When the urgent report from the northern border arrived, the once-confident leaders of the Three Great Clans immediately panicked.
The western defense of Chu was under the command of Xiang Yan, who was responsible for resisting the Qin army's attacks. Since they had no direct involvement, they weren't particularly worried ensuring a steady supply of provisions was all that mattered to them.
However, the northern border cities of Chu were under their jurisdiction. If the northern front was breached, it would spell disaster for them.
"Speak! What happened to the northern border?"
"Did Qin launch an offensive from the north?"
The previously calm Zhao Wen immediately asked.
"Read it out loud! What happened?"
"Hurry up and read it!"
The other two leaders barked their commands.
The entire court's attention was focused on the messenger.
Under the watchful eyes of so many high-ranking officials, the trembling messenger raised the urgent report in his hands.
"Your Majesty, this humble servant is illiterate. I ask that Your Majesty read it personally."
Delivering war reports in the Chu court was a perilous task one misstep could mean death.
Unlike the Qin army, where even bad news would not result in punishment for the messenger after all, Qin soldiers were granted noble titles for their service, and Qin's laws prioritized justice the other states operated differently.
In most other nations, aristocrats held absolute power. Commoners and ordinary soldiers without connections or noble lineage had no chance of rising through the ranks.
"Bring it here."
King Fu Chou waved his hand.
A palace attendant hurriedly stepped forward, taking the urgent report and handing it to the king.
The moment King Fu Chou read it
His face drastically changed.
"My esteemed ministers"
"We are in grave danger."
"Zhao Feng, the Qin general of Wu'an, has led his Wu'an Camp to invade our great state of Chu."
"As of now, Qufu City and seven surrounding towns have already fallen to Zhao Feng's forces."
"The army we stationed in the northern border has been crushed by the Qin forces, suffering catastrophic losses."
His voice trembled.
The three clan leaders, who had initially dismissed their concerns, were now visibly shaken.
"How could it have happened so quickly?"
"We didn't even receive intelligence that Qin's Wu'an Camp was mobilizing."
"When did Qin King Ying Zheng give the order to attack?"
"Qufu City had 50,000 troops garrisoned there, and the surrounding towns had tens of thousands more over 100,000 soldiers in total."
"No matter how formidable Zhao Feng is, how could he breach our defenses in just a few days?"
"What should we do now?"
"Zhao Feng is Qin's undefeated general."
"It's only been a few days, and our northern border has already fallen to his forces."
"Wu'an Camp is even stronger than Hangu Camp…"
At that moment
The entire Chu court descended into chaos.
"My three esteemed ministers"
"Zhao Feng is leading an invasion. What should we do?"
King Fu Chou turned to the three clan leaders for answers.
"Your Majesty!"
"There is no time to waste. Please issue an immediate decree to reinforce the northern border!"
Zhao Wen urgently requested.
"I agree!"
"We must send reinforcements to the north at once to halt the Qin offensive!"
The civil and military officials in the court voiced their support.
However
Upon hearing this, King Fu Chou's expression turned grim.
Though he was the king, he had no soldiers of his own to dispatch.
Thus
Clenching his teeth, he turned his gaze toward Zhao Wen.
"My three esteemed ministers"
"You control the military and administration of Chu. Now that our northern border is collapsing, the deployment of troops is in your hands. I will fully support your decision."
With this statement
King Fu Chou cleverly threw the difficult task back at them.
"Minister Zhao Wen, how many troops can we still mobilize?"
Qu Shi, one of the three clan leaders, turned to Zhao Wen.
"If we redeploy the forces stationed in Baiyue, we can still muster 300,000 troops."
"But compared to Qin's forces, this may still be insufficient."
"Moreover, Qin has ample provisions, while we lack supplies."
Zhao Wen's face showed clear distress.
Then, his gaze shifted toward King Fu Chou as he bowed.
"Your Majesty, with our current forces, resisting Qin will be difficult. I believe you must issue an immediate royal decree to recruit retired soldiers and conscript new troops from the populace."
Hearing this
The other two clan leaders immediately stepped forward and bowed.
"We agree!"
"We must recruit troops at once. Otherwise, we will be unable to contend with Qin."
"Additionally, if Supreme General Xiang Yan can still hold his ground, we should have him dispatch reinforcements to defend the northern border."
"Indeed."
"Xiang Yan is stationed at Fangcheng. That fortress is the strongest in our state of Chu easily defensible but difficult to attack. He should be able to spare some troops to reinforce the north."
...
The three clan leaders continued to push the burden onto others.
Faced with their tactics
King Fu Chou clenched his fists inside his sleeves, overcome by a sense of helplessness.
Even with their country on the verge of destruction, the Three Great Clans still prioritized their interests.
"My esteemed ministers"
"You are all aware of how Qin deals with its enemies."
