Chapter 421

Sima You did not agree to Wu Tie's request for a wrestling match.

In front of the troops of the Secretariat Hall, Black Phoenix Army, and Great Marsh Prefecture, Sima You displayed the airs of a Marquis of Jujiang, using 'unequal status' as an excuse to refuse Wu Tie's wrestling request.

The many officials and soldiers of the Secretariat Hall had grim faces, while the soldiers of the Black Phoenix Army and Great Marsh Prefecture loudly clamored without restraint.

Sima You, Sima Xin, Sima Hu, and others ignored the clamor, merely urging Wu Tie to clear the passage so the main forces waiting on the other side of the spatial gate could hurry over.

Because Sima You appeared and he had a proper military department order in hand, Wu Tie also could not refuse the entry of the Secretariat Hall's large army.

Boos and curses rang out endlessly as one after another tower ship of the Secretariat Hall passed through the spatial gate, landing somewhat embarrassedly in the dense forest outside Great Marsh City. The troops disembarked, chopped trees, leveled ground, and began building camps.

Altogether six hundred medium-to-large tower ships, nearly one hundred thousand elite troops directly under the Secretariat Hall, plus hundreds of thousands of private soldiers sent from the Blazing King Manor and from the households of Sima Xin and Sima Hu, totaling nearly one million elite forces set up camp outside Great Marsh City.

"Well, well," Huang Lang had his hands tucked in his sleeves, followed by dozens of Great Marsh Prefecture officials as they gazed at the towering ancient trees continually falling in the distant forest.

"The general intends for us to open more farmland, after all Great Marsh Prefecture's population keeps growing; by next year, eighty or ninety percent of those women will give birth, allowing Great Marsh Prefecture to gain ten million new people out of thin air." Huang Lang laughed like an old fox.

"Opening new farmland, the most important thing is to deal with these obstructive forests—cutting trees, pulling roots, leveling land, all sorts of troublesome tasks. Having this million elite troops help us for free with the initial work… truly warm-hearted and eager to help."

The many Great Marsh Prefecture officials all laughed "heehee hahaha".

As officials, each of them had committed crimes and been exiled to the frontier to Great Marsh Prefecture; one can imagine they were not many good people.

If they didn't laugh it would be better, but once they laughed each one looked miserable and wretched, each one appearing like the treacherous ministers and sycophants in stories.

Several plumes of smoke rose from the bustling camp outside the city, drawing a huge arc and landing straight outside Great Marsh City's gate; several Secretariat Hall messengers held their heads high, strode into Great Marsh City, and headed straight for Wu Tie's manor.

Several messengers conveyed orders to Wu Tie and Pei Feng, saying that Marquis of Jujiang Sima You, acting on a secret military department order, had important matters to discuss with Wu Tie and Pei Feng.

Wu Tie paid no heed to this; he and Pei Feng set up a chessboard in the rear of their manor, two bad chess players began another game. Facing the messengers sent by Sima You, Wu Tie and Pei Feng used the same excuse of 'feeling unwell' to turn them away at the door.

The messengers angrily jumped and shouted outside the manor gate for a while, then returned fuming to the outer military camp.

After a quarter hour, several more messengers arrived bearing the military department's troop mobilization tokens.

Wu Tie and Pei Feng again used the excuse of 'feeling unwell, having taken medicine and resting' to refuse letting the messengers inside.

The messengers were so angry their eyes nearly popped out; they jumped and raged outside the manor gate, waving the military department's mobilization tokens and shouting loudly for a long while. Seeing Wu Tie show no reaction, they could only return angrily to the outer camp.

This time, only half a quarter hour later, dozens of Secretariat Hall masters and commanders arrived bearing a full set of troop mobilization tokens, identity seals, military department documents and official letters, their aura fierce as they stormed to Wu Tie's manor gate.

They shouted loudly, berating the guards at Wu Tie's manor gate until they were drenched in dog's blood, even directly striking the guard chief Li Er Haizi across the face.

Li Erhaozi, upon being beaten, saw the hooliganous, reckless nature deep in his bones explode, and he immediately blew the warning whistle.

Tens of thousands of ambush troops burst out from all directions with a whoosh, and a simplified, stripped-down version of the Fish-Dragon Splendid Grand Formation encircled dozens of Hub-Palace Embryonic Storage experts so tightly that not even water could leak.

It is truly splendid…… Wu Tie, as the commander of the state troops of Da Ze Prefecture, uses to guard his own mansion none other than the soldiers of the Black Phoenix Army—Wu Tie knows full well that the state troops under his command can now only bully decent civilians; hoping to march and fight is out of the question.

Li Erhaozi jumped about, shouting orders in a noisy fuss.

At Uncle Ma's command, the tens of thousands of elite Black Phoenix Army troops activated the formation, rolling it inward; within the formation were dozens of fierce Black Phoenix Army generals, as well as over a hundred Embryonic Storage realm commanders that Wu Tie had violently subdued, assisting in battle.

