"Who could it be?" Ji Su muttered to herself. After a moment, her eyes lit up and she said, "I just remembered something. The sword that assassin used to kill you was quite strange!"
Li Jun nodded, pondering for a long while. He seemed to have seen that kind of short sword before, but unfortunately, as the assassin was reduced to dust, the short sword also turned into fragments. To be able to explode at the moment of death, this assassin's strangeness was truly unexpected.
He had fought countless life-or-death battles in his life, escaping death several times. His battles with the red dragon and the white dragon had made him realize the terror of forces far exceeding human strength. But he had encountered few people as terrifying as these...
"White Flood Dragon!" Li Jun suddenly remembered something. That year, he, Meng Yuan, Chu Qingfeng, and others went into the sea to exterminate the flood dragon, but it was none other than the current Prince of Huai, Ling Qi, who ultimately delivered the fatal blow to the white flood dragon spirit. At that time, Ling Qi used a strange short sword, and when Li Jun asked him about it afterward, Ling Qi dodged the question. This assassin's short sword was similar to his own. Could it be that the assassin was sent by him? Or at least had some connection to him?
Seeing his serious expression, Wei Zhan asked, "What's wrong, Commander? Has something come to mind?"
“I’ve remembered something.” Li Jun slowly recounted what happened back then, then said, “I think even if this assassin wasn’t sent by Ling Qi, it’s still related to him!”
Wei Zhan nodded: "Ling Qi has a secret agreement with our side. At this moment, he has no conflict of interest with me, so why would he do such a thing?"
Li Jun felt utterly exhausted. A chill ran through him; he sensed that this matter was far more complex than it appeared. How could Ling Qi, thousands of miles away, have known his whereabouts and sent assassins to ambush him using earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic or technique) in advance? How did he know his habits, knowing that he would practice his skills alone every morning? Someone so familiar with him must be…
Li Jun suddenly gasped. If his thoughts were true, then the one who took his life was not one group, but the result of cooperation between several forces. Moreover, the one who planned this assassination was that one person!
The thought crossed his mind, and he felt his blood churning in his chest, his whole body aching as if pierced by needles. He suppressed the discomfort and forced a smile at Ji Su, who was looking at him with concern. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a burning sensation in his throat, and a sweet, metallic taste of blood rushed up. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness.
"Li Lang!" Ji Su hugged her collapsing husband tightly, tears streaming down her face. Wei Zhan also rushed forward two steps, his expression hardening, and said in a low voice, "Don't shout!"
Ji Su ignored him and simply held Li Jun, unsure of what to do. Wei Zhan came to the door and whispered a few instructions to the guards. After a while, the military physician rushed over. After taking Li Jun's pulse, the physician said, "The commander's emotions are out of balance, and his spiritual energy is disordered. He can rest quietly for now. Do not agitate him, otherwise, his life will be in danger."
“Emotional imbalance…” Wei Zhan, who also had some medical knowledge, frowned. Li Jun’s left hand injury looked serious, but it was just a superficial wound that would heal in ten days or so. As for this condition of emotional imbalance, he had never heard of it before. Could it be that the strangeness of the sword was far beyond their imagination? Unfortunately, the sword had already shattered, and they could no longer find any clues.
Has Li Jun sent out troops?
Liu Guang stroked his gray beard and pondered for a moment. Gongsun Ming looked at him and knew that this was a habitual action of his. After a moment, he must have made a decision.
Liu Guang slowly closed his slender eyes, and after a while, he still didn't let go of his hand that was tugging at his beard. Although Han Chong was over forty years old, he still had the impulsive temper of a young man and asked, "General, why are you silent?"
"Hmm, I'm thinking..." Liu Guang raised his eyebrows slightly, and a cold, electric light, incongruous with his age, shot out from his eyes. His dark green cloak fluttered without wind, making him look as majestic as a god.
"Why overthink it? Li Jun is advancing north with all his might; this is the perfect opportunity for us to seize the moment!" General Gong Wohu clapped his hands, his tiger-like eyes gleaming with a thirst for battle. He was a brave general promoted from Liu Guang's own army in recent years. His original name was Gong Gou'er, but Liu Guang disliked it and changed it for him. He was only in his early twenties, full of youthful vigor, and therefore, in Liu Guang's army, which was mostly composed of experienced and cautious soldiers, he was considered the most impulsive and warlike.
"Hahahaha." Liu Guang laughed heartily, glancing at Gong Wohu. Most of the civil and military officers who had followed him for many years were in awe of him and dared not offer advice in front of him. Gong Wohu, on the other hand, added a bit of vitality to Liu Guang's aging subordinates.
“It’s not that I don’t want to take advantage of the situation, but there are a few things you haven’t considered.” After the laughter stopped, Liu Guang continued, “Li Jun’s last northern expedition was forced to retreat because of my two-pronged attack. If he doesn’t have a foolproof plan for this northern expedition, how dare he not learn from his previous mistakes?”
