Chapter 309: Imperial Palace Under Attack, One Da Jiang's Morale Tested

More than half a month has passed; the army's supplies are fully prepared without omission. This morning, Zhu Ge Yu and other generals arrived at the Jingcheng Imperial Palace to report. Jiang Jiang Mingyu, who was reviewing memorials, looked up upon hearing this, stretched his neck stiff from maintaining the same posture for so long, then smiled and said, "Being an emperor is truly exhausting; there are so many court documents and official papers. Very well, since everything is ready, issue my army's mobilization order to the entire force first thing tomorrow morning."

Tu Tu Kesiluo stepped forward one pace, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Majesty, I am afraid I cannot accompany you on this western expedition. My Zhang Jiani is... pregnant." The moment the words left his mouth, everyone exchanged knowing smiles. Jiang Jiang Mingyu could not help but smile as well; it turned out he was about to become an uncle. "Good, good, good. Let Zhang Jiani stay in Jingcheng to rest quietly. None of the court officials are to disturb her without authorization." Jiang Jiang Mingyu, his face beaming with joy, gave the order.

Seeing his senior brother's happiness, Tu Tu Kesiluo could not resist teasing in a low voice, "Big Brother, you should hurry up too. At your age, we are about to see Big Sister-in-Law..." The crowd below burst into laughter. Jiang Jiang Mingyu only shook his head with a faint smile, taking no offense.

After a while, Zhu Ge Yu cleared his throat and asked seriously, "Master, do you have any grand strategy for the campaign against Xia?" Upon hearing the matter of business, Jiang Jiang Mingyu also sobered his expression and answered earnestly, "You remain in Jingcheng to handle court affairs. Except for Zhang Jiani, all generals must accompany me on the expedition. I intend for the main army to enter from Shangmu and strike directly at the southwestern strategic location, Shunkai City. Compared to other routes, we are more familiar with the terrain of Shangmu; the situation favors us." Having spoken, he swept his gaze over the crowd, seeking their opinions.

All the generals silently accepted the order. After a long pause, Zhu Ge Yu quickly replied, "Your Majesty is wise and divine; this course of action is certainly the best strategy!" "Excellent! It is decided thus." A flicker of excitement flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes. "Our army will surely crush Other Xi Xia and capture Tuoba Ji Qian!"

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted outside the hall. It turned out that the stationed guards were in a panic, and several Imperial Guard Captains followed in, their faces pale. "Your Majesty! A strange occurrence! Just now... just now, a group of people in strange attire managed to sneak in while the guards were changing shifts! Before we could even ask questions, we saw that group scale the wall into the palace and vanish without a trace. We do not know who they are or what their sinister intentions are, but we will immediately conduct a thorough search!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Tu Tu Kesiluo exchanged a glance, both frowning deeply. Such an incident occurring on the eve of the army's departure was far too coincidental to be mere chance. Could it be spies sent by Other Xi Xia? Or perhaps assassins instigated by treacherous ministers within the court? What was the target of these intruders? All these questions tangled together, making the situation impossible to fathom.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered for a moment, then waved his hand and ordered, "Let them be. I suspect that group's target lies within the Imperial Palace; capturing them will not be difficult. Conduct the search thoroughly; be sure to drag them out and bring them before me for detailed questioning." Upon hearing this, the Captains hurriedly agreed and withdrew to prepare for the manhunt.

Zhu Ge Yu and the others exchanged uneasy glances, their hearts also filled with apprehension. Such a bizarre event occurring on the eve of departure was truly unsettling. Even more suspicious was the fact that the situation for this western expedition was severe; was it truly possible that no spies were lurking within the court and the country? Although Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face showed no sign of losing color, he could not help but feel some worry—those in high positions inevitably attract great attention. Only by preparing early and understanding the need to guard against others could one cope with various unexpected events.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered for a long time before finally furrowing his beautiful brows slightly and speaking slowly, "It seems someone wishes to profit from our western expedition while the fire is burning, committing some unspeakable deeds." His gaze was deep, and his expression seemed to hold hidden meaning.

Tu Tu Kesiluo pressed, "Big Brother, what do you mean by that..." Before he could finish, several Imperial Guards rushed in through the door. The leader among them hurriedly bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the search yielded no results; that group has vanished without a trace. We only found a button in the corner of the wall at the Piandian in the Imperial Garden. Its style is quite peculiar; it must have been dropped by that person." Having spoken, he respectfully presented the button.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu took it and examined it closely, unable to help but tremble slightly. The button was lacquered black, with an engraving of an eagle's claw grasping a sharp arrow. His expression became solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "This is indeed the unique style of Other Xi Xia. It seems Tuoba Ji Qian has sent more than one batch of spies; someone must have informed him of our army's route."

