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

Inside the main hall, the candlelight illuminated the faces of everyone, creating a clear contrast between light and shadow.

Su Mu sat in the main seat, his body hunched over, calmly looking at the ten people on the ground who were bound hand and foot.

After a long while, he spoke.

"Except for Sikong Yu..."

"The rest of them, take them all out and execute them."

Outside the door, several strong special forces soldiers strode in, grabbed the nine men by the arms, and dragged them out like chickens.

"No...no! I don't want to die!"

"Spare me! General, spare me! I was only following orders!"

Cries for mercy, screams, and struggles mingled together, echoing throughout the main hall.

Sikong Yu knelt in the middle of the crowd, watching his companions being dragged away. His facial muscles twitched, but he didn't speak or beg for mercy.

He simply closed his eyes, took a deep breath, as if saying his final goodbye.

Screams came from outside the courtyard, one after another, and then stopped abruptly.

Nine heads fell to the ground.

Sikong Yu's body trembled slightly, and the veins on his forehead bulged, but he still did not open his eyes.

Zhou Huchen looked at Sikong Yu's ashen face, snorted coldly, stepped forward, and stared down at him.

"Sikong Yu, if you don't want to die, you'd better listen to Elder Su and tell the truth."

"Otherwise, those people will end up like you."

Sikong Yu slowly opened his eyes, looked at Zhou Huchen, and a smile slowly spread across his lips.

There was no fear or fawning in that smile, only a stubbornness.

"General Zhou, you underestimate me, Sikong Yu."

"Although I am not a warrior, I have studied the classics and know what loyalty and righteousness are. I am not afraid of death. The Right Wise King has been kind to me. How can I betray him to survive? Kill me if you want, no need for further words."

Zhou Huchen's face darkened, his hand gripped the hilt of his sword, and his eyes widened in anger.

"you!"

"Tiger Minister, step back." Su Mu's voice came from behind, not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority.

Zhou Huchen gritted his teeth, loosened his grip on the hilt of his sword, and stepped aside.

Su Mu stood up, his body hunched over, and slowly walked to Sikong Yu.

"You do have guts." Su Mu's voice was hoarse, with a hint of admiration. "I've lived for a hundred years and seen too many people who are afraid of death and betray their masters for personal gain. There aren't many like you who aren't afraid of death."

Sikong Yu raised his head and met Su Mu's gaze, his eyes unwavering.

"General Su, please don't waste your time on me."

Su Mu's lips curled up slightly, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you."

Sikong Yu was taken aback for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before he regained his composure.

Yu Zhongyi stood aside, his brows furrowed, and couldn't help but clasp his hands in a fist and say, "Elder Su, although this man is a strategist, he is very stubborn. Trying to pry information out of him is probably harder than climbing to heaven. Rather than keeping him around as a menace, it would be better to kill him and get rid of him once and for all."

Su Mu shook his head.

"Killing someone is easy, but what happens afterward?"

"Keep him; you'll definitely need him later."

You Zhongyi didn't say much, but clasped his hands and said, "Yes, sir!"

Su Mu waved his hand and looked at the soldiers outside the door.

"Guards, take him away and lock him up with those two princes."

"Yes, sir!"

Two soldiers stepped forward, grabbed Sikong Yu's arms, and dragged him outside.

Sikong Yu neither struggled nor spoke.

……

The prison in Mozhou was dark and damp.

Several oil lamps hung on the wall, their flames flickering in the wind, illuminating the prison cell in an alternating light and shadow.

The ground was covered with dry grass, which smelled musty, and rats scurried around in the corner.

Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie were imprisoned in the same cell, each occupying a corner, separated by an iron bar.

Tuoba Han sat against the wall with his legs stretched out, looking up at the ceiling, his face full of dejection and exhaustion.

Tuoba Lie sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes closed, as if he were meditating. His expression was calm, revealing no emotion.

"Click!"

The lock on the cell door was opened, and the iron door creaked open.

Two soldiers escorted Sikong Yu in and shoved him into the cell.

"Behave yourself! Go inside!"

The soldier kicked Sikong Yu in the back of the knee, and Sikong Yu stumbled and fell into the cell, his knee hitting the ground, making him grimace in pain.

Then, the cell door slammed shut!

Hearing the noise, Tuoba Han opened his eyes and looked towards the door!

Suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply, and he stood up abruptly as if struck by lightning. He rushed to the iron fence, grabbed the bars with both hands, and shouted loudly.

"Strategist? What are you doing here?!"

His voice was filled with shock and disbelief.

Tuoba Lie also opened his eyes and frowned when he saw Sikong Yu's thin face.

