Book 12: Chapter 4: Heaven Shocking Assassination
Book 12: Chapter 4: Heaven Shocking Assassination
Within a brightly lit tent, Zhantai Shouchi held a reward document he had just completed, and then spoke some words of praise. He looked at Jin Chengyun and the other officers sitting in front of him, his expression still polite and modest, yet inwardly, he was instead extremely satisfied, extremely content.
He didn’t have any reason to not be satisfied.
It was because he was now Great Mang Dynasty’s crown prince.
Starting a rebellion in the military, ultimately ending Nanmo Country, establishing Great Mang Dynasty, the old emperor Zhantai Mang was always a powerful cultivator and ruler. However, when he was young, he fought together with other cultivators, suffering many terrifying wounds as a result. These terrifying injuries left behind many unmentionable diseases that prevented him from having children.
However, Zhantai Mang had an older sister who produced two children.
If there wasn’t that sudden change, if it wasn’t for Zhantai Mang wishing to pass on his position to his student, then Great Mang’s imperial position would have been passed on to his older sister’s eldest son Zhantai Ling.
Zhantai Ling was a well-known gifted scholar in Great Mang to begin with, receiving the support of both the military and subjects. If he obtained the imperial position, at that time, he who was just a distant relative of the Zhantai Family wouldn’t have any chance, to the extent where even his father’s military authority would be stripped. At that time, both him and his father, because of their bit of blood connection with the new emperor, would be granted titles like ‘Bliss King’ or ‘Fortune King’, these noble titles without any authority, and then just watch over a large courtyard and some fields just like those local lords, spend the rest of their lives in this manner.
However, because of this sudden change, his father Zhantai Qilu, under the escort of Purgatory Mountain’s Divine Adjudicator, charged into Great Mang Imperial Palace with troops, getting through this experience more scared than hurt. Meanwhile, he didn’t have to do anything, becoming Great Mang Dynasty’s crown prince just like this.
He didn’t have to do anything afterwards either, he just watched as Great Mang Dynasty supported the new administration and the purge Purgatory Mountain carried out on Thousand Devil Nest and the old emperor’s loyal subordinates. Even Zhantai Mang’s older sister’s two sons were burned to ashes in the chaos along with their courtyard.
Of course, he understood clearly that in the end, the one who decided to make his father the new emperor, making him the crown prince, was Purgatory Mountain, those with authority residing in deep caves or demonic palaces. However, as long as they revered and obeyed Purgatory Mountain’s instructions like worshiping a devil god, then they would rule over Great Mang. After his father, he would then sit in Great Mang’s imperial position.
He also understood extremely clearly that even though in the end, Zhantai Qiantang still escaped into Yunqin Empire, moreover Great Mang still having quite a few people from the old emperor and Thousand Devil Nest’s faction that wanted to rebel, this was also the reason why he had to personally obtain military contributions while holding the status as crown prince, despite the current battle situation being at a most deadlocked and intense time… It was because he had to coax the wills of the people, he needed the loyalty of the military and even more officials, moreover, he wanted to quickly establish a good public reputation. However, along the way, when he saw how these military officers all treated him with respectful attitudes because of his own humbleness and gentleness, how could he not feel satisfied?
“Your highness, your respected self has already covered a large amount of distance today. Should we rest a bit earlier?” Jin Chengyun looked at this bright yellow dragon robed Zhantai Shouchi with a white jade crown on his head, asking respectfully.
This high-ranking military officer who had actually been presiding over all of the Southern Path Great General’s military affairs after his death didn’t see the satisfaction and contentment within this crown prince’s heart, only feeling that this crown prince’s performance in the military was deserving of respect.
Zhantai Shouchi chuckled in a gentle manner and said, “There is no need to worry… I know the officers’ hearts are devoted to military affairs, they usually rest later. Moreover, Sir Jin definitely doesn’t know why I wanted to rush here so urgently.”
Jin Chengyun and the either straightforward, or clearly intelligent subordinates exchanged a few looks, all of them a bit confused.
“Your highness, what is the reason?” Jin Chengyun asked.
