[Fantasy] A Strange Encounter with an Immortal (Complete) - Chapters 22-24

Episode 8

Synopsis:

After a series of unstoppable advances, Zhu Chuanzong is unexpectedly trapped in Dengzhou City by Pang Laixiao's 200,000-strong army. To break out and survive, Zhu Chuanzong displays superhuman strength, defeating the entire army and leaving none daring to challenge him! With a series of clever schemes, can he turn the tide and secure another victory?

Zhou Yi's sudden betrayal means that while Consort Mei and Chang Le escape, their whereabouts are unknown. Zhu Chuanzong, anxious for the greater good, is helpless. Faced with this perilous situation, will his family ever be reunited?

Cover Character: Hua Caiyun

Chapter 1: Springtime in the Military Tent

Zhu Chuanzong leads a rebellion. He possesses immense strength but has never learned martial arts, so Shui Ling'er offers to teach him.

Zhu Chuanzong is naturally very willing.

Shui Ling'er dislikes flattering men or being their subservient. Therefore, she comes and goes as she pleases, and even if Zhu Chuanzong wants to be intimate with her, he cannot be close to her at will. Now, taking advantage of the opportunity to learn martial arts, they could spend more time together, which was quite enjoyable.

The next day, when practicing the staff again, Shui Ling'er taught him two new moves, much more difficult than the previous day. Although Zhu Chuanzong learned them immediately, he pretended not to, so Shui Ling'er had to correct him step by step. Zhu Chuanzong took the opportunity to take advantage of her, sometimes squeezing her soft little hands, sometimes stealing a sniff of the fragrance from her neck. Shui Ling'er, seemingly annoyed but also pleased, could only let him have his way.

More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and Zhu Chuanzong finally learned all thirty-six moves of the staff technique. Shui Ling'er was greatly amazed; she herself had practiced martial arts since childhood, and it had taken her several months to learn this staff technique, so Zhu Chuanzong's speed was astounding.

However, seeing Zhu Chuanzong's smug look, she couldn't help but pout and said, "Don't be so smug. You've only learned the moves; you don't even know if you can connect them and master them yet! Show me how you practice from beginning to end."

Although Zhu Chuanzong learned his staff technique from Shui Ling'er, the effect was quite different. Although Shui Ling'er was quite strong, she was, after all, a girl, and her power was limited. When Zhu Chuanzong practiced, all that could be seen was a dark mass of staff shadows; within a radius of two or three zhang, it was as if a gale had swept through, and when the staffs hit the ground, they made a deafening roar, like an earthquake.

Shui Ling'er was stunned, thinking that if he was already so powerful now, if he were riding a warhorse, probably no one in the army could withstand him.

After Zhu Chuanzong finished practicing his staff technique, he slammed the staff on the ground and said, "How was that?"

Shui Ling'er was completely convinced this time and smiled, "Congratulations! You're ready to graduate!"

Zhu Chuanzong looked at her pretty face, feeling a little itchy, and said, "How about we go to the tent tonight to celebrate?"

Shui Ling'er blushed and glared at him, then her eyes darted around and she giggled, "Okay! Let's call Brother Wang and Mr. Wu over and have a proper celebration for you!"

Zhu Chuanzong was unwilling to give up and was thinking of another way when a personal guard ran over, saying that Wang Dingkun had invited him.

Shui Ling'er knew he had important business to attend to, so she went back on her own.

Zhu Chuanzong arrived at the commander's tent and saw Wang Dingkun and Wu Siyuan both there, their faces beaming with joy. He asked, "Brother, you seem so happy. Are the weapons ready and the battle about to begin?"

Wang Dingkun smiled and said, "There is good news, but there's no need for war. Fang Shouye has sent word that he's willing to open the city gates and let us through."

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and said, "Oh? Why did Fang Shouye change his mind?"

Wu Siyuan smiled and said, "Thanks to your family's help. Look who this is!"

He pointed to someone beside him. Only then did Zhu Chuanzong notice that someone had been standing with their back to him by the side of the tent. He had been so focused on talking to Wang Dingkun and Wu Siyuan that he hadn't noticed them. The person turned around, and although she was dressed as a man, her skin was snow-white, her nose was delicate, her eyes were bright, and her eyebrows were exquisite. She was a beautiful woman with graceful bearing, none other than his sister-in-law, Hua Caiyun, whom he hadn't seen for over a year.

Startled, he exclaimed, "Sister-in-law?"

Hua Caiyun smiled at him, her eyes gradually reddening, and said, "Bao'er, thank God, I've finally seen you again! You're finally alright."

As she spoke, her body trembled, swaying precariously. The changes of the past year had been so great that even Hua Caiyun, usually so strong, was now somewhat agitated. Zhu Chuanzong quickly stepped forward to support her.

Wu Siyuan knew the two had much to say, so he gave Wang Dingkun a wink and quietly led everyone out.

Zhu Chuanzong helped Hua Caiyun sit down on the soft couch, and the two nestled together. Zhu Chuanzong asked, "Sister-in-law, the battlefield is so dangerous, why did you come here? Is everything alright at home?"

Hua Caiyun replied, "Everything is alright at home. The old lady is in good health, and my parents are both well. It's just that everyone in the family is worried about you. You wretched thing, you caused such a big mess, and we haven't heard from you for over a year. If Mr. Wu hadn't sent someone to inform us, we still wouldn't know anything about you. Do you even care about this family? Do you even care about us?"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but slap Zhu Chuanzong twice and began to sob.

Zhu Chuanzong felt extremely guilty for implicating his family because of his recklessness, so he could only hold his sister-in-law's shoulders and comfort her softly.

Hua Caiyun cried for a while, then gradually stopped sobbing and said, "Before I came, the Old Madam and my parents both asked me to pass on some words to you. The Old Madam said that our Zhu family is a founding noble family, and you should go all out and not bring shame to our ancestors."

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "The Old Madam dotes on me the most. I've caused such a big mess, but she doesn't blame me at all. It's not surprising. My father lost his official position because of me, so he'll definitely scold me severely."

But then Hua Caiyun said, "My father also asked me to pass on some words. He said that swords and spears have no eyes when it comes to war, so you should be extra careful on the battlefield. Also, since we have a legitimate reason to raise an army and are on the side of righteousness, we should try to divide the enemy as much as possible, and we should also consider the military supplies and provisions carefully. Pang Laixiao has been wielding power for many years, he is cunning and treacherous, and he has the emperor's authority over the entire country's army. His army is strong and well-equipped, so you must be very careful. If you really can't win, don't throw your life away."

Zhu Chuanzong listened in a daze, tears welling up in his eyes. Zhu Youji had always been very strict with him, rarely showing fatherly affection. He was also very worldly-wise as an official, and his ideas often clashed with Zhu Chuanzong's. Unexpectedly, in this critical moment, he once again stood by his side without hesitation. After

Hua Caiyun finished explaining the situation at home, she asked Zhu Chuanzong about his experiences over the past year, which he briefly recounted. Then, remembering Wu Siyuan's words, he asked, "Sister-in-law, Mr. Wu just said that Wang Shouye agreed to let them go thanks to your help. How did that happen?"

Hua Caiyun smiled and said, "Wang Shouye is my father's student, and he has received great kindness from our family. My father wrote him a personal letter. He was grateful for the favor, and also because the outcome of your fight with that old scoundrel Pang is still uncertain! He wouldn't dare offend us, so how could he refuse to let them go?"

This Wang Shouye had also studied at the Hanlin Academy in his youth. Once, the Hanlin Academy held a major examination, with questions personally set by the Emperor, making it extremely important. Wang Shouye happened to be ill, and despite his illness, he took the exam. Because his mind was foggy, he made a careless mistake while answering the questions, forgetting to avoid using the taboo character when writing the phrase "泽被天下" (ze bei tian xia, meaning "

blessing the world"). The founding emperor of the Great Liang Kingdom was named Tang Beimin, and according to the law, whenever the character "被" (bei, meaning "beneath") appeared, it was always written as "披" (pi, meaning "wearing") to avoid using it. Wang Shouye blatantly violated this rule in the Hanlin Academy's examination, and according to regulations, he should have been disqualified from the Hanlin Academy and never be employed again.

Wang Shouye was from a poor family and had no connections; he had only earned his Hanlin degree through years of hard work. Now, because of a small oversight, his entire future seemed to be ruined.

When Hua Wenzhang was having dinner at home, he casually mentioned this matter. At that time, his fifteen-year-old daughter, Hua Caiyun, felt great sympathy and said to her father, "Isn't it absurd to ruin a person's life because of a single word? Father is the Dean of the Hanlin Academy, a leading figure among scholars, and you should set an example at this time."

Hua Wenzhang was moved by his daughter's words and crossed out Wang Shouye's paper, thus covering up the incident.

Therefore, Hua Wenzhang was a benefactor to Wang Shouye, and Wang Shouye was deeply grateful to the Hua family. Later, Wang Shouye's career flourished, and he became a high-ranking official. However, he would always send people to the Hua family to express his gratitude during festivals.

After Pang Laixiao came to power, Hua Wenzhang was implicated and had no choice but to resign and retire. At the urging of his daughter, Hua Caiyun, he lived with the Zhu family. Recently, hearing that Zhu Chuanzong had raised an army to defend the emperor, Hua Caiyun realized that Haishan Pass, where Wang Shouye was stationed, was a crucial route for Zhu Chuanzong. She knew Wang Shouye was capable and would surely be unable to pass under his strict control. Therefore, she asked her father to write a letter of persuasion and personally come to convince Wang Shouye to allow Zhu Chuanzong's army to pass.

In fact, Wang Shouye had long been dissatisfied with Pang Laixiao's perverse actions, but Zhu Chuanzong's uprising was ultimately a rebellion, and defeat would mean the execution of his entire family; therefore, he refused to participate. However, after receiving Hua Wenzhang's letter, he hesitated for a long time before deciding to remain neutral and let Zhu Chuanzong's army pass through. Even if the court blamed him later, he had already prepared an excuse; even if it was a crime, the charges wouldn't be serious.

Many of Hua Wenzhang's protégés held local official positions in various places, and Hua Wenzhang wrote letters to each of them, sending them by servants. He figured that even if it couldn't greatly help Zhu Chuanzong's cause, it would at least reduce the difficulties and obstacles.

Upon hearing the whole story, Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and couldn't help but exclaim, "Thirty thousand troops are no match for a single letter. I've often heard people say that the Hua family has countless students, and that half the scholars in the world are from there. I didn't really believe it then, but now I see it's truly well-deserved!"

Hua Caiyun glared at him and said, "You used to tease me behind my back about my father mispronouncing words. Did you think I didn't know? When you were studying at the Hanlin Academy, my father taught you those ways of being a lowly official, but you didn't take them seriously. Now you realize how shallow you were?"

Zhu Chuanzong was grateful to his sister-in-law and wanted to please her, so he flattered her with a fawning smile and said, "Sister-in-law has always been the one who loves me the most. Your father is my father too. How could I dare to be disrespectful?"

Hua Caiyun blushed and spat, "You've only been serious for a short while, and you're already talking nonsense again."

Zhu Chuanzong's relationship with her was that of both wife and sister, and he was used to being capricious in front of her. He immediately embraced his sister-in-law's soft waist, sniffing her neck incessantly, exclaiming how fragrant she was. Hua Caiyun, feeling both sore and itchy from his actions, gradually became aroused as well, panting as she said, "You rascal, don't you even know where we are before you dare to act like this? How can I face anyone if others see us?"

Zhu Chuanzong then remembered that they were in Wang Dingkun's tent, and laughed, "Mr. Wu and the others are all smart men, who would be so tactless as to come and disturb us!"

Even as he said this, he still stood up, and the two of them straightened their clothes and went back to Zhu Chuanzong's own tent together.

Along the way, soldiers saluted Zhu Chuanzong. Although Hua Caiyun knew nothing of military affairs, she was secretly surprised by the orderly ranks of the troops. She said to Zhu Chuanzong, "I was worried that your hasty uprising wouldn't be a match for Pang Laixiao, but now I'm relieved. Your army is so powerful; reaching the capital is just a matter of time, and then our Zhu family can rise again. It's truly a blessing from heaven. A few years ago, who would have believed our darling would have such abilities?"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled slightly, thinking, "Although my sister-in-law is exceptionally intelligent, she is ultimately a woman raised in seclusion. Things on the battlefield are never that simple. Pang Laixiao has far more troops than us; the outcome is still uncertain."

However, there was no need to say these things to Hua Caiyun.

At this moment, Hua Caiyun asked, "I heard that Sister Ling'er is also in the army, and she even made a great contribution a few days ago?"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and recounted what had happened. Hua Caiyun laughed, "I don't know what's so good about you that so many beautiful women are devoted to you and can't forget you. Although Ling'er is very capable, she's still a woman. You must take good care of her and not let her get into any danger."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I know."

Then he said with some distress, "But Ling'er won't even let me go to her residence easily. I have no chance to protect her."

Hua Caiyun couldn't help but laugh, "I think you're the one who has no chance to do anything bad. But don't worry, you'll be happy when we get to your tent."

Zhu Chuanzong didn't understand what she meant and kept asking, but Hua Caiyun just smiled and didn't say anything. Zhu Chuanzong looked at her soft and charming eyes, her swaying waist, and her graceful walk. Although she was dressed in men's clothing, she still couldn't hide her captivating curves. He couldn't help but secretly swallow, thinking that his sister-in-law meant that she would make love to him later. Suddenly, his heart was burning, his heart was pounding, and his eyes were all messed up.

Seeing his infatuated expression, Hua Caiyun felt both smug and amused, but didn't say anything, continuing to walk forward.

Reaching the entrance to Zhu Chuanzong's tent, she heard a clear voice from inside: "Young Master lives in a place like this? How can anyone live in a place like this? It's filthy! Chunfeng, take this blanket and throw it away. Dongxue, sprinkle some of the scented powder our young lady asked us to bring on it. Xiayu, Qiuyue, the three of us, take these dirty clothes and wash them."

It was Xiaoyu's voice.

At this moment, Xia Yu's voice chuckled, "Yes, Sister Xiao Yu, our young mistress!"

Xiao Yu laughed and scolded, "You little hussy, what nonsense are you spouting? I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Xia Yu exclaimed, "Ah, the young mistress is committing a crime! Am I wrong? The young master dotes on you so much, becoming the young mistress is just a matter of a word for you. Ah, Qiu Yue, come save me!"

Qiu Yue laughed, "Knowing that the young mistress is favored by the young master, you still dare to offend her? I wouldn't dare to interfere."

Xiao Yu said, "Fine, you two team up to make fun of me! I wonder who is truly being pampered?"

Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly saw Zhu Chuanzong walk in. Xiao Yu froze, her face turning red instantly.

Si Ji and the others also looked at Zhu Chuanzong with surprise and delight. After a moment of stunned silence, Xia Yu remembered the joke Xiao Yu had just made, her face turning as red as a sunset, and she buried her head on Qiu Yue's shoulder, not daring to lift it.

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and laughed loudly, "So it's you all! Come here and let your young master see if you've changed or not in the past year!"

The four maids, their faces flushed, gracefully approached Zhu Chuanzong and bowed to him together. Xiao Yu, however, bowed respectfully from afar and did not come closer.

Zhu Chuanzong helped the maids up and carefully examined them. He saw that the four women each had their own unique charm, and were even more beautiful than before. The more he looked at them, the more he liked them. He couldn't help but laugh and say, "You've all become more and more beautiful in the past year! Spring Breeze is even gentler, Summer Rain's smile is even sweeter; Autumn Moon, do you still paint? Winter Snow, your young master has been wanting to hear you recite poetry again." The maids were both surprised and delighted to hear that their young master, whom they had been thinking about day and night, had not forgotten them. They wished they could melt into his body.

Zhu Chuanzong glanced at Xiao Yu beside him and quickly said, "Xiao Yu is becoming more and more charming; I almost didn't recognize her!"

Xiao Yu pouted and said, "Young Master's mouth is so sweet; I wonder how many girls he's fooled."

Then she remembered Hua Caiyun was also present, realizing her words were somewhat inappropriate, and bit her lip, not daring to say anything more.

Zhu Chuanzong looked around and suddenly remembered he hadn't seen the most gentle and lovely Nuanyun, asking, "Why didn't Nuanyun come with you?"

Hua Caiyun replied, "After the incident at home, most of the servants were sent away, leaving only the most trusted ones in the mansion. Nuanyun stayed home to serve the Old Madam."

Zhu Chuanzong felt a slight pang of regret, but with six beauties in the tent, their fragrance filling the air, it was as if he were surrounded by flowers, and he soon forgot about it. After chatting and laughing with the women for a while, Xiao Yu found an excuse to call Siji out, leaving only Hua Caiyun in the tent.

Zhu Chuanzong sat close to Hua Caiyun, and at this point, he could no longer restrain himself. He said, "Sister-in-law, it's getting late, why don't we rest?"

He reached out to embrace her.

Hua Caiyun had been teasing him for a while, and she too had been aroused, but being in a military tent, she felt a little awkward and quickly pushed him away, saying, "Bao'er, stop fooling around..."

But her tone was coquettish and alluring, making Zhu Chuanzong drool. He couldn't help but hug her tighter, his hands kneading Hua Caiyun's breasts through her clothes.

Hua Caiyun had been alone in her empty room for over a year, missing Zhu Chuanzong every day. Seeing her beloved today filled her with joy. Zhu Chuanzong's embrace made her feel a surge of masculine energy, her body going numb and her heart pounding. Zhu Chuanzong's kneading of her breasts further aroused Hua Caiyun, intensifying her desire. Her heart felt like it was on fire, making her unbearable. She asked with hazy eyes, "Bao'er, is no one coming into your tent?"

Hearing his sister-in-law's words, Zhu Chuanzong knew she was also aroused and was very happy. He laughed and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, no one will come in."

Then he pressed his lips to Hua Caiyun's, and they kissed and sucked each other. Hua Caiyun hadn't felt this way in a long time. When her lips met Zhu Chuanzong's, she was completely limp, her heart melting. She couldn't help but stick out her tongue, kissing and sucking her lover.

Seeing his sister-in-law like this, Zhu Chuanzong knew she was deeply aroused. He reached out and removed her undergarments, revealing her high, firm breasts, smooth skin, tender as flower petals, and as silky as mutton fat—utterly captivating. He pressed his hands against Hua Caiyun's breasts, kneading and twisting them vigorously.

Hua Caiyun's breasts immediately swelled, each kneading and twisting exciting her. Her desire burned fiercely, like fire, and her lower body felt hot and uncomfortable, causing her great pleasure. She couldn't help but moan, "Good brother, good darling, give it to me quickly, stop teasing me."

Seeing Hua Caiyun's alluring appearance, Zhu Chuanzong knew she was deeply aroused. He ripped off her underpants and touched her vulva. Her vulva was trembling and pulsating, the lustful fluids making it even more tender and slippery, and incredibly hot.

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed. He quickly removed his own clothes, his penis already hard as a rod. He straightened up, lifted Hua Caiyun up by the waist, knelt on one knee on the bed, slightly bent one leg, and held Hua Caiyun tightly to his chest, pressing her breasts against his chest. He felt her full breasts against his chest, so gentle and tender. He reached down to his waist, lifted his penis, and gently pressed it against Hua Caiyun's vulva. He held her waist with both hands, and with a sudden thrust of his bent leg and a pull of his arms, his penis plunged deep into her flower.

Hua Caiyun suddenly felt her body swell and burn, the head of his penis pressed tightly against her clitoris, causing a tingling, itchy sensation. She quickly embraced Zhu Chuanzong tightly and kissed him several times. After the jade stem entered her flower, Zhu Chuanzong paused for a moment, shifted his body, and the jade stem swayed a few times inside Hua Caiyun's opening. With a forceful push of one leg, he thrust the jade stem upwards, penetrating deep into her flower each time, reaching its hilt. Hua Caiyun's delicate body twisted, occasionally arching her body to meet the thrusting of the jade stem. She felt that thing hitting her flower clitoris again and again, like a butterfly playing with a flower, relentlessly pressing against it. Her flower clitoris was unbearably itchy and painful, as if it were about to shatter, tight, itchy, and burning hot, like it was on fire.

Hua Caiyun writhed and twisted, her eyes tightly shut, letting him thrust in and out, her mouth uttering loud moans, "Good brother, dear darling, faster, harder!"

Hearing her moans, Zhu Chuanzong's lust burned even brighter. Gritting his teeth, he thrust upwards several times, each time eliciting a cry from Hua Caiyun. They thrust hundreds of times in one go, and Hua Caiyun had already climaxed twice. Zhu Chuanzong felt his member burning like a hot charcoal rod, the wet, tight walls of her flower tightly enveloping him. Each thrust sent a tingling, blissful sensation through him, his mind blank with pleasure. He then thrust wildly again, his mouth caressing Hua Caiyun's soft, white breasts, his hands kneading her pink buttocks. After his frenzied ministrations, Hua Caiyun felt weak and incredibly happy, her body drenched in fragrant sweat, her moans growing louder and louder.

Zhu Chuanzong held her slender waist tightly, thrusting his lower body upwards with force, unconsciously thrusting over three hundred more times. He felt a few twitches at the base of his penis, and his heart was filled with extreme excitement. He thrust forward suddenly, and his yin essence gushed out, striking Hua Caiyun's flower core. Hua Caiyun felt a heat in her orifice, her head spinning, followed by another wave of pleasure, and she gushed out wildly.

The two made love until midnight, and only then did they fall asleep in each other's arms.

The next day, Hua Caiyun got up early and called Siji and Xiaoyu to her side, saying, "I'm heading back to the manor today. You all stay by the young master's side and serve him carefully." Siji

and the other maids were overjoyed and readily agreed. Xiaoyu thought for a moment and wanted to go back with her to serve the master and mistress, and Hua Caiyun didn't force her.

Although Zhu Chuanzong was reluctant, military affairs were of utmost importance, and he had no choice but to personally select a dozen or so soldiers to escort them home. He also wrote letters to the old lady, his parents, and his sister Zhu Shuiyue, asking Hua Caiyun to deliver them to let him know that he was safe and sound, without needing to say anything else.

Just before setting off, Xiao Yu quietly pulled Zhu Chuanzong aside and asked, "You've lost the sachet I gave you, haven't you?"

When Zhu Chuanzong was a young master in the manor, he always wore sachets embroidered by Xiao Yu. Later, after marrying Xue Jinxian, he switched to wearing the one Xue Jinxian made. However, Xiao Yu hadn't lost hers; she kept it in her luggage.

Yesterday, he suddenly remembered it and specially found it to wear, wanting to please Xiao Yu. Before he could even find a chance to ask, Xiao Yu had asked him herself, leaving him secretly both relieved and pleased.

He immediately pulled it out of his pocket and laughed, "How could I bear to lose it? I've always carried it with me!"

Xiao Yu's eyes lit up. She held the sachet and stroked it for a long time, then smiled sweetly at Zhu Chuanzong and said, "You have a conscience. I thought you had lost it, so I specially embroidered a new one for you!"

Saying this, she took out a new sachet, hung it on Zhu Chuanzong's waist, wrapped the old one in a handkerchief, and tucked it into her pocket, saying, "I'll take this old one back!"

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but pull her hand and said, "Xiao Yu, don't go back, stay here with me!

" Yu rolled her eyes at him and said, "Aren't the four girls enough for you? You used to be so fat, all you did was eat. Now that you've lost weight, you're so greedy."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "They're no match for you. Why don't you stay, and I'll send them back with your sister-in-law?"

Yu spat, "What do you take me for! Those little hussies hate me to death! Keep whoever you want, it has nothing to do with me. I'm leaving!"

Afraid that Hua Caiyun was getting impatient, she hurriedly went to see Wang Dingkun, Wu Siyuan, and the others off. They came to see her off as well, and only returned after leaving the camp. Zhu Chuanzong, Shui Ling'er, and the others saw her off for more than a mile until the carriage reached the main road.

Hua Caiyun and Yu got into the carriage, lifting the curtain and looking out with reluctance. But the carriage went further and further away until it disappeared from sight. Zhu Chuanzong touched the sachet that Yu had just embroidered, and he was also lost in thought, feeling a little melancholy. After standing there for a long time, he finally returned with Shui Ling'er and Siji.

