Lu Ziyuan, as the legitimate prince, is now a powerful Prince Zhenbei with tens of thousands of troops and has won the people’s hearts...

The Holy Emperor repeatedly talks about rewards, but you could say there’s nothing left to reward except the chair beneath him. Once he triumphantly returns to the Capital City, the position of Crown Prince is the only reward that can be given to him.

By then, beloved by the people, commanding military power, and as a rightful Crown Prince, what room is left for anyone else?

... Days of dependency, how could princes of the Heavenly Royal Family bear such days?

Especially the Crown Prince and Second Prince, had they never glimpsed any hope, it would be another matter, but before Lu Ziyuan’s status was restored, they were the most hopeful candidates for becoming Crown Prince!

The enemy’s enemy is a friend, this saying is entirely true.

The two princes, fighting over interests, once again bind themselves together for interests, and have consulted with their aides numerous times.

Initially, they wanted Lu Ziyuan to die at the Northern Border, a clean slate.

But Lu Ziyuan is anything but ordinary; he governs the army with strict discipline, and his deputies were all personally promoted by him. Not to mention their little schemes couldn’t reach into the barracks; even if they did, they’d achieve little, let alone try to plot against him.

Realizing they couldn’t kill him, the two princes had no choice but to change tactics, hoping Lu Ziyuan would suffer defeat. No matter how partial the Emperor is, he couldn’t reward a defeated great commander, could he?

But Lu Ziyuan is indeed a master at warfare; as the commander, all strategies are decided by him without any mistakes. No one but him can influence victory or defeat.

Finally, they considered attacking the supply lines.

They say before the troops march, provisions must be ensured, even if one wages war like a deity, soldiers still need to be fed.

But how could provisions be easily tampered with?

You could say, including the Holy Emperor, every civil and military official has their eyes fixed on the Northern Border Battlefield. Should any wind blow, none could escape responsibility.

By then, never mind dependency, such a crime against the nation would spell death, even for a prince.

The Qi Royal Family has precedent for killing its own sons; not to mention distant examples, the former Emperor personally ordered two princes who colluded with outsiders for personal gain to be executed.

Thus, the idea of tampering with provisions was dismissed.

Making Lu Ziyuan suffer a defeat proved unexpectedly difficult!

Is he truly an impenetrable steel fortress with not a single flaw, a born star of generals?

......

The scheming and plotting in private by these people is unknown to anyone but themselves, Shengjing City is immersed from top to bottom in the long-awaited joy of victory.

Everyone is hoping for Lu Ziyuan to continue triumphing, suppressing Da Jin fully, instilling fear in them, securing the border, and defeating them so thoroughly they wouldn’t dare invade again for a hundred years before returning victorious to the Capital City.

The Great Khan would transform from a setting sun to a rising red dawn.

The border was victorious, and Xie Wanqing was naturally delighted as well; patriotism isn’t held only by men. Though noble ladies like her are raised in deep seclusion, they are also well-versed in poetry and literature, maintaining decorum, justice, integrity, and shame without fault.

Compared to the rise and fall of the nation, what does her personal grievance amount to?

She was genuinely happy; every time she went to the temple, aside from praying for her husband and brothers, she also prayed for the safety of soldiers on the battlefield.

Pei Yuqing left the Capital in early spring, promising to return in three to five months, yet it has been half a year now without a determined return date.

Moreover, due to unrest across different regions, the letters that once arrived every three days first extended to five days, later gradually becoming half a month.

His letters are filled with longing, but he truly cannot leave; after handling matters in Yangzhou, issues arose in Xuzhou. Xie Wanqing knew he was eager to return but didn’t want to rush him, always telling him to manage things well and stay safe.

The only good news was that Ji Chengfeng, who was supposed to meet his end in midsummer in her dreams, had not sent any news of his demise; he was alive and well, and even sent a letter.

An unmarried cousin sending a letter to a married cousin, even in the liberal Da Jin, is actually quite untenable.

Thus, this letter was kept from Mrs. Zheng, and was delivered directly to the Xie family when the Ji Family’s servants presented the seasonal gifts, saying it was a separate, modest gift left for Xie Wanqing.

Of course, Mrs. Zheng would not open a gift prepared by a sister for her daughter; it was only when Xie Wanqing opened it that she found the letter tucked inside.

The letter was concise, along with news of safety, formally thanking the cousin for saving his life.

Lastly, he praised her palm-reading skills as truly accurate, amid the box of gifts was prominently an original work describing various mysterious arts.

He perhaps believed his cousin had talents for becoming a fortune-teller and sought it specially to present to her.

To this, Xie Wanqing found herself bemused and amused.

Nonetheless, she did flip through the book several times; it was indeed quite interesting.