I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Xie Yixiu stepped inside. The sight before him told him everything he needed to know. He stood in silence for a moment, then quietly remained where he was, unwilling to disturb Ming Yu.

When Ming Yu lifted his gaze and saw him, the emptiness in his heart was suddenly filled. His lips curled into a smile, brushing aside the sorrow of Song Lian’s passing. “You’re back!”

Xie Yixiu had taken a team to track down Tuoba Ren and had only just returned.

He nodded. “He got away.”

Ming Yu wasn’t surprised by this news. “If he escaped, then so be it. With the chaos in the Suixi Kingdom, he’s just one man. He won’t be able to stir up much trouble.”

Though he spoke with indifference, there was still a trace of resentment in his tone. Tuoba Ren had nearly wiped out their entire army—letting him go so easily felt like too light of a punishment.

The enemy’s troops had been struck by an epidemic. If not for Ming Yu’s intervention, it wouldn’t have been so easily contained. In the end, they had been able to seize the opportunity and launch a two-pronged attack on the barbarian people’s stronghold.

“Our army has won a great victory and taken countless prisoners. Once the news reaches the capital, we will send messengers on fast horses to deliver the report. When the prisoners are paraded through the city, it will be a grand spectacle in the Great Yan.” Ming Yu beamed with excitement.

Now that the threat of the barbarian in Suixi had been eliminated, even if they wanted to recover, it would take them at least ten or twenty years. By that time, the border regions like Liangzhou would no longer need to fear them.

Meanwhile, under the cover of night, a group of riders fled south in a panic. Leading them was a horse carrying two people—one slumped weakly in the other’s arms, unconscious.

“General Chacha Qi! The enemy has stopped chasing us! Let’s rest for a moment. Even if we can keep going, the horses won’t last much longer!” A voice called out from behind them, breathless and desperate.

They had barely managed to escape with their lives and were utterly exhausted. Now that they were safe, stopping to rest wouldn’t delay anything.

But Chacha Qi showed no sign of stopping. The voice behind him grew louder in urgency. “General! Wang Ye’s body can’t endure this kind of hardship!”

The words finally had an effect. The horse in front slowed down at last. Seeing this, the man behind him let out a sigh of relief and rode forward to await further instructions. “General?”

Chacha Qi scanned their surroundings before ordering, “Find a safe place to rest.”

The men obeyed and quickly located a suitable spot. Only then did Chacha Wi carefully dismount, holding Tuoba Ren in his arms.

He had been protecting Tuoba Ren all this time. A voice in his heart told him that Tuoba Ren must not die.

Tuoba Ren had suffered a great shock and had lost consciousness after falling from his horse. It had been Chacha Qi who had saved him and fought his way through the encirclement.

Someone had already brought water. Chacha Qi took it and carefully fed Tuoba Ren a few sips. Only then did Tuoba Ren stir, his eyes fluttering open. Seeing the scene before him, he instantly understood their situation. He coughed violently for a long time before rasping, “Where are our men?”

Chacha Qi glanced at the few hundred weary, battle-worn soldiers behind him and lowered his eyes. “They’re all here.”

“Pfft!” Tuoba Ren suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“Wang Ye!” Chacha Qi panicked, hastily wiping the blood from his lips. “Wang Ye, you always said that as long as the mountains remain, there will always be firewood to burn. You must take care of yourself!”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

“The royal court still stands, and the Suixi Kingdom is waiting for Wang Ye to return and take charge. You must not let anything happen to you.”

Tuoba Ren shook his head, his heart filled with sorrow. Fate was impossible to defy. He had believed his plans were foolproof, yet they were easily dismantled. His enemies had even turned his schemes against him, leading to the fall of the royal court. His elder brother, Tuoba Hongze, was missing—his life or death uncertain. The royal court was now in shambles. How could he still have the face to return?

“Wang Ye, our ancestors used to say that even when the reeds of the grasslands are trampled and broken, as long as their roots remain, they will survive the harsh winter and grow even more lush the following year. Can you really bear to see the royal court in endless turmoil and our great Suixi Kingdom torn apart?” Chacha Qi pleaded with all his might.

Tuoba Ren stared helplessly at his hands. “I am no longer the Hulun Wang I once was.”

“No, you are. You always were, and you always will be,” Chacha Qi said firmly. He had thought this way in the past, and the more time he spent with Tuoba Ren, the more he understood him. His ambitions, his sense of responsibility, and his willingness to bear the burden of leadership—Chacha Qi found himself deeply drawn to him, unable to turn away.

