After being reborn, the aloof prime minister was once again forced by a tyrant.

Xiao Jingyuan walked out of the camp alone and stood on the high slope, gazing at the night sky.

The starry sky over the Gobi Desert was very low, with scattered stars covering the entire sky. The wind swirled fine sand against his face, but he suddenly thought of the capital city thousands of miles away.

He thought of the carved window grilles of Tingxue Pavilion, Xie Qinglan's handsome face, and the slightly cool temperature of his fingertips. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his heart felt as if it had been scalded by something, a soft yet painful sensation.

He missed him so much.

I want to hold him tightly in my arms, kiss his soft lips, and hear his suppressed breaths.

The scene from the night before his departure suddenly flooded back. The image of that person leaning in, her eyes reddening, biting her lip in submission, flashed through his mind again and again, mixed with her warm breath and touch, making his lower abdomen tighten.

He turned and went back to the main tent, dismissing his attendants.

Outside the tent, the wind whipped up sand that lashed against the tent fabric with a crackling sound, while the candlelight flickered gently, casting shadows that seemed to dance between light and shadow.

He had already removed his armor and was leaning against the edge of the couch, a suppressed, low, hoarse breath rolling through his throat, his breathing becoming increasingly heavy. The tent was so quiet that only the crackling of the candlelight and his presence could be heard, before gradually falling into silence after a long while.

He raised his hand to wipe the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, the desire in his eyes mixed with an unyielding longing that lingered for a long time.

In the following days, the war in the south progressed rapidly. Wanyan Duo sent a letter of surrender, offering his entire army to surrender; the morale of the Nanyue army collapsed, and they were defeated and retreated more than a hundred miles south.

Xiao Jingyuan wrote the victory report by candlelight, with a few private words tucked inside the letter. Together with the battle report, it was sent to the capital by fast horse day and night.

The scout brought back a reply that day.

The letter paper is thin and soft, with only a few strokes on it, the brushstrokes are elegant and powerful.

He knew that things were definitely not peaceful in the capital, and those old ministers would certainly not be obedient, but Xie Qinglan did not mention a word about it. He only said that the capital was stable and told him to focus on the war and to make sure he protected himself.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly stood up, lifted the tent flap, and mounted his horse.

The wind whistled past his ears, and only one thought remained in his mind: finish this quickly, get back to the capital quickly. Go back and kiss him, hug him, and tell him all the longing he had accumulated over these past few days.

In the next battle, the main force of the Western Rong was wiped out. Wanyan Hao led the remaining troops back to the royal court and stubbornly resisted by defending the city.

Xiao Jingyuan ordered Xiao Zhaoyue to lead the vanguard battalion to pursue the enemy and strike directly at the royal court.

Three days later, news of victory arrived. Xiao Zhaoyue, covered in the dust of battle, entered the tent to report: "Your Majesty, our army besieged the royal court for three days and nights. Last night, we broke through the city and captured the main city. Most of the garrison inside the city surrendered, and the treasury and royal tents have been sealed. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Wanyan Hao fled through the north gate with several hundred personal guards before the city fell, heading towards the desolate northern desert. I have already dispatched light cavalry to pursue them."

Upon hearing this, the generals under his command were greatly encouraged. Immediately, a subordinate general stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the royal court is the root of the Western Rong. Now that it has been conquered, troops should be left to garrison the city, take stock of the household registers and treasury, appease the herdsmen and surrendered soldiers, and quell the remaining rebels in the city to prevent them from rising again."

Xiao Jingyuan tapped the sheepskin map on the table with his fingertips and nodded in approval: "As you say. Have Qi Yu lead two thousand infantrymen to garrison the main city of the royal court, check the treasury and household registers, appease the surrendered soldiers and herdsmen, and clear out the remaining rebels in the city. The rest of the main force will temporarily garrison outside the royal court and, after two days of rest, head north to wipe out the remnants of Wanyan Hao's forces."

The generals inside the tent all accepted the order and were about to disperse to make arrangements when suddenly a series of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the tent, and a scout's urgent report burst in through the tent flap.

The next moment, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and Xiao Zhaoyue, dressed in a crimson battle robe, strode in, her armor plates clanging together.

"Your Majesty, the scouts have returned." She slammed a parchment scroll onto the table, her brows furrowed with a chilling expression. "Wanyan Hao's remnants, while fleeing towards the northern desert, gathered some scattered soldiers, totaling less than five thousand men. Their morale has long since collapsed, and they are no longer a threat. However, deeper in the northwest, we have discovered traces of a large cavalry force."

Xiao Jingyuan tapped his fingertip on the parchment scroll: "How many troops? Which force?"

