In the afternoon, Fan Zehao led a hundred thousand troops to depart, leaving behind fifty thousand soldiers to protect the peaceful land of the fiefdom.
The capture of Huangfu Xu was a disgrace to the Yun Kingdom.
Before leaving, Fan Zehao left behind five hundred of his special forces.
These were what he called special forces, trained based on fragmented information provided by his wife, pieced together with some elements he added himself.
As soon as her husband left, Zhao Jiaqi gathered the special forces in groups of ten for a secret talk: "You are designated as the first group. Infiltrate the Jin Kingdom's military camp, find the whereabouts of Prince Xiaoyao, and rescue him when the opportunity arises! I will send the second group to the perimeter to receive you. If you are discovered and a conflict erupts, the second group will become an attack force, striving to snatch him back for me. You must also prioritize your safety. If you cannot withdraw, conceal your identities and preserve your strength on the spot."
"Your subordinates obey!"
Upon receiving the Princess Consort's orders, the special forces, under the cover of night, infiltrated the enemy camp that very day.
The snow had stopped, yet the night felt so long!
Zhao Jiaqi gazed at the dark sky, feeling that this winter would be particularly difficult to endure, as if each day stretched into an eternity.
Five days later, Huangfu Xu was successfully rescued. Both groups of soldiers sent out returned without casualties, marking a smooth start to their mission.
Upon seeing that it was Zhao Jiaqi who had sent people to rescue him, Huangfu Xu was overcome with tears.
"Thank you, Princess Consort, for saving my life!"
"Although I don't think highly of you, you are still a prince of the Yun Kingdom and once served in the same court as my husband. I couldn't stand by and let you perish. Since you are back, rest well. We will make further plans later!"
Zhao Jiaqi waved her hand, and Da Zhuang approached: "Go escort the Prince to rest and ensure he is well taken care of!"
After Huangfu Xu had gone, Zhao Jiaqi immediately sent word to her husband, who was fighting on the front lines, informing him that Prince Xiaoyao had been rescued and that she had also dispatched people to search for Xiao Ce's whereabouts, urging him to fight with peace of mind and without any worries.
In February, with only seven days left until the end of the year, Pan Nan County received good news: Fan Zehao had won a great victory, annihilating sixty thousand enemy troops.
This was good news, but the thought of so many people fighting simultaneously made Zhao Jiaqi's scalp tingle.
Meanwhile, at the imperial palace.
Upon learning that Fan Zehao had directly led his troops to the battlefield, Huangfu Yifan felt both hatred and relief.
He hated that despite being a mere prince with no military power, Fan Zehao could still command soldiers, which filled him with both resentment and awe.
General Xue Wei had died, and Marshal Xiao Ce, who commanded the army, was missing. He wanted to mobilize more seasoned generals but found it was not easy.
Some were ill, others had injured legs, and many more refused with various excuses. When he inquired in court who was willing to go, the grand hall remained silent.
He had some confidence in Fan Zehao's current campaign, knowing that victory was only a matter of time.
In March, as spring arrived and flowers bloomed, Fan Zehao achieved a resounding victory. Even Xiao Ce, who had been missing for many days, returned with injuries.
Fan Zehao thoroughly drove the Jin Kingdom back and occupied one of their cities.
The main reason was the presence of two gold mines there, which Fan Zehao coveted. He captured the city as a gift for his wife, deeming the trip worthwhile. Moreover, the place served another important purpose.
The Emperor of Jin sent an envoy to the capital of Yun Kingdom. After negotiations and discussions, Huangfu Yifan agreed to return the city. However, Fan Zehao refused.
He directly positioned his army near the Jin city, as if preparing to settle there.
Fan Zehao pointed at Huangfu Xu: "Write this to him: I, the inner court, provided manpower, effort, and silver, and suffered countless casualties among our soldiers. Who will compensate for these losses?"
