49: Chapter 49 Su Xuanji arrives in Tianwan City, blushing.

At this moment, inside a residence within Tianwan City, the capital of Dayuan.

Su Xuanji sat by the window, gazing at the sword in her hand, her eyes slightly unfocused.

She never expected that a plan which had started off so smoothly would encounter such a massive catastrophe at the very last moment.

That day, armed with a forged imperial edict and the Dayuan military tally, she successfully mobilized fifty thousand Dayuan border troops to invade the borders of Fenglin Kingdom.

By all logic, everything should have gone smoothly as long as Dayuan and Fenglin Kingdom went to full-scale war.

Then, the Great Xia could reap the rewards as the fisherman!

However, on the second day after entering the borders of Fenglin Kingdom, the Yuehua Dynasty, known as the strongest in the Eastern Region, had actually dispatched five thousand "Red-Clad Iron Cavalry" to reinforce Fenglin Kingdom.

Five thousand against fifty thousand—a ten-fold difference in numbers!

The moment the two sides clashed, the Dayuan border troops, whom they had prided themselves on, were like paper under the charge of the Red-Clad Iron Cavalry.

After a few exchanges, they were instantly routed. Even with her, a Great Grandmaster, personally intervening and slaying dozens of the Red-Clad Iron Cavalry, it was difficult to salvage the losing situation.

In the end, the fifty thousand Dayuan border troops abandoned their armor and weapons, fleeing all the way back to Tianwan City to hold the city in a desperate defense.

And the price paid by the Red-Clad Iron Cavalry was merely over two hundred casualties.

The mission Xia Jin had entrusted to her had failed on the verge of success because of this.

"Cult Leader, don't blame yourself too much." Lady Lan, standing to the side, looked at Su Xuanji's slightly dejected back, walked over to massage her shoulders, and softly consoled her: "This time, it's not your fault. Who could have foreseen that Fenglin Kingdom would be able to invite the Red-Clad Iron Cavalry of the Yuehua Dynasty to reinforce them? And it was a full five thousand Red-Clad Iron Cavalry, at that."

"Let alone you, a single Great Grandmaster, even if several more Great Grandmasters came, they would be helpless against these five thousand Red-Clad Iron Cavalry!" As Lady Lan spoke, the figure of Xia Jin appeared in her mind.

Perhaps, if it were him in that situation at the time, facing those five thousand Red-Clad Iron Cavalry, he would have had a way!

Su Xuanji patted the hand on her shoulder and slowly regained her focus.

Her eyes returned to their usual calm, though a hint of stubbornness remained hidden deep within: "A failed mission is a failure; there are no excuses to be made. It was my lack of consideration and failure to respond in time. When the time comes, I will explain it clearly to him, and I will accept all punishments."

As she spoke, she forced a faint smile to the corners of her lips.

"Oh? Who are you planning to explain to?"

Suddenly, a familiar yet slightly teasing voice rang out in the ears of the two women.

Both women were startled and turned their heads abruptly, only to see that, at some unknown time, a figure wearing a black Dragon robe had silently appeared before them, watching them with a playful smile.

Who else could it be but Xia Jin?

"Your Highness!" Su Xuanji stood up instinctively, a flash of excitement crossing her eyes.

Lady Lan also followed suit and bowed, her beautiful eyes also filled with a hint of pleasant surprise.

Xia Jin walked straight to the chair Su Xuanji had just vacated and sat down, even leaning back comfortably, as if he could still feel the lingering warmth left on the chair.

He looked at Su Xuanji with a smile: "I say, Cult Leader Su! I seemed to faintly hear just now that you were planning to find me to explain something? Come, let's hear it?"

Under the gaze and question of Xia Jin, Su Xuanji's cheeks flushed red instantly, the redness spreading all the way to her earlobes.

The usually decisive and ruthless Cult Leader of the Hehuan Sect was now at a loss for what to do, stammering: "I... that... the mission..."

