Upon the general’s platform at the main camp of the Qi army, only Chongxuan Chuliang and his nephew, Chongxuan Sheng, remained – one seated, one standing.

The rest of the generals were engaged in the pursuit and slaughter, leaving only a contingent of personal guards stationed below the platform, preventing anyone from approaching. One must understand that in the army, heads were counted as merits. While Chongxuan Chuliang’s order to kill had its own strategic intent, it also aimed to grant the long-suffering soldiers a greater share of reward.

“How is Fourteen?” Chongxuan Chuliang asked directly now that they were alone. Earlier, he had witnessed Chongxuan Sheng’s aura seething with killing intent, knowing well that Fourteen was a family retainer who had grown up alongside him, a confidante beyond measure. Seeing Fourteen injured, his life uncertain, had prompted the earlier, subtle inquiry. Fortunately, Chongxuan Sheng’s reply had been appropriate, allowing for this current, more direct conversation.

“Fu Yue’s armor shattered! He lives, but will surely be bedridden for some time,” Chongxuan Sheng replied.

Upon hearing of the shattered Fu Yue armor, Chongxuan Chuliang paused briefly before asking, “The others with you?”

“The remaining soldiers have gone to pursue and kill. Only Jiang Wang has returned to Qing Yang Town.” Then, fearing Chongxuan Chuliang might harbor some thoughts on the matter, Chongxuan Sheng added explanatorily, “He neither relishes killing, nor does he care for the merits of taking a few more heads.”

Yang Jiande was dead, the Yang country’s great army utterly defeated in this single battle. Chi Wei County, naturally, was a foregone conclusion; other regions could be pacified with proclamations. Thus, there was little point in remaining with the army.

Chongxuan Chuliang suddenly exhaled deeply. “The people of Yang are resilient. Soldiers who witnessed Yang Jiande in this battle will not forget his courage. I sought to shatter their spirit, to utterly extinguish their bravery, and thus I carried out this slaughter.” For Chongxuan Chuliang, this was a rare explanation.

Chongxuan Sheng, emboldened, asked, “You seem to have a deep connection with Yang Jiande, one that goes beyond mere shared affairs?” Before this battle, he, like most generals in the Autumn Kill Army, had not held Yang Jiande in particularly high regard. Yet, after witnessing the conflict, none could deny Yang Jiande’s might.

“Many years ago, he bore a name: Gu Han.”

Chongxuan Sheng found the name familiar. Pondering for a moment, he suddenly realized, “That painting in your study of the famous blade breaking the formation, the signature is Gu Han!”

“Among the heroes of the world, I hold few in contempt. Yang Jiande is one of them,” Chongxuan Chuliang said. “I knew he would not simply surrender. These years, he must have been plotting. Yet, I still did not expect him to go to such lengths for the Yang clan’s ancestral temple.”

“The entire Yang country. Those who are unenlightened see the country prospering under Qi’s protection, and they are content. Those who are discerning see no path to save their nation; they either resign themselves or choose a magnanimous death. Perhaps only Yang Jiande still struggled, attempting to break free of the shackles through sheer military force. He even stooped to practicing a demonic art despised by all, despite his status as a sovereign.”

“He failed, but he was not incompetent.”

“As far back as thirty years ago in Xie Yue Valley, he did not hesitate to plant his banner and stop me, not for the merit of defending Xie Yue Valley, but because, like me, he saw that slim chance of victory and was unwilling for Qi to defeat Xia so swiftly.”

“And I…” Chongxuan Chuliang continued, “After retreating from the Xia country battlefield, my first act was to request the extermination of Yang country! If not its outright destruction, then at least a reason to kill Yang Jiande had to be found. Not because I bore him any enmity – on the contrary, I respected him, feared him, and thus wished him dead. For the fate of Qi country, and even more so, for the destiny of the Chongxuan clan.”

“Exterminating Yang country could be achieved through war or through peace. Though the Emperor recognized my judgment, he adopted the plan of the former Prime Minister Yan Ping, seeking to achieve it peacefully. Many years of subtle influence should have naturally led to Yang country becoming Qi territory. The reason it did not, all stems from Yang Jiande.”

“Through peaceful means, we could neither force Yang Jiande’s demise nor prevent his ascension to the throne. Failure was already evident. Thus, today’s battle was necessary.”

The renowned Prime Minister Yan Ping had retired from his post over a decade ago, his political influence waning. This was one of the reasons Chongxuan Chuliang was able to mobilize troops against Yang country this time.

Only now did Chongxuan Sheng realize that beneath the calm surface of Qi and Yang’s relations for so many years, lay such turbulent undercurrents! It could not be explained in a few words. And for Yang Jiande, a man from a weak country with few people, to have defended the Yang clan’s ancestral temple until now, one could not help but praise his talent! He was even certain that given the contempt Qi country held for Yang country, if not for his uncle Chongxuan Chuliang personally leading the campaign, Yang Jiande might very well have achieved a reversal of fortune.

