Enemy soldiers are pressing on the border, and the hearts of the people are filled with panic. Even though Duke of Chengguo and the five grand armies are stationed and assembled, a dark cloud still envelops the entire northern lands.
Looking around, the bustling marketplace has vanished. Soldiers rush to and fro without a moment's pause, each fully armed and formidable, inciting fear in all who look upon them.
On the road, people are shoulder to shoulder, pushing carts and speeding horses, taking their families and departing from their villages. According to the arrangements of the feudal authority, they converge towards the well-defended Prefecture and the nearby forts.
People can leave, but many livestock and grains must be abandoned unavoidably; the loss is inevitable. However, as long as the people live and the Duke of Chengguo holds the border and repels the Jin thief, these losses are nothing at all.
Moreover, the northern lands have been peaceful for ten years, and everyone believes that the Duke of Chengguo can still maintain its security. So, although dark clouds loom, the hurrying and relocating citizens are busy but not in panic.
But when the news reached the capital, everyone in the capital panicked. Stable for ten years, yet the memory of the Jin thief's iron hooves breaking through the national capital over twenty years ago, capturing even the emperor, still lingers in many people's hearts.
Even in the imperial court, the atmosphere is tense.
Court assemblies stretch from before dawn until dusk, and only then can court officials and dignitaries return home, resuming the following day.
"All of western and eastern Hebei are under martial law, and all regions are to close their doors and clear the way," Ning Yan declared, then looking at everyone, "Now that the enemy slaves are pressing on us, we must unite and push back the bandits."
The emperor sitting on the dragon throne, appearing somewhat anxious and uneasy, interrupted him.
"I don't want to hear anymore about what the Duke of Chengguo is doing," he said, his expression full of exhaustion, clearly from several sleepless nights, "Do we have confirmation on how many enemy slaves have come this time? Who is their leader?"
Before Ning Yan could speak, Huang Cheng, sitting by the side, quietly spoke first.
"Five thousand enemy slaves, led by the Roc King, Tuoba Wu," he said.
Hearing this number and the leader, a collective gasp resonated throughout the imperial court.
Fifty thousand!
"Back during the national crisis, there were only thirty thousand Jin thieves," an official with whitened hair and beard muttered.
"And this time it's actually Tuoba Wu leading them," another official mumbled to himself.
In the past, his brother Tuoba Su was shot dead amidst the chaos by the Duke of Chengguo, throwing the Jin royal family into disarray. Tuoba Wu, after five years of exile, returned to slay his younger brother, supported the ascension of Tuoba Su's eldest son, and was titled the Roc King.
Tuoba Wu had a good relationship with his brother, and now he's approaching with menacing force, undoubtedly to seek revenge.
Ning Yan clearly saw the emperor's complexion turn pale and, seeing the atmosphere in the court, he hurriedly raised his hand to gesture.
"They seek revenge? We are the ones with a deep vendetta," he said in a stern voice, "They have fifty thousand troops, and our great Zhou has several hundred thousand strong soldiers and horses, what is there to fear?"
He then bowed to the emperor.
"To the north, we have the Duke of Chengguo commanding the five armies, to the west, we have Taiyuan, to the east, Shandong, to the south, the Generals of Henan Province. Our great Zhou is like a fortress made of copper walls and iron bastions, no matter how fiercely the Jin thief attacks, they will surely fail and be wiped out."
Yes, ten years of peace has nourished our strong soldiers and horses.
"An army trained for a thousand days is used in a moment of need. Your Majesty, our great Zhou's soldiers are not ones to fear the Jin thief. When the Jin thief carved up our territories and took our people, today is also the day when we seek revenge and reclaim our lost lands."
Several more ministers stepped forward and kowtowed.
"Your Majesty, the coffin of Emperor Renxiao is still held captive in Jin Territory. For the safety of the people, we keep our promises, but now the Jin thief has broken the agreement. This minister pleads with Your Majesty to command the grand army to welcome back the spirit of Emperor Renxiao," they said, their voices choked with emotion, and two elderly ministers began to sob, banging their heads on the ground, their white beards and hair more disheveled.
