Chapter 326 The War Restarts

Qin Xiaoyao thought about it and found what the second prince said quite reasonable.

"In that case—should I leave the city after the Liao Army breaks through?" she asked again.

She truly wanted to eliminate the hidden danger that was Xiao Yuan.

Moreover, if someone else went, she felt they might not be able to kill Xiao Yuan.

After all, that old man was said to be quite formidable, a figure who had fought his way through the Liao Army with real swords and spears.

Her subordinates could only handle regular troops.

To assassinate a military officer like Xiao Yuan would be very difficult.

The second prince looked at Qin Xiaoyao again.

Seeing the earnestness in her eyes, he thought for a moment and finally nodded.

"You must arrange the affairs of the western city in advance. Also, you cannot secretly leave the city before it falls," he said with a serious expression.

Assassinating Xiao Yuan, if successful, could immediately turn the tide of battle.

And for such a dangerous task, the only one who seemed to stand a chance was her.

Well, taking a gamble wouldn't be so bad.

If it succeeded, the conflict between Jin and Liao would cease.

And it would conclude with the Great Jin's victory.

"Don't worry, Your Highness!" A smile appeared on Qin Xiaoyao's face as she immediately agreed.

The carriage continued along the streets of Tong Pass.

The second prince began detailing the situation inside Tong Pass to Qin Xiaoyao.

Due to the war, the residents of Tong Pass had either been relocated or had moved to the East City.

Now, the southern, northern, and western sections of the city were nearly empty of civilians, all under Jin army control.

When Qin Xiaoyao had just arrived at Tong Pass and was ambushing the Liao Army, she was already aware of this situation.

Seeing the broader state of affairs in Tong Pass and the second prince's arrangements, she felt deep admiration.

After touring the city and with the second prince completing his briefing, he finally escorted Qin Xiaoyao to the western city camp.

Just as he was about to depart, Qin Xiaoyao held him back.

The second prince's heart raced, and he couldn't help but entertain some romantic notions.

However, he soon alighted from the carriage and followed Qin Xiaoyao into the tent.

As expected, his imagination had run wild.

Qin Xiaoyao had detained him to discuss Song Que's matter.

"Regarding my husband's affairs, I would ask Your Highness to pay more attention to it," she said.

"Until I find my husband, my heart will remain unsettled." A deep sense of worry flashed across Qin Xiaoyao's face as she spoke.

The second prince felt a bit uncomfortable witnessing this.

"Don't worry. Master Song is a man of good fortune and will surely be fine," the second prince quickly suppressed his emotions and reassured Qin Xiaoyao.

Qin Xiaoyao nodded.

"The matter of finding him—" She looked at the second prince again.

"I have already made arrangements. However, there are many military affairs at the moment, so the search will inevitably be delayed."

"Once the great battle is over and the military orders are fully communicated, we should have news soon," the second prince added.

Qin Xiaoyao nodded again.

"I owe you a debt of gratitude, Your Highness!" She bowed to the second prince.

The second prince waved his hand.

"It's just a minor effort. I should be the one thanking you for coming to assist me at Tong Pass."

Qin Xiaoyao smiled sheepishly.

"Once we find my husband, both of us will be at your service, Your Highness." She bowed again to the second prince.

The second prince's eyes gleamed.

"Ha ha, in that case, I must work even harder!" He laughed heartily.

Qin Xiaoyao smiled along with him.

Despite the twists and turns, they ultimately ended up following the second prince.

Well, one should always aim higher and strive for better days.

With power and influence within reach, why refuse them?

After talking for a while longer, Qin Xiaoyao finally saw the second prince off.

Without resting, she immediately summoned Han Chao and others.

Following the plan discussed with the second prince, she began deploying and arranging the military forces.

"When I leave, you will take command of the western gate."

"If the Liao Army attacks other gates, provide reinforcements when necessary," Qin Xiaoyao instructed Han Chao.

Han Chao, who had been following the second prince for many years, was one of his trusted lieutenants.

She felt reassured to have him in charge of the western gate after her departure.

"Understood, ma'am!" Han Chao immediately responded.

Qin Xiaoyao nodded.

She then approached the 3,000 elite soldiers and the three special training teams lined up before them.

She then briefed everyone on the plan she had discussed with the second prince.

The crowd, upon hearing this, became extremely excited.

Another opportunity to build achievements and establish careers had arrived.

If they could breach the Liao Army’s headquarters and torch their grain supplies, they would earn another great victory!

Soon, Qin Xiaoyao assigned tasks to the three special training teams.

She gave further instructions to the three team leaders before sending them out of the city stealthily under the cover of night.

With everything arranged, Qin Xiaoyao returned to her tent to rest.

Though dawn was near, a tough battle awaited, so even a few hours of rest would help.

After all, if things went smoothly, she might finally get the chance to leave the city and kill Xiao Yuan.

If they could take Xiao Yuan’s head, the war could be resolved.

Qin Xiaoyao herself could gain renown across the land.

She desperately needed fame now.

Only by becoming strong enough could she hope to find her husband and protect her family...

After less than two and a half hours of sleep, Qin Xiaoyao was roused by the Liao Army’s bugles.

Upon waking and inquiring, she learned that dawn had just broken and the Liao soldiers had launched their attack.

As the Second Prince predicted, they focused their forces on attacking one of the city gates—the South Gate.

Among the three outward-facing city gates at Tong Pass, the North Gate was the grandest and most fortified.

The South Gate was second, followed by the West Gate.

However, the Liao soldiers knew she was at the West Gate and had suffered a significant defeat there previously.

Perhaps for this reason, they abandoned the West Gate and targeted the South Gate.

Hearing this, Qin Xiaoyao was unsurprised.

“What is the situation in the southern part of the city? Has the Second Prince issued any orders?” Qin Xiaoyao asked quickly.

Han Chao bowed to Qin Xiaoyao.

“The Second Prince has ordered us to hold our position for now and defend the West Gate firmly.”

Qin Xiaoyao nodded.

“That’s correct. The Liao soldiers have just begun their attack. How can we be sure there isn’t a trick?”

“It’s better to wait until they commit more forces before we provide support.”

“That’s exactly what the Second Prince means,” Han Chao replied.

Qin Xiaoyao glanced at Han Chao.

“Alright. Let’s follow the Second Prince’s instructions.”

"Pay more attention to the logistics. No room for error," Qin Xiaoyao instructed.

"Yes!" Han Chao responded.

He quickly left the tent.

Shortly after, Qin Xiaoyao ate a little something and also left the tent, heading to the western city wall.

He noticed that even though some Liao soldiers had arrived outside the city, they maintained a safe distance from the city wall.

Furthermore, these Liao soldiers were merely facing them from a distance, showing no signs of attacking the city.

"Are they here to watch me?" Qin Xiaoyao couldn't help but mutter.

He then glanced at Han Chao beside him.

"Is it the same on the north side of the city?" Qin Xiaoyao asked, pointing to the Liao forces across from them.