Chapter 362: Hand in Hand to Break Xiongzhou, Courageously Marching Ten Thousand Li

Liu Liu Yifei sat quietly in the room, her expression solemn, wondering what she was thinking. Her eyes stared blankly ahead, her brows slightly furrowed, and the corners of her mouth turned down slightly, looking entirely worried. Jiang Jiang Mingyu gently placed his hand on her shoulder and asked softly, "Liu Yifei, what are you thinking about?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's fingers were slightly cool. Liu Liu Yifei shivered lightly, turned her face to meet his concerned gaze. Her half-closed eyes widened slightly, the corners of her mouth lifted, and she forced out a reassuring faint smile. "I heard you are setting out tomorrow to campaign against Xiongzhou. I was wondering if I should follow to join the expedition," she explained softly. Her tone carried a hint of eagerness.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was slightly stunned. His two thick brows furrowed slightly, and a strange expression flashed across his handsome face. He then nodded lightly and shook his head, saying, "The situation in Xiongzhou is complex; there might be complications. It is safer for you to stay in the city. Wait until I capture Zuo Zhao, and then I will come to fetch you." His eyebrows still seemed to be knitted together, and his tone revealed a degree of worry.

Liu Liu Yifei gestured for him to sit and explained slowly, "Following the expedition is not to go to Xiongzhou. My target is Qu Province. It borders Xiongzhou closely. Once Xiongzhou is captured, your next step will be to march south to conquer it. I want to go to Qu Province a step ahead of you to gather intelligence and prepare for your further military movements."

Speaking of this, a flame seemed to ignite in Liu Liu Yifei's eyes, shimmering with confidence and eagerness. Her posture straightened even more, and a proud curve vaguely rose at the corners of her lips. She tilted her chin up slightly, clapped her hands on her knees, as if displaying her full confidence and certainty.

But after hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head hurriedly, saying, "No, this is too dangerous! I cannot let you take this risk." He then stood up, reached out to hold Liu Liu Yifei's arm, as if trying to make her notice the huge danger involved. His brows were tightly locked, his expression full of anxiety, shaking his head constantly, looking worried as if he had encountered some difficult problem.

Liu Liu Yifei asked in confusion, "Why? I know Qu Province inside out; this small matter is nothing. Do you really not trust my abilities?" She stared at Jiang Jiang Mingyu, a hint of hurt in her eyes. The veins at her temples throbbed, and her lips trembled involuntarily.

Seeing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu quickly held her hand tight and coaxed softly, "Silly girl, of course I trust you. It's just that this expedition, if the enemy counterattacks, the situation might become unpredictable. I cannot let you take this risk. You are my lifeblood; I cannot lose you." He looked at Liu Liu Yifei with deep eyes, full of pity and reluctance, as if he wanted to drown her in his gaze. His hands were slightly cold, but he held Liu Liu Yifei's soft palms firmly, as if he would never let go again.

Liu Liu Yifei, gazed at by him, turned red and shyly lowered her head. Her breathing grew heavier, and her shoulders trembled slightly. After a while, she sighed softly, raised her head to meet his burning gaze, and said gently, "I understand your intentions, but this time I really want to fight side by side with you and lend you a hand. I also want to see our heroic appearance fighting together." Her eyes flowed with emotion, carrying a bit of grievance and reluctance, as if begging him to give her a chance to prove herself.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gazed at her, his eyes full of tenderness. He gently stroked her long hair and kissed her forehead, saying, "Liu Yifei, I know your intentions. As soon as this war ends, I will always keep you by my side, never to separate again. This is not a permanent farewell; we will meet again very soon. Believe me, everything is under control."

Liu Liu Yifei looked at him quietly and finally did not argue anymore. She nodded lightly and held Jiang Jiang Mingyu's hand tight, saying, "Then you must be careful and return safely. I will wait here for the moment of your triumphant return."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's warm large hand touched her cheek, and his deep eyes were full of love, saying, "Definitely. We will be invincible and return in triumph. At that time, I will present the spoils of the battle beneath Xiongzhou City to you, so you can see my military might."

Liu Liu Yifei smiled shyly and finally nodded in agreement. The two looked at each other and smiled, seeing only each other's reflections in their eyes. At this moment, they seemed to have already seen the day of triumph under the sunset, with the clanging of bronze and the flying of horse hooves. Jiang Jiang Mingyu held his sword high, and Liu Liu Yifei stepped forward to meet him. Jiang Jiang Mingyu embraced her waist and held her tightly.

Just then, a sudden burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Before the footsteps stopped, the respectful voice of a guard came from outside the door.

"Your Majesty, Her Highness, the Prince of Zhen Kingdom requests an audience."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Liu Liu Yifei were both startled, exchanged a glance, and saw confusion in each other's eyes.

