Chapter 242 Defending the borders and winning the victory...
Zhang Ting demanded one-fifth of the taxes collected from these ten cities.
Cobalt Lotus managed a forced smile, her fist clenched tightly in her sleeve; she had quite the appetite.
"Yes. Mo Nan is always generous to his friends."
The waiter frowned, looking worried.
Zhang Ting also wanted the title of King of Mo Nan, second only to Gu Lian in status.
Cobalt Lotus couldn't keep up her smile any longer. "Friend, aren't you overreaching?"
How dare you, a foreigner, interfere in the royal power of the southern desert?
Zhang Ting leaned back leisurely in his armchair and retorted, "Your ten cities bordering Dayong are many times larger than your original territory. Are you unwilling to give up even a mere title of nobility?" He raised an eyebrow at her, "I am not talented, but I am already a duke in Dayong. Do you think your country can buy me off without some sincerity?"
Cobalt Lotus tightened her lips, suppressing the urge to kill someone, and managed to utter with difficulty: "Fine, Mo Nan will give you the sincerity you want."
That's more like it. Zhang Ting gave her a look that said, "You're teachable," and then said that he would write his name into the general principles of Buddhist scriptures so that future generations could admire it.
Gu Lian couldn't stand this any longer. She slammed her hand on the table and stood up. "Even the Dharma King, who rules over all directions, has difficulty recording names. What makes you think you can? My friend, your appetite is too big."
Zhang Ting didn't take it to heart. She had her own explanation. "Can the Dharma King expand ten cities in the southern desert? Can your 300,000-strong army do that?" She smiled and said cheekily, "But I can."
"Has Your Excellency investigated my reputation and prestige? Leaving aside other matters, the three prefectures of Zhangzhou, Yinzhou, and Tongzhou alone could be brought under the control of the Southern Desert with a single command from Zhang Ting, without firing a single shot. I conquered half of the Great Yong's territory. I dare say that without Zhang Ting, who knows who the emperor of Great Yong would be today? Such unprecedented power, unmatched throughout history, is hardly worthy of a mere kingship in the Southern Desert!" His attitude was arrogant, implying that if he hadn't had no interest in the throne, the emperor wouldn't have been his.
Cobalt Lotus was both envious of the ease with which she could conquer such a vast territory and deeply humiliated. After much deliberation, she finally agreed to her request.
Zhang Ting nodded in satisfaction and stood up gracefully.
Finally, Cobalt Lotus called out to her, "Wait—"
Zhang Ting turned around and heard the other person ask, "If you are really that powerful, why were you kidnapped by a weak scholar who couldn't even kill a chicken?"
A vortex rippled deep within Cobalt Lotus's eyes as it watched her every move intently, ready to crush her to pieces at the slightest provocation.
Because the strategy was changed halfway through, but Zhang Ting remained calm. A hint of humiliation appeared on his face, but he suppressed it and laughed instead: "If I hadn't made a mistake, would Mo Nan have had the chance to obtain those ten cities?"
"The Duke of Dingguo, whose fiefdom is ten thousand households in Dayong, and the Minister of Personnel, who is above ten thousand people, are no less than your noble title."
Gu Lian seemed thoughtful, but was successfully persuaded.
Zhang Ting went out to settle accounts with the traitor who 'betrayed' her.
Inside the tent, the attendant said with great concern, "Your Excellency, this man was originally a loyal and virtuous official of the Great Yong Dynasty who served the country and its people. Now, in order to live a life of ignominy, power, and wealth, he has betrayed the country and its people. He is truly a villain, and we must be wary of him."
Gu Lian didn't care at all. "Da Yong is nothing but a land of sin. How can it nurture a pure nation like the Southern Desert? There are quite a few people who spout benevolence and morality but are actually scheming and despicable. Everyone gets what they want, so what's there to fear?" She smiled suddenly. What she didn't say was that she smelled a kindred spirit in Zhang Ting, who was equally good at breaking the shackles of morality.
The waiter stammered, "We promised her far too much. I'm afraid the Dharma King will have objections."
Cobalt Lotus laughed heartily, "Who says a promise has to be kept?"
“All things are impermanent. As the Buddha’s teachings say, ‘The self of yesterday is not the self of today.’ Conditions have changed, and my mind has turned. Why cling to promises of the past? Attendant Baotian, your practice is too shallow.”
The attendant was greatly shocked; indeed, the power of Buddhism was boundless.
...
Zhang Ting, completely unaware of the situation, circled around Li An, dressed in fine silks and satins, saying, "You're doing quite well." Then she took off Li An's clothes and put them on herself.
As the enemy lunged to grab it, he hurriedly whispered in her ear, "We have gained the enemy's trust; proceed according to plan."
