Facing Jin Fengluan's furious rebuke, Jin Jiande felt shame, but also a tinge of anger.

The anger doesn't stem from Jin Fengluan naturally, but from Qin Ze who has driven him to such a wretched state.

Had it not been for him, I would not have lost a leg and disgraced myself before His Majesty.

In a few days' absence, Your Majesty has grown thinner.

It's obvious that all of this is because of the evil deeds committed by this traitor, which has led His Majesty to act this way.

"Damn Qin Ze!" Jin Jiande cursed inwardly.

But soon, he opened his mouth with a face full of worry.

"Your Majesty, when your humble servant entered Yanguo Mountain, he realized that this traitor now possesses a large army, and these troops are incredibly powerful."

"Today's rebels are not to be compared with those of the past. We, your ministers, were defeated by them, and it wasn't entirely our fault."

"Though Mu Kui also held a powerful army, he could be said to be the strongest force among the barbarians today, but in the end, he still suffered a military defeat."

"It's not as if we are going ourselves, Your Majesty would have sent others to Yanlu Mountain to fight this battle... probably..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jin Fengluan interrupted him with a furious roar.

"What? By your meaning, are you saying that no one in Great Qian is usable anymore?"

"If a rebel defeats his enemies on Yanlu Mountain, does that mean he can keep winning forever?"

Having said that, Jin Fengluan narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at Jin Jiande, who was bowing his head, then scolded:

"I went to Yànluò Mountain, and returned in defeat. I haven't held your mistakes against you this time, that's all."

"Although other ministers outwardly kept silent, I understand that they have already begun to criticize you in their hearts. As for you, I see that besides losing a leg, you have probably lost your courage at Yànluó Mountain!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, Jin Jiande's face turned beet red.

Though he tried to act brave, Jin Jiande knew deep down that he had lost his courage.

Of course, this is shameful.

But he understood more clearly than ever that, judging from the strength of the rebels displayed in the Battle of Yànluósān, that near-crushing victory had made Jīn Jiàn dé acutely aware that the rebel forces were not simply formidable but posed a real threat to turn the tide of the war.

Of course, the imperial court still has a powerful army at its disposal.

But, the total strength of the rebel army is a mystery!

Before entering Yanlu Mountain, Jin Jian believed his estimate of the troop strength within was accurate. Yangcheng County had fallen not long ago, and logically, there shouldn't be such a large force present.

But those ballistae and bed crossbows, to deploy at each vantage point within Yànluós hān would be more difficult than ascending to heaven.

This is also why he decided to let Jin Mang lead the troops into battle with the barbarians. This would normally be the best time to wipe out the rebel army.

But once I went in, things developed in the complete opposite direction of what I had expected.

Everything is developing in an uncontrollable direction. This defeat brought not only the obvious failure, but also the fear lurking behind it.

To this day, we still haven't figured out how many people were in the rebel army!

This unpredictable rebel army made Kim Jiande realize that winning the next battle would be extremely difficult.

These days, whenever he was at home, he was lost in thought, tossing and turning all night long, consumed by anxiety and worry.

Finally, he came to a conclusion, and because of this conclusion, he hurried into the palace to see the emperor.

That is to say, make the worst preparations and be ready for both sides. On one hand, continue to send people to suppress the rebels.

Another preparation is the relocation of the capital!

That's right, we must prepare for the worst. If the rebellion proves too powerful to contain, then we must relocate the capital from Jinling!

Although Jinling has been the capital of the Great Qin dynasty through countless generations, tracing back to its roots, the rise of the Jin family began in the southern regions of Great Qin.

In the south, besides the abundance of land and numerous troops, it is the family that forms the very foundation.

Before the Battle of Yanshan, Jin Jiande had never considered this possibility. However, this crushing defeat forced him to prepare for the worst.

But how can I comfort Your Majesty now?

At this time, if one dared to suggest moving the capital, I fear Your Majesty would be furious, and would call them incompetent and cowardly.

Jin Jiande was in trouble, his heart filled with turmoil.

And at this moment, on the dragon throne, Jin Fengluan saw Jin Jiande blushing and stammering after her words, leaning on his crutch, speechless. She gave a cold glance and her gaze fell upon the broken leg.

Immediately, she let out a soft sigh:

"Enough is enough, this campaign was a failure and it's not all your fault."

You are fortunate to have escaped from Yànluò Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Jin Jiande's face changed, his heart moved, and he hurriedly said:

"The humble minister fought his way out of Yangu Mountain, drenched in blood. It wasn't that I cherished my life; it's just that this humble minister couldn't die!"

"Unable to serve Your Majesty faithfully, how can I die on Mount Yànluò!" Jīn Jiàn dé raised his head, his face full of earnestness.

Looking at his determined gaze, Jin Fengluan nodded slightly.

Well, although you haven't achieved any merit yet, I understand your loyalty.

"How is your leg injury now?"

When Jin Feng saw the golden crane, she inquired about his injuries. Jin Jiande's heart skipped a beat. Although the pain in his leg was still there, at this moment it seemed to be completely absent.

All he could feel was the concern of the person before him.

A wave of warmth surged from his chest, spreading throughout his limbs. Unconsciously, his eyes began to redden.

"Your Majesty, Your compassionate heart is beyond compare. This minor injury of mine is nothing at all, merely a single leg."

"The lowly official only hates that the traitorous scoundrel has many tricks up his sleeve, is cruel and savage. The lowly official was unable to eliminate him in Yànluó Mountain. If he could have killed him in Yànluó Mountain, what does it matter even if he gave his life?"

The words spoken were sincere. Looking at Jin Jiande's bloodshot eyes, Jin Fengluan's heart, although still holding a trace of anger, felt some comfort seeing him in such a state and able to speak these words.

She nodded and said, "Today's frost is heavy. If your leg is broken, then recuperate well."

"All that you have done in the past, I have seen it with my own eyes. The loss of this battle will not erase your previous achievements and hard work."

Hearing this, Kim Jian-de's eyes, which were almost red with tears, were about to fall.

He shifted his body, even wanting to kneel down and express his gratitude.

It's a pity that he limps with a cane, his movements restricted. Any forceful action risks reopening the wound concealed beneath those bandages.

The rebel leader is marching south with his army. I will send others to intercept them. You have nothing to worry about.

With Jianren present, the traitorous rebels can be naturally held back.

When these words fell, Jin Jiande's touched expression suddenly froze.

Instead, a fire of envy rose in my heart.

Jinfengluan continued, “You’re injured now. Let go of everything else and return home to recuperate properly.”

"The Qianji Camp, for now, will be temporarily led by Jianren."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jin Jiande eagerly spoke up: "Your Majesty, elder brother may not necessarily be able to hold back the traitor!"

In my humble opinion, we should make the worst-case scenario plan, perhaps...

Before she could finish her words, Jin Feng Luan frowned and interrupted:

What are you talking about! What do you mean by "can't stop the traitor"?!

"The worst-case scenario? You don't think he'll have to face any obstacles on his way into Nanjing?"

Jin Jiande bit his lip and said in a deep voice:

"Very well, Your Majesty. If the rebel forces were to breach the capital, we must be prepared,"

"Your Majesty, it's not about fearing ten thousand things, but rather the possibility of one thing happening."

(Editor in charge：saya no uta visual novel)