Chapter 326: The Letter from Liu Yi Fei

Several days passed, the snow and wind like knives, and one messenger braved the bitter cold to reach Jiang Mingyu’s Inspector’s mansion.

“Your Majesty, the Empress has sent a letter.” He panted as he handed over a sealed envelope.

Jiang Mingyu’s heart stirred at once; he swiftly unsealed the letter, glanced at it, and saw Liu Yi’s personal signature.

Finally, news—Jiang Mingyu asked urgently.

“Quick, how is Yi Fei?” he pressed.

Since Liu Yi had journeyed south to the Southern Frontier, over a month had passed without word; Jiang Mingyu had been frantic with worry.

The messenger hurried to reply.

“Your Majesty, rest assured—the Empress instructs me to inform you she is safe and well.”

“Her caravan has now firmly established itself in the Southern Frontier; her hotpot restaurants and money houses are wildly popular, thriving in business.”

“Moreover, she has secretly dispatched spies to gather intelligence on the Southern Frontier’s movements—she will soon have actionable reports.”

Jiang Mingyu silently smiled; Liu Yi had the treasury of Dajiang behind her, endless silver to spend—of course her businesses flourished. But what truly mattered was whether she could accomplish her mission’s vital objective.

Jiang Mingyu nodded, his voice low.

“You’ve worked hard—go to Tukesiluo for your reward, rest one day, then return to the Southern Frontier tomorrow.”

Jiang Mingyu’s worry over Liu Yi eased slightly; hearing she was unharmed, firmly settled, and running hotpot restaurants and money houses warmly welcomed by the locals, he couldn’t help but smile inwardly—Liu Yi had Dajiang’s endless treasury behind her; what business wouldn’t thrive? But most crucially, she had already planted covert eyes in the Southern Frontier—that was the true purpose of her mission.

Jiang Mingyu reiterated thrice to the messenger: he must convey to Liu Yi that though her adaptability was exceptional, this was her first deep incursion into enemy territory—she must think carefully. Otherwise, if the Southern Frontier folk grew suspicious, she might not escape. To ensure this, he specially detached several elite soldiers to escort the messenger day and night back to the Southern Frontier, to deliver the message to Liu Yi as swiftly as possible.

Meanwhile, Jiang Mingyu immediately dispatched a pigeon letter to General Yu Feng and other officers stationed in Jizhou, ordering them to stand ready, closely monitor the Southern Frontier’s movements, and mobilize troops southward at the slightest sign of trouble. Jiang Mingyu knew that no matter how cautious Liu Yi was, trouble was inevitable. If she faced crisis, even mobilizing tens of thousands of troops southward would be worth it to him.

After watching the messenger leave the tent, Jiang Mingyu exhaled deeply, silently praying Liu Yi would proceed with utmost caution and avoid rash actions. As he bent over studying his next campaign plans, Tukesiluo strode in, beaming as he reported on the status of the Western Xia prisoners of war. The men had willingly accepted Tukesiluo’s surrender terms, joined the army, and now looked forward to their futures. Jiang Mingyu felt a surge of relief—at least his troop numbers were no longer a concern.

Yet he quickly reconsidered: these Western Xia soldiers were newly surrendered, and their loyalty could not be guaranteed. Jiang Mingyu ordered Tukesiluo to assign trusted men to closely monitor every move of these soldiers—any anomaly must be reported immediately to prevent unforeseen betrayal.

Tukesiluo solemnly accepted the order, then grumbled: “Brother, guess what? These bastards are now cramming into the camp, gorging like wolves reborn! I’ve never seen such gluttons in my life—could these Western Xia scum be reincarnated ten-stomach oxen?” Jiang Mingyu couldn’t help but chuckle; yes, these men had been brutally oppressed in the Western Xia army—they must not have eaten properly in ages, no wonder they devoured food like beasts.

He ordered Tukesiluo to let them fill their bellies first, then immediately begin training and integrate into the army. Those skilled in mounted archery were to be selected as cavalry instructors, for cavalry had always been the army’s weakness—this was the perfect chance to remedy it. After all, these Western Xia men were exceptional horsemen, radiating strength and martial vigor; just watching their mounts, one knew they were no ordinary riders—if harnessed, their raw ferocity could become a great asset.

