Two Chubby Babies

Northern Barbarians.

After the celebration ended, Luo Shenhuang ordered the Divine Phoenix Army to return to the capital.

In the future, this barbarian land would be completely incorporated into the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, becoming vast pastureland where Great Zhou's people could raise cattle and sheep!

Naturally, their triumphant return was far faster than their journey there!

In just a few days, the Great Zhou Divine Phoenix Army reached the Great Zhou border and rested within Duan Yun Pass, the crucial Northern Barbarian stronghold they had captured earlier!

Though only a little over a month had passed, Ding Hao could not help feeling emotional upon returning to Duan Yun Pass. Before, he had merely been a useless death-row convict, but now he was a fifth-level True Martial expert and had even been appointed in advance by Luo Shenhuang as the new army commander.

It could be said that in just over a month, he had already defied heaven and changed his fate!

"The Imperial Edict has arrived!!"

On the same day the Divine Phoenix Army reached Duan Yun Pass, the eunuch Wang Weitong arrived as well, bringing three Imperial Edicts—two open and one secret.

Luo Shenhuang immediately sent for Ding Hao to receive the edict.

And it was not just him. Zhang Dalong, Ding Yishan, and the other Divine Phoenix Army commanders had all gathered outside Duan Yun Pass. At their head stood Luo Shenhuang, clad in golden armor and red robe, a gleaming silver longsword hanging at her waist!

Across from the Divine Phoenix Army officers stood a group of senior eunuchs. Their faces were effeminate, yet their temples bulged high.

The True Qi within them surged vast and mighty; every one of them was an advanced True Martial expert.

Especially Wei Tong, their leader. The aura he radiated had clearly reached the Grandmaster Realm, and was even three parts stronger than Man Potian, the Northern Barbarian commander-in-chief.

"Such a formidable lineup!"

"Looks like that bitch Xia Weiyang truly had no intention of letting Luo Shenhuang go!"

Ding Hao frowned inwardly. Ding Yishan and the others also wore grave expressions.

"Divine Phoenix Army Commander Luo Shenhuang, receive the edict!"

Suddenly, Wei Tong shouted coldly and immediately reached out to unfurl an Imperial Edict.

"Your subject, Luo Shenhuang, receives the edict!" Luo Shenhuang promptly knelt.

Wei Tong's voice was shrill. "By the mandate of heaven, the Empress decrees: Luo Shenhuang, commander of the Divine Phoenix Army, has defied the imperial command and arbitrarily exterminated the barbarians... She is ordered to remove her armor and discard her blade, then be escorted back to the capital. Respect this!"

Though they had long been mentally prepared, after hearing the edict, the Divine Phoenix Army soldiers present still erupted into an uproar!

Every face was filled with indignation, unwillingness, and fury!

"Unfair! This is too unfair!"

"The Northern Barbarians deserved to be destroyed! You people would not destroy them, but when our commander did, not only did she receive no merit, you want to punish her instead? What the hell is this!"

"We refuse to accept this! Every soldier of the Divine Phoenix Army refuses to accept this edict!!"

In an instant.

Led by Ding Yishan, the Divine Phoenix Army soldiers all stepped forward. Some of the more hot-blooded ones had already drawn the swords at their waists.

"Hm?"

"What are you doing!"

"Are you trying to rebel!"

Wei Tong seemed to have anticipated this. He immediately glared and barked a reprimand!

The senior eunuchs behind him, all advanced True Martial experts, stepped forward as well. Waves of astonishing, chilling killing intent burst forth in full.

Just as the two sides were about to cross blades, Luo Shenhuang shouted, "Stand down!"

"Commander!"

"You cannot accept this edict! If you do, your life will be over!"

"At worst, we'll—rebel!!"

Ding Yishan and the others refused to yield, looking as though they truly meant to revolt!

This immediately drew a furious shout from Luo Shenhuang.

"Bastards! All of you, stand down! Otherwise, you will be dealt with under military law!"

Only when they saw that Luo Shenhuang was truly enraged did Ding Yishan and the others withdraw unwillingly.

The next moment, Luo Shenhuang respectfully held the Imperial Edict in both hands. "This guilty subject, Luo Shenhuang, receives the edict and gives thanks for Your Majesty's grace!"

Afterward, she removed her golden armor, cast aside the silver blade in her hand, and even willingly allowed her hands to be bound, making Ding Yishan and the others restless with anxiety.

