"Chu Wei," Jiang Huan hurried over and helped her to a chair, saying worriedly, "Your legs can't put weight on them yet. I'll go back to be with you as soon as I finish talking with the strategist..."

Chu Wei placed his hand on Wei Fang's and said, "It's alright." He then turned and smiled slightly at Wei Fang. "What Military Advisor Wei wants to know, I can tell you. My elder sister is unrighteous, and I am willing to rebel. I cannot guarantee that Kuiyang Kingdom will be prosperous and strong in the future, but I can guarantee that the future emperor will be diligent and hardworking, close to virtuous ministers, and keep away from treacherous people, so as not to allow foreign bandits to lightly invade our borders!"

"Clap clap clap!" The crisp sound of clapping came from outside.

The curtain was lifted, and Bi Xie, dressed in black, entered gracefully.

The people inside the tent, who had been on guard, were slightly taken aback when they saw that it was her who had come.

Bi Xie glanced at the surprised faces of the group, then looked down at Chu Wei and said with a smile, "It seems that I, Xu, have arrived at just the right time."

"General Xu!"

"General!"

Bi Xie smiled and looked at the other two, greeting them one by one before briefly explaining the next steps. Since everything was ready, all that was needed was the right opportunity. Since the Empress wanted to send an envoy to Ye Xi Kingdom for peace talks, then let that envoy never return. At that time, the court would be in chaos. Chu Chu did not know what Ye Xi Kingdom was thinking, so he would naturally transfer all his troops to the border.

Wei Fang looked at the general who was strategizing and making plans, his brows furrowed. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the general seemed different from before.

He pondered for a long time and finally figured out the difference—he was too calm.

This is treason, a rebellion against the very monarch he has served. Knowing the general as he does, he would never make such a decision so easily.

Ever since Jiang Huan came to him with the general's token, he had been puzzled by this question. However, as a man, he was not allowed to enter the military camp. It was the general who made an exception for him and promoted him, which is why he became the strategist he is today. From the bottom of his heart, he does not believe in the monarch, but in the general.

Chu Wei and Jiang Huan had no objection to Bi Xie's arrangement. Jiang Huan also told the truth: he had actually received a reply from his mother, but she had severely reprimanded him in the letter, accusing him of being disobedient and telling him not to mention it again.

Prime Minister Jiang's attitude was within Bi Xie's expectations. She was a veteran of two dynasties, and asking her to rebel would be to destroy her faith. Bi Xie asked Jiang Huan to persuade her, just to let her know in advance so that she could be mentally prepared and also to let her think carefully about whether the current Empress was worth her continued support.

After Jiang Huan and Chu Wei left, Wei Fang couldn't help but say, "General, please wait."

Bi Xie stamped his foot and turned to look at him, "Is there anything else you don't understand, Military Advisor Wei?"

Wei Fang looked at her silently for a while, then said in a low voice, "General, have you made up your mind? Is this really the way to go? This is a move from which there is no turning back. Your Majesty the Empress... although there are some improprieties, if you are determined to protect Kuiyang, I will do my utmost to assist you."

Seeing his serious and earnest expression, Bi Xie smiled softly, tapping his fingers on the table with a "tap tap tap" sound, and slowly stared at him, saying, "I will protect Kuiyang, but Chu Chu must die."

Wei Fang was shocked that she addressed Her Majesty the Empress by her given name. His breath caught in his throat, and he blurted out, "Why?"

Recalling the original owner's ordeal, Bi Xie's smile slowly turned cold. "Because she deserved to die," he thought, for only by dying could the original owner's hatred be appeased.

In her previous life, Chu Chu used Xu Xie to kill Han Yun, causing the Ye Xi Kingdom to have no heir, and the two countries remained peaceful for a hundred years. In this life, let Chu Chu die herself, and she will also ensure the peace of the Kui Yang Kingdom for a hundred years. It can be said that she died a worthy death.

Wei Fang was greatly alarmed, but seeing Bi Xie's expression, he knew that there was no room for maneuver. After hesitating for a long time, he said in a deep voice, "General, do you know who Her Majesty the Empress sent to the border to resist the soldiers of Ye Xi Kingdom?"

