The war has begun!
Whether Dongyue and Beiqi were in cahoots or were a bunch of snakes and rats, they were still making a grand show of their determination to attack the Southern Shu Kingdom.
Emperor Shuntian personally appointed generals, mustered 200,000 troops, and led the army on an expedition. Meanwhile, within the Southern Shu court, the recently abdicated Emperor Gaozong remained in charge.
Emperor Shuntian personally led the expedition, which was not only a firm counterattack against the invasion of Dongyue Beiqi, but also a sign that in the glorious history of the long-standing coexistence of the three great powers, he was determined to break the existing stalemate and lead the three countries into a new chapter.
Emperor Shuntian's expedition was like a blazing flame, burning with the hope of change and progress, determined to push the wheels of history toward a more prosperous future.
Although the Southern Shu Kingdom had not experienced war for decades, the imperial court's annual expenditure on the army was increasing day by day.
Not only the soldiers, but also the people's morale remained high. At first, when they heard that they were going to war, the people were a little confused, but when they saw that the royal family was as steady as Mount Tai and that Emperor Shuntian was in front of them, their morale soared and they showed no fear at all.
The expedition was scheduled for the following day at dawn. The imperial court also dispatched an urgent messenger to redeploy the cities near the borders of Dongyue and Beiqi, with the number of soldiers guarding each city gate, especially the East Gate and the North Gate, doubled compared to before.
The total number of troops from Dongyue and Beiqi was around 150,000. However, the two countries had been at war for many years and were familiar with each other's tactics. Their sudden alliance made them a formidable force in actual combat. Therefore, Su Yi did not take it lightly and instead increased his forces by 50,000.
On the day of the troop mobilization, Mu Jin also participated in the battle arrangements between Su Yi and the generals of Southern Shu. Every step of the plan was not only about how to completely drive Dongyue Beiqi out of Southern Shu territory, but also about annexing Dongyue and Beiqi together to eliminate future troubles.
It seems that this war is not as simple as the people of Southern Shu think. Dongyue and Beiqi have launched a massive attack on Southern Shu with the full strength of their respective countries. Su Yi and Mu Jin do not believe that they have no backup plans. It is clear that Su Yi's desire to repel them and annex the two countries is not an easy task.
Soon it was dawn, the day of departure. After the three armies had finished their sacrificial ceremony, it was a late autumn morning. The cold wind blew on everyone's necks, which invigorated them. A thin layer of white frost had formed on the ground, which was trampled into the mud by the horses' hooves and mixed with the soil.
The streets and the official roads outside Bianliang were crowded with people who came to bid farewell to their relatives and friends, while the army marched in an orderly manner in their respective directions.
Su Yi and Mu Jin led the army at the front. When they turned around, the expressions of the soldiers and civilians were varied. Some old people wiped away tears with their sleeves as they watched their grandsons slowly walk away. Some old men had expressions of pride and satisfaction because their sons and grandsons had brought glory to the country.
Seeing the high morale of the scene, the horses beneath Su Yi and Mu Jin couldn't help but excitedly circle around in place, as if they were even more eager than their masters to go to the battlefield and fight alongside the soldiers.
Su Yi turned around, a smile curving his lips as he looked at Mu Jin: "Are you scared?"
"Scared?" Mu Jin rolled her eyes at Su Yi: "If you don't hurry up, I'll beat you until you're scared!"
Upon hearing Mu Jin's words, Su Yi smiled happily. The soldiers nearby did not know why their emperor was smiling, but laughter was always a good thing. Those who heard it couldn't help but smile as well.
A gentle morning breeze swept by, bringing a touch of coolness and ruffling their slightly disheveled hair.
The road to Dongmen Pass was long and arduous, but Mu Jin was anxious and eager to ride off immediately to see his father and brothers as soon as possible.
However, Su Yi worried that her body could not withstand such a strenuous journey, and kept reminding her that the soldiers would not be able to handle it, so she had to slow down her journey repeatedly.
It took them less than half a month to cross the high mountains and reach the East Gate Pass of Southern Shu. With such a large army, this was much faster than the usual marching speed of troops.
Logically speaking, when relatives reunite, they should be filled with endless longing and unable to express their feelings.
However, with a formidable enemy at hand, Mu Jin and his son Mu Weihou had no time for pleasantries or longing; instead, they quickly threw themselves into intense preparations for battle.
Before Su Yi arrived, the Mu family army held firm at the East Gate Pass, resolutely refusing to leave the pass and confront the enemy forces of the two countries head-on.
Despite the enemy's best efforts and ingenuity, they were unable to force the soldiers of Southern Shu to step out of the city gates.
They tried various methods, including provocation and insults, throwing stones, setting fires, and climbing the city walls, but all these schemes were in vain and they could not break through the East Gate Pass, which was heavily guarded by Marquis Muwei.
Outside the East Gate, the enemy's shouts and curses echoed endlessly, but the Mu family army on the city wall remained unresponsive. Su Yi and Mu Jin followed Mu Weihou and his son to the city wall.
The group gazed at the densely packed enemy troops in the distance, secretly plotting their next move.
Outside the city wall, a familiar figure sat on a tall horse, cursing at Marquis Muwei on the wall. He spat as he continued to hurl vulgar and obscene insults.
"Young Master Mu! You colluded with Beiqi to harm Dongyue, but when Dongyue and Beiqi joined forces, you turned around and surrendered to Nanshu. You are like a weather vane. Isn't your name a product of your Mu family? If your Mu family had any backbone at all, you would have come out of the city and fought me."
The person hurling insults was none other than Huang Xin, the newly appointed general of the Eastern Yue Kingdom. His constant stream of vulgarities caused Mu Jin to furrow her brow repeatedly.
She turned to Mu Yan beside her and said, "Brother, could you please ask someone to lend Ah Jin's bow and arrows?"
Mu Yan smiled and had his men bring a bow and arrows to Mu Jin, saying, "Ah Jin, don't be angry. It's perfectly normal for both sides to curse each other on the battlefield. If you get angry and respond, it will only give him more leverage. If you do nothing, it will only make him angry. Once they're tired of cursing, they'll be helpless against us and will go back."
"Moreover, at this distance, even Father would have a hard time hitting it. Huang Xin is not stupid; he has precisely measured his position."
"I just can't stand it! Our Mu family has been so badly hurt by such a despicable person! Even if I miss, I can't quell my hatred until this arrow is fired!"
After Mu Jin finished speaking, he drew his bow and aimed at Huang Xin, who was sitting on horseback outside the city wall. The soldiers surrounding Huang Xin immediately took out their shields and covered him completely.
Seeing the Dongyue soldiers below the city wall in some disarray, she smiled slightly and shot an arrow. Her arrow was as fast as lightning and pierced the shield blocking Huang Xin's path.
The arrow was only an inch away from Huang Xin's forehead, as if it could pierce through his head at any moment.
Huang Xin was terrified, his face turned ashen, and he immediately turned and fled with the soldiers who had come to hurl insults at him.
He couldn't understand how Mu Jin, a woman, could possess such superb archery skills.
But he secretly rejoiced, thinking that perhaps his ancestors had kowtowed to the King of Hell in the underworld until their heads were smoking, otherwise he would surely have become a soul under Mu Jin's arrow today.
Mu Jin handed the bow and arrows back to Mu Yan, and sneered, "Hmph, does such a lowly person dare to spout such nonsense and insult my Mu family?"
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