Chapter 204: Sword Saint

At this point, there was no time to care about the Jin Emperor standing there in a daze.

The Jin vanguard had already begun scaling the walls by force.

This was not a great city, after all.

It was merely a fortified manor that had been reinforced.

The Jin troops in front threw grappling hooks first.

Those behind simply clenched their sabers and swords between their teeth, freeing both hands to climb.

Any force chosen for a night assault would naturally consist of elites among elites.

Every one of these Jin soldiers fought without fear of death.

Some had their ropes cut and fell from the walls.

But so long as they could still stand after hitting the ground they began climbing again.

Even when arrows rained down from above, the Jin soldiers seemed not to care.

If an arrow struck them, then it struck.

If they fell, then they fell.

But so long as they could still move they rose again and continued fighting.

Below, Jin archers and crossbowmen were at a terrain disadvantage, yet they still exchanged fire with the Yan defenders on the walls.

They did everything possible to cover their comrades climbing the fortifications.

"Are these bastards fucking poisoned in the head?

"If they fight this fearlessly, how the hell did the two Marquises destroy half their country?"

Zheng Fan could not help cursing.

The atmosphere of a battlefield made genteel speech nearly impossible.

Especially when Zheng Fan had just cut through a grappling rope attached to the battlement before him and an arrow suddenly slammed straight into his chest.

Fortunately his son was reliable.

The Demon Child blocked it for him.

But Zheng Fan was genuinely scared out of his wits.

A'Ming and Siniang beside him were frightened as well.

Zheng Fan reached backward and touched the coffin lid.

Only then did his heart feel slightly steadier.

A'Ming immediately stepped in front of him.

Zheng Fan shoved him aside.

His lips were visibly trembling yet he still shouted, "Move!

"Let me kill people!"

Seeing that, A'Ming no longer insisted.

Instead, he and Siniang took one side each, guarding their Master's flanks.

Li Fusheng had once told Zheng Fan that if he wanted to advance another Grade, he still lacked one breath.

And replenishing that breath was simple.

Kill people.

So even though he was panicking like hell inside—

Zheng Fan still gritted his teeth and fought personally on the front line.

The fortified manor's walls were not particularly high.

Before long, quite a few Jin soldiers began appearing atop them.

Most were immediately knocked back down the moment they climbed up cut apart by Yan cavalry sabers, shot with arrows, or thrust off with spears.

But their goal was merely to cast a wide net.

So long as one position could be broken open so long as they could seize a foothold and hold it the men behind them could climb up continuously.

And clearly they had genuinely prepared for this.

Not long afterward, at a point west of Zheng Fan, several dozen Jin soldiers suddenly appeared whose bodies glowed faintly.

They wore the same ordinary armor as the rest of the Jin troops.

There was nothing conspicuous about them.

But after climbing to a certain height they suddenly circulated blood and qi and roared upward.

More than ten men charged forward without regard for their lives.

The men behind immediately followed.

They actually managed to clear out a section of wall.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

At that moment, a thunderous roar erupted atop the battlements.

Fan Li, wrapped head to toe in heavy armor like an enormous iron can, charged forward like some barbaric beast.

A massive axe filled each hand.

"Go help Ah Li!"

"Master, I'm going!"

Liang Cheng shouted and rushed over as well.

The wall atop the fortified manor was not very wide.

The walls of a proper large city could allow several carriages to travel abreast.

This manor naturally could not meet such a standard.

But precisely because the space was narrow it gave a massive iron can like Fan Li an overwhelming advantage.

There was no need to compare techniques.

No need to compare combat experience.

Just ram forward.

Bring the axe down once.

And it was over.

With Liang Cheng covering Fan Li's side, the effect became even more terrifying.

Liang Cheng's physical body was extraordinarily tough as well.

And the two Demon Kings cooperated with absolute familiarity.

One charged ahead.

The other finished off survivors beside him while guarding against Jin troops trying to slip close to Fan Li.

At that moment, the Blind Man directly ordered, "Loose!"

The archers on both flanks and below the wall immediately drew and released.

They were somewhat confused.

But they still obeyed and sent their arrows flying.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Arrows struck Fan Li's enormous iron shell.

Most bounced away.

A few penetrated gaps in the armor.

