After being divorced, she overturned the capital and seized the empress's position!

The Emperor of Northern Chu squinted at the flags flying high on the city wall, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He opened his palm behind him and said, "Bring me a bow and arrows!"

The guard immediately brought a bow and arrows and handed them over.

Draw the bow and put the arrow on.

They aimed at the flag fluttering in the wind.

Whoosh!

The arrow pierced the sky and accurately anchored the flag to the city wall. Prime Minister Yan's expression suddenly changed, and the other soldiers on the city wall looked panicked upon seeing this.

"Prime Minister..."

"No need to panic, it's just a trivial trick." Prime Minister Yan roared, picked up the flag, and personally stood on the city wall to wave it.

Whoosh!

The long arrow slashed past.

The arrow nearly hit Prime Minister Yan's arm, startling him so much that he hid behind a pillar in the city wall. Upon seeing this, the soldiers all looked disappointed.

Their commander is so cowardly and afraid of death.

Is there any chance of winning this battle?

Countless soldiers shouted and yelled at the foot of the city wall. The shouts were deafening. Prime Minister Yan realized something was wrong and quickly stood up, looking out through the gaps.

Countless soldiers surged toward this side.

densely packed

Prime Minister Yan swallowed hard and shouted, "Quickly, prepare to defend the city!"

……

The sound of drums echoed in my ears

Empress Yan held a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, her fingers moving rapidly as she stared intently at the doorway.

“Your Majesty, General Huo has already led his troops away. Now the Prime Minister is leading the troops to welcome them. The Prime Minister is the head of all officials, second only to the Emperor. He will surely boost the morale of the army and defeat the treacherous Northern Chu,” Qingzhi said.

Empress Yan listened casually, but her heart felt as if it were being weighed down by a heavy stone.

The beads under my fingertips are moving faster and faster.

Empress Yan was filled with anxiety all day and lost her appetite.

At this moment, Prime Minister Yan hurriedly returned, his silver armor still stained with blood, and he looked anxious. He said to Empress Yan, "Your Majesty, let's retreat."

Gah!

The prayer beads suddenly stopped.

"Why?"

Empress Yan's voice trembled, her face filled with disbelief.

"How can we easily defeat the million-strong army of Northern Chu?" Prime Minister Yan said with a calm expression.

Empress Yan gritted her teeth: "Father, do you know what retreat means?"

Prime Minister Yan remained silent.

"The Huo family suffered two consecutive defeats, and the people did not blame the Huo family. But if the Yan family were to withdraw its troops voluntarily, not only would the civil and military officials blame them, but even the people's spittle would be enough to make the Yan family feel ashamed. Where would the Yan family put their face?" Empress Yan's heart pounded.

Perhaps she was furious, for Empress Yan clutched her chest, her face turning pale.

Aokiji knew at a glance that the poison had taken effect again.

"Miss!"

Prime Minister Yan said, "If we don't withdraw the troops, we'll have no choice but to send the Seventh Prince to the battlefield."

"Prime Minister, General Huo gave the Seventh Prince a bone-softening powder before he left. There is no antidote for three months," Qingzhi said.

"What?" Prime Minister Yan swayed, and angrily cursed, "What is that idiot Huo Xi trying to do? At this critical juncture, he still cares about empty fame."

Halfway through his speech, Prime Minister Yan suddenly remembered Huo San and said to himself, "The Yan family shouldn't bear the blame for retreating the army. Let Huo Xi taste the backlash."

Prime Minister Yan sent someone to invite Huo San, then turned to Empress Yan to reassure her: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Let Huo San go and negotiate with Northern Chu to obtain the antidote as soon as possible."

Empress Yan bit her lip tightly.

A moment later, Huo San was brought up.

Prime Minister Yan ordered his men to dress Huo San in armor and said in a deep voice, "Go to Northern Chu immediately to negotiate and obtain an antidote for the Empress."

"Me?" Huo San's eyes widened.

“If Huo Xi hadn’t lost the border town, the Southern Frontier wouldn’t be in this state. Your Huo family committed a crime, so it is up to your Huo family to forgive them.” Prime Minister Yan winked at the guards, ordering them to drag Huo San out and forcibly hang a white flag around his neck.

A white flag is hoisted.

The smile on the face of the Northern Chu Emperor deepened.

"Your Majesty, has the Southern Frontier surrendered?"

The generals seemed somewhat incredulous.

For so many years, we have been suppressed and beaten by the southern border. In the past, it was always others who raised the white flag and surrendered. Today, it is the southern border's turn to be beaten.

