Over the next two days, everything went forward in secret, at a furious pace.

Two days later, at dawn.

Outside the east city gate, war banners streamed in the wind. A hundred and fifty thousand men stretched from the earth to the sky, like a dragon that shows its head and never its tail.

Ning Chen was about to lead the army out.

Of course, the whole thing was fake, a show for the spies watching in secret.

Once the army made camp to rest, he'd slip away and go back to the capital... and that night he'd lead the Ning'an Army straight for the southern frontier.

The Xuan Emperor and the An Emperor led the officials, civil and military, out of the city to see him off.

The Xuan Emperor couldn't bear to let him go. "You brat, take good care of yourself, and don't forget what you promised this emperor."

Ning Chen nodded. "Don't worry, Father Emperor. Your child won't forget. You take care of yourself too, and wait for me to come back!"

The An Emperor was very curious. "What did you promise Father Emperor? Are you keeping something from me?"

Ning Chen leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I promised Father Emperor that when I come back victorious this time, I'll knock you up."

The An Emperor's little face went red in a flash. She glared at him in annoyance. The wretch! How could he say it so crudely?... Luckily nobody had heard.

Ning Chen chuckled, and his gaze moved to Eunuch Quan. "Old Quan, look after Father Emperor while I'm gone, and look after yourself too... Our good days are still ahead of us."

Eunuch Quan was all smiles. "With those words from my lord prince, this eunuch has something to look forward to.

Don't worry, my lord prince. This eunuch will take good care of the Emperor Emeritus.

The battlefield is dangerous. My lord prince must take care of himself too."

Ning Chen nodded, then looked at Li Hanru and the others.

Li Hanru bowed with his hands clasped. "Take care, my lord…