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

At dusk, at the east gate of Ninghai City.

At this moment, wisps of smoke still rose from the city walls, and several burnt-down houses stood crookedly by the street, their ruins covered with ashes and broken tiles.

Most of the bodies on the street had been cleared away, but the bloodstains on the ground were not yet dry, and they shimmered with a reddish glow in the setting sun, a shocking sight.

The stench of blood that filled the air was nauseating.

At the city gate, several weary soldiers were carrying wounded soldiers, their steps heavy and their voices silent.

far away.

A massive army of 50,000 men arrived outside Ninghai City.

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng rode on his horse, clad in golden armor, wearing a phoenix-winged helmet, and with a sword at his waist, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

But the moment he stepped into Ninghai City, he could no longer maintain his composure.

He saw the corpses of ordinary people piled up on the street, and the charred houses.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his fingers gripping the reins trembled slightly.

"This...this is what the Dongyi people did?"

Xu Cheng, riding beside him, nodded gravely: "Your Highness, the Eastern Yi bandits are inherently cruel. Wherever they go, nothing grows. They have been burning, killing, and looting along the coast for quite some time now, but this time... they are even more unscrupulous than before."

The crown prince remained silent.

His face was pale, and fear spread through his eyes.

Xu Cheng saw the Crown Prince's eyes.

He knew in his heart that the Crown Prince was now afraid.

It's natural to be afraid in the face of the brutality of the Dongyi people.

Xiao Yunfeng had never seen such a scene in his life. He was afraid that if he were defeated and fell into the hands of the Dongyi people, he would suffer the same fate.

"Set up camp," the Crown Prince finally spoke. "Order the army to rest and regroup on the spot, strengthen defenses, and be ready to fight at any time."

Xu Cheng cupped his hands in greeting: "Yes, sir."

The Third Prince, Xiao Jingyu, rode his horse towards us.

His battle robe was stained with dark red blood, and he gripped his long sword tightly.

His face was pale and his expression was forlorn.

As Xu Cheng passed by him, he stopped, clasped his hands, and said, "Third Prince, I heard that you fought a bloody battle in the city today, fighting more than twenty Eastern Yi bandits by yourself, and even fought a hundred rounds with that Eastern Yi vanguard. I admire you."

Xiao Jingyu shook his head and said warily, "General Xu, that guy's swordsmanship is strange, and his strength is no less than mine. If you encounter him in the future, you must not underestimate him."

Xu Cheng remained silent for a moment before replying, "Your Highness, this humble general understands the situation."

"The Dongyi people are ruthless and vicious in their fighting style, and they don't follow the rules. This battle in the East China Sea will be difficult for us to win."

Xiao Jingyu didn't say anything, he just nodded, and then they went about their own business.

The Crown Prince settled into the government office, while Xu Cheng led his soldiers to set up camp outside the city.

Ninghai City's defenses have been temporarily stabilized, but everyone knows that this is only temporary.

Xiao Jingyu neither went to the government office nor to the military camp.

He walked alone to the makeshift camp for wounded soldiers.

There lay hundreds of soldiers wounded in today's battle; some had broken arms, some were covered in bandages, and some were unconscious.

The air was filled with a mixture of herbs and the smell of blood.

He walked past each hospital bed without saying a word, just looking at those young faces.

Some of them were only seventeen or eighteen years old, with childish faces.

Some were already in their thirties or forties, their faces weathered by the ravages of war.

They were all injured while trying to protect the city.

When they reached the deepest part of the camp, a soldier with a white cloth wrapped around his head and his left arm severed at the elbow suddenly raised his head, his gaze lingered on Xiao Jingyu for a moment, and then suddenly lit up.

"Your Highness...Third Prince!"

Xiao Jingyu stopped and looked at the person.

The soldier struggled to get up, but Xiao Jingyu quickly pressed down on his shoulders: "Lie down, don't move."

The soldier lay back down, his eyes gleaming with eagerness: "Your Highness, I've finally waited for you! I am Li Hu, a centurion under General Xiao Yichun!"

Xiao Jingyu's pupils contracted sharply, his body leaned forward slightly, and his voice tightened: "You...you're Yichun's subordinate?"

Li Hu nodded vigorously, his voice hoarse and urgent: "Your Highness, in the first battle, this humble general followed the two generals and fought his way out of the encirclement, and was fortunate enough to survive."

"Your Highness, I have important news to report!"

Xiao Jingyu sat down on the low stool beside his hospital bed and asked, "What is it?"

Li Hu took a deep breath and began to recount the story after that crushing defeat.

"After Zhenhai City fell, the two generals led the remaining thousand or so brothers out of the encirclement of the Dongyi people."

"However, instead of retreating, they chose to remain behind enemy lines and wage guerrilla warfare!"

Xiao Jingyu's brows furrowed sharply: "Guerrilla warfare?"

"yes!"

"The two generals said that the entire army of 30,000 had been wiped out, and a breach had been torn in the East China Sea defense line."

"If they withdraw, the Dongyi people will be able to advance unimpeded, and Wanhu City, Ninghai City, and Haizhou City will fall one after another."

"So they stayed behind with a thousand brothers to wage guerrilla warfare along the Dongyi people's supply lines, burning their provisions, harassing their rear, and slowing down their advance."

His eyes were slightly red.

"The general and his men said that as long as they could hold off the Dongyi people for one more day, they would buy the rear one more day of time."

Xiao Jingyu's eyes filled with tears.

His two sons neither fled nor surrendered.

Instead, he led a thousand remaining soldiers in a bloody battle behind enemy lines.

They were trying to buy time for the Great Qian Dynasty and to prevent more people from dying at the hands of the Eastern Yi people.

