Chapter 134

The war drums thundered as smoke billowed across the battlefield. The two armies clashed, and men fell one after another.

Standing atop the watchtower, Du Guanliu gazed into the distance at the scene below, a mocking smile on his face. “It seems His Majesty has finally grown desperate. He actually dares to launch a direct attack on Shu.”

“Indeed. His Majesty has been reluctant to lead an expedition in person for so long that rumors are now running rampant. The people of Shu all say that beneath his body dwells the soul of the Demon Consort. Having lost the people’s support, how could he not be anxious?”

Beside him, Ruan Xiangsong kept his eyes fixed on the distant battlefield. Seeing that the emperor still had not appeared at the head of the opposing army, his brows gradually relaxed.

“Who would have thought that something as absurd as souls exchanging bodies could actually be real?”

Otherwise, why would the emperor still refuse to lead the army himself in such a crucial battle—one that could determine the outcome of the war?

Du Guanliu smiled as well. “His Majesty’s troops may be elite, but how could they withstand the treacherous terrain? And their commander is a Demon Consort’s soul who knows nothing of warfare. This battle has everything going for Commander Ruan—perfect timing, favorable terrain, and popular support.”

“If we take down the emperor’s army in one fell swoop and behead Tu Shanjin at Hanzhong, then march north all the way to the capital and into the Xuanzheng Hall, forcing the court officials to bow their heads and proclaim us king… it isn’t impossible.”

“It won’t be that easy.” Ruan Xiangsong said this, but the pleased curve of his lips made it clear that he was thinking the very same thing.

Meanwhile, inside the city of Shu, the common people were panic-stricken.

The three great clans continuously sent people out to gather intelligence. Only after one victory report after another came back did the clan heads finally breathe a sigh of relief, smiles spreading across their faces.

They had made the right bet!

With the merit of helping a new emperor rise to power, the three great clans of the future Yan Chi might even enter the imperial court as high ministers. To leave their grace upon the ages was not beyond the realm of possibility!

At the thought of this, the heads of the three great clans leisurely took a sip of tea and began imagining the glorious lives that awaited them.

Suddenly, an urgent report shattered their comfort.

“Report! Another army has arrived west of Guangyuan. It is the rebel army led by Chu Fei!”

The cups in the clan heads’ hands trembled, splashing tea onto their sleeves.

“They’re trying to take advantage of the chaos to seize our grain and people again?”

“No! It looks like the entire rebel army has been mobilized! And they’re headed for Commander Ruan’s forces. They intend to attack Shu as well!”

“What?!”

The clan heads could no longer remain seated.

At the Hanzhong military camp, Yun Yaoyao received the news as well.

At last, her brows relaxed, and the heavy stone weighing on her heart finally fell away.

Chu Fei had ultimately accepted the Son of Heaven’s order.

Throughout history, countless popular uprisings had risen in Shu, but all had vanished as quickly as they appeared. Some were swiftly crushed by local warlords, while others destroyed themselves through internal strife.

Baifeng Stockade was the first to become powerful enough to make the local forces wary—and leave them helpless against it.

The arrival of Baifeng Stockade would directly turn the tide of the current situation!

A figure entered the tent from outside and hurried toward Yun Yaoyao, pulling her into his arms.

“Yaoyao, thank you.”

Yun ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍Yaoyao knew that he was referring to the rebel army.

Regardless of whether the rebels joined them or not, Tu Shanjin would still lead the imperial army into Shu in person today.

Their chances of victory had been six out of ten, but the soldiers’ casualties would have been devastating.

With the rebels’ aid, however, their chances had risen to ninety-nine percent. It would be an overwhelming victory, and countless lives would be spared.

Yun Yaoyao personally helped Tu Shanjin put on his armor. The metal was cold beneath her fingers, while the distant shouts and cries of battle drifted faintly into the tent. Her fingers tightened slightly.

The soldiers who had once followed Tu Shanjin were always talking about how brave and wise he had been, how he had slain countless enemies. Yet now that he was truly going to the battlefield again, Yun Yaoyao still could not stop herself from worrying.

“No matter what happens, you must come back to me in one piece.” Yun Yaoyao placed the final helmet upon his head, fixed her eyes on his, and spoke with grave emphasis. “Every word of that is important.”

“Mm. I will.” Tu Shanjin lowered his eyes. One hand stroked the tense, rigid line of Yun Yaoyao’s back again and again as he made her a promise. “Once we suppress the rebellion in Shu, we’ll return to the capital, and we’ll never be apart ag—”

Hearing this, Yun Yaoyao quickly clapped a hand over his mouth and spat three times toward the ground.

Whether in television dramas or novels, whether the character was righteous or a mere cannon fodder, anyone who dared to make a promise like that was destined to die in the end. Without exception!

