Unfortunately, there are no "if"s in this world. He soon came to his senses, thinking that no matter how talented his mother was, she was still his mother and would always care about him. Compared to the past, his current life was heaven.
Lately, the Emperor had been extremely vexed. He had purged the court and expelled Prince Ping, but still, he couldn't eliminate them.
General Chen, who was leading the troops, was also growing anxious. He had initially expected a swift return to the capital, but upon reaching Prince Ping's territory, he realized how difficult it was to achieve victory. On open plains, he could have routed the enemy with tactics and strict discipline. However, in the unfamiliar terrain of dense forests and mountains, the enemy could always catch them off guard, leading to a steady and horrifying reduction in their numbers.
One day, as usual, they entered the forest cautiously. They had suffered many setbacks recently. The ground might be booby-trapped with iron spikes, large nets could be hidden overhead, and wild beasts might lurk nearby, all of which required them to take precautions. In the past, they wouldn't have needed to move with such vigilance, eyes and ears open at every step. But after too many bitter experiences, they knew their enemy was cunning and treacherous, and they had slowly learned to be wiser. If given a choice, they truly wished to avoid this forest again, as it was a place where many of their soldiers had fallen and a source of their nightmares. Yet, not entering this forest meant they couldn't reach Prince Ping's heartland, something the Emperor would not tolerate.
The Emperor desired the complete annihilation of Prince Ping, so they could only grit their teeth and press forward. This time, things were different from their expectations. There were no traps on the ground or in the air, and they encountered no ambushes along the way. While this brought some relief, it also filled them with unease, as if a storm was brewing.
Just then, a man dressed as a farmer appeared not far ahead. Upon seeing them, he dropped his belongings in fright and fled.
"Hey, hey, don't run!" the deputy general called out regretfully in the direction the man had disappeared. Although he said this, he himself was hesitant to pursue the woodcutter, fearing it might be another trap.
"Let's go, we'll head that way," the general said, his gaze fixed on the departing figure. He found it hard to believe anyone would be chopping wood in this remote mountain forest. He suspected it was a trap to lure them in. Defying the enemy's intention, they had planned to continue south, but now they decided to head southwest.
However, after a short while, they encountered several more woodcutters dressed similarly, waving at them from a distance. This felt like a provocation, but the general remained unmoved. He pondered the enemy's motive. If he had merely suspected them earlier, their blatant appearance now clearly indicated a desire for them to move in that direction. But they had already changed course once. Heading further west might take them outside Prince Ping's domain, so they had no choice but to alter their course again and continue south.
Along the way, everyone remained silent, save for the sounds of their marching. No other discussions could be heard.
As they walked, mist began to rise around them. "Cover your mouths and noses and proceed with caution," the general shouted, his eyes scanning the front with vigilance. But the mist grew thicker, making progress impossible.
"Ah!" A sudden scream pierced the air. Everyone instinctively looked in the direction of the sound, but no one was to be seen.
Then, something astonishing happened. They realized they had unknowingly entered a swamp. They hadn't noticed it upon entering, as the ground had seemed firm. But now, with their weight pressing down, the surface layer of soil began to sink, unable to bear the load, and swiftly pulled them down. They began to disappear from sight, much like dumplings being dropped into boiling water.
Many had never seen such a place before. They immediately reached out to pull their comrades, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't dislodge them. Slowly, they found themselves sinking too. In a short while, half of their accompanying soldiers were gone.
They finally managed to escape the mist and looked back at the area in silence. Without even encountering a single soldier of Prince Ping, they had lost so many men. Staring at the endless mountain range ahead, a sense of retreat suddenly washed over them.
However, this feeling lasted only for a moment. He then led the remaining soldiers forward. Unknowingly, they reached a place resembling a canyon. The general spotted several carts piled high with dry straw ahead. A scent of oil could be detected from a distance. His heart leaped, and he immediately signaled for everyone to retreat. But it was too late. Flaming arrows shot from all directions, and in an instant, the canyon erupted in fire, filled with screams.
As they fled again, the general looked back at the few individuals who had followed him. Their situation could only be described as tragic. Yet, he dared not stop for a moment, knowing that the enemy would surely send reinforcements. Failure would not only tarnish the Chen family's reputation but also implicate his own family.
Hearing the shouts of the rebel army and the thundering hooves of horses behind them, he dared not delay. Upon returning to the camp, he found himself utterly alone. Tears involuntarily streamed down his face. He knew that his report to the Emperor would inevitably lead to reprimands, possibly even dismissal from office, but the heavy losses of his soldiers could not be concealed.
Indeed, when the Emperor received the urgent report, he had initially expected news of victory. However, upon opening it, he discovered the loss of tens of thousands of troops, and crucially, without having seen a single enemy soldier. How could the Emperor not be furious? He immediately reprimanded the elderly General Chen.
Members of the Chen faction dared not speak, knowing that unfavorable news had arrived from the front. They anxiously hoped for their sons' safety.
Yang Han Ye was surprised that Prince Ping was proving so resilient. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, other feudal lords, who had been observing for months, saw the imperial forces focused entirely on Prince Ping. They had quietly begun occupying surrounding counties. Upon hearing this, the Emperor looked with anger at the feudal lords and their heirs who were confined to the capital.
If Prince Ping weren't tying up all the imperial forces, the Emperor would have severely punished these minor actions. A stern warning was certainly in order, but he couldn't dispatch troops. With so many feudal lords, if he dispersed his forces, he wouldn't be able to make an example of anyone. Instead, they would believe the imperial court was at its limit and become even more audacious.
The only one who remained inactive was King Yang, which caused the Emperor to raise an eyebrow, further increasing his favor towards him.
"My Lord, everyone else is secretly expanding their power, while we are still stagnant. By the time we want to catch up, it will be too late. She is just a woman with limited experience. You cannot always listen to her; you must have your own judgment." The advisors looked at their lord's unhurried demeanor and couldn't help but feel anxious. They had followed him with the intention of achieving great merit and bringing glory to their families. They hadn't expected their lord to heed her words and act so absurdly.