Xiao Jingyu felt proud of them.

"Where are they now?" Xiao Jingyu's voice was filled with barely suppressed urgency.

Li Hu shook his head: "When I left, the two generals were active in a forest east of Zhenhai Pass."

"The terrain there is complicated, and the Dongyi people will not be able to find them for a while."

"But the Dongyi people have already dispatched a large force to encircle and annihilate them, and the two generals are in a very dangerous situation."

"This humble general originally came out to deliver a message to Wanhu City."

"But just as we reached the city gate, Wanhu City fell."

"This humble general had no choice but to rush to Ninghai City. Fortunately... fortunately, I met the Prince."

Xiao Jingyu stood up, his back to Li Hu, and gazed at the darkening sky outside the tent, remaining silent for a long time.

His two sons are still alive.

They fought bloody battles behind enemy lines, and could die at any moment at the hands of the Dongyi people.

"Your Highness..." Li Hu's voice came from behind, "You must find a way to save the two generals. They are both excellent and should not die at the hands of the Dongyi people."

Xiao Jingyu turned around, looked at Li Hu, and his gaze was firm.

"Don't worry, I will risk my life to save them."

He strode out of the wounded soldiers' camp and then returned to his temporary tent.

He walked straight to the table, spread out two sheets of paper, picked up a pen, and dipped it in ink.

The pen tip hovered over the paper for a moment.

Then he began to write letters.

The first letter was addressed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I, Xiao Jingyu, kowtow and report: The Eastern Barbarian bandits are cruel and ruthless, leaving nothing but desolation in their wake. In today's battle at Ninghai City, I personally witnessed their methods; their swordsmanship is unpredictable, and their combat prowess is extraordinary. I fear the generals in our army are no match for them. I humbly beg Your Majesty to personally invite General Su to serve! In the battle of the Northern Frontier, General Su single-handedly turned the tide. The crisis in the Eastern Sea cannot be resolved without General Su. I know that General Su has just reunited with his granddaughter and should not be troubled further. However, the people of the Eastern Sea are suffering terribly, and the land of Jiangnan is in imminent danger. I earnestly implore Your Majesty to consider the well-being of all people and invite General Su to serve, saving the people from their suffering. Your Majesty, Xiao Jingyu, weeps and kowtows."

He put down his pen and picked up a second sheet of paper.

The second letter was written to Su Mu.

"Elder Su, this letter is as if we were face to face: I have a request to make today. Elder Su has just returned from the Northern Border and reunited with Qingxue for only a few days, and should be enjoying family bliss. However, a change has occurred in the East Sea. The Eastern Barbarian bandits are brutal and ruthless, massacring cities and villages, causing countless deaths and injuries. Yichun and Yidong did not retreat after the fall of Zhenhai City, but instead led a thousand remaining soldiers in guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, tying down the Eastern Barbarian army. Now they are trapped deep behind enemy lines, their fate unknown. I have decided to ride alone deep behind enemy lines to find their whereabouts. This journey is fraught with danger, and I have prepared for the worst. If I do not return, please take good care of Zhixia and Zhiqiu for me, let them live peacefully, do not seek revenge, and do not get involved in the court's struggles. The greatest fortune in my life is to have made a friend like Elder Su. If there is an afterlife, I still wish to fight alongside Elder Su. Xiao Jingyu, bowing deeply."

Xiao Jingyu blew the ink dry, folded the two letters, put them into two envelopes, and sealed them with sealing wax.

He stepped out of the room, crossed the military camp, and found Han Shixun, the vanguard deputy general.

Han Shixun was squatting by the campfire, wiping his halberd. The firelight reflected on his young yet weathered face.

"Shixun." Xiao Jingyu lowered his voice slightly.

Han Shixun looked up and saw the Third Prince's serious face. He quickly stood up and said, "Your Highness, did you summon me?"

Xiao Jingyu handed him two letters, lowering his voice even further: "These two letters, one is for His Majesty, and the other is for Duke Su Mu of Zhenbei."

"This time, we must send a trusted confidant by fast horse to deliver it to the capital overnight."

"Remember, the Crown Prince must not find out."

Han Shixun looked at the envelope in his hand, then at Xiao Jingyu, and without asking any questions, nodded heavily: "Your Highness, rest assured, this humble general will make the arrangements personally."

Xiao Jingyu patted his shoulder and turned to leave.

He returned to the stable, led out his warhorse, checked the saddle and reins, and hung up the rations and water bag.

He sheathed his sword, hung it on the side of his saddle, and mounted his horse.

"Your Highness!" Zhao Huaizhong ran over from a distance, his face full of surprise. "Where are you going?"

Xiao Jingyu replied, "I have some personal business to attend to. As for the defense of Ninghai City, you can leave it to General Xu to arrange."

"Your Highness! You can't leave! If you leave, how can I explain to the Crown Prince..."

Xiao Jingyu ignored him.

Instead, he rode his horse out of the east gate of Ninghai City and disappeared into the night.

Han Shixun stood at the city gate, watching the figure disappear into the darkness, and clenched the two letters in his hand.

"Wang Yi!"

"exist!"

"Prepare horses immediately and march to the capital tonight! These two letters must be delivered personally to His Majesty and the Duke of Zhenguo!"

"yes!"

……

Outside the city gate.

Before long, Xiao Jingyu had ridden his horse for several miles.

The cold wind howled, stinging his cheeks.

"Yichun, Yidong, Father is here."

After saying that, he continued to gallop away on his horse.

Xiao Jingyu knew that this journey would be fraught with peril, with only a nine-out-of-ten chance of survival.

But he was fearless in the face of death!