Chapter Two: Unexpected Turn of Events

Zhu Chuanzong's army swept through the city, invincible and with tremendous momentum. The cities they passed through were unprepared by their garrison officials, who were used to indulging in food, drink, and entertainment and had no fighting spirit. Only a few offered slight resistance before being defeated by the army. Others, some having received letters from Hua Wenzhang, some fearing the prestige of Zhu Chuanzong and Wang Dingkun, and some harboring resentment towards Pang Laixiao, all turned a blind eye. Besides, it was impossible for them to fight to the death and lose strength. Some not only sent their army through but also secretly provided them with a lot of supplies. Zhu Chuanzong's advance was swift, and he soon took control of the entire Northern Frontier Province. Only then did scouts send news to the capital.

On this day, all the officials gathered in the court. Emperor Tang Zhi sat on the throne, with the ministers standing solemnly on both sides. As usual, Pang Laixiao placed a chair next to the dragon throne and sat on it swaggeringly, showing no manners of a subject.

Tang Zhi was inwardly furious, but helpless. He coldly snorted and said, "Speak if you have something to say, otherwise, court is adjourned!"

In truth, Pang Laixiao had long controlled the court. Attending court was merely a formality; Pang Laixiao had already decided everything, then would only mention some trivial matters to Tang Zhi, and that was it. The ministers were all aware of this, so they remained silent.

Seeing this, Tang Zhi became even angrier and was about to adjourn the court. At this moment, Pang Laixiao stood up and said, "Wait, I have something to report."

Tang Zhi asked, "Oh? What is it, Prime Minister?"

Pang Laixiao said, "Recently, an urgent report came from the Northern Frontier Province that the wanted criminal Zhu Chuanzong has colluded with General Wang Dingkun of Weiyuan to launch a rebellion. Their forces are very strong. I beg Your Majesty to make a decision."

Tang Zhi was overjoyed upon hearing this, but after calming himself, he pretended to be displeased and said, "Prime Minister, you have always touted peace and prosperity for the country. How could such a thing happen now? You should give me an explanation."

Pang Laixiao glanced at Tang Zhi and suddenly said, "I heard that Zhu Chuanzong has a secret edict from Your Majesty, ordering him to raise an army against this old minister. Is this true?"

As he spoke, his eyes flashed with a fierce light.

Tang Zhi's face changed, and he hurriedly said, "Absolutely not! Absolutely not! Prime Minister, you are a pillar of the court. I have always trusted you greatly. How could I possibly harm you? Besides, the world is already mine. How could I turn against myself? These rebels will naturally fabricate some excuses since they have rebelled."

The ministers watched as Pang Laixiao questioned the emperor without any respect, but none of them dared to speak up to stop him. They all lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound.

Pang Laixiao, a smug look on his face, chuckled twice and said, "Your Majesty, I am utterly loyal and believe you are not so foolish. As for the rebellion of the two traitors, Zhu Chuanzong and Wang Dingkun, it is but a minor trouble. A mere few tens of thousands of troops, how much trouble can they cause? Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

Tang Zhi was taken aback and said, "Oh? Do you perhaps have a brilliant plan?"

Pang Laixiao smiled and said, "Zhu Chuanzong's rebel army numbers only a few tens of thousands, while our court has a million soldiers, ten times that number. Are we afraid of him?"

Tang Zhi was anxious and said, "Wang Dingkun..." "He is a famous, ever-victorious general, serving in the army for many years with a formidable reputation. Who can lead troops to fight against him?"

Pang Laixiao had already devised a plan, saying, "General Wang Jinglong, the commander of the Imperial Guards, is the descendant of a famous general, well-versed in military strategy, and utterly loyal to the court. As long as we send him to lead troops to suppress the rebels, he will surely return victorious."

Tang Zhi secretly worried for Zhu Chuanzong, but he could not stop Pang Laixiao, so he had no choice but to issue an edict appointing Wang Jinglong as the General Who Subdues Rebels, gathering 200,000 troops to fight against Wang Dingkun.

In the capital, there was a General Song who had served with Wang Dingkun for many years and knew Wang Dingkun's abilities best. He privately sighed to his friends, "Wang Dingkun is brave and resourceful, a famous general of our dynasty. Wang Jinglong is just a boastful talker; how can he be his match? Moreover, there is an even more formidable Zhu Chuanzong. Wang Jinglong is bound to be defeated!"

However, no one believed his words. When they reached Pang Laixiao's ears, Pang Laixiao arrested him and imprisoned him on charges of sowing discord.

When the news arrived that Wang Jinglong had led an army of 200,000, Wang Dingkun and his men were surprised, but since they had anticipated this day when they raised their army, they were not overly afraid. Wang Dingkun immediately sent someone back to Jinghai Pass to order Zhou Yi to bring the remaining 70,000 troops, along with provisions and supplies, to join him.

Wang Dingkun's army had by then left Beijiang Province and reached Dengzhou City in Xiping Province. Xiping Province is mountainous, and Dengzhou City is surrounded by mountains on its east, west, and north sides, making it a strategically important location. Wu Siyuan discovered a small path in the mountains to the north that led to the other side of the mountains. Therefore, he devised a plan: he would have his 30,000 troops guard Dengzhou, and once Wang Jinglong arrived, he would surely send a large army to besiege the city. At that time, he would have Zhou Yi lead elite troops to sneak around through the mountain path and then attack from both sides. Wang Jinglong's exhausted and unprepared army would be attacked from both sides, and their morale would surely collapse. Then, they could defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

Zhu Chuanzong and the other man had no objections to this plan. Wang Dingkun immediately dispatched several hundred soldiers familiar with the mountain road to Jingshan Pass to meet Zhou Yi. Simultaneously, he set up defenses in Dengzhou City and rushed to manufacture defensive equipment in preparation for the upcoming battle.

Wang Jinglong's army was still about ten days' journey away. Although Zhu Chuanzong was busy during the day, he was quite happy at night with Siji by his side.

Normally, female relatives were not allowed in the army, but all the soldiers had witnessed Shui Ling'er's prowess, and besides, Zhu Chuanzong had Siji dressed as his personal guards, so no one objected.

Zhu Chuanzong returned to his tent and saw Chunfeng and the others huddled together, chattering about something. He quietly approached and saw that they were watching Qiuyue paint. Qiuyue pursed her lips, lightly dipped her brush in ink, and sketched on the paper. Soon, a picture of a general on horseback appeared on the paper. The general, wearing helmet and armor, holding a large club, looked majestic—it was Zhu Chuanzong himself.

Zhu Chuanzong smiled slightly, thinking to himself, "So she's drawing me."

Xia Yu clapped her hands and laughed, "Qiuyue, you drew so well! Young Master will be so happy to see it."

Qiuyue quickly waved her hand and said, "I just drew it randomly. We can just look at it for fun. Please don't tell Young Master."

Xia Yu laughed, "Really, you like Young Master to death. Why are you hiding it? When Young Master sees it, he will only praise you and dote on you even more. What are you afraid of?"

Qiuyue blushed and tried to pull her mouth. Chunfeng laughed, "You little brat, you really have no sense of propriety! What do you mean by 'like it to death'? That's not something a young lady should say! You're getting more and more unruly just because the young master dotes on you. If this were in the manor, and the eldest young mistress heard you, do you think she'd let you off the hook?"

Xia Yu made a face at Chunfeng and stuck out her tongue, saying, "Yes, I misspoke. The young master dotes on Sister Chunfeng the most. Yesterday, he even praised Chunfeng's tongue for being so soft, sweet, and skillful, and he even recited a poem. Something about the bright moon and a beautiful woman. Dongxue, have you ever heard this poem?"

Dongxue was taken aback and casually replied, "Is it 'On the night of the bright moon over the Twenty-Four Bridges, where is the beautiful woman teaching the flute?'"

She paused again, then realized what she meant, spat, and was so embarrassed that she couldn't lift her head.

Chunfeng's face turned as red as if it were burning, and she chased after Xia Yu around the table. The two were laughing and joking when they turned around and found Zhu Chuanzong standing behind them with a smile. They couldn't help but cry out in surprise and quickly followed Qiuyue and the other girl to pay their respects.

The two maids were panting, their foreheads slightly sweaty, their faces as red as blooming peach blossoms. Zhu Chuanzong was instantly captivated by their beauty. Seeing Qiuyue's charming smile and Dongxue's shy, endearing appearance, he couldn't help but laugh smugly, "Don't worry, you're both my precious darlings, I cherish you dearly. Don't leave tonight, stay and keep me company."

He had already taken turns with Siji several times over the past few days, so he was quite adept at it. However, judging from his tone, he wanted all four of them tonight, which was incredibly embarrassing. Dongxue looked around and said, "I... I need to get some water."

She turned and fled through the door, leaving the three girls in Zhu Chuanzong's arms, their pretty faces flushed, looking utterly submissive. Zhu Chuanzong couldn't pull Dongxue away in time and inwardly lamented his loss.

Zhu Chuanzong led the three women to the bedside and said, "My darlings, take off your clothes and let your young master see."

Though extremely shy, the three women straightened up and removed their clothes. Each had a delicate, fair face, high breasts, and long, slender legs. Their private parts were also uniquely beautiful, each possessing a distinct allure. Zhu Chuanzong's blood boiled, his body became aroused, and his lust surged. His penis became hard and powerful, as if about to break. He also voluntarily removed his clothes, exposing himself to the three women.

Although the three women had long been trained by him, they were still young girls. Despite their wanton behavior in bed, they were still somewhat shy in front of others. They quickly covered their private parts with their hands, their pink necks lowered, their faces flushed, making them even more alluring.

After settling down on the couch, Zhu Chuanzong said, "Qiuyue's painting is truly excellent. Come here quickly, let your young master reward you."

Qiuyue, both shy and delighted, lowered her head and came to him. Zhu Chuanzong, unable to contain himself any longer, pulled Qiuyue onto the bed, kissing and caressing her incessantly.

He pressed his lips against Qiuyue's breasts, sucking them vigorously, while one hand twisted and squeezed the other. His other hand reached between Qiuyue's legs, teasing her pubic hair. His fingers played with the hair and even touched and twisted her vulva, arousing Qiuyue's lust. Her face flushed crimson, and she kicked her legs, moaning incessantly.

Seeing the young master teasing Qiuyue, Chunfeng and Xiayu were also aroused, their desire burning fiercely, directly attacking their core. Coupled with Qiuyue's seductive moans, the two women could no longer restrain themselves and approached the young master together. Chunfeng stood behind Zhu Chuanzong, parting his buttocks with her hands, kissing his buttocks with her fragrant lips, and extending her tongue to kiss and caress around his anus, making Zhu Chuanzong feel itchy and numb, intensifying his desire.

Xiayu, meanwhile, moved between Zhu Chuanzong's thighs, grasping his firm and powerful penis in her hand, rubbing it back and forth, then opening her pink lips and taking the penis into her mouth, sucking and playing with it, making Zhu Chuanzong feel like his body was being gnawed by ants. Xiayu's sucking and licking gave him immense pleasure, and after a few strokes, his penis was already oozing fluid. Xiayu did not pull it out of her mouth, but swallowed the fluid, as if it were fragrant saliva, sucking and licking incessantly.

It was Zhu Chuanzong who couldn't restrain himself first. His rear end, tingling and itchy from the caress of the spring breeze, turned him over, pinned Qiuyue down on the bed, made her spread her legs, guided his erect penis with his hand, parted the pubic hair around her opening, and thrust his hard, hot penis inside. Qiuyue, having been played with for a long time, was already aroused; her vagina opened and closed, overflowing with lustful fluids, feeling as if it were on fire, causing her unbearable discomfort. The moment Zhu Chuanzong's penis entered, her lustful fluids splashed everywhere, making her feel an intense, bone-melting pleasure, and she couldn't help but cry out in pleasure. Seeing her so happy, Zhu Chuanzong thrust even more vigorously.

After more than a hundred thrusts, Qiuyue unconsciously climaxed and collapsed onto the bed. Zhu Chuanzong then pulled his penis out of Qiuyue's vagina, lay on top of Xia Yu, spread her legs, and inserted his penis, still wet with lustful fluids, into Xia Yu's vagina, beginning to thrust. Watching him manipulate Qiuyue, Xia Yu was already consumed by lust. With each thrust, he reached her clitoris, sending a wave of pleasure through her body. She arched her hips, actively welcoming Zhu Chuanzong's thrusts.

After hundreds of strokes, Xia Yu succumbed. Zhu Chuanzong withdrew his penis from Xia Yu's vagina and went to Chunfeng's side. He helped Chunfeng up, supporting her slender limbs with one hand and spreading her legs with the other. Standing, he inserted his penis into Chunfeng's vagina. This insertion instantly relieved her thirst; her body trembled, her limbs shook, and her juices flowed freely, trickling down her legs and onto the ground. Chunfeng moaned incessantly, feeling utterly blissful. In the

blink of an eye, Chunfeng also climaxed. Not yet satisfied, Zhu Chuanzong laid the three women side by side on the bed, making them stick out their pink buttocks, their private parts facing outwards, like three cute pink mouths opening and closing. Zhu Chuanzong raised his large, thick penis, moving it back and forth, thrusting in and out of the three small holes at will, enjoying three completely different sensations, alternating in turn, each with its own unique pleasure, like ascending to heaven.

After two hours, Zhu Chuanzong felt a numbness in his spine, his seminal vesicles opened wide, and he lay on Qiuyue's back, injecting all his semen into her tender flower. Qiuyue let out a soft cry, fainting from the pleasure. Chunfeng and Xiayu were also already in a state of ecstasy, slumped on the bed, unable to move their limbs, their souls ascending to bliss.

The four rested for a long time, gradually regaining their senses. The three women lay in Zhu Chuanzong's arms, recalling their wanton posture just now, all extremely shy, but the indescribable ecstasy still lingered in their memories. Zhu Chuanzong, remembering that Dongxue had run away alone, felt resentful and whispered a few instructions to the three women.

The three women blushed and chuckled softly, then had no choice but to comply.

Two days later, Zhu Chuanzong returned and said, "I want to take a bath. Dongxue, come and serve me."

Although Dongxue was very embarrassed, she couldn't refuse and had to agree.

The wooden tub Zhu Chuanzong used for bathing was about half a person's height, filled with hot water, and sprinkled with flower petals. Soaking in it, Zhu Chuanzong felt all the day's fatigue disappear, and with Dongxue's soft little hands constantly rubbing and massaging his body, he felt incredibly comfortable.

After washing for a while, Zhu Chuanzong noticed that Dongxue's hair was disheveled, her pretty face slightly flushed, and her clothes were soaked with water, revealing her exquisite curves. He couldn't help but feel a surge of desire, his hands and feet becoming restless as he groped her body, saying, "Washing alone is no fun. Come and wash with me."

Dongxue was too ashamed to lift her head, saying, "Young Master, please stop, be careful someone sees us."

She tried to struggle, but she was too weak to move. Zhu Chuanzong dragged her into the tub, removed her silk robe, revealing her white, jade-like breasts. Zhu Chuanzong grabbed one breast in each hand and brought his mouth close, making sucking noises.

Dongxue struggled a few times, but soon her pretty eyes closed slightly, her face flushed, and she gasped for breath, powerless to resist.

Just as he was enjoying himself, a burst of laughter came from outside the door, and Chunfeng and several others rushed into the room. Xia Yu laughed, "Good, Dongxue. You ran away the other day, and today you're cheating on us."

Dongxue screamed and climbed out of the tub, trying to run away, but was blocked in the room by her sisters, with nowhere to go.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "With your young master and your own sisters, what's there to be shy about? Today I'll let you taste the pleasure of doing it together, then you'll know what fun is."

He picked Dongxue up by the waist and carried her to the bed.

Zhu Chuanzong then gestured to Chunfeng and the others, and the three women giggled and rushed forward, stripping Dongxue naked. Some held her hands, some held her legs, and Dongxue couldn't move for a moment, pleading, "Good sisters, let me go. Young master, spare me."

Zhu Chuanzong looked at her terrified and pleading appearance, his lust intensified, and he wouldn't listen, only kissing and caressing her neck and breasts. Dongxue was already experienced in such matters, and couldn't resist his skillful methods; she was immediately overwhelmed by lust and couldn't control herself.

Not content with the silence, Xia Yu parted Dong Xue's legs with her hands. Her jade-like opening opened and closed rhythmically, her juices flowing freely, soaking everything, including her pubic hair. Playful by nature, Xia Yu inserted her fingers into Dong Xue's opening, pulling and thrusting, making Dong Xue feel incredibly good. More juices flowed down her thighs, and she moaned incessantly, groaning with pleasure. Zhu

Chuanzong watched with amusement, his groin throbbing with an indescribable thrill. He laughed, "Xia Yu, you're doing a good job. Chunfeng, Qiuyue, you two come too." Qiuyue, second only to Dong Xue in shyness, dared not act as wildly as Xia Yu, only lowering her head to caress and lick Dong Xue's forearms and shoulders.

Chunfeng, however, was the most obedient to her young master. After a moment's hesitation, she parted Dong Xue's legs as instructed, bringing her pink lips to her private parts. She then parted her pubic hair with her hands. They began kissing, their tongues swirling and teasing within Dongxue's jade-like orifice. Dongxue, already aroused by Zhu Chuanzong and Xia Liang's earlier teasing, felt her jade-like orifice burning with a fiery heat as their fingers probed her, her juices overflowing. Now, with Chunfeng's fragrant tongue teasing her, Dongxue felt an overwhelming surge of desire, her body burning unbearably hot, her juices gushing forth like a spring, flowing directly onto Chunfeng's fragrant tongue—a feeling of unparalleled pleasure.

Dongxue was now lost in a daze, her soul seemingly possessed, only able to moan softly, her body writhing, a blush spreading across her skin, her small mouth slightly parted, indescribably alluring and adorable.

Xia Yu, already aroused and unable to contain his desire, saw Dongxue's appearance and couldn't resist, embracing her cheeks and kissing her small mouth. Dongxue, oblivious, willingly opened her lips to welcome her new guest. Their two small, fragrant tongues intertwined, making soft, smacking sounds.

Seeing the two women embracing and kissing, a scene of unparalleled sensuality, Zhu Chuanzong's lust intensified. His penis, erect and ready to burst, parted Dongxue's legs and thrust inside, beginning his

passionate encounter. The women, uninhibited, responded with abandon. While Zhu Chuanzong was with one woman, the other three would use their small hands and fragrant tongues to spice things up, or they would comfort each other in pairs. Their soft bodies intertwined on the bed, like a dream, the pleasure indescribable.

The five of them indulged in their debauchery until the middle of the night before finally collapsing onto the bed and falling asleep. The next morning, Shui Ling'er came to find Zhu Chuanzong. Pushing open the door, she saw the scene on the bed and her pretty face flushed red. She exclaimed, "How outrageous!"

and couldn't help but grab Zhu Chuanzong's ear.

The others on the bed woke up. Siji hurriedly dressed, her face flushed with shame, and ran out with her head down. Zhu Chuanzong yawned and laughed, "Ling'er, why are

you here so early?" Shui Ling'er retorted angrily, "Look at the time! A major battle is about to begin, and instead of conserving your energy and practicing your martial arts, you're just fooling around here!"

Zhu Chuanzong also realized that he had been a bit too outrageous the night before, and quickly apologized, promising not to do it again. Shui Ling'er knew he was used to being absurd, and there was nothing she could do about it. After being coaxed by him for a while, she forgave him, and the two went to practice their staff techniques together. There's no need to go into details.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, outside Dengzhou City, shouts of men and neighing of horses filled the air, dust billowing everywhere. It turned out that Wang Jinglong's army had arrived. Zhu Chuanzong climbed the city gate and looked down. He saw densely packed tents, banners fluttering, stretching as far as the eye could see, and arranged with great discipline. It seemed Wang Jinglong, worthy of his lineage as a famous general, did indeed possess some real skill.

The group returned to the commander's headquarters to discuss countermeasures. Wang Dingkun angrily said, "What's wrong with Zhou Yi? The enemy is already at the city gates, and he hasn't sent a message yet? Even if the plan to attack from both sides has changed, why hasn't he sent anyone to deliver a message?"

Wu Siyuan pondered, "Could something have gone wrong?"

Wang Dingkun said, "Our plan is so well-hidden, what could possibly go wrong? Zhou Yi must have been drinking and messing things up again. When he arrives, I'll give him dozens of lashes!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Anyway, Wang Jinglong won't be able to take Dengzhou City in a few days. Let's observe for a few more days."

The two nodded. Wang Jinglong challenged Wang Dingkun to battle outside the city, but Wang Dingkun simply refused to respond. Wang Jinglong's army, having traveled a long way, was exhausted and wanted to rest for a few days. Thus, the two armies faced each other, observing each other.

Several more days passed, and reinforcements were nowhere to be seen. It seemed Wang Jinglong was about to launch a forced attack on the city. Suddenly, a dozen wounded soldiers sent to meet Zhou Yi returned to the city, reporting to Wang Dingkun that Zhou Yi had suddenly changed his mind, obeying the imperial order and leading 70,000 troops to Donghai Province. Not only that, but he had also imprisoned the hundreds of soldiers Wang Dingkun had sent to meet him, forbidding them from returning to deliver messages. Some had managed to escape during a moment of inattention on the road, but Consort Mei and Princess Chang Le, among others, had been separated and their whereabouts unknown.

Upon hearing this report, Wang Dingkun was thunderstruck; he roared in anger, vomited blood, and collapsed. Everyone hurriedly clutched their chests and backs, urgently summoning the army doctor for treatment; the tent was instantly thrown into chaos.

Fortunately, Zhu Chuanzong and Wu Siyuan remained relatively calm, summoning the messenger to the tent and inquiring about the situation.

It turned out that Sun Hu and Zhou Yi, though both longtime comrades of Wang Dingkun, had very different personalities! Sun Hu was the most boisterous and straightforward, lacking in cunning, and utterly loyal to Wang Dingkun; Zhou Yi, on the other hand, was shrewd and, while also loyal, very ambitious. He had followed Wang Dingkun for so many years, rising through the ranks and accumulating wealth, without harboring any disloyalty. However, after the Zhu family fell from power and Pang Laixiao eliminated their influence, Zhou Yi, fearing implication, secretly sent gifts to Pang Laixiao.

Pang Laixiao, a cunning and shrewd man, had long planned to deal with Wang Dingkun, and thus readily agreed with Zhou Yi. Their secret correspondence had been ongoing for some time. However, Zhou Yi still remembered Wang Dingkun's kindness, and although he harbored disloyal intentions, he didn't betray him immediately, not even reporting his uprising to Pang Laixiao.

But recently, he heard that the court had dispatched Wang Jinglong with 200,000 troops to suppress the rebellion. He felt outnumbered and had little chance of victory. Moreover, even if they won, the court still had hundreds of thousands of troops; if they sent another large army, Wang Dingkun would ultimately be no match. At this time, Pang Laixiao sent someone again, using both soft and hard tactics to win him over, promising him high-ranking positions and generous rewards. After much hesitation, Zhou Yi finally decided to join Pang Laixiao.

However, Wang Dingkun had commanded troops for many years and held immense prestige in the army. He had absolutely no courage to lead his 70,000 troops to attack Wang Dingkun. So, he falsely claimed it was an imperial order and led his troops to Donghai Province, claiming it was for a troop rotation. Although his soldiers found it strange, they had no choice but to obey because he possessed a command order personally issued by Wang Dingkun.

Because Xue Jinxian, Consort Mei and her son, and Princess Chang Le were staying with Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi decided to capture them and send them to the capital. He had them all placed under house arrest, intending to send them to Pang Laixiao to claim credit later.

Fortunately, Consort Mei received the news and informed the other two daughters. Princess Chang Le used a sleeping potion to knock out the guards and escaped with Xue Jinxian in a panic. Consort Mei and some loyal soldiers took advantage of the situation and escaped from Jingshan Pass. Zhou Yi, fearing that Wang Dingkun would find out, dared not pursue them. Moreover, considering their long-standing friendship, he did not want to kill them all, so he led 70,000 troops to Donghai Province early.

Chapter Three: Displaying Great Power .

Zhu Chuanzong and Wu Siyuan questioned them carefully for a long time. Although the soldiers did not know the inside story, both men were extremely intelligent and, through various clues, guessed the truth with a high degree of accuracy. It was clear that Zhou Yi had secretly defected to Pang Laixiao, and the 70,000 troops would not come. Now, with only 30,000 men defending the isolated city of Dengzhou against Wang Jinglong's 200,000-strong army, the outcome was obvious.

