Xiao Yanxi said slowly, "Here's what happened. Kang Feng seized his chance before the Gaoli Kingdom's reinforcements arrived. He suddenly sent two hundred thousand men in a surprise attack and caught Kang Luo completely unprepared!

Kang Luo had never imagined that Kang Feng would make the first move.

Nanyue's gunpowder technology is fairly mature by now, too. Kang Feng had his men blow open the gates of Biluo City with explosives.

Kang Luo was forced into battle unready, and his hundred thousand men in Biluo City were routed. He had no choice but to fall back to Qimu City."

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched. "Looks like once news of my death got out, Kang Luo stopped taking anyone seriously. He got arrogant and complacent, and that's what led to this defeat... It's just what they say: an arrogant army is a beaten army."

Xiao Yanxi smiled and shook her head. "That's not all. Kang Luo's defeat this time comes down to three things."

Ning Chen was curious. "Tell me more."

Xiao Yanxi said, "First, what you just said: arrogance and complacency. Without you to keep him down, Kang Luo's head swelled as far as it could go, and he stopped taking anyone seriously.

Second, this Kang Feng is extremely clever. He had the old Nanyue emperor send Kang Luo more than twenty edicts in a row, summoning him back to the capital, to throw him off.

It fooled Kang Luo into believing that Kang Feng would only ever hide behind the old emperor and lean on him to come back to the capital to die. Kang Feng, he thought, hadn't the nerve to meet him on the battlefield.

So when Kang Feng struck where Kang Luo least expected it and attacked Biluo City, Kang Luo was simply stunned... By the time he came to his senses, the day was lost.

As for the third, the Gaoli Kingdom played a dirty trick on Kang Luo."

Ning Chen was taken aback. "How so?"

Xiao Yanxi smiled. "Jin Tiancheng had sent a hundred thousand troops to support Kang Luo. But as…