Zhining, my sister, I have heard that you have given birth to a blessed child, and I am overjoyed. The royal bloodline finally has an addition.
My situation is extremely dire. Since Suo Lun retook Tianshui City, he has become unstoppable, like a carp transforming into a dragon at the first rain.
I have twice attacked Tianshui City and suffered great defeats, losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
Now the Ashi Liren have pledged their loyalty to Suo Lun and he has become the Rouran City Lord.
Gui Xingfu has betrayed me and seeks to take my life. Gui Qinshao has become the Linhai City Lord and kneels before Suo Lun.
Uncle Zhi Wei’s army of 150,000 from the southeast has been completely annihilated, and he himself has been beheaded by Suo Lun for all to see.
Duke Turing Tuo has secretly colluded with Suo Lun and betrays me under the guise of allegiance.
Now Suo Lun, leveraging the King, commands the allegiance of all lords and nobles throughout the land.
My situation is worrisome, and I am fraught with internal and external pressures, with very few around me left to trust. We share the closest of blood ties, so I hope that you can look past our previous grievances and return to the Zhi Capital to aid me.
Your brother, Zhi Li!
Zhi Li’s letter, with its most straightforward language, laid out his predicament and requested that Zhining return to the Rage Wave Kingdom to assist him.
Zhining read it over and over, truly unable to believe what she saw.
Ever since arriving in Yanjing, Zhining had cut off all news and knew nothing of what had transpired in the Rage Wave Kingdom.
Even so, she had occasionally thought that Suo Lun might have been captured or even killed by her brother Zhi Li.
Of course, she was aware of Suo Lun’s capability. She herself, time and again, had been defeated by Suo Lun.
Not only that, but she had also fallen body and soul, sleeping with him over and over until she finally bore his child.
However, she, Zhining, had a chance to annihilate the Suo, to destroy Tianshui City.
If not for Zhining’s mercy and being outwitted time and again, Tianshui City would have already been reduced to ruins, and the Suo completely extinguished.
And Zhining was fully aware of her brother Zhi Li’s intelligence and tactics. She believed that at most, Suo Lun was on par with Zhi Li. Moreover, Zhi Li held the advantages of time, location, and people’s hearts; therefore, Suo Lun’s defeat was inevitable.
Against all expectations, Suo Lun now has the upper hand.
Zhining had also often pondered, if Suo Lun lost and his life was in Zhi Li’s hands, whether she should plead for Suo Lun’s survival, considering he was the biological father of her child.
Never did she expect that it would be Zhi Li facing defeat and humiliation at the hands of Suo Lun.
She knew her brother Zhi Li had the support of four major powers: the secret forces of the Dragon Temple represented by Yin Zhou, the military noble forces headed by Duke Turing Tuo, the civil noble forces led by Prime Minister Yan Wujie, the royal power represented by Duke Zhi Wei, and the lordly forces spearheaded by Gui Xingfu.
And now, Gui Xingfu has betrayed him, and Zhi Wei has been beheaded.
Zhi Li’s limbs and arms have been cut off by half. Although he still seems to have an edge over Suo Lun on the surface, it’s likely that many lords and nobles have begun to hedge their bets, and Zhi Li’s position has become extremely precarious.
Now, her brother Zhi Li, facing unfavorable circumstances, invites her back to the Rage Wave Kingdom for help. What should she do?
Refuse? Or return to the Zhi Capital?
Commandery Princess Zhining’s heart was in turmoil.
Towards Zhi Li and Suo Lun, she would, of course, unhesitatingly stand with her brother Zhi Li.
But now, it wasn’t just her; there was also a baby, the flesh and blood of Suo Lun.
In the Prime Minister’s residence in the Zhi Capital of the Rage Wave Kingdom!
Prime Minister Yan Wujie held a stack of papers in his hands, lost in thought.
The world has changed far too quickly. Just over a month ago, Suo Lun’s power was on the brink, like a lone candle in the wind that could be snuffed out at any moment.
Zhi Li sent out an army of 400,000 from the east, south, west, and north, and attacked Tianshui City by sea from all sides.
By any account, the Suo were destined for certain death.
Unexpectedly, Suo Lun emerged victorious, killing Duke Zhi Wei, frightening off Duke Turing Tuo, and forcing Earl Gui Xingfu to surrender.
On top of that, he also revealed an earth-shattering scandal involving Zhi Li.
Now, Zhi Li’s scandal is known throughout the entire Rage Wave Kingdom.
Yan Wujie had always been Zhi Li’s staunch supporter, slandering and spreading rumors about Suo Lun to the extreme. If words could kill, Suo Lun would have died countless times by now.
Yan Wujie had never considered the possibility of switching sides because, in his view, Suo Lun didn’t stand the slightest chance of winning.
But now, should he reconsider?
"Someone..." Yan Wujie said.
A young scholar entered, bowing, and said, "Father."
This man was Yan Wujie’s son, Yan Tinglu, who served as the chief historian of Prince Zhi Li’s Mansion and was also a candidate for the future Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Yan Wujie asked, "Is there any news of Yan Tingyi?"
Yan Tingyi, the Secretary of Linhai City, was the highest civil official under Gui Xingfu. He was also Yan Wujie’s nephew.
Yan Tinglu responded, "There is no news of him. Suo Lun has captured Linhai City, and Brother Tingyi must have been taken prisoner. Presumably, being upright and loyal, he didn’t surrender to Suo Lun like the despicable Gui Xingfu, which is why there has been no word."
Yan Wujie nodded and said, "That’s probably the case."
Yan Tinglu asked, "Our Yan Clan is powerful; if Suo Lun captures Brother Tingyi, he will consider it a great prize. Should he wish to make any deals with us using Brother Tingyi, what would be the best course of action?"
Yan Wujie closed his eyes and fell silent for a moment before saying, "You secretly dispatch someone to Tianshui City and try to make contact with Yan Tingyi. Tell him he can surrender to Suo Lun and serve him."
"What?" exclaimed Yan Tinglu, astonished.
Yan Wujie continued, "However, once Yan Tingyi swears loyalty to Suo Lun, I will immediately expel him from the Yan Clan."