The Northern Chu Emperor raised his chin slightly, his face full of arrogance: "The Southern Frontier is beset by internal and external troubles, military power is scattered, the two generals are at odds, the Seventh Prince is unable to go to the battlefield after defeating him, and Huo Xi has gone to Japan to provide support. Now the one who is facing us is Prime Minister Yan, a person who is greedy for life and not afraid of death. How can we not win such a battle?"

Everyone was thrilled upon hearing this.

The Northern Chu Emperor continued, "I have prepared for this war for a full five years. Our supplies are plentiful. All you need to do is patiently exhaust the southern border..."

"Does His Majesty mean to accept the surrender of the Southern Frontier?"

Bei Chu raised an eyebrow and smiled: "If the Southern Frontier submits to Chen Chen, why not accept it?"

"Your Majesty is right."

Occupying southern Xinjiang with minimal losses is naturally acceptable.

"As we agreed before, one country, three cities. The Emperor of Northern Chu shouldn't forget that," someone reminded him.

The Emperor of Northern Chu nodded: "Of course I will not forget."

Of the twenty-seven cities in the southern border, half were abandoned, allowing the northern Chu to take the lead and occupy the remaining half. This directly expanded the northern Chu's territory and replaced the southern border's dominant position.

The siege is temporarily suspended.

Huo San was released from the city gate and immediately seized by the Northern Chu guards. He harbored deep hatred for the Yan family. When brought before the Northern Chu emperor, he reluctantly spoke: "I've come to negotiate. If you are willing to withdraw your troops, Southern Xinjiang will forgive and forget. Furthermore, Northern Chu must produce the antidote as soon as possible, otherwise..."

After talking for a long time without getting to the point, he only caused a burst of laughter from those around him.

"What else?" a general sneered.

Huo San's face turned pale: "If it weren't for that bitch Zhao Jiahua stealing the map of the Southern Frontier, how could you people have broken through the city? The Southern Frontier is full of talented people, and a million-strong army has come out in full force. By then, it will be too late for you to regret it!"

"Snapped!"

The Emperor of Northern Chu raised his whip and lashed it hard across Huo San's face.

A deep wound, revealing the bone, was clearly visible, with blood flowing down his jaw.

Huo San gasped in pain, and when he looked up, he met the extremely gloomy eyes of the Northern Chu Emperor. Suddenly, his heart sank, and unease welled up inside him.

"Somebody come!"

The Northern Chu Emperor pointed at Huo San: "Tie him up, hang him high, and let the soldiers of the Southern Frontier see how a general of the dignified Huo family sues for peace."

"You dare!" Huo San struggled, veins bulging on his face. "If you have the guts, then kill me! A despicable scoundrel who usurped power, paired with a shameless woman who seduces everyone, you'll get your comeuppance!"

The Emperor of Northern Chu felt his heart pounding.

There was silence.

The generals looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Hang it up!"

"Yes."

Soon, Huo San was hung high on a huge cross by soldiers, and thousands of people shouted at the top of their lungs, "Surrender! Surrender!"

The Emperor of Northern Chu said, "Give the order to continue the siege at dawn tomorrow. If anyone gives up resistance, I will forgive them and spare their lives."

When the news reached Prime Minister Yan's ears, his expression changed slightly: "The Emperor of Northern Chu has detained Huo San?"

It's so weird.

In a battle between two armies, it is customary not to kill the messenger.

"You despicable person! You are a complete and utterly despicable villain!" Prime Minister Yan cursed angrily.

Aokiji rushed out: "Prime Minister, the Empress is vomiting blood! You must save her!"

Prime Minister Yan rubbed his temples, looking annoyed.

He's barely able to save himself, how can he possibly save others?

It was late at night when Empress Yan regained her composure and looked at Prime Minister Yan: "There are only three hours left until dawn. There are as many as 300,000 troops in the city. Father, are you confident?"

Prime Minister Yan gritted his teeth: "If we fight head-on, we can hold out for a while, but if we are defeated, our 300,000 troops will suffer heavy casualties, and Northern Chu will have the opportunity to strike directly at the heart of the enemy and capture Jincheng. If we withdraw our troops, we will have another chance after the Seventh Prince recovers."

Facing a million-strong army, he only had a third of it. How could he possibly turn the tide?

Empress Yan clenched her fists tightly.

The thought of Zhao Jiahua hiding in some corner, laughing smugly, is more painful than having her flesh ripped off with a knife.

"Does Your Highness have any plans?"

Empress Yan closed her eyes: "Father, there's no need to count on the Seventh Prince anymore; he's long lost his fighting spirit."

