As expected, Liu Xinwu, the number one "doting father" of the Great Xin Dynasty, kept his promise and embarked on a "matchmaking trip" with his daughter Liu Shujun to Longcheng, the fiefdom of the Prince of Jin.
Thanks to Chen Huai'an's victory at Tumu Fortress, the second tyrant of the Daxin Dynasty, Zhao Gan, was defeated and killed, plunging the entire court into chaos.
Therefore, the imperial guards in red uniforms, who were originally responsible for monitoring the Prince of Wuning's residence, also withdrew overnight.
The Daxin Dynasty's control over the area north of the Yellow River was practically nonexistent.
Furthermore, more than half of the Tiger Warriors generals from various prefectures along the route to Longcheng have secretly decided to join Prince Chen Huai'an's Longcheng Pacification Army.
This made the journey to Longcheng by Liu Xinwu, the Prince of Wuning, who was the prospective father-in-law of Prince Chen Huai'an of Jin, and Princess Liu Shujun exceptionally smooth.
Wherever he went, he was personally greeted and seen off by the local city garrison.
Especially after entering Chen Huai'an's actual control area from Yunzhou, Princess Liu Shujun's "bad impression" of Chen Huai'an changed greatly through the words of the people along the way.
His benevolent policies, such as opening granaries in the territory of the Prince of Jin to provide disaster relief, helping the people, establishing private schools, halving taxes for ten years, and exempting military families from taxes for five years, all won the favor of Princess Liu Shujun.
On this day, when the carriage of Prince Wu Ning, Liu Xinwu, was resting in Jincheng, less than a hundred miles from Longcheng.
During a moment of leisure, Liu Xinwu jokingly asked, "Shujun, after what you've seen and heard along the way, has your impression of Chen Huai'an changed?"
"You still think he's a disloyal and unjust person?"
Liu Shujun playfully stuck out her tongue and replied in a haughty tone, "No, it's just—"
Then, changing the subject, he said, "Before seeing the real person, who can guarantee that Chen Huai'an isn't that ugly monster with a blue face, fangs, and protruding ears?"
snort!
With that, Liu Shujun snorted and said firmly, "Anyway, I will not marry an ugly monster!"
After saying that, she tilted her head to the side and leaned against the window on the second floor of the inn to look at the scenery on the street.
Seeing this, Liu Xinwu, who knows his daughter best, smiled and thought to himself: The trip to Longcheng was not in vain. This marriage with the Prince of Jin's mansion should be a done deal.
Who could have imagined that Liu Xinwu, the Prince of Wuning, who was almost driven to desperation by the tyrant Zhao Gan's imperial edict of marriage just three months ago, would have such a day when things take a turn for the better and he sees a glimmer of hope?
At the age of fifty, he still gets to indulge in the fantasy of being the emperor's father-in-law. You tell me, what a fuss this is!
Indeed, life is full of surprises and beautiful scenery!
At the same time.
The fiefdom of Longcheng, the residence of the Prince of Jin.
Little did Chen Huai'an know that his young wife had already accompanied her father-in-law to a place less than a hundred miles from Longcheng, just to see if he was really the ugly monster with a blue face, fangs, and protruding ears that the storyteller had described.
At present, the Anxi border army is suffering repeated defeats, and the urgent military intelligence about the Western Regions besieging the four towns of Anxi has been delivered to Chen Huai'an's desk via express courier.
The latest battle report on the Anxi military situation is that the Tibetan king Dama led his cavalry in a surprise attack on the Anxi border army's supply lines, causing the Anxi general, General Guo Dingfang, to retreat to Chang'an.
When Guo Dingfang led 300,000 Anxi border troops to join Chen Huai'an's Jingnan army, he immediately returned to reinforce Chang'an.
They fought fiercely for several days outside Chang'an against the Tibetan army that was on an eastward expedition.
Ultimately, Guo Dingfang underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, causing the army to fall into Dama's trap. The Tibetan cavalry launched a surprise attack on the army's supply lines, burning countless supplies and provisions.
Left with no other choice, he had to lead his remaining troops to retreat and defend Chang'an.
Now, Chang'an is short of soldiers and food, and the severe cold weather has made it even more difficult for Guo Dingfang to take care of himself. He simply cannot spare any troops to support the Four Garrisons of Anxi, which have been besieged by the Western Regions at the instigation of the Uyghur Khan, Guli Peiluo.
With the four towns in grave danger, Guo Dingfang had no choice but to send an urgent message to the Prince of Jin's residence, requesting assistance.
