The fifth prince of Chen, held hostage in the state of Chu, clashed with the second prince of Chu. The fifth prince of Chen was beaten and died shortly after returning.
The King of Chen was furious and sent a letter of protest to Chu, threatening to deploy troops if a satisfactory explanation was not provided.
"Father, you misunderstand! I merely argued with that Chen Fifth. I lost my temper and slapped him, how could that possibly lead to his death? This was deliberately designed by them to make things difficult for our Chu."
"Fool! He was deliberately provoking you, and you rushed right into it. Of course, I know this is a Chu conspiracy. How did I give birth to such a stupid son?"
"Father, please calm your anger. Your son knows he was wrong."
"Get out! Looking at you makes me angry."
"Yes."
The second prince bowed and quickly exited the imperial study.
The next morning, during the court assembly, ministers were in heated discussion. Most did not want Chu to lose face and disagreed with handing over the second prince.
"Your Majesty, this matter is an intentional plot by the state of Chen to cause trouble. If we show weakness and hand over the second prince, will we not be ridiculed by the world?"
"Lord Xu, you speak too lightly. If war breaks out between two countries over a trivial matter, won't the common people suffer? Your humble servant suggests handing over the second prince."
The second prince retorted, "Old traitor Wang, what do you mean by this? When did I ever offend you? Why do you harbor such resentment towards me?"
"Your humble servant is merely choosing the most beneficial course of action for Chu. Sacrificing the second prince for peace between the two nations is well worth it."
The second prince was so enraged that he almost fell backward, unable to utter a word. It was at this moment that Jun Jiuli stood up with righteous indignation.
"Your Majesty, Chen is deliberately provoking us. If we hand over the second prince this time, it will be other princes next time. We cannot back down. Your humble servant is willing to lead troops to the border."
The second prince was deeply moved, looking at Jun Jiuli as if he were his own father. The generals also looked at her with admiration. The Emperor coughed heavily.
"Allow me to reconsider. This matter will be discussed later. If there is a memorial, present it. Otherwise, the court is adjourned."
The Emperor summoned the Crown Prince for an afternoon discussion. In the end, it was decided that Jun Jiuli would lead the troops to the border, with the Crown Prince acting as supervisor, supposedly for him to gain valuable experience.
A large group transported grain and fodder, marching towards the border. The two countries were on the brink of war.
Upon reaching the border, Jun Jiuli arranged the troops according to the methods remembered, making no significant changes that would raise suspicion.
The troops stood ready. The next day, the Chen army arrived and set up camp two miles away. Jun Jiuli did not interfere.
Before dawn, a group of people carrying satchels of explosives headed towards the border city gate. Chen Jiayu rode at the forefront on a tall horse.
He shouted in a booming voice, "Chu has gone too far! They killed my fifth brother and refuse to hand over the murderer. I am the ninth son of the Chen Emperor, and today I will seek justice for my fifth brother."
A group behind him echoed, "Seek justice! Seek justice..."
Jun Jiuli watched the sea of people below from atop the city wall. She had no intention of adhering to gentlemanly etiquette, engaging in shouting matches, and then dispatching troops.
The Crown Prince anxiously asked, "Father-in-law, what should we do now?"
"Don't worry, I have a plan."
She drew her bow and an arrow, and with a swift 'whoosh', an arrow pierced Chen Jiayu's clavicle, sending him tumbling off his horse from the force.
The startled horse reared up and trampled on him, knocking Chen Jiayu unconscious on the spot.
The Crown Prince watched, dumbfounded, "What superb archery, Father-in-law."
Jifeng dismounted and rescued Chen Jiayu, administering a life-saving pill. The medical team was called over, and soldiers rushed forward to shield Chen Jiayu with their bodies.
Jifeng glared furiously towards the city wall and roared, "Shameless scoundrels! Launching a sneak attack!"
"Young whelp, do you not know that all's fair in war?"
The soldiers on the city wall began to cheer, as if in support of Jun Jiuli. The Chen soldiers were bewildered, unsure of what to do next.
Jifeng immediately ordered his men forward. They ignited the fuses in their hands, intending to use catapults to hurl the explosives onto the city wall. Jifeng wore a triumphant smile.
Suddenly, a torrential downpour descended from the sky, extinguishing the fuses. The Chen soldiers were caught off guard.
Seizing the opportunity, the soldiers on the city wall began to shoot arrows. The Chen soldiers immediately raised their shields to defend themselves, as they had brought no other weapons.
They had expected the explosive satchels to be invincible and crush the Chu forces, but the heavens did not cooperate.
The arrows were set ablaze and aimed directly at the explosive satchels. Many of the satchels ignited, exploding on the spot. The Chen army suffered countless casualties, and Jifeng immediately ordered a retreat.
Having barely escaped back to their camp, the commander was unconscious, and the granary had been set ablaze. Jifeng wished he could atone for his mistakes with his own death.
He had no choice but to lead the remaining soldiers back to Chen. Jun Jiuli pursued relentlessly, and soldiers from other towns offered no assistance.
This battle, with the advantage of timing, terrain, and human effort, directly reached the capital of Chen. The Chen Emperor was forced to surrender. The Chu Emperor had not expected Jun Jiuli to be so formidable.
He happily enfeoffed the Chen Emperor as a marquis and confined all of his royal relatives, making them wealthy but idle individuals.
Emissaries were sent to take over the administration of Chen, and Jun Jiuli was granted the title of Duke. Jun Jiuli was wise and handed over military power to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince dared not harbor any malicious thoughts and treated the Crown Princess with even greater respect. After this war, he was convinced that his father-in-law was a chosen one, otherwise, why would heaven help him so much.
Chen Jiayu woke up to learn that Chen had been conquered and spat out a large mouthful of blood in anger. All the effort and money spent had been in vain.
He regretted his actions to the core. Jun Jiuli broke both his legs and threw him directly to Zhao Jingwan.
Zhao Jingwan was ecstatic, believing her suffering was over and that Jun Jiuli would take her back into the household without holding a grudge.
Jun Jiuli gave her two acres of land and a small courtyard, leaving it to her to torment Chen Jiayu however she pleased. However, if Chen Jiayu died, she too would die.
After tormenting Chen Jiayu, Zhao Jingwan had to work in the fields and also feed him to keep him alive, harboring immense hatred in her heart.
Chen Jiayu's heart was filled with despair, and he refused to speak a single word to her. After three years of "loving and killing" each other, they both passed away.
Jun Jiuli remained in this plane until her body naturally died of old age. Her grandson successfully ascended the throne as the new Emperor, and the Zhao family prospered.