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Wei Xuan was a complete incompetent; he had no idea what it meant to govern an army.

They actually allowed their soldiers to loot grain in the streets like crazy, taking whatever they could find, even turning the rice jars in ordinary people's homes upside down.

Some people were not convinced and went up to argue, but the soldiers lashed out with their whips without saying a word, leaving the man covered in blood and rolling on the ground in agony.

He Jingyuan had already sent people to keep an eye on them. As soon as they saw the soldiers start beating people, his men rushed up and quickly subdued the troublemakers, tied their hands and feet with ropes, and took them straight back to the prison.

At this moment, Wei Xuan was drinking in Jizhou Prefecture, with a singing girl in his arms.

He was enjoying himself when his personal guard rushed in with a panicked message: "Young master, something terrible has happened! Our men have been captured by He Jingyuan's men on the street and thrown into jail!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Xuan's anger flared up instantly. He smashed the wine cup in his hand on the ground, shattering it with a loud crack.

He shoved the girl away from him, stood up, and walked out, kicking over a stool as he went. "He Jingyuan! You have some nerve! You dare to arrest even my people?"

Wei Xuan, accompanied by a group of personal guards, stormed straight to the Jizhou government office.

Upon reaching the door, he didn't stand on ceremony and had someone kick the door open, cracking the door panel.

He Jingyuan was sitting in the main hall reviewing official documents when he heard the noise. He looked up at him, put down his pen unhurriedly, and asked, "Young Master Wei, what are you doing?"

"What are you doing? He Jingyuan, how dare you arrest my people?"

“Your men forcibly requisitioned grain in the streets and even assaulted and injured the people. According to the law, they should be arrested.”

Wei Xuan flew into a rage upon hearing this, sneered, pulled a gleaming gold token from his robes, slammed it on the table, and pointed it at He Jingyuan's nose, saying, "Look carefully! This is the token of the Northwest Military Governor! My father said that all military affairs in Jizhou are under my command! Who do you think you are? How dare you stop me?"

"..." He Jingyuan glanced at the token but remained silent.

Seeing that He Jingyuan remained silent, Wei Xuan became even more agitated, pointing his finger at him and cursing, "He Jingyuan, I'm telling you, you have three days to collect 100,000 shi of grain for me! If you're short even one grain, I'll take your life! You think you're so great just because you're the governor of Jizhou? My father could crush you as easily as crushing an ant!"

Without waiting for He Jingyuan's reply, Wei Xuan waved his hand, and his personal guards rushed forward, dragged He Jingyuan from the chair, tied him up tightly, and pushed him directly into the prison.

When He Jingyuan's men heard that the general had been arrested, they were all as anxious as ants on a hot pan, running around in circles.

Some people said they should storm into the prison and snatch the man out, while others said they should go and reason with Wei Xuan. It was a chaotic mess.

……

He Jingyuan sat in his cell all night without saying a word.

When dawn broke the next day, he stood up, dusted off the straw on his clothes, and said to the guard, "Go and bring Li Huai'an to see me."

"Yes, sir."

Li Huai'an arrived, looking at his master through the fence, his eyes red. "Master, what do you say we should do? The brothers are all waiting outside. Just say the word, and we'll rush in and rescue you."

He Jingyuan shook his head. "Huai'an, go back and tell the brothers to make their move at midnight tonight."

Li Huai'an was taken aback. "Master, you mean..."

He Jingyuan sneered and said, "That good-for-nothing Wei Xuan thinks he can do whatever he wants just by locking me up? He forgot one thing: the 30,000 troops in Jizhou obey my orders, He Jingyuan's orders, not his broken token."

"Yes, Master."

……

That night, at the third watch, Li Huai'an led a team of elite soldiers and silently sneaked into the prison. He killed the guard with a single knife and rescued He Jingyuan.

After He Jingyuan came out, he immediately changed into a suit of armor, picked up his sword, and headed straight for Wei Xuan's residence.

Wei Xuan was sleeping with the girl in his arms when he heard the commotion outside. He ran out barefoot, but before he could see what was happening, He Jingyuan slashed at him with his sword.

