Some more answers ahead~

"Prime Minister is visiting so late. His Majesty is resting already."

The woman was still bound with endless glory. As though all the blessings of the world were concentrated on her.

With her hair coiled up delicately on top of her head and her golden Phoenix dress, there was no doubt. She was the Mother of this realm.

Sat in front of her but a few steps below was an old scholar with his ramrod-straight posture. His head, while slightly bowed, denoted pride and resilience.

No one would have imagined that the Imperial Court had been in the palm of this seemingly benevolent senior.

Prime Minister Yao sported a weak smile. "The dragon body is most important. It's enough that Her Majesty answered this lowly official's request for an audience."

Never going over the line of propriety, just and stern. That was why the Dalong Dynasty admired and worshipped the Prime Minister.

Empress laughed in good nature. Her attitude and demeanor befitting the highest-ranked woman in the nation. If one watched their interaction without knowing the ins and outs of palace dynamics, one wouldn't suspect that the two were a grandfather-granddaughter pair.

They were the perfect image of a master and minister relationship. After all, the current reign promoted official duties before familial relations.

"If Prime Minister is worried about the situation over there, rest assured. Everything will go according to plan. If the first doesn't push through, there is the second and the third, and so on. The end result will be the same." Wisps of steam from the newly steeped tea hovered over the Empress' face.

The Prime Minister couldn't hold back his smile anymore. Raising this granddaughter was the greatest deed he had done in his life.

Yao Ducheng inherited his wits and his wife's beauty. Everywhere in the empire, the masses sang Wan Li Wang's name. Those who knew that the King was a woman admired her even more. But they never knew the real capabilities of the one sitting above them.

The one who incited the Hu Ren Kings to band together. Manipulated everything behind the scenes to make siblings turn against each other. Took advantage of people's weaknesses and their beloved. All of those came from this child's intricate mind.

But still, Prime Minister sighed. "If that year, this lowly official didn't discover the eldest prince wanted to take his sister to be his wife..."

If only, they were more direct and just killed the siblings instead of letting them soak in their immorality, they wouldn't have discovered Long Xu Le's ruthlessness. She actually plotted against her full-blooded brother and murdered him.

The Danwan Troops wouldn't have been born. And this thorn called Wan Li Wang would have been nipped in the bud.

"Grandfather, what are you saying? The past is past. The old Emperor's corrupt reign is over. Aren't we doing everything we can to right the predecessor's wrong? Such a foul family was never meant to be the light of this realm."

All they did was light the fire that was the eldest prince's desire. He was the one who held amorous feelings for his sister. Full-blooded sister. Who knew he was that insane to continue the bloodline of the former Emperor and Crown Prince?

Thinking up to that, Yao Ducheng also couldn't help but press her lips together. Who would also have known that the weak and sickly gongzhu could rise from the ashes like a real phoenix?

Real phoenix.

She wanted to spit and get rid of that thought.

The last of the Long clan were meant to bite each other like dogs. Wasn't that what Her Majesty was witnessing now?

To think that the younger brother that King worked so hard to protect could betray her so.

Yao Ducheng caressed the copy of the letter on the table. On it was the stamp of Ping Junwang with the details of Wan Li Wang's hidden weapon-making facility. It turned out Suliang had been concealing an iron mine all these years.

She knew there was something fishy with the way Long Xu Le fiercely protected that province. But never in her wildest dreams did she expect it was an iron mine.

Their empire was growing weaker because of the surrounding nations' advancement in weapon making. Wan Li Wang hiding such a treasure was treason of the highest degree!

That's right, even if that King could miraculously won against Hu Ren's combined forces, there was still the matter of treason. Above that, there was still the matter of her brother's treachery. And lastly...

Her Majesty bloomed in relief and genuine happiness.

"Grandfather should go back and rest. Ben gong remembers your birthday is nearing. Granddaughter prepared a surprise for you."

Prime Minister Yao eyed the Empress. It was rare for her to show this much affection. "Child, your Majesty is indeed filial."

