Chapter 534: The Good News Returns

Lin Taibao also wore a smile, though his heart was already steeped in darkness, he could only feign celebration along with the other ministers.

No matter how fiercely they fought within the Imperial Court, on matters of national enmity and familial hatred, they must stand on the right side.

At that moment, the Liang Emperor's voice slowly rose, and the once-noisy Grand Hall fell silent.

"Had Qin Feng not set this Pocket Formation to lure the enemy deep into our territory for a decisive battle, defeating the Beidi would have been no easy feat. After this battle, Qin Feng has earned a legendary merit that will surely be recorded in the History Books. Since the war report has returned, Qin Feng will surely return to Jingdu soon to receive his rewards."

"Why did the messenger never mention this? I should have prepared in advance—a grand banquet in Jingdu to welcome our national war heroes."

The Grand Hall, which had just been filled with laughter and cheer, gradually grew solemn.

Especially Qin Tianhu, who silently sighed inwardly—the Liang Emperor had not spoken of Qin Feng alone, but of "our national war heroes," and that single word "our" carried countless implications.

The Cheqi, Piaoqi, and Former General—the Three Great Generals—must also return to Jingdu for rewards; once they return, they can no longer hope to leave the capital's borders.

Even on such a day of great joy, the Liang Emperor did not forget to wield his Hedging Art.

Instantly, every pair of eyes in the hall turned once more to the Ministry of War Scribe.

The Registrar merely answered truthfully: "Your Majesty, besides the war report, the messenger also brought back numerous verbal messages."

"Qin Qianhu may not return for some time."

Hearing this, the Liang Emperor raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

The Registrar's expression was complex, indistinguishable between excitement and tension: "From the very start of the great battle, Tianji Camp Guards infiltrated enemy territory, continuously besieging cities and capturing fortresses, throwing the enemy's rear into chaos. Surrounded by forces from all sides, the Tianji Camp Guards were trapped within the Qingyu Mountain region. Qin Qianhu personally led two hundred light cavalry to rescue them, but fell into an ambush by Night Owls and became trapped alongside them in Qingyu Mountain."

At these words, the hall erupted in shock.

Qin Feng's entrapment in Qingyu Mountain had always been a Jiwei secret; even within the court, few knew of it, and in Beixi County, the number of those aware was countable on one hand.

Qin Tianhu instantly lost his composure, crying out in disbelief: "What?!"

"Is my son trapped in Beidi territory? Has a rescue force been sent?"

Lin Taibao, who had been listless, suddenly brightened—should Qin Feng die in Beidi territory, it would be a heavenly blessing for the Lin Family.

The Liang Emperor's emotions were deeply conflicted.

Emotionally, he did not wish Qin Feng harm—he longed for him to return safely to Jingdu for rewards. But rationally, he secretly rejoiced at Qin Feng's peril; if Qin Feng truly died in enemy territory, the Liang Emperor would lose one of his greatest threats.

The Registrar did not hesitate: "Please, Your Majesty and Lord Qin, rest assured—Qin Qianhu has safely returned to the Northern Border."

Qin Tianhu exhaled in relief; Lin Taibao's fleeting surge of excitement collapsed instantly.

The Liang Emperor remained the most composed: "It is good that Qin Qianhu is unharmed, but I do not understand—why was this report only delivered now, when Qin Feng was trapped in enemy territory a month ago?"

This was also the question on the minds of all other ministers.

Considering Qin Feng was a son of the Ministry of War, the Registrar could not help but feel proud: "There are two reasons. First, this is a military secret—its disclosure must be prevented. If Chen Si learns of this, he will spare no effort to capture Qin Qianhu and use him as leverage, plunging the Northern Border's war into chaos."

"Second, Qin Qianhu was trapped in enemy territory a month ago—but his return to our territory occurred only these past few days."

The Liang Emperor grew even more puzzled.

"You make me more confused than ever—could Qin Feng have been trapped in enemy territory for a full month?"

In front of Qin Tianhu, the Liang Emperor could not voice his true thoughts.

Yet none in the hall—not even Qin Tianhu himself—could suppress their private doubts: trapped in enemy territory for a month, and still alive? It was unthinkable!

The Registrar nodded firmly: "Qin Qianhu was ambushed by Night Owls and the Beidi Eagle Brigade, forced to retreat to Qingyu Mountain, then besieged by over ten thousand Search and Exterminate Army troops. Eventually, his location was exposed—Chen Si even dispatched three thousand Eagle Brigade and two thousand Snow Wolf Brigade to crush him."

At these words, a chorus of sharp intakes of breath echoed through the hall.

Even the Liang Emperor felt sweat form on his palms.

The Tianji Camp Guards, though elite, numbered only three hundred; Qin Feng had taken only two hundred light cavalry to rescue them.

To survive an assault by over ten thousand troops? That alone was a miracle.

And as for the Eagle Brigade and Snow Wolf Brigade…

The fame of these two elite Beidi units was known throughout Heaven. Take the Northern Border Army—the most battle-hardened in Liang—as an example: against ordinary Beidi Cavalry, they could hold their own in open field battle; but faced with the Eagle Brigade or Snow Wolf Brigade, they could only retreat, or face one-sided slaughter.

According to intelligence gathered by the Black Guard, among one hundred Beidi cavalry, one was elite; among one hundred elites, only one qualified to join the Eagle Brigade or Snow Wolf Brigade.

These two cavalry units were composed entirely of Hundred-Battle Veterans, the elite among elites. Even Qin Feng's own Beixi Black Cavalry, forged at great cost, could only match them evenly—neither side held clear advantage.

Thus, the terror of the Eagle and Snow Wolf Brigades was evident.

The Liang Emperor could not help exclaim: "Qin Feng escaped from beneath the eyes of five thousand elite troops?!"

The Registrar smiled: "More accurately, eight thousand elite troops. The three thousand sent to besiege Qingyu Mountain suffered catastrophic losses and were shattered before even reaching the mountain. As for the ten thousand-strong army, over seven thousand were killed or wounded during the month-long assault."

"Then, Qin Qianhu led the surviving guards in a Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell maneuver, escaped Qingyu Mountain, disguised themselves as a Merchant Caravan, and traveled westward across the thirteen-hundred-li Wuren District to reach Gaoshan Country, then returned to our Shedynasty territory via their lands."

"And… Qin Qianhu did not rush back to Beixi County to regroup. Instead, he saw through Chen Si's final gambit, leading the remaining eighty-three guards to reinforce the Border Army's Central Garrison. Together with the Border Army, they held the city against Chen Si's Sixty Thousand Army. Thus, only thirty-one Tianji Camp Guards remain."

Hearing Qin Feng's account, every single Civil and Military Official in the hall gaped, utterly incredulous.

The Liang Emperor, too, remained stunned for a long while before recovering.

He himself had once guarded the frontier, fighting bloody battles against Beidi troops—but compared to Qin Feng, his own exploits seemed child's play.

Until now, in the Liang Emperor's mind, Qin Feng had merely been a man of strategy without courage—a strategist at best.

Yet after this great war, the Liang Emperor suddenly realized: Qin Feng, though rich in civil strategy, was no less formidable in martial prowess!

Unthinkable!

Even the founding heroes of Shedynasty had never achieved such a staggering feat!