My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Meanwhile, in the Han Dynasty, at the end of the Yin hour (3-5 AM), on the banks of the Wei River in the northern suburbs of Chang'an City.

This place is no longer an ordinary countryside.

Within a few miles, there are forests of flags and armor, and the sun shines brightly.

The main force of the northern expedition, consisting of 20,000 infantry and cavalry, had formed a formidable battle formation, and the chilling atmosphere startled even the morning birds into fleeing into the distance.

However, even more spectacular than the military formation was the crowd of people seeing them off.

The innermost layer consisted of a high-ranking official group headed by Sang Hongyang, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, the Chief Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office, and other important officials of the Nine Ministers.

Dressed in court robes and crowns, they stood solemnly on either side of the makeshift platform for sending off the troops, their faces grave, their eyes following the modified steel behemoth in the center of the arena.

The crimson flag on the roof of the car, in the gradually brightening sky, resembled a splash of blood about to ignite.

Slightly beyond that were the densely packed garrison troops of the capital region, officials from various government offices, professors and students of the Imperial Academy, and the families of nobles and officials.

Further out, as far as the eye could see, the gentle slopes on both sides of the Wei River, the earthen walls on both sides of the official road, and even the rooftops of farmhouses in the distance were all filled with people who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

The people of Chang'an and the surrounding areas, young and old, flocked to the area as soon as the curfew was lifted, numbering well over 100,000!

Among them were scholars in formal attire, commoners in plain clothes, merchants, and artisans, all of whom were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newcomers.

Although human voices were deliberately suppressed, they still formed a deep and vast hum, like the breath of the earth itself.

In the center of the field, Liu Ju, dressed in black fish-scale armor, covered with a red-edged military robe, wearing a military crown, and with a long sword at his waist, stood in front of the heavy truck door.

The truck in front of him had been transformed into a steel behemoth.

The entire body is covered with specially made composite armor plates—the outer layer is covered with stainless steel plates, the middle layer is filled with oil-soaked leather, and the inner lining is a dense layer of hemp rope cushioning.

The wheels were wrapped in iron hoops and thick cowhide, three improved repeating crossbows were mounted on both sides of the carriage, and a crimson battle flag for the crown prince was erected on the roof.

The spacious area, originally used for cargo transport, is now encased in heavy composite armor plates, resembling a mobile steel fortress.

Several rows of narrow firing ports were opened on both sides, lined with openable and closable metal baffles, and an observation port and a rotating lightweight crossbow were also provided on the top.

Inside the fortress, a whole squad of elite soldiers was stationed.

Sang Hongyang, holding a jade tablet, took the lead in stepping out of the procession. He walked ten steps in front of the carriage and bowed deeply.

"Your Highness, acting on behalf of Heaven to punish the guilty and personally leading the divine army, we, your humble servants on behalf of all officials and people, respectfully wish Your Highness a resounding victory and triumphant return! We will do our utmost to procure provisions and military supplies, ensuring a continuous and timely supply to the north!"

Absolutely no mistakes!

The ministers behind him echoed in unison, their voices creating a wave of support.

Wei Qing, fully armored, strode forward, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands above his head.

"Your subject, Wei Qing, leading the Northern Army, pays homage to Your Highness the Crown Prince! The vanguard has been dispatched, the road is cleared, and the entire army follows Your Highness's lead. When Your Highness arrives with your divine troops, we will advance with thunderous cheers, wipe out the barbarian dust, and avenge our nation's humiliation!"

Behind him, thousands of elite troops simultaneously slammed their halberds into the ground, their armor clanging like thunder.

"Avenge our national humiliation! Avenge our national humiliation!"

This unified roar instantly ignited the emotions of the people on the outskirts.

Liu Ju's gaze swept over the assembled officials, over the disciplined military formation, and finally settled on the boundless sea of ​​people.

He took a deep breath, but instead of getting into the car, he took a few steps forward and jumped onto a slightly higher earthen platform.

