At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Outside Cangzhou city, the autumn wind was bleak.

Su Mu stood at the city gate, his body hunched over, his white hair fluttering slightly in the wind.

Before him, the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu rode on horseback, followed by a group of personal guards, his luggage already prepared.

Several fast horses pawed at the cold mud with their hooves, as if they couldn't wait to embark on their journey home.

"Elder Su, I'm returning to the capital today." Xiao Jingyu dismounted and walked to Su Mu, his gaze earnest. "I know you miss Qingxue. Why don't you come back to the capital with me?"

In that instant, Qingxue's face appeared in Su Mu's mind.

She has a round face, big eyes, and two shallow dimples when she smiles.

He couldn't wait to agree right now and ride his Ferghana horse straight to the capital.

But Su Mu remained silent.

He raised his head and glanced at the gray, hazy northern horizon.

I have mixed feelings in my heart.

He originally thought that once he completed the mission of reclaiming the northern border, he could leave in style and go to the capital to find his granddaughter.

But now, the burden on my shoulders is different.

He cannot leave at will.

"Your Highness," Su Mu spoke, his voice hoarse, "I wish to go with you, but though I wish, I cannot leave."

Xiao Jingyu frowned slightly: "Why?"

"Although the northern border has been recovered, the foundation is not yet stable."

"The new recruits have just joined the army, the city's defenses have not yet been fortified, and the supplies and provisions are still being allocated."

"The Northern Di people could launch a counterattack at any time. If I were to leave now, I fear Qin Hao and the others would not be able to hold out."

He paused, his voice becoming even deeper.

"Moreover, Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie are still imprisoned. If the Northern Di King finds out that his two younger brothers have been captured, he will definitely send people to rescue them, or even launch a large-scale attack. I must stay and settle this matter completely."

Xiao Jingyu remained silent.

He knew Su Mu was telling the truth.

The recapture of the North is only the first step.

Holding the North is the more difficult step.

The Northern Barbarians had been ruling the northern border for many years, and now that their territory had been uprooted, they would never let it go.

Among the Daqian army, only Su Mu could keep the Northern Barbarians in check.

"General Su," Xiao Jingyu clasped his hands and bowed deeply, "Then I will return to the capital to report. Rest assured, I will report to His Majesty truthfully, and I will take good care of Qingxue. You can stay in the Northern Border with peace of mind. It is not too late to go to the capital after things are settled."

Su Mu nodded and also bowed slightly.

"Your Highness, please be careful on your journey. Please pass on a message to Qingxue, telling her that Grandpa is doing well and not to worry. He will visit her once he is done with his work."

Xiao Jingyu nodded heavily.

"Don't worry, Elder Su, I will definitely deliver your message."

After saying that, he mounted his horse, pulled on the reins, glanced back at Su Mu, then brandished his long whip, and the warhorse neighed and galloped south.

The guards followed closely behind, and the sound of hooves gradually faded into the distance.

Su Mu stood at the city gate, watching the departing figures of the troop, his eyes reflecting the hazy sky.

I stood there for a long time.

Only after the group of people had completely disappeared on the horizon did he turn around and slowly walk towards the city.

……

After returning to the city, Su Mu did not rest.

He ordered his men to remove Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie from their cell, move them to a clean room, and assign someone to guard them.

He knew very well that these two people were his most important bargaining chips.

If the Northern Di King were to invade, these two princes would be the best shield.

After making the arrangements, he toured the city's defenses, inspected the grain reserves, and listened to the reports from messengers sent by Qin Hao and Zhou Huchen about the situation in Yingzhou and Mozhou.

Everything is proceeding as planned.

But a sense of unease lingered in his heart.

Finally, he decided to set off for Mozhou tomorrow!

……

Beidi Kyoto, the main hall of the royal court.

Unlike the somber atmosphere of the North, the main hall was filled with singing and dancing.

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums.

A dozen or so dancers, dressed in colorful costumes, danced gracefully in the center of the hall, their sleeves fluttering like butterflies and their waists swaying like willow branches.

The long tables on both sides were filled with roasted whole lambs, mare's milk wine, and candied fruits. The aroma of meat and wine mingled together, filling the entire hall.

Tuoba Feng, the King of the Northern Di, sat on the golden chair in the center.

He held his wine glass, taking large gulps of the fine wine, his voice bold and rugged:

"Gentlemen! With Tuoba Lie's departure, the Northern Territory will surely be conquered."

