I have been a county magistrate for ten years. My subordinates insist on giving me a yellow robe.

"Let Fire Dragon and the others keep the knife for themselves."

Jiang Yuan spoke lightly, saying that Huolong was a relatively honest guy and did not participate in any of the high priest's conspiracy plans.

"Yes, sir, but how do we deal with these guys outside?" Li Hu looked at the endless barbarian soldiers outside and couldn't help feeling dry in the mouth.

With so many people pouring in at once, Taiping County might not even be able to accommodate them, let alone accommodate them.

"Have Qilin and the others hand over all their food and fodder, and then have them participate in the construction of Taiping County. Construction of the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth city walls will all begin."

"Also, after the ninth city wall is planned, four more small cities will be built in front of the four city gates to serve as bridgehead fortresses. Underground and aerial passages must also be constructed to ensure they can connect to the main city."

After Jiang Yuan finished speaking, he couldn't help but let out a breath.

With millions of soldiers, they only need a little training, and from then on, Taiping County will be able to truly stand here. Even if Ning Fei brings people here, Jiang Yuan will not be afraid.

Three days later, all the barbarian soldiers were incorporated into Taiping County.

A month later, the sixth circle of Taiping County's city wall rose from the ground.

Three months later, the nine circles of Taiping County’s city wall were all completed!

In the blink of an eye, a year was about to pass. In the autumn, when the grassland was all withered and yellow, Jiang Yuan set a big fire and completely eliminated the thorny grass that had spread across most of the grassland.

Next, we just need to wait for one or two years and the grassland will recover again.

Such a large grassland can support so many people. Jiang Yuan will never let it go.

Before we knew it, winter went and spring came, and the cycle repeated itself. Taiping County changed almost every once in a while.

The total number of barbarians in the entire grassland, combatants and non-combatants, is definitely over one million.

If Taiping County had not previously stockpiled a large amount of food and fodder, it would have been impossible for it to feed so many people.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed quietly. It was the winter of the third year. At the same time, it was also the tenth year since Jiang Yuan traveled through time. Jiang Yuan had already passed the age of thirty. This year, Jiang Yuan was thirty-four years old.

The cold winter has arrived, and the wind and snow have once again descended on Daduan, while Taiping County is thriving.

At this time, in Qingzhou City, thousands of miles away, heavy snow was falling and a great battle had lasted for three days and three nights.

Qingzhou City, City Lord’s Mansion.

Duanmu Yuanchen, wearing a dragon robe, quietly watched the snowflakes flying outside the palace. After so many years, he is no longer the young man he used to be. Now, he is almost thirty years old.

But at this time, the throne passed to him by Duanmu Xiongtu had reached the most critical moment.

Ning Fei rashly led an army of 500,000 to start the final siege. As long as they could capture Qingzhou City, the world would be united again.

"His Majesty."

A somewhat vicissitudes of life voice was heard, Duanmu Yuanchen turned around, and Chen Liu's slightly old figure appeared behind him.

"How is the battle going?" Duanmu Yuanchen asked softly.

Chen Liu's face froze, but he then forced a smile: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Ning Fei cannot enter Qingzhou City."

"Then why did you come to see me?" Duanmu Yuanchen asked.

Chen Liu bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, although Qingzhou City is impregnable, the Emperor cannot stand in danger."

"After discussing with Xue Zhen and others, I decided to ask Your Majesty to move the capital!"

"Although Qingzhou, Guzhou and other four states are currently engulfed in war, Dangyezhou and Qianzhou are relatively peaceful. Your Majesty, please move the capital there so that the soldiers on the front lines don't have to worry."

Duanmu Yuanchen stared at Chen Liu, and after a long while he finally spoke: "Is Qingzhou City about to be lost?"

Chen Liu sighed but didn't say anything.

He had no way of answering this question. Since Mu Songfeng's death, he had become the commander-in-chief of the three armies.

Three or four of the ten states controlled by Daduan have fallen one after another. Now, even Qingzhou City is about to collapse.

"Chen Liu, I'm not a child anymore." Duanmu Yuanchen spoke slowly, then turned around and looked outside the hall.

"When my father handed the throne to me, the whole of Daduan was peaceful and there was no war. As long as the people were willing to work hard, they could still have enough to eat."

"But what has become of the world now? I fled all the way from Jingzhou to Guzhou, and then from Guzhou to here. How can I still look like an emperor?"

Chen Liu's body trembled, and he fell to his knees with a thud, crying and sobbing.

He has witnessed everything Duanmu Yuanchen has experienced over the years. From the vigorous young man he was back then to now, in just a few years, his spirit has been almost exhausted.

"Your Majesty, it is my incompetence. Please do not blame yourself."

"We still have a chance. Ning Fei has been fighting for two years, and that half of the territory has also been devastated."

Duanmu Yuanchen gently raised a hand: "That's all."

"Go tell the soldiers on the front lines to open the city gates and surrender to Ning Fei. This world, no matter if it's me or Yuanji who sits on it, is still called Da Duan. It's the Duanmu family's world after all."

