It was not only Tie Zheng, even Old Marshal Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin were covered in blood.
How could the two old generals miss such a battle?
In fact, it was thanks to their extraordinary cultivation base that each of them had managed to fend off an expert from the enemy.
It was also because of their experienced commanding that the situation of the battle was even more favorable, finally annihilating all of the Four Seasons Tower's experts.
"Count the casualties and losses!"
Tie Zheng's expression was grim.
These ambushers were all dead but Yang Botao's fate was unknown. From the fact that he had been rescued, the outcome of the public trial could be considered a failure.
Moreover, the number of casualties today was going to be a shocking one!
"Casualties …" After a long time, an assistant general rubbed his eyes and said in a low voice, "Six thousand three hundred and forty-two brothers who died in the battle. Among them, Wan Fenggui, Wang Dezhu, Wei Dexu … the three generals have all perished … In addition … "
The muscles on Tie Zheng's face twitched. "How many enemies?"
"Twenty-eight of them killed!"
"Twenty-eight of them!" The muscles on Tie Zheng's face were twitching madly. "Just these twenty-eight people took away six thousand three hundred and forty-two of my brothers?"
He turned his head slowly and looked at the bloodied faces around him. For a moment, his heart was heavy.
He had only been focused on annihilating the enemy earlier and had not thought about the casualties on his side. Although Tie Zheng had expected the heavy casualties on his side, he was still pained when he heard that they had actually suffered such a heavy loss.
"Marshal Tie! This humble officer thinks that even if the brothers who died in this battle, they will feel gratified! Their deaths will be worth it! "
A fellow who had lost an arm and an ear stood up with all his might. "The injured brothers will also feel that it's worth it! Gratifying! "
Around them, countless wounded soldiers cheered in unison, "That's right! Worth it! Gratifying! "
"Because we have done something for the Nine Supremes Lords after all!"
The soldiers looked solemn. "Before this, it has always been the Nine Supremes Lords who have shielded us from the wind and rain, saving us from danger and death. We have never done our part for the Nine Supremes Lords. Now that we're facing their enemies, we're willing to put our lives on the line no matter how hard we fight! "
Tie Zheng heaved a long sigh towards the sky. Suddenly, he laughed with tears in his eyes, "Nine Supremes Lords, our brothers have avenged all of you. Do you see this?"
Qiu Jianhan was panting heavily when he saw a guard rushing in. He called out to him, "What happened?"
This guard was the person that he had left behind to pass on the news. Why would he come in such a hurry? Could it be that something had happened?
The guard said anxiously, "The fire in Yang Botao's residence was so intense that it couldn't be extinguished … It was Madam Yang who poured all the kerosene in the residence onto the blankets and other things. This … the entire Yang residence, seventy-one people, none of them survived."
Qiu Jianhan shuddered while Tie Zheng turned abruptly as well, looking at the guard with a complicated expression.
"Madam Yang must have gathered everyone beforehand and drank the poison …" The guard was a little frightened. "There was only a parcel pressed against a rock in the courtyard. Inside is a letter … "
The guard presented a letter with both hands.
There were a few delicate words on it, "To Old Marshal Qiu."
Qiu Jianhan's eyes were rimmed with tears as he accepted it with trembling hands. He tore the seal off and unfolded it.
"Uncle, this niece bids farewell today. This niece has been the wife of a hero for half my life, it's enough. I don't think that I've embarrassed my parents. I won't be a sinful wife even at the last moment. "
"I'm willing to die with honor, to live without humiliation!"
"This niece doesn't know about Yang Botao. Uncle, don't be ashamed of this niece. In front of my parents' graves, I hope that uncle can discern for me. "
"This unfilial daughter bids farewell!"
Qiu Jianhan's hands were trembling as tears streamed down his cheeks.
This was the daughter left behind by the brother who had died on the battlefield …
The last words he left behind in his life were to defend himself, "I didn't know! If I had known, there would have been a different outcome.
I didn't let you down.
I didn't let my parents down.
I didn't let Yutang down. "
Leng Daoyin leaned over to take a look and sighed deeply, saying in a low voice, "It's the child left behind by San Lang …"
Qiu Jianhan's eyes were brimming with hot tears.
"Pack up and report to His Majesty as soon as possible."
On the same afternoon.
The imperial edict was announced.
Yang Botao had colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country; his crime was unpardonable. He had conspired to murder the Nine Supremes and caused their deaths, plunging the empire into a precarious situation. The fugitive Yang, if discovered, could be executed by anyone! Anyone who reported Traitor Yang's whereabouts would be rewarded with a thousand silver taels; those who killed Traitor Yang would be rewarded with ten thousand gold taels and be made a marquis of ten thousand households!
That was the general meaning of the edict.
The northern troop was reorganized from top to bottom.
His Majesty had personally decreed that the Eastern Marshal, Tie Zheng, was to be transferred to the north along with his accompanying officers. The position of the Eastern Marshal would be temporarily taken over by the eastern troop's assistant marshal.