He then changed the subject, saying, "Instead of doing that, why not use him to exchange for the antidote?"

"Antidote?"

Empress Yan nodded: "Zhao Jiahua will definitely compromise."

After a moment's hesitation, Prime Minister Yan could not withstand Empress Yan's sharp gaze and had no choice but to give in.

At the break of dawn, a letter fell from the sky and landed on the grass. It was picked up by a Northern Chu soldier and handed over to the imperial physician for examination. After confirming that it was correct, it was given to the Northern Chu emperor.

After reading the contents, the Northern Chu Emperor's expression changed slightly, and he handed the letter to Zhao Jiahua, who was standing to the side.

"See for yourself."

Zhao Jiahua was completely bewildered, and after reading it, she was speechless at Empress Yan's shamelessness and cold-bloodedness.

Pause for a moment.

"Embroidered letter, antidote!"

The Emperor of Northern Chu immediately stared intently at Zhao Jiahua.

"There's no personal feeling involved; I'm simply repaying a debt of gratitude, and from now on, we'll owe each other nothing." Zhao Jiahua sighed deeply.

The dignified seventh prince, a war god general who was famous throughout the land, has actually fallen to this state.

If only he had been more clear-headed back then.

Who dares to invade southern Xinjiang today?

The Emperor of Northern Chu had no choice but to compromise and agree to hand over the antidote.

An hour later, the city gate opened a crack and a carriage was released. The Northern Chu soldiers placed the brocade box on the ground, and after both sides checked it, one of them carried the brocade box back to the city as quickly as possible.

The city gate slammed shut with a bang.

The soldiers led the carriage away.

The Seventh Prince felt weak all over, but he was fully conscious. He wanted to move but couldn't, and his teeth were grinding together.

Through the curtain, one can see the two armies facing off.

The Northern Chu army was awe-inspiring.

He closed his eyes, feeling only humiliation.

Even more unbelievable was that Empress Yan would use him to obtain the antidote.

"Ah Yin, I have no other choice. I hope you won't blame me." Empress Yan's eyes darted around, and she didn't dare to look him in the eye.

The carriage was driven to a deserted place.

The curtain was lifted

Zhao Jiahua, dressed in silver armor, stood in front of the carriage. She looked at the person inside the carriage, and their eyes met.

The Seventh Prince's face darkened: "You shouldn't humiliate me in this way."

"You can't just stand by and watch someone die, can you?"

"I'd rather die!" the Seventh Prince roared, his face contorted in pain as he clenched his fists tightly, but he couldn't muster any strength.

A gentle breeze caressed her face, leaving her with a touch of helplessness.

The two were silent.

After a long while, the Seventh Prince calmed down and said, "I regret what I did."

If only I had listened to her advice back then, and hadn't been so indecisive, and had recognized the people around me, I certainly wouldn't be ruined today, watching helplessly as armies from various countries trampled my homeland in the south.

Zhao Jiahua said, "Do you know why I insisted on leaving Southern Xinjiang to attack it?"

The Seventh Prince pursed his lips and remained silent.

"You might not believe it, but I've actually lived two lives. In my last life, you returned in triumph, while I was imprisoned in the Phoenix Palace by the Empress. I urged you to seize the throne, but you didn't believe me, and you missed several opportunities..."

Zhao Jiahua recounted her fate in her previous life.

The seventh prince stared wide-eyed, somewhat incredulous.

“I thought that if I could do it all over again, I could expose the true colors of those people in advance, and let you see reality clearly. The Second Prince, Huo Xi, the vassal army, these truths are all in front of you, and you will definitely not repeat the same mistakes.” Zhao Jiahua spoke calmly, as if he were talking about something very ordinary.

"I died once for your sake, setting up this grand plan. This life I have now is my own. The Southern Frontier and the Northern Chu have a blood feud that cannot go unavenged."

These words shocked the Seventh Prince, who couldn't accept it for a moment: "You...you plotted for me and lost your life?"

"Yes! I thought that after my death you would suddenly realize your mistakes and seize the throne. But you didn't. You handed over the throne that you had in your hands to the second prince, and allowed Empress Yan to stir up trouble and kill my dearest relatives in Northern Chu. You forgave them time and time again."

Zhao Jiahua had mixed feelings.

I can't bring myself to hate the person in front of me; all I feel is utter helplessness.

Many people's fates could have been changed.

But because of him alone, they continue to repeat the same mistakes.

The Seventh Prince seemed to have all his strength drained away, leaning blankly against the carriage wall. He stared at Zhao Jiahua and said, "I..."

