Gui Xingfu understood that declaring war on the Suo clan of Tianshui City this time was less of a military conflict and more of a political showcase.
Currently, Tianshui City was leaderless and completely isolated. Moreover, with the addition of Yan Mo’s five thousand rock bandits, the naval forces under Gui Xingfu’s command had swollen to a staggering forty thousand men.
In contrast, the naval forces of Tianshui City remained at a mere ten thousand. The outcome of this impending clash was completely devoid of suspense.
Consequently, Gui Xingfu was putting on a massive performance, desperate for every lord and county in the entire human kingdom to witness the Linhai Gui clan launching an offensive against the Tianshui Suo clan. He wanted everyone to see his absolute loyalty to Zhi Li, demonstrating that he was brave enough to lead the charge and pull chestnut grains out of the fire to break the political deadlock.
This grand offensive, while superficially aimed at the Suo clan of Tianshui City, was in truth a direct strike against the King’s dignity and sovereign authority.
It took nearly ten days for the Linhai Gui clan’s declaration of war to circulate to every single vassal lord and county capital across the Kingdom of Wrath.
Finally, the King’s royal decree arrived.
A high-ranking eunuch journeyed to Linhai City bearing the sovereign’s mandate, sternly reprimanding Gui Xingfu’s aggressive maneuvers. The decree firmly stated that any territorial disputes between Tianshui City and Linhai City must be resolved through peaceful negotiations rather than military aggression.
Concurrently, a mandate from the Young Lord, Zhi Li, was also delivered. He instructed Gui Xingfu and Sauron to immediately initiate talks, emphasizing that they should resolve their disputes through negotiation as much as possible to avert an open conflict.
The phrase “as much as possible” laid Zhi Li’s true calculations bare for all to see.
Furthermore, the Young Lord issued a separate mandate to Tianshui City, summoning Count Sauron to the royal capital of Zhidu to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Sauron was given a strict fifteen-day deadline to explain his involvement in the attempted assassination of the Young Lord, failing which he would face dire consequences.
The enemy’s maneuvers were truly flawlessly interconnected.
They first deployed Gui Xingfu’s Linhai City to test the waters, containing the conflict within the boundaries of a localized territorial dispute between vassals.
If the King failed to mount a decisive counteroffensive, they would use the assassination attempt on the Young Lord to brand Sauron a rebel. Once that was accomplished, a massive force of hundreds of thousands of troops would march into Tianshui City to thoroughly eradicate the Suo clan.
Upon receiving the instructions from the King and Zhi Li, Gui Xingfu went through the motions of arranging a negotiation.
The venue selected for these talks was the neutral territory of Baiyun County Capital.
At the negotiation table, the representatives of Linhai City, including Gui Xingfu, Gui Qinbi, and the Internal Affairs Minister of Linhai City, sat on the left side.
On the right side sat Suo Ningbing, Yan Yan, and their companions.
Duke Zhi Wei, the Governor of the Southeastern Province, presided over the proceedings.
“My terms are exceptionally straightforward, the unconditional return of Boulder Island and a financial compensation of two hundred and thirty thousand gold coins to Linhai City,” Gui Xingfu declared coldly. “Do this, and I may consider withdrawing my forces.”
Suo Ningbing felt a genuine sense of curiosity in her heart regarding what would transpire if she were to actually accede to his demands.
In reality, even if Tianshui City were to yield, restore Boulder Island, and deliver the two hundred and thirty thousand gold coins, starting the war would remain an incredibly simple task for him. He could easily order the execution of a few dozen Linhai soldiers, frame Tianshui City for the act, and claim that Tianshui City had initiated hostilities.
The current Suo clan of Tianshui City was viewed as a defenseless dog, vulnerable to being struck at whim.
“The return of Boulder Island is absolutely out of the question, but we can consider offering thirty thousand gold coins to compensate Linhai City for its losses,” Suo Ningbing replied.
Following this, both factions engaged in a fierce, repetitive tug-of-war, spinning their wheels in completely meaningless deliberations.