"The Prince of Zhen Kingdom? Why is he coming at this time?" Liu Liu Yifei's slender brows furrowed slightly, and her red lips parted slightly.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was also at a loss. He stood up, a hint of worry revealed in his deep eyes, and said to the outside, "Please invite him in."

Tu Tu Kesiluo walked in with long strides, his face full of smiles, looking somewhat sycophantic and obsequious.

"Hehe, big brother, big sister-in-law, sorry to disturb you, hehe..." He pressed his lips together, his upper teeth biting his lower lip, trying hard to suppress a big smile, looking exactly like a cat that had successfully stolen fish.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyebrows twitched, he rolled his eyes, and said grumpily, "Stop talking nonsense. If you have something to say, just say it." He crossed his arms, leaned his body forward, wearing an impatient expression as if asking, "What exactly do you want to say?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo still put on a grinning face, chuckled "hehe hehe" a few more times, and then slowly said, "Nothing major, it's just that the rain outside has stopped, and it is just right to send troops tomorrow." He pointed to the window, looking proud as if he had just come to tell him that.

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Liu Liu Yifei were both stunned for a moment, then showed expressions of sudden realization. Jiang Jiang Mingyu hurriedly walked to the window, looked out through the door crack, and saw the sun showing half its face on the horizon and the clear blue sky.

"This is very good. We will send troops at the third watch of the Mao hour tomorrow. This time we must thoroughly eliminate Zuo Zhao." A hint of fanaticism flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes, and his fists clenched slightly. He kept a straight face, as if displaying his determination and momentum.

"After dealing with Lord Tong Wa, the two provinces of the Southern Border and You Beijing will all be ours," Tu Tu Kesiluo agreed, unable to help but reveal a greedy expression on his face.

"Only in this way can we truly establish a firm foothold in the Southern Border," Jiang Jiang Mingyu added lightly, a confident curve escaping from the corner of his mouth.

Tu Tu Kesiluo smiled again in a cheap manner, looking them up and down.

"In that case, this younger brother will not disturb you anymore. Goodbye." He looked at Jiang Jiang Mingyu with a fervent gaze as if saying "Hurry up and let my nephew be born," then glanced ambiguously at Liu Liu Yifei, before strutting out, leaving the two staring at each other.

Liu Liu Yifei's face turned slightly red, and she coughed lightly. "This Tu Tu Kesiluo, why is he so improper!" She looked at Jiang Jiang Mingyu somewhat awkwardly, but the surprise in her eyes was still unmistakable.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu chuckled lightly, held her hand, and with deep eyes said, "Ignore him. I am setting out on the expedition tomorrow. Before I leave, I still want to spend a little more time with you."

Liu Liu Yifei nodded with a red face and said softly, "Then will you accompany me for a walk in the garden? It has cleared up outside, and it is just right for admiring flowers." Jiang Jiang Mingyu readily agreed, took her hand, and walked out of the room gently.

The two came to the courtyard. Under the blue sky, hundreds of flowers bloomed in competition. Jiang Jiang Mingyu held Liu Liu Yifei's waist and strolled along the path among the flowers. The two talked in low voices from time to time, exchanging glances, very sweet. Finally, Jiang Jiang Mingyu gently picked up Liu Liu Yifei and kissed her deeply under a peach blossom tree. Liu Liu Yifei responded to him with force until both were out of breath.

Just as Jiang Jiang Mingyu was preparing to return to the room to quickly deal with the Crown Prince, the guard outside spoke again, his tone serious yet revealing anxiety.

"Your Majesty, an envoy from Jiancheng requests an audience."

Jiancheng? Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart tightened, and his brows furrowed involuntarily. He had wanted to relax his mood, but now an envoy from Jiancheng suddenly arrived; there must be some major incident. The figures of Shi Zhuo and the Ou family faction instantly floated in his mind, and an ominous premonition arose.

"Quickly invite them in," Jiang Jiang Mingyu ordered in a deep voice, his tone faintly carrying anxiety.

A moment later, several envoys in plain clothes stood in the main hall and bowed respectfully. A middle-aged man at the head spoke, his speed somewhat hurried, "Your Majesty, we have come on the orders of my lord Shi Zhuo to report on the situation within Jiancheng. Since Your Majesty left, my lord Shi Zhuo has begun to implement benevolent governance throughout the city..."

This was exactly the policy of comforting the people that Jiang Jiang Mingyu had previously ordered. He nodded slightly, gesturing for the envoy to continue, his face showing a focused expression.

"Under these policies, the hearts of the people of Jiancheng have gradually tilted towards Your Majesty." The envoy showed joy on his face, "The people praise Your Majesty as a wise ruler. In these days, all the public feedback received has been positive. It seems Your Majesty's status in the hearts of the people has been firmly established, which will be of great benefit to the future recovery of Jiancheng!"