Looking into Chacha Qi’s eyes, Tuoba Ren slowly closed his own. He had been wrong, terribly wrong. He had once believed that controlling Chacha Qi would grant him everything. Now, he regretted it.

“I am not a good person—you should know that. Everything I did in the past was just to use you, to gain control over the Right Division’s military power.” Tuoba Ren spoke these cold words with deliberate slowness.

Chacha Qi was momentarily stunned, a bitter taste rising in his heart. “I know.” But I was willing to be used by you.

Tuoba Ren studied him from head to toe, as if seeing him clearly for the first time. His expression of astonishment made Chacha Qi feel a mix of embarrassment and anger. He was, after all, the son of a great general—proud and willful since childhood. He still had his dignity to uphold.

“We will head south first, then turn west. No matter what, I won’t leave you behind, and you don’t need to say anything so discouraging again,” Chacha Qi declared fiercely.

“Heh…” Tuoba Ren let out a low chuckle, interrupted by a few coughs, then nodded. “Alright.”

Chacha Qi was overjoyed, almost in disbelief. It took him a long moment to snap out of it. He scratched his head and grinned widely.

The capital remained as lively and bustling as ever.

Amidst the noise and commotion, a horse galloped at full speed, its rider raising a war report high in the air, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Victory! Victory! The barbarian forces have been defeated! Duan Wang has led our troops to break through the royal court!”

The messenger rode straight into the imperial city, but his cries caused people on the streets to stop and listen. Some even grabbed the person next to them in disbelief. “Hey! Did you hear what he said? Something about a defeat? The royal court? Isn’t that an issue from the western frontier?”

Others were just as shocked. “I must have misheard, right? Breaking through the royal court? Ha! What a wild fantasy.”

“But I think I heard the same thing…”

“You must have heard wrong! Absolutely wrong!”

News spread rapidly, but no one could believe it. They had heard that the barbarian forces had returned to raid the western borders again, and some feared that the Great Yan army had suffered another defeat. But if they had lost, why would the court announce it so openly? And that messenger had clearly shouted ‘victory’—could he have mistakenly reported the war results? That would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, punishable by death. No one would dare make such an error!

While the citizens murmured and speculated, anxiously awaiting clarity, eunuchs soon emerged from the palace, dispersing in all directions. Not long after, court officials who had already finished their morning audience quickly changed back into their formal robes and rushed back to the palace.

A crisis must have occurred! Could it be that the barbarian forces had broken through Shi Chongguan and were now advancing toward the capital? If Liangcheeng couldn’t hold them back, would the enemy soon march directly to the imperial city? The urgency on the officials’ faces suggested something serious. Surely, they were gathering to discuss countermeasures. Wait—what exactly had that messenger reported just now?

As the people nervously speculated, official news finally spread from the palace.

Duan Wang, Ming Yu, along with General Xie Yixiu, had led two battalions deep into the heart of Suixi, successfully breaking through the royal court. Meanwhile, the border army had utterly crushed the barbarian forces, capturing countless enemy soldiers.

Upon learning the confirmed news, the capital erupted into cheers. It was an unprecedented victory, something they had never dared to dream of. For years, they had suffered under the oppression of the barbarian forces, their memories filled only with defeats in battle.

That was why, when General Xie had suddenly emerged back then, rescuing Liangcheeng from the brink of destruction, he had instantly become a legend—revered by all.

And now, a triumph they had never even dared to imagine had become reality. A victory greater than any before. How could the people not weep with joy?

An imperial decree was swiftly dispatched to the borderlands, ordering Duan Wang to arrange a grand return to the capital with the captured enemies. All those who had contributed to the victory would have their names recorded and receive rewards accordingly.

Finally, the long-awaited day arrived. Banners fluttered in the wind as the army of the Great Yan marched into the capital in orderly formations. The soldiers moved in unison, their disciplined steps exuding an overwhelming sense of power and command—one that inspired awe in all who beheld them.

No wonder. Only an army like this could have defeated the barbarian forces so decisively. Only troops like these could claim such a resounding victory.

The citizens lined both sides of the streets to welcome them, pointing excitedly at the procession.

“Look! The ones leading at the front are the Red Robe Army! That red armor with silver trim—you can recognize them at a glance. The one at the forefront is none other than the war general, Xie Yixiu!”

