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

At dusk.

The capital city, the Imperial Study.

The candlesticks on the imperial desk were lit, and the flickering candlelight cast the shadow of Emperor Xiao Jinghuan, who was bent over reviewing memorials, onto the screen behind him, making it appear larger and smaller.

Xiao Jinghuan put down his vermilion brush and rubbed his sore temples.

He had been sitting here for most of the day, and the memorials on his desk were piled up like a small mountain.

The calls for disaster relief, grain requisition, impeachment, and greetings never ceased.

But his mind wasn't on these memorials.

His thoughts were in the North.

More than a month has passed since we last received news of the great victory in Yuzhou.

During that time, he longed for good news from the North every day, but what he received was one unpleasant thing after another.

Prime Minister Li Yuan and the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu were arguing incessantly in the court. The Ministry of Revenue complained that it was poor and could not afford to reward the army, while the Ministry of War said that the troops in the northern border were insufficient and requested reinforcements, but could not send any troops.

What worries him most is the news that came about half a month ago.

The Northern Di King dispatched 20,000 iron cavalry to reinforce Tuoba Han, led by the two great warriors of the Northern Di, Man Tu and Man Xiao, heading straight for Qingzhou.

With 20,000 iron cavalry, plus the original 30,000 garrison troops of Qingzhou, the army totaled 50,000.

Su Mu and Qin Hao had less than 30,000 men at most, and most of them were new recruits.

Xiao Jinghuan closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

He had already prepared for the worst: Yuzhou City might have already fallen, Qinghe County was also very likely to have fallen, and the entire northern border might have completely fallen.

Next, the Northern Di army should march south into the Central Plains.

By then, will the Central Plains still be able to hold out?

"Someone come here!" He opened his eyes and called out towards the door.

"Your Majesty, this servant is here." Chief eunuch Li Fuquan bowed as he entered.

"By imperial decree, the Ministry of War is ordered to send men to investigate the situation in the northern border. Report back immediately upon receiving any information."

Li Fuquan's brow twitched, and he said in a low voice, "This servant obeys the decree."

Just as I was about to turn around and leave...

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and a young eunuch rushed in, panting as he knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, Minister Wang of the Ministry of War requests an audience, saying he has urgent military intelligence to report!"

Xiao Jinghuan's heart sank.

The Minister of War urgently requests an audience...

Another military intelligence report... Could it be that the North is really...?

"Announce! Announce it quickly!" His voice was strained.

Before long, Wang Ben, the Minister of War, strode into the Imperial Study.

He was dressed in a scarlet official robe, his face was thin, and his beard was white, but at this moment there was no trace of sorrow on his old face. Instead, he had an irrepressible joy that was about to overflow.

"Your Majesty! Great joy! Great joy indeed!"

Wang Ben knelt down as soon as he entered the room, his voice trembling with excitement.

Xiao Jinghuan was stunned.

Great joy? Great joy has arrived from the North?

"My dear Wang, what great news is it? Speak quickly!"

He leaned forward, his hands resting on the imperial desk, his eyes filled with urgency.

Wang Ben raised his head, his voice loud and clear.

"Your Majesty, news of a great victory has arrived from the north! Our Great Qian army has decisively defeated a 50,000-strong Northern Di army outside the city of Yuzhou!"

"We slayed the fierce Northern Di general, Man Tu, and wounded the Northern Di's top archer, Man Xiao. Tuoba Han led his remaining troops in a chaotic retreat! Our army pursued them in victory and recaptured Qingzhou in one fell swoop!"

The imperial study fell silent instantly.

Xiao Jinghuan's mouth opened slightly, his eyes widened, and his expression changed from eagerness to shock, from shock to disbelief, and then from disbelief to ecstasy.

"You...what did you say? You decisively defeated an army of 50,000? You recaptured Qingzhou?" His voice trembled. "Minister Wang, say it again!"

Wang Ben took out a victory report sealed with sealing wax from his sleeve and raised it high above his head with both hands.