Upon learning of the Tibetan army's great victory over the Anxi border forces and the subsequent uprisings by various kingdoms in the Western Regions, Chen Huai'an immediately ordered the Longcheng soldiers, who had been engaged in continuous battles, to cease their rest and prepare for a western expedition.
Inside the council hall of the Prince's Palace, military generals from Longcheng and civil officials from the fiefdoms gathered together.
Chen Huai'an announced the order for the western expedition in front of everyone: "Gentlemen, you must have heard about the recent news that the Anxi border army was defeated at Xiangji Temple and retreated to Chang'an City."
"In these turbulent times, two kings have declared themselves emperors and acted perversely; while the Tibetans and Uyghurs have raised troops and rebelled."
"And all of this is because I was ordered to quell the rebellion in Longcheng."
Clang!
As he spoke, Chen Huai'an suddenly drew the Seven Star Dragon Abyss Sword from its sheath and continued with a cold look in his eyes: "As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must untie it."
"Therefore, I have decided to lead my army on a western expedition to quell the rebellion of the Tibetans and the Uyghurs!"
"All generals of Dragon City, heed my command!"
brush!
Upon hearing this, all the military officers of Longcheng stood up and looked at Prince Chen Huai'an with firm eyes.
Chen Huai'an shouted sternly, "Chen Qingzhi, Deputy Marshal of the Longcheng Army, listen to my command!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"I hereby bestow upon you the rank of General of the Western Expedition, commanding 150,000 Xuanjia Army soldiers to march on Chang'an. Do not sound the retreat until the Tibetan rebels are defeated. There must be no mistake!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The scholar-general Chen Qingzhi, dressed in a white robe, looked at Chen Huai'an with burning eyes, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to accept the order.
As one of the first generals to follow Prince Jin in raising an army, Chen Qingzhi finally got the chance to lead a large army on his own. The face of this brilliant scholar-general was filled with the desire to make a name for himself.
Chen Huai'an continued to issue orders: "General Wang Jian!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"I hereby order you to take full command of the defense of Dragon City and ensure the safety of the Jingnan headquarters. There must be no mistakes!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
A hint of melancholy flashed in General Wang Jian's eyes.
Chen Huai'an then said, "General Huo Qubing, General Pang Xianchu, and Deputy General Fan Wuji of the Imperial Guard, listen to my command!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
The three responded in unison.
Chen Huai'an said, "More than half of the border troops stationed in the four garrisons of Anxi are former soldiers of the Po Lu Army. I have decided to personally lead an expedition against the Uyghurs to relieve the siege of the four garrisons."
"The three of you will each command one hundred thousand troops from the Dragon City Iron Cavalry, Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, and Qin Elite Warriors, and follow me to conquer the Western Regions. There must be no mistakes!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The three of them replied in unison once again.
Finally, Chen Huai'an relayed the order to Chang Yuchun: "Chang Yuchun, Deputy Marshal of the Longcheng Army!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"I hereby appoint you to take full responsibility for the recapture of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. Prince Wu Ning, Liu Xinwu, will assist you. I have only one request for this:"
"Those who surrender to the Jingnan Army are welcome; those who resist the Jingnan Army will be annihilated!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
......
Three days later.
The day the army that was sent to quell the rebellion in Longcheng set off.
As was customary, Chen Huai'an convened a grand departure ceremony for the expedition at the Po Lu Army camp within the city, gathering his generals and some soldiers.
Then, Prince Chen Huai'an of Jin, dressed in golden armor and with the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss Sword at his waist, rode his fine steed, the Yellow Horse, and was the first to ride onto the streets of Longcheng.
The streets were packed with people who came to see off the army.
As Chen Huai'an rode on the back of the yellow horse, he always felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from behind.
However, despite several conscious glances back, no unusual features were found in the crowd.
Finally, just as he was about to ride his horse through the Yongdingmen gate, he turned his head without warning and spotted the person who had been hiding in the shadows and watching him from among the crowd of people seeing him off.
In an instant, when that stunningly beautiful young woman came into view, Chen Huai'an felt as if a thunderbolt had struck the softest part of his heart.
That familiar face stirred up endless memories in Chen Huai'an's mind.
When he tried to get a clearer look at that face, the stunningly beautiful face had already disappeared into the crowd.
Indeed, the girl hiding in the crowd, spying on Chen Huai'an, was none other than Princess Liu Shujun of the Wu Ning Prince's Mansion.
At that moment, Liu Shujun, who had exchanged a brief glance with Chen Huai'an, felt her heart race and her heart pound.
Unbeknownst to her, a blush had quietly crept onto her pretty face.
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