I am the champion of palace intrigue, and even the proud prince bows his head in submission.

Chapter 472 Xie Yanli Goes to War (Bonus Chapter)

Nearby, Xie Yanli was talking to the children.

"I'll be away for a while this time. The three of you must behave well at home, don't cause trouble, and listen to your mother in everything."

Xie Jue's little face fell. "But I can't bear to part with you."

Xie Yanli reached out and ruffled his soft hair. "You're a man. You said you would protect your mother. Now you need to start learning to do it."

Xie Jue's eyes reddened, and she nodded.

Xie Jing's eyes were calm and clear. "Father, rest assured, I will take good care of my older and younger brothers."

Xie Jingchun: ?

Is there something wrong?

Never mind, he also has something to say.

Xie Jingchun straightened up and said, "Father, I also want to go to the border with you to fight the Liang people!"

Xie Yanli immediately shook his head: "No."

Xie Jingchun shook his head. "Although I am young, I am no longer a child. I have practiced martial arts for many years and have fought small battles with my father. I am not being reckless or acting on impulse. This is a decision I have truly thought through."

"I don't want to stay in the rear any longer, watching you leave while I can't do anything about it."

"I want to go to the battlefield and serve the Great Jin!"

Xie Yanli stared at the young man before him, remaining silent for a long time.

After a moment, he finally sighed softly, "Are you really sure about this?"

Xie Jingchun nodded firmly.

Qin Jiu pursed her lips, but ultimately did not try to persuade her further.

She was reluctant to part with him, but she also understood that Xie Jingchun really needed to experience the real battlefield.

Xie Yanli looked at him and said in a deep voice, "You can come along, but not to charge into battle. First, you will train with the deputy general and obey all orders, understand?"

Xie Jingchun nodded immediately: "Yes, Father!"

Night had fallen, and the lights in Qinglan Courtyard were gradually going out.

The children had all gone back to their rooms to rest, and the night breeze gently stirred the curtains, bringing a deep warmth to the room.

Xie Yanli took Qin Jiuwei's hand, and the two walked around the corridor to the study.

He stopped in front of the bookshelf and skillfully pressed a button.

With a soft "click," a bookshelf slowly moved, revealing a dark stone door.

Qin Jiu was slightly taken aback and turned to look at him: "This is..."

Xie Yanli led her inside. Behind the stone door was a sealed path, clean and tidy, clearly regularly maintained.

"This is a secret passage leading to a secluded residence outside the city. There are also people stationed outside the city, and there are guards deployed along the way."

“If Gao Xian ever dares to touch you, just leave from here. I guarantee he won’t find you.”

Qin Jiuwei's eyes immediately reddened.

Xie Yanli's gaze was calm. "The situation is too chaotic now. If I go to war, there will be no one to protect you. After I returned from Lingnan that day, I started to make arrangements for this. You must have a way out."

He sighed softly, lowered his head and touched his forehead to hers, "If anything happens in the capital, you can take the children and hide there."

"I'm really worried about not being by your side."

Xie Yanli said in a low voice, "I believe in you. You will protect yourself and our family."

Qin Jiuwei could no longer hold back and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

The next morning, before dawn.

Xie Yanli stood in front of the mansion gate in full armor. Qin Jiuwei walked to his side and raised her hand to tighten his cloak inch by inch.

"It's cold now, so you must take good care of yourself. Be careful on the battlefield too."

Xie Yanli looked down at her and said, "Don't worry, I will come back alive."

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of hurried footsteps approached.

Xie Jingchun walked to the two of them, wearing a newly made suit of armor. Although he was a young man, he already showed signs of heroism.

Qin Jiuwei adjusted his armor. "Chun Ge'er, remember what you said: listen to your father and don't be reckless."

Xie Jingchun nodded vigorously, his eyebrows and eyes radiating confidence, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Don't worry, Mother, I will definitely listen to Father."

Xie Jue said a few more words while sobbing, while Xie Jing remained silent, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Xie Yanli is leaving today, and Lord Xie and Madam Xie got up early this morning to see him off.