Jiang Mingyu stressed: since they had joined his ranks, they must be shown hope. Every surrendered soldier craved advancement and future. Only by giving them every chance to serve the army with all their might, making promotion and glory within reach, could their full combat potential be unlocked—and their loyalty secured.

Two days later, the Western Xia prisoners were screaming as they drilled Dajiang cavalry, their thick accents and loud shouts unmistakably foreign. At that moment, General Shang Muka’s fifty-thousand-strong army finally arrived in Tanzhou, trudging through flying snow.

Far off, Fang Hang spotted a towering, bearded giant with a fierce warrior’s aura standing at the front of the formation, whipping his horse—his eyes lit up; he strode forward eagerly: “General Li! You came in person? I heard your wounds weren’t fully healed—why rush here so suddenly?”

Li Goudan burst into loud laughter, his spirit soaring: “My little wounds? Pfft—they’re nearly gone! Stuck in Shang Muka’s camp doing nothing, I was growing fur! I’ve been dying to get on the battlefield and crush those Western Xia bastards!” As he spoke, his thick brows knotted as he pointed a calloused thumb toward the Western Xia soldiers barking orders nearby: “Damn it, how the hell did so many Western Xia scum get into our camp? Who the hell let them in? I’m gonna beat the living shit out of them!”

Fang Hang quickly explained it was Jiang Mingyu’s decision—they had value. Li Goudan’s face darkened; though displeased, he held his tongue out of respect for his brother, only grunting: “If it’s the Emperor’s order, I won’t argue. But these bastards killed so many of my brothers—I’d chop them up and feed them to dogs!”

As the two chatted half-heartedly, a pale, gasping soldier stumbled over, breathless: “General Fang—the Emperor summons you to the main tent at once!” Fang Hang instantly understood; he winked at Li Goudan and grinned: “Looks like we’re discussing the plan to attack Tang Xiang! Let’s hurry—this might be the start of battle!” Li Goudan’s eyes blazed with excitement; this was the fight he’d longed for—he immediately followed Fang Hang, striding forward with eager steps.

Jiang Mingyu gently traced the sheepskin map on the table, his expression grave: “Gentlemen, our army has rested here many days—men and horses are fully replenished. With General Goudan’s fifty-thousand reinforcements arriving yesterday, our total strength now reaches four hundred fifty thousand. I have decided: at dawn tomorrow, we march again—launch a full-scale offensive against Western Xia!”

Silence fell over the tent. Tukesiluo and the other three bowed deeply, speaking in unison: “Long live the Emperor! Please give your orders.” They were all desperate to end this war and leave the biting cold of Western Xia behind.

Jiang Mingyu nodded, his hawk-like eyes gleaming with resolve: “You all know the battle plan we discussed. After careful deliberation, I have decided to implement the flanking maneuver. As you see, Qingqing and Yingyuan each hold ten thousand Western Xia troops. I, with Tukesiluo, will lead thirty thousand troops north from Tanzhou to seize Tang Xiang; Fang Hang, with Goudan, will draw ten thousand elite troops from both locations and march south via Liaotong. Our two-pronged assault will overwhelm the Western Xia forces.”

Fang Hang bowed quickly: “Your Majesty speaks wisely! I will give my all, and together with Goudan, lead the southern force—we swear to meet you and the Prince before the Western Xia capital!” Li Goudan nodded firmly in agreement.

Seeing both men eager to lead the charge, Jiang Mingyu smiled proudly, sweeping his sleeve: “Excellent! Winter grows colder in Western Xia; snow may come at any moment. We must seize this opportunity! At dawn tomorrow, we march west—victory must come at the fastest speed!”

At that moment, Tukesiluo suddenly remembered something and asked: “Brother, once we depart, who will be responsible for Tanzhou’s defense?”

The reply came from Li Goudan beside him, calm and assured: “Don’t worry—the Chancellor has already settled Tanzhou’s defense. He has sent a brilliant man named Yan Su to take command—he served for years as Inspector of Yizhou, excelling in governance and city defense. His arrival will secure Tanzhou’s safety. Even better, the Chancellor has diverted thirty thousand troops from Yizhou to reinforce Tanzhou—they’ll arrive within two days.”

Seeing the entire strategy now firmly in Jiang Mingyu and the Chancellor’s hands, Tukesiluo finally let out a long breath of relief.