The one standing in front of Hu Piyi was Hu Qianjun.
This was a fair and clear skinned man who looked like he was in his early thirties, currently dressed in Yunqin military black armor.
He was also someone from Hu Family, but he was born from a concubine. Regardless of whether it was his status in Hu Family or in the military, he was originally extremely far from Hu Piyi.
“You are still unwilling to give up even now?”
While looking at Hu Piyi beg him right now with a somewhat low manner, this fair and clear skinned black-armored officer’s eyes carried a bit of pleasure, a bit of ridicule and a bit of sympathy. He shook his head. “His majesty didn’t order anyone else but me to take your position as Commander-In-Chief right now. Could it be that you still don’t understand what this means?”
Hu Piyi slowly raised his head, no anger or humiliation visible in his eyes, still full of sorrow as he said, “Of course I understand.”
“It is because you are someone from Hu Family.” After pausing for a bit, he looked at his half brother with difficulty, saying, “His majesty wants to use this way to show that he will reach a degree of settlement with my Hu Family. This way, my Hu Family will also exert themselves a bit when the empire is in trouble.”
“You are wrong.”
Hu Qianjun shook his head again. He looked at Hu Piyi and calmly said, “You already don’t have the qualifications to even say the words ‘my Hu Family. My Hu Family has renounced you, his majesty has also renounced you… You are already someone who has been renounced by Yunqin Empire. What is there for you to still feel unresigned about?”
“Could it be that you still don’t understand that even if you win this battle against this Great Mang army, this victory has nothing to do with you, the contributions also won’t belong to you? This is let alone the fact that in the previous battles, Wenren Cangyue’s performance was above yours every single time. Even if you are the one who sends out troops at this time, can you really win this battle? If you lose, your infamy will get even worse, incurring disdain from even more people.”
As Hu Piyi listened to this, more and more bitterness appeared on his face.
His current appearance truly reflected how he felt inside… Originally, his face was dignified and full of radiance, anyone would be able to tell that he was a true great general from a single look, a great leader. However, right now, his face instead became like some unremarkable cultivators, full of distress.
However, his eyes still began to flicker with a type of expression that was even more resolute than before.
“I know that this is not something beneficial for me at all. The glory of victory won’t belong to me, and if I lose, I have to take on even more blame. However, after Moon Seizing City, I already completely cast aside all of my individual glory and honor. Everything I am doing is merely atoning for my crimes, only to atone for those soldiers loyal to Yunqin who died because of my personal dispute and inferiority in commanding troops.”
Hu Piyi’s figure stood up straight, standing as straight as a spear. “I only know that Wenren Cangyue is also human, so there is no way he can truly be omniscient. No matter what perspective one looks at it from, this battle has a high chance of resulting in victory. Moreover, even if we cannot completely wipe out this fleet, only letting them lose large amounts of provisions and military equipment, it can still prevent more Yunqin soldiers from dying in the following weeks.”
“However, this is something impossible. His majesty has no faith in you, I definitely don’t have any confidence in your judgment or ability either. Moreover, I cannot go against his majesty’s decree.” Hu Qianjun remained silent for a bit, but still shook his head. He looked at Hu Piyi and said, “His majesty and Martial Sector have already ordered most of the front line troops in Thousand Sunset Border Army and South Tomb Province to withdraw. If I hand the military over to you, let you fight this battle, wouldn’t that be going against military orders, wouldn’t it be going against his majesty’s decree?”
“You don’t need to bear the consequences of this.”
Hu Piyi shook his head, calmly saying, “The one going against orders is me, the one who is going against his majesty’s decree is also me. Even if you refuse to let me lead the troops today, I will still lead the troops.”
Hu Qianjun’s expression suddenly turned cold, his eyes narrowing slightly. “If I persist with my opinion, what will you do?”
“I will kill you. Because I already have nothing else to lose, have nothing to feel misgivings over. That is why no one can stop me, and I advise you not to stop me.” Hu Piyi said quietly. “You should also understand that I have already served as the commander-in-chief here for so many years… Even though those subordinates, those deathsworn knights have mostly died within Great Mang’s borders, those who are left are all arranged here. Killing all of your people here isn’t a difficult matter at all. I only do not wish for there to be any mutiny that happens here, for Yunqin’s people to kill some more Yunqin people and damage our own strength. This is the true reason why I am making this request.”
Hu Qianjun gave Hu Piyi a cold look. Ever since many years ago, he had many things to bicker with this individual, but now, he discovered that the other party already didn’t have much to argue with him about.
“You’ve changed a lot. Putting aside everything between the two of us before, you have already completely disregarded the grudge between you and Hu Family. Your current self is at least worthy of respect.” Hu Qianjun’s expression returned to his previous calm self. He bowed slightly in respect towards Hu Piyi. “For the sake of my Yunqin, I hope you can win this battle.”
Hu Piyi nodded, no longer saying anything more.
After a dozen or so halts of time, more than ten troops that were originally patrolling within several dozen meters quickly began to spread out. The waiting Yunqin central army began to rapidly advance.
…
Darkness began to surround Meteor Lake.
This was the largest freshwater lake in Yunqin Empire. Compared to Heaven’s Lens Lake, it was more than ten times larger. It stretched across all of South Tomb Province, occupying a third of all of South Tomb Province. Meteor Lake’s floor had a lot of white limestone, which was why the clear lakewater, under normal sunlight, seemed milky white. At night, when countless specks of starlight reflected off the lake surface that reached as far as the eye could see, the flickering radiance seemed just like countless stars fell into the lake.
To the southern shore, a mudflat that was left unchecked was surrounded by white mist.
