Chapter Forty-One: Arrival at Yin City

News from the frontier continued to arrive, and word had it that Yang Qi had already conquered four cities in succession. He was now reorganizing his forces in Han City, preparing to attack Yin City the following day. On this particular day, Zhongli Yu, after six days of relentless travel both day and night, finally reached Yin City, which had yet to fall.

For several days in a row, Zhan Yan would dine with the old prince almost every day. They rarely spoke of war, living as if nothing were amiss, chatting, sipping tea, playing chess. Their days were tranquil and warm, yet only they knew that their worries grew with every passing day.

When Zhongli Yu arrived in Yin City, night had already fallen. Hearing that Han City had been taken by the enemy, he knew he could not advance further, so he halted to reorganize his troops, preparing to reclaim the lost cities. The three hundred thousand soldiers were all rigorously trained and carefully selected by Zhongli Yu himself. Several deputy generals had also been personally promoted by him.

At the city gate, Liu An, the leader of Yin City, waited with his men. When he saw Zhongli Yu arrive with his army, his anxious heart finally settled. After all, the enemy had conquered four cities in a row, and he had no confidence that he could hold Yin City. Seeing Zhongli Yu now felt like encountering a savior; his voice quivered with excitement. "Prince Chun, we have been hoping for your arrival."

"You have worked hard, General," Zhongli Yu replied calmly.

"Your Highness, you are the one who has worked hard. Please, come inside," Liu An said.

Zhongli Yu nodded.

"We rest tonight and prepare for battle tomorrow," he declared in a deep voice.

"Yes, Your Highness," the soldiers shouted, treating his words as commands.

Early the next morning, Zhongli Yu summoned all the generals to the council hall to discuss strategy.

"We follow Your Highness's orders in all things," they said. Before Prince Chun, none dared to show off. Only recently had they discovered that Zhongli Yu was the commander of the royal elite forces—a revelation that shocked the whole country. They had always heard of Prince Chun's extraordinary talent, unmatched in Dongling, unwilling to participate in politics despite the king's repeated requests. Never did they imagine he was the leader of thirty thousand elite troops.

Zhongli Yu, seeing their attitude, did not feign humility. He assigned roles according to his plan. The generals listened and could not help but silently admire him. In less than half an hour, the battle arrangements were complete. The generals accepted their orders with absolute obedience, each hoping to win a decisive victory and reclaim their homeland.

Zhongli Yu left the council hall. The troops were already assembled, standing tall and ready, awaiting commands. He nodded with satisfaction.

"Brothers, soldiers are raised for a thousand days, used for a single hour. The Xiyuan bandits have broken through four cities in Dongling, seeking to invade our land. We cannot allow this. Behind us are countless citizens of Dongling. We must not retreat. From this moment, our lives are no longer our own—they belong to the people of Dongling. Whether the people can live in peace, whether Dongling's rivers and mountains can be preserved, depends on us," Zhongli Yu called out loudly.

"Never surrender, never surrender!" the soldiers responded in unison.

"Good! Advance toward Han City!" Zhongli Yu commanded, and the troops marched swiftly, heading straight for Han City.

Meanwhile, Yang Qi, who had planned to attack Yin City that day, had already set out. Just as Zhongli Yu predicted, they encountered the enemy halfway. Yang Qi brought three hundred thousand troops; having conquered four cities, their morale was high. Seeing that Zhongli Yu had only brought one hundred thousand, their confidence soared.

"Brothers, charge! Break through Yin City in one strike!" Yang Qi shouted.

But Zhongli Yu had already set up an ambush, waiting for Yang Qi's men to arrive. Yang Qi never expected that Zhongli Yu, who had only reached Yin City the night before, could organize an ambush so quickly. He thought he would catch Zhongli Yu off-guard before his troops were reorganized. But Zhongli Yu was no ordinary man; he anticipated what others could not. This battle, pitting Yang Qi against Zhongli Yu, was destined to end in defeat for Yang Qi.

The news that Prince Chun had routed Yang Qi and reclaimed Han City in a single battle reached the capital before the day was out. Everyone raced to share the good news, and the gloom that had hung over the city for days began to lift. The people were exhilarated, greeting each other with joy, discussing the news as if the Xiyuan invaders had already been expelled from Dongling.

The King of Dongling, too, felt his anxiety ease.

In Pear Fragrance Court, Zhan Yan heard the news, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile. Her troubled heart finally settled somewhat. She should have trusted that he was no ordinary man, and that nothing was beyond his reach. Victory in battle was only to be expected.

Zhan Yan hurried toward the courtyard where the old prince resided, unable to hide her smile.

"Girl, you look so pleased," the old prince said affectionately, casting a loving glance at her. He himself was overjoyed.

"Grandfather, if you're so happy, you should smile! Don't hold it in," Zhan Yan replied, full of cheer.

"Little rascal, teasing your grandfather now," he said, tapping her head.

"Grandfather, dare you say you're not happy?" Zhan Yan shot him a playful glance, her expression adorably mischievous.

"Haha, happy, very happy," the old prince finally couldn't hold back, bursting into laughter.

"Grandfather, let's have extra dishes tonight!" Zhan Yan said joyfully.

"Yes, yes, extra dishes as you wish," he replied, beaming, treating Zhan Yan as a beloved granddaughter.

"Qingyun, did you hear? Go give instructions," Zhan Yan called to Qingyun.

"Yes, miss," Qingyun answered merrily, her face lit with smiles.

Meanwhile, at Han City, Zhongli Yu had just retaken the city and was busy reorganizing his troops, overwhelmed by work. Not until deep into the night did he return to his tent to rest. As the camp grew quiet, his longing for his wife surged within him. It had been seven days since he left the capital. He wondered if she missed him. Since their marriage a month ago, they had never been apart. Now, who knew when this war would end, when he could return to her side.

Though utterly exhausted, Zhongli Yu could not sleep. He stood at the entrance of his tent, gazing steadfastly toward the capital, thinking of the woman he loved to his very core. He did not know when he had begun to love her; it seemed that feeling had been rooted in his heart for a long, long time.

Perhaps it began that first afternoon when he met her; perhaps when he secretly went to Orchid Court to watch her pick pears; perhaps when he followed her and saw her shelter the homeless; perhaps when he saw her help a trafficked girl escape the brothel. Regardless of when it started, she had already taken up residence in his heart, impossible to remove.

She was so kind. Every time he secretly followed her, she was helping others. How could he not love such a woman?

"Your Highness, are you not resting yet?" a guard asked, noticing Zhongli Yu standing before the tent.

"Yes, I'm about to," he replied, giving the capital one last long look before lifting the curtain and entering the tent.

The guard scratched his head. "Did I disturb Prince Chun?" he muttered with a foolish smile, and walked away.