Within the secret room.

Yuan Chenghuan's face was as pale as paper, and he stared at Wang De in front of him with a complicated expression.

His complex expression was not because of fear in his heart, but because he was disturbed by the naked cruelty before his eyes.

Just a few words determined the lives of thousands of people.

This made him feel the horror of power for the first time, and he deeply realized what it meant to have a life as cheap as paper.

"Lord Wang, is there no other way?" he couldn't help but ask, his voice trembling slightly.

"Any other options?" Wang De sneered, his eyes flashing with disdain. He looked at Yuan Chenghuan, a sarcastic smile on his face, and said coldly: "If you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? If you had been able to wipe out the rebels in Yangzhou before, how could those innocent people have suffered this disaster?"

Yuan Chenghuan's heart was shaken, and his face suddenly turned pale. He realized that Wang De's words had touched his soft spot, revealing the memory that he had been most reluctant to recall for a long time.

Facing the king's ridicule, he was speechless for a moment, and could not think of any reason to refute.

In fact, when it comes down to it, this matter is really the responsibility of them, the generals.

If they had been more courageous and put aside their personal desires, how could such a small army of rebels have been able to sweep the world like it is today?

In any case, their duty as generals is to defend their country and guard the territory.

Now that Daqian is in such a situation, those who lead the troops have an unshirkable responsibility.

"If you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? If you had been able to wipe out the rebel army when you were in Yangzhou, how could those innocent people have suffered this disaster?"

"General, do you have any other way to turn the tide at this moment?" Wang De's voice was like an ice-cold blade, piercing into Yuan Chenghuan's heart, making him feel invisible pressure.

"This...!" Yuan Chenghuan's voice was suppressed in his throat, and a wave of shame and self-blame surged in his heart.

He understood that what Wang De said was true. If he wanted to annihilate the rebel army and unify the world again, this was the only way to do it.

At this moment, he was in this position and had no way out.

"In that case, then I will follow your majesty's will." He finally said through gritted teeth, but secretly prayed in his heart that all this would be as Wang De said, and would bring victory to Daqian instead of an innocent disaster.

"Very good, I will report to your majesty immediately, and the plan can begin!" Wang De showed a satisfied smile, with a sinister light flashing in his eyes. "Then, next we must prepare well to ensure the smooth implementation of the plan."

"Is it really worth paying such a price?" Knowing that he could no longer stop everything, Yuan Chenghuan felt sad and sighed helplessly.

There was a slight tremor in his voice, and his tone was more sad than ever before.

Wang De stopped, looked back at him, and smiled coldly: "Cost? In the game of power, the cost is never a problem. What matters is who wins."

……

Hanzhou, Qianqing Palace.

The once magnificent hall has now become extremely deserted and lonely. The golden dragons and jade phoenixes that were once inlaid on the walls are now dim, as if they are also feeling endless sorrow for the former glory.

The long-burning candle flickered in the cold wind, just like Daqian in the storm. Liu Wulie's mood was also like the candle, sometimes bright, sometimes dim.

Unable to sleep all night, he wandered aimlessly in the palace, with a few guards following him here and there.

Looking at the bleak and miserable scene before his eyes, Liu Wulie felt an indescribable pain in his heart.

He was shocked to see the devastation. The greater the glory of the hall was in his memory, the angrier he felt at this moment. The past glory seemed to be silently mocking his incompetence and failure.

"Whose fault is this?"

"I once had lofty ambitions and was determined to be loved by everyone, but the times are difficult. He has done his best."

"I've paid enough attention to it, but why can't I compare to that thief Lin..."

He gnashed his teeth in his heart, thinking of Lin Zhongyun angrily. Now, the devastated scene shocked him, and the anger in his heart surged like a tide.

It would be fine if he was a ruthless and incompetent ruler who knew nothing and brought Daqian to this point.

But he has obviously worked so hard, and has been dedicated to governing the country without slacking off for the moment, so why is the situation still like this?
He had clearly made efforts, but the result was dismal, and this was what he could not accept the most.

"Lin Zhongyun!"

"That's right, it's Lin Zhongyun. All this is because of you."

