When Yue Jinghua thought of Fa Xiaoyi, the bite mark left by Fa Xiaoyi on her neck, filled with hatred, started to burn and ache intensely.
Fa Xiaoyi seed different.
Yue Jinghua sighed, rubbed her forehead, and began to carefully analyze the two pieces of intelligence from the Eagle Departnt in her hands.
Upon reviewing it, Yue Jinghua couldn’t help but admire the Eagle Departnt’s outstanding ability to gather information.
The two pieces of intelligence she held were even more comprehensive than all the data held by Princess Long Xue and the Military Departnt.
From the Northern Expedition Army’s journey to Shang Kingdom, through to Little Jinuo leading a group of Dragon Riders deep into the Mist Canyon, every detail was almost as if it had been tracked and recorded all along.
Amongst them, what impressed Yue Jinghua most was Fa Xiaoyi’s style of action and combat.
Before the Northern Expedition Army campaigned against Shang Kingdom,
he first launched a surprise attack, capturing Sha Fei and the little Prince of Shang Kingdom.
He then used the lives of Sha Fei and her son to force Little Jinuo and Zhan BeiAo, who had rushed there without settling their camp, to disagree, splitting the original Northern Expedition forces into two.
Then he set up a trap at a banquet, luring Zhan BeiAo into the palace, and ambushed him in Shang Palace, killed Zhan BeiAo, publicly exposed the illicit relationship between Sha Fei and Zhan BeiAo to the citizens of Shang Kingdom, executed the young emperor, and used this to claim revenge for his older brother, reviving Shang Kingdom’s spirits, mobilizing the citizens of Shang Kingdom to resist the Northern Expedition Army, and signed a non-aggression pact with Rui Song Federation.
Step by step, all were ticulously designed, revealing his thorough thinking and careful considerations.
In Shang Kingdom previously, Yue Jinghua never truly considered Fa Xiaoyi a rival; in her eyes, Fa Xiaoyi was just a selfish and reckless prince whose downfall was due to his lack of consideration, eventually allowing Zhan BeiAo a foothold to et a tragic end.
However, Fa Xiaoyi’s style of action in this Northern Expedition was completely different.
The original Fa Xiaoyi was like a ferocious beast, knowing only how to advance, but not when to retreat.
Now, he seed more like a lurking viper, asuring his advances and retreats, and striking at the most opportune ti to swallow his prey unguarded.
After reading the two intelligence reports from the Eagle Departnt, Yue Jinghua had a new premonition that Yue Minzhi’s trip to the Imperial City to report his duties might not go too smoothly.
In the Imperial City, apart from Zhan Tian, there might be no suitable general left to go to Shang Kingdom for reinforcents.
Yue Minzhi’s return was ill-tid.
After reading all the information, Yue Jinghua closed the intelligence report.
She pondered for a mont, put the intelligence report back into the Desire Gourd, and returned to Duke Mansion first.
As she expected, Yue Minzhi had not returned since entering the palace.
After chatting with Lie Rou for a few monts, she ordered Shalman to prepare the royal attire for entering the palace, changed her outfit, and then went to seek an audience with Princess Long Xue.
Inside the Imperial City, Princess Long Xue was just finishing discussing the Northern Expedition with Yue Minzhi. Shocked, Yue Minzhi was also hesitant about the princess’s request for him to go to Shang Kingdom.
Zhan Tian also brought up the matter of an assassin occurring in the Imperial City, and disclosed it as well.
Yue Minzhi, as a subject, found it difficult to refuse the commands of the Princess.
However, he had only returned to the Imperial City half a day ago, and the accompanying Dragon Knights had yet to rest and recuperate. If they were to head to the Shang Kingdom imdiately, weary from the travel, they would likely be at the end of their strength even upon arrival.
Moreover, understanding his own military capabilities well, even with "War Corpses" Zhan BeiAo dying in the Shang Kingdom, what ability did he have to capture Fa Xiaoyi?
Although Yue Minzhi was naturally loyal and honest, he was no fool, carrying the blood of Blood Sakura Duke Yue Nian in his veins.
