The entire Empire of Yutang was boiling with excitement!
The Nine Supremes had manifested themselves and defeated the enemy!
This was a story with a strong sense of legend, but when it was narrated vividly by the mouths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the battlefield … only God knew how much shock it would cause!
Three thousand miles of haste, the good news was relayed on horseback. Along the way, the Empire of Yutang was bombarded by the news in just seven to eight days!
After a great victory on the battlefield, the country was protected; the strong enemy had retreated, and the country was safe. It was in such a war that the legend of the Nine Supremes was born.
In the teahouse.
"Did you know? The Nine Supremes Lords have appeared again! "
"I only know that the Nine Supremes Lords have shown themselves and repelled Dongxuan's army."
"That's right, that's right! One fire burned Dongxuan's million soldiers! It's so satisfying to have the continent's top general, God Han Sanhe, return in defeat. "
"It's all thanks to the Nine Supremes Lords, or else …"
"I knew that good people would be rewarded. The Nine Supremes Lords are definitely not dead!"
"It's said that it's dead … This time, it's a manifestation …" someone said hesitantly.
Suddenly, the lively atmosphere became stagnant.
A few of them turned to look at the fellow who claimed that the Nine Supremes were dead with unfriendly expressions.
He panicked. "I didn't mean it that way …"
"Then what do you mean?" Someone shouted sternly. "How dare you say that the Nine Lords are dead … Brothers, kill him!"
A group of people swarmed forward!
"Shut up if you don't know how to speak! F * ck your mother … even if your entire family dies, the Nine Supremes Lords won't die … "
"Spare me …"
The whole nation was in jubilation.
…
Tie Zheng's notebook was filled with a thick stack of words.
"I am guilty … I almost lost the battle, Your Majesty, please punish me …"
"I have something to say … In this battle, I saw the remnants of the army join the battle of their own accord … They fought with their lives on the line … I am deeply moved by this. On behalf of 300,000 soldiers, I ask for merit for the remnants of the army! I implore Your Majesty to give them a generous pension and bestow them with honor. "
"… Of the one hundred thousand cavalrymen, thirty-seven thousand five hundred died in battle. Of the three hundred thousand soldiers, there are now more than two hundred thousand left … Our soldiers should bleed and sacrifice their lives, but the remnant soldiers volunteered to fight. The entire nation gathered eighty-three thousand remnant soldiers, and twenty-seven thousand three hundred and sixty died in battle! No one was injured! I am ashamed. "
"In the face of such casualties, I am ashamed to show my face …"
…
Half of Tie Zheng's petition was an apology.
Half of it was to ask for credit.
He was asking for forgiveness for himself and asking for credit for the wounded army.
However, there was no mention of the two words' Nine Supremes' in the entire book.
Morning court session.
His Majesty read aloud in the middle of the hall.
"Yutang has so many passionate warriors! With such citizens, what does Yutang have to fear? It's just that … in the past, it was I who mistreated these meritorious ministers! "
Old Marshal Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin stepped out at the same time.
"War broke out at the borders, and our army was in a precarious situation. Disabled and retired soldiers volunteered to join the battle, and there were those everywhere … In fact, a few days after the war ended, on the road, there were even people who spontaneously formed teams to join the battle …"
"… Valiant loyalty, righteous passion, the soul of Yutang's army …"
"This old subject also has a collective petition from the remaining soldiers. Please pass it to His Majesty. "
Qiu Jianhan said.
"Read!" The king's face was flushed with excitement. He said loudly, "Read it. Read it to all the civil and military officials. Let them remember it and teach the officials at all levels how to be good parents!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The old marshal acknowledged and took out a letter from his bosom. When he opened it and glanced at it, he was stunned for a moment. Immediately after, his burly body trembled, and his tiger eyes instantly turned red.
"Only a few words." The old marshal's voice was trembling.
