Chapter 633

Inside the tent, everyone knelt on the ground and shouted in unison, "Your Majesty, send troops!"

Xiao Jieyun's heart surged; he longed more than anyone to retake Jingcheng: "Get up, everyone get up!"

Everyone took their seats.

Xiao Jieyun thought for a moment: "Bring the imperial seal over."

Eunuch Cheng hurriedly presented the yellow silk pouch holding the imperial seal: "Your Majesty."

The Emperor glanced at it: "Give it to Tuan Tuan."

Xiao Yuanhang turned pale: "No way, Your Majesty!"

Eunuch Cheng looked at Tuan Tuan, his face falling.

Xiao Feifei lay plump and round in Tuan Tuan's arms, taking up all the space, with no room left.

He spoke gently: "Little Princess, the Emperor's decree—this imperial seal, you must hold it."

Tuan Tuan tilted her head, looking at her father: "Dad, can't I hold this?"

Xiao Yuanhang said: "Your Majesty, the imperial seal is a paramount state artifact; how can it be entrusted to Tuan Tuan?"

Xiao Jieyun waved his hand: "No need to say more; my mind is made up."

He reached out, lifted Xiao Feifei to the ground, and placed the imperial seal in Tuan Tuan's arms: "Tuan Tuan, keep this for Imperial Uncle for now."

Xiao Feifei sat on the ground bewildered, shaking her ears.

Tuan Tuan blinked, looked at the seal, then at the Emperor, and nodded solemnly: "All right, when Imperial Uncle needs it, I'll give it back to you!"

Xiao Jieyun smiled, gently patting her head: "Good, you're so obedient."

Xiao Yuanhang wanted to say more, but Xiao Jieyun raised a hand to stop him: "I know what you want to say, but this isn't Jingcheng, and there's no need for empty formalities between Tuan Tuan and me."

"With the imperial seal in Tuan Tuan's hands, I can rest easy; it's safer than keeping it with me."

Xiao Yuanhang had no choice but to relent: "Tuan Tuan, be sure to keep it safe."

Tuan Tuan nodded: "Got it, Dad!"

Xiao Jieyun looked toward Prince Ning: "This siege is a do-or-die battle; we can only win, not lose. Yuanhang, do you have a good plan?"

Xiao Yuanhang rose, walked to the map, and pointed: "Your Majesty, please look."

The Emperor, holding Tuan Tuan, walked to the table, and the others gathered around.

Xiao Yuanhang placed his finger on the Western Regions on the map and drew a line toward Xibei:

"Tomorrow, I will send riders posthaste to the Western Regions; the 40,000-strong army will set out immediately, marching straight to Xibei to join our forces."

He shifted his finger, tracing from Xibei to Jingcheng: "Ningchen will lead a crack unit, disguise themselves to enter the capital, bearing the Nine Keys, and infiltrate Jingcheng according to the Nine Passes Dragon Vein Diagram."

"If those nine secret passages into the capital still exist and can accommodate the army, we will hide inside them awaiting the main force."

"If not, and only a few can slip into the capital, that's fine too."

"The forces inside the city will be a surprise strike, catching them off guard."

"As long as we have our troops inside Jingcheng, they can coordinate with the outer army to form a pincer on the rebels, making the assault twice as effective with half the effort."

Xiao Jieyun nodded repeatedly: "Good! This plan is excellent!"

Xiao Ningchen said: "They have heavy troops surrounding Jingcheng every day, guarding only the outside, never expecting our forces to sneak in."

Xiao Yuanhang said: "Exactly! Your Majesty need only wait here; once the Western Regions army arrives, we can strike camp and march straight to Jingcheng!"

He chuckled: "By the time we arrive, the rumors in Jingcheng will be widespread, and hearts will be unsettled."

"Your Majesty can loudly denounce the rebels, ordering the city's populace to stay indoors; then the people's hearts will surely turn to you."

Xiao Jieyun's gaze swept over the route Xiao Yuanhang had marked on the map, his lips slowly curving upward.

"All right." He lifted Tuan Tuan slightly: "Yuanhang, I've waited too long for this battle; let's do as you say."

He lowered his head to look at Tuan Tuan in his arms, beaming: "Tuan Tuan, come with me back to Jingcheng!"

Tuan Tuan let out a tiny yawn, pointing at her little nose: "But what am I supposed to do?"

Xiao Yuanhang frowned: "You, just stay honestly with your mother; after this battle ends, return to the Prince's Mansion."

Tuan Tuan protested: "You're all fighting; I won't just sit and wait!"

Xiao Ningchen put on a stern face: "War is real swords and spears; what can a child do? Listen to your father and stay with your mother properly."

Xiao Ze also urged: "Tuan Tuan, be good, listen."

Tuan Tuan pouted: "You don't need my help, so I'll go find my Master!"

National Preceptor? Xiao Ningxun's heart stirred.

Xiao Yuanhang startled: "National Preceptor?"

"Right! I'll wait at my Master's place for you all to come!"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head firmly: "Wait until we take Jingcheng before you go; right now it's enemy territory, you can't go!"

He patted Xiao Ningxun: "Right, Third Brother? Tuan Tuan listens to you most—quickly persuade her."

No one expected Xiao Ningxun to hesitate: "Tuan Tuan, it's already late; take Xiao Feifei and go to sleep first; we'll talk about this tomorrow."

Everyone was stunned.

Tuan Tuan slipped from Xiao Jieyun's arms to the ground, bent over and scooped up Xiao Feifei: "Third Brother is still the best! Imperial Uncle! I'm going to sleep now!"

She glanced at the seal on the table: "I'll come get that yellow pouch tomorrow!"

Xiao Jieyun smiled faintly: "All right, hurry along."

Tuan Tuan bounced out of the tent holding Xiao Feifei: "Uncle Er! Hold me! I'm sleepy."

From outside the tent came Xiao Er's voice: "All right!"

Xiao Ran looked at Xiao Ningxun: "You sly fox, are you thinking up something again?"

Xiao Ningxun said: "The border war—you haven't forgotten that, have you?"

Xiao Ran's heart jolted; how could he forget the brutality of that great battle!

Xiao Ningxun looked around at everyone: "The mage we failed to capture these past few days has surely returned to Jingcheng by now."

"At least we had dealt with Wu Luo a few times before, but this mage is now completely unknown to us."

"Last time, if it weren't for the National Preceptor and Tuan Tuan breaking the formation, we would probably have lost our lives at the border pass."

He sighed: "I didn't object to Tuan Tuan going to the Guoshi Residence; I just wanted to guard against this happening again."

"With Tuan Tuan's boundless fortune and the National Preceptor's magical power, we can ensure complete safety."

"Besides, the Guoshi Residence has a secret chamber left by the previous dynasty; after Tuan Tuan returns to the capital, he can take refuge there without anyone knowing."

"Speaking of which, that's even more secure than following the army."

Xiao Ran punched him: "You really are a fox, thinking of even that."

Xiao Ningchen nodded: "What the third younger brother says makes sense; if another evil formation shows up, the army would suffer heavy losses again."

Xiao Jieyun looked at Prince Ning: "The kids make sense, Yuanheng; letting Tuan Tuan take the jade seal back to the capital is an excellent idea."

"Prince Chen and Prince Qing surely never imagined that the thing they've been dreaming of is actually right under their noses."

"What do you think?"