I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 202 - 137: Home Invasion

The border between the Yan Country and the Qiangrong Royal Court is at Dayan’s Dingbei Pass.

A hundred years ago, the first Marquis Dingyuan led the army, driving the Qiangrong back eight hundred miles in one breath, forcing them beyond their sacred Wolf Mountain. He led the Dayan Iron Cavalry to offer sacrifices on Wolf Mountain, the greatest humiliation for the Qiangrong.

However, Wolf Mountain is located in a vast snowfield with harsh climate and pervasive ice and snow, making it unsuitable for long-term development. Therefore, the Marquis Dingyuan retreated to Yan Country and built Dingbei Pass at the edge of the national territory.

For a century, successive generations of Marquis Dingyuan took sealing the altar on Wolf Mountain as their responsibility, guarding Dingbei Pass to protect the safety of Yan Country’s Northern Territory.

In the time of Gu Lan’s great-grandfather, the great-grandfather was a valiant man who once again drove the Qiangrong back to the snowfield with the cavalry, sealed the altar on Wolf Mountain, and even made the Chanyu of the Royal Court call him father.

Twelve years ago, the old Chanyu was restless and secretly dispatched troops, bypassed Dingbei Pass, and went straight to the heartland of the Northern Territory, Yunzhou City, resulting in the death of the old Marquis, Gu Lan’s grandfather, and his aunt Gu Chengluan in Yunzhou.

Later, after the Qiangrong Royal Court was defeated in battle with Wei Country, they ceded the occupied Yunzhou to Wei Country. Not until recent days, after Prince Rui’s great victory in the Southern Border, did Wei Country return Yunzhou.

Meanwhile, Weizhou’s perilous terrain connected the Northern Territory and Dingbei Pass. During the years when Yunzhou was occupied, Weizhou became the most important city in the Northern Territory and was also the garrison location for Gu Chengzhao.

"What was the reason for the Qiangrong’s dispatch? What about Marquis Dingyuan and the other generals?" Gu Lan furrowed his brows and slowly asked.

Wei Chengyuan glanced at Gu Lan and said in a deep voice, "The reason for dispatch is that the Eldest Prince Duoji of the Qiangrong Royal Court was murdered in the Capital City of Dayan. The Chanyu personally led the army to avenge his son."

"It seems Jiang Qu delivered the message very clearly..." Gu Lan murmured.

Zijin, shocked by the news, trembled and asked, "What about the Marquis? Is the Marquis okay? Wasn’t it said that the Qiangrong feared the Marquis? How dare they! Moreover, Weizhou is where the Marquis garrisoned, with a hundred thousand Gu Family Iron Cavalry, how could it fall!"

Gu Lan patted Zijin’s head, "Don’t worry, if Marquis Gu were truly dead, Yuan wouldn’t be this calm."

Wei Chengyuan continued, "Marquis Dingyuan is fine. Half a year ago when Wei Country returned Yunzhou, it was, after all, the richest city in the Northern Territory and once its central heartland, so Marquis Dingyuan led the army to Yunzhou to restore order, taking most of Weizhou’s cavalry."

This time the Qiangrong, under the pretense of avenging the Eldest Prince, mobilized all their forces, claiming three hundred thousand armored soldiers. The so-called distressed soldiers must prevail, and by surprise, Weizhou fell."

Gu Lan’s brow slightly moved, showing not much concern: "So, Weizhou was originally a half-empty city, with the main force of the Gu Family Iron Cavalry still in Yunzhou, and Marquis Gu is also in Yunzhou."

Wei Chengyuan nodded: "It’s because Marquis Dingyuan is not in Weizhou that the Qiangrong Royal Court dared to take this opportunity to deploy troops."

Gu Lan gave a brief "oh," lightly patted Zijin’s shoulder to comfort, "See, father is fine, don’t worry."

Zijin finally sighed in relief.

Equally tense, You’er wiped her tears and said, "Then I will go tell Madam and the Old Madam about this."

Wei Chengyuan clenched his fist and earnestly said, "I must hurry to the Northern Territory to retake Weizhou with the Marquis."

Gu Lan asked, "Have you met Wei Lan?"

Wei Chengyuan nodded: "It was Nannan and her teacher Xie Yun who told me about these military reports."

Gu Lan curled her lips while looking at Wei Chengyuan’s pale golden eyes, flowing like amber, she saw the determination in his eyes, waved her hand, and said, "Then you go, we will meet another day."

Wei Chengyuan’s originally resolute and cold face suddenly collapsed, his voice lowered, looking very aggrieved:

"...Lanlan, why don’t you try to keep me at all."

The familiar silly air, the familiar aggrieved look, made Gu Lan laugh: "Since you’re determined to go, why should I stop you, especially since this journey is very safe."

"Safe, safe?" Wei Chengyuan said, confused.

Gu Lan smiled without speaking and directly pushed him out of the Step Lotus Hall:

"Go quickly, if you don’t, you’ll even miss hot meals... I’ll have Zipei prepare two quick horses for you, at relay stations along the way you can use the Marquis Mansion’s token to find someone from the Zhou Family or Gu Family to exchange horses. With fast horses, you can reach the Northern Territory in seven or eight days."

