Assistant Military Secretary, a Secondary Sixth Grade official, is responsible for drafting petitions and proclamations, and is also a synonym for secretary.

Being a close confidant, for someone who once scolded him, Chen Mo certainly utilized him well.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming was slightly taken aback, not expecting Chen Mo to have such a magnanimous heart. Not only did he overlook past grievances, but he also recruited him, making Chen Ming feel deeply ashamed and unworthy to work for Chen Mo, leading him to initially refuse.

However, under Chen Mo's sincere request, Chen Ming ultimately agreed and solemnly promised not to let Chen Mo down.

Following Chen Mo's request, Chen Ming immediately wrote a "Procurement Against Huai State for Chen Mo," harshly criticizing Prince Huai.

The "profound" words once used against Chen Mo were now turned against Prince Huai.

The article started by contrasting Chen Mo and Prince Huai, vigorously proclaiming Chen Mo's noble character while indefinitely amplifying Prince Huai's flaws.

After all, no one is perfect, and upon careful examination, some blemishes can always be found.

Then it focused on Prince Huai's immorality and injustice, highlighting how he first tore up the treaty and attacked Qingzhou.

It then branded Prince Huai as a rebel, whereas Chen Mo was depicted as a loyal soldier fighting against traitors.

The entire piece contained no foul words, yet it left a profound impact on its readers.

After reading it, Chen Mo highly praised Chen Ming and instructed Sun Meng to disseminate the proclamation immediately.

Given that Chen Ming already had some renown in Huai State and had a grandfather who was a Great Scholar, and especially since he had just finished criticizing Chen Mo and now worked for him to scold Prince Huai, this "transformation" caused the proclamation to spread like wildfire.

...

In the waters just three days' journey from Huainan County, the navy led by Chu Ce arrived at Fan Port.

Inside the cabin of the main ship, the atmosphere was one of lifeless silence.

Grand General Chu Ce, sitting behind the desk, held a message from Huai State, his handsome face showing complex emotions.

He was furious, but also shocked.

The faces of the various generals below were also filled with grimness.

Huainan and Wuguan have fallen.

General Wei, Liang Xuan, was killed in action.

The Wu Family has allied with Chen Mo, and the Wu Army has joined the fight.

Chen Mo is an Upper Three Grades Martial Artist.

Zhao Liang led his army to defect to Chen Mo…

Any of these news items alone would cause a massive uproar.

But now, Chu Ce learned about them all at once.

Chu Ce took quite a while to digest it all.

He originally thought the worst-case scenario was that Liu Ji betrayed the Prince, relaying false information to him to give Chen Mo a head start.

But he never expected Liu Ji and the Wu Family to defect to Chen Mo, and even join forces to attack Huai State with him.

The once impenetrable Wuguan fell to Chen Mo in just one day.

Most shocking was that Chen Mo turned out to be a Third-Grade Martial Artist and killed General Wei, Liang Xuan.

This was a devastating blow to the Huai Army.

"What on earth does this Chen Mo possess to ally with the Wu Family, which has never participated in worldly disputes, and then, even with an initially weak Chen Army, quickly capture Wuguan? It's baffling," said a general below.

"Surely, Chen Mo used some cunning trickery, or how else would our Third Uncle fall and meet his death at his hands?"

The speaker had a red face, giving off an impression of wealth, and beneath his prosperous exterior lay a hint of bravery. He was a younger member of the Liang Family, considered a clan brother to Liang Xue. The fall of Wuguan and the death of Liang Xuan were even harder for him to accept than for Chu Ce.

An Upper Three Grades Martial Artist was the pillar of the Liang Family. With only Liang Mu and Liang Xuan in that rank, the loss of either was a severe blow to the family, reducing its influence, and as a Liang Family member, it also affected him, subtly.

"Grand General, please dispatch the troops swiftly. With the fall of Wuguan, Huai Zhou City is surely in danger, and the Princess Consort and the Crown Prince are all in Huai Zhou City. If they fall into the hands of the Chen Thief, the consequences will be unimaginable," urged a Xiao Family member.

With Xiao Chongrong dead, if anything more happened to Xiao Yunxi and Chu Zheng, all of the Xiao Family's investments in Prince Huai would be rendered futile.

"Indeed, Grand General, please dispatch the troops swiftly." Among these generals, many were connected to Prince Huai's Mansion, being foreign relatives of the Prince's consorts and unable to bear seeing his family fall into Chen Mo's hands.

And Chu Ce was naturally aware of this.

But Huai State had over fifty thousand troops, including Liang Xuan, an Upper Three Grades Martial Artist, and even they were defeated by Chen Mo. His returning naval force amounted to no more than twenty thousand. How could they hope to defeat the Chen Army that had already taken Wuguan?

While Chu Ce was pondering.

"Report—"

A scout rushed into the cabin.

"General, this is an urgent message from the Xiao Family; the Princess Consort, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Duke have all been captured by the Wu Family at Sweet Water…"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Ce and the generals were all taken aback, their faces turning a shade paler.

The worst-case scenario had come to pass.

Chu Ce's right hand clenched tightly, creaking as veins bulged on his face. After considering for a while, he said, "Xiao Quan."

"At your command, General."

"I order you to return to Qingzhou quickly and inform the Prince of our situation here, and request reinforcements from him."

"Yes, sir."

"The rest of you, accompany me to Huainan. We must find a way to rescue the Princess Consort and the Crown Prince," ordered Chu Ce.

Under these circumstances, even if it meant a losing battle, they had to fight.

...

On another front.

A caravan gradually entered Wuguan, surrounded by fully armed Wu Army foot soldiers. Inside the carriages were the members of Prince Huai's household brought from Sweet Water.

From the Princess Consort and the Crown Prince to the maids and servants, none escaped.

Learning of their arrival, Chen Mo had already arranged a mansion for Prince Huai's household to stay in.

After disembarking from the carriages, the Princess Consort and her company were ushered into the mansion, surrounded by thousands of Divine Brave Guards on watch.

Once everything was in place, Chen Mo personally visited the residence to meet them.

With Chen Mo approaching, Sun Meng, who'd been with him for a long time, naturally had already gathered the Princess Consort and her company together.

"Marquis, she is the Princess Consort of Huai, and in her arms is the Crown Prince of Huai.

This is the Consort Hui, Consort Xiao, Consort Gan of Prince Huai; this is his eldest son Chu Shou, and his second daughter Chu Juan..."

Liu Ji, standing beside Chen Mo, introduced their identities.

Chen Mo nodded, casting his gaze at the Princess Consort of Huai.

Indeed the legitimate daughter of the Xiao Family, the principal wife of a vassal king. Even in an enemy camp, under the scrutiny of unfriendly eyes, she remained calm and collected. Even cradling a child, her demeanor was elegant and serene, exuding an aura of dignity and grace.

Neither the sudden capture nor the disarray from days without a bath could overshadow her innate confidence and poise.

She spoke, "Knowing I am the Princess Consort of Huai, how dare you treat me like this? The esteemed Marquis of Pingting County behaves with such disrespect?"

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