As the ministers of the Su Kingdom had predicted, Li Jun's expedition was indeed a divided campaign. Over the past few years, Li Jun had deliberately streamlined his forces, reducing the Peace Army, originally numbering 200,000, by half, while expanding the navy to 50,000. The streamlined soldiers were transferred to local surveillance offices, responsible for local security and militia training. Therefore, although the troop strength was reduced, its actual combat effectiveness remained unchanged. In addition, Li Jun established two armies, the Qinggui Army and the Sannan Army, each with 50,000 men, commanded by Dong Cheng and Meng Yuan respectively. For this expedition, Li Jun ordered Dong Cheng to lead the Qinggui Army down the Yangtze River, while he himself led the 50,000 Peace Army northward from Xizhou. Tu Longziyun, on the other hand, led the navy around Liuzhou, directly threatening Lujiabao north of Liuzhou, to cut off the retreat route of the Su Kingdom's rulers and ministers.
What the officials of Su did not expect was that Li Jun's pretext for advancing his troops was precisely their request for the Lan Kingdom's army to enter the country to "assist in defense." Lan Kingdom, despite the envoy's lavish and humble invitation, disregarded the Peace Army and, with General Wu Peng as its commander, led 100,000 troops into Su Kingdom. These Lan soldiers plundered along their southward march, and the Su Kingdom's generals were powerless to stop them, causing widespread uproar. Over the years, the education efforts of Qinggui and Sannan had gradually yielded results, and the people of Su Kingdom had long held Li Jun and the Peace Army in high regard. Now, hearing that the court had used the pretext of defending against the Peace Army to borrow soldiers from Lan Kingdom, a country with which Su Kingdom was a sworn enemy, they found it even more intolerable. Scattered resistance sprang up like mushrooms after rain, but Li Jun, adapting to the situation, used the Lan army's atrocities as a pretext to issue a nationwide proclamation of "punishing the guilty and rescuing the people" in the name of Dong Cheng, directly targeting Li Gou and Wu Shu, the ministers who colluded with Lan Kingdom, without any further concealment.
"Based on the estimated journey, Tu Longziyun and the others will arrive at Lujiabao in ten days," Wei Zhan said. "The commander's trip has already gone more smoothly than expected, why be too greedy?"
Li Jun laughed heartily, "Human greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant." After a moment, his smile faded, and he said seriously, "Since ancient times, no one has ever been a warmonger. These past few years of peace have made me deeply understand this principle. If it were for the sake of the well-being of the people in the current Peace Army territory, I should not send troops. But how can I only care about one place and not the world! Since I have come for the well-being of the people, if the war drags on, the people will surely suffer. Therefore, a quick victory would be the best outcome."
Wei Zhan and Ji Su exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly. Li Jun had indeed changed a great deal compared to five or six years ago. Li Jun spurred his horse and pointed with his whip at the people waiting to welcome the Peace Army on both sides of the road, saying, "For their sake, we must act quickly!"
Early the next morning, following his long-established habit, Li Jun rode out of the camp. In an open space, he took a deep breath and swung his heavy iron halberd. His Sixty-Four Forms of the Heaven-Stabilizing Halberd Technique were unleashed with sweeping, powerful movements, stirring up a whirlwind of energy. His steed, the Frost-Clad Steed, moved in perfect harmony with his will, leaping forward and retreating, becoming one with Li Jun. The air currents generated by the halberd swirled, blurring Li Jun's figure somewhat.
After practicing the halberd technique that Lu Xiang had taught him, Li Jun jumped off his horse, letting it graze freely. He drew his short sword with a flying chain from his waist. Although he had been fighting on horseback for many years, he had not forgotten his footwork skills. He assumed a stance and began to wield his sword.
After he finished performing his self-created Thirty-Six Forms of Flying Dragon in the Sky sword technique, he held his sword, finished his moves, and let out a long sigh. For many years, he had practiced this morning without fail, rain or shine; it was one of the habits he had learned from Lu Xiang.
His tense body relaxed as he let out a long sigh. Just then, a chilling aura came from nowhere and instantly spread throughout his body, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and his blood almost froze.
Li Jun was greatly alarmed. He was in a relaxed state of mind at the moment. Although he was not completely unprepared, the coldness came swiftly and suddenly, as if it knew his physical condition very well. Moreover, after entering his body, it immediately spread throughout his entire body, making it impossible for him to even circulate his spiritual power.
Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead again. Li Jun had served in the army for many years and had faced countless life-and-death situations, but this was the first time he had been subdued in such an instant. In just a moment, he knew that his chances of survival were slim.
Sure enough, a yellowish-brown figure sprang out from the ground. Without a word, the person charged towards Li Jun.
Li Jun sensed the killer intent emanating from the man's blade and managed to move his body with difficulty. However, his movements were extremely slow, as if he were encased in ice and unable to move. The earthen-yellow figure's blade sliced a deep gash, about an inch deep, from Li Jun's left shoulder to his forearm, and blood gushed out immediately.
