荔枝影院

Edited by: Michyrr

Thump!

One, two, three... birds plunged from the sky one after the other, screeching as they fell. Amongst the various factions, Wang Chong was the unquestioned main character, so a rather large number had gathered in the skies over him. And now, they were all falling.

Bzzt! A gyrfalcon descended from the sky like a shooting star, whistling as it dropped toward Wang Chong’s head. But before it could land, it was blocked and repulsed by an invisible barrier over Wang Chong’s head.

As Wang Chong looked up at the sky, a young and slightly nervous voice came from his side. "Reporting! Lord Marquis, the eagle team has already been gathered and can wipe out all birds within a hundred li of the City of Steel before day’s end!"

The youth Zhang Que, Old Eagle’s disciple, kneeled on the side of the road, his face red from shame. Last time, the White Braves had borrowed the cover of darkness to attack the City of Steel. Zhang Que had been responsible for keeping watch on Qixi’s border with Ü-Tsang but had failed to detect them. This was a severe dereliction of duty.

Zhang Que had been criticizing himself this entire time.

By forming this eagle team, Zhang Que hoped to atone for his crimes and change Wang Chong’s impression of him.

"Rise," Wang Chong indifferently said, waving his hand.

Zhang Que was young, and he had encountered a crafty and cunning opponent like Dayan Mangban. Considering the fact that this was his first solo mission, he had no experience, and he wasn’t familiar with the terrain of the border, such a mistake was completely within Wang Chong’s expectations.

But this eagle team had left a very deep impression on him.

Creee!

A mournful screech from the sky attracted Wang Chong’s attention. Looking up, he saw that usually spiritless rock eagle called Little Sha flapping its wings, agilely pecking at the much larger birds around it.

The Turkic hunting hawks, the Goguryeon gyrfalcons, the rock eagles of the Western Regions—all these birds were having their necks shattered and wings broken under the assault of this little eagle, screeching as they plummeted to the earth, drenched in blood.

In addition, the little rock eagle had other eagles working with it, an army assisting it in attacking the other birds.

In the sky, the birds from the various powers had been beaten into disarray, with many of them shrilly crying out, shedding feathers and bleeding as they fled.

These ’eyes’ that had enveloped the City of Steel for several months had finally been driven off by Zhang Que’s eagle team.

"You did well! I’ll leave the skies over the City of Steel to you. Remember, in the future, don’t make a similar mistake," Wang Chong said without turning his head.

"Yes, Lord Marquis!"

The red-faced Zhang Que knew that he had finally received Wang Chong’s forgiveness.

"Lord Marquis, be at ease. Even if Zhang Que must die, a similar incident will never take place again!"

Wang Chong grunted and waved his hand. Zhang Que quickly left.

Just missing Xu Keyi’s side now, Wang Chong quietly said to himself.

A craftsman needed to prepare sharp tools first before beginning a task. With the spy birds over the City of Steel cleared away, the only thing left was to take care of the scouts.

While Wang Chong was occupied with his thoughts, he quickly began to hear alarmed cries from the distance.

"What are you doing?"

"We’re from the Qixi Protectorate!"

"Release me! Do none of you understand reason?"

Furious shouts could be heard outside the city, but what replied to them was a savage and tyrannical voice.

"Shut up!"

There was an earth-shaking boom, then a burst of frightened whinnies and the sounds of horses fleeing in every direction. When Wang Chong heard this sound, he couldn’t help but smile.

For this operation, it wasn’t just the guards of the City of Steel who were taking part, but also some of the experts from Wushang Village. Huang Botian was one of them, and judging by the sounds, Huang Botian had used his Stone General to attack those scouts.

As a member of the Imperial Court, Wang Chong could not attack the Qixi Protectorate army, but Huang Botian was different. With these actions, the scouts around the City of Steel would soon be driven away, and his plan could truly begin.

"Shixuan, tell Senior Zhang Shouzhi that he can notify all the sword shops and smiths in the capital and the prefectures that the next phase of the plan can begin!" Wang Chong said.

"Yes, Lord Marquis!"

Su Shixuan took off with the order.

"Everyone, get ready..."

With everything else taken care of, Wang Chong finally turned his head back to the Wushang Cavalry. As the former commander of the Wushang Cavalry, he could now begin the second phase and personally train his troops. The strongest War Saint and the strongest army of the Central Plains were finally reunited in the City of Steel.

A butterfly was finally flapping its wings, eventually causing a storm an entire ocean away. Other than Wang Chong, no one knew that starting from today, the Western Regions would experience a massive transformation.

......

Flap flap!

Several days later, in the distant Longxi, a messenger bird flew into Big Dipper City.

