After discussing for a long time without reaching a conclusion, Chu Tianling dismissed the court officials, rubbed his temples, and sat alone at his desk.

"Your Majesty!" Princess Zhaoyang, dressed in palace attire and looking haggard, and Empress Zhang, in a dignified and elegant robe, entered.

Chu Tianling looked somewhat impatient, but upon seeing Zhang Miaoke's slightly protruding belly, he ultimately refrained from reacting.

Princess Zhaoyang pleaded, "Your Majesty, please find a way to save Zhang Yu... This defeat is not his fault..."

Zhang Miaoke was no longer as unruly as usual; she just bit her lip and said, "Your Majesty, please save my father..."

Chu Tianling felt his head was spinning. "Do you think I don't want to save her? The Princess Consort of Yan has many experts around her, how can I save her?"

Princess Zhaoyang said, "Your Majesty, they were all willing to exchange Tuo'er for the hostages before. As long as we have enough bargaining chips, we can definitely get the prince consort back!"

At this point, Chu Tianling couldn't help but feel angry. Zhang Yu had contributed a lot to his rise to this position and had often given him advice, but none of his sons were useful; they were all more capable of achieving things than making them fail.

He finally understood what had happened: it was because Zhang Shaowei was being controlled and his deployment of troops was delayed, which led to the swift defeat.

"What bargaining chips do we have left?" Chu Tianling couldn't help but sneer. Even the distant Kong family had been traded away. What else did they have to exchange?

Princess Zhaoyang quickly spoke up, "Your Majesty, what about the Bai family? I don't believe that Bai Chuxiao really doesn't care about the lives of the Bai family..."

Chu Tianling frowned and said, "Bai Chuxiao's attitude towards the Bai family is obvious to all. If the Bai family could threaten her, I wouldn't have waited until today..."

Princess Zhaoyang said, "Your Majesty, blood is thicker than water after all. The Bai family has many connections, and I don't believe she really doesn't care about any of them. Perhaps Bai Chuxiao is just creating a smokescreen..."

Chu Tianling frowned slightly. Compared to the Bai family, he naturally preferred to trust Zhang Yu, but he didn't think this method could be successfully passed on!

Zhang Miaoke suddenly said, "Your Majesty, it's not like there's no one left in the capital. Aren't my eldest, second, and third brothers all still in the capital? Besides, there's the Yu family and the Bai family. If things are handled properly, we might be able to get Father out!"

Since entering the palace, she had come to understand everything. She was never favored by Chu Tianling, and now that she was separated from her father, she was nothing. In recent days, those women had done their best to mock and ridicule her.

Her father was still somewhat useful to Chu Tianling. If he never returned, her position as Empress would be over. What would happen to her children then?

Chu Tianling looked over with considerable surprise. This woman, who usually only knew how to argue and make trouble, had actually come up with something this time.

"Oh? Tell me more."

...

With Lü Bu joining the army, the Changning army captured Changzhou with virtually no bloodshed.

After arranging matters in Mianzhou, Bai Chuxiao led everyone to take over Changcheng.

Inside the Changzhou government office, after Shen Xuanxuan and Song Le'er had taken care of everything, Bai Chuxiao finally felt comfortable meeting Zhang Yu and the other two.

Zhang Yu and his two sons were forced to kneel in the center of the room; Zhang Shaowei and Zhang Shaoqi both looked rather unpleasant.

Bai Chuxiao said with great interest, "It seems that I haven't ordered you to torture them yet!"

Shen Xuanxuan, standing to the side, laughed and said, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but they fought amongst themselves because of their own infighting."

Originally, it was fine as long as it was just Zhang Yu and Zhang Shaoqi, but then Zhang Shaowei was also arrested and put in the same cell as them.

Zhang Shaoqi and Zhang Yu, naturally dissatisfied, gave Zhang Shaowei a good beating. But Zhang Shaowei wasn't happy either; he was a prisoner, his life hanging in the balance. While he wouldn't necessarily beat up his father, he had no hesitation in beating up his older brother, Zhang Shaoqi.

Then the one-sided beating turned into a mutual brawl, leaving Zhang Yu utterly exhausted. He regretted ever having taken advantage of these two useless sons! If he hadn't brought them along, he wouldn't be in this predicament.

Seeing Zhang Yu's silent resignation, Bai Chuxiao smiled and asked, "Does the Prince have nothing to say?"

Zhang Yu turned his head away and said defiantly, "Kill me or torture me as you please. I have been wise all my life, and I did not lose to you, but only to these two!"

Bai Chuxiao nodded. When Zhang Yu was young, he was the envy of everyone as a prince consort. Later, he was highly valued and became a powerful provincial governor. After helping to establish a new emperor, he transformed into a prince of a different surname.

These stories of struggle are truly impressive; while they may not have been brilliant throughout their lives, they certainly lived a life of glory.

"I must admit, you are indeed a talented person, but this battle wasn't entirely your son's fault," Bai Chuxiao said with a half-smile.

As they were talking, Lü Bu, Murong Xuan, Yu Fengyang, Cui Hao, and other generals arrived together.

With the matter of Changzhou settled, the Changzhou garrison was considered stronger than the garrisons of other prefectures. Now that it had been subdued, Bai Chuxiao naturally intended to make good use of it, which is why she invited all the generals over so that everyone could get to know each other.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Bai Chuxiao waved her hand at the newcomers, "You've come at the perfect time. I was just thinking about what to do with these things on the ground."

The soldiers in the Changning army were fine, but Lü Bu, who had followed them in, and his original left and right deputies couldn't hold back their anger when they saw the three men on the ground.

Lu Fengxian grabbed Zhang Yu's clothes and punched him several times. The other two lieutenants also attacked Zhang Shaowei and Zhang Shaoqi.

Although they had already pledged allegiance to the Prince of Yan's mansion, damn it, if it weren't for Zhang Yu and the other two constantly ostracizing them and seizing Lü Fengxian's military power, Fengyun Valley wouldn't have been in such a dire state!

Seeing Zhang Yu and the other two being brutally beaten, Bai Chuxiao didn't say anything. After all, they were prisoners, so let them be beaten. Besides, she knew that Lü Fengxian still felt guilty about losing Changcheng in Fengyun Valley. Now that he had vented his anger, he would be more sincere in his work in the future!

Bound and powerless to fight back, Zhang Yu could only shout angrily, "Lu Bu, you actually betrayed us and betrayed us! How dare you hit me, the king..."

Hearing this, Lü Fengxian withdrew his fist and sneered, "Isn't it all thanks to the Prince? Weren't you quite capable before?"

Zhang Yu said coldly, "No matter what, I am still better than a traitor like you!"

Lu Bu sat down dismissively and said, "You are strong, arguably the strongest in history. I have never seen anyone occupy a strategically important location and be annihilated so quickly! Your Highness, you have truly made history..."

Even though Zhang Yu had a thousand reasons in his heart, he still turned red with anger when he heard these words.

Seeing that the grudges among them had been vented, Bai Chuxiao asked, "General Lü and the two young generals, have you calmed down?"

Lu Bu and the two young generals quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, we have been impolite."

Bai Chuxiao smiled and said, "It's alright, let's discuss how to deal with these people."

Yu Fengyang said lazily, "Your Highness, these few are of little value. Why don't we just kill them?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu and the other two felt inexplicably flustered. They had to admit that they were still afraid of dying!

Murong Xuan said helplessly, "What did Feng Yang say? These few are like cabbages, he can just chop them up like that."