This was because Duke Zhi Wei had designated a strict three-day limit for the talks.
Should the three days elapse without a mutual agreement, the negotiations would officially be deemed a failure.
The first day passed, followed by the second, and then the third.
The talks collapsed entirely.
In the direct presence of Duke Zhi Wei, Gui Xingfu slammed a dagger violently into the table right before Suo Ningbing, snarling, “We shall settle this on the battlefield.”
Suo Ningbing replied coldly, “On the battlefield it is.”
Subsequently, Gui Xingfu once again proclaimed to the entire realm that the negotiations between the Linhai Gui clan and the Tianshui Suo clan had officially broken down.
Peaceful avenues were no longer viable to settle the dispute.
When the envoys from both sides delivered the outcome of the talks to the royal capital of Zhidu, the King remained silent, offering no response whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the Young Lord’s estate under Zhi Li expressed profound regret.
This expression of regret was practically tantamount to a tacit endorsement for the two factions to commence hostilities.
Not stopping there, Zhi Li’s estate issued a final ultimatum to the Suo clan of Tianshui City, commanding the Count of Tianshui and Lord of the City, Sauron, to immediately present himself in the royal capital to assist in the assassination probe. There were a mere nine days remaining before the final deadline.
If he failed to arrive in Zhidu by that time, it would be viewed as an implicit confession of guilt, and he would be prosecuted under the charge of high treason.
Every observer across the realm could see with absolute clarity that a tightening noose had been placed around the neck of the Tianshui Suo clan, drawing closer and tighter by the day.
Upon receiving the mandate expressing Zhi Li’s regret, Gui Xingfu delivered yet another wartime ultimatum directly to the Lord’s Mansion in Tianshui City.
This time, Tianshui City accepted Gui Xingfu’s formal declaration of war.
With that, both factions officially announced their status to the world.
The Linhai City Gui clan and the Tianshui City Suo clan had officially entered a state of war, hostilities had commenced!
Simultaneously, the Royal Dragon Guard began further mobilization, preparing to march to the front lines to suppress the rebellion.
Duke Tu Lingtuo was officially appointed as the supreme commander of this pacification army. The two cavalry regiments of ten thousand men apiece, led by Jian Ning and Ling Ao respectively, were also incorporated into this grand force.
Furthermore, Duke Zhi Wei’s army of over a hundred thousand troops stood fully mobilized and ready to move.
Gui Qinqu led fifteen thousand Linhai ground troops on a direct march southward, preparing to breach the borders of Tianshui City.
The nearly forty thousand naval troops that Gui Xingfu had assembled began converging from all directions toward the maritime territory of Linhai City.
A massive force totaling hundreds of thousands of troops across both land and sea was poised to encircle and strike Tianshui City from the north, south, east, and west, intending to grind Tianshui City to absolute dust with thunderous momentum.
Nearly every vassal lord across the realm held their collective breath, watching this grand conflict unfold.
It was common knowledge that the very moment Tu Lingtuo led his grand army into Tianshui City, the King’s sovereign dignity would be thoroughly trampled into the dirt.
At that juncture, Zhi Li would essentially become the de facto ruler of the kingdom.
The vassal lords of the realm were now confronted with a definitive choice of allegiance.
The second greatest vassal lord in the realm, Marquis Fu E of Fire-Worship City, was currently holding two separate documents in his hands.
The first was a personal, handwritten letter from Gui Xingfu.
This missive was penned with deep sincerity and emotional weight, articulating Gui Xingfu’s profound reluctance regarding the outbreak of war.
Furthermore, in light of the unique relationship between Fire-Worship City and Tianshui City, he earnestly sought Marquis Fu E’s understanding. Within the text, Gui Xingfu swore repeatedly that he would ensure no harm befell Fu Yan’er, who was currently residing in Tianshui City, promising to safely escort her back to Fire-Worship City once the conflict concluded.
Marquis Fu E noted with gravity that the letter made explicit mention only of Fu Yan’er, completely omitting any reference to Suo Qin (Fu Qinqin).