“Once I finish this last job, I’ll retire from the world and live an ordinary life with you forever.” Ending: dead.

“Once I return from this battle, we’ll never be separated again.” Ending: dead.

“Once I…” Ending: dead.

The classic death flag.

“All right, all right. Hurry up and go.” Yun Yaoyao pushed Tu Shanjin out of the tent.

She stood at the entrance and watched his retreating figure.

Clad in full battle armor, Tu Shanjin carried an aura as cold and imposing as frost. Even standing before thousands of troops, he seemed like a towering mountain pressing down from above, too formidable to look upon directly. The sword in his hand caught the morning light, reflecting a frigid gleam.

“All soldiers, heed my command! Du Guanliu and Ruan Xiangsong are traitors who intend to usurp the throne and have raised a rebellion in Shu! To preserve the mountains and rivers of Yan Chi and restore peace to Shu, follow me in suppressing the rebellion and executing these traitors!”

At that moment, the city of Shu had descended into chaos.

When the three great clans learned that the rebel army was attacking Guangyuan alongside the emperor’s forces, they were so enraged that they could think of nothing else. They immediately prepared to dispatch the private troops they had raised to reinforce Ruan Xiangsong’s army.

But before they could give the order, all three clan heads spat up blood. Under the broad daylight, they inexplicably dropped dead at the exact same time!

With the three great clans suddenly deprived of their leaders and facing such a dire crisis, everything descended into disorder.

“What?!”

“Meng Yuncheng and the others are suddenly dead? And all three of them dropped dead without showing any symptoms?”

Ruan Xiangsong swept the sand table from the desk with a furious motion, his eyes bulging with rage.

Just half an incense stick earlier, he had been in high spirits, his mind filled with visions of himself standing in court in a dragon robe while thousands knelt before him.

But in the span of half an incense stick, the situation had completely reversed. The rebel army had joined the battle, and the clan heads who were supposed to support him had all died at once.

“How could this happen?”

“How could this happen?!”

With his hopes shattered, Ruan Xiangsong’s chest heaved violently.

Beside him, cold sweat streamed down Du Guanliu’s temples, but he did not dare make a sound.

Then another urgent report arrived.

“Report! The rest of the emperor’s army is also advancing straight toward Guangyuan. The one leading them is… is the emperor himself!”

“What?!” Du Guanliu was the first to cry out.

When he saw the murderous look in Ruan Xiangsong’s eyes, Du Guanliu hurriedly said, “It must be that Demon Consort trying to boost morale. Once she reaches the real battlefield, she’ll certainly lose her nerve!”

Another half an incense stick passed before yet another urgent report arrived.

“Report! The Son of Heaven is valiant and skilled in battle. With the Grand General’s elite troops protecting him at his side, he has already personally slain fifty men beneath his horse and shattered the rumors about the Demon Consort!”

“And… and our army’s morale is collapsing further and further. The enemy is proclaiming that the Shu army has been misled by rumors, and that the Son of Heaven, in his great mercy, is willing to give the Shu soldiers a chance. Anyone who lays down his weapon will be spared… A few soldiers have already begun considering surrender!”

Du Guanliu’s eyes widened in disbelief. He was about to speak when a flash of cold light cut through the air.

Du Guanliu let out a scream. In his fury, Ruan Xiangsong had actually hacked off his other arm as well!

Blood splattered across Ruan Xiangsong’s face. At that moment, he looked grim and terrifying, like a demon from the depths of a dark forest.

“Shoot anyone who dares surrender.”

“No matter the cost, we must not let them enter Shu!”

But when the tide had turned, how easy was it to reverse the outcome?

The Battle of Guangyuan lasted less than a day. The Ruan army was routed and fled south into Shu.

The gates of Shu were breached, and two armies entered the region in unison.

At the very front, two people rode side by side atop tall, powerful horses.

The man wore blood-red armor and held a longsword in his hand. His features were cold and severe, and his solitary bearing radiated the noble, imposing presence of a ruler—so formidable that no one dared meet his gaze.

The woman wore a crimson robe. Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn waters, and her complexion was as radiant as the first light of spring. Half of her ink-black hair was swept up with a golden hairpin. As the cold wind whipped her red robes into flames, she seemed almost like a goddess descending into the mortal world.

The two led the long procession of soldiers behind them. Their passage was breathtaking and heart-stirring, leaving behind only the heavy stench of blood and an atmosphere thick with slaughter.

The streets on either side were shuttered tight. The people cowered inside their homes in fear, yet curiosity got the better of them. They secretly cracked open doors and windows, peering out at the army.

The moment they saw the two at its head, the people were stunned by their beauty. Then they realized that these must be the Emperor and Empress.

And so—

The sky over Shu was about to change...