"Around 20,000, all light cavalry, marching extremely fast, coming from the northern grasslands." Xiao Zhaoyue frowned. "The scouts said they didn't raise any flags, but judging from their formation—it's very well-organized, not like the scattered troops of the Western Rong tribes."

There was a moment of silence inside the tent.

Beyond the northern grasslands, beyond the vast desert, lies the territory of the Northern Barbarians.

"The Northern Barbarians?"

Shen Hanzhou lifted the curtain and entered, just in time to hear these words. His eyes widened in surprise. "The Northern Barbarians were crippled just last year, how dare they come?"

Wanyan Lie followed behind him, his gaze fixed on the blank space in the north of the map, his brows furrowing slightly. He traced the outline of the grasslands north of the vast sea with his fingertips, applying slight pressure with his fingertips, leaving a faint white indentation.

"It was the Northern Barbarians." He spoke, his voice low but each word firm. "Last winter they came south to raid the northern tribes, and I led the troops to stop them. Their horses are short and sturdy with thick manes, making them suitable for long-distance raids; when marching, three riders ride abreast, and their formation remains perfectly intact, something the Western Rong cavalry cannot do."

He raised his eyes, his light gold pupils darkening considerably: "They've come to seize territory amidst the chaos. The Western Rong are in turmoil, and we, Wanyan Duo, Wanyan Hao, and the Southern Yue reinforcements have fought to the bitter end. They've come to pick up the pieces."

"What a clever scheme, unaware of the mantis lurking behind." Xiao Zhaoyue sneered, her hand on the gun barrel at her waist tightening slightly. "The timing was so precise, I don't believe no one had tipped them off."

"Pei Nanchi." Xiao Jingyuan uttered three words, tapping his finger heavily on the map. "If the people of Nanyue can collude with Wanyan Hao, they can collude with the Northern Di. He wants us to be attacked from three sides and worn down by the Western Rong."

The atmosphere inside the tent suddenly became heavy.

The Northern Barbarians numbered 20,000 elite troops, while the Northern Shuo army, exhausted from repeated battles, also had to divide its forces to garrison newly surrendered tribes, guard prisoners, and defend the royal court. Less than 10,000 troops were available for field battles. Not to mention, Wanyan Duo's remnants were still entrenched in the south; that man was fickle by nature and could easily turn against them in the chaos.

Qi Yu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, this humble general believes that we should retreat to the royal court, defend the city, and wait for reinforcements to arrive before engaging in battle. The Northern Barbarian light cavalry is good at quick battles and cannot afford a protracted war."

"We are the ones who can't afford to waste time." Xiao Jingyuan shook his head, his black wide sleeves sweeping across the map, his fingertips pausing on the open Gobi Desert in front of the royal court. "The royal city walls are low and the moats are shallow, we can't hold it. If the Northern Di surround the city, and Wanyan Duo in the south rebels again, plus the remnants of the Southern Yue army counterattack, then it will be a real dead end."

He raised his eyes, a defiant light surging within them, like a ferocious beast poised to pounce.

"They thought we would hide, but we won't."

"Go head-on."

The generals inside the tent were all taken aback.

"Your Majesty!" Qi Yu exclaimed urgently, "Our army can only muster a mere ten thousand troops, less than half the strength we have! A direct confrontation would be far too risky!"

"Dangerous?" Xiao Jingyuan chuckled, his laughter filled with an arrogant disdain for the world. "When I was fifteen, I led three thousand cavalry across the heart of the Western Rong territory, and there were thirty thousand men on the other side. When I was eighteen, I quelled an internal rebellion, and I only had eight thousand soldiers at my disposal, while the rebel army on the other side also numbered thirty thousand."

He raised his hand and placed it on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white. His voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer: "The Northern Barbarians have marched four hundred li, their men and horses are exhausted, and they haven't brought many arrows or provisions. They're betting that we won't dare to fight and will only be able to huddle in the city. We're going to catch them off guard—we'll crush their vanguard with our first charge, break their morale, and then they'll be nothing but a pack of toothless wolves."

There was a moment of silence inside the tent, and no one offered any further advice.

They all knew the emperor's temperament. On the battlefield, if he said he wanted to fight, no one could stop him. And in the past, he had won countless dangerous battles by sheer willpower.

"This humble general requests to fight alongside His Majesty and confront the enemy head-on!" Shen Hanzhou was the first to step forward, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"I'll go too." Wanyan Lie stood beside him, his tone calm. "I know their weaknesses. The Northern Di charge is commanded by horns, with the horn bearers positioned towards the rear of the central army. If we take out the horn bearers, their formation will be thrown into disarray."

Xiao Jingyuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the tent, and began to divide and deploy his troops:

"Qi Yu, you will lead three thousand light cavalry to seize Wild Wolf Slope. From this high vantage point, use archers to slow down the Northern Di army's advance. Hold out for at least six hours. If you cannot hold it, retreat to Canglang Pass."

