The Emperor’s gaze was deep and unreadable, landing on Prince Jingkang with a hint of scrutiny.

Before his thoughts could stray further, Yan Ling stepped forward and spoke his first sentence:
“News has arrived from Haozhou.”

The Emperor’s expression changed immediately.

“The Emperor of Haozhou passed away yesterday,” Yan Ling said coldly. “He has passed the throne to Crown Prince Yu Shun.”

“Crown Prince Yu Shun will ascend the throne in three days.”

So the recall of Yu Shun to Haozhou was not due to some urgent matter but because the old Emperor had fallen gravely ill.

With 500,000 troops pressuring the border, Haozhou had forced Da Hui to release Yu Shun to take the throne.

Looking back, the Emperor’s decision to release Yu Shun seemed tantamount to letting a tiger return to the mountains.

There was another critical issue at hand—

With Yu Shun ascending the throne, the arranged marriage that had been temporarily suspended under the guise of urgency now seemed unlikely to proceed.

The new Emperor was known to be an ambitious and decisive man. Da Hui’s borders were in grave danger.

The news caused a massive stir in court.

When the decision to release Yu Shun had been debated, the Emperor and the ministers were already divided. But due to Da Hui’s weak military power at the time, they had agreed to avoid unnecessary sacrifices and allowed Yu Shun to return to Haozhou.

No one expected that this decision would lead to such disastrous consequences.

The old Emperor of Haozhou was dead.

The marriage alliance had now become an unfulfilled contract, practically nullified in most people’s eyes.

Yu Shun had managed to leave once; it was unthinkable he would ever set foot in Da Hui again.

Moreover, as a newly ascended Emperor, Yu Shun would be preoccupied with internal affairs. Unmarried, with an empty throne beside him, it was inconceivable he would give thought to a Da Hui princess.

The ascension of the new Emperor in Haozhou cast a heavy shadow over Da Hui.

At this moment, no one dared to comment on Wen Yuesheng’s ruthlessness or criticize her decisive actions anymore.

A strong enemy was at their doorstep, and that enemy had now successfully taken the throne.

Yu Shun was not his father, who had grown increasingly tyrannical and incompetent. Yu Shun enjoyed widespread support in the military and commanded a group of highly capable generals.

What Yu Shun’s reign would bring to the situation was unpredictable, but it was bound to be perilous.

While Da Hui continued to be mired in internal strife, Yu Shun’s coronation loomed like a storm.

Anyone who could assess the situation understood the gravity of the crisis. Even those who failed to see the full picture were silenced by the oppressive atmosphere in court, the Emperor’s dark expression, and the subdued mood among the ministers.

This tension persisted, unbroken, until the day of the military review.

The review began later than anticipated, delayed by the tumultuous events engulfing Da Hui.

Before the review, Haozhou had already held a grand coronation ceremony for its new Emperor.

While Haozhou celebrated, Da Hui felt nothing but crushing pressure.

That morning, a rainstorm had left the roads leading to the review site muddy. Many abandoned their carriages to ride horseback to the venue.

The review ground, constructed in previous years, consisted of four sections: a sandy battlefield, wooded terrain, a replica valley, and a large, flat parade ground.

At the center stood a high platform with a grand hall, surrounded by city walls. Guards stationed along the walls ensured communication across the expansive grounds.

The wooded terrain, the site of the first review, stretched out in dense, uneven clusters. While not towering, the trees were close enough to provide cover for maneuvering troops. It allowed soldiers to be spotted during rapid movement yet offered opportunities for concealment and strategic repositioning.

Historically, the Yulin Guards or the Emperor’s personal guards often triumphed in these wooded exercises.

The Yulin Guards, known for their archery skills, had a natural advantage in such terrain. Meanwhile, the Emperor’s personal guards, the strongest of the three Imperial Guard divisions, consistently secured victories.

This year, however, Wen Yuesheng’s newly established Defense Force had garnered much attention.

On the high platform, officials were already seated. Wen Yuesheng arrived neither early nor late, accompanied by Zhang Yulin.

The moment they entered, Wu Yong, the deputy general under the Loyal and Courageous Marquis, froze in surprise.
“Your Grace, is the young master not participating today?”

The stakes were exceptionally high for this year’s review.

With tensions running high among the three Imperial Guards, many expected Zhang Yulin to participate, only to see him accompany Wen Yuesheng to the platform instead.

His appearance drew curious glances from all around, mirroring Wu Yong’s confusion.

“Is the Defense Force planning to forgo today’s score since the wooded terrain is their weak spot?” someone speculated.

“It’s only the first day of the review, and the wooded terrain is indeed the Yulin Guards’ specialty. Given the Defense Force’s smaller numbers, it’s a reasonable strategy to concede this round,” another remarked.

“True enough, but look at the Frontline Guards—they’re fully mobilized.”

“After the downfall of the Marquis of Wu’an, the Frontline Guards were heavily impacted. Several leading officers were dismissed, and the incident with the Marquis carrying a weapon into the court further tarnished their reputation. For them to remain intact and compete is no small feat.”

“Precisely, which is why they’re eager to claim victory here.”

“Even so, let’s not forget—the current commander of the Frontline Guards is none other than Prince Weiyang.”

The grand military exercises were imminent. With the key commanders of the Imperial Frontline Army arrested, the court had no choice but to reinstate the leadership of Prince Weiyang, who had once led the army to fifth place during the scorching summer drills.

