We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

On the vast plateau, the cold wind howls.

Inside Dorje's large yurt tent, tallow torches crackled and burned, illuminating a dozen or so somber faces.

These people were all military commanders in charge of various garrisons, passes, and cavalry units along the eastern border of Tibet.

The generals gathered here, but the atmosphere inside the tent was extremely oppressive, like the deathly silence before a blizzard.

A deputy general knelt on one knee in the tent and reported the situation: "According to the confessions of the captured Qing soldiers, it can be determined that the one who led the Qing army to invade alone this time was none other than the Qing emperor himself!"

These words immediately caused an uproar inside the tent.

"what?!"

"Emperor Qingren? This... how is this possible?"

"How could a monarch personally venture into such a dangerous place?!"

"What should I do?"

In their deeply ingrained belief, the Zanpu is a divine son who resides in the Red Mountain Holy Palace and rules over all directions, and would never easily go to the front lines where blood and flesh are flying.

Extending this analogy to others, the emperor of Qingren held a similar status to the Zanpu, which was an extremely noble and supreme existence.

How could he lead a mere few thousand men to drill through mountain ravines and blow up city walls?

The natural wariness of an unknown and powerful enemy, coupled with the instinctive awe of the emperor's identity, cast a shadow over the hearts of these usually arrogant Tibetan generals, and even made them somewhat afraid of fighting.

"quiet!"

Dorje, who was sitting in the main seat, patted the low table in front of him.

The tent gradually quieted down, and all eyes were focused on him.

Dorje looked around at everyone and slowly said, "The Qing people have violated our borders without cause, burned our fortresses, and occupied our important towns. This is a blatant provocation, and the knife is already at our throats!"

Do I really need to teach you the meaning of "it is your duty to defend the land"?

Everyone was silent.

Dorje paused, allowing the pressure to penetrate, before speaking: "Chuma City has fallen, the fate of the garrison commander Dorje Tsering is unknown, and a large hole has been torn in the eastern defense line."

“If such a defeat were to reach Lhasa, to the ears of the great and small ministers, and perhaps even to the king himself… how many of you present here would be able to keep your heads?”

These words were like ice water poured over people's heads, sending chills down their spines and deepening their fear.

Tibetan laws were harsh, especially those who lost territory or lost their army, for which punishments were extremely severe.

If this matter is judged as such, it would be a major defeat for Tibet, the worst it has been in decades, and all of them would be finished.

Seeing the fear on everyone's faces, Dorje was satisfied.

Then, changing the subject, he said, "Besides, so what if he's the Emperor of Qing?!"

"He may be an emperor worshipped by all in the Qing Kingdom, but this is Tibet! This is the plateau where we have lived and thrived for generations!"

"Since the Zanpu ascended the throne, he has conquered east and west, and his power has shaken all directions. Which of the kingdoms in the Western Regions does not bow down and offer tribute?"

"Our mighty Tibetan army has never feared anyone!"

He stood up, his massive frame casting a huge shadow in the firelight: "Now, you only have two paths before you!"

"The first reason is that they were terrified by the name of the Qing Emperor, and they hesitated to move forward, watching their territory fall into ruin."

"Then wait to be taken back to Lhasa, punished for the crime of losing land, beheaded, and have your family enslaved!"

Everyone shrank back; they certainly didn't want this to happen.

"The second way!"

"Let us, the warriors of Tibet, muster our courage, assemble our army, and retake Chuima City!"

"We must capture that arrogant and ignorant Qing emperor, bind him with the strongest ox-tendon rope, and present him before the Zanpu's golden throne!"

A collective gasp filled the tent, followed by a deathly silence.

Capture the emperor alive? Is that even possible?

That's the emperor!

However, Dorje's voice was full of temptation: "Just think! If we could capture the Qing Emperor alive, what an incredible achievement that would be!"

"At that time, you and I will no longer be mere border guards, but heroes of the entire Tubo Kingdom!"

"The king's generous rewards, the great minister's favor, endless pastures, cattle and sheep, slaves, treasures... and a prestigious family that future generations can rely on!"

"The historians will use the most magnificent words to inscribe our names on the monument, so that they may be sung for a thousand years!"

Fear and greed are the two most effective forces driving people.

Even the Tibetans were no exception; their initial fear was gradually replaced by a more fervent emotion under Dorje's repeated threats and inducements.

That was a thirst for glory, a mad covetousness for the opportunity to change one's destiny!

An impatient general stood up, his face flushed: "The general is right! The Qing emperor has delivered himself to our doorstep; this is an opportunity bestowed upon us by the gods! What is there to fear from him!"

"Yes! Capture him! Present him to the Zanpu!"

"Take back Chuima City! Slaughter all the Qing dogs!"

"I'll follow the general!"

The atmosphere inside the tent instantly reversed, transforming from oppressive fear into fervor.

Although he still held a deep reverence for the title of "Emperor," it had been gradually overshadowed by his unparalleled achievements.

Dorjee looked at his excited subordinates and a cold, hard smile appeared on his lips.

At this point, morale is a viable factor.

It is fitting that I, Dorje, have performed such a monumental feat.

Emperor Qingren, where do you get the audacity to come to my territory in person?

He returned to his seat and solemnly ordered, "Pass on my military orders! Assemble all border garrison troops! All scouts out hunting for supplies, return immediately!"

