Chapter 247 Karma
The grass leaves in the early morning wet the horses' hooves, and the sound of footsteps was as deafening as the Yue general Li Nian led an army of 200,000 to break through the southern border.
The grass and trees trembled, the mountains echoed, and a crow with black wings flew down from a dead branch and tilted its head to look at the tiger and wolf army whizzing past below.
Flags are flying, drums are thundering, and a killing feast filled with iron and blood is about to begin.
"Report——"
The Southern Frontier Palace was covered in dark clouds, with a violent storm gathering above. The ministers knelt in a row, not daring to speak loudly.
"The Vietnamese army's attack is fierce and the front line is under pressure. Your Majesty, please send troops to support us!"
The King of Southern Xinjiang gave a bitter smile.
Send troops? With what?
All military power is in the hands of my brother.
Behind that man's bright and clear body were piles of bones. He turned a deaf ear to everything and stood with his hands behind his back, standing on the top of a mountain overlooking the land shrouded in war.
The puppet emperor leaned back on the dragon chair tiredly: "I understand."
He waved his hand feebly: "I'll report back if you continue to investigate."
Artillery fire blasted open the gates of southern Xinjiang. The battlefield was devastated and littered with corpses. Haunting vultures flew around hunting for food. The wind was cold and the sky was filled with yellow sand, which blew up the scorched flags. Broken limbs and guns were scattered all over the ground. The cruelty of war taught the world the most painful and heavy lesson at this moment.
But who is to blame?
Nanjiang's conspiracy to harm the people of Yue was exposed, and the King of Yue followed the will of the people and sent troops to quell the anger. However, war is always inseparable from ambition and desire. But since the war has started, there is no need to be hesitant or worry about anything else.
Vietnamese main camp.
The noble stood in front of the sand table in the tent, with one hand behind his back and the other hand fiddling with Buddhist beads. The Buddhist beads, which were stained with killing, frightened his cold heart. The crimson beads, which seemed to be infused with blood, passed through his porcelain-white fingertips one by one, as if they were about to climb up his thin arms and bloom into gorgeous flowers of death.
The man was in the breeze and bright moon, his tall figure standing like a bamboo, and the exquisite silver armor showed his unique heroism and nobility. He lowered his eyes and thought carefully.
His junior fellow student once wrote to him and reminded him that Southern Xinjiang had the power to control the dead to fight again. But even though they had won another battle, they still hadn't forced the power to appear. So what was the person behind the scenes waiting for?
Are we really going to watch southern Xinjiang being devoured step by step?
"His Majesty!"
A general opened the door curtain and walked into the tent in high spirits. His face was flushed and his tone was passionate: "This surprise attack was a great victory! Our army is in high spirits. Your Majesty, do you want to continue the siege?"
The noble frowned slightly. "There are strange and regular troops, which can be used in rotation, like a ring with no end. When you attack again, you must rely on the troops to fight in formation, and don't use strange attacks again."
"I understand! Then, Your Majesty, shall we continue the pursuit?"
The general's eyes were bright and fiery, the pleasure of military exploits and of avenging his compatriots made his blood boil, and he couldn't wait to rush into the Southern Xinjiang Imperial City and capture the culprit.
Gongqing's brows furrowed more and more tightly: "It's going too smoothly. There must be something fishy going on. Tell all the generals to beware of the enemy's plan to use their troops. Don't be complacent."
He paused and continued, "Send a team of light cavalry to scout out the enemy first. Don't be rash and fall into their trap."
The generals calmed down as if they were splashed with a basin of cold water. Your Majesty was right. The successive victories made them so excited that they were thinking about pursuing the victory. However, it was too weird. Even if Southern Xinjiang was small and had weak military strength, it would not have been defeated like this.
The poisonous snake lurking in the darkness showed its injured tail, luring them to chase it. Who knows, it might not even spit out its bones after entering the snake's den.
This mysterious country full of strange dragon arts still has many secrets that have not been discovered by the world. Having come this far, how can we be careless and lose the opportunity?
The general suddenly sobered up, put away his arrogance, accepted the order and retreated respectfully.
The noble stood alone in the tent for a long time, wondering what the other party was planning. His deep black eyes were filled with a dark glow, and wisdom and intelligence were reflected in his bottomless pupils.
Is this a strategy of waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out in southern Xinjiang?
