Chapter 79 The Bloodstained Road is Cold and Bitter, But Someone Is There to Accompany Me.
Surprisingly, the underground wasn't very deep.
Ji and Jing landed quickly.
But it was so dark here that the area illuminated by a single luminous pearl was extremely limited.
Feeling their way forward, Ji and Jing spotted a series of large, sturdy wooden crates in the pitch black.
He took out his sword and opened the wooden box with the character "始" (beginning) carved on it. The box was so sturdy that even with his strength and a sharp weapon, it took him a great deal of effort to open it.
In the dim light, it glittered with gold.
This underground palace indeed contains treasures.
Ji and Jing held up the luminous pearl; such boxes stretched as far as the eye could see.
Ji Yujing couldn't help but feel happy.
He could finally settle accounts with the Song family and Zhang Qiyuan.
A moment later, he looked away.
Upon closer inspection of the box, both inside and out, it was discovered that many small characters were engraved below the character "始" (beginning).
I am Zhao Xian, the ruler of the Kingdom of Xin.
I came from the common people, and ascended to the supreme throne with the support of the masses. Yet, amidst the extravagance and splendor of the high place, I gradually forgot where I came from.
I am ashamed to admit that I come from a poor family, and even worse, I have blocked the path to advancement for those from humble backgrounds.
When I am old, I once met a young child who, though he did not recognize the king, spoke of him, saying, “My grandfather said that the king should be the hope of all people, the light in their eyes.”
"But in the end, he became a knife that pierced the people."
At that moment, I realized what I had done in the past, and how many people I had disappointed. I wanted to make amends, but it was too late. I was old and my body was dying; I could do nothing more.
However, his desire to make amends became an obsession, keeping him awake at night. So he hid his private treasury and the wealth he had obtained from powerful families in a secret place, setting up layers of restrictions.
If someone can remove all the restrictions and come here in the future, that person must be someone who cares about all people.
What I couldn't do, I hope someone else can do for me.
When this treasure is used for the benefit of the people, I will be freed from my obsession and can finally rest in peace.
Ji and Jing also studied history, but even with their deepest memories, they could not find such a ruler.
But none of that matters anymore.
Ji Yujing bowed deeply to the words on the box: "Rest in peace. Thank you for everything you have done for the people of this land."
"History will record this for you."
Regardless of his past, King Zhaoxian of Xin Kingdom can be considered a legendary monarch.
When Ji Yujing returned to the bright spot in the underground palace, Yu Yong and the others rushed towards him, asking, "How was it?"
"Do you have it?"
Even when suppressed, the anticipation shines through.
Ji Yujing's expression was indifferent, and he did not respond immediately.
As you can see, dreams have been shattered.
Just as Yu Yong was about to say a few words of comfort, Ji Yujing suddenly smiled.
"We can now point our swords at the imperial city."
The surprise hit everyone hard, but it also brought a lot of problems. Such a large treasure, which also involved the southern region, was a major issue to be addressed in terms of its safekeeping.
Ningdong Army has different arrangements with Jing, and simply cannot spare enough troops to defend this place.
That night, Ji and Jing barely slept.
The following day, while everything was still gloomy, Governor Duan came to report in person.
A massive army of ten thousand men arrived from the south, personally led by Lin Qingyu and Ming Qian, the goddess general who had risen to fame during the selection of generals in the south.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yujing immediately sat up, a smile spreading across his face.
Dai Dai, she really knew what he wanted.
Every single time, before he could even speak, she would offer it to him.
Having such a wife is a reward from God.
He should be grateful every day.
After tidying up briefly, Ji and Jing, along with Duan Wei, went to see Lin Qingyu and Ming Qian. The army had already entered the city, and Duan Wei had found them a place to camp. They carried Lin Qingdai's letter, which Duan Wei allowed them in without asking permission. Now, who in Lingdong didn't know the importance of the Second Miss Lin in the general's heart?
"Brother-in-law, are you surprised?"
"Hello, son-in-law. You've worked hard."
When Ji Yujing arrived at the encampment, Lin Qingyu and Ming Qian were already having breakfast with several high-ranking officers of the Southern Army.
The other soldiers, scattered in different places, also got to eat.
Upon seeing Ji Yujing arrive, Lin Qingyu and Ming Qian immediately started shouting excitedly, completely disregarding their image.
Ji Yujing walked over and sat down with Lord Duan.
"surprise."
"You've been doing quite well lately, General Ming."
Mingqian: "Protecting Miss is Mingqian's responsibility."
Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.
This young lady Mingqian is completely different in the martial arts arena and in front of her loved ones. Especially in front of Miss Lin Er, she acts like a child.
Lord Duan took a bowl of porridge and handed it to Ji Yujing.
He took it and addressed Lin Qingyu.
"Why did you come? And the timing was perfect."
Lin Qingyu: "Don't you know how smart your wife is?"
Ji Yujing smiled and said, "I know, that's amazing."