"Your Majesty! The late emperor's decree allowed you to inherit the throne. Ning Fei and his men are nothing but traitors and villains. How can they have the nerve to rule the world!" Chen Liu shouted loudly.

Duanmu Yuanchen looked up at the sky with flickering eyes. His mood was very complicated at the moment.

There is both reluctance and unwillingness.

But he knew very well in his heart that this world could not be free from war. If the war continued, it would probably become like the book where thousands of people were starving and millions of corpses were lying around.

"Chen Liu, you are innocent. This matter is not your fault." Duanmu Yuanchen said, lowering his head slightly.

Everything started because of the Ning family, and the reason why the Ning family could get everyone's support was that they were not regarded as traitors and condemned by everyone.

It’s all because the other party has a prince in his hands.

It was precisely because of the existence of Duanmu Yuanji that the officials of the entire Daduan had an idea.

Anyway, they are all Duanmu Xiongtu's sons, so even if he follows Ning Fei, it won't be considered a rebellion.

But what if Duanmu Yuanji didn’t exist?

Things will probably be much better. At least they won't be like now, where many cities surrender directly to Ning Fei every day.

Duanmu Yuanchen couldn't help but clench his fists. Was he really too soft-hearted back then?

If we had listened to Wu De and Jiang Yuan and killed Duanmu Yuanji, would the final outcome of the matter have been different?

As soon as this thought arose, a bitter smile appeared on Duanmu Yuanchen's face.

No matter what, how old is Duanmu Yuanji? What does he know? He is just a child being used by others.

I shouldn't blame all this on the other party.

"Chen Liu, take your men and fight your way out. With your strength, as long as you don't collide head-on with Ning Fei, you still have a great chance of surviving." Duanmu Yuanchen said softly.

"Your Majesty, wherever you are, I will be there. Chen Liu will never escape!"

Duanmu Yuanchen shook his head slowly, turned around and helped Chen Liu up from the ground.

"Chen Liu, listen to me. We've already lost. Continuing the fight will only lead to more casualties and no benefit."

"The people of these states are starving and clothed because of me. My soldiers have only 50,000 soldiers left after fighting for so long. How can such a small number of people withstand Ning Fei's 500,000-man army?"

"Instead of letting them die on the battlefield, it is better to let them return to the countryside and restore peace to the world."

"And we all know very well that Ning Fei wants me. If I follow you, I'm afraid no one will be able to leave in the end."

"But at the end, I have one more thing to ask of you."

Duanmu Yuanchen said this and waved towards the distance. A woman in palace dress walked slowly towards them, holding a sleeping child in her arms.

"I'll leave Ning'an in your care. I can stay here, but Ning'an is innocent. I hope to take him out with me."

"Besides, you don't need to tell him these things. He is still young, and I don't want him to bear hatred."

"Also, when Ning An grows up, he doesn't have to avenge me or restore the country."

Duanmu Yuanchen finished speaking and waved his hands towards Chen Liu: "Go, Chen Liu, this is my last request to you."

"You followed my father to conquer the world and helped me fight for several years, but in the end, you ended up like this. I have let you down."

Chen Liu closed his eyes in pain: "Your Majesty, please choose someone else."

At this moment, there was a sudden commotion outside the palace. Countless palace maids and eunuchs began to flee in all directions, and many soldiers hurried into the palace.

Duanmu Yuanchen took a look and thought, the leaders were Xue Zhen and Long Guangxian, they were his own people.

"His Majesty!"

After the two came in, they saluted together.

"Forget it, Xue Zhen, Long Guangxian. I am issuing the final order now. Take Commander Chen and break out!"

"what?!"

Xue Zhen and the other man were confused. Lead Chenliu to break out?

What do you mean?

The two of them were guarding the city gate, and now even they had brought people with them. Could it be that Duanmu Yuanchen still couldn't see that the city wall was about to be lost?

What does it mean to break out with Chenliu?

Duanmu Yuanchen ignored Xue Zhen and the other man's gazes. Instead, he looked at Chen Liu and whispered, "Chen Liu, you must come with me. I'm really worried about the others."

Having said this, Chen Liu was no longer able to utter a word and was eventually dragged away by Xue Zhen and Long Guangxian.

In the huge palace, there were only two people left, Duanmu Yuanchen and his queen.

The two of them came to the palace gate silently and looked at a straight road in the distance.

After an unknown amount of time, a figure gradually appeared on this avenue. He was wearing silver armor, and his white cloak blended with the wind and snow behind him. He was holding a long spear and slowly walked towards Duanmu Yuanchen.

Behind him, countless soldiers surrounded a sedan chair.

Duanmu Yuanchen looked at the scene in front of him calmly. The person who came was naturally Ning Fei. In the sedan chair behind him was the Empress Dowager Ning, who had been forbearing for a year and finally exploded.

If nothing unexpected happens, his half-brother, Duanmu Yuanji, should also be in the sedan chair.

"Why don't you run away?" Ning Fei's voice came from afar.

Duanmu Yuanchen smiled faintly, ignored him, and just drew his own Emperor's Sword from his waist.