This transfer was a last resort. The northern troop's morale was low now; they needed a strong marshal to reunite them before they could be put to use. Other than Tie Zheng, there was no other person in the entire Empire of Yutang at this stage.
On the same night, Tie Zheng brought a few janissaries and stepped into the northern troop's military camp.
Yang Botao's janissaries and subordinates had long been under control. Fortunately, these people were well-behaved and did not resist, which saved them a lot of trouble.
Once Tie Zheng arrived, he was the first to request to see these people.
The northern military camp was currently shrouded in an indescribable atmosphere of deathly stillness.
All Tie Zheng could see were the gazes of people who were on the brink of death; they were filled with despair and sorrow.
All five hundred of Yang Botao's janissaries were there. All of them were filled with the will to die; the will to die did not belong to anyone else but themselves.
"Everyone, gather!" Tie Zheng walked in with large strides and commanded loudly, his voice reverberating throughout the place.
As soon as the order was given, the five hundred men, though their expressions were weary and their spirits were even more dispirited, they still gathered together swiftly. From this, it could be seen that this group of people were the cream of the crop!
As the janissaries of the marshal, how could they be qualified if they did not possess a certain level of capability, loyalty, and self-awareness to follow orders?
Tie Zheng could not help but be even more certain of his earlier decision, but his face was still dark as he walked to a higher spot.
His body was already taller than an ordinary person's, but he liked to stand on high ground. Now that he was looking down from above, he seemed even taller and stronger. He looked like an iron tower, standing there majestically.
"Why are all of you lowering your heads?" Tie Zheng hollered, "Raise your heads!"
There was still silence below, not many of them had lifted their heads.
Tie Zheng scoffed and said, "Are you all rebelling? Didn't you hear the military order I gave just now? All of you, raise your heads with your chests up. Everyone, look at me! "
Military law was absolute!
Since Tie Zheng was the highest commanding officer here, his order was a military order. Everyone present had to execute it unconditionally, without any hesitation.
With this command, all five hundred of them raised their heads with their chests up, their gazes focused on Tie Zheng.
Whether these five hundred janissaries were willing or unwilling, all they could see at this moment was Tie Zheng's mighty image.
"I don't want to say too much about pretty words and threats."
Tie Zheng said, "Although Yang Botao's crimes are unpardonable, this person still has a bottom line after all. He didn't bring anyone from the military with him at the last moment."
"No matter how heinous his crimes are, it's good that he didn't drag any of you into this during today's public trial. At least he still has a shred of conscience."
"As expected of a real man."
Tie Zheng said, "All of you are his janissaries, this can't be changed. However, regarding Yang Botao's betrayal of the Nine Supremes Lords, I believe that none of you are involved. He would never dare complete such a thing through your hands. If it were me, I would have done it myself! The implications of this matter are too great. No matter how much I trust all of you, there will always be concerns. Therefore, this must be Yang Botao's doing alone, it has nothing to do with all of you. All of you don't have to look dead now. No one says what to do to all of you. After all, other than being Yang Botao's janissaries, all of you are soldiers of the northern troop and Yutang's military men. This cannot be denied! "
Once Tie Zheng said this, everyone's eyes shone.
"Now, I'll give all of you the chance to choose freely. The first choice is – those who are willing to follow Yang Botao and stay by his side through life and death. You can step out now and I won't hold you accountable, I'll respect your feelings and choices. However, your military status will be revoked and you'll become a free man from now on, free to live or die as you please. "
"The second choice is that I, Tie Zheng, have come to lead the northern troop under the emperor's order. I've only brought less than thirty men with me, so I lack janissaries of my own, janissaries who can accompany me on the battlefield to kill the enemy and entrust my back to them. If all of you are willing to become my janissaries, I'll gladly accept it. As for the third choice, it's to remove your original identity as janissaries, disband the organization and join the army. You can start from the bottom and slowly prove your loyalty to the Empire of Yutang on the battlefield! "
"I choose the third choice!" The janissary general raised his hand and said, "Join the army and start from the bottom!"
Tie Zheng's eyes shone as he focused his gaze on the general.
He had said "I" and not "we". This was tantamount to leaving room for his other brothers to choose. After all, if they chose to become Tie Zheng's janissaries, they could prove themselves as well.
After the first person had voiced out his choice, more and more people stepped forward to choose the third option.
Finally, four hundred and seventy-one men stood out from the five hundred men, all of them choosing the third option.
However, there were still twenty-nine men who stood where they were, their expressions blank and blank.
Tie Zheng asked, "What's your choice?"
A tall man with a face full of scars stood up and said, "I choose the first option."
Tie Zheng's gaze froze.
It was unknown if it was because the man with a face full of scars had spoken up first, but the other twenty-eight men followed suit and said, "We choose the first option as well."
Tie Zheng nodded slowly and said, "Alright. Clerk, record these twenty-nine men and process them according to the normal discharge procedures. Issue them a return ticket and revoke their military status. They will leave the army from now on. Pass my order as well, no one is allowed to trouble them with the excuse of being Yang Botao's janissaries. Those who disobey will be severely punished! "
"Yes!"
"Thank you, Marshal Tie!"
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