On this mudflat which was full of short grass were some wild ducks.
Suddenly, almost like a ghost ship, a small leather float that didn’t have any lights lit appeared from the mist. Then, another dozen or so appeared.
Afterwards, in a manner that didn’t even startle these wild ducks, these ghost ship like small leather floats looked around for a long time and then began to withdraw into the mist again.
Soon afterwards, what made the wild ducks along the way begin to become alarmed, starting to fly in shock, was that countless leather floats and kayaks appeared, as if this was a dark cloud that emerged from hell. It almost completely scattered the white mist, quickly and silently approaching the shore. Some of the leather floats that were larger even had the sizes of small cargo ships, piled on them were a lot of things, all of it covered in sailcloth.
These boats spread across this mudflat as much as possible. Several thousand silent Great Mang soldiers climbed ashore at the same time, using the fastest speeds to cross the two or three li muddy region, and then assembling into formation and laying out defenses.
Large numbers of warhorses whose eyes were covered with black cloth were also urged ashore. Many groups of Great Mang soldiers directly jumped into the waist deep shallow water to stabilize their leather floats. Large amounts of large scale military equipment immediately followed the infantry troops ashore. Then, with warhorses pulling them, they immediately rushed up to those troops that reached shore earlier, joining the defense.
This troop was personally led by Great Mang’s Southern Path Great General Qilian Bao. It was clear that even after taking down Meteor City Nanmo Country couldn’t take down with an army of three hundred thousand, obtaining this great victory that was destined to be recorded into the annals of history, this Sacred Expert level general who was one of Great Mang’s seven generals wasn’t beside himself with joy, still extremely careful, ready to adapt to any sudden changes.
…
Ducks flew into the night sky, allowing Yunqin’s scouting troop to finally lock onto this Great Mang army’s exact ascending position.
Lin Xi also finally determined the exact position Great Mang’s army was landing at.
Previously, even though Lin Xi knew the approximate location of this Great Mang troop through Black Tiger Slayer, knew that it was within this few dozen li area, no one knew where exactly they were landing. Then, he quickly noticed that many Yunqin troops were heading over, noticing that Yunqin’s great army was arriving, thus knowing that Yunqin’s great army already received the information Black Tiger Slayer and the others sent back.
In this type of situation, his individual search obviously couldn’t compare to that of many Yunqin scouting cavalry. If they were to notice the enemy, it would definitely be Yunqin cavalry that would notice Great Mang army’s area of landing first.
As such, he merely adjusted his own soul force and condition to their optimal state, and then hid nearby Yunqin’s main army, waiting quietly and patiently.
In the previous cultivation, he already did his best not to use his unique ability.
Meanwhile, at this time, after finding out that Great Mang troop’s exact location of landing, he didn’t feel the slightest hesitation, directly shouting the words ‘return’ in his head.
An army that still hadn’t fully settled their position was naturally far easier to deal with than an army that had already fully assembled into formation.
Moreover, this Great Mang army had large amounts of powerful military equipment. Even if Hu Piyi’s army had larger numbers than the enemy, when they truly fought, the advantage wouldn’t be that large.
That was why this Yunqin’s avenging army needed his time.
…
After precisely calculating the distance of Yunqin’s army from that point of landing, Lin Xi returned to seven halts ago.
He leapt out from the brush he was lying in and then started to run crazily with his highest speed.
“I am Lin Xi!”
His figure directly appeared in front of Yunqin’s first row of sentries, directly appearing before the very front of the great army. While all of those guards and soldiers were shocked and confused, he directly shouted out his own name.
This name was undoubtedly one of Yunqin’s most well-known names.
No one doubted his identity, because right now, what Lin Xi wore was Yunqin’s Spiritual Sacrifice Priest gown, in his hands two Yunqin medals.
This army of hundreds of thousands instantly entered absolute silence.
This priest with a bow on his back, appearing at this time, made all of these Yunqin soldiers feel incomparable shock.
“I have discovered Great Mang’s exact point of landing. If we immediately send out troops, we can catch them before they have a steady footing, we can catch them unprepared!”
Lin Xi continued to approach this great army covered under the darkness of night, saying with a dignified and stern voice.
Hu Piyi was precisely right at the very front.
When he heard Lin Xi’s voice, he gave Lin Xi a deep bow of respect.
Then, he turned around, starting to vow before his troops!
“I know that after experiencing so many defeats, you all already cannot trust my abilities.”
He didn’t speak any bold, visionary words. When he spoke, he only used an ordinary voice, using soul force to spread his voice to all of these Yunqin soldiers. When facing all of these densely packed Yunqin soldiers, he continued to calmly speak the truth. “However, right now, I am already no longer your Commander-In-Chief… I am only a Yunqin criminal. If I live, I cannot face those Yunqin civilians, cannot face the loved ones of those deceased brothers, if I die, I cannot face those soldiers.”
“However, I am a Yunqin citizen, I am a Yunqin soldier.”
“Right now, the Great Mang troop that has taken down Meteor City is precisely under our very eyes, landing ashore.”
“They carry large amounts of provisions and military equipment seized from Meteor City. If they successfully bring these things back, more of our people will die and the battle situation will become even more unfavorable.”
“This is our battle of revenge… That is why I plead with all of you to kill the enemy together with me!”
After just speaking these words, Hu Piyi turned around. He drew his golden longsword and then began to follow Lin Xi, starting to charge at the very front!
“Kill!”
The hot blood of all of these Yunqin soldiers behind him and Lin Xi began to boil. All of them already forgot about their own lives and deaths, only inwardly roaring out this word.
The entire Yunqin great army became a silent stream of metal which felt like an erupting volcano!
