After listening to Zhao Huan's words, Feng Jing, Chi Jianzhang, and Huang Shi exchanged glances.

Experience is the best teacher; Zhao Huan has been hiding his true abilities for a long time!

Hidden in the Lingshan Mountains are the Dragon Spear Guards, and spies have been planted in Changsui City...

Zhao Cheng was speechless. He thought to himself, "Dad, you've made so many preparations, and you still say you never thought of rebelling?"

I don't believe you!

Feng Jing asked, "Commander Long, do you mean... someone will open the city gates for us?"

Zhao Huan nodded in agreement, took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Cheng, saying, "Have Yuan Fei make a trip there."

Zhao Cheng took the letter, glanced at the cover, and lowered his voice, saying, "It doesn't even have a name. Who is it for?"

"I went to the rouge shop at No. 128 Dongcheng and said I wanted my eyebrows done."

Zhao Cheng dared not be negligent.

The following morning, Zhao's army continued westward, crossing the Suidong Plain and approaching Changsui City.

At this moment, the setting sun slanted across the sky, bathing the mottled city walls and the soldiers arrayed below in golden light.

Wang Ren stood atop the city wall.

Zhao Huan was riding on horseback below the city.

Both those on the city wall and those below were deeply moved.

It has been many years since such a scene has appeared in Changsui City.

"Wang Ren, obediently open the city gates, or offer up the heads of Wen Tai and his nephew, and restore peace to the Great Jing. You will still be the Great General of the Great Jing!"

Zhao Cheng challenged the enemy from below the city walls.

Wang Ren roared, "Utterly arrogant! The capital, Changsui, is impregnable! Do you think you can break through the city with Feng Jing's help? You are nothing but a bunch of traitors! A rabble!!"

Zhao Cheng laughed and said, "Being forced to retreat into the city by a bunch of rabble, General Wang is truly amazing!"

"Brother, are you in such a hurry to take my head?"

Wen Tai and Wen Hu appeared beside Wang Ren.

Upon seeing Zhao Huan below the city, Wen Tai cupped his hands and said, "Teacher, how have you been?"

Zhao Huan straightened her long hair and said, "How could I not be sick after taking a bath in Jinghai on such a cold day?"

Wen Tai said, "My teacher once taught me that the path is under one's own feet, and it is all one's own choice, so one should have no regrets. Teacher, you can't blame me."

Zhao Huan said, "You've chosen your path, so don't blame me."

A few wrinkles appeared on Wen Tai's fair face as he raised his voice and said, "You are good at defense but not offense. Changsui City will exhaust your last bit of strength. Why make a final struggle? You might as well take these people back to Yanchuan, recuperate, and retire in Yanchuan."

"Hahaha, so you're the ones making your last stand, aren't you?"

Zhao Cheng laughed loudly and said, "My father is good at defense but not offense, but I'm still here! If we don't take you uncle and nephew down this time, you might even seize the Great Jing!"

"Purge the court of corrupt officials and restore peace to the Great Jing!!" Zhao Cheng shouted to the soldiers behind him, pulling on the reins. "This battle is for the defense of the country!!"

The soldiers shouted in unison.

"Defend the country!"

"Defend the country!!"

"Defend the country!!!"

After the noise gradually subsided, Wen Tai shouted, "There are no treacherous officials by His Majesty's side. The 'purging of the court' is merely an excuse for the Zhao family's treason!"

Zhao Huan looked up and asked, "Wen Tai, where is His Majesty?"

Wen Tai said, "His Majesty is of noble status and would naturally not come here to quarrel with you."

Zhao Huan said, "If you can summon His Majesty and let me see him say in front of everyone that there are no traitors by his side, then I will immediately withdraw my troops."

"how?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Hu was intrigued and lowered his voice, saying, "Uncle, Zhao Huan said that in front of the entire army, so he probably won't go back on his word. Why don't I go and invite His Majesty over?"

Wen Tai, his face full of worry, said in a deep voice, "No. What if His Majesty comes and turns around and accuses us of abusing our power? Zhao Huan would then have a legitimate reason to do so."

Wen Hu asked doubtfully, "Could Yuan Xiu really do something like this?"

Wen Tai countered, "Can't he do it?"

Wen Hu choked for a moment, then nodded and said, "It's too risky."

Wang Ren said, "Prime Minister, Marquis, you don't need to worry. The defenses of Changsui City have been set up, and the city cannot be breached."

Wen Hu glanced at Wang Ren with displeasure and said, "The defeat in the Suidong battle was due to your arrogance and carelessness. Don't speak so confidently!"

Wang Ren retorted, "Now that things have come to this, we can only fight desperately. Does the Marquis have a better idea?"

"Wang Ren!!"

"Alright, you two!" Wen Tai waved his hand wearily and said, "The more critical the moment, the more you need to unite. I'm tired, I'm going to rest. Hu'er, go to the palace and send more people to keep an eye on His Majesty, so he doesn't cause any trouble at this time."

"yes."

Under the city.

Watching Wen Tai and Wen Hu disappear from sight, Zhao Cheng said, "It seems the talks have broken down."

Zhao Huan said, "Wen Tai is a cautious person. He won't let Yuan Xiu come out at a time like this. He doesn't dare to gamble."

"Then we..."

"Have a meal!"

Zhao Huan raised his hand and shouted, "The entire army rests and prepares food!"

A moment later, Zhang Dalian pointed down to the city walls and said to Wang Ren, "General, they've started a fire to cook!"

Wang Ren said quietly, "I'm not blind."

Zhang Dalian said, "This is a good opportunity. Let me lead my men and break out!"

"Don't be reckless!"

Wang Ren squinted and said, "They look like they're cooking, but they're actually watching us. I called them a rabble to provoke them. These 200,000 men are Zhao Huan and the last remaining force of the Zhennan Border Army, the elite of Dajing."

"Remember my words, never go out of the city to meet the enemy, and just keep at it. Behind us is the capital Changsui, whose food reserves are far superior to theirs."

"When they can't afford to keep going, they'll naturally go back to Yanchuan."

Zhang Dalian asked with doubt, "But when we were in Suidong, our scouts discovered that they had a lot of supplies and provisions, and they were still transporting them westward in an endless stream..."

Wang Ren interrupted, "The Right Prime Minister's residence used to be only so big, how much grain could they have stored? Zhao Huan and Zhao Cheng are both cunning, this is a trick they used to deceive us!"

Zhang Dalian added, "But Zhao Cheng is rich; his Eastern Chamber of Commerce can quickly stockpile grain in various counties and prefectures..."

"Don't boost their morale!"

Wang Ren interrupted again, shouting, "Just hold our ground! Every day we drag this out, the Zhao army will suffer!"

"They eat, so we eat!"

“Yes…” Zhang Dalian said no more, but he felt that the general had lost his usual composure.

Outside the palace gates.

As Wen Tai and Wen Hu were about to part, Wen Tai seemed to suddenly remember something and stopped to ask, "Hu'er, during my time in prison, when you were clearing out and arresting Zhao Huan's men, did you miss anyone?"

Wen Hu said confidently, "Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free. I also had the help of the imperial prison at the time, so there was no one left behind!"

"Then I'm relieved."

Wen Tai shook his head and said, "My teacher is a man who keeps himself very low-key, and the people he trains are also very low-key. I believe Wang Ren can hold his ground, but we absolutely cannot allow any internal trouble to occur."

Wen Hu nodded and said, "I have already made arrangements. The people in charge of the city gate defenses are all my men, and they are absolutely reliable."

"Hmm..." Wen Tai responded, then walked back towards the residence with his hands behind his back.