Ning Chen spent two days at Beilin Pass restocking supplies and ammunition, then led the army straight for the North Royal Court.

It was the second time he had attacked the North Royal Court.

Last time he had taken the King of the Left Court alive, but in the end, because the Tuoluo Kingdom submitted, he had let the man go.

The result: in less than a year, the Tuoluo Kingdom had torn up its pledge of submission on its own.

This time, he was going to make sure the Tuoluo Kingdom didn't even get the chance to submit.

After seven or eight days of forced marching, they met up with Liang Jingwu fifteen miles from the North Royal Court.

Liang Jingwu hurried over with his men to pay his respects.

Ning Chen was now Grand Marshal of the Armies of the Great Xuan, while Liang Jingwu held only a generalship of the third rank.

"Greetings, my lord prince!"

Ning Chen swung down from his horse and helped Liang Jingwu up, smiling. "General Liang, we're old friends. No need for all that!"

"This time I owe you. You tied down the North Royal Court's troops, so the Tuoluo Kingdom couldn't send any help to Xiliang."

Liang Jingwu asked curiously, "My lord prince, how did the war in Xiliang go?"

He had been out tying down the North Royal Court's forces lately, not at Beilin Pass, so he hadn't heard much news.

Ning Chen smiled. "Xiliang has surrendered. It offered up a letter of surrender and bowed its head to the Great Xuan as a vassal!"

Liang Jingwu was stunned, and then filled with respect. He had never imagined Ning Chen would really beat Xiliang into submission.

Suddenly, Liang Jingwu bowed deeply to Ning Chen!

Ning Chen reached out and raised him, pretending to be puzzled. "General Liang, what's this for?"

The truth was, he knew why Liang Jingwu was bowing: his daughter-in-law and his grandson.

Liang Jingwu said gratefully, "When my daughter-in-law had that hard labor, it was thanks to you, my lord prince, that mother and child came through…