The Framed Tool-General 04

Fang Zhiyi, who had originally intended to observe ancient warfare firsthand, was somewhat surprised to hear that the garrison commander of Ningbao had surrendered by opening the gates without resistance. However, upon reflection, it made sense—the most formidable fighters in the Great Xia dynasty were the Northern Frontier Army, a force that clashed with the northern barbarians almost every month, forged in blood and battle.

This was why he couldn’t comprehend why the new emperor had foolishly decided to target the Fang family. Even more baffling was the fact that the original owner of this body had naively returned to the capital.

As he observed the garrison commander’s ingratiating smile, Fang Zhiyi had a new idea.

"You’re quite familiar with the other garrison commanders in this region, aren’t you?"

The commander nodded repeatedly. Though he had never met this young man before, his demeanor unmistakably marked him as the young general of the Fang family—a man reputed to be a capable warrior.

"Good. From now on, you’ll travel with us and help us persuade the other cities to open their gates. I’ll make sure you’re credited for your service."

The commander hesitated. "Young General, I might be able to manage here, but Ningze City below is guarded by Li Si. He won’t simply open the gates..."

"That’s exactly why I’m sending you to persuade him."

The commander shook his head. "He won’t listen to me. The man is stubborn—and he’s a defensive specialist." As the name suggested, Li Si excelled in holding his ground.

Fang Zhiyi chuckled. "I’m not asking you to convince him. I’m telling you to get inside yourself. When we arrive, all you need to do is open the gates. Why complicate things?"

The commander’s eyes widened. Had he overthought it?

"By the time we reach Ningze, news of our approach will have spread—after all, we’re a sizable force. Just pretend you’re fleeing in defeat. How does that sound?"

Before he could answer, two guards flanking him drew their swords. The commander immediately dropped to his knees and cried, "No problem at all!"

"Excellent. Once we’ve purged the court of corrupt officials, I’ll personally recommend you for a promotion—maybe even a comfortable post in the capital." Fang Zhiyi helped him up, even brushing off nonexistent dust from his shoulders.

Thus, the commander, accompanied by a hundred disguised elite soldiers from the Thunderstrike Battalion, fled to Ningze City. Though Li Si, having received news of the Northern Frontier’s rebellion, despised the man for fleeing, he still allowed him entry out of professional courtesy. With the city in need of reinforcements, Li Si even incorporated the "survivors" into the defensive ranks.

By the time the Northern Frontier Army arrived at Ningze, Li Si hadn’t even given the order for archers to fire before chaos erupted at the gates. The doors swung open from within, and as the flood of Northern Frontier soldiers poured in, Li Si could only stand in stunned silence.

The former garrison commander eagerly sought out Fang Zhiyi, who praised him before signaling that it was time to "flee" again. This time, the commander caught on quickly, leading a group of disguised soldiers in a hasty retreat.

Meanwhile, in the imperial court, the new emperor hurled a stack of memorials at his ministers. "The Fang family has rebelled! The Northern Frontier Army has turned against us!"

The hall fell deathly silent.

"They slaughtered the overseer I sent! In less than half a month, they’ve taken multiple cities—in three days, they’ll be at the capital! Every garrison along the way either surrendered or fled without a fight! Is there no army in Great Xia besides the Fang family’s?"

Liu Wenhui, trembling, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, please remain calm. The Capital Guard will surely protect the city."

At the very back of the hall, Fang Wenyuan stood paralyzed with fear. His stubborn older brother had rebelled? How could he dare?

The emperor glared at Liu Wenhui before snapping, "Guards! Arrest every member of the Fang family!"

Fang Wenyuan’s legs gave way. "Your Majesty, I—I know nothing about this!"

Liu Wenhui opened his mouth to speak, but a single glare from the emperor sent him shrinking back, forced to watch as his grandson was dragged away.

"And the families of those military governors and commanders? Arrest them all! Let’s see how long Fang Zhiyi can keep this up!"

Before long, a palace guard rushed in. "Your Majesty, reports indicate that the families of those officers have already left the capital!"

The emperor’s eyes bulged. "What? How could so many people slip away unnoticed? What has the Capital Defense Commander been doing?"

"Your Majesty, the city’s daily traffic is immense. Inspectors only verified that the families remained in their residences—they had no idea..."

"Spit it out!"

"The families hired commoners to wear their clothes and live in their homes. Since nothing seemed amiss, the inspectors didn’t question it..."

"Useless fools!"

"What’s wrong? Why so angry?" A soft voice interrupted as a graceful figure emerged from the side and ascended the steps, slipping her arm through the emperor’s.

At the sight of Liu Guxia, the emperor’s fury melted into adoration. "Why are you here? You should be resting."

The ministers below exchanged bewildered glances, though a few elders scowled—how improper for a concubine to intrude on court proceedings!

"I couldn’t sleep without you," Liu Guxia pouted, clinging to him. "What’s got you so upset?"

Only then did the emperor remember the rebellion. Turning back to his ministers, he barked, "Figure out a solution! None of you leave until you do!" With that, he scooped Liu Guxia into his arms and strode off.

The ministers were aghast.

"The empire is crumbling, and he’s preoccupied with romance?"

"We’re doomed."

"Should we flee south?"

Only a few elder statesmen remained grim-faced.

"Wait—Zhiyi rebelled?" Liu Guxia gasped, covering her mouth.

The emperor’s expression darkened. "Don’t call him that!"

"Oh, right, sorry! But what now? Maybe I should meet him—he’s probably doing this for me..."

The emperor’s face turned thunderous. "If he’s coming for you, sending you to him would be suicide! Absolutely not!"

"Honestly, you’re so childish. Fine, I won’t go. But let me write to him—I’ll tell him to withdraw his troops and return alone to beg forgiveness. Promise you won’t punish him!" She planted her hands on her hips.

The emperor tapped her nose. "Fine."

"General, the capital lies just a hundred li ahead," remarked one military governor, running a hand along the battlements of Xiaoshan Pass. "Never thought I’d stand here again, let alone as part of a rebellion."

"Old Hu, quit reminiscing. This campaign’s been a breeze—thanks to the general’s strategy, we’ve marched straight to the capital without breaking a sweat."

"But the capital won’t be easy. There’s still the 80,000 Capital Guards and 30,000 Imperial Guards."

"Easy or not, we’ve come too far to turn back now."

Fang Zhiyi narrowed his eyes at the distant capital. "Not necessarily." Beside him floated a strange creature visible only to him.

"Host, you’ve officially become a rebel. I don’t approve."

"How many times must I tell you? I am a loyal subject—this is about purging the court of traitors!"