This swept away the previous atmosphere of dread and shock in the grand hall, replaced instead by righteous indignation.
And from righteous indignation comes the power to act.
"Your Majesty, please let us battle!"
"Your Majesty, please mobilize the army to proceed north."
More and more ministers stood up, each speaking in turn.
The emperor too was comforted by this righteous indignation, his expression returning to calm as he sat up straight.
"My ministers..." he began to say.
But just as he spoke, a sharp report from outside reached them.
"Urgent report! Urgent report! Yaozi Pass has fallen! The Jin thieves have crossed the Juma River, Rongcheng has fallen, Xiongzhou is in dire straits!"
Accompanied by shouts, an Imperial Guard rushed in, followed by a eunuch, who was holding a document high in his hand.
The court instantly fell silent as a graveyard.
Ning Yunzhao, standing at the end of the line, raised his head.
"This is, indeed, not good," he muttered to himself.
The great hall became as bustling as a marketplace.
The eunuchs brought over a map, with the emperor having already descended from the dragon throne; all the court officials crowded around the map, watching as several military generals pointed out specific locations.
"This is the same route used in the previous raid on Hejian Prefecture."
"Last time, overlooking it could be excused as understandable, but what about this time?"
"After preparing for war for so long, to let them easily break through like this—has the Ansu Army on that side died?"
Noisy shouts and questioning voices continued unabated.
The emperor's forehead began to bead with sweat as he leaned on a eunuch's arm.
"Where is the Duke of Chengguo?" he asked.
Ning Yan pointed out a location with his hand.
"The Duke of Chengguo is currently in Sui City," he said. "Leading the Guangxin Army in defense."
"What defense? What defense? The Jin thieves are already here..." a high official said anxiously.
"So what if they are here?" Ning Yan also raised his voice, interrupting the official's words and pointed at the Juma River on the map, "With an army of fifty thousand Jurchen people sending their challenge, in high spirits, they've breached the Juma River, so what's so surprising about them breaching the Prefecture?"
The people around were momentarily stunned, and the noise ceased.
"The war has just begun; victory and defeat are not yet certain. A momentary victory is not truly a victory, and a temporary defeat is not truly a defeat," Ning Yan continued, pointing again on the map, "I believe, before long, when the Duke of Chengguo's army arrives, that will be the actual battle. And I believe, the Duke of Chengguo will surely win!"
The great hall fell into a silence, which eased the irrational panic and chaos from just moments before.
"Right, Lord Ning makes a lot of sense."
"Exactly, although a challenge has been issued, this is still a surprise attack."
"With just three small forts at the Juma River, how could they possibly stand against an army of fifty thousand."
The great hall buzzed with discussion again, with several military generals stepping forward to indicate on the map the routes for amassing troops and fortifications of forces like those in Shun'an and Yongxing Army, repeatedly asserting that the troop strength was sufficient.
The emperor's countenance improved as he leaned on the eunuch.
"Since the Jin thieves dare to invade, we will make them realize that if we could make them retreat a great distance ten years ago, today, ten years later, we still can," Ning Yan said solemnly. "In this battle, let the Jin thieves hear the name of Great Zhou and tremble, making sure they never dare set foot into our Great Zhou territory again."
Ning Yan turned and bowed to the emperor.
"Your Majesty, may you be eternally victorious!" he said, bowing deeply.
All the court officials followed suit and bowed.
"Eternally victorious, eternally victorious."
The emperor looked at his officials and eked out a smile.
"Good, good, eternally victorious," he said, composing himself.
The atmosphere in the great hall turned fervent again, with almost everyone bowing deeply and shouting, except for the ever-stoic Lu Yunqi and Huang Cheng, who was granted the privilege of sitting in front of the emperor.
For Lu Yunqi, aside from the emperor's words, he was deaf to everything else, whether matters of state or the lives of the common people.
As for Huang Cheng, he sat slightly hunched over without raising his hand, his downcast gaze seemingly asleep.