Ang Lee paused for a moment, then they started fighting.
Zhang Ting was strong and powerful. He kicked her to the ground and said in a nonchalant tone, "Dare to betray me? Didn't you ever think this day would come?"
As soon as Cobalt Lotus entered, she was almost crushed by the flying figure, but fortunately she dodged in time and escaped unharmed.
Li An rolled around on the ground, crawled over, and hugged Gu Lian's feet. "Venerable One, I am a follower of the Buddha Kingdom. I have worked hard even if I have not made any great contributions. How can she be so humiliated? I beg you to uphold justice!"
The last shred of doubt about Gu Lian was completely dispelled. With countless followers in the Buddhist Kingdom, she naturally protected her hard-won friend. "This is an honored guest from Mo Nan. Do not be rude!"
He then said to Zhang Ting, "I've heard that this person has a past grudge against you. What do you think we should do?"
Li An exclaimed in surprise and disbelief, "Your Excellency! How could you do this!"
But who on the scene would care about the life or death of a lowly henchman?
Zhang Ting smiled sinisterly, "I am benevolent and magnanimous, and I will not hold her betrayal against me. I will spare her life and make her my foot-washing maid."
Li An was horrified: "I was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the first year of the Chengjing era, how could you humiliate me like this!"
Gu Lian nodded slightly. Zhang Ting was indeed a shameless, insidious, and vicious person. If she wanted to torture someone, she would not just kill her easily, but keep her by her side to slowly wear down her dignity and integrity.
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
“Then you can keep this person for your amusement in your spare time,” Gu Lian said casually, then added, “Didn’t you say there’s a shortcut that leads directly to the prefectural city? Our army is setting off tomorrow, you’ll lead the way for us.” Although Zhang Ting claimed that she could command a hundred responses and make the three prefectures submit, they didn’t dare let her go alone, lest the duck that was about to be eaten fly away.
Zhang Ting has no problem with it.
Cobalt Lotus went out.
Only Zhang and Li remained inside.
Ang Lee slowly got up, frowning as he asked, "Is there really such a shortcut?"
Zhang Ting shrugged and sat down. "Of course." But she always spoke with nine parts truth and one part falsehood, an old habit she couldn't break, so she could only ask her 'friend' to bear with it.
The next day, the sun was quite strong, so bright that it was hard to open one's eyes.
Zhang Ting led the enemy troops into the mountains on the right, "where cavalry were guarding the left side."
Cobalt Lotus sent scouts to investigate, and sure enough, a large number of cavalrymen were secretly lying in ambush. They were difficult to spot if one was not careful, so they followed them.
In the woods, Zhang Ting led his men through a winding, arduous journey, turning right and left, which was extremely physically demanding.
Cobalt Lotus grabbed her arm, panting, "How much further?"
Zhang Ting was also sweating profusely from the heat. She waved her hand and said, "Almost there, almost there. We'll be there once we get around this mountain."
Cobalt Lotus turned to continue walking, but was suddenly grabbed. "I can't walk anymore, pull me up."
After inspecting the area, the soldiers were exhausted and out of breath. The southern part of the desert was mostly plains; where had they ever traveled so many mountain roads?
She was the only one who was relatively better off. She dragged her important 'friend' forward with heavy steps, saying, "Aren't you known as the 'Slaughter of Ten Thousand People'? How come you're so weak?"
Zhang Ting said without batting an eye: "My husband is very sexually active and wants me to have sex eight times a day. It's inevitable that I'll develop kidney deficiency if this continues for a long time."
Gu Lian understands that lust is like a knife above one's head, and every knife is aimed at the kidneys.
Even the most skilled warrior would eventually have to lean against a wall to get out after prolonged indulgence.
The higher we went, the thicker the fog became, and we couldn't see anything below.
Gu Lian immediately became alert. She glanced back and saw that Zhang Ting was still behind her. She felt a little relieved, but her right eyelid kept twitching uncontrollably.
The army circled around the mountain, and the fog dissipated, revealing a truly open and bright landscape.
Cobalt Lotus breathed a sigh of relief and told everyone to rest where they were. She then turned her gaze to look for Zhang Ting, and sure enough, he was still there.
Suddenly, a rain of arrows shot out from the forest, creating a beautiful scene amidst the clouds and mist, leaving everyone stunned.
Immediately afterwards, screams of agony echoed throughout the room.
The ranks completely scattered. Cobalt Lotus, surrounded by her guards, hurriedly tried to escape, glaring angrily at a treacherous man: "Why didn't you tell us there were archers behind us?"
Zhang Ting pulled Li An behind a boulder and casually replied, "I'm getting old, my memory isn't what it used to be. My friend, please forgive me, I really didn't mean it."