The morning breeze stirred the hem of his robe and the tassel of his hat, making his young face crystal clear in the dawn light.

"People of the Great Han!"

He gathered his strength, and although his voice wasn't particularly loud, it carried clearly forward, and messengers relayed his words far and wide.

"I, Liu Ju, Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty! I am here today not merely to go to war, but also to fulfill a blood oath!"

"Beyond the northern border, the Xiongnu slaughtered our cities, killed our elders, and abducted our sisters. This hatred is irreconcilable!"

"They thought that after looting, they could flee to the grasslands and safely enjoy their blood-stained wealth! They were wrong!"

He suddenly drew his long sword from his waist, the tip pointing diagonally at the northern sky.

"Today, I will carry the divine weapons bestowed upon me by my father, and the burning rage of my Han warriors, to tell them—the blood of the Han sons will not be shed in vain! Every inch of humiliation on Han land will be repaid tenfold in blood! This journey is not for expansion, but for revenge! Not for glory, but for—to let every soul who died unjustly in my border regions rest in peace! To let every breeze of the northern frontier henceforth carry only the breath of peace!"

"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!"

It's unclear who uttered the first shout.

Immediately, the shouts erupted like wildfire from the military formation and quickly spread to the entire crowd seeing them off.

At first they were uneven, but soon they merged into a uniform, earth-shaking giant wave.

"Your Highness! Revenge! Revenge!"

"The heavenly army marches north! May the barbarians be annihilated!"

"Long live the Great Han! Long live Your Highness!"

The sound waves rose higher and higher, breaking through the clouds and making the Wei River seem to tremble.

The people were so excited that their faces turned red, and they waved their arms. Many of them were in tears, tears of pent-up humiliation and resentment.

Liu Ju stood at the center of the roar, feeling the slight tremor of the ground beneath his feet, and sensing the immense power formed by the overwhelming public sentiment and murderous intent.

His eyes also welled up slightly, his heart filled with a mixture of pride and determination.

Then, he took a deep breath, sheathed his sword, turned around, and amidst deafening shouts of "Victory!" and "Long live!", climbed into the cab of the heavy truck.

The co-pilot and the soldiers in the rear bunker nodded heavily to him through the slits, their eyes burning with fervor.

Liu Ju took one last look out the window.

Senior officials such as Sang Hongyang bowed deeply to the ground, while generals such as Wei Qing performed a solemn military salute.

And the boundless sea of ​​people continued to shout wildly, with countless arms raised like a forest.

He took a deep breath and turned the key.

"boom--!!!!!"

A powerful roar suddenly exploded, instantly drowning out the clamor of voices!

The soldiers around him were startled, but then became even more enthusiastic.

The heavy truck's massive body trembled slightly, and a wisp of blue smoke billowed from its exhaust pipe.

The headlights suddenly turned on, two beams of light piercing through the morning mist and pointing straight north.

"Set off!"

Liu gave a low shout, released the clutch, and lightly pressed the accelerator.

The steel behemoth let out a satisfied, deep roar and began to move slowly forward.

"Your Highness, may you live a thousand years!"

"May the Great Han Dynasty prevail!!"

"May the heavens protect me—!!!"

The farewell cheers reached their peak, almost engulfing him and the iron beast.

Ignoring the Imperial Guards' lines of defense, the people surged forward frantically, hoping to get closer and catch one more glimpse of the divine weapon carrying the crown prince and the hope of revenge.

Many people ran, knelt, and kowtowed in the direction of the convoy, not caring that their clothes were covered in mud.

Under the escort of cavalry, the heavy trucks gradually accelerated, leaving this land ignited by passion and heading onto the official road leading north.

Behind me, the majestic outline of Chang'an City gradually faded into the morning light.

But the deafening shouts seemed to linger in Liu Ju's ears, transforming into an ever-burning and unwavering flame in his heart.