Carry one person on your back to protect the world.
"A hundred years ago, a bloody battle took place in the North, and the Northern King was deified in one battle... How could this be..."
The silver-armored figure raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone indifferent yet impatient, "What do you mean by dead for hundreds of years? Today, I was just about to reach a critical point in my remaining chess game when His Majesty suddenly summoned me to investigate some 'strange phenomenon'. Before I could figure out what was going on, I'm here."
He sighed softly, his tone slightly depressed, as if he was quite unwilling to give up: "That game of chess is about to be broken..."
Han Xiuyuan's tone was calm, yet sharp. "Where is this place? How has the war in Southern Xinjiang become so serious?"
He glanced around at everyone in the tent, finally returning to Fang Ci: "Also, can anyone tell me how I can get back?"
Han Xiuyuan seemed to recall something and added, his voice soft but tinged with resentment: "I'm still giving away pieces. If I don't break that game quickly, and that Lu Bingzhao sees it... I'm afraid he'll laugh at me for half a year."
The tent was momentarily silent. The first Western King, Lu Bingzhao, had severed the river with a single blow of his halberd, his might resonating throughout the land, known to the world.
Everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to speak first.
In the end, Fang Ci coughed lightly, stood still for a few steps, and bowed steadily.
She said in a serious tone, "The elders said the game is not over, but the remaining soldiers are thousands of miles away, and the people of southern Xinjiang are suffering."
She solemnly held high the banner of righteousness, her manner dignified yet revealing a certain familiarity of an uninvited guest. Then, she changed the subject and went straight to the level of moral blackmail: "What endgame? The world is in ruins, and this is when your country needs you!"
After Han Xiuyuan listened to her, he stared at her for a while and didn't say anything for a long time.
He slowly uttered a "tsk" sound, his tone tinged with disdain: "Don't try to scare me with the righteousness of the country. You're far inferior to His Majesty in this regard."
Who was Han Xiuyuan? He was a veteran general who had been brainwashed by Emperor Taizu by constantly referring to the people of the world.
He had heard Qin Chengxiu's great principles of "righteousness", "Tao", and "power" countless times.
Qin Chengxiu kept saying, "The king is the boat and the people are the water." He had heard it more than anyone else.
But since Han Xiuyuan chose to rebel with Qin Chengxiu back then, he was bound to fall for it.
Han Xiuyuan said this with disdain as he walked over to the map and stood still. His eyes swept over the markings on it, and he tapped a few battalion names with his fingertips. "Alright, let's see how you guys managed to make this battle so deadly."
He took a charcoal pencil from the side, and with a stroke of his hand, he changed the line connecting several cities on the battle map into a winding encirclement, like a dormant snake.
"Barbarians fight without rules. Your defenses may look strong, but they will crumble if hit."
General Fang Che, standing by, couldn't help but say, "But if we don't defend the three fronts, if the alien race comes, the hinterland will be powerless to resist."
Han Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, but didn't blame him. His gaze was like that of a fledgling eagle just learning to fly, with a hint of cherishing talent: "Fang Weian burns his life like it's playing, and you can't do it. You force yourself to imitate him, aren't you afraid of being a short-lived ghost?"
Han Xiuyuan paused, then spoke with a sharp edge: "Don't wait for the aliens to arrive. If you want to defend, you have to move forward. I'm in a hurry. Pick a few people, and I'll take you to the battle tonight."
There was silence in the tent.
Han Xiuyuan glanced around, his tone still calm, but his eyes were teasing. "What? No one? The Fang family isn't afraid, yet someone is even more spineless than them?"
The generals under the tent lowered their heads, some with stiff faces, standing with their back teeth clenched; there were even a few who avoided his gaze, deliberately avoiding his sight.
Fang Ci opened her mouth, but in the end no sound came out. Her knuckles tensed, then loosened, and finally she remained silent.
Back then, while the southern border was stained with blood, she lived in luxury in the imperial city. How could she have the right to force these people to risk their lives?
Seeing Fang Ci was silent, as if he was at a loss for words, Fang Che spoke up. The young man smiled, but said seriously, "Senior, there's no need to be picky. What do you need so many people for? I'll go with you—that's enough."
Han Xiuyuan stared at him for a few breaths, then smiled softly and said in a low voice, "He's quite good. Tsk, good shoots come out of bad bamboo."
