Chapter 282 - A Step Into The Future

Wei Liuying regrouped with the soldiers who were going to return back to Prince Ji Sheng's City. Yang Xian was on top of his horse, holding a bag filled with meat buns while he started to eat.

"Do you want some?"

"Thanks." Wei Liuying took one of the meat buns. "Are we going to depart directly to Prince Ji Sheng's City?"

"Yes. I received report that even though they have suffered heavy loss, they will not give up yet. Besides, other tribes had started to move because Gao City is under attack too."

Wei Liuying frowned and swallowed the piece of meat bun in her mouth. "Will Lady Gao ask to return back?"

"it's unlikely. I'm sure General Gao will be just fine."

"I see."

"Also, Prince Lian is executed by Lady Gao." Yang Xian's lips curled up when he remembered this matter. That prince was unlucky to be spotted by Gao Ling and with her skill as an archer, he was killed on the spot.

Those who ran with him were also killed quickly by the other soldiers whom Lady Gao deployed.

Wei Liuying smiled and laughed faintly. "That's good news. It meant we're not going to have difficulties facing him anymore."

"Yes."

The war at the border would soon come to an end but they still might take a few more months to completely stabilize the situation. The soldiers might not even move back so quickly as there were other princes who might be in charge of the war.

Besides, there were also other tribes. 

The two of them continued to discuss what had happened and their plan. The soldiers were tactful enough to keep a certain distance from them. Some soldiers gave her odd gazes from time to time, but Wei Liuying ignored it. Yang Xian and Prince Ji Sheng had already given them order to not speak the word regarding her real gender.

For now, she would stay as the male 'Liu Ying.'

The war continued for the months to come. The news of Princess Ji Xiaoli's 'sacrifice' was told as tales at the Capital City while those at the border were focused on the news of war. It was even told to children that the princess was a noble person and there were many people who sang praise for her.

Her name was known.

While the others' achievement seemed to die down.

But the others didn't care. At the north, those who had seen the war talked more about the military commanders such as Prince Ji Sheng, Yang Xian, Liu Ying, and Lady Gao. The news about the other generals were also spread far and wide, highlighting their achievement. 

As the temperature getting warmer, Prince Ji Sheng began to make his move deep to the north and claimed Village K along with several other villages as part of Han Shi Kingdom. Massive number of migration started to happen as Prince Ji Sheng ventured deeper.

Yang Xian was in charge for the front battle while Wei Liuying keep tracking on the minor conflicts and battles that occurred in the area that Prince Ji Sheng conquered. It took them some time to settled on a line and started to build another city and wall to mark it as the new border of Han Shi Kingdom.

General Gao was doing his work splendidly, which prevent the tribes to breach deeper. On the other hand, the general at the east was also doing even better and helped to expand the border further to the north.

The shape of the border was now a bit uneven, but it was still quite straight line.

Xiong Tribe was pushed to the north by the end of summer and unable to return back anymore. Prince Ji Sheng deployed his men to patrol on regular basis to make sure that they would be able to avoid the battles with Xiong Tribe.

With this, the war was over.

There were no other tribes in their area who could threaten Prince Ji Sheng's position. There might be some skirmish here and there, but it would not affect the overall situation too much.

But when Autumn came, they were faced with unexpected situation….

…

- Capital City -

"The battle is almost over?" Wei Xiao Hua asked with surprise. She married Prince Ji Shu in early summer, so she lived with him. Today, he unexpectedly started to share to her the news of what had happened at the north.

Prince Ji Shu nodded. "Prince Ji Sheng emerged victorious. There are many people resounding his story. Even though the battle cost us the life of Princess Ji Xiaoli, everyone soon forgot about her."

"It's only normal that not many people remember the princess. Still, I'm sure that they'll tell story about how the princess was able to help Prince Ji Sheng," Wei Xiao Hua remarked.

"Only some, but the one I need to pay attention the most is Ji Sheng."

Wei Xiao Hua pursed her lips. "He won't be able to threaten your position with only military power. The south area is not under his order, so they will never want to follow what he asked them to do."

"Indeed, but it's still worrying."

"Why?"

"His two strategists are more capable than what I thought at first," Prince Ji Shu replied. 

"Two strategists?"

"Strategist Yang and Strategist Liu. With the two of them joining hands, the conquest has been faster and faster. I'm sure that before the autumn's hunt, Han Shi Kingdom will be declared victorious."

Wei Xiao Hua blinked her eyes and looked at Prince Ji Shu as if she had heard of some strange news. "Strategist Liu is still active?"

"Yes. He's the one leading part of the soldiers to ease the civil disputes."

"That's…" impossible.

"Xiao Hua?"

Wei Xiao Hua was looking at her husband with confusion written in her face. There were some details from the novels that she never revealed to anyone. This one was one of the few things that occurred without the need of the real Wei Xiao Hua's intervention.

Strategist Liu should have died under Strategist Yang's hand.

She should have listened to the story from Prince Ji Shu a few months after the incident, which was today. However, the news that she got from him was something completely different.

"Did something happen?"

Prince Ji Shu played with the book in his hand and nodded. "They locked the news, but apparently there's time when Xiong Tribe nearly passed the border safely. They're strengthening the border now, but it won't last that long since they're lacking in the number of soldiers."

"I can guess that you must have sent someone to spy on them, right?" Wei Xiao Hua asked with a smirk.

"You know me very well, Xiao Hua."

Pulling his wife to his embrace, Prince Ji Shu sneaked a kiss. Wei Xiao Hua smelled so good today. He lightly fondled her soft arm as he continued to speak, "The details are covered and the soldiers who are presents are only Prince Ji Sheng's elites' soldiers, so they won't tell the details. However, there are some other soldiers who said that they see Strategist Liu got captured."

Wei Xiao Hua nodded. She had expected this. The novel did say that Strategist Liu was captured when he was scouting the enemy. The exact detail was not provided because the real Wei Xiao Hua didn't leave the capital city again after the temple incident because it was the time to settle scores with her family members.