It was intentional.
Just as they were separated from the enemy, she quickly pulled Li An and ran down the mountain. If they didn't run, they would be chopped into mincemeat by the enemy!
Gu Lian watched Zhang Ting rush away in disbelief, then instantly realized that she had fallen for her trick!
She glared at him hatefully, an unprecedented sense of humiliation welling up inside her, and chased after him with her knife in hand.
"I will kill this slut today to vent my hatred!"
The soldiers from the southern desert were exhausted from their arduous journey. The attendant had just gathered the remaining troops to prepare for retreat when he turned around and found the crown prince nowhere to be seen. He was terrified and chased after him without thinking of anything else.
Zhang Ting ran ahead, and Gu Lian chased after her. Several times, the blade was about to slash at her.
Zhang Ting strode confidently, "I just have a bad memory, it's not a capital offense, my friend!"
Cobalt Lotus sneered: "Stop first, I'll listen to your explanation."
Zhang Ting turned her head and bent down, dodging another knife, and ran away without stopping.
"Your knife is too sharp; it frightens me, my friend."
Cobalt Lotus: "You'll like it, in your next life."
With a swift stroke, he cut off several strands of hair, just a hair's breadth away from someone's head—always just a hair's breadth away!
Cobalt Lotus's eyes grew increasingly red, clearly blinded by revenge, and she wanted to kill her without regard for the consequences!
They quickly rushed out of the mountains and forests and arrived at a boundless plain.
Finally, the remnants of the defeated army in Mo Nan reunited with the crown prince.
However, they were faced with an endless cavalry formation, their momentum overwhelming, like a tiger lying in wait for its prey.
The blade slipped from Cobalt Lotus's hand, and she suddenly realized that she had fallen into a trap again.
Zhang Ting crossed his arms and clicked his tongue twice, sounding quite regretful: "I forgot to mention, there's another group of cavalry down the mountain."
Having brought 50,000 with him, he now only had 20,000 left. Gu Lian laughed bitterly, then picked up a knife from the ground and rushed forward.
Today, only one of Zhang Ting and her can live!
Tang Qiuyue's eyes were sharp. She turned her spear and shielded the commander behind her, leading the cavalry in a charge.
Hatred swirled in his heart; today, he would cut off Gu Lian's head no matter what, to avenge his sister. "Fellow soldiers, the time for us to wipe away our shame has come!"
A dark mass swept forward, the enemy troops were exhausted and demoralized, while our troops were in high spirits, achieving a completely overwhelming victory.
Cobalt Lotus was pierced through the chest by a spear, and blood flowed all over her body, but she smiled and threw her long knife with all her might, her target being—Zhang Ting.
Tang Qiuyue spurred her horse and galloped away, her eyes blazing with fury: "General!"
Upon seeing this, the cavalry, who were locked in combat with the enemy, immediately turned back to rescue them, but were always a step too late.
When Zhang Ting realized what had happened, the blade was only an inch away from her chest. The unimaginable pain did not come; someone had taken the blow for her.
A thick blade, about half a finger's width, pierced through Li An's chest. She was thrown to the ground, coughing up blood and foam.
Zhang Ting was incredulous. Soon, she was surrounded by cavalry. Coming to her senses, she crouched down, but dared not touch Li An. "Our friendship, so brief, has even ended in a complete break. You… why…"
Li An convulsed, blood gushing from his mouth. "So... cough cough you thought we were just strangers who met by chance, but cough cough... I've remembered it for eight whole years, cough cough I've regretted it every single moment."
Unable to move, she used all her strength to reach Zhang Ting's hand, saying, "I always feel like I owe you an apology."
"Sister Zhang, can I still call you sister?"
A bittersweet feeling welled up in Zhang Ting's eyes. She turned her head slightly away, but gripped Li An's hand tightly. She simply couldn't understand how such a conflicted person could exist in the world.
A tear rolled down her cheek. "Sister Li, Zhang Ting will always be your sister."
Li An managed a weak smile, "Enough, enough... cough cough, that's enough..." Satisfied, he closed his eyes and his hand slumped to the ground.
The battle ended with the complete annihilation of 50,000 enemy troops. Tang Qiuyue came over carrying the head of Gu Lian and knelt on one knee: "This humble servant failed in his duty and caused the general to put himself in danger. Please punish me for dereliction of duty!"
Zhang Ting remained silent for a long time, then pulled her up and said in a hoarse voice, "Everything we do is so that the next generation will no longer suffer from the ravages of war. Let the war end in our generation."
"I am ready to fight to the death! Soldiers, charge with me!"