"Yes, though it’s not so urgent..." Wei Chengyuan stammered.

Gu Lan: "If you’re late, afraid everything would have concluded."

Wei Chengyuan suddenly realized, hurriedly asked, "Lanlan, do you know something?"

Gu Lan was already at the door, waving at him: "Goodbye."

Wei Chengyuan expected Lanlan would be sad or reluctant when he left, and even if not, her mood would definitely not be good. He never knew how to face such a scene, but he didn’t expect the current situation.

Still puzzled, Wei Chengyuan was about to leave when Gu Lan called him back, saying:

"By the way, one last thing, don’t eat the Heart Closing Pill nonsense, even if you’ve developed resistance and won’t lose memory again, eating too much of that thing also leads to becoming possessed, and besides, haven’t you still not remembered some things? For example, where exactly did you get this bottle of Heart Closing Pill because the Gu Family doesn’t have such malicious stuff."

Wei Chengyuan touched the small porcelain bottle in his chest, nodded gloomily, thinking, Lanlan finally showed a bit of concern for him.

Wei Chengyuan left just like that.

There wasn’t a sandstorm lifting his clothes, no snow covering his hair in white, he left quite suddenly.

Gu Lan stood in the courtyard of Step Lotus Hall for a while, until she heard a horse neighing outside the wall, and only then did she regain her senses.

"Although I know nothing will happen, but... who knows when we’ll meet again next time."

She muttered softly, suddenly realizing something seemed to be missing beside her.

Gu Lan and Zijin exchanged a glance and simultaneously asked, "Where’s Zipei?"

At this moment, Zipei in the Magpie Workshop’s private room sneezed.

Zijin said, "Didn’t the Young Master take Zipei to the brothel yesterday?"

Gu Lan rubbed her slightly aching head: "Then how did I get back?"

The next moment, her fragmented memory slowly resurfaced.

Nian Xia’s identity, the tattoo behind the mask, and the story she told, plus the final appearance of Rong Heng...

It seems, maybe, probably, Brother Hang was the one who carried her back?

Young Master Gu couldn’t help but smile, his eyes curving joyfully, "Never mind, Zipei isn’t important, let him be."

Zijin: "..."

With this expression, she probably knew who sent the Young Master back.

Gu Lan coughed and said, "I’m in a good mood today, to make it even better, it’s better to share joy with everyone than to enjoy it alone... How’s that person in the next room recovering?"

Zijin: "Although he still can’t get out of bed, he can move his upper body and speak. I think in about ten days to half a month, he should be able to get up with a cane."

"The Royal Court occupied Weizhou, I must tell this good news to my nephew."

Gu Lan said with a smile.

Zijin was full of confusion, she, like Wei Chengyuan, was quite puzzled.

How could this be considered good news?

Although the Marquis is in Yunzhou, Weizhou’s fall has nothing to do with him, and he’s safe, but it’s still Dayan’s land that’s been taken, the Marquis will have to fight to get it back. Why does the Young Master have not even a bit of worry or surprise?

Gu Lan looked at her puzzled expression and said softly, "The Emperor’s purpose was to provoke the Qiangrong Royal Court... he doesn’t fear their army marching, he fears them holding back."

She didn’t explain further, and Zijin pondered her words carefully.

Inside the room.

Young Master Gu informed Duoji about the fall of Weizhou.

The Eldest Prince of Qiangrong, after days of recuperation, had finally escaped death’s door.

His fierce and robust body had grown noticeably thinner, and his once thick red braids were now loose, tied with a Yan Country crown, looking much dimmer.

Duoji lay on the bed, upon hearing Gu Lan’s words, his usually calm brown eyes finally showed a trace of disturbance.

"Well, nephew, does this news interest you?"

Duoji’s voice was hoarse and low: "Is the news from today?"

Gu Lan nodded, her smile growing wider.

Duoji let out a bitter laugh and said in a low voice: "From Weizhou to the Capital City is thousands of miles, the news arriving today means Weizhou being captured by the Royal Court happened at least nine days ago. I suppose by now, the Qiangrong Royal Court has been trampled by Marquis Dingyuan’s cavalry."

Gu Lan said: "That’s why I said, it’s good news, Yan Country’s Weizhou is gone, and so is Qiangrong’s home."

The Qiangrong Chanyu took advantage of Marquis Dingyuan’s army being in Yunzhou, leading thirty thousand armored troops from the Royal Court in a full assault, capturing the empty city of Weizhou.

It seems quite thrilling.

But, is Marquis Dingyuan’s cavalry really in Yunzhou?

They probably bypassed Dingbei Pass long ago, charging a thousand miles, crushing the Royal Court’s stronghold.

And those so-called thirty thousand... may not even be thirty thousand, the Qiangrong army occupying Weizhou, with the Yan Country’s mighty forces stationed across the Northern Territory ahead and Dingbei Pass cutting off their retreat behind, has become a lone army.

This is called a sneak attack on home.