Jieming Island, a grand name long admired.
It was truly my first time actually being here.
The sea wind blew wide as I traveled north and south. The prestige of Wu An Hou on Huai Island had not yet reached Jieming Island, but Wu An Hou had already arrived first.
There were no welcoming ceremonies, no raising of flags or shouting.
Jieming Island had its own defense duties; the soldiers didn’t have that kind of leisure. However, everywhere Jiang Wang went, he was met with respectful gazes.
The Great Qi Wu An Hou, with a food fief of three thousand households, represented the height a young person from absolutely no background could reach in this hegemonic East Domain country through their own efforts.
And this was far from the endpoint.
He was only twenty-two this year, and he was already just one step away from the Political Affairs Hall or the Military Affairs Hall.
Many people understood in their hearts that the Emperor had sent him overseas precisely to complete this final step.
If in the past, the possibility of Jiang Wang becoming the next Jiang Mengxiong only existed in the expectations of a minority, after his return from the Demon Realm, this had almost become a consensus.
Within the scope of the entire nearby archipelago, Jieming Island was in the south, Huai Island in the middle, and Yang Valley in the north. They were like the three sharp points of a trident, facing the vast sea’s angry waves directly.
They were also like three flags trấn hải phục long, which over the years, united the sea people and stabilized the sea border. But unlike Huai Island and Yang Valley, Jieming Island was a man-made island.
It was extremely wide and vast, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people living on the island.
Yet, it was the Qi people who led the earth veins, repelled the sea tides, piled soil and accumulated stones, building it up little by little.
It didn’t have any innate environmental advantages, but after being built, it became the most solid fortress on the sea border.
It truly bore the greatest pressure from the 迷界.
The two characters ‘Jieming’ carved on the trấn hải stone at the place of ascent were personally engraved by the Great Qi military god, Jiang Mengxiong.
So-called ‘exhaust all life and death, to decide bright dark,’ here the purple flag of the East Country fluttered in the wind.
At this time on Jieming Island, except for Qi Xiao, there was no one whose status could equal Jiang Wang’s.
But he still upheld the duty of a junior, honestly guarding at the outer island, properly submitting his name card, and asking someone to announce him.
He was very respectful towards Qi Xiao.
Moreover, not only did they have the previous friendship of supporting each other at Tianya Terrace, but they also had the fate of the Emperor transferring him here to learn military law.
Qi Xiao’s extremely legendary experiences also made her an object of admiration for countless women in the world, putting how many men to shame.
The higher one walked, the more one could understand the deep roots of those famous families.
He, Jiang someone, had only risen for a few years, yet he had already established a huge network of connections in Qi Country. The foundations behind those families accumulated over the years, those non-declining prominent families, were even more unimaginably terrifying.
And Qi Xiao had severed all ties, thrown herself into the military, and finally hard-earned the position of Commander Xia Shi from the East Lai Qi Clan, becoming a commander of nine officers and entering the Military Affairs Hall.
The difficulty of this matter was no less than Zhong Xuan Xin grasping Qiushar.
At their second meeting, dusk had already fallen, the night curtain about to descend but not yet. The location was in her commander’s tent at the easternmost point of Jieming Island—
Yes, the entire Jieming Island had no earth or wood buildings, all were marching tents. There were also no ordinary commoners here, only stationed warriors.
Military weapons as fences, knives and spears as forests, iron sand as roads.
This was a huge military camp, and it had a feeling of danger like holding a torch alone in the wilderness. In such a military camp where Qi Country stationed heavy troops, the biggest feeling you had was actually ‘not safe’.
You couldn’t relax, even breathing was difficult.
The patrolling soldiers who occasionally passed by, their eyes vigilant, killing intent restrained, missed no slightest disturbance.
Observe the soldiers and see the general; Qi Xiao’s style of governing the army could be glimpsed from this.
“Wu An Hou, having come this way, seen much, perhaps have some insights to impart?” The commander’s tent on Jieming Island was not luxurious, even overly simple. When asking the question, Qi Xiao did not raise her head.
She wore armor, stood in front of a strip case, her left hand holding a sword, her right hand parallel sword fingers, gently moving on the map spread in the wooden case, seemingly searching for something.