Before Han Xiuyuan finished speaking, he heard quick footsteps outside the tent.
The next moment, the curtain was suddenly lifted up.
Han Chenglie walked in coldly: "Who defends Wuyuan?! Who abandoned the city? Stand up!"
The tent suddenly became as quiet as death.
Fang Ci's eyes flashed, and he was about to speak, but Han Chenglie raised his hand to stop him: "Princess, don't worry about the military affairs."
Han Chenglie looked around, his anger unconcealed. "Who abandoned the city and stood up to lead the army? If you don't want to fight, why lead the troops? You need the princess to teach you this?!"
In the dead silence, there was a slight sound of armor.
A man walked out slowly from under the tent. The general had an untrimmed beard, his face was stained with dust and blood, and an old scar ran across his jaw, adding to his vicious look.
He walked up to the commander's desk and said in a low voice, "Deputy Commander, I am the defender of Wuyuan City. If you want to kill me or fight me, I will not hesitate."
As he spoke, he took off his helmet and placed it on the table: "This soldier—I can't lead him."
Everyone watched him put down his helmet, and it seemed as if they heard a very light breaking sound, and a crack appeared on the scarred skeleton of the Southern Xinjiang soldier.
He's not the first. He won't be the last.
There was no anger, no tears, only a bone that broke silently.
Finally, someone couldn't hold it in any longer and roared hoarsely, "Princess! Deputy Commander! This world will eventually belong to the Qin family! We work for the Qin family?! And what do we get in return?"
"Back then, Marshal Jie was framed for colluding with foreign tribes and was slaughtered in the marketplace. The people were outraged and applauded."
"Your Excellency has guarded the southern border for thirteen years and has never lost a city or abandoned a single civilian."
"Those are the people we've protected with our lives!"
"My princess, you are in the palace, and all you see is a piece of imperial decree. We are waiting at the execution ground, and we want to hear the people shouting 'Well done!'"
"It doesn't matter who dies, what matters is that an official was killed."
"People don't care about right or wrong; they just want to have fun!"
In the eyes of the common people, no one is loyal or treacherous, and anyone who acts under the emperor's order can be considered a thief.
The wind blew in from outside the tent, blowing up a corner of the mottled battle map.
Old blood and new dust overlap on top of each other.
They once defended their country with their lives, but in the end they sat alone in the city wall, watching their loyalty being trampled into pieces and turned into a joke.
It's ridiculous that they once risked their lives for these people.
They had long forgotten what they were guarding behind this majestic pass.
Are you guarding the mountains and rivers, the people, or the imperial power?
Until now, at this moment, there is only one question: why fight?
Han Chenglie looked at the crowd, remaining silent. After a long pause, he slowly stepped forward and spoke solemnly, "The profound formation in the capital has erupted, disrupting the imperial city's dragon veins. Your Excellency's consciousness has been affected by this formation. To break it, we must draw upon the dragon veins of southern Xinjiang. Today, there's no point! I, Han Chenglie, will guard this vein. I, Han Chenglie, will secure this pass! I, Han Chenglie, will save Your Excellency, Marshal Ji!"
He clasped his fists solemnly and said, "I am Han Chenglie, please help me, brothers!"
There was silence in the tent for a moment.
After a long time, a general walked out from the crowd.
The general picked up the helmet he had put down, knelt on one knee, and said in a low voice: "I have abandoned Wuyuan and am willing to face military law. I - I am guilty of this crime and am willing to fight."
Then a second person knelt on one knee, clasped his fists, and said loudly: "I am willing to fight."
"I am willing to fight."
"I'll fight!"
"Please defend Dragon Breath City!"
"I will guard Longyao Pass!"
The third person, the fourth person, the short sound of weapons clashing like wind was like the dark thunder falling in an empty valley.
They are not afraid of death, all they lack is an excuse.
A reason to die peacefully without hesitation even if you are still called a traitor after your death.
Under the tent, Han Xiuyuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
A hundred years ago, in this southern border, there was a man who risked his life to protect the people from the flames of chaos.
A hundred years later, it's still this southern border. This group of people, for the life of one man, stood against the flames of war thousands of miles away.
Carry one person on your back, and protect the world. Defend one person, and protect the world.
Once cause and effect are established, the situation changes, and fate turns, who is right and who is wrong?
Han Xiuyuan spoke softly, suddenly curious: "Is your commander also surnamed Xiao?"
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