Chapter 112 Suspicion Leads to Concern and Unwittingly Reveals Her True Colors

All the soldiers were ready and waiting for Yuan Yan's order.

Yuan Yan did not speak immediately, but stood on the city wall, slightly raising his eyes to look into the distance, as if waiting for something.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaoju couldn't help but ask, "What is Your Highness looking at?"

“I am waiting for the north wind,” Yuan Yan said.

"Your Highness can observe celestial phenomena?" Zhang Xiaoju was slightly surprised. But no matter how long they waited here at this time of year, there was no way a strong north wind would blow.

Seeing that Yuan Yan didn't seem to be joking, her doubts deepened.

Little did people know that behind Yuan Yan's calm demeanor, he was actually having a conversation with the system.

"System, open the shop. I want to exchange for the celestial phenomenon," Yuan Yan said in his mind.

【Host, you need 30,000 achievement points for [Celestial Phenomenon - North Wind] once. Are you sure you want to use them to exchange for it?】The system confirmed with Yuan Yan.

"Confirmed." Yuan Yan had already reviewed the product information with the system beforehand, so the confirmation was quick this time.

[Okay, host has redeemed it for you. The North Wind will take effect in thirty seconds and last for up to half an hour. The wind force level is one to ten, with a maximum of ten. The host can adjust it as needed.] The system said after deducting achievement points.

Meanwhile, the Wu army also discovered the actions of the Phoenix Kingdom soldiers.

"General, the enemy is approaching, and their crossbows are ready to fire. It seems that Yuan Yan has been blinded by his recent victories and is really planning to rely on fire attacks," Shi Zongji reported to Jin Yuelun.

Shi Zongji appeared much more relaxed as he spoke, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

“If that’s the case, then the enemy’s move is tantamount to courting their own destruction.” Another general laughed, his eyes filled with disdain.

Her words were echoed by the generals present, and the tent was filled with jubilation, as if everyone had already foreseen the disastrous defeat of the Phoenix Army.

Even the usually serious and cautious Jin Yuelun now had a confident smile on his face.

Jin Yuelun waved his hand, silencing the laughter of the crowd, his tone conveying a sense of complete control.

"Then let the enemy set fires as they please, and see who ends up on the fire. Ignore their actions, and the entire army should focus all its efforts on fighting them," she ordered with a smile.

The arrows of the Wu army were already nocked, ready to be fired at the Huang army.

"Good opportunity! Fire all the arrows!" Shi Zongji ordered.

A volley of arrows was unleashed, the dense barrage of arrows seemingly weaving a vast net in an instant, descending upon the Phoenix Army crossing the river.

"Oh no..." Yuan Shi had never approved of Yuan Yan's fire attack plan in the first place, and seeing this scene now, he knew things were going badly and secretly groaned.

However, at that very moment, Yuan Yan seized the opportunity and issued the order.

"Activate the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth."

【Received! [Celestial Phenomenon - North Wind] has been activated for the host!】System response.

On the battlefield, the gentle south wind seemed to be snapped off by an invisible hand, abruptly ceasing.

In an instant, the banners stopped fluttering.

Before the archers of the Wu army could react, the wind suddenly shifted, and a strong gust of wind made the Wu army's banners flutter loudly.

"North wind? How could there be a north wind at this time of year!" a general exclaimed in disbelief.

A strong wind swept through, undoubtedly affecting the fierce rain of arrows. Many arrows veered off course, and the once dense and orderly rain of arrows became chaotic and disorderly.

What a speechless scene!

"..."

Looking at the chaotic rain of arrows, Yuan Shi, who was usually calm and composed, couldn't help but open her mouth, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.

Yu Liu stood there, stunned, muttering in disbelief, "The north wind has really picked up..."

The north wind, which hadn't blown earlier or later, just happened to rise halfway through the Wu army's arrow-firing procession. Could such a coincidence not be a deliberate act of divine intervention?

Duan Xuchao's face also showed the same confusion and disbelief. She gripped the long sword in her hand in a daze, the cold touch reminding her that this was not a dream.

Both sides' soldiers were in shock, with only the whistling wind in their ears.

Just then, Zhang Xiaoju's voice broke the silence.

"May Heaven bless the Great Phoenix!" she shouted, raising her arms.

"The south wind is blowing in a different direction, helping my fire burn! This is a sign of divine protection; destiny belongs to my Phoenix Kingdom!" Zhang Xiaoju shouted loudly.

The sudden shouts around him made Yuan Yan glance at Zhang Xiaoju.

It must be said that Zhang Xiaoju was indeed clever and quick-witted. Even without consulting Yuan Yan beforehand, he was able to quickly recover from his shock and act accordingly.

Isn't this the perfect opportunity to boost morale?

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoju's leading shout, Huang Jun felt as if he had been enlightened and joined in the shouting.

"May Heaven bless the Great Phoenix! The Phoenix Kingdom will surely prevail!" The shouts shook the heavens and earth.

Looking at the sudden north wind, and listening to the loud shouts of the Phoenix Army.

A commotion broke out within the Wu army, and the soldiers were in a state of panic.

Jin Yuelun stared solemnly at the Phoenix Army opposite him, whose morale was soaring. His expression was grim, and he ordered his generals to appease the soldiers.

"Fire the crossbow bolts! Quickly!"

Reminded by Zhang Xiaoju, Xue Lang quickly regained his senses after a brief moment of stunned silence and ordered his soldiers to fire their crossbows.

The burning crossbow bolts, carried by the north wind, fell like meteors, striking the Wu army's camp fiercely.

With the help of the kerosene, the fire spread rapidly, its red glow illuminating the sky.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" the Wujun general roared.