But Fan Li's hide was so thick that even those hardly mattered.

Liang Cheng lowered his body and moved alongside him, using Fan Li's huge frame to block most of the incoming arrows.

Two shafts still came from behind.

One struck his left arm.

The other entered his back.

But the armor absorbed much of the force.

And a zombie's body was already hard as iron.

There was little real damage.

The Jin troops, by contrast because they had to climb the walls and prioritize speed had not equipped their elite assault troops with heavy armor.

Most wore relatively light leather armor.

Their defensive ability was naturally much poorer.

Faced with this indiscriminate rain of arrows they had only two choices.

Jump back off the wall.

Or stand there and be shot.

Any other defending army would never dare use such a method.

The enemy might not break first.

Their own men might collapse before them.

Even if they deliberately abandoned one section of wall for the enemy to occupy, they still could not do this.

It would be equivalent to disarming themselves.

Only Zheng Fan's force with two Demon Kings possessing bodies tough enough to endure the volley could play this kind of trick.

First use the two Demon Kings to block the enemy.

Then unleash mutual destruction without distinguishing friend from foe.

The effect was naturally excellent.

By the time nearby Yan troops counterattacked, the breach the Jin had nearly opened was sealed once again.

At that exact moment another signal arrow whistled through the night.

Liang Cheng did not even bother pulling the arrow from his shoulder.

He shouted down into the manor, "Zuo Jiqian!"

Inside the fortified manor, Zuo Jiqian immediately stood.

Beside him sat more than two hundred riders resting on the ground next to their horses.

"Mount!"

Zuo Jiqian swung onto his horse.

His cavalry saber cut forward.

"Charge!"

Creak...

The fortified manor's gate opened.

The Jin troops outside froze.

Then, the thunder of hooves erupted from within.

Two hundred cavalry charged directly out of the manor.

Sabers in hand they tore into the Jin troops gathered beneath the walls.

Atop the battlements, Zheng Fan had just cut down a Jin soldier trying to climb over.

Watching the cavalry rush from the fortress below he frowned slightly.

But very quickly he understood.

Xue San was still hidden between the Jin camp and the fortified manor.

The first signal arrow had warned them that the enemy was launching a night assault.

The second carried another message.

The Jin commander had seen that his first-wave assault troops failed to break open the wall.

So he was not preparing to force a large-scale general assault at this moment.

In other words, the Jin army was currently disconnected between front and rear.

Liang Cheng ordering Zuo Jiqian to ride out and strike once was indeed the correct decision.

Of course, such a decision relied entirely upon absolute confidence in Xue San's reconnaissance.

With anyone else, one mistaken signal could allow the Jin army to exploit the open gate and storm directly inside.

So wasn't his luck excellent?

Other transmigrators had to miserably start from nothing.

He had arrived with a fully staffed talent roster from day one.

After cutting through the enemy for a while Zuo Jiqian did not linger.

He led his cavalry back into the manor at the proper moment.

The gates closed again.

Then sandbags and stone sacks were piled behind them.

Calm returned.

Zheng Fan silently took out another cigarette.

After thinking about it he decided not to smoke atop the walls.

Squatting there with his ass sticking out just to smoke was too damned humiliating.

After descending from the battlements—

Zheng Fan found a corner and sat down.

He pulled out the cigarette and had just placed it between his lips when he suddenly discovered that someone else was already sitting deeper in the shadows.

The man hugged his knees.

His hair was disheveled.

His whole body trembled.

"Why are you so damn—"

Zheng Fan initially assumed it was one of his soldiers and was about to reprimand him.

Then he realized something was wrong.

This was not some ordinary soldier.

It was the Jin Emperor!

At that moment, not a trace of imperial bearing remained on Yu Ciming.

He looked exactly like a man from later generations who had gambled away his entire fortune and was preparing to climb onto a rooftop.

Zheng Fan smoked quietly.

Beside him the Jin Emperor sobbed quietly.

Truthfully even now, Zheng Fan still could not completely understand why the Jin Emperor had done all this.

Had the man genuinely become addicted to gambling?

Did he simply keep believing that no matter the wager he could win?

The Yan Emperor borrowed Qian's roads to destroy Jin.

