Chapter 589

The noose at Fengbo Pavilion failed to strangle Yue Fei.

But it choked the throat of the False Song Imperial Court.

The placard and the challenge to "examine the corpse to discern falsehood" were like a spark flung into boiling oil, instantly igniting Lin'an and spreading at astonishing speed in all directions.

At first, it was merely hushed whispers in the market alleys, low arguments in teahouses and taverns.

But soon, the whispers turned into public questioning, and the argument swelled into a roaring tide.

"Tattoo! Examine the back!"

"Yue Fei's mother's tattoo, 'Serve the country with utmost loyalty' — real or fake, one examination will tell!"

"Why does the court dare not examine? Could it be guilty conscience?"

"The person at the execution ground that day looked like Marshal Yue, but who saw his back?"

"It must be fake! How could Marshal Yue, such a hero, admit to such filthy charges? It must be treacherous ministers harming people, finding a scapegoat!"

Rumors spread like weeds, growing wildly in the soil of suspicion and resentment.

The specific accusations in the placard—cutting off supplies, restraining, the twelve golden tablets, colluding with the evil Iron Crow Army, Wang Jun's inner response—matched the doubts already lurking in many people's hearts.

And the tattoo of "Serve the country with utmost loyalty", an indisputable physical evidence, became the focal point where all suspicions converged.

The cries for a public examination of the corpse grew louder and louder.

Even some bold students of the Imperial Academy jointly submitted a petition, imploring the court: "To dispel the world's doubts, publicly examine the corpse at Fengbo Pavilion, to clear the eyes and ears."

Pressure, like an invisible tide, wave after wave struck the palace walls and the premier's residence in Lin'an.

Qin Hui shut his doors and refused to see anyone.

That day, after returning from Fengbo Pavilion, he "took ill".

What truly felled him was not cold wind, but fear and fury.

The Iron Crow Army's promise of "infallibility" became a huge joke.

They only provided a corpse that looked enough alike, but they did not expect the opponent to pull the rug from under them, pointing directly to the secret beneath the corpse that only close kin would know!

Examine the corpse?

How to examine?

Perhaps the substitute's back bore a forged tattoo, but it could never be precise to "a half-millimeter to the right"!

Once examined publicly, the fraud would be exposed at once!

But if not examined?

All eyes of the world are fixed on it; how can the clamor be quelled? The court's already tottering credibility will be utterly shattered into dust!

"Trash! All trash!"

Upon his sickbed, Qin Hui fiercely smashed the medicine bowl onto the ground, his chest heaving violently.

He hated Yue Fei, he hated the Northward Aspiration Army, and he hated even more the mysterious, ineffectual Iron Crow Army!

Now, he is being roasted over a fire.

He is caught between a rock and a hard place.

In the palace, Emperor Zhao Zhe's illness seemed to have worsened.

He was inherently indecisive and soft-eared; now, bombarded by wave after wave of calls for corpse examination from outside the palace, and the shocking words "Iron Crow" and "frame-up" in the placard, his mind was torn apart, plagued by incessant nightmares.

He faintly felt that he seemed to have been swept into a dark vortex far beyond his comprehension.

Regarding Qin Hui's memorial requesting "cold handling" and "to counter movement with stillness," he merely trembled and stamped "known" three characters, then said nothing more.

The court's silence and avoidance, in the eyes of the world, became the best footnote of a guilty conscience.

Suspicion gradually turned into certainty.

They were certain the court was fabricating evidence and framing the loyal.

The populace's sympathy and reverence for Yue Fei did not dissipate with his execution at Fengbo Pavilion; instead, because of this "true or false" debate, it fermented into even stronger righteous indignation, and… anticipation for the "true Yue Fei" who issued the placard and claimed to continue resisting the Jin from Mount Meng.

Meanwhile.

The Jin army's great camp.

Wanyan Zongbi (Wuchu) held several reports from different channels about the changes in Lin'an, his brows furrowed tightly, remaining silent for a long time.

Within the tent, all the Jin commanders also wore solemn expressions.

"Yue Fei…… not dead?"

The voice of General Han Chang was filled with disbelief.

"Not only is he not dead, he openly rebelled against the Song court, joined forces with the Northward Aspiration bandits, and now raises his banner on Mount Meng……"

Another commander's face, his tone complex.

"They killed a substitute at Fengbo Pavilion, and now the 'corpse examination' affair has caused an uproar, the Southern Dynasty court's prestige swept away……"

Wanyan Zongbi slammed the memorial heavily onto the desk.

"What a Yue Fei! What a Northward Aspiration!"

In his voice there was annoyance, apprehension, and a barely perceptible… admiration.

At the Battle of Yancheng, Yue Fei and his Iron Infantry left too deep an impression on the Jin army.

Now, this fearsome enemy has not only not been eliminated by his own side, but has broken free of his greatest shackles and joined forces with another equally troublesome Northward Aspiration army!

This is certainly not good news.

"Marshal, what should we do now?" Han Chang asked, "The Yue bandits of Mount Meng and the Northward Aspiration have joined forces; their momentum will surely rise. Should we, while they are not yet firmly established, gather a great army and first exterminate them?"

