Chapter 286 - 79: Unobstructed

Chapter 286: Chapter 79: Unobstructed

He felt another hand grasp his.

"I have the dispatch," a clear female voice said. "Don’t worry."

’Did she get it?’

’Did she really get it?’

’Brother Wang is dead! Brother Wang is dead! I couldn’t make it... How could I have delivered it alone?’

Seeing the posthouse soldier grow agitated again, Chu Zhao held his hand and said to the physicians, "Let him rest some more."

The physicians stepped forward to administer a potion, and they watched as the posthouse soldier slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

"My lady, Ah Jiu is back," Ah Le whispered from the doorway.

Chu Zhao glanced one last time at the sleeping posthouse soldier before walking out.

Xie Yanlai was already striding over. "All the posthouses from Zhongshan County to the Capital City are under their control," he said.

He glanced at the inner room as he spoke.

"It wasn’t easy for that kid to slip through."

’This is the first time I’ve ever heard him praise someone else,’ Chu Zhao thought, giving him a look. Then she heard his next words.

"If it were me, I wouldn’t have been so slow."

Both exasperated and amused, Chu Zhao sighed and cut him off. "What’s the situation in the Capital City?"

Xie Yanlai said, "Don’t worry. The King of Zhongshan’s attack may have been sudden, but the court has been on high alert for a long time."

You could say that from the moment the war with Western Liang began, the Border County was fighting Western Liang, while the court was preparing to fight the King of Zhongshan.

The King of Zhongshan’s methods were more formidable than expected—he broke through the military encirclement, cut off all communications, and is now marching on the Capital City—but the court was not caught completely unprepared.

Zhong Changrong stared at the sand table. "There’s no need to worry. The Capital Camp has one hundred thousand troops, and another two hundred thousand can be scrambled from the other States at a moment’s notice. It won’t be so easy for the King of Zhongshan to break into the Capital City."

Chu Zhao remained silent.

Xie Yanlai curled his lip. "You don’t need to worry about the Xiao Emperor. You might not trust others, but you trust Xie Yanfang, don’t you? With him in the Capital City, who could possibly breach its walls?" He chuckled at this. "He’s probably been looking forward to this fight."

During the last upheaval in the Capital City, Xie Yanfang suffered a huge loss. The world-renowned young master ended up with nothing. This time, he is determined to reclaim his honor.

"I’m not worried," Chu Zhao said.

Back then, Xiao Xun had every advantage—the right time, the right place, and the right people—yet when Xie Yanfang rebelled, he still managed to push Xiao Xun into a steady retreat. Now, Xie Yanfang is defending the Capital City with all those advantages on his side. It’s even more impossible for Xiao Xun to defeat him.

It’s just—

’This is war.’

The fight against Western Liang is, after all, on the border where few people live.

But a war between the King of Zhongshan and the court will take place in the heart of the Central Plains, a land teeming with life—

Sieging cities, conquering land, iron hooves and sharp blades... the devastation will be unimaginable.

And there was another danger—

Chu Zhao suddenly raised her voice and called out, "Xiao Man."

There was no answer from outside, but Chu Zhao didn’t call again. A moment later, Xiao Man entered, her reluctance plain to see.

"What do you want?" she asked irritably, turning her head away.

"The posthouse communications between the Capital City and here have been severed," Chu Zhao said.

Xiao Man scoffed. "Your imperial troops are really that useless, huh?"

Zhong Changrong glared at her, but Xie Yanlai chimed in, "They really are pretty useless."

Chu Zhao paid their words no mind. "I need to ask you to contact the Capital City for me."

Xiao Man turned her head to the side and said nothing.

Zhong Changrong said coldly, "We don’t need anyone else. We’ll just break through again. It’s not like we don’t have the men."

Chu Zhao said to Zhong Changrong, "Our men will have their own tasks, of course. But some things, Xiao Man and her people are better at." She lowered her head in thought for a moment, then took up a brush and wrote a short note. She even took out the phoenix seal and stamped it before putting it in an envelope and handing it to Xiao Man. "Never mind anything else for now. Just get this letter to Chu Tang."

Though Xiao Man kept her head turned away and didn’t say a word, she snatched the letter and left.

Zhong Changrong ignored the little girl and asked Chu Zhao, "Are you worried the head of the clan and his family are in danger?"

’That can’t be right. Chu Lan’s family is in the Capital City. If the city is safe, what could happen to them?’

At their side, Xie Yanlai let out a couple of "ohs."

"An Army of Justice," he said, looking at Chu Zhao with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "You’re in for it now."