From Jiang Wang’s angle, he could only see the bridge of her nose and her seemingly perpetually cold lips. He knew this question counted as a test.
Although requesting Commander Xia Shi to teach Wu An Hou military law was the Emperor’s holy will, as a figure standing at the top of Qi Country’s power, Qi Xiao had enough freedom. Furthermore, teaching is teaching, but what to teach, how much to teach, always had to be according to suitability.
Jiang Wang smiled bitterly and said, “With my military talent, I am at most a small soldier under Commander Qi, where could I have any insights to impart?”
Qi Xiao still did not raise her head: “Humility is a virtue, but not in the army.” Jiang Wang did not explain that he was not humble, but merely had self-knowledge.
After all, he hadn’t truly interacted with Qi Xiao before. After ascending Jieming Island, Qi Xiao’s style was everywhere. She probably wouldn’t like explanations.
Jiang Wang said seriously: “No suggestions, only feelings. Discipline, danger, and vigilance.” “If you must give out some suggestions?” Qi Xiao’s voice said.
“Does this count as a military order?” Jiang Wang asked.
But before his words had finished echoing, he realized he had asked a stupid question.
Qi Xiao’s sword finger paused on the map, and for the first time, she raised her head to look at Jiang Wang: “Where do you think you are standing now?”
Outside the tent, it was originally very quiet, but at this time, the flags rustled like thunder answering, a malevolent wind sweeping across the human world. This was the woman his sister-in-law Qu Shunhua admired the most… truly dangerous!
Recognizing his mistake, he faced it directly.
Jiang Wang said in a proper posture: “If a subordinate must give out some suggestions, this subordinate believes that Jieming Island perhaps can widely build high walls, heavily set up strong crossbows, and consolidate island defense.”
The Commander Xia Shi in front of the military case said faintly: “There were originally high walls here. After I came, they were all demolished.”
Jiang Wang said: “Subordinate does not understand too much, but will certainly execute.”
“High walls will make people feel safe, and safety will make people relax,” Qi Xiao said. “This is not a place where one can relax, and the opponent we face is also not an opponent one can relax against.” Jiang Wang said: “A figure like Commander Qi naturally has no fear of pressure, only fear that the soldiers below… cannot easily bear it.”
“My soldiers usually rotate every half a year, the longest not exceeding one year. Because the mental pressure here is indeed different from elsewhere,” Qi Xiao said somewhat casually. “You want to learn military law with me, have you thought it through?”
Jiang Wang only said: “In this aspect of resisting pressure, I am still quite capable.”
Qi Xiao nodded, counting it as agreeing to him joining her army, and thus asked again: “Did you come alone?”
From this moment on, he officially became Qi Xiao’s subordinate, to campaign with Qi Xiao and learn military law with Qi Xiao in the following time.
Now was already considered teaching time.
Jiang Wang could probably understand the key point of this question and answered truthfully: “My guard team that went to Tian Xing Cliff to handle some private matters is still on the road.”
The speed of God临 and non-God临 cultivators is not the same day language, especially since he was outstanding in body method.
He had already gone to Tian Xing Cliff and brought all three Xing Palace true transmissions to Huai Island, while Bai Yu Xia and the Supplementary Hou Mansion guard team were still not sure on which dragon bone ship they were drifting.
At Jiang Wang’s current strength, guards are very difficult to play a guarding role. But to learn military law, one must always have soldiers under one’s hand.
The Hou Mansion guard team was usually his ceremonial guard, and on the battlefield, they were his messenger soldiers, an extension of his body within the army array, to be externalized.
Any general whose name could be called out had such close guards under their hand. Usually for honor, in wartime to sacrifice their lives.
Commanding thousands of armies and horses, all with these 亲卫 as the skeleton, only then could one command them like an arm commanding fingers in the shortest time. Jiang Wang went to the Demon Realm and the 迷界, all with this two hundred-person close guard, not because he didn’t have more army quota—there was still a spy rider on Lao Shan’s side.
But it was because he had a clear understanding of himself, understanding that he currently did not have the ability to command large troop operations. For an army below ten thousand soldiers, a core of two hundred close guards was enough.
