On the 4th of February, it had been almost a month since Gong Shangming's army had completely defeated the Celestial Empire's army. However, there weren't many smiles in the Tianji Palace of Tianji City. In the past month, they had only heard one bad news after another.
"Marshal Gong has arrived!" the eunuch announced loudly.
A group of civil and military officials looked over and saw Gong Shangming in his military uniform with a longsword hanging from his waist. His gilded combat boots stepped on the blood-red carpet as he walked into the palace step by step.
After the battle of Eastcalm City, Gong Shangming's name shook the world. He was already the number one general of the Tianji Empire in name and in reality. After Zhang Cheng died in battle, under the circumstances where all the generals were helpless, this Confucian scholar stepped forward and turned the tide. Not only did he win a good reputation, but he also established his position in the Tianji Empire.
Even the emperor, Beiming Yuan, thought highly of this Confucian Marshal.
"Marshal Gong is here? Give him a seat, "Beiming Yuan said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Gong Shangming knelt on the ground and said, "But I can't take a seat. There's new news coming from afar. This news makes me feel very embarrassed."
"Oh? What news? "
"Si Kongyao and Bai Ze's mercenaries have occupied Huoyuan City. The entire Huoyuan Province's dozens of prefectures have fallen one by one. Bai Ze's mercenaries have a very big appetite. Not only Xishan Province, but they've even swallowed Huoyuan Province!"
"Preposterous!"
Beiming Yuan slammed the table and stood up. His face was full of anger. "What is this little girl Si Kongyao thinking? Is she trying to seize half of my empire? Marshal Gong, as the empire's marshal, you defeated the Celestial Empire's million-strong army in the battle of Eastcalm City. You must have a way to take back two provinces from Si Kongyao, right? "
Gong Shangming's face was livid. "Your Majesty, I can't."
"Why?"
Gong Shangming raised his head to look at Beiming Yuan and said, "First, our national treasury is already empty. We can't take out more food and weapons to fight. Second, our military strength has declined to an unprecedented level. The battle of Eastcalm City was a decisive battle against the Celestial Empire's million-strong army with the Tianji Empire's national strength. After the battle, Chen Yu was defeated, and we weren't much better off. Yan Ji Corps, Lan Ji Corps, and the newly formed army numbered nearly five hundred thousand people, but only less than two hundred thousand are left. Moreover, many of them are heavily injured, and many of them are unable to step onto the battlefield again. On the other hand, Si Kongyao's Bai Ze's mercenaries only had one chance to directly enter the battlefield. That was an ambush on the border of Huoyuan Province. They didn't suffer many losses at all. Instead, they captured many of the Celestial Empire's troops. Together with the troops they recruited, the Bai Ze's mercenaries now have at least two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers. In terms of strength, we are no longer above Bai Ze's mercenaries."
"What …" Beiming Yuan felt a chill in his heart when he heard this. He said, "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have invited the Bai Ze's mercenaries for reinforcements. This is simply inviting a wolf into the house. I was foolish!"
Gong Shangming smiled faintly. "Your Majesty, you are not foolish. If Si Kongyao's Bai Ze's mercenaries hadn't schemed in the Forest of No Return, I'm afraid that Chen Yu wouldn't have been defeated. If you hadn't invited Si Kongyao, the Tianji Empire would have perished!"
"Now, what should we do?" Beiming Yuan asked with an ashen face.
Gong Shangming said, "It's true that the Bai Ze's mercenaries have invited a wolf into the house. This is a bad thing, but it's not like we can't turn a bad thing into a good thing."
"Oh? Marshal Gong, please speak. "
"Your Majesty, in the end, Si Kongyao hasn't completely fallen out with us yet. She is still the Princess of Xiping in the Tianji Empire. In my opinion, why don't you grant Si Kongyao an imperial edict and order her to lead the Bai Ze's mercenaries to attack the Lieshan Province of the Blackstone Empire? In this way, we can take advantage of the situation and take back two provinces at one go. This is called 'when the sandpiper and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits'."
"Alright!"
Beiming Yuan stood up and said, "We'll act according to the plan. But what if Si Kongyao doesn't accept my edict?"
"It's her business whether she accepts it or not. It's your business whether to issue the edict or not."
Gong Shangming said faintly, "Your Majesty, I would like to use your Golden Token."
"Oh? What's the use of my Golden Token? "
"I want to go to the Tianji Sect to meet the sect leader, Sikong Ming. I'm afraid that he's the only one who can restrain Si Kongyao at this moment."
"Okay …"
…
In the afternoon, at the Tianji Sect's main altar.
Gong Shangming held the Empire's Golden Token in his hand and led dozens of guards into the main altar. Along the way, there was a lot of chatter. It seemed that spring came earlier in the Tianji Sect's main altar compared to other places.
In the depths of the main altar, pear blossoms were in full bloom. It was rare to see such beautiful and exquisite things in Tianji City. Even the Imperial Garden of the Tianji Palace was not as elegant and unique as this. In the depths of the pear blossoms was a thatched cottage. It was Sikong Ming's residence.
A disciple walked in front and said respectfully, "Sect Leader, Marshal Gong Shangming requests an audience."
"Creak …"
The wooden door opened slowly. Sikong Ming, who was dressed in a white robe, walked out in high spirits. However, if one looked closely, one would notice that his feet did not touch the ground at all. Every step he took caused a layer of frost to ripple. It was very magical.