"Sikong Yu? You... how did you get arrested too?"

Sikong Yu got up from the ground, dusted off his knees, turned around, knelt on one knee before Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie, and clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Highness, I am incompetent. I wanted to lead men to rescue you two, but Su Mu was prepared... I failed and was captured alive."

His voice was low and filled with self-reproach.

"Your subordinate deserves to die."

Tuoba Han's eyes reddened.

"Strategist, why...why are you doing this? The northern border has been lost. You could have escaped back to the Northern Barbarians. Why come here to die?"

Sikong Yu raised his head, looked at Tuoba Han, his gaze firm.

"Your Highness, if it weren't for your sheltering me back then, I would have died in the wilderness long ago. I have always remembered this kindness. Now that Your Highness is in trouble, how can I live on alone?"

Tuoba Han's lips trembled twice, as if he wanted to say something, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Tuoba Lie sat in the corner, watching this scene, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.

"Sikong Yu, did Su Mu torture you?"

Sikong Yu shook his head: "No, he only said that keeping his subordinates alive would be useful, so he locked them up. But the nine men his subordinates brought... he killed them all."

Tuoba Han's brows furrowed even more.

"Su Mu, what exactly is he trying to do?"

He turned around, looked at Tuoba Lie, and his face was full of confusion.

"Third brother, you don't know either? Didn't you say that old man Su Mu always had a purpose in everything he did?"

Tuoba Lie remained silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh.

"Second brother, I don't know either."

"I understand Su Mu less and less."

"I thought he was just a fierce general with unparalleled martial arts skills, but he has surprised people time and time again by using tricks against them, sending divine soldiers to their aid, and getting himself into the trap... Now he is keeping Sikong Yu alive, he must have his reasons, but I can't figure them out."

He shook his head, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"I, Tuoba Lie, pride myself on my wisdom and courage in the Northern Di, and have never submitted to anyone. But facing Su Mu, I have to admit that I have lost, and I am completely convinced of my defeat."

Tuoba Han was stunned.

He had never seen his third brother look like this before.

Tuoba Lie was proud from a young age, never bowing his head or admitting defeat, even when facing his father and elder brother.

But at this moment, he said with his own words, "I admit defeat."

"Third brother, you..."

Tuoba Lie raised his hand, interrupting him.

"Second brother, think about it. Su Mu, a centenarian, joined the army in place of his granddaughter, starting as a cook."

"Without any background or backing, he still managed to wrest back the five states and thirteen cities of the North from our hands. Yeluqi is dead, Mantu is dead, and the two of us have become his prisoners."

"Such a person, such martial arts skills, such strategies, such courage... With such a person in the Great Qian Dynasty, how could its fate be sealed?"

Tuoba Han's expression changed.

"Third brother, you...you mean, the fate of the Great Qian Dynasty is not yet over?"

Tuoba Lie raised his head and looked at Tuoba Han with a deep gaze.

"Second brother, I didn't believe in fate before."

"But now, I feel more and more that Su Mu is the destiny of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"As long as he is here, the Great Qian Dynasty will exist. As long as he lives, the Northern Di will never be able to conquer the northern border."

He leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and sounded exhausted.

"What I'm most worried about right now isn't Su Mu, or the Northern Border, but my elder brother."

Tuoba Han's pupils suddenly contracted.

"You mean... my elder brother will personally lead the troops to the Northern Border?"

Tuoba Lie opened his eyes, a hint of worry flashing in them.

"Given the eldest brother's personality, he couldn't swallow the loss of the entire northern border and the capture of his two younger brothers."

"He will definitely come, and he will bring his entire army."

"I'm worried that he can't beat Su Mu."

"If our Northern Barbarians suffer another defeat in the northern border, the Northern Barbarians will truly be severely weakened."

"At that time, not only will they be able to march south to Daqian, but other tribes around the Northern Di may also take the opportunity to rebel."

Tuoba Han's face was as white as paper.

"Third brother, then... then what do we do?"

Tuoba Lie did not answer, but only sighed deeply.

"We are trapped in prison, and it is impossible for us to stop our elder brother from bringing his troops here."

"Unless we negotiate with Su Mu."

"Negotiate terms?" Tuoba Han was stunned. "We're prisoners, how can we negotiate terms with him?"

Tuoba Lie shook his head, denying his second brother's words.

"Although we are Su Mu's prisoners, we are still princes of the Northern Di."

"If we negotiated with him as the Prince of the Northern Barbarians, perhaps he would agree!"

"Second brother, shall we give it a try?"

Tuoba Han thought for a long time, then said, "Alright, since we've come this far, we have no choice but to try anything."