Huanzhu Time Travel: Yan Luo's Unbreakable Love in the Yong Dynasty

Bathed in the soft light emanating from the Chaos Pearl, the concubine collapsed to the ground, her breath faint. Her eyes were filled with resentment and bitterness, her gaze fixed on Hongli and Xiaoyanzi until her last breath. Rong Mama threw herself upon the concubine, her mournful cries echoing through the stone chamber. Her withered hands clutched the concubine's clothes tightly, as if this could hold her life. "Your Highness, how can this old servant live without you! It's all because of that despicable couple! This old servant will fight you to the death!" Rong Mama suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with madness, and lunged at Xiaoyanzi.

Little Swallow's eyebrows furrowed, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. Her soft whip lashed out like a serpent, snapping precisely around Rong Mama's neck with a sharp crack. With a forceful jerk, she slammed Rong Mama against the stone wall. Rong Mama groaned, collapsing to the ground, motionless.

"Hmph, that vicious old hag finally got what she deserved." Little Swallow spat lightly, her chest heaving slightly, the anger in her eyes not yet completely dissipated. Her empress's robes were stained with dust and blood from the fight, and her once exquisite hair was now somewhat loose, with a few strands falling beside her cheeks, but her aura remained undiminished, displaying courage and determination.

Hongli sheathed his sword, walked to Xiaoyanzi's side, and gently took her hand. "Empress, you've worked hard." His voice was deep and gentle, and his eyes were full of concern.

Xiao Yanzi looked up at Hongli, a slight smile appearing on her lips. "As long as I can be with the Emperor, no amount of hardship is too much."

At this moment, a heavy stench of blood filled the stone chamber. The corpses of the Shadow Pavilion's black-clad men lay scattered on the ground, blood pooling and slowly flowing down the cracks in the rocks. Fucha Fuheng and General Zhao Hui were directing their soldiers to clear the battlefield, their figures appearing exceptionally resolute under the light of the Chaos Pearl.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, the Shadow Pavilion has suffered a great loss of strength this time, and its remaining forces are no longer a threat." Fucha Fuheng stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and reported to Hongli and Xiaoyanzi.

Hongli nodded slightly, "Fuheng, General Zhaohui, we are very grateful to you this time. But we must not let our guard down and we must wipe out the remaining members of the Shadow Pavilion in one fell swoop."

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the two replied in unison, their voices loud and firm.

Princess Hejing emerged from the corner, her face still pale, clearly not yet recovered from the ordeal. "Father, Mother, I was so scared..." She quickly walked to Hongli and Xiaoyanzi, took Xiaoyanzi's hand, and her voice trembled slightly.

Little Swallow gently patted Princess Hejing's head and softly comforted her, "Hejing, don't be afraid, it's alright. From now on, your mother and father will always protect you."

Just as everyone was about to leave the stone chamber, Yongqi rushed over, his forehead covered in sweat and his expression anxious. "Father, Mother, urgent news from the border!" He presented Hongli with a letter sealed with bright red wax.

Hongli's expression changed slightly, and he quickly took the letter and began to read it. His brows furrowed deeper, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes. "What's wrong, Your Majesty?" Seeing this, Xiao Yanzi felt a sense of foreboding.

Hongli took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "The border war has broken out again. Galdan's tribe has joined forces with other tribes, gathered a large army, and intends to invade our border."

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. "This Galdan tribe has repeatedly invaded our dynasty, it is truly despicable!" General Zhao Hui slammed his fist on the stone wall beside him, his face full of anger.

"The most urgent task now is to discuss how to respond," Fucha Fuheng said with a solemn expression.

Hongli nodded. "Return to the palace! Immediately summon the court officials to discuss countermeasures."

The group quickly left the cave and returned to the palace. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive throughout the journey, everyone feeling a deep sense of unease. Upon returning to the palace, Hongli and Xiaoyanzi, without even resting, hurried to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the lights were blazing. The court officials, having already received the news, had gathered there. Their faces were grave, and they spoke in hushed tones.

"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived! His Majesty the Empress has arrived!" With the eunuch's loud announcement, Hongli and Xiaoyanzi entered the hall. Everyone knelt down to pay their respects.

"Get up, all of you." Hongli waved his hand and sat down on the dragon throne with a cold expression. Xiao Yanzi sat down on the phoenix throne next to him, her eyes revealing determination and worry.

"I've summoned you all here today because you're all aware of the tense situation on the border. Galdan's tribe, in alliance with other tribes, is advancing with overwhelming force. Does anyone have a good plan?" Hongli asked, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

For a moment, the hall fell silent. After a short while, an elderly minister stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that our dynasty should immediately dispatch a large army to the frontier to defend against foreign enemies."

"I second that proposal," several other ministers echoed.

Hongli nodded slightly and looked at General Zhaohui, "Zhaohui, you have been fighting on the battlefield for many years, what do you think?"

General Zhao Hui stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the troops into battle and will surely defeat Galdan’s forces, ensuring peace on our borders!” His voice was firm and powerful, full of confidence and determination.

"Good!" A hint of relief flashed in Hongli's eyes. "Then I appoint General Zhaohui as commander-in-chief, leading an army of 200,000 to set off for the frontier immediately!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" General Zhao Hui accepted the order and withdrew.

