"Give the order to the three armies!" Xiao Xun's voice was like the clang of metal, carrying an unparalleled killing intent. "The Xue family has fallen, a great victory has been achieved in the capital! The rear is secure, and supplies are plentiful! Today is the day to defeat the enemy! Beat the drums! Gather the generals! Follow me—out of the pass to defeat the enemy!"
"Woo-woo-woo-woo-"
The desolate yet powerful sound of bugles pierced the sky, drowning out all the clamor of the battlefield! The massive gates of Tongguan, which had been tightly closed for many days, slowly opened amidst the sickening sound of winches!
Xiao Xun led the charge, clad in black armor and a black cloak, wielding a long spear, like a war god descended to earth! Behind him surged the Liang cavalry, their morale soaring after days of pent-up frustration!
"Great Liang—May you be victorious!"
The iron cavalry, burning with the flames of revenge and the unwavering belief in victory, surged like a raging torrent crashing down upon the astonished Rong and Di army below the city! A decisive battle that would determine the fate of the northern border erupted!
Meanwhile, in the wounded soldiers' camp inside Tongguan City, Xin Kui, after receiving emergency treatment, fell into a deep sleep due to the excruciating pain and the effects of the antidote. Her pale face was furrowed, as if she were still experiencing pain in her dreams. A rough but warm hand gently, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, touched her sweaty forehead, wiping away the cold sweat.
Xin Yunzhou had arrived at her bedside without her noticing. His armor, still stained with blood, and his face bearing fresh wounds, swirled with an unprecedented complexity of emotions—fear, anger, heartache, and a deep, unspoken stirring within him. He sat silently by the bedside, guarding her as if she were a lost treasure regained. Outside the tent, the deafening shouts of battle echoed; inside, a silent vigil remained.
In the capital city, a thousand miles away, at the West Garden of the Sixth Prince's residence.
When news of the decisive battle at Tongguan and the complete downfall of the Xue family arrived simultaneously, Xin Jiuwei was standing by the window, gazing northward. The continuous days of exhaustion had left her much thinner, with faint dark circles under her eyes, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, as if containing boundless power.
She succeeded. The Xue family, that poisonous tree that had entrenched itself for so many years, was uprooted by her! Her father was saved, the disaster victims in Yingzhou saw hope, and the threat from the rear was temporarily averted. More importantly, she proved to everyone that she, Xin Jiuwei, was not a parasitic vine clinging to Xiao Xun! She had the ability and the determination to protect everything she wanted to protect!
"Miss, Xue Chongyi and Xue Mingyi have been imprisoned and are being tried jointly by the three judicial authorities. The evidence is irrefutable, and they have no chance of redressing their grievances. Other members of the Xue family are also being purged one after another." You Ye's voice was filled with excitement.
Xin Jiuwei slowly turned around, her face showing little joy of victory, only a calm that seemed to have settled down and a deeper solemnity.
"Although the Xue family has fallen, the corrupt officials are not limited to the Xue family." Her voice was cold. "The deep-seated problems in the bureaucracy did not arise overnight. The remnants of the Second Prince will not give up so easily. And the war on the front lines is far from over."
She walked to the desk, where a thick file containing the hard work of countless people and exposing the Xue family's crimes was spread out. Next to it were several drafts of "Equal Land Distribution Memorial" and "Ten Policies on Grain Transport" prepared by the young and promising members of the Qingliu faction.
"Youye, prepare the carriage." Xin Jiuwei picked up the drafts concerning future national policies, her eyes as firm as a rock. "We're going to visit the old lady of the Marquis of Anguo and Princess Rongchang. The Xue family has fallen, and the mess they left behind needs to be cleaned up. The post-disaster reconstruction of Yingzhou, the resettlement of displaced people, and the prevention of epidemics and flood control are all urgent matters. There's also the reform of officialdom, the reorganization of the canal transport... The soldiers at the front are bleeding, and we at the rear cannot stop!"
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