He still doesn't know when she added the markings to that map. He did discuss it with her a few times in Lingdong, but each time it was very brief. She never asked to look at the map closely.
Even so, they accurately located the treasure's location.
"Go do what you need to do. We and Lord Duan will guard this place for you. In addition to this army of 10,000, we can mobilize a lot of troops every three cities in the south. If you encounter danger, we can come to your aid immediately."
"Daidai also asked me to pass on a message to you."
Ji Yujing: "What?"
Lin Qingyu: "She won't allow Ji Yujing to lose."
In an instant, Ji and Jing felt a sweet warmth in their hearts.
On the surface, he barely managed to maintain his composure.
"Please also pass on a message to Dai Dai: I will be picking her up from school soon."
From this day forward, we will never be apart again.
With Lin Qingyu, the young master of the Lin family business, personally overseeing things from the rear, the secret treasures were smoothly transformed into various military supplies, flowing continuously to Lingdong.
When Ji Yujing led his army out of Lingdong, the soldiers' armor was gleaming and their weapons had been upgraded.
Before the battle even began, morale was already high.
Of the 100,000 troops in Lingdong, apart from the 30,000 left to guard Guyun City, Ji Yujing took 30,000 of the more than 70,000 with him.
He left 40,000 men and two generals, including Chen Sinian, to protect Lingdong.
Before leaving, Ji Yujing instructed Chen Sinian: "If you can't hold on, go to Kang Le City immediately to ask for reinforcements."
Chen Sinian agreed.
With my wife backing me up, I feel so reassured.
In the spring of the thirty-seventh year of Zhaoshun, more than half of the third month had passed when the Ningdong Army made unusual movements. They advanced along the route from Guyun City, and in just over half a month, they had captured three prefectures. These three prefectures were pro-Song and vowed to resist to the death.
Ji Yujing showed no mercy; those who refused a chance would only face death.
At the end of March, the Ningdong Army arrived at Tianpo Prefecture, the first prefecture in central China.
This is the only road leading to the capital, and therefore, it is always guarded by 80,000 troops.
Since the Ningdong Army made its move and captured the first prefecture, Zhang Huining, the Minister of War, has been personally overseeing the situation there.
The challenge has only just begun.
Ji and Jing remained calm and set up camp thirty miles outside the city gate.
For three consecutive days, there was no movement.
On the night of the fourth day, Zhang Huining sent Huang Qian to invite Ji Yujing to meet him at the foot of the city wall.
Beneath the city gate, exposed and exposed, it wasn't exactly a good place to chat. But it was nighttime, and during a time of war, the city gates were tightly shut, and there was no one coming or going. Chatting there was, in a way, relatively safe.
Without tables, chairs, or tea, the two important figures met for the first time.
"What business does Lord Zhang have with me?"
Zhang Huining: "General Ji, some battles can be avoided; they would be a waste of manpower and resources."
What about the Lingdong border?
Ji Yujing: "Did the Crown Prince ask you to say this, or was it your own idea?"
Zhang Huining was taken aback upon hearing this. "What I mean is..."
Ji Yujing chuckled softly, a very short laugh, "Lord Zhang, haven't you grasped the situation yet?"
"What do you mean by that, General Ji?"
Ji Yujing: "The Song family is rotten to the core, so of course, Song Yunyan must be removed from the list."
"As long as this country is still ruled by these rotten Song family members, then whoever loves the people will have a weakness."
They can be easily manipulated, and may even have to pay with their lives.
For example, Song Yunyan, and Wu Tingshan.
"Lord Zhang, it's better to be ruthless once you're on the battlefield."
"Don't you feel any pain as the people suffer from the ravages of war?"
"It hurts, but it's better than never being able to turn the page on the suffering."
A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one.
Ji Yujing's attitude was very firm, or rather, he had always been like this.
He knows clearly what he wants and works hard for it until he has it under his control.
The biggest difference now is that if he goes too far, someone will pull him back and gently tell him: You can't go any further.
Before she grabbed him, he knew he was still within his own boundaries and didn't need to compromise or give in to anyone.
Ji and Jing's tough stance foreshadowed the breakdown of negotiations.
Zhang Huining stared at him for a moment, then suddenly laughed, “Then let this old man see the strength of the Ningdong Army.”
"Master Zhang, take care of yourself."
After saying that, Ji Yujing turned and left.
By the dim light from the city tower, Zhang Huining watched him leave, lost in thought, seemingly pondering something.
Following this conversation, the two armies fell into a stalemate once again.
Neither of the two commanders launched an attack, and no one knows what they were thinking.
As the first rays of spring sunlight touched the imperial palace of Dongshao Kingdom, Xuanzhi, clad in black armor, descended the steps. Lanqin stood on a high place, watching him leave.
Suddenly, she shouted, "May the Crown Prince return in triumph soon!"
"The Crown Prince is wise and mighty; he will surely be invincible."
Xuanzhi did not turn around, but he was undoubtedly pleased, as could be seen from the ever-upturned corners of his mouth.