"Long live Your Majesty. This subject is blessed to see His Majesty's face … As soldiers of the army, we only regret our incompetence and disability on the battlefield. We can no longer bathe in blood on the battlefield with our comrades and contribute to the nation. We are ashamed …"
"We are ashamed to receive Your Majesty's annual pension … Now that the nation is in danger, we killed the enemy on our own accord. It is our duty, we do not ask for any reward. Once the war is over, we will disarm and return to the countryside. "
"We beg Your Majesty in death. The brothers who perished in this war have wives and children at home. Please, Your Majesty, be merciful and compensate them generously. Our wish is fulfilled, we have nothing else to ask for! "
"As men of the army, our hearts are filled with passion. Whenever the country needs us, we shall fight on the battlefield again!"
It was obvious that the letter from the remnant army's representative had been embellished, but the letter was not particularly well-written. The wording was average, even a little incoherent. There was no literary flair to speak of.
However, the vast loyalty and hot-bloodedness in it were vividly displayed!
Old Marshal Qiu Jianhan read it without changing a single word. The entire imperial court was silent.
"Good, good, good!" After a long time, His Majesty praised them thrice with hot tears in his eyes. "These are my people! These are Yutang's children! I am deeply gratified and deeply touched! "
"If I don't commend them for their bravery and loyalty …"
Before His Majesty could finish, the old marshal apologized, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. This old official has something to say … These remnant soldiers have returned home after the war ended. Now that they are scattered … I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to gather again."
It was extremely rude to interrupt the emperor's speech. However, Old Marshal Qiu had to say it because if His Majesty were to mention commendation or something else, such as the need for a ceremony, then it would be difficult for them to gather. It would become an awkward matter instead.
His Majesty was rather disappointed. "Won't I be mistreating my meritorious subjects?"
Leng Daoyin heaved a long sigh beside him and said, "This official can guess what these old brothers are thinking … They don't think that they've contributed much, but they think that all of this is how it should be …"
"Besides, they feel sorry for their brothers who went out with them but didn't come back with them …" Leng Daoyin heaved a long sigh. "Your Majesty, those who have survived the war will feel that being alive is the greatest gift from God!"
"No matter how bad it is … no matter how difficult life is … it's still much better and happier than those brothers who are lying on the battlefield …" Old Marshal Qiu understood the sentiment as well.
"Sigh …" His Majesty heaved a long sigh.
"If so, the twenty-seven thousand three hundred and sixty veterans who died in the war … shall be compensated heavily!" His Majesty said solemnly, "Ten taels of gold for each family. Their children shall be subsidized in school."
"Also, this sum of compensation must be monitored properly. If there's any embezzler …" His Majesty's voice was stern. "Nine familial extermination!"
…
After the court session ended.
Everyone dispersed.
However, Old Marshal Qiu was kept behind by His Majesty.
His Majesty was rather impatient. "Is there any news?"
Qiu Jianhan shook his head. "No."
"No?" His Majesty looked at Old Marshal Qiu suspiciously. "Didn't Tie Zheng tell you?"
Old Marshal Qiu chuckled humorlessly. "The letter is here."
He took it out from his robe and passed it to His Majesty.
"This …" His Majesty read it carefully and his eyes widened in disbelief. "Tie Zheng … he said it too … manifested?"
Old Marshal Qiu's expression darkened, not knowing what to say.
"Bastard!" His Majesty could no longer hold it in as he roared, stomping his feet. "Do you believe it?"
Old Marshal Qiu pursed his lips. "I don't believe it either."
"Then … who is Tie Zheng trying to fool?" His Majesty was furious. "Am I that muddle-headed? Manifested? Tie Zheng must be muddle-headed! Call him back for this Emperor! I want to punish him severely! "
"Hold on, Your Majesty!" Old Marshal Qiu stopped him quickly and said after some deliberation, "This old official can understand Tie Zheng's thoughts … Besides, it's indeed more appropriate to say that he manifested his spirit now."
His Majesty was panting, but he finally started to think.
He was not stupid after all; he was just concerned and confused. Now that Qiu Jianhan had pointed it out, he understood immediately.
"The Nine Supremes have always acted in unison … but this time, only Supreme Wind and Flame have appeared." Old Marshal Qiu Jianhan's expression was grim. "Besides, Tie Zheng's secret letter said that he felt that the abilities displayed by Supreme Wind and Flame were much weaker than before …"
His Majesty's expression darkened.
