming, lead the Tiger Power Camp, the Fiery Eagle Camp, the Divine Machine Camp, and select 100,000 soldiers to march to Nanyue. No matter what, within ten days, we must recapture Xuancheng of the Great Zhou from Nanyue."

"I obey your order!" Su Ming stepped forward, took the arrow feather, and bowed his head to accept the order.

"Su Jingmo from the Swift Wind Camp, select 20,000 soldiers and head to Rongcheng immediately. Do not let the Vietnamese army set foot in Rongcheng."

"The last general takes command!"

"The rest of the generals, follow me to guard the central army!" The Duke of Zhenguo looked at the generals, a stern look flashing in his eyes.

"This South Vietnamese invasion is extraordinary. Our army must unite as one to defeat the enemy. If anyone retreats in battle or leaks military intelligence, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The voice of the Duke of Zhenguo echoed in the tent, as if carrying an irresistible majesty. All the generals responded in unison, with great momentum.

The night was as dark as ink and the wind was howling, as if foreshadowing the upcoming war.

.......

Half a month later, in Hancheng, Beiyang Palace.

Liu Feng led a woman wearing a bamboo hat into the palace in a hurry.

"Yue Xun?!" Su Jingning looked at the girl whom he hadn't seen for a long time, with surprise in his almond-shaped eyes.

"Miss!" Yue Xun smiled and bowed to Su Jingning, then greeted Gu Yan'an who was sitting next to her.

"I've met the prince."

When Gu Yan'an heard her addressing Su Jingning, he raised his eyebrows slightly and nodded to her.

Liu Feng, who was standing by, was surprised. Isn't this the owner of Fengting Tower? The number one female businessman in the Great Zhou Dynasty, whose business was so big that it reached Yanjing City. She actually called her Miss Princess! She was the Princess's person!

"Aren't you in Yanjing? Why did you come back suddenly?" Su Jingning put his arm around her and asked her to sit down.

Yue Xun's expression was slightly serious. "The Fengting Tower in Yanjing has learned that South Vietnam and North Yan have formed an alliance. Dan Ruohan's injury is gradually recovering. North Yan will send troops to Da Zhou soon."

The relationship between Beiyan and Dazhou has always been tense, so it is not surprising that he wants to take advantage of the chaos to get a share of the spoils. Su Jingning's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Do you know how many troops Beiyan has sent this time?"

"The nobles in Moliang City occasionally let slip when they were drunk, the amount is at least no less than 500,000!"

Liu Feng also stepped forward and added:

"Your Highness, An Tan from Beiyan reported that Shan Ruohan led an army of 500,000 to the south five days ago without making any secrets along the way. Their destination should be Molan City."

Su Jingning glanced at Gu Yan'an and saw that he looked lazy and indifferent, so a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth:

"Okay, got it. Order all border counties to enter a state of war readiness. The Shanhe Crossbow has been completed. It's a good opportunity to try it out on the Yan army!"

"Yes!" Liu Feng took the order and walked out quickly.

Su Jingning looked at Yue Xun, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. He must have rushed all the way to Hancheng and looked a little tired.

"Ah Xun, An Xia is here too. You should rest well in Hancheng for a few days. Leave Fengting Tower in Beiyan for now and don't go back yet. If Da Zhou and Beiyan go to war, I will not be at ease with you in Beiyan."

Yue Xun happily nodded and agreed: "Okay, then I will just stay in Hancheng to accompany the young lady for a few days before returning to Beijing."

"Okay, let Yun Ya take you to rest first." Su Jingning nodded with a warm smile, and let Yun Ya take Yue Xun to rest.

Only Gu Yan'an and Su Jingning were left in the room.

Su Jingning walked over to Gu Yan'an and sat down. She looked at the person beside her quietly. He was leaning forward slightly, his fair and slender hands gently stroking the white jade beads on his wrist. His eyes were deep and bright, as if he could see through everything.

"Ayan, Beiyan's military deployment this time was obviously a long-planned one. An army of 500,000 should not be underestimated." Su Jingning's voice was gentle and powerful, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes as he looked at Gu Yan'an.