The Qian Emperor borrowed Yan blades to scrape poison from Qian's bones.

So Yu Ciming decided he could play the same sort of game?

Had he never compared their cards with his own?

After a while the Jin Emperor drew in a deep breath.

Then he began straightening his robes and crown.

Very carefully.

"General Zheng, could you pass Us your waterskin?"

Zheng Fan untied the waterskin at his waist and tossed it over.

Yu Ciming carefully poured water into one hand.

Then began smoothing his hair.

Zheng Fan sat there smoking as he watched the Emperor complete the entire process.

Yu Ciming ignored him.

After carefully restoring his appearance, he slowly stood.

Then he cupped his fists toward Zheng Fan.

"Many thanks to General Zheng for repelling the Situ Clan rebels and preserving Our safety.

"The people of the Three Jin lands will also remember General Zheng's grace."

Zheng Fan threw the cigarette butt onto the ground.

He smiled.

"Merely my duty."

"Then We shall return and rest."

"Your Majesty should rest."

"General Zheng has worked hard."

The Jin Emperor left.

His back was ramrod straight.

Yet somehow desolate.

It created an inexplicable feeling.

Almost like... a man who had just been dumped.

Siniang came looking for Zheng Fan at that moment.

She immediately began checking his body for injuries.

Zheng Fan shook his head.

He took her hand.

"You all guarded me thoroughly.

"I don't have a single cut on me."

The Jin attack earlier had not been a full-scale assault.

It had merely been probing the walls.

The only arrow that genuinely threatened Zheng Fan had been blocked by the Demon Child.

"Master, was that the Jin Emperor just now?"

"Mm."

"Didn't he say the army outside belonged to him?"

"Who knows?

"Yu Ciming genuinely counts as someone with ability.

"But he doesn't have the fate for it.

"And he doesn't possess enough skill either.

"Of course—we're saying this with the wisdom of hindsight.

"Heh.

"After this, all his hidden cards are gone.

"Those were troops he personally concealed inside the Capital Region.

"Routed soldiers he spent his entire savings gathering.

"His greatest bargaining chip.

"And now they've turned against him.

"From now on—even if he doesn't want to become a ceremonial archway, he'll have no choice."

"In other words, he's no longer useful to us?"

"Right now, I can't think of what use he still has.

"Fuck.

"There's not much point thinking about him anyway.

"My Shengle City has vanished too."

Zheng Fan's heart genuinely hurt.

He had left Green Willow Fortress the place he personally watched being built because he wanted to establish a new base.

Who would have imagined that before he even took office his territory would already be gone?

By now, Xu Wenzu had probably assigned Green Willow Fortress to someone else.

Zheng Fan could not even go back.

"Master, if our territory is gone, we'll slowly find another one.

"There's no hurry."

"You're taking this pretty well."

"This servant genuinely can let go of this sort of thing.

"In the past, whenever there were strong winds, this servant's clubs would get blown down every so often.

"I've lost count of how many.

"I'm already used to rebuilding."

"Siniang."

"Mm?"

"I know you're trying to comfort me.

"But next time—could you use a different comparison?"

Comparing establishing a foundation to opening entertainment clubs although somewhat appropriate in one sense still felt indescribably strange.

"This servant misspoke."

"It's fine."

"Oh, right, Master.

"Didn't Master say earlier that this Jin Emperor is no longer useful?"

"For the moment, yes.

"If his Capital Region has really been lost, and if we hold this place until reinforcements arrive and lift the siege—then his next step should be to go to Litian City and quietly stand beside the Marquis of Jingnan as a ceremonial archway.

"If the Yan Emperor becomes even more decisive—he might simply summon him back to Yanjing and make him some Duke of Anle.

"After all, the Situ Clan has already founded a state.

"The division of Jin into two has become reality.

"Yu Ciming's usefulness is basically negligible now.

"When you think of it like that—his sudden desperate gamble actually becomes understandable.

"If he did nothing—his ending would still have been roughly the same."

"Master, this servant heard something..."

"Heard what?"

"I heard the Empress Dowager of Jin is quite the pretty widow."

Zheng Fan sighed.

Then said, "Your mentality really is excellent."

...

Outside the fortified manor inside the Jin camp—

Yu Huacheng stood in full armor atop a raised platform outside the command tent, gazing toward the fortress.