Seeing her suddenly become like this, the smile in Xia Jin's eyes grew deeper, and he turned to look at Lady Lan, who was smiling on the side: "Come, Lady Lan, then you tell me, how does your Cult Leader intend to explain to me, and what punishment is she prepared to accept?"

Lady Lan swayed her slender waist as she stepped forward, poured a cup of hot tea for Xia Jin, and then covered her mouth with a soft chuckle, her voice carrying a hint of mischief: "Answering Your Highness, my Cult Leader said that since this mission failed, she would personally explain it clearly to you, and she would accept any punishment."

As she spoke, she glanced at Su Xuanji, whose face was turning redder and redder, and said with a smile, "My Cult Leader even... said that she is willing to warm the bed for Your Highness to make amends as well~"

"You... what are you spouting nonsense about!" Su Xuanji was extremely embarrassed, spat lightly, and raised her hand, feigning a strike at the other woman.

Lady Lan giggled and gently pulled on Su Xuanji's wrist.

Su Xuanji was already flustered, and caught off guard, she lost her footing and fell straight toward Xia Jin, who was sitting in the chair.

In a flash, Su Xuanji felt her waist tighten as she was caught by Xia Jin's hand, but due to momentum, she still fell onto Xia Jin's lap, her body instantly stiffening.

A scent of a unique masculine Aura reached her nose, and at the same time, Xia Jin clearly smelled a faint, lingering fragrance emanating from Su Xuanji's body.

Su Xuanji's mind went blank, her heart beat like a drum, and her face was so red it was almost dripping blood.

Before Xia Jin could speak, Su Xuanji, as if scalded, sprang up from his lap and hid behind Lady Lan. Her beautiful eyes glared fiercely at the "culprit," Lady Lan.

Xia Jin couldn't help but laugh and shook his head, though he quickly restrained his smile.

"Alright, that's enough joking."

"I already know the reason! This matter is not your fault. The five thousand Red-Clad Iron Cavalry of the Yuehua Dynasty are not comparable to ordinary troops. Although we failed to deplete the Fenglin Kingdom, this Dayuan has also suffered heavy damage to its Origin Qi!"

"As for those five thousand Red-Clad Iron Cavalry," Xia Jin took a light sip of the hot tea in his cup, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, "leave them to me to handle."

As he spoke, he took out a letter he had prepared beforehand from his robes and handed it to Su Xuanji, whose face still hadn't completely lost its flush.

"And you two will proceed according to what is written in this letter."

Xia Jin slowly stood up, his Spirit Wandering Realm Aura bypassing the two women and surging directly into the surroundings.

"In ten days, I want to see the Emperor of Dayuan sign the letter of surrender in person, forcing Dayuan to fully submit to the Great Xia."

After saying this, the figure of Xia Jin vanished from the residence.

It wasn't until a good while after Xia Jin had left that Su Xuanji let out a long sigh of relief and patted her still-burning cheeks.

Immediately, she turned to Lady Lan, who was pursing her lips and snickering on the side, and feigned a fierce tone: "You wretch, you are becoming more and more lawless! How dare you... how dare you cause such a scene just now!"

"Hmm!?" Lady Lan's beautiful eyes were filled with teasing amusement, "Cult Leader, did you... not like it just now? Was Xia Jin's embrace not warm?"

"You're still saying it!" Su Xuanji was extremely embarrassed, no longer caring about her dignity as a Cult Leader, and pounced on her to strike. Lady Lan laughed and dodged, and for a time, the crisp sounds of the two women playing and laughing filled the air.

Meanwhile, fifty miles outside Tianwan City, inside a massive military camp.

A crimson military flag stood before one of the large tents. The words "Red-Clad" embroidered on the flag radiated an Evil Qi that soared into the sky, making anyone who saw it feel intimidated.

This was the temporary station of the Yuehua Dynasty's five thousand Red-Clad Iron Cavalry, who were currently bearing down on Tianwan City.