The war between the Great Xu Empire and the Northern Kingdom had now lasted thirteen long months.
What began as a sudden invasion had become a prolonged struggle across the vast northern frontier. Cities had fortified their walls, villages near the border had emptied, and soldiers on both sides had grown accustomed to the endless rhythm of battle.
At the center of it all stood Crown Prince Xu Chen.
Though still young, he had already commanded the army for over a year.
The soldiers trusted him.
The generals respected him.
And the enemy had begun to fear him.
---
The Ninth Month
After the fierce battles around Longyuan Fortress, the war temporarily slowed.
Both sides had suffered losses and needed time to regroup.
Spring had fully arrived by then. The once frozen plains had turned green again, but the calm beauty of the land hid the tension that hung in the air.
Inside the Xu military camp, scouts brought daily reports.
One morning, General Zhao Liang entered the command tent.
"Your Highness, the Northern Kingdom has withdrawn their main force thirty miles north."
Xu Chen studied the map laid across the table.
"They are waiting."
Zhao Liang nodded.
"They are gathering more troops."
Xu Chen remained calm.
"Then we will strengthen our positions."
Instead of pursuing the retreating enemy, Xu Chen ordered the army to secure supply routes and reinforce nearby cities.
Watchtowers were repaired.
Defensive walls were strengthened.
Supply caravans were escorted with larger guards.
The Crown Prince understood something clearly.
This war would not be decided by a single battle.
It would be decided by endurance.
---
The Tenth Month
Summer heat began to spread across the northern lands.
The Northern Kingdom finally launched another attack.
But this time their strategy had changed.
Instead of attacking one fortress, they split their forces and targeted multiple border towns.
The intention was clear — to stretch the Xu army thin.
When the reports arrived, several generals gathered around Xu Chen.
General Zhao Liang spoke with concern.
"If we divide our troops to defend every town, our main force will weaken."
Another commander added,
"But if we abandon those towns, the northern army will destroy them."
The war tent fell silent.
Xu Chen thought for a moment before answering.
"We will not divide the army."
The generals looked surprised.
Xu Chen pointed at the map.
"Instead, we will move faster than them."
He ordered several elite units to march swiftly between the threatened towns.
Whenever the northern army approached a settlement, they would suddenly encounter Xu forces already waiting.
After several failed attacks, the northern commanders realized their plan had failed.
Once again, they withdrew.
---
The Eleventh Month
By the eleventh month, the war had spread across a wide region.
Small battles occurred almost every week.
Sometimes it was cavalry clashing on open plains.
Sometimes it was night raids on supply camps.
Other times it was quiet standoffs across river crossings.
Xu Chen personally inspected the front lines regularly.
Even the common soldiers had seen the Crown Prince ride across the battlefield many times.
One evening, after returning from inspecting a forward camp, Xu Chen sat quietly in his tent.
The battlefield outside had grown silent.
A soldier entered respectfully.
"Your Highness, a letter from the capital."
Xu Chen took the letter.
The familiar elegant handwriting made his expression soften slightly.
It was from Yue Ning.
Her letters were never long.
She often wrote about small things in the capital.
Seasonal festivals.
Family gatherings.
The blooming of flowers in the Yue residence garden.
But those small details carried warmth that the battlefield lacked.
Xu Chen read the letter slowly.
Then he folded it carefully and placed it inside his robe.
For a moment, the war outside felt far away.
---
The Twelfth Month
Autumn arrived.
The wind across the northern plains grew colder again.
By now, the war had lasted an entire year.
The Northern Kingdom attempted a massive assault near Black River Pass, hoping to break Xu defenses before winter returned.
Nearly seventy thousand troops marched toward the pass.
It became one of the largest battles of the entire war.
War drums thundered.
Dust clouds filled the sky.
The clash lasted from dawn until nightfall.
Xu Chen remained at the center of the battlefield, issuing orders calmly as the fighting raged around him.
Whenever one section of the defense weakened, reinforcements arrived under his command.
Whenever the enemy tried to flank the army, Xu cavalry countered them.
By nightfall, the northern army suffered heavy losses.
They were forced to retreat once again.
Black River Pass remained under Xu control.
The victory greatly strengthened the morale of the Xu soldiers.
Around the campfires that night, many soldiers spoke proudly.
"Our Crown Prince truly leads like a seasoned commander."
Another soldier nodded.
"With him here, the northern army will never break through."
---
The Thirteenth Month
Winter returned once more.
Snow slowly covered the battlefield again.
The war had now lasted thirteen months.
Both sides had grown cautious.
Large battles became less frequent, replaced by smaller skirmishes and strategic movements.
But everyone knew something.
The war was approaching its final stage.
The Northern Kingdom had already failed multiple offensives.
Their supplies were strained.
Their soldiers were tired.
Inside the Xu command tent, several generals gathered again.
General Zhao Liang spoke.
"The enemy army is weakening. Their supply lines are stretched."
Another general added,
"If we press forward in the coming months, we may force them to retreat completely."
Xu Chen listened quietly.
After a moment, he nodded.
"Prepare the army."
The generals looked at him.
"Your Highness?"
Xu Chen's voice was calm but firm.
"When spring arrives, we will end this war."
---
Far Away in the Capital
While the war continued in the north, the imperial capital of Great Xu remained peaceful.
Within the Yue residence, winter snow covered the courtyard garden.
Inside a quiet room, Yue Ning sat near a window with a small lamp beside her.
Another letter lay open on the table.
It had arrived from the northern frontier only a few days earlier.
She had already read it several times.
Her expression remained calm, but her eyes lingered on the final lines.
Xu Chen's letters were always brief.
He rarely wrote about battles.
Instead, he simply wrote that he was safe.
That the war was progressing steadily.
And that he would return once victory was secured.
Yue Ning carefully folded the letter again.
Outside the window, snowflakes slowly fell from the sky.
The war had lasted thirteen months.
But she knew one thing clearly.
Sooner or later—
Xu Chen would return.