In the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, dozens of Hub-Palace commanders were bound up like zongzi.

Li Erhaozi plucked up the courage of a dog, risking his life to rain a series of slaps upon the Hub-Palace commander who had just struck him.

That Hub-Palace commander's cultivation far exceeded Li Erhaozi's by more than a hundredfold; under normal circumstances, a single finger could poke to death hundreds of Li Erhaozis. Unfortunately, he was crushed by the formation, his magical power sealed, and could only grit his teeth while Li Erhaozi slapped him at will.

Li Erhaozi slapped so hard that the skin on his own palm split and blood flowed, leaving several pallid handprints on the Hub-Palace commander's face… that was the extent of his victory.

However, the blood from his palm stuck to the opponent's face, smearing it with blood and making it look rather ferocious.

At Li Erhaozi's command, those dozens of Hub-Palace commanders who tried to force their way into Wu Tie's mansion were thrown out the city gate; immediately after, the spatial gate of Da Ze Prefecture was completely sealed, hundreds of lofty vessels patrolled the high skies, mist and clouds swirled over Da Ze City, and the entire city-defense grand formation was fully activated.

In the military camp outside the city, Sima You and the others, seeing Da Ze Prefecture put on this posture of not shying away from battle, felt their hands go a little numb.

This time, they were sent by Zhao Xiong to carry out the "Slay the Hero" plan.

The so-called "Slay the Hero" plan actually consists of an inner and an outer aspect.

The outermost, most obvious part of the plan is to kill that damned fellow Huo Xiong, letting Zhao Xiong vent the anger in his chest.

Besides, the "Slay the Hero" plan has a deeper purpose; Sima You and the others came here ninety percent for that deeper purpose—if this layer of the plan is executed well, Zhao Xiong will not pursue their crime of having framed Zhao Yin to death.

The inner and outer layers of the plan are intertwined; Huo Xiong is a particularly important pawn in it, and the "Slay the Hero" plan is not merely to kill Huo Xiong but also to squeeze out the maximum profit from him, even directly scheming against his backers.

So don't think that Sima Xin and the others are merely picking fights with Wu Tie, blowing their noses and glaring, constantly waving military documents and tokens to bluff; in fact, deep down they really feel a bit helpless against Wu Tie.

At least at this stage, they have no way to deal with Wu Tie.

If the mountain won't come, then go to the mountain…… Sima You and the others, in the military camp, vented by slamming tables, cursing, smashing basins and bowls; each let out a helpless sigh, faces grim, as dozens of clan generals led thirty thousand elite troops as escort, marching straight to Da Ze City in a mighty procession.

Outside the gate of Da Ze City, the party was again given a hard time by Huang Lang.

Huang Lang only allowed the several dozen clan generals led by Sima You to enter the city; their retinue, especially those thirty thousand elite troops, was ordered by Huang Lang to camp only on a field ridge thirty li from the city.

Moreover, Huang Lang sternly warned these soldiers that the crops in these fields were all "military grain"; if they dared damage even a single stalk, they would have to compensate a hundredfold.

As the deputy director of the Military Law Department's branch in Da Ze Prefecture, Li Qian deployed dozens of military prosecutors to stick close and monitor the thirty thousand troops stationed outside the city, each carrying a small ledger ready to record any demerits at any moment.

Sima You and the others were so angry smoke came out of their seven orifices; at the city gate they pointed at Huang Lang and others' noses and hurled abuse. Faced with the Black Phoenix Army troops standing ready on the city walls, they had no choice but to follow Huang Lang's demands, dumping the escort troops outside the city, themselves also removing all weapons and offensive secret treasures, retaining only their defensive magical treasures, and entering Da Ze City empty-handed.

In the rear courtyard of the mansion, Sima You and the others saw Wu Tie and Peng Feng, who claimed to be "indisposed, resting while taking medicine".

The two old chess pots sat in the pavilion, chess pieces flying and spinning on the board before them, lights and shadows shifting in various colors, making for a truly lively game.

Beside them stood a dozen or so huge wine vats, and several quick-witted maids ladled out wine, constantly pouring it into the specially made bronze wine cups of Wu Tie and Peng Feng.

The bronze wine cups, as big as a person's head, Wu Tie and Peng Feng alike raised their hands and took a glug, drinking the wine down to the last drop. With such heroic spirit reaching the clouds, who would believe these two are "indisposed" patients?

"Huo Xiong!" Sima You jumped up in anger, his eyes fixed on Wu Tie: "You, disobeying military orders?"

"Don't try to frame me, don't randomly accuse me!" Wu Tie slammed his bronze wine cup heavily onto the table before him, abruptly turned, and pointed a finger fiercely at Sima You dozens of steps away: "In Da Ze Prefecture, many prefectural commanders and army commanders have died, over a thousand civil and military officials have died; adding one more Marquis of Rujiang… dying for the country would also be a joy!"

Sima You and the others were startled and deeply moved.

