Murong Earldom.
When Su Changge returned once more, the entire castle erupted into a commotion.
Their sky had come home.
The many important officials of the earldom were especially affected. Once they learned that Su Changge had brought back the Thirteenth Princess, it was as if a light had switched on in their heads.
At last, they understood what their lord intended to do.
Choose a side?
That man had never once considered attaching himself to anyone.
What he wanted was to support a new king.
To take his fate into his own hands.
"Changge..."
Murong Ruyan and Astin Gullier hurried over, hands resting on their slightly rounded bellies, their eyes limpid as autumn waters.
Yet as the two threw themselves into Su Changge's arms, the corners of their eyes couldn't help but flick toward the Thirteenth Princess, Rose.
It seemed they were about to welcome another member to the family.
A formidable rival, of noble blood, exalted status, and a beauty surpassing even theirs.
"Ruyan, Gullier, you've both worked hard during this time."
Su Changge held them close, his gaze falling on the two children ahead, carefully attended by several maids.
Off to one side, the Thirteenth Princess Rose watched Su Changge's actions. Her hands clenched the hem of her skirt, and envy flickered in her eyes. She hesitated... then finally hardened her resolve.
Now, she had nothing left.
She had to win Su Changge tonight.
After settling the Thirteenth Princess in, Su Changge headed to the study with Pufferfish Douluo... The earldom's important officials were already waiting there.
Since Pufferfish Douluo had treated him well, Su Changge decided to reveal a little in advance, so the man would have some idea of what was coming.
"Lord Changge, the Musket Cavalry has now expanded to two thousand men. They're fully equipped with warhorses, armor, and Matchlock Muskets!"
"The Musket Battalion has also been established. It now has three thousand Matchlock Musketeers!"
"Additionally, the artillery battalion's main fighting force is in place. Thanks to the generous support Lord Changge sent back earlier, the Artillery Battalion now has one hundred and eighty cannons and more than ten thousand shells in reserve..."
The meeting lasted a full several hours.
In the end, Su Changge made the call and settled on the date for the march on Haagen-Dazs Royal City.
Watching the earldom's officials depart, Pufferfish Douluo could no longer hold back his curiosity. He turned to Su Changge.
"Little friend, what exactly are these Matchlock Muskets and cannons they were talking about?"
"Are these the things you're relying on to march on the royal city with ten thousand troops... and defeat the armies of the three princes and princesses, numbering over a hundred thousand?"
"Heh..."
Su Changge only looked at Pufferfish Douluo without answering.
If he took Pufferfish Douluo to see them now, a few scattered guns and cannons would hardly make a spectacular impression.
Only when they attacked the royal city, with a thousand guns roaring and a hundred cannons firing in unison, would it be a sight to behold.
"Hey, Su, answer me!"
Night fell.
When Su Changge returned to his bedroom, neither Murong Ruyan nor Astin Gullier was there. Lying on the bed was Rose, clad in a sheer veil.
Clearly, the three of them had reached some kind of understanding.
"Lord Changge, please be gentle with me."
Since it was her first time, when Su Changge's fingers traced the Thirteenth Princess's skin, he could clearly feel Rose's soft, snow-white flesh tense in an instant.
Her pitiful, reluctant-yet-willing look stirred his interest.
The night passed without sleep; the sun was already high in the sky.
Three days later.
The army set out.
Two thousand Musket Cavalry led the way.
Three thousand sword-and-shield soldiers came next!
Behind them marched three thousand Matchlock Musketeers.
Bringing up the rear were two thousand men from the Artillery Battalion and Logistics Battalion!
Their banners blotted out the sun. The words "Murong" and "Su," written in bold, forceful strokes, roared in the gale.
Since nearly all the troops from the kingdom's many fiefdoms had been conscripted by the Third Prince, Fifth Prince, and Seventh Princess, the army encountered almost no large-scale resistance on its march toward the royal city.
In just a few days, they had advanced to within ten miles of Haagen-Dazs Royal City.
When they learned that the Thirteenth Princess had arrived with an army, the Third Prince Ente, Fifth Prince Zoki, and Seventh Princess Alice—who had been fighting for days within the royal city—immediately called a ceasefire. Each led an elite squad south of the city to investigate.
They wanted to see just who had given their Thirteenth Royal Sister the nerve to return after barely escaping the royal city.
Outside the city, hooves thundered.
Escorted by numerous Soul Masters and elite cavalry, Ente and the others headed south and soon arrived before the camp Su Changge had established.
"Heh, I thought this would be quite the spectacle. Judging by its size, they have at most ten thousand men."
"After hiding in the palace for so long, I thought our Thirteenth Royal Sister might have grown a little. She's still just as... adorably stupid."
The Fifth Prince, Zoki, spurred his horse forward and stared at the camp ahead with a mocking expression.
That flimsy stockade? If he led a charge, he could crush the enemy in less than half an hour.
"Since Fifth Royal Brother is so confident, why not leave our Thirteenth Royal Sister to you?"
"Don't worry, Fifth Royal Brother. While you deal with our Thirteenth Royal Sister, Third Royal Brother and I won't make a move or attack you by surprise."
The Seventh Princess, Alice, reclined in an open carriage, her eyes alluring and her snow-white thighs swaying in the breeze.
The Soul Masters standing on either side of her all belonged to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"Seventh Sister, you think I don't know what you're scheming?"
"Do you really take me for a naïve fool like our Thirteenth Royal Sister!?"
"You and Third Brother have the support of the Upper Three Sects' Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Spirit Hall behind you, respectively. You're both far stronger than I am."
"And you're still trying to goad me into dealing with our Thirteenth Royal Sister, so I'll wear down my forces? Isn't that a little shameless!?"
The Fifth Prince, Zoki, looked at the Seventh Princess, Alice, his face full of displeasure.
Over the past few days, because his army was the largest, the two of them had schemed against him repeatedly, costing him more than ten thousand men.
They were treating him like a sacrificial ox, working him to the bone until he dropped.
"Heh... Seventh Sister, I think Fifth Brother has a point."
"If we're going to fight, let's do it openly and fight to the death. Why bother with these petty tricks?"
"Besides, our Thirteenth Royal Sister has only this many troops. Why not wait until tomorrow, gather all our forces, and send her off in grand style!?"
"Trying to play the fisherman? Too bad she wasn't born for it!"
A cruel smile curled at the corner of the Third Prince's mouth.
"Hahaha, Third Royal Brother, you really are ruthless!"
"Even after taking some losses, the three of us can still scrape together a hundred thousand troops, right?"
"I wonder if our Thirteenth Royal Sister will be scared to death when she sees this tomorrow!"
Hearing the Third Prince Ente's suggestion, the Fifth Prince Zoki's eyes lit up. He cackled without end, as if he could already see the amusing scene.
That was right!
If you wanted to play the fisherman, you had to be ready to die.
Su Changge and the Thirteenth Princess had both noticed the commotion at the camp.
Su Changge, however, took no action.
Each of the three had a Soul Douluo guarding them. Even if he had Pufferfish Douluo launch a surprise attack, it would be difficult to achieve a good result.
And it would expose this trump card...
As Su Changge considered how to deal with these top fighters, the one from Tiandou Imperial City arrived—with reinforcements!