Chapter 553: Everlasting Peace Changes Hands

Northern Border cavalry used the mobility of their warhorses to pour a rain of arrows from all angles onto the city walls, tricky and continuous.

Iron cavalry surrounded, arrows like locusts; not long after the battle began, Chen Zhong despondently wanted to sigh.

He looked up; all he could see were masses of black-armored cavalry. After all this time, both men and horses were still fine, and a deep despair welled up in his heart.

It wasn't that he hadn't heard the Northern Border iron cavalry was strong, the Xiongnu were strong too—was the Great Jin still getting by? But Chen Zhong never imagined they'd become this strong.

Seeing the Northern Border cavalry orderly circling the city walls on horseback, consuming the defenders' energy and supplies, it was not only a physical encirclement but also a psychological deterrent; Chen Zhong finally admitted, this Northern Border opponent was overly strong.

"We've taken the gate!" With a cheer outside Xuanping Gate, the battle officially entered a countdown.

Once a breach was torn open, the cavalry surged in like a flood breaking a dam. Iron hooves stepped into the stone streets of Everlasting Peace City, instantly dominating the battlefield.

If this were the Xiongnu king's city, they'd already have started slaughter mode, but this is the Great King's homeland, the Bai Li clan's imperial capital. With each person that fell, the Great King felt anguish.

The Great King fearlessly charged through arrow rain into Xuanping Gate, seeing that this marquis's care package had floated in; countless defenders ignored the flood of cavalry pouring into the city, only clearly targeting the Great King as they swarmed.

"You're truly obstinate and ignorant, lacking any wisdom!" the Great King scorned.

He felt these greedy lot ought to wake up; for the first time he drew the Grand Exalted Sword. When else should he let the city rustics of Everlasting Peace open their eyes?

"To attack Everlasting Peace we don't need the Grand Exalted Sword; I'm just walking in brocade at night!"

"Humm—"

The sword embodying Mighty Dao, Heaven's Mandate, and the aura of mountains and rivers is the Grand Exalted Sword.

The moment it left its sheath, a dazzling cold light spread, making people avert their eyes instinctively. Chen Zhong hadn't been watching the Great King; at the instant the Grand Exalted Sword was drawn, he reflexively blinked. The guards, their eyes reddened by battle, faintly heard a clear, resonant sword tone—not loud enough for them to be sure they'd heard it. Their weapons, as if weighing a thousand gold, made them glance sideways at comrades, astonishedly confirming whether it was an illusion. That tone, clear yet heavy, pierced the clamor of war drums, shouts, and clashing weapons, sinking straight into the depths of the soul.

They saw awe and fear in each other's eyes.

The Great King waved the Grand Exalted Sword at the charging guards, shouting at Chen Zhong: "Chen Zhong! Surrender now, and I'll spare your life!" Proud and fervent.

At that moment everyone's movements stalled; a single sword strike brought an overwhelming 'presence' that enveloped the whole Xuanping Gate. Some stepped back, some fell...

Once the Grand Exalted Sword appeared, a casual swing already manifested its might.

Chen Zhong's mind was elsewhere, panic rife; now his face ashen, he stared blankly at the sword in the Great King's hand. What is this? How could it be?! He actually felt from the Northern Border King's side-sword a pressure greater than facing the emperor—yes, pressure. So mighty, so terrifying, he instinctively thought… to submit.

Why is heaven so unfair? Why has he only now seen the Northern Border's martial virtue abundant! He wanted to laugh, he wanted to roar—turns out 'martial virtue abundant' is a concrete descriptor.

He hesitated a few seconds, then dropped to his knees: "... Hope Your Highness makes good on your word!"

The Great King snorted coldly, "Fortunately the Grand Exalted Sword isn't a slaughter blade, otherwise I'd give you another chance."

Chen Zhong rose and shouted, "Stop!"

That afternoon, the whole of Everlasting Peace City echoed with the tread of heavy-armored iron cavalry on stone streets; households kept doors and windows shut as the Northern Border iron cavalry raced back and forth—Everlasting Peace, once again changed hands.