When the enemy is in a difficult situation, do not fight, as the strong will be weakened and the weak will become weaker.
But now the war damage in southern Xinjiang is even worse than that in Yue State.
Or is it a strategy of throwing a brick to attract jade, using similarities to lure them in and catch them by surprise?
Or is it a plan to pull the ladder out after climbing up the roof?
Giving him convenience, instigating him to move forward, cutting off his support, trapping him in a desperate situation, and making him encounter poison, is this not the right position?
This minister, who was famous and influential in the Five Kingdoms, had a plan and tactics for everything. All his strategies turned into a cluster of scorching flames embedded in his eyes.
"Is that so?"
He seemed to have thought of the answer, and the Buddhist beads he had been turning stopped. Gongqing looked down, and his beautiful red phoenix eyes were suddenly stunned.
"Why is it so popular?"
He walked out of the tent and held the Buddhist beads up to the sun. He looked at them again. The golden light could no longer penetrate the deep red. It was completely different from the clear and transparent light when he first came out of Guigu.
Gongqing didn't know how long he had been watching. The sound of war in the distance could not bring him back to his senses. He just recited the Buddhist scriptures to himself:
"The upright come from forbearance, the poor come from greed."
"Highness comes from worship, lowliness comes from arrogance."
"The dumb come from slander, and the blind come from disbelief."
"Long-lived people come from compassion, short-lived people come from killing."
His voice was slightly hoarse.
"From killing come the short-lived..."
His originally clear eyes became dim and dim. He put away his Buddhist beads, sneered, and returned to the tent.
"Are all the karma going to manifest itself on me because of this war?"
…
"Long-lived people come from compassion, short-lived people come from killing."
The King of Southern Xinjiang had a face as cold as ice: "Those who lack all the faculties come from breaking the precepts, and those who have all six faculties come from keeping the precepts. My brother, the ten stanzas you believe in clearly state this. Aren't you afraid that the retribution for your sins will come to you and you will never be able to recover?"
There was no sound of swords and guns clashing, nor was there any wailing or crying in the palace. In the attic, Le Zhou slowly turned a page of the Buddhist scriptures and responded indifferently to the words of the King of Southern Xinjiang: "I am a Buddhist renunciation. My flesh is filled with sins. I can only feel a little clearer if I pay homage to the Buddha in my heart."
He raised his eyelids and looked at the King of Southern Xinjiang calmly: "The war in Southern Xinjiang is critical now. Your Majesty still has the leisure to come here and discuss Buddhism with me?"
The King of Southern Xinjiang laughed out loud, and was furious: "Brother, don't you know how much military power I hold, and how much you hold? If I had real power, why would I come here to beg you?"
Le Zhou ignored the ridicule and focused on reading every word in the book. He said slowly and calmly, "You shouldn't hide your incompetence anymore, otherwise the mountains and rivers of Southern Xinjiang will be shattered and it will be gone."
The face of the King of Southern Xinjiang turned dark, and he knew what his brother was talking about.
He was not completely powerless. He had long wanted to resist Le Zhou and flee with the empress. Although the powerful chip Tan Zhu was lost, he did not stop there. He had secretly developed his own army over the years, waiting for the day to cover his and Qing Qing's escape.
It turns out that Le Zhou knew everything, but he just closed his eyes and let him develop, and now he is pushing him out to stop the disaster in southern Xinjiang.
If he really repelled the Vietnamese attack, his army would be almost completely wiped out, and he would no longer have any trump cards.
Le Zhou wanted to completely break all of his claws, making him like a newborn beast with no ability to resist and no threat at all.
The King of Southern Xinjiang was so angry that his hands were shaking, and his heart felt as cold as if an ice cube was stuffed into it.
Looking again at the man sitting at the desk, reading the Buddhist scriptures peacefully, the fear that arose from the soles of my feet quickly spread to my limbs.
Le Zhou, you will be punished.
The chess game of the world that you planned will eventually be broken into by others.
The King of Southern Xinjiang turned around and left decisively.
He is the king.
No matter how willful you are, you shouldn't let the country be lost and the people mourn. You shouldn't let Qingqing and him be pointed at by the men and scolded to the point that even if they die, their bodies should be thrown out of southern Xinjiang to feed the dogs.
The King of Southern Xinjiang and his beloved wife could not bear this humiliation.