In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Li Yuanchang smiled and said, "Relaxing is a good thing, not a bad thing."

"It's better for them to withdraw now than to retreat on the battlefield."

"Your Highness is absolutely right. It's better to withdraw early to avoid hindering the later battles. If they retreat in the face of battle, the entire army will suffer!" Kou Zhu said.

"That's right, that's right!" all the tribal commanders said.

Li Yuanchang returned to his seat and said, "Alright, since everyone has no more doubts, then this matter is settled."

"I have decided that three days from now, the entire army will break camp and secretly enter the southern desert."

"Our scouts have already gone out to reconnoiter and scout the area, which should ensure that there are no problems in the early stages."

"Now, I, the King, make the following arrangements!"

"..."

He integrated all the forces of the twenty-one tribes and formally established a combat system; otherwise, the twenty-one units would have been too scattered.

Approximately ten thousand people were divided into three major camps: A, B, and C.

The Jia Battalion, composed of 3,000 of the most elite soldiers from Lantian County, was the main fighting force of the Allied Forces.

The Yi-character camp consisted of ten tribes, with Tu Sitong as its deputy commander.

The Bingzi Camp consisted of eleven tribes, and its deputy commander was Guhuoer, the supervisor of the Meng tribe.

Besides the three main camps, Li Yuanchang also had a personal guard of about two hundred men, all of whom were extremely loyal. They were composed of surviving guards and soldiers from Dingyuan Mountain, as well as people from the high mountain tribes. Their fighting strength was unknown to everyone.

After the personnel arrangements were completed, Li Yuanchang immediately set about mobilizing grain and fodder.

He estimated that a raid on the Xueyantuo stronghold would require carrying at least twelve days' worth of provisions, but this could not be accomplished by civilian laborers.

If civilians were to go and pull it, the danger level would skyrocket, and it would be impossible to hide it; it could only be carried by individual soldiers.

But this presents another challenge for a surprise attack mission.

Each soldier carries heavy armor and weapons, and with twelve days' worth of rations and water, speed and stamina are all a challenge.

Moreover, mobility will inevitably be greatly reduced.

Li Yuanchang took these factors into consideration, but ultimately decided to launch the attack anyway.

At dawn three days later, this newly formed allied force, led by Li Yuanchang, officially set off and entered southern Mongolia for the first time.

During the Zhenguan era, strictly speaking, most of the area south of the Gobi Desert was not under the jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty; at most, it was inhabited by pro-Tang forces.

But with Li Simo being brutally beaten, southern Mongolia has become a war zone and is no longer safe.

In other words, once the army enters this area, it becomes a combat zone, where life and death are determined by fate and wealth is left to heaven!

Relying on reliable intelligence from both scouts and the Black Ice Guard, the allied forces bypassed all enemies, successfully entered southern Mongolia, and secretly infiltrated the Tuxi Basin.

Upon entering this area, the allied forces gained a brief period of natural protection.

This basin, located in southern Mongolia, is extremely barren, with almost no grassland or water source. Without these two things, it would be impossible for people to come here.

Here, the allied forces entered and waited.

Without a direct confrontation, a surprise attack on the main camp is just a pipe dream.

Even if Zhenzhu Khan dies, Dadu She will still be in his place before his spirit tablet, and will turn around to take revenge. At that time, Li Yuanchang will have to run all over the world again.

His plan was meticulous. Only by defeating Nuozhenshui decisively and then delivering a fatal blow himself could he bring down this ambitious nomadic tribe in the northern desert.

……

Changan.

Spring is here, flowers are in bloom, and construction is in full swing.

The bustling and prosperous capital city showed no trace of the smoke and tension of the front lines.

The former Han Prince's Mansion, which had been in a state of semi-abandonment, had long since been revitalized. When news of Li Yuanchang's death spread, the Han Prince's Mansion in Liangzhou was recalled to Chang'an.

This resulted in all of Li Yuanchang's family members temporarily staying at the Prince of Han's residence.