"I wonder why Marshal is looking for an old man like me?" Sikong Ming said with a smile. He was very amiable and amiable.
Gong Shangming immediately bowed and said respectfully, "Old Sect Leader, I am here for Miss Si Kongyao's matter. Old Sect Leader, do you know what Miss Si Kongyao has been doing recently?"
Sikong Ming smiled and said, "Are you talking about Yao? I don't know. Yao has already grown up. Even an old man like me can't control her anymore. I won't ask what Yao is doing. So, I'm afraid that Marshal has come for nothing. "
"Old Sect Leader!"
Gong Shangming's voice was filled with sincerity as he said, "The Baize mercenaries under Miss Sikong Yao's command have already consecutively plundered the West Mountain and Huoyuan Provinces. Her actions are tantamount to treason, are you really going to sit back and do nothing?"
"Treason? Is that so? "Sikong Ming had a kind look on his face. He smiled and said," Didn't His Majesty confer her the title of West Mountain Commandery Princess? If that's the case, he must have bestowed two fiefs to Yao. This is the honor of our Sikong Family. Our ancestral graves are emitting green smoke. "
Gong Shangming frowned and said, "Old Sect Master, how can His Imperial Majesty endure your words? Eldest Young Miss Si Kong Yao attacked the Fire Element Province without even giving us a heads-up. If His Imperial Majesty investigates this matter, I'm afraid it will not be easy to resolve!"
Sikong Ming's face turned cold. "What? Investigate? Whoever dares to touch a hair on my granddaughter can try. Don't think that I, Sikong Ming, can't do anything for decades. Let me tell you, this old man is still strong and healthy! "
Gong Shangming was stunned. "Old Sect Leader, you mean … you don't care what Miss Yao does outside, but if His Majesty wants to punish her, you will definitely intervene, right?"
"That's right …"
Sikong Ming gently stroked his beard and said, "This old man has already said that everything in the world has nothing to do with me and the Tianji Sect. Yao is a sensible child. I can understand what she does, but if anyone wants to hurt Yao, then don't blame me, Sikong Ming, for fighting to the death with these old bones of mine."
Gong Shangming's expression was blank. He had never seen such an unreasonable person in his life. Furthermore, this person was actually the Sect Master of the Celestial Polarity Sect, known as the strongest expert in the Celestial Pole Continent. Even that Radiant Angel Ziye might not be stronger than Sikong Ming, but he would definitely not be as unreasonable as Gong Shangming.
This was simply an old fox!
Gong Shangming secretly thought this, but he couldn't do anything. If he angered Sikong Ming, the consequences would be unimaginable. Sikong Ming's strength was unfathomable. It was possible that he could kill his way into the palace and kill the emperor.
"Then … I'll take my leave."
"I won't see you off, Marshal. Remember not to hurt my Yao. Otherwise, the Marshal will understand."
"Yes …"
Gong Shangming slowly backed out of the pear garden, his face looking even worse than before. He had accepted the position of general in the face of danger, but now it seemed that it was really not an easy position to hold. When Beiming Huan was in power, he had been eating and drinking all day, but now that he was in power, he had to live in fear every day. Every day felt like a year.
"Marshal Gong, what do we do now?" Long Ji Corps' Commander Caster asked uneasily.
"What else can we do? Let's just take it one step at a time."
Caster frowned. "I'm afraid we can't wait for you to take it one step at a time. Recently, many important officials in the court have been talking about you behind your back. Maybe one day, someone will jointly impeach you."
"Oh? What are they talking about? "
"They said …" Caster wanted to say something but stopped.
"No need to worry. Just say it, Commander."
"Yes." Caster nodded and said, "They are talking about you, saying that you are a cannibal Marshal who gave the order to eat people in the Shattered Cauldron Realm. Now that we have been trapped in East Peace City for more than a month, your subordinates have eaten more than 200,000 corpses, including the civilians of East Peace Province. Even the governor's three daughters were eaten. They said that you, a cannibal Marshal, are not even human, so how can you be a Marshal? Marshal Gong, don't be angry. These … are just the words of some vile people. "
"I know …"
Gong Shangming stood in the cold wind, his Marshal's cloak fluttering in the wind. Under the cloak, his body looked a little thin. He sighed and said, "It's so cold. Let's go back early."
"Yes!"
However, when Gong Shangming came to the edge of the horse, he slipped a few times in the stirrups and even leaned over the horse's back, pressing his face tightly into the saddle. The saddle was very cold, but not his heart. Gong Shangming did not know whether he was doing the right thing or not. He did not even know whether he should step out with his left foot or right foot.
"Marshal Gong, are you okay?" Caster asked in a low voice.
"I'm fine …"
Gong Shangming looked up and said, "It seems that Old Sect Master Sikong Ming's path won't work either. We have to think of other ways to take back the two provinces from Si Kongyao. Otherwise, the south will not be stable, and the Tianji Empire will soon be fragmented."
Caster nodded. "Yes!"
He helped Gong Shangming onto the horse and held the reins. He said, "Marshal Gong, do you still want to continue fighting for those ungrateful vile people?"
Gong Shangming straightened his iron helmet, his eyes blazing like torches. "No, I continue to fight for my eternal glory, not for them, not anymore …"
Caster: "…"
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