"Your humble servant obeys!"

"Xiao Zhaoyue, you will lead two thousand cavalry to guard Canglang Pass. It is the only way for the Northern Di to outflank and encircle them. The pass is narrow, and they cannot deploy their forces. You will hold it there for me, and not a single fly will be allowed to pass."

Xiao Zhaoyue clasped her hands in response.

"Shen Hanzhou, Wanyan Lie, you take three thousand light cavalry to the right flank. When the front is locked in a stalemate, outflank his left flank, tear open an opening, and rush straight for the central commander."

"Your humble servant obeys!"

"The remaining two thousand men will follow me to meet the enemy head-on." Xiao Jingyuan raised his hand and lifted the tent flap. Outside, the wind and sand were fierce, causing his robes to flutter wildly.

He gazed at the sky at the edge of the Gobi Desert, his tone fierce, "Before sunset, I will let the Northern Barbarians know—the territory of the Western Rong is not something they can covet."

The battle at Wild Wolf Slope lasted from 3 AM to 7 AM.

Wave after wave of Northern Di cavalry charged uphill, their hooves making the hillside tremble. Arrows rained down from the top of the slope like locusts, and the leading Northern Di cavalrymen fell in droves, their bodies rolling down the slope and quickly piling up into a small hill at the foot of the hill.

But the Northern Di people were very fierce. When the front ranks died, the rear ranks continued to charge, stepping over the corpses.

Qi Yu stood atop the slope, struck in the left shoulder by an arrow. The shaft broke off outside, and blood soaked through the armor plates on his shoulder.

He gritted his teeth, gripped the arrow shaft, and pulled hard, tearing the arrowhead and flesh out. He groaned, grabbed a strip of cloth to wrap around his arm, and roared, "Archers, change arrows! Rolling stones, prepare—fire!"

Huge boulders rolled down the slope, smashing the Northern Di cavalrymen and throwing them to the ground. Screams and neighs filled the air.

But the Northern Di forces were simply too numerous. By the time the sun was high in the sky, they had run out of rolling stones on the slope and seventy percent of their arrows were used up. Nearly half of their three thousand light cavalry had been lost, and those who survived were all wounded. Yet the Northern Di seemed inexhaustible, surging forward like a tide, their vanguard already reaching the hillside.

"General! Let's retreat! If we keep fighting, all our brothers will be wiped out!" the lieutenant roared.

Qi Yu glanced in the direction of the royal court, gritted his teeth, and said, "Hold on for another half an hour! His Majesty's main force hasn't even formed its battle lines yet!"

He drew his sword, mounted his horse, and shouted, "Brothers, follow me! Killing one is enough, killing two is a bonus!"

The remaining thousand or so cavalrymen drew their swords and followed him down the hillside, colliding fiercely with the Northern Di vanguard.

This charge delayed the process for another hour.

When Qi Yu led his remaining force of less than five hundred men to the Canglang Pass, he was covered in blood and his hand holding the knife was trembling.

Xiao Zhaoyue met them at the pass. Seeing his condition, she frowned and asked, "How did you get into this state?"

"Those Northern Barbarian bastards have gone mad," Qi Yu gasped for breath. "Their commander is a ruthless character; he's just throwing lives away."

Xiao Zhaoyue didn't ask any more questions and turned to climb the city wall at the pass.

The Canglang Pass is a narrow passage between two mountains, so narrow at its narrowest point that only two horses can pass side by side. Her two thousand cavalrymen were divided into three teams, taking turns guarding the pass.

As expected, the Northern Barbarians sent a detachment to outflank the pass, wave after wave rushing towards it, but it was like hitting a copper wall, and they were driven back every time.

As the fighting dragged on into the latter half of the night, the Northern Di people grew desperate and organized a suicide squad, charging forward shirtless and wielding knives.

Xiao Zhaoyue took up her spear and personally went into battle.

With a single spear thrust, she felled the foremost assassin, blood splattering onto her crimson battle robe like blooming flowers.

She wiped the blood from her face, casually brushed aside her loose hair, and turned to shout at the soldiers behind her, "See that? The Northern Barbarians are made of flesh and blood too! One spear thrust and they're riddled with holes! Behind this pass lies the royal court, the territory we've conquered! We must hold it!"

"Hold on! Hold on!" the soldiers roared in unison, their voices echoing through the valley.

The lieutenant rode up and whispered, "Your Highness, the Northern Di's offensive has weakened. I see they're running out of arrows."

Xiao Zhaoyue nodded, her eyes sharp: "I know. They're betting on a quick victory, they can't afford to drag it out. Send the order down to rest and recuperate, and wait until dawn, when the main force of the Northern Barbarians should be moving."