"My master?"

"Indeed." Wei Fang looked at Bi Xie. "General, would you like to see General Xu?"

Bi Xie let out a soft breath, a bitter smile appearing on his lips: "There's no need to meet again." The original owner's tragic past life began when he was persuaded by Xu Lan to marry Ning Mingshao. Afterwards, the original owner led 30,000 Xu family soldiers to resist the Ye Xi Kingdom, but was demobilized and captured, isolated and helpless. Not only was his reputation ruined, but he also died far from home. The heroic souls of 30,000 Xu family soldiers were all buried on the battlefield.

The original owner once revered her master so much, but she didn't mention Xu Lan's name at all in her wishes, which must have been because she harbored resentment.

Seeing Wei Fang staring at him, Bi Xie snapped out of his reverie and looked at him. "Wei Fang, how many years have you been following me?"

Wei Fang was taken aback, thought for a moment and replied, "Since the general won his first battle, Wei Fang has been following the general for eight years now."

“Eight years,” Bi Xie murmured, her eyes fixed on the fireflies reflected in the candlelight on the tent flap. Her gaze was slightly unfocused. “The 30,000 Xu family soldiers have followed me for eight years now.” She paused and asked softly, “Is Military Advisor Wei married? If I remember correctly, he is thirty-one years old by the traditional Chinese age reckoning.”

Wei Fang stiffened, and after a long while, he replied stiffly, "Not yet."

"Does Commander Wei still have any elders in his family?"

Mentioning his family, Wei Fang's face showed emotion, and his eyes churned with emotion. "My father passed away, leaving behind a lame elderly mother and a younger brother..."

Bi Xie took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames. "Don't laugh at me lying drunk on the battlefield. How many have returned from ancient battles? I beg you, strategist, to tell the Xu family army that after this battle, I promise them that everyone can go home to see their parents, husbands, and children. I, Xu Xie, swear on my life that as long as I live, the Kingdom of Kuiyang will be at peace!"

Wei Fang knelt tremblingly before Bi Xie, and said in a firm voice, "I am willing to follow the general to the death!"

Bi Xie helped the person up. Two more hours later it would be dawn. She didn't linger and left the Kuiyang Kingdom's military camp directly.

The original owner's martial arts skills were higher than she had imagined, and her familiarity with the military camp was far beyond her expectations. These were soldiers she had personally trained, and every blade of grass, every soldier, and every battalion in the camp was etched into her memory.

Xu Lan and several deputy generals studied the strategic deployment all day. Although they were exhausted at night, they could not fall asleep. Ya Qing accompanied her on a tour of the military camp. The two of them spoke little along the way. Ya Qing had a lot of resentment towards the Empress, but she did not want to say much in front of the general, for fear of causing her unnecessary trouble.

Suddenly, Xu Lan's gaze swept to one spot, and he shouted, "Who's there?"

Ya Qing was taken aback and quickly looked over, but only saw the vast darkness of the night. She couldn't help but ask, "General, have you discovered something?"

"There was a dark figure just now..." Xu Lan stopped mid-sentence, unsure of what to say. She rushed in that direction but found nothing. Exhausted, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Perhaps I was mistaken."

“General, you have been thinking too much lately. In my opinion, although the Yexi Kingdom has amassed a large army to press on the border, it has not taken any substantial action. This is really strange. General, you should rest well before you can think of a countermeasure.”

Xu Lan paused for a moment, then suddenly sighed and said, "If Xie'er were in this situation, what would he do?"

Meanwhile, in the capital of Kuiyang Kingdom.

On the imperial bed, two intertwined white figures were vaguely reflected.

Ning Mingshao did his best to please Chu Chu. The palace was heated, and despite the freezing weather, the two of them managed to break out in a light sweat. Ning Mingshao was panting, while Hong Fei's face was flushed and beautiful. His long legs were wrapped around the woman's waist, preventing her from leaving. "Your Majesty, can't Your Majesty send a different envoy to Ye Xi Kingdom? Why send Mingshao?"

Chu Chu let out a satisfied groan, her hand stroking the man's delicate, porcelain-like cheek. "Ming Shao, my spies have reported back a message."