Wei Xuan's head rolled to the ground, and his body collapsed with a thud, spraying blood all over the wall.

He Jingyuan stood in the courtyard, holding Wei Xuan's head, and shouted, "Pass down my order: assemble the entire army!"

Just as dawn broke, the three armies stood in formation on the drill ground outside Jizhou City, a vast, dark mass, their swords and spears standing like a forest.

He Jingyuan stood on the high platform, holding Wei Xuan's bloody head in one hand and a proclamation against the traitor in the other, his voice so loud that it could be heard throughout the entire training ground.

"Brothers! The emperor is incompetent, the court is corrupt, and treacherous officials are in power. The people can no longer live! I, He Jingyuan, am raising an army today to start a rebellion, to quell the chaos, and to restore a bright and just world for the people!"

After saying that, he threw Wei Xuan's head to the ground, stomped on it, and said, "This is the son of the treacherous minister Wei Yan! Wei Yan sent him here to seize our grain, our land, and our lives! Today I'll cut off his head first, and tomorrow I'll cut off Wei Yan's head! Brothers, are you willing to follow me?"

"We are willing! We are willing! We are willing!" The 30,000 soldiers roared in unison, their voices so loud that the earth trembled.

With a wave of his hand, He Jingyuan's proclamation spread throughout the land.

The proclamation was filled with accusations of the emperor's incompetence and Wei Yan's treachery, listing the court's ten major crimes one by one.

The last sentence reads: "To quell the rebellion and restore order to the world!"

At this moment, Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua also stepped forward to the front of the stage.

They took off their butcher's clothes, put on armor and battle robes, and stood at the forefront of the army.

Wei Qilin rode on his horse with his back straight and his eyes as bright as knives. There was no trace of the butcher he once was.
He was clearly the same fierce general who once charged across the battlefield.

Meng Lihua was also dressed in military uniform, looking heroic and valiant, carrying a long spear in her hand, looking majestic.

Wei Qilin addressed the soldiers loudly: "Brothers, I, Wei Qilin, have been hiding for sixteen years, and today I no longer need to hide! Back then, Marquis Wu'an was wrongfully killed, and the entire Xie family was executed. I was lucky enough to escape. Today, I will avenge Marquis Wu'an and seek justice for the people of the world!"

Meng Lihua also stepped forward, her voice clear and bright: "My father, Meng Shuyuan, was a veteran general who protected the country. He was murdered by treacherous officials. Of the more than thirty members of the Meng family, only I survived. Sixteen years have passed, and today this blood debt should be settled!"

The soldiers were filled with fervor, and their eyes reddened as they listened.

It turns out that his general and his wife had such a tragic past.

Standing on the high platform, He Jingyuan loudly announced: "Issue my order: 200,000 troops will be divided into three routes to march straight for the capital! One route will be led by General Wei Qilin to attack the eastern front; another route will be led by General Meng Lihua to attack the western front; and I will personally lead the central army to advance from the front. The three armies will meet in the capital!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The 200,000-strong army roared in unison, their voices so powerful they seemed to shake the very heavens.

As the army marched south, the local people lined the roadside to welcome them wherever they went.

Some people brought food, some brought water, and some young men wanted to join the army on the spot.

The people who had been bullied by the imperial court for many years finally saw hope.

When the news reached the capital, the entire court was thrown into a panic.

The emperor sat on the throne in the Golden Palace, his face ashen with fear, and he could barely hold the memorial in his hand.

Wei Yan stood in the imperial court, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, gritting his teeth as he pronounced the three names one by one: "He Jingyuan! Wei Qilin! Meng Lihua!"

Wei Yan wished he could grind his teeth to powder.

No matter how angry he was, He Jingyuan and Prince Changxin had already rebelled.

The world is truly about to change.

……

The news of He Jingyuan's uprising in Jizhou spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the land in just a few days.

Prince Changxin, Sui Tuo, was drinking tea in Chongzhou City when he heard the news. He paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, laughing until tears streamed down his face.

"Good! Good! Good!" Prince Changxin exclaimed three times, slamming his hand on the table as he stood up. "That old bastard He Jingyuan actually made his move before me! If he's not afraid, why should I be?"

