"Please rest assured and stay here in Shannan Prefecture. I will take care of everything."
Chen Qingwan nodded gratefully, but she had other thoughts in her mind.
Living under someone else's roof is not a long-term solution; she must find a way to get back on her feet as soon as possible.
That night, Chen Qingwan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
She was unwilling to waste her time in Shannan Prefecture, and she couldn't bear to leave the safety of the people in the capital.
She put on her coat, got up, and quietly left the room.
In a secluded valley outside the city, the remnants of the Imperial Guard were encamped.
The simple tents and their weary faces spoke volumes about the hardships they had endured.
Chen Qingwan rode into the valley, and Li Mu immediately came forward to greet her, clasping his hands in a respectful greeting.
"His Majesty!"
“General Li,” Chen Qingwan dismounted, her tone grave.
"Let's take a headcount."
Li Mu immediately accepted the order and left, returning shortly afterward to report:
"Your Majesty, there are 1,123 people remaining here."
"More than a thousand people..."
Qingwan repeated the number in a low voice, a sense of powerlessness welling up inside her.
With such a small force, trying to retake the capital is nothing short of a pipe dream.
Qiao'er, standing to the side, asked worriedly:
"Your Majesty, where do we go next?"
Chen Qingwan took a deep breath, her eyes resolute:
"Xijing!" Xijing was the secondary capital of the Datong Dynasty and her last hope.
"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"
Li Mu was greatly alarmed upon hearing this.
"Although Xijing is a secondary capital, Liu An now wields immense power in the court, and it's hard to guarantee that he doesn't have spies there."
"Going to Xijing would be tantamount to walking into a trap!"
Chen Qingwan also felt that Li Mu's words made sense. She calmed down and asked:
"In General Li's opinion, where should we go?"
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