Chu Tianze said coldly, "Shen Tao, I have no intention of sparing her life..."
Shen Tao's expression changed, and he quickly lowered his head, saying, "This subordinate knows, it's all for the sake of the Princess..."
Chu Tianze said calmly, "It's good that you know. If there are still any ignorant people in the Shen family who disrespect the Princess, I won't be so lenient with them anymore..."
Shen Tao's eyes darkened as he thought of his wife, who was becoming increasingly erratic at home. He knew he needed to put her in a good position...
"Understood..."
Having finished pleading guilty, Song Fei announced loudly, "Your Highness, Your Highness, everything is ready. When shall we send out our troops?"
Yu Fengyang raised an eyebrow and said, "Now that the Prince of Xiang is at his last gasp, it's time for us to make our move."
Arriving at a huge sand table in the center, Chu Tianze pointed to two areas and said, "We must take over the area south of the Huai River as soon as possible. We'll cross the Huai River and take Sui and Ling prefectures, while another force will advance from Qi and Mian prefectures and capture Yun, Ying, and Chang prefectures. Once the two armies converge, we won't be far from the capital."
Song Fei nodded, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Your Highness is absolutely right. How about we leave the Huaijiang area to this humble general?"
Shen Tao also respectfully said, "The imperial army is currently concentrated south of the Huai River, and with the Marquis of Xuanping stationed there, crossing the Huai River will not be easy. This humble general requests to go with Song Fei..."
Chu Tianze said in a deep voice, "The key area is naturally the Huai River region, but the three prefectures of Yun, Ying, and Chang form a triangle and must also be captured; we cannot afford to lose them."
Yu Fengyang and Murong Xuan said solemnly, "This humble general is willing to lead the troops there..."
Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow and said, "Why don't you leave this journey to me? I'm quite familiar with Yunzhou, and there are still some loose ends from what happened there."
Chu Tianze somewhat disagreed, saying, "Although there are no heavy troops along this route, only various garrisons, Yingyun and Yingzhou are the strongholds of Chu Wenzheng and Zhang Yu. Even though they have now taken control of the capital, their control over these two prefectures is no less than before..."
Moreover, he is bound to command troops in the Huaijiang area, and if Xiaoxiao goes to command troops along this route, won't the two of them be separated again...?
Chu Tianze continued, "How about Xiaoxiao comes with me to attack the area south of the Huai River? As for the rest of the journey, let Shen Tao handle it..."
Bai Chuxiao was reluctant. Chu Tianze would take her along, but he wouldn't let her do anything. She was basically just a decoration, so what was the point?
"General Shen and Song Fei should stay with you. As for the rest of the journey, I can take Yu Fengyang and my second brother with me..."
Crossing the Huai River is not so easy; otherwise, King Xiang would have been defeated. Besides, their army doesn't have any advantage in terms of cavalry. Qizhou and other places are different; each prefecture only has garrison troops. Chu Wenzheng and Zhang Yu's previous troops were too busy protecting the capital...
Seeing that she had already made up her mind, Chu Tianze could only nod helplessly and gave a stern order to the crowd.
"Shen Tao and Song Fei, you two will accompany me, leading an army of 200,000. We will depart in three days. As for the other army of 150,000, it will be led by the Queen Consort, with Yu Fengyang and Murong Xuan as her deputies."
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Bai Chuxiao said with a smile, "Your Highness, you should lead the troops and go first. We're not in a hurry..."
Song Fei scratched his head, and Shen Tao looked at a certain spot, then suddenly said, "Your Highness, is this a plan to launch a surprise attack on Qizhou after we've captured Pengzhou..."
Bai Chuxiao smiled and said, "Not bad..."
Yu Fengyang raised an eyebrow and said, "Your Highness, that's really cunning."
Chu Tianze looked over with a grim expression, "Hmm?" Murong Xuan also glared at him.
Seeing the two unfriendly gazes, Yu Fengyang quickly changed his tune, "Your Highness, that's a brilliant plan..."
Chu Tianze said calmly, "Don't worry, Xiaoxiao, I will make a big show of it..."
Bai Chuxiao said with a smile, "Your Highness, General Chen, and General Song, don't fall behind us, okay? What if we can't cross the Huai River..."
