Ashina Zhuxie remained expressionless, only lowering his head.

It was Lady Jiayuan, standing behind Shali Khan, who cast a cold glance at him, her eyes flashing with a harsh glint.

At this moment, the door of the tent was pushed open again, and a low groan was heard. The crowd turned their heads to see General Pasha, who had just returned from defeat the day before, slowly walking in. His face was deathly pale, his forehead covered in sweat, and with every step, his face twitched as if enduring great pain.

Eventually, he made his way to the center of the King’s Tent, where he fell to the ground and bowed to Ashina Shali: "Khan."

As soon as he bowed, Prince Yiasu, standing beside him, caught sight of his back.

His broad, solid back was crisscrossed with bloody whip marks, some areas even with flesh torn open, a horrifying sight. Prince Yiasu widened his eyes in shock and immediately said, "General Pasha—what’s happened?"

Pasha lowered his head and said nothing.

Ashina Shali looked at him coldly and said, "These hundred lashes are the punishment for losing Taiyuan and an army of fifty thousand, falling into the enemy’s hands as a prisoner!"

Prince Yiasu sharply inhaled.

As Shali Khan’s most beloved son, with the protection of his favored mother, he led a carefree life on the grasslands. Even the brief meeting with Lei Yu in Luoyang was unforgettable, and he managed to have her as his wife. In these mere ten years of life, he’d scarcely participated in bloody wars. But the Turkic people were born to the saddle, and even if he hadn’t taken part in battles, he’d witnessed plenty of war and slaughter.

Thus, he knew well how inconceivable it was for fifty thousand to become prisoners of the enemy.

It’s evident that General Pasha, as the commander, almost organized no effective resistance when the Sheng Army attacked the city, and immediately fled, causing the fifty thousand soldiers to become disheartened and quickly defeated, eventually surrendering to the enemy.

Prince Yiasu glanced at General Pasha, his pure and clear eyes showing a hint of dissatisfaction and reproach.

Yet he said, "But Father Khan, a hundred lashes are too severe."

It’s well known that the Turkic whips were not like others, covered with barbs and soaked in water before execution, making it more painful than being cut by a knife or struck by an axe. Even strong as General Pasha was, enduring these hundred lashes nearly crippled half of him.

Shali Khan sneered, "Indeed, a hundred lashes are too heavy."

As he spoke, he raised his eyes and gave a cold look at a figure in the corner, "Losing a city merits only fifty lashes, the other fifty he received on behalf of someone else!"

With these words, the entire King’s Tent fell silent.

All eyes turned to Ashina Zhuxie, who had been standing silently in the corner. Even Prince Yiasu, who was initially a little confused, immediately realized. He turned to look at his brother, seeming to want to argue for him, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Lady Jiayuan, standing behind Shali Khan, said immediately, "Yiasu, you don’t understand the situation of the Taiyuan battle, so don’t speak out of turn."

"But—"

Prince Yiasu still wanted to say something but was harshly glared at by Lady Jiayuan.

Yiasu bit his lip and could only remain silent.

Under the focus of these intense gazes, Ashina Zhuxie also felt a chill down his spine. He took a deep breath, finally stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "This son acknowledges his guilt."

Lady Jiayuan’s lips curled into a slight smile.

Shali Khan said, "Knowing your guilt is good."

"..."

"But just acknowledging your guilt is not enough."

"..."

"Although we lost Taiyuan, we can’t just sit here and wait for death. Otherwise, when Yu Wenye gathers his army and attacks north, we won’t even be able to keep this grassland!"

Upon hearing this, Ashina Zhuxie and Yiasu couldn’t help but lift their heads. Especially Prince Yiasu, who looked at him in surprise, "Father Khan, you mean we must continue—"

Shali Khan squinted his eyes and said through gritted teeth, "I will not let this rest!"

At this moment, a minister stood up, saluted him, and said, "But Khan, since the other side has sent so many troops to retake Taiyuan, they will certainly strengthen its defense. Trying to attack Taiyuan again might not be as easy as before."

Another minister echoed, "Indeed, the Wang Brothers were defeated this time, and it’s hard for them to rise again."

Other ministers also chimed in, "That’s right."

"Taiyuan is easy to defend and hard to attack. Before, we took advantage of the timing, terrain, and human harmony, along with the Wang Brothers’ assistance. But this time it won’t be so easy."

"The Sheng Army retook Taiyuan, and it won’t be so easily lost again."

"Taiyuan, let’s give it up."

...

Ashina Shali quietly looked at them, saying nothing. Only when everyone sensed the strange silence did they gradually fall quiet, cautiously watching him, seeing a sly, more ferocious glint flash in his eye.

He said, "Who said I want to attack Taiyuan again?"

"...!?"

Upon hearing this, everyone widened their eyes in astonishment.

Ashina Zhuxie looked up at him, suddenly seeming to sense something, his thick eyebrows furrowing as his breath slowed.

Prince Yiasu asked in surprise, "Father Khan, then you mean—"

Ashina Shali said nothing, but raised his hand with a wave; immediately, two guards came forward, carrying a wooden frame to the center of the King’s Tent. Hanging on the frame was a large map, depicting the topography from their location here in the Cangtou River Valley all the way to the Central Plains.

Ashina Shali slowly stood up and walked to the map.

His steps were a bit unsteady; old age, injuries, and missing an eye had long stripped him of the fierce strength he had when he besieged the Daye Dynasty’s court at Yanmen. But even so, he was unwilling to give in, his remaining eye glaring fiercely at the map as if eager to pierce through a certain spot!

He exhaled deeply, pressing a heavy finger on the map.

Right where they were, the Cangtou River Valley. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

No one spoke, but instinctively held their breath, their intense gazes fixed on his fingertip. His coarse finger traced a line beneath the river valley, slowly sliding downward, and just as it was about to reach Taiyuan, it abruptly shifted westward—

"...!"

Everyone gasped.

His finger bypassed the Upper Commandery and then plunged heavily downward, piercing through Jingchuan like a bamboo splitting in a storm!

In an instant, the atmosphere within the King’s Tent tightened, even to the point of suffocation.

Ashina Zhuxie’s eyes reddened slightly as he stared intently at the mountains and rivers on the map, though farthest from it, he knew it best. After Jingchuan, right before them lay the newly established Capital of the Dasheng Dynasty.

Which was—the Chang An City!

Word by word, Ashina Shali declared, "What I want is here!"