Upon hearing this, all the generals immediately became alert. At this critical moment, life and death hung in the balance; any single detail could affect the outcome of the war. Zhu Ge Yu frowned tightly, his face unable to hide his worry. "Master, now that our army's movements have been discovered by Other Xi Xia, I fear they will set an ambush along the way. We must reconsider our advance plan."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head and pondered, showing no sign of panic on his face. After a long while, he looked up, and his eyes faintly revealed a hint of excitement. "Perfect. Since our itinerary is already exposed, we might as well go with the flow and treat this matter as an opportunity..." The generals exchanged glances, unable to guess what new strategy their Master had in mind.

At this moment, a flash of sharp light passed through Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes. He slowly raised his hand, his fingers gradually closing as if to grasp the throat of a political enemy. "Proceed according to the original plan. I suspect Tuoba Ji Qian will definitely build barriers at the strategic pass between Shangmu and Shunkai, attempting to annihilate our army in one blow. At that time, we will simply repeat the old tactic: we will use a small force to feign an attack on the western route, luring the main force of the Other Xi Xia army to come and fight; then I will personally lead heavy troops to attack the north directly, striking the vital point of Shunkai! Let's see how Tuoba Ji Qian responds then!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ge Yu and the others shouted in approval! They never expected their Master's adaptability to be so extraordinary, turning the leak of the plan into an opportunity to defeat the enemy. This arrangement could truly be called a grand strategy of immense scale! The generals all clasped their hands, their confidence in the early success of the great cause swelling within them!

When the morning light was faint, the Jincheng camp was already a scene of bustling activity. Weapons clanged, and war drums urged men on. Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at the mountains of grain and military supplies piled up in the distance and could not help but laugh. "Did you, Liu Liu Yifei, have these prepared?"

Zhu Ge Yu, puzzled, said seriously, "As agreed, Liu Liu Yifei's merchant caravan is fully responsible for all military supplies needed by the army. This is a huge business venture, with profits exceeding one million taels of silver; how could we let it slip away easily?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu laughed helplessly. So this grand display was actually to earn money from his own side. His daughter-in-law was truly unique.

Seeing his Master's expression, Zhu Ge Yu hurriedly added, "The Master's Wife has already instructed me to allocate all the silver earned from the business to Meng Da Cheng, specifically for repairing the city of Shangmu. Once the army departs, you will see a brand new Shangmu!"

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart softened. Liu Liu Yifei always did things this way; on the surface, she seemed to be planning for her own benefit, but in reality, every move was made with sincere humility and consideration for the common people.

The third watch had arrived. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes were firm as he looked at the six hundred thousand troops standing in neat silence before him. "Other Xi Xia's actions are nothing short of treating our One Da Jiang as a child's plaything! Today, I have specially led you here to let you witness their fate!"

Before his words had fully faded, hundreds of thousands of weapons were raised, and the air echoed with the impassioned shouts of the soldiers: "Fight! Fight for One Da Jiang! Since they have come, let us fight them with peace of mind!"

Looking at the spirited ranks, Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt a surge of hot blood in his heart. He waved his wide sleeve and commanded, "The entire army, advance!" Immediately, amidst the sounds of a hundred officials kneeling in salute, the six hundred thousand troops marched out in a mighty procession, unstoppable in their path.

Eight days later, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army had reached the borders of Yang Commandery. This day, the autumn wind was bleak, and the sky was covered with dark clouds, clearly brewing an autumn rain. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood on his horse, letting his disheveled hair fly wildly in the wind, gazing deeply at the rolling black clouds on the horizon.

"It seems the weather is about to change." Li Goudan rubbed his face and said with some distress. Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded, knowing that the marching conditions ahead would become even harsher. However, on second thought, the Other Xi Xia enemy forces would inevitably be greatly affected by this as well; in this way, it would not be a bad thing for our army...

Seeing the sudden autumn wind and the darkening sky, Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand and ordered a search for a slightly wider flat ground near a nearby stream to set up the main camp. Ten thousand points of firelight lit up the wilderness as the soldiers discussed how to cope with the severe climate and enemy raids they might encounter in the future. This scene was worlds apart from the momentum when the army left Jincheng.

However, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression remained calm; he only frowned slightly. He understood clearly that the truly severe test still lay ahead. If this western expedition is to achieve victory, relying solely on bravery is far from enough; wisdom and perseverance are also required. Fortunately, although the army has now penetrated deep into enemy territory, everyone remains full of confidence, ready to fight for One Da Jiang.