"Under Li Jun's rule, Yuzhou, Qinggui, and southern Jiangsu are prosperous and peaceful, and the people are willing to die for him. Even if I were to take them over, how could I possibly hold onto them? When I captured Huichang City, I returned it to Li Jun in just a few days. Now, several years later, I'm afraid the people of Yuzhou will be more inclined towards Li Jun."
"Furthermore, I have the Hong Kingdom in the north and the Huai Kingdom in the south. Qian Sheye is desperate and may resort to desperate measures. Ling Qi has long harbored the ambition to advance north and contend for supremacy, but I have been suppressing him. If I am entangled in a battle with Li Jun, and Ling Qi takes advantage of the situation, what should I do?"
Everyone watched as the veins on Liu Guang's hand, which was stroking his beard, gradually became more prominent, clearly indicating his predicament. Li Jun was now showing signs of becoming a powerful force, and if he wasn't eliminated soon, his threat would only grow stronger. Currently, Liu Guang was still physically robust and could contend with Li Jun and his allies for supremacy, but if this dragged on for another five or eight years, his energy would gradually wane, and he might no longer be able to withstand Li Jun and his forces.
"Did you also pass this message on to General Ma Jiyou?" Liu Guang raised his eyebrows and asked Gongsun Ming.
"The message has already been sent, and I expect General Ma will reply in the next couple of days." Just as Gongsun Ming finished speaking, a warrior entered, presenting a letter. Gongsun Ming glanced at it, smiled slightly, and handed it to Liu Guang: "I just mentioned him, and the letter has arrived."
Liu Guang opened the letter and read: "Today, heroes rise up across the land, all vying for the unification of the Divine Continent. However, those with the power are only the Grand Marshal, Li Jun, Ling Qi, and the Lan Kingdom. In my humble opinion, Ling Qi is a man of extraordinary talent, resolute and profound, with a meticulous mind. Since the restoration of his kingdom, he has been advancing step by step, bringing about a complete transformation for Huai Kingdom. Now, he dominates the south of the Divine Continent, his territory vast and his national strength second only to Lan. The Grand Marshal has a deep-seated hatred for him, a grudge that cannot be resolved. If we do not guard against him, he will surely be targeted. He is an enemy we cannot coexist with. Li Jun, a disciple of Lu Xiang, is a man of outstanding talent, diligent and bold, and recklessly daring. After occupying Yuzhou, he is determined to advance, implementing policies never before practiced by the ancients, propagating teachings never before proclaimed by the sages, conquering the Lotus Sect, seizing Qinggui, uniting the Rong people, and burning the port of the Japanese pirates. He is like a raging torrent." As for the raging sea, the outcome remains uncertain; it is best to observe its success or failure rather than confront it directly. The Lan Kingdom, located in the far north, spans thousands of miles. It possesses the forests of the White Mountains, the gold of the raging dragon, the iron of the saddle peak, and the jade of the sand river. However, the country is rich, but its people are poor; its army is strong, but its ruler is weak. Wu Wei, though a capable general, lacks ambition and is certainly not one to maintain the status quo or expand territory. Whoever gains control of the Lan Kingdom, using its treasury to fund the army, its armor and weapons as elite troops, and its civil and military officials as henchmen, will be invincible throughout the world. Whoever gains control of the continent. The Chen Kingdom has been weak for a long time; only by annexing the Hong Kingdom can it rival the Huai Kingdom. The current strategy should be to take advantage of Li Jun's northern expedition against the Su Kingdom, leaving him no time to look west, and Ling Qi's recent annexation of the Heng Kingdom, allowing him to recuperate and rebuild. We should then annihilate the Hong Kingdom in one fell swoop, and then directly attack Lan's capital, Jinlun. Then the fate of the nation will be sealed. This humble general is unworthy, but I am willing to lead 100,000 troops to serve as the vanguard for the commander-in-chief…”
Upon seeing this, Liu Guang couldn't help but exclaim, "Excellent!" He handed the letter to Gongsun Ming and said with a smile, "General Ma Jiyou's talent has improved by leaps and bounds in the past three years, and his vision is no longer limited to the Hong Kingdom."
Gongsun Ming carefully read the letter and then handed it to Pang Zhen, Liu Zheng, and others. Everyone congratulated Liu Guanghe, saying, "If it weren't for the commander's keen insight and humility, Ma Jiyou would not have been employed by the commander!"
"Since everyone has no objections, then it's settled." Liu Guang waved his hand abruptly. "Seize this opportunity, annihilate the Hong Kingdom, advance north to Jinlun, and bring peace to the world!"
"Advance north to Jinlun, and bring peace to the world!" the civil and military officials shouted in unison, their eyes gleaming with a red light. The hegemony established by the Khan of the Four Seas seemed poised to be reborn. Living in this turbulent era, becoming a protagonist in this historical transformation—what could be more prideful and exciting for these arrogant men?
three,
"Reporting to the commander and strategist, the enemy is now only twenty miles away from us!"
The scout bowed to Wei Zhan and then spurred his horse forward. Wei Zhan stroked his beard, turned around and looked at Li Jun, who sat relaxed on the Moonlit Frost. Li Jun nodded to him, indicating that he had full authority to handle the matter.
