Chapter Twenty-Seven: With a Woman Like This, What More Could a Husband Ask For?

The complexity of the chaos in the Northern Frontier far exceeded Gao Changsheng’s expectations. After some contemplation, he even began to regret joining the army. It was clear that the Northern Frontier was a massive trap, and he had foolishly jumped into it himself. But now, it was too late to say anything. The journey to the North was not only his path to survival but also his only way to defy fate and change his destiny.

"Something is wrong!" Gao Changsheng muttered, clutching his head in agitation.

It was the first time Chu Yunyan had seen Gao Changsheng in such a state. Although they had only known each other for two days, she perceived him as a man of depth and character far beyond the ordinary. Even among the many sons of the Shenwu Emperor, Gao Changsheng stood out as exceptionally brilliant. Yet, the scene before her completely overturned her impression of him. It was evident that he had sensed a mystery so profound that even he could not fathom it.

"Your Highness, what is troubling you? Why not share it so that I may help you shoulder the burden?" Chu Yunyan asked with concern.

Hearing this, Gao Changsheng calmed down slightly. "You are right. Perhaps you can see what I cannot. Yunyan, if the Crown Prince were to collude with Northern Qi, what would he do? Or, to put it another way, with Northern Qi thousands of miles away, what could the Crown Prince do to allow their influence to permeate the Imperial Court and directly threaten the Shenwu Emperor?" Gao Changsheng’s brows were furrowed tightly.

At these words, Chu Yunyan turned tense. She hurriedly stood up and opened the door to peer outside, as if afraid that someone else might have overheard. "Your Highness, you must be careful of walls having ears when harboring such thoughts!" she said, letting out a long sigh. "According to your hypothesis, the Crown Prince is inviting the influence of Northern Qi into our Great Yong Dynasty simply to seize power. If he could force the palace and compel the Shenwu Emperor to abdicate, that would be ideal. To achieve this, beyond the collapse of the Northern Frontier defenses and a direct invasion by the Northern Qi army, I fear there is no other option!"

Just thinking about such a scenario made Chu Yunyan shiver. Would the Crown Prince really abandon his people just for the sake of the throne? This was absolute madness!

"Exactly," Gao Changsheng said. "The only way for Northern Qi to invade is for the Northern Frontier army to be completely annihilated. However, the Imperial Army of our Great Yong is no pushover. As long as Dou Yuan is in command, the Northern Qi forces will never be able to step a single foot onto our land!"

Gao Changsheng stopped abruptly. At the same time, Chu Yunyan’s pupils contracted; she seemed to have guessed his true line of thought.

"Heh!" Gao Changsheng gave a bitter laugh. "Ever since I offended the Crown Prince, I have been obsessed with survival, to the point where I overestimated my own importance. Yet, in the eyes of the Crown Prince, what is the value of a mere Sixth Prince compared to an undefeated commander?"

"So, Your Highness, you mean the Crown Prince’s true target is General Dou Yuan?" Chu Yunyan’s nerves tightened. She knew well how devastating an accident involving Dou Yuan would be to the war effort in the North.

"Do me a favor!" Gao Changsheng did not answer her question immediately. Instead, he rummaged through a pile of books and pulled out a map. Together, the two of them spread it out. Before them lay all the mountains, rivers, and cities of the Great Yong Dynasty.

"Fengxi County!" Gao Changsheng said in a low voice. "This is the essential route to the Northern Frontier and the final staging ground for the imperial armies before they head out. By the time the army reaches this point, they are too far from Jinyong City and too close to the Northern Frontier. Even if something happened to Dou Yuan, the army could not turn back."

Chu Yunyan nodded in agreement, but she remained puzzled. What did he need her help with?

"I know the Ministry of War does not have many men at its disposal, but at the moment, it is the only force I can rely on. Only by mobilizing forces outside the three main armies can I avoid the Crown Prince's suspicion. I must ensure that Dou Yuan reaches the Northern Frontier safely!" Gao Changsheng looked at Chu Yunyan with firm eyes. He had too few allies. The Chu family’s Ministry of War was his only hope.

"The supply train!" Chu Yunyan mused for a moment. "The Ministry of War is responsible for escorting the grain and ordnance this time. The first supply convoy will depart before the main army. If we can persuade them, we can resolve the crisis at Fengxi County! I must discuss this with my father," she added calmly.

Chu Jiangnian? Gao Changsheng was unsure if he would agree, but currently, using the supply train was the only viable option. Moreover, he had to prepare for the worst. "What is the name of the officer in charge of the first supply convoy?" he asked, intending to handle the negotiations himself. It was a desperate measure, but he had no other choice. After all, accusing the Crown Prince of colluding with the enemy was a capital offense. He had no evidence that the Crown Prince intended to assassinate Dou Yuan. Persuading a stranger with nothing but words to risk his life seemed almost as impossible as raising a private army of thousands out of thin air. It felt unrealistic.

"Your Highness is worried that my father will not want to help," Chu Yunyan said. "Indeed, given his personality, he is unlikely to take such a risk. But to mobilize the supply train without his permission is a grave crime. If His Majesty were to find out..." She hesitated. Although she was bolder than most women—a fact evident in how she had invited him to meet—unauthorized movement of troops was intolerable to any ruler in any dynasty. It concerned the Emperor's control over the military and power; how could he allow others to interfere?

"So, you have a way!" Gao Changsheng did not care about the Shenwu Emperor’s thoughts. Dou Yuan’s life concerned his own survival and future. If he couldn't clear this first hurdle, there was no point in talking about the future.

"Your Highness knows that since my father became the Minister of War, relatives from our hometown are always visiting. He couldn't turn them away and ended up arranging positions for many of them. Some serve in the Ministry of War," Chu Yunyan said, blushing. She knew that nepotism was shameful, which was why she was always cautious when the topic arose.

"Is there one among the first supply convoy?" Gao Changsheng was overjoyed. If there was a connection to the Chu family, it would be much easier to win them over.

"This person is named Wang Yong, my cousin," Chu Yunyan replied immediately. "He currently serves as a Senior Official in the Bureau of Provisions under the Ministry of War."

Eighth-rank? A bit low. He feared that the man wouldn't have enough influence to mobilize many men. However, considering Chu Jiangnian’s cautious nature, assigning Wang Yong to an eighth-rank position was already a significant risk.

"The main army departs tomorrow, so the supply train must be setting off tonight. Time waits for no one—let us hurry!"