Chapter 489: Chapter 472: Great Victory
When Fengyu returned to her own body, a wave of dizziness swept over her, even accompanied by an unprecedented vertigo. It took her a long time with her eyes closed to adapt to the overwhelming sensation.
Why?
Previously, when she and Xie Xun switched bodies, there had never been such discomfort.
Nuanyang had already set off to carry out Xie Xun’s military orders. Fengyu, worried about the situation, knew that the Twelve Provinces were now surrounded by enemies on all sides. The more dire the situation became, the more critical it was to maintain stability in the rear.
She was immensely grateful that Xie Xun had once considered her frail and weak, insisting on training her. Later, when she arrived in the West State, she dared not slack off. Otherwise, she would have long perished in this chaos of war.
Early the next morning, Fengyu summoned Nangong Heng, Chen Jiangdong, Zhang Hu, and Zhang Meng to continue advancing the spring plowing initiative. This matter could not be delayed. Nangong Heng was in charge of spring planting, while Chen Jiangdong and the Zhang brothers took charge of city defenses. After the sudden attack on Sannan, measures needed to be taken to prevent another attack. The city’s defenses needed to be strengthened, and warning signals set up along the roads. In the recent attack, the warning system had failed because Han Ziqi had scouted the Twelve Provinces, pinpointing the locations of all the signals. Every post had been overrun, resulting in heavy casualties. Only one survivor managed to escape. Gravely injured and unconscious, he was rescued by villagers and never made it back to the city to report.
The Sannan people’s surprise attack had failed, and their focus shifted to the great battle in Lanzhou. Han Ziqi’s remaining forces were unlikely to attack the West State again. However, Fengyu had to prepare for the possibility that if Lanzhou fell and Jiaozhou suffered defeat as well, the West State would need to be ready to confront the enemy.
Xie Xun would not conclude the Beiman war quickly, which meant that each prefecture in the Twelve Provinces had to rely on its own resources and not wait for outside reinforcements. The Sannan army’s route was through Lanzhou and Jiaozhou. If they captured Jiaozhou, their next target would be the Twelve Provinces without a doubt.
Nangong Heng, Chen Jiangdong, and the Zhang brothers each accepted their orders and set off to make preparations. Three days later, Fengyu finally received some good news. Marshal Fang had led one hundred thousand Jiangnan troops straight to Lanzhou, engaging the Sannan army in a major battle. Meanwhile, Xu Zhou and Cui Lansong, leading the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, had not yet arrived in Jiaozhou.
Communication during wartime was inconvenient. After Xue Yu learned of the Jiangnan troops’ mobilization, he sent messengers to Marshal Fang, proposing that the Jiaozhou army cooperate with the Jiangnan forces. However, this plan was rejected by Marshal Fang, who ordered the Jiaozhou troops to hold their position. Xue Yu dared not send his forces without orders and had no choice but to await further updates.
Capital City, the Commander Mansion.
The Great Princess had slipped on the wet road while visiting a temple to pray during a rainy day, fracturing her right leg. She had been recuperating in the mansion for half a month. That day, Second Mrs. Li returned to her maiden home to visit her elder sister-in-law. With her right leg set in a splint, the Great Princess’s injury was still severe. The Imperial Physician advised thorough rest and minimal movement, warning that if the bone did not heal properly, it might leave permanent complications. The Great Princess had simply shut her doors to visitors, focusing on her recovery and refusing to meet anyone.
"Elder Sister-in-law," Second Mrs. Li said, her eyes tinged with worry. "The other day, the Noble Consort summoned me to the palace. She brought up the issue of Elder Brother defying orders to deploy troops in Jiangnan. Between the lines, her words suggested that the Fang Family may face charges. Tunan’s dispatch of troops to Ningzhou has already angered His Majesty. If Elder Brother involves himself in the Twelve Provinces’ war, it’ll only add fuel to the fire. Write him a letter, please, and persuade him not to act so recklessly. Otherwise... our family might end up like the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion."