After a while he ordered, "Sound the withdrawal."

The night assault had failed.

The Yan defenders inside the fortified manor had reacted far faster than he anticipated.

After surviving the initial attack, they had even dared open the gates and send cavalry out to countercharge.

That alone proved the commander of this Yan force knew how to fight.

He had underestimated them.

"Zheng Fan...

"Zheng Fan..."

Yu Huacheng murmured the name.

Only after the army arrived during the day had they captured locals outside the fortified manor and learned exactly which Yan force had entered it.

"Brother Jiangong.

"The Yan can casually pull out some random unit—and none of them are easy to deal with."

Standing beside Yu Huacheng was a general named Situ Jiangong.

He was Situ Lei's nephew.

"We always looked down on the Helian and Wenren Clans.

"One knew only how to bluff.

"The other knew only how to do business.

"But they still possessed the foundation of the warriors of the Three Jin lands.

"The Yan wiped out hundreds of thousands of them in one stroke.

"Even accounting for the Yan appearing in their rear—we have no choice but to admit the Yan know how to fight."

"Brother Jiangong.

"Qian has suffered severe losses.

"Chu is fighting internally over the succession.

"And the last time the Zhenbei Army was transferred away from the desert, the barbarian tribes still made no movement.

"We can see that Yan does not want to fight right now.

"They want to recuperate.

"But if full war truly breaks out at this moment—can Great Cheng withstand it?"

Qian would never send troops.

Even if beaten to death—

Qian would not send troops.

Chu, meanwhile, could not send troops even if it wanted to.

If total war erupted it would be Great Yan alone against the newly established State of Cheng.

"His Majesty's envoy has already departed for Yanjing," Situ Jiangong answered.

Yu Huacheng released a faint breath.

Sending an envoy to Yanjing meant seeking peace.

"Brother Huacheng, there is one thing I've never understood," Situ Jiangong said.

"You mean why I defected to Great Cheng?"

"Exactly."

"You truly dare ask anything."

"I, Situ Jiangong, am famous for having no filter.

"Even on the day my uncle ascended the throne, I joked that the great hall had been decorated far too extravagantly and violated proper regulations.

"Heh heh."

That was simply part of his cultivated persona.

Once everyone expected a man to behave a certain way many things became easier for him to say and do.

"Did His Majesty punish you?"

"He did.

"He kicked me over here."

Situ Jiangong laughed.

"Not that I'm saying your place is bad, Brother.

"Before coming here, I didn't even know you'd already returned to the righteous side."

"People can say I coveted wealth and rank.

"Or that I betrayed my principles simply to survive.

"A surrender is a surrender.

"There is little meaning in explaining the reasons afterward."

"True enough.

"But Brother Huacheng—aren't you afraid that once the Sword Saint learns about this, he'll come find you with a sword?"

Yu Huacheng shook his head.

Situ Jiangong continued, "My uncle understands the Sword Saint's temperament.

"But Great Cheng has only just been founded.

"Tomorrow, once this fortified manor is broken and the false Emperor captured—if Brother Huacheng has some method, please pass a few words to the Sword Saint.

"Qian's Baili Jian can serve as martial instructor to the Crown Prince.

"Great Cheng is willing to invite the Sword Saint to become Imperial Preceptor to the Son of Heaven."

"Imperial Preceptor?"

Yu Huacheng looked genuinely surprised.

Heaven.

Earth.

Sovereign.

Parents.

Teacher.

The position represented by the word *teacher* was not lightly granted.

An Imperial Preceptor even without actual political authority would possess an unimaginably lofty and pure status.

"My uncle said that in the path of martial arts, whoever has attained the higher realm may be called teacher.

"He sincerely hopes that one day, the Sword Saint can personally offer him guidance."

Yu Huacheng nodded to show he understood.

Situ Jiangong continued, "Brother Huacheng's noble title should also be issued soon.

"This Capital Region belonged to the Yu Clan before.

"In the future—it will still belong to the Yu Clan.

"My uncle said one must never forget the person who dug the well after drinking the water.

"The Situ and Yu Clans have always depended upon one another like lips and teeth.

