"This king was unconscious before. Tell me, how long have we been fleeing the royal city? Where are we now?"
The young general paused before replying, "Your Majesty, we are near Canaan Pass, on the southern border of the kingdom. I escorted you out of the palace five days ago."
"You were hit by an arrow along the way and have been unconscious ever since. After a discussion, we decided to take you to the Yunqin Empire for temporary refuge and report King Cheng's rebellion to the emperor, hoping that the empire will send troops to crush the rebels."
After speaking, he knelt on one knee, bowed his head, and said with shame, "Your Majesty, I have failed in my duties as a guard. Please forgive me."
Li Mufan looked at the young general and the soldiers in their blood-stained battle robes and said in a deep voice, "General, stand up. If it weren't for you and these brave soldiers, I would have died long ago. What crime have you committed?"
After a brief pause, noting the discouraged expressions on the faces of the soldiers, he continued, "General Liu, do you truly believe the Yunqin Empire will help me restore my kingdom?"
Liu Long was stunned by the question. He glanced at Fan Qingyue and the other captains of the personal guards before hesitantly replying, "Your Majesty, you are the rightful king under the Yunqin Empire. If the empire knows about King Cheng's treason, it won't sit idly by."
Li Mufan shook his head slightly and said, "This palace coup was well-orchestrated. King Cheng and his conspirators attacked during my wedding, which means they've been planning this for a long time. If you believe the empire wasn't aware of it, I find that hard to accept. If the empire intended to hold anyone accountable, no one could escape the blame."
"It must be that King Cheng has promised the empire great rewards, which is why they've chosen to turn a blind eye."
Fan Qingyue, her face full of resentment, interjected, "Exactly! King Cheng must have sold out our kingdom and promised them enormous benefits! Otherwise, the empire would never remain indifferent!"
Her fury was palpable, and if King Cheng were before her, he would likely have been cleaved in two.
Looking at the fierce general who had embraced him to keep him warm earlier, Li Mufan said, "General Fan is right. The higher-ups in the empire never act unless there's profit involved. I fear that seeking refuge in Yunqin will be perilous. The rebels will certainly be guarding the border, ready to trap us."
The guards exchanged uneasy glances. If even the Yunqin Empire wasn't an option, didn't that mean they had no escape?
Li Mufan quietly observed his men. Although they appeared anxious, they remained steadfast and unmoving. Inwardly, he praised them, *What a group of loyal heroes!*
"General Liu, how many soldiers remain with us?"
"Your Majesty, many brothers have fallen during our escape. Only 255 of my guards remain."
Li Mufan nodded thoughtfully at the response.
"General Liu, you've served on the frontier. Tell me about the situation at the kingdom's borders."
Liu Long immediately stood at attention and answered, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"The kingdom's southern and southwestern borders touch the Yunqin Empire and have always been lightly defended. Canaan Pass is the only strategic point, with less than 10,000 soldiers stationed there, led by only three or four generals."
"To the west lies the Xihe Kingdom, another vassal state of Yunqin. Its defenses are also weak. The kingdom's northern border is under constant threat from the Barbarian Bull Clan. In recent years, the clan and other tribes from the grasslands have occasionally raided, putting immense pressure on the kingdom, so most of our domestic elite forces are stationed there."
"As for the east, that is the territory of the elves. The elves are a mysterious and powerful race, far beyond our human capabilities. As a result, the eastern border is almost undefended, except for some necessary garrisons to avoid misunderstandings with the elves."
"Xuan-level race?" Li Mufan muttered, slightly taken aback, before quickly grasping the situation.