Zhu Chuanzong was extremely anxious upon hearing that Princess Chang Le and the others were missing. He wanted to personally lead a search party, but Wang Dingkun was vomiting blood and unconscious, and Dengzhou was surrounded by Wang Jinglong's army—a critical situation. He was unable to leave and had no other choice. Fortunately, during his anxious night, he sensed a message from the princess informing him that she was safe. Knowing that the princess possessed some supernatural abilities and that they had escaped danger, he was no longer worried.

Half a day later, Wang Dingkun awoke under the care of the army doctor and invited the two men to his tent for a meeting.

Wang Dingkun leaned against the couch, his face pale and his expression extremely weak. Zhu Chuanzong relayed the information he had gathered, and Wang Dingkun's face paled further. He sighed, "I, Wang Dingkun, a veteran of countless battles, have been so blind to recognize such a brother!"

Wu Siyuan said, "As the saying goes, you can know a person's face but not their heart. Since things have come to this, General, there's no need to blame yourself too much. The most important thing now is how to deal with the current situation. I suspect Pang Laixiao will tell Wang Jinglong that we are isolated and helpless. Wang Jinglong will soon besiege the city, trapping us in Dengzhou. Dengzhou is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only way to break out is to the south. If Wang Jinglong concentrates his army to block us in the south, our army will have no way to escape and will only face total annihilation. The only plan now is to send a contingent to pretend to flee elsewhere to attract Wang Jinglong's attention and cover the main army's retreat."

Wang Dingkun said, "Wouldn't this contingent be bait, extremely dangerous, with a slim chance of survival?"

Wu Siyuan nodded and said, "That's right, but to preserve the strength of the main army, some sacrifices are unavoidable."

After saying this, he frowned and sighed, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Seeing this, Zhu Chuanzong asked, "Sir, is there anything else you're worried about? Let's discuss it."

Wu Siyuan sighed and said, "Wang Jinglong is the descendant of a famous general, well-versed in military strategy. It won't be easy to lure him into a trap. Therefore, the person used as bait must be of sufficient importance."

Zhu Chuanzong and Wang Dingkun exchanged a glance, both understanding Wu Siyuan's meaning. Only Wang Dingkun and Zhu Chuanzong could attract Wang Jinglong's forces and make him relentlessly pursue them.

Wang Dingkun was the commander-in-chief of the three armies and an invincible general; if he were captured, the rebel forces would collapse without a fight. Zhu Chuanzong was Pang Laixiao's mortal enemy, enjoying immense prestige among the people and in the court, and was someone Wang Jinglong desperately wanted to get rid of. Only the appearance of one of these two could guarantee that Wang Jinglong would be lured into a trap.

Wang Dingkun laughed, "It's only right that I take the lead. Wang Jinglong is just a greenhorn; stopping him outside Dengzhou City will be a piece of cake."

Zhu Chuanzong shook his head, "Brother, you're injured; how can you go into battle? Besides, an army can't be without a commander for a day; you're indispensable. I'll go instead."

Both knew the journey would be extremely dangerous, but they both insisted on going, arguing back and forth. Finally, Wu Siyuan said, "The army truly cannot do without General Wang right now."

Wang Dingkun knew the truth and had no choice but to agree.

Zhu Chuanzong immediately left the tent to gather the troops. Wu Siyuan saw him out of the tent and said in a low voice, "Lord Zhu, given the current situation, I had no choice but to act just now. Please forgive me."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "What are you saying, Mr. Wu! You have saved my life several times. How could I doubt you? Even if something unforeseen happens, you and Brother Wang can march to the capital and avenge me. However, Consort Mei and the princess are missing. Please take the trouble to find them, and I also need to ask you to take care of Siji and the others."

His words implied a sense of entrustment, and Wu Siyuan couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow upon hearing this. He sighed, "My lord, you are responsible for the success or failure of this great undertaking. If anything happens to you, everything will be over, and there will be no point in talking about revenge."

Zhu Chuanzong asked, "What do you mean by that, sir?"

Wu Siyuan replied, "If we focus on the battlefield at hand, the army cannot do without General Wang. But if we focus on the crucial matter of eliminating Pang Laixiao and stabilizing the country, we truly cannot do without you, sir! Although General Wang is a renowned general, he is no match for Pang Laixiao in terms of mere martial prowess. Therefore, your perilous journey is to preserve our strength for the mission. You must take care of your health for future success!"

Zhu Chuanzong, who had also been prepared to die, suddenly realized the danger and laughed with heroic spirit, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. Wang Jinglong will not take my life so easily. We will meet again!"

With that, he mounted his horse and rode off.

Zhu Chuanzong arrived at the training ground and mustered three thousand men. Shui Ling'er rode up to him and asked, "Are you going out to meet the enemy? I'll go with you."

Zhu Chuanzong knew that if he told her the truth, Shui Ling'er would definitely go to danger with him, so he quickly thought of a plan and smiled, "It's Zhou Yi's reinforcements. I'm going to meet them. There's no need to fight. I'll be back tomorrow. Tell Siji and the others for me so they won't worry."

Shui Ling'er didn't suspect anything and said, "Then be careful on your journey."

Zhu Chuanzong mustered his troops and went to the city gate. Wang Dingkun and Wu Siyuan also came to see him off. They would also gather their army later and, while Zhu Chuanzong was distracting Wang Jinglong, break out to the south and then retreat back to Beijiang Province.

Wang Dingkun said, "Brother, be careful on your journey. See you in Beijiang Province."

Wu Siyuan also said, "The safety of our lord is the most important thing. If we can't hold out, we'll escape into the mountains, using the mountain path we originally planned for Zhou Yi to take."

Although they said this, they knew that the journey was dangerous and Zhu Chuanzong's chances of survival were slim. As Wang Dingkun spoke, his eyes reddened.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed loudly, "Brother Wang, Mr. Wu, you can break through the siege with peace of mind. I'll take care of Wang Jinglong. Take care!"

After saying this, he bowed to the crowd and ordered the city gates to be opened wide before rushing out

. Wang Jinglong's 200,000-strong army had completely surrounded the four gates of Dengzhou City. He had indeed received news from Pang Laixiao the day before that Wang Dingkun's men had betrayed him, leaving him with only 30,000 isolated troops, which made him overjoyed. Just as he was about to order his men to begin the attack, a group of people suddenly rushed out from the north gate. He was slightly startled and quickly formed ranks to observe.

He saw that there were about several thousand people coming out of the city, and their military banners were embroidered with a large "Zhu" character. The general leading them was not old, and he carried a large club, looking imposing. Wang Jinglong recognized him from his time in the capital; he was none other than the famous Zhu Chuanzong.

Wang Jinglong was overjoyed and laughed loudly, "It's like finding a needle in a haystack! It seems the rebel Zhu Chuanzong knows the army is pressing in and he can't resist, so he's trying to break through and escape. This man is the leader of the rebels and the Prime Minister's mortal enemy. Capturing him would be a tremendous achievement. You all need to watch carefully; if you accidentally let him escape, you'll be punished according to military law."

His men all obeyed. At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong brandished his stick and challenged them. Wang Jinglong laughed and said, "I heard that Zhu Chuanzong was a fool since childhood, but later somehow he became clever. Relying on the power of the Zhu family and the late emperor's favor, he investigates the faults of his colleagues everywhere to get promoted. It's true that he studied at the Hanlin Academy, but when did he dare to go to the battlefield? Does he think the battlefield is as easy as the officialdom? It's truly laughable."

The generals around him also laughed heartily. These soldiers looked down on civil officials the most, thinking they were all weak and only knew how to scheme and plot. Seeing the renowned Hanlin scholar Zhu Chuanzong actually wearing armor and challenging them to battle, everyone found it ridiculous.

Wang Jinglong then asked his men who was willing to fight. To everyone, this was a golden opportunity, and who wouldn't want to claim it? They all volunteered, even arguing amongst themselves. Wang Jinglong's eyes darted around, and he sent a general named Xu Keqin to the front lines.

Xu Keqin was a highly skilled warrior, a famous and fierce general. Everyone knew he was Wang Jinglong's cousin; the two had grown up together, studying literature and martial arts together, and their bond was extremely strong. Wang Jinglong was clearly giving the credit to his cousin; who else would dare to compete?

Xu Keqin knew this was his cousin's favor, and was both grateful and delighted. He responded, rode to the front lines, and shouted, "General Xu Keqin of the Imperial Guard is here! Zhu Chuanzong, why don't you dismount and surrender?"

This roar shook the battlefield. Everyone stared in astonishment at Xu Keqin's imposing figure and his spear, over ten feet long. Those who knew Xu Keqin's martial arts skills were even less optimistic about Zhu Chuanzong, believing he was no match for him.

Zhu Chuanzong, unconcerned, smiled slightly and said, "Pang Laixiao abuses his power and misleads the country, acting against the tide of history. I am acting on the Emperor's orders to eliminate this treacherous minister. How can you call me a traitor? It is you who are aiding and abetting this evil, being used without even realizing it. I advise you to abandon your evil ways and embrace the light."

Xu Keqin, enraged, shouted, "Nonsense! Take this!"

He raised his spear, spurred his horse, and charged forward. The spear swung like a giant silver snake, aiming straight for Zhu Chuanzong's face.

Wang Jinglong, seeing his cousin's prowess, felt proud and said smugly, "Beat the drums to cheer on General Xu!"

His soldiers hurriedly beat the war drums, and the spectators cheered loudly, their morale soaring.

Meanwhile, Zhu Chuanzong's three thousand men were filled with worry, their faces showing anxiety. Some grabbed the reins, ready to rush forward and rescue Zhu Chuanzong at any moment.

Zhu Chuanzong had practiced staff techniques with Shui Ling'er for many days, and even in horseback combat, Shui Ling'er was no match for him. How could he fear a mere Xu Keqin? He sat calmly on his horse, watching without a care in the world, leading everyone to believe he was stunned. Just as

the spear was about to strike, Zhu Chuanzong roared and swung his staff horizontally. Xu Keqin was jolted, his tiger's mouth split open, and the spear was knocked from his hand, flying a great distance. While he was still stunned, Zhu Chuanzong swung his staff back, striking Xu Keqin in the waist and knocking him

off his horse. Xu Keqin coughed up blood, fell to the ground, twitched twice, and died. Wang Jinglong's most valiant general had been killed by Zhu Chuanzong with a single blow. Both sides were stunned, unable to believe their eyes. After a long while, Zhu Chuanzong's men erupted in cheers. Wang Jinglong's men then sent men to retrieve Xu Keqin's body.

Wang Jinglong, his eyes bloodshot with rage, roared, "I'll tear Zhu Chuanzong to pieces!"

He immediately dispatched his generals to fight. These generals, thinking Zhu Chuanzong's earlier attack was merely a fluke, didn't believe he was truly that powerful. Moreover, the temptation of merit and promotion was too great, so they still rushed forward. However, three generals were killed by Zhu Chuanzong with just two blows of his club, unable to withstand even a moment's attack. Only then did the others realize the extent of Zhu Chuanzong's martial prowess, and they were immediately too terrified to risk their lives.

Zhu Chuanzong's three thousand men, on the other hand, were riding high on unprecedented morale; in their eyes, Zhu Chuanzong was practically a god.

Although Wang Jinglong was filled with rage, he himself dared not join the fray, thinking, "No matter how powerful you are, you're only a few thousand men. My two hundred thousand troops will exhaust you to death."

He immediately ordered a full-scale attack, swarming forward.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed wildly, his club swirling and spinning like a windmill. The blows struck weapons, sending them flying; they struck people, instantly breaking bones and tendons, and anyone who entered within two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) was instantly killed. Wang Jinglong's men, initially charging forward with great ferocity, gradually circled back, their faces filled with terror and fear.

Zhu Chuanzong shouted, "Charge with me!"

and led three thousand soldiers outwards.

Wang Jinglong, already devastated by the death of his cousin, was now seeing Zhu Chuanzong about to escape. His great achievement was gone, and he might even be punished by the Prime Minister. Panicked, seeing that his men guarding the north gate were unlikely to stop Zhu Chuanzong, he hastily ordered the troops from the other three gates to come. Some of his advisors tried to dissuade him, but Wang Jinglong, his eyes red with anger, shouted, "What's the use of surrounding Dengzhou if Zhu Chuanzong escapes? Did you want my cousin to die in vain?"

Seeing his murderous intent, none of the advisors dared to stop him.

Before long, most of the troops from the other three gates arrived, and outside the north gate, hundreds of thousands of soldiers surrounded the city in layers, like a sea of people. Zhu Chuanzong's three thousand men were like a small boat being tossed about in the middle.

Wang Dingkun in Dengzhou City had already assembled nearly thirty thousand troops. Seeing the chaos outside the city and the emptiness of the south gate, he immediately ordered a breakout.

Wang Jinglong, upon hearing his subordinates' report, knew he had fallen into a trap, but it was too late to send troops back to intercept them.

He made a snap decision, thinking, "If Wang Dingkun escapes, so be it. As long as I capture Zhu Chuanzong, it will be a great achievement."

So he simply let Wang Dingkun's men leave without giving chase, and surrounded Zhu Chuanzong with his entire army.

By this time, Zhu Chuanzong had already fought his way several miles and escaped to the mountain pass to the north. Of his three thousand soldiers, less than two thousand remained after the fierce fighting, closely following behind him, facing an enemy dozens of times their number, without fear.

Wang Jinglong shouted, "Zhu Chuanzong, obediently dismount and surrender! Now let's see where you can escape to!"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily, ordering his troops to retreat into the valley. He himself blocked the valley entrance, channeling the remaining divine power within him, instantly doubling his size, making his armor bulge high, appearing tall and mighty, like a giant god. Wang Jinglong and his men were stunned by this unprecedented sight.

Zhu Chuanzong roared, "Those who aren't afraid of death, come on!"

Although Wang Jinglong was frightened, seeing his tens of thousands of men under his command, his courage grew, and he cursed, "Whether you're a monster or a god, with so many of us, are you afraid of me!"

He immediately ordered the archers to fire.

Instantly, ten thousand arrows were unleashed, flying towards Zhu Chuanzong like a dense swarm of locusts. Zhu Chuanzong swung his large club, forming a net of clubs, impenetrable, scattering the arrows in all directions, some even injuring many of his own men. Occasionally, a stray arrow would slip through the net and strike Zhu Chuanzong, leaving not a mark.

It turned out that when Zhu Chuanzong was banished to the mortal realm, he had consumed an elixir of immortality from Laozi, retaining some of his magical power. Although he was merely an insignificant minor immortal in heaven, his power was still beyond the resistance of ordinary mortals. However, Zhu Chuanzong had always been protected and hadn't practiced martial arts much, so this power remained hidden within his body.

Now, in this critical moment, it finally began to exert its power. His divine strength was inexhaustible, and his body seemed forged of steel, impervious to swords and spears.

Seeing that even arrows couldn't harm Zhu Chuanzong, Wang Jinglong was both anxious and furious, and ordered, "All of you, charge! Whoever kills Zhu Chuanzong will be promoted three ranks and receive a reward of ten thousand taels of silver!"

Although the crowd was afraid, they were blinded by greed and fearlessly charged forward, each armed with swords and spears.

Zhu Chuanzong possessed immense strength and was impervious to weapons; standing at the valley entrance, he was like a golden-armored god. He was truly a one-man army, invincible against ten thousand. The enemy soldiers who charged forward fell like wheat being harvested, swarms of them falling without a single chance. From afar, one could see limbs and severed bodies flying everywhere, and screams echoing endlessly.

As the saying goes, many ants can kill an elephant. No matter how powerful Zhu Chuanzong was, he was insignificant compared to hundreds of thousands of people. However, he blocked the narrow valley entrance, preventing the enemy from charging all at once. He only had to face a few dozen at a time. Wang Jinglong, despite having countless men, could only crowd behind, helplessly watching as Zhu Chuanzong's more than a thousand men fled into the valley.

After an unknown amount of time, the screams gradually subsided. Zhu Chuanzong's armor was soaked in blood. His

coiled dragon staff was crooked and twisted like a pretzel. Corpses, weapons, and flesh piled up like mountains around him. The crowd gathered at a distance, their eyes filled with horror and fear, and no one dared to charge forward again.

Wang Jinglong, also terrified, lashed out at his soldiers with his whip, shouting, "Charge! Charge!"

Zhu Chuanzong, though possessing magical powers, was still only human and exhausted. A thought flashed through his mind; remembering the saying "to catch the thief, first catch the king," he laughed and spurred his horse towards Wang Jinglong. The terrified soldiers scattered, clearing a path.

However, Wang Jinglong, as commander-in-chief, was surrounded by countless elite guards, far more numerous than the ordinary soldiers charging ahead. When Zhu Chuanzong was several dozen feet away from Wang Jinglong, the guards charged forward relentlessly. Zhu Chuanzong fought his way through, but could not advance an inch.

Seeing no way to break through, Zhu Chuanzong grabbed a spear and hurled it at Wang Jinglong with all his might. The spear moved like lightning, unstoppable. Wang Jinglong's personal guards rushed forward to block it, but to no avail. The spear pierced through several men, reaching Wang Jinglong himself. Wang Jinglong cried out in alarm and fell from his horse, managing to dodge the spear, though his helmet was knocked off.

Startled and disoriented, he immediately fainted. His men, seeing their commander fall and unsure of his fate, were thrown into disarray. Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily. His strength was exhausted; it was time to leave. He spurred his horse into the valley to pursue his troops.

Outside the valley, hundreds of thousands of soldiers dared not stop him.

After traveling several miles, Zhu Chuanzong encountered his thousand-odd men waiting on a hillside. Upon seeing their commander return, they erupted in cheers. Zhu Chuanzong, as the supervising officer, had risked his life to personally cover his soldiers' retreat; the soldiers' gratitude and support for him were beyond measure. Moreover, his incredible feat of fighting against ten thousand men single-handedly had made him a god-like figure in the soldiers' eyes.

Zhu Chuanzong's prestige was now so high that the soldiers could blindly follow him; if he said the sun rose in the south, the soldiers wouldn't doubt him. If he were to order a return to fight Wang Jinglong's hundreds of thousands of troops, the soldiers would turn and rush back without hesitation.

Zhu Chuanzong dismounted, and several soldiers rushed to help him, removing his tattered armor. Looking at the countless sword and spear marks and the bent dragon-patterned staff, everyone was secretly astonished.

After resting for a while, cleaning the bloodstains from his body, and changing into clean armor, Zhu Chuanzong ordered the entire army to continue into the mountains. Because Wang Jinglong had suffered such a great loss, he would certainly not let Zhu Chuanzong go and could catch up at any time. Zhu Chuanzong decided to follow Wu Siyuan's instructions, traversing the mountains along the secret path they had previously explored, and then taking a detour to rendezvous with Wang Dingkun.

After two days of travel, they gradually entered the deep mountains. Suddenly, a commotion arose ahead. Zhu Chuanzong ordered his men to investigate, and soon his men reported that a small group of people had been spotted.

Zhu Chuanzong led his troops to meet them, and before he could even question them, he saw a person, and was immediately filled with both surprise and joy. In the crowd stood a woman holding an infant, exquisitely beautiful and graceful. Although there was a hint of panic on her face, it could not conceal her captivating charm. It was none other than Consort Mei, whom he had not seen for many days.

Consort Mei also saw Zhu Chuanzong at this moment, and overwhelmed with emotion, she ran over and threw herself into his arms, weeping bitterly.

It turned out that Consort Mei and the others had escaped with several hundred men sent by Wang Dingkun to meet Zhou Yi, but they were pursued by Zhou Yi and separated from each other. Consort Mei was protected by several dozen soldiers, and after escaping for a while, she did not know where to go. So, a soldier suggested that they follow the secret mountain path to Dengzhou City to find Zhu Chuanzong. Consort Mei thought about it for a moment and had no choice but to do so. So they followed the mountain path through the mountains, and unexpectedly encountered Zhu Chuanzong.

Zhu Chuanzong was relieved that Consort Mei and her child were safe, but also worried about Xue Jinxian and Princess Chang Le, whose whereabouts were unknown. He was filled with mixed emotions, but seeing Consort Mei's frightened and haggard appearance, he quickly comforted her gently and tenderly, not daring to think further.

(05-15

Chapter 4: Clever Use of the Strange Stone)

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed to encounter Consort Mei, but with Wang Jinglong's pursuers still behind him, he dared not linger and continued fleeing into the mountains.

Although he had been incredibly brave the day before, fighting against thousands single-handedly, his remaining magical power was almost exhausted. He didn't know how long he could maintain his superhuman strength and invulnerability, so he dared not take the risk.

His scouts reported that approximately 50,000 pursuers were hot on Zhu Chuanzong's heels. Zhu Chuanzong guessed that Wang Jinglong had divided his army into two parts: one to pursue him, and the other for some unknown purpose. Although there were 50,000, he knew his small force couldn't withstand them. He hastily ordered a faster march, hoping to shake off the pursuers and rejoin Wang Dingkun as soon as possible.

Zhu Chuanzong's guess was correct. Wang Jinglong's siege of Dengzhou that day resulted in neither capturing Wang Dingkun nor Zhu Chuanzong, and he hadn't even killed many of their men; instead, he himself suffered heavy losses. However, he had a sudden inspiration and immediately divided his troops into two groups. One group continued to pursue Zhu Chuanzong, while the other turned back and occupied Dengzhou City, which Wang Dingkun had already retreated from. He then sent a report to the capital, saying, "After a bloody battle, we have finally captured Dengzhou. Wang Dingkun, Zhu Chuanzong, and others suffered heavy losses and fled north with only a few men."

Pang Laixiao was overjoyed upon receiving the report and issued an edict in the name of the court, appointing Wang Jinglong as General Who Pacifies Bandits and bestowing upon him many gold and jewels.

Zhu Chuanzong's situation was now even more difficult. After only a few days, his subordinates reported that each man had taken ten days' worth of rations before leaving the city, and although they had tried to be frugal, they were almost finished. Although they could hunt some game in the mountains, it was a drop in the ocean for a force of just over a thousand men. Moreover, tens of thousands of troops were in hot pursuit, and battle could break out at any moment. If the soldiers were not well-fed, they would have no strength to fight.

Zhu Chuanzong pondered for a long time but couldn't come up with a good solution. He then made a drastic decision and ordered the slaughter of several warhorses as a temporary measure. However, without horses, the army's marching speed would be even slower, and they would be overtaken by pursuers sooner or later—a desperate measure indeed.

While Zhu Chuanzong was worrying about this, the soldiers slaughtered several warhorses and specially roasted some horse meat to present to him. He had no appetite and didn't eat dinner. He left the camp alone for a walk and unknowingly wandered quite a distance.

They were now encamped in a valley, a long, pocket-shaped valley with towering cliffs on both sides, devoid of trees, and covered only in dense, overgrown weeds. Zhu Chuanzong lay on his back, gazing at the drifting white clouds, thinking, "Heaven is truly wonderful. No worries or hardships, how carefree and joyful!"

Then, thinking of his family and wife, he couldn't help but think, "Being an immortal is good in every way, but unfortunately, love and romance are forbidden. That would be so boring. Before, I didn't understand the taste of love, and even after cultivating for thousands of years, I never felt lonely. Now, if I were to cultivate alone again, how could I bear it? In that sense, the mortal realm is better."

After a while of these random thoughts, he couldn't help but think of the present situation. He thought of the Fiery God reincarnated to wreak havoc on the mortal realm, and how he, a lowly immortal, was burdened with the mission of stopping him, yet faced difficulties at every turn, endless suffering. Meanwhile, the higher immortals like Laozi were enjoying their carefree lives in heaven. Unable to resist, he cursed at the sky, "Damn you, God! Just strike Pang Laixiao dead with a bolt of lightning! What are you all good for?!"

After cursing a few times, he realized it was pointless, but he felt a little better. He closed his eyes and gradually fell asleep.

While he was sleeping soundly, he felt an itch on his face, as if he had been bitten by an insect. He reached out and scratched it several times, but couldn't reach it. Opening his eyes, he saw Consort Mei holding a blade of grass, playfully tracing it across her face. He couldn't help but smile and ask, "How did you find your way here?"

Consort Mei replied, "I couldn't find you at mealtime, and a soldier said he saw you walking this way, so I came looking for you. I thought you were thinking about something important, but it turns out you were hiding here sleeping."

Zhu Chuanzong, seeing her amused yet alluring demeanor, was captivated and couldn't help but feel a surge of desire. He teased, "What, isn't sleeping the most important thing in life?"

Consort Mei laughed, "Sleeping is the most important thing? That's for pigs."