Gu Yan'an raised his head slightly, and his deep eyes met Su Jingning's. A hint of tenderness and determination flashed in his eyes. He slowly put down the white jade beads in his hand, and gently held Su Jingning's hand, as if he wanted to hold all her worries together.

"Don't worry. Although Beiyan has an army of 500,000, the Beiyang King's army never fights an unprepared battle." Gu Yan'an's voice was low and powerful, reassuring.

He stood up, walked to the desk beside him, and spread out a topographic map of the northern border. His fingers gently slid across the map, and his eyes were filled with a different kind of sharp light than usual, as if he had already seen the future battle situation.

"Although the Northern Yan army is large, their morale will surely decline after a long journey. The terrain of Molan City is dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Since Shan Ruohan was injured, I have stationed a large number of troops here to wait for him, and also ordered people to set up an ambush on the road that the Northern Yan army must pass. Once they enter the border between the two countries, they will suffer heavy losses. Now with the power of the Shanhe Crossbow, the Yan army will not be able to get away with it."

Gu Yan'an's voice was calm and confident. Each of his plans was like a carefully laid out chess game, with each step being carefully planned.

Su Jingning listened quietly, and the worry in his eyes gradually disappeared.

Gu Yan'an saw the worry in her eyes faded, and then he held her in his arms. He lowered his head slightly, and stared at her deeply, as if he wanted to absorb her whole body into his eyes. He rubbed his nose against her small nose intimately, and kissed her lips gently.

His kiss was gentle and affectionate, as if he wanted to convey all his tenderness and love to her. The air around them seemed to freeze, with only the sound of their two heartbeats echoing in their ears.

After a long while, Gu Yan'an reluctantly let her go and held her tightly in his arms. His voice was a little hoarse and low:

"The Northern Yan army is heading south. I will be going to Molan City tomorrow. Wait for me in the mansion."

Su Jingning frowned slightly, a little dissatisfied, and looked up at Gu Yan'an: "I can also go to Molan City, I can help you!"

Seeing her dissatisfied expression, Gu Yanan chuckled, raised his hand to smooth her slightly frowned brows, and said in a gentle voice:

"I know you can help me, so I let you stay in Hancheng. Only when you are in Hancheng can I feel at ease to fight the Yan army."

Although he and a large army were guarding Molan City, there were still many unsafe factors. He didn't want her to get hurt in any way, so it would be safer for her to stay in Hancheng.

Su Jingning buried himself in his chest silently, and nodded in response after a long while:

"Well, be careful then."

"it is good."

"Remember to bring the blood poison medicine with you!"

"it is good."

"Remember not to get angry."

"it is good."

"You must always wear the amulet I asked for you."

"Yeah, I'm wearing it too."

Gu Yan'an smiled as he patiently responded to the instructions of the person in his arms in a low voice. He hugged her tighter, as if he wanted to melt her into his bones and blood.

The next day, just after dawn, the gates of Hancheng were already filled with soldiers ready to go. The battle flags fluttered in the wind, carrying a hint of solemnity. Su Jingning stood at the foot of the city wall, looking at the man who was speaking loudly on the battle platform from afar, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Gu Yan'an was wearing ink-black armor, exuding a decisive and murderous aura. After he boosted the morale, he turned around and saw the woman in plain clothes under the city wall. His sharp eyes softened involuntarily, and he walked to his side.

"Ningning, wait for me to come back." Gu Yan'an held Su Jingning's hand tightly, his voice low and firm.

Su Jingning looked at him, with an unbearable worry and reluctance in her eyes. She nodded slightly: "Okay, you have to come back unharmed."

"Okay, I promise you."

Gu Yan'an looked at her deeply, as if he wanted to engrave her appearance into his heart. He gently held her face, pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, then let go of her hand and turned to walk towards the expeditionary team.

Su Jingning stood there, watching his departing back, her eyes slightly red, her heart filled with worry and reluctance.

She sighed softly, as if she and A Yan had been parting forever.

