Two days later, in the military camp outside the capital.

Song Yunyang sat in her tent, lost in thought and filled with worry.

It has been more than 20 days since Chen Zhennan left, and apart from a letter after he took over Mingzhou, there has been no news of him since.

At that moment, a soldier rushed into the tent, his steps hurried.

"Reporting to the commander, Commander Chen Zhennan has returned!" The soldier's voice echoed in the tent, carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement.

A hint of surprise flashed in Song Yunyang's eyes, and her heart was instantly filled with joy. She stood up and walked quickly towards the tent entrance.

Outside the tent, the sun shone brightly, the sky was azure, and everything seemed so beautiful.

Song Yunyang stood at the entrance of the tent, gazing into the distance, hoping that familiar figure would appear.

Finally, that familiar figure appeared in her sight.

Chen Zhennan rode his horse with an upright posture, his gaze firm, and a faint smile on his face, like a spring breeze that dispelled the gloom in Song Yunyang's heart.

Song Yunyang stood still, gazing gently at Chen Zhennan.

Chen Zhennan dismounted, a slight smile on his face, and walked to her side. Their shadows were stretched long in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The air around them seemed to grow heavy because of their silence, and time seemed to stand still at that moment.

After a long while, Chen Zhennan slowly took Song Yunyang's hand, conveying a warm and silent strength.

"I am about to ascend the throne, Yunyang, you will soon be the Empress who will rule the world."

Song Yunyang wore a faint smile, her eyes revealing a serene tranquility that transcended worldly concerns.

"I'm not very interested in the Empress's position, as long as you come back."

A relieved smile appeared on Chen Zhennan's face, and his eyes sparkled with deep emotion.

The woman before him, who was willing to risk her life to follow him, had no desires and only thought of him. This deep affection stirred a warm current in his heart.

He gripped Song Yunyang's hand tightly, his voice firm: "This time I won't leave. I will never betray you, not even until I die."

Song Yunyang blushed as she listened; this was the first time Chen Zhennan had ever spoken so affectionately.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two entered the tent together.

Inside the tent, the lights were dim, creating a warm and private atmosphere.

Chen Zhennan sat on the wooden chair, his expression suddenly turning serious.

"I'm preparing to take over the capital, but this time the protagonist isn't me, it's you."

Song Yunyang was a little puzzled, a hint of doubt flashing in her beautiful eyes: "Why am I the protagonist? You're the one who's going to ascend the throne, why make me the one to be the first to do it?"

Chen Zhennan pondered for a moment and slowly explained, "I don't want to see Wu Yunyin. Besides, Zhou Xiang defeated you many times during the battle between Da Wu and Da Yan. This time, I'll let you get your revenge."

A surge of emotion welled up in Song Yunyang's heart, as if her words had stirred up countless ripples.

"Without you, what is Zhou Xiang? Since you've made your decision, tonight I'll storm the capital. The era of the Great Wu is over."

Chen Zhennan nodded emphatically: "That's right, the era of Da Wu has ended. From now on, it will be the world of Da Yan."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Song Yunyang's eyes.

"You mean you want to use the reign title of the Great Yan Dynasty? You've accomplished an unprecedented feat, unifying the three kingdoms, so why would you still want to use the reign title of the Great Yan Dynasty?"

Chen Zhennan took a deep breath and explained with great emotion, "As descendants of Yan and Huang, how can we not use the reign title of the Great Yan? Be prepared, tonight, all the old order will be broken, and tomorrow will be a brand new beginning."

Song Yunyang gave a soft "hmm," telling Chen Zhennan to rest well, and then turned and walked out of the tent.

...

The atmosphere inside the Imperial Study in the capital city palace was so oppressive that it was almost suffocating.

Zhou Xiang sat on the dragon throne, looking dejected, his eyes having long lost their former sparkle.

With the entire capital city surrounded by Song Yunyang's army, food was scarce, morale was low, and most of the city's residents fled outside the city and found new livelihoods under Song Yunyang's arrangement.

All of this was like a series of invisible blades, cutting away at his self-esteem and power.

At this moment, Wu Yunyin slowly walked in, dressed in white like snow, like a gentle breeze, but unable to dispel the heaviness in Zhou Xiang's heart.

As she sat down, a complex emotion flickered in her eyes, as if she felt sorry for Zhou Xiang's fate, and as if she felt helpless about the choices she was about to face.

"Why are you dressed in plain clothes today?" Zhou Xiang raised his head slightly, forcing a bitter smile, trying to use humor to cover up his anxiety. "Could it be that you know Chen Zhennan is back?"

Wu Yunyin nodded with a wry smile, her voice low and slow: "Yes, I really don't know what Chen Zhennan was thinking. He didn't deal with you, the biggest problem, first, but instead killed Zhao Xiong."

Zhou Xiang's expression grew increasingly bitter, and a pang of sorrow gripped his heart.

"Me? The biggest trouble? Now that I think about it, Chen Zhennan never took me seriously at all!"

Zhou Xiang understood that there were 300,000 troops outside, while his capital city only had 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers with no will to fight. If Chen Zhennan wanted to attack the city, he could do so at any time.

At this moment, Zhou Xiang felt powerless, as if he were being crushed by an invisible boulder, making it hard to breathe.

In the midst of their silence, a eunuch rushed in, his face filled with anxiety, and said, "Your Majesty, Song Yunyang's army outside the city has made some unusual movements; they are probably preparing to attack the city!"

Zhou Xiang and Wu Yunyin exchanged a glance, both understanding that this moment had finally arrived.

Zhou Xiang slowly stood up, his sigh like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, full of helplessness: "What was bound to happen has happened. Wu Yunyin, I choose to die in battle. As for you, there is still a glimmer of hope. The commander-in-chief should not kill you."

These words were like a sharp arrow, piercing Wu Yunyin's heart. Her face turned pale instantly, and a look of astonishment and unease flashed in her eyes.

She tried to speak, but found her voice was suppressed deep in her throat and could not be uttered.

Zhou Xiang turned around and took off his dragon robe, as if he had shed a heavy shackle.

The golden dragon robe shimmered with dazzling light, yet it seemed incredibly glaring at this moment, filling him with a sense of weariness and helplessness.

Reaching out to put on the armor that had been with him for seven years, Zhou Xiang felt the familiar metallic touch, as if he had rediscovered his long-lost self.

A surge of passion welled up within him, and every piece of his armor seemed to whisper a call to him, awakening the long-dormant fighting spirit within him.

Turning and leaving the imperial study, Zhou Xiang's eyes suddenly turned fierce, and he shouted loudly, "Guards, assemble!"

Upon hearing the news, the guard quickly assembled. Although there were fewer than two hundred men, each one of them was a brother who had fought alongside him on the battlefield.

"Brothers, I, Zhou Xiang, am sorry for you. Today, I've reached the end of my road. I'm taking you home."

No one in the guards responded to Zhou Xiang's words. They all knew what Zhou Xiang meant: tonight would be the end of everything.