Zhu Chuanzong feigned anger, "Well, you dare to insult me indirectly!"

He reached out and tickled Consort Mei. Consort

Mei's skin was as soft as jade and as smooth as cream; she was extremely ticklish. After a few tickles, she immediately went limp and begged for mercy in a soft voice. Panting, she said, "You, a peerless general who can defeat ten thousand men, bully a weak woman like me, aren't you ashamed?"

Her words were pleading, but her body seemed to offer resistance while her eyes provocatively glared at Zhu Chuanzong, her allure indescribable.

Zhu Chuanzong could no longer restrain himself, and chuckled softly, "I know what the most important thing in life is."

Meifei asked, "What is it?"

Zhu Chuanzong replied, "It's sleeping with you, my beauty."

Meifei giggled and resisted, playfully wrestling for a while, both aroused. Before they knew it, their lips were locked, and they lay on the grass, kissing.

Zhu Chuanzong ripped open Meifei's skirt, removed her undergarments, and gazed down at her exquisite features. He saw trembling flesh, plump and round, sparsely haired, with a bright purple slit in the center, like an open steamed bun. His heart stirred by the sight, he parted Consort Mei's thighs, lifted her jade-like feet, and placed them on his shoulders. Holding his phallus to her vulva, he thrust downwards, plunging his enormous member between her thighs, penetrating her completely. Consort

Mei cried out softly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have mercy on this servant!"

Zhu Chuanzong, feeling as if lying on soft jade, inhaling Consort Mei's fragrance, was consumed by lust. He felt the overflowing fluids in Consort Mei's flower path, making it increasingly slippery with each thrust, making his movements effortless. He increased his force, thrusting hundreds of times in an instant.

Consort Mei uttered lewd words, crying out repeatedly, her cries of "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" fueling Zhu Chuanzong's burning desire. He grabbed Consort Mei's plump buttocks with both hands, shaking her body, thrusting wildly for over a hundred times in one breath. Consort Mei, in her ecstasy, cried out even more passionately.

Zhu Chuanzong played around for a while, still unwilling to give up. He changed positions, thrusting gently, using the nine shallow and one deep method.

Before long, Meifei climaxed again. Her phoenix eyes slightly opened, and she said tremblingly, "General Brother, you are not only a match for ten thousand men on the battlefield, but you are also invincible in this way. It's so wonderful!"

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed by the praise and laughed, "My darling, this is nothing to worry about. Watch me use my skills to make you feel like a god."

As he spoke, he grabbed Meifei's fragrant shoulders, squeezed her legs together tightly, and thrust his hips forward with all his might.

Meifei was filled with desire. She hooked her arms around Zhu Chuanzong's neck, sticking out her tongue and probing into his mouth. She thrust her hips upward repeatedly, trying her best to meet him. The coming and going, the welcoming and the pushing, was quite interesting.

Zhu Chuanzong was unstoppable, thrusting and pounding wildly, pumping in and out over two thousand times, causing the woman's juices to overflow, almost forming a river. Meifei's eyes were tightly closed, her allure unmatched, her body swaying like a willow in a whirlwind, moaning and groaning. At the crucial point, her vaginal muscles tightened, her petals closed, and Zhu Chuanzong felt a tingling, itchy sensation on his glans, like a thousand ants biting him—an indescribable pleasure. He groaned, then thrust deeply again, each thrust hitting the bullseye, a hundred times faster than before, until his waist went weak and he couldn't help but ejaculate!

The two embraced and lingered for a few more moments. Zhu Chuanzong's desire returned, and he was about to continue when suddenly his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten, and after such a vigorous session, he was hungry.

Consort Mei slapped him playfully, saying, "You haven't done much work and you're already complaining. What a lazybones!"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I just fed you, and now you're ignoring your hunger? You're so heartless!"

Consort Mei blushed and glared at him, but then frowned and said, "Now that you mention it, I'm a little hungry too. But I don't want to eat that roasted horse meat; just thinking about it makes me lose my appetite."

Zhu Chuanzong saw a stream not far away and laughed, "I've got an idea!"

He grabbed a sharpened stick, rolled up his trousers, and waded into the stream. Zhu Chuanzong was now incredibly strong and skilled in martial arts, so spearing a few fish was a piece of cake. Before long, he had caught about ten fish, skewered them with the stick, gathered some stones, built a makeshift stove, lit a fire, and roasted the fish over the flames. Consort

Mei, having lived deep within the palace, had never seen anything like this before. She watched with curiosity and clapped her hands in praise.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I know many more tricks; I'll let you try them all later."

After saying that, Meifei winked, her eyes sparkling like autumn waves, and glanced at him, saying, "Alright, I'm waiting to try it."

The two flirted and teased each other, their affection overflowing. If it weren't for their hunger, they would have loved to go all out.

But then, suddenly, wisps of pale yellow smoke billowed from the fire, spreading out and emitting an extremely pungent smell.

Zhu Chuanzong and Meifei were choked so badly they couldn't open their eyes, tears and snot streaming down their faces, and they felt dizzy. They quickly moved far away. Zhu Chuanzong finally managed to extinguish the fire and asked in surprise, "What's going on?"

Meifei thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. She went to the fire and poked at it for a few moments, pulling a stone out of the ashes. After examining it closely, she exclaimed, "Purple sulfur stone!"

Zhu Chuanzong wiped away his tears, coughing as he asked, "What the hell is this?"

Meifei chuckled, saying, "This isn't some kind of weird thing. Purple sulfur stone is a rare mineral. It's recorded in the 'Notes on Strange Stones,' which says it's 'purple-yellow in color.'" "The stone is soft and brittle, produces smoke when burned, and has a pungent, slightly poisonous smell. Even a small amount will cause watery eyes and persistent coughing; prolonged exposure can lead to suffocation and unconsciousness. It's said that some farmers use it to smoke out rats. Its common name is 'chili stone,' though most people don't recognize it."

Zhu Chuanzong found this amusing and laughed, "I never imagined such a strange thing existed. I've truly learned something new today."

Meifei smiled, "I told you long ago that there's a lot to learn about stones; now you believe me, right?"

Zhu Chuanzong nodded repeatedly, forgetting about the grilled fish, and examined the stone closely. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he asked, "How many of these stones are there around here?"

Meifei, puzzled, followed his instructions and went to check. After looking around, she was somewhat surprised and said, "It seems there's a vein of purple sulfur stone in this valley. It's scattered everywhere under the grass, even on the valley walls."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily, "This is truly a stroke of luck!"

He jumped up and kissed Meifei forcefully.

Meifei smiled and said, "What's on your mind that makes you so happy?"

Zhu Chuanzong whispered the plan in Meifei's ear, and she couldn't help but admire it, repeatedly saying it was feasible. However, her eyes darted around, and she said in a seductive voice, "What kind of divine intervention is this? If you want to thank someone, you should thank me."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "Didn't I already thank you profusely? From now on, if you like, I'll try my best to thank you every day."

Meifei raised her eyebrows and said, "You didn't use much force just now."

Zhu Chuanzong looked at her seductive eyes, full of spring passion, and that charming allure. Even though they had made love countless times, he still couldn't resist it. He felt a surge of heat in his lower abdomen and said, "Then I'll make it up to you now."

He reached out and hugged Meifei's waist.

Unexpectedly, Consort Mei giggled, her supple waist twisting like a water snake as she escaped Zhu Chuanzong's grasp. Turning back, she smiled and said, "I'm going back to see Bao'er. You should prepare well. I'll grant your request after we win the battle." With

a light laugh, she left. Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "This little vixen is truly a beauty. I'll deal with her after I'm done with this important matter."

He was in high spirits because of the plan he was about to implement.

Zhu Chuanzong returned to his camp and immediately gathered his soldiers, ordering them to divide into several teams and follow Consort Mei to learn about purple sulfur stones. They were to collect the stones and place them in the grass on the slopes on both sides of the valley, then cover them with flammable dry grass, covering the entire valley.

By the time they finished, nearly a day and a night had passed, and the banners of the pursuing troops could be seen in the distance. Zhu Chuanzong ordered his men to ambush on both sides of the valley, remaining silent.

Meanwhile, the general sent by Wang Jinglong to pursue Zhu Chuanzong was named Fang Tiangui. This man also possessed some martial prowess. When Zhu Chuanzong displayed his might, he happened to be guarding another city gate and hadn't witnessed it. Therefore, when he later heard of Zhu Chuanzong's prowess, he didn't quite believe it and even mocked the other generals, saying they were shameful for being frightened by a mere Hanlin scholar.

When Wang Jinglong divided his troops and asked who would capture Zhu Chuanzong, the other generals were still hesitant and dared not answer the order. Fang Tiangui, however, was eager to make a name for himself and took the task. In his view, with 50,000 men, dealing with a mere 1,000 was nothing. Even if Zhu Chuanzong was truly skilled, he couldn't withstand so many people, and besides, he might not even be as powerful as the legends suggested.

After chasing for several days, they finally found traces of Zhu Chuanzong's troops near a valley. Fang Tiangui was overjoyed and ordered his men to speed up the march and pursue them directly into the valley.

Once all the troops were inside the valley, suddenly a crackling sound rang out, and the grass on both sides of the distant hillside caught fire.

A commotion arose among the soldiers, someone shouting, "The enemy has set fire!"

However, because the fire was small, it didn't cause any chaos.

Fang Tiangui was initially surprised, but then laughed loudly, "Bookworms are bookworms! You think you can launch a fire attack on this general? There isn't even a tree here, just these few blades of grass. They can't even burn ants, yet you dare to dream of dealing with my tens of thousands of troops?"

Everyone laughed along, guessing that Zhu Chuanzong must have read military books and remembered the strategy of ambushing and attacking with fire in the valley. But these few blades of grass couldn't possibly start a large fire; it was too childish.

Unexpectedly, before the laughter had even finished, a large cloud of pale yellow smoke suddenly drifted out from the burning grass, carried by the wind, sweeping across the valley. Everyone stared blankly, not understanding what was happening, when the smoke was already upon them. The entire army was thrown into chaos. Coughs, sneezes, and screams filled the air. Soldiers covered their noses and eyes, gasping for breath. Some dropped their weapons.

Fang Tiangui realized they had fallen into a trap—not a fire attack, but a poison smoke attack. Covering his mouth and nose, he shouted, "Retreat! Withdraw from the valley!"

The soldiers reluctantly obeyed, rushing out like a swarm of bees. But then, two more thunderous roars echoed from both sides of the valley entrance. The roads were blocked by massive logs and boulders that had rolled down the hillsides. The 50,000 men were trapped in the poison-smoke-filled valley, with no way to escape.

Meanwhile, the grass on both sides burned even more fiercely, and the poison smoke billowed out even more. This smoke, heavier than air, drifted directly into the valley, becoming denser as it approached the bottom. Many soldiers, gasping for breath, clutched their throats, thrashing about like flies; their horses broke free and ran wildly through the valley. The horses and men trampled each other, leaving the valley in ruins.

After nearly an hour, the grass burned, and the poisonous smoke was slowly dispersed by the wind. Looking back into the valley, the 50,000-strong army was in complete disarray, lying scattered like a tangled forest swept by a hurricane. Soldiers and horses lay on the ground, most foaming at the mouth, unconscious.

Those still conscious groaned and screamed in agony. Seeing that the situation was under control, Zhu Chuanzong ordered his men to charge into the valley. The army in the valley had suffered heavy casualties, and the remaining soldiers were powerless to resist, surrendering willingly. The commander, Fang Tiangui, was also unlucky; disoriented by the smoke, he fell from his horse and was trampled to death, a truly unjust death.

Zhu Chuanzong, with fewer than 2,000 men, had achieved a complete victory over an army of 50,000 without losing a single soldier—a feat unprecedented in history. The soldiers' gazes towards Zhu Chuanzong went beyond mere admiration and awe; had they not been clad in armor, they would likely have all knelt on the ground, even prostrating themselves in worship.

Zhu Chuanzong stood on the hillside, watching his plan succeed, and couldn't help but laugh triumphantly. Meifei looked at him with adoration, thinking of her beloved, to whom she had entrusted her life, who was not only gentle and considerate, handsome and affectionate, but also so skilled in both literature and martial arts—truly a rare find in the world. A wave of happiness and sweetness washed over her, and she became lost in thought.

At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong smiled at Meifei and said, "It's all thanks to your recognition of the purple sulfur stone that we were able to win this great victory. You deserve the greatest credit. It's a pity you are a woman, and my wife, otherwise I should have truly bestowed upon you a high-ranking official position."

Consort Mei was delighted to hear him call her wife and smiled, saying, "I only learned it from books and know it can be used to smoke out rats. What good is that? You're truly remarkable for being able to apply what you've learned. But what do you plan to do with these prisoners?"

Zhu Chuanzong pondered for a moment and asked, "What do you think is best?"

Consort Mei, a woman of insight, thought for a moment and said, "Killing prisoners is inauspicious, and they are all citizens of the Great Liang Kingdom. They were used by Pang Laixiao and are innocent. It would be better to confiscate their weapons and let them go. Whether they go back to find Wang Jinglong or go home to farm, it's up to them."

Zhu Chuanzong smiled slightly and said confidently, "Of course I don't plan to kill them, but we can't let them go now. I have a plan to kill two birds with one stone."

Zhu Chuanzong ordered his men to collect more than a thousand sets of enemy soldiers' uniforms, whether they were taken from corpses or prisoners. Even their weapons and flags were replaced with theirs. Before long, his thousand or so men had transformed into Wang Jinglong's troops.

He ordered two hundred men to remain to guard both sides of the valley and watch over the unarmed prisoners. The prisoners were all unconscious and defenseless, so they didn't really need guarding. He led the rest of his men, disguised as Wang Jinglong's troops, and hurried away. However, instead of heading towards the northern border province across the mountain road, they went back and headed straight for Dengzhou City.

Wang Jinglong still had over ten thousand troops in Dengzhou City. Zhu Chuanzong's trip was extremely risky, so when he was about to leave, Consort Mei worried and tried to dissuade him. Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "Now that Wang Jinglong has just occupied Dengzhou and has a large army, he will definitely be less vigilant. A few days ago, even two hundred thousand troops couldn't do anything to me, so what am I afraid of? This is a rare opportunity, so just wait for my good news!" Consort

Mei knew that he had made up his mind, so she had no choice but to let him go.

Zhu Chuanzong's prediction was correct. He led his men on a three-day, three-night march to the outskirts of Dengzhou. Wang Jinglong, having just received commendation from the court, was in high spirits, holding a grand victory banquet at his headquarters. Wang Dingkun had fled to the northern frontier province, and Zhu Chuanzong had escaped into the mountains, pursued by 50,000 troops. Dengzhou, with its hundreds of thousands of soldiers forming a continuous camp stretching for miles, was virtually impregnable. No one had expected Zhu Chuanzong to dare return to the city.

When Zhu Chuanzong and his men arrived at the city walls, the guards, seeing their uniforms and a mere 2,000 men, paid little attention. After a few questions, and hearing that they were the pursuers returning to request supplies, they were no longer suspicious and opened the gates, letting the thousand-odd men in.

Zhu Chuanzong and his men entered the camp, forming groups of one hundred, and dispersed throughout the camp. As night fell, chaos erupted in the camp. Fires broke out everywhere, and shouts of "It's terrible! Zhu Chuanzong has arrived! His army has captured Dengzhou!" echoed from all sides.

Simultaneously, Zhu Chuanzong's men began killing and setting fires throughout the camp. They had tied white ribbons to their arms as a secret signal, ensuring no one would mistake one another. The enemy soldiers panicked. With their camp ablaze and morale low, suddenly seeing their own men fighting, they initially resisted, but later, blinded by rage, they engaged in indiscriminate slaughter, turning the camps for miles into utter chaos.

Had officers been in command, this wouldn't have happened. Unfortunately, all the officers had been summoned by Wang Jinglong for drinks, leaving the soldiers leaderless and in complete disarray in the darkness.

Coupled with Zhu Chuanzong's now formidable reputation, the soldiers were terrified and fled in droves. By the time Wang Jinglong and his men heard of the chaos and tried to quell it, the situation was beyond saving. The soldiers were like madmen, killing each other, running and screaming. The camp was ablaze with flames, spreading everywhere.

Wang Jinglong, pale with fright, kept asking, "What's happening? What's happening?"

He looked up and saw Zhu Chuanzong leading a large army, charging towards him from afar. Wang Jinglong, terrified a few days earlier, still felt his legs go weak at the mere mention of Zhu Chuanzong. Now, seeing him before him, he turned ashen-faced, screamed, and turned to flee on horseback. His officers, seeing him run, followed suit, all being chased by Zhu Chuanzong and fleeing towards the south gate.

Seeing this, Zhu Chuanzong led his men, shouting, "Wang Jinglong has been killed! Everyone, run!"

The entire camp of over 100,000 soldiers was now a sea of fire. Countless soldiers had been burned to death, killed by their own men, or slaughtered by Zhu Chuanzong's men. Corpses were everywhere, a scene of hell, and weapons were strewn across the roads.

Zhu Chuanzong led the charge, chasing the remaining troops for over ten miles before stopping. Even with his thousand-plus men, his hands were sore from cutting, and he hadn't killed many. However, Wang Jinglong's army was demoralized and lacked the courage to fight back. Like a flood breaking its banks, they collapsed, trampling each other and scattering in all directions. By the time Wang Jinglong reached a large city a hundred miles away and gathered his remaining troops, only fifty or sixty thousand remained, and they were utterly demoralized, almost completely annihilated.

Leaving aside Wang Jinglong's dire situation, let's focus on Zhu Chuanzong's recapture of Dengzhou amidst the chaos. He knew that once Wang Jinglong recovered, even with only tens of thousands left, he wouldn't be able to hold it. Therefore, he hurriedly sent someone to Beijiang Province to request Wang Dingkun to lead his army back.

Wang Dingkun had just returned to Beijiang Province, still worried about Zhu Chuanzong's fate, when someone reported that Zhu Chuanzong had defeated Wang Jinglong's army and recaptured Dengzhou. Wang Dingkun, a seasoned warrior, had never heard of such an incredible feat. Upon hearing the messenger's account, he was overjoyed, exclaiming that Zhu Chuanzong was truly a divine warrior.

News continued to arrive along the way, praising Zhu Chuanzong's prowess to an almost supernatural degree, describing him as a celestial being who could breathe fire and conjure soldiers from beans. After

several days of marching, when Wang Dingkun returned to Dengzhou, he stared at the "Zhu" character fluttering high on the city wall, stunned for a long time, before finally sighing, "Could Brother Zhu truly be a divine being descended to earth? I am truly convinced this time!"

Chapter Five: A Glimmer of Hope

Outside Dengzhou, Zhu Chuanzong displayed his divine might, single-handedly defeating ten thousand men; then, he cleverly used a strange stone to generate smoke, using it to smoke out the pursuing troops; finally, disguising himself as an enemy soldier, he infiltrated the city, launching a night raid on the enemy camps, almost single-handedly crushing Wang Jinglong's 200,000-strong army. His reputation for both bravery and strategy resounded throughout the land.

Wang Dingkun led his army to recapture Dengzhou City. Although it was still the same 30,000 men, their morale and fighting spirit were vastly different. Even if a million-strong army came, the soldiers wouldn't be afraid. These soldiers deeply believed in divine intervention, thinking that with General Zhu, a god descended to earth, there was no invincible force in the world. What fear could a million men possibly have?

At this point, Zhu Chuanzong's prestige in battle far surpassed Wang Dingkun's. However, Wang Dingkun had always been on good terms with him. He was a military general who loved fighting and wasn't particularly interested in official positions or power; his rebellion was out of necessity. Moreover, after the events in Dengzhou, he now believed that Zhu Chuanzong was divinely protected, and that no matter how powerful Pang Laixiao was, he couldn't defeat him. Sooner or later, Zhu Chuanzong would win, and he himself would be promoted and wealthy. Therefore, he genuinely admired Zhu Chuanzong and willingly assisted him.

However, even the most powerful person has limitations. For example, there's one thing that no matter how much strategy or martial arts skill one possesses, it's impossible to resolve: romantic love.

Zhu Chuanzong had been troubled by this matter for the past few days. It turned out that, to prevent Shui Ling'er from accompanying him on his adventures, he had lied and said he was going to meet Zhou Yi, leaving her in the city. As a result, Shui Ling'er was angry and hadn't come to see him or let him in for days.

Zhu Chuanzong had tried many kind words, but to no avail. He had also bought some small jewelry and other gifts, but Shui Ling'er was different from other women; she wasn't interested in these things and simply said through the door, "Give them to whoever wants them,"

tossing them out through the crack. Zhu Chuanzong, having failed to gain favor, had no choice but to return home dejectedly.

Zhu Chuanzong thought that he needed to work on Shui Ling'er's aspirations. Shui Ling'er had only one ambition: to fight for the people. Zhu Chuanzong wandered the streets for a while, and suddenly an idea came to him.

He excitedly arrived at Shui Ling'er's room and called out, "Rang'er, Ling'er!"

Shui Ling'er huffed and puffed, "What are you doing here again? You never took me to the battlefield anyway, and I'm nobody to you, so don't bother me!"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "I didn't come to bother you, but I heard that the people in Dengzhou City are facing a difficult situation, and I want to help them. Would you be interested in coming with me?"

Shui Ling'er had been sulking for several days, but her anger had subsided by now. Upon hearing that the people were in trouble, she decided not to hold a grudge against Zhu Chuanzong. She opened the door and poked her head out, asking, "What is it?"

Zhu Chuanzong, thinking his plan had succeeded, was secretly pleased with himself. He said with a serious face, "A few days ago, when Wang Jinglong's camp was burned down, it affected the surrounding houses. Many homes were burned to the ground. Now, the people whose houses were burned down are forced to sleep on the streets, with no food or shelter."

Shui Ling'er was very anxious upon hearing this and pulled Zhu Chuanzong to the streets to see. Sure enough, they saw many streets burned to ashes, and the people, with their families and ragged clothes, were making do with makeshift shelters by the street. The scene was very desolate. Shui Ling'er anxiously said to Zhu Chuanzong, "These people are so pitiful, you should help them quickly!"

Zhu Chuanzong deliberately said, "You're not anyone to me, why should I listen to you?"

Shui Ling'er knew what he meant, her eyes darted around, she hugged Zhu Chuanzong's arm, and said softly, "They've given you everything, how can they not be anyone to you? I was angry before because you abandoned me and went to risk your life. Okay, I promise you, as long as you help relieve these disaster victims, I won't be angry anymore, okay?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Just not being angry anymore? I don't think that's enough."

Shui Ling'er blushed, bit her lip, glared at him a few times, and said, "At worst, I'll go with you tonight, you rascal, isn't that what you mean!"

Only then was Zhu Chuanzong satisfied. He ordered his men to bring grain from the military camp's warehouse to distribute to the people, and also gave each family three taels of silver for rebuilding their houses. These people, destitute and helpless, were overjoyed at this sudden turn of events. They knelt on the ground, pleading for divine intervention, their heads pounding loudly.

Just then, a soldier reported that Wang Dingkun had summoned them. Shui Ling'er asked Zhu Chuanzong to attend to official business, saying she would stay behind to help resettle the disaster victims. Zhu Chuanzong chuckled softly, "Don't forget our agreement from tonight!"

Shui Ling'er scolded, "You started this fire, implicating innocent people. It's only right that you compensate them. How dare you use this to your advantage! You're shameless! Not hitting you is already showing you mercy."

Zhu Chuanzong smiled awkwardly and headed towards Wang Dingkun's command tent.

As soon as he entered, Wu Siyuan said to him, "Lord Zhu, I heard you sent a lot of money and grain to the people? Why didn't you discuss it with us? Our army is almost out of food! Did you manage to procure some provisions?"

It turned out that Wang Dingkun's army's provisions were stored at Jingshan Pass, under the care of Zhou Yi. Now that Zhou Yi had defected, he had taken all the provisions with him. The grain reserves in Dengzhou City were barely enough to sustain the army for two months. After that, there would be no grain left, let alone the provisions and supplies needed to continue the march to the capital. The enemy's supplies had long since been burned.

Moreover, the cities they had to pass through were all strategically important, easy to defend and difficult to attack, guarded by renowned generals. Without sufficient supplies, taking them was impossible.

After hearing their detailed account, Zhu Chuanzong realized the dire situation and said with a wry smile, "We can't abandon those people. Since we're out of food anyway, we still need to find a way to procure more, so we don't care about that little bit of grain."