After so many years, we can finally break through the border of Xun Kingdom. Now that old bastard Wu Tingshan is dead, and Ji Yujing has gone to Lingdong to pursue his imperial ambitions. Such an important border defense line is without a single commander.
Heh...hehe.
Xuanzhi knew that the most glorious moment of his life had arrived.
Also setting off at the same time was the Azure Army of 200,000, which marched swiftly for several days and arrived directly at the gates of Tianyun City. Just as Xuanzhi and the others had imagined, the morale of the Zhenxi Army had been low since Wu Tingshan's death. Even in such a crucial battle, the army's highest-ranking general, Huang Zhenquan, did not appear.
On the third day of the fierce attack, he finally stepped forward and requested a meeting with the commander of the Azure Army.
When General Zhu He, commander of the Azure Army, received this news, he was initially surprised. They hadn't shown any signs of defeat in just three days, and Huang Zhenquan was already willing to sit down and talk?
But upon closer reflection, it seems highly likely.
Wu Tingshan was both a teacher and a friend to Huang Zhenquan. Given the tragic nature of Wu's death, Huang Zhenquan and the Zhenxi Army must have harbored resentment towards the imperial court; they certainly wouldn't be willing to risk their lives for them.
In light of this, he agreed to meet with Huang Zhenquan, but both sides were very cautious and unwilling to get too close to the other's army.
After discussion, they decided to set up a long table between the two armies and clear the surrounding area, which could be considered a secret meeting.
It was afternoon, and the gentle spring sun shone on them, softening their already tense demeanor. Sitting face to face, they looked more like two friends who had suddenly bumped into each other and wanted to catch up.
"What business does General Huang have with me?"
Not long after they sat down, Soo-hwa asked directly.
Huang Zhen's expression turned cold and stern: "Didn't General Zhu already guess that?"
Otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to meet him.
After hearing this, Soo-ha laughed and said, "It's so comfortable dealing with smart people."
"So General Huang really came to negotiate peace?"
Huang Zhenquan nodded slightly.
Zhu's heart was suddenly stirred by turmoil, and he was unable to control it.
How would you like to discuss this?
Huang Zhenquan took out the paper from his inner pocket. Because it had been kept close to his body, the paper was warm from his body heat.
He placed the paper on the table and then pushed it in front of Zhuhe.
"I can let you into the city, but you have to agree to two conditions."
The conditions were already written down, and Zhuhe lowered his eyes to examine them closely.
First, once inside the city, one must not harm civilians or their property.
Second, provide 10,000 taels of gold to the Zhenxi Army.
Huang Zhenquan: "Don't touch civilians, especially those from Tianyun City, otherwise the Zhenxi Army will definitely fight you to the death."
"As for the ten thousand taels, we can discuss reducing it a bit."
Although the Zhenxi Army was reluctant to fight, its strength was undeniable.
Unless someone is mentally ill, no one wants to provoke their anger.
Especially Huang Zhenquan, whom they had faced before; he was known as a tough nut to crack.
"No need to reduce the amount; will the general only release us after receiving ten thousand taels of gold?"
Huang Zhenquan looked at him coldly, "I always have to gain something."
The meaning is clear: loyalty and righteousness are no longer his concern, but he wants to firmly hold onto wealth and status.
"General Zhu, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you miss it, you'll never have another chance."
"Do you want to continue fighting, or would you rather bleed a little and give me a fortune? From now on, the Azure Army will dominate Tianyun City?"
Zhu He paused for a moment, then signed his name on the ceasefire agreement.
The agreement was handed back to Huang Zhenquan, who stared at the paper in silence for about seven or eight breaths, as if he was hesitating.
Finally, he signed his name on the paper.
When Soo-hwa received one of the agreements, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile. He had to exert a lot of effort to suppress it.
Huang Zhenquan looked gloomy, as if spring had never arrived, with layers of dark clouds above his head.
"How many days?"
Within seven days.
"Don't try anything funny, or I'll fight you to the death."
Huang Zhenquan has no family; Wu Tingshan is his only relative.
After his death, he was all alone. If you angered him, he was capable of anything.
Zhuhe undoubtedly understands this principle.
"General Huang, rest assured."
Huang Zhenquan put away his copy of the agreement, got up and left.
Silently, Soo-hwa did not call out to him again.
No one expected that after he turned around, a smile would well up in his eyes. Though faint, it was undeniably real.
The words Wu Tingshan had said to him before he left echoed in his mind:
Luring the wolf deep
Close the door and beat him
Previously, the Zhenxi Army could only passively defend, but now things are different; they have powerful allies.
Although he had never met Liu Tongan, he knew that he was a powerful and ruthless leader.
From now on, the Zhenxi Army will no longer have to fight alone.
Within the borders of Xun, all are family. When foreign enemies come, families gather.
I may still lose, but at least I won't be lonely and resentful anymore.
The path is blood-soaked and chilling, but someone is there to keep me company.
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