He immediately summoned his generals and shouted, "Send down the order to muster the troops! He Jingyuan has rebelled, so we rebel too! We can't let him steal the credit!"

One of his subordinates hesitated and stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness, shouldn't we wait and see how things develop?"

Prince Changxin glared at the man: "Wait? Wait for what? Wait for He Jingyuan to storm the capital, cut off the emperor's head, and then we'll go have some soup? If we're going to do something, let's do something big! Mobilize the troops!"

The army of Prince Changxin also moved, marching in a mighty force towards the capital.

They advanced with unstoppable momentum, and the soldiers guarding the city would run away at the sight of their banners; no one dared to stop them.

When the news reached the capital, the imperial court was thrown into chaos.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, his face ashen with fear, his hands trembling so badly that he dropped the memorial to the ground with a thud.

"What to do? What to do?" The emperor's voice changed, as if someone was choking him. "He Jingyuan has rebelled, and Prince Changxin has rebelled too. Two armies are marching towards the capital. Say something!"

The ministers in the court pushed each other, none daring to speak first.

Prime Minister Wei Yan stood at the front, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, his lips pressed tightly together, not uttering a single word.

Grand Tutor Li Xing stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, “Your Majesty, the most urgent task now is to mobilize troops and defend the capital. I am willing to personally supervise the army and resist the rebels.”

Before the emperor could speak, Wei Yan sneered, "Grand Tutor Li, what do you have to resist? Do you even have any troops?"

Li Xing was taken aback, his face turning bright red: "Prime Minister Wei, what are you saying? The imperial army has a million soldiers, how could we not be able to resist?"

"A million?" Wei Yan scoffed. "That's a million on paper. The ones who could actually fight have been wasted by people like you. Besides, with the front lines suffering defeat after defeat, losing three cities a day, where are your troops?"

Li Xing got angry and pointed at Wei Yan, saying, "Wei Yan, stop being sarcastic! If your son Wei Xuan hadn't acted recklessly in Jizhou and forced He Jingyuan into rebellion, would this have happened today?"

Wei Yan's face darkened: "Li Xing, watch your words!"

"What am I supposed to be concerned about?" Li Xing retorted, "Everyone in the world knows what your son has done! How dare you still talk about me like this?"

The two started arguing back and forth in the court, just like in a marketplace.

The emperor, annoyed by their noise, slammed his hand on the armrest of his throne and roared, "Enough! What time is it? Still making noise?"

The hall fell silent.

The emperor pointed at Wei Yan and said through gritted teeth, "Wei Yan, it's all the fault of your good son! That good-for-nothing Wei Xuan forced He Jingyuan into rebellion! If he hadn't gone to Jizhou and caused trouble, would He Jingyuan have rebelled?"

Wei Yan lowered his head, not uttering a single word in rebuttal, but his expression was frighteningly gloomy.

He knew the emperor was right; Wei Xuan was indeed the catalyst.

But he knew even better that He Jingyuan had long wanted to rebel, and even without Wei Xuan, he would have found another excuse.

But he couldn't say it. His son was already dead; it was too late to say anything.

The emperor then pointed at Li Xing: "And you! Grand Tutor Li, all you do is fight for power and profit. You keep moving the court's troops around, until in the end there are no soldiers left to defend the city!"

Li Xing didn't dare to say anything, standing there with his head down, his face turning red and white in turns.

After finishing his tirade, the emperor slumped on his dragon throne and waved his hand weakly: "All of you, leave! Think of a solution, we'll discuss it again tomorrow."

The ministers, as if granted a pardon, all hurriedly withdrew.

When Wei Yan returned to his residence and entered his study, his confidant approached him and whispered, "Prime Minister, urgent news from the front: He Jingyuan's army has captured Yanzhou and is advancing towards the capital. Prince Changxin's army has also captured three cities in succession and is unstoppable."

Wei Yan sat in the chair, rubbing his temples, and remained silent for a long time.

The trusted aide asked cautiously, "Prime Minister, should we send more troops from the border?"