Wang Dingkun sighed, "I thought you had a plan, brother! It's all just wishful thinking."

The three of them discussed the matter in the tent for most of the night but couldn't come up with a good solution. Zhu Chuanzong didn't return until dawn. Chunfeng told him that Shui Ling'er had come and waited for him for a long time, but left when he didn't return. Although Zhu Chuanzong felt it was a pity, he had other important matters to attend to and couldn't worry about it now. Shui Ling'er knew he must have something important to discuss, so she didn't blame him.

They discussed for several more days, but only managed to gather a small amount of grain. They still hadn't found a good solution to alleviate the worries of tens of thousands of people. Wang Dingkun said, "There are so many wealthy households in Dengzhou City, why don't we just levy taxes on them? We can repay them after we get rid of Pang Laixiao."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I sent letters to the well-known wealthy families in Dengzhou City a few days ago to discuss borrowing money and grain, but they all cried poverty and only provided a small portion, which is of no use!"

At this moment, Wang Dingkun had a sudden thought. He thought that the Zhu family was the wealthiest in the world, and Zhu Chuanzong's family was the richest. If the Zhu family were willing to raise grain, wouldn't there be no problem? However, since Zhu Chuanzong didn't bring it up, he couldn't say it outright. He couldn't help but shout angrily, "Damn it, these rich people are all heartless! If they provoke me, I'll lead my troops to rob them! I've done the Robin Hood thing before!"

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly said, "Absolutely not! If we force these people to pay taxes, they'll help us fight when we attack cities later, which will be detrimental to us."

Wang Dingkun sighed, "But if we're pushed too far, we'll have no choice. We can't let the soldiers go hungry."

Wu Siyuan pondered, "It's not surprising that these officials and merchants won't help us. After all, we're nominally a rebel army. Lending us money would be going against the court. They all have family members in the court or doing business in various places. How could they dare to risk being beheaded? We can't force them to lend us money, otherwise, we'd be no different from robbers, and we'd lose the people's hearts. It seems we have to think of another way."

He then gave Zhu Chuanzong a meaningful look.

The three discussed for a while longer, and then, as it got late, they dispersed.

Walking along the road, Zhu Chuanzong thought of how Wang Dingkun had already contributed his army and years of savings to the uprising, while he hadn't offered a single penny. However, his family had money, while he himself was penniless. Perhaps he could borrow some from his family? He pondered this, but didn't know how to ask. Although the Zhu family was wealthy, it was the result of generations of ancestors sacrificing their lives for their achievements. Although he had also become an official, he had only ever spent money.

Later, he had caused his family enormous trouble, leading to his father's dismissal and the entire family being banished from the capital. How could he possibly ask for money now?

Zhu Chuanzong was worried about the provisions and hadn't smiled for several days. He didn't realize it himself, but the maids, Siji, who took care of him, were all worried. Normally, Zhu Chuanzong would come home every day chatting and laughing with them, but lately, he had no interest in anything because of his worries. Seeing his unwell expression, the maids also quieted down, no longer daring to laugh or joke, and obediently served him.

That evening, Zhu Chuanzong drank a little too much wine at dinner and went to bed early. Suddenly, Consort Mei sent someone to summon Siji.

Consort Mei, accompanied by the young prince, was of noble status. To avoid suspicion, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't openly stay with her, so he arranged separate accommodations for her.

Consort Mei dismissed the servants, leaving only Siji and the others, and asked, "Has anything been wrong with your young master lately? He always seems gloomy; is he ill?"

Chunfeng replied, "The young master is perfectly healthy. I think he might have some other worries."

The other three maids also shook their heads, not knowing.

Consort Mei said somewhat angrily, "The young master usually dotes on you so much, but when something happens, you know nothing. What use are you all?"

Despite her charming and obedient demeanor in front of Zhu Chuanzong, Consort Mei was, after all, a dignified imperial concubine, of unparalleled nobility, and her anger was quite formidable. Siji and the other maids were terrified, their faces pale, and they knelt down to beg for forgiveness. Qiuyue stammered, seemingly having something to say.

Upon seeing this, Consort Mei asked, "Qiuyue, do you know something?"

Qiuyue whispered, "This servant doesn't know either. Just now, when the young master was drunk and I was helping him rest, he seemed to be saying things like, 'We don't have enough supplies, how can we fight a war...'" Consort

Mei nodded thoughtfully. Someone as clever as her could easily understand. Connecting this to Zhou Yi's escape, she immediately realized the army was out of money. Zhu Chuanzong, being stubborn and unwilling to tell his family, sighed inwardly, "That idiot! Doesn't he realize that if the rebellion fails, can the Zhu family's vast wealth be saved? If they can't even save their lives, what's the point of leaving behind any wealth? What a fool!"

He immediately gave Siji a few instructions, telling them to take good care of Zhu Chuanzong's daily life and keep him happy, then waved for the girls to return home.

Zhu Chuanzong, unaware of this, went to inspect the military camp the next day and took care of some official business. A day passed quickly, and when he returned to his quarters, after dinner, he found Siji and the other girls huddled together, pushing and shoving each other, seemingly wanting to say something, but none of them daring to speak.

Zhu Chuanzong chuckled, "What are you little girls up to? Do you have something to ask of the young master?"

The four girls hummed in agreement, their faces flushed, but still none dared to speak.

Zhu Chuanzong looked at their graceful figures, each with their own charm, their slightly red faces, utterly adorable. He wondered if these little girls had gotten into some trouble. He smiled and said, "You are all my precious darlings. Whatever happens, I'll take care of it. What are you afraid of? Dongxue, you're the best. Come here and tell me what trouble you've gotten into?"

Dongxue, caught off guard, let out a soft "Ah!" and hesitated for a moment before being nudged by her sisters. She walked blushing and head bowed to Zhu Chuanzong, pulling a small package from behind her back and placing it on the table.

Zhu Chuanzong was puzzled. Dongxue opened the package, revealing over a dozen bracelets, earrings, and other jewelry, along with some loose silver.

Dongxue blushed and whispered, "Young Master, we know the army is short of supplies. We're just useless maids, unable to help you. This is our private stash; please take it."

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned.

The girls, thinking he thought it was too little, blushed even more. Chunfeng couldn't help but mutter, "I should have bought less rouge and powder before. Young Master , please do

n't think we're useless." Zhu Chuanzong couldn't hold back any longer. He pulled all the girls over, took their hands, and sighed, "I'm grateful for your kindness. How could I blame you? But I can't accept your money and jewelry."

Chunfeng asked anxiously, "Is it too little, Young Master?"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled, "It's not a matter of too little or too little, it's simply unnecessary. Don't you think I'm very capable?"

The girls nodded repeatedly, looking at Zhu Chuanzong with rapt attention. Although Zhu Chuanzong used to be dull and fat, looked down upon by others, he was now a man of both literary and martial talents, renowned throughout the land. Who would dare say their young master was incompetent?

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Since you know your young master is capable, how could a mere matter of money and provisions stump me? I've already come up with a solution."

To the girls, Zhu Chuanzong's words were like a royal decree. He said he had a way, and he definitely did, which reassured the women.

The next day, Shui Ling'er invited Zhu Chuanzong to her residence. She rarely invited him, so Zhu Chuanzong was puzzled and asked what was wrong. Shui Ling'er replied, "Nothing much. I've prepared a few dishes and would like to invite you for drinks. If you don't want to come, that's fine too." Zhu Chuanzong

readily agreed. That evening, he indeed found Shui Ling'er had prepared a sumptuous feast, dressed in women's clothing, and waiting for him in the room.

Since arriving at the military camp, Shui Ling'er had always presented herself as a man. Today, she wore a pale yellow gauze dress, her hair lightly styled, and her face free of makeup, looking like a lotus emerging from the water, pure and ethereal, captivating all who beheld her.

The two sat facing each other, and Shui Ling'er poured Zhu Chuanzong the wine she had warmed beforehand, then personally served him food.

Zhu Chuanzong, experiencing her rare tenderness, became somewhat dazed and asked, "Ling'er, am I dreaming?"

Shui Ling'er chuckled, amused, and said, "Chunfeng and the other maids serve you like this every day. Aren't you dreaming every day?"

Zhu Chuanzong still pretended not to believe her, insisting he was dreaming. After a while, he muttered to himself, "But it wouldn't be bad to have dreams like this every day."

Shui Ling'er picked up a large mouthful of food with her chopsticks and stuffed it into Zhu Chuanzong's mouth, saying, "Who told you to talk nonsense? This much food can't shut you up."

The two chatted and laughed for a while before Shui Ling'er slowly revealed the truth. It turned out that she had also heard about the army's lack of money and knew that Zhu Chuanzong had been blamed for helping the disaster victims. Feeling guilty, she invited Zhu Chuanzong for drinks.

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "How come so many people know? It seems I need to learn to hide my emotions from now on. Otherwise, if my trusted confidants know, they'll know, but if word gets out, wouldn't the morale of the army be thrown into chaos?"

Thinking this, Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "Who told you that? It's not that serious; it's just a temporary difficulty. I've already figured out a solution."

Shui Ling'er looked at him gently and said, "I know you have a way. Since I met you, nothing has ever been able to stump you. However, this matter ultimately started because of me, so it's only right that I reward you."

Zhu Chuanzong... Zong laughed, "I've saved so many disaster victims! Good Ling'er, why don't you reward me a few more times?"

Shui Ling'er had already drunk a few cups of wine, her starry eyes half-drunk, and now her face was flushed even more. She retorted, "You saved the disaster victims, and the people are all grateful to you and indebted to you. I haven't gained anything!"

She then poked Zhu Chuanzong's forehead with her finger, saying, "You men are all the same. If I were nice to you every day, I would be like Chunfeng and the others, someone you wouldn't even notice. I'm not that stupid."

After finishing their wine, it was late at night. Shui Ling'er lowered her pretty face, took Zhu Chuanzong's hand, and led him to the bedside. Their lips parted slightly, their jade arms embraced, and their passionate lovemaking needs no further description.

Although Zhu Chuanzong pretended to have a solution and was no longer worried when he returned to his residence, the matter of money and provisions was still unresolved. As the days passed by, more than twenty days went by in the blink of an eye, and he couldn't help but feel increasingly anxious.

Suddenly, a scout reported that a large troop of men was approaching from afar, a reinforcement army, and that Zhu Chuanzong's family was among them. Zhu Chuanzong, unsure of the veracity, led his men to the gate to greet them. There, he saw approximately ten thousand men escorting hundreds of carriages, a grand procession. The carriages were all fully loaded, their contents hidden by burlap sacks. Leading the procession were some familiar guards, the very same Laozi sect members entrusted with protecting the Zhu family.

The large troop stopped before Zhu Chuanzong's horse. At this moment, a man stepped down from the lead carriage. Zhu Chuanzong was startled and exclaimed, "Father!"

This man was none other than Zhu Youji, the former Minister of Works and Zhu Chuanzong's father!

Zhu Youji hadn't seen Zhu Chuanzong for over a year and looked somewhat aged. However, he was always stern, and Zhu Chuanzong, fearing his scolding, remained obsequious and dared not be disrespectful. He hurriedly stepped forward to help his father down from the carriage and bowed in respect. Wang Dingkun, having received confirmation, also led his troops to welcome them. The crowd ushered them into the city.

Once inside the inner tent, after hearing the details, they learned that Zhu Youji had personally delivered provisions to the army and recruited over ten thousand soldiers.

Zhu Chuanzong and Wang Dingkun were overjoyed and laughed heartily. Outside, they saw carts loaded with grain and fodder, piled high like small mountains in the warehouses. Even Wang Dingkun, a man of considerable wealth, was dazzled, thinking that the Zhu family was truly wealthy beyond measure. In these war-torn times, even money couldn't buy grain, yet the Zhu family had managed to procure so much—it was priceless.

Zhu Youji's arrival was like a timely rain, relieving the army's urgent need, and everyone repeatedly expressed their gratitude. That evening, a grand banquet was held to thank Zhu Youji. The crowd drank and celebrated, leaving in high spirits.

After the banquet ended and everyone had left, Zhu Youji and Zhu Chuanzong went to the study. Zhu Youji sat in his armchair, took a sip of tea, and slowly sighed, saying, "It's surprising that we, father and son, still have the chance to meet."

Zhu Chuanzong replied, "It's all because I'm unfilial, causing trouble for you, Father."

Zhu Youji sized up Zhu Chuanzong for a long while, nodded, and suddenly smiled slightly. Zhu Chuanzong looked up, somewhat stunned.

Zhu Youji said, "I heard about your actions these past few days on the way here. Very good, very good! As your father, I have no real ability. I'm cautious and prudent in officialdom, only wanting to preserve the wealth and status passed down from our ancestors. I never thought of achieving anything great. When you were born, you weren't very bright, but later you became a little smarter. I was still worried and only wanted to secure you a minor official position so you could live a peaceful life. Who knew that fate is unpredictable? My son is far more capable than I am!"

Zhu Chuanzong repeatedly said he felt ashamed and sorry for failing his father's teachings. Zhu Youji said coldly, "You don't need to feel guilty. Fate is predetermined. Since ancient times, those who aspire to great things must take great risks. Your ancestors became high-ranking officials by helping the late emperor establish the empire. If you rebel now and defeat the treacherous minister Pang Laixiao, your fame will spread throughout the land, and your family will be honored. The matriarch at home hopes for your victory every single day."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Your son will definitely defeat Pang Laixiao and live up to your father and grandmother's expectations."

Zhu Youji nodded and said, "I've recently heard news of your victories. You're very capable, so I'm relieved. However, although you are exceptionally intelligent, you still..." "You're still young. There are many treacherous and complex things you need to be careful about. Take Zhou Yi's case, for example. Pang Laixiao saw the allure of power and wealth. Even if Zhou Yi hadn't betrayed you, others would have been bribed. So, you must be wary even of your closest confidants in the future."

Zhu Chuanzong agreed, but inwardly he was somewhat skeptical, thinking, "Zhou Yi's situation is only because Brother Wang lacked discernment, choosing a greedy and unscrupulous man as a brother. My subordinates, Wang Daniu and the others, are extremely loyal to me and wouldn't make such a mistake."

The father and son talked for a while longer. The story goes that when Consort Mei saw Zhu Chuanzong's reluctance to speak, she personally wrote a letter to Hua Caiyun. After receiving the letter, Hua Caiyun reported it to the Dowager Empress and Zhu Youji. How could they not support Zhu Chuanzong? Besides, if the battle was lost, the entire family would be executed; no amount of money could save them. Therefore, Zhu Youji converted all of his family's property, except for what he kept for basic living, into money and grain. Still not entirely at ease, he personally escorted the money.

Zhu Chuanzong felt both ashamed and moved. Zhu Youji patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "Silly child, you are the only son of our Zhu family. Isn't all the Zhu family's property yours? What's there to be ashamed of? Do a good job! Our family's restoration of its prestige depends entirely on you!"

Zhu Youji stayed in Dengzhou for two days before taking his leave and returning home.

Chapter Six: A Clever Plan to Break the Formation .

Zhu Youji went home, but Shui Fengliang, the leader of the Laozi Sect, stayed behind.

Shui Fengliang desperately wanted to rely on Zhu Chuanzong, but after Zhu Chuanzong assigned him to protect his family, there had been no news of him, causing him great anxiety. Now that he finally had a chance to perform meritorious service, he used the opportunity of escorting silver for Zhu Youji to see Zhu Chuanzong.

Because of Shui Ling'er, Zhu Chuanzong treated Shui Fengliang with great politeness and courtesy. However, feeling that this man was deceiving the common people, making them believe in a cult and risk their lives for him, Zhu Chuanzong didn't trust him much. Therefore, whenever important issues were involved, such as Shui Fengliang wanting to place his followers as officials under Zhu Chuanzong, Zhu Chuanzong resolutely refused. He said that Shui Fengliang was only a military supervisor, responsible for assisting Wang Dingkun, and had to obey Wang Dingkun's orders in everything, and couldn't make decisions on his own. Unable to find an opportunity with him, Shui Fengliang turned his attention to Shui Ling'er.

Shui Ling'er was an orphan, and only her master and adoptive father were her closest relatives. Hearing that her adoptive father Fengliang had arrived, she was naturally overjoyed, invited Shui Fengliang to her residence, and cooked several of her signature dishes to have dinner with her adoptive father.

Shui Fengliang glanced around at the furnishings, frowning slightly. "Ling'er, your place is so simple, much worse than Lord Zhu's. Is he treating you badly now?"

Shui Ling'er blushed and said, "Why are you asking this all of a sudden, Father?"

Seeing this, Shui Fengliang assumed Shui Ling'er had truly fallen out of favor with Zhu Chuanzong and became anxious, pressing her for an answer. Shui Ling'er, thinking her father was concerned for her happiness, could only shyly say, "He...he's very good to me." She added that she had requested to live alone. Shui Fengliang was relieved to know that Zhu Chuanzong still liked Shui Ling'er as before.

After drinking for a while, Shui Fengliang began praising Zhu Chuanzong. He said he was young and promising, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and had great prestige in both the court and among the people, with a limitless future. He advised Shui Ling'er to be less temperamental and to carefully capture Zhu Chuanzong's heart.

Shui Ling'er was pleased to hear her adoptive father praise her lover, but she still said, "He's not as good as you say. I don't think he's anything special except for chasing pretty women."

Shui Fengliang nodded thoughtfully.

The next day, at Shui Fengliang's urging, Shui Ling'er went to Zhu Chuanzong and asked him to find a job for her adoptive father. Zhu Chuanzong remembered that the followers of the Laozi Sect were spread all over the country and had many connections, so he discussed it with Wang Dingkun and others and asked Shui Fengliang to manage the intelligence-gathering spies. With

the grain and fodder sent by the Zhu family, Zhu Chuanzong's army of 40,000 men had more than enough supplies. After settling the accounts, Wu Siyuan said half-jokingly, "Our current money and grain are enough to maintain an army of over 100,000 men. Before, we worried about having too many men and too little money; now we worry about having too little men and too much money to spend. It's clear that nothing in this world is perfect."

Zhu Chuanzong and Wu Siyuan nodded with a smile, agreeing wholeheartedly, but people don't just fall from the sky.

Zhu Chuanzong then said, "Why don't we try recruiting soldiers in Dengzhou?"

Wang Dingkun replied, "We've recruited before, what's the use!"

It turned out that the army had posted recruitment notices in various major prefectures along the way. However, the people, unaware of the true situation, mostly thought it was a rebellious army, so no one joined. Over time, Wang Dingkun lost hope.

Wu Siyuan said, "Now that we've won a great victory, perhaps some people will be willing to join!"

All three approached the task with a try-it-and-see attitude, but the result was truly unexpected. When the people of Dengzhou heard that Zhu Chuanzong was recruiting, the lines of people signing up stretched from the military camp gates to two main streets—a truly massive and enthusiastic crowd, startling Zhu Chuanzong and his men.

It turned out that when Wang Jinglong's camp caught fire, half the city was burned, and the people naturally blamed Wang Jinglong. However, Wang Jinglong was the imperial army, and there was nothing they could do; the people could only harbor resentment. But upon Zhu Chuanzong's arrival, he immediately distributed a large sum of silver to compensate the people for their losses. The contrast between the two situations made it clear who was good and who was bad. Furthermore, Zhu Chuanzong already had the reputation of "Zhu the Upright Official," enjoying high prestige among the people. Most importantly, he had won consecutive battles, and victory seemed assured. Therefore, when he recruited soldiers, the people flocked to join the army.

The recruiting officers were all smiles. After careful selection, only able-bodied and strong young men were chosen, totaling five or six thousand men – a pleasant surprise.

Wu Siyuan sighed, "Lord Zhu is truly farsighted. I had some reservations about your help to the people, but I never imagined it was to win their hearts. I'm ashamed, truly ashamed!"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "It was just an unintentional act."

He was indeed telling the truth. He had initially done this mainly to please Shui Ling'er, but who would believe him? Looking at Zhu Chuanzong's faint smile, everyone felt he was incredibly shrewd and unpredictable, and their admiration for him grew even stronger.

The truth of this world is unpredictable; perhaps good deeds truly do bring good rewards. Two days later, soldiers reported that over 20,000 of Wang Jinglong's troops had come to surrender to Dengzhou City—a news that was utterly unbelievable.

That day, Zhu Chuanzong had cleverly defeated the pursuing troops in the mountains using poisonous smoke, capturing over 20,000 men. After confiscating their weapons, he released them. These men had nowhere to go, and most went to find Wang Jinglong, intending to rejoin his ranks.

However, after his crushing defeat, Wang Jinglong, fearing Pang Laixiao's wrath, devised two ways to exonerate himself. First, he lied about his losses, claiming he had only lost 100,000 men; second, he framed Fang Tiangui, saying that Fang Tiangui had secretly colluded with Zhu Chuanzong and defected at the last minute, catching him off guard and causing his defeat. Nevertheless, Wang Jinglong fought bravely on the battlefield, killing the traitor Fang Tiangui, and his cousin Xu Keqin also died a heroic death in battle.

Pang Laixiao received Wang Jinglong's battle report. Although he was shocked and furious, he still needed Wang Jinglong's help to deal with Zhu Chuanzong. Therefore, he not only did not blame Wang Jinglong, but also promoted him and offered condolences for the deaths of

Wang Jinglong's family members. However, Fang Tiangui, who had been framed, was in trouble. He was already dead, and that wasn't the end of it. His mansion in the capital was confiscated, and his family members were all sentenced and exiled. The 50,000 troops he had led to pursue Zhu Chuanzong were all labeled as rebels, and according to the law, they would be punished with hard labor if captured.

The more than 20,000 prisoners, having suffered such injustice, naturally refused to surrender. Fortunately, they outnumbered each other and escaped together. Wang Jinglong, in his panic after the defeat, failed to stop them. The group cursed Wang Jinglong, and after thinking it over, they realized that the court would not tolerate them, so they simply went to join Zhu Chuanzong.

When Zhu Chuanzong and the others learned the reason, they couldn't help but burst into laughter. Everyone sighed, marveling at how fortunate they were that the court had appointed someone like Wang Jinglong to lead the army. Otherwise, how could they have gotten such good fortune, gaining an extra 20,000 troops for no reason?

Wang Jinglong's entire army of 200,000 was wiped out. Although he deliberately exaggerated the numbers to cover up many losses and shifted the blame onto Fang Tiangui, the news still caused a huge uproar in the capital.

Tang Zhi, upon hearing this news, was naturally overjoyed and so excited that he couldn't sleep all night. The next day at court, concealing his smugness, Tang Zhi deliberately questioned Pang Laixiao, "Prime Minister, you personally recommended Wang Jinglong, saying he was a highly capable general. How come he's so useless? Now the court has suffered such heavy losses. What does the Prime Minister have to say about this?"

Pang Laixiao was a shrewd and calculating man. Although he was furious inside, he remained calm and composed, smiling slightly as he said, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Besides, the rebel Zhu Chuanzong's forces have been reduced from 100,000 to 30,000. What can such a small number accomplish? It would be easy for me to wipe them out!"

Tang Zhi sneered, "Does the Prime Minister have any other countermeasures? I would like to hear the details."

Pang Laixiao said, "I have already mobilized troops from various provinces. Within three months, I will be able to gather an army of 500,000. The 30,000 rebels are nothing but a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

Tang Zhi was furious when he heard that Pang Laixiao had mobilized a large number of troops without even giving prior notice. However, he had no other choice but to suppress his anger. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Given Zhu Chuanzong's marching speed, by the time the Prime Minister's army is fully mobilized in three months, the capital will probably have already fallen!"

Pang Laixiao laughed, "I already have a plan. Zhu Chuanzong can't fly to the capital even if he had wings. Your Majesty, you don't need to worry about it. Just rest peacefully in the palace!"

After saying that, he said to the officials, "That's all. Court is dismissed."

He then left on his own. Tang Zhi was trembling with anger, but there was nothing he could do.

The situation in the court was becoming increasingly unfavorable for Tang Zhi. The ministers who were loyal to him had been almost all eliminated by Pang Laixiao. Even the palace guards were Pang Laixiao's men. If Pang Laixiao didn't give his approval, he couldn't even leave the palace. Therefore, he could only pin his hopes on Zhu Chuanzong, hoping that he would reach the capital as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Zhu Chuanzong's army had increased to sixty or seventy thousand men, well-trained and well-supplied, and his momentum was greatly enhanced. After resting for a few days, they continued their march towards the capital and soon arrived at Xia Prefecture.

