Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

"Have to guard against it."

Dugu Jia nodded heavily. "Therefore, I believe that Your Majesty must not passively wait."

"We must take the initiative and give Li Shiming an irresistible reason to force him to immediately and fully attack the Chu army on the eastern front!"

"What does the Queen Mother mean?"

"Personally write a letter and send a trusted warrior to deliver it to the Tang capital as quickly as possible to present it to Li Shiming!"

Dugu Jia said in a firm tone, "In addition to explaining the interdependent nature of the two, I also want to offer him a generous reward! Let him feel that supporting me with all his strength is far more profitable than just sitting back and watching the outcome!"

Liu Xiu was deeply impressed by what she said: "The Queen Mother is right! I will write a letter right away!"

He no longer hesitated, and immediately walked to the desk, spread out the silk, picked up the red brush, thought for a moment, and then wrote quickly.

In the letter, he first lamented Chuning's ambitions and threats, emphasizing the common danger faced by both countries. Then he changed the tone and solemnly promised:

"If we can get the full support of His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, we can repel the powerful Chu and lift the siege of the Han Dynasty."

"After this is accomplished, I wish to transfer all thirty-six counties formerly belonging to the Wei Kingdom to the Tang Dynasty as a reward for your military assistance and to establish an everlasting alliance!"

After writing, he handed the silk to Dugu Jia for review.

Dugu Jia read it carefully, especially when he saw the sentence "All thirty-six counties in Wei belong to the Tang Dynasty", he nodded slightly and analyzed calmly:

"Your Majesty, this promise is excellent. Wei is a rich land with a vast territory. Such enormous benefits are enough to tempt any king."

"Furthermore, this place is still under the control of the Chu army. Giving this place, which is not actually under our control, to the Tang Dynasty will not cause any immediate loss to our dynasty, but will gain strong support. It is the best strategy to drive the tiger to devour the wolf and use its own strength to defeat its own."

She handed the silk back to Liu Xiu, but her expression suddenly turned extremely cold and murderous. Deep hatred burst out of her eyes, and her voice became low, with an unquestionable determination: "Also, Your Majesty, if there is a chance in this battle... you must kill Chu Ning at all costs!"

"This beast is not only a traitor to the nation, but also the culprit who murdered the previous emperor! This hatred and vengeance is irreconcilable!"

"Only by shedding his blood can we appease the spirit of the late emperor and restore the prestige of the Han Dynasty!"

Liu Xiu took the silk and sensed the deep sorrow and hatred in Dugu Jia's words. His expression grew solemn. He nodded solemnly and promised firmly, "Don't worry, Queen Mother! I've taken note! I will take Chu Ning's head! For the sake of our country and our people, and also... to avenge the late emperor!"

Inside the rear hall, the flickering candlelight illuminated a pair of supreme beings who were not biological mother and son, but were closely connected by national hatred, family feuds, and the fate of the dynasty.

Their plans and vows will determine the future of the world.

In the next two days, the entire Chang'an City was like a war machine that was forcibly pushed forward, running frantically with unprecedented efficiency.

Inside and outside the city, the atmosphere was grim and tense. The heavy city gates no longer closed on schedule. Troops of soldiers from the capital's main camp, as well as those urgently mobilized from surrounding counties, streamed in and out like streams flowing into a mighty river.

The iron hooves of the war horses struck the bluestone pavement, making a dull and regular rumbling sound that continued all day long.

The clashing sounds of armor and weapons, the rough shouts of officers, and the squeaking of wheels rolling over the ground intertwined together, composing a tense melody of the approaching war.

Food and supplies vehicles formed a long queue and, under the escort of soldiers, drove out of the warehouse area with difficulty, raising a cloud of dust.

Craftsmen were urgently repairing armor and weapons inside and outside the military camp, and the sound of clanging and hammering was endless.

The air was filled with leather, rust, sweat, and an invisible smell of burning.

In this busy and chaotic situation, the vanguard general Huo Guang took the lead.

In less than a day, he assembled 30,000 of the most elite and mobile cavalry and light infantry.

There was no grand oath-taking ceremony. At dawn on the second day, the vanguard army rushed out of the north gate like an arrow, silently but swiftly, raising a trail of dust, and rushed towards the direction of Hongdu City.

Their task was arduous: they had to stabilize the Hongdu defense line at all costs before the main force arrived, and even had to consume as much morale as possible of the Chu army.

The third day, early morning.

Outside Chang'an City, on the huge parade ground, the scene was spectacular.

The troops that came from all over the place have completed their assembly and are arranged into neat and solemn square formations with flags waving and spears and halberds like a forest.

Although it is said that there are 200,000 people, the actual number may be slightly less, and there are many new recruits who are temporarily added, but this is already the last and most powerful asset that the Han Dynasty can come up with at this moment.

The sunlight shone on the soldiers' armor, reflecting a cold light.

Many of these soldiers are veterans who have experienced the baptism of war. Although their faces are filled with fatigue and worries about the future, they still retain the perseverance and discipline of a soldier in their eyes.

Their equipment may not all be sophisticated, and one can even see some old or even damaged weapons and armor in the formation, but the team as a whole still maintains a solemn and murderous atmosphere.

In the infantry phalanx, there were long spears like a forest and heavy swords and shields.

In the cavalry formation, the horses were spewing white steam and the knights stood with their backs straight.

The crossbowmen checked their bowstrings and quivers, their murderous intent brewing in silence.

This is a tragic army that carries the fate of the country on its back and is about to go to a place of death.

Suddenly, drums and trumpets sounded, and the sound shook the whole area!

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the direction of the reviewing platform.

The Han Emperor Liu Xiu appeared on the high platform, surrounded by a group of generals in helmets and armor.

He did not wear a dragon robe today, but changed into a set of bright gilded armor specially made for him. The armor plates sparkled in the sun, making him look like a god.

A gorgeous sword symbolizing imperial power hangs around his waist, and the dragon-head hilt is particularly eye-catching.

The immaturity and hesitation on his young face had faded, replaced by a determination to fight to the death and the majesty of an emperor.

He walked slowly to the front of the stage, his eyes like lightning, slowly sweeping over the huge and silent military formation below that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The Han army in front of them was lined up in rows under the sunlight, with the soldiers holding their heads high and their morale high, looking as if they were ready to die.

And this is exactly what he wants.

The reason why he personally led the army this time was, on the one hand, because the Han Dynasty no longer had enough troops.

On the other hand, the morale of the Han soldiers was low because the previous emperor and the Protector of the Country, Huo Quji, were killed one after another.

Under such circumstances, if we fight the Chu army on the front line, we will definitely be defeated.

Therefore, he could only lead the army in person to boost morale!

This is the only solution he can think of at the moment!