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

However, the general's impassioned speech completely blocked his retreat route for peace talks.

In the court, the pro-war faction was powerful and the ministers were excited.

If he retreats at this critical juncture, won't the world laugh at him for being cowardly and incompetent?

Where is the emperor’s dignity and face?

He clenched his teeth and struggled internally.

The general's cleverness pushed him into a desperate situation.

He secretly hated the general's recklessness, but he had to admit that the general's words were not entirely unreasonable.

Perhaps, Lu Yan was just bluffing and was weak inside.

If he really has the ability to break through Tianjun City, why hasn't he taken action yet?

This thought swirled in his mind like a life-saving straw.

He began to waver and began to comfort himself.

Perhaps, this is a gamble.

If he wins the bet, he will continue to maintain the supreme glory of Beixiang State;

He lost the bet... He didn't dare to think about it anymore.

His furrowed brows relaxed slightly as he weighed the pros and cons repeatedly in his mind.

In the end, he placed all his hopes on the general.

I hope he can create a miracle and turn the tide.

After pondering for a moment, he slowly spoke:

"Alright! Since the Grand Marshal has such great ambitions, I certainly cannot let you down! I grant you my approval!"

His voice echoed in the hall, loud and clear, leaving no room for doubt.

The general was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately thanked the emperor for his grace, his excitement beyond words.

Chu Wen stood aside and watched all this quietly.

Beixiang State has embarked on a path of no return.

I shook my head helplessly and sighed silently in my heart:

Beixiang State is in danger!

This general is clearly a fool who can only talk big but not do anything.

If he were to lead the troops to attack Shannan Prefecture, it would be like hitting a rock with an egg.

But Chu Wen still advised the King of Beixiang.

"Your Majesty, you may send troops. But you must not massacre the entire city of Datong."

"The act of massacring the city will cause endless troubles. It may provoke Lu Yan to do something desperate and endanger the safety of Princess Mingyue."

Chu Wen paused and observed the expression of the King of Beixiang Kingdom.

Seeing that he didn't look displeased, he continued.

"I think we should join forces with the Javanese Kingdom to divide up the Datong Dynasty and expand our territory."

"Then the situation of the Three Kingdoms can be resolved, and the situation of the two kingdoms competing for hegemony can be expected."

When the King of Beixiang heard this, he immediately thought it was a great idea.

He was originally worried that Lu Yan would fight to the death for Datong.

If the Javanese could be persuaded to send troops together, Lu Yan would be attacked from both sides and would be unable to withstand the attack.

At that time, he will not only be able to win back Princess Mingyue, but also take the opportunity to expand his territory. Isn't that wonderful?

"Well, that makes sense. Pass the order along and send envoys to Java to negotiate peace."

"Also, order the generals of each division to seek opportunities to capture the remaining cities of Datong and to increase the military pressure on Lu Yan."

The King of Beixiang made the final decision.

"Chu Wen, you take charge of this matter!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Chu Wen accepted the order and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Next, it depends on the attitude of Java.

King Hassan of Java was an ambitious man.

He has always coveted the rich land of the Datong Dynasty.

After receiving the news from the envoy of Beixiang State, he immediately summoned his ministers to discuss the matter.

"My dear ministers, Beixiang State has proposed to join forces with our country to divide Datong. What do you think?"

Hassan asked slowly, sitting on the jewel-encrusted throne.

As soon as he finished speaking, a short, fat minister with a greasy face stood up impatiently.

He bowed and said flatteringly:

"Your Majesty, I believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"The Datong Dynasty is currently in turmoil and the people are demoralized. This is a perfect opportunity for us to take advantage of the situation and annex it in one fell swoop!"

Another minister followed suit and said:

"Yes, Your Majesty! Our Javanese nation has always been suppressed by Datong."

"We have paid tribute every year and have been our vassal every year. Now we have the opportunity to seek revenge and regain the glory that belongs to us. How can we miss it!"

He spoke passionately, spit flying everywhere.

"I second your opinion! The Datong Dynasty is vast and rich in resources.

If we can divide it up, our national strength will surely increase greatly!"

