With a million soldiers, the empress begged me not to rebel

"I suspect something big may have happened in the capital."

Lu Yan said with a serious expression.

"The capital? Could it be..."

Han Sheng seemed to have thought of something, and his expression became ugly.

"Now that our Shannan Prefecture has a strong army and abundant food and fodder, it is a great time for development."

"But if something happens in the capital, it will be difficult for us to remain immune."

Lu Yan sighed and continued.

"I plan to send someone to the capital to find out what exactly happened."

"Sir, I would like to go to the capital to find out the news!" Zhang Xun and Han Sheng said in unison.

Lu Yan pondered for a moment and said:

"Zhang Xun, take a team of elite cavalry and head to the capital to gather information."

"Be sure to be cautious and prudent. If you find anything wrong, report back to Shannan Prefecture immediately."

"Yes! Your lord!"

Zhang Xun took the order and left.

At the same time, on the official road leading to the capital.

Two figures were supporting each other and walking forward with a staggering step.

They wore cloaks that covered their faces completely.

But judging from their body shapes, they were a man and a woman.

It was Chen Qingwan who escaped from the capital and her personal maid Qiao'er.

After traveling all the way, Chen Qingwan was already exhausted.

But she still forced herself to stay alert and did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

"Qiao'er, how long will it take us to reach Shannan Prefecture?"

Chen Qingwan's voice was a little weak.

"Your Majesty, we have been walking for two days and two nights. We estimate that we will reach Shannan Prefecture in one more day."

Qiao'er looked at Chen Qingwan with heartache.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves came from afar, coming closer and closer at a very fast speed.

Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er were shocked and quickly hid in the woods by the roadside.

I saw a group of cavalry rushing over like lightning, led by Li Mu, the commander of the Yulin Army.

Li Mu saw Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er hiding in the woods at a glance.

He quickly stopped his horse, dismounted, and walked quickly to Chen Qingwan.

He knelt on one knee and said with a sob:

"Your Majesty, I am late in rescuing you!"

Chen Qingwan looked at the familiar face in front of her, her heart was sour, bitter, and painful...

Qiao'er also cried and said:

"Finally, I see you, General Li Mu!"

"Li Mu, let's fight back!"

The flame of revenge burned in Chen Qingwan.

"Your Majesty, the capital has been lost. With only the few troops we have left, going back would only mean our own death!"

Li Mu suppressed the grief in his heart and spoke calmly.

"Yes, Your Majesty, that old villain Liu An has now gained the upper hand."

"He has a hundred thousand imperial guards under his command. We are no match for him."

Qiao'er also advised from the side.

"Your Majesty, as long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood."

Li Mu also advised.

Chen Qingwan pondered for a moment, trying to calm her inner grief and panic.

I felt that what Li Mu and Qiao'er said made sense, so I asked:

"So where can we go now?"

"Shannan Prefecture! I think Lu Yan, the prefect of Shannan Prefecture, is a very capable person."

"With his help, we will definitely be able to retake the capital!"

Li Mu said in a firm tone.

Chen Qingwan nodded, and a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart.

The group turned their horses around and headed towards Shannan Prefecture.

In the capital, dawn breaks.

The gray sky was hanging low, the waning moon was like a hook, and a few sparse stars were twinkling dimly.

Liu An's army, clad in black armor, surged through the streets and alleys of the capital like a black tide.

The iron hoofs shattered the tranquility of the bluestone slabs and also shattered the last bit of hope of the people.

The doors and windows of every household were closed, and occasionally a faint candlelight shone through the crack of the door.

It added a bit of bleakness and fear.

The cries and curses drifted in the wind like ghostly whispers.

A special forces soldier from Shannan Prefecture codenamed "Cheetah".

At this moment, he is lurking on the roof of a teahouse called "Wangyue Tower".

The gray clothes clung to his body, almost blending into the morning mist.

He was a sturdy figure, like a sculpture integrated with the roof.

Cheetah narrowed his eyes, and his sharp gaze swept over the soldiers on the street like a hawk.

He noticed that although these soldiers wore distinctive armor, their eyes revealed a fierceness and greed.

Many soldiers had looted property hanging around their waists, even women's pearl hairpins.

"Damn it, this Liu An is really ruthless. He wants to turn the capital upside down."

The cheetah cursed under his breath, and it seemed as if ice chips could be squeezed out from between his teeth.

He reached out and touched the dagger hidden in his lapel, and the cold touch made him feel slightly relieved.

The cheetah disguised himself as a peddler, carrying two bamboo baskets on a shoulder pole.

He walked slowly along the street, shouting from time to time, attracting the attention of many women.

However, the cheetah's eyes are always vigilantly observing everything around it.

He noticed that most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed.

Occasionally there are one or two restaurants open, but they are deserted.

He walked to a breakfast shop, pretended to buy fried dough sticks, and took the opportunity to chat with the owner.

"Boss, why is this city so deserted?"

Cheetah asked casually. The boss sighed and said in a low voice:

"Sir, you are from out of town, right?"

"The city has been in turmoil these past few days. That old thief Liu An has usurped the throne and is wreaking havoc on officials from the previous dynasty!"

Cheetah's heart trembled, and he asked calmly:

"Oh? What happened to the people we captured?"

The boss shook his head and said sadly:

"What else can we do? They're all...gone. Even their families..."

The boss didn't say anything else, but just gestured at his neck with his hand.

A surge of anger welled up in Cheetah's heart, but he tried hard not to show it.

Just paid, picked up the dough sticks and kept walking.

He walked to a narrow alley, where damp moss spread in the corners of the walls, emitting a musty smell.

Deep in the alley, a group of soldiers were surrounding a house.

Rude shouting mixed with women's cries.

Like a sharp knife piercing the tranquility of the early morning.

The cheetah slowed down, hid in the shadows at the alley entrance, and watched with squinted eyes.

The wooden door of that house had been kicked open, and broken wooden boards were scattered all over the floor.

A woman was hugging a little girl of three or four years old tightly.

Kneeling on the cold bluestone slabs, crying and begging in despair.

The little girl's face was full of fear.

The thin little hands tightly grasped the mother's clothes and cried loudly.

The woman's hair was disheveled, tears were streaming down her face, and she kept kowtowing.

His forehead was bleeding, and he kept begging:

"Please, let my child go! Please..."

The soldiers turned a deaf ear to the woman's pleas.

They were dressed in muddy black armor and had hideous faces.

A soldier with a ferocious face kicked the woman impatiently and cursed:

"Why are you crying? If you keep crying, I'll chop you down with a knife!"

Another soldier reached out to pull the little girl, trying to snatch her from the woman's arms.