Quick Transmigration: The Pregnant Little Fairy is Pampered by the Heirless Boss

Inside the imperial study, a blood-stained battle report was slammed to the ground.

"Useless! All of you are useless!" The emperor's face was contorted with rage, and the cuffs of his dragon robe tore from the violent movement. "A hundred thousand troops were defeated by a mere thirty thousand border soldiers?! Liu Wuyan, that piece of trash!"

The guards, kneeling on the ground, pressed their foreheads to the ground, not daring to make a sound.

As the candlelight flickered, a sickly flush appeared on the emperor's pale face. He suddenly overturned the table, scattering writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones all over the floor.

"Issue the decree!" The emperor's voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, "Immediately dispatch General Chu Ke, the General Who Guards the South, to the north to command 50,000 elite troops in the south! Order the East China Sea Navy to blockade the northern coast! And command the Western Frontier Cavalry..."

He suddenly stopped, his fingers gripping the corner of the table tightly: "No, the Western Frontier cannot be touched... the barbarians..."

The guard cautiously looked up: "Your Majesty, shall we summon General Chu to the palace for an audience?"

The emperor gave a cold smile: "No need. When issuing the decree, add a sentence: If we win this battle, I will grant the Chu family the right to guard the three prefectures for generations."

*

South Xinjiang

The Chu army camp.

The nights in southern Xinjiang are humid and oppressive.

Chu Ke stood outside the military tent, gazing at the dark northern horizon.

He was about thirty years old, with a resolute face and a fierce, battle-hardened air between his brows.

"General, urgent news from the capital!" The deputy general strode over and presented a secret imperial edict with gold-embossed dragon patterns in both hands.

Chu Ke frowned slightly, took the secret decree, and began to read it carefully.

In the candlelight, his expression gradually became serious.

"His Majesty orders me to go north to quell the rebellion?" he murmured softly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the vermilion annotations at the end of the secret edict.

"If we win this battle, I will grant the Chu family the right to guard the three prefectures for generations."

The lieutenant hesitated and said, "General, the Emperor Si has seized power and is declaring himself emperor. His Majesty wants you..."

“I know,” Chu Ke interrupted coldly, clutching the secret decree tightly. “But why didn’t His Majesty mobilize the Western Frontier Army? Why didn’t he send the elite troops from the capital? Why did he choose my Southern Frontier Army to go north?”

The lieutenant was taken aback, then lowered his voice: "The general suspects..."

Chu Ke did not answer, but turned around and walked back into the tent, throwing the secret decree on the table with a deep look in his eyes.

"The Emperor is not a reckless man. He would never rebel unless he was forced into a desperate situation."

He slowly sat down, tapping his fingers on the table, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Pass down the order: the entire army is to prepare and depart in three days."

The lieutenant was taken aback: "General, are you really going north?"

Chu Ke sneered: "Go, of course I'll go. But how we fight is up to me."

*

On the seventh day of their northward march, the Southern Frontier Army spent the night in the wilderness.

Chu Ke sat alone by the campfire, polishing his sword, "Duan Yue." The sword's cold light reflected off his stern features.

"General," a trusted aide approached and whispered, "a scout reports that the Emperor has amassed troops in the northern border and is building fortifications. It seems he intends to hold out to the death."

Chu Ke gave a faint "hmm" and continued to focus on wiping his sword.

After a moment's hesitation, the confidant added, "There's one more thing..."

"explain."

"Our people have sent word from the capital that His Majesty... seems to have secretly mobilized the Western Frontier Army back to defend the capital, rather than heading north to quell the rebellion."

Chu Ke's hand paused slightly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"really."

He sheathed his sword and sneered, "His Majesty is afraid."

"Afraid?" the confidant asked, puzzled.

“I fear that if the Western Frontier Army marches north, the barbarians will take advantage of the situation and the capital will be in danger.” Chu Ke stood up and looked north. “Therefore, he sent my Southern Frontier Army to lead the charge, to deplete the Emperor’s forces, and then let the capital garrison reap the benefits.”

The confidant's expression changed: "Then, General, wouldn't we be..."

"Just a chess piece." Chu Ke's tone was calm, but it carried a chilling undertone. "But a chess piece can sometimes turn the tables and become the master."

*

Ten days later, Chu Ke led his army to the northern border.

Before the two armies, Emperor Si rode out alone, with 30,000 Northern Border soldiers standing solemnly behind him, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent.