"If you hadn't appeared, in a dozen years, when I had completely taken control of the government, I would have done the same thing as you, and even better than you."

Gradually, his eyes became bloodshot and he let out hysterical roars that echoed in the silent and deserted hall, as if he wanted to vent all the pain and anger in his heart.

At this moment, his anger towards Lin Zhongyun had surged to the extreme, to the point where it could not be increased any more. He had only one thought in his mind, which was to make Lin Zhongyun pay a heavy price.

Just when he was filled with anger, the spy beside him came hurriedly with a serious face, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. There is news from Wang De that the Northern Barbarian Army has joined forces with General Yuan and is now stationed in Miyun City."

"Now everything is ready, we just need to wait for your Majesty's order and we can act immediately."

The spy's words were like a strong wind, instantly blowing away Liu Wulie's anger and frustration. A glimmer of hope ignited in his heart, as if he saw an opportunity to reverse the situation.

"Gather everyone immediately and get ready to go!" Liu Wulie's voice was firm and powerful, and the anger in his heart turned into the driving force for action.

"Lin Zhongyun, I will let you know that Liu Wulie is by no means incompetent!" He muttered to himself, with a firm light flashing in his eyes, as well as a deep hatred for Lin Zhongyun.

This time he swore that even if he could not reverse the current situation, he would make Lin Zhongyun pay a heavy price.

At this time, he was already blinded by anger. Victory or defeat no longer mattered. The only thing that mattered was killing Lin Zhongyun.

……

At the same time, at the northern barbarian border.

Li Zhongwu, who was inside the big tent, had a frown on his face and looked solemn. He did not feel relaxed.

He clenched his hands behind his back, his knuckles white, as if he was suppressing the anxiety surging in his heart. He paced back and forth in the big tent, and his footsteps echoed in the wide tent, seeming particularly clear and heavy.

The deputy general stood aside, looking worried, and began to get nervous. "General, even if there is something fishy going on with the northern barbarians, we shouldn't be so panicked, right?"

He raised his head slowly, speaking carefully, fearing to anger the usually calm and decisive general.

Li Zhongwu, who is the bravest among the three armies and is known as the "God of Killing", has always been the mainstay on the battlefield.

After he became Li Zhongwu's deputy general, he had never seen Li Zhongwu so anxious. This really made him a little confused. Obviously, the rebel army had the momentum to sweep across the country, so why was it still so panicked.

It even seemed to him that Li Zhongwu was scaring himself.

Facing the deputy general's question, Li Zhongwu glanced at him, a trace of fatigue flashed in his eyes, but he did not respond. He continued to pace back and forth in the tent, but his heart was already turbulent.

In fact, he had been waiting for news from the front.

It is true that the rebels are now invincible, but what he is considering now is not just the impact on himself, but the impact on the entire war situation.

The war situation changes rapidly, and any clue may become the key to changing the situation.

First of all, the actions of the rebels are definitely abnormal, and they must be planning something in secret.

He was not worried about the rebels planning an ambush for him ahead, because he was now confident enough to deal with everything that lay ahead.

This had been prepared as early as when he decided to go deep into the heart of the grassland.

What he was really worried about was that the Northern Barbarians' conspiracy was not aimed at him, but at the rebel army in the rear.

The reason why he went deep into the heart of the grassland this time was to buy time for the rebel army and disrupt the plans of the Northern Barbarians.

But now?

They did not disrupt the Northern Barbarians' plans, they were still preparing for something step by step.

The importance of getting Chagan Uli to abandon his rear base and ignore the plan is self-evident. It may even turn the entire battle situation around. Otherwise, they would not have taken such a big risk.

If the Northern Barbarians succeed in their conspiracy, the entire rebel army will face an unprecedented crisis.

"Did I really underestimate their determination?" Li Zhongwu thought to himself, frowning more and more, as if he wanted to turn all his worries into an invisible pressure. He looked through the tent and looked at the grassland in the distance, feeling a little uneasy.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves came from outside the big tent, and the spies that had been sent out also returned.

Seeing the spies, Li Zhongwu walked out of the tent quickly and asked impatiently, "How is it? Have you confirmed it? Is Chagan Wuli in the big tent?"