Sima Xin's crushed hand had fully regenerated; restored to its original state, he suddenly leapt up, pointed at Wu Tie and angrily said: "Huo Xiong, you dare not…?"

Peng Feng let out a clear whistle to the heavens; because the wine's potency surged, she felt a bit light-headed, her body swayed, a stream of black fire shot forth, and she punched Sima Xin in the face.

Her fair fist was wrapped in black flames, her punch like a branding iron, heavily imprinting on Sima Xin's face.

With a hiss, Sima Xin's face was burned to reveal a wound deep enough to see the gum; he screamed in pain, and Peng Feng's violent punch blasted him dozens of zhang away, his head slamming into the rear courtyard wall.

This mansion is a cave-heaven secret treasure brought by Zhang Xibai; although its quality is extremely low, its defensive prohibitions are well done.

When the wall suffered a heavy blow, the defensive prohibition immediately erupted, streaks of fierce white light bursting forth from nowhere, turning into countless silver steel blades that hacked and slashed at Sima Xin's body, cutting so deeply that the fire on his immortal armor scattered in all directions, shaking his five viscera and six bowels nearly to the point of overturning.

"General Huo Xiong wouldn't dare, but I will!" Pei Feng stood on the steps of the pavilion entrance, arms crossed before her chest, and on her stunning face appeared a hint of the rascal, overbearing air unique to hooligans like Li Er Haozi……

Over the past few months, Pei Feng and Wu Tie often stayed together, with Wu Tie always accompanied by Li Er Haozi and a group of state army tough guys who came from a background of scoundrel ruffians…… Unbeknownst to them, Pei Feng had been somewhat influenced.

"I beat you up, what can you do about it?" Pei Feng tilted her head, black firelight flickering in her eyes, her whole body exuding a terrifying heat.

Sima Yu and the others were speechless.

They knew Sima Lang was frantically scheming against Pei Feng, and Sima Lang had already announced to them, these relatives of his with whom he had good relations——Pei Feng was his chosen concubine, destined to be his!

Sima Lang is the most likely heir to the future Prince Ying, and especially his cultivation is profound—he holds great authority in the Divine Might Army; neither his personal strength nor his power can be compared to that of a foppish playboy like Sima Yu.

Besides the current Divine Emperor's princes, among the current Sima clan's imperial relatives, Sima Lang is one of the most outstanding representatives of the younger generation.

Pei Feng dared to strike someone, while Sima Yu and the others didn't even dare to utter a curse.

In truth, they feared that if Sima Lang learned they had offended Pei Feng, they didn't know how much more trouble he would bring upon them.

After a few dry laughs, Sima Hu tried to smooth things over from the side: "Commander Pei Feng, that's not what you mean, Xin Ge'er is just…… speaking impulsively, haha, haha, we came to find General Huo Xiong and Commander Pei Feng— isn't it, we have some good business to discuss with you two?"

Wu Tie held his wine cup, leisurely overlooking the shifting chessboard, gulping down drink while not turning his head as he said: "Good thing? What good thing? Your elder sister can't get married, you want to foist her on me? I'm not that easygoing; I'm not a nation-toppling beauty, and I don't have a huge dowry—don't think I'll yield easily."

Sima Yu and the others were so angry their teeth were chattering.

"You want us to marry our sister off to you?"

"You're dreaming!"

Sima Yu really wanted to lash out, but seeing Pei Feng standing at the pavilion entrance with a slight intoxication, he forcibly suppressed his anger.

Getting beaten up for no reason here, and not being able to strike back…… Sima Yu is no fool.

"We are acting on the Privy Council's orders, coming to Great Marsh Prefecture to open a secret passage leading to the heartland of the Great Martial God State."

"If this secret passage can be successfully opened and we establish sufficient bridgeheads to guard it within, our Great Jin will surely hold an absolute strategic advantage over Great Wu…… Such a tremendous merit, aren't the two of you at all interested?"

Sima Yu let out a breath and, feeling wronged, explained the purpose of his party.

"A secret passage? Does Great Marsh Prefecture have a secret passage leading to the heartland of the Great Martial God State?" Wu Tie's expression shifted slightly; he set down his wine cup, rose to his feet, and looked at Sima Yu and the others.

"Great Jin, Great Wei, Great Wu—aren't the three kingdoms only bordering each other on the Three Kingdoms battlefield? The three realms vast, their territories separated by countless desolate mountains, making it basically impossible for large armies to pass through…… If there were a secret passage……" Wu Tie pointed at Sima Yu and said, "How did you know?"

"It's not that I know how; it's the Privy Council that knows this."

Sima Yu finally felt he had gained a slight edge, and he said arrogantly: "Great Marsh Prefecture has been under development for ten years; the Privy Council's spies have long since mapped out the surrounding geography and terrain in perfect detail…… Even before the development of Great Marsh Prefecture began, there were Privy Council personnel roaming the surrounding mountains."

"This secret passage, naturally, is what they discovered."