“I know you swore before the Emperor of Southern Xinjiang that you would never ascend the throne. You and Empress Yan grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Prime Minister Yan was your teacher. You knew they had committed many evils, yet you turned a blind eye. Furthermore, the Emperor of Southern Xinjiang has been indiscriminately attacking other countries for more than a decade. It was you who repeatedly led troops to launch attacks and abducted many innocent girls.” Zhao Jiahua ignored the Seventh Prince’s pale face and continued.

"How many people have been torn apart by war? If it weren't for the Southern Emperor's lustful desires, how could I have been forced into a marriage alliance for thirteen years?"

Zhao Jiahua's tone gradually turned cold.

"Don't worry, considering that you once led troops into Fengyi Palace to save me, I will clear your name and deny that there was any border defense map. But the Southern Frontier and Northern Chu must be destroyed!"

This is Zhao Jiahua's determination.

The Seventh Prince stared blankly at Zhao Jiahua, then suddenly realized: "Now that you say that, I understand how ironic the title of God of War truly is."

He only knew how to obey the Southern Emperor's orders, go to the battlefield, and conquer the enemy by force time and time again, never thinking about right or wrong.

"Someone like me is indeed unworthy."

The Seventh Prince looked at Zhao Jiahua: "If Northern Chu conquers the Southern Frontier, will you treat my former generals well? After all, the Emperor of Northern Chu is cruel and ruthless, and bloodthirsty by nature..."

"It's all rumors. He is diligent in his duties and loves his people. If he were emperor, he would not mistreat the people of the southern border." Zhao Jiahua interrupted her, a bright smile on her face: "Xiao Wu would never kill innocent people indiscriminately. If there is no provocation, I can guarantee that there will never be a war during his reign, and the people will live in peace and prosperity."

The Seventh Prince stared at the smile on her face, feeling a pang of bitterness in his heart.

"There's one more thing I want to know the truth about."

Zhao Jiahua raised an eyebrow: "Go on."

"Have you ever conceived a child of the Emperor of Northern Chu?"

Zhao Jiahua was stunned, wondering if she had misheard, and was somewhat puzzled.

"During the years I was fighting wars, did the Emperor of Northern Chu ever... ever secretly come to the Southern Frontier to make love with you?" The Seventh Prince stared intently at her face, trying to see through her.

Zhao Jiahua sneered, immediately guessing that it was Empress Yan who had said something behind her back. She took a deep breath: "I, Zhao Jiahua, have lived an upright life, never overstepping my bounds in the slightest, and I have never had any physical intimacy with Xiao Wu! If I have violated this, may I die a horrible death!"

Upon hearing this, the Seventh Prince's face turned pale instantly.

“Now it’s my turn.” Zhao Jiahua took out a divorce agreement that he had written long ago: “Sign the divorce agreement, and there will be no more relationship between you and me.”

"Jiahua... I'm sorry."

She grabbed the seventh prince's hand and forced him to write his name on it.

The Northern Chu Emperor strolled over slowly from a distance, glanced at the divorce papers, looked relieved, and then glanced up at them.

Their eyes met.

The Seventh Prince took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Cousin, let's go," said the Emperor of Northern Chu.

Zhao Jiahua nodded.

The two left side by side.

A moment later, one of the Seventh Prince's former subordinates arrived: "Your Highness, I will escort you away from this place."

The Seventh Prince opened his eyes, glanced at the dagger his subordinate had hidden at his waist, braced himself forward, snatched it with all his might, and plunged it into his heart without hesitation.

"Your Highness!" the general exclaimed in astonishment.

The speed was so fast that it was impossible to react.

Hearing the noise, Zhao Jiahua behind him stopped. He wasn't surprised at all; how could someone as arrogant as him live a life of ignominy?

“Send it back and say that the Seventh Prince fought bravely against the enemy but was killed by them.”

"Yes."

When the Seventh Prince's body was brought back, Empress Yan had just taken the antidote and felt much better. She glanced at it and confirmed that it was indeed the Seventh Prince.

He waved his hand casually and said, "Let's find a place to bury it."

The person was quickly carried away.

"Zhao Jiahua is truly ruthless. She was the wife of the Seventh Prince, yet she killed her without hesitation," Prime Minister Yan sneered.

Empress Yan raised an eyebrow: "Didn't we make our stance clear to the Emperor of Northern Chu early on?"

"Your Majesty, what are the plans next?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of drumbeats sounded in his ears.

"Your Excellency, the city is under attack! The Northern Chu army is attacking the city!"