"Your Majesty, this is a victory report personally written by General Qin Hao. Please review it! In the Battle of Yuzhou City, our army achieved a great victory with fewer troops! Qingzhou City has been recaptured by our army, and the remnants of the Northern Di army have retreated to Cangzhou!"

Xiao Jinghuan stood up abruptly, his chair sliding backward with a piercing creak.

He took three steps in two to bypass the imperial desk and practically snatched the victory report from Wang Ben's hands.

Tear open the seal and unfold.

The handwriting on the victory report was strong and powerful, and it was Qin Hao's own handwriting.

Xiao Jinghuan's gaze swept across the first line, faster and faster as he read, becoming increasingly excited.

"Outside Yuzhou City, the Northern Di army of 50,000 men arrayed themselves to attack... Su Mu led our vanguard battalion out of the city to meet them in battle... Su Mu dueled with Man Tu on the battlefield, killing Man Tu with the Overlord Spear Technique... The morale of the Northern Di army collapsed... The vanguard battalion used the Mo Dao Formation and the Ma Zha Dao Formation to decisively defeat the Northern Di cavalry... Su Mu personally led the pursuit and killing of Tuoba Han, wounding Man Xiao with an arrow... At the same time, they subsequently captured Qingzhou City in one fell swoop..."

Xiao Jinghuan's hands were trembling, and the excitement on his face was palpable.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, his voice getting louder and louder until it was almost a shout.

"Kill the barbarians! Pursue Tuoba Han, and take Qingzhou in one fell swoop! This Su Mu... this Su Mu is simply a god descended from heaven!"

Holding the report of victory, he paced back and forth in the imperial study, his steps quickening, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

"I knew it! My judgment was never wrong!"

"Back then, those people in the court questioned Su Mu in every way, saying things like 'How can a centenarian go to the battlefield to fight?' and 'It's utterly absurd.'"

"And now? His 50,000-strong army was routed, and Qingzhou City has been recaptured! What do those people have to say now?"

Wang Ben, kneeling on the ground with a broad smile, echoed, "Your Majesty is wise! Su Mu is truly a blessed general for our Great Qian! After this battle, the situation in the Northern Border has greatly improved, and the recapture of the entire Northern Border is just around the corner!"

Xiao Jinghuan stopped, turned around, and looked at Wang Ben with his eyes full of light.

"My dear Wang, do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

"I do not know."

"I was thinking that three months ago, I was still worried that the Northern Di people would invade the Central Plains, and I was still discussing with my ministers whether or not to move the capital."

Three months later, Su Mu, leading a group of cooks, routed Tuoba Han, and even recaptured Qingzhou!

He held up the report of victory and read it again by candlelight, becoming happier with each reading.

"He killed the Barbarian Butcher in six rounds! That Barbarian Butcher was a direct disciple of the Northern Barbarian Spear God! How many years has it been since such a fierce general appeared on the grasslands? He was defeated by Su Mu in just six rounds!"

"And that barbarian tyrant, known as the best archer in the Northern Barbarians, was wounded by Su Mu's arrow!"

He walked back to the imperial desk, put it down, and said loudly:

"Guards! Proclaim my imperial decree: immediately summon all civil and military officials to the Golden Palace for a meeting! I intend to richly reward Su Mu and reward the entire army!"

"My northern border may be recovered!"

Li Fuquan, kneeling on the ground, was also beaming with joy, his voice even brighter: "This servant obeys the decree! This servant will immediately summon all the officials!"

He turned and strode quickly out of the imperial study, his steps light and swift.

Xiao Jinghuan stood before the imperial desk, still clutching the victory report in his hand, staring at Su Mu's name, muttering to himself:

"Su Mu... Su Mu... what kind of person are you?"

"At the age of one hundred, your swordsmanship is divine, your spearmanship is unparalleled, and you can also strategize and command troops like a god... I really want to meet you now and see who you really are."