“It is because General Jin’s love for wine is known by all under the sky. It is rumored that what General Jin is most fond of is drinking a bit of fine wine before sleeping.” Zhantai Shouchi smiled and said, “That is why I previously paid Purgatory Mountain a visit, moreover obtained some Jasper Ant Wine. I believe that General Jin understands extremely clearly that the more aged the wine, the more delicious. Purgatory Mountain’s Jasper Ant Wine has been fermented for a long time, losing Purgatory Mountain’s Green Ant Grass’s unique smell.”
“Your highness!”
Jin Chengyun stared blankly, and then he immediately reacted, feeling incredibly moved. He bowed down. “Your highness has shown me such care, how can this officer even repay you?!”
“Our officers have all fought risking life and limb for my Great Mang, not even caring about their own lives, why is there a need to speak these types of unnecessary words?” Zhantai Shouchi walked up, half kneeling on the ground. His hands supported Jin Chengyun, shouting, “Bring some wine for all of these officers!”
“However, we can only drink a few cups for now, we cannot get too drunk and make mistakes on military matters… when our army returns victorious, I will definitely reward the seven armies, hold a great feast for everyone.” After shouting that line outside the tent, Zhantai Shouchi then said this with a warm smile.
In that instant, all of the officers in this tent gave Zhantai Shouchi a kowtow of respect, showering him with praises.
In reality, all of these high ranking officers who could enter this central military tent and received rewards personally conferred by him were naturally individuals who had already experienced many years in the royal court, all of them understood that this was merely something to curry favor. However, even though they understood this clearly, with the crown prince’s identity, being able to do this was already quite excellent, already enough to move these people.
Even though they clearly understood that it was a play, the other party went to such extent to perform this play, this already proving how much value and care he attached to them.
The dark green fine wine was contained within a sparkling jade cup. Soon afterwards, beautiful servants brought them into the tent, wine fragrance spreading everywhere. This extremely rare fine wine’s special color had varying depths, the areas of darker colors really seemed as if there were green ants swimming in the wine.
When he saw the moved and stirred expressions of Jin Chengyun and the others, Zhantai Shouchi’s eyes shifted from the wine cup in his hands to the soft and comfortable, dignified bright yellow dragon robes. When he looked at the detailed fine decorative designs, his heart became filled with even greater satisfaction.
However, what he didn’t know was that the moment his great self, this Great Mang crown prince, looked at his own dragon robes, Lin Xi was also already currently watching him in the darkness, observing the tent he was in from the distance.
…
Mo Xunhua and the close to a hundred Thousand Sunset soldiers who had been scattered, but now gathered together were behind Lin Xi.
Thousand Sunset Border Army’s strategic retreat, completely giving up on Thousand Sunset Mountain happened after Lin Xi and Hu Piyi won that great victory. That was why even though they didn’t know about Lin Xi killing Xu Qiubai afterwards in Meteor City, Lin Xi being the archer who assassinated many Great Mang officers and also killed the southern path great general, him being the main figure of wiping out that thirty thousand Great Mang army was still something they all knew about.
In their hearts, Lin Xi, this type of bow wielding priest who didn’t care about his own honor, still fighting with his life on the line despite the emperor’s unfair treatment naturally represented the greatest glory. This was naturally a legendary hero like existence in their hearts.
They never expected to meet Lin Xi in this type of place.
Meanwhile, while moving to this position, through their conversation with Lin Xi, they already learned that half of South Tomb Province had completely fallen into enemy hands. This meant that right now, they were indeed in the depths of enemy territory.
It was precisely because they were in this type of place that they felt even more admiration for Lin Xi.
It was because this bow wielding priest was still continuously fighting, fighting deep in the enemy territory.
Lin Xi already watched these tents for a long time. When he heard the even more detailed description from Mo Xunhua, his opinion was just like Mo Xunhua’s, feeling that this was definitely some Great Mang great figure who personally came to the battlefield to accumulate contributions, to boost the morale of front line soldiers. Moreover, judging from his attendants and followers, this was definitely someone from the imperial palace.