"Nothing more than the east wind overpowering the west wind today—and perhaps the west wind overpowering the east wind tomorrow.

"My aunt herself is a woman of the Yu imperial clan.

"My uncle said he intends to establish a family rule.

"Beginning with him—every Empress of Great Cheng must bear the surname Yu."

"Many thanks to His Majesty."

Yu Huacheng bowed.

Situ Jiangong immediately cupped his fists eastward.

"May the Sacred Person be well."

"Brother Jiangong should go rest.

"Tomorrow—this fortified manor will certainly be broken."

"I trust Brother Huacheng's ability.

"And don't hesitate to use the five thousand troops I brought.

"War means people die.

"I can accept that."

With that Situ Jiangong turned and left.

Yu Huacheng remained beneath the stars for a while longer.

Only afterward did he turn and enter his command tent.

Inside a man in white sat alone drinking wine.

The white-clad man resembled polished jade from Kunlun.

A faint radiance seemed to surround him.

He carried an almost unreal quality.

Looking at him—

Yu Huacheng sighed.

His expression turned slightly aggrieved.

He cupped his fists.

"Elder Brother."

The handsome man in white before him was none other than Yu Huaping.

Sword Saint of Jin.

Looking at his younger brother's aggrieved expression the Sword Saint laughed.

"Still blaming me?"

"This younger brother would not dare."

"If you blame me, then blame me.

"What's there to dare or not dare?

"My sword isn't going to leave its sheath against my own younger brother.

"What are you afraid of?"

"This younger brother would not dare."

The Sword Saint pointed at Yu Huacheng.

Then said, "We've grown distant.

"In the end—we've still grown distant."

He rose.

Walking to Yu Huacheng, he reached out and straightened the younger man's armor.

Then he patted Yu Huacheng's chest.

He sighed.

"My younger brother truly grows more heroic by the day."

Yu Huacheng lowered his head.

Earlier, outside the tent, Situ Jiangong had asked:

You betrayed the Jin Emperor.

What will your elder brother do once he learns of it?

What no one knew was that Yu Huacheng's betrayal had been forced by his own elder brother.

"I know.

"You and that black-faced Emperor have always been very close.

"You grew up together from childhood.

"Outsiders even say the two of you were intimate companions of the inner chambers.

"Besides, back then—your elder brother's sword had not yet reached its current level.

"That alone proves the black-faced Emperor truly had affection for you."

"Elder Brother!"

"Don't be angry.

"Don't be angry."

The Sword Saint turned aside.

Then continued, "I heard what that Situ brat said outside the tent earlier.

"The Situ Clan truly is generous.

"But if you think your elder brother covets these things—then you're wrong.

"As a swordsman, one should walk alone.

"Serve the sword for one lifetime.

"That is the true bearing of a swordsman.

"Unfortunately—men are rarely free.

"And if the sword itself is gripped in another person's hand—how can the swordsman be free?

"Li Liangshen of Yan's Beifeng Commandery serves as a Commander-in-Chief of the Zhenbei Army.

"Qian's Baili Jian apparently followed Master Cang to Yanjing earlier.

"Then, the instant he heard the Yan army had marched south, he raced all the way back to Upper Capital.

"Chu's Swordsmith is now waving the banner for Chu's First Prince.

"Of the Four Great Swordsmen of the age—three have already lost their freedom.

"How could your elder brother be the exception?

"I told you already.

"The Yu Clan.

"Or this promise that all future Empresses of Great Cheng must be women surnamed Yu.

"Or those noble titles.

"Your elder brother truly does not care about any of them.

"This time—

"I found you as your elder brother and forced you to betray that black-faced Emperor for one simple reason.

"I think he has been a disgraceful Emperor."

Yu Huacheng remained silent.

"We brothers and that black-faced Emperor may all bear the surname Yu.

"But our bloodlines are already so distant that the relation barely exists.

"Still—he is Emperor of Jin.

"Ruler of the Three Jin lands.

"Look at what he did.

"He opened South Gate Pass and invited the Yan into Jin.

"Half the Three Jin lands fell.

"Above—he betrayed his ancestors!

"Then the Situ Clan founded a state.

"He feared losing what little status remained to him, so he tried to force an uprising—muddy the waters—and ignite another great war between the Situ Clan and Yan.

