RWNEFE -Chapter 635 Subduing Yuan Lang

“Military Advisor, we can’t keep retreating any longer.”

The subordinates were extremely resistant to this strategy of retreating without fighting. This wasn’t the first time they had voiced their objections.

Che Mingyuan asked Zhao Zheng, “How many cities have we already lost?”

“Six,” Zhao Zheng replied.

“Has Zhou Ruyuan been drawn out yet?”

Zhao Zheng shook his head. “No. He’s very cautious.”

Che Mingyuan said calmly, “Then it means what he’s gained isn’t enough yet.”

The generals below were stunned. Surely they weren’t going to retreat again without a fight?

“Pass down the order. Continue retreating.”

The officers grew anxious.

“Military Advisor, if we retreat any further, how will we explain it to His Majesty once he wakes up?”

Che Mingyuan replied steadily, “Rest assured. I have a way to ensure you can report back satisfactorily.”

“But… we can win! Why retreat?”

Wouldn’t it be better to annihilate them in one decisive blow?

“This is His Majesty’s order,” Che Mingyuan said.

The soldiers immediately fell silent.

Yuan Lang felt somewhat disappointed that His Majesty had not personally led the campaign, though he also understood the reasoning.

After all, on the surface, Zhou Ruyuan was still in control, fighting under the banner of “restoring the imperial bloodline.” If that bloodline were to disappear, they would be labeled rebellious traitors.

“Your Majesty,” Yuan Lang said, “I once made an agreement with the successor of Guigu to compete against him.”

Zhou Ruyuan looked at him steadily. “So?”

“I request to lead troops to issue a challenge.”

Even if it was not an imperial expedition, his appearance as National Preceptor would still boost morale.

Moreover, since he had not yet fulfilled his agreement with the Guigu successor, this request was not abrupt.

Zhou Ruyuan thought for a moment and nodded.

“Approved.”

The next day, Yuan Lang appeared before the battlefield lines and shouted:

“Successor of Guigu, come out and fight!”

“I am Yuan Lang, successor of Thatched Cottage. I have come to answer the challenge!”

The rivalry between Guigu and Thatched Cottage would ultimately have to be settled.

Once the call rang out, both friend and foe alike grew expectant.

“The successors of Guigu and Thatched Cottage are finally facing off.”

“I’ve waited two years for this moment.”

“I thought I would never witness their duel in this lifetime. To think my wish would be fulfilled today.”

“To witness the duel of these two great successors — this life is not wasted.”

“Even if I die after seeing their duel, I would have no regrets.”

Many were stirred with excitement.

On the Eastern Expedition Army’s side, there were also many sighs of anticipation, so much so that Che Mingyuan felt goosebumps.

What no one expected was that Che Mingyuan immediately issued another order to retreat.

Once again, murmurs spread through the Eastern Expedition Army. Fortunately, Shen Lanxi’s lingering authority remained strong — despite the discussions, the order was still carried out.

On the other side, Zhou Yanxing began making plans.

The Eastern Expedition Army’s repeated retreat had boosted Yuan Lang’s prestige. After much consideration, Zhou Yanxing decided to seize military and popular support for himself.

Before departing, he symbolically informed Zhou Ruyuan, then led his forces out under the pretext of “campaigning on behalf of the Son of Heaven.”

When Zhou Ruyuan received the news, he immediately understood his imperial uncle’s intentions and was furious.

“Mobilize the troops at once. I will personally lead the campaign.”

Shen Lanxi was most likely dead. The court was now a piece of fat meat waiting to be carved up. Zhou Yanxing’s move was equivalent to baring his fangs.

Now it was a matter of who could tear off the biggest chunk.

His imperial uncle had finally revealed his true face.

News of Zhou Ruyuan’s personal campaign quickly spread. To get ahead of Zhou Yanxing, he mobilized troops hastily.

From issuing the order to marching out, less than half a day had passed.

Upon receiving the news, Che Mingyuan immediately released carrier pigeons.

That night.

Not long after Yuan Lang entered his tent, he sensed something strange about the air. Before he could react, he fainted.

When he woke up, he thought he was dreaming.

He saw someone he had never expected to see.

“You?”

Jiang Wuya sat before him, smiling faintly.

“I never imagined you were actually the successor of Thatched Cottage,” Jiang Wuya said sincerely.

Yuan Lang felt a sharp pain in his head before clarity returned.

This was no dream. Jiang Wuya was truly before him.

Hadn’t Zhou Ruyuan already executed him? How was he still alive?

Jiang Wuya got straight to the point.

“I’m here on behalf of the court to offer you amnesty and enlist your allegiance.”

Yuan Lang’s pupils contracted in disbelief.

“You must be wondering — how did you end up in front of me when you were clearly in your own camp?” Jiang Wuya asked calmly.

Yuan Lang did not answer. Instead, he surveyed his surroundings.

This was inside a military tent — but not his Jinmen camp tent. There was only one possibility: this was the imperial court’s camp.

“If you were able to bring me here, it means you have people within our ranks,” Yuan Lang said. He was no fool.

Jiang Wuya smiled slightly and spoke a name.

Yuan Lang’s eyes contracted again in shock.

“Our Majesty has said that if you are willing to submit, you will become the Governor of Jinmen.”

Yuan Lang gave a scornful laugh, but suddenly thought of something and his face changed drastically.

“Shen Lanxi isn’t dead?”

Jiang Wuya replied calmly, “Rest assured — even if you die, our Majesty will not.”

A storm surged within Yuan Lang’s heart. How could Shen Lanxi, a woman, command such loyalty? How could so many people willingly follow her?

Clearly, she should have been the one to lose.

“What? You don’t believe we can take Jinmen?”

“Let me tell you — our Majesty not only intends to take Jinmen, but to do so without harming a single civilian, and with the fewest possible casualties.”

Arrogant. Utterly arrogant.

Even a man brimming with heroic spirit would hesitate to make such a bold claim.

Shen Lanxi was neither male nor of imperial blood. By all logic, she should have had no chance of winning.

“Don’t rush to answer me. Just think about how easily we brought you here.”

Either their army was nothing but loose sand, or the number of spies in their ranks had reached an unimaginable scale.

Jiang Wuya continued calmly, “Does Zhou Ruyuan know about your relationship with Zhou Qiwou?”

Yuan Lang’s heart trembled as he stared at him.

“Staring at me won’t help. Zhou Qiwou is not on your side — nor is Zhou Ruyuan.”

“You want to be the foremost strategist, to prove the standing of the Thatched Cottage successor by assisting a wise ruler. But first, you must determine whether that ‘wise ruler’ is a heap of rotten mud or a solid boulder.”

“If you can’t even tell that, then you already lost to the Guigu successor from the start.”

And yet he had dared to clamor for a duel with the Guigu successor. What a joke.

Yuan Lang felt both the embarrassment of having his relationship exposed and the helplessness of his ambition laid bare.

How many wise rulers existed in this world, he did not know. But the ones he encountered time and again were mediocrities.

Jiang Wuya said: “Our Majesty has already proven through actions that grand strategy is not exclusive to men, and heroic spirit is not solely used to describe women. As long as the nation is governed well and the people live in peace and prosperity, the common folk do not care whether the one seated upon the dragon throne is a man or a woman.”