Fighting Bloody Battles To Defend The Border, The Love-Brained Empress Ordered The Troops To Withdraw? - Chapter 4

Since its founding, the Dayu Dynasty had always been a realm led by the Han people.

Yet when Emperor Gaozu first established it, it was merely one of many regional powers in a fractured land, holding sway over the south, while the northern territories remained under the grip of the so-called “barbarian” tribes.

Emperor Gaozu, however, was not a man content with mediocrity. Though his military campaigns did not yield complete reunification, he left behind a defiant strategy: no tributes, no political marriages, no indemnities, and absolutely no surrender of land.

Then came three brilliant sovereigns — Jingwen, Cheng, and Hui — each further solidifying the empire’s foundations.

Under their reign, Dayu reached the pinnacle of its power.

It was Emperor Wu, though, who shifted from defense to expansion. From the southern plains to the frigid north, his forces swept like a storm, reclaiming the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures and asserting control over the northern frontier.

The campaigns pushed far into the steppes.

The northern tribes, stunned and shattered, fled in disarray — their cries echoing like children’s wails in the night.

To secure the empire’s northern passage, Emperor Wu ordered the construction of Shanhe City, turning it into a mighty fortress standing guard against invasions.

Upon its walls, he left an inscription:
“Barbarians shall not set foot in Dayu territory!”

His name thundered through the land like the roar of a god.

But triumph came at a cost. His endless wars drained the treasury and exhausted the people. By the end of his reign, famine and suffering swept the empire.

At that moment, the throne passed to Emperor Xuan.

Unlike his predecessor, he turned inward — lowering taxes, reforming corrupt officials, and moving the imperial capital northward to Beijing. He laid down a new decree:
“From this day forth, emperors shall defend the gates of the empire, and kings must die for their land.”

Faced with continued threats from beyond the Great Wall, Emperor Xuan chose a different path. Rather than meeting blade with blade, he sowed discord among the tribes — driving wedges between them, stirring rivalries, and letting them consume each other from within.

And it worked.

As the nomadic powers weakened, Dayu grew ever stronger.

This was the dynasty’s golden era.

But toward the end of Emperor Xuan’s life, an ominous issue arose — he had no heir.

His sons had died young. His brothers and uncles lacked the capability to lead. The future of the great empire hung in the balance.

In a bold move, he chose to back his daughter, Xiao Mingzhao, to inherit the throne.

Naturally, this met with resistance. But rather than force the matter, Emperor Xuan simply brought his daughter to court daily, allowing her to learn, observe, and gradually earn the respect of the officials.

And she did.

Her sharp mind and steady resolve gradually won over even the most traditional ministers.

When the emperor passed, Xiao Mingzhao — the first female ruler in Dayu history — ascended the throne.

Early in her reign, she continued her father’s legacy. The nation remained strong, the borders secure, the people content. Many believed she would be a stable leader.

But eight years ago, everything changed.

She proclaimed a new doctrine — to build a powerful nation “in the name of love.”

From that moment, the court began to unravel.

Li Yunfei, a battle-hardened general, watched with growing unease as the empress and her court’s decisions became increasingly erratic and emotionally driven.

He kept seeing one term flash in his mind — “love-brained.”

Could a mighty empire really be ruled by sentiment alone?

He had no answer.

This world, so different from the one he once knew, left him disoriented. The only thing he could cling to was a promise: to protect the people, no matter the cost.

As he pondered, a sudden commotion broke out outside his door.

The crackling of torches lit up the night. Li Yunfei stepped out and found a grizzled veteran — one of his own men, fresh from a brutal battle, his arm lost in combat — kneeling before him, desperate.

“General!” the soldier cried. “They say the empress has ordered you to withdraw from Shanhe City… to hand it over to the barbarians?”

“If you leave, they’ll slaughter everyone! My family, my ancestors… we’ve lived here for generations! If you go, we’ll all die!”

“I’m not afraid of dying, General.”

“But I can’t bear to see my family butchered!”

Tears streamed down his face, every word pierced with grief.

Around them, soldiers who had just fought and bled stared on in silence. Their hopes had barely begun to return — and now they were told to abandon it all?

Li Yunfei grasped the old soldier’s shoulder, helping him up. His voice rang out with conviction:

“I said it before — I will never abandon the people of Shanhe City!”

“I swear tonight: no matter the orders, no matter the cost, I will defend this city and its people until my last breath!”

The vow echoed across the walls.

The soldier wept with gratitude.

The surrounding warriors stood taller, their sorrow hardened into steel.

Li Yunfei’s eyes sharpened.

“Where is Duan Peng?” he called.

“Here, General!” the deputy stepped forward.

“Gather every soldier who can still fight. We march in half an hour!”

Duan Peng froze in surprise.

“General, we’ve just survived a brutal clash. The men are exhausted… is there a new threat?”

He shouldn’t have questioned it — his faith in Li Yunfei was absolute — but the order was shocking.

Li Yunfei answered calmly.

“You’re right — we are tired. But tell me, Duan Peng, how tired do you think the defeated barbarians are?”

He gazed into the starless sky.

“The darkness favors us. Heaven is offering an opening — we’d be fools not to strike.”

Duan Peng’s eyes lit up.

A surprise night raid!

The enemy would never expect it — not after their own devastating loss.

He nodded, eyes blazing. “Yes, General!”

He moved quickly to gather the troops, barking orders with renewed vigor.

“The General said it himself — battles of life and death are fought in a single breath! If we hold even one more breath than the enemy, we win!”

Only 2,000 elite warriors were selected.

As Li Yunfei moved to arm himself, the wounded veteran stepped forward.

“General! Let me fight too!”

His eyes were fierce. His arm — gone. Bl00d still oozed from the wound.

Li Yunfei paused.

Then handed him his own sword.

“Then come with me,” he said. “Be my personal guard.”

“Protect me — and protect Shanhe City.”

The veteran saluted, tears mixing with firelight.

“To fight beside the General is the greatest honor of my life!”

“No,” Li Yunfei replied. “I won’t let you die. I want you to live — to live, and help me defend the people of this city!”

“Understood, General!”

A roaring fire surged in the veteran’s chest.

Moments later, under cover of night, Li Yunfei and his handpicked troops stormed out of Shanhe City — toward the barbarian camp, toward destiny.