In the following days, Su Jingning handled the affairs of the palace as usual, and sometimes helped A Yan deal with some things in the northern border, but her heart was still restless. A Yan was in Molan City, and her father and brothers were in the southern border. She always paid attention to the news from the front line. Whenever she heard a little movement, her heart would tighten.

A Yan personally guarded Molan City. The 500,000 cavalry of Northern Yan were defeated in several battles and were unable to set foot into the Great Zhou.

But after all, they were facing an army of 500,000. The battle was not easy. The two armies were in a tense situation, and Northern Yan was determined to fight with Great Zhou. It was difficult to determine the winner in a short period of time.

Beiyan was unable to capture Molan City, so they had to move to another border county, Qinshui City. Who would have thought that Qinshui City had already been ambushed by A Yan? The Yan army cavalry entered the city and stepped into the cage. Beiyan lost nearly 50,000 soldiers. The chief general of Beiyan, Shan Ruohan, personally led his troops to the city of Molan, but A Yan designed to burn the food and grass of Beiyan cavalry overnight. Beiyan cavalry suddenly ran out of food, and could not supply it in a short time, which greatly weakened their combat effectiveness.

Good news came from Molan City one after another, but in the southern border, Su Jingning frowned slightly, a little worried, the situation in the southern border did not seem to be very good. The Nanyue national master personally sat in the Nanyue army, You Baishu, who was proficient in formations, and the Su family army formation was discovered by him after a few days. In addition, someone in the Nanyue army seemed to be very familiar with the Su family army's combat methods. Since the recapture of Xuancheng, the war in the southern border has fallen into a stalemate.

It was a rare rain in Hancheng. Su Jingning stood in front of the window, looking up at the raindrops falling like pearls under the eaves, a little absent-minded.

"Princess, there is a letter from the South." Aunt Tan came out of the rain holding an umbrella.

Su Jingning looked at the letter, feeling a little strange.

"A letter? Isn't it a war report?"

Aunt Tan also looked puzzled. She only wrote "Respectfully presented to Princess Beiyang" on the envelope but did not sign her name.

"It was handed over from the post station in the south, and it is not signed."

Su Jingning took the letter and opened it with his eyes lowered.

"pat-"

The envelope fell from her hands, and Su Jingning's expression changed drastically, with shock, anger and hatred that was difficult to conceal on his face.

“Mu Ling!!” Her voice was as cold as if it was poisoned, unable to conceal her murderous intent and anger.

Two whole sheets of paper were filled with details of how he had accused the Su family of treason, how the entire Su family had died at the hands of the Imperial Capital's Wumen, and even how she had jumped off the city wall. Every word was filled with ridicule and threats.

He didn't die! He even knew things he shouldn't know! Why did he know these things? He was also reborn? !

South Vietnam! Su Jingning suddenly remembered that someone in South Vietnam mentioned in her elder brother's letter seemed to be familiar with the Su Family Army. In her previous life, Mu Ling had been with her for so long. When she and he fought bandits in the southern border, they often used the tactics of the Su Family Army. If Mu Ling was in South Vietnam, she couldn't imagine what he would do to the Su Family Army.

The letter paper in Su Jingning's hand was deformed and his fair and slender hands were trembling slightly.

"princess?"

"Princess!? What's wrong with you?" Seeing her expression suddenly change, Aunt Tan thought that something had happened to the Su family army in the southern border, and asked with some concern.

Su Jingning came back to her senses and put the letter away.

"Nothing." Her voice returned to calm, but the coldness in her eyes was like frozen frost. "Auntie Tan, please go down first. The military supplies to be sent to Molan City tomorrow need to be carefully counted again."

"Yes."

Seeing that she didn't want to say more, Aunt Tan didn't ask any more questions and just left. However, she couldn't help feeling a little worried. She had been with the princess for all these days and had never seen her lose her composure like this.

Su Jingning returned to the study and hesitated for a long time at the desk before he picked up the pen and wrote a letter.

"Yun Ya, order someone to deliver the letter to the prince in Mo Lan City."

She had to go to the southern border. No matter what, Mu Ling must die!