The cavalry, and the infantry, archers, and spearmen who followed, raised their weapons and roared hysterically, "Fight to the death! Fight to the death!!"
"Fight to the death!!!"
The vast and orderly army marched straight towards the enemy camp, advancing with unstoppable momentum. The southern part of the desert, leaderless, suffered repeated defeats and fled in panic to a place a hundred miles away.
The following day, in pursuit of the defeated army, Zheng Xiaotang firmly shielded Zhang Ting behind him.
Amidst the chaos of battle, Zhang Ting asked, "You are the vanguard, not my personal guard. What are you doing here?"
Zheng Xiaotang gritted her teeth and beheaded the leader of the attacking bandits. "General, you command the central army, and I am your vanguard! General, you charge forward, and I will be your personal guard!"
"I've only known you for a few days, why are you so loyal?"
Zheng Xiaotang protected Zhang Ting and fought off the enemy. "General, you've only known me for a few days, but I've known you for many years—Oh no! The enemy has suddenly counterattacked. Escort your lord back to the central army!"
Caught off guard, Zhang Ting was forced to retreat by his personal guards, watching helplessly as Zheng Xiaotang led his cavalry forward in a charge, displaying unparalleled bravery and fearlessness.
What Zheng Xiaotang didn't say in the end was that if he could die on the battlefield for her, he would have no regrets even if he died a hundred times!
In the end, the Great Yong captured 30,000 enemy soldiers and annihilated 260,000, winning the battle. However, of the 250,000 troops that the Great Yong had sent out, only 60,000 remained.
Countless soldiers wept with joy; they had defeated the enemy and protected their people and territory!
But after the joy came endless silence. Looking at the ruins of the battlefield, with the severed limbs of their fellow countrymen everywhere, they numbly collected their bodies.
As far as the eye can see, there is a sea of corpses.
Zhang Ting swept past the soldiers one by one. Although she had won with minimal losses, she couldn't feel happy at all.
The overwhelming stench of blood permeated the air. Having fought dozens, even hundreds, of battles, she was intimately familiar with this smell, but she could never get used to this horrific scene.
Suddenly, her foot was firmly gripped by something.
Zhang Ting paused and looked down.
A familiar face appeared in the sea of corpses, with a severed hand and blood still flowing from its mouth. It was Wang Ermazi, who had been full of life just a few days ago.
"Grandma, we, cough Fengxianren, are not cowards!"
She strained to maintain her composure, like a victorious soldier returning home, yearning for the admiring glance of the general she revered as a god.
He collapsed heavily midway through, stared at Zhang Ting, opened his mouth, then suddenly stopped moving and could no longer speak.
Zhang Ting slowly squatted down, patted her blood-stained shoulder armor, and said, "You...you did a great job." Tears fell, and he raised his hand to close her eyes.
She staggered to her feet and continued forward.
Zhang Ting was kicked on the road and fell to the ground covered in blood. She turned her head to look.
Zhang Cunsan had no hands left, and three long spears were stuck in his chest. He let out two "heh heh" sounds and said with difficulty, "I... am also... also a good... county magistrate's wife."
Zhang Ting nodded emphatically and said with difficulty, "Yes, you are an unparalleled hero of Dayong and Fengxian!"
After laughing three times, Zhang Cun coughed violently. "Grandma County Magistrate... you're at Fengxian's house. We often go to clean it... remember to go back and visit."
"Okay," Zhang Ting replied with her eyes closed.
"I...I accidentally knocked down a section of your fence while I was cleaning. Please, please don't scold me."
Zhang Ting bit her lip, "...I won't scold her." Tears welled up uncontrollably, and she could no longer hear any sound.
She numbly got up from the ground and wandered aimlessly forward, almost tripping over a soldier at her feet, when suddenly someone called out to her.
"grown ups--"
Zhang Ting turned her head like a rusty cog, only to see Zheng Xiaotang limping over with a bright smile, "I'm back alive!"
At that moment, a glimmer of green sprouted in her withered heart, and hope was rekindled.
Zhang Ting smiled, a bittersweet smile mixed with joy, and went forward to help Zheng Xiaotang back to camp.
"You are a general, the commander-in-chief of an army, how could you do such a thing?"
"Once we're on the battlefield, we're sisters. There's no need to distinguish between superiors and inferiors."
A gentle breeze dispersed the stench of the battlefield, and dusk elongated two figures; they were survivors, and also the sparks of hope.
Zhang Ting looked up at the slowly setting sun, the streaks of blood on her cheeks shimmering with light, her eyes filled with an unprecedented determination.
Looking back at the sea of blood behind her, she said, "I will give you back a peaceful and prosperous world."
The setting sun signifies the beginning of another dawn.
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