Now, with the Tianmo army about to breach Fancheng, the last line of defense in the Southern Frontier, how could Yelü Hong not be anxious, resentful, and unwilling to accept this?! He was the king of the Southern Frontier, and this time, he had entrusted the Southern Frontier Holy Clan with the ambition of annexing the Central Plains. However, not only had he failed to gain any advantage over the Central Plains, but he had also attracted the attack of the Tianmo, losing half of the Southern Frontier! How could he swallow this insult?!
"Eight hundred thousand?!" A contemptuous smile flashed across the face of the Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang. He raised his eyes, looking at Yelü Hong with a mixture of disdain and pity. "Tianmo now has 1.2 million troops. Do you think an army of 800,000 is a match for Tianmo?! If I'm not mistaken, Fancheng will surrender soon."
"Surrender?! Fancheng is protected by natural defenses and is guarded by 200,000 troops. How could it surrender?!" Yelü Hong raised an eyebrow upon hearing the words of the Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang, expressing his strong disapproval.
The Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang glanced indifferently at Yelü Hong, remaining silent. Yelü Hong was the king of Southern Xinjiang, and the Holy Clan of Southern Xinjiang was there to assist him; therefore, he would not disobey Yelü Hong's wishes. However, he knew that Southern Xinjiang was already in danger from the moment Yelü Hong disregarded his advice and rushed to attack Situ Jingyan. Later, when Yelü Hong again ignored his warnings and insisted on mobilizing troops, he understood that this battle might be lost.
But he hadn't expected it. He hadn't expected it to be so fast, so fast that he didn't even have time to react. He had originally thought that even if Situ Jingyan could win, he would have to pay an extremely heavy price, but he hadn't expected Situ Jingyan to be so powerful.
In truth, Situ Jingyan's strength lay not in the sheer number of troops in Tianmo, or the superiority of their army. Rather, it lay in Situ Jingyan himself, in his meticulous planning and strategic maneuvering. Judging by the speed and ingenious tactics with which Situ Jingyan attacked fortified cities, he was certain that Situ Jingyan had been harboring the idea of attacking Southern Frontier for at least five years!
Situ Jingyan knew the entire terrain of Southern Xinjiang, and even had detailed plans on how to attack each city. Today, he wasn't forced to attack Southern Xinjiang, nor was he compelled by circumstances; it was an attack he had planned long ago. Therefore, how could he not be adept?!
The Southern Frontier lost. The reason for their defeat was their complete lack of understanding of their opponent and their unbridled arrogance. Relying on the natural defenses of their territory, they neglected their troop deployment. This not only gave Situ Jingyan the opportunity to swiftly capture the city, but also demoralized the enemy.
In war, the most crucial factor is not troop strength, but morale. Now, having lost half the country and demoralized, how could the Southern Frontier army possibly be a match for Situ Jingyan?! Victory or defeat is only a matter of moments.
"Your Majesty! The garrison commander of Fancheng has surrendered!" A young man, who looked like a junior officer, stumbled into the hall and looked at Yelü Hong with a sorrowful expression.
Upon hearing this, Yelü Hong gritted his teeth so hard they almost broke, glared fiercely at the young general, and asked, word by word, "What did you say?!"
Seeing Yelü Hong's ferocious expression, the young general's grief deepened, and he said, word by word, "Your Majesty, Fancheng has surrendered!"
"Good. Good. Good indeed!" Upon hearing the young general's words, Yelü Hong's face turned deathly pale in an instant. He laughed in fury, as if he had gone mad. Fancheng had surrendered?! His last line of defense in the southern border had been breached so easily.
They collapsed without a fight! Situ Jingyan's campaign, employing both kindness and force, won over the hearts of the people of Southern Xinjiang and demoralized the Southern Xinjiang army. By the time he reached Fancheng, their morale was at its peak, and the natural fortresses were forced to close in. The Southern Xinjiang army dared not even try to stop Situ Jingyan.
Along the way, they all knew that Situ Jingyan treated all surrendered troops well, and those who dared to resist would suffer a terrible fate. No one dared to resist, or rather, no one wanted to resist. In the hearts of the people of Southern Xinjiang, Situ Jingyan had become almost a god-like figure.
A godlike figure. People revered his talent. They admired his prowess. Some willingly submitted to him, while others feared him and dared not defy him. Regardless of the reason, Situ Jingyan had achieved his goal; the armies of the Southern Frontier could no longer stop his advance.
"Go down." Yelü Hong slowly stopped laughing wildly, his face looking as if he had aged decades. He slumped into the chair with a sorrowful expression, waved his hand, and looked utterly exhausted.
The Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang glanced indifferently at Yelü Hong, his expression still cold, though a hint of regret lingered in his eyes. Yelü Hong was not entirely without talent; he was simply too arrogant and too headstrong.
"Why?! Where did I go wrong?!" Yelü Hong suddenly raised his eyes, staring directly at the Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang, his eyes filled with resentment. Being the King of Southern Xinjiang hadn't been easy; he had never slacked off in training the Southern Xinjiang army. Why?! Why was his Southern Xinjiang so easily defeated?! The entire Southern Xinjiang had been taken down by Situ Jingyan in just a few days?!
The Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang glanced at Yelü Hong, and his indifferent and cold voice rang out mercilessly, "It's not that you're too weak. It's that he's too strong."
It was a seemingly indifferent statement, yet it was also quite true. Indeed, it wasn't that the Southern Frontier was too weak; if it were truly weak, it wouldn't have been able to dominate this place for so many years. It was that Situ Jingyan was too strong. So strong that he had already prepared all the countermeasures long ago, and it seemed that nothing could escape his calculations. Everything was precisely calculated by him.
