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

Haizhou City, Central Military Tent.

The atmosphere inside the tent was like a hot, oppressive iron pot being boiled over a fire—it was stifling and oppressive, and could explode at any moment.

The map on the table was crumpled in several places, with curled edges and mottled ink, as if it had been repeatedly unfolded and folded countless times.

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng stood before the main seat, his hands resting on the table, his body leaning slightly forward. His gaze swept over the silent generals in the tent, his voice filled with barely suppressed anxiety and anger.

"With so many of you, you can't even come up with a plan to repel the enemy?"

"Those Eastern barbarian bandits have already established a fortified camp outside the city and have attacked it three times!"

"They won't be long before they launch their fourth attack!"

"Our army is defending the city to the death, suffering heavy casualties. Can't any of you useless people come up with a single useful idea?"

Upon hearing this, no one in the tent responded.

Xu Cheng sat at the lower end of the table, his face calm and his eyes lowered, as if he had not heard the Crown Prince's words.

His left arm was still wrapped in bandages, from the injury he sustained when he was struck by Otomo Tetsumaru's staff outside Ninghai City. Although half a month had passed, it still ached slightly when he exerted himself.

The captains behind him also kept their heads down, and no one spoke.

The tent remained quiet for a long time.

Seeing that no one responded, the crown prince's face grew even uglier, and he was about to start cursing again.

Xu Cheng raised his head and said, "Your Highness, this humble general dares to speak."

The crown prince raised his chin: "Speak."

Xu Cheng slowly stood up, looking calmly at the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, our army has no choice but to hold our ground to the death. This is your order."

"The brothers have not slept for days and nights, and have repelled the Dongyi army's attacks three times, relying entirely on their desperate defense of the city."

"If we change our strategy now, morale will be thrown into chaos, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

He paused, his voice deepening.

"Furthermore, since Your Highness is the commander of an army, you should personally consider strategies to repel the enemy, rather than simply blaming the soldiers for their incompetence."

"I have said everything I should say."

The crown prince slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to jump and spill tea all over the table: "Xu Cheng! Are you trying to teach me how to do things?"

Xu Cheng did not back down, but continued to look straight at the Crown Prince.

"This humble general dares not."

"This humble general simply believes that insults will not lead to a strategy to repel the enemy."

"If the city defenses could truly hold back 30,000 men, then the Dongyi people wouldn't have reached the gates of Haizhou City."

The crown prince's face flushed crimson, and his finger pointing at Xu Cheng trembled: "You..."

Just then...

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the tent, and then a soldier rushed in, his face full of surprise and his voice excited.

"Your Highness! The troops have withdrawn! The Eastern Barbarians have withdrawn!"

The tent fell silent.

The prince's hand froze in mid-air, his anger momentarily frozen, before being replaced by an unbelievable surge of ecstasy.

"What did you say? They withdrew their troops? The Eastern Barbarians withdrew?"

The soldier nodded vigorously.

"Yes! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"The Eastern Barbarian army has broken camp and is retreating northwards!"

The prince suddenly pushed aside the table in front of him, rushed out of the tent in three strides, and ran towards the city wall.

Xu Cheng and the other generals followed closely behind, each with a different expression on their face.

Some were pleasantly surprised, while others were puzzled...

The night wind howled on the city wall.

The prince stood behind the battlements, his hands braced against the bricks and stones, his eyes fixed on the black army that was slowly moving in the distance.

The Dongyi army's camp was being packed up, and the torchlight formed a long, moving line in the night, receding towards Ninghai City to the north.

After observing for a long time and confirming that it was not a feigned retreat, the crown prince suddenly opened his arms, threw his head back, and burst into laughter:

"Hahaha! Good! Good!"

"I, the Crown Prince, have long said that holding the city to the death will surely be effective!"

"Look, everyone! The Eastern Barbarian bandits finally couldn't hold out any longer and are slinking away in disgrace!"

He turned around and looked at the generals behind him, his face showing an almost arrogant smugness.

"Gentlemen, do you still dare to question my plan to defend the city?"

"I, the Crown Prince, waited patiently for the enemy to tire themselves out, defended the city to the death, and responded to every change with unwavering resolve. The Eastern Barbarians attacked three times without success, their morale was exhausted, and they had no choice but to retreat! This is my strategy!"