"They dared to execute the King of Yan do you think they wouldn't do the same to you?"
"If Qin's army reaches the capital, do you truly believe you will escape unscathed?"
King Fu Chou's voice carried an undeniable weight as he spoke each word, addressing the entire court.
Upon Hearing This!
The expressions of many ministers in the court changed instantly. They fully understood the meaning behind King of Chu's words.
A fallen nation meant the destruction of their families.
Just like in the Three Jins and Yan State, how many kings and noble clans had become mere prisoners of Qin?
Power, once held, vanished overnight.
Seeing the silence and concern on the faces of his ministers, the King of Chu sneered inwardly, then continued, "If the Qin army truly reaches the capital, I, having no father, no mother, and no living relatives, will never allow myself to be taken as a prisoner."
"As for you all, I will not concern myself with your fates."
These words were a warning.
If they still refused to contribute, still schemed for their interests, then so be it he would die with honor. But they? They would lose everything.
"Your Majesty!"
"For the survival of the nation, we will do our utmost!"
"I am willing to mobilize all able-bodied men of my clan to serve Chu!"
After a moment of contemplation, Zhaowen spoke out loudly.
"I too will mobilize all able-bodied men of my clan to serve Chu!"
"As will I!"
One after another, the ministers, seemingly convinced, declared their willingness to contribute.
Hearing this, the King of Chu's expression finally softened.
"Three esteemed ministers,"
"Your three noble families are the backbone of my Chu State. If you cannot unite in this battle, then our country is truly doomed."
"How the troops are mobilized and how the kingdom is defended I leave it entirely in your hands."
"As for conscription, I will issue an edict immediately."
Hearing this, the ministers responded in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"
At Chu Fang City
The elite warriors of the Hangu Camp had arrived.
"General!"
"A report has just come in!"
"Lord Wu'an has already led his forces to break through the northern cities of Chu, crushing their 100,000-strong army defending the northern frontier."
"Now, he continues his assault deeper into Chu!"
Li Xin reported excitedly to General Huan Yi.
"I knew His Majesty would order Lord Wu'an to attack Chu!"
A triumphant smile appeared on Huan Yi's face.
"General!"
"I must admit, I am truly impressed."
"Although the Wu'an Camp executed a surprise attack, Chu had fortified its northern border for years. Yet, in less than ten days, Lord Wu'an has successively taken major cities, capturing one stronghold after another."
"Of the 100,000 elite Chu soldiers, many have perished, and the rest have been captured."
"A complete victory!" Li Xin said with exhilaration.
"With Lord Wu'an victorious,"
"marching south from the northern frontier, he can strike directly at the Chu capital."
"With this in mind, we are actually in no hurry." Huan Yi smirked coldly.
"General, do you mean to hold back and only delay Xiang Yan?" Li Xin immediately caught on.
"Precisely."
"The true elite of Chu are under Xiang Yan's command 200,000 troops gathered around Chu Fang City."
"This city is heavily fortified and difficult to breach. If we besiege but do not attack, merely holding Xiang Yan in place, we will achieve great results."
"As for the destruction of Chu, I am confident Lord Wu'an will march straight to the capital. Once the capital falls, the country will collapse. With Xiang Yan cut off from the heartland, he too will perish."
Huan Yi sneered.
"Understood!" Li Xin nodded immediately.
"This battle marks the end of Chu."
"Their kingdom is divided and full of fear."
"A single blow from our Hangu Camp has left them reeling. Now that the Wu'an Camp has struck, within half a year, Lord Wu'an will surely reach the Chu capital."
"This battle…"
"Let our Hangu Camp support Lord Wu'an in securing this great victory."
Huan Yi exuded absolute confidence.
"I understand, General." Li Xin acknowledged respectfully.
"In truth, I should never have fought for this campaign."
"Had Lord Wu'an commanded this offensive from the start, Chu Fang City might have already fallen."
"If not for Lord Wu'an's advice, our Hangu Camp would have suffered a grave loss."
"I owe him a great debt of gratitude."
"In this war, I seek no personal glory only to assist Lord Wu'an in achieving his triumph over Chu and ascending to the rank of Grand Marshal, commanding the entirety of Qin's forces."
Huan Yi murmured.
"I shall do everything in my power to follow your lead, General." Li Xin responded with deep admiration.
In the past, he had looked down on Zhao Feng because of his young age. But now, he was thoroughly convinced of his brilliance.
It was no longer difficult.
Compared to the wars against Yan and Zhao,
Defeating Chu was far easier.
Xianyang, Imperial Court
"Your Majesty!"
"Lord Wu'an has led his forces to conquer ten cities in Chu's northern frontier. Of the 100,000 defending soldiers, more than 50,000 have been slain, and over 30,000 captured."
