"I suspect something big might have happened in the capital."
Lu Yan said with a solemn expression.
"The capital? Could it be..."
Han Sheng seemed to have thought of something, and his expression turned ugly.
"Now our Shannan Prefecture has a strong army and ample supplies, making it a great time for development."
"But if something happens in the capital, we will find it difficult to remain unaffected."
Lu Yan sighed and continued.
"I plan to send someone to the capital to find out what happened."
"My lord, I am willing to go to the capital to gather information!" Zhang Xun and Han Sheng said in unison.
Lu Yan pondered for a moment and said:
"Zhang Xun, take a troop of elite cavalry and head to the capital to gather information."
"Be extremely careful and cautious. If you discover anything amiss, immediately return to Shannan Prefecture to report."
"Yes, sir!"
Zhang Xun accepted the order and left.
Meanwhile, on the official road leading to the capital.
Two figures were supporting each other, walking unsteadily forward.
They wore cloaks, completely concealing their faces.
However, judging from their figures, they are a man and a woman.
It was Chen Qingwan, who had escaped from the capital, and her personal maid, Qiao'er.
After a long and tiring journey, Chen Qingwan was already exhausted.
But she still kept her spirits up and dared not slack off in the slightest.
"Qiao'er, how much longer until we reach Shannan Prefecture?"
Chen Qingwan's voice was somewhat weak.
"Your Majesty, we have been traveling for two days and two nights. We estimate that we will reach Shannan Prefecture in another day."
Qiao'er looked at Chen Qingwan with heartache.
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar, approaching rapidly.
Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er were startled and quickly hid in the woods by the roadside.
A troop of cavalry charged forward at breakneck speed, led by Li Mu, the commander of the Imperial Guards.
Li Mu spotted Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er hiding in the woods at a glance.
He quickly reined in his horse, dismounted, and strode to Chen Qingwan.
He knelt on one knee, choking back tears, and said:
"Your Majesty, I am too late to save you!"
Looking at the familiar face before her, Chen Qingwan felt a mix of emotions—bitterness, sorrow, and pain—in her heart.
Qiao'er also cried and said:
"It's great to see you all, General Li Mu!"
"Li Mu, let's fight our way back!"
Chen Qingwan's heart burns with the flames of revenge.
"Your Majesty, the capital has now fallen. With only our remaining troops, going back would only be suicide!"
Li Mu suppressed his grief and spoke calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty, that old traitor Liu An has now gained the upper hand."
"He commands 100,000 Imperial Guards; we are no match for him."
Qiao'er also offered words of advice from the side.
"Your Majesty, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."
Li Mu also offered his advice.
Chen Qingwan pondered for a moment, trying to calm her grief and panic.
Feeling that Li Mu and Qiao'er's words made sense, he asked:
"Where can we go now?"
"Shannan Prefecture! This humble general believes that Lu Yan, the prefect of Shannan Prefecture, is a very capable person."
"With his help, we will definitely be able to retake the capital!"
Li Mu said firmly.
Chen Qingwan nodded, a glimmer of hope igniting in her heart.
The group turned their horses around and headed towards Shannan Prefecture.
Dawn breaks in the capital city.
The gray sky hung low, the crescent moon hung like a hook, and a few sparse stars twinkled with dim light.
Liu An's army, clad in black armor, surged through the streets and alleys of the capital like a black tide.
The iron hooves shattered the tranquility of the bluestone slabs, and also crushed the last glimmer of hope of the people.
Every household had its doors and windows tightly shut, with only a faint candlelight occasionally escaping through the cracks in the doors.
It added a touch of desolation and fear.
Cries and curses drifted in the wind like ghostly whispers.
Special forces soldiers from Shannan Prefecture, codenamed "Cheetah".
At this moment, they are lurking on the roof of a teahouse called "Wangyuelou".
The gray clothes clung to his body, almost blending into the morning mist.
He was agile and lithe, like a sculpture that blended into the roof.
The cheetah narrowed its eyes, its sharp gaze sweeping over the soldiers on the street like that of a hawk.
He noticed that although these soldiers were clad in bright armor, their eyes revealed a fierce and greedy nature.
Many soldiers still had looted valuables hanging from their waists, including women's hairpins.
"Damn it, Liu An is really ruthless. He's going to turn the capital upside down."
The cheetah muttered a curse under its breath, as if ice shards could be squeezed out from between its teeth.
He reached out and touched the dagger hidden in his clothes; the cold touch made him feel slightly at ease.
The cheetah was disguised as a peddler, carrying two bamboo baskets on a shoulder pole.
He walked slowly along the street, occasionally calling out, attracting the attention of many women.
However, the cheetah's eyes remained constantly alert, observing everything around it.
He noticed that most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed.
Occasionally one or two restaurants are open, but they are deserted.
He walked up to a breakfast stall, pretended to want to buy fried dough sticks, and took the opportunity to chat with the owner.
"Boss, why is the city so deserted?"
The cheetah asked, feigning nonchalance. The boss sighed and lowered his voice, saying:
"Sir, you must be from out of town."
"Things have been unsettled in the city these past few days. That old scoundrel Liu An has usurped the throne and is now conducting a massive crackdown on former officials!"
The cheetah's heart skipped a beat, but it asked calmly:
"Oh? What happened to the person we caught?"
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