Xia Prefecture wasn't heavily guarded, and Zhu Chuanzong and his men assumed that the local officials would surrender upon the arrival of their army. However, when they were still dozens of miles from the city, they saw banners fluttering

ahead, indicating a large army, though it was indistinct and difficult to discern. Upon seeing the prominent character "Lei" on the banners, Wu Siyuan's expression changed, and he immediately ordered the army to halt and encamp.

Zhu Chuanzong was naturally puzzled and asked why. Wu Siyuan sighed, "We underestimated Pang Laixiao. I didn't expect him to be so prepared, transferring Lei Jiugong to Xia Prefecture. Now we're in trouble."

Zhu Chuanzong was also quite surprised to hear it was Lei Jiugong. This man was also a renowned general of the Great Liang Kingdom, but unlike Wang Dingkun, he wasn't famous for his martial prowess or bravery in battle, but rather for his mastery of military formations. This man had always been stationed in the south to guard the border, but unexpectedly, Pang Laixiao had transferred him to deal with Zhu Chuanzong.

Wang Dingkun said, "I've heard of this man's reputation before. Is he really as powerful as the legends say?"

Wu Siyuan nodded and said, "Powerful beyond words. His Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Formation possesses unfathomable power, capable of withstanding thousands of troops."

Zhu Chuanzong and his companion knew that Mr. Wu was knowledgeable and experienced, so what he said must be true. However, no matter how powerful Lei Jiugong was, this battle was unavoidable, so they had no choice but to send someone into the formation to test the waters.

Sun Hu volunteered to go and led five thousand men into the formation.

As a result, they went in and did not come out. Everyone waited all night, and the next day they came out, but less than half of the five thousand men were still alive. The rest were either killed in battle or captured. Sun Hu was able to fight his way out only because Lei Jiugong showed mercy.

It turned out that although Lei Jiugong was ordered to guard Xiazhou, he had no intention of being an enemy of Zhu Chuanzong. Therefore, he showed leniency, sparing Sun Hu and his men's lives, which was also a way of intimidating Zhu Chuanzong and his men, and meant to make them back down.

Sun Hu returned to camp with a face full of shame and reported the details to everyone. It turned out that after entering the enemy lines, he found himself surrounded by traps, tripwires, and caltrops, with many forks in the road, and he quickly lost his way. The enemy soldiers were familiar with the formation and lay in ambush in hidden places, launching sudden volleys of arrows. In this way, without even seeing a trace of the enemy, they had lost more than two thousand men. If it weren't for Lei Jiugong's mercy, probably not a single one would have escaped.

Hearing how ruthless Lei Jiugong was, everyone was at a loss. Seeing that Lei Jiugong seemed to have some leeway, Zhu Chuanzong tried sending someone to persuade him. Lei Jiugong replied to the messenger, "I also greatly admire Lord Zhu and General Wang, but I am under orders from the court to guard Xia Prefecture, and I absolutely cannot let them pass. Unless you can break my Heavenly Gang Formation, if you cannot, you should return to Jingshan Pass."

With persuasion proving futile, the army had no choice but to encamp and confront Lei Jiugong's Heavenly Gang Formation.

Wu Siyuan said, "Actually, the power of a formation lies in the enemy's darkness and our light. If we had the diagram of the Heavenly Gang Formation, knew the locations of the traps, and knew the routes to the side paths, this formation wouldn't be difficult to break."

However, Lei Jiugong resided in Xia Prefecture City, and his residence was heavily guarded. Zhu Chuanzong's army was blocked by the Heavenly Gang Formation and couldn't enter Xia Prefecture City, let alone seize the formation diagram, which was hidden somewhere in his residence.

Upon hearing this, Shui Ling'er wanted to request permission to infiltrate Lei's residence at night to steal the formation diagram. Zhu Chuanzong, worried about her safety, initially refused. However, Shui Ling'er was a woman of strong will; once she set her mind to something, no one could stop her. Finally, one night, she changed into her night clothes and quietly left the camp.

The next morning, Shui Ling'er returned, wounded and pale. It turned out that Lei Jiugong had been prepared, having ambushed a large number of men in the manor. Shui Ling'er had been discovered, and although she escaped, she had been shot by arrows and suffered several wounds.

Just when they were at their wits' end, a subordinate suddenly reported some good news: Princess Chang Le and Xue Jinxian, who had been missing for a long time, had returned and were right outside the camp gate.

Zhu Chuanzong had sent people to search everywhere, but had not found any trace of the two. This was like a gift from heaven, and he hurriedly went out to greet them.

The three of them, upon seeing each other, were naturally overwhelmed with joy. Upon entering, before Zhu Chuanzong could even inquire about their recent experiences, Xue Jinxian spoke first, "Husband, Xiazhou City is just ahead. Why don't you hurry and attack the city, marching towards the capital? Instead, you're stuck outside the city."

Zhu Chuanzong suddenly remembered the Heavenly Gang Formation and said with a worried expression, "Lei Jiugong has revealed the Heavenly Gang Formation. I don't have the formation diagram to break it. Passing through Xiazhou is difficult."

Xue Jinxian and Princess Chang Le exchanged a smile. Princess Chang Le said, "The formation diagram of the Heavenly Gang Formation isn't anything rare, is it?"

Zhu Chuanzong thought she was joking and said with distress, "Xi'er, you don't understand. With the formation diagram, we can break the formation and defeat Lei Jiugong. It's just that he hid the diagram very well. Ling'er tried to steal it back, but not only did she fail, she also got injured. I'm really worried about this."

Xue Jinxian smiled slightly, took out a Taoist robe from her bundle, and turned it over to see that it was densely embroidered with pictures and characters. Zhu Chuanzong glanced at it curiously for a few moments, then his expression changed instantly.

Embroidered beside the painting were six large characters: "The Central Pivot of the Heavenly Dipper Formation Diagram."

Zhu Chuanzong had desperately sought it, but to no avail. How could the Heavenly Dipper Formation Diagram, which Lei Jiugong had treasured with his life, have ended

up in the hands of Xue Jinxian and Princess Chang Le? It turned out that when they escaped from Zhou Yi and were separated, Xue Jinxian and Princess Chang Le had been together. Neither of them knew the way, and they fled in panic. After several days, they arrived at a large city, only to find out they had reached Xiazhou City.

Both were insightful women and knew that with Zhou Yi's defection, the situation of Zhu Chuanzong's army was unpredictable, so they dared not rashly go to Dengzhou to find him. Fortunately, they had plenty of travel money, so they disguised themselves as merchants and settled in Xiazhou. Later, they heard of Zhu Chuanzong's great victory and were secretly delighted. Xiazhou was a crucial route to the capital, and they

knew Zhu Chuanzong would soon reach there, so they waited patiently for their reunion. However, Lei Jiugong set up the Heavenly Dipper Formation, and Zhu Chuanzong was blocked outside the formation, unable to enter Xiazhou City. Princess Chang Le and Xue Jinxian, both exceptionally intelligent, conspired to steal the battle formation diagram for Zhu Chuanzong.

Lei Jiugong's family had only one son for generations, and he only had one son at the age of forty, a boy of six or seven, whom he cherished dearly. Every day, his family took him to the market, where he could buy whatever he wanted—funny toys, delicious treats—without daring to disobey.

One day, as usual, they took the young master to the market. They happened to see a sugar figurine vendor not far from their door. The figurines were lifelike and smelled sweet. The young master saw them and clamored to buy some. His family quickly agreed, buying several, which the young master happily ate as they walked.

However, a short while later, the young master's eyes filled with tears, his face swollen and red, and he lay on the ground, rolling around and crying, complaining of pain. Soon, he couldn't even speak. His family was alarmed and took him back to the mansion, calling a doctor, but they couldn't diagnose the cause of his illness. Upon hearing the news, Lei Jiugong returned home, utterly astonished and frantic, like an ant on a hot pan.

At this moment, an advisor suggested that a famous Taoist nun had recently appeared in the neighborhood, possessing miraculous medical skills, capable of curing any ailment, and that they should invite her to try. Lei Jiugong was overjoyed and immediately ordered his servants to invite her.

This Taoist nun was, of course, Princess Chang Le in disguise. She had concocted a pill that caused excruciating pain and rendered the person speechless. Xue Jinxian, disguised as a candy vendor, lured the young master to buy it, and then, posing as a divine healer, they successfully infiltrated the Lei residence.

Princess Chang Le, disguised as the Taoist nun, and Xue Jinxian, disguised as her attendant, entered the Lei residence. Upon arriving at the young master's room, Princess Chang Le feigned great alarm, saying, "The young master has been poisoned by an evil spirit! Fortunately, I saw him early; if it had been three more days, even a god couldn't have saved him."

Madam Lei hurriedly asked if there was any hope. Princess Chang Le smiled and said, "Since I've encountered him, there's no reason not to save him. However, we need to find a place with extremely strong yang energy, close the door for one night, and I will use a secret technique to expel the evil spirit from the young master's body, supplemented with spiritual medicine, before he can be cured."

She looked around the Lei residence and came to a room, saying, "This place has the strongest yang energy; it's suitable for treating illnesses."

Lei Jiugong looked at it and was in a dilemma. The room was marked with the words "White Tiger Hall," a place of great military importance, where military tokens and arrows were stored, and where his own array formations and diagrams were also hidden. How could he let others in?

However, seeing his son suffering from illness and his wife weeping beside him, Lei Jiugong had no choice but to agree.

That night, Princess Chang Le and Xue Jinxian took the young master to stay in the White Tiger Hall. To be on the safe side, Lei Jiugong had his maid thoroughly search the two before they entered, forbidding them from bringing anything except their clothes.

After a night's rest, they were searched again upon leaving the White Tiger Hall, finding nothing, before being released.

The next morning, Lei Jiugong asked, "Fairy Maiden, how is my son's illness?"

Princess Chang Le replied, "The evil spirits have been almost completely expelled. I'll prescribe a formula, and he'll be fine."

She was the one who concocted the pills, so she knew how to cure it. She wrote a prescription, decocted the medicine, and gave it to the young master. Soon after, the young master woke up, feeling much better and able to speak. Lei Jiugong was extremely grateful, offering a generous reward and many kind words before seeing them off.

Little did he know, Xue Jinxian had already spent the entire night embroidering the Heavenly Gang Formation diagram into the lining of their clothes. However, this was no small feat for her. Only Xue Jinxian possessed such extraordinary skill, able to draw such a complex array diagram in such a short time; no one else would even dare to dream of it.

Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing the story, was greatly impressed, praising Princess Chang Le and Xue Jinxian for their exceptional wisdom and resourcefulness. Xue Jinxian laughed, "Alright, you can flatter us later. For now, let's take advantage of having the diagram and break the Heavenly Gang Array. Otherwise, if Lei Jiugong discovers it, it will cause further trouble."

Zhu Chuanzong quickly mobilized his troops, sending several groups to re-enter the array. Now that he had the diagram, the Heavenly Gang Array seemed as if he had set it up himself; he knew exactly where the traps and ambushes were.

Seeing that the Heavenly Gang Array was ineffective, and recalling what had happened, Lei Jiugong immediately realized that the incident with the Daoist nun a few days ago was suspicious, and his diagram might have been leaked. He was originally a loyal and upright general. Knowing that Pang Laixiao was abusing his power and misleading the country, using the emperor to command the world, he actually sided with Zhu Chuanzong. Now that the great formation had been broken, he took the opportunity to flee Xiazhou and return to his southern garrison.
05-15
Chapter Seven: August's Eloquence

Pang Laixiao was both shocked and furious when he learned that Zhu Chuanzong had broken Lei Jiugong's great formation and occupied Xiazhou. He cursed Lei Jiugong for being useless. That same day in court, Tang Zhi took the opportunity to mock him again.

Pang Laixiao was enraged and plotted to kill.

That night, he summoned his followers to the Prime Minister's residence for a meeting. When everyone had arrived, Pang Laixiao said with a stern face, "Tang Zhi is so ungrateful. I think he doesn't want to sit on the throne!"

These people may not have many other skills, but they were very good at reading minds. As soon as they saw Pang Laixiao's words, they knew that he wanted to usurp the throne. Moreover, if Pang Laixiao were to become emperor, wouldn't all of them become founding heroes, rising in rank and wealth along with him? Therefore, they vied to pledge their loyalty to Pang Laixiao, saying that the prime minister was the popular choice and urging him to ascend the throne as soon as possible.

Eventually, someone started it, and they all knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Pang Laixiao and shouting "Long live the emperor!" Their demeanor was as if they were truly paying homage to the emperor, which made Pang Laixiao laugh with pride. However,

Zhao Xianjin, the Minister of Rites, advised, "Prime Minister, we cannot rush into the matter of becoming emperor!"

Zhao Xianjin had previously been on good terms with the Zhu family but later sided with Pang Laixiao. However, he had served as an official for many years and was an extremely shrewd man, whom Pang Laixiao also valued highly. Although somewhat disappointed, he still asked, "Oh? What brilliant idea does Lord Zhao have?"

Zhao Xianjin said, "Prime Minister, think about it. Although you currently hold the reins of the court and control the army in the capital, the armies and officials in the provinces are loyal to the imperial family. If you issue an edict in the emperor's name to mobilize them, they will still obey. But if you replace him, whether they will continue to obey is unpredictable. You still need to mobilize troops to suppress Zhu Chuanzong; it is really not advisable to create any further trouble at this time."

Pang Laixiao thought this made sense and frowned, saying, "Then..." "What do you mean?"

Zhao Xianjin said, "In my opinion, we should maintain the status quo for now. Concentrate our forces on dealing with Zhu Chuanzong. Once we eliminate him, no one will have the prestige to oppose you, Prime Minister. At that time, as long as we install our confidants and seize control of the national military and political affairs, we can ascend

the throne. Who will dare to say anything then?" Pang Laixiao pondered for a long time and nodded, "Thanks to Lord Zhao's reminder, otherwise I would have almost made a grave mistake. In that case, let Tang Zhi stay on the throne for a few more days!"

Pang Laixiao's attempt to usurp the throne failed ultimately because of Zhu Chuanzong, so he hated Zhu Chuanzong even more. In the name of the court, he successively drew troops from all over the country and gathered them in Xiping Province. However, the mobilization of troops, the feeding and supplies of the troops, and the overall coordination could not be completed in a short time.

While mobilizing his troops, Pang Laixiao, still uneasy, summoned Wang Jinglong back to the capital for a personal reprimand and numerous rewards. Although Wang Jinglong had lost to Zhu Chuanzong, he believed it was due to his carelessness, allowing Zhu Chuanzong to exploit his weakness. Now, with hundreds of thousands of troops—ten times the size of the enemy—how could he possibly lose? He immediately signed a pledge, saying that if he lost again, he would commit suicide to atone for his sins. Pang Laixiao, seeing his commendable courage, was somewhat relieved and offered further encouragement before letting him go.

Zhu Chuanzong had been campaigning for over four months. Although he had won several great victories, his army, having fought across thousands of miles, was exhausted. Therefore, he decided to rest in Xiazhou for a period.

During these months, Zhu Chuanzong had spent little time with his women, and after several ups and downs, their reunion made him appreciate the preciousness of their time together even more. After finishing his military duties each day, he would spend time with them at home. He and Xue Jinxian were legally married and naturally lived together. Princess Chang Le and Consort Mei, due to their social status, could only reside in different courtyards, but they were all very close, making it convenient for them to visit each other.

That day, Zhu Chuanzong returned early and, finding Xue Jinxian not in his room, asked Siji. Xue Jinxian said he had gone to visit Consort Mei and her son at another courtyard. Zhu Chuanzong, remembering that he hadn't seen his son for two days and missing him, went to Consort Mei's courtyard.

Inside Consort Mei's room, they were laughing and chatting happily. It turned out that Consort Mei and Xue Jinxian were enjoying playing with their infant son. Seeing Zhu Chuanzong enter, Consort Mei's face lit up with joy, but she deliberately said, "What brings you here today? If you hadn't come in a couple of days, Bao'er wouldn't recognize you."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I'm his father, how could he not recognize me?"

Saying this, he picked up Bao'er and kissed him, saying, "Bao'er, call me 'Good Daddy'."

Xue Jinxian chuckled, "Put Bao'er down quickly, he's not even nine months old yet, how could he call me 'Daddy'? Don't be silly."

But before he finished speaking, Bao'er suddenly opened his little mouth and called out in a soft voice, "Good Daddy!"

The three of them were stunned, staring blankly at Bao'er for a long time before gradually reacting. Xue Jinxian said, "Speaking at eight months old, that's truly a miracle. It seems Bao'er is a child prodigy."

Consort Mei was overjoyed and hugged Bao'er, kissing him incessantly. Not long after, Princess Changle and Shui Ling'er also received the news and rushed over. Everyone looked at Bao'er and marveled at him. As night fell, they returned to their respective residences.

Zhu Chuanzong and Xue Jinxian went back to their lodgings. Zhu Chuanzong was still immersed in joy when Xue Jinxian said, "Husband, there's something you need to be careful about, lest it cause trouble."

Zhu Chuanzong asked, "What trouble?"

Xue Jinxian sighed softly, "How could you be so foolish, husband? Bao'er's public identity is that of the late emperor's son. Although those close to you know about your affair with Consort Mei, outsiders are unaware. If Bao'er calls you 'Father' now, won't your crime be confirmed? If this gets out, it will be very detrimental to the morale of the army!"

Zhu Chuanzong realized this was indeed true, but he was also unwilling to accept it, so he lowered his head and remained silent. After a long while, he said, "I understand. Tomorrow I'll talk to her and teach the child to call me 'Uncle' in front of outsiders for now."

What parent in the world doesn't want to acknowledge their own flesh and blood? Xue Jinxian knew Zhu Chuanzong was upset, so she leaned on his shoulder. Neither of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts.

The next day, Zhu Chuanzong told Consort Mei about it. Consort Mei was saddened and sighed, holding Bao'er, "Even if we keep this from others, the royal family has heard about it. They know the truth, so will they tolerate Bao'er in the future?"

Zhu Chuanzong comforted her, "Don't worry, with me here, we won't wrong our son. Even if he doesn't become royalty, he can still enjoy wealth and freedom. After I get rid of Pang Laixiao, with my merits and my relationship with the Emperor, I can easily find an opportunity to bring you and your son to my residence, change your identities, and start a new life. It's not a big deal. Since the Emperor was willing to cover your identities before, he will naturally help you in the future."

Consort Mei's worries turned to joy.

Bao'er was exquisitely beautiful and became the focus of attention for all the women, who visited Consort Mei's residence almost every day. Even Zhu Chuanzong, as her father, couldn't help but feel a little jealous. As

time went on, everyone noticed something strange. Of all these people, Bao'er was closest to Princess Chang Le. Whenever he cried, as long as Princess Chang Le was there, he would immediately stop crying and start laughing—it was incredibly effective, even more so than his own mother, Consort Mei. This amazed everyone, who marveled at how well Bao'er and the princess were destined to be together.

One day, when Zhu Chuanzong was with Princess Chang Le, the topic came up, and Zhu Chuanzong joked that Bao'er might be a celestial being descended to earth, which was why he knew her. To everyone's surprise, Princess Chang Le's expression changed slightly. She said, "Now that you mention it, I just remembered. Sometimes when I look at Bao'er, I have a feeling of déjà vu. Maybe you're right."

Zhu Chuanzong exclaimed, "Really? But you never know. Since there's an evil god like the Fiery God who has come down to harm the people, and sent you and me to deal with him, it wouldn't be surprising if other gods came down as well. So, I wonder what mission Bao'er has come down to. I hope he's not some evil god." He

then laughed and said, "Even if he is an evil god, it doesn't matter. Anyway, he's already my son. I can teach him slowly. Am I afraid I won't teach him well?"

Princess Chang Le's face turned pale, and after a while, she said, "It's fate ." "Things are always unpredictable, and good and evil aren't so easy to distinguish. Perhaps the good you do is seen as evil by others. People have different perspectives, so their viewpoints will naturally differ. Even if you teach him from a young age, his views may not be entirely the same as yours. In the end, who can say for sure what's right and wrong?"

Zhu Chuanzong didn't seem to care much and laughed, "When that time comes, he'll still have to listen to me because I'm his father. Xi'er, Bao'er is still young, don't worry about this. I haven't seen you recite poetry in a long time, have you written anything new lately? Bring it here for me to see."

Princess Chang Le wanted to say more, but seeing Zhu Chuanzong's indifferent attitude, she could only sigh and remain silent. However, she always had an ominous premonition, as if Bao'er would pose a great threat to Zhu Chuanzong sooner or later.

A few days later, Zhu Chuanzong racked his brains to name Bao'er, and suddenly remembered the late Emperor Mingzong.

To be fair, Emperor Mingzong had been very kind to the Zhu family, especially Zhu Chuanzong, whom he greatly promoted and valued. Zhu Chuanzong, however, had an affair with his beloved concubine, causing Mingzong's death, and Mingzong had always felt guilty about it. Now, thinking back, she felt a pang of remorse and guilt, so she chose the character "悔" (hui, meaning regret) for the child she was selling, naming him Tang Hui.

Consort Mei, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately understood Zhu Chuanzong's meaning upon hearing the name. She had once received so much favor from Mingzong; it would be a lie to say she felt no remorse. Overwhelmed by emotion, she couldn't help but shed tears. However, she also thought of Zhu Chuanzong's current situation; if she hadn't implicated him, he would still be a high-ranking official in the capital! She sighed, "It's all my fault, I've dragged you down with me. It's understandable that you regret being with me now. They say beautiful women bring disaster, and it's absolutely true."

Zhu Chuanzong quickly replied, "I don't regret being with you. I just remember how well the late Emperor treated us. We shouldn't have angered him to death. I regret my rashness back then, falling for that treacherous scheme of Pang Laixiao, which caused the Emperor's death. As for my own power and wealth, I don't care. As long as I can be with you, I'd give my life for it."

Consort Mei was deeply moved, nestled in his arms, and said, "With your words, this life is enough!"

Consort Mei was overjoyed with Zhu Chuanzong, but Princess Chang Le was always sullen. Zhu Chuanzong tried to cheer her up, but to no avail. Fine clothes, delicious food, and rare treasures held no appeal for Princess Chang Le. Previously, collecting poetry anthologies would pique her interest, but now they had little effect.

Zhu Chuanzong was anxious but had no solution. Xue Jinxian, however, came up with an idea after hearing about it. He said Princess Chang Le loved to travel, and since she had lived in the palace since childhood, everything in the marketplace was new and interesting to her. Zhu Chuanzong invited Princess Chang Le to go on a trip, and she readily agreed.

The two disguised themselves and secretly left the palace. They strolled along the streets, observing the local customs and bustling market, stopping occasionally to observe and discuss the sights, finding it quite amusing.

Princess Chang Le had initially thought that Xia Prefecture had just finished a major battle, and with Zhu Chuanzong's army stationed there, there might be more fighting in the future, so the people should be terrified. Even if they didn't flee their homes to escape the war, they certainly wouldn't be in the mood to buy or sell things at the market. But to her surprise, it was incredibly lively and bustling.

Zhu Chuanzong noticed Princess Chang Le staring at the vendors with a strange expression and asked her why. Hearing Princess Chang Le's question, he said, "Now that you mention it, I also find it strange. Why don't we ask someone?"

The two went to a fruit stall and, while pretending to pick out fruit, chatted with the vendor. After a while, the conversation turned to this, and the vendor, who was also talkative, seeing that no one was around, casually began to speak. It turned out that Xia Prefecture used to have very heavy taxes, and the people suffered terribly. But when Zhu Chuanzong attacked, the prefect and his officials and yamen runners either fled or scattered. Now, Xia Prefecture was temporarily governed by Zhu Chuanzong's troops, and no taxes were collected. Compared to before, it was like paradise. Who would want to leave?

Finally, the vendor added that he had relatives in other places who, upon hearing this, were all hoping that Zhu Chuanzong would attack soon!

As the saying goes, "Better to be a dog in times of peace than a man in times of chaos," but now the people were actually happy about the war. Zhu Chuanzong and the vendor were both stunned.

Princess Chang Le sighed deeply, "I've read in books before that oppressive government is more ferocious than a tiger, but I never understood it until today."

Zhu Chuanzong, having suffered greatly during his time in hiding, understood the hardships of the common people best. Now, these people wore smiles, only able to enjoy a few days free from corrupt officials and heavy taxes thanks to the war. It seemed somewhat laughable, but the bitterness within was indescribable.

