Chapter 862

That night, outside Xiahou Wuming's camp, on the small hilltop, what exactly happened? The parties involved kept it deeply secret afterward.

Zhu Ganglie's nose bled drop by drop as he returned to Yin Wang City, while Xiahou Wuming limped for several days afterward.

After that night, Xiahou Wuming went mad, issuing countless troop deployment orders every day in all directions.

The ruler of Qiang State seemed to have lost his mind, suddenly taking command of hundreds of thousands of private troops from the fiefdoms and launching an attack on Xiahou Wuming.

Xiahou Wuming merely sent out a junior officer from his own clan, commanding three thousand elite troops, and in a single battle shattered the Qiang ruler's hundreds of thousands of 'crack troops and fierce generals,' the whole affair taking no more than an hour.

For a time, the Grand Tutor Xiahou's name shook the four directions.

Many hesitant sovereigns and countless indecisive prefects dispatched generals or personally led their troops, rushing to join forces with Xiahou Wuming.

In just seven or eight days, via the super teleportation arrays densely set up among the fiefdoms and prefectures of the Sui Dynasty, large numbers of troops poured into Xiahou Wuming's main camp; the original camp stretching hundreds of li expanded more than tenfold in just a few days.

The Qiang ruler, who had suffered a setback days earlier, relying on being the most senior and strongest among the western border rebel kings, somehow persuaded many rebel kings; the troops of dozens of rebel kings launched a hysterical attack on the Dead Ox Pit.

At the same time, inside Yin Wang City, Wu Tie mobilized the righteous troops, coordinating with the dozens of rebel kings to launch a frenzied east‑west pincer attack on the Dead Ox Pit.

Thus, at Xiahou Wuming's order, all forts, garrison towns, and troops in the Qi Yin Mountain defense line and the eight‑pit passages retreated instantly through the teleportation arrays, opening the Qi Yin Mountain defense line overnight.

The dozens of rebel kings welcomed the righteous troops led by Feng Sheng with joy, drums and gongs sounding loudly.

Thus, in less than half a month, all territories west of Qi Yin Mountain in the Sui Dynasty fell into Feng Sheng's hands.

Feng Rong flew into a rage and issued an edict admonishing Xiahou Wuming.

Xiahou Wuming replied to Feng Rong: 'This is the tactic of luring the enemy deep in, then gathering and annihilating them.'

Thus Feng Rong held his tongue, ceased to meddle in Xiahou Wuming's battlefield, personally led a campaign, went to the eastern side of Sui Du, found a pretext, and slaughtered top to bottom the clans allied with Feng Shang, leaving none alive.

He killed, looted homes, exterminated clans, and furthermore, on the eastern side of Sui Du, on the famous Haoyang Mountain, he held a grand Heaven‑sacrificing ceremony.

This baffling move sparked widespread discussion throughout the Sui Dynasty, both court and populace.

The Sui Dynasty had never held a Heaven‑sacrificing rite; it only ever performed the ancestral sacrifice to the forebear 'Sui Ren Shi'.

Feng Rong's inexplicable Heaven‑sacrificing rite also coincided with the worship of Wa Qingluan, who had just awakened from a severe injury‑induced coma, and of Wa Qingluan's personal attendant Qing Wu, who had been killed by a single punch from Feng Sheng but had inexplicably reappeared.

In short, bizarre and ever‑shifting, Feng Rong's actions and the changing tides of the Sui Dynasty left everyone in the world baffled.

Feng Rong opened a slaughter spree in the eastern border, wiping out three clans, then another three, then another three, and after that yet another three.

Feng Rong personally commanded the elite imperial guards, slaughtering countless heads in the eastern border, unsettling the morale of the frontier troops to the point of daily alarms. Taking advantage, the Eastern Demon State invaded the border, capturing within half a month dozens of important eastern defensive strongholds.

The righteous troops under Wu Tie and Feng Sheng, together with the armies of the dozens of rebel kings, marched mightily straight toward Xiahou Wuming's encampment.

For several consecutive days, Wu Tie deployed troops and sent out martial experts to provoke Xiahou Wuming's army.

Thus, day after day, dozens of bouts each day, the martial masters of both sides clashed fiercely between the armies, with someone suffering heavy injuries and retreating every day.

However, both sides had stationed strong commanders to provide support, so although many were gravely wounded, very few actually fell.

Thus, after a chaotic melee that lasted several more days.

Xiahou Wuming's elite forces under his command grew ever larger.

Xiahou Wuming continuously issued orders allocating various supplies, sending them incessantly toward Sui Du.

Feng Rong led troops abroad to kill, calling it 'eradication of rebels,' but his faction at court was utterly unable to match veterans like Xiahou Wuming, who had served multiple dynasties, nor the influence Feng Shang had left in the court.

Thus, within Sui Du, mountains of military materiel and supplies flowed incessantly into Xiahou Wuming's main camp.

In less than half a month, Xiahou Wuming emptied Sui Du's granaries and armories.

Not only were the military granaries emptied, but also the regular storehouses of government offices, and even the strategic reserve granaries within the imperial city that are normally off‑limits, were completely cleared out through internal and external cooperation.