"Below—he has no face to meet the common people of the Three Jin lands!"

At that point the Sword Saint suddenly laughed mockingly at himself.

Then said, "An Emperor who would rather give everything to friendly outsiders than let his own household retainers have it—what use is there in keeping him?"

Yu Huacheng raised his head.

He looked directly at his elder brother.

"Little Brother truly does not understand when Elder Brother began thinking this way."

The Sword Saint answered, "I suppose I should thank Li Liangshen.

"Years ago, I went to Beifeng Commandery to challenge Li Liangshen to a sword duel.

"We had fought to the height of excitement when military intelligence arrived—a barbarian tribe had begun moving.

"Li Liangshen immediately conceded.

"He said his sword was inferior to mine.

"I asked him why.

"The battle had not yet been decided.

"I still possessed hidden sword techniques I had not used.

"I could have defeated him openly and honorably.

"Why did he simply hand me the victory?

"He told me his sword was not forged to compete against me.

"He practiced swordsmanship—to kill barbarians."

"I asked him:

"'What does your killing barbarians have to do with me?'"

"Li Liangshen laughed and said:

"'If the barbarians break through, you think the people of Jin will somehow live comfortably?'"

The Sword Saint reached out and gently stroked his own sword.

Then continued, "The Yan often call themselves the eastern bulwark against the barbarians.

"Very few people acknowledge the merit.

"After all—if the barbarians ever advance eastward, the first state destroyed would be Yan itself.

"So people say they are merely putting gold on their own faces.

"That is why, a hundred years ago, while the Yan fought the barbarians in a decisive battle in the desert, Qian launched its northern expedition.

"That is why, when the Yan marched south this time, Qian envoys traveled deep into the desert to invite the Barbarian Royal Court to send troops.

"But my sword told me—

"Li Liangshen genuinely does kill barbarians for the sake of the eastern states.

"The outcome of one duel?

"The title of greatest swordsman alive?

"He did not care in the slightest.

"That is why people later said our battle ended after a long struggle without a victor.

"Because I had no face to claim victory.

"Even though I am certain that if we had continued—

"I would have defeated him.

"At the same time—

"I still felt that I had lost.

"Yes.

"You and I both bear the surname Yu.

"Yu is Jin's imperial surname.

"Those surnamed Yu are naturally expected to be more reliable.

"Naturally expected to stand beside the Emperor.

"But can a man's vision not rise a little higher?

"If we Yu people cannot rule well as Emperors—then why not simply let someone surnamed Situ do it instead?

"At least—the people of the Three Jin lands may suffer somewhat less from war."

"Little Brother does not agree with Elder Brother's view.

"What must come will eventually come.

"What battles must be fought will eventually be fought.

"Even if the Situ Clan can make peace with Yan—that peace can never last long.

"An Emperor's heart seeks dominion and hegemony.

"How can one allow another to sleep beside one's couch?

"That principle has never changed."

Yu Huacheng was essentially pointing directly at his elder brother and calling him naive.

Overflowing with misplaced compassion.

The Sword Saint picked up his cup.

He took a sip.

Then said, "Do you know why the Situ Clan did not send troops after Yan entered South Gate Pass?

"Do you know why, after Yan destroyed the Helian and Wenren Clans, they did not ride the momentum of that great victory and attack the Situ Clan?

"Was it truly because the Situ Clan was cowardly and dared not fight?

"Was it truly because Yan had exhausted itself so badly it could no longer continue?

"Yan is a pack of lunatics.

"Tian Wujing slaughtered his entire household.

"The Yan Emperor was willing to throw Great Yan's national fortune and the Ji Clan's throne onto the gambling table!

"Why couldn't they continue fighting?

"Why couldn't they fight to the end?

"Would it not be better to swallow the Three Jin lands in one breath—regardless of cost—and permanently eliminate the threat?"

"Why?" Yu Huacheng asked.

"Across the northeastern snowfields, the wild-men settlements have begun moving.

"Rumor says a new King has appeared.

"The Situ Clan's main army is not in the west at all.

"Nearly all of it is deployed along the Heavenbreak Mountain Range to guard against the wild men.

"Why do you think Situ Jiangong brought only several thousand cavalry to reinforce you this time?