In the poor district on the edge of West District, a clueless child wanted to open the door and go out to play; his mother dragged him back, slapped him twice, and shoved him into a storage room: "Outside there's war—if you go out you'll be trampled to death by warhorses, is that fair? Mother has no son and can't even live!"

"Then… when will Mother finish beating me? I want to go out and play~"

"Who knows…" she sighed, "Hope this is the last time. Hide quickly, and if you come out again, skip dinner!" What she didn't say was, if the situation doesn't change, the whole family will starve. Everlasting Peace's grain prices are already beyond what families like theirs can afford. But she heard from a neighboring waiter that the southern rebels have four or five claimants; if each came calling, how long could they hold out? She began seriously considering which relative's home could take them in, whether to leave Everlasting Peace to avoid the ravages of war.

The cavalry merely rode through West District, hardly dismounting, since no officials lived there in the court; the bustling East District, where nobles gathered, was lively instead.

Especially the mansions of high officials, the cavalry knocked on every door indiscriminately; the Northern Border King invited everyone to go together to Establish Regulations Palace to talk with the usurper Bai Li Jun.

You say your lowly post means you shouldn't go? No way, you're definitely selling yourself short! The Great King says you're worthy, so you are.

You say you're ill and need leave? The cavalry shakes out the roster—everyone named must go. Stomach ache? Leave your stomach at home to rest, bring your head!

Soon, high officials gathered at Receive Heaven Gate.

Gao Chang was a branch of the Grand Commandant's mansion, relying on the Gao clan's lingering glory; Bai Li Jun specially promoted him three ranks, and now he serves as Censor-in-chief in the court. Everyone knows his role: to pacify the Grand Commandant's students far and wide; no matter how he rose, he's considered a new noble of the Guanglie Dynasty.

At this moment he was 'invited' by the cavalry to come outside Receive Heaven Gate.

The imperial city gates were shut tight; outside lay the Northern Border's steel forest. Heavy-armored cavalry stood solemn and silent, both men and horses clad in black armor; Gao Chang felt his breath constricted, as if the air were frozen by a chilling killing intent. In midsummer, he broke out in cold sweat.

Fortunately, the unlucky weren't just him—acquainted and unfamiliar colleagues stood in a small cluster. Overawed by the cavalry's aura, they gathered tighter and tighter, about to huddle for warmth in midsummer.

He didn't know what the Northern Border King intended by this—was he going to let them join the Guanglie Emperor on the road sometime?

You say the palace still has elite forces, so victory isn't certain? Don't be naive—just take one more look at the Northern Border cavalry's appearance and you'll know who will win.

Gao Chang dared not ask the cavalry, nor discuss it with colleagues, for even a dropped pin could be heard. Moreover, it was uncanny—the Northern Border's warhorses were as quiet as people; in the vast open space not a single neigh sounded. He inwardly groaned, what sort of troop is this, training warhorses to such obedience? The fall of Everlasting Peace City is no injustice.

The only thing Gao Chang dared move was his eyeballs; he thought, if he dared utter a sound, he couldn't guarantee that the gleaming spear wouldn't, without a word, pierce his chest.

How to put it? Actually, everyone present could be considered a traitor to the Northern Border King's father and elder brother.

After all, the most loyal have already gone down to accompany the former emperor.

This ordeal stretched time, feeling like half a lifetime had passed; he finally heard hoofbeats, and then the previously statue-like cavalry stirred! The rank-and-file, standing as straight as a blade's cut, split from the middle outward, clearing the central road.

Then he saw the legendary Northern Border King.

Third son of the Ningde Emperor—when he served as a lowly clerk at the Secretariat, he'd seen this man's tearful petition… oh wait, it was his earnest petition.

The cavalry cleared a passage; the Great King rode ahead at the front, behind him his pet heavenly host, then further back were the Marquis of the Eastern Capital and Wei Shen, etc.

This guy walked to the front of the square, saw Everlasting Peace's high officials huddled together timidly, barely suppressing laughter.

He widened his eyes toward the sky; Wei Shen was still wondering what this nonsense was, when the guy suddenly wailed: "Father Emperor~ I, the son, came late! Elder Brother~ Jing has come to save you!"

Marquis of the Eastern Capital: ……

Wei Shen: ……What a guy, are you holding back tears?!

Everlasting Peace officials:?