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes lit up, and he slapped his hands heavily on the table, making two crisp "pa pa" sounds, "Good, good! This is very good!" He stood up from his seat, unable to hide his excitement, and a proud smile bloomed on his face, "This is exactly the result I expected. The people's trust and support for me are growing day by day. When we counterattack Jiancheng, the people's hearts will surely become the greatest backing!"

Speaking of this, he suddenly restrained his smile and seriously pointed at the envoy, saying, "Go back and tell Shi Zhuo that although the people's hearts are gradually returning, we must not be careless. The Ou family has struggled in the Southern Border for nearly a hundred years; there must be their die-hard loyalists left in Jiancheng. This matter still needs to be handled with caution; under no circumstances should we be careless!"

The envoy quickly accepted the order, and worry also appeared on his face. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stared at him, his eyes sharp as lightning, "If those die-hard loyalists are still just hiding in secret, that is fine. But if they dare to cause trouble, we must not tolerate them! Those who should be destroyed must still be destroyed, otherwise there will be endless trouble!"

The envoy agreed three times and respectfully exited the hall. Jiang Jiang Mingyu watched him leave, then let out a long sigh, and a smile of relief curled at the corner of his mouth—the situation in Jiancheng was exactly as he had predicted; everything was under control.

At this moment, a guard outside reported again, "Your Majesty, the official sent by One Da Jiang has arrived." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's mind stirred, took the document presented by the attendant, and looked at it, unable to help but smile broadly. Wasn't this Jiao Shangshan Jian, the Inspector of Jiangzhou appointed by Zhu Ge Yu? He hurriedly stepped forward to welcome him, looking this man of about forty, with an eagle-beak nose and sharp eyes, up and down.

"Jiao Shangshan Jian?" he asked with a smile. Jiao Shangshan Jian bowed respectfully, "Yes, it is I. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust all along; I will definitely not fail the heavy trust!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction, asked a few more questions about the situation, and then let him go. Seeing that it was already late, and having had dinner with Liu Liu Yifei, this day finally came to an end.

After all this busyness, it was already dusk. Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Liu Liu Yifei had some dinner in the huge restaurant; the imperial style naturally was extremely abundant. Outside, the sky grew darker, and the lights in the palace lit up one after another, reflecting on Liu Liu Yifei's exquisite face, adding a few more gentle and quiet touches to her.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at his wife's dignified and generous face, and waves of tenderness surged in his heart. Although the two had become a legal couple, every time he saw Liu Liu Yifei, his heart still couldn't help but beat wildly, full of deep love and doting.

Liu Liu Yifei's face also gradually turned red. She shyly turned her head away, her small hand quietly holding Jiang Jiang Mingyu's broad and powerful large hand. Her voice was soft, her tone full of shyness, but also vaguely revealing pleasure and desire:

"Jiang Lang, I... I miss you."

These five simple words made Jiang Jiang Mingyu overjoyed. He stood up excitedly, his eyes full of doting and wild joy. Before Liu Liu Yifei could react, he had already picked her up in one arm and strode with long steps towards the inner chamber.

When he carried his beloved into the bedroom, the golden and magnificent palace was immediately left with only the two of them. Jiang Jiang Mingyu eagerly embraced and kissed Liu Liu Yifei deeply, intensely and lingeringly. Liu Liu Yifei also finally shed all her reserve and responded to him passionately.

Layers of curtains fell behind them, hiding the figures of this newlywed couple entangled in love. Outside, the rain had passed and the sky cleared; the bright moon hung high in the night sky, seeming to be even brighter and more brilliant because of the joy of this couple.

While kissing, Jiang Jiang Mingyu slowly untied the complicated buttons on Liu Liu Yifei's clothes. Liu Liu Yifei also gently pulled at his belt... Soon, sounds that made people blush came from the entire inner palace.

In this lingering and affectionate night, two hearts and bodies finally completely merged into one, becoming one in the true sense.

The next day, at the first light of dawn, Jiang Jiang Mingyu dressed neatly and strode with long steps to the military camp parade ground. By this time, Liu Liu Yifei had already gone to the shops in the city to organize business. Before leaving, she had specially prepared clothes and supplies for Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt refreshed. He looked up and saw that the 130,000-strong army ready to depart on the parade ground had formed dense formations, with iron armor shining brightly, killing intent rising, looking very imposing.

A satisfied smile appeared on Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face. He wore court robes, his steps firm and powerful, and walked seriously towards Li Goudan and Jiao Shangshan Jian.

"The affairs of Jiangzhou are left to you two," Jiang Jiang Mingyu ordered in a deep voice, "I will lead the vanguard troops to eliminate the rebel army. You must guard Guizhou well and ensure the stability of the rear."