Chu Ke also rode forward alone, the two of them standing ten feet apart, their eyes meeting.

"General Chu," Emperor Si spoke first, his voice steady, "It's been many years. How have you been?"

Chu Ke's gaze was sharp as he slowly said, "Brother Si, do you know that what you are doing now constitutes treason?"

Emperor Si laughed: "Treason?"

He raised his hand, pointing to the towering northern city walls behind him. "I have guarded the northern border for five years, never allowing any foreign tribes to set foot there, yet His Majesty wants to strip me of my military power and exterminate my entire clan. General Chu, if you were in my shoes, what would you do?"

Chu Ke remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "His Majesty has granted me three states in exchange for your head."

Emperor Si was not surprised at all, and simply said, "Then what is General Chu waiting for?"

Chu Ke stared at him, then suddenly smiled: "Brother Si, we are both border generals, so let's speak frankly."

He slowly drew his sword "Duan Yue" from his waist. The blade gleamed coldly, but he did not point it at the Emperor. Instead, he held it horizontally in front of him.

The Emperor looked at Chu Ke, who was holding his sword horizontally in front of him, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

He slowly raised the spear in his hand, but the tip drew an arc in the air before plunging heavily into the ground beside him.

"Brother Chu, five years ago, when you quelled the rebellion in the southern border, you led three thousand light cavalry to take the enemy chieftain's head. How did His Majesty reward you?"

The Emperor's voice was exceptionally clear in the wind, "I remember, it was just an honorary title, and even their military pay was reduced by 30%."

Chu Ke's grip on the sword tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Last year, the barbarians invaded the border. I led my army to defend the isolated city for three months, until we ran out of food and reinforcements."

The Emperor continued, "On the day the city fell, His Majesty issued twelve imperial edicts, ordering me to die for the city."

A gust of cold wind swept across the battlefield, fluttering the two men's battle robes.

Chu Ke suddenly sneered: "General Si, are you trying to persuade me to rebel?"

"No." Emperor Si shook his head. "I'm just telling you that in His Majesty's eyes, we border generals are nothing more than pawns that can be discarded at any time."

He suddenly pulled a secret letter from his pocket and tossed it to Chu Ke: "Take a look at this."

Chu Ke caught it with one hand, unfolded it, and his expression changed drastically.

That was a secret edict from the emperor to the commander of the Western Frontier, which read: "Once the Southern Frontier Army and the Northern Frontier Army are both exhausted, immediately incorporate the remaining troops. If Chu Ke surrenders, he shall be imprisoned; if he does not surrender, he shall be killed."

"This……"

"Brother Chu, don't you understand?" Emperor Si's voice was deep. "His Majesty doesn't want to quell the rebellion at all, but rather to take the opportunity to purge the border generals and completely seize military power!"

Chu Ke gripped the secret letter tightly, his eyes blazing with fury.

After a long silence, he suddenly looked up and laughed loudly: "What a fine example of 'the rabbit is killed once the hunt is over'!"

The laughter stopped abruptly, and he spurred his horse forward, reining it in three steps away from the Emperor.

“Brother Si, you’re right,” Chu Ke said in a low voice, “but how can we possibly stand against the entire imperial court?”

A glint flashed in the Emperor's eyes: "Thirteen cities in the North, six states in the South, plus the West... if the three of us join forces..."

"The Western Frontier?" Chu Ke frowned. "Would General Zhao agree?"

“He has already agreed.” Si Di took out another letter from his pocket. “This is General Zhao’s personal letter.”

Chu Ke took it and examined it closely, his expression gradually becoming serious.

A moment later, he suddenly turned his horse around and shouted to his army:

"Brothers of the Southern Frontier Army! From this day forward, we are allied with the Northern Frontier Army!"

The 50,000 troops of the Southern Frontier were silent for a moment, then erupted into a deafening cheer.

These soldiers, who had been guarding the border for many years, had long harbored resentment towards the court's harsh treatment.

Si Di and Chu Ke stood side by side, gazing at the undulating mountains in the distance.

"What do we do next?" Chu Ke asked.

Emperor Si's gaze was profound: "First take the Qingzhou granary, then capture Luoshui Pass. As long as we control these two key locations..."

“That will sever the connection between the capital and the north,” Chu Ke replied, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit. “Then, it will be His Majesty’s turn to hear our terms.”

The two men smiled at each other and simultaneously raised their weapons.

In the sunlight, guns and swords clashed, producing a crisp clang.