Listening to the ministers' conversation, Hassan showed a satisfied smile on his face.

He has always coveted the rich land of the Datong Dynasty.

Now that the opportunity has finally come, how can he not be excited?

"it is good!"

Hassan slammed the table, and the gems inlaid on the table emitted a dazzling light.

"Then it's settled! Pass the order down, immediately muster the troops and prepare for battle!"

He stood up excitedly, his eyes flashing with ambition to conquer.

……

At the same time, Chen Qingwan returned to Jingzhou with the 5,000 explosives she bought from Lu Yan.

She was exhausted and had not yet recovered from her fatigue when she was greeted by Li Mu.

"Your Majesty, you are finally back! How are things going in the capital?"

Li Mu asked with concern, his tone filled with anxiety.

Chen Qingwan rubbed her sore temples and said lightly:

"There was no direct attack on the capital. Lu Yan decided to attack Beixiang Kingdom first to put pressure on them, and then release the people of the capital."

Upon hearing this, Li Mu could not help but nod in admiration:

"Lord Lu's strategy is truly brilliant! If they attack the capital by force, it will definitely affect the people inside."

Chen Qingwan waved her hand and brought the topic back to the war at hand:

"Okay, the most important thing right now is to capture Jingzhou City as quickly as possible."

"Your Majesty, we have already built a lot of siege equipment, and we have also added 5,000 new soldiers."

"We now have 15,000 troops and a lot of weapons and equipment. We are just waiting for your return."

Li Mu reported excitedly, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

"Okay, then we will attack Jingzhou Prefecture tonight!"

When these words were spoken, the generals around were stunned and looked at each other.

"Your Majesty, isn't this too fast?"

A general asked cautiously, his face full of worry.

"If we don't take Jingzhou, we will be trapped here and die sooner or later."

Chen Qingwan spoke in a serious tone, then smiled mysteriously.

"And this time, I brought back a secret weapon. Jingzhou Prefecture can't stop me!"

She patted the large boxes behind her, which contained the explosives provided by Lu Yan.

As night falls, the city of Jingzhou is brightly lit.

Zhang Qi, the governor of Jingzhou, sat at the top with a serious expression.

In front of him, several trusted advisers were sitting together, discussing something in low voices.

Ever since the news of the empress's disappearance and the fall of the capital came.

Zhang Qi was restless day and night, unable to sleep or eat.

He knew very well that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

An opportunity for him to break free from the constraints of the court and establish himself as king.

After repeated persuasion from his trusted advisers, Zhang Qi finally made up his mind.

Embarked on the path of independence.

The number of troops under his command also expanded from 3,000 to 10,000, making him look like a local lord.

"My Lord, the Yulin Army is strong, but now it is surrounded by enemies and its foothold is unstable. This is the perfect opportunity for us to strike!"

The trusted generals clasped their fists and spoke out, their words full of their desire to achieve great things.

Another general echoed:

"My lord, our army is trapped in Tongzhou and our food and fodder are becoming increasingly scarce."

"Why not take the initiative to attack while the Yulin Army has not yet gained a firm foothold? Perhaps we can achieve hegemony!"

Zhang Qi was not moved by the generals' enthusiasm.

He frowned, tapped the edge of the sand table with his fingers, and said in a deep voice:

"I naturally trust the bravery of the generals."

"But now that the war is at a stalemate, what I'm worried about is not the Yulin Army, but the attitude of the imperial court."

His eyes were like torches as he scanned the people in the tent. His voice was low but resounding:

"Liu An is mobilizing troops across the country. Once he sets his sights on us."

"Our army must not only send troops, but also provide money and food to support the imperial army."

"Although the imperial court is corrupt, Datong is still alive. I, Zhang Qi, cannot easily abandon my status as an imperial official."

Zhang Qi was not greedy for power, but was far-sighted.

Exposing one's strength too early will only lead to suspicion and suppression from all sides.

Everything we are doing now is to bide our time and accumulate strength.

Quietly waiting for the best time to come.

His wishful thinking was going smoothly, but he didn't expect that danger had already arrived quietly.