The censors were like facing a formidable enemy, each kneeling and making desperate pleas.

The main hall was filled with noise, as chaotic as a market.

Not only was Zhao Junyao suffering a headache, but even the military generals were also overwhelmed.

Heavens, how could this group of stubborn old men be silenced?

Zhao Junyao was pleased with the generals’ frantic reactions.

He was secretly elated: Argue, keep on arguing?!

It was unclear how much time passed.

The generals couldn’t bear it anymore and finally knelt down, crying tearfully.

"Emperor! The frontline is too dangerous, you cannot personally go to war!"

"The nation’s major affairs should naturally be decided by the Emperor!"

"Whomever the Emperor favors, he may appoint; we are willing to obey!"

The others gradually came to their senses and also knelt down to plead.

Zhao Junyao was pleased with their reaction, feeling thoroughly relieved inside.

He didn’t insist anymore, quickly conceding while the time was ripe.

...

At the end of May in the fourteenth year of Jiayuan, Western Xia officially went to war with Great Chu.

The Emperor decreed:

Appoint Minister of War High Official Yang He as Grand Marshal of the Western Expedition, leading a hundred thousand troops to support the northwestern frontier.

Also appoint Yang Chenyi as General Mingwei, leading a thousand elite soldiers to assist in the attack.

Besides the Yang family father and son.

Zhao Junyao also selected two seasoned generals as Left Commander-in-Chief and Right Commander-in-Chief.

He picked a dozen renowned strategists from the court to serve as military advisors.

Finally.

He let these main generals choose capable deputies for themselves.

The two Commanders and the Chief Marshal all chose their valued advisors and deputies.

Yang Chenyi thought for a long time and decided to take Tiger, Rat, Monster, and others along.

He did not lack skilled warriors by his side.

But war is not just about skill, it’s also about being shameless and cunning enough!

These rough men who grew up in the barracks were straightforward and lacked experience.

It’s fine to have them in the team, but not suitable to keep them close.

Tiger is currently serving in the Ministry of War.

Solely based on his own ability, he has been promoted to a sixth rank officer.

There are many talented people in the army, many children of noble families directly parachuted to hold various positions.

Ordinary people without background can only serve as soldiers.

It’s extremely difficult to even become a small leader, let alone holding a genuine sixth rank official position.

It shows how formidable and excellent this gentleman is.

Whenever brought out, he would undoubtedly be a warrior who could fight against a hundred.

Monster and Rat, having no fame, didn’t hold any substantial positions either.

Xia Tingfeng also didn’t need aides.

Yang Chenyi kept them in the Yang Mansion to occasionally offer advice and gather news.

There’s no denying it.

These two may lack presentable talents, but their innate gifts are high.

Underhanded things, *cough cough*!

Yang Chenyi was extremely satisfied, perhaps they would be useful.

The army was set to depart directly from the Capital City Barracks at the beginning of June.

...

At this time in Western Xia.

Several consecutive heavy rains washed away the bloody scent in the palace thoroughly.

After the rain ceased, Hai Xiangjin (Prince Jin) held a grand and lavish enthronement ceremony for himself.

The people couldn’t even get enough to eat, yet he indulged in extravagant waste for his own vanity.

The Imperial Palace and the area outside the Imperial Palace had become like two different worlds. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

One was sunlight-bathed, grand and magnificent, flowers in full bloom!

The other was miserable and desolate, with starving people everywhere, leaving the populace in distress.

And even more miserable than outside the palace were Hai Zhentian and his two brothers and sisters.

The deposed King Hai Zhentian of Western Xia was thrown into the Imperial Prison on a random charge.

Hai Yue and Hai Tang were imprisoned in two separate places.

The three were far apart, unaware of each other’s location, and were utterly unable to meet.

Even worse was.

When they were captured, only Hai Tang was conscious.

Hai Zhentian was extremely weak, coughing so hard his face was flushed with purple, as if he would cough up his entire lung.

Hai Yue fared even worse, his health only declining compared to his father’s.

Hai Tang stood hugging her arms in the dim prison.

Looking at the beam of light coming through the palm-sized window, she felt utterly hopeless.

’I wonder if the Emperor of Great Chu received the distress signal yet, is this destiny?’

’Is the heavens determined to sever the flesh and blood of the three of us?’

She bowed her head in guilt, feeling it was all her fault.

If only she hadn’t been so headstrong.

If only she hadn’t been so willful.

If she had agreed early on to marry her father’s carefully selected, powerful and capable Prince Consort.

They would never have fallen to this point.

She once couldn’t accept a marriage without love and based solely on interest.

But now she only blamed herself.

Why didn’t she accept it?

If she could do it over again, she would undoubtedly marry the man her father approved of.

Just to make sure her father and brother were well!

Her father had done so much for her throughout his life.

In the end, to fall into such a plight.

She hated! She hated herself so much!

Hai Tang, who hadn’t shed tears in years, cried like a child in the cell.

This woman, who was once more valiant than a man.

Now resembled a frightened rabbit, holding herself as she cried her heart out.

"Xia Tingfeng!"

"Where are you?"

"I swore I wouldn’t see you again in this lifetime, yet I seem to..."

"I’m sorry!"

In the most vulnerable, helpless, and desperate moments, emotions are frailest and hardest to hide.

Hai Tang’s mind was in chaos, her reason lost.

She even didn’t know what she was thinking, or what she was saying.

She held herself, gradually falling asleep on the cold ground.

No one knew how long it took.

Darkness faded away as the sun rose.

At a moment, a small patch of sunlight shone through the small window onto her eyes.

She frowned slightly, waking up.

Raising her hand instinctively to block the light, she accidentally discovered a small crack beside the palm-sized window.

Her heart skipped a beat, then she looked more carefully.

She couldn’t help but rejoice, hope welled up in her heart instantly.

"There’s a way out here!!"

She took out a small dagger she kept close and gently scraped the window-side wall’s surface.

"The soil is soft!"

Due to years of exposure to sunlight and rain, the walls here had rotted and become moldy.

The earthen walls crumbled, lightly scraping them would peel off several layers.

Hai Tang’s eyes sparkled, she hurriedly started scraping with the dagger.

She had to get out!

She had to get out!

In this life, she owed no one except her father and brother.

Her own life was expendable, but her father and brother had to live!

Everything wasn’t over yet!

She wouldn’t give up, she would never give up!

With sweat streaming down her face, Hai Tang was oblivious.

In her intense desire to survive.

There was a layer, meant for someone else!

If he came to rescue her, wouldn’t he be in danger?

Since she owed no one, naturally she couldn’t owe him either!

This life, they owed each other nothing, so they might not meet in the next life.

Someone who didn’t belong to her, she never dared to crave.

Since there’s no destiny or chance for them to be together.

Then it’s best not to see, not to encounter, and remain well in their respective corners of the earth!

...

When a person has faith.

No matter the extreme circumstances, she could ultimately find a ray of hope amidst the wreckage.

After three days and nights of secret and careful efforts.

Hai Tang finally escaped on a moonlit and windy night.