“Behind them must be Duan Wang’s elite guards. I heard they’ve now been promoted to the royal guard. Do you remember the state Duan Wang was in when he first left the capital? Look at him now—his presence is completely unrecognizable!”

“That’s true! Just look at them—compared to the imperial guards of the capital, they’re on a completely different level! These men have followed Wang Ye through countless hardships and battles; their future is limitless. I heard the capital’s imperial guards are filled with envy!”

When Wang Ye first left the capital, no one had high hopes for him. After all, the western regions were nothing but barren lands filled with hardships. Everyone was waiting to see Duan Wang make a fool of himself. Yet, in just a few short years, goods from the Western Regions were flowing back, each worth a fortune. Even the locally grown watermelons had become a sought-after delicacy. And now, with the great victory at Shi Chongguan in Liangzhou, countless barbarians had been captured.

It was said that life for the people of Liangzhou was improving day by day—something generations had only dreamed of. Yet, in just a few short years, Duan Wang had already made visible progress. The Western Qi Corridor no longer posed a threat, and with time, it would be fully developed. Merchants, sensing the opportunity, had already flocked there in droves. In the future, the prosperity of Liangzhou might not be any less than that of the bustling cities in the south.

“They’re coming! That’s Duan Wang’s carriage, and right behind him is the Jingwei Imperial Guards! This time, they’ve all achieved great merit following Duan Wang.”

“Look at our Great Yan’s soldiers! Now these are true men—mighty and commanding!”

Behind them were the captured barbarians, no longer the arrogant warriors they once were. Each one hung their head low, looking utterly defeated, like withered eggplants after the frost. The gathered crowd cheered in delight.

At the very end of the procession was the well-disciplined army led by Great General Wei. Though they tried to keep their expressions restrained, the pride on their faces was unmistakable. This was a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

Since this was a grand victory celebration in the capital, only the best of the best had been selected for the procession. Every one of them had earned great merit in this campaign.

The mighty procession entered the capital in an overwhelming display, moving all the way to the Triumph Gate. The emperor, along with his civil and military officials, had long been waiting. It was safe to say that this was the grandest event in the history of the Great Yan since its founding. With this victory, the crisis with the Suixi Kingdom was finally resolved, and the borders of Liangzhou would gradually stabilize. Under Ming Yu’s leadership, the region would now develop rapidly according to his plans.

The officials wore expressions of pure joy, and the emperor himself, seated under the ceremonial canopy, was in an exceptionally good mood. A lifelong ambition of his had been effortlessly fulfilled by his own son. Whether it was sheer luck or true ability, his son had proven himself. How could the emperor not be overjoyed and proud?

“Your Majesty, I doubt you expected this outcome when you first sent Duan Wang to Liangzhou, did you?” The Prime Minister stroking his white beard, smiled as he spoke. His good mood even made him playful enough to tease.

The emperor shook his head and burst into laughter. “Who would have thought this boy would turn out like this? When I sent him away, I only hoped he wouldn’t cause too much trouble. That alone would have been a blessing!”

“Your Majesty is wise and heroic, so naturally, Duan Wang is also a dragon among men. With such achievements, isn’t it only natural?” One minister seized the opportunity to flatter him. On such a joyous occasion, praise and flattery flowed freely.

Back then, they had all kept their distance from Ming Yu. Now, with the winds of fate shifting, everyone was scrambling to curry favor with him.

Crown Prince Ming Ye wore a smile at the corners of his lips. With Ming Yu achieving such great merit, as long as he remained firmly on his side, he too would share in the glory. Lately, he had been lying low, watching as the Third Prince desperately tried to rally his own faction. But no matter what the Third Prince did, he could never match what Ming Yu had just accomplished. Ming Ye should be grateful for Ming Yu and thankful that he was his full-blooded brother. They were bound together—if one prospered, so would the other. If one fell, so would the other. Ming Yu’s triumphant return also served to strengthen Ming Ye’s position. As long as he remained cautious and didn’t make a grave mistake, his status would be unshakable.

The Third Prince had clearly realized this as well. Ever since hearing the news, he looked as if he had swallowed a fly—stuck between disgust and frustration. Yet, this was a grand occasion for the court, and the entire capital was celebrating. He couldn’t be the one to ruin the mood. No matter how unwilling he was, he had to force a smile and offer words of congratulations.

Ming Ye glanced toward the Third Prince, the curve of his lips deepening. I have a good younger brother. Unfortunately, you do not!

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