Chapter 535

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Protagonist:

Yan Qianqian

Ouyang Chengqi lowered his head to look at the wound on his chest; fresh blood stained his collar red, his body began to tremble, and his hands dropped powerlessly.

Only at this moment did he begin to reflect on his original decision — should he have sent troops to support Ouyang Chengren? Perhaps, if he had done so, the outcome would have been different……

Finally, Ouyang Chengqi's hands and feet completely lost strength; he fell heavily onto the chair like a pile of mud, his eyes lost their luster, and he thoroughly lost his vitality.

Li Jing expressionlessly withdrew his sword and casually tossed aside that sword stained with Ouyang Chengqi's blood, as if it were merely a trivial thing. From his mouth he spat three words: "It is over."

He exhaled a breath, turned, and left; toward Ouyang Chengqi this person, Li Jing was disgusted to the extreme, even glancing at him once felt superfluous.

Under the Deputy General's command, the remaining soldiers began to clean up the battlefield in an orderly manner, while Li Jing returned to the military camp without looking back.

Walking into his own tent, Li Jing's mood was exceptionally agitated.

He seemed already able to imagine the moment he ascended the throne, the magnificent scene of ten thousand people paying homage and shouting "Long live the Emperor." This feeling intoxicated him, unable to extricate himself.

However, after Li Jing left, the slaughter on the battlefield did not continue.

After all, Ouyang Chengqi was already dead, Ouyang Chengren and Ouyang Qianqiu were also gone, and the remaining people had already become insignificant.

The men were forced to become slaves or servants, while the women were reduced to military prostitutes, about to suffer endless humiliation and torture.

Ouyang Qianyu and a crowd of the Emperor's concubines also did not escape. They were forcibly changed into prisoner's garb, penned together like livestock, awaiting the fate of being sent to Beilin Kingdom to serve as military prostitutes.

Three days later, the battlefield was finally cleaned up, and Xishang Kingdom was also temporarily settled. Li Jing felt the timing was already ripe, so he decided to lead the soldiers back to Beilin Kingdom, while having Li Aotian arrange suitable officials to take over affairs here.

On the fourth day of the return journey, Li Jing led Beilin Kingdom's soldiers, rushing back to Beilin Kingdom all the way wind-and-dust weary.

They had already entered Beilin Kingdom's territory, getting closer and closer to their destination.

However, in Li Jing's heart there was always a strange feeling, always feeling something was not right. But he did not ponder deeply, merely feeling it might be his own oversuspiciousness.

Just as Li Jing prepared to order the soldiers to make camp and rest for a night, suddenly, from the distance came a burst of urgent horse hooves.

Everyone raised their heads to gaze; they saw a person wearing Beilin Kingdom soldier's clothes, riding a fast horse, galloping like a gale.

This person looked extremely anxious, as if having some important matter to convey. Li Jing's heart tightened, an ominous premonition surged up.

In the blink of an eye, that soldier had already rushed before Li Jing. He nimbly dismounted, then swiftly handed the letter in his hand to Li Jing.

Li Jing took the letter, not yet having time to open it, when that soldier knelt in salute and anxiously said: "Third Young Master, quick! Dachang Kingdom's army has already reached Beitang City!"

Li Jing heard these words, and his complexion instantly turned gloomy to the extreme.

Beitang City is Beilin Kingdom's important city; once lost, the consequences are unthinkable. Because after Beitang City comes Beilin Kingdom's imperial capital — Beituo City!

He wore a dark face, angrily tore open the envelope, and saw inside only four short characters: "Jun'er return swiftly."

Li Jing only felt as if a bolt of surprise thunder exploded in his mind; he stared wide-eyed, looking at these four characters in disbelief.

Good you, Yan Wang, you thief! Originally agreed cooperation, I labored hard attacking Xishang Kingdom, yet you actually went to steal home!

Anger made Li Jing's heart pound wildly, as if it would jump out of his throat. His eyebrows furrowed, face gloomy to a frightening degree, blue veins on his forehead bulging from rage.

Li Jing silently calculated the time in his heart; without sleep or rest, two days should be enough to reach Beituo City. He deeply knew time was urgent, brooking no delay, so he decided on the spot and immediately ordered the Deputy General to summon everyone to assemble.

The Deputy General dared not have the slightest delay, hurriedly shouted loudly, telling everyone to put down what they were busy with and quickly assemble.

The soldiers heard the Deputy General's urgent and grave voice, knew something important must have happened, no one dared dawdle, one after another put down items in hand and quickly ran to the assembly point.

Before long, everyone stood neatly in a row, awaiting Li Jing's instructions.

Li Jing stood at the front of the formation, his voice resonant like a great bell: "I give everyone one incense stick of time, hurry and pack your things, we must march through the night! If hungry on the road eat dry rations, from now on we have no time to rest!

Dachang's thieves have already reached Beitang City, the situation is extremely critical, absolutely cannot delay any longer! Now, immediately pack up, prepare to depart!"

As his words fell, everyone realized the gravity of the situation, and one after another sprang into action.

They swiftly tidied their baggage, packed necessary items inside, then reassembled, preparing to embark on this long and arduous journey.

Although two consecutive days and two nights without sleep or rest left everyone feeling extremely fatigued, not a single person dared complain or cry tired, because they all clearly knew, every extra moment delayed meant one more fraction of danger for Beilin, and they themselves might end up like Xishang, becoming prisoners, suffering endless humiliation and suffering.

And simultaneously, on the other side of the battlefield, Yan Wang was leading the twenty-eight thousand great army fiercely attacking Beituo City. In fact, as early as several days prior, he had already meticulously planned this campaign.

That day, he deliberately ordered Tang Qi to lead ten thousand General Yan to withdraw first; the purpose was to deceive Li Jing. And this move indeed worked; Li Jing easily believed Yan Wang's withdrawal, harboring not the slightest guard.

Afterwards, Tang Qi followed Yan Wang's instructions, cleverly circled around, and successfully rendezvoused with Yan Wang. Immediately after, Yan Wang unhesitatingly led all armies, like a violent storm, launching a fierce attack on Beilin Kingdom.

Because previously Li Jing took away fifty thousand soldiers, at this time Beilin Kingdom's forces were clearly insufficient; the number of soldiers Li Aotian commanded was far fewer than Yan Wang.

This undoubtedly gave Yan Wang an excellent opportunity, allowing him to swiftly capture Beilin Kingdom's cities with superior forces.

As expected, the subsequent battle progressed exceptionally smoothly; Yan Wang's army swept forward like a bamboo split, city after city fell under their fierce assault. However, just as Dachang's army advanced triumphantly all the way, about to reach Beitang City, the situation suddenly changed.

Beitang City, as Beilin Kingdom's last line of defense, gathered within all of Beilin Kingdom's remaining soldiers, totaling approximately twenty thousand. And Yan Wang still had twenty-eight thousand great army in hand.