"Currently, Lord Wu'an is leading his elite warriors southward in a fierce offensive."
"Within half a year, he will undoubtedly reach the Chu capital!"
Wei Liao reported excitedly.
"As expected!"
"It had to be Lord Wu'an!"
"Whenever he leads the army, victory is guaranteed."
"It has always been this way."
"Had he commanded from the beginning, our Qin forces would have claimed even greater victories."
"The fall of Chu is imminent."
"Once we conquer Chu, the unification of the world will truly be within reach!"
...
The ministers of Great Qin engaged in heated discussions, many of them expressing deep admiration for Zhao Feng.
The title of "God of War of Great Qin" was truly well deserved.
Hearing the chorus of praises in the court, Ying Zheng's lips curled into a slight smile.
Whenever his son went to battle, he always brought great surprises.
"What is the Hangu Camp doing?" Ying Zheng asked in a loud voice.
"Reporting to Your Majesty,"
"General Huan Yi is leading his army in a standoff against Xiang Yan at Chu Fang City."
"The general has submitted a report stating that in this battle, he will play a supporting role, holding down Xiang Yan's forces while leaving the main offensive to Wu'an Jun. The task of breaking Chu is in Wu'an Jun's hands," Wei Liao immediately replied.
Hearing this, Ying Zheng nodded. "Huan Yi is wise he knows when to advance and when to retreat and has not acted recklessly."
"Pass down my decree."
"As long as General Huan Yi cooperates with the Wu'an Army in the conquest of Chu, he will also be credited with great merit."
Wei Liao immediately bowed. "Your Majesty is wise. I will convey Your Majesty's will at once."
"Chancellor Han."
"How are the provisions and logistics?" Ying Zheng turned to Han Fei.
"Reporting to Your Majesty,"
"The Hangu Camp is supplied by the heartland of Great Qin, while the Wu'an Army's provisions come from the lands of Yan."
"With the grain from the fertile region of Dugu Kang, we can fully ensure the Wu'an Army's supply lines."
"Today, I also received a report from Governor Cai Ci, stating that he guarantees an uninterrupted supply of provisions for the Wu'an Army," Han Fei promptly responded.
"My stance remains unchanged," Ying Zheng declared.
"The warriors of Great Qin may die on the battlefield, but they must never die from lack of provisions, nor can we allow a battle to be lost due to a shortage of supplies."
"Once Chu is conquered, not only will the generals who led the armies be rewarded, but the officials responsible for logistics and supply coordination must also be commended."
"Your Majesty is wise," the court officials all proclaimed in unison.
In the past, whenever Zhao Feng's name was mentioned in court, no matter what he had accomplished, there would always be someone trying to impeach him, making sarcastic remarks.
But ever since Wang Wan's demise, no one dared to target Zhao Feng anymore.
Even Wei Zhuang, who once stood in opposition, now feared provoking him.
After all, when Wang Wan's entire clan was wiped out, Zhao Feng became a figure they all feared like a rabid dog that would seize any opportunity to tear into them.
The extermination of Wang Wan's family served as a powerful warning to the entire court.
The cost of opposing Zhao Feng was not something everyone could bear.
"With the current state of Chu, where three factions compete for power and prioritize their interests,"
"Although Chu is vast,"
"Bringing about its downfall is far easier than it was with Zhao," Ying Zheng remarked with a mocking tone, ridiculing the internal political struggles within Chu.
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Wei Liao concurred.
"Chu may be large and populous, but the royal authority is weak and unable to unify the country. Power is largely controlled by the three major noble families."
"The King of Chu is nothing more than a puppet."
"The destruction of this nation will not be difficult."
"Send my decree to Zhao Feng," Ying Zheng commanded.
"Destroy Chu as soon as possible for me."
"For every day earlier, I shall increase the rewards accordingly."
"With such motivation from Your Majesty, Wu'an Jun will surely be even more determined, and the warriors of the Wu'an Army will fight with even greater fervor," Wei Liao said with a smile.
"Minister Wei,"
"I have heard that your master, Ghost Valley, has invited Zhao Feng to visit Ghost Valley for a meeting."
"Is this true?" Ying Zheng asked with a smile.
Upon hearing this, all the ministers in the court turned their attention to Wei Liao.
Ghost Valley!
Who was that?
A true legend whose name echoed throughout the land.
If there was anyone in the world whose reputation surpassed that of Ghost Valley, they were few and far between.
Even Xunzi of the Jixia Academy could not match his renown.
Even monarchs found it exceedingly difficult to meet Ghost Valley.
He was a reclusive sage, unseen by most.
And now, he had personally invited Zhao Feng to visit Ghost Valley.
What an incredible honor!
Many civil officials, upon hearing this news, were stunned and filled with envy.
It was clear
Ying Zheng was once again building up Zhao Feng's reputation.
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