With the Nation in Peril

That day, Huan King Jian Shang stood with Han Xin, Tian Dan, and the other generals of the Huan Kingdom, studying the military sand table. They watched the Vietnam Region army's advance and deployment and discussed how to counter it.

"The enemy's main force has already reached Suning Ridge. Duanning Valley will soon be cleared, and they'll be at our walls in three days at the earliest, seven at the latest!"

Han Xin moved the little flags representing the Vietnamese army across the military sand table as he spoke, his concern plain.

On the sand table, the enemy surged like a tide across every hill and field. Little flags representing the Vietnam Region packed the entire area south of Fanyu Royal City, leaving no gaps. Tactics, schemes, ambushes, surprise attacks—none of them had any room to work.

Before absolute strength, all plots and stratagems were useless. There was nowhere to slip in an ambush or a raid.

"Reporting to Your Majesty! The Spring-Autumn Trading House's eldest young lady, Zhi Ji, its second young lady, Rong Ji, and guest elders Zhao Ji, Changsun Yu, Ying Tianlong, and their party have arrived through the Teleportation Formation!"

An imperial guard hurried inside, visibly excited, and delivered his report.

"Oh?"

Jian Shang's eyes lit up, and he let out a great sigh of relief. To conceal his excitement, he turned to Tian Dan and the others. "They're being so cooperative this time that they actually came of their own accord?!"

Ever since the national war broke out and Jian Shang began making deployments, he had been searching for Zhi Ji, Zhao Ji, and other influential figures who were on good terms with him and could affect the war. But he had never managed to find them. All the Huan Kingdom could do was put