The Young Swordsman of Dalu

Nabru Khan sent news of his imminent attack on the Great Lu Kingdom to the Northern Dynasty.

After reading the letter from that unruly man, Murong Bo said excitedly, "It's finally time to make a move! I can't contain my excitement!"

"Your Majesty will surely win a victory from afar!" the ministers shouted.

"Very well! I will rely on you all, my beloved ministers! We, the emperor and his subjects, will certainly be of one mind and fight a good battle on the northern frontier!" Murong Bo was already starting to imagine a bright future.

Murong Bo returned to Zhengqian Palace, and Eunuch Liu followed behind him.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Murong Bo asked.

"Your Majesty! The men I sent not only failed to stop the Empress Dowager and her entourage, but the Empress Dowager has already entered Yan City!" Eunuch Liu said, kneeling before Murong Bo.

"Where is the Empress Dowager now?" Murong Bo asked, his eyes wide.

"She has returned to the Yuxuan Palace where she used to live," said Eunuch Liu.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Murong Bo shouted.

"His Majesty has been discussing the war with his ministers and hasn't had a chance to report to him yet!" said Eunuch Liu.

"Useless trash! Hurry up and help me change! I need to go to Yuxuan Palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager!" Murong Bo said.

Murong Bo arrived at Yuxuan Palace with a heavy heart and saw a large group of eunuchs and palace maids bustling about. When they saw him, they quickly knelt down, but Murong Bo ignored them and went straight to Jin Yuanying's bedroom.

Jin Yuanying and Ji Wuchang were drinking tea and chatting when Murong Bo entered.

"Grandson greets His Majesty the Empress Dowager!"

Kim Won-young put down his teacup and said, "Your Majesty! I haven't even finished my tea yet, and the news has already reached you so quickly."

“Grandmother, your grandson is unfilial. I should go to the far north to pay my respects to you!” Murong Bo said.

“You’re not bad either! You sent so many people to pay their respects to your grandmother. I was almost buried by them under the snow-capped mountains in the far north!” Jin Yuanying slammed his hand on the table, stood up and walked to Murong Bo’s side. “If I hadn’t come back, I don’t know if my Northern Dynasty would still exist.”

“Grandmother! What do you mean by that?” Murong Bo asked.

"Your predecessor, Murong Xuan, was dismissed by me and my ministers because he started a war. If you want to follow in his footsteps, I, Jin Yuanying, will not stand idly by!" Jin Yuanying said.

“Grandmother! There is a strong call throughout the Northern Dynasty to attack the Great Lu Kingdom. Besides, we can take advantage of the Western Regions army’s attack on the Great Lu Kingdom to seize the Northern Frontier City that we have long coveted. What’s wrong with that?” Murong Bo said.

"Can you guarantee victory in this war? Do you even care about the people of the Northern Dynasty? Do they really need war? What the people need is peace and prosperity!" Kim Won-yeong said.

"Grandmother! I have issued the order to attack the Great Lu Kingdom! It cannot be taken back. The entire army is like an arrow ready to be released, already on the bowstring!" Murong Bo said.

"Murong Bo, do you really want to be the last ruler of my Northern Dynasty?" Jin Yuanying asked.

"Even if I become the ruler of a fallen kingdom, what's wrong with that!" Murong Bo stood up and prepared to leave Yuxuan Palace.

"Murong Bo, you're gambling with the lives of eight million people in the Northern Dynasty! You unfilial descendant of the Murong family! I'm going to depose you!" Jin Yuanying shouted.

"I'm afraid the Empress Dowager can't do it! Men! Surround Yuxuan Palace! Don't let a single person out! Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!" Murong Bo walked out of Yuxuan Palace.

Jin Yuanying sat down helplessly, and Ji Wuchang said, "Aying! Don't worry, there's always a way to solve everything."

"Old Ji! I feel like I'm not up to the task anymore!" Jin Yuanying said helplessly.

"Is there anything I need to do?" Ji Wuchang asked.

"At crucial moments, we still need you, Ji Wuchang," Jin Yuanying said.

"Who can blame me for having such a prestigious title as the Flying Hero of the Western Continent!" Ji Wuchang said with a smile.

"Only you can do this now, so go and get it done for me!" Jin Yuanying whispered in Ji Wuchang's ear.

Ji Wuchang said, "I will definitely help you do it. Just wait for my good news!"

Ji Wuchang stepped out of Yuxuan Palace and leaped out of the palace, and no one noticed him.

The Jin family army, located thirty miles away from Yancheng, was stationed in Pinghu. Tuoba Hongrui, after being instructed by Murong Bo, came to the Jin family army with Murong Bo's imperial edict and became the second-in-command.

On the surface, Jin Shoukang showed respect to Tuoba Hongrui, but behind the scenes, he strongly opposed Murong Bo's decision. He knew that Murong Bo wanted to use this to weaken the Jin family's power within the Jin family army, thereby turning the Jin family army into a trusted force of the emperor, at his mercy. Jin Shoukang always remembered his aunt's dying words: if His Majesty could not be a good emperor, he could lead the Jin family army to storm the palace and depose the emperor!

Ever since Murong Bo's ambitions were revealed, Jin Shoukang had been worried that he would launch a war. He had been carefully observing Murong Bo's every move. He had been intensifying his military training in Pinghu and dared not stop for a moment. He thought that when his aunt returned to the court, their Jin family army would be his aunt's greatest source of confidence.

Tuoba Hongrui received a secret letter from Murong Bo, instructing him to closely monitor Jin Shoukang's every move and to kill him without mercy if he overstepped any boundaries!

"General! News has come from Yancheng that the Empress Dowager has moved into Yuxuan Palace!"

"Really?" Jin Shoukang asked.

“Absolutely true! They saw the Empress Dowager and Ji Wuchang enter Yuxuan Palace with their own eyes. Later, His Majesty also went to Yuxuan Palace. After His Majesty came out of Yuxuan Palace, it was surrounded by His Majesty’s men!”

"It seems they haven't reached an agreement!" Jin Shoukang said.

"Someone saw Tuoba Hongrui receive a message from the palace! General, should we eliminate him to avoid delaying our important matters?"

"Keep him for now! We'll see how things go!" Jin Shoukang said.

At night, most of the soldiers in the Pinghu camp had already fallen asleep. Only patrol teams were moving around the camp. Ji Wuchang quietly landed outside a large tent. The tent was still lit up. Ji Wuchang lifted the curtain and went inside.

Jin Shoukang was flipping through a book when he looked up, suddenly stood up, and immediately grabbed the sword beside him.

"General Jin! How have you been?" Ji Wuchang walked up to Jin Shoukang with a smile.

Jin Shoukang put down his sword and said, "So it's Senior Ji! I've been rude!"

“General Jin! I have come here on behalf of your aunt to see you,” Ji Wuchang said.

"How is my aunt doing?" Jin Shoukang asked.

“With me, Ji Wuchang, here, he’s safe for now! Your aunt told me to tell you that Murong Bo’s determination to go to war is unwavering, and this will bring endless disaster to the people of the Northern Dynasty. When that time comes, you must defect to the enemy and save the people of the Northern Dynasty from their suffering,” Ji Wuchang said.

"Senior Ji! Tell my aunt that I, Jin Shoukang, swear to protect the people of the Northern Dynasty with my life!" Jin Shoukang said.

"We'll see how things unfold! Farewell!" Ji Wuchang said, then walked out of the tent and disappeared without a trace.