Princess Chang Le suddenly asked, "Are the people in other places also living such a hard life?"

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "Perhaps even worse."

The two looked at the market for a while, gradually growing tired of it, and strolled out of the city gate to a pond outside the city. At this time of year, the reeds were in full bloom, clusters of them like white snowflakes, fluttering everywhere. Many farm women were rowing small boats, moving back and forth in the pond, picking the reeds.

Princess Chang Le couldn't help but praise, "I only knew that brightly colored flowers were beautiful before, but I never imagined that colorless and odorless reeds could also have such a unique beauty. Like willow catkins, like floating clouds, they give one a sense of tranquility."

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "Since you like them, why don't you compose a few poems?"

Princess Chang Le had already thought of this, and smiled, "Composing poems isn't difficult, but it's not very interesting for one person to compose a poem. How about I compose a line, and you compose a line, and we sing in harmony? That would be more fun."

She thought for a moment and recited, "Like silk, like frost, dry and light, the west wind brushes against the river city everywhere."

Although Zhu Chuanzong had gained a lot of knowledge from reading over the years, he was no longer good at composing poems. However, upon seeing the princess in her white gauze dress, he was suddenly inspired. He recalled the "poetry" he and Dongxue had composed in bed before, and with a smile, continued: "When the white gauze fades, white remains; when the red flowers fall

, red is gone." Princess Chang Le paused, saying, "The first half describes the withering of reeds, which is quite fitting. What does the second half mean?"

Zhu Chuanzong whispered a few words in her ear with a grin, and Princess Chang Le blushed instantly, scolding, "You're so improper! It's an insult to refinement! Stand aside, I don't want you to do it anymore."

Her elegant and refined face showed a hint of anger, her beauty captivating Zhu Chuanzong.

Princess Chang Le then composed her own poem. Quick-witted and moved by the scene, she wrote several. However, there were large patches of reeds, their tips cut off, leaving them bare, like scabies on a person's head—a rather unsightly sight.

Princess Chang Le couldn't help but lament, "Why cut down such beautiful reeds? What a waste!"

Just then, a small boat docked, and several peasant women carrying sacks full of reeds walked by. Hearing Princess Chang Le's sigh, they all showed expressions of either disdain or envy.

One peasant woman said, "Look, I wonder where these young masters and misses have come from, dressed in silk and satin, yet they complain that we're ruining their scenery."

Another peasant woman said, "What do they know? Are we leaving them to enjoy the view while the poor freeze to death in winter?"

Another said, "Oh well, it's fate, there's nothing to complain about. Let's hurry back and take them, we can come back and cut more. My family has many people, and we still need several more."

Princess Chang Le, hearing their discussion, was confused and asked, "What are they talking about? Did I do something wrong?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "You didn't ..." "What you did wrong is simply that you don't understand. These farmers pick reeds to make clothes, shoes, and even bedding. Because they can't afford silk or cotton, they have to use reeds as a substitute. For example, in winter, they stuff reeds into their woven straw sandals, making reed-flower shoes, which are comfortable and warm, preventing frostbite. Reeds are actually an indispensable material for farmers to get through the winter."

Princess Chang Le listened, speechless for a long time, thinking, "I never imagined that the lives of the poor were like this!"

After watching for a while, she lost interest in composing poetry and took Zhu Chuanzong home.

Princess Chang Le was deeply moved by the hardships of the people in the world. On the one hand, she longed for life in heaven, feeling that such a carefree and leisurely life was what she wanted; on the other hand, she pitied all living beings, watching them suffer without being able to do anything. Her already melancholy nature became even more sorrowful.

Coincidentally, the two of them visited a Taoist temple in the west of the city that day. The two burned incense and added oil to their offerings. Just as they were about to leave, they encountered a fortune-telling Taoist priest who smiled and said, "Gentlemen, it's fate that we meet. Why not have your fortunes told?"

Zhu Chuanzong saw that the priest was dressed slovenly and didn't have the air of a sage, so he didn't believe he could be very accurate. However, seeing that Princess Chang Le seemed quite interested, he went along with it.

Zhu Chuanzong was examined first. The priest scrutinized him and smiled, "Young master, you have a full forehead and a ruddy complexion. You are clearly destined for great wealth and honor, and you are also entangled in romantic entanglements and are quite the ladies' man. You will have a prosperous future with a wealthy wife and many children."

Zhu Chuanzong found the priest's prediction somewhat plausible and began to believe him. Then the Taoist priest showed Princess Chang Le the same thing. After looking at her for a long time, he sighed, "You shouldn't have suffered in this world, yet you were born to go through this ordeal. How pitiful! Haven't you seen through it all yet?"

Princess Chang Le replied, "I thought I had, but now the more I see, the less I understand." The Taoist

priest said, "Fine, it's because you still have a compassionate heart. Do you know that living in this world or leaving it, following the worldly ways is suffering, and severing ties with the world is also suffering? Listen to us as we cultivate ourselves well."

Princess Chang Le seemed to be deep in thought and was momentarily stunned. Zhu Chuanzong was somewhat confused and was about to ask for clarification when Princess Chang Le suddenly smiled with relief and murmured, "I think I understand."

At this moment, the Taoist laughed heartily, turned around, and walked away, singing as he went: "Originally a small star in the heavens, I fell into the mortal world. I vowed to sweep away the injustices of the world, but when will I realize that all things are empty?"

He then sang: "A celestial maiden from the nine heavens descended to the mortal world, born with divine medical skills. Her sorrow and grief were endless, but when her tears ceased, she vanished without a trace."

Zhu Chuanzong and Princess Chang Le were both extremely intelligent and immediately understood that the Taoist was alluding to them, but there were some subtle meanings that they didn't quite understand. They hurriedly wanted to ask again, but the Taoist had already gone far away, and they couldn't even see his back anymore.

Inspired, Princess Chang Le stopped isolating herself within the high walls, wallowing in sorrow and self-pity. Instead, she went out and frequently helped the poor on the streets, sometimes even disguising herself as a doctor to treat the sick.

Zhu Chuanzong and his companion felt that this Taoist priest must be a highly accomplished person and wanted to seek his guidance again, but after several visits to the Taoist temple, they could not find him anywhere.

Chapter Eight: A Compassionate Heart

Because it was winter, the war was in a period of rest, and the army was stationed in the city. Wang Dingkun was handling matters, and Zhu Chuanzong was not so busy. He was happy to see that Princess Chang Le enjoyed traveling and accompanied her whenever he had the chance. Several months passed quickly, and it was early spring. The two had explored all of Xiazhou City and its surroundings, still enjoying themselves immensely.

However, recently, they noticed that many people from other places had come to Xiazhou City, all with their families, and dressed in tattered clothes, clearly having come from far away. Zhu Chuanzong ordered his men to inquire and learned that a plague had broken out in a region several hundred miles to the south, forcing the refugees to flee their hometowns.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chuanzong immediately ordered his soldiers to build many shelters for the refugees and distributed plenty of clothing and food. However, a few days later, a disease suddenly spread throughout the army. The sick soldiers developed fevers, their bodies were covered in small red spots, and they quickly lost consciousness.

Princess Chang Le, upon hearing this, exclaimed, "These are symptoms of a plague! It must have been transmitted by those refugees. Quickly send people to quarantine the streets where the refugees live, and also, prevent the soldiers from having any further contact with them!"

Later investigation confirmed that the plague had indeed been brought by the refugees. The plague that had broken out in their hometowns had the same symptoms, and it was extremely virulent; countless people had died there, leaving nine out of ten houses empty, and the doctors were helpless.

No wonder the refugees had easily escaped here; it turned out the enemy had deliberately allowed them to pass through, but now it was too late. The number of sick soldiers in the army was increasing. Although they had been isolated and the spread of the disease was temporarily under control, several thousand soldiers were still infected.

Princess Chang Le had been deeply concerned about this situation since it began, personally going among the disaster victims to treat them, but she had not yet found a cure for the plague.

Zhu Chuanzong was shocked to hear of her risky actions and advised her, "Xi'er, this plague is so severe that even the doctors in the city dare not treat patients for fear of infection. What if something happens to you? You can't go again."

Princess Chang Le smiled and said, "I didn't understand the suffering of the common people before. I enjoyed a life of wealth and luxury, yet I was always saddened and wept over trivial matters. Now I realize how ignorant I was. Now I want to do what I can for the people, so please don't stop me. Don't worry, I have supernatural powers; there's nothing to fear."

Looking at her serene smile, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't object and was speechless.

Princess Chang Le went to the midst of the disaster victims. She explained to the disaster victims how to prevent the plague, teaching them to soak their clothes in water boiled with herbs to prevent its spread. She personally took the pulses of the sick, examining their hair and eyes to observe their symptoms without any hesitation. She personally fed the patients medicine, showing no disgust at their sores and stench. At that moment, she seemed to forget that she was a princess of noble birth.

Zhu Chuanzong was worried and often visited her. Watching her busy figure from afar, he suddenly realized: "This is the true Purple Silk Fairy. Her previous innocence, gentleness, and melancholy were all because she had a compassionate and merciful heart!"

A few days later, Princess Chang Le finally contracted the plague and fell ill.

It turned out that she couldn't find the cause of the plague and, in her anxiety, deliberately drank water that had been touched by a sick person, without using any magic to prevent it, intending to contract the disease herself as a test subject for the medicine.

When Zhu Chuanzong learned of this, he was heartbroken and stormed into Princess Chang Le's room. But when he saw Princess Chang Le leaning weakly against the bed, her face pale and frail, he couldn't bear to blame her. He could only sigh with heartache, "How could you be so foolish?"

Princess Chang Le struggled to sit up, took Zhu Chuanzong's hand, and smiled, "You've come at the right time. I just tried a medicine, and it seems to be very effective. If possible, I'd like you to send more people to collect this herb."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "If you want to test medicine, there are plenty of ways. You can let me try it too. How can you be so reckless with your life?"

Princess Chang Le said, "You don't understand the properties of medicine, how can you test it? Besides, how could I bear to leave you? I'd feel more at ease if I did it myself."

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't persuade her. Seeing that her thin lips were bloodless and her cheeks were slightly sunken, he felt even more heartbroken and could only gently embrace her and stroke her cheeks.

After a moment of tenderness, Princess Chang Le suddenly remembered something and pushed Zhu Chuanzong away, saying, "Don't get close to me anymore. It would be terrible if you caught it! Go and do your work." She

kept urging Zhu Chuanzong to leave.

Zhu Chuanzong, afraid of making her anxious, had no choice but to leave. Reaching the door, he suddenly turned back, embraced Princess Chang Le's shoulders, and kissed her.

Princess Chang Le cried out, "No..."

but Zhu Chuanzong immediately captured her tongue, their lips entwined, making soft moans, and soon they were lost in the moment.

After kissing for a while, Zhu Chuanzong finally released her. A blush appeared on Princess Chang Le's pale cheeks, and she scolded, "Why didn't you listen to my advice? There's no rush to be intimate. This plague is very contagious, what if..."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "If you want to test the medicine on yourself, I'll go with you. So you'd better prepare the medicine as soon as possible and cure yourself. Otherwise, I'll have to stay in bed with you."

He smiled happily and went out.

Princess Chang Le, feeling her lover's affection, could no longer hold back her tears.

Two days later, Zhu Chuanzong, with his special constitution, did not fall ill, but Princess Chang Le's medicine was successfully prepared. However, the ingredients were all very precious and rare, only curing a few people, leaving no surplus herbs.

Princess Chang Le intensified her experiments for another ten days or so, finally finding common substitutes. Several herbs needed to be mixed together in a certain proportion, boiled in a pot, and taken continuously for three days to cure the disease. Zhu Chuanzong sent people to collect herbs everywhere, while setting up many large pots in an open area for soldiers to boil the medicine and distribute it to those infected with the plague.

However, controlling the heat during the boiling process was difficult; if the timing was wrong, the medicine would be ineffective. Therefore, Princess Chang Le had to be present personally to guide the soldiers in boiling the medicine. After working continuously for more than ten days, the plague was gradually brought under control.

The disaster victims, knowing that Princess Chang Le had saved their lives, were incredibly grateful, calling her a living Bodhisattva. Some even carved longevity tablets and enshrined them in their homes.

Plagues were traditionally seen as calamities sent by heaven, beyond human control. In previous years, when faced with natural disasters like plagues, people had no choice but to flee to other places or wait to die; they never imagined they could survive. Now, the people were even more convinced that Zhu Chuanzong's uprising was in accordance with the will of heaven, protected by the gods, and destined for success. This belief spread, becoming increasingly mystical among the people, further enhancing Zhu Chuanzong's prestige. The soldiers in the army were also more motivated and their morale soared.

After more than a month, seeing that the army had rested and regrouped, Zhu Chuanzong gave the order for the army to continue south, heading towards the next major city, Guang'an Prefecture, a hundred miles away.

At this time, Wang Jinglong, leading hundreds of thousands of troops transferred by Pang Laixiao, along with his remaining tens of thousands of defeated soldiers, boasted a combined army of a million and was stationed in Guang'an Prefecture. His forces were numerous and powerful, a truly formidable force. Although Zhu Chuanzong's army was in high spirits, the disparity in numbers was too great, and to most, their future seemed bleak.

Zhu Chuanzong dared not be careless and set up a large camp not far from Guang'an Prefecture, ready for battle.

To everyone's surprise, Guang'an Prefecture was deathly still, with no sign of Wang Jinglong sending anyone out to fight. Instead, civilians and unarmed soldiers were driven out of the city, and many corpses, both soldiers and civilians, lay buried outside.

Zhu Chuanzong inquired of those driven out and learned that Guang'an Prefecture was also ravaged by plague, and because of the gathering of troops from various regions, the plague had spread rapidly. Wang Jinglong's men lacked medical expertise like Princess Chang Le and were helpless against the plague. In just a few months, they had lost ten thousand men, and many civilians in the city had also fallen ill.

Unable to cure the plague, Wang Jinglong resorted to a drastic measure: driving all those infected, soldiers and civilians alike, out of the city to fend for themselves, ideally to flee to enemy territory.

However, this was only a temporary measure. The plague lurked in the air, water, and food, penetrating everywhere and impossible to completely prevent. Only when spring passed and the virus diminished could they survive.

Zhu Chuanzong and his men were overjoyed upon hearing this news. They planned to attack when the plague was at its worst and Wang Jinglong's army was at its weakest. Therefore, they settled in, waiting for the city's army to suffer countless casualties from the plague before launching a decisive attack.

However, seeing corpses being carried out of the city for burning every day, on the fourth day, Princess Chang Le approached Zhu Chuanzong. She had seen the soldiers and civilians ravaged by the plague and, unable to bear it, intended to go to Guang'an Prefecture to treat them.

When Princess Chang Le explained her purpose, Zhu Chuanzong was shocked. Leaving aside the fact that treating the enemy was disadvantageous to their own side, it was extremely unwise. The mere thought of Princess Chang Le venturing into the city was also unacceptable. On one hand, she was Zhu Chuanzong's most important and closest confidante, whom he could use to blackmail him; on the other hand, Princess Chang Le herself was someone Pang Laixiao desperately wanted. If she went alone to enemy territory, wouldn't her fate be extremely precarious?

However, Princess Chang Le couldn't rest easy, thinking of the rampant plague and the devastation in the city. Although she appeared frail, once she made up her mind, she was incredibly stubborn and wouldn't listen to anyone.

Zhu Chuanzong had no choice but to seek the opinions of Wang Dingkun and Mr. Wu. Wu Siyuan said, "The princess has a point. The people and ordinary soldiers in the city are innocent. You, sir, have a reputation for benevolence and righteousness. If you stand by and watch them die, it will damage your reputation. Why not let the princess treat them? I doubt Wang Jinglong would dare to offend those who go to treat them."

Zhu Chuanzong hesitated for a long time, but under Princess Chang Le's persistent insistence, he had no choice but to agree. He sent a hundred soldiers with the ingredients and tools for brewing medicine to accompany the princess into the city. Before leaving, Zhu Chuanzong held Princess Chang Le's hand and said, "No matter what happens, you must take care of yourself. If anything happens to you, I will not live on alone."

Princess Chang Le smiled and said, "Don't worry."

She looked at Zhu Chuanzong deeply for a long time before turning and leaving.

Wang Jinglong was overwhelmed with worry about the plague. Hearing that Princess Chang Le had come to help, he was overjoyed. He had already received news that the plague had been eradicated in Xia Prefecture with the princess's help. Therefore, he had no doubts and quickly sent people to welcome the princess in.

Princess Chang Le entered Guang'an Prefecture and, according to her previous methods, brewed medicine to treat the soldiers and civilians. Guang'an Prefecture had hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, so the number of patients was much greater than in Xia Prefecture. Therefore, the princess worked day and night, barely having time to eat or sleep, constantly busy among the patients. Her body was already weak, and now she became even more haggard.

The soldiers and civilians saw this and were filled with gratitude beyond words.

Especially the soldiers. They were ordered to eliminate Zhu Chuanzong, but when the plague struck, their commander, Wang Jinglong, ruthlessly sacrificed his soldiers' lives, while Zhu Chuanzong actively aided his enemy. Looking at the pure and ethereal Princess Chang Le, the soldiers were bewildered; was it truly right for them to attack such a person?

More than a month later, the epidemic in Guang'an was gradually brought under control, but Princess Chang Le continued her journey south, following the direction from which the plague originated, heading straight for the source of the disease. Along the way, she continuously treated infected people. Because there were so many patients, her hundred-plus soldiers were simply overwhelmed. Therefore, she wanted Zhu Chuanzong to send more men, but Wang Jinglong refused. Just as they were in a dilemma, Shui Fengliang, who had been eager to gain merit, heard the news and quickly mobilized the followers of Laozi to help the princess gather and prepare medicine to treat the victims. The Laozi sect, with its large numbers and influence, greatly alleviated the manpower shortage and also took this opportunity to expand its power among the people.

Months later, the princess had finally eradicated the plague in its source area. What could have been a catastrophe with corpses strewn for miles was averted by her. Princess Chang Le's image as a healer deeply resonated with the people, and their gratitude was beyond words.

After completing her mission, Princess Chang Le returned by the same route, only to be detained and imprisoned by Wang Jinglong when she passed through Guang'an Prefecture.

Zhu Chuanzong's fears had become a reality. Now that the plague was no longer a threat, Wang Jinglong was unwilling to relinquish his hard-won merit. He was determined to send Princess Chang Le to the capital to curry favor with Pang Laixiao, and moreover, she was a crucial bargaining chip in threatening Zhu Chuanzong.

When the soldiers and civilians heard that Princess Chang Le, who had saved their lives, had been arrested by Wang Jinglong, they were outraged. Many gathered in front of the commander's mansion, demanding her release. Wang Jinglong dispatched his men to disperse the crowd and suppressed the unrest among the lower-ranking soldiers, temporarily calming the situation. However, one of his advisors gave him a foolish idea, which Wang Jinglong actually adopted, ultimately leading to a major upheaval.

That day, the gates of Guang'an Prefecture opened wide, and Wang Jinglong led his army out of the city to face Zhu Chuanzong. But instead of engaging in battle, he simply pushed aside a carriage. Princess Chang Le was bound to the carriage.

Wang Jinglong laughed triumphantly, "Zhu Chuanzong, now Her Highness the Princess is in my hands. If you want to ensure her safety, you'd better dismount and surrender!"

Zhu Chuanzong cursed, "Wang Jinglong, you despicable villain! If you dare touch a hair on the princess's head, I'll tear you to pieces!"

But considering the princess's safety, he dared not attack rashly.

Wang Jinglong's move was quite ruthless. If Zhu Chuanzong truly surrendered, everything would be fine; if he refused to surrender, he would be branded as disregarding the princess, severely damaging the morale and prestige of his army.

Wang Jinglong, despite his meticulous planning, overlooked the fact that Princess Chang Le had tirelessly treated the soldiers' illnesses, earning their genuine affection and respect. When the soldiers saw the princess bound to the carriage, her once beautiful face now gaunt and haggard, it was a heart-wrenching sight. Their long-suppressed resentment finally erupted. A growing commotion began to spread throughout the army.

Enraged, Wang Jinglong ordered, "Arrest all the rioting soldiers!"

The military judge went with the order, but the arrests only exacerbated the situation. Soldiers shouted, "Wang Jinglong is going to kill Her Highness the Princess! Brothers, save the Princess!" They

surged forward, charging towards the carriage where the princess was bound.

Wang Jinglong ordered the execution of those who disobeyed, but the more he killed, the more soldiers joined in, and the army gradually spiraled out of control.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers fought amongst themselves, descending into chaos. Seeing the situation was hopeless, Zhu Chuanzong gave the order, and the entire army charged towards Wang Jinglong's position.

Zhu Chuanzong charged ahead, rushing to Princess Chang Le's carriage and rescuing her, holding her in his arms. Seeing that his beloved was unharmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The situation of Wang Jinglong's army was a complete repeat of the day Zhu Chuanzong had burned their camps; men and horses were in disarray, morale shattered. Most soldiers had no will to fight and had already laid down their weapons and surrendered; the rest were utterly demoralized and only concerned with fleeing. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Wang Jinglong also fled for his life.

The once-mighty million-strong army scattered like birds and beasts in the blink of an eye.

Of the hundreds of thousands of surrendered soldiers, those who had received favors from Princess Chang Le were grateful for her benevolence and expressed their willingness to pledge their loyalty. The rest, seeing the situation, knew that even returning to the capital wouldn't save them from the blame for defeat, so they also defected and joined Zhu Chuanzong's forces. Zhu Chuanzong, with the princess in his arms, stood atop the city wall, watching the vast enemy below, now all his men, as if in a dream. He couldn't help but marvel; he truly couldn't believe that Princess Chang Le, with just a single medicine, had subdued a million

armored soldiers—it was unbelievable. Princess Chang Le smiled slightly and said, "This is the true principle of the world. They didn't surrender to me, but rather to what I had done for them. Therefore, martial prowess and strategy are not the strongest; only benevolence and righteousness are invincible."

Zhu Chuanzong deeply agreed. After this battle, the fate of the world was sealed; eliminating Pang Laixiao was now a certainty. Therefore, he was now full of confidence and in an extremely good mood. Looking at Princess Chang Le's charming face, he laughed and said, "I think they are more captivated by your beauty."

Princess Chang Le blushed and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Isn't that right? Your Highness is a beauty of unparalleled grace and charm, so lovely that even I feel pity for you. How dare Wang Jinglong disrespect you? Even Heaven can't stand it. He's truly courting death!"

Princess Chang Le glared at him and said, "You really have a sweet tongue. You've probably said this to your other sisters many times, haven't you?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I'm speaking from the heart. Why do you seem not to believe me?"

As he spoke, he took Princess Chang Le's hand and said, "Xi'er, after we reach the capital and eliminate Pang Laixiao, shall we get married?"

The two had already agreed to a marriage, but due to various unforeseen circumstances, it had not been arranged. Now that Zhu Chuanzong had suddenly brought it up, Princess Chang Le's heart fluttered, and she blushed and said, "We'll talk about it later."

She turned and went down the city wall.

Riding the wave of his great victory, Zhu Chuanzong continued his advance towards the capital. Upon hearing the news of Wang Jinglong's defeat, Pang Laixiao was devastated, but unwilling to surrender, he fought a desperate battle. He made a final effort, ordering the prefectures along the route to close their gates and block the advance, while also managing to mobilize some remaining troops to try and stop Zhu Chuanzong's army.

However, the tide had turned, and officials in various regions knew what to do. Wherever Zhu Chuanzong went, they came out of the city to welcome him, rarely offering any resistance. Even those few who did were quickly defeated. Pang Laixiao's few detachments were utterly powerless to stop him. Months passed, and Zhu Chuanzong's army drew ever closer to the capital.

Pang Laixiao was desperate, filled with hatred and fear, unable to sleep at night. His dream of usurping the throne was about to vanish, fueling his resentment.

Meanwhile, Tang Zhi grew increasingly arrogant, sometimes even daring to argue with Pang Laixiao in court. The court officials, who had previously been one-sided, now remained neutral, sometimes even flattering Tang Zhi, seemingly preparing for their own downfall. Seeing this, Pang Laixiao was enraged.

