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Qing Shi Valley

Valley,

Rows of tents were neatly arranged in order.

Countless large flags bearing the character "景" (Jing) stood all around, fluttering in the wind.

Although besieged by a million-strong army from the outside

But the entire camp remained orderly and solemn, with patrolling soldiers moving back and forth and guards stationed at all key points, showing no sign of panic.

now,

Central camp

There stood a tent, clearly of a more luxurious design.

Inside the tent, a slender, graceful figure reclines on a soft couch.

The woman looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a black and gold long dress that accentuated her voluptuous and slender figure.

Under the skirt,

A pair of long, slender, fair legs were faintly visible.

Her long, black hair was casually draped over her shoulders, making her already exquisite and beautiful face appear even whiter.

Eyebrows like distant mountains,

A straight, upturned nose.

Even if it's just lying there quietly,

She still carries the elegance and nobility that comes with long-standing a position of power.

only,

On that stunningly beautiful face,

Yet her weariness and exhaustion were undeniable; Ji Yun couldn't even remember the last time she had peacefully closed her eyes to sleep.

The land is shattered, the capital has fallen, the country is destroyed, people are fleeing, they must gather their remaining troops, and they must also deal with the pursuit of the Pingtian Army...

One thing after another was weighing on her, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

In order to restore the country,

Ji Yun was utterly exhausted, but thankfully... things hadn't reached their most desperate point yet.

at least,

There is still hope.

Green Stone Valley.

The reason she carefully chose this retreat location is because... more than a hundred years ago, Jing was in turmoil, with war raging everywhere.

At that time,

The royal family of Jing Kingdom was on the verge of collapse.

Just when the country was on the verge of collapse,

Emperor Guangwu of the Jing Dynasty emerged out of nowhere, single-handedly quelling the rebellion and eliminating the treacherous leaders, which can be said to have rebuilt the Jing Dynasty.

later,

To prevent what happened back then from happening again

After much deliberation, Emperor Guangwu of Jing decided to build several secret treasures throughout the Jing Kingdom, known only to core members of the royal family.

And in it,

It stockpiled weapons, armor, provisions, and various military supplies.

Simultaneously,

Demands from future generations,

An update is performed every five years.

The purpose of doing this is to ensure that if the royal family were to face another catastrophe one day, it would still have the resources to make a comeback.

just,

Many years have passed,

With several changes of emperors, including some incompetent rulers, the matter was gradually neglected.

even,

Due to the loss of some records,

This made it impossible to investigate the location of some hidden treasures. Ji Yun only learned about the hidden treasure in Qing Shi Valley after ascending the throne, based on some incomplete records.

however,

Because of the two incompetent rulers, You and Yang,

This rendered the maintenance of the secret repository virtually non-existent. According to Ji Yun's knowledge, the last time it was replaced and maintained was nine years ago.

But even so,

After finding it,

Countless weapons, armor, bows and crossbows, as well as mountains of grain were found in the secret vault.

These secret treasures,

Hidden deep in the valley,

The weapons are fine; although some are rusted, they can be used after polishing.

As for food

Because nine years have passed.

Although it wasn't rotten, it didn't taste very good either; you could only say it wouldn't kill you.

and,

Because it is backed by a lake,

Fishing is also possible, and hunting is possible in the surrounding mountains and forests, which can help sustain the army's food needs.

According to Ji Yun's calculations,

There shouldn't be any problems in the first year or two.

but,

She wasn't planning to sit there and wait to die; obtaining the secret treasure was only one of the reasons she retreated to the valley.

Other than that,

There is another reason.

That was her backup plan, and it was also Ji Yun's biggest bargaining chip for turning the tide.

Retreat to the valley,

This is also to buy time for people outside.

At the same time, he used himself as bait to divert the attention of the Pingtian Army, so that his inside man could make arrangements.

As for the day when they actually take action,

Ji Yun had already decided to assassinate the bandit leader Hong Shengguang on the very day he ascended the throne.