"princess."

Situ Lan handed her eldest son to a maid, her face gentle and virtuous, radiating peace and prosperity. Then she looked at the maid and asked, "Master Fang, what's wrong?"

"Your Highness, a handsome young man has arrived. He says he is an old friend of the Prince of Han and has come to visit, saying he wants to see his old friend's son," said Fang Weng.

"Old friend?"

"Have you seen it before?" Situ Lan frowned slightly.

Fang Weng shook his head: "Your Highness, I really don't know this person."

"But he speaks very politely and has a dignified and imposing manner, so he doesn't seem like a charlatan."

"You don't even know Fang Weng?" Situ Lan asked in surprise, after all, Fang Weng was the oldest person in the entire mansion who had followed Li Yuanchang the longest, having been there almost since birth.

Fang Weng shook his head: "Your Highness, I don't know. It's possible that His Highness made some friends outside. Before going to his fiefdom, His Highness did indeed enjoy going out to play, hunt, and make friends."

"But later, apart from the four young masters Cheng Chuliang, His Highness lost contact with the others."

"Would you like to meet him?"

Situ Lan did not hesitate or be coy. With Li Yuanchang absent, she, as the mistress of the house, naturally could not abandon the rules.

"Bring him in."

"Don't give the impression that the Prince of Han's residence is neglecting you, but gifts cannot be brought inside."

She continued Li Yuanchang's practice of never accepting gifts and protecting herself wisely; she had always done so from Liangzhou to Chang'an.

As Li Yuanchang's legal wife, she has been courted by countless people over the years, both openly and secretly, including even the current Crown Princess.

"yes!"

A short while later, in the main hall of the Prince of Han's residence.

Fang Weng led a young man dressed in white, with an imposing presence and rosy lips and white teeth, into the hall.

Before they even arrived, their eyes were already there.

Situ Lan's bright eyes met the newcomer's gaze for a fleeting moment, and she thought to herself, "What a fine temperament!"

The man walked as if treading on clouds, exuding a sharp aura. His eyebrows were raised, radiating an aura of royalty and nobility, a sight rarely seen even in a place like Chang'an.

The newcomer glanced at Situ Lan and said, "I am Ling Shuang, and I pay my respects to the Princess Consort of Han."

"Ling Shuang?" Situ Lan had never heard Li Yuanchang mention her before, but she still greeted him politely.

"Young master, there's no need for such formalities. Please take a seat."

"The King of Han is away on a campaign and is not at home. I apologize for any inadequacy in our hospitality."

Her voice was gentle and tranquil, like a spring breeze, making it difficult to feel any ill will towards her, and one could hardly sense the sharpness of a princess or noblewoman.

Ling Shuang's gaze wavered for a moment, then she smiled.

"Princess Consort Xie of Han".

As he spoke, he slowly sat down.

A servant handed him tea, which he took with his slender, snow-white fingers. To be honest, for a man, he was a bit effeminate.

Situ Lan's eyes held a slightly strange look, as she felt that the newcomer was mysterious, since none of the people the Prince of Han's mansion had the surname Ling.

"When did you and the Prince of Han become acquainted?"

Ling Shuang's lips curled up, a hint of amusement mixed with cold indifference: "About three years ago."

Situ Lan suddenly realized that Li Yuanchang had not yet gone to Liangzhou at that time.

"I see."

"Has His Highness the Prince of Han never mentioned me to the Princess?" Ling Shuang asked with a smile.

"I, the Princess Consort, have never interfered in the affairs of the Prince of Han outside, so..." Situ Lan gave an apologetic look.

Ling Shuang nodded, without saying anything more, but looked around and surveyed the Prince of Han's residence.

"This is what this place used to look like."

"Huh?" Situ Lan asked blankly.

Ling Shuang smiled and said, "Oh, it's nothing. The Prince of Han invited me, but I didn't come. Visiting the Prince of Han's residence has always been my wish."