So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

On the second day of the third month, the southwestern clans, claiming legitimacy, supported the late Crown Prince Xie Jingchen's return to the capital. They massacred tens of thousands of soldiers from various tribes in Xiqiu at Beihai. The new emperor, Xie Xun, seemed unable to bear such a humiliation any longer and decided to personally lead the expedition during the morning court session.

In the second year of Xuanhe, the newly enthroned emperor, who had only been on the throne for two years, actually wanted to personally lead an expedition, which the elders strongly opposed.

However, the new emperor had made up his mind. On the fifth day, he led the Central Army, the Northwest Eagle Army, and the Iron Cavalry to the North Sea. He personally ordered 20,000 Tiger Army soldiers from the Southeast to secretly go to the northern border. The world then ushered in the most turbulent war.

Ning Yu traveled non-stop for almost half a month by carriage before finally arriving at Beihaiguan.

War raged everywhere in the southwest beyond the Great Wall, with refugees thronging the area. Families were rushing towards the capital, and the roadsides were littered with pungent, rotting flesh. She lifted the curtain to look at the general on horseback outside.

"Is the Crown Prince inside the Northern Pass?"

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince is currently at the military camp at headquarters. We still need to travel for two more days."

However, when the army arrived at the waterway crossing, they found that the Beihai Pass crossing was completely blocked, thus delaying their journey.

When Xie Yan heard the news, he wrote a letter to Xie Xun. Upon receiving the letter, Xie Xun was so angry that his face contorted, and he ordered the opening of the North Customs.

Rebellions frequently broke out outside Beihai Pass. If she was not allowed to cross the river, her fate of being captured by the southwestern rebels was self-evident.

"Brother, you've really gone too far this time. How could you let the rebels into the ferry crossing?"

Inside the military tent, Xie Hemian finished reading the letters scattered on the ground, then angrily picked them up and threw them into the brazier.

Xie Xun leaned back in his chair, propped his head up with one hand, and closed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought. The air around him was heavy and oppressive.

Xie Hemian followed along the road to Beihai, traveling for almost half a month without eating or drinking, and finally set up camp in the mountains.

When he received his elder brother's letter, he thought the two brothers could make peace, but who knew this would happen.

Has my elder brother gone mad? He disobeyed the emperor's orders and rushed to the southwest, even going to the main camp to urge General Qin to send troops and take Ning Yu away. What is he trying to do?

"Does he know about His Majesty's plans in the southwest, and doesn't want the southwestern clans to be completely wiped out, fearing that His Majesty will attack Ximisha from Yanmen Pass and then take action against the northwest?"

"And another thing, Second Brother, your original battle plan was to target the Northwest Pass and march straight into the northern desert. You didn't intend to lead the army yourself. Now that you've brought troops to the Southwest, are you giving Xie Jingchen a chance to counterattack?"

"If he doesn't die, the southwestern clans will be restless. Wouldn't it be better for me to kill him myself?"

The cold, emotionless voice made Xie Hemian look at him, and he saw him open his narrow eyes and glare at him.

He knew perfectly well whether he had come to kill Xie Jingchen or to find Ning Yu.

Eagles and vultures circled and cried out in the sky all day long, and the fierce mountain wind howled through the tents. Xie Heming paused in his restless movement to leave, glanced at the man, hesitated for a long time, and then spoke.

"Eldest brother has never done such a despicable thing, but---" He paused, "It was you, second brother, who stole eldest brother's wife first. If we go to Beihai and a war breaks out, it will disgrace the imperial clan and make the Xie family a laughing stock of the world."

These past few days, he has been traveling day and night with his second brother, and he can sense the huge storm lurking beneath his calm surface.

He didn't want to see his two elder brothers fighting in front of the army. That would make his second brother, the emperor, a laughingstock. It would be a case of a ruler seizing his subject's wife, and the wife he was taking was his own brother's wife. The historians would record that in a very bad way.

"Besides, it was my sister-in-law who wanted to go with my elder brother."

No sooner had he finished speaking than one of his words struck a nerve with his second brother, who grabbed an inkstone and threw it at him. Startled, he yelled and dodged, then lifted the curtain and ran.

I'm not going to say anything more, okay? Why hit him? He was beaten when he was a kid, and you're still hitting him now that he's grown up. He didn't steal his woman.

The entire tent was cold and desolate. Qingfeng, who was guarding outside, was so frightened by the sounds of tables and chairs being smashed inside that he trembled all over and did not dare to go in.

The anger that had been building up for days was completely ignited by Xie Heming's words, burning through Xie Xun's internal organs. He was so angry that he wanted to draw his knife and kill the two men.

Right under his nose, she tricked him and Xie Yan's people into leaving the palace. Just thinking about her feigned affection over the past few days made him want to strangle her.

She's only known her brother for a short time, and she's already pregnant with his child. She's already hooking up with him and can't wait to leave him. Ning Yu, don't let me catch you.

In an inn not far from the ferry crossing, Ning Yu hadn't slept in a bed for several days, and fell asleep as soon as she touched the mattress.

When she woke up the next day, it was already noon. General Zhang ordered someone to bring her food. After a good night's rest, Ning Yu's mind was clearer.

After she finished eating, she opened the window and looked at the scenery outside.

Why did Xie Yan bring her to the war-torn southwest? She had mentioned to General Zhang that she wanted to leave separately, but the latter said that Xie Yan wanted to see her and had something to say. She was too embarrassed to refuse, so she followed him to the southwest border.

But in recent days she has felt a vague unease in her heart.

The army from the southwest was gradually approaching day by day, and war was imminent. She didn't want to come here.

With her lowered eyelids, she silently looked at her flat stomach. She reached out and touched it. Since leaving the palace, the baby in her belly had been completely still. She ate well and had no desire to vomit. It was not bothering her at all.

The Great Xia's southern expedition failed, and a civil war broke out among the southwestern clans, resulting in the deaths of several generals at Yanmen Pass.

According to General Zhang, it was the generals of the Great Xia who led their remaining troops in a second counterattack, which is why the southwest has not yet been invaded by the Shangliang cavalry.

However, the Southwest Commander-in-Chief's blatant rebellion and collusion with Shangliang led to widespread suffering and chaos in the southwest, with various ethnic groups fleeing in disarray. The imperial army was slow to send troops to suppress the rebellion, and the region was in great turmoil.

She had a feeling that something big was about to happen, and she wanted to get to the military camp as soon as possible to meet Xie Yan and then leave the southwest.

During dinner that night, she asked General Zhang, "Can we cross the river tomorrow?"

"Princess Consort, please don't be anxious. The pass has just opened. Let's rest for two days first."

"Why did the pass suddenly open? And I heard that things have been tense outside the pass in recent days, with troops being moved more and more frequently."

General Zhang paused his eating with his chopsticks and said respectfully, "The new emperor is personally leading an expedition and is heading to the southwest."

What?!

Ning Yu was stunned. Xie Xun was coming?!

The food in her mouth suddenly tasted bland. In a daze, she remembered what he had said on the high tower of the sacrificial altar. Wasn't he going to fight Ximisha? Why was he here? Was it because of her?

"What's wrong with the Crown Princess's belly?"

Ning Yu snapped out of her daze, subconsciously letting go of her hand, and shook her head, "It's nothing."

"You must be tired from traveling these past few days, Your Highness, please eat more."

Thank you.