If it succeeds,

By then,

With the Pingtian Army leaderless, the various generals would inevitably fight each other for power and profit.

By then,

This is Ji Yun's moment to strike back!

She was fully prepared for this plan, even going so far as to use herself as bait.

Right now,

Ji Yun appeared to be resting with her eyes closed.

Actually,

Deep down, he was constantly calculating and analyzing the feasibility of the plan, thinking...

Outside the tent,

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps could be heard.

Next second,

One of the commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhuque, strode into the tent and knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty!"

Ji Yun frowned slightly.

"What is it?"

Zhuque said in a deep voice, "Something has happened to the Pingtian Army."

"What did you say?" Ji Yun sat up abruptly, her face full of surprise and doubt.

With a solemn expression, Zhuque recounted the news he had just received in great detail.

"Our spies planted within the rebel army have just reported that a large-scale plague has broken out in their ranks in recent days."

"Tens of thousands of rebel soldiers have already died from the plague, and the epidemic seems to be spreading further. Morale within the rebel army is now in chaos..."

With the description of Suzaku,

Ji Yun's expression changed from initial surprise and doubt to a gradual brightening of her haggard face, and even her breathing became rapid.

"This...could it be...a blessing from heaven for the Great View?!"

first timing,

Ji Yun was even somewhat incredulous.

Only after Suzaku repeated it again did he realize that he had not misheard.

plague...

Morale of the army was in chaos...

This wasn't Ji Yun's first time leading troops into battle; she knew all too well what it was like for a large army to encounter a plague while on campaign.

Not to mention,

The Pingtian Army had a million-strong army.

It may seem like a grand spectacle, but no matter how many people are involved, if an epidemic breaks out, everyone will be wiped out.

and,

Even at such a crucial moment,

It was as if, in some mysterious way, Heaven was helping the Jing Kingdom.

"Destiny rests in Jing!"

Ji Yun, her expression excited, slowly uttered four words.

but,

She wasn't overwhelmed by the good news; after a moment of excitement, she quickly calmed down.

"What exactly caused this plague? Has the cause been determined?"

Suzaku shook his head: "No, but..."

Speaking of which,

She hesitated visibly for a moment.

Ji Yun pressed further, "But what?"

Suzaku replied, "However, a few days ago, a shipment of supplies being transported to the front lines by the rebel army was attacked en route."

"According to the information sent back by the spies, the army that made the move was an army of unknown origin, but the rebel army sent troops later to take back the supplies."

"It was after this incident that a plague broke out within the rebel army, but whether it is related to this incident is currently unknown."

Upon hearing this,

Ji Yun frowned, lost in thought.

Unidentified forces attacked the bandits' supplies, and after the supplies were recovered, a plague broke out...

These two things,

If there's no connection, that would be too much of a coincidence.

But to say it's related,

What was the other person's motive? Was it to help them? Or was it just a simple coincidence?

More importantly,

Before this,

The situation was unfolding exactly as she planned. As long as she held firm and waited for the spies within the Pingtian Army to slowly infiltrate, she could deliver a decisive blow on the day of the coronation ceremony.

As long as Hong Shengguang dies

Then the plan can be considered a success.

But now,

The sudden outbreak of the plague introduced variables into her plans.

After a long silence,

Ji Yun then slowly spoke, "I believe these two matters are perhaps unrelated and are merely coincidences."

Speaking of which,

Ji Yun's eyes revealed a hint of disdain: "Those rebels were not exactly elite troops. After Hong Shengguang raised his army, he coerced refugees, recruited mountain bandits, and incorporated surrendered soldiers along the way. There were also local strongmen and their private armies mixed in among them."

"The million-strong army may seem impressive, but in reality, it is a mixed bag of people from all walks of life."

"Even if a plague breaks out in such a force, it wouldn't be surprising. What I'm more concerned about is whether we can use this opportunity to launch a counterattack!"