"Younger Sister, I cannot dictate his actions." The Great Princess saw through her intentions. The current Noble Consort was a Miss Li and had borne the Second Prince, enjoying unparalleled favor. The ties between the Li Family and the Yuwen Family were even tighter than her own bond with the imperial court. "Lanzhou belongs to the empire. With Lanzhou in peril, on what grounds would the Emperor forbid Jiangnan from dispatching troops? If Fang Changfeng stood by and did nothing, I would look down on him. He’s doing what must be done. What crime is there in that?"
"I’ve heard from my father-in-law that the Lanzhou Prefecture might not have had to resist the Sannan army. They locked them out of the city gates, which seems to have triggered the conflict between Jiangnan and Sannan."
"Younger Sister, your words are rather amusing. With the Sannan army at their doorstep, why would the Lanzhou Prefecture open the gates and let them in?" The Great Princess smiled faintly. "Behind them lies the Twelve Provinces. Ningzhou has been fighting fiercely against the Beiman forces, with no troops left to provide reinforcements. As the prefecture of a vital city, their responsibility extends beyond their own people. What do you suggest? That they received an imperial edict in advance to let Sannan’s army invade? If that were true, then the Emperor would be colluding with Sannan, gifting away the Twelve Provinces."
Second Mrs. Li, though raised in a military family, had dedicated herself to serving her parents-in-law after marrying into the Li Family, seldom involving herself in external affairs. "I don’t understand these matters, Sister-in-law. I just... I’m simply terrified."
The Great Princess lowered her eyes, silent.
When Fang Lingjun fled her arranged marriage, the Great Princess had been furious. But now, she was grateful that her daughter was in Zhongzhou, under someone’s care, and not left in the Capital to live in constant fear.
"You’re married now. Whatever calamity befalls the Fang Family won’t implicate you."
"Sister-in-law, what are you saying?" Second Mrs. Li’s eyes reddened. "Have you told Elder Brother or Tunan about your leg injury?"
"They’re fighting on the battlefield. What is there to say about such a minor incident?" The Great Princess had only mentioned the injury as a fall and never wrote to inform Marshal Fang or the Fang siblings.
"But the Emperor..."
"You’ve made the trip here; let’s have a meal together. Why trouble ourselves with men’s affairs?" The Great Princess smiled gently, and Second Mrs. Li reluctantly held her tongue.
As the household prepared for the meal, messengers from the palace arrived, announcing that the Empress Dowager had summoned the Great Princess to the palace for an audience.
Second Mrs. Li was infuriated. "Sister-in-law’s leg is still injured and unfit for travel. Why summon her now?"
"Great Princess, this is the Empress Dowager’s edict. Please, don’t make it difficult for us."
"Very well. Please wait for a moment; I will leave shortly."
"Understood!"
"Sister-in-law..."
"Raised in the frontier, utterly lacking refinement. Both mother and son rely on such despicable tactics. Don’t worry. They wouldn’t dare kill me." The Great Princess spoke calmly.
West State.
Time passed swiftly. After ten days of rest, Fengyu’s injuries were gradually healing. The battles in Ningzhou and Lanzhou raged fiercely, while tension grew across West State and Jinzhou.
After dispatching a second shipment of weapons to Ningzhou, the medicinal herbs Fengyu had secretly purchased from Zhongzhou also arrived. She had the supplies loaded onto carts and sent to Ningzhou. Meanwhile, good news arrived from Ningzhou as well.
Ningzhou achieved a major victory. Xie Xun and Fang Chuning led a force of three hundred thousand Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, nearly deploying their entire strength to wage an intense battle against the Beiman army on the battlefield. The conflict lasted four days and nights, with both sides nearly running out of supplies. The Beiman army was forced to retreat, and the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry reclaimed the battleground, driving the Beiman forces beyond Sha Ling Tian Mountain.