In contrast to the somber atmosphere in the Southern Border Palace, Fancheng was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
"Haha, after capturing Fancheng, the southern border will be flat as a pancake! Let's see how the southern border can stop us now!" A general under Situ Jingyan said excitedly.
A hint of approval and a hint of worry flashed in Xuan Lou Kong Meng's eyes. He looked at Situ Jingyan gently and smiled, "I didn't expect it to be so fast. However, as you know, the reason it was so easy is simply because the King of Southern Xinjiang relied on the natural defenses and neglected the deployment of his troops. The main force of Southern Xinjiang is in the rear."
A single sentence awakened them from their slumber. The generals exchanged bewildered glances. Indeed, they had exerted almost no effort along the way, relying entirely on the Emperor's strategies and tactics. They had assumed the Southern Frontier was so easily defeated. Xuanlou's words made them realize that the Southern Frontier's strength hadn't even been touched yet. The battles to come, seemingly easier than those ahead, were in fact far more difficult.
Situ Jingyan's expression remained unchanged upon hearing Xuanlou's words. A wicked smile curled at the corner of his lips as he swept his gaze over the generals, whose expressions varied. His tone was calm yet brimming with boundless domineering arrogance. "What are you afraid of?! The Southern Frontier only has 800,000 troops, while we have 1.4 million! Are you suggesting we're afraid of the Southern Frontier?!"
Upon hearing this, the general, who had previously looked somewhat worried, immediately beamed with joy. "That's right! Including the captured Southern Frontier troops, they now have 1.4 million soldiers! Why fear a mere 800,000 Southern Frontier soldiers?! They've captured so many strategically important cities; why fear the flat plains of Southern Frontier behind them?!"
"Moreover, the army in the Southern Frontier may not dare to fight!" After glancing at everyone, Situ Jingyan, with absolute domineering and arrogance, casually uttered these words.
A faint smile appeared on Shen Qianmo's lips. "That's right. After these past few days, the Southern Frontier army probably won't dare to fight. Even if they do, their morale will undoubtedly be extremely low. How could they possibly be a match for Tianmo?!"
She smiled as she looked at Situ Jingyan. He wasn't wearing the commander's armor, but still dressed in striking red, eerily beautiful and captivating. Even in such a seductive red, he exuded an aura of steely resolve. Without armor, he stood tall and unyielding, brooking no disregard. He didn't need to symbolize his status; simply standing there was enough to convince everyone of his identity, and no one would dare disobey him.
This is her Jingyan. This is the husband who accompanied her throughout her life.
"Master. News from Tianmo Capital." Qingsong, dressed in a cold and aloof black robe, quickly handed Situ Jingyan a small note, his expression somewhat solemn.
Shen Qianmo looked at the small note in Qingsong's hand with suspicion. It seemed that the situation in Tianmo Capital was not very good.
"Ten days. That's enough." Situ Jingyan finished reading the note without changing his expression, simply uttering this sentence.
Shen Qianmo looked at Situ Jingyan's profile. His straight features outlined a deep curve, and his dark eyes, which never revealed any emotions, were now shining with a clear light. It was the light of an impending victory, or perhaps the light of something that had been long awaited finally arriving.
Yes. After so many years, the battle with Linwei is finally about to begin. After so many years, the world is finally about to be unified. Even though his heart has already been settling on Shen Qianmo, and his long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled, Situ Jingyan cannot help but feel excited.
The war continued, but everything remained under his control. Yan Xiuling was swift; he had already captured three cities in Tianmo. News came from the Tianmo capital that they could only hold out for ten days. Ten days might be devastating for others, but for Situ Jingyan, ten days was enough!
Ten days is enough time for him to reclaim the southern border and then return to deal with Linwei!
On the battlefield and in court, time is life. Therefore, both he and Yan Xiuling raced against time.
Shen Qianmo remained silent, simply gazing at Situ Jingyan. His eyes, like obsidian, were deep and captivating. So black, they seemed to absorb everything, unfathomable yet possessing a mysterious allure. It was as if nothing in this world could escape his calculations; every step, every event, was subject to his gaze.
Looking into Haoyue's vacant eyes before, I felt as if I couldn't truly see into her thoughts. But now, looking into Situ Jingyan's eyes, not only can I not see into his thoughts, but I also feel that all my thoughts would be laid bare before him.
"Mo'er. Wait another month. After a month, I will give you a unified world!" Situ Jingyan reached out and hooked his arm around Shen Qianmo, a charming and doting smile on his lips.
Shen Qianmo grasped Situ Jingyan's hand in return, her dark eyes filled with deep affection and trust. A beautiful smile slowly curved her lips as she spoke, each word piercing Situ Jingyan's heart, "Okay. I'll wait another month! A month later, give me a complete you."
Situ Jingyan's dark eyes lit up slightly. His Mo'er, his Mo'er! What she wanted wasn't the world, but just him, just a complete him, a him who no longer needed to scheme and plot to conquer the world!
"Okay. From now on, you'll be the only one in my heart." He smiled and made a heartfelt promise.
From now on, you will be the only one in my heart. Even the world cannot stir up the slightest ripple. You will belong to me completely. Not just love, but everything. His Mo'er is truly a greedy little fox. But he is willing, and happy.
After a night of rest, the Tianmo army, like a sharp arrow, pierced the heart of southern Xinjiang.
"The garrison commander is Yelü Qi, the younger brother of Yelü Hong. He is the most powerful general in the southern border region." Situ Jingyan listened to his subordinate's report, a ruthless smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
The most powerful general in the Southern Frontier?! Then this battle should be the last battle in the Southern Frontier, and also the first battle in the true sense.
"Pass down the order." Situ Jingyan's narrow eyes were filled with absolute domineering confidence, and the murderous aura emanating from his red robes made Yelü Qi across from him narrow his eyes slightly.