Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

The chapter details the military and political structure of the Northern Sui, emphasizing the independence of military and civil authorities. Zhang Xuan, while granting the Ziwei Pavilion significant power, retains strict control over military matters. In a conference at Qi Wang Tower, he discusses strategies against the Turkic threat, assigning generals to key positions and planning troop movements. Zhang Xuan expresses concern over potential Turkic spies and decides to send a warning to the Bayegu tribe. After a brief interaction with his wife, Lu Qing, regarding the urgency of the situation, he shares his fears about the safety of their family due to possible Turkic assassins targeting them. Ultimately, he resolves to have his family move into the palace for better protection as he departs for Youzhou with a cavalry escort.

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