Even the warehouses of several major grain merchants in Sui Du were cleaned out completely.

Moreover, the grain reserves in the homes of civil and military officials associated with Xiahou Wuming or Feng Shang were also completely stripped bare.

After a few more days, Sui Du issued thirty‑six emergency recalls, summoning Feng Rong, who had nearly fled to the eastern frontier, back to the city.

The recall stated that the Sui Du secret guards had discovered civil and military officials privately colluding, intending to rebel while Feng Rong was absent from the city, aiming to place one of his brothers on the throne.

Feng Rong flew into a rage, hastily leading a large contingent of imperial guards back to Sui Du.

Upon returning to Sui Du, he suddenly saw that many civil and military officials had indeed fled with their families; thus he grew more convinced of the recall's message and, with a menacing presence, personally led troops to comb the streets for rebels.

No one knows what wind Feng Rong has caught.

What began as an affair involving only high officials turned into him ordering killings against the common populace.

In just a few days, Feng Rong, on the charge of treason, killed one‑tenth of Sui Du's populace!

This news could not be concealed; the calamity spread like a hurricane, howling throughout the entire Sui Dynasty.

On the very day the news reached Xiahou Wuming's camp, after dinner, countless soldiers in his camp collapsed one after another, weak and numb, watching helplessly as wave after wave of the 'righteous troops' marched into the camp.

They saw Xiahou Wuming leading his clan's generals and private troops, together with a group of sovereigns and prefects who were die‑hard allies of the Xiahou clan, throw open the camp gates and welcome Wu Tie, Feng Sheng, and countless 'enemy troops' into the camp.

Their own commander openly colluded with the enemy.

Seeing this, the sovereigns and prefects who had come under orders to 'suppress the rebellion' felt it absurd and ridiculous, yet did not know what to do.

One after another, the super teleportation arrays roared open, leading straight from Xiahou Wuming's main camp to Sui Du.

By rights, a frontline camp could not directly teleport to its own capital; this was a gross violation of regulations and discipline.

But with Xiahou Wuming, the incumbent Grand Tutor, presiding and countless civil and military officials cooperating, this unreasonable, rule‑breaking act took place openly and aboveboard.

In response to Xiahou Wuming's military order, the sovereigns from the northern and southern borders who personally led troops to Li Mo City numbered fifty‑nine, and the prefects numbered one thousand four hundred thirty‑nine. Seeing Xiahou Wuming arrive with Feng Xiao before them, they immediately bowed their heads to Feng Xiao.

Wu Tie and the others were busy all night.

Within Sui Du, Feng Rong unleashed a killing spree, slaughtering rebels nonstop for several days without rest, his eyes blood‑red, the imperial guards' limbs going weak; finally Feng Rong relented, allowing the guards, whose spirits were near collapse, to rest for two days.

Sui Du enjoyed a rare night of peace.

The next morning, several strong and brave men on the central bell tower of Sui Du struck the time‑telling bronze bell.

The gate officials of the four sides, following custom, led the garrison troops in a final inspection of the gates and watchtowers before shift change; they almost simultaneously climbed onto the ramparts to look outward.

Afterward, sharp bugle cries and shouts rang out from all directions.

All over Sui Du, in every direction, ranks upon ranks of brightly armored soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder; hundreds of sovereigns' banners and thousands of prefects' banners floated in the air, while countless warships, dense as dark clouds, covered more than half of the sky above Sui Du.

A square cloud hovered steadily above the western city gate tower; upon that square cloud sat Feng Xiao on a vermilion‑gold throne, wearing royal regalia, surrounded by Wu Tie, Xiahou Wuming, the various sovereigns and prefects, and tens of thousands of civil and military officials who had fled Sui Du.

The civil and military officials surrounding Feng Xiao amounted to nearly half of the Sui Dynasty's court.

Especially the several veteran officials who held the same rank as the current Grand Tutor Xiahou Wuming, all dressed in full ceremonial robes, stood ramrod straight behind Feng Xiao.

Within Sui Du, countless officials, generals, soldiers, and commoners saw the warship hovering in the sky, especially that enormous square cloud.

Exclamations rang out from all directions.

A city-guarding Forbidden Army Commander, likewise a confidant of Feng Rong, trembled as he stood on the Imperial City's watchtower, gazing far off at Feng Xiao and the others above the West Gate, shouting hoarsely: "Traitors and rebels…… you…… you……"

Xiahou Wuming fiercely flung his blood-red cloak behind him, strode forward two steps, and bellowed: "Traitors and rebels? You are the nation's great villains…… Where is the Majesty?"

That Forbidden Army Commander shouted hoarsely: "His Majesty is in the palace……"

Xiahou Wuming roared, cutting off the commander's words: "I am not asking about that immoral fool of a ruler, nor about that usurping tyrant…… I am asking, where is the Majesty?"

The Forbidden Army Commander clenched his mouth shut.

He well knew that Xiahou Wuming was asking about Feng Rong and Feng Shang's father, the former Divine Emperor of the Sui Dynasty, Feng Zhen.