"Because the Situ Clan cannot spare more troops for the west."

"This..."

"Do you know why the old Situ Clan Head suddenly died?"

"Situ Lei."

"Yes.

"Situ Lei killed him."

"Elder Brother, how can you be so certain—"

"Because Situ Lei asked me to do it.

"He personally led me deep inside the Situ Clan estate.

"Then I drew my sword—and killed the old Situ Clan Head myself."

"How...

"How is that possible..."

"That brat Situ Jiangong even wants you to pass messages to me and persuade me to submit to Great Cheng.

"The foolish boy still doesn't know—his own grandfather died beneath my sword."

"Elder Brother, why?"

Yu Huacheng could not understand.

Why would his elder brother a man who disliked worldly entanglements voluntarily become another person's blade?

"Because the new King of the wild men sent an envoy.

"He said the Situ Clan could allow the wild-men army to march south—and the wild men would help the Situ Clan resist Yan's iron cavalry.

"The old Situ Clan Head was tempted.

"Because the Yan were too terrifying.

"Two hundred thousand iron cavalry—and in ten days they destroyed six hundred thousand troops belonging to the Helian and Wenren Clans.

"Situ Lei came to me and told me about it.

"I asked him:

"'Why tell me?'

"He answered:

"'Send my father on his way.'"

"After his father died—he ascended the throne and founded a state.

"The very next day—he secretly led a personal campaign to the easternmost edge of the Heavenbreak Mountain Range.

"So don't look at how lively and grand the Situ Clan's founding of Great Cheng appears.

"It is mostly nothing more than powerful households across the Three Jin lands using the opportunity to vent their resentment against Yan and place another wager.

"In reality—the Situ Clan may have fewer than fifty thousand troops left across the entire western front.

"Its true elites have already marched to the Heavenbreak Mountain Range."

"No...

"This...

"This..."

Yu Huacheng badly wanted to say:

Wasn't this all child's play?

The state had only just been founded.

And yet they were doing this...

The Sword Saint reached out and rubbed his younger brother's head.

For a moment the two of them seemed like children again.

"The Marquis of Zhenbei has already led one formation of the Zhenbei Army out of Jin and returned north.

"The Marquis of Jingnan possesses a great army—yet remains motionless in Litian City.

"The Yan have stopped."

"............" Yu Huacheng.

"Look.

"Just look.

"Look at what that man surnamed Ji in the west is doing.

"Then look at what the man surnamed Situ is doing.

"Then look one last time at what our Emperor surnamed Yu is doing.

"He's like a fish stranded on shore.

"No one is even paying attention to him anymore—yet he keeps desperately flopping around on his own.

"Tch.

"Embarrassing."

"Elder Brother...

"Then tomorrow—do I still attack this fortified manor?"

"Attack.

"Why wouldn't you?

"The Jin Emperor must die.

"That is currently the best outcome for both sides.

"And having the Yu Clan do it—is the most appropriate arrangement.

"Once the Jin Emperor dies, then so long as the Situ Clan continues guarding against the wild men marching south—the Yan will not attack for even one day.

"That is the tacit understanding between both sides.

"At present—

"Yu Ciming has instead become the most obstructive thing in the middle."

"But the Yan troops inside the fortified manor?"

"It's merely one Yan unit.

"The Yan court should not be so petty.

"Surely they would not reject someone else helping clean up their trouble—just because they prefer dirtying their own hands?"

"Elder Brother...

"What if?

"What if Tian Wujing personally leads an army here?"

"Then your elder brother can test how many thousand Jingnan Army iron cavalry this sword of mine can stop.

"When Baili Jian stood beneath Upper Capital and faced Zhenbei Army iron cavalry, he did not even dare draw his sword once.

"He immediately turned and fled.

"This time, your elder brother might finally have the chance to suppress him completely.

"No matter how talented those Qian scholars are at building reputation afterward—they'll no longer have the face to keep calling Baili Jian the foremost of the Four Great Swordsmen."

"Elder Brother, do not act impulsively!"

"Mm.

"You're right."

"Cough..."

Yu Huacheng stared at him.

"If Tian Wujing really comes—

"I should still give him some face.

"Then we'll run."

"............" Yu Huacheng.

(End of Chapter)