Nanyue's capital guard really was brave and skilled in battle, but it had neither the strength nor the numbers.

The cavalry battalions and the imperial guards had all been suddenly pulled away.

What remained of the capital guard took heavy losses under the Great Xuan's charges and broke.

Ning Chen's sudden appearance on the battlefield gave the Great Xuan's soldiers an enormous boost.

As time went on, the capital guard began throwing away helmets and armor and fleeing in disarray.

The Great Xuan had won!

The soldiers cheered and roared like madmen.

Glory for their ancestors and a page of their own in the family tree were as good as nailed down.

Ning Chen said gravely, "Pass on this prince's order: Yuan Long is to bring the Ning'an Army and follow this prince straight to the palace.

Qin Qiao is to take the Southern Frontier Army, hunt down the fleeing Nanyue soldiers and seal all four city gates."

"Yes!"

The runner took the order and galloped off to deliver it.

On receiving the order, Yuan Long pulled in his forces at once and gathered the Ning'an Army.

By the time Ning Chen arrived, the Ning'an Army was assembled and ready.

Ning Chen sprang up and stood on his horse's back, drew his sword and pointed it toward the Nanyue palace. "Ning'an Army, hear my order! Follow this prince and trample the Nanyue palace under our horses!"

"Yes!"

The roar rose like a tide, unstoppable.

"Move out!"

At Ning Chen's command, the Ning'an Army charged toward the Nanyue palace.

Hooves rang out.

The vast host reached the gate of the Nanyue palace.

The Nanyue palace was laid out almost exactly like the Great Xuan's, only somewhat smaller... nearly everything in Nanyue was a copy of the Great Xuan.

But to Ning Chen's surprise, the Nanyue palace gate stood wide open, with no one guarding it.

Yuan Long looked puzzled. "My lord prince, why aren't there any guards at the palace gate? Don't tell me they got scared and hid?"

Ning Chen frowned slightly. "I'm afraid we're too late... If they'd hidden…