"Milord, a letter from Wushang!"

Upon receiving the letter from his subordinate, Geshu Han first creased his brow, and then he smiled, apparently guessing at something.

"Milord, that brat couldn’t keep his temper at all." A Big Dipper Army general smiled.

"Haha, Milord wanted horses from him. It would be strange if he were happy about that."

"This letter he sent to Milord must definitely be a rant to vent his anger. In my view, there is no need for Milord to read it."

The Big Dipper Army generals in the room began to chip in with their opinions.

Geshu Han quietly smiled.

"Haha, I still have to read it. Since he used the army’s relay stations and the Imperial Court’s system, it’s not a personal matter. If I refuse to read it just because he’s critical of me, then I would appear too narrow-minded and he would end up viewing me with disdain," Geshu Han lightly said.

"Lord Protector-General’s words are reasonable. Reading it is also fine. If that brat is rude to Milord, we have the letter as proof. When the time comes, Milord can take it to the Imperial Court and give him a little lesson."

"Right, right. Haha! He’s still young and inexperienced!"

The surrounding generals broke into laughter.

Geshu Han merely shook his head, and with a faint smile, he opened the letter!

’To see the words is to see the person. Wang Chong of Wushang writes to his superior!’

Just by reading the first line, Geshu Han could already sense a sharpness.

As expected!

Unsurprised, Geshu Han smiled. But as he read the rest of the few lines that made up the letter, he instantly changed his attitude.

"Milord, what happened?"

"Was that brat too rude and improper with his language?"

The generals in the room had been focused on Geshu Han this entire time, so the moment they saw the change in his face, they immediately made their conclusions and got angry.

"Lord Protector-General is still a Great General of the empire, with a lofty status and authority, and Milord has also distinguished himself many times in battle. That brat wouldn’t really rely on the background of his clan to say anything too rude or disgraceful."

"That boy is going overboard. Didn’t Milord just say that he wanted to borrow some horses? It was just a few words, just a joke, and he dares to reply with a letter humiliating Protector-General? He deserves death!"

"General protects the western border for the empire, risking death and achieving heroic feats on the battlefield. Even the important officials of the court would not dare besmirch Milord. This boy is too brash!"

All the generals were furious.

If Wang Chong had just grumbled or made some sarcastic remarks, the generals would have just treated it as a joke and not taken it too hard. But judging from the expression on their commander’s face, this wasn’t something as simple as a few complaints or cutting remarks.

"General, let me lead some soldiers to the City of Steel to seize that brat and have him personally seek forgiveness in front of Milord!" an agitated Big Dipper Army general immediately proposed.

"All of you have misunderstood!" Geshu Han finally spoke, his words immediately ending their speculation. His brow was tightly furrowed as if he had run into some incomprehensible riddle. "That youngest son of the Wang Clan was not cursing me..."

"Ah!"

The generals looked at each other in confusion. That boy had just obtained more than ten thousand horses, and the Great General had bluntly requested some of them, and yet that boy was able to keep his composure?

And if he was really able to keep his composure, why did he send a letter?

"It’s the exact opposite of what you’re thinking. He sent me a letter telling me that he’s already sent me one thousand high-quality warhorses. In addition... he also sent me one thousand extra!"

"Ah!"

The generals were dumbfounded.

"He really gave the warhorses, and even sent one thousand extra?"

"How could that be?"

"He has to know that two thousand warhorses is already enough to form a medium-sized force of cavalry, which is enough to affect the course of a battle."

"Given General’s relationship with that brat, would he really just give two thousand warhorses for free?"

At this moment, all of them were dazed and stunned, not daring to believe their ears.

"Lord General?" A general in the room turned to Geshu Han, cautious and hesitant.

"Take a look!"

Without another word, Geshu Han passed over the letter.

The letter was only five or six lines long, so all the generals in the room were soon able to read it, and all of them were left flabbergasted. In complete contrast to their expectations, the tone of this letter contained no resentment, only warmth and serenity. Most importantly, Wang Chong really had agreed to Geshu Han’s request.

"Milord, could that boy from the Wang Clan... just be tricking us?" a general cautiously said, voicing the thoughts of his comrades. "After all, Lord General and that Wang Chong are enemies. Would he really be so kind-hearted?"

"Although I’m also a little suspicious, that boy shouldn’t be feigning. After all, he is from a clan of ministers and generals, a clan that emphasizes the trustworthiness of a nobleman. And he even sent us a letter as proof of his words."

Geshu Han shook his head.

The great clans of the capital, particularly a clan of officials like the Wang Clan, cared a great deal about their reputation and would never go back on their words.