Lord Xie sighed heavily.

"The battlefield is different from the imperial court. Once you step out there, every step is a matter of life and death. As a commander, you must be even more cautious."

He survived the battles and knew all too well the brutality of the battlefield.

He was genuinely worried about Xie Yanli's departure.

As he spoke, Lord Xie suddenly noticed Meng Ze standing next to him. "Who are you? I don't think I've seen you before."

Upon hearing this, Meng Ze curled his lips into a half-smile.

Coincidentally, I am also his father.

Xie Yanli remained calm and replied in a low voice, "He is the strategist who accompanied me on this expedition."

Lord Xie glanced at Meng Ze suspiciously, but did not ask any further questions.

Outside the mansion gate, the first rays of dawn were rising.

Xie Yanli glanced back at Qin Jiuwei standing on the steps. She wasn't crying, but her eyes were red.

He reached out to her, held her fingers for a moment, and then let go.

"Wait for me to come back," he said.

Then, Xie Yanli mounted his horse, with Xie Jingchun following beside him.

The group of people traveled away along the official road.

Dongshan Valley.

Surrounded by walls on all sides, the autumn wind sweeps away the leaves but prevents them from escaping.

"General, if we don't break through now, I'm afraid..."

Shen Xingjian's face was gloomy as he pondered.

The enemy blocked the vital passage from the southeast cliff and launched a series of attacks for three days and three nights. The food and water in the valley were running out, and the soldiers were exhausted.

We must find a way out.

Inside the tent, he summoned all the generals.

"At the bottom of this valley, there is an old, unsealed mine tunnel that leads to the western cliff," the scout reported.

Shen Xingjian's eyes lit up: "Can cavalry be hidden there?"

"People can walk, but horses cannot. No more than thirty people."

"enough."

That night, Shen Xingjian sent thirty of his personal guards to quietly climb over the western cliff from the old mine tunnel, set fire to the enemy's supply lines, and create the illusion of reinforcements.

He, however, remained stationed in the valley with his troops.

At dawn the following day, flames suddenly broke out in the enemy's rear camp to the northwest. Smoke billowed into the sky, and the enemy was indeed thrown into chaos, mistakenly believing that reinforcements had arrived, and they even redeployed their troops to defend their positions.

In the ensuing chaos, Shen Xingjian immediately redeployed his troops, taking the opportunity to repair the breach on the southeast side and send troops to recapture a water source.

Although they failed to break through, they gained access to water, which bought them some more time.

Shen Xingjian's face was still wet with blood, his armor was tattered, but his eyes were as firm as iron.

His gaze pierced through the smoke of gunpowder, fixed intently on the canyon entrance.

"If we can hold them off, we still have a chance to survive. The longer we can hold out, the more likely reinforcements will arrive."

A gust of wind, carrying the stench of blood, swept over us, while the remaining soldiers stood solemnly in formation behind us.

Shen Xingjian, however, did not retreat an inch.

They have nowhere to retreat.

This battle is a fight to the death.

In December, the weather was freezing cold, and the north wind was like a knife.

Xie Yanli donned his armor and left the capital overnight, heading straight for the border.

He only brought a dozen or so of his most trusted guards, and traveled swiftly, braving wind and snow, and choosing no particular route.

The mountain paths were still covered in snow, and the river was frozen, making travel difficult.

When hungry, they eat dry rations; when thirsty, they drink snow water.

The chestnut horse initially lasted three days before collapsing and dying halfway through the journey.

The second horse ran for two more nights, its hooves bleeding, and finally collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.

By the time the tenth horse died, they were no more than a hundred miles from Dongshan.

Xie Yanli adjusted his cloak, mounted the eleventh horse, and continued on his journey.

When he arrived at the border army camp, it was already midnight.

The camp was in chaos, with flags out of order, commands unclear, and chaotic commotions everywhere.

Shen Xingjian has been trapped for many days, and the army is leaderless.