Chapter 106: War Against the Northern Palace

After emerging from the woods, she felt like a prisoner who had just been released from jail, filled with an indescribable sense of freedom. She found the thought amusing. After asking General Chang Geng for leave, she waved goodbye to Ji. Only then did she realize how utterly exhausting the morning’s events had been.

She needed to rest properly and, while she was at it, digest the information she had just acquired.

Letting go of the reins, she allowed the horse to carry her leisurely home. Her mind was so heavy and muddled that she could scarcely think. From a distance, she saw several soldiers laboring in front of her courtyard, hauling various objects inside.

Her heart jolted. Tightening the reins, she urged her horse forward.

When the soldiers saw her, they hurried over to report, “Commander, General Dayin ordered us to move these things here. He said they were to be returned to their rightful owner.”

Returned to their rightful owner? She gave a cold snort. Dayin’s attitude was perfectly clear. Raising her whip, she said, “Take them inside.”

“Yes, Commander!”

Meanwhile, fierce debate was raging in the imperial court.

Dai Huang’s attitude was unyielding. He insisted that they attack the Northern Palace, arguing that the Northern Palace hostage had committed a capital offense by fleeing without permission and that the Northern Palace ought to be taught a lesson. The civil officials, led by Zheng Wenguan, maintained that peace should be valued above all else and that they ought to ascertain the truth before making any decision.

The two factions argued endlessly in court, leaving the Central Palace Emperor with an unbearable headache.

“Enough. My two worthy ministers need not quarrel any longer. I have already made my decision.” The Tianjue Emperor raised his hand to silence them. “The Central Palace is the foundation of the Five Palaces and stands above the other four. If a nation does not enforce its authority, it cannot establish its prestige. The Northern Palace hostage has shown contempt for the dignity of the Central Palace by leaving the country without permission. He ought to be punished…”

At this, Dai Huang could not help looking smug, while Zheng Wenguan’s expression changed dramatically.

“Your Majesty…”

The Tianjue Emperor continued, “However, considering the longstanding friendship between our two nations, I shall order the Northern Palace to escort the hostage back to the Central Palace. If the Northern Palace defies the imperial decree, we can attack them afterward.”

Only then did Zheng Wenguan breathe a sigh of relief.

“His Majesty is wise!”

Though Dai Huang was visibly displeased, he could do nothing but let the matter rest.

The issue had barely been settled when a messenger suddenly came running into the court, shouting all the way, “Report! Report!”

He threw himself to the ground and bowed.

“The Northern Palace has gathered a large army and deployed it along the Central Palace border!”

Everyone was stunned.

Dai Huang pressed him for an answer. “Who is commanding the army?”

The soldier glanced nervously at his face before replying, “The Crown Prince Yinghuo!”

Those words were like a bomb thrown into the crowd. The court erupted in uproar. Even the civil officials who had previously advocated peace began changing their tune.

“This absolutely cannot be tolerated! He is merely a hostage, yet he dares lead troops across the border! This is an outright challenge to the authority of the Central Palace!”

“Your Majesty, please issue the order to send out our army!”

“Your Majesty!”

The Tianjue Emperor listened calmly to the report. Then he waved his hand, silencing the commotion below, and said in a deep voice, “Minister Dai.”

“Yes.” Dai Huang bent slightly at the waist, unable to conceal his complacency.

“I have made my decision. We shall send troops against the Northern Palace at once. But I wish to ask you: who shall command the army?”

Dai Huang bowed and replied, “Naturally, General Dayin.”

“No. Dayin has been stripped of his post and confined to his residence to reflect upon his mistakes.”

“I happen to have someone in mind who is better suited to this Northern Palace campaign. Minister Dai, what do you think?”

Dai Huang looked puzzled. “I truly cannot imagine who could be more qualified to lead troops than General Dayin.”

“Indeed. To fight Yinghuo, she is the most suitable person of all.”