But as soon as the blood flowed, Li Jun felt his body regain movement. He shouted, and his flying chain short sword swung out with a clang, piercing the earthen-yellow man's blade. Their spiritual energies clashed, and Li Jun felt another chill emanating from the sword, but this time he was prepared. His Crimson Dragon spiritual energy transformed into Prajna power, making him and his sword burn like fire. The earthen-yellow man groaned, clearly having suffered a loss in the clash of their spiritual energies.
"Go!" Li Jun shouted, swinging his sword a second time. The man's swordsmanship was superb. After suffering a loss in the clash of spiritual energy, he stopped fighting Li Jun. His figure was like a ghost, and his sword transformed into thousands of blades, enveloping Li Jun's entire body and forcing Li Jun to be unable to even utter a rebuke.
Li Jun felt his left arm go numb, and blood continued to gush out. If this dragged on any longer, he feared he would bleed to death before his opponent could kill him. Anxious, he immediately changed his swordplay, incorporating Lu Xiang's Heaven-Stabilizing Halberd Technique into his attacks. Several powerful moves followed, vastly different from typical swordplay principles. His opponent, as expected, was caught off guard and forced back several steps by the pressure emanating from Li Jun's sword. Li Jun suddenly turned and began to run for his life.
Upon hearing Li Jun's shouts, Ta Yue Fei Shuang had already run over. Li Jun quickly tried to mount his horse, hoping to escape danger as soon as possible. But at that moment, the khaki-colored assassin also caught up.
"Hey!"
Without turning around, Li Jun threw the flying chain short sword backward in response to the sound. The sword transformed into a rainbow. The assassin was chasing after him in great haste, never expecting that Li Jun would still have this killing move when he fled. With a "thud," the flying chain short sword pierced between his chest and lungs. The man's body trembled, but he did not fall down.
Li Jun, fearing there might still be an ambush, dared not retract his flying chain short sword and leaped onto his horse. Just then, the assassin threw down his knife, pulled out a short sword more than half a foot long from his robes, and let out a thunderous roar.
Li Jun sensed something was wrong and turned around to see a seven-colored light emanating from the sword. He couldn't block or dodge it at all; the light pierced into his body. Li Jun shuddered, feeling as if his limbs and bones were shattering inch by inch. He couldn't even maintain his balance on the Moonlit Frost mount and fell off. In the instant he lost consciousness, he heard the angry shout of his bodyguard captain, Zeng Liang.
The assassin was clearly near death as well. He bit his tongue and spat blood onto the short sword. The sword shone brightly, and the assassin trembled. He aimed at Li Jun, who had fallen to the ground, and swung his sword again. The light on the sword surged, flying over from more than ten feet away. Zeng Liang, who had just arrived after hearing the sound, let out a deafening roar. He seemed to find strength from nowhere and leaped forward, throwing himself on top of Li Jun. The sword light pierced through his back, and Zeng Liang felt as if his body was shattering. He tried to stand up, but he could see nothing.
The assassin was already fatally wounded by the sword, and those two lightsaber strikes were the result of sacrificing his life to overdraw his power. Therefore, when Zeng Liang was struck, the assassin was already dead. The guards who had followed Zeng Liang rushed towards his body, but his body exploded with a loud "boom" and turned into dust! Several guards who rushed forward were also mangled and fell to the ground, clearly beyond saving.
A plume of yellow smoke rose from the exploded body of the suicide victim, strikingly bright in the morning sky. In the distance, a stunningly beautiful woman stared blankly at the smoke, wiping away a glistening tear from the corner of her eye.
two,
"Li Lang!"
Ji Su reached out to stop Li Jun from getting up, her face showing a mixture of pity and anger: "Don't get up, you're too badly injured!"
Li Jun coughed a few times, gently patted Ji Su's hand pressed against his chest, and sighed deeply. The assassination attempt had occurred two days prior. The attack came under mysterious circumstances. Although it didn't kill Li Jun, it inflicted severe injuries, even killing Zeng Liang, the bodyguard who had served Li Jun through thick and thin for many years. However, the assassin was blown to pieces, leaving no trace.
"Zeng Liang and the others are being buried today, and I must get up no matter what."
Ji Su used a fine handkerchief to wipe away the blood that Li Jun coughed up from the corner of his mouth, stubbornly holding him down, and said, "I don't care, you're injured like this... you don't even take care of yourself... can't you think about us, mother and son?"
Large tears fell onto Li Jun's hand. Li Jun felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He smiled slightly and wiped away the tears from Ji Su's eyes, saying, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'll be alright after a few days of rest. If I don't go to Zeng Liang's funeral, wouldn't that break the hearts of these soldiers who risked their lives for me? He died for me. If it weren't for him, I'm afraid I would have been dead long ago. How could I still be here?"