At this moment, another minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that in addition to sending troops to fight, we should also strengthen ties with the surrounding tribes and divide the Galdan tribe's alliance."

"Yes, this plan is excellent." Hongli nodded in agreement. "Fuheng, I'll leave this matter to you. Make sure to communicate with the surrounding tribes as soon as possible, explain the advantages and disadvantages, and win their support."

"Your subject obeys the decree," Fucha Fuheng replied.

After discussing military deployments, the group then addressed matters such as food supplies and intelligence gathering. The meeting didn't end until late at night. The ministers gradually left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and Hongli and Xiaoyanzi were also exhausted.

"Your Majesty, you must be extra careful in this border war." Xiao Yanzi looked at Hongli with worry in her eyes.

Hongli held Xiaoyanzi's hand. "Your Majesty, rest assured, with Zhaohui and Fuheng here, I believe we can defeat the enemy. But you, you must take good care of yourself and Xiaoyanzi."

Little Swallow nestled gently in Hongli's arms. "I will. Your Majesty, I hope you will return safely as well."

In the days that followed, the palace was a hive of activity. General Zhao Hui was busy mobilizing troops and preparing provisions; Fucha Fuheng was traveling around, communicating with neighboring tribes. Xiao Yanzi was also busy, organizing the concubines in the harem to make cotton-padded clothes for the soldiers at the front, and she even went to the military camp to see them off.

"Soldiers! On this journey to the frontier, you must fight bravely to protect our nation and its land!" Little Swallow stood on the command platform, dressed in a magnificent empress's robes, her posture upright, her voice clear and powerful.

"We are willing to die for the Emperor and Empress!" the soldiers below the stage shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and earth, their morale soaring.

General Zhao Hui rode a tall, magnificent horse to Xiao Yanzi and knelt on one knee. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will not fail in my mission!"

Little Swallow nodded slightly, "General Zhaohui, I'm entrusting everything to you. The soldiers must be careful while they are out there."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" General Zhao Hui rose, mounted his horse, and waved his hand, "Let's go!"

Two hundred thousand troops marched out of the capital and headed towards the frontier. Watching the departing army, Xiao Yanzi's heart was filled with worry. She knew that this frontier war was related to the safety of the country and the lives of countless people.

Back in the palace, Xiao Yanzi kept a close eye on the war on the frontier. She and Hongli handled court affairs together, while also taking care of their little Yanzi.

"Empress Mother, when will Father Emperor come back?" Little Swallow asked innocently, her big eyes wide open.

Little Swallow gently patted her head, "Father will be back soon. Little Swallow, be a good girl, and when Father comes back, he will bring you lots of fun things."

"Yes, yes!" Little Swallow clapped her hands happily, her face beaming with a pure smile.

However, the battle at the front was not going smoothly. Galdan's tribe was well-prepared, occupying advantageous terrain and receiving support from other tribes, making it difficult for General Zhaohui's army to break through. Fierce fighting broke out on both sides in the border region, resulting in heavy casualties.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from the front lines." A eunuch hurriedly entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and presented a letter to Hongli.

Hongli hurriedly opened the letter, and after reading it, his face turned extremely ugly. "This Galdan tribe is truly cunning!" He slammed the letter heavily on the table, his eyes filled with rage.

Seeing this, Xiao Yanzi's heart tightened. "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Hongli took a deep breath. "General Zhaohui's army suffered heavy losses when they were ambushed by the enemy during the attack. Now they can only retreat to their camp for the time being and wait for reinforcements."

"What should we do?" Little Swallow said anxiously. "Should we send more troops over?"

Hongli pondered for a moment, "Don't rush. Let me discuss this with my ministers first and see if there's a better solution."

Therefore, Hongli summoned the court officials again to discuss countermeasures. After a heated discussion, they finally decided to send another 100,000 troops to the frontier. At the same time, they instructed Fucha Fuheng to accelerate communication with the surrounding tribes and try to break up the Galdan tribe's alliance as soon as possible.

As they awaited news from the front, the atmosphere in the palace grew increasingly tense. Little Swallow prayed daily for the soldiers, hoping for their safe return.

"Your Majesty, don't worry too much. General Zhao Hui is a veteran of many battles; he will surely come up with a solution," Zhen Huan (the Empress Dowager) said, looking at Xiao Yanzi with heartache.

Little Swallow nodded slightly, "Your Majesty, I know. But as long as this war continues, I will not have peace of mind."

Just when everyone was extremely anxious, Fucha Fuheng brought good news. He had successfully persuaded several tribes to withdraw from the Galdan tribe's alliance. This news gave everyone hope.

"Excellent!" Hongli's face broke into a long-lost smile. "Fuheng has indeed lived up to my expectations. In this way, the strength of Galdan's tribe will be greatly reduced."

"Your Majesty, this is a good opportunity," Xiao Yanzi said excitedly. "It would allow General Zhao Hui to take this opportunity to launch an attack."

Hongli nodded. "I will issue an order immediately, commanding General Zhaohui to lead the troops!"

However, just as Hongli was preparing to issue the decree, another urgent report arrived. Galdan's tribe, enraged upon learning that several tribes had withdrawn from the alliance, had actually joined forces with a mysterious force to launch a surprise attack on General Zhaohui's camp…