Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Xing Daorong nodded; he had long wanted to go to the northern desert.

Now that Xiao Ce has stood Xiao Yang up for a day, it can be considered that he doesn't take this general seriously.

This was something Xing Daorong found hard to tolerate.

He had already ordered 20,000 troops to be ready for battle.

Xing Daorong asked Xiao Yang, "Second Prince, are we sending out all 20,000 troops? Should we leave some behind here?"

Xiao Yang waved his hand and said, "No need to stay. You stationed troops in Maoming City to prevent people from the four prefectures of Mobei from coming. Now that we've passed through, there's no need to guard against it."

He then looked at Magistrate Chen to the side and said, "Magistrate Chen, you have city defense troops here, right?"

Magistrate Chen nodded and bowed: "Indeed, we have three thousand city defense troops."

Xiao Yang nodded and said, "That's enough. You keep the city garrison here. If any refugees come, kill them without exception!"

Magistrate Chen nodded and said, "Your Highness, rest assured. I will keep a close eye on things!"

Seeing that Magistrate Chen said so, Xing Daorong felt relieved and went to mobilize his troops.

They didn't set off until midnight.

When their army arrived outside Yanmen Pass, it was already dawn.

When their army arrived, they encountered the defenses of the Northern Desert Army.

They managed to hold them off with their arrows, preventing them from advancing any further.

This infuriated Xing Daorong and Xiao Yang.

They shouted angrily, "How dare you! Do you know who we are? I am General Xing Daorong!"

"This gentleman beside me is the Second Prince, Xiao Yang! He has come to deliver His Majesty's imperial edict!"

The northern army guarding the city had already received Han Da's orders that no one, no matter who they were, should be allowed to enter.

Anyone attempting to trespass will be killed on sight!

"Your Highness, General Xing, military law is absolute! We have received orders that the military situation in the four prefectures of Mobei is urgent, and no one is allowed to enter without the permission of the King of Mobei. Anyone who attempts to trespass will be killed without exception!"

The words of the general guarding the city infuriated them.

Xiao Yang cursed, "General Xing, this Xiao Ce has absolutely no guts... You go and launch a full-scale attack! I don't believe a piece of trash like him would actually dare to kill our own people! Is he trying to rebel?!"

Xing Daorong, with an arrogant expression, though inwardly quite displeased, bowed and replied, "Second Prince, as you command!"

Immediately afterwards, Xing Daorong began to deploy troops.

He sent out a small team of fifty men!

Unexpectedly, the soldiers on the city wall shouted several times.

They showed no sign of stopping.

Without any hesitation, a single volley of fire wiped out the entire squad...

"Rebellion! Rebellion! Have they gone mad? General Xing, they actually dared to shoot your soldiers! This is a rebellion! Attack with all troops! Attack with all troops! Slaughter them all... and exterminate their entire families!"

Xiao Yang was so angry he was jumping up and down.

Xing Daorong's complexion was not good.

At this time, the Yanmen Pass was filled with torches lit by soldiers.

Judging from the torches, there were at least five to eight thousand defenders.

If a fight really breaks out, they won't have the upper hand either...

"Your Highness, they have tens of thousands of defenders on their side. If we really launch a direct attack, we're afraid we'll suffer heavy losses! Judging from their appearance, they really dare to make a move! Moreover, we left in a hurry and didn't bring any siege equipment. A direct attack would be suicide!" Seeing that Xiao Yang didn't understand warfare, Xing Daorong deliberately exaggerated the number of enemy defenders.

He was genuinely afraid of Xiao Yang, that hothead, letting him lead his troops into battle.

"Do they want to rebel? Then what do you suggest we do?" Xiao Yang felt like he was about to explode with anger.

“We should issue an imperial edict and bring Xiao Ce here. If he doesn’t open the city gates to welcome him when he arrives, it will be considered disobeying the imperial edict… At that time, if he resists our army’s entry into the northern desert, it will also be considered disobeying the imperial edict… Moreover, it’s not that simple that they killed fifty of our soldiers!” Xing Daorong said.

Xiao Yang asked, "What if he doesn't accept the imperial decree? Will you still be unable to break in?"

Xing Daorong said, "Second Prince, they've run out of food... If he does this, he's disobeying the imperial decree, which is treason! We can report to His Majesty and ask him to send reinforcements to capture the traitorous king!"

Xiao Yang nodded repeatedly as he listened, "That's right..."

With that, Xiao Yang ordered someone to issue an imperial edict, inviting Xiao Ce to receive it.

Upon seeing the imperial edict, the guards inside all knelt down and said they would inform Xiao Ce.