"Blue Bridge!" Wei Zhan ordered.
Blue Sword, wielding a giant sword, grinned: "I knew it had to be me."
"Lanqiao!" Wei Zhan's voice turned stern. Lanqiao stuck out his tongue. He was now the father of four children, but he was still honest and simple. Whenever the Peace Army talked about his clever and beautiful wife, they would jokingly say that it was a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung.
"Not present!"
"You will lead a thousand men on a rapid march and ambush them in a valley called Little Stone Valley in the northwest. If the enemy retreats from here, let half of them pass before intercepting them!"
Lan Qiao glanced at Li Jun, who smiled and said, "Let's hear what the strategist has to say."
Only Wei Zhan and Ji Su understood that Li Jun had spat out those words through gritted teeth. His injuries, though not worsening, showed no signs of abating; every jolt on horseback caused excruciating pain. Ji Su suggested that Li Jun stay and recuperate before advancing, but Li Jun believed that the Peace Army's offensive was imminent and had to be launched. If he didn't join the battle, his injuries would become public knowledge, severely damaging morale. Therefore, aside from sending secret messages to Lei Hun, Chu Qingfeng, and Feng Jiutian, he insisted on going with the army. Ji Su couldn't argue with him, and knowing his usual behavior, had no choice but to comply. However, to alleviate his pain, Li Jun relinquished command of the battle to Wei Zhan, telling his subordinates that he had other plans.
"Why not let me be the vanguard!" Lan Qiao muttered, turning his horse to lead his troops away. Wei Zhan then called out, "Tang Peng!"
Tang Peng gripped his broadsword and smiled slightly. Over the years, he had distinguished himself in small-scale conflicts with the Su Kingdom. While Luo Yi transitioned from a military to a civil official, Tang Peng remained on the battlefield. It had taken Luo Yi two years to win the heart of the maid Xiao Yu, whose condition for marrying him was that she would not fight on the battlefield.
"You will lead a thousand men to ambush the enemy halfway to Little Stone Valley. If you see the enemy retreating from there, wait until they have passed halfway before attacking them!"
"Yes!" After Tang Peng left, Wei Zhan turned to look at Gan Ping, whose face was full of longing: "Gan Ping, you will lead your unit as the vanguard and lie in ambush in Xieye. This is a place the enemy must pass through. When the enemy sets up their formation, you will follow my orders and charge out from behind the enemy lines."
Gan Ping's spirits lifted, and he raised his steel fork. His thousand men roared in unison. These thousand men were all warriors under twenty, full of vigor and fierce spirit. Most of them were challenging their comrades, wanting to see who could kill more enemies and achieve more merit on the battlefield. The Peace Army soldiers beside them watched them with envy. Having not fought a major battle for a long time, these soldiers were eager to fight like tigers released from the mountains.
The sky seemed to sense the impending battle, and the once clear sky began to gather clouds like fish scales. The cicadas chirped incessantly, adding to the restlessness of the sweltering afternoon and making the soldiers, clad in layers of armor, increasingly agitated. Li Jun always sent scouts more than twenty miles away, selecting only the timid and clever. While the choice of cleverness was understandable, when asked why such crucial personnel weren't chosen from the brave and strong, Li Jun replied, "The strong rely on their strength, and the brave are reckless and warlike. The most important thing for a scout is to relay military intelligence to the commander. If they constantly engage in close combat, defeat and death are minor matters compared to missing crucial information." It was precisely for this reason that Li Jun's scouts could often spot the enemy from afar, rarely failing to deliver crucial intelligence.
When the Soviet reinforcements discovered the Peace Army, the two armies were only five miles apart. The Soviet commander, surprisingly disciplined, did not panic upon the sudden encounter but immediately ordered his troops to deploy. Just as these tens of thousands of troops were preparing for battle, Gan Ping, who was lying in ambush in the wilderness, coldly spat out the blade of grass he had been holding in his mouth, pointed his fork at an enemy general who was shouting loudly on horseback, and said, "I'm going to take that enemy general's head. You all choose your targets."
The soldiers suppressed their tension, and even the few whose teeth were chattering calmed down when they saw Gan Ping's composed expression.
"One, two..." Just as the soldiers were beginning to relax, Gan Ping's counting made them tense up again. Suddenly, Gan Ping spurred his horse, and the horse let out a long neigh, as if to release all the pent-up tension. As the horse galloped off like an arrow, Gan Ping's shout of "Kill!" startled the soldiers behind him, who also shouted in unison.
As the startled Su soldiers turned to look, over a thousand men emerged from the bushes, raising a cloud of dust. Their sheer numbers were so overwhelming that the trees and grass became their silhouettes, giving the initial impression of tens of thousands of elite cavalry charging forth. Gan Ping held his steel fork high, a sliver of golden light shining through the clouds landing on its tip, refracting into a rainbow of colors that entered the eyes of the Su general, whom Gan Ping was intently watching. The general slowly opened his mouth, letting out a mournful howl like a dying beast, but at that moment, Gan Ping was still a hundred feet away.