"Surround Chuimacheng like tightening a sack!"

"What we want is not just the city, but the real dragon within it that has walked right into our trap!"

"Roar—!" The generals responded in unison.

Driven by Dorje's ambition, the war machine on the eastern border of Tibet began to rumble on an unprecedented scale.

The target was Chuima City, and the prey within it whose status was far more prestigious than anyone could have imagined.

. . . . . .

Several days later, Chuimacheng.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and a layer of white frost clung to the rough brick walls of Chuimacheng.

Wearing a dark cloak, Li Che, accompanied by generals such as Yue Yun, Ma Zhong, and Qiu Bai, ascended the southwestern section of the city wall, which had been urgently reinforced.

His gaze swept across the narrow clearing, and the scene before him was breathtaking.

As far as the eye could see, the Tibetan tents resembled grayish-white mushrooms, densely packed together.

These camps stretched endlessly to the foot of the distant hills.

The camp was filled with flags, each representing a different family or tribe, which fluttered in the cold morning wind of the plateau, like a surging, colorful ocean.

Further away, dust continued to rise, and troops were still gathering.

Even from such a distance, the shouts of men and the neighing of horses could be faintly heard, converging into a cacophony that was filled with an oppressive sense of clamor.

The entire city of Chuima has been surrounded like an iron barrel.

Upon seeing this, Dorje Tsering's Adam's apple bobbed, and his face grew even paler.

He pointed to a large banner with a ferocious snow lion pattern in the direction of the central army, his voice a little dry: "Your Majesty, that is Dorje's main battle banner."

“He was originally from Dongdai, a 'Wu Ru' in the central region. In recent years, he was promoted to the commander of the eastern border defense army. He is brave and good at fighting, and is highly trusted by the current leader. He has a high reputation among the generals in the east.”

Li Che looked in the direction he was pointing, his face calm and composed, showing little emotion.

Dorjee's status naturally didn't frighten him; countless people with higher positions and greater power than Dorjee had died at his hands.

What he cared about was the abilities of the opposing general.

He slowly moved his gaze, sweeping over the layout of the Tibetan military camp and the Tibetan soldiers who were gathering and training in the open space outside the camp.

Despite their large numbers, they were able to maintain their formation and ranks while marching, which shows that they were not a mob.

“The military and the people are united, and the whole clan is a soldier…” Li Che muttered to himself.

The Eastern Tibet system demonstrated its formidable mobilization capabilities at this moment.

These soldiers were not farmers temporarily conscripted, but rather an army with considerable combat experience.

Although the Qing army was well-equipped and uniform, its advantage lay in its large numbers and familiarity with the high-altitude environment.

No wonder Tibet became a formidable rival to the Central Plains dynasties.

"Your Majesty, judging from the size of this camp and the amount of smoke from its chimneys, the Tibetan army below the city probably numbers no less than 100,000," Yue Yun estimated in a deep voice, his brow furrowed with deep concern.

Ma Zhong clicked his tongue and cursed, "You son of a bitch, you really think highly of us, you've brought all your family's wealth!"

Li Che nodded slightly, acknowledging Yue Yun's assessment.

He quickly calculated in his mind: at most, including the remnants of the army that were gradually returning to their posts and being gathered together, the defending force was only a little over ten thousand.

Even taking into account the advantages of city walls and superior firearms, this is still a disparity of nearly one to ten.

“Supplies,” Li Che suddenly spoke, his voice clear and calm, “are their greatest weakness, and also our greatest danger.”

All eyes turned to them.

“Chuma City was originally the largest grain storage place in eastern Tibet, but now most of their grain is in my hands.”

"The Tibetan army has gathered in large numbers this time, but they came in haste, and the provisions they brought with them must be limited."

"Transporting people to high-altitude areas is difficult; with 100,000 mouths to feed, the daily consumption is astronomical."

Li Che's gaze once again fell upon the somewhat sparse supply wagons in the Tibetan army camp.

"They can't afford to drag this out; we must fight quickly, recapture the city, and seize the supplies before we can fully establish ourselves."

He paused, his tone growing colder: "So, they won't besiege us."

"Since Dorje is trusted by the Grand Master and is known for his bravery, he would never resort to such a slow and cautious approach."

"He will surely seek a swift and decisive attack to breach the city as soon as possible, perhaps within the next day or two. Once his troops are fully in place and his siege equipment is roughly ready, he will launch a fierce assault."

As if to confirm his judgment, a rhythmic chant and the dull thud of trees falling came from the distant Tibetan military camp.

That was a sign that they were rushing to make makeshift ladders and battering rams.

The people on the city wall tensed up when they heard what Li Che said.

Their troop strength was absolutely inferior, and their geographical advantage was not complete.

Moreover, the enemy is eager for a decisive battle and has little time to maneuver or delay.

There is no doubt that they are facing a very critical situation.

Li Che turned around, his back to the suffocating array of camps outside the city, and smiled as he asked the generals, "Are you all afraid?"

Ma Zhong retorted, "What's there to be afraid of! We've already gotten our money's worth!"

Yue Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute: "With Your Majesty here, we have no choice but to fight to the death!"

Qiu Bai and his guards silently drew their swords, their eyes resolute.

Only Luo Yueniang's expression hardened, and she slowly asked, "Is Your Majesty planning a night attack?"