Wei Yan shook his head: "It's too late. Besides, we can't move the troops on the border, or the Northern Jurchens will attack."

"What should I do?"

Wei Yan remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Send down the order to consolidate our forces and hold the area around the capital. Hold out for as long as we can."

The confidant paused for a moment, then asked, "Prime Minister, do you mean... we're not going to save him?"

Wei Yan glanced at him, his eyes as cold as knives: "Save? What can save us? He Jingyuan has 200,000 troops, and Prince Changxin has over 100,000. The court can't even muster 100,000 troops right now. This battle is unwinnable."

The confidant dared not ask any more questions and withdrew with his head down.

……

Wei Yan sat alone in his study, looking at the map hanging on the wall, at the arrows pointing towards the capital, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

Meanwhile, in Jizhou, although Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua led a large army on an expedition, they could not stop thinking about their two daughters.

Before leaving, Wei Qilin pulled He Jingyuan aside and whispered, "Brother He, there's something I need to ask of you."

He Jingyuan asked, "What is it?"

Wei Qilin said, "Changyu and Changning are still in Lin'an Town, and I'm worried about them. What if that old scoundrel Wei Yan gets desperate and sends people to arrest them? Could we allocate some troops to garrison Lin'an Town and protect their safety?"

He Jingyuan patted his chest and said, "Do you even need to tell me? I've already made arrangements. Two thousand elite troops have already been dispatched to Lin'an Town. The commander is Zheng Wenchang, who is reliable."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qilin felt much more at ease and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Brother He."

He Jingyuan waved his hand: "What are you thanking me for? Changyu is your daughter and also my niece. Besides, I've seen your son-in-law Su Ning's abilities with my own eyes. When he reveals his golden body, thousands of soldiers would kneel down. To be honest, these two thousand soldiers are just for show. With Su Ning around, who can touch them?"

Wei Qilin smiled but didn't say anything.

He knew He Jingyuan was right, but as a father, he still felt uneasy.

……

When the 2,000-strong army arrived at Lin'an Town, the townspeople were startled, thinking that government troops had come to arrest people. Every household closed their doors and windows, and even the dogs dared not bark.

Zheng Wenchang rode his horse around the town and selected a few empty houses next to Fan's butcher shop, which he then had cleaned up to be used as barracks.

He personally led a squad of soldiers to guard the entrance of the Fan family's residence, taking turns day and night, never leaving their side.

Fan Changyu came out of the butcher shop and looked at the soldiers standing guard at the door. He was a little embarrassed. "General, you don't need to guard me like this. I'm fine."

Zheng Wenchang clasped his hands in a salute: "Madam, these are the orders from General He and General Wei, and I dare not disobey them. Rest assured, we will not disturb your business; we will just stand at the door."

Before Fan Changyu could say anything more, Fan Changning ran out of the house, looked curiously at the soldiers at the door, and tugged at Fan Changyu's sleeve: "Sister, are they here to protect us?"

Fan Changyu patted her head: "Yes, they were sent by our parents to protect us."

Fan Changning tilted his head and looked at Zheng Wenchang, then asked, "Will they stand here forever?"

Zheng Wenchang smiled and said, "Miss Changning, don't worry, we will stay until the generals return."

Fan Changning nodded in satisfaction and ran back into the house.

Standing in the courtyard, looking at the soldiers at the gate, Su Ning felt much more at ease.

He wasn't worried about his own safety, but rather about who would take care of Changyu and Changning after he left.

Now that there are two thousand elite soldiers guarding him, he can leave with peace of mind.

……

That evening, Su Ning called Fan Changyu into his room, took her hand, and said, "Changyu, I'm leaving tomorrow."

Fan Changyu had long known this day would come, but hearing him say it still made her heart skip a beat, her nose tingled, and her eyes reddened. "Where to?"

“Go to the front lines to find my parents,” Su Ning said. “Although General He has many soldiers and generals, Wei Yan is no pushover either. I’ll go and help out so we can finish the war sooner and come back sooner.”

Fan Changyu lowered her head, bit her lip, and remained silent for a long time.

She knew her man was going to do something big, and she couldn't stop him, but she just couldn't bear to part with him.

