Chapter 1099: Grand Finale: Return of an Old Friend (7)

Sure enough, not long after that, Xie Jingxing's letter was transmitted back to Daliang.

The letter describes the situation of Ming Qi.

Emperor Wenhui died of illness, and the ninth prince, Fu Xiuyi, ascended the throne. Upon his ascension, Fu Xiuyi immediately established a friendly relationship with the Qin Emperor, securing his support. The two nations launched a joint offensive against the now-declining Daliang. The remaining princes of Mingqi, including Prince Zhou and Prince Jing, were imprisoned. Fu Xiuyi's tactics were always effective against his own family.

The Shen and Luo families, along with other established families that had been suppressed by Emperor Wenhui, openly rebelled, earning them the label of "rebellion" within Ming Qi. However, the common people seemed unconvinced. The Shen family's good reputation had endured for many years, and it wasn't easily tarnished.

Xie Jingxing's men were secretly in contact with the Shen family. Before long, the Shen family would form an alliance with Xie Jingxing in the name of surrender and officially switch sides to Daliang.

At the end of the letter, Xie Jingxing casually added a few sentences, as if they were dispensable legends, added casually.

Rumor has it that a story of royal romance is circulating in Dingjing. A beautiful woman has arrived in the palace, the distant niece of an imperial merchant. She is as beautiful as a fairy, intelligent, and eloquent. The new emperor cherishes her like a jewel, holding her in his palm and naming her Lady Mei. In a short time, her influence far surpasses that of the other concubines in the harem.

Shen Miao closed the letter and smiled.

Luo Tan asked, "My little cousin, it's just a letter. You've been looking at it over and over for a long time and you've laughed three times." Suddenly he looked to the other side and said, "Hey. How did that cat get up there? And how high up?"

On a garden tree not far away, a black cat was climbing up the trunk. The branches became thinner as they went higher up, as if they could not bear the weight of the cat. The branches were swaying and looked extremely dangerous.

"The faster you climb, the higher you climb, the faster you fall and the more painful it will be." Shen Miao smiled: "Just wait and see."

…

Another half a year passed.

Once a war begins, it's not easy to stop. This war between three kingdoms was especially true. Today, smoke of war rises on one side, tomorrow, soldiers meet on the other. There are victories and defeats, retreats and advances. Qin and Ming Qi fought this battle with a near-death struggle, and therefore invested a significant amount.

In comparison, the troops brought by Daliang can even be considered small.

Despite this, the combined efforts of Ming Qi and Qin failed to gain any advantage on the Daliang front. It felt like a long, drawn-out tug-of-war, with Daliang slowly wearing out its forces while Qin and Ming Qi's pace began to falter.

Especially recently.

In previous battles, both large and small, Qin and Qi had always won, especially in the beginning. They had almost always tasted victory. While the harvest wasn't abundant, it was a huge boost to morale. The soldiers of both Qin and Qi were very proud.

As time went on, the advantages of Qin and Qi became less and less obvious. Although they still had victories, they were gradually declining.

All the way to the Thirteen Capitals of Youzhou.

The Thirteen Capitals of Youzhou lie at the junction of the Mingqi, Qin, and Daliang kingdoms. They have long been part of Qin territory, a fact that dates back to a very long time ago, even to the founding of the nation. For so many years, the Thirteen Capitals of Youzhou have remained securely situated on the border. This isn't because Daliang and Mingqi haven't attempted to capture them, but rather because the Thirteen Capitals' complex terrain makes them difficult to attack and easy to defend. Attacking them would be a daunting undertaking, potentially even devastating.

To tackle such a tough bone, you need not only ambition but also great courage.