Ji Su was about to persuade him further, but Li Jun pushed her hand away: "Alright, stop talking. If you were injured, you wouldn't be lying in bed, right?"
"I...I would rather it was me who was injured..." Ji Su's tears welled up again. She recalled the time when the Rong people were in turmoil several years ago. She was shot with a poisoned arrow, but Li Jun still prioritized important matters and refused to visit her. Did this man not think about her and her family at all?
"Commander, please come out."
Wei Zhan's resolute voice rang out from outside the tent. Immediately afterward, the curtain was lifted, and Wei Zhan, as always, arrived gracefully in his Confucian robes.
"He's injured like this, what's the point of having him go out?" Ji Su couldn't help but point the finger at Wei Zhan. "He doesn't know how to take care of himself, Mr. Wei, don't you care about him either?"
"Alright, Ji Su!" Li Jun said in a low voice to stop Ji Su, and smiled at Wei Zhan, "I'll get up now, please wait a little longer, sir."
Wei Zhan nodded and left the tent. Seeing Li Jun struggling to get up, Ji Su felt a pang of pity and quickly helped him stand up gently. After helping him put on his armor, Ji Su sighed, "It's all my fault for not being by your side. Otherwise, how could you have suffered this injury?"
Li Jun looked at her deeply, and couldn't help but pat her rosy cheeks, saying softly, "Good sister, don't worry, your husband isn't so desperate as to risk his life. I can handle it."
If it were Mo Rong, she would surely be blushing with embarrassment at this moment, but Ji Su was used to being forthright, and if it weren't for her concern for Li Jun's health, she wouldn't have shown such a girlish demeanor. She sighed, forced a smile, and tried to help Li Jun out the door, but Li Jun gently pushed her away.
Li Jun raised his head and strode out of the tent as usual. The soldiers outside, seeing him unharmed, erupted in a thunderous cheer. Li Jun smiled and waved to them, but the movement of his left arm sent another sharp pain through him. He didn't care about this physical pain; it was the shattered weakness throughout his body that made his steps feel unsteady.
The coffins of Zeng Liang and others were placed at the entrance of the camp. Li Jun strode to the coffins, removed his helmet, and bowed deeply. Zeng Liang's death filled him with deep fear and pain. As his chief bodyguard who had followed him for many years, Zeng Liang's loyalty and meticulousness had solved countless problems for him. With Zeng Liang's abilities and ambitions, he would have preferred to be a valiant vanguard general charging into battle, and he could have easily become a commander capable of leading independently. But he lost his life in this assassination attempt, simply to save Li Jun.
Li Jun's heart surged with emotion. He suddenly looked up to the sky and roared, his voice like spring thunder, filled with anger, grief, and self-reproach. Although he said nothing, all the soldiers in the camp could feel the pain in his heart, as if he had lost a brother. Li Jun waved his hand, and the coffin began to move. Eight fine horses dragged the coffin, slowly disappearing into the woods. Li Jun stood there for a long time before finally turning around and returning to his tent.
"Avenge General Zeng!"
He entered the tent, but a thunderous roar erupted outside. Wei Zhan's speech to the soldiers had stirred their anger. In this battle, the main forces of the two armies hadn't even clashed, yet Li Jun had been assassinated and seriously wounded, and Zeng Liang had even lost his life. The Peace Army had suffered a heavy blow. But today, seeing Li Jun unharmed and sensing his grief and indignation, Wei Zhan, with a little provocation, transformed this main force of the Peace Army into a mournful army, a mournful army destined for victory.
"Have you found out who ordered the assassin, sir?"
After Wei Zhan ordered all the troops to return to their camps, Ji Su asked a question.
"It's still unclear. The assassin was blown to pieces, and even the commander's flying chain short sword was blown to pieces. I'm afraid it will be difficult to find any clues."
Li Jun and Wei Zhan exchanged a glance, both understanding that anyone capable of dispatching such assassins was no ordinary force. At this very moment, with the Peace Army's northern expedition underway, anyone intending to obstruct Li Jun was undoubtedly unwilling to see the Su Kingdom fall into his hands.
Looking across the land, those unwilling to let Li Jun seize the Su Kingdom are far more than just a few. First and foremost are the Su Kingdom's rulers and ministers; how could Li Gou and Wu Shu willingly relinquish such a vast and beautiful land? Next is the Lan Kingdom, which considers the Su Kingdom a fortified territory; how could they easily give up the annual tribute and goods they receive from the Su Kingdom? Even Liu Guang, who is simultaneously confronting the Huai Kingdom and nibbling away at the Hong Kingdom, would likely have already come to seize Qinggui by now, as agreed to the Su Kingdom's agreement, if he weren't so preoccupied. While he cannot mobilize a large army, sending one or two skilled warriors to eliminate Li Jun at the opportune moment is still possible. Even Ling Qi, who has a secret alliance with Li Jun, is restrained by Liu Guang and unable to venture north to contend for power, but he will not willingly sit idly by and watch Li Jun grow stronger.