Yao Ducheng put down the cup in her hand. "Grandfather's difficulties throughout the years included Uncle's past mistakes yes? Ben gong thinks it's time to forgive and forget. After all, we are one family."

The old prime minister narrowed his eyes. For a second, he seemed to still be as sharp as his youth. "Liheng is quietly living his life. I have no more hope for him to do great things."

At this, the Empress caressed her jaw. "Don't be too harsh on Uncle. He has his burdens too."

Prime Minister Yao didn't know what Her Majesty was planning but he was already this old. As long as the Yao clan's prosperity wouldn't be affected, he would let her do what she wanted.

Their family jumped from the soil to the heavens. Even those powerful people in the dark couldn't make their moves recklessly. This was enough to prove their clan's abilities.

---

The outer districts of Su, Ling and Ning were cleared out even before the Hu Ren people arrived. As a result, when they plundered with all their might, they only arrived to an empty shell.

Suliang's tall walls appeared majestic from the outside and from the inside, they were the shelter of the people. But for these conquerors, it suddenly seemed to be a cage trapping them within.

It was silent. In fact, too silent.

No one noticed this when their high horses galloped as they were absorbed in their pillage. But where were the women to be forcibly embraced? Where were the children to enslave? Where were the men to slay?

Only the empty wind welcomed them.

"What's going on?" One of the Hu Ren Kings spoke in their distinct harsh language.

When he pulled the reins to look back at his subordinates, the wind whistled and an iron arrow pierced his chest. It went all the way until it even grazed the rear of his horse when he was flung by the force. The good stallion was spooked and became violent, wishing to flee.

The Hu Ren King fell and was no more.

It happened then. A thousand of cold metal arrows rained down from the sky. If it did not hit the head, then it was the heart. If not the heart, then the limbs. One might not be enough to kill but what if it was four or five?

These tribes were only here to steal resources and lands from the Great Long. Their formation was hastily made and their generals weren't necessarily united.

All they had was their huge number but what if they run around like headless chickens? Coming from different tribes meant they all had different thoughts.

Faced with a sudden attack of such scale, the atmosphere soon became chaotic.

But on top of the walls were a mere thousand Danwan troops firing arrows ceaselessly. Their actions were calculated and after a fixed time, the next squad would replace the current squad to rest.

However, on top of the walls, the mighty figure that they always admired was missing. As long as these soldiers behold her in their eyes, their hearts would forget fear and be filled with power. Now that she wasn't here, despair crept up their hearts despite their courage.

When the scouts saw the number of enemies before the first ray of sun lit the sky, they were filled with dread. They were estimated to be more than fifty thousand.

Since when did the Hu Ren gain that many soldiers?

Their Danwan's number had always been regulated by the censors. They could never be more than thirty thousand at a time. 

Half of the brothers still had to protect the main districts of Suliang because of the intel that soldiers from the capital were fast approaching.

That was when the Commander recklessly told all troops to retreat, leaving behind only her closest thousand-man group to be led by General Su.

Fear seeped through these hotblooded men.

They all thought surely, the King would now abandon the outer districts. This thought was even hammered down by the fact that the citizens were forcibly evacuated two nights before.

The soldiers felt bitter in their hearts but they accepted this fate. Military orders were absolute. They would lay down their lives to protect their land!

With tears in their eyes, they welcomed death in the form of the unified Hu Ren alliance.

"Gubahahaha! What are you all crying for, you brats?!" The endless noise of carnage and whistling of arrows almost drowned out General Su's distinct shouts.

"Commander is with us even when you can't see her! Who will make us lose?! THOSE WHO DARE TO DIE WILL BE KILLED BY THS GENERAL!!!"

He bellowed at the top of his lungs. Never mind that his speech wasn't logical at all but it boosted their morale.

The General was answered by a thousand voices. Their sound of assent pierced through the skies and made their hair stand on ends.

That was right. Commander was with them even when they couldn't see her. She was Suliang's God and miracle. With her, they would never lose.

If they could kill more, they would be able to go home.