Li Goudan and Jiao Shangshan Jian immediately bowed respectfully and accepted the order, "Yes! We will definitely not fail Your Majesty's heavy trust!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu finally strode out of the training ground, leaped onto his warhorse, and spurred it straight for the West Gate. His tall and imposing figure, surrounded by 130,000 elite soldiers, gradually receded and soon vanished from sight.

Li Goudan gazed deeply at the men and horses disappearing into the dust and smoke, sighed softly once, then spoke in a heavy voice to Jiao Shangshan Jian beside him:

"Lord Jiao, please send someone back to Guizhou immediately to have Feng Feng Xiwei hurry up and escort the grain supplies here."

"Your Majesty leads the troops on campaign abroad; we must ensure the rear is secure. The transport of grain and military supplies is especially critical; it must be absolutely without error. Go quickly!"

Hearing this, Jiao Shangshan Jian immediately puffed out his chest and replied, "This humble official obeys! I will send a message by homing pigeon at once to ensure Lord Feng escorts the grain here swiftly."

Having said this, he walked away quickly and promptly arranged for personnel to handle the matter. Li Goudan watched him leave, a sense of anxiety and unease rising in his heart—since Your Majesty personally led the expedition, the heavy burden of the rear fell upon the shoulders of them, these trusted ministers. The hardships of this journey were imaginable, but their trust and loyalty to Jiang Jiang Mingyu supported them to press forward steadfastly.

Xiongzhou is located west of Jiangzhou; the straight-line distance between the two places is about 560 li. Because the territory of the Southern Border Kingdom is narrow and long from north to south, the roads between the various prefectures are not far. The sky was nearing dusk; the group left the isolated city of Jiangzhou and headed west toward Xiongzhou.

After leaving the city, Jiang Jiang Mingyu rode on his horse; the wind blowing against his face was somewhat cool. This winter was relatively damp and cold; the ground was heavily muddy. When a horse's hoof stepped down, it made a creaking, squelching sound of water. Jiang Jiang Mingyu tightened his cloak, scanning the surrounding desolate wilderness warily, yet everything was very calm.

"Tu Tu Kesiluo, have the scouts been sent out already?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu asked, his words revealing caution. His voice echoed across the vast wilderness.

Tu Tu Kesiluo rode beside him; upon hearing the question, he immediately nodded, his tone confident: "Big Brother, rest assured. The scout troops set out long ago. Given their speed, there will certainly be a report by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded slightly, acknowledging Tu Tu Kesiluo's arrangement. His gaze continued to scan the surroundings, yet a vague unease lingered in his heart—although he knew a little about the situation in Xiongzhou, whether Wei Wei Yangyao, who broke out of Jiang, would send reinforcements to Xiongzhou remained unknown. Without more definite intelligence, he had to remain vigilant at all times.

"Your Majesty, even if Wei Wei Yangyao does not add troops, our army and the defenders of Xiongzhou are still at a numerical disadvantage." He Jing, standing nearby, also spoke up. "When we arrive at the walls of Xiongzhou City at the latest in five days, if we attack directly, please instruct us on the countermeasure, Your Majesty."

Hearing He Jing's question, Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly and turned to look at He Jing: "General He, do not be anxious. At present, we do not fully understand the specific situation in Xiongzhou. Before the scouts return, it is too early to discuss how to breach the city." His tone was calm yet unquestionable. "You may rest assured; once the scouts return, I will discuss the countermeasures with you in detail. There are too many variables on the battlefield; I have always been adept at responding intelligently."

After saying these words, he lightly flicked the reins, signaling to continue forward. Several trusted attendants immediately understood and followed Jiang Jiang Mingyu's pace.

Time passed swiftly; the group had been traveling across the wilderness for two days. At noon on this day, when they reached a fork in the road, Jiang Jiang Mingyu stopped and could not help but sigh softly. Because this fork meant a temporary parting from Liu Liu Yifei.

"Liu Yifei, the relationship between our army and the Southern Border Kingdom is becoming increasingly tense; you must be careful traveling alone to Qu Province." Jiang Jiang Mingyu said to the carriage beside him, his brows knitting slightly. "If anything goes wrong, return to Jiangzhou immediately... I have already instructed you on this many times..."

Before he finished speaking, Liu Liu Yifei inside the carriage interrupted with a smile: "My dear, you are truly a mother hen. I have clearly remembered the instructions; how could I not know how to take care of myself?" As she spoke, she lightly leaped out of the carriage, her bright red skirt fluttering in the air. After landing, she rose on her jade feet and gave Jiang Jiang Mingyu a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu stared blankly as she gracefully mounted her horse, a strange reluctance rising in his heart—this separation made him feel a vague worry, as if sensing some unspeakable hidden trouble. But seeing Liu Liu Yifei's free and easy demeanor, he quickly adjusted his mindset, watching his wife recede into the distance, wishing her all smooth sailing. He had already made thorough preparations for Liu Liu Yifei's safety; he only hoped for a safe journey.