You can’t trust anyone around you or anyone around you. You can’t trust anyone!

The same goes for the person next to you.

This is exactly the aloofness and loneliness that an emperor should have.

Watching Zhang Mingbao slowly walking away, Xia Chongwencai suddenly realized that just now in the court, he had let Shen Yizhong be the only commander of the army, leading the court's last 100,000 troops to fight a decisive battle with Xia Yu.

But, what if...

What if Shen Yizhong had already betrayed him?

After all, Princess Ning, Shen Yuyao, is Shen Yizhong's most beloved little sister!

The more Xia Chongwen thought about it, the more frightened he became. He hurriedly called out, "Eunuch Wang, Eunuch Wang!"

"Your Majesty, I am here!" Eunuch Wang raised the whisk in his hand and came to Xia Chongwen at the fastest speed.

"Eunuch Wang, quickly draft an edict," Xia Chongwen breathed, "Appoint Duke Cao Li Jiujiang as the Right Marshal of the Rebellion Suppression Army, assisting Duke Wei Shen Yizhong in commanding the imperial army!"

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Wang couldn't help but look up at Xia Chongwen, and a hint of imperceptible ridicule flashed in his eyes.

"I obey the decree!"

Xia Chongwen still couldn't completely trust Shen Yizhong. After all, he couldn't even trust the person next to him, let alone Shen Yizhong, who was actually his brother-in-law and the commander of the enemy army?

The next day, when Shen Yizhong arrived at the army command camp, he learned that the emperor had appointed another commander overnight.

The army had two commanders in one day, which made Shen Yizhong laugh and cry.

If you don't trust him, why let him lead the army? If you let him lead the army, why not give him absolute command?

Today’s weather is exactly the opposite of Shen Yizhong’s mood at the moment.

He was cold from head to toe, yet the weather was scorching hot.

Shen Yizhong sat in the main seat in the tent, next to him was another commander, Li Jiujiang!

"General Shen, do you have any good strategies for a decisive battle with Prince Ning?" Li Jiujiang looked at Shen Yizhong and asked.

"The army is besieged by Prince Ning. Our only option now is to concentrate all our superior forces and break out with all our might!" Shen Yizhong said with his eyes wide open and his brow furrowed.

"Generals, listen to my orders!" Li Jiujiang stood up, and Shen Yizhong also stood up.

"Then use three cannon shots as a signal, and our army will break out with all their might!"

"Yes, sir!"

......

The sun is so hot that it makes it hard to open your eyes.

Xia Yu was standing under the shade of a tree at this time, looking from afar at the soldiers who followed him all the way south from Yanjing.

They are all preparing for this decisive battle.

Standing next to Xia Yu was Xia Ping'an, and there was clearly more relief in his eyes as he looked at Xia Ping'an.

Xia Ping'an is the first son he and Shen Yuyao have, and Xia Yu is full of expectations for him.

In just three years, Xia Pingan has grown extremely rapidly.

He not only has Xia Yu's decisiveness and bravery, but also Shen Yuyao's wit and strategy.

Xia Yu liked him more than any other child, even more than Xia Xiaoxian.

If Shen Yuyao had not insisted, Xia Yu would have wanted to give the title of Prince of Ning to Xia Ping'an long ago.

"Ping'an," Xia Yu's eyes showed a rare kindness. He turned to Xia Ping'an and said, "If you were the commander-in-chief, how do you think we should fight this battle?"

"This..." Xia Pingan showed a hesitant look on his face.

"You don't need to think too much, just speak frankly!" Xia Yu smiled faintly.

"Father, I think the imperial army is in chaos right now. Our army should launch an attack as soon as possible to disrupt the rhythm of the imperial army, which will naturally achieve twice the result with half the effort!" Upon hearing this, Xia Pingan had no more scruples. He clasped his hands and spoke loudly.

"Ping'an is right. Then I will send you to lead the troops to fight the first battle. Are you willing?" Xia Yu said.

"I will not disgrace my father's order!"

"Good! Good! Good!" Xia Yu laughed loudly, "Then use three cannon shots as a signal and lead the troops to attack the imperial army!"

"I will obey my father's orders!"

There were three more cannon shots as the command, what a coincidence!

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

Sure enough, after three cannon shots, Xia Ping'an led his troops to attack the imperial army rapidly.

The imperial army over there just thought it was an order to break out, and those soldiers who were not prepared became even more confused.

Unsurprisingly, these 100,000 elite soldiers were completely defeated by Xia Ping'an as if it were destined.

No one could have imagined that this decisive battle would be lost so quickly and so completely.

Imperial Palace, Fengxian Hall.

Xia Chongwen sat slumped on the dragon throne with his arms folded across his chest, his brows furrowed, his face full of complete disbelief.

"How could Xia Yu wipe out nearly 100,000 troops in just one night?"

His almost whispered question made the ministers in the hall look pale.

"Which minister can tell me why this is happening?"

"Your Majesty, this battle was a complete coincidence. Both our army and the enemy relied on three cannon blasts as a signal. Unexpectedly, the enemy issued the attack signal first, and our soldiers misunderstood it as an order to break out. In their haste, they were easily wiped out by the enemy."

Qi Tai walked out of the row of ministers, clasped his hands, and replied to Xia Chongwen with a serious face.

"Then..." Xia Chongwen's eyes became distracted upon hearing this, and he shook his head repeatedly, "Could it be that God is helping him?"

"Your Majesty, don't panic too much. We still have a natural barrier, we can take advantage of it!"

"Yangtze?"

"That's right! As long as the imperial court collects all the boats on the river bank, Xia Yu's army will not be able to cross the Yangtze River!" Qi Tai seemed to have been inspired by the plan he proposed, and even a smug smile appeared on his face.

"Yes! Lord Qi is right! Unless Xia Yu can grow wings!" Many ministers also stood up and expressed their agreement with Qi Tai's strategy.

"Your Majesty, if we can really use the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to hold back Xia Yu's army, we will still have a chance to get the vassal states from all over the country to come to Kyoto to defend the king! At that time, we will have another chance to compete with Xia Yu!" Even the old ministers who have always been cautious believed that this was the only chance to fight against Xia Yu.

"After all, Xia Yu's army only brought a month's worth of food and fodder. If we can hold him back, we'll have a good chance of turning the tables. At the very least, we can negotiate with Xia Yu about dividing the river and governing it separately!"

"Divide the rivers and conquer them?"

Xia Chongwen was a little stunned.

"First divide the river and control it, then make plans for other things." Qi Tai nodded and replied.

In fact, Xia Chongwen knew in his heart that in the current situation of overwhelming defeat, dividing the river and governing it separately might be his best outcome.

"Eunuch Wang!"

"The old slave is here."

"Draft an imperial decree to confiscate all boats along the Yangtze River. Anyone who provides boats for Xia Yu's army to cross the river will be charged with treason and have their entire clan executed!"