Wanyan Zongbi shook his head, his gaze turning to the map.

"Exterminate? With what shall we exterminate?"

"In the Battle of Yancheng, our forces suffered considerable losses; we urgently need to rest and replenish."

"The Southern Dynasty court now cannot even look after itself, unable to cooperate, and may even drag us down."

What's more important...

His finger slowly moved on the map, from Mang Mountain toward the north, toward that vast grassland.

The scout reported: the tribes of the grassland have recently been restless, as if a strongman is rising, their momentum of unification far surpassing before. Their vanguard cavalry has appeared many times on our northern border, extremely fierce.

The commanders in the tent all turned grim.

The threat of the grassland is a memory etched in their bones.

Southern Dynasty internal chaos, Yue Fei rebelling, the grassland in turmoil...

Wanyan Zongbi slowly exhaled a turbid breath.

This situation under heaven is about to change.

Pass the order: all frontline units, temporarily halt the offensive toward Mang Mountain, focusing on surveillance and blockade.

Contract our forces, consolidate the existing lines, especially the northern front.

At the same time, send more scouts to closely monitor the grassland's movements, and… every move of the Northward Aspiration-Yue Allied Army.

His decision was pragmatic and ruthless.

Unable to quickly eliminate the new threat, he prioritized preserving strength to deal with possible greater changes.

The Jin State's strategy quietly adjusted.

And deep within Mang Mountain.

The Wild Boar Valley has changed its appearance.

The great banner of the Northward Aspiration-Yue Allied Army was raised high at the valley mouth, red background with black characters, fluttering in the autumn wind.

The simple but sturdy camp was built along the terrain, watchtowers standing in rows, the chants of training and construction rising and falling.

Although supplies remained scarce, the despondency and confusion after escaping death had been replaced by a fresh vigor full of sharp energy.

On the largest open space within the valley, the entire army gathered.

Yue Fei stood on the makeshift wooden platform, unarmored, wearing only a washed-white old battle robe.

But his spine was straight, his eyes like torches.

Below the platform were the veterans of the Yue Family Army and Northward Aspiration Army who had survived blood and fire, plus scattered rebel troops and defeated soldiers who had rushed from nearby upon hearing the news over the past few days, totaling nearly five thousand.

Chen Wen, Wu Yong, Zhang Xian, Wang Gui and others stood at the side of the platform.

Lin Chong, his wounds not yet healed, was also helped to the scene.

Brothers!

Yue Fei's voice was loud and firm, echoing through the valley.

The Imperial Court is immoral, corrupt officials run rampant, colluding with evil spirits, destroying the Great Wall itself!

They do not want Zhongyuan's rivers and mountains; we do!

They spare no use of doubles, framing, and baseless charges to slaughter the loyal and good; we insist on surviving! Not only to survive, but to survive honorably, to stand tall under heaven and stand firm on earth!

He forcefully tore open the front of his old battle robe, revealing a solid chest; though he did not expose his back, the motion reminded everyone of the famous tattooed characters in the proclamation.

From today onward, there will be no more Yue Family Army, nor any lone Northward Aspiration Army!

Only the Northward Aspiration-Yue Allied Army!

Our banner is none other than 'Expel the barbarians, recover our rivers and mountains, purify the cosmos, rebuild Huaxia'!

Our blades point not only to the southern foolish king and treacherous ministers, but also to the northern Jin barbarian cavalry, and to all enemies who trample our mountains and rivers and enslave our people!

All under heaven is in an uproar, saying that Yue Fei died at Fengbo Pavilion.

Today, I will tell the world——

Yue Fei drew his sword and pointed to the heavens, his voice shaking the four fields:

I, Yue Fei, was born here, raised here!

As long as the rivers and mountains are not restored, the barbarians not exterminated, I will not die!

The Northward Aspiration-Yue Allied Army, today plants its banner here!

Those who wish to follow, join in this righteous cause! Those who do not, may go their own way!

But those who remain under this banner——

His gaze slowly swept over each excited or resolute face below the platform.

They are brothers who share life and death!

They are the blade that splits the darkness in this chaotic age……

Allied Army, ten thousand victories!

Below the platform, after a brief silence:

Like a volcanic eruption!

Willing to follow the Marshal!

Willing to follow Marshal Yue!

Northward Aspiration! Northward Aspiration!

Allied Army, ten thousand victories!

The roars gathered into a mighty wave, surging to the heavens, shaking the mountains and forests.

Chen Wen stood below the platform, feeling this surging momentum, like a newborn torrent; though not yet mighty, it was full of infinite potential and sharp energy.

The token in his sleeve warmed slightly, resonating faintly with this momentum.

But at the same time, the omen of Shi Yong on his brow had not yet fully faded.

He lifted his head, his gaze seeming to pierce the layers of Mang Mountain, looking toward the northern grassland where a storm was brewing, and also toward the direction of Lin'an where the momentum was even more turbid and tumultuous.

The three-way pattern has already taken shape.

But beneath this fragile balance, a deeper undercurrent, driven by the will of the Iron Crow Army, is accelerating.

The true upheaval, perhaps has only just begun.