Chapter 524

Nowadays it's the world of great clans; even generals are rarely pure grassroots like those of the Northern Border. Feng Xiang has read plenty of his family's learned texts; at the very least he knows that in the Confucian ideal of "inner sage, outer king," a successful emperor needs not only civil governance but also magnificent martial prowess.

And an emperor capable of personal campaign possesses the Mandate of Heaven.

It appears the Northern Border, compared to Chang'an which is willing to spill blood and treasure, a personal campaign with a slim chance, the Northern Border's foundation is shaken.

As the master of this cavalry, the Great King does not mention the political significance of a personal campaign, only saying that boosting morale alone is enough to add insult to injury to an already hard-fought battle.

The Great King feels no pressure; for the sake of fitting in, he's mixing the White Marsh among the Snow Cavalry ranks, the White Dragon and White Marsh, and the Snow Cavalry's white horses all belong to the same state. He's surely the sort who, even at the brink of a world-shaking battle, would still be worrying about the troops' appearance.

When Marquis of the Eastern Capital asked whether to put the siege artillery unit forward first to intimidate, that guy thought it over and agreed.

Feng Xiang saw the Black Armor Cavalry, bearing an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth, halt outside the city gate by one li, then a lane was opened in the middle; a squad of soldiers wearing half-plate armor, each holding a strange weapon, took position at the cavalry's front. Anyone who has seen a parade would know that this attire originally belonged to the Northern Border Navy, coming from a warship flotilla.

Before Feng Xiang could take a closer look, he felt a flash of golden light in the ranks; an arrow shot through the clouds, arriving before his eyes in an instant.

This arrow wasn't shot by the front troops; the flash of the Sun-Shooting Bow's golden light streaked past, and he could see that the golden light came from the rear ranks. Feng Xiang gauged the distance, and his heart turned cold halfway.

What's going on with this range?!

Without giving him time to be shocked, that heavy, powerful arrow arrived. It didn't hit a person, but blasted open a stack of bricks on the city wall; soldiers picked it up, found something tied to it, and immediately sent it over.

Feng Xiang saw the arrow's gaudy, glittering golden feathers and had a rough idea of its owner.

The King of the Northern Border has some skill, making him hard to kill; that's no secret in his circle.

Wei Shen was still there lamenting that the Great King had the Sun-Shooting Bow, so even messengers were unnecessary, while Feng Xiang had already unfolded that cloth.

The cloth wasn't small; the characters were large. Unfolded, it looked like a notice that could be posted anywhere on the street. Wei Shen said that if Xie Yuan saw this, he'd surely shut himself away; the Great King snorted, "You're just jealous of my literary talent!"

Wei Shen: "…Then I really have no experience." Who would envy this junk!

Marquis of the Eastern Capital: …

When Feng Xiang opened it, he also looked puzzled: "These characters… are they cursive script?"

But at least he could make sense of it.

【General Feng, I've heard that the Great King's great-grandfather once praised your grandfather as a pillar of the state, and his father the emperor greatly trusted you, entrusting you with the defense of Luoyang, the secondary capital.

The Great King knows that the commander of Luoyang's garrison is you, General, and he's delighted; he therefore specially detoured to Luoyang to invite you to join him in marching on Chang'an to suppress the rebels.

Bai Li Jun sparked war over the throne, causing suffering among the people, usurping the throne and forcing loyal ministers to death; we must despise him together!

The world is already in great chaos; only swift unification can let the Great Jin recover its vitality soon. The Great King wants to speak some plain truths here: under heaven, no one can stop the Northern Border's Black Armor Cavalry; no matter how much turmoil and how many die, the final outcome is always the same—the Great King wins.

General Feng, if the Great King wishes, he could blast a hole in Luoyang's city walls in an hour and storm the city in two hours. Don't waste effort—come with the Great King to Chang'an to suppress the rebels, and let the Luoyang garrison survive well!

Think it over carefully, don't be willful! — Bai Li Jing】

Feng Xiang read it once, unable to believe it. He shook the Great King's big notice, then read it again carefully.

The twelve-year-old King of the Northern Border advises the over-forty him not to be willful?!

The Marquis of the Eastern Capital also tactfully asked the Great King, wouldn't it be too casually written?

King spoke righteously: "At a glance it's this king's handwriting, full of sincerity! How could Feng Xiang not be satisfied? Since he is a loyal and capable general of the Great Jin, my father had him guard Luoyang here; Baili Jun might have already chopped my father's appointed heir into pieces, so what is he still guarding here? For whom is he guarding? He received Baili Jin's provisions; now he should go with this king on a western expedition to Chang'an to avenge Baili Jin!"

"If he really agrees, will Your Highness really take him?"

"Take him! Isn't he a mighty general?"

"... If we take Feng Xiang away, what about Luoyang?"

"We'll take the Luoyang garrison to attack Chang'an, leaving the Luoshui Pass troops to guard Luoyang. Taking them along, we won't need to fight; along the way we can see our strength clearly. As long as they aren't foolish, they will sincerely join us. And, if we leave and the second brother attacks, the Luoyang garrison's strength will surely be inferior to that of Luoshui Pass; if we don't leave some of our own people, and they fail to hold it, we'll have gone through all this trouble for nothing." The King is still waiting to submit the household register and obtain the full topographic map.

Marquis of the Eastern Capital:...

Whose little mind has turned sly and run off on its own!

When setting out on campaign, Xie Yuan and Xue repeatedly urged him to properly restrain the King; now they've become crafty, why don't you restrain him at home?

Baili Jun is certainly plotting rebellion, but in Feng Xiang's view the King is no different—just one strikes first, the other strikes later, and the latter has a bit of moral justification.

But the King's threats are every word true!

What the Northern Border King says is not wrong; the Taihe Emperor is probably already dead—who is he guarding Luoyang for? Fighting the Northern Border King, the chances of victory… aren't great; well, judging by this formation, there's probably an eighty percent chance there is none. Although Luoyang isn't that easy to attack, he also hasn't seen the opposite side bringing siege ladders or similar assault equipment, but they're holding that weapon in the front ranks—could it be for blowing up the city walls? As for how to blow them up, he actually has no idea.

Feng Xiang took the King's letter and gave it to the deputy general to look at; the King had already ridden the white dragon out of the formation, shifting left and right from the rear snow cavalry unit. Without mentioning that his armor is more exquisite, just his age is enough for those on the wall to guess who he is.

This guy swaggered out of the crowd, with only Ling Yin behind him, heading for the gate. The deputy general was about to speak but swallowed his words, exclaiming: "How dare he?!"

They're already within arrow range!

"General Feng, this king has personally come to invite you~"

Feng Xiang narrowed his eyes: "The Northern Border King has gall. As long as I give the order, Your Highness will be shot into a hedgehog at the Luoyang gate today."

The King has such a good temper, a child who just wants to grin when nothing's happening; this time he struggled to hold it in. His cousin said when he smiles the corners of his eyes don't lift up, it's kinda cute, but that won't do. The King raised his chin, his expression haughty, the very picture of having victory in hand as he strolled leisurely before his own city gate.

This guy wears a full set of silvery-white exquisite armor; today he isn't wearing a helmet, the hairpin atop his little topknot is all top-grade mutton-fat jade white, his features are exquisite, radiant like a small jade tree, clashing with the cold, murderous steel forest behind him.

But when he opens his mouth, it's not like that; the proud little rooster drawls, "Go ahead and try then~"