Song Fei grinned and said, "Your Highness, this isn't fair..."
Chu Tianze chuckled, "Xiaoxiao, just wait..."
...
As night fell, Bai Chuxiao and Chu Tianze stood in the courtyard, gazing at the crescent moon overhead.
Chu Tianze said softly, "Xiaoxiao, why don't you come with me?"
Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow and said, "No..."
Chu Tianze said helplessly, "I didn't mean to detain you..."
Bai Chuxiao tilted her head back and said, "I know, but now that my maternal grandfather is stationed in Yongzhou, my uncle and elder brother have to be wary of Xiyue. It's best for Song Fei and Shen Tao to stay with you..."
Yu Fengyang and his brothers are still young after all...
Understanding the implication in her words, Chu Tianze chuckled, "Xiaoxiao, have you forgotten that you're younger than Yu Fengyang and the others?"
Bai Chuxiao touched her nose and suddenly remembered that, in both her past and present lives, she was actually older than Chu Tianze...
This? She's practically an older woman dating a younger man!
Lifting his handsome face, Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow and said, "Actually..."
Chu Tianze lowered his head and said gently, "Hmm?"
Bai Chuxiao said with a smile, "Actually, I'm not..."
Chu Tianze said slowly, "Xiaoxiao, are you saying you're not from this world?"
Bai Chuxiao paused, then hesitated, "Do you believe me...?"
Chu Tianze pulled her into his arms and whispered, "Xiaoxiao once talked about a dream world, plus those weapons being made outside the city... It's true that Xiaoxiao grew up in the Murong family, but what Xiaoxiao knows and thinks is simply..."
Bai Chuxiao murmured, "Then aren't you afraid..."
Chu Tianze said firmly, "What are you afraid of? Are you some wandering ghost from somewhere? I am afraid, but I am only afraid that one day you will suddenly disappear..."
Bai Chuxiao tilted her head back and laughed, "You said it yourself, I grew up in the Murong family, I didn't appear out of thin air, so how could I suddenly disappear?"
Chu Tianze shook his head and said softly, "Xiaoxiao seems to miss that world?"
A strange emotion flickered in Bai Chuxiao's eyes. "That world is very interesting... but it's too far away from me. If it weren't for those things outside the city, I would even doubt whether I really experienced it..."
Chu Tianze said softly, "Perhaps there really is such a thing as past lives and present lives, and Xiaoxiao was born with memories of her past life..."
Bai Chuxiao suppressed her thoughts and did not refute. When she came to this world, the original owner of this body was only five years old. It wasn't bad to be born and raised with her memories intact...
Putting aside her wild thoughts, Bai Chuxiao smiled and said, "Actually, what I wanted to say is that, if you think about it this way, I'm much older than you..."
Chu Tianze gave him a warning look, "Don't talk nonsense."
Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow, broke free from his embrace, and counted on her fingers, saying, "Your Highness, in both my past and present lives, I'm already forty years old..."
Chu Tianze snorted coldly, "So what..."
Bai Chuxiao waved her finger in front of it and laughed, "Actually, you should call me sister... oh, no, you should call me..."
Before she could finish speaking, Chu Tianze grabbed her and kissed her lips fiercely...
Bai Chuxiao's cheeks flushed slightly, and she pushed him away, "Your Highness, you're cheating..."
Chu Tianze narrowed his eyes in displeasure and ruffled her hair haphazardly, "Always talking nonsense..."
Bai Chuxiao tilted her chin up and snorted coldly, "That's exactly right..."
Seeing the displeased look on his face, Bai Chuxiao's eyes darted around, and she changed her words, "Actually, I misspoke just now. You should call me brother. I'm actually a man..."
Chu Tianze was speechless. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer, grabbed her hands, carried her into the room, and pinned her to the bed.
"Huh? A man?"
Bai Chuxiao, unafraid of death, said, "That's right, Your Highness, are you really not bothered?"
Chu Tianze's expression darkened, and he kissed her fiercely.
Bai Chuxiao struggled for a moment and said, "You can even lay a hand on a man, you really are a homosexual..."
Hmm, I only said one sentence before someone covered my mouth again.
A man? A homosexual? Does he think he's a fool? A dangerous glint of madness flashed in Chu Tianze's eyes. "It's alright, I don't mind."
...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com