The King Li's army lacked combat experience. As time passed, the imperial court finally received good news.
The setbacks on the front lines made King Li's heart tighten. He immediately ordered his sons to pack their belongings and rush to the front lines, vowing that they would never let the imperial army enter, or they, father and sons, would have nowhere to be buried.
Everyone knew the seriousness of the situation, and no one dared to complain. Although the imperial army had been corrupt for many years, they outnumbered King Li's forces. King Li's fief was flat and open, with no place to hide. He led his men in a desperate resistance, but they quickly lost two cities. Seeing this, the other vassal kings, fearing they would miss out on the spoils, joined the fray one after another.
King Li faced attacks from all sides. Of course, Yang Hanye did not hold back at this time. He abandoned his usual laid-back demeanor and personally led his men to seize territory.
In just three months, King Li's efforts were in vain. After the other vassal kings conquered the cities, they discovered that the rumors were true: in King Li's fief, from small merchants to officials, the warehouses were filled with silver that made people's eyes turn red. Even Wu Caiwei was shocked.
Glancing back, she saw the greedy looks in the eyes of those who followed her. Knowing that they had acted so eagerly with ulterior motives, she understood that a commander could not be too strict with their subordinates. Thus, she signaled them to take some of the silver, and the rest was collected and handed over to Yang Hanye.
Seeing her give the order, everyone scattered, afraid they would take too little. However, as they started taking the silver, they encountered a serious problem: they had nowhere to put it. After much effort, they stuffed themselves and everything they could carry full. Looking at the remaining mountains of silver, they felt a pang of regret, wishing they had worn more clothes so they could carry more.
Wu Caiwei knew that human greed was endless. Seeing that it was enough, she ordered her men to quickly pack the remaining items. Even so, the leftover silver left Yang Hanye and King Yang stunned. They had never seen so much gold and silver in their lives. The thought that King Li had hidden it so well for so many years, and they had been kept in the dark, filled them with resentment. Consequently, they attacked his territory with even greater ferocity.
King Li and his sons knew they were doomed. When the city fell, they took their own lives. How much silver the Emperor confiscated from his territory, they did not know. They only knew that not long after, the Emperor ordered the construction of palaces, and the funds were rumored to be abundant, with the national treasury overflowing with silver.
Of course, King Li's swift defeat was also related to the "Hong Ying Great Cannons" sent by the imperial court. Firearms were not yet widespread in this era. It was unknown where the court obtained these cannons. Perhaps this era harbored hidden masters or future travelers. She tried her best to remain low-key and concealed.
Unfortunately, she was unaware that by helping Yang Hanye with so many tasks, her name had quietly spread among the various vassal kings and the imperial court. As soon as she and Yang Hanye returned to King Yang's fief, she received a letter. Reading its contents, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.
She couldn't believe that in just three months of her absence, he had fallen into such a miserable state. She couldn't help but shake her head. She had warned him long ago that his eldest sister-in-law had powerful backing and that he should be cautious. At the time, he had confidently declared that he would expose the mastermind behind it. To her surprise, not only did he fail to find the person behind the scenes, but he also got himself into trouble.
Seeing him fully armed, sword in hand, ready to leave, Zeng Renjie worriedly followed her. Wu Caiwei immediately understood his intention and sighed, "They are waiting for us to fall into their trap. If you were as skilled in martial arts as those in the past, I would definitely bring you along. Since they sent us this letter, they know everything about us. They might have already prepared countermeasures for the powder we scattered. If you come with me, you won't help; instead, you'll just be a burden. After I leave, pay attention to your own safety. There might be spies arranged in the mansion. Besides, if something happens to me, someone will be out there to look for me."
Although she knew her words were practical, Chen Renjie couldn't help but feel a little sad and disappointed. For the first time, he resented his current body. However, he knew that Wu Caiwei wasn't disregarding his feelings. It was just that only by speaking the truth could she prevent him from stubbornly insisting on his own way. He could only watch her leave.
Wu Caiwei went alone to a mountain hollow twenty li outside the city. She lit a torch, revealing her location, and quietly waited for them to arrive. Perhaps they had already arrived and were confirming if she had truly come alone. After an unknown amount of time, a group of men in black appeared on the mountain in front of her. They all held torches, illuminating the sky, and their leader had a knife at the throat of He Sheng.
"Madam Chen truly has remarkable courage, daring to face us alone. Outsiders say that Madam Chen has a new lover and has forgotten her son. We never expected that as soon as her son got into trouble, she would rush here, anxious and concerned. Truly, a mother's love for her son is profound!" These people had already inquired about them and were well aware of what had happened recently.
"I am ashamed to say, I had warned him long ago that his eldest sister-in-law had powerful backing and that he should be cautious. I never expected him to fall into your trap. I am truly heartbroken and disappointed in him; I wish this son had never been born." Wu Caiwei said this while shaking her head.
He Sheng, already feeling guilty, lowered his head further upon hearing his mother's words. If one looked closely, one could see the glint of tears in his eyes.
"Madam Chen truly has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. If you truly didn't care about him, would you be standing here before me at this moment?" The leader did not believe her at all, thinking she was saying these words to deceive him into not using He Sheng to threaten her.
"I merely wanted to see what your purpose was in summoning me here in the dead of night," Wu Caiwei said calmly, meeting his gaze without flinching. In truth, there was a part of her sincerity in her words. If the other party were not her mission target, she would not have bothered. She had already warned him, and he had stubbornly gone his own way, deserving his fate. She had already done her utmost for him.
The two stared at each other in silence. The leader's brow furrowed. He felt that the woman opposite him was not faking it. He glanced with some disdain at the man quietly weeping beside him and, considering his recent behavior, felt that if he were Wu Caiwei, he would also regret giving birth to such a useless son. Sudan Novel Network
His plan to firmly grasp Wu Caiwei by using He Sheng had diminished considerably. He immediately became serious and said solemnly, "We are sent by the imperial court. His Majesty greatly admires your talent and wishes for you to join the imperial ranks. Of course, His Majesty is never stingy with those who have made contributions to the court. We hope you will seriously consider it. What future is there in following a vassal king? Only the Emperor is the true Son of Heaven, the symbol of light."