"The battle at Tianxuan Cliff must be true. Even if the Nine Supremes were lucky to have survived, the others … I'm afraid …"
"As for the damage to their abilities, it's to be expected …"
"If so, there are too many uncertainties in the battle at Tianxuan Cliff …" Old Marshal Qiu deliberated and said word by word, "Why don't we confirm this news as a manifestation … and then … and so on …"
"This way, the country can be at peace and the enemy can be numb. In addition, the empires will definitely be suspicious and won't dare to attack … This will give us a chance to breathe …"
"The crisis of the Nine Supremes … let's not talk about the foreign and martial world, but the traitors in the imperial court and even the social classes must be found. Otherwise, there'll be endless trouble. If they can create Tianxuan Cliff, can't they do it again? "
"If that's the case … then it'll really be a catastrophe …"
Old Marshal Qiu tried his best to persuade him.
"As for Tie Zheng, there are many things to be done at the Fortress of Resilience now. Let him tidy things up there first … When the external affairs are settled, the reconstruction of the Fortress of Resilience is completed, and Dongxuan's external threat has been confirmed … then we can summon Tie Zheng to the capital and let him report in detail to His Majesty. It won't be too late."
"By then, if His Majesty wants to punish or punish this child, it'll only take a single word from him …"
Old Marshal Qiu said.
"That makes sense …"
"However, Tie Zheng has a request," Old Marshal Qiu said.
"What request?" His Majesty asked.
"He wants a grand wedding and to invite all the brothers in the military to his wedding wine, including the fallen soldiers!"
Old Marshal Qiu's expression was grim as he recounted the entire incident in detail. He sighed and said, "This …"
His Majesty grinned. "Does Tie Zheng have so much money to treat so many people to wine?"
Old Marshal Qiu coughed but did not speak.
Treating hundreds of thousands of troops and brothers who had died in battle to a drink – it was an astronomical figure.
"I will pay for it!" His Majesty gritted his teeth. "Although the national treasury is empty, the money for the wine … must be paid."
Old Marshal Qiu sighed, hesitating to speak.
The nation's money had been spent on the military and on the bereaved families of the deceased. His Majesty had never been lenient in this regard.
However, the nation was truly out of money now.
The money for the wine would be an astronomical figure.
If it were to be spent, it might cause another commotion or even impeachment. The emperor would then face immense pressure. The people were already in dire straits. You're spending so much money to buy wine and pour it on the graves?
However, if you don't spend it … are you not going to fulfill the last wishes of tens of thousands of heroes who have died, and such an insignificant wish at that?
They only want to drink a cup of the marshal's wedding wine!
The old marshal thought that it was not easy for His Majesty.
…
His Majesty paced and suddenly lowered his voice. "Old Qiu, you said that Supreme Wind and Flame are still alive … Is this true?"
Qiu Jianhan was exasperated.
I've made it clear just now, it's best that we don't talk about this anymore … Why are you …
"This old official feels that … it's similar yet not …" Qiu Jianhan hesitated.
His Majesty grew more and more excited. "Then … if Supreme Wind and Flame are still alive, do you think that the other Supremes might still be alive as well?"
The old marshal's eyes widened.
Aren't you thinking too much?
Even if it's these two, it's hard to tell if it's true or not …
"Then, my child …" The king was full of hope, "… is he still …"
At this point, his eyes lit up. "… He's still alive?!"
"…"
Old Marshal Qiu felt like he was going crazy.
Perhaps there was a ten to twenty percent chance that someone else was still alive but it was impossible for Supreme Earth … If Supreme Earth was still alive, even if he only had one breath left, the first person to know about it would be His Majesty the emperor!
"It's a little … uncertain."
The old marshal was honest.
His Majesty's eyes widened, rage surging within him. "How dare you, Qiu Jianhan! How dare you deceive the emperor!"
"…"
The old marshal was speechless.
When did this old man deceive the emperor? Even if you're the emperor, you can't just accuse me of a crime!
…
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