"Death-row convict Ding Hao of the Divine Phoenix Army, step forward and receive the edict!"

Seeing that Luo Shenhuang was being cooperative, Wei Tong nodded and took out another Imperial Edict.

"Me?"

Ding Hao was delighted. This should clearly have been the edict freeing him from death-row status, though whether it would approve his appointment as army commander was another matter!

He immediately stepped forward to receive it. Yet before his knees could touch the ground, Wei Tong's voice rang out ahead of time. "By the mandate of heaven, the Empress decrees... Respect this!"

After he heard it all, Ding Hao's knees froze in midair, and his earlier delight and anticipation twisted into a tangled knot!

Even Luo Shenhuang, Ding Yishan, and the other Divine Phoenix Army soldiers were dumbfounded!

After all, no one understood Ding Hao's achievements in the Northern Expedition better than they did!

First to scale the walls!

Breaking the enemy formation!

Capture the Flag!

Slay the General!

He had gathered all Four Great Military Merits, saved Luo Shenhuang several times, and repeatedly led the Death Row Camp through all manner of difficult missions!

Yet now, the court would not even strip him of his death-row status!

This was simply outrageous. Were they treating soldiers like a joke!!

In an instant, the Divine Phoenix Army soldiers' anger soared to its peak!

Only Zhang Dalong at the side, whose face had been gloomy, suddenly looked overjoyed.

He could not help clapping and cheering, "Haha, the Empress is wise! A death-row convict is a death-row convict. Did he really think that earning merit meant he was no longer a death-row convict!"

"That's it!"

"It must have been that bastard Zhang Dalong who tampered with this!"

Zhang Dalong's laughter instantly made Ding Hao understand the reason!

After all, Xia Weiyang had not known his true identity before, yet this Imperial Edict explicitly named him as the former Ding Hao!

He did not believe no one had leaked the information. And the informant clearly was—and could only have been—Zhang Dalong!

This drove Ding Hao's killing intent toward Zhang Dalong to an unprecedented height!

Zhang Dalong's meddling had turned all of Ding Hao's desperate battles, the Four Great Military Merits, and everything else into a joke!

"Bold death-row convict, why have you not accepted the edict!" At this moment, a eunuch barked.

The veins on Ding Hao's forehead throbbed. At that moment, he truly wanted to activate the Primordial Barbarian God Bloodline and slaughter everyone in a bloody frenzy, consequences be damned!

Even death would not have mattered to him!

But before he could impulsively draw his blade, Luo Shenhuang stepped forward and firmly pressed the Imperial Edict into Ding Hao's hands. She said earnestly, "Ding Hao, do not act rashly. There will be a turning point. Do not forget what I told you before—protect the Divine Phoenix Army!"

"I... all right!"

Ding Hao wanted to say something, but in the end, he could only sigh and accept the Imperial Edict.

At this moment, Luo Shenhuang's flawless, beautiful cheek pressed close to Ding Hao's ear, and she spoke words only he could hear.

"Ding Hao, it truly is a pity. If I were not the commander of the Divine Phoenix Army, I would quite like to marry you and bear you two chubby babies!"

Ding Hao's expression stiffened, and he was briefly lost in thought. Scenes of his time with Luo Shenhuang surfaced uncontrollably in his mind.

Carrying Luo Shenhuang on his back as they broke through the encirclement!

Entwined in the cave as they detoxified the poison!

Treating wounds inside the central command tent!

And so on.

But when the silhouettes of those days faded, Luo Shenhuang had already been escorted away by Wei Tong and the others, leaving behind only that bleak, desolate figure!

"What do we do?"

"What should we do?"

"Are we really going to watch our commander be escorted back to the court!"

The Divine Phoenix Army commanders were deeply anxious. They could barely suppress their rage and wished they could directly lead their troops to snatch Luo Shenhuang back!

Ding Yishan was anxious as well, but he had already learned that Luo Shenhuang had appointed Ding Hao as army commander and ordered him to assist him.

Thus, he immediately looked to Ding Hao and asked in a deep voice, "Ding Hao, what do we do? Are we truly going to stand by and watch Commander Luo fall into the court's clutches, without knowing what fate awaits her!"

Ding Hao did not answer. He merely swept his gaze around.

Then he discovered that Zhang Dalong had somehow already disappeared from the scene...