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

Chu Ning spoke calmly, yet his words carried an air of domineering confidence and unwavering strategic acumen.

It was as if the impending, seemingly hopeless crisis had been anticipated or even calculated by him all along.

He was not afraid of the enemy increasing their troops; on the contrary, he secretly hoped that the enemy would take such action.

This composure left Guan Yun speechless, unable to utter a word of advice.

He could only stare blankly at the emperor's calm yet resolute profile in the firelight, his heart filled with doubt and uncertainty:

Your Majesty... what other tricks do you have up your sleeve?

Almost at the same moment Chu Ning finished speaking—

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three specially made signal arrows, burning with green phosphorescent flames, sprang up from the darkness of the rear of Chu Xuan and Li Shiming's allied forces like three eerie, emerald-green venomous snakes.

It shrieked as it tore through the dark night sky, and after reaching its highest point, it slowly plummeted towards Jianghuai City, trailing a long, eerie tail of light.

The emerald green light, set against the dark night sky, was both dazzling and ominous.

This is clearly a pre-arranged signal requesting emergency reinforcements or executing a specific plan!

On the long pavilion slope, Chu Xuan, seeing the signal arrow rise into the sky, revealed a look on his face that was a mixture of ruthlessness and anticipation.

Beside him, Li Shiming nodded slightly, a cold glint in his eyes. Their plan was proceeding methodically.

The light of the signal was also clearly captured by the garrison on the city walls of Jianghuai, several miles away.

Feng Mulan, who was closely monitoring the enemy camp's movements outside the city, saw the three strange green rockets.

Her heart sank, and she immediately ordered the entire army to strengthen its defenses and be vigilant against possible night attacks or new tricks by the enemy.

Meanwhile, to the west and north of Jianghuai City, there were massive allied army camps that completely surrounded the city.

In front of the central command tent, General Gongsun Yi of the Scorpion Clan, who had been keeping an eye on the direction of Changtingpo, stood up almost the instant the signal arrow was launched.

He stared at the green streak of light gradually fading into the night sky, his face showing no surprise, only a cold and stern expression.

He turned to the messenger from Youzhou army standing to the side and his own generals, and solemnly issued the long-awaited order:

"The signal has arrived! The time has come!"

"Pass down the order: the Left Battalion of the Youzhou Army, according to the original plan, shall immediately dispatch 10,000 elite infantry and cavalry, led by the Left Battalion Commander, to rush to the aid of the Changtingpo battlefield!"

"We must arrive as soon as possible to cooperate with Prince Xuan and Emperor Tang in encircling and annihilating Chu Ning!"

"All other units, strengthen vigilance and closely monitor the movements in Jianghuai City. If the garrison inside the city dares to come out to provide support or make any rash moves, intercept them immediately with all your might, without fail!"

The order was quickly relayed.

Soon, in the vast camp of the Youzhou army, an elite force, already prepared and fully equipped, began to rapidly assemble.

Torches flickered, men and horses neighed, and then, like a giant python emerging from its cave, it broke away from the main force and galloped away towards Changtingpo under the cover of night!

Ten thousand fresh troops, shrouded in night, charged menacingly toward the battlefield that would decide the fate of the world.

Chu Ning, sitting on Changting Slope, seemed to have already understood this, and remained calm and composed.

The darkness concealed the glint of blades, as well as deeper schemes and murderous intent.

The real battle has only just begun.

The unusually large-scale mobilization of 10,000 elite infantry and cavalry in the Youzhou military camp was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake; the ripples it created were immediately noticed by the highly vigilant garrison of Jianghuai City.

The soldiers on the watchtower on the city wall widened their eyes, and the urgent sound of clappers and flags immediately spread the alarm throughout the four sides of the city wall.

At the west gate tower, the torches illuminated Feng Mulan's red-armored figure even more conspicuously.

She received a definite reward almost simultaneously with the scout.

A large enemy force, breaking away from the main formation and carrying torches, is rapidly advancing towards the southeast—the direction of Changtingpo—like a winding fire dragon!

"They're going to Changtingpo!"

A cold glint flashed in Feng Mulan's phoenix eyes, instantly discerning the enemy's intentions.

Chu Xuan and Li Shiming have been unable to capture Changtingpo for a long time and have even suffered losses. This means they are going to call up the troops besieging the city and spare no expense to completely annihilate His Majesty in the open field!

His Majesty has only a few thousand soldiers by his side, and they have been fighting fiercely all day. If this fresh force attacks from behind...

The thought made her heart tighten, and a chill mixed with intense anxiety rushed straight to the top of her head.

She slammed her fist into the edge of the wall, sending cold brick fragments scattering down.

We must not let them succeed!

Feng Mulan gritted her teeth, her voice resolute.

She made a swift decision: she had to send troops to intercept or at least contain the enemy forces, relieving pressure on His Majesty and even creating an opportunity for a coordinated attack from within and without.

"Xue Huaide!"

She turned abruptly to look at General Xue Huaide, who had been standing solemnly beside her and was in charge of the defense of the west city wall, and spoke quickly and clearly.

"You shall immediately take charge of the city's defenses and be prepared to deal with any possible feints or attacks by Gongsun Yi and the remaining Youzhou troops!"

"I will personally lead the city's reserve cavalry and five thousand elite infantry out of the city to intercept the enemy army heading towards Changtingpo! We must hold them back and buy time for Your Majesty!"

She knew full well that going out into the field to fight was extremely risky, especially at night when the enemy situation was unclear, but the situation was critical and there was no time to hesitate.

She was not only an imperial concubine but also a general, and it was her duty to protect the emperor's safety, even at the risk of her own life.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, Xue Huaide stepped forward and blocked her way.

This usually calm and taciturn general, however, now had an unwavering resolve written all over his face. He clasped his hands in a deep bow, his voice deep and resonant:

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"

Feng Mulan frowned: "General Xue, the military situation is urgent, do not stop us!"

Xue Huaide, however, did not back down. He raised his head, his gaze intense, and looked directly at Feng Mulan, his words filled with sincerity and a sense of responsibility:

"Your Majesty! It is precisely because of the urgent military situation that you need to stay in the city! You are the backbone of the entire army, and the safety of Jianghuai City rests on your shoulders!"

"Although the enemy forces outside the city have divided their troops, Gongsun Yi's main force is still intact, while Helian Hui's remnants are surrounding them. The people inside the city are restless and filled with fear!"

"Without your personal command and coordination to deter the enemy and pacify the people, if there is any loss, the Jianghuai region will be lost, and Your Majesty's retreat will be cut off. That would be true annihilation!"

He paused, and seeing that Feng Mulan seemed hesitant to speak, he quickly continued, "As for the important task of intercepting enemy reinforcements and supporting His Majesty—please entrust it to this humble general!"

Xue Huaide knelt on one knee, clasped his hands above his head, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying an almost tragic determination:

"This humble general, Xue Huaide, is entrusted with the responsibility of defending the city by His Majesty and Her Majesty, but protecting His Majesty is simply my duty!"

"Your Majesty is now in a perilous situation, and I am on tenterhooks in the city! Your Majesty needs to take overall control and must not act rashly."

"This humble general is willing to go to war in Her Majesty's stead, leading the army out of the city, and vowing to hold off the enemy's reinforcements to the death!"

"Even if it means sacrificing our lives, we will never allow a single soldier to easily reach Changtingpo and disturb His Majesty's presence!"