The whole afternoon, Kaiming spent buried beneath the covers in her own bed, completely unaware that the world outside had undergone a dramatic transformation.

Half-conscious in her heavy sleep, she heard a commotion outside her room. One loud knock followed another, accompanied by a booming voice.

“Kaiming! Kaiming, are you in there?”

She must be dreaming. Who would come all the way here to look for her? She turned over and continued sleeping.

With a tremendous crash, the door was kicked open. A group of people stormed inside and hauled her out from beneath the blankets. Still lost in a haze, she opened her bleary eyes but failed to come fully awake.

“Kaiming!” The newcomer slapped her hard across the face and roared, “At a time like this, you’re still sleeping? Wake up!”

The blows hurt so much that they finally dragged her consciousness back from her dream. Before her were several large, familiar, persimmon-shaped faces. To her astonishment, they belonged to Chunhua and the others.

“How did you find me here?”

“Disaster is practically at the door, and you’re still sleeping!” Chunhua shouted anxiously. “The Emperor’s heralds have been searching everywhere for you. Why weren’t you at the general’s residence? Or the training camp? When did you set up this dog kennel?”

“Get lost!” She kicked at Chunhua, who hurriedly dodged.

“Show some dignity! The herald is outside!”

“Why are they looking for me?” Kaiming asked in bewilderment.

“It’s good news!” Chunhua gave her a sly grin, stepped aside, and called toward the doorway, “Herald, you may come in now!”

“What?”

Kaiming was so startled that she could not process what was happening. She simply sat there in bed, hair disheveled, as an official from the imperial city entered the room.

The man had clearly not expected to find her in such a state. Frowning slightly, and with obvious reluctance, he unfolded the imperial decree and read aloud:

“Because the Northern Palace has invaded the border, Kaiming is hereby appointed commander-in-chief of the army. She is to depart for the battlefield immediately. By imperial order.”

Kaiming listened stupidly. She neither knelt nor accepted the decree.

The herald said irritably, “Commander, will you not accept the decree and give thanks for His Majesty’s grace?”

Kaiming leaned forward a little, which she supposed counted as an expression of gratitude. The herald stepped forward and handed her the decree. She accepted it blankly, then turned to Chunhua and the others.

“What is going on?”

“Good news,” Chunhua said with a grin. “His Majesty is sending the Commander to war.”

“To war?”

Her whole body shuddered. The very thing she had tried so hard to avoid had come knocking at her door of its own accord.

Watching the herald slowly leave the room, she suddenly shivered awake and sprang from the bed.

“The Emperor? I have to see him!”

Inside the imperial palace, it was still the same spacious reception hall. Kaiming hurried in and immediately saw the Tianjue Emperor dressed in plain clothes, reclining against a brocade couch with his cheek resting on one hand as he leisurely flipped through a book.

When he saw her enter, he regarded her calmly.

“Commander Kaiming, have you seen the imperial decree?”

Kaiming quickly lowered her hands and stood at attention.

“That is precisely why I have come.”

“Is there something you do not understand?” The Emperor raised an eyebrow. “With the enemy at the gates, the Commander ought to begin making preparations at once.”

“Your Majesty!” Kaiming drew a breath and raised her voice. “You should know that I have no experience commanding troops in battle. How am I supposed to go to war?”

“Everything has a first time.” The Tianjue Emperor’s tone was cold. “You will adapt sooner or later.”

Kaiming said icily, “Isn’t this decision far too absurd, Your Majesty? Yinghuo is a renowned sorcerer of the Northern Palace, brave and battle-hardened. He has fought in countless campaigns, large and small. And what about me? I am an unknown nobody, a minor commander who only acquired a force of her own a few days ago. How am I supposed to stand against him?”

The Tianjue Emperor tilted his head slightly and glanced at her.

“That depends on your ability.”

Kaiming widened her eyes. What sort of answer was that?