"It’s not that your servant is unwilling to serve, but the Dragon Knights, having experienced the southern campaign, are physically and ntally depleted, and several Sub-Asian Dragons are ill, requiring at least half a month of recuperation before we can march again," Yue Minzhi tactfully declined, using the illness of the Sub-Asian Dragons as an excuse to block Princess Long Xue’s command.
Half a month?
With the current urgent situation of the Northern Expedition, even using the fastest empty ship of the Empire, it takes seven to eight days from the Imperial City to the Shang Kingdom.
Together with the half-month period of rest, it is feared that Little Jinuo and others will have already been defeated,
If Little Jinuo dies in battle in the Shang Kingdom, along with the loss of dozens of Dragon Knights, where will the prestige of the Dragon War Empire stand?
Upon hearing this, Princess Long Xue showed displeasure on her face.
However, the reasoning of Yue Minzhi was indeed sensible, and if she forced him, it might provoke backlash from the Dragon Knights, leaving Princess Long Xue no choice but to look to Zhan Tian for help with a pleading gaze.
Zhan Tian furrowed his brows and pondered for a mont, about to speak, when he saw a Female Official whispering in Princess Long Xue’s ear.
After listening, Princess Long Xue’s expression imdiately brightened from gloom to sunshine. She coughed softly, showing empathy, allowing Yue Minzhi to return to Duke Mansion to recuperate first, and in a few days, he would be conferred honors in the Imperial City for his rits in the southern expedition.
Seeing Princess Long Xue suddenly soften, Yue Minzhi wiped off his cold sweat, not daring to ask further, and respectfully retreated.
As soon as Yue Minzhi left, Liao Yuejinghua entered the palace on the heels of his departure.
"It’s you?!" Upon seeing Liao Yuejinghua, Zhan Tian frowned and scoffed coldly.
Liao Yuejinghua impersonating his brother and secretly learning the skills of the Dragon King Domain was like a thorn in Zhan Tian’s heart, prickling him from ti to ti.
"Liao Yuejinghua, what have you done?" Princess Long Xue sneered mysteriously, looking at Liao Yuejinghua with deep and inscrutable eyes.
"To serve the Princess is my honor," Liao Yuejinghua knew she was inquiring about the matter regarding Long Jiuzun, but did not explicitly say so. The two exchanged looks as if playing a ga of charades, leaving Zhan Tian by their side full of suspicion.
"I’ll address the matter of the southern campaign later. I ask you, the words you had the Female Official tell just now, are they true?" Princess Long Xue couldn’t contain herself any longer, even soone as calm as her could hardly keep her composure in such a troubling situation.
The words Liao Yuejinghua had just relayed through the Female Official scratched at her heart like a kitten’s paw, making her unbearably curious.
"It is indeed true. As long as Princess Long Xue can agree to my conditions, I can ensure that within two days, without deploying any soldiers from the Empire, we can rush to the Shang Kingdom to save Lord Little Jinuo and secure victory in the Northern Expedition," Liao Yuejinghua stated unhurriedly, his eyes brimming with confidence.
"Two days? Absurd. How could it possibly take only two days to travel from the Imperial City to the Shang Kingdom?" Zhan Tian heard this and shook his head repeatedly.
"State your conditions," Princess Long Xue signaled Zhan Tian not to interrupt, trusting that Liao Yuejinghua would not make empty promises.
"My conditions are actually quite simple, just a trivial effort for the Princess. First, please rge the two counties of Fengdan and Bailu into one and transfer them to the possession of the Duke Mansion, while also waiving taxes in these counties for the next ten years. Second, grant a marriage between the Duke Mansion and the National Guardian General Residence. Third, if we succeed in the Northern Expedition, please decree the July rcenary Corps as the Dragon War First Army," Liao Yuejinghua spoke clearly, his voice like pearls dropping to the ground..assertIn his words, echoing in the ears of both listeners, exploded like a thunderclap, leaving them utterly stunned.
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