To boost morale, Prince Weiyang personally stepped into the fray.

Lu Qinghuai, hearing the news, couldn’t help but shake his head.

Prince Weiyang might as well have stayed off the field. Once he entered, the troops would inevitably follow his lead.

If he insisted on participating, the Imperial Frontline Army might just claim fifth place again in this opening exercise.

Today, for the first exercise, no other commanders joined the field besides Prince Weiyang.

Over on Wen Yuecheng’s side, not even Zhang Yulin was sent in.

Zhang Yulin’s striking physique made his absence glaringly obvious.

Before the opening, much attention was already drawn to Wen Yuecheng’s forces.

Prince Weiyang kept pestering her, “Are you sure Zhang Shizi isn’t going to join the fight?”

“Si Ning, don’t tell me you plan to send Zhang Shizi in at the last second before the opening. That would be utterly unethical!”

Wen Yuecheng gave him a sidelong glance. “Why, do you want him in?”

Prince Weiyang: …

What kind of joke was she making? His meaning was clear—if Zhang Yulin stayed out, his own chances of shining improved.

If Zhang Yulin really entered the field and they clashed by chance, wouldn’t he be eliminated right away? Where would he put his face after that?

But of course, he couldn’t say this outright, so he cleverly dodged the question.

Fortunately, the event was about to begin.

Before the opening, each army had to report and organize their troops. For easier identification, every unit wore distinct uniforms.

Prince Weiyang’s Imperial Frontline Army donned blue, Prince Jingkang’s Yulin Army wore red, Prince Yong’an’s Royal Guard Army sported purple, and the Capital Garrison troops wore yellow.

Wen Yuecheng’s Defense Army was dressed in black.

The colors were so vibrant they were instantly recognizable as the troops entered the four designated arenas.

Once inside, soldiers could choose to conceal or camouflage their uniforms but were forbidden from discarding their distinctive attire.

The first exercise of the day was especially critical.

Each army’s deployment was directed by its commander, determining how many troops to send and which officers would lead them—or whether the commander would take the field themselves.

Thus, even during the roll call, one could discern the commanders’ strategic capabilities and fundamental plans.

“First round: Yulin Army, three thousand soldiers,” declared Prince Jingkang, standing atop a high platform. He called out loudly, “Yulin Army, present yourselves!”

“Present!” the soldiers below responded in unison.

The number of troops to be deployed was pre-determined, so even upon hearing the opposition’s plans, no changes could be made.

Additionally, the rules of the exercises stated that any soldiers who participated in one event were barred from joining subsequent rounds.

This meant that soldiers who participated in the forest combat exercise could not join other scenarios.

Since the exercises simulated real battlefield conditions, including casualties, strategic deployment became particularly crucial.

The number of troops deployed often determined victory or defeat.

As Prince Jingkang began, murmurs spread among the audience in the grand hall.

“Three thousand troops in the forest—this seems fairly conservative.”

“For the Yulin Army, it’s actually a bit much. The forest is their stronghold; two thousand should suffice.”

“Prince Jingkang is commanding the Yulin Army for the first time. Playing it safe makes sense.”

When Prince Wei Yangwang’s turn came, he boldly announced, “First round: Imperial Frontline Army, four thousand soldiers!”

“Imperial Frontline Army, present yourselves!”

“Present!”

The officials who had just critiqued Prince Jingkang’s conservative approach instantly fell silent.

Since the total number of soldiers for each army in the exercises was capped at twenty thousand, Prince Wei Yang’s four thousand was a bold move.

For most armies, this number comprised elite forces, but for Wen Yuecheng’s Defense Army, it nearly represented their entire force.

Thus, both in numbers and quality, the Defense Army was at a disadvantage.

Prince Wei Yang’s massive deployment in the first round seemed excessive, but with such a numerical advantage, it virtually guaranteed a top-three finish.

The Royal Guard Army followed with three thousand troops, and the Capital Garrison deployed two thousand five hundred.

The Capital Garrison’s relatively low numbers were expected; their specialty lay in sandy terrain, not forests. Deploying fewer troops in the forest was a strategic choice.

After the conventional deployments came Wen Yuecheng’s turn.

Everyone knew Zhang Yulin wasn’t participating and assumed she would announce a conservative number, perhaps matching the Capital Garrison’s twenty-five hundred.

But when Wen Yuecheng spoke, her words shocked the hall:

“First round: Defense Army.”

She paused, her gaze calm. “One thousand soldiers.”

The hall fell silent.

Prince Wei Yangwang blinked. “What did she just say?”

The soldier beside him replied hesitantly, “…She said the Defense Army is deploying only one thousand troops.”

Prince Weiyang: ???

Has Si Ning lost her mind?

A thousand troops—what did that even mean?

That made the Imperial Frontline Army four times larger than the Defense Army. Even the smallest contingent, the Capital Garrison, had fifteen hundred more troops than hers!

This wasn’t a minor gap; this was fifteen hundred soldiers—a substantial difference!

Moreover, with all five armies entering the field simultaneously, her thousand troops would face over ten thousand enemies.

In forest exercises, the winner was determined by the number of opponents eliminated. If the eliminations were tied, the remaining troop count decided the victor.

Deploying just a thousand troops… What was she thinking? Was she giving up?