There were three spies who went there, but only one came back, and that person was covered in wounds, obviously having paid a heavy price.

"General, after our investigation, we can confirm that there is no Northern Barbarian Khan Chagan Wuli in the tent. We have been deceived!"

The spy said this with a pale face. Although his voice was hoarse, his tone was extremely certain.

This is not because of anything else, but because this result was discovered by their brothers at the cost of their lives.

Upon hearing the news, Li Zhongwu's heart sank. What he had worried about had indeed happened.

Chagan Uli, the leader of the Northern Barbarians, quietly slipped away at this time, obviously for more important matters, and his target was undoubtedly the rebel army in front.

This means that the Northern Barbarians really have a conspiracy against the rebels.

"Quick, send a pigeon to inform King Wu of this news immediately." He couldn't help but shout, his voice was like thunder, instantly shaking the entire tent.

The deputy general was stunned for a moment, then nodded and quickly went to convey the order.

They originally wanted to use this move to contain the Northern Barbarians, but they didn't expect that the Northern Barbarians would outwit them, attract their attention, and contain them here.

……

Yangzhou, Yunfu City.

Yuan Jingxin, who had been blamed before, was now standing in front of Lin Zhongyun, silent as a cicada. His heart was like a raging tide, with anxiety and uneasiness intertwined, making it almost impossible for him to control himself.

It was already the second day, but none of the spies he had sent out had any news. This silence made him feel like he was in endless darkness, like an ant on a hot pot, and his heart was so anxious that it almost jumped out of his chest.

"How is it? Is there any unusual movement in Yangzhou?"

Lin Zhongyun put his hands behind his back, looked at Hanzhou opposite him, and spoke slowly.

His voice was calm and majestic, and his eyes were as sharp as a knife, staring straight at Yuan Jingxin.

Yuan Jingxin's heart suddenly tightened, as if there was a thorn in his back, but he pretended to be calm, gritted his teeth, and tried hard to suppress the uneasiness in his heart.

"Your Highness... I have already sent out spies yesterday, and I believe the news will come back soon."

He stammered in response, his voice trembling slightly. Lin Zhongyun frowned slightly, as if he was not satisfied with his answer. Looking at the extremely frightened Yuan Jingxin, he snorted coldly, turned his back and said nothing more.

In fact, the reason why he blamed Yuan Jingxin in this way was also to warn him.

After all, it is wishful thinking and impossible to uncover the evil plot of the Northern Barbarians in such a short time. All he wants is Yuan Jingxin's attitude.

Yuan Jingxin took immediate action after he went down, and did not make up lies to deceive him, which made him very satisfied.

If you don't have the ability, you can train it.

However, once you have other thoughts, it will be difficult to correct them.

Yuan Jingxin knelt on the ground in fear and trepidation, not daring to breathe, his heart filled with uneasiness.

After waiting for a long time without seeing any further news, he dared to slowly look up. Seeing that Lin Zhongyun did not look angry at all, he immediately understood what was going on and the huge stone in his heart finally fell.

This time,
He made the right bet.

If he dared to fabricate anything false, he would have been beheaded by now.

At this moment, a guard hurriedly climbed up the city wall, shouting: "Urgent report, urgent report, urgent report..."

Yuan Jingxin's heart suddenly shook, as if he had grasped a glimmer of hope. He looked outside the hall unconsciously, hoping that the person who came was the spy he sent to bring news.

Soon, a panting soldier came into his sight. He was pale and terrified. "Your Highness, Your Excellency, General Li has sent an urgent message. They have found out that there is no trace of Chagan Wuli in the pursuit team sent by the Northern Barbarians.

General Li reminded His Highness that the Northern Barbarians were most likely plotting against the Rebel Army, and they seemed to be gathering their forces to launch a large-scale attack. "The soldier reported stutteringly, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.

When Yuan Jingxin heard this, his heart sank and his face became even paler.

But that's it.

Suddenly, there was a loud earth-shaking sound on the distant horizon, and then there was a sudden explosion in Xinfeng City, which was only fifty miles away from Yunfu City, and then a dazzling flame shot straight into the sky... (End of this chapter)