This signified that in this operation to eradicate the Suo clan, both Zhi Li and Gui Xingfu intended to cut the grass and pull up the roots, leaving absolutely no future complications.
Even though Suo Qin was merely Sauron’s illegitimate daughter, she carried the bloodline of the Suo clan, and they would certainly show her no mercy.
The second document was a personal letter written by Suo Ningbing.
Within its lines, Suo Ningbing did not request military reinforcement, instead, she requested that Marquis Fu E dispatch personnel to evacuate Fu Yan’er and Qinqin from the city.
“Father, what should we do?” Fu Xian inquired.
Fu Xian was the Young Lord of Fire-Worship City. However, given that he was nearly fifty years of age, he was considered the eldest young lord among all the vassals in the Kingdom of Wrath.
As the proverb went, a nephew often resembled his maternal uncle, and Fu Xian indeed shared a passing resemblance to Sauron, though Fu Xian possessed a far gentler and more amiable demeanor.
“What do you mean, what should we do?” Fu E countered.
Fu Xian said, “Ningbing is your maternal granddaughter after all, and Qinqin is my maternal granddaughter. Although we have had friction with the Suo clan, we are still bound by blood and marriage. We cannot simply sit idly by and watch the Suo lineage be utterly extinguished, can we?”
Fu E said, “Are you suggesting that we rescue both Suo Ningbing and Suo Qin, and bring them here to Fire-Worship City?”
“Indeed,” Fu Xian affirmed.
“Preposterous,” Fu E barked coldly. “Are you trying to turn our Fire-Worship City into a target for public scorn? Do you wish for Zhi Li to completely liquidate our city in the future?”
Fu Xian argued, “Our Fire-Worship City occupies a unique, detached position. Even if we happen to offend Zhi Li, it should not cause an existential crisis.”
Fu E retorted, “Detached? You mean to say we share a close relationship with the Dragon Temple, do you not? Do not forget that the force standing directly behind Zhi Li is the Dragon Temple itself. Let us settle it this way, we shall transfer Fu Yan’er and Qinqin to the Dragon Temple in Zhidu, which will amount to house arrest for the remainder of their days. As for Suo Ningbing, she is beyond our capacity to save.”
Rouran City had similarly received three distinct missives.
The first was a handwritten letter from Zhi Li, which employed a stern and detached tone to recount the profound historical camaraderie between Ashi Luo, Ashi Mo, and the Royal Family, expressing his hope that Ashi Liren would continue to uphold this tradition.
The second was a personal message from Gui Xingfu, which utilized a respectful tone to outline the reality of his declaration of war against the Suo clan of Tianshui City.
The third was a letter from Suo Ningbing, who requested in a gentle tone that Ashi Liren remove Fu Yan’er and Suo Qin from Tianshui City.
However, Ashi Liren had not read a single one of these letters, for she was no longer present within Rouran City.
Twenty-one days prior, the very moment she received Gui Xingfu’s initial wartime declaration, she had already led twenty thousand cavalrymen out of the gates of Rouran City.
They traveled continuously southward, navigating through the deserts, bypassing Tianye City, and skirting along the vast plains at the foot of the Myriad Mountains on the southern border, marching directly toward Tianshui City. Every rider was equipped with two or even three horses to maintain speed.
She had given her word that she would stand firmly behind Sauron, and she was determined to fulfill that vow.
Although twenty thousand Rouran cavalrymen did not constitute a massive army, they were undisputedly the most formidable cavalry force under heaven!
Meanwhile, at Helan Pass, there were a mere twenty thousand garrison troops stationed. Furthermore, Rouran City’s long-standing nemesis, the Nightlan Principality, had descended into absolute internal chaos.
Crown Prince Lan Tu had ultimately run out of time. By the time he arrived at the capital of the principality, his younger brother, Snow Marquis Lan Ye, had already ascended the throne, declaring himself the sovereign ruler of Nightlan.
