Chapter 681

Shangguan Wan'er cursed with a laugh, then rolled up her sleeves, kicked off her shoes, and charged straight onto the imperial bed.

She flipped open Wu Zetian's skirt and gave a heavy slap toward that indescribable spot.

*Smack—*

"Fine! You really dare to hit me—let's see if I don't hit you back."

Wu Zetian was also a martial artist with cultivation, though not high, but she wasn't so weak that she couldn't withstand a light slap like this.

Right now she was just looking for an excuse, stealing a moment of leisure amid the busyness to have some fun with Shangguan Wan'er.

She immediately bared her claws and fangs, unleashing the Lushan Claw.

Shangguan Wan'er was scratched by her, blushing scarlet, then struck back in return.

For a time, atop that great imperial bed, crimson waves rolled and fluttered—two peerless beauties of the mortal world, women at the very pinnacle of power, frolicked and cursed playfully as they teased each other.

After a long while, the two finally leaned against each other, hairpins in disarray and clothes rumpled, snuggled together.

"Wan'er, you're truly too hateful—it was clearly just play, how could you use the One-Finger Yang Strike!"

"What's wrong with the One-Finger Yang Strike? Can it compare to your Lushan Claw, Meiniang?"

After the two finished speaking, they both burst out laughing.

They laughed for a long while before gradually calming down.

Shangguan Wan'er looked at Wu Zetian and asked tenderly,

"How was it? Feel better now?"

"Mm! Thank you, Wan'er. If not for you, in this deep palace compound I wouldn't even have a single confidant."

Wu Zetian said with a face full of emotion.

Indeed, she was the empress of the hundreds of millions of subjects of the Great Tang.

Not only the Great Tang—throughout the world, who knew how many people had to bow beneath this empress's title and obey her commands.

The only one who could talk with her now was Shangguan Wan'er alone.

Sometimes, she was also very tired—tired at heart!

"That's enough! Everything has me. When the Great Tang truly becomes unbearable, I'll take you to find the man you want."

Shangguan Wan'er stretched out her jade-white arms, pulled Wu Zetian into her embrace, and said.

"Mm! I know!"

Wu Zetian laughed happily, then said,

"Actually, you know, sometimes you overthink things.

Didn't the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List expose Cheng Shifei back then?

This former saintess of Pudu Cihang Jingzhai—hasn't she now entered the walls of Xuan Xin Zheng Zong, becoming some sort of Inspectorate Secret Envoy?

If you want to contact Xuan Xin Zheng Zong, the best channel is actually this Cheng Shifei!"

Back then, Pudu Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnianchan Sect took the lead in opposing Qinglong Society.

Dini, the founder of Pudu Cihang Jingzhai, even stepped forward personally.

Qinglong Society naturally would not be soft-handed toward its enemies.

In a single night, Ditai Peak collapsed, and Pudu Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnianchan Sect were erased from the Nine Provinces.

Even Cheng Shifei, that former saintess, could only submit to Xuan Xin Zheng Zong to preserve her life.

But Pudu Cihang Jingzhai always had people scattered outside; through these people, one could naturally contact Cheng Shifei.

Once Cheng Shifei was contacted, naturally a connection with Xuan Xin Zheng Zong would be established.

"Meiniang, you're really clever!"

Shangguan Wan'er was overjoyed, and couldn't help but lean down and kiss Wu Zetian.

Directly north of the Great Tang was Youzhou, bordering the Great Yuan.

To the northeast it bordered Great Qing, and to the northwest lay Yunzhou.

Yanmen Pass happened to sit wedged among Yunzhou, the Great Tang, and the Great Yuan.

It was a vital thoroughfare for traffic between north and south.

The Great Yuan had long wanted to seize this pass.

Once taken, they could retreat to hold Yanmen Pass, or advance to raid straight into the Great Tang's hinterland.

So this time the Great Yuan wanted to seize Youzhou as the opportunity to make contact with the Yin Moon Dynasty.

They directly mobilized a massive army, splitting it into three routes.

