Just as Zhao Douan was confronting the Princely Heir of Prince Hejian outside the Duke Mansion.
Thousands of miles west of the Capital, within Xiping Road, Duke Tang Daren sat in his study, opening the first of a large stack of military reports on his desk.
A year had passed, and this somewhat hunched duke's sideburns had more white hairs. The cold wind blowing through the window gaps carried the chill of winter, making Duke Tang instinctively tighten the "scarf" around his neck, and he started coughing.
Clearly, defending against the Western Regions while dealing with Prince Hejian for most of the year had drained him physically and mentally. Fortunately, with the onset of winter, the intensity of wars usually greatly decreases, especially with the peace talks between Prince Hejian and the court, which had brought the front line into a "ceasefire period."
"Father, please open..."
At the very top was the military letter sent by his daughter Tang Zhao.
