HPDBC Chapter 257 The Storm Begins_1
Chapter 257 The Storm Begins_1
In the 519th year of the Great Xia dynasty, on the eighth day of the seventh month.
On this day, the barbarian tribes formally launched an attack on Great Xia. The Marquis of Pingxi led the Xuan Iron Army into a major battle with the barbarians at the border. For three consecutive days, they maintained the upper hand. Although the 600,000-strong Xuan Iron Army suffered casualties, they also drove the barbarians back progressively.
Upon receiving news of the victories in Tiandu, the capital of Great Xia, firecrackers blazed through the city, stirring the spirits and triggering a wave of cheers.
The civilians of Great Xia naturally knew about the barbarian invasion, and with the Marquis of Pingxi winning battles, the people were quite jubilant.
Even the crown prince within the imperial palace felt exceptionally good, preparing various rewards. As soon as the Marquis of Pingxi won a decisive victory, he planned to send these rewards to the border immediately.
For a while, the name of the Marquis of Pingxi echoed throughout Tiandu; countless citizens hailed him as the War God of Great Xia. As long as he was present, the border of Great Xia would be secure, and the barbarians would never be able to invade.
But the good times did not last. Just as the people of Tiandu celebrated joyfully, five days later, an urgent dispatch of eight hundred li arrived at the imperial palace in Tiandu.
A crushing defeat at the border!
Aligning with the Six Union God Sect, the barbarians set a trap at the border and sent as many as eight martial arts masters to besiege the Marquis of Pingxi!
Guarded by his generals and the Xuan Iron Army who fought to their last breath, the Marquis of Pingxi seized that one in ten thousand chance, escaping death by a hair's breadth. However, he sustained serious injuries and was hanging by a thread, lying unconscious on his sickbed until now.
Now, the borders of Yan State were in utter chaos, teeming with demons!
After the battle, the Xuan Iron Army lost over 300,000 soldiers. From the initial 600,000, fewer than 300,000 remained, each bearing wounds.
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Moreover, not only was the chief commander at the border, the Marquis of Pingxi, on the brink of death, unconscious and possibly about to pass away at any moment.
Following their victory, the barbarian hordes pushed into DaHuang Mansion. The Xuan Iron Army was forced into a strategic retreat. Simultaneously, followers of the Holy Shadows Sect and the Black Sky Sect under the Six Union God Sect, as well as other demonic cult warriors, began to appear throughout the various prefectures in Yan State.
Swarms of demons emerged, plunging the entire Yan State into grave danger.
In just a few days, nearly two hundred thousand civilians perished, leaving countless bones to dry in DaHuang Mansion, blood flowing into rivers.
Such news could not be hidden, and once it spread, it threw the world into uproar.
The people from the thirteen states under Great Xia's rule, especially from the other two major mansions in Yan State, were in extreme panic. The whole of Great Xia was plunged into an atmosphere of personal insecurity and profound depression.
At this moment, an intense debate exploded in the royal court of Great Xia.
In the Great Xia imperial palace, in the Jinluan Hall, the crown prince Ji Yuan sat at the top, his expression extremely grave.
Below him, the court officials argued so heatedly they were almost at each other's throats, throwing around accusations. Eventually, it even seemed like some of the civil and military officials were about to come to blows.
The crown prince tried to intervene several times to calm the situation, but to no avail. Out of frustration, he also felt somewhat helpless.
"Silence!"
At that moment, King Huai spoke up. His expression was somber, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. A terrifying aura, which was surprising for this prince who was unfamiliar with martial arts, now seemed to emanate from him.
The moment King Huai's piercing gaze swept over a minister, the minister trembled and promptly shut his mouth, daring not to make the slightest sound.
The entire Jinluan Hall immediately returned to a solemn silence.
The situation in all thirteen provinces of Da Xia, aside from Yan State, was also highly tense. Moreover, the coffers had been greatly depleted over the years due to the fight against demons and spirits. This was why the Crown Prince had not agreed to the Marquis of Pingxi's request for reinforcements.
But now, the time had come when reinforcements were a necessity, and the number of troops to be sent was a significant matter.
Just then, Minister Chen Yuanli spoke again, "Another matter, Your Highness, my Lord, who will lead the troops in this reinforcement?"
With the current situation at the border, the Marquis of Pingxi was gravely injured and unconscious. Even with reinforcements, without a leader for the army, it would be futile.
Even though Deputy Commander Qin Wu of the Jing Tian Department was powerful in cultivation, he was not a skilled military commander, and his capabilities in commanding troops were not strong. He could manage a fight involving a few dozen or a few hundred men, but if it came to tens or hundreds of thousands, or even a million soldiers, he lacked that capacity.
That was why the Marquis of Pingxi was so invaluable to Da Xia.
"Let me go."
The Crown Prince's gaze shifted to the speaker, and it turned out to be the Duke of the Liang State.
Duke Lu Sheng of the Liang State said, "Before the Marquis of Pingxi, it was I who guarded the border and deterred the barbarians. Now, with the Marquis of Pingxi incapacitated, I am the most suitable candidate."
"No."
Upon hearing that the Duke of the Liang State wished to depart for the frontlines, the Crown Prince immediately refused, saying, "Duke of the Liang State, I know you are concerned for our country and our citizens, but you are of advanced age and should be enjoying your twilight years. The situation in Yan State is too dangerous; I cannot agree to this."
It was not only because of the Duke's age, but also because of his many years of combat at the border, which had left him with numerous hidden injuries. The reason why the Duke eventually retired to Tiandu was that in his last battle, he had been gravely wounded, causing major health issues, and even his cultivation had significantly regressed.
The Gang Qi Stage might suffice under normal circumstances, but in the current situation in Yan State, it would be of no use at all. Even the Marquis of Pingxi, a master of martial arts, was assassinated and grievously injured, let alone the Duke of the Liang State.
The Duke of the Liang State said, "Your Highness, do you believe there is another more suitable candidate besides myself?"
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince's gaze swept over his ministers, hoping that someone among them would step forward to go to the border.
Regrettably, the Crown Prince was disappointed. Even now, no one volunteered. The situation in Yan State was too perilous; those who went were facing almost certain death, or even a fate of no return.
All these lords and dignitaries were advanced in age, accustomed to the comforts of life in Tiandu. While they could offer advice and speak freely, the notion of them personally embarking on a campaign, to suffer hardship in the desolate and variable climate of the border, was utterly impossible.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince's fist suddenly clenched, and his expression began to sour.
Nevertheless, the ministers, as if not noticing the Crown Prince's expression and gaze, kept their eyes glued to their noses and their noses to their hearts, standing there with downcast eyes, as unmoving as meditating monks.
At this moment, King Huai spoke up, "Let the Duke of the Liang State go. Among the ministers, he is the most familiar with the border. If we send someone else, they might spend a long time just getting acclimated, and we don't have that time now."
"Thank you, my Lord, for your support," the Duke of the Liang State immediately bowed in gratitude.
"But..." The Crown Prince frowned; the Duke of the Liang State was one of the few ministers who supported him and was both elderly and loyal to Da Xia. He genuinely did not want the Duke to take this risk.
However, as King Huai had said, there truly were no other suitable candidates besides the Duke.
"Let Qin Wu send someone from the Jing Tian Department in Yan State to protect the Duke of the Liang State," King Huai said gravely.
Clearly, even King Huai did not want the Duke of the Liang State to go to the border, but there was no better alternative at present.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince had no choice but to nod in reluctant agreement.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your support!" the Duke of the Liang State raised his voice in appreciation, clasping his fists in salute.