Chapter 88: Keeping the Promise Today (Part 3) Update
The palace lanterns were lit by the maids.
Liu Ziling unfolded the paper and saw only eight simple words written on it: "Until the conditions are right, the Buddha's teachings will not be widespread."
He used his fingertips to crumple the simple paper, but Liu Ziling seemed unaware.
Xuan Jing's reason for rejecting him was so direct.
Buddha does not save those who have no destiny, so is his father the one who has destiny?
If the Buddha's eyes are like this, then Liu Ziling might as well not believe it or not see it!
·
In Xiguan County, Liu Ziye was outside the military training ground when a system prompt popped up in his mind.
"Ding—Detected that the benchmarking group has officially introduced a new variable. Host, please be alert!"
"After preliminary evaluation, the influence of the new variable's coefficient is still weak, and the main reference object is still Crown Prince Liu Ziling!! However, given the unpredictable situation, please pay close attention to changes in the benchmarking system!"
"Finally, the worldline situation is evolving at an accelerated pace. Host, please continue your efforts, quickly gain points in the new stage, and strive to complete the ultimate mission goal!"
Liu Ziling frowned slightly.
So far, it has been nearly seven years.
This should be the first time that the system has officially introduced someone other than Liu Ziling into the system's benchmarking algorithm.
Although the original worldline had indeed experienced a long period of chaos, with countless people vying to unify the world and ascend the throne, now that she had traveled through time, and considering Liu Jian's suicidal behavior, Du Hui remained in her Xiguan Marquisate this time, unable to become the military advisor who instigated the first rebellion of King Yiyang.
But if this continues, sooner or later someone else will step forward and be the first to do so.
However, now that a challenger for the status has clearly appeared, the progress is much faster than that of the original world line.
It seems that Liu Ziling's status as the crown prince has begun to be fundamentally shaken.
Today's training on the parade ground is about field reconnaissance and formation deployment.
The drills included field vehicle driving, field geographical orientation, and field formation. Each soldier was equipped with a simple positioning instrument and pointing device for positioning.
These arsenals produced new high-carbon steel swords, spears, low-carbon, tough, and easily shaped armor, steam-powered crossbows, steam chariots, as well as small portable military equipment such as steam whistles and positioning pointers.
Whether it is application or military tactics and formations, the training and cultivation of soldiers, especially the changes in battle formations, are all systematic.
She is needed as the output of ideas and tools, and to work closely with her core private army leaders throughout the process.
The two years of war between the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Eight Tribes resulted in the Xiguanhou Mansion absorbing a large number of laborers and stragglers.
More than half of them were employed as workers in various workshops and as artisans in the newly built arsenals, while the remaining small half were reorganized and trained to expand the Houfu private army.
In addition, in the past two years, people from all over the country have rushed to Xichuan with their families after receiving letters from their families.
Today in Xiguan County, not only has the population of the two major cities of Yucheng and Qingcheng increased several times.
The one thousand private guards in her Xiguanhou Mansion already made up a private army of nearly one hundred thousand people in total.
Because he was personally leading the troops in training, Jin Jie was also wearing light steel armor that shone with silver light. He walked from the training ground to the middle platform.
He said to Liu Ziye who was waiting on the stage, "Young Marquis, today's 'Iron Cavalry Thunder' and 'Western Normal University Square Phalanx' have both been practiced."
"As you can see, the 'Grand Square' is incredibly effective in restraining the charges of the steppe cavalry. The heavy armored cavalry of the 'Iron Cavalry Thunder' possesses a deterrent power and offensive power that is unmatched anywhere in the world."
Of course Liu Ziye saw it too.
The so-called "West Normal University Square" is of course the famous "Spanish Square".
But when she personally applied it in her own team, she felt a little complicated.
She was not very happy with the task after the military infrastructure module upgrade this time.
She was only slightly moved by Jin Jie's unreserved praise.
I just replied with some complexity: "Do you think so too? These things are really amazing?"
"I think so."
Jin Jie looked at her and added, "However, war is always a bad omen. Is the young marquis worried about this?"
Liu Ziye leaned quietly in the chair and did not speak for a while.
The silent silence has already told her answer.
Jin Jie pondered for a moment, then recited in a serious tone, "A gentleman hides his abilities, waiting for the right time to act. He does not take pleasure in killing, but only uses them when necessary."
After saying this, Liu Ziye, who was feeling profound and melancholy, could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.
The unhappy mood dissipated, and she focused her gaze back from the void and looked at him: "Before you drop this bag of books, why don't you take off this armor?"