Seeing Fan Changyu's state, Su Ning felt sorry for her and pulled her into his arms: "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Besides, I'm capable, no one can hurt me."

Fan Changyu leaned against his chest and said in a muffled voice, "I know. I just... I just don't want you to leave."

Su Ning smiled and patted her hair: "After the war is over and the world is at peace, I will stay with you every day and not go anywhere else."

Fan Changyu raised her head, her eyes red, and looked at him: "You can't go back on your word."

"No regrets." Su Ning nodded seriously.

……

The next morning, before dawn, Suning got up.

Fan Changyu got up earlier than Su Ning and spent most of the day in the kitchen making a stack of pancakes and a bag of braised meat for him, stuffing them into his bundle.

"Eat on the road, don't go hungry." Fan Changyu muttered as he stuffed things into his bundle. "Eat the pancakes while they're hot, they'll get hard when they're cold. You can keep the meat for a few more days, don't be stingy."

Seeing her busy figure, Su Ning felt a warmth in her heart, took her hand and said, "That's enough, I can't carry any more."

Fan Changyu then stopped and stood at the door looking at him.

Fan Changning also got up, rubbing his eyes as he came out, grabbing Su Ning's clothes and refusing to let go: "Brother-in-law, when are you coming back?"

Su Ning squatted down and pinched her little cheek: "Soon. You have to listen to your sister and not be naughty."

Fan Changning nodded vigorously, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back.

Suning shouldered his bag and went out the door.

The soldiers on guard at the gate saw him and saluted in unison.

Su Ning nodded to them and mounted his horse.

He glanced back and saw Fan Changyu standing at the door, holding Fan Changning in her arms, the two of them just looking at him.

In the morning light, their figures were somewhat blurry.

Su Ning waved his hand, turned around, spurred his horse, and rode away.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed, growing ever more distant and fainter.

Fan Changyu stood at the door, watching his back disappear into the alley before tears finally fell.

Fan Changning looked up at her and asked, "Sister, why are you crying? Didn't your brother-in-law say he'd be back soon?"

Fan Changyu wiped away her tears, smiled, and said, "Yes, he'll be back soon."

Su Ning rode his horse southward.

The roads were filled with refugees, who were running north with their families.

Someone saw him riding his horse south and kindly called out, "Young man, don't go south! There's a war going on over there!"

Su Ning smiled at them, didn't stop, and continued south.

……

Su Ning rode for most of the day, and by evening, he finally caught up with the army.

Wei Qilin was looking at a map in his tent when he heard that Su Ning had arrived, so he quickly came out to greet him.

"Su Ning!" Wei Qilin strode over, grabbed his arm, and looked him up and down. "Did you run into anything on the way?"

Su Ning shook her head: "It's nothing. Dad, how's it going up ahead?"

Wei Qilin sighed, his face grim: "It's not going well. Although Wei Yan has fewer troops, he has the advantage of terrain and is defending very well. We've been attacking for two days, suffering considerable casualties, and we still haven't taken it."

Su Ning followed Wei Qilin into the tent. Meng Lihua was also there. When she saw him come in, she smiled and nodded, saying, "It's good that you're here, it's good that you're here."

He Jingyuan also arrived, and as soon as he entered, he shouted, "Immortal! You've finally arrived! I was just worried about this; the city wall opposite is too thick, and we can't break through it."

Su Ning said, "Don't call me 'Immortal'! From now on, call me 'Lord'."

He Jingyuan was taken aback, then immediately changed his words: "Yes, my lord."

Su Ning walked to the sand table, looked at the terrain, and asked, "Can't we take it?"

He Jingyuan pointed to the city on the sand table and said helplessly, "This is Fengzhou City, a strategic location fought over by military strategists. It's flat and backed by the Milky Way. It's defended by Wei Yan's trusted men, and they refuse to surrender. We attacked for two days and two nights, suffering several thousand casualties, but we couldn't even climb the city walls."

Su Ning glanced at the city, then at the surrounding deployment, remained silent for a moment, then raised his head and said calmly, "I'll come tomorrow."

...(End of this chapter)