"Who will be held responsible for the dead and severely injured generals of our Yun Kingdom, and who will guarantee the future livelihood of the disabled soldiers?"
Hearing Fan Zehao's words, Huangfu Xu suppressed a smile. These two sentences were quite sharp, and he wrote them down directly in plain language without hesitation.
Fan Zehao watched him write, stroking his chin and frowning in thought.
"The Jin Kingdom attacked our Yun Kingdom's cities as if they were entering their own homes. I, this prince, took this city from the Jin Kingdom with my own strength and skill. Why should I return it? If they had conquered the Yun Kingdom, would the Emperor simply send a few people to negotiate and get the Yun Kingdom back?"
Huangfu Xu chuckled and reminded Fan Zehao, "That would be the fall of a nation. How could it be returned?"
Fan Zehao gave Huangfu Xu a look. He spread his hands and said ruthlessly, "You, this fool, know this. Does the Emperor not know?"
Being mocked as a fool, Huangfu Xu was immediately displeased and snorted through his nostrils, "You won, so whatever you say is right. I won't argue with you!"
You might want to, but look at your current image in my eyes!
Fan Zehao was too lazy to waste words with him, still contemplating how to write the memorial. Finally, he felt his meaning was clearly expressed and asked Huangfu Xu to add another line.
"I don't need compensation from the Emperor. I, Fan Zehao, have no other hobbies than doting on my wife. I want this city as a gift for my wife. If the Jin Kingdom refuses to give it, I don't mind marching directly to the Jin capital and taking the throne myself. Perhaps selling it would fetch a good sum of money!"
Huangfu Xu looked at Fan Zehao, dumbfounded: "You... are you sure about writing this? Aren't you afraid of the Emperor...?"
"What is there to be afraid of? Write it just like that!"
A man who clawed his way out of a pile of dead bodies wouldn't fear that!
Having received his firm reply, Huangfu Xu immediately wrote it on the memorial, which he would take back to the capital and personally deliver to the Emperor.
As for Fan Zehao, he directly ordered his soldiers to control the city, forbidding them from harming the civilians. However, if anyone rebelled, they were to be arrested and detained for at least a year or two until they became obedient.
He also prepared an invasion plan, stocking up on provisions and having the soldiers ready for combat. If the Jin Kingdom made any move, they wouldn't even need to gather their forces before charging forward.
Inner City, Royal Mansion.
Zong Han looked at Zhao Jiaqi and gave her a thumbs-up: "Marquis Zhen, on the battlefield, he's a tiger in the forest, an eagle on the plains, majestic and awe-inspiring. Within the mansion, however, he's become a harmless little lamb. Your wife is absolutely... formidable!"
Zhao Jiaqi frowned. This man was clearly here to mock her.
She calmly replied, "If you're jealous or envious of my husband, hurry back and find yourself an Empress, and you can live a life like ours!"
Speaking of the Empress, Zong Han's brow furrowed, and he subtly raised his eyebrows, saying, "No rush, no rush, I'll wait another three to five years!"
Hearing this, Zong Han clearly had someone in mind!
This piqued Zhao Jiaqi's curiosity. It was rare to hear Zong Han speak so earnestly about a woman, and to wait three to five years for her. He was truly devoted!
"If you like someone, why wait so long? Use your overbearing, unreasonable nature and your status as Emperor to issue a decree, wouldn't that be simpler? Acting so gentle is not like you!"
And here he was, mocking her husband for being henpecked, only to find that this man was also learning to be gentle from Fan Zehao?
The pot calling the kettle black, and now he'd been proven wrong!
And quite spectacularly!
Rarely, Zong Han's old face flushed red.
It was hard to imagine what a grown man looked like when he became coy, causing Zhao Jiaqi to get goosebumps all over and unable to stand his demeanor.
"I would like to marry her, but she hasn't reached the age of marriage yet. Even if I issued a decree, she wouldn't be under my jurisdiction!"
Not yet of marriageable age?