The coup in the Yong Capital shocked the world. By comparison, the mutiny in the Northern Frontier seemed far less consequential, yet Hu Xiaotian was more concerned about the situation there. Xue Shengjing had long been in collusion with the Black Hu people, and it was entirely possible that the bastard would sell out the Northern Frontier in exchange for a brief period of peace. If he truly did so, Huo Shengnan and the three hundred thousand soldiers there would be trapped, unable to advance or retreat.
Although Hu Xiaotian did not immediately go to the Northern Frontier himself, he sent Xia Changming, Zhuge Guanqi, and Xiong Tianba ahead to assist Huo Shengnan. Meanwhile, he actively marshaled resources and sought a viable route. The most promising option was to travel from the Northern Frontier along Great Yong's southwestern border and enter the Ankang Grassland. But marching for nearly two months in such bitter weather would inevitably exact a heavy toll, to say nothing of the dangers along the way. His main purpose in sending Zhuge Guanqi was to have him devise a response based on conditions on the ground, preserving their strength and minimizing casualties wherever possible.
According to the original plan, Hu Xiaotian was also supposed to visit Huo Shengnan in the Northern Frontier soon. But only a few days after the coup in the Yong Capital, word arrived that Great Yong was sending a special envoy.
Upon hearing the news, the first person Hu Xiaotian thought of was, surprisingly, Xue Lingjun. Although he had already received reliable confirmation of her death, for some reason he still hoped the report was mistaken. Perhaps he had always been too softhearted where women were concerned, especially beautiful women. Deep down, he felt that a beauty capable of toppling cities like Xue