That day in court, Tang Zhi openly opposed Pang Laixiao again regarding the matter of rallying troops to resist Zhu Chuanzong. After court, Pang Laixiao grew increasingly furious, slamming his fist on the table and cursing, "That brat Tang Zhi, has he forgotten who supported him to become emperor? Now he dares to oppose me, relying on Zhu Chuanzong's power! He deserves to die! The capital is still mine, and I'm going to take your life now. Let's see how Zhu Chuanzong saves you!"

Pang Laixiao hated Tang Zhi for opposing him, and was also secretly despairing due to his repeated defeats. He had plotted for years, his only desire being to become emperor. How could he be content if he died without achieving his goal? He immediately summoned his trusted followers to discuss assassinating the emperor and seizing the throne. Seeing the murderous look on his face, no one dared to object, and they all agreed.

At this moment, Zhao Xianjin spoke up again, saying that this matter was inappropriate. Pang Laixiao thought that he was going to obstruct his ascension to the throne again, and said impatiently, "My mind is made up, Lord Zhao, there is no need to say more."

Zhao Xianjin smiled and said, "The Prime Minister's ascension to the throne is what everyone wants, how dare I obstruct it? However, regicide is ultimately an unjust act, and it will damage the Prime Minister's reputation. Why not put the Emperor under house arrest in the palace and force him to issue an edict to abdicate and pass the throne to the Prime Minister? In this way, it will be legitimate and the civil and military officials will have no objections. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

Pang Laixiao was overjoyed and laughed, "Lord Zhao is right, let's do it this way."

The next day at court, Pang Laixiao put his hand on his sword and walked towards the dragon throne. Tang Zhi exclaimed in surprise, "How dare you! You intend to rebel?"

Pang Laixiao laughed loudly, "The world should be ruled by the capable. Your Tang family has ruled for long enough; it's time for me to take the throne."

He produced a pre-written edict of abdication and asked Tang Zhi to affix his imperial seal, but Tang Zhi refused.

Pang Laixiao sneered, stepped forward, picked up the imperial seal, and affixed it himself.

Tang Zhi was both shocked and furious, cursing loudly and shouting at the assembled ministers, "You are all subjects of the Great Liang; are you just going to stand by and watch a traitorous minister cause chaos?"

But by this time, the hall was already surrounded by Pang Laixiao's troops, their swords drawn, exuding murderous intent. Who dared to stop him?

Pang Laixiao signed the edict and immediately ordered it to be read aloud. His henchmen had already prepared an imperial robe for him to wear. Seeing the situation was dire, the ministers hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Pang Laixiao sat on the dragon throne, smug and self-satisfied, laughing heartily.

The next day, Pang Laixiao formally held his enthronement ceremony, establishing the Zhou dynasty and issuing an edict to the world.

With military power in the capital firmly in his hands, and having planned this for a long time, his usurpation faced little resistance. However, some members of the royal family, unwilling to relinquish their throne, plotted a coup to overthrow Pang Laixiao. Their plans were leaked, and Pang Laixiao, enraged, ordered his troops to kill all the members of the royal family. Not content with this, he also carried out a large-scale arrest and massacre of the Tang family members. Within days, the royal bloodline of the Great Liang dynasty was almost completely wiped out.

In Chapter Nine, Regent Prince

Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing of Pang Laixiao's usurpation, was furious. He knew that Tang Zhi, without the throne as his support, was in grave danger and could be killed by Pang Laixiao at any moment. Therefore, he hastily ordered his army to advance rapidly towards the capital.

As the saying goes, "When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down." Zhu Chuanzong won battle after battle, advancing with unstoppable momentum. Rebellions broke out everywhere, with people rising up to join Zhu Chuanzong's army. The story of Pang Laixiao is too numerous to recount. More than a month passed, and the army finally arrived in the capital.

On their first day in the capital, Pang Laixiao took Tang Zhi to the city wall, forcing him to issue an edict ordering Zhu Chuanzong to withdraw his troops. Tang Zhi naturally refused. However, Zhu Chuanzong and his men, fearing for Tang Zhi's safety, dared not order an attack and instead camped outside the city.

Pang Laixiao, who had initially worried that Zhu Chuanzong might have ulterior motives and insisted on attacking the city despite Tang Zhi's life, was now relieved. He still had tens of thousands of troops in the capital, and the city was well-fortified and well-supplied, enough for two or three years. He looked down at Zhu Chuanzong's army, seeing their strength, strength, and menacing aura, and was greatly alarmed. After observing for a long time, he escorted Tang Zhi back to the palace.

After several days of fruitless searching, Zhu Chuanzong was at his wit's end when Zhao Shusheng secretly sent a message, agreeing to open the east gate at midnight three days later to allow Zhu Chuanzong's army to enter the city.

Zhao Xianjin, who had been advising Pang Laixiao, was increasingly valued by him. Consequently, Zhao Shusheng was also promoted, becoming the commander of the Imperial Guards and ordered to guard the east gate.

In a letter to Zhu Chuanzong, Zhao Xianjin and his son claimed that although they outwardly sided with Pang Laixiao, they were actually loyal to the court, only enduring hardship and waiting for an opportunity due to circumstances. Now that Zhu Chuanzong's army had arrived, it was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Pang Laixiao, hence the plan of a coordinated attack from within and without.

Of course, this was all Zhao Shusheng's own statement in the letter. Whether he and his son were truly loyal to the court or simply opportunistic was uncertain. Zhao Xianjin, a seasoned official, was a notorious cunning and adept at playing both sides.

Perhaps it was a calculated move to secure his future, or perhaps it was simply a strategic maneuver. However, it's also true that Zhao Shusheng had saved Zhu Chuanzong's life, and that Zhao Xianjin had intervened with Pang Laixiao to protect Tang Zhi's life. Zhu Chuanzong naturally wouldn't delve into past events.

On the appointed night, Zhu Chuanzong's army quietly approached the city gates, setting fires as a signal. Suddenly, a commotion erupted inside, with someone shouting, "Zhu Chuanzong has stormed in! The city has fallen!"

A loud crash followed, and the city gates swung open, with men wielding swords and spears rushing in.

However, Pang Laixiao had cultivated his influence in the capital for many years and still commanded a number of elite troops. Although Zhao Shusheng opened the gates to welcome Zhu Chuanzong, he was quickly blocked by a force. At this point, the sounds of battle filled the city, alarming all around. Seeing that passage was difficult and fearing for Tang Zhi's safety if things dragged on, Zhu Chuanzong had already arranged for Sun Hu to lead an elite force to bypass the city and attack the palace to rescue Tang Zhi.

Sun Hu obeyed the order and left. Zhu Chuanzong led the charge, commanding his men in battle. His troops, after more than a year of fighting, had long been forged into an elite force, incredibly brave. They drove the city's guards back step by step.

Meanwhile, after Pang Laixiao usurped the throne, he moved into the palace. These past few days, he had been worried about Zhu Chuanzong's siege of the city, unable to sleep at night. Tonight, he finally fell asleep, when suddenly he heard the sounds of fighting coming from the east. Looking into the distance, half the sky was ablaze with fire. Pang Laixiao collapsed to the ground, knowing that all was lost.

He stood up suddenly after a moment of stunned silence, gritting his teeth and saying, "Zhu Chuanzong, I have been defeated, but don't be so smug. You wanted to save people, didn't you? I'll make sure you're disappointed!"

He ordered several trusted guards to be summoned, and armed with swords, they headed straight for the inner palace.

More than an hour later, Zhu Chuanzong finally managed to disperse the enemy troops blocking his path. Worried about Tang Zhi's safety, he led the charge, charging towards the palace. Upon reaching the Meridian Gate, he saw flames suddenly erupting from the palace, further fueling his anxiety; he wondered if Sun Hu had managed to rescue Tang Zhi.

Zhu Chuanzong rushed into the palace, searching frantically. The palace was in chaos, with palace maids and eunuchs fleeing in all directions, flames and soldiers everywhere. Just then, Sun Hu arrived from the inner palace with his men. He was covered in wounds, blood splattered on his face and head, clearly having endured a fierce battle. Before Zhu Chuanzong could even ask a question, Sun Hu knelt down, weeping, crying, "This humble servant deserves to die! I arrived too late to protect His Majesty; he has already been killed!"

Zhu Chuanzong felt a dizzying sensation, cried out, and fell from his horse.

The others rushed to help him up. Zhu Chuanzong recalled Tang Zhi's past friendship with him when they were commoners, their shared ideals, and how Tang Zhi had saved his life several times. Now that Tang Zhi had been murdered, his heart ached. He asked, "How was the Emperor murdered?"

Sun Hu replied, "That old scoundrel Pang Laixiao led men to strangle the Emperor in the inner palace."

Zhu Chuanzong roared, "Where is that old scoundrel Pang Laixiao? I'll tear him to pieces!"

When the group arrived at Pang Laixiao's palace, they were all astonished. A high platform in the palace was covered with firewood, and Pang Laixiao, dressed in imperial robes and with disheveled hair, stood in the center, surrounded by piles of gold and silver jewels.

Seeing Zhu Chuanzong rush in, he laughed wildly, "Zhu Chuanzong, I've been emperor for a few months in my life, and I have no regrets. But you'll never have the chance to kill me again. Hahahaha!"

With that, he threw down his torch, and the firewood quickly ignited, soon becoming a raging fire.

Pang Laixiao screamed a few times in the flames, then fell silent. Looking at the raging fire, Zhu Chuanzong's anger hadn't subsided, but he also felt a strange sense of melancholy. Pang Laixiao, the Fire God incarnate, had been entangled with Zhu Chuanzong for two lifetimes, fighting from heaven to earth, and today they had finally come to an end. With his greatest rival dead before his eyes, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

The palace fire burned all night before being extinguished. Zhu Chuanzong dispatched troops to patrol the area, quickly quelling the unrest in the capital, and then summoned civil and military officials to the main hall for a meeting.

Of course, Pang Laixiao's cronies, such as Zeng Huaishun, had already been arrested or killed. The ministers present, though forced to submit to Pang Laixiao, were coerced; the future operation of the court depended on them, so Zhu Chuanzong no longer pursued their crimes of treason.

A country cannot be without a ruler; the most important matter at hand was to establish a new emperor.

However, Tang Zhi was dead, and his son had long been killed by Pang Laixiao. Even the other sons of Emperor Mingzong, all direct blood relatives of the imperial family, had been virtually wiped out. The few remaining members of the imperial family were all distant relatives, utterly ineligible to inherit the throne. Therefore, after much debate, no suitable candidate could be found.

There was another reason for this: the ministers were terrified of Pang Laixiao's power and suspected that Zhu Chuanzong might be another Pang Laixiao. He now held considerable military power and enjoyed immense prestige both in the army and among the people. Coupled with the Zhu family's previous influence, it was far greater than Pang Laixiao's had been. If he wanted to become emperor, it wouldn't be difficult for him. If they were to recommend another emperor now, and angered Zhu Chuanzong, wouldn't they be courting death?

After a long debate, a self-important minister, eager to curry favor with Zhu Chuanzong, suggested that since the imperial bloodline was extinct, Zhu Chuanzong, being the sworn brother of the late Emperor Tang Zhi, was logically a member of the imperial family and had rendered great service to the state, was the only suitable candidate to inherit the throne.

His suggestion immediately garnered the support of nearly half the ministers, who all knelt and kowtowed, saying, "Please, Lord Zhu, obey the will of Heaven."

The leading minister secretly rejoiced, thinking that his support would bring him immeasurable wealth and glory once Zhu Chuanzong became emperor.

Little did he know that Zhu Chuanzong had never had any desire to become emperor; he was currently grieving and feeling guilty about Tang Zhi's death. Upon hearing this, he flew into a rage and shouted, "Throw him out! Anyone who utters such treasonous words again will be punished!"

Some loyal ministers, who had been worried, nodded in approval upon seeing this, thinking, "Lord Zhu truly deserves to be called a pillar of the nation; his virtue is so high that he is comparable to the sages of ancient times!"

Huang Tianyou had been dismissed from his post and imprisoned by Pang Laixiao for two years, and Zhu Chuanzong had just released him and reinstated him. He was a highly respected and renowned loyal minister, and at this moment, he stepped forward and proposed, "Have you all forgotten that the late emperor still has bloodlines? Consort Mei has given birth to the late emperor's posthumous child, who is now in the capital! Isn't she the most qualified to inherit the throne?"

Everyone suddenly realized the truth. Before Tang Hui was even born, Consort Mei was banished to the Cold Palace. Tang Zhi knew the inside story, and although he did not harm the mother and child, he also never publicly revealed his status as a prince. Later, he was rescued from the capital by Zhu Chuanzong and remained in the army. It wasn't surprising that the ministers couldn't recall him at first.

Most of the ministers had heard the rumors that Tang Hui was Zhu Chuanzong's son, so they all agreed, saying that the only one qualified to inherit the throne was Consort Mei's son, Tang Hui. In fact, this was a happy ending for everyone. First, the Tang family's empire was preserved, and the ministers wouldn't have a bad name in history; second, Zhu Chuanzong would definitely agree to make Tang Hui emperor, which was much better than Zhu Chuanzong ascending the throne himself.

Zhu Chuanzong hadn't thought that much about it. Seeing the ministers unanimously agreeing to let Bao'er ascend the throne, he was overjoyed and agreed. He thought to himself, "Life is truly unpredictable. My son is going to be emperor?"

Naturally, the happiest person upon hearing this news was Consort Mei. She didn't know that Zhu Chuanzong didn't want to be emperor, and thought he had given up the throne for his son. She felt both sweet and touched, and said softly, "You're so good to us, mother and son. Don't worry, we'll listen to you in everything from now on."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "However, once Bao'er becomes emperor, you'll be the Empress Dowager, and you'll have to live in the palace permanently, not with me. Besides, politics is the darkest and most treacherous place; being emperor isn't necessarily a good thing. Perhaps I should think of another way..."

Consort Mei smiled and said, "It's something I'd be more than happy to have Bao'er become emperor. As for me, we can still meet in the palace as before. Who dares to say anything? For my son, I'm not afraid of any hardship."

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "Is power really that good? I'm afraid not."

But Tang Hui's ascension to the throne was already a done deal, and with Consort Mei's strong support, he said nothing more.

The next day, the enthronement ceremony was held. Consort Mei was made Empress Dowager, and Tang Hui, dressed in imperial robes, sat on the throne in her arms, receiving the homage of the officials. Zhu Chuanzong stood at the head of the officials. Because of his great merit, Consort Mei, who should now be called Empress Dowager, specially granted him the right not to kneel before the emperor, so he only bowed slightly.

The reason for this was simple: Tang Hui was actually his son, and there was no reason for a father to kneel before his son. Of course, the common people didn't know the intricacies of the matter and only envied Zhu Chuanzong's high position and unparalleled honor.

At this time, the Empress Dowager issued an edict to reward the meritorious officials. The first to be rewarded was Zhu Chuanzong. He stepped forward and bowed to receive his conferment. The eunuch, who was to read the imperial edict, said, "Zhu Chuanzong has eliminated traitors and upheld the state. His character is noble and his virtue renowned throughout the land. He is hereby appointed Regent Prince, concurrently serving as Left Chancellor, to manage national affairs before the Emperor assumes full power. He is also granted the honorific title of 'Uncle Father'..." He

was interrupted halfway through the reading by Tang Hui's cry.

Tang Hui was now two years old. He was naturally intelligent and could already read and write at a young age, understanding many things. However, he was still young, and seeing so many unfamiliar faces and such a grand scene, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. When he saw the most familiar person standing in front of him, as if he had found a reliance, he momentarily forgot Consort Mei's usual instructions and called out to Zhu Chuanzong, "Father!" The entire court

was stunned upon hearing this.

After a moment, the court erupted in commotion. Many ministers were extremely excited, exclaiming, "Truly, Heaven blesses our dynasty! Heaven blesses our dynasty!"

It turned out that the title "Uncle Father" had a story behind it. In ancient times, there was a sage who served as prime minister. The emperor was too young to handle state affairs, so this sage managed

them. To show respect for the sage, the emperor bestowed upon him the title of "Uncle-Father," meaning someone to be respected like a father. This emperor later became a renowned wise ruler. Now, the young Emperor Tang Hui is not even two years old, yet he already understands the importance of treating scholars with respect and obedience, showing deference to the most important minister of the court—it's truly unbelievable. With such a wise ruler, how could the court not prosper in the future?

A group of loyal ministers, led by Huang Tianyou, were moved to tears, repeatedly praising the harmonious relationship between the emperor and the regent, saying it would surely be a beautiful story in the future.

Of course, the ministers also understood that Zhu Chuanzong's power and position were now unshakeable. Normally, a minister's high merit overshadowing the emperor is a major taboo, and some worried that Zhu Chuanzong would be suspected. But seeing the young emperor's trust and affection for him, it's easy to imagine that Zhu Chuanzong will have everything he wants in the court.

Following this, the meritorious officials were all rewarded. Wang Dingkun was appointed Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces, commanding all the armies in the country. Zhu Youji, Hua Wenzhang, and other veteran officials who had been dismissed by Pang Laixiao were reinstated. Wang Daniu and others were also promoted, which need not be detailed.

Two individuals were somewhat special. One was Wu Siyuan. Given his talent and merits, he could have been appointed Right Chancellor, but he resolutely refused, saying he didn't want to be an official, and finally reluctantly accepted the sinecure of Grand Tutor. The other was Shui Fengliang, the leader of the Laozi sect. He was originally a wanted criminal, but he rendered several merits during Zhu Chuanzong's uprising, thus being granted a powerless official position. However, he was forbidden from spreading Laozi's teachings.

Shui Fengliang was overjoyed and readily agreed. Besides, why would he need to deceive the people after becoming an official? People would naturally flock to him. Therefore, he accepted the imperial decree with gratitude, overjoyed beyond measure.

The new emperor ascended the throne, granted a general amnesty, and the whole country rejoiced! On the second day after his ascension to the throne, Tang Zhi, led by the Empress Dowager, along with ministers and surviving members of the imperial family, went to the ancestral temple to

pay respects to the late emperor. Tang Zhi was posthumously honored as "Xianzong," and his memorial tablet was placed next to that of the late Emperor Mingzong. Facing these two tablets, Zhu Chuanzong felt a pang of guilt. On one hand, he felt guilty for having wronged Emperor Mingzong, yet he had caused his death; on the other hand, he was saddened that he had failed to save Tang Zhi's life.

Princess Chang Le, being a member of the imperial family, was also present. After the ceremony, Zhu Chuanzong went to find her, only to find her pale and tear-streaked, as if she had just been crying. He asked worriedly, "Xi'er, are you alright?"

Princess Chang Le seemed reluctant to speak, replying, "I'm fine,"

before turning and leaving in her carriage. Zhu Chuanzong thought that she must be saddened by seeing the memorial tablets of her father and brother; although he was worried, it was only natural, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Princess Chang Le bid farewell to Zhu Chuanzong and returned to the palace. She had indeed felt remorse and guilt after seeing Emperor Mingzong's memorial tablet, thinking of her beloved father who was now separated from her by death. Moreover, she and her family were also involved in his death, which intensified her feelings. Seeing Zhu Chuanzong would only deepen her guilt, so she didn't say much and returned home.

She was still living in her old residence in the palace, built especially for her by Emperor Mingzong. Every table, chair, and plant was specially added by her father according to her preferences. Princess Chang Le sat by the window, recalling the countless times she and her father had talked heart-to-heart here. Her father's gentle and loving smile seemed to still be before her eyes. Seeing these things only deepened her sorrow.

The more she thought about it, the more heartbroken she became, and she couldn't help but lie on the bed and cry bitterly. She was frail, and exhausted from crying, she slowly fell asleep.

Faintly, a voice called out, "Xi'er, Xi'er! Child!"

Princess Chang Le recognized the voice and opened her eyes, exclaiming with delight, "Father!"

Emperor Mingzong sat smiling by the bedside and said, "Daughter, why are you crying again? Who dared to make my daughter so sad?"

Princess Chang Le quickly wiped away her tears and smiled, "No, I just...missed Father."

Emperor Mingzong sighed and said, "Silly child, Father misses you too. Of all my children, you are the one I love the most, so I couldn't rest easy and came to see you."

After a while, he frowned and said, "Daughter, I heard you are a fairy descended from heaven, and now Pang Laixiao..." "You've been eliminated, and peace has returned to the world. Your mission is complete. Why haven't you returned to heaven yet?"

Princess Chang Le blushed and whispered, "I, I..."

Emperor Mingzong's face darkened. He said, "Are you still thinking about Zhu Chuanzong? Don't you know that he's the one who killed your father?"

Princess Chang Le said urgently, "He didn't mean it. He regrets it, which is why he named Bao'er Tang Hui (meaning 'repentance'). Father, please forgive him!"

Emperor Mingzong shook his head. "You're really confused. Is it worth it for you to be so good to him? You've been devoted to him, but he has three wives and four concubines and is unfaithful everywhere. What are you to him? Fine, I don't care anymore. You'd better take care of yourself."

He made as if to leave.

Princess Chang Le cried out urgently, "Father, don't go!"

She reached out to grab him, but grabbed nothing. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on the embroidered couch, with nothing in front of her. It was all just a dream. Princess Chang Le sat up, leaning against the headboard, lost in thought for a long time. Tears streamed down her face again, soaking her clothes.

When Princess Chang Le descended to the mortal realm, she consumed the elixir of immortality from Laozi, retaining the wisdom of a deity. Her destiny was to balance good and evil in the human world and prevent Pang Laixiao from causing chaos. Now that her mission was complete, she only needed to see through the illusions of the mortal world to ascend to immortality and return to the carefree heavenly realm. Moreover, she had accumulated great merit by helping the sick and common people in the mortal world, and it was certain that she would become a high-ranking Golden Immortal upon returning to heaven.

Princess Chang Le possessed extremely high wisdom and had witnessed the vicissitudes and hardships of the human world, long ago seeing through the illusions of the mortal world. The only thing binding her was her feelings for Zhu Chuanzong. Now, her heart was completely entangled with Zhu Chuanzong, and she could not let go of him no matter what.

But what did Zhu Chuanzong think? Recalling what Mingzong had said in her dream, Princess Chang Le was uncertain and inevitably felt anxious and uncertain.

One moment she thought, "Our two lifetimes of love must mean his feelings for me are genuine."

The next she thought, "All men in the world are fickle and heartless; there's no exception. He always says he loves me the most, yet he's been with so many women. He once said he would marry me, but now he doesn't mention it anymore. Were all those sweet words just lies?" Lost

in these thoughts, more than half a month passed. During this time, Zhu Chuanzong was busy with state affairs and rarely came to visit. Princess Chang Le couldn't bear it any longer and sent someone to invite Zhu Chuanzong, wanting to get to the bottom of things.

Soon the maid returned, saying that Lord Zhu Chuanzong wasn't at his residence; the Empress Dowager had summoned him to discuss important matters.

Princess Chang Le was somewhat displeased upon hearing this, thinking, "What important matters? It's nothing more than…"

Knowing that the two had gone to meet secretly again, and remembering her father, Emperor Mingzong, she felt even more depressed. However, she still decided to go see Zhu Chuanzong herself.

Consort Mei, now the Empress Dowager, naturally lived in a different place. The Cining Palace, the most prestigious residence in the inner palace, was not only magnificent and opulent but also heavily guarded. Princess Chang Le, without any attendants, strolled to the gate, only to be stopped by a young eunuch who said, "Halt! This is the

Empress Dowager's palace. Unauthorized persons, please leave immediately!" Princess Chang Le was taken aback. She was without attendants and dressed in her usual elegant attire, making it impossible to discern her status as a princess. Having recently returned from war, many eunuchs and maids in the palace were newly recruited, and Princess Chang Le, always discreet, was even more unfamiliar with her; thus, the young eunuch did not recognize her. Princess Chang Le smiled and said, "I'm here to see Regent Zhu."

The young eunuch, a close attendant of the Empress Dowager, though of low rank, was still respected and fawned upon by everyone. He assumed Princess Chang Le was just a palace maid, and seeing her indifferent expression, he felt a surge of anger. He said sternly, "The Empress Dowager and His Highness the Regent have both ordered that no one be allowed in. If you don't leave now, they'll have you arrested. Hurry up!"

Princess Chang Le said, "I am Chang Le..."

She stopped mid-sentence, a pang of bitterness rising in her heart. She thought, "They're having a secret rendezvous, deeply in love. Why should I go and invite trouble? Since they forbid seeing anyone, that includes me. What's the point of me barging in just because I'm a princess?"

She stood blankly at the palace gate for a moment, sighed, and walked away dejectedly.

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