Even the servants knew that the painting signed “Gu Han” hanging in his uncle’s study was a treasure of paramount importance, meticulously cleaned daily lest insects gnaw at it. From this, one could gauge the depth of their connection. However, within the entire Qi country, the one who most respected Yang Jiande was Chongxuan Chuliang, and the one who most targeted Yang Jiande was also Chongxuan Chuliang!

Chongxuan Sheng remained silent for a time. Intelligent as he was, he naturally understood Chongxuan Chuliang’s implied meaning. But Chongxuan Chuliang directly stated, “I say all this because I want you to understand. At our station, some matters cannot be governed by personal preference. If, one day, Jiang Wang’s views differ from yours, I hope you can still make the correct choice!”

He knew that currently, Chongxuan Sheng trusted two people most: Fourteen and Jiang Wang. He did not mention Fourteen, for he knew Fourteen would always remain steadfastly aligned with Chongxuan Sheng. Jiang Wang, however, had repeatedly demonstrated his principles and persistence.

Chongxuan Sheng was silent for a long time, then said, “Uncle, if people can only make the so-called ‘correct’ choices, then you should not support me, you should support Chongxuan Zun!” After speaking, he bowed deeply to him, then strode down from the general’s platform.

He might not care for the merits of a few heads, but he had to seize the time to secure them for the soldiers under his command.

On the general’s platform, Chongxuan Chuliang was silent for a time! As Chongxuan Sheng had said, with Chongxuan Zun’s talent and strength, and from every conceivable angle, purely making the correct choice would mean supporting Chongxuan Zun. Yet, why had Chongxuan Chuliang ultimately chosen Chongxuan Sheng? Was it solely due to Chongxuan Sheng’s own excellence and the potential he displayed, which Chongxuan Chuliang valued more? Or was it something he was unwilling to mention… the entrustment of his deceased brother before his passing?

Outside the battlefield, Jiang Wang departed alone, sword in hand. The slaughter continued behind him, but he did not once look back.

This battle was a resounding victory for the Qi army. Not only did they achieve a military triumph, completing the de facto occupation of Yang country, but even in the realm of public opinion, other nations could find no fault! Why had Qi country dispatched troops? To maintain order in the Eastern Region and contain the worsening plague. Why had the plague worsened? Because the Yang court was corrupt, its governance chaotic, its officials self-serving, leading to the plague’s unchecked spread. Naturally, the Four Seas Merchant Alliance, with their unscrupulous nature and profit-seeking during disaster, also bore responsibility. And the earliest cause of the plague? All due to the conspiracy of the evil cult, the White Bone Dao!

And Yang Jiande, failing to see the true state of affairs, and perhaps sensing his own guilt towards his people, rashly provoked Qi by sending troops. Chongxuan Chuliang was forced to break his efforts! In the heat of battle, blades and spears know no mercy; Yang Jiande met an accidental demise. That Yang Jiande practiced demonic arts undoubtedly served as the most damning footnote explaining his perverse rule!

However, all of this seemed to hold little meaning for Jiang Wang, except for its role in furthering Chongxuan Sheng’s position. Alone in a foreign land, victory, defeat, honor, and disgrace seemed somewhat disconnected. Killing Pig Face, killing Snake Face, killing Monkey Face, killing Dragon Face, pursuing the heavily injured White Bone Saint Lord… these were acts born of attacks and kills from his heart.

As he flew through the sky, the entirety of Chi Wei County, and even Yang country, was in disarray, the clamor of killing emanating from the battlefield behind him. Yet, he still felt a sense of solitude.

Flying over a cliff face, his gaze casually swept over the area, and his eyes met those of an ordinary young man atop the cliff. Jiang Wang recognized him; it was A Ce, the Tian Xia Lou killer who had urgently “received guests.” The man showed none of his previous extravagance; his gaze was icy cold. From his appearance, he must have been standing there for a long time, likely observing the battle unfolding below. In this location, it would be easy for the Qi army on the battlefield to discover him.

Jiang Wang thought for a moment, and still offered a reminder: “If you are waiting for the outcome… the Yang army is already defeated!”

A Ce quietly regarded him for a while, finally saying, “I knew. Thank you!”

Jiang Wang paid him no mind and continued to fly away. He flew slowly, and not long after, with a flutter, a cloud crane descended from the high sky. The great battle had ended, and the country-locking formation had just dissipated. Thus, this cloud crane, which had been hovering for a long time, was only now able to arrive.

Jiang Wang reached out to receive it. The cloud crane unfolded into a letter in his hand. The sky had already darkened, and the sounds of killing on the battlefield were now distant and almost inaudible. Starlight flowed down quietly, as if soothing a heart that had just emerged from the struggle of killing.

Upon seeing the opening characters “Brother,” Jiang Wang could not help but smile.

Under the starlight and moonlight, this smile was so youthful.

Volume Two · End