The number one spendthrift woman in the capital actually brings glory to her entire family?

Two hours later, Sikong Jin led his troops from Tashe City, their destination being Yingzhou City near the Tiansheng Jiangxi Fortress.

The 50,000 troops he led were all swift cavalry, most of whom were former soldiers of the Four Banners Army. They had previously followed Sikong Qi in battle and had recently fought from the northwest of Dayong all the way to Tashe City of Da Liao, so they were experienced in combat.

The quality of an army is not determined by its numbers, but by its skill; the quality of a general is not determined by his bravery, but by his strategy!

This is what Sikong Jin has always pursued, so these 50,000 troops are almost all of her elite forces. Of course, she is not a fool, so she will not reveal all her hidden strength too early.

To ensure a convenient and safe journey, Sikong Jin did not lead his soldiers along the flat official roads, but instead took those secluded mountain paths, following the Malan Mountains southward, avoiding the Liao army that was conducting large-scale sweeps along the border in batches.

Along the way, Sikong Jin would send out a large number of scouts to explore the path ahead, and also send out advance troops to clear the way. If any suspicious situation was encountered, it would be thoroughly investigated and eliminated.

Moreover, the troops often rested during the day and traveled at night.

Female Deputy General Mei Ruhua and Deputy General Meng Benbo were very puzzled by Lord Sikong's marching plan. After the main force had been marching for many days, and was approaching the territory of Tiansheng, the female deputy general finally couldn't help but ask Lord Sikong, "Sir, we have taken such a long detour. The Emperor ordered us to lead the troops directly to Yingzhou City, the Jiangxi fortress, but now it seems that we are not heading in the direction of the Jiangxi fortress. Moreover, why are we not taking the wide official road, but instead taking these rugged mountain roads, and we have also cleansed so many innocent people along the way?"

Lord Sikong, who was uncorking his wine on horseback and taking a sip, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He glanced at Mei Ruhua and Meng Benbo, who also looked puzzled, and wiped the moisture from the corner of his mouth. "All roads lead to Yingzhou City, so don't worry. The Emperor didn't give me a strict order to arrive in Yingzhou City by a certain time. Besides, look at this mountain. The mountains are beautiful, the water is fresh, the air is clean, and there are many wild fruits to eat. It feels like a leisurely trip. Such a life doesn't come often."

As she spoke, Sikong Jin casually picked a tender green wild fruit from the side, wiped it on her clothes, and took a bite.

“But, sir! Vice General Meng and I have just checked the map. Ahead lies the border between Tiansheng and Liao. We have now secretly infiltrated Liao territory. Ahead is Hanyang, a key border city of Liao, which is heavily guarded. If we continue marching like this, we will inevitably be discovered by their spies.”

"Didn't I send out secret guards and scouts beforehand? What are you worried about? Don't worry, we'll arrive in Yingzhou City in no time. I always keep my word, so what else do you have to doubt?"

Lord Sikong glanced at them impatiently, took another swig of wine, and then suddenly increased his pace.

Mei Ruhua and Meng Benbo exchanged a helpless glance.

"Wait until the Emperor punishes you, then let's see what you have to say!"

Mei Ruhua couldn't help but secretly curse in annoyance and anxiety, "I'll drink you to death!"

Next, Lord Sikong continued his leisurely journey. Occasionally, he would disappear from sight as the army advanced, only to reappear a few days later, seemingly out of nowhere, continuing the march with the main force. And each time he returned, Lord Sikong seemed to be in a very good mood, humming some off-key tune, something like, "I heard you say, the sun rises and sets, the weather is unpredictable, the road is full of footsteps, I've grown accustomed to your sudden self-expression..." or something like, "I'm looking up, at the moon... Yay, yay..."

In any case, the more Mei Ruhua looked at her boss, the more displeased she became. The goodwill she had painstakingly cultivated towards him in Tashe City instantly crumbled like a burst dam, especially after Meng Benbo's words—

"The lord must have found satisfaction somewhere these past few days, you know. People his age are most impulsive, Lieutenant General Mei. You must take good care of him! You must be prepared to sacrifice yourself for my war effort at any time..."

Before Meng Benbo could finish speaking, Mei Ruhua slapped him across the face, and Meng Benbo's face immediately swelled up...

Meanwhile, on the official road leading from northeastern Tiansheng to Yingzhou City, a group of people who had been traveling under the soft moonlight finally stopped at the command of their master.

"Your Highness, there is a fork in the road not far ahead. If you continue south for two hundred li, you will reach Yingzhou City. If you go north, you will reach the border in less than one hundred li."

Heishan glanced at the map in his hand by the light of the torch, then turned to look at Tuoba Yu, who was shrouded in a gray cloak and dressed in a light blue robe, and whispered.

Tuoba Yu looked up and glanced ahead before taking the map from Heishan's hand. After a quick look, he asked, "Have you found out which unit Dayong sent?"

"Your Highness, His Majesty has just sent you a secret letter. Please take a look."

Heishan quickly took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Tuoba Yu.

Tuoba Yu took it with one hand, opened it, and glanced at it briefly. His handsome brows immediately furrowed, then relaxed somewhat, and finally, a hint of complexity gathered in his eyes.

"Your Highness, has something happened?"

Noticing that Tuoba Yu's expression was not quite right, Heishan asked in a low voice.

Tuoba Yu lowered his eyes, burned the secret letter in his hand on the torch, and said in a deep voice, "The Crown Prince of the Northern Empire has ascended the throne. Father Emperor plans to send the Fourth Prince to congratulate him. The army sent by Dayong to form a joint force with my Tiansheng to resist the enemy is Sikong Jin and his 50,000 troops."

Both pieces of news exploded in Montenegro's ears like thunderbolts—

"The Crown Prince of Dibei is going to ascend the throne? And Sikong Jin is going to..."

"I never expected him to ascend the throne at this critical juncture. I always thought he should take over the Yuezhi Kingdom first. What is his intention in doing this? Why did he suddenly withdraw his troops? Moreover, it's not something he'll do overnight to take over Dayong. Now, the border relations between Dayong and Dazhou have actually eased..."

Tuoba Yu narrowed his eyes in confusion, pondering.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince of the Northern Empire has fought for many years and has now unified the Eastern Continent. He must be exhausted from his journey. It's only natural that he needs to rest and recuperate. Moreover, taking this time to ascend the throne will allow the Great Zhou to recover. However, our war with the Great Liao must end as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the Great Zhou has recovered, they might suddenly launch an attack on us, putting us in a very passive position. Fortunately, Your Highness was wise enough to bring the Great Yong on your side in time, otherwise..."