Moreover, the new ruler had dispatched envoys to Crown Prince Lan Tu’s military camp, demanding that he relinquish his military authority.
Not stopping there, he had detained all of Lan Tu’s family members and concubines to serve as hostages.
Crown Prince Lan Tu refused to submit without a fight. Following the collapse of several rounds of talks, open warfare erupted between the two factions.
Presently, this civil war had engulfed the entirety of the Nightlan Principality. The hundreds of thousands of troops deployed by both sides were locked in a ferocious struggle, completely stripping them of any capacity to pursue their historical grievances with the Ashi clan of Rouran.
At this moment, Sauron, Zhi Yan, and Zhuang Zhixuan were riding their manticore beasts, traveling day and night without a single moment of rest.
Departing from the western border city of Dadan, they covered thousands of miles over two days and nights of continuous travel, finally arriving at the western outskirts of the royal capital, Zhidu.
The trio did not enter the royal capital itself, choosing instead to slip into a clandestine stronghold belonging to the Shadow Pavilion!
Several hours later!
The Grand Eunuch, Gao Yin, materialized before Zhi Yan and Sauron.
The exact instant his eyes fell upon Sauron, Grand Eunuch Gao Yin trembled violently. He rushed forward impetuously, locking Sauron in a tight embrace.
Gao Yin had never displayed such a complete loss of composure before!
This sudden wave of ecstatic relief had entirely overwhelmed his usual icy rationality.
When news of Sauron’s death had originally arrived, although Zhi Yan refused to accept it, Gao Yin’s heart had turned entirely cold, plunging him into absolute despair.
King Zhi Bian was still clinging to life with great difficulty, merely breathing and consuming liquid nourishment, having ceased to speak altogether.
Gao Yin had not dared to break the news of Sauron’s supposed demise to the ailing sovereign.
After receiving the report of Sauron’s death, Gao Yin had simply waited in numbing silence, anticipating the final descent of doom.
He had never imagined that Sauron would actually be alive, it was a magnificent joy beyond measure.
Gao Yin proceeded to recount every single development that had transpired within the Kingdom of Wrath following Sauron’s capture, utilizing the swiftest and most concise language possible.
Although the shocking incident inside Gui Qianshao’s bridal chamber remained a closely guarded secret known to only a select few, Gao Yin’s think tank had successfully deduced through logical analysis that it was Gui Qianshao who had carried out the assassination attempt on Zhi Li.
“Tu Lingtuo’s pacification force of two hundred thousand troops has already completed its mobilization. The moment the final deadline expires, if you have failed to enter the royal capital to clear your name regarding the assassination plot against the Young Lord, you will be branded a rebel. This force of two hundred thousand will immediately march into Tianshui City to annihilate the Suo clan!”
“Gui Xingfu’s naval force of forty thousand men has commenced its concentration, preparing to sail south to destroy the Suo clan’s navy and seize control of Boulder Island.”
“Duke Zhi Wei’s force of one hundred and fifty thousand troops stands fully mobilized, positioned less than three hundred miles from Tianshui City.”
With hundreds of thousands of troops converging on Tianshui City from every conceivable direction, the situation appeared utterly devoid of any hope for survival.
Once he finished his briefing, Gao Yin and Zhi Yan turned their gazes simultaneously toward Sauron.
The current strategic landscape was a complete dead end, an absolute path to destruction.
Superficially, there did not appear to be a single shred of a chance.
Sauron closed his eyes in deep thought. After three minutes elapsed, he opened them and remarked, “Princess, Lord Gao. This theater of war appears exceptionally perilous, but it is in fact a golden opportunity. It provides us with the perfect opening to break the deadlock and drive a dagger straight into the heart of Zhi Li.”
Zhi Yan was caught entirely by surprise, inquiring, “Husband, this strategic map appears entirely devoid of hope, how do you propose we wage this campaign?”
Sauron replied, “It is quite simple, you fight your campaign, and I shall fight mine.”
He then added, “The foundational step is to rescue Gui Qianshao, and we shall carry out that operation this very night!”
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