Xu Cheng stood at the back of the crowd, looking at the Crown Prince's face, which was flushed with excitement, without saying a word.

He had only one thought in his mind: how great a feat is it to defend the city?

Three days ago, you ordered us to hold the line to the death.

Three days later, you present it as your own brilliant plan.

What kind of skill is that?

Another older captain also secretly shook his head and sighed almost inaudibly.

They all knew it in their hearts.

If the Dongyi people truly couldn't conquer it, they wouldn't have attacked three times in a row.

Since they were able to launch three consecutive attacks, they wouldn't withdraw their troops without a reason.

There must be some reason they don't know about.

The crown prince did not notice those subtle expressions.

He turned and walked towards the foot of the city wall, his voice filled with a triumphant air: "By my order, Your Highness, a banquet will be held in the army!"

"Tonight, the entire army will celebrate! We will reward our soldiers and boost morale! After a two-week rest, I, the Crown Prince, will press our advantage and recapture Ninghai City!"

"Yes!" Several trusted captains responded loudly.

Xu Cheng stood there, watching the Crown Prince's departing figure, then turned to look at the receding flames to the north, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

He had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

……

Meanwhile, in a secluded courtyard in the city, Xiao Jingyu was changing Xiao Yichun's dressing.

Xiao Yichun's injuries have improved considerably. Although he still cannot exert himself, he can now stand up and walk slowly on his own.

Xiao Yidong was practicing his swordsmanship in the courtyard.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, which was then pushed open. Han Shixun strode in, a complex expression on his face: "Your Highness! The Dongyi have withdrawn their troops!"

Xiao Jingyu's hand suddenly stopped, and he almost dropped the medicine bowl.

He put down his bowl, stood up, and his gaze sharpened: "Withdraw the troops? A full retreat?"

Han Shixun nodded.

"This humble general personally went to the city wall to confirm that the Dongyi army has broken camp and retreated northward, with torches forming a line, and judging from the direction, they are retreating back to Ninghai City."

Xiao Jingyu did not speak immediately.

He walked to the window, pushed it open, and the night wind rushed in, making his head feel cool.

"wrong."

He said something in a low voice.

Han Shixun walked up behind him: "Your Highness, is something wrong?"

Xiao Jingyu turned around, his gaze deep: "Although the Dongyi people failed to capture the city in their first three attacks, they have already caused considerable damage to our army."

"If they attack again, they might be able to break through."

"But they retreated at this very moment. This is not a normal withdrawal. There is probably a trap here."

"Unless... they've encountered a reason that forces them to retreat."

"What's the reason?"

Xiao Jingyu shook his head: "I can't think of anything for now."

"What's the Crown Prince's reaction?"

A mocking smile appeared on Han Shixun's lips:

"His Highness the Crown Prince is celebrating wildly, saying that the Eastern Yi people were driven back by his brilliant strategy of 'waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out and then defending the city to the death'."

"He has ordered a banquet for the entire army and is also going to report to the court to claim credit."

Xiao Jingyu closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes had regained their composure.

"This crown prince, he's obsessed with military achievements..."

"If we celebrate at this time, and the Dongyi people launch a surprise attack, the consequences will be unimaginable."

He turned and walked back to the table, spread out the map, and slowly traced his finger from Haizhou City to the Nanpanjiang Wharf, and then to the direction of Nanguanjiang Estuary.

He looked up at Han Shixun: "Shixun, you'll have to work hard tonight and hold on for one more night. Personally lead a team to guard the south gate and keep an eye out for any activity during the night."

"Send someone to the Nanpanjiang wharf and instruct the garrison to keep a close eye on the situation on the river. If the Dongyi people really do flank and launch a surprise attack by water, the Nanpanjiang wharf will be the first line of defense."

Han Shixun clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice tinged with admiration.

"Your Highness truly cares deeply for the world and has put in a great deal of effort. This humble general will go and take care of it immediately!"

He turned and strode quickly out of the courtyard gate.

Xiao Jingyu stood by the window, gazing at the night sky.

He always felt that the retreat of the Dongyi people was not as simple as their inability to breach Haizhou City.

But he hasn't found that answer yet.

"What... could be the reason?"