“When can they arrive?” Qi Xiao asked. “Estimate fast.” Jiang Wang replied. “Fast?” Qi Xiao’s voice rose.
Jiang Wang knew it wasn’t good and braced himself to say: “No accident, they can arrive at Jieming Island before sunset tomorrow.”
Qi Xiao looked at him quietly, making him extremely uneasy, then said: “I must remind you, this is in marching. You should give me a specific time point down to a certain moment, with an error not exceeding three quarters of an hour. And not give me such a vague time range, and even less tell me ‘fast’.”
Jiang Wang felt his forehead beginning to sweat cold, and for a moment or two, it felt like he was in Dong Hua Pavilion, with mountains of 《Shi Dao Zao Hai》 piled in front… this damned oppressive feeling!
“This subordinate knows his mistake. This situation will not occur again,” he said seriously.
Qi Xiao did not press hard, only said faintly: “You lack understanding of your close guards, and even less control them, or rather, are too lazy to do so. Usually, you just cast aside your close guards and do your own things?”
“Approximately… that’s about it,” Jiang Wang barely replied.
Qi Xiao’s voice was always not high: “Usually, yes, but in wartime, no?” Jiang Wang answered very decisively: “Cannot!”
Qi Xiao asked again: “Within your close guards, there is an excellent talent who can properly handle all matters for you, including training soldiers… completely without needing you to worry, right?”
If it were facing Xiu Yuan, Jiang Wang would probably casually flatter him, saying that the Great Commander indeed foresaw like a god.
But facing Qi Xiao, he only replied honestly: “Brother Bai Yu Xia is now condescending to be in my mansion. He is indeed a son of heaven, proficient in both civil and military strategy. In terms of governing soldiers, I am far inferior to him.”
Qi Xiao gave an ‘oh’ sound and said: “Do not allow him to come up the island.”
Having said that, she lowered her head again to look at the map, indicating that the conversation was over. Jiang Wang performed the military ritual and quietly and silently exited the commander’s tent.
Truly… an unforgettable lesson.
Although he had participated in several major wars and earned a marquisate through military merit, he absolutely did not dare to say he understood the ‘soldier’ character of the military family.
He had also been in close contact with many famous generals.
Du Hou Cao Ji used soldiers extremely steadily, often just advancing step by step, and the opponent was crushed like waves calming down, fundamentally without any opportunity.
Ding Yuan Hou Zhong Xuan Chu Liang’s soldiers were extremely sharp, their killing nature extremely heavy, often causing the enemy to break their gall, and he always fought out stunning and famous battles.
And the feeling Qi Xiao gave him was danger. Extreme danger.
It felt like standing alone in the endless wilderness, with the night curtain hanging low at that time, shadows glimpsed all around.
You fundamentally couldn’t see what was hidden in the darkness, but you knew danger was all around. You also didn’t know what those dangers were, but you knew fear, you knew that if you took one wrong step… you would die.
Jiang Wang said that Bai Yu Xia was proficient in both civil and military strategy, and it was not false.
People said that the Great Qi Wu An Hou was peerless in prestige, considered a first-class noble of the East Country, but actually had no foundation whatsoever. Just taking his 亲卫 as an example, his 亲卫 who all campaigned with him in Xia land’s elite soldiers, were already excellent among the excellent.
But in those true general families, they were fundamentally not in the same league.
Like Li Longchuan’s 亲卫, those were all home-born sons raised for generations in the Shi Men Li Clan, each loyal to the core. And they were all trained from a young age, proficient in battle formations, enough to control the absolute majority of army formations in Qi, they were truly capable of helping the main general on the battlefield.
Why could Zhong Xuan Sheng maneuver as he pleased on the Qi Xia battlefield? His father Zhong Xuan Futu left behind the shadow guards pretending to be Zhong Xuan Chu Liang, who played a very big role in it.
And Jiang Wang’s 亲卫 had not been formally formed for long, many battle formations needed to be re-drilled, and they didn’t have much experience regarding truly high-specification wars.
They were all of ordinary origin, just soldiering for food.
But under Bai Yu Xia’s command, this full two hundred-person 亲卫 team, honed their edge on the Demon Realm battlefield and grew very quickly.