Time is truly a magical artifact of creation.
A lot has changed, but a lot has also been preserved.
For seven years, Jin Jie's cold and sullen temperament remained unchanged.
But he could also do as he did just now, in order to comfort her, with the murderous aura left over from the training ground, wearing a cold and hard armor, and reciting her "zhihuzheya" with a solemn and profound face.
·
The army of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which launched its third expedition against the Eight Tribes, assembled for the first time at the pass of Fanyang County, following previous practice.
At the army camp, Miao Tailin lifted the curtain and entered: "General, the general has sent a letter, asking you to come to the general's tent to discuss matters."
Chi Mu closed the letter in his hand and burned it into ashes on the candlestick.
In his last meeting with Liu Ziling before leading the team to leave Yanjing, he gave them the real mission for this Western Expedition.
Originally, when the game between the Crown Prince and the Emperor had reached an open and intense stage, Chi Mu's original plan was that he would not leave Yanjing with his troops at this time, even if it meant getting himself injured.
But in the end, it was Crown Prince Liu Ziling who persuaded him.
Liu Ziling did not care whether this battle could really capture the Qiang King Khan Yao Can. He just wanted Chi Mu to use his position as the deputy general of the expeditionary army to bring a person back to Yanjing from Xiguan County.
This person is——
Liu Ziye, the young marquis of Xiguan, has now become famous among the people of Da Zhou and has also won the favor of the great master Xuan Jing.
After all, they are close relatives of the royal family, although the situation is different now than it was in the past.
Liu Ziling had promised him a meeting in Yanjing in a private letter back then, and it was time to fulfill his promise.
The crimson flames gradually died down. Chi Mu stood up and faced Miao Tailin: "Let's go."
In the central military tent, the second prince Liu Ziyan sat in the middle. Below and to his left were two deputy generals, all of whom were personally selected by Emperor Liu Jian to assist the nineteen-year-old Liu Ziyan in handling matters of all sizes.
"General Chi! Please take a seat!"
When Liu Ziyan saw Chi Mu receiving the money, he was extremely respectful, like a younger person meeting an elder.
After Chi Mu sat down, Liu Ziyan continued, "General Chi, you know that Ziyan is still young and has never experienced such a large-scale battle. This battle, I am able to complete the important task entrusted by my father, to wash away the previous shame, and to enhance the prestige of our Great Zhou. It all depends on your assistance!"
Chi Mu: "General, you are too kind. However, since we are marching on the battlefield for the Great Zhou, I will certainly work together with you and do my utmost to serve you."
"Great! With General Chi's words, I feel relieved." Liu Ziyan seemed very pleased and asked, "Then, according to the general, how should our Great Zhou military advisor formulate and formulate a plan?"
Chi Mu thought for a moment.
In the battles of the past two years, although he always served as the deputy general of the army, Qin Feng was very cautious against him in the actual battle planning.
When he was on the real battlefield, he always tried every means to divert him from the front lines where he could achieve victory.
Most of the tasks that fell on him were almost logistical.
After a moment, he pondered, "The land where the Eight Tribes migrated, northwest of Yansai Mountain, is vast and extensive, often covered in swamps, glaciers, or endless dark forests. The grasslands also lack topographical markings, making it extremely difficult to identify directions and paths. The Eight Tribes have lived here for generations and are naturally very familiar with the terrain. Their numbers are small and their mobility is highly competitive. If they were to circle back and forth across this vast grassland with our army, we would indeed be at a disadvantage. This is why our army failed in its previous two expeditions."
Liu Ziyan exchanged a glance with his two deputy generals.
These two deputy generals, who also came from the Qin family, were naturally very unhappy that Chi Mu directly criticized Qin Feng's mistakes to his face.
But Qin Feng had already been attacked to pieces in Yanjing, otherwise he would not have resigned from all his military posts and stayed at home unemployed.
Therefore, no matter what Chi Mu says now, they can only accept it.
Chi Mu glanced at them and snorted lightly.
Liu Ziyan coughed twice and asked, "What do you think, General Chi?"
Chi Mu rolled his eyes and said, "Our army's strength lies in its large numbers. As someone like me, we shouldn't disperse our forces to pursue the Eight Tribes. Yao Can is the leader of the Eight Tribes and the primary threat to our Great Zhou. We should gather all our forces to target the Qiang clan. We must create a prison around them, encircle them in the center of Gai, and annihilate them."
"That, that is also a solution..." Liu Ziyan said vaguely.
Then he looked at his two lieutenants.
