Consort Rong shook her head and said, "That's right, but right after this incident broke out, the allied forces of the three northern nations invaded the Chu State. How could His Majesty possibly lower his status to summon your maternal grandfather? Instead, he promoted Sun Deping, whose status at the time was only half a rank lower than your grandfather's, appointing him as Grand General in charge of resisting the three-nation alliance, while simultaneously announcing a grand wedding to take the present Empress as his bride."
"However, regardless of which nation it was, the military strength of the northern trio was not weak. Sun Deping had secured the position of General of Manifest Martial Prowess only because he had once followed your grandfather. Consequently, after the very first battle, Sun Deping suffered a disastrous defeat and returned in utter disgrace."
"Left with no other choice, His Majesty had no option but to invite your grandfather, who had already retired at home, to seal his sword and take command. That battle flowed with blood and left countless dead and wounded. Your grandfather lost an arm, and the one hundred and fifty thousand troops he led were reduced to just twenty thousand. But the three hundred thousand troops of the northern trio were completely wiped out."
Chapter 420