By now, no matter who saw them, they could not tell that this guard team with iron blood quality had been formed not long ago.
As Bai Yu Xia once said, he was not afraid of not leading well, only felt that the soldiers were not enough! Wu An Hou went first, taking a detour to Tian Xing Cliff.
Bai Yu Xia, upon receiving the letter, emergency stopped the train, gathered the team, and set out to sea.
That letter was hastily written, with no other content on it except the three words Jieming Island. This was of course not difficult for Bai Yu Xia, but somewhat casual.
Bai Yu Xia tentatively understood it as… Hou Ye’s trust in his own ability.
Thus, the entire ride set out to sea, and in order not to delay Hou Ye’s time, they communicated as they went, sailing as they cleared the way—Hou Ye didn’t even leave a road guide, didn’t even give a greeting for passage.
He had to explain one by one that they were the Wu An Hou’s close guards, following Wu An Hou to sea. People asked where Wu An Hou was?
Answer: The troops are divided into two routes!
Under such circumstances, he still maintained the guard team’s combat power and arrived at Jieming Island at the fastest speed, only to be stopped by Jieming Island’s guards.
He finally waited until Wu An Hou came out, only to be patted on the shoulder and told to go to Huai Island to play for a while…
No.
I just finished your Jiang Wu An’s meal ticket. You disappeared in the Demon Realm, playing at a great building collapse. I, Bai Yu Xia, had no complaints, loyal to my duty, burying my head in training soldiers.
I finally waited for you to come back, and I have trained soldiers for a thousand days, only waiting for you to reorganize the banner, and I will follow you to sweep in all directions, simultaneously tempering myself, exploring the limit of the outer building, breaking the barrier of heaven and man…
As a result, I just came to Jieming Island, and you are firing me? Are you not afraid I will hinder you?!
The grand Wu An Hou, believing in those illusory and ethereal fortunes, not believing in his own strength? Bai Yu Xia spread his hands, his forehead full of questions.
“Cough!” Wu An Hou, after all, considered his own dignity and explained in a low voice: “Commander Qi feels that in governing the army, I rely too much on you. If you follow me, I will have no space to play military law.”
Bai Yu Xia blinked his eyes innocently, probably wanting to ask, Hou Ye, what military law do you have to play?
But after all, he was eating someone’s rice, so he had to be more tactful, then said: “But if I leave… are you familiar with the eight soldier arrays trained this year?”
Wu An Hou scratched his head and said quietly: “Turn back and write me a booklet.”
Bai Yu Xia asked again: “And the 《Sea Beast Records》, 《Cang Hai Six Directions Canon》, as well as the 《Twenty-Six Sea Wars Collection》, which collected and analyzed the most classic sea wars of past generations… Have you mastered them all?”
Wu An Hou was indeed stumped by the question. After thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth and said: “Give them all to me, I’ll memorize them once.” Bai Yu Xia thus knew that this time it was truly a dead command from Commander Qi Xiao, and Hou Ye was also unable to disobey. He was even willing to memorize books!
Forget it! Bai someone is also not a forceful person!
“Good.” Bai Yu Xia looked at the guard team he had personally trained, handed over a box of books he had prepared for this sea voyage to Wu An Hou, then turned around and stepped onto a small broken boat alone: “You all go build merits, I’ll go alone to Huai Island, a place I’m not familiar with, to stay and wait for Hou Ye. I have no connections. Anyway, my life is very boring every day.”
“Hey, wait!” Wu An Hou’s voice came from behind.
Bai Yu Xia did not turn back, pressed his sword and straightened his spine, very proud: “What instructions?” “Nothing… just remind you, don’t mention my name on Huai Island.”
Bai Yu Xia only felt the sea wind was very cold, blowing his heart cool, the sword handle very cold, the cold intent all penetrating into his finger bones. He said indifferently: “Hou Ye, rest assured.”
Thus, the small boat directly went far, swimming lonely into the sea.
Even if I, Bai someone, am beaten to death, scolded to death, and jump from the sea, I will absolutely not mention your Jiang Wu An’s name!
Please: wap.mxguan.cc