Seeing this, Xing Daorong said to Xiao Yang, "Your Highness, it's alright...it's alright...these people aren't really rebelling..."

Xiao Yang's face was grim: "I'll make Xiao Ce regret what he did this time!"

...

Just two hours later, the sky began to lighten.

Xiao Yang's face turned deathly pale.

He waited not only all day yesterday, but also all night.

Xing Daorong came to persuade him, but Xiao Yang stubbornly persisted, gritting his teeth.

"No need, I'll wait right here! I want to see how long that good-for-nothing makes me wait! How long he makes me wait is how long I'll make him kneel when the decree is issued!"

Seeing this, Xing Daorong didn't know what to say: "I've already sent someone to inquire, and the garrison at Yanmen Pass said they've already reported it! However, there's been no news!"

Xiao Yang gritted his teeth: "Fine! I'll wait here!"

...

Xiao Yang woke up in the morning and, after exercising, heard Xiao Jiu talk about what happened at Yanmen Pass last night.

After listening, Xiao Ce laughed and said, "Haha, good. But since the scout came to report, why didn't you wake me up!"

Xiao Jiu bowed and said, "Your Highness, I saw you sparring with Miss Jieqi until the early hours of the morning. You had just fallen asleep... I thought that even if I woke Your Highness up, you wouldn't go to see her!"

Xiao Ce pointed at Xiao Jiu and laughed, saying, "Haha, you rascal! You've made progress!"

Xiao Jiu scratched her head happily after being praised by Xiao Ce.

"Your Highness, but the garrison has shot down more than fifty of their soldiers. Won't that cause a problem?"

Xiao Ce waved his hand and said, "What problem? No problem! Besides, even if there is a problem, what can they do about it?"

Seeing Xiao Ce's arrogant demeanor, Xiao Jiu smiled and nodded, "Your Highness, you're right!"

Seeing this, Xiao Ce said to Xiao Jiu, "What? Aren't you afraid that I've angered the emperor and he'll send troops to besiege me?"

Xiao Jiu shook her head and analyzed, "Your Highness, you are no longer the prince everyone bullied back in the capital..."

Then Xiao Jiu began to analyze.

He knew that Xiao Ce's statement was not arrogant; he genuinely possessed the ability.

He followed Xiao Ce closely and knew the situation there well.

The Turks are now at their last gasp; although they haven't taken all thirty-nine cities yet, they're close.

Moreover, the Turkic Khaganate had already been annexed by him.

The four commanderies of the northern desert, plus the fertile grasslands of the Turkic Khaganate, could easily have become a small, independent state.

Xiao Ce now has the right people, and under his rule, everyone supports him very much.

We have soldiers if we need them.

We have no shortage of money and food. As long as we take over the four prefectures and thirty-nine cities in the northern desert, we can establish contact with the Turkic Kingdom.

At that time, all the grain that the Turks have plundered here can be transported over.

Therefore, even if the emperor wanted to fight, it wouldn't be a problem.

They can occupy the natural pass of Yanmen Pass and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out!

Due to its geographical location, Yanmen Pass, while unable to defend against the Turks, served as a natural barrier against invading enemies from the Central Plains.

Listening to Xiao Jiu's analysis, Xiao Ce nodded in satisfaction: "You're pretty good, kid! I wasn't wrong about you! So tell me, should I go see him...?"

Xiao Jiu smiled at Xiao Ce: "Your Highness, haven't you already made all the arrangements?"

Xiao Ce looked at Xiao Jiu and asked, "What do you mean?"

Xiao Jiu cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, when I went out on the streets yesterday, I noticed that the people had all changed into tattered clothes, and even their food consisted of very simple coarse grains..."

"Although it was a decree issued by the Princess through the government, stating that it was a half-month-long Cold Day festival to make the people wear tattered clothes and coarse grains, so they could appreciate how hard-won their good days were..."

"But I grew up in the northern desert and have never heard of this festival. It's obviously just a show that the prince put on for those people in the capital!"

Seeing Xiao Jiu's reaction, Xiao Ce nodded in satisfaction: "I haven't taught you for nothing, you have a good eye! That bastard Xiao Yang caused me a lot of trouble back in Kyoto, but now that he's here, I'll have some fun with him!"

Xiao Jiu nodded and asked Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, when do you plan to depart?"

Xiao Ce said with a smile, "Let's finish lunch!"

Xiao Jiu said, "Your Highness, I heard that Xiao Yang has been waiting for you since early yesterday morning, and he didn't sleep a wink last night!"

Seeing this, Xiao Ce laughed and said, "Haha, that kid really is a bit dim-witted! Then there's no rush, let's go over this afternoon!"