Fighting Bloody Battles To Defend The Border, The Love-Brained Empress Ordered The Troops To Withdraw? - Chapter 3

“Dowry!”

That single word hit Li Yunfei like a hammer to the chest.

His face went pale.

Shanhe City—defended with the bl00d and lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

The northern stronghold of the Dayu Dynasty.

The most treacherous and critical border pass in the realm.

And now… they were going to just give it away?

As a wedding gift?

What kind of dowry could possibly represent the sacrifice and loyalty of so many soldiers?

Wang Hai, the old eunuch, still basked in the excitement of the Empress’s wedding and hadn’t noticed the storm brewing on Li Yunfei’s face. Smiling contentedly, he stepped closer and spoke in a voice meant only for the two of them:

“General Li, before I departed, Her Majesty summoned me in private to deliver a message.”

“She knows you have feelings for her.”

“She knows you can’t live without her.”

“But Her Majesty has chosen her own happiness… and she’s sorry for what that means for you.”

“But she also intends to make it up to you.”

Then Wang Hai stepped back, his voice suddenly raised for all to hear:

“By imperial decree, effective immediately, Li Yunfei is promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry. He is to lead his forces out of Shanhe City and proceed to the capital to pay respects to Her Majesty—”

But Li Yunfei abruptly raised a hand, cutting him off.

His gaze turned icy.

He had never chased rank or riches. He didn’t seek honor for its own sake.

If he was to be promoted, let it be for safeguarding the people. For shielding helpless civilians from invaders. For expanding the land and giving the people peace.

But to be promoted because of some entanglement with the Empress?

That would be a disgrace.

A stain on the red-hot sincerity in his chest.

He stepped forward, eyes locked on Wang Hai, and asked in a low, sharp voice:

“Tell me, Lord Wang—when Her Majesty made this decision, did she once consider the soldiers who gave their lives defending this land?”

“Did she think about the civilians in Shanhe City, who will be slaughtered without protection?”

“Did she forget the centuries of bl00d between our people and the barbarians?”

“Just for her own desires—she’s willing to throw it all away?”

“She might be able to, but can the soldiers? Can the people of Shanhe City?”

His voice thundered through the hall.

Suddenly, he snatched the decree from Wang Hai’s hand—but he didn’t read it.

Instead, he forced the eunuch to look where he was pointing—with the tip of his spear.

Up on the hall’s highest beam hung a plaque, golden characters bold and sharp:

“Protect the Nation, Defend the People.”

Li Yunfei’s voice was steady and resolute.

“See that?”

“That plaque has hung there since Emperor Wu built Shanhe Pass—the strongest pass in the world. It represents the unwavering belief of every border general who has come before me.”

“Each of those four words is carved deep into our hearts.”

“I may not be the most talented, but I have the honor of standing as Shanhe City’s guardian. I will uphold the will of those who came before me.”

“I will not allow a single barbarian hoof to tread on this land.”

“As long as I draw breath—they will not pass!”

Wang Hai was stunned, shaking with fear. His voice trembled: “You… You dare disobey the imperial decree?”

Li Yunfei didn’t look at him.

Instead, he stared up at the words on the plaque with unwavering calm.

“You misunderstand. I am a loyal subject of Dayu. I would never defy the throne.”

“But…”

“A general in the field… has the right not to follow orders blindly.”

“Please return to the capital and persuade Her Majesty to reconsider.”

“Do not gamble with the lives of a million people!”

And with that, Li Yunfei crushed the imperial decree into dust.

“You… you… you…” Wang Hai was nearly speechless.

In all his years delivering imperial edicts, he had never once seen anyone refuse one—let alone destroy it!

That was treason.

A crime punishable by execution—not just of the offender, but of their entire clan.

He was livid, but before he could respond, a sharp-faced, younger eunuch stepped forward and shrieked:

“Li Yunfei! How dare you obstruct Her Majesty’s marriage?! This is a joyous national event—and your actions are nothing short of rebellion!”

“You’re lawless! Arrogant beyond measure!”

Li Yunfei turned to look at him.

His eyes, like a winter storm, flashed with fury.

Without a word, he drew his blade.

A flash of steel—

And the eunuch’s head fell from his shoulders.

The hall fell silent.

Wang Hai collapsed onto the corpse, wailing as though it were his own son.

Li Yunfei’s voice was quiet but firm:

“I swore to protect the people and this land. I will not let a petty eunuch interfere.”

Wang Hai’s eyes burned with rage—but the moment he met Li Yunfei’s gaze, felt the iron weight of his killing intent, all his remaining words died in his throat.

Finally, he spat bitterly, “Li Yunfei… You’ll regret what you’ve done today!”

Then he turned and fled with his entourage, not even daring to spend the night in Shanhe City.

He just ran.

The atmosphere in the great hall turned tense.

Every man here had just survived a brutal battle. The idea of handing over the city they fought so hard to defend—especially to the very enemy they’d been fighting for generations—was unbearable.

But…

Openly defying and destroying an imperial edict?

That was no small thing.

This was a crime that could cost them their lives—their families—their entire bloodlines.

For a moment, unease rippled through the ranks.

Li Yunfei sensed it immediately. Before he could speak, Duan Peng stepped forward and addressed the soldiers:

“Brothers, do not be afraid.”

“Her Majesty is wise. I believe this decree is the result of poor counsel, not her true intention. Once General Li presents the situation clearly, Her Majesty will surely understand—and rescind the order.”

He continued:

“Her Majesty may not be aware of just how dangerous the grassland barbarians are. If they take Shanhe City without a fight, the northern border will collapse.”

“With no defenses, their cavalry could reach the capital in a matter of days.”

“And that… would be the fall of our nation.”

“Her Majesty would never allow Dayu to fall into ruin.”

“So we trust General Li to explain things, and trust that Her Majesty will correct this mistake. She will not punish us.”

The soldiers began to calm down.

Yes—Shanhe City was the gateway to the capital.

If it fell, the barbarians could bypass the five military towns and strike straight into the empire’s heart.

If the Empress understood that, how could she possibly use Shanhe City as a dowry?

Their fears slowly eased.

Li Yunfei stepped forward and offered his own words of reassurance, settling the rest of the unrest. One by one, the soldiers departed.

Soon, only Li Yunfei remained in the main hall.

His eyes lingered on the plaque: “Protect the Nation, Defend the People.”

But worry gnawed at his heart.

It was easy to calm others—but not himself.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong.

He had to understand the world he had come to.

He had to piece together the broken memories in his mind.

With that thought, he returned to his study.

He dug into historical records, triggered memory after memory from his past life…

And gradually…

A clearer picture began to take shape.