She Banished Her War Hero

Marcus handed in his post and went back to his home village. Emma had taken his command off him by then, and the twelve pardons were spent. Her father had left him the pardons along with his daughter and the empire, twelve mistakes she was allowed to make; she had used them one at a time on Marcus, the first when his army was close to holding the whole middle of the country and she ordered the troops pulled back. A minister at court had her ear and told her a general with that much credit to his name was a danger. With Marcus gone the Jin crossed the border. The minister opened talks with them and gave ground. Emma went out to his village three times to ask him back, would not hand over full authority, and he refused her. More territory went. She was made to address the Jin king as her father. Then she found out what the minister had been doing, had him put to death, and went to Marcus again with the authority he had asked for. He took the command and went to the front.