Mu Huali's mission was the most important—to seize Youzhou.

Therefore, within his central army, there were not only tens of thousands of Kesik troops, but also General Zhebie, Long Xiang Seng, and even the Undying Gods marched with the army.

Among the western route army, although the troops numbered only fifty thousand, the general Borogh was also trusted by Tie Muzhen just like Mu Huali.

There were even rumors that Borogh might well be rotated into one of the next Thirteen Wings.

Watching Bi Xuan, Seeing Meng Chixing, and other Great Yuan enshrined experts also came with the army.

Before the great army set out, Borogh had long received intelligence.

It said the Great Tang's common folk around Yanmen Pass had long gotten wind of it and were scrambling to flee south.

"Faint before the battle, the enemy already chilled—this war is won!"

Watching Bi Xuan was not only known as "Wu Zun," he had once also been one of the commanders of the desert generals, so he had a rough grasp of military strategy.

"Grand General, I request to serve as Vanguard Commander, lead three thousand light cavalry, break the southern rebels' Chengguan, and present it before the Grand General's tent!"

Seeing Meng Chixing was even more direct—although he and Watching Bi Xuan were Great Yuan enshrined experts, once in the army they naturally had to obey Borogh's command.

With these two enshrined experts taking the lead, for a moment the generals under Borogh's command, as well as the enshrined experts who had come along, all volunteered to fight.

It was as if Yanmen Pass, which had blocked the Great Yuan for a thousand years, could be taken with a snap of the fingers!

Boerhu saw the men's fighting spirit soaring and likewise felt this battle was sure to succeed.

It was only that Yanmen Pass had not been taken for many years, and for the Great Yuan it was like a fishbone stuck in the throat.

Boerhu did not dare take it lightly either. He raised both hands slightly and said,

"Gentlemen! This general knows each of your fighting hearts burn fierce, that you dare to fight bravely for the Great Yuan — this is a fine thing.

Only, in this battle, the main battlefield is over in You Prefecture.

The Western Route Army is a feint, and the Eastern Route Army is even more just a containment.

Yanmen Pass has high walls and perilous terrain; it cannot be taken in a short span of time.

How about this! Lord Meng Chixing, you, together with the Vanguard Commander of the vanguard, will lead three thousand elite cavalry and first go scout the area around Yanmen Pass.

Once we have probed the situation, we will then make our next plan."

This arrangement was neither aggressive nor rash.

From this one could see that Boerhu truly lived up to being a talent of a great general.

Clearly, on the Great Tang side the wind was so grim that soldiers and civilians were already fleeing south, yet he could still keep his composure.

Meng Chixing naturally knew there was no problem with such an arrangement, all the more so with three thousand elite cavalry in hand.

If Yanmen Pass were weakly defended, he would not mind watering his horses directly at Yanmen Pass.

"Yes, my lord!"

Meng Chixing immediately accepted the order, and together with the Vanguard Commander of the vanguard, went down to receive his command and departed.

Three thousand Hu cavalry burst out with a roar, racing swiftly toward Yanmen Pass to the south.

……

Great Tang, Yanmen Pass.

Long ago, after the Great Tang court had decided upon this great strategic matter.

The garrison commander of Yanmen Pass, Wang Xiaojie, had already ordered the surrounding commandants, county magistrates and other officials to relocate soldiers and civilians southward.

Since this battle the Great Tang had already settled on the strategy of inviting the enemy in, then avoiding their sharp edge and striking at their vital weak point.

Then as one of the Great Tang's generals, Wang Xiaojie certainly had to strictly obey and carry it out.

Only, within the military order, the court had actually not made clear whether Yanmen Pass was to be abandoned or held.

If abandoned, from then on the Great Tang's northwest would be a flat plain, not to mention possibly endangering the Great Tang capital Jingcheng Chang'an!

But if held, the problem was also very serious.

For the sake of the Great Tang court's decision, most of the soldiers and civilians in the surrounding area had moved south.

Yanmen Pass has now also become a lone city.