Night had already fallen, but Lu Chen remained in his study, eyes fixed intently on the expansive map of Daxia sprawled across his desk—particularly the terrain of Beijun.
Though the map was only a hand-drawn sketch created by military scouts, it still held significant reference value. Every hill, gorge, and trail mattered now.
Lu Chen's thoughts were razor-focused. If he wanted to fully unleash the destructive power of the howitzers in his possession, the ideal scenario would be to lure all 300,000 barbarian cavalrymen into a region of narrow terrain. Once they were tightly packed into a bottleneck, he could deploy the "tie-the-bag" strategy—trapping them in a pincer and denying them any path of retreat.
Of course, this idea was little more than a theoretical plan for now. Pulling it off in practice would be incomparably difficult.
Whether or not the barbarians could be baited into such a trap would depend heavily on the judgment—and perhaps the arrogance—of their commander.
Just as Lu Chen's thoughts deepened, a gentle knock came from the study door.
"Chen'er, may I come in?"
It was Chu Yuqin's voice. Her tone was soft, but carried an undercurrent of concern.
"Mn, come in," Lu Chen responded absentmindedly, his gaze not leaving the map.
The door opened, and Chu Yuqin stepped into the room. The sight that greeted her made her heart tighten—Lu Chen was completely absorbed in the map before him. Ever since his meeting with Qin Yushan earlier that day, he had locked himself in the study, skipping dinner and speaking to no one.
Something serious had happened.
"Chen'er," she asked with clear worry in her voice, "what's wrong?"
Lu Chen didn't hide anything from her. She wasn't an outsider—and she had long earned his trust.
He said slowly, "The Barbarian King's Court has issued a formal decree. They've mobilized 300,000 troops, marching south with the intention of seizing Beijun. Their goal is to establish a new nation here—with Yancheng as its capital."
Chu Yuqin froze on the spot.
In this world, the outcome of a large-scale war could not be determined by a single master, no matter how powerful. It wasn't something even a few peak experts could sway.
If the 300,000 barbarian cavalry truly descended on Beijun, there was no way the region could hold out with its current forces—certainly not with just a handful of elites.
It was no wonder Lu Chen had lost his appetite and shut himself away.
She asked cautiously, "Chen'er... is this information reliable?"
Lu Chen nodded gravely. "It came from the Jinyiwei stationed on the grasslands."
Chu Yuqin fell silent.
She had felt powerless when the Blood Moon Tower sent assassins after Lu Chen. Against 300,000 battle-hardened cavalry, what could she do?
This wasn't a problem she could interfere in—not even slightly.
"I plan to transfer Zixuan and the others to Anping City," Lu Chen continued. "After that, I'll lead thirty thousand soldiers to face the barbarian cavalry head-on at Yancheng."
Anping City, located further south within Beijun, was still part of the northern border—but if the worst came to pass and Beijun fell, Mu Zixuan and the others could retreat swiftly from there, making their way back to the capital with greater ease.
Chu Yuqin was stunned. "Chen'er... you can't."
"That's three hundred thousand cavalrymen!"
"How can thirty thousand Beijun troops possibly go up against them?!"
Though she had never set foot on a battlefield, she still understood what such a number represented.
Unlike the exaggerated troop claims of dynasties—where so-called hundreds of thousands or even millions of soldiers were often inflated figures padded with logistic personnel and non-combatants—the barbarian army's numbers were real.
If the Barbarian Court said they had 300,000 cavalry, that meant they had 300,000 true warriors—each one a trained and seasoned fighter.
They were not soldiers in name alone. These were battle-tested veterans who lived and died in the saddle.
She simply couldn't imagine how Lu Chen intended to hold the city with so few men.
Yet Lu Chen only smiled, confidence glimmering in his eyes. "Aunt Chu... have you forgotten that I was born under a destined star?"
But his words failed to soothe her heart. Chu Yuqin shook her head. "Chen'er, I know you're destined for greatness. But no matter what fate says, you're still just one man. You may possess strength beyond others, but you're not enough to stop 300,000 cavalry."
"And don't forget—the barbarian army is bound to have powerful experts among them. Perhaps even Grandmasters."
Lu Chen's gaze never left the map. Calmly, he replied, "That's not what I meant."
"What I meant was—I have something even more terrifying in my hands."
Chu Yuqin paused.
Suddenly, memories of Lu Chen's strange and powerful weapons came flooding back—those thunderous, explosive instruments that had once shocked even her.
If Lu Chen possessed a large stockpile of such weapons—or if the royal palace had learned how to produce them in quantity—then maybe, just maybe, thirty thousand could defeat three hundred thousand.
"Chen'er," she asked, her voice steadier now, "are you saying those weapons of yours can really stop a full cavalry charge?"
Lu Chen still didn't answer directly. Instead, he traced a finger along the map and murmured, "Aunt Chu... do you know what worries me most right now?"
She looked down at the map, confused by the question.
Given everything that had been said, wouldn't his greatest fear be the barbarians overrunning Beijun? Yet his tone didn't reflect that.
If not that... then what?
Lu Chen looked up, his expression unreadable. "What I fear most—is that they'll escape."
"That we won't be able to kill them all."
Chu Yuqin: "...???"
She blinked, dumbfounded. Her mind blanked for a moment.
Forget defending against 300,000 elite cavalry—he wanted to trap them? To wipe them out entirely?
Wasn't this too outrageous?
Anyone else would have thought the Northern King had lost his mind from fear.
That was three hundred thousand troops.
All mounted, swift, deadly. Even if you somehow miraculously held them back—keeping them? That was sheer madness.
Chu Yuqin sighed, unable to argue further. "Chen'er... I'm just a woman. I don't understand the ways of war. I only hope that you'll remain safe."
Lu Chen glanced up and saw the anxiety etched across her delicate features—her furrowed brows and worried gaze.
He chuckled gently, "Don't worry, Aunt Chu. If the situation truly becomes hopeless, I'll find a way to escape."
"For someone like me, slipping through an enemy encirclement isn't that difficult."
Chu Yuqin asked, "Then... when do you plan to move Zixuan and the others to Anping City?"
"The sooner, the better," Lu Chen replied. "There's a lot I need to prepare in advance."
Then, his gaze turned solemn. "Aunt Chu, I hope you'll go with them—and protect them in my stead."
This time, she didn't hesitate.
She knew that in a large-scale war like this, she couldn't contribute meaningfully. Her presence on the battlefield might only hold him back.
"Alright," she nodded softly. "If Beijun truly falls, I'll take Zixuan and the others back to the capital. You focus on holding Yancheng."
With her agreement, a weight seemed to lift from Lu Chen's shoulders.
Just then, a maid's voice came from outside the study.
"Your Highness, an urgent message from the Royal Guards!"
"Enter," Lu Chen called.
The maid stepped in and handed him a sealed letter. Lu Chen broke it open, scanned its contents, and narrowed his eyes.
He murmured to himself, "Seems like before we face the barbarian horde... there's still a small matter that needs settling."
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