The water that Jin Yuelun had prepared beforehand was quickly put to use. The rest of the soldiers went to the Lu River to fetch water, but this water was far from enough to extinguish the fire.

Amidst the howling wind, sparks flew in all directions. In the Wujun camp, a tent had just been lit when sparks were blown onto a haystack dozens of paces away. Smoke billowed, and flames roared everywhere.

The speed at which the Wu army could put out the fire was far slower than the speed at which the Huang Kingdom could start the fire.

In an attempt to escape the spreading fire, countless soldiers disregarded orders and rushed towards the Lu River, their horses trampling each other, creating an uncontrollable chaos.

Even before the Phoenix Army could get close enough to make a move, the Wu Army had already been routed.

The general's reprimands, intended to salvage the defeat, were in vain.

Jin Yuelun understood.

In fact, the Wu army had already lost when they saw the north wind suddenly rise. They did not lose to Yuan Yan, but to the timing of events and the support of the people.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Phoenix Army attacked and scattered the already chaotic Wu Army.

This time, Jin Yuelun did not refuse. Under the desperate protection of her guards, she retreated in a sorry state to a high slope. Looking back, all she could see was a scene of purgatory.

The elite troops that Jin Yuelun relied on for its fame were mostly wiped out by Yuan Yan, and lost on this fiery plain.

After this battle, the Wuzhou army will likely be unable to recover its strength for many years and will be unable to set foot on this land again.

Yuan Yan had someone loudly relay a message: "General Jin, please pass on a message to your Emperor, saying that I will repay her for the sword she bestowed upon me in the future."

Jin Yuelun didn't understand what Yuan Yan meant by the "gift of a sword," but he felt ashamed because of Yuan Yan's words, and his eyes widened in anger.

"Let's go, General. As long as we have gold, we can always rebuild... If we stay any longer, we might not even be able to save the remaining soldiers," the lieutenant pleaded.

Jin Yuelun could only flee like a stray dog, leading his remaining troops as the Phoenix Army relentlessly pursued him.

"May Heaven bless the Great Phoenix!" the soldiers shouted again, but this time, their eyes were fixed on Yuan Yan, on the commander they trusted.

As Cao Dexian listened to the soldiers' shouts, he suddenly realized that after this battle, Yuan Yan's prestige in the army would be at its zenith, and no one would be able to withstand her brilliance.

Even His Highness the King of Qi could not contend with the King of Qin.

Cao Dexian gave a bitter smile to himself, realizing the situation was as it was.

However, Yuan Yan did not retreat. Instead, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue Jin Yuelun to come to the border of Wu Kingdom, led his troops in a counterattack, and captured two border states of Wu Kingdom in one fell swoop.

[Host, check your level of control!]

During this process, the system exclaimed in surprise.

When news of Yuan Yan's great victory on the battlefield and his subsequent triumph over the Wu army reached the capital, her control over the country had already risen to 68.23%.

With the deliberate dissemination of rumors by Zhang Xiaoju and others, even rumors began to circulate among the people that His Highness the Prince of Qin was the reincarnation of the founding emperor of the Cang Kingdom. On the battlefield, divine intervention brought forth a great wind, resulting in a crushing defeat for the Wu army. Any enemy who opposed the Prince of Qin met a terrible end.

The rumors intensified. Because the sudden north wind and its reversal were so miraculous, many people believed it wholeheartedly, thinking that His Highness the Prince of Qin was the destined ruler sent by Heaven to protect the Phoenix Kingdom.

Even some court officials believed the rumor. After all, Yuan Yan was exceptionally brave, a warrior who fought valiantly on the battlefield and repeatedly saved the country from peril, something no ordinary person could do, much like Emperor Taizu in his prime.

Yuan Yan's influence grew stronger and stronger, making the Qi King's faction extremely wary.

She thus gained the achievement "The Will of the People" and received 30,000 achievement points.

Later, when he conquered the two states of Wu, Yuan Yan's power level soared to 76.79%, and he achieved the achievement "Dominating the Four Directions", earning 15,000 achievement points.

After suffering two consecutive defeats, the Wu Kingdom was severely weakened and unable to withstand the offensive of Yuan Yan's army.

Emperor Wu was furious and fearful when he saw that the two border states had been captured. He deeply regretted not being able to kill Yuan Yan completely back then, and vented his anger on the assassins who had escaped back.

At the same time, they were also panicked by Yuan Yan's offensive momentum. If Yuan Yan continued to attack like this, could the Wu Kingdom really withstand it with its remaining forces?

Fortunately, the thing Emperor Wu feared most did not happen. Just as the Phoenix Army was launching its offensive, Yuan Yan suddenly withdrew his troops.

"What happened? Why would the Phoenix Kingdom withdraw its troops at this time?" Emperor Wu's eyes were piercing.

"Your Majesty, it seems a major incident has occurred in the Phoenix Kingdom. The King of Qin is in a hurry to return to the capital, so he has withdrawn his troops," the minister reported.

Yu'er happened to be behind the screen at that moment, preparing to report to Emperor Wu after the ministers left.

Before he could even step down, he heard the minister's words, and his heart skipped a beat, causing him to speak out instinctively.

"What's the big deal?" Yu'er blurted out.

"This... Your humble servant does not know."

What is the Seventh Prince doing here?

Upon hearing Yu'er's voice from behind the screen, the minister immediately stopped speaking and remained silent.

Seeing this, Emperor Wu glanced at Yu'er indifferently, asked her a few more questions, and then dismissed the ministers.

After the ministers left, Yu'er realized she had spoken out of turn and immediately came out from behind the screen, kneeling on the ground to beg for forgiveness.

"Yu'er, how come your mother didn't know that you became so curious about politics?" Emperor Wu narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at Yu'er.

When Yu'er thought of Yuan Yan, her heart immediately began to pound.