If they could assassinate this type of figure, then it would be a world shocking affair. The one who came to boost the morale of Great Mang’s troops, able to do such a thing just by coming here, was instead assassinated… This wouldn’t only be a shocking piece of news, it would also further crush Great Mang’s morale. Furthermore, if news returned to Yunqin, Yunqin’s morale would definitely surge greatly!
However, no matter how they looked at it right now, killing this type of important figure was completely an impossible matter. Forget about the stamina of Mo Xunhua’s group being close to their limit, even if all of them were soul weapon heavy armored soldiers, there was still no way of assassinating that person.
It was because there were thousands of tents in front of them, clearly at least twenty thousand soldiers… This wasn’t a Great Mang small troop, but rather one of Great Mang’s main force armies!
This meant that the other party not only had all types of powerful military equipment, they would also have quite the number of cultivators.
Moreover, according to their previous judgment, there was definitely another Great Mang army stationed less than a few dozen li away.
In this type of situation, forget about breaking into the central army region to kill that great figure, some of this great army’s scouting cavalry would discover their traces. At that time, they might not necessarily be able to avoid them even if they wanted to.
“Sir Lin, your respected self should leave.”
While looking at Lin Xi who remained silent for a long time, only continuing to stare at the tents ahead, Mo Xunhua licked his dry lips, saying quietly with a bitter voice, “Tomorrow, we will launch a surprise attack, and then the people who stay behind will run in the opposite direction of sir. This way, we can at least grant sir a bit more time to escape.”
When he heard his voice, Lin Xi turned around, looking at him and the damaged black-armored Yunqin soldiers whose well-tempered weapons even had many knicks, shaking his head and saying, “it isn’t that there is no chance at all. There is still a chance.”
“There is a chance?” Mo Xunhua and all of the injured black-armored Yunqin soldiers looked at Lin Xi in disbelief.
“I have already observed them for a long time… I don’t know if you all have noticed it or not. This troop might not have any tasks to take care of immediately, so there is an opening… all of their cavalry army’s war horses and reserve horses are being kept in the horse rings.” Lin Xi didn’t know that this army’s fodder storage was burned, he only thought that Great Mang might be nursing these war horses. He pointed towards the railings to the north of this camp that held at least two thousand war horses, saying quietly without wasting any time. “As long as you all can smoothly enter through the railings and release all of the horses, then an instance of chaos can be created. Moreover, no matter how great this army is, if all of these warhorses are led out by you all, without any cavalry troops to chase after you all, there is no way they can catch you all in the darkness.”
“All of you are border army troops, moreover Thousand Sunset Border Army soldiers who fight on field terrain, so your horsemanship should have all been carefully assessed, it shouldn’t be inferior, moreover, you should be able to easily recognize which horses are the leader horses. Causing a disturbance and bringing out all of the war horses shouldn’t be too difficult. Then, you all should head towards that region I spoke about before with less Great Mang soldiers, continue south. You will have enough horses to switch through, you can drink horse blood and eat horse meat, so food shouldn’t be an issue.”
“By borrowing the chaos you all create, there is a chance of killing that important figure. Similarly, without any cavalry troops to chase after me, I have a high chance of breaking free. Meanwhile, you all will not only be able to help me complete this assassination, there is even a high chance of returning to Yunqin alive.”
Lin Xi breathed quietly, saying seriously with a grave voice, “I will have Lucky help you all deal with some people who are hard to deal with. Right now, what is most crucial is finding a chance to let you all enter the horse ring.”
The breathing of Mo Xunhua and all of these black-armored Yunqin soldiers completely stopped.
It wasn’t anything special. When one already set their resolution in a situation where they were destined to die, yet discovered that there was a chance of living, one would become even more stirred up. All of these people only listened to Lin Xi’s words, yet their hearts already felt even more respect and admiration towards Lin Xi.
However, what Lin Xi said was indeed the case. The crucial part was if they could even enter the horse ring right under the enemy great army’s eyes.
If they could do it, they would run. However,how could Lin Xi and Gao Yanan accomplish their goals so easily before this type of great army?