“You and Yinghuo have some history between you. That is one of the reasons I am sending you to battle. There is another reason as well…” He slowly turned toward her. “To this day, you have displayed no exceptional talent. I very much wish to see how much untapped potential you still possess.”

“Your Majesty is gambling with the lives of the people of the Central Palace. Have you never considered the consequences should you be mistaken?” she asked quietly.

“I believe in you.” He fixed his eyes upon her. “You should believe in yourself as well!”

“But…”

She was about to argue further, but the Tianjue Emperor waved his hand decisively.

“I am tired. You may withdraw.”

With no alternative, she turned to leave.

The Tianjue Emperor suddenly called out, “Wait.”

She stopped and looked back at him.

His expression grew slightly unnatural.

“Is Xiaowan truly dead?”

Kaiming nodded without speaking.

“Did you go to see her?”

Again, she nodded firmly.

The Tianjue Emperor sighed.

“What a pity… that child…”

After a pause, he looked toward her again.

“How is General Dayin?”

“That is something Your Majesty should know better than I do,” she replied respectfully.

The Tianjue Emperor said nothing more. He merely brushed his sleeve, and Kaiming turned once again and strode out.

When she returned to the training camp, all the female soldiers gathered around her, chattering over one another.

“Are we going to war with the Northern Palace? Since the Commander is leading the army, are we going with you?”

“It’s my first time on a battlefield. I’m so nervous!”

“Commander, about this…”

“Commander, what about that…”

She held her breath for a moment, then bellowed, “Get lost!”

The shout sent them scattering far into the distance.

Gouzi and Chang Geng eventually wandered over as well.

“Kaiming, are we going to fight Yinghuo?”

“Yes.” She answered glumly, “We’re leaving at once, and I have no idea what I’m supposed to do.”

“You’re the commander-in-chief. You can select the troops. Take me with you!” Chang Geng volunteered eagerly. “Bring along a few experienced deputies as well. You won’t need to fight personally. We’ll handle everything for you.”

“It can be done that way?” she asked in surprise.

Chang Geng smiled.

“You decide who lives or dies, and on the battlefield everything revolves around the commander-in-chief. Just make sure you don’t waste our lives.”

“Isn’t that just a roundabout way of insulting me?”

She pretended to strike him, and Chang Geng dodged with a laugh.

Gouzi blinked.

“Kaiming, if our opponent is Yinghuo, we’ll have to be especially careful.”

“Why?”

“You’ve forgotten that he practices sorcery. It is an extremely powerful form of dark magic. I have experienced it firsthand.” Gouzi still looked shaken by the memory.

“Understood!”

Kaiming nodded emphatically. She, too, was one of those who had suffered deeply at the hands of such magic.

Chang Geng immediately helped her muster the soldiers. Before long, they had assembled a long and imposing column and marched it out through the gates of the garrison.

Just before they departed, however, the Tianjue Emperor sent a military supervisor to accompany them and exercise oversight, as well as offer advice and strategy.

The man had delicate brows and graceful eyes, with the exquisite beauty of someone fashioned from water. He was none other than Dai Yuheng, a palace aide.

Although Kaiming was surprised to see him, she did not forget to mock him.

“With a frame as slight as yours, Minister Dai, you’re actually going to the front line? If you accidentally strain yourself, this Commander will feel terrible.”

Dai Yuheng’s expression did not change. The others saw her openly teasing him and each of them wanted to laugh, but none dared.

With a faint smile, Dai Yuheng said, “His Majesty feared that the Commander lacked experience in leading troops, so he sent me to assist you. Please do not misunderstand my purpose.”

“By ‘assist,’ you mean that you have to obey my orders, correct?”

She regarded him provocatively. Dai Yuheng smiled and agreed.

Only then did Kaiming feel somewhat better. The thought of ordering this palace aide around until he was completely dizzy with confusion filled her with satisfaction.

She raised her hand and shouted in a voice like a peal of thunder:

“Form ranks! March!”