Chi Mu took it all in and understood everything.
·
July.
Northwest of Yansai Mountain, two months have passed since the Great Zhou army began its third year of conquest.
However, the soldiers of the eight tribes were still entrenched in the depths of the wasteland and swamp jungle. The army of the Great Zhou Dynasty lost most of its soldiers and still could not capture the head of Yao Can of the Qiang tribe.
Yao Can was both cunning and vicious, and he used every possible means, even using his confidants as bait to die in his place, to travel back and forth from beginning to end in the heart of the prairie, between the white mountains and black waters, and the swamps and wastelands.
He cherishes his life very much.
Fortunately, he was really good at saving his life, and he really allowed the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Zhou Dynasty to chase them all over the grasslands where they originally grazed their horses, and wiped out all the women, children, the elderly, cattle, sheep, and cloth. He even threw his own mother out and refused to show up at all.
The expeditionary general Liu Ziyan heard at the border pass of Yansai Mountain that his deputy general had lost his way in the prairie again.
He was so angry that he overturned the table in front of him.
He said angrily, "Drag this messenger out and chop him up!"
"General, General, spare my life!"
However, how could the extremely angry Liu Ziyan hear this useless cry? A moment later, a soldier came from outside the tent and reported: "General, the messenger has been beheaded!"
Liu Ziyan's anger subsided slightly. Turning to his other deputy general, he demanded, "Haven't you all served in the army for over a decade, studying military manuals and tactics for generations? How is it that a small tribe like the Qiang, numbering only over ten thousand, has rendered the hundreds of thousands of Great Zhou troops helpless? My father raised so much military funds for you, only to raise useless people like you!"
That deputy general was also a general of the Qin family. Although he was not as famous as Qin Feng who led troops twice before, he was still one of the third or fourth ranked generals of the Qin family.
He is much better than the young second prince who left the palace for the first time, left Yanjing for the first time, and never left the pass of Yansai Mountain in the entire northwest expedition. He relied entirely on soldiers from all over the country to go out and fight in the grassland!
Being pointed at in the nose and called a waste by Liu Ziyan, he felt extremely ashamed and angry for a moment.
Seeing him remain silent, Liu Ziyan's anger flared up again. "What? Do you still dare to harbor resentment against this great general? Back then, Chi Mu was making the strategy for our army, but you all told me not to listen to him, telling me to follow your advice and letting Chi Mu do it on his own. Now, two months have passed. Tell me, what should we do now?!"
The deputy general closed his eyes and suppressed his pride, thinking of the earnest teachings of Qin Feng and Prime Minister Chu before he left, asking him to assist Liu Ziyan well and to win some military merit for Liu Ziyan in this great battle. Only in this way could he have some capital to compete with Liu Ziling.
I silently recited two sentences: "The overall situation is important, the overall situation is important!"
Then he stood up, knelt down and apologized, "I dare not! I was just thinking of a way to break the deadlock and lost my mind for a moment. Please calm down, General!"
"A plan to break the deadlock?"
Liu Ziyan repeated it in disbelief, temporarily letting go of his anger and asking, "You mean you have an idea to turn the unfavorable situation around now?"
"Exactly."
Deputy General Qin raised his head and replied, "General, what do you think should be the most important thing for our expedition to the northwest this time?"
Liu Ziyan frowned and said impatiently, "Of course, we must capture Yao Can of the Qiang tribe and bring his head back to Yanjing to enhance the prestige of our Great Zhou!"
Deputy General Qin suppressed his temper and patiently coaxed him, "General, please think about it again. Before you left, His Majesty and the Prime Minister were both present. What did they say? And what about the Imperial Concubine? Didn't she say anything to you?"
After his reminder, Liu Ziyan thought for a moment, "Father naturally hopes that the army can win, that the Qiang tribe can be annihilated, and that Yao Can's head can be brought back! Besides, Father also hinted that when I return to the capital in triumph, he will promote me to the title of Prince!"
"What else?" Deputy General Qin enticed earnestly.
Liu Ziyan thought, if he were promoted to the rank of Prince, he would be the only one among the princes. It was common knowledge that his father and the Crown Prince were at odds and had already intended to depose him. After becoming a Prince, perhaps… there would even be the Crown Prince waiting for him!
Thinking of this, Liu Ziyan couldn't help but feel angry.
He stared at Deputy General Qin so anxiously that he wanted to scratch his own face.
Finally, Liu Ziyan regained some composure and said gloomily, "Chi Mu and his soldiers cannot return to Yanjing!"
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