But Feng Zhen, after appearing once before and passing the throne to Feng Rong, has never been seen again; who knows where he is?

Feng Rong's entourage of confidants all harbored terrifying suspicions.

But no one dared to speak.

"Feng Rong plotted to usurp the throne, conspired to patricide, seized the Divine Emperor's seat—his crime…… deserves ten thousand deaths!" Xiahou Wuming exerted all his strength, projecting his voice across the entirety of Sui Du, laying bare everything outright, voicing the Sui Dynasty's greatest suspicion held by countless people.

A whirlwind wrapped in a flame cloud burst from the Imperial City; Feng Rong, hair disheveled, bare-chested, barefoot, wearing only a thin silk pant, stood on the fire cloud, gnashing his teeth and cursing Xiahou Wuming: "Old scoundrel, I wish I had ordered your household razed and clan exterminated…… ha ha!"

Feng Rong's eyes slightly reddened, and he hoarsely roared: "But it's not too late…… Come, someone, go to the Heavenly Prison and execute Xiahou Wuming's entire clan!"

Within the Imperial City, a group of eunuchs leading a large contingent of the Forbidden Army surged forth, rushing madly toward the Heavenly Prison at the northwest corner of the Imperial City.

Xiahou Wuming burst into wild laughter, pointing at Feng Rong and jeering: "Foolish ruler, you truly have reached the pinnacle of incompetence…… Where are my kin, and you still haven't figured it out to this day? You, such an incapable and virtue-less fool…… how dare you sit upon the Divine Emperor's throne?"

Feng Rong stared blankly, then snapped his gaze toward the Heavenly Prison: "Old coot, did you move your relatives away?"

After a moment, Feng Rong flew into a rage, hoarsely shouting: "Someone, who is in charge of the Heavenly Prison? Kill him and his family, exterminate his nine clans…… cut him to a thousand pieces, execute him by lingchi!"

Behind Xiahou Wuming, the senior official of the Sui Dynasty's Punishment Hall who oversaw the Heavenly Prison stepped forward, coughed heavily, and with a hint of embarrassment bowed to Feng Rong: "Your Majesty, I know you will surely exterminate my clan, so several days ago I already fled Sui Du with my family."

He gave a dry laugh, this Punishment Hall senior official wore an expression of utter disbelief as he questioned Feng Rong: "Your Majesty, I have already led my clan out of Sui Du for a full five or six days, and you…… haven't noticed?"

Feng Rong remained silent.

These days, he has been busy everywhere arresting 'rebels,' busy in Sui Du confiscating homes and exterminating clans; how could he have time to tally how many civil and military officials have fled?

This matter is as absurd as it can be, as ludicrous as it can be.

Given the Sui Dynasty's foundation, if its court could function normally, how could such a thing happen?

But under Feng Rong's control, such things have indeed occurred this way.

In just a few months, the Sui Dynasty has almost completely collapsed.

"You are all rebels, you…… you all deserve to die!" Feng Rong stared blankly; his eye sockets filled with a spreading red, threads of crimson pattern seeping from the corners of his eyes, quickly spreading across his face and then enveloping his entire body.

An auspicious cloud rose; Wu Qingluan, clad in splendid Empress Dowager regalia, was supported by her left hand Qing Wu and her right hand a palace maiden, arriving haughtily at Feng Rong's side.

"Your Majesty, why fear these traitors and rebels?" Wu Qingluan sneered: "Just unleash your slaughter, nearly wipe out this batch of traitors and rebels…… I can guarantee that Your Majesty can gather enough sacrificial offerings to exchange for eternal youth and immortality!"

Qing Wu stood aside, pursing her lips and lightly laughing: "Your Majesty, eternal youth and immortality, eternal youth and immortality…… heh, even the past Divine Emperors could not endure the lifespan limit of 129,600 years; even if they survived, repeated calamities of death would befall them, ultimately causing their souls to scatter and ashes to vanish…… but you, you can have eternal youth and immortality!"

"Eternal youth and immortality, Your Majesty…… the women of the world are yours to enjoy; the picturesque rivers and mountains are yours to sweep across; the myriad common folk are yours to command; with a single order, the eight directions tremble…… eternal youth and immortality, forever indulge in enjoyment."

Qing Wu pursed her lips, smiling alluringly.

In his eyes, a sinister, eerie light flickered, causing Feng Rong's entire body to erupt with a sudden surge of killing intent.

"That's right; as long as we offer sufficient sacrifices to the heavens, earth, and spirits, I can achieve eternal life…… forever enjoying the Sui Dynasty's picturesque rivers and mountains, countless subjects, boundless wealth, boundless beauties."

"You lot are merely my provisions."

Feng Rong puffed out his chest, gazing at the great army that had encircled Sui Du from all directions in an impenetrable ring, he waved a hand and lightly declared: "Generals, kill for me…… whoever slays the most, I shall ennoble him as a king!"

After a pause, Feng Rong shouted sternly: "I declare that all previous ennoblements as kings, all granted titles, and all offices in the Sui Dynasty are hereby abolished!"

"Once I have slaughtered all these traitors and rebels, I will then reforge the Sui Dynasty's laws!"