Crossing the Shuangchi River a Second Time

"Don't worry, Imperial Brother. If it truly comes to the point where there is no other way, I can offer myself up." Xue Ke said innocently, "A marriage alliance. As a child of the Royal Family, that is my purpose. And with the Red Assembly acting this way, they are probably after a legitimate claim as well. Perhaps they want to seize Heaven Dou's regime in a rightful manner. Rebels... that reputation is never pleasant." Xue Qinghe was surprised, but upon careful consideration, he felt that his cheap little sister's idea was indeed a possible path. The Red Assembly's ideals were said to be "outrageous and rebellious," and most of its followers were commoners. Yet this was ultimately a world ruled by Soul Masters. If they wanted to seize Heaven Dou, they truly needed a righteous cause to persuade the major Soul Master clans and sects; they could not possibly use violence to suppress everything. That would be meaningless, and it would also contradict the Red Assembly's own ideals... ... Xue Ye's army, having rushed to Jialing Pass, cleaned up the mess and, not daring to delay, headed south again along the border of the Hagen Das Kingdom toward Longxing City, seeking only to reclaim it and resist the Star Luo Army. Although he had learned from the soldiers at Jialing Pass that Tang San and the others had gone north, he did not believe they would attack Heaven Dou City. What could a force of just over ten thousand accomplish? Yet just as Xue Ye had finished discussing a rough strategy with the marshals and generals, a messenger from Heaven Dou City came to report, "Your Majesty! Bad news! The Red Assembly has already reached Heaven Dou City! Even the city gates have been breached!" Half a month had