Appearing in the study, the Wen Clan’s shadow guards knelt before Wen Kang.
"Master." They greeted him with a lowered head.
Without looking away from the book he was reading, Wen Kang asked, "Have you relayed the information to the Empress Dowager?"
"Yes, Master," the leader of the shadow guards replied, then added, "The Empress Dowager also gave an oral decree."
Hearing this, Wen Kang put down his book and asked, "What is it?"
"The Empress Dowager asks that you send an imperial decree to General Ji Hui to arrest Feng Xiyan. The charge is collusion with the Yuezhi Tribe and harboring rebellious intent."
As Wen Kang listened to the oral decree, he slowly stroked his beard. After a moment of thought, he opened a blank imperial edict, picked up his writing brush, and began to write.
After writing the final word, he set the brush down, opened the square wooden box placed on the long table, and calmly took out the imperial seal, then stamped the imperial decree.
Returning the imperial seal to the box, Wen Kang handed the imperial decree to the leader of the shadow guards.
"Use our secret channel and deliver this imperial decree to Ji Hui as quickly as possible."
The leader of the shadow guards accepted the imperial decree, clasped his fists, and responded, "Yes, Master."
Receiving the order, he left the Prime Minister’s mansion and rushed off to carry out his mission.
Left alone in the study, Wen Kang rose from his chair and walked over to the large circular window. Gazing at the sky, a flash of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
With his hands on his back, he sighed and muttered, "Feng Xiyan, don’t blame me for being ruthless. If you must blame someone, when you go down to the Yellow River, blame your father. He was the one who refused my offer back then. This is all his fault."
The next morning, Ji Hui walked out of his mansion together with Wen Yirui, followed by his wife, children, and servants.
Looking at Wen Yirui, he said, "Second Young Master, please return. There is no need to see this general off."
Glancing briefly at Madam Ji, Wen Yirui smiled and said, "Very well. General Ji, this young master wishes you a smooth journey. May you return in triumph."
After saying that, he nodded to Madam Ji and turned back into the mansion.
Once Wen Yirui had left, Madam Ji reached out and held her husband’s hand with tears in her eyes. "Husband, please be careful. Stay safe and come back early."
Ji Hui gently patted the back of her hand and said, "Madam, I will trouble you to host the Wen Clan’s Second Young Master while I’m away."
Madam Ji nodded and replied, "Don’t worry. I will take care of everything here. Just focus on your mission and don’t get hurt."
After exchanging a few words with his wife, Ji Hui turned to his sons and daughters and instructed, "Take care of your mother. Don’t cause trouble, and protect our family."
Hearing this, the Ji family’s young masters and young ladies bowed to their father and replied in unison, "Yes, Father."
Looking toward the eastern horizon, which had already changed color, Ji Hui turned to Madam Ji and said, "Madam, you should go inside now."
As Ji Hui mounted his war horse, Madam Ji covered her mouth with a handkerchief and nodded, holding back her tears. "Be careful, Husband."
"Mhm," Ji Hui replied. Then he raised his hand and commanded, "Move out!"
With that, he and the elite soldiers of the Ji Army marched toward the barracks.
Watching their figures disappear into the distance, Madam Ji clenched her handkerchief and silently prayed for her husband’s safety.
An hour later, Ji Hui stood on a high stage before ten thousand soldiers of the Ji Army.
Looking at their faces, he said, "A few days ago, the imperial court sent an imperial edict to Xiqiang City, commanding the Feng Army to send supplies back to Discover more novels on NovelHub - your gateway to endless stories. Yet after several days, they have done nothing."
"For this reason, His Majesty issued an oral decree through the Wen Clan’s Second Young Master. Under His Majesty’s command, we will depart today and demand that the Feng Army hand over the supplies."
He scanned the assembled soldiers lined up below and continued, "If the Feng Army refuses, we will arrest them. Brothers, it’s time to show them who truly rules the Yu Empire."
"Raise your weapons, and follow this general to Xiqiang City!"
At his final words, the soldiers stomped their feet and pounded the ground with their spears, shouting in unison, "Arrest the Feng Army! To Xiqiang City!"
After delivering his speech, Ji Hui stepped down from the stage and mounted his war horse. Leading the army, he shouted, "Move out!"
Following his command, the soldiers on the city wall beat the war drums to send them off.
Du~ Dudum! Du~ Dudum! Du~ Dudum!
As the sound of war drums echoed through the air, the gate guards opened the city gates. Once the gates were fully open, Ji Hui clamped his war horse’s belly lightly with his legs. Following his signal, the war horse galloped forward.
Behind him, the cavalry spurred their horses and followed. Not far behind, the infantry ran in formation, while the supply team pushed wooden carts filled with supplies protected by the defense unit.
After Ji Hui and his troops left, the gate captain commanded, "Close the city gates!"
Hearing the command, the soldiers then pushed the heavy gates shut and secured them with thick wooden planks.
In one of the main courtyards of the Ji Mansion, Wen Yirui sipped his tea. Smiles appeared on his lips as the sound of war drums echoed throughout Xiquan City.
Swirling the tea in his cup slowly, he murmured, "General Ji, don’t disappoint this young master. Whether this young master’s plan is successful or not, it depends on you now."
After saying that, he took a sip and sighed contentedly. "This is good tea."
While Wen Yirui enjoyed his expensive tea, more and more refugees continued to arrive in Xiqiang City.