Chapter 533

Feng Xiang always remembered that morning at Five Passes Plain, the morning mist not yet cleared, the false emperor's three hundred thousand strong army deployed at Five Passes Plain, the banner of the Everlasting Peace Camp fluttered in the wind, a sea of people stretched beyond sight.

Their side was far fewer in number than the enemy, but their aura and demeanor were utterly incomparable.

The two armies faced each other across a distant riverbank, the Northern Border's Mysterious Armor Cavalry stood tall and solemn, the mysterious armor glinting grimly, only an occasional muffled horse neigh broke the silence—this killing stillness was more suffocating than any clamor.

When the morning mist cleared, amidst a tense silence, the Great King suddenly appeared at the horizon's edge with his Owl Cavalry.

Thunder rolled across Five Passes Plain, the air there torn apart—the Northern Border's strongest cavalry had arrived.

It was a blacker, more austere black than the Mysterious Armor Cavalry, the Owl Cavalry charging forth with the force of ten thousand kilos of thunder, their black-and-gold king's banner pointing straight to the heavens.

The Great King reined his horse on a high slope and gazed afar, "Good royal uncle, you really managed to pull out three hundred thousand men."

Bai Jun's sea-of-men tactics were impressive in scale; the Great King had never before seen a force of three hundred thousand, its extent impossible to take in at a glance—poor Great King had never laid eyes on so many people at once.

Wei Shen peered through his spyglass for a moment, then sneered, "The quality is worrying—only the front ranks look decent; those filler troops in the back were probably still farming three days ago. Does Bai Jun really think that just handing out a sword makes everyone fit for the battlefield?!"

Dongdu Hou personally delivered the letter brought by the envoy from the opposite side; the Great King glanced at it, uninterested, and didn't take it—he was too lazy to look—and asked, "What does it say?"

The other side wants to negotiate. This is a peace letter sent by the envoy of the Rebel King of Jiangxia, offering to give Sili as a gift. The envoy also said that as long as Your Highness withdraws the troops, everything can be discussed.

The Great King finally withdrew his gaze, "Good uncle, you wouldn't think that just a nod would make me withdraw my troops, would you? The place he mentioned is already in my hands."

Dongdu Hou: "... There's more. He said they want to divide the Wei River and rule, with everything north of Luoyang going to the Northern Border, so from now on Great Jin will be split into North and South Jin, non-interfering."

The Great King laughed angrily, "Good uncle, do you think I lack your approval as a rebel? What kind of peace talk is this? Where's the envoy? Summon him—I'll ask him myself!"

The Great King pouted; even if he agreed, Mengmeng wouldn't. His mission to unify the world has been issued, with only six years to spare—if delayed, who knows what will be released next time? It might not be anything less than a hundred times harder to handle than a rice‑bucket beast; then it would be wanting to cry but no tears. Thinking about this lawsuit, the Great King feels anger at striving to save humanity yet not being understood by humanity.

"Hmph! Ignorant humans!"

Upon hearing that they wanted to negotiate, the Great King immediately ordered people to set up tents—let's just talk, then talk.

Although Bai Li Jun had three hundred thousand troops arrayed at Wuguan Plain, the Great King didn't take it to heart at all—clash of battle lines? Those three hundred thousand men would be as flimsy as paper under the iron hooves of the Northern Border cavalry.

The peace envoy sent by Bai Li Jun was named Han Kuo, the newly appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, a close aide of his.

Han Kuo brought two deputy envoys to the Northern Border camp and noticed that, unlike the cavalry at the front lines, the troops standing ahead were perfectly horizontal and vertical, as if measured with a ruler—this extreme sense of order was in itself a powerful declaration of strength. Anyone with a little military knowledge knows the two sides are not on the same level.

In the rear, they had already begun setting up camp to rest, and the atmosphere was completely different.

Han Kuo was led to the front of the king's tent, and seeing the line of masked owl cavalry outside, he felt that the momentum he had painstakingly built up was about to dissipate.

Knowing the Northern Border King was inside, as he approached the tent he instinctively raised his hand, meaning he was voluntarily allowing the personal guards to search him—he knew the protocol.

Who would have thought the nearest guard only glanced at him, then looked away; although that person's wrapping revealed only a pair of eyes, from that glance he saw contempt and disdain, as if saying, "You?"

Before he could even enter, Han Kuo felt his breath catch.

After the personal guards reported back, he was told he could go in.

The personal guards lifted the curtain; his first impression was that the inside was packed to the brim—upon looking up, what stood out even more than the Northern Border King was a white giant beast, and only on a second glance did he see the small youth in full armor seated at the place of honor, with two more people sitting at his lower side.

Han Kuo dared not stare longer; he first made a respectful greeting. Rumor had it the Northern Border King was ill‑tempered, and he certainly hadn't come to offend the Northern Border.

"Minister of the Imperial Secretariat Han Kuo pays his respects to His Highness the Northern Border King; may Your Highness enjoy everlasting happiness."

The Great King propped his chin and drawled lazily, "I can't bring myself to be happy~"

"Minister of the Imperial Secretariat? Is this Minister of the Imperial Secretariat my father's or my elder brother's?"

Han Kuo already began cursing in his heart—no need to ask? Indeed, he's not someone easy to deal with.

"Your Highness, he is the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat personally appointed by the current Emperor Guanglie."

The Great King sat up straight, "Yo, you changed the era name? Guanglie—radiant brilliance flourishing, outstanding achievements?" What a big face!

Wei Shen beside him looked at the Great King with newfound respect—could this still be his illiterate brother? When causing trouble, his cultural level shoots straight up!

"Your uncle is really impatient—such a good era name will disappear in just a few days into the long history of Great Jin; it's truly a pity. However, I am a person who respects history; I will have the historians record this pleasant era name faithfully, striving not to let it vanish."

Han Kuo: ……