TNIBFT -Chapter 330 One More City

Princess Leyang twirled her fingers around her silk scarf, her gaze playful as she looked at everyone in the main hall.

The princess’s moods were unpredictable; no one dared provoke her.

Everyone stood respectfully, barely daring to breathe. Someone stepped forward, clasping their fists: “Princess, according to the scouts’ report, Ye Tian set out from Sifang City before dawn. At the army’s pace, it will take at least until tomorrow evening to reach Heng City.”

Princess Leyang lowered her head and smiled.

A bunch of idiots!

Another person spoke: “Princess, as for the Xiao siblings, should we release them now? It’s freezing outside. If we wait until Ye Tian reaches Heng City tomorrow, what if they die?”

“Useless!”

Princess Leyang slammed the armrest and suddenly stood up from her chair. Her vermilion hairpin wobbled atop her head. She glared at everyone in the hall: “No wonder Daliang is declining day by day—it’s because of you useless fools!”

“Do we really have to wait until Heng City to kill Ye Tian?”

“Do I need to find him a prime feng shui spot before I kill him?”

Everyone was stunned, not understanding what the princess meant. Seeing their confused expressions, Leyang smiled with satisfaction: “I just fear that Ye Tian won’t make it to Heng City!”

“As for the Xiao siblings, there’s no need to wait until tomorrow to kill them. Lord Shen will arrive soon; make sure he knows I share a common hatred with him.”

Everyone bowed their heads:
“Yes!”
“Yes!”

Lord Shen?

Could it be the recently famous Shen Jie?

It was said he was extraordinarily talented, able to compose a poem in seven steps and speak with remarkable eloquence. He could single-handedly solve problems that had troubled the court for a long time. The emperor and the imperial consort both regarded him with newfound respect.

Noble ladies in the capital were even jealous and competing for his attention.

Everyone was very curious about what charm Shen Jie really possessed.

Whenever Shen Jie was mentioned, Princess Leyang’s face radiated happiness. She adjusted the hairpins at her temples and looked forward expectantly.

At that moment, a young soldier ran in, panicked.

Before he could speak, he fell to his knees with a thud in the hall. Princess Leyang excitedly exclaimed: “Is it Lord Shen who’s arrived?”

“Where is he?”

The soldier didn’t dare look up.

“I’m asking you a question!” Princess Leyang shouted in fury, her head ornaments bouncing wildly.

All eyes fell on the soldier, sensing something was wrong. The soldier trembled all over and finally stammered: “Princess… it’s… it’s the Dazhou people. The Dazhou people have attacked!”

“What?”

Princess Leyang was shocked, staggering back two steps.

Why would the Dazhou attack at this moment?

She couldn’t understand. Panic spread through the hall. Upon hearing that the Dazhou army was attacking, several ministers turned pale. Princess Leyang quickly reacted, shouting angrily:
“If the Dazhou are attacking, then defend the city!”

“You bunch of useless fools! Gather able-bodied men—any male over twelve years old is to defend the city. Anyone who refuses is to be executed without mercy!”

Buzz… buzz…

Sounds kept coming from the city.

Princess Leyang had never experienced war before; her face turned pale with fright as she screamed sharply: “Get moving!”

“The day this city falls, I’ll see all of your families wiped out! Move!!”

The young soldier looked helpless.

Kneeling on the ground, he said tearlessly: “Princess, the Dazhou have cannons. Capturing the city will only take a moment. The gates will soon be impossible to hold. Also… inside the city, many strange troops have suddenly appeared. They’re coordinating inside and outside. The city is in chaos. In less than a short incense stick’s time, they could reach the city lord’s mansion…”

What?

Princess Leyang stumbled and sank onto the chair behind her.

Her face was filled with terror, showing none of her previous authority.

An aide whispered: “Princess, we must leave!”

“The Dazhou army is at the gates. If we don’t leave now, it will be too late!”

“Yes!”

Princess Leyang’s face was full of reluctance. Ye Tian was still alive—how could she go to Shen Jie to claim credit?

And Shen Jie would soon arrive at Heng City.

After some thought, Princess Leyang made up her mind: “Let’s go!”

“First, we’ll meet up with Lord Shen. After that, let him handle things.”

“Oh, and take the Xiao siblings with you!”

She didn’t forget to instruct her trusted aides. One of them lowered his head helplessly and said, “The people of Dazhou are already at the city gates. If we wait until the attack, the Xiao siblings might already be dead. If we go now, we might not be able to take them with us.”

Princess Leyang waved her hand impatiently.

Ignoring everyone in the hall, she fled in a hurry with a few aides.

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

At this moment, under the walls of Heng City, the Dazhou army, with two cannons, roared forward. Their morale surged, and the city walls were blasted into ruins. The gates collapsed. Lin Xianzhong and Duan Qingshan exchanged a glance. Lin Xianzhong shouted loudly: “Charge!”

“The first one to enter the city will be granted the title of Qianhu!”

“Kill!”

The soldiers charged into the city like they had no lives to lose, shouting at the top of their lungs.

Heng City’s defenders were completely overwhelmed. Coupled with Ye Tian’s elite troops inside the city coordinating with the outside, it took less than an hour for Heng City to be fully taken.

“Old Lin, don’t forget—our master wants the people rescued!”

Duan Qingshan spoke from atop his horse.

Lin Xianzhong didn’t want to pay attention. Their masters were completely different, and he had no reason to listen.

But now that the Empress had married Ye Tian, Lin Xianzhong reluctantly said, “Don’t give me orders!”

“I am the city lord, and you are a general. Old Lin isn’t someone you can command.”

Lin Xianzhong rolled his eyes and spurred his horse toward the Xiao siblings.

Duan Qingshan crossed his arms and smiled. Another city captured! At this rate, in less than two years, he might even become a city lord himself!

“Drive!”

Duan Qingshan pulled the reins, and his horse galloped straight into the city.

Meanwhile, on the snowy plains.

Ye Tian sat in his carriage, which swayed slowly along the road. He looked as if he were on a leisurely outing.

“Stop!”

Ye Tian lifted the curtain and shouted outside. Fang Shenghu approached the carriage on horseback.

Ye Tian said, “A bit dizzy… let’s take a break first.”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’ll find a doctor to take a look!” Fang Shenghu said, worry etched on his face, before moving to find a physician. Ye Tian quickly stopped him: “No, no, I just want to rest a little.”

Fang Shenghu nodded.

He rode his horse, shouting: “The city lord has ordered a short rest!”

“The city lord has ordered all troops to rest briefly!”

The soldiers were all confused. At this pace, when would they even reach Heng City?

Miao Changqing’s eyes darted around, alert. He dismounted and sat cross-legged on the ground, pulling out some dried meat from his chest pocket. He tore into it while keeping an eye on Ye Tian’s carriage.

“General, when do we strike?”

“I’m worried about the princess…”

A trusted aide came close and whispered. Miao Changqing put an arm around the aide’s shoulders, eyes scanning their surroundings. He smiled slightly and said in a low voice:

“Just outside the borders of Sifang City, now is a good time to act. Ye Tian only brought ten thousand men, and we have ten thousand. You go!”

“Quietly move our troops and switch them in when the opportunity arises. If we kill Ye Tian, we’ll claim the first merit!”

The aide lowered his head.

“When the general meets the princess, don’t forget to say a good word for me!”

“Don’t worry, your reward is guaranteed!”