"I have decided that next spring, I will personally lead an expedition to conquer the Central Plains of the Great Qian! At that time, all the gold, silver, treasures, and beautiful women of the Great Qian will belong to our Northern Di!"

"Long live the King! Long live the Northern Barbarians!"

The officials in the hall shouted in unison, extremely excited.

"Your Majesty is wise! The Great Qian is now rife with corrupt officials and incompetent generals; they are no match for our Northern Di cavalry!" Yelü Chucai raised his wine cup. "I wish Your Majesty a resounding victory and swift success!"

Tuoba Feng laughed heartily and drank it all in one gulp.

Just as he and his ministers were celebrating happily.

A hurried voice came from outside the hall, breaking the celebratory atmosphere.

"Report!"

A general, covered in blood and with his armor askew, stumbled into the main hall, collapsed before the imperial steps, his voice hoarse and his body trembling.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...Something terrible has happened..."

Tuoba Feng's smile froze on his face, his brows furrowed sharply as he looked at the man.

He was furious.

The last time I held a banquet, it was also interrupted by something unexpected.

This time, it was exactly the same.

Tuoba Feng recognized the man and said:

"Kuntai, why aren't you guarding the northern border? Why have you run back to the capital?" His voice suddenly rose. "What happened?"

Kuntai raised his head, his face covered in blood and tears, his voice trembling.

"Your Majesty... the North... the entire North is lost!"

Inside the main hall, the music abruptly stopped.

The dancers stood frozen in place, at a loss for what to do.

The ministers looked at each other, their smiles instantly freezing.

Tuoba Feng's pupils suddenly contracted, and the wine glass in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," spilling wine all over the floor.

"What did you say? The entire North is lost?"

Kuntai lay on the ground, his voice trembling with sobs.

"Cangzhou, Yingzhou, and Mozhou have all been captured by the Daqian army, and both princes have been captured alive by Su Mu!"

"Our entire army in the north was wiped out... Only I... only I fought my way back..."

The main hall was deathly silent.

Tuoba Feng slowly stood up.

His face turned bright red, and veins bulged on his forehead.

"Tuoba Han... Tuoba Lie..."

"What on earth happened to you two? Fifty thousand troops! Two cities! And you couldn't even defeat a centenarian? You were even captured alive?"

He turned around abruptly, his gaze cold and sharp as he swept over the assembled officials in the hall.

"Didn't you say that the generals of the Great Qian Dynasty were incompetent? Didn't you say that taking the northern border was as easy as taking candy from a baby? Explain to me what's going on!"

The hall was completely silent.

No one dared to look up, no one dared to speak.

Tuoba Qingtian grabbed a wine cup from the table and threw it at the minister in front of him.

Yelü Chucai and other ministers prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to utter another sound.

Chi Na Xuan Ce raised his head and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, things have come to this point, and anger will not help. The most urgent matter is how to deal with this."

Tuoba Feng took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, walked back to the golden chair, and plopped down.

He braced his hands on his knees, his chest heaving violently, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

"Who exactly is this Su Mu? How could a centenarian do all this?"

Still, no one could answer him.

The hall remained silent for a long time.

Tuoba Feng suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"By my order, assemble an army of 100,000! I will personally lead the army to the border of Mozhou to meet that Su Mu!"

These words caused an uproar in the hall.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Yelü Chucai raised his head and said urgently, "With 100,000 troops mobilized, the rear is undefended. What if..."

"What if what?" Tuoba Qingtian interrupted him, "If we lose this fertile land of the North, and my two brothers are treated as prisoners, how can I save face if I don't kill Su Mu and reclaim the North?"

Chi Na Xuan Ce also spoke up, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter requires further consideration. Su Mu is no ordinary person, having repeatedly defeated our army. If Your Majesty were to personally lead the expedition, what if…?"

"Strategist, do you also think that I can't defeat that centenarian?"

Chi Na Xuan Ce lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

Tuoba Feng turned around, facing the assembled officials in the hall, his voice resolute.

"Issue the order: within ten days, assemble an army of 100,000! Prepare provisions, weapons, and warhorses! I will personally lead the army south, conquer the northern border, capture Su Mu alive, and rescue Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie!"

Tuoba Feng stood in front of the golden chair, hands on his hips